Haute Couture F/W08 I

<div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">With the travelling I've been doing in the past two weeks, I've been so out of touch with the real world (ie. the Internet) that I didn't even know it was Haute Couture week until I logged into style.com! I've only looked through three collections but they have already surprised me as they were certainly different from what I've come to expect from those desginers.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Chanel</span></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Karl Lagerfeld usually sends out pretty, mostly black & white and commercial dresses so I was surprised when many of the dresses had such structured and artistic silhouettes! I have mixed reactions with the dresses though, and some of the dresses looked like a continuation of the silver Chanel dress that Anna Wintour wore to the Superheroes party.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918919565140386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIdgyYz5x74qBjuWpUYwxR51UC2ZBldc8j-SLy_xs98HggXfIWjKH0xwE6Yo6sDDAJ2oVrC32NJ8si-kTrikJqNDJz2myCXW3zYZaYth9TmX3CMKdhHrx8S5In1n4hSbIoqj9ynv_llDg9/s400/Chanel+(1).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />The show started with dresses that were very sophisticated, very Chanel.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918928058058786" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdykq5rL9Wo6CDIGF6D6prTy9oBbt1mmTK4luieKycXthAQeGh9FCUbRTqyicP-n77JgunE3awbLR1xsExyruKh3K7erOJ6AEdkG_l0DlTEc7zwwI7UZO9XRVZ2dl7Pg6G-3m6txrYEXH/s400/Chanel+(10).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />And ended with very romantic and elegant evening dresses. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918924031324498" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4IfkZ1z9chuo9Cu6vLLwNAVOq_VhoDzMu5x0gTsipWa_EJJYNMRTQbW22odbSLhTPyni5cso-QJJyrYSvUC9ylFXcHK4MXbuSJDVkzv6FVoXE1VcLha_kPay0ZVw1U44tRxWZi3dYtn50/s400/Chanel+(7).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />In between, there were the more structured dresses. I especially liked these two. The dress on the left reminds me of a flower (with a model in the middle.) And even though I have no idea what the frame around her model's head (on the right) does, it just looks really cool -sort of makes the model look like a haute couture robot.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918930876350258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZyYXbyQeugNOYZCohdduBM67JdALd_HNZjkVJv96qTRT9wAlc1FJSa8N8uz-oPbnpw22y0uZQpRgPTqvsrvVCm8LwVWpDrzlN_q1TVYOQm4K6qVHrCei0xzMxRGgpWuGjjyBYSuFIC42/s400/Chanel+(12).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Although I wouldn't call these dresses ugly, I'm just not too fond of them. The one on the right especially does not look flattering. To be fair, all these dresses must look so much more impressive in real life.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Givenchy</span></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Before looking at the collection, I was expecting lots of rock chic, black and white again, but this collection was definitely more colourful than the previous ones. The clothes also seemed less structured.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918745438723042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3vZlnfY7OEclYq3Ixa7EODN5hQLbdpFwi0KLCikKe_nm5l-gsSWYZQLf82mT4bmu7H7Jxd5n-Glw0qazNQIxCscf3mNnVET3foSaRshAPT3u_1KJagV2yteiwCcqNHjUR9jQjZxeCvTI5/s400/Givenchy+(1).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />These looks remind me of high fashion soldiers marching to somewhere cold.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918748803937506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeUMwHkZS5R0vweE9gJa3w8xtkWZDd8ACFVg_rPG5eFMqkhdwH2RPgRvIbh5A6LIMgZgk52_LsgI35EGk-Ysvi8Fihf5jOOWFa_icUa4nxnAKrPXs4s30KRulZR7-4OV-11OZE0Oo589UR/s400/Givenchy+(6).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />And these make me think of glamorous Parisian parties. I like this neutral palette of colours so much more than that khaki green. </span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><strong><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Christian Lacroix</span></strong></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Lacroix's collection is always one of the most fun to look at because it always takes you into a colourful, overly luxurious world of chiffon and laces -and this collection did just that.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918759577203858" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbziXhlD0K3_Ao768tDpIpdvCo9dER_ReuO3N3dQJnhXRZsWhfncA-d2IQxqnls3ONsQ1S61H6OBYoy5NoRoHWtG8w2lacGZlPToZMGrfBGcNuodcttp0kerHR514fgJJreSKo2CTxxfg/s400/Lacroix+(1).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />Just wow! I love the high fashion gothic look, and this was all done with mini skirts or dresses, making the looks very youthful and put together.</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219918761178494002" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUuQXWtV1tct9wfwQ8wqs1FMq-9GwMX6ubCRjgFJQgnTpJfXuhLgfBYv81xDkKwwLxqxyF3TH2O1tJXSaoTDatYq8WRVvXHjwtYMRHYvaA0OYxam-Pl-5RgAphIwfVpnBU4G_06KUua8ZF/s400/Lacroix+(4).jpg" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" />The girly looks -although noticeably not as sweet-looking than his previous collections. This ones feels much darker. Notice all the ornaments and laces and details each look has!</span></div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">How did everyone like these three collections?</span></div><div><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">Image Credit: </span><a href="http://www.style.com/"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">www.style.com</span></a> </div></div>

