A recent study by a group of scientists at the Rutgers State University of New Jersey established a possible link between the application of some widely available topical skin creams with some ingredients in common (i.e. Dermabase, Dermovan, Eucerin or Vanicream) to mice' skin (pre-treated with UVB to increase their risk for skin cancer) leads to an increase of cancer formation in the skin.
Dr Yao-Ping Lu and his team pre-treated the group of 30 mice with UVB twice weekly for a duration of 20 weeks and then applied the said skin creams on the UVB-inflicted mice for 17 consecutive weeks thereafter (1x/day, 5 days per week). The conclusion of the study was that although not more numbers of mice in the treated group had tumours compared to those in the control group, the rate of formation of tumors and the number of tumors was significantly greater.
While I personally find this type of testing which involves animals (who are unable to speak for themselves) cruel and unnecessary, here are some of the issues a number of experts have raised in regards to the study and its findings:
- manufacturers of Eucerin and Vanicream have raised concerns with regards to the design of the study as well as how the findings can be relevant to humans.
- the size of the test group (30) too small for such conclusions.
- mice skin not the best replacement for conducting tests for human skin.
As noted by many other experts in the field, while the conclusions may be dubious, further tests that address the above issues are needed.
What is your take on the study? Do you think we need to be alarmed by these findings?
The article describing the study can be found in the Aug. 14 issue of the Journal of Investigative Dermatology
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com, style.com
Wednesday
Skin Cancer Linked To Moisturizer?
Friday
Objects Of Desire
I salivated when I finally saw these at our downtown Douglas Store. That is what happens when something finally appears when I have been waiting for it for a long time. For those who appreciate a 'skin scent' and who love deep, sensuous fragrances as I do, this relaunch of some of Donna Karen's most renowned fragrance is unmissable. All 9 scents have been given the same outfit in a new modern black cylindrical shape. The collection also contains 4 scented candles, also outfitted in sleek black glass. Best to take advantage of these while we still have some cold nights left. I'm grabbing "Chaos" and "Black Cashmere" and reserving them for date nights!
To give you an idea:
Chaos EDP - "blend of calm and serene"
Fuel For Men EDP - "captures the excitement of speed"
Signature EDP - "subtle, sophisticated, warm combination of exotic floras and earthy tones"
Black Cashmere EDP - "inspired by the finest of cashmere"
Essence Collection with 4 elemental scents:
Jasmine EDT
Lavender EDT
Wenge EDT - "exotically unique in its deeply sensual appeal"
Labdanium EDT - "sensually complex"
Candles:
Chaos
Signature
Lavender
Wenge
Find the nearest store to you at: store locator
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), .donnakaranbeauty.com
Tuesday
The Comforter, my comforter
Christmas is next week! Feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement, I am again unprepared this time around. I am not very good with handling the stress that comes with festivities even if I absolutely love them once they are here. The prepping, planning, counting number of heads, getting to the store in time, ordering the right turkey, getting cards out on time....oops, sorry for stressing you too!
My personal remedy:
You might have noticed that food related bath products have been playing a part in my beauty routine. The story behind this is this and because of this. I have somewhat rediscovered them again after a long time of avoiding them.
The thing is, we eat food everyday. We are very comfortable with the way they taste and smell to us and, we have lots of experience identifying the components that make up our favorite dish. So that is why I find the simplicity of edible scents comforting and unassuming. Given that there is a good concentration of real food ingredients in a bath product, there is usually not a lot of guess work involved when trying to decipher the different components in it.
What I love about The Comforter Bubble Bar from Lush (see picture above) is that the instant you put your nose to it, you know that it contains some sort of edible berry. Upon closer inspection and a few more breaths in, you might identify that the berry is cassis (also known as blackcurrant). Lush has chosen the right berry to use in this bubble bar. While I often find berries such as strawberries or raspberries too 'innocent', the deepness of the cassis is suitable for use when one wants to drift off in a bath. Its bright fuchsia color brings something feminine and fun to bath time as well, while a splash of bergamot oil lends just a hint of maturity and mystery to the formula. This is a great bubble bar to use alone or share with another as it is not overly sweet (BFOG-approved). Plus, I find sitting in a bath full of pink hued water and lots of luxurious bubbles comforting indeed (hence, the name of Lush's bubble bar).
