Lost in Beauty

Back from...

2009-09-19T15:19:00.003+02:00

It's been exactly two months since I last posted. I hope you are all very well (if you still remember who the heck I am, lol). During this whole time, I've moved, went to the U.S., have had a new baby niece and all.

I'm sorry to hear that a couple of my fav bloggers have deleted their blogs since, but hope the majority of you guys are still there. Till the next post!

Gone Fishing

2009-07-18T19:31:00.004+02:00

Hi ladies, how's your weekend so far? I would like to let you know that I won't be posting anything substantial probably until September (?!). Apologies to the followers in particular. I'll probably log in some time in September and see "Followers: (zero)", lol...

I'm moving next week, and then my flight for Seattle is the week after that. (Just to clear up the confusion: I'm not moving to Seattle, just visiting.) I'll be there for a whole month.

Can I ask though, for those of you who have a mac computer? What's the difference between an iBook and a MacBook? :-P

Back for a While

2009-07-12T10:44:00.002+02:00

How's everyone doing? I've been very busy at work so I haven't had the energy to post (I have very little energy for things in general, lol).

June was the longest month in my life, but suddenly half of July is gone! The exact date of my move is still unknown, but it should be within 2 weeks. And Seattle is about 3.5 weeks away. My mom said there are lots of packages waiting for me at home... :-)

Yesterday I finally took some photos before stepping out so here they are.

I applied two coats of Jane Iredale mascara (great stuff), a little Dior pencil liner, Nars Angelika blush and Dior Addict High Shine in 220 New Look Beige.

I noticed that the Jane Iredale liquid foundation gives me a more luminous look. A bit of M.A.C. Nylon eyeshadow in the corner of my eyes, bridge of nose and cupid's bow is even better.

While I'm not really into eye makeup, I do love taking the time and do some highlight on the top of my cheeks (any white pearlescent powder) and just under the jaw line (any light bronzer).

A random note: Illamasqua has announced that they will begin distributing in Sephora in the U.S. starting October of this year. Fabulous!

Strawberry & Cream

2009-06-28T15:35:00.003+02:00

This is not exactly a makeup post :-P This month some of my favourite music makers have come out with new albums: Phoenix, "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix"; Paolo Nutini, "Sunny Side Up" and Moby, "Wait for Me". Check them out!

I've been on a diet for a couple of weeks, and am determined to change the way I eat: cutting carbs and meat down to a minimum. Not exactly a meat lover to begin with, cutting meat hasn't made a a real difference, but I'd have fish or chicken once in a while. As to carbs, well, that takes some will power!

To reward myself though, I got the new Haagen-Dazs fruit collection, lol. The ice-cream girl chatted me up in the freezer aisle (yes, you're allowed to laugh) and asked where I was from (why do I still get that question every day?!) so she sold me on the little cups of goodness.

While I wait for the ice-cream to soften up, a friend who came back from a trip in Paris brought me some goodies: a cherry blossom box from L'Occitane and a Make Up For Ever eye shadow I asked for, in shade 111.

This is really how dark the colour is. I'm using this as blush, with the lightest possible application. I think this is a unique colour!The cherry blossom kit has a shower & bath gel, pearl lotion and a solid perfume. The scent is quite candy-like :-P

A few more weeks till a brand new home and Seattle. Courage and faith, Cheryl, courage and faith.

Coming Soon

2009-06-23T23:39:00.001+02:00

Hi everybody! Thanks for all the response regarding "hitting pan", lol... I never thought it would be an interesting topic, but turned out it was. I will update again in a few days, and respond to your comments.

Hitting Pan

2009-06-21T11:09:00.003+02:00

Having a pretty small skincare and makeup collection, "hitting pan" is a common event for me. Here I'll show you a few things that I'm slowly running out, and my thoughts about them.

So here we have: Annemarie Borlind hand balm, Make Up For Ever HD powder, Shu Uemura White Recovery EX emulsion, NARS Masai lipstick, M.A.C. Blanc Type eyeshadow, and R.O.C. chapstick.

Let's talk about the skincare items first.

Annemarie Borlind: best hand product I've ever tried! The light scent and emollient texture make this a pleasure to apply at the office and on the go. A must in my handbag, it keeps my hands moisturised and soft.

Shu Uemura: this was purchased in Tokyo, but it was a waste of money because I feel that my DIY masks do a better job of brightening my skin.

R.O.C. : there's just a 1cm left of it, lol. A decent chapstick with no paraffin. It's rich enough to last a few hours. But I will not re-purchase, because Jess and Anna sent me other chapsticks to try! :-)

On to the make up items.

Make Up For Ever: I've been using the HD powder for 15 months, and it looks like I'm finally running out.

Basically I apply a layer of this after my (greasy) sunscreen, then apply powder or liquid foundation. To me, this is an invisible powder that just provides a smooth canvas to work on, and is great against humidity. But will I re-purchase? I'm not sure... I am more eager to try out mineral finishing powder.

NARS: this sheer lipstick is now tragically categorised as a "vintage" item because NARS will not make any more of this.

Described as a "rose quartz" on their website, I will simply say this is a very cool-toned berry shade, great for anyone who doesn't like red but desire a bit of drama. It has the sheerness of a gloss, and the elegance of a lipstick. One swipe gives you a hint of colour, two will enhance absolutely any look.

M.A.C.: though I've hit pan on this Blanc Type eyeshadow, I'm a long way from finishing this product. This is a pinkish beige, perfect for fair skin types. I usually apply this all over my lids and go over it with Nylon (a golden beige). A great "colour" for someone who never has time to apply eye makeup.

Easy Does It

2009-06-20T14:01:00.005+02:00

Hi everyone, thank you for all the kind comments left this past week! I'm working on being stronger and more positive :-) Apparently I get depressed easily when I'm tired. Do I make sense at all?! :-D

I realized I've never done a post on fashion. Let me just say right off the bat that I don't know anything about fashion. I used to follow fashion news more closely, but now I just pick up Vogue Paris once in a while. Also,

I am not a big shopper. Unless I find something I absolutely love, I will not buy it.

With that said though, I thought I'd just share a few of my favourite things in the wardrobe!

A jersey wine red top with cushioned, pleated shouldersWhy not get purple too, since I like the shape so much? It just kind of hangs off my shoulders.

When I come across something a bit fancier, I try to pick it up. You never know when you might need something nice. I got this silver dress at an independent boutique here. It comes with a bow that you can clip anywhere on the dress.

This night gowny dress has twisted shoulder straps and a gathered bodice, creating an illusion of curves! lol...

Why not a high-waisted skirt with a bow? I just match this with a black tank top and flats.

A pin-stripe shorts with high waist, a good change from all the low-waisted stuff.

Another orangey item, this is a skirt with a couple of box pleats near the waistline so when you walk, it opens up like a little balloon, very floaty :-)

Cotton jersey is one of my favourite materials, because it means no ironing. (Wait, have I ever used an iron in my life?!) The deep V overlaps at the bosum and the short kimono sleeves make this a bit more interesting.

Another purple item because I love this color :-) Indian cotton saves my life in summer, and the Empire waist makes it look like I actually have curves on top...

A little black dress in a synthetic material means you can throw it into the washing machine and it will dry in 10 minutes.

I really like a loose, assymetric silhouette. Again cotton jersey keeps me cool and elegant at the same time.

A bat-wing knit top that's long enough as an above-the-knee dress. Neutral colours are easy to dress up or down. I'm so tired of black!

Grey jersey on the bias. Tie just above the waist in front and the kimono sleeves make you feel like a little urban butterfly :-)

Down and Out

2009-06-16T19:45:00.001+02:00

I'm extremely depressed so I don't think I'll be able to blog this week... Hope you all are doing well.

Get a Haircut, Get a New Job

2009-06-09T22:02:00.003+02:00

OK, not exactly, but tonight I got out of work at a decent hour and decided my hair really needed a trim. I'm not sure why, but it's been looking kind of dull. Even my hairdresser asked what the heck happened to my hair.

Anyway it was just a trim. I had him re-do my fringe. I think when I visit Seattle in August, I'll have my Japanese stylist over there do a more dramatic cut...

The lighting is not very good, nor is this Canon model fit for timed shooting, but you get the idea.

Don't mind the makeup either because this is taken 12 hours after application. Well, at least the NARS Angelicka blush stayed put! I used a mix of white and lilac eyeshadow to highlight the top of my cheeks.

Jamilla asked if I got my "vacay" shopping list. I sure do! I just got started a week ago:

M.A.C. blush: Mocha (matte), Breath of Plum (satin?), Vanilla or Pink Opal pigment

NARS: Sin

Jane Iredale: mascara (back-up), anything from this brand

Anything else I must get?? :-)

Still?

2009-06-08T23:57:00.003+02:00

I hope everyone had a decent Monday! It's hard to believe (or maybe not), but my brand new, un-used Guerlain Parure Aqua liquid foundation (shade 03) and KenzoKi face recharger (still sealed in original packaging), which I've been trying to get rid of, are still in my vanity drawer. Please drop me a line if you're interested in purchasing or swapping!

Lemon, Yogurt and...

2009-06-07T11:05:00.003+02:00

Hi I hope everyone had a good week. We actually had a three-day week in Italy, which meant I had to work double the amount to get things done for the week!

Anyway, after a stressful day, one of my favourite things to do is a do-it-yourself mask. Besides the yogurt-papaya-honey one, I also like to use fresh lemon (we even get lemons from the Amalfi Coast here) and whole yogurt.
Wow, Amalfi Coast lemons are so big, bigger than the yogurt cup! :-) I've been doing this kind of all-natural masks for a few months and my freckles seemed to have lightened up a bit, even in this spring/summer season.

Here's what you can do: squeeze a teaspoon full of lemon juice into a little bowl and add a heaping soupspoonful of whole yogurt and mix. You need quite a lot of yogurt just so the mixture won't drip :-) You will feel a slightly stingy sensation, hang in there for 10 mins and rinse with cool water. Done!

After this treatment, your skin probably won't need a moisturizer for a couple of hours, thanks to the yogurt which is very nourishing. The next morning, you will wake up with plump and butter-soft skin!

This one below is for Jess, particuarly. Because when I thought, "Hmm, does Austria have any skincare brands?" I drew a blank, but lo and behold, two unopened products are sitting in my vanity. It's Susanne Kaufmann, an all-natural, laboratory brand.

I have yet to try these out, but the ingredients look really promising and this seems like a very serious brand of skincare.

Yesterday I had nothing better to do (love my Saturdays!) so I picked up a couple of curious items:

Another nail polish by NOUBA. This one has randomly-sized orange and lime green glitter in a clear coat. The colour and glitters are pretty subtle so I like it. Full-on colours like green and blue really turn me off because they look so ghastly!

Has anyone tried Make Up For Ever's lipglosses? How do you like them?

I personally am not a fan of lipglosses because I don't like the feeling of having something sticky on my lips. BUT this one by Kiko Make Up Milano caught my attention.

The matte black packaging imitates M.A.C., but the clear gloss has a pretty purple and pink iridescence to it. So I'm willing to give it a try.

Looks pretty promising here!

Kiko Make Up Milano is another local brand here. Things are dirt cheap, which means the quality is probably crap also! The colour range is decent, but the eyeshadows and blushes don't even stay put when I just swatched it on the back of my hand.

In any case, this 4-euro gloss is purely something to play with. And I won't even feel guilty if I end up throwing it away, lol...

Moving Sale

2009-05-30T17:59:00.005+02:00

Hi ladies, I'm moving in a few weeks' time so I'm selling a few items here. Paypal everything!

Left: Royal Effem (Italian brand) lipstick, a ruby lustrous red, used twice. 8 USD.

Middle: Shu Uemura purple base, half bottle left. 14 USD.

Right: M.A.C. 5N lipstick from a past collection, used 4 times. 8 USD.

Kenzoki Face Recharger, never opened, originally 65$ on official website. 35USD here. Or will swap for an unopened, high-end product.

Shu Uemura loose matte powder in 5 YR Light, half of the jar left. 12 USD.

