Month: March 2015

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GLAM UP

Rejoice, fellow salon lovers. There’s a new hair salon in town. And it’s a premium one too!

Last week I was invited to the launch of JOHNNY ANDREAN PREMIUM SALON in Plaza Senayan, Jakarta. Johnny Andrean was such an iconic hair salon owner. It was 37 years ago that he built his first hair salon, and this year, he and his wife, Tina Andrean launched their premium salon due to their client’s high demand for premium hair care services. 

So they renovated their previous salon on the same spot in Plaza Senayan, to match their premium services. It’s more luxurious and comfortable when I saw it and of course, the products they’re using will be more premium. Enter: Shiseido Professional The Hair Care. Yes, they’re using exclusive range from the Japanese brand (also a favorite of Tina Andrean). Targeting to customers with lifestyle in mind, you can also purchase your favorite hair care from Shiseido Professional’s corner at this premium salon. And, they’re using Max Factor for manicure & pedicure color service for that gel finish without using the UV lamp. 

At the event, they also launched their latest hair color trend, named INSTAGLAM. Inspired by “Tokyo Blend” (a hair stylist community from 9 of the most influential salon in Japan) and coffee, Johnny Andrean teamed up with Shiseido Professional for three color trends: Rose Coffee Roaster, Mocha Espresso & Cherry Latte. Be your own ‘barista’ and choose a color from these warm brownish based colors.

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

LOVE AT FIRST TINT

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Welcoming the first ever tint in oil lip color on the beauty market, VOLUPTE TINT IN OIL from YSL. 

Described as a revolutionary lip color with a lip tint suspended in a deep conditioning oil, truly I was feeling a bit skeptical about this latest invention. I mean, mixing oil with color? Was that even possible? Will the color stick on the lips long enough before that licking temptation? Apparently, nothing is impossible. What you see is the infusion of color with four essential oils to be exact: apricot kernel, coriander fruit, jojoba seed and possiflora seed oil. Using Color Link Infuser technology, it enables the tint particles to dissolve homogenously in the precious oil emulsion.

Another surprising point I found out at their launching event this week at Galeries Lafayette, Jakarta, YSL Beauty Indonesia does carry the total 8 shades available. Priced at Rp 450.000 each, they come in a range of very light to subtly bright colors. If you’re too lazy to swatch, or disgusted to try the testers on the counter due to sanitary reason, just check out the Volupte Codes. Yup. they color matched the ring on the tube with the actual shades inside. IMHO, these are not for those who love intense color on their lips. Nor for those who are looking for long lasting lip color. Their textures are very fluid but emollient enough, they won’t slide and making mess on the lips. Make sure you apply with the ‘Bouche A Bouche’ applicator for more precise & uniform application, though. 

I’ve got No 8 (Pink About Me) to try at home. It does look a bit purplish on the applicator, but once applied, it turned baby pink. Awesome! I love the way it turned my lips into a healthier looking one. That luminous shine is unbeatable, feel light on the lips…and believe it or not, it’s not sticky (actually it felt kind of balmy somehow). Now I know what they meant by “this tint will enhance the natural beauty of the lips”. It will look pretty on those who already born with those naturally pigmented lips. For those who are not so lucky, I recommend using their best pair, ROUGE VOLUPTE SHINE Lipstick beforehand. 

If you’re looking for more natural healthy glow result without looking too wet, try blotting with tissue. Blot once and you’ll get this similar but less wet look on your lips. This is a great alternative for those who got serious chapped looking lips while wearing those ultra-matte lipstick, or just bored with that one dimension stain. Don’t just buy my words, give this tint a try, and you’ll know how Volupte Tint in Oil will make your lips look prettier. 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

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LOVE STORY OF THE ROMAN GODDESS

From Semarang to the world. I wish more fashion designer are as humble and down to earth as Yosep Sinudarsono. 

His name made famous in the fashion industry, thanks to Malin Akerman who wore one of his design on Golden Globe Awards 2015. This week, he took center stage again on Plaza Indonesia Fashion Week, where he showcased 40 designs from LOTUZ (that’s his ready to wear line).

Inspired by the Roman Goddess named Pomona, the show started with ballerinas gracing the runway with his collection. Romantic mood kept on flowing, lots of details like handmade floral embroideries on his ultra feminine dresses. I saw lots of peplum, body-fitting dresses with plunge neckline and fierce jumpsuits. My favorite: the all-black collection for his closing sequence. 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

WHEN PLEASURE MEETS LUXURY

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This week, I was invited to the exclusive luncheon event of SERGE LUTENS fragrances. It was a great event, they turned the second floor of Tugu Kuntstkring, Jakarta, into a SERGE LUTENS exhibition. Once I entered, they displayed his biography, some of his works (including his two rare books), and (of course) his fragrances collection. 