This 7oz. bar will be good for 6 baths and guarantees long-lasting, fluffy bubbles. Lovely!
I am curious what you like in your bath. Which scents do you like when?
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
Friday
Retro Lush & Breakups
Lush and I had a fallout a while back but it was mainly my fault. I gave it too much attention and I was at the point of down right infat- uation and obsession. Not healthy at all!
If you have followed Lush's products over time, you know that they have stopped producing some of their gush-worthy items and others that were rumored to have existed but very few of us ever got to experience (you can see some of them here). The Retro Lush items were my drug but more specifically, the drug went by the name of Aqua Mirablis Underwater (the Retro version, pictured above).
My first dab into Lush was a refrigerated tub of their fresh Cupcake facial mask which instantly had my senses tingling with glee and skin bouncing with vitality. And then I met the aforementioned drug which we'll now just call AMU. AMU was a little bar of powdered solid body butter topped with marigold petals. It really was what soft smooth skin's made of. With sandalwood oil, rose absolute and gardenia extract, it was a scent made for dreary days.
I used to have a bathing ritual using AMU. First, I filled my bathtub with warm water. Then I rubbed AMU all over wet skin, as the ground almond shells exfoliated away all unflattering flakes. AMU had a spell over me and made the usually unglamorous job of exfoliation feel luxurious. Final step - I would sit in the warm water until the water started to cool. Heaven I tell you! The combination of exfoliation, heat, water and cocoa butter transformed my skin every time.
When I heard rumors that they were discontinuing production of AMU in that format, I became an addict that feared not having her substance. I began to hoard and bought all displayed bars of AMU at one time, and, even sent friends overseas to collect more for me. I was so frightened of what a disappointment the new Aqua Mirablis was going to be.
As you all know that Lush' products are natural based, they have only a certain amount of shelf-life. Well, my bars of AMU began to turn rancid (after about a year though). It got to the point that I actually had to unwillingly dispose of them. What a horror that was! After that point I never wanted to step into Lush again in fear of experiencing heart-break like that again.
It has been 3 years since then and I finally stepped into a Lush store the other day with BFOG by my side. As I stood inside the store, it all felt somehow familiar but different. I walked by the the hall of the soaps and when I reached the body butters where the new AMU now sits (it used to be in the bath melt section), I only 'eyed' the new AMU (pictured above).
BFOG and I walked out of the store with a bag of goodies and big grins on our faces. With my renewed happy and healthier attitude with Lush, I am happy to say that I will be sharing my thoughts on a few of their products with you shortly.
Any Lush fans out there? Want to share your thoughts on your Lush favs or boos? Please do!
Oh and Happy Halloween!
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), lush.com
Sunday
Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre
I learn so much when I hear others gush about their beauty favorites. Going on the advice of the fabulous lady at Make Do & Mend, I went for the biggest tube of Embryolisse I could find when I was in Paris. I had a feeling this one would not disappoint seeing that it has achieved cult status amongst makeup artists and been on the must-have list in many beauty magazines.
Embryolisse is a French creation. Ok, the company's name implies and brings to mind something perhaps a little odd. But the brand itself having been around for nearly 60 years, and, has been recommended for use by doctors because of its simple yet effective formulation. After having sold more than 10 000 000 tubes by 2007, the company launched their saught after limited 'vintage edition' of their ever famous Lait-Creme Concentre.
The tube holds a milky cream fluid that has a versatile texture which just sinks and settle into the skin well. It promises 24-hrs of hydration and it has not yet broken that promise (I have been using it for nearly 2 months). Whilst the milky cream has a soft floral scent, even the more sensitive skin types seem to do well with it. I have seen it work well on those with normal, oily, dry, or scaly skin and the creamy fluid makes a fantastic moist prep for makeup, protection against chap, and as a nurturing layer at night to seal moisture in the skin. The product is also capable of aiding in shaving and cleansing facial skin.
Perhaps I would try those other uses for the milky cream if I had more of it. But with only 1 tube at my disposal, I am reserving it for emergency use only.
The Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre is sold in many parts of the world (including US & Canada). I found my giant tube in a pharmacy in Montparnasse in Paris for around 10 euros. Surprised at the humble price tag? That is why I will be hoarding tubes of this my next visit to France and I will be searching high and low for the limited edition vintage tubes.
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
Wednesday
Baby Soft Skin. The Scent. The Texture. The Result.
French adults have reported that a whiff of this (above) brings back fond childhood memories for them. Those who grew up being bathed by Mustela's bebe Lait de toilette (Cleansing milk) remembers it by its unique scent and the soft cleansing texture. Those of us who never had bathtime with rubber ducky and Mustela can still use it today as a makeup remover or a soothing bath soak.
The Scent: There is definitely a baby-soft powdery scent to the lotion. However, it finishes with more florals than the baby powder smell that we are familiar with. It is not over powering but is enough to send my mind drifting off to a comfortable zone.
The Texture: The white liquid has the consistency of a runny whipping cream. It does not lather at all and I find that I need quite a lot if used in the shower.
Result: It does not irritate any dry patches of skin I might have on my face or my body. Skin feels soft but cleansed but I would not use it as an eye makeup remover as it did irritate mine. It is quite an amazing soother in the bath and it is easily one of my favorite soak products around.
I purchased mine in a pharmacy in Paris but Mustela is available at beauty centers and baby supplies stores in Asia, Europe, USA & Canada. I may just have to stock up on this and many other Mustela products (such as the Hydra-Stick with cold cream and the Massage oil) my next trip to Paris.
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)
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Thursday
Do You Do E-Shopping?
You might find this information from the ShopSmart Magazine (Consumer Reports) handy. It is the result and summary of the screening they had conducted to compare some of the e-tailers out there.
Do any of you shop at these sites? Would you recommend any of these to your friends or to me (do any of them have international shipping)?
Best Overall Selection: Beauty.com
Shipping Free if you spend $49 or more.
Return policy 30 days on unopened products or, for certain items, if you don’t like the color. Returns cost $4.99 unless a product is damaged or incorrect or the color is wrong.
Great for Hard-to-Find Products: Beautyhabit.com
Shipping Free on orders of $100 or more; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 14 days on most items. No returns on opened or used products.
Great for Trendy Brands: Beautyofasite.com
Shipping Free on orders over $75; otherwise $5.95 to $8.95.
Return policy 30 days. You pay for return shipping unless the product was damaged. All returns are for exchange or store credit only. There are no refunds or returns on color cosmetics.
Best Prices: Buymebeauty.com
Shipping Free on orders of $35 or more; $4.95 on orders of less than $35.
Return policy 30 days. Products must be unused and unopened, unless they are defective. You have to call or e-mail before returning products; you will also have to pay the costs of return shipping.
Great Return Policy: Cosmeticmall.com
Shipping $5.95 plus 93 cents per pound.
Return policy 30 days. You can return most products for any reason, even after they’re opened.
Great Drugstore Makeup Section: Drugstore.com
Shipping Free on your first nonprescription order of $25 or more; free on orders of $49 or more after that.
Return policy 30 days. Returns are free if a product is damaged, defective, or incorrect. Returns are free on certain products if you don’t like the color. Otherwise, products must be unopened and unused.
Great for Freebies: Sephora.com
Shipping Free on orders over $50; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 60 days. Free return shipping. Store credit after 60 days.
Great for Organic Products: Skinbotanica.com
Shipping Free on orders over $49; otherwise $5.95.
Return policy 60 days.
Best Shipping Deal: Skin-One.com
Shipping Free.
Return policy 30 days. Product must be at least 75 percent full. You have to pay return shipping fees, and no returns are allowed of an opened product if you received a sample of it with your order.
Best Online Version of a Walk-In Store: Walgreens.com
Shipping Many items qualify for free shipping of purchases of $50 or more; otherwise $5.49 for 10 pounds or less.
Return policy 30 days.
Sad Site: BeautyDepot.com
This site didn’t have a wide selection of products. You have to buy $99 worth of stuff to get free shipping; otherwise you could end up paying $7.95 or more for UPS ground. Cosmetics (and many other products) were not returnable, and there’s no toll-free customer-service number.
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Sunday
Which Category Do You Fit Into?
