Purple edition

Since it's Easter this weekend I thought it would be appropriate for the color edition this month to focus on purple. As a color it's a mix of mostly red with a portion of blue and it's one of the colors that was first used in art, but making purple pigments was a complicated and costly business which is probably why purple is traditionally often associated with luxury, royalty and dignity. Purple also symbolizes magic and spirituality and to me it's an elegant and harmonious statement color which I love to wear; from the darker more sophisticated shades in winter time to the lighter, more floral and romantic shades in the summer time. Interestingly enough all of my favorite flowers (except jasmine) are purple - lilac, sweet peas and hyacinth, and my birthstone is tourmaline so it seems as if I have a strong connection with this particular color and today I want to show you some of my favorite purple products.

Having fair complexion that still tans quite easily I guess you could say that I have a golden undertone to my skin, so I generally avoid purple or blue toned lip products since they tend to make my skin look very pale, and not pale and interesting but pale and sickly. But over winter I did experiment with deeper berry shades and I came across a product that positively surprised me in many ways - Rimmel's Stay Glossy Lip Gloss (£6.29). First of all I had been very skeptical to lip glosses up until fairly recently since I used to think of them as sticky sparkly and cheap lip goo, however this formula of cotton and silk is lovely, moisturising and completely non sticky. Even though the lip gloss feels very light on the lips the pigmentation is intense and long lasting - the claim is that it should hold up to six hours and on me it lasts at least four hrs, which is still pretty good. It's available in eleven shades and Captivate Me may look very dark and purple in the tube, but it's more of a dark raspberry pink on the lips and it creates a lovely sheer glistening look. So not only did this product prove to be nothing like the image I had of lip glosses but it turns out that I can actually do blue-toned lippies too.

I've mentioned before that I love to use a colorful eye pencil on my lower water line, to add a little something to a neutral make up look, especially during the warmer months of the year and when I've got a little bit of color. Since I now have a little bit of a tan, albeit fake - courtesy of the amazing Clarins Liquid Bronze Self Tanning for face and decolleté (£19) that I reviewed yesterday, it's time to sharpen those eye pencils. One of my favorites eye pencil's is the L'Oréal Color Riche Le Khol (£4.39) in 114 Breezy Lavander, a beautiful intense metallic light lavender. The formula is a combination of oil and wax, making it very soft and creamy to work with and the pencil applies very smoothly without any need for pressing or tugging. Although it's not specifically water resistant it does have a long lasting wear making it great to use on the upper or lower waterline. Sticking with pencils but in a much thicker version, I've really taken to chubby sticks both for lips and for eyes - they are just so handy and practical. One of the most interesting and affordable formulas on the high street is Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick (£4.49). The consistency is very soft and buildable and you barely need to touch your eyelid with the tip to get an intense color payoff with a very subtle lustrous finish. The shade 006 Paranoid Purple is a gorgeous high shine Byzantium purple and although one light sweep with the stick is enough to get a nice color, personally I think this shade looks its best when you've built it up and you have a dramatic and daring look. The pigmentation may be intense but unfortunately it's not very long lasting, and on me the color fades after only a few hrs despite using an eye shadow primer - but that is the only down side with this product, and as such I think it's a great budget friendly option to the original Clinique chubby.

From top to bottom:

Rimmel's Stay Glossy Lip Gloss in Captivate Me

L'Oréal Color Riche Le Khol in 114 Breezy Lavander

Rimmel's Scandaleyes Eye Shadow Stick in 006 Paranoid Purple

A nail polish brand that I have raved about a few times before is the amazing Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure Formula (£6.99) that combines base coat, strengthener, growth treatment and top coat with each color. It's taken me a while to completely trust this product, but having tried so many different shades of it now I have managed to wean myself off wearing a separate base- and top coat and so far it's never caused any problems with discoloration to the nails or the finish. It has a wonderful wide brush for easy streak-free application and strong pigmentation that will last for about 5-6 days before you might want to touch it up, with an excellent high shine finish. There are over 60 colors to choose from and this shade - Good to Grape is a lovely creamy and rich Wisteria purple that looks so graceful and pretty. If you haven't already tried this gem from Sally Hansen I would highly recommend it, after all you get 5 products in 1 for a very reasonable price and with a quality that puts a lot of premium brands to shame.

A nail polish from a premium brand that never disappoints is Estée Lauder's Pure Color Nail Lacquer (£14). The formula is excellent with high pigmentation for a beautiful opaque look and exceptional high shine finish and this one also comes with a nice wide brush for even coverage. With a lot of the darker shades you could probably get away with only applying one coat, but the shade Bete Noire is a magnificent dark royal purple with a slight shimmer that definitely should be applied in at least two coats so that the effect comes into its own. Since I'm a polishaholic and change my nail color more times than I can count every week, it's not necessarily a deal breaker for me if the wear isn't brilliant, however it is VERY important to me when it comes to premium brands since they usually come at a premium price and they therefore also should have premium quality, but I've always been very happy with the longevity of Estée Lauder polishes and I would say it takes about five days before the finish needs to be retouched. You can see swatches of both nail polishes here on my Instagram.

Last in this purple line up is a fragrance, and it's a celebrity one which can be controversial. I know that a lot of people have very strong views about celebrity scents, however I am an equal perfume opportunist and only look at the actual scent qualities, which I think should be assessed on their own and not whether you're a fan of the celebrity or not. I'm curious to know what your thought are on this, so please let me know in the comments below. Regardless - this is Britney Spears Midnight Fantasy EdP (£24) which comes in a pretty deep purple bottle with little pale blue crystals. It's a delightful, fruity, young and uncomplicated scent that makes me think of a warm summer night garden after the rain. When you first spray it on you can easily detect the piquant and fresh fruitiness of raspberry and cherries, which eventually give way to a more sophisticated note of colorful delicious and sweet freesia and orchids. The scent is grounded in warm and sensual notes of musk, and vanilla which gives it substance and keeps it from being too light and candy like. Even though Midnight Fantasy is an EdP and therefore it should be fairly concentrated and linger quite a long time on the skin, I do find that it's less intense than most of my EdPs and I would say that it lasts about 2 hrs on me before I feel that I need to apply some more. It doesn't matter though, I still adore this fruity, sunny and joyful scent and every time I wear it I get loads of compliments for it, so would I buy it again? - definitely! Would I recommend that you try it regardless of what you think of celebrity fragrances? - definitely!

