SAMPLE SUNDAY | Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Face Mask x Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask

It's an extra special Sample Sunday this week 'cos I'm trying out a brand spanking new, fresh-out-of-the-oven product from one of my absolute faves, Fresh!

Fresh is celebrating 25 years of innovation by releasing a brand new product, the Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Face Mask. Woooo! I sprinted to the closet Fresh counter straight after work to get a complimentary sample (as all members of the Fresh Family were generously invited to do so), and to my delight, I was gifted with two additional samples - the Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask and Sugar Face Polish - in an adorable sachet along with a packet of dried orange slices for that perfect cup of tea. Uh, brilliant. I've already sampled (and raved) about the Sugar Face Polish, so let's check out the other two masks from Fresh!

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Face Mask |
Just take a look at that pamphlet and tell me you don't feel like smearing all that freshly squeezed goodness all over your face! 'Cos that's exactly what I did the minute I got home. This new product is "an innovative mask made with a concentration citrus blend and potent vitamin fruit complex that gently exfoliates to reveal a vibrant glow". The scent is absolutely delightful - a fruit blend of crushed oranges, lemons and clementines - and the texture feels thick and gooey, with tiny chunks of fruit bits. It felt (and smelled) like I was smearing orange jam all over my face. In a good way! No joke, I had to make a conscious effort not to give this a lick. The mask took extra effort to fully wash off (since it did completely dry down in ten minutes), and while I didn't actually feel any exfoliation action going on, I was pleasantly surprised to find my complexion looked brighter, and my skin plumper! Where dat glow come from, yo? Although I don't find this to be an absolute must-have mask - unless you have serious issues with dry, dull, tired-looking skin - it was lovely to use and still gets two thumbs up from me!

Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask |

Fresh's Black Tea range is wonderful - the Black Tea Age-Delay Instant Infusion is my holy-grail toner - and the sales associate instructed that I applied this Instant Perfecting Mask after the Vitamin Nectar mask to boost and maximize results. This is a "hydrating treatment that immediately reveals softer, firmer, healthier-looking skin" and, just like the toner, has the most soothing aroma of black tea and lychees. The texture is very interesting - it has a whipped, velvety mousse consistency with just a touch of graininess to it when you smooth it over the face. Like mashed potatoes! Dang it, now I'm hungry. I felt a tingly, cooling sensation instantly upon application - as it does claim to have - and this mintiness was further amplified when I rinsed the mask off with cold water after ten minutes. Let me tell you, my face felt freakin' phenomenal after - so refreshed, revitalized and soft. While I'm not exactly sure if it was a result of a combination of the two masks, I've already made a mental note to add this to my wish-list. If you want soft, perfected skin and you enjoy masks that "refresh the skin and the senses", you need this in your life.

Because Fresh masks do run on the pricier side (the Vitamin Nectar Vibrancy-Boosting Face Mask will set you back $62USD, while the Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask will cost you an arm and a leg, I mean $92USD), I would definitely recommend getting a sample first to see which one gets along best with you skin (Sephora is great at this!). If I had to pick my favorite out of the two, it would have to be the Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask - it made my face feel like a whole new woman.

Let me know if you've tried any Fresh masks, and which ones are your favorite!

SAMPLE SUNDAY | The Ginza Hybrid Day Protector x Melvita Moisture-Replenishing Night Nectar

It's all about under-the-radar beauty brands for this week's Sample Sunday!

The Ginza Hybrid Day Protector |
I'm going to take a wild guess and say most of you will probably be unfamiliar with this brand, but The Ginza Cosmetics is actually a premium skincare line from Shiseido! Well, whaddya know! (And Ginza is actually an upscale district in Tokyo where Shiseido was born and their flagship store still resides. Ooooh, makeup education!) This Hybrid Day Protector SPF 30+++ claims to protect the skin by shielding it from harmful factors including UV rays, air pollutants and "invisible substances" - their words, not mine. It has a lightweight, mousse-y texture that melts flawlessly into the skin using just my fingertips! It comes out as a nude gel yet offers zero coverage, but manages to have a skin perfecting quality - it makes my pores less noticeable and has a similar blurring effect as the Kiehl's Micro-Blur Skin Perfector. In direct sunlight, I found this has the tiniest amount of shimmer, which I think gives the skin that extra radiance and oomph. The texture, the scent, the application - this was just an all-around pleasant product to use. However, it turns out the full size is almost $2200HKD (that's close to $285USD... *eyebrow raise*) which is entirely ridonculous for something that performed like a glorified primer with SPF. If I were Oprah, I'd probably own this entire range. But I'm not. No one will ever be Oprah, expect Oprah. I love Oprah. Wow, that escalated quickly.

Swatched | Blended out

Melvita Moisture-Replenishing Night Nectar |
All you organic skincare junkies, listen up! I've been a fan of Melvita for quite some time now - the French pioneer in organic beauty, Melvita only uses ingredients that are organically and responsibly sourced, along with packaging that is completely recyclable. Talk about doing it right! I was given this sample of the Moisture-Replenishing Night Nectar from their Rose Nectar range upon purchasing the Rose Nectar Fresh Eye-Contour Gel a while back (which was nice and refreshing but worked poorly under makeup), and had put off trying it since it's specifically for dehydrated skin, Well, I've since learned that you can have the oiliest of skin types (like moi) and still be dehydrated! This claims to bathe the skin in "beneficial moisture all night long" with a velvety consistency. I was highly drawn to its subtle, calming rose scent and milky, runny texture that felt soothing, almost even cooling, on the skin, although it never did fully absorb and sink in. The instructions on the packet say to use this only in the evenings, which I suspect is because their products - like the Eye-Contour Gel - don't work particularly well under makeup. Since I was lathering it on before bed, the tackiness didn't bother me all that much. Still, I feel this Night Nectar was too rich for my oily skin, and perhaps the Hydrating Facial Gel from the same range catered for dry to combination skin would be a better fit. We shall see!

