frontière girl

Effaclar Duo[+] Unifiant review

2016-08-20T08:59:00.003+02:00

There's a new kid on the Effaclar block, and it's a corker. La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Duo(+) Unifiant* is probably best described as a tinted moisturiser comprising the same magic ingredients as Effaclar Duo(+) but with added mineral pigments to create a light, natural coverage, perfect for the day.

At times I look at my skin and wonder what I'm doing wrong. No-one (bar the basic bitch) deserves blotchy, porey skin. I often feel guilty wearing a full-on face of foundation, clogging up my pores, so this is where I find Effaclar Unifiant appealing - a moisturiser with the same efficacy of Effaclar Duo(+) but with actual coverage. Guilt-free. Boom.

Nitty-gritty wise; it contains anti-inflammatory niacinamide, LHA (for skin-cell renewal), linoleic acid to regulate oil, and Procerad™ to diffuse inflammation and treat hyperpigmentation. With three Effaclar products sold every minute worldwide, the popularity of the line speaks for itself.

Formula-wise, it's very light, non-sticky and reminds me of a lighter version of the Bourjois 123 CC cream (big fan). To avoid inflammation, it's recommended not to heavily rub in products, and I did find this hard to resist at first but after a few days' use, I mastered the art of simply smoothing it across my skin, and the melt-in texture really helps with this.

I've been using it daily for a couple of weeks, applying after LRP's foaming gel, which I use religiously (see why here). My skin was smoother, imperfections were concealed, and I felt confident enough not to add foundation. Alas, after a long day in the office, its staying power was tested and my skin didn't seem as 'flawless', so I found myself reapplying before after-work goings on. I also tried it as a primer to see how that fared; I was impressed and will definitely be incorporating it into my night-out routine but prefer wearing it alone during the day to let my skin breathe a bit.

While I can't say for sure that I noticed a reduction in marks and colour imperfections (clinically proven to, with 78% agreeing), I can say that I haven't had any breakouts since trying it, and my skin has been less oily. I'll take that. Oh, and my mum has been complimenting my skin too so it's clearly faring well.

The Cinderella of tinted moisturisers, outshining its sister product of the almost-same name, Effaclar Duo(+) Unifiant is my new favourite daywear product. Interested in trying it? There's currently a £3 reduction online at Boots. Just saying!

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes

ASOS sale picks

2015-09-05T10:24:00.001+02:00

It's the inaugural ASOS sale, a time when my saved items are full to the brim and the temptation to add everything to my basket is a serious threat to my bank balance. Alas, I remember how grateful I must be that these particular items are discounted and often justify an order while the items are discounted. Winning. So, here's my top picks of the current sale, and with a further 10% off the 70% sale (code: YAY10), soz, but I deffo won't be resisting a little treat here and there. I already ordered the black flats and boots and can confirm they are a thing of beauty.

*whispers* There's ANOTHER timed sale coming up from 7th September along with 20% off for students on 9th and 10th September so get stocking your saved items now!

Have you nabbed anything in the sale yet?

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London Fashion Weekend 2015

2015-08-17T18:52:00.002+02:00

With London Fashion Weekend coming up in September, I thought it was about time I blogged about my visit there back in February. My lovely other half spoilt me at Christmas with two Luxe LFW tickets at the one and only Somerset House in London. I've never really thought about going before as I always felt it was a bit out of my league; as much as I love stalking super fashionable people on Instagram, shopping my little heart out and putting an outfit together, I don't consider myself a fashionista or designer-hungry girl at all, but I was really looking forward to hitting Somerset House to find out what the fuss was about.

While I was excited, I was also a little nervous about what to expect; I imagined I'd feel completely out of place among the throngs of the so-called fashion elite, but I ended up having a great day. I might not have been the coolest kid there (deffo wasn't!), but I enjoyed the endless bubbly supply, the front row catwalk seats (can finally say I've been frow) and browsing the rails of designer gear (with their faintworthy price tags).

These Luxe tickets were a hefty £130 each, and this allows you VIP access to a lounge with prosecco and canapés (pretty much consisting of nuts), a style talk (scheduled to be 45 minutes' long but sadly was much shorter), a front row seat for the trend catwalk show, a Pringle of Scotland tote bag (featuring label.m, Maybelline, and Essie goodies) and a private till point with shopping collection service (which we weren't really informed about on arrival, so we didn't actually use it).

The main draw of the day was the catwalk show. I'd never been to one before so it was a complete first for me. Rather than focusing on one specific designer, the show featured all the up and coming trends (now pretty well known considering this belated post!), namely florals, monochrome, shimmer/shine, and the good old 70s (think suede, fringing and flares!). The bulk of my photos are of the show so I'll stop the babbling and let the photos do the talking...

All in all, I had an amazing day. I couldn't resist treating myself to a gorgeous cream preppy Winser cardigan that screamed Blair Waldorf at me with it's pearl buttons and high round neckline. And while the Luxe tickets are a tad overpriced in my opinion (standard entry tickets are just £20), they did make a big difference: we avoided the lengthy queues to access the catwalk show, which would have eaten into precious browsing/shopping time; the goodie bag was obviously great and of course allll the prosecco, which was unlimited and nice to carry round with you as you browsed.

Will you be going to September's LFWeekend?

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Butter LONDON nail lacquer: Goss

2015-03-02T20:42:00.004+01:00

Following my recent post on the Gilded Gears set from butter LONDON, here's a look at the Goss shade. I'M IN LOVE. I've never owned a metallic shade, and I didn't expect it to look like this applied at all, so I was very pleasantly surprised with the result.

One layer wasn't quite enough coverage, so I applied two layers, and it went on smoothly and set well. I didn't bother with a base coat or a top coat, but I wish I did because this varnish actually started peeling within 24 hours of me applying it. It pained me to admit that because I absolutely adore the colour.

