Review: Kiss Me Sunkiller Baby Milk SPF38/PA+++

2010
03.08

Kiss Me Sunkiller Baby Milk SPF38 PA+++

From www.kissme.com.sg:
Contains SPF 38 PA+++;

Perfect for babies and for those with sensitive skin
Retains moisture on your skin

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/combo skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

Packaging:
Practical plastic tube with screw top and narrow opening. Easy to dispense right amount of product. Pleasant to travel with. And it’s pink! :P

Texture:
Typical Japanese sunscreen, which a lot of people enjoy. It’s a light, runny milk.

Sun Protection Level:
This sunscreen uses physical filters, so it is broad spectrum. But I heard some Micronized Zinc Oxide doesn’t cover the longest wave of UVA :(

Sunkiller Baby Milk SPF38/PA+++ Protection Spectrum

Still okay for activities behind windows, I guess. Or occasional uses. It has PA+++, which in Japanese standard indicates maximum UVA protection; but it only translates to PPD 8+. Generally speaking it’s as low as I’m willing to go.

My General Review:
This is my newest baby :P Read the review and ingredient list online and immediately ordered it after. How often is it that you find a Japanese sunscreen with mineral filters, is fragrance-free, alcohol-free and paraben-free, have PA+++ and matte? To top it off, as a drugstore product, the price is quite good!

So I have high expectations with this suncreen and it answers it nonchalantly. This product is the most oil controlling sunscreen I’ve ever tried. Yes, more oil controlling than UNT UV Ultra SPF50/PA+++. There’s a friend with dry skin who reported that this sunscreen seems to dry out her skin even more. And it’s rather matte. Never in life, before I stumbled upon this stuff, that I claimed a sunscreen to be matte. But this is the case here. The most non-shiny sunscreen I’ve ever found too.

The finish is slightly sticky, but it’s negligible. I can get away without powdering it, so it’s perfect for lazy weekends at home. For weekdays, I usually put on heavier, more protecting sunscreen before I go out. But some mornings I’m just too strung out, I put this on instead. It has SPF38 so I reckon it should provide adequate UVB protection, and the PA+++ may be acceptable since I basically just do my works indoor. I can directly top it off with loose powder, voila! Easy matte complexion.

I love that the mineral filters fills in my pores to make it look smoother, but please be informed that this sunscreen does leave white cast. It’s okay for me since I have light skin to begin with, but for you ladies with deeper skin tone, you may need to take it into consideration.

BTW, because this sunscreen is alcohol-less, it doesn’t absorb all that quickly. You’ll need to wait for a couple of minutes…but it’s no biggie for me.

The bigger issue I found is removing it….or so I think. The packaging is in Japanese so I don’t know its exact water-resistance power, but a reviewer in MakeupAlley has stated that this stuff is really stubborn. Initially it broke me out (I currently still use Biore Cleansing Oil), but now whenever I wear this I double-cleanse it with cleansing oil. Yes! I wash my face twice with cleansing oil just to make sure I’ve get everything off. And now it doesn’t break me out anymore.

Maybe it’s an indication that I need better cleansing oil? Oh well. But rest assured, friends who used Kose Softymo White Cleansing Oil or even MUJI Cleansing Oil can get it off with single washing only :) So there’s a probability that previously it was just my skin acting up.

What Else You Need To Know:
This sunscreen is silicone-based so if you’re avoiding silicone maybe this sunscreen is not your best option.

The ingredient list is interesting though. There are some beneficial element there, such as Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate as anti-irritant, and Scutellaria Baicalensis has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory effect on skin :)

Availability:
It’s not available locally in Indonesia, but I think  in Singapore it’s available in drugstores such as Watsons or Sasa. Anyway you can always order it online from adambeauty or Sasa :)

Price:
Another cool part of the product. I get it for around US$10 shipped. Not the cheapest sunscreen around for 30ml, but it’s lower than most other sunscreen anyway.