Haute Couture F/W08 I

With the travelling I've been doing in the past two weeks, I've been so out of touch with the real world (ie. the Internet) that I d...

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This may help?

I must confess I'm getting to a point where I'm desperate to try anything to improve my skin condition. My skin has a brain of itself or something because near the end of the month, I start having breakouts around my jaw line. It's very annoying because after the flare ups, I have the scars and discoloration to deal with for months to come. Also, the zits always pop up in the same spots. I've been using lots of different products for years but nothing has come close to reduce those monthly eruptions.<br /><br />Needless to say, it was not such a great surprise for me to bring home another anti-acne product. This time I have high hope because (a) it comes from a famous dermatologist, (b) it's in a serum form, and (c) the packaging is air-tight so the product's potency will remain constant.<br /><br />Introducing Patricia Wexler M.D's MMPi-20 Anti-Aging Acne Serum with Acnostat Skin Clearing Complex! (wew, what a mouthful of words for a title, isn't it?)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV71fJImfCc3wGJLGgPS0wPx2Ia2ArnmLKvFF75PMC1JtruhBcQzAARexDWvwZTFt1zkVYD54ELtscX2hdOVZW1X_s-FN3ypjKTLtcXGpOzRpUqsy4AfAHiUie4n3in5LdJ6G87kd8Vso/s1600-h/Wexler+001.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219597422758442274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV71fJImfCc3wGJLGgPS0wPx2Ia2ArnmLKvFF75PMC1JtruhBcQzAARexDWvwZTFt1zkVYD54ELtscX2hdOVZW1X_s-FN3ypjKTLtcXGpOzRpUqsy4AfAHiUie4n3in5LdJ6G87kd8Vso/s320/Wexler+001.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br />Although the box looks really big, the bottle itself is quite slim and contains 30ml (1 fl oz) of liquid inside. It has a leaflet included to provide information about the product as well as other products used in conjunction with this one. The Wexler anti-acne system consists of 4 steps:<br /><ol><li>Cleanse: you get to choose between an exfoliating cleanser and a foaming cleanser with 2% salicylic acid. </li><li>Exfoliate AM or PM: instead of using physical exfoliator such as beaded scrubs, Dr. Wexler chose a 10% glycolic peel. I think it makes sense because glycolic acid, an AHA, does not only removes dead skin cells but also reduces the appearance of scarring. I think I'm going to need that one soon!</li><li>Restore AM or PM: the serum I bought is step 3 in her regime with 2% salicylic acid and MMPi-20.</li><li>Moisturize AM: with an oil free hydrator with SPF 30.</li></ol>I've been trying step 3 for a couple of days now and so far so good. Why didn't I buy the whole kit, you asked. Because I have about 3 other cleansers at home needed to be used so I don't see the need to get the whole kit. On top of that my moisturizer works fine for me. However, as it goes any further, I will definitely get the glycolic peel set to help me reducing the ugly signs of scarring.<br /><br />What I love about this serum:<br /><ul><li>It is an anti-acne and anti-aging product: I'm getting to the age that I'd better taken good care of my skin or I'm going to wrinkle up like a raisin in the sun soon. Most acne creams make my skin feeling dry and flaky while my skin is oily. This one fights acne but doesn't dry out my precious skin so it's a plus in my book.</li><li>It is contained in an air tight bottle: I'm against dipping my hand in a jar to scoop out anything. Open jars and tubes are breeding grounds for bacteria and in order to minimize bacterial growth, manufacturers need to add preservatives to it. The common one as we know it is a group of chemicals called parabens, which is linked to various cases of cancer. By using an air-tight container, the manufacturer can minimize or exclude the use of preservatives all together.</li><li>It doesn't have parabens, thanks to the air-tight container.</li><li>The bottle design is very cool: you just twist the cap around and the pump will come up. One pump provides enough liquid to coat almost all of my face so I don't really waste a lot of products at all.</li><li>It is a serum and serums work better on oily skin than cream form.</li></ul><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITzjl8XL20sKGRBqC0pvfwSPCW2hRmChHEweU5I2C3srzUGXc63Hs4AYbcf7pma1hdcz42Lfubnk4RL-r3Y2xmYK2pGgo-oNNSYlnFnjdE0DD62ZhycFlFt4Lg3y-Spp6IGSXmR0RgOU/s1600-h/Wexler+004.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219602774360336802" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhITzjl8XL20sKGRBqC0pvfwSPCW2hRmChHEweU5I2C3srzUGXc63Hs4AYbcf7pma1hdcz42Lfubnk4RL-r3Y2xmYK2pGgo-oNNSYlnFnjdE0DD62ZhycFlFt4Lg3y-Spp6IGSXmR0RgOU/s320/Wexler+004.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The pump pops up after a twist of the cap</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqIWpyNkgxGeyf4jH6SR6WT55IeczFoFHC8uLX_tqJoeaWgmsY2WTwaXyIYRAn-5dGY-moNL6eOCLc7TJQrAtzE_ejTve925q64jKdj1vXh0VNhIJMegigF70-__y_keDZyCqWlRG_mw/s1600-h/Wexler+005.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219600767039941810" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqqIWpyNkgxGeyf4jH6SR6WT55IeczFoFHC8uLX_tqJoeaWgmsY2WTwaXyIYRAn-5dGY-moNL6eOCLc7TJQrAtzE_ejTve925q64jKdj1vXh0VNhIJMegigF70-__y_keDZyCqWlRG_mw/s320/Wexler+005.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>I dabbed a bit of the serum to show the texture<br /><br /></div>What I don't enjoy:<br /><ul><li>The smell: it smells very chemical and I don't really enjoy it. So far I prefer to apply it about 1/2 hour before going to bed so the smell would fade away. And it does fade away fast.</li><li>The price: I got it on sale so it was quite affordable but the full price is around $40. I tried to find the information at Bath and Body Works but didn't see it. So maybe it's only be sold as a part of the kit from now on.</li></ul>The Anti-Acne starter kit can be found at your local Bath and Body Works or<a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2603887&cp=2484526.2137961&parentPage=category"> online</a>. It seems like this kit is so popular it's already sold out!<br /><br />It's Saturday again! How was your 4th of July? Mine was quite peaceful and I enjoyed it very much. Looks like it's about to rain outside, I don't have to water my plants, yay!<br /><br />It will take about a month to see any changes at all and I will keep you posted with my progress on this serum. Take care and have a nice Saturday!<br /><br />Your Makeup Blogger

