Visitation

My grandpa's visitation was today.
I woke up at 11:30am talked to Alec till 1:30pm when he had to leave for a movie with two of his buddies from forever ago.
I finished Vamps the other day, and started Ghostgirl by Tonya Hurley.

From what i've read i'm going to love it.
The first page she made a reference to 'Why can't I be you' by The Cure, and later in the book she talks about The Birthday Party, Bauhaus and Dead Can Dance.
♥♥♥♥
I was like.... holy crap. This is going to be amazingly awesome.
I went to Alec's house after the Visitation, cried a bit and we ate at Applebees.
He kept worrying about me, which I thought was cute.
We talked some more about next summer, about how much to save up and stuff for when we move in together.
I bought another book today.
I read too much.
Actually no, you can't read too much.
Reading is too awesome to be excessive.
♥

Reinterpreting the Shirt Dress

Shirt dresses are the best. They are smart, sophisticated but still very feminine and daytime perfect. Tailored, clean cut, prim and pretty, they are the sisters to classic DVF wrap dresses (and can even be worn by girls less well endowed in the chest area!). These kind of shirt dresses, like the ones shown from Ralph Lauren, will never go out of style. But in a more casual atmosphere, as I almost always find myself in, sometimes these shirt dresses make me feel slightly too dressed up, even if they are designed to be perfect for the daytime- like a sore thumb who somehow landed on the streets from the country club.
Luckily for me, the newly updated shirt dress this season neatly solves my dilemma. They are less structured, more casual, with fun, youthful details. And yet they still manage to maintain the very proper and put together effect of a classic shirt dress! These two are from DVF (left) and Sass & Bide (right). I especially love how they made it into a high collar instead on the Sass & Bide dress.
Over at Paul and Joe Sister (left) and Derek Lam 3.1 (right), they turned in the buttons and switched it for laces . Usually I'm not a fan of this type of lacing up (too Pocahontas!), but I think it works here. It gives it a more casual, outdoor-sy feeling to the whole look.
Here are two of my favourite reinterpretations of the shirt dress from Top Shop (left) and Corey Lynn Calter from Nordstrom (right). The Top Shop dress barely looks like a shirt dress with its wide round collar, bubbly sleeves and scrunching. But all the crucial elements are still there. With the right accessories i.e. big colorful necklace, this dress would look so cool and now. Going in the opposite direction, the dress from Nordstrom is loose but still structured in a futuristic kind of way. The addition of the bright yellow belt is absolutely genius. It completes the look. I DEFINITELY wouldn't mind owning this dress!

Image Source: Ralph Lauren, Paul and Joe Sister, Top Shop, Nordstrom and Net a Porter

My Grandpa

Died early this morning in the hospital.
I've been in shock most of the time. Random crying fits and then being nearly 'fine'.
I've been worrying Alec because of it.
I really don't know what to do or say. I'm not much of a conversationalist during these times.
I loved my grandpa.
He just turned 80 almost 10 days before his death.
That was the last time I saw him, he's being cremated.
He died of a heartattack.
But he had a stroke, went blind in one eye, and had two other heartattacks just within the last four months.
My grandpa was always a fighter though.
So yeah.
Alec got to stay till 11:30pm, because his mom was worried about me.
So she wanted him to be there, but he couldn't stay over, of course.
One of the last things my Grandpa said to me was that he was proud of me for completing high school this year and he's happy i'm going to college.
And that he loved me.
My Grandpa was born in 1928, he saw a lot.
And endured a lot, he couldn't read.
And if I see a picture of him, I burst into tears.


I miss my grandpa.

Urban Renewal

I usually walk past the Urban Renewal section of Urban Outfitters, thinking it is vintage stuff, which is not really my thing (not unless they come from a member of my family anyway). At the back of my head, I'd always wondered exactly how they got so many vintage items of the same style in different sizes together in one place. I mean, aren't vintage items supposed to be unique? But I'd never really been interested enough to read the fine print on their website and find out how. It wasn't until my friend mentioned it the other day that I realized what it was. Apparently what they do is collect vintage clothes/fabric and put them together to form new, more updated clothes. That is how they come up with so many pieces of the same style in different sizes. You can buy it at the store or online, where they claim you can even choose colors and they'd make you a completely unique piece using different materials in the same cutting as shown. The whole idea is to re-use materials and it has been around for over 20 years (before the whole go green craze!)- I didn't even know that Urban Outfitters have been around for over 20 years, let alone this division.
One of the reasons I don't like vintage clothes is that whenever I see them they almost always look very dated, hippie and bohemian like, which is so over - thank god! And indeed they do have such stereotypical vintage clothing in this collection here (above: ugh). In fact, most of the collection is like this and I was not impressed. However, there were a few pieces that are intriguing- like this denim vest (right). The extra trimming is quite sharp and refreshing! I'm not really sure how this black blazer (left) is vintage, but I like the cutting.
The ruffled tunic shirt (left) is feminine and romantic looking. Perfect paired with that crisp cropped blazer above! And the floral skirt is cute, reminds me of the floral skirts in the Prada ads this season. Though one should be careful when wearing that in case you look like you're wearing your curtains. Paired with something smart, tailored and modern, it would look stunning.

