July 31st, 2010

Would You? : Rick Owens Platform Wedge Boots

by Nicolas

I very much dig Rick Owen’s leather jackets. They are everything leather jackets should be – tough, sleek and ultimately cool. During my next round of leather jacket buying season, I will buy one or two from him. When I think of Rick Owens, I also think of the dramatic factor and he is known to turn the dial up on that front quite a bit. A great example is/are these pair of platform wedge boots.

Available in two version – a snakeskin one and a waxed suede version. You can’t help but ask for attention in both pairs with the snakeskin pair demanding more looks. I am on the fence on this one – I am all for gender blending and androgyny but I can’t help but think this is a tad too much.

It takes a whole load of attitude and character to properly carry this off. I don’t think I can and I know it’s just not my style. But these will definitely start conversations so either go all out or not at all…

Get the Rick Owens Snakeskin Platform Wedge Boots for US$2999.04 and the Rick Owens Suede Platform Wedge Boots  for US$1653.60 at Oki-Ni.


July 30th, 2010

Burberry Prorsum Beige Military Style Shirt

by Nicolas

Growing up, I never was a fan of beige. I thought it was boring and pasty. But everything, when done right, can look great. This military shirt from Burberry Prorsum shows just how beige can look anything but drab.

The sharp military style of this shirt gives this a rough yet refined utilitarian vibe and indeed, the two chest pockets give you the option to keep ticket stubs, cards, cash and whatever you need to get through the day. The beige color makes this perfect for all year round wear. Its neutrality makes this something versatile so dress this up or down. Either way, it’ll look good.

Get this Burberry Prorsum Beige Military Style Shirt for US$320.76 at Matches.


July 30th, 2010

Prada Striped Silk Coin Purse

by Nicolas

There are certain moments in time when I know I don’t need something but because it looks great and is functional and is friendly on the wallet, I find myself very tempted to just buy it. This very moment in time happened when I saw this cute silk coin purse.

I don’t fancy coins and I try to get rid of them as quickly as I can. I use the coin pocket on my jeans or the back pocket o my pants to store my coins. And that has worked fine for me all these years but I am so compelled to buy this coin purse – I’ll use it for something else besides storing coins.

The silk fabric is luxurious while the stripes add a pop of detail and color that stands out in a very charming way. It’s just a fun piece to have. I know what I can use this for – to store my credit card receipts. That’s a great use for this piece, don’t you think? But then again, I tear and throw almost all my receipts as soon I get them…

I will cut all the bullshit and just admit that I want this; just because. Get this Prada Striped Silk Coin Purse for US$80 at Saks Fifth Avenue.


July 30th, 2010

Dove Men + Care Journey To Comfort

by Nicolas

Albert Pujols


Andy Pettitte


Joe Girardi

I recently wrote about the great and handy Dove Men+Care Body & Face Wash Series3 great body gel and wash combos (yes, these actually exists!) that moisturize as well as they clean. They are just wonderful for the road this Summer.

To accompany this series, the Dove Men + Care Journey to Comfort campaign was lauched.  The Journey to Comfort campaign features Joe Girardi, Andy Pettitte and Albert Pujols in a series of 90 second videos where they each talk about their own personal journey to comfort off the baseball field.

Each of the videos were shot at the homes of the players with their families and in each, they reveal the off-the-field moments and life experiences that helped them become the people they are today and comfortable in their own skin.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, this Dove series is perfect for the gym too!


July 29th, 2010

Skin City 5.5 (Shanghai, China)

by Nicolas

Amidst all the hustle and bustle of Shanghai, you can’t help but want to seek refuge somewhere. I don’t know a better place than Skin City 5.5.

Skin City 5.5 is the kind of place you want to spend everyday in. At least I do. This fantastic spa has an extensive treatment menu that run the gamut from oxygen facials to microdermabrasion to massages to body scrubs to nail and waxing services. You will be spoiled for choice.

I had a great chat with founder and director of Skin City 5.5, Connie Kim. The idea of Skin City 5.5 came about when Connie realized there was a big gap when it came to spa services in Shanghai. Before Skin City 5.5, you either had a choice of hotel treatments which are usually mediocre at best and very expensive or simple massage parlors that threw in facials just to cater to tourists. She set out to make her mark in between that gap by creating a place where treatments are consistently good but won’t hurt your wallet.

And indeed, the two facials I had were two of the best facials I ever had. As soon as I landed in Shanghai, I headed straight for Skin City 5.5 and had an oxygen facial. My skin was deeply cleansed, exfoliated and massaged twice – one regular face massage and one with rose-quartz crystals from Brazil that had been pre-soaked in rose toning lotion that aid in soothing your skin after which a mask is applied. I was waiting for the oxygen-blast part of the facial and it never came. I later found out from Connie that Skin City 5.5 actually uses special oxygen moisturizers with oxygen carriers that release oxygen onto your skin upon contact. My skin was glowing the whole night after the treatment so these special oxygen moisturizers really do work.

