Infashionlove

Lush Gorilla Perfume Sikkim Girls 28g Review!

2013-06-16T23:58:00.000+01:00

When Lush Gorilla Perfumes first came out I didn't have a chance to check them out, and last month I decided to drop by at my local Lush shop and dedicate some quality time to sniffing and trying out the fragrances. To start with there were a few which weren't my style, but then I asked the girl at Lush if there was anything with Jasmine my favourite scent note. And she instantly urged me to try the Sikkim Girls! Oh my there and then I fell in love with it. I must say I adore the packaging, kind of retro. Whatever fragrance I wear I top it off with Sikkim Girls just on my wrists!! This scent is so beautiful and sexy, some of the notes are Jasmine, Frangipani and Tuberose. When ever I smell it it just calms me down and makes me feel happy. If you love Jasmine I really recommend you try this one!!

Here is a fun little story about how Sikkim Girls came to be [taken from the Lush website]:

"Musician and composer Sheema Mukherjee was inspired after she had an experience with the Sikkim Girls. While hanging out in the oddly named ‘Hot Stimulating Café’ in Darjeeling, the café owner warned Sheema to stay away from the dangerous Sikkim Girls. When asked why, the owner said they had seduced and stolen away his son-in-law. Somehow they had accomplished this whilst covered head-to-toe and simply with a subtle yet sexual sway of their bodies."

LOVE

Sleep-In Rollers Review & How To!

2013-06-16T23:09:00.000+01:00

Hey Beauties, hope you had a lovely weekend! If you follow me on Instagram you probably remember me posting a sneak pic wearing these Sleep-In Rollers for a Brigitte Bardot inspired hair look. Before writing this review I wanted to try these rollers in a couple of different ways and let you know how they work. In a nut-shell these are rollers you put on before going to bed, and wake up with an amazing volume. The first time I tried them I washed my hair in the evening and after drying it I put these in. The set I have comes with 20 rollers and 20 bobby pins, I think it's the classic set, but these rollers also come in different colours, have a look on their website: www.sleepinrollers.com

I had them on for about four hours and then tried to sleep with them but I just couldn't. I'm a bad sleeper as it is and having practically an air-bag attached to your head didn't make it easier for me. I wouldn't have a problem having a quick day nap with them on, but having a full nights sleep would be quite a challenge. But obviously you don't have to sleep in them, but you can if you want as they are soft, inside the rollers there is a sponge. And already after about four hours I had a massive volume boost right at the crown and also a soft wave. This lasted right upto the morning, and even the day after. Then I also decided to try them on just for an hour as I was getting ready for an event. And that worked beautifully as well!

They are really easy to use, separate your hair into three main parts, firstly doing the middle part, then the sides securing the hair with a bobby pin. If you have a fringe then obviously leave it out like I did in the first pic, if you don't then do as normal as I did in the second pic. It takes me just over five minutes to quickly roll all the hair. Then after you take the rollers out generously spray the hair with a hairspray to keep the volume for longer and off you go! I really enjoyed them, there is something so classic and glamorous of having your hair up in rolls while doing your make-up or painting your nails, reminds me of the 50s movies...

LOVE

Alpha-H Liquid Gold - Skincare Cult!

2013-06-15T23:04:00.000+01:00

This is another skincare products I regard to as a must-have in my skincare routine! Loved by all beauty writers, bloggers, editors - it's a highly concentrated treatment with Glycolic Acid. Liquid Gold delivers instant results on the skin as it is really powerful, a much clearer skin was noticeable already after I tried it the first time. I don't use it too often, once or twice a week is enough for my skin. You can use it every other day, but I wouldn't recommend it for a sensitive skin, as Glycolic Acid always has that light tingling/burning effect. The way you use it is in place of a tonic, after you cleanse the skin you apply in onto face, neck, and décolletage. For a more intensive treatment it is advised not to use a moisturiser or serum afterwards and just let it work on its own. What Liquid Gold does is changing the surface of the skin taking care of wrinkles, imperfections and pigmentation, while Glycolic Acid helps to tighten enlarged pores for a clearer and brighter complexion. Alpha H Liquid Gold is also renowned as an affective acne treatment!

LOVE

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Purse Spray + Fresh Body Cream!

2013-06-14T23:33:00.000+01:00

I kept meaning to blog about these two for ages, it was a Christmas present in fact, so I've been enjoying this duo for a while. I used to have a full-size Coco Mademoiselle fragrance years ago, and after I finished it for some reason I didn't feel like wearing this scent for a good few years afterwards although I did love it at the time. And so during last Christmas I have united with Coco Mademoiselle again. It's a gorgeous Spring/Summer scent, very pretty and fresh. Some of the notes are: orange blossom, bergamot, mimosa, jasmine, ylang-ylang, patchouli, vetiver and white musk.

Of course the packaging is very luxurious in a typical Gabrielle Chanel fashion. The Purse Spray is a chic twist bottle already loaded with a refill plus two new refills 20 ml each, so you get a full-size fragrance amount! I also love keeping the big elegant glass jar of the Fresh Body Cream as part of décor on my night-stand. Layering these two after a nice bath makes the scent last even longer.

LOVE

New Radical Skincare Instant Revitalizing Mask!

2013-06-13T23:06:00.000+01:00

Suitable for all skin types.