I hope you've enjoyed this selection of a few favorite purple products. I'll be taking a few days break over Easter since we'll be going away, but I'll be back again as usual on Tuesday. Have a great Easter everyone! Xx

5 Skin care travel essentials

For someone who hates flying I seem to spend an awful lot of time on airplanes and now it's time to hit the road, or shall I say airwaves again as I'm off to visit my family for a few days. When it comes to traveling, I like to keep it simple so that I have as few things as possible to log around and of course I also like to keep some free space in the suitcase for any things I might possibly - read very probably, pick up while I'm away. When I visit my family I quite cheekily use whatever hair care and body care products are around since it's only for a few days, but one thing I won't compromise on is my skincare and by now I've got my travel skin care routine down to a t. The magic word behind the routine is multi purpose, one product with several uses which means that I, the self confessed beauty junky only need a measly 5 skin care items when I'm away on a short trip.    

When I'm away for a few days I won't take an exfoliator with me, so it's even more important for me to have a great cleanser with me, and my preferred choice is the Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micelle Solution (£4.50). Normally I would only use a micellar solution as part of my morning routine, but when I travel it's so practical to get an eye makeup remover, cleanser and toner in one - what a space and time saver! It's a very mild but effective alcohol free cleanser that removes every single trace of makeup from your eyes and face, even stubborn water proof makeup. To get rid of all my makeup I'll use perhaps 2 cotton pads, and that's enough to make the skin feeling clinically clean and soft without any dehydration at all. Although this original micellar solution is no longer the hottest thing in Blogiverse, I still think it's the best one and I always make sure that I have one in this handy travel size.

I may not bring an exfoliator with me, but I always make sure that I have a generous amount of Origins Drink Up Intensive (£22) Overnight Mask with me. It contains seaweed which is well known for nourishing the skin and to help it retain moisture and it makes the skin feel brand new - overnight it makes your skin hydrated, soft and smooth. This is a life saver when you're traveling since you can use it not only as a mask or an intense night cream, but you can use it to target specific areas that have caught a bit too much sun, and even as a fabulously rich and creamy pre-moisturising treatment. It's an incredible product, worth every penny and I can't get enough of the gorgeous scent of whipped cream and orange.

Another fabulous travel product is the Clarins Face Treatment Oil Santal (£32) for dry/extra dry skin. Like all the Clarins treatment oils it's a very luxurious and rich oil based on 100% pure plant extracts and this is perfect to hydrate, calm and decongest the skin and you'll quickly see a noticeable difference with your skin appearing plump, smooth and soft as a peach. I like to use this before applying moisturiser since it doesn't cause any shininess, or as a rich nightcream. I also keep a tiny bottle of this in my hand luggage and when I feel uncomfortable with turbulence etc, which I inevitably do - the curse of being a nervous flyer, I warm up a tiny drop of the oil between the palms of my hands and breathe it in. It may sound a little bit crazy, but the gorgeous warm spicy and slightly sweet cardamom scent that reminds me of newly baked buns, helps me relax - whatever works right?

Flying, too much sun, insufficient sleep, air conditioning - it can all dehydrate the skin so my favorite travel moisturiser is the Estée Lauder Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Creme (£35). The formula is like a wonderful velvety soft gel that boosts the skin with intense moisture and then helps to retain that level of hydration throughout the day. It's lovely and light and absorbs straight away into the skin making your skin feel invigorated and refreshed. What I like most about Hydrationist is that my skin still feels lovely and smooth in the evening after using it, and it's just that kind of moisture that you need when you're stuck on an airplane for a good few hrs.

The last out of my 5 skin care travel essentials is the lovely and refreshing Dermalogica Total Eye Care (£37) which is great for hydrating, strengthening and smoothing the under eye area. The consistency is light and fluffy without any oiliness at all and it feels lovely and light weight on the skin. I never manage to get any sleep when I fly, so I usually land tired and with big dark circles under my eyes, and this is when this eye cream comes so handy. Total Eye Care has a subtle nude color and it contains light reflecting particles so when you apply it, it'll reduce the appearance of dark circles and make the eye area look so bright and fresh with a subtle radiance, to the extent that you won't even need an under eye concealer.

There you have it - 5 multi purpose skin saviors for traveling, and I'm even so conscious of space that I put the bigger products in travel sized bottles and pots... I must be getting old... What are your must have products for traveling?

Fave 5 Estée Lauder products

The first premium brand that I ever tried was Estée Lauder, and ever since it's been one of my most loved and trusted brands that I keep going back to time and time again. The brand is almost 70 years old and for me Estée Lauder embodies high quality products, tasteful designs, and approachability. One of the things that I love is that it's a strong brand cross the board and you'll find excellent skin care as well as gorgeous perfumes and great makeup, and today we'll look at my favorite 5 products at the moment.

One of my most loved moisturisers ever is the Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Creme (£35). The technology behind it focuses entirely on optimising how moisture is absorbed by the skin for an instant moisture boost, how it strengthens the skin's moisture barrier and how it retains moisture throughout the day, which all helps to make your skin look plump and healthy. It's available in two different types - one for normal/combination skin and one for dry skin. I always get the one for dry skin which has a lovely velvety and almost gel like texture, despite being a cream that boosts the skin with moisture all day long. The cream is absorbed into the skin with the lightest touch and you'll instantly feel energised and refreshed and in the evening when it's time to remove the face of the day, the skin feels exactly as soft, supple and hydrated as if you'd just applied your moisturiser. The moisturising qualities are so impressive and the cream works just as well in winter as in summer time, and an added bonus to the enjoyable experience of using it is the beautiful soft scent - an absolute gem!

