Everyone has a moment that changes her life. Normally it is a first love or a first loss. For me, it was the first day I was at home alone, at a very young age. The second my mom left, I dashed into her makeup drawer and gorged my lashes with her purple mascara. Since then I am a lash freak, and since my initial fix years ago, I have been always on the search of the best mascara to pump up my sparse blond hairs.

AKI, muj’ make-up teacher

 

Mascara techonology has certainly improved. Now, sticky formulas have been replaced with superior versions like my favorite: DiorShow, L’Oreal Paris Volume Shocking and Bourjois Maxi Frange in black. The fat Dior brush gives you abundant lashes while L’Oreal’s dual tube has a thickner and a mini comb so that you get fullness plus uber-separation . A dear friend, Nicolas, introduced me to Bourjois Maxi Frange and I felt in love with its clear base that you apply before applying the mascara located at the other end of the tube. Two functions in a single product, which makes it easy to carry even in a small evening bag. Step one for extension extreme, and step 2 for maximum volume. And voila!… Lashes look 10 times thicker and really long.

 

One day, a famous make-up artist backstage at a show, taught me to squish mascara at the lash base, by wiggling the brush, then to comb the tips with a clean wand. “This outlines the eye without clumps”, she said. “It’s flirtatious, but still looks natural”.

Speacking of flirtations, I’d been entertaining the notion of eyelash extensions and had it done myself a few times in Mexico, where it is a must, until I heard from another make-up artist (among clients supermodel Gisele), who told me about one of his client who had the synthetic hairs glued on several months in a row. “Her eyelashes began to fall out” she said. Lash loss? No thanks. I will stick to those transformative tubes I fell in love years ago. The brushes are called wands for a reason,
ines.

THE DINNER

kurara

 

yuka, rika

 

rumika, minori, kurara

 

mayumi, yoko

sayuri, rika, yuka

 

yoko, minori

 

sayuri, yuka

 

kurara, rumika, megumi

Yukiyo,

Thank you for writing, I am happy to hear that you are Emi’s friend. She is doing very well in the competition, she is sweet, and works very hard. Emi is talented as she sings Opera, very unique girl, she has strong chances to win. I hope that she will keep growing until the final.

What you wrote is perfectly reflecting what I am trying to archive. This competition is for women who want to be happy, to feel beautiful and to help other to feel the same way. It is challenging but also rewarding.

I remember very well how I felt when I was 25, and I wish I would have had the opportunity to learn through a competition like Miss Universe Japan. It teaches young women to be confident and it is what really matters in life, what gives you a lucky life.

Young girls need to found out what their goals are in life and definitely what they DO NOT want. And then go for it. Life is difficult and goes fast, also it is always better to learn fast and well, instead of making mistakes, be hurt, and learn from the mistakes.

I am teaching young women to grow from the inside. I love seeing them growing during the time of the competition and afterward. In my country, in France, Miss France is really huge, it is live on national TV and everyone follows it all year around. In Japan it is growing a lot and is now recognized as a platform opportunity for young girls to achieve their dreams. Hopefully it will be live on national TV, in Japan, within the next 5 years as well. I am working-hard on it!

Yukiyo, YOU should compete next year!

Smiles, Ines

the finalists backstage at Soho’s – yoko & yuka

 

Misa

 

megumi, sayuri, rie & Misa

 

on the runway – sachiko & yuka

Of course it requires a lot of confidence and training to look fabulous in a bikini, walking and holding a design bag…..

Please see the girls while training last Monday night.

SAYURI

 

Samantha Thavasa created a sparkling fashion for this spring. The new colors of the bags are fresh and sweet. We love them all, we want them all !!!!

SAYURI & MAKI

 

KURARA

 

YUKA & SACHIKO

 

RUMIKA

RIKA

 

RIE & EMI

 

 

MAKI

 

YUKA & SACHIKO

 

you see… looking beautiful takes a lot of work!….. but it is rewarding.
More tomorrow of the trainings (photos, posing etc)

Smiles, ines

Tomorrow will be held the Kick off Party for the 2006 competition. I cannot believe that already eight years have passed since I arrived in Japan! It will be my ninth competition!!

Still 4 months before the final selection of the winner on April 15th. The finalists this year are SO strong! They are all smart, beautiful and fun! It will be very hard for the judges to select a winner……….

Asami (who manages the finalists) took pictures of the girls at the trainings, while I was in Hawaii. I can tell that they all have worked very hard to improve and to be ready to wear the fabulous mini-Brazilian bikini from Rosa Cha, during a fashion show tomorrow night.

Here are some pictures……..

I will post many more pictures of the event after-tomorrow. Stay tuned

 

 

Love to all of you who read my message.

Ines