Weekend Reviews

2009-05-30T10:03:00.005+02:00

I have almost 50 followers. Thanks to everyone who's reading this! If you like this blog, chances are that you prefer natural cosmetic products, or perhaps you simply like the fact that I don't go on and on, and just get to the point :-)

Today I'm reviewing three all-natural products: Annemarie Borlind hand balm, Jane Iredale's concealer "Disappear" and its oil-control primer "Absence".

Annemarie Borlind hand balm

I'm concerned about my hands showing signs of aging so a good hand lotion is something important to have. This fits the bill! The tube is rather small (50ml), but a bean-sized amount is enough for both hands. The texture of the cream is very fine and the light scent is pleasant. I work the lotion in my palms to warm it up and rub it all over my hands, without forgetting the fingertips.

The beauty of the product is that you don't have to keep applying. I like applying it before I go out in the morning, once during the day in the office, and that's it. The Annemarie Borlind hand balm is now a must-have in my handbag.

Jane Iredale Absence oil-control primer

This product is a solid white paste contained in a flat jar. It comes with a sponge. Jane Iredale is perhaps the most expensive mineral makeup brand out there, but it's worth every cent. After sunscreen, I use a liquid foundation brush to pick up some product and apply on my t-zone. The white paste disappears as it is spread on the skin. There's a very light, nice scent.

This has made a huge difference in my makeup application. This really reduces the size of my pores. In fact, they seem to look smaller and smaller as the day goes on :-) My skin is not very oily so I haven't noticed a huge difference in oil control, but it's enough so that I blot only once by the end of the day.

Jane Iredale Disappear concealer with green tea extract

As my Giorgio Armani concealer expired, I picked up this all-natural concealer (actually mom sent it over).

The 0.5 oz (15g) tube has a doe-foot applicator. The concealer is not meant to be applied with your fingertips because the product is designed to literally stick to your skin. It smells a bit wheaty (lol), like the brand's liquid foundation. A little goes a long way. I squeeze out a bit of concealer onto a clean spatula, and again use a synthetic brush to pick up and apply the product.

Coverage is good, but the texture is difficult to control. Without chemicals like propylene glycol or butylene glycol, this concealer doesn't glide and takes a little effort to blend in using your fingers. But an extra minute in front of the mirror is worth it, knowing I'm not using harmful stuff on my face.

Say Yeoh

2009-05-24T15:46:00.002+02:00

Michelle Yeoh appeared at Cannes in Chopard and Salvatore Ferragamo, and I must say she looked wonderful in these three really different looks. (All photos courtesy of the brands.)

Are You Nuddy?

2009-05-17T22:15:00.000+02:00

It's getting hotter during the day so here I am on a Sunday afternoon sitting under the ceiling fan in the comfort of my home. I hate the heat. (Which is exactly why I live in Italy.)

This past week I received two lovely pacakges: from Anna and Jess. Anna has started her own beauty blog recently so check it out!

Anna sent me an Annemarie Borlind hand balm, a Yes to Carrots lip balm (an organic brand), a tube of L'Occitane olive daily face cream, and many more natural product samples. All this came with a (delicious) set of flower-scented hard candies (yum yum), Yogi tea bags (organic, of course) and a pretty postcard. Thank you Anna! Hope to meet you soon!

A little later in the week, I got my swap package from Jess. I simply got her a Make Up For Ever pencil, and here's what she showered me with.

Two Annemarie Borlind hand balm (which means now I have a lifetime supply), a lip balm from the same brand (hey I go thru a lot of lip balms, ok?) and a galore of samples of every brand from KenzoKi and Dior to Chanel and Clarins. A big thank you to Jess!

These two packages really brightened up this past week, which seemed like the longest week in my life, lol.

A few months ago when Birkie and I did a swap, she included a brand new tube of Elishacoy "Always Nuddy 24" BB cream. Being skeptical of BB creams (and their names) at that time, I just kept that in my vanity.

But yesterday I took out the 15-ml tube and thought I'd give it a try after having looked at the brand's website. This was my first time trying any type of BB cream, but having read so many reviews, I wasn't surprised when the product came out as a dull, beige cream that was very emollient.

Knowing how thick this stuff is, I just spot-applied where necessary (under eyes, wings of nose, around the laugh line, etc) and blended. The coverage was light-to-medium, quite natural.

With T.LeClerc powder all over, the finish was very, very nice. I skipped my usual concealer.

So I might just jump on the BB cream bandwagon! Thanks Birkie!

Giorgio Armani high-precision concealer is absolutely wonderful, but it has reached its expiration date (six months after opening) and I won't buy a second tube. This BB cream's coverage is a little lighter, but it works fine for me.

Yes Cannes Do

2009-05-15T19:12:00.004+02:00

(lol...) Who posts on Fridays anyway, but upon seeing the beautiful Devon Aoki at the Cannes Film Festival, I had to share this with you. She wore a pair of 31-carat Chopard diamond earrings.

Sunday Morning Post

2009-05-10T11:45:00.005+02:00

I realised I haven't done a proper post lately so here's one for you :-)

I will be in Seattle August 7 - August 27. Any beauty bloggers that I can meet up for a coffee?? I'm so looking forward to this trip because I only get to see my family there once a year. I also love the cool summers in Seattle.

Thank you Jess and Nic Nic for the blogger award! How nice it is to be awarded twice!

So I have a few things to show you this time.

First off is Guerlain's limited edition "Le Rouge G" lipstick with mirrored case. The brand was so generous to send me three.

#20 Gina is a blue-undertoned red with subtle golden shimmer. Mum will like this!

The beautiful packaging is designed by the Parisian jeweller Lorenz Baumer. The mirror pops open as you take out the lipstick, and it snaps back in thanks to a magnetic closure.

#60 Gabrielle below is a creamy coral pink. I forgot to mention that this lipstick has a brand new formula for better texture and colour payoff. I haven't actually tried it yet, but will let you know.
#1 Guerlinade is just my type of colour - a pinkish beige. No shimmers here which is another plus for me.

When closed, the tube looks like a spaceship, lol.

With all due respect, Shiseido Perfect Rouge is still perfect because it's very moisturising and the colour is luscious. Dior Addict High Shine really pales in comparison. It just feels so chemical on my lips, but that's just me.

On a less exciting note, the weather is getting warmer (yuck!) and I got an oil-control primer from Jane Iredale. I noticed my pores are getting bigger, lol, so I'm not happy about that.

Jane Iredale has very modest packaging which I don't mind because this brand offers makeup with very low toxicity, something I'm very concerned about.

The compact screws open with a sponge and the product is a white solid cream.

Pretty friendly ingredients here :-) Also, notice the little symbol of the opened lid on the bottom that says "12M". This means it expires 12 months after opening. Look out for this symbol on your makeup! I will text drive this product next week and let you know.

This is a long post, lol.

I'm glad to tell you that the Caudalie body lotion worked just fine and I finished one bottle. Since I'm always on the hunt for better, healthier skincare products, I got Sanoflore Almond Milk body lotion this time.

Again, very modest packaging here, but who cares when you know inside it's full of organic goodness. Sanoflore, a French brand, only cultivates organically-grown plants and uses its extracts as ingredients.

Oops, since it has no paraben, this product will expire 9 months after opening, which is fine if you use this after every shower. The 200ml bottle is about 15-18 euro.

I used this yesterday and gave this a thumbs-up. The runny texture is so nice. It absorbs much faster than Caudalie. The scent of the almond and orange essential oil is strong, but it disappears after 10 mins. My skin really loves this stuff! Hurray on finding yet another skin-friendly product.

Answering Lucia

2009-05-06T23:21:00.004+02:00

Lucia asked,

"Hi Cheryl,

My friend is going to be spending 6 weeks all over Italy from June - July and would like to know if you could impart any skincare advice. She has really fair, dry skin (here on the west coast of Canada) and is really prone to eczema outbreaks. How's the humidity there? Any suggestions as to what products + brands she should bring?"

Unfortunately June and July are probably the worst times to visit Italy because it's hot and humid everywhere so eczema-prone skin will be very unhappy :-( I would suggest bringing whatever her dermatologist has prescribed (or schedule a visit before departure), and look into Eucerin or La Roche-Posay skincare. Both have high-protection sunscreen for sensitive skin, and the gentlest shower products that has the right pH balance for her skin. The choice of moisturiser will be quite important too. Something fragrance-free, preservative free will be good. Caudalie has pretty gentle stuff, but to be safe, I'd still recommend more pharmacy brands: Avène is also a good one.

I hope that was helpful!

Wishlist

2009-05-03T20:17:00.004+02:00

I hope everyone had a good weekend. I went to an amusement park this past Friday, a public holiday here. I actually survived a few rides so in a weird way I did have fun :-)

I've been compiling a wishlist for May. Not that I need anything urgent, but a few things have caught my attention:

Shiseido Perfect Rouge in BE 208 (it has the best texture ever)
Shiseido Pureness Pore Minimising Cooling Essence (thanks to Jess' review)
Shiseido stick concealer (I would like to use this and no foundation at all during summer)
Lancome khol pencil (thanks to Jamilla waterproof makeup challenge)

These are not very exciting items, but I'm really sick of these 2 khol pencils that don't last at all: Make Up For Ever, and M.A.C. They just smear after a while!

Cleansing

2009-04-26T11:58:00.004+02:00

These past months I've used different cleansers and would like to share my experience here.

La Mer's cleanser (Fluide de la Mer?)
Texture: runny gel

Steps: 1. dampen your face, 2. foam up a dime-sized amount between your palms, 3. massage all over face, 4. rinse off

Pros: fast and easy, removes face makeup completely

Cons: it left my skin totally dehydrated. Strong, cheap scent which I hate. Also, this doesn't remove eye makeup since it's a foaming cleanser.

sjal (pictured on left above)

Texture: thick gel

Steps: 1. dampen face, 2. dispense 1 pump of product, 3. smooth all over face, 4. rinse off

Pros: the gel texture doesn't dry out my skin yet cleanses face makeup completely. Lightest citrus scent. This cleanser can be used on the body also.

Cons: eye makeup has to be removed separately as this cleanser cannot be used on the eyes.

Rodial (picture on right above)

Texture: thick balm

Steps: 1. apply 1 pump of product on dry face, 2. massage, 3. leave on for a few minutes, 4. wipe off excess and rinse off, or wipe off with damp warm cloth

Pros: this is an all-natural treatment cleanser which you can leave on the face to let the pomegranate extract to treat hyperpigmentation. Removes face makeup completely.

Cons: strong pomegranate scent for those who don't like this fruit.

Taer Icelandic Complete Cleanse (sorry, not pictured)

Texture: milky emulsion

Steps: 1. massage a quarter-sized amount onto dry face, 2. leave on for a few minues, 3. wipe off and rinse off

Pros: this is also an all-natural, treatment cleanser that contains yarrow extract from Iceland. Removes face and eye makeup completely. Ceramic bottle can be recycled or re-used.

Cons: need to wipe off excess before rinsing off. Strong scent due to powerful herbal extracts. No pump dispenser, can get messy.

Have an Olive or Two

2009-04-22T21:45:00.003+02:00

Tagged by the lovely "Olive":

What is your current obsession?
Cutting sugar out of my diet.

What is your weirdest obsession?
Wasn't that weird enough?

What are you wearing today?
Gauze cotton t-shirt, Diesel jeans, Adidas sneakers

What's your favorite comfort food?
Carbs!

What would make today special?
If a friend of mine who's very sick gets well suddenly

What would you like to learn to do?
Play the piano

What's the last thing you bought?
Lunch, lol

What are you listening to right now?
Sounds of ocean waves on a CD

What is your favorite weather?
A little cool

What is your most challenging goal right now?
Not to stress out when I don't need to

What do you think about the person who tagged you?
Olivia seems like a real warm person!

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Lake Como

What would you like to have in your hands at right now?
A pug!

If you could swap lives with anyone for one day who would it be & why?
I'm really drawing a blank on this one.

If you would go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Paris

Which language do you wanna learn?
Arabic would be really useful

What do you look for in a friend?
Respect! People don't seem to have that for anyone anymore.

