With all the high tech synthetic stuff in skincare products today -all promising a ton of benefits & miraculous results it’s easy to get lost in the ingredient list. However, there is one underappreciated ingredient that’s been around for ages that can beat the crap out of all the current contenders for skincare supremacy with its hydrating and healing properties- Ladies and Gentlemen on the left corner: Shea Butter!

photo courtesy of nivea.com

Shea butter, an edible fat extracted from the fruit of the Shea tree which grows in several regions of Africa- provides non-greasyhealing hydration like no other ingredient out there. My love affair with Shea started with a frenzied search for the perfect lip balm. Having tried everything  from Burt’s Bee’s beeswax-based balm to petroleum jelly and even the ever reliable Kiehl’s Lip Balm # 1 only led me to suffer from luscious lip letdown. Skin salvation arrived when one day my mother handed me a tube of Nivea’s Repair & Protection Lip Balm which she bought on the checkout lane at the local grocer. Skeptical but desperate, I tried it and has   since never wanted another-like a loyal lip balm lover. Curious about how it stands out from the competition I compared its ingredients to products I’ve tried and narrowed down the difference to its high Shea butter content which heals broken skin and protects it from dryness and the elements. It provides matte moisture- so both guys & girls can use it.

photo courtesy of thebodyshop.com

Since then I have tried other products with Shea butter with the same brilliant results. The list includes the nourishing and non-greasy Body Shop Shea Body Butter which helps you do away with bothersome re-applications as it leaves your skin moisturized for up to 24 hours- even in dry air-conditioned environments.

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Drew Barrymore had such a good winning “streak” this year with her critically acclaimed performance in HBO’s Grey Gardens, her (then) flawless red carpet showings and directing a star-studded and an almost guaranteed box office success of a movie called “Whip It”. Then she decided her unique poufy, tattoo-like dress needs to go with a poufy, frizzy skunk/skank-like hairdo a la Christina Aguilera circa 2000- Love the Dress-Hate the “Josie Grossey” Hair. What do you think of this look Crazy Cool or Crash & Burn?

photo courtesy of celebrity-gossip.net

Me and my playlist are similar in that we are boring old farts. I blame it on getting old and not being in the party scene for almost 6 months. I just recently bought David Guetta’s new album &  fell in love with the now overplayed track “When Love Takes Over” with Beyonce’s back-up dancer Kelly Rowland. I also checked out the video of  the song and I fell in love with Miss Kelly’s funky 80’s inspired make-up. It’s not for everyone-  not for the office or for when you’re getting Kopitiam take-away but it’s definitely an interesting look that is copy-worthy. Unlike this look which should forever remain in the 80’s.

courtesy of PerezHilton.com

 Need an instruction manual? I’m one step ahead of you as I have attached a video tutorial instead- You’re Welcome! Kelly Rowland \”When Love Takes Over\” Makeup Tutorial <<<CLICK HERE

In a world where everyone is a beauty scientist who knows their paraffins from their parabens, people have become excessively cautious about fragrances in their skincare. The truth is that a  fragrant moisturizer can be good for your skin too, as long as the scent is part of an integral ingredient of the product or if it cam from a natural, non-allergenic source. Here are some scented sensations that are skin friendly too.

US$34 @ www.lalicious.com

The inspiration for this article was spiked by the SWEETest body scrub I have ever slathered onto my body. Introduced to be my a friend from Zurich who forgot where she got it, the La Licious Sugar Kiss Souffle Scrub, is a fluffy pink French pastry that you can use to exfoliate your body. It smells so good that it has a warning label on the jar forbidding users to eat it. Perfect as a pre-shave prep, it’s also for people (like me) who couldn’t be bothered to apply body lotion after every shower. Your skin is left soft and nourished by coconut and sweet almond oil. This scrub is guaranteed to make anyone a dish to be desired.

$285 @ SCCUBE The Apothecary

Another sweet smelling concoction is the Euoko R-40 Cellular Radiance, a moisturizer for both day and night. This light, quick absorbing face cream smells like a comforting cup of hot chocolate and nourishes skin with a potent cocktail of antioxidants that gives the skin an irresistible glow. Best for lazy people like me who usually forego the drudgery of night creams, now I could see it as a pre-snooze spa treat. (more…)

photos courtesy of style.com

Sorry ladies (and gentlemen) this article is not about Zac Efron. It’s actually about two of the “fairiest” fashion designers in the world, who want to help you become the fairest of them all through make-up. Designer du jour Alexander Wang and Project Runway winner Christian Siriano are both launching their own cosmetics collections and by the looks of it it’s going to be one HOT TRANNY MESS of a fall!

photo courtesy of teenvogue.com

Siriano who rose to fame via the reality show route, has hooked up with lingerie company Victoria’s Secret (no doubt with a little help from an angel named Heidi Klum) to launch the limited edition Christian Siriano for VS Makeup line. (more…)

If you’re gonna go all CHOLA on me you might as well go the extra mile and do something cute like this! It’s trashy, it’s educational & it’s delicious! Enjoy!

 Watermelon Nails  <<< CLICK ME!!!

photo courtesy of Givenchy Parfums

One could argue that my first foray into designer brand love was done in “blind faith” which would be accurate because it came in the form of my first scent obsession. I was 13 years old then and after 3 months of saving my lunch money I finally got myself a bottle of Givenchy Oblique-Play, other variants of which were Rewind and Fast Forward, but the fresh sweet scent of Play was the one that really appealed to me. Unfortunately, after loyally patronizing the scent for several years it was discontinued and I was left alone and scentless. A similar thing happened to my sister when after finding the perfect (and cheap) Maybelline Great Lash Mascara; it was all of a sudden discontinued.

photo courtesy of fragrantica.com

Almost a decade later they’re baaaaccckkk, promising to be better and (in the Great Lash’ case) BIGGER than ever. Givenchy’s new scent now called “PLAY Intense” was arguably the most beloved of the original Oblique range. Coming out this September and pimped out by no other than Mr. Justin Timberlake, Play Intense, has definitely grown up along with its market namely moi. Still in a playfully shaped bottle (frosted glass shaped like an MP3 player with a rubberized button), the scent maintains its fresh sweet scent with notes of bergamot and mandarin replacing the lemon from the original. Added spice comes from pink pepper and tonka bean and the woodiness has been upped with vetiver, coffee bean wood and amyris wood. All in all PLAY Intense is a deserving contemporary to a much loved scent. We all have to grow up after all.

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Got neck issues? Esther does. So if you don’t want something to hide and do not have an overwhelming desire to wear a ribbon on your neck forever & ever, listen up homegirl!

When your neck is the issue now is the time. A person’s unkempt neck tells the story of the ravages of time much like the rings on a tree trunk (Eeew!). Ordinary face creams may not be the best option for your neck because they might be too rich or contain exfoliants or irritants that cause breakouts, redness and all sorts of irritation, so your best bet is still a formula specially formulated for the skin on the neck area.

photo courtesy of Warner Brothers

The neck has one of the most fragile and thinnest layers of skin in our body and it’s also easily the most neglected. ReVive, a pioneering brand known for its use of the skin regeneration accelerant, Epidermal Growth Factor or EGF, has used that same ingredient in its Fermitif Neck Renewal Cream to correct and protect your neck from fine lines, sagging and spots. Ideal for both day and night use it’s conveniently fortified with a broad spectrum SPF15 sunscreen so it shields and prevents further damage while repairing the delicate skin in your neck.

photo from reviveskincare.com

At night you may opt to use a neck cream with a potent yet gentle exfoliant as it will assist in your own skin’s reparative process as you sleep.   (more…)