I can't seem to find the original set that this came in online anywhere now (cry), but this is available individually (11ml for those of you who like 'em big) from Look Fantastic (phew). Oh and grab yourself 10% off your order using the code TREAT10LF or 15% if you're a newbie (code NEW15LF).

What do you think of this shade? Have you tried butter LONDON before?

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Burt's Bees Honey Pot collection

2015-02-23T18:42:00.005+01:00

There's just something about this bloody brand that I can't get enough of! I'm in love with their packaging, their natural products, and the name Burt just down right makes me smile. What a chap eh?! I mean, just look at this gorgeous little pot (part of the 2014 Christmas collection). Not only is it shaped like a, erm, traditional honey pot, it's filled with lip and hand care goodness in the form of two delicious lip balms and the ever-so-greasy-but-ever-so-moisturising hand salve (I prefer to wear it before bed for this reason).

The beeswax lip balm surprises you, as it leaves your lips tingling with its peppermint flavour. I can't get enough of it for this reason, and my lips feel all soft and nourished when I'm wearing it. In fact, this will be my second tube as I've already been using one for the past few months (they're long-lasting!). Onto the honey lip balm and, while the texture is smooth and my lips feel moisturised, it doesn't smell like honey whatsoever. In fact, it smells more like talcum powder to me, so it just reminds me of babies! I wouldn't say it's off-putting at all, but it's not the pleasant honey scent I was hoping for.

It doesn't look like this collection is available on the Burt's Bees site anymore, but I've spotted it on lookfantastic.com, so get it while you can (grab 10% off your order using the code TREAT10LF or 15% if you're a new customer using the code NEW15LF). It's only £7.99, and the fact the pot can be used for whatever takes your fancy (jewellery, make up, candles; heck, why not honey?) really makes it worth your pennies in my opinion. I think it'd make a lovely little gift too, and the cardboard sleeve is easily removed so you could add some extra goodies before gifting it if you're feeling generous!

Have you tried Burt's Bees products before? What's your favourite?

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Freiburg, Germany

2015-02-17T21:13:00.001+01:00

It's been a long time since I wrote a lifestyle or travel-related post, and - as cheesy as it sounds - these ones are probably my favourite to write as they afford me time to reflect and reminisce over lovely times, places and generally have myself a little throwback party. This time, it's Freiburg's turn.

Freiburg, which translates as free borough, is about a 45-minute drive from where we currently live in France, so we took it upon ourselves to pay it a little visit one sunny weekend last autumn. It's an old university town situated near the Black Forest in Germany (I wrote about Black Forest's Titisee here if you want to read more). I've since read that it's the sunniest town in Germany, with the sun shining its pretty little self down on it a whopping 2000 hours a year. Lucky they may be, but those Freiburgers are also pretty smart; they've taken advantage and apparently managed to generate as much solar power as the whole of Britain, bagging a 'greenest city' label, so Lonely Planet inform me! Props to them...or whatever the trendy way to say congrats is these days.

Without a doubt, the imposing medieval Münster cathedral is the main architechural draw of Freiburg. Built between 1520-30, it's an old beauty but a beautiful red sandstone one. It features scenic sculptures from the Old and New Testaments. Its gothic design reminds me of Barcelona's La Sagrada Familia...on a considerably smaller scale, though you can apparently get a view of the Vosges mountains in France if you climb the tower!

As we wandered the streets, we also noticed these unusual - if a little dangerous - open gutters with water flowing through them. Apparently, these Bächle are quite famous and were once used for livestock and fire fighting; they now contain diverted water from the Dreisam river. I've read that if you happen to accidentally land your foot in one of these waterways, then you're destined to marry a Freiburger! Twit twoo.

Another sight we spotted was the Martinstor, the former town gate, which is quite understated yet so pretty to actually wander through as you stroll the streets. Unfortunately, I didn't get any better pictures of it than this...so I hope you can appreciate the big twiggy tree partially blocking the view. Oh, and spot the McDonalds sign beside it! The city council prevented the standard red and yellow sign in favour of a more reserved colour! They got told!

Another of Freiburg's sights is the Historical Merchant's Hall, which dates back to the 1520s and served as the region's hub of finance. At first, you could be forgiven for missing it since it's situated beside the show-stopping catherdral, but it's definitely a unique building and one I actually snapped before I knew what it was! I love the mosaic-tiled spires on either side of it.

We proceeded to stumble upon a really busy area, full of people relaxing and supping on beer sat on the streets. At first, we assumed there was some sort of festival or event going on and felt a little out of place, but I later found out (when researching for this post) that it's simply a really popular chillout spot for local students and younger people, probably helped by the surrounding bars and restaurants. I loved this little snippet of local culture and fact it's not uncommon to just find a spot, plonk yourself on the cobbles, and enjoy the sunshine.

Probably one of my favourite photos of the day was this little winery positioned quite randomly in the middle of quite a bustling area. Freiburg is situated in the heart of a major wine-growing region so this is probably the norm for the locals but it looked so out of place to me...though clearly very pretty with the gorgeous blossom tree. Shame we didn't get a little sip of its goods!

Here's a few more pictures I captured on our wander around the streets. The buskers were brilliant, and the little kid in front was dancing his heart out! We ended the day with nutella and fruit pancakes, while watching the sunset from our balcony. Perfection!

Do you like the look of Freiburg? Have you visited any new cities or places recently?

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butter LONDON Gilded Gears Nail Lacquer Set

2015-02-09T18:44:00.000+01:00

Are anyone else's January/February posts a bit of a homage to the cracking fella that is Santa and his good old gifts? Well, this is one of mine, and I wanted to share it because butter LONDON is a brand I'd not really heard of until later last year when my sister got into them, and I'm liking the look of them!

