Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Holiday Hair Tips

I am so, so careful with my hair now when I go on holiday to hot places because I totally ruined my barnet on a holiday to Croatia a couple of years ago.  I stupidly didn't bother applying a protective spray or taking care of my hair properly and that resulted in my hair experiencing REALLY bad breakage at the roots.  I had so many 'sticky up' bits that earnt the nickname 'Mo' for months afterwards (as in Mohawk!).  It was so embarassing and no amount of serum or hairspray concealed the problem.  My poor hair took about 8 or 9 months to recover completely from the damage.  Here's a close up of a pic that was taken when I got back...
So now I take EXTRA special care over my locks when I jet off to a warmer climate.  I just wanted to share some of my tips for making sure your hair looks great on holiday and doesn't get damaged by the sun like mine did!

First up, here's some ideas of how to wear your hair when you're heading down to the beach on holiday:
I will be experimenting with all of these hairstyle ideas when I'm on my honeymoon.  Whatever the style, I think the most important thing is that it looks laid back and doesn't take hours to achieve.

Here are my tips on smart holiday hair care:
  • Everyone wants their hair to look effortlessly great on holiday so it's best to get your hair coloured a couple of weeks before you go to ensure your hair has time to replenish itself before you subject it to the sun's rays.  It's also a good idea to get a trim at the same time as these are the oldest parts of your hair so they are also the most parched.  If you get a trim, the ends of your hair are less likely to get frazzled.  You could also get a deep moisture treatment at the hairdressers while you are there to make sure your hair is as hydrated as it can be.
  • It's best to take a more hydrating formula of shampoo and conditioner with you because your hair will require more moisture than usual.  Concentrate the conditioner on mid lengths to ends if you have fine hair though as you don't want your roots to go limp and lank.  Also go easy on the serum as this will also weigh your hair down.
  • If you find that you have gone a bit overboard on the protective spray or serum and your hair looks or feels greasy at the roots, you can always apply a dry shampoo like Batiste to give your hair it's volume back.  They also have a formula for darker hair colours to avoid that 'grey' look.
  • I often apply my protective spray/cream on my hair in the morning and pull my hair back into a ponytail.  This protects your scalp from being burnt as well.  Always try to let your hair dry naturally if you have the time.  Obviously don't go out in the sun with soaking wet hair as it will be more likely to frazzle.
  • You can also twist sections of your hair up into a loose chignon during the day after applying your protective product and hit the beach.  Then at night time when you want to look more dressed up, you can let your hair down and reveal really pretty soft waves.
  • I always use an intensive treatment every day on holiday after a day in the sun - you can do this after a shower or apply it on dry hair and leave overnight.  Although this would seem like overkill in any normal circumstance, this is the time when your hair really needs a chance to repair itself.
  • I like to wear a hat or head scarf on the beach to protect my hair and scalp but this can result in really bad hat hair! If you are heading out directly after being at the beach, the best solution is to spray some root volumising spray on your hair then whack some rollers in at the roots to give your hair body and lift.
  • I never ever use straighteners or any other kind of heated appliance on my hair on holiday.  I might use a hairdryer if I'm really in a rush but ultimately I try and avoid it.  Using heat on your hair just stresses it out even more and will increase any damage so it's good for your locks to give them a break from that type of thing.  Call it damage limitation!
  • If I'm on a particularly long flight, I like to treat my hair by applying a hydrating leave in conditioner before I fly to ensure that my hair doesn't become dried out by the aeroplane's dry, stale air.  That way, you will arrive with your hair feeling great.
  • If you forget your protective spray/cream for your hair, then an alternative is to mix your leave in conditioner with your body SPF.  It will have the same effect and will buy you time until you can find a shop that sells what you need.
  • I never use hairspray on my hair when I know it will be subjected to alot of sun because this results in the product being 'baked' into your hair and this can be very drying.
I hope these tips were helpful and if you have any tips of your own or great summer hair products to recommend, please let me know in the comments box below!

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

BACK in TAIPEI!

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ho ho ho...... I should carry my Chanel in this shirt!! lol.

Now I am in a mission of searching for a perfect red Chanel classic. It surely feels great that DH complies with my wishes and let me SHOP for luxury.  You know temptation is the nemesis of a composed soul and now I am letting go of my mind.  ^^ ha ha~

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My ODJ. 

