Want to be let in on a secret………………you can look good in as little as 60 seconds….don’t believe me? Read on my beautiful fellow Geishas…..

From iPads, Skype to Net-a-Porter, we’re the want-it-right-now generation. And the beauty gurus have  been paying attention too and have been hunched over in their beauty labs to create a whole new wealth of fast-acting products. Here are the beauty world’s pick of the best instant fixes!

BOOST RADIANCE

Clarins Vital Light Day Illuminating Anti-Ageing Comfort Cream

Vital Light Day Illuminating Anti-Ageing Comfort Cream is the latest beauty breakthrough from Clarins.  It combines powerful plant extracts that revive skin luminosity. At the same time, a tripeptide (an amino acid that strengthens skin cells) acts long term to plump up and smooth out the skin’s surface. Works in 5 mins.

Roc's Hydra + Anti Fatigue

Roc’s Hydra + Anti Fatigue contains a mix of anti-oxidants to help improve skin cell function and stave off future lines.  It also uses quick glow-enhancing ingredients to deliver a serious radiance boost within 24 hours.

CLARIFY THE SKIN

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Concealer

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Clearing Concealer provides instant coverage for all-too obvious spots.  It contains caffeine to reduce skin redness and irritation as well as salicylic acid to break down pore-polluting dead skin cells - staving off future breakouts in the long run.

Vichy Normaderm Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care

Oil be damned with Vichy Normaderm Anti-Imperfection Hydrating Care.  It takes on average two short days to beat blemishes into submission (with a combination of purifying salicylic acid and exfoliating glycolic acid) and stops shine immediately on application.

TIGHTEN PORES

Benefit Porefessional

The just-launched Benefit Porefessional is a tinted liquid that uses a silicone technology to instantly conceal large pores and soak up any excess oil.  The ingredient dimethicone forms a flattering breathable film over the skin’s surface to keep sebum at bay.  Perfect for morning complexions in need of an instant pick-me-up.

Estee Lauder's Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher

The gold standard in pore-refining potions is Estee Lauder’s Idealist Pore Minimizing Skin Refinisher.  Within minutes, a unique smoothing polymer fills in fine lines while light-diffusing technology evens out tone, leaving a healthy glow.  Over a few weeks, the unpronounceable nordihydraguaiaretic acid (an astringent) works to reduce sebum while chestnut extract removes impurities from the skin’s surface.

DE-PUFF EYES

L'Oreal Paris Collagen Micro-Vibration Eye

L’Oreal Paris Collagen Micro-Vibration Eye delivers a pea-sized amount of an advanced peptide-complex formula to lighten dark circles while its hi-tech collagen biospheres are proven to plump skin.  Best of all is the pen’s unique technology.  The cool and soothing rollerball uses gentle vibration to help stimulate circulation and re-direct stagnant fluid (that causes eye bags) towards the skin’s lymph drainage points.

Bremenn's Hylexin Serious Dark Circles

US brand Bremenn’s Hylexin Serious Dark Circles uses potent peptides and botanical extracts to kick panda eyes out the window and instantly brighten tired, stressed-out skin.  And its ultra-concentrated formula also contains pfaffia (a tropical plant known for its healing properties) to reduce inflammation and stimulate circulation, giving great results in just a few days.

ANTI-AGE SKIN

Clinique Repairwear Lift SPF15 Firming Day Cream

Clinique Repairwear Lift SPF15 Firming Day Cream works long term to stabilise your skin’s moisture levels (making it ideal for drier skin types).  The almond seed protein creates an instant tightening and firming effect, making you look fresher in 60 seconds. Genius!

Sisleya Global Firming Serum by Sisley

Sisleya Global Firming Serum by Sisley uses oat seed extract  to create a genius ‘mesh’ that lifts and smoothes the skin’s surface in a matter of minutes while a gorgeous haul of botanical ingredients, including dill, tiger nut and soy extracts, work more steadily on stopping signs of sagging in long term.

