TopShop shoppitdy shop!

So yesterday I shopped (or should I say hauled?!) big time. What can I say? I had some good news and I have not shopped so much lately so when I finally got out there, I couldn't really control myself!

TopShop!

When I was a student, I was the TopShop girl. Head to toe. I spent far too much in there.

Evantually with the store card paid off, I realised I should probably cut my TopShop spending down and somehow I actually more or less cut it out completely. I had moved away from student towns and cities with big TopShops. Consequently my local TopShop seemed pretty poor in comparison. Occasionally I will buy an item in there but not like I used to and the card, that has gone!

However a new, bigger TopShop has opened where I was haulling yesterday and when I went in for a little peek, well to be honest, I was quite impressed.

First because they are winking at me, let's go to the bling.

A beautiful light gold leaf cuff. Now bling may be quite a new obsession but I've always been a fan of bracelets, bangles, cuffs and such wrist-like ornaments. So this is going to be one well-loved addition to my collection. I think that it will be especially nice in the autumn, add a little class as the leaves start to fall and the nights get darker.

Carrying on with my green fingers theme. I also got this long flowery ring. You will all remember my Tanya Burr big gold dancing ring (http://essjay23x.blogspot.com/2010/06/my-dancing-ring.html). Well I wanted big in the opposite way this time and when I saw it, I knew that this was what I had been looking for.

This ring may not be the showiest in the world but it is delicate, pretty and comfortable. My dancing ring can get a bit heavy for my poor fingers sometimes.

Oh and the TopShop ring was only £1 when I got to the till. Happy, happy, happy . . !

I'm very impressed with my TopShop jewellery. In fact, I picked up many more items before cutting it down to these two. Now I want to go to an even bigger TopShop and see the Gogo Jewellery that Holly http://www.ymbeautyblog.com/2010/07/gaga-for-gogo.html  has gone Gaga about.

I also got this lovely leather purse. I thought that it was about time that I got myself a proper purse. I've never really being one for purses with lots of pockets and card holders before. My last few purses were just little coin-like ones and I would just ram whatever I could in there. They were also all black. Time to change it up and get a little colour. There were lots of colours to choose from and I nearly picked a classic brown but the little girl in me picked up the pale mint colour. It is really cute. Hopefully now, I will finally be able to find my slightly larger purse in my massive bag without emptying everything out at the tillpoint!

I also got one of these boyfriend type blazer things and a cream tunic dress. I spotted the dress and remembered seeing it in a post from Laura (http://www.lollipop26writes.com/2010/07/little-outfit-of-day-type-thing.html). She suggests combining the very girly dress with a more masculine blazer to balance the look. I want to learn to think like that! At the moment, when I am trying to put an outfit together, all I normally do is throw a couple of things I don't hate on and hope for the best. However, Laura's explanation made sense. Balance sounds good so on spotting the dress, I decided to experiment a little.

Now I was only going to try the combination on but it really did look good and much better then a lot of the other things I'd picked out myself to try so yes, I have invested!

If you get a chance, try this dress on. Honestly it made me feel so light and there is something about the way it falls. I just want to skip around and I think it is just about long enough to twirl around and around in!

As for the blazer. . ! Well to be honest, these boyfriend blazers have never appealed to me. They look great on everybody else but on a hanger, they just look so masculine and mundane. And since I know that I can barely pull anything off from outside my comfort zone, I have never even tried one on (or even wanted to). However, it worked with the dress (I think it helped that it was from the Petite session. I had a quick look at some in the normal section and the arms looked way too long) and now I'm inspired to see what else I can pair it with. Rumour is, these blazers are quite versatile if you're daring enough.

Funnily enough one of my favourite tops which I'm sure I've shown you on this blog before, is a TopShop one from about three years ago. It, too, is cream and conceals the tummy area well. This top is like an old friend but it is a chore to iron. Yep, it looks great creased but only in the right places. I do cherish this top though and it has had a lot of wear. I hope that I can say the same about my more recent TopShop purchases in three years.

So do you like TopShop? Brought anything interesting lately? Are you in to a certain look at the moment? How do you work the Boyfriend blazer?

X

Skin wonders, I'm begging, please!!!

Lately I have been trying to boost the condition of my skin.

These are just a few of the things I have employed to try and help. I have spent quite a lot on skincare products since my mission began and to be honest, it has been a rollercoaster. I have read a lot of science and a whole lot of marketing over the last six months or so. The result being that . . . my skin seemed to hit the lowest point of ten years!

I have used Clinique, Clearasil, Neutrogena, Botanics, Avenno, No 7 and more. I have took Magnesium, Primrose Oil, Starflower oil, Cod Liver Oil, Milk Thistle, Silica, Vitamin D, Mutivitamins and more. I have drunk green tea and antioxidant cococtions. I have plastered my skin in honey, lemon, strawberry masks, chocolate masks, sudocrem, toothpaste and more.

I should add I haven't done all of these things all at once. Yet!!!

You see, I was starting to wonder if there was any such thing as a 'Deliver me wonders!' skin routine. Very few products or combinations have made any great impression. . . until now!

I have been doing the same routine for about a week and fingers crossed, I think it is helping very, very, very slowwwwwly.

*****

So this is my all new and improved 'Deliver me skin wonders (pretty please!)' routine:

*Two or three times a day, I buff lemon juice in to my wet skin. With at least one of these applications, I usually throw some sugar on to the cotton pad too, creating a Lemon Scrub Kandee Johnson Style http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vkCR2ZWAe4&feature=player_embedded. I then buff and rinse. I have in the past used Lemon Juice like Muhsine as an occasional treatment and it is partly because that
seemed to work that I'm working with the lemons again. Lemon juice contains AHA which is found in a lot of skincare products and this kills off the dead skin cells and helps new cell growth. Muhsine has written about lemon juice here http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/2009/07/lemon-juice.html
*I apply Sudocrem at night (and when my skin feels irritant) to any blemishes. Occasionally I might dab a little Clearasil toner on to blemished areas if they are irritating and I'm going out. Sudocrem is much too obvious! For unaffected areas, I stick to moisturiser. At the moment, I'm trying Aveeno Cream.

*I have applied the Neutrogena Gentle Cleansing Mask to blemished skin areas about three or four times.

*When I wear make up, I skip the foundation and powder. I do not apply any make up to bad skin areas. I also remove my make up as soon as I can with a Neutorgena Make Up remover and a lemon wash/scrub.

