Beauty Geek - SPINLASH

The geek in me has a deep fascination for electronic gadgets. My house is fitted with all sorts of these that sometimes make things a little easier for me. I was shopping around in Amsterdam's Schiphol airport (which has fantastic shopping these days by the way) and I came across a shop selling all sorts of gadgets. I laid my eyes on an alarm clock that is fitted on 2 large wheels, and it rolls around the room ringing when it is time for you to get up! I laughed out loud at it because I was imagining me chasing the alarm clock, with half-open eyes, and watching it run out of the room and down the stairs!

This brings me to another gadget pictured here called SPINLASH. You might remember that I voiced disbelieve about this in a previous post. The rotating mascara wand came packaged with it's own wand-holder, and a black mascara.

Let's compare the company's claims against my personal experience with it:

Spinlash 1 : Synthetic brush - 'glide gently and smoothly through.."

I do like mascaras with rubber brushes because they are gentler than the traditional brush on our eyes and lashes. Spinlash's brush is pretty straight all around with a slight thicker middle. The bristles are soft and glides easily through my lashes.

Spinlash 2 : 'Gentle motion of the rotating brush separates lashes while it coats, lengthens, & volumizes."

The rotation happens a lot slower than I thought it would. The fact that it is so slow made it less intimidating during my first trial. Honestly, I didn't want to like this thing. But I was amazed at how easily it combed through my lashes and caught all the little clumps my mascara had left behind. The button on its mid section of the wand controls the brush's direction of rotation. This is smart because it makes it easy to switch between both eyes.

The part of the claim where I am not so sure about is lengthening and volumizing. The mascara that comes with the wand left a rather undesirable effect for me. I normally look for length and volume from any given mascara and this mascara falls short in both categories. I imagine though if you are looking for something completely natural, this is not so bad.

How I use it
I have quite many lash combs which I never use because I find them rather intimidating (hard plastic or metal + unsteady hands near my eyes = accident waiting to happen). Instead, I opt to choose a clump-free mascara, or just ignore the clumps on my lashes (!).

This rotating wand was rather enjoyable to use because all I have to do is hold it under my lashes (which I have already applied mascara to), as it detangles away my mascara mess. I love to watch all the clumps just fall off and land on the soft rubbery brush. After every use, I wash the brush with soap and water, as I would with any lash comb.

Verdict
I love it and I would buy it as a well-performing lash comb, but not to apply mascara. However, I wished that the batteries inside the wand were replaceable. The way it is designed now, the opening to the batteries is glued shut. So after the batteries are used up, the entire wand has to be disposed.



Mascara comes in brownish black or black, both valued at 14.95 USD. More information at Spinlash.com

6 Ways For A Fresh Face

Items at our disposal to keep the heat off of our faces. These help with sweat/heat-induced makeup meltdown.


1. Start Right - Mattifying Toner
H2O+ Sea Clear Mattifying Toner

Using a mattifying toner to prep our skin not only prepares our skin for moisturizer, it also provides a matte base for anything else we will be layering on top. This one is dual-phased with AHA's (exfoliates) and mineral powders (to absorb excess oil). Comes highly recommended by a friend of mine who is a makeup artist!

2. Prepare Yourself - Suitable Primer
Boots No7 Mattifying Make-Up BaseOkay

Okay, this stuff stinks a little and its feels tacky at first. But applying a small dot of this spread over oily areas as a primer (over moisturizer) kills shine all day long! I only pull this one out on extremely warm days where I know I will need to stay looking cool.

3. A Good Finish - Setting Powder with Silica

If I still want extra oil-control after the first 2 steps, I finish off my makeup with a light dusting of a loose powder that contains silica on oilier areas.

4. Keep These Handy - Blotting Papers
Clean&Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

I don't like to be without these on me. They are blue, they are stretchy, they absorb oil well without leaving a film of powder on my face. The oily patches left on the sheet are eh hem... addictive to look at (!).

5. Don't Overdo It - Gentle Cleanser
(this picture is for my male readers so you don't feel left out!)

Cleanse your skin gently with a mild cleanser so that you don't overstimulate your oil glands. But make sure that your cleanse thoroughly because you don't want any leftover dirt to give you breakouts either!

6. Treat - Clay Masks

Burt's Bees Pore Refining Mask

I love it when companies have fun. Burt's Bees says "Your pores will thank you by vanishing [if you use this product]". It's a little cheesy but I love it! This mask has green French clay and other goodies to tighten, refine and absorb. The result is soft and no over-drying. It's good to use a clay mask once or twice a week during the summer for deep-cleansing.

Photo credits: Cool tutorial on shaving for my male audiences at menXpert.com, h2oplus.com, boots.co.uk, cleanandclear.com, burtsbees.com.

Love This Girl

A very talented, powerful Dutch singer. Anouk is singing "Modern World" in this video, a new song from her new album "Who's Your Momma".




Who do you love?


Credit: youtube.com

A Brush With Many Talents

There is something sweet about this. It has many talents so it is a definite multitasker. With its lacquered wooden handle and a fan that spans out to an inch-and-a-half, it begs to be held and stroked. The bristles themselves are made from the hairs of the Italian badger which gives this brush its distinctive cream with charcoal tips.


This is a pleasant brush to use. It applies and pats on setting powder, edges on contouring and lightly brushes off eyeshadow pigments that might have accidentally fallen off. All that is accomplished with its angelic light touch.

This is the Italian Badger 104 Deluxe Fan Brush from Coastal Scents. Many of you already know their online site which sells some of the most inexpensive makeup brushes on the net. So you know that this didn't cost me an arm and a leg.


