um... Go CANADA!!!

Yes. Marc Anthony is Canadian. And he's totes adorbs! We aren't besties or anything but we met on a shoot; season one of Superstar Hair Challenge. I was the lead makeup artist who led a team of fabulous artists collaborating with the hairstylists competing on the reality show... many moons ago...

Now, Marilisa (Marc Anthony's Artistic Director) and I are friends. We met when Marilisa was my 2nd in command for Toronto's Fashion Week. (That doesn't mean assistant, it means second in command, like Spock. Marilisa was my Spock.]

Marilisa messaged me via the Twittisphere wondering about modeling agencies here in Singapore. My response? A giddy "OMG ARE YOU COMING!!!" This is when I discovered that she indeed was and that Marc Anthony HC was launching in Singapore.

I have over the years of living in Canada tried some of the Marc Anthony product but for the most part when I was introduced to the brand I was under contract with L'Oreal Paris so 99.9% of what I used, especially in media and on camera was L'Oreal Paris.

I have really gotten my hairstylist's claws into it this week. This photo was my office for Cosmo (Singapore).

I still need to play around with the products cuz they gave me A LOT but, off the top recos:

bye-bye Frizz Blow Dry Cream - this was a special delivery. The distributors decided not to carry it. Why not? Who knows. I love it and it would be perfect here.

You sexy BEACH!! That's what they should have called this Dream Waves Amplify , I mean who doesn't want sexy Giselle CFM hair? (You in the back sit down)

A little Instantly Thick at the roots takes your flat hair up a notch.

I'm showing a pattern here with the creams and lotions aren't I? I used this Strictly Curls on a client for a lovely Veronica Lake wave.

Why do I like creams and lotions? They are lightweight and non-sticky. You get bounce, definition... whatever you are looking for but with soft tangible hair.

TIP: do not put in product when your hair is soaking wet otherwise the ingredients get dilluted and the results can be a weaker hairstyle.

Check back because I will be testing this bye bye FRIZZ 30 day no frizz treatment that IS AVAILABLE IN SINGAPORE! In fact... I have 2.

hmmm... gives me an idea...

BONUS!!! I think I may just give one away. Check out my FACEBOOK for details. Sorry Singapore residents only ask Marc to do a giveaway in your country. ;)

Marc Anthony HC is available globally and they have a wicked site with loads of tricks and tips. Check them out here.

Grouchy sidenote cuz that's how I roll: I excitedly mentioned the Marc Anthony event to editors on set and the fact that my friend and peer was going to be here to launch it. I then found out that I was invited to the blogger event and not to the media event with my peers. I am not a blogger.  I am a hair & makeup artist with a blog so, different; I love what I do and you just can't shut me up from sharing. So PR companies: if you send me a 'Dear Blogger' I just delete it. I didn't delete this invite because of my pal Marilisa, not because of the PR company here.

I know everyone is getting their footing still in the world of online media but I happen to know a few tv host / celeb types who have blogs; I know beauty editors who have blogs and neither of these peeps get blogger invites; they get media invites...At media events we know not to take the displayed products and shove them into our handbags, we graciously accept our media swag bags and press kits from our hosts as we leave.

just sayin'

Nothing reminds you how fast time flies like a documenting six week blog post... and on skincare no less. Added reminder of how important anti-aging is and how time can sneak up on you. le sigh

Welcome to week 4 of 6 for my progress with Luxola's Le Pétronille Skincare Challenge.

My husband has taken over my Nuit cream. I know because we have his & her sinks and the Nuit has found a new welcomed home. He probably thought I wouldn't notice. FYI: there is an Homme cream for men too.

Back to me...

This week I have focused on using the Elixir Antioxydant.

With 20% of ascorbic acid, commonly known as vitamin C, Elixir Antioxidant has a renewing benefit to the skin: it corrects dark spots, reduces the number and depth of visible lines, and actively protects skin against free radicals. Your skin is smoother and complexion even-toned with radiance.

What's the point of an antioxidant?

"An antioxidant is a molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons or hydrogen from a substance to an oxidizing agent. Oxidation reactions can produce free radicals. In turn, these radicals can start chain reactions. When the chain reaction occurs in a cell, it can cause damage or death to the cell. Antioxidants terminate these chain reactions by removing free radical intermediates, and inhibit other oxidation reactions. They do this by being oxidized themselves, so antioxidants are often reducing agents such as thiols, ascorbic acid, or polyphenols." source: Wiki

I can say that this week I have taken notice with the a difference in my skin with the Antioxydant Elixir. I was actually applying my foundation with thoughts of 'Wow, what am I using again?! My skin feels awesome! My base is going on flawlessly.' Yup. I truly thought that. It's clearly thanks to Le Pétronille Skincare.

