CUTECHICPAWS: chicpawsbeauty

I never thought I would fall so deeply in love with a shoe brand, specifically two models: Air Jordan 1 (specially the MID line), and Air Jordan 4 RETRO. But, if I think about it carefully, as I write I realize that I never imagined myself writting about anything related with my personal style or fashion in general, since I don't follow fashion-related trends, I'm not a stylist, nor a fashion influencer, just a normal human being, like you, who loves skincare and makeup to the next level. A beauty geek, that one day decided to start a new blog section related with fashion accessories, and inspired by Alexandra Pereira, I decided to expand my blog spectrum to have the opportunity to continue writing about another topic that I love, and as a good shoes addict.. I have decided to start with sneakers.

Started out as sneakers specifically created for basketball players, like Converse in 1917, Air Jordan sneakers started to became so popular that they ended up releasing multiple designs and color combinations, becoming immortalized in many wardrobes around the world. Air Jordan, an sneakers brand produced under the Nike INC label, were the first pair of sneakers created for Michael Jordan when he was a player for the Chicago Bulls: 1985, November 17, designed by Peter Moore, Tinker Hatfield, and Bruce Kilgore.

Its recognizable and special "Jumpman" logo has its origin in the photograph taken by Jacobus Rentmeester, taken before Michael Jordan went to the Olympics as a member of the United States basketball team, in the summer of 1984.

But, what really makes Air Jordan's sneakers special?

Innovative construction:

Fixed straps to the forefoot and ankle for more stability, a heel cup for extra support, padded ankle collars for a more comfortable fit, air cushions, and the winged logo on the upper part of the high tops, but the most disruptive and innovative elements were the color range, since the brand, in the beginning, combined the three colors (red, white, and black - Chicago bull colors), instead of all white or black according to the NBA regulation (NBA 1984 basketball sneakers regulation), so everytime Michael Jordan laced up his jordans 1, he was fined with 5.000USD, passing from BRED to BANNED.

Air Jordan 1 sneakers are categorized into three categories: High, Mid, and Low; and I already have my eye on many models like the Air Jordan 1 MID Strawberry and Cream, and Air Jordan 1 LOW Strawberry Ice Cream. As you may have seen in the main photograph of this post, I currently have 6 pairs of Air Jordan 1 MIDs in my small shoes collection, with obvious plans to expand the collection in the future, but, meanwhile, I will gradually write about each model of my small collection.

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As a fan of good fragrances, my small personal collection couldn't be complete without classic, fresh, and elegant masculine scents with a modern twist. My two initial choices were Asad by Lattafa (men's eau de parfum) and To be Green by Police (unisex eau de parfum). However, one of the things that surprised me most about this men's fragrances was discovering how broad the aromatic range of men's perfumes can be, beyond the aroma of sea breeze, powerful woody notes (smokey and non-smoky), incense, and the classic masculine citrus notes, without any hint of sweet aromas (Gourmand).

Personally, when it comes to men's fragrances, I prefer solid and soft aromas, whether sweet or citrus, since it is very difficult to find a good sea breeze aroma these days, and this has been demonstrated by the Light Blue fragrances by Dolce & Gabbana, whose strange fusion of citrus notes, summer, and sea breeze, I still don't fully understand, since it does not evoke the definition of summer at all, no matter how much lemon seasoning they put into their fragrances.

Asad, by LATTAFA.

A long-lasting, soft, and slightly sweet perfume, and one of my first picks & purchases. It's a steady scent with a light to medium projection that can only be appreciated from a short distance. It's warm, very masculine, sexy, and elegant, full of energy. The perfect fragrance for young adults, that can be used at formal and informal events, making it versatile.

Top notes: black pepper, pineapple, and tobacco.
Middle notes: patchouli, coffee, and iris.
Base notes: vanilla, amber, dry wood, labdanum, and benzoin.

To be Green, by POLICE.

Fresh and citrusy, with a medium projection, it is a very attractive definition of a person who has just stepped out of the shower, whose shower gel has a solid fresh citrus scent, leaving the aroma impregnated on every part of its body: like a breath of fresh air.

Top notes: cardamom, lemon, and mandarin.
Middle notes: violet, jasmine, and peony.
Base notes: cedar, vanilla, and sandalwood.

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Spring has arrived, and all nature's colors have started to pop brighter than ever. One of the most beautiful and chaotic seasons of the year, where magic happens and nature becomes more colorful. The same goes for makeup, where we go from cool, matte, and neutral skin, with a more deep and dark color range; to a more luminous or satin skin, full of life, with vibrant colors, highlighting oranges, intense reds, yellows, warm golds, and pastel tones. In short, spring is the synonymous of freshness and bright colors.

Now, is all this luminosity, freshness, and juiciness, suitable for oily or combination-oily skin types?

