Short Film - Chanel No. 5

I just melted watching this short film featuring Audrey Tautou for Chanel No. 5. How delicious is the plot, the actors ...

Film can be seen on Chanel's website:
http://www.chaneln5.com/en-gb/#/the-film


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

Cozy Nights

The good thing about having rotten cold weather (even if Spring is already upon us) is that it feels incredibly cozy indoors. Rather than complaining about the weather like I have been doing, I thought I should just make the best of it and take advantage while we've still got it!

Trying to find a scent that both me and BFOG find likable is an incredibly difficult task. His taste for scents waver from day to day and even depend on the way it is presented to him. As for me, I can love either sweet, spicy, fruity or citrus but the one group of scents that make me absolutely nauseous are 'oceanic' or 'breezy' ones.

So we set off to Lush for something that can agree with both of our noses and that embraces the cozy spirit of the cold weather that we are still having in March.

We had a light lunch and were good to visit the loo beforehand. We were all set to embark on the "Massage Bars" section of the store. To give you an idea, massage bars are these little wonderful massage oil-in-a-bar solid slices that double as body moisturizers. Since all of them are rich in different nourishing butters, they are particularly good for chapped/dry skins. There are over 15 different massage bars to choose from on Lush's website but at the store where we were, there were about 10. We sniffed through the flowery, the chocolatey, and the fruity and used every inch of our arms to swatch. And we repeated the process. After about the third round and twenty buttered-up fingers later, we finally picked our winner! Behold, the Lush Mange Too Massage Bar!

Now this huge bar of white chocolate scented cocoa butter bar laced with honey, mango butter and peppermint isn't for the timid. I mean you can smell it from far away and believe me that once you have used it, you will smell like it the next day as well. A quick sniff and observation of it you'll immediately notice the lingering sweet scent of honey and the adorable honey comb design on top of the bar. Upon further inspection, you might pick up some chocolate or the mint that kind of suggest After Eight mints (I find the dash of mint works well to keep the chocolate and honey 'fresh'). Take that a slight bit further and a few more deep breaths in and you might realize that there is still that extra something you are picking up with your nose. That is indeed the mango butter, that tiny 'kick' in the melange.

Instructions on using a Lush Massage Bar:

enlarge

Having played with the bar on a cold night I can say that this one is less ready to melt upon contact than the other bars I have tried. Because of what must be a higher content of butters and its thick consistency, it also creates less of a greasy mess than the other bars. Rather than having that yucky greased out feeling, you get instead a well nourished and protected feeling on your skin.

Tip: Keeping your bar safe - the Lush Mange Too will not fit into the Lush tins. If you have any empty The Body Shop body butter containers lying around, the Mange Too fits perfectly in there!

I am curious to find out how you create a cozy feeling on a cold wintry evening?


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

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)

Travel & Skincare

Looking at my stash of skincare products, I realized that most of the items are from Japanese or French companies. It is not that I discriminate because I do equally enjoy products from Burt's Bees (started 1984 in Maine), MAC (1985 in Ontario), Neutrogena (1930 in Los Angeles, not in Norway!), and many more. But since Japanese skincare products tend to be light and hydrating, and, French ones tend to be rich and nourishing, it is simple to address different needs of my skin during different times of the year.

I love to take a moment to relax on the couch or lay down for a moment with a facial treatment. I know that I look silly when I do this twice weekly (BFOG tells me so), but I treasure this time to unwind and feel happy that I am feeding my facial skin.

When I get the chance to travel, I opt to bring products that have smart packaging (spillproof, one-time use and not bulky). For my visit in Switzerland, I packed my bags with these hydrating eye patches from Biore. They are very handy because a box comes with 6 packets each containing a pair of patches. They peel back to reveal a sticky gelatine-like side and the patches are shaped to fit the contour of the eyes as well.

Once placed around the eyes the gel patches feel cooling and refreshing on the undereye area. I believe that the patches are even suitable to be worn overnight. I have tested both leaving the patches on for about 20 minutes, and overnight; both yielded the same results. There is no detectable scent to the patches and once removed, they left the undereye area smoother and softer; though the result did not last. Now I have tried many eye patch treatments from different companies. While I do like them for travelling, I generally prefer creamy treatments at home because I feel that the ingredients penetrate better. To sum up, these are pretty good. They are cheaper than others I have tried (such as Chanel or Clinique) and, are equally good.

