when i love something, i have to know where it came from, how it came about and what caused its existence. yes, i am a nerd, now bully me in the playground during recess if you can.
everybody who knows me well knows i can’t go out sans mascara. so it is but natural to look up its history. do read on because this involves how maybelline started and how max factor revolutionized makeup. it also has ancient spirits and crocodile dung… yes, that’s what i said. you decide whether this last one is fact or fallacy.
elizabeth taylor as cleopatra
Read the rest of this entry »
here i am again in search of the best shampoo and conditioner in town! and my latest find comes from the purist company of australia.
started in 1987, the purist company’s hair care range made from all natural ingredients have been around long before organic hair products were all the rage. in 1998, the body and skin care range was added to their growing family.
… bob hairstyle, that is.
i’ve been contemplating on shearing my hair short because i’ve just been too lazy on the upkeep. as i looked around online for short hairstyles, i saw an interesting piece on the history of the bob. and how tough a time did the bob go through in history? according to the article: Preachers warned parishioners that “a bobbed woman is a disgraced woman.â€Â Men divorced their wives over bobbed hair.
first there was daisy…
i have always loved marc jacobs’ daisy. i have very predictable taste in fragrance and daisy is something my friends have figured i would love from the start.
launched in 2007, daisy was the subject of a widespread marketing campaign that drew a wave of mj fans and fragrance junkies to the counters to see what all the fuss was about. the first line of business, as it happened, was to see if the bottle was indeed as pretty in reality as it was on the ads. given how ads typically exaggerate the qualities of a product, the bottle is, surprisingly, just as pretty when you see it with your own eyes. what i do find strange is that it is called “daisy” when daisies don’t smell anything like it. daisies smell like nothing at all, as a matter of fact, fragrance-free like plastic. i guess it’s the thought of daisies they want to evoke. buttery blooms that dot rolling meadows on a bright, sunny day. and that’s just the feeling you get when you wear it.
though i am way past the target market of late teens-early twenties, the bracket doesn’t stop me from appreciating its youthfulness. it’s sweet but not cloying, it has a translucent nature to it that does not overpower your senses. it is fresh and quite bubbly, comfortable enough for all day, everyday wear. it has nothing to thrill anyone about, nothing specifically different, to the point of perhaps being unoriginal, but i guess that’s also why i am drawn to it. i have never been extremely daring with my fragrance choices, sticking mostly to smells that wouldn’t put anyone off even if i know it is unlikely that someone will single me out with a compliment. daisy, to me, simply has stability to it. it’s something that won’t let me down. as it turns out though, people still do tell me i smell nice despite its lack of uniqueness. it is just too pleasant to ignore. i’d say it has the same merits as dolce & gabbana light blue. that is, you’d probably smell similar to many other women but it doesn’t bother you because it’s just too nice. it’s like the perfume equivalent of a very refreshing soda drink: very effervescent and attractive, but not alluringly sexy and serious like champagne. it’s good as a first designer fragrance for young girls as well as a reliable staple for an old-timer like me. i could imagine giving the fragrance to my daughter when she comes of age and i could imagine myself using it during retirement. that’s how universally appealing it is.
i got a bottle of it as a christmas present last month. eau de toilette comes in 50ml and 100ml. there was also a limited edition edp, a variant i would have preferred since edt doesn’t last too long, but we missed the very last stock here by a day or two. i like the edt bottle better though, it’s a throwback into the 70′s flower power which i like. i don’t find black and gold fitting for its sunny vibe. not even the exclusive silver one.
at any rate, daisy edt did rake in most of the fragrance awards in 2008. i guess even the award-giving bodies were smitten by the bottle.
from sephora: Enter the world of Daisy: fresh and feminine with a playful innocence. At the heart of Daisy is a floral with vintage edge: violet. Sophisticated, with a touch of whimsy, violet captures the eclectic, vintage flavor of Marc Jacobs’ feminine, edgy designs.
