from LUXUO
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
New luxury hotel opening in 2017: Six Senses Bhutan set to welcome guests later this year
Nestled among the rolling hills and lush greenery of Bhutan, are five luxurious suites and villas by Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas.
from LUXUO
from LUXUO
Chocolate Scented Incense Sticks from Japan
Stuck for Valentine's Day ideas? Try setting a sweet ambience with these chocolate infused incense sticks.from Fine Dining Lovers
Hennessey Venom GT final commemorative model “The Final Edition” to be built
After one prototype, six hardtops, six open-top spyders and three world records, production of America's fastest car is officially coming to an end
from LUXUO
from LUXUO
Habitually Chic Makeup Routine
I’ve written about my skincare routine a few times but realized that I have never shared my makeup routine. I think taking good care of your skin is essential for makeup application and the ability to use less products but I always wear something.
Even if I’m going to the gym, I’ll apply a little concealer, curl my lashes, groom my brows, and swipe on a little lipgloss. It’s a cliche but completely true that you never know who you might run into in New York so I always leave the house looking polished.
I tend to be very loyal to the products I use which can be problematic when one of them is discontinued as I found out while putting this post together. My day routine is obviously a bit lighter especially on my eyes while my evening/event make-up has a heavy eye and more illumination but they both start with dewy skin.
Here’s a look at what’s in my makeup bag.
I’ve heard that you shouldn’t use primer daily because it can break out your skin. I use Laura Mercier Radiance Foundation Primer under foundation almost every day and have never had a problem. I just read that some women use it alone which is an interesting idea since it makes your skin glow. It also helps your foundation stay on longer. I wouldn’t do my make-up without it.
I just found out that the La Mer Treatment Fluid Foundation I’ve been wearing for at least 10 years has been discontinued. It has been replaced by La Mer Soft Fluid Foundation SPF 20. I haven’t had a chance to experience it in person yet but I’m hoping it will impart the same flawless finish as the previous incarnation.
I was introduced to Hourglass Cosmetics by my friend Dina and I’m so glad. Hourglass was founded by beauty industry veteran Carisa Janes as an “intersection of science, beauty and luxury.” The formulations feel modern and really are luxurious. I tried the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick but it was much too heavy for my skin. You can also use it as a concealer so I’ve kept it for that purpose. I would like to try the Veil Fluid Makeup Oil Free Broad Spectrum SPF 15 when I go to buy a new foundation. The description says it’s, “Powered by the brand’s proprietary Matrix Regeneration Complex, it targets the signs of aging by helping alleviate the appearance of wrinkles over time, and it creates a naturally radiant complexion.” Sounds good to me.
For under eye circles, I love Laura Mercier High Coverage Concealer For Under Eye in 1.5. It last longer than normal concealers and is also good for blemishes when used with a small brush.
The Rolls Royce of concealers is Clé de Peau. It has a lovely creamy texture what doesn’t settle into fine lines. I use Beige but another less expensive option is Benefit Fakeup Hydrating Under Eye Concealer which is very hydrating and creamy as well. I also use Benefit High Beam Liquid Highlighter along my cheekbones and sometimes even under my concealer.
I don’t use much powder except for a tiny amount to set my make up along my t-zone and under my eyes. The one I always use is Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder and Velour Puff.
I use Aerin Beauty brushes which don’t seem to be available any longer. But it might be time to replace them. I like this Bobbi Brown Basic Brush Collection set since it has everything one would need for their makeup routine. I also love the brushes from Hourglass.
I don’t go in for all that Kardashian contouring but a little bronzer under your cheekbone will give you lovely definition. If I’m doing heavier evening makeup, I might add a little around my jawline and hairline. I am currently using anAerin Beauty bronzer that’s no longer available but I also use this Tom Ford Small Bronzing Powder.
Don’t be alarmed by the color of this Nars Mata Hari blush. When you apply it with a light hand and a good blush brush, it looks like natural flushed cheeks. Of course, it’s unavailable online for some reason but there are 22 other Nars Blush shades from which to choose.
Even when I’m not wearing eye shadow, I will use Laura Mercier Eye Basics in Linen on my lids but it also acts as a great primer.
Brows are so important to me that I wrote a whole post on them in Brow Beat last year. As I mentioned, I will fill and groom my brows with Anastasia Brow Wiz in Caramel even when I go to the gym.
I also use Anastasia Brow Gel when my brows are looking a little unruly.
During the day, I use a tiny bit of eyeliner along my lashes and will apply it heavier for evening. I like Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner which comes in 12 different colors. L’Oreal Infallible Eyeliner is a great product at a good price that I also use but the packaging is cheap and the blender end always falls off. I wish they would fix that issue
One of the products worth the splurge is Tom Ford Eyeshadow Quad. I love the Nude Dip palette but there are 11 different quad palettes. The quality of Tom Ford eye shadow is the best I’ve ever used.
