What to wear to Work - Mens Black Shirt

The last mens post involved a Coral shirt. Though that colour is very welcomed in the summer/spring months and is very easily styled, there will always be those who bask in the bedrock of neutrals. Thus enter the mens Black Shirt. This is a basic mens cotton/poly mix shirt, (I have it on good authority that the shiny-ness was due to the pictures being taken at night with the flash on). A Black shirt is a staple for many. It can be paired with dark jewel toned ties, slacks of various hues (navy/black/grey/beige) or layered under a suit jacket/blazer/sports coat to pull of a stylish and debonair look. 

It is especially versatile as a transition piece from day to night for drinks with clients/work colleagues or a date. 

Miss Mai

Review - Avene Cleanance Anti shine Purifying lotion for Oily/Sensitive skin

Yes I said Oily and Sensitive in the same sentence. I love Avene products, I have been using them for a while since being introduced to the Avene cold creme gel, which I still use to remove my makeup.  

Avene Says;

Astringent toner purifies and tightens pores without stinging or irritating sensation. Mattifying powders help absorb excess sebum and leave skin shine free. 

How to use:

Shake well to before use (to activate the Bi Phase formula) apply AM/PM to face after thoroughly cleansing using the Avene Cleanance Soap Free Gel Cleanser.

What I say:

This lotion (toner) the product itself is a joy to use. I apply it to my face using a cotton pad after cleansing. I doesn't sting my skin or leave my face dry afterwards. What I have experienced is a faint cooling sensation. In terms of mattifying my skin it does that amazingly well. The bottle annoyed me at first since there was no way to control the amount of product coming out. however I soon got fed up and started to decant the toner into a spray bottle, which has made it last way longer. I have roughly 50ml of product left, so all in all this product has lasted roughly 4 months so far. I genuinely enjoy using this product as part of my skincare routine, I have even used it after my REN chemical peels with much success. Avene Cleanance Anti shine Purifying Lotion retails for £8 per 200ml bottle. 

Would I recommend? - Yes I would for oily skin which is sensitive to allergic reactions/cyctic acne.

Would I repurchase? - Yes 

Would I buy full priced? - Yes 

A Day at the Races!

This is just a quick outfit of the day post to show you what I am wore out to lunch last week. I got my Navy blazer and I really wanted to wear it, so I constructed an entire look around it. The finished product I call a day at the races. Once agin I am rocking my T.M. Lewin Cutaway 2 fold poplin shirt, I tell you these shirts are great!!

Blazer - Zara 
Shirt - T.M. Lewin
Belt - GAP 
Jeans - Zara
Boot - Diesel style lab




Miss Mai
xx

Products I have used up

The title says it all products I have used up over the last few weeks/months. 

• Jergens Naturals cocoa butter lotion x 2 - reviewed already
• Sanex Zero % sensitive skin shower gel - absolutely hated
• Dove silk glow body wash 
• Hairveda almond glaze - reviewed already
• holland and Barrett Flaxseed oil tablets 
• Darcy's botanicals Pumpkin seed conditioner - reviewed already
• Elasta QP Mango and Olive butter x 2 (my saviour for the under precessed hair) 
• Sanex deodorant 
• Avene cleanance mattifying toner  - Review coming soon (product decanted into spray bottle)
• Sure anti white marks deodorant
• Qhemet biologics Amla and Olive oil heavy cream - reviewed already
• Oil of Olay face wipes - reviewed already
• Garnier Simply essentials face wipes - reviewed already
• Body Shop White musk sheer mist - reviewed already 

These are the products that were already in the rubbish bin but I could not be bothered to dig through the rubbish and pick them out. 

• ORS Olive oil moisturising hair lotion - absolutely love/ holy grail/reviewed already
• Sanex excel anti perspirant deodorant
• Aphogee keratin and green tea spray - reviewed already
• Elasta QP Intense Fortifying treatment 
• Ojon damage reverse Shampoo - entire range reviewed already
• Aquafresh toothpaste 
• Garnier face wipes with Rose extract and Vitamin E - reviewed already

Miss Mai

xx

What to wear to Work - The Navy Blazer

     When one thinks of a Navy Blazer prep school boys and Gossip Girl like images come to mind. However in the realm of Style, A Navy Blazer is as essential today as it was 70 Years ago when adorned by Carey Grant. The  Navy blazer is a great piece to have in your work wear wardrobe. 

