FRAGRANCE: BOSS JOUR Pour Femme

"The day starts at dawn - write your own story."

This September (Tomorrow!), BOSS Parfums will be launching their new fragrance for women, BOSS JOUR Pour Femme. The scent draws inspiration from the first light of the day, using it as a source of inspiration for women. It urges women to seize all opportunities and create our own stories, everyday. Carpe diem.

"I'm so proud to be a part of this new perfume launch from BOSS Parfums. I love that the brand is taking the opportunity to acknowledge the many layers and varying lives of wmen, and encapsulating it perfectly into a perfume like BOSS JOUR Pour Femme."

Gwyneth Paltrow is the ambassador for BOSS JOUR Pour Femme and this is her second campaign with the brand. She encapsulates femininity and sophistication in all aspects of her life, be it on screen or off screen. Resonating with women around the world who manage the day's many elements with elegance and poise, Paltrow is a true Boss woman.

BOSS JOUR Pour Femme mirrors the three important facets that make up today's modern women.

Top Notes: The Light Facet
Light scents that are detected immediately upon application. Forms your first impression.
The succulent citrus freshness of grapefruit flower and lime emulates the vibrancy of the first rays of light, radiating a positive sense of anticipation.

Middle Notes: The Inspiring Facet
Scents that emerge just before the top notes departs. Masks initial unpleasant impression of base notes, which improves with time.
A beautiful white bouquet of freesia and lily of the valley lies within the heart of this fragrance, showcasing the beauty and variety that can be created using just one simple color - perfectly representing the endless possibilities in every woman's life. The addition of honeysuckle, known for needing bright lights for its flowering tips, represents the BOSS woman reaching to pursue all the possibilities the day may bring.

Base Notes: The Elegantly Composed Facet
Rich and deep scents that emerge before the middle notes departs. Brings depth and solidity to the fragrance.
A richer, muskier finish - with earthy notes of white birch and creamy amber - ensures a feeling of softness and mirrors the unique feminine strength and ability to always approach the day and its possibilities with elegant composure.

BOSS JOUR Pour Femme will be launched in September.The prices are $79 (30ml), $114 (50ml) and $148 (70ml). The shower gel and body lotion will be at $50 (200ml) each.

LOOKBOOK: Love, Bonito's Jayden Skorts in Sand

Love, Bonito skorts
-

Skorts have been all the rage recently (Has the trend passed already?!?), popping up like little mushrooms in the world of blogshops. I got to know about them sometime in June and when I was in Taipei, I went to 2 Zaras frantically looking for the original versions. I did find them, in my size and in 3 colours; black, white and cobalt blue. And even though they hung uncomfortably low on my hips, I got 2 of them anyway. Just because they were the ORIGINAL, non-inspired versions.

BUT when Love, Bonito launched their very own inspired versions, with waist lengths that were closer to mine... I got the above and backordered the other 3 available colours. Yes, pure insanity because now I have like what? 6 of these?!? And yes, I have been feeling very guilty ever since. Especially when they aren't of decent length for school. BUT BUT I do wear a lot of shorts during weekends, so that is my only comfort.

And no, it will not ever, ever happen again. *crosses fingers*

MAIL: Vanity Trove x Nylon Exclusive Edition

Oh boy, it has been exactly a week since I last blogged! School's a little busier than I thought it would be. And a little overwhelming too; I don't think I have ever been given this many assignments, presentations and deadlines all at the same time. :\

BUT my classmates have been so incredibly nice that I'm afraid I would poke myself and realize it's all a dream. Yes, they are THAT nice. Everyone's just trying to help everyone and it feels a little like being in Junior College again. (: After going through university, I really wish I had treasured my classes (Junior College and before.) more, because you just don't get that kind of 'tightness' in life after that.

Haha. Random thoughts after a really long week. Anyway, I have something special to share from Vanity Trove!

Vanity Trove x Nylon Exclusive Edition is one of the 4 exclusive Vanity Troves (Click here to view them!). Priced at $35, it is a tad more expensive than the usual troves but I do believe it's completely worth it. I mean, I ordered two of these! Haha. Have a look! (:

Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF50 PA+++ UVA
This little tube of dermatologist-tested sunblock helps protect against pigmentation, irregularities and premature skin ageing.

Shu Uemura's Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O
This cleansing oil comes saturated with Green Tea Extract and empowered by Ginkgo Leaf Extract. Meant for those with ageing concerns, this revitalizes the appearance of fatigued skin and refine skin texture.

