The Sweetheart Tree

Big blossoms of white will burst into sight,

And your love will be true.

-- Johnny Mathis "The Sweetheart Tree"

NOTES

    Lately the weather has been rather lovely here, albeit occasional bouts of afternoon downpour. On this recent Sunday, I took out my new rattan weaved bag into the garden for a simple little photoshoot alone. If you have been following fashion through Instagram you might have seen such a bag on the shoulders of many a fashionista blogger. I guess I can be counted a brainwashed victim of its ubiquitous presence on social media, but truth be told this bag is also something that's very much my aesthetic. It's the right size, the right colour, versatile and affordable. For the sake of my long forgotten romantic obsession, I've donned a peach pink floral maxi, and on this morning despite the sun forcing me into the shades for fear of overexposure (and because I could hardly open my eyes anywhere else), with my little bag in tow and the sun seeping through the summer foliage I felt carefree and blessed, brainwashed or not  ; )   

    最近這裡的天氣好好，只是偶爾下午會下個雷陣雨。前不久的一個周日，看著陽光好我就帶了腳架跟新入手的藤編圓包到院子裡簡單拍個穿搭。如果你有在Instagram上追蹤時尚趨勢，十有八九你曾在時尚部落客身上看過這款包的蹤影。我也是被這包的無所不在給漸漸洗腦而入手了 XDD  不過說真的，這包還是滿對我味的，無論是大小顏色還是實用性，價格也便宜。這次穿搭我想著好久沒有偏浪漫風穿搭的外拍了，於是搭了這件蜜桃粉色的印花長洋。雖然後來太陽大到我不得不一直躲在樹蔭底下拍（不只是怕過曝，而是樹蔭外我大概全程無法睜開眼睛 囧），但拎著夏天的小包在庭院裡晃，陽光疏疏落落的穿過枝葉繁茂，還是有種歲月靜好的喜悅。

Bag :  Instagram seller afika.my

Shoes :  Bata

Necklace :  Cor-date

Earrings :  via Taobao

Bises! ♥♥

Sweet Pastels Season

In the pastel shades of sunlight I have wandered,

With my eyes, my ears, my heart strained to the full.

-- Joan Baez "Turquoise"

    I know this post is a little late in coming (actually, a few months late tbh), but this is one Japanese magazine furoku that I absolutely love and want to recommend -- a set of 7 pastel nail polishes in a semi-translucent pouch by Snidel that comes with the April issue of Sweet magazine. There's also a booklet included with various suggestions of nail patterns and colour schemes. The colour selection was what drew me initially, but I certainly didn't expect the formula to be so up my alley. These pastel polishes are one of the rare ones with which I don't end up with annoying little gas bubbles on bumpy nail surfaces. These apply smoother than a lot of other polishes that I've used and also dry up quite speedily -- another important pro. Here I've created four looks with this set of pastel polishes, and that's a big deal when you've got clumsy fingers like me, LOL!

    我知道這篇心得文大概來的有點太晚了（晚了好幾個月  囧>） ，但是這次4月號的Sweet雜誌跟Snidel合作的贈品 -- 一組七色的粉彩指甲油外加一個Snidel半透明印花袋子 -- 我真的太太喜歡也太太推薦啦～～！隨雜誌還附贈了一本指彩小冊子，提供各種畫法竅門跟配色參考。當然可愛又春天的指甲油配色是當初被這套吸引的主因，但是沒想到他的質地卻意外的好刷。手殘如我用很多款指甲油都會出現惱人的氣泡浮於甲面，這一套卻難得的不太會有氣泡問題。對我而言這套刷起來比許多買來的指甲油更加順手，重點是效果好又還滿快乾的。這次用這套弄了四種不同的look，其實都超簡單基本，但是對於我這手殘人來說我已經盡力啦～～大家別嫌棄太陽春，將就看看啦 ^^P

    This is one of the looks included in the booklet tutorial, these wide pastel stripes are perfect for a spring afternoon tea or summer fete in a girly pastel dress. I've uploaded a (very grainy) video tutorial of this look on my Instagram, feel free to head over if you're so inclined.

    這個造型其實是來自附贈的指彩小冊子裡面的，粉彩色的寬條紋非常適合春日午茶或身著一襲粉彩洋裝夏日狂歡。這個look其實步驟超簡單，我有錄了一小段（渣畫質的）示範影片上傳至IG，有興趣可以看看啦！

    Taking a cue from my own maxi dress, this look is all about that speck of green in the midst of fiery red blooms. The pale purple shade, I have to say, is really pale, so much so it borders on pinkish white under sunlight, repeated application of 3-4 layers is needed for that purple hue to show through. (Btw this look was also present in the previous Daxi grey dress post, and the colours were more clearly and accurately shown then.)