Ingredients:
Cyclomethicone, Water, Zinc Oxide, Butylene Glycol, Titanium Dioxide, Squalane, Triethylhexanoin, Peg-9 Dimethicone, Polymethylsilsesquioxane, Polymethyl Methacrylate, Dimethicone, Aluminum Hydroxide, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Tannic Acid, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Root Extract, Scutellaria Baicalensis Root Extract, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Oil, Rice Bran Sphingoglycolipid, Stearic Acid, Isostearic Acid, Dimethicone/Methicone Copolymer, Disteardimonium Hectorite, Disodium Edta, Nylon-12, Zirconium Dioxide, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Lecithin

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. Fluid, matte, non-oily (oil controlling instead!), fragrance-free, alcohol-free, paraben-free sunscreen, rather cheap too. Great choice for normal to oily skin. It has made its way to one of my favorites as weekend or occasional light weekdays sunscreen! Nice to keep it in my stash, useful when I’m just not in the mood to put on heavier concoction on my face.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

2010
03.08

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

From www.cetaphil.com:
As gentle as it gets.

Cetaphil® Gentle Skin Cleanser is great for daily makeup removal or as part of a skin care regimen to address the dryness caused by topical medications used in the treatment of acne, fine lines and wrinkles. Originally formulated for dermatologists, this cleanser is gentle on your skin and sensitive to your skin’s needs. Cetaphil® Gentle Skin Cleanser will not strip the skin of natural protective oils or emollients, or disturb the skin’s natural pH balance. It is fragrance-free and non-comedogenic, making it an excellent choice for daily facial cleansing.. Recommended for years by dermatologists, this facial cleanser is ideal for people with special skin conditions like acne, rosacea, or eczema because of its gentleness. Cetaphil® Gentle Skin Cleanser is gentle enough for children, teens and adults.

My Skin Type:
Actually very oily, but surpressed with BHA exfoliator. Results in generally ranging from very dry to normal/dry skin. Generally dehydrated, very sensitive, and acne prone.

Packaging:
Simple yet functional plastic bottle. But the cap of my bottle cracked during travel! D’uh…they should create a sturdier packaging, I think :(

Oh BTW depending on the size you buy, it came with a pump or just a plain blue cap :)

Texture:
Light liquid-gel. Easy to spread and massaged all over the face.

My General Review:
A popular no-frills water-soluble cleanser that has been around for a long time. At the moment it has spawned more than 3,500 reviews on MakeupAlley! It’s also recommended for normal/dry skin by Paula Begoun, whose products usually works great for me. Dear friend also told me it’s the most moisturizing cleanser she has ever used.

And so I tried it when my skin was dry to very dry. Bad decision! Instead of moisturizing, it dried the heck out of me after each wash. Oh well. Guess it was caused by my sensitivity to surfactants, such as Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES) used in this product. Traditionally, I can only use water-soluble cleansers when my skin is on the combo side.

Luckily, after loosening the acne medication for a bit, my skin did bounced back to normal/combo. Time to give Cetaphil a second chance, and right now I’m satisfied with it!

It’s truly a no-frills cleanser, perfect for morning use. You can wipe it off with gentle towel, but I prefer to wash it off with water. It doesn’t give squeaky clean feeling. Instead, it feels like there’s residue on skin after washing, maybe due to its emollient content? But it’s all well after I pat my skin dry with a towel. It’s not drying even in the long run. It doesn’t break me out either.

Some tried to use it as makeup remover, but I’m not sure about that. I only use it as my morning cleanser, and leave the hard work to my cleansing oils.

What Else You Need To Know:
Funnily enough, it’s much less drying to me than Paula’s Skin Recovery Cleanser, even though SR Cleanser uses coconut-derived surfactants that are supposed to be gentler on sensitive skin. Oh well.

Probably because SR Cleanser incorporates not just one, but several surfactants to ensure clean finish; and my skin can’t take it.

Application:
I gently massaged it into dry face with dry hands, and wash it off with water.

Availability:
It used to be available locally at Watsons Jakarta, but not anymore. I got it from Watsons Singapore.

Price:
Didn’t really remember. I think I got the smaller bottle (around 200ml) for around IDR70,000 (~US$7). And it’ll last me a long~ time; I think it’s a great value.

Ingredients:
Water, Cetyl Alcohol, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Stearyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Butylparaben.

Overall Rating:
5 out of 5. No-frills, non-irritating, non-drying cleanser on my normal/combo skin. Excellent choice for a fresh morning cleanser.

*This review will be cross posted in www.makeupalley.com under username Crescent_Shadow.

