Personal Favorites of 2009 - Part I: Seasonal Delights

One of those things that I love about the cold cold months is the opportunity to use products with soul-warming scents and sensuous textures.  Everything gets suited with an extra oomph that they might have otherwise not gotten if it wasn't for our need for richer and stronger products during this time of the year.

Two of the products that I fell in love with at the end of 2009 (and they are both on my Personal Favorites of 2009 list) are from The Body Shop's Nutmeg and Vanilla line.  (Yes, I do hope to complete this list soon and am crossing my fingers to release this list throughout the month!).  These two products are:  The Nutmeg and Vanilla Lip Balm and the Nutmeg and Vanilla Bath and Shower Gel.  And just so you know, the Nutmeg and Vanilla line is one of three of their festive lines and limited edition for 2009. 

Although both products come from the same scent family, the two of them do not have identical smells (thanks goodness!).  The lip balm has a very spicy and sweet cake scent in that -just stepped into a

bakery which also sells spices kind of way.  Whereas the scent of the bath & shower gel takes on a completely different note.  It has spices and it has sweet (and less vanilla) but it has the added oomph of a kick of candied fruit.  And when added to a tub of hot steamy bath water, it does not smell sweetly sickening like most spicy vanilla concoction usually smell like, this smells divinely sensuous thanks to the added touch of sandalwood.  I mean this is this is the stuff that will spice up your bath and your evening.

Onto the packaging.  I know that most of us are not fans of open lid containers and prefer squeeze tubes for lip balms.  I do have to say that it feels great getting some balm out of a round tin because it makes me feel as if I'm getting a cookie treat out of a cookie jar.  And the bronzy color on the inside of the lid just makes it ever more special.  As to what you do with the leftover balm on your fingers after you've applied balm on your lips; give your cuticles a little treat as well!  The bath & shower gel's packaging is really nothing intriguing until you dial down the lights and light a few candles.  The transparent and amber-tinted bottle looks sumptuously warming and glowy in the candlelight and in the steam of my mostly white bathroom.  Quite a treat for the eyes I must say!


The texture of the lip balm.  This is a rich balm indeed with all of its most conditioning ingredients topping the ingredients list.  Like most of The Body Shop's old school lip balms, this one is also extremely emolient, transparent and have a high sheen finish.  I personally prefer this type of balm (I really loved the older version of TBS' balms) as they simply are longer lasting on the lips and are especially good for wearing to bed.  And you know why this one is especially good for wearing to bed?  It is because the balm has these subtle fine gold shimmers that just makes the lips look so pretty. The added bonus is that the balm has a slight tint that warms up our pouts in a natural kind of way. 

These and other TBS seasonal delights are currently only available in very limited quanitities at their stores in Amsterdam and some of them are on sale at 50% off.  Check them out and leave your thoughts and comments!


Website:  thebodyshop.com
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
Disclaimer:  Things I had purchased myself.

Chanel Short Movies

A little indulgence during lunch break.  This and many other cute short movies from Chanel about their new Coco Cocoon bags.

Enjoy!


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Animal Cruelty-Free

I am intrigued by the idea of wearing vegan shoes but am not sure how sweaty feet will survive in them. This short video features Natalie Portman who talks about her vegan shoe line for Te Casan, a 5500 square foot shoe haven in New York whose doors were shut in 2008.

What are your thoughts on being animal cruelty-free and on leading a vegan lifestyle?


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), youtube.com

The House Of Viktor & Rolf

Feeling a little out of sync and I am still not ready to hit refresh and restart for 2009. Getting any satisfaction in writing up my list of resolutions is simply out of the question. 2008 for me was both a fantastic and trying year. It was a year that lasted as long as a long equation that cannot be simplified. Oddly enough though, those challenges set the perfect stage for self-discovery. I fought and persued those things that really mattered to me; eventhough they came with a hefty price and I had to put up a fight for them. Now, a few clouds have been lifted. And I foresee the rest of 2009 to be an even more trying year.

To calm such nervous anticipation, I sought uplift, momentary indulgence and craved extravagance. I needed to feast my eyes on luxury and I needed the fix fast!

So over the weekend, I visited the Centraal Utrecht Museum which presented a collection of life size dolls from The House of Viktor & Rolf. The exhibition focused on the last 15 years of the duo's struggles and triumphs. Reading through and looking at their creations only made my own struggles look minuscule in comparison. Their designs were beautifully intricate and instantaneously lifted my spirits. And they gave me a good kick in the buttocks. It was exactly the boost that I needed.

A feast for our eyes



Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Go or No Go?

Spotted: Handy holiday purse palettes from Clarins

Question: Go or No Go?

Comes in:
Gold Purse & Palette - "A burnished combination of gold-lit bronze and candy pink for eyes, toned with caramel and rose pink for lips."

Black Purse & Palette - "A sultry mix of smoky plum and glittering greys for eyes, toned with berry red and sugar pink for lips."

