Beautyholics Anonymous

OPI’s Jade Is The New Black

Tine — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:30:48 +0000

As if I don’t already have way too many nail polishes to play with, LeGeeque and I have now started a swapping system where we borrow each other’s nail polishes to play with. We also have a *geek alert* database on Google Docs where we enter the details of all the nail polishes we have so that we can choose from each other’s lists. Okay, she has her database. I’ve yet to complete mine. Or start on it

Today’s nail polish, OPI’s Jade is the New Black, actually belongs to LeGeeque. If you’ve watched one of Lisa Eldridge’s videos, you’ll notice that this is one of her favourite nail polishes. It’s no wonder too, because it’s an unique green that I’ve never worn before.

Lisa called it a very modern green to wear, and I couldn’t agree with her more. I’m so used to wearing blue-green, lime green, very dark shimmery green, but never just green. It goes well with summery dresses, with dark denim, with…well, anything!

Oooh it’s going to be very difficult for me to finally return this to LeGeeque!

Bloggie Wednesdays: Instagramagraphy

Tine — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:40:16 +0000

So. Instagram. It’s almost a must-have app for anyone who has an iPhone. When I first got an iPhone, I downloaded the app, but didn’t use it until about a year later. At that time, I really didn’t the see what the fuss was all about, because if I’m looking for filters, there are heaps of photography apps out there which could do a much better job. I decided that I’d try it out in 2012, and boy, I was hooked!

I think it’s more of the social media aspect to Instagram that is so popular compared to the tricks you can do with the photos. I like the interaction between Instagrammers. I’m on Twitter most of the time, but once in a while, I like to hop over to Instagram and check out what other people have posted. Plus it’s incredible how creative people can be when it comes to taking pictures with their phones.

Every now and then, I think it’s also nice to take a break from all these fancypants filters and use the original picture instead. If taken in the right time and light, it could look better than injecting filters on the pictures. For filter-free pictures, do use the hashtag #nofilter.

If you see the blog’s sidebar, you’ll notice that I’ve added my pictures added on Instagram as well. It’s a peek into my life and what I get up to every day The WordPress plugin I’m using is Instapress, and I’m liking it so far.

I’ve also joined FatMumSlim’s photography challenge and that is to take a picture daily using Instagram. I like that there’s a different theme every day. If you’re on Instagram, I highly recommend you try it out as well. Oh, and find me! My username is sweetcontemplation. If you’re on Instagram, do let me know your username in the comments and I’ll check you out as well.

See you on Instagram!

Recommended link: How To Take Awesome Instagram Outfit Photos

Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator in Angel Flame Ignited My Love For Illuminators

Tine — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 21:30:50 +0000

I’ll just come out and say it. For years, I’ve never liked using makeup illuminators or highlighters. Bad beauty blogger, right? Blame it on lack of education on my part. I didn’t know how to apply them properly, and when I do try a lot of them out, they gave me shiny skin I don’t like. I already have a very oily T-zone to begin with, and that’s the last thing I need, a disco-ball face.

I’ve had a number of makeovers done at makeup counters, and most of them who used illuminators on my skin just didn’t give me the results I wanted. And since I was such a doofus in using them myself, I steer clear of them. This was until a few months ago, when I received a tube of the Mineral Therapy Illuminator by Face of Australia in the MBBE goodie bag. The one I was given was in Angel Flame.

First thoughts? Aww man. I can’t use this! So it was left in my beauty cupboard until about a few weeks ago that I saw a video by Zoe Foster on how to use illuminators. I tried out her method (to be honest, it’s not a new method. But somehow, the simple video and steps worked for me) with the illuminator. I’ll use her favourite word – what an absolute dingus I was not to use this sooner!

The illuminator is a very light-weight, sheer cream of gold shimmer and peachy-pink undertones. I don’t use it as a blush on its own as I find it too shimmery for that purpose alone. My favourite combination is Illamasqua’s cream blush in Dixie, and then pat a tiny amount of the Angel Flame on the high points of my cheeks, all the way to the temples.

The result? Gorgeous glowy cheeks that don’t scream disco-ball, but look like the picture of good health. It’s a perfect summer look when it’s too hot and I can’t be arsed with bucketloads of makeup on. All I’d have is BB cream, cream blush, the Angel Flame, a light dusting of Guerlain’s Meteorites (another gem I only just discovered), lipgloss, and I’m good to go.

