November 2007

Jocasi Discount Month Is Wrapping Up

Just three more days! Both in November and in Jocasi Discount Month. (One and the same, they are.)

We think this might be the only one we haven’t already shown … so here it is. Lovely, lovely, we think. Also available in tan and black. Erm. Not much to add here, you know?

Boston Dagger bag, about $210, with discount code “bunnyshop,” about $189

Source: Jocasi Discount Month Is Wrapping Up

Grand Mineral Makeup Weekend in Manila!

The Grand Mineral Makeup Day in Manila held during the Bazaarnival in Greenmeadows was a huge success. Girls and boys who were interested in mineral makeup flocked to the airconditioned function room of the bazaar to inquire, have their free makeovers, get their lootbags, and do some mineral makeup shopping. I have never imagined so much people who are interested with mineral makeup!

Let me just say that this was the ultimate mineral makeup wonderland in the country for two days? Never have I seen so much mineral makeup. It was like the absolute heaven for mineral makeup addicts to see a great variety of mineral makeup, that they can see up close in one location! I was lost in the vast sea of color, loose powders, and makeup brushes. Ahh, the weekend that commenced made me depressed as I am now in the real world! It was a dream world!

Cristine and I represented Monave and Valerie Beauty as Beauty & Minerals during the Grand Mineral Makeup Weekend, and we got to meet new friends and people behind mineral makeup brands ( and took pictures, too! Haha! )

The most prepared booth, with impressive displays, Blusche! Here’s Monica’s super nice aunt!
Just beside our booth ( on the left ) was Canadian brand Blusche. Monica’s aunt and brother represented the brand for the occasion, and boy, Monica’s brother could sell mineral makeup! He also turned out to be Tin’s professor in college. Their stall was flocked , with their talented makeup artist, plus really affordable mineral makeup! I think they were having a sale during the occasion.

Beauty & Minerals Booth - so pink , huh!

The very beautiful Cristine who never fails to dazzle girls with her looks
Well, to show you our booth, ( for Monave and Valerie Beauty ), here it is! It’s soooo pink! We also have our Charm makeup brushes that are pink-handled brushes. We were able to do makeovers on girls,we offered full coverage mineral makeup, which can just hide any, and I mean any imperfection! We also brought Beth Bender’s Get in Line Stencil Kit ( the travel sized one ) and Blinc Kiss Me Mascara ( the best mascara on earth, in my opinion! )

Neri and Ivy for Jane Iredale Cosmetics and H\E Minerals
To our right, luxury brand Jane Iredale Cosmetics and H\E Minerals were present with its Philippine distributor. Ivy and Nerrie were there, and people swooned as they checked out the luxurious gold packaging, and testers for Jane Iredale. I’ve seen alot of people inquiring about their brand.

Elaine working it!

Bare Escentuals goodies. My oh my!
To the left of Jane Iredale was Elaine for Bare Escentuals. She was super friendly, brought a DVD player to show to the visitors the correct way to apply Bare Minerals, and even asked the visitors to check out all the mineral makeup booths. She’s so nice!

Mikabella eye candies. Mineral makeup love!

Sharing a booth with Bare Escentuals was Mikabella Mineral Cosmetics. They had really nice eyeshadows!

Makeup artist turned Ellana Mineral Cosmetics owner, Connie! She’s such a darling!

To my front is newcomer Ellana Mineral Cosmetics. Connie formulated her own line, and I think is cool! I love her packaging - so neat, so pretty, and so promising. When asked which brand her mineral makeup is comparable with, she wouldn’t say , because she was being modest, but when I kept on asking and asking ( sort of an ambush interview ) , to shoo me away ( just kidding! ), she told me that one client told her that it was very much comparable to Everyday Minerals’ foundation.

It was such a fun event as people would approach you and ask you what mineral makeup is, for they have been curious for the longest time. You get to explain how mineral makeup is different from traditional makeup (My pitch was , mineral makeup is just like traditional makeup but with the absence of preservatives and chemicals, can help skin breathe, and makeup is natural looking, etc ), you get to convince them that mineral makeup is worth switching to, and the ultimate finale - you get to convince them that you get the most flawless finish by using mineral makeup with makeovers! I mean, I didn’t get enough sleep on both days, but the adrenalin rush just made me so high all throughout the day with my passion to convert so much people!

