Travel Make-Up Bag - London weekend

Mr P and I are off to London for the weekend, not just for the usual slob around at my parents' house, but also for a swanky night on the town on Saturday night. Finally get the chance to glitz it up a bit so this is a more upgraded version of my usual travel staples.

The bag is an old orange mesh Body Shop one that I've had for yonks but somehow it's always been my bag of choice. The mesh makes it practical and pretty and the size is just about right.

 My Effaclar K and Cicaplast are still my skin carers of choice. The Cicaplast is a must these days as I have a particularly nasty mark on my cheek which needs healing pronto and this accelerates the healing like nothing else. Also included are my Clinique All About Eyes which I've been using for the last 5-6 months or so and my new love, Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm. Can't. Live. Without.

I picked up this little brush travel case in Muji and it's fab for carting about make-up brushes and keeping them separate from the rest of my make-up bag. Inside are my Real Techniques Detailer brush (for concealer), my MAC 224 brush (for 'airbrushing' concealer), Ecotools blush brush, and an old Body Shop foundation brush.

Eye stuff includes my Shu Uemura lash curlers, Laura Mercier Eye Basics primer, Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara (review to come soon), Kiko Long Lasting Stick shadow, Le Metier de Beaute eye pencil in Sequoia Brown, Benefit Speed Brow, and last (and perhaps least), some individual false lashes by Sephora which I may or may not use. 

Base stuff: Erborian BB cream, still going strong after almost 7 months of constant use, Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage, Garnier Tinted Roll-On for eyes, Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection concealer, and samples of Armani foundation.

Other: Nars Orgasm blush, Armani 400 lipstick (just in case I'm feeling brave and because GG wants me to ;)), and Viva La Juicy mini perfume (because Mr P likes it).

The look I'm going for on Saturday is a simple bronze-y smokey eye (with the Kiko shadow stick), and hot red lips. I have a plethora of lipsticks in my handbag so if the red lips don't work it's not the end of the world.

What are your weekend must-haves?

Thinking outside of the box - Lipsticks you never use

Often it's the simplest ideas that rock our worlds. Ok, in terms of this post that's a bit of an overstatement I guess, but this little revelation I've had recently has certainly meant that I can view my entire lipstick stash with new eyes.

So you have one, two, five, ten, maybe more lipsticks that you don't wear much because
a) they're too bright/dark/vampy, or
b) you realised that the colour doesn't suit you or 'do' anything for you.

It's a shame not to use what you've spent your hard-earned cash on and it's a waste of resources just to throw them away. So here's a little tip that could just bring them out of the depths of your make-up bag and onto your dressing table (ooooh, dressing table. Fancy. I don't have one, but someday I will.... )


DON'T APPLY THE LIPSTICK STRAIGHT FROM THE BULLET.
DON'T USE A LIPBRUSH.
These application methods are only for lippies you are happy to wear in their traditional guise.

Instead:

USE YOUR FINGERS. SWIPE OVER THE LIPSTICK AND APPLY TO YOUR LIPS LIKE A BALM. MASSAGE THE COLOUR INTO THE LIPS, BUILDING UP THE COLOUR TO YOUR DESIRED INTENSITY.
You will be so surprised by how the most 'unwearable' of colours can be transformed using this method. As a bonus it totally plumps up the lips too. The colour melts into the lips leaving you looking like you've just bitten into a sacred fruit from the garden of Eden....

That bright red which you loved in the shop and swore you would wear more often (and consequently don't) becomes the prettiest, most natural berry flush.

The deep vampy purple which you bought in a 'power dressing' shopping frenzy will stain your lips with a wash of morello cherry-bitten gorgeousness.

Other 'unsuitable' colours can metamorphose into an altogether more flattering hue. 

Lisa Eldridge also shows you how to wear lipstick 4 ways in her video here. This method is one of them. NB If there is just ONE guru to subscribe to on YouTube then it's her. Just do it, people.

I've taken to wearing all my lipsticks like this recently, not just the bright ones. My favourite 'stain' of the moment is created by Rouge d'Armani in Rouge 400, a glorious vintage true blue-red. It looks fabulous applied neat from the tube which is why I bought it over a month ago but it hasn't had many outings because it's just so striking.

Armani Rouge 400

Oh, and it's the one Megan Fox is wearing here:

When I use my fingers it gives a soft red voluptuous (yes, really!) lip which looks retro and modern/fresh at the same time. (By the way, this lipstick has the best staying power I've ever experienced. I need a full blown make-up remover to get it off if I apply it neat from the tube.)

