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Shiseido Oil-Control Blotting Paper

Lady Dior Bag Review

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Lady Dior Rose Poudre

 

It’s been a while since I’ve done a bag review here in the blog. Well, Summer’s almost over, but Fall is coming and it’s about time to change to a different bag that’s more suitable for this upcoming season. But before I do that, I’d like to talk about my most favorite bag this Summer – the Lady Dior. This iconic bag is named after one of the most famous woman in our history, Lady D, or Lady Diana. She used to carry this purse in several of her appearances, and years later, this bag though had been reimagined or reinterpreted several times, has remained to be as beautiful and as elegant as ever, just like the woman for whom it was named after.

 

Lady Dior Bag Review

 

I got this Lady Dior bag when I was in Spain. I’ve been eyeing this bag for a long time, but I didn’t really expect to seriously get it. I’ve looked and tried this bag at different Dior stores but was kind of undecided as to what color to get since most of the shades available were just so beautiful, and that had left me undecided. I sorta had my mind on the smaller Mini Lady Dior with Chain in Lotus Pearly Cannage Lambskin, but that was too small for me and though I love the color, I decided to skip it. Since then, I’ve been thinking about the Lady Dior bag for more than a year, and for some reason, I had the feeling that I may never get this bag after all. However, a year later, I popped into a Dior store in Barcelona and I saw this beautiful Lady Dior in Rose Eclair and I immediately fell in love with it. The size was perfect for me, and I love the light pink color. I chose the patent leather since the color is bright and light, and I didn’t want it to get stained so easily. I’m a fan of patent leathers, and I’ve had good experiences with patent leather bags before, especially the Vernis leather of Louis Vuitton, and I thought the same is true with this Patent Lady Dior Bag.

 

Lady Dior Review

 

This bag’s dimension is 9.5 x 4.5 x 8 inches. This size is considered a standard medium like the original Lady Dior. This comes with a narrow removable and adjustable should strap and with a drop of approximately 23 inches. A signature D.I.O.R metallic letters serve as charms attached to the bag, and the bag itself is sporting its signature Cannage topstitching. There is a zipper closure that secures your things, however, the bag’s opening can be quite narrow, which makes it hard to see what’s inside it. It’s also kinda hard to put your hand inside it since the leather is kinda stiff, but it does get better as soon as the leather softens a little bit. Still, you kinda have to rely on your hands and try to feel the items in this bag if you need something. The bag’s handles are rounded, slim, and flat, which is nice because my arm fits through them so easily. The overall size of this bag is perfect for carrying basic necessities and there’s still room for more. Also, its weight is not too heavy and it’s not too light.

 

The whole look of the Lady Dior bag is just absolutely stunning and a definite head-turner. The design is gorgeous, sleek, and minimal but beautiful. A kind of bag that is very versatile and can withstand the test of time. The stitching is well done and the bag overall looks well-made. You can wear it as a shoulder bag, a handbag or as a crossbody.

 

Price-wise, this bag is expensive, but you’re paying for the name and the timeless yet classic elegant style. For the color, I’ve always wanted my own Lady Dior bag to be something bright since I envisioned myself to be carrying this bag for most of the Summer, and the Rose Eclair shade is just perfect for that. However, in the future, I would also like to have this bag in black which is so perfect for Fall and Winter. Oh, how I wish. Anyway, there are different colors and sizes for this bag. There’s one called “Les Larges” which obviously is a larger version of the bag in this review, another one called “Mini Lady Dior” which has a chain for a shoulder strap, and the other one is “My Lady Dior” which you can customize with badges. For me, the best size is this medium standard Lady Dior, which is not too big and not too small, and it can fit several things without looking overstuffed or feeling too heavy.

 

 

Here are the things I could fit inside this bag, also, these are the items I’ve been carrying throughout this Summer.

Lady Dior Bag review and contents

  1. Louis Vuitton Key Pouch in Damier Azur Canvas – this where I put my coins and some other little stuff I hoard (LOL), so they won’t scatter inside my bag.
  2. Marc Jacobs Enamored Hydrating Lip Gloss Stick in Candy Bling (swatched HERE)
  3. Tom Ford Ultra Shine Lip Color in Nubile (seen HERE)
  4. Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Highlight – my go-to stick highlighter of the moment, love this for the soft fine shimmers
  5. Nest Citrine Rollerball – one of my favorite scents this Summer (reviewed HERE)
  6. Tom Ford Liquid Matte Lip Lacquer in Pussycat (swatched HERE)
  7. Parker Pen – you’ll never know when you need to sign or write something or when somebody needs a pen, oh, and this pen writes smoothly (once a girl scout, always a girl scout, LOL)
  8. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Macadamia
  9. Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm – favorite hand and body moisturizer, mostly use this for my hands, and can’t get enough of the scent (Aesop products reviewed HERE)
  10. Drunk Elephant Lippe Balm (reviewed HERE)
  11. Atelier Cologne Iris Rebelle Perfume Travel Spray – love the lightness of this scent
  12. Supergoop! Super Power Sunscreen Mousse Broad Spectrum SPF 50 – an easy to apply Spf that is super lightweight and non-greasy (more details HERE)
  13. Purell Hand Sanitizer
  14. Louis Vuitton 6 Key Holder
  15. Shiseido Oil-Control Blotting Paper – one of the best blotting papers I’ve ever tried (more on favorite blotting sheets HERE)
  16. Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist – to refresh my skin during the day

