grown-up glitter

"and above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

- roald dahl

illamasqua birthday lashes

thierry mugler lip wax in yellow gold

nars glitter pencil in le sept

mac glitter brilliants in sifted silver

guerlain meteorites perles imperiales

barry m liquid eyeliner

make up store blend & fix

the body shop define & sparkle mascara and eyeliner

this season, glitter is no longer a sprinkle of fairy dust over existing makeup. it is to be worn in solid blocks, most elegantly on the eyes. sparkly substances have appealed to the human eye since 40,000 bc with flakes of mica being found on cave paintings. experts say glistening surfaces draw an emotional response from the limbic system, the brain's most fundamental level. some application suggestions include:

- trace a brightly coloured line of glitter over black eyeliner

- sweep a gel glitter layer over mascaraed lashes - "the sparkle only when you blink (is) incredibly alluring," says david horne

- black glitter in black liners or brow powder can be super subtle, just like nude or pale gold glitters in lipgloss

- pat mcgrath gave the models glittery tears at galliano

- apply before dressing and always have a lint roller on hand

lovely lashes!!

gap-toothed girls

"wish on everything.  pink cars are good, especially old ones.  and stars, of course, first stars and shooting stars.  planes will do if they are the first light in the sky and look like stars.  wish in tunnels, holding your breath and lifting your feet off the ground.  birthday candles.  baby teeth."

- francesca lia block

lara stone

georgia jagger

vanessa paradis

lauren hutton

it turns out, a gap between your two front teeth is de rigueur this season.  vanessa paradis just signed on as the face of rouge coco for chanel.  georgia jagger is not only on the cover of november's uk vogue but she is also the new face of rimmel london.  and lara stone was seen on many a catwalk last month.  lauren hutton was famous for her grin in the 70's - especially when she refused to have it corrected.  some opine that it creates the illusion of youth.  others believe small imperfections highlight the organic nature of one's beauty.  dentists seem to think that veneers should be adopted by everyone (with lumineers only setting you back usd700-1,300 per tooth).  what do we think?  we think a confident woman is a beautiful woman.

the question on everyone's lips

"he wrapped himself in quotations - as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of emperors."

- rudyard kipling

agyness deyn

rihanna at gareth pugh

rihanna at balmain

lady gaga

team cleopatra/violet/lavender/jacaranda or not?  i feel a love/hate relationship coming on.

how to use your makeup brushes

on your toes

"something like toenail fungus - you can't fake that kind of stuff.  but people will try to on things like age."

- patricia palmer

clear toenails on the prada catwalk.  new trend or not?

marc jacobs ss10

"i'm strong. i'm tough. i still wear my eyeliner."

- lisa leslie

translation: layering and bold eyes will be of importance next spring.

five minute makeup challenge

the cure to all your problems

"for me and for every woman, the most important is to have healthy skin and also to take care of your body. i clean my face with a special soap my doctor gave me and when possible i go to the gym."

- daniela urzi

there are so many dermalogically-formulated brands out there now, what makes this one different? this one will help you with your problem skin. german-made dms (derma membrane structure) is the thing for you. free of emulsifiers, preservatives, perfume, mineral oils, silicones, dyes and amines, dermaviduals were originally created to tackle acne, atopic skin irritations, erythema as well as cornification and barrier disorders whilst providing preventative care to normal areas. it subsequently became evident that the products could also be recommended for the care of normal and young skin for the maintenance of optimal natural skin and fight premature aging. an entire range of skincare is available and can be tailored to your individual skin conditions. friends of mine have even used their serums to heal major surgical scarring to great effect and i absolutely swear by it. if interested, i can pass on a contact....

choppin' it up with mr chan

"i am thrilled to be awarded this honour by her majesty the queen for my contributions to the hairdressing business in britain. although i was born in italy, i came to britain in the early 1960's and have been very fortunate in my chosen craft. starting from a small shop in south london to then move the business onto a worldwide stage makes me very proud."

- toni mascolo on receiving his honorary order of the british empire in 2008

i took my sister to see benny at toni&guy this morning - the only person i have trusted with my hair for the last 10 years. benny trained and got his license (which many hong kong stylists do not possess as it is not required by the law here) in sydney at the toni & guy academy on oxford street where he then stayed on to practise, then managed the victoria station salon in london for two years before returning home to asia. pros are really pros - my little niece sat quite happily as he snipped away.

mopiko to the rescue

"for relief of bites by lice, mosquitoes, bees or other poisoning insects. itching ulcers. measles. irritation from shaving. headaches. muscle fatigue due to exercise. burns or abrasion."