I went back a few days later to try their signature treatment – Crystal Clear Microdermabrasion. Skin City 5.5 is the only place in Shanghai that offers this treatment. Their Crystal Clear Microdermabrasion machine has 3-pre set levels for different skin needs and where the crystal cartridge (containing Aluminium Oxide crystals) screws directly into the handset, eliminating the danger of crystal blockages & maintaining optimum crystal flow. I used to go for microdermabrasion every month but this was different than all my other experiences – this was really thorough and the face massage that followed was pretty darn great. A cream mask (either whitening or calming) is applied after the massage to soothe and hydrate. The end result was my refined pores, even-skin tone and soft, supple skin. This is great if you want to give/start your skin on a clean slate every month. If you suffer from hyper-pigmentation, a series of weekly treatments will help fix that.

They also offer microdermabrasion for the body. In this case, a therapist scrubs your entire body with a special micro-silicate scrub and some body oil. You get a set of trained hands to essential scrub dead skin cells and grime off of you. So very luxe. If you’re planning to get some color by means of sun-bathing or self-tanners, this is a fantastic pre-tanning treatment. An even and longer-lasting tan is what you’ll get after this scrub.

That’s not all. The most painful part of a facial is the extraction step. But at Skin City 5.5, they blew me away with their pain-free extraction technique. Unlike traditional facials, Skin City 5.5 uses a special tool that I’d like to call the ‘blackhead tweezers’. Two thin and sharp points allow your therapist to remove stubborn blackheads with barely a pinch and without the usual, horrifying redness. This is the mark of a great facial.

The products they use are from a German brand, Barbor. Barbor is made with natural ingredients and scientific research to back their claims up. So rest assured in knowing that the potions that go on your face are great. Great products aside, I appreciate how Skin City 5.5 offer facial add-ons like eye treatment, special ampoules for every skin need, longer facial massage and high-frequency blemish zapper so you can really customize your facial based on how your skin is feeling/looking the day of your facial.

They are open 7 days a week from 10am to 10pm (walk-ins are always welcomed) and the whole atmosphere is warm, relaxed with friendly, cheerful staff that have at least 3 years of experience (some 5 and 10!) under their belts. So can you see why Skin City 5.5 is my favorite place in Shanghai? Skin City 5.5 Spa.


July 28th, 2010

Theory Maiher Signal Double Breasted Short Jacket

by Nicolas

I bought a couple of double-breasted coats during my shopping frenzy and I’ve taken them to my tailor to have him shorten them. I am not 6′2 so having a longer coat can overwhelm my frame so I prefer taking them in. If you want to save yourself the hassle of finding a good tailor and then waiting for him/her to shorten your coat, why not simply go for a shorter version like this Theory piece?

The shorter hem gives this a fresh, modern vibe that will work all year round. The navy shade is flattering and very versatile while the black contrast buttons provide a nice pop of contrast. The notched collar and double-breasted style give this a classic feel that never gets old. Its clean, minimalist look will make this great for both work and play.

Get this Theory Maiher Signal Double Breasted Short Jacket for US$345 at Bloomingdale’s.


July 28th, 2010

Perfective Ceuticals Divine Age Guardian Serum With Growth Factor

by Nicolas

There comes a time when you wake up one day and realize that you ought to start taking better care of your skin. For me, that time came in my early teens during my bout of horrible teenage acne. I always say that it really is never too late to start. I know people who only started in their 30s and 40s and they are still better because of that realization.

Speaking of individuals in their 40s, in order to properly review and test this serum from Perfective Ceuticals out, I had to bring in a test subject. Male, late 40s, wrinkles and saggy skin. Let’s just say this great serum found a new convert.

My test subject saw a reduction in his wrinkles and an overall radiant glow that eluded him no thanks to his dry skin type. The increased plumpness was extra icing on the proverbial cake. Of course, in order to write a review, I would have to use this myself too and I did.

The texture of this serum was extremely lightweight and it goes on perfectly and gets absorbed so quickly that it took me by surprised and I have used my fair share of serums. It’s so light but it packs a heavy punch. My skin instantly had a glow and felt nourished and moisturized. I don’t have any wrinkles yet but this helped with my uneven skin tone and the inflammation from occasional breakouts.

This is one to tackle both aging AND the prevention of aging. The non-comedogenic formula makes this great for all skin types. I have very oily skin but this didn’t contribute to the oiliness one bit. This is a wonderful buy – it deals with all signs of aging while repairing past damage. Now, that’s what I call a hard worker.

Get this Perfective Ceuticals Divine Age Guardian Serum With Growth Factor for US$128 at Perfective Ceuticals.