Lick your lips!

One of our many makeup obsessions is lip glosses. We find the sight of a lusciously coated, shiny lips irresistibly seductive. The thought of subtly biting our lips while smiling at a cute guy from across the restaurant... Now that's an image you want to be the protagonist in, no??

However, nothing too over the top for us. Here are some of our favourite picks:

1. Nars Lip Gloss, US$27

This has to be an all-time favourite makeup brand. Serious shine and sexy color in sheer, cream and semi-sheer formulas. Extremely wearable and versatile colors may be worn alone or over any lip product for more drama.

2.  Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer, US$8

Moisturising for the lips while making them look good for an incredibly affordable price of US$8. Yeah, we can't believe it either! 100% Natural. A kiss of color and pearlized shine perk up our world famous 100% natural lip balm, while natural ingredients like vitamin E and coconut and sunflower oils moisturize and soothe your lips

 3. Anna Sui Mini Rouge V, US$23

Anna Sui Mini Rouge V (Limited Edition) in decorative design with chain and mirror. It is easy to bring around for lip gloss touch up anytime, anywhere! Also a fashionable accessories for your handbag or mobile. We also love the signature Anna Sui scent where it makes us feel putting on its gloss is such a luxurious treat!

4. Lancome Juicy Tubes Lip Gloss Ultra Shiny, US$23

The bestseller of all times, Lancome Juicy Tubes are cult favourites. A delicious, gourmet delight for your lips! This ultra-brilliant, flavoured gloss slicks on easily, thanks to its handy tube-tip applicator. Totally transparent shine, plus a hint of shimmering colour makes lips glisten for a glamorous lacquered effect.

5. Kokuryudo Privacy Liquid Rouge, US$7

Kokuryudo Privacy Liquid Rouge with soft in texture, and sharp in color. Your lips are gorgeous and sharp immediately. Lotion ingredients allow translucent but watery and sexy lips. Long- lasting wear. Fragrance-free. One of Cosme.de's regular customers have left a review: "Reminds me of Nars's Orgasm albeit a little too sheer. It is a hair and dust magnet so placing lip balm/powder over it will help tame the glossiness a bit. The color is sexy, though." Elsa Salanga, Philippines

Happy 2012!!!

How was your Christmas and New Year celebrations? We gave and received lots of awesome gifts and we believe the best way to get what you want, is to give it away first. :) We also, feasted a lot on endless amounts of delicious ham, turkey, fillings and bread and pudding. Then, we ushered in the new year by partying till the wee hours. Two days past, our knees and calves are still aching from the hours spent on our feet dancing the night away.

Regardless of how your 2011 was, we hope it was an amazing year of learning and gratitude and now to what 2012 has in store to offer! We have a feeling in our bones that it's gonna be amazing and if you feel it, all the better for it to happen for real, no?

But first, to get rid of the extra flab we've accumulated over the festive period... :(

1. Decleor Aromessence - Firming Body Concentrate, US$76 (100ml)

Based on highly advanced scientific research in the field of aromatherapy, this preservative-free elixir features the proven firming effectiveness of a unique cocktail of eight 100% pure, 100% natural Essential Oils, specially selected for their ability to help maintain skin firmness. The skin is toned and supple. It feels soft, firm and smooth. The figure seems firmer and revitalised, as if visibly re-sculpted. Ingredients include essential oils of immortelle, rose and camomile.

2.  Clarins Body Shaping Cream, US$56 (200ml)

Effective action to help reduce stubborn curves. Body Shaping Cream helps to reduce fatty deposits and minimize skin's puffy appearance in problem areas.

3. FANCL Calorie Limit, US$26 (for 30 days)

FANCL Calorie Limit helps to reduce calorie intake and curb the total calorie intake from food and blocks the body's absorption of fats, sugar and excess carbohydrates. Active ingredient Butter Bean Extract helps to control absorption of carbohydrate while Chitosan binds around fats and cholesterol for subsequent excretion.

