Monday 29 October 2012

Guerlain Rouge Automatique Lipstick 143 Nahema









Guerlain Rouge Automatique Lipstick - 143 Nahema*

Hello gorgeous! I think that this must be the most glamorous lipstick I've ever had the pleasure of trying. Everything about it just screams luxury. This lipstick is from Guerlain's Rouge Automatique collection. The formula of these lipsticks is really something else! They are buttery smooth and simply glide onto your lips, making them really easy to apply. There is an immense colour range available in these lipsticks but the shade I went for was 143 Nahema. I absolutely love the colour. From other swatches I'd seen online it seemed a lot pinker but on me it appears as a bright raspberry coral. Pretty unique eh? I was surprised by how sheer it first applied but the colour builds up very well without any caking. For such a sheer formula, the colour payoff is incredible and it stays put for a good while.

These lipsticks have a nice vanilla scent, similar to that of MAC lipsticks but a bit more sophisticated and not as overpowering. It feels so comfortable to wear. It has a glossy finish which is slightly moisturising. The texture feels like a second skin. Sometimes I notice that I can feel lipsticks on my lips but this just melts into your lips, like you're wearing a very light lip balm. The lipstick is made from a complex of oil & resin. This gives your lips an exceptional shine making them look very juicy. Normally with shiny lipsticks I find that the sheen tends to wear off before the colour does but these stay glossy for a decent amount of time.

It might seem like a gimmick but one of the things that drew me to this lipstick was the awesome packaging. Rather than the traditional lipstick bullet and lid, Guerlain have combined these elements to create a lid that is already built into the lipstick. See that little gold square emblazoned with a 'G'? Simply slide that down, the flap lid tucks itself under and out pops the lipstick! Its such a convenient idea, you'll never lose a lid again! It makes it perfect for speed application on the go.

I am so in love with this wonderful formula & the cool packaging. I can't believe I had never tried these lipsticks until now! At £24.50 they sure don't come cheap but if you're after a luxury lippie I'd recommend these over the YSL ones any day.

Shop Guerlain at Harrods

Sunday 28 October 2012

I'm The Ghost With The Most, Babe



Last night I went out to a Halloween party with some friends and I decided to put my white hair & stripey Topshop top to good use by dressing up as Beetlejuice. As they say in Mean Girls, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it. But for me Halloween is a hell of a lot more fun if you have a creepy costume. I just added some stripey leggings from Internacionale (kudos to you if you can pull these off!) and black boots and my costume was complete. Its such a simple costume to recreate!

The best part was doing the makeup. I just went over what I already had on that day with some white face paint. It took a lot of this to make my complexion paler than is usually is! Then I drew around my eyes with black eyeliner, went over and around this with dark purple eyeshadow and stuck on some Eylure 205 lashes. I finished it off with some dark green face paint to act as his mouldy bits/stubble. The hair was pretty simple too. I just whacked loads of V05 Give Me Texture Instant Oomph Powder into my roots, backcombed it all and sprayed it with hairspray. The picture on the right was a quick toilet shot after a couple of hours of dancing to cheesey tunes so its fallen a bit but I still think I had that mental Beetlejuice look down haha. It was an epic night, definitely the most fun I've had in ages! Although a worrying amount of people I spoke to said they had never actually seen Beetlejuice!

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?

Monday 22 October 2012

Glamorous Giveaway!





Shirt - Glamorous* / Skirt - American Apparel / Shoes - Topshop / Necklace - Claire's Accessories
Bracelet - Black Tied / Rings - ASOS

Today I've been wearing this lovely shirt that I was sent by one of my favourite clothing brands, Glamorous. The collar is just amazing. Like pretty much everyone else in the world, I'm completely obsessed with spikes & studs at the minute. I paired it with one of my favourite skirts, lots of silver jewellery, some Topshop Vectras and finished off the look with a swipe of red lippie. This lipstick is one of the new Kate Moss matte lipsticks in 110. Its such a gorgeous bright coral red and I think its a great way to inject some colour into any outfit.

