Loving Right Now...

In the past couple of weeks I have been enjoying a few beauty products that I want to share... I found myself reaching for the Dior 3 Couleurs Glow palette in 651 Nude Glow ever since trying the look that is suggested by Dior... It's from the Dior Golden Jungle Fall 2012 Collection... The look that Dior suggests with this palette is a very natural, wet looking and chic, with hardly any colour and very light eye definition... It would be flattering on any skin tone or complexion, it's very versatile, you can also create more dramatic look with it, click here -> Dior 3 Couleurs Glow in  Nude Glow... I will do a separate blog post wearing the Dior look... 

For those of you who are reading my blog regularly the next item won't be a surprise, it's the MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist... It's been a recent re-discovery of mine, and as a base it gives any eyeshadow that certain je ne sais quoi... I have tried light and dark eyeshadows, both looked great over it... The next eye product that's been well loved is L'Oreal Super Liner Perfect Slim Eyeliner... It only comes in black, and it's got a very slim felt tip applicator which makes it easy to draw a very precise line, getting right on top of the lash line...

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 in Rich Vanilla foundation is fantastic to finish of any foundation... You can use it on it's own, and that's what most people do, but I like to buff a little bit of it on top of my liquid foundation... It's not powdery or heavy, in fact it's very light and dewy... It makes any foundation look more beautiful, more flawless, I highly recommend checking it out! I've just repurchased my second pot, and have done a full review [click here] in my previous blog post... 

Talking of foundations, I have been trying to finish up a few of them I had for a while and after seeing so many great reviews of the Real Techniques by Samantha Chapman make-up brushes I decided to try Stippling Brush I already had... I purchased it a while ago and used it for cream blushes and now I decided to try it with foundations... Omg! It even made the difficult-to-apply foundations go on flawlessly... It's also great for contouring and highlighting... Because it's synthetic it doesn't take in much of the product, washes and dries super fast... I love love love it!!!

And finally, Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip Balm has done a great job on my lips, for the full review click here... They look incredibly healthy, and smooth... But it's not just that, even the natural colour of my lips looks emphasised, as does the lip line... Not sure how exactly it works but the ingredients seem to repair and replenish lips so well that I find myself not wanting to wear a lipstick... This may sound crazy but the other night I was watching The Good Shepherd with Angelina Jolie - there was a scene when she had bare beautifully full lips and it actually reminded me of how mine look now, minus the volume...

LOVE

Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15...

I just run out of my Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF 15 foundation in Rich Vanilla and had to repurchase it immediately! It's one of those things I can't be without... It lasted me well over a year even though I using it almost daily... I always use it on top of whatever liquid foundation I apply so I don't need that much, it gives me the perfect finish, dewy but not shiny... And the colour matches me perfectly... When I went to purchase it I thought to try a darker shade, the one after Rich Vanilla is Classic Beige but the girl at the counter recommended against it, she said it wouldn't look flat on my skin tone, so I repurchased the same shade as I was using before...  It's perfection! 

LOVE

Chanel Premier Regard & Sweet Beige...

The Quadra Eye Shadow palette in 38 Premier Regard and Glossimer in 297 Sweet Beige are both from the current Chanel Beauty Fall 2012 Collection... The palette has two matte and two satin finishes... The light pink and black are matte and the taupe and cream beige are satin... I have only swatched them so far, but they look beautiful and smooth... Of course I'll do a separate blog post wearing the eyeshadows and I'll let you know how they apply... The lipgloss in Sweet Beige is a toffee shade with fine gold and pink glitter, which you can't really see when it's on but it helps to visually create a plump lip... I have worn it already few times, it's moisturising and gives you a pretty nude lip...

LOVE

Re-Discovery: MAC Constructivist...

MAC Paint Pot in Constructivist is a re-discovery of mine... I had it for years, and when I first started using it, although I loved the colour the texture was just hard to apply, it kind of went on patchy and didn't blend very well... I don't know if my application skills have improved since or what has happened but I am absolutely loving it now! The shimmery dark chocolate shade provides a great base, intensifying the colour that is laid on top... My favourite combo has been MAC Constructivist + Guerlain L'Instant Fauve, it's the Ombre Eclat 1 Shade Eyeshadow, which is a warm shimmery bronzy colour, looks stunning... It has been one of my top loved eyeshadows ever since I tried in August [check out the original blog post by clicking HERE] - being a very beautiful eyeshadow, Guerlain L'Instant Fauve looks even better over MAC Constructivist!

LOVE

Post-LFW Foot Therapy...

Running around all day in heels during LFW SS13 every day, was painful! You can hardly turn up to a fashion show at the end of the day in flip flops... Or at least it's a no-no in my world! So I chose to suffer... I was coming home every night kicking off my shoes and having a quick foot bath to replenish them a little... Soon I realised I needed more than just a foot bath... And so I looked into good quality foot products... This is a bunch I chose and have really enjoyed them...  