Steamed dumplings!

I went walking around Soho today and ventured into nearby Chinatown. All the hustle and bustle of the various Asian nationalities blended into one huge pot of clashing delight,  Asian delicacies bustling from various shops and the wonderful smells of the cooking wafting out from the many restaurants lining the streets of the heart of Chinatown.  Wandering down Newport Street,  I was instantly inspired to pick up a few vital ingredients to make my own steamed dumplings (or dim sum).

City Geisha hard at work in her kitchen

Making dumplings is super easy and you can get all the vital ingredients (ground pork, dumpling wrappers, etc.) from most Western stores.  There are so many filling options as well from pork and chinese cabbage to shrimp and chinese mushroom. And if you don’t eat pork, you can even substitute it with ground turkey, chicken and even tofu.

My steamed dumplings are filled with a mixture of tofu, shrimps and crab meat. Oh so healthy and oh so delicious. Follow me!

Servings: 24-30 dumplings

Preparation time: 15 mins

Cooking time: 10-12 mins in steamer

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of tofu
• 16 medium shrimps (cooked, peeled, and cut into small pieces)
• 170 grams of crab meat
• 1 large carrot, grated
• One small bunch of spring onions, finely chopped
• One small bunch of coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
• 1 pack potsticker/dumpling wrappers
• Black pepper for seasoning

Combine all ingredients together and whizz up in food processor. If you don't have one, no fear, you can simply just mix in a large bowl.

....you should end up with a lovely mixture. NB: do not blitz for too long as you don't want MUSH

Place a small spoonful of the mixture in the centre of the wrapper. Dab a little water with your finger onto the four corners and bring the edges together into a pinch.

...you should get this =)

Continue until you have used up the whole mixture.

Arrange the dumplings in a steamer (lined with grease-proof paper at the bottom) and steam for 10-12 minutes.

Serve with dipping sauce of your choice! I made my very own: 2 tbs of fish sauce, juice of one fresh lime, 1 tbs of sugar, chopped chillies, one dollop of sweet chili sauce. Stir and voila.

Bon appetit!

Every now and again, I crave pizza, delivered straight to my house by a dweeby teenager on his moped.  The real full fat version from Pizza Hut or Dominos. Thin crust please. American Hot being my favourite. Or Double Pepperoni. You can’t beat a mouthful of calorie-ridden carbs in your mouth with a generous helping of melting mozzarella topping it all off.  It is the devil’s food.  So calorific, yet so soul comforting on days when you just want to go all out and treat yourself to bad, bad, BAD food! Life is all about balance after all.

Sometimes though, I like to make my very own, pizza dough and all from scratch. In doing so, I can create my own toppings and also control how much cheese goes on.  NB: I like to use reduced-fat grated mozzarella for this.

There is nothing wrong with using a prefab pizza dough base, but if you truly love pizza you owe it yourself to taste the best pizza dough. You are likely never to go back to the pre-made pizza bases!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of warm water
• 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons of honey or sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of yeast

Servings: 4 fat slices!

Preparation: 10 mins plus 2 hours of rising time

Baking time: 20 mins

1. Throw all the ingredients in a food processor and whizz it all up to form a dough ball. If you don’t have one, no fear, you can also stir with a big spoon and also knead with your bare hands.

Knead the dough until you have a smooth ball. If the dough cracks it is too dry. Add water bit by bit until if forms a nice coherent ball. If your doug feels more like batter, it is too wet and you need to add flour bit by bit. If you need to add water or flour, do it by small amounts.

2.  Coat the dough ball with olive oil, place it in a large bowl and cover it with kitchen wrap. Let the doug rise for about an hour at room temperature, then push it down again so it deflates. Let it sit for about another hour. If you want to use it the next day, put it in a refrigerator.

Now the fun bit!

