Fashion Wish List

Lovely items from LuLu & Co.

CHAD WYS '118' PRINTED JUMPER /
CHAD WYS 'BRUTALIZED GAINSBOROUGH 2' PRINTED SILK DRESS

RAINBOW MOTIF PRINTED SILK DRESS /
LOUISE GRAY EMBELLISHED T-SHIRT DRESS

Nails to Crave for

via http://pshiiit.com/

via http://www.trendystyle.com.hk/make-up/nail-trends-summer-2014-ariana-pierce/

via http://pshiiit.com/2013/07/06/evolution-dun-nail-art-suivant-votre-degre-de-patience/

I don't have the beautiful nails and long perfect shape fingers that I can dazzle them with nail polish and rings. But I am amazed by what simple nail polish can do.

DIY hair mask on Doctor OZ blog

I haven't tried it yet but the recipe sounds like something my hair would like. Yum

Directions

Whisk together one egg, a tablespoon each of coconut oil, olive oil and honey, and two ounces of water. Add half of a mashed banana and stir until the mask is smooth. Apply to strands for 15 minutes, then shampoo as usual.

http://blog.doctoroz.com/oz-experts/all-natural-diy-hair-mask-recipe-for-strong-strands

sunny Sun care

Aveeno sunscreen / Burt'sBee Aloe after sun soother / Nature Republic - Soothing&Moisture Aloe Vera 92% Soothing Gel / MISSHA - All Around Safe Block Waterproof Sun Milk

Summer is here! Days are getting longer and my skin need protection from the constant sun in southern California. The weather here is also very dry, which I am not quite use to since I just moved from the East Coast. The Burt's Bee Aloe after sun soother is great after a long day under the shinny sun, it really feels cool on the skin, and if you are pron to sun burn, this will really help the damaged skin from pealing. If you are not out in the sun all day everyday, but like the cooling feel of aloe, try the aloe vera gel by Nature Republic, a Korean brand. It is so wonderful, it cools and super hydrates the skin. I started to put it on daily in the mornings, wakes me up, and cools me down. As for sunscreen I have always been using the Aveeno for the whole boby, it feels light and doesn't have that sticky feel other sunblocks might have. For my face, I started to use the Missha All Around Sun Block, it is SPF50+/PA++, the consistansy is creamy, and spreads pretty well on the skin. I liked it because it is light just like a moisturizer and not oily like sunblock. 

Vintage Big Eyes

Hong Kong vintage comic

Japanese vintage coloring book

Japanese vintage coloring book

Japanese vintage coloring book

Hollywood Stars pose as Disney characters

Acclaimed photographer Annie Leibovitz, continues to lend her vision to the successful Disney Dream Portrait series she began just more than four years ago. Each portrait features well-known celebrities transformed into the role of famous Disney characters. Read more

comic book fashion

Miss 13 Dots is a 60s Hong Kong comic by Theresa Wei-Chun. The character became a cultural icon for young women to become more fashion forward when they go to their tailors for their own clothing.

Beautiful sunset haircolor

I found these beautiful hair color on instagram.

JESSICA HARRISON porcelains

When I saw the porcelain works by Jessica Harrison, a sense of familiarity came to mind. I remember my grandmother has a couple of these porcelain figurines on her dressing table, and I loved them since I was a girl. But this collection by Harrison, changes the purity and beauty of these figurines. I think these are wonderful pieces, juxtaposing the unfamiliar harshness and the pristine delicacy.
Images via arrestedmotion.com

Grand lady at Timken

http://www.timkenmuseum.org/collection/french/portrait

Can you imagine wearing metal bodice or corset? How rigid one will be wearing something so stiff! I recently went to the Timken Museum in San Diego, and I saw this painting of Marguerite de Sève, Countess de Fléchères by Nicolas de Largilliere. The painting is beautiful and the lady looks grand and lavish. The bodice however made of metal looked stunning to me, decorated with embossing and jewels. The standard of beauty for woman has changed throughout history, although woman have been under a lot social pressure to look a certain way, I am glad I don't have to wear a corset, let alone a metal one, just to have a tiny waist.