Who do you want to meet in person?
Bjork

What's your favorite type of music?
Classical

What's your dream job?
A professional pianist maybe

Any favorite model?
Du Juan

If you had $100 now what would you spend it on?
Diesel denim skirt

Things you wish you could change in the past?
Wow, are these questions from a shrink?!

Fashion Pet Peeve?
Gypsy-style long skirt, lol...

Do you admire anyone's style?
Carla Bruni

What's your favorite ice cream flavor?
Green apple gelato

What's your favorite makeup brand?
Don't have one, just because I choose from product to product regardless of the brand

Do you get enough beauty sleep? yes or no? why?
Oh YEA, I make sure I get at least 8 hours every night

Why did you start your (beauty) blog?
Cos I've nothing better to do!

Knackered and Relaxed

2009-04-19T09:31:00.002+02:00

I hope you're having a good weekend. This past week, I went to a special event. Villa Principe Leopoldo in Lugano, Switzerland, has been completely restored and I was invited to an opening gala dinner. Sponsored by the Swiss watchmaker Parmigiani, the dinner was held in the ballroom of this 75-room hotel and residence. I just scanned the photo from a pamphlet here for you first.

The property was on top of a hill so you can imagine the view, but when I got there it was dark already. It was a fun and jolly event. The General Manager sat with us, and I sat between the Ambassador to the Republic of Malta and his wife. I asked, "Would you like to sit together?" But apparently they preferred chatting to their own friends at the table :-) We had goose liver with pear confit, a scampi risotto, and ham with veggies. The dessert was a strawberry-themed combination of ice-cream, creme brulee and mousse, very cute.

The wonderful dinner ended at around midnight. By the time I settled down at home it was 2 a.m. already. I should be getting the official photos next week.

So, back to beauty!

I believe I've talked about Cowshed in the past, but its Relaxing Bath Salt is really worth a special mentioning.

The lavendar aroma is almost overwhelming. Run a hot bath and the vapour will fill your bathroom with an amazing perfume.

The texture is not exactly salt, but it's like bits and crumbles that melt immediately in the water. The salt is also a bit soapy so it's a very gentle cleanser. I usually rinse it off in the end just to be sure.

As someone who is obsessed with au naturel stuff, my haircare routine is very simple: Klorane Almond Milk shampoo and Cowshed Softening Conditioner.

Like most natural shampoos, this one doesn't foam a lot, but it leaves my hair squeaky clean. (The Phyto shampoo for oily hair didn't work out after all.) The conditioner is very rich so a little is enough. It completely smoothes out my hair, making it easy to comb.

Reading reviews of Guerlain products from our American bloggers, I realized the markup is incredible! In France/Italy, a four-eyeshadow palette is about 40-43 euro. In the U.S. it gets to almost 60 USD.

Reply to Xevia

2009-04-15T21:57:00.002+02:00

Hi Xevia, yes the Shiseido White Lucent moisturizer is good for combination skin also. I'd say I have normal to oily skin and it works just fine for me. The moisturizer has a very runny texture so it's not too creamy. It contains many plant extracts, and dries to a matte finish on the skin. Let me know if you're still interested.

Sunny Monday

2009-04-13T22:18:00.003+02:00

Today is still public holiday in Italy. I've fully enjoyed this four-day weekend. Tomorrow I will be back to the madness at work.

The weather was perfect so I went on a day trip to Lake Como. You know the lake is y-shaped, the city of Como is on one leg of the "y". I went to Lecco, a city on the other side of the "y".
Surrounded by mountains, the lake was beautiful. There was a good breeze so it got a bit chilly. I got there around 11a.m. and enjoyed most of the afternoon there. It's just 40 minutes by train from Milan.

I'm still trying to figure out what this statue was. It must have been a pope. It was out in the water, unreachable from the path around the lake.

Black Monday

2009-04-06T23:13:00.003+02:00

My deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in L'Aquila, Italy, after the earthquake during the early hours today. The thousands of people who lost their homes will have to rebuild their lives soon.

Easy Saturday

2009-04-04T17:18:00.004+02:00

Thank you for all the new followers that have come on board lately!

I hope everyone's having a good weekend.

Apparently I wasn't the only one who experience bad customer service mentioned in the last post. In the end I did walk out of the shop with two Shiseido products: the cream eyeliner and Perfect Rouge lipstick.

So I'm glad to tell you that I LOVE the liner. It stays put all day as long as I apply powder before and after on the eyelids.

The Madina bronzer that I tried out this past week was also great. For now, I'm just using it to contour. Here I highlighted my cheeks too. It's subtle, but I hope you can see.

Today I was determined to have a different kind of Saturday so I decided to try the Thai massage place downstairs from where I live and do my own hair colour (not pictured above).

Sorry I didn't take photos so you will just have to imagine "The Orchids" massage place with dim lights and the typical Thai decor. It was cozy. I asked for a traditional massage that focused on pressure points. It was different from the Chinese massage that I knew. The Thai masseuse was tiny, but she could really hurt you, lol. Just half an hour of treatment, I came out of the place like butter and couldn't walk a straight line :-)

But I did zig-zag my way to the pharma-cosmetics shop and got a vegetable extract hair colour in a dark hazelnut. May I say that I will never do this again by myself at home, because it's just such a mess. I think I did it right though. The colour is luminous and beautiful, and best of all, it doesn't have ammonium and parabens!

A Little Rant

2009-03-30T22:35:00.006+02:00

Every time I shop for cosmetics I get so mad at sales ladies.

As soon as you step inside, someone stops in front of you to ask "What are you looking for?" like you had to be looking for something. Well, I don't know, can I BROWSE FIRST?!

Then, you are completely left alone. Like deadly alone; hay-rolling-across-a-field alone. If you visit half an hour before closing time, someone will stare at you morbidly, just so you'd leave because you feel so unwelcome.

Scenario from this past weekend:

"Oh, I had no idea Shiseido had a cream eyeliner." [me in Italian]

"Yes."

"Um, what is it like?... Can I try it?" [picking up the product]

"Sure." [just standing there]

"Ummm, do I just use my FINGER?" [it's an eyeliner...]

"Yea, it's a tester."

"Ummmmm, do you have a brush, then I can try it properly?" [come on, I'm dying here!]

"Oufff, I don't have brushes just lying around here...I mean..."

She then opened a random drawer and gave me a bald stick that was once a brush in its previous life. It had three strands of hair left on it. She walked away and disappeared.

Seething with anger with a stick in my hand, I moved on to lipsticks.

"So? Do you want it?" was the response I got from her.

That's a commission-free world for you right there.

A Little Pick-me-up

2009-03-29T11:50:00.004+02:00

*shout-out to Anna: do you live in Como? Should we meet up?*

It's Sunday and I finally have time to do a proper post. I've been reading all your posts, but simply haven't had the energy to do my own. How do you find the time to post so many photos and videos?! :-)

So first off, here's the cake I had in the beginning of the month. I love a good cake! This one is called the mimosa, eaten on March 8, Women's Day.

I got a lot of good stuff while I was away this past week or so. Here's Acqua di Parma Colonia bath and shower gel. This is very gentle on the skin. I was thinking the other day, "If this disappeared from the face of the earth, I might as well stop bathing." lol...

I'm pretty excited about these two items here: Shiseido Perfect Rouge and Shiseido Cream Eyeliner.

Do I need another lipstick? Probably not, but seeing how beautiful the colour looked on Jamilla, I had to get one. After my mauve craze this past winter, I'm ready to go back to pink. So I picked PK 307.
Given how unhappy I was with M.A.C. Fluidline, I picked up another cream liner. I thought I'd give Shiseido a try. It was twice the price, but a travel-size brush was included. I chose 02, a solid brown. I really hope this will work out.
Last weekend, the local makeup brand Madina had a clearance so a friend and I went to check it out. I picked up four eye shadows. Three are right here. Madina makes beautiful iridescent colours that are very unique. Matte colours are not so great.
The fourth eye shadow colour is the white one here, which I'm using as a cheek highlighter. It looks white, but once applied, it has a little gold iridescence. The rest of the eye colours in this palette are also used as my blushes. The last item of my haul is their natural bronzer. The palette is very big, bigger than my palm. I've never had a bronzer before, but these colours should work on fair skin too.

Honestly Now...

2009-03-17T21:00:00.004+01:00

Tagged by Nic Nic, here are 10 honest things about me (wow, 10 is a lot!):

1. I can't stand superficial people. I just try my best to ignore/avoid them.
2. I am extremely loyal.
3. I believe in sacrifice: money don't grow on trees (lol) and happiness is not easy.
4. I eat Nutella every day. Mmm...
5. I often cry watching cartoons, everything from Shrek to The Simpsons.
6. I rarely get angry, but when I do, it's thunderous.
7. I have selective memory: it seems like I remember the smallest things well, and would completely forget what I had for lunch.
8. I think I am a good one-on-one company. I don't enjoy being in groups.
9. I really hate it when people say I'm weird or am different.
10. I am obsessively health-conscious.

Hey, what hasn't done this yet?? :-)

Edible Skincare (update)

2009-03-16T22:13:00.004+01:00

The papain enzyme of an unripe papaya is very strong so for sensitive skin, use a ripe papaya. Unfortunately the supermarket near you might not always have this exotic fruit available. For the yogurt and honey, get the organic kind if possible.

From my experience, cucumber also has an amazing brightening effect, but do avoid the eyes. As with any treatment, spot test first for sensitivity.

It might be a bit troublesome finding fresh ingredients, but I am a strong believer in natural solutions. I will do a post on another DIY mask this weekend.

Edible Skincare

2009-03-15T20:35:00.003+01:00

I haven't talked about do-it-yourself skincare for a long time. Here's the recipe for a green papaya brightening mask. I tried this for the first time tonight.

a cup of unripe papaya pulp (contains alpha-hydroxy acid and papain)

1/4 teaspoon of honey (moisturizing)1/4 teaspoon of plain yogurt (contains lactic acid)

Blend everything up. Or, grate up the papaya and mix with the yogurt and honey.

Smooth the mixture onto your face and wait 8 to 10 minutes. The mask dries up quite quickly. The honey literally sticks to your skin and the papaya pulp won't slip off if you don't apply too much.

It started to feel tingly after two, three minutes. Yay, that's the mask doing its magic! It smells amazing of course. Rinse off with cold water and pat dry. Follow up with a gentle moisturier.

I've been feeling up my skin needs a pick-me-up for a while. This was just the thing!

A Little Help (cont'd)

2009-03-11T23:04:00.003+01:00

Thanks to everybody who commented on my problem with M.A.C. fluid line! I don't have a primer so these couple of days I patted a layer of Make Up For Ever HD powder on my lids before and after applying fluid line, hoping it'd help.

Not.

Today I had it on from 8.30 a.m. until 8.30pm. Again, the product on both eyes has smeared and is mostly gone within the crease. Unacceptable! I will either get a primer or change product...

Saved by the...

2009-03-10T22:25:00.002+01:00

I've been using my new La Roche-Posay Anthelios W (gel) for over a week, and am ready to review it for you.

I bought this at a cosmetics pharmacy. La Roche-Posay is not expensive in Europe. (There was even a 10% discount just because the product will expire in January 2010). I thought I'd give it a try.

It took me an hour to find this product, because I was studying every option on the shelves (I am a bit like this with everything, a bit like Sally in When Harry Meets Sally).

It says "gel" but it's not. It comes out like a cream, and goes on a tiny bit oily over the skin. But hang in there. 15 to 20 mins after application, you will be ready to apply makeup.

Preservatives-free, fragrance-free. It's worth the wait.

You can see here the product is creamy white. The 100ml tube is convenient whether in your beach bag or on your vanity table :-)

After more than a week of use, I can say that I'm very happy with this product. Since I usually just use concealer and powder, I use this as a makeup base and it works wonderfully.

My trick is dust a layer of Make Up For Ever HD powder all over after applying the sunscreen. This provides a smooth surface for my loose powder to sit on. My powder and blush stay put all day. Not oily whatsoever.

(If my skin happens to be dry on a random day, I'd mist some Avène spring water to set the makeup.)

