Art of Makeover

3 Things To Know About Clip On Pearl Earrings Before Buying

October 9, 2015 by Admin

Pearl earrings are one of the most classic and timeless jewelry.

Those made of great quality and fine workmanship can even be passed on to the next generation as a family heirloom, provided that it’s being kept in excellent condition.

*Pre-loved Chanel Pearl Clip On Earrings*

We think that every woman should own at least a pair of quality pearl earrings. Even if you don’t have ear holes, there are plenty of clip on gorgeous pearl earrings to choose from that will help you look classy.

Pearl clip on earrings are also great for people with sensitive ear lobes and are a favourite choice for some people for sanitary reasons.

Before you head out to buy, there are 3 types of clip-ons you should know:

1) Clip On Pearl Earrings with rubber padding

These type of clip-ons are more comfortable to wear because of the rubber padding at the back ear lobe, which will help your ears to ease some pressure off from direct hard metal clamp.

This will also be suitable for people who are sensitive to metal, but not those who are sensitive to rubber.

2) Pearl Clip On Earrings Without Padding

This type of clip-on material is the same above, just that its without padding. Go for this only if you are sensitive to metal.

Clip-ons earrings without padding generally sit more more tightly on the ear lobes, so they don’t fall off as easily. Padding adds extra weight and exerts lesser force on the ear lobes, so they might slip down your ears when it starts to get loose.

3) Pearl Clip On Earrings With Screws

Screw-on clip earrings are probably the most secured earrings. Unlike metal clamps , where the lever might get loose over time with frequent opening and closing, screw-on earrings don’t get loose that easily.

You can also adjust the tightness of the earrings according to your preference.

With the metal clamps, there’s no way to adjust and there might be instances where the clamp is too tight for your comfort or even painful.

There is no way to tell which type is suitable for you until you start wearing them.

Fortunately, there are many quality clip on pearl earrings in the market that come with affordable prices, so you can easily buy a few pieces to try.

Buying from a reputable online store can also help lessen the risk as you can always return it if its not suitable for you.

If you have any comments about which type of clip on material works best for you, do feel free to share!

Some gorgeous examples on amazon:

Why You Can’t Go Wrong With Dior Pearl Earrings

October 7, 2015 by Admin

If you are a fan of pearls and pearl earrings, you have probably notice a hot fashion trend that took the whole world by storm, and that is the doubled sided pearl earrings, also known as Dior pearl earrings or Dior double pearl earrings for those in the know.

Yup, the company that started this widely popular trend is Christian Dior when they introduced it in 2012 and officially launch it into a series call Dior Tribal earrings and market it heavily through celebrities endorsement.

double pearl earrings dior — *Rihanna modelling for Dior Tribale Earrings*

dior earrings pearl — *Jennifer Lawrence wearing a Dior pearl earring on one side.*

dior pearl earring — *Rosamund Pike wears a different color of Dior double pearl earring on each ear.*

Dior’s jewelry line has always been very popular with women around the world and it’s no surprise for them to come out with an iconic piece from time to time.

The brainchild behind this brilliant creation is Ms Camille Miceli, Dior’s resident jewelry designer since 2009 but has left for Louis Vuitton in 2013 (shortly after Dior Tribale earrings become a hit).

The Dior pearl earring comes with a smaller pearl stud on one end that is meant to be worn at the front and the other end is a much bigger stud that is supposed to protrude out of the earlobe from behind, hence creating this interesting ‘double-end’ look.

It kind resembles body piercing jewelry, like how a tongue or belly stud look like.

Belly and Tongue Studs — *Maybe Ms. Camille got her inspiration from here.*

These statement earrings are gorgeous on it own, but you can make it even more interesting by matching them with your own studs. Talk about expressing your creativity through earrings!

The rule of thumb is to choose a smaller stud so that it doesn’t overwhelm the bigger stud (two big studs will look really hideous).

You can wear them on one side, or play with contrast by wearing smaller pearls or round studs of different colors on each ear to match with the big studs, or flip the color combination for each ear (e.g. left ear grey on top/bronze on bottom, right ear bronze on top/grey on bottom).

As you can see below, these are my own stash of double pearl earrings inspired by Dior and I’m having so much fun mixing them up with my own pearls and studs! The original small studs that came with the earrings are not even in the picture.

The possibilities are endless and it can get pretty addictive!