*I have added so many red grapes and berries to my diet and a bit more fruit and veg, in general.

*I am trying to cut down on dairy products. I have moved from fruit artificial yogurts to natural yogurt and solid cheese to cottage cheese.

*I have one Green monster every day at breakfast usually with as much spinach as I can get in a dish to microwave.

*Whenever I can, I'm trying to keep my hair pulled away from my face.

*Oh and I'm trying to drink at least one green tea a day and drink lots of water but uh, you know me and the water thing. . !

*****

Phew, I think I deserve good skin now and ooh, remember fingers crossed, it is on its way! I have more of a glow and the blemished areas do seem to be drying out and going away. Go, go, go . . !

The only problem I have now is that I'm not sure what change is,  also known as skin miracle, and helping my skin.so much. Therefore, editing the whole rigamorole would be risky. Argh, my only hope is that this routine will become habit and not the hard work it feels at the moment.

Do you and your skin ride a rollercoaster of routines or do you get on, plain sailing? Do you have any skin routine staples?

X

MAC-Rodarte update!

Like many of you, I have been following the MAC-Rodarte controversy with interest. There are lots of very well-written posts out there but I'm just going to mention a few here which stuck in my mind.

Firstly Mizz Worthy has posted a very moving video here http://www.mizzworthy.com/2010/07/lets-regroup.html

Secondly, since my earlier post http://essjay23x.blogspot.com/2010/07/mac-rodarte-collection.html, MAC have made another statement with new promises. You can find out more about this here http://www.vexinthecity.com/2010/07/mac-bows-to-pressure-over-rodarte.html .

Some still feel that MAC could do more. This post http://www.tackyblueeyeshadow.com/2010/07/mac-you-cant-be-serious.html speaks very passionately about that and includes a link to an online petition that Olivia of http://healingbeauty.co.uk/ set up. The petition which you may want to consider signing can be found at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/macrodarte/.

If you've been on holiday or aren't sure what I'm talking about then Shantel breaks the controversy down here http://shantel121.blogspot.com/2010/07/rodarte-and-mac.html

X

MAC Rodarte Collection.

I am sure that you have all heard about the MAC-Rodarte collaboration and the controversy that it is causing.

MAC are due to release this collection in September. Rodarte have stated that the collection was inspired by the landscape that they saw on a road trip in Texas.

One of the nail polishes is called Juarez. Juarez is a town in Mexico full of factories which employ women to work for very low wages and in harsh working conditions where sexual harrasment is common place. A vast number of women have gone missing, been raped or murdered on their way to work. Locals estimate the number of murders to be around 5000 although the authorities speculate about 400. It is alleged that the Mexican police have done little to investigate these murders possibly because the victims are primarily poor women.

Aside from Juarez, other product names in this collaboration include Factory, Bordertown (Angelina Jolie starred in a film 'Bordertown' loosely based around the murders) and Sleepwalker (most of the offences take place as women workers travel to and from shifts in the factories).

A promo picture has also been released with this MAC collection featuring a very pale, ghost-like female.

MAC have apologised for the offence caused and have stated a portion of proceeds from this collection will go to help those in Juarez.

I hope I have got all of the details right, there are many more indepth posts out there. I found most of my facts in Yinka's (http://www.vexinthecity.com/2010/07/mac-rodarte-collection-ignites-juarez.html#more). A very informative post with a number of links to related posts and to Amnesty. I would also imagine that there could be some further statements from MAC this week.

Now a lot of us have strong opinions one way or another as to whether the marketing of this collaboration is acceptable. Indeed I saw one tweet asking if we would accept it if MAC had instead created a collection that related to 9/11 in the way this collection relates to Juarez. However, what I want to focus on is one thing and actually it is relatively trivial compared to the issues at the core of this controversy but 'What were MAC thinking?'.

It does not matter if they have the right to create such campaigns or not but why did they bother? I just feel that anybody could have foreseen the controversy that it was going to cause and I can not see how MAC could squeeze additional product margins out of this collection with this campaign marketed as it is. So, no financial gain. Even if some customers are not as outraged as British/US Bloggers, the very best MAC are going to do with this collection is equal what they would normally get from a collection. So what was the point in a corporate brand, whose primary aim is probably profit, doing this and guaranteeing themselves some bad hype when it seems they are set to gain absolutley nothing?The campaign almost comes across as a desperate cry for attention but surely MAC don't need attention that badly.

As you know, I am quite new to beauty blogging and indeed, MAC but I do know that many (dare I say most?) beauty blogs feature MAC heavily (ahem.). Now I find the products more often then not of great quality but there are plenty of brands out there who probably deliver enough to satisfy our day to day needs yet some (and yep, I'm counting myself here) seem to class MAC differently to any other cosmetic brand. In Laura's (http://lollipop26writes.com/) latest video, she mentions how a haul in MAC is different in the thrill factor it provides.

I'm sure as an avid blog reader, I read at least one post each day which heavily features MAC. I am encountering MAC every single day and this might be quite pathetic but maybe I see MAC almost as a friend (and one I aspire to as well) rather then just another brand. I guess this collaboration reminds us all that MAC are another huge multinational brand. And this is where it hurts because long ago, I accepted that such brands have their own rules so maybe it is not surprising that MAC have caused some controversy. These days, most multinational brands seem to. However, I am a little bit surprised that MAC have let this go so far.

Many of you know MAC so well knowing all the latest release dates and product information and yet, despite providing such great customer satisfaction for so long, it seems that MAC know nothing about their customers at all. Otherwise surely they would have foreseen this furore.

I would presume that MAC's customer base is mainly female as are the victims in Juarez. The females there are often victims of crimes or behaviour which impreach 'womens' rights. Many of MAC's customers are going to relate to such issues. I'm not sure how MAC thought they could spin this collection so postitively to a largely female majority market. They have millions of female customers all over the world, mainly in the developed countries where women on the whole are fortunate enough to have voices. MAC must have known, especially in this digital age, that people were going to join up these dots rightly or wrongly and there would be this controversy. Why go to all the trouble of designing a collection and then marketing it in a way which quite obviously is going to get all this bad press especially when their Viva Glam collections are so applauded?!

Also it sounds like the colours in MAC-Rodarte collection are not suited to all skintones. Therefore, they have already eliminated some customers interest so why market this collection in this way and disable its success even further?! *Shakes head in disbelief*, it seems senseless!

I saw a comment somewhere (sorry I can not remember where, I have read a few posts tonight) that art does come out of darkness and such risks are more 'acceptable' these days.

Maybe?!

However MAC are such a huge brand with what I would imagine generally are pretty standard, mainstream, customers (as far as individuals are standard). I'm not sure the number of people drawn to the collection because of the brand's new 'edge' are going to make up for the number of people that they have lost.

Saying that looking to the long term, I can't see this been the end of MAC but I do wonder if people are going to think of them a little differently now. Maybe they won't be quite so "bestie" anymore.

The one good thing that has come out of this controversy is that I now know about Juarez. I didn't before and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. It may be slightly naive of me but I only hope that now so many more of us are aware of the situation there then in some way, more help can be given to the people.

Oh and as Yinka suggests in her post, we all need to make our own choices as to how far we condemn/boycott MAC, if at all.

X

Getting the Glow with a Green Monster!

I'm liking the Green. . .

My mission is to make more of myself. I've previously talked about how I go through phases. One week, it is all about the lipstick. The next, it is all about the bling and then the next, haircare. At the moment, it is less about the products (just a little less though) and more about good old fashioned science or as I prefer to call it 'beautiful living'.

I'm trying to find out more ways of living which could actually help me make more of myself now and in the long run.

Yesterday I had my first 'Green Monster'.

Typically of me, I forgot to take a picture so this one is from the Green Monster Movement website. Mine didn't look quite as good.

In fact, mine was browny. It looked gross and it smelt foul but actually it tasted ok. It certainly tasted yummier then my very first green tea. These green smoothies are supposed to give you a HUGE increase in energy and decrease your cravings for sweet things. Oh and this is a direct quote from Angela the founder, 'My skin has also become more clear and my hair and nails started growing like weeds!'

Yay, I'm excited about this little drinkie.

The main ingredient is spinach. This or kale is mandatory as is some form of milk. However as long as these two ingredients are there, you can add any other ingredients you want (many people do choose seeds and fruit though), blend and ta dah, you have a Green Monster!

Since I can never have too many antioxidants, I added 5 or 6 large strawberries then a banana and a very small scoop of sunflower seeds to my little Monster.

It tasted like a creamy banana, strawberry concoction with a slight tinge of something else.

Obviously, the spinach or the kale is always going to add some nutritional goodness. Spinach has Iron, Folic Acid, Dietary Fibre and Vitamins A, C, E.  Milk provides the Calcium but the rest is up to you. You can make your monster as calorific or as slimslime as you like.

I had my monster for lunch today and along with the leftover strawberries, I didn't feel any hunger pangs or any need to top my meal up with anything else. I will certainly be having more and it will be a bonus if my skin starts to glow!

I found out about Green Monsters in Gemmas fabulous video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1UF0AIILk4&playnext_from=TL&videos=9QAsnig1oxo  Gemma always provides excellent links and information. I love her channels!
There is also a whole movement here http://greenmonstermovement.com/.

I also think that many of you will love 'Oh The Glow', the blog where the Monsters originated.

Angela is a health blogger who has completely changed her own life and got her glow again. Now, she is inspiring others to do the same. This blog is so different to any I've come across before (admitedly I haven't really lurked in the "healthy living" communities) and you really have to take a peek to see what I mean. I only found it on Friday night but I stayed up hours reading Angela's stories and her amazing ideas. Today, I can not stop talking about this blog. Check it out here http://ohsheglows.com/

What with green monsters and green teas, I'm now starting to think as long as it is called 'Green something', it will be good for me!

Have you tried a Green Monster? What do you think of the inside out approach to beauty and life?

X

Cheating my way to silkiness!

One fact about me, dry shampoo has always disappointed me. I did a review earlier in the year http://essjay23x.wordpress.com/2010/01/30/batiste-dry-shampoo/  and my biggest concern was that I had trouble brushing the flakes out and when you have brunette hair and you are using the tropical Batiste or Boots own brand, this can be a bit unsightly and annoying. Even if I was using a Brunette Batiste, I'm not sure if I like the idea of flakes in my hair.


I wanted to write a post today that revealed a great product that you can use instead of fallible dry shampoo. I was very excited about sourcing a 'find' and an 'exclusive' of my own. I found a spray with a fine mist instead of lumpy flakes to silken my locks. A perfect subsitute for dry shampoo, I wanted to post. However, I now realise that unfortunately it would be a step too far to advocate the product in question that way.

Lately I have been trying to wash my hair as and when it needs it. Apparently the longer your hair goes between washes and the more frequently you employ such gaps then the more your hair manages to maintain itself and the less washing/ 'baddie' products are then needed. Get in!

Sounds a great idea except for one thing . . , my hair is not very cooperative. It can look fresh, clean and soft before I go to bed one night and the very next morning, I can wake up with greasy roots, quite crunchy ends (Sorry but it is the horrific truth)and little time to spare. Eurgh, what a great start for the day ahead.

At that time of the morning, I never have time to wash, dry and style my hair from scratch so I have to look to my hair products (yes, what I was trying to avoid in the first place) for a helping hand and yes, I have quite a few hair products but that doesn't mean I can rely on them to save the day.

Most of my products -bar the dry shampoo- are to actually flatten my hair further because it is so puffy after a wash.

However I have recently been employing one little product to help and it is Hair Extensions Maintenance Spray from ion moisture solutions.

I used to use it on my clip in hair extensions to freshen them up and make them silkier and softer as they aged.

One day I noticed that it can be used on natural hair too and blimey, does a spritz of this make my hair soft again! I've been trying to find out how it works but have drawn a blank so far. However I think it works as a bit of a moisturiser and you can see from these photos that my hair just looks so much healthier and less wiry (indeed silky) after a spritz of this.

BEFORE

AFTER (spritzed, fingered through, left 2mins and brushed)

I'm so impressed that I was tempted to use this as my dry shampoo subsitute and tell you all about it but no, I can't.

This spray just doesn't do enough for the roots to equal a dry shampoo. My roots may feel a little softer after some of this but they still fall on the wrong side of lank.

I have worn my 'I need a wash' hair out after a spritz of this and I got away with it maybe because the rest of my barnet looked so fresh but it is not enough because I do not feel that I have clean hair and you can see I'm right if you look at my roots closely enough.

Saying that I am glad that I have this spray, it is a great product to have. It has a nice pleasant fresh, possibly slightly floral, scent and there seems to be no product build up. I can not recommend this product enough if you want to silken/detangle hair (extensions or real) as a 'pick me up' occasional product.

I think it could work as a daily moisturising treatment too for the lengths and ends but the only thing I would say here is that I have only used this product occasionally and am a bit wary of the ingredients listed alcohol denat, butane, isobutane, propane, cyclopentasiloxane, dimethicone. I am tempted to use this product daily because it makes my hair so soft but at the same time, I'm sure many would see these ingredients as 'baddies' and could this mean evantually with such frequent use, it would dry the hair out instead of rejuvenating it?

Going back to occasional use, you could maybe even use this product to change your hair style from day to night. After all, it seems to break down product ok and leave your hair soft but personally I find it is more of a maintanance/polish product rather then a cleanser.

When the lank roots need a wash, I think they need a wash more because of physiological waste such as sweat and oils. This ion spray will not clean such hair but then it was never designed to, extensions don't have to deal with physiological issues!

Dry shampoos do though and dry shampoos haven't really worked for me yet so I'm just starting to wonder if there is such a thing as a short cut or even a quick fix just to get you through the day when it comes to matters of beauty.

I got my Ions Hair Extensions Maintenance Spray from Shear Beauty (http://www.shearbeauty.com/). It is currently £8.99 there. You could google other retailers too.

So for me right now, it is either get up earlier and wash my hair properly as required, or try out the Big Sexy Hair products that Nicoletta http://nicolettasbeautyspace.blogspot.com/ has recently posted about!

Do you believe short cuts ever pay off? What do you think of dry shampoo?

X

Post Rewind: Just delivered!

This is a Post rewind from January. I will do a more through update on the Sigma brushes soon. Until then, please check out some recent musings here http://essjay23x.blogspot.com/2010/07/ins-and-outs-for-june.html .

Look what was just delivered last Friday and it wasn’t even a birthday gift!

Sigma, yayyy. Let’s open it up. . .

Oohhhhh and look what else I got? These little extras (below) were freebies that I was not expecting.

A travel brush for eyes, SS217, and a very useful grey eyeshadow in the cutest little package.

Wow, can I just say that I am very impressed? I paid for standard delivery and they arrived within a fortnight carefully wrapped in the prettiest little bag AND as well as the brushes that can do no wrong, the free brush and the free shadow. There was also beautifully illustrated instructions so that newbies like me, not as familar with all this make up marlarkey, has all of the help possible to paint their face beautiful.

Now I know there is lots of information out there on Sigma. If you want to know more, just search Sigma brushes on You Tube and there will be plenty of videos to pick from and I’m sure if you do the same in Google or something, plenty of blog posts will come up. If you would like me to do a review, I will but you probably all have your own set already and if you haven’t then you might be better off watching/reading a review of someone who knows a little more about the technicalities of make up. However, I will leave it up to you and if you want me to have a go then I will. Update 7/10, I think I will do a quick post soon on how I have got on with these brushes over the last six months.

For what it is worth, I will tell you now that I’m officially in love with SS219. I can finally do eyeliner (sort of), whoop and I finally understand why people say that brushes really do make a difference. Update 7/10, I rarely use the SS219 to line my eye any more. Please see http://essjay23x.blogspot.com/2010/07/ins-and-outs-for-june.html  to see what Sigma brush I am now using.

You may also be interested to know that it was the 12 piece professional brush set without the brush roll that I purchased.

So what brushes do you girlies own? What brushes do you want? What do you think of Sigma? Am I just another victim of hype? Don’t forget I love to read your comments.

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?

X

Coconut Oil and a skin update!

Going back, do you remember I was trying to embrace beauty au naturale? Unfortunately my obsession with natural remedies turned out to be a bit short-lived after a horrible rash materialised and all fingers (well, mine) pointed to something annoymous in my new natural routine.

Well, it now turns out that I may have been a little hasty and the skin reaction may have had nothing to do with oils and everything to do with . . . eggs!

I was consuming more eggs (I hardly ate any before) then usual to increase my protein intake and I was also using some hair treatments which involved slathering my barnet in a couple of smashed eggs (a beauty secret from back in the day) and it now looks that this may have been what my body did not like hence the not so attractive rash.

So watch out and you may notice in the near future that I start referring to lavender, rosewood, other oils and the alike again as I'm thinking of slowly reintroducing them in to my skincare routine.

One ingredient that I did not cut from my routine was Coconut Oil even though it is fair to say that Coconut Oil and I have a bit of a love-hate relationship.

Regardless, it is only fair to say that Coconut Oil is an investment. It can be used in so many ways that I am sure most people will find one way or another that suits them. There is no need to leave it standing wasted on some shelf just because it has not worked one way for you, use it another.

Hair Treatment

This is why I initially brought Coconut Oil. Muhsine (http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/2009/06/coconut-and-vitamin-e-oil.html http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/2010/03/hair-masks.html) and others have discussed the intensive conditioning treatment that this oil can provide for your hair.

In the colder months, I was using it as a hot hair treatment. My coconut oil was solid and needed melting down. So I would melt a couple of tablespoons in the microwave and then let them cool a little and apply to preshampooed hair which you leave in for a while or overnight and then rinse out.

The treatment worked fine, the scent wasn't great but tolerable and besides my hair was shiny. However, it was difficult to rinse out. I would often blowdry after the treatment and the result would be hair that looked good but felt as if it was coated in some horrible residue. Even when I managed to get the Coconut Oil out, my hair would quickly go lank and need washing again within 24 hours. For me, rinsing with water was often not enough and I had to actually shampoo the oil out. So in later hair treatments, I would just apply the oil straight to damp, unshampooed hair to minimise the products going in to my hair but then I'm not sure if the Coconut Oil was absorbed quite as well.

In summary, I would suggest using this oil as a hair treatment and seeing if you can find a way to work it and then repeating the process as an occasional treatment.

Body Moisturiser

There is no doubt that when I apply Coconut Oil to my skin, it intensely moisturises as good as any body butter. However, it leaves the skin (and floor!) very slippery and seems to absorb slowly. It is a fab overnight treatment with a "unique" scent.

In the winter when the air temperature has not melted the solid coconut oil down, I usually take a slab and apply it like a Lush massage bar. As soon as my little slab of Coconut Oil made contact with the skin, it started to melt for me. In the summer when the air temperature has done the melting, I use Coconut Oil like a body oil. The results appear to be the same whichever way I apply!

Coconut Oil is also good when used as a balm, soothing particularly sore or dry bits of skin, in the same way that Eight hour cream or Vaseline might be used.

Body Scrub

This is my favourite way to use the coconut oil. I jut mix some liquidfied oil in with salt and use it as a scrub in the bath. This works really well. My skin feels as if it is been worked by the salt and then soothed by the coconut oil. You can also change the ratio of salt to oil, when you are making the scrub yourself, according to how much each specific skin area needs exfoliating. I usually keep the salt and oil seperate then mix it as needed during application. I might take 1/4 of a handful of salt for my kness and then just 1/8 for my decolletage.

I must admit that I do like the fact that the oil gets rinsed away when you use it as a scrub as - and I know that I'm always talking about this- the scent is one I only tolerate, nothing more. I certainly do not embrace it!

I got my Coconut Oil from Holland and Barrett. I think the packaging has changed but this product number (13182) and weight (453g) is currently reduced from £11.99 to £5.99 on their website. http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=690&searchterm=coconut%20oil&rdcnt=1

So that is how I use my oil. What do you think of Coconut Oil?

X

8 Questions Tag!

I've been tagged by Laura to answer 8 questions! Laura (http://emeraldgreen88.blogspot.com/) says the rules to this tag are that I have to answer these questions then pass on the tag with 8 questions I have made up!

1. What is your most worn nail polish?

Ooh, I think that would be my Claire's Accessories Neon Pink.

2. If I gave you £1000 to spend on anything you wanted, what would you buy?

Right now?! I think it would be one of those intensive boot camp things. I need some air and to move my body a little more. Sometimes I need a jump start. I'm a person of extremes, all or nothing. Please note, they forecast rain today so unless I get myself to a boot camp pretty quick, I think I will change my mind and grab some Merle O'Grady jewellery and a Daisy Stack instead!

3. What three things do you always keep in your handbag?

Phone, purse and a mini perfume or two.

4. What is your dream job?

I wish I knew but event planning sounds fun!

5. If you could have any celebrity's wardrobe whose would you choose?

I'm not sure maybe Cheryl Cole's because there seems to be so much in there that I'm sure there would be a few pieces that I could work with. Would Laura (Emerald Green 88) throw her make up collection in too?!

6. Did you make any new years resolutions and have you stuck to them?

My mission and this blog, I've stuck with both so far.

7. What is your favourite beauty product at the moment?

Morrocan Oil

8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

On a beach with sunshine and the handsome man!

Thank you, Laura! Your questions were great (and made me think), I'm not sure I could better them so I tag anybody who wants to do this tag and Laura's questions. Leave me a link or your answers in the comments below.

X

Free Nail Product!

Hi

Just a quick post today to show you all what I got for free today.

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Instant Nail Hardener which is designed for people with 'soft, fragile nails that break, crack or appeal' and this product claims that it will give you 'harder, stronger, healthy looking nails in 5 to 7 days'.

And guess what?! If you struggle with your nails, you might be able to get one free too.

There is a token in Marie Claire (Uk) which can be exchanged for one free Diamond Strength Instant Nail Hardener (worth £8.45) from Superdrug while stocks last. Check the token but I think the offer expires in the middle of August and can not be used online.

So if you're interested, it might be worth seeing if your local Superdrug has some Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail Hardener and if they do, get a Marie Claire - I think most Superdrug's retail the mag - and claim your freebie because if you don't, I'm sure somebody else will!

I've never used the  Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail Hardener before but I do use the Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle a lot and I love it!

Admittedly my nails are not particularly weak but about two or three times a year, they do all tend to break at once like lightbulbs and that is when I will be digging this little freebie out to put it to the test and see if it can nurture my new baby nails. I have high hopes!

For those of you who are interested, this is what I wrote about the Miracle Growth Product (which guarantees 30% longer nails in five days) in a review on the Beauty Judge website www.beautyjudge.com earlier this year,

'I was surprised when I read that another reviewer was disappointed with this product.



This product has been a staple of mine for about three years. In my work, I have to wash my hands constantly and use alcohol gels. My nails take a battering but as soon as they start breaking. I apply this once a day for a few days straight. One coat each day on top of the previous for about three to five days and then remove and start again. Quickly going to once or twice a week for maintainance and my nails seem to grow. I only have to go through the whole regime two or three times a year.


My nails definitly grow because they are not breaking, the varnish at the very least protects them from the outside world so they have the opportunity but I would not like to say if +30% from white edge in five days is accurate. It is too hard to measure. Sometimes my nails can be quite hard to cut or file down so I believe there is possibly some super nourishing going on as prior to Hansen, my nails broke all the time.


I have brought this repetedly and have no regrets!'


So will Superdrug be on your list of places to visit this week? What do you think of Sally Hansen products? Any other nail recommendations?

X

Blush: Dandelion

Dandelion is one of the 'older' boxed powders from Benefit.

Coralista and Sugarbomb got so much hype when they were released that I feel it is important to remember that some of the predecessors are still out there retailing at the same price (£23.50). I would imagine Benefit have a reason for this ie. Dandelion still sells.

Personally I tend to use this boxed powder as a blush. Benefit refer to the light pink as a powder 'finely spun with delicate mauves and pinks' and somebody else refers to it on Make Up Alley as a ballerina pink. This made me smile as the pretty powder does remind me of my little pink ballet shoes when I was little. This is a pretty blush but in a very subtle, 'delicate' way. I don't think I've ever worn it out as a blush at night before. I don't think it is a party powder and anyhow, I tend to have some kind of tan or glow going on when I go out and I think this pink would be too light to compete.

Dandelion is pink but unlike the almost red Thrrrob, Dandelion is maybe slightly off pink in certain lights which could be due to a very slight peach undertone.

I have never looked at my Dandelion dressed cheeks and thought, 'shimmer' but you can spot some in the box. Even though I'm scared to put this product all over my face, I have found nothing heavy about Dandelion when I use it as a blush. I finds it goes on quite lightly initially and needs building up a little to get any real colour. However even when I think I have applied it too lightly, it seems to add something and indeed the end result is that my skin looks healthier and more awake. I think I said Coralista makes your skin look more alive, I don't think Dandelion has the same 'look at me' impact as Coralista. So rather then making your skin look more alive and up for life, I would say Dandelion makes your skin look more awake. It is a powder I would use on my cheeks whenever I want to look healthy and alert and once built up, I would say that it resembles the powder in the box.

Here you can see my cheek with only foundation.

Here with foundation and Dandelion.

I used about four swipes across my cheek to get this look. It does not appear quite as light in real life and in fact, it should be noted on my other cheek where I have few little marks, my cheek looked pinker a lot quicker. I'm not sure if this was because my skin was irritated further by the powder or if it was just because my skin there was obviously pinker to start with because it is irritated and therefore less colour build up was needed. I really could not tell. However I have seen some reviews that suggest this powder is very sheer. Now whilst I agree that you'll probably get little colour with the very first swipe, you do get some kind of prescence and then some colour builds after one or two more swipes.

Dandlelion was my very first blush from Benefit. Like all of my Benefit blushes, Benefit describe Dandelion as a powder rather then a blush. Benefit suggest that you can use Dandelion wherever necessary to brighten. I don't think I have ever done this. My skin is quite pale and I guess I have always been fearful of looking like a clown. I just do not think that this powder is as sheer as some reviews suggest and I'm still not happy applying to my whole face to brighten.

I've also heard people refer to Dandelion as a highlighter. I get that and indeed, I have used it in this way underneath my eyes to set my Erase Paste. It works but this is something I am reluctant to do unless I have time to blend properly, good light and a slight tan. Generally, I'm going to stick to my High Beam or MEMEME to highlight.

Blushwise, Dandelion can be flattering and lately I have tweaked the look layering it under Thrrrob. I like the effect. I will talk about this a bit more when I review Thrrrob.

Again Dandelion comes in the typical Benefit box with the little brush. I talk about this in my Coralista review here http://essjay23x.blogspot.com/2010/06/blush-coralista.html

Oh and yes, today I can certainly tell that this product has been perfumed.

Have you tried Dandelion? How do you use it? Do you have Well Dressed (MAC), how does this compare to Dandelion?

X

Making the best of a bad hair day!

Oh, I had a bad hair day today.

It was my hair appointment day. I normally have one about every 10-12 weeks. New hair extensions and a cut.

I hate the process. The hour or so when my old extensions are out, but my new ones are not yet in, is agony. It sounds pathetic but without the security of those extra inches, I do not feel like me and of course, in the hairdressers there are all those silly mirrors and all I can see is this reflection that does not look like me at all. It is horrible and really throws me. For that hour or so, I act differently and squirm a lot. I'm not always the most confident or bubbliest of people but there I am so, soo lost, so awkward and completly dazed. I guess for more then four years now, I have worn extensions everywhere. I even made sure my clips in were in securely when I did a parachute jump in Australia. For me, they have become like a piece of clothing (and more), without them I am naked and very self-concious.

I don't really know how to explain it. I know how silly it sounds but I can't help the way I feel. Somebody said maybe I feel how those girls feel who get their nails done every week or so and then for some reason stop.

I know it is a silly thing to get so worked up over and I know, that it is all relative. If, God forbid, I had some awful news at the salon about my health or somebody close to me or some other real 'crisis' happened then I know that my hair would be forgotten just like that. I know there are many people in the world with real, real worries that I can not even comprehend but when it is just me, my hair and the mirror then I can't help it, a switch goes off and I do not think about that and all I think about is my hair. It is not necessarily that I think the extensions look better. It is just that I identify myself now as somebody with all that hair and when there is some reminder that I haven't really got all that much hair then something in me gets confused. I'm not sure, it is difficult to explain. I think if you're thinking of getting extensions or indeed any kind of fakery, you should consider the addiction factor and what that could cost you both in money and confidence.

Anyway, never mind, normally it is just a hour or two and before long, I'm skipping out of the salon with my extra inches and for the first two weeks or so, that new hair is so shiny, soft and silky and basically I'm a very happy girl.

Normally . . .

Not today!

Old extensions out and then argh, I'm told my new hair hasn't arrived and I have got 24 hours plus au naturalle.

Oh and by the way, au naturelle was cut quite nicely at the back (free of charge, for obvious reasons ie. I had lost half a barnet!!!) but the front (where the work was so badly needed) had to be left until extension time for blending reasons.

My first thought was rush home, lock the door and cry (again pathetic, I know).

I didn't cry (maybe because my Sideways Cross necklace was waiting for me) but I did rush home and I did think about getting my clip in extensions out but then I thought, this is bad. Nobody can see me and well, I'm not planning on having short hair for a while so make the most of it so I had a bit of a play. Styling my hair this way and that and I have to concede that my natural hair is slightly more versatile then I feared.

This is my favourite style of the day.

I love this look. I think it is really girly, pretty and timeless. It took me two minutes at the most.

I can do it with my extensions but normally don't bother as it takes, at least, three times as long and is a bit more complicated. I had a bit of help from the hairdresser with this version (shown above) last year. It is all that trying to backcomb the hair without matting or getting it caught/tangled in the rows, pulling the sides of the hair back smoothly while trying to keep all the rows concealed, trying to find and attach a clip (or combination of clips/bands) to keep all that hair in place.

So in conclusion, I will be going back for my extensions tomorrow but the surprise break we had from each other was maybe not as painful as I imagined.

Maybe in fact, it was a very, very, very small step on the road to recovery from my chronic addiction which is good in light of the infamous Naomi Campbell picture which hit the newstands recently. It is alleged that she may have some form of alopecia due to adorning hair extensions.

Like some smokers and many people addicted to all different things, I do intend to give my extensions up. One day!

Have you ever had any shock, horror experiences at the hairdressers? Do you change your hair often or is there only one way/colour/length you would ever have your barnet styled?

X

My new necklace+ a very pretty ring!

Look, I got my very own Sideways Cross necklace. Yeah, yeah Lollipop26 http://www.lollipop26writes.com/ style. You all know what I am like, so orginal!!!

I'm really pleased with it though. I've never had a necklace which makes me feel so grown up.

I'm not sure how easy it is going to be to keep it sitting straight - it took a bit of a play to get the shot above- but I quite like the slightly tilted thing in real life. It gives it that mismatched 'cool' effortlessly Kate Moss/Sienna Miller edge. Makes the classic a bit more bohemium! In the same way, the cross been sideways does in the first place.

Usually I am more of a bracelet person. I have got away without many necklaces for so long by wearing tops with interesting necklines.

