My Minions

Showing posts with label Inan's pick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Inan's pick. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

My 2011 Favorite Summer Fragrance

Why yes, for those who have been wondering what has happened to me and this blog...


I know, it's been a while since my last post but I'm here to tell you that I just recently moved back to Hawaii (wooop wooooooop!) and am STILL settling in. To be honest, moving is such a pain in the derriere, everything is so hectic, time-consuming and in the end I always felt so poor once all done.

Not cool bro.

But that's life, right? At least here in Hawai'i the sun isn't as tormenting like the one in Florida and knowing how the people are in Hawaii, summer is all-year round.

And speaking of summer, since the season is almost ending (except for you, lucky Australian folks ^_*), I've decided to show you some fragrances I've used the most this year.


L'Occitane en Provence - Fleurs de Cerisier (Cherry Blossom)
cherry, freesia, black currant, lily of the valley, rose tree, amber, musk


This fragrance came out in 2007 and I've fallen in love ever since. I believe this is supposed to be a Spring fragrance but the sweetness yet fresh-vibe encouraged me to wear it all the way to Summer. If you think that this is yet another "Cherry Blossom" scent like what Bath & Body Works is fond to make flankers of, you are mistaken. In fact this doesn't like cherry blossom at all. The fragrance isn't all too floraly nor fruity, it's just about right. There's this hint of freshness out-of-the-shower feeling too which, I personally think, is perfect for Spring, although there were some of those days during Summer when I sort of smelled an apple cider note from this (lol). Nevertheless, it's a gorgeous, feminine, and "tame" fragrance that I could see many women would love. The only complaint I have, is that I wish it'd stay longer on my skin.


Chanel - Chance Eau Fraiche
citruses, cedar, pink pepper, water hyacinth, jasmine, teak wood, orris, amber, patchouli, vetiver, white musk


It's probably my most wearable citrus fragrance. I purchased this in Paris in 2009 during summer when I went on a tour with my family and ever since this fun fragrance reminded me of France. I loooooooove the flirty-ness that this perfume gives since the Eau Fraiche was dedicated to younger audiences. The notes are working together beautifully that in the end you can't simply pinpoint what are in there, except that it's fun, fresh, and free-spirited. 


Girard - Bali Sunrise
orange, mandarin, pear, lemon, grapefruit, lily, rose petals, night-blooming jasmine, sandalwood, patchouli, velvety musks

I merely purchased this 2008 fragrace for the name :) but it surprisingly turned out to be a summer cocktail in a bottle. In the opening, Bali Sunrise is very fruity and heavy on the pear & citrus but as soon as it evolves, the floral notes started to emerge. This is a nice blend of fruity-floral fragrance without being too mainstream. I also like the fact that the ombre-colored bottle looks like a mango heheh.

Jennifer Lopez - Deseo
watery bamboo leaves, yuzu, bergamot, freesia, star jasmine, pink geranium flower, orange blossom, mimosa, warm amber, oak moss, musk, sandalwood, cedar, patchouli, mineral accord


I was a proud user of Glow back in college and this would be the 2nd fragrance from J.Lo that I've tried. I'm at the point where I think most of celebrity fragrances smell the same with their fruity-floral candy-sweet bubbly personality such as *ehm* Paris Hilton *ehm* so when there is a gem or two, I would be surprised and kindly try it out. Deseo is surprisingly complex and sultry. The kind you wear on hot summer nights with your strapless gown, taking a romantic stroll along the beach line with your loved ones. The opening is citrusy from the Yuzu  and as it settles on skin, Deseo morphed into a sweeter woodsy scent. The floral notes are doing a good job of keeping the scent not overly woody and although it doesn't really evolve too much as it wears on the skin, this fragrance is quite unique and not offensive. The bottle is gorgeous too!

GUESS - Guess for Women
tangerine, bergamot, green apple,freesia, peony, muguet, peach, red fruit, magnolia flower, cedarwood, moss, skin musk, amber 


Despite of the helplessly tacky bottle, I really enjoy wearing this fragrance day or night. It's very vibrant, full of life, and makes me want to do something whenever I wear it. It may sounds weird but you should never underestimate what scents do to you, and this particular one does make me feel kind of....active. I can see why older women tend to stay away from this perfume because it's also sweet (but not in a Pink Sugar way) and we all know sweet translates young, but if you're brave enough and feel like you need a dash of fun juice, give this a try sniff. 


