SECRET GIVEAWAY + Blog News | Event + Updates

GIVEAWAY STATUS: 
"ONGOING"

It's been a long time since I last did a giveaway... I haven't done one for this year, and there's a reason behind it.

If you have been following my blog, you might have noticed that I switched to a domain. FYI, I did the switch because I decided to take this blog a little more seriously. So for the past few months, I've been focusing and planning on how to improve my blog contents, how can I serve and connect with you readers better etc.; as I'm committed to provide good contents to my readers, as well as to encourage and help the people who are facing acne problems.

At the moment, I'm trying my best to post articles (with informative contents) as often as I can; I hope what I have shared can be helpful to you readers. Anyway, it may take some time for what I have planned (the changes) to be implemented on my blog — stay tuned!

By the way, I am very open to suggestions/ideas/requests! Write to me at bitsdiaries@live.com, ask.fm/bitsdiaries or you can also send me a message through LINE — here's my LINE ID: BITSDIARIES. Let me know what you think and I will take them into consideration. 

... Let's move on to the main highlight of this post: SECRET GIVEAWAY!

What Is It All About?:
It is basically a bag contains a mixture of skincare and makeup goodies from various brands (mostly from Korea); they are mostly sample sachets/kits, but if you are lucky, you might get some travel-kit items. Each bag will be packed randomly by me.

This giveaway is OPEN INTERNATIONALLY and there will be TWO WINNERS.

How To Participate?:
Easy lah! You just need to SHARE IT!

- SHARE this giveaway in your BLOG, FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, BLOGLOVIN', TWITTER and/or any other SNS platforms.

If you are sharing it in your blog...
here's a code for you to copy and paste in your blog post:

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://info-tipstriks.blogspot.com/2015/09/secret-giveaway-blog-news-event-updates.html" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS6qrZblvrOw8T5PnPz_CE49NXXTb4D0YKwrBCKiOxPWP9SflFuiviwaRT8uv6KrFNpxbWioN1Y_0PfjVZE_NUpcCHXuHnx5EZQyVuj8H8y8suxjOqtkQkY68RtE4ycr7Yy_VxDM42FgI/s800-Ic42/giveaway-1.png" /></a></div>

Then, submit your entry via email to bitsdiaries@live.com subject to "SECRET GIVEAWAY", with the following details:
- YOUR NAME
- COUNTRY
- EMAIL ADDRESS
- A SCREENSHOT or URL LINK to prove that you have shared the message.

Note: The giveaway entry period starts on 24th September 2015 and ends on 8th October 2015, SGT 11:00 PM.

Terms and Conditions:
- Entries submitted before or after the Entry Period will be disqualified.
- Each participant is only allowed to submit one entry. Repeat entries will be omitted. Submit multiple entries with different accounts will be disqualified too!
- Winner will be announced within the next 7 days and will be contacted via email.
- BITSDIARIES reserves the right to disqualify any individual for tampering with the entry process; acting in violation of these T&Cs.
- BITSDIARIES will not be responsible or liable for any loss or damage of the prizes.

Good luck! SECRET GIVEAWAY + Blog News | Event

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Beauty Haul | 2015 July to August

Beauty Haul Hello everyone~! It's time for a HAUL post~!

"BEAUTY HAUL"

(2015 July to August)

Let's see what I've purchased for the past two months.

P.S: Words in blue are attached with a link to my review. If you are interested to know more about the product, click on it. For those in black and without a link, I'll be doing a review in the future. Be sure to stay tuned to my blog.

Innisfree No-Sebum Blur Primer
Innisfree No-Sebum Blur Pact
Etude House Precious Mineral Magic Any Cushion (Mint)
 Etude House Any Air Puffs

The Innisfree No-Sebum Blur Primer and Blur Pact have become my favorite makeup products. The primer does a good job in controlling sebum, while the pact is really good at blurring the appearance of pores. They both work well together. For more info, click on the blue links above to read my reviews.

Finally got my hands on the Magic Any Cushion~! I have been wanting to try it after reading many good things about it. I will post a review once I have tried it for at least a month.

Innisfree Shadow Pencil
#04, #05 and #09

- close up shot - 

#04 and #09 are dual types that can express two colors on eyelid at once.

These eye shadow pencils are very user-friendly! Ideal for beginners! The colors are so goooooorgeous~ and they are not too bold! Perfect for everyday makeup.