A Review of Another Biore Product

The Beauty Bowl 2008


Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use)

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

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

Beauty Adventure - Madara ecoface

I love to tread in unfamiliar beauty territory. If there is ever the chance to discover something new and beauty-related, I'm there! It wouldn't matter if I had to oar my way across a river just to sample a rare youth serum or bargain with a man in a foreign language (with the common phrases section of the Lonely Planet guide open in my hand).

I was in Latvia and although strolling around in a shopping center is nothing overly adventurous, there were quite some unfamiliar beauty brands that lined the shelves. I felt my pupils dilate as I rubbed my hands together in greed when I entered the main floor of the shopping center which was covered almost entirely by the beauty department.

What I noticed was the sheer volume of 'natural' products on offer. One of the brands that stood out from the rest was a locally produced company called Madara. The company believes that the skin "has the inherent wisdom and ability to use the necessary active substances from each plant. High levels of active ingredients – such as extracts and oils – from plants harvested in the Baltic regionare included in all products.". I was completely drawn by their simple yet hygienic packaging, and the fact that none of their products contain synthetic preservatives, artificial fragrances or colors. According to their labels, some of the medicinal plants and herbs are even harvested following the lunar phases (I respect that!).

I eagerly tested all their products and narrowed my purchase down to the Madara ecoface Regenerating Cream, which is a night cream designed for all skin types. Bare with me as I copy information about the cream from their website and paste it below :

"Nourishes the skin and revives its radiance and beauty during sleep.
Natural plant and flower anti-oxidants prevent the aging process and the formation of wrinkles. Created with love using jojoba and avocado base oils, cocoa butter, extracts of barley sprouts, tomatoes, hop, algae, plantain, camomile, calendula and sea buckthorn oil, all harvested in the Baltic region, as well as gentle natural enzymes.

Tomato – contains carotenoids, including the red pigment lycopene - one of the most potent anti-oxidants. Carotenoids protect skin from free radicals, slowing down aging processes. Neutralizes UV ray damage of the previous day. Lycopene also has anti-cancer activity. Decreases allergic reactions.
Barley sprout – One of the richest sources of natural vitamins, minerals and amino acids, all of which exhibit powerful antioxidant properties. Destroys toxins harmful to skin and neutralizes free radicals. Has anti-inflammatory and anti-mutagenic properties. Stimulates the healing process, softens skin.
Hop – Delays aging processes thanks to a gentle estragenic activity. Softens and strengthens skin, prevents inflammations.
Sea Buckthorn – rich source of vitamins, especially vitamin E anti-oxidant. Palmitic acid is a natural component of skin, thus softening and enriching skin cells with the necessary substances, promoting skin’s regeneration. A natural UV filter.
Seaweed – Creates skin protective complex and improves skin elasticity. Improves cell metabolism and excess water elimination from body tissues, decreasing swelling.
Plantain – stimulates collagen synthesis. Renews damaged skin cells, creates a protective and moisturizing layer on skin. Aids in eliminating excess water from body tissue, decreasing swelling.
Chamomile – stimulates collagen synthesis. Has anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, calming and cell regenerating properties.
Marigold – has antiseptic properties, treats various skin problems. Destroys free radicals.
Avocado oil – able to deeply penetrate the skin transporting the necessary anti-oxidants and other active substances. Has moisturizing, healing, anti-bacterial, anti-wrinkle properties. Stimulates collagen synthesis, thus delaying aging signs and visibly softening skin. Creates a velvety feel of the skin.

INCI / ingredients:
Aqua, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil¹, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil¹, Glycerin (Vegetable)², Saccharide Isomerate², Hordeum Vulgare (Barley Germ) Extract, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Seabuckthorn Berry) Extract, Lycopersicum Esculentum (Tomato) Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Butter, Algae Extract, Humulus Lupulus (Hop) Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Plantago Major (Plantain Leaf) Extract, Calendula Officinalis (Calendula Flower) Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Camomile Flower) Extract, Glucose, Cetearyl Glucoside, Allantoin², Glucose Oxidase³, Lactoperoxidase³, Stearic Acid, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Aroma⁴, Limonene⁴, Linalool^4
1 Certified organic
² Natural moisturising agents
³ Natural enzymes
⁴ Ingredients of natural essential oils "

I mean, have you ever seen such a huge list of natural ingredients combined in such an interesting way? Reading this information was already a skincare lesson in itself. You see why I had to get this!

Did it deliver? Well, yes and no. It feels nourishing and proofs itself to be a great moisture-izer to the skin. The hygienic pump bottle delivers a dose of its peach-tint cream enough to cover the entire face and neck. However, I have yet to find out its anti-aging properties as I admittedly have yet to used the cream continuously for more than 3 nights in a row. Why? I blame my keen sense of smell. Every time I apply this cream expecting the usual 'herbal' scent of any common natural product, I get instead a whiff of tomato paste. Call me a spoiled sport if you will but I think I am going to have to let this cream do its magic only on my neck!