Exclusive to Harrods, 30ml, £40

I've been really enjoying this facial, it's fantastic for brightening and rejuvenating skin with immediate result. Radical Skincare Instant Revitalizing Mask has only been launched in March, so it's pretty new! It's a gel-like texture that once is thinly applied onto the skin starts to grow into this sort of foam, which then starts to bursts bit by bit after 3-5 minutes. When the foam particles burst they almost tickle with a light tingling effect, this stimulates micro-circulation and boosts collagen production. Having an oily/combo skin type which is prone to acne I find my skin reacts very well to the Instant Revitalizing Mask, it does not break me out and makes my skin look radiant straight away.

This facial can be used once or twice a week, but I find for me once every couple of weeks is more than enough as it has fantastic active ingredients. I try to use it sparingly and for special occasions when I need an extra boost, as the results are so instant I like using it before an event. Apart from pumping your skin with oxygen to hydrate, detoxify, and protect from the damaging effect of free radicals this mask is also helping the skin to repair while nourishing with Vitamin A, C, and E and beta-carotine. It's a facial skincare bomb, amazing how far the skincare technology has gone!

LOVE

Oliver Bonas Jewellery New Summer Picks!

2013-06-12T23:47:00.000+01:00

Oliver Bonas Pink Darina leather studded bracelet £18.00

Oliver Bonas Green wrap around studded bracelet £19.50

Oliver Bonas Neon Pink earrings £9.00

Available at www.oliverbonas.com!

Hey Beauties! Here are some fantastic new summer jewellery picks from Oliver Bonas I wanted to share with you. These wrist wrap bracelets are a-mazing, I'm obsessed with them. The pink one has a cool clasp buckle and is a double wrap bracelet, I love the hot pink, it will look awesome with a bit of a tan as it is so bright it's almost glowing. I also really like the green wrist wrap which is thinner and longer, my wrists are super slim so I get it five times around, but for most people it would be four. They also come in other colours, but these are pretty on trend right now! I love the gold detailing on both bracelets! They look great stacked together, or paired up with a chunky watch for a great armswag! And also the cute neon pink earrings are super fan to wear with a bun with a nice summer dress. So this summer you will probably see me wear these lots! Thanks Carly at Oliver Bonas! xox

LOVE

Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream!

2013-06-12T23:15:00.000+01:00

I have been looking for a great eye cream for a while and this is it! It's one of those luxurious feeling serious skincare products that are pricey but worth it. This Caudalie Premier Cru The Eye Cream is great for all skin types. It's anti-aging and helps to combat even deep wrinkles, puffiness, and dark circles over time by brightening the eye area and making it look more youthful again. I really like the texture of it, although it has a rich almost whipped cream like texture it is fast absorbent and doesn't leave any of that greasy residue that rich eye creams tend to do.

Having an oily skin type it's really important for me that the cream gets absorbed immediately as otherwise it would make my under eye concealer crease, which this does not.

As I am approaching my 30s I noticed a couple of eye wrinkles that have deepened in the past year, ageing is a natural process however it's up to you to take great care of your skin and keep looking youthful for longer. I find that this cream is pumping those small wrinkles and making them less visible by hydrating and firming the gentle skin in the eye area. This eye cream can be used morning and evening and it's also great for lip contour area.

LOVE

Summer Reds Beauty Trend with Cosmetics A La Carte!

2013-06-11T23:11:00.003+01:00

Nails: Estee Lauder mini from the Travel Exclusive Collection in the shade 09 Tempting Melon

Dior Rosy Glow Healthy Glow Awakening Blush in 001 Petal

Estee Lauder mini in 09 Tempting Melon from the Travel Exclusive Collection

Cosmetics a la Carte Outliner, Eyeliner & Shadow in Blazon

Cosmetics a la Carte Matte Velvet Lipstick in Tomato

Hey Beauties! As promised here is the Summer Reds look I have created with the beautiful Cosmetics a la Carte Matte Velvet Lipstick in Tomato and Outliner Eyeliner & Shadow in Blazon! I like this tone on tone look set off by the fresh pink flush on the cheeks. I'm a big fan of Cosmetics a la Carte lipsticks, the shade range is absolutely fantastic, I took a shot from the 2012-2013 catalogue of the shade range in my previous blog post so do have a look. The lipstick comes in four textures, Moisture Plus, Lustre, Matte Velvet, and Sheer Balm. The Matte Velvet wears really comfortably, without drying the lips and it lasts well!

The Outliner, which can be used as an eyeliner and eyeshadow has a very creamy texture. When I swatched it first time I instantly knew it would be perfect for a lived in smudgy look. It does crease pretty quickly, and gives you that modern edge to the look. An eyeshadow that has a super creamy texture gives you that almost glossy/wet eyeshadow look which I think looks pretty sexy during the summer. I do love the shade Blazon, I haven't come across that many red eyeshadow shades. Blazon is a warm, sultry red with a bit of shimmer giving it a satin finish, it's a really wearable and beautiful shade.

LOVE

Summer Colour Burst Trend with Cosmetics a la Carte!

