rinnah’s consumer views|what a consumer really wants and thinks about products and services

I like to think of myself as a savvy consumer. Make no mistake, I don’t mean being a stingy consumer, just a smart consumer who knows value when she sees it. So, how can you ensure that you end up with the best deal that is just right for you, the savvy consumer? Let’s have a little demonstration of what I mean.

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Sometime last month (in January), I knew I was running out of my Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief. And I definitely knew that I needed to repurchase this staple in my beauty routine. Instead of waiting till the very last moment to repurchase, I decided I needed a plan of action. I would use the time I had between when I decided to repurchase and when I would run out of my moisturizer to ensure that I got the best possible deal.

I already knew that the regular sized jar (50ml) retailed for MYR 160 at all Clinique counters. Was there any way that I could get a better deal? I was willing to pay the full retail price of MYR 160, but yet I wanted assurance that I would get the best possible value for my MYR 160. Let’s see what I did.

Firstly, I checked out the price of online retailers. From friends’ recommendations and good experiences, Strawberrynet seemed the ideal place to start with. Unfortunately, they were having no special promotions and it would have cost me MYR 166 (with free shipping) when purchasing from them. Strawberrynet was a no-go.

At the recommendation of another friend, I checked out BestBuy World. Although the prices there are much cheaper, the product is not the full sized product, but rather travel/sample sizes as a discounted rate. The different type of packaging did not bother me, but unfortunately, they had no ready stocks of Moisture Surge then.

So, at that point of time it seemed as though I would need to pay the full retail price for my moisturizer. No problem, since I was already prepared to pay MYR 160 for the product. The next question was : Where to buy it? I decided to make my purchase at Parkson, since they have a retail program with Bonuslink which allows you to collect reward points for all purchases. In this way, I could be assured of accumulating reward points for future redemption against shopping vouchers. At least there would be some return on my money spent.

Then, as luck would have it, I received a flyer from Bonuslink informing me that there would be a members’ day at Parkson, which would allow me to collect 5 times reward points on any purchase. Even more value for money, right? So I deferred my purchase for a few more days while waiting for the members’ day to roll around.

During the time between the Bonuslink flyer and the members’ day, I received an email from Clinique, informing me of their latest promotion to redeem a sample of their new anti-aging moisturizer. I decided that I would redeem my free sample at the same time when I made my purchase.

When I visited the Clinique counter, I was able to accomplish a number of things at the same time – restock my moisturizer, redeem my free sample and I also asked the consultant for another sample of Clinique’s best-selling All About Eyes eye gel. Even though I did not purchase enough to meet the Gift-With-Purchase limit, I’m satisfied with getting samples on top of my purchased item.

Better yet, since I made my purchase on the members’ day, not only did I get the 5 times reward points, I also got MYR 20 worth of Parkson vouchers for spending above MYR 150 in a single day. Can you say score?

Total haul on that day :
Moisture Surge – MYR 160
Youth Surge sample redemption – free
All About Eyes sample – free
Parkson vouchers worth MYR 20 – free

Wouldn’t you say that’s a good deal? And all that for just waiting 1 week extra.

You might think that I unnecessarily spent a lot of time comparing prices and still ended up paying the full retail price for my moisturizer, but when I look at all that I managed to get for just one trip, to me that’s worth much more than randomly going out shopping.

So, plan your purchases ahead of time and save money.
Getting additional satisfaction in knowing you got a good deal? Priceless.

I’ll have to admit that I was late to cotton on to the magic of transformation that a simple brow shaping can give your face. In fact, I think I only started taking my brow shape seriously after twenty-something. Heh. Mainly, my disregard to this area of my face was due to the fact that I simply didn’t know how to shape my brows well and partly because my mother was always reminding (nagging!) me not to over-tweeze my brows. So why bother, I used to think.

