Beauty Digest: A pretty case for a pretty iPhone 4

A mobile phone is an accessory; holding and talking on a good-looking, trendy phone is like having on a nice, expensive watch.

The iPhone 4, apart from its improved functionalities, has been wowed also because of its newer, chic design. It simply looks good, and naturally makes the owner and holder of the device... well, look good with it.

When in possession of such pricey and valuable gadgets though, one inevitable feeling is the fear of having it damaged - scratches and breaks are most dreaded of. As a result, cases, and - for this iPhone version  - bumpers, are the first thing iPhoners look for right after they get a hold of their new phones. In fact some probably eye these accessories even before they get the phone itself.

Two possible protection for iPhone 4 are cases and bumpers. Each have their own pros and cons, and choice of what to use generally depends on how the individual uses the phone.

My wild guess is that cases are the most popular choice for protection. They are probably able to protect the phone from the most cases of damage, like scratches and drops. Cases come in a variety of materials, like silicone, thermoplastic, and aluminum.  Some popular cases include Case Mate's Barely There, Otterbox's Commuter Series, Griffin's Reveal, and Gumdrop's Surf Sliders. Those with a heavier budget with preference for luxury might want to check out the leather cases. Some nice ones I came across include ones from Sena and Vaja. The latter can even custom-make them - you can choose the color of the outer and inner leather. SGP's leather cases are another option, but I find their designs on the back cover a little overwhelming.

Bumpers came to life with iPhone 4; they are Apple's first genuine phone protection products, and images of them have been revealed with the launch of the phone. Shortly after criticisms about the phone's reception problems, Apple decided to give the bumpers away for free for phones purchased within September 2010. After the date passed, Apple is now officially selling the bumpers again.

Apple's bumpers come in 5 colors - black, white, green, pink, light blue, and orange. These bumbers' selling point is their ability to offer some protection whole not covering the phone's good looks too much. The front and back sides of the phone are entirely exposed; the bumpers are attached on the sides. Apart from preventing the phone's sides from drops, the front and back are somewhat protected when you place the phone on surfaces, as the bumper prevents the phone from directly touching the surface. Bumpers also provide a better grip on the phone, which is helpful given the phone's slippery edges. Bumpers add minimum bulk to the phone. The downside though, is that protection really is minimum. You get to show-off your phone, but with more risk of seeing it damaged compared to using cases.

Apart from Apple's original bumpers, other case brands have launched similar products. One worth mentioning is Case Mate's Hulas. Hulas' main difference from Apple's bumpers are their transparent sides; with a Hula on you get to expose the iPhone's aluminum band - a feature many think gives the iPhone 4 its good looks. Hulas actually add less bulk to the phone than the original bumpers - they fit more tightly and their colored edges cover less of the phone. The grip however is not as good as the bumpers. Another downside is how the phone's volume and power buttons are covered by its silicone, and don't give a very good feel when pressed. The bumper's buttons are much better made.

The choice of what protection you use really depends on how you use your phone and what and how much of it you want to protect. Personally I vote for the bumper - I like the phone's looks and like having them exposed as much as possible. Bumpers give me so good a grip that I have no fear of the phone slipping off my hands like when it's bare.

And of course going completely naked is an option. That's how the phones were purposely made to look, and simply - that's how they look best. Personally though, that's too risky an option for me. But after a few more drops and scratches, maybe I'll just get used to it and forget about protection altogether.

Image from: itday.in.th

Bestsellers - August: Conditioners

Sephora.com's Top 5
1. Fekkai Technician Conditioner For Dry, Damaged, Color-Treated Hair
2. Living proof conditioner
3. Fekkai Technician Conditioner Salon Size
4. Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment
5. Carol's Daughter Tui Hair Smoothie

Beauty.com's Top 5
1. Fekkai Advanced Salon Technician Color Care Conditioner
2. Terax Hair Care Crema Ultra Moisturizing Daily Conditioner
3. Frederic Fekkai Shea Butter Moisturizing Conditioner
4. Fekkai Advanced Brilliant Glossing Conditioner
5. Terax Hair Care Crema Ultra Moisturizing Daily Conditioner

Drugstore.com's Top 5
1. Clairol Nice'n Easy ColorSeal Weekly Conditioning Gloss
2. Neutrogena Clean Conditioner, Replenishing
3. Thicker Fuller Hair Weightless Conditioner
4. John Frieda Frizz-Ease Care Curl Around Style-Starting Daily Conditioner
5. L'Oreal Kids Kids Extra Gentle Conditioner, Grape

Review: Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover

This was a product I knew I wouldn't switch from since the first time I tried it. This remover is good for all makeup on your face, but I use it only for my eyes - which is most sensitive and prone-to-irritation.

