January 2013 Product of the Month: Make Up For Ever Full Cover Waterproof Concealer

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I have horrendous dark circles. They're a great big pain - no amount of caffeine laced eye cream, nor copious amounts of rest have ever rectified it. Worse still, most concealers don't really hide the problem and instead turn things a little ashy. Sorry Bobby Brown Corrector, even you were a bit of a let down.

Enter my under eye concealing dream team: the star of the show, Make Up For Ever Full Cover Waterproof Concealer followed by Chanel - Eclat Lumiere Highlighting Face Pen and last but not least, Make Up For Ever Camouflage Creme Palette. 

An accidental combination if I'm honest; Make Up For Ever's Full Cover Waterproof Concealer was purchased in France last summer. Highly recommended and hard to get hold of. It's essentially a really thick, very full coverage concealer which doesn't budge since it's waterproof. Surprisingly however, it's incredibly easy to remove with make-up remover in case you were wondering. 

A little tiny drop of this stuff goes an really long way but the only thing to note is that it also dries/sets very quickly. Once set, it doesn't budge. The second (important) thing to note is that the shade range is nuts! I own number 6 (Ivory for medium skin tones with a yellow undertone) - but this isn't to suggest that shade 5 is any lighter, nor if it has a warm or cool undertone. Luckily for me, I managed to swatch them all in Sephora but I've subsequently found that Guru Make-up Emporium have an fantastically accurate description of the shades so if you're thinking of purchasing it, head over to their website. For reference, in MAC I would wear NW25.

On its own, Make Up For Ever Full Cover Waterproof Concealer is completely capable of covering up the heaviest of nights. It does it effortlessly and given the very small amount that I need, I can't ever imagine using this up. A fantastic investment and actually, incredible value. It brightens, it covers and it stays.

Thank you Make Up For Ever Gods! 

The only downside is the drying time - a few seconds and it sets. Added to that, I always find that I need to make sure that the skin around my eyes is hydrated before I slap this on. In particular, this winter my skin has gone really dry so initially I was finding that it wasn't applying as smoothly and blending it out was a little tricky. 

Enter Chanel's Eclat Lumiere Highlighting Face Pen.

This was purchased on a whim. Seduced by the sleek packaging. It's a very light (in terms of consistency) concealer and unlike YSL Touche Eclat, I don't find that it gives any flashback when photographed. In terms of coverage, it holds its own and as expected it brightens and highlights subtly but very beautifully. It's also incredibly smooth and hydrating to apply.

Still, I didn't love it until I started to mixed it with my Full Cover Concealer.

Together they are a super power.

Incredibly smooth, subtle highlight, brightening, hydrating and capable of covering a magnitude of under-eye sins. The added benefit is that applying Make Up For Ever's Full Cover Concealer is now ten folds easier with a little longer before it dries into place.

When my Eclat Lumiere runs out, I don't suspect that I will rush out to repurchase it. I think that fantastic (cheaper) alternatives can be found in Boots. 

Lastly, Make Up For Ever Camouflage Creme Palette. I picked this up at IMATS in replacement of my green corrector (it sounds scary but with a bit of practice and time on your hands in the mornings, it can work wonders). Although the need for green concealing has now been eradicated, I do love this palette when it comes to concealing everything else. 

The choice of three creamy shades of high coverage concealers as well as two correctors - peach and green, make this super easy to cover an array of imperfections. The lightest shade also doubles as the best highlighter I've ever used. No shimmer, no light reflecting particles just concealer so blended in, it gives the impression that it's your natural skin which is bright and highlighted. Perfect for the brow bone and inner eye. 

If you're in the market for a new concealer, I would whole heartedly recommend the Make Up For Ever's Full Cover Waterproof Concealer. In the UK it's available from Guru Make-Up Emporium and elsewhere, it can be found in Sephora! 

Let me know what your favourite concealers are? 

Fxx 

Avene Emollient Cream

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Lets talk beauty basics - moisturisation.

Now I'm an avid moisturiser applier and therefore a huge advocate of keeping your skin hydrated. I can't be without the stuff. On the face, hands and on my body, I never go without it. The only change is weather dependent - cooler weather calls for a deeper moisturiser and in the summer months, I opt for something lighter in texture.

To put it simply, if your skin looks healthy, glowy, soft and nourished you tend to look irresistible!

Enter Avene Eau Thermale Avene Trixera+ Selectiose Emollient Cream.

Let it be known that this stuff is incredible! Especially in cold weather.

Firstly, I don't like extremely light textured body creams - I haven't found one yet that competes with the richer formulas. Better to apply a small amount of the rich stuff I feel. Based on that, you've probably guessed that this has a relatively rich texture - nothing comparable to a body butter but still, I can imagine that it may not be to everyones preference. For me, it's perfect.