Inspired Dior Pearl Earrings — Mix and Match them with your own studs!

Of course, it can be also worn in the reverse manner (big at the front, small at the back), but this will look as if you are wearing a big and round pearl earring as the smaller stud will not be visible.

I will recommend wearing this way only if the big pearl studs are pretty or unique enough to be worn alone.

If you are thinking of getting the Dior double pearl earrings, it will set you back around £290 a pair or more if you get the real thing.

We are not even talking about real pearls here. Dior Tribal earrings are made of high quality resin material.

If you have the cash, then by all means, go for the real thing.

Otherwise, your next best and cheapest option will probably be the knock-offs, which can actually look equally great and you can even buy more at one go because they are super duper affordable.

Here are some great examples:

Looking classy and stylish do not have to come at a huge price. We can always start with where we are and what we have. Find items that fits our budget and not the way around, and you won’t go wrong!

How To Speak More Gracefully

June 8, 2015 by Admin

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. ~ Proverbs 18:21

Did you know that the our words can bring life and death to those around us and even to ourselves? According to the bible, not only our words have power in it, we also reap what we sow verbally.

If we plant good seeds (i.e. good words), we get to eat good fruits. If its bad seeds, then we end up with rotten fruits.

This is also known as the law attraction, which by the way is actually biblical. We attract the positive or negative, according to what we think and speak.

One of keys to being a refined and graceful person starts with our words, in the way that we speak to others and even to ourselves.

Speaking with class and elegance is not about being eloquent, or using big and flowery words. Its about being intentional in speaking words (whether it is in English or in our local languages) or in a manner that will build others up and not tear people down.

And I don’t only mean the usage of bad words (e.g. cursing, swearing, using expletives), it also applies to the manner we speak to and about others.

Whenever we gossip or speak ill of others, complain, being sarcastic, or saying negative things, we are indirectly implying that the other party is ‘not worthy’ enough and we esteem ourselves ‘higher’ than the person.

Now I have to admit, it’s easier to be said and done.

How do we maintain our composure and hold back our tongues when someone is saying nasty things to us? When the driver in front cuts into our lane suddenly? When we are being cheated of money in a foreign country? Or when are the victim?

In fact, I think I have to be a saint in order to become a person who does not speak or react negatively, even when faced with people or situations that are the worst of the worst.

What I do know is, I may not be perfect, but that does not mean that I don’t try to become better and learn how to speak more gracefully.

And it’s also not true that we can’t get angry. Being angry is human nature and is inevitable. However, dwelling on it and reacting to it, either verbally or physically, is a totally different thing.

One of the ways is to avoid getting personal by trying to see things from a different perspective as much as possible.

Here are some examples:

1) Focus on the issue, not the person

People do certain things because they are actually struggling with some issues, which can be internal or external. Sometimes the issues are so deep-rooted that they can’t help it but to do this.

For example, the person who speaks nasty things to us may be struggling with low self-confidence issues. That’s why he or she has to speak in such a way to feel good or important. When we think that way, our anger soon turns into empathy and we begin to feel sorry for that person.

Instead of shouting back, we can walk away without needing to prove that we are right or feeling that we are losing out because that person is battling with an issue that we are not.

It’s not proud to think this way, because if we start shouting back, it means we have the same issue as that person. In fact, it’s only when we are not battling with low self-confidence issues can we then help those who are.

Think it more like a reverse psychology.

2) Everything is a lesson to be learned

Yes, the person who cuts into our lane abruptly might be rude and inconsiderate, but the existence of rude drivers are sometimes what we need to train up our patience.

I believe that God teach us lessons using people and circumstances. And if certain issue keeps repeating in our lives, it usually means this is one huge lesson we have to learn until we get it right.

How do we learn to love or be kind if there’s no unlovable people? It doesn’t make sense to love a lovable person, I mean who will not love them?

How do we learn self-control if there’s no nasty people pushing our buttons?

How do we learn to be peaceable and diplomatic if there’s no sarcastic or argumentative people who want to win all the time?

3) Guard our Hearts

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. ~ Proverbs 4:23

You see, it all begins with our hearts. What we put in our hearts will affect how we think, which in turn affects how we speak.

Our heart represents our inner core, which leads to our thoughts, feelings, desires, will, the choices that we make, and even how we speak.