2013-06-10T23:20:00.000+01:00

Hey beauties, I will be posting a look with these awesome creamy eyeshadows soon. But for now I just want to quickly share a few of the Cosmetics a la Carte beauty products I have found that are fantastic for this summer trend: the colour pop! Cosmetics a la Carte has an array of popping, bright colours for eyes, lips and cheeks! These four particularly stood out to me. The Outliner, Eyeliner & Shadow in Blazon [a shimmery warm red] and Dragonfly [very much on trend shimmery emerald green]. The texture of them is very creamy, so they do move and they are perfect for that lived in grungy/smudgy look.

And for lips I really like the Matte Velvet Lipstick in Tomato [a true tomato red], I'm not sure why but I love the name! I'm a huge fan of Cosmetics a la Carte lipsticks, they are beautifully pigmented, last well and don't feel dry on the lips. The Neon Lip Lacquer in Bubblegum is a very sheer pink with light shimmer, I actually thought it would be pigmented and quite bright, but it's not literally a neon although it does look pretty pink in the tube. But if you are scared of brights and like a touch of sheer colour than you'll like these, the Neon comes in three other shades. These lip-glosses also come in Shimmer and Cream, which are more pigmentation.

LOVE

Laura Mercier Creme Brulee Souffle Body Creme!

2013-06-10T22:43:00.003+01:00

Omg, this must be the most delicious smelling body cream ever! I tried it last night for the first time after a relaxing bath and it made my skin super smooth. I love the texture, it's quite thick but doesn't feel heavy or greasy on the skin. The Souffle Body Creme is super moisturising and incredibly luscious. It's not cheap, but personally I wouldn't use it daily simply because it feels quite special and luxurious, so I definitely will be dipping into it on special occasion, that way it will last forever! And I love the packaging, a chic heavy glass jar looks great as part of bathroom décor. Laura Mercier's Souffle Body Creme is famous for the amazing scent, it's super addictive and also comes in Vanilla, Coconut, Pistachio, and Fig scent!

LOVE

Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo Review!

2013-06-09T23:42:00.000+01:00

This is another hair product which is talked about so much by beauty bloggers and I decided to also give it a go. The whole point of this shampoo is that you use it once a week to really give your hair a deep cleanse. Especially if you like dry shampoos or generally use lots of hair products between hair washes quite often you can get a build up and regular shampoos don't always remove all that heavy build up. I found that this Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo really cleansed my hair thoroughly leaving the scalp feeling super fresh, especially after I had a ton of the Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder, I used the White one on one day and next lots of the Blondish. If you haven't read that review yet click here!

LOVE

Soap&Glory The Fab Pore 2-in-1 Facial Pore Purifying Mask & Peel!

2013-06-08T11:30:00.000+01:00

I am so glad I got to try this facial! Last night I was itching with curiosity and decided to give it a go while having a nice relaxing end of week bath. This mask is formulated especially for those with oily/combo skin-type that is also pore-clogging prone, which is what I am always looking for in skincare. Nonetheless all skin types could contribute from this minty green goodness. This facial can be left on for as short as 5 minutes for a quick cleanse or for 15 for a deep exfoliation. And it can be used 1-3 times a week.

The mask had a tingling effect on my skin, must have been the salicylic and lactic acids working its way through. Apart from exfoliating this mask also tightens the pores, reduces inflammation and excess sebum production, while the Superfruit Yuzu helps to energise, tone and brighten the freshly de-clogged skin. I also like the texture of the Rice Microbeads, which are fine scrubbing spheres to help gently lift the exfoliated impurities, it left my skin feeling really smooth and polished! And it has a really pleasant mild fresh scent, a mixture of cucumber and mint.

LOVE

Soap&Glory SkinGenius Skincare Event!

2013-06-07T22:53:00.000+01:00

This is the range for oily/combo skin-type and it consists of six products:

Face, Soap and Clarity, 3-in-1 Daily-Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash

The Fab Pore, 2-in-1 Facial Pore Purifying Mask & Peel

The Fab Pore, Daily Micro Smoothing Moisture Lotion

No Clogs Allowed, Super Self-Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask

Scrub Your Nose In It, Special Pore Refining Formula AHA Facial Scrub

DR Spot, Super Strength Breakout Clearing Gel

That Peaches And Clean Cleanser smelled soooo good!

Hey beauties! Yesterday I went to the Soap&Glory event and got introduced to their skincare. It was great to talk to Victoria the global brand representative, who was super lovely and told me so much about the reformulated products and the ingredients that go into Soap&Glory skincare. Although I'm a huge fan of Soap&Glory shower gels, the eyeliners and the newly discovered Archery Brow Tint & Precision Shaping Pencil, I haven't however tried that many of their skincare products. Getting introduced to some of their pretty great products was really enlightening!

Firstly, I wasn't even aware of their line specifically developed for oily/combo skin-type and clog-prone complexion. Three products really stood out to me:

The Fab Pore, 2-in-1 Facial Pore Purifying Mask & Peel - It's new Swiss formula 15 minutes facial with Superfruit Yuzu and Poreshrink-R Complex that decloggs the pores and balances the oiliness. No Clogs Allowed, Super Self-Heating Deep Pore Detox Mask - A clay based mask that changes colour from yellowish to blue as it heats up while you massage it into the skin. It's meant to be great even for combating blackheads. The Fab Pore, Daily Micro Smoothing Moisture Lotion - A moisturiser that helps to mattify oily skin while shrinking large pores. It has salicylic acid, which is fantastic for brightening complexion.

