Vex in the City| Beauty, Make Up and Lifestyle Blog

Estee Lauder Spring 2012 - Topaz

2012-01-24T16:05:00.003Z

Check out the upcoming spring collection from beauty giant Estee Lauder.

The inspiration behind their latest collection, again pioneered by creative Makeup Director, Tom Pecheux, is none other than the south western state of Arizona, which Tom sought to express through his latest offering.

Named Topaz, it includes wearable hues whilst exploring the depths of colour made visible in the Arizona desert - soft browns, caramel hues, turquoise complimented with a pinch of coral.

"A vacation in Arizona has inspired me to create this collection, where I enjoyed the warm sun, the incredible colors of the desert and the shadows playing on the sand and rocks. I thought of an impressively healthy-looking woman whose personality has a strong fantasy element. I wanted to convey a range of strong, yet gentle colors all this. " - Tom Pecheux , Creative Makeup Director , Estée Lauder

The Arizona desert

The collection includes:

Pure Color Sensuous Rouge Lip Color:

Sultry Caramel
Sensuous Nude
Sublime Nectar

Pure Color Five Color EyeShadow Palette Topaz Mosaic

Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelée Topaz Chameleon

Pure Color Gloss Citron Kiss

Pure Color Intense Kajal Eye Crayon:

Dramatic Black
Dramatic Teal

Sumptuous Extreme Mascara (not pictured)

Pure Color Nail Lacquer - Teal Topaz

I like the look of the nail polish, I like pretty teal shades. Also at first glance, the eyeshadow palette, reminded me of the Extravagant Gold palette in the 2010 Christmas collection. In reality I'm sure they'll be very different but the colour arrangement made me think I'd seen it somewhere before.

I predict the Illunminating Powder Gelee will sell out, it's bound too. I think it may be too cool for my skintone but we'll see. I still haven't got round to swatching and reviewing the original one which featured in the Modern Mercury collection (bad beauty blogger)!

What do you think of Topaz? Hit or miss?

Topaz will be available in February 2012.

Sales Swag: Sam Edelman Rowin Boots

2012-01-24T13:15:00.001Z

Another purchase made, this time from ASOS during the sales before Christmas. I think these will get their maiden voyage tomorrow. I'm loving the nod towardsVictorian fashion, whilst still looking modern. Supported by a hidden platform heel, these feel pretty comfy ..however we all know how misleading the 'Carpet Test' can be!

I'll report back soon on these babies...

Models Own to Open The Bottleshop

2012-01-24T11:03:00.002Z

Models Own have gone from strength to strength since laucnhing three years ago and now they're opening their first Bottleshop (obviously, shaped like a bottle - duh!) in Westfield London, Shepherds Bush in April 2012.

The Bottleshop will be located in prime position opposite Apple, Topshop and Zara and will be home to over 200 polishes, their full nail accessories line as well as store exclusives.

If parting with £10.50 for a nail polish is out of budget over at OPI's superstore Colourcopia in Westfield, this may well be a pocket friendly alternative.

Let the nail wars begin!

Coming Up: MAC Naturally and MAC Perfectly Finished

2012-01-24T10:20:00.000Z

I know quite a few people are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the next MAC collection - MAC Naturally. The annual 'nude' collection from MAC won't disappoint those who favour an understated look for their daily face. MAC Naturally sees the return of MSF's Redhead and Blonde, which first featured in the Brunette, Blonde and Redhead collection, which debuted in January 2008 (my goodness, that seems so long ago!).

Lipsticks:

A Perfect Day - light neutral pink (a)

Beach Sand - light tan (c)

Sweet Sunrise - light neautral peach pink (l)

Pillow talk

Lipglasses:

The wee coquette

Fresh air - light pink

Naked space

Hot spell - bronze w/multi coloured pearl pigments

Mineralized Eyeshadows:

Daylight - peach w/ midtone blue lavender veining

In The Sun - gold w/ violet veining

Summer Haze - palest gold w/ deeper gold veining

Cloudy Afternoon - cream w/ gold, grey and pink veining

Twilight Falls - cool brown with bronze veining

Eye Pencil:

Ebony

Coffee

Zoomfast black lash

MSF:

Redhead

Blonde

Mineralized Blush:

Subtle Breeze -blue pink

Fresh Honey - warm apricot

Early Morning - peachy pink

187 brush

286-duo fibre tapered brush (perm)

Personally I'm gonna skip the MSFs as I have quite enough already, but I guarantee they'll be the first to sell out, so don't get caught slipping if you do want to treat yourself to one (or both) of them.

I'll definitely take a closer look at mineralize blushes Fresh Honey and Early Morning, I know that much! Maybe one of the eye shadows too and lipsticks too, we'll see...

Also, the popular MAC Mineralize loose foundation is getting new packaging, and a new Mineralize Concealer is being introduced in a second collection - Perfectly Finished.. Apply this base with the MAC 188 Duo Fibre Brush and you're good to go.

Check out these swatches I found on the interweb for you to look of MAC Naturally which is already available to buy across the pond.

http://killerlipgloss.com/mac-naturally-collection-swatches/

http://www.allurabeauty.com/2011/review-swatches-mac-naturally-mineralize-eye-shadows/

http://www.vampyvarnish.com/2012/01/mac-naturally-collection-winter-2011-swatches-photos-review/

http://www.makeupandbeautyblog.com/daily-photo/mac-naturally-a-few-pics-and-swatches/

I hear MAC Naturally and MAC Perfectly Finsihed will be available in the UK on 2 Feb 2012 ..don't quote me on that though, I'm not as hot on MAC release dates as I used to be!

Will you be parting with your pennies for anything in either collection?

The Nail Files: Cold as Ice - China Glaze Sea Spray + Sephora by OPI Flurry Up!

2012-01-22T17:10:00.001Z

I like glittery nail polish, I think it makes nails look girly and pretty, but I hate the tedious task of taking it off. Sitting with my nails covered in polish soaked cotton wool and tinfoil in an attempt to remove it, makes me itch. I feel as if my fingers have been cut off!!

Anyway, I thought I'd rock China Glaze and layer Sephora by OPI's Flurry Up!, over the top as my latest talon experiment. You know how much I love my flaky top coats, so naturally I also picked one up in silver (which I forgot to include in my recent nail polish haulage post) as well as bronze.