If we fill our hearts with good things, then good will flow out of it, including the words that we speak. If we fill it with bad stuff, then the bad will flow out. If we fill it with nothing, then nothing will be poured out (i.e. our words don’t encourage anyone or make an impact).

One of the great ways to fill our hearts with good things is to read personal development books, watch inspiring videos, or listen to empowering/life-changing podcasts that will change our mindset and shift our perspectives. Just like we need to exercise to stay fit, the constant renewal of our minds is very important because it affects who we will become.

The Bible is an excellent choice that offers so much wisdom and empowerment. I often looked up the bible for guidance on what I should do when I face difficult or negative situations. In fact, the book of proverbs is a powerful chapter that offers lots of daily wisdom on how to live life well.

Another way is to stay away from as much negative stuff and people as possible (e.g. news, complainers, whiners, pessimistic people). Hanging around positive people is also a great way to stay positive.

Final Thoughts….

We are actually invest in others by speaking good, positive and encouraging words into their lives. The same applies to our own lives too.

We shouldn’t be speaking nice words to others with an agenda, to be in someone’s good books or get something out of it. Our words have to be sincere and for the good of the person. Otherwise, it’s better that we keep our mouths shut.

People need affirmations to become better, to think positively, grow their potential and change their lives. When we speak positively, we attract good things and also create an encouraging environment for people around us to thrive.

And in turn, you’ll find people more drawn to you as they like you more and see a difference in you.

We can all become a more graceful and elegant person simply by using our words wisely.

The best part is, it’s free and costs nothing.

Those who control their tongue will have a long life; opening your mouth can ruin everything. ~ Proverbs 13:3

6 Amazing Ways To Decorate Your Shoes

March 3, 2015 by Admin

When it comes to accessories, we usually think of jewelry, bags, hair ornaments, belts and scarves. Seldom do we pay attention to our feet. The only thing we associate with ‘foot fashion’ are shoes, where women never seem to have enough of them.

Well now there are better solutions to our never-ending quest for shoes – and that’s shoe accessories!

In fact, there’s a whole array of interesting shoe accessories in the market and it’s amazing how you can creatively decorate your shoes like never before!

1) Shoe Clips

First up, shoe clips are the easiest way to dress up your shoes. If you have never tried them, I will highly recommend it. Not only are they fun to use, they can glam up an old or boring pair of shoes instantly. It gives your shoes extra mileage and can save you from spending money on new shoes!

Some great sites to shop for shoe clips: Shoeclips.biz, Absolutelyaudrey.com

2) Heel Tags

These gorgeous back-heel decorative jewels are not clip-ons, but are sticks-ons. Unlike shoe clips, which use metal clips for attaching onto your shoes and the metal might ‘jab’ on your skin sometimes, heel tags use stickers to secure onto the back-heel so you won’t feel any discomfort. What an easy way to dress up our shoes!

From Heels Diva

3) Heel Chains

Heel chains are pretty chains that you can attached on your heels to make it look like it’s part of the shoe design, how cool is that? No more excuses getting bored with your shoes!

From Heels Diva

4) Sole Decals

One of the reasons why Christian Louboutin shoes are so popular is because of it’s red soles. Well now, not only you can have your own red-sole shoes for cheap, you can literally have any kind of soles you want! And the answer to this are sole decals – stickers for your soles. Aren’t things getting more exciting now?

From Arch Tags

5) Heel Condoms

Heel condoms is the brainchild of Ms Sandrysabel Ortiz, who started the company in 2010. Their mission is to transform boring shoes and boy they really did it with a big bang! Heel condoms are like back heel wraps that will transform the entire look of your shoes. Their designs are daring, classy, unique and mind-blowing. If you like bold and non-conventional looking shoes, you will definitely fall in love with these!

From Heel Condoms

6) Heel Skins

Ok, things are getting a little crazier here. Not only you can dress up your the front, side and back of your heels, you can even change the whole thing like covering them up with a new ‘skin’! Whoever invented this is crazy enough to come out with such a wacky and brilliant idea on new ways to dress up our boring heels.

From High Pheels

With all these brilliant ways to dress up our shoes and a chance to express our creativity and unique style, who needs to buy more shoes? It might be better to save our cash and precious storage space for shoe accessories instead. What do you think?

Clarisonic Mia 2 Reviews (Good Read Before You Buy)

January 3, 2015 by Admin

Are you thinking about getting a clarisonic skin cleansing system but still unsure if you should buy it? I was exactly in this situation 2 months ago and was sitting on the fence as to whether I should buy one.

