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

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

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

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

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

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

Spring Mint Nails with Bio Sculpture Nailpolish in Pistachio!

Hey Beauty Lovers! I have recently featured Bio Sculpture Vitamin Dose + Executive Base nail treatment, which I'm currently using to strengthen my nails. If you haven't read the review yet click here! Although it's a brand that was designed for gel nails they also have many nail products that work on real nails such as the treatment and also they have a beautiful nailpolish collection! One of the colours I'm particularly in love is the shade 100 Pistachio! It's a super chic greyish mint with the lightest touch of shimmer that is hardly noticeable but gives the nailpolish a nice dimension. 

So to create this spring mint nail art I have applied the Bio Sculpture Vitamin Dose and Executive Base, followed by two coats of Bio Sculpture nailpolish in Pistachio. It looks beautifully opaque in two coats and lasts well. Then I just added strips of  nail art super thin foil tape in silver in the middle of the nail, making sure they stick properly and to finish I applied a generous coat of Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Top Coat. 

LOVE

On-Trend: Glowy Spring Skin with Clarins!

Falsies: Eylure Naturalites, Winged style to elongate the eye.

Clarins Opalescence Face & Blush Powder, Multi-Blush in 02 Candy, Instant Light Radiance Boosting Complexion Base in 02 Champagne, and Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in 05 Candy Shimmer

Clarins Opalescence Face & Blush Powder

[Limited Edition] 

Hey Beauty Lovers! One of the biggest beauty trends this season is the glowy complexion. This beauty look is focused on the illuminated skin, which looks super chic with a pretty pink cheek and a black eyeliner. To create the perfect glowy skin I applied the Clarins Instant Light Radiant Boosting Complexion Base in 02 Champagne all over the face, which illuminates and corrects skin tone. Then I went over with my regular foundation and set it with Clarins Skin Illusion in 108 Sand, which is a loose powder mineral foundation that I'm currently addicted to. 

To warm up the complexion I applied Opalescence Face & Blush Powder. This limited edition bronzer and blush in one is very gentle so it's perfect for a natural fresh looking skin. As a blush I used the Clarins Multi-Blush in 02 Candy, a super pretty spring pink. It's a Cream Blush, which can be worn on cheeks and lips. Once it sets it lasts long, and has a very pretty texture. And finally on the lips I went for the good old Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector. The shade 05 Candy Shimmer is one of the newer additions, it looks super pretty together with the Candy Cream Blush.

LOVE

Bioderma Micelle Solution Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Look what I have, my very first Bioderma Micelle Solution!! I'm probably the last person to get my hands on this holy-grail of a skincare product but in London it has only become available recently. This particular one I actually spotted at the Ritz Pharmacy in Hampstead, where I occasionally like to go in and check out skincare products on a lovely Sunday afternoon, as they always have such a great variety of skincare. And there it was looking right at me! At the moment they only stock the mini 100 ml size, which is super convenient for travelling. 

Bioderma Micelle Solution is a super gentle yet effective make-up remover, in fact it is so gentle that it is recommended for sensitive skin. What makes it so special is the fact that although it's super mild on the skin it nonetheless manages to remove every little trace of make-up, including waterproof mascara. It feels incredibly soothing on the skin, particularly around the eye area, which tends to be more sensitive. And it has absolutely no scent, so great for those who don't like scented skincare.

LOVE

On-Trend: Clashing Spring Pink Nails!

 L to R: OPI Strawberry Margarita, Essie Too Too Hot, Essie Watermelon, 

Nails Inc. Gel Effect Downtown, and Essie Size Matters

 

L to R: OPI Strawberry Margarita, Essie Too Too Hot, Essie Watermelon,  

Nails Inc. Gel Effect Downtown, and Essie Size Matters

Hey Beauty Lovers! Over the weekend I got inspired by a nail look I saw in Porter Magazine [Spring 2014, Issue 1]. On one hand the nails were painted in pretty pastel pinks and on the other it was all about hot vibrant pinks. I really love this look, it's fresh and fun. Plus this way you also get to wear all of your favourite pinks at once! The idea behind this look is to have different shades of pink clash a little, so I chose blue-toned pinks, warm-toned pinks, reds with pink in them, as well as a deep red. You can do this look with different colours but for spring it has to be pink, no rhyme intended...!

