Mother’s Day at Penhaligon’s & Some of My Favourite Penhaligon’s Fragrances

Hello

Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May and each year, many brands create different promotions and special events to celebrate the occasion. If you’re looking for something extra special, you might want to head to Penhaligon’s. Penhaligon’s is a fragrance palace where fragrance shopping is an already a beautiful experience, with the detailed fragrance profiling service – for Mother’s Day, they are treating mothers to bouquets of carnations (the official flower for Mother’s Day – I didn’t know that actually) in addition to the fragrance profiling service and gifting options.

I’ve sampled quite a few of Penhaligon’s fragrances and I adore the few I have. If you’re looking for some ideas (not just for Mommy Dearest but for yourself even), here are some of my favourites, including one that has been on my wishlist for a long time coming

My first Penhaligon’s fragrance, ELLENISIA – it is the fragrance specially chosen for Mother’s Day, as you can see in the Penhaligon’s store. A beautiful white floral – click HERE for my thoughts on Ellenisia

Picture courtesy of Penhaligon’s Singapore Facebook

 

Penhaligon’s PEONEVE – Click HERE for my review

 

Penhaligon’s Cornubia – Click HERE for my thoughts

 

Penhaligon’s JUNIPER SLING – Click HERE for my review

 

And this – Elisabethan Rose – it’s an absolute lemming and on my wishlist right now. I had the bath and shower gel and absolutely adored it. If the bath product smelled like a tub of crushed roses, imagine how gorgeous the actual scent is? A PhD in Love, I say.

My mom is still trawling through her second bottle of Penhaligon’s Lily & Spice and several other fragrances she’s opened. This year, I’m gifting her a Bobbi Brown Shimmerbrick and I hope she will love it. Feel free to share what surprises you have in store for your Mom this week.

I leave you with a beautiful sentiment I carry in my heart everyday:

God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made Mothers

~ Rudyard Kipling

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a beautiful day with your loved ones and remember to celebrate them everyday

Crabtree & Evelyn Somerset Meadow Collection – Details, Photos and Some Thoughts

Happy Midweek

Joining the family of fantasy fragrance collections of Summer Hill and Nantucket Briar, Crabtree & Evelyn introduces the Somerset Meadow Fragrance Collection. Like its siblings, Somerset Meadow pays tribute to the lush English countryside, celebrating the blossoming of fresh florals in idyllic settings.

Somerset (also earlier known as Somersetshire) is located in Southwest England and agriculture is its forte with strong production of wool, cider, cheeses, wool as well as cultivation of willow for basket weaving. It is also famed for its rolling hills and flat expanses of greenlands and the toponymy (the derivation of the name) likely was borne out of the term “summer settlement”.

Drawing inspiration from the Somerset county, Crabtree & Evelyn’s Somerset Meadow Collection portray the mingling of sun-ripened fresh fruit, weeping willows, delicate white florals and the woodlands. In tandem, these present a:

“fresh, bright, joyful scent with a whimsical and romantic edge”

Somerset Meadow is available as a 5-piece collection for a head-to-toe, shower-to-go (I made that up and I like how it rhymes) experience of a water-laden, green-tinged floral. The fragrance is neither overly serious and adult, nor is it a amateurish concoction. Rather, the green fruit notes are fresh and bright but not so tart and green that they bite, while the soft florals and creamy wood notes ground it – an ode to casual chic and unordered beauty and is bound to put a little spring in your step.

Here are the top, heart and base notes:

TOP NOTES

Clockwise: Bergamot, Morning Dew, Blackberry Bud and English Ivy

HEART NOTES

Clockwise: Fern, Geranium, White Blossoms, Water Lily

Brands’ Innershine Ruby Collagen Essence and Strips – Details, Photos and Some Thoughts

Hello!

The beauty industry has also caught on to the health and wellness supplements trend, gaining prominence in the last decade or so. Following a more maximalist approach to what constitutes wellness, researchers are promoting the concept of beauty from within with wellness supplements – the most common are anti-aging and skin rejuvenation supplements. With many options available in the market at a wide range of price points, these beauty supplements are very easily accessible.

