The Rundown: Vichy is The Shit

Well now, truthfully I don't know much about beauty products and the only time I wear make up is if I'm going out to an event of some sort.  I don't wear any foundation, primer or anything on my face besides slight eye makeup, lipgloss and maybe a little blush on a good day. Do false eyelashes count as make up? No idea, maybe it's more like a prop. 

Anyhow, I thought I'd let you in on a little beauty secret of mine when it comes to my skin.  Basically, I use an exfoliating cleanser, however I'm not particularly loyal to any brand. Currently right now it's Neutrogena of some sort. BUT, I can honestly swear by these 2 products below! I have no idea what it is about Vichy's Thermal Spa Water Spray but it's the shit.  Apparently it's bottled at the source from a spring in the town of Vichy, France and is exceptionally rich in rare minerals. All I know is that since I've been using it over the past year, my skin has less breakouts and has a smooth natural glow with an even complexion. Gimmick? I dunno man, if it is, don't tell me!

So anyways, after I wash my face, I pat it dry and then spray it on my face. After a few seconds, I then dab a bit of Vichy's Aqualia Antiox "Youthful Deoxidising 24Hr Hydrating Cream" (mouthful yes I know). I only use a very light amount as my face is still damp from the spray so the cream blends in nicely. 

That's my morning and nightly routine. Pretty low maintenace but it works wonders for me! It's not too costly either.  The thermal spray is around $12-$15 depending on where you buy it and the hydrating cream is around $35. Both last me a few months so it's a good buy. 

Bonus, Shopper's Drug Mart is having a 20% off sale on Vichy Products but I have no idea until when. 

Street Style: Real G's Wear Pink

Fresh is fresh:

Tshirt: Stussy Dirty Bird Crew

Denim: Levi's "The 'Two Horse' Brand" Matchstick Skinny

Shoes: Vans 

Even though this is looks completely ridiculous now, you have to admit, at the time Cam'ron was doin' it big with the pink Range and basically pink everything. You have to respect his balliness. 

Below: Cam'ron when Purple Haze dropped in 2004

image source: flickr.com

Street Style: Laces are Lame...

Shoes laces are overrated. 

Below: Morgan Collett, co-owner of Saturdays Surf in New York.
Surfer. Skater. Designer. Entrepreneur.

I can't find my scanner so I took the pic with my Nikon straight outta September's issue of GQ (my fav magazine).

Rumi Neely:

image source: fashiontoast.com

Me: For the record, I disposed of them and have no idea where they are...

You can always ofcourse use them for this:

Max at Ching Skatepark, early summer.

Street Style: Weezy and company at The Molson Amphitheatre

So Friday night, me and the homies hit up Weezy's show at The Molson Amphitheatre. The venue itself is an outdoor structure located inside Ontario Place, but it was so rammed that it quickly became a sauna, especially closer to the stage. The venue was jammed with superfans, scantily clad jailbait groupies, fun loving drunks, wannabe hustlers and everyone else inbetween. It was a great show! Also featured was Lloyd, The Far East Movement, Keri Hilson and Corey Gunz(which I missed GRRR), with a special appearance by Toronto's own Drake. Lloyd and Keri sound amazing live and put on an ace performance, but Weezy stole the show (obviously). 

Wayne has great style that reflects his creativity as an artist and his lackadaisical persona. I loved the baseball socks pulled up with high tops and cut off denim shorts. Kudos to his stylist!

Below: Chin and Mz. Keyz

Fresh Prince's exclusive YSL belt :

Below: Me and my $18 HM tank that I modified with a gold marker:

Before: HIGH HEELS HIGH HOPES

After: Being HIGH HEALS HIGH HOPES

Denim vest: American Eagle

Street Style: Ombre Hair

I can honestly admit I have a hair dye addiction and I haven't had virgin hair probably since I was 13. My first experience was when I decided to dye my hair electric purple in my bathroom.  Needless to say, it didn't really work because I'm Asian and my hair decided to say fuck you hell no. Since then, it's been every colour of the rainbow and in every style including: the blond TBoz, the layered Jennifer Anniston and the hot pink pre Nicki Minaj (that was an accident by the way. Fuck you Manic Panic), etc.

So as I've grown older, I've toned it down a bit  (well kinda because the side of my hair is shaved off) but whatever.  I'm kinda impulsive with it but hair is just hair and it grows back. You only live once!!

So 2 weeks ago I decided to jump on the Ombre craze and dye it yet again.  I do love this look though because it has a laid back, beachy, don't care my roots are out of control sorta look. The idea is to have a transition of colour from root to ends and somewhere in between. 

Me:

Alexa Chung and Kristen Stewart:

image source: glam.com

Drew Barrymore:

image source: blog.lookfantastic.com

A model:

image source: fashionstyles.tk

My girl crush: Rumi Neely

image source: shefinds.com

Nicki Minaj:

image source: cosmaddict.com

Street Style: A Little Bit of Scotch and Soda Please

Location:  Scotch and Soda, Sherway Gardens Mall

Name: Kayla

This is a pretty cool ass holster that the employees of Scotch and Soda are required to wear to enhance your retail experience and provide ultimate customer service.  This utilitarian contraption hosts a measuring tape and probably some other nifty stuff in the pockets.  Bonus! The cute little button that reminds you that they're there to help as your personal stylist!