This may help?

I must confess I'm getting to a point where I'm desperate to try anything to improve my skin condition. My skin has a brain of itsel...

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The Pink Miu Miu Bag

<span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Imagine this lovely white patchwork Miu Miu tote below (left) in the pink of plastic ring bag, and you get what I've been carrying (almost everyday) for almost three weeks now.<br /></span></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SG5wWl8Zx6I/AAAAAAAACLU/RNFLalqTuDA/s1600-h/Miu+Miu+Bag.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219232551613876130" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_NUbPhaVyuGs/SG5wWl8Zx6I/AAAAAAAACLU/RNFLalqTuDA/s400/Miu+Miu+Bag.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" /></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It is absolutely the perfect bag for the SS08. It's summery, feminine and fun, with the pink being just light enough that it does not clash with any color I wear. I was getting bored of the standard black and classic prints in my collection. The style is also very casual and big enough for absolutely everything I need- though it gets difficult sometimes to find stuff in this black hole. It also fits on the shoulder just fine! And if you want, they also have a longer side strap. Oh and did I mention that the leather is absolutely DIVINE? Because it is. Like a baby.<br /><br />The ONLY downside though is the durability. Now I know that this is a trend bag and it will probably not last beyond a season or two anyway (and thus, me using it everyday since I got it to get the most mileage out of it while I can), so durability isn't a top priority. But the durability of this bag is <span style="font-style: italic;">seriously</span> low. After 3 weeks of use, I fear that my bag is turning color. And not even to a color one would expect, like dirty pink or black, but blue. Yes. BLUE. The edges of the patchwork, especially towards the bottom and the bottom of the shoulder straps, are showing serious signs of blueness. I'd show you a picture, but I lost the adapter to my memory card, stupid Sony memory cards........Anyway, I suspect it might be my denim (even though I usually wear black jeans......) and thus it is all my fault. But denim is like my standard daily uniform. What would I wear without my denim? I guess I should try to desperate the two from now on........ though where would I put my bag when I'm sitting down if not on my lap or behind my back? On the floor? And besides, on the first day of wear, it drizzled a bit and I got some rain on the super soft leather and afterwards, there were blue stains on my bag! I was worried I'd gotten some chemicals on my bag while I was walking around (I mean, shouldn't simple water stains just be a shade darker than the pale pink leather?), but then, when it dried and the stain disappeared, so I didn't think much of it. Thinking back now though, MAYBE it is not entirely my denim's fault but also the leather's........... Anyone else having this problem?<br /><br />Regardless, if you have something similar or plan to get something similar and want to maximize it's lifespan, remember to use it with care. Keep it away from denim, water and humidity. Because it is a MUCH too pretty bag to become weird and blue.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Image Source: </span><a href="http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/" style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Saks</a><br /></span>