Kenzo - L'Eau Par Kenzo
lilac leaves, reed stems, mandarin, vanilla, water lily, pepper from guinea, white peach, amaryllis, blue cedar, floral musk, wild mint


If Chanel Chance reminds me of France, L'Eau Par Kenzo reminds me of Italy. I exclusively wore this perfume during my trip to Italy and whenever I sniff this, I was brought back to those hot sticky summer days in Tuscany. L'Eau Par is a daytime fragrance (the site mentioned it) and I can see why. It's just very fresh, aquatic and light. I love using this after working out because it gives me a boost and energy. 




Thanks for reading and if you'd like, please comment and tell me what's your favorite summer fragrance this year, since I'm always on a hunt for a new HG perfume :)

Have a good day & until next time! 

Monday, January 10, 2011

Favorite Beauty Product of 2010


Some are products I've bought/tried but never shared with you all, but worry not because I will give a brief review on those and why I think they're the bomb : )

1. Earth Glo Minerals Smooth Face Primer
It's my 2nd bottle, this product is comparable to Smashbox Photo Finish, leaving my skin silky smooth and doing a great job in "erasing" pores prior to foundation application. I love it more than MAC Prep + Prime (which I finished but I suspected broke me out somewhere along the line). This sucker only costs around $7 and although the bottle looks tiny, you actually get tons of product, and each application you only need a pea-sized blob for the entire face. You can get it here (not affiliated etc etc)

2. Pure Anada Mineral Foundation
Yep, still my HG Foundation, it's amazing for my acne-prone oily skin and for some reason it never runs out LOL...I've had it for the longest time and whenever I take a peek, it seems like I only use a tiny bit...idk it's a mystery. This is their site... my shade is Niagara Fawn btw.

3. NYX Blush in Raisin
This is what I use whenever I'm on the go or lazy because this color amazingly appears on my skin as a blush AND bronzer. I can just swipe it across my cheeks and I will look blushed and contoured. It works better on me during cooler months & when I'm slightly paler. It can be seen in this picture below:



4. Milani Sunset Duo in Sunset City
A dupe of NARS Orgasm & Laguna Bronzer : ) What more can I say, it's so wearable and gives me a healthy look. Plus it doesn't break me out and the sheen is actually not loud at all.

5. Too Faced Shadow Insurance
UDPP I love you and imma let you finish but TFSI is the best eye primer of ALL TIME!!!! loljk but seriously, Urban Decay...your product is great but your packaging sucks gargantuan balls. I'd prefer Too Faced just because it's a squeeze tube and it's been holding my eyeshadows like a mofo.


6. NYX Smokey Eye Palette
I didn't even bother swatching this palette because I bet all of you and your mothers have it already. It's such a cool palette to create a cool-toned smokey look and I also use the 2nd color from the left on the bottom row to fill in my brows.

7. Wet'n'Wild ColorIcon Palettes
Here's why.

8. Jordana "Fabuliner" Liquid Eyeliner
This eyeliner rocks my socks. I've worn them the entire time I was in New York during blizzard, snow, rain and sunshine (I'm not even kidding you...). The tip is very pointy, it doesn't smudge, it doesn't sting my eyes (I wear contact lenses), it's also easy to apply and very very cheap. Everyone should go buy one just because.

9. EOS Lip Balm
All cool kids have it, I like it personally too and the main reason why is because with this lip balm, I don't have to smear it around like I normally do with any other lip balm. What I do is to pout and rub this cutie across my lips. It's like cutting the job in half LOL yeah I'm THAT lazy, guys.

10. NYX Round Lipstick in Mars
Still my favorite shade from NYX, it's a perfect neutral-nude that doesn't make me look like death.

11. Drugstore Polishes
Awesome and affordable. Wet'n'Wild & Sinful Colors are my faves, with Sally Hansen comes next on the list. Look at dem sparkles....look at dem!!!

12. Victoria's Secret Amber Blackberry Velvet
This scents got me so many compliments and my bf who normally can't distinguish between the smell of Palmolive & Chanel Chance always asks what I was wearing... "because it smells good" ~ quoting him /roll eyes.


13. Equate Medicated Acne Gel
Well yes, I've gone back to Benzoyl Peroxide because sadly enough that's the only thing that seems to put my acne at bay. It's a similar product to Clean & Clear Persagel, only cheaper since it's a Walmart brand. Works as good  and my skin has been in control ever since I used it last October :)

Well there you have it, hope I've covered enough field and please free to ask me questions if there's any and tell me what products you have been loving last year.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Hasta La Vista



I will be going on vacation this summer, I'm going back to Indonesia!
I can't wait to see my family & friends again and most importantly, I MISS HOME FOOD.

Yup, I said it hahahahahaha no matter how far I go, nothing beats Indonesian food in my book. Anyway, I kinda miss Jakarta & its busy lifestyle, and although now I live Hawaii and it's probably one of the most beautiful place in the world, I'm always amazed on how unique & beautiful Indonesia landscape is.