It was time for post-LFW foot therapy... This week I was staying in pretty much every night writing and doing other stuff that's keeping me super busy at the moment... Sitting behind your desk [at home] is the perfect time for foot creams, toners, and sprays... Feet is something we usually don't pay that much attention to... But now my feet look so groomed and feel so smooth... You know the feeling when you wake up and your feet feel silky under the sheets... 

I will do separate reviews on the products with more details but I would really recommend all of the products featured here! Caudalie Foot Beauty Cream, Soap & Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream, and Liz Earle Foot Repair Moisturiser helped to hydrate the skin... The essential oils in Dr.Hauschka Rosemary Leg and Arm Toner did a fantastic job to relieve pain and tiredness in the legs... Liz Earle Foot Scrub is the best scrub I've ever tried, it works immediately... Liz Earle Foot Spritzer helped to refresh my feet after a long day...

LOVE

Essie Angora Cardi...

A colour and name of this Essie nail polish is just perfect for the autumn months when you start reaching for cosy knitwear... Angora Cardi, which is hard to describe, is described by Essie as 'a creamy, deep dusty rose'... It may not look like much in the bottle but on the nails it's got a beautiful vintage feel about it, with a hint of sophistication, very chic! The colour is flattering and looks very beautiful with warm toned make-up... And I'm wearing just one coat!! This is a first in my all time nail polish history... It went on so smoothly and so opaque that applying another coat would be just a waste... I couldn't believe how perfect it looked with just one coat on, still amazed...

LOVE

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis A Levres...

This is more of an editorial look, but it's still easily wearable as an evening look... I was inspired by the chic 30s make-up looks, think Marlene Dietrich and her iconic alabaster face & dark lip... My fascination with M.D. begun when I was doing my film degree... I loved her in The Blue Angel, where she played the dangerous and irresistible femme fatale Lola... I kept the eyes as bare as possible with the Dior 3 Couleurs Glow palette in Nude Glow [I have done a review on it already, but I have to rave about it again as it's become one of my most used palettes currently, stay tuned!] - and a for the lips I went for the darkest lip I could find, keeping the face flawless resembling a porcelain doll...

For the lips I used YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis A Levres in 1 Violet Edition... It's like an intensely dark plum with a hint of purple undertones... In the tube the colour looks a lot more purple than it goes on so don't be put off by it... Also you don't have to wear it as dark, but you can build it up as I did for an intense look... This is a much talked about beauty item everyone talks about in the beauty world this autumn... It's quite unique - a mixture of a lip gloss, stain, and lipstick, all in one... As you can see on the pics it starts off as very glossy but it has the pigmentation and consistency of a lipstick... After a while the gloss wears off and you are left with a stain, which looks like you are still wearing a lipstick... It won't be as intense as before but you won't look like you need to reapply it either... YSL lip stain comes in 19 beautiful shades!

LOVE

What's In Your Soap Dish - Lush Soaps!

My soap dish hasn't seen any other soaps in a long while... In fact I've been waiting to finish up my last two Lush soaps, to go and fill it up with new bars of deliciousness! Although the chunks look huge they are only just over 100gr each... The first one with the leave is the Figs and Leaves soap, I haven't tried it previously but it smells so good I could not leave it and its texture is great for exfoliating... Some of the ingredients are: Rapeseed Oil, Coconut Oil, Fig Decoction, and Ylang Ylang Oil... The next one Sultana of Soap, is the one I had before and I had to repurchase it because I love the creaminess and scent of it... Some of the ingredients are: Dried Apricots, Dried Currants, Dried Cranberries, and Bergamot Oil... 

And then I also wanted to try the Honey I Washed the Kids soap, and let me tell you I am not a huge fan of that intense honey scent that it's too strong and you can almost feel it in the back of your throat, but this one is nothing like it - it's mellow and warm and very pleasant! Some of the ingredients are: Honey Water, Beewax, Sweet Wild Orange Oil, Bergamot Oil, and Gardenia Extract... Not only do I like how Lush soaps look displayed in my bathroom, but they also fill the entire room with their gorgeous oil fragrances... All of the three are their most moisturising and creamy soaps...

LOVE

Nuxe Reve de Miel...

The Nuxe Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm that everyone raves about finally landed into my hands and on my lips! Going from what was meant to be summer into even worse autumn weather here in London I got dry and chapped lips, which isn't great for when you are trying to channel a dark fall lip... I now understand everyone's obsession with this little pot of gorgeousness and want to share my love too, in case you don't already have this baby sitting on your night-table... 