The brand is a decade old and most probably well known for their nail 'lacquers' (prefer 'varnish' myself but hey ho). "We believe in Rock & Roll. Great Britain. And Fashion". Apart from their fabulously patriotic slogan (and clear aversion to commas), the unique selling point of butter is that their shades are inspired by the styles featured in New York and London fashion shows, so it's interesting to see their interpretation in this respect! With this in mind, the Gilded Gears set is inspired by Steampunk style, which is synonymous with the Victorian era and the industrialisation of it apparently. If you want to read a bit more about it, this is a pretty interesting article here. I'd never heard of this style until now, but every day's a school day eh!

I love the colours in this set; such a gorgeous range and not too 'samey'. I'm especially looking forward to trying the glittery golden one and the deep red matte-satin one, the latter of which is a set exclusive (along with the grey metallic one).

Stocked in places like Fortnum & Mason, Selfridges and Harvey Nicks, with a bit of a price tag (£12 for a full sizer), I get the impression butter is more of a high-end brand; just look at that stylish rectangular packaging. Even the bloomin' lack of capitalization adds to the sophisticated feel. It reminds me of Victoria Beckham branding for some reason.

The Gilded Gears set doesn't seem to be available on the butter site anymore, but I've spied it on Look Fantastic for £24, so it's worth investing if you want to try them out. I plan on blogging individual swatches of each of the shades applied once I've worn them, so check back if you want to see how I get on with them.

Have you tried butter LONDON polishes before? How do you rate them?

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Life lately: January snapshots

2015-02-02T19:24:00.002+01:00

I decided to try out a 'picture a day' app this year; I did it last year, and it was lovely to look back over the months and see what I was up to at specific times. Admittedly, my weekday shots aren't too interesting, considering I don't get up to much but work, eat, sleep and Pretty Little Liars binges...but hey ho, it makes me happy!

So, without further ado, here's my January...

1. Recovering from the New Year's hangover in Fuerteventura || 2. First 2015 couple selfie || 3. Waving goodbye to the beautiful Fuerteventure coastline || 4. The boy wedged between the sofa and footrest || 5. Mondays; need I say more || 6. Facemask time with the Mother || 7. Skype time with the bestie/step-sister || 8. Using my new smoothie/soup maker for the first time || 9. My cute coaster: 'Friends are like stars; you don't have to see them to know they are there!' || 10. Shameless selfie || 11. Ciaté nails: Mineral Clarity || 12. Much-needed bath with Lush's Avobath bathbomb || 13. Funky little lunchbox collection || 14. Roasted garlic and tomatoes ready to go in my soup maker || 15. So impressed to be at work || 16. Sunrise view on my drive to work || 17. Date night || 18. Burt's Bees goodness || 19. Throwback to half a decade ago || 20. Beautiful handmade wooden French bulldog earrings from Ginger Pickle || 21. My precious stash of marmite - smashed || 22. The boy concentrating in black and white || 23. Table set ready for weekend visitors || 24. The boy and his best mate || 25. Beautiful Basel view of the River Rhine || 26. Trying to snow || 27. Snow, just about settled || 28. Pastel nails: Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Sugar Apple || 29. My favourite sandwich to make. Giant! || 30. Cheeky snap of him eating one of my homemade fruit smoothie ice lollies || 31. Outfit of the day!

What have your January highlights been? Have you tried the photo a day thing?

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Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub

2015-01-26T07:02:00.001+01:00

Just a few dedicated words to this gorgeous Lush shower scrub. For any 90s kids reading, let me tell you, Eiffel 65 would be Da Ba Deeing all day with this bad boy. Rub Rub Rub is the bluest thing I've ever come across in terms of toiletries or any skincare product for that matter! I'd tried this on my hand in store before and loved the way it softened my skin afterwards so, while I resisted at the time, I eventually went back and bought it.

So what is it? It's billed as an exfoliating shower scrub that can be used on your skin as well as for your hair to add shine and volume. I haven't felt wild enough to test it on my hair as yet but I love using it in the shower as it leaves my skin feeling soft and clean. It's full of sea salt and lemon juice, though surprisingly I don't smell the latter. In fact, it's a really difficult scent to describe; a full list of ingredients is here but to me, it's soapy smelling (how do you describe a soapy smell lol?!); it's a smell I don't particularly find appealing (surprising for Lush products) but it's also not a bad smell either. Where's that fence 'coz I'm a sittin on it - soz!

As much as I like the way it makes my skin feel, I don't think it feels particularly exfoliating when applied in the shower. It lathers up a treat, which I love because a little goes a very long way, but it doesn't have the 'grit' I would expect for a salt-based scrub. That said, it's also for use on dry skin so I expect it's much more exfoliating this way, and I'm really keen to try it even if it could be a bit 'messy' with the runny consistency of the scrub. Anyone else tried it on dry skin?

Have you tried Rub Rub Rub? What's your ultimate Lush product?

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W7 Africa bronzer

2015-01-19T07:45:00.004+01:00

I recently reviewed another of W7's boxed products here and have to say I was super impressed with it, considering its price. Who doesn't love a good dupe? And a dupe of Benefit's box o' powders for that matter?

This Africa* powder claims to be an illuminating face powder, and while it certainly is illuminating - aided by the irridescent pink shade - it works best as a blusher in my opinion. As you can see from the swatch on my wrist below, it's too dark and pink to work all over the face...unless that's your thang.

As with the Honey Queen blusher, I did also find this powder doesn't cling to the brush particularly well, but maybe I need to try using one of my Real Technique brushes, as it could be something to do with the brush it comes with (see first picture). Anyhow, this was an absolute dream to swatch as it showed up beautifully on my wrist; you can clearly see it's very pigmented and a much nicer blush shade than an overall face powder. It catches the light just right and makes for a great illuminator on the cheeks.

These W7 boxed products are a good budget-friendly solution if you can't afford to splash out on Benefit's range. While the packaging isn't the most appealing, this is highly pigmented, applies relatively well, and turns out a lovely plummy shade when the brush is swirled around the whole powder, which is ideal for the cooler months. I really feel like I can't complain about this product when it comes in at a mere £4.95. Yes, it may not be as high-quality as Benefit, but there has to be some element of compromise when you're spending a quarter of what you'd usually spend!