Don't worry, I'm not doing the tourism ad.....but these pictures might xP

Bali


Mt.Bromo, East Java

Sulawesi

Flores

Lombok



Aceh

Jakarta


so the next time I'm posting, I'll be in in Jakarta......
until then ~~~~~~

Saturday, May 24, 2008

How Natural are You?

Do you guys know using deodorants could cause cancer?
A new research in UK found women who used deodorants had deposits of aluminium in their outer breasts. The samples were taken from women who had undergone a mastectomy for breast cancer.

Most deodorants contain aluminium salts, because the metal is effective at stopping skin sweating. These aluminium is known to cause cancer in animal models.

Ok, don't throw away you deodorants YET, because this study not fully proven and not enough evidence to clearly stated that "Deodorant = Cancer". Although, when I think about it, how many chemical toxins have I consumed so far? Using cosmetics, skin care, shampoo, even our toothpaste could contribute to a building up toxins inside our body.

I once read in BBC health *if I'm not mistaken*, our generation today consumed so much more chemical ingredients compare to the older generations due to number of chemical contents inside our products, in simply everything we use.

So what do I do?

I know I NEED deodorants and although my mom once said "It's ok to sweat..it shows you that your heart is still healthy", it's just annoying to sweat.

That's why I switch to Natural products, the ones don't contain unnecessary ingredients that are harmful to our body. Using all-natural skin care *Garden of Wisdom* surely triggered me to using other natural stuffs for my body.

I'm just starting out and so far I'm very pleased to what I've tried and excited to try more.
These are my picks:

1. CRYSTAL Body Deodorant Roll On (Hypoallergenic, Fragrance & Paraben Free)

Paraben is a bad preservative chemicals that could agitate breast tumor

Since it's fragrance-free, don't expect any scent out of this roll-on, but I have no problem because for me, it does the job and I could always use perfume or body spray after. Speaking of spray, I use this for alternative:

2. CRYSTALUX All Over Body Spray Deodorant (100% Pure & Natural, Paraben Free)

Ideal for underarm area, sensitive intimate area, foot odor, and any skin-fold producing sweat&odor area.

I use it for my back since it's harder to reach and interchangeably with the roll-on for my underarm. It works as well, also Fragrance Free & No Animal testing.

I got both of them at my local Longs Drugs, and I have seen them at Walgreens as well.

3. Burt's Bees Baby Bee Shampoo & Wash Tear Free

  • pH Balanced
  • SLS (Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfate) Free
  • Paraben Free
  • Phthalate Free

Yes, it's a baby shampoo : ) but I've read reviews in Makeupalley and the grown ups love it. Now, if it's your first time trying a natural shampoo, you might be surprised on how dry it feels in the shower (especially if you're not using conditioner), but don't give up right there because we're very used to the silky feeling from commercial shampoo with SLS that gives the hair some sort of 'coat'.


The first time I tried this shampoo, I freaked out on how dry my hair feels in the shower, but once I let it air-dry, my hair felt very smooth, just like baby hair : ) It's 96.08% Natural as it was shown, because it still contains fragrance, if I could describe the scent, it'd be an Apricot sweet smell, my bf said it reminds him of Playdo a lil LOL but he likes it.

They don't carry conditioners for this baby shampoo, but I believe other Burt's Bees shampoo does.

Now if you want a more natural ingredients or if you're allergic to fragrance, you can check out their Supershiny Grapefruit & Sugar Beet Shampoo, it is 98.80% Natural and fragrance free.

For a complete list of Burt's Bees Shampoo, click here.


What I'm dying to try based on awesome revies:

1. Aubrey Organics Honeysuckle & Rose Moisturizing Conditioner


2. Desert Essence Organics Italian Red Grape Conditioner


3. Chagrin Valley Shampoo Bars:
  • Cafe Moreno
  • Chamomile & Citrus
  • Honey Beer & Egg
  • Summer Sunshine

So anytime you guys want to switch to natural products, the choices are already out there. I personally think it's important to pay attention on what we put on and what we consume especially for our generation because we suffer the most from all those toxins inside today's commercial products. The sooner the better hehe.

Hope you guys find it as a good reading ^_^

Friday, April 25, 2008

Top 20 Minerals & such..


