Ristra Acne Cream

Before I talk about the acne cream, let me give you a short description of this brand.
Ristra (http://www.ristra.co.id/) is one of skincare products made in Indonesia. The company owned by dr. Retno I.S Tranggono, SpKK, who is a famous cosmetodermatologist in Indonesia.
It was established in ebruari, 1983, the company offers skincare products under the many brands, such as RISTRA, Platinum by Ristra, Trustee by Ristra, dan Dermocare.
I'd say this brand can be considered as the Indonesian's Clinique.....

I've used its face powder and face cleansing milk long long time ago.

When I started to develop acne again a couple of months ago, I bought Acnes gel. It turned out it only worked well for small zits on my face.
When there was a Ristra promo counter at my office building in June, I bought the acne cream together with Ristra cleansing milk and face toner.

Ristra Acne cream tube

Ristra acne cream

The cream works well, although acne doesn't dry instantly. I put on the cream 2-4 times a day as instructed.
Usually I wear it after moisturizer and sun cream. The good thing about this cream is the shade is similar to skin color, so it saves you from the embarassement of white acne cream color which appears so obviously and can't blend well with your make up.

This acne cream is worth to try and its price is economical.

the acne cream

How it looks after blending (lower row)

I'm a consultant of The All Natural Face

Crystal, the owner of The All Natural Face, has revamped the website with the new design, lay out and user-friendly navigation menu. She also has created several new products.

I've been become her consultant since a couple of months ago, but at that time there was no supporting system of the website for consultant program.
So now, I'm pleased to announce that you can directly shop at The All Natural Face website through my link:
www.theallnaturalface.com/mubeautyshop.

Until July 31, 2010,  We are having sale, 15% OFF of EVERYTHING ON THE SITE!
Enter the code birthday at the checkout in the code box.

Sweet Sunnah Haul

Sweet Sunnah products

After knowing the benefit of Black Seed, and browsed around Sweet Sunnah website, and...... have the right forwarder to send to Indonesia (because send directly from Sweet Sunnah to Indonesia cost a lot!), I decided to purchase these products:


1. Shea Butter and Honey Indulgence, Dry Skin Treatment
Ingredients: Pure Shea Butter, Organic Honey, Black Seed Oil, Vitamin E.

What it says in the website:

It supports and soothes dry or sensitive skin while protecting it from harsh elements. Shea Butter Indulgence Cream is the ultimate treatment for overly dry or sensitive skin. Great against stretch marks and skin blemishes.

2. Black Seed Oatmeal Honey Soap
Ingredients: Organic Virgin Olive oil, Organic coconut oil, Nigell Sativa (Black Seed Oil), Honey, Oatmeal, Ground Black Seed, Essential Oil of Lemongrass, Vitamin E, and Rosemary Extract.

What it says in the website:
Oatmeal softens the skin and honey is a natural healer. My customers tell me that it also helps with skin blemishes like acne. Now you can treat your whole body to this affordable luxury

This soap gently exfoliates with added ground black seed.Your skin will radiate. A real bath time treat. Excellent for dry, sensitive or irritated skin. You wont ever go back to your regular soap! Contains no alcohol, animal ingredients, synthetic fragrances or colors.

Black Seed Oatmeal Honey Soap

Soap packaging

Soap packaging

Ingredients

I will post you the result of using above products later.

Shocking news: Aromaleigh is closing!

My heart is broken!!!

Since I've been travelling a lot these days, I have less time online and reading updates from friends and make up artists I'm following on Twitter and Facebook.
Miss K of Aromaleigh has been very active in social networks, and somehow I cannot find her updated and her account in Twitter anymore.
I also searched Aromaleigh's fan page account but not able to find it. I was wondering where she's gone.
Then I decided to go to Aromaleigh's website and found the news (dated June 17, 2010)




Aromaleigh News, June 17th 2010

Today we have a general overall update. I'm sure that many of you are curious about the many changes going on here at Aromaleigh.

Some details...

