Choco & Coffee

Stretch Mark Cream

2009-04-20T01:14:00.000-07:00

Though people say cream is unable to help to eliminate stretch marks, but they are able to minimize stretch marks! below are some products with good reviews. can give it a try!

Revitol's Stretch Mark Prevention Cream
contains a powerful combination of concentrated ingredients proven to individually strengthen the skin, improve collagen structure, and increase natural elasticity.

This cream penetrates deeply into the skin cell layers and works to improve their elasticity by strengthening the collagen and elastin-rich tissues that are responsible for the flexibility and elasticity of the skin. The product has a rejuvenating effect by stimulating cell growth and production; enhancing skin renewal.

This product helps to decrease the appearance of existing stretch marks, and is also an effective preventative treatment method for them. Stretch Mark Prevention Cream can be used after pregnancy to eliminate the appearance of stretch marks by stimulating skin renewal.

Body Focus Stretch Mark Improver

Diminish the appearance and improve the texture of stretch marks with a moisturizing lotion that softens your skin.

Clinically proven. Results are visible within four weeks of regular use.

How it works:

Community Trade shea butter moisturizes and softens skin.
Rosehip seed oil, rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidant vitamins A and F, reduces the appearance of stretch marks.
Pumpkin seed extract helps to restore the tone and elasticity of skin.

Barmon Stretch Mark Cream
absorb quickly into the skin and deliver the key ingredients to improve stretch marks.

Barmon is an all natural product, safe for nursing mothers, and still contains the three original key ingredients: cocoa butter, which helps in the growth of collagen, wheat germ oil, which contains vitamin E, a known healing agent, and lanolin.

They have also added some of the best skin softeners and healing agents in the cosmetic industry.

Murad Firm and Toning Serum
minimises imperfections and reduces the visible appearance of cellulite and stretch marks. This formula refines uneven skin texture and improves skin firmness and elasticity to leave you with skin you'll be proud to show off.

Murad Firm and Tone Serum improves the overall appearance of skin up to 80% by increasing skin firmness and elasticity while masking imperfections helping reduce the appearance of cellulite by up to 69%.

Cayenne Pepper invigorates circulation within skin. Horse Nut Tree Extract and Tiger's Herb restore firmer and extract smoother skin. Cat's Claw, an extract from the Amazonian Palm forest, reduces the appearance of dimpled skin associated with cellulite.

Murad Firm and Tone Serum offers long-lasting results that do not disappear hours after application.

Galenic Elancyl Preventive and Reducing Stretch Mark Cream

is extremely rich in safflower oil (particularly high concentration of essential fatty acids) and in nutritious marine extracts to nourish the epidermis deep down and soften your skin, thereby improving its resistance to distension. It eliminates existing stretch marks and prevents the appearance of new stretch marks.

This easy-to-apply, non-sticky light, but rich cream allows you to dress rapidly after application and has a fresh and discrete fragrance.

source:
click here

Stilla Hauls

2009-04-19T23:12:00.000-07:00

I know it's super duper late to blog about this. Everyone probably know about Stila-moving-out news. Well, I just want to show off :)

This is what I manage to grab before they were gone forever!

Lip Glaze
Lip and Cheek Cream
Cheek Mousse in water lily
Smudge Pot in Jade
Smokey Eyeshadow Palette

I was hoping I could grab some of their brushes since I am in need of eyeshadow brushes. Alas, the good stuffs were all taken. Well, I am happy for what I got and the sale assistant was patience enough to explain to me about the products. :)

Despite all the crazy rave for Stila Lip Glaze, it never occur to me to buy one. Personally, i would prefer lip colour with some shimmer. With this crazy sales, I have run out of excuse of not getting myself a Stila Lip Glaze. Once I got home, this is the first item that I try it on! You can see from the image below, it's sort of like a light pink.
My say:
The colour doesn't work for me as I have darker lip colour hence the colour hardly stood out on my lips. Plus I really don't like the stickiness feeling on my lips. I doubt I would ever get myself a second Stila Lip Glaze. However, when my sister tried it on, it appears to be decent on her lips. Guess it's not meant for me.

Rave: Long Lasting, decent smell.
Rage: Not available in Malaysia soon, too sticky for my like.

I got this Stila smokey eye - the talking palette. I am not much of a green person, but I bought it anyway for the sake of its packaging, and hey, RM60 for a eyeshadow palette? That's a steal. I am glad I bought it!
There is a small speaker inside the palette teaching you how to apply the eyeshadow. Well, to me it's not very helpful and I don't really pay much attention to it. However, there is a small booklet inside the palette which I found a lot more useful, specially for a newbie to make up like me!! It gives clear instruction as to achieve simple smokey eye look.
My say:
I am absolutely in love with this palette!! This is probably the first green eyeshadow I ever had. The colour is not too vibrant, looks rather natural on my eyes lid. The end result is decent and yet not over-the-top. I wear this colour to shopping, work, basically everywhere. I can even use this for the whole day and it stays on my eyes with no smudging.

Rave: Long Lasting, decent colour, pigmented, not powdery
Rage: Not available in Malaysia soon

Hope you pick your favourite from this not-to-miss-Stila-sales!!

