Monday 30 April 2012

It's Blog Hop Time!

Yes, it's that time of the week for Blog Hopping! Not sure what I'm on about? :)



BlogLoveTherapy is an amazing blog where you can discover 100's of new blogs... I mean literally! You can 'hop' around, check out some blogs & follow them. 

Oh! And your blog can be discovered too - great way to gain followers, eh? :)

So, what are you waiting for? Click here & get hopping!!! 

P.S. Happy Monday to all!!!!! 

Saturday 28 April 2012

Lakme Lip L♥ve Conditioner

I didn't really intend on purchasing a lip conditioner, but the sales assistant at the Lakme counter was pretty persistent on showing me every single product in the Lakme range. There's only so many times that I can say 'NO' to a sales assistant before feeling guilty, so, being the lip gloss addict that I am, I relented and bought this:


Lakme Lip Lve Conditioner in 'Siren'.

Sadly, even though I peeled off the hygiene seal extra gently the metallic paint on the lid came off. :( Boo hoo.



It's a lovely, peachy, coral colour and comes in a super cute, heart-filled pot! 
When I first applied Lakme Lip Lve Conditioner... it was LVE! It glides on smoothly, like butter & has a yummy vanilla scent!


One coat of Lakme Lip Love Conditioner...


One coat of this lip conditioner gives a pretty & flushed coral lip colour. It can be layered on for a better colour, but beware! Too much & your teeth will be nicely glossed too. ^_^

Layer on more for a richer colour



The Lip Lve Conditioner is really moisturising & doesn't have a greasy or sticky feeling. It makes my lips feel baby soft & has a pretty colour- what more could I ask for? 


In addition to 'Siren' there's 3 more colours available: 'Hottie', 'Charmer' & 'Flirt'.



Why, oh, why did I not buy all 4 colours!????? I haven't been able to find these lip conditioners in South Africa yet. Ah, I should have listened to that sales assistant when she insisted advised me to take all...


My verdict?
Lakme Lip Lve Conditioners are ridiculously cheap, smell great, are sooooo cute, have pretty colours & deeply moisturises. It's an irresistible combination, I tell you! Thumbs up, for me!


My Rating:
★★★
Minus 1 star because it's not easily available.

Price:
I can't remember the price! It must have been something like Rs. 230 (approx. ZAR 34!!!!). Mind you, if you live in SA & do manage to find these lip conditioners, expect the price to be 3 times higher.


That's it for now... Thanks for stopping by! :)


Miss. Q

Monday 23 April 2012

Beauty with... 'taste'?

When I say 'Burger King', what comes to mind?
 
I bet the last thing you'd think of is beauty, right? That's what I thought too! Well, feast your eyes on this, gals!



This Netherlands Burger King ad campaign is clearly aimed at women, which is nice coz apparently Burger King ads are generally aimed at men. Think Paris Hilton washing a car, seductively eating a burger. On second thought, let's not go there.

While this ad won't get me rushing out there to buy a burger, I think it's...interesting in an artsy way. I mean, a burger make-up look? Who would have thought! 

What do you think? :)

Miss. Q

Tuesday 17 April 2012

Forever New Northern Lights Collection... Just in time for winter!

"Forever New, I will forever hold a special place for you in my heart..."

Ever since I laid my eyes on the Forever New boutique, it's been love at first sight! It's this divine mix of sweet, girly & sophisticated- classic and timeless, yet chic and trendy. 


My kinda store! :)


The Northern Lights Collection is whimsical, with soft faux fur jackets, floaty dresses and knitted tops in dusty pink & creamy neutral colours... with just the right amount of sparkle to combat the winter blues!




Source: www.forevernew.com.au



Hmm... I think this cream faux fur coat would look good in my wardrobe!

 
Source: www.forevernew.com.au


Warm knits with a dusting of sparkle... that's a fur headband on her head! 

Source: www.forevernew.com.au



I want this jacket and gloves... so chic!