1. We are not closing, but have discontinued all "social networking" sites other than Twitter. You can follow the announcement Twitter account at http://www.twitter.com/aromaleigh

2. The Aromaleigh Fan Forum has been closed. The forum will disappear at the end of it's billing cycle. All users have been suspended to prevent the receipt of forum subscription emails (which has been confusing for many users and we could not get the system to discontinue sending them, or to totally shut down the forum visually).

3. Aromaleigh Mineral Foundations have been discontinued and there are no immediate plans to offer a replacement product. The foundations were discontinued for many reasons, the main one being that Aromaleigh is going through a time of change, restructuring and regrouping. We are simplifying, changing, improving and streamlining many product lines.

4. Order processing turn-around-time (TAT) has increased and is now 3-7 business days. All orders will ship faster when possible, however, at this time, Aromaleigh is taking life at a somewhat slower pace...

5. Third party items, such as brushes, Gel liners, Creme shadows, Concealers, etc.. we are not going to be stocking these again until Fall, and at that time, we will be condensing the offerings to provide the key necessities as opposed to carrying every color available. These items are currently on sale and inventory is in flux as the items sell out and are removed from the site.

6. Coupons have been simplified to include the New Customer offer and the Free Shipping offer. 25% off bi-weekly sales remain unchanged. We will be offering more code coupons and surprise sale items.

7. Several new Limited Edition eye collections are on the horizon.



8. Our Yahoo merchant ratings page is now gone, as Yahoo and Pricegrabber merged. We need to form an account to retrieve the lost post-transaction, third party reviews. We are also looking into a 3rd party post-transaction rating service for you to rate your Aromaleigh experience, other than Yahoo ratings.

9. The rewards program points for product review feature has been discontinued. Aromaleigh will be moving to a new ecommerce platform within the next 3-4 months, and the new platform does not support points for reviews, so at this time we have decided to discontinue this portion.

10. Kristen (aka Miss K) will not be personally responding to correspondence any longer. If you send emails or messages through to her, she will receive them, but she is not able at this time to reply. She does truly appreciate your messages! She misses blogging, and being there are Aromaleigh's spokeswoman to personally connect with all of you.
This is an aspect of Aromaleigh that so many have enjoyed and loved. It was one of the things that made us more than "just another company". Regretfully, being in the forefront for over a decade has created many issues, and Kristen made the decision to withdraw direct involvement not only because she is going through a very painful/personal time, but also because "putting herself out there" has put her under a microscope. She is using this break to get back to the roots of why she started Aromaleigh in the first place... and to remind everyone that it's about the products... and that at this time is what she will be focusing on.

11. Lastly, many customers want to know why all the changes? At this time, Kristen/Aromaleigh are going through a difficult time due to her divorce. Most of these changes have been made due to this time of transition and intense change/reflection. Kristen and Aromaleigh thank you for your understanding and support, but she also understands if you no longer support Aromaleigh because of these changes.

12. "Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman

====

I feel emphaty about her situation. Miss K is an active entrepreneur. Reaching out the customers with personal touch, but somehow I noticed a few people took the gesture in different way. It wasn't nice or positive at all!
I didn't know the details, though.

I finally found the new Aromaleigh's Twitter account and followed it.

Then..... I read the latest updates, dated June 28.

I was shocked! This is just one of impacts of having own business. Sometimes we need to put ourselves on top.
I feel you Miss K...... May God give you strength!

I will miss the nice lovely products.

====

Aromaleigh News, June 28th, 2010... The End.

Aromaleigh bids you adieu...

We'd like to thank everyone for the last 12 years of support and repeat business... it's been an amazing ride, but it's time.

Some of the happiest times of the last decade+ have been receiving emails from ecstatic women whose lives and outlook had changed from something as simple as makeup...

Aromaleigh never started off being about making a quick buck. I started the company with a dream of independence and creating my unique, natural line of Aromatherapy products and fragrances. We grew slowly... one customer at a time, and soon customers were requesting natural cosmetics.

Our first cosmetic product was a tinted lipbalm called "Color Wash".... our Pure Powder, in 5 shades, followed soon after... and in the months that followed, frost and matte eyeshadows, and more...