Review: Banila Co. Prime Primer Matte

2010
03.08

Banila Co Prime Primer Matte

I got samples of this primer….due to the glowing reviews I’ve heard everywhere and it does deliver. The texture is very silicone-y, which I love. If your skin is on a silicone-diet, then you should skip this. The texture is thick, almost velvety balm, yet it glides on very well. It gives very smooth, very velvety silicone-y finish. And it is matte! It controls oil great, it works well on my normal/combo skin. I’ve heard raves from oily skin gal pals too, so it should work for normal/combo to oily skin.

With the increasing popularity of Banila Co, you can now grab it on Ebay, or Gmarket, if you prefer to order directly from Korea. Price on Ebay is around US$25-27 for the 30ml bottle, not that bad for a high end quality product, I think.

To sum it up, if you have normal to oily skin and want highly silicone-y, velvety smooth primer with oil controlling properties, Banila Co. Prime Primer Matte is one of the best option I’ve come across. I love this better than some other high silicone primer like Monistat, as Banila Matte seems to give silkiest feel :) Too bad about the fragrance….with my sensitive skin I’m trying to use it not too often to avoid any possible irritation.

The other downside is, it’s only available in Transparent color only….so if you’re looking for color correcting primer, this doesn’t fit the bill.

ETA:

Readers kindly pointed out that there’s a color correcting version of Banila Co. Prime Primer as well, so I should look into it next time! :)

My Eyelash Experiment!

2010
03.08

Hey there,

Ok, so you may or may not have gathered that i am just a tad obsessed with eyelashes and mascara, but i really hate how wearing lots of mascara weakens and shortens your eyelashes.

So, i’ve decided to test two methods/products to help keep my lashes long and at their best.

1. Vaseline – This is a well known tip (apply a small amount of vaseline to your eyelashes every night). It is even used by people such as Nicola Roberts.

2. Lorea’l Renewal Lash Serum – Retailing at £10.99 it’s the 1st product easily available to anyone designed to basically renew your lashes from the likes of mascara etc..

Every night i’m going to put one on each eye and after two weeks i’m going to compare the difference it’s made and which is better – Traditional or new?

Have your say – just leave a comment below this post…

Subscribe for more reviews, tips and tricks of the trade!

Charlotte

xxxxxxx

Spring Nails Update.

2010
03.08

Hey there,

This is going to be a quick post/notification of new spring collections (a la nail varnish)!

These are the new essie ones (my favourite), and they cost around £9 a bottle. They are available off ebay, asos, liberty’s and selfridges. Click here for the official site.

And here is the new O.P.I. spring range…

Below, there’s a special collection – ‘Alice in Wonderland’ is inspired by Tim Burton’s new film – these sell for £9-£10, and they’re a pain to find, so i would recommend buying them online. Click here to look at a UK authorised opi retailer…

And here are the chanel ones…£13 a bottle…i’d recommend scavenging on ebay…

So, the main colours this spring are nude, pretty, and soft (apart from O.P.I’s extra collection!) I’d recommend starting afresh this season with a lovely new nail polish – maybe you can buy one per season and build up a collection yourself (this is what i’m currently doing). My pick is Essie’s ‘Lilacism’ (the second one to the right on the first picture).

Remember to apply a base and top coat with any nail polish, but most importantly, have fun with the colours!

If you have any feedback, feel free to comment below.

Subscribe for more reviews, tips and tricks of the trade.

Tamara

xxxxxx

Companies I Avoid

2010
03.08

I’ve been debating making this post for a little while, but my need to be upfront about why I do not support particular companies won out.

  1. Archetype Cosmetics: While people rave that Archetype’s eyeshadows are amazing, the company is known for having the worst customer service in indie makeup. You’re lucky if you receive your order within a month; typically people wait about 3 months to receive their order, but I have heard of it taking even longer. When you do receive your order, if you do actually receive it, often things are missing from it. Any efforts to contact Holly, the owner, are completely ignored, including PayPal disputes, unless you are able to hunt down the phone number to the antique mall she works at, in which case you might be able to get ahold of her.

  2. Evil Shades Cosmetics: My first order was missing something. I contacted Andrea, the owner, about the problem and she assured me I would get the missing item with my next order. My next order arrived, and once again it was missing something. Both were small orders, and both orders I placed with the company being messed up is enough for me to not go back. Please see my review here.

