1st FOTD of 2014

My skin has been looking a bit dull lately, probably due to all the indulging food of the festivity. I used quite strong hue to brighten the skin but still keeping it fairly simple.

Face: Clinique City Block Sheer SPF25, Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation in 05, Mac Mineralize SkinFinish Natural in medium, Giorgio Armani Master Corrector in pink, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer in medium, Becca Beach Tint in guava, Bobbi Brown Face & Body Bronzing Duo;

Eyes: Revlon GrowLuscious mascara, Kiko Water Eyeshadow in 202;

Lips: YSL Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain in Corail Fauve.

Nails 2013 / Q3

A collection of nail looks (don't think they classify as nail art) from the last quarter of the year… I'm not super creative when it comes to nails but nails are always a popular subject… let me know if you like this type of posts! :)

Played with a bit of french manicure here:

Revlon Top Speed in 607 Hazy as base and Revlon ColourStay Longwear Nail Enamel in 180 Indigo Night for the tips. 

Blue polishes are my absolute favourites!

Execution leaves a bit to be desired but I think the matte/glossy combo looks fantastic!
I used Nails Inc in Lily from the Gossip Girl Collection; I don't really like Nails Inc polishes because they take ages to dry but I got to say that this colour lasted well and it's still fluid after few years. For the matte coat - I used Rimmel Matte Finish Top Coat.

I like the liquid sand effect of OPI What Wizardry Is This? It gives such foolproof results, especially if you're in a hurry. I added Pupa Lasting Colour Gel in 18 Delicate Crimson on my ring finger for a pop of colour.

Finally, a Christmasy look: I used a Ted Baker Gold colour from last year giftset and Essence Happy Holidays Nail Sweets that my sister brought me from Italy :)

I've also been using these Revlon Quick Dry Top Coats - one is a 'proper' transparent polish, whilst the second are drops. I like them both equally and don't smudge. I've used Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Speed Dry Drops in the past (which I like a lot!) and definitely recommend these too, for a cheaper alternative.

p.s.: sorry for the poor quality of these photos. Something went wrong when I uploaded them and I've already deleted them from the memory card :(

Empties / December 2013 + Mascara Round-Up

Happy New Year lovelies!

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas and a wonderful start to 2014.

I didn't finish many products this month, however I decided to add an end of the year mini mascara reviews.

Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel: I'm actually falling in love with Yes To… ranges; this eye cream is no exception. It feels fresh and hydrating and  I also think my concealer looks better when applied above this gel. I like to keep it in the fridge to enhance the cooling effect of the gel.

Repurchase: Yes 

REN F10 Smooth And Renew Mask: I like all the masks that I have tried from REN but I think they are all very similar; like the Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask (which is my favourite), this is a chemical exfoliant that eats at the superficial layer to reveal a smoother skin.

Repurchase: Maybe 

Lavera Hand Cream: at first I loved this cream but soon the scent started to annoy me; It's just too herbaly for my liking, I wish it would just smell like almond & shea butter - the main ingredients. It's a shame because I like the fresh consistency: it really feels like a splash of water and dries super fast.

Repurchase: No

First Aid Beauty Gentle Body Wash: this wee bottle had been sitting in my cabinet for far too long. Scent-free and nothing special in my opinion.

Repurchase: Nope

I'm definitely guilty of not changing my mascaras enough but I recently bought some new ones and I kept these for this post; as a rule of thumb, I don't like wet formulas and I prefer volume to length.

THUMB UP: 

One of my favourite mascaras of all time is Clinique High Impact Mascara; I usually prefer a plastic wand to the fiber but this one is super soft and flexible and create amazing volume effortlessly. 

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara does exactly what it says on the tube - create tons of volume! As mentioned above, I like the short plastic teeth of the wand that are great to coat even the shortest lashes.