Just a heads-up on The Body Shop's new line of body products that aim to take care of our inner and outer selves. I have been to their store and tested most of the products myself. Granted, the wellness approach is nothing new, but I think they have done a convincing job at creating some lemming-worthy items to treat our body and soul.
The line is divided into four categories (see image above) and is driven by ingredients that do double duties in terms of provoking a state of mind via scent and active properties. I think I am going to have to get something from each category since I suffer from each one of them at different times. For example, I could really use some of that Total Energy Exhilarating body wash (state #1) during that one time of the month when I can use a kick of energy at that time. Or, I could hand over that bottle of Divine Calm Relaxing Massage oil (state #2) to BFOG when life is stressing me out. And when I feel like getting some detox action, I would probably give the Rejuvenating Bath Soak (state #4) that contains wasabi (!) a try.
As soon as I get my hands on these, I will let you in on the scoop!
Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), thebodyshop.com
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Tuesday
Long Awaited Sephora Stores In NL!
A quick note to share my excitement about Sephora opening 11 stores in the Netherlands! The last store that will be opening in Enschede will be complete by November 20th. I no longer have to take a 4-6 hour train ride to Luxemburg or France to indulge myself in Sephora madeness. Their nearest store is now only half an hour away! This move from Sephora will bring brands such as Benefit and Makeup Forever finally into the Netherlands.
My wish has come true!
Credit: sephora.nl
Beauty Walking The Silk Road
So it seems that silk in beauty is hot again! Manufacturers of beauty products have quickly jumped on the trend and have added silk to their products for the extra added appeal.
Silk is wonderful.
If you have ever run your hand over a silky garment (like that of a traditional Chinese dress "Qi-pao"), you would know what a wonderful sensation that is. Who wouldn't want their hair or skin to feel exactly like that? The benefits from silk lies in the fact that it contains 18 amino acids that have the same PH balance as our skin. These amino acids are said to have anti-aging effects and help to hold moisture in the skin. We typically see silk part of the ingredients list in our skin moisturizers, mineral makeup, or hair care products. But lately, you may come across silk used in the most unexpected or unusual places.
Case 1 - Hairdryer
The Imetec Nutriheat hairdryer is said to release silk proteins while drying hair. The silk capsule inside the dryer releases a stream of silk when hot air blows through it. It seems that these capsules need to be replaced about every 6 hair-drying sessions.
What do you all think? Do you think this is a must try for me? Is this where I should invest my money into, instead of say, a new pair of shoes? Or maybe you already have this and have something to say about it? I would really love to hear what you think.
Case 2 - Pillows Cases
This pillow case from SilkSkin is supposed to slow the process of aging, wrinkles, bed head, decrease bed mites, help with thinning hair (as tossing and turning is supposedly rough on our hair!) and give you a better night's sleep. I love the idea of sleeping on luxurious silk sheets and on decadent silk pillow cases, but for the price of them I think I would rather invest in another face cream.
What is your take on this? Perhaps you think that this is worth its price (approx. 70 USD) and would like to share your reasons why?
Photo credits: chinadaily.com, silkskin.co.uk, trevorsorbie.com
Thursday
Skincare Before the Zzzzzzz's
Sleep is oh so important and sometimes I wish I could just crash into bed without feeling guilty for not having removed my makeup etc. I usually end up getting up after 10 mins. of laying in bed with my makeup on, envisioning zits blossoming on my face. Getting a good night's rest means going through my nightly ritual of removing & applying. It is simply inescapable for me.
The other day, I decided to count the steps I took for skincare before bed. It came to a whopping 14 on a normal night! I encourage all of you to try this exercise and count yours because I assure you, you will be amazed one way or another. Here's my routine before bed:
1. cleansing oil
2. face wash
3. face toner or glycolic wipe
4. all over face serum
5. eye cream
6. face cream/oil
7. spot treatment cream on face if needed
8. spot treat sensitized parts if needed
9. lip cream
10. foot cream
11. hand cream
12. once a month overnight hair treatment
13. neck cream
14. spot treatment on chest if needed
It would be interesting to see how many you girls/guys have. Please let me know about yours in comments (so I don't feel like such a freak!).
Photo cred: instablogsimages.com
Getting Started With Decléor
A set containing 4 of Decléor's products is the training wheels that eases us into Decléor's special method of maintaining good skin.