The thing is though, I'm still not really sure how I feel about this concept of "Urban Renewal." Besides the fact that you still do not know who the previous (many!) owners are, I heard that the renewed material is very scratchy and not very comfortable. On the other hand, we do use recycled paper and bags......so why not clothes? Thoughts?

Image Source: Urban Outfitters

The UV Rays Up There

So remember how I've been travelling a bit last month? Most of the flights I took were daytime flights and one thing that really irritates me about daytime flights is the amount of sunlight in the plane. This might sound weird to most people, and even my parents think I'm a total freak for applying sunscreen before a flight but here's the logic: up there in the sky, there are no shades or clouds or anything so the UV rays are naturally stronger and more direct. And it doesn't help that almost all passengers love keeping their window covers up and let the sunlight get through. I usually try to get a windows seat just to keep the blinds down!

So maybe I'm a bit overly paranoid. But while going through my magazines from this year (before throwing them away,) I noticed Elle (UK) had a "Top Tips For A Healthy Flight" editorial from a few months ago. Most of these tips are pretty much what you always read about, like make sure you hydrate by drinking lots of water and applying good moisturiser *Insert product recommendations, naturally*. So most of the time I ignore these editorials since let's face it, they basically just tell you common sense and sell you a bunch of unnecessary beauty products. But there was a 'tip' that I just have to share here since not most people seem to not know or care about:

"Wear a lotion containing sunscreens. 'Recent Studies show that UV rays can penetrate an airplane's windows. Because you're higher, the sun's rays are stronger as there's less proection from the atmosphere,' warns Dr Tom Monroe, director of research and development at Clinique."

See! It's not just me. OK, so a doctor from a major beauty company saying this obviously has commercial reasons, but it sounds logical doesn't it? I'm no dermatologist so I have no idea which sunscreen is the best, but BG and I do love Bioderma's SPF products.

Anyhow, I actually wanted to write this post to rant about people who keep their window blinds up during the flight -just because you like the sun and don't mind the UV rays damaging your skin cells doesn't mean the passenger next to you wants that! OK, rant over.

Image Credit: www.bioderma.com

White Flip Flops

For the longest time, my summer staple have been simple white flip flops. Not the rubber beach kind, but the more sophisticated and dressy type, with actual soles, made of non-rubber material. They are just awesome, because they are summery, comfortable and matches with absolutely everything- perfect for a casual summer day. Ever since my pair of Nine West white flip flops with chunky heels (just the right height!) expired a few years back however, I haven't been able to find a pair to properly replace them.
That is until I laid eyes on my friend's pair of Tory Burch white flip flops (over at their website, they call it thongs.... I have no idea what the difference is). They are just EXACTLY what I've been looking for. While the design is simple and casual, the little gold emblem and the wooden sole gives it just the right amount of sophistication that makes it elegant and classy. I LOVE it. Unfortunately, I've walked through the shop and all the usual department stores, and couldn't find them. They're also sold out online of my size! But while I was browsing, I noticed that they had this design in many different sharp colors, like this yellow one, which I think works great to match/clash with this season's bold color theme.
Another white flip flop I've looked at are these ones from Banana Republic. The patent leather strip and sole transforms this simple, classic design from the beach to the streets. This design also comes in a rainbow of sharp colors and are relatively cheaper than the Tory Burch's (more available too!). The only question now is which color? Other simple flip flops I'that also fits the bill are these ones from Nordstrom. They're basically the same as the ones from Banana Republic, except the straps are a bit wider and have a bit more elevation in the heels. These little details actually help to make these more sophisticated. But the gold shiny stuff on the soles kind of put me off even though I know it won't show when I'm wearing it.... should definitely go check them out!