then came lola…
right, i am a sap for delectable ads. that’s why i trooped to the department store as soon as i saw lola in the papers last year.
why, of course the bottle looks bizarrely over-the-top, that’s the whole point! what is marc jacobs if not a fire-starter? like daisy, lola in person does justice to its photos, from the voluminous vinyl petals to the gold rope detail. the moment i saw it, i wanted to get it for the very superficial reason that it would look fantastic on our antique dresser. since the whole idea isn’t the visual appeal, i tried to maintain a more or less unaffected perspective when i zoned in to smell the perfume.
marketed as daisy’s “slightly vampy older sister”, one doesn’t have to be a fragrance connoisseur to tell that it is indeed what it positions itself to be. i should say that since i am more into the fresh, clean scents, i was a little whacked taking a sniff off the bat. but the initial power doesn’t drench you as it mellows into its sweetness. it is darker and headier than daisy, its musk and vanilla notes more pronounced. the depth makes it perfect for more formal occasions, though i wouldn’t discount it from everyday wear — if you are in a more temperate climate or if you work daily in a centralized environment. where i live, tropical fiji, i couldn’t think of any daytime outdoor occasion i am to attend for which this may be appropriate. maybe the melbourne cup or a garden wedding in a renaissance mansion, but i am only wishing these would happen to me. on the other hand, i would love to wear such a scent to the resorts or the port when we go there for cocktails or dinner. it is sensually whimsical, as exquisite as the drinks they serve with a lot of pomp (like the bottle!). it is definitely a very contemporary fragrance for evening and i could foresee this sell almost as much as its little sister, daisy.
from sephora: The long-lasting, day-and-night scent opens with pink peppercorn, pear, and ruby red grapefruit. Blooming midnotes of rose, fuschia peony, and geranium make a feminine statement. Layers of vanilla, warm tonka bean, and creamy musk create a sensous drydown.
yes, i’m still at it. it’s a new decade, but i still have my old obsessions. the maddening search for the best volumizing hair product. i’ve tried everything from gugo to rogaine. while each product in this spectrum have certain advantages, no one product has singularly nailed it for me (e.g., gugo is great, but it’s messy. rogaine worked when i needed hair regrowth bouncing back from an illness, but once i had all my healthy hair back, it did nothing for volume).
pussycat dolls on each other's hair... in a good way.
hair thickening product is my holy grail.
so i scoured the wonderful world of the wide web for the best volumizing products on the e-market. and i found some very promising… well, promises.
the best thing about modern volumizing products? they don’t only create the illusion of thick hair, they actually increase the diameter of each hair strand. or at least they claim so…
jf lazartigue hair volume tonique
jean-francois lazartigue is a leading hair treatment professional in france. having created numerous innovative products that combine beauty and science, his brand sounds like something a doctor prescribes that a beautician’s advice. which i like a lot.
product claims: Hair Volume Tonic hardens and increases the diameter of each hair as it dries by coating it with a clear film… * Synthetic resin protects and gives body and resilience * Cystein gel reinforces the keratin chain (the backbone of the hair) * Chitin, a protective and antistatic agent extracted from seas shells, acts as a substitute for natural keratin * Light silicone oil gives shine and makes untangling easier.
visit j.f. lazartigue.
nick chavez plump n’ thick leave-in thickening creme
i am not a fan of leave-in creme formula. they tend to get greasy, make your scalp feel humid and weigh hair down like a bunch of bricks, but this seems like a wonderful exception. from beverly hills hairstylist to the stars, nick chavez. he introduced a line of volumizing hair treatments called “plump n’ thick”, a brand name that sounds so fleshy and juicy, you want to bite into it.
product claims: Nick Chavez’ Leave-In Thickening Creme Conditioner is a truly unique conditioner for all hair types that maximizes your hair’s body and fullness creating richer, thicker, fatter hair. Special thickening agents have been added to super hydrate and expand the cuticle.