Yes, and the secret lies in the steps prior to applying makeup, in other words: in skincare. A proper skincare routine, in addition to care and treat the skin, can prevents the excess of sebum production, since the skin is already supplied and has all its needs covered. Therefore, there's no need to seek to satisfy those needs with any product we apply on, like makeup foundation; and it does not have the need to create its own resources, producing more sebum. Therefore, the skincare routine is more important than makeup primer, as the latter complements the skin preparation routine before applying makeup, contributing to the creation of a perfect canvas, making makeup last longer, and easy to apply.

A good skincare routine, combined with the right makeup primer and makeup foundation, is the perfect combination to keep excess sebum production under control. So, once we find our "perfect combo", we can play with the finishes we want to achieve by using the right makeup products, such as a setting spray with a dewy finish.

My essential colors for spring: corals and oranges.

Although coral and orange tones can be used smartly in various types of makeup, regardless of the season of the year, however that doesn't mean that they are not one of the most characteristic colors if the warmer seasons of the year: spring and summer. They give warmth and color to the face, drawing visual attention to it, whether applied to the cheeks, eyes, lips, or all three, appropriately and in the right shade. They are one of the colors of youth, which, when combined with a well-prepared skin, provides a beautiful touch of color that makes the skin look even juicier and more attractive.

Whether you have a light or dark complexion, coral and orange tones never fail. You just have to find the shade that works with your skin tone, within the wide chromatic range that exists within these shades. My favorite options are:

LIPS.

Marygold velvet (Supershine 5011), by FLORMAR.

Soft, creamy, with good pigmentation, full coverage, golden sparkles, but with a medium-low duration on the lips.

Soft rouge (410), by MANHATTAN COSMETICS.

Beautifully glossy, with a delicious formula that leaves lips feeling juicy. More than a traditional lipstick, it's more like a tinted lip gloss with a long-lasting finish.

Tangerine Tango (51), by JORDANA.

Highly pigmented and beautifully matte, it lasts perfectly on the lips all day long. As always, Jordana's lipsticks are full of color, and rich.

CHEEKBONES.

232, by 3INA.

Intensely pigmented, with a matte finish, it has a slight reddish undertone that makes its coral tone more reddish (in a good way).

Orion, by W7.

Intense, attractive, and warm coral tone, with a satin finish, but with a high pigmentation that requires care when applying it to modulate its intensity.

Life's a Peach (922), by SLEEK.

Although it looks very light, it leaves a subtle and beautiful matte finish on the cheeks. It doesn't have the intense pigmentation like the previous ones have; instead, is made to gradually build up the desired intensity.

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We are currently witnessing a reality where the whole world is in turmoil due to the discovery that China has been the world's factory since always, producing for all types of national and international brands and companies, from low-cost to large luxury brands. However, there are people who always knew what was going on and decided to immerse themselves in the Chinese market, starting to test different types of Chinese brands from different sectors, discovering a completely new world that has gradually opened our eyes, positively changing our way of thinking about the country, as well as the products and services they create and offer, discovering brands such as Xiaomi, Huawei, TCL, or Cubot (electronics and IT); Jessup, Docolor, Beili, Bioaqua, Herborist, Proya, Flower Knows, Catkin, Chando, Judydoll or Florasis (Beauty).

And once you open your mind to a new world, full of opportunities and possibilities, you begin to expand your spectrum, discovering new products, companies, and ancient stories that go beyond the Western world. In my case, I started with electronic and computer brands such as Xiaomi, Huawei, and Cubot, and after seeing how well they worked, I began to investigate more about the Chinese market, discovering a whole multi-sector world, which pushed me to open up to the Asian beauty and fashion market, using Aliexpress and social networks in each of these stages to reach those companies and influencers who created, showed, and offered those products, showing their quality, proving that China does not only create products for dollar stores.

China has been making watches since the 1st century (Zhang Heng - Han Dynasty), nowadays, the provinces that are known by their ancient history related with clock production are: Guangdong, Shenzhen, Zhejiang, and Hong Kong. Berny, is a watch brand based in Shenzhen in the early 90s by Fred Chu, which currently has two official stores, one in Aliexpress, and the other one on its website.

This watch model by Berny is the 2766L-SRG, bicolor, chronograph, with a Hattori VJ45 movement (analog movement), produced by Seiko, the mechanism is quartz powered by a Renata R364 364/SR621SW battery, that last up to 36 months (3 years). A sleek design that seamlessly integrates into professional and casual settings, with a precision complemented by a striking design that catches the eye.

This model, built in highly resistant stainless steel, waterproof to 4.30M (3ATM), weighing 80 grams, combines two shades that make it stand out visually more than other combinations: silver and rose gold, a combination that is easily integrated with most everyday combinations, being especially perfect for lovers of neutral or soft shades for their daily clothing looks. Finally, the icing on the cake is the butterfly clasp on the watch band, which elegantly and securely prevents the design from being disrupted.