Image Source: Tory Burch, Banana Republic and Nordstrom

Violette - Le Marais - Paris

Violette 27 - I am doing a lot of things !

I wear no leather, no fur things ...
I found my shoes in USA for 10$ ...
For me Fashion is an expression of the feelings of the moment.
My look today is 1950's.
Je ne porte ni cuir, ni fourrures, rien de ce qui vient des animaux.
Mes chaussures à 10$ viennet des USA.
Pour moi, la Mode est l'expression de mes sentiments du moment.
Mon look aujourd'hui est 1950's

Pierre & Monica - Le Marais - Paris

Monica 17 - Student

Jeans: LORD RICHARD
Top-Shirt: ARIANNE
Shoes/Chassures: ZARA
Perfume/Parfum: "XS" by PACO RABANE
Last book: "Hygiène de l'Assassin" by Amélie Nothomb
Last CD: Alpha 5.20
For me Fashion is just to not go out naked. Today, my look is Black&White.
La Mode, c'est juste pour ne pas sortir toute nue. Aujourd'hui, mon look est Noir&Blanc.

Pierre 17 - Student

Cardigan/Gilet: H&M
Tee-Shirt: THIERRY MUGLER
Jeans: HELLS BELLS
Shoes/Chaussures: NOIR KENNEDY (Shop).
Necklace: from a Gothic shop.
Perfume/Parfum: "Angel" by THIERRY MUGLER.
Last book: "Ensemble, c'est tout" by Ana Gavalda.
Last CD: Rihanna
For me Fashion characterize someone. My look is natural.
La Mode caractérise une personne. Mon look est naturel.

Chasing Harry Winston

Even without the fabulous pair of Louboutins and the three gorgeously fantabulous diamond rings on the cover, the name Lauren Weisberger is enough to make me pick up the book. Not that I think she's a particularly great writer, but because I know that it will be light and fun summer read- just what I am looking for. The whole fabulous, gorgeous people living extravagant and successful, perfect lives looking for love is a bit overdone these days, but I've always felt a connection with Weisberger's books. Even though it wasn't very memorable to some (HG barely remembers it), I felt a strong connection with the character in Everyone Worth Knowing. Bette's story might as well have been the fictionalized version of my future (she went from finance to the fabulous life of party planning to realizing that her true calling was writing)!
Back to the book at hand (at this point, you should realize that there are potential spoilers here). This one is about three best friends making a pact to change their way of lives. One tries monogamy after a life of polygamy. The other goes in the opposite direction and goes on a tour de whore. And the last attempts to convince herself that her perfect life really is perfect. Over all, I thought it was pretty badly written and that Weisberger is now just publishing by reputation rather than by content (this situation sounds oddly similar to the dilemma of yet another bestseller author mentioned in the book!). A lot of times the writing was long-winded and unnecessary. She spent the majority of the first chapter, where the author is supposed to captivate the readers, talking about Leigh's need for personal space and control freak quirks with a detailed description of her apartment. It just made me want to pick up a pen and edit everything out! Only her name on the cover kept me going.

The plot was predictable and mellow. I felt like I was just cruising along the story. Nothing exciting ever happens, because she tries this technique where she just ends the chapter when something does happen and then picks up again after the event. Leigh breaks up with her fiance and we get to read about how nervous she was before the event and her reflections after the event. Adriana meets her "future husband" and we hear about them dating from talks by the other two girls. It was like a whole book of reflection, where the readers were put in the peripheral of the story instead of INSIDE the story. And the other thing is that nothing bad ever happens to the characters. They all lead a charmed, perfect life and everything just magically comes to them, with no obstacles to overcome or anything. One decides she wants to travel the world and a fabulous job miraculously appears. One wasn't even trying and simply finds her true calling in writing. And the other just decides to leave everything she's worked for behind and everything works out. I know that being realistic is not exactly the primary goal of chick lits, but this is just a bit overboard. To give her credit, the characters do each experience life changing revelations (there really wouldn't BE a story otherwise), but everything just came together a little too perfectly.

The relationship between this story and Harry Winston is not a giant rock on a ring as I'd first imagined (and the cover alluded to). The only reference to Harry Winston is a pair of diamond earrings that Salma Hayek wore to the Oscars from there, that a suitor gave to one of them. I guess they were just looking for a catchy title.