A dime-sized amount is enough for my face and neck. I've found my HG sunscreen and makeup base!

A Little Help

2009-03-09T18:46:00.002+01:00

I applied M.A.C. Fluidline as eyeliner this morning at 9 a.m. It's 7 p.m. now and the colour on my left eye is all gone. This is so annoying!

Is this normal? Must I use Fluidline with a primer?

Spring Time (edited)

2009-03-07T10:05:00.007+01:00

May I say THANK YOU VERY MUCH, Yumeko for sending me the jewelled palette that she is giving away.

It's so cool to get good news like this on a Sunday afternoon.

Hope everyone's ready for the weekend. By the way, my sale is still on-going. If you prefer to swap instead, just let me know.

This past week it rained so much everybody got so depressed! I had to cheer myself up somehow and got a few new things. I will try these out first and do some looks later.

I've been looking for a simple glitter nail polish for some time now. And fortunately last weekend a friend spotted it for me while we were browsing in a department store.

This one's from Nouba. Very pretty with multi-coloured, small glitter.

So I got also Dior 2 Couleurs Palette in 365 "Nude Look". I believe it's part of a new collection.

Dior Addict High Shine in 220 "Beige New Look", and KenzoKi Face Recharger.
Oh right, and a Dior eye pencil too. The packaging was tacky, but it came with a sharpener.

So the palette has a muddy matte brown and an iridescent light pink. I haven't tried these yet, but the colours look pretty versatile.

There were too many shades to choose from! But I really like this #220 shade. It's actually a lot lighter than what it looks like here. It's a sheer, very shiny peachy beige.

Added CBox

2009-03-02T22:46:00.000+01:00

I added the CBox without really knowing how it works, lol...

Sale (reduced)!

2009-03-01T19:11:00.005+01:00

Hi everyone! I'm letting go of a few things in my vanity. Please leave me a comment if you are interested. All prices are negotiable.

Never opened Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Protective Moisturizer SPF16. I realised I simply have too many sunscreens.

35$USD (compared to 52$USD on sephora.com)

Guerlain Parure Aqua foundation IP12 - PA+++, Shade 03 Beige Naturel

Never used, sparingly swatched twice :) The colour's one shade darker than my skintone.
30$USD (compared to 55$ on sephora.com)

Dianne Brill Fresh Water Pearl Powder Finish in Baroque Pearl. Faint vanilla scent. This can work as a highlighter or a finishing powder. This is a mirrored compact.

Gently brushed over twice with a sponge. The texture seems to be too fine for me (does that even make sense?)

I have too many powders already, letting this one go.

30$USD

(very hard to find in the U.S., sold in selected countries in Europe)

Throw in the Towel

2009-02-25T23:24:00.003+01:00

Oh yea, it's Thursday tomorrow. I'm so sick of this week I want it to be over. Sorry for this negativity...

On a brighter note, I got a haircut after work today to cheer myself up. It felt good to see my hair glow afterwards. I usually get a cut every 3, 4 months, and have quite a few inches trimmed off every time. My hairdresser knows exactly what I want! I'd just go in, sit down and he does the magic.

Today, I used the new La Roche-Posay sunscreen as a base, and Giorgio Armani compact powder. I really liked the result. The makeup stayed fresh all day without getting too oily. The coverage was light but it looked sophisticated. Yay!

Note to self: this sunscreen has to be applied 15-20 minutes before makeup because it takes time to absorb.

Sunny Days

2009-02-22T11:10:00.005+01:00

Here I am finally. It's been an eventful week. Besides working almost 10 hours every day at the office, I've been spending more time with friends. During weekends, I'm determined to enjoy my free time.

So last time I mentioned the Giorgio Armani Lip Wax. Here it is in shade #1.

On the lips, it's a completely matte colour that takes away the pink tone of my natural colour. I wear it over chapstick.

To my surprise, there are only six shades available. The darkest one (a deep red) was sold out, and I got the last one of the #1 shade in the store.

I did get a couple more things yesterday: a Phyto shampoo called phytopanama+ and La Roche-Posay Anthelios W with SPF 40 with PPD 19, UVA ultra protection.

I used the Phyto shampoo just now. It's for frequent use for normal to oily hair, which sounds like just the thing for me. My hair feels clean, weightless and happy :-)

This is the first time I purchase a La Roche-Posay sunscreen. It's been very sunny in Milan, and I am freaking out my Shu Uemura UV Base (SPA 17, PA++) might not be enough. I do wear big sunglasses, but a little more help doesn't hurt.

This Anthelios product comes out from the tube like a cream, but spreads on like a gel. It contains photo-stable Mexoryl SX and Mexoryl XL.

It's waterproof, sweatproof, fragrance-free and preservatives-free!

A little seems to go a long way. I squeezed out a couple of drops and it feels enough. It's not as lightweight as the Shu Uemura foam, and I do need to give it time to get absorbed before applying makeup.

Both the sunscreen (17€) and the shampoo (11€) were on sale at the pharmacy so with just 23€ I got two excellent products. What more can I ask for? :-)

So this is a long overdue photo of the Lunasol palette that birkinbagbeauty sent me in January. Love it.

(Look how nerdy I am with the jade disk pendant. Old-school!)

The palette's EX04 Soft Silver Lighting. Here it is, with my second attempt of getting the shot right for the lip wax.

Ketchup (edited)

2009-02-17T23:16:00.003+01:00

Oh, I have so much catching up to do with my blog read :-P You guys post so often I am having a hard time staying up-to-date!

I just got the Giorgio Armani lip wax last weekend, and am loving it. Photos next time.

It's a matte lip colour that comes in a mini compact with a mirror inside. I picked the 01 shade, which is an earthy, warm beige. The colour stays on well, but since it is matte, it's rather dry. Your lips have to be moisturised before applying the lip wax.

I just apply it with my finger, because the compact doesn't come with a little brush. Too bad, but I believe the texture of the colour is kind of intended to be applied with your finger.

For someone like me who doesn't like lipglosses, this is a god-send. But if you're a lipstick freak, you will not like this at all...

Poudre? Oui!

2009-02-11T22:07:00.006+01:00

Vichy has come out with its very first mineral loose powder foundation, Aera Teint. Today I checked it out.

The major ingredients are zinc, copper, kaolin, magnesium, and listed under "may contain" are silicon, mica and bismuth oxychoride. The foundation is available in only four shades. 25€.

The pot contains 5 grams of product, and it comes with a kabuki brush. It is a bit stiff though. The lighting was not great so I could not see the coverage very well, but the foundation felt imperceptible. I might just give this a try when the weather gets hot and humid.

Another novelty that's coming up is Lancome's Tropiques Minerale collection.

With 90% of natural ingredients, Lancome claims to be offering a brand new generation of bronzer. The above is the Poudre Libre de Soleil Minérale Lissante. It has a perlized finish for a more luminous look. 43€.

There is also the compact bronzer with SPF10, featuring a nomad design.

You can use this with the kabuki brush. 36€.

Apparently, the mineral makeup trend is just starting in Italy!

Sound Foundation

2009-02-08T11:26:00.007+01:00

I am back! I got what I thought was food poisoning last Sunday, until I realised that there were people getting sick the same way I did - a stomach virus. It's just that mine was severe. Thanks for all your messages!

Meanwhile, my consolation was a free Jane Iredale Liquid Minerals in the mail, thanks to a distributor in Pavia. "Natural" turned out to be an almost perfect match so here it is.

It has hyaluronic acid, Q10 enzyme, vitamin C, chamomile extract, sweet almond seed extract, aloe extract, etc. The only drawback is there's no SPF, but my Shu Uemura UV Base has that.

It comes in a 30ml (1 fl. oz) pump. $46 on janeiredaledirect.com, but the markup is much higher in Italy.

Just to show you the colour match without concealer, without contouring or anything.

The first few pumps are not the colour, just the aloe vera gel that you can use on your hands or discard.

After a few pumps, a mix of colour and clear gel comes out. The trick is to work the product with your finger first. Then, apply with a foundation brush.

A word of caution: it does smell like aloe vera, but it disappears.

I've been using this for a week and it feels amazing: fresh, weightless. It feels so good knowing I'm doing something nice for my skin!

One day I had it on from 8am until 10pm, and the colour stayed true all the way. I could really, really feel the difference from regular foundations.

I've ordered a mascara and concealer so we'll see.

The truth is I've never been a big fan of liquid foundations. I've only used it for a few years in my life. In the very beginning, I used Lancome Teint Idole for a year, then I switched to Shu Uemura compact foundations for a few years, before switching to loose powder completely.

Before there was Teint Idole "Ultra", it was simply "Teint Idole".

Try this on Poladroid :-P

Bite Your Lips

2009-02-03T22:31:00.003+01:00

Thanks to everyone for your messages! I had my first meal today in two days. Thank god for miso soup and cucumber rolls!

Lancome is coming out with a collection called "Bitten Lips". Far from being bitten-red, it's a series of beautiful beige variations. Sorry for the small images, but that's all I have for now.

The Bitten Lips Gloss range
Here's the tube by itself

I don't like lipglosses so I think I will be leaning towards the Colour Fever lipstick range.

Very simple packaging

This is the Laque Fever range

Expected to be in stores by March in Europe...

:-(

2009-02-02T21:34:00.003+01:00

You won't believe this, but I got food poisoning yesterday, literally when I just recovered from my cold/flu. Today I couldn't even get myself to work. Missing work on a Monday doesn't look good. Milan is still really cold and humid, yuck... When will this winter be over?

Shall We?

2009-01-31T17:27:00.004+01:00

Those of you who are familiar with this blog know that I love exclusive niche skincare. I really like smaller brands. It's just so nice to get to know a small collection with succinct products.

Created by the mother-and-daughter team of Karen and Kristin Petrovich, sjal (pronounced "shaal") offers only 7 products so far. I have the full-size balans cleanser and the serum 1, and a few samples.

The cleanser (on the very left) has African whitewood extract, fig leaf extract, pearl extract, gold, silver and geranium as active ingredients. It is a thick gel that doesn't foam. It smells a little lemony. Two pumps does a good job of cleansing if you don't have a lot of makeup on.

For me, it's a tiny bit dry afterwards, but it's fine if you follow it up with a moisturiser.

The serum (on the very right) is the most expensive item in the collection, with hyaluronic acid, Brazilian algae, grapeseed extract, pomegranate extract, platinum, gold, silver, blue-and-green copper and a lot more.

One pump of the stuff is enough for the entire face and neck. I'd use even less than that, because it's so packed with goodies. It is a runny, iridescent gel that gets absorbed quickly.

I started using it in autumn, and it felt like it was too rich. I think I should just use a pea-sized amount from now on.

Check out their website. It's a fun read...

Hundred Dollar Baby

2009-01-28T22:54:00.003+01:00

I'm never one to talk about money or mention prices of things, but I thought this could be fun. All numbers are just approximates.

Morning routine
Cold tap water: $0
Shu Uemura WR EX Whitening Emulsion: $30

Total=$30

Makeup routine
Shu Uemura UV Under Base: $32
Giorgio Armani High-precision Retouch: $37
La Mer Loose Powder: $60 (?)
M.A.C. 4-eyeshadow Pro Palette: $50
Too Faced Lash Injection mascara: $20

Total=$199

Bedtime routine
Taer Icelandic Complete Cleanse: $34
Avène spring water mist: $18
Revive Moisturising Renewal Cream: $195

Total=$247
Grand total=$476

Hey, this isn't so bad :-P

Gone Fishing (again)

2009-01-27T23:35:00.002+01:00

Hi everybody, sorry I haven't been posting. Happy Chinese New Year!

I went to Geneva for the Salon Internationale de Haute Horlogerie last week which was amazing. But then I came down with a bad cold, and completely lost my voice. I had to mime instead of talk. I am still coughing... Phlegm, fun stuff.

I'm looking for disposable mascara wands (does any one of you use that?). It's something that doesn't exist in Italy (figures), so I might have to order online.

This past weekend, I got an automatic lip crayon from Shiseido in an iridescent transparent colour. I just use it over my chapstick and it shows up as a beautiful lilac sheen on my lips.

