Inspiration: Louis Vuitton Spring / Summer 2012

Images from the Spring / Summer 2012 runways have been littered throughout the media of late, there were, of course, beautiful, out-of-this-world makeup looks that accompanied great ready-to-wear collections (some of these were brilliant).

Of these, I think that I liked the Louis Vuitton Spring / Summer 2012 look the most, hands down. Dewy skin, nude / pink / pastel-y palettes and ultra-fluttery lashes contributed to a girly, flirty-yet-demure look that was so reminiscent of the '50s, a bit like Mad Men with a springtime palette. Even the ad campaign was shot in (what seemed like) an American-esque ice cream parlour! 

The ad campaign had a lovely look, which was structured, yet feminine. Cheeks were flushed pink just under the apples to highlight cheekbones, and eyes echoed the same pink colour to complement rosy lips. The look was pristine, almost, like women of the '50s - very Stepford Wives! 

Pat McGrath was the makeup artist for the show, and the look worked perfectly with feminine, uncomplicated colours on porcelain skin. This differed from the ad campaign shots because the focus was shifted from cheeks to the eyes. Blush was centered on the apples, instead of in that "racing stripe" area just under the cheekbones, and the makeup was a lot more natural (save for the fake lashes), contributing to an altogether girlier, almost ethereal look. Case(s) in point:

 

Anais Pouliot

 Kinga Rajzak

Liu Wen

Love the fluttery eyelashes! I reckon those would require more than one pair of fake lashes, and a sheeny primer / highlighter for that dewy glow. Amazed at how the makeup looks so different on all three models above, yet it works well for each of them. Definitely will be trying this out the next time I get the chance to go somewhere nice!

And just for kicks, here's the full runway show, which was the perfect mix of whimsy and feminine.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend!

Versatile Blogger Award

What a great way to wrap up the week - my first ever award! The very lovely Dawn from Love & Looks awarded this to me. Do drop by if you have a moment - she's one of the prettiest moms I've ever met, and her blog posts are engaging and cute. Thank you again, Dawn! ^~^

Rules of the Honor:
1. Thank the person that nominated you with a link back.
2. Tell 7 things about yourself.
3. Pass this on to 10 newly discovered blogs and let them know they received the award.

7 Things About Me:

1) I live on an island, and love being near the sea.

2) I'm a lawyer by training - but before you imagine me fighting it out in the courtroom - I practice corporate law. ^~^

3) My favourite cartoon character is Rilakkuma!

4) I'm a cat person, although puppies and other baby animals are fun too! 

5) My secret guilty pleasure is buying magazines for the freebie on the cover. Eeps. ^~^

6) I have a very brittle affinity with shoes - I tend to wear them till they break. :(

7) I love food! Which I'm paying for by having to go to the gym so that I'll be able to fit into my clothes, haha!

10 8 Blogs: 

Pinkfishtart

ShinyPrettyThings

Little Deniseland

Tiffyama  

A Sidewalk Cafe

Pinkbuble

TantaliseYourMind

HK_Barbie

Still chuffed! ｡ﾟ+.ღ(ゝ◡ ⚈᷀᷁ღ)

FOTD: 18 February 2012

Husband went to spin music at Kinki's Bar at Customs House and brought me along. Here's my FOTD for the night - I lasted till 3am! I'm too old for partying all night!

Items used: 

Face: 

Holika Holika Face 2 Change Cream Starter

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in Vanille

Skin Food Lime Secret Shine Base in #75 Lime Shine Gold (mixed with foundation)
Benefit Georgia Face Powder (to mattify my T-zone)
Liole Marbling Blusher in #1 Shining Aurora (to highlight my puny nose bridge!)

Eyes: 

Etude House Petit Darling Eyes Matte Eyeshadow in Black (used wet to keep my kohl eyeliner in check)

Holika Holika Eye Charm double eyelid tape 

M.A.C. Eye Kohl in Smolder

Brandless Eyelashes (bought in Malaysia) 

Japan Barbie Eye Diamond Brown

Sleek Storm i-Divine Palette (kindly gifted by the lovely Jian!) 

 

For interest's sake, here's how I used the palette - been dying to make use of it properly for ages!

I used (A) over the lid, followed by (B), which lent the whole lid a gorgeous, shimmery glow. Then I used (C) just under my brow and on the inner corners of my eyes. (D) and (E) were used to on the outer 'V' and to contour the crease of my eyes. Lastly, I used (F) to add a bit of depth to the middle of my eyes - applied just in the middle of my eyelid (Does that make sense?).

Cheeks:

Canmake Cream Cheek in #09 Pinky Rose

Benefit Coralista

Lips:

H&M Lip Butter in Fresh Pear and Sweet Pea

M.A.C. Lipstick in Myth 

And there we have it! Any thoughts? ^~^

Review: Belif Hydra Sebum Control Essence

I received a 10ml sample of this in the January edition of Bellabox, and was pretty excited to try it, because with combination skin, my T-zone tends to get a little shiny by the time the end of the work day rolls around. This is combined with the additional problem that the air-conditioning in my office dries my skin, especially the bits that are a little dry. 