1. Top: 
  • Kain label pocket tank (the most money worth tank of mine)
  • Limedrop fall cloud cardigan 
2. Bottom:
Mphosis draped pants 

3. Accessory: 
  • Earrings and double-string studs belt bought at Indonesia
  • Sam Edelman taupe gladiator flat sandal,
  • Chanel matte black reissue 226

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Royal blue laser-cut earrings. 

Here are some more stuff I bought at A. Fad today!
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 gladiator platform heels (lavender and brown)

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This is draped teal shorts but I didn't catch its true color. :P

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I love this distressed lace very much.

Ah, it is time back doing my ODJ thing....... ^O^
xoxo Rachel

Last minute shopping at ITC in Jakarta.

6/28/2010

Mother-in-law bought me swallow's nest and lots of dry goods for me. You must already know of most women pamper their skin by drinking swallow's nest in sweet soup!! ^^  She took me to ITC market again before we head back to Taipei and I am very grateful to her for all her kindness.

I guess all Asia countries are raving about Korea style fashion because of those soap opera shows and cheaper, but still nice quality clothes. Stores in ITC either import or locally made a lot Korea style clothes. Some stores would specifically tell you that they import all their clothes from Korea but you can never see a TAG prints like that...oh, well........ but the good thing is you can bargain in more of stores. That I have to thank for my mother-in-law and sister-in-law. ^^

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I bought lots of belt this trip!!

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Again, jumper!! Now even my sister-in-laws know I love the pattern and the look of it! :)

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Everyone loves a thing of tie-dye but I don't own any... :P

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Little baubles...earrings. 

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A nice place for some styles of jean vest.

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This is a store located at 5th floor which also imports clothes from Korea. The owner also pairs the complete head to "leg" outfit for you. 

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I kinda like the colors of these two together .... rusty orange w/ gray.

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I had a lot of fun trying out some cute earrings and DH snaps photos secretly. ^^

It is actually no photos allowed in most stores and I probably should have felt compunction about sneakily taking a picture of one or two. hehehe... 
I am getting abundantly anxious going back to HOME/USA but before that, we are squishing little time out to meet more relatives and friends!!

Friends are forever even we can't meet often.
xoxo Rachel

Review of Biodroga Mineral Foundation

When the summer months hit, I am always open to new foundations with a lighter formulas so a mineral makup promising to give me radiance whilst caring for my skin sounds good!  To give you guys a bit of background on the Biodroga brand, it's a European skincare company based in Germany which concentrates mainly on skincare but the advantage of this is that their foundation will condition your skin as you wear it.  I don't know about you but I hate it when foundations dry my skin out and make it look dull.
The glass packaging feels expensive and features a pump which is always a plus point with a foundation as it saves on mess.  The only downside to a glass bottle is that it can be slightly more cumbersome for travel.  The consistency of the foundation is almost mousse-like and I found that you don't need alot of it when applying it with your fingers.  It blends into the skin seamlessly and makes my skin look softly radiant, streak free and natural.  This is a great foundation for daytime when you want your skin to look healthy and fresh.  It feels really light on the skin and after using it for a couple of months for around 3 days a week, my skin is looking very clear and healthy.  It's hard to say if this was predominantly because of the conditioning properties of the foundation because I am incredibly meticulous about my skincare however it's worth saying that it didn't break me out or irritate my skin in any way. 

The foundation has good staying power and I found that it held up for around 8 hours on a summer's day without having to be retouched.  The nicest thing about this foundation is that your skin feels like it can breathe and retains it's natural texture.  Some heavier formulas feel like they are clogging your skin but this one is great for days when you the lightest possible formula with good medium coverage.

This foundation isn't cheap at £30.75 (stockist is http://www.bcidirect.com/), so if you aren't that bothered about foundation and it just isn't your 'thing' or don't like spending alot on your foundation, then this probably isn't for you.  However, if you like trying new foundations, especially mineral ones, then this foundation is worth a look.

If anyone else has tried this foundation, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments box below :)

Korres e/s, Exercise Tips and a Ramble

Hi Guys! I hope you are all having wonderful weather like us in Aberdeen! Finally, I've been able to break out my summer clothes from hibernation and actually wear them! Hallelujah! I love summer (doesn't everybody?) because the sunny days just make you feel lighter and more care-free. 
First up in this post, I just wanted to show you guys some new Korres eyeshadows I got because you know how much I love Korres!  I am a big fan of their Wild Rose foundation, powder and Lip Butters.  I generally favour the shimmering eyeshadows because they are the most pigmented and buttery ones.  These shades are all gorgeous neutrals that are perfect for creating an 'everyday' eye...
The swatches didn't come out that well on camera and look washed out but they look alot nicer in real life.  I especially love the Golden and Golden Brown shades.  I have been wearing these two shades on my lids with golden skin and coral/pink lipgloss (MAC Pink Lemonade looks amazing with these!).  It's a really lovely paired down, quick, summery look. 