Also, I got birkinbagbeauty's swap item which was a beautiful Lunasol palette! I will have to do a look with that next time.

Sick... (cont'd)

2009-01-19T23:42:00.003+01:00

Thank you for the get-well messages you girls left me! Before I pass out in bed again, let me show you what I've got lately:

Birkinbagbeauty sent me:

Elisha Coy Alway Nuddy BB Cream (so I can finally understand what all the hype around BB Cream is about!)

Jadilla J Dear Shine Base (another Korean brand)

Etude House Crystal Pack Peeling

Lotree Triple Balance Make Up Base and Liquid Foundation

Shu Uemura Luminizer, and (phew!)

Nixie blush in Confidence

A big thank you to Birkinbagbeauty!

In the lower left-hand corner of the photo is a brand called sjal (pronounced "shaal" in Swedish). Turns out the Italian PR works right upstairs from my office, and she dropped by last week to give me some samples. She included a handy little brush too!

I will tell you more about sjal next time. It's sold on eluxury.com

I will be in Geneva for work Wednesday and Thursday so I'm afraid I will have to catch up with your posts this weekend.

Sick...

2009-01-18T22:10:00.002+01:00

Hi ladies, I haven't posted for over a week. I've been feeling real stressed and fatigued, and today finally I came down with the flu. Hang in there, I'll be back...

Second Skin

2009-01-10T19:41:00.008+01:00

(Update on swap: the Acqua di Parma body cream is gone, but I still have a few goodies left. Please refer to the link on the right column.)

I've been looking into a new foundation. I don't need a lot of coverage and want something that is friendly to my skin. I figured: either mineral, or liquid.

Mineral
My order of some Alima Pure samples arrived at home back in the U.S. so mommy is sending them over :-)

Liquid
In the meantime, I looked into Sisley Paris. Both the Transmat foundation and the tinted moisturiser have beautiful texture, but I didn't like some of their ingredients. Next.

Since I like my Giorgio Armani high precision re-touch concealer so much, I decided to take a look at their foundations.

Along the lines of wanting something natural and easy to apply, I checked out the Face Fabric Second Skin Nude Makeup with SPF 12.

I like the tube packaging which means no mess. The texture is buttery. As I smoothed it over the back of my hand, the product just blended beautifully.

I've been wearing this foundation for over a week, and am very happy with it.

It goes on matte, and as the day goes on, it becomes more luminous, not oily. I've had it on literally from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The colour remained fresh and true all day long.

I primed with Shu Uemura UV base first. Then, I warmed up a pea-sized amount of product on my finger tips and spread it all over my face. The texture is so beautiful that no application skill is required!

Then, I applied two layers of Make Up For Ever HD powder over the foundation to make it last.

Here I used a matte pink blush. On my lips is Bobbi Brown Lipshine in Toffee.

A closer look at the Giorgio Armani foundation right after application. It's a perfect matte and a perfect shade (#1). What more do I want?!

My only concern is whether this foundation can take the humid heat during summer. Has anyone used this product before?

Fresh Start

2009-01-07T00:02:00.005+01:00

I'm going back to work tomorrow. It's been a very restful, two-week holiday :-)

About the swap, for those of you who are interested, please take a look at what you have and let me know. I will respond to your comments one by one. Thanks a lot!

Let's Swap!

2009-01-03T17:14:00.010+01:00

I'd like to let go of quite a few things in my vanity. What better way to do it than swapping them with you? :-D This is only offered to the approx. 20 beauty bloggers that I regularly communicate with.

It's hard to part with my babies (lol), but I've never/hardly ever used these things.

Swap 1: La Roche-Posay Unifiance "Optic Smoothness" foundation, Shade #21 (light beige).

I've used a few pumps of this. I realised I simply am too lazy to use liquid foundation every morning.
The packaging is a pump so the product is absolutely hygienic.

This is great if you're just curious about La Roche-Posay's makeup line.

Swap 2: Guerlain "Parure Aqua" foundation, Shade 03 "Beige Naturel". I swatched this once on the back of my hand, and realised the colour was too dark for me. Opened cosmetics cannot be returned in Italy.

Swap 3: Make Up For Ever blue glitter. This was one of their very first products when the brand was founded. This is a full jar.

Swap 4: L'oréal H.I.P. lipglosses in Giddy 636, Astounding 724.

I swatched a tiny bit of these on the back of my hand, and realised they were going to be too sticky for me. These are full tubes.

Swap 5: Biotherm "Biosource" 30-ml (1 fl.oz.) clarifying lotion, 20-ml (0.67 fl.oz.) clarifying cleansing gel. These come with their own pouch!

This was a present, but I simply don't use Biotherm anymore.

Swap 6: Acqua di Parma body lotion in "Mirto di Panarea", unopened.

I believe you don't even find this scent outside Italy?! It's a refreshing, unisex aroma.

I'm happy with my Caudalie lotion so I'm letting this one go.

Specifics of the swap:

Comment with your email address, saying which swap number you're interested in, and what you'd like to swap in return.

I'm open-minded about what you might have to offer: makeup, skincare, etc. I love natural stuff, but am also curious about Japanese products.

The above products are not sample-sized so any samples will not be accepted.
For hygiene reasons (lol), only unopened or once- or twice-swatched products can be swapped. If you have a product that's a tube or pump, please let me know its condition.
If you simply want to buy these product off me, please let me know too.

Happy New Year (almost)!

2008-12-30T21:35:00.004+01:00

2008 has been a crazy year! I learnt a lot both about myself and about the people around me. 2009 will be a huge challenge, but I'm hopeful. I don't have any real new year's resolution, except that I'd like to be speak up more about what I don't like. I think that's important.

I can't get over how cute Monokuro Boo are... I have a big stuffed animal of the black one and a small white one.So here are the two things I got yesterday: Avène spring water spray and Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion.

Oh and my cup of organic ginger tea, great after dinner!

The Caudalie lotion is another paraben-free find! On top of that, it does not contain any paraffin either. Instead, it has grape seed oil, gingko biloba leaf extract, sesame seed oil and sunflower seed oil. I used it my shower today and it feels clean, not oily. It's just the right texture too!

I also got a 150-ml can of the Avène spring water, which is directly and sterilely bottled at the very source of the spring in France. This is the brand's signature product.

The mist is very, very fine, propelled by a nitrogen gas which is not harmful to the atmosphere.

I've been using this to fix my makeup and after removing makeup. Wow, my face is loving this stuff! I'm seeing a new radiance (not oil), and my makeup looks more beautiful. At night, my skin tends to look dull, but a spritz just before my moisturiser keeps my skin in good shape.

Green Mile (cont'd)

2008-12-29T22:53:00.004+01:00

I've been a bit lazy with blogging so photos are coming up later.

Today, I got Caudalie Nourishing Body Lotion so fingers crossed that this will be a good one!

Also, I got a sample of La Roche-Posay Fluide Mat foundation, which is probably the friendliest foundation as far as liquid ones go. 20 euro for a handy 30-ml tube.

I am thinking, "Foundation is the most important thing because I use a good amount and almost every day. So, if I want to use liquid ones, they have to be at least not harmful for my skin. Otherwise, I might as well go mineral."

Besides Jane Iredale, choices are scarce in Italy; that is if you exclude L'oréal and The Body Shop - and I'm not interested in those.

How many of you guys use mineral makeup? Do you think it can be for me?

Green Mile

2008-12-27T17:52:00.005+01:00

I hope you all had a great Christmas! What did everyone get? Good stuff?

My Christmas was pretty relaxing. Except an afternoon with relatives, I've been either just at the park or at home. During this two-week holiday, I am determined to make a dent in The Wings of the Dove, and enjoy the gym.

My search for the paraben-free, 100% natural mask finally led me to Jeanne Piaubert (Paris)'s Green Paradise Gentle Facial Mask. The 50ml handy tube contains a white cream that spreads easily onto the skin, and slowly becomes absorbed over the course of 10 minutes. Just rinse or wipe off afterwards.

Now, the truth is my skin type doesn't need masks. But I thought I would enjoy a true chemical-free moment with this product. With a wealth of essential oils, my skin feels baby-soft after the treatment. I recommend this to someone who has normal to combination skin.

I tried a few samples from Jeanne Piaubert's other lines, but they are not worth the trouble.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-21T12:33:00.002+01:00

I've had a bit of a difficult week, but I don't want to think about it anymore...

Let me first wish every one of you and your loved ones a great Christmas, and a better 2009 ahead!

The sun finally shone down on Milan after months of darkness and rain.
Time for some photos!

Here I used Too Face Lash Injection mascara, and the M.A.C. cream colour blush in Crushed Bougainvillea - both were what my mom sent a while back.

The mascara is absolutely wonderful. My lashes are hard to get into, so I don't use the applicator inside the tube which is really big. Instead I'm using a tiny little mascara brush to pick up the product. It's really working out great! The mascara is easy to wash off too.

The M.A.C. cream colour base is beautiful. It's an intense blue-toned fuschia, which is just my thing. I dabbed it onto my lips and that's it, very easy to apply. The only drawback is that it's not very moisturising.

Here, I highlighted the corner of my eyes, the center of my eyelids, and even my cupid's bow simply with a dab of M.A.C. eyeshadow in Nylon. This beige gold colour is so versatile and beautiful.

On my cheeks, I applied an iridescent purplish fuschia with a small domed mineral brush by Sephora for precision.

What do you think? I can see a real difference. I love a matte look, but this highlighting can add some radiance.

I've been watching Smashbox's tutorials on youtube. They're so helpful! Just search under "giovannismash" as the channel name. There are all sorts of looks: beachy, bronze, everyday, soft smoky, rock n' roll, etc.

I'm still waiting for my box of Jane Iredale cosmetics to arrive so I'm afraid it won't get here till after Christmas :-(

Back from Mars (cont'd)

2008-12-16T21:27:00.003+01:00

"Hi, I'm Rick Steves. Join me on a trip to Lucerne in the Backdoor to Europe." You will have to imagine the programme's theme music here.

Chapel Bridge, built in the 14th century, is the oldest covered bridge in Europe. Here is the Water Tower too.
The bridge, theatre and Jesuit church here
Hof Church on the left and a view of the Reuss River

Oh, hello!

Walking up a powdered hill outside Lucerne. The cable line at the back goes up Pilatus Hill.My host in Lucerne, a great globetrotter herself. She almost cried when we said bye at the train station.

Back from Mars

2008-12-13T18:59:00.003+01:00

Hi everybody, I just got back from Switzerland last night. How's everyone doing?

Lucerne was cold, about -5 °C (or under 30°F). It snowed pretty much on and off during my whole trip, though the second day was nice and dry enough to walk up the hills surrounding Lucerne. Beautiful scenery, powdery snow crunching under my feet. I'll be posting photos as soon as they're touched up!

I'm also starting to try out the makeup that mom sent me so reviews/looks are on their way. The Rimmel automatic lip pencil is really nice so far.

Today, I tested some Jane Iredale, the world's very first brand of mineral makeup. The liquid foundation and blush are both beautiful so I'm having those sent to me, hopefully within next week. See you soon!

Thanks Mom

2008-12-09T23:02:00.004+01:00

This is not a haul; my mom sent me a package! Among the goodies are:

Yogi organic ginger tea (can't live without this)
Henry James' The Wing of the Dove (can't live without me books either)
M.A.C. Crushed Bougainvillea cream colour base (this was before her boycott)
Too Faced Lash Injection (haven't tried this yet)
Rimmel "1000 Kisses" lipliner in Tiramisu, and "Exaggerate" in Eastend Snob (beautiful, neutral colours)

So, how about that list of safe cosmetics that I compiled for you?

Here are some highlights. The following items all have less than 5 on the toxicity index:

Facial Cleanser
The Body Shop, Aveda, Kinérase, Eucerin, Korres

Foundation
Tarte "Smooth Operator", Cargo "One Base", Lorac "Breakthrough", and surprisingly M.A.C. Studio Fix Powder Foundation

Eyeshadow
Guerlain, NARS, Tarte, Lorac, Too Faced

Mascara
Korres, Make Up For Ever (the lenghtening mascara in particular), Lancome

Lipstick
M.A.C., Boots No. 7 sheer, Smashbox Photo Finish

Noteworthy drugstore brand
Almay Pure Blends

Noteworthy high-end brand and overall winner
Jane Iredale

Have a great week!