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However, ever since I’ve discovered Shu Uemura’s Brow Atelier (a fancy name for their brow shaping services) I’ve never looked back. In about 10 – 15 minutes, any consultant at Shu Uemura’s counter can transform your shaggy, unkempt, overgrown brows into beautifully shaped and trimmed brows that frame your eyes and enhance your facial outlook. And you do know that the saying goes that “Eyes are the windows to the soul”, right?

Here’s a quick rundown on what happens when you get your brows done at Shu Uemura. (Note : There is no standard shaping technique overall as I’ve noticed that the items and technique used vary from consultant to consultant.) Usually, the consultant attending to you will :

~ Clean the equipment (blade, scissors, tweezer) using a cotton pad and make-up remover and wipe dry with tissue.
~ Assist you to remove any makeup residue if you have drawn or shaded in your brows.
~ Clip up your fringe (depending on your hairstyle).
~ Tweeze off most of the visible brow hairs that are growing out of the brow area.
~ Use a blade to shave off brow hairs into the desired brow shape.
~ Use a spoolie and scissors to trim longer brow hairs to achieve a neat look.
~ Repeat as necessary until you get perfect brows.

I’m not sure since I only get my brows done at the standalone outlets at either 1Utama or MidValley Megamall, but I would presume that the regular Shu counters at major department stores would also provide the same service.

Shu Uemura Brow Atelier
Available at all Shu Uemura outlets.
Cost : MYR20 per session.

However, if you feel brave enough to go it alone and shape your brows yourself, Connie of Skindeco has a really good step-by-step guide here. Syen of So Loverly also has a mini discussion on whether to pluck, shave, thread or wax your brows into shape here.

Tagline : Enjoy rapid refreshment and a full 12 hours of soothing moisture with an addictive by-a-waterfall feel. Advanced hydration boosters and a new botanical blend hold skin’s moisture in balance through stressful shifts in humidity, indoors and out.

Description : Rapid, long-lasting hydration in a refreshing oil-free gel. Fast-absorbing formula with active aloe delivers a burst of moisture. Smooths, softens, plumps up fine dry lines. Locks in moisture all day with advanced hydration technology. Unique moisture balancing system helps skin better resist dehydration despite drastic shifts in humidity. Use whenever, wherever needed, under or over makeup. Or as a 5-minute moisture mask. For all skin types.

Packaging : 1.7oz/50ml or 2.5oz/75ml

Recommended retail price : USD 34 (online) / MYR 160 (local) or USD 46.50 (online)

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My review :

It’s funny, but I started out my beauty blogging stint (if sporadic posts on beauty products can be thus called) being nicknamed the Clinique lover by Beetrice because nearly every other review post was about Clinique. Truth be told though, while I like Clinique’s stuff, I don’t love it nor rave about it that much. Not until I met Clinique’s Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief formula (referred after this as Moisture Surge).

Do I like it? No, I love it and can’t live without it!

Coming from me, that’s like the highest praise I can give any product due to the nature of my skin. Not only do I have hyper-sensitive skin, I have eczema to go on top of the hyper-sensitivity, which means most products will cause some form of erratic reaction, ranging from redness to spots/zits to even a full-blown eczema rash breakout.

I was gifted a full sized jar of Moisture Surge (50ml) sometime in June last year while I was in the middle of yet another eczema breakout and was initially quite wary about trying out a new skincare product on my face. What if it made the eczema worse?

I am happy to say that all I feared did not occur. In fact, Moisture Surge managed to restore my poor red, flaky skin to normality over the period of 6 weeks. Folks who have seen me at the height of the outbreak can testify to how much improvement has taken place since then till now, and I even get comments asking me what did I do to my skin that its now perfectly smooth. (As a female, you know how good it feels to be praised as having “smooth, supple skin”? Oh yes. And that coming from a guy too!)

I love how the pretty rose-pink lightweight gel formula just disappears into my skin without that sticky and oily feeling that makes me want to wash my face again – which is normally the case for me with other moisturizers (even Clinique’s Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, which many people swear by). In fact, the first few times I when I had Moisture Surge on, I kept on running my fingers down the side of my cheek (which is not affected by eczema, thankfully) thinking in my head, “Oooh! So smooth!”