In terms of quality, it's absolutely superb!

To summarise:

• It sinks in quickly. Nothing sticky or greasy about it. 
• It leaves your skin incredibly soft, nourished and most impressively, glowing - without the help of shimmer/glitter particles. 
• It's fragrance free and perfect for sensitive skins
• Phenomenal at treating problematic skin i.e. very dry skin, eczema and hypersensitivity after sun exposure. All of which I can vouch for! 

There is nothing about this product that I dislike. Even the higher price tag (£12) isn't a deterrent - a little goes a long way and it's not too far a departure from the average £8 that you would expect to pay for a good quality moisturiser. 

The absolute best thing about this cream is the sheen it gives the skin. Not sticky or wet but radiant and flattering. 

In the winter months, this is a gem of a product to add to your beauty regime. You won't regret it! 

Avene Emollient Cream is available from Boots here! 

Let me know what your favourite body moisturiser is?

Fxx

A little Birchbox heads up!

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As a Birchbox and more formally,  Joliebox subscriber, I am really happy to see the continuation of their little soirees. 

It all works very simply. 

All subscribers are invited to national events whereby free manicures, facials or products are dished out.  It's a fantastic way to explore particular brands and an even greater opportunity to try out their products first hand. All you need to do is RSVP! 

Last week the latest invite dropped in my inbox and I couldn't be more excited.

To put these events into perspective, here's some pictures I took a million years ago after a Joliebox Soiree at L'occitane in Covent Garden. The miniature freebies on the left were in a goody bag given to everyone who turned up and the products on the right were purchased by yours truly with a fabulous 20% off. 

I think it's a fantastic addition to my monthly subscription and given my availability, a great event to attend. 

You can subscribe to Birchbox here!

Are you planning to go to any of the above events? 

Fxx

Hong Kong Haul

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I was in Hong Kong in what feels like a life time ago and although I was completely mesmerised by the city and culture (I can't recommend a visit highly enough) the beauty explorer within me managed to find a few bits and pieces to bring back home.

Firstly, we stayed on Nathan Road within the Kowloon disctrict. This was a deliberately choice against the modernism of Hong Kong Island and in preference of something a lot more authentic and vibrant.

Vibrant is definitely what we got - completely alive, busy, bustling and incredible. Out of all the local restaurants that we visited there was only one which had English translation. With the rest we had to rely on pictures and locals to guide our order. Something to relish given that everything, everywhere seems to feel the same when travelling. Needless to say, I absolutely loved Kowloon and although Hong Kong Island was beyond beautiful, modern and shiny, it reminded me a little of Canary Wharf in good old London and not necessarily the type of experience I wanted from my first trip to Hong Kong.

On Nathan Road, there seemed to be a Sasa at every corner, the shiny exciting version of Boots in the UK. Within Sasa there were shelves after shelves dedicated to eyes with an endless choice of mascara, false lashes and eyeliners.

They all looked incredible and although I was tempted by the entire Dolly Wink range I opted for some falsies instead.

The truth is that fiber mascaras scare me a little and I rarely wear black eyeliner. Oh and I LOVE Max Factors False Lash Effect and Masterpiece Max Mascara's beyond words. Falsies on the other hand were a completely necessary purchase and because I adore Ardel Demi Wispies I opted for some corner lashes instead.

I can never understand why corner lashes are so damn hard to get a hold of!

Unfortunately I was too lazy to take pictures of them before use but needless to say, at £2 for four, I am desperately sorry that I didn't get more than one pack.

Next up, I stumbled across some Bioderma Sensibio/Crealine Solution and snapped it up.

It came in a lot more expensive than at home but since I'd forgotten to decant some of mine and to bring it with me, I decided to pick up a bottle. The truth is that this stuff is ridiculously annoying to get a hold of so paying a little extra becomes more justifiable.

For around 50p/70p I picked up a velcro hair bow. It's cute, it's fun and it sits on my dressing table for when I want to push my hair out of my face and do my make-up.

When it comes to lip balms, I went nuts.

The choice was endless. Hello Kitty, Sprite flavour, cute packaging...so I picked up a few fun ones. You know, just to carry around and weigh down my bag.

I also got my hands on the Maybelline Baby Lips Strawberry Balm.

Oh my, these are great and completely worth the chatter within the beauty industry. So hydrating, so tasty and so nourishing. I can't understand why they haven't launched in the UK yet but they are available on eBay should you fancy a little try.

My biggest spend was on masks.

The choice was huge and I wished that I had researched into them before going because I was almost choosing between them based on blind faith - and the advice of the very friendly Sasa girls!

In truth I can't say that these are the best in the market because I haven't tried any others but if someone was to make me try them out blind folded, I would compare them to REN and Origins in terms of quality and result so in my mind, they are winners. They also came in very reasonably priced and the amount of product in each sachet lasts a couple of applications if sealed properly.