visit nick chavez.
phytovolume actif maximizing volume spray
phyto brand from paris has been a long-time celeb favorite, phytovolume actif being one of the best-loved. its founder, patrick ales, was hairstylist to such classic beauties as jacqueline kennedy and catherine deneuve. today, his hair products pride themselves in using only the most effective natural ingredients that help maintain the health of hair.
product claims: Volumizer Spray with Keratin amino acids. Phytovolume Actif coats the hair and helps increase the diameter of each strand, thus giving the hair overall extra body. It also helps hold your hair style.
visit phyto.
jonathan product create volume thickening foam
i am partial to joanathan product because a) i used to watch blow-out and i think he’s a great salon manager and b) jonathan antin is robin antin’s brother which consequently got him involved in the styling of the pussycat dolls. and don’t they all have smoking hot, thick and bouncy hair? see photo above.
product claims: Create Volume uses a rich sugar foam to boost volume while lemongrass essential water adds shine and provides antioxidant protection. Sweet almond protein encourages strength and health, botanical extracts nourish, thermal and UV filters prevent damage and color loss and anti-humectant technology ensures gorgeous style in any weather.
visit jonathan product.
with the technology now in haircare, bad hair days ought to be a thing of the past. that is, if we could get our hands on these products…
when in last night’s miss south pacific interview portion, one of my favorite candidates, tonga’s paea williams, said that her best make-up advice to ladies is “waterproof mascara”, i knew she was my kind of beauty queen. and you have to trust her on that: she is a make-up artist by profession in hawaii.
my friends all know i never leave the house without mascara. it’s my thing. while most pinays and, as i found out here, fijians never miss swiping on lip color, i frequently go bare-lipped but perfectly fine as long as my lashes are covered.
with that, off i went to one of my most-trusted make-up sites, total beauty, to see what they think are the best waterproof mascaras in the market today. and i was happy to see a good mix of drugstore, bridge and luxury brands in their list of 12 best waterproof mascaras:
12. tarte lights, camera, splashes, $18
11. avon wash-off waterproof, $6.50
10. dior diorshow, $24
9. bare escentuals weather everything, $15
8. l’oreal voluminous, $6.99
7. chanel inimitable multidimensionnel, $30
6. maybelline full ‘n soft, $6.44
5. covergirl professional all-in-one, $4.79
4. yves saint laurent mascara aquaresistant, $28.50
3. lancome definicils, $24
2. max factor stretch and separate, $6.19
1. bourjois pump up the volume, $14
a good waterproof mascara doesn’t flake, stays put the whole day, won’t give you raccoon eyes. best for tropical climates because it withstands heat and sweat, you can even take a dip and it doesn’t run on you. if you’re attending a wedding where you expect hours of tears, dancing and general partying, your waterproof mascara will not ruin your face in photos.
so how do you remove it? waterproof make-up used to only respond well to oil or chemical make-up removers. but thanks to science, now waterproof mascara can be removed with ordinary soap and water. isn’t technology swell?
i wrote an entry about visiting the pure fiji factory and mentioned how they have a sale event every saturday morning.
here’s the loot we scored from one morning spree:
5 bottles of hydrating body lotion (for gifts), 2 kits of reniu bath products, 8 bars of spa soap, 1 bottle face & body foam cleanser, and 1 jar sugar rub. all for just fjd150.00.
spa soap
we bought the spa soap at only fjd1.00 each, though obviously they are not packaged in the same attractive way the retail soaps are. we got the mango and the white gingerlily infusions.
first off, i was surprised that the soap lathers quickly and more thickly than most commercial soaps since i have always found oil-based bath products to lack luxurious bubble power. the soap is creamy on the skin and glides easily, much like vco soaps, though this one is not at all slippery. like most soft soaps, the bottom tends to get mushy on the dish if left inadvertently with puddles of water.
if you are not fond of shower fragrances, you might find the scent quite overpowering. while i am a fragrance junkie, i try to minimize the use of this soap on my face for the simple reason that i am allergic to strong bath smells. but if you don’t have allergic rhinitis like me, the scent should not pose any problem to you.
another surprising feature of this product is the way it dries my skin, though in the first place i do have dry, scaly skin by nature. nevertheless, other coconut cream and vco soaps i’ve tried before actually leave my skin soft and hydrated, thus my surprise. in any case, such a property should prove advantageous to oily or even normal skin types, as this provides a taut sensation especially on the face, as if you got a face-lift or something.
overall, it gives me the feeling of being invigorated. it’s one of the soaps that make me feel extra clean after shower (note: some soaps don’t make me feel too clean at all. either i can sense residue or as if not all the gunk were removed). i love using the soap especially after work-out or when i need some waking up in the morning.
face and body foam cleanser
this cleanser is one of the newest products in their bath and body line. it comes in a pump bottle and dispenses into foam (duh).
like the spa soap, the first disadvantage for me is the strong scent. other than that, the foam is just fine. i have used it on my face a few times, i find it gentle enough on the skin, though, again, my rhinitis gets the best of me and i sneeze in a matter of seconds. for the rest of the body, i’m really enjoying it; it’s like slathering shaving cream all over yourself, only less thick. i do notice some drying effects, but that might just be me (like i said, my skin is overdry under normal circumstances).
all in all, also very refreshing and, if you like heady scents, quite energizing. we bought the passionflower infusion, and this fragrance lasts, giving you that bagong ligo sensation well into the day.
sugar rub
i was right all along. i just knew i would adore the sugar rub. especially the coconut milk and honey one. it’s made with raw honey, fresh sugar cane crystals and exotic oils. if merely reading the ingredients makes you feel indulgent, wait ’til you try it.
it comes in a jar and has a nifty little scoop is provided.
combining raw honey and fresh sugar crystals would make you think this would smell sickeningly sweet, but this does not at all smell anything like either. it smells coconut-milky and soapy at the same time, with various oils i can hardly recognize behind it. the liquid is slick, not thick like your breakfast-table honey. the granules are fine, definitely finer than the more popular salt scrubs. one heaping scoop of it should be enough to rub all over your body, but i usually apply two scoops. because i’m wastefully indulgent like that.
like all scrubs, it is meant to polish your skin, buff away dead surface cells and unclog your pores. it should provide a deep-clean feel, like your skin is renewed and rejuvenated. it certainly delivers its promise.
unlike many salt, mineral or natural fruit scrubs which i find quite abrasive (i have had minor injuries with those), this one is finer thus less scratchy upon application. and unlike many commercial exfoliating scrubs which i find too fine on the other hand, these crystals are just the right amount of coarse to give you that “smoothening” feel. the sensation is comparable to rubbing creamy sand on your skin, like getting into the sea then rubbing yourself with sand in panglao or maybe boracay (i write maybe because i haven’t been to boracay, so i can only surmise. people do say the sand there is as fine as sugar… sugar rub, sugar sand… i’m just establishing a connection). as you keep rubbing the product onto your skin, the crystals dissolve and the product starts to feel less silty. by this time, you can swear your skin is absorbing all those anti-oxidant properties.
after bath, you instantly feel as if your skin is much smoother and much softer, even on your elbows and knees. the first few times i used it, i can’t keep myself from stroking my hands and elbows, they were so supple. it leaves a fantastic scent that is noticeably clean, but it won’t take over your favorite cologne or perfume. in addition, your skin may feel intensely moisturized but not greasy. so even when i used this for a foot scrub, my feet neither slipped nor slid in my sandals (which is one of the things that annoy me most when i get a foot spa).
overall, one of my most favorite bath products today. they say one jar is good for 15-18 treatments. at the rate i use it, i’m going to run out of it very soon. which means i have to go back to the factory one of these saturdays and get a whole bunch of them.