Any natural products you want to rave about or share your thoughts on? Please leave them in comments!

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), madara.lt

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!

If there is one thing we must do for our lips, it is to take care of them to ensure that they stay plump for as long as possible. What to do? Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!

The thing I love most about Silk Naturals' lip products is that they are petrochemicals-free. In our lifetime of wearing lipsticks and balms, we will consume an average of about 4-6 pounds of lip products. So if that is going to happen, we might as well be eating Silk Naturals' lippies since theirs are made of ingredients such as avocado oil and shea butter.

SN's line of lip products include the liquid lip gloss (applied with a doe-foot applicator), solid lip gloss (twist-up and organic), lip sticks (twist-up and organic) and Kiss Bliss demi gloss (pigment of a lipstick but with shine of a gloss). My collection currently contains 4 solid lip glosses and 1 limited edition (Color For a Cure) solid lip gloss. What I have noticed with these glosses is that the colors are extremely wearable no matter which one it is. The comfort level of wearing these pigmented lip colors is extreme and these babies condition my lips better than anything I have tried. As much as I would love to slather on the ultimate lip product that is La Mer's "The Lip Balm", being able to SPEND on things other than lip balm seems more justifiable. Now SN's lippies are packaged in a skinny tube (see 1st photo) with printed sticker labels (perhaps not the fanciest), but they retail for only 4.25 usd each. They are so good that I even wear them to bed at night.

Read on for color description of my current lineup of SN lippies (which is expecting to grow substansially in the near future):

Sweet Nothing - Similar to Skinny Dip below but slightly darker. No shimmer. I wear this on my top lip.

Skinny Dip - Natural, daytime mauve that seems to just enhance my pigmented lips ever so slightly. Satin finish. I wear this on my bottom lip.

Rhonda - Described as a shimmery lavender but does not apply 'old money' as I had imagined it might. This one surprised me. It looks great paired with purple-y eyes.

Birthday Suit - SN calls this the "Ultimate Nude Lippie". The color looks like it belongs on my olive/golden skin tone. I normally prefer a paler nude lipstick (my heart belongs to MAC's 3N lipstick) but I favor this for times when I want some color.

Monarch (LE) - Contains the luxuriousness of 23k gold edible leaf, apricot kernel wax, cranberry seed oil, passionfruit oil, camellia oil. Touted as the most luxurious lippie collection so far by SN. The color is a warm gold and very wearable by different skin tones for night time.

My male readers should not fret. Silk Naturals also make a clear balm to make sure your lips stay kissable as well.


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

Mark Your Calendar- Comme des Garcons @ H&M

In stores November 13th. Comme des Garcons has collaborated with H&M to make their fashion concepts accessible to those of us who normally cannot afford the pleasure of their pieces. Don't expect current trends as you fight your way into the H&M store come the 13th. Comme des Garcons has a unique flare all of their own. The mix of their signature pieces, different fabric and pocket placements, polka dots and intelligent tailoring will make this collection one of the most saught after @ H&M.

I am especially psyched about the polka dots pieces, their men's collection and am immensely curious about their perfume.













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

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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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.

Credit: Grayburn (Terms of Use), ShopSmart November 2008 issue
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Glam Rock & Nivea

Her voice just blOwS me away. It wasn't her hit song "Mercy" that got me, it was this one "Syrup & Honey" (see video below). I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up.

This Welsh singer, named Duffy, will be appearing in ads for Nivea this month; showing off her flawless skin in them. I especially like the campaign image above because she looks slightly more "rock glam" than normal. I am going to miss out on her appearance with Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Mariah Carey and Keith Urban at the 5th Annual Fashion Rocks concert at Radio City Music Hall since I live in Europe. I am hoping for snippets of the 2-hour show on youtube.



Credits: youtube.com, Nivea

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

Precious Liquid

Looking at this bottle of Lotion Micellaire from Avène brings me back to our vacation in Cuba when we did not have any running water in our room. We were staying at a charming casa particular (room rented out by Cuban families) in a town called Trinidad in the province of Sancti Spíritus. During our first day of staying there, we had apparently drained their entire water tank (how we did that is still a mystery to us today). During those three embarrassing days at this house, the owner had to send their staff into our room to 'flush' for us. Each of those visits had staff in our room, shaking their heads at us while they muttered something in Cuban under their breath. I wish I could tell you what they were saying but I couldn't find those words in our Lonely Planet guide book. A bucket of water was shoved at my boyfriend after each of these visits. We rationed that bucket of water each day very carefully.

