Burberry Launching Skincare

Fashion house Burberry has plans to launch luxury skincare line by 2015. Moving into skincare is also an exercise in customer relations; skincare "drives loyalty over time," says John Smith, Burberry chief operating officer. Burberry hopes to become one of the top 10 players in the luxury skincare field. Although not much raved about on blogs, Burberry makeup is top quality as other luxury brands and has released beautiful seasonal collections since its launch.

My Burberry wishlist:

LIP MIST BLUEBERRY

LIP MIST CAMELLIA PINK

LIP MIST PINK HEATHER

LIP COVER UNION RED

LIP GLOW MALLOW PINK

LIP GLOW PINK SWEET PEA

NAIL POLISH SAGE GREEN

Cannes 2014: Trending the Slit

What is soaring this year other than summer heat?

(L-R: Blake Lively, Alessandra Ambrosio, Jessica Chaistain)

 The slit at Cannes Festival. Causing quite a stir on the red carpet, thigh high slits are challenging but freedom expression in street style. Still thinking why Angelina Jolie’s leg caused such an upheaval at Oscars.

Maxi dresses with slit by Namshi

(L-R: BCBG Max Azria, Forever 21)

Nivea Pure Effect Total Face Cleanup review

Nivea Pure Effect Total Face Cleanup is a combination of face wash, scrub and face pack for normal to oily skin.

Quantity – 50ml

Price – INR 99

Product info - Nivea Pure Effect Total Face Cleanup enriched with active magnolia extract provides you with 5 benefits for pure and clear skin. Its unique cleansing complex deeply washes off skin impurities. Its peeling particles unclog pores and purify skin from blackheads. Refine skin’s appearance and support a perfect complexion. Antibacterial formulation helps fight spot causing bacteria. Soft and gentle due to its mild Formula.

This product true to its claim delivers soft and cleansed skin. I start using it as face wash after moistening the face, massaging the small blue particles gently in circular motion and leave it on for 2-3 minutes, then wash off. The scrub particles are very fine, not harsh and very helpful in removing the dead skin. Kaolin being one ingredient, I can feel the clay as the base of this. It has a fresh peppermint fragrance and thick texture. I use Total face cleanup once in 10 days to get rid of blackheads, white flakes and dead skin. As a face wash, it does not lather, as a scrub it serves the exact purpose and does nothing as a pack. In my opinion, it should have been marketed only as a scrub. After using Total face cleanup, my skin becomes more porous and moisturiser works deeply.

Recommendation – I will buy this product again as it worked really well for my dry skin. Total face cleanup is perfect soft scrub I needed and cleanses well. However I recommend using it once a week maximum.

Singapore Trip: Day 4 and 5

Day 4 – Clarke Quay, Singapore River, Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay, 31st Dec night fireworks

Early in the day, we decided to visit the Clarke Quay and take a stroll of Singapore River. Full Boating rides were closed due to New Year’s eve. Lazily, we walked around the river, reached Fullerton hotel and met Merlion. People were going crazy for pictures with the mythical creature,  as were we. Next we came across Esplanade theatre and the heavy duty arrangements in the amphitheatre for 31^st night. Youngsters were already thronging the area in afternoon to reserve their seats for night show. Reached our destination Singapore Flyer.

Clarke Quay, Singapore river

Merlion, Esplanade

Singapore Flyer, the view from top

Statue of Sir Stamford Raffles, Balestier food market

Early evening headed back to hotel, had early dinner and all geared up to visit Marina Bay for New Year’s eve firework show. You have to visit the area yourself to see the crowd on 31^st night there, people were crawling everywhere, many of whom might have reached in evening to reserve space. We managed to have inches of space to sit and wait for 12 am. After the show it’s a complete stampede when whole crowd iss jostling to go back to their places.

Marina Bay

Next day we had our flight back home so visited the Dhoby Ghat area for shopping.

Tips:

• Singapore weather is very humid and it might rain anytime, keep umbrella for those showers.
• Lots of walking, do not risk new shoes, wear comfortable pair and flats.
• Take light cotton clothing, as airy as possible.
• Get the Ezlink card at airport, will save travel money and Singapore watching would be a breeze.
• Choose a hotel near bus stop / metro station.
• For food, I found the Balestier local food market near our hotel on 2^nd day, it offered breakfast, lunch dinner, ranging from, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Singaporean, veg and non veg. Go look for nearby hawker market, as surviving at KFC , McDonalds would be hard. For purely breakfast, Toast Box also has good options.
• For late night bites, KFC and McDonalds are open till wee hours on public holidays.
• Convenience stores like Cheers and 7 Eleven are open everywhere for 24 hours.
• Singapore is a very clean and mannered city, so everyone must mind their hygiene and be on best behaviour. Sometimes locals may not oblige you with clicking your photos, do not be disheartened and try to find fellow tourist.
• There are more places to be covered like China Town, Little India, Haji Lane, Jurong Bird Park and so on. However, do not clutter your itinerary and enjoy your time there focussing on what you wish to see.

