Nourishing my skin the way nature intended

Over the last week I've been testing a really disappointing face cream which has left my skin taut, dry and generally unpleasant.  I suspect a little bit of damage has done and have switched to a new face cream.  Now most of you know I'm not 100% sold on mass marketed organic and natural products but I have discovered a brand that truly is natural and effective, and not mass marketed.  Enter Jaime Earl.

Jaime Earl is a mother who created skin potions that relieved her daughter's skin ailments.  Drawing upong her knowledge of herbs, plants and essences, Jaime created various skincare products that soon grew in popularity amongst her friends, family, co-workers and eventually, the wider public.

With irritated and unhappy skin I decided to try Jaime (with a healthy dose of skepticism).  I chose Jaime over brands such as Korres, Boscia and Caudalie because of the simple and natural ingredients used to treat the skin.  I chose Macadamia Nut Moisturizing Creme to treat my skin.

Factually, nut oils are great for calming, nourishing and soothing dry skin quickly while effectively

delivering moisture deep within the tissue and providing a protective barrier.

I admit I frequently apply pure coconut oil on my face at night instead of cream for a moisture treatment because it's rapidly absorbed (natural plant oils are lipophilic (readily absorbed) and doesn't irritate sensitive skin.

When I applied Macadamia on my taut and flaky face I was amazed by the lightweight and creamy texture which was rapidly absorbed.  It melted onto my skin on application ,indicating the product has a high concentration of oils and very little preservatives and emulsifiers (these give lotions and creams their consistency and affect the product absorption time).  My skin drank the cream up and felt very supple and comfortable, even after the first application.  When I woke in the morning my skin felt relaxed and looked hydrated.  Skin flakes were also not apparant. 

Macadamia is pleasant smelling.  The creme is scented bergamot and lemon.  Though fresh and light, I'm not a fan of scented face products as I don't like smelling what's on my face.  I wish there was an unscented version.  It should be noted that my skin did not react to the fragrance (a world first!) but it did keep my man guessing what perfume I was wearing ;D.  On this note the scent would serve really well as a refreshing post-shave salve for the guys.

Overall I was very impressed with Macadamia as it relieved my unhappy skin and kept the flakes at bay.  Compared to a lot of night and fancy cremes I've tried, Jaime Earl's is one of the top performers.  Definitely suitable for sensitive skin.

Inflight duty-free beauty shopping with Japan Airlines

Japan Airlines  inflight duty-free (makeup) brands feature a mix of high end luxe and  beauty basics. Travel exclusives from Dior, Chanel, Clairns, YSL, Guerlain, O.P.I, and L'Occitante are sold exclusively onboard. 

Here are my picks from the November/December offerings.

Dior Travel Exclusive Makeup Clutch (Y 7,800)

Dior Highlighting Powder Clutch (Y 5.,900)

Chanel Travel Exclusive Makeup Palette (Y 6,300)

Dior dominates the onboard offerings with gorgeous kits and travel exclusive packs of lipstick and gloss.  JAL's Dior collection is to die for and worthwhile stocking up.

Drugstore find of the week: Rimmel Max Volume Flash Mascara

A few weeks back I was visiting the nation's capital for work. I had to pop into CVS for an IMM emergency - I forgot my mascara! Scouring the makeup isles I spotted a new 'scara that I hadn't seen before - Rimmel's Max Volume Flash Mascara ($6) which is the newest addition to the brand's mascara family. The mascara hasn't officially launched here yet but is already available at CVS.

Max Volume Flash is designed to pump up lash volume in a quick fell swoop. Lily Cole stars in the ad but note the lash effect in the ad has been enhanced and falsies are used. The mascara alone will not achieve the length and volume depicted in the ad.

The mascara features the brand's biggest and fattest brush by far. Utilizing Perfect-Fit technology, the brush is equipped with flexible-hollow fibre bristels designed to fit and coat each lash evenly.

Formulation wise, Max Volume Flash is made with a lash expand formula which dries fast to minimize clumping and smudging. For lash conditioning and volume, the 'scara also features collagen to build and keratin to strengthen lashes.

In terms of pigment, Max Volume Flash is densely pigmented and makes your lashes standout. After two coats I found that my lashes look defined. Though a volumizing mascara, Volume Flash works really well as a clean lengthening and defining mascara. I built some noticeable volume after two coats but with more, a false lash effect can be achieved.

When I used this mascara over the two days I spent in DC, I found it reliable and relatively true to its claims. The mascara didn't flake, smear, smudge or clump despite the constant downpour. I love how the brush separated and gripped lashes during application, and made volume building easy.

Another quality of the mascara that I liked is the lack of scent. I've noticed a lot of volumizing masacaras that are made with collagen tend to have a funky scent. Volume Flash did not.

Overall I found this mascara really easy to use with it's fat brush handle and design. Considering my eye shape, I found maneuvering the brush took a little practice (as can be seen in the pic above). Moreover the product didn't leave me with panda eyes and didn't irritate my eyes as a contact lens wearer. Volume Flash is definitely worth trying and a steal for $6.

Celebrate Christmas The Body Shop Style - Enter the 12 Days of Christmas

Celebrate the holiday season Body Shop Style!

The Body Shop have created their own Advent Calendar which will feature the name of a participating blog each day.  To enter to win Body Shop product, visit the blog and enter the giveaway.  So simple!

On the 12th day, the Body Shop will select a winner for the grand prize of $1,200 worth of Body Shop goodies.  How sweet would that be?

Making any mascara work for you

It sucks when you buy a new mascara and soon discover it doesn't work as well as it should.

I've experienced this feeling too many times to count.  Having Asian eyes and mono lids aren't the best combo as mascara and eye products tend to migrate.  Furthermore, finding a mascara wand that works my eye shape can be challenging.  Considering my experiences I've come up with a few strategies on making any mascara I bring home work.  View my V-tute below to learn my tips and tricks.