So there we have it - a relatively modest Hong Kong Haul. Let me know if you've tried any of these products or if you've ever been to Hong Kong. I'd also love to go back so let me know what products I missed out on getting :)

Fxx

Hello Birchbox UK!

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I still love the idea of beauty boxes. In between the few misses, the hits have been great.

Birchbox is the third reincarnation of the French beauty box, Boudoir Prive or more widely known as Joliebox. I have to be honest , I was pretty excited about the acquisition which signalled the introduction of the American beauty box aka Birchbox aka 'the one which started it all' into the british market.

Needless to say, I was beyond curious about what their first box would include...

Firstly, allow me to wave a big giant hello to the Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment - oh how I regretted not picking you up in Singapore! For us Brits, the very idea that we can't get our hands on something or that it's mildly difficult to get a hold of instantly gives that particular product/brand cult status. Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment is no exception.

In reality I love the colour, the formula, the scent (rose) as well as the packaging. Exactly the one that I would have chosen. As far as the price tag goes, I still think superior products are out there. Am I over the moon about getting my hands on an ample sample size to give it a whirl? Oh yes!!

A word to the wise - twist open, don't pull! 

Next up, a surprise favourite from the box - Reverence de Bastien Nail and Cuticle cream. Incredibly nourishing and probably the most moisturising cuticle cream I've ever tried. Not to be confused with a lip gloss, it has a pink/pearl consistency and packaged similarly to a lancome Juicy Tube. Rubbed in, it smells great and hydrates the cuticle and nail. Perfect for at home manicures.

Although tiny, the sample of WEI (Royal Ming firming and hydrating cream) also made me happy. A brand that I hear so much about but one that I've never tried. I guess from the size of the sample, I'm not going to see a lot of difference but I'll happily give it a whirl.

Last but not least, KMS California Add Volume Spray. Small hair products are always a winner in my book - they always end up in my gym bag and are loved to the last drop. Having tried the KMS Free Shape Hot Flex spray and adored it, I have high hopes for the volume range. Who doesn't love Bridget Bardot hair?!

Also included, a Teapigs tea bag. From watching years of the American Birchbox 'box openings' I know that home/lifestyle products are common. For me, this is a bonus and a welcomed one at that. I like tea and I like Teapigs. I do wonder how universal my feelings are however; I'm not sure if everyone would enjoy it as much as me.

Oh, one last thing - the magazine - great as always! That is all...

Have you signed up to Birchbox UK yet? What did you think of this box? Not life changing I guess but a nice box full of products that I would definitely use - a winner in my eyes!

If you would like to sign up, Birchbox UK is available here!

Fx

December 2012 Product(s) of the Month: Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate & No7 Protect and Perfect Night Cream

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Well hello there and happy 2013!! I hope that you've all had a fantastic Christmas and an even happier NYE.

I say adios to the last 12 months; 2012 you weren't as kind as I had hoped for. In fact, for the majority of the year, you sucked - big time!

I'm excited about 2013 on many many levels. For starters I have high hopes for FluturaWhispers and by that I mean that I have high hopes of actually putting into action some ideas that I've been toying with for a couple of months, namely a new blogger layout and YouTube - without a recording device however, progress may be slow... Not that I'm big on resolutions but I am definitely aiming to put far more effort into producing content for FW too.

Looking back onto 2012 unfortunately for us Brits, December was yet another wonderfully miserable month (weather wise. In terms of spirits, we're made of brighter stuff!) The never ending rain and windy weather has been relentless and my skin has hated every single second of it.

Since the introduction of the Clarisonic to my skincare routine (posts here and review here!) my skin just isn't as oily as it used to be. This is a good thing.  The only downside is that during the colder months, I have to protect it a little more and manage the lack of moisture. Something that I'm really not used to.

To put it very simply, I've been feeling a little dry and apart from smelly breath, I loath dry skin. Everyone has a pet hates - don't judge.

Not having anything adequate enough (honest!), I trotted off to Boots.

My first attempt of salvaging my dry skin was purchasing the La Roche Posay Cicaplast. Unfortunately it cost me £15.50 to discover that my skin was not dry enough.

Onwards and upwards I returned to Boots this time noticing a phenomenal No7 Christmas gift box set which had 50% off. It contained a body wash, a body moisturiser, eyeshadow palette, make-up cleanser, mascara and the Protect and Perfect day and night cream. At £30 I couldn't say no - the Protect and Perfect night cream is £23 alone and it seemed to make an easy job of choosing new set of creams!

Lastly, I shopped my stash to find this little gem from last Christmas, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate.

Firstly, lets talk about the No7 Protect and Perfect Night Cream. 

