beauty – Page 10 – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

beauty – truly

what does true beauty mean?

Does it mean fair skin, blond hair and blue eyes? Pale skin, green eyes and freckles? Or an olive complexion with almond shaped brown eyes? What exactly is your perception?It started when I read an article from a beauty writer who grew up in a multi-cultural household. It got me thinking about the true meaning of beauty, which we all know starts from within.

Of course having good genes helps, but if we’re being truthful we want it to show from the outside because that’s what we see right off the bat. When people get to know you then your personality and spirit shine through to make you appear even prettier or at least interesting. I always find pretty without personality just plain boring. I always find a great personality on a plain face more beautiful. And different cultures have their different ideas of beauty too and that’s always interesting. It deserves a blog post of its own (coming soon). I will say this: I was considered too skinny in the Middle East for most of the men ~~and secretly pleased by that, ha ha.~~

For instance, said writer claimed her dad would include wakame seaweed in miso soup to strengthen her hair because marine extracts are for real (domo arigato). Loading up on green tea and grilled fish is also a good idea. That’s why I now start my morning with a tea made from freshly squeezed lemon, slices of ginger, a little cayenne pepper, 1 tsp. of virgin coconut oil (that one is a new addition) and a tsp. of seriously pure honey. The honey is a gift from a friend’s apiary in Nakusp and tastes amazing. ~~Followed by miso soup, grilled fish and red wine.~~

~~And then I pile on the makeup.~~ No I don’t. I think less makeup or even absolutely none at times (very rarely though with absolutely nothing – it must be summer) is a good idea. Give your face a break. I’m appreciating natural a lot more now even though I do love makeup – especially for eyes and lips (okay, cheeks too) ~~and don’t forget the bronzer.~~

It’s still fun to experiment and unless I wear horse blinders I’m like a kid at Sephora looking through the aisles of makeup/skincare that we ~~okay I~~ think will make you look so much better (but then you get home, try the stuff on and you still end up looking the same). Still it’s fun… I’ll never tire of looking at beautiful girly things.

And I think I’m as good a judge as any, with complete honesty on what products actually work.

So, what’s it like to be a writer in the beauty space blogosphere (or at least a reviewer of beauty products)?

Sure, the industry runs on lipstick and fragrance sales, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about redefining “pretty”; sharing the things that make people feel their best (red lipstick, cat-eye liner, or a good moisturizer); and giving a shout-out to people of all shapes, forms, and walks of life who are truly beautiful.

And feeling your best is what I think really defines beauty. And a few good products!

Art, Architecture, Culture

Art & Beauty – taking it to the Streets

MAKEUP FOR URBAN WARRIERS

If I’m going to use an eyelash curler at all it will always be one from iconic Japanese beauty brand Shu Uemura. No other curler compares – case closed! I like their mascara too but have not tried any other makeup from them. But I do admit to judging a palette by it’s cover.

I just found out about their latest collection which is one for the books (and your makeup bag). The brand teamed up with artist Oyama Enrico Isamu Letter (a Tokyo native who now calls Brooklyn home) to devise a range of colors and compacts guaranteed to help you stand out in a crowded concrete jungle. Which would you rather be: warm and vibrant or cool and chic?

Shu Uemura Haute Street Eye Shadow in Cool x Chic and Warm & Vibrant. $65 — Shu Uemura Haute Street Eye Shadow in Cool x Chic and Warm & Vibrant (me). $65

Despite the fact that Shu Uemura’s international artistic director, Kakuyasu Uchiide, paints faces and Isamu oftentimes considers the city his canvas: there are more similarities between makeup and urban art than one would think.

Oyama’s explanation is “Just as a piece of street art uniquely corresponds to specific spaces in an urban environment, makeup also corresponds to shapes and functions of each part on a face, which varies person to person.” And similar to how an artist establishes an identity through his/her work, makeup can be used to “transform” its wearer from “ordinary me” to “ideal me,” he added. The limited-edition line includes two eyeshadow palettes, highly pigmented lip and cheek tints, creamy eyeliner pencils, bright lipsticks, and a striking brush set—some of the tubes and compacts emblazoned with Oyama’s work.

Nice!

As seen on style.com

Art & Culture

ART – Lessons We Can Learn from Kandinsky

As a new gallery of Kandinsky’s work opens in New York, we examine key lessons that can be learned from the legendary painter and art theorist – which is perfect for what MATTERS for life in general.