      It is a true Classic just like the White shirt and unlike fashionable items of clothing it sustains the trends year after year, month after month and season after season. The materials may change, the lapels may be resized, patches and other embellishments may be added, but the fundamentals remain the same, they just keep getting upgraded.  A Navy blazer compliments neutrals and colours very well, and can be used to elevate or downgrade a look very easily. Every professional should own a Navy blazer, EVERYONE regardless to whether you consider yourself stylish or plain.

    

 Zara Twill Blazer - Navy 

     

Navy Blazer,

Finished look Zara Blazer, T.M. Lewin Cutaway 2 fold poplin shirt, Next tailored trousers and Leather court shoes from Barrats.

Navy Blazer - Zara 

White Shirt - T.M. Lewin

Trousers - Next (Altered to fit at a tailor) 

Leather Court shoes - Barrats

Miss Mai

xx

My Current Skincare Routine

   I believe that skincare is a very important part of everyday life, whether you consider yourself a high, low or no maintenance person. However everyone's skin is different and because of this some products may not work for others as well as they work for me. The trick is to keep experimenting until you find a combination that is right for you. As you know I suffer from Cystic Acne but I am also a  bit of a picker / squeezer ----> truth moment and my skin scars toooooo easily. Over the years I have tried a few different products, Vitamin E, Tea Tree and Seaweed ranges from the Body Shop, the Garnier Active natural range, St Ives facial scrub (took me 2 years to finish, was so not a fan), Origins cleansing pads. Yea a whole bunch of stuff.

Avene Cleanance Gel - for oily, sensitive skin, this is a light soap free gel, which cleanses my skin very well but doesn't make my skin very dry or stripped. Its a bit thick which means, I have to dampen my hands slighty in order to help spread it around my face. I use this twice daily. 

Avene Cleanance Mattifying facial toner - This is a toner made from Avene thermal spring water, it contains denatured alcohol, it is not stripping or harsh. It contains salicylic Acid which settles at the bottom of the bottle. When I am about to apply this, I shake the bottle vigorously as instructed to mix the powder and then I pour it onto a cotton pad, then I wipe it across my face. I also use this twice daily.

Nivea Daily Essentials Facial moisturiser spf 8 - If you are following me on twitter (@Rebelle01) You would have seen me tweeting about the need to moisturise and protect your skin. This is a light moisturiser which absorbs very quickly, it does not give a mattifying finish, but you are not left  looking like a grease-ball either.  I use this moisturiser if I will be staying at home with no chance of going outside in the sun, or if I want to give my night cream a break.

Nivea sunblock spf 30/ Avene Rich hydrating creme spf 20 - Sunblock this right here is the ace in the hole. Sunblock is the number 1 anti-aging product in your skincare routine. Not only does it help to block out harmful rays from the sun, but did you know that using sunblock helps to prevent spots from getting darker. When you have a pimple and you go out into the sun, the melanin rushes to create a cover for that exposed flesh ----------> leading to dark spots and hyper pigmentation. By using sunblock as part of my skincare routine I have been preventing this from happening. I use this most days that I am leaving the house. 

Avene Cleanance K exfoliating hydrating creme - gel - a light lotion containing glycolic acid, which helps to generate skin cell renewal by ex-foliating the dead skin cells away. This product is not an overnight miracle cream but overtime I have seen improvements with use. 

Method 

I always double cleanse my face and I remove my cleanser using a muslin cloth at night.  

Miss Mai

xx

Hair Relaxer Update - Relaxed 29th June 2012

This is my hair before during and after my relaxer on June 29th.

this is me at home the morning of my relaxer

The left side view of my hair. 

The back view of my hair.

The right side view of my hair.

My hair freshly relaxed, before trim.

My hair freshly relaxed, after trim.

Me under the dryer, just rolled. 

An hour later, still under the dryer. 

Me at the end, BIG HAIR, love it. 

The back of my BIG HAIR.

I loved my relaxer, the sylist used all Kera Care products for my relaxer from start to finish. 

Next relaxer will be the end of September, 2012. 

My 11 most reached for Beauty products.........

