Monday 31 March 2014

MoYou London Stamping Nail Art Plate: Rebel Collection 03!





 Base: Essie Blanc [two coats] + Essie Luxeffects Pure Pearlfection [three coats]


 Banana Print: BarryM Limited Edition BLE 2013 + Essie Licorice


 Available at: http://www.moyou.co.uk




Hey Beauty Lovers! I have been experimenting with MoYou London Stamping Nail Art Plates and I think I have finally nailed it! In particular I love this Rebel Collection plate 03, it's got pop art images that are cool in a hipster-esque way. I haven't realised myself but have been told by two of my gorgeous Instagram followers that it's the Andy Warhol Banana print, which is pretty cool in itself!

To create this look I applied two coats of Essie Blanc, followed by three coats of Essie Luxeffects Pure Pearlfection to give the white a shimmery finish for a bit of depth. Then I painted Essie Licorice over the banana print and using the scrapper took off the excess nailpolish and pressed the stamper over it immediately. Then without waiting for the black banana outline to dry I quickly applied a desired yellow nailpolish with a fine artist brush. Give it a couple of seconds and then just press the stamper onto the nail. Repeat the process to create a pattern that looks organic. And to finish apply a topcoat. I absolutely adore this quirky banana print design!

LOVE

Saturday 29 March 2014

Percy & Reed Wonder Balm Review!



Hey Beauty Lovers! I have featured Wonder Balm few weeks ago when I went to the ELLE UK cover launch event, if you haven't read that blogpost yet click here! I have now used it a couple of time, so here is what I think. Percy & Reed Wonder Balm in effect is a primer for hair, it's meant to protect from heat and also make other styling products work and last much better. It's hard to say whether other hair products do work better or last longer but I basically use it as a heat protector on damp hair before blow drying. It also can be used on dry hair if you want to curl hair on day two you can apply it through out the length for heat protection. This is a sample that I got with the ELLE mag but the actual products comes with a pump. And as per usual the Percy & Reed scent is gorgeous!


LOVE

Friday 28 March 2014

Luxury Mother's Day Gift Idea: Coco Mademoiselle!







Hey Beauty Lovers! Here is another gift suggestion for Mother's Day, which is just around the corner. When it comes to beauty gifts especially if you are pressed for time there is always the Chanel beauty counter! You can never go wrong with a beautiful Chanel fragrance and a matching bodycare product. Coco Mademoiselle is a scent that is typically associated with a younger woman, but it's all about the individual taste. Personally I prefer deeper and more sensual scents and my mom adores a scent that lingers freshness. Chanel has a variety of fragrances going from classic to youthful, with matching body lotions, body creams and body oils to choose from, which makes a rather neat gift. I love Chanel packaging, it looks chic and luxurious on the vanity or nightstand. So if you haven't sorted out a gift yet, why not treating your lovely mother to some Chanel!


LOVE

Thursday 27 March 2014

Mother's Day Gift Idea: Deborah Lippmann Two of Hearts Set!



 Deborah Lippmann Shape Of My Heart [mini]


 Deborah Lippmann Candy Shop [mini]






Hey Beauty Lovers! How cute is this mini Deborah Lippmann nailpolish duet?!! Candy Shop is a multi colour glitter nailpolish with a sheer pink base. In the picture I'm wearing three coats of Candy Shop, the more you layer it the more it looks like a jelly polish, creating a dimension effect making the glitters look like they are set under the layers of a jelly nailpolish. So it's a bit of a different look and I think it looks super pretty for the spring! And obviously it came in the matching tiny zip bag that you can use for all sorts of things, even lipsticks. The other mini is the Shape Of My Heart, which is a sheer pastel pink with a cream finish. It's pretty and subtle, also wearing three coats of it! Apart from being cute and practical Deborah Lippmann Two Of Hearts set also makes an affordable Mother's Day gift!


LOVE

Wednesday 26 March 2014

Loving Right Now: Astalift Jelly Aquarysta!







Hey Beauty Lovers! Last year I have reviewed Astalift Jelly Aquarysta but recently I have re-discovered it! Jelly Aquarysta is a rejuvenating concentrate, which is a powerful anti-aging serum. Jelly Aquarysta plumps the skin with collagen and peptides stimulating elastin production, which helps to promote smooth and radiant looking skin. As you can see it has an orange jelly texture and you only need a small pearl amount to cover face and neck. It comes with a tiny scoop, first warm the small amount of the jelly in your palms and after it has emulsified into an oil gently apply it onto the skin. 

The Jelly is super lightweight, which for my oily/combo acne prone skin is a major plus point as I don't like anything heavy feeling, which could potentially clog the pores. And I had no break-out problems at all. So it's great for all skin types as it moisturises the skin and feels really light. And I absolutely love the gentle and luxurious rose scent! It makes a perfect spring serum that injects some freshness and glow into your skin!


LOVE

Tuesday 25 March 2014

Bio Sculpture Nailpolish in Tangerine!