The kit contains the Stick Lèvres, Crème Hydratante “Nectar De Fleures”, Aromessence Néroli, and Phytopeel.
I believe Decléor is skincare made for and created by scent gourmands. Being a company who's products are made in France, they recommend a method of skincare which I find is quite typically French. The reason is that their line focuses on the use of good quality essential oils. Looking at the steps which we follow to apply these products, it seems that the French way is that we must take time when caring for our skin.
First the skin is gently cleansed, then the face and neck are massaged with an essential oil blend until absorbed. Third is the application of a moisturizer (for day), or a balm (at night) to seal in moisture and perfect the tone of the skin.
The Decléor scents transcend me. My favorite scent comes from the little bottle of Aromessence Néroli, which, by the way, has been really good to my skin. Layering Crème Hydratante “Nectar De Fleures” (it has a rather nice scent and texture as well) over the Aromessence Néroli completes the experience, as they work to calm and hydrate my skin. All is done in a luxurious and elegant way.
The tube of lipcare is a pleasant surprise. It smells of candied orange peel and has great softening properties. Nothing sticky or shiny about it, just a simple, elegant product.
A disappointment however, is the Phytopeel. I despise the smell of Marjoram which is predominant in this product. And the worst of all, the product must be smeared on, left until dried and then rubbed off. It left me with reddened skin and my mood deflated.
All in all, Decléor is a skincare line created to be savored by our noses and as a savior to our skin. This kit packs the essential items and is a wonderful introduction to Decléor. Following the company's recommendations will ensure excellent skin hydration.
Credits: Grayburn
Tuesday
Summer Nails
The sun has been making occasional appearances here in the past week. This means that sandals can finally come out and it is time to pick out delish colors for our nails!
A nice pop of color can be a nice finishing touch to your look. I have picked out these 4 for 4 different, summer occasions. They are all from a Dutch company called Hema, who makes really quality nail polishes that are comparable to Opi's, but for a-third of the price. Applied on top of Opi's Start to Finish, these polishes last chip-free, for a week. Since their polishes are only named with numbers, I thought it would be a fun game to name these polishes myself!
Hema # 185
I would like to name this one "Dabbing my lips".
I would wear this to a sizzling date that I know is about to get hotter! Imagine a cool summer night, a table for two at an Italian restaurant with an outdoor terrace. In one ear you hear the tongue-curling sounds of Italian, and the other, the stillness of crickets. In front of you, the person sitting there, adoring you. You dab your lips with a serviette after you have tasted the last course, looking intensely across the table.
Hema # 205
I would like to call this "Coy & the Beach".
Coyness is not being seen enough around the beach. This shade stands out against slightly tanned skin, whilst managing to be coy.
Hema # 127
For this one, I give the name "Air Conditioning".
On a hot summer day, it is just unbearably mucky out there. You are comforted by the thought of attending an indoor event later on, which will have air conditioning. The only requirement is that you must wear something nice, perhaps a nice clingy black dress.
Hema # 184
This shall be named simply "Ibiza".
An electric shade that is on trend with the current chilli-colored lips. This has Ibiza written all over it! Takes you from sipping colorful drinks on the beach, to enjoying an outdoor live performance. It is a great way to add unexpected color to a look.
Credits: Grayburn
Friday
Summer Skin - A Focus On Self-Tanners (Body Edition)
What a delight it has been to hear from one of my readers, Kyle, on his opinion about the Jergens self-tanners. It is even better that I get to share the information with all of you! Here is the second segment of "Summer Skin - A Focus On Self-Tanners" - Body Edition.
Jergens Natural Glow Express Body Moisturizer (Medium)
- as experienced by Kyle -
Kyle expertly made sure that he had prepped his skin before the application of this self-tanner. He wanted to get it right! The first 2 days of application went smoothly and he seemed pleased with the results. However, the morning after his 3rd application, he awoke to something that he could not have imagined! With his new orange-d skin, he had to resort to covering up in long pants and a hoodie!
Intensity - full intensity reached after the 3rd application but the color was rather undesirable.
Application - seemed easy enough!
SPF - none
Smell - typical self-tanner.