    This is a tag that has been around in the online beauty community for a while with beauty bloggers and vloggers. I find that with beauty being such a huge area we are constantly trying to find ways to set ourselves apart, however there is nothing wrong with conforming at times. Beauty tags in my opinion are a great way to find out what products, persons with similar interest are using. Other bloggers may be using a product you are using but in multiple ways, where as you may be only using it one way. These tags are a quick and easy way to share information. 

My 11 most reached for Beauty products

Victoria Jackson face palette (£20 with 3 other products) - 16 eye shadows, 6 lipsticks, a translucent powder, a bronzer and a blush.  -------> do not buy

L'oreal Made for Me Naturals, Brow and Eye Duo, Dark Skin Tones (£7) - 2 eye shadows and a brow powder.

Mascara - at the moment I am using the Soap and Glory Thick and Fast mascara (£10)

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural  Deep Dark  (£18.50)one of my girl friends aka the pageant junkie put me onto this a few years ago and I have loved it ever since. It gives me life!!!!! 

Estee Lauder  Bronzing brush  (£23) - a kabuki brush (but you know everybody is trying to be fancy)  when I bought this brush I though damn this is expensive, but its been 3 years and it works just as amazing now as it did the first day I bought it. 

Avene Rich hydrating creme spf 20 (£10.50) - this is what I am currently using as sunblock/spf protection. (trying to be as well preserved as possible for as long as possible, lol. 

L'Occitane Shea Butter hand cream (£7.50) - This hand cream is rich, but absorbs into skin very very easy. There is none of that greasy feeling after application. I absolutely love it. I am going to admit I have 3 of these as backups, no I am not shamed. They are always giving these away in magazines and I cop the freebies. Ain't NO shame in this L'Occitane game. 

Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil 004 Black Brown (£2.99) - if you do not have one of these -----> you need to get your life. 

Black eyeliner - at the moment I am using Maybelline Khol express water proof eyeliner glam black (4£4.99) - a blatant copy of the Urban decay 24/7 eyeliner, it does the job.

Coloured Eyeliner - I do not discriminate, in ratation i have from Urban decay -> Lucky, Lust, Electric, and Covet, H & M eyepens -> Bronze, Dark Grey, Maybelline Khol Express waterproof Eyeliner pencils -> Metallic Blue, Metallic Green, Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eye Definers -> Pink impact, Aqua sparkle, MAC Powerpoint Eye Pencil -> Navy Stain, Barry M Khol pencil -> 19, Rimmel Special Eyes Precision Eye liner pencil -> Azure Shimmer. 

Lip Balm - At the moment I am using Blistex lip massage, Nivea Pure and Natural milk and honey, Blistex Daily lip conditioner.

miss mai

xx

Comment below and let me know what products you reach for most often (even if its your grandmas face cream, wink wink)

What to wear to Work - Mens Coral Shirt

     As promised I have secured a few pictures of  mens shirt,  the guys will have a something to reference from, in terms of work wear. Please note that these shirts were taking at my request by friends in order to support me in this series. (some of them may be wonky, blurry, obscured) However I am still grateful, the idea behind this series is to provide inspiration. Which the individuals then take and incorporate into their personal style. 

     A coloured shirt is one of the ways that both men and women can insert a bit of colour into their work wear wardrobe. A coral shirt such as the one above is very versatile, it will go well with  Navy, Black  or Beige trousers. A shirt in this hue could also be layered under a suit or jacket and worn to a cocktail, or a summer wedding.

Miss Mai

xx

Review - Olay essentials wet cleansing wipes

These wipes were so horrible, I like face wipes but these particular ones I cannot recommend. After the first review that I did of the Olay daily facials, I saw these wipes and I thought okay maybe these might be better since they were for combination skin which could or could not include oily skin. These were the worst face wipes I have ever used. The juice did not last past the first wipe, it was so much effort to wipe all over my face because the wipe would not move. They did not remove my make-up well compared to the other wipes I have reviewed. They were stiff, stiff, they were not abrasive but I needed force behind them to move them around. They left a film on my face which just sat there until it wash washed off. They were just horrid. If You have used these face wipes and had a pleasurable experience let me know, but if not do NOT try these. 

Would I recommend - No

Would I repurchase? - No

Would I purchase at full price? - Hell No

Review - Aphogee Green Tea and Keratin Restructurizer

What Aphogee says:

   Keratin and Green tea Restructurizer: strengthens instantly, Builds body and protects colour and chemical services.