The Pink Miu Miu Bag

Imagine this lovely white patchwork Miu Miu tote below (left) in the pink of plastic ring bag, and you get what I've been carrying (almo...

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Victoria's Secret Loot

Since my birthday is in this month, I got a $10 gift card from Victoria's Secret. Incidentally, VS also has their semi-annual sale going on so I can use the card to buy stuff for cheap. The sale has been going on for a while now and I guess most of the good stuff has gone so far.<br /><br />For $10, I got 4 items from the sale: a bottle of bubble bath gel, a liquid eyeliner, a Beauty Rush eyeshadow, and a pair of underoo. Usually $10 doesn't get me that far at VS but the sales does help. Yay for semi-annual sales!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEiFg6qlM9wzF2qdMJlWFNnm9Wc5ztSjPeuP0pfRCk1SxCbZi8voete1RR4fNVgV0Vgs3SZFx6joGgll8-eJKJ9emB1J916Fv9ADFaDH6EzXQm3wK56SuLSp-b-OnAbRuUWkFGQarjwA/s1600-h/vs3.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218972467791134594" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrEiFg6qlM9wzF2qdMJlWFNnm9Wc5ztSjPeuP0pfRCk1SxCbZi8voete1RR4fNVgV0Vgs3SZFx6joGgll8-eJKJ9emB1J916Fv9ADFaDH6EzXQm3wK56SuLSp-b-OnAbRuUWkFGQarjwA/s320/vs3.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>A snap-shot of the loot taken from my webcam.<br />Sorry for the Blair-witch quality guys! (And don't you even think I would show you the underwear!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnD_Bb5L_4Ip7ayTWNMSj608qeiTDseUEvnoArdF-ZElJypmhKn3Jk_M9d333BHGn-KvGxt3-k0O8rdZXbooDFezJKBgaQlBIiU5iI-7gJvsFCxqcyn7uf8EVl4WJbMABRRW3iF8h2eEc/s1600-h/vs2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218972468323527874" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnD_Bb5L_4Ip7ayTWNMSj608qeiTDseUEvnoArdF-ZElJypmhKn3Jk_M9d333BHGn-KvGxt3-k0O8rdZXbooDFezJKBgaQlBIiU5iI-7gJvsFCxqcyn7uf8EVl4WJbMABRRW3iF8h2eEc/s320/vs2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>Just to show the felt tip of the eye liner. It looks like a pen and similar to Shiseido or Shu Uemura's eye liner.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-MG2i0HgvqIAZElrJTesNVx0gWRB4mYICovOJWlBqOnFotiGM5z92CEFP9zw1tECXC1soI_3aySf0mkr7N1UFoiEl9W808B0Ucke34IBOpuN307t6dxyNOGPo1__YVvOEVy_50M3h64/s1600-h/VS1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218972472055091234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ-MG2i0HgvqIAZElrJTesNVx0gWRB4mYICovOJWlBqOnFotiGM5z92CEFP9zw1tECXC1soI_3aySf0mkr7N1UFoiEl9W808B0Ucke34IBOpuN307t6dxyNOGPo1__YVvOEVy_50M3h64/s320/VS1.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" /></a>The swatch of the eyeliner and 3 of the Beauty Rush eye shadows I have.<br />Laguna Peach is a peach-pink eyeshadow with shimmer, goes nude on my eyelids;<br />Gold school is a beautiful frosty gold color, appropriate for highlighting;<br />Brown to earth is brown (duh!) and doesn't have much shimmer.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">And btw, if you're wondering where in my body I did the swatch, it's my left hand. I took the picture with my hand in a very contorting way. Also, the lightning is just bad in my room so the colors are duller than they look. Gosh, I really need a new camera since my old one broke a while ago.<br /><br />I love the Beauty Rush eye shadows very much since they are very blendable and quite pigmented. It was VS to first come up with the idea of putting the eyeshadow powders in a tube and attach the pointed plastic smudging tip as an applicator. After that, other companies started to follow suit but I don't think any of them can come close to the quality of VS's Beauty Rush. These little tubes are small enough to stash in your purse and they are spill-proof. I can imagine myself dabbing a bit of the eyeshadows while waiting in the traffic.<br /><br />To apply, you can use the applicator inside the tube, your brushes, or *gasp* your fingers! I prefer the last 2 methods, especially my fingers to apply eyeshadows when I'm on a run. I just have to make sure that my hands are clean before touching my eyes though, don't want anything funny going there!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5LfEszyDFQEue7SEiY00j8nND1IOeWXV5NQ7qrJNsgrIsMOEBBMXOxq0oCC5Q_dsax5ASezMvFDCJMdNAuOHRwQa1zcJdmjyaRNOwF41gb19ts2qNKDMKGXGyGel7XqrzmYgXPmosqc/s1600-h/d1.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218978631249665170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5LfEszyDFQEue7SEiY00j8nND1IOeWXV5NQ7qrJNsgrIsMOEBBMXOxq0oCC5Q_dsax5ASezMvFDCJMdNAuOHRwQa1zcJdmjyaRNOwF41gb19ts2qNKDMKGXGyGel7XqrzmYgXPmosqc/s320/d1.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 357px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 323px;" /></a><br />This picture was taken while back already. I miss my short hair, at that time I was rocking the Victoria Beckham hair do way before she had hers. I used Gold School and Brown to Earth on my eyes, some lip colors I don't remember and some foundation I don't remember either. It was a bit before I started using mineral makeup, which is a story for another day.<br /><br />Happy 4th of July, y'all! I baked a dozen of red velvet cupcakes and made cream cheese frosting. Then I may go watch the fireworks. We have a long weekend y'all! Enjoy the day and I'm praying for a no-rain day tomorrow. Don't want a rain on my parade :)</div></div>