- mopiko product description

mopiko ointment

made in japan

20g

hkd22.10 @ wellcome supermarket

went downstairs for coffee this morning - came back with not one but four ginormous mosquito bites. dis-gus-ting. thank goodness for my favourite cure-everything cream, mopiko!! also effective on pimples.

print and go

You are cordially invited to our

Special Private Sales

Langham Place Hotel Hong Kong

Shanghai Room, Level 8, Langham Place,

555 Shanghai Street, Mongkok, Kowloon, Hong Kong

11^th – 13^th August, 2009

12:00pm – 3:00pm, 4:00pm – 9:00pm

14^th August, 2009

12:00pm – 3:00pm, 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Participating Brands

Terms & Conditions for the event

1. Entry is by invitation only. Please bring a copy of this letter (one person per entry) as a proof for admittance and it will be collected.

2. Entry is only allowed at the permitted time & date as shown as above.

3. In case of heavy traffic, the organizing committee will reserve the right to distribute event entry tickets with specific time slots at the event place for better flow management.

4. Maximum purchases of 5 pieces/items.

5. Products are available only while stocks last.

6. VISA or Mastercard are accepted for purchases above HKD$800 ONLY.

7. All products sold are non-returnable and non-refundable.

8. Holding or storing products at the venue after purchasing is NOT ALLOWED.

9. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with other VIP Programmes, discounts and promotional offers.

10.For environmental protection, we will suggest you to bring along your own shopping bags.

11.No photography and video recording is allowed.

12.In case of very bad weather and typhoon, the event may be cancelled.

13.L'Oreal reserves the right to amend the terms & conditions without prior notice.

14.Should any conflict or disagreement arise, L'Oreal Hong Kong Ltd's decision is final.

dry brush-cleaning tutorial

must slim station

"perfect shape: hong kong's most effective slimming centre."

- perfect shape campaign

what is wrong with these people??  i received a call from perfect shape yesterday afternoon by a girl who sounded not a day over 12.  her first question to me was whether or not i was heavier than 110 pounds.  for a laugh, i replied i was and she proceeded to ask me which part of my body was covered in the most fat.  (obviously my age or height were of no relevance whatsoever.)  maybe i didn't like my belly, or my thighs?  surely something needed improving, she prodded?  i told her thank you but that i did not think i was over-weight in any way.  what, no bye-bye (wings) or pager (lower back) flesh?  surely i had an inkling of self-loathing?  maybe i wanted to come up and be checked anyway, just to be sure?  or maybe i wanted a complimentary facial?  SERIOUSLY.  what has our world come to?!?!

tan some hide

"to be successful, keep looking tanned, live in an elegant building (even if you're in the cellar), be seen in smart restaurants (even if you nurse one drink) and if you borrow, borrow big."

- aristotle

pevonia self-tanning emulsion

light-textured emulsion contains dha (sugar cane)

usd38

jan marini bioglycolic sunless self tanner

silky, fast-drying formula with glycolic acid for better penetration

usd28

fake bake sunless and skinny

contains clinical levels of cellulite fighters to combat dimples

usd29

tan towel

self-tanning towelettes for fair-skinned begginers

usd21

while a minimum of 10 minutes of sunlight per day is required for the production of vitamin d in our bodies, there is no such thing as a "healthy tan". over-exposure will inevitably lead to signs of [swallow] aging. for a uv-free glow, get your hands on some self-tanner!! the new ones all contain amino acids (dha) which react with proteins in the skin's superficial layers, resulting in a darkening that fades with natural cell turnover. this is the only active ingredient approved by the us fda for sunless tanning to date. for best results:

(1) avoid shaving before applying product as skin will be sensitive and more prone to irritation;

(2) lightly exfoliate prior to application to ensure a more even and longer lasting colour;

(3) use a firm, circular motion on clean, dry skin and try to choose a cool, dry environment to avoid sweating/humidity;

(4) do this quickly but thoroughly else orange nails, palms, finger joints, knuckles and thumbs will result (both legs should require no more than five minutes);

(5) apply a smaller amount of product to elbows and knees as dha reacts more to thicker skin;

(6) allow product to dry fully (at least 30 minutes) before carefully getting dressed/slipping into bed and then avoid all contact with water plus anything that will induce sweating for at least three hours; and

(7) generally, do not apply product more frequently than every three days.

dry hair day

"i worked in a health food store once.  a guy came in and asked me, 'if i melt dry ice, can i take a bath without getting wet?'"

- stephen wright

ojon hair care rub-out dry cleanser

available at john lewis

gbp16

oscar blandi pronto dry shampoo

available at sephora

usd19

orlando pita renew dry conditioner

available at sephora

usd25

klorane gentle dry shampoo with oat extract (non-aerosol pump)

available at sephora

usd18

formulated with amazonian white clay, silk powder, rice and potato starches, ojon's hair care rub-out dry cleanser claims to instantly "erase" impurities from your hair and scalp.  nigella lawson washes her hair once a week (down from thrice a fortnight) [gasp!!] and swears by this product, calling it "the world's best dry shampoo".  it's as easy as spray, massage and brush.  other recommended options include oscar blandi, orlando pita and klorane.  not sure how well these would work in our lovely, humid summer though.