Kenzo Pour Femme Once Upon A Time EDT review

Little story I came up with, for this special fragrance. Once upon a time in faraway Japan there lived a princess, black as raven her hair and white as swan her skin, she has been sleeping for so long that the nights never seemed to end. Only to be woken up by a scent with earth's depth, soaked in night rain and plush as velvet.

In modern times, the house of Kenzo churns out this oriental perfume in a royal looking garb. Kenzo Pour Femme Once Upon A Time was launched as their 40th anniversary limited edition perfume in 2010, guess I bought it in Oct-Nov that year. It is an Eau De Toilette 100 ml version. This is an intense perfume,  a mix of floral, spicy and earthy scent. If Chloe was summer and cool, then this perfume speaks winter and warm. When I tried Kenzo Femme there was absolute confusion what it smelled like but I loved it. Then after few uses it struck me, as absurd it may sound,  a mix of betel leaf and coffee. The floral notes open up with the caffeine concoction, hints of cardamom, cinnamon and something earthy. There is no citrus scent in it which makes Kenzo Femme stands apart from a hoard of citrus / fruity perfumes. The earthy and woody notes provides such depth to the perfume, from the very first spray it inclines to royal. Some might find this an unisex perfume. After spraying the perfume, there is a moist feel attached to it and the longevity is around 5-6 hours.
The packaging is in sync with fragrance, deep teal colored bottle with oriental illustration of flowers, dragon scales and polka dots, in shades of fuchsia. The bottle is very heavy metal, it won't break but not exactly travel friendly.

Recommendation - I feel Kenzo Femme is great for monsoon and cold weather. Kenzo perfumes are distinctive from other brands and this again is an addition to it. You won't find something similar to it. If you are a fan of heavy fragrance and Japanese dark stories allure you, then Kenzo Femme is game.

Monochrome Monopoly: Trending Black and White Fashion,Graphic,Stripes

A hoarder of colors in their bright and cheery forms, monochrome palette of black and white seems boring to me. But the statement look of Spring Summer'13 being head-to-toe Black and White, the impact of monochrome trend was visible from Marc Jacobs to Topshop.
Since the color palette is restrained the clothes exemplify streamlined cuts, spaces & lines and geometric patterns.Simple fashion, no embellishments, androgynous silhouettes, loose tailoring and layering - are the mantras of this trend. It is not about wearing your solid black blazer or white pants, but to steer towards bold stripes, clean black outlines on white and monochrome prints which create a graphical impact in head.

(left to right: Saint Laurent blazer, Topshop tunic, L'Wren Scott dress with Marc Jacobs clutch)

MARC JACOBS

PRADA

MOSCHINO

Marc Jacobs presented the trend in extravagant geometric lines, stripey and matchy. Prada's collection is rather dreamy with imprint of daisies and hints of red lacquer. Moschino being a fun and flirty brand forays into buttoned up doll silhouettes, black lines on white and vice-versa.

AMALRAJ SENGUPTA

On Indian runways, we saw a chic collection put forward by designer Amalraj Sengupta, his Summer Resort 2013 line featuring stripes in solid colors. It saw the fusion of monochrome in Indo-Western outfits.

(flashing a bright pop of red, left: Olivia Wilde, right: Taylor Swift)

(mixing with earthy and muted colors, left: ZARA striped shirt, right: Deepika Padukone in FCUK Jag stripe dress)

This trend is about experimenting in strong black and white graphics and introducing color through bold-bright lipsticks (orange and fuchsia tones), color block bags and matching black-white footwear. Monochrome fashion is classic but is hard to wear as complete outfit. As long as you choose structured cuts and pattern suited to your body type, it won't go wrong. Do not go overboard with accessories and keep the fitting breathable.

images courtesy: herworldplus.com,harpersbazaar.com,Moschino facebook,net-a-porter.com,glamourmagazine.co.uk,Hive-in by amalraj sengupta,Zara people

MAC Face and Body Foundation review

So here is the truth about the peaches and cream, flawless skin you see in photo shoots, magazine covers or even your friend who seems to have no dark spots or pigmentation. The wonder product - foundation. And aptly called, good foundation is the base for flawless, commendable makeup. MAC Face and Body Foundation, a much hyped backstage product was launched last year in India and I am gaga over it.