Cheers
Hazelnut Coffee for today:)

Teenage Stretchmarks and the Impact They Have On Their Self Esteem

2009-04-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

I was surfing the net and i found this article.

In recent years it has become apparent that Stretch Marks are causing a lot of stress and anxiety in our young teenagers. The internet forums are filled with comments like:

"I am 14 and have stretch marks on my breasts and bottom. They make me feel insecure and embarrassed so that I can't speak to anyone about it. Is it normal for a girl my age to get stretch marks?"

"I was embarrassed to take my shirt off in front of other people during sports or at the beach ... especially when girls were around," said Matt, 16.

"My 15-year-old daughter has bright red stretch marks on both breasts over an inch long. She is very fair skinned and very upset by this."

While stretch marks pose no health risks, they do cause social and psychological distress to self-conscious teenagers. At this critical time of life where appearance and 'fitting-in' is everything. A teenagers confidence and self esteem can be severely lowered with the onset of stretch marks.

Many teenagers affected by stretch marks feel like they have little choice but to cover up at the beach and shun revealing fashionable clothes, therefore, inhibiting their social activities. They feel like they are some sort of a failure because their body has done this and their friends don't have them. Most teenagers find them to be a source of humiliation, and refuse to talk about them. Unfortunately, society has generally associated stretch marks with pregnant women and overweight people often forgetting about adolescents going through puberty, this lack of information for teenagers makes them feel like they are the only ones who have stretch marks and again gives them a sense of alienation.

If you are noticing stretch marks on your body, you are NOT alone. Stretch marks are a normal part of puberty for most girls and guys. It’s estimated that at least 35% of girls and 15% of boys will develop stretch marks at some point during puberty. Your childhood skin has stretched to incorporate your new mature body. Girls fill out and generally get stretch marks on their hips, thighs and breasts. Boys gain weight and grow tall rapidly and it is very common for pubescent boys to take up bodybuilding, these factors all contribute in causing stretch marks.

Stretch marks result when the skin's collagen and elastin fibres are literally stretched to breaking point, and are caused when the skin is called upon to stretch while hormones are out of balance, for example pregnancy, puberty, rapid weight gain or weight loss.

Bodybuilders of all ages are more prone to getting stretch marks because of the rapid body changes that building large muscles can produce. Stretch marks are also more likely to occur if a person uses steroid-containing creams or ointments (such as hydrocortisone) on their skin for more than a few weeks, or if a person has to take high doses of corticosteroids by mouth for months or longer. People who are obese often have stretch marks.

So what can be done about teen stretch marks?

Sunless tanning treatments and body makeup can help cover up stretch marks. If you intend to spend alot of time in the water make sure that you use a water resistant one. Regular tanning or tanning beds don't work very well as the stretch marks themselves don't tan and will appear more noticeable against your darkened skin. Anyway tanning and tanning beds are another health issue with long term skincare implications.

A balanced diet will help you avoid excessive weight gain and you should also remember to drink plenty of water as this keeps your skin supple and enhances its elasticity which in turn can prevent stretch marks.

Other stretch mark treatments include a tummy tuck, laser treatment or micro dermabrasion which are all very costly and if you haven't finished growing as a teenager or perhaps if you are female you wish to have babies these treatments would be a waste of time and money. There are hundreds of creams available on the market that can be used to treat stretch marks. Some creams aid in preventing stretch marks by moisturising the skin whilst others help eliminate existing, old stretch marks. Your stretch marks will not disappear using a cream but these stretch mark treatments are excellent at reducing reddness, plumping the skin and maintaining a uniform colour to the affected area, therefore making them hardly noticable.

So why are you insecure about your stretch marks. When you take into consideration the overall area covered by these marks, is it really worth worrying about? these areas are generally covered anyhow. People like you for you, your personality, your character, your sense of humour. All these things are visible to the world and are what people will judge you on, NOT your stretch marks. You don't have to be perfect. Nobody else is!

Hope this article helps. =)

Chocolate and Coffee

2009-04-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

When you have two daughters in a house, that’s what happen – CAT FIGHT. Seriously.

Okay okay, that’s not entirely true. We love each other very much, to the extend of feeding each other with super-duper-creamy-sweet-full-fat donuts every day. Can you see how much we care for each other now?

We have been cracking our brain for a blog title. Trust me, you wouldn’t want to know the all the lame titles that we have thought of. And then, we come up with the idea of choco and coffee, since Serene practically live on coffee everyday and Sharon is basically a choco junky!! So here is a brief introduction of the two of us.

Serene

A mass communication scholar **proud**…a possibly advertising person/journalist/producer/PR/etc wannabe! I love to eat, I love facebooking, I love sleeping, I love watching movies, I love making my sister’s life a hell…hahaha…and I love being a girl

Sharon

I just got my SPM results, and am slacking in the house every single day. Soon, I will be stepping my foot into college, pursuing my career as a doctor. It is not an easy path, but I will hold on to what i want!!

Here, we will be sharing bits and pieces of our life, things we love and despite. We might not be a great writer, hopefully you can give us a suggestion as for improvement!!