Improvisation 28 (second version) (Improvisation 28 [zweite Fassung]) by Vasily Kandinsky, 1912 Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection — **Improvisation 28** (second version) by Vasily Kandinsky, 1912 Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection.

The career of Wassily Kandinsky ranged from theorising colour and geometric forms in completely new ways to painting some of the first abstract paintings as well as writing books on completely new concepts in art. Simply put, Kandinsky was ground breaking in the ways he divorced himself from typical norms of old school fine art and broke new ground by taking inspiration from everything to music and human emotion, reinterpreting these topics into colourful artworks and brilliant theoretical books.

Blue Mountain (Der blaue Berg) by Vasily Kandinsky, 1908–09 Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection — **Blue Mountain** (Der blaue Berg) by Vasily Kandinsky, 1908–09 Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection.

The latest gallery of 150 Kandinsky works at The Guggenheim in New York traces the artist’s aesthetic evolution and contribution to the abstract art movement, from his early days working as a painter in Munich to the last era of his career in Paris. Here, we look at what we can learn from the storied artist, from living a colourful life to knowing the value of contrast.

Black Lines (Schwarze Linien) by Vasily Kandinsky, December 1913Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection — **Black Lines** (Schwarze Linien) by Vasily Kandinsky, December 1913 Courtesy of Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection.

Let your STYLE evolve
Kandinksy knew the true value of having confidence to move from one aesthetic to another. Though primarily known as an abstract artist, he often experimented with different forms of abstraction with much success. During his Blue Rider period, his paintings were large and expressive, with markings that varied in shape and size. But his Bauhaus period saw paintings that were centered on controlled geometrics and sharp lines. He turned the classic saying of “Do one thing and do it well,” on its head – and that lesson can be used for fashion advice or life in general.
LIVE a colourful life
His paintings offer the anecdote that living a colourful life is always better than living a dreary one in only black and white. As a highly spiritual artist, Kandinsky saw colour as emotional therapy and injected much of it into his paintings. In his book, Concerning the Spiritual in Art, he wrote, “Colours on the painter’s palette evoke a double effect: a purely physical effect on the eye which is charmed by the beauty of colours, similar to the joyful impression when we eat a delicacy. This effect can be much deeper, however, causing a vibration of the soul or an “inner resonance” – a spiritual effect in which the colour touches the soul itself.” On an off day, we can always imagine ourselves living inside a Kandinsky painting.
KNOW when to take a break
There’s no doubt Kandinsky was a hard worker. He produced hundreds of works and painted until the last few years of his life. But he also knew when to take a break from his work. One day, an exhausted Kandinksy decided to take a walk. When he returned to his studio, one of his paintings had been accidentally turned upside down by friend and fellow artist Gabriele Münter. Without recognising it as his own, he proclaimed it was “of extraordinary beauty, glowing with inner radiance.” This moment was said to change his ideas about painting and open his eyes to abstraction. Taking a break or stepping back from a big project can make one see things in a different light – especially if someone else gets involved in the most unexpected ways.
BELIEVE in the power of contrast
There’s a reason why black and white striped tops forever remain a wardrobe staple. Kandinsky recognized the power of contrasting colours and shapes early, assigning hues emotional qualities and using them to balance each other out. “White and black form the second great contrast, which is static. White is a deep, absolute silence, full of possibility. Black is nothingness without possibility, an eternal silence without hope, and corresponds with death,” he wrote in Concerning the Spiritual Art. Similarly, Kandinsky’s paintings often play with contrasting shapes: long, sharp lines juxtapose soft orb-like spheres and curves. Life wouldn’t be as beautiful without the best of both worlds.
The INNER self matters
If all of Kandinsky’s beliefs could be condensed into one, his biggest theory would probably be what he called “internal necessity.” His paintings were colourfully stunning but they weren’t just based on pure aesthetics. As well as believing in a form of communication between the artist and the viewer, Kandinsky believed in total self-awareness. He committed to his feelings and senses and often theorised that shapes and colours were attached to his own emotional feelings. For example, he felt the circle was the most peaceful symbol – so he used it to create his own codes throughout his work. He also considered black as the colour of closure. And with this system, he created not just beautiful work, but his own language that was completely one of a kind and representative of a singular person.

Love his theory

The Kandinsky gallery is at The Guggenheim, New York until Spring 2016.