In this vein, established household name, Brands’, famous for its energy-boosting Chicken Essence, has now premiered an oral beauty supplement under its Innershine range – the Innershine Ruby Collagen Essence.

 

Collagen supplements are readily available in the market but Brands’ touts this as a improved formulation, following research that shows that traditional collagen supplements struggle with the effective delivery of collagen right to the skin molecules. Brands’ RubyCollagen formula contains:

• MICRO-COLLAGEN derived from freshwater fish

• ASTAXANTHIN derived from Haematococcus Pulvialis, a micro-algae which as a n anti-oxidant, is 6000 times more powerful than Vitamin C.

The Micro-Collagen in the Brands’ RubyCollagen formula is indeed “micro” – while traditional collagen often are at a molecular weight of 300,000 Dalton, the Micro-Collagen in the RubyCollagen formula is significantly lower at just 2000 Dalton. This minute molecular size allows the collagen to be more readily digested and absorbed into skin.

The Astaxanthin used in Brands’ RubyCollagen formula is cultivated in Sweden with state-of-the-art technology and is known for its bright red colouring. Together with the elasticity-boosting property of the Micro-Collagen, the Astaxanthin acts as a natural shield against the harsh, collagen-depleting rays of the sun – the Astaxanthin protects against the depletion of collagen which subsequently allows for good skin cell turnover as well as micro-circulation which in turn promotes the delivery of other nutrients to skin.

Brands’ RubyCollagen Essence is available in 2 forms – the essence drink and the jelly strip.

 

The Essence is 50ml bottle of collagen drink manufactured in Taiwan and is available in boxes of 10 (SGD$57)

 

 

The Essence Strip, a jelly manufactured in Japan, is available in a box of 10 atSGD$36.

 

Shaklee Vita-Lea Multivitamins & Multiminerals Dietary Supplement – Photos and Some Thoughts

Hello!

As I get older, I have really begun to subscribe to the “inside-out” theory – I used to have a flippant attitude about taking supplements but I’m much more conscientious the last 2 years or so. I see the difference with the daily intake of supplements and I finally wholeheartedly believe my Mom’s ominous warning that all the expensive creams and lotions in the world will make little difference if you don’t feed your skin, hair and nails well.

I used to take the Women’s One-A-Day multivitamin but I have since made the switch to a multivitamin and multimineral formula. Vitamins are either fat or water soluble and include variants such as Vitamin A, B, C, D, E, K and so on – these we tend to be rather familiar with. Minerals on the other hand include elements such as Calcium, Phosphorous, Iodine, Sulphur, Flouride, Zinc and so on. Minerals often contribute to good bone, teeth, hair and nails growth – for instance, calcium prevents osteoporosis while a deficiency in iron can lead to anemic conditions. Before choosing a dietary supplement with multivitamins and minerals, it is advisable to consult with your doctor (absolutely imperative if you have any existing conditions) – it is also very important not to take too many vitamins and minerals as overdosage is extremely dangerous and life-threatening.

After consultation and consideration, I chose the Shaklee Vita-Lea High Potency Multiminerals & Multivitamin Dietary Supplement (SGD$55.85) – there are 2 versions available, one with Iron and one without Iron. As I am taking a couple of other supplements, I’m currently taking the formula without Iron (my mom is taking the Iron formula version).

Here is the nutrition information label – you will notice it has a good mix of vitamins and minerals as well as other nutrients such as Acerola, Alfalfa, Rose Hips, Spirulina and so on. This formula contains 23 Essential Vitamins and Minerals and is designed to promote heart, immune and bone health.

Nivea Body Intensive Moisture Serum SPF25 PA+++ – Photos, Details and Thoughts

Hello!

I have a total dislike and perhaps disregard for body moisturisers – I just hate the feeling of something sitting atop my skin or that gooey clammy feeling I get when it gets all hot and humid outside.

Enter the Nivea Body Intensive Moisture Serum SPF25 PA+++ (SGD$7.55) which I now ADORE.

