Burberry – Beaton Patent Leather Bag

Photo Credit: Net-a-porter.com

I talked about Burberry’s Manor bag a little while back. I’ve been seeing this Beaton bag quite frequently when shopping, and thought that I should do a post on it. It’s got a ruched opening with silver hardware. There’s this belt like thing that straps over the top of the bag as seen. It’s got feet. Feet on bags are so important – they prevent that awful dirty look on the bottom of the bag which is very common. The inside of this bag is wonderful as well – black satin lining that is smooth to the touch. Christopher Bailey has done such a wonderful job of designing this lovely bag. It’s got quilting as well, but in a not-so-obvious fashion. I think they do have this in patent beige as well. £1095 from Burberry London.

Bliss – Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask

I’m all up for different types of masks.. I decided to try this critically-aclaimed mask from Bliss a few weeks back. And I must say that it really is one of the best masks I’ve ever used. According to Bliss, it’s got Fluid02 which is a special liquid ventilation system to carry stable oxygen molecules and release them on the skin’s surface. Sodium PCA for hydration and BV-OSC which is the most multi-active powerful form of vitamin C available to brighten the skin and help the repair the effects of environmental damage. Anaerobic bacteria (bacteria that live in conditions with the absence of oxygen) are killed as well. Using it is so fun and easy. You massage a nice thick layer of this peachy gel all over your face. It foams up and makes you look really funny. Kick back and wait till the stuff liquidifies and then rinse off. You’re left with this glorious glow and you’ll look so radiant and happy after using it! Follow with a toner, serum and then a moisturizer.

The best thing about this is that the effects of the mask don’t just last a few hours. It makes my skin glow for ages! It’s literally like a breath of fresh air in the meadows of New Zealand, but for your skin.

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Burberry Manor

Credit: net-a-porter

In a nutshell, I like this Burberry Manor bag. Sure, it may be last and this season’s bag, but I still think it’s fabulous. The shape of the bag is a lovely long shape and is pretty deep, but not too deep that you can’t find your lurking cellphone at the pits of it. It comes in white and cream as seen above, black and patent black. The black is really gorgeous too. Anyway, the perfect outfit with this would be skinny jeans, heels, a laid back rock’n’roll T-shirt, waistcoat and long necklaces with aviators, of course. The leather on this bag may be pretty hard, but it’s what that maintains the shape. I love me some Christopher Bailey!! In fact, I think he totally revolutionised Burberry and made it into a more contemporary brand that fashionistas all love. Remember Sienna Miller in the gem-embellished top that she kept wearing? It’s by this Mr Bailey as well!

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Haute Couture

Who, in the fashion worl, exactly are considered haute couturiers?? Only a tiny list do make it to the already-small, but shrinking list.
They are:
Adeline Andre
Chanel
Christian Dior
Christian Lacroix
Dominique Sirop
Emanuel Ungaro
Franck Sorbier
Givenchy
Jeans-Louis Scherrer
Jean Paul Gaultier
(from Federation Francaise de la Couture)

There are designers who are invited to the couture shows. They include Valentino and Armani. A single dress that is considered to be haute couture takes about 300 hours of work, and costs roughly about $50,000. Yves Saint Laurent and Versace recently quit haute couture to focus on prêt-a-porter lines. However, ready-to-wear (RTW) designers such as Balenciaga use haute-design techniques like intricate seaming or origami folding.

It is known that far too many people/brands use couture too freely. Far too freely. Brands like Juicy Couture have nothing to do with couture even if they did come out with Couture Couture. No. Juicy Couture is NOT couture. Sweats do NOT amount to couture. Couture is used to frequently as an advertising technique as well. How many times have you walked into those departmental stores and see the word “Couture”, with rails of dresses hung behind it?

All those fancy dresses that come in many different sizes you see hanging along the rails of Harrod’s or Selfridges Superbrands are simply not couture. Those are RTW. Couture is made-to-measure. There are loads of fittings, and the hours put into making the dress is spectacular, like I stated above.

Anyway, next time you see the word “Couture”, make sure you remember that the “couture” you’re seeing isn’t exactly couture.

Oui!

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Body Moisturizers

The body is often neglected. Well, to me anyways. I used to use Kiehl’s Creme de Corps during winter as it was the richest moisturizer I’ve ever bought. Now, I’m not exactly one who would spend loads on my body, as I rather do it for my face, but Kiehl’s do really good moisturizers. Now that winter has bade goodbye, I’ve switched to a lighter moisturizer – Kiehl’s Sodium PCA Moisturizer. Ok, I know it’s supposed to be for the face, but because I’ve an overload of facial products, I started using this on my arms and chest. It’s extremely moisturizing, as the Sodium PCA draws water from the environment and binds it to the skin. I usually spray a thin layer of Avene spring water if I can remember. Maybe this is my way of recycling… Using left-over facial products on the body instead. Hehe. Don’t shoot me down, but I recently used Origins Modern Friction other than my face too, but I shall talk about that later. =)

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Links!

