Valen’s Vanity Square

If your boyfriend or husband is going to wear a tuxedo to an event, and you want to get him a tuxedo vest, then here are some tips to help you decide which vest to buy.

1. Consider the event time that he will be attending. For daytime events, gray vest is the best.

2. For formal events, stay away from vests with bright colors or patterns. Unless the event is casual and somewhat a lighthearted occasion, then tuxedo vests with prints and images are fine.

3. If he is attending a formal evening event, then pick a vest, usually white or black, preferably with a pique collar.

4. If he is going to wear a jacket throughout the event, then a backless vest may make him look less bulky.

5. Does his weight change often? If yes, then consider getting him an adjustable full-back vest with adjustable straps to accommodate for weight changes.

6. It’s always good to have more than one vest for a man who has to attend events quite regularly. This allows him to look different even if he is wearing the same old tuxedo.

I have been using Elianto Duo Wear Pressed Powder for more than a year and like it very much. Its powder is light, soft and provides certain extent of shine control. Although its coverage is consider light, I’m fine with it because it does help to brighten up my complexion naturally and does not look like I have put on any make up.

The only problem I have with it is, I tend to break its casing; all three that I’ve used!

Should I blame their design, casing quality or myself? I don’t know! Haha! May be I’m just a rough gal.

To avoid more ‘casing casualties’ (that’s my excuse) I decided to try a new product - Maybelline’s Clear Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation (current price: RM49.90).

I’ve never used any mineral face products before, but since they are generally claimed as the most natural and healthy products for the skin, so I thought I could give it a try. Using Elianto has not triggered any pore clogging or blemish problems (also one of the reasons why I like it). I hope this mineral powder one won’t, too.

So far, I’ve used it once. The coverage is considered satisfactory, but one has to be careful when applying. Start with just a little amount of the powder on the brush and slowly add on if you need heavier coverage. In fact, the point of using this mineral powder is to be able to use the least amount of powder to achieve the intended coverage. The result looked pretty natural if applied correctly (remember to read the instruction first).

Make sure your face is dry or not oily when applying. Otherwise the powder will stuck at those areas and makes your face looks patchy.

Maybelline Clear Smooth Minerals Powder Foundation comes with a kabuki brush. I also got a casing to contain the powder and the brush because there was a promotion 2 weeks ago at one of the pharmacies.

The kabuki brush - made from soft goat hair - is, well, not as soft as I interpreted from its name. It’s rather ‘pokish’, haha! (is there such a word at all?) But may be it is supposed to be in such a way so that the application is more even.

Anyway, I will be using this mineral powder foundation often from now onwards. If I don’t update any further about this product, that means everything is fine. If there’s bad news, I will let you know!

My sister came back from her honeymoon in Phuket. She bought herself a pair of bikini, which she intends to wear when we go for our Langkawi Island trip next February. (Whether she’s really going to wear it, I don’t know.)

As for myself, bikini is definitely out of my list – unless I could miraculously lose all the fat around my belly.

With my current body shape, ahem, I might as well slip into the most ordinary, conventional one-piece swimwear. But I really like two-piece swimsuits!

I think something like this is not revealing yet sweet to look at, huh? Should look alright on me even if I’m a little bit ‘round’ at the waist, haha!

If you like this, you can get it at InStyleSwimWear.com!

Jeez, I’d better start my lose fat and get fit plan fast if I want to look good in a new swimsuit next year!

Oh man! I just found the ultimate online swimwear store! Gals, if you are heading to the beach for a holiday, you MUST, MUST, MUST check out InStyleSwimwear.com!!!

I’m going crazy by just browsing through their catalogue!

One-piece swimsuit, two-piece swimsuit, monokini, tankini, kaftan, tunic, dress, flip-flop, sandals, tote, skirted bikini, string bikini, Brazilian style swimwear (ooooh), …. and lots of lots of exciting styles and options!

Items above and more are available at InStyleSwimwear.com.

Their price tags are on the high side because they are all designer brands. If you can afford, great. I know I can’t afford, but surfing through their catalogue already made me feel very happy as if summer was all around me right now.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve already made plans for another island holiday at Langkawi Island next February.

As we were window shopping the other day, I pointed to hubby several types of swimsuit I would like to wear by the beach, and that I must get into shape in order to fit in. Hubby then pointed to a model with sexy, loosely tousled hair in the poster on the display window, “you hair should look like that too.”

He’s right. How can a perfect swimsuit not coupled with a hot, by-the-beach, wavy hairstyle?

I want a hairstyle that is messy and yet looks sexy!

But, to create that seemingly ‘natural’ looking tousled look is going to be a tough task for me. You know, you need to apply mousse all over washed and conditioned hair while it is still wet. Then you have to spritz volumizing spray on the crown area, separate hair into many small sections, blow dry them and pin them into curls and let them set to dry, then remove pins, spray with hairspray, comb with your fingers, and…. Just explaining this already made me TIRED! I think by the time I get my hair done I would be too exhausted to go out in the sun, haha!

Well, may be it would be much easier if I just make sure there is sufficient cash in my savings account – so that I can get to perm a wavy hairstyle rather than spending hours messing with my hair!