The upcoming week 5 I will focusing on the Anti-Age Elixir. I will be in Paris for this coming week too, so I'm sure I'll need all the help I can get to compete with those fabulous French women - best to have the aid of fabulous French skincare!

Need to catch up?

Read week one here, week two here and week three here.

[PS: in case you didn't realize, this challenge is sponsored.]

I know it's May but let's recap Vanity Trove's April beauty treasures.

Okuma #3 orange/beige concealer. Orange cancels out dark circles. I think that the above photo proves that it works even in bad lighting.

The tips provided by VT says to blend outwards... actually... blend inwards. Why? Because your skin around your eye is so delicate that if you blend outwards over time you add to the skin aging stretch causing more fine lines and *horror*: wrinkles!

Here's some more great concealing tips I was quoted on in Huffington Post

I had a set of Star Lash lashes in my April trove too. These lashes are a soft synthetic, the next best thing to real hair lashes and like the real hair, you can get up to 10 wears per pair. Save your box and clean with a gentle makeup remover and rubbing alcohol. Tip: use a cotton swab with both the remover and the alcohol so you are sure to use sparingly.

Other monthly beautiful surprises include vouchers for discounts on spa services and blogshops.

The beauty subscriptions are such a fab idea! No need to feel 'brand loyalty' pressure; it's like a beauty shoe you try on, if it doesn't fit, no worries as you didn't break the bank for a full [non-returnable] size and the bonus: some brands can't be sampled so you get the full size anyway!

Jumping ahead to June...

In line with VT's mission to finding the best beauty brands, subscribers get to join their sampling group to test some extra goodies (on top of their regular trove) when you share about June’s “Best Friends Summer” edition on their Facebook page! These will include samples from Egyptian Magic and The Body Shop!

Why not have something monthly us girls can look forward to for a change? A Vanity Trove subscription can be yours too! Just click here.

Nothing starts a tug-of-war between Zoie Jean and I quicker than a sparkly bottle of nail polish.

Available in June, I'd say these badass bling polishes are a must for any gal who likes a little glam & polish on her nails.

Use the polishes on their own or mix and match with plain colours and textures.

Try a plain black polish [Sally Hansen Midnight in NY] with a Big Money tip for a modern version of a French mani

Try a matte navy [OPI Russian Navy] with a Showgirl Chic overlay.

Or rock it like a four year old and paint every nail differently.

No more scrambling looking for your base and top coat! Sally Hansen's Double Duty Base & Top Coat smoothes the nail surface with vitamin enriched Pro-Vitamin B5 creating a gripping base that gives longevity to your polish as well as has nylon to seal in your mani for chip-resistant shiny nails! Seriously an important step to your mani/pedi - if you don't use base & top coat I don't want to hear that your nail polish chips.

Here I am week three of 6 for Luxola's Le Pétronille Skincare Challenge.

I have concluded that the night cream just doesn't work for me. I broke out. Moving on...

I had thought that my regular skincare regimen was a little more hydrating so yesterday I tested one side of my face with Le Pétronille Jour while the other side had my usual - there was no difference in texture; my makeup lasted on both sides of my face, no difference at all, that's a good thing. Success with Jour!

image source via my portfolio for SEARS Canada.

The key to a beautiful smooth makeup is starting with flawless skin. As I had mentioned, I have great skin from my regular habits and so far, my experience with the Le Pétronille Skincare 6 Week Challenge courtesy of Luxola has left my skin status quo - again, a good thing - my skin isn't crying for help.

This past week I focused on using the Controle Elixir.

Next week I will focus on the AntiOxidant Elixir.

"With an astonishing 20% vitamin C formulation, this booster stimulates the synthesis of new collagen and elastin fibres to reduce wrinkles and reinforce skin support.  The Elixir brightens and lightens complexion, protects the skin from the effects of UV radiations and is ideal for those who want to actively repair and protect their skin with the highest quality ingredients and formulation."

NOTE: The Elixirs cannot be used on their own. You must use a cream to distribute them onto the skin, but the cool factor is, if you prefer your skincare but you want to add a booster to intensify and add more concentrated ingredients to target specific concerns, Le Pétronille Elixirs can be used with your own skincare, however, you may notice that your cream gets watery vs mixing them with Le Pétronille Nuit or Jour which are formulated specifically to work with the Elixirs. [I have mixed my regular night cream with the elixirs and although watery still great results!]

Check out more on the brand here

I get asked a lot of questions about Canada. For example: Do we all live in igloos? Yes. Of course we do. The igloos keep the polar bears at bay because they can't fit in the door.

We all shop online at SEARS. We LOVE our beer, our hockey and our Timbits. The BEST maple syrup is found in Canada.

Canadians say 'eh'... but you know what?? So do Americans. It's a mid-west American / mid-west Canadian thing. Sure you hear it in other parts, but it is mainly in the middle.