Phoebe of SwipeSomeGloss gracing our event, teaching everyone pro eye makeup! Woohoo!

Special thanks to mineral makeup artist extraordinaire, Phoebe for assisting us with her expertise in eye makeup ( super PRO ), and Claudine Baron , the organizer of the event, and the one who brought Bare Escentuals here, for making this possible! Thank you to all who visited us and gave mineral makeup a try! We hope we were able to convert more people into the healthy skin care makeup! I’m just so proud! We will definitely be on the lookout for another opportunity to have the next Mineral Makeup Weekend soon!

Claudine and me

Well, looks like mineral makeup is here to stay! *wink*

Photo Credit : Phoebeach and Sophie ( me! )

Source: Grand Mineral Makeup Weekend in Manila!

Silicone Valley

There’s a whole lot of plastique going on here but it’s not the luscious patent shoes or oversized bag my attention is drawn towards.  It’s the Paule Ka skirt which seems to be made out of a transparent latex and is a bit of a stunner.  A reader very kindly sent me this image and informed me that in fact, the material is silicone compound, similar to what boob implants are made out of I suspect.  This type of rubbery material reminds me of those brown rubber mouldsthat I used to pour plaster of paris into to hopefully make a perfect twee rabbit/cottage/horse figurine (it would always come out chipped…).  It certainly puts a new spin on the various strands of fetishwear that have infiltrated fashion.  Though a rubbery material like this might have textural affiliation with say black pvc/latex, the colour doesn’t suggest anything risque or raunchy.  I’d definitely like to see more of this kind of play on rubber garments.  Afterall, it is just another material and depending on the way you wear it, there is that ability to blend it in seamlessly with more conventional materials.   

Image from ‘Sur la terre Zürich’ (Thank you Tamar for sending through the scan!)

Source: Silicone Valley

GUESS “Carrie” Leopard-Print Heels, Under $100 [Style It Less]

GUESS “Carrie” Leopard-print heels on sale for $59.99. Soo sexy. 4″ stacked heel and is available in various sizes. I mean what else is there to say? Well except, it’s perfect for an LBD. Be bold!

Brand Name Shoes On Sale, Brand Names Under $100, Carrie Shoes, Dillards Sale, GUESS, GUESS Carrie Leopard Print Heels, Heels, Leopard Print Heels, Shoe Sale, shoe shopping, Shoes, Stacked Heels, Under $100 GUESS

Source: GUESS “Carrie” Leopard-Print Heels, Under $100 [Style It Less]

Beauty News: Pink Beauty Does Timeless Elegance For The Holidays!

Pink Beauty Cosmetics is THE go-to cosmetics line for glamour girls who appreciate old Hollywood elegance in a modern twist. Holiday 2007 is all about “Timeless Elegance” at Pink Beauty and who doesn’t want to look timeless and elegant? Women everywhere can achieve that classic 1940’s glam look with this holiday collection. April Jacob, founder of Pink Beauty, has put together seven easy-to-apply must-have products for the glamour-girl-on-the-go!

1. Sweet Nothings Eye Splendor Shadow – Velvet (nude) Cdn$23;
2. Worshiped – Eye Splendor Shadow – Velvet (tan) Cdn$23;
3. Devoted - Eye Splendor Shadow – Velvet (brown black) Cdn$23;
4. Lavish Lash Extravagance Mascara (black) Cdn$25;
5. Longing For Soft Flush Powder Blusher (rose) Cdn$23;
6. Beatrice Luscious Lip Sheer Lipstick (red brown) Cdn$27; and
7. Dearest Glamour Glaze Gloss (coppery pink) Cdn$21.

April Jacobs, a professional makeup artist for over 10 years in the film, tv, beauty, and fashion industry, outlines seven simple steps to achieve “timeless elegance”.

