Review | Cuepido Cosmetics Simply Beautiful Pure Moisture Oil-Free SPF45 & Beauty Mist

All beautiful things come from a place with lots of love and care behind them, we believe. So, this skin-loving skincare brand is no different. If you had followed LUMINNEJ for some time, you would have noticed that we fell in love with Cuepido Cosmetics (here for more) for some time now (our crushes, naturally here and here previously) and we have always enjoyed the array of natural and organic skin freedom concept skincare and beauty products the brand offers. This time a round, we would love to share with you a little brief thoughts of the two products we received many moons back. Yes, life just got in the way and it is long overdue, nonetheless, excited to let you lovelies know more here. 

All Cuepido products are formulated without Paraben, Phthalates, Triclosan, Sulphates and Gluten, which is such a comfort to know. In today's world, we are already overloaded with enough harmful chemicals, knowing what we consume or put on our skin is gentle yet effective is most definitely rewarding. Read more about the brand here.

[Inspiration | Musing] That Change Of View

I can't help falling in love with you, space, for you give me a new way of looking at things, you show me that a different view is possible as long as you have an open heart and mind. Fear of the unknown and unfamiliar is terribly real yet beautifully inviting at the same time. I embrace this change, I took it all in, head on, without having a shred of doubt that I would eventually be fine, over time. 

Space, you seem forgiving, you seem friendly enough to accommodate my weakness and all my shortcomings, a woman who only wishes to be happy, no matter where she is, to be free of the worries of the world, yet she knows too well that life is never a bed of roses and worries can only be kept at bay with strong hopeful thoughts and solid baby step actions. 

The new space seems more peaceful, rendering me more solitude of the mind and soul, to be just who I want to be - a simple woman with simple needs, to have ample mental space to think, to explore, to do the things I enjoy doing. 

I have come home, somewhat I feel. The person who I am and who I perhaps would eventually be, are equally similar yet so different in ways I could hardly comprehend but could only embrace as much as I could. Life is beautiful after all when what you search for is only happiness and good intentions, nothing more as the rest seem to fade away like the whispers of the winds.

Some things are just meant to happen that way ... 

Have a fantastic and luminous rest of the week, lovelies *_^

With love, 

Jeann

Lifestyle Review | Gaston Luga, That Swedish Minimalist Backpack That Is Stylishly Functional

You kept me close, you kept me warm, you kept me company and 

kept my letters of adventurous journeys so vividly colourful that 

what is there not to love about you? To journey beyond your eyes and mind is 

to understand the true essence of discovering one true self ... 

and yet, after all there is to explore out there, 

one comes back home to the unfamiliarly familiar. 

That perhaps, is one of our greatest adventures yet, one fine day.
What better way to go on an adventure with a trusted companion
that looks stylishly sleek and yet is a work horse and
come back home full of great memories.

Visual via Gaston Luga Online

We have always been fascinated by Scandinavian design aesthetics, especially its minimalistic and simplicity towards making things look elegantly refined, yet they do not seem to lose their charm on someone like us, it is equally captivating and mesmerising how they could seem to pull it off effortlessly *_^ When Gaston Luga, a Swedish backpack retailer (here for more) located in the heart of Stockholm approached us to explore if we are keen to collaborate with them, we were pleasantly surprised but all too happy in fact to have a further look into the brand. Once we read their brand story (here) and discovered more of their varied ranges for both men  (here) and women (here), we were enthralled by the idea of owning one already. After a few exchanges of email correspondences, our preferred choice of Gaston Luga Pråper Pink arrived in slightly less than a week! 

Visual via Gaston Luga Online

From our browsing on the brand's official website, we realised that Gaston Luga's uniquely designed backpacks fit into quite a variety of settings from their 3 main collections - Clässic, Clässy and Pråper. Our first impression of the backpacks via their social media platforms and online presence was that they are definitely chic looking. The designs are, to say the least, pleasing to the eyes, aesthetically. It got our interested piqued when we read more about the sturdy canvas materials that are used to produce each backpack. 

Review | Shu Uemura Nutri:Nectar Gentle Cleansing Oil In Emulsion & The Lightbulb Essence Essential-Oil-In Foundation

Iconic and memorable, Shu Uemura (here for more) is one of the longest standing Japanese brands which has perfected the facial cleansing routine with a wide range of cleansing oil suited to different skin types and its functionalities. This 50 years of magic legacy continues with a brand new breed of cleansing oil which is in the market for a while now - the Shu Uemura Nutri:Nectar Gentle Cleansing Oil In Emulsion! We are extremely blessed to be given the opportunity to give it a try when it first launched and now, we are delighted to share a bit of our experience with you lovelies today. #thankyoushu for the huge love! Not forgetting, we also received the new Shu Uemura Lightbulb Essence Essential-Oil-In Foundation in the same package, just when we thought it could not get any better, but it did!

[Inspiration | Musing] Drifting Space

Space drew a deep sigh and withdrew away, in hiding, in the shadow and not wanting to show her face vividly, to her secret admirer. No matter how much I beg, space retreats and unwilling to compromise. Perhaps she is utterly disappointed that she is not what she seems to be after all. 

"Do I need to tell you how I really feel out loud?" space mumbles underneath her little breath. "I am but a girl just wishing upon a star, hoping to get to hear a little echoing respond." She sounds hopelessly disappointed. I could not seem to figure her out. Perhaps it is not my place to do so.

I try to tell space a joke, but she seems unmoved by my little attempt of kindness. I miss her hearthy crazy laugh, I miss seeing her smile and her naiveté, I miss her random rants of her wild but harmless thoughts swirling in her restless mind.

Space, I shall leave you to your own corner, perhaps you do need your own space after all. Tell me when you are ready to step back into the sunlight again. I shall be here, waiting patiently for you. I know you are a strong little one, you will survive it all, no matter for you choose both sweet and bitter of life to savour. 

Be a good girl and come back out, all right, space? 

Visuals via Lumi Pinterest here | Her Face | Cultivate Kindness | All Is Not Lost

With love, 

Jeann

[Inspiration | Musing] April Kind Of Change

That moment when you realise what you miss most is just the feeling of that unspoken sense of belonging, even if it means to know that you mean something to someone, that you are truly who you are, uniquely your own self.

March saw a drastic change in life, moving onto new and different challenges in our professional work life, a mixture of excitement and adventures, rolled into one, felt and tasted like Vietnamese spring roll. Lethargically stimulated, we took it on with an open mind and heart. 

Looking at you, it seems inevitable, yes, change, we are looking at you. You fooled us well, yet we can only invite you in for a cuppa and work our way around to what seems certain at this moment, at least it is for the better of everyone. We miss certain things in life, capturing beauty, advocating the appreciation of beauty in life, time somehow is working a little against us, the tide is retreating so quickly that it takes us by surprise ... please stay a little longer, will you, please?

Perhaps it lies in our stars, wanting to live a vivacious life with memorable moments that take our breath away, always! Here's to a unprecedented April, it should be a revelation, one we hope we can face with great courage. Stay happy always, lovelies *_^

All visuals via LUMI's Pinterest | Flower Girl Under The Tree | LUMINNEJ Insta Feed | Words Go Where Alive | Lace In Bed | All White In Bed

With love, 

Jeann

[Review] Sisley Phyto-Blanc Brightening Cushion Foundation | A Whisk of Blissful Natural Radiance For Your Complexion

March presented us with a little surprise from the beloved French luxury skincare and beauty brand, Sisley Paris. Thanks to the graciousness of Sisley Malaysia team, we received a very special package, to the least of our expectation, Sisley Paris finally came on board the cushion bandwagon - presenting you the brand's very first cushion foundation with skincare benefits, the Sisley Phyto-Blanc Brightening Cushion Foundation, (here for more) extending a more than 15 years of research on the mechanism of melanogenesis in its Photo-Blanc range of skincare expertise to make-up, creating an all-new foundation with lightening and protective properties.

Sisley Paris as a brand is renowned for its phyto-cosmetology philosophy, incorporating this concept to all its creations - using the best plant-based extracts in order to create the best skincare and cosmetics. We are super excited to say the least, to try out this cushion foundation designed for Asian skin! Let's get started, shall we?

Introducing The Dior Addict All New Lip Glow Colour Reviver Balms | The Pretty Squad In Town

Streamers and balloons with gleaming little lights arrived with an ultra sweet note at our doorstep previously and those shades of pink and red set our heart racing a little already. Who doesn't love a little surprise now and then, right? This time, it was from team #DiorMY (they are always such a sweet heart), thanks a million for such a pleasant parcel. Today is Valentine's Day, so what better way to celebrate than to put on some wash of pink on the lips and make them oh-so-kissable on this special occasion. Let's check these new shades out, lovelies and your Valentine's Day (or any other day in the year, for that matter) will never be the same again *_^

Astalift Hi Tea With Nana Mahazan | A Refreshingly Uplifting Afternoon

Photogenic Beauty, that is the core belief of this Japanese skincare and beauty brand, an extension from its original photo-film-centric business brand, FUJIFILM. Yes, we are talking about a beauty brand called ASTALIFT (here for more). This innovative beauty brand aims to achieve 'Photogenic Beauty' that is projecting beauty from an inner shine that gives the woman a strong presence, glowing from within. 

We had the pleasure of attending a private media hi tea session with local celebrity, Ms. Nana Mahazan at the exquisite Enchan-Thé Japon, Salon De Thé, Isetan Japan Store, Lot 10 previously. It was an eye opener sharing session, finally getting to understand a little more the technology behind the beauty brand and how various technological assets such as those on collagen and nanoparticle formulation fostered through the photographic business of Fujifilm were adapted to cosmetics and other new business fields via Astalift.

[Inspiration | Musing] I Truly Miss You

You whisked away without a trace, in silence, the air was thick, the silence was deafening, that very moment when I discovered you had gone. I thought I lost you forever, but I guess you went away quietly, yearning for a hiatus, a break, one which you had to go through. I left it as it is, I am after all, fairly accommodating. Secretly, the rain came and cried for your leaving, incessantly, as if mourning along, with me, even though I do miss you, but I rather not be too emotional about it. How sweet and thoughtful rain was. Rain is just being sentimental, just like me. 

I long for your return, I would love for you to come back to my embrace and let all your words and passion for visuals just flow, naturally. You don't need to feel restricted at all, for I see through you ... I do see you and all your hopes and dreams, for this life, perhaps even some broken pieces and tears that tag along with them, like some pesky cat who loves to cling tight onto you, which you do find annoying some times. Yes, this is you, the way I see you. Cat is never your thing anyway. 

I hope when you return, you bring with you the sun, a sunshine of renewed inspiration, passion, love and hopes, a pocket full of sunlight that not overly bright, but warm and tenderly inviting, almost like your touch and your gentle smile, whenever you have funny thoughts swirling in that crazy mind of yours. Yes, that is how I see you, you silly one! 

Come home to me again, my dearest. Life is unpredictable, we don't have a lifetime. 

Visuals via LUMI Pinterest here. A Face With Flowy Hair | Catching Her Hair In The Sun | Flowers & Sunlight At Home

Have a luminously happy new week, lovelies *_^

With love, 

Jeann

Review | Sisley Paris Izia, The Collision of Fresh Vibrancy With A Breeze Of Elegance

The culmination of freshness of fruity floral, seduction of a very rare kind of rose and the sweet warmth of woodiness of precious ingredients from the garden and nature bring forth this extremely unique scent, imbued with endless imagination and a sense of adventure, grounded with sensuality of a woman who looks at the world with a fresh new eyes and mind, every time. Sisley Paris's new scent,  IZIA  (here fore more) came to us like a breath of fresh air, as surprising as the gorgeous pink and gold accent packaging, and its exquisite glass bottle specially designed by Polish sculptor, Bronislaw Krzysztof is more than enough to entice you to take another look at Izia or just pick up the bottle and to sample its amazingly unique scent. We are pleasantly surprised, truly. 

[Musing] Past // Present // Future | What Does 2018 Mean To You?

Time made a mark, came and went for 2017 seemed a whirlwind of ups and downs for us. We looked forward to a more quiet year towards the end of last last year here, instead, life threw us with much unexpected turn of events this year. We made a change in life and took up a new area of work, in some ways, blogging here took quite a back seat, which was never an ideal situation for us, but somehow we had to. Never the less, no regrets, life is such. 

Unpredictability also hit us hard when we lost some loved ones this year, a very close family member and a blogger friend (which her departure came so sudden that none of us was ready for it! But then again, who ever would be for a thing called death, right?). It only goes to assert one thing in life - seize the moment and always live each day as if it is your last. Always be grateful and blessed that you are still alive each day to enjoy it. Some things will seem more important while others become way less significant once you sort out your priorities in life. 

For us, we hope that 2018 will be a fresh new start, one that calls for a change in life, but definitely one that would lead us to better future. We did have a great 2017, for we got to travel and gone places quite a fair bit here, all thanks to a dear friend and the hospitality of great places of holiday destinations. On this note, we hope we get to go travel even more, and beyond our region, to experience more and to live more. 

We would also love to take this opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who dropped by and leave your comment, even though we hardly surf over to say our hello often enough (our bad, really!), we could not have done it without your support, and your love, our associates and brands who still believe in us and our work here at LUMINNEJ. We endeavour to do better in the coming new year ... shall try our very best. Please be kind *_^ 

Have a truly exciting new year of 2018 and may the best come your way as you absolutely deserve the best in life, lovelies. Stay luminous and happy, always!

Visual 1 | Black and White Flower by pfeffergruen on Instagram. All visuals via #pinterest. 

With love, 

Jeann