Do you have a favorite makeup brush/tool? I would love to hear about it!




Photo credits: Grayburn

This Month's Picks For Eyeshadows

Featured here are a few of my favorite shadows for the month of June. This is the time of the year to skip heavy makeup but instead opt for a few swipes of natural colors in the crease. These colors are universally flattering and will enhance almost everyone's eye-color. With already heat-flushed cheeks, the entire look will be healthy and vibrant! Make it look effortless, as if you applied the colors with your fingers!

jane. BE PURE MINERAL EYE LIGHTER SHADOW
in 04 Emerald Forest

Lovely choices all in one compact! These have a gorgeous texture that is smooth to blend and pigmented. This is the best buy for this month!

MAC eyeshadows from the Neo Sci-Fi Collection
in Magnetic Fields (Veluxe Pearl), Evening Aura (Veluxe Pearl)

I have waited so long for these! The neon orange packaging is quite fab actually and the entire collection is so easy to wear. The idea with this collection is to enhance the skin with warm colors and great textures. I will get into more detail about this collection in a later post.

Bourjois OMBRE stretch ULTRA STRETCHABLE COLOR
(with nylon micro-spheres + expert brush)
in 09 brun nylon

Wow! These have fantastic packaging with built-in mirror and a pretty decent (non-sponge tip) brush for application. The collection has a total of 9 colors and they are all intensely pigmented, extremely blendable and an almost 'hugging' texture. The different shades have a personality of their own because they swatch differently than they look in the pan. These were only out for a couple of days and the turquoise shade was already sold out at one store.



Photo credits: Grayburn

Random News

You might have noticed that I have been MIA lately. I have been overwhelmed and really not had the best week. To top it off, there is a huge spot sitting next to my nose that no amount concealer is able to hide. I'm a beauty blogger, I cannot get zits right? Wrong!

I get quite a bit of news of current happenings in my inbox. But seldom do I see anything worthwhile to share. However, I would like to share this one with you because I think it would be great to take part in if you are going to be in the neighborhood.

Mode Marché 4 - June 29th in Rotterdam, The Netherlands

This is a sample sale with some of 46 best of the best new and well-known designers including Jeroen van Tuyl, NOIR from Denmark and Corsage. The event will be attended to by the Rob Peetoom salon in his hair & makeup room, an expo from Edwin Oudshoorn and Iris van Herpen. There will also be a culinary 'surprise' for everyone, and most importantly, live music and Evian-inspired cocktails!

The VIP Shopping Hour lets ticket-holders go into the event an hour prior to everyone else so that they can have the first dips on the garments. The rest will have to run mad through the store pawing at the leftovers!


Photo credit: Mode Marché

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

Trenchcoats, Bridesmaids, Archives & Bloggers Of Note

Wow our skies are filled with cold rain and gray, going from hot sunny BBQ weather to this in a matter of days. My best bet is that I should try to make the most of the situation and pull out from storage some of my "in-between seasons" jackets. That nice trenchcoat that I didn't get to wear all year is coming out!

Something else unusual has just happened to me. I have just been asked to be a bridesmaid. Weddings are such magical events to attend but I see the toll that it is taking on the bride and the maid of honor. They are both sleepless and glued to the phone making arrangements.

I felt honored to be asked to be a bridesmaid. Even if it looks like it is going to be a busy busy wedding, I do look forward to helping out with the event and giving my utmost support to the bride and the maid of honor. I have already planned a list of things to go into my artillery bag. Things like bobby pins, Bach's Rescue Remedy, safety pins, packs of Party Feet, and mini hairspray to stop a run in stockings.

When she called me to ask if I would play the part, I remember myself thinking about some very important questions: Will I be able to take the dress in for alterations after the event (or even before)? What type of entertainment do we give the bride on Hen Night? etc. etc. I really would love it if any of you would have advice for me on how to be a good bridesmaid and what do I do if I can't stand talking to one of the groomsmen anymore?


Keep On Reading:

If you missed this, here is a post where I wrote about a few self-tanners I have tried and where I found a winner!

A list of expensive products that have dupes!

An at-home hair treatment that makes my hair shine.

I wrote about a line of Japanese haircare products that is very popular in Japan.

How to spot the difference between a counterfeit vs. a real MAC makeup brush.

Bloggers Of Note:

Look to be fashionably-inspired and see what the Seeker is wearing every day of the week. And follow her journey through life in a rainbow of colors!

Izar is back and better than ever! Her recent post on her current lemmings may entice you to create one just like hers!

Brit at Clumps of Mascara has just celebrated her 1 year anniversary as a beauty blogger. This is where you can read about her personal makeup trials. Happy Anniversary!

Hillary at Jack & Hill talks about an intriguing skin powder that I must give a try. Now!

A Canadian blogger at Watercolor Sky will hopefully bring back lots of news for us when she returns from her trip to the Big Apple. I cannot wait!



Painting "trenchcoat" by: sivahstudio.com

Window Shopping - Amsterdam's Elle Pret-a-Porter

Store: Elle Pret-A-Porter
Display: feminine, crisp, & cool
For: Women

A recent addition to Amsterdam's multitude of retail pickings, Elle Pret-a -porter has finally opened its doors with 2 private shops in the city center.


For Spring-Summer '08, Elle sees us in the cheeriness of lemon curd yellow and contrasting toned down gray. This combination will surely see us comfortably through the season with their mix of structured coats and airy silk or cotton shirts. Throw in some buckled flats and a few edgy bangles, and we are styling in comfortable chique!


What are you favorite styles for this summer? Please share in comments.


Credits: ellepretaporter.eu