Source: Kristen Bateman for http://anothermag.com

beauty

beauty biz – honestly

A new beauty launch. This time by actress-turned-CEO Jessica Alba as she branches out, adding a beauty line to her Honest Company, known for its eco-friendly household and baby products.

Jessica Alba didn’t build a $1 billion company by playing it safe.

The Honesty Company has turned Jessica, 34, into a bona fide entrepreneur – and a rich one at that – and now the gorgeous mom-of-two is set to sell a new line of cosmetics from the all-natural and organic-focused brand.

The Instagram account for Honest Beauty launched and started teasing the new line a week ago, but yesterday the brand shared a sneak peek at the upcoming collection.

‘Take a first look at the development of our color collection,’ reads the caption under the snap, which features pink and red-pigmented products that appear to be lip glosses and blush powders.

Pretty pigmints: The brand’s Instagram account shared this image teasing the line’s offerings

The cosmetics will likely be marketed as eco-friendly, safe, and sustainable, which are all major tenets of the company and characteristics that Jessica has been vocal about in the past.

‘There’s a real need for beauty products that aren’t like piling dirt on your face, are healthy and don’t make you sick but actually work and feel luxurious,’ she told Cosmopolitan.co.uk earlier this year.

Jessica opts for natural or non-toxic makeup products that are free of the following ingredients:So do I. Look forward to seeing what the products are like. I’ll probably be falling for some come Fall.

Source for launch: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

beauty

Beauty with benefits – a MIST opportunity

A cool fix with added beauty benefits that’s what I call a facial mist, spray or essence – same thing.

http://SkinsoDivine.com

I started spritzing Evian water (the equivalent of Perrier but for your face) in the spray bottle on my skin in my late teens and have been using a facial spray ever since. It was not fashionable then but it just felt natural to do so – wish I was the one who started the trend. Now I make my own with a combination of pure spring, exotic rose & orange blossom water and essential oils of frankincense, lavender, geranium, eucalyptus and a key natural secret ingredient (there always must be one and we can’t give away all our secrets). Then I found this out:

It’s the One Product Allure Editors Always Have on Their Desks

A collection of face mists might seem gratuitous, but if you take a look at any Allure (the beauty magazine – I’m using this as an example since they know everything there is to know about beauty) editor’s desk you’re bound to see a mist—or five. So why are they so obsessed?

Not only will a midday spritz wake you up faster than a 3 p.m. coffee break but, depending on the formula, it can also instantly calm irritated skin and brighten a dull, dry complexion. It leaves your skin really soft and feeling fresh and hydrated.

Some good ones to try:

La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water.

It may feel like you’re just spraying expensive water on your face, but this one tops multiple editors’ lists—and for good reason. “The mineral-rich water is immediately soothing to the skin,” says dermatologist Jason Emer.

Eau Thermale Avène Thermal Spring Water

Another…water? Yep. But this 100 percent natural mineral water is so soothing, it’s associate beauty editor Lexi Novak’s pick for her finicky skin. Emer calls it the gold standard for redness-prone, sensitive skin.

AmorePacific Moisture Bound Skin Energy Hydration Delivery System

Shelling out $60 for a face mist sounds cuckoo. And OK, maybe it is. But there’s no getting around the fact that, on a scale of one to dewy, this mist (with minerals and glycerin) makes skin Miranda Kerr–level glow-y.

Tatcha Luminous Dewy Skin Mist

Tatcha - nice packaging — **Tatcha** – nice packaging

Some editors spritz this on a dozen times a day. It’s packed with moisturizing ingredients like glycerin, squalane, and royal jelly extract—that make dry skin feel crazy soft (again and again and again).

Skin so Divine - naturally — **Skin so Divine –** naturally

Skin so Divine Hydrating Facial Mist

This divine smelling essence in an apothecary style bottle has exotic Frankincense oil to promote healthy cell regeneration, Lavender & Geranium to calm irritated skin, rose water to hydrate even the most sensitive skin and Eucalyptus oil to keep your skin soft and blemish free.

For all: use right after cleansing but before moisturizing.

Do you use one? What do you recommend?

beauty

beauty – the passion of Maracuja Oil

I first found out about this strange fruit called maracuja when I lived in Brazil and found it sitting at the bottom of my favourite cocktail at the time – a caipirinha with a twist…of passion. It was divine.