The Timken Museum has some amazing paintings, couple of my favourite is a painting by Brugel and the painting Torment of St. Anthony by Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo which I spent a long time looking at. So if you are in the area, check out the museum and the beautiful balboa park surrounding it.

snail cream Korea

If you like Korean skincare, I'm sure you are already aware of the snail cream trend from 2 to 3 years ago. It's still very popular in Asia to use skincare with snail slime in it. So, I have decided today, ignoring all my fear for snail slime or putting snails on my face, to get my first jar of snail cream from Amazon.com, it was about 20 dollars. It came in with a pretty package, the cream itself is white color without much scent. You suppose to use it after toner and before lotion. Although it is called a cream, it does not give enough hydration like a daily cream/lotion and you're not suppose to use it like a day cream. It definitely doesn't feel like regular lotion in terms of texture. It feels abit slime and absorb very fast. I see a improvement of the texture and tone after just 3 days. It also feels like my skin is more plumped and lifted. I'm going to keep on using it to see how I like it. Make sure you are not allergic to it before putting onto your whole face. I did had a little break out but it went away after 2 days. I like it so far and can't wait to see more results.

playlist : weekend Girls Girls Girls

SPRING MAKEUP TREND - natural organic vs. vivid bold

Too Faced Natural Eye Neutral Eye Shadow / NARS Brow Perfector / IOPE air cushion SPF50 PA+++/ Benefit Cosmetics CORALista / CLINIQUE Chubby Stick Lip Colour Balm

Stila Waterproof Brow Color / URBAN DECAY Eyeshadow Half Baked golden bronze / Revlon colorburst in tutti frutti / NARS Matte Lip Pencil in Timanfaya

Natural fresh impression makeup and feeling of bare skin has been a trend and will probably continue to be. The importance is to have beautiful glowing flawless skin.  The IOPE air cushion SPF50 PA+++ can create a flawless looking skin.  Also, the focus on thick eyebrows and vivid lip color and eyeliner are great for the season. I really like the vivid orange lip color, and is quite trendy for spring and summer look.

Quick new Hairstyle without a haircut

Bangs or NO Bangs?
I'm sure we all asked this questions before.
Why not own both hairstyles? Here's the solution:
>>A hair bang wig. It's a quick and fun way to give yourself a fresh new look without a haircut.

This is me with bang, I don't have bang now, so I have decided to give the bang wig a try. It definitely doesn't look as natural but it's so quick and fun.

Heres where you could purchase them online. I've bought mine in hong kong.
http://www.aliexpress.com/popular/wire-hairpiece.html
http://www.clotheswholesale.com/natural-pure-color-side-hair-band_p315491.html

Skincare obsession in Korea

Did you know that market research shows that Korean women spend 7 times

more on beauty than women in the U.S.? Korean women have the most beautiful

skin I've ever seen and I don't think it's purely controlled by nature. Sure, nature

plays a role but us women plays a bigger role in skincare routine, don't you think?

So, what are their secrets? What's important is that you don't get go off the store shelf

and pick up what they promote is good. It's important that you discover, ask people 

for advice and share info...etc. Finding a good product takes time. It's fun to discover

and discuss what you've found. Share with your friends today on what your secrets are in skincare.

Here's some Korean popular skin care products:

http://us.sulwhasoo.com/

http://www.whoo.co.kr/

http://www.innisfree.co.kr

http://www.laneige.com.sg/main.jsp

Here's an article on 10 best korean skincare products:

http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/best-korean-skin-care-products/

Image credit to LANEIGE, CNN.com

Here's the CNN article on Complete Korean cosmetic shopping guide:

http://travel.cnn.com/korean-cosmetics-shopping-guide-652726

CNN Korea cosmetic Shopping list

Iope Bio Essence Intensive Conditioning
O HUI age recovery super anti-aging essence
innisfree it’s real mask
innisfree olive real cleansing foam/cleansing tissue
VDL NAKED Cleansing Oil Cream (Strong)
su:m37 White award detox mask
Hera Homme Cell brightening dual essential mask
Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX
illi total aging care body oil
Hera Rouge Holic in Seoulista
Amorepacific Treatment Color Control Cushion SPF 50+/PA+++ 
Etude House heart blusher
VIDI VICI Small Face Case in All That Face 
VIDI VICI Illumi Styler in 02 Breeze
O HUI eyeliner in Triple Brown
Laneige Silk Intense Lipstick in Beige Chiffon
CLIO Gelpresso waterproof pencil liner – Bloody series/ travel kit
The Face Shop Face It Concealer Dual Veil
IPKN Professional Auto Foundation Set

btw, there's another online store that I like:

http://www.peachandlily.com/

They have many hard to find beauty products. Enjoy!

will blog agin soon.

love,

Stitches of Smile

Oh Dear Rosacea

Oh Dear Rosacea, I mean – Oh Dear! Rosacea!
That's me. Yup, I started having rosacea after I turned 30. Some says it's caused by aging and lack of collagen in the skin. It started after I have had a bad allergic reaction to a cosmetic product. Long story short, it was the worst condition to my skin. I went through everything including redness, bumps and it even burns after a swim or shower. Nothing, I mean nothing worked until I found my cure. I have had Rosacea for about 3 years. Nothing the dermatologist recommended works. I have had pills, creams and they only works the first week I put it on. It comes back when I stop using it. I always have dry skin, but never this worse. BUT now most people would say I have beautiful skin. Here's what I have found:
btw, if you don't know what Rosacea is. Good, you probably don't have it. Here's a link to what it means by having Rosacea.
http://www.medicinenet.com/rosacea/article.htm

image from:
http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/fashion/spare-your-blushes-five-skincare-products-for-rosacea-1.1679255

Okay, that's what they say on medicinenet.com and many other medical sites. Yup, alittle scary and depressing to read. How about we move on and take a look at how I got rid of mine on my own.