I have my eyelashes dyed at Benefit so I don’t wear mascara during the day. Dyed lashes are really wonderful if you workout a lot because they define your eyes without mascara smudging. I always have my lashes dyed right before I travel so I look put together but don’t get mascara smudges when sleeping on a flight. I will only wear Bobbi Brown No Smudge Mascara for evening or when I have a meeting.
This Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Brush is meant to be used with the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Foundation Stick which I found too heavy. Instead I use it after I’ve applied my makeup to feather it out and make sure I don’t have to much product under my eyes or around my nose.
The one product that you might pull out of your bag in front of other people is lipstick so i think it’s also a good place to splurge. Tom Ford makes some of the most luxurious lipsticks but I love the Tom Ford Lips and Boys Lip Color. They are smaller tubes so they are great for evening bags too.
I don’t post selfies often on Instagram but when I do, someone always asks my lipstick color. I layer Chanel Glossimer in #46 Giggle over Aerin Mercer lipstick which is no longer available. But it’s also great alone for a light natural color.
Another Hourglass product that has a cult following is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette. I usually just use it at night but you can use it during the day as well. It blurs your makeup and creates a great glow.
As I mentioned above, I love Hourglass brushes and this Hourglass Ambient Powder Brush is perfect for the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette.
Another thing I love are Tom Ford Makeup Palettes which I can throw in my bag with one brush so I can be ready for touch ups during the day or while traveling. My favorite from last year is no longer available but I just got this new Tom Ford Soleil Eye and Cheek Palette on my upcoming trip to Mexico.
If makeup is not y0ur thing and you don’t know what to wear or where to start, I highly recommend this Bobbi Brown Style File Work It Eye, Cheek & Lip Kit with great natural colors.
I have a brown satin Tom Ford makeup bag that is starting to get a little dirty. When I’m ready to upgrade, I will be ordering this Cuyana Leather Travel Case Set that come in 11 different colors and can be monogrammed.
“The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy.”
– Yves Saint Laurent
from Habitually Chic®
5 of the most unique game lodges in Africa
Settled amidst Africa’s stunningly diverse landscapes and elusive wildlife, hundreds of luxurious lodges and camps provide an opulent space to relax in between exploring everything this unspoilt continent has to offer. Nevertheless, with cosy décor, gourmet cuisine, awe-inspiring experiences and spectacular views offered at nearly every property, sometimes you just want to find something completely […]
5 of the most unique game lodges in Africa is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog
The post 5 of the most unique game lodges in Africa appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
from A Luxury Travel Blog
The best beach clubs for a French Riviera yacht charter
Glamorous, decadent, and dripping in celebrity history, the beach clubs of the Cote d’Azur have long been synonymous with the superyacht set. Yet of the hundred or so beach clubs along this stretch of storied coastline, which ones should you visit on your superyacht charter? The best beach clubs have a seductive magic about them, […]
The best beach clubs for a French Riviera yacht charter is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog
The post The best beach clubs for a French Riviera yacht charter appeared first on A Luxury Travel Blog.
from A Luxury Travel Blog
My Flight: a review of Qantas First Class A380 from Dubai to London
Flight QF1 from Dubai to London Heathrow
Departure: 2.25 am
Arrival: 6.55 am
Flight Duration: 7 hours (approx)
Check-in
We arrived at the terminal at 11.30pm in the evening, with a good 3 hours to spare before our flight. We made our way to the premium side of the terminal and found the check-in desks dedicated exclusively for this flight. I wasn’t sure if we were to use Emirates’ check-in, but that was not the case.
We did not see a single person by the time we entered this terminal – we checked in alone in about 3 minutes and we made our way to security.
Security
At this time of the night (and surprisingly, to be very honest), we did not see a single person except airport staff. Security took a minute each and was no trouble at all. We walked a fair bit to the train stop which we had to board to get to the departures area. The shuttle took a good 10 minutes to arrive but we saw other passengers at last as everyone gets the same shuttle, of course.
We spent a few minutes at the Duty Free and shopping area – which was seriously disappointing. With this being Emirates’ new terminal, I was (naively) expecting a world class shopping arcade, but besides overpriced drinks and camel chocolates, there wasn’t much to buy. So we didn’t!
The Lounge
We made our way to Emirates’ First Class Lounge – due to the codeshare between Qantas and Emirates, all Qantas passengers use the Emirates facilities and I have to say – there were some really really cool features about it.
First… well… the proper shops (or some proper shops like Tiffany & Co. etc) are actually located inside the lounge. I liked that, a lot. You can also get some premium whiskies and I hope next time there will be more fashion. Because it was actually a fabulous concept.