    這個配色就比較鮮豔些，主要配合洋裝來個萬紅叢中一點綠 XDD  這個組合中的淺紫色真的非常淺，陽光下甚至有點像粉白色，要多擦幾層才比較有紫調。（話說這個look在前一篇大喜洋裝的穿搭文有放過，顏色也拍的比較清楚，有興趣可以參考看看）。

    Of course, a macaron-inspired colour scheme is a no-brainer with the selection of pastels in this set. Couldn't resist pairing my super-colourful mani with my equally colourful capsule toy earrings though.

    既然是粉彩色的指甲油組合，不來個馬卡龍配色指彩就太說不過去了。因為指尖色彩繽紛，忍不住在耳邊也搭了對同樣繽紛的毛球扭蛋耳環 XD

    A departure from the vibrant looks previously, the pale pink and the dusty pink shades in this set allow for a more subdued palette. However as nude hues alone felt a tad boring to me, I added a splash of red for some extra kick  : P 

    上面都是色彩繽紛的配色，其實這個組合中也有淺膚粉色跟裸粉色可以作比較氣質的指彩。但是因為覺得單只有粉裸色系有點單調所以硬是加了點紅色點綴 : P

＊　　　　＊　　　　＊

    Well, that's that this time! I'm sorry if the focusing on the fingertips leaves something to be desired, that's the problem with self-portraiture by means of a self-timer and a tripod. And now quietly ending this with a greedy little eat-while-you-work GIF  :D

    這次先這樣啦～！抱歉因為都是腳架自拍，指尖的對焦可能美中不足請見諒 ^^"  最後以一個邊拍邊偷吃馬卡龍的gif作結束 XDD

Bises! ♥♥

Grey Swan

As he looked on the lake, a swan glided by,

And the sun slowly sank in the grey of the sky.

-- Peter, Paul and Mary "Polly Von"

NOTES

    As the warmer seasons step forth, so does the blissful chiming of wedding bells beckon. I used to prefer floral prints and lots of lace for wedding party attire, but lately (perhaps an obscure sign of age) I'm more into solid colour with a bit of romantic detail. This dress does fit the bill on both counts, but sadly it's not as dreamy as advertised. Perhaps it was the photo filters on the retail site that render the faults imperceptible, but frankly this dress has the most obstinately wrinkly material I've ever come across. I do love the colour and the cold shoulder styling with its lace adornments, but the bumpy lace along with the wrinkles that cannot be tamed by repeated sessions of diligent ironing really spoil the party. I guess I'd still wear this to parties anyway, but just between us I would not recommend getting it if you, like me, are susceptible to internet celebrity hype.

    By the way, I used "Grey Swan" as the title alluding to the colour of the dress and the pendant I had on. The term "grey swan" has another usage though, it implies a known but rare, even unlikely, event normally used in financial lexicon. Just a sidenote ; )

    春暖花開的季節，意味著收紅色炸彈的日子又到了（泣）。以往參加婚禮都比較喜歡穿有印花圖案或很多蕾絲的洋裝，但最近心境老了XD  比較想找純色洋裝，卻又希望有點細節。這件洋裝倒是兩樣都符合了，只可惜網美照片跟實品還是有差距的。可能是賣場照片的濾鏡把缺點都修沒了，但是這件的布料真是我遇上史上最難熨平的 囧＞。我是滿喜歡這件的顏色跟蕾絲點綴一字領的設計，可是那個熨不平整的蕾絲跟布料真的很扣分。雖然我應該還是會穿去參加婚禮，但如果你也跟我一樣容易被網美迷惑，這件我真的不太建議入手啦 ^^"

    話說，這次標題用 "Grey Swan" 是因為洋裝的顏色跟項鍊吊墜的緣故（抱歉黔驢技窮想不出創意一點的標題 XD），但是英文裡 grey swan有另一個含義喔。指的是已知可能發生但實際上不太會發生的事件，一般用於經濟領域。題外話小聊一下 : P

Dress :  大喜自製 (here)

Shoes :  Vincci
Earrings :  Cor-date

Nails :  Sweet x Snidel

Bises! ♥♥

Icicle Fairy Tales

Oh, what do I care if icicles form?

I've got my love to keep me warm.