1. Sweep Sweet Nothings over entire eye, from lash line to brow. This creates a
canvas and ensures the next shadow application will blend out subtly. Sweet
Nothings is also an instant highlight for the brow bone.
2. Brush Worshiped on the lid with a sweeping motion and blend into the crease.
3. Use a damp eyeliner brush to apply Devoted along the upper lash line only. This
proves to be much easier then using liquid eyeliner, yet the same definition is
achieved with minimal time and effort.
4. Add Lavish mascara to the base of lash and use a zig-zag motion to get mascara
from root to tip. For maximum glamour, apply three to five coats.
5. Use a soft fluffy blush brush, and apply Longing For to the apples of the cheeks,
blending outward to the hairline. This imparts a sheer, soft and subtle diffusion
of colour on the cheeks.
6. Apply Beatrice—the perfect luscious lip sheer shade of sophisticated red to
complement any skin tone. Use a lip brush starting in the center of lips and
working outwards.
7. Top off with Dearest, the ideal lip gloss for added fullness and enticing shine.

“Timeless elegance” is not only the perfect look for the holidays, but for anytime of the year. These 7 products are definite must-haves for every woman-on-the-go that wants a little glamour without all the fuss. I can tell you firsthand that Pink Beauty products are so easy to use and buildable. Most of the products don’t require a brush! So, go for a classic look this holiday that will look great in pictures year after year! Stay tuned for my interview with April Jacob! Happy shopping!

Source: Beauty News: Pink Beauty Does Timeless Elegance For The Holidays!

BS Expert: The Frizz Issue

Here’s this week’s question for our resident hair expert, Diana:

Is there anything to do about frizzy hair in the dry Winter climate? I’ve tried those anti-frizz sprays, and they seem to act like Amorall for hair (leaves my hair greasy looking)… Is there anything that won’t make my head greasy but keep it from looking like I just rubbed a balloon on my head?

Thanks Diana!

Danielle

And Diana’s response:

Hey Danielle!

Isn’t that fuzzy crown of thorns the worst?  If you’re finding it fuzzy just because of the outside temperature and wearing a scarf, I’d say just throw something on there.  Maybe you’re using too much? Really, a tiny dab should suffice.  One product I love for smoothing and shine is Chi’s Silk Infusion.  It’s under $20 and should last you forever, since you really don’t need much.  And if you’re in a pinch a little dollop of hand lotion would even work!  One other thing I cannot recommend enough is sleeping on a silk or satin pillowcase.  My hair is overprocessed to the max (why do I keep flip flopping between platinum blonde and really dark hair? will I ever learn? to be continued) and adding that to my routine seems to really have helped! You could wrap your hair in a silk scarf at night, but I find that is difficult to keep on.  Good luck!  And if none of these tips help you, at least take comfort in the fact that everyone else is probably rubbing the tops of their head too and hoping you don’t notice the fuzzies!

And there we have it! Do you have a question for Diana, our most favorite hair expert, and stylist, that we’ve ever met? Send them to us here!

Chi Silk Infusion, $19.95

-LB

Source: BS Expert: The Frizz Issue

Natalee Holloway’s Disappearance & The Carlos ‘N Charlie’s Menu [Missing White Girls]

The primary suspects in the 2005 disappearance of American teen Natalee Holloway were arrested last week in light of new evidence. Brothers Satish and Deepak Kalpoe were arrested in Aruba, while their buddy, Joran van der Sloot, was taken into custody in the Netherlands and brought to Aruba, where he is to appear in a closed-court hearing today. I went to Aruba with my mom and sister about a year after Holloway went missing, and while we were there, we saw Joran van der Sloot several times. He came into the tiny casino of our hotel, acting like he owned the joint. All of the Americans at the resort knew exactly who he was, and everyone was staring at him. But he was eating it up: He seemed to enjoy the attention, like he was a celebrity or something. To complete our Holloway tour, my family went to Carlos ‘n Charlie’s for Easter dinner. The restaurant/bar — where Natalee was last seen, leaving with van der Sloot — had a “joke-y” menu that was supposed to resemble a newspaper with fake stories. We were seriously shocked at what we read. I’m so glad I saved it. After the jump, folks.