For me, this product would be quite budget-friendly as it has taken me more than six months to hit rock-bottom and this is with twice-daily usage. And for what it’s worth, this is the first time ever I have actually finished off an entire jar of any skincare product. I am going to repurchase this soon as I don’t want to be caught without this staple in my beauty closet!

Yes factors : Sensitive skin friendly, good hydration, non-oily light formula
No factors : Nothing I didn’t like about it

Read other blogger reviews here :
Beetrice (previous version)
Kahani (current version)
Nikki (previous version)
Paris B (current version)
Pretty Beautiful (previous version)
Tine (previous version)

Tagline : Thermal Spring Water soothes and softens sensitive skin

Description :
Avène thermal spring water comes from Avène-les-Bains thermal spring in France which was declared to be of public benefit in dermatology in France, in 1874. This thermal spring water’s unique and constant composition gives it soothing and softening properties for sensitive skin. This has been acknowledged by numerous scientific studies. Avène thermal spring water is used for many skin conditions at Avène Dermatological Hydrotherapy Center in France. Tested by dermatologists, it is particularly suitable as essential care for sensitive, hypersensitive and allergic skin.

Dermatological care – post surgery, post procedure, redness-prone skin/inflammation, keratosis-prone scaly skin, eczema/atopic dermatitis, allergic reactions/sensitive skin/irritation, burning/stinging/itching/tingling

Daily care – after cleansing, after shaving/after waxing, after exercise, during travel, sunburn, burns, diaper rash, to set makeup

Packaging : 50ml / 1.76oz, 150ml / 5.29oz, 300ml / 10.58oz

Recommended retail price : MYR18.90, MYR35.90, MYR53.00

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My review :
I’ve been going through a really bad spell with my skin lately, experiencing extended outbreaks of eczema that seem to flare up with greater intensity and in new places too. The worst part about the recent spate of outbreaks (which is still ongoing, although in a reduced intensity by now) is that this time around, it now affects my face, mainly all over my eyes and forehead and parts of my cheeks too. You can imagine my horror when I started seeing unsightly red, roughened splotches all over my face accompanied by skin so dry that it literally flaked off my face like dandruff. I panicked, of course. I’d never had eczema break out on my face before in my life, and I’ve been battling ezcema since I was young, around nine years old. All of my normal control methods didn’t seem to work and I was extremely cautious of what I used, since it affected my facial area. Steroid creams were my last resort as they thin out the skin quite drastically.

Luckily for me, I found something that did work (although it doesn’t cure) in the Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray (referred after this as Avène spray). Avène spray is basically pure thermal spring water in a pressurized spray bottle and it’s touted to help soothe and soften sensitive, hypersensitive, allergic and irritated skin.

With this in mind, I used Avène spray quite liberally on my face. I use it to dampen my face before applying my moisturiser (Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief). I use it periodically throughout the day, keeping a travel sized can in my bag, a full sized can at my desk in office and another full sized can at home. That way I always have some Avène spray nearby and I make sure that I keep the surface of my skin moist, preventing it from further drying out and flaking/cracking. Using the spray delivers an immediate moisture charge to my dehydrated skin and keeps it from getting further irritated, which in turn helps to calm down my skin somewhat, making it better receptive to moisturisers and creams later on.

I’d say that my skin has improved tremendously since I started using Avène spray and it has earned a place as a staple in my skin maintenance routine.

Read other blogger reviews on Avène here :
beauty geeks
Pretty Beautiful

Tagline : Lash curler no longer required

Description : New Lash Power™ Curling Mascara holds a curl for up to 24 long hours. Celebrate dramatic curl achieved through a formula that stretches lashes to their limits and a wand that scoops up, lifts up every last lash. Won’t smudge, flake or smear. Lasts through rain, sweat, humidity, tears, yet removes easily with warm water. Ophthalmologist tested. Appropriate for contact lens wearers. Allergy tested. 100% fragrance free. Formulated for Asian eyes.