Shu Uemura's Unlimited Lip Gloss in CR 30 G
This lip gloss comes with a special skin-loving formula that contains a moisture active complex of Lotus Flower Extract, Hyaluronic Spheres and Ceramide. Together with botanical oils like Rapeseed, Olive, Caster and Sunflower, they nourish, protect and moisturize your lips.

Lancôme's Hypnôse Doll Eyes Mascara
This mascara holds the secret behind luscious doll-like lashes! The unique brush reaches every lash and gives a smooth and clean application. It sculpts, curls and thicken your lashes to get you ready for any event.

Redken's Smooth Lock Shampoo and Conditioner
This duo provides intense thermal care for dry and unruly locks.

Kerastase's Elixir Ultime Oléo-Complexe
Containing a combination of Camellia, Argan, Maize and Pracaxi Oils, these hair oils come in 3 variations; Moringa Immortel for damaged hair, Thé Impérial for colour-treated hair and Rose Millénaire for fine and sensitized hair. They leave hair beautifully conditioned, smooth and soft.

Giorgio Armani's Acqua Di Gioia Eau Fraîche
This eau de toilette is an exclusive infusion of freshly picked flowers, offering a new experience of natural and radiant feminity. Top notes burst with scents of Grapefruit, Ylang-Ylang and Cedarwood. Middle notes develop to include Mandarin, Water Jasmine and a Brown Sugar accord. Lastly, base notes envelop the skin to bring forth bright Primofiore Lemon, a whisper of Jasmine accord and a hint of Soft Musk.

Lancôme's Advanced Genifique
This youth activating concentrate is one of my favourites and remains part of my morning skin care routine. Click here to read my review. (:

Yves Saint Laurent's Le Teint Touche Éclat (Illuminating Foundation) in B30 Beige
The foundation holds the magic light of the famous Touche Éclat. It targets shadowy areas and highlights the contours of the face. There are 17 available shades and it comes with SPF19 broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection.

REVIEW: Kate's Shiny Eyelid Liner in PK-1 Soft Pink

One of the main products in this year's Kate Cosmetics' Spring/ Summer Collection is the Shiny Eyelid Liners. It comes in two shades; PK-1 Soft Pink for strongly contoured lower eyelids and BE-1 Smooth Beige for naturally full lower eyelids.

The not-so-recent but here-to-stay trend in Asian makeup is to have innocent, teary, puppy-like eyes and this liner helps you achieve that. It takes the form of a gel and is accompanied with a fine brush, which allows you to deposit just the right amount on your lower eyelids.

The brush is fine and dense, picking up just the right amount of liner. But I do think it is a little too soft to draw a thin fine line, especially for beginners. You need to be really careful and have relatively steady hands (Try resting your elbow on a desk!). My first try saw me with unsightly blobs of glittery tears. The liner takes a while to dry so don't worry too much if you made a mistake like me. All you need is a cotton bud to clean up the excess.

One tip is to hold the brush horizontally and just dab it across your lower eyelid, making dashes. This way, you won't be dragging the glitter across and you will get an even line.

I like that the Shiny Eyelid Liner in PK-1 Soft Pink isn't too harsh and contrasting. Instead, the soft ballet pink is subtle and complements my skin nicely. It brightens the eyes instantly, giving a soft and innocent look. I didn't experience any glitter fallout during the time I had it on and it didn't irritate my eyes either. (:

One thing though, I think it would be good to line the waterline. Otherwise, the pink actually brings out the red of the waterline and umm... The innocence that exudes borders a little on creepiness. Haha. Umm... :\

Face
Clé de Peau Silky Foundation (B10)

Eyes
K-Palette's 24H Real Lasting Eyeliner (Super Black)
Kate's Shiny Eyelid Liner in BE-1 PK-1

Cheeks
Clé de Peau Beauté's Luminizing Face Enhancer (No. 12)

Lips
Nuxe's Lip Moisturizing Stick with Honey and Sunflower
Rimmel London's Kate Matte Lipstick (107)

EVENT: Kate Cosmetics' Spring/ Summer Collection 2013

A while back, I attended the launch of Kate Cosmetics' Spring/Summer Collection 2013. This collection is all about 'mesmerizing the world with shiny high-impact eyes and flawless skin'. Expect various shades of gold for a glamorous and sophisticated look that can take every girl from day to night events!

Makeup artist, Lolent Lee, was there to do makeup demonstrations with the Goldish Eyes in GD-1. Yina, who's on the left, has the day look on while Clara has the night one.