 

4. SANA Esteny Salt Massage & Was, US$15 (250g)

SANA Esteny Salt Massage & Wash contains with sea salt which gently remove dirt, odor, and dead skin cells from arms, legs and back, all over your body. It makes a really fabulous body scrub as the salt crystals slough away dead skin leaving my skin (especially elbows, feet, knees etc.) super smooth and soft. It is also recommended for cellulite massage. This medium scrub massage with grain salt brings out the streamlined body! With Black Currant (Cassis) scent. 

 

5. Bliss Fat Girl Scrub, US$42 (226g) 

Scrub-A-Dub-Blub! Himalayan pink salt is the star ingredient in the Bliss Fat Girl Scrub exfoliant. By stimulating circulation, it helps smooth away unsightly lumps and bumps for a smoother, slimmer silhouette. Red algae enhances skin repair function, and helps diminish the appearance of excess fluid retention, while grapefruit and peppermint extract provide antioxidant protection and refresh the skin. It promotes circulation through exfoliation and massage. Also it helps reduce accumulation of stagnant fluids that contribute to lumps and bumps. Sloughs off dead skin cells.

Brand rave - Pangea Organics!

Hopping onto the organic skincare bandwagon is Pangea Organics, a Boulder/Colorado-based American company. We love the company's holistic approach that uses free trade and cruelty-free methods. You will never find petroleum, sulfates or detergents, synthetic preservatives, artificial colours or fragrances in Pangea Organics products.

Pangea Organics is committed to using beneficial, organic, raw ingredients, providing open-disclosure and transparency of ingredients and operating under responsible business practices that benefit people and planet.

Here are some of our favourite products:

Pangea Organics Facial Cream Italian Red Mandarin with Rose (dry to mature skin), US$43 

Pangea Organics Facial Cream Italian Red Mandarin with Rose formulated for dry to mature skin, this facial cream provides superior hydration as well as anti-aging, antioxidant, smoothing and calming benefits.

Pangea Organics Facial Toner French Rosemary & Sweet Orange (dry to mature skin), US$37 

Pangea Organics Facial Toner French Rosemary & Sweet Orange delivers targeted herbal extracts that are ideal for dry to mature skin types.

Pangea Organics Facial Scrub Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry, US$41

Pangea Organics Facial Scrub Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean & Cranberry (All Skin Types) gently exfoliates, cleanses, detoxifies and regenerates skin cells.

Pangea Organics Facial Cream Moroccan Argan with Willow & Rosemary (oily to blemish-prone skin), US$43

Pangea Organics Facial Cream Moroccan Argan with Willow & Rosemary formulated for oily to blemish-prone skin, this facial cream provides weightless hydration plus sebum-control. It calms surface inflammation and regulates oily shine while offering a flawless foundation for makeup application.

Pangea Organics Facial Cream Nigerian Ginger with Lavender & Thyme (normal to combination skin), US$43 

Pangea Organics Facial Cream Nigerian Ginger with Lavender & Thyme formulated for normal to combination skin, this facial cream penetrates deeply offering superior hydration with environmental protection. Spicy and sweet, this cream creates a balance yet leaves a slightly matte finish to the skin.

Last but not least, Pangea Organics is also a huge believer in doing good. 5% of its profits goes to Women for Women International, a global non-profit organisation that envisions a world where no one is abused, poor, illiterate or marginalised.

And did we mention Pangea Organics' founder Joshua Scott Onysko is a devout yoga practitioner? No wonder the holistic approaches of the company and the feel-good benefits of its products! Just saying!

Tis' the season to be jolly!

Sha la la la la, la la la la!

Have you completed your Christmas shopping yet? Or worse still, are you like me, who had barely started?! I know. It's nerve wrecking when you think about how many people you ought to shop for and how much you haven't accomplish. Very, very daunting thought.