When I have worn necklaces they tend to be the run of mill heart or initial pendant type ones, a little longer then this one or very occasionally, shorter ones full of beads since my family have a bead shop but until today, necklaces have been a special occasion thing for me.

However, I feel that this one is delicate and discreet enough (yet still contemporary) to wear everyday. Well, I don't think that I will be taking it off for a week or two anyway. Ha, this bling bling obsession does not seem to be subsiding.

I ordered my necklace from this seller on Etsy http://www.etsy.com/shop/classicdesigns?ref=seller_info . I made the order on the Sunday before last (27th of June) and it arrived this morning all the way from Texas so I can't fault the service. There are several variations of the Sideways Cross on her website. I brought the Sideways Cross Necklace - The Original 14K Gold Filled Horizontal Cross - Handcrafted by Theresa Mink.

Theresa has some other Etsy stores and I do like (but must be good and not buy) A Summer Place, a beautiful cocktail ring inspired by the sea. I've borrowed this pic from her listing http://www.etsy.com/listing/50400292/a-summer-place-aqua-chalcedony-and

So is jewellery key in your own personal style? How do you work the bling? Ooh and have you ever made any of your own pieces, where can I check them out?

X

Share The Love!

Hi everyone!

You may remember that I did some Sharing The Love on You Tube recently. I'm not really sure if You Tube is my thing, I think I'm more comfortable blogging. For now, I have made my videos private but I'll probably change my mind again tomorrow.

Anyway just in case you are interested, here is a quick rundown of who I mentioned in my Share The Love videos.

***YOU TUBE CHANNELS***

Claire
http://www.youtube.com/user/FashionTeller17

Claire has a blog and a You Tube channel. Her blog is amazing and her channel is a little bit newer but I chose her as a You Tuber just because when she is talking about style and fashion she is so passionate and in to what she is talking about. I find her energy contagious. On my mission, I think I've got sidelined by beauty a bit but I've started to think more about style and adorning pretty things as I read more of Clare's posts and watch her videos. A couple of her videos are quite different too. One is dedicated to her shoe collection. I've seen tens of make up collection videos before but a shoe collection one?! It worked though, a great vlog. Then there was another chatty vlog about how she thought her style was evolving. Again I've seen chatty videos before but never one, that took this angle. So hopefully there will be some more videos up soon. In the meantime, check out her channel if you haven't already and of course, check out her blog http://www.thefashiontellersnotes.blogspot.com !



Tanya Burr
http://www.youtube.com/user/pixi2woo

When I did my Share the Love videos, I was really in to my Frenched which I doubt I ever would have been able to pull off if I hadn't watched Tanya's wearable red lip tutorial. I know she is quite well-known but all of her tutorials seem to work for me. I have been working her Lady Gaga lippie (I do like Satin Taupe) look recently and it is quite wearable. I've learnt loads from her and she is a trained make up artist so hopefully everybody can pick up something from her.

Tanya also has another 'fun' channel which is a good way to wind down if you like 'A day in the life' type videos.

Oh and of course, look out for the jewellery Tanya wears in her videos because some of it she sells. Remember a certain dancing ring!

Alex
http://www.youtube.com/user/alex27393

To be fair, I have not watched lots of Alex's videos yet but I found her channel when I was searching You Tube for some extension videos and I watched one of her videos and then another one. I thought they were good and she covered hair, beauty, make up. She has more then fifty videos up and seems really in to making her channel a success. I have subscribed and think that her channel could be one to watch.

Kathy
http://www.youtube.com/user/xxsgtigressxx

I wasn't aware of Kathy's channel before but she does have a big following so maybe you are already subscribed. However, this channel she is new to me and wow, am I pleased that I found it. I became aware of Kathy's videos after Laura (Lollipop26) tweeted that the only tutorials she ever watched were on this channel. There are a lot of make up looks on this channel which I will soon be exploring but the video that I have been watching over and over with my 209 in hand, is the Perfect Liquid/Gel liner tutorial.

***BLOGS***

Nicoletta
http://nicolettasbeautyspace.blogspot.com/

I remember saying in my video that Nicoletta's blog was my current fave and I still look forward to her posts now. I think Nicoletta is quite new to blogging -I've probably only followed her a couple of months- but you would never know. She does a lot of faces of the day but also throws in fashion, hair, reviews and more general posts. She did a lovely one today about appreciating the small things such as a morning with her son and some toast. Nicoletta seems really friendly and posts almost, if not, every day.


Muhsine
http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/

You all know that I am a big fan of Muhsine's blog. It covers everything make up, natural beauty, hair and she is just so stylish that you'll probably find some style inspiration in there too. Muhsine's photos are great and her posts are always inspiring. She consistently produces very clear swatches with through comparisons. She talks fairly about many different brands. A great blog to check out if you are in to seeing how some of the less hyped brands fare compared to MAC and Nars. The posts on this blog are not ones that could be written without some knowledge, thought and research. Oooh and the odd purchase or so!! Thankfully Muhsine posts several times a week and in addition to this, there is a whole wealth of information on her blog in the form of earlier posts. Sometimes if I have a question (or a blemish), I just search Muhsine's blog and Bingo, a remedy is found!



IKWYWTS
http://iknowwhatyouworethissummer.blogspot.com/

A new group blog set up by Gemma from Gem's Maquillage. You may have heard about it but basically you submit a half decent photo of your outfit of the day and Gemma/Victoria will include it in a cute little post with a few more OOTD's from others. I'm very nosy and love seeing what people are wearing. It is great to see what we wear in common and what more unique pieces people use to distingish their style. There have been points where I have been obsessed with this blog and trawled the net to try and find something spied here. This blog is also a great way to find new blogs as under photos, IKWYWTS will link to the person's blog.


Laura
http://emeraldgreen88.blogspot.com/

Laura's blog is brilliant. She posts regularly, does a lot of looks with a lot of different products. One look that I always remember is a Bollywood one. The looks are always creative and to me, Laura's technique appears spot on. Laura replies to a lot of her comments and seems an avid reader of many blogs herself, I'm sure she has 'matchmaked' a lot of blogs with new followers in Blogland, as she often tags or refers to interesting posts or competitions she has read. Also Laura is so on the ball with future collections, she knows what is coming out and when. A great blog to turn to when compiling wish lists. Laura also does beauty reviews and hauls.