Fyi, I already asked: They're not for sale :(

Street Style: Vintage Mid '70s

These lovely square pics are of my parents in the '70s.  I had to take the pic with my blackberry because my Nikon kept picking up the raised and grainy texture of the photo paper making it hard to see the actual photographs.

I love the spirited nature of both pics. My mom with her beautiful carefree smile and my father with his reflective gentleness. Can't miss the choppy bangs and layered fringes women often wore as hairstyles and my dad's flared denim, corduroy jacket and heeled boots that were so popular amongst early hipsters of their time.

So young and so free...

The SoHo Monet Collection: Wooden Handpainted Bangle

1" Wooden Handshaped and Handpainted Bangle

"Peace, Love and Light"

The SoHo Monet Collection: Wooden Graffiti'd Bangle

2" Wooden Custom Designed Bangle:

The SoHo Monet Collection: Tiger Eye Nugget Necklace

Tiger Eye 28" 12mm nugget necklace with 14K gold bonded clasp

Symbolic Meaning: A stone of protection and good luck. Helps to focus the mind and promote mental clarity while dispelling fear and anxiety. Also assists in balancing yin-yang, stabilizing mood swings, strengthening willpower, confidence and courage.

Stolen Moments: "I get my pallets from the sky..."

Location: On a side street somewhere...

Name: Mz Keyz

One of my most fav movies in terms of cinematography is New York, I Love You.  It doesn't have a spectacular screenplay, nothing that would warrant an Oscar. But I just loved it for the simple fact of just how simple it was.  It's a short romantical film compromising of eleven different encounters with love or lust, all taking place within the five boroughs of New York and all directed by eleven different directors.

The part of the film that sticks out the most to me is when a cabbie is randomly chatting and references the sky above and says "I get my pallets from the sky".  I don't know why, but I just fell in love with that sentence. It's the first thing that pops in my head whenever I look up and see all those beautiful hues that only sunsets or sunrises can create. 

The SoHo Monet Collection: Handcrafted Rosary

This rosary is made from freshwater pearls and moulded shimmering clay.  The middle seal is engraved with the word "Bless" and the shaped cross is engraved with "Psalm 84".

The SoHo Monet Collection: Onyx Beaded Necklace

Onyx 30" 6mm beaded necklace with a 14K gold bonded clasp.

Symbolic Meaning: A stone of strength and focus. It promotes vigor, stamina and steadfastness. It also helps to banish negativity and emotional stress. 

The SoHo Monet Collection: Tiger Eye Beaded Necklace

Tiger Eye 30" 8mm beaded necklace with 14K gold bonded clasp

Symbolic Meaning: A stone of protection and good luck. Helps to focus the mind and promote mental clarity while dispelling fear and anxiety. Also assists in balancing yin-yang, stabilizing mood swings, strengthening willpower, confidence and courage.

The SoHo Monet Collection: Leopard Jasper

This bracelet is made from round 8mm leopard jasper and accented with a rose gold plated cross.

Symbolic meaning: Jasper is a gem which has been mentioned many times in The Bible. It is said it harbors powerful protection against negativity and eases emotional stress.

Stolen Moments: The Oracle

Location:  Fry Chi Sports Bar and Restaurant, Montego Bay, Jamaica

A lot of Jamaica's architecture is based on old structures that have been renovated for commercial use.  The ghost of it's colonial history remains in many places and this bar was no exception. 

It's like seeing through the looking glass or one of the oracles in The Neverending Story. Old meets new in an uncanny fusion balancing commercial growth and sustaining history. 

Stolen Moments: He Will F*ckin' Eat Your Food

Location:  Ching Skatepark, Brampton

Name: Max

Toronto standin' up and out!

Street Style: Travel Benefits aka Bragging Rights

And by "Travel Benefits" I mean 2 things:  Off MCM's latest collection, the Cognac Visetos signature backpack AND the fact that wearing this backpack (or any brand new MCM bag) means that you had to travel internationally to get it (and I don't mean ebay shipping dude.)

Many an old foot may recognize the MCM logo. It was adorned on old school hip hop artists back in the day, along with many of fashion's elite when it was tagged under the name of German designer Michael Cromer Munchen, who started the brand in the 1970's. Nowadays, it's been reinvented as Mode Creation Munich but still very much keeping to the true roots of it's "artisanal expertise of German craftsmanship".

The Fresh Prince:

Rechristened and Rehyped:
Yeezy and crew

image source: i702.photobucket.com

Travis McCoy:

image source: upscalehype.com

LL loves MCM...but in a white jumpsuit circa 1980s:

image source: fasinfrankvintage.com