Hello stranger!

Yes, you there.... HELLO!!! It's been a while and I'm very sorry for that. I cannot believe that my last appearance on Blogger was on the 10th November! I

'm so out of the loop, can you believe that I didn't even know what the new Chanel 2013 Spring collection looked like until yesterday? Yesterday! The blogging community has known since way before Christmas.

And by the way it's very nice indeed. All three eyeliners are calling to me as well as the new eye palette. 

I'm so behind.... *sobs*

Today I thought I'd kick my creative juices into flow and at the same time let you know about some products that may or may not change your life. There have been a few things over the last month or so that I've been practically idolising and it wouldn't be fair if you didn't know about them, right?

First up, WELEDA REGENERATING POMEGRANATE BODY OIL

Just buy it, your skin will thank you for it. In fact Mr P thanks me for it, although he doesn't really know the reason why my skin is both silky and juicy (??) at the same time. I suppose I mean plumped up, rather than juicy, but it gives you an idea of what this gloriously golden oil does for your skin. It's part of Weleda's anti-ageing pomegranate line but just ignore the whole ageing element of it and just go for it, even if your in your twenties. The skin on our bodies is so neglected that we all need a bit of 'regeneration' in our body care.

Apply after showering and massage it into your skin. It's not one of those dry oils, it's a proper oil although it's not too heavy and sticky and I have no problem dressing right away. My skin just glows since I've been using this and it even looks firmer. Mr P thinks  I've been working out (which I have.... massaging myself is hard work).

It smells delicately fruity and clean and doesn't interfere with perfume. 100% natural. What's not to love? I bought mine at Planet Organic for £19.99 but Weleda is sold in so many places and so many countries, it shouldn't be hard to find. It's not cheap I know, but I don't believe that there are many better things you can put on your skin.

Next, LANCOME 'IN LOVE' DEWY MIST (for Spring 2013)

The product that I've been searching for my whole make-up wearing life. I love when my make-up has been on the whole day and kind of sets into my skin and becomes one with me. This spray gives me that look as soon as I put my make-up on, even if I've used powder. I hate my skin looking 'made up', somehow it lacks the radiance that I've been craving. This is radiance in a bottle. No shimmer, no cheap tricks, just a beautiful little bottle of orange blossom scented dew that kisses the skin with health. Spritz on after you make up or later on in the day to refresh make up for that youthful fresh skin you've been hankering after. I also use it before make up and it primes the skin by softening it. My only complaint is that it's limited edition and the bottle is too small. I'm using it too generously I think, but I can't help it. It's one of the most beautiful little products I've come across in a very long time and I'm going to need a back up bottle.

It's £22 (ouch!), but so worth it. Let's call it 'Princess spray'.

Following that, another Weleda PINE REVIVING BATH MILK

Warming, cooling, refreshing, relaxing, liberating! A bath of contrasts you might say. This is the only thing I've been using in my Sunday night baths for the last month. It's so restorative and leaves the bathroom smelling like it can heal you. Mr P likes it, it's pretty unisex. Nothing nasty in here, all natural goodness. You can feel like Cleopatra in a mountain forest for all of 20 minutes. Eyeliner and headress optional.

I picked this up from Planet Organic for £10.95. I reckon you can get between 6-10 baths out of it. I'm very generous so I'm nearing my final, and 6th, bath from this bottle. If you have a smaller bath or are just more restrained than me (not hard) then you can make it last longer.

Well my lovelies, I hope you'll forgive my absence and I apologise in advance for the next few months as I will be preparing for a show and my mind will be in LaLa land. Actually on that note, I've been thinking for a while that it might be interesting to write about beauty prep and make-up for stage performance, my routine and various looks and products that I employ. What do you think?

Don't forget to let me know what products have been rocking your world recently! 

Lancome Hypnose 'Doll Eyes' Review

Hypnose Doll Eyes

You know those dolls that close their eyes when you lie them flat? They have great lashes.... long, shiny, glossy, thick and black. In fact most dolls have beautiful lashes, so I can kind of see where Lancome are coming from. They launched a small range of products to make you look pretty wide-eyed and oh-so kawaii (that's Japanese for cute/sweet/darling don't you know).

Before this mascara (which was a lovely birthday present) I was using the original Hypnose mascara which I consider  to be the classic little black dress of the mascara world.

I'm kicking myself for not taking a photo of the original Hypnose wand to compare it to the Doll Eyes one because they are very different. Doll Eyes looks like a little fir tree whilst the original has a regular looking brush which is slightly concave in the centre.

Christmas tree shaped wand.... well, almost.

I'll tell you straight up that I much prefer the original over Doll Eyes, but that's because I want my mascara to do everything at once: lengthen, volumise and curl. Doll Eyes does a lovely job of lengthening but I have to go over the lashes multiple times to get the amount of volume I want. It's not a dramatic mascara, it gives a fluttery, pretty effect and when used on the bottom lashes too you really do look a bit dolly like, but in a good way!

