Hi peeps!
Two very exciting things happened for me and my blog in the past week that I wanted to share with you, especially because some of you participated in one of it! The other is something a little more personal but a personal blogging milestone I’d like to share and document for posterity. The ironic thing is that both are from the 2 sides of the English Channel! 😀
Exciting Event #1
I had the opportunity to meet a few of you at the REN Skincare x MWS event held last week at KENS Apothecary Bangsar Village II and I was really excited about it. It is one brand I enjoy using and I like working with a brand and product that I personally like and enjoy using. Will there be others? It depends really on my level of interest in a brand or product and the goodwill and cooperation of the brands in question. We’ll see 🙂
I was horrible about taking photos (bad blogger!) so most of the pictures are courtesy of my friends Juan and Beetrice who kindly filled the gap for me with their phone cameras! Wonders of technology! But I was very happy to have met some people who comment regularly – Victoria, Shannen, Jennifer, Xen, Sabrina, Fizah … I hope I didn’t miss anyone out! It’s like meeting old friends, almost! 😀
Personal thanks go out to Hubert and Sarah for making the event possible and for the presentation that I’m told many of you enjoyed. They put on some special deals for the day, gave attendees an exclusive sneak peek and trial of the new REN Satin Perfection BB Cream and Bio-Retinoid Anti-Ageing Cream, and held a lucky draw for 2 lucky winners.
I had a fun afternoon, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting and chatting with those of you who attended, and I hope that those of you who attended did too. Next time, I’ll be sure to request for some chairs hehe… sorry about that! 😛
Exciting Event #2
The second big thing that happened for me and my blog during the week was an invitation by UbiFrance, the French Trade Commission of the French Embassy here, to speak to a delegation of some French cosmetic brands who were here in the country to seek out local distributors of their products. It was the 2nd time the French Beauty Rendez-vous has been held and I had been invited to speak on trends and the online platform and blogs so that was something I was a little familiar with.
I had been on tenterhooks about it for almost a week since I said yes, because this is the first time I was doing something like this! It was a closed door presentation session to the trade delegation with a presentation by a representative of the National Pharmaceutical Board (where I learned as well just how much work goes into bringing in cosmetics or a cosmetics brand. Now I understand better why the costs are such, or why certain brands/products don’t pass muster), market trends by the General Manager of Dior Cosmetics Malaysia, Beauty trends in Malaysia by Elle beauty editor and moi! 😀 Naturally, I couldn’t take any photos because it was a serious affair after all. But the official group photo will be sent to me next week and I’ll update it then 😀
I’m not sure what I said, but apparently it was helpful haha… It was nerve-wracking, and exciting and stimulating but I thoroughly enjoyed every finger-biting second of it! I also had the opportunity to speak to a couple of the brand founders which I was quite interested to see enter our local market. Let’s hope it does happen 🙂
But the highlight for me came in the evening, where I had been also invited to attend a cocktail reception at the French Embassy, hosted by Madame l’Ambassadeur to Malaysia! Did I give a little scream and do a little jig when the invitation came in? You bet I did! 😀
Clockwise from Top-Left: Meeting with Madame l’Ambassadeur to Malaysia Martine Dorance, The gorgeous garden at the French Embassy, Sneaking a quick picture at the foyer of the residence, Meeting founder of Pulpe de Vie – a brand I would be keen to see appear on our shores
It was my first time attending anything this official and I have to say that I fell in love immediately with the garden at the residence. It was absolutely breathtaking in its serenity and lush greenery. The wine was good (but of course! This is the French Embassy, we’re talking about!) the canapes were delicious and the people from the embassy friendly and engaging and I even discovered a MWS reader in their midst (Hi Yuki! :D).
I was presented to Madame l’Ambassadeur which left me rather tongue-tied (I had no idea what to address her! Yikes!) and I didn’t have the chance to request for a photograph (kicking myself for this!) so my memory is kept in a snapshot in my head, and a blurry side shot from a distance. Man, what an evening it was!