The incredibly uncomfortable thing about not having any running water is not being able to wash off the concoction of sweat, sand and sunscreen that had clogged our pores and permeated our hair each day. I learnt my lesson quickly to not put anything on my skin and hair which I would have a hard time removing later. Boy, was I glad to have my cheek & lip stain with me! After 3 weeks of travelling across the island, I had mastered my makeup look just using a cream-to-powder eyeshadow and a cheek and lip stain.

Using a micellar cleanser such as Avène's Lotion Micellaire, means that one can clean their skin without the use of water. Some sensitive skin types love this concept as water can aggravate extremely fragile skin. A micellar cleanser works by trapping fats or oils then carry them away in its watery solution. (See picture on the left of a micelle containing fats trapped in its center).

It was one of the days when I wanted to try something new. I had on my usual face of waterproof mascara and sunscreen; probably two of the most difficult things to remove. I massaged a cleansing oil by Shu Uemura into my skin first. Without rinsing like I would normally after this step, I soaked a cotton pad with the Avène Lotion Micellaire and wiped my entire face (including my eyes) with it. After a second wipe, my face was completely clean! The verdict? My skin felt surprising fresh, clean and hydrated; sans rinsing with water. I now welcome this bottle with open arms into my beauty cabinet.

Now you can imagine what a god-send this would have been for me in Cuba?

...........................................................................
Avène on their Cleanser and make-up remover micellar lotion:

No-rinse formula provides gentle cleansing without harsh ingredients.

Technologically advanced cleansing water the removes make-up without disturbing the skin's hydration and lipid levels.

• Contains "active" ingredients which are naturally encapsulated within the lotion and released upon contact with the skin.
• Provides deep cleansing power without irritation due to its lack of synthetic ingredients
• pH balanced for use on the eye area.
• Hypo-allergenic and frangrance-free.

...........................................................................

Avène's line of skincare revolves around the use of their mineral-rich thermal spring water. This natural and mineralized water has therapeutic uses which received recognition from the French National Academy of Medicine.


Do you have any funny travel stories? If so, please share!

Credits: aveneusa.com, edinformatics.com

Weekly Facial with Ren's F10 Enzymatic Smooth Radiance Facial Mask

After a long day busying myself with activities, I find blissfulness in curling up on the couch next to BFOG (boyfriend of Grayburn). Geared with my foot cream, cashmere socks and a face mask, I am ready to catch up on what the DVD recorder has stored for us!

This ritual happens about twice each week. The facial mask that has been participating in that weekly ritual for the past 3 months has been Ren's F10 Enzymatic Smooth Radiance Facial Mask. It has the color of apricot and the texture of sugary marmalade, like the ones in ribboned jars that you find served at high teas. The fruit enzymes in this mask, sourced from papayas, work to breakdown skin clogs and flakes, while omega 3 and 6, sourced from blackcurrent oil, work to soften and replenish. After leaving a generous film on the skin for 10 minutes, you wash it away to reveal a softened, bright complexion. This is the stuff that brings out our natural beauty!

A word of caution: try to stay away from your pets while you have this mask on as they will be inclined to chase you down in order to lick your face. And I imagine that this stuff will stick to their furs and give you a heck of a time trying to remove it.


Ingredients
Citrus Aurantium Bergama (Bergamot) Fruit Water, Glycerin (Source Coconut Oil), Polysorbate 60 (Source Rapeseed Oil), Lecithin (Source Soybean), Citrus Auratium Amara (Bitter Orange) Peel Extract, Rosa Canina (Rose Hip) Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Extract, Xanthan Gum (Source Corn), Maltodextrin Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Extract, Malpighia Glabra (Acerola Barbedos Cherry) Fruit Extract, Parfum (100% Natural Fragrance), Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Citrus Nobilis

Credits: renskincare.com

Sunglass Shopping with Becki Newton (of Ugly Betty)

On Tuesday, we saw the episode of Ugly Betty, where Victoria Beckam made an appearance. Below is a video of Becki Newton (the blond and stylish receptionist from Ugly Betty), at Sunglass Hut, walking us through this year's trends for shades. She's fast talking and what she has to say does make sense.



Credits: youtube.com

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.

Summer Skin - A Focus On Self-Tanners (Face Edition)

Being blessed with light-medium skin tone, I have had many opportunities to test a bunch of self-tanners on the market. My ballroom dancing days took my self-tanning adventure to a deep hue of burnt leather, but now with dance competitions out of my system, I prefer what is referred to as a 'glow' instead of copper.