The Face Shop Face it Power Perfection BB Cream
#01 Light Beige and #02 Natural Beige.

This is my all-time favorite BB Cream. It gives superb coverage! I have been using Natural Beige all along. This time I decided to try the light beige, as I've noticed that my skin tone has become lighter... But I have yet to test it out on my skin - hopefully, it matches well with my skin tone.

Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar in #08 Neon Yellow
Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner in #07 Golden Black

I have raved about this Petite Bunny Gloss Bar (#08 Neon Yellow) in the past and to this day, it still remains one of my favorite lip products. It moisturizes my lips and gives a natural pink tint that is suitable for every day wear. ♥

In my last haul, I picked up a Clio Pencil Gel Liner in #16 Black Brick and I like the formula. So I purchased it again, but this time I got it in #07 Golden Black.

Etude House AC Clinic Daily:
Acne Foam Cleanser
Toner
Gel Lotion
Aqua Cream

Etude House AC Clinic line! — My all time favorite + my skin savior!! I've been raving this skin care line for million times and I will keep on raving it! Read "MY ACNE STORY" to find out why I say that.

Etude House AC Clinic White-Trouble Bubble Cleanser
Etude House AC Clinic Daily Acne Foam Cleanser and Toner

One month+ ago, a reader requested for a review on the Bubble Cleanser, and I accepted the request. That's the reason why I bought it. Review coming soon. Alongside, I picked up the cleanser and toner again.

Etude House AC Clinic Intense Mask Sheet

Etude House AC Clinic Intense Mask Sheet helps to fight pimples and keep them at bay. In my opinion, this is the most effective mask to deal with pimples!

My Beauty Diary Strawberry Yogurt Mask

If you have been a reader of my blog for a very long time, you should know I am a user/fan of My Beauty Diary Masks. The Strawberry Yogurt type is one of my favorite MBD masks, but unfortunately it's not available in Singapore. So I got my friend to bring them back from Taiwan. (thanks JY!) ;D

FYI, the Strawberry Yogurt mask is really good for oily and acne-prone skin. I highly recommend to give this a try!

Innisfree Super Volcanic Clay Mousse Mask

This is a new product from Innisfree. It's micro clay formula features particles/molecules smaller than the facial pores. Hence, they are able to deeply cleanse the finest pores to effectively remove impurities. Good for oily skin.

Innisfree Eco Nail Color Pro in #128 and #113

Kinohimitsu EyeBright (30 days supply each)

Kinohimitsu EyeBright is a supplement for the eyes — "it is designed to offer in depth protective elements to the eyes. Coupled with FloraGLO Lutein, DHA, Lycopene and petent anthocyanins for ultimate nourishment to the eyes. It effectively alleviates eye fatigue, dryness and also promotes focusing."

I actually picked up 3 boxes and I'm giving myself a 3 months trial period to see if this product works. I just started taking it two days ago, so it's still too early for me to comment on its effectiveness. Anyway, it doesn't taste bad! It has a strawberry/berry flavor with a sweet and sour taste, and I like it! Hopefully, it will help to improve the health of my eyes.

So that's all for the haul!

Have you tried any of these products? Let me know~ I would love to hear your thoughts on them. :)

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What's In My Gym Bag | Workout Essentials

Whats In My Gym Bag

Today's post topic...

 "WHAT'S IN MY GYM BAG"~!

P.S.: This is a requested post, which I have delayed for four+ months. 

My apologies to the readers who requested for this :x

Some of you may know I have started going to the gym this year, but I haven't been doing so lately after my brother bought a treadmill.

A little background information: I used to visit the gym once a week for an hour. Initially, my aim was to train abs, but I gave up eventually... hahahaha~ Most of the time, I do light workouts; I try not to exercise too much or too vigorously because I am underweight (154cm tall and weigh 38-39kg = BMI 16.0~16.4).

Anyway, to the readers who requested this topic — "What's In My Gym Bag", here you go!

This is the bag I bring to the gym and it is from Skechers.

It was a freebie when I signed up for the limited edition SG50 PAssion POSB Debit Card.

So these are the basic things I always pack in my gym bag.

— zooooooom —

- A pouch from Kate Spade and I use it to keep my towel and facial mist (Etude House AC Clinic Intense Hinoki Water Mist review).

- Hair accessories — A comb, hair clip and hair tie.