Sea Spray is a very cool pale blue with fine silver/blue shimmer immersed in it. It took three coats for me to reach opacity (to my liking). It's not a colour I'd typically wear, but it doesn't look as bad as I thought it would.

Flurry Up! (love the name), is quite simply the silver equivalent of Only Gold For Me.

I was unsure about this when I first created this look, but last night when I was out it looked quite cool each time it caught the light. I haven't decided if I'll wear this to work tomorrow ..probably not, as I'm into changing my polish every couple of days at the moment. Helen from Just Nice Things, will be so proud of my enthusiasm right now...

Hmmm what should I wear next?

Sales Swag: Sam Edelman Kellan Wedges

2012-01-22T14:26:00.000Z

My name's Yinka and I love shoes.

I told you I got a bit happy during the sales, I don't think you believed me. Summer is nowhere to be seen - yet, but when that yellow circle in the sky does make a reappearance, these babies will be getting their premiere outing.

I adore the leather weave detail on these wedges, the lace up fronts and the 70s vibe they give off. I'm also semi-confident I won't be running into a million girls wearing these, this spring and summer either!

I love wedges, easy to walk in, and easy to dress up or down. I stumbled upon these by accident, and what a happy accident they were. I almost bought them for much more on Revolve.com but bagged the best bargain ever and snapped these up for just £40! YES £40! They were originally on sale for £60 down from £200 or something silly like that, over on Coggles.com, but I received a call informing me they'd been damaged but that I could have them for an additional £20 off and still return them if I didn't like them once they arrived.

That sounded like a fair deal, but luckily 'damage' was so minute that I spent a good five minutes searching for the problem and let out a dismissive "Oh! is that it?!" once I came across the teeny weave detail which had snapped at the back of one of them. You can't even notice it!

I've decided to have them dyed a little darker though so that that they reflect the shade they are in the promo image. They currently blend into my legs a bit when I tried them on. I recall my Mum used to dye her shoes on a regular basis when I was little, so I'll pick her brains when I get round to buying the dye, etc The sizing is generous on these. I don't think I've ever bought a pair of shoes which feel roomy in my life!

I'm so pleased with these, I rub my hands in glee every time I open their box!

Big Apple Beauty Buys - Nails

2012-01-22T12:55:00.000Z

Each time I'm in New York, I take the opportunity to update my nail polish stash. We're charged £10.50 per bottle for the privilege of owning an OPI polish in the UK, which I just can't bring myself to part with. I tend to place orders with Transdesign and Head2Toe Beauty who sell the likes of Essie, China Glaze, Misa, Orly, Barielle and a host of other polish brands really cheap, as well as picking up random polishes in the drugstores over there (CVS, Duane Reade, Rite Aid, etc).

Now that OPI has been pulled from unofficial online stockists, I have to get my fix from the limited shades on offer in drugstores which is a little frustrating as I can't get shades from old collections from yesteryear anymore. Still at $8 (plus tax, don't forget the tax!) a pop, I can't complain too much, I suppose.

Annoyingly, Richaud was distracting me as I was browsing, and I made a boo-boo with my order forgetting to include a few shades which were on my list and instead ordering a couple which I had meant to delete from my basket. Always the way ...never let a man talk to you as you're placing a beauty order! The lesson has been learnt - the hard way.

Here's what I bought home with me:

1. OPI - Lucky Lucky Lavender

2. Misa - Grey Matters

3. Orly - Je T'aime

4. Misa - Dirty Sexy Money (One of my fave polishes EVER! Can't believe I've never done a NOTD post with it)

5. China Glaze - Sea Spray

6. Orly Fancy - Fuschia

7. OPI for Sephora - Domestic Goddess

8. Orly - Frolic (which totally isn't the colour displayed in the photo!)

9. Orly Androgynie

10. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fst Dry Nail Color - Bronze Ablaze

11. Sephora by OPI - Traffic Sopper Copper

12, Sephora by OPI - Spark-tacular!

13. Barielle - Blackened Bleu

As if I don't have enough....

The polish drawer!

Expect a plethora of NOTD posts as I have more than enough to get through!! Which polishes are you diggin' at the moment?

NEW! Sweet Treats From The Body Shop

2012-01-21T14:38:00.002Z

I have a love/hate relationship with The Body Shop. There are some products they make which I'll happily repurchase for the rest of my life. These being Coconut Body Butter (even though they tampered with the original formula), Hemp Hand Protector and Sweet Lemon Shower Gel - you can add Grapefruit Shower Gel to that list too actually. I love the special offers they often do on their website, which I think are really good value and I'll always pop into a sale of theirs to see what I can find. On the other hand, I think some of their products are very hit and miss.

I recently arrived home one evening to find this parcel from The Body Shop waiting for me. An unexpected arrival, I wondered what on earth it could be, but didn't get round to opening it until a couple of days later. When I did open it up, what I found inside was a preview of their upcoming new products - plus a cheeky Willy Wonka style note!

(Excuse the initial photo quality. I took a few of the pics with my phone as I was minus a working camera last week!)

My last experience with a chocolate scented moisturiser, was a major fail. I loathed it and it almost made me gag, so I wasn't best pleased to see another staring me in the face. Introducing Chocomania (£12.50), a choolate inspired body butter, As I unscrewed the lid, I prepared to be hit in the face by artificial smelling faux chocolate fumes....

However, I was met with a scent which was more reminiscent of the existing Shea Butter Body Butter than a box of Dairy Milk! This suits me just fine, as I don't like heavily scented cocoa-infused scents at all. Chocomania melts into the skin and leaving it feeling well moisturised and smells lovely. I really, really like this, although I'm more likely to use this in the evening after a bath or shower as I wouldn't want the scent to affect my choice of perfume.

It's not suffocating and leaves me smelling teasingly edible if I say so myself! The 48hr hydration claim tickled me slightly as I can't imagine a scenario where I'd be going 48 hours without a shower for me to put it to the test in the first place. I'm a daily body moisturiser!