Cheeky (cont'd)

2008-12-06T22:25:00.004+01:00

Is everyone having a good weekend?

I spent a rather lazy Saturday morning at home, and enjoyed a Mendelssohn piano concerto at the theater in the afternoon :-)

The colours I used on my cheeks in the previous tutorial were Madina Milano eye shadows. Nic Nic told me she saw Madina in Japan so if you see Madina, please do let me know!

I love their pans because they are handy and the colour selection is endless. Their eyeshadows are pretty chalky, easy to control and blend. The colour doesn't crease so you can even apply them without a base.

Last weekend, my colleague was in London so I asked him to stop by Selfridges to pick up some Taer Icelandic for me. This is the organic cleanser I've been using:

Turned out Selfridges didn't stock that brand anymore. I was so upset!

The cleanser is available in Milan, fortunately. It just costs five euro more over here.

I feel tired, depressed and muddled these days. This will sound terrible, but I feel so sick of everyone around me. Every day I give 200% of myself, and people still want more. Enough! Basta! I'm getting away for a few days next week.

Cheeky

2008-12-03T21:24:00.004+01:00

I'm back with another so-called tutorial, this time using two blushes, one lighter and one darker.

I've already applied base, loose powder, bronzer, eyeliner, everything except lip and cheek colour.

I started with an iridescent pink for the cheeks.

After having applied it across the cheeks (see photo above), I proceed to an iridescent purple. I applied it sparingly with an angled brush right under the pink and blended.

You don't need to have mad skills, as long as the colours you use are sheer enough to be foolproof.

So there you have it. You can see the contouring more on the right side, where the purple creates depth while the pink provides a bit of glow.

You can still play up the lip colour, but it might be better to leave the eyes natural.

Once More

2008-12-02T23:53:00.003+01:00

In mid-November, Versace held a fashion show and charity gala in Beijing to benefit Jet Li's One Foundation. They are in a one-year-long partnership. Here are some highlights from the s/s09 collection:

The hair, the legs, the gold...very Donatella.

Over 900 of China and Asia’s top celebrities, socialites, officials, business and style leaders attended.

La what?

2008-11-30T19:50:00.005+01:00

I hope those of you in the U.S. had a great Thanksgiving holiday. It's very cold in Milan! Snow, rain, sun - we've had a bit of everything this past weekend!

There are quite a few pharmacy brands in Europe that are worth looking into, if you are interested in slightly lower prices and consumer-safe products. Most of these brands use the least number of ingredents, which means the products will be more tolerable to the skin.

La Roche-Posay is perhaps best known for its Anthélios sunscreen, one of the best out there. In Europe, the brand's makeup collection is also available.

La Roche-Posay has a few types of fluid foundation. I have the Unifiance Optic Smoothing one. The texture is emollient, application foolproof, and the colour stays put all day. However, since it has a matte finish, it's too dry for me during winter.

The Respectissime collection for the eyes is good. I have this eyeshadow in matte chocolate brown. Pearl white, pastel blue and a couple of other fun colours are available. The formula for all eye makeup is non-irritating, non-flaking. The same goes for their mascara: lightweight, very comfortable.

I hardly ever finish a product completely, but I've almost used up this Nutritic chapstick. With coriander fruit oil, apricot kernel oil, biolipids and no petroleum, this is an excellent base for lipsticks.

However, I've tried La Roche-Posay skincare products and don't particularly recommend them. I used up a tube of Mela-D with SPF, which is supposed to even out my skin tone. The product worked fine as a makeup base, but I didn't notice anything different with my skin after 6, 7 months of continuous use!

Toxic (cont'd)

2008-11-26T22:29:00.004+01:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've compiled a list of the less toxic cosmetics brands/products for you, which I'll put up this weekend.

Also coming up is a tutorial on contouring your cheeks with two blushes.

Today, I let myself out of work a little earlier (6pm) than usual (8pm), and got up the courage to check out all the major drugstore cosmetics brands: L'Oréal, Maybelline, Rimmel, Max Factor, etc.

I gotta say the experience was overwhelming, because I couldn't tell the difference from one brand to anther. Not only was there no salesperson assisting you with your choice, all the ingredients labels were well hidden, in a point-2 font. Needless to say most products were full of lanolin, parabens, dimethicone and other good stuff. It's scary how widely distributed these major brands are.

The search for ethical and safe makeup continues...

Toxic

2008-11-24T23:17:00.002+01:00

The Eucerin eye makeup remover solution isn't working out so well so I guess it doesn't even deserve a photo posted here!

Except for removing eyeshadows, it can't seem to take off eye pencils, liners, or anything that's a bit more difficult to, well, remove. So now I even doubt if the brand's facial cleansers even work at all?

I'd like to bring your attention to this site called Cosmetics Safety Database. Here, cosmetic products are tested for their level of toxicity and flagged from 0 (innocuous) to 10 (high hazard). All you have to do is type in a brand name and let it do a search.

I'm sorry to say that a lot of the beautiful, high-end brands have pretty high toxicity in some of their products. To my surprise, some drugstore brands aren't so bad!

In general, it seems like highly pigmented blushes, lipsticks, bronzers and compact powders have the highest toxicity, while sheer lip glosses or lipsticks are quite innocuous.

Also, the European Union has stricter regulations on cosmetic products than the USA. So a number of American brands actually are not distributed here, simply because they use ingredients that are not allowed by the E.U.

And no, the FDA does not do jack to regular cosmetics made in the USA. Beware, ladies!

Mauve Away

2008-11-22T18:15:00.004+01:00

Apparently after my 100th post, I disappeared for a few days :-) This morning instead of heading straight to the gym, I snuck into the department store.

I browsed quite a few brands' holiday collections: Lancome, Givenchy, YSL, etc. I think Guerlain's theme is most outstanding.

I also checked out NOUBA's palette sets. I don't know why a youtube guru says NOUBA is like a NARS sister brand. There's nothing comparable between the two.

But being a nerd, I just had to look at something even less mainstream.

Royal Effem is a wonderful laboratory makeup/skincare maker that collaborates with the University of Pavia, a school well-known for numerous studies on Italian cosmetic products.

I picked up the long-lasting lipgloss in #02, a warm mauve. The flash made it look light here, but you can see the ever-so-slight pearlised finish.

The tube is small (compared with my palm-sized hair clip), but that's what I want, because I can never seem to finish a whole tube.

So it's between brown and purple. This is close to the autumn look that I've been looking for.

This brand does not use any lanolin, paraffin or petrolium-derived ingredients, and a minimum use of paraben. The only drawback is the collection offers mostly "practical" colours so you won't find anything crazy here.

2008-11-18T23:32:00.004+01:00

This is my 100th post!

Time flies when you're having fun. It's good to share and read about so much beauty news on Blogger.

Unfortunately this post has no photos because I'm dead tired after a pretty intense day at work. But that's every day for me, it seems.

I am happy with the Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes pencil, with the exception that it's a bit difficult to wipe off.

Tonight, I purchased Eucerin's high-tolerance eye makeup remover for sensitive eyes with balanced pH. Hopefully it will work well.

I would like to ask those of you who have tried Bobbi Brown's gel eyeliner: is it really better than M.A.C.'s fluidline?

A Breath of Fresh Air

2008-11-17T23:00:00.005+01:00

Any time's a good time to be thinking about bags and shoes. It's fun when all the new collection news come in.

Giorgio Armani offers the easy-going Montenapoleone sandals.

With a matching bag, this has got to be an easy favourite.

Eccentrically called "Blotchy" shoe.
With a luxurious matching bag, also part of the Blotchy concept.
The younger Emporio Armani line is always fun, offering a "Net" concept with a comfy pair of low heels.
Light as a feather with patent leather handles, the Net bag.

Sunny Sunday (edited)

2008-11-16T18:01:00.005+01:00

I hope everyone had a good weekend. The sun shone for the first time in two weeks. Pasty me enjoyed the warmth, and went to the theatre yesterday for a violin concerto at Teatro Dal Verme.

The programme was Paganini and Haydn. Music is the only thing that can truly help me relax or cheer me up.

On a different note (ha.ha.), today I tried Taer Icelandic's Restore & Replenish moisturiser for the first time. It's supposed to be for face and neck, but I used it on my body. The medicinal smell was overpowering, but it disappeared after a couple of hours, leaving my skin baby-soft. No parabens, no lanolin, no petrochemicals. It's very spreadable so a little goes a long way. My skin feels pampered and perfectly fresh. Wonderful stuff!

I haven't been getting a lot of new makeup, just trying to use up what I have so far. I did get Make Up For Ever's Aqua Eyes in a silverish white colour though. Here's how I used it.

I only lined the very outer corner of my waterline in black. The rest of the lower eyelid is all white. I lined the upper lids so the eyes look rounder and winged a bit towards the ends.

I tried a warmer complexion for a change. No mascara or false lashes used (too lazy on a Sunday afternoon).

Here are my best friends who achieved the look:

Shu Uemura UV base
Shu Uemura loose bronzer powder (not pictured)
La Prairie undereye treatment
La Mer loose powder
M.A.C. kohl pencil (tightline), eyeshadows (to fill in the brows), fluidline in Blitz & Glitz (upper lids), and highlight powder in Emphasize (all over lids).
Make Up For Ever Aqua Eye pencil in 14L
Madina eye pencil in a matte white
Clarins lipgloss 03
NARS Angelika blush

Long Way Home

2008-11-12T23:05:00.002+01:00

Donatella Versace went to San Jiang, Sichuan Province in China to visit the Versace One Foundation Children’s Centre, accompanied by Jet Li, acclaimed actor and founder of the One Foundation. The Versace company is in a year-long partnership with the One Foundation and has financed the opening of a centre dedicated to providing psychological post-trauma therapy and counseling for children.

Look at that big smile on Jet Li's face! In an interview he said the One Foundation is the greatest challenge and hardest work he has had in his life.

Let's Face It (cont'd)

2008-11-11T22:01:00.003+01:00

I got off work early today and went straight to the hairdresser's. My last cut was mid-August back in the U.S. by a Tokyo stylist. He's amazing, and is very knowledgeable about haircare. Any of you in Seattle can write me so I can give you the contact.

My hairdresser here is good too. He's fast and precise. I hate spending more than 1 hour at the salon. He convinced me to do a wavy blowout and I gave in :-)

The look is really a bit mod, isn't it?

Let's Face It

2008-11-10T21:51:00.007+01:00

I wanted to thank everyone for their messages. I think I do need to remind myself to look at the bright side of things sometimes: I just went to the spa last week and now I'm already complaining about life! I guess I'm just a bit homesick.

So, without further ado, here is my bronzer/blush tutorial. I just woke up when these photos were taken so bear with me!

I already have La Prairie cellular treatment liquid foundation in #100 on:

Get a round brush and Make Up For Ever HD loose powder.

Tap a little onto the brush and gently tap off excess. This step is messy, but oh well.

Brush all over face. Get more powder if necessary. I even powder my eyelids if I have eyeshadow on (I don't here). It's what I use instead of eyeshadow primer.Now that I have a smooth canvas to work with, I use that Sephora "mineral" brush and apply my favourite bronzer starting from the hollow of your cheeks.

And U-shape it down to the jawline in one single stroke. Repeat a couple of times if your bronzer is sheer. Remember to check before re-applying.

At this point, I switch to my angled brush and apply blush on the apple of my cheeks.

It's subtle, but you can already see a bit of contour and colour.

The face is pretty much done here, and I can proceed to eyes and lips makeup.

I realised perhaps I applied the bronzer and the blush too lightly, but you get the idea.

If you want the blush to really pop, simply apply the bronzer on the apple of your cheeks and u-shape it down to the jawline.

The Sephora mineral blush tends to pick up a lot of product since it's short and sturdy so be careful. Its application is very, very precise.