So that my friends, were 2 very important events that happened in the past week. I’m very happy to have some of you personally share one of them with me, and for you to share in what I consider to be my other personal achievement and blogging milestone. Whoever could have guessed that a girl (nick)named Paris would one day end up sipping wine on a bit of French soil in KL 😀
Thank you for sharing in the exciting events with me and I hope to have a few more in the future where I can meet more of you… if that’s something you’d like, that is 😀
Paris B
Oh how very exciting! Both events, especially the second one, sound absolutely amazing. Paris in the French embassy. Well duh, it was just a matter a time, wasn’t it? 😉
Haha! Too true, Tine and thank you 😀 It was incredibly exciting, I was beaming like a mad woman half the time 😛
Double joy events indeed with the first one being cozy and warm while the second one exquisite and grand. Thank you for having us at the workshop. It was a lovely afternoon to get to know about the products and mingle 🙂
Well put Jennifer! I’m glad you enjoyed being at the workshop and found it useful 🙂
Congratulations on the success of the first event and for being invited as a speaker with the second! The reception looks absolutely lovely. You’re truly going places 🙂 So pleased for you!
Thank you Isabel 🙂 I’ll take every little blessing and recognition that comes my way and thank you too for the support all this while! 😀
CONGRATS on both my friend! So exciting for you! You deserve it!
Thank you so much Tracy! xx
The excitement! 😀 Congratulations!!! Especially on the second event. Oh the nerves and the joy… 🙂
Haha Thank you Sze Ling! Indeed, the nerves just about sums it up!
Hi PB, long time didn’t post a comment on your blog, but I do follow it everyday during my maternity and now I have delivered to the 2nd baby girl. Now, I have a lil’ time to be back on track, my hobby, to read beauty blogs. Congratulations on your excited events, meeting with those important people especially talking about beauty. I am sure you enjoy it a lot and accompanied by good wine.
Hi Tuti! Baby #2 already! Wow hats off to you, Mummy! Congratulations to you! Some day I hope to head down to Bali and I’ll be sure to let you know then 😉
Congratulations! Exciting events for sure!
Thanks Ling! Not half as exciting as awaiting your little one, I bet! 😉
SO PROUD OF YOU! That’s really something not many bloggers can brag about 😉
Thanks bunches, geek! 😀 <3
So happy and proud of you!! =D
Thank you Cynthia! Thank you too for the support! 😀
Congrats P! Its really another great milestone achieved! ^_^
It was! Thank you Audrey! 😀
Hey we are happy for you! This was such an exciting events and u totally deserved the honor! Just keep on rocking! Haha
Thank you Anne and I’ll try to keep the geriatric bones rocking as instructed haha! 😉
I’m so happy for you! You really had some amazing chances and you totally deserve it. You look absolutely radiant in every picture, it looks like you had a great time at both events 🙂
Love the french embassy garden, it looks amazing.
Aww S thank you so much! I think it was all the nerves and the excitement. I loved meeting readers and some day, I hope to meet more international ones 😀
Congratulations 🙂 thank you for sharing your milestone with us!
Thank you Charlene and thank YOU for being there for me to share with 🙂
Looked like fun! I wish I could’ve met you! Maybe next time.
It was, EL 🙂 If we have more, I do hope to be able to meet you then too! 😀
I am going to call you super woman! 🙂 Congratulations!
So did you introduce yourself with Paris B or real name? :p
I think I have to go find a T-shirt with an S on it haha! 😀 Thank you Ting and it was my “real name” until it came out that I was also PB LOL! 😀
congrats dear on such milestone! I too achieve a great milestone this october!Hooray!!!
Thank you Cindy and congratulations on your milestone too 🙂
Well done you!
So did they serve roast beef at the lunch? 😉
Thanks Mrs TM! And haha no there was no roast beef, darn! 😛
Congratulations! I’m sure you did well and you look fantastic in both events. I know that meeting high profile people can be quite intimidating. I spent this week in a national congress and had to present two papers, it was very stressful but rewarding at the end.
Go for it! \o/
Thank you Mari! Hey I can’t imagine standing up and presenting PAPERS at a national congress! OMG I take my hat off to you for that one. I’m sure you were excellent at what you did 😀
Ahaha, I still have the jitters when I think of it, but I’m somewhat proud of myself for doing it. You should be as well! 😉
Thank you and you should be proud! It looks like you’re going places! 😀
and you wore a french bag to the french embassy! oo-la-la mon cherie haha…
damn you’re good la 😀
HAHAHA Hmmm you noticed that 😉 Yeah, I just had to you know… 😉 Thanks babe.
*hyperventilating* omg.. I have my face on my fav blogger’s post… and she got my name right!! I love you! Really enjoyed the workshop.. and congrats on the second event. You totally deserved it.
Hahaha Shannen, you crack me up 😀 Thank you for coming and I hope you and your friend had a good time at REN 😀