Cameleon Rinko: Pulling off drastic looks with ease & grace

Every since her Babel breakthrough, Rinko Kikuchi has been hitting various red carpets with a drastically different look while maintaining a punk-but-elegant consistency. From platinum blond hair to pure black, from stick straight to volumnous curls, her hair has had quite a year, too!

Arigato Rinko, for showing us that blonde is definitely do-able for the brave of heart and that it's A-OK to go from dark to blonde to auburn for those of us fickle of heart!

At the Oscars, in a sophisticated black dress, dangly earrings that flatter the neck and jaw, and a clean, pulled back bun. For an evening look like this, try angling the eye liner and shadow up to strengthen and accentuate the eyes.






Fresh faced and adorable at a press conference before the big night. For a youthful, fresh look like this, try an orange lipstick with a slight gold flip. Keep eyes natural yet awake with a trusty concealer, brown liner on just the above lid and layers of black mascara after curling lashes up, up and away.



Platinum blonde but still innocently chic, the soft pink Chanel dress and her big smile keep her hair from overpowering her personality. Keep skin lucent by going easy on the foundation and dusting sheer loose powder over face instead. For a healthy glow, finish with a sweep of subtle light orangy brown blush on the apples of the cheeks.



For a sexier, evening look, curl the ends with a medium to big curling rod and set with a blast of cool air. Keep eye color to basic tones to avoid looking overdone. Allow the hair to take centerstage, especially if it is dyed blonde or another pop color, by keeping clothes clean, modern and straighforward.



xox

all images from wireimage.com

A-ha! Beauty Trick #2: layering nail colors!

I lightly touched on this in my S/S 07 the Short French Manicure posting but I've decided that it most definitely deserves a little blurb of it's own:

If you naturally have pink-colored nail beds to start, you're lucky. But, if you have paler, yellow-undertoned skin like me, it's hard to pull off the beiges and super-light milky creme lacquers without the fingertips looking as if they've lost complete circulation.

Then comes Myrdith McCormack (see image with model Solange), celebrity and model-loved manicurist. I saw her do this little trick at the Thakoon S/S 07 show and Vera Wang F/W 07 show back stage and thought it genius. I have been mimicking her ever since with this easy breezy way to get a natural, healthy, look.



HOW TO STEPS:
1. Start with a bonding basecoat to smooth out the nail.
2. Thinly coat the nail with a soft, slightly cremey or sheer, baby pink.
3. Let dry, tadatada...
4. Coat over the first layer with the beige, earthy, or milky creme tone that you wanted your nails to have in the first place, a bit more thickly than the first layer.
5. If you're good, finish off with top coat to secure!

And woala~
The pink layer acts as a natural-looking healthy pink base flattering whatever paler colors comes on top.

Try also with various fun shades - layer manicure colors to adjust the color to flatter your skin tone or to create a new glow, altogether!

xox

A-ha Concealer Trick #1 - Tips so obvious I forgot to mention it until now...

I've decided to start a series that might end up being few in number, or surprisingly numerous...depending on how many, "Oh yeah..." light bulb moments I have during my spacing out moments.

The first one -> the unfailingly, perfectly matching concealer:

Practically impossible is the task of matching the concealer to the skin tone and then matching that concealor to the foundation...and even if that happens miraculously because of pure genius (and a great bathroom light), to blend well enough so that the concealer-ed spots don't appear darker or more layered than the rest of the face is utterly time consuming.

Easy way out?

Use the bits of foundation that has collected and thickened at the rim of the liquid or creamy foundation bottle or even, pump - you know, the bits that dripped down and stuck on the side? That layer of smudge is creamier and more condense, like the texture of a really soft, easy to use concealer formula, and what more, is the same exact shade & formula (which means they dry the same color and texture).


Try it, works like magic and much better than layering the sheer liquid foundation over and over. Next time, "accidently" spill a little or leave a thin layer around the edges so that it'll be ready the next AM!

xox

The "You can, too!" celebrity makeup look #1 - lips lips lips

Yes, I might have smaller, boring lips, or less penetrating eyes, and my cheekbones might not protrude as much as Kate Moss but I, and of course you, too, can gloss, pencil and lipstick appropriately to pull off these US celebrity pout-looks.