Well I've had a random weekend. Had my hair done on Saturday, complete with a new centre parting and then ended up going to Wagamamas with my ex yesterday (just as friends!). Still going through a lot of stress at the moment especially in regards to where we're gonna end up living. You've all been so lovely & supportive though and I really appreciate it. I was really surprised that there was such a positive response to my first YouTube video too. To say thank you to my amazing readers I've teamed up with Glamorous again to offer you the chance to win one item of clothing. Theres a sample list of 30 items for you to chose from if you win. Very exciting indeed! Check out the terms & conditions below to find out how to enter.

Terms & Conditions:
- The giveaway will end midnight Monday 29th October
- You must like the Glamorous Facebook page and the e-tailwebstores Facebook page.
- You must follow this blog via GFC or Bloglovin'
- The winner will be given a sample list of around 30 items from Glamorous’ to choose their prize from
- Please comment on this post with your name & email address

Good luck!

Sunday 21 October 2012

My YouTube Debut



Yesterday I decided to film my first YouTube video! Its a collective fashion & beauty haul of stuff I've bought over the past month. Theres a lot of things so its fairly long! I've not quite got the hang of editing yet so I hope its okay. Quite worried I look or sound like an idiot haha. Let me know if you like it or if you have any video requests & please subscribe to my channel :)

Wednesday 17 October 2012

Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel








Ever since I plucked most of my brows off as a teenager I have been obsessed with filling them in. I think its such an important step in my daily makeup routine because they frame my face and balance out the rest of my makeup. It can look a bit odd if you've got tons of dramatic eye makeup on and your eyebrows look thin, sparse or short. I normally fill in my eyebrows with brown eyeshadow and an angled brush. I then finish them off with MAC Clear Brow Set. I've been using that to set my brows for the past 10 years. I've always found the hold to be sufficient for my eyebrow hairs and using a gel afterwards helps to soften any harsh edges (goodbye Scouse brows!). But I still felt that sometimes filling in and setting my brows with gel can take up precious time during the morning rush & I was on the look out for a speedier product.

I've recently heard a lot of praise for Anastasia's eyebrow products. I have plenty of powders and eyebrow pencils so I decided to try out one of their Tinted Brow Gels. How gorgeous is the Anastasia packaging?! I adore the embossed rose gold foiling! They make this product in a range of colours but the one I bought was Granite. This colour is suitable for cool-toned brunettes or people with silver hair. My hair has been both of these colours so its a perfect match for me.

The gel is everything I was looking for. It fills in your brows in a flash. I simply use the wand to brush the hairs into the direction I want them to go and my eyebrows immediately look full, dark and defined. Its the perfect product for us lazy girls or if you don't really understand how to fill in your brows. The hold isn't quite as good as that of MAC Clear Brow Set because some of the hairs around the arch can be left out of place after using it but otherwise I love it. I think this product is a great choice if you already have decent eyebrows. If they're too thin or short it probably won't be enough to use this on its own. In these photos I did use a tiny bit of MAC Fling Eyebrow Pencil at the ends to make them a bit longer but if I'm really in a rush, I find that the tinted gel is enough for my eyebrows. The finish isn't quite as perfect as when you fill them in with powder or a pencil, its a lot more natural. It still looks really good though & definitely not as harsh. The choice is yours really, you can use it alone or on top of other eyebrow products to make them look super defined. I'm so impressed with my first Anastasia product, can't tell you how tempted I am to buy some more!

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Lana Del Rey Lips




Like many of you I'm sure, I adore Lana Del Rey. From her haunting voice to her gorgeous hair which is often adorned with a floral crown, I consider her to be major girl crush material. One thing I've always been jealous of are her super pouty lips. I think its pretty obvious thats she had some kind of fillers in them but they still look beautiful and the nudey colours she normally adorns them with are just lovely. Apparently her nude lipstick of choice is YSL Rouge Pur Couture in Blonde Ingenue. I tried this on at a counter and it just didn't look right with my skintone. So I've come up with a more flattering lip combo that can give you the ultimate power pout.





