27/07/2011

Brand rave... Benefit

Ahhh, as a typical girl, we just can't get enough of Benefit! What's not to like about the cute brand? It's fun, its packaging rocks, its products awesome and their names always amuse us to no end!

Benefit was founded in 1976 by a pair of twin sisters - Jean and Jane. It was a beauty boutique in San Francisco with a whimsical candy store atmosphere. "Who says makeup has to be serious to be good?" they said. The twins then successfully built Benefit Cosmetics into a global beauty brand, with over 2,000 counters in more than 30 countries.

These are our all-time and new favourite Benefit items:

We love this product so much! And we're naturally a fickle bunch, especially when it comes to cosmetics. But this stain, which we DO use on both our cheeks and lips for the most natural yet alluring blush and pout, has us hooked for five years now! We just keep going back to it. And despite using it every day, it lasts us for a good year and half per bottle - talk about value for money!

Psst, do you also know the legend behind Benetint? Jean and Jane created this in 1977 for an exotic dancer who requested something to make her nipples look pretty and pink. "The sexiest flush you can get from a bottle" soared to cult fave status... today it endures as a favourite of celebrities, makeup artists and girls all over the world. Well, we hear ya!


Benefit High Beam is a pink pearl liquid highlighter leaves a young, radiant, fresh complexion on all skin tones. Apply on top of makeup to your T-Zone area and cheekbones. For a sheer overall radiance, you can also blend it with your liquid foundation or moisturiser.

We've came to be acquainted with this product only recently but we're blown away by the natural subtle glow it provides when applied very sparingly above your cheekbones and at the inner corners of your eyes. There was a day where we had very little sleep the night before and just a dot of High Beam on our cheekbones and our eyes' inner corners, viola! Instant radiance!


Have you smelt this product and the rest of its range before? So fresh, so light - we feel a little smile curling up on our lips every time we apply it to our face. This eye cream fades dark circles and helps smooth fine lines for brighter, younger looking eyes. It contains a peptide complex known to help restore elasticity and firmness, a blend of hydrating botanical extracts including apple extract, known to help boost collagen, and loquat extract, known to help protect the skin from free radical damage.

With a big, bad brush and a rich, black formula, Benefit BADgal lash mascara is like wearing a set of false eyelashes without the glue. With perfect waterproof! After applying it on, we have gorgeous and seductive lashes - so dope!

If you want sexy, smoky, cover-model eyes and perfectly groomed brows... here you go! Benefit Smokin' Eyes Makeover Kit contains:
  • Pink Highlight Shadow 1.10g / 0.04oz
  • Pewter Base Shadow 1.10g / 0.04oz
  • Deep Charcoal Shadow 0.90g / 0.03oz
  • Smokin' Liner 0.39g / 0.01oz
  • Brow Zings (Light) 1g / 0.04 oz
  • Eye Bright 0.90g / 0.03 oz
  • A Fluff Shadow Brush + Hard Angle Brush
  • A Tweezies
  • Complete Beauty Lesson
And did we mention how much we love the cute little kit?

Five-Step Plan to Healthy Hair

Have split ends become an everyday thing where you just cut it off when you see one? That's just a temporary measure and it's time to get to the root (pun intended) of the problem! When hair is so damaged that it snaps or splits, you need to take steps to savage it:

  1. Lay off the chemicals.
    Even the strongest hair can't withstand a full-on assault of peroxide and straightening solution. Talk to your stylist or colorist about how to give it a rest for at least three months (it may require a different cut or daily routine to camouflage roots or unwanted waves).

  2. Shampoo gently.
    Hair that's weak or damaged needs a moisturising shampoo. Wash as infrequently as possible, and unless hair filthy, there's no need to scrub hard - just rub shampoo into the scalp and let the runoff clean the ends.

  3. Don't stint on conditioner.
    Those weekly deep treatments some consider a luxury are now a necessity for you. Consider slathering them on every other day before shampooing then following the wash with a regular rinse-out formula.
  4. Protect yourself.If you can't lay off the blow-dryer completely, at least minimise further damage. Coat strands with a protective styling product, wait until hair is mostly dry (so you spend less time under the nozzle), use the warm setting instead of hot, keep the dry six inches from the head and don't point it on one area for too long. If you insist on flat-ironing, coat hair with a leave-in conditioner first.