These are products that cured my Rosacea. I promise I'm not payed to say they work. I tried it first hand and loves loves loves it. I'm glad I don't have Rosacea anymore. I'm sure different type of skin works differently, so do consult your doctor before choosing it. My skin type is dry sensitive.

My List:

1) https://zenmed.com/skincare/rosacea/ (This really works for me and the price is reasonable, I love how it smells like tea tree)

2) Lush EAU ROMA WATER (it calms my skin, good toner before putting on face cream)
3) La Mer
I know, this one is SO expensive. I only get it once per 3 years. It works well for my sensitive skin but doesn't erase my wrinkles. I only uses it when my skin is red or irritated. You could ask for a sample at counter first before investing so much money in this. 
4) Pacific Amore, Love Love Love this product. I see a huge difference in my skin. It's expensive, so I only get it when it has a gift time and I get the value set from nordstrom. It's under 200 dollars for the set.
http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/amorepacific-future-response-age-defense-creme/3453899?origin=related-3453899-2377897-2-8-category_page.FTR-RR
5) Diet, Diet works. Keep a diary and know what's causing it is important. Mine was anything from onion (raw ones) tomato, shrimp (not fresh ones) or anything spicy. But I'm able to eat most of it now after using the face products I've mentioned above. I hope I could say BYE BYE ROSACEA forever.
6) Make sure you choose a gentle sun block. Many sun blocks dry your skin and it could cause rosacea to come back. Make sure you use one for dry sensitive skin.
I also use a day cream with SPF, right now I'm happy with burt bees day lotion. I like their old recipe but it is what it is, the new ones doesn't erases wrinkle like the old one but it is gentle and smells good too. Works well on my super dry sensitive skin. (NOTE: I'm only able to use Burt's bees when my skin is not sensitive, I wasn't able to use it at the stage of healing, choose a gentle SPF sun block for sensitive skin instead)
I tried the carrot day cream, it is oily and it made my skin condition very sensitive, when you have Rosacea, it is better to keep the skin hydrated but don't put anything too oily on it. Gel lotions works really well for me.
7) Sea buckthorn hydrating serum
Keep the skin hydrated is very important. I use this serum, it could be found online or at wholefood
8) La Roche Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15
I found this one okay, it's not irritating to the skin. I've only tried it once, so don't know the long term effect. It could be found at CVS I think or skinstore.com
http://www.skinstore.com/p-4493-la-roche-posay-anthelios-sx-daily-moisturizer-with-spf-15.aspx
9) This is the daily sun block that I use:

EltaMD UV Physical SPF 41 $29 / 3 oz

http://www.lovelyskin.com/details.asp?PID=116398&MID=135&PG=1

10) Also, make sure you're able to go to the bathroom everyday, I found out that when my belly is bloated, it makes my Rosacea worse. What I do is that I eat whole pressed oat (express ones that takes 3 mins to cook). I get mine from wholefood store. I've tried instant ones and other some brands, this one works the best for me. I don't eat it everyday, just ones in a while. If I can't make it, I make sure to eat some salad or a fruit. TO keep beautiful skin, you must watch out of diet. Alittle change per day will make a difference, trust me!
11) Try to use a gentle cleanser,it is so important to not dry your skin. I use:
http://www.lancome-usa.com/Creme-Mousse-Confort/1000197,default,pd.html?cgid=skincare-cleansers-toners#start=2
Creme Mousse Comfort and I love it. I've also tried La Mer face wash, it's nice but it doesn't work as well as this one to me. You only need a tiny tiny bit and it foam so well, one tube last me forever.

11) I've recently found a really great product that calms my skin and keeps it so soft. It is Lush Full of Grace Moisturizing bar. It is solid but melts into a serum with body heat. It gives the skin moisture and glow. I like putting it at night before I sleep cos it looks kinda oily and I don't think it is for day time use. It definitely helps to calms my skin. Love it!

Hope it helps! Blog again soon. Any question, please post. 

