Wish List... Red from Dior, Spring/Summer 2013

 

There is something magical about red color from Dior. I know I had one  red dress from Dior   on my wish list already (it is still on my wish list) and here is anouther one.  This one is from Spring/Summer 2013 collection.  Both dresses kind of similar: the same contrast of sheer bottom and solid top, the same perfect tailoring and red color that is SO-O Dior!  What is different in this look is solid top with peplum tailored like a piece of beautiful architecture.  With its flowy sheer bottom this picture looks mesmerizing to me.

It must be something very special in this number, because I RARELY wear red as the complete outfit, but I love  this one.  Isn't it ironic?  Maybe this is one of those thing when I like how it looks on somebody else but it would never work on me?  Regardless, this one goes on my wish list.
Photo courtesy of Vogue Italia Pin It

My Wish List... Dior Red Dress

This Dior red dress is epitome of beauty to me.  Fitted bodice, sheer and full skirt, absolutely gorgeous hue of red color.   Love, Love Love the contrast of opaque top and sheer skirt.

Via Vogue Italia Pin It

Manicure Tips and Tricks

Do you do your manicure yourself or you go to the salon?  I have to admit, I went to a salon maybe a couple times in my whole life.  I like doing it myself and there are a couple of reasons for that.

First, I prefer other people not to touch my hands with instruments.  I think this is the hygiene and trust issue.

Second, going to the salon requires scheduling an appointment, time spent in the salon, in short - another commitment that I don't need.

Lastly, my brain tells me that this is not really cost efficient spending money on the service like manicure, that lasts for one week, if I can do it myself and spend a fraction of the cost of the salon service.  I would rather spend on on great skin care products or prestigious brand cosmetics that will last me for awhile AND will give me the benefit that I would not be able to get without it.  So, if I can do my manicure myself, I do it.

There are some simple steps that are required in order to get good looking manicure.  

• Start with cleaning an old nail polish really well.  My trick to get rid of stubborn old nail polish around my cuticles I learned from Sammy of The Nailasaurus   An old tooth brush and nail polish remover.   Genius!
• Keep good care of your nails and cuticles with  Cuticle Oil from Boots No7
• Shape your nails with nail file (I prefer mine to be short) and push cuticles to make clean and neat surface for painting.
• Use base coat to protect your nails and make them stronger
• Use 3 strokes of the nail polish (start from the middle of the nail and then add other two on both sides).  I used my favorite red nail polish from Butter London in Box Pillar Red
• Finish it up with top coat to preserve your beautiful polish for as long as possible. 

Even though I was doing my manicure long enough, recently I learned a couple of more trick that improved the final look of my manicure.  According to professionals from Chanel:

• when your nails is ready for nail polish, roll the nail polish bottle between your hands to warm the formula for a smoother application (totally make sense to me)
• to make nails appear longer, leave a 1mm (or 1/32 of an inch) boarder around the cuticle and sides of the nail

That last tip about 1mm boarder sounded good, but HOW DO YOU DO THAT? Chanel experts did not explained their technique on this one.  This is when Sammy Nail Genius came to the rescue again: "Dip a small paintbrush — the teeniest one you can find — into a bottle of acetone or nail polish remover, and run it around your cuticle to clean up the edges and leave you with a nice crisp line."  Thank you, Sammy!  Yes, this is easy WHEN you know what to do.  





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Dior lipstick... Blazing Red # 638

Here is my new addition of red lipsticks - Dior Blazing Red #638.  After my successful purchase of  Chanel Byzantin red lipstick which has cool undertone, I needed another red with warm undertone which I can wear with all my corals this spring and summer.  I decided to go with Rouge Dior formula because it has full coverage, moisturizing, stays long on my lips and does not feather.  As far as color goes, even I did my research on-line before I showed up at the cosmetic counter of the department store, I still spent CONSIDERABLE amount of time trying to choose the right red, but I think I got what I was looking for.  This color is what I call "full commitment" red lips, unapologetic red lips and I LOVE it this way.  For example, you cannot use red Dior Rouge like I can use my red Chanel Byzantine formula when I can just dab a little bit of red on my lips and get it any intensity I need at that moment, going as light as barely pink.  Dior Blazing Red can only be used .. well,  in full "blaze!"  I like how this lip color looks with face in nude make up, because lips make it fabulously fashionable.  I also like that this color looks light red on my lips, very good for spring and summer.  Do you wear this kind of red?

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Monday... Rue Cambon and red lipstick

I LOVE this address: 31 Rue Cambon.  When I visited Chanel's boutique in Paris for the first time,  it was Sunday, and as I captured on my picture above, it was closed.  Yes, in Paris most of the stores closed on Sunday and now I know it.  Oh, well, I came back on Monday and had FUN $$$ shopping there.  One of the items I bought was their limited addition red lipstick that has some gold sparkles in it - Byzantin.  It's bright cherry red color with blue undertone that makes your teeth look whiter.  What can I say,  it is beautiful.  I have to mention though, even with Chanel quality lipsticks, I still have to use lip base product to insure lipstick stays on my lips without "sinking in" and loosing true color.  I use Guerlain KissKiss Lip Lift primer and it solves this problem.  Is it my lips or other people has the same issues with red lipsticks? Pin It

Red Nail Polish... Butter London in Pillar Box Red

Spring is here, birds are singing and I am in the mood for a new bright nail polish.  I know that majority of spring color cosmetics suggest pastels.  This is exactly why I thought bright nails should add nice contrast to pastel colors of the face.  My choice of "bright" happened to be classic red.  This time around I decided to try Butter London "Pillar Box Red" and was not disappointed.  Not only it is simple classic red color I was looking for, but supposedly their product does not contain 3 major harmful chemicals that other nail polishes include in their formula.  This is how I like it!  What is your favorite red nail polish? Pin It