  5. Stay out of the sun.
    UV rays dry out hair and ruin its colour. Before going outside, douse your hair with a leave-in sunscreen treatment - or better yet, wear a hat!
Here are our newest haircare products that promise to show your hair some tender loving care:

John Masters Organics Lavender Lavender Rosemary Shampoo (for Normal Hair), US$23 for 236ml
This shampoo contains lavender and rosemary extracts combined with 13 other certified-organic ingredients plus soy protein and wheat amino acids to leave hair healthy, shiny and manageable. It doesn't contain sodium lauryl sulfate and is safe for colour-treated hair.

John Masters Organics Rosemary & Peppermint Detangler, US$23 for 236ml
This shampoo detangles and conditions with a highly-effective combination of 18 certified-organic ingredients. Natural soy proteins and borage oil replenish lipid content, wheat and soy proteins restore strength and shine, and essential oils of rosemary and peppermint provide an exhilarating scent. Safe for colour-treated hair.

John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler, US$23 for 236ml
 This shampoo detangles and conditions with a highly-effective combination of 18 certified-organic ingredients. Natural soy proteins and borage oil replenish lipid content. Wheat amino acids and soy proteins restore strength and shine, while essential oils of grapefruit, lemon and neroli provide an uplifting aroma. Safe for colour-treated hair.

L'Occitane Aromachologie Repairing Serum (Dry and Damaged Hair), US$35 for 100ml
This leave-on serum smooths and nourishes hair. It repairs split ends and prevents frizz. The non-greasy formula protects against the damaging effects of environmental stresses and preserves the shine of hair and the brightness of color.

05/07/2011

Summer of Love

Take a sunny disposition, add tinted lip balm, plus an easy chignon and you're on your way to having the summer of your life! And hold it, not forgetting the all-important sunscreen!

Dermatologists rave about retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids and hydroquinone, but they all agree that everyone of these ingredients is a big old waste of time without protection from UV rays - and for that reason, sunscreen might just be the biggest innovation of all. Sun exposure is responsible for 95 percent of wrinkles. It is the single most preventable cause of ageing.

This summer, Cosme-de.com resolves to helping you prevent that very cause of ageing with our range of sunscreens!

 Shiseido Anessa Suncare Travel Pack includes:
  • Anessa Whitening UV Protector SPF 32 PA+++ 60ml
  • This is a lightweight sunscreen lotion with SPF 32 protection and super mico UV cut powders. It contains m-Tranexamic Acid for the prevention of the problem of hyper-pigmentation and with whitening performance. It can be used under makeup.
  • Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA+++ 12ml
  • Shiseido Anessa Perfect UV Sunscreen SPF 50+ PA+++ is ideal for beach, water sports and the great outdoors It is a smooth, transparent veil that blocks harmful UVA and UVB rays to protect skin from sun damage while resisting water, perspiration and sebum for a long lasting effect.

This lightweight, oil-free cream provides the ideal combination of moisture to combat dehydration, antioxidants to protect against free radical damage, UV protection and long-lasting color. Natural Zinc Oxide minerals protect against sunlight, provide a sheer wash of color and make skin radiant, while extracts from Olives and Walnut Seeds provide antioxidant protection and improve skin texture. A full spectrum sunscreen provides daily solar defense. Contains no artificial fragrance or color.

Specially formulated for Asian skin, Kiehl's Nymphaea Alba UV Shield SPF 35 PA+++ is sunblock cream with a cool, refreshing texture, and oil-free herbal extracts which prevents the growth of free radicals and spots on your skin created by the sun. The unique nympaea alba and jasmine extracts have a soothing, calming effect on the skin. It also contains a blend of vitamins C and E to fight free radicals.
 

Avène Very High Protection Tinted Cream SPF 50+ (Sensitive Skin) is a 100% mineral sunscreen cream provides non-irritating, broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection. It is safe for even the most sensitive skin, including infants, babies, and post-procedure skin.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL Very High Protection Cream SPF 50+ (Dry Skin) is for those who are allergic to sunlight. Extreme UV Protection UVA/UVB protects the skin even the cellular damage by Providing Cellulaire protection. non-comedogenic and tested under dermatologic controls. Fragrance Free.

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