Quantity - 50 ml
Price- INR 1700

MAC Face and Body **the iron foundation :D

As claimed on website, MAC Face and Body is fluid foundation that provides low-to-medium buildable coverage and a flawless, natural satin-shine finish. Skin conditioning, water-resistant and long-wearing.

This foundation is lightweight and sheer-medium in application as I build it up slowly. If one has natural, healthy & clear skin, then this product is made for you as it provides my skin but better look. It does not cover any pigmentation, scars or spots, so I need a concealer for those spots. What it does is to even out the skin but still look natural. MAC Face & Body is suitable for dry skin as it gives a dewy finish and subtle shine. For oily skin, it might build up on the oil and sweat in these summers, since the foundation is no where close to matte.

On application, the texture feels cool and thin water-based lotion which disappears on the skin and slowly I layer it on. MAC Face & Body could be difficult to work with and needs some time as it can be streaky if not applied correctly. I apply foundation with fingers so I go section wise, apply few dots on one part, go in circular motion to layer it and slightly tap with fingers to blend the foundation into skin. I require two layers to be satisfied with the finish and even out any variations. Although this foundation is long wearing (6-7 hours), I still do the simple routine of base moisturiser / sunscreen, then applying Face & Body and setting it up with sheer coverage powder. This ensures the longevity and glow of skin.

Here is a video by MAC Artist Fatima Thomas on creating perfect skin through which I learnt to apply foundation using fingers. Here she tips to buff in the Face & Body foundation with fingers and what i really love about this video that this tutorial works for dusky skin like me,as it covers the under eyes and grey area around mouth and comes up with glowing prepped up skin. I will try to discuss this video in a detailed post.



About the water resistant part I am not sure but here is a cue to weather resistance. I have used this in winter (Jan-Feb) wedding season and it did not require re-application and kept the skin moisture intact, no dry patches. It photographed very well even in close up shots. In summers, if staying out in sun / hot environment then I need to blot the T-zone after 3-4 hours and re-apply the powder, although the foundation is intact.

The product shade range is great and Indian skin tones can definitely match to a shade. I use C3 which looks slight yellow and matches my medium-olive tone. It does not give patchy or whitish cast look. MAC Face & Body does not have any SPF so sunscreen underneath is must in summers. In summer daytime I go for a slight matte sunscreen with this and at night a light veil of MAC Studio Moisture cream. I have not used this on body so can't comment on that part.

The packaging is plastic bottle with nozzle which controls the thin flow of product and it has to be shaken before use. There is no fragrance and I have not experienced any sensitivity issues. For me this is a perfect regular foundation with hassle free medium coverage and reasonably priced.

Recommendation - MAC Face & Body is a boon for healthy maintained skin and absolute go to for fresh looking makeup. Dry skin would love it for the moisture it provides and dewy look.

Trending Cloud Wash and Tie & Dye Denim

Come summer, come comfort. Denim is among the top fashion synonyms for comfort. It may not be a favorite among the highest echelons of fashion but has support in the masses, left wing (pop culture) and stylistas. The obsession over vintage looking denim with starry feel continues with celebrities embracing distressed and grunge denims.

(1.  7 For All Mankind 2. Forever 21 3. Danielle Scutt 4. Juicy Couture)

Cloud wash denims have been around and pop stars have been sporting them forever. Cloud wash gives an impression of cloud break on denim, in form of white patches. Think an explosion of cloud on your denim. Tie & Dye denim are everywhere this season, catered by many niche and mass market brands. Owing to the graphic print and op art trend on runways, tie & dye has caught up big.
Happily spotted on Rihanna, Jessica Alba and Gwen Stefani.

(left to right: Rihanna in Current/Elliott 1968 Destroyed Jeans, Georgia May Jagger in H&M RocknRoll, Jessica Alba in  Earnest Sewn Green TieDye Jeans)

(Rihanna in JBrand TieDye Jeans, Gwen Stefani in Current/Elliott Dark Cloud Wash Jeans)

The key to dress up this denim is to keep the rest of look basic, go solid or black-white on upper body color and add metal to your accessories. From the regular blue jean and indigo, these washes are also available in pastels, black and ink. Scourge the fashion retailers like ZARA and H&M; also one can splurge on the connoisseur of these washes - Current/Elliott, JBrand, 7 For All Mankind, Black Orchid.