You can also simply use this mineral brush to apply the blush.

I hope this was helpful!

Masked

2008-11-09T22:45:00.003+01:00

Hi everyone, I've had a busy and tiring weekend. Hopefully yours was more restful than mine.

Usually I post Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays so you can bet on reading something new here, but I'm usually out for the rest of the week.

This coming week, I have some tutorial photos coming up. They're being touched up right now :-)

It's getting colder, and the holiday season is just around the corner. I miss home, and am more irritable than usual. No matter how glamorous people think Milan is, it's a very lonely place for a Chinese girl to live:-) You can pretty much forget about having anything common with anyone here.

I say this both humorously and realistically. I'm beyond worrying about whether I "fit in" or not (because I'm not supposed to), but I miss the comfort, the cultural diversity, the open-mindedness, and customer service (!) in the U.S.

Sunshine, If Only

2008-11-05T23:30:00.006+01:00

A special thanks to those of you who left me comments for the first time! I love hearing from you all.

In this damp, grey, stormy weather, I can kiss my sunglasses goodbye. But here is a preview of some of my favourites from the Emporio Armani spring/summer 09 sunglasses collection:

And below are a couple from the Giorgio Armani label:

A Few of My Favourite Things (cont'd)

2008-11-04T22:40:00.003+01:00

About the new brush mentioned in my previous post, I'll do a tutorial on it.

I'm really liking shades of wine/berry/brown lately.

These are some of my usual suspects this autumn:

Bobbi Brown lipshine in Toffee

Royal Effem (a local brand)

M.A.C. 5N

NARS Masai, my favourite

L'oreal H.I.P. lipgloss in #724

I layered the L'oreal lipgloss over M.A.C. 5N and really liked it. I don't particularly like these products used on their own so I combined them!

Do you use warmer shades like these? Any recommendations?

Trang asked me to talk about more Shu Uemura Whitening Recovery EX products so here goes:

I have the whitening refresh lotion and the emulsion, both purchased in Japan. I haven't been using them long enough to say whether they really whiten my skin or not, but surely they have helped to even out my skin tone.

These two products contain Ougon extract, Mint Extract, Shiso Extract, Vitamin C derivatives, vitamin B3, etc so I'd say they're treatment products without aggressive chemicals.

On humid days (which is everyday in Milan), I use only the lotion in the morning before using the UV base. In the evenings, when I feel I need more moisture, I'd use the emulsion. Both of them feel very nice on the skin, not oily at all. Worth a try!

A Few of My Favourite Things

2008-11-03T23:17:00.003+01:00

I care a lot about skincare so here are my favourite products of the moment:

Shu Uemura UV Under Base. I love its easy application and light texture.

Shu Uemura White Recovery Ex provides all the moisturising I need in humid weather.

Taer Icelandic Complete Cleanser smells medicinal, but I know it's good for me with absolutely no preservatives.

Sjal Serum intensely heals my skin while I sleep.

Unhappy with my angled brush, I finally got this brand new Sephora mineral brush #45 yesterday.

I don't use mineral makeup so I'm just using this for more precise contouring. The bristle is very smooth. The brush head is short and sturdy. Today I used it for the first time and am very happy with it. From now on, this brush will be for contouring and the angled brush for blush.

Coming up: tutorial on layering your bronzer and favourite blush for more nuance and depth.

Back to M.A.C., or Maybe Not

2008-11-02T08:05:00.005+01:00

I rarely do long posts, but I gotta do this one for my friend.

This past week, she submitted a formal complaint to M.A.C. regarding its recycling programme.

She brought six empty packaging back to the M.A.C. counter at Nordstrom's in exchange for a lipstick. The M.A.C. salesperson asked her what colour she'd like. My friend named a few possible colours, but the rep said she had no stock of anything of those. My friend finally named a reddish brown, and the rep put it in the bag for her.

My friend got home, and discovered the lipstick was not the colour she picked. It was something pink, a colour she cannot wear and would never ask for. She felt deceived.

This is M.A.C. says about its recycling programme on its website:

"Recycling with Back to M.A.C.
By returning six M·A·C primary packaging containers to a M·A·C counter or M·A·C Cosmetics Online, you receive a free M·A·C Lipstick of your choice as our thanks to you."

Of my choice? Apparently not.

This is how M.A.C. responded to the complaint:

"Thank you for taking the time to contact us and for your interest in M.A.C.

Our "Back to M.A.C." program was established to promote recycling by offering an incentive for consumers to help preserve the environment. Since its inception in 1985, our program has offered a free lipstick to anyone who returns six (6) M.A.C. primary packages to a M.A.C. location. This program has been enthusiastically embraced by the majority of consumers.

Of course, over the years a few consumers have asked us to offer them a different free product. We hope you can understand that the popularity of the program, coupled with the inventory/sales logistics involved with our retail partners, precludes our extending the program to individual product choice.

We will continue to offer a free lipstick, and if this is not appropriate for the recipient, we hope it will be passed on to someone who can enjoy it.
We trust the above addresses your concern. We hope that we have the opportunity to serve you in the near future.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns.

Sincerely,
Kiola Toussaint-Brew
Response Representative
Global Consumer Communications"

My friend wrote back:

"Dear Ms. Toussaint-Brew,
I appreciate your effort, but your response did not address my complaint.

My complaint was that your sales person was conducting business in a deceptive way. If your company cannot afford to continue the program or think that the program is costing too much money, then terminate the program. I believe most people would rather be told that the program cannot continue than being cheated.

By pretending to let your customer choose a lip colour and then turn around and give the customer another one that she did not choose: this is dishonesty. The fact that you try to explain the act, that it is being condoned or even approved by your company shows that your company does not respect your customers; that your company thinks that keep half of a promise is OK. If your company cannot afford to continue the program or wants to change the conditions of program, then let your customers know.

I think it is irresponsible for your company to try to find a rationale for your salesperson's disceptive behavior. I think the public should know about this. I am going to blog this email exchange and let others decide whether cheating customers are OK."

Well, I'm sorry to say that M.A.C. has lost a very good customer. My friend has decided not to purchase anything from this brand anymore (and this is someone who normally buys a few things from them every month). It wasn't about this lipstick or that lipstick, but it doesn't feel good to be deceived.

What surprised me about all this was that M.A.C. could have at least say sorry. Instead, they actually supported the salesperson's action.

Now, I'm simply wondering if M.A.C. might be giving out expired products through the recycling programme, just to get rid of old stuff.

What is your experience with Back to M.A.C.?

Shades of Autumn (cont'd)

2008-10-29T22:01:00.005+01:00

So this is how the Nouba purple eyeshadow looks like:

I used M.A.C. Electra on the first third of the eyelids, then a matte dark grey on the last third. I'm still using Giorgio Armani's concealer here.

I went easier on the blush, but used L'oreal H.I.P. #636 "Giddy" lipgloss to match the eyes. This lipgloss is extremely pigmented. It keeps a stained look all day long.

My fringe was so out of place because I slept when my hair was still damp.

Shades of Autumn

2008-10-28T21:32:00.006+01:00

Hi everyone, I have quite a few things to go over this time so let's get started.

Angie has reviewed La Prairie cellular treatment liquid foundation with SPF before, but I thought I'd mention it too.

Customer service is practically non-existent in Italy so I never stop by La Prairie counter unless my sweet Clara is there. She's a very knowledgeable specialist, and listens to my every skincare need. She sold me the undereye treatment (a concealer) last year.

I asked her about La Prairie foundations and she gave me these.

A sample in shade #100 for both the liquid foundation and the Caviar cream foundation.

I've used the liquid foundation on two separate days and am very happy with it.

The first time I used it, I applied it with a foundation brush, and the result was much too pale. I think the brush picked up too much product and soon my face got oily.

But the second time I used it (today), I warmed up the product on the back of my hand, and applied a thin layer, as if it's a moisturiser, with my fingers. The result was wonderful: extreme comfort and all-day moisturising without being oily at all. The colour also looked much more natural. I will definite purchase this foundation after I finish the sample.

For those of you who have been reading my blog, you might notice that I don't do any major hauls. I absolutely cannot buy for the sake of quantity, but only quality.

This past week, I got Giorgio Armani luminous silk powder compact, and two Italian brands: Royal Effem (Laboratori Royal) lipstick and Nouba wet & dry eye shadow.

The packaging is very minimal. I love Guerlain and YSL's fancy casings too, but packaging is not something that affects my decision to purchase.

The powder is in shade #4, the lipstick is Totally Gloss #LU25, and the eye shadow is Nombra #329.

Looks coming up this week!

Six Quirky Things About Me

2008-10-27T21:03:00.007+01:00

Thanks watercolor sky for tagging me! So let's play by the rules:

Link to the person who tagged you.
Post the rules on your blog.
Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
Tag six random people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
Let each random person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.

I wash my handbags, because I hate holding something dirty.
I only drink and cook with bottled water.
I read magazines from back to front, and fill out forms from bottom to top.
I speak very slowly (as in John-Malkovich-slow).
I speak five languages, and speak my mother language (Chinese) the worst.
When I'm nervous, I giggle non-stop.

Let me tag:

Here and Taer

2008-10-26T08:47:00.005+01:00

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all the comments on my post a few days ago. Now I have more confidence applying blush on the apple of my cheeks. I guess it's a more sun-kissed look.

This time I'd like to share with you an Icelandic organic skincare brand called Taer Icelandic.

From left, here are the firming serum, complete cleanser and 24-hour moisturiser.

The brand grows most of its own herbs on an organic farm. The signature ingredent is yarrow, an ancient plant known for many benefits. During Iceland's summer, it's at its most potent state and Taser harvests it for the products.

I love the unique recyclable ceramic packaging!

I've been using the cleanser for the past few days. It smells pleasantly strong, almost medicinal. With no preservatives, it's white and creamy.

I apply it dry onto my face (with makeup), massage and wait for a couple of minutes before rinsing everything off. You can also simply wipe the stuff off. My skin feels very soft, clean and refreshed afterwards.

I love a luxurious cleanser after a long day because it makes me feel good.

In the Mood for Fall

2008-10-22T22:15:00.006+02:00

Hi everyone, I thought I should post a proper photo this week. I didn't do anything extraordinary here, but...

This is happy hair with Phyto shampoo :-)

Now that the weather is nice and cool (finally), I've started using Shu Uemura purple base as foundation. My skin looks more luminous with it, and the loose powder stays on better.

I don't know if you noticed, but I applied the blush only on the apple of my cheeks, and did contouring. It's not my favourite way because it can easily look clownish, but I gave it a try anyway.

On my lips, I dabbed some M.A.C. 5N lipstick (not very noticeable, sorry). I'm into stained lips for autumn so I'll continue playing with this kind of colour.

The Pasta, The Opera...

2008-10-21T21:10:00.004+02:00

...the shoes! These are just some of the things for which Italy is famous. Here are some highlights from the spring/summer 09 collection of Gianvito Rossi.

The dizzying height comes with patent leather and python skin. A zipper at the back of the ankle gives this shoe a femme-fatale touch.

Platforms, a safe alternative for daytime, go exotic here.

Going from day to night becomes easy as the urban gladiator goes sleek and elegant.

Art of Concealment (cont'd)

2008-10-20T23:02:00.003+02:00

I said I would try and do a review on the Giorgio Armani high precision retouch concealer so here we go.

Here is the size compared with the La Prairie undereye treatment concealer. The tube is tiny and handy.

The applicator is a mini tip. I don't want to contaminate the product so I swap the stuff onto a little spatula and use it that way.
I swiped a bit onto a shiny surface. As you can see, it has full coverage. The texture is incredibly, incredibly soft and easy to manage. It goes on like butter.
Here is a photo of using the concealer around the highest part of my cheekbone, where my freckles are. I also used it along the bridge of my nose. The concealer is very luminous. It's also foolproof because you can just blend with your fingertips and it will look perfect, without using a brush.

Figaro!

2008-10-19T19:26:00.006+02:00

I'm a real nerd. I love classical literature, museums, concert halls, ballets, and of course La Scala. It was eight years ago when I first saw this legendary theatre. And being younger at that time, I thought it was the only "world" - hidden behind those doors - that mattered.