One of the best ways to make your lips look bigger than they actually are is to slightly over draw them with a lip liner. My nude pencil of choice is MAC Subculture. I have however found a perfect dupe for this in the form of No7's Perfect Lips Pencil in 20 Nude. Its a tiny bit darker and softer than the MAC one but if you want a cheap nude pencil, this is the one to buy. I then go over my lips with Illamasqua Lipstick in Test. This is a lovely pinky nude that works well with pale skintones. A lipgloss is a great way to add even more volume to your lips. Lana tends to go for a matte finish but I think the gloss is essential if you're lacking in the lips department. The shine helps to exaggerate them even further. So I finish off the look with a coat of Illamasqua Sheer Lipgloss in Artifice. This gloss lightens the overall colour ever so slightly to make it a bit peachier. It isn't sticky and seems to last longer than most glosses I've tried. Illamasqua also do a Create Your Own Lips Set so you can get this lipstick and lipgloss for just £25. And voila, Lana lips! Now if only the rest of me was as beautiful and talented as she is...

Monday 15 October 2012

How Pyjama Trends Have Changed



In the late 1800’s, the nightshirt was the only offering when it came to nightwear. However, times have changed and today’s pyjama selection has increased greatly.

India was the first country to introduce the two-piece cotton pyjama set before the trend quickly caught on in London and the rest of Europe. Since then, there have been a huge number of advancements and innovations in pyjama design. Different materials and fabrics are now readily available, with the likes of fleece and flannel being two of the most popular pyjama styles on the highstreet.

Onesies
One of the most interesting advancements in the pyjama industry is the onesie or the all-in-one pyjama set-up. Such a style often comes complete with a hood, pockets and sometimes, even a bum flap.

Many people associate the onesie with junior sleepwear, but more and more adults are embracing the style. The name ‘onesie’ is now synonymous with full body sleep suits for people of all ages.

Adult all-in-ones tend to be popular with those that wish to invest in snug-fitting night attire. Such an ensemble will keep the wearer warm and comfortable during the colder months.

Some of the more recent styles come footed, which means there is no need for socks or slippers when wearing this exact set-up. In the last decade the mainstream popularity of the onesie has increased dramatically, with some even choosing to wear the garment whilst out and about.

The all-in-one suit is now considered an extremely hip nightwear option and one that is great for both camping and outdoor expeditions.

This versatile ensemble is not only stylish, it is also seen as very practical and as such, full body pyjamas are a great gift option. Sales in such a style of sleepwear have increased dramatically in the past year with this pace showing no sign of slacking.

Gifts
Many choose to buy the onesie for a loved one. Sometimes there is nothing better than jumping into an inviting, snuggly all-in-one suit and chilling out around the house.

Onesies have also proved a popular option with celebrities and reality TV stars, with many photographed wearing this most comfortable of garments. As A-list stars reveal, this all-in-one nightwear option is very ‘of the moment’ and more and more fashionista’s are beginning to invest in the style. With Christmas on the way and colder weather already in force, sales for all-in-one night suits are only likely to increase. Its place as this season’s must-have gift item is assured!

Friday 12 October 2012

Autumn Attire



Dress - H&M / Jacket - Primark / Necklaces - Primark & Urban Outfitters

Berry colours are quite possibly my fave Autumn trend. Maroon, burgundy, oxblood, cranberry, whatever you wanna call it, I am obsessed with it. I spotted this lovely dress in H&M and knew it was the perfect piece for Autumn 2012. I think the little leather peter pan collar is such a gorgeous finishing touch. Its probably more of a tunic than a dress though because its ridiculously short! My lipstick is Illamasqua Magnetism, I love that it matches the colour of my dress perfectly. I've been wearing this all the time recently. I love my gold 'C' necklace from Primark too, such a bargain at just £1.50!