Makeup used: Maybelline BB Mousse, Illamasqua cream blush in Dixie, Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator in Angel Flame, Guerlain Meteorites Perles Teint Rose and Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Mango Diamonds

I can’t believe I’m saying this now, for it’s not something I would have said up to a few weeks ago, but I love, love, love having an illuminator on my skin now

Face of Australia Mineral Therapy Illuminator comes in 4 shades – Angel Mist, Angel Blush, Angel Flame and Angel Glow. It retails at AU$14.95 a pop. For such a big tube of 50ml, this is cheaper than hot chips. I can’t wait to get my hands on the Angel Mist

Are you a fan of illuminators and/or highlighters, or have you not tried one? If you are, what’s your favourite and what else would you recommend to an illuminator n00b like me?

Fancy-Schmancy Hand Sanitisers I Fancy

Tine — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:46:01 +0000

I remembered my first waterless hand sanitiser. It was a small green bottle from Dettol, smells like a hospital and dehydrated my skin everytime I used it. But it’s a convenient item to have with me in my purse, especially when I’m in public loos that *gasp* do not have liquid soap.

We sure have come quite a way from harsh hand sanitisers though. Brands like Crabtree & Evelyn, Jurlique and L’occitane have come up with their versions of hand sanitisers that smell amazing and do not feel as though you’ve just dipped your hands in a pool of alcohol.

Here are some of my favourites:

Jurlique Moisturising Hand Sanitiser Natural Antibacterial (AU$10, 50ml)

This was the first fancy hand sanitiser I purchased. It smells very typical of Jurlique products; it’s very, err, herbal-y (I’m stuck for a better word mmkay?). It contains Australian Bush Mint, a known natural antibacterial and antimicrobial ingredient and Safflower Oleosomes to enhance the skin’s protective barrier. It doesn’t leave my hands dry at all after application, and smells great. It comes in a small bottle (smallest of the three, as you can see in the picture), and is very travel-friendly.

It also comes in a larger bottle that comes with a pump at 175ml.

Crabtree & Evelyn Gardeners Antibacterial Moisturising Hand Gel (AU$5.95, 50ml)

I bought this on sale many months ago, and in hindsight, I think I should have gotten a few more in different scents because of the sale price . If you like their handcreams in the Gardeners collection, you will love the hand sanitiser too because they smell the same. Unfortunately it also smells quite strong, not of alcohol, but of the Gardeners fragrance, which Tim finds a tad heavy (especially when I use it in the car). I’ve also used this on the train and have a few heads turned at my direction. I hope it was in a good way, and not “geez louise, where on earth did that stink come from?” Gulp. Time to get another scent

It’s the most moisturising sanitiser of the three, and the one that does not leave the hands feeling tingly from the alcohol, unlike the other two.

It comes in 4 more scents – Citron, Lavender, Rosewater and La Source.

L’occitane Lavande Hand Purifying Gel (AU$9.95, 50ml)

I received a tube of this for review a few weeks ago. It’s the only hand sanitiser I’ve seen that does not come in a bottle, but in a squeezy tube. If you love the soothing scent of lavender, you’ll like this one. It’s enriched with lavender essential and aloe vera. It’s not as moisturising as the one from Crabtree & Evelyn, but I think it smells better

Unlike hospital-grade sanitisers, these fancier versions don’t leave the hands feeling dry and tight. It also leaves your hands smelling good. Still, with all hand sanitisers, they do contain a lot of alcohol to eliminate germs, so please use them sparingly and only when needed. As good as they smell, these do not replace hand creams.

Are you a fan of waterless hand sanitisers? What’s your favourite?

Are You A Made-In-China Snob?

Tine — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:30:08 +0000

This is a topic I’ve been mulling over for a while now, and I’ve been contemplating on posting it because of the repercussions it might cause. I cannot help but think that I am not the only one who thinks this way. I think I can safely say that most, if not all, of us own something that was made in China.

Here’s a funny story about something I have that’s made in China. I purchased a beautiful Coach leather tote in the US on my honeymoon a few years ago. This wasn’t bought at a flea market, but at a proper retail outlet. After I brought it home, I found this in the bag.

Was I disappointed? To tell you the truth, I was a little. I shouldn’t be surprised that a lot of brands now outsource their luxury leather goods to China for manufacture. Still, it was a bit of a letdown. Nevertheless it’s a beautifully made bag in buttery-soft leather, so I soon forgot about it.

A year later, when I was in Malaysia for my annual vacation, I happened to be at one of the flea markets in Penang, which is very popular for selling fake designer bags. Louis Vuitton, Prada and Coach were aplenty. I had a look at one of the “Coach” bags, and I was very amused to find a similar tag as shown above sewn into the lining the bag. However, this time, it said that the bag was “made in the USA”. So, real Coach bags are made in China, and the fake ones are made in the USA!