Colors : Black Onyx, Dark Chocolate

Packaging : 6ml

Recommended retail price : MYR 75

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My review :

This review originally appeared on my old blog on 15 May 2008.

I got my hands on a free travel-sized sample of the Lash Power™ Curling Mascara in Black Onyx and immediately put it to the test.

The packaging for the travel-sized sample is a plain gray plastic tube, which does not resemble the real thing, which is a matte silver slim tube.

The brush head is small and slightly curved, which I suppose is meant to help you “catch” every last lash for the curling effect. I like that the brush is teeny enough to reach the fine lashes at the corners of my eyes, unlike previous mascaras which I’d used that had big chunky brushes. But of course, brush size is a matter of personal preference and also depends on what you want your mascara to do. If you’re going for volume, then a bigger brush would work wonders. But if you prefer length like I do, then a smaller brush allows for better control. (Note: Since I received a travel-sized sample, I’m not sure if the original packaging brush size is the same – the Clinique counter I visited did not have an opened sample.)

The first few swipes of the brush resulted in lengthening of my lashes, but defining the curve took a little bit more work since I don’t use a lash curler to assist me. A colleague who analyzed the end effect for me said that the curl was not as visible as she expected it to be, but I think it’s because the major effect of this mascara on me is that of length rather than volume and curl. There is some noticable difference when I look closely in that my lashes are curling upwards but only towards the end. However, it did do a nice job of “opening up” my eyes without seeming overly mascara-d, which is a look I try to avoid at all costs, and looks very natural. I did find the first application to be a little clumpy right out of the tube and it required multiple swipes of the brush to even out the distribution on each lash. (Not sure if the reason is because it’s a sample?)

This mascara dried nicely and instantly, so I did not end up smudging my lower lashes when I blinked. The staying power is commendable as even after 12 hours, my lashes still looked as they did when I first applied the mascara. Nice!

And for those who like me have found removing mascara (especially the waterproof type) a huge hassle even with make-up remover, I think I’ve found my perfect product. Like the claims say, it removes easily and simply with warm water. I used warm water from my shower, splash splash and voila, the mascara began to remove itself just like that. Of course you will have to rinse a few times to make sure that the last vestiges of mascara are fully removed, but this is the easiest time I’ve ever had in removing mascara (and oh yes, it removes cleanly – no stray lumps clinging onto my lashes at the end). Needless to say, I love this aspect of the product.

Yes factors : Nice length achieved, small brush head for reaching corners, excellent no-smudge staying power, easy to clean
No factors : Minimal curl achieved contrary to product claims, seems a bit clumpy when first out of the tube, careful application with a steady hand required

Read other blogger reviews here :
Renee

A great many moons ago (but still within this year), some bloggers and I gathered at Yook Tho Hin (PJ) Restaurant for a post Chinese New Year lunch. Being the very hungry folk we are, we decided to indulge in a seven course meal to celebrate the New Year.

First up was the ubiquitous Yee Sang that is present at nearly every meal during Chinese New Year. For the uninitiated, yee sang is a salad-type dish that is served with a number of sauces and usually with raw fish (salmon). The best part about eating yee sang is the part just before you eat, when everyone gathers around to “loh hei” or toss the salad while reciting auspicious sayings. As you can see, it can get a wee bit chaotic and messy!

There was also the usual seafood sharksfin soup as the second course. Even though some time has passed since then, I remember that Yook Tho Hin’s version was not too starchy and pretty delicious too!

My fellow bloggers were raving away about the fried prawns with salted egg but being allergic to most types of seafood that comes with a shell, I could only watch them tuck into those gargantuan prawns (look at the size of ‘em!) and drool.

Luckily for me, there were other dishes that I enjoyed tremendously. Like the baked herbal chicken. The chicken was so tender and soft it literally fell off the bone and while I personally would have enjoyed a stronger herbal taste, this dish got the thumbs up from me.