  3. Lime Crime: Every single one of her eyeshadows has been matched to a TKB mica with the exception of Lime Criminal, which matches a 50/50 blend of Lemon Drop and Green Apple Pop! micas. She denies all claims of being a repacker, and has accused TKB of copying her. Denying it is one thing, but accusing a long-standing a well-known mineral makeup supply company of copying you, when they’ve sold the colors for years longer than your company has even been around? That’s just silly.

    Doe Deere/Xenia/Limey has also been known for harassing people who say anything negative about her company or products, including, but not limited to, making bogus legal threats in order to force bloggers to remove their reviews, one of the more well-known recepients of such being Grey of LeGothique.com.

  4. Morgana Minerals: If someone posts a less-than-stellar review of your company or products, the professional thing to do is to contact them privately to discuss their concerns, or leave a comment with your contact info, inviting them to contact you. Completely inappropriate? Making an angry-sounding public comment chewing the person out and embarrassing them.

  5. Pure Luxe: Last year, the Mineral Makeup Mutiny made a blog post about how TKB’s Pop! collection tends to get repacked pretty often by mineral makeup companies. In that post, Pure Luxe’s Bubblegum Ballz collection photo was used. No identifying information was included, so you would have to know it belonged to Pure Luxe already to know that’s where the photo came from.

    Christina, the owner of Pure Luxe, wanted the image removed, so instead of contacting the Mutiny privately, she made a very nasty and very public comment that contained bogus legal threats. The image was removed, but in all of the drama, Christina never denied being a repacker. Just as well, because the Bubblegum Ballz are not the only thing she appears to repack. Please see my post here.

  6. Sweet Libertine Cosmetics: Grey posted an honest review of the company, and the owner didn’t take it well; she ran her mouth on Twitter and caused a bunch of the company’s fans to harrass Grey, mostly anonymously.

  7. Taylor Made: I have made probable matches between most of their eyeshadow line and TKB micas and pigments. Anything I am able to get my hands on usually gets confirmed as a dupe once I swatch it. In spite of this, Taylor continues to claim her company is not a repacker. Please see my posts here and here.

  8. TheSheSpace/About Face: Heather’s customer service has apparently completely gone to pot, especially since she announced she would be closing in order to do a new project. More and more people seem to be having problems with their orders, with pigments missing, full-size pigments being replaced with sample sizes, et cetera. Emails about problems are ignored, PMs on her forums are disabled, and so when someone resorts to trying to post in a contact thread that Heather specifically set up so that people could get ahold of her, she chews them out for doing so, and lets a group of her die-hard “Heather can do no wrong” fans call the person a troll (I wish I were kidding, but I’ve seen it myself). She claims emails have been working perfectly, and then she makes announcements saying emails are fixed, contradicting her earlier claim that they were working fine. She “plays dumb” when people do finally get ahold of her for order problems, and her solution is to PayPal a couple dollars, letting PayPal take their fees of course, instead of actually trying to satisfy the customer.

    Not only that, but I’m hearing stories of other people getting duplicate colors. If you recall my review (here), Heather blamed one of her employees for puting the wrong pigment in the bag. Now the theory is that she actually recycles colors in the limited edition collections. Clearance prices or not, ordering from her is not worth the hassle.

Filed under: Repackaging, Review Tagged: About Face, Archetype Cosmetics, Evil Shades, Lime Crime, Morgana Minerals, Pure Luxe, Repackaging, repacker, Review, Sweet Libertine, Taylor Made, TheSheSpace

Review: Hi-Fi Cosmetics

2010
03.08

Before Ordering: I had been hearing about Hi-Fi for months, and chewed on ordering for awhile. It took me some time to narrow down my order to boot.

What I Ordered: Samples of Boom Shaka Laka, Chicago, Crazy Little Thing, Deck the Halls, Distortion, Don’t Forget the Violence, Forsaken, Grinch, Rising Tide, and Teen Spirit eyeshadows, and a full-size jar of Hope.

Shipping Time: I placed my order on January 19th and received it on February 16th. From what I have read this is not a normal timeframe for Hi-Fi at all, but Veronica, the owner, updated her blog with the circumstances. The delay in shipping on this order would not keep me from ordering again.