-- Billie Holiday "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"

    Earlier this year I came across a Sephora annual sales event, and believe it or not, this gorgeous limited edition BECCA Après Ski Face Glow Palette was marked down at half price. Of course I had to get it, considering my weakness for pretty packaging and this palette here is probably the prettiest face palette I've come across. Echoing the winter theme of its namesake Après Ski (French for "after ski"), the palettes are housed in a silver reflective mirrored case bordered by blue frost motifs, which does conjure up pictures of a silvery white winter wonderland (but, to tell the truth, that reflective case is a true fingerprint magnet, mind you ; ) )  

    今年年初剛好碰上Sephora大特價，看到這盤美翻的聖誕限量BECCA Après Ski Face Glow Palette竟然半價，二話不說就打包了 ( *´艸｀)   一如既往的外貌協會如我這次也人設不崩，這盤大概是我見過包裝最美的打亮盤了@o@  因為這個系列名為Après Ski，即法文滑雪後的意思，包裝採用銀色鏡面搭配冰藍雪花的邊框，確實很有一片銀裝素裹的雪景意境（不過那個鏡面真的超容易沾指紋就是了囧）。

    I think this palette is quite worth the price even if it isn't on sale. Usually a normal-sized BECCA highlight costs US$38 at 8g, with this palette you get six shades comprising of highlight, blush and bronzer at 2.55g each for US$54. And when it's at half price there's no reason not to grab one, none at all! Shade-wise, there's Rose Quartz (permanent highlight), Icicle (limited edition highlight) and Winter Berry (limited edition blush) from the top row, and the bottom row (from left to right) comprises of Blushed Copper (permanent blush), Opal (permanent highlight) and Bronzed Bondi (permanent bronzer). 

    我覺得這盤就算不半價也還是蠻超值的，畢竟BECCA一顆正貨打亮8g要38鎂，這盤共六色每色約2.55g涵蓋打亮、腮紅、修容打折前只要54鎂，半價換算台幣千元有找不買說不過去好嗎？XD  色號有上排（左至右）-- Rose Quartz（常態打亮）、Icicle（限量打亮）、Winter Berry（限量腮紅），下排（左至右）-- Blushed Copper（常態腮紅）、Opal（常態打亮）、Bronzed Bondi（常態修容）。

    Even though I'm mighty pleased with this purchase, there's just this teeny tiny bit of a bummer when I found that only one out of the three highlighters can be used as highlighter on fair skin. (I'll upload a video of the arm swatches later, if you're interested you can head over to my Instagram @bonjourjasmineblog to get a better feel of the prettiness of the GLOW ; ) )

Arm swatch (left to right) :

Rose Quartz (highlight) -- a very pretty shade with a warm pinkish glow, too bad it's a bit darker than my skintone. It would look like a misplaced blush if I apply it on my cheekbones, but its texture works quite well as an eyeshadow.

Icicle (highlight) -- my most anticipated shade, and easily my favourite in this palette. True to its name, this shade is very white and very cool-toned with a flash of blue. It has an Ice Queen feel to it, but not too dramatic. Perfect for cool-toned eye looks, and for impersonating Elsa while belting out "Let It Go" in a dozen different keys.

Winter Berry (blush) -- a berry red with a matte finish. It's supposed to give you that fresh-faced glow after an afternoon skiing on the slopes, hence the name of this palette. It does give the cheeks a natural rosy flush, but this blush is pretty pigmented. There's just this fine line between Snow White with the rosy cheeks and a baboon's backside, so you'd want to use a light hand with this. 

Blushed Copper (blush) -- a warm copper-brown shimmery shade that's probably difficult to use as a blush for fair skin, or, for that matter, yellow-toned or dark skin as well because it's really too shimmery for a blush. However the texture is soft and smooth and pigmented, it applies as an eyeshadow just as well.

Opal (highlight) -- one of the iconic BECCA highlighters, it's a beautiful nude gold. Unfortunately it's also too dark to work as a highlight for me, but fret not! For it has a lovely texture similar to Blushed Copper's, and works well as both as an eyeshadow or an eyeshadow topper.

Bronzed Bondi (bronzer) -- a matte warm brown, but the colour payoff is less satisfactory compared to the other shades. It could be a pro though, the mediocre colour payoff, keeping it less prone to heavy-handedness. It can also be used as an eyeshadow of course, but considering the texture and its so-so pigmentation, it might be harder to blend on the eyes than the other shades. 