I enjoy making up my eyes - nowadays limited to just eye concealer and eye liner. Before however, the routine also included mascara.

I was loving this mascara that literally made my lashes curl and shoot up into the air the whole day without falling down. The only problem was that it was hard to remove. The makeup remover I used before not only couldn't take this mascara off entirely, but it was also irritating my eyes - not to the point of pain, but it would leave my eyes slightly red and sore. I just had to look for a new remover.

Unlike many other products, I came across Bobbi Brown's Remover by chance. I was picking up a few things at the Bobbi Brown booth when the lady at the counter insisted I tried their then new remover. Quite fond of a number of Bobbi Brown products myself, I eagerly said yes. While she was applying the remover to my then made-up eyes, I honestly couldn't say whether it was good or bad. I could tell that I didn't feel any pain or irritation - which was a good sign, but I didn't have a good idea of how well it did its job in removing makeup - that was probably my biggest concern. Luckily though, I bought the remover anyway.

The moment of truth came when I applied the remover myself to my mascara-ed, eye lined, and concealed eyes. Wow... it felt just like water! Like when it was tried on me at the counter, there was no irritation whatsoever. It can get into your eyes and you, seriously, won't feel a thing. What was more amazing about it was its ability to so easily and completely remove my makeup. I applied almost zero effort - no rubbing needed. All you had to do was run the liquid around the areas you want makeup removed, and it'll be gone, just like magic! I was definitely in love with it from then on.

A piece of advice - use cotton buds when applying this around your eyes. Firstly, your remover bottle will last much longer because you'll be saving a lot of it using cottons buds, instead of cotton balls or cotton puffs. Secondly, cotton buds really help in cleaning out the bits and details around your eyes; you can more easily reach the inner curves and hidden parts of your eyes compared to other cleaning aids.

Image from: perfumezilla.com

Beauty Digest: Doing Make-Up in the Car

Those who've lived in Bangkok before would know that traffic is horrible. For the girls who must look pretty in the morning for work or school, taking the time to do make-up at home would add an extra 20 minutes or so before they can leave the house. Many hence prefer to beautify themselves in the car - usually after they've arrived at their destinations, but sometimes even on the road.

I have found myself taking on to this routine for a few years, and it's worked well for me in terms of saving time, but still looking good for day. There are a few things I've learnt through this experience though, and I'd like to share them with the beauty-conscious ladies.

1. The biggest challenge for in-the-car make-up for me is lighting; most parking lots don't have enough natural light for you to properly see what you're doing. If you think that you haven't put on enough blush, think twice before putting on more. Chances are there's already enough of it on your face but you're just not seeing it. It's good to trust your instincts.
2. The second thing to consider is when parking outdoors. Heat really damages some make-up, so do not leave those prone to such risks in your car. I once came back to my car in the evening and found my favorite (and pricey) concealer all melted and dripping out of the container.
3. Because you're doing make-up in the morning, you're probably wearing your outfits nice and clean. A tragedy can happen if you spill something on your dress. I once spilled some highlighter on my skirt - and it was impossible to wash off with the washing agents you would normally have in your car (water and tissue :)). I actually had to go back home that day to change. So be extra careful when handling the liquid family of make-up.
4. Bring only the necessary items to your car - the stuff that you would use everyday for certain. You'd want to avoid having big make-up kits in your vehicle. I find it needlessly irritating, especially when you need to carry it around a lot - from your car to your house, and back, for example. Leave the stuff that you hardly use at home. Remember that one reason you're doing make-up in the car is because you're in a hurry, so chances are you wouldn't have time to put on that lip liner that you use twice a year.
5. Do NOT do make-up while driving! It is very dangerous. Even when traffic is at a standstill and you feel that there's no harm, you should still avoid this. The light might turn green anytime while you're busy curling your lashes; your focus will completely be taken off the road. Better play it safe and do it only after you've parked the car properly; and the results of making-up while not moving are much better too.