Have you tried W7 Cosmetics before? What do you think of this?

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo and Foaming Gel

2015-01-12T08:40:00.001+01:00

One of my top 2014 discoveries has to be this La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo set, which came with a free 50 ml cleanser. I know I'm a tad late to the LRP party, but I'm here now in full-on rave mode, so that still counts right?

I'm always on the lookout for clear, particle-free cleansers that I can use easily with my Foreo Luna Mini (hope to blog this at some point!), as it contains mini silicone bristles, so I particularly love the Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel, which was bunged in free with my purchase. It's foamy and made for oil-prone (and sensitive) skin so it's my perfect cup of tea when it comes to cleansers. And the fact it's soap-, alcohol-, colourant- and paraben-free reassures me of its purity! Yes, it sounds like it may as well be water, but I've loved using it and it's left my skin feeling fresh, clean and generally lovely, so I'm sticking to my guns.

Onto the one that everyone raves about! The Effaclar Duo gel-cream reminds me a little bit of Boots Protect and Perfect Serum in consistency; however, this used to leave me feeling a little greasy so I was pleasantly surprised to find the Effaclar cream was the complete opposite. It glides on smoothly and a little tends to go relatively far, but it also more importantly absorbs super quick with no oily finish in sight. It's said to fight against marks and imperfections, and while I can't truly comment on how effective it is in terms of reducing red/brown marks, it's certainly kept any blemishes at bay and I'm enjoying using it. In fact, I've nearly finished the tube, and I'm spying the Effaclar Mat moisturiser to try next, which is tempting me on sale at the moment on Feel Unique. Has anyone tried it?

What's your favourite 2014 discovery? Have you tried this Effaclar range or any other La Roche-Posay products?

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Sunkissed Gradual Tanning Lotion

2014-12-16T12:49:00.002+01:00

When Sunkissed contacted me about reviewing one of their products, I was initially debating the idea of going for it or not, as I haven't been a big one for fake tan application for a while now. Since I moved away from my main circle of friends when I moved to Switzerland, I don't go out, out nearly half as much as I used to...and a night out was my main catalyst for slapping on the fake tan. However, I did a little research into Sunkissed and that niggly I wouldn't mind a nice golden glow feeling resurfaced from the depths of my reformed liver, and I decided to go for it. I also spied some celebrity endorsements, which tempted me further (Lucy Meck is the face of the product and is just stunning)!

I liked the look of the gradual tanning lotion* in light bronze (I didn't want something too dark or my pale-ish skin might never forgive me for tangoing it). For me, the self-tan mousse - their most popular product - wasn't really right for me, as I was looking for something a bit more long-lasting and, erm, gradual since the occasion for an instant tan isn't as frequent as it once was in my life (oh woe is me).

Since using it over the past few weeks, I thought the clearest way for me to rave about it was to list the many advantages of it in my honest opinion:

♥ It's moisturising; it left my skin feeling well soft and pampered!

♥ No streaks; I haven't noticed any since I started using it - nothing around the knees or ankles either - could also be because I'm a fine rubber inner!

♥ No dodgy smell - it's almost scentless, but I do sense a very faint hint of coconuts, which is divine!

♥ No risk of feeling tangoed! In fact, I received an application mitt* that I tried but I actually found it fine to apply without even using the mitt. That's how non-stainy it is (hurrah for all); no suspicious brown streaky marks between my fingers in sight (I did of course give my hands a good, thorough wash after using).

♥ It's super-fast at absorbing and dries quickly; I usually feel wary about getting changed after tanning, but I had no problems at all with this.

♥ Non-sticky - I like the formula of this because it rubs in well and doesn't leave me feeling sticky whatsoever.

♥ At £4.99, it's a bargain of big proportions!

♥ No word of a lie, my mum asked me if I was wearing tanned tights after a couple of goes using it...and then my friend Hannah also complimented me on my tanned arms this weekend. Boom!

I'll admit, the pessimist in me was expecting to have at least one downside to write home about, but this is genuinely the best gradual tan I have ever used; no it's not instant but it's just the way I like it...GRADUAL...yes gradual...exactly what it says on the tin (or plastic).

I've tried to capture a couple of photos of my legs after approximately two weeks' use (ignore the nobbly knees); I'm not sure they do it justice to be honest, but trust me when I say, my legs and arms (lazy man's tan!) are carrying a gorgeous matte, golden glow if I do say so myself!

Have you tried Sunkissed before? How did you find it?

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes

Bloggers' Lounge Awards

2014-12-05T08:56:00.000+01:00

I'm really chuffed to announce that I've been shortlisted for The Bloggers' Lounge Blog Awards in the beauty category. I'm up against some amazing blogs, so I really am grateful to have even been considered, let alone shortlisted.

The Bloggers' Lounge is a resourceful site, full of great tips and ideas for bloggers looking to improve their blog (in terms of design as well as content), writing skills or generally find inspiration for posts. They also work with various brands and provide opportunities for bloggers to create content in conjunction with them.

I know awards like this are often criticized for just being another promo exercize for the organisers, but aside from this I personally think it's a great way for lesser-known bloggers to get a little bit of recognition and maybe attract new readers who wouldn't have otherwise heard of them in the crazy chaotic land of blogdom!

So...this is the part where I appeal to you to kindly click on *this link here* and put a cheeky little vote in for frontière girl under the beauty finalists catergory. If you've ever enjoyed a post I've written or are just reading this now and feeling a little generous, I'd be super grateful if you cast your vote my way (voting closes on 16th December at 5.30pm). It's just one click and doesn't involve any sign-ups - win-win!

Disclaimer: If you decide not to vote, I won't come and chase you away with a stick (even if that was possible); not meaning to be too soppy, but I'm actually pretty gawwwd-damn happy if you're here just reading and (hopefully) enjoying my blog anyway.