I first heard about Clarisonic more than 1 year ago when a friend mentioned it, but at that time I didn’t think much about it. I was even thinking to myself, it’s just a machine that helps to cleanse skin better (much like an electronic toothbrush), so what’s the big deal? Why should I spend so much money to get an ‘electronic brush’ for face?

Fast forward to today. My usually clear skin starts to get acne spot breakouts and open pores at the cheek area have also become more visible. That’s when I know I’m battling the signs of aging. Aging can be a ‘scary’ thing, especially for women, it makes you want to do something about it ASAP.

That’s how I started researching on beauty remedies and came across Clarisonic once again.

The pull factor for me was learning that Clarisonic deep cleanses our skin via the rotating brush head, which helps to remove impurities from our pores effectively and prevent breakouts and make skin clear (more about the benefits later).

I finally bought my clarisonic skin cleansing system after researching extensively about it and getting a demo done on one hand for comparison (yes, there’s an immediate difference!).

Clarisonic Mia2 Reviews — My Pink Clarisonic Mia 2

According to Clarisonic’s official blog, it says Clarisonic uses a patented form of sonic technology, which can remove 6 times more makeup than manual cleansing, just by gently gliding it over our skin. This helps to effectively remove oil, dirt, pollutants and bacteria that accumulates on our skin and pores. When all these pollutants are removed, our skin care products can be absorbed better.

While it’s easy to find good reviews about it online and there’s plenty of them, I also deliberately search for negative reviews and comments. Because I believe nothing is perfect and there’s always pros and cons to everything. Clarisonic is not cheap and if I am to invest in something like this, I want to know what are the possible risks or side effects, if any.

Below is the list of common pros and cons from my own research, hopefully this will help you make a better decision as to whether you should get one.

Pros

1) Clarisonic unclog pores. The rotating brush has the ability to reach deeper into our skin to remove any dirt, grime, blackheads, whiteheads, acne and milia seeds more effectively than with our bare hands or a wash cloth.

2) It can be used with any cleanser and during the showers (100% waterproof).

3) Each cleansing cycle is only 1 min, according to Clarisonic’s recommendation – 20s on forehead, 20s on nose/chin, 10s on each cheek. That’s fast and easy.

4) The battery should be fully charged for 24hours before using it for first time. When fully charged, it can last up till 24mins on normal speed (except for Clarisonic Plus – 28mins on normal speed), that means 24 rounds of cleansing cycle before the next charge.

5) Clarisonic works like an exfoliant, it helps remove dead skin cells and make your skin looks clearer, brighter and more radiant. It also helps to shrink pores.

6) It is safe to be used during pregnancy, but keep it on face and not go over your baby bump as it’s a sensitive area.

7) If you have any botox or dermal fillers done on your face, Clarisonic will be safe to use. Just don’t press too hard on the areas that you had the treatment done. In fact, there is no need to apply too much pressure. Just gently glide it over your skin with light pressure and the rotating brush head will do it job.

8) Suitable for all skin types, including sensitive, acne and rosacea skin. There are many good reviews from people with such conditions raving about how Clarisonic has help improved their skin condition overall.

9) Comes with 2 years warranty.

Cons

1) There seem to mixed reviews concerning acne and breakouts. The happy camp raves about how good Clarisonic is in helping to keep acne away and makes skin less oily. Then there’s the unhappy camp that complained about how it made their acne worsen, or caused them to have breakouts when they don’t really have acne issue. Some people had breakouts initially, but it was a temporary situation before seeing better results. Some people say it could be due to bacteria built up on the brush head and gave advice to disinfect it with baking soda/lemon once a week. Then there are those that said clarisonic might have cause sebum imbalance on their skin and thus resulted in breakouts.

2) There’s also mixed reviews from people with sensitive skin and rosacea on how Clarisonic caused redness and itchiness, or how it made their skin worst. However, it seems like the good reviews from this group of people outweighs the bad. There is a small percentage of risk that it might not work for some.

3) Some people have complained about seeing larger pores and dry/tight skin after using. I personally encountered larger pores after using (more about it below), but that’s because I use it everyday and that seems to be too much for my skin. The dryness/tightness can also be attributed to the exfoliating or ‘microdermabrasion’ effect after using, so it’s important to keep skin moist and supple by applying a good serum and moisturizer immediately after use.

