Splendid Reads!

John Masters Organics Skincare Line

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:07 GMT

© Viva Woman I just found an anti-aging serum with L-Ascorbic acid polypeptide complex under the John Masters Organics Skincare Line. I came across a few raves on the product line, especially their John Masters Vitamin C Anti-aging Face Serum and found it available locally. This serum is described as a light but potent blend which helps reduce the signs of [...]

© vivawoman.net. If you're not reading this as a news feed, this site you're reading is a splog guilty of copyright infringement. This feed is for personal non-commercial use only.

fashion challenge - details

Thu, 15 May 2008 15:15 GMT

Here are the results of last week's fashion challenge (at the end of this post you will find next week's challenge):

I asked you to start off with an elegant outfit, then changing a detail to make it more of a casual outfit.

Here D. starts off with a sweet top and a pair of black pants.

The outfit, while not extremely elegant, is on the safe and conservative side.

And here she turns it casual with khaki pants.

Changing pants is a quick and easy way to transform an outfit completely.

As long as everything still matches you have nothing to worry about.

There are many ways to turn an elegant outfit into a more casual one.

If you start off with a skirt, you can switch to jeans...

et voila! Automatically casual!

I like to top it off with my faithful cowboy hat, for a cool and casual look! ;)

And let's not forget shoes!

Shoes can also change the tone of an outfit.

Here I'm wearing my gray strap dress with my elegant gray suede platform shoes.

But if I pick another pair of shoes, a more casual pair, like my espadrilles, the shoes will still match the outfit, but now the tone is more casual.

While with the gray shoes I could have gone to a fancy restaurant, the espadrilles make the outfit more appropriate for a nice evening on the boardwalk.

Lessons learned from this challenge: by looking more closely at your wardrobe, you will realize that some of the outfits you thought rigorously formal can also become casual with minimal change, and vice versa. Also, that details, big or small, are very important and shouldn't be ignored.

NEXT WEEK'S CHALLENGE:
Vacation time is around the corner (at least for the more fortunate ones!). Packing the least amount of clothes with the maximum amount of wear is a skill not everyone has. I want you to pick three or four pieces out of your closet and then mix them and match them to create as many different outfits as you can.

Send me all your pictures at nyspender by Wednesday, May 21st.

Cheap and Good? Elianto Shimmer Eyeshadow

Thu, 15 May 2008 14:42 GMT

© www.mywomenstuff.com - You are reading from a feed.I realise I might have been writing quite a lot about higher end brands lately. Whilst I don't consider myself a beauty snob, the higher end products are in many ways prettier and more attractive - so are their prices.

At the same time, I have wondered how do the lower end products fare? I embarked on an experiment with fellow beauty fan Beetrice of Beetrice Reviews to check out some eyeshadows in the lower price end of the spectrum.

First of all, let me define my idea of lower end. I was targetting eyeshadows in the RM25 and below range. This takes us into the realm of pretty dirt cheap, if you ask me! I wanted to see what I could find in this price bracket and how the products fare. We ended up with 3 - Elianto, Skin Food and Bloop. We considered Beautilicious but scrapped it due to bad experiences on both our parts and there were some other brands I spotted in Watsons (mostly) but I was not prepared to try them because I did not know a lot about them and they looked too much like knock offs of other brands. We basically played safe and stuck to more mainstream low end brands.

I'm starting off my review series with Elianto Shimmer Shadow in Forest Green.

(more…)

Sponsor: Don't forget to visit this month’s special offers on StrawberryNET.com for some great cosmetics deals.

Love the Look - Beyonce

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:12 GMT

I love the casual-cool look of Mrs. Carter's cropped Chanel jacket and pin, layered necklaces, wide-leg trou, and knit cap. It's all-at-once effortless and polished.

Long Overdue

Thu, 15 May 2008 11:12 GMT

America's Next Top Model has actually given the coveted title to a healthy-sized girl! Bravo to Tyra and her posse for finally recognizing that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes!

Can't Live Without: Starbucks Napkins

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:45 GMT

(Face savers...)

"Why is PJ showing a photo of paper napkins?" you may ask...

These napkins are a hugely indispensable part of my daily beauty-maintenance routine, because they are the best oil-blotting paper I have ever used and only Starbucks has the kind that I like.

It all happened more than 10 years ago when I forgot to carry oil-blotting paper and I had to make do with one of these napkins to matte out the shine. But, to my surprise, it was so absorbent and worked so efficiently that my remaining stock of blotting paper was then left untouched for years.

Made with 100% recycled paper in a bleach-free process, these napkins work very well as blotting paper and normal tissue paper simply can't compare. One sheet is more than enough for a whole day running around outdoors during summer.

If you have oily skin and need several sheets of blotting paper at a single "blotting session", do try one of these next time. But do be gentle, since these napkins are obviously not designed for the face and the texture is coarser than the usual blotting paper. (But, interestingly, I have noticed that the Starbucks napkins are getting thinner and softer over the years...)

Other things I can't live without:

ZA Two-Way Foundation

RMK Cleansing Oil N

Garnier Hand Cream

Dove Body Silk

Prints from Oscar De La Renta’s Resort 09 Collection

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:59 GMT

Since this has been a print week and Coutorture has photos available from Oscar's Resort ‘09 collection, and Dior Cruise ‘09 too, I thought we'd take a look at some prints, Fashion Lab-style.

Compare the use of scale in these first two. Who is flattered and who is just plain overwhelmed?

In this second set, in addition to scale, we can study line movement and especially direction. (Also note that the deep, square neckline, which is visually in balance, acts kind of as a solid to separate the print from the face.)

Just for fun, here's thumbnails of some more pictures.

Which is your favorite look? That last picture is me.

Archives Are Our Only Hope

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:21 GMT

Get shiny hair. How much are you willing to pay for moisturizer? I really like perfumes meant for men. Remember how I lost my favourite lipgloss? I found it! In an old jacket pocket! If you...

Visit CanadianBeauty.com to read the rest of this article.