It's consistency is thick which makes it stay and not slide away... The scent is zesty and refreshing... Honey, Plant Oils, Shea Butter, and Grapefruit Essence help to nourish and protect lips... I like to use the lip balm over night as it stays longer that way and helps to repair chapped lips by the time you wake up... I really like the matte natural finish of this balm... And the Nuxe Lip Moisturizing Stick is a lighter, perfect handbag version for when on the go if you don't like sticking dirty fingers in the lip balm pot... I keep mine on the vanity table and always apply it when I'm doing my make-up before I apply lipstick... It feels very moisturising, has a little bit of a sheen but not glossy at all and smells equally gorgeous!

LOVE

bareMinerals Matte SPF 15 Foundation...

I have been using this mineral foundation since August... I decided to compare the bareMinerals Matte to the bareMinerals Original Foundation, which I have just finished before I started using the Matte one... I used the same shade in both foundations, the W15 Light... The Original is lovely for a dewy finish.. If you have oily skin and like good coverage I'd probably recommend the Matte... I quite like medium to full coverage and found that building up the Original made me look almost a little too glowy after couple of hours... I prefer using the Matte all over, buffing it real good with the bareMinerals Full Flawless Face brush that I have from the bareMinerals 9-Piece Get Started Kit... 

In August when my skin was a little more tanned than usual I was adding some colour by using a tincy bit of bareMinerals All-Over Face Color in Warmth, which I also have from that Get Started Kit... I used it as a bronzer, on the temples, forehead, cheeks, nose and chin - where the sun hits you naturally... I would really recommend checking Warmth out too, especially if you are new to bareMinerals products... It's a great way to get introduced to something you wouldn't have thought you'd be interested in... I saw Warmth on the counter few times before but because it looks so dark I never thought it would be for me, even after reading so many great reviews - what a great discovery in the end! It will last you for ages as you only need a tiny bit, it gives you a healthy colour as if you just came back from a sunny holiday... 

LOVE

Chanel Vertigo...

Being super busy during LFW SS13 and super sick in bed for days with a mean flu, I haven't had time for my beauty reviews and features... But  I have been trying many products out and the reviews are coming soon... LFW was super fun but I am super happy to return to my beauty posts! I thought what could be a better beauty come-back than Chanel Vertigo, which is a dark grey with light pink shimmer nail polish... It's from the current Chanel Autumn 2012 Collection... I would highly recommend Vertigo if you like dark nail polishes and want something different, not quite black and not just grey... It's very chic!

LOVE

LFW SS13 Rock Vault & West Wing Showrooms...

Lorico

Lorico

 Victim Fashion Street

Victim Fashion Street

Victim Fashion Street

Carla Fernandez

Carla Fernandez

Liora Lassalle

Liora Lassalle

Liora Lassalle

Joanna Cave

Joanna Cave

Joanna Cave

Joanna Cave

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Yunus & Eliza

Kat Maconie

Kat Maconie

Kat Maconie

Richard Braqo

Richard Braqo

Alejandro Ingelmo

Alejandro Ingelmo

Alejandro Ingelmo

[a stunner!!]

 

Tom Ford - Darling

[dresses inspired by old classic films...]

 Holly Fulton

  Holly Fulton

 Unfortunately I forgot to take down the designer's name for these beautiful headpieces..

They were created for the catwalk show, so they are quite dramatic..

 Modern Love

Vilshenko

[I couldn't not feel patriotic, 

when I saw Vilshenko blouse with an authentic Ukrainian ornament]

 Vilshenko

 Vilshenko

 Vilshenko

It was another wonderful day at the Somerset House LFW SS13 The Exhibition... Having done half of it the previous time, I dived into the West Wind this time... I particularly enjoyed Carla Frenandez pieces and the idea behind them... Both the garments and jewellery were created by Mexican tribes who used their handwoven hammock techniques for centuries... Joanna Cave jewellery stood out to me with it's delicate design, and the tassel detail gives a new approach to gold jewellery, which I love.. Yunus & Eliza were the designers of the chunky, dark pieces... Quite different to the previous jewellery, but just like in life one day you may feel delicate & fragile, and next day rough & strong... Their collection was filled with skulls, claws, faces, animals - and every piece felt strong and powerful... 

Vilshenko was a designer I was familiar with previously and was looking forward to see her new pieces... Olga Vilshenko is a Russian born designer with an Ukrainian name, go figure... But being half Ukrainian half Russian myself, sometimes things get mixed... Vilshenko's collections always stay true to her roots, Ukrainian/Russian folklore prints and patterns are always present on her garments... And when I went into Vilshenko's showroom the first piece I saw was the off white blouse with that authentic red+black embroidered ornament, I felt at home...

My favourite shoe of the entire LFW SS13 has to be the stunning teal snakeskin pump by Alejandro Ingelmo - it's iconic! The most iconic beautiful shoe to me is the Manolo Blahnik Something Blue, which I actually was very happy to see on a girl at Somerset House during LFW Day 4... And this one comes right after it... When you see that Alejandro Ingelmo pump in real life it's like all the other shoes in the room suddenly fall and die... It just stuns you and stays with you forever...

LOVE