 

what's inside my Lady Dior bag

 

  1. Saint Laurent Monogram Card Case in Grain de Poudre Embossed Leather in Shocking Pink – love this card case so much, it’s very sturdy and it looks so pretty with the interlacing golden YSL initials on it. The leather is a bit stiff at first but it’s scratch-resistant because it’s grained.
  2. Tom Ford Illuminating Powder in 01 Translucent– my current on the go blotting powder to illuminate my dark undereyes and reduce shine off my face. Been testing this for a few weeks now and will review this thoroughly soon.
  3. Gucci GG Marmont card case in Dusty Pink Matelassรฉ leather – a very cute card case with a soft cushy leather. Love this color, very matchy-matchy with my Lady Dior bag, LOL.
  4. Pop up Folding Pocket Hair Brush with Mirror – I cannot emphasize how convenient and important this is and it’s very easy to toss inside your purse, also, this doesn’t occupy much space.ย 
  5. Compeed – used to hoard packs of this when it was only available in Europe, thank goodness this is now available here in the USA. This is literally the best blister cushion/plaster in the market. Love this because this is a lot thicker than most blister plasters I’ve ever tried, and guess what, I still hoard several packs of this even to this day because this is so useful.

 

Lady Dior

 

I really love this Lady Dior bag and it’s one of the most beautiful bags I’ve ever owned, however, this beauty requires extreme care; First, I find the patent leather to be too delicate, compared to LV’s Vernis leather. This seems prone to color transfer especially when it gets wet or when it comes in contact with darker colors. Since this bag is in light patent leather, I have to be careful not to put this close to any dark clothing, especially dark jackets, sweaters, jeans, or coats. But it can be easy to clean with a damp cloth if the color transfer hasn’t saturated that much on the leather. Second, the patent leather can get easily scratched, so you have to be really careful when carrying this bag. For those reasons, I almost decided to sell the bag since I was doubting myself whether I could really take care of such delicate purse. I contemplated for a while, but the bag is just too beautiful to get away, so I talked to some S.A.s at Dior and followed their advice to buy a Dior Mitzah with my initials and wrap it around one of the bag’s handles in order to protect it from wear and tear, as well as from the color or moisture transfer from either my clothing or from my hand. Also, I just really have to be extra careful when handling this bag. Speaking of Mitzahs, the first Dior Mitzah I bought with my initial “L” on it has an animal print of white and green with purple and blue trees. I love it and it reminds me of Hermes Twilly only with a letter written on the end. Later on, I decided to buy another Dior Mitzah with the same ABCDior style. I was told that they now have some new designs of the Dior Mitzahs ABCDior which are inspired by the work of the French Poet and Surrealist Artist Jean Cocteau. I bought one, and though I’m not a fan of the scarf’s shade which is a little too neutral for me and too close to my bag’s color, I fell in love with its message and its very symbolic and very touching illustration, which is a woman crying inside a cage (literally the scarf has a word “Cage” on it) but then was freed and had found freedom and happiness. As of the moment, Dior also carries different colors of Mitzahs without initials, and they only carry the updated ABCDior Mitzah designs online, which are inspired by Jean Cocteau’s work. You might still be able to find the older Mitzah designs/colors in select Dior Stores.

 

dior scarf

 

Overall, this beautiful iconic bag is one of the easiest purses for me to carry. It’s versatile and comfortable, and it’s not too heavy and not too light. You can carry this purse in several different ways, and it matches with any outfit. This is definitely the perfect bag for a petite frame and will also look good in just about any body type, size, or height. This bag not only elevates one’s look but can also make one appear elegant and polished. A true classic that won’t go out of style.

 

Lady Dior

 

The Lady Dior Bag, as well as the Dior Mitzahs, are currently available at Dior Boutiques or in-store at select department stores.

 

Are you also a Dior lover?