Next up, the lip balms. The Body Shop are releasing a new range called Born Lippy which consists of lip balm pots and sticks in 12 flavours:

The sticks come in the following flavours and are priced £3.50 each:

Pomegranate
Pink Berry
Plum
Lychee
Toffee
Strawberry

and the pots will cost £2.00 each be available in:

Satsuma
Watermelon
Pink Guava
Raspberry
Passion Berry

I tried the lip balm stick in Pomegranate. It smells nice, tastes nice, was fairly moisturising but the packaging really took me back to my school days and it looked even cheaper when I took the cap off and swivelled it up out of the tube. It has the slightest tint of colour to it, but don't expect them to transfer to the lips very well. It took at least six swatches to get the colour to show up on my hand.

The pots are cute (if you're nine years old, I suppose), but again I find the packaging childish and unimaginative. The packaging is reflected in the price, which is easy on the pocket. They taste lovely though, very fruity! I was sent Passion Berry and Satsuma. They're apply sheer but are super glossy on the lips. I noticed Satsuma has very fine shimmer in it and both are quite sticky - so you'll need to a tissue to hand after application, unless you're really gonna try and wipe your fingers on your clothes on the sly!!

Oh I suppose you want to see if I was a winner and found anything inside the wrapped chocolate bar? Indeed I did - one of the new Starbucks cards, which was thoughtfully topped up with some moolah too. That'll come in handy when I need warming up on the move! The Divine milk chocolate didn't taste half bad either!

Both Chocomanic Body Butter and the Born Lippy range will be available instore and online from February 2012.

*PR samples

The Vanity Project: ColoredBeautiful

2012-01-21T09:48:00.000Z

I wish I had more time to sit and watch You Tube beauty videos. I have dozens and dozens saved in my favourites, with every intention to watch later but only a handful are viewed during snatched moments of free rtime . It was sheer luck the day I stumbled upon Ebony aka ColoredBeautiful a few months ago, but I've made the time and put in the effort to watch every video she's uploaded since.

Charismatic, sassy, warm and extremely talented, freelance make up artist Ebony creates make up looks with effortless precision and artistic flair. Despite being heavily pregnant and having a crazy schedule, she was kind enough to answer a few questions right before Christmas (my timing is spot on, huh?), which I've wanted to know ever since I discovered her amazing talent on You Tube.

1. You have lovely skin, I'm jealous. Apart from great genes - which skincare products do you swear by and what do you do to maintain its healthy and supple condition?

Thanks! I keep my skincare routine rather simple. I find that a consistent regime of cleanse, tone, exfoliate (once or twice a week), and moisturise…gets the job done. Of course diet and water intake plays a huge part in skin care…but I'm guilty of not drinking enough water and my skin does suffer at times. Here are a list of the products I'm currently using:

Cleanser: Shea Moisture African Black Soap Wash – (love this)

Toner: Thayers Original Witch Hazel w/ Aloe Vera

Exfoliator: Exfoliating Facial Sponges w/ Black Soap cleanser

Moisturizer: Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentrait or a Shea Butter Mix

2. What are your must have blush shades?

1. Russet (La Femme)
2. Taj Majal (Nars)
3. Aruba ( Sleek)
4. Sun Power MSF (MAC)
5. Purple Passion (La Femme)
6. Suede (La Femme)

3. You're well known for your wig videos on your You Tube channel. Which has been your favourite to wear so far?

I honestly don’t wear wigs that often in my everyday life. The wigs I have worn out would be:

· Beshe Drew Wig
· Mommy Wig (Janet Collection)
· Beshe Shelly
· Afro Curl Wig (It’s a Wig)

I have a few lace wigs that are really nice, but I’m so used to my natural hair that’s its taking me some time to wear them for an extended period of time. I will eventually.

The infamous Beshe Drew Wig video - It was this video which led me on a crazed manhunt around Manhattan to almost every beauty supply store on the Upper West Side! I found it - eventually!

4. What tends to be your daily face?

· Graftobian HD Foundation (Ginger)
· Neutral Eye w/ a pop of color (eyeshadow colors vary from gold to subtle duochrome colors), with a colored eyeliner.
· Mascara on natural lashes
· MAC Sun Power MSF on cheeks
· Nude or Coral lip (shades and brands vary)

5. As a make up artist, what tends to be the first thing you notice about other women's make up?

As a makeup artist, the first thing I notice about others’ makeup would be THE BROWS. If the brows are too strong…that takes all of the focus away from the face. I also notice incompatible lip colors. Lip colors that are too bright and not blended well.

6. How do you juggle motherhood, a busy make up artistry career and filming You Tube videos?

Well, with motherhood and my current pregnancy, I’m not as active as I used to be as a makeup artist. That’s the beauty of being your own boss! As a stay-at-home mom, I feel blessed to have the opportunity to use my creativity and do what I love in front of my camera…in the comfort of home. Now, it’s not easy to accomplish everything in the timeframe that I’d like because I have so many other duties as a wife and mother…and I am still learning how to balance it all.

Check out Ebony's video where she recreates the Stila 'Black Barbie' look

Grace Jones eat ya heart out!

7. Who are your beauty icons?

· Grace Jones
· Dorothy Dandridge
· Diana Ross
· Iman
· Lauryn Hill

8. What’s the one piece of beauty advice you’ve always remembered?

Beauty begins with confidence and humility.

9. Favourite make up tools?

· Real Techniques Face Brushes
· Buffing brush (for foundation)
· Lashes: Red Cherry #600 or #28
· Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge
· Elf Angled Contour Brush (for concealer)
· Elf Powder Brush (for powder set)

10. You rock a mean red lip. What are your fave red lipsticks?

· NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream – Monte Carlo
· NYX Matte Lip Stick – Perfect Red
· NYX Round Lip Stick – Hero
· Loreal Hip Liquid Lip Color – Turbulent

11. Best drugstore beauty buys?

· Revlon Colorstay foundation
· Ardell Brow Defining Kit
· Milani Baked Eyeshadows; Liquifeye eyeliners
· Black Opal Stick Foundation
· Black Opal Total coverage Spot & Scar Eraser
· Black Opal Invisible Oil Blocking Powder
· ELF Makeup Wipes
· Loreal Lineur Intense Carbon Black
· Ruby Kisses Gel Liner and 24 Hr Eyeshadow Magic Eyeshadow Primer

12. If you only have five (okay ten!) minutes to get ready for a night out, what would your 'face' be?

10 minute night out face:

· Med to full coverage foundation

· Subtle Smoky Eyes or a Metallic Look

· Lashes

· Winged Liner

· Nude or Red Lip

You Tube: ColoredBeautiful

Blog: http://colouredbeautiful.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/colouredBeauty

Sales Swag: Topshop Android Boots

2012-01-20T14:50:00.001Z

I still haven't braced the sales taking place instore and and I really have no intention of doing so either. I think I did pretty well bagging a number of bargains from the comfort of my sofa!

