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Alice in Wonderland has finally opened in Singapore cinemas! And adding to the Alice in Wonderland craze, makeup brand Paul & Joe has jumped on the bandwagon and teamed up with Disney to come up with a new collection to commemorate Tim Burton’s movie.

How cute is the packaging?! They used Disney’s classic Alice in Wonderland.

Blotting Paper with mirror for shine control and their refills.

Lip Treatment that works to add a hint of colour while conditioning dry lips
Sweet Milky Pink – Fantasy (pink set)
Sheer Orange – Daydream (blue set)

According to BritishBeautyBlogger, the collection has launched in February on ASOS.com. I wonder if they’re still available.

Are you as mad-hattered as I am with regards to all the merchandise relating to this movie? I would totally buy everything if I could, because Alice in Wonderland is such a classic!

If you have a color problem, Bobbi Brown has the answer for you this Spring with the new Color Strips collection.

The Problem: Dont know what to do with your amazing collection of colorful eye shadows?

The Fix: Bobbi has put together a range of wearable colors in each palette with one color that really pops, so anyone can feel confident wearing bright shades.

Orchid Eye Shadow Strip

This season, color is IN and playing safe is out. If you’re afraid of looking overdone, Bobbi Brown’s new hand-picked palettes has only one colour each that stands out while the rest are very wearable.

Aquamarine Eye Shadow Strip

Bonfire Eye Shadow Strip

Rouge Strips colours:
- Fresh Coral Pot Rouge Strip
- Fresh Pink Pot Rouge Strip

In line with this new Color Strip collection, Isetan Scotts Singapore is offering a Color Master Class that’ll teach you how to mix-n-match various color combinations in addition to the latest fashion color trends for the season!
Registration fee: $150 per person (fully redeemeable)
Date: Friday 12th – Thursday 18th March
Sessions: 10am – 1pm, 2pm – 5pm, 6pm – 9pm

The $150 registration fee will be fully redeemable for Bobbi Brown products and you also benefit from the expertise of Bobbi Brown’s team of Makeup Artists. They will teach you the art of customising the right face base color to customising various colors in makeup applications.

The Orchid Eye Shadow Strip looks rather delicious dont you think?

What is the brightest eye colour you’ve worn so far? I’ve actually tried blue and green together and surpringly, they worked really well!

To keep your skin healthy and smooth, scrubbing should be an important part of our beauty routine. Because we perspire all the time, dirt and dust can get trapped on the skin surface making it dull. Body scrubs help exfoliate the dirt and grime to reveal the new skin underneath! So just like we scrub away dead skin on our faces, we should do the same for our bodies!

Most scrubs have fine or rough particles in them that work to exfoliate the dead skin on the surface. A lot of them are also beautifully fragranced. Some come with moisturing properties. So other than removing the unwanted dead skin cells from your body, the scrubs help moisturise and keep new skin underneath soft and supple.

To keep your skin looking beautiful and smooth to the touch, scrub no more than twice week from neck to toe. You don’t want to overscrub and bruise tender skin. While you’re scrubbing, dont be shy to give yourself a massage. Remember to scrub those often neglected areas like your elbows, knees and heels! You’d be amazed what a scrub once a week can do for your overall skin condition and your mood.

Some recommended products:
Body Shop – Olive or Papaya Body Scrub
Origins – Incredible Spreadable Scrub

What body scrub do you use? I never used to like the Olive Scrub from Body Shop, but now it’s one of my favourites. I find it so rejuvenating. If you don’t use a body scrub, you totally should start today!

I picked up this Maybelline Define-a-Lash mascara at the Bangkok International airport on my return trip from there a while ago and bought it again at Philippines’ NAIA duty free because I think I might have just found my holy grail of mascara. After using it for several moths on end now, I’m finally writing a review on it .

The first thing that strikes you about the mascara is its bright green packaging; it is eye-catching and hard to miss. The entire thing looks futuristic and you might think, to youself, that green isn’t exactly a conventional color for a beauty product. But pull out the wand and here’s surprise number two: the comb is a rubbery one that is flexible. Wow, not only is the packaging bold, so are its claims.

Here’s what Maybelline says about this mascara:

This zero clump mascara creates stunning length with clean definition.

* Patented shaped-to-the-lash brush
* Ophthalmologist tested, Contact lens safe
* Waterproof; also available in washable formula

“Separated, sensuously long, no clump” lashes. Mmmmmmm… I like that. The promise of a no smudging formula would mean fluttery lashes that last from day to night. But could it withstand the hot and humid weather in Singapore? I’ve always had the problem of little mascara flakes on my bottom lids after a day of living in my mascara.

So how did this mascara fare? Let’s see.

Zero clump? CHECK!
Separated and defined lashes? CHECK!
Stunning length? Well, the lashes didnt exactly STUN me but they DID look longer.

All three claims FULFILLED! I’m impressed!

Although they never mentioned this, but another thing I really like about the mascara is it’s ability to hold a curl. Curl your lashes and sweep on about 2 coats of this fabulous mascara early in the morning and you’re set for the entire day! I came home after a long day and found my lashes sitting prettily curled just as I had curled them that very morning. On top of that, NO FLAKING! YAYYYY!