One thing Weisberger does do well however, are her characters. She paints them all in a very distinctive but relatable light. My favourite character is Leigh, who has the perfect job and the perfect boyfriend. The thing I love about her most is her control freak tendencies and need to be alone. I can totally relate to that. I LOVED it when she applied sunscreen on her body, then sprayed herself with more sunscreen in case she missed any spot and THEN applied a more expensive sunscreen on her face- rationing that the rest of them will regret it later when they need botox and laser treatment to get rid of their wrinkles and dark spots. That is MY rational as well (although I don't apply quite so thoroughly as she does). Next is Emmy, who just got dumped by her ex of five years, and her dearest dream is to get married and have lots of kids. Having never "played around," she is still very shy around guys and we get to see her get out of her shell in that respect. I feel for every step she took. Then there is Adriana, the fabulously gorgeous and wealthy Brazilian girl who leads the perfectly charmed life. However, even she feels a bit empty, lost and worried about her future. Sounds familiar?

Honestly, not a very original, engaging nor well-written book. But if you are looking for something light and brainless to past time on the beach (or just time in general).........then by all means. It's good and cheery enough to bring a smile to my lips in the end (happy endings always warms me up!).

Image Source: Amazon

Bras with Different Straps at the Back

At the end of last summer I evaluated my wardrobe (-something everyone should do at the end of a season or the beginning of a season,) and decided that I really didn't have enough young, casual clothes. Most things I owned seemed so stuffy and old -imagine really boring, plain clothes with boring, unhip cutting. So when I onlined shopped a few months ago, I made sure to reject clothes that were too plain and looked for some colour.

I really liked this tank top (by Kate Moss Top Shop) because it had a hint of colour and interesting pattern on it but it was still my style. But when I bought it, I didn't realise how low the hole at the back was and I liked the top so much I didn't return it. So then I started to look for a bra that was backless or had a ok-to-be-seen-strap.

Why not just show the back of a normal bra? Because I've seen a few people wearing tops and dresses with showy backs like these Top Shop tea dresses with their normal bras showing and believe me, they were not attractive!

Since the UK doesn't have Victoria's Secret, the first place I looked was Marks & Spencer. This bra was kind of what I was looking for. The straps at the back were thin and interesting enough to not remind me of the traditional thick back strap. Unfortunately, it only comes in black, and since the material of the tank top was pretty thin, I didn't want a black bra to be seen obviously underneath.

Then there was this bra. I admit that I've always thought transparent straps as sort of tacky-looking in most situations. (Is it just me?) But I love the idea that the back strap was transparent -an alternative style for the thick strap at the back. Alas, I forgot to buy one before leaving the UK. Now I have to figure out how to wear the tank top! (I prefer not layering with another camisole because it just doesn't look as nice and defeats the purpose of keeping cool.) Any ideas?

Btw, I didn't even consider a strapess, backless bra because I imagine they would feel very uncomfortable and insecure. If any of you have used one, what did you think of them?

Image Credits: http://www.topshop.com/, http://www.marksandspencer.com/

Auras: A semi-helpful guide

So, at Scatter Cashing's request. I have made a guide of sorts to aura's. I will provide practice tips for aura reading, books, and sites that would prove useful in deciphering the colors. And so on.
But first i'll explain what an aura is, and aura is a field of energy surrounding a person. This energy is subtle on average, but it can radiate outwards when the emotion is so strong. That it causes the energy to leak out, for instance when someone is angry, depressed, really happy etc. and generally your aura reflects your personality. It reflects who you are and sometimes what your capable of. It is easily depicted as rising ever so slightly from the skin of your entire body and much of the time it pulsates with the beat of your heart. Thats how(if you ever get involved in psionics or strong magick) you can tell how strong a person is by how calm their energy pulsates around them. Each color means something different, so sometimes it's up to the person reading it to figure it out. Each one differs slightly based on the person. There are ways you can heal your aura or someone else's, as well as finding sickness within them. But thats more advanced stuff.
Now here are some sites.