Don't believe me? Brace yourselves....

Bare lips

A little Rouge 400 'massaged' into lips with finger....

 And just to compare:

Rouge d'Armani - Rouge 400, applied straight from tube

Get the picture? Now get out those abandoned lipsticks and show them some love.

OPI Touring America

OPI Touring America

Yay, I won something! So firstly a huge thank you and massive shout-out to Jessica Beautician who very kindly sent me these gorgeous minis when I won her giveaway competition. Check out Jessica's blog (and videos too) here. She's a doll!

From L-R: My Address is Hollywood, French Quarter for Your Thoughts, A-Taupe of the Space Needle, Honk If You Love OPI

Secondly, I genuinely feel an affinity with the OPI Touring America collection because I first visited the USA this year so I consider it to be my personal road-trip in nail colours. Well, the west coast ones anyhow. So I was extra chuffed to have won these ;)

Size comparison between a regular OPI bottle (15ml) and the minis (3.75ml)

Instead of making you all wait for separate NOTD posts I thought I'd just swatch them all at once and post them here. Plus, I'm impatient and just want to play.

Here we have My Address is Hollywood. Now of all the shades this one would not show its pretty self to the camera. It's pink. A lovely soft yet bright coral pink. In these photos however it's coming out more coral-orange than it really is. Maybe under some lights it gets this way, but believe me when I say it's more candy pink. You can see the lovely shimmer though so it's not a total fail picture wise.

This is two coats, no base or top coat to save time and sanity. Overall, a very pretty and quite unique pink which I have nothing like in my nail collection. Great for all seasons I'd say and I can't wait to rock this with my new beige-bisque coloured winter coat. (Yes, I know, the dry cleaner will become my best friend.... )

OPI My Address is Hollywood

Off came the pink and on went the grey. This is French Quarter For Your Thoughts:

OPI French Quarter For Your Thoughts

I can't decide whether this is a warm grey or a cool grey. I see some brown-taupe undertones to it but I could be wrong. What do you think?
Again, two coats, no top or base coat. Lovely formula, smooth and non streaky. In fact all these, bar the dark one, had easy formulas which means that at a push you could get away with one coat if you wanted. Two coats for me is standard though.

 Grey comes off. Taupe goes on. Meet A-Taupe of the Space Needle.

A-Taupe of the Space Needle

I've been a-top (a-taupe) of the Space Needle, yes I have. I've even eaten there and can recommend the salmon. For me this leans more khaki than taupe, but maybe I just don't actually know what taupe looks like, seeing as there are a squillion incarnations of taupe. All I know is I like taupe. Again I have nothing like this so it's great to have in my stash.

Last, but by no means least.... Honk If You Love OPI.

Honk If You Love OPI

 I'm honking people. Can you hear me? This is pure lurve. Sexy, shiny, vampy, chic, feminine, powerful.... you may continue to add more adjectives. I grant you four photos of this because it is special and you must appreciate its glory. Strangely it has the trickier formula of the four. I needed more polish on the brush to get an even swipe of colour and it's definitely a two-coater. It leaves small 'bald' patches if you look carefully, but I don't care. It's a succulent deep burgundy-grape jelly-cream and it makes my spirits soar to new heights.

I have thus elevated this from meer swatch to NOTD. This is two coats over a base coat and with Essie Good to Go top coat. 

HONK HONK

HONK HONK HONK

If you look carefully you can just about see me in my nails.... :)

Do you like this set? Which colour appeals most?


A final thanks to Jessica for putting  a huge smile on my face (and hands) on this dreary grey Monday!

NOTD - Ciaté 'My Fair Lady' gets crowned

I'm so in love with glitter at the moment but it sure is a royal pain in the **** (insert what word you see fit) to remove.

My solution is the now probably outdated 'ring finger manicure'. But I don't care because I love what I've done here.

I'm also in a nude nails phase and my all-time favourite, most perfect for me nude is Ciaté My Fair Lady, a freebie in one of the UK monthly mags a while back (can't remember which, sorry!). It turned out to be the best freebie ever as I am irrevocably, irredeemably & unconditionally in love with this polish. I crave to see it's creamy, doll-like prettiness caress my nails in what has to be the smoothest lacquer I've ever tried. It has in actual fact been my most used polish and is the only colour I will need a back-up of. If I can't find this again I will cry.

I decided to jazz her up a bit by adorning my ring finger with OPI Crown me Already! which gives me that oomph that I'm looking for as well as considerably alleviating the task of the dreaded glitter removal in a few days time.  Only one nail to battle with as opposed to ten. Yay.