I've been looking for a pair of ankle boots to take me from day to night which wouln't cripple my feet and I liked the look of the Topshop Android boots, but didn't want to fork out a silly amount of moolah for them in the run up to Christmas.

When I spied the Topshop Android boots a few months ago, I really liked the look of them, but resisted paying full price, having a sneaky feeling they'd go in the Christmas sale - and I wasn't disappointed. Overall I wasn't impressed with Topshop's offerings in their sale but I'm very pleased with these and love the suede panel detail on them. Despite them being an eye-watering five inches, they're quite comfortable too. Result!

Did you manage to bag anything worthwhile in the Topshop sale or were you disappointed with it too?

The Nail Files: OPI Uh-Oh Roll Down The Window

2012-01-20T10:07:00.001Z

I love the names of OPI Polishes - the more random, the better and the name of the latest polish to grace my talons is no exception.

Pea soup anyone? Uh-oh Roll Down The Window is an opaque khaki green creme, which is the making of military green precision after three coats. It appies smoothly and topped off with a high shine topcoast isn't as murky and ugly as it looks in the bottle. In fact I think it makes for a pretty chic autumnal/wintery shade.

To spruce it up, I'll definitely layer OPI for Sephora Only Gold For Me over the top.Priced £10.50, It can be found in the OPI Touring America collection, which is still available to purchase on Lena White.

*PR sample

WIN a £350 Shopping Spree and Max Factor Make-up Courtesy of Tampax

2012-01-19T18:00:00.004Z

When Mother Nature brings your monthly gift, Tampax is here to help. Tampax is offering one lucky winner a fantastic £350 of Arcadia Vouchers, which can be spent across seven high-street shops including Topshop, Miss Selfridge and Dorothy Perkins. You’ll also get a goody bag full of Max Factor make-up and a year’s supply of Tampax* so you can outsmart Mother Nature and feel great at any time of the month.

With extra touches to help make your period more pleasant Tampax® Pearl features a unique placement grip and Soft Touch™ applicator for an incredibly comfortable experience. With easy-to-open tabs Tampax® Pearl has a quiet, purse-resistant wrapper. As experts in monthly protection, Tampax want you to feel fresh and look your best every day.

Visit www.tampax.co.uk for further information.

For your chance to win just answer the following question: Who brings your ‘monthly gift’?

a) Sister Nature

b) Mother Nature

c) Auntie Nature

Please email your entry to tampax@mslgroup.com and include your answer, name and contact details.

Terms and Conditions

1) The winner will receive £350 Arcadia Group vouchers, a selection of Max Factor products and a year’s supply of Tampax supplied in £50 vouchers. No cash alternative.

2) The competition can be entered by email

3) Competition closes Sunday 19th February 2012 at midnight (GMT).

4) The winner will be notified week commencing 20th February 2012

5) UK entrants only

*Sponsored post

Review: Titantic Spa

2012-01-19T13:28:00.000Z

Although I had time off work to unwind over Christmas and New Year, I still feel in dire need of more relaxation. The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind and I've found myself feeling slightly more stressed out than usual at work. I'm starting a new role next month (hurrah!), but with it comes the tedious task of a handover and tying up loose ends before I move to my new department.

I do try and make the time to pamper myself, indulging in home facials time permitting and relaxing super soaks in the bath, but there just aren't enough hours in the day!

Back in October, I had the pleasure of spending an overnight stay at Titanic Spa. I hopped aboard an East Coast train with a few others and settled down for the 2 hour journey to the UK's first eco spa. Tucked away in rural Yorkshire and set within a converted textile mill, it houses treatments by Decleor, Carita, Elemis, Jessica and Pink Boutique.

Image courtesy of Beautywowza

The check in process was swift and we were served drinks on arrival, and handed our itineraries as our luggage was taken to our rooms. We were then taken to the spa restaurant, where we helped ourselves to the buffet lunch on offer. The food was healthy, but surprisingly tasty and filling and left us ready for a fun afternoon trying out the facilities available to us.

Then it was time for a quick tour of the premises, which resulted in us racing to our rooms to get our dressing gowns and swimwear and we were amazed at the sight which greeted us. Our rooms turned out to be an actual apartment. As seen in the photos, it was spacious and modern, complete with living and dining area and an open plan kitchen. Four of us easily slept in two separate twin rooms, which each had adjoining bathrooms and were tastefully decorated with neutral decor.

Complimentary juice and milk is supplied and there's plenty of space for your to bring your own food to cook too.

I couldn't wait to get back downstairs and immerse myself in the relaxation area and headed straight for the Tttanic Heat and Ice Experience.

The corridor which leads to the Heat and Ice Experience, Relaxation and Treatment rooms.

The Crystal Steam Room

Image courtesy of The Beauty Scoop

Heat and Ice - Plunge Pool

The Ice Room

Image courtesy of The Beauty Scoop

The Bucket Shower - watching guests stand underneath this and then promptly yell thir heads off from the comfort of the cosy Crystal Steam Room, was amusing to say the least!

All the facilities can be frequented by both men and women, so Titanic Spa is as couple-friendly as it is for groups of friends who fancy a weekend of indulgent pampering. Check out teh full list of facilities on site here.

I was treated to a complimentary Pinks Boutique Organic Massage, which was in short, amazing. I chose a massage oil of my choice from their selection and soon settled down to enjoy my full body massage.

Unsurprisingly I was soon fast asleep and what is beginning to become a regular occurrence during beauty treatments, woke myself up with my own snoring! Embarassing! My therapist couldn't stop giggling and who could blame her, I sounded like a rhino!