Bagsnob looks discerningly at bags.
CarryingContraption incredibly bitchy, funny and a fantastic read.
dlisted Gossip!
PinkIsTheNewBlog Celeb gossip!
GoFugYourself Bitchiness unite!
DisneyRollerGirl London girl looks at fashion.
StyleBubble Unique and eccentric!
LuxuryDuck Style&Designs:NYC, Paris, Sydney

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Jimmy Choo – Carlotta Clutch

At first sight, this looks like a gold wrapped chocolates presented on a black patent plater. However, this fabulous black patent rectangular clutch has got these gold bars all over the clutch and has its signature clasp fastening on the top with the brand name emblazoned on it. Inside it, it’s lined with luxurious suede with lilac trim. This looks fabulous with a simple one-coloured dress with gold accessories. It adds to the glamour of the outfit in a flash. With this, I’m pretty sure you don’t need to do much to steal the scene. £795 from all good stores

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Designer-“inspired” or whatever you call that

I have had enough of fake stuff. Walk along the sunny streets of Singapore, and you immediately spot those wannabe teenagers toting another “designer inspired” bag. “Designer inspired” is exactly the same as FAKE, even if one buys it from some “retail shop” like Forever21. There’s no difference in it for goodness sake. How many fake balenciaga work/first bags have you seen? Marc Jacobs Stam? Prada Gauffre? Fendi B. Bag? Squillions of them! And the thing about these teenagers in Singapore is that they just don’t accept that the their so-called designer-inspired bags are no different from fake bags. I hate fake bags. HATE HATE HATE it. The ignorance of these young things are just appalling.

I visited this livejournal community site once, and these girls and very few guys were posting pictures of themselves. And below each photograph, they state what they wear and how much it costs. For example, [PICTURE] Top-topshop, Jeans-topshop, Shoes-Aldo, Bag-designer inspired, etc.. It’s not about snobbery, it’s about having some sense of morals. Isn’t it very embarrassing to be carrying a fake bag? I’ve never owned anything fake before, and I have no intention of owning anything fake. This is also one of the reasons I don’t buy anything online (except for my leather conditioner). How can one be so proud of oneself carrying a fake bag? I have no idea how a person can do that. Honestly, it’s disgusting how you pay so much for a premium brand, only to find some awful creature on the street carrying the “same brand” but is “designer inspired”.

I must say that it’s not about me looking down on other people using high-street brands, I’m just saying that when it comes to bags – which is almost always faked – you don’t go and write proudly about your fake bag and post it online. It’s embarrassing and puts you in a bad light.

Tell me below about what you think about this so-called “designer inspired” thing.

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Morning routine

I admit, I’ve been buying new products recently, and even my evening skin care routine has changed significantly. However, the basics are still there.

1. Cleanse with Bliss Fabulous Foaming cleanser. This removes any oil/dirt/grime and even leaves my face with minimal shine even after a couple of hours. I tried this last night, and was surprised to see that my skin was not as oily as before after a couple of hours. Also, this doens’t leave that awful tight skin feeling.

2. Tone with Clarins Toning Lotion or SK-II Facial Clear Lotion.

3. Ole Henriksen Truth serum. Not oily at all, and completely fantastic smelling.

4. SK-II Facial Clear Solution or Dermalogica Oil Control Lotion depending on what my skin feels at that point in time. Actually, I use Dermalogica’s Oil Control Lotion when I’ve got zits ‘cos it helps to prevent zits and kills them with the ingredients it has in them. The SK-II Facial Clear Solution is for days when my skin feels a little parched.

5. Kiehl’s Sodium PCA Moisturizer used only on my neck + collar bones to rehydrate the skin there.

6. Kiehl’s Abyssine Eye Cream or Bobbi Brown Hydrating eye cream. I can’t stress enough on the importance of eye cream. Prevention is better than (trying to) cure.

7. Clarins UV PLUS SPF40. You’ve heard me enough about ranting on about sunscreen.

After this, I just apply whatever concealer (Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage) on where is needed.

Share with me your morning beauty routine too!

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)

Bliss – Multi Task Mask

5 different masks: Brightening, breakouts, exfoliating, lifting and soothing. While the result is superb, the mixing of the powder into a mask is such an annoying thing to do. The lady said that it’s good if you to put on a serum under the mask. So I put on the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum and left it to dry. Then, you basically take about half a table spoon of the powder, add in water until it’s a bit gloopy and spreadable. Use your own judgement on this. You slather everything on, and keep on slathering on until you see more of the grey stuff than your face. It’s going to be dripping all over, so do it over the sink with your head tilted back. Then, kick back until the mask literally rubberizes. Nudge the mask and throw the rubberized crap into the bin. Wash off any crap stuck around your hairline, and you’ve got perfect skin. Follow with toner and then a moisturizer. Perfecto skin!

P.S Feel free to leave comments! =)