How to shop for your body shape

Guest post by: American Express

How to shop for your shape

While fashion trends routinely come and go, the most important rule to learn about stylishness is not to
blindly follow fashion’s fickle fads. Not everything that’s currently on-trend will be flattering for everyone – and sometimes trends come along that don’t seem to suit anyone! One thing that tends to stay fairly constant, though, is your body, which is why it’s a good idea to get to know your shape and work out what looks good on you.

There has been quite a bit of TV focus on shopping for your shape in recent years. Whilst Trinny Woodall and Susannah Constantine had a seemingly tough approach, they were committed to helping women understand that you can look wonderful at any age. Trinny and Susannah famously used a 360˚ mirror, and if you can find one of these when out shopping – or even buy one for your home – you will have a much more realistic view of yourself when you try on new clothes.

Failing that, you might find it helpful to adopt Gok Wan’s principles. Aside from the fashion guru’s great ethos about building a positive self-image, Gok also came up with a few basic shopping guidelines for women of different shapes, including some of the following nuggets of wisdom:

• Pear shape ladies – balance out your figure by defining your upper body, for example with
blazers with shoulder pads or tops with embellished necklines.

• Apple shape ladies – create an hourglass silhouette by cinching your waist with a belt and
wearing a subtly flared skirt.

• Top-heavy ladies – emphasise your bottom half by opting for flared skirts with plenty of volume.

• Slim ladies – create the illusion of curves by highlighting your bust with embellished tops,
cinching your waist with a belt and wearing puffball or skater skirts.

Once you have a clear sense of what suits you and what to avoid, you’ll be able to put together outfits with ease, making shopping for new clothes far easier. This is particularly useful for shopping online, where buying clothes can seem like a bit of a gamble. However, if you do prefer to shop on the high street rather than online, it’s a good idea to take a friend who you can count on for honesty, or enlist

the help of a personal shopper. It doesn’t have to cost you a penny, and a second opinion can be hugely helpful.

Take the sting out of spending when you shop for clothes with credit cards from American Express, which come with great features like cashback and exclusive membership rewards. Apply for a credit card online in just 10 minutes and get a response within 60 seconds.

Perfect PJs – Top Fashion Trends

Guest post by: very.co.uk

Perfect PJs – Top Fashion Trends

This summer has seen the pyjama trend step out of the bedroom and onto the

catwalk and with every woman loving to snuggle down in comfy nightwear now and

again, this is great news.

Comfort

The most important aspect to consider when investing in a pair of pyjamas is comfort. All-in-ones are proving to be a big hit this season and as such, come in a wide range of styles and fits. Many reality TV shows have showcased a variety of individuals sporting the all-in-one. Some choose to wear such an ensemble both at home and whilst out and about. Anyone that wishes to follow suit should think about investing in a smarter style, especially if they intend to wear the onesie in public – even it is only for a fancy dress party!

Practicality

The style of nightwear we opt for generally varies with the seasons. For example, a shorts and t-shirt ensemble might be best in summer, whilst winter months require something more substantial.

Adult onesies or all in ones generally come in the shape of sleep suits, similar to the ones worn by babies. Such a sleep style is a great option for camping in the cooler months, as it covers your entire body. They can also be useful when undertaking water sports like kayaking, as they can be worn under the wet suit.

Attraction

There are many nightwear options designed to be attractive, including babydoll styles, negligees, nightgowns, nightshirts and loose fitting, two-piece garments. Your boyfriend’s shirt is another popular option that can look both comfortable and sexy. Best to leave his dirty old football shirts in the laundry though!

Other nightwear garments often come in the shape of t-shirts, tank tops, sweatpants and gym shorts. The beauty of sleepwear is the fact that it doesn’t have to match; such an ensemble is more about comfort, warmth and cosiness with appearances coming second. The great thing about pyjamas is how they turn the rules of attractive clothing on their head and defy all usual fashion conventions.

Elegance

For those who prefer a more elegant style, staying chic in the bedroom is not the chore it used to be, with a range of options available for every taste. Many of these nightwear creations boast on-trend hues and stylish prints with comfort and sophistication guaranteed. Regardless of whether you opt for a fun-loving onesie or a loose, sensuous nightgown, you can guarantee to find an ensemble to suit every occasion and mood.

Romwe Autumn Sale! + discount codes!

Hi all! A quick post to let you know that romwe.com is holding their Autumn sale and it's got some amazing pieces at discounted prices! Plus, I've got some awesome extra discount codes for you to use!