So in keeping with the theme of this fake newspaper, the back of the menu had a weather report, that also included four reasons why you should go to Carlos ‘n Charlie’s. Check out #4: “You’re daughter could be here.”

So. Fucked. Up. Particularly because that place is known because of Holloway’s disappearance. Also, Carlos ‘n Charlie’s was one of the main contributors to the reward fund for Holloway’s safe return. Was that just another way to get some publicity out of her probable rape and murder? I’m all for off-color jokes, but you know, in private or behind people’s backs. This just struck me as totally tasteless. But you know, I was still hungry, and we were there and all, so I ordered the nachos. They were only so-so.

Natalee Case In Court Today [NY Post]

Source: Natalee Holloway’s Disappearance & The Carlos ‘N Charlie’s Menu [Missing White Girls]

A Scary Look in the Mirror! [Aging Fabulous]

I have a magnifying mirror. It is a must for perfect eyebrow tweezing and some tricky makeup application. But, how big is too big? As in, how much of a magnifier do you need?

I was at a display at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and looked into one of their (quite expensive) magnifying mirrors. It was a 15X mirror. What I saw - shocking!!!

I had hairs in places I never new. I could not believe the two small hairs that I had by my upper lip that I must have missed waxing. I really had some messy mascara marks under my eyes that were not noticeable in a standard mirror. And don’t get me started on my eyebrows - the eyebrows that I thought were finely tweezed. Ugh.

My dilemma. Do I buy one of these better magnifying mirrors to constantly scare myself and become obsessed with every little imperfection? Or move on and think that no one really sees me that close up, so who cares?

Technorati Tags: Aging Fabulous, beauty, brows, Hair Removal, humor, skin, skin care, stress, Thats Life

Source: A Scary Look in the Mirror! [Aging Fabulous]

Urban Fairy

I vastly prefer lookbook images to catwalk images as a designer can really inject ’something more’ about their vision for their collection whereas catwalk images seem to all merge into one after looking at one too many blank, staring walking model.  Quite often, I end up loving a collection more when I see the lookbook images because if I didn’t ‘get it’ the first time round, the images usually thud through my thick numbskull.  This certainly applies to this collection… 

Tillman Lauterbach is a designer I’ve been on a lookout for, in search of a UK stockist.  Lauterbach has been bumped around Europe a bit being born in Germany and theN moving back and forth between Spain, Switzerland and Germany, finally settling in Paris to study in ESMOD and then launch his collection for AW06.  I think there is an ease/natural-ness to his latest SS08 collection that mixes up easy to wear jersey pieces, subtle prints, girly frou frou and casual-ness perfectly.  The photos would give the impression that the clothes are a little delicate or precious but I think when you look closely, it’s more resiliant than one would think.  Urban fairy is how I would describe a wearer of this collection especially with regards to the sheer jersey pieces and those tights seeped with blue at the top (Nina Ricci’s resort collection has got me going all starry-eyed over white tights dip-dyed with blue…) and of course, it does help that the girl looks like she wears everything with a Clémence Poésy-like ease.   

Source: Urban Fairy

Doggy bag

For times when a tin foil swan or basket just won’t do, might I suggest the Felix Rey Ida Cinderella Bag.
This is a perfect bag to handle all your hot/cold leftover needs and still keep you looking as sharp as Molly Ringwald at the prom in any one of those John Hughes 80’s teen flicks.

Actually, it’s insulation properties are probably pretty poor, being made from leather and all…though why someone would make leather look like a mylar balloon is beyond me. It has a removable strap for in hand clutching, but the thing that should have been removable is the big contrasting bow, and the Dynasty style horizontal ruffle…this bag is too overdone for even the 80s.
Honestly, I usually love Felix Rey bags and appreciate their quirky retro-ness, but this one is just all kinds of wrong. Unless of course you plan to use it as a Christmas tree topper, or maybe part of a centerpiece for an 80s themed Bat Mitzvah.
It sells for $360, at Shopbop where they usually have such cute, well edited things that all I can imagine is that the poor buyer was blinded by the sample’s glare.

Source: Doggy bag