One of the treatment rooms

We were also given the opportunity to book additional treatments of our choice, so I took the chance to fix my talons as they were looking worse for wear. I paid for a Jessica manicure, which unfortunately I didn't feel was worth the price I had paid (£31) and overall I wasn't that impressed with the end result.

Despite expressing a desire for my cuticles to be tidied, they weren't done to my liking and I couldn't help but feel slightly patronised by the therapist (as lovely as she was) who insisted they couldn't be trimmed as low as I'd like for fear of damage - I get them trimmed the way I wanted all the time, with no problem at my usual haunts, so that was disappointing.

The pool area is large and warm, with an ample number of loung chairs surroundng the pool.

I didn't go in the jacuzzi (although I wanted to), mainly because I found it a bit distracting that visitors using the exercise bikes and treadmills in the gym, were facing the pool through a huge glass window, with no choice but to gawp at those doing lengths or trying to relax - can't the machines be turned the other way? For much the same reason, I didn't go in the pool either, I felt far too self conscious.

Pool and Jacuzzi - the gym can be seen through the frosted windows along the side of the pool.

Dinner was a two course affair, followed by a yummy dessert. I must say that the dining at Titatanic Spa, left me quite impressed.

Dinner!

As we retired to our rooms, the fun and games didn't stop there. We flung on our jim jams and curled up on the sofas and chairs and watched a girlie flick - Sex and the City 2 no less. I'd forgotten just how terrible it was and cringed more than I did when I watched it in New York on its opening night. It has to be one of the worse sequels I've ever had the misfortune of watching. Still, it was fun dissecting it to pieces with the girls as we scoffed chocolate and guzzled wine!

The morning after the night before...

Waking up to the backdrop of Emmerdale Farm was an amusing, yet refreshing experience. As I gazed at the view from our balcony, I was greeted by hills a plenty, with sheep and geese thrown in for good measure for that authentic countryside experience. Being a city girl, the stark contrast of what I usually wake up to left me standing on the balcony soaking up my surroundings for a few minutes before I ventured back inside to warm up.

Check out in the morning was fairly quick, no problems with the bill and you pay for extra treatments and anything you have purchased during your stay. This makes your stay cash-less which is very convenient as you spend most of your time lazing around in swimwear and a fluffy robe.

The spa staff were warm and friendly and made the visit a memorable experience.

Stays at Titanic Spa start at £109pp but Wahanda have an ongoing overnight stay deal for just £54.50 - view it here

Also, following the success of their on-site shop, Titanic Spa have since launched their new online shop which allows you to purchase all the products from the brands which are used in their treatments. You can browse it here

*I was invited on an overnight stay press trip.

The Nail Files: OPI Warm & Fozzie

2012-01-19T11:15:00.002Z

What other way to ease myself back into bloggng, than doing an obligatory NOTD (Nail of the Day) post. The only polish (other than Rainbow Connection) to grab my attention from the recent and hugely popular, OPI Muppets Collection was the metallic bronze copper Warm & Fozzie.

Warm & Fozzie is a high shine metallic, enriched with fine gold flecks. I'm pretty sure I can see a hint of pink in it too. I was a little hesitant of it clashing with my skin tone and I'm still not entirely convinced that it works. Application was a three coater, it applies thinly, so no need to worry about glooping.

My photo was taken with flash, but in daylight, I think my skin tone looks a little ruddy against it. I plan on layering it over a chocolate brown polish to give it another dimension. It's a lovely shade, so I'm not giving up on it yet. I know I can make this work for me.

This has sold out on official OPI Stockist Lena White (there's a sale on the site at the moment, by the way), but you can still find Warm & Fozzie priced £10.50 over on The Urban Retreat Boutique - or elsewhere cheaper, if you get acquainted with Google!

*PR sample

Ummm Hello!

2012-01-18T21:57:00.000Z

Yep I know, I've been totally AWOL on the old blog lately.

I haven't blogged for almost three weeks, which I think is the longest time I've gone without writing a post since I started writing VexintheCity.com. I just needed time away from it all to be honest and I wasn't in the mood to spend evening after evening writing blog posts after a day at work. Life is not a dress rehearsal, and so I've been busy living it!

This blogging malarky isn't easy as many of you know and considering I only have a few months left in the UK before I move to New York, my spare time is precious. Family and friends come first and I've just been enjoying quality time with La Familie, my friends (they were neglected far too much in favour of blogging antics in 2011), watching trashy reality TV (Yes, I will be watching Love and Hip Hop Episode 9 before I go to bed tonight) and generally not stressing myself out about having to finish a review or making sure I have enough content to go live for the week ahead as it was just stressing me out.

So instead, I simply switched the lights off on the blog and 'went on annual leave' - it's only make up, not brain surgery! My blogging mojo is back now and I have a new camera (I'm having SLR drama at the moment, don't ask! *eye roll*), so now I can actually take pictures of the gazillion items I want to share with you all.

Besides, I've been active on Twitter (@VexintheCity), so I didn't fall off the edge of the planet entirely. Speaking of Twitter, if you follow me, you know how I roll. When I rant, I don't hold back and this morning, a flippant tweet I had sent dismissing the uproar over a scene in Coronation Street (a popular soap opera here in the UK) on Monday night made its way onto the Daily Mail website. Considering I check its showbiz pages at least 12 times a day, dare I say I'm quite proud of this achievement! LOL

So whilst some ~~losers~~, people felt the need to complain to Ofcom about a fictional TV show showing a young actress being smacked on (her padded) bottom, I on the other hand, didn't see what the fuss was all about. Some children need disciplining! Would you like me to list the numerous household items I found connecting themselves with my skin during my childhood?!! Where shall I begin? Wooden spoon, belt, slipper, trainer...you get the idea! I wish I'd just received a slap on the arse!

Anyway I digress. Typically the one time I get a tweet featured on a national newspaper's website, it also has an eye-watering grammatical typo in it. I should have just tweeted the original tweet, which was gonna be 'Hundreds complain' over Corrie's smacking scene. Get an effin grip!' - hence the typo, as I was tweeting under (not literally) my desk at work at the time and only had one eye on my phone! I've learnt my lesson, if in doubt, just stick to the original trail of thought and swear regardless.

Anyway, the moral of the story is rant away kids, you just may find yourselves on the Daily Mail website! Ha!