Victoria's Secret Loot

Since my birthday is in this month, I got a $10 gift card from Victoria's Secret. Incidentally, VS also has their semi-annual sale going...

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My trip to Wal-mart and Mariah Carey

Yesterday evening I ran out of food and had an urge to run a fast trip to Wal-mart to replenish my stash. These days going to Wal-mart has become a fun thing to do, almost like a field trip sometimes. Now, if you are rolling your eyes, let me explain:<br /><br />I live in this town in Florida called Tallahassee. No wait, it's not a town, it's the capital of Florida. If you expect the capital of Florida is somewhat like New York or Miami, you're wrong! It's a quite peaceful town where everything you need is around you in a 3 mile radius. I'm not kidding! There are 5 main streets and they all have the same things: hotels, motels, restaurants, fast-food joints, drug stores, and grocery stores. However, there are only 2 Wal-marts in town so depending on where you are, going to Wal-mart can be a fun trip. Luckily, the street where I live has a mall, a Wal-mart, a Target, a Walgreens, and 2 CVS. What else does a girl want except a Sephora and maybe a MAC store? (we don't have Sephora and MAC store here, boo!)<br /><br />The Wal-mart where I live is a Super Wal-mart where I can get food as well as other things, kind of like a one-stop shop, which is convenient sometimes. However, their makeup stock is not that great. I got my Cover Girl LashBlast mascara about 3-4 months after the launch. Fancy stuff like L'Oreal HIP is not there and Milani is definitely not there as well. So I was quite surprise to see some certain perfume items on sale today. And they have testers available so I doused myself with 3 different perfumes.<br /><br /><u>Perfume #1:</u> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">M by Mariah Carey</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://images-cdn01.associatedcontent.com/image/A1636/163694/300_163694.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://images-cdn01.associatedcontent.com/image/A1636/163694/300_163694.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" /></a>Cute isn't it? I like the bottle's purple color very much!<br /></div><br />This is Mariah's first perfume and I was surprised of how wearable it is. When it came out last year, I sniffed it from a tester strip and immediately said "Ew! What a crack up perfume!" Then I proceeded to forget its existence until yesterday when I saw it at Wally World.<br /><br />The Wal-mart version is a 0.5 oz size which is much smaller than the 1.7 oz size sold in the fancy department store. The price is $18 something, almost $19 which is affordable to the Wal-mart shopping demographics. The bottle is really cute and small with a nice purple color and a butterful as the cap.<br /><br />According to <a href="http://nowsmellthis.blogharbor.com/blog/_archives/2007/8/31/3197420.html">Now Smell This</a>, M is "a floriental with notes of marshmallow, sea breeze accord, Living Tahitian Tiare, gardenia, sheer amber, patchouli and Moroccan incense". On me, it smells very much amber and indescribably familiar. While I went around Wal-mart, I coudn't help but wondering where I had smelled this before. It took me a while until I realized I pretty much shower with the same scent every single day!<br /><br />People, my body wash is Sensual Amber from Bath and Body Works and it smells almost like an identical twin to M by Mariah Carey. I kid you not! The same amber scent, the same incense touch, the same sweetness for a lot cheaper.<br /><br /><a href="http://bbw.imageg.net/cms_widgets/25/58/2558_assets/hdr_dbl_sensualamber_100306.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://bbw.imageg.net/cms_widgets/25/58/2558_assets/hdr_dbl_sensualamber_100306.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 496px; height: 166px;" /></a>On top of that, Sensual Amber has its<a href="http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2446695&cp=2073259.2470873&parentPage=family"> eau de toilette</a> for $18.50, that's the same price as the 0.5 oz size of M!<br /><br />The bottom line: although I like M and love Mariah, I would take a pass for this perfume. Sensual Amber is doing fine for me.<br /><br /><u>Perfume #2:</u> <span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Baby Phat Seductive Goddess Perfume</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://luxury-info.com/show/bpic_news_7274.