I remember when this stuff first came out. An instant sell out. For some reason however, it's never appealed to me. I was potentially delusional enough to feel that I didn't need help with wrinkles or fine line - very wishful thinking.

In it's second reincarnation, the Protect and Perfect range is aimed at 25-35 year olds. An age category which I am sadly a part of. The Protect and Perfect Intense range is more suitable for 35-45 year olds.

I think it would be dishonest to list what it claims to do but from use, my experience covers their claims. Firstly and most importantly, it's incredibly hydrating - hallelujah. Secondly, I no longer wake up with dull skin. Instead were talking radiant and well rested complexion. Because of it I've been able to avoid wearing heavy day creams which I loath and instead allow this to help my skin recover over night.

It's not a light cream, you will feel this on your skin but it doesn't feel heavy or pasty either. Much more of a gel consistency than traditional night creams. To be honest, I don't notice it on and I do find that it sinks into my skin relatively quickly. For someone who isn't keen on thick creams, it feels like a good middle ground.

In terms of wrinkles, no change. It has only been a month however. I always hear that these things need time.

Secondly the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. 

On the theme of 'letting my skin recover overnight' I've rediscovered Midnight Recovery Concentrate. Something that I had not fallen out of love with but over the summer months I found a little too much.

The idea with this stuff is that you work it into the skin by pressing it on your chin, cheeks and forehead before bed and letting the essential oils and concentrated botanicals work their magic overnight. The result is significantly more youthful skin in the morning - i.e. very well rested, plump and hydrated.


Without a shadow of a doubt, these the combination of these two products have worked miracles on my skin. Skip one and the horrible tight feeling returns. Together I have significantly more hydrated, smoother texture skin and thankfully, no more dryness. I guess I could have started using hydrating overnight masks but I couldn't help but feel that these were temporary solutions.

A last pointer: If you have oily skin, this combination is not for you. If you have normal skin and suffer from dry areas or dryness in general, this will work wonders for you. Also, this is very much a winter skincare routine - from experience I know that I just don't like Midnight Recovery Concentrate over the summer opting instead for something with a few less frills.

So there we go, my December 2012 favourites - next month, I'll try to stick to one and potentially something that digresses from skincare! No promises ;)  

Big love

Fx 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipsticks by Kate Moss

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Ironic that my last post mentioned how conservative I've been of late in terms of make-up spending because yesterday I felt pretty indulgent walking out of Boots with no less than 3 Lipsticks! Something about the Christmas period just encourages me to buy yet more make-up, as if somehow a Merry Christmas depends upon it.

Anyway...

The great thing about lipsticks is that you can instantly make a relatively good judgement over their quality. In the case of Rimmel's Kate Moss Lasting Finish Lipsticks, the formula is pretty wonderful. Creamy, pigmented and hydrating although not overtly long lasting. In other words, it's an absolute delight to wear and very easy on the pocket. As far as the shade range goes, it's safe to say that there's definitely something there for everyone.

A little encouraged by the 3 for 2 deal in Boots at the moment, I thought that I would go ahead and pick up a couple of colours rather than just one; 03, 19 and 08.

When in Rome...

Thanks to the early sun sets in the UK and my camera flash, they all seem a little washed out in these pictures but the following swatches are relatively true to life and show perfectly their (somewhat) differing tones. 

Number 03 is a gorgeous warm nude and it's the shade that initially drew me to the collection. Phenomenal for achieving a modern 60's lip - plump, accentuated and a little understated. Surprisingly, I've found that it works really well on my skin tone (medium olive if you must know) and looks incredible with a little bit of lip liner. Perfect for making my lips look a tiny bit bigger. 

Number 08 is the perfect everyday lip - something that adds a little structure and warms up the complexion without being noticeable. This was the shade that encouraged me to opt for the 3 for 2 deal. Very office appropriate and very effortless. 

Last but not least number 19. The love child of number 03 and 08 - an earthy natural lip colour. A little darker than 08, it sits more elegantly on the lips. Another perfect everyday lip but probably more of an evening colour. Think your lips but more elegant. 

Interestingly, Number 19 is a really close dupe for Chanel's Coco Rouge in Mademoiselle. What can I say, when it comes to lipsticks, I am a creature of habit! 

All  in all, I can't recommend the Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipsticks by Kate Moss enough and in particular shades 03 and 19. They're great quality and more impressively, incredibly affordable. 

If you have any of the Kate Moss lipsticks, let me know what you think?

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipsticks by Kate Moss are available from Boots and are currently on 3 for 2 deal. 

Lastly, and more importantly, I hope that you all have an incredible Christmas. It's my favourite time of the year and to be honest, I just can't friggin' wait :)

Big love and Christmas cheer x

Recent Purchases

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My recent beauty purchases aren't recent at all, in fact they were all made back in September either in or on route to Hong Kong. Personally, I cant resist a little bit of duty free beauty spendin' - for me, it's the perfect start to any holiday. 