I think I remember these Shiseido’s ads. In his biography, Serge as a photographer, signed on for a collaboration with Shiseido in 1980. Later in 1982, he conceived “Nombre Noir”, his very first perfume, also for Shiseido. Ten years later, in 1992, he led his first true olfactory revolution in the field of perfume through his creation “Feminite du bois”. And his creations continue until today. 

Currently, Serge Lutens in Jakarta’s stores (Galeries Lafayette and Central Department Store), only carry Eaux and Spray Bottles’ range. Not very complete range, but not bad for first timer. I found some scents are so not me, I also believe some are too strong for this climate. FYI, Serge Lutens doesn’t differ femme & homme fragrances, so you can say they’re genderless. Yup, Serge believes that feeling good has nothing to do with gender and one fragrance can’t simply belong to one gender or the other. My suggestion, search for one that suits you best.

After many sniffs at the event, am I glad I found one that suits me best! “L’Eau Serge Lutens” from EAUX range. Created by Serge in 2010, he calls this creation, an anti-perfume, a connection between perfumes & literature (no wonder I felt such a strong connection towards this specific scent). Leaving a very clean scent, just like when you slipped on newly washed clothes, or lay your cheeks on newly changed pillow sheet, it’s exactly what prompted Serge when he created “L’Eau Serge Lutens”. On the release given to media, Serge said “This creation is my response to a world that is over-scented”. Whoa!!! Exactly my thought. There were times when I just want to smell clean not artificial, and I can say it did a superb job. I recommend this for those who just realized the importance of wearing fragrance (read: beginners), and for those who (this might be a bit harsh, but do spare me) anti-perfume. Trust me, (I copied this from Serge’s statement on the release) “It’s like a breath of fresh, oxygen-filled air”. Clean air one, of course!

Check out the bottle and the packaging. As I’m a firm believer that luxury doesn’t have to scream out loud, the simplicity of Serge Lutens’ bottles had me. Slim and very portable, they can be applied with the stopper like cologne or for the girl on the go (like me), every purchase came with the sprayer option. Save the royal ritual of splattering cologne at home and bring the sprayer to go.  

 PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA 

BE WISE WHEN IT COME TO SPOT(S)

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Thanks to my younger years when sun tanning was such a joyful thing to do, minus SPF skincare or so whatever. I believe my dark spots are not literally caused by those sun rays, but also signs of aging (sigh). The obvious one popped out near my cheeks, more obvious when I applied blush on. What to do, what to do?

Enter Sulwhasoo Snowise EX Whitening Spot Serum. Lately, I’ve been using more Korean brands’ skincare as I believe they react more on my Asian (read: oily & troublesome) skin. As the name stated, this is a spot serum so basically it’s recommended for those who have dark spots. Formulated with traditional Korean herbs (as you might already know, Sulwhasoo is big for ginseng ingredients), it’ll help to relieve dark spots from its source. It features white ginseng saponin to suppress the formation of melanin & prevent skin from forming more dark spots and Mulberry root extract to keep skin from drying and recover.

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Comes in a dropper, this is one clever bottle. Twist open and the knob will pop up with the filled in dropper. And if you close it again, it’ll go down automatically. No need to press manually to pick up the serum. 

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As for the scent, don’t worry about ginseng strong smell, as it’s very gentle and quite soothing. The texture is milky and liquid, so if you’re targeting on spots, just drop a little on your finger tips. In fact, I only use one drop for my spots. I was quite worried that it might left white residue, but it didn’t. It felt cool when applied and absorbed fast without no drying effect afterwards. And after a few days of wearing, I didn’t see my dark spots turning red, as I’ve experienced with other spot treatments. Oh yeah, I’m planning to use this on my acne scars as well, as they also stated so on the instructions leaflet inside the box. 

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Apply this spot serum every morning and evening after your face serum, by pressing on the spots for about 3 seconds using the index fingers. If you love to brighten the whole face and have no dark spots yet (lucky you!), try their whole whitening line, Snowise EX Whitening to enhance the strength of your skin against this harsh sun rays. 

Keep posted, as I’ll update you about the result on my dark spots after 28 days using this spot serum. 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA 

DRY FEET BE GONE

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I have to admit, my legs and feet are the most neglected part of my entire body. Mostly, I scrubbed…but that’s all. Anyway, I rarely wear mini skirt, so why bother, right? 

Well, until GEHWOL Indonesia sent me this great product, I realized the importance of soft feet and legs. That’s why they have this ‘well-cared head to toe’ thing, right? More than just a scrub, it’s a peeling with natural bamboo granulate & jojoba wax. GEHWOL Soft Feet Peeling will gently scrub and thoroughly removes dead skin cells for feet & legs. 

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On the box, they recommend to apply the scrub to moistened skin. Maybe because some people will find it more easy to apply when they shower. But for braver ones like me (especially those who are familiar with lulur), I prefer to use it on dry skin before I jumped to the shower. If you can stand the lulur, you’ll easily pass this one too. It’s way softer and I found the sugar crystals worked their magic to remove loose skin scales. When applied, you’ll see this tiny green dots from the bamboo granulate (never mind my dry looking legs). 