Pictured below is a MAC palette (top section removed) which now holds my Korres eyeshadows.  I found by removing the top section, it creates alot more room to house larger eyeshadow pans.  My favourite shades in this palette are Sky Blue, Silver and Golden Bronze.  These shades in particular have CRAZY pigmentation and they are so, so velvety smooth.  They have a gorgeous sheen to them and in my opinion, they are probably the highest quality eyeshadows that I own. 
As I mentioned above, I adore the Jasmine Lip Butter that comes in a little tub...it has a gorgeous pale pink sheen to it and smells of creme brulee...yummy! I'm loving the Mandarin Lip Butter in stick form because it also smells lovely and have a sheer pale pink tint to it.  It's so handy to chuck in my bag and I much prefer to wear light tinted lip balms in summer, in the daytime than full on lipstick.  It just enhances your lips without lookinf like you're wearing too much makeup.  It also leaves my lips really soft anf smooth.
I have just done another vid for my YouTube channel on Exercise tips as promised.  It's not a video about the technicalities of different exercises, but more tips on how to stick to your gym visits and feel better about your body.  I think if you're looking for professional advice on exercises and how to avoid injuries, then it's best to go to a trainer at your local gym.  They are equipped with the knowledge to get you started.  I just wanted to share a few little things that have helped me persevere with my fitness program.  I hope they are helpful!

I weighed myself as normal yesterday and I have lost another 1lb in the last week.  Although I was hoping to lose 2lbs, I noticed that my fat % has gone down and my muscle % has gone up significantly.  So as I said in my weightloss video, this shows me that I have made more progress than just losing 1lb.  I have another dress fitting at the bridal store on Friday, but I still have 4 and a half weeks until the wedding to work my ass off and get in the best shape I can.

On a completely random note, I am LOVING this song by Plan B at the moment! I love the echoey-retro feel to it, like some of the old motown records...

Monday, June 28, 2010

FOTD: Vogue Cut Crease

Just a lovely inspiration photo.

By Popular Request: Holiday Snaps

Last week the bf and I spent an amazing week in Egypt! It was a much needed break, and a great start to the summer. Since so many of you have asked I'm going to now shower you with numerous holiday photos!

We stayed at the Amwaj all inclusive hotel in Nambq Bay in Sharm el Sheikh, which I would recommend checking out if you are looking for a romantic getaway. There were lots of things to do during the day such as activities in the hotel (water polo, yoga, aqua aerobics.. you name it), as well as a spa (which I took full advantage of) and the opportunity to take lots of trips (we went snorkelling, scuba diving and camel riding in the dessert and for tea with the bedouin).
This is the view from one of the bars in the hotel, it was lovely at night with all the pools lit up!
The same view from the patio below (beach dress from ASOS).
Since our flight was very delayed, and we lost half a day, we arrived very late at night (or early in the morning). Though it was all worth it when we woke up to the beautiful view from our balcony with the hotel on one side and the sea on the other.
One of our day trips was riding camels (mine was called whisky) out into the desert where we had tea with the bedouin. Even at 5pm it was a scorching 40oC, so my SPF 50 Ambre Solaire definitely came in handy!
You know I love my jumping shots. I think one day I will make an album of these so I can remember all the places I have been. It's kind of strange, I know, but it might catch on... you heard it here first ;).
One evening we went to see a Fakir/ Faqir show with cocktails on the beach. I still have no idea what the secret is to eating fire and walking on broken glass.. though I am not sure if I am in a hurry to find out!
Dresses from Ted Baker and ASOS.
 Unfortunately for fear of my camera meeting a premature (death by 1 sand grain as the last one) demise we only took pictures on the beach on the last day, so I can't share with you the parade of (ahem.. 9) bikinis I brought with me on holiday. I can however, show you the beautiful coral reefs and exotic fish.

I love this shot of my big water baby. You can see just how beautifully clear the sea is!