Take a pick - and if not these blonde, burnette weekly tab-loved beauties, there's always the gorgeous Lucy Liu but these suggested tips & shades are tailored to you - dare to try!?

Sexy Matt Lips a la Lohan


1. With a very neutral, nudy beige nude lip pencil, fill in the entire lip completely, staying within the lip line. Tip? Make sure that you don't create odd streaks, zigzag the pencil as you shade.

2. Using a thicker lip crayon in a slightly pinker beige, roughly line the lips - starting in the middle of the bottom lip line and lining outwards. Don't forget to go all the way to the edges.

3. For the top line, create a fuller look by lining the middle lip crest (dipped area) with a softer curve, rounding out and up. If you want to create a plumper top lip, try edgeing the outer line with the thicker, soft crayon used in step 2. This way, lips look plumper, fuller but natural, still.

Note: Don't skimp and just use 1 pencil - it's the duo-trick that creates the fuller, 3-dimensional matte allure!




TRY:
Dior Lip Liner Pencil in Linen for step 1.
Nars Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Calliope or Sierra for step 2 & 3.









Glossy, shiny & smackalicious mod-pink - the pout of la Parisienne:


1. Create the color base for the lips by using a lip brush dipped in a sheer pink lipstick - the brush gives a more precise & minute covereage of the entire lip, letting the color blend into the lip rather than hovering over the lips.

2. Dip the brush applicator into a neutral toned pink gloss, and apply completely over the entire lip, adding an extra dab at the center of the lips adding more dimension.

Note: For this glossy, flirty-look, opt for a pouty, juicy look rather than for the below, Angelina-esque fullness or plumpness which ends up to be a little too much with this much shine!




TRY:
Stila Lip Glaze in Papaya and do good for the earth at the same time with Cargo PlantLove Botanical Lipstick in Killarney.









Angie Lips - must we say more? nah, of course not...even this, you can, too!


1. Line the upper lip and lower lip with a pink or sheer pink (muted pinkish beige is fine if that works better for your lip color.) For this look, line "roundly" and softly, so that the top lip's line is almost a heart shape and the bottom, a rounded curve that goes along the outer edge.

2. Use a lip brush to apply the lipstick making broad strokes left and right over the entire lip, blending in the lip liner and filing in the lip. Don't stop the brush in the middle of the bottom lip, you want the brush to leave the least color in the middle this time around so that you can create a luminated, lighter, and plumper full, middle-of-lip area.

Note: Don't use gloss, although it's tempting, over the lipstick. That's too much & lips end up looking too fake, crafted and makeup-dumped.



TRY:
To line the lips, opt for a softer, easier to control liner like Rimmel Exaggerate Full Color Lip Liner in Addiction. For lipstick, choose a beigy pink, nude color as T. LeClerc Transparent Lipstick in Tulle.

xox

Images from wireimage.com

an asian beauty secret - the importance of cotton

Walking down the wall-to-ceiling packed beauty isles of the local drugstore back in Tokyo, there is, unfailingly, an entire shelf dedicated to an assortment of cotton pads. Some are quite expensive, ranging up to $20 for a perfectly aligned box of 100 sheets! Shiseido, Kose, Kao, you name it, all the leading major skin care & cosmetics companies distribute various forms, textures, shapes, all packaged in their various pretty containers or tinted zip-lock plastic baggies.

Why this phenomenon in Asia but not in the US? Beauty magazines and beauty television segments in both countries often focus on the cleansing & toning aspect for keeping skin healthy & radiant - but the US versions do not stress how crucial the 1 to 2 minute "patting" and "tapping" step is when applying the toner. Usually, it's an easy, "apply toner after cleansing with cotton or hands" and if you're good, you might have a tube of round cotton pads...BUT, the directions should actually say,

1. Get soft, 100% pure cotton, facial cottons that allows optimum administration of the toner into the skin's layers without scratching the delicate skin surface or causing any harsh rubbing by coarser cotton pads.