3. Put your dough on a lightly floured kitchen surface and put a bit of flour on top.  With a rolling pin, stretch it out and make it into the shape of a pie or square. I prefer square as I like the rustic look =)

Stretch it until the dough is about 1/4″ thick. Punch some holes in the dough with a fork to let the air escape while the pizza is in the oven. Place flattened dough onto a greaseproof baking tray (or you can spray a tray with a low-calorie cooking spray).

4. Spread tomato paste onto the base.

5. Add toppings of your choice. For my pizza, I chose salami, chorizo, mushrooms, bell peppers and…..caramelised onions…..

———————-> Caramelising onions is surprisingly easy!

• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 large red or brown onion, sliced
• 1 tbs brown sugar
• 1 tbs balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the onions and a good pinch of salt and cook very slowly for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from catching. Don’t turn the heat up, as you don’t want the onions to burn.

When onions are softened and tinged golden, add sugar and balsamic - this will start the caramelisation process. Cook onion over low heat for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sticky and caramelised. Ta-da!!!

Sprinkle on the grated cheese (I used reduced-fat cheese).

Pop in a pre-heated oven at 400 degrees, middle shelf for about 20-25 minutes or until pizza rim is golden.

♥♥♥ Bon appetit! ♥♥♥

A few of you have written in to ask me what lip gloss it is that I am wearing in my recent pic. It’s Revlon Super Lustrous gloss in Coral Reef.  Browsing the makeup aisle recently, I wanted a new lipgloss that would give my lips some POP. Now I could always go for the classic bloody red lips but to be fair, red does not look great on me as it tends to “age” me. Now perhaps it’s a matter of finding the right shade that would compliment my skin tone but I’ve yet to come across one that has me swooning. More often than not, I find myself dabbing on some red only to have to mute it down with a pinky shade. If any of you out there have come across a shade that is super wearable, I would love to hear about it!

Now back to the subject at hand, I favour coral shades over anything else. It goes well with my skin tone and looks natural. I am in love with my Revlon Super Lustrous Gloss.  The colour is sort of an orangey coral in the tube, and what you see  is exactly what you get. I find that I only need to apply one coat to get the same colour I see in the tube. It does go on quite thick so I like to wear it sheerly by just dabbing a small amount on my lips with the applicator and then spreading it out with my finger, otherwise it is just too thick and bright.  A light layer instantly brightens my face and looks super flattering.

When I want to max it up though, then of course I go a bit crazy and apply a full on coat on top and bottom lip as per my recent photo.

The gloss is not sticky and I find it moisturises my lips. Added plus is that it contains spf.  Overall, it is a super flattering colour that really adds a real punch to my face. I find that the warmer tones will wear this well.  My fair-skinned beauties will need to sheer it down a little as it may be too bright on your face but you CAN still wear it.

Here is the result.

And yes, I know that those who are contemplating bangs may refrain from actually getting them for fear of being stuck with this look until they grow out to a suitable length when they can finally be swept to the side.

But I  have learnt that despite having bangs, they are totally versatile and I can instantly change my look from day to day so I am not stuck with this forever!

For example, I can still gel it back and slightly *POOF* it up with some volumizing hairspray and pins for that punky look, as sported last week when I was in Italy.

Hair poofed back...(yes, I know, I went a bit OTT with the blusher. In my defence, the lighting in the hotel bathroom was very deceiving)

Equally I can revert to my old-faithful style that I have been sporting for eons of years now.  I achieve this by grabbing the whole fringe and curling it slightly back so that it blends in nicely with the rest of my hair.  Otherwise you are just left with cowlicks. Again, this was in Italy, the evening after.

....and reverting to my ol' faithful hair style

Everyone (I hope they were being truthful and not being polite, haha) has commented that it suits me apart from one person at work, my beautiful gay male friend who I will not name (and not that the fact that he’s gay matters), who immediately says to me “I hate it. I don’t like it”.  He was promptly met with the middle finger.