Benefit Bad Gal Blue Mascara: not a big fan of the huge brush and it dried out pretty fast but I always got loads of compliments for the colour.

t-b: Benefit, L'Oreal, Clinique

NEUTRAL: 

These mascaras didn't particularly impress me but I didn't hate them either. ;)

Ellis Faas mascara is impressive to hold the curl but the wand is too long, which makes it awkward to apply; I like the brush of the Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara which is flat on one side; I'm not a fan of scented mascara tho and this one has a strong floral smell.

t-b: Ellis Faas, Lancome

THUMB DOWN:

I know that many people like the Revlon GrowLuscious Mascara but it just didn't work for me: I think because the brush is too big and I couldn't really get in there at the root of the lashes; it also stung my eyes when removing it at the end of the day. Similar experience with the Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara that has an even bigger brush.

The downfall of the Collection 2000 Extreme Coloured Lenghtening Mascara is the quality; maybe mine was faulty but it was completely dry from the beginning… and I like dry mascaras so enough said. The colour simply didn't transfer and was flaky - shame because the brush looks good!

t-b: Revlon, Soap & Glory, Collection 2000

Anyway, I enjoyed having a wee break from the blog and just spend the holidays with the family… but now I'm looking forward to another year filled and shared with beauty with you! :)
xxx

Xmas Ideas / Sactuary Mini Must-Haves

Last instalment of the Christmas gift guide and you can say that I have saved the best for last.

Sanctuary presents for the Holidays 2013  are a luxurious option at affordable prices, starting amazingly from under a tenner.

For example, this Sanctuary Spa Mini Must-Haves* is only £8 and contains a Body Lotion, Body Wash, Foaming Bath Soak and Spa Skin Body Polisher.

I love the sensuous and comforting fragrance of this line! You just need a drop of the foaming bath soak to wrap the whole bathroom with the scent and create a luscious bubble bath; the body wash has micro moisturising spheres - filled with jojoba oil and sesame - that leave the skin silky smooth. Finally  to complete your bathroom ritual, the light body lotion delivers 24hr moisturisation and the mix of ginger & spices also stimulates the circulation. 

What to say… They are such incredible value for money and every year I take advantage for myself and stock up on few favourites.
If you've set your heart on skincare instead - I would pick up the Sanctuary Ultimate Girls Night In (that also comes in a gorgeous purple pouch)… or if you're looking for a showstopping offering - the Sanctuary Top To Toe Glow Pamper Tin is guaranteed to impress!

Sanctuary is a brand that I'm very familiar with and I feel heartily to recommend for some last minute shopping: you can buy Sanctuary gift sets at Sanctuary Spa, on www.sanctuary.com, Boots and Debenhams today!

Xmas Ideas / Liz Earle Christmas Star with Strengthening Nail Colour

The Liz Earle Christmas Star with Strengthening Nail Colour is the perfect stocking filler for a beauty enthusiast and nail obsessed… also, a pure steal at only £7.50!

You can't help but fall for the cute star - that doubles as a tree ornament but also the nail polish inside is of great quality.

There are 2 shades available: Moment In Time ( red) and Ebb Tide (taupe colour)….

but if nails are not your thing, there are also stars filled with lipsticks or the best seller Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanse to choose from.

Moment In Time* is THE perfect true red! Full stop. Surely it's ideal to create striking Christmas-themed nail arts but also an all-year-round favourite.

It has a fortifying formula, enrich with botanicals and a glossy finish; I usually applies 2 coats of nail colour but this is opaque enough with only 1 coat. It's also chip resistant and applies like a dream.

Xmas nails sorted ;)

Liz Earle pampering treats don't stop at stocking fillers; there are many irresistible gift sets, suitable for every budget - with skincare, bodycare, haircare or make up goodies.

For example, the Liz Earle Brush Collection is ideal if you wanna spoilt your mum and the Jan Constantine Stocking Collection will definitely impress the demanding sister that has all.

Have you checked a Liz Earle counter near you yet?