St. Tropez Auto-Bronzant Lotion
Set in a gel of aloe vera, the color of the liquid can only be described as a hybrid between dark brown and green. Oddly enough, that combination creates the perfect hue and leaves behind the desirable 'St. Tropez' tan with no carrot.
Intensity - this reaches a good intensity after the second application. If you only want a glow, stop after the first application or better yet, opt for a body lotion with gradual self-tanner instead!
Application - the liquid is light and with good slip so it is easy to apply. It is best applied on pre-moisturized skin; especially if there are dry patches of skin. Apply twice a week to maintain color.
SPF - none
Smell - chemical but not offensive
L'Oreal Sublime Glow Daily Moisturiser + Skin Tone Enhancer (Medium)
This is by far the best for that "I've just been touched by the sun" glow. The color is buildable and the lotion has fine shimmers in it which gives the skin a perfecting glow. 
Intensity - great buildable color that reaches its peak after the fourth application.
Application - I find this completely fool-proof as you apply it like a body lotion. The texture of this lotion feels just as nourishing as The Body Shop body butters, but not as heavy. For just a touch of color, alternate this lotion every other day with your usual body lotion.
SPF - none
Smell - by far the most tolerable. Actually it smells like mango butter; a scent I have come to really appreciate!
Neutrogena Build-a-tan
Neutrogena has been around since the early days of self-tanning. The orange packaging stands out amongst all of the other self-tanners in the drugstore isle.
Intensity - quite intense for me after the first application. The color that it gives is not what I would normally prefer.
Application - its thin texture makes blending difficult and resulted in some streaks for me.
SPF - none
Smell - not my cup of tea!
Estee Lauder Fast Tan Quick-Dry Sunless Spray SPF 15
Estee Lauder was one of the first companies who came out with a spray-on self-tanner. I remember when it was such a revolution, because it promised streak-free color and ease of application.
Intensity - good color but....
Application - I don't think I am made for spray tanners. I have tried several and I just cannot seem to learn the right technique. There were patches of uneven color after my first application (even when I blended), which I thought would be fixed by the second. It did not and only emphasized the patchiness even more.
SPF - boasts a protection factor of 15
Smell - like self-tanner!
Credits: Grayburn, Kyle Kyle (audiboy2006<@>aim.com ) has kindly offered his contact email for those wanting more information on the Jergens self-tanner.
Saturday
On Board Beauty
I have arrived in Toronto! My readers are so smart - Kyle and The seeker have both guessed my destination correctly!
The flight went pretty smooth and I enjoyed catching up on a few movies and tv shows. The thing that I love most about traveling is not only that I get to experience a new and different environment/culture, but that I get to pack. Something about packing my luggage really soothes me. I love getting everything organized and planning out all the beauty/cosmetics/outfits I will be needing. There is also an immense sense of satisfaction at the end of the trip, when everything went according to plan.
I believe that even if I am just sitting on a plane, I should still pamper myself. The skin lotions that they provide in flight always smell like dated perfume and are not at all moisturizing. With the dry cabin air, one really needs to bring good quality products and they all have to fit inside a little plastic zip-lock bag and be under 100ml, if they are liquids or gels. Now these are the kinds of challenges that I like!
Here's a list of the simple yet effective products that I packed with me:
In the Zip-lock bag -
1. L'Occitane Visage Eau Essentielle Immortelle Biologique (30 ml) - spray the face frequently to refresh, hydrate and indulge in the scent.
2. Tears Naturale II (15ml) - eye drops to ease dry eyes.
3. L'Occitane Elixir A L'huile Essentielle D'immortelle Biologique (5ml) - patted on my skin after I've sprayed my skin with #1, as soon as we are in the air.
4. Labello SOS lip balm (10nl) - really softens and hydrates. It stays on until I wipe it off before a meal.
5. Decleor Aromessence Baume De Nuit Rose D'Orient (2.5ml) - Extra care when I want more nourishment and protection from cabin air.
6. L'Occitane Creme Ultra Riche (8ml) - It has a comforting scent and the cream is thick yet non-greasy to treat my hands.
7. Cargo Lip Gloss Duo in Kan Kan - A huge tin containing beautifully coordinated colors for adding a natural-looking gloss to the lips. The one I brought with me has a beautiful shimmery brown with gold specks and a beige/pink with silver specks. I apply the darker shade on my top lips and the lighter shade to the bottom. I know that Cargo's glosses are faved by Madonna!