We also had two vegetable dishes, braised vegetable and tofu and the vegetarian dish of vegetables and mushrooms but after the tofu dish, my camera ran out of battery!

We were very full after all that good food, but there was still dessert to come – the usual tinned fruit in syrup and fried pastries – plus a special surprise of a birthday cake for me. =)

For all of the food we feasted on above, we paid about MYR32.00 per head (8 pax x MYR32.00 = MYR256.00). Considering that we were then still within the 15 days of Chinese New Year (when most Chinese restaurants tend to inflate their prices), I found the prices to be reasonable, especially for such good food. The company, of course, was excellent, as always.

The restaurant is fully air-conditioned on both levels, but it would be wise to call ahead and reserve your places on weekends as space is limited.

Yook Tho Hin (PJ) Restaurant
No.13, Jalan SS21/37
Damansara Utama
Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
Tel : +60 3-7729 6534
Note : The restaurant is located at the same row as HSBC in Damansara Uptown.

Read other blogger reviews here :
Connie
Paris Beaverbanks
Peteformation

Note : As a consumer, my goal (and I think everyone else’s goal is too!) is to get the best value out of my hard-earned money. So occasionally I will blog about tips and tricks about being a smart consumer that I myself have personally used. This is one of them.

In this day and age of technology, it seems that almost everyone has a mobile phone. Even school going kids have mobile phones – my 9 year old nephew has one too! Besides the convenience of being able to be in touch with others all the time, there is also the cost involved in owning a mobile phone. However, this money saving tip will only work if you have a postpaid plan like I do.

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My family has been using Maxis as our line provider for as long as we have been using mobile phones, and that’s a pretty long time. We used to have different plans under different providers, both postpaid and prepaid, but it made so much more sense to group the family lines under one service provider for convenience and cost-saving.

Recently, I made a discovery that not many people might take the time and trouble to do so. I had been checking out the data rates and plans available through Maxis as I had upgraded my mobile phone to one that had 3G capabilities. Halfway through my surfing though, I noticed that Maxis had recently rolled out a new family line package which was significantly cheaper than the current plan we were on. Now, as existing customers, we hadn’t received any notice that this new rates were available and thus were continuing to pay the older, higher rates. Being the thrifty Chinese that I am, of course I wanted the better rates! =)

So, I made a quick phone call to Maxis to see if there was any way that I could switch my family plan from the old one to the new one. As it turns out, I could do so, and it only took that phone call and 3 working days for the change to be effected. When I next checked the phone bill, there was a savings of MYR40.00 overall (not full savings, considering that the rate change happened in mid-billing cycle). I don’t know about you, but that bit of money adds up to quite a bit over say, 1 year = MYR480.00.

So, it pays off to keep in touch with your mobile provider’s latest rate plans. Have you checked your mobile rate plan lately?

I’ll admit it. I first clicked over out of sheer curiosity after reading this post on online blog shops at shoppingNsales. Little did I expect to be charmed by what I saw…

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Choobs is family-run by Hwee Yen together with her sister Hwee Mei and their mom Jean. I like how transparent and open they are about letting you know just who put so much loving and effort into the pretty trinkets you see on the site. I also like the little write-ups describing each individual design because it’s not just any piece of jewelery, it’s personalized! There are three product ranges at Choobs – Chica, Sophistica and Mamasita. I like all their designs, but my favorites come from the Chica range.

I was instantly taken when I saw this charm bracelet named Love It Like It Is (from the Chica range, picture below). So many pretty hearts a-dangling and it comes with pink Swarovski crystal embellishments too! It was just calling my name and I had to get it, so I dashed off a quick email to place my order.

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The ordering process is fairly straightforward and easy too as Hwee Yen has explained everything clearly in the pages for Ordering, Payment and Shipping so you just have to select what you like, how you’ll pay for it and how you want it shipped and send her a line. Response is prompt and friendly too.