Another pick from the great Estée Lauder skin care range is the Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Eye Creme (£44). Since my skin tends to get dehydrated I always look for rich and intensely nourishing formulas for the delicate eye area, and this is wonderful to use. It contains ingredients that helps to boost production of natural collagen and elastin that are essential for making the skin look firm and plump and it also has luminizing optics that blur out the appearance of darkness and lines around the eyes. Even though it's a very creamy formula it easily sinks into the skin and it feels very light weight and refreshing, and the skin looks so smooth and radiant as if you've slept for 10 hrs. It is a fairly expensive cream, but the first one I tried lasted four months after using it twice a day, so you get an excellent amount of wear out of it. I've mentioned before that I love products that feel as if they are actually doing something and this eye cream doesn't only feel as if it's doing something it IS doing something and I will definitely keep repurchasing it.

Estée Lauder often releases the most incredible collectible little powder compacts in all kinds of designs and shapes, adorned with amazing jewels and one of the most recent editions was the Zodiac. The compacts are quite small and fairly heavy, in gold color with different crystal designs depending on the star sign. Even though I don't actually use much powder I instantly fell in love with the collection and just had to have the Scorpio Zodiac Powder Compact (£38.50). It comes with a tiny applicator and the Lucidity Translucent Pressed Powder that is included is refillable so when it runs out, you just need to get a pan for the compact (£15). It's a completely indulgent trinket that I definitely didn't need, however because it's so small and dainty it's perfect to carry with you in a small hand bag, and I do feel a bit like a glamorous film star taking out this beautiful compact, powdering my nose and fixing the lipstick.

Speaking of glamorous, that's exactly the word I would use to describe the Pure Color Vivid Shine Lipstick (£20) in Hot Lava. The Vivid Shine formula is creamy, hydrating on the lips, long lasting and has clusters of different shaped prism pearls in it to create a luminous effect that also heightens the color. It's also has pearls in silver and gold to neutralize your natural liptone, which means that all of the more than 20 different gorgeous colors should look lovely with any skin tone. This particular shade is Hot Lava, a beautiful warm, sophisticated deep red in stylish and sleek packaging for a very elegant and groomed look. I love this vintage shade because of the satin finish, its crystal effect and versatility. We should all have a classic go-to red in our lipstick wardrobe, and if you haven't found yours yet, you should definitely try this or one of the other red shades from this lovely lipstick range. 

When it comes to nail polish, for me personally there are very few premium brands that beat the great options from the high street, but Estée Lauder is one of them and the Pure Color Nail Lacquer (£14) formula is one of the best that you can get. First of all the nail polishes look luxurious and amazing in the heavy crystal bottles - it's a real treat to buy one, and secondly the formula is intensely pigmented with a super shiny finish. The brush is nice and wide which makes application very easy and together with the pigmentation you quickly get a wonderful opaque and even finish. The nail polish dries very quickly, so if like me you prefer to apply two coats, you can still get your mani done in under five mins since you really don't need a top coat. One of the things about Estée Lauder polishes that I value the most is that unlike a lot of other premium brands, the polishes long lasting (on me about five days) and they will not chip or smudge easily, and I've never been disappointed in the wear with any of the polishes I have.

There's a lovely range of colors and effects to choose from, and we have two different shades from my collection. The first one is Dilettante, which is a gorgeous ice cream colored, crisp light blue with a hint of mint to it, just perfect for the Spring & Summer pastel trend, and the other one - Blue Blood is an intense, shimmering deep royal blue with such high shine it's almost mirror like. I love these polishes and am excited to pick up some new shades from the S&S collection, and I've already got my eye on an intense orchid shade - Insolent Plum.

From left to right (two coats, but no top coat):

Dilettante

Blue Blood

I have quite a few other Estée Lauder products that I use regularly, and even though I haven't mentioned them here today I also highly recommend that you try one of the great repair serums, or one of the gorgeous gelée powder eye shadows, they're all a nice introduction to this classic brand that stays contemporary by constantly reinventing itself.

A cheeky little beauty haul

The after Christmas sale is dangerous ground for someone like me, and I'm like a kid in a candy store looking at all the wonderful offers and discounts, trying my hardest not to get too carried away. Despite all the dangers lurking, I did tempt fate and braved the sales early one morning to beat the worst thing about sales - the crowds, and I ended up getting one or two things, well ok... maybe a few more than that...

After years of having played around with makeup but never really thinking about the tools that I was using, I fell in love with Real Techniques brushes last year, and I'm guessing I'm probably not the first one this has happened to. Previously I use to be content with using whatever little hard sponge applicator that came with the product, but having tried the amazingly fluffy, soft and pliable Real Techniques brushes, there's just no going back to anything less than this. Since I still can't quite get used to working with brushes to apply foundation. I decided that it would be better for me to invest in some more brushes for eye makeup and I ended up getting two of the Real Technique Shading Brushes (£7.99). I'm so looking forward to using these brushes with some new eye shadows that I got recently and I'm still completely enamored with Real Techniques brushes. and I have a feeling this new relationship will last for quite a long time to come.

One thing that I will do better this year is to take better care of my growing collection of quality brushes, so I definitely needed to pick up a brush cleanser, and I ended up getting the No 7 Makeup Brush Cleanser (£8). The cleanser is more of a quick fix between uses and it comes with a pump dispenser, so you can spray it onto some tissue paper and then wipe off the brushes. Sounds good to me and although I know I should cleanse the brushes properly at least once a month, this is a great stop gap for me and definitely a step in the right direction when it comes to brush cleansing - all I need to do now is to actually use it...

After these little essentials I passed the stand for Seventeen products and the range of mascaras caught my eye. I don't mind paying a bit more for a super quality mascara, however since I go through them at rocket pace I am always open to a bargain. When I saw what these picks from Seventeen promise to do for my lashes, for a fraction of the cost of what I would normally spend on a mascara, I just had to try them. I crave long, volumized, curled and preferably flared lashes. That's a tall order and that's what the Seventeen Falsifeye Mascara (£4) claims it can do - well I have actually started to use it and I'll do a review of it very soon, and we'll see how it did. The second mascara - the Seventeen Dolld Up Mascara (£4) also promises beautifully curved, volumised lashes for a wide eyed look that lasts 24 hrs and of course I just had to get that as well. I have never managed to get hold of a great mascara for less than approx. £8, but I'm keeping an open mind and let's see if any of them can give my beloved YSLs Baby Doll Mascara a run for its money.

