Christmas Countdown: Preen, preen, preen. . !

Image from We Heart It

So it is the first of December tomorrow and my Christmas Countdown officially started about a week ago. Four weeks to get Christmas Perfect!!!

This year I want to embrace Christmas (Yes indeed, I will be downloading the Michael Buble Christmas Album) and all it brings. I do not want to miss anything just because I'm having a bad hair day and I am certainly not missing out on the Chocolate Log (who needs Christmas Pudding?!) just because I'm having a fat day.




Image from We Heart It


Preen, preen, preen. . , is the call of the day for me at the moment. In between scrambling around trying to find any Crest Whitening Strips, I'm preening a lot!

- I am trying to apply the OPI Nail Matte Envy every day in an attempt to keep my mid-length nails strong. Then I might file them down slightly to give them the matched, groomed manicure look. I would love Gelish but I work in a health care environment and that type of thing ain't allowed :(

- The RapidLash is back on the edge of my sink again and I'm trying to apply it every night. Over the last couple of weeks (interestingly since my Phyto supplements ran out), I have noticed that my lashes don't look quite so bold and unfortunately, appear a little wispy on the ends. For me, natural lashes is where is at (how I struggle with the falsies) so I'm hoping that Rapid Lash will work its magic and make them slightly more lashtastic again (In my experience, lash enhancers may not be growth miracles but they always add something ) until then the L'Oreal Volume Million has been repurchased (a much easier way to fake it although the constant drizzle seems to have prompted the 'got a black eye?!' question. I think, I mentioned before what a diva this amazing mascara can be. Such fab results but how easily it smudges which can be a bit awkward. See this review.)

- There will certainly be some mega brow grooming going on in the next couple of weeks. I'm considering HD Brows. You can see some familiar faces with HD brows here, what do you think of the HD look?

- I'm also trying a couple of treats for my hair. Firstly, the Charles Worthington Salon At Home Strength and Repair Kit. This little kit consists of a haircare system which includes four products, an oil to use pre-washing under the plastic cap, a shampoo and an intensive conditioner. I have been using this for about a month now and I've got mixed feelings. It seems to bulk out the ends of my hair and theoretically, it is easy to use. However, I find the oil difficult to wash out and consequently ran out of the shampoo very quickly. I've found that this system tended to make my hair very frizzy as I had to use so much shampoo to get the oil out or on the other hand, I wash only so much and then my hair looks very weighed down. I expect that this system really does boost the health of our barnet but I need to work on my application method to get the dream result.

I also have a new hair oil. I went to the hairdressers to invest yet again in Moroccan Oil (Love! See this post and this post) but they didn't have any. As it was raining and I'm lazy, the lady found a sucker for her sales pitch about a miracle Redken alternative, All Soft Argan 6. This is meant to 'intensely nourish and protect dry, brittle hair'. It can be used before shampooing or blow drying to add moisture, after blow drying to smooth; on damp or dry hair to boost shine; or added to treatments to intensify replenishment and it can also be used overnight for deep nourishment.

I have been swapping it up a bit and using it in a mix of ways. So far, so good! It really does make the hair very soft and actually does not seem to weigh my hair down as much as the Moroccan Oil although I wonder if that will change with constant use.

- Of course, I'm also trying to eat very healthily (although this running/walking regime is making me so soo hungry) and am having lots of Green Monsters to keep my eyes bright and energy levels up.

- And finally, I'm also trying to save a little money for Christmas hence the lack of "haul" posts recently but I think, there is a couple of treats I haven't shared with you yet and I'll try and get those posts up ASAP but I'm still having a bit of a love affair with the New Look kimono that I posted here.

Sidenote: In case you're wondering, I'm hoping that Christmas will bring a DSLR, a Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch, the One Molecule scent (see Ruths secret), the ability to run thirty minutes plus nonstop (Er, that would be without a heart attack), a trip to Paris, my invitation to Pinterest (it is taking so soo long) 50 Blog GFC followers (hint hint, any ideas?) and some of those chocolate gold coins. Phew,much, you think?! Ok maybe between Christmas and my late January birthday.

Are you making any special efforts for Christmas? Have you tried the Redken Oil? Do you have HD Brows?

X

Five little obsessions!

Some of you may be used to my passing phases now. Sometimes I get all obsessed with some item or regime and then one morning, I wake up and it is all forgotten.

Remember, the Shred?!

Ouch!

However, when I'm indulging in the passing phases, they become the cornerstones of my beauty routines.


Here are five phases that I'm currently entertaining.

1/ Bitter Chocolate from Botanics

Over the last two or three months, I keep returning to this colour. Yes, the colour payoff (in the semi-permanent) does not last very long maybe only a couple of weeks but I do love the shade that emerges after the first shampoo. Dark hair may seem a little boring or blah but there is no doubt that the darker my hair is, the healthier and shinier it looks.

Sometimes my hair colour seems half-hearted and just a mish mash of lifeless browns. For once, my hair looks solid, shiny and polished. I initally took note of this colour after Carolyn Bax commented used a Boots Semi-Permanent Chocolate dye recently.

2/ The Teeth Whitening

It was back in the summer when I last became obsessed with my white pearlies. That was in the BlanX era. The BlanX product that I used did seem to work. However, the full white results do not seem quite so lasting so now I am using the Beverly Hills Toothpaste. Sarah has raved about one of their toothpastes before. I'm hoping my new habit will keep my teeth on the right side of white economically. I really do lay stock in the fact that Sarah believes in it and also that Watchdog have given it a thumbs up.

3/ RapidLash

For me, this year has been all about the lashes. Lash enhancers and mascara. I have just fallen for yet another mascara which I will tell you about soon but I have also started using another lash growth product. So far, I have used Lipocils, Ardell, the L'Oreal Lash serum and now I have started to use RapidLash. I must admit that I am using this very tentatively after reading an earlier post of Laura's. However, there are so many positive reviews out there for this product and as I'm so desperate for Bambi lashes. I am now applying this little product each evening and keeping my fingers crossed that firstly, I do not lose my lashes altogether and secondly, that I infact gain more lusterous, fluttery lashes.

4/ The Probiotics

After reading in the amazing Beauty Bible, that an annual 90 day course of probiotics could be of benefit to troublesome skin. I have been glugging the old Actimels down. I'm not sure if they are helping but this habit is a lot cheaper then some of the other regimes and creams that I have tried this year and at the very worse, the daily dose is probably only of benefit to my general health.

5/ Manuka Honey

Some of you may have read my earlier post on the benefits of honey. Well, now I'm going further and trying Manuka Honey. I will do a post on this soon but apparently Manuka Honey has special antibacterial properties which can be of benefit to your well-being which of course, will be reflected in your appearence. This phase has struck at the right time as there are few things that can get me out of my warm bed in these cold, cold mornings like the promise of hot porridge and honey.

Do you have daily beauty habits? What are they?

X

Mascara, mascara . . !

When I brought the Max Factor Lash Extension Effect mascara earlier in the year, I thought it would be my favourite forever. You will find an earlier rave here http://essjay23x.wordpress.com/2010/02/14/happy-valentines-day/

I was wrong.

Let me introduce you to my new best friend, Volume Million Lashes, from L'Oreal.

I am shallow.

This mascara may look all classy, ladylike, sleek and striking in it's gorgeous gold tube but Million Lash is actually a lot more demanding then Lash Extension yet J'adore!

One of the things I loved about Lash Extension -and let there be no doubt about it- was that it really did extend how long my lashes look. I've done a post and you've seen the pics but I would say that Lash Extension Effect probably extended my lashes by about a third and yet they always looked natural. I am very clumsy when it comes to make up and grooming. I can be slap dash and boy, can I product overload but no matter how many coats of this mascara I lashed on, my lashes were always perfectly defined, ever so long and clumpless.

Perfect.

Yep almost too much so.

To be honest, it got a bit boring. I was applying the same product every day and getting exactly the same pay off no matter what I did. So samey that I guess I wasn't even noticing (let alone cherishing) what the clever old Lash Extension was doing anymore. We needed a break so maybe it was good that Lash Extension seemed to dry up quite quickly (and started clumping ever so slightly) probably within eight weeks.

Enter Volume Million Lashes!

This really is a mascara to get the party started (what a cheesy line). It is so different from Lash Extension. This mascara makes such a statement and is quite extreme to the degree that I would imagine it will gleam equally extreme love/hate reviews.

It is not particularly easy to apply or to play down. It is very black (which I like since the shade I chose was Black) and seems to coat the lashes with the slightest touch. It can very quickly add some length and volume giving the false lash effect within seconds but be careful, because it only takes a coat more to do the not so fetching spider thing. I imagine this is how mascara was back in the day when it was first discovered/created?!

This mascara is heavy but you can wear it in the day with the right attuide, the right make up and a very slight hand.

However for me, this is first and foremost my glam mascara as with this in my collection then there really is no other choice for nights out and special occasions. It seems to do everything. It adds length not as much as Lash Extension but still, it adds volume, it curls and it almost seems to comb through my lashes and give them some direction.

I have difficulty applying false lashes but am quite confident that if I look after my lashes daily then I should be able to build a look, to compete with false lashes, using this mascara. I feel that Lash Extension was overshadowed and disappeared when worn in heavier eye looks and with dazzledusts. I might be wrong (though I don't think so) but I can not imagine this mascara ever been in the shadows.

Here are some pictures.
These show just a couple of coats across the lashes.

With Lash Extension.

With Million Lashes.

These show the mascaras built up with a few more layers.

With Lash Extension

With Million Lashes

Please bear in mind that Lash Extension has dried out  but I think you will all still agree, a Million Lashes just looks more complete. However it is not as effortless as Lash Extension.

Apparently there is an anti-clump wiper in the L'Oreal tube. Well, lets just say that the Million Lashes formulation overpowers it. In the same way that I never got clumps with Lash Extension (until it started to dry), I always get clumps, to some degree, with Million Lashes. You will get clumps and they are a devil to get rid of. In fact, you probably won't succeed so just try to keep the clumps quite small by making sure that the mascara wand has a minimal amount of formulation on before you paint your lashes. Small clumps sitting at the roots are not going to ruin your look in fact, they can help to line the eyes and add a little something to your look.

This mascara does smudge and takes a minute or so to dry. If you do big, open eyes before it is dry then you are likely to end up with dots on your upper eye lid and in your eye socket. The formulation is soft but thick.

When I first used this L'Oreal tube, there was an overpowering chemical scent but I have not noticed this so much recently.

I am finding it quite hard to remove Million Lash (to apply my L'Oreal Lash Serum). I have been using make up remover but I remember with the L'Oreal Double Tubes, you had to use warm water and this dissolved the tubes. Any ideas what to use with Million Lash? I don't want to pull my lashes out just to clean.

I brought Million Lashes in Boots about ten days ago, it was on offer for £7.99. I think the normal retail price is about the same as Lash Extension (£10.99?). Lash Extension has 6.5ml of product and Million Lashes 9ml.

Oh and by the way Girls, I mentioned that I'm using the L'Oreal Lash Serum. Tell me, do I want to buy RapidLash from Boots? I can not decide. The lash serum is more to keep my lashes healthy and looking their best, I think RapidLash should help them grow like Ardell and Lipocils.

However, Laura, Lollipop26 http://www.lollipop26writes.com/2010/06/rapidlash.html, actually seemed to lose lashes but the lure of longer, longer lashes is tempting me. Please let me know if you have used RapidLash before or will be buying it. I'd love to know what you think. By the time I decide (funny how in the end, I know that I'm going to give it a go) there'll be none left anyway.

So Max Factor, L'Oreal, RapidLash, eye products. . , any thoughts?

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