A lot of girls at the event seemed to like the Glow Job, Sunkissed Tinted Morning Moisture Flash. It's meant to give you a temporary self-tanning and glow-enchancing effect, as you apply it the Micro Bronzeburst Beads burst and give you a super glowy and bronzed complexion. Not sure it would be suitable for oily skin. I haven't tried it, but apparently it's their best-seller. Also the Puffy Eye Attack, Turbo-Boost Hydragel is meant to be great for dark circles and puffy eyes as it firms, tones, rehydrates, and boosts collagen production. I also want to try this one and will do a separate review.

And finally the other product that caught my attention is Beauty Sleep Accelerator, Night & Flight Moisture Miracle. It's formulated for all skin types, and it's meant to be a powerful rejuvenating booster, working it's magic while you sleep. It helps to lock in the moisture and prevent TWL, which is Transepidermal Water Lost that often happens when you are on a flight. So many of us travel, especially during summer, so it would be a fantastic moisturiser to use while on the flight to avoid dehydrated skin.

At the Soap&Glory dispensary we got to choose two product to try, I went for The Fab Pore 2-in-1 Pore Purifying Mask & Peel and the Beauty Sleep Accelerator. I will try them out and report back! This event actually made me curious in trying more of Soap&Glory skincare products as they do seem to be pretty great! Most of the products are made in Switzerland, which for me is a massive plus point!

LOVE

Vogue UK JUN13 Kate Moss Beauty Look!

2013-06-06T22:54:00.000+01:00

Hey beauties! As I was returning from the Soap&Glory SkinGenius event today I was driving through Hampstead High Street and there she was, Kate Mass walking with her cute daughter down the street. I realised today is day I should share the Kate Moss look I created last week! In last month's Vogue UK Kate finally was on the cover again. I loved the super summery issue, great images, fabulous fashion, and beautiful make-up. In some pictures she was wearing a more natural smokey eye look, but I particularly liked the glammed up version with the silver eyeshadow.

Silver eyeshadows can be very challenging to pull off. When I think of silver eyeshadow I instantly get reminded of that woman at my aunt's bday dinner, she was almost sitting across me, and I couldn't stop wondering what possessed that woman to paint her eyelids in silver... So yeh silver eyeshadows can look pretty dated... I like the Chanel runway platinum eye make-up look, but in real life it wouldn't work, it's definitely an editorial look. So when I saw this look on Kate I was really excited to recreate it, it's super beautiful and wearable! And I must say I absolutely love it, a great example of how a silvery eyeshadow can look chic!

The key elements of this look are: 1. silver eyeshadow as an accent rather than statement, 2. making sure the edge of that silver eyeshadow is blended with a warm brown shade, 3. a lot of black kohl eyeliner smoked out, except for chocolate brown on the waterline! So here is how I did it - Face: there is strong sculpting and bronzing going on so I used Aerin Illuminating Powder in Pretty Bronze just in the hollows of my cheeks and a touch over the bridge of the nose, top of the cheeks and also over the temples, this warms up your complexion making you look sun-kissed! On the apples of the cheeks I applied Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush in 4.

Eyes: MAC Paint Pot in Groundwork as a base. The silver shade from the Shiseido Luminizing Satin Eye Color Trio palette in OR 302 applied just over the lid looking straight ahead taking the silver slightly higher up in the middle so that you can just about see it. Definitely avoid putting it into the socket! Then blending the edges of the silver eyeshadow with MAC Eyeshadow in Texture. Winging out the eyeliner in a straight line for a sultry look, blending it with a pencil brush. For this type of look the kohl eyeliner should be really creamy, I find Soap&Glory Kohl in Black perfect for that. On the waterline Kate seems to be wearing a dark warm brown shade, it's definitely not black, but still quite dark, I used Pixi Endless Silky Eye Pen in No.4 BlackCocoa.

Lips: Kate is wearing a toffee-like lipstick shade, although quite natural it still has more colour than just a nude. I chose Topshop Lipstick in Rumour Has It. I have to say this looks is beautiful to wear for a special occasion. I never thought I'd be able to pull off a silver eyeshadow, and I'm so glad Kate wore this look. The silver shade from that Shiseido palette is stunning, it almost has a pearlescence to it, looks gorgeous on. I love this palette, fantastic for summer! I have also created a fiery copper and black smokey eye look with the other two shades from this palette, if you want to see it click here!

LOVE

Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder!

2013-06-05T23:37:00.000+01:00

I have seen quite a few bloggers rave about this Bumble and bumble Hair Powder and have finally tried it myself! It's a dry shampoo in White and Blondish, there is also one for brown hair and one for black hair. The White Hair Powder is the classic, and I love the texture it gives you in-between hair washes. The other day my hair for some reason looked very flat and roots were getting greasy so I sprayed the Hair Powder and next day my hair looked literally lifted up with dry and clean feeling roots! From all the dry shampoos I have tried I must say this one seems to work best. As far as scent goes, it reminds me of a full-on hairspray, I wish it had a nicer scent, apart from that it's a fab dry shampoo! Also because I have highlights I decided to try the Blondish Hair Powder as well, if you have grown out roots this actually comes in handy as it has a darkish blond natural looking tint to it. If you are into dry shampoos I'd really recommend you try this one.