The last product to hit my shopping basket in Boots was a cheeky little lipstick that I have been hunting high and low for, Estée Lauder's Pure Colour Vivid Shine Lipstick (£20) in the gorgeous shade Hot Lava. I love Estée Lauder lipsticks - they are beautifully moisturising, the shine is incredible and they have super wear throughout the day. Hot Lava is a creamy, glamorous, and timeless deep red wine shade that is simply stunning and despite the richness it's not too dark for Spring.

As you know for me no shopping trip is complete unless I get something new for my nails, and this time around I ended up with products that all speak to the OTT side of me (and believe me, there's absolutely no point in trying to quiet that side down). When I quickly browsed through Primark I accidentally spotted some very interesting caviar mixes and the price (£2) each was so low it would have been plain rude not to buy them. Both sets come with a base shade and a caviar mix and although I may not get much use out of the base shades or have very high hopes on the formula, at least I have two very interesting mixes to play with. The first one is a gorgeous and balanced mix of black, silver and gold and I just can't wait to try some different looks with this, and the second one is a lovely mix of different blues; navy, cobolt, deep sky blue, turquoise and silver. I imagine it would look amazing with a tan in the summer.

After that accidental purchase I wandered on to Superdrug where I found a great deal on Models Own products - 2 for £8, which was just too good an offer to refuse, and I ended up getting something I hadn't tried before - the Models Own Artistix Duo (£6) in Terra Crystal and Ember Red. It's the same principle as with Revlon's Moon Candy products, so it's basically 2 products in 1 with a plain base shade at one end and then a different effect top coat at the other. In the first one, Terra Crystal, the base shade is a muted bark brown and the effect is a glitter polish with pink and black particles in different sizes and together they create a very gritty but sparkly look. The base shade in the second one, Ember Red is a deep maroon and the top coat a shimmer mix of lustrous  bright red, orange and gold - I'm so looking forward to experimenting with both of these.

My last stop of this little treasure hunt was Debenhams, where a big sales sign at the Lancome section made me go a little overboard and I ended up getting a few Lancome Ombre In Love Eyeshadows (limited edition - £9.50). The shades are all beautiful shimmering pastels in pink and green with tempting names like Romance Tagada, Pistachio Cream and Cosmopolitan Mint and they looked soooo pretty. The eyeshadows had been taken out of the packaging so what I didn't realise was that they come in a slightly flimsy paper packaging. I really don't like it and it's not at all what I would have expected from Lancome, but I'll just take that in my happy blogger stride hoping that the formula won't disappoint.

I haven't tried any eye makeup from Lancome in a very long time so I kind of look at this as research for the blog, which we all know has to be done - hrmm... and as you may have seen from the Spring & Summer collections 2014, these shade will be VERY useful and I've been very good to plan ahead. Despite my disappointment in the Lancome packaging, I'm still quite happy about what I got overall and I look forward to start testing everything out and I'm planning on publishing the first review in a week or so.

December favourites

It's almost the end of December and there's been so much to like about this month. From a beauty point of view I think I knew already at the beginning of the month at least 3 products that I would be wearing non stop and loving in December and they are all unfortunately limited editions, specially for Christmas. If you're read some of my earlier posts in December, some of the favourites this month won't come as a surprise to you - let's start with the make up products that have been used more often than not. 

I've added a few new products to my make up bag this season and one of the products I've loved the most in December is the amazing Gelée Powder EyeShadow from Estée Lauder (£19). Overall I really enjoy using these lightweight creamy eye shadows and this particular product takes the formula to the next level in terms of quality, intensity and longevity. The consistency is wonderfully smooth and creamy to apply and it quickly dries into a powder form that wears really well for at least the next 8 hrs. This lovely shade is Cyber Red, an intense and vibrant metallic cranberry shade that's been wonderful for a berry winter look.

Another new addition this season is a few new shades of the Color Boost Lip Crayon from Bourjois (£7.99). As you'll probably know by now I absolutely love this formula that not only gives a great satin like smooth coverage but also moisturises and keeps the lips nice and cared for. In December I've worn the shade Rouge a lot, it's a lovely scarlet red that's been perfect to wear with a winged eyeliner look.

So I've loved some of the new additions to my makeup bag this month, but I've also rediscovered an old favourite, which is almost as nice as picking up something new, in Rimmel's Glam Eyes Mono Eye Shadow (£4.49) in the shade Smokey Quartz. It's a nice and silky powder formula that's easy to apply on the lid and to build for intense color without any fall out and it lasts for at least 5-6 hrs without any creasing. The shade Smokey Quartz is a lovely slightly shimmery soft nougat, which is perfect to wear on its own all over the lid or as a base color. It's a great every day eye shadow and after having reminded myself of how much I actually like it, I will now definitely pick up some more shades of it.

 

From left to right (in natural light):

Rimmel Eye Shadow - Smokey Quartz

Estée Lauder Gel Eye Shadow - Cyber Red

Bourjois Lip Crayon - Rouge

At the beginning of December I mentioned that I had already found my favourite nail polish, which was quite a statement to make considering I also had the wonderful Ciaté advent calendar to look forward to - but as it turns out, I was right! I have worn the gorgeous Nails Inc Kensington Church Street Snowflake Effect nail polish (£10.80) almost every single day in December in one combination or another. It is a polish, however I think it's best used as a top coat since it's rich with glitter and sequins that look like snowflakes, and you could probably wear this over any color and the effect would be dazzling and beautiful. Personally I've preferred to wear it over icy cool pastels shades in light frosty blue or metallic foil like silver or gold shades for a festive look. This is a limited edition polish that has sold out in most places where they stock Nails Inc, but if you hurry up, you might be able to get hold of it in your local Nails Inc Bar, Boots or online - and believe me, it's definitely worth a little bit of effort to hunt it down!