Santa hat nail art

2014-12-02T09:18:00.001+01:00

Happy December! As we're all well aware, it was the first day of advent yesterday...and also my birthday, so what better way to celebrate than to do a bit of DIY nail art? I first tried nail art in this post here (one of my most popular posts!), which was so much fun, but I'm definitely still very new to it so I decided to try something relatively easy...enter the santa hat nail.

All you need is:

1 x red nail varnish (preferably a bright, Christmassy red). I used OPI's First Date at the Golden Gate.
1 x white nail varnish. I used one from W7 cosmetics.
Some form of precision tool to apply the white detail (since I'm a classy lady, I used a kirby hair grip).
Some Christmas tunes to help you along, and a relatively careful hand :)

Very simply put, start off with painting on an oval-ish hat shape onto each nail. I was going to try be more precise and describe it as a triangle but the mathematical genius somewhere deep inside me would be seething, with its distinct lack of 60° angles.

Then, add the all-important white detail of the fluffy rim and pom-pom on top with the help of a kirby grip. I found it easier using the grip because my varnish applicator was slightly too big, which makes detail like this more difficult to do.

The great thing about this nail art is that that you don't necessarily need to be super precise, since the beauty of santa hat 'fluff' is that it doesn't have to look too neat. This certainly worked to my advantage since I'm still a nail art novice!

What do you think of this? Will you be trying some festive nail art this year? I'd love to hear about it!

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Flowers, an OOTD and good food

2014-11-28T09:58:00.002+01:00

I initially started this blog as a distraction from starting a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend; cutting a long story short, he moved out here to Switzerland with me when I started my job but unfortunately - after realising there wasn't much work for him in his area here - he made the decision to start commuting back to the UK Monday to Friday after setting up his own business. So anyway, back to my initial point, I always intended for it to also be an online diary of sorts - to record my Swiss adventures, other travels, good times and general happy moments to look back on when I'm old and wrinkly.

Recently, I've gotten quite carried away with blogging about beauty and skincare, but I have actually been meaning to write a few more lifestyle posts, as I really enjoy writing them and recording a little personal post every now and then. So this post is dedicated to a lovely last weekend I had.

First off, I recently celebrated 8 long, happy, crazy years with my boyfriend (deffo still don't feel old enough to be celebrating that much time with someone), and he picked me up from work on the Friday, with this lovely bouquet in hand. We didn't do gifts this year, but I did get this nice little chocolate surprise to keep me smiling. I may be easily pleased, but I can't get Minstrels anywhere here and I absolutely love them, so - to me - this was super sweet for him to get me these. Keeper fo' sho'.

Anyway, the main part of last weekend consisted of a lovely evening out on Saturday at La Cave in my local town Saint Louis (just over the border from Switzerland in France). My mum's best friend from the UK was visiting her (some of my family are also based out here!), so what better way to spend time together than eat good food and drink some good vino? I'm clearly getting older with a line like that. Soz.

Here's a customary selfie so you get an idea of who you're working with on this fine journey of cuisine I'm about to take you on ;) I went for big, bouncy curls (see how here) and subtle-ish eyes (using Benefit's Away We Glow set) with a nude lip, using Rimmel lip liner in Eastend Snob (recently talked about here) and Mac's Viva Glam Gaga lipstick in Amplified. I decided to try a bit of 'overlining' à la Kylie Jenner, and I have to say I quite like it, especially as my lips are usually pretty non-existent. Have you tried overlining before?

A night out post wouldn't be complete without a cheeky OOTD piccie. I wore a Vero Moda pencil skirt, simple New Look cami and these Primark (read Primarni) shoes, which I'm in love with at the moment. Not the comfiest on the toes I have to say, but nothing I can't handle (dedicated to the cause me).

Onto the good stuff and off to the restaurant we went. First off, a glass of bubbly never goes amiss. Apéritifs are very popular over here; usually, I'm happy to go straight into the wine but it seems to be common practice to start off with a glass of prosecco. Such a hardship this apéritif lark.

Before I go on, I feel a need to point out this isn't my boyfriend's normal preferred facial hair. Yup, he's growing his mo for Movember, raising money to change the face of men's health. I can just about handle the p0rn star look for such a good cause.

For starter, I went for egg with truffle and some sort of declicious-tasting ham. You'll have to excuse me for being the worst describer in the world because I didn't note down exactly what it was and, typically for me, the menu must be outdated on the site as it doesn't feature this. However, fear not my lovely reader, I can reassure you it was an absolute taste sensation. If you haven't tried truffle before, DO IT. And if, like me, you thought the only truffles that mattered were the chocolate variety, you're in for a pleasant surprise!

I'm a big steak lover, so I had to go for the fillet. The first time I ate here, it was bladdy delicious, cooked medium rare to perfection, and so tender I could have died happy there and then. However, this time, I must admit, it was overcooked for me (thankfully not too well done but still no trace of pink, which I enjoy), so I was slightly disappointed. I also missed a good portion of potatoes to go with it; as you can see, it did come with a couple of potatoes but it wasn't really enough for my dustbin tummy unfortunately!

Onto dessert, and this panna cotta was my boyfriend's pick. I had a taste (I'm an absolute liability when it comes to tasting his food...whatever he has, I have to have a bit...I just like to share the experiences haha); it was as to be expected beautifully creamy, and the little layer of clementine purée on the top sweetened it up a treat.

Onto mine, and I'm going to be slightly boring and declare that I'm much more of a savoury food lover than a sweet lover. If there's cheese and biscuits on a dessert menu - and I'm not bursting enough to fit more in - then it's mine, allll miiiiiine. These little slices of heaven were sliced straight off the board, hence the odd presentation, but it tasted great and was just the right amount to wash my glass of red down. Nom nom.

