I have been a firm user of Benefit Coralista for the past 8 months, no joke,  the blusher is heavily pigmented with a hint of shimmer, probably the most pigmented blusher of them all that you only need a small amount to add a nice pop to your cheeks . It is wonderful stuff and I am absolutely in love with it (click here to read my full review on it). However I am nearing the end of it and it’s gotten to the stage whereby I am having to dig deep in the four corners of the box with my brush to pick up some colour as there is a huge indent in the middle.  Sign of a well used blusher, I say.

Love it? Or leave it?

Got my eyes firmly set on Benefit SugarBomb. Encased in its traditionally high walled cardboard box, SugarBomb contains four shimmery powders - two shades of peach, a plum and a rose  and they all  blend to create a subtle flush on the cheeks.   Having seen the colour on the website, it does indeed look very pretty but my only concern is that I would need to apply several layers in order to see the blusher.  If you have light skin or prefer a very natural, subtle look, perhaps this might be just the thing for you!  I know that not everyone is a fan of Coralista as it is indeed quite pigmented but I personally ♥ it, I love the coral-pinky hue on my cheeks and I even brush a very light layer on my nose for that slight sun-burnt look that I like to sport even in the middle of winter as it just makes my face look that much more alive. Will have to see if this new Sugarbomb deserves a spot on my list of Absolute Must-Haves.

If you have used this, let City Geisha know…do you rate it or not???

xoxo

One of the things I love to do at the gym to maintain that bootie of mine (fortunately, I have not been cursed by the flat Asian ass syndrome) are squats. They are by far the most effective exercises you can do to have a perfectly round and firm butt.  In addition, dumbbell lunges, straight leg dead lifts, mountain climbers and Farmer’s Walk are often incorporated into my training regime.  And ladies, it’s a proven fact- exercises such as the ones just mentioned do not bulk you up! It’s a total myth.

Now let me leave you with a music video of one of the songs currently stuck in my head (how apt, considering the song’s title!!), I love it, it’s an awesome tune, whenever I hear it, I blast up the volume and have a little boogie by myself…..best of all, the girl in the video has got one of the most sensational asses I have ever seen in a music vid. HOT!

Have a wonderful weekend, bitches! xoxo

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

Palette will be available online first on January 15th. In stores…well, they have not released any information on this yet but I am guessing March-ish 2010??? If anyone has further information, do tell!

Pressure to be effortlessly amazing in all areas: It is now official that women who look as if they have got it all together are 75 times more unhappy than those who stumble through life with unwaxed legs and chipped nail polish. Let this be the year of the anti have-it-all. Other women trust you. Men will see you as more approachable rather than be scared sh*tless at the thought of uttering hello to you. So put your feet up and just give your hair the onceover with a blast of dry shampoo. Speaking of which, Batiste is freaking wonderful…love it =D

Men: Men should be thought as a welcome perk rather than the answer to anything and everything.  Women can do anything themselves and even better, for that matter. In a day in age when we can freeze our eggs until we are ready to have kids, be successful single moms or be quite damn happy being in love with just ourselves and only us, women ought to think of men like a bonus to have in life. I have said this in a past post, a man does not complete you, rather he should complement you. Once you let go of the expectation that life will be all rosy and perfect once you find the man of your dreams, the stress melts away.

Money: Here is how to reduce money stress- buy nothing at all for months, then knock yourself out with the shoes/jacket/necklace you’d kill for! And wear it with a vibrant MAC lipstick. Feel like a million dollars even if you are not.

Whist we’re on the subject of  money, many of us mistakenly believe that money will make us happy, but I know several rich friends and work colleagues and I can vouch for the fact that they’re not the happiest bunch!  It’s what the money represents that makes it so alluring: security, happiness and freedom. To prove that you can have these things without having loads of cash in your bank account, think about what else would provide you with said qualities in life. I’m willing to bet you that family and friends come top of the list, followed by simple pleasures like breakfast in bed with your boyfriend or a walk in the park after a fresh snowfall and making a snowman =D

Emotional riches are on your doorstep…you just need to open your eyes and see them.

“Me” time: We find ourselves regularly going out of our ways to please others, fussing over them , rushing from one place to another in order to meet other’s demands, all of which can lead to a great deal of stress. Every once in a while, turn off your blackberry, iphone, cell phone, computer and whatever else and just say to yourself “FuCK it” and just lie down in a nice patch of grass in the middle of the park and inhale the fresh air. Or lower yourself into a nice hot bath whilst sipping a cocktail with a face mask on…the simple pleasures in life that will lead to a greater sense of being.  It’s nice to be selfish every now and again and to put yourself FIRST before others. Give the middle finger to all around you and just have some ME time.