Available at: www.biogel.co.uk


Hey Beauty Lovers! Here is another Bio Sculpture nailpolish which I absolutely adore! Tangerine is a gorgeous bright orange with a cream finish. It's smooth and perfectly opaque in two coats. I'm not sure why there is that discolouration in the bottle but it doesn't seem to effect the nailpolish whatsoever. Try to just shake the bottle as the pigments might have separated a little. Compared to Essie Fear or Desire, Tangerine is from the same colour family but it has slightly more red pigment in it. I'd describe Tangerine as a true pumpkin colour. 

LOVE

Monday 24 March 2014

Spring Complexion: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua + Long Lasting Concealer!

Nails: Bio Sculpture nailpolish in Tangerine




Hey Beauty Lovers! In the winter I was wearing a heavier foundation and now that the spring is almost there but not quite yet I have changed up a few things for a more radiant complexion with less coverage. One of my favourite go-to foundations for this fresh spring complexion is Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua [30 Beige]. It has enough coverage to conceal skin imperfection yet at the same time it feel very light, I'd say it's a buildable medium coverage. There is no shimmer in it but it has a super pretty glow from within. 

Also I love the Chanel Long-Lasting Concealer [20 Beige Ivoire], which is great for all over the face concealing, however I love wearing it just under the eyes. It's also super lightweight and it's light to medium coverage. The soft-focus pigments help to defuse the light and brighten dark areas and imperfections creating that super smooth flawless texture. These two together make a great spring skin complexion combo!


LOVE

Saturday 22 March 2014

New Launch: Diptyque Skincare Review!







Hey Beauty Lovers! I'm super excited about Diptyque's new launch this month, now they have entered the skincare market!! Their scented candles are just timeless and sumptuous, and that's what they are mostly known for. There is something very iconic about the luxurious perfumery that Diptyque candles are associated with, so of course as you can imagine the skincare line has the most lavish scent! Here I have four products in the sample sizes that I have used a couple of times and now want to share my absolute l-o-v-e. 

First of all I love the chic and clean looking packaging, it's simple yet elegant. The scent is just wonderful, if you love roses you will absolute adore the Diptyque skincare. All of these products have this gorgeous rose scent, it's not over-powering however. I find this rose scent quite playful and opulent. Nourishing Cleansing Balm as you can see has a bamly nourishing texture, after massaging it into the skin wash it of with a flannel or just warm water. When it comes in contact with water is just melts away getting rid of all the impurities.

Multi-Use Exfoliating Clay for the Face has a finely milled texture and it takes cleaning an extra step by exfoliating clogged pores and generally lifting off dead skin cells to reveal a youthful and glowing complexion. Infused Facial Water for the Face is in effect a tonic that soothes the skin that has been thoroughly cleansed and it feels like the most precious rose water. And as the final step I then applied the Protective Moisturising Lotion for the Face, which has a super lightweight texture. 

I have oily/combo acne prone skin and my skin had absolute no problem, on contrary in the morning my skin looked really clear and actually less oily than usual. The entire Diptyque skincare routine feels really luxurious and gives you that at-home-spa experience, it feels like a real treat for your skin!

LOVE

Friday 21 March 2014

L'Occitane Neroli & Orchid The Collection!











Hey Beauty Lovers! I'm super excited to share with you the new L'Occitane Neroli & Orchid The Collection and Fragrance Beautifying Cream that have been launched this month! Fragrance Beautifying Cream is a body cream that helps to enhance any of your fragrances and make them last longer. It's a rich moisturiser that leaves skin feeling super smooth and satiny. It's very lightweight and sinks in to the skin, with a pleasant gentle scent that reminds me of that lovely fresh clean laundry scent. It does seem to make the fragrance linger, which makes it your best friend when it comes to fragrances!

Neroli & Orchid The Collection has right away become my favourite L'Occitane scent of all times. You have to smell it, the scent is utter gorgeousness!! If you are a scented candles lover you will fall in love with the candle from this collection, it's ah-mazing. To me the Neroli & Orchid scent is super sensual and comforting at the same time, there is something about it that makes me feel really happy, relaxed and sexy. It's a beautiful concoction of fresh and warm notes: Orange, mandarin [top notes]; Neroli, peach & fig milk [heart notes]; Orchid, musk & iris [base notes]. In this collection there is also a Shower Gel, Body Milk and Perfumed Soap. It would make a beautiful gift to yourself and also the Mother's Day is coming up!

LOVE

Thursday 20 March 2014

On-Trend: Reversed French Manicure: Blue & Gold!







Hey Beauty Lovers! The Reversed French Manicure nail look has been showcased at a few fashion shows last year, basically it's a fresh take on the dated French tip. There are different ways of wearing a reversed French man-i-cure as Alexa Chung calls it, some more intricate and others more doable. This look is great for anyone who is not a professional nail artist as it's very simple to create but looks pretty neat! So to begin I have primed my nails with a base coat, followed by two coats of BarryM Gelly nailpolish in Blueberry, it is my favourite colour from this range, it looks super chic and has that expensive looking colour saturation! Then I took a super fine artist brush and just doted couple of rows of Essie Good As Gold in the half moon shape. Et voilà!