This is only one coat of My Fair Lady and one coat of OPI on top on the ring finger Amazingly smooth and even coverage in one coat. For a nude polish that's almost unheard of. I have to say that I have a pinky ridge-filler base coat on so that probably helps. I normally do two coats but today I'm loving just the one.

And just to show you how it sets off the hand, here is a (almost) full hand shot complete with sparkler.

Ciaté My Fair Lady & OPI Crown me Already!

Apologies for the really short nails. They are peeling and flaking insanely and the only way I can deal with them at the moment is to cut them down and hope that they peeling eventually grows out. When they are a bit longer I'm going to attempt the graduated glitter French manicure, maybe with a bit of midnight blue thrown in. Can't wait.

Do you like the nude/glitter combo?

Belgian Math

In my inbox today from those marketing geniuses at Galeria Inno, Belgium's 'premier' (read 'only') department store:
 

Dear Galeria Inno Advantage Club Member

4 crazy days of shopping will commence on the 4th November and continue until 13th November
See those crazy discounts? You see 'em???

Now look at the dates. 4 days, right?

You do the math.....

Shadow Wardrobe - Nudes and Neutrals

Seasons come, seasons go, but some colours stay all year round. Like most people my go-to day looks are based on more neutral tones on the eyes, that is, on the days I wear shadow. Most days it's just liner and mascara. The thing is, daylight is harsh and unforgiving, even more so in autumn/winter, so I've been reaching for my old fail-safes more than I have been in the last few months.

My number one eye colour, Benefit Creaseless Cream shadow in Birthday Suit (a lovely pewter -champagne hybrid) has unfortunately gone missing otherwise it would be here and I would probably have hit the bottom of the pot by now. The fact that I mourn it's loss every time I need to swipe something quick and pretty on my lids is testament to its performance and versatility. Nothing has quite replaced it and I will be buying this again as soon as I can find it

From top, clockwise: Sleek Storm palette, Chanel Nymphea quad, Jemma Kidd Eye Wardrobe (Brown), MAC Creamy Bisque, Body Shop 09 (now discontinued)

Anyhow, here are my other neutral beauties which by some miracle I haven't managed to lose.... yet.

Sleek Storm Palette

This is my desert island palette. Every colour is uber pigmented, smooth and just beautiful. The quality far outshines it's modest price tag (I think these palettes are about £5.99 / €8.50) and every woman should have one. My most used shades are the matte browns (3rd top row, 5th bottom row) and the golds. The black is also matte and can be used as a liner too.
The dark blue (4th bottom row) has suffered as a result of me dropping this on the floor on numerous occasions. Oops.

Nymphea (love that name) is my first and only Chanel quad. It's probably pushing about 8 years old now and it's still going strong. The beige shade is almost at the pan. These are very easy to use as they are not that pigmented. Anyone, no matter how cackhanded can put a wash of these colours on the lid and look more than fine. These are very flattering shades and the green and peach just give the other colours a bit of 'lift', plus they are so sheer that they can be considered almost nude. Pigment isn't everything though, and I do believe there is a place for sheerer eyeshadows as not everyone can cope with pigment-rich products. These are the European baked version whilst the Chanel quads in the US are pressed shadows and I've heard these are smoother with more pigment. If I go to the US again then I'll pick up another quad there for comparison. Sacrifices, huh?

This unassuming little quad is Jemma Kidd Eye Wardrobe in Brown. It was sent to me when I was a tester for the Beauty Bible a few years ago and I fell in love with it. It would be the perfect bridal make-up palette. The colours are satin and matte and there is a unique 'dirty' gold shade which gives this palette a lovely twist on the usual brown-nude combo. These shadows can be a little dusty in texture, especially the white one, but as you can see that hasn't stopped me from using it. I've always had compliments when I wear this. I really like the colour combinations of the other quads so they are definitely worth checking out. Available at lookfantastic.com . £24

Jemma Kidd Eye Wardrobe in Brown

MAC Creamy Bisque

This was a recent purchase on a quick visit to MAC a few weeks back and it's my favourite MAC shadow so far. This is so versatile and can be used all over the lid or as an inner-corner highlight. It makes my eyes look so fresh. Just this and a slick of brown liner has been my most worn look this month and definitely Mr P's favourite. It's basically a warm, pale cream-beige with a touch of shimmer. During the day it brightens the eye, and at night the shimmer comes to life and sparkles very subtly. Beautiful....