What have you been upto lately? Do you like reading these kinds of lifestyle posts? I'd love to hear your feedback!

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Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish™ Hot Cloth Cleanser

2014-11-25T09:34:00.000+01:00

I hadn't heard too much about the Liz Earle range before (shocker), but when I did hear occasional musings about it, it was always the mysterious Cleanse & Polish™ Hot Cloth Cleanser that would be mentioned. So when I spied it in Boots on my way back from a weekend trip in the UK, I thought I'd give it a go. I don't know about anyone else, but whenever I'm in airports, I always feel that little bit more willing to spend money. Why is that?! SUCH a false sense of security, especially now that I travel a little bit more than I used to.

This hot cloth cleanser is a winner of multiple recognised awards (a dozen so far), and 99% of the 2254 (and counting) reviewers on the Liz Earle site alone would recommend it, so instantly I felt reassured that this cleanser was a potential top-notcher!

If you don't know the deal with this rumoured 'holy grail' product - in short, it's a two-phase process. First, you apply the cream to your face, neck and lastly to those mascara-filled lashes and made-up eyes (yup, it's gentle enough to use on eyes), then you use a hot cloth to gently polish off the cleanser (along with your makeup and pesky dead skin cells). It's an absolute dream in terms of ingredients, comprising cocoa butter for moisturising (win), pro vitamin B5 for stimulating cell renewal (win), and glycerin to aid hydration (win), among various other drops of magic (full list here).

First of all, I love the look of it; the Liz Earle branding has an air of trusted sophistication (sometimes a nice font is all it needs no?!), and this has carried over to its packaging. I love the dirty mint green of this pump bottle, though I'm not sure how easy it will be to get into when it's running low (I like to use every last bit!).

It's an airy, creamy texture and nice and thick in consistency, which made it feel very luxurious. The scent is absolutely gorgeous: fresh and minty, so I have absolutely loved slathering it on my face every day. I've given it a good few weeks' use so far in order to form a solid opinion, and there really isn't a bad word I can say about it. It really has left my face feeling clean, soft and pampered. The hot cloth polishing process made all the difference for me; yes, it takes that extra little bit of time over a standard face wash cleanser, but I found it ensured my skin was much cleaner and gave me more than usual reassurance my makeup was completely removed. The fact the cloths are white really helps to show the good it's doing, as you can clearly see the build-up being removed!

My set came with two accompanying muslin cloths in a handy little zip bag, which will be great for travelling. It's recommended to wash each cloth after about 3 uses so I would suggest buying a couple to go with it so you've always got a back up between washing one.

Overall, I can completely understand the hype around this product. It feels great, it's not silly priced, it's packaged well, and it's a luxurious addition to my skincare routine, so I'll definitely be repurchasing.

Have you tried this hot cloth cleanser before? Do you recommend any other Liz Earle products? I'd love to try more from their range!

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Top 12 Christmas jumpers

2014-11-21T08:53:00.000+01:00

I don't quite know how I'm at this point in time right now, but it is nearly here, so my wandering online shopping eye has been guilty of plenty of Christmassy browsing. I do love a good Christmas jumper; yep, we don't all necessarily need reminding what time of year it is, and yep it can be over-hyped in the commercial world, BUT it's just SO bloomin' FUN wearing a good old Christmas jumper. Let's not lie; we all feel secretly overjoyed inside when other people spy your nod to the upcoming festivities.

So, clearly, you must be prepared.

Without further ado, here's my top picks of the jumpers out there this year; I've said it before and I'll say it again, I do love a bit of uniqueness and subtlety when it comes to themed clothing (see my halloween wishlist here; yup, I still swoon over it), so there's some crackers featured here in my opinion.

1st row L to R: 1. ASOS Happy birthday Jesus jumper / 2. Matalan ho ho ho jumper / 3. ASOS green christmas tree jumper / 4. Boohoo holidays are comin' jumper /
2nd row L to R: 5. ASOS reindeer jumper / 6. George at Asda reindeer jumper / 7. Missguided holly and candy canes jumper / 8. Marks and Spencer robin jumper /
3rd row L to R: 9. Boohoo Merry Christmas ya filthy animal jumper / 10. Next robin skating jumper / 11. Missguided good vibes jumper / 12. ASOS icicle jumper

Which one is your favourite? Have you got any other Christmas jumpers on your wishlist?

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Cathy Doll cheek tint and concealer

2014-11-18T09:57:00.001+01:00

PINK! Just look at that PINK. This has literally been sitting unopened for a long time in my drawer of goodies, partly because I forgot about it, and partly because I've just not dared to use it yet. I mean it looks SO priddy...it's the perfect colour match for my blog (bet you looked!) and is probably the girliest pink in the world (deffo why I bought it), but it is silly pink and I've just not had the time to really test it out properly.

I spied it in Bangkok airport on my way back from my Thailand holiday, and I'd never heard of Cathy Doll before and haven't actually heard of the brand since, but I've read about the Korean beauty box Memebox on Gemma's blog over the past few months, so I'm aware Asian makeup brands are really quite popular - it's just a shame they aren't really easily available in European countries...unless I'm mistaken?

Anyway, this SPF15 cheek tint and concealer is smooth in texture and easy to apply with the slim applicators on either end. It comes in varying colours if you check out the site, but for some reason the concealer seems to be the same super light shade, and it's only the cheek tint that varies in colour from what I can tell, so this probably isn't everyone's cup of Tetley

Here's a swatch of it on my arm, and as you can see the pink isn't as luminous as the applicator might suggest, thank gawd. I imagine the baby pink tiny looking lovely on paler skin tones, so I'm looking forward to having more of a play about with this.

I've tried to capture a snap of this applied but I'm not really sure the photo does it too much justice as it looks more rosy here than it actually is...damn winter light. Either way, it's definitely a very pigmented tint and you can really build it up if you prefer. It'd also look lovely on the lips for a really cutesy look.