The lounge is huge (and a tad sterile at the same time) and I would guess there were probably only 50 passengers using at the time – either that, or everyone was hiding.
We had dinner a few hours prior in Dubai (we actually went to Abu Dhabi on this trip) and weren’t hungry – but had a look at the buffet and the a la carte options which looked excellent. But I can only assume they were as we did not try it.
The only thing I wanted to do was have a glass or three of champagne and the only option was Moet Brut. Yup. Not a mistake. And this really surprised me. The funniest thing was that I posted a photo on Instagram and then got quite a few comments from readers saying exactly the same. What an odd choice of champagne for an airline’s flagship lounge. Drinks are technically self-serve – but there as there were such few passengers, if you looked at one thing, it would be bought to you. The staff always made sure our glasses were topped – to the point where we had to say ‘no more, please’.
I was looking forward to a spa treatment (some are complimentary to First Class passengers), but there were no slots available. Having a few hours to kill, I got excited that there was actually a hair and beauty salon, but there was no one working at at time, which is understandable. More airports should have hair salons!
Worth noting that there is also a separate lounge for smokers – with full food and drinks service and fully staffed. Also, there are various quiet areas with day beds which looked very nice.
And last but not the least… my favourite part of the lounge – you get to your gate directly from the lounge, via a lift. This terminal is exclusive for A380s, so set up for double decker planes. I really liked this and within minutes, we cleared all the boarding procedures (if you look at the photo above, you will see a small boarding desk). Got on the lift, and we were on the plane.
The Flight
– Welcome
We got a welcome indeed. The crew were brilliant from the moment we boarded the plane until we left. Lots of smiles, good commentary and yes, we knew we were on an Australian airline. We were escorted to our seats quickly and our jackets were taken from us.
– The Cabin
This cabin had quite an usual configuration, offering 3-per row seats (one by each window, and one in the middle), and it had 5 seats on the window sides and 4 in the middle, making it possible to accommodate 14 passengers.
The ‘first class suites’ and the whole cabin was beige with wooden accents and dark flooring. I did not notice if there was a Qantas logo at all, but it felt very bland. If it wasn’t for the accents of the crew (lovely lovely crew), I would not have guessed where I was, in all honesty.
– Drinks service
We were immediately asked if we would like a glass of something to drink and I asked what champagne they were serving. I loved that it was Taittinger’s Comtes de Taittinger 2005 – a great upgrade from what we had earlier. Not sure how we got into the Moet at the lounge (but another passenger also chimed in, which was hilarious), and the crew made sure we all got a second glass as the first one was to ‘cleanse the palate’. We were also served nuts and olives (the latter is very rare and I loved it because I love olives).
– The seat
Our seats (or suites) were very spacious as you can see from the images above – and as you can see, allowed for couples dining (which we did not test as this was a sleeper service and straight to work the following day for both of us).
I took that photo of me wearing the seatbelt only to show you that it is different from the normal ones, which clasp in your lap. This one is a 3-part seatbelt and the extra bit is necessary due to the design of the suites. Because of its shape, if there was serious turbulence, you’d hit the back of the seat in front, and this prevents it. (I only know this because the lady who was part of the design team of BA’s First Class Suites told me).
There was plenty of storage, including various USB ports and power sockets. I like when there are drawers and nooks so you can hide all your bits – and no complaints there.
I also really liked the ‘remote’ which controlled the IFE and the seat itself. I did try the massage bit for fun and the whole system was very very easy to use. I loved the ‘Time to Destination’ feature which appeared by default – when I am asleep I am obsessed with the time I have left and it meant I didn’t have to have the inflight map (and the TV) on.
Service was super attentive and friendly and after dinner, we were asked if we wanted to sleep and the crew made up the bed. We had 2 pillows (instead of one, which was very good) and the bedding was nice too.
– Amenities
There was a his and hers version, but I have to say – it was poor. I knew that Qantas has a collaboration with Kate and Jack Spade in business class (and the actual toiletry bags are fabulous and change all the time – and they sell on eBay for over $75) and I was expecting something even better in First. Well. We were given these fake leather pouches with SK-II products (which are good), but the whole thing (maybe because of the Rexona deodorant) did not feel luxurious or special at all.
I left mine behind on the plane. But a lovely reader has sent me a Kate Spade one (from Qantas business class as he had 2), and I use it all the time. It is brilliant for cables etc when you travel – and in my opinion, Qantas could do a bit better in first class. Just my opinion.
– In-flight dining
As I had dinner a good 4 hours before, and I had not eaten at the lounge, I was a bit pecking and the idea of a steak sandwich sounded brilliant. Sadly, the bread was dry and so was the steak, so it really wasn’t a success. The upside? The ice cream was brilliant and I had 3 tubs.