UPDATE: The Blondish Hair Powder does stain the pillow cases, but washes out fine. Also it gets a little messy when washing the hair, so I would recommend using it only if you want to lighten up the roots and want some extra bit of blonde tint.

LOVE

My Fragrance Collection and Favourites!

2013-06-05T23:07:00.000+01:00

As some of you wanted to see my fragrance collection I decided to do a blogpost and share some of my beloved perfumes. I love perfumes, and personally I think life would be dull and inexpressive without them. This collection took me years to put together. My oldest fragrance is the Chanel No5, it's probably about seven or eight years old. I use it really sparingly, it's a timeless and classic scent, which I probably wear only a few times a year, predominantly during winter. Generally I love sensual and strong fragrance, full of character and flirtation, with Jasmine and Patchouli notes. When I smell a fragrance I want to be picked up by a tantalising and decadent sensation. Sometimes I don't wear a fragrance for months and then suddenly I start craving it. If I had to pick top five fragrances that I love wearing most they would be:

Chanel Coco - I have almost finished this one, but I only wear it during winter!

Tom Ford Noir de Noir - the sexiest and also the most expensive in my collection.

Tom Ford Grey Vetiver - if a fragrance would be a man, this would be the love of my life. Click here for a full review!

Elie Saab Le Parfum - this is probably the most feminine and pretty smelling fragrance. Click here for a full review!

Reem Acra Reem Acra - Reem Acra is a designer of beautiful wedding dresses and this is her first fragrance, with a middle eastern accent to reflect her roots. Click here for a full review!

There is something about all of them that makes me feel very happy when I smell them on my skin, some sort of chemical reaction that gives me an endorphins rush... They all are Eau de Parfum, the only Eau de Toilette fragrance I own is the YSL Cinema [for a full review click here!], which I almost emptied within a month because Eau de Toilette doesn't last on me. It is a gorgeous and glamorous Hollywood inspired scent. It's a perfect summer scent, I actually purchased it last summer!

LOVE

Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel - Holy Grail Skincare Treatment!

2013-06-04T23:38:00.003+01:00

Hey beauties, hope you all are enjoying the beginning of summer! What a beautiful day it was here in London, I even got half an hour in the sunshine trying hard to not touch my phone and just enjoy the summer while it lasts, never know what tomorrow will be like...

I have previously mentioned my love to Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel facial mask, I had a small sample bottle and I just finished it last week! So here, immediately to replace, is the full-size! This has become a holy grail in my skincare routine, one of those products I would repurchase over and over. I have oily/combo skin type and was suffering form acne for 2 and a half years as my skin is quite lazy and I easily get blocked pores, so for me regular exfoliation has become a must-have and saviour! Enzymes are fantastic for clearing out pores and rejuvenating skin, getting rid of the top layer of dead skin and kick starting the renewing cell process.

The reason I particularly love this Papaya Enzyme Peel, is because I find it quite gentle on my skin, yet very effective. I use this facial about once a week or once every couple of weeks, depending on how my skin is feeling. Although it is gentle, it still is an enzyme peel so don't leave it on for more than 10-15 minutes and don't over-abuse the usage! Also very important especially now in the summer, don't forget to wear a high SPF after using enzymes if you will be going into the sun. I personally never would have this type of facial in the morning or during the day, to me it's a strictly night skin treatment, and still protect your skin especially thoroughly next day! Oh and it smells gorgeous too, just like a Pina Colada!

LOVE

GlossyBox UK April 2013 Review!

2013-05-31T23:10:00.000+01:00

OMG this month was so crazy I completely forgot to do a review on my last month's GlossyBox!! So I decided to end May with a belated April GlossyBox review, as they say better later than never... Firstly when this box arrived I loved it already, how pretty is this vintage floral print?! I'm definitely keeping this box to store make-up things!

Inside there was a product description leaflet, also featuring an exclusive short interview with Pearl Lowe, talking about what inspired her to design this print and what make-up she likes to wear, which was quite cute I thought. What I also really like is that they say how big the full-sizes are so that you can quickly figure out how much you got to try. The GlossyBox don't have an identical set of products, so it's quite fun to see what other girls got in theirs!

My April GlossyBox featured five products, TWO of which were full-size!!! Sleek Makeup Blush in Pixie Pink [£4.49]. I always wanted to try the Sleek Makeup blushes so I was very excited to get my first one from the GlossyBox! The blush is very pigmented and it's a super pretty flush of pink, great for the summer! And who wouldn't get a smile when discovering a bottle of Essie nailpolish in the shredded paper?! I got the shade Snap Happy [full-size] which alone is £7.99. It's a super bright and cheerful red, also fantastic for the summer. I happen to have this shade already so I'll probably give it to a friend. I find GlossyBox very generous with the products judging it from the April box, it's also my first one, but I think I will get a subscription because I have really enjoyed this box!

Next two products were a new introduction, NIP+FAB Dry Skin Fix Body Butter in Mango, it's super delicious smelling moisturiser, again the scent is very fitting for the summer and I already almost finished it! I got a generousness 50ml jar, the full-size is 200ml for £9.95. The next and only product I haven't tried yet, but will definitely give it a go, as I am actually looking for a high SPF face moisturiser for oily/combo skin, is the SunSense Daily Face SPF 50+. It has a super high SPF, invisible tint finish, oil free matte formula and can be used as a base. It sounds very promising! The sample size is 10ml and the full-size is 75g for £18.50.