How to achieve Zero Pores by my favorite beauty Gurus

Halo! Today, I'm going to discuss with you how to achieve zero pores look(also known as flawless, no black head, white head, pores and whatsoever look). There are many tutorials on how to achieve a natural zero pores (flawless) with makeup, we will look into some of that. Many are talking about the Foray of makeup skills (flawless poreless natural look) on Youtube. That is – no one notice you're wearing makeup, you are looking so naturally beautiful that your honey will tell you how good you look without any makeup on. But ladies! We all know the power of makeup. Today, we will look at some of the Gurus on Youtube and how they achieve these looks. But makeup alone is not enough, cos we need a good cake base to build a good cake, same as our skin. I wanna share with you some products I've found that works in terms of reducing pores, adding collagen, plumping and hydrating your skin.

First let me introduce to some of the famous Gurus and tutorials I like on YouTube. Many of the tutorials are in Chinese & Korean, I'll translate and add in the product links.

1) Beauty QQ, she is from Hong Kong and she is so funny. This is a tutorial on how to clean your face and clear out all the dirt in the pores. No more blackhead or whitehead. (we are still a few more steps from that, but stay with me, we will get there eventually!!)

Here's her channel: 

https://www.youtube.com/user/BEAUTYQQ
* She added in some Eng subtitles on which products she is using.
Here's one she recommend for no white heads:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOf7tWlB1NE&list=UUQYZe-lXLv5t37Jadx2HEtw

It's called Annie's way, it is a Gel mask.

2) Hana Tam, She is also from Hong Kong. Here's a tutorial on Masks. It's so important that you apply masks. I personally think it is a rescue to my skin especially when it is dry. Nothing, I mean NOTHING works like a mask. 

Here's her makeup tutorial, inspired by Korean makeup. Here a introduction on natural poreless look.

It is in Cantonese and she only translates some of her tutorials. :(

but this is what she used:

http://www.majolica-majorca.com/sg/

Photoshop look by Hana Tam:

Take a look at CC cream. BB cream is old school now.

3) Beau Teen Pouch is a Korean Guru, I love the style of her videography, it looks like a movie. 

4) Pony's Beauty Diary, another beautiful Korean Guru. Great natural look tutorials. 

5) bubzbeauty, she is cute and she also does alot of skincare routine tutorials. I personally think it is for someone under 40 years old. The product reviews are okay, but she is cute and fun to watch.

6) Michelle Phan, one of the most famous Guru. She has better makeup tutorials than skincare.

Some are dramatic makeups, more sexy look than natural sometimes.

7) Katy Cheung, I love her makeup skill. She has single eye lid but she is able to make her eyes looks so amazing big. She is sponsored by SaSa.com

8) StyleSuzi, love her accent and hair. Here's her morning and night skincare routine.

9) Zoella, they are pretty funny

https://www.youtube.com/user/zoella280390

10) More Gurus on makeup tutorials. They are all very great to watch, but I've selected most Asian Gurus today because I feel that their tutorials are better in achieving the poreless natural skincare.

But check out more Gurus on youtue, here's a brief into to many of them.

Okay, that's all the Gurus I could think of for now. 

Also, I've found many nice products in 2014. There are many products that doesn't work for me but these ones are definitely working for me. The first one is 

'Advanced Génifique' Youth Activating Concentrate

It works for me, I'm in my 30s and I use it every night, it plumps my skin and it looks great in the morning. I will keep using this for sure. I know it is kinda expensive, so wait till the Lancome gift time, that way you could get free face wash, face cream, eye cream for free when you purchase it.

Second recommendation is 

‘DreamTone' Customized Skin Tone Correcting Serum

it actually works so well that I have even skin tone now. As a person age or get under the sun so much, some part of skin will become dark, dark spots. I am able to erase some of my dark spots with this product. I've been using it for a week now and am loving it. Again, I only get it when it is Lancome or store gift time.

Okay, Ladies! It's important that we get enough collagen from food or supplement. I actually see a huge difference after drinking collagen drinks. 

Here's some collagen drink review. I liked 8000 by H2O alot but I'm trying collagen jelly for the first time, it is kinda like a snack and it makes your skin looks young and great. I'll update you guys later. Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Here's a link to some review:

http://www.thepillhouse.com/supplement-reviews/collagen-drink-review

This is the collage jelly I'm trying, it is by cosanna. My Mom tried it first and I saw a difference on your skin, less wrinkles and lifted more. I thought I'd give it a try. I'm not sure about it yet cos I've only started it today. I eat one jelly per day and there are 30 in each box. It could be purchased on Amazon (alittle over prized) but it is sold in Watsons in Hong Kong. I wish I could go there now to purchase some skincare products. ^_^

http://www.watsons.com.hk/webhk/Home.do

Hope you find these helpful. Will blog again soon! Chao Chao