Image from: blogs.smarter.com/beauty

Promotions: Get 3 free samples with every order from Sephora!

Some items on the free sample list -

• Clinique Acne Solutions Liquid Makeup
  
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• Stila One Step Makeup Foundation in Light


• Phyto Phytonectar Ultra Nourishing Shampoo


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For more details, visit Sephora

Beauty Digest: Cleaning My Crocs Shoes with Detergent

Those who own Crocs love them mainly for their comfort, and also maybe for their cute, unique designs. Another factor which helped my decision of buying my first Crocs was that they looked pretty easy to clean. Crocs were the kind of shoes you wouldn't care too much to get them dirty, as they were meant for the more casual, outdoor occasions.

I now have two Crocs - one cotton candy (light pink) Malindi, and one espresso/plum Lily. The first I've bought about a year ago and have cleaned once before, the second has yet to undergo a shower.

The first time I cleaned the Malindi I used shampoo; why I chose shampoo in the first place, I don't remember - maybe it was because I liked the smell and wanted to have the fragrance stick to my shoes (yes, quite absurd). That cleaning session has been many months ago. Since then I have used it extensively, and have dirtied it to the point that I couldn't resist wearing it like that anymore. Cotton candy is a light enough color for the stain marks to be easily noticeable.

So today was my second Crocs cleaning experience. And shampoo is not my choice of cleaning agent this time. I remember vaguely a friend (and Crocs fanatic) telling me that what works best is detergent. She described how it easily takes away dirt and stains... leaving the shoes looking new and shiny.

I took about half a cup of detergent and started cleaning my Crocs. I sprayed water over it, put some detergent on it, and started rubbing with my hands. Perhaps that wasn't the best idea - using some kind of sponge or cloth would've probably helped, but I went ahead with my hands. And in seconds, with very little scrubbing, it was clear that the detergent was doing its job. Stains in the insides of my shoe started coming off. Greatly encouraged, I continued rubbing the outsides of the shoe lightly, and then worked my way with the other shoe.

In less than ten minutes, I was holding a pair of almost spotless Malindi; it looked almost brand new. I honestly couldn't remember that the actual color of the shoe was this light. Wearing them the next time would certainly feel much more pleasant.

Beauty Digest: Hair Straightening

I'm not sure if it would be too much of an exaggeration to say that the invention of the hair straightening cream and technology has changed the lives of many, many women around the world. In a good way, of course.

I have often heard many females with straight hair say they envy the natural waves of those with curly hair, citing their lack of need to get their hair permed.

In reality having wavy hair isn't really that easy. Yes, there could be the lucky girls with really healthy and shiny hair that happens to be neatly curled and flow their shoulders in beautiful waves. Unfortunately, not too many are that lucky. I for one possess wavy hair that is neither naturally beautiful nor easy to control. Apart from the uneven waves around the head, my hair is dry, puffy, and just unhealthy. It neither looks nor feels nice.

Hair straightening or rebonding started becoming a "hit" when I was in second year of college. Before, it was expensive, and not many people were known to have done it. All of a sudden the price was lowered and more girls were doing it, with very satisfying results. So one Saturday I went to a salon with my friend (who, honestly, had nice natural straight hair - but wanted it 'perfectly' straight) to get my hair straightened. And that had basically changed my life.

From that day I've been straightening my hair roughly every six months. After doing it a few times I realized the wiser thing to do each time I went to the salon was to straighten only the roots (the newly grown, curly hair) - as the rest of the hair was already straight from the previous session; redoing it would just do more harm to the already damaged hair.

I've changed salons a few times as well. The quality of hair straightening really depends on the brand of the cream they use, and on the expertise and care of the hair stylist. The ones on the careless end could leave out a few small strands of hair unstraightened, for example.

Hair straightening has not only gave me a new (prettier) look, but it has massively reduced the time needed to style my hair every morning. Rather than blow drying it for at least 15 minutes, I can simply blow it for less than 5 minutes, and then I'd be ready to go.

If you're someone who's extremely bored of your uneven waves and get frustrated trying to style your fluffy hair, hair straightening is definitely something you should try.

Image from: harpersbazaar.com