- Nivea Lip Balm to keep my lips moisturized

- Packets of tissues and Dettol anti-bacterial wet wipes

- MP3 Player from Sony W-series — NWZ-W252 (Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker limited edition model in Camouflage). I must say that the sound quality of Sony W-series is not as good as Beats; but it is a perfect companion for the gym because it is lightweight and best part, it is wire-free, water-resistant and washable! Ideal for sports use.

- Impact Mints Candy in the flavor of Ice Mint. My all-time favorite candy!

- My house keys

- Wristlet from Coach to keep my money. I usually bring only SGD$10 to $20.

- My cellphone — Iphone 6 (Champagne Gold).

- Water Bottle from Thermos to keep my hydration levels up.

- Band-aids in different sizes. In case of injury.

- Some unhealthy snacks (lol) — Big Thunder Mini

I would only bring the following things if I plan to shower at the gym:

- Shiseido Ma Cherie Shampoo and Conditioner (Travel-size kit)

- Dettol Anti-Bacterial Body Wash

- Rexona Deodorant in my favorite scent, "Shower Clean"(Travel-size).

- UNIX Take Out Mini Hair Dryer, and a plug adaptor which I missed out... lol

... as well as the following things, which I did not take a picture of.

- Bath towel

- A set of clothes to change and a plastic bag to keep my dirty clothes

- A shoe bag to keep my workout shoes and a pair of flip-flops

As the gym is close to where I live, I don't usually take a shower there. I would only do so if I am meeting my friends for lunch/dinner right after gym.

So that's it, that's what in my gym bag! Let me know what's in yours? :)

5 Common Acne Treatment Mistakes + The Solutions

Common Acne Treatment Mistakes Here are the FIVE common acne treatment mistakes that are making your acne worse and FIVE solutions to correct them.

Mistake 1: Popping Zits
Yikes! There's a pimple on your chin! What should you do? Pop it? Tempting huh? But noooooooo~! Popping pimples actually pushes the infection further into your skin, causing more redness, swelling and scarring (more prone to indented scars).

The Solution:
Instead of popping the pimple, apply spot treatment formulated with active acne ingredient on the zit and let it dry naturally by itself. If you pop a pimple by accident, I recommend to stick a Nexcare Acne Patch over the zit. This acne patch helps to absorb all the pus embedded in the pimple, without needing to squeeze with your fingers, thereby reducing the damage done to your skin.

Mistake 2: Over-Cleansing Your Face
Cleansing your face several times a day does not cure your acne. In fact, you are ruining your skin and inviting acne. When you over-cleanse your skin, you are over-stripping away the skin oil that acts as a function to keep skin moisturized and balanced. Deep down, your skin naturally pumps out oil to the surface to keep it moisturized so if your skin is too dry, it will produce even more oil to compensate for the dryness. This could lead to excess oil production, causing more congestion along with possibly dryness and irritation.

Mistake 3: Skipping Moisturizer
So now you know each time you cleanse your face, you are not only removing excess sebum, but also stripping skin of its natural oils hence, we need moisturizer to replenish the loss.

The Solutions for 2 & 3:
Wash your face twice a day is sufficient. Don't forget to apply moisturizer afterwards. Use a cleanser and moisturizer that is made specifically for acne skin. These usually contain active acne ingredients like salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide or tea tree oil. Remember that a well-hydrated skin helps to slow down the rate of oil production.

Mistake 4: Exfoliating
Yes, buffing away dead skin cells is beneficial to the skin. It helps to prevent clogged pores, keeping pimples from forming. It is okay to exfoliate if you have very mild acne issues (non-inflamed whiteheads, flesh color bumps or blackheads). But it is not okay to exfoliate if your skin is flooded with red, inflamed pimples as it may further aggravate them and make them worse.

The Solution:
It's best to avoid exfoliating your skin if you have lots of inflamed pimples. As I've said, it may further aggravate them.

Mistake 5: Skin Itches Is A Sign Of Healing
Well, I do agree that itching is a sign of healing, but this applies to an injury, a wound. This does not apply to facial skin. Itching is certainly NOT a sign that your acne is healing! When your facial skin itches, it is an indication that your skin is dry. It can also be a sign of skin allergy/irritation. Therefore, do not ignore the itching issues! Take action quickly, otherwise your acne may get worse.

