Tuesday, December 18, 2012

WINTER HAUL



Cold weather friends: Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion,
Lipton Peppermint Herbal Infusions Tea,
Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream,
and MUJI wool scarf
When the cold winds blow and the temperatures dip down, it's best to stay warm and arm yourself with cold weather essentials. Here are my favorites right now:

1. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream - I've known and heard about this product for years now but somehow never ended up buying it. Many friends have recommended this cream to me and most recently, my friend Lezl, who showed me just how great a lip balm and all-around moisturizer this is especially in the cold and dry winter months. I love that you can use this in so many ways. I love to use it on my lips to prevent chapping, but it is also great on cheekbones for a subtle shine and if you're in Dalian (like me), it protects your cheeks against the cold wind chill burn. It's also great for rough and dry elbows, the cuticles and as an eyebrow tamer. These next winter months, it is my number one essential! 

2. Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion - This really is one of the best lotions out there! This must be my tenth bottle because my husband Marc loves it too. It's great for really dry skin and is very soothing. Contains natural colloidal oatmeal and rich emollients. Really good for skin problems, sensitive skin, rashes and if you are prone to eczema. 

3. Lipton Peppermint Herbal Infusions Tea – Aside from ginger tea with honey, I find peppermint tea very soothing and calming for the throat if you have a cough and cold due to the weather. This is a pretty good one from Lipton’s herbal range of teas and it’s caffeine-free.

4. 100% wool scarves from MUJI & ESPRIT – I love the scarves in MUJI and ESPRIT. They are 100% wool and very soft and warm. The quality is excellent in both stores and loving the plaid designs at the moment!



Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream 50g (US$19.50)
Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Lotion 600ml.
(US$22.99) for a pack of two bottles

Lipton Peppermint Herbal Infusions Tea (US$5.99)
20 sachets

100% wool scarves from MUJI and ESPRIT


Wednesday, December 5, 2012

HOLIDAY NAILS


It’s that time of the year again when every woman wants their nails looking their very best and it’s this time when I miss my friends’ Cathy & Isabel’s nail salon, Belle & Cat, back home in Manila the most!

Jewel-toned nail polish from Dalian's Korean Market
Left to right: Deep Blue, Teal and Burgundy
I love nail polish but I've always gone down the safe route when it comes to colors over the years – classic red shades or nude/light pink shades are what I usually go for. But this Christmas season is all about spicing it up and what better way to do this than trying some holiday fall/winter jewel tones? Deep blue, wild green, teal, burgundy, dark purple and mauve are just some of the nail polish shades to look out for this season.

Jewel tones this season are inspired by the colors on my
tiny Christmas tree.
After wandering around the Korean market here in Dalian with my friend Eya, I bought a few jewel-toned polishes to try for the holidays. Having my nails painted in a deep blue color for the first time, I was surprised at how bright, festive and elegant they looked.

Deep blue nail polish with a little sparkle


Goodbye reds and nudes…at least for now!

If you’re in Manila, I highly recommend pampering your nails and a whole lot more at…


Belle & Cat Nail and Wax Studio
GF Sterling Centre, 131 Esteban corner Dela Rosa Sts.
Legaspi Village, Makati City
Metro Manila, Philippines
Tel: (632) 480-6204/ (0063) 916-6467568

Great service and great people!