Make up du jour

Hi guys, I don't usually do make up posts, but thought this one that i did last Saturday looked particularly good. It was during the daytime, so I didn't want to do something too heavy.

I did a very natural foundation since I hate the cakey look. I finished it up with a mineral powder and some rose blush and a light bronzer.
For the eyes, I did a a light smokey with shades of ivory, a medium grey and a charcoal grey. I added some eyeliner to the base of my lashes to create more volume. I used a combination of 2 different mascaras to maximize my lashes (no, these are not fake - they are all me!). For the eyebrows I used some wax and a filler.
Lastly, I wore a tangerine color lipstick - I love going bold for the summer time!

Foundation - Vitalumiere aqua by Chanel #20

Powder - Mineralize skinfinish by Mac Medium

Blush - Joues Contraste by Chanel Rose Bronze

Bronzer - Aruba by Sephora

Setting Spray - Ultra radiance facial re-hydration by Benefit

Eyebrow - Brow zings by Benefit and speed brow also by Benefit

Eye Shadow - Scoot, Vanila and Silver Ring by Mac

Eyeliner - Magic Ink by Benefit

Eye pencil - Stylo Ebene by Chanel

Mascara - Volum'Express Colossal Cat Eyes and Volum'Express One by One both by Maybelline 

Lipstick - Mandarine Bolero by Givenchy

Thank you so much for reading this post and I hope you've enjoyed this easy to do make-up!

The Villa by Barton G aka the Versace's House - Part 2

Dinning at The Villa was, in my opinion, a feast for the senses. Everything aspired to activate the senses. From the beauty of the dining room which were almost overbearing for the eyes, the perfect temperature of the champagne which left a soothing feeling, the flavors and presentation on every dish all combined with the graceful service made this an unique experience. You are at Gianni's. 

You are greeted by a fabulous set of china and obviously by the waitress. The amuse bouche was sent straight in by chef: shrimp with a punchy note of cilantro.

With a champagne glass on hand we selected our appetizer and main courses. A bloc of foie gras to begin with... there were notes of chocolate and compote = yummy!

My main course was a beef duo, and the filet mignon with the foie gras on top was just scandalous. Divine!

The desert was also something to write home about, an assortment of beignets ready to be dipped in a cinamon- coffee foam. Sumptuous!

Overall, this will be an evening to remember. Lots of pictures taken and a very pleasant time spent with my parents.

Thank you kindly for reading! I really hope you've enjoyed this post.

The Villa by Barton G. aka the Versace House

For those of you following me on facebook or twitter, you already know I went to Miami to spend Easter. The weather was perfect and seeing friends and family was wonderful.
In addition to that, I had the opportunity to go places in Miami I had never been on my previous trips. One of those places is the restaurant on The Villa by Barton G most commonly known as the Versace house. Gianni's house in South beach remained with mostly all its original decor even though the home was turned into a small hotel (10 rooms) and a fabulous restaurant.
The dining room is intact and everything from the mosaics on the walls to the china used is absolutely gorgeous. The meal becomes an experience, a feast for both the eyes and the palate. Champagne is brought out at just the perfect temperature, the flavours of all courses are like an explosion in the mouth, the service is very attentive and the grounds ... (have I mentioned the mosaic on the walls?).
Since I knew the business atire was smart casual, I wore a bandage dress and added some color in the accessories - necklace and shoes.

Dress - Stretta

Shoes - Jean-Michel Cazabat in black here

Necklace - Anthropologie (sold out), similar here

 

Thank you for reading and I'll share the menu details with you on my next post - Yum!

A photo shoot - how fun is that?

As I've mentioned on my previous post, Saturday was a sunny and bright day here in San Francisco, ideal for ... A PHOTO SHOOT! I decided to come along in this adventure and help with the styling and whatever else was need from me.
So I put some comfy shoes on and headed to Baker Beach. We played with different outfits, hair styles, backgrounds and obviously light: from very bright at 3 pm to soft light after sunset at 7 pm. Edna, our model looked great (she always does) in very natural make-up.
I even challenged myself to take some pictures while Chloe was shooting, so I sneaked up behind her and shot some photos as well. Here is one of them:

Edna is the type of girl that doesn't need any Photoshop, her skin just glows naturally!

Here you can see Chloe playing with the light and the beautiful view behind the trees.

Fixing Edna's hair - just a fun experience overall!

Thank you so much for reading and I hope you've enjoyed being a part of my photo shoot!

A sassy red dress

Hi everyone! This Monday, I wish you all a great week starting today - I know I am enjoying mine. 

This Saturday, I went to a photo shoot with the very talented Chloe Battesti. The setting was Baker beach here in San Francisco, needless to say it was absolutely beautiful, specially with the great weather we have been having lately.

I were a comfortable but sassy belted red dress, ballet flats, and a jacket (it can get pretty chilly with the wind over there). My make up was quite simply, just a bit of eyeliner and number 23 lipstick by Chanel (my favorite!).

Here are some pictures of my look:

Dress - Rachel Zoe in white here

Jacket - Elie Tahari (old) , similar here

Flats - Tory Burch

Watch - Gucci

Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you've enjoyed it!

100% Pure shampoo and conditioner

Since I've moved to San Francisco, I've become more and more selective with the products I choose to use. There is a concern here in Northern California with what kind of substances we are allowing into our bodies either through food, cosmetics or the environment. 

With that in mind, I am constantly seeking natural products that are free of heavy chemicals. However, if a product does not deliver, I don't see the point in keep using it just because it is natural - I might as well make my own homey mix and use it instead.

With hair products I've had quite a bit of disappointing experiences. My hair is thick, dry, colored and curly - the ultimate challenge for the hair industry! I've always been a Kerastase junkie (I still love their products!) and putting that kind of expectation into natural lines almost seems unfair.

I've recently started using 100% Pure shampoo and conditioner daily and have to say: I love it! My hair feels light and moisturized, the scent is delicious and the price is just right. I've done some research on the line and found out they have an entire collection of natural cosmetics including make up and skin care products.

I would definitely recommend the Honey & Virgin coconut duo of shampoo and conditioner which is the one I've tested so far. 

You can learn more about the brand directly on their website: http://www.100percentpure.com/default.asp

Thank you so much for reading and hope you have enjoyed it!

Comfy Sunday

I love lazy Sundays. Going to brunch, sipping endless cappuccinos, reading a great book or even enjoying the sun while laying on the green grass of our San Franciscan parks are of my favorite activities during my free time.

Dressing up (or down if you wish) in a casual, cozy way will put me in the right, relaxing mood to enjoy the weekend. Leggings, jeans, flats and a comfy sweater are great to be comfortable but still look good - I have to state, I am completely against sweatsuits and PJ's wore in public!

So here is the look I had on: a perfect relaxed and cute look. I paired black leggings, a striped button down shirt, leather flats, a little cardigan, a slouchy bag and obviously my favorite sunnies to enjoy the beautiful weather we have had lately.

Cardigan - Zara

Shirt - Polo Ralph Lauren

Leggings - Hue

Flats - Tory Burch

Bag - Coach (old), similar here

Sunnies - Tiffany & CO

Thank you so much for reading, I really hope you've enjoyed it! God bless you!