The blue edition

If I was to ask Him Indoors what his favourite color is - he would without a nanosecond of a doubt say blue, just like most men and even women. Blue is a color often associated with harmony confidence, trust and loyalty. It's also very often linked with natural elements like the sky, sea, and coldness - all of them with a slightly melancholy note, but to me that doesn't give blue as a color full justice since it can range from the light, soft and cuddly baby blue to dark, vampy golden, glorious blue. I know that for many, even the idea of using blue as part of your makeup screams 80's garishness, but the updated and modern version of blue is cool, sleek and unexpected and today I'll show you some of my favourite blue products.

The first product in this line up of blue items is the The Body Shop Shower Gel in Blueberry. For me most shower gels are pretty much the same. If it offers a gentle cleanse without stripping my skin and leaves a lovely scent that lingers for a long time afterwards, I'm happy - and that's exactly what this one does. This shower gel is soap free but still manages to work up a good lather for that ultimate shower experience and the delicious sweet and sour scent of blueberry, very slightly reminiscent of the old classic Dewberry but with less musk, is uplifting and it lingers on your skin for a decent amount of time.

As usual I have to have a matching set of scents - shower gel and body lotion/butter so of course I've also got the Body Butter in Blueberry. As with all the Body Shop Body butters, the texture is wonderfully thick, rich and luscious to use. I love to scoop out a dollop, heat it up between my hands and then to massage it in. I find that doing this will release the oils, enhance the scent and help to effortlessly blend the butter into the skin for hydration that lasts a good few hrs after you've massaged it in. The blueberry scent is fruity and piquant, but without any sweetness to it at all. Instead it's slightly sour, crisp and very refreshing.

Let's move on to makeup and one of my favourite high street brands this year - Bourjois. This is an example of a palette that does the whole "painting by numbers", i.e. giving you instructions on when and how to use which shade - it's the Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow in Bleu Rock. I love a smokey eye, and I don't know about you but I sometimes think that to always use dark natural shades gets a bit predictable, and to instead go for blue shades adds an extra little something. This trio contains shades of blue that includes pale alice blue with a subtle warm grey undertone, warm bondi blue with a golden undertone and matte UCLA blue with a slight teal-green shade. The eyeshadows are lovely and light, smooth, buildable and easy to work with. For me this is one of the best Bourjois trios and the combination of matte and slightly shimmery shades works really well for a twist on the classic smokey eye look.

My next item is another budget buy, it's an Avon Glimmerstick Diamonds Eyeliner in Twilight Sparkle. The glimmersticks are very popular products from the Avon range, and no wonder - it's a lovely creamy formula that is so smooth to apply, it's longlasting and waterproof. This particular shade is a dark steel blue with a metallic and sparkly element to it. This looks wonderful as an alternative to black eyeliner for a feline flick or even to fill in the lower waterline. Even though this is currently listed in the most recent Avon book, unfortunately I couldn't find a link to it for Avon online, so my recommendation is to either check with an Avon representative or go to eBay, where I know for sure that you can get it at a very low cost - so go on, treat yourself to an amazing sparkly eyeliner that will look stunning for the festive season!

From left to right:

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow 07 Bleu Rock - Illuminating shade

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow 07 Bleu Rock - Blend & Stretch shade

Bourjois Smokey Eyes Trio Eyeshadow 07 Bleu Rock - Sculpting shade

Avon Glimmerstick Diamonds Eyeliner - Twilight Sparkle

For me to pick just one single nail polish in blue is simply impossible. Partly because I am always on the hunt for that PERFECT blue shade which is why I have loads of them, and also because there are so many different shades of blue, all beautiful in their own right. As a compromise I have therefore chosen two different shades of blue from our old friend Barry M, which is probably one of the most budget friendly brands on the market that offers not only a polish range in all the colors of the rainbow, but also a great formula. The Barry M Nail paints as they are called, are easy to work with to get a streak free finish, they're fast drying and long lasting. Seriously, there are not many brands,  about which you can say all those things regardless of price point. Not only that, but Barry M really keeps up with the trends and you can find any type of effect you want - plain, shimmer, sugar-coated, crackling top coats, metallic, magnetic, foil, matte or concrete - you are spoilt for choice.

The first shade I have chosen is Navy which is an amazing, vibrant, true blue shade with a slight golden undertone to it. It's a stunning, timeless shade of blue with a lovely satin sheen that would work with any outfit or occasion and for me, this is a must have in a nail polish collection. So if we started at the classic end of the spectrum, now we'll move to the other end with more playful effects. The second shade I have chosen is Atlantic Road which is a light, soft and warm powder blue with a textured effect. With this type of polish you really need to apply at least two coats to create that interesting, raspy, grainy and raw concrete effect. I also find that even though it sets very quickly on your nail, it takes a few hrs for the effect to really come into its own. It's a fun way to add a lighthearted and spirited edge to a look or an outfit. 

I've mentioned some wonderful products already, but for me the real gem (if you'll excuse the pun) amongst these blue pickings is the fragrance from La Prairie - Life Threads Sapphire EdP. La Prairie is probably best known for their highly scientific and luxurious top of the range skincare, but they also do some amazing fragrances. First of all, let's take a few seconds and talk about the bottle. It's a gorgeous, strict geometrical shape with whimsical web like threads throughout it, and scattered gems in brilliant white and sapphire blue trapped in the web - it's like a tiny sculpture that deserves to be displayed on a dressing table.

The scent itself is a lovely warm, sensual and elegant floral with a very slight oriental twist to it. It's a rich mix of faint orange flowers, balmy rose, sweet and fresh lilac, seductive jasmine, soft animalistic, golden amber and dry, spicy wood. You might think that these are all too over powering, but the combination is so well balanced and subtle that none of the notes dominate or over power the others. For me this is a one of a kind scent that really stands out, and it's the height of sophistication. Since this is a high quality EdP, you only need very little to make it last all day and this captivating scent is perfect for this time of year, warming you up from the inside out.

This was a small selection of my most loved blue products, but of course there are so many shades that probably deserve an article of their own, e.g. teal, baby blue etc. Although plum and berry shades are all of the high street at the moment, I hope this has inspired you to perhaps introduce a few elements of blue into your A/W beauty and makeup routine, and that you're not left feeling blue.

Also, just a reminder of the international giveaway that is going on at the moment, which is open until Oct 25.