Problems!

Enter Belif Hydra Sebum Control Essence. Belif claims to be "the most truthful cosmetic brand", that aims to deliver true quality and true value to consumers. The brand has formulated a range of beauty products that aim to give you the sought-after gift of beautiful skin.

 

The Claim:

Hydra sebum controls the release of excess sebum and oil in your skin, making the pores smaller and leaving your skin feeling dry on the outside but soft and moisturised on the outside.

The Test: 

So, I tried this for a week only on my T-zone, while going about my daily routine (which involves lots of air-conditioning). I used it in-between toner and moisturiser, at the start of the day.

What I loved: 

The formulation, by far. I liked the consistency, which was light and non-sticky, but not watery (see the cute sphere if forms? Almost like gel, but less slippy). It was absorbed easily into my skin, and didn't leave a greasy residue either. I was pretty pleased when I found out what goes into these things - citrus unshiu to control sebum, and green clay, which removes sebum and waste in pores. 

Another great thing about this is that a little goes a long way. The essence spreads easily, and not much is needed (less than a full pump) to cover the T-zone.

And of course, it doesn't smell half bad either. Fresh, clean and herbal, is the way I'd describe it. Lovely :3

At the end of the day, I felt that my T-zone was a little bit less oily than normal, and there was less of that tell-tale shiny skin that can make my nose look like some kind of bright beacon T_T This product reduces sebum by 20%, so not a whole lot, but enough to see a difference.

What I didn't:

It's a little on the pricey side. 50ml retails for S$57, which makes it S$1.14 for 1ml. That's pretty hefty, no matter which way you slice it. After a week, I noticed that the spots where I applied the essence were a little drier and flakier than normal. I asked for matt skin, not dry skin! So, points off for that, because it meant I had to use moisturiser to heal the dry bits, but then my skin would get oily because of the moisturiser and... well, you get it.

Furthermore, there's (allegedly) only a 20% reduction in sebum, and for that price, I think there are definitely better products out there. 

For example, these!

I like blotting papers because they're handy, and sop up excess oil on spots where you need it. Unlike a cream or essence, which can easily get everywhere, blotting papers are easy to control because they only go where you want them to, and there's no need to faff around with lotions and potions. Sometimes, the simplest things are the best ^~^

The Belif Hydra Sebum Control Essence retails at S$57 for 50ml at Bellabox, and the Belif store is open for business at B1-64, Wisma Atria.

Ever used Belif before? Or keen to try it? 

Haul: February 2012 Bellabox

How quickly a month passes! Just last month I blogged about receiving my first Bellabox, and already, I've received my February Bellabox - the Valentine's edition. ^~^

Here's what I received:

 

The theme this month was "Share the Love" - timely because February is Valentine's month! It's a shame that I only received this after Valentine's Day, because I would have loved to use the perfume - it smells divine!

 

 

First up: Pangea Organics Discovery Kit (S$59.95, presumably for full-size versions)

This is a set of three sachets, namely:

(1) Facial mask in Japanese Matcha with Acai and Goji Berry

(2) Shower gel in Italian White Sage with Geranium and Yarrow

(3) Facial cream in Nigerian Ginger with Lavender and Thyme

Now, I have a pet peeve - I don't like things that come in sachets, especially beauty products. To my mind, they're fiddly, flat, messy to use and really don't deliver enough product to make it worthwhile. I mean, imagine showering with whatever's in that little packet! Hmm... perhaps it's just me?

Still, the ingredients sound wholesome and, well, organic. I think these might come in handy for when I'm next away from home, and don't want to use the shower gel and cleansing products that the hotel provides.

Duchess Marden Body Serum (200 ml for S$89.89)

This product claims to "hydrate, soften and stimulate new cell growth" that is easily absorbed into the skin, without leaving any residue. I'm psyched to use this, because who couldn't use more beautiful, glowing skin? Rather pleased to receive this!

Nvey Eco Organic Eyeshadow in 150 Charcoal Blue (S$49.90)

I quite like the product samples offered by Bellabox, because a lot aren't available in Singapore except through the Bellabox website. A whole eyeshadow is pretty generous, even though it comes packed in a transparent disposable plastic casing. This comes in a lovely shade of grey/blue, which, even though I haven't swatched it, looks like it'd make for pretty eyes if the colour payoff is good. In addition, these eyeshadows are talc-free and have ingredients such as chamomile and jojoba. Pretty alright for an eyeshadow - beautifying your skin while making your eyes beautiful (yay playing with words!).