And finally I got a little 5ml sample of Yves Rocher France So Elixir Purple Eau de Parfum. The full-size 50ml is £44 and quite expensive for Yves Roche. I haven't touched Yves Roche products since the 90s, my mom used to order huge parcels of their stuff. So it's good to see they are still going strong. It's a concoction of floral and woody notes. An infusion of Tuberose, Vetiver and Patchouli the notes I usually love in a fragrance but this one is quite sweet, not sure it's my kind of scent but it's not bad at all.

One GlossyBox costs £10 [+P&P] but you can get a 3, 6, or 12 months subscription, which works out a lot cheaper! For more details click here -> http://www.glossybox.co.uk/faq

LOVE

New Givenchy Dahlia Noir L'Eau Review!

2013-05-30T23:02:00.000+01:00

Here is another wonderful addition to my fragrance collection! Givenchy Dahlia Noir L'Eau [launched this April] is the new version of the original Dahlia Noir [released in 2011]. As you can see it has been loved, it's a concoction of sun and fresh floral breeze, beautifully reflecting the spirit of the sunny spring and summer! The fragrance opens with the slightly bitter citrus Chypre ending with a Musky tail and in-between you get a floral fusion of rose and patchouli. Dahlia Noir L'Eau is modern, sophisticated, yet full of character. I'd certainly put it into the sexy category. Having enjoyed it this spring I am happily taking it into the summer!

LOVE

Redken All Soft Range for Dry/Brittle Hair Review!

2013-05-30T22:11:00.000+01:00

I have been using the Redken All Soft range for weeks and really like it! I have mentioned it briefly in My Haircare Routine + Styling Tips & Tricks blogpost, if you'd like to check that out click here! I have read so many amazing reviews about Redken haircare, a lot of beauty bloggers have been raving about it since last year [in UK]. It's an American brand and it is finally picking up here in UK too! All Soft range consists of Shampoo, Conditioner, Heavy Cream [deep treatment hair mask], Supple Touch [softening leave-in cream-spray], and Argan 6-Oil [I don't have it, but it's a nourishing oil]. The main ingredient in this range is Argan Oil, this ingredient helps to deeply nourish and soften dry/brittle hair to make it look healthy, smooth and shiny. I absolutely love the peach scent of this range, super summery and yummy!

LOVE

Inspired by Lisa Eldridge's Classic Smokey Eye!

2013-05-29T23:21:00.000+01:00

This is my Instagram pic so the colours are a bit different...

You can see the swatches from top left to right:

Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush in 4, Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Black,

MAC Paints in Sublime Nature,and bottom two from L to R

Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Taupe and Hot Stone

I'm a huge fan of Lisa Eldridge's work and so happy to see her doing beauty looks again. Her latest creation is the Classic Smokey Eye, to see her vid click here! I decided to recreate this look especially because I already had Bobbi Brown Eyeshadow in Taupe, which I haven't touched in ages. This Classic Smokey Eye is all about greyish brown shades, shades that naturally don't suit me, I prefer warm browns on me so I was really intrigues how this look would work on me. And I ended up loving it! This is why beauty is all about experimenting and being brave, I highly recommend to try this look, it has honestly become one of my staple looks!!

I followed the exact techniques that Lisa Eldridge shows in her video, but used all the products I already have in my make-up collection. So do watch the vid of how to do this look, and I will just list the products I used otherwise this blogpost would be insanely long...

Base [in the order I used the products]:

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Light 4 Deauville, Liz Earle Light Reflecting Concealer in Medium 02 [just under the eyes], Collection 2000 Concealer in Light 2 [everything is rubbed off of mine, I still got the original one, best cheapest concealer ever - to conceal spots etc, not for under eyes], bareMinerals Matte SPF15 Foundation in Light W15 [all over to set the foundation], Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer [doesn't seem to have a shade number, might have rubbed off - I always finish off my make-up with this concealer under the eyes], Aerin Illuminating Powder in Pretty Bronze [I love to contour under my cheek-bones with it, I even prefer it to Nars Laguna!], and finally Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush in 4 [I bust this baby out during summer, the prettiest bronzy natural blush I can think off]

Eyes:

Soap&Glory Archery Brow Tint & Precision Shaping Pencil in Love Is Blonde [I love the name as much as the pencil it self, I find the tint end a bit too hard but omg(!) is the precision shaping end amazing!! I will have to do blogpost about it separately it's that good, basically gives you the sexiest blode brow], MAC Paints in Sublime Nature [all over as a base], Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Taupe 4 [as the main eyeshadow], Bobbi Brown Eye Shadow in Hot Stone 56 [as the darker shade, very similar to what Lisa Eldridge used, a greyish dark brown], Avon SuperShock Gel Eyeliner in Black [one of my favourite black eyeliners, very intense and creamy so it's great for smudging, once it sets it stays put forever], before I apply mascara I always curl my lashes, it has become a religion - I use Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, Avon SuperExtend Extreme Mascara in Black has proved to be a great companion [doesn't seem to ever end or dry out, love it!]