One more for the road... If you have made it this far! I hope you guys enjoyed that marathon of photos. I highly recommend Egypt if you are looking for somewhere sizzling to pump up your tan, go scuba diving or just chill out on the beach. I only wish we could have stayed for longer!

Hope you are all having a good week my lovelies! See you all soon xxx

Nick Verreos Rides in the Macy's Car for the SF 40Th Anniversary Pride Parade

Happy San Francisco Pride!!!SF Pride Macy's Banner

Yes, kiddies, it has come to this: I was FINALLY invited--by Macy's no less--to ride the official Macy's "float" at the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade. Not just any Pride Parade but THE 40Th Anniversary darlings. I just happened to be in San Francisco hosting the Sunglass Hut Grand Opening Event at Macy's Union Square and well, Macy's thought "Let's see if Nick will be our Macy's 'Grand Marshall' ?" Ummm, let me think about it...YES!!! Riding Proud: Nick Verreos atop the convertible BMW Macy's Car, SF Pride 2010

After I was done with my Sunglass Hut Event, I checked into my most comfortable Hotel Vitale room and settled in for the night (after a few cocktails with friends at the Americano, naturally!). Now, onto Sunday kiddies. Rainbow Peace: Nick Verreos strikes a pose, SF Pride 2010

I was so humbled, honored and well, very verklempt, to have been asked to be part of this amazing occasion. As I arrived in my "waiting area", all the Macy's volunteers congregated along with hundreds of other parade attendees who were a part of different organizations and/or floats that were about to take part if this 40Th Anniversary EXTRAVAGANZA. Macy's went "all out" with not one but TWO shiny brand new BMW's from BMW San Francisco. They also had hundreds of black Macy's Pride T-shirts as well as TONS of Macy's rainbow flag hankies (above) that were to be passed out during our parade route. During the wait, I got to enjoy the Gold's Gym Float (above) which waited right next to us the entire time with a group of the most perfectly toned, muscled and buffed bodies this side of the Mississippi (nice!). I was also very happy to see one my oldest and dearest of friends...interior designer Gino Castaño, who stopped by to keep me company (Love him!) (above photo). Finally, around 1PM, we got the word that we could "start" them BMW engines! Macy's Princess: Nick Verreos, atop the Macy's BMW SF Parade car, with Macy's volunteers

I threw on my white Zara jacket over my peach-colored American Apparel deep-V t-shirt, threw on a couple of those fabulous Macy's Pride Hankies, and I was ready! For about an hour, all I could see and hear was "Omg!Nick!!!" or "Oh wait It's Nick from Project Runway!". View From My Car: Market Street San Francisco from my car, SF Pride 2010

So much so that my Macy's client--and driver-- said "I really need to make a t-shirt that says 'OMG-It's Nick!' " It was so AMAZING to ride the 40Th Anniversary SF Pride Parade and get to see all the loving, peaceful, inclusive, and very COLORFUL people out for Sunday's festivities. I cannot say this enough: Riding the SF Pride Parade was one of the most SURREAL experiences of my life!
I'm Taking This To Europe: Nick Verreos eyes his new Bubblegum Pink Samsonite Suitcase

Once we finished the parade, the Macy's clients had a VERY SPECIAL Gift for me: A bright Pink Samsonite Suitcase! You see, last month when I was in San Francisco to host a "Sex And The City 2"-themed party at Macy's Union Square, I was "eyeing" this Barbie-pink suitcase that was in one of the "Sex And The City 2" event displays...well, the clients remembered and so as a "Thank You" for being the Macy's SF Pride "Grand Marshall", they gave it to me, it was waiting for me at the end of the parade! I know: Shut The Front Door!After the parade I had three hours before I would catch my flight back to LA. My SF friends from AGES ago, Jason Fioresi and Carlo Parenti (above), decided to throw me an impromptu "Congrats, Welcome and Happy Pride Sunday" afternoon gathering at their fabulous Bernal Heights pied-de-terre. Nick Buffet: The "SF Pride" Spread at Jason and Carlo's home

As I arrived, there was an entire table set up with White Wine from Spain, cheeses from all over the world, crackers and bread, Caprese Salad, salami, Prosciutto, Garbonzo beans, olives and Banana Peppers, as well as turkey meatballs. Not kidding! Just for me! Well, it was the perfect ending to an unbelievable weekend in San Francisco. I was ready to get back on the freeway and find my way back to SFO and board my return flight back to LA-LA Land. I HEART San Francisco! For More Photos: Click HERE!
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