I hope 2012 is treating you all well so far! If not, stay positive and keep smiling, things will get better :-)

Let the blogging begin!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T02:06:00.000Z

The sky's the limit! I hope 2012 brings you happiness, good health, success and amazing memories xxx

Loving It! Black Jack Lip Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF25

2011-12-30T10:17:00.000Z

I take my lip care seriously and my stash of lip balms is evidence of this. I loathe falling victim to dry lips and so always have at least one lip balm rolling around at the bottom of my handbag at all times. Until recently the latest lip balm to grace my lips was Aromatherapy Associates Moisturising Lip Balm*. Despite being a fan of their lush bath oils and facial skin care (hello Overnight Mask!!), their lip balm doesn't quite cut it for me.

I've given it a good run, using it almost daily for two months and I feel the same as I did after day one. I found it felt a little 'bitsy' on my lips and I'd immediately try and smooth the graininess I could feel by repeatedly smacking my lips together. I also had to reapply it quite frequently, especially when I was outside. The dinky pot is cute, but I prefer my lip balm in a tube as I hate rummaging for a tissue to wipe excess product of my fingers.

It was while pondering over what my next lip care purchase could be, that I stumbled upon an old blog post written by Krissy of Addicted to All Things Pretty, which was raving about Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balms. I did a quick Google to compare more reviews and didn't need telling again - a couple of flavours soon found themselves on my wishlist.

I bought this limited edition Balm Squad Lip Quad from Sephora (sold out now online), which contains four flavours in a dinky gift box.

- Lemon & Chamomile

- Natural Mint & Shea Butter

- Shea Butter & Vitamin E

- Mango & Mandarin

I love how smoothly they apply, they're not heavy or greasy at all feel I have the added protection of SPF25 in them too. Layering glosses or lipsticks over them is a breeze and they keep my lips looking in tip top condition. They're also free of sulphates, synthentic dyes and other nasties which means nothing to me in the grand scheme of things, but is comforting to know nevertheless!

A couple of the Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balms can be found on Feeunique.com where they've been reduced in the sale to £5.80 each. Remember Feelunique offer FREE worldwide delivery too.

What's your favourite lip balm?

Product marked * was provided as a PR sample.

Sales Swag: Laura Mercier Crème Brûlée Trio and Souffle Body Crème Sampler Set.

2011-12-29T19:27:00.000Z

Amongst the items I've purchased over the past few days, are my first Laura Mercier products. Having seen the Crème Brûlée Honey Bath get inches of coverage in the press over the years, my curiosity finally got the better of me and I swooped when I spotted a few gift sets in the online Space NK sale. My order arrived quickly, this morning in fact and only took two days.

The limited edition Crème Brûlée Trio was reduced from £50 to £25 and includes soufflé body crème, exfoliating scrub and honey bath complete with a cute mini honey dipper. I've had a quick sniff and I think I'll like the Honey Bath. I think the scrub smells alright but I'm not taken with the body cream. It'll most likely be used in small doses as I don't really want to walk around smelling like a pudding. In hindsight I wish I'd bought the Almond Coconut Trio instead, why didn't I?! Hmm we shall see...I'll use it all this evening and see how I get on.

I also bought the Souffle Body Creme Sampler Set which contains 4 x 85g tubes of varying scented lotions - again limited edition and reduced to £20.50. I think I got seriously carried away here. I really don't need these and I'm notoriously fussy when it comes to my body lotions anyway. Having smelt them all and rubbed them on my forearm, I can categorically state that I don't like the crème brulee lotion, nor am I overly keen on the crème de pistachio either. I do however, really like the Fresh Fig and Almond Coconut Milk. I'll most likely use them after a shower/bath before bedtime rather than for use during the day though. Meh - you win some, you lose some!

Big Apple Beauty Buys - Haircare

2011-12-28T20:44:00.000Z

Despite being back from New York for three weeks now, I've been so busy that I've barely had time to catch a breath, let along play with my recent purchases A fun-filled day with Helen of Beauty Scribbler, resulted in a few more buys - some essential, some not so much. I've decided to split my buys into separate posts, it's just easier than way.

I recently (well back in September) decided ditch my braids and go fully natural. It's been a rollercoaster of a ride so far, both amusing yet frustrating at times that I appear to struggle with managing the very hair I was born with, on almost a daily basis. I bought some new hair products in the hope they'll make my natural hair journey a little easier.

1. Eco Styling Gel - An apparent staple which will aid me when I do twist outs, so I thought I'd try it and see how I get along with it. This can be found in most afro hair shops here in the UK.

2. Ojon Intensive Hydrating 2-minute Hair Mask - I featured it here and loved the results, so was thrilled to see whilst browsing Sephora.com that Ojon is considerably cheaper stateside. Buying another tub of this, was top of my list!

3. Shea Moisture Curl Enhancing Smoothie - another product used to aid the art of twisting. The trouble I've been having when mixing up natural shea butter concoctions is that they've failed to 'hold' my twists or retain any definition, thus resulting in my hair looking like a frizzy mess by the time I've stepped off the tube en route to work!! This had had good reviews, so I'm hoping this cream works when I eventually get round to trying it out - I bought two tubs of it!

4. Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curl & Style Milk - Another product (a lotion this time) which can be used for wet or dry twist outs. You can buy Shea Moisture products on Gidore.

5. Shea Moisture Coconut & Hibiscus Hold & Shine Moisture Mist - My hair needs moisture and plenty of it, so I bought this in the hope of combating any dryness. I think it's alright. I dunno ..ask me again after a few more trials.

6. Jane Carter Solution Revitalizing Leave-in-Conditioner- I recently reviewed the Curl Defining Cream for Black Hair Magazine and loved the immediate difference it made to my curls adding more definition, so on that basis I thought I'd try the leave-in conditioner to how I got along with that. I used it after washing my hair on Christmas Day and it was okay. My hair smells lovely and is really bouncy and fluffy at the moment as I've just had it out in a 'fro ever since. Jane Carter products can also be found on Gidore in the UK

I'm off work at the moment and taking time to finally view the dozens of videos I've saved on You Tube over the past few months, filmed by natural hair vloggers and I've been experiencing some serious hair envy! I can't wait to see how much I can grow my hair throughout 2012.