LOVE

Wednesday 19 March 2014

RealTechniques Retractable Lip Brush + Silicone Liner!











Swatches of Chanel Rouge Coco in 31 Cambon
Maybelline EyeStudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner in 01 Black


Hey Beauty Lovers! These are the two new additions to my realTechniques brush collection. The Retractable Lip Brush is super convenient for when on-the-go as the bristles are protected by the cap. Before putting the cap on you need to pull up the protective sleeve to hide the bristles inside and then put the cap on. It's a super neat lip brush to have in your handbag! The Silicone Liner Brush is mimicking one of those felt-tip eyeliner applicators. As it doesn't have bristles the silicone tip doesn't take in much of the gel/cream eyeliner so you can only do tiny strokes. It takes a bit of practice to get used to, but it's great for creating that sharp flick tip for detailed precision.

LOVE

Tuesday 18 March 2014

Touché By Flavien Prickly Pear Shampoo & Conditioner!

Touché By Flavien Prickly Pear Shampoo for Balanced Scalp and 
Conditioner for Moisturising Repair, both 50ml
Available at Harvey Nichols, Fenwick, and Harrods


Hey Beauty Lovers! I have previously featured Touché By Flavien haircare range when I met Flavien himself, if you haven't read that blogpost yet click here! I have now had the opportunity to try his Prickly Pear Shampoo for Balanced Scalp and Conditioner for Moisturising Repair. Touche By Flavien products feel luxurious, not only does the eclectic packaging look beautiful displayed in the bathroom but the quality of his haircare products speak for themselves! 

The ingredients that go into his haircare line are rare and expensive to extract, which you can read all about in the previous blogpost I have linked above! The Balanced Scalp Shampoo helps to keep the scalp healthy, which then as a result will also make your hair look healthy. Moisturising Repair Conditioner is like a treatment within, it left my hair feel ridiculously smooth and silky, something I have only experienced from deep moisturising salon treatments!

LOVE

Monday 17 March 2014

Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish in Mercer Street!











Hey Beauty Lovers! Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish in Mercer Street is a royal blue with cream finish. With the flash it came out much brighter than it is in reality. Mercer Street is super opaque and looks perfect with two coats. Mercer Street launched in January this year as part of the SS14 Collection and it will be available permanently!
 

LOVE

Sunday 16 March 2014

Spring Bronze Glow Smokey Eye with BareMinerals!



bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 4.0 palette in The Rare Find,
bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick in Be Free,
Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Bronze


Hey Beauty Lovers! I decided to ditch my beloved black eyeliner and create this warm bronze glow smokey eye! To create this look I used MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study as a base, applying it all over the lid as the shade has such a pretty sheen that it highlights brow-bone beautifully. Then I applied Surreal from the bareMinerals Ready Eyeshadow 4.0 palette in The Rare Find, which is a pretty yellow gold, just in the inner half of the eyelid, followed by Frisson, which is a matte warm brown with red undertone, into the outer half of the lid as well as taking it into the socket and under the lower lash-line. 

Just for a touch of definition I applied Rimmel Scandaleyes Waterproof Kohl Kajal in Bronze over the top lashes blending it with the eyeshadow, repeating the same under the lower lashes, also applying it onto the waterline. This is a very quick smokey eye, and makes blue eyes pop, but would look equally beautiful on green and brown eyes! For the lip I applied bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick in Be Free, which is a super pretty nude with a beautifully creamy texture. It's a subtle look that is perfect for a sunny spring day!


LOVE

Saturday 15 March 2014

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] Review!



Hey Beauty Lovers! Now that I had a good trial of the new La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+] it's time for a review! I have featured it when it was launched, so if you haven't read that blogpost yet click here! The difference between the original Effaclar Duo and the new formula Effaclar Duo [+] is that now it also helps to fade acne and blemish scars. It's a great all-rounder skincare product for blemish prone skin as it takes care of the whole cycle, clearing out the pores, reducing blemishes and helping them to heal faster, fading red and brown pigmentation left after a blemish, and preventing further blemishes from forming, resulting in unclogged pores and clear looking skin.

Before I started using Effaclar Duo [+] I had a big break out on my chin, which I haven't had in a very long time - so I could really see the difference! The blemishes cleared up within a couple of days and the scaring that usually takes a lot longer to fade also went visibly quickly! It can be used morning and/or evening on the whole face and it makes a great make-up primer. I just use it in the morning before applying foundation and it works beautifully!


LOVE

Friday 14 March 2014

John Frieda Frizz Ease Perfect Finish Review!




Hey Beauty Lovers! This products is not something I'd go for typically as I generally apply all of my haircare and styling products into still damp hair before blow-drying. But after trying this John Frieda Frizz Ease Perfect Finish Polishing Serum I really like how it takes care of any frizz that I may get on day-two/three-hair if it's super humid as it is specifically designed to be applied on dry hair. It's great for smoothing flyaways as well as adding some shine. You just need a small amount, one pump is more than enough to apply evenly throughout the length avoiding roots.


LOVE