Wow another Sunday is here! We’ve had a wonderfully sunny but cold day in Adelaide today – I’m calling Adelaide “the fridge” after being in Indonesia haha! (I won’t be saying that in summer though – we can get to 40+ degrees C and our heat is what you’d call a dry heat – step outside and you roast.)
image: fineartamerica.com
Last night I attended a gig which was a lot of fun. It was organised by my friend Angela who is getting into music promotion and she is putting together a set of regular gigs as Mercenary (you can check out the Facebook page for last night’s event here). On the night there was a mix of punk and alternative music, as well as burlesque (Dita Von Teese fans, anyone?!); you’ll often get a dose of metal at Mercenary events too. I’ve got really broad music tastes so am up for most concerts/events! (I listen to classical music right through to Katy Perry and Britney Spears through to Bowie, the Rolling Stones, then on further to The Cranberries, Tool, Sepultura and +++!)
When there I discovered a fantastic local band who I hadn’t heard of before (not sure how/why I hadn’t – they’re great!), Fluffy. If you like strong guitar and gritty female vocals with rockabilly, surf and alternative influences you should listen to them – their official website is over here. 
Their lead singer reminds me of Debbie Harry (Blondie) a lot!
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Yesterday, on the blog’s Facebook page, I asked likers what they’d like me to write about next. I was asked to talk about my Bali beauty goodies so that is the focus tonight! (Further details about my trip itself are reserved for my Bali Part II post in my Travel series as I want to take time to include useful and practical tips for fellow travellers. I’ve also got a tonne of photos to sort! 
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What did I discover in Bali when it comes to beauty products?
Well, beyond the usual brands that you will find in Australia and similar countries (as remember, they try very hard to cater for Westerners over there!), I was able to pick up some Indonesian brands, as well as some Korean and Japanese brands for le cheap! I also got my hands on (purely out of curiosity) some M.A.C products which I am certain are fake. It was common to see such products where ever cosmetics were sold, and there were way more skin care products than cosmetics available, so I mostly bought skin care stuff. I suspect that if I was in Jakarta I’d be able to find more in the way of cosmetics, as Bali and its capital Denpasar are really small places.
As we’d expect when visiting anywhere in Asia, there is a huge focus on whitening products. On the TV, ads, etc, all the cool kids have super white skin. Most made me look like I have a tan! Each to their own I suppose; after all beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I’ve also noticed that the products smell quite soapy, sitting in the plastic shopping bag they are currently stored in… Not sure why and not sure I like that!
Here’s what I brought back… All together this stuff cost me ~$40-50 AUD! You might wonder what the backdrop is for each pic – harem pants (I call them “hippy” pants LOL and in Bali they had the best range I’ve ever seen. ) People who follow me on Instagram or Twitter would’ve already seen them in their hippy glory… Perfect for lounging around in on a hot day!
Indonesian products:
I picked up a few BB creams (“Blemless Balm”?), face masks, and a cleansing foam that also doubles as a mask.
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Non-Indo products (rest of Asia):
LOL yes I’m including the M.A.C as “rest of Asia” – I reckon these are likely to be knockoffs and made in China! With the M.A.C there is a “Lady Gaga” blush + waterproof liquid eyeliner (funnily enough I tested it on my hand and it IS waterproof and produces fierce lines!).
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Indonesian brands included in this haul (links to official sites included – go nuts! ):
- Martha Tilaar (English site)
- Vivelle (English site)
- Ovale (manufactured by Kino – English + Bahasa)
- Viva (Bahasa only)
I will make sure to review all of the Indo branded products in future posts! With the others, probably only if I really like them or they totally bombed. Or, if you want to know what a specific product was like just leave a comment and I’ll endeavour to review it!
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Have you tried any Indonesian branded skin care or cosmetics before? What was your experience?
now i know why we get along so well……. I am the biggest tool fan ever! Just love them…. any who what a great bunch of treasures. There are loads of brands there i have never seen before and i can’t wait to see the reviews.
Madam M recently posted..H & M – RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE PORE CLEANSING MASK
Yay more #bbloggers with cool tastes in music!
Of course, it all makes sense now lol! 
People have fun exploring my iPod as there is such a range on there… I think life’s way too short to restrict oneself to only one genre of music. 
That is good, cuz I’m looking forward to reviewing them but do not have high hopes for the cosmetics (as such I showed a little? restraint when shopping lol). I did get some extras would you like to try? Happy to post to you. 