Now doesn’t that just feel amazing??? =D

This is utter BS. I am a girl. As much as I love to get down and dirty with some DIY and get rolling on the gym floor, grappling a 6ft guy in my Krav Maga class to perfect a self defence move, I still like dress up my face and look like a lady. True beauty indeed comes from the inside but what harm is there in harnessing your outer beauty to its full potential? =D

On the recent cover of Vogue magazine, Rachel Weisz is pure GORGEOUSNESS and is the epitome of intelligent beauty.  Made up to the nines and looking damn right beautiful, it is clear that she is wearing a  shedload of top end makeup and if she realises she looks better that way, who are we to argue with that sort of self-knowledge. We also shouldn’t kid ourselves that we can get away with much less.  So as homage to the sickengly stunning Rachel, here are my top 7 intelligent beauty buys:

1. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Metal Compact: flatterring a range of complexion, it works as a highlighter but is super versatile in that you can use the individual shades as eye shadow or buff over the body with a large brush for sexy highlights.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Metal Compact

2. Dr Sebagh High Maintenance Hand Made- with a following packed full of all the who’s who in the Celebville, this handcream was one of my favourite gifts ever received. A bit of on the pricey side, but totally worth it. It absorbs quickly and keeps active hands moisturised, firm and youthful looking.

Dr Sebagh High Maintenance Hand Made

3. Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Eye Cubes: A late night? A long flight? An early start? An eye cream often isn’t enough. Blitz wrinkles, dark circles and under-eye baggage with these cubes. Keep them in the freezer and rub them over tired eyes.

Anne Semonin Eye Express Radiance Eye Cubes

4. Ole Henriksen Africa Red Tea Body Cocktail Kit- I discovered Ole Henriksen earlier this year and LOVE their African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser so would highly recommend the rest of their product line. Their distinctive pure products have a refreshing quality. This cocktail kit is an at-home spa treatment: scrub, body mask and self-heating body souffle. Sounds just about edible….yummm.

Ole Henriksen Africa Red Tea Body Cocktail Kit

5. MAC lipstick in Russian Red: Nothing screams VIXEN and GLAMOUR more than murder red lips. This is THE lipstick I turn to when I want to feel my sexiest. A powerful statement lip that will never go out of fashion.

MAC lipstick in Russian Red

6. John Masters Organics Hair Reconstructor: Honey & hibiscus extracts and 14 other certified-organic extracts and plant oils bring life back to very dry or damaged hair. I use a good sized amount on my ends and leave it on for 4 minutes before rinsing clean.

John Masters Organics Hair Reconstructor

7. Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex: One of the best selling products from Estee Lauder and it’s not hard to see why. This age-defying serum helps to continuously repair the appearance of past damage caused by every major environmental assault. Slather this on every day and reap the benefits.

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex

Happy Monday people! xoxo

This limited edition consists of the following new stuff:

* 2 new Vitamin C Lip Smoothies
* High Lengths Mascara
* Face Color Compact
* Eye Shadow Compact

Clinique Fresh Picked Eye Shadow- Berry

Clinique Fresh Picked Eye Shadow- Pear

Clinique Fresh Picked Allover Colour

Clinique Vitamin C Lip Smoothies

High Lengths Mascara

Loving the floral patterns!!!!! Can’t wait for Spring 2010 to roll around….Just need to get through the cold winter first…brrrrrrrrrr…. xoxo

Christmas  has been and gone and boy was it a flying visit or what??!!!! And along with it, New Year’s Eve celebrations. It seems like both were over in the blink of an eye and well before you could say “Give me another portion of fois gras!!”. That’s liverwurst for my American friends and sorry if that sounded patronising but I once said fois gras to an American buddy of mine and he didn’t understand what it was. Commoner =D

Hope you’ve all had a great Christmas celebration with your cherished families and friends and a good start to the New Year. I went back to Paris to be with the family and I truly enjoyed my four days there. Arrived there on Christmas Eve around noon and stayed until Sunday evening.  Nonstop eating, mouth stuffed full of delicious fois gras that just melts in your mouth, lots of dessert wine and the obligatory chocolate binge.  As my sister’s birthday is on Boxing day, our Christmas every year seems to be more debauched than most people’s.  So Xmas eve dinner with my sister’s inlaws followed by our traditional family gathering on Christmas day followed by a birthday celebration, oh dear angels around me, bless my poor little stomach and liver… But was every mouthful of fois gras worth it? F*ck yeah.

This is totally the one time of the year when I go all out and let my hair down. =D

Moving on the side of shopping in Gay Parrrris, I have come back with a small haul of goodies picked up from my favourite candy shop, Sephora.  If money was no object and I had stacks and stacks of shelves in my little flat, I would buy out the entire store. Freaking love Sephora.  Here’s what I picked up (from left to right in picture below)

Sephora big fat retractable powder brush (used for bronzer)

Sephora retractable foundation brush (used as a contour brush to create them cheekbones)

Sephora Waterproof Triple Action Mascara in black

Sephora Ultra-Shine Lip Gloss in 16

and lastly a lippy, which I am aware is not from the Sephora range but I did get it there, from Urban Decay in Lovechild.

Apologies for the fingerprints....=D

Also my younger sister has introduced me to Bourgeois’ new range called UNE NATURAL BEAUTY, released in September 2009, which is just packed full of natural hues, so if you are not a fan of bright colours and obvious streaks of shades painted on your lips, eyes and cheeks, then check out this label. In addition, 100% of the ingredients come from natural origins, are paraben and silicon-free and packaging is eco-friendly.  Brownie points earned! I was given the following:

UNE Sheer Lips balm in S03, which is a plum coloured lip balm that looks dark at first glance but goes on quite sheer. Beautiful stuff.

