The French Twist

This is a classic. It's one of those hairstyles that never go out of style, the French twist so easy to do on yourself. And it looks even better with highlights in your hair.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Let's talk about the Clarisonic again

I've written about the Clarisonic face brush a few times now but I just keep reading about it! And no, they haven't sponsored me or given me money to talk about it haha

But I was reading allure last night and came across this article and found it very helpful with how to use the brush correctly and thought I needed to share it.

Clients ask me what's the best way to prevent breakouts and I always recommend the Clarisonic. It's so simple. The reason we break out is 1. Hormones and 2. Dirt.

Once we sort out the dirt bit, the hormones usually kick in only during pms. So that instantly keeps zits under control.

A definite win Christmas pressie for your loved ones!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

2013 Christmas Shopping at Sephora- My Picks Part 2

OMG! I have products overload! I have so much to go through and try, how??? Keep calm and carry on. I'll do the Christmas list first and move on to the other exciting products lying by my side now that just arrived : ). Excitment!!!

Okay okay Sephora Christmas shopping list part deux

This brand, Fresh, has been in Sephora since the beginning of the store opening in Singapore. I really like it. Last few years, during the x'mas events, Fresh had a booth with all their porducts sprawled out and all who were invited got to pick any item on the table! And that included the x'mas hampers too! Well, that was how I got to know the products. 

The tinted Sugar lip balms are great. They tend to melt in our climate sometimes (eg. leaving them in the hot car) but will harden in an AC room. 

Here are my picks.

The brown sugar polish is divine! The moisturizer smells wonderful after working that scrub, and the cherry shade Sugar lipgloss works great for an everyday lippy ($73)

This one makes a good inexpensive gift at $43.00. All for pampering one's lips

Now. For all the hardcore make-up users, the ones who know their stuff. Here are some exciting products. First up, Stila. The Stay all Day liquid eyeliner set is king. 4 of the most used colors in a tin box. ($70)

Next up is Urban Decay. Not to be taken lightly, this make-up brand is serious when it comes to color and intensity! The second vice palette is sexy! Check out the shade Voodoo! And my other fave is Damaged. So good! ($88)

Now to the hair department. My 2 favorite haircare products Living Proof and Percy & Reed.

They smell soooooo good and I love it when my head smells nice and not fowl and oily eeeee!

Percy & Reed's No Oil oOil is WOW! My hair stays smelling so yummy until the next wash. This is a great package ($50)

Free yourself from Frizz

2013 Christmas Shopping at Sephora- My Picks Part 1

It has taken me a long time to open up that duffel bag of goodies from Sephora since bringing it home. Too many products too little time! (jealous : ) ?) But ladies, I have to show you some of the goodies you might like to get your BFFs.

Last year, I bought Clarisonics http://www.clarisonic.com/ from Sephora for Christmas gifting. They made so much difference to my skin I had to share them!

This year, I'll be going back to my favorite beauty emporium for more pressies. Here are some exciting stuff.

Soap & Glory always make great gift packs that come in attractive bags. Products are fun to use, for example Sexy Mother Phucker ($35)

This Lip plumping gloss REALLY works! It kinda feels like being stung by bees all over lips and makes lips fuller and less wrinkly. 

And of course the great gift packs that are so cool I will buy them for myself! The bubble will retail for $48.00. and the mother of them all, The Yule Monty for $148.00

Heel Genius is amazing! I've been using it nightly for about 2 years now and everytime I go to the manicurist, I never need them to use the shaving instrument on me. 

Another really fun brand is Too Faced, the brand with the best mascara in the world ; ). At the event they gave out iphone covers and these covers were filled with make-up! Great product concept! And retails for $34.00. Great price!

And this is us at the NARS event a few days later all using the same covers! So fun!

Here's another one I love (and got in my duffel bag!)

The perfect gift for girls who love wearing make-up and also for those who are kinda clueless! With a tutorial page, you really can't go wrong. ($59)

For fragrance lovers, Repetto has come up with a lovely one. Tried it at the event but it wasn't in with the rest of my goodies : (. But it was lovely!

Watch this space! To be continued. Really, its just TOO MUCH to share with you!

Matte Matte Matte! Part II

Last month I talked about matte make- up being the latest to make a grand comeback. 

And I gave a sneak peek of the products I used that were single matte colors. The Photos are out in Female Magazine. Take a look

This is the BEST BEST BEST mascara in the world!

Girls in favour of clumpy, thick, sexy, spanish lashes, say YAY!!! Believe me when i say you only need 2 coats tops! I promise you!

This 'Better Than Sex' will give you 1,944% more volume! Too Faced, you are awesome and thank you for bringing life back into my eyes!

This LIVING PROOF can't go wrong!

Jennifer Aniston (!!!) co-owns this haircare brand and the brand has been founded by a team of scientists, backed by celebrity Editorial stylists including Chris McMillan. THE guy behind Jennifer Aniston's luscious locks. 

The same guy that gave Jennifer the best hair in the world status! 

 With smooth matte finish bottles in cool shades of neutrals, the packaging looks serious. There's a distinct scent, very pleasant and I love my hair smelling this divine.

I made a bee-line towards the anti-frizz section.

Like it seriously works!

But seriously, HOW can one go wrong with all the right business moves and the right technology???

Very impressive and you will be taken very seriously LIVING PROOF!

Introducing TARTE The Hot New brand In Town!

Yesterday Christmas came early for all the Beauty Eds and Make-Up Artists! 