I've given my heart and soul to this company, and the last 12 years of my life. But I am unable to continue, as I have to be honest... there's nothing left inside of me to give. And what I do have is reserved for the most important person in my life.

I can't and won't provide a detailed explanation for this decision... those who know me well know that this has been a decision that has torn me in two for several months. Nothing I say or don't say can matter at this point. All I will say is "You've won... I'm gone. You can stop now..."

It's makeup. It's supposed to be fun, and empowering and beautiful. But it's all become ugly. More ugly than I ever imagined.

I'll be offering the following "Goodbye" coupon for the next 2 weeks...

ADIEU35

35% off the entire store, not applicable to previously placed, shipped or received orders... Aromaleigh reserves the right to refuse any suspect or incomplete orders for any reason, Large international orders, as per our international terms, are subject to additional ship fees.

First come, first served for inventory... most inventory is not real-time, and sold out product will be updated daily. Being able to order a product does not guarantee stock. Please allow 7-10 business days (possibly more, depending on volume) for your order to be processed.

With a very heavy heart, I thank you all for this journey... and I also look forward to a future that is serene and blessed... for all of you, as well...

Sincerely and with a bunch of tears as I type this,

Kristen
====

More links for your reading:

The Shades of You
Wintry Beauty
Robyn's Nest

What is happening with Earthen Glow Minerals?

It started when I wanted to order Earthen Glow Minerals liquid foundation when they were having a sale. When I wanted to pick my shade and placed the order, I found out the website was undergoing maintenance, so I sent an e-mail to them. I think it was on April 30, 2010.
Since I couldn't pick my shade, I opted to purchase:
- Vintage Cold Cream
- COLOR CORRECTION COMPLEXION WHEEL
- FOUNDATION AND CONCEALER WHEEL, Medium- Light Medium to Medium
- FLAWLESS SOFT MATTE FOCUS STICK FOUNDATION W/REFILLS samples

Lori replied my e-mail on May 6 and she said she would send a request to paypal for payment with an invoice for the items to my paypal account. I still received the 25%off discount.



May 7, 2010: Paid the goods through my Paypal and I sent an e-mail asking about shipment schedule.
I only received an automatic reply.

Hello, we thank you for contacting us and are working hard to give you quick and excellent service. Due to high volume we are processing the majority of orders 4-5 days of confirmation. We will answer your email as timely as possible and as always we thank you for your support.

The Earthen Glow Minerals Team

Then, I followed up again, I sent several e-mails to Sales at egminerals dot com asking about the shipment on June 4, June 14, and on June 17 I sent e-mail to e-mail address which requested my paypal payment. Still got no answers!

I raised a complaint to Paypal, hoping to reach the sales people. Turned out Paypal rejected my report. Aggghh...... I'm loosing my USD 35!

The website was still offline, and they put a message to contact Sales at egminerals dot com for support or help, but I haven't received any replies. A couple of days ago, the website seemed like totally gone! Internet explorer cannot display the page.

Can someone share me some info on what's happening to Earthen Glow Minerals???

Skin break out, heeelllppppp.....

Usually my skin breaks out before I have my period. I would only have one or two big acnes. But I don't know why I'm having a lot now, big and small pimples!!
Lack of sleeping, resting, and stay awake very very late can cause the break out.
This condition really bother me. I ate usual food... Ummm, well, not considered a good diet, but still in normal menu.

Maybe because I'm experimenting with new skin care products I bought online? I don't know. Maybe stress? Yes, that can be it.

A couple of weeks ago, there was a Ristra consultative service at my office building. I and my colleagues went to the counter, had our skin condition checked, then the consultant recommended Ristra products to treat the skin.
My skin condition was the worse among my colleagues. My pores are big and skin produced oil so much. The acnes swollen and left black spots.
Consultant recommended me five products!!!
I was saving my money to see Erha Clinic doctor, so I bought three only: skin cleansing milk, toner, and acne cream.

The acne cream work well compare to Acnes gel I bought previously. My big acnes healed, although black spot is still there.

I'm having medication for my flu and sinus again. My ENT Doctor prescribed me anti biotics. After I'm taking it, the break out has been reduced.
Maybe I was having allergy reaction to something?