But well, we have to get started somehow and for the lovely women in your life, what better way then getting them looking and smelling good? And trust me, no woman, absolutely no woman doesn't love a good beauty product as gift. We have some for your pickings... But try not to keep them to yourself and be the good friend, daughter/son, sister/brother wife/husband that you are!

Guerlain Meteorites Poudre D'or Exceptional Pressed Powder, US$126 (Limited Edition)

Guerlain Meteorites Poudre D'or Exceptional Pressed Powder (Refillable) is a stunning mix of beige/gold illuminating powder accented with lavender, pink and white bees, all in a stunning collector compact decorated with real black Swarovski crystals. A surprising new powder design featuring imperial bees.

L'Occitane Immortelle Skincare Travel Set, US$28 

 

 L'Occitane Immortelle Skincare Travel Set includes:

• Immortelle Biologique Brightening Cleansing Foam 50ml
L'Occitane Immortelle Brightening Cleansing Foam is a gentle face cleanser that's enriched with Immortelle floral water and citrus fruit peel to lighten and brighten the complexion. It lathers away impurities, make-up, and accumulation of daily or nightly residue. For all skin types.
• Immortelle Biologique Essential Water Face 30ml
L'Occitane Immortelle Essential Water Face is a toner with anti-aging benefits: Formulated with Immortelle floral water, this toner removes traces of make-up and impurities and continues the anti-aging process. Alcohol free and enriched with moisturizing agents, toning Green Tea extract and firming Centella Asiatica, the face is pleasantly refreshed, toned and the skin is firmed. Apply after Foaming Milk, or on its own for instant freshness.
• Immortelle Biologique Precious Cream 3ml
Precious Cream is a smooth, light, fondant-textured skincare treatment for daily use and is suitable for normal to dry skins. Immortelle essential oil, concentrated into micros-capsules for 24-hour release, is combined with nourishing phytoceramides, restructuring vitamin A and vitamin E with anti-free radical action.
• Tote Bag, size around 35cm x 29cm

Jill Stuart Fairy Garden Collection, US$89 (Limited Edition)

 

Christmas night, with snowflakes falling like glittering flower petals. Christmas fairies invite you to their secret garden and enjoy the happy moments! Jill Stuart Fairy Garden Collection (Limited Edition) includes:

• Jewel Crystal Eyes #104 Fragile Opal
Delicately overlapping pearls, glittering like an aurora, give you gentle, delicate eyes. Glittering with a light, cute sparkle, like fairies.
• Loose Powder N #101 Twinkle Dust
A fine purple, like the delicate dust left when a fairy takes off. The softness of fairy wings. Loose powder that brings you pure skin, glowing with translucence.
• Jelly Lip Gloss #103 Crystal Kiss
Like a delicate, fragile kiss, gone in a fleeting instant. Jelly Lip Gloss that brings delicate color and sparkle to your lips.
• Jill by Jill Stuart Fragrance Sachet x 2
A fragrance sachet from which the sweet and refreshing fragrance of Jill by Jill Stuart gently emanates.
• Fairy Garden Pouch, size around 13.5cm x 14.5cm x 13.5cm

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skincare Travel Set, US$38

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skincare Travel Set includes:

• Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant 30ml
• Eight Hour Cream Intensive Daily Moisturizer for Face SPF 15 30ml
• Eight Hour Cream Sun Defense for Face SPF 50 High Protection 30ml
• Eight Hour Cream Lip Protectant Stick SPF 15 0.13oz / 3.7g
• White Cosmetic Bag, size around 20cm x 14.5cm

Clinique Happy Perfume Spray, US$53 (50ml)

Clinique Happy Perfume Spray is chic, modern, multi-layered floral with sparkling, lingering fragrance of Ruby Red Grapefruit, Boysenberry Bush Flower and Hawaiian Wedding Flower. Wear it and be happy!

Masquerade!