The yearly Sephora Christmas event showcasing what's to come for the festive season was held at Scape. 

You can really tell our age as the bunch of us had never stepped into that mall and looked like lost goats when bumping into each other in the halls. Was funny!

Well, just to rub it in, we got to take home a duffel bag of goodies and MORE from the generous brands that were there.
 : )

There were a few items that found my fancy straight away. So let's go straight to TARTE! This brand actually didn't catch my attention until upon closer inspection.

Diligently, we stood by and watched Brian Granoff, the Senior Regional Education Manager explain the beauty of this brand. He's good! The products fantastic and we were impressed!

TARTE was born 1999 in NYC. The founder developed a cheek stain in her one bedroom apartment and since then has developed a full range of 'high-performance natural' make-up.

Fully against animal testing, the products are made without the use of nasty chemicals and branding themselves as healthy make-up.

One of the exciting products, the Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation comes in an awesome loose powder container, with a brush that you blend onto skin, creating an airbrush effect foundation without the need of a machine.

I must also add the cleverness of this packaging. The loose powder comes with a built in stopper under the lid to prevent messy powder falling everywhere! Genius!

Another product that I tried today was the 'Lights, Camera, Flashes' Mascara. Take a look:

That was one coat. I like it! And I like that its formulated without parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate and synthetic fragrances. The wand was easy to use. One side was the brush to apply and the other side a comb to separate lashes. Pretty cool!

So I give a big thumbs up to this new spunky brand! Oh! And thank you for the cool Cosmetics Clutches! XXX

Another beautiful Beauty Spread with Jeanette Ejlersen for Female Magazine September 2013

Using colors from Sephora. from that luggage sized stash I got a month ago. Another beautiful beauty spread shot by THE beauty photographer, Raymond Lee and of course styled by Jeanette Ejlersen. Only the best!

Click here to watch the video model Puck shot while I did her make up.

Female Magazine September 2013 Fashion Spread

This is my first time using Shiseido for a fashion shoot. I can't rave more about the liquid foundations and concealers. The liquid, light yet provides good coverage and the concealer creamy and concealed well. Thank you for your generosity Shiseido!

Shot with the maestros, jeremy Tan and Mark Law and hairstyling by super talented Marc Teng.

Model is Jing Wen, the same model that was in the September ELLE fashion spread I did. See how styling can transform people into different personalities.

Great new products from DIOR to shout about

Okay. Tell me, which woman on this planet doesn't want a slim, svelt, v shaped face?! We are all obsessed with the slimness of our face. And if you deny, you're LYING!

Well, I've been testing out this fantastic product from Dior called Capture V.

There are 3 products within that range. A Face Mask, Serum and a Moisturizer. I've used the mask and serum.

IT WORKS!

Okay okay, before I go on ranting and raving, I must warn ladies with sensitive skin (skin that can break out easily), this product is rich. I've been getting breakouts from this product around areas I've applied so I won't lie and deny its perfect. Its not. But it does work and it does slim down the jawline!

What i did to control the breakouts was to go for a chemical facial peel. That's another story I'd like to share with you. I think alot of us are a bit freaked out by the word chemical... but really, a chemical peel is just a fruit acid potion applied onto skin to help skin detox and refresh from the inside. So it actually helps us with acne prone skin, fine lines and light pigmenttion. Its the best thing I've done with my skin and I love it!

And now, I use the Capture V only on my neck and jawline area. Pimples are under control and skin is looking great from peels! 

Where did all my talent come from?

Here's the secret!

My beautiful mother! She was an Estee Make-Up Artist in the 70s. I was always in awe of her well put together hair and make up everyday! She would set her hair in soft spongey rollers at night and her eyeshadow was always immaculate! Love my mom to bits xxx

Matte Matte Matte!

They're back! And way more fantastic! After years of oily, glossy (like I just ate 10 chicken wings lipstick look), the matte lippy is back and better! I remember in the 90s when matte was all the rage... remember Poppy lipsticks from Australia? They were the mattest matte you could get and my god, it was nasty on the lips! My lips would crack and peel and yucks!
Now the matte is matte yet comfortable. No more cracks and unkissable lips for everyone. A dewy skin and matte lips, nice!
NARS has really good matte lipticks. Dressed to Kill is the lipstick I will stash for a long time. Fantastic color. Fun and spunky!

                                                                   

Here's another unexpected fantastic matte. Keep you face powdery and quite bare for this look so the look isn't overtaken by something else as its a pretty loud shade to wear.

And if you just want to try all sorts of matte, why not go with some lip pencils from Urban Decay! Colors of the red rainbow for you to play with!

Here's some more matte stuff just for fun. Play with matte mono eyeshadows too. 

The Body Shop's Cruelty Free Beauty Press Launch

Found a photograph of me doing The Body Shop Cruelty Free Press Presentation held on 14 March 2013 at the Raffles City boutique. Body Shop was launching their mono eyeshadows purely made out of natural pigments and ingredients without harming any bunnies in its process. And also with Leona Lewis's line of spring make up. Was a successful presentation despite some local celebrities ignoring my presentation and talking and laughing disrupting the bloggers concentration. U know who u are!

I also raved on ELLE Singapore about the mono eyeshadows being so intense and well pigmented, with fun colors to be adventurous and playful with one's make up!

ELLE Singapore September Issue Fashion Spread

Shot on location at the Capella Sentosa for 2 days with Daphne Chen. Photographer Joel Lim, Hairstylist Calvin Gan and Make Up by Venetia Stravens