A cloud wash / tie & dye jeans can be teamed up with solid color shirt or tee. this style is worn best with white tees but to take a cue, see the dominating color in the jeans. If white is showing majorly then a long sleeveless white shirt would go well. If blue, black or other color is dominating then pair it up with black / grey tees. The rule is to keep the pairing color solid, a bit of fringe or peek-a-boo adds up to the style.

For outerwear, like a vest or jacket, cloud wash / tie & dye can be layered upon feminine dress, subtle print like polka dots, soft almost powdery colors and thin fabrics comprising cotton / silk chiffon. The theme is white clouds, which sometimes appear like powder and cotton balls.

(1. Bella Dahl Pocket Button Down in Cloud Wash 2. Onano77 3. Scotch & Soda) 

(1. Isabel Marant Embellished TieDye Jacket 2. Current/Elliott Cloud Wash Destroy 'JJ' Denim Jacket)

For accessories, embrace gold finish and leather bracelets. Studded textures team well with these denims and since denim fabric is all about comfort, go for sneakers or flat sandals for footwear. Keeping the rest of look almost monochrome, you can opt for a juicy color flat.

Recommendation - Look for skinny and tapered fit jeans, a bit of stretch will do good and bring out the wash.

images courtesy - denimology.com, denimblog.com, asos.com, zara.com, chictopia, hm.com,harpersbazaar,onano77.com

Shiseido Multi Defense UV Protector SPF 50 PA+++ review

The sun has already started playing itself harsh and the ravage continues every summer. SPF is essential for everyone to protect your skin from the damages of tanning, sunburns and what not. Shiseido Multi-Defense UV Protector armed with SPF 50 PA+++ is my skin savior for outdoors and is an anti-aging UV care product.

Quantity - 30 ml
Price  - INR 2100

 Shiseido Multi-Defense UV Protector is a water and sweat resistant, thin white fluid sunscreen which applies matte on skin. Here is some information on the packaging:

Multi-environment Defense. Comprehensive Skin Protection.
Feather-light to the touch, this highly effective lotion-type UV protector is resistant to perspiration and sebum, providing ample protection against external aggressors such as UV rays, for the maintenance of beautiful, healthy-looking skin.
Exclusive Optiveil UV technology provides advanced protection from UVA/UVB rays that may cause photo aging.
Scutellaria Baicalensis helps prevent UV damage to essential fibroblasts which produce collagen and elastin, the key elements resilient, youthful looking skin.
Rose Apple Leaf Extract helps prevent DNA damage caused by harmful UV rays.
Hydro-Restoring Complex contains moisturizing amino acids that naturally exist in skin. Provides sufficient moisture for skin that is smooth to the touch.
Thiotaurine combined with Rose Apple Leaf Extract counteracts oxidation  the damaging process which accelerates skin aging.
Free of any sticky residue, doubles as the ideal base for a long-lasting, beautiful foundation finish. Is easily removed with a daily cleanser.

The sunscreen is very light in texture and has a faint scent which I like. The scent is not detectable after some minutes and once you apply other products. The lotion is a bit runny and gives soft matte finish, not like a dry matte. Although my skin is dry, but I prefer this sunscreen as staying outside skin produces a little oil in summers which is taken care by this lotion, the skin remains matte all day.It really doesn't give any sticky residue or white cast on skin. The lotion has micro shimmer which can pass undetected by many, but sometimes you may see it in light. The shimmer is so fine and non-gritty that one does not know its there.

(before and after application)

Shiseido Multi-Defense UV Protector is aptly made for face with high SPF. Compared to sunscreens with SPF 15 which even if applied daily do not protect from tanning, I find that SPF 50 works far better.

It's matte lotion formula and resistance to sweat / water makes it a great product for outdoor activities and makeup base. While other sunscreens give you the greasy or ghostly face after the product melts in heat, this lotion keeps such worries at bay. The downside to this sunscreen is that it cannot be paired with oil free products, due to its dry formula. I would suggest to try this product at store or get a sample, so as to test its suitability for skin. The packaging is travel friendly in white pearlescent bottle and the nozzle tip controls the product. The bottle has to be shaken before use. In my opinion, Shiseido Multi-Defense UV Protector works very well in sweaty and dusty weather.

Recommendation - For dry skin, apply a light moisture before this sunscreen and then follow it up with your foundation. For oily and combination skin, this lotion alone might do as perfect base.