Accessorise

Perhaps I can include topics other than just makeup here. After all, "beauty" can be many things.

Swarovski bangles are an easy way to accessorise t-shirts and tops for the summer. I am considering the above three. I tried them at the boutique today and couldn't decided on which. What do you think?

Purple Attempt

I tried MAC's Fluidline in Iris Eyes a few days ago with a Biotherm pastel blue on the lower lid. But I really need to apply the purple colour a lot higher on my eyelid because once I open my eyes to take a photo, you can't see the colour anymore.

With that said, it seems like Blacktrack is the most popular among the Fluidlines, but there are many other fun options. For eyelining, Blitz & Glitz is great. It's an absolute black but with gold flecks.

This weekend, I went looking for grey/taupe eyeshadows again. I stopped by Madina Milano boutique (mentioned a few entries ago). Unfortunately, there was this regular customer who always gets her makeup done Saturday afternoons. The boutique has only one makeup artist, and for some reason, s/he always ignores every other customer during the lady's makeup session. In the end, I just left and went to another Madina location in Milan.

On my way, I stopped by the MAC Pro store in the Brera neighbourhood. I know a nice makeup artist there who always recognises me, but she wasn't there. Someone greeted me, but then again, no help whatsoever after that.

Photo by Rob Silvia

Long story short, I did get three new eyeshadows: two super matte greys from Madina, and Copperplate (matte) from MAC in the end. The shopping experience wasn't fantastic, but what can you do.

The Search Begins

I've been so lazy with my makeup that I haven't played around much with colours for the past few months. I have a few beautiful products simply sitting in my vanity box. But the light smokey look mentioned in the previous entry really makes me want to try it.

Last weekend, I walked around looking for those grey and taupe colours at major cosmetic counters. M.A.C. was one of the fewest brands that offer those colours.

Coquette, Copperplate and Concrete would be the choices. Does anyone have these colours?

Smokey is Out

Summer's coming up so instead of dark smokey eyes, these lighter versions on Style.com are beautiful. What do you think?

I love this website. This is where you can find the latest runway shows and backstage makeup tips. These three images are from Preen's 2009 show.

Here are the products used.

Eyes: any nude, grey hues that complements your skintone
Cheeks: MAC Mineralised Skinfinish Duo
Lips: MAC Lipglass in Jam-packed
Hair: Bumble & Bumble Spray de Mode

Getting the Blues

Besides the signature cleansing oil, Shu Uemura offers a lot of skincare solutions. I love the Depsea series not only for its light blue packaging, but also for its effectiveness.

Summer is just around the corner, and an extra wash during the day might be necessary.

Use the refreshing Foamwater for gentle cleansing. The water foams delicately leaving the skin clean but not dry. Follow up with the Depsea Replenishing Lotion, and feel your skin cool and soft. The delicate fragrance of both products makes daily cleansing a real treat.

What is your favourite cleansing ritual? Share your tips with me!

Goodbye, Mr. Uemura

Much loved and respected in the fashion and beauty world, Mr. Shu Uemura passed away at the end of 2007. And though he had sold the company to L'Oréal quite a few years before his passing, his brand continued the vision of cosmetic products with minimalistically romantic packaging and beneficial skincare quality.

Outside Japan, Shu Uemura is hugely popular in Hong Kong, where there are more than 10 locations. I came across this photo of a tram with images of the iconic cleansing oil all over.
Visiting a Shu Uemura boutique is always a fun experience. The interior design is a combination of stainless steel, opaque plastics and glass interior design, offering an urban, airy atmosphere to shop in. Service is excellent particularly in Hong Kong, where the sales ladies greet you with a luminous, beautifully made-up face, and ready to share a tip or two.
Mr. Uemura will be greatly missed. He was a self-made man in an era when few men in the world dared to pick up a makeup brush and say "I want to make women beautiful." Well, he certainly did. And we love him for it.

Relax!

Sundays are official "lounge" days, like my hero Rilakkuma: roll on a cushion, grab your favourite snack, watch TV, take a hot bath, listen to music...

Tagged by Nic Nic, I'll reveal six quirky things about myself:

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1. I need silence when I get up. Anyone who makes noise around me at that time will be bashed in the head.

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2. I'm extremely quiet. ("......")

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3. I am a bit of a clutz: spilling in the kitchen, dropping whatever that's in my hand, tripping on the street, etc.

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4. I am a number idiot: I just learnt how to count my fingers. Don't ask me to do math or accounting.

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5. I read the ingredients label on everything: you probably know this by now.

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6. I need nine hours of sleep. Eight is tolerable; seven, I become a beast.

Madina Magic

Thank you for everyone's messages during my absence. I actually read your blogs after work, but I haven't written any entries for over a week. I've been working a lot (still am), and I got a mix of spring allergies and a cold (!).


I'd like to tell you about Madina Milano, a local makeup brand. There's a boutique near my home, but I've never looked into its products - till I found out they offer a talc-free powder.

It's very matte, fine and has creamy, medium coverage. It's something that I never expected from a loose powder! The only drawback is it does have two types of parabens. But I thought I could overlook that given how wonderful and comfortable it is.