LOVE 

DHC Bio Cellulose Mask Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! As promised here is the DHC Bio Cellulose Mask Review! First of all, I do look like straight out of Almodóvar's The Skin I Live In... But beside the point, this mask is a skincare supreme! It's a gel mask that comes in a sachet and has two protective sheets on both sides which you have to remove before applying. When you apply it make sure that the tag is on the right side. There are cuts on each side which you can pull and overlap to make sure the mask sits perfectly, I realised that later as you can see the little corner is sticking out at the bottom before I adjusted it.

On the package it says it's a 20 minute facial, however I wore it for a whole hour, it just felt so good and luxurious that I literally didn't want to peel it off my skin. The cellulose from fermented coconut water is super hydrating. Neem leaf provides soothing properties, while shell ginger water conditions and amino acid softens for a rejuvenated complexion. I couldn't detect any scent. Having oily/combo blemish prone skin type I had absolutely no problem. After removing the mask my skin felt super plump and incredibly soft. Still next day my skin felt beautifully smooth and balanced. If you have a special event coming up it's a must-have!

LOVE

Super Chic Evening Smokey Eye with Chanel Mirifique!

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in 85 Mirifique

Estee Lauder Nail Lacquer in N4 Tumultuous Pink

Hey Beauty Lovers! This is the look I wore to the ELLE event earlier this week, it's a super chic smokey eye which is also very simple and quick to create. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre eyeshadows are fail-proof, and I always have them at hand when I want to look well put together and don't have time to experiment with make-up. Mirifique is a super chic black with sparkles, it creates that beautiful almost wet looking statement smokey eye without looking like you tried too hard. It's the ultimate Parisian smokey eye, effortless and sexy chic, like you just rolled out of bed and happened to look gorgeous...

Mirifique does crease on me [I have oily eyelids], so it depends what I'm in the mood for I either apply it straight to the eyelids for that slightly worn look [which I did here] or I apply it over a base to make it last longer. For extra depth I used MAC Kohl Power Eye Pencil in Feline blending it together with Mirifique, also applying it onto the waterline. For this look lips have to be nude, I used Revlon Matte Lipstick in Nude, which is one of my all time favourite nude lipsticks. It has a hardly noticeable iridescence that makes your lips look sensual and full, for that perfect Brigitte Bardot nude lip. 

And on the nails I wore Estee Lauder Tumultuous Pink, which I believe is one of the new colours. Tumultuous Pink looks a lot deeper on the nails than in the bottle, it's a raspberry deep pink with a cream finish. Et voilà!

LOVE

Exclussive ELLE UK Launch: Percy & Reed Wonder Balm!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Yesterday I went to the Percy & Reed Wonder Balm launch event at ELLE UK. It's the first time ELLE UK has done a cover launch for a beauty product, so I'm super excited to share some insider info with you! Amongst champagne and mini cupcakes we talked beauty with Sophie Beresiner, who is the Beauty Director at ELLE UK. We had a sneak preview of the ELLE Magazine which went on the shelves today, so grab your issue before they sell out. 

There was also Percy & Reed team who were showing how to style four on-trend hair looks for the spring using Wonder Balm: The Top Knotty, Buns and Roses, Pony Grip, and my favourite Blossom Braid! Wonder Balm is a hair primer, just like a facial make-up primer makes your make-up last longer and look prettier. It creates a heat protecting smoothing base which can be worn on its own or topped up with any of your regular hair styling products. Wonder Balm is multifunctional and can be used on towel dried hair before styling or on dry hair to keep frizz or flyaways under control, apply a small amount from roots to ends.