In my makeup bag -
1. Versace Powder Compact - This comes with a real hair brush that fits in the bottom compartment of the compact and the brush is wide enough to cover the face.
2. Shiseido Paper Powder sheets - Absorbs oilies and prepares my face for makeup which I apply before landing.
3. MAC Eye Kohl in Powersurge - With a great consistency and a great shade for a natural look but with a slight twist!
4. Shiseido Majolica Majorca Brow Customize Sword Cut - I cannot express how much I love this brow crayon. It's portable, it has a texture that glides and the angle-cut gives great precision for my brows.
5, 6, 7.... Hair brush, toothbrush, mints, gummy bears, Blax Snag-free elastics in transparent etc.....
I'm really interested to hear what you bring with you when you fly. Feel free to share with us.
Credits: style.com
Tuesday
Off To A Cosmetics Conference!
Just a note to say that I am off to a 3-day cosmetics conference! I will of course try to keep up the posts. I am so excited and more importantly, cannot wait to share with you all the things I will be seeing and learning there. Looking over the conference programme, I can see that there will be a lot of innovative skin and hair care products coming into the market. The good news for me personally is that almost half of the topics they will be discussing will revolve around making more 'green' products.
While I am there, I will try to absorb as much information humanly possible and hope that there will be lots of photo ops. I pray that feeling a little under the weather will not affect me too much. Wish me luck!
Credits: M. Mariano
Thursday
Seriously Fun
(Fill in the blank!)
Sometimes it's really important to have fun and to not be so serious about everything that we do. And why shouldn't this apply to cosmetics and skincare? After all, lightening up a little is good for our spirit which undoubtedly should lead to looking better right? I know whenever I'm happy that it shows on my skin. That natural glow that we get when we're happy is unbeatable; as opposed to the glow faked by Stila highlighters.
I try to make sure that I travel at least once every 3 months because I am addicted to making new discoveries. Traveling is so good for my soul and it keeps me feeling inspired. It is the thing I do that makes me glow. So I recently took a trip to the UK to do some shopping and to relax a bit. Armed with my list of places and brands to see, I was ready to experience real life shopping (rather than online). One of the brands on my list to check was Soap & Glory.
Soap & Glory is a company based in the UK. What I am especially fond of, is their packaging (they are fun and full of clichés), and the price of their products. They have a lipgloss called "Sexy Mother Pucker" and it retails in the UK for £8.00! I had alot of fun looking through all the bottles and just couldn't resist getting my own "Wash Almighty Detox Spa Gel". As soon as I have given it plenty of use, I'll share a review with you.
Credits: Grayburn, soapandglorycosmetics.com
Wednesday
Spree Vs. Steal! Luxuries on a Budget.
The desire to try many many beauty/cosmetic products can leave our wallets feeling pretty empty and wear out the strip on the back of our credit cards. But don't worry, there are some pretty good alternatives made by budget brands. These "Steal" alternatives all have a popular following and have stood the test of time.
SPREE!
by Terry Light Expert Foundation Brush
STEAL!
Bourjois Brush Foundation
SPREE!
Chanel Teint Universel
SPREE!
SPREE!
Skinceuticals Retinol 1.0
SPREE!
MAC N Collection
SPREE!
Creme de la Mer Moisturizing Cream
SPREE!
Friday
Christmas Wish List item No. 5 - healthy skin all over
You might have seen my other post and know that I have concerns over weight gain during this time of the year. You might also notice that I am meticulous about skincare because it is the biggest organ of our body.
Let me explain why this one here is on my Christmas Must Wish List. Let me introduce to you the Dr. Hauschka Blackthorn Body Oil.
It helps me to maintain elasticity in my skin which is extremely important because once our skin is not able to stretch with our daily changes, we develop creases and stretch marks. And I try to keep those away for as long as I can!
See Christmas Wish List No 4
Wednesday
More of my favorite Oprah's Favorite Things - giving a beautiful gift or treat yourself!
What beautiful soaps from
Get it
Photo cred: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11235217@N02/1072868921/ by dairymplenikki
