I am still getting used to calling myself a blogger, but blogging has brought me so many great opportunities, and the most memorable are some of the friendships that have been forged from all walks of life. One such friend is Florinda, who used to blog but has slowed down on that front because she has been very busy building her empire with Mary Kay. It was through her that I was introduced to this household American brand, and I’ve learnt so much from her.
It’s now been several years since I started on this Mary Kay journey since early 2013. Along the way, I have tried many products. I do not use Mary Kay products exclusively because the last few years I was working very hard on re-balancing my skin, but I do incorporate them into my skin care regime.
Through Mary Kay I’ve learnt so much – from skincare to makeup, and even about prioritizing in life – God first, then Family, then Mary Kay. It’s a wonderful way to prioritize a consultant’s life! The Mary Kay brand was started in 1963 (woah!) and is still going strong today.
One of the most important things I learnt from Florinda, is not to be lazy. She said that Korean ladies use about 30 different products (maybe counting cleanser, shampoo etc), and I was ashamed for being lazy. Add to that, now that I’m over 40, I look at some of my friends who are around my age, and some still look good, but others….well let’s just say they motivate (or rather, scare!) me to want to take better care of my skin. It’s especially important to start while you can, and actually you can start on anti aging when you’re in your thirties!
One of my favorites is the Mary Kay TimeWise Microdermabrasion Set. If you want immediate results, this is the product to try! Like other Microdermabrasion products, it works like a scrub but is more gentle; and after one use you can immediately feel your skin smoother. Our epidermis has 5 layers of dead skin, so sloughing away some of the dead cells keeps the skin looking brighter and encourages new cell growth. I use it twice a week and my favorite is using it after a long sweaty day or when I get home from a holiday. So refreshing! The Microdermabrasion is part of the TimeWise Skin Care range, and I’ve tried almost all the products in this range.
Apart from the Microdermabrasion, my second favorite is the Botanical Effects mask, which is a good deep cleansing mask and is also slightly exfoliating. When Flo first introduced Mary Kay to us at a workshop, she made us use this clay-ish mask on only one side of our face and the difference was so visible everyone begged her to let us do the other half of our face! The Botanical Effects range is a good gentle range for sensitive skin or teens.
And then there is the MelaCEP Plus+ range, which is specially formulated for Asian skin in Korea – and you know how the Koreans are all about whitening! I think I don’t need to tell you how advanced the Koreans are when it comes to aesthetics, they place a lot of emphasis on making everyone pretty! I tried the MelaCEP range products, the predecessor to MelaCEP and it worked well for me! I might use the MelaCEP Plus+ soon.
I also use their Skinvigorate brush on a daily basis, which has helped keep my skin extra clean!
I’ve also liked some of the body products, like the TimeWise Body creams (pictured above). I was skeptical at first but I found that they were quite good at reducing water retention. Another body product that I like is the Lotus & Bamboo Loofah Body Cleanser scrub. You might have read about how some of the beads in body scrubs are bad for the environment, but no fear here because their beads are actually kiwi seeds. How cool is that? Just don’t try to eat it, yah?
Some of the other products I like are the Mary Kay lipsticks, especially the Creme lipstick range. I find they last very well, through a dinner and only come off when you pat it with a napkin. It has better lasting power than my Urban Decay vice lipstick (from palette, not from a stick, so I’m not sure if that makes a difference).
Something handy I learned from Flo is that you can combine products to switch up the look. She gave me a lipstick in Apple Berry which can look full on red, or applied lightly can have a more natural look. I now have a whole range of lipsticks from Mary Kay to play around with also I often throw one into different handbags bag so it helps to have many around the house.
You can save time by using products together such as your moisturizer or foundation with a foundation primer, thus skipping a step. Or get the most out of products by combining them – if a particular cleanser is too drying, mix it with one that is more moisturizing. That way you won’t be wasting products and can customize it to your skin’s changing needs or your mood for the day.
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There will be several other reviews coming up soon, and I will be sure to make sure this post is updated with them.
Mary Kay organizes many free workshops, and I have learned so much from these workshops. This is Florinda’s November 2017 schedule, and the workshops are based in Bugis.
If you are interested, send Florinda a message on her website by clicking “Send Me a Message” at the bottom of the page. Readers who mention MummyEd blog will receive a small gift when they attend the workshop.
You might also like to read Mummy Lynn’s post on Mary Kay here!
Mummy Ed 