Lips:

And lastly for the lips I decided to keep it nice and simple as this looks requires lots and lots of blending, so I went for Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 03, I was obsessed with it couple of summers ago, and might go back to it this summer, these lipglosses are super simple to use, not sticky which is a major plus point and they just somehow make your lips look very pretty and natural!

Hope you like this look, I certainly loved wearing it! The cool browns I usually try to avoid wearing changed my mind, thank you Lisa xox

LOVE

Obsessed With: Essie Van D'Go!

2013-05-29T22:58:00.000+01:00

I wanted to get Essie Van D'Go for ages, I have no idea what kept me from doing that sooner but I finally got it! It's the sweetest shade ever and application is beautiful, I'm wearing two coats. Being a nailpolish-junky I somehow didn't have a single peach shade, how that is possible I have absolutely no idea but I think I might have started a family. Essie Van D'Go is a pastel peach with a cream finish, in some lights it looks a touch brighter, a delicious popsicle colour! The more I wear Van' D'Go the more I fall in love with it. This will be my go-to nailpolish this summer!! Loooo-ve! And although peach tones can be hard to wear on pale skin I find this one looks gorgeous on any skintone! I bet with a bit of tan Van D'Go will be the bomb!

LOVE

Nuxe Discovery Event with a Surprise!

2013-05-28T18:22:00.000+01:00

The beautiful Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, Multi-Purpose Dry Oil for Face, Body and Hair

is much loved talked about in the beauty industry and has even received The Tatler Beauty Awards 2013

This Nirvanesque range is great for first wrinkles, it helps similarly to botox to relax the skin

and smooth fine lines + first expression lines.

Nuxellence Jeunesse is the new release and has already become No.1 Face Care product in France!

It's a youth and radiance revealing fluid, that helps to rejuvenate tired looking skin.

These are Nuxe Cleansing products, they smell amazingly beautiful of Roses,

in fact the whole space was filled with this delicious scent!

Some of the products here are: Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Petals, Micellar Foam Cleanser with Rose Petals, Gentle Exfoliating Gel with Rose Petals, and Clarifying Cream-Mask...

Chic setting, Laduree Macaroons and a beautiful French skincare brand - dream scenario!

Nuxuriance is the Anti-Aging Re-Densifying range for mature ladies! This range consists of Day Cream for Normal to Dry Skin, Emulsion for Combination Skin and a Serum for All Skin Types.
It intensely firms the skin and would make a great skin treat for your mom!

This is the lovely Charlotte, who is the artist behind the chic Nuxe illustrations, signing the posters!

A quick snap after the event, with the Nuxe goody bag filled with great products to try!

Hey Beauties! Last week I went to the Nuxe event to be introduced to the gorgeous skincare products in depth! It was lovely to see some of their award winning best-sellers, products I haven't tried yet, as well as new releases - a true discovery! All Nuxe products have a heavenly scent, some are more floral, others have a very gentle classic scent, but they all are incredibly beautiful. One that made me almost feel emotional is the scent of the Reve de Miel range, the Hand & Nail Cream and Ultra-Comfortable Body Cream has that classic gentle feminine scent, it reminds me so much of my childhood and my grandmother's beauty routines, she had a hand cream with the exact scent! The famous Lip Balm from the Reve de Miel range has a more lemony scent, which is pretty delicious!

The surprise at the event was that I got to meet the lovely Charlotte, who does the chic illustrations for Nuxe! We had a chat about the brand, and she admitted that her favourite Nuxe products are the Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Dry Oil and Reve de Miel Lip Balm. My first ever Nuxe experience was a few years ago when I tried the Huile Prodigieuse, the shimmery version. I really love this oil, it looks so beautiful on summer tanned skin, it can be applied it on face, body and hair. Personally I love Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse on my arms, shoulders, and collarbones, gives you the most beautiful decadent sheen! I haven't use this oil in my hair yet but apparently it looks stunning on blonde hair making the highlights shiny and pretty, so I will definitely try it this summer - thanks Caitlin for the tip!

And of course Reve de Miel is my top favourite lip balm to this day, it's got a lovely matte texture and I love to apply it just before going to bed. It deeply moisturises the lips and you wake up to healthy looking pout! Also I have learned something new: apparently make-up artists mix the shimmery Huile Prodigieuse and Reve de Miel Lip Balm together to create a beautiful lip product! I will do a separate blogpost on the products I got in my Nuxe goody bag, very excited about those!

LOVE

Inspired by Miley Cyrus BillBoard Music Awards 2013 Look!

2013-05-28T15:54:00.000+01:00

Last week I came across the images of Miley Cyrus at the BillBoard Music Awards 2013, I really liked this grungy version of the classic red lip and smokey eye. This smokey eye is particularly great for hooded eyes as it doesn't have the winged liner that usually disappears in the crease when you look straight ahead. Also the matte red lip she wore had an edge to it, with that gradual effect.

To recreate this look I have used on the Eyes: MAC Paint Pot in Nubile as a base, MAC Eyeshadow in Cork keeping it mainly on the lid and taking it into the socket, also blending it under the lower lash-line. For the eyeliner I used Chanel Stylo Yeux Waterproof in Noir Intense trying to visually elongate the eye without flicking the end up, just making the upper and lower liner meet in a straight line, slightly faking where the eye corner naturally sits. Also taking the Noir Intense on the waterline. I have smudged it slightly not taking it to far out, keeping it closely to the lashes - that is what gives this smokey eye a more modern edge.