Code1: Oct15   Save $15 for orders $80+

Code2: Oct25   Save $25 for orders $115+

Code3: Oct35   Save $35 for orders $155+

They are valid before 15/10/2012!

Shop the Romwe Autumn Sale now! :)

xx Cathy

Win A Party Queen Dress from ROMWE.com

ROMWE has always been one of my favorite sites to browse online as it offers a great variety of street style clothing. From winter knits, to the studded leather jackets it just has everything to cater to everyones taste! They also have the most awesome shoes aswell! 

So I am please to let you guys know that ROMWE.com is currently holding a giveaway to give you a chance to win yourself a Party Queen Dress! It's always nice to have that one particular dress you know you can wear to any function, or any party as it's just so versatile and will always fit the requirement!

There will be 5 winners everyday. Valid date: 20/9/ - 4/10/2012. Open internationally

It doesn't hurt to enter the giveaway so why not right?! 

So, here's how to enter:

1. Be a follower of my blog via Googles Friend Connect (just click follow on the sidebar), also follow me via twitter @cookieyurii and instagram @cookieyurii (optional :P)

2. Just follow through to this link: ROMWE Facebook Page

and like the page! It will then allow you to enter the giveaway! Simple right?!

I wish you guys luck! Leave a comment down below just so I know you've entered! 

Sultry Eyes

SAX Sultry Eyes Kit, Bobbi Brown Blush in Pink Sand, Urban Decay Primer Potion, Urban Decay 24/7Glide on Pencil, HERA Mineral Multi BB Cream, Lancome #6 Blush Brush

Being extremely bored at 12.21am.. I decided to try out the SAX Sultry Eyes Palette. It's a palette dedicated to creating the perfect classic smokey eye. I love it, and I think the quality of the palette is very nice. It can use with a little bit more pigmentation, but with the amount that it has, it makes it easy not to stuff up.

Cathy.

Calvin Klein Eyeshadows

Hello everybody!

This post is long overdue! I've been putting it off because I've been soo.. unmotivate to blog. Ha, as always. :(

Anyhow, I went to lunch with one of my good friends a few weeks back and we popped into Chemist Warehouse. For those of those who don't know what Chemist Warehouse is, it's a chemist that sells stuff for discounted price. Amongst those 'stuff' there are high end and lot end make up products depending on what they carry!

As I was strolling the aisles, I saw a huge board that said "Calvin Klein Makeup - 3 FOR $20!"
So... you can guess what happened next, me - raging the bins/table finding something awesome ;] hehe

I manage to pick out three eyeshadows! I quite liked what I picked and I'm glad I bought then because my friend was standing next to my ear literally telling me NOT to get it hahah >.<
Dangit!





The packaging is quite nice! I really like it. It's clear detailing on the edge is super sleek! The packaging is a little ont he bulkier side, but it's a must for a high end brand I guess. Assumingly CK is a high end fashion brand ^.^


I picked up Lavender Haze, Smokey Grey and Chameleon

Here are some swatches!




Chameleon is a beautiful frosty off cream colour. Great for highlight uses. It is a close match to nude/skin color! I'm loving this shade for under brow bone highlight!




Smokey Grey is a Khaki/grey colour. It has visible silver mini sparkle particles to it. However, once swatched/or applied on the eyes, the sparkle glitter isn't very visible anymore.




Lavender Haze, my favorite of the bunch! It's a beautiful purple and it reminds me of the sun setting down. Kind of puts me in a lazy mode also because the color looks so relaxing! It's definitely a cool lilac colour! Me loveeeeee!



They aren't very pigmented once it's blended out, but I like it that way. It makes it a lot more wearable during the day. Especially the city I live in, where people judge you even when you dress nice, it's hard to wear a face full of makeup and not have people point fingers at you and talking about the amount of colour you've got on your eyes!

Overall, I like the quality of these shadows. They feel very velvety and apply on really smoothly! Definitely a steal for 3 FOR $20!!

Love,
Cathy xox

Target Bargain Haul!

Hello everybody!

It's been a while since my last haul post, so I thought I'd post about my recent makeup bargain findings!

The other day, (I think last Friday) I went shopping with one of my friends for a catch up session and we went into Target just.. for the sake of it I guess. On the way out, my friend (who is an expert at finding bargains lol) spotted a $3 & $5 table! She was like "OMG. WAIT!! CHECK THIS OUT" and started sabotaging the tables and tearing it apart hoping to see something she likes! haha
So of course, I also looked and funny enough, I ended up with my things than she did lol.