I’m a snob when it comes to skincare products and where it’s made. Many months ago, I was sent a product for review, a very expensive night cream I might add, and on the side of the box it was stamped “Made in China”. I was apprehensive in slathering that on my face, so it’s currently going on my neck. I’m glad to say that my neck did not break out in hives, and the cream is working well. But I did judge the product initially because of where it was made.

A Juicy Couture merino dress I bought from Net-a-porter

A similar issue that irks me is purchasing clothes in Australia. As many of you know, Australian brands like Portmans, Sportsgirl, etc are expensive compared to brands like Zara, Topshop, ASOS, Forever21 etc. However, when you check the Aussie labels, you’ll find that you’re paying a premium for clothes made in China. I’ve seen this on Australian designer labels as well, and it’s something I don’t understand. If the clothes are made in Australia, then yes, I understand why we pay a premium, because labour costs are high. However, labour costs are significantly lower in China, so why are we paying so much for designer goods that are outsourced to China?

You’ll think that this whole post in about China-bashing. I don’t oppose to the fact that yes, it is far cheaper to outsource products to China to be manufactured, but it stings greatly when we have to pay a premium for them when it only cost them a fraction of the cost to make.

Still, you cannot beat globalization, and I simply cannot avoid the fact that if I wanted something, 90% of the time, it will be made in China. I’ve made my peace with that. As long as I don’t have to pay an arm and a leg for it, I”m good. But I do draw the line at skincare products.

What about you? Are you a made-in-China snob? Does it matter to you where the product is made?

Recommended reading: Deluxe – How Luxury Lost Its Lustre by Dana Thomas

Update: I’m afraid I wasn’t clear as to the objective of the post, which also means I have inadvertently caused offence to some. It should have been worded better and explained further. My apologies.

I know what the Chinese are paid for their labour; a mere pittance, and it’s a sad and cruel fact. It isn’t a practice we should condone.

However, I was writing as an Australian consumer, and I question the reason we pay a premium for things here that are made in China. The old saying “You get what you pay for” doesn’t really work here. E.g if I were to pay $100 for a dress from a popular Australian high-street label, I expect good quality wear, right? That’s often not the case. Many-a-time, the fabric is cheap, the sewing shoddy, and lo-and-behold, the label says “made in China”. But it’s not a designer label! So why does it cost $100? I don’t know.

As a consumer in Australia, I often find myself on the short end of the stick, because I find that I have no choice but to purchase low quality items at high prices. Surely I can buy something else; buy Australian-made goods then, if I’m too big for my britches to buy China-made goods. I would love more than anything to support the local industries and buy locally-made goods, but that’s not always possible as Australian-made goods are expensive.

We don’t know what goes on behind the scenes (and we’re not supposed to know!), but at the end of the day, our hard-earned dollars should go to something that is of good/reasonable quality. And if it’s high-priced and low quality, my answer is no. Regardless of where it’s made.

List of Lusts: Chunky Rings

Tine — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:30:03 +0000

{Yves Saint Laurent}

{Kenneth Jay Lane}

{Mania Mania}

{House of Harlow 1960}

{Marc by Marc Jacobs}

Inglot Nail Enamel No 321 aka Blue Lagoon

Tine — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:30:00 +0000

My first nail polish from Inglot!

Gah, why do brands like to number their nail polishes instead of give them a cool name? No 321. Pfft. I shall rename this to Blue Lagoon because it reminds me of the crystal-clear water in a secluded lagoon. And no, a young Brooke Shields* did not come to mind

It’s a gorgeous shade of blue and green (although I think there’s a little more green than blue in this), with subtle gold shimmer.

It’s like the blue-green version of the Chanel Peridot. The colour shimmers differently in different lights, sometimes it’s dark, something it’s really bright. I don’t normally wear the same colour more than 4 days, so I can’t only review the longevity of the nail polish in within that period. I’m happy to say that there was no tip wear nor chips with this. The only snags are that the polish does drag a little and it’s a bit streaky, like a lot of metallic nail lacquers are. But for the beautiful colour, the faults are easily forgiven

*If you did not get that Brooke Shields reference (The Blue Lagoon), then you’re either too young, or I’m too old. For my sake, I shall stick to the former

Bloggie Wednesdays: What Can I Do To Improve My Blog?

Tine — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:30:22 +0000

Today’s Bloggie Wednesday is slightly different, as I would love your feedback on something. I’ve been blogging for quite some time now, but I’ve never actually asked for any feedback regarding the blog. Today, if you could just indulge me a little in answering a few questions of mine, I’d really appreciate it.