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://luxury-info.com/show/bpic_news_7274.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 273px; height: 190px;" /></a>The black bottle actually looks darker in real life<br /><br /></div>I saw a black tester bottle laying around and at first I thought it was one of the Britney Spears perfumes (Midnight Fantasy). However, when I picked it up I realized it was the newest perfume from the Goddess line. I am a fan of Kimora Lee Simmons and own a bottle of Golden Goddess (and that's pretty much what I have from Baby Phat). Unlike its predecessor, Seductive Goddess did not have a big launch like Golden Goddess did. It went out pretty much without a fanfare and I did not even have a sniff of it in the ubiquitous paper strips at the mall.<br /><br />Based on my research, Seductive Goddess notes include bergamot, citrus, black rose, purple violet, leather, vanilla, labdanum and patchouli. However, my oldfactory memory registered something else, something ancient, something my grandma used to wear...when she was sick: Eagle Brand medicated oil!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chinatown.com.au/eaglebrand/images/index_r3_r2_c1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.chinatown.com.au/eaglebrand/images/index_r3_r2_c1.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 236px;" /></a>Eagle Brand medicated oil, aka the green oil, is the most utilized medicated oil in Asian countries. I remember growing up seeing my grandma dabbing it to her temples and her body "to prevent the bad air". When she gently rubbed some of the green oil on me, I ducked like crazy because I just simply could not tolerate the smell. It has a very weird scent that either you hate or love. Some people I know always carry a bottle of this stuff with them all the time while I would rather throw up than being rubbed down with the oil. In fact, I did throw up some couple of times when I smelled it!<br /><br />So the bottom line is Seductive Goddess brought back such a bad olfactory memory (that's fancy word for "some smell that I smelled in the past"!) Needless to say, I don't like it but now since it died down, I can pick up some patchouli. But still, it's a pass for me.<br /><br /><u>Perfume #3:</u><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> Celine Dion Sensational</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/images/Celine-Dion-Sensational.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/images/Celine-Dion-Sensational.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 236px; height: 312px;" /></a>She got nice gams!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />Celine is a diva in a good way, and as a diva she got perfumes. Not only one but a whole bunch: the original Celine Dion perfume (2003), Parfum Notes (2004), Belong(2005), Always Belong (2006), Celine Dion Enchanting (2006), Spring in Paris (2007), Paris Nights (2007), and Sensational (2008)!<br /><br />Holy moly, she totally pwns JLo! And I'm not complaining because she has her Grammys to prove. Talking about Sensational, what drew me to it was the bottle: it has a nice blushing pink color that screams "touch me" from afar. According to "Now Smell This", the perfume has "heart notes of orris and mimosa to reflect Dion's sensual, delicate and vibrant sides". The perfume compositions are: top notes of icy pear, crisp apple and plum; heart notes of jasmine and freesia, and base notes of amber, musk and sandalwood.<br /><br />This perfume is extremely wearable and not so volatile at all. It smells quite powdery and mellow on me like how a sensual woman should smell. I can detect a bit of sandalwood as it dried up a bit. Definitely an interesting fragrance.<br /><br />My bottom line: this is a perfume that's quite far away from my olfactory comfort zone. I would love to get a sample or maybe a mini size to try a bit more before I decide to buy. It's definitely not a typical floral perfume at all and since not many people wear Celine Dion perfumes these days, it's almost a guarantee that this perfume will stand out in the crowd.<br /><br />That's it, my report of the journey to Wally World. And it makes me wonder who among the celebrities that do not have a perfume. It's another post on another day.<br /><br />Have fun and smell lovely,<br /><br />Your Makeup Blogger<br /></div> </div>