Passions Fruit (Passiflora edulis) Maracuja

Now I put it on my face. Well not just that alone, it’s part of my nighttime ritual “cocktail for the face” that I mix along with other essential oils in the “Skin so Divine” Facial Oil.

Maracuja oil (pronounced mah-rick-oo-jah and is portuguese for passionflower) is derived from the passion fruit in the amazon and only one crop is harvested each year by the amazonian women.

The vitamin C content in Maracuja Oil can help to make your skin look brighter, while calcium and phosphorus work to nourish and enhance skin’s healthy appearance.

Maracuja Oil is very rich in essential fatty acids and has a high antioxidant activity. It contains nearly 80% linoleic acid together with oleic, palmitic and stearic acids. These essential fatty acids not only work as a great moisturizer but they also have anti-inflammatory properties helping to alleviate inflammatory skin concerns such as rosacea and acne. By calming inflammation in skin, less sebum or oil is released and thus the likelihood of blocked pores in acne is greatly diminished. Because of its moisturizing and anti-inflammatory properties, Maracuja Oil has a balancing effect being suitable for all skin types including sensitive, dry and oily skin. What it does:

rebuilds and repairs
soothes and heals redness and irritation
hydrates and brightens
reduces lines and wrinkles
improves elasticity, tone and texture
boosts collagen production thanks to the vitamin c

Have you tried it?

To order: http://getspoiled.myshopify.com/products/get-spoiled-facial-oil

FUN

beauty – beautiful collaborations

Where fashion and beauty collide. Just like clothing giant H&M and Target department stores have collaborated with major designers for much hyped about limited edition pieces, the beauty industry has followed suit. We’re on the hunt for the exclusive.Since Kate Moss knows a thing or two about beauty, it makes sense that her name is on Rimmel long-lasting lipstick (by Kate Moss) with light-reflecting technology.

And take the incredible holographic packaging that proenza schouler (New York based womens wear and accessories designers) put into their limited edition makeup line for M.A.C. Cosmetics until they were sold old. I bought two lipsticks.

More recently Tony-nominated designer Isabel Toledo and her husband, renowned artist Ruben Toledo, join together with M·A·C for a collection of gorgeous hues packaged in black, white and red with limited-edition illustrations and graphic lines and faces by Ruben Toledo.

The makeup collaboration between Alber Elbaz and Lancôme gained quite a bit of buzz. Elbaz, as the designer for Lanvin, is well known for his quirky fashion illustrations and it’s these illustrations that were featured on the packaging of the Hypnôse Show collection. The collection included mascaras, eye shadow palettes, and false eyelashes.

While the influential artist is no longer around, the Andy Warhol Foundation collaborated with Nars for a limited edition makeup collection. There were makeup palettes dedicated to Factory it-girls, lip glosses housed in metal soup cans, and Pop Art prints a-plenty! Even if you’re not a die-hard Warhol fan, there’s a lot to like about this collection.

Karl Lagerfeld is no stranger to a collaboration. He’s done the clothing collaboration thing and last year he teamed up with cosmetics company Shu Uemura. The collection, called Mon Shu Uemura included eye shadow palettes, eyelash curlers, lipsticks, and nail stickers. All of the cosmetics featured quirky packaging designed by Lagerfeld. He even went so far as to photograph the collection himself!

Lagerfeld for Kiehl's — Lagerfeld for Shu Uemura

Cosmetic’s brand Kiehl’s teamed up with contemporary artist Kenny Scharf for their Holiday 2012 collection. He customized the packaging of several products for the brand as part of their annual philanthropic project where100% of the proceeds from the collaboration were donated to various associations around the world that help in protecting children.

Kenny for Kiehl's — Kenny Scharf for Kiehl’s

It’s fresh, it’s fun and it gives the artist an opportunity to create something different and open up another avenue, and the purchaser to obtain a little something special.

These are my favorite tweezers (the famous slant removes even the toughest hairs):

https://www.tweezerman.com/

I may have missed a few. These are just a few examples of arty makeup collections.

It just goes to show that an artist’s canvas can take any shape or form.

Photos: google images

beauty

beauty – fashion for the face

Pretty upscale packaging right?

Who would believe that clothes giant H&M is launching a beauty and makeup line, which will hit some 900 stores worldwide this fall. H&M is branding the new products — in sleek, gold-tinted packaging — as “fashion for the face.” The 700-item line will include makeup, hair care and skin care products, with prices ranging from $2.99 to $24.99.

