BeautyBlog: BELO products

So this is more of an introduction that anything else. In the last few weeks I have been trying to be good, in terms of controlling my spending, but nothing will keep me from investing a few bucks in skin care. As I get older I am becoming more and more aware of how easy it is to take my skin for granted. I view any money that I spend on beauty products an investment towards my future self- confidence and sanity.

I wanted to try some Korean products, but I realized that I do not have Korean skin (DUH). Also, the prices on even its most econo-shopper friendly line exceeds my biweekly grocery budget. So, on investigation, I decided to go with the product line very popular in the Philippines, and endorsed by one of my girl idols, Regine Velasquez. So in comes BELO Essentials with Dermlight System. The prices (from a Philippine store online) were reasonable. And they were shipped very quickly.

Here is the description posted online about the products:

“Vicki Belo and the skin care experts at Belo Medical Group bring you a line of scientifically formulated skin-care products: soaps, face wash, lotions that lighten skin naturally and safely. With the Dermlight Skin System – a combination of alpine plant extracts, California prune fruit pulp, and skin vitamins, Belo Essentials reduce skin darkening by inhibiting tyrosinase, which leads to melanin build-up.

Belo Essentials brings you with a skin care line that can specifically address the concerns of each Filipina. Its unique formulation possesses a unique dual whitening system that controls melanin production and prevents melanin transfer to the surface of the skin.”

I did not end up buying EVERYTHING on the product line, just in case I don’t end up liking it. But I did get the facial wash, the toner and the day and night creams. Anyway, I am on day 2 of regular use and it seems to be working. I should have taken a photo of my face before use and after, but alas, I do not have that much foresight.  Will keep you all in touch of my skin’s progress.

On another note, can I just say how much I love Phil-Am Market online?!?!

Where else can I get Filipino beauty products, as well as some fresh lomi? FANTASTIC!

BeautyBlog:Virtual Makeover

I tried this tonight, and I must say that it was a lot of fun… now if I can just buy all the make-up that I played with, it would be perfect!

by Grace on 08/18 6:00pm

Did you ever want to experiment with different shades of makeup without the hassle of cleanup? Or you simply didn’t have time to explore the endless options? Well, now you can explore endless makeup and hair looks right from your computer! Yes, that’s right, your computer. Ladies, now, you can see how you look with a makeover, without actually getting a makeover. You can prevent a beauty fiasco before it happens.

SOURCE:http://www.latestbeauty.com/blog/view/6322/virtual_makeover

BeautyBlog: Shiseido’s Future Solution LX

I was catching up on my Marie Claire the other day and read an article called “Extreme Beauty Report:Japan.” Now I have always been fascinated by how Asian women have the most luminous, amazing skin, EVER. There was a section in the article which spoke about the difference between the American and Japanese beauty philosophies which I found interesting.

“The Japanese approach to skincare is the opposite of American antiaging, where we try to peel our way back to the past. “We think our skin is very delicate,” says MC’s Moriyama. Here, stripping toner is replaced with a “softener.” “Removing too much of the top layer of the skin gets rid of all its protective-barrier functions, including the inhibition of water loss,” explains Dr. Chita Katagiri, a research scientist for Shiseido. The Japanese beauty giant’s latest skincare line, Future Solution LX, has an Extra Rich Cleansing Foam, Concentrated Balancing Softener, and Total Regenerating Cream, all designed to keep the skin’s surface in peak condition. According to Katagiri, a healthy outer layer prevents problems like dryness, environmental damage, inflammation, wrinkles, and other signs of aging. To maintain perfection, Japanese women religiously wear sunscreen and foundation every day. Smudge-, sweat-, and humidity-proof, the formulas here are heavy duty, but the payoff is flawlessness.”

“White skin symbolizes purity and innocence — if there’s a brown spot, it’s dirty,” says journalist Mayumi Kurata.

Source: by Ning Chao, Marie Claire, September 2009

After much research, I found this on stylecaster.com regarding Shiseido’s new product…And let me tell you, I want to get my little Filipina hands on a jar of this baby. While my skin is not terrible, it can be better. Maybe there is a way I can convince Shiseido to send me a sample?

As reported by WWD, Japanese beauty brand, Shiseido, will introduce a new skin care line, Future Solution LX, this fall. The line, which is part of Shiseido’s global branding push, features Skingenecel, an amino acid derivative that, the company’s researchers purport, significantly suppresses the skin’s production of the protein Serpin B3, a byproduct of UV exposure, thus making skin more resistant to the signs of aging.

Based on Shiseido’s Japanese heritage, the line is delicately scented with notes of cherry blossoms, plum flowers and the Hamanasu rose, while its ingredients include Asian plant extracts – such as Uji green tea, star fruit, okra, Angelica Root and Sophora Root. Even the face cream jars, in keeping with the theme, resemble pearlized rice bowls.

The new Future Solution LX, which includes four products – a cleansing foam, concentrated balancing softener, daytime cream with SPF 15, and regenerating night cream – will be Shiseido’s most expensive skin care line yet.

Extra Rich Cleansing Foam, $60; Concentrated Balancing Softener, $100; Daytime Protective Cream with SPF 15, $240; Total Regenerating Cream for night time, $260; all at http://www.us.shiseido.com/”

Source:www.stylecaster.com, by Alexis Wolfer, 4/10/10

BeautyBlog: Heeluxe: Sacrifice Foot Pain, Not Fashion

Posted by MelissaP on 07/30 5:02pm

Don’t you hate it when you have this gorgeous pair of heels that make you feel sexy and confident, but you can hardly ever wear them because they kill your feet? And don’t you hate how every time an actual doctor is quoted in a magazine about this problem, all they ever have to say is, “Don’t wear high heels?” I mean, really! I think we can come up with a solution that’s a little more constructive, considering the fact that heels don’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Behold, shoe lovers, I bring you tidings of great joy: The Heeluxe Talus Heelbeds, designed to make even your most punishing stilettoes as comfortable and supportive as sneakers.