The concealer is a dream to apply, smooth, creamy and easily blendable; it very much reminds me of Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer formulation-wise.

Have you heard of Cathy Doll before? What do you think of this?

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Empties #2

2014-11-14T13:16:00.002+01:00

I've finally accumulated enough empties to write another post following my first one here back in August! So here goes, left to right...

Seascape Island Apothecary Body Lotion*

I won't say too much about this one, as I reviewed it when I first started using it. What I will say is that a little goes a long way; to say I reviewed it in July and it's only just appearing in my empties post is testament to that. You can see a more in-depth review of this here.

Yay or nay: Yay

Simple Kind to Skin Moisturising Facial Wash

Winner of Company's best cleanser award in 2011, this face wash does exactly what it says on the tin. It's simplistic: perfume- and colour-free but comprising super-duper vitamins to moisturise and restore skin. I initially bought this as I wanted a 'bead-free' clear wash that would work well with my Foreo Luna Mini (which contains bristles, so I didn't want anything getting caught up in it), and it's been absolutely ideal.

Yay or nay: Yay

Rimmel Exaggerate Automatic Lip Liner (Eastend Snob)

If I'm honest, I don't really wear that much lip liner, purely because I see it as more of a 'nice to have' rather than essential. Just me? However, I have been finding that I miss this a little bit now that it's run out, so I'm thinking I may have underestimated the ole' value of a liner for the lips. Its silky soft texture and fine tip makes it glide on the lips nicely, and the retractable applicator is a bonus! Pencil sharpeners be gone, be goooonne! It's a great base for lipstick, almost like a primer, and I also found that it looked quite nice on its own for a matte look. With the current 3 for 2 offer in Boots, this may well just be going back in my basket.

Yay or nay: Yay

Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream

I reviewed this eye cream here, and as I said back then, I do find it difficult to fairly review an eye cream, since it's so difficult to track wrinkles. Maybe I should have tried a before and after photo...note for next time. Anyway, for me, this wasn't anything outstanding, apart from the standard 'I'm so good and sensible for using eye cream' feeling. The only other point I would make with this is that it's quite a thin consistency; with eye cream, I prefer a bit of a thicker consistency as it feels somehow better when it takes a bit more effort to pat it on and gently rub in. So for me, I probably won't be repurchasing this, purely because I'd like to try others for comparison.

Yay or nay: Nay

Rose & Co. Strawberry Cupcake Hand Cream

You might have read my last post, which mentioned how much I NEED hand cream in my life (see why here!). Anyway, I received this hand cream as part of a birthday gift, and I fell in love with the retro, old-school branding as soon as I saw it, not to mention the gorgeous strawberry scent too. I loved that it came in a glass jar too, making it feel a bit more high-end and perfect to be able to actually see the contents and use every last bit. The jar was easy to wash out afterwards too, making it perfect for reuse; great for when I travel with hand luggage (100 ml liquid restrictions!). Part of the Patisserie de Bain collection, it's a lovely, moisturising cream, and I've already made a mental note to check out their other products.

Yay or nay: Yay

What products have you been emptying this month? Have you tried any of these?

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Burt's Bees honey & grapeseed oil hand cream

2014-11-11T09:08:00.000+01:00

As much as I enjoy living on the French/Swiss border with the mountains in arm's reach and the delicious, golden croissants in abundance, the mineral content of the water is not a winner. I repeat: not a winner. It's about as soft as stone; well and truly solid hard water. This inevitably leaves my hands feeling super dry after each toilet visit, each sink visit and each shower/bath visit, so I find it pretty difficult to leave the house without a tube of hand cream, otherwise my hands flake and shrivel up on me in protest. The pain is real my friends; the pain is real.

That and the fact I'm forever secretly hoping that hand cream will magically rid me of my god-awful old-looking hands and transform them into lineless, youthful specimens worthy of some kind of insurance for their priceless beauty. Alas, I've accepted that's never gonna happen, but I'm over that. Just about.

Anyway, onto my point that I am always on the lookout for new hand creams. Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream Intensive Moisturizing Hand Treatment is probably my favourite, but I enjoy trying others to see how they compare (and - let's be honest - to save some pennies), so I thought it would be nice to share my thoughts on this Burt's Bees Honey & Grapeseed Oil hand cream, since it's a bit of a lovely one.

The cream is light on application and initially feels quite watery in texture when I rub it in. It feels ever so slightly greasy and I often feel like I want to keep my hands to myself for a bit before touching anything. In comparison to their hand salve though, which I use before bed, it's certainly not as oily, and it does leave my hands feeling soft and moisturised once absorbed.

The scent is one of my favourite things about this cream: to me, it smells a bit like marzipan and even reminds me of cherries too, which is odd considering it actually comprises jojoba, capuacu and macadamia. Clearly, my skill for recognising ingredients by scent wouldn't get me far on Masterchef.

Burt's Bees describe this cream as 'a gift from nature' and claim 'your hands will be thoroughly delighted', and I probably can't argue too much with that to be honest. For me, the formula and results don't quite compare to Elizabeth Arden's bad boy, but the scent is just gorgeous and has kept me hooked!

You can get the full-size cream slightly cheaper than the Burt's site from Feel Unique, and they do the smaller size one that I have in a little gift set, which is great if you just want to try it out! I've also spied some other Burt's hand products available on Boots that look lovely, so I'm really tempted to try more what with their 3 for 2 offer at the moment!

What are your favourite hand products? Have you tried Burt's Bees before?

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W7 The Bronzer

2014-11-07T09:22:00.000+01:00

Don't be too afraid by how dark this bronzer looks. At first glance, it scared me how much I might look like I'd been tangoed, and I wasn't keen on giving this a try. Hoowwwever, in the contouring age that we've more recently started embracing, W7's The Bronzer* is a potential if you're on a budget.