Singapore : Day 2 and 3

Day 2 -Universal Studios and S.E.A. Aquarium, Sentosa

Second day we headed for Vivo City mall to board the Sentosa Express. If one has the Ezlink card then you are saved from the train ticket queue. We got combined tickets for Universal Studios and S.E.A. Aquarium. Both require complete day with the studios having 7 different themes.

Quick bite at Vivo City mall

S.E.A. Aquarium

Universal Studios

Universal Studios

Day 3 – Singapore Zoo and River Safari

River Safari should only be done if you are interested to see the Giant Panda. Also do not miss the Polar Bear feeding and Sea Lion Splash show.

Singapore trip: Day 1, Pierce Brosnan moment

I planned for Singapore looking at the Tiger Air ad (yeah, that random) in newspaper and we decided to welcome the New Year’s Eve over there. Being a newbie in travel writing, I would not really know how this series ends up, please keep up.

We were travelling from Bangalore and booked the return flights in mid-August on Tiger Air through Cleartrip.com. New Year’s is big time celebration in Singapore and many people holiday around that time. Accommodation is very expensive there all year round so I searched extensively for budget hotels and zeroed on Value Hotel Balestier, booked in mid-August through Booking.com. Visa was done month ahead. This was the first international holiday, planned it completely on my own and I am very proud of it. If you would ask me that how I chose this hotel or location, I would say by reading many reviews on Tripadvisor and Booking, and one has to take the plunge. Glad that everything worked out.

Day 1 - Orchard Road

We reached Singapore in morning. Changi airport is huge, swift and immigration process is a breeze. A friend was there to receive us and he was real help. The first thing he suggested was to get the Ezlink card at the airport and it was the smartest move. We used this card throughout our trip riding buses and MRT. We decided to ride by bus from airport to the hotel, and absorbed the whole city like this. We checked in the hotel, staff was helpful, rooms were clean, all amenities provided. Just in front of the hotel is bus stop and Novena MRT station is nearby. During our stay only twice we had to board a cab (very small distance), otherwise all travel was done through public transport. One can completely do with that.

We decided to start with Orchard Road – the shopping destination in afternoon. Boarded bus till Far East Plaza, had our lunch there and tried Thai Laksa. A complete walkthrough the humungous shopping malls there – Isetan, Ion Orchard, Wheelock Place, small shopping centres tucked in the basement. At Orchard Road, one could find from $5 shoes to Cartier jewellery.

Orchard Road

Ion Orchard, loving the Christmas decoration

**JAMES BOND MOMENT**

We came face to face with Mr. Pierce Brosnan outside Coffee Club, Wheelock Place, and were so dazed; shocked that could not mutter courage for a photo. I mean how one could dream that we would see James Bond passing by on the street. He was with family and shopping I guess. This is a fairly good pointer that you could encounter Hollywood / Bollywood personalities in Singapore holidaying, so dress up to the part and please believe your eyes. I was star struck for a minute but would remember it for whole life.

Experienced Pierce Brosnan moment here

Makeup Inspiration: Metallic eyes, Bold lips

image courtesy: pinterest,mac cosmetics,highheelconfidential

MAC Eyeshadow swatches: metallic

In trend with the metallic fashion and bling couture, here is a quick review of some MAC eyeshadows I am warming upto. Better late than never reviewed, some shades are limited edition (LE) and might not be up for grabs.

clockwise from top left - Jaan, Folie, Carbon, Vivah

Jaan (LE) is a lustre finish eyeshadow. It is peach, flesh tone with gold sparkles. The color intensity is medium and a beautiful shade for brow bone and inner eye corners. However the sparkles fall out.

Folie (permanent) is satin finish, described as reddish-plum brown. It’s a weird shade if you apply it all over lid, you feel knocked down. The intensity is good, so I use it more for outer corner.

Vivah (LE) is lustre finish, brown with gold sparkles. It comes out beautifully and can be used as all over lid color. Sparkle fall out exists here too. However Vivah speaks Sabyasachi Opium Dream collection.

Carbon (permanent) is matte black eyeshadow. On its own it has the worst intensity and very chalky, but could be used to build up other colors. Consider it to be the supporting cast.

Chessa, Indie Spirit

Chessa (LE) is veluxe pearl finish, golden orange color. It is a beautiful color with good intensity, almost a golden sun setting proudly. A must have color for Indian wedding makeup.

Indie Spirit (LE) is matte finish, almond brown color with red undertones. It looks similar to Folie, less red and softer finish.