We claim the fame of Justin Bieber. Celine Dion, yes, she's Canadian  but we deny it; actually some people deny that The Biebs is Canadian. Alanis Morissette, Russell Peters, Jim Carrey - all Canadian... well Jim snubbed us so he's American now.

Oh.... and we do NOT leave our doors unlocked like Michael Moore claims; one farm out of the entire country does not make the status quo.

[my mother sent this image to me so if you know who did it let me know who to credit cuz I don't know, eh]

image source The Body Shop. Fabulously pink cape dress by Singapore designer: Sabrina Goh.

The Body Shop (Singapore) asked me to speak at their Beauty With Heart media event last week.

What is Beauty With Heart? It is a movement taking beauty to a deeper level. It is engaging customers to be aware of where their products are sourced, empowering customers to continue to be beauty devotees but with more knowledge and care.

Look Good.

Powered by nature and rich in the highest quality ingredients, The Body Shop leaves you looking good

Feel Good.

By using an ethical, cruelty-free brand with luxurious ingredients such as The Body Shop, you can't help but feel good, both inside and out.

Do Good.

By supporting a brand like The Body Shop you are supporting small communities through the Community Fair Trade program and through campaigns that support animal welfare and their commitment to the planet which effectively becomes your commitment to our planet. Beauty With Heart.

The Body Shop has collaborated with Lily Cole developing a limited edition cruelty-free makeup range. (Note: all of The Body Shop's products are cruelty-free)

Lily's Cruelty-Free Makeup comes in pinks and corals that suit all. Since I got to play with and present some of the Lily Cole line I will tell you what you must have from my faves:

These dome cream blush/cheek combo is amazeballs! My fave and Lily's fave! A lovely complement to a smokey eye and easy to apply. Tip: use this on both your cheeks and lips to minimize the colours in your makeup when you want to focus on your eyes! [available in Pink or Coral]

A beautiful purple, this liquid liner is a dramatic eye on pale skin or an enhancing liner for darker skin. Truly a colour that is a one size fits all.

Tip: I find the best way to apply this is a pressing motion vs a sweeping motion as you will get more concentration of colour.

Another tip: Want a winged-tip or cat eye but can't work it like a pro? Apply a small strip of surgical tape, trace along the edge and left off. et voila! Your line is mastered! [scotch tape works too but may be a little too sticky - wax on, wax off if you know what I mean]

The idea behind these eyeshadow cubes is genius. As a [hair &] makeup artist I like to use a product where you may not think to; for example, the lighter shade can be used as a highlighter on the cheek so you can easily separate the cube from the others to swirl your brush around to apply to your cheeks. [shimmer is with natural ingredients like mica not crushed crustaceans]

Check out Singapore blogger, Fash-Eccentric's breakdown on The Body Shop's new Beautifying Oils and repackaged Body Butters here. I love them all but I just had to end my thesis somewhere. ;)

image source

Although The Body Shop is 100% vegetarian it doesn't mean you have to be, lord knows I love a good steak.

At today's rate $4800 HKD is $618.36 USD.

Check out VenusBuzz where I saw this and more of the laughable breakdown of the event nights that HK Speed Dating offers.

Men apply if you are a doctor, lawyer or CEO. Women apply with your $618.36 and if you are a model, flight attendant or 'sophisticated lady'...

LOL. Alrighty then...

SugarDaddie.com is for real too.

Are the men really this stupid and the women really this naive?

Don't answer that. Rhetorical.

The world is full of cliches. sigh

Well, here I am week two of Luxola's Le Pétronille Skincare Challenge. [ Read week one here. ]

I'm a sensitive skin kinda girl and as I had mention, I delayed my Essentielle Nuit start as night creams and I are not BFFs - still not. I broke out. Just a few little blemishes. sigh. I stopped the night cream, my blemishes disappeared.

I LOVE the Essentielle Jour (day cream) - so far so good. I do have a cream that works for me at night and I LOVE the Elixirs so I went straight to the horse's mouth with a few questions regarding the Elixirs and mixing them in with my regular cream that I have been using at night for years.

[Elixirs are concentrated boosters that give extra treatment to your skin and 'boosts' your skin creams taking them to the next level.]

"We recommend to use Elixirs with our cream Essentielle: they have been formulated to work in synergy. But you can also use the Elixir with another cream if you love your cream, there is no restriction for that." [Good to know!]

Sorry Garnier but I think this is wrong. Cute idea... but wrong.

Anne is depressed over her skin... Before she does anything drastic...?!

I think this needs to go back to the boardroom's brainstorming discussion.

Depression and teen suicide is not something that should be taken lightly. I think you are treading on a dangerous topic here.

What are you implying that Anne will do? What are her drastic measures because she has a pimple?

Readers: What say you? Am I too sensitive on this?

Here's level one to the game if you disagree with me:

And my original post on Garnier's 2 in 1 zit zapper.