Bali Beauty & Lifestyle Blogger: November 2013

, by Jcliani

Review: Utama Spice Cocoa Lipbalm

I live in Bali. You already know that. What I love about Bali is many local companies produce natural products from natural ingredients for health and beauty, Bali is a very well known place for its spas. Do you know how many spas are in Bali? So many. Many of them use local products from local ingredients which reminds you for the truly Bali. The scent is special, it's just when you smell it, you know it's Bali. I feel that way when I go to a spa.

Utama Spice Bali is one of the local brand that produces so many good products for health and beauty from natural ingredients. I love natural products because it won't harm your skin and just give the benefits.

Short description about Utama from their web:

Utama Spice is a Balinese based company with its roots deeply entrenched in Ancient Balinese Herbal medicine. Utama Spice was started in 1989 and incorporated in 2000 by Melanie Templer and Dayu Suci after they realized that the ancient Balinese medicinal herbal knowledge that has proven to provide both extremely powerful and effective medicines for the Balinese over the past hundreds of years is being pushed aside to make room for modern day medicines. This problem is further compounded by the fact that the medicinal herbs themselves are being lost as they are continually being replaced with cash crops, ornamental flowers, and villa development projects. With their focus on "giving people back their birth right" as Melanie and Dayu put it the duo set out to put an end to this self-perpetuating cycle by developing the best all natural products nature can provide. Shining a light on the magic and impotents of plants that has already been lost in so many parts of the world.
For complete profile you can go to their web Utama Spice Bali.

I went to their newest store in Sanur and bought the lipbalm. There are 4 flavors: cocoa, wellkiss, tangerine, peppermint. I'm interested with cocoa because the BA said cocoa is the most moisturizing of them all and I like the smell. Who doesn't like cocoa? Let's see it!

Read more...

7 comments

, by Jcliani

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BEAUTY TALK

Blogging TIPS: Easy Photo Editing for Newbie

Today I'll post something different. I'm a newbie at blogging too, it's just a year ago that I started, but I have experienced in photoshop before so editing photos isn't really hard. But as a newbie, there is way way easier better than that. I can do it in every computer I want, I don't need a special skill or special something. It's just in a few simple steps. I'll show you how I edit my photos for my blog in just a snap.

Microsoft Office Picture Manager

It's a program that already in office installer. If you have microsoft word, excel, etc, this program is the sister so you must be having it, right?

1. Resize photo according to blog layout

Same width or proportion for blog pictures is very important, it makes your blog looks nicer and eyes friendly, easier to read. Find a good width that is perfect going with your template. Save some space for right and left of the picture. Some also resize the picture in blogger when you use original/large/medium after you inserting the picture so anyone can click the picture too see larger size but most of the readers don't do that.

Choose Edit Pictures - (Change Picture Size) Resize - Custom width x height (I use 550px) - OK

The size will automatically changed into 550 x 367 pixels. Crop before if needed.

2. Adjust Brightness and Contrast

Taking photo at night or anytime can cause a picture is too dark or too bright and it is unappealing to look. Especially for a blog, it's a big no no. Good pictures always be a part of good blogs. As you can see I took the photo at night and without flash, bad diafragma and speed setting so it is too dark.

Choose Edit Pictures - (Edit Using This Tool) Brightness and Contrast

Change the brightness and contrast, also midtones until you get what you want. You can also try Auto Correct or Auto Brightness first but I don't really like it because the result isn't really good, it's like overdone. Better adjust it by yourself.

The result is way better and brighter, softer looks. More attractive right?

PhotoScape

PhotoScape is one of my favourite editing program because it is free and very easy to use. I use it all the time. It's not heavy like photoshop and no need to learn. Easy peasy. It can be used to add text, image, line, etc also collage, frame, vintage edit and stamps. Even the choices are limited but I like it so much because of the simpleness.

3. Add watermark to your photos

It is a must and have to do by bloggers. We always watermark our photos, even in the smallest font and transparent but we have to. It's preventing people from taking our photos without authorized.

Drag picture to the photoscape - Choose Object - Text (Choose your font, color, outline, shadow, color) - OK - Save

DONE!!!

Easy with 3 simple steps!

Now the picture is ready to be uploaded to your blog, it's faster because the size is smaller, more attractive because of bright and clear photo, and it is yours because there is a blog watermark. Everyone can do that!

You can also do all the things above without even install anything, you just need internet and you can do it anywhere and anytime.

Pixlr.com

If you use Iphone or Android, you must have known about this Pixlr. Pixlr O-Matic one of my favourite editing app on my Android. It has so many fun effects to play with. It has a website and Pixlr.com offer 3 kinds of editing tools. All the programs are free and online (no need to install). You can do it everywhere and anywhere.

Pixlr Editor: It's like photoshop, the most complex between all of them but it is easier than photoshop but can give almost the same result.

Pixlr Express: It's the best choice for newbie to edit and do so many things with it. You definitely have to try. For bloggers, it a must! I really recommend this one.

Pixlr O-Matic: It's really good to add so many effect like bokeh, vintage and many other effetcs. Fun to play with.

Pixlr Express

See how many effects can be done to the photo and each option has its own subs that you can play with like making background black and white, adding text, changing colors, etc!

If you have other programs or tools you can recommend,

share it down below!

Thanks for reading

Happy editing and happy blogging!