Very old Body Shop shadow ( 09)

Not very exciting, I know. But this old dull looking shadow has garnered more compliments than any other shadow I have! Everyone asks me what I have on my eyes when I wear this. It's a warm taupe with a subtle duochrome effect which leans lilac. Wierd I know, and I should probably have swatched it for you, but my camera is being pants and just to photograph this lot took me 15 minutes and wrangled my nerves completely so just believe me when I says it's really, really purrrrty. :)

What are your favourite neutrals? Has anyone got the Storm palette and the Urban Decay Naked palette..... how do they compare?

Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm and hand cream review

Nuxe is one of those niche brands that I always used to hanker after when I was living back in the UK. It never used to be that easy to find and it kind of added to the allure of the products. The famous Huile Prodigieuse was hyped about no end and I remember snapping it up at the Sephora in Paris when I took a trip there many eons ago.

Now Nuxe is much more readily available, not least here in Belgium where it is literally in every pharmacy on every corner. Now that I'm surrounded by it it doesn't have that same pull that once had. Funny that.

Still, the other day I was out shopping and I spotted the Nuxe shelf in the sadness that is Galeria Inno, Belgium's answer to John Lewis (and may I just say, what a weak answer). Anyway, I quickly scanned the shelf and remembered that I'd recently heard praise lauded upon the Reve de Miel lip balm. Genuinely needing a new lip balm I thought I'd give it a go and while I was there I also picked up the Reve de Miel  hand cream.

I've been using the lip balm for only a few days now but I'm so in love with it I don't want to use anything else. I was seriously in love my my little green Vaseline tin before this, but now I realise that while the Vaseline grants instant comfort and a lot of lip slip, it doesn't really provide long lasting comfort. The Nuxe balm on the other hand is a strange creature. It's like a dry waxy balm which is not greasy or oily at all. It smooths onto the lips without a hint of shine but provides instant relief which lasts and lasts and .... lasts. My lips feel so comfortable, but like they are naturally comfortable and not just lubricated which is essentially what most lip balms do. This is the only lip balm I've found which leaves me with soft, matte lips and as such it's the most perfect base for lipstick I've ever come across.

My lips have always been in a pretty sorry state, cracking and flaking all the time. Vaseline helps but I have to keep it in my pockets at all times because it just wears/slips/gets eaten off. Since I have the Reve de Miel I can just put it on in the morning and I'm pretty much set. I'm not sure if it's possible for this to happen, but it feels like it just sinks into the lips. Relief at last.

I expected it to smell overwhelmingly sweet like honey, but to my nose I can just pick up a light orange smell, perhaps with a hint of honey but very slight. It's a very light scent which doesn't get in the way of eating (although not much could get in the way of me eating).

I can see myself re-purchasing this time and time again. It's not cheap, I paid about €10.70 for my little pot but I'm sure it can be found cheaper online, I've seen it selling for between £7-£10 so definitely shop around.

Highly recommended. Score 10/10

I get through A LOT of hand cream. Just like my lips my hands tend to get very dry, and often crack and bleed at the knuckles. I think it's partly because I'm a bit OCD about hygiene and I'm constantly washing my hands. I can't help it.

Anyhow, I always need a few tubes/pots of hand cream about the house. I'm actually thinking of doing a future post on the various ones I've tried and listing my favourites. 

Nuxe Reve de Miel Hand and Nail cream contains honey, vitamin E, sunflower oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil, shea butter, and all sorts of lovely stuff. It's indicated for dry and damaged hands so I expected it to be thick and very rich, a bit like the L'Occitane Shea Butter hand cream. In actual fact it comes closer to a lotion than a thick cream and is a lot lighter than I would expect for a cream meant for cracked and damaged skin. Having said that it leaves my hands feeling very comfortable, soft and non-greasy. At the moment my hands are not in the worst condition and this cream serves me very well so do not be put off by the 'dry and damaged hands' indication. It's a great hand cream all round. 

Again, like the lip balm, it doesn't smell of honey, but the smell of this is quite strong. I can't work out what it smells like exactly, but if you know L'Occitane's Shea Butter hand cream (the really famous one) then it's like a stronger, fresher version of that. I kind of wish it did smell a bit softer and honey-like as I'm not a fan of strong smelling hand creams. I've been using this before I go to sleep and the smell lingers on a bit too much for my liking.

I paid €11.25 for my 75ml tube. Again, prices will vary but I've seen it online for between £10-£11. 

I'm happy to use this up as it leaves my hands feeling lovely and smooth, but due to the scent I'm not sure I'd want to buy it again. Score 7/10

Have you tried Nuxe products? Any recommendations?