Archives for August 2013

Your Say: Would you buy or have you bought a product owned or developed by a blogger/vlogger?

August 27, 2013 Paris B 90 Comments

blogger cosmetics brands

You know, I have full admiration for people who find their passion and then go on and act on it. Full, unrestrained admiration.

I see this happening recently in the beauty blogging scene because there are a few big time bloggers or vloggers who have gone on to make big things of themselves. One of the most famous of course, is Michelle Phan who was picked up by Lancome last year I believe, and who had a skincare line (I think, but I’m not sure if it’s still around) and now a makeup line. I personally have heard of her, but have never really followed her nor her blog. I don’t read many big blogs nor watch Youtube videos as you might have guessed. Haha! 😛

Anyway, I got to thinking recently about bloggers/vloggers coming out with their own cosmetics and brands and many of you were very helpful to give me a list of brands/products that are owned by them; and I got curious if you would buy, or have bought their products?

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer: How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

August 26, 2013 Paris B 64 Comments

Sometimes, when a product comes highly raved, there are 2 things that can happen – I can hate it or I can fall head over heels in love with it and declare us soulmates, BFFs, till death do us part. Ok, death is a bit extreme, but you get my meaning. Some products, you just want to use them forever and ever.

That’s me and the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer.

Well, these aren’t me with the concealer of course LOL! 😀

I bought it online on the strength of rave reviews from everywhere online (Arianne, I have to blame you too!). I just HAD to get it. You know how it is – herd mentality and all 😀 I have been disappointed quite often by many NARS products so I didn’t expect much from this. I picked up the shade Vanilla (Light 2), after hmming and hawing over the shade selection (ever tried to select your concealer/foundation shade online? Its bonkers I tell you!), again on the strength of recommendations from my online friends (thank you Tracy! What will I do without them?!)

Incidentally, I am quite consistently a Light 2 in NARS i.e. the 2nd lightest shade. NARS has Light, Medium and Dark and the numbers indicate the intensity. I wear their foundation in Light 2 (Mont Blanc) and now the concealer in Light 2 (Vanilla) both of which are yellow based with slight pink tones. I’d put them as being a little more neutral than other shades. I only hesitated to get Light 2 Vanilla because online swatches show it to be practically white. It isn’t the case.

So NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…

The light side of scent: Annick Goutal Les Colognes in Vétiver, Neroli and Eau d’Hadrien

August 25, 2013 Paris B 12 Comments

Growing up, I naively had the impression that “cologne” was just another word for “perfume”. In a way, I was right. It is a perfume scent, just in lower concentrations. With these lower concentrations of perfume comes a lighter scent that is more suited for use in the day or when it is warm. When temperatures rise, you don’t really want to have anything on you that smells heavy and musky or strong.

Earlier this year, Annick Goutal released a range of colognes in 3 classic Annick Goutal scents – Eau d’Hadrien, Neroli and Vétiver. They are meant to be light interpretations of the classic scents. Something that might sit better here where it’s warm and humid.

I stopped by the Annick Goutal store in Bangsar Shopping Centre a few months ago to take a sniff of them. Other than the very lovely Petite Cherie, I have found most Annick Goutal scents to be a bit heavy even for me. So, I was curious to see if a cologne might be better. In a way it was, and in a way it wasn’t.

Melvita celebrates 30 years (and I learn to cook a fancy French meal while learning of an organic sunscreen)

August 24, 2013 Paris B 17 Comments

Melvita might be a brand we have only been familiar with for the past 2 years, so it was quite surprising to learn that they actually celebrate their 30th Anniversary this year! The brand started in 1983 and is now a leading Ecocert certified organic skincare brand in France and I have seen growing interest in many parts of the world, even locally. I think the idea of certified organic skincare has captured the imagination of many. You will be seeing the illustration at most Melvita stores worldwide, featuring Belle and the Bee, the bee being the core of the brand, as the founder Bernard Chevilliat is a beekeeper!

To celebrate this, Melvita Malaysia invited some members of the press to an organic cooking lesson at Nathalie’s Gourmet Studio, a French restaurant that also offers cooking lessons. Mmm… cooking lessons! I had to make time for this one 🙂

It was also there that I found out that Melvita carries an organic sunscreen with SPF50! Ahhh!! That was the most exciting part of the day for me LOL! I’ll tell you a little more about it, and some of the bestsellers from the brand 😀