Flying from Heathrow (T5 if you must know!) I literally power walked to the Tom Ford counter. After trying on copious amounts of lipstick and slapping on as much product as I respectfully could, I opted for the Wild Ginger lipstick. 

It's a gorgeous orange toned red - lending itself more towards either camp depending on your skin tone. Creamy in texture and highly pigmented, faultless really. The only hint of regret is around not purchasing Pink Dusk - literally the most perfect everyday nudy/pink shade. There's always the next holiday...

I have a photo of me sporting a Wild Ginger lip on Instagram if you fancy taking a look :) 

Of course, a vist to MAC was also in order where I picked up Beaming pressed pigment and Pro Sculpting Cream in Richly Honed. 

Lets start of by talking about how stunning Beaming Pressed Pigment is - super sparkly, warm honey toned and just gorgeous. Personally I would only use it as an eyeshadow (apparently you can use it all over the place if your disco ball inclined!). It's perfect with a little subtle definition using a matt brown shade which results in a really festive, really easy and really really feminine finish. Surprisingly, I'm not at all daunted by the glitter/sparkle/glitter ball explosion but I can't pretend that it's one for achieving an everyday, subtle look. 

Secondly, the Pro Sculpting Cream. I think that without knowing it, I had been looking for this product for a really long time. I picked up the darkest, most daunting shade they had - Richly Honed, a really deep chocolate brown but use a tiny bit and blend it out and you have yourself some enviable cheekbones. Defined, shadowed and not at all forced. 

The problem with achieving the same look with a bronzer is that they can be a little too warm - something a little more ashy is needed to achieve the illusion of a shadow. This does the job perfectly. 

I'm also massively tempted by the Kevin Aucoin Sculpting Powder! 

*Insert awful picture which does the product no justice at all...*

Hopefully you get the idea, a little shadow work in all the right areas to sculpt the face. Genius really! ;)

Last but not least, I picked up the Chanel Frenzy Polish.

My first ever Chanel polish. 

I guess I just hadn't ever got around to it before and always felt a little put off by the competitive sprint to the counters to pick up one of the limited numbers they produced of their most sought after colours. 

Yes the quality is pants (no longevity) but the colour is divine. Something that's the repeated message about all Chanel polishes. I personally find that because the consistency is great, one coat looks elegant and last a lot longer - I fear that layering is their downfall. I've absolutely loved wearing this polish since September and it's a colour that can work in the summer months. 

My next post will be on my Hong Kong beauty purchases (promise!!) so as a little teaser, and because it has no real place in a HK beauty purchases post, I wanted to insert a little picture of my favourite purchase from HK - a Rabito immitation phone case. 

It's silly and it's fun, demonstrating perfectly that deep down, I still feel 16! 

A word to the wise - Amazon have some incredible imitations shipped all the way from HK should you fancy one of your own! Available here!

MAC Beaming Pressed Powder available here!

MAC Pro Sculpting Cream available here!

Tom Ford Wild Ginger lipstick available here!

Please tell me I'm not the only one that goes nuts for duty free spending? ;) 

November 2012 Product of the Month: Phyto 9 Daily Ultra Nourishing Botanical Cream

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To say that I've been a neglectful blogger is an underestimation. I think that life sometimes has an incredible way of dominating everything and making time slip away. All that aside, it feels fantastic to be sitting back on the blogger interface and typing away...

Onto my favourite product of November 2012.

When the weather turns bitterly cold, we're all pretty good at stepping our moisturisation routine up a gear and if not, there is a wealth of advice about which products we could invest in. There is one area that I think we tend to neglect however and that's our hair!

Having curly hair means that any moisture or central heating can leave my hair prone to frizzing. I also tend to use a lot more heat both for styling and to avoid walking out the door with wet hair. All of the above can leave my hair incredibly dry and lifeless.

Of course, there are countless serums and oils to combat precisely all of the above but I can't help but feel that they're all temporary measures. Also they tend to be silicone based. I'm personally not too apposed to this (but I know that some of you will be). For me, the draw back is the build up and no real change to my natural hair texture so following a wash, I'm back to square one.

Welcome Phyto 9 Daily Ultra Nourishing Botanical Cream.

Phyto approach hair serums from a refreshing perspective, firstly they talk about day and night creams (Phyto 9 being considered a day cream) and rather than having silicone based products, they opt for botanical ingredients which accumulate over repeated use. No instant results here but overtime, your natural hair texture will start to improve leaving nourished, soft and healthy feeling hair.

I find that the best results are when it's applied to damp hair but you wouldn't experience any build up if you were to apply to it dry hair. It has a light formula so very easily absorbed and although scented, it's very delicate and doesn't smell synthetic or perfumed.