Packaging: My order arrived in a paper mailer. Opening it up, I found the sample baggies I ordered inside one ziplock baggie, and some free samples along with a business card inside another ziplock baggie. A copy of the invoice, complete with check marks made next to my items, as well as a promotional magnet, a magnetic calendar, and a postcard with a discount code were included.

Hope was inside its own little ziplock baggie then placed inside a small organza bag, along with a pink ribbon pin made by Veronica. To clarify, Hope is a special edition color that raises money for the Keep-A-Breast Foundation and is advertised as being paired with a pin, but I wasn’t expecting it to be packaged in the organza bag, which I thought was cute.

My free samples were Buttercup, Five O’Clock, and In Bloom eyeshadows, and a little flip-top of Got the Life Lip Glaze (also inside its own little ziplock baggie).

Ingredients: Ingredients are not listed on sample baggies, but there is a “may contain” list on the bottom of full-size jars. Even better, the stickers are shiny and seem like they’re water-resistant, reducing the risk of turning the list into a wet ink blur when you set the jar down on the bathroom counter.

Ingredients are also listed as may contains within Hi-Fi’s Etsy shop, but I have heard Veronica responds to emails pretty promptly and I believe asking for specific color help should not be an issue.

The Product:

Hi-Fi Cosmetics (natural light)

Hi-Fi Cosmetics (artificial light)

Hi-Fi Cosmetics (moderate flash)

While the colors I chose are not the most complex, they are gorgeous. I kept saying “wow” as I swatched them – just look at how bright they are! Teen Spirit is unlike any color I have, the closest being Fyrinnae’s Digital Faerie, but the two are completely different! No, I cannot stop using exclamation marks!

Eyeshadow samples are 1/4 tsp, and they look like it, too, in comparison to other samples. Full-size jars are standard 5g square-side jars, packed full with a sifter.

Customer Service: I had no need to contact Veronica personally, as she posted multiple status updates on her blog and so I was not too concerned with the whereabouts of my order. Again, I have heard that she responds to emails promptly and politely, though.

Final Thoughts:

  • Was I happy with my purchase? Yes!
  • Would I order from Hi-FI again? Definately.
  • Rating? 5 out of 5 stars.

Filed under: Review, Swatches Tagged: haul, Hi-Fi Cosmetics, Review, Swatches

Osaka (02/22/10)

2010
03.08

Back in December of last year, this image appeared on my tumblr dashboard.

Osaka2 013

My immediate response? I decided I wanted to do an eyeshadow look based on it. Being that the image came my way via Miss K of Aromaleigh, it’s only flitting that I created the look with Aromaleigh eyeshadows.

Osaka (02/22/10)

Osaka (02/22/10)

Base: Too Faced Shadow Insurance
Primer: Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy on lid, over TFSI
Inner 1/3 of lid and lower lashline: Aromaleigh Pure Eyes Frost in Dandelion (applied dry)
Middle 1/3 of lid: Aromaleigh Rocks! in Dominion (applied dry)
Outer 1/3 of lid, wing, outer 2/3 of lower lashline: Aromaleigh Holiday Blast 2008 in Not So Silent Night (applied dry)
Browbone: Aromaleigh L’Orchidee in Seed Pearl
Top lashline, bottom waterline: MAC Powerpoint pencil in Engraved (applied before eyeshadow)
Top lashline: Laura Mercier Caviar Eye Liner in black to fill lashline
Mascara: CoverGirl LashBlast Volume in Very Black
Brow: Meow Cosmetics BrowBeater in Auburn

Just for fun, I added a light application of Aromaleigh Rocks! lip color in Notorious – I don’t know why I’m so afraid of lipcolor!

Filed under: Eye of the Day Tagged: Aromaleigh, EOTD, Eye of the Day, Fyrinnae, Pixie Epoxy

Review: e.l.f. Studio brushes

2010
03.08

Before Purchase: I had looked at e.l.f. before, but it wasn’t until I read a post by Janet at My Naked Face that I realized they have a pretty nice-looking brush line. I checked the site, and, just my luck, they had a buy one, get one half off coupon code for the weekend.

Price: The Studio line brushes are sold on the website for $3 each (or $5-$8 for the kabuki brushes), but with the coupon code I saved $4.50 on 6 brushes. Even without the coupon code, this is significantly cheaper than brush lines at many other retailers.

Shipping Time: I placed my order on February 13th, received a shipping notice with tracking number on February 18th, and received the actual package on February 25th. A little longer than I would like, but not unreasonable.

Packaging: Each brush was packaged inside a plastic pouch; as I understand it, e.l.f. products can be found at some brick and mortar stores, so this was not surprising. They were placed inside a plastic drawstring bag and sent to me via bubble mailer with a copy of the invoice.

Ingredients: The Studio line brushes are all takalon, a synthetic fiber, with black-painted wood handles and metal ferrules. I chose to purchase brushes exclusively from the Studio line because they are synthetic.

The Product:

e.l.f. (02/13/10)

Small Angled Brush: the bristles are slightly longer than I expected, but otherwise the size is pretty close to MAC’s 208 brush. The 208 is my liner brush of choice, but I think this brush might be taking its spot.

Contour Brush: simply amazing for the crease! I’ve never cared much about my crease, for whatever reason, but this little round dome brush made it incredibly easy to add some shading. A definite keeper.

Fan Brush: I’ve been looking at fan brushes for quite some time, for using to dust off eyeshadow that may fall onto my cheeks during application. Search completed, this does exactly what I need it to do.

Powder Brush: I bought this flat-top brush for the purpose of testing against my kabuki with foundation application. I’m far too used to my kabuki, and all I managed to do was flick a lot of foundation right off of the brush and into the sink. I have a feeling this brush will be given to my sister, because I don’t wear blush, and really do not have use for it.

Concealer Brush: my previous concealer brush, an old mark. one, had taken a bit of a beating; the bristles somehow now form an actual angled tip! Since receiving my order, the e.l.f. brush is the only concealer brush I’ve used.

Small Precision Brush: I bought this little guy for eyeshadow application, wanting a smaller brush for use in the corners of my lids. Another definite keeper, and, in fact, I want to buy a couple more. This brush would also be great for concealer.

My two nitpicks:

  1. The fan brush’s bristles were kind of bent on both sides inside the package, which you can see in the above photo; they have a slight inward curve on the side sections. It bugs me, but does not hinder its use.
  2. The powder brush kept releasing black dye! I washed all brushes prior to use, and, washing the powder brush last, I noticed the suds were pretty obviously grey. I washed the brush two more times with the same result. I washed the brush again after using it, and I saw more dye come out than foundation. I don’t know what’s up with that!

Final Thoughts:

  • Was I happy with my purchase? Yes.
  • Would I purchase more of the e.l.f. Studio brushes? Yes.
  • Rating? 5 out of 5 stars.

Filed under: Product Review Tagged: e.l.f., haul, Review

Mail Call!

2010
03.08

Today’s mail – another TKB order. I think the number of times I have ordered from them now should be indication enough, do I still need to write that review? *laughs*

TKB orders can be bittersweet. Some of them are for personal fun, like my previous order, and some of them are for the support of honesty in the indie mineral makeup industry.

Bittersweet.

TKB Trading (02/25/10)

TKB Trading (02/25/10)

TKB Trading (02/25/10)

Filed under: Mail Call Tagged: haul, TKB Trading

Cute as hell

2010
03.08

Of course, I had to test a few of my new Essence items on Friday. I was too curious, honestly. As always it’s a colourful eye make up and as always I wore this in public. But believe me, noone wanted to burn me as a witch and noone laughed at me because he or [...]

Medium Thursday’s haul or Always the sun

2010
03.08

Hi lovelies! Yeah, finally I found some time to get back to business as usual. I’m happy to say that I’ve already posted the packages to the winners Andreia and Isa. I hope that both ladies will receive them very soon. As for me, I’m still busy but I wanted to meet my cousin who felt [...]

The winners of my blog-b-day giveaway

2010
03.08

Hello beautiful ladies! As promised I’m back again though I’m superduper tired today. But I don’t want to let you wait ages just because Madame Mylanqolia pretends to have a migraine. At first I’d like to thank you sooooo much for your amazing feedback on the haters issue. You are very precious ladies and I’m madly happy [...]

A note to my lovely readers

2010
03.08

Hiya lovelies! So sorry about the rant but I had to vent my feelings. But don’t worry, I’m still fine and I haven’t forgotten about the giveaway. So, I’ll announce the two winners tomorrow though I’d love to draw them now because I don’t think that someone new will enter. Yeah, I know that I [...]

A letter to my haters

2010
03.08

Dear representatives of the species hater or misantropist,
I know that it’s hard to get familiar with my eye make up creations. They are either bizarre or too loud. Actually, it’s a matter of taste if you love or hate them. I don’t expect all people to enjoy them. No way! What a surprise!I’m still realistic. This [...]

Stress…moods…and smells…

2010
03.08

Hello Divas,

These past few weeks have not been the greatest in my life…feeling moddy, stressed…etc. But what I found amazing and wanted to write about (despite my moodiness) is how smelling certain odors can make you feel better…(or worst). I have been burning a lavender aromatherapy candle oil by TISSERAND that automatically makes me feel more calm and better. I don’t know if it is the aromatherapy thing or the odor but it really leaves a stress relieving smell in a room that is worth a million…Now I have no clue where you can get it in US as it was a gift bought in Dubai but I would suggest you try bath and body works aromatherapy oils. The aromatherapy gels and lotions are also fabulous at bath and body works.


Another thing is perfume. I have at least a dozen of bottles of perfumes but mostly use the same ones…Coco Mademoiselle being my favorite. But lately, with all my mood swings, it takes me a second each morning to think about how I wanna smell…(I don’t know if I you will find me weird…lol). Here are a few good ones that you can try that I like:

  • FLOWER BOMB by Victor Rolf
  • MAGNETISM by ESCADA
  • VERA WANG by VERA WANG
  • LOLA by MARC JACOBS
  • 1881 by CERRUTI
  • DIOR CHERIE by CD
  • LOLITA LEMPIKA

Coco Mademoiselle by CHANEL remains my signature scent though…

The lavender oil is burning in my room as I am writingthese last lines and it makes me feel like taking a good bath and goind to bed…

XoXo

eVaDiVa

PS: I realize that this post may make u think about reasons of moodiness and smelling odors but it is nothing like that…! lol

All Natural Skin Care Products – Are They Really All Natural?

2010
03.08

All natural skin care products – are they or are they not?  We were recently privileged to a question and answer session with a skin care advice expert, Dr. Teri Dourmashkin, who holds a PhD in health education from Columbia University.  We thought our readers would find her advice interesting and informative.  Here goes:

Question: Does all-natural skin care products really mean all-natural or do many people advertise as being all-natural when they’re really not?  Is there a government standard or is it up to the ethics of the seller?

Answer:  “This is a great question. Because there are currently no standards for what constitutes “all natural,” there are companies who do advertise their products as being “all natural” when in fact they may not be. Some companies may not specifically state “all natural” on their packaging, but may word things in such as way as to lead the consumer into believing that they are “all natural.” For example, a brand may use phrases such as “made with natural ingredients.” How many natural ingredients is the million dollar question. In one case, a product may only contain 2 natural extracts out of 50 or so ingredients. Technically, the labeling would not be false, but one could argue that it could be interpreted as misleading. There are some organizations that do set guidelines for what constitutes “all natural.” However, these are not enforceable agencies that can mandate what a company can or cannot say. According to some of these organizations, a product can be labeled “all natural,” if at least 95% of the ingredients come from natural sources. The other 5% may include synthetic ingredients but MAY NOT contain any artificial fragrance, petrochemicals or any ingredients known to be toxic. So, “all natural,” may not mean the same thing as “100% all natural.” In reality, a product that is 100% all natural may or may not be your safest bet, particularly if it is not properly preserved. All products containing water must be properly preserved to ward off mold and bacteria. So, in answering your question, there are no government standards (the FDA does not regulate what goes into cosmetics or skin care) that clearly address what constitutes “all natural.” At the moment, it is entirely up to the ethics of the manufacturer as to how they market their products.”

Stay tuned on Wednesday for another question and answer from Dr. Teri on the subject of combination skin care advice!

You can read more from Dr. Teri on her site at http://www.laviecelesteskincare.com/index.html.

Breast Health Tips: Enjoy That Cup of Coffee!

2010
03.08

Breast health is important to all of us and every morning I wrestle with whether I should have that wonderful, hot, sweet smelling cup of joy I call coffee. Well, feel guilty no more if you are like me, because Java and caffeine are chock-full of health and beauty benefits!

Health and Beauty Tip #1: Coffee is good for your brain! Those of us that are lifelong caffeine junkies may be less prone to develop Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases. Coffee actually contains antioxidants that may tamp down cell damage linked to Parkinson’s. The caffeine also blocks inflammation in the brain, which is associated with Alzheimer’s.

Health and Beauty Tip #2: Coffee is good for your smile! The caffeine in your coffee has antibacterial and anti-adhesive powers that may keep cavity-causing bacteria from eating your enamel. Drinking a cup daily has been shown to slash oral cancer risk by half, and compounds found in coffee may actually limit cancer cell growth and DNA damage.

Breast Health Tip: Premenopausal women who drink four cups of regular coffee per day experience a 38% reduction in their breast cancer risk, a study in The Journal of Nutrition finds. Coffee unleashes phytoestrogens and flavonoids that may stifle tumor growth. So drink up!

Skin Care Tip: Drinking two to five cups of regular coffee daily may help lower your risk for non-melanoma skin cancer by up to 17%. Caffeine may actually spur skin to kill precancerous cells, and it also inhibits tumor growth.

Our lesson for today ladies is to do your own research to find which of your vices helps or hinders your health and beauty, skin care, and breast health concerns. You just may be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Related Articles:

Can Vitamin D Support Breast Health? Part I of III
Can Vitamin D Support Breast Health? Part II of III
Can Vitamin D Support Breast Health? Part III of III

Health and Beauty Tips: Antioxidant Foods!

2010
03.08

Health and beauty tips always start with what we eat.  I’ve always been one to multi-task wherever possible which is why I love including foods rich in antioxidants into my diet. It’s the best health and beauty tip out there! Including these nutritious little gems can help prevent heart disease and cancer, reduce blood pressure, and slow the effects of aging.

Health and Beauty Tip #1: Include blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries in your diet. They are rich in antioxidants and can help prevent cancer and heart disease.

Health and Beauty Tip #2: Add tomatoes to your salad on a regular basis. These little gems contain the antioxidant glutathione, which helps boost your immune system.

Health and Beauty Tip #3: Eat your broccoli and other vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. These vegetables contain a compound called indole-3-carbinol, a potent antioxidant that breaks down estrogen in the body and can reduce the risk of breast cancer and other estrogen-sensitive cancers, like ovarian and cervical cancer.

Health and Beauty Tip #4: Enjoy a glass of red wine at dinner. Red Grapes contain resveratrol and quercetin, potent antioxidants that boost heart health by acting as free-radical scavengers, reducing platelet aggregation and helping blood vessels remain open and flexible.  Resveratrol can also protect against cancer and reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases, gastric ulcers, stroke, and even osteoporosis.

Health and  Beauty Tip #5: Drink a cup of tea, green or otherwise. The antioxidants found in tea have been shown to significantly reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other diseases.

Health and Beauty Tip #6: Carrots are good for more than just your eyes. They are loaded with a potent antioxidant called beta-carotene. Also found in beets, sweet potatoes and other yellow-orange vegetables, beta-carotene provides protection against lung, bladder, breast, esophageal and stomach cancers; heart disease, and the progression of arthritis by as much as 70 percent.

So, the next time your mom or grandma tell you to eat your fruits and vegetables, remember they may be on to something. Including the right blend of foods and antioxidants in your diet can be the best health and beauty tip you can get.

Related Articles:
Beautiful Skin Starts From the Inside Nutritional Secrets Everyone Should Know! Part I
Beautiful Skin Starts From the Inside Nutritional Secrets Everyone Should Know! Part II
Beautiful Skin Starts From the Inside Nutritional Secrets Everyone Should Know! Part III

Health and Beauty Tips For Busy Moms!

2010
03.08

Health and beauty tips are something all of us can use.  Here are some designed especially for the busy mom.

If you are a mom, chances are you are also a busy mom. At the end of the day, it is often hard to remember what you did during the day to care for yourself, body and soul…..If you follow the following health and beauty tips everyday it will help you keep yourself in tip top shape to do all of the things you want to do.

Read the entire article!


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