A Post for Cleo

Where more appropriate to blog about Cleo, the magazine itself, than at askCleo.com?

I just found out that Cleo provides us a space to blog although I have been a member for some time now. Funny isn't it?

Having abandoned askCleo.com for so long already, why am back? Why do I start now? This is because I love the August issue so much! So many surprises, so many goodies, what more can a beauty lover ask for?

I was bored over the weekend, when I asked my significant other (SO) if he could get me a copy of Cleo along the way back from buying lunch. And of course, as the ever-loving SO, he sent the brightly coloured beautiful Ciara cover into my hands. Together with the words, "I saw that there is a bottle of Brands essence packed together with every copy, so I bought it".

haha, so now we all know that all the freebie gimmick works wonders, even on males. Perhaps, especially on males, because males tend to buy things based on "wu-hua, boh-hua", value-for-money or not. (My SO happily bought another SPH magazine because August issue comes with a sample bottle of Colgate Plax.)

So that was the first surprise that Cleo gave me - BRAND’S^® InnerShine^® Prune Essence. I like the taste of it, and will review it and my thoughts (yes, I have an issue with selling prune juice) about this product in a later post.

My bottle of Brands InnerShine Prune Essence as a freebie from Cleo.

Then of course, I was so over the moon that Cleo came to relieve me of boredom, and I opened it much like child with twinkling eyes, and dying to play with an Optimus Prime model. And before I managed to fully flip over the cover, tadaa! A slip of paper with a peculiar blue straw fell out. Goodness! What is a straw doing in a magazine?

I picked up the "cup" of ZA Dewy Effect Lotion and almost put the straw into my mouth, just for fun. LOL. I honestly think that this is one eye-catching, insanely innovative advertisement. (And to think I thought doing the RevitaLift "lift" in another SPH magazine is creative enough.

So in this second surprise by Cleo, I have to answer 5 questions that will tell me how thirsty my skin is. Ah, this is consumer psychology unfolding. I am very attracted to doing quizzes, no matter how silly (on facebook etc), the designer of this ad really got me reading. That's not enough. The answers, of course, are strategically printed on the other side of the ZA card.

The quiz on the front of the ZA card ad.

So I flipped it over. It says that my skin needs regular hydration, which I already knew for 3 years now. LOL. I actually did a quiz that I know the answer to. But it was fun. The best thing is that I love the Dewy Effect light green bottle, I do think that I will like the product, and ZA is offering Cleo readers a chance to get some ZA freebies!

The back of the ZA card tells you more about ZA Dewy Effect, and offers freebies and discount.

And now, for the third surprise, probably nobody would guess this. It is Genefique. Yes, i just said Genefique, the latest scientific product that is fresh out of Lancome's lab. The Genefique that has been on our TV screens for the past week now. And the Genefique that one would likely see on every (Singaporean) magazine's first page advertisement for August.

Tucked nicely away on Page 86 -87, is the advertorial for Genefique, and pasted snugly besides the spine of the magazine, is a little sample of the miracle serum. I really am loving Cleo so much, up to this point. How did they clinch the deal for a sample??? The other SPH magazine does not have that. So anyway, Lancome offers readers only, a 7-day trial of Genefique. And using it, 5 girls who give the best blog entry about it will receive a full bottle of Genefique free.

Page 86-87 of August Cleo, Genefique by Lancome.

It says, "the No. 1 selling Lancome skincare product in France since its launch!"

It features a girl who has tested it, and likes it very much.

There is the silhouette of the sample that given to Cleo readers. I have plucked it out and used it. Enough for two times.

At this time, I would really say, Cleo, you are naughty. Hiding all the goodies so well, then letting me stumble into wonderful surprises. You are one naughty, playful mag.

After the third surprise, if you think this is all, you are wrong.

Are you the Cleo Star we've been waiting for?

Cleo wants you! If you are an avid reader of Cleo, you can talk, and have the personality, Cleo wants you for a host and a fashion spread.

Go for an auditon and receive a free makeover. Sign up with $30, fully redeemable for ZA products, and get a goodie bag worth $80. Sounds pretty good. I told my SO I just wanted to go and buy the goodie bag. LOL. But he says I don't need all those products. The other reason is of course, also because I have been wanting be a host for many years. A newcaster, or a compere, I think it will be great.

So here goes the forth lovely delight. You know, turning page and page and beyond the halfway mark, you see what thought shouldn't be there. But it is right there, smiling and beckoning you.

Now, this is like eating a 3 course meal, with no desserts promised. But at the end, the waiter serves a scoop of chocolate chips peppermint ice cream. Then you wipe your mouth, hands on your bag, but the waiter comes again with a strawberry cheesecake ice-cream. This time, you half-wonder if there will be more, but still take out your wallet, hands up for the bill, when the waiter comes a third time with a scoop of durian ice-cream. You keep shaking your head and say this is not real. Now you stand up and prepare to leave and the mango sherbet ice-cream presents itself.

Enjoy, cheers. =)

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