The Solution:
All you have to do is to moisturize your skin! Once your skin is well hydrated, the itching sensation will stop. If the itching is caused by an allergic reaction with visible redness, you have to find out what causes it and stop using that product immediately.

The reason why I'm sharing this topic is because these are the mistakes I have made in the past which resulted my bad acne (refer to "My Acne Story"). The solutions provided have helped me to solve the problems, so hopefully these bits of advice can help you as well. Keep fighting acne! :)

"Bear in mind that treating acne doesn't need aggressive treatments.
Gently does it!"

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2015 April to June Haul

April to June Haul First and foremost, *throw confetti* yaaay~ I finally switched to a domain url! On the downside... even though I have done the 301 redirect thingy, my traffic and ranking have dropped dramatically... Dang! I seriously have no idea why this is happening... I guess I have to start building this site from scratch or perhaps..., I should revert it back to blogspot.com?...hmm...sigh... :/

Keep it as a reminder... If one day, you visit info-tipstriks.blogspot.com and it's not available that means I revert it back to blogspot.com. :x

Let's set that aside, ... moving into the HAUL! — 2015 April to June HAUL~!

I have bought quite a handful of stuff in this few months so yeah... let's get started~!

Benzac AC Water Base Gel 2.5%
Etude House AC Clinic Intense Pink Powder Spot
Etude House AC Clinic Intense Liquid Spot

Check out my review on Etude House AC Clinic Intense Pink Powder Spot and Liquid Spot

My Beauty Diary Black Mask:
- Black Obsidian Moisturizing
- Black Pearl Total Effect
- Black Rose Brightening

Check out my review on Black Obsidian Moisturizing Black Mask.

My Beauty Diary Mask
- Black Pearl
- Imperial Bird Nest
- Hyaluronic Acid Moisturizing

SexyLook Strawberry Blackhead Pore Cleanser Set
LoveMore New Zealand Kiwi Acnes All Out Set

Check out my review on SexyLook Strawberry Blackhead Pore Cleanser Set.

Etude House Tear Eye Liner
Etude House AC Clinic Intense Mask Sheet

Check out my review on Etude House AC Clinic Intense Mask Sheet.

Innisfree Whitening Pore Synergy Serum
Innisfree Eco Pro Nail Polish #51 and #100

*24K Golden Pulse Beauty Bar
Cure Natural Aqua Gel
K-Palette 1-Day Tattoo Real Lasting Eyeliner (WP) Black
Clio Gelpresso Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner (#16 Black Brick)

Check out my review on Cure Natural Aqua Gel.

*Please beware that there are many imitations in the market! FYI, I got it from Japan for ¥19800 (SGD$200+). So if you see any seller selling this at a cheaper price, then most likely it's a fake lah.

- 1028 Visual Therapy Cosmetics -
Classic Brownie Kit:
Mascara, Brownie Eyes Palette and Hydrating Lip & Eye Makeup Remover
Infinity Aqua Eyeliner
Moisture Infusion CC Essence

1028 Visual Therapy Ultimate Oil Control Powder x Hello Kitty (super adorable~!)
DHC Medicated Acne Care Concealer #01
Missha Signature Extreme Cover Concealer #02

Check out my review on DHC Medicated Acne Care Concealer.


AFC Collagen Beauty Supplements

Ten Ren's Tea --- my favorite tea's brand~!!!♥

2x Unix Take Out Mini Hair Dryer

This mini, travel-friendly hair dryer may be small in size but it is strong enough to blow dry my hair. Ideal to bring along to the gym, swimming pool etc.

Wallet from Kate Spade in a super vibrant color, Desert Rose.

Old Wallet vs New Wallet = Big contrast lol.

I absolutely love the texture (saffiano) and the color actually changes tone under different lighting~ it looks like neon hot pink under sunlight and looks a little more red than pink indoor.

I think the color of my new wallet is very suitable for spring/summer~♥

Define 1-Day Acuvue Contact Lenses (Vivid)
I'm a regular wearer of 1-Day Acuvue Moist contact lenses; I decided to try out Define contact lenses and I love 'em so freaking much! This is now part of my must-haves! ♥

That's all for my haul! Hope you enjoy reading it. Stay tuned for my next post~ xo.

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What's In My Bag (ft. What's In My Makeup Bag?)