Oscar De La Renta Esprit D'Oscar (100ml for S$125)

Okay, so this one I've tried. It's gorgeous. I love, love, love the scent! It consists of a heady mix of floral, oriental notes, which is so sophisticated. Basically, this scent is an updated version of the original perfume created by Oscar De La Renta in 1977. I must confess that I'm a bit of a perfumey girl (I actually have -eep- about 5 on rotation right now), so this will be a great addition to my collection. ^~^

 

Ansley Show Hot Dual Volume Mascara (S$12.90)

I didn't manage to get a good photo of this, but here's the deal. Ansley is a Korean cosmetics brand, and is one of those dual-ended mascaras that consists of a white-coloured priming essence on one end, and a very black mascara on the other. What I liked about the mascara (in particular) is the brush on the mascara end. It's kind of twisty, which is pretty alright for adding volume to puny lashes (like mine)!

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with what I received this month. Thanks Bellabox, here's to next month!

Photos This Week

I found this awesome program called Poladroid, and have been playing with it over the past couple of days. Basically it converts your photos to Polaroid-like photos - awesome because digital photos are modern and convenient, but nothing beats a good old-fashioned shake, shake, shake of a Polaroid picture!

Coffee at Dimbulah 

Colourful staircases at Bugis

Painting the sidewalk at Pasir Ris

Arty coffee cups at His Glory Cafe

Gorgeous hair at Raffles Place

Pre-museum picture at Pasir Ris

I Heart Museums at Dhoby Ghaut

Red Satin Shoes at the National Museum

Starry, starry night at the National Museum

 

Justin Timberlake is a Poladroid user too - what's not to like?

Review: Korres Lip Butters

I got these Korres Lip butters a while ago off ASOS. These retail for an arm and a leg (ok, well, S$20 or so) in Singapore, so I jumped at the chance to get these when they went on sale! I got them in Wild Rose and Quince (both of which sounded really nice ^~^). 

The Claim: 

"Korres is an organic brand that has developed an effective range of natural skin and bodycare. The brand seeks inspiration from their natural environment, sourcing their essential fruit oils and herbal infusions locally. Their extensive knowledge and experimentation with textures paved the way for their extensive skin and bodycare collection.

Korres Lip Butters are buttery lip balms with a shiny tinted finish, and contain a combination of shea butter and rice wax for deep hydration and softness."

All of that goodness sounded great, and Korres products have been getting glowing reviews in the press, so I decided to take the plunge.

Wild Rose is a deep cherry pink, a mid-red, if you will, that adds a pop of colour for cherry-stained lips, while Quince is a lighter, berry-toned pink.

 

Ingredients list

 Sturdy cardboard boxes that are printed on both sides (sadly, can't read Greek!)

No-frills, colourful packaging

 The lip butters are packed in plastic pots with a pronounced lip around the edge, which look like this - unique, huh?

 

Hygienic plastic lids that pop over the pots

 

Wild Rose is on the left, Quince is on the right (both taken in natural light)

What I loved:

This is a lovely product. Vibrant colour, good brand ethos, and pared-down, sturdy packaging. Wild Rose applied smoothly, and the formula was moisturising enough to leave the part of my hand that I swatched silky smooth for the rest of the day. The scent was lovely - made me want to sniff the pots all day!

Lip butters don't have the staying power that lipsticks or lipstains may have, so the creaminess and the glossiness provided by these were a nice touch. Plus, it also felt nice knowing that I was using something that was created with care. 

Not being a fan of dark, matte lips, these worked nicely because the colours were sheer, but just tinted enough to give a hint of colour. Wild Rose looks a bit scary and vampish in the pot, but once applied it lightens up to a nice sheer red, while Quince stays closer to the colour of the lid, achieving a nice pink-y, coral-y shade.

What I didn't:

While Wild Rose applied smooth, Quince was full of odd, gritty things that made the formula look a bit choppy (if you look in the second to last photo, you'll see the consistency of the product in the pot). It didn't really affect the swatch, but I did experience a bit of uneven-ess in the formula when I applied Quince to my lips. 

As nice as the packaging is, I can't help but point out that sticking your lip product in a pot makes for messy work - application can be a little cumbersome, because you've either got to get your fingers dirty, or rummage about for a lip brush. Coupled with their lack of staying power, it basically means that these lip butters aren't as portable / convenient as their makers might like you to think. :(

Another small sort-of quibble - Quince turned out to be more coral than berry in my swatch, and I can't imagine why! Though I personally do like corals more than berry, so it was a blessing in disguise!

All in all, these are definitely worth a try. Although if you're (like me) a bit picky over the look and feel of your products, it might be worth dropping by the bricks and mortar shop first to have a play around with the goods before deciding.

Korres is located in Singapore at #B2-34, ION Orchard,  2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801. You can like their Facebook page here! For the month of February, Korres is offering a 20% discount off your total bill when you purchase any 2 items. See here:

Hope that everyone's having a good week! Have you ever tried Korres products before? What did you think?