Two issues that may bother some girls are the fact that it is overwhelmingly fragranced with a rose perfume, so sensitive eyes may have a problem with this and it doesn't hold a curl that well. I don't really understand how the unusual brush makes 'doll lashes' compared to any other brush but I'm not a mascara scientist so there probably is a highly technical and ground-breaking reason why this particular wand makes you look like a dolly.

Flutter flutter :)

Overall though, I can't really complain about this mascara because at the end of the day it actually delivers the lashes it promises and I do enjoy using it, but I've had to switch to something more volumising when I want a more defined look in the evenings. Therefore, it's a good daytime option or just a nice option in general if you just want some fluttery definition.

Score: 7/10

Beautiful Birthday Haul!

It was a particularly beauty themed birthday this year and I have some very lovely friends indeed.
I was so touched by everyone's thoughtfulness and generosity so this short post is dedicated to Mr & Mrs PVA, Mr & Mrs BH, and my Godmother, Ms P! 

Elie Saab Perfume

Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara

Burt's Bees Facial Kit, (mask sachet used already by yours truly)

OPI Steady as She Rose and Crown me Already!

I treasure all these lovely things, but I treasure your friendship even more. Soppy but true.

Thank you so much. :)

Wishful thinking

I thought it would be fun to let my imagination run wild and compile a beauty wish-list.

Chanel Illusion d'Ombre eyeshadows. ALL OF THEM. They are amazing and versatile and every colour just stuns. If I had to pick a favourite it would be Illusoire, a purple taupe shot through with sparkle or Epatant, a greyish taupe with a green undertone and incredible sparkle. J'adore!!!!!!

Illusoire

Epatant

 

 

Dior Amber Diamond Highlighter

 

I've wanted this for like, forever. I have my huge MAC Mineralize Skinfinish which works perfectly well but somehow this calls to me.

Jennifer Lopez uses it. Now tell me I don't need it.

Dior Blush in Rose Vintage and Pink in Love

In my humble opinion I don't have enough blushers and I can't chose between these two newbies from the Dior Autumn/Winter Blue Tie collection. They both have a place in my fantasy make-up collection. 

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes Mascara

I love the visual for this and the idea behind it....huge doll like batting lashes. Lancome mascaras have never ever let me down. I love the original Hypnose so I'm itching to try this. In fantasy land only because I have at least 4 mascaras to get through first.

Givenchy Dahlia Noir

This surprises me. I had a first sniff of these a few weeks back and thought... meh.... And then I had another sniff last week and thought.... hmmmm.... And then today I spritzed myself with it and thought.......aaaaaaaaaaaaa! It's one of those scents that creeps up on you. It's sweet and smoky at the same time. A floral scent with depth and sensuality. It's sexy but not in your face. I also love the packaging, it's clean and timeless. I think I'd love a body spray or lotion rather than the perfume as I think that this would work beautifully worn all over the body in a delicate layer of scent.

Elie Saab Le Parfum

This surprises me too! I thought I would hate it but it was love at first sniff. It reminds me a bit of the original Michael Kors perfume, so I'm figuring it has similar notes in it. This is seriously sexy and addictive. I couldn't stop smelling the tester. Again it's floral, but with a twist. I think this one is going to be a classic. The bottle is just gorgeous. I'd wear this with a ballgown and with nothing. Is there anything this man can't do?

It's just a coincidence that my birthday is next week. Honestly it is. :)

What's on your fantasy wish-list? Share the desire! 

Not your typical Belgian sale....

So, the sales officially started today here in Belgium. This is not a particularly thrilling time as the discounts are not usually that significant and most of the greatly-reduced stock is generally tat. I generally pop out and have a bit of a nose around, but most of the time I come back very disheartened.

Today I went up to my local highstreet to run a few errands and I popped into Planet Parfum, the main competitor to Ici Paris, just to have a wander and see what sad discounts they were offering on products no-one would want...

Oh my.... do you hear that chewing noise? That's the sound of me EATING MY OWN WORDS.

There were two big boxes full of discounted make-up that EVERYONE would want. Lancome, Guerlain, Helena Rubinstein, Dior, etc..... beautiful, beautiful eyeshadow palettes, some of which were part of permanent collections and not just random unusable colours. Lancome Hypnose mascaras in black.....a classic staple that should be in every woman's make-up bag. Black, brown, blue eye pencils, gorgeous lipglosses and lipsticks, Guerlain Parure Gold foundations..... and all at 50% off!!! Incredible.... and almost unheard of.

I bought a Lancome Hypnose mascara for €15, which is the same price as a sodding drugstore mascara here, a gorgeous shimmering turquoise eye pencil by Helena Rubinstein for €9 (again same price as a Maybelline or Bourjois liner), and an amazingly stunning Guerlain palette in violet shades for my friend here in Brussels for her birthday. To say that she likes lilac and purple shades would be the understatement of the year, so she positively swooned when I presented her with this today!  I won't say for how much as she is one of my readers, but suffice to say that at 50% off Guerlain was suddenly affordable.

Right, no more purchases now until I get to California..... 6 days and counting.....

Any of my US readers want to give me some shopping tips? :)