“This is an opportunity to be inventive, creative and have fun with fashion and colors,” H&M Beauty’s concept designer Sara Wallander said in a statement.

A premium line and sustainable products certified by Ecocert will also be available, as will seasonal products.

There will be dedicated store areas for customers to try out different products, and the new line will also be available online.

When the Swedish brand came to America in 2000, opening its first store in Manhattan, it brought fast-fashion into the spotlight. H&M has mixed high- and low-fashion by featuring collaborations with Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, and more recently, Alexander Wang, among other designers. Balmain Is H&M’s Latest Designer Collaborator.

It might require taking a break from Sephora to check it out.

Source: News Wire Services

beauty

beauty that makes scents: Frankincense

Only wise women use Frankincense

The word Frankincense comes from the word “franc encens” which means quality incense in old French.

Frankincense essential oil (Boswellia frereana) is a tree or shrub that produces a gum or resin that can be steam distilled into an essential oil with HUGE health benefits. Although frankincense trees can be grown anywhere, they are most popular in the middle east and the region of Oman is known for producing the best, highest quality oils today.

Frankincense has long been esteemed as being holy in the Middle East. Remember the old bible story about the three wise guys who came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh? Once three of the most prized items in the world, two now mostly forgotten and overlooked. Frankincense has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda medicine and for the first time is being taken seriously by medical science. Thanks to some scientists, Frankincense may again be worth its weight in gold.

Frankincense is known to have emotional and spiritual affects because of its high vibrational aroma which is why it is commonly used in prayer and meditation. But aside from all that, basically I just love the scent. It is one of the oils used in the “Divine Hydrating Facial Mist.” It is believed that the oil will transmit messages to the limbic system of the brain which is known to influence the nervous system. A little bit of oil goes a long way. Frankincense oil is known to improve skin tone, heal cuts and grazes and infected skin. When combined with the other oils used and the floral waters (especially rose) it is extremely beneficial as a treatment for dry, mature or wrinkled skin. It also helps to lessen the appearance of scarring.

Most people have heard of this essential oil, many have tried it but sometimes it’s nice to know a little more about the overall benefits:Frankincense has many uses. Traditionally it was burned as incense, and also charred and ground into a powder to produce the heavy kohl eyeliner used by Egyptian women.

Now used in skin care products, it is known for its ability to prevent and reduce wrinkling.

To use the oil in meditation, add four drops to a vaporizer. As you inhale the oil, it helps to slow down and deepen the breath which in turn brings a sense of peace, restores balance and opens the mind, increasing awareness and spiritual understanding. It is also thought to help the release of past traumas, helping someone coping with grief to ‘let go’ and come to terms.

On a totally different note: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYBELLINE. Going strong & still looking good at 100 years old!

Maybe she’s born with it. Maybe it’s Maybelline!

Remember that slogan? To this day the company’s pink+green Great Lash Mascara is still a top seller. The company has released a 100 year Milestone limited edition “commemoration collection” available in stores today. Prices range from $4.49 to $9.99. So if you’re not born with it….go out and buy it. Isn’t that what they want us to do?

beauty

beauty: Shea’s the one!

Shea Butter: the multi-purpose all natural Vitamin A, E & F skin cream (with SPF 6) is derived from the seed of the Shea (Karite) tree which is found in the dry arid regions of Central Africa. The pits are collected to sun dry and then roasted to get it ready for the difficult work of extracting the creamy, rich solid oil by hand. This butter has an amazing amount of healing properties and softening capability. Shea butter has been used in Africa and other countries for years as it provides the skin with essential fatty acids and the nutrients necessary for collagen production. It’s one of the ingredients used to make the “Divine Balm” for “Skin so Divine“. On it’s own it is very rich but splendid when mixed with the other healing oils which make up this amazing balm.

Here are 21 uses of Shea Butter

Dry skin
Skin rash
Skin peeling, after tanning
Blemishes and wrinkles
Itchy skin
Sunburn
Shaving cream for a smooth silky shave
Small skin wounds
Skin cracks
Tough or rough skin (on feet)
Cold weather
Frost bites
Stretch mark prevention during pregnancy
Insect bites
Healthy skin
Muscle fatigue, aches and tension
Use before and after strenuous exercise
Skin allergies such as poison ivy or poison oak
Eczema
Dermatitis
Skin damage from heat (hot grease while cooking, radiation treatment for certain medical problems, etc.)

http://skinsodivine.com