Informational(more explanation of what an aura is and does):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aura_(paranormal)
http://thiaoouba.com/seeau.htm (this has practice on it too)
http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_2867.shtml
http://www.crystalinks.com/aura.html

Practice:
http://www.worldtrans.org/spir/aura.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Read-an-Aura-(for-Beginners)
http://www.paganspath.com/meta/auraex.htm
http://www.jungandshamanism.citymaker.com/articles/article/4111493/64959.htm
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/430913/how_to_read_your_aura_energy_that_your.html
http://thexgroup.tripod.com/thexgroup/id4.html

Books:
Aura by Connie Islin
The Ultimate Aura by Ennave Institute, Institute Ennave, Paul Throne
How to See and Read the Aura by Ted Andrews
Aura Reading for Beginners by Richard Webster
The Personal Aura by Dora Kunz

Colors:
http://www.crystalinks.com/colors.html
http://www.reiki-for-holistic-health.com/auracolormeanings.html
http://www.auracolors.com/auracolors-colors.html
http://www.psychics.co.uk/aura/aura_colours.html
http://russellrowe.com/Aura%20Colors.htm
http://www.cathyginter.com/COLOR.html
http://www.the-auras-expert.com/aura-colors-meaning.html



-Feel free to ask me to help you with anything paranormal or spiritual.

Day 2

I have finished my book " The Sweet Far Thing" by: Libba Bray.
I really loved the Great and Terrible Beauty series (the book I finished was the third and final book).


It has to do with an English girl who grew up in India, it starts out with her mother dying and how it intertwines her destiny and this guy she grew to love. She goes to a Debutante Academy in England, that it turns out her mom went to, she discovers all this magic she has and that she's the only one who can wield it. And it just progresses in each novel, it is written really well and takes place in the late 18th century.
It dosen't have a happy ever after ending, just warning you if you try to read it. I don't generally read books that have 'Happily ever after' endings, but yet I can't stop myself from hoping while reading it that somehow the story changes and they end up together. Or that the main character dosen't die and leave her soulmate there in the normal world, alone. But, I find that if I do read a story that has a happy ever after type of ending. It irks me. I imagine it's because i'm attracted to reality in a sense, realistic love tales. Tales where one dies, where they find each other through lives but can't be together, where one leaves the other, where one dies unexpectedly and the other lives with the grief. The complexities of the Human enigma. I dare say.
I imagine I enjoy it, it's because I find the tragedy of it all to be thrilling in a way.
After all people try to hide their darkest secrets, people die, and your not really as safe as you think you are. But we hold the illusion over ourselves just the same. That we are normal, that we are safe and nothing bad will ever happen. But they don't know that for certain, and yet they take the illusion of it all for a form of truth. And when something bad happens, they can't fathom why. Because the world is a horrible place, the world is filled with illusion, lies, death and poverty. And you have nobody to blame but yourselves. But it is also filled with a striking beauty, and thats the tragedy of it all. That there can be beauty in what seems to be horrific.

That in the darkest parts of your soul is where you truly feel the most alive.

3 american friends - Le Marais - Paris

Nery 25 - Free-Lance Manager in Music Industry in Los Angeles
For me Fashion is feeling sexy. Today, my look is Chic-Sexy !
Pour moi, la Mode, c'est se sentir Sexy. Aujourd'hui, mon look est Chic-Sexy !
















Alicia 27 - DJ in Los Angeles
For me Fashion is to feel confortable. Today, my look is confortable with an edge.
Pour moi, la Mode, c'est se sentir bien. Aujourd'hui, mon look est décontract.














Sarah 22 Fashion Stylist in San Francisco
For me Fashion is Fun ! Today, my look is with a hanghover, but still hot !
Pour moi la Mode, c'est Fun !
Aujourd'hui, mon look est encore Hot, malgré une gueule de bois !

Li - Le Marais - Paris

Li 22 - Fashion Student at Berçot Studio

For me Fashion is something natural.
I think my look is rather classical.
My favorite brand is Lanvin
Pour moi, la Mode, c'est naturel.
Mon look est plutôt classique.
Ma marque fétiche, c'est LANVIN.

Jessica - Le Marais - Paris

Jessica 19 - Press Officer/Attachée de Presse

Jacket/veste: H&M
Tee-Shirt: H&M
Pants: No Brand
Sneakers/Baskets: NIKE
Bag/Sac: from Luxemburg
Perfume/parfum: "Amor, amor" by CACHAREL
Last book: "Mordre au travers" by Virginie Despentes
Last CD: Bob Dylan
Fashion is to express my personality. Today, my look is casual.
La Mode, c'est exprimer sa personnalité. Aujourd'hui, mon look est décontracté.

Chanel Paris-London 2008 Ad Campaign

OK, I know this post comes very late since this ad campaign is for Chanel's Pre-Fall collection -the images have already been out since last December and have been published in June 2008's magazines, (which we know means that they've out for years in fashion years,) but I just noticed the campaign seriously when I was in a Chanel boutique last week and saw the campaign booklet lying around. I saw the costume jewelry and I flipped through the booklet and fell in love with the campaign. It's been a long time since I've been able to honestly say I love an ad campaign but this one is absolutely stunning.

