such a Beach...

I like the word 'beach' pronounced by some non-native English speakers. Especially with a Spanish dialect, which sounds more like the assertive woman-type equivalent. 

So I can write a whole post-feminist story why it isn't such a bad thing to speak up to people, being the so-called b#tch, and how people value assertiveness differently when it's a guy (assertive) than when it's a girl (bitchy). But I'll leave that to the frequent feminist bloggers.  

In this case, I'll keep it up with the sandy talk and the sea-saltedness of the beach.

So I have been trying out some new things. The Coola (mineral) sunscreen above was not a favourite.  It has a SPF 30 factor but I returned quite tanned from 2 hours of lounging in the sun. I have been used to the meticulously functionable Japanese sunblocks in the past, so this was not the result I was after. The tan was nice, though, but certainly not anticipated.

More Beachi-ness:

I have been loving the Ambre Solaire (Same as the Garnier) Sunscreen line a lot in the pump-spray form. It is delightfully watery and thin and leaves no greasiness behind: perfect when you get into contact with sand, water or almost everything. The aerosol spray might not be the most environmental construction but at least I can go to the beach alone without asking strangers to rub in my back...EEEK, I've never done that, btw! I had this method of misting my suntan lotion on a round can and trying to roll it on my back -> not handy and it will give you pityful stares of coupled, familied or befriended people.

Short story: excellent protection for the body and the aerosol is single-girl friendly too. And so thin you can't hardly tell you put it on, which will not give you backne either.

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 KIKO stick in SPF 50 is so nice because the formula is like a dry-stick. I've been suffering from oily skin in a different climate so anything greasy felt and looked quite wrong. It protects quite good: I've used it for shading my nose (SPF 30 on face and a thin line of KIKO SPF 50 on the bridge of the nose) and I had a lighter result: tadaaah, photoshop by sunscreening.

KIKO also has this line of peeling tissues in a purple packaging. They are plasticy bobbly on one side and cloth-textured on the other side. The plastic side is too harsh for me and the liquid on the cloth-side would be too hash normally as well. But as I said: the skin had his neo-teenage moment and I loved these for removing sunscreen after the beach.

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I swim! People tell me I shouldn't swim with my hair but I just love it too much. I have been telling my colourists to keep that in mind when doing my hair. Still, I protect the hair before: normally with L'oreal Mythic Oil. I will upgrade to a hairlotion with sunscreen for the next beachy encounter. Post swim I rinse my hair with water quite fast, and scrunch in some Aveda Damage Remedy leave in treatment: most showers at the beach have cold water so I prefer not to spend too much time under them.

The Sunnies are from & Other Stories. I have designer Shades (hi Celine), but for that beachy stuff I'll just like to minimise the damage upon the Expensive and go for the Scandinavian cheaper but still stylish variety.

I have some more beach-i-ness to share but for the time being I just like to discuss the Iphony bunch of it...I'm gonna look closer upon Marie Veronique Organics (MVO Organics) Sunscreen SPF 30 soon and why it's such a breeze when having oily skin. Next time, less I Phony-ness, more quality photos.

Es Paradis: Addiction by Ayako Cheekstick in Behind the Veil #16

A month ago I received this newbie from Addiction by Ayako (Kose):

And I've totally been lacking on my sharing and reviewing abilities. Not just because I felt lukewarm about this one (more about it later), but I've been living somewhere else with a tablet. I love my tablets when it comes to chocolate, but I seem to be incomprehensibly unmatched with computer tablets.

Back to my typetypetypetype laptop, my fingers are getting the workout again. 

I was really anticipating the launch of Addiction by Ayako Cheeksticks for their Summer '14 Es Paradis line. 

 

This is not the official promotion photo, but I love to show it from an angle as you can see the cheekbones, a better colour disposition of the eyeshadows with her eyes, and the cheekstick doing it's magic.

From the promo video, fingertapping is not just for laptops, for cheeks too

I basically picked the only colour not featured on the model: 

'More' looked too much like a terracotta orange that wouldn't match my cool undertones. 'Ibiza Sunset' like yet another bronzer shade. I was interested in Behind the Veil, a peachy shimmery type of colour.

At first sight, it does look like 'everything's peachy':

Unlike the previous cheeksticks, this one has flecks/shimmer inside.

Let's compare it to Rose Bar:

My first thought was: NARS multiple in Orgasm. I was intending to steal borrow a tiny chunk from the Sephora shop, but morality kicked in so you just have to take my word for it: they are almost dupes.

Swatches:

So before you will give me the "what's the deal-it's so pretty?" do have to agree upon that; it's pretty and shimmery and that NARS Orgasm kinda glow that is the most cultish colour ever.  

Then again...

Rosebar definitely looks more opaque than Behind the Veil. 

Also, it's a matter of personal taste. I've lived in a warmer, smog-infested city for a while which turned my skin into neo-teenage oiliness. Anything glimmerish that enhanced my pores has been a total no-go for that time being. So timing was a bit off with this cheekstick. 

I've also never been a fan of NARS Orgasm for similar reasons. I take my glitter quite sparingly and even though think one is subdued, it's still present when your pores do not resemble total tiny flawlessness.

Back to Holland, I have to try it again! The climate is starting to turn my skin into a slightly dryer and less oilier surface so I am quite sure it can work a bit better for me.

It looks gorgeous on lips too. Delightful velvety glow and the texture of the Addiction cheeksticks cannot be beaten for hybrid application (eyes too).

Conclusion: a sweet, sheer hybrid but take care if you are glimmer-shy