    雖說買了不後悔，但我主要是為了BECCA的打亮慕名而來的，結果有點小哀傷的發現三個打亮裡只有一個能作為白肌的打亮 (^_^;)  （ins上會放手臂試色影片可以更好的感受一下各色的光澤跟質地，有興趣的話可以看看啦～帳號是 bonjourjasmineblog）

手部試色（左至右）：

Rose Quartz（打亮）：粉晶色光澤超美，但是因為它比我的膚色深一些，我擦在顴骨上如果光線沒打到就會有一條明顯的膚粉色塊在那裡，很像腮紅上錯位置 囧>  疊在眼影上倒是效果不錯。

Icicle（打亮）：最吸引我的一色，也是本盤最愛。Icicle是冰凌的意思，色如其名很白很冷，白到有點發藍的冰白色。我覺得擦上去有種冷冽（？）感，但是不會不自然。特別適合搭配冷色調眼妝，cos冰雪女王唱let it go首選（別鬧。

Winter Berry（腮紅）：莓紅色霧面妝感。這盤主打的滑雪後好氣色主要是在講這色，薄擦在蘋果肌會有冷天裡白裡透紅的妝效。但是！這色非常顯色，失手會變成紅屁股，白雪公主跟狒狒屁股只差一線間，請斟酌力道。

Blushed Copper（腮紅）：白肌大概難以當腮紅用的珠光古銅色，黃肌跟小麥肌要當腮紅用可能也有點難因為太閃。但是這色粉質綿密光澤細緻又顯色，請不要放棄它，拿來當眼影也超美的。

Opal（打亮）：BECCA打亮招牌色之一，是美麗的膚金色。可惜對白肌來說也是有點太深，但跟Blushed Copper一樣天生麗質難自棄，不能當打亮拿來當眼影一樣器用（豎起拇指）。另外還看到有國外部落客推薦輕輕疊擦一層在霧面的Winter Berry腮紅上會非常好看，不過我還沒試過XD

Bronzed Bondi（修容）：霧面偏暖的棕色，算是這盤裡比較不顯色的一塊。往好處想作為修容不容易失手也是好事（攤手）。也是可以當眼影使用啦，不過我覺得粉質跟顯色度真的還好而已 (￣▽￣)＞

    As I only used Icicle from this palette for the look, there's only one detailed on-the-face shot for Icicle this time. The glow is definitely delicate yet deep impact, the hue undoubtedly a cool white, and it does not overly emphasized pores, I think. Oh and just to be clear, this Icicle shade gives a pearly sheen finish, it does not have chunky glitter in it. The few large-sized particles that you see on the photo above actually comes from those white frosty flowers I used for the product flatlays LOL.

    這次妝容因為只用到這盤的Icicle，所以只有Icicle的上臉近照。整體來說打亮夠高調但是妝效相當細緻，顏色非常冷非常白，顯毛孔程度我覺得還好。另外說明一下這色是珠光，並沒有大亮片，上面照片有幾顆看起來比較大的亮粉顆粒不是來自這盤，其實是從前面擺拍用的道具花掉下來的，被我沾到臉上了（眼下也有一些 XD）。

    The look. Of course it had to be icy, considering the name of the highlight. And when you speak of icy, blue comes to mind. Unfortunately, blue eyeshadow, in Asia at least, has such a stigma around it, probably gaining its bad rep from hostess sterotypes and washed out celebrities. Honestly I think that as long as you don't wash the entire lid in blue you'll be good, but here's one failsafe way to master that horror of an eyeshadow colour -- use it as an eyeliner colour, it really adds a pop to your look. I used a silvery white eyeshadow to complement the blue eyeliner, and with the aid of Icicle on my cheekbones and nose bridge, I daresay there's an element of frost in this look  (and this combination reminded me a bit of Swan Lake so I took the liberty to dress like a ballerina, sort of ; P )  

    這次呼應打亮Icicle的名字想來個看起來冷冰冰的妝容（笑） 既然是冷嘛，當然要來用一下藍色眼影。想當年大家提起藍眼影都會想起純美姊（還有人記得她嗎？）或是酒家女，然後藍色就變成了很多人避之不及的顏色 （T__T）  其實我覺得只要不要大範圍的上應該就不會太過慘烈，一個零技巧的駕馭藍色眼影的方式就是拿它來畫高彩度眼線。這次使用了銀白眼影 x 藍眼線的配色，搭上Becca的冰白色打亮（打在顴骨跟鼻樑上）應該很有點冰冷的感覺（然後因為覺得這樣的配色很天鵝湖就自顧自的弄了個仿芭蕾舞者的造型 XD）。

    That's all this time, hope y'all are freezing (just kidding)! Actually I just want to show off this very white and very cool Icicle highlight, and while doing it, to find an excuse to put that huge (but mostly inutile) feather of mine into use LOL.

    這次就這樣啦，希望大家有覺得冷（喂） 其實只是想秀一下很白很冷的Icicle，順便用一下我一直派不上用場的雞肋大羽毛 XDD

Bises! ♥♥