   Aphogee Keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer is the ultimate one step strengthening treatment. this Alcohol free formula combines the benefits of keratin protein with the anti-oxidant properties of green tea to protect and repair. Aphogee keratin and Green Tea Restructurizer bonds into the hair shaft with heat from the body or styling. Regular use on porous, damaged  hair adds body, prevents breakage, controls frizz and helps preserve hair colour and chemical services.

What I say:

     My beloved protein spray. I must admit Aphogee products scare the bejesus out of me, I have heard so many stories and read so many reviews about protein overload from using that line. I was even dubious about using this at first. After I got over that initial scepticism mainly because of Ladee Elle's endorsement this product. She also recommended the Mane n Tail leave in conditioner but I have never seen that in any of the hair shops I have visited.  I picked this up in November of 2010 and I have been using this every time I wash my hair. This product has lasted me for 2 years. Now in the grand scale of product use, I do not know if that is unheard of. It has helped my hair, since using this I saw less breakage, my hair wasn't as stretchy as it would be sometimes, after a wash/deep condition. 

Method: (after wash/deep condition)

I would part my hair in 4 sections at the back and spray two spray on each section, spraying from the ends in an upward motion. The front would also get the same 4 sections and spraying method. 

I think this product has been mis-sold to the public. The title it says Keratin and Green Tea --> to me that would indicate there is more keratin in this product than green tea. If you thought that as well you are WRONG. Green Tea is the 2nd ingredient and Hydrolized wheat protein is the 3rd ingredient, Keratin is actually listed as the 10th ingredient. So basically this is some green tea with a little protein in it. lol lol Some say that tea has strengthening properties, and tea rinses are quite popular in the relaxed hair community. (I still haven't tried this, but I will. I am still trying to recover from the oil rinsing debaucle)

Overall it is a good product in my opinion and it has helped and I would recommend to friends to purchase. 

Would I buy it again, Yes I would if the protein spray I am using now does not work out

Would I buy it full priced? - Yes 

Miss Mai
xx

Review - Garnier Soft Essentials vitamin enriched cleansing wipes (Rose Extract and Vitamin E)

    I believe that face wipes serve a purpose in the world of fashion/makeup/beauty. They are useful for refreshing the skin, travelling and removing makeup (how well do they do this job is a topic we can debate another day). i alaywas reccomend to everyone that at the end of the day if you are not wearing makeup to give your face a once over with a face wipes, just to get ride of the grime/germs/bacteria of the day. 

What they say:

      Remove makeup and hydrate, dermatologically tested. 

Our Garnier skin Naturals Philosophy

      We use whenever possible active natural ingredients when have been carefully extracted to preserve thier quality and purity.

What I say - Skin Type - Oily, Cleansing Routine -Twice daily

    These wipes were lovely. They had enough moisture (juice) in them to last longer than the first wipe which is something Garnier face wipes have in common. the wipes removed my makeup quite well. I used 2 wipes that is just my personal preference. these wipes were very soft on the skin, pleasantly fragranced and not abrasive. They did not leave my skin feeling stripped or dry at any time.

These wipes retail for £3.20 each and 25 come in a packet (yes I know they are getting pricey.)

Would I repurchase? - Yes if they were on sale (50% off or more)

Would I purchase at full price -  Maybe 

Would I recommend- hellllllllllll yeah, for the process of makeup removal only, these are not your skin care system.


Miss Mai
xx

What to Wear to Work - Red, Green and Lilac (TM Lewin 1898)

 "Here we are once again, I'm torn into pieces, can't deny can't pretend thought you were the one." An ode to the shirts I had before, which did not last the test of washing or wearing. These shirts are what I call the randoms or the miscellaneous, being that they are the only ones with no particular colour scheme my collection at the moment. They are all in the Cutaway style from TM Lewin. 