I'm sure you won't be surprised to see that the Lush Snow Fairy Shower Gel (£10.95) and EdT (£25 for 30 ml) have landed themselves a very safe spot amongst my December Favourites. As you probably know by now Snow Fairy is released every year by Lush as part of their Christmas collection and ever since I first tried it many, many moons ago it's been a firm Lush favourite of mine. Snow Fairy is a one of a kind scent that somehow manages to be both sweet and freshly crisp and fruity at the same time. It has a very distinct candy like bubblegum scent with a subtle warm undertone of white musk which makes is perfect to wear in the winter time. The shower gel has a rich and creamy texture with a lovely pink shimmery color and the beautiful scent lasts a few hrs on your skin after you've used it, perhaps even up to about 4 hrs when you layer it with the EdT.

I'm so glad I stocked up on Snow Fairy as soon as it was released since as with a lot of seasonal favourites, it sold out very quickly and unfortunately neither the shower gel nor the EdT are available from the Lush online store anymore, but you might get lucky and still find Snow Fairy in your local Lush or of course on eBay. What seasonal or limited editions do you have as part of your December favourites?

Red edition

For me the color I most associate with the festive season is red. As a primary color it's a forceful and dynamic shade that is often linked with strong emotions like love, passion, action, courage or even anger but at this time of year for me it evokes feelings of joy and hope. There are so many shades of red in the spectrum from the lighter, softer shades that are almost coral pink to the dark brown blood red vampy shades, which is why the hunt for the perfect red lipstick or nail polish is never really over, something I think every beauty junkie will agree with. Red is definitely my shade of choice this season and here are a few of my favorite red products that will be worn a lot this Christmas.

There are so many gorgeous red nail polish shades this season but as soon as I saw China Glaze (£4.95) in the shade With Love, I knew that this would be my Christmas polish. I was really looking forward to wearing this shade since I'd never used China Glaze before, but had read some great reviews of this US brand and I'm sure I'm not the only one. China Glaze has an enormous range of shades in every color of the rainbow and there are over 300 to choose from. With Love is a true glamorous red shade with a hint of orange that creates the radiant, almost scarlet color. The formula is just the right density - not too watery, not too thick and together with the lovely wide brush it's easy to get an even streak free coverage that dries quickly, with no effort at all. It has a rich pigmentation so one coat of this fabulous red is actually enough for an opaque finish, however personally I prefer to wear two coats.

All the China Glaze nail polishes contain something called China Clay, which is the same material that adds shine to porcelain and it also strengthens the nails, so you'll automatically get a high shine finish without using an additional top coat. On me the finish stays flawless for about 4-5 days, which I think is quite good and then I might need to top up the high shine with a top coat. I love this nail polish and have worn it both on its own (getting so many compliments for it) and as a base shade for festive nail effects and if you haven't yet tried China Glaze, I highly recommend it - you won't be disappointed.

From left to right (in artificial light):

China Glaze - 112 With Love

China Glaze 112 With Love & Nails Inc Snowflake effect

China Glaze 112 With Love & Nails Inc Snow Globe

China Glaze 112 With Love & Nails Inc Party Shoes

China Glaze 112 With Love & Rimmel Disco Ball

From left to right (in natural light):

China Glaze - 112 With Love

China Glaze 112 With Love & Nails Inc Snowflake effect

China Glaze 112 With Love & Nails Inc Snow Globe

China Glaze 112 With Love & Nails Inc Party Shoes

China Glaze 112 With Love & Rimmel Disco Ball

If you've read some of my latest eye makeup posts, you'll know that I've been experimenting with using a lot of red and darker berry shades and I've also tried some new interesting formulas. First we had the well known and loved Maybelline 24 hr colour tattoo, then for me Bourjois' 24 hr cream to shadow proved to be even better than that, and now we have the creme de la creme with Estée Lauder's Gelée Powder EyeShadow (£19) in Cyber Red. It comes in a stylish little compact and has a lovely multi dimensional pattern to us, that's almost too pretty to mess up and the concept behind it is very interesting; gel, powder and liquid in one. It has an incredibly soft and smooth consistency that easily glides onto the eyelid and stays without any creasing or fading all throughout the day. There are 6 metallic, intense shade in the range at the moment and they can be used either dry or wet, depending on which color intensity you're going for. This is a lovely warm and dynamic burgundy red with incredible sheen to it, and I've loved wearing it with just a dark eyeliner and lots of mascara. After a recommendation from one of you lovely readers, I use an almost white base shade before applying Cyber Red and the shade really pops and comes into its own. Thanks for that great tip!

As I've started to wear a red statement lip a lot this Christmas season I've also realised the importance of using a lip pencil, something I didn't use to bother with. But when you wear a vibrant red, or another strong shade a lip pencil is almost a must, not only for defining and maybe even correcting the shape of your lips but also to prevent any bleeding and to make the shade last longer. I've invested in some of the No7 Precision Lips Pencils (£6.75) and for me they are just perfect; soft, smooth and moisturising and they don't dry or fade in a horrible way. For a punchy red statement lip the shade Fire is perfect and it would work well with a range of red shades both lighter and darker and I've paired this lip pencil with the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer (£6.49) in Big Bang. I've mentioned this amazing Rimmel product a few times before, and I'm sorry for repeating myself but honestly this is one of the best lip products on the high street. The formula is so moisturising but still intense and it gives a lovely high shine. Big Bang is a glorious, vivid clear red shade which is so lovely with a neutral or even nude eye look and with this shade you don't need anything else, it does all the talking. 

From top to bottom (in artificial light):

Estée Lauder Eye shadow - Cyber Ruby

No 7 Lip liner - Fire 

Rimmel Apocalips - Big Bang

From top to bottom (in natural light):

Estée Lauder Eye shadow - Cyber Ruby

No 7 Lip liner - Fire 

Rimmel Apocalips - Big Bang

Last among some of my favourite red products is the fantastic EdP from Tom Ford - Jasmin Rouge EdP (£140 for 50 ml) which I have done a review of previously. It's a wonderful and sensual exotic blend of different types of jasmine, spice and clary sage that creates a very bold and glamorous statement. It's floral but not sweet, intense but not over powering and classic and contemporary all at the same time. This is the purest jasmine scent that I have ever tried and it's completely intoxicating. As you probably know I LOVE perfume and have quite a collection and I usually wear something different every day, but if I had to choose just one single scent to wear for the rest of my life, this would be it - and for me to say that, really does say something about this scent.