2. Soak the cotton pad with toner. Note - the toner should be exactly what it is named - a formula that hydrates and "tones" the skin after washing the face with the alkaline water (not good for your skin!)


3. Hold the toner-filled cotton, so that one end is tucked between the pointer finger and middle finger, the other end tucked between the pinky and ring finger so that the spread surface faces out from the inside, palm-side of your hand.

4. Pat the face lightly, allowing the skin to soak up the toner from the soft cotton. By patting and tapping the skin with the toner-soaked cotton, you stimulate the skin, allowing more microcirculation and better absorbtion of the hydrating agents in the toner.

5. If your skin needs extra hydration from winter dryness or summer sun damage, soak the cotton pads with an intensely hydrating or comforting toner and leave directly on the face as if you are wearing a mask. If the cotton is as good as it should be, the toner should penetrate into your skin rather than getting all soaked up by the cotton.

Once trying it, it's hard to go back to regular bla-US drugstore cottons! Save those for removing nail polish!!

Available also in the US, TRY:


Satin Box, SatinClouds Heavenly Cotton Pads - my beauty blog heroine, Bronwen at Meg's Makeup sent this my way to test and reminded me of how much I adore and terribly missed beautifully spun, perfectly soft & coccooning cotton pads in my skincare routine. Truly heavenly - a must!!


Shiseido Makeup Facial Cotton

xox

I knew bambi would pull through! The tale of the lip plumper that changed my dessert

...so the title is a little ridic, but if you knew how i felt about lip plumpers, or if you don't believe in lip plumpers as much as you don't believe in anti-cellulite creams, you might understand. I was convinced that lip plumpers unfailingly fullfilled at least one of the three vices:

1. extremely drying - crusty, flakey lips anyone!?
2. lip locked you from eating or drinking anything because it's too cinnamon-y, spicy, or too goopy
3. the coloured lip plumpers look like the color pigment was injected into the plumping formula and failed to mingle well with the original gloss

oh, and add a fourth one...it just doesn't work unless it stung...and yeah, if it worked, sexy cascading hair was definitely off limits, it got stuck on the lips...UNTIL I picked up Buxom Lips by Bare Escentuals in Bambi.

The plumping lip polish is a smooth, creamy, perfectly mixed blend of luminous & sex kitten subtly glimmery color with no stickiness or tackyness. It actually lasts even longer than regular moisturizing lip balms or glosses and when it does finally dissappear, the lips are left soft and nourished - thanks to the mineral-infused polish with antioxidant vitamins A and E to keep lips protected through the drying winter months. This amazing gloss gets to work with a slight tingly sensation that reminds you to take notice of the way your lips move & look during that V-day dessert - which you can finally enjoy because this doesn't add that spicy after taste!

Try it~ it'll change any anti-lip plumping gloss beliefs!

Ps. LOVE the brighter, pink Bambi color that gets you ready for spring!

xox

told ya - these asian models are back this winter en force!

We saw their beautiful complexions, solemn expressions and poised strut last season and now, for the NY Fall 2007 shows, they were sprinting non-stop from tent to tent, pulling off with professional ease this winter's trendy structured jackets, big fur hats, dark wine red lips and frosty shadows. See how they've transformed! (For before pictures, refer to previous post on the S/S 07 shows!)

Anne Watanabe at Tracy Reese left and Anna Sui right




















HAN at Jason Wu right and 3.1 Phillip Lim left























Du Juan at Carolina Herrera right and Matthew Williamson left






















Hye Park at Oscar de la Renta left and Derek Lam right





















Eugenia M. at Rodarte right and Diane von Furstenberg left























Lastly, Julianna Imai at Bill Blass looking sophisticated & pulled together as ever...



......and then at Betsey Johnson on the right...adore!?!



xox

we LOVE u all - asian designers ruling the runways now - Fall 2007 Runway Report #3

Favorite picks from the three most wanted Asian designers that have already hit the Fall 2007 Bryant Park tents this week.


With sequined floral tops and feathered skirts, Thakoon proves once again that his poetic creativity got him the coveted runner-up award for the 2006 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund awards. Love the feather headband!



