Here’s the evidence.

I’m SOLD.

I swear I’ve never seen my eyelashes looking so long and pretty before. In fact, I cant remember what my eyelashes used to look like before this mascara. Haha. Is it any wonder why I have 2 of them sitting in my drawer at this very moment?

Sadly, they dont carry this particular mascara in Singapore but it’s available at drugstore.com. In fact, I’m going to the Philippines in April again. Anyone wants me to get it for them? Lol.

Imagine my ecstasy when I saw the NARS counter in the Philippines. Oh yes, when I saw the counter, I had an Orgasm.

No, really.

I had myself an Orgasm.

The NARS Orgasm blush that is. This is THE blush that everyone knows from NARS, a definite cult favourite.

You can’t find it here in Singapore (boo!) so I HAD to get it when I saw the counter tucked away near the entrance of Rustan’s. Ahhh…The thrill of picking up the makeup and then trying it out for real. Shopping for your makeup online just isn’t the same.

The blush comes in a simple black rectangular packing with white letters emblazoned across it (same as their eyeshadows and other products really). Open up the lid and the colour of the blush startles you a little. It looks like a bright pink for the uninitiated, but really is a pink with peach undertones. Gold shimmer twinkles in the pan as you tilt the blush and you wonder, with one eyebrow raised, if the colour will suit you.

But sweep it on wherever you desire and the colour shows up immediately (no questions about how much I love their pigments). That being said, all you need is to gently brush the blush across your cheeks and viola, instantly glowing cheeks.

Out of the pan, the colour shows up as a light pink with a golden tinge, thanks to the gold shimmer. Despite it looking like a kid just tipped the entire jar of shimmer into the pan, the shimmer is really not that obvious. In fact, I really like how the shimmer adds a subtle glow to the skin. Like they said, it’s a perfect pinky-peach flush.

Well, if any one now ever comments on how radiant I look and I’m using the NARS Orgasm blush, I now can break into a cheeky little smile and say, “Oh yes, it’s Orgasm.”

M.A.C Viva Glam teams up with Lady Gaga and Cyndi Lauper for the new From Our Lips collection. The lipsticks Viva Glam Gaga and Viva Glam Cyndi are a light blue pink (Lustre) and light reddish coral (Lustre) respectively.

About M.A.C Viva Glam:

Time to wham up the GLAM in VIVA VIVA GLAM !…and celebrate the indestructible idea that ALL girls (and boys) just wanna have fun! It’s a gaga-glamorous look at our abiding passion: The M·A·C AIDS Fund and the VIVA GLAM program are the heart and soul of M·A·C Cosmetics.

Established in 1994 to support men, women and children affected by HIV and AIDS globally, VIVA GLAM I, II, III, IV, V and VI were launched as continuous shades and have achieved tremendously gratifying success over the years. Spring 2010 sees two new Lipstick shades introduced as limited life for 12 months on counter. Ladies and gentlemen, we give you the sensational Cyndi Lauper and the electric Lady Gaga!

Every cent of the selling price of VIVA GLAM Lipstick and Lipglass is donated to the M·A·C AIDS Fund to support men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS.

For all the Cyndi and Gaga fans (me me!) out there, the collection should be out here in Singapore March 2010. I want those gaga-licious pink lips! Ma… ma… ma… Muah!

Happy Lunar New Year everyone! It’s the first day of the Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival. So what better day to talk about the new NARS Spring Collection than on the first day of the Spring Festival!

NARS is one of my favourite makeup brands because the pigments are amazing. My collection of NARS items is small. I only possess the NARS Orgasm blush and bronzer on top of the awesome Pandora eyeshadow palette because they dont carry NARS here in Singapore, otherwise I totally would have more. I got the bronzer and blush from the Philippines while Arissa personally hand-carried the Pandora eyeshadow from the States.

So when they introduced their new Spring collection 2010 consisting of lipsticks, liners, glosses, shadows and polishes, you can imagine my excitement. A chance to own ALL of these at once! OooOoooo….

From the website,

The NARS Spring Collection starts with lips that signal the season, from the deceptively demure Easy Lover Lip Gloss in hot pink, to the nearly nude subtlety of Lipstick in Cruising. For eyes that demand center stage, NARS mixes rosy gold with luscious boysenberry hues and sparkling sienna with moss flecks. A sky blue Glitter Pencil makes the eyes pop. Highlight your mesmerizing new look with Orgasm Illuminator and finish with the next cult nail color, Purple Rain.

I love how the colours are cheery, bright and fresh; obviously meant to make you look as pretty as a spring flower.

The collection can be viewed at Sephora.com. Hooray for online shopping!

What do you think of the new NARS Spring Collection?

As Valentine’s Day looms around the corner, it’s the perfect time to dress up and look pretty. Blair Waldorf made it cool to wear fascinators (Yes, those things are called fascinators. How fascinating right?), and since I’ve been dying to get one of my own, I decided that this was the best time to make one! A DIY gift for myself! Haha. This is also a great Valentine gift idea if you’re thinking of making something for your loved one.