There was a selection of Australian wines (2 reds, 2 whites and 1 dessert), and I had a glass of a Hunter Valley Shiraz which was lovely.
We asked not to be woken up for breakfast, but the request backfired as breakfast started being served a good 2h30 before landing and everyone was awake and quite loud. I understand that the end was near for those flying all the way from Sydney, but for those catching the red-eye from Dubai to London, it was far from ideal. And I am used (and grateful) for British Airways’ letting you have breakfast 1h to 40 minutes prior to landing, so this was pretty strange.
I ended up having some fruit, a lovely peach juice and an espresso coffee. There was also a (seriously) extensive selection of teas available.
– In-flight entertainment
No problems here – the screen was massive and worked well. I also really liked the ‘Australian’ flavour in the programming and benefitted from the difference in film release dates (ha!). In honour of Australia, I watched ‘The Dressmaker’ with Kate Winslet which was set there.
We were given noise-cancelling headphones, but I preferred to use my in-ear Bose, which makes it easier to sleep.
Cost
A return flight from London to Dubai in first class with Qantas costs around £4,000-5,000. We bought a business ticket with British Airways which cost £2,500 and upgraded with Avios (75,000 each, I believe) on this leg, which made it a very good deal.
Final thoughts
I thought the service was brilliant – probably one of the most enthusiastic and personable crews I have met (and I do not say this lightly). I thought the cabin was bland and really beige – it didn’t give me a great sense of place (or airline). But the seats were very spacious and the champagne was definitely Mrs. O approved.
Final Rating: 7.5/10
Until the next flight…
xo
Mrs. O
The post My Flight: a review of Qantas First Class A380 from Dubai to London appeared first on Mrs. O Around the World - a luxury travel blog by Ana Silva O'Reilly.
from Mrs. O Around the World – a luxury travel blog by Ana Silva O'Reilly
50 Recipes That Wouldn't be the Same without Wine
Red, white and fortified wines are a perfect addition to many a favourite dish around the world. How many have you tried?from Fine Dining Lovers
8 Dishes from Anne-Sophie Pic's New London Restaurant
Take a look at eight dishes from the three michelin star French chef's newly opened London restaurant.from Fine Dining Lovers
Artist Creates Incredible Food Sculptures
Daniele Barresi creates exquisitely intricate and decorative food art using everyday provisions. Take a look.from Fine Dining Lovers
LET ME BRIGHTEN UP YOUR DAY!
There’s nothing more depressing than those – what seems to me – endless gloomy winter days. Not really depressing in the sense of it’s real meaning, but you know… those gray skies all day, every day, just do no justice to our Resort-imaginations that are running wild now all of it has dropped online and in-stores. Drooling over every single Resort lookbook, I’m trying to figure out a way of “doing it” wearing it, without loosing my mind – quite literally – in winter’s icy temperatures. I can’t recall winter being so harsh on me last season, but that might be a case of ignorance. Bliss. Yet, I totally have to figure out again how to do this Resort-thing.
I got most of my Resort-inspiration online. Many online retailers, but also department stores that went online, create the most beautiful – and sinful – lookbooks which burst of desirable styling ideas. So does my favorite one in New York; Bergdorf Goodman. Apart from the usual Monday morning research in the “New In” shoe section, I’ve been going over their “Trend” edit, where I literally soaked up all the color as if it was Vitamin D. And while slowly incorporating Resort-trends into my wardrobe, in combination with solid winter gear, I ended up putting myself in a bright-rockstar-ballerina outfit. For those who know me well, this is 100% me. A dress like the one I’m wearing from Valentino, with a neat pair of heels would be absolutely stunning, but also absolutely not how I would wear it. Luckily – when my favorite designers were still on the same team Pierpaolo and Maria Grazia thought exactly the same, and intended these dark romance dresses to be worn with edgy Valentino biker boots.
The pink hair with bright yellow was a risk, but very much worth taken. I’m excited by the result of it, and sad I won’t be able to pull this off during New York Fashion Week next week. Or at least, you won’t be able to see much of it, because it will be covered with the BIGGEST coat on the planet. I look forward to the Fashion Week carousel to start, and I know weather will get softer when we get to Europe, but first we need to conquer Arctic colds in New York, and for that I need to keep my head in “Resort” to stay warm. Bergdorfs, please keep those colorful inspirations coming, we are going to need it!
Valentino dress | Valentino boots | Valentino bag | Mulberry fine knit.
Photos by Jeff Thibodeau
The post LET ME BRIGHTEN UP YOUR DAY! appeared first on THEFASHIONGUITAR.
from THEFASHIONGUITAR
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