For a dress with a back detail this sophisticated and gorgeous as designed by Doo.Ri, don't forget to shine your shoulder-blade wings with a good exfoliator & moisturizer! Try SugarFix, a yummy smelling brownsugar-based scrub & moisturizer at-home spa treatment from ORLY, great for getting legs & hands smooth for the spring season, too!





















I love all of his draped, layered and wrapped dresses this fall that show off the beauty of a women's shoulders, waist and neckline. Stunning, how can you not be drawn to Derek Lam!? Of all the dresses, the above stood out for me but in the end, as accessories & hair have the power to do, it was the triple-wrapped leather head band that finished off the look with a polished yet feminine charm. Easy to copy, just buy a black or dark brown leather strap, half-inch in width, and wrap around tousled, loosely pulled back hair making sure they cris-cross to create an artistic appeal.

Vera Wang is yet to come, tomorrow at 2pm! Will be backstage so look forward to upclose tips on makeup & hair!
xox

How to Polka Dot - Runway Report #2

Being an asian girl with just a little over 5 feet in height, I have a tough time wearing Polka Dots without looking like a little girl that mommy dressed.

I've vowed to generally stay away from the on-again, off-again trendy pattern, until I saw a fresh ensemble at the Lela Rose Fall '07 show that who other than Anne Watanabe flawlessly pulled off. So easy to copy and take onto the streets, afterall, it IS still winter in the Real World, too!



Runway Look Tip:
ONE. Polka Dot prints are most flattering on sheer, flowy material as shown above that doesn't cling or stretch out over your body. The dots should be floating off you rather than outlining your curves.

TWO. Stick with smaller dots unless you want to go the Diane von Furstenberg fall '07 look (Left, model Hye Park) with black/white graphic patterns or bold reds OR the classic YSL MOD prints with a huge dot that covers the entire dress.

THREE. Don't do candy-pop or jelly-juice colored dots. Screams "I am longing to go back to my childhood happy days" and it just isn't...well, it just isn't. Go with sophisticated color combos like black, grey, silver, muted blush, gilded gold or dusted silvery tones.

FOUR. Pair with skirts and pants with classic winter fabrics as herring bone or wool, as ingeniusly shown here. Needless to say, no flannel! yikes.

FIVE. Keep accessories simple, hair sleek or pulled back into an office-type bun and makeup, in cool shades as to avoid looking like a teenager trying on mom's clothes.

Now go enjoy the dots-scene and look beyond chic with the new twist to the print that , admit it, you know you've missed wearing since you were three.

xox

Tuleh wins the Sunday award - Runway Report #1

HAIR: Soft, thick bangs, face framing tendrils, a slight undone curl at the ends and exquisite luster that makes you want to touch.

Mini-Tip: Use an intense conditioner or treatment the night before so that hair is nourished, moisturized, with the least number of split ends and frizzyness when blowdrying hair. Dab in texturizing light gel only at the roots to keep volume intact. And at your next hair appointment, bangs bangs bangs!!!

MAKEUP: Red stained lips, dewy doll-like eyes and a matte, doll-like pale face. An untouchable yet alluring mix of innocence and sohistication.

Mini-Tip for lips: clear balm -> red liner -> fill in a little in the middle of lip and smudge with finger tip -> subdued red lipstick with moisturizing agents, the more dewy looking, the better -> dab of lipgloss only on the middle of the bottom lip.

Mini-Tip for eyes: -> eye line only the top with a black kohl pencil, then smudge with a dark bronze. Use a bronzy gold, almost rose gold, coloured shadow on the upper lids, lightly sweep upwards at the out edges. On bottom lids, start on the inside corner of the eye and dab a clean gold (not yellowy) shadow towards the outer edge. Curl lashes and follow with black mascara on top and bottom lashes. I depend on YSL Ombre Vibration Duo in the 37 Brown/Copper to achieve any sun-kissed gorgeous bronzy eye look that looks just gilded enough.

Mini-Tip for brows: -> keep it no darker than the hair color so that it doesn't over power the eye and the bangs, brushing it and holding the brows in place with a clear brow mascara is enough for this look. This will keep the face with a natural-beauty purity rather than 1950's vamp.