We have a little confession to make. We hoard facial masks like Gollum hoards the ring in Lord of The Rings. Especially the deep cleansing masks made with clay or earth. Why? Because clay, with its thicker consistency, will draw out the impurities and dirt that are deeply embedded in our pores that the usual cleansing wouldn't be able to reach.

According to a recent newsletter by The World Of Organic Skincare, mud and clay masks are great for balancing out oily skin – a view that is also echoed by Howard Donsky, M.D., an associate professor of medicine at the University of Toronto and staff dermatologist at Toronto General Hospital. 

According to Dr Donsky, “Clay masks or mud masks are worthwhile.”  However, he also cautioned that masks will make skin feel good and look better only temporarily.  Additionally, the darker brown the clay (mud), the more oil it can absorb. White or rose-colored clays, though, are gentler and work best on sensitive skin.  (Source:  The Doctors Book of Home Remedies)

We've try a wide range of them and here are the ones we felt that worked:

1.  Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Clay Mask, US$35 (90g): Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Clay Mask is a holistic exfoliant and deep purifying cleanser for all skin conditions. The Herbal Extracts in a base of clay is to absorb skin secretions. The appearance of blemishes and blackheads of skin can be reduced, when dead skin cells are also sloughed away.
   
   
   
2. Origins Clear Improvement, US$33 (100ml): When environmental toxins, dirt and debris get under your skin, its waste-filtering system gets jammed, pores get clogged, skin looks cloudy. Nature's complexion clean-up crew gets to the bottom of skins overcast condition and clears the way for it to act its best. Activated Charcoal acts like a magnet to draw out deep-dwelling pore-cloggers, White China Clay absorbs environmental toxins, Lecithin dissolves impurities. Without all that ""stuff"" down there, skin ""breathes a sigh of relief"".
   
   
   
3.  Decleor Clay and Herbal Cleansing Mask, US$40 (50ml): A cream mask enriched with a cocktail of herbal and plant extracts. A deep skin cleanser, it dissolves all impurities and helps cleanse the skin without dehydrating it, has a natural absorbent power, refines skin texture and clears the complexion. It leaves your skin clean and soft. Your complexion is clear and you feel wonderfully refreshed.
   
   
   
4.  Borghese Fango Delicato Active Mud for Delicate Dry Skin, US$58 (430ml): Soothes and comforts skin affected by stress, weather or pollutants. Gives devitalized, time-worn skin a new surge of vitality with clear, youthful radiance. Moisturizes skin so dry, fine lines become less noticeable. Helps form and tone body skin, leaving skin looking and feeling refreshed, resilient, and purified.
   
   
   
5. Sisley Radiant Glow Express Mask with Red Clays, US$81 (60g): The powerful absorbent properties of Clay, combined with extracts of Licorice, Wild Daisy and Rose Hips, gently cleanse the surface of the skin in record time, eliminating surface impurities that may dull the skin and absorbing excess sebum. The botanical essential oils of Camomile and Rosemary in the formula have purifying properites, enhancing the effects of the natural plant extracts. In a matter of five minutes at most, skin is cleansed and refreshed. Complexion is brighter, even and matte, and the skin is refined. The skin appears relaxed and smoothed and the face looks rested. Suitable for all skin types.

If you find your skin too itchy and dry after a clay mask application, throw on a hydrating mask like our bestselling Neutrogena Deep Hydrating Mask, US$18 (5 sheets) because just because your skin is oily doesn't necessarily mean it's not dehydrated. So be sure to moisturise your skin properly after using clay mask!

A smoky, metallic eye

Option 1 - Do it with neutrals
A smoky eye doesn't have to be full-on vamp. If you're an earth-tone minimalist, simply dust metallic eyeshadow over what you normally put on.

Cosme-de.com recommends:

Coffret D'or Beauty C Curve Eyes in 001, US$37

Coffret D'or Beauty C Curve Eyes is the latest makeup collection from Kanebo. "Beauty Curve" series is designed to enhance the natural curves and contours of eye-makeup. This 4-color eye shadow set is featuring a glossy shine that enhances the C-curve from the eye area to the cheekbone to emphasize the eye zone and create large, dimensional eyes.