Silver Purse & Palette - "A pretty collection of vibrant violet and silver greys for eyes, toned with berry pinks for lips."

Each contains:
- Complexion perfecting natural beige compact powder
- 3 eyeshadows
- 2 lip glosses
- 1 mini Black Wonder Volume Mascara
- Large mirror
- Powder sponge, eyeshadow applicator, lip brush


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), Clarins

You might remember one of my fav local designers Joline Jolink? I read this the other day:

JOLINE JOLINK SAMPLE & STOCK SALE
Prices between € 2 and € 200 (cash and pin)

and my jaw just fell to the ground. For those who are or going to be in the Amsterdam area on these dates,

Friday November 28th 17:00 - 21:00
Saturday November 29th 12:00 - 18:00
Sunday November 30th 12:00 - 18:00

the sale will be held at their studio:

De Wittenstraat 109 / 111 hs
Amsterdam

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), jolinejolink.com

Grayburn: Yet Another Look At Joline Jolink

Judging by all the times I have posted about Joline Jolink's designs (total of 5 posts which you can find here), it is pretty obvious that I would be happy to wear her clothes any or all days of the week. Like always, I look forward to studying her creations walk down the runway and it was certainly no different when I attended the DFA 2008.

Joline Jolink truly designs clothes with a woman's comfort in mind. With her eye for details, the women who wear her clothes look fresh, chic and always ready to get to their busy lives.

The other thing that draws me to her shows are the makeup looks she pairs with each collection. The face is often kept fresh, with only one feature of the face highlighted. For example, the collection photographed here made up of black and a dusty grey pieces, a flash of hibiscus is used along the highest point of the temples down towards the bottom of the cheeks.

Some of Joline Jolink's designs are actually available on her website and luckily, they ship internationally - http://www.jolinejolink.com/shop/ .

I would feel completely as ease but at the same time 'put together' running errands in this.

It is so rare to see gloves purely used as an accessory nowadays. I still love them regardless. They draw attention to a pair of well-manicured hands.

Legs-envy!

I hope you have enjoyed my report on some of the designers who competed in the DFA 2008. Their hard work has been recognized, their uniqueness noticed, and there is no wonder that they were the chosen finalists. The best of luck to the winner Monique van Heist and I am certain that the Netherlands is fiercely proud of what she has accomplished.


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Congratulations To Monique van Heist

Monique van Heist, the winner of the Dutch Fashion Awards 2008 showed us a preview of her upcoming collection, "Hello Fashion". In this collection, she hopes to challenge the constraints on fashion each of the four seasons have . My feeling is that blurring the boundary between male and female shapes, whilst also combining prominent forms with softer ones, makes her concepts a standout and unique.

Notice the back detail of the outfit in the background?

Side-swept hair softens the boldness of the dress.

For some reason, I adore this color. It is not quite a nude but somehow pops.

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), moniquevanheist.com

Personal Favorites Of Mada van Gaans' Collection

Mada van Gaans' S/S '09 collection named "Enchanting Memories" was one of seven collections selected to show at the Dutch Fashion Awards this year. Inspired mainly by the silhouettes of men's dressing in Northern India, a collection with western interpretations was born. The result is easy proportions and comfortable grace.

Models strolled down the catwalk with their hair off of their faces and a sophisticated makeup palette. In any event, my attention went straight to the models' shoes.

Unforgettable shoes!

Fantastic harem pants, looks great paired with angle-strapped heels.

Mada van Gaans' A/W 09-10 collection presented at the 10th edition of AIFW


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), dutchfashionawards.com

Have A Dream? Follow It! - The Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Awards 2008

The Mercedes-Benz Dutch Fashion Award 2008 (November 7th) was most certainly an evening filled with glitz and glam. Many celebrities and the general public showed up, strutted their stuff, and showed us what they are all about.

Awards were handed out last night. The winner of the Dutch Fashion Icon Homme was none other than Carlo Wijnands, and the one honored as the winner of Dutch Fashion Icon Femme, was Aynouk Tan. Both winners were selected by the designers themselves as influenc-ers and inspirations in the Dutch fashion scene. But ultimately, the evening was about Monique Van Heist (pictured left, the moment she found out she'd won!), who stole the evening as the winner of the 2008 Incubator Award. With her reward of 25 000 euros (not dollars!) and a training package, she will be empowered to showcase her label to a wider audience. From where I was standing the moment they announced the winner, I heard cries and screams from some members of the audience behind me. I was instantly overcome by emotion, knowing how much of herself Van Heist must have dedicated to her work. Have a dream? Follow it! That about sums up what the evening was about.

Pictures from the event, which documents all the most amazing things I have seen, will come shortly. As I sit here writing this today, I realized that I am slightly hungover with euphoria from the evening and with Bols (who was a sponsor of the event, and might I say, who spoiled us rotten!).

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), photo from dutchfashionawards