i wrote about pure fiji bath and body in this entry and set up a contest in this one. i was introduced to the brand when i received bottles of body lotion as gifts before, and i became an avid user of their products when i got this welcome basket on my first night on the island.
i got a bottle of coconut milk and honey body lotion (the same one i gave away as prize before), plus this soap:
this body mist:
and the reniu shampoo and conditioner from the same company:
i got the opportunity to visit the factory some weeks ago. they open their doors to the public every saturday morning and hold a warehouse sale. unfortunately, we weren’t allowed to take photographs inside, so i had to content myself with a few before we entered the building.
if you are a tourist or if you intend to give some items as gifts, there’s a dhl booth ready to take your loot to where ever in the world you’d like them to end up.
ok, i did not completely abide by the rules because i was able to sneak a shot of the emmy basket. this is the stash given to the emmy nominees:
i wonder if jeremy piven or james spader ever used the body scrub?
product reviews later. i’m suddenly too wasted to write more. in the middle of writing this post, i just became an aunt, so my father-in-law bellowed to all of us to get our asses into the kitchen and suddenly there was scotch all around. plus bailey’s with french vanilla ice cream.
i have been in fiji for a sun-glorious six weeks now. and it shows in my skin color. i used to be fair, now i’m brown. i’m not going to describe my skintone in newfangled shades that make me sound like i’m a metal (like bronze or golden) because brown is exactly what i am. like a caramel brown (yes, i’d rather be described in dessert terms), that is, a kind of tan with the yellow undertones characteristic to most asians.
while back in manila, i admit, i was among the brainwashed denizens who took insufferable measures to keep their skin away from bright spots or those light beams that shoot from open cracks in the concrete skyline for fear of getting dark, i am now enjoying the tanning effects of the fiji sun.
i could use a fresh glow like vanessa hudgens'.
yesterday, we just received our long overdue freight of personal effects from manila. as i excitedly reunited with my cosmetics, i also came to realize that most of my make-up have now become the wrong shades for my new skin tone. the pale frosted pink lip glosses, latte and silver-gray eye shadows, and cotton candy blush have been rendered unflattering if worn by themselves or worn at all.
so i gathered some online data and went on some sample shopping to see which colors can now thrive in my tropical make-up kit.
face and cheeks
brown complexions do typically have deep honey undertones, a rich warm color, so shades like peach, praline, apricot or those with gold shimmer are best.
i am crazy about l'oreal blush delicieux. i use golden apricot (as shown) or sugar praline.
eyes
the best part about getting a tanned face is now gold and copper eye shadows are part of my neutral palette, not just shades i wear when going 70′s disco dancing.
estee lauder pure color eyeshadow in sun block.
many of my tried and true browns, like the cappuccinos and fawns, can still retain their places in my arsenal.
for times when playful shades are required, a strong navy blue or fatigue green seem the most frivolous yet sensible choices. it’s goodbye to my sky blues and apple greens. as for purples, extreme care should be observed in choosing, as the wrong purple can make me look as if i have a shiner. ouch.
i am loving ysl eyeshadow duo in pearly peach and mink brown.
lips
yay! this time, i have a wider range of oranges to choose from, in fact just about the entire spectrum looks great on brown skin: from peach to coral to red-orange.
i used to stay away from red lips, but now i can actually wear deep or fire-engine red without looking as if i’m off to my burlesque revue.
many of the balm's plump your pucker shades make great color for brown skin. i use cherry my cola (6th from right) or tutti my fruity (4th from right) just about everyday.
considering a tan yourself? don’t forget to run through your makeup along with your skin color change.
the trend: orange lip color
seen on the runway:
dries van noten
carolina herrera
proenza schouler
seen on celebs:
january jones
kate walsh
rosario dawson
how to wear orange lip color:
shop for:
mac morange
givenchy lip lip lip! kiss orange
max factor ms. right
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