Today, I'm sharing "Whats In My Bag?"~ This is a requested post. Without any delay, I shall start revealing the secrets in my bag~

So here's my bag. It's from Longchamp Planetes series. Initially, I got it for event purposes but after I carried it for a few times, I fell in love with it and now, it has officially become my everyday bag. It's lightweight, very durable, easy to match outfits and the interior is damn spacious (can fit in a lot of things)! Best part? The exterior is water-resistant!

Longchamp Planetes Tote, Large

This is how the interior of my bag looks like once unzipped.

...Secrets revealing....

I will begin with the small pocket. In this small pocket, I keep things that I need to take out and use more frequently. So right in there, I keep....

- Comb

- Mirror (got it as a freebie)

- Nivea Lip Balm to deeply hydrates my lip

- Tony Moly Petite Bunny Gloss Bar: a tinted lip balm to hydrate and give my lip some color. Check out my review: http://bitsdiaries.blogspot.com/2013/11/review-tony-moly-petite-bunny-gloss-bar.html

Here goes the first group of items from the main pocket(?) of the bag:

- Cardigan: In case of cold environment. Well, I'm afraid of cold.

- Pouch where I keep my sanitary pads.

- Hot Pink Planner to record my schedules, blog ideas, skin care stuff etc..

- Cosmetic Pouch to keep my makeup and beauty stuff.

I guess I should do "What's In My Makeup Bag" too. This cute owls-print pouch is my beauty/cosmetic bag and it was a freebie from HL Milk. Anyway, I don't usually bring a lot of makeup with me. These are what I usually would keep in my makeup bag:

- Etude House All Finish Remover Bar: A great helper to clean up smudges etc.. 

Check out my review on the previous version of remover bar: http://bitsdiaries.blogspot.com/2014/06/review-etude-house-eraser-show-remover.html (P.S: All Finish Remover Bar is the latest product with an improved formula.)

- Innisfree No-Sebum Mineral Pact: to touch-up my makeup and keep shine at bay during the day. Check out my review: http://bitsdiaries.blogspot.com/2014/08/review-innisfree-no-sebum-mineral-pact.html

- K-palatte 24 Hr Real Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner (Black)

- Complete Blink-N-Clean Eye Drop (for Contact Lens): I am a contact lens wearer and I get dry eyes very often so I do need this to refresh my eyes.

- Toothpick: Just in case something gets stuck between my teeth after meals. 

- Clean & Clear Oil Control Film: to remove excess shine

Moving on...

I don't bring umbrella in the past but ever since I got badly drenched the other day, I bring it wherever I go now. In my bag, I also have a bag organizer which contains the most essential things I could not leave home without.

By the way, a bag organizer is an extremely useful thing as it makes the bag more organized and looks neater.

Top view of my bag organizer

Right so, these are all the necessities that I have to bring along with me. 

Full view of my everyday must-have in my bag

- Wallet from Kate Spade but sorry, I'm not going to show what's in my wallet. Privacy matters here. 

- Spectacle~ As mentioned earlier, I'm a contact lens wearer and I get dry eyes very often. So I bring my spectacle with me wherever I go~ just in case my eyes feel too dry and I have to remove my lens when I'm out. Fact about me: Without contact lens or spectacle, I'm blind. 

- Apple Ipod Classic, which has been with me for 7+ years~ and Monster Beats Earpiece/Earphone. I believe music player is part of everyone's must-have.

- An adorable, innocent-looking bear pouch that contains my house keys.

- Travalo Justice League Perfume Atomizer (Catwoman) that is filled with Lanvin Eclat d'Arpège perfume.

- Impact Mints sweets, in the flavor of "Ice Mints". I have been sticking to this brand of sweets and flavor for 8+ years already. Basically, this is my favorite and signature sweets that I have to bring out with me. I'm so addicted to them to the point that I'm afraid of running out so I always stock up like 5-6 packets/tins at home and also bring an extra packet/tin in my bag. Definitely a must-have for me!

- Mipow 4000mAh Power Tube and 3-in-1 Cables: Save my phone from dying.

- Tissue & Wet Wipes

Lastly..., a Pen for writing

That's all the secrets I have in my bag. It contains pretty common things, nothing unique or interesting. Anyway, hope you guys like it. 

For any post requests, you can either email me at bitsdiaries@live.com or leave a message in http://ask.fm/BITSDIARIES and I will take it into consideration. 

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