Source: www.forevernew.com.au
 

A dusty pink cable knit sweater & maxi skirt combo perfectly accessorised with a skinny belt, peep toe booties & a glam cocktail ring.

Source: www.forevernew.com.au
Source: www.forevernew.com.au
Source: www.forevernew.com.au


Notice the little bows on the model's oh-so-cute heels? I'm obsessed with bows! :))


And to top of the collect, why a slinky draped cocktail dress, of course!


Source: www.forevernew.com.au


I'd say this collection is inspired by the North Pole? Not in the Christmas-y Santa Klaus way, more like a dreamy Winter Wonderland... Or fashionably dressed Czarina's! *sigh* The only problem would be actually deciding on what to buy. Probably the coats and jackets - too irresistible. Now all I need is a limitless bank balance... 

Forever New, you're doing it right. Me likey!! =^w^=


Just a little background info on Forever New...
The first Forever New boutique was launched in Melbourne, Australia in 2006 by a former South African fashion buyer and her hubby. Wait a minute- it began in Australia? Australia???????  YES! AUSTRALIA! 


Forever New takes inspiration from film, art, theatre, music and haute couture catwalk shows... in London, New York, Milan & Paris no less!


There are currently Forever New boutiques in many cities in Australia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, Singapore, China & Turkey. But the brand is quickly expanding!


Thanks for reading!!
♥ Miss. Q

Sunday 15 April 2012

It's all about the BB Cream!

Every now and then, a new skin care product is born & soon becomes a craze. Brace yourselves, girls, it's the era of the BB cream! I had to jump on the bandwagon & did my own mini BB cream haul. So I thought I'd shed some light on the who, what, when, where & how of the humble BB cream.

What is a BB cream?

The BB stands for blemish balm or beblesh balm (apparently there's copyright laws on the word "blemish" in Korea, so they substituted it with beblesh. Again, sounds like a skin rash to me). 

Basically BB creams are lighter than foundations, but have more benefits than a tinted moisturiser. 

Who uses BB creams?

BB creams were invented in Germany a while back to be used on post-cosmetic surgery patients. It's functions were to heal & nurture the skin while offering coverage and protection from the sun. 

Soon, Korean actresses began using BB creams (maybe because they had cosmetic surgery done too?). Eventually, skin care companies caught on to the idea of creating and selling BB creams that were accessible to the Korean public. Why should actresses have all the fun? :)



Ok, then what happened?

BB creams eventually gained popularity in Japan, before taking over the rest of Asia. But it didn't stop there: soon thereafter, BB cream fever hit the West, gaining fans in Europe, Australia, the United States and more!



It's slowly hitting Africa too, but may not be as successful due to one simple draw back - BB creams come in limited colours that don't really cater for darker skins!  BB creams generally come in one or two standardised colours that cater to lighter Asian skin tones. Brands like Missha have a wider colour range, but it's still pretty limited...


Which is why Western brands such as Estee Lauder, Maybelline and Garnier have introduced their own version of BB cream that DO have slightly more variety in colour! Hooray!




Sounds nice, but what's the point?


BB creams are the solution to ALL your skin care needs! It's an ALL-IN-ONE skin care product that packs as many benefits into one product so that you don't spend hours on a skin care routine. Some of the more basic benefits of a BB cream include:





♥ moisturiser
♥ provides natural, light coverage
♥ protects skin 
♥ conceal dark marks, scars & pores for an "airbrushed" effect
♥ heals blemishes
♥ softens & smooths skin, while aiding in regeneration
♥ maintaining youthful skin 
♥ contains some SPF
♥ can be used as a makeup base
♥ whitening
♥ anti-wrinkle
♥ anti-ageing
mattifiying effect

How do I use a BB cream?
 
If you use BB creams, you don't really need to use a moisturiser, sunblock, foundation etc. (Although I prefer to). After cleansing, toning and moisturising, dot the BB cream on your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin. Blend using light patting motions, working your way from the centre, outwards. Dust with your preferred powder to set & tada! You're done! =^_^=


Which are the best brands for BB creams?