There we go, I know some of my mentions are more well-known then others but I hope you find somebody new to follow here.

Oh and of course, there is Laura, Lollipop26 (http://lollipop26writes.com/) but you are all following her anyway but just so you know I would highly, highly recommend following her if you live on Jupiter and aren't already.

Are there any other amazing channels or blogs that I should be subscribed to?! Let me know and I will check them out.

X

PS I have done a post or two like this before so flick through my wordpress (http://essjay23x.wordpress.com/) archives to see who else I have rated if you are interested.

Ins and outs for June!

Ooh, the 5th of July. It is almost too late to be talking about June so time for me to pour a green tea (an honourary In), find a comfy position and get this post down.

IN

*Phyto or Morrocan Oil or something in my hair routine

I have never known a spell like it. A spell where everyday is almost an ok hair day. Never known it before, too scared to even dream about it but lately my hair has been on its very best behaviour and obviously, I'm loving that.

Please bear in mind, this is relative. My hair is never going to be up there with Cheryl's or Pixie Lott's (new hair crush). In other words, it is never going to have a 'good' hair day but my barnet currently gets an A* for effort. I haven't isolated the magic key yet but have narrowed the suspects down to a few products/habits currently dominating my hair routine.

You know that I think the world of Moroccan Oil. There is no doubt that it makes my hair more managable but recent performace seems to go beyond this even.

Admittedly I have got a bit bored with the whole velcro roller flaffing and lazily tend to use just one or two but I do let my hair dry naturally so much more then I used to. Maybe miracles can come from such simple changes in a hair routine?!

Then again maybe the magic lies in the Phyto products that I have been using and loving. I have two standard sized products but have also dabbled in a couple of samples so have used four Phyto products in all on my hair recently and honestly, I love all of them and my hair certainly seems to have no complaints. Obviously, there will be a post soon.

*Boots No 7 Hot Pink Nail Varnish (40)

I brought this earlier in the year and was really disappointed. The colour just looked wrong, too bright, too loud and too girly but now in the summery sunshine, I am surprised by how much more 'Me', this vibrant pink is. Bright but ever so slightly more delicate and girly then my Claires Accessories, Neon. This polish is typical of one from the No 7 line, the formulation is good. I always use my little till vouchers for the on a No 7 nail polish. I probably would have explored the other products in this brand a little more if the varnishes were not so good.

*Sigma SS209

I think I finally have a grip on eyeliner. I use any black eyeshadow (Carbon looks better but seems harder to work with) to apply to top lash line with my Sigma 209. This is a perfect brush and I can't believe that I was using the thicker 219 before. The 209 gives a fine, precise line which can be built up or flicked out. After a series of disastorous flicks, I'm giving them a miss at the moment. I am happy just tracing my natural eyeline with the 209 and powder and then going over this with my Bad Gal pencil and ta dah, my eyes make their presence known without tunelessly taking over the show. Sometimes I line the bottom lash line and I'm liking a Ruby and Miller eye brush to do this. This is a sqarer brush and it keeps the line softer which seems slightly more flattering. I don't usually pencil over this lower line for a day look.

*L'Oreal Color Riche in Cashemere 232

I have had this a long time but picked it up the other day and was surprised how much I liked it. It is like the 'Ghost' of lipsticks. A very, grown up, sensible dark maroon red boardering on brown that reminds me of how make up smelt to me when I was little. Quite sombre (and a little bit drying) but all the same it is very flattering and has an interesting shimmer. Something I can see myself wearing for those more grown up classic occasions. You could look at this on my lips and it would give nothing away about me or my personality but it would look very nice and would probably make me look a bit more organised and on the ball then I am. Yep, that is it. This is the type of lipstick a lady would wear who never gets flustered or trips up. Yeah well . . , that is who I pretend to be when I wear this and just while I have this on, it seems to work.

OUT

*Passion Fruit Body Butter from The Body Shop

I went in for Vanilla or Coconut or Cocoa Butter but none of them were reduced from £12.50 to £5.00 so reluctantly I put them back down and picked up one of the last Body Butters in the reduced section, Passion Fruit.

Eurgh!

Now as usual, I have only praise for the butter itself and it's moisturising qualities. I adore The Body Shop Body Butters. They do the job but I do not like the normal retail price and in this case nor do I like the scent. In fact, I barely tolerate it. I thought Passion Fruit would be summery but is like a potently stale cocktail. I feel hungover every time I have used it. It smells like the morning after. The irony is that it probably smells a lot worse because I am slapping a lot more on in a bid to hit pan because only when I have none left, can I justify going and buying a more gorgeously scented full priced one. I just know there is a Vanilla one sitting on the shelf waiting for me. . ! Until then headaches await me!!!

*The L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara (well, only the smell)

Another one down to scent, I am afraid.

I only brought this today and as soon as I took off the cap, it was like chemicals were in the air. I have never smelt a mascara so strong. Now I'm not adverse to putting chemicals on my lashes to make them grow but I brought this product as a mascara. I have never smelt a mascara smell before. Let alone so strong. I'm hoping that even though I never got used to the Passion Fruit pong, I will get used to the Million Lashes scent because I have quickly swiped this mascara across my lashes and I likey. I actually swiped it over some dried up Max Factor Lash Extension Effect applied earlier in the day and the result was so intense. Most likely too intense for the day but maybe once applied alone, it will come down a notch and be just right. I've got a good feeling about this one.

*Clinique

I started using their Anti-Blemish range a few months ago as I had a small cluster of horrible spots around my neck (see neck neglect finally caught up with me) that wouldn't shift and they still didn't shift even with the Clinique Anti-Blemish. I am now using Clearasil and this seems to be working. They are disappearing, so soo slowly.

I've got to gove it to Clinique, I liked the moisturiser and all the steps seemed to look after the rest of my face fine but the regime costs quite a lot and I can't help being just a little disappointed that they were not more effective at zapping the demon spots.

*My indecisiveness

Finally me. I can not make decisions about anything. I thought Jazzed was too orange for me but I still had to go and read the reviews and watch the videos and then I decide that maybe it would be nice for me but of course, it is then sold out online and now I can't decide if I really want to traipse to MAC, about an hour and a half away, where I will probably only change my mind again.

For the umpteenth time in my life, I find myself wishing I was born with some conviction!!


Hmm, must be time for that Green Tea! Do you have any beauty ins and outs or thoughts for me to ponder (while I sip)?

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