I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about my style of blogging, and sometimes wonder if I’m writing too much. Our attention spans are short, and with so many blogs we read these days, we often just scan the words and look at pictures. With that in mind, I’d love to know what you think about these:

Should I write in paragraphs or list the important points (for reviews) in list form with bullet points?
Should I write less, more, or remain as things are?
What do you think about more photographs and a lot less words?
What do you think of newsletters? If I created one for the blog (maximum is one email per week), is that something that could be of interest to you?

Next to beauty blogs, I enjoy reading fashion blogs, especially personal style ones. Most of these blogs have heaps of fancy-schmancy pictures with little words, and I wonder if it’s something I should be doing as well.

What do you think? I’m leaving it up to you

The Scent I Share With My Man

Tine — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:30:00 +0000

I’m not usually a fan of unisex fragrances, and I stay away from them as much as I can. I remembered very well; back in the day when the original CK One was immensely popular, plenty of men and women would soak themselves in it. A lot of my schoolmates had the fragrance, and on the schoolbus, the boys from a nearby high school would spray themselves like mosquito spray with CK One as well, and the whole bus absolutely reeked. *cough*

Anyway. Unisex fragrances? Nope, not a fan.

A few months ago, I purchased the Marc Jacobs Splash Curacao. I love citrusy scents, and the Curacao has been my favourite fragrance for months.

Inspired by the first sip of a cool, sweet cocktail on a sun-soaked summer day, Marc Jacobs introduces three new Limited Edition Splash scents in Cranberry, Ginger, and Curacao. These refreshing new fragrances are vibrant in color, and crisp to the sense. They entice us to indulge in the simple pleasures of summer.
Topnote – Blood Oranges, Bitter Orange Bigrade, Lime, Mandarin
Midnote – Violet, Pear, Apricot
Drydown – White Moss, Amber, Musk, Sandalwood

One day, I realised that the amount of the MJ Curacao I had remaining did not really tally with the amount I use on an almost daily basis. It was less than what I recalled. Little did I know, Tim was nicking the Curacao for his daily use! Yes, this was from the man who complained that I have too many perfumes when I bought the MJ Curacao. His excuse was “It smells good, and there’s so much. Let’s share“. Harumph.

It’s not a strong scent, and it does fade quite quickly. Truth be told, I think he smells damn good with it on. I’ll forgive him by getting myself a Chanel fragrance, perhaps?

Do you share any fragrances with your man? Father? Brother? The bloke from Human Resource?

Plump Your Skin and and Soothe Your Senses with Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

Tine — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 23:59:37 +0000

Paris B and LeGeeque raved plenty about Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, so much that I knew I had to check it out. I bought a bottle of the serum just when Kiehl’s dropped their prices, and what an opportune moment it was, because I managed to get this at AU$59 instead of the original price of a whopping AU$99.

Description:
One night. Two drops. Younger-looking skin by morning
99.8% Naturally Derived Ingredients
Paraben-Free
Replenishes skin with moisture, helps to recover radiance by morning

It’s a face oil, and you’d think it’s going to be too oily for oily/combination skin. I was a tad apprehensive in using this because it’s an oil, but it’s a good thing I was wrong. Three drops is all that is needed for the whole face, and there’s barely any greasy residue on the skin. I used another three drops for my neck and decolletage.

So, what did it do for my face? No miracles, no minimising of fine lines and all that, but what it gave my skin is that plump, well-hydrated, boing-boing skin the next morning. You know me, I love skincare products that can give me boing-boing skin . The soothing scent of lavender helps to calm my senses too, after a long day. What I like to do is have 3 drops of the concentrate on my palm, gently pat my palms together, and before I apply it on my skin, I close my eyes, take a slow, deep breath and inhale the calming scent. All the crap of the day seem to disappear at that very moment.

Another way to even better, boing-boing skin, is a recipe Paris B shared when she blogged about the Midnight Recovery Concentrate, and that is to mix it with Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair. I thought it was a brilliant idea, because this gave the serum an extra oomph, and I can see and feel the difference on my skin the very next morning. I call it “extra radiance and boing-boing-ness” . I used 2 drops of the Kiehl’s concentrate and 2 drops of the Estee Lauder serum, mix them on my palm, and apply. My skin loves it.

For the drop in price to AU$59 for 30ml, I think this is excellent value for a serum that not only smells absolutely heavenly, but works fantastically on my skin. Since I only use a maximum of 6 drops per time, alternate evenings (I find this less heavy on my combination skin, compared to using it daily), this will last me a very long time. In fact, it looks as though I barely used the serum, and I bought it mid last year.

What I like about it: Dropper makes using the serum more hygienic, soothing scent of lavender, makes the skin plump and glowy the next day.

What I do not like about it: Nothing