I absolutely adore this product. Apart from the incredible results; super shiny, smooth, frizz free and soft hair - there's a huge sense of satisfaction that I am maintaining my hair texture rather than masking the issues.

Phyto 9 Daily Ultra Nourishing Botanical Cream is intended for dry hair and is available from FeelUnique here!

For less unruly hair, or as in my case, during the summer months, Phyto 7 Hydrating Day Cream is a cheaper and just as good an alternative!

I have a whole lot of love for Phyto products - I think a hair routine/obsession post is due :)

Let me know if you've used the Phyto day creams and what you think of them? Do you do anything especial to your hair over the winter months?

A couple of Phyto posts that you might also be interested in:
Phyto Soothing Shampoo
Phyto Fortifying Capsules

The Whistles Pleated Skirt

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A peek into my wardrobe reveals that the majority of my clothes are from four shops; Primark, Zara, ASOS and Whistles.

My unadventurous outfit choices and my tendencies towards structured/tailored pieces leave me spoilt for choice in these shops - even Primark if you look past the surface. The mixed price points, apart from providing a strange sense of economical satisfaction, also work well together to balance each other out. In other words, wear a cheap item with something that is well made, fitted and structured and the end result looks elegant and avoids even the slightest hint of overdone.

With that in mind, say hello to Whistles' Lottie Luna Pleated Skirt...

True, my twirling attracted a few strange looks but in the name of beauty blogging, it was all worth it. Without it, I'd have felt that I'd done it an injustice as it's the gorgeous movement and lightness that first had me hooked.

In fact the love was so strong that it was very nearly the first item that I was prepared to buy from Whistles at full price - thankfully Grazia came to the rescue and I managed to get 25% off the original (heafty) £110 price tag before I headed off to Hong Kong!

Begrudgingly, I will admit that this skirt may be worth the full mulla for the following reasons:

1) It's a timeless piece - when a piece doesn't distinctively belong to a particular season or trend, in my mind it becomes timeless.
2) The cut, colours and the beautifully light fabric allows it to be worn in the warmer months (as in this post) or in the colder months teamed up with opaque tights, a leather jacket and heeled boots.
3) Day or night, the choice is yours - teamed up with killer heels and a black top, you're ready for a night out on the tiles. Alternatively, team it up with a more casual top and some wedges and you have the perfect Saturday/holiday ensemble!
4) Because of all of the above versatility, it is in fact the most practical item to take away with you on holiday.

I did this outfit some injustice by teaming it up with flats. This was in part due to laziness but also an attempt to safeguard against walking around Hong Kong in uncomfortable wedges. Either way, I was grateful for it after hours of wondering around town.

As far as details go, the usual culprits paid a visit...

Waist belt (standard) big boyfriend watch (standard) a little arm party (standard) and a ring (standard)!

I ended up wearing a variation of this outfit throughout Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore and loved the ease and versatility that it offered.

In fact, Whistles have a generous variation of this skirt every season. I spotted their winter offering on ASOS - here! I have to be honest, I'm tempted.

Also, it's worth keeping a keen eye out for Whistles stores. I bought the light sky blue version for a mere £20 in Westfield over the weekend so you never know, your luck could be in.

Whistles Lottie Luna Skirt - Whistles (last season)
Black top - Zara (last season)
Gold Metallic Belt - ASOS
Grey pumps - Primark
Faux Hermes and Cartier bracelet - Ebay seller 'finalpinetree'
Black circle bracelet - Whistles (last season)
Grey Star bracelet - Oliver Bonas
Ring - Bvlgari (old)
Pendant - Bvlgari (old)
Watch - Micheal Kors MK5055
Green bracelet - Hong Kong night market
Black bag - Debenhams (old)
Nail Varnish - OPI Tasmanian Devil Made Me Do It
Sunglasses - Oliver Bonas

p.s. A note on the nail varnish - I still adore it and wore it throughout my holiday (with a few re-applications) Despite my short stumpy fingers, I still think of it as the most gorgeous red eva ;) dedicated post on it here!

p.p.s Excuse the huge hair in this post - IT'S THE HUMIDITY! 

I think my next post will be about my inevitable airport purchases followed by beauty finds of Hong Kong :)

Let me know what you think of pleated skirts - still a little granny? Can we call it granny chic? No - I thought not...

Fx

Wet & Wild Palette - Comfort Zone

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The inevitable pitfall of being a beauty blogger is that at any given point, you have a list of products that you simply must get your hands on! More often than not, the 'grass is greener on the otherside' syndrome takes over making the most desirable items, products that aren't available in your country.

