Chanel Holiday 2008 Make-Up!

The holidays are coming soon (Thank God,) and what better way to get into the spirit than to glitter with hot make-up! Knowing Chanel’s love of gold for this season, following its exclusive Facettes D’Or Autumn 2008, the Limited Edition Holiday 2008 collection continues the sparkling gold fever. It also features touches of beige, bronze and rouge for a warmer, winter holiday feel. The look is about combining neutral beige and brown eyes, with pink-gold or rouge lips, while the face and cheeks sparkle with gold and shimmering pink highlights.

The Levres Scintillantes Glossimer, priced at $26 comes in both shades Red Shine with shimmer and Gold Shine with the pink-gold shimmer. The Gold Highlighting Powder, priced at $75 can be used for the face and body.

For the nails, we have the hot Le Vernis which comes in Perle Rosee, a warm beige-pink and the Haute Chocolat, which is a chocolate gold color. Both are priced at $20 each. The eye shadows comes in many shades and combinations like the pale gold Riviera of the Ombre D’Eau Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow priced at $32 and the Brun-Lame featuring the dark brown and soft brown sparkle of La Ligne De Chanel Professional Eyeliner Duo at $45. For a complete list of the new collection, go to the website.

Cleopatra’s Soft Secret: Milk Baths

Throughout history, it has been widely written that Cleopatra bathed herself in milk baths almost every day. The Queen of Nile had the most radiant, soft and young skin and for this, she was known worldwide for her beauty. Today, Cleopatra is still the glowing icon that many women look up to for beauty tips. Even if it means digging in Egyptian BC history. Milk baths however haven’t just been used by Cleopatra. Elizabeth I of England and Elisabeth of Bavaria both have acclaimed the beautifying secret of bathing in milk.

Milk baths utilize lactic acid which dissolves the proteins holding together the dead skin cells and thus, exfoliates the skin. The rejuvenating baths help to exfoliate, soften and smooth the skin, accelerate the skin cell renewal and moisturize and relieve stress. What is crucial though is the use of fresh milk!

Making a milk bath at home is not a hard task and most importantly, it is a misconception that one needs to fill up the entire bathtub with fresh milk. You only need to pour a couple of cups of fresh milk into the tub as the warm water is filling. In general, two to three cups of milk is enough but you may use as much as you want. You may also use milk powder if you would like. For the honey, you may add one or two teaspoons to add fragrance and nutrients to the water. You can also add sea salts, which I love to do, and any other oils you like. You can also add petals and flowers in the tub for that extra sensual luxury and romantic appeal. Definitely worthy of a Queen!

Some people say that the milk baths leave their skin way too oily. You can use fat free milk instead. The oily skin just means that your skin got very moisturized which is a great thing because it cleansed better and you do not need to apply additional moisturizer after your bath.

As an alternative, you can always buy milk powder or milk bath products from beauty stores. Just make sure it is organic and fresh! You may find milk baths in many delicious flavours such as strawberries, vanilla, lavender and the yummy chocolate. I should also note that cleaning your bathtub is a bit inconvenient after your milk bath, but your baby soft skin is certainly worth it!

Armani Presents Special Halloween Chocolates

Giorgio Armani’s sweetest line Armani Dolci will feature special Halloween chocolates which will be available starting this week until the end of October. The special Dolci are dark chocolate pralines all enclosed in white chocolate coating suggesting a “tiny ethereal ghost.”

Armani Dolci is a line mainly consisting of delicious pralines in five different flavors and it is made from the finest cacao in the world. Whether you chose white, milk or dark chocolate you can be sure to fall into the world of sweet temptations. True to Armani, the Dolci come packaged in very elegant boxes. Besides the heavenly tasty pralines, the line also features tea, jam, dragees, panettone, and torrone. Yummy!

Unfortunately, Armani Dolci cannot be found everywhere. Its limited access is within larger Armani shops worldwide, like the Milan flagshop on 31 via Manzoni and the Armani Chater House on 11 Chater Road, Central in Hong Kong.

Indulge in Chocolate Love: Spa and Beauty

Chocolate produces the same chemical in our brain as the one that is released when we are in love! So prepare yourself for this intoxicating and passionate relationship by indulging in chocolate therapy.

In addition to being a great sensual stimulant, chocolate is rich in over 300 different compounds that are significant for our health and beauty. The dark chocolate is a great antioxidant, containing more than twice the healthy antioxidants of red wine, and it also helps to maintain skin looking young and smooth by providing ultimate moisture.

Chocolate spa treatments are becoming more and more popular and are offered in many spas. For those of us who are looking for some sensuality and passion with our loved one, chocolate couple spa treatments are a must! These consist of chocolate massages, body scrubs and slipping into a chocolate milk bath for two. Yummy!

We can also bring the delicious spa at home for a more private “love.” I use the organic chocolate products from www.sheaterraorganics.com. There, you can find the Dark Chocolate Cocoa Bean Shea Sugar Scrub which is made with organic chocolate liquor and organic shea butter for the ultimate softness. My skin feels incredibly smooth and smells incredibly delicious (and so does the entire bathroom)! You can also use the Nubian Milk Chocolate Shea Butter Body Cream for a deeper moisturizing effect after your passionate bath. The body cream combines rich, creamy goat’s milk with pure chocolate liqueur to ensure that everyone will fall in love with this chocolate ecstasy delight.

What is even more amazing is that Shea Terra Organics gives a portion of its proceeds to support children’s education in Africa.

So indulge in this unmatched pleasure, whether on your own or with your loved one. Dip into the passionate scent and softness, and fall in love!

Contemporary Jewellery: Barbara Uderzo

Now, I have to agree that the Italian contemporary jewellery maker, Barbara Uderzo, caught my eye when she introduced the Chocolate Jewellery earlier of this year. The necklaces, rings, and bracelets were made by chocolate and cocoa and specifically designed “as romantic items for couples to eat together.” According to Barbara Uderzo, it is fundamental for her “to work with meaningful forms, because a jewel’s value isn’t only the preciousness of the material, or the manual execution but it has a special link with the meaning of designs.” And truly, she has made some incomparable designs.

Besides chocolate, her rings are made from wax and wick, wood and earth, colourful plastic, and miniature cactus (Look below!) These are definitely fun, charming and surprisingly wearable. So, whether you want to indulge in chocolate for a little romantic night with your significant other, or you want to show your sense of unique style and taste, you will certainly find something extra-Italian-special for yourself.