My trip to Wal-mart and Mariah Carey

Yesterday evening I ran out of food and had an urge to run a fast trip to Wal-mart to replenish my stash. These days going to Wal-mart has b...

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Are Big Bows Too Cutesy?

<div><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Lately I've been seeing bows, big <em>and </em>small on clothes everywhere. (All the shirts below are from Top Shop simple because I'm too lazy to look through another website.) Sometimes a bow really adds some much needed adornment and girliness to a shirt or dress. But sometimes I feel like it's just too much. As with </span><a href="http://iamfashion.blogspot.com/2008/04/do-i-look-too-much-like-sailor-girl.html"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >nautical-inspired clothes</span></a><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >, the design could become overly cutesy and costume-looking.</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214982566011267378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bU-GQa_-G83RRw3Ph78RLmn_P0bRXvkYJu_jEzWBaXIAtdnAp8GWVug8afmfAaNsZV65m4DZzz6cH49xqV7iIsfPTySpMyjVy8_CC7rI_yUT7-wWGO5-vusPcAJwTfv0tNtBFEXt33Q/s400/ts+Woven+Bow+Detail+Top.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" />For instance, I first saw this shirt online I thought the bow was way too big. It totally reminded me of the sailor or school uniforms that we see in Japanese anime. But then I saw my friend wear it and it looked simple and cute, but not overly cute on her. Maybe the key is to keep everything else around the shirt (ie. your jeans and hair) simple?</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214982397905866866" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy2wzsKHMd1bC09oHK9UvQ3d26cuT60pQ920acVvwhUKtV_cwHgDtLit4Ogtqa_Npcm9RN1Cj-TnheKULzvGJwIJgv8LLWiKBepEtuxcSA4Cnz2J6esBpJIwGQq3NNsRTPY_rQjmtWLCI/s400/ts+Gingham+Bow+Top.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" />Moving onto more bows... I am not a fan of a bow graphic tee, or any prints that have little bows all over them. I thought the point of a bow was to add something extra, sort of like another layer or texture to the shirt.</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214982397810424242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI0OzxvihQ7l4TFIgu8Id77xvEovz-eNjfGmmadBQv-tEgg2D51afm4m4dWdxDyL5xWKaRIQYoOj0_SBr_TZl2YJ-0M3NROurXn4OIFTMQSSeCqGnk8B4bKslrCFswWs-7rOjOrLMwSqY/s400/ts+Chiffon+Bow+Top.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" />I can't decide what to think of this bow. On one hand the top would look simpler but plainer without the bow. On the other hand, it makes a potentially versatile top into something more frilly and girly.</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214982567713479570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvWz-jeNHvPd4CDEVB73hL_LZZFofC5zkIL4y0hiJlbKsgazCaaMNwxl1YpYl8p-ekcGi2waqTFHpqnxchxdxcs2JiK5BPixqK0pqs6na0d0AC6NyuTmXrWMZhvauq35BSihzJvYBE3NY/s400/ts+Tape+Bow+Stripe+Top.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" />The silhouette (kind of Miu Miu S/S08-esque) caught my eye. The fake buttons are a nice touch, but what do you think of the bows? They seem to suit the shirt.</span></div><br /><br /><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" ><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5214982398284268146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib93I93M3VfEvfnK8lSZQi8SMJhhvfebT-nPynWGahq5NfcaYdVGVX5ZwRC9HhzdOj2EwoGWSsfk1VYl_G3GHRr0WbJl0QV2nI0-ProSkidAL6tHPQ8hxRJRIYh8B2oX8sEcw-hK6ECts/s400/ts+Jacqurard+Bow+Front+Top.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" />This is my favourite out of the shirts here. For some odd reason, I really like the huge bow in the middle -maybe it's because the bow doesn't look completely like a big puffy bow. It's very flat and the colours of the shirt (nude and white) make the top seem more sophisticated than cutesy. It looks like a nice top for work (provided you work in a casual business office.)</span></div><br /><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Anyway, I think I will stop here. I have used the word 'cutesy' way too many times within the past fifteen minutes for my own comfort!</span><br /><br /></div><div><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >Image Credit: </span><a href="http://www.topshop.com/"><span style=";font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;" >http://www.topshop.com/</span></a> </div></div>

Are Big Bows Too Cutesy?