So here's what I got. I got all these for a whooping only $30 :P



I got:

3 Cover Girl TruShine Lipsticks (Which, BTW I LOVE, A LOT) ($5each)
1 Cover Girl Lipstain ($5)
3 Australis Eyeshadow Pens ($3each)
1 Australis Gel Liner ($3)

Now for some swatches..



Here are swatches of the Cover girl TruShine lipsticks, which I really really love. They are extremely hydrating. The feel like a water based lipbalm on the lips!!





They're the same lipstick, it's just the flash made them look different -_-"
This colour is called, Watermelon Shine. And let me tell you, it really does look like watermelon! It's a deep pink which is complemented by it's shine! It's soo beautiful!!





*Flash failed also, made the colour look completely different!
Anywho, this one is called, Petal Shine. It's a really beautiful nude with a shine! It's more of a ... warm skin nude. It looks really similar to my natural lip colour. I like it!





This one is called, Rosy Shine. It's a quite a nice, more mature colour. It has really micro sparkle particles in it. It's really beautiful under the light!

The next set of swatches are of the eyeshadow pens!




From left to right, swatched: Bohemian Chocolate, Deco & Avant-garde

I apologize that the swatched aren't the best. This was the best that my digi camera could take. I don't have my dSLR on me atm as my cousin keeps boring it from me -_-"
As you can see from the swatch, the shadows are kind of dry and bland. Nothing much to it. I guess it's worth the $3 bucks I spent though lol.

I didn't get swatches of the gel liner and the lipstain cause I got lazy x_x"
But here are product pictures!! :D




I'm wearing both products in the following pictures ^^



I used the lisptain as a blusher also LOL

But yeh, this is really it to my bargain finding! I am quite a happy chap! :P

Love,
Cat xox

Calvin Klein Infinite Hydration Foundation Review

Hello everyone!

LONG time no update! Again T^T I am so so sorry! I am horrible at updating my blog, I know.. *sighs*

Anyway, today I would just like to review a new foundation for you! I picked this up while I was on my trip to Melbourne (side note: let me know if you want me to share photos of my trip on my blog!)

I was really surprised when I first saw this product as I never knew Calvin Klein had a makeup range! And also, it was in a kind of like cheap store? Not a department store or anything! So I thought.. why not just give it a try! Since it was only $24.95.

I picked up the foundation in 101 Soft Beige. It's like... a perfect match for my skin.
The foundation claims to be a moisturizing foundation hence why water is one of the biggest ingredients used to make this foundation!

Here are some pictures to show you how it looks like on my skin before and after.
My skin isn't perfect. I have lots of little blemishes and I have really uneven skin tone. So a good foundation to me has to be able to even out my skin tone and not be cakey.

Before


After

It did a really good with evening out my skin tone. It also did a good job at concealing the redness around my nose area and on my cheeks. Also it gave a little bit of life to my face be hiding my under eye circles! Hahaha

The consistency of the foundation isn't runny, it's more of a firm liquid. It's very easy to apply onto the face. Here are some photos of it.

So as you can see the consistency is quite nice. I like that it's not too runny, that way when you apply it to the face, it will be less messy!

As for the packaging of the bottle, I think it's quite cute. It's a little heavy but that's all gravy!

^ Love that! It's such a sleek little accent to the bottle!

So far, I've been using this foundation for about a week. So for, no break outs! So that's a good thing! However, I have notice that this foundation fails at keeping me oil-free throughout the whole day. It does a good job at keeping my face oil-less for around.. 4-5 hours? without touch-up and no setting powder (i don't normally set my foundation). So I guess in a way it is pretty good. Even though it doesn't keep my oily-ness at bay, my face doesn't get

extremely

oily. If you get what I mean?

All in all, i think the oil control of this foundation is pretty good! However, it does not compare to my holy grail foundation - HERA HD Foundation.

This foundation is also fragrance free. So for those of youse who don't like products that have a scent, you are in luck! ;)

Also, another thing to mention is that, this foundation has a semi matte finish. It's not too matte, and not to dewy. However, if you asked me, I would say this foundation is more matte than dewy. Which isn't exactly what I like, since I like dewy finish foundations. I feel like it makes me look more.. Alive. :)

So my ratings for this foundation is

Packaging: 4.5/5
Performance: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Finish: 3.5/5

Anyway! This is it! I hope you enjoyed this post!

Love,
Cat. xoxo

Best and Worst of 2010!

Hello everyone!