First off, I admit I simply do not know how to appreciate Amy Winehouse's music and I dislike her beehive hairstyle even more. You know how a few designers have been using that beehive hairstyle on their runway shows? Well I hated most of them. But the way the Amy Winehouse inspiration has been used in this campaign has totally changed that messy look into something very elegant and sophisticated. Coco Rocha manages to pull off an elegant, young, sophisticated girly look with a hint of dark edginess. Just look at the images above!

Usually I hate it when the models are randomly holding many bags or wearing way too many accessories in ad images, but this campaign pulls it off seamlessly. It's got a perfect balance of being gorgeously artistic and being commercial. I mean, after looking at it, I don't only think it's seriously captivating, I also really want a bunch of those accessories! This is definitely one of my favourite Karl Lagerfeld-photographed campaign!

I LOVE all the golden silver accessories -like this feather hair accessory and huge neckalce -it's so glamorous in an uncomplicated way.

Bravo to Coco and Karl for pulling off this ad perfectly!

Image Credit: http://www.chanel.com/

The Vintage Man - Le Marais -Paris

Matra "the Vintage Man"

Tino - Hôtel du Lion d'Or - Le Marais - Paris

Tino 15

Jeans: WRANGLER
Boots/Bottes: Vintage
Shirt/Chemise: ZARA
Hat/Chapeau: Gift from my mother
Waistcoat/Gilet & Tie/Cravate: Vintage
Last book/Dernier livre: "Les Fleurs du Mal" by Beaudelaire
Last CD: Tom Waits
Fashion is a way to distinguish me ... My look is different.
La Mode, c'est se démarquer des autres. Mon look est différent.

Perfectly Natural Lips

I've never been much for lipgloss' or lipsticks, even though I'm constantly being told that I need "just a bit of color" on my lips. I simply don't see the point of reapplication every time I take a sip of water. They leave the most unflattering lipstains on the glass and it means that I'm effectively eating lipgloss/stick bit by bit. I'd also always have to worry about accidentally getting some on my clothes- they are the devil to wash. Besides, they are sticky (lipgloss in particular) and are not even particularly moisturizing even though they look juicy.
But then I keep seeing these perfectly colored lips in magazines and make-up advertising campaigns, which makes me want to give lipsticks another try. Typically I always pick colors that are pretty and pink, because red lipsticks scare me and orange is my least favourite color. But having seen so many ads where models/celebs have perfectly colored yet natural looking lips that are not just pretty and pink (like above, esp love Leighton Meister's lip color!), I'm beginning to think that maybe a tint of orange is not so bad after all. Besides the color when applied almost never matches its color in the tube. The aim should be to find a shade that comes naturally, like the color your lip looks when it has been bitten.

Unfortunately not everyone's lips are the same and what looks good on the model does not always look good on you. I know, because I tried buying the exact same color as the model in an ad campaign and it turned out to be waaay too red for me! So I guess it wouldn't be helpful to talk about exact lip colors here. We can however, talk about the effects to strive for and favourite lipcolor brands around.
The effect I love is sheer with just a bit of shine, which translates to ultra conditioning lipsticks. One of my favourite brand for ultra conditioning lipsticks is Shiseido. They really ARE conditioning. Some lipsticks on the other hand, only add color and actually feel like it is drying the lips instead *cough-mac-cough*. I'm loving this natural hue this model in their ad campaign is sporting. Perfect for the everyday look or to match with crazy eye make-up!
The younger Shiseido line, Maquillage, also make real nice moisturizing lipsticks. Besides their Neo Climax Lip, they also have it matte. I absolutely adore their advertising campaign looks. The lip shades are all different yet still very natural at the same time (well maybe the top left model's color is not quite natural...).
Another favourite lipstick brand is Cle de Peau. My mom adores this brand, it goes on smoothly and silkily.
And they come in the most darling elegantly shaped tubes too. Ironically this brand is also owned by Shiseido.... I guess they found the secret formula!

These ad campaigns with those fabulously natural yet gorgeous lip colors have finally inspired me to test out and wear lipstick more regularly (more than before anyway, which was zero......). I hope it has done the same for you!

Image Source: Lucky Mag, Allure, Shiseido, Maquillage and Cle de Peau