Things you need
1. Feathers (any colour you like)
2. Small piece of cardboard
3. Red cloth approximately 4.5″ x 19.5″ or 12cm x 50cm
4. Red thread
5. Red hairband
6. Scissors
7. Needles

First, we will make the rose. Turn the cloth over and fold the width into half, making it about 2.5″ wide. This is the side that wont be exposed. Sew the edges down with small stitches. You dont have to be neat as we will be hiding this on the inside. Once you are done, turn the cloth inside out. The side that you want to show as the rose petals should be on the outside now.

Now we have to make the rose. You start by rolling the first edge of the cloth in for about an inch or so before folding the cloth outwards to make the “petals”.

Fold the long end of the cloth outwards to form a triangle. The triangle should be nearest to where the new “petal” will be (see visual). Wrap it around the rest of the “petals” you’ve made and hold securely at the base with the other hand.

Fold. Roll. Hold. Repeat.

When you’ve reached the end, sew the loose ends securely at the base/stalk of the rose with the needle and thread and admire your beautiful work. It might be a good idea to sew across the petals too. This helps to keep the shape of the rose. Make sure the sewing’s tight because we dont want the rose to come undone!

Now comes the easy part.

Glue stick the rose and feathers to the hairband at desired position with a glue stick.

To provide extra support for the rose on the hairband, we’ll use cardboard. Cut a circle from cardboard big enough to cover the base of the rose, but small enough to be hidden.

Cover it with the same red cloth you use for your rose so it camouflages.

Finally, attach the cardboard underneath the flower and feathers for stability.

VIOLA! Your new Valentine’s Day fascinator.

In case, you’re too lazy to try it out yourself, here’s a GIVEAWAY!

I honestly wasnt sure if I should give out this DIY item I personally made. I mean, I wanted to, but I really dont think it’s good enough. It’s definitely not store material of course. There’s a reason they call it DIY.

But since it’s Valentine’s Day and I’m in the spirit of giving (isnt that Christmas though?), leave your name and working email address in the comments section if you dont mind my brilliant (HAHA!) handiwork. One LUCKY commenter will receive this DIY fascinator in your mailbox!

Draw ends 11th of February 2010, 1200hr! So start commenting now.

All comments will be screened. Applicable to Singapore addresses only.

In light of the upcoming Valentine’s Day holiday, Ima write about the M.A.C Love Affair collection because they feature 3 different types of lippies to help you pucker up!

Lip Pencil – A pencil designed for shaping, lining or filling in the lip.
Beet – Vivid Reddish-pink
Dervish – Pinky-mauve
Redd – Clearly Red

Lipstick – Colour plus texture for the lips.
Lovelorn – Emotive blue pink (Lustre)
Lickable – Bright clean blue pink (Cremesheen)
Lady Danger – Vivid bright coral-red (Matte)
Snob – A ladylike mauve (Satin)
Violetta – Bright violet (Amplified Creme)

Dazzleglass Creme – The M?A?C cult favourite Dazzleglass with a creamier, smoother, but no less shiny or dazzling effect.
My Favourite Pink – Light Blue Pink With Pearl
Creme Allure – Bright Yellow Plum
Totally Fab – Bright Yellow Red With Pearl

I’m not that much of a lippie girl (more of an eyeshadow person), but I’m totally diggin’ the lipsticks Lovelorn, Lady Danger and the Dazzleglass Creme in Totally Fab and My Favourite Pink! Although this is a slightly dated collection and you cant find these in stores, you can still get them at maccosmetics.com. Maybe they should have launched this a leeeeeettllee later for people like me who do last minute shopping. Haha.

My love affair is with eyeshadows. What’s yours?

I’ve been told on more than one occasion, by people of all sorts, how white my teeth are. They ask me if I use any whitening products or if I do anything special treatment. But the truth is, when I was sponsored a teeth whitening service 2 years ago, the dentist told me he couldnt do much for whitening my teeth because they were already so white! I kid you not. Imagine my disappointment then. Haha.

But anyhoo, although I dont actively TRY to whiten my teeth (I think if I try any more they’re going to turn transparent), it’s still always good to have whiter teeth. Lol.

I’ve read from various sources about how strawberries whiten your teeth naturally, and I am a BIG fan of strawberries. Instead of using chemical bleaching agents why not go natural? The juicy, fleshy part in strawberries contains malic acid which does wonders in removing stains.

I never noticed the effect till I was eating strawberries one day and checked my teeth afterwards in the mirror. Hey, waddaya know? My teeth DID look whiter and brighter after just munching on them as an after dinner treat.

You can choose to cut 1 strawberry and rub the fleshy part across your teeth as a quick teeth whitening fix before going out. But I personally prefer eating a handful of strawberries as dessert.

Eating a handful of these juicy babies once a week will not only keep your teeth looking whiter but also provide a whole host of vitamins in your diet!

Try it and tell me if it works for you too!