Merry Christmas Everybody!

2011-12-25T00:09:00.000Z

Wishing you all a lovely Christmas with family and loved ones!

xxx

Flash Giveaway: Free £100 voucher Up For Grabs with Skin Health Spa and more!

2011-12-21T10:41:00.000Z

Skin Health Spa is the UK's leading aesthetic clinic, with luxury locations and spas in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leamington Spa and Nantwich. They offer a huge selection of fantastic skin treatments including skin rejuvenation, microdermabrasion, derma roller, skin injections (BOTOX), laser treatments and many more.

London clinic

They're offering one lucky Vex in the City reader a £100 voucher to spend on treatments.

All you have to do is follow them on Twitter and Tweet the following:

Follow @skinhealthspa for top tips, exclusive offers and the chance to win £100 treatment vouchers – with @VexintheCity

This tweet will automatcially enter you into the £100 voucher draw.

Skin Health Spa

And that's not all ..EVERYBODY who follows them on Twitter (@skinhealthspa) will be sent a £35 voucher too, just tweet the following:

Follow @skinhealthspa for top tips, exclusive offers and a free £35 treatment voucher – with @VexintheCity

You'll then receive a DM (direct message) explaining how to redeem your FREE £35 voucher.

The competition and giveaway will run from today until Thursday 22 December at 10:00pm (GMT) - tomorrow, so get Tweeting!

The winner of the £100 voucher will be selected on Friday 23 December, so the voucher will arrive in time for Christmas!

Good luck!

The Vanity Project: Estelle

2011-12-18T10:35:00.027Z

When Estelle burst onto the music scene with her nostalgic hit '1980' back in 2004, it struck a chord with many as we gleefully reminisced about Connect 4 and LA Gear trainers. It wasn't until she left UK shores and collaborated with U.S rapper, Kanye West and released 'American Boy' in 2008, that her profile soared and she soon became a household name on both sides of the Atlantic.

Currently promoting upcoming single 'Back To Love', the Grammy award winning artist, took some time out of her busy schedule to answer a few burning beauty questions I had for her.

You always have lovely, glowy skin - what are your fave skincare products? Do you have a routine that you stick to?

Thank you and yes, I do a routine. I I try and get facials regularly and I use Dermologica Calming Skin Face Wash. Because I fly so much, I have to keep my face under control, it gets dry, I break out…it’s a moment, so I try and use that all the time. I also use Creme de La Mer face cream, it costs everything in life, but it’s worth it. It’s heavy, and when you’re travelling a lot like I do, with many late nights, you don’t want your skin to break out. So I wash [my face] and moisturise with it.

A few days a week I use a toner, I found a brand new one by YSL and it’s like a make-up remover and toner at the same time. It’s the truth! I use the Clarasonic face wash too, and then I use the toner.
Black people, especially dark skinned, we get pigments, so I try not to use anything with hydroquinone in it, or as little hydroquinone in it as possible, because it doesn’t help your skin. I get microdermabrasion too, which takes off the top layer of your skin, is which is made up of dead and dry skin.

I'm somewhat of a blush addict, what are your favourite blush shades?

I’m not really a blush girl. I go for contouring more than blush. My cheek bones, as they are, when I smile they pop up anyway. But when I do use it, there’s a really, really dope one by MAC called Gingerly, which works for everyone. It makes you look fresh faced, not like you’re trying to look like your Aunty in the 80’s. No red! Gingerly, and maybe a bit of pink in it too. It works for black girls too – all shades. It’s the best!

Photo Credit: Roxanne Lewit

Which foundation(s) do you use?

I use Make Up For Ever foundations, their HD ones, they’re the best for everyday, as I work a lot. But for general wear I love Georgio Armani in 6 and 7 Face Fabric, just for like running down the street and you don’t feel too peppy or your skin is having a moment. Georgio Armani Face Fabric feels like you have nothing on. Just literally put it in your hand and rub it on and it works!

I use it in number 6 and 7 and mix them together because I’m like 4 shades. We’re all really like about 12 different shades, never stick to one, mix them together. The bottom half of your face tends to be darker than the top half, you always want to highlight your eyes, your nose and your T-zone, so you use your lighter shades in the middles and your darker shades around the sides. Mix them and blend them!

You attend a lot of prestigious award ceremonies, have you ever experienced make-up artists who have found it difficult to work with black skin?

Oh yeah! I have my own make-up artist with me, or I do my own. The first year, when you’re trying to be a nice, agreeable artist, I rock out with what they have, and then you end up looking like a clown, and then everyone’s upset by the entire thing! I found it makes sense to fight for your people so you look good. If we look crazy, then it’s all a waste of money, outfits and trips, because if your face looks crazy, you’re gonna sit there looking stupid. I always fight for the right people to make me look good.

What has been your worst beauty disaster?

When people don’t quite get black skin and they go for the bog-standard. I think a lot of brands are yet to formulate their best foundations for black skin, as many can show up a bit ashy after a while.
You need people you really understand your skin tone and the type of skin you have, and there’s not a lot of make-up artists who have access to the right shades as well, so they just do the best they can. Everyone thinks you want to be lighter than you are or darker than you are and it’s like, “No, I just want to be the colour that I am!” So you have to be really sure and clear with them about the colour.
When you find a really good make-up artist, you realise how much of a fine art it is. You’re matching someone’s skin tone, and trying not to over their look or anything different. You just want to enhance their beauty.

Who is your beauty icon and why?

I think Mary J Blige, she has a great make-up artist. Her skin when she’s beat, always looks flawless, always….like she glows! Iman, as she has her own makeup line, that helps. She always looks beautiful, even when she wears little makeup. Rachel Roy is another who gets it right all the time; she knows what works for her, she sticks to it and rocks it out.
I think the basis of it all is that you take care of your actual skin. A lot of us don’t realise that. I didn’t know, until I really started getting into makeup that I didn’t have to be stuck with acne bumps, if I just stayed away from a certain food, I wouldn’t get spots. Like peanuts do it for me – I get acne spots if I eat a single peanut, one will just pop up! I’m actually allergic to nuts! I didn’t know this until I visited a dermatologist.

What’s the one piece of beauty advice that you’ve always remembered?