I don't normally like to get too personal on my blog posts but I am having what is quite possibly the worst week of my life and keeping things bottled up is only making it worse. On Saturday my fiance of three years decided that he doesn't love me anymore. He took a bin bag full of clothes and moved into his mums house. All my attempts of reconciliation have been put down. I feel sick constantly. I can barely eat or sleep and I've cried all week long. I've wanted to blog to take my mind off things but it was hard to do any outfit or makeup posts with puffy eyes from crying so much. Its bad enough that he's left me but it breaks my heart that he's left Chloe too. Looks like I'm joining the ranks of the single mums. Any tips on how to get over a big breakup? Could really use a hug right now :(

Friday 5 October 2012

Redken Real Control Overnight Treat



Nighttime is the perfect opportunity to feed your skin with everything its in need of. So what about your hair? Some people do hair masks or cover their hair in coconut oil but both of these options can be messy and frankly, too much effort. Something I've recently added to my nighttime pampering routine is Redken's Overnight Treat. This is another bargain I picked up in TK Maxx as it was reduced from it's RRP of £27.50 to £12.99. I've always been a fan of Redken products, especially their Blonde Glam & Extreme ranges, so I figured it'd be good to try it out.

Overnight Treat is a thick white cream that aims to renew and repair severely damaged hair while you sleep. I simply apply one pump of product to the ends of my hair, rubbing it in to all the strands, and when I wake up my hair feels really soft and looks less frizzy & damaged. When you first apply the cream it will make your hair look and feel a bit clumpy as it dries but that totally disappears by morning and you're left with lovely looking & feeling hair. It doesn't make your hair feel greasy at all and doesn't make a mess on your pillow. I just brush it out in the morning but you can wash it out and it will still help your hair. You can also apply it to damp hair but I can't stand sleeping with wet hair so I just use it when my hair is dry. As a bleach blonde, my hair needs all the help it can get. If I apply hair oils during the day I find that the ends of my hair can look greasy and overloaded with product. I now stick to just using oils when my hair is wet and use Overnight Treat to make my hair look nice when I wake up. I really like this product and its made such a difference to my dry, desperately in need of a cut, ends. Its definitely one to check out if you have dry or damaged hair.

Tuesday 2 October 2012

September Favourites



Lierac Diopti Calm Eye Contour Balm & Mask
I only just reviewed this eye cream last week but it really is a good'un. Never have I found an eye cream thats more cooling and refreshing than this one. I thought that Origins GinZing eye cream was good but this one is even better. Its even cheaper too if you can find it in TK Maxx like I did.

Percy & Reed Finishing Polish
I got this free with an old issue of Glamour magazine and its been shoved in the back of my hair product drawer for months. Last month I went searching through my drawers for something that would tame my frizzy locks after getting caught in some light rain and came across this again. I just ran a tiny pea sized amount through my hair and it immediately looked tame & like I'd just stepped out of the salon. Its amazing because it doesn't make your hair greasy or weigh it down whatsoever, it just gives it perfect hold. Can't believe I ignored this fab product for so many months!

Beauté Weightless Lip Creme in Girlina
I think these Weightless Lip Cremes must be my favourite formula of any lip product ever. They're almost a cross between a lipstick and a lip gloss. I love these because they're highly pigmented, long lasting, comfortable to wear and aren't sticky at all. Girlina is a bubblegum pink shade and I've been wearing this all the time recently. I think it looks gorgeous combined with NARS Deep Throat blush on the cheeks. If you're wanting to splash out on a lip product I would always recommend these over anything else. At £19 each they're not cheap but they sure are worth it!

MAC In The Gallery Eye Shadow Quad
Purple is always a great eye shadow colour to go for because it compliments any eye colour & skin tone. It looks especially nice on people with green or hazel eyes. This is one of my favourite eye shadow palettes because the colours & shadow finishes are spot on. It contains a satin, a frost and two mattes. The shadows aren't very pigmented in comparison to many MAC eye shadows but they do build very nicely which makes them perfect for day or night makeup looks. This was a limited edition palette that came out in 2009 but I've been using it constantly throughout September. These lovely purple shades really do bring out the green in my eyes too.