It all depends on what you're looking for in a BB cream, but  here are some of the more popular BB cream brands:


♥ Skin79
♥ Missha
♥ BRTC
♥ Etude House
♥ Dr. Jart
♥ Laniege
♥ Garnier
♥ Skin Food
♥ The Face Shop
     
Where can I buy BB creams from?


Depending on where you live, it can be easy or difficult. Here in SA, our only BB cream option available from a store is the Estee Lauder Daywear Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit Creme. If you want the authentic Korea product, you'll have to order online.




And that's it for BB creams... for now! It's a long post, but I hope you found it helpful! :) Thanks for reading! =^w^=


♥ Miss. Q.

Saturday 14 April 2012

Hey there, Doll Face...

I remember my first visit to the dermatologist - there I was, a spotty, acne-riddled teen, bored and nervous in equal measures. Doctors in general make me want to skip the border, but I needed a cure for my apocalyptic skin. 

That's when I picked up a copy of Marie Claire, agitatedly flipping through the pages. And then, it caught my eye, a feature on GANGURO GALS.

Petite Japanese girls, sporting a deep tan, pastel or white lips and big, bleached hair, looking other worldly and well... bizarre? It was apparently a big deal in Japan, especially the fashion capital, Harajuku.


Malibu Barbie gone wrong?

Recently, I searched for ganguro gals, to see what became of this trend - it was pretty much a late 90's, early 2000's thing and has since evolve into...


This!

Manba - like ganguro on steroids

These girls follow the manba trend. Tanner & darker skin, bigger hair, neon everywhere, whiter & more pastel make-up... This is the country that gave us Pokémon after all - imagination has no limit!

Actually, ganguro and manba are a sub-category that falls under a trend called GYARU, which is roughly the Japanese equivalent of "gal". Gyaru's or "gals" aim to look as feminine, girly, or as perfectly doll-like as possible.


Tsubasa Masuwaka is a former model for gyaru magazines-turned-singer/entrepreneur who has perfected the art of being gyaru. In fact, thousands of gyaru look up to her as THE gyaru beauty queen to emulate. She really does look like a doll! Or maybe an anime character...

Tsubasa's look is pretty much the typical gyaru & more popular

Remember how we wanted to be princesses when we were little girls? Hime gyaru is a way for Japanese women to act out all their princess fantasies... in real life! Even Marie Antoinette would be jealous!  Blond curls, bouffant hair, lace, pearls, princess dresses and stockings, impeccable manners and behaviour - you'd swear hime gyarus are real royalty.


Beside ganguro, manba and hime gyaru, there are many sub-genres of gyaru (I won't mention all, or else this post would go on for days!) 

What does it take to become gyaru?
♥  It's all about the make up! Gyarus use circle lens which are contact lens designed to make their iris appear larger &  doll-like.
Fake lashes. This is a must, for the wide awake dolly look. Also, eyelid tape is used to make eyes bigger.
♥  Winged liner
♥  Porcelain skin
♥ Sweet pink blush, milky pink or nude lips
♥ Blond, light brown or even black curled hair (wigs and extensions are expected!) A cute dolly fringe.
♥ Cute, glitzy nail art.
♥ Even cuter clothes - gyarus are seriously on trend and impeccably dressed! Don't forget about accessories.
Well behaved, don't smoke, sweet demeanour, very lady-like or child-like and cutesy.
♥ I think the keyword here is cute. Everything just has to be CUTE CUTE CUTE!

There are even non-Japanese gyaru, or gaijin gyaru which is a term used to describe Westerners involved in the gyaru trends.  

There are even hundreds of tutorials on gyaru inspired makeup! I toyed with the idea of becoming gyaru, but then realised that I'd end up looking like a cabbage patch rag doll... I'll leave it to the enthusiasts! :)

Fascinating, don't you think? =^_^= 


Miss. Q. ♥ 


 

Wednesday 11 April 2012

BB Cream Haul


Ah, the BB cream... It's the stuff legends are made of! 