That's it, folks - I love trying products from unknown and underrated beauty brands! You never know when you'll find something absolutely amazeballs.

REVIEW | Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag

Ladies and gentleman, welcome to my very first fashion-related post - and an incredibly exciting one at that! Introducing the newest addition to my bag collection... drum roll please. Let's all take a moment and soak in the gloriousness that is my new Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag. -squeals-

Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag

Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather in Cammello/Antico

$895USD

As someone who is fervently into the minimalist aesthetic - in both beauty and fashion - I see Mansur Gavriel as minimalism at its finest. Clean lines, simple shapes, quality leather. So much yes. You fellow bag fanatics out there will know that Mansur Gavriel bags are hard to come by - they're never on sale and always out of stock. I was one of the lucky few that snagged one during their website restock at the end of March. $895USD later (plus a $75USD international shipping fee, ouch), this bad boy landed on my doorstep.

First off, I have to preface this by saying that this is not my first MG bag - last fall, I got my hands on the highly coveted (and mania-inducing) Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag in Black/Ballerina that I absolutely, head over heels, adore to pieces. It's become my everyday bag for all occasions, and none of my other bags have gotten much love ever since. Oops. But when I laid eyes on the ads for the Lady Bag, my heart skipped a beat and I knew I needed it in my life. To me, the Bucket Bag is chic and effortless, whereas the Lady Bag exudes sophistication and elegance - especially in this Cammello color. Your girl had to have both!

Image from Mansur Gavriel

Size |

The Lady Bag comes in three different sizes - the Large Lady Bag, the Lady Bag, and the Mini Lady Bag. I wanted a size that was practical, yet wouldn't look awkward on my 5'5 frame. I chose to go with the middle size (with the dimensions of 10.5" H x 13.5" W x 5" D) and it fits me perfectly. It's super roomy - it fits my 13" Macbook Pro, my essentials including my wallet, makeup bag, sunglasses, and a few other knickknacks. I love how this bag comes with a top handle as well as a cross-body strap, making it very versatile for any look or occasion. The cross-body strap is adjustable, and I am able to stand upright and reach into the bottom of my bag when it's adjusted to the shortest setting. Yessss. I'm so not a fan of that awkward length when you have to clumsily prop your bag on your leg or a nearby ledge just to dig out what you need. 

Color |

This bag comes in a whopping 16 different colors, ranging from black to greens to reds to pastels and neutrals. One of the many aspects that makes Mansur Gavriel unique is that you can also choose the interior color and customize your very own color combination. Many people find that they can choose a neutral, wearable shade for the outside, and be a little risky and go for that pop of color on the inside. I am still a minimalist at heart and went for neutrals for both. There is not a chance that you won't find a color combination that tickles your fancy!

Image from Mansur Gavriel

Leather |

There are two leather options for the Lady Bag (in addition to a canvas alternative), which includes the Vegetable Tanned Leather, which is stiff and untreated, and Calf Coated, which is smooth and softer in texture. The reason I went with Vegetable Tanned Leather (for both my MG bags) is because I love the natural, personable quality of the leather as well as the fact that it is stiffer and will never lose its structure. (I've also heard rumblings that the Calf Coated has a strong, funky leather smell. Not into that). The interior comes either raw or matte patent coated, and I chose the latter since it is much more durable and won't have the risk of shedding like the raw finish. Not to mention, with the coated option you get to pick a contrasting interior color!

Pre-scratched

Now, I have to admit something - I have only used this bag once since I hauled it. I know, it's an absolute crime. But hear me out! First of all, my bag already came pre-scratched. The horror! Ok, it wasn't too upsetting, but when I first took it out of its dust bag, I noticed a few minor scratches on the front of the bag as well as around the corners. I knew then and there that the light tan color of this bag, unlike my black Bucket Bag, would not be kind to scratches and scrapes. And the thought of marking up this beautiful creation made me too anxious to actually use it. Silly right?! I knew exactly how this type of leather would behave when I bought it, but just had preconceived notions that it would hold up as well as my Bucket Bag has. When I took this bag out for a spin that one time, I had to physically huddle over it and shield it from the world - especially in tight, crowded areas - like the offensive line protecting the quarterback. Wait, is that the right analogy? I don't even know football. Anyway, my tip for those of you who want something more practical and less delicate, is to go for a darker color or opt for the Calf Coated version. 

Since I personally prefer the look and feel of the vegetable tanned leather, I just have to keep reminding myself that while this does (and will) easily scuff, and scratches are inevitable, they will just add character and personality to the bag. That's right, I'm going to keep telling myself that. Like Mansur Gavriel eloquently states regarding their vegetable tanned leather, "it is warm, it is strong, and it is personal". Amen.

Lady Bag in Cammello/Antico | Bucket Bag in Black/Ballerina

I hope y'all enjoyed my first fashion post! I really, really love my new Mansur Gavriel Lady Bag, and I trust that it - along with my Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag - will remain classic and timeless pieces in my wardrobe. Minimalism for the win!