The Rope stripe cutaway shirt - Red

Fresh out the package

Shirt hung up

The collar - cutaway style

Material sample

The cuff

The double stripe Cutaway shirt - Green

Shirt hung up

Material sample 

The cuff

The Wide bar stripe shirt - Lilac

The shirt hung up

Material sample

The cuff

Fine shirt retailers can be found here

Thomas Pink

Charles Tyrwhitt

TM Lewin

                                  "Fashion fades but style remains eternal." - Yves St Laurent

Review - Garnier Skin Naturals Simply Essentials Facial cleansing wipes

What they say:

     Remove even waterproof mascara, no perfume, no alcohol, no colourants. suitable for even sensitive skin, dermatologically and opthamologically tested

What I say: Skin Tye - Oily, Cleansing Routine - Twice daily

     They were okay, they had enough moisture, like Garnier wipes do. These ones had a bit of quilting so the texture was lovely, especially for removing lipstick. If you follow me on twitter @Rebelle01 than you know that I love lipstick. In that spirit I have about 5 lipsticks that I wear regularly when I do my makeup. Even with the quilted texture the wipes were not abrasive, the removed my makeup well. I used them in conjunction with the Simply Essentials Makeup remover. I used 2 wipes as normal to remove my face makeup and then used cotton pads to remove my eye makeup. I only used these wipes for my foundation, powder etc. The two foundations I have been using are the L'ancome Teint Idole Ultra 24 hours foundation and the Estee Lauder Double Wear (yes that good ish). I liked them, I don't have any complaints. 

These wipes retail for £3.20 each and 25 come in a packet.

Would I repurchase? - yes if they were on sale. 

Would I buy full price? -  maybe but I am more leaning towards a no.

Would I recommend? - Yes I would, they worked really well at removing those full coverage long lasting foundations.

Review - The Body Shop Rainforest Radiance Detangling Spray

What they say:

A leave in conditioner, to soften add shine and protect the vibrancy of colour treated hair. Contains UV filter, with Praxcai berry, Bilberry extract, Linseed oil (flaxseed oil) and community trade Aloe Vera. It does not contain, silicones, parabens or colourants. It is targeted for coloured hair. 

What I say:

This smells sooooooooo good and then we stop. If you are looking for a natural leave in conditioner, this is definitely not it. When you look at the specific ingredients highlighted one would assume that they are high on the ingredients list ---> no they are not. This Leave in conditioner contains water as the first ingredient, the next is glycerine and then it is chock full of chemicals. The Aloe Vera (which is a NATURAL moisturiser for hair, skin and body, you can even eat the stuff, is listed way to the bottom. I at the moment I am dealing with 4 months of under processed hair and 2 months of new growth, did it help to de tangle my hair? - yes it did. Was it any more special than my Infusium 23 maximum body formula leave in or my L'oreal Elvive colour protect leave in? - not really. 

For £6 this is not the most pricey leave in conditioner on the market but it is not a product I would send anyone running to purchase. I am disappointed with this because from the advertising that I read, it was being promoted as a natural product. 

To end my review I would say If you do own this product good for you, but if you do not own this product it is not really a loss, you are not missing much. 

Rainforest Radiance Detangling Spray   here is a link to the product on the body shop website.

Would I purchase this? - Probably not for regular every day use (if I was in a foreign country and needed hair supplies yes)
Would I purchase at full price? - No (Under the conditions listed above yes.)
Would I recommend ? - Not really

What to Wear to Work - The Blues (TM Lewin 1898)

     These posts are written with the intention of giving recent graduates or established professionals inspiration for work attire.  Like I said in my previous what to wear to work post a coloured shirt is a good way to inject colour into your work wear wardrobe. Last week I showed my collection of Pink shirts, this week I am making it a bit more guy friendly and showing my collection of blue shirts.     

     Without further ado the blues, I do not know if you have realised but TM Lewin names all of their shirts, it is a really cool concept. Sometimes they even name shirts after employees, their CEO John Francomb has a collection of shirts named after him. However they have so many shirts, it can be a bit overwhelming but it is fun all the same. 

The Cutaway Spaced stripe shirt - Blue 

The shirt hung up

The collar - Cutaway syle

The cuff

The Cutaway Rope Stripe shirt -  Blue 

The shirt hung up

The collar - Cutaway

The cuff

The Blue Stripe fitted shirt - Features a long button cuff and double button spacing on the placket.

The shirt hung up

The collar

close up of collar

The cuff - long cuff with double spacing.

fine shirt retailers can be found here 
Thomas Pink
Charles Tyrwhitt
TM Lewin

"Fashion fades but style remains eternal." - Yves St Laurent