Something that has long dominated my list was the Comfort Zone palette from Wet and Wild. This is for two distinct reasons, a) it has an incredible MAC Club dupe, one that rivals the original in both quality and colour and b) because I believe it to have a gorgeous range of colours perfect for my brown eyes aka greens and warm browns. I guess the huge hype that it receives hasn't gone unnoticed either ;)

Predominantly found in the US, I came across it in Sweden! Clearly stranger things have happened but finding a Wet and Wild palette in a small village outside of Stockholm was very much unexpected.

Since purchasing it, I've grown to adore it and use the colours in a variety of combinations. My favourite combination is to use the MAC Club dupe all over the lid, a tiny bit of the deep plum in the outer V followed by a mixture of the two champagne colours along the brow bone and inner corners. 

This followed by a generous slapping of mascara and brown eyeliner works beautifully well together. 

As far as the top three colours are concerned, i.e. the ones not used in the pictures above, I could take or leave them - great colours, fantastic quality and highly pigmented (as with the whole palette) but not colours that I reach for everyday. 

The Crease colour on the left hand side lends itself more towards rose gold than champagne and for that reason, it is beyond beautiful to work with given a tiny bit of definition from a darker, preferably matt shade. 

All in all, I can't wrong this palette - it cost me little to nothing and I believe that it is definitely within the affordable bracket in most countries that it's available within. The quality, pigmentation and colours are also second to none although a matt shade would have been massively appreciated. All in all, big thumbs up!

One product that you should definitely believe the hype with :) 

Fxx

P.S. Other products used in the pictures above are as follows:

- Foundation: Make Up For Ever HD Foundation

- Powder: Chanel Poudre Universelle in Clair

- Lips: By Terry Baume De Rose

- Mascara: Revlon Grow Luscious

- Bronzer: Chanel Soleil Tan De Chanel

October 2012 Product of the Month: Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask

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October 2012 was an incredible month made up of exploring Chinese culture in Hong Kong, drinking sparking red wine (!) in Australia and seeing the most incredible animals in Singapore Zoo.

Unfortunately exploring far away lands also means a large portion of time was spent on long haul flights so it felt completely appropriate to select a monthly favourite that both reflected and served air travel.

Without wanting to sound too dramatic, the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask has completely revolutionised air travel for me.

Ok, so I can't take any credit for utilising the hours upon hours sitting on a plane to pamper myself, all kudos towards that should be aimed at Lisa Eldridge and this video but Orings' offering is a much more purse friendly option than the recommended Express Flower Gel from Sisley and in my mind, very fit for purpose.

The idea is simple but incredibly effective; upon take off, remove all make-up/dirt from the skin and then slap on a generous amount of hydrating mask and lip balm. Sit back, sleep (or watch hours of movies as in my case) and wake up rejuvenated and impossibly fresh looking. The process is designed to bypasses the very dehydrated feel that long haul flights cause and since the mask is completely clear, embarrassment is also avoided.

As a testament to it, I wore it during my 4 long haul flights and each time came off the plane with great looking skin. All of my usual peeling lips, dry patches and tired complexion was completely avoided and instead my skin felt plump, smooth and a surprisingly rested. Big win!

Long haul flights aside, Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask is a fantastic product. Designed to re-hydrate skin overnight so you can use it as part of your weekly skincare routine by applying it after cleansing and before sleeping. As with the case of long haul flights, you wake up with plump, hydrated skin that lends itself to belonging to a very well rested beauty.

A great little gem of a mask if you ask me.

A word of warning however, this stuff is very scented - I appreciate this massively and like the smell but on sensitive skin types I would imagine that some irritation may occur. Always best to try before you buy.

It's now exactly 7 months till my next holiday and without a shadow of a doubt, this will be coming away with me.

P.S. I've already covered my favourite sun care products in a previous post which you may also find useful - found here

Do you have any long haul flight rituals? x

Dare to Wear Berry Lips with Revlon Black Cherry Lipstick

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So while I was blissfully wondering about on the other side of the globe, winter decided to set up residence in London and with it invite cosy winter wear and my most favourite of winter make-up trends, bold berry lips.

Yes, it's a little overdone but with good reason. Firstly, berry lips tend to add a gorgeous level of warmth to the complexion and secondly, they lend themselves to effortless style - both perfect in the colder months. 

It's also a hugely universal colour - looking through some editorial pictures within magazines, models of all complexions and hair colours are wearing berry lips and honestly, I can't say that I think it looks any better on blonds or brunettes. I do think however that if you have green eyes, then you're in luck as the two works in harmony. For the dark eyed amongst us, I think it does amazing things on our 'I can't be bothered to put on make-up so I think I'll just put a bright lippie on and hope for the best'.

I will also admit that on the bullet the colour looks a little scary but on the lips, it is just beyond gorgeous either as a bold lip or as a stain. 

The above swatch is a little heavy handed. A lighter stroke lends itself to a naturally flushed lips look and one that looks slightly more done than effortless but still pretty and glamorous. 

