Sunday, July 17, 2011

Everyday Essentials and More




Just some stuff I use every day:

1) Aquamoist whitening cream. I'm a huge believer in NOT spending an arm and a leg on beauty products, and am not the kind of girl that fusses about with creams and masks and such. I do the basic essentials - cleanse (Cetaphil), moisturise, protect (see below). No toner, no masks, no serums. This cool hyarulonic acid-based gel fits nicely into this routine. I really love this product to bits - goes on like a dream, locks in the moisture, and the price - what's not to like? I've become really kiasu with this - since I have yet to find it in Miri, I lugged back three jars of this back from KL last month. And since it's considerably cheaper, I sometimes use it on my arms, elbows, legs - whenever I feel a bit dry. I have, much to the delight of my wallet and my skin, given up on my Origins night cream (messed up my skin, I ended up using it as a body cream - the day one is fine though) and L'occitane shea butter. Nothing wrong with the L'occitane product really - it was a lifesaver during those European vacations and really is so good for travel - i.e. dry cabin air, hotel airconditioning). But since I cut back on the travel, it was getting too rich for normal everyday use in this tropical clime.

2) Lancome mascara - my cousin gifted me a tube for Christmas in 2008, and I've been buying my own ever since. I use it to darken my brows as well since I can't master the art of using an eyebrow pencil - this just thickens and darkens my brows. Along with foundation from The Body Shop and a super eyeliner from Estee Lauder that my parents gifted me for Christmas (yes my family is obviously trying to hint at something), it has become a part of my daily routine.

3) SunPlay SPF47 "Powdery White" sunblock. I'm a total Japanese cosmetic convert. They are cheaper and suit me much better than the Origins and Neutrogenas. Case in point - Sunplay sunblock which have accompanied me from my offshore days (SPF 130 - beat that!) and all my travels. For the face, this slim tube goes on like a dream and mattifies my skin in one go - all for less than 50 bucks a pop.


4) Assortment of earrings from my travels that I love and try to wear as often as I can - silver "feather" ones from Bali, black drop earrings enamelled in green and gold.


5) Gifted Estee Lauder eyeliner - from my parents, to encourage me to wear more face gunk. I put this one on days when I have had a real good night's rest (cos that means I won't be rubbing my eyes much, or when I feel like


6) Compact powder from the Body Shop.


7) One of the prettiest things I own and actually use - gold lace-like headband from Diva Australia.

Reading:

1) The Success Principles by Jack Canfield, author . My daily bedtime read since this weekend past. Call me guillibe, but Mr. Canfield's simple words have already helped a little in lifting me out of the funk I felt I was in. I now feel more in charge of my own fate, more positive mentally, after just a couple hours' worth of reading

2) EndGame - The End of the Debt Supercycle and How It Changes Everything by John Mauldin. Am currently on a diet of books on economics and finance – for one, because I feel like I missed this element of investing in the last 2-3 years, of having a macro view on things, our world is so interconnected, bla bla bla. The other reason is, well, I kind love the subject. I’ve already finished How an Economy Grows and Why It Crashes by the Schiff brothers (a nice, cutely illustrated introduction to the subject - they managed to mix in some pretty nice jabs at Ben Bernanke and the US administration too), The Ultimate Money Guide for Bubbles, Busts, Recession and Depression by Martin D. Weiss (on hyper-inflation, the inefficiencies of the current government in tackling them and best of all, how to safeguard oneself) and Game Over - How You Can Prosper in A Shattered Economy by Stephen Leeb. So far I like Leeb's book the best - it was published well over two years ago in 2009 and his prediction, on gold especially, has been spot on. Wish I had read it earlier.

3) My Father's Daughter , Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook debut – well technically I haven’t started on this yet. The truth is, I want to hate her – she’s everything I want to be and does everything I want to do – except the actress part, although who hasn’t dreamt of singing at the Grammy’s eh? – according to her supercool blog This is GOOP (love the title), she cooks with her kids, she bakes pizza in her own wood-fired oven, explores hidden nooks and crannies in familiar and new cities, AND damnit, I really do love her personal style. Yes, when I grow up I want to be Gwyneth Paltrow.

Note: Yes it's confirmed - I do love it! Love the rustic but elegant table settings. the photos of her and her parents, her and her kids, the clothes she has on, the wonderful looking produce. And the fact that breakfast is a whole chapter!

Blogs I am currently frequenting:


1) littlepaperplanes, a travel+lifestyle+personal blog. Oh to throw such extravagant parties! The fantastical table settings! The house that looks like a page off Vogue Home or Elle Decoration! The garden surrounded by the house(and no I did not get the order wrong)! Maldives, Goa, Napa, New York via The Escapist! I live vicariously through this one. Oh, and I think I'm slowly heading towards being a pack rat too, albeit one with less expensive taste.


2) Cupcakes and Cashmere – love the way Emily mixes and match Zara with higher-end stuff, re-styles vintage/flea market furnishings - especially love how she spray-painted her flea-market find candlesticks black here (so chic), and all that cooking!

Listening to:
1) The Band Perry's If I Die Young, over and over again. The lyrics are happy and haunting at the same time
2) The Cary Brothers' Belong. Gray's Anatomy has the BEST music, and what often happens is I find myself scrambling for a pen and my little notebook to copy down the lyrics of the mysterious songs and Googling the song later. So many of great finds – the Avett Brothers, the Carey Brothers, I have GA to thank for that
3) Mumford and Sons – love their folksy music. The Cave, especially performed live at tge Grammys, absolutely rocks.

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