Sure Women Maximum Protection Deodorant
I read about this deodorant on quite a few blogs and decided to try it out for myself. I used to use a Nivea Pearl aerosol deodorant but my mum was forever telling me it'd give me breast cancer so I'd been on the lookout for a different formula for while. I never liked creams or liquids because they always made my underarms feel sticky. Then I tried this one and it feels like my underarms are dry right after application. Its quite moisturising and I feel like it does actually keep my arms dry for a good 48 hours. Excessive sweating has never been a problem for me but I still really like this deodorant. I might try one of the Dove Maximum Protection ones next though because the only thing I don't really like about this one is the scent. It just gets up my nose a bit even though it is really fresh & clean smelling.



Bolo Ties
Now I don't know about you but Colonel Sanders is deffo one of my style icons. The Olsen Twins & Alexa Chung have got nothing on him! I already have his white blonde hair, next on the list was a bolo tie or two. I think they're the perfect addition to any collared shirt and are a damn sight easier to put on than collar tips. You might have already seen me wearing this buffalo skull one from Galibardy but I spotted this pretty gold one in Topshop the other day & knew it had to be mine. It was only £8.50 and looks so nice on. Is it just me that has to have a gold & a silver version of everything? It makes my jewellery collection a bit samey but I need that colour option haha!



Craisins
I'm always trying out new healthy snacks, anything to stop me from gorging on chocolate all day long. I really enjoyed watching Onna's video about some of the healthy food she eats and she mentioned these Craisins. I bought some soon after that and I've been hooked ever since. I normally just grab a handful as a snack or sprinkle them on top of salads/quinoa. They taste really nice and don't have that sharpness that you get from fresh cranberries. I definitely prefer these to normal raisins. Plus they're full of fibre & antioxidants.

Monday 1 October 2012

A Less Than Glowing Review For GlamGlow



One of the things I enjoy most about my Sunday pampering routine is clearing out my skin with a good face mask. I noticed yesterday that Cult Beauty had 25% off everything (& will do until midnight tonight!). Considering GlamGlow is one of the many products they sell I figured this would be an ideal time to purchase the full size 50ml pot after hearing so many wonderful things about it. But I first needed to try out my sample tube I received at the Leeds Blogger Meetup. I've wanted to try this mud mask ever since I read Ruth's review. In fact I actually squeed out loud when I saw the display boards being put up at the meetup. I was overjoyed I was finally going to get to try this wonder mask without splashing out 50 quid beforehand. Fast forward to today and I'm really rather glad I decided to save my pennies.

GlamGlow is marketed as an instant facial in a tub. It contains volcanic rock, French sea clay and green tea leaf extracts that supposedly brighten, clear and tighten your skin after just 15 minutes. It is also supposed to leave your skin glowing for up to three days after application. Theres quite a few celebrities that have proclaimed their love for this mask which only added to my high expectations of this product. I eagerly applied this dark green mask in a thin layer all over my face. As I smoothed it over my face I could already feel some exfoliation occurring due to the bits of green tea leaves it contains. The green tea smell is really nice. It feels extremely tingly, almost uncomfortably so. I think it might be too much for someone with sensitive skin. It dries to a hard finish like most traditional clay masks so its quite fun trying to talk with it on.

After 15 minutes I removed the mask with a muslin cloth. Combined with the green tea leaves it gave my skin a good exfoliation and the congested areas on my nose & chin looked clear & felt smooth. Sadly thats where the benefits ended. My skin did not look particularly radiant or glowing. Certainly no more than when I simply wash my face in the morning with my REN cleanser and a flannel. And to my horror a small crop of spots had appeared on my forehead! I'm not saying that the spots are purely down to GlamGlow but it definitely brought them to the surface. That might not be a bad thing in the long run but this mask is supposed to make your skin look instantly better, not put all the crappy bits of your skin on display for the world to see. I'd be very disappointed if I were using this before a night out and I suddenly looked spottier than ever.

I really wanted to love GlamGlow but this product is just ridiculously overpriced and overhyped. I feel like if it were sold for about £20 as a regular clay mask then it wouldn't be such a bad skincare product. But considering the £50 price tag (thats £1 per ml!) and its claims of instant skin improvement & a three day glow, it just isn't worth it. It might have worked for others but even if it did work on my skin, it'd have to be pretty miraculous in order for the price to be justifiable to me. Try Liquid Gold instead.