Month: September 2012

LOVE CHOCOLATE, LOVE YOURSELF

Indulging ourselves with chocolate eating might not be that good for the tummy. But this guiltless chocolate indulging while showering, is one of the best thing to do for yourself. 

The Body Shop launched Chocomania range this year and one of them is this. Chocomania Soap. Shaped like a heart with little beads inside which actually are exfoliating coconut shell. When used, it produced quite a rich lather with its’ creamy textured, so it didn’t leave my skin squeaky dry. It left a soft sweet chocolatey scent and the beads are gently exfoliating, so it did make my hands and body felt soft afterwards. 

It is the closest thing you can have if you fancy a chocolate bath, really.

THROUGH THICK & THIN

Eyebrows..that is. Let them grow or bleach them?

It’s very important to have the perfect eyebrows because they frame our face and eyes. Personally, I embrace this moment as strong, full and thick eyebrows are everywhere at the catwalk for Spring 2013. Well groomed like Camilla Belle, check out Marc Jacobs and Rag&Bone’s pictures above. So, if you want to achieve this look, stop plucking and let them grow naturally or use eyelash enhancer or castor oil on them to speed the process. 

How about no brows look? Personally, I think it’s creepy. Bleach them like Kelly Osbourne might look cutting edge, but still you need the courage to walk down the street. Even though  I have to admit this look is not me, I wouldn’t make that kind of sacrifices for style, but still look good on runways or the red carpet in this matter. Check out ‘leave it bare’ eyebrows look on Donna Karan and Holly Fulton Spring 2013 runways.

GET TATTOOED

Feeling like wearing tattoo? Hold your horses and try it non-permanently. Try this limited edition watches from Swatch first.

Teams up with French tattoo artist, Tin-Tin and Emmanuelle Antille (Swiss visual artist), Swatch released 5 limited edition watches altogether in Tattoo Art Watch Collection. This certainly is not the first time the Swiss watchmakers collaborate with artists. They’ve been doing this since the mid-1980s. 

See how they draw their inspiration from the world of tattoo art and translated it beautifully for the wrist wear. 

5 MINUTES MAKEUP

These are my power makeup tools to get me ready in 5 minutes, tops!

The key to achieve super fast makeup for me is getting the right products, the multi function types, so my skin will still look healthy beneath all those makeup. Here are my current favorites (step by step):

> 1st step: Eye Cream. It’s super important to put on the right eye cream if you have sensitive eyes like mine. Some eye creams (no matter how expensive they are) will make my eyes red and teary the whole day. Imagine to my surprise when I found Estee Lauder Time Zone Eye Cream. It become my first base for the eyes area, to make it feel soft and less wrinklish. A good eye cream will be a perfect base for the concealer to stay put throughout the day. 

> Step 2: Eyes concealer. For those who suffered dark circles whatever the causes are, we need strong brightening under eyes concealer. And Soap & Glory Trick & Treatment is my champ. It has light-reflecting pigments plus peptides that fight aging while making dark circles lightened. Even though it has yellowish pigment, don’t freak out. It somehow minimize fine lines and neutralize dark under eye circles. Just pat wisely, don’t overdo this baby.

> Step3: Moisturizer and foundation. If I have to rush through the door, I don’t have time to put on moisturizer slowly and perfectly, neither to slapped on some foundation with the blending brush. Perfect answer to my prayer for skin base: Olay Total Effects 7in1 Day Cream. Moisturizer and foundation in one that cleverly disguised fine lines+wrinkles+black spots or ex-acne spots, balancing the skin tone (especially when you have red areas on the sides of nose and chin), soften dry skin parts, made big pores somehow look smaller and brighten the skin altogether at once. How’s that for a perfect product?

> Step4: Blush. Still, we need blush, not to contour and make our face look slimmer. It’ll make your whole face brightened with just a stroke on the apple of the cheeks. I love MAC Mineralize Blush, as it gives shimmery glow that make skin looks healthier and happier. My shade: Happy Together.

