Five Things I Love (April 2012)...not 2011 as previously stated...

I thought I'd better get in April's favourites before May arrives tomorrow.  Can you believe it'll be May tomorrow?  Where is this year going?!  Anyway, it's been a great month for being introduced to some very cool brands and consequently very cool products, so here are the five I'm loving the most:

Eylure Individual Lashes

As used in my FOTD post here, these lashes are fantastically easy to apply and can be used for a huge array of different looks.  You can apply a couple here and there to fill in gaps for a natural look, apply longer lengths at the outer corners to give that uber-sexy kitten look, or you can go full speed ahead and apply lots to give you a pumped-up yet still fairly believable lash line.  I love these and even though they're marketed as semi-permanent lashes (they come with a stronger glue and a glue remover) I've been using them with standard Duo glue so I can take them off before bed.  My mission to get to grips with false lashes is going surprisingly well!

Oskia Renaissance Mask (S)

I received this in my goody bag from the Cocosa event I attended recently (more info here) and after having the most amazing Oskia facial, I was really excited to give this mask a go.  I had a feeling I'd love it, going on my experience with the facial and the reviews I'd read online, and I'm pleased to report that it really is lovely.  I'll do a full review soon, but it's safe to say that this is a fantastically easy way to brighten, smooth and plump-up my complexion and this will be a pre-night out staple from now on.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Eye Pencil in Black Plum

Another month, another BB product making my favourites list.  I've been a long-term fan of the BB Gel Eyeliner so I was really excited to try these pencils when they landed.  I've written a full review with swatches here if you fancy having a look at the other shades.  I absolutely love the effect that the shade Black Plum has on my eyes as it's the most perfect colour for blue eyes like mine.  The fact that these are sooo much more convenient to apply than the original pot formulation means I can happily use these daily, and the consistency makes application a breeze.  I've got my eyes on a few of the other shades, so budget permitting, I'll be stocking up soon.

Forever Young Salicylic Acid Peel

I'll be writing a full review on this soon, with some rather gory before and after pictures.  I'm about to do my third peel and so far I'm really impressed with the results.  My acne scarring is by no means gone, but it's significantly faded and so I'm excited to see what my skin is like once I've finished the six treatments.  I've become a bit of a Salicylic Acid convert ever since Etat Pur arrived in my life (see my review of their Salicylic Acid active here) and so I'm glad I decided to give the peels a try.  I'll be writing a bit more about peels in general soon, so if you're interested in finding out more about these treatments then keep your eyes peeled for that feature.

Bite Lips High Pigment Pencil in Chablis (S)

Another Cososa find, I have developed a bit of an infatuation with this lip-devoted brand.  As I said in my review of the brand here, Chablis is the shade I was colour matched too and it's become an absolute staple in my daily make-up application.  I would never have thought of using a shade like this, I tend to favour either bright or subtle pinks or reds and avoid anything even slightly brown, but this browny red is the most perfect natural lip colour for me.  I still haven't completed detached from my usual favourite shades (L'Oreal Rouge Caresse in Aphrodite Scarlet - review and swatches here - would be sixth in this list if I allowed six items) but for that everyday 'you but better' look this is perfect.

So lots of fabulous items working their way into my regular routine this month, some of which I'll be reviewing more thoroughly soon.

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OPI New York City Ballet Collection

Welcome to Dullsville!  Whilst I realise that the OPI New York City Ballet collection wasn't about summer brights or pretty neons and was more aimed at hinting at gentle colour hues, this collection, for me, is a total let down.

I was excited about trying these out as as much as I love a bright, I do often favour delicate colours, especially for nail art bases, but there really is very little I like about this collection.  Hinting at colours is one thing, but there's barely a whisper of colour in these and when you do eventually work your way up to something close to an opaque colour payoff (4 coats later!), the finish is streaky, murky and just dull.  I still have the shades on now (removing tonight, most definitely) and My Pointe Exactly (the grey shade) is on my pointing finger (unintentional pun-like irony) which looks a little bit like it's suffering from circulatory issues.  Not good!

Anyway, here are the shades from left to right:

Pirouette My Whistle (silver sparkle)

Care to Danse? (lilac)

Don't Touch My Tutu! (wispy white)

My Pointe Exactly (grey)

One coat.

Two coats.

Three coats