If you haven't heard of it, you must either be living under a rock or in the middle of the Sahara desert coz the BB cream craze has already hit Europe and USA. As for Asia? The sheer amount of BB cream brands available in Asia is enough to make you salivate... Ahem.

 It's slowly beginning to creep into the SA beauty scene, but quite frankly, I can't wait that long for original Korean BB Cream brands.

So, I took the plunge, went online & bought mini, trial sizes of two of the most well known BB creams out there - Skin79 Hot Pink Label Super Beblesh Balm & Missha Perfect Cover BB Cream No. 23. I was sooo happy when my package arrived from South Korea!! Here's a sneak peek:



   I even held them & gazed happily at my new BB creams... and made a special place for them in my vanity case. I was that excited. 

Coming up...

I'll be reviewing these products as well as giving you the scoop on what BB creams are all about... Don't miss out!


♥ Miss. Q ♥

Have you tried BB Creams yet? :)

Monday 9 April 2012

NYX Doll Eye Mascara

We all know that old saying "Never judge a book by it's cover."

Pfft! I am a sucker for cute packaging and I'll unashamedly admit it. NYX has pretty cute yet chic packaging and does a good job of luring me to their counter again and again and again...

I needed a new mascara after losing my beloved Bourjois Volume Clubbing Mascara, so I decided to try out the NYX Doll Eye Mascara in DE02 which has a volumizing effect. There's also a lengthening and waterproof mascara, but I tend to favour volume these days.

 

Cute, no?


Thursday 5 April 2012

Batiste Dry Shampoo

You know those days when you know you need to wash your hair but you juuust can't find the time or energy...

Usually, I sprinkle talc powder onto my roots and vigourously shake it just to "freshen up" a bit, but there's always that spot at the back of my head where THE. POWDER. IS. STILL. VISIBLE. 

And usually it takes quite a while before some kind person politely points out, "Er, excuse me, but you have powder in your hair...yes, right there." 

CRINGE. 

So here it is, the Batiste Dry Shampoo in Clean & Classic Original

 

Dry shampoos are a much easier/quicker/less embarrassing way to touch up oily roots and, in the case of the Batiste range, give a little bounce and texture too. How could you resist? 

It's pretty simple: spray onto roots, massage and brush out. Et voilà! Refreshed locks in a can! It really does add texture to my hair, so it can even be used if hair is just flat and boring... 

It's pretty powdery once it settles on my hair, which is probably where all the oil absorbing action comes into play. The Batiste range comes in many scents; the original has a really fresh smell...pine maybe? A word of warning though: make sure you use this dry shampoo in a well ventilated room. I was left gagging for air when I first used it. 

My verdict?
The price is reasonable, it does the job and I don't think I can imagine life without a dry shampoo... Need I say more?

My rating:

 ★ ★★★☆ 4/5

Price:
ZAR 60 @ Clicks stores

'Til next time! ^w^

¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨♥Miss. Q.♥¨`*•.¸¸.•*´¨


Sunday 1 April 2012

Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub

I start my morning with a healthy dose of pink grapefruit- no, I'm not talking about the grapefruit diet! *shudder* I'm talking about the Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Daily Scrub!


I must admit, I have a slight obsession with cleansers - there's something so alluring about scrubbing the dirt and grime off your face and revealing beautiful, clear, clean skin! Well, that's the perfect ideal at least...*sigh* If there's a face wash out there that has some gimmick to it, you can bet your bottom dollar I'll be rushing off to the nearest health and beauty store to get it. 


Neutrogena seems to understand obsessed beauty addicts like me and released a whole range dedicated to the bittersweet pink grapefruit.  So when I saw the sweet and bubbly Vanessa Hudgens (back when she was spokesmodel for the brand) advertising this even sweeter looking face wash, I thought to myself, "I have to have it, NOW!


Image courtesy of www.neutrogena.co.uk