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Massage them in, and you can see it turned crystal-ish. Unlike the body scrub that I usually use, it didn’t feel dry when I massage them on. In fact, check out the moisture left on my fingers. Yup, now my fingers are soft & smooth too. You can go all the way to your knees and the soles of the feet, which are often dry. 

Overall, I love this product. It did moisten well, even if you forgot to wear body lotion after you rinsed. Instantly I felt my legs (and my fingers who did the massage job) were softer & smoother. As for its’ scent, I found it a bit strange…maybe it was the strong bamboo scent? But after I rinsed and dried, it softened. So, yeah, I can bare with the scent. I recommend not to use body soap after you rinsed, just let them be, and feel the difference. Just like a face peeling could do, this feet peeling thing will reveal a fresh new set of legs. 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

OH LA LASH

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Congratulations LAVIE LASH for their Beauty Bar Grand Opening in Plaza Indonesia, Jakarta.

Is it just me or this faux lashes thing lately become such an ‘it’ must have for beauty junkies in Jakarta? I know, I mean faux lashes are definitely not a new thing in beauty business for sure. But considering that some of the brands are relatively new, they did put a lot of consideration into their faux lashes products. Not just the faux lashes themselves, but the packaging and the services that follow. 

Last year, Lavie Lash was born. They started online and it was such a huge hit, now they open their own Beauty Bar in one of the most prestigious mall in Jakarta, Plaza Indonesia. 

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Located on level 4, this feminine style Beauty Bar is not only selling Lavie Lash’ beautiful luxurious lashes (I heard Agnes Monica is a fan), but they also offer beauty services, like how to apply their lashes, eye makeup and facial wax!

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Judging that I was not an avid user of faux lashes, because (previously) I found them hard to apply and made me hard to blink naturally (duh to synthetics), Lavie Lash might changed my lashes future to the best. Carefully handcrafted using 100% premium sterilized human hair, produced (handmade) by the same factory as leading eyelash brands (I think I know what brands they meant), I’m relieved to know that they’re using top quality materials. After all, these faux lashes will literally glued close to our precious eyes, right? Another plus points are their prices. A single pack including adhesive costs under Rp 50k, and their value pack with five different faux lashes in a box costs Rp 168k. Considering that they can be used up to 8 times (if you took care of them nicely), Lavie Lash will be a beauty investment you might want to start asap. Shop for their collection online, or visit their Beauty Bar now.    

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA

SOLID GOLD

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How to do your own Hammam body care ritual at your own bathroom.

This week, I was invited to experience the latest body care range from The Body Shop, WILD ARGAN OIL. Inspired by the Hammam Body Care Ritual (wildly known as The Turkish Bath), they divided the total 10 available products into 3 wide categories: Bathing, Moisturising & Final Touch. 

This range was infused with Community Fair Trade Wild Argan Oil from Morocco. What’s so special about the this organic argan oil? Reportedly, the oil was extracted from the best argan nuts which were hand-cracked by Berber women. Then, the kernels are pressed & filtered slowly over 48 hours to extract the purest oil possible and delivered the most sublime radiance for our skin. 

Having a really dry body skin, I’m quite picky and careful when it comes to choosing body care products. And let me tell you, this range is perfect for those who have extra dry skin who long for that golden glow and skin radiance (think J-Lo’s bronzed skin). My treatment that day started with exfoliation, using “Wild Argan Oil” Rough Scrub. Don’t be intimidated by the word ‘rough’ as the texture is not as stated. I thought the granules were from sugar, but apparently they’re argan shell. With gel texture, the spa therapist applied it on my dry skin and instantly my skin felt softer & smoother. 

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After I showered to rinse the exfoliator, the spa therapist recommended me to mix “The Radiant Oil For Body & Hair” (in a spray bottle packaging) and “Wild Argan Oil Body Butter” for body massage, because my body skin was so dry. I love how the combination felt on my skin, buttery yet velvety.

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After body massage, I sank into a bath full of bubbles from “Wild Argan Oil Bubbling Bath”. I was recommended to stay in for 15 minutes, to make sure my extra dry skin got the perfect hydration. And for the final touch, I applied “Wild Argan Oil Body Lotion” allover and the latest “Wild Argan Oil Miracle Solid Oil for Body & Hair” on my (also) dry hair. I love this new innovation from The Body Shop. Placed in a tin can, this multi-purpose solid oil came in a balmy texture that surprisingly not sticky. Yet, it glides beautifully when I rubbed it on my hair end, and also on my elbows & knees. Put on a small amount to avoid looking greasy, though. And I believe this work wonder on cuticles too! 

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The WILD ARGAN Oil range already available in The Body Shop Indonesia’s stores and an insider told me they just displayed it for about a week and they’re flying off the shelves! Great news, this range will be a permanent body care collection. For more about the products and to shop them online, click here. 

PHOTOS: SHINTA ROSVITA