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Mid-April, and I already have finished some hair products which have left me with a slightly bittersweet taste. On one side, the Kativa Argan Oil shampoo, and on the other side, the multi-tasker L'oreal Dream Long Curls hair mask.

Argan Oil shampoo, by KATIVA.

After the success with the Kativa's hair mask, I was very curious about how their shampoos will work on my hair, since their hair mask were a complety success, that left my hair very soft and nourished.

The Kativa Argan Oil shampoo promise to leave the hair clean, soft, and shiny; but in my case, only the first promise was fulfilled, leaving my scalp clean, but my hair tight and dry, making it impossible to comb it. Interestingly, this has not happened to me with other brands like Syoss or L'oreal, whose shampoos also promise the same, or similar, but contrary, they left my scalp clean, and easy to comb, softening my hair without any difficulty, not leaving all the work to the hair mask.

I understand that shampoo's purpose is to clean the scalp, however that doesn't mean that it have to leave the hair dry and tight. Instead, it should make hair cleansing a pleasant process.

Dream long curls, by L’OREAL.

Being currently in a intermittent period of hair-rest, where I am not doing any low-manipulation hairstyles, hair masks play a fundamental role in my hair care routine, which currently due to its recent growth, has two different textures: 4C afro on roots, and relaxed on the rest of my hair. So, although it can be used in a variety of ways, I personally prefered to use this hair mask in the traditional way, after shampoo, letting it sit on my hair longer than indicated to maximize its benefits, and it has really worked out very well.

After the continued use, I can confirm that the L'oreal Dream Long Curls hair mask, it's truly a great help for hair types that are undergoing an intermittent resting period and has two textures, or for hair that's in a transition period toward the desired texture (eliminating relaxed hair), since it leaves hair soft, easy to style, flexible, shiny, and without breakage, strengthening the hair fiber.

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As I said in my Instagram, usually, if I like several products from a brand, I will continue trying more products from the brand, whether they are new or not. Recently, I had the opportunity to try two more products from Byphasse's sensitive skin line: the face scrub & the face mask. In general, I'm happy with both products, but what surprised me most was some of their key ingredients: Pumice stone? Titanium dioxide?

Both products have some ingredients in common, such as thermal water, rich in minerals and trace elements, as well as rosehip oil. According to Byrdie, rosehip oil is known for regenerating and soothing the skin, fight free radicals, increasing collagen levels in the skin, calming inflammation, combating acne, and reducing hyperpigmentation, among other benefits. On the other hand, the BCN Institute confirms that trace elements reduce the signs of skin malnutrition, balance the skin, and have healing properties. Finally, according to the University of Oregon (Linus Pauling Institute), minerals play a vital role in protecting the skin from sun damage, stabilizing cell membranes, and protecting against free radicals, among other skin benefits.

Exfoliant douceur, home spa experience, by BYPHASSE.

What surprised me most was one of its main ingredients: pumice, whose formulation is reminiscent of the Holika Holika's Soda Pore Cleansing Deep Cleansing Foam, which contains sodium bicarbonate as one of its key ingredients. On the other hand, the Byphasse's facial scrub, also have ingredients like glycolic acid, lactic acid, Laminaria Orchroleuca extract, and Bisabolol.

One of the things I liked the most was its fine and effective exfoliating grain, because I can feel how it deeply cleanses my skin without irritating it. When I rinsed the products off, it feels like a fusion between two skincare products, an emollient cleansing milk, combined with a gentle physical exfoliant. This type of combination is not common in low-cost skincare products that are under 4 euros, making this product stand out among others low-cost face scrubs.

Masque douceur, home spa experience, by BYPHASSE.

One of the best low-cost face masks for sensitive skin I've tried, after the green clay face mask from Le Petite Oliver. It soothes and conditions irritated skin, and when rinsed off, it leaves a skin-enhancing effect that protects the skin and prepares it for the next steps in the daily skincare routine. It has some ingredients in common with the face scrub from the same line, however, it stands out for two key ingredients: Titanium Dioxide and seawater.

Titanium Dioxide, according to Paula's Choice, protects the skin from sun damage, is the perfect key ingredient for sensitives, redness-prone, and acne skin types. In short, among its skin care properties are:

UV protection.
Gentle on skin.
Non-comedogenic.
Antimicrobial.

Besides, Seawater as skincare ingredient according to Foreo: detoxify the skin, removes impurities, unclogs pores, improves acne breakouts, soothes the skin, calms irritations, and have healing properties.

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CUTECHICPAWS

But, what really makes Air Jordan's sneakers special?

Asad, by LATTAFA.

To be Green, by POLICE.

Now, is all this luminosity, freshness, and juiciness, suitable for oily or combination-oily skin types?

My essential colors for spring: corals and oranges.

Argan Oil shampoo, by KATIVA.

Dream long curls, by L’OREAL.

Exfoliant douceur, home spa experience, by BYPHASSE.

Masque douceur, home spa experience, by BYPHASSE.

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