The plastic black packaging is nothing to write home about, but you can't expect to have it all at only £4.95! One of the big plusses for me with this bronzer is that it's matte *does a little dance*. My skin is a little oil-prone, so I'm usually a bit wary of shimmery bronzers in case they accentuate this. No-one wants a face that looks like it could fry an egg. Cracking party trick though.

In terms of the application, I didn't find it as easily blendable as I'd have liked; it's the type of powder that when you put your brush to your face, that's where it'll settle unless you put some effort into it, so I felt like I had to put extra care into applying it where I wanted it. As such, I personally won't be using this all over my face as it's a bit too dark for my skin tone; instead, I've adopted it as a contouring powder to accentuate my cheekbones and subtly sculpt my face. I must admit I've not really been much of a 'contourer' in the past but I'm keen to practice as I'm learning more and more how effective it can be!

Overall, this highly pigmented powder will quite possibly be a hit for some and miss for others, purely because of its deep shade. For me, as mentioned, I've found the silver lining and plan on countouring with it.

What do you think of this bronzer? Have you tried it or any other W7 products?

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes

Magnetic mani Monday

2014-11-03T13:08:00.001+01:00

Today, I'm wearing Nails Inc Trafalgar Square magnetic nail polish, and since it's all special and magneticky, I thought it'd be nice to share it. The metallic chrome grey shade is very on trend and a gorgeous colour for the colder months. The formula of this polish is also smooth and glossy, gliding on easily and reflecting the light beautifully; it consists of iron parts that attract to the magnet (cleverly positioned on the top of the lid, which also actually separates from the applicator making it more user friendly) when held over the second coat. I love the uniqueness of this polish; it's such a clever way to be more creative with your nails without being too much effort at all. And, I'm not gonna lie...there's just something so bladdy fun when you get to the part where you use the magnet. Just me?

What do you think of this? Have you tried any of these magenetic nail polishes? Leave your links if so, as I'd love to see the other shades and patterns available!

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Primark haul

2014-10-31T08:42:00.001+01:00

Following on from my New Look and Zara haul recently, it's only fair that I show you the Primarni version. I don't shop a lot, but I do let myself have a splurge every now and again especially when I know I'll get some wear out of the bits I'm buying.

Whenever I enter Primark, I always come out with a pair of shoes, and now that I live abroad where there are no Primarks, I tend to make the most of it when I'm back in the UK visiting. I've read that pointed shoes are on the way back in for autumn and I've always been partial to a bit of pointiness, so I picked up these three pretty pairs. The grey and red ones are suede-like in style so they're smooth and soft to the touch but easily scuffed! The navy ones are patent, and I love the Mary-Jane-style strap.

I absolutely heart this oversized cardigan. I always get chilly at work so I've been looking for the perfect cardigan to keep there to stick on while I'm sat at my desk, and this could be it! It's almost too nice to have as an office-only cardy though so I'll probably keep hold of it for now...if only to run my hands over the bobbly loveliness! I'm just too cool.

I'm always on the lookout for skirts that I can wear that will still keep me warm and dissuade me from sticking on my standard trousers/jeans options for work. So far, so good with this little number. Its stretch-knit material has me feeling comfortable and warm when paired with tights, so I'm a happy lady. The pattern is also a little different, which I like.

I'm usually a bit wary about picking up accessories from Primark as I think the lower quality can sometimes show in the stitching and general design, but this little bad boy was an exception for me. I think a bright pop of colour can often top off an outfit really nicely, so I'm hoping this does the job for me.

What do you think of these bits and bobs? Have you picked up any Primark bargains lately?

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Halloween fashion wishlist

2014-10-28T09:28:00.000+01:00

A simple post that does what it says on the ~~tin~~ title! Apart from the obligatory scary film night, I sadly don't have big Halloween plans this year as I've been too lazy to arrange anything, so I've instead been perusing online for some inspiration. I love the idea of understated, simplistic pieces that give a subtle nod to the occasion, so these are my top finds (links in the caption)...

Clockwise from top left: Missguided twerk or treat top / ASOS teen witch jumper / ASOS orange striped tights / Missguided velvet dress / ASOS ghost coin purse / ASOS patent mini skirt / Boohoo bat print dress / ASOS monster face tshirt / Boohoo hangin' nightie / ASOS skeleton heart dress / ASOS arghh two-way tshirt / see previous link / Cat socks / Boohoo bag of tricks clutch

What do you think? Have you spotted any themed clothing or accessories I can add to my wishlist? And what have you got planned for Halloween this year?

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W7 Honey Queen Honeycomb Blusher

2014-10-24T08:46:00.000+02:00

Benefit were probably one of the first brands to present their powders to us in the cute, gorgeous boxes that we're all now so accustomed to. It's pretty much their thing, so I was slightly surprised when this lovely powder arrived in my postbox, only for me to see it was from the lovely budget brand I've recently been enjoying - W7 Cosmetics.

The Honey Queen Honeycomb Blusher* is so Benefit-like, I forget it's not when I look at it! I can only assume W7 were aiming for such comparisons, as we all love a good dupe, especially one at a fraction of the price.

I love the honeycomb pattern in the powder with the differing peach and bronze shades; detail like this helps to make it look higher end for me, and it fits in nicely with the 'honey' theme.

In terms of application, I have to say it doesn't cling to the brush particularly well, and I found myself having to keep sticking the brush back in and sweeping it up the sides of the box.

I couldn't get a good enough swatch on my wrist, so I thought it would be easier to show you this on my fingers…

Even though I couldn't picture a great swatch on my wrist, I do like how this looks when applied to my face. While it looks shimmery, it is very subtle and it adds a lovely highlighted peachy sheen. I actually felt that it worked well as an overall powder for my face rather than blush on its own. Maybe W7 themselves agree after all, since they actually describe it as a bronzer on their site.

At £4.95, this is a great budget powder and could probably be described as a shimmered version of Benefit's Georgia powder but a fraction of the price. Definitely one to consider!

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes