I hope you can help me solve this mystery. I saw a brilliant all-in-one blusher thing in a magazine at one of the coffee shops I hang out in. I'm kicking myself for not ripping out the page there and then. Now I can't remember which mag or cafe it was in! Help?
There's A Kind of Blush ..., Central
The Dictator rules: Help with what exactly? Your aimlessness? (Check the Classifieds section for employment.) Your caffeine addiction? (Surely what you need is a jolt to get your mind working.) Your memory? (Not my area, but there are lots of books out there. Hey, you could read one while idling in a public space!) To answer your cosmetics enquiry, I would guess you saw the Macaron Puffy Cheek from the new Aube Couture collection by Sofina (HK$230; 211 Des Voeux Road Central, tel: 2854 9976), which is available in five pink- to-orange tones. While make- up applicator puffs are usually provided as a separate entity within a compact, this fun gim- mick comprises a container for the powder topped by a fixed puff. If you're into the whole 'natural' product movement, you might like Mineral Colour Cheek by Mimc (HK$435; Beyond Organic, IFC Mall, Central, tel: 2882 5218), which comes in a similar contraption and is formulated for sensitive and blemished skin. For the bargain version, try Fun Fun Pop Cheek by Palgantong in pearl pink or pearl orange (HK$75; Sasa, 88 Queen's Road Central, customer hotline: 2505 5023). Does this cute application method yield better results? The jury's still out on that, but it's amusing and easy to use. Please do remember to blend, though, as the clown look is not 'in' for spring-summer. One final note: it's not cool to tear pages out of communal magazines.
My sister visited recently and had the cutest dress by a brand I'd never heard of nor seen in any of the shops here. It's called Camilla and Marc. I'm struggling to maintain my unique style when all I see are mega brands on every corner. Is it too niche, or has someone picked up on them? Tell me more!
Name Game, Mid-Levels
The Dictator: The first thing I need to tell you is to open your eyes. Hong Kong's vibrant and diverse retail scene is much better than you people seem to give it credit for, especially if you step out of the big malls. There are brilliant boutiques all over the city, featuring exciting new generations of designers from all over the world. If you want to know about a few of them, send me another question, because I'm about to send you back into a mall. Camilla and Marc is a label from Sydney, Australia, which launched in 2003 and is designed by Camilla Freeman-Topper and run by her brother, Marc Freeman. You've probably saw one of the brand's pretty dresses on Rachel Bilson, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Bosworth, Jennifer Lopez or Rose Byrne. Made with luxurious fabrics in modern silhouettes, the colourful new collection works best on women who like to show off their gams. The drop waists are also ideal for those with a bit of a paunch that a fitted waist will never conceal. (You know who you are.) Find a selection of the new collection, which includes dresses and separates in solid bold hues as well as a multicoloured abstract leopard print (HK$4,700 to HK$11,000; Joyce, Pacific Place, Admiralty, tel: 2523 5944).