I was amazed at the level of thought Hwee Yen has placed into packaging the items for delivery. Firstly, the charm bracelet was safely tucked away into a small plastic seal-lock bag with the Choobs logo. This was then placed into a pretty gauze drawstring bag for aesthetic purposes. The little bag came to me resting inside a padded envelope, which is artfully disguised with its covering of themed wrapping paper – so very handy if you were getting this as a gift to give away, it’s all packed and ready to go! And all of this was packed into an outer normal paper envelope so I was one very happy girl unwrapping her present.

Since then, I’ve had another charm bracelet custom-made for me by Hwee Yen, and I’m still eyeing a couple more designs for myself. If you’re into charms and custom jewelry, do check out Choobs.

Read other blogger reviews here :
Beetrice

Recently, I attended a wedding function at Cititel Hotel, Mid Valley.

With no offense intended to the bride and groom, I personally do not fancy Cititel as a suitable venue for a wedding reception. My reason? Cititel is a hotel that caters primarily to business travelers and tourists looking for a centrally located hotel between KL and PJ. Also, I am not a big fan of Mid Valley Megamall and its surrounding areas. However, I was prepared to give Cititel the benefit of the doubt when I received the wedding invitation card.

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My poor experience with Cititel began the moment I drove up to Mid Valley. Following the directions to the hotel’s main lobby, I attempted to locate the entrance to the hotel’s parking. For reasons known only to the hotel management, the signages directed me instead straight into Mid Valley Megamall’s basement parking. This meant that I would not be able to get my parking ticket stamped for a flat single entry rate (MYR 6.00, I believe) and instead would have to pay Mid Valley Megamall’s hourly rates. And it was not because the hotel’s section of the basement parking was full, as I saw a number of empty spots available.

The poor experience continued at Cititel’s lobby. You know how most hotels have a little signboard telling you what kind of functions are going on for that day? Well, again I couldn’t locate one to tell me at which floor the wedding reception would be held at. Not very visitor-friendly, I have to say.

The final thing that sealed the deal for me was the poorly installed backdrop on the stage. You know how there normally is styrofoam lettering on a curtained backdrop telling you the nature of the function? Well, less than half way through the function, one of the styrofoam letters fell off into the foliage below because it was not stuck on properly. Less than half an hour later, the whole styrofoam board on which the date was printed, followed suit. So you have a bare backdrop to the stage because the sign fell off. I think it was a case of shoddy preparation on the hotel’s part.

Would I hold a function (of any sort) at Cititel, Mid Valley? If I had a choice, no.

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I was out at Mid Valley Megamall today and my, the place was packed! It could be for two reasons that I can think of : 1) The Malaysian Mega Sale; and 2) the extra long weekend due to a public holiday this week.

I actually try to avoid Mid Valley as much as possible because I dislike the road system which makes you go in a circle round around the area just to find the particular entrance / exit you’re looking for. Also, finding parking on weekends is a tremendous hassle and there isn’t anything special or unique at Mid Valley that I can’t find elsewhere. However, I’ve been forced to go to Mid Valley lately because my salon, Empro, has moved their outlet from Sunway Pyramid to Mid Valley. Needless to say, once I have finished up my remaining sessions, I won’t be repurchasing for the simple fact that I don’t fancy having to battle my way into Mid Valley once every month or so just to get my brows done.

Previously I parked with less hassle at The Gardens and today I discovered that they had increased their parking fee since my last visit! The charges for Premier parking are now MYR 7.00 for the first 3 hours. Talk about exorbitant! I could pay just slightly more (MYR 10.00) and probably get valet parking at 1Utama for an unlimited amount of time. Undoubtedly parking at the Premier parking section is plentiful and the facilities are well-kept with bright lighting, well marked parking spaces and a high-tech electronic system that tells you exactly how many parking bays are still available, but I do balk at paying such high fees and be limited in the time that I wish to spend at the shopping mall.

It looks like I have even less reasons to patronize Mid Valley Megamall and The Gardens in future.