A warm, vibrant red is indeed the primary festive color above all, and although it may be a predictable color to wear, it's a classic - after all I wouldn't want to criticize what Santa wears since I hope he'll bring me something nice in a few days...

November empties

If I may say so myself I have been SOOO good this month, finishing up quite a lot of products. It's not that I don't like the stuff that I already have and want to get rid of it, it's just that I like to try new things more and I can't try those things until I've finished others.... oh dear - it's tough being a beauty junkie.

The first items I've been good to finish are a Shower gel, Body Lotion and a Body Mist from Bath & Body Works' Secret Wonderland range. I've mentioned before that I really like the shower gels and body lotions because they feel so luxurious and gentle on your skin, and since they contain vitamin E and shea butter they also make the skin very smooth and moisturised. Secret Wonderland is a juicy sweet and fruity scent of different sun kissed berries - strawberries, raspberries and goji berries rounded with subtle gardenia, jasmine, creamy vanilla and lovely warm musk. It's a very whimsical and romantic fragrance that makes you think of late summer. I've really enjoyed wearing it and I will definitely get it again when I get the chance.

I love to use serums as part of my skin care routine and this month I finished up Estée Lauder's Perfectionist serum. It's a silky and intense anti-wrinkle repair serum with a slightly lilac tint, that you can use both during the day or evening. Because of it's firming qualities and since it firms up the skin almost immediately I've mainly used a tiny bit under my moisturiser during the day. It's made my skin look really relaxed and plump, and since I'm all about plumping and nourishing when it comes to skin care this has been wonderful to use, and I would highly recommend it to anyone with tendencies towards dehydrated skin for an extra boost in the morning or in the evening before going out.

I also finished up another product to nourish and restore the skin after the time I spent in the sun this summer - Origins Starting Over. This moisturiser is packed with mimosa which is great at stimulating the creation of collagen and protein in the skin cells to keep the skin toned and protected. It has a lovely light consistency, that makes the skin feel supple nourished and refreshed, and the amazing scent of fresh and zesty citrus fruits makes this cream a pleasure to use. Even though Starting Over builds up the skin, for me personally it doesn't give the amount of hydration my skin craves during the autumn and winter, so despite being so lovely I won't be repurchasing this until next Spring.

A few months ago I bought the Revlon Lash Potion Mascara after having read some good reviews of it and to start with I was quite happy with it. The formula was dry already from the start, but I thought that the large brush with triple-grooves gave a good coverage, the lashes looked noticeably thicker, longer and separated. I also found that the mascara lasted well and didn't cause any smudging, so all my first impressions weren't bad. However even though the brush gave good coverage I found that it was a little stiff to work with, and as time went on and the consistency got really gloopy and clumpy it got very difficult to get an even coverage. I know that the consistency of mascaras change throughout their lifetime, but this changed too much for me. What started as a promising mascara, unfortunately ended as a bit of a disappointment and I wont be getting this particular one again.

As the days are getting darker and I'm getting more and more into cozy evenings in front of the TV-with hot chocolate mood I have really sped up my "consumption" of candles. I go through them at lightening speed, which is why I have three empty ones this month. I'll start with some from my favourite candle makers Lily-Flame. By now I must have bought and used about 15 different candles from Lily-Flame and they've never disappointed me. They have a super range of scents with everything from floral to citrus, from fresh clean and natural to foodie inspired and they burn really well. I've mentioned before that this year I'm doing something I've never done before - I'm changing the scents that I wear and  surround me with, to fit the season. With Halloween coming up I can't think of anything more appropriate than a candle called Spook which has adorable little bats on the tin. It's a mix of fudge and toffee apples, which sounds really yummy but unfortunately this candle didn't work for me at all. The scent of the fudge and the toffee was far too buttery, and it completely overtook any crisp freshness from the apples which would have balanced it out - ultimately, for me the scent is almost sickly sweet. But to end on a positive note, the second candle from Lily-Flame amongst the empties is the wonderful Mellow Figs & Garden Mint. It's a mix of mellow earthy fig and crisp cool mint that creates a very welcoming piquant and fresh scent - gorgeous, and I look forward to getting it again! 

The last product in this months empties is a Yankee Candle in Black Cherry. It's a great mix of the sweet and sour from cherries that makes a lovely rich and delicious scent - it smells exactly like real cherries taste. When I got this candle it smelt so strongly before it had even been lit, that you could get months and months scent out of it even without burning it. If like me you like cherries, this is a must have candle and you won't find anything else like it.

Well, that's that for this month, and by the end of this week I'll have the first two empties for December's batch - I really AM doing well and my reward is that I can finally start using some of the products that I have been saving for months!

September empties

It feels as if it was just yesterday that I wrote the empties post for August - where does the time go? Today I have quite a good mix for you with a little bit of everything and you may recognize some of them from previous posts.

One of the first products I finished this month is my staple Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel from Clarins. I have repurchased this so many times because of its very gentle but effective cleansing abilities and it leaves no dry areas at all. I should mention that it is a foaming gel since there's a lot of discussion about whether you should use this on your skin or not, although it is soap free and the foaming comes from Soapwort which is a natural alternative to soap. I love how refreshed and pepped up my skin feels after I've used it. This is partly because of the lightness of the gel and partly because of the amazing, zesty fresh citrusy scent - what a way to start the day or to wash away the day that's been and I will definitely repurchase this again. 

It might seem strange to some people, but I actually light candles all year around since I'm scent-dependent, and I try to capture the time of year in the scents that I use and surround myself with. One of the candles I've used this summer has been Lily-Flame's Sweet Pea, mentioned in one of my very first blog posts. All of the Lily Flame candles are so pretty to look with their tiny marshmallows on the top, and every time I light a candle the first time I feel so guilty for ruining it - but it has to be done to get to the goodies! Sweet pea is a very tender, ladylike and classic, pure scent that's been perfect for the hot summer evenings we've had. I wouldn't say that it smells exactly like the flower because it has less of the floral and is a more crisp and pure scent - very elegant and delicate. If you haven't tried any of the candles from this range I really recommend them. There are so many amazing scents to choose from and they all smell very authentic. Another thing I love about them is that they burn really really well in the tin - from side to side without creating a big horrible crater in the middle, so you do get full value out of these. Since I have just stacked up on candles you can expect to see some of them mentioned in the next few months. 