M.A.C. Eye Shadow X 4 in In The Gallery, US$60

M.A.C Eye Shadow x 4 is a limited edition palette of four eye shadows in various complementary finishes as seen by artist Richard Phillips. Reflects the artistic mood of the Make-Up Art Cosmetics colour collection.

Option 2 - Use the darkest metallic shimmer as eyelinerTo make it even bolder, paint it across your whole lid. Powder shadow naturally smudges easier; liquids will give it a super defined line.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eye Shadow in 81 Beige Velours, US$61

Personalised eye makeup. The advanced texture and the multiple harmonies of LES 4 OMBRES allow you to create infinitely varied and sophisticated makeup effects: matt, powdered, satin, metallic and intense metallic.

Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes in 01 Pink Quartz, US$57 

 Jill Stuart Brilliance Eyes is quad eye shadow compact with featherweight texture. Creates a veil of brilliance for soft, alluring eyes. Beautifully wearable colors and princessy packaging, a must have makeup item for you!

Beautify from inside out!

Our latest obsession at Cosme-De.com is beauty supplements. Almost every woman in this universe aspires for a clear, smooth skin. The firmer your skin, the younger the appearance. For gaining that radiant beauty, women get luxurious skin care treatments. Cosmetic world brings ample of treatment options which are costly as well. In the quest of less costly options, women are showing their interest on various effective beauty supplements.

Cosme-De.com offers a whole range of beauty supplements from leading Japanese beauty brands such as Shiseido, FANCL and DHC. Find our recommendations for different purposes below!

Collagen

Meiji Amino Collagen Premium, US$50 for one month's supply:

Meiji Amino Collagen Premium is a superb combination of the latest trend of most needed beauty ingredients including Hyaluronic Acid (for daily moisture) and Coenzyme Q10 (to support energy for easy absorption). It is one of the best-selling collagen products in Japan and is great for women who is seeking firmer, more elastic and radiant skin.

Shiseido The Collagen Enriched, US$124 for two months' supply:

 

Shiseido The Collagen Enriched uses fine fish collagen, along with eucommia leaf, ginseng, lotus germ, Indian gooseberry, hyaluronic acid, coenzyme Q10 and other high-quality ingredients in this patented luxurious blend to give you younger, better-looking, more resilient skin. Create beauty from within with this collagen and hyaluronic acid supplement.

Whitening

FANCL White Advanced, US$32 for one month's supply:

FANCL White Advance is a daily inner whitening care that nurtures skin fairness from within for a healthy and even skin tone. It encourages the production of fair melanin and suppresses the production of dark melanin over a sustainable period. It's formulated with Oleuropein, an Olive Leaf Extract derivative, it prolongs the whitening effects of Hydroxytyrosol to lighten dark melanin for lasting skin luminosity.

Weight Loss:

FINE Metabo Coffee (Diet Coffee), US$14 for one to two months' supply:

 

FINE Metabo™ Coffee is made from quality Brazilian coffee beans and it includes 3 weight-losing ingredients:

• Chlorogenic Acid - It is clinically proved to have a significant effect on the absorption and utilization of glucose from the diet. If used for an extended time, may result in reduced body mass and shown to have an effect on weight loss.
• L-Carnitine tartrate - an amino acid that assists the body to burn fat all day long. Accelerates metabolism
• Fructo-oligosaccharide - Reduces the level glucosein blood. Improves the level of triglyceride. Contains botanical fiber to enable better intestinal movement to prevent constipation.

 BO Fixer

DHC Bulgarin Rose, US$24 for one month's supply:

 

DHC Bulgarin Rose can effectively modify body smell.This product includes DHC Rose oil that has a mixture of Citronellol, Geraniol and Linalool. This can remove unpleasant odour.