There seems to be a backlash recently against self-tanners because they may encourage sun tanning. Beauties such as Dita von Teese, however, have shown us how beautiful it is to be pale and to be wearing an SPF of 50 at all times. Perhaps it is not the hue of the skin that matters but rather the method we choose to achieve it. All in all, I believe that self-tanners are a blessing for those who have skin pigmentation issues as the color helps to even out the skin tone. Either way, here is my take on some of the self-tanners I have tried. I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce you to Kyle, a wonderful reader of mine, who has volunteered information on his experience on Jergen's self-tanners for this post. Since Kyle and I have different skin types and tones, it is invaluable to have his input.

Jergens Natural Glow Face (medium skin tones)
- as experienced by Kyle -

Voted as the best drugstore self-tanner for the face by the Allure magazine, this little number is said to have transformed Kyle's pale complexion into what he described as "wonderfully natural glow", by the fourth application.

Intensity - medium. The color that this developed into helped to "lessen the noticeability of the redness" that Kyle has in his skin.

Application - with ease. Kyle mentioned that he would definitely buy this particular product again!

SPF - none

Smell - slight self-tanner smell diluted by the scent of cocoa butter.

(Kyle's account of the version for the body coming next post!)

L'Oreal Nutri Bronze Face (light to medium skin)

This is a gradual self-tanning daily moisturizing lotion containing Aquamine and self-tanning agent. It claims to provide 12 hours of hydration as it is meant to be used as a daily moisturizer.

Intensity - medium. Full color after 3 applications. I find that the color comes out slightly orange on my skin.

Application - moisturizing, but does not glide as easily for me. As it does not blend as easily as I would like, the color became slightly patchy.

SPF - none

Smell - flowers and self-tanner

Clarins Radiance-Plus Self Tanning Cream-Gel

Substitute this every 2-3 days into your daytime moisturizing regimen. This one is completely fool-proof and feels light yet moisturizing.

Intensity - medium. This is meant to give a natural-looking boost of radiant color to the skin and not as a 'bronzer'. It does just that with no orange or lobster.

Application - elegant application that glides on and absorbs quickly, while manages to moisturize.

SPF - none

Smell - its elegant application and the natural glow it gives makes me forget that it has a slight self-tanner smell.


Chanel Précision Soleil Identité (Soleil Doré/Golden)

Leave it up to Chanel to create another product that is such a pleasure to use. Yes, self-tanning can be an enjoyable experience. As with all Chanel's products, the experience starts from admiring it's packaging (it's monographic look and the way it feels in your hands). This comes in 2 shades; golden or bronze. It is meant to give us that 'just-back-from-vacation glow'.

Intensity - medium. Reaches it's full intensity by the 3rd application. The color is similar to Clarins' but slightly warmer.

Application - A pleasure; creamy and with enough slip for ease of blend.

SPF - provides a protection factor of 8

Smell - Amazing! Extract of White lily and something else which gives it an irresistible flower & cookie scent. Never thought that I would say this about a self-tanner.



Credits: Grayburn , Kyle (audiboy2006<@>aim.com ) who supplied information about the Jergens self-tanner has kindly offered his contact email for those wanting more information on the it.

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

Dilemna over Facial Cleanser

...........the next chapter on my dilemma over facial cleanser

So it has been almost a week that I have been experimenting with the other cleanser. If you've missed the first two parts of the story, the first and the second are available here.

Yes ladies, I'm officially two-timing!

The new cleanser's name is Softymo Oil Cleansing Gel (aka SOCG). It comes in a large orange squeeze-tube. The texture of the cleansing liquid is something between a thick gel and an oil (exactly as the name implies). When spread on the face, it feels first like vanilla pudding then it turns into an oil after massaging it in. What I love about oil-based cleansers is that I can indulge in a daily dose of facial massage. Contrary to what everyone thinks, oil cleansers are not at all oily, after it has been rinsed off. I have heard quite a few miracle stories of how it helped alot of women with acne-prone skin, as well as ladies with dryer skin types.

This one isn't the one however. It left my skin moist because it left behind a film on my skin. Eventhough a toner following the wash fixed that easily, clinginess is not a good characteristic unless we're talking about dresses or suits. Although my skin looked more luminous after one wash, it actually took two washes with SOCG to remove my waterproof mascara. I will reserve this for days when I am not wearing much makeup.

In the meantime, I still have another (Sofina Cleanse Make Clear Oil) waiting for me to try on.

My experiment continues.......