Here is their full range of products:

Unfortunately, UNE is only available in France.  Bummer, looks like I will have to ask my sis to stock up on stuff for me.

Hope eveyone has had a good start to the week, most of us are back at work this week and hope it’s not been too hard =D xoxo

I’ve received quite a few emails now asking me what I do exactly at the gym. I normally hit the gym during my lunch hour and discovered classes about two years ago after having been a gym hermit for the past 16 years  as I would do my own solitary workouts on the machines.   However one fine day, I did a spinning class and I have not looked back since.   I am now a firm believer in classes as they motivate you so much more and there is a great ambience esp when the right music is played as it gets you going! Here’s a breakdown of my weekly routine:

Monday: Circuit training (45 min class)

Tuesday: Kickboxing (45 min class)

Wednesday: Circuit training (45 min class)

Thursday: Kickboxing (45 min class)

Friday: Interval training on the treadmill (20 mins)

What is circuit training? Click here to read my earlier post on it. And what is interval training I hear you ask? Well click here my friend to get the low down.

My weekends are my off-days where I give my body a rest and eat whatever the f*** I want =D With the party season in full swing though, I have missed the odd lunchtime workout due to a departmental lunch here and there but will make up for it by hitting a class in the evening. Either that or push myself extra hard the next day.  With all these little disciplinary actions in place, I am able to have a few glasses of eggnog and mulled wine a couple of evenings a week and enjoy Christmas yummies and chocolates without feeling like a heiffer.  It’s Christmas time, people, enjoy yourselves and if you are not an avid gym-goer, stop stressing yourselves out…New Year’s resolutions will take care of that.  But here are some tips to see you through the winter season:

• Be realistic. Don’t try to lose weight over the holidays. Focus on maintaining your weight, rather than losing weight, during this time of year. You don’t want to feel deprived. Instead, look for ways to eat smart and in moderation.
• Eat small servings of foods you do like, and pass on the ones that don’t really appeal to you
• After dinner, do something active, like taking a walk, to work off the caloric damage.
• Keep healthy snacks available to help you avoid temptation in the office, like walnuts, almonds, or cashews. Often a small handful of nuts will be satisfying, and keep cravings at bay.
• When it’s cold outside, it feels good to warm our insides. Start your day with a high fiber cereal, like oatmeal. Have soup for lunch.
• Don’t go to Xmas parties on an empty stomach. Have a light snack beforehand.
• And if you are drinking, have a glass of water in between each glass of yummy mulled wine.

Happy Holidays everyone and remember to wrap up warm! xoxo

Shiseido has released their new Jelly Shine lip glosses, available in 6 delectable shades.  We all know that a hint of shimmer and glitter give you the illusion of fuller smackers so for all of us Megan-Fox or Angelina Jolie lovers, we can look an inch closer like our idols. Well, doesn’t hurt to dream a little right?  Sigh……make the most of your lips girlies, slick this on and watch them boys flock to you like bees to honey…

The only downside to this wonderful product is that it’s only available in Asia! Bummer….. Perhaps you may find it on Ebay or get your friends in Asia to pick one up for you?

xoxo

MAC stuff can indeed be pricey stuff for some of you and for those that can splash out on this brand, you may not live near a MAC Pro store to be able to pick up certain products such as the Mixing Medium that I recently talked about (click here to read earlier post) but here is an INGENIOUS way of making your very own mixing medium in the comfort of your own home.  Thanks very much to Purze Buzz for this!

I couldn’t believe how EASYYYYYYYY it was to make this. No more having to splash out big bucks on MAC’s own product when I can concoct my very own! Perfect for intensifying eye makeup and here’s a look I did recently for my work Christmas party by first dipping my brush into the solution, then into the pot of smokey black loose powder and dabbing it onto eyelids, dragging it outwards and upwards to create a feline effect. Make sure you fluff away at edges to get rid of any harsh lines.

Click on image to enlarge

Office Xmas Party- with the feuding Gallaghers =D

What you will need:

♥ Glycerin, found at any drug store. Can be bought at Rite Aid. Here in the UK, you can easily find it at Boots in the cough medicine section.
♥ Small container (this is where you will store your mixing medium)
♥ Water

Use a small measuring cup, such a as medicine cup and start mixing. For every one part glycerin, use three times as much water. Shake it up and voila! Homemade Mixing Medium.

Example:

1/4 Tablespoon of Glycerin

3/4 Tablespoon of Water

Larger Scale Example:

1 Cup Glycerin

3 Cups Water

You can use this to mix with your powdered shadows and MAC pigments, mix some together on the back of your hand and then apply to lid.

What Mixing Medium can be used for:

♥ Create a more intense shadow- Loose or in pot
(Be careful not to mess up your shadow pot, only use 1/4-1/2 side of your shadow pot to avoid the whole thing getting wet)

♥ Great for eyeliner

♥ Great for small glitter applications