Happy Monday! xoxox

]]> http://www.citygeisha.com/?feed=rss2&p=7838 http://www.citygeisha.com/?p=7933 http://www.citygeisha.com/?p=7933#comments Sat, 21 Aug 2010 20:16:32 +0000 admin http://www.citygeisha.com/?p=7933 This website is not just about makeup, beauty and all things beautiful! Oh no, it’s so much more than that. It’s also about healthy living, in terms of physical prowess and sound mind! All in all, the achievement of a balance being struck somewhere on the scale of extremes.

All I need in life are shades, a good lip gloss, CityGeisha and I am ready to face the world.

I love food. I am a huge foodie. I love discovering new cuisines and sampling new dishes. Equally, I love cooking at home, be it for myself or others.

So what’s cooking in CG’s kitchen today? Yummy Courgette & Feta Fritters! For my American chums, courgette is zucchini to you =)

And before you clutch at your chest and gasp at the word “fritters”, fear not, they are not deep fried, rather they are pan fried lightly with olive oil. And we know olive oil is full of essential fats which can only do your body a whole lot of good and more. The feta cheese I have gone for is the low-fat version and if you want to bring the calorie content down even more, you can use one of those low-calorie cooking sprays.  I much prefer cooking with the real stuff though as olive oil imparts a nicer taste and besides, you don’t need a great deal either.

I came across this recipe a couple of years ago and it has remained a firm favourite of mine, kept in my  beloved stained recipe book and book is turned to that specific page whenever I want something QUICK, EASY, NUTRITIOUS and yummy to boot.

So simple to make and easy  to whip up when you want to gather a few friends round for dinner at the last minute. This is great served as a starter but to be honest, I had two fat ones with a salad and that was enough to fill me up for lunch!

So here we goooooooooooo!

The following will serve 2 people.

What you need: 2 large courgettes. 2 spring onions, finely sliced. 100 grams of plain white flour. 100 grams of feta cheese. 2 medium eggs. Sea salt. Olive Oil. Salad leaves.

Grate your courgettes on a clean, dry clean towel and squeeze out the excess water. Tip into a large mixing bowl.

Add the spring onions, chilli flakes (optional) and eggs. Stir to combine.

Gently fold in the flour...

...and the crumbled feta cheese. Stir well and season with salt

Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry tablespoons of the mixture (one large tbsp equals one fritter), turning halfway through, until golden.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a piece of kitchen paper.

For the dressing:

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp honey

Place the fritters on a bed of salad leaves and serve with the dressing.

Voila! Bon appetit!

For the first time in my life, I can safely say that I am totally pleased with the level of tanning achieved. And what do I attribute this to? CARRROTS!!!!!!

Prior to getting on that plane, I had been consuming lots of carrots for 3 weeks straight. Roughly 3 whole sized carrots every evening with my dinner. The weather had been good in London and when it is warm, I don’t feel like cooking  as standing near a hot stove is akin to hell so have mainly stuck to a raw vegetable diet of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, complimented by slices of lean ham, hummus, a bit of cheese, olives and one wholemeal pitta bread.  All very simple, all cold, all very lazy prep. Most importantly though, all food groups are covered.   My flatmate asked me, “Jules, are you eating carrots because you’re going away soon?”

Me: “Huh? No….what do you mean, as in a diet sort of thing to be bikini-ready?”

Her: “No, to enhance your tanning…”

This really intrigued me. I had  certainly  heard from my auntie years ago and that she used to rub carrot juice when younger onto her skin in order to tan better but I never knew that there was such a thing as eating carrots as well.

I shrugged off her comment and continued to eat my generous portions of carrots every night simply because I LOVE carrots. Raw carrots. Dipped in either hummus or a bit of taramasala. Or even on their righteous own.

Fast forward to a few weeks later, fast forward to my Italy trip, fast forward to my homecoming and I looked at myself in my bathroom mirror  a few days ago and beamed with delight. Yessssss, I do NOT look dirty for once. I have a nice healthy tan, a nice warm glow thanks to the hot beaming Italian sun.  I normally tan a dark brown shade but this shade is different.  It has a slight orange tint to it. Could it be the carrots coming through???