There are of course numerous offerings of berry lipsticks out there but personally I can't fault this particular shade or formula. In fact, the Revlon Super Lustrous range is pretty special and this shade (as well as Cherries in the Snow) is an absolute winner. 

What are your thoughts on berry lips?

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Black Cherry is available from Boots here! 

Fxx

MAC Lipstick Heaven and my Top 6!

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Top 6 doesn't really have the same ring to it as 'top 5/10' but it felt dishonest to select only 5 and too greedy to pick 10! The truth is, although I adore the colours that I have I generally gravitate towards the same ones over and over again.

I blame my 'collection' entirely on MAC's 6 empties and one free lipstick deal. Because of it, I think that I've only purchased a handful of lipsticks and the rest have been courtesy of MAC.

I also wont bore you by naming each of them, only my top 6 - the ones that I reach for religiously and the ones that I've purchased/re-purchased myself.

Hue
Undoubtably my favourite lipstick of all time let alone from MAC. It's really simple and easy to wear; a light creamy pink nude which works with most make-up looks known to man. No mirror necessary and ridiculously flattering.

A word to the wise - 17 have an exact dupe of this bad boy at a third of the cost!! 

Shy Girl
The peachy cousin of Hue, equally wearable and creamy but slightly warmer toned. Still, very flattering and easy to wear and another winner.

MAC Red
I personally feel that this is the most underestimated red within MAC's offerings.

It's bright, bold and very universal. I love it on me and on my friends all with different skin tones. It's also a true red, no orange undertones and not overtly pink. I like to think that this would probably be Marilyn Monroe's pick of the bunch.

The formula is also great, Satin finish so smooth in consistency but also highly pigmented and long lasting.

Impassioned
This is a bit of a show stopper of a colour, one that's guaranteed to get you a second glance and to be queried by your friends. A really bold bright pink which works with your skin and hair tone.

It's the perfect modern bold lip so if you're looking to update the classic red!

I find that its best worn with a simple make-up look otherwise it infringes on lending itself a little too much towards the 80s. Not that that's a bad thing - anything 80s if much appreciated in my world but not necessarily to the rest of the world.

Angel
Reportedly a certain Kardashian's favourite but a really fantastic shade despite the unverified rumours.

It's one to achieve big lips with - slap on a good lip liner and dab a little of this on and bobs your uncle. Also, one that works really well with lip gloss.

Again, it's a neutral pink but nothing offensive or bold. Very wearable - can you see a slight theme emerging here?

Viva Glam Cyndi  
I know that this was a relatively limited edition colour but it was honestly a gorgeous shade and as much as I love MAC Red, it's not your average office colour where as this manages to achieve Red without screaming out Vamp.

It's a also a really light formula so application on the lips looks sheer and healthy. Very youthful and very elegant so to me, the perfect day time red.


A little tip...I thought it would also be nice to show you how I store my lipsticks - in old candle pots. They are the ideal size for most draws and can store lipsticks upside down so that the names are visible. Simples.

Yesterday I popped back into MAC as I had yet another 6 empties (not complaining) and picked up Lady Danger and believe the rumours - it's beyond stunning. I haven't used it yet so I can't let my initial excitement sway me to add it to the top but if I do love using it, I'll dedicate a post in the future :)

Let me know your favourites and what you think of mine?

Fxx

P.s. I'm off to Hong Kong this evening followed by a trip to Sydney and then Singapore (eeeek!!) I literally can't wait to explore the beauty offering in Hong Kong and to sit in the sun in Sydney. Rumour has it that the Zoo is a must in Singapore so that's definitely on the list.

Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter for updates on my travels and hopefully adventures :) 

No7 Perfect Lips Pencil in Nude

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Sometimes it's the simplest of make-up products that brings about the most impact - take a bronzer, you can literally carve out bone structure with the right one and by the same note, No7's Perfect Lips Pencil in Nude brings me as close as I'll ever get to achieving Lana Del Rey lips.

It's an incredibly flattering colour, the definition of my lips but better if you like; not too pink and not too brown.

This allows it to act like the perfect base for lipstick or as a stand alone colour to be used in conjunction with gloss or balm. The neutral colour also lends itself to be the perfect product to make my lips fractionally fuller by tracing the parameter of my own lip line. The best part? It looks natural and effortless. Two things that I associate with lips that are naturally full.

So there we have it, a product that doesn't shout or scream but works wonders and one that even the most talented make-up artists (a la Lisa Eldridge) swear by.


No7 Perfect Lips Pencil is only available from Boots! 
Comparable colours are available from Dior and YSL but obviously at a significantly higher price tag...


Do you use lip liners and if so, which is your favourite? I think they can be considered a little old fashioned but they really play a huge part in making the most of my lips so as I said, the simplest of beauty products can really bring about the most impact in your make-up routine.

Fxx