On the Lips: I have use a combination out of three products, which created the most long lasting red lip I have ever worn. To begin with I filled in the whole lip with MAC Lip Pencil in Brick. Then I went with Nars Lipstick in Jungle Red [it's one of those velvet textures], then I blotted the lips to take off excess, and to create that darker gradual edge I lined the lip edges with Chanel Precision Lip Definer in 54 Amarante. Blending Amarante with a lipbrush so that it fades out, and then finally I reapplied a touch of Jungle Red, working the colour in with a finger this time, makes it look more lived in. This is a classic look with an attitude!

LOVE

My First Ever BirchBox - The Review and Swatches!

2013-05-27T23:45:00.000+01:00

BirchBox is £10.00 + P&P monthly subscription

Stunning OPI Aphrodite's Pink Nightie mini [in day light]

I have been using the Doctor Duve Anti Aging & Firming Eye Cream

[which I decanted into an empty Laura Mercier sample container] -

over my Darphin Uplifting Serum Eyelids Definition [from my own collection]

Woohoo here is the May 2013 BirchBox! I got it couple of weeks ago and have been trying out the products to let you know what I think, so lets go... First of all it's a super exciting concept of having a box delivered every month filled with beauty goodies! A great way of trying products you have never heard of or vice versa things you always wanted to try but didn't get a chance. You get four main products, either a full-size or minis and then you get one Beauty Extra and a Lifestyle Extra. The boxes are not identical, they are filled in with slightly different products, so it's really a surprise what you get in your box, which makes it even more exciting as you don't know what to expect!

The May BirchBox was inspired by the glamour of Cannes Film Festival, to help you get the red carpet worthy skin and beautiful looking nails, as well as to detox and feel great before the big event. Here is the BirchBox description of the products and my experience with them:

OPI, Nail Lacquer

For red carpet worthy mani, just paint on this gorgeous colour from the iconic nail brand between a base and top coat. Easy! Full-size, £11.50 - Firstly, as it is OPI mini there is no name on the bottle and as I soon realised the only way to figure out is to either google and see if other bloggers had the same nailpolish and figured out what the shade is or take the bottle to the OPI counter and try to match it that way. I ended up having a bit of a nailpolish frenzy with this one as I loved it so much I had to know what it was called to get a full-size eventually.

Funny enough, only a couple of weeks ago I got the OPI Japanese Rose Garden, which in the bottle next to the mini looked practically identical, but painted on they are two completely different shades. Anyways after an extensive online research [which wasn't easy] and then taking it to the counter - I can confirm that this is OPI Aphrodite's Pink Nightie - absolutely beautiful, I even prefer it to the Japanese Rose Garden! So I am very happy that BirchBox introduced me to this colour!! I had so many compliments for this shade, it's one of those that looks amazing on long nails, love!!

Elemental Herbology, Cell Plumping Facial Moisturiser SPF8

This concoction of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and ultra-hydrating botanicals boost and plump the skin's appearance and texture. Full-size, £42.00 - I haven't tried this product yet, but I have heard lots of good things about this brand beforehand. It smells lovely, and you get a 15ml sample [full-size is 50ml].

B/Attitude, Body Souffle

Known for their London restaurant Buddha-Bar and with a spa in Paris, B/Attitude's divinely-scented skincare treat nourishes and absorbs easily. Get ready your limbs for your red carpet moment. Full-size, £24.00 - This body moisturiser is incredibly rich, and smells very sweet and spicy, a pretty intense and over-powering middle eastern scent that lasts forever. I can't find how much product you get in the full-size jar as BirchBox doesn't specify how big the full-sizes are, but this one is 50ml.

Makebelieve, Sunbeam Bronzer & Brush

This matte bronzer is perfect for enhancing the natural contours of your face. Lightly dust onto the hollows of your cheeks and temples to highlight those cheekbones. Full-Size: £15.00 - This seems to be the full-size product this month, and I haven't tried it yet but it looks like a matte version of Nars Laguna.

Beauty Extra

Doctor Duve, Anti-Aging & Firming Eye Cream

A skincare heavyweight to tackle all your skin concerns around the eyes. This will boost skin moisture levels, reduce puffiness and active collagen production. Full-size [30ml], £115.00 - Now, this is another product I have really enjoyed, I love indulging eye skincare! This one has Hyaluronic Acid which is great for plumping up the skin with moisture and smoothing out fine lines. What I like to do with skincare samples that are expensive and I don't want to waste a drop, I decant them into one of those sample size tiny containers with screw on lids like this Laura Mercier one, that way you get a good few weeks if not a month worth of the product!

Lifestyle Extra

Kusmi Tea, Detox Tea

This healthy tea rids your body of pent-up toxins, boosts your energy and lowers your stress levels. Perfect for pre-event nerves! Full-size, £13.85 - I am not a huge fan of green tea but I actually ended up having a cup of this tea one night while I was having a bath and feeling under the weather, and by the end I felt more uplifted. It tastes quite nice, a blend of mate and green tea flavoured with lemon, and lemon glass. You get 20g in this sample jar.

Also in the box you get the BirchBox magazine which guides you through the products, and it's quite fun to read. If you like the products you then can purchase the full-sizes online at:

www.birchbox.co.uk

LOVE