(this is the best picture I could post to show you my tan, hope it gives you an idea)

I have just done some research on google and learnt that carrots speed up the melanin production, which is the main “culprit” behind the tan, as they are packed full of Vitamin A and beta-carotene. Carrots  also contain many nutrients helpful to the body such as potassium, vitamin C and other vitamins. These nutrients help the body’s skin stay healthy. Keeping a normal level of vitamin A in the skin helps prevent premature, skin ageing or wrinkling and can help prevent sunburn.

On the down side, if you consume vast quantities (about 1 lb of carrots a day), then you run the risk of turning orange (carotenosis) which is harmless and reversible when  you  go back to sensible levels. But I was nowhere to consuming THAT amount! So I was not at risk of turning into a human pumpkin.

I suppose everyone is different. I think I consumed the right amount judging by my tan. Nice brown shade, offset by a slight orangey-glow =)

Purely coincidental that my body was craving so many carrots (I LOVE THE SWEET VARIETY, yummmy) in the run up to my trip. Or call it a natural body instinct. Perhaps my body just KNEW what it needed and I unconconsciously went for the carrots in the vegetable aisle at the supermarket. That’s the power of the Unconscious, my friends. =)

I will let the photos speak for themselves. ENJOY!

Great wine, great food, great meat, great service at Corte dei Pandolfi, Lecce.

Sharing is caring

Yummy Italian pastry for dessert

Sweet Italian yoghurt with fruit

The ubiquitous gelato =)

Seafood antipasti - seasoned, battered and fried to perfection!

Spaghetti with mussels and clams

Olive oil tasting at Santi Dimitri

...with wine tasting of course!

Shopper's delight

Fat girl's food heaven

Rows upon rows of Italian goodies

Pasta Pasta Pasta

Chillies galore

Fig tree

Freshly picked figs

Vino at sunset

For those seeking a vacation to Italy, away from the usual tourist traps, swelled with tourists etc, head to Salento, down at the “heel of the boot” where you will be greeted with great food, wine and friendly people and where the coast is hugged by both the Ionian and the Adriatic sea.  I have learnt that speaking a bit of Italian will go a long way as this region is relatively free of English speakers and you do need a car to get around.  For further information, do check out my friend’s very informative website, Salentoandout, which gives unbiased views of the region.

Click here to also read my friend’s write up on my food heaven experience at the wonderful Hostaria Arete.

Ciao bella! xoxo

Water is the essence of life.  The human body consists of up to to 65% of  water whilst the human brain is composed of 95% water. Blood is composed of 82% water so the importance of consuming enough water is quite obvious.

Man can survive without food for 3 weeks. However man will die after 3 to 5 days of no water.

Humans need water to live, plain and simple. We lose water through sweat, urine, feces and even breathing. This water needs to be replaced in order for our organs to continue to work properly. In severe heat, an adult can lose as much as 1.5 liters of water through sweat alone. The main risk without water in high heat is that your body temperature will continue to rise and you’ll suffer from heat stroke. Drinking water will cool you down and lower your core temperature.

How Water Helps Your Body

• Keeps moisture in the body
• Promotes good skin health
• Transports oxygen in the blood stream and carries nutrients throughout the body and promotes optimum functioning of various organs
• Helps decrease the occurrence of certain abnormal conditions and illness
• Reduces constipation, decreases the risk of colon cancer by up to 45%, reduce the risk of bladder cancer by up to 50%, and ease back and joint pain
• Adequate water intake can also potentially reduce the risk of breast cancer, the risk of stroke, and the development of kidney and liver problems.

How Much Water Is Enough?

It is recommened that the average person should drink 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day. Why 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day? Mostly to replace the water lost by the body during ordinary activities. The body uses two cups of water a day through the act of breathing, another two cups through visible perspiration and another six cups through elimination. This total does not take into account the water lost through exercise, hard work, dry air, or caffeine or alcohol consumption.  In my case, I can easily down 2 litres of water on a sedentary day, and at least 3 on my training days when I am hitting the gym hard.