I found this on a casual trip to Watsons – I was actually looking for deodorant and the newly refurbished Watsons in Takashimaya is so huge, I found the Nivea section but realised all the deodorants are kept with other brand deodorants. The thing that drew me to this was the name – it’s a SERUM rather than a lotion or milk, which suggests a lighter texture.

The packaging tells you what it does – it hydrates skin, it infuses it with health via Vitamin E and Grape Seed Extract and it also provides a relatively decent 25SPF PA+++ protection.

The biggest draw, like I mentioned, was the serum texture – the fast absorbing “extra light and non-sticky serum formula”. I totally agree with the claim.

I love the texture – it looks like a body milk – all white and creamy but has a fresh, ultra-light texture. It spreads very easily and absorbs in a cinch, leaving skin feeling refreshed, smooth, supple and hydrated. This is best applied immediately after a nice hot shower and a definite necessity if I’ve scrubbed down with scrubby gloves or a loofah. I also use it before bed.

Notice I say HYDRATED rather than moisturised – the serum is absorbed INTO the skin and it just feels smooth and fresh, rather than a layer atop.

Here is the ingredients list:

 

 

The packaging is fuss-free and straightforward – a large squeeze tube with a sturdy flip-top  cap. The opening where the serum is dispensed is a little smaller than usual – this is necessary to regulate the flow of the fluid serum and prevents a gloopy blob from shooting out at you.

 

Apart from the lightweight, easily-absorbed texture, the other main draw for me is really the scent. If you were around in the 1980s (oh dear… look where this is going), you might remember these versions of Nivea Milk and Creme.

 

ob For Shu Uemura – Photos, Product Details and Some Thoughts

Hola!

Each year, Shu Uemura premieres an artist-collaboration collection in Spring – for Spring 2013, young and iconic artist of the Japanese art world ob was chosen for this prestigious collaboration. Her dreamy, fantasy artwork that is emblematic of a new breed of young contemporary artists who came of age in this digital world, graces the skincare and makeup collection.

Happiness reigns in this world between reality and dreams, where princesses live in harmony and yet the woes of the world are not forgotten

~ ob for shu uemura

The ob For Shu Uemura Sakura Makeup Collection features the iconic cleansing oils and UV Under Base Mousses in 4 colour themes. Each colour represents a different character, wide-eyed, floaty-haired, flushed-cheeked princesses – created by ob: Sakura Hime (Cherry Blossom Princess – Pink); Tsuki Hime (Moon Princess – Yellow); Midori Hime (Forest Princess – Green); and Umi Hime (Ocean Princess – Blue).

Rather than keep these themes purely artistic and fantastical, Shu Uemura has thoughtfully classified them according to skin concerns:

Here is a closer look at the products and the retail prices:

Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick – Photos, Swatches and Some Thoughts

Hello

Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick is made for the modern woman on the go – just swipe it on and go – it’s that easy

This Spring 2013, Bobbi Brown introduces the Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick in 8 shades of neutrals and smokey metallics. Each Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick retails at SGD$45 and is made in Italy.

The medium-sized rounded tip and swivel-up tube packaging make this similar to jumbo crayons – only without the mess of sharpening.

The Long Wear Cream Shadow Stick is formulated with a blend of oils, waxes and film formers that contribute to a water-resistant product that is said to last for 8 hours. I’ve only managed to swatch these – and they felt good, mostly opaque in one to two passes and setting to a nice pigmented block of colour. Temptalia has reviewed all 8 shades and most of them have gotten great reviews of being pigmented, creamy enough that it doesn’t tug the eyelids and allow for blending … and yet are flake and crease-resistant for about 8 hours – you can read her reviews in this link HERE.

Here are swatches of all 8 shades – my favourite of the bunch is Forest, which I will be getting my hands on soon. It will pair with my favourite deep green eyeshadows like UD Loaded, MAC Smutty Green and a bunch of greens from Inglot perfectly.

Golden Pink – shimmering golden pink peach

Forest – shimmering cool emerald green

Sand Dune – creamy medium beige tan

Bark – creamy rich brown