Staying with the scent of summer, I'm sad to say that I've finished my Moschino Pink Bouquet EdT. It contains scents from exotic pineapple, warm juicy peach, cooling citrus fruits, seductive womanly jasmine and spicy woods - which together forms a light, sparkling, fresh and lively scent that isn't in the least syrupy or sugary. Pink Bouquet has suited me perfectly and I got so many compliments wearing it, so even though I have A LOT of beautiful perfumes left, I will definitely get another one at some point after I've finished a few others (I can hear Him Indoors sighing with relief).

In my Green edition I mentioned the Kérastase Bain Force Architecte Reconstructing Shampoo so I'm not going to go into a lot of detail, but this is a higher end shampoo specifically for damaged and dry hair. It reconstructs your hair to improve its resistance and leaves it shiny and feeling much stronger. It is a pricier product but if you need an intensive treatment, I would highly recommend it since it's worked beautifully on my hair.

A while back I got two products out of the Estée Lauder Resilience Lift range; the Eye cream that I'm still using (and I think I'll still be using in 5 months time since you need so little of it), and the Resilience Lift Face and Neck Creme which I've now finished. The cream is supposed to help tighten the facial contours, using a light-responsive enzyme, minerals and mimosa extract to help boost your skin's collagen production. The formula is lovely and thick, and it quickly melts into your skin as you gently massage it in, leaving your skin feeling very moisturized and nourished. I've only used this as a night cream, but every morning my skin has looked radiant, fresh and plump and it feels as if it's been nourished throughout the night, preparing the skin nicely for the morning routine. I really enjoyed this creme and I will definitely consider getting it again.

The last item in this month's empties is also a skin care product - the Gatineau Melatogenine AOX Probiotics Youth Activating Beauty Serum (now say that quickly 10 times in a row - I DARE you). This is another item which is packed with antioxidants and pro-biotics to help boost the skins immune system and the effect is that it should help reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. I love using serums and have tried many different brands and this is slightly different than many of the others I've tried. It's slightly thinner and more runny in its texture, although it absorbs easily and also gives that lovely feeling of deep and long lasting moisturizing and I would highly recommend it if you don't like the sensation of thicker, richer serums. I can't really comment on the wrinkle reducing effects but your skin does feel very smooth, supple and bright.

Which products did you finish this month and will you be repurchasing any of them?

Smashed by Estée Lauder - A rival to Chanel's Taboo

I hadn't actually planned on doing this post just now since I do my regular Manic.Monday posts, but it seems like a lot of you enjoy nail polish reviews and also after seeing so many mentions of Chanel's Taboo - one of the most talked about shades this season, I really wanted to show off this polish which I think deserves a bit of attention. It's a product from last year's A/W collection and for me it rivals Chanel's Taboo on all levels. This beauty is Estée Lauder's Smashed.

I've mentioned before that I have a love of Estée Lauder nail polishes, and my collection keeps growing - I just can't get enough of them. Not only are they pretty to look at in their heavy set stylish glass bottles, but the formula is superb. There will of course be a difference between shades and effects, but in general the formula is highly pigmented so it will give a very opaque, wonderful coverage. I wouldn't go as far as to say that you can use only one coat, however it is one of these polishes where the coats really blend in with each other, bringing out different effects - and the finish is lavish with very high shine. Even though the high shine really stands out with the darker shades, I still like to use a top coat for ultimate brilliance. 

The polishes come with a nice wide brush that makes them easy to apply and that spreads the color evenly across the nail. Personally I like to use 2 coats, but since they dry very quickly it won't take very long even if you decide to go for more than that. Another thing that I really like about Estée Lauder polishes is that they are very long lasting and will not chip or smudge easily. When you buy premium brands, to me this is very important and I've never been disappointed with the long wear from any of the Estée Lauder polishes I've got.

Estée Lauder - Smashed

The shade Smashed is a gorgeous rich deep Byzantium purple with shimmer scattered throughout in blue, cerise and silver which looks very sophisticated on the nail, without being too gothic or heavy. I adore this shade and thoroughly recommend it as an option to Taboo - so go on and Smash it with this stunning polish!

August empties

I usually have several products on the go at the same time for different needs, moods etc but this month I've tried to be disciplined and finish some of them, before throwing myself at a new unopened one.... oooh there's nothing like opening a brand new product!

The first empty this month is a cheeky chappy from Avon - The Naturals Kids Mango Crazy Hair Tamer. Since I have long hair that always has a mind of its own after getting wet, this is perfect to help comb out all the kinks. It's a gentle and non sticky formula with a super fresh apple/mango scent. I know it's for kids, but it's a cheap and cheerful favourite of mine that really makes detangling less painful and my hair smooth, sleek and shiny.

Another old favourite that I finished is Clarins Hand and Nail Treament Cream which I have used on and off for years. It's a very rich and luxurious cream that contains sesame oil and Japanese mulberry to soften and protect the skin and I love massaging it into my hands, cuticles and elbows - completely random I know, but it works a treat! The cream has a subtle fresh and clean cotton scent with a small hint of orange or citrus. I adore this hand cream and it's a good thing I bought a duo pack the last time, so I don't need to be without for a little while.

I got a small pot of Cherry Body Butter from Body Shop a while back in their sales - Body Shop Bargain post, and although I wasn't completely sold on the scent at the time I really enjoyed using it. It didn't have that sweet, earthy cherry scent that I was hoping for but the amazing qualities of the body butter make up for it. It doesn't really matter which of Body Shops' tempting scents you go for - the formula is the same with its thick, buttery consistency that quickly absorbs and still leaves your skin feeling deeply moisturised. The body butters definitely are great value for money!

At the beginning of the month I finished my Estée Lauder Hydrationist Maximum Moisture Creme which unlike many products does exactly what it says on the beautiful pot. It's a gorgeous velvety, silky cream that melts into your skin with a very gentle, subtle scent. When you apply it, you'll feel a noticeable difference immediately. It's like a mega boost in hydration and not only that - it continues to last throughout the whole day. Since I started to use Hydrationist I no longer carry with me a small moisturiser during the day for dry areas - a spritz of Caudalie Beauty Elixir is enough to keep my skin going. Apparently this is because the formula encourages the skins natural ability to retain moisture which fights the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. I LOVE this cream and will definitely get another one at some point.