I've been needing a little pick-me-up, and a good opera was just the thing. So, after the gym today, I headed to the ticket office one hour before the show started.

I saw The Marriage of Figaro, and was lucky enough to be at the ninth row - very nice seat considering I got the ticket last minute.

I was glad to see that even children and grannies had a good time (hey, who doesn't like Mozart). The music, the performance, the set... The real world seemed like a cruel and ugly place after I got out of the theatre :-(

Just before summer, I had gone to La Scala for a very special event in collaboration with Montegrappa, the Italian fountain pen company. As part of the press, we saw La Traviata (Seventh row seat: the view was just as good here). The whole thing went from cocktails to the opera to the dinner. I finally got home at 2 a.m. It was a wonderful event.

Coming up: La Prairie Anti-aging liquid foundation review and FOTD.

Stressed Tresses

2008-10-18T17:39:00.004+02:00

Instead of a rainy autumn, Milan is stuffy and humid, somewhere between warm and cool. My hair hates this kind of weather. Neither my Cowshed nor Klorane shampoo works anymore so I went in search of a new shampoo. Having heard so many good things about Phyto, the choice was an easy one.

This comes in a very modest packaging. The shampoo bottle itself is an unattractive metal bottle. Photocédrat is the name. This is supposed to regulate the scalp's sebum secretion.

The cap twists off. The shampoo is suprisingly thin, like tea!

To avoid spilling (and I hate the bottle), I transferred some of the product to an easy Shu Uemura pump bottle. 1-2 pumps are enough for my long hair.

I tilted the bottle just so you see how incredibly thin the shampoo is. The colour is tea, the consistency is tea, the delicious aroma is sugared tea!

I've washed my hair with this twice since I bought this a few days ago. It foams a bit, and doesn't give much of a lather. It rinses off easily with no build-up whatsoever, leaving my hair clean, calm and renewed. It remains clean and manageable even after the second day.

Anyone who thinks they have oily hair should try this, because it regulates your scalp and set everything right again.

Burberry in the Hills

2008-10-16T22:40:00.004+02:00

While I try to prepare a proper review on the Armani concealer, I have to say that it's really wonderful. Two nights ago, I slept only a few hours. The next morning, I applied the stuff more liberally and the result was luminous. The shimmer was not visible, but what it did was illuminate the dull spots dramatically. I'll post a look with that later.

Meanwhile, this is for those of you in California.

Burberry re-opens in Beverly Hills as a brand new concept store created by Christopher Bailey himself. In this boutique of 7300 sq. feet, you will find Burberry Prorsum, Burberry London, Burberry accessories, ready-to-wear and much more. There is even a separate shoe room!

9560 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Tel: 1 800 284 8480

Art of Concealment

2008-10-14T21:38:00.008+02:00

I am still using my La Prairie eye treatment, which is like a liquid concealer packaged in a silver pen. You click and the product comes out at the tip. Great stuff. I've been using it every day since last winter and it still hasn't run out.

But I want more. More coverage, perhaps! And I want something that feels more luxurious.

Last weekend, I came across YSL Anti-cernes Multi-action Concealer. There are three shades and the lightest one works on my skin tone. The tube is small and skinny, very easy to handle. It provides full coverage, but it's absolutely matte. It's very cakey, so when applying, the skin has to be perfectly moisturised, and the product has to be blended very well otherwise it will just look dodgy.

At a major cosmetic boutique or counter, it's around 20 euro.

In the past, I've used Shu Uemura Pro Concealer, which comes in a mini-case. There was so much product I couldn't finish it. I threw it out after 10 months, being concerned with expiration. The coverage was good, but since it's a cream, it takes me longer to blend.

This retails for USD23 when I last checked.

So this is what I got last night: Giorgio Armani High Precision Retouch. The tube is so tiny and handy. It contains 4ml of liquid concealer. The top twists off, and there's a tiny tiny tip for precise application.

I went for the lightest shade. The coverage is medium and easily buildable to a full coverage. Today was the first time I tried using it.

I applied the product with my fingertip. It was easy to control. I had to be swift though, because it dried quite quickly. It had a very elegant pearlised finish without looking glittery. This can easily work as a highlighter!

In Italy, this is 28 euro for 4ml of product.

This is dermatologist- and ophthalmologist-test. I guess that's what convinced me in the end, because the YSL product did not say anything about the product being tested!

Monday Blues

2008-10-13T22:48:00.004+02:00

These are the worst photos I've taken! I use a professional camera, but recently it's been updated and I realised that it works quite differently! I'll figure it out somehow...

This weekend was very tiring for me, and today wasn't much better. Here's an attempt to dispel the blues.

On my cheeks, I used a completely matte pink, then topped it with an iridescent version, concentrating on the apple of the cheeks.

After applying black kohl, I used a white pencil around my eyes, and applied M.A.C. contour powder in Emphasize all over my lids. On my lips is NARS Masai, the most versatile shade I've ever had.

Faces

2008-10-12T13:08:00.011+02:00

An Italian model who came back from Fashion Week in New York told me that the handful of Asian models are very well-paid, because they are simply so hard to book. Here's a look at a few faces. Which one's your favourite?

Ai Tominaga getting her hair done at fall/winter 08 Couture Armani Privé.

Daul Kim, looking very bored backstage at Benjamin Cho's f/w 08 show.

Mo Wandan checks out her makeup backstage at Valentino.

Emma Pei with minimal makeup at s/s08 Dries Van Noten.

Hye Park at s/s 09 Max Mara.

Han Hye Jin, with dramatic purple lips at s/s 09 Zac Posen.

Blush Tutorial

2008-10-09T21:26:00.006+02:00

As autumn sets in, sometimes I need a little pick-me-up with a sun-kissed look. This can be achieved by applying blush in a particular way.

1. I usually do the rest of my makeup first.

No foundation. La Mer loose powder, M.A.C. and MUFE kohl pencils.

2. I'm using my Sephora contour brush and NARS Angelika blush.

I wiggle the blush on the product to get quite a lot of colour without making a mess.
3. If you want a glowy look, start from the apple of your cheeks.
4. Then I slowly drag it towards my ears.

5. I like this brush because it's dense and small enough for precise application without the product flying all over my face.
6. But if I want a sun-kissed look, I start from the bridge of my nose, being careful with my eyes here.
7. Lightly drag towards the apple of my cheeks.
8. Drag a "U" shape up towards my ears.
9. Repeat with more product if necessary.

10. I use the remaining colour left on the brush to go over my chin too. As you can see in this last photo, there is a band of colour across my face, mimicking a sun-burnt look.

The look is modern and fun. The trick with blush, as always, is use more. Otherwise, the effect is really lost. Hope you liked it!

Oops

2008-10-08T22:23:00.001+02:00

I seem to be having some connection problems so I will be a bit behind on reading your blogs.

Coming up: my 10-photo series of blush application.

Oh my Pashmy

2008-10-07T21:15:00.003+02:00

Du Juan seen carrying Tod's Pashmy bag in Beijing

Tod's, one of the (few) authentic Made-in-Italy brands, just seems to put out one hit after another. From the signature loafers to this Pashmy bag, Tod's seen on everybody.

I really don't mind the idea of a nylon bag. Whether it's a Longchamp or Tod's or Prada, high-tech nylon can be dressed up or dressed down. I'm always surprised at how good this simple Pashmy bag can look on certain people. From the elegant Du Juan to a random 50-something woman in Milan, this bag is a true crowd pleaser. Hats off to Tod's.

Strokes

2008-10-06T23:39:00.005+02:00

My makeup brushes are basic, mostly because I don't usually do complicated looks.

The Shu Uemura brush is 10 years old, literally my very first makeup brush! It's still absolutely beautiful.

Together with the M.A.C. angled brush and the Sephora eyeshadow brush, I can do all of my eye makeup with ease.
I use the Sephora #5 to apply my Shu Uemura foam UV base. It doesn't waste any product.
For contouring and blush, I'm using Sephora #40, though I am looking for a better brush. Any suggestions?

Clarins powder brush is great for loose or compact powder.

After every use, I draw the brushes across a tissue to remove excess product. At the end of the week, I wash all of them, and let them dry pointing down. I've had these brushes for years, and with care, I'm sure they will be good for a few more.

Pastels

2008-10-04T18:05:00.004+02:00

purple, grey, cyan, pink

A few days ago, I don't know what got to me, but I applied one colour after another. And then I realised that bright colours can work in harmony.
Here's how I applied the colours to my eyes:

Outer third of the eyelid: Madina matte grey
Middle third: M.A.C. Electra (silver)
Inner third: Madina iridescent purple
waterline: M.U.F.E. kohl in cyan on bottom, M.A.C. Phone Number on top

For the cheeks and lips, I applied a lighter pink colour.

Who doesn't like blushes?! To fulfill Purple Snowflake's request, I will try to do my very first tutorial on how to apply blushes for different effects.

Furrrr

2008-10-02T22:18:00.011+02:00

Furla, that is. Here is a preview the brand's spring/summer 09 collection, available in boutiques starting around February/March next year. Carmen
Artemide

Amaranto

Ninfea

Mimosa

Magnolia

Erika

My favourite's probably Erika just because it has a bit of a vintage look. Don't forget all of these bags come in different colours too!

Out and About

2008-10-01T22:16:00.003+02:00

From my company event last week

I finally got the photos from the company cocktail party last week. It was held in the middle of Fashion Week and the turnout was very good: 300 guests!

My Goodies (cont'd)

2008-09-27T17:56:00.009+02:00

So this is what I did with the Madina and M.A.C. colours mentioned in the previous entry. In the inner corner of my eyes, I used Madina's iridescent sheer pink (#33); in the middle section, M.A.C.'s Electra; then Madina's matte dark grey (#14) in the outer third of the lids.

Conveniently, I used one of the Madina eye colours as blush (#46). It's very matte, but once applied onto the skin, it looks like it's glowing from within.

Goof...

NARS Masai has become my official lipstick! On my lips it appears as a berry colour, and is sheer enough to go with anything.

My Goodies

2008-09-27T16:05:00.015+02:00

Excuse the bare face...

So these are the Max & Co. sunglasses I got for my birthday. They're over-sized, extremely comfortable and perfect for the winter sun.

My Madina Milano colours

Madina's eye colour selection is outstanding with literally hundreds to choose from. They have lots of matte colours, which I love.

I love those two matte grey ones (11, 14) because they go with anything, and are a great contrast to my dark hair and eyes.

The two matte orange and red on the right of the photo (46, 26) are beautiful. They're eye colours, but I use them as blushes. They're so pigmented and easy to apply with a contour brush. I've used them for a 12-hour day and the colour doesn't even budge.

The other two colours are iridescent (33, 34)! One is fuschia, the other purple. They're sheer so I plan to layer them on top of a matte colour just to give it extra dimension. Again, these can be used for the eyes or cheeks.

Here are the Madina and M.A.C. Pro tins

As you can see, the Madina ones are more than twice the size.

The wonderful M.A.C. colours pictured are:

taupe - Copperplate

yellow gold - Nylon (great for brow bone)

black - Typographic

pink beige - Blanc Type (great as a base)

silver - Electra

Classics

2008-09-26T18:59:00.007+02:00

Thank you for all the wonderful birthday wishes! I'm still full from the cake.

So why don't we start with my first entry on fashion news?

This amazing Valentino dress from the spring/summer 08 collection is a dream. Though the Italian master has retired (with a litter of pugs wherever he goes), I still have faith that we will continue to see beautiful designs from the historic fashion house.

I saw this in the Chanel shop window on Via Montenapoleone this week. I saw the satin version, but the lambskin one is pictured here. The fabric version looks younger, and is lighter in weight.
Ah, a good old Longchamp bag...comforting like a pair of slippers. Any size, any colour is the answer to an active girl who has to be in 10 places at the same time. I have a small one in purple for the office. It's modest enough not to worry about thieves, but just big enough for a book and a pair of sunglasses. And then a big one for the gym (pictured here).