I remember reading this post from Catalina at the end of last year (2009) and I really wanted to do it! But I never use too much stuff to know and yeah, it was also when I wasn't into youtubing and blogging as much as I am now!

But now that I am apart of the beauty community, I thought this would be the great chance to do the best and worst products of the year!

PS. I copied and paste Catalina's format. I hope she doesn't mind!!

So now without any further ado, here's my list =D

Ratings are based on how well it worked with my skin! (cause well.. I can't base it any other way right? hehe)


- Best Foundation Experience : HERA HD Foundation [10/10]
- Worst Foundation Experience : Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua [2/10]

- Best Tinted Moisturizer: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer [10/10]
- Worst Tinted Moisturizer: Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer [5/10]

- Best Face Primer: Laura Mericer Foundation Primer [9/10]
- Worst Face Primer: N/A

- Best Eyeliner : MUFE Auqa eyes [9/10] MISSHA Missha M Super-Extreme Waterproof Eyeliner [10/10]
- Worst Eyeliner : L'oreal Lineur Intense

- Best Mascara : Majolica Majorca Lash Extend Mascara [10/10] Yves Saint Laurent Effect Faux Cils Nior Radical [9/10] Imju Fiberwig Mascara [8/10]
- Worst Mascara : Benefit Bad Gal Lash [2/10]

- Best Face Highlighter : Benefit Highbeam [8/10]
- Worst Face Highlighter : N/A

- Best Loose Powder: HERA HD Loose Powder
- Worst Loose Powder: N/A

- Best Powder Blush: NYX Blush (Peach) [10/10]
- Worst Blush: ELF Blush and Bronzer Duo [6/10] Missha M Show Blushers [2/10]

- Best Cream Blusher: NARS Multiple Tints
- Worst Cream Blushers: N/A

- Best Bronzer: Benefit Hoola [7/10]
- Worst Bronzer: N/A

- Best concealer: Shu Uemura Pro Concealer [10/10]
- Worst concealer: Boujois Healthy Mix Concealer [4/10]

- Best eyeshadow: Lunasol Shadows [10/10] Inglot Shadows [10/10]
- Worst eyeshadow: Models Perfer Shadow Palettes [1/10]

- Best Pigment: N/A
- Worst Pigment: N/A

- Best Mineral makeup: N/A
- Worst Mineral Makeup: N/A

- Best Glitter: Inglot Glitters [10/10]
- Worst Glitter: N/A

- Best eye primer: Lancome Ombre Perfecteur [9/10]
- Worst eye primer: MAC Paintpot in Bare Study (only that one) [2/10]

- Best cream shadow: Missha The Style Mono Touch Shadows [8/10]
- Worst cream shadow: N/A

- Best gel liner: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner [8.5/10]
- Worst gel liner: n/a

- Best false lashes: Daisy lashes [8/10]
- Worst false lashes: n/a

- Best lipstick: Chanel Rouge Coco [9.5/10] Banila Co Lipsticks [8.5/10]
- Worst lipstick: GOSH Darling Lipstick [2/10]

- Best face brush: Sephora Platinum professional #55 brush [9/10]
- Worst face brush: Skinfood Stippling brush [4/10]

- Best powder brush: ELF Studio Powder Brush [10/10] Sigma SS129 brush[10/10]
- Worst powder brush: N/A

- Best eye shadow brush: Missha Eye Brushes [10/10] MAC 217 [10/10]
- Worst eye shadow brush: N/A

- Best other brush: Lancome #6 blush brush [10/10]
- Worst other brush: Coast Scents Badger Cheek brush

- Best cleansing scrub: Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Foaming Scrub [8/10] St. Ives FRESH Warming Scrub [9/10]
- Worst cleanser: Jurlique Daily Exfoliating Scrub [1/10]

- Best Makeup Remover: Lancome Bi-facil Waterproof makeup remover [10/10]
- Worst makeup remover: Neutrogena Makeup Removing Towelettes

- Best moisturizer: Shishedo White Lucent Skincare Line [10/10]
- Worst moisturizer: Dunappel All-in-one Natural Moisturizer [2/10]

- Best Hair dye: Prettia Hair Dye
- Worst hair dye: N/A

And that concludes the list! hehe I hope that this is useful and if you guys want a specific review on a product I really love or hate! Please don't hesitate and ask me! I will glady do a review for you!!

And now, I shall share some photos with for from either New Years or Christmas!

Christmas Day =D




Christmas with Childhood friends! ♥



A few weeks before Christmas :)


This was at like.. 6am? We were both pretty gone ;) hahaha

New years :)

With love,
Cathy xox