 

Favorite Oil-Control Blotting Papers

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As a lover of face glows and highlighters but with an oily-prone skin type, it can be quite a challenge to use some strobing products especially in the middle of the Summer. A couple of weeks ago, one sunny afternoon, I was all excited to put on my makeup. I thought I nailed my strobing technique and I was out and about thinking how glowy and naturally lit I must have looked. The weather suddenly became so intensely hot and humid that when I got to my car and glanced at myself at the rear-view mirror, I suddenly realized “What in the devil have I done?!” LOL! My face was glowy, true, but it was way too glowy that it looked so oily. It was like I slathered olive oil on my face. I thought “What? How could this be?” when I left home, I didn’t look like this, I even had a mattifying foundation on. Oh my, lesson learned, go easy with the highlighting especially if the weather gets really warm and humid, and if you have an oily skin type, well, you’re going to need all the help you can get, starting with a really good oil-control blotting paper.

 

best oil-control blotting papers

 

Unfortunately, when that story happened, I forgot my blotting paper, Arrrgh…, and I usually carry a pack in my purse. I did have a pressed powder with me, but I don’t really like applying powders on my face without getting rid of most of the oil first. It just seems gross. So, immediately, I went to the closest beauty store I could find and did some panic buying of several oil-control blotting sheets. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with testing the blotting papers I purchased. I normally use the Too Cool For School Dinoplatz blotting papers, but I found out that there are several brands that are actually a lot better than this particular blotting paper nowadays.

 

The following are my faves:

 

Shiseido Oil-Control Blotting Paper (100 sheets: $18.50) – These sheets are large and have a slightly powdery feel. They have a very very subtle floral scent that is almost undetectable and they absorb the oil very well. They’re also mattifying and they come in a convenient easy “pull-out release” type of packaging, encased further by a small white envelope. These don’t disturb the makeup and they don’t disintegrate easily while being blotted on the face. I love these for their size and their ability to absorb excess oil very well without having to rub them on the face.

 

Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers review

 

Tatcha Aburatorigami Japanese Blotting Papers (30 Sheets: $12) – These blotting sheets are expensive but they’re also very impressive. Their size is larger than average and each sheet has gold flakes. They may feel thin but they don’t break easily. Also, they’re soft and are extremely absorbent. In fact, these sheets are the most absorbent of all the blotting papers mentioned in this review. They can even absorb excess oil that most blotting papers cannot do, and they don’t leave your fingers oily. Since each sheet is large, one is enough to cover the whole face.

 

Too Cool For School. Dinoplatz Dear Brachiosaurus Oil Blotting Paper (50 sheets: $8-11) – These have been my go-to blotting papers for some time. The sheets are small and are really thin but the packaging is the most attractive of these. It’s so convenient to use because the sheets are housed in a compact type, complete with a mirror and a sticky sponge that grabs each sheet for easy dabbing on the skin. It’s great for not making your fingers oily but since the sheets are too thin and too small, it can be hard to see whether they actually absorb any excess oil or not. I’m sure they do because the excess shine from my face is gone, but then again, the sponge also gets oily and it spreads to the next clean sheets. So that’s something to consider.

 

Sephora Collection Blotting Papers review herbal rose and bamboo charcoal

 

Sephora Collection Blotting Papers (100 sheets: $8) – These blotting papers work well and they come in three different kinds; Natural Tea Tree, Bamboo Charcoal, and Herbal Rose. The sheets are not too thin so they don’t break easily and they’re square-ish. They’re also inexpensive and they get the job done, which means they absorb excess oil from the skin very well. The packaging is also cute and very convenient to use since there’s a flap with a sticker that pulls one sheet at a time for easy dispensing. If it wasn’t for their size, these sheets are probably the closest dupe to Shiseido’s.

 

Bamboo Charcoal – mattifying

Herbal Rose – nice powdery rose scent

 

Boscia Blotting Linens (100 sheets: $10) – Love these for the large sheets which are easy to grab and they feel very soft. They’re also very good at absorbing excess oil and they come in Green Tea, Clear, and Black Charcoal. They also don’t disturb the makeup since the sheets are very good at absorbing any excess oil and I love their refreshing scents. Also, I didn’t notice any oil transfer to my fingers whenever I use them, and one blotting sheet is enough to cover the whole face. However, they do have a tendency to break while being used since they’re a bit on the softer side and they’re so absorbent at the same time.

 

boscia blotting linens in green tea and black charcoal

 

Green Tea – true and subtle green tea fragrance

Black Charcoal – slightly floral scent

 

Another blotting paper I wanna mention is the good ol’ drugstore favorite -the Neutrogena Deep-Clean Blotting Sheets. They’re cheap, easy to find, and they work. If it wasn’t for their small size, I’d say they’re also great.

 

Too Cool For School. Dinoplatz Dear Brachiosaurus Oil Blotting Paper

 

Bottom line, I love all the blotting papers reviewed here, but if I have to pick my top three, they would be: Top one- the Tatcha Blotting Papers, followed by Shiseido’s for the second place, and third would be the Boscia Blotting Linens.

 

Do you use these at all? what’s your favorite blotting paper?