> Step5: Brow shaping. Nope, no time to do the perfect arches. That’s why I recommend to wax your eyebrows regularly (mine will be twice a month), so you won’t need too much of your time shaping them every day. My trick is just to shape the eyebrows with Sleek Brow Kit. I don’t use the powder provided to shape, I just apply the wax with the brush which I took from one of the beauty counters. 

> Step6: Lashes. Seriously, do you have the time to deal with mascara’s clump and have to separate it lash by lash when you’re in a hurry? Invest in a perfect eyelash curler. Mine is Shu Uemura and it has been with me for ages through thick and thin. Clip and hold for 10 seconds for each eyes, that should do just fine.

> Final step: Oily skin be gone. For perfect matte skin that last throughout your active day, I swear by this MAC Prep+Prime Finishing Powder. Don’t let the white powder inside the compact fool you. It won’t leave any white traces even if you have darker skin.  

Remember: makeup is all about having fun with the products. So never feel pressured of wearing makeup, no matter how minimal time you have. I know I do. 

TRÈS JOLIE 

Annick Goutal’s legacy lives on in this lovely scent created for her daughter, Camille who continued her work for the upscale perfumery house. 

Created in 1998, Petite Chérie is the scent Annick Goutal bestowed on her daughter as a gift. She described it as being “reminiscent of a young girl’s cheek that you want to lovingly kiss”. This fruity, floral yet sweet musky fragrance (pear, peach, musky rose, fresh cut grass and vanilla), is so irresistible, sensual and seductive. And who can resist the cute butterflies bottle that look so feminine?

The emblematic bottle, which looked like one butterfly in a flash, is actually two butterflies kissing each other. This year, Petite Chérie comes in limited edition bottle, tied by an organza ribbon coupled with a charming golden medal created by renowned jeweler Arthus Bertrand (see the difference between old and limited edition 2012 bottle above). The golden medal which features the Petite Chérie muse holding a cage can be worn as a pendant or bracelet if you wish. 

PRECIOUS FOR UPCOMING HOLIDAY

Festive season is another perfect timing for makeup brands to launch their Holiday Collection. Usually out long before Christmas, like two months before, it’s one of the must have for beauty junkies to collect, since they’re limited edition.

Creative Director of Chanel Makeup, Peter Philips, was inspired by the alchemy of precious metals for Chanel Holiday 2012 Collection: Eclats Du Soir De Chanel. Embracing festive colors such as gold and bronze that will shimmer the whole look, with soft beige, pink and deep red to complete it. Reported to launch the first week of October 2012, get ready to give yourself a gift of the season.

SPOOKY NAILS

How time really flies. October is coming, that means time for some Halloween treats.

These are a few collections to color your nails. From the usual and typical dark colors till the bright ones with cute stickers. Your choice.

DRIVING MISS LAZY

As an ordinary human being, I drive. And as an ordinary woman I wear heels. But how on earth can one drive with heels?

What will happen if we picked the wrong choice of footwear for driving? The Telegraph in UK reported a poll by the AA in 2010. 27 percent of respondents had encountered difficulties while driving because of the shoes they were wearing, with 5 percent claiming that their footwear had actually led to them driving dangerously, loosing control or having an accident. 

So is it better to drive barefoot? Nope. Bare foot will perspired then making them slippery. Flip flops? Bad choice. They will come off easily and jammed under a pedal. Yikes! How about high heels and wedges? Don’t push it. While driving, the heel of your foot needs to be on the floor to achieve the correct pedal action. 

Driving shoes is the savior for us, ladies drivers. Somehow, it connect fashion and safety altogether. The rubber soles on the bottom and the heels will protect your life, the shoes itself and your dignity. Slip them on, drive safely with them, then walk around without changing your shoes. Why bother to change if you have these cute driving shoes on?