Wash your face in the morning. I’m not a big advocate of girls just running out without taking care of what they look like in the morning. There’s nothing wrong with wearing a bit of make-up, even if it’s just mascara…do something every single day that makes you feel better about yourself. Make-up isn’t for special occasions only.
You don’t have to put a full face on…you could do your eyebrows, you can put some concealer on and call it an afternoon. Whatever works to make you feel that bit better, do it…and wash your face in the morning!

Photo credit: Roxanne Levit

If you don’t get to wash your face at night, wash it in the morning ‘cos it builds up and a lot of skin discolouration and all that stuff is from a build up of not washing your face properly. Wash it, get a scrub and scrub it. If you don’t have the money for all those lotions and potions use Dove and put some olive oil on after that, keep it simple. Cleanse your skin and your skin will love you for it.

Do you ever go to bed without taking your make-up off?

I do, but I wash it in the morning. [LOL] There are some days where I just can't because of tiredness so I get the baby wipes out. I try to take my lipstick off all the time though because waking up in the morning with red, smudged lipstick is horrible.

What has been your best luxury beauty treat or purchase?

My face cream. That’s my most expensive, my best, my life or death product when I’m on a plane. I used to get on airplanes and think “Why’s my face so dry?” and then realised I never ever had any face cream. I would always put olive oil on, but when you get on a plane, that’s like pouring water on your hands, it dries up.

You have to have a real heavy moisturiser when you’re on airplanes. My face cream, La Mer, I love that! You can put Vaseline in your regular cream and that gives it a nice coat. The point of a rich face cream is to protect your natural skin. So even if it’s night time, I always tell my girls, “Even if you’re tired as hell and don’t get to wash your face, put something on it, so when you wake up in the morning, it'll all slide off when you do wash it. You don’t want your make-up settling into your pores.”

Best beauty buy for under a tenner?

Vaseline! Vaseline and cotton buds, cotton wool, cotton pads, all day!

If you only have five (okay ten!) minutes to get ready for a night out, what would your makeup routine be?

A bit of concealer, some mascara, lipstick and eye liner. I've learnt that my eyes really work for me so I go out of my way to really accentuate them without making them feel loaded. I don’t put a lot of eye shadow on any more, I make it more about my lips, but I’ll line my eyes, just so you can see them, and mascara.

And finally…

Who is your favourite ‘American Boy’? ;-)

Nowadays it’s Ryan Gosling. Did you see him in ‘Crazy Stupid Love?’ You have to see this film…he takes off his top and I cried. There’s a couple: Ryan Gosling, Tank, who’s an RnB singer, the guy that was in my video for ‘Break My Heart’. Omari Hardwick. He’s actually my boy so that makes it worse and I know his girl, so it’s even worse! He’s good looking, smart, charismatic and a poet. Omari Hardwick, he’s my favourite American Boy.

Estelle's new single 'Back To Love' is out now on iTunes and her forthcoming album 'All Of Me' will be released on 28 February 2012.

Christmas Gift Guide: Perfume Sets

2011-12-17T18:22:00.000Z

Fragrance is one of the most popular gifts exchanged over the festive period - but you have to get it right. It helps if you know the kind of scents the person you're buying for favours. There's no sense in buying a musky, heady perfume as a gift for somebody who loves clean, fresh scents - however much you may like it!

Here are a small collection of what's available in department store beauty halls across the country!

Marc Jacobs Eau So Fresh Fragrance Set - £50

Vera Wang Princess Fragrance Gift Set - £36

Calvin Klein Forbidden Euphoria Fragrance Gift Set - £33

Vivienne Westwood Naughty Alice Fragrance Set - £47.50

CK One Shock For Her - £23

CK One Shock For Him - £23

Check out the following websites for fragrance gift set inspiration:

Boots.com - Order before 2:30pm for delivery pre-Christmas

The Perfume Shop - For Next Day Delivery, last orders by 2pm Wed 21st December

Debenhams - UK delivery lasy order dates

Feelunique -Last Orders -MIDNIGHT Sat 17th Free UK delivery/ MIDNIGHT Wed 23rd UK for next day delivery

All Eyez On Me!

2011-12-17T12:55:00.003Z

For those whom the title of this blog post strikes a chord with, sorry to dissapoint you, but this isn't a Tupac revival session!

I haven't worn glasses since about the age of six, where merciless teasing at school resulted in me abandoning the glasses which had been placed on my short-sighted face.

Well I finally got my act together (better late than never), stopped putting it off, had an eye test and am now the new owner of these lovely Bvlgari frames, which I've had for a few weeks now.

I bought them from Eyewearbrands.co.uk which is home to hundreds of designer frames at competitive prices. Ordering my glasses online saved me over over £200 as the price (£141.50) I paid included my prescription, anti glare and anti scratch coatings. Delivery was free too.

Vision Express fug you!
The ordering process was simple, I entered my prescription online and then scanned a copy of it over to them, so they could check I'd entered my details correctly. Delivery took approx 10 days and I was kept updated via email at each stage i.e when my frames had been selected, when my lenses were being inserted and finally when they had been dispatched. I thought it'd take a while to get used to them, but it only took a few days. My Mum keeps trying them on and as they really suit her, she now wants the same pair *eye roll*

I ordered these D&G sunnies last night in their sunglasses sale for £39 down from £177.

I just need to transport myself somewhere sunny in order to wear them now!

Get £10 off your order by using discount code FACE10 - the sale was supposed to end at midnight but it's still up!

Christmas Gift Guide: Philosophy Christmas Sets

2011-12-17T11:51:00.000Z

Today has been hailed as the busiest shopping day of the year, as thousands descend upon the shops to by last minute Christmas presents.

If you're one of them, take a look at the offerings from U.S brand, Philosophy. They have a wide variety of affordable Christmas gifts which will help bring some festive cheers on Christmas morning. From yummy smelling bath treats, tasty lip glosses to body lotions that will make you want to gnaw your own arm off, there's something for beauty loving gals of all ages.

Here are just some of the gift sets on offer:

You can find Philosophy on Boots.com (who are offering 1000 extra Advantage Card Points when you buy 3 or more selected Philosophy products). John Lewis and QVC.

Prices start from just £7.00