Lately I've been seeing bows, big and small on clothes everywhere. (All the shirts below are from Top Shop simple because I'm too la...

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Wimbledon and how not to melt under the sun

Right now I'm watching the Wimbledon semi-final match between Federer and Ancic and boy oh boy Federer is unstoppable! The guy is such an interesting player with strength, skill, and brain. He made a bleep in my radar during that match with Andy Roddick a while ago at the US Open. While Andy just pounded the tennis ball away with all his strength, Federer used different angles and open spots to defeat his opponent. That is how a good tennis player should be in my book. After that, it has become predictable that Fererer is going to win each and every match in all the major tennis tournaments except the Roland Garros (aka the French Open) where Rafael Nadal is the reigning champion.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.moldova.org/sport/2006/sep/Roger_Federer.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://upload.moldova.org/sport/2006/sep/Roger_Federer.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 247px; height: 257px;" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I'm wondering what brand of sunscreen he wears, he has nice color going on :p</span><span style="font-style: italic;"><br />Image from Moldova</span></span><br /></div><br />Anyways, while watching two very hot guys playing balls, I can't help but wondering how to keep my makeup from melting in the sun. When summer comes, it bring to us a different set of problems. Unlike winter when the most concern is the lack of moisture, summertime is heat and humidity abundant, both of which me not likey!<br /><br />The other day I did my laundry and when I came back, what was strategically and artfully applied of my makeup became a hot mess, not a hot trany mess a la Christian Siriano's standard. I looked like somebody who partied too hard and forgot to take off my makeup the day after. On top of that, my hair just stuck to my head. Le sigh!<br /><br />So what can a girl do to stay gorgeous during the hot season? By keep everything minimal and simple!<br /><br />1. Instead of heavy makeup, opt for a tinted moisturizer: <ul><li>You can make your own too, very simple to do but just keep reading. The how-to is at the end of this post.</li></ul>2. Use water-proof mascaras instead of regular ones: <ul><li>Unless dotting racoon eyes around is your thing, you <span style="font-style: italic;">need</span> the water-proof version of your fave mascara.</li></ul><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.earthwatch2.org/LFF/Livingston/uploaded_images/raccoon_5916-796880.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://www.earthwatch2.org/LFF/Livingston/uploaded_images/raccoon_5916-796880.jpg" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 366px; height: 251px;" /></a>"Raccoon eyes are so in this summer!", said Rac the fashion eyecon :D<br /><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Image from </span><a href="http://www.earthwatch2.org/LFF/Livingston/uploaded_images/raccoon_5916-796880.jpg" style="font-style: italic;">Judd Patterson</a></span><br /><br /></div>3. Apply minimal amount of eye makeup: freedom at last! No more standing hours in front of the mirror!<br /><ul><li>Instead of slaving over 10 different colors of eyeshadows, all you need is a good creamy eyeshadow such as MAC paint pot in Bare Study. Then apply the whole thing all over your lid.</li></ul><ul><li>Line your eyes with a non-smudging eyeliner and you're done with the eyes!</li></ul>4. Use tinted versions of you lip and cheek products:<br /><ul><li>By using a tint instead of a lipstick or blush on your lips and cheeks, you avoid two things: fading and running of your colors in the heat.</li></ul>As I promised, here's my how-to guide on making your own tinted moisturizer:<br /><br />You will need your favorite face moisturizer and foundation. Squirt about a quarter size of moisturizer on the palm of your hand and 1-2 drops of foundation on top of it. Use your finger and mix the two things together. Then apply to your face as you would do with your own foundation. That's it, folks! Your own tinted moisturizer!<br /><br />This heat-proof routine can be your everyday routine as well if you prefer minimal makeup. Have fun in the sun ladies!<br /><br />Love,<br />Your Makeup Blogger

Wimbledon and how not to melt under the sun

Right now I'm watching the Wimbledon semi-final match between Federer and Ancic and boy oh boy Federer is unstoppable! The guy is such a...

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