4) There’s been comments about Clarisonic’s battery life lasting from 2 to 5 years before it went dead. I guess it also depends on the intensiveness of usage and frequency of charging. The only drawback is there’s no way to replace the battery, nor is there any trade-in program. If yours went dead, the only option is to buy a new one.

As I’ve said earlier, there’s no perfect product out there. What might work for some might not work for others. Every person’s skin and health is different, there’s really no one-size-fits-all product.

Know that there is a risk that Clarisonic won’t work for you, although a majority find it great and are seeing good results so the risk is lower. If it don’t turn out well for you, try selling it at a reduced price, or consider giving it away to a friend or family member who will likely get to enjoy it.

If you are still keen to get one after reading all these, another decision to ponder next is which model should you go for?

So here’s my choice:

Clarisonic Mia 2

Reason for my choice:

Mia2 is the higher priced model after the Mia1 (USD149), which is the cheapest model at USD99. The next pricey model after Mia2 will be Mia3 (USD199). I chose this mainly because it has 2 speeds (slow & normal), as compared to only 1 speed (normal) with Mia1. I like the option of having a slower speed in case my skin cannot take the normal speed.

Turns out that this has been the right decision, as I find that the slower speed suits me better and still giving me good results. Mia2 also comes with a protective travel case, which is good to have if you are a frequent traveller and want to bring your Clarisonic along.

Mia3 (or Aria) is the most expensive model, as it comes with 3 speeds (slow/normal/powerful), a charging stand but no travel protective case.

My rationale is that I don’t need the 3-speed function because the powerful rotation on Mia3 is too strong for my liking and I don’t think my skin can take it. The charging stand is good to have, but I think it’s unnecessary and I can make do without it (just charge it lying flat or make your own stand!).

For a comparison chart of the different models, go to Clarisonic’s website.

Results seen (after 1 month of using):

1) Skin looks clear, radiant and fair after each use. Love it, makes me want to use it everyday!

2) However, pores seem to get bigger after using it for 3 days consecutively during the first week. My skin is not that bad to begin with. Perhaps using it everyday is too intensive for my skin, so I tried using it only twice a week and the pore issue seem to be better.

3) I have not seen any breakouts on my face so far, so that’s good. But 1 month is probably still early to tell, I will need to observe for another 2-3 months. However, there seem to be a higher number of people with acne problem giving good feedback on how Clarisonic helps keep their acne away, so I’m hoping it’ll be the same for me.

4) Moisturizers and lotions seem to absorb better on my skin.

Even though Clarisonic’s marketing says you can use it daily, I believe it’s not a one-size fits all instruction for everyone. I suggest that you test it and use it daily to see what results you are getting. If something is not right, adjust the speed or frequency of usage accordingly.

Where to get it:

Best to get it from Clarisonic’s online store (only available in US) or it’s authorized dealers. This way you can be sure that product will be successfully covered under their 2 years warranty policy. If you buy from authorized retail stores, you can get to test the speeds, the various brush head types, and see how it works on your hand before purchasing one that you are comfortable with. Make sure the store has a good return policy and take note of their window period, so that you don’t get stuck with it if you found out that Clarisonic doesn’t suit you right from the initial usage.

Beware of fakes!

Try not to get from Amazon because there are many feedback from customers who cannot register their product successfully on Clarisonic’s website. This is because Amazon is not an authorized seller, so this means your product won’t be covered under their 2-year warranty policy.

Yes, there are many fake Clarisonic products online! Probably because Clarisonic is the market leader in the sonic facial cleansing device market and also the most popular brand, so it’s easy to end up buying a fake one if you have not done any research.

If for some reasons you still plan to buy from Amazon, make sure to test the product out and ensure it works for you. If anything goes wrong, you can also return it within the first 30days, as per Amazon’s return policy.

Alternatives to Clarisonic:

That said, if you still plan to do a little more research, Amazon can be a great place to do so. There are actually great alternatives out there at cheaper prices. Some notable ones that get repeated mentions are Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System, Philips PureRadiance Cleansing System and Bellapulse Complete Facial Cleansing System.

Well folks, that’s all to my research on Clarisonic. I hope these information will help you get the right facial cleansing device and save you from making the wrong purchase. If you have bought a Clarisonic or chose to buy other brands, feel free to share your experience and comments below so everyone can benefit. 🙂