But what if I don’t like the taste of water?

When I am at home and have easy access to lemons, I like to squeeze some lemon juice into my water. Other times, I will drink it with a small splash of fruit juice or sugar-free cordial. Just enough to add some taste to the water.

Sitting at work though with my 1.5 litre bottle of water, I just sip from it throughout the day and just think about all the good I am doing to myself from lubricating my joints, flushing out toxins to purifying my skin and these thoughts are good enough to spur me on.

Cheers to water!

I had never heard of this product so did some googling on it and learned that it has been featured heavily in Glamour magazine, Shape, and on E-entertainment Tonight Television.  It has also caused a stampede here in London and stores across europe are being sold out months in advance.  What is all the hype about?

As seen in Vogue and Entertainment Tonight!

Well this could be the next best thing to Botox!

In a recent post, I have discussed how many women, including celebrities, are turning their backs on Botox, opting for other methods of wrinkle-fighting methods (click here to read earlier post).

SkinCubed Instant-Lift Peptide Formula, a safe and painless botox alternative, diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles within minutes. As impressive as the immediate results are, the long term results are even more impressive. After 28 days of application the advanced peptide blend in this formula has been clinically proven to safely and reversibly reduce muscle cell contractions. As a result, in clinical trials, dramatically reduced wrinkle depth by as much as 52% is achieved with continued use.

SkinCubed Professional Age-Defying Formula is the most luxurious and effective age control treatment available. This formula absorbs fully into the skin and goes to work at the cellular level actually “healing” your skin from the inside out, repairing and preventing sun and environmental damage. In a clinical study, the active ingredients have been shown to reduce the appearance of wrinkle depth by almost 50% and reduce wrinkle density by an incredible 68%, with huge improvements in skin tone and elasticity. This formula is also a great complement to botox use as it targets fine lines, wrinkles, and tone loss not treated by botox injections.

Liz wanted me to include the following review based on her current experienced with SkinCubed:

I have been using Skin Cubed for a few weeks.
I am amazed with the results.
My skin has had no bad reactions from either of these products. You do not have to use a lot to achieve the benefit from Skincubed.
I use both of these products two times a day, in the morning and right before bed.
First after cleaning my face, I use the Professional Instant-Lift Peptide Formula. I put this on the areas on my face that I see the lines and not my eyes as directed.
After I apply the Professional Instant-Lift Peptide Formula I use the Professional Age-Defying Formula. I use this all over my face.
One thing I love about these two products is the smell, there is no foul chemical smell with either one just a nice fresh light scent.
When I first applied the Instant Lift Formula After 5 minutes I could see a difference in the lines they where not as noticeable and after using it for a few weeks there is a big difference. I have used many instant wrinkle creams before and this one I could actually see a difference I didn’t have to go checking in the mirror to see if the lines have gone down.

The age defining formula feels nice going on it gives my skin this did not dry out my skin. I has rosacea and this is actually helping out my skin tone. My red spots are 50% less noticeable and when I am wearing my new makeup you can not see the rosacea.
With using both of these products my wrinkles on my face have softened up at least 40%. Both of them absorb quickly which makes for a faster makeup application.
My makeup application goes on so smooth. My skin has a new smooth glow to it.

Over all My skin really seems soft and smooth, with no dry patches and far less noticeable wrinkles. It also didn’t make me break out, which was a concern. There were no clogged pores or little bumps or red patches. Besides improving my skin texture, it really seemed to make my skin more even, and there is definitely a glow. I feel like I’ve needed less foundation, and my skin just looks healthy and fresh and youthful. Another plus: It’s so quick and easy, I am never tempted to skip over the routine. Two minutes, two times a day and I see a dramatic difference. The key to success is consistency, so the simpler it is, the more likely you are to stick with it and see results.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email her at lizmolson00@googlemail.com. Or click here to be taken to their official website.