Mini-Tip for face: -> mattifying translucent powder with a soft pink or soft orange blush underneath it all so the cheeks do not over power the other features on the face. Let the lips take center stage.

xox

Everyone Wears a Mask - mine's just purifying...

Of all the pore cleaning, makeup removing, skin smoothing products I reach for every night, masks have plopped itself high and mighty on my nightly treatment pedastol. I know we're advised not to use it every night so, I tear myself away from those goo-filled tubes and clay-filled pots every other night to cut down my use - to 3 or 4 times a week. Still excessive, I know. I can't resist.

Masks are like a concentrated shot of purification and revitalization. Leaving the skin refreshed and bare of any impurities as dirt, dead skin cells and left over makeup. Furthermore, not only do they purify, recent high-tech masks now provide a direct and effective dose of energy, therapy and replenishment that the skin needs after being under attack all day from environmental enemies as pollution, UV rays and free-radicals.

Introducing to you, my recent top picks and long-standing faves (from testing over 100 throughout my teenage and tween years) of hard-working, multi-tasking masks:


To PURIFY
Christine Chin's Pore Purifying Masque - this mask ranks at top as the hardest working cleaner I know (and I definitely have gotten acquainted with over 100, at least). From the celeb facialist who attends to the complexion of celebs like Gisele, Kate Moss and Rachel Weisz, the oil-absorbing zinc oxide, blemish-drying sulpher and oil-controlling witch hazel extract bring fast relief to occasional acne-prone, combination to oily complexions. Leaves skin unbelievably silky soft and feeling deeply cleansed without tightness. You HAVE to test this at least once, but beware, it's very habit-forming.

To BRIGHTEN
Seikisho Mask White - Don't be fooled!! This mask is actually a pure black wonder, thanks to the nano black powder that creates an instant airtight seal allowing ingredients to be absorbed quickly. Good for any skin types, this high-tech mask is the first peel-off formula to contain Vitamin C to suppress the production of melanin (the culprit behind aging-spots, skin pigmentation and freckles). Chock full of Chinese and Japanese herb extracts to hydrate, brighten the skin tone and regulate sebum production, this airtight mask immediately injects the skin with vitality and radiance.


To MOISTURIZE
Clinique Moisture Surge Extra Thirsty Skin Relief - my favorite line of defense for dry, blistery days, this fast-relieving moisture boost comforts, soothes and softens even the drying patches in 5 minutes. The soft, creamy baby pink formula can be applied even over make up (in times of urgent need) and a little trick of the trade? Leave it spread thin all over the face during airplane trips to protect the skin from the drying air. Leave on over night and wake up to supple, soft skin - it's worth toting around!

For LIPS


Decleor Hydra Floral Anti-Pollution Eye and Lip Moisturizing Mask - kiss away flaky, dry lips with just one swipe. This intense lip treatment is a natural cocktail of plant extracts and essential oils of hydrating and replenishing flower petals. For a quick pout-fix, gently slough off the old, peeling layer with a face exfoliater - the old toothbrush way is too irritating on my lips so opt for face scrubs with apricot seeds or other micro-beads which leaves lips soft and smooth without tearing it apart! Then, apply a thin layer of the mask and 5 minutes later, wuala! Lips are kissable and velvety smooth.

For EYES
Carita Progressif Anti-Rides Eye Contour Micro-Mask Express and DuWop I Gels for Tired Eyes - both perfect for revitalizing tired eyes, reducing puffiness and soothing the entire eye area, these two are my go-to relaxation tools after a long day of computer glaring. For delicate skin around the eyes that need more moisture and anti-aging care, the Carita ready-to-use single-dose patch provides an immediate smoothing comfort over the entire eye area, moisturizing and plumping up fatigued skin. While, the DuWoop I Gel cools and soothes your senses with the aroma therapeutic effects of custom blended essential oils as chamomile, yarrow and lavender, reducing eye swelling at the same time.

Ok, so I lied...on the days that my face isn't black or white, my eyes or lips get their royal treatment! It's my you're-at-home, let's chillax, mental trigger...must give lots of props to my adorable boyfriend who tells me I look cute when I have them on!!

xox