Confession: These were designed by Dr. Geoffrey Alan Gray, a Santa Barbara-based doctor…and a friend of mine from back in the day. So, yes, I was given a free pair of these; however, I would not be recommending them if they didn’t work. But the thing is, they do! I slipped them into a pair of high-heeled boots that I frequently wear while playing shows with my band. They usually start out feeling decent, but in a few hours my feet start to get sore, and by the end of the night I’m ready to cast off my boots and run barefoot down the street just for a little relief. After sticking the Heeluxe Talus Heelbeds in my boots, I was surprised. At first, they felt a little weird and foreign. (They really DO make heels feel like sneakers – it’s kind of bizarre.) I almost felt like I was wearing lifts in my shoes. But I couldn’t deny that they were comfortable, and by the end of the night I wasn’t begging for mercy the way I normally am. Mission accomplished!

The thing is, there is actual science behind these sophisticated inserts: Check out this interview with Dr. Gray for more information on why they work as well as they do, and then head over to the Heeluxe store to buy a pair for yourself. While these heelbeds are mainly intended for use in high heels, the company has a product lined up for launch in the spring that, according to Dr. Gray, “is going to make ballet flats feel incredibly comfortable.” As a ballet flat lover who is constantly perturbed by their utter lack of arch support, I’m thrilled at the prospect! Dr. Scholl’s, watch your back.

Let’s face it: high heels make women feel sexy. Women who feel sexy feel empowered. So anything that will keep us women in our fabulous stilettos without killing our feet is A-okay with me. Can’t wait to try it out!

SOURCE: latestbeauty.com

Athena Co-Stars Team UP For CF

Posted by kPoP on August 3rd, 2010

Jung Woo-sung and Cha Seung-won are co-stars in Athena, the spy drama airing in the fall, but before we get to see how that plays out, we’ll see them paired up in a CF campaign for a smart phone. Two separate ads will be released, with one focusing on each star. (Jung’s illuminates the phone’s functional capabilities, while Cha’s is more about the design.)

Not that I care so much about the ads or the phones themselves, but: hot men in suits! More chances for Jung Woo-sung and Cha Seung-won to look dapper and cool are always a good thing, as far as I’m concerned.

Both stars are brand models for the smart phone, whose CF was shot in Milan. Athena, as you probably know by now, was filming in Italy for the month of July and now shifts locales for more foreign shoots. The drama airs in November.

I don’t know about anyone else but these two look amazing in suits. I cannot wait til Athena comes out. Who cares about the phones when you can keep on staring at these handsome men?!? Just saying…

News Source: K-pop

LEE MIN HO MODELS FOR TRUGEN FALL COLLECTION 2010

Currently known as Korea’s King of Endorsements – Lee Min Ho graces the updated catalogue for male clothing brand Trugen. Dressed tailored suits and smart casual attire, Lee Min Ho models for the Fall Collection of the brand.

Though I have never been a fan of the metrosexual look, I have to admit that I have a soft spot for well-dressed men. The only thing I find sexier than a man who looks terrific in suits is a man who looks JUST AS GOOD in T shirt and jeans. Lee Min Ho looks good, period. No debate there. I am missing his trademark little boy smile though.. Sigh. Guess I can’t have it all.

BeautyBlog: TokiDoki Comes To Sephora

tokidokiFans of adorable packaging, take note: Sephora is now carrying TokiDoki Cosmetics! What is TokiDoki, you ask? The line is the Japanese-inspired brainchild of Italian artist Simone Legno, and it features an array of colorful products in what is quite possibly the cutest little containers EVER. Here’s a glimpse of what they have to offer:

* Glitter-infused eyeliner
* Eyeshadow that comes housed in the brand’s trademark heart-and-crossbones compact
* Magic Marker-like lip stain
* Waterproof liquid liner with a chiseled tip that is said to make for more precise application
* Lipgloss – including shades like purple and green – with little snowglobes on top of the caps
* Colored mascara

Prices fall into the $14-$42 range, with most of the cosmetics coming in at under $20. What do you think of TokiDoki?

SOURCE: http://www.latestbeauty.com/blog/view/5824/tokidoki_comes_to_sephora

BeautyBlog: “Eat, Pray, Love” FRAGRANCE COLLECTION

Fresh ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Fragrance Collection

Fans of Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love – which has been adapted into a movie starring Julia Roberts and Javier Bardem, in theaters August 13th – should be pleased to hear about the latest fragrance offering from Fresh: A trio of scents inspired by the three countries that give the book (and film) its name.

• “Eat” was inspired by the delicious wines and desserts of Italy, with notes including lemon, basil, cannoli (!) and caramel, balanced by Italian liqueurs like Prosecco and Limoncello.
• “Pray” calls to mind the heady spiritualism of India in a scent that is reminiscent of incense and spices with its notes of amber, patchouli, jasmine, cardamom and more.
• “Love” evokes the romantic tropical landscape of Indonesia with notes like bergamot, mango blossom, sandalwood and red currant.

Each scent will sell for $32 individually, or you can purchase a trio of travel-sized candles for  $45. What do you think of this inventive tie-in? I haven’t read the book, but I’m definitely interested in sniffing these out; they both look and sound divine!

SOURCE: http://www.latestbeauty.com/blog/view/6194/fresh_%27eat%2c_pray%2c_love%27_fragrance_collection (Melissa P)