A couple of times a week I use a mask of one sort or another either to hydrate, nourish, deep cleanse - whatever my skin needs most that particular day. It had been a while since I had used a Fresh Face Mask so I got the Lush Oatifix for dry skin which is supposed to moisture the skin leaving it soft, nourished and brightened. The mask contains bananas, oatmeal, ground almonds and is scented with a little bit of vanilla and to me that all sounds like the shopping list for a really yummy dessert! In the pot it looks fairly creamy and easy to work with, but when you apply to your face it falls into a million pieces. Unless you are lying down for 5-10 mins while the mask is doing its thing, there is no way that it will stay on your face. I liked the polishing feel of it, but the fact that it wouldn't stay on was enough for me to not want to buy it again. I have almost all of the product left, which says a lot about how I feel about this mask. It pains me to say it because I've always loved every Lush product I've tried, but this one definitely didn't work for me. I haven't given up on the fresh masks though, so if you have recommendations on another one with hydrating qualities, please leave a comment below!

A mascara that I have been using a lot the past few months is L'Oréals False Lash Telescopic Mascara in Magnetic Black. The formula is lovely and fluid which makes it easy to work with (not dry like some mascaras) and it's specially made to build intensity and to elongate the lashes. It comes with a long, very thin and flexible brush that easily reaches even the shortest lashes, close to the corner of your eye and I also find that it kind of curls the lashes as you're working with it. I'm so happy with this mascara that I've repurchased it several times and can highly recommend it to create long defined lashes.

L'Oréal False Lash Telescopic Mascara brush

Lastly, if you read my Body Shop Bargain post, you may remember that I was so excited about a Jasmin & White Frangipani candle, which smells absolutely amazing with a very genuine Jasmine scent. Now maybe I've been unlucky because not only did the glass break almost straight away, but it's also one of those candles that just burn straight down into the tumbler and creates a big crater, with lots of wax on the sides that doesn't burn - what a waste! I will try another Body Shop candle in a different scent to check if this was a dud, who knows - the others might be brilliant.

Have you finished a product this month you can't live without? Leave me a comment and let know what you'll be buying again as soon as you hit the shops!

My evening routine

After a long day and before snuggling down to relax I get changed and get my skin ready for the night. It does take a few minutes, but it's a routine that I like and that for me really marks the end of the day - I'm done, I'm home and now it's down time. When I'm really tired it's tempting to want to ignore the whole evening routine, and just to go to bed with make up on (and don't try and deny it - we've all done that!), but with the help of a cleansing solution it'll take less than a minute to cleanse and moisturize to keep those wrinkles at bay! Cleansing solutions are definitely a great option, but for me they don't completely replace a separate cleanser and toner, which is what I prefer to use most evenings.

I start with soaking some cotton pads in Gatineau Floracil Gentle Cleansing Lotion for Eyes which is a super gentle non-oily cleansing lotion that is incredibly effective in removing all eye makeup, including waterproof products, and then I leave them for a few seconds on the eyelids. There's no need for pulling or rubbing, and the lotion also soothes the eye area while it cleanses. It is a pricey product, but considering that you only need very little, it lasts a long time and since it looks after that delicate eye area as well, I like to look at it as an investment - to prevent further cost in 15 years time, if you know what I mean.

I'll follow that with my Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel. It's a light and gentle foaming gel that cleanses the skin, removing any make up but without drying out my skin. I have used this product for about a year and for me it's perfect to use in the shower, it really brightens the skin and I love its fresh and zesty orange fragrance. It's definitely my favourite Clarins cleanser and it's great value for money (£12).

When I've rinsed off the cleansing gel with some warm water I use Clarins Toning Lotion with Camomile. I really like to use a toner to get rid of every bit of cleanser or any stubborn makeup, and because it makes the skin feel that extra clean and fresh. This lotion is again a very gentle and alcohol free product and with the Camomile, well known for it's anti inflammatory qualities, this helps to soften and soothe any irritation. By the way, if you are interested in any of these products, and you are based in the UK - hurry up and go to Clarins on line store since they have some fantastic summer offers on at the moment, with great goodie bags for purchases over £60 (offer expires 18/8)!

So that's the preparation done and now the last bit - moisturisers. If I'm using an oil or a serum, I'll apply that at this point before I get to the eye cream. At the moment I have the Estée Lauder Resilience Lift Firming/Sculpting Eye Creme which I've talked about in detail in another post. I like to use products that feel as if they are actually doing something, and for the eye area in particular I like creamy textures that moisturise and nourish without any clogging - this eye cream does all of those things. The skin feels so smooth and refreshed and the eye area looks bright and radiant. When I wrote the other post on this eye cream I estimated that I would get a good 3-4 months use out of it, and more than one month down the line I have barely made a dent in the cream. That's how little you need, and my new estimate is that it'll probably still be on my bathroom shelf 6 months from now!

Last but not least is the Decléor Aromessence Angélique Night Balm. Night time is perfect for oils and serums that have a thicker consistency that will leave your skin a bit shiny and oily, but since you're asleep anyway - who cares when it does wonders for your skin? The Angélique balm is suitable for dry skin types in particular and consists of essential oils and 100% natural, preservative-free ingredients. Before you apply it you should rub a little balm between your palms or fingertips to heat it up, to make it easier for it to melt into your skin. As you heat up the balm you'll sense the amazing aromatic essential oils which I find really relaxing. The balm is supposed to soothe dry skin, reduce fine lines and stimulate "the nutritive exhange process" - I guess that means that we'll all wake up looking GORGEOUS! All jokes aside, I use this night balm all year around, but especially in the wintertime as an intense treatment to rebalance and smooth my skin, and I know that in the morning I'll have soft and supple skin.

To finish off I'll spray some on some nice perfume before making a cup of tea or a very naughty hot chocolate. That and reading a few clicks on the kindle will send me off to the land of nod, and a good nights sleep. Zzzzzleep well!