Skin Type: Oily, Acne-prone

Known Sensitivities (if any): None that I know of

Desired Coverage: Medium to Full

Top Mineral Foundations:
1. Classy Minerals Liquid Foundation (Tan)
2. EDM Intensive & Semi-matte (Medium Tan)

Top Finishing Powders/Powder Primers:
1. Joppa Finishing Silk (Medium)
2. Signature Minerals Finishing Dust (Angel)

Top Concealers/Correctors:
1. Classy Minerals Liquid Concealer (Tan Bisque)
2. EDM Concealer (Intensive Tan)

When I need extra coverage and when foundation doesn't cut it, I use:
1. MAC Select Cover-Up Concealer (NW 35)

Top Illuminators/Glows/All Over Face Color/Radiance:
1. Silk Naturals (Love Lure)
2. Joppa Simple Radiance (Caramel)


Top Mineral Blush:
1. EDM - Sunday Brunch
2. Classy Minerals - Brick
3. Joppa - Earthen Rose
4. Silk Naturals - Climax (but I'm gonna sample their new blushes soon *yay*)

Top Bronzers:
1. The She Space - Kalahari
2. Lumiere - California Gold
3. EDM - Everyday Bronzer

Top Eye Shadows/Powder Eyeliners:
1. The She Space
2. Taylor Made Minerals
3. Pure Luxe

Top Mineral Pencil Eyeliners/Highlighters:
none yet

For Highlighters, I like using either:
none, I use NYX's

Top Eyebrow Pencils:
None Mineral - Wet'n'Wild

Top Mineral Lippies (lipstick, gloss, tints):
haven't tried any

Top Face Primers (non mineral):
MAC Prep + Prime

Top Eye Primers (non mineral):
UDPP

Top Mascaras (non mineral):
1. Maybelline Full'n'Soft

Top Mineral Foundation brushes:
1. EDM New Flat Top Synthetic Brush

Top Blush brushes
1. Essence of Beauty Small Angle/Contour Brush

Top Eye brushes
1. Chasity Eyeshadow Brush (to foil & everything else! ^_^)

Top Cleansers
1. Pure Luxe's Calamine Bar Soap
2. Garden of Wisdom Takrai Lemongrass
3. Johnson & Johnson Purpose

Top Moisturizers
1. The Body Shop Blemish Fade Night Lotion

Continuation meme's

Some you may have guessed, some you may be surprised about!

I ♥ Beauty Secrets

My Foundation: Mineral foundations HG, Classy Minerals-Tan.

My Mascara:
Maybelline Full'n'Soft

My Blush: Everyday Minerals Sunday Brunch

My Eye Shadow: NYXs

My Day Cream: Olay SPF 15

My Lipstick: NYX Thalia

My Beauty Product Brand: NYX (I think MAC is overrated, sorry girls!)

My Essential Beauty Product: Sunscreen (I'm scared of cancer & wrinkles)

My Favorite Makeup Product: Eye shadows (colors = fun)

My Perfume: Clinique's Happy Heart

My Nails: O.P.I

My Feet & My Hands: Feet (Lure Beauty's CK-Euphoria Body Butter) Hand (St.Ives Collagen Elastin)

Three Products to bring on a deserted island: Face spray, sunscreen & tanning lotion LOL

Woman I admire for their beauty: Jessica Alba.

Woman with the Best Sense of Style: Mischa Barton (although I don't really like her)

My Ultimate Dream (but I do not believe in selling my soul to the devil for it): To have my face in gossip magazines..that's when I can say "Ok, I'm famous now..what's next?" LMAO

How Do I Define Womanhood: Is the beauty that retains the world.

My Favorite Fashion Publication: Cosmopolitan. Vogue gives me headache sometimes *shrug*


6 Unspectacular Quirks

1. I don't like chicken breasts. I think it's very hard to chew (yeh I'm lazy mwahah) So I only eat thighs or wings.

2. I also hates Red Vines, the cherry taste makes me gag somehow.

3. I can't stop buying skin care products, that's my recent obsession.

4. I sleep more than my body needs to, if God gives me 10 more hours to live I'd spend it sleeping in too.

5. I can drink, I'd prefer shots tho. My motto: If life gives you lime, grab a salt and a shot of tequila. There you go.

6. I'd prefer to stare at pictures of naked woman rather than naked man coz I think it's gross. Am I weird?


Blast from the Past

Yes, I started early LOL I was 3 and already chasing boys (and cling tight -_-') The big cheesy smiley boy named Toto and he was my childhood buddies (or boyfriend, as my mom told me I claimed him to be). He's 1 year older than me and was really protective, my mom said back then when we used to play together, he always made sure I was safe from bigger kids, whenever they teased me he always stood up and say 'leave her alone!'

too bad I've never seen him anymore, it's been 20 years.

gosh, look at my 1st pic, I was like "hey q-t *poke poke*...let's play!"
goodnessme!