So with ELLE UK April 2014 issue that is available today you get a sample of Wonder Balm, which is the exact amount of product as in the original, so you get 75ml worth £18 for free!! The only difference between the ELLE sample and the original product is that Wonder Balm comes with a pump. Wonder Balm will be available to purchase on March 15th, so you get a great opportunity to try this product for free now!

LOVE

Bio Sculpture Gel Vitamin Dose + Executive Base!

Available at www.biosculpture.co.uk

Hey Beauty Lovers! Lately I have noticed my nails started peeling which they didn't do for a very long time. So I'm trying to strengthen them at the moment. Bio Sculpture Gel is a British brand that is new to me, and they do products mainly orientated for gel nails but also many products that can be used on regular nails. The Vitamin Dose and Executive Base have been formulated to help nourish nails that are affected by gel manicure, so it must be good on regular nails too. 

Vitamin Dose is a cucumber infused vitamin boost to stimulate healthy and strong nail growth, it has a watery texture and you simply apply it onto clean bare nails as well as the cuticles and leave it to get absorbed for a minute before following up with the base coat. Executive Base is a multi-factional strengthening base that will 'compress the nail keratin to strengthen soft and weak nails'. I haven't used these two products long enough to see any change yet but this is the nail treatment that I'm using right now, but will do a full review at a later stage.

Update: I've been using these two products for over a month now. I have noticed that my cuticles became really dry and the only thing that I have changed in my manicure regiment is applying the Vitamin Dose as recommended on the nail as well as the cuticle. It seems to be actually to harsh on the cuticles. And I'm not too happy with the Executive Base either, it it makes nailpolish chip pretty badly, literally half of the nail comes off not just a bit at the edge. So I'm going to stop using these now and will try to nourish the cuticles. But I'm still loving the Bio Sculpture nailpolish!

LOVE

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Review!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair is the holy grail of skincare. Loved by beauty bloggers and editors worldwide it's a nightstand skincare must-have! I have featured this lux serum previously in my last year's Gift Guide. Advanced Night Repair is a powerful serum that works with the skin's natural cell turn-over that takes place during the so-called beauty sleep. This fabulous serum repairs the skin reducing main signs of aging, in turn making it look smoother, younger and more radiant! 

It has a barely noticeable but pleasant natural kind of a scent. You only need to apply a few drops to face and neck, once it dries it has a slightly sticky feel, if that bugs you just go over with your night-time moisturiser as you'd do anyway. Advanced Night Repair is suitable for all skin types and as it's an oil-free formula it's also great for oily/combo skin!

LOVE

Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish in Kensington Passage!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Nails Inc. Gel Effect Polish in Kensington Passage is a new addition to the core collection, which is available in March 2014! Kensington Passage is a super bright almost neon coral with a cream finish. It's that classic type of shade I'd love to wear to the beach on a hot summer's day or with lots of fake-tan and a basic white T, blue jeans, an effortless top-knot and Ray-Bans... You get the drift, Kensington Passage is a fun shade!

LOVE

Estee Lauder Sculpting Lipstick in Infamous!

Hey Beauty Lovers! Happy first day of Spring!! What could be a better way to celebrate this occasion than with a bright pink lip. I have already reviewed the new Estee Lauder Sculpting Lipstick along with matching nailpolish in the shade Impassioned, if you haven't seen it yet click here! Sculpting Lipstick range is a new addition to the permanent collection. The formula is super beautiful, these beautiful lipsticks are all about intense pigmentation, they have a glossy finish and feel moisturising on the lips. Another bonus point: they are long lasting, gently staining the lips they make the pigment last beautifully even when the shine starts to go a little you will still have a beautiful lip on. Infamous is an über bright cool-toned pink, it really bring a pop of colour to the face. And of course the packaging is rather lux, the lipsticks have a magnetic lid that falls into place!

LOVE