I'll be doing reviews and swatches for the goodies I received over the next few weeks. In the meantime, here's the price list:

• Goldish Eyes: $27
• Shiny Jelly Eyes: $17
• Shiny Eyes: $23.50
• Lash Extension Mascara: $25.50
• Gel Eyeliner: $25.50
• Slim Gel Pencil: $20.50
• Shiny Eyelid Liner: $20.50
• Eyebrow Color: $14.50
• Concealing Cover Powder Foundation: $34
• Brightening Makeup Base: $20.50

Kate Cosmetics' Spring/Summer Collection 2013 is available at selected BHG, Guardian Pharmacy, OG, John Little, Metro, Nishino Pharmacy, Sasa Cosmetics and Watsons.

SPOTTED: N.E.mation! 8 is back!

N.E.mation! is back for its 8th season this year! For the uninitiated, N.E.mation! is a digital animation competition for youths to express their thoughts on Total Defence. This competition is proudly organized by Nexus and as aforementioned, is in its 8th year running. The past 7 years have been nothing but success, garnering more than 9,900 students participating. With no prior experience in animation, these students undergo weeks of training and guidance to produce quality clips. I'm sure you have seen some of their works in theaters! :D

This year's theme is 'Because You Played A Part'. The top 10 clips will be judged by a panel of esteemed judges, including Melvin Tan, Senior Animator of Blue Sky Studios. And guess what the winning team gets? A trip to visit a renowned animation studio in USA!

Interested in joining? Here's how! :D

1. Form a team of 3 to 4 students from your school.
2. Register online at http://nemation.sg/.
3. Submit your story ideas on the theme 'Because You Played A Part' by 1pm on August 21st, 2013.

But... What if you don't know how and where to start? Fear not because N.E.mation! has a huge bank of resources to help get your creative juices flowing!

1. View the free online Story Workshop at http://nemation.sg/story/.
2. Receive coaching on your story ideas when N.E.mation! visit your school, or when you attend their Public Story Clinic session*!

*You get to pick your preferred time slot when you register online! A 'Share Your Story' contest on Facebook that is opened for all ages to participate!

Still need one more reason to join?

Golly gee, I sure wish I had this when I was in school. :\ But oh wait, us 'oldies' have something in store for us too!

All you need to do is to submit a story online on N.E.mation!'s contest page to tell them how you have played a part for Singapore and you stand to win wither a $50 shopping voucher or a pair of movie tickets! Here are some details:

Contest Period:

• Round 1: 5th to 11th August 2013
• Round 2: 12th to 18th August 2013

Prizes for each round are:

• 1 x $50 Shopping Voucher (Judges' choice.)
• 8 x a pair of movie tickets (Random draw.)

For more information, do check out N.E.mation!'s website here and Facebook page here. All the best!

REVIEW: Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion +

Clinique's famous yellow moisturizing lotion underwent a reformulation recently and is now called the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion +. Meant for very dry to dry combination skin, this moisturizer 'combines all-day hydration with skin-strengthening ingredients', making our skin more resilient. The moisturizer is said to sink into the skin easily and comes with a silky texture.

To use it, spread it all over your face and throat twice daily all over, or where needed. For best results, use it after Facial Soap and Clarifying Lotion.

The lotion comes in a 50ml tube. The scent is pretty much how I remembered the old one; not very pleasant but it isn't unpleasant either. For the uninitiated, Clinique products are fragrance free (Exactly how I like my products to be. Except, well, perfumes and the ilk. Of course.).

Just as Clinique promised, the lotion sank into my skin easily and hydration was almost immediate. My skin felt plump with health and moisture. I went to bed comfortably and during the day, the lotion posed nary a problem under my light makeup.

I was really enjoying it... Until a week and a half later. I noticed two large blackheads on my right cheek (Inner and outer.), which were huge anomalies. My blackheads reside on my nose and it's extremely rare that they decide to take residence on other parts of my face. It could be coincidence but I'm taking a break from it for now. :\

I'll probably be passing the tube to Mum and have her review it, since she was a user of the previous version and will be a better judge of the new one. In the meantime, if you have tried it, do leave a comment and let me know how you find it. Happy Monday, everyone! :D It's a short week!

EVENT: Clinique's Dramatically Different Bloggers' Lunch

A month ago, Clinique held a luncheon for bloggers. This event marked the launch of the reformulated famous yellow moisturizing lotion, the Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+. Mum was really excited that I got an invitation because she loves the original version. A lot. In fact, I just got her a bottle of it for Mother's Day!

I still remember the first time she told me about it; I was probably only 13 then. I thought the moisturizer looked a lot like egg tofu, asked about it and Mum was like "This is a very good moisturizer. But it's VERY expensive.". Guess what? Mum was going to get the best (beauty) news she had in ages that day!

The Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion was launched back in 1968 and it didn't go through a single reformulation until now. Clinique realized that current environmental conditions and women's concerns differed greatly from the past and the brand wanted to respond to that.

And it took 3 formulation dermatologists, 53 researchers, 100 formula trials and 6.5 years to come up with the brand new Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+.

The new formula remains largely the same, save for a couple new ingredients:

Phytofix
A blend of sunflower seed cake, barley extract and cucumber fruit extract that helps to strengthen the skin's barrier, imparting resilience and resistance to environmental stresses.

Hyaluronic Acid
Used in dermatology and medicine for many years, it is proven effective in helping skin hold onto moisture for improved hydration.

Glycerin
It is a well-known humectant that attracts moisture to skin. Considered highly 'hygroscopic', it absorbs water from the surrounding air.

Urea
It is a naturally occuring component in the production of skin's own natural moisturizing factor (NMF). NMF ingredients mimic the function of healthy skin.

In the above shot, the Clinique ladies highlighted the importance of exfoliation and proceeded to do a demonstration. They applied the lotion on skin that was and wasn't exfoliated.

See how the lotion on the lady's left arm is completely absorbed, much unlike her right? It's pretty easy to guess which arm was exfoliated and which wasn't! (Just in case, the left arm was exfoliated!)

And now, for the news that Mum was delighted to hear (And you will be too!)! :D

The Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+, which is already available at all Clinique counters, retails at $28 for 50ml and $60 for 125ml, compared with $42 and $70 previously! The brand wants to make good skin accessible to everyone, no matter the age. (: Do check it out when you pass by their counters!

EVENT: SK-II Unveils New Anti-Ageing Game-Changer- Stempower Essence!‏

On July 5th, I attended the launch of SK-II's Stempower Essence at Changi Airport. Singapore was the first place in which the essence was launched and it was a real privilege to be there. Thank you so much, SK-II and DeVries for the invitation!

SK-II believes that age is now nothing more than just a number, i.e. it is a state of mind. The brand's latest research uncovered our skin cell's very own 'Master Switch', a key which activates our youth activity. By activating this switch and in turn, boosting our inner skin resilience, we can now always have our youthful beauty.

To achieve that, SK-II has come up with the Stempower Essence. Formulated with the new Stem-Acanax ES Complex of Stem-Acanax, Pitera, Artichoke Extract and Kiren Extract, it is the source of youth in a bottle. The ingredients work hard to enhance our skin's cell functions of anti-oxidation. regeneration and longevity. This promotes inner cell density and increases our skin's inner resilience, leaving us with skin that's poreless-looking and bouncy, just like a baby's.

At the event, threads from Love, Bonito's previous and upcoming collections were also showcased.

I have tried the Stempower Essence and it sinks into the skin very easily, leaving behind a smooth texture. It complements the Stempower pretty well, though I do prefer using the latter alone. A detailed review will be up in due time. Till then, have a good weekend! :D

HAUL: Shopping for My Essentials at iHerb.com

I ABSOLUTELY love shopping at iHerb! I mean, I love spending hours in the grocery stores, just looking at rows and columns of food, supplements, skincare products (But of course!) yada yada (Makings of a splendid housewife... Who can't cook. Aye, soon soon!). And if I can do all that without needing to leave the house and suffer from Singapore's insufferable heat, oh my gawd. I believe I'm in almost-heaven.

This is my 4th purchase from iHerb and I got 4 friggin' huge-ass bottles of Thayers (I friggin' love Thayers btw! Thank you, JH, for the recommendation! xx), more Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman's brushes and 2 tubes of Now Foods Solutions's toothpaste gel (Yes, I get my toothpaste online too.). Delivery was by Singpost (Yes, Singpost!) and I think I got my package after a week it was shipped out or just a day or two more.

P.S.: If you wanna, you can key in my code MMS978 during checkout to receive a 10% discount. :D

REVIEW: NARS' Semi Matte Lipstick in Funny Face

At this year's Shiseido's Private Sale, one of the (many) items I purchased was NARS' Semi Matte Lipstick in Funny Face. Described as a 'wonderfully fun fuchsia', it goes on smoothly but a tad dry. Currently, I have something against juicy lips, so this sits with me just fine.

This is my first foray into the land of pink lippies so I wasn't quite ready to have it 'in-your-face' yet. I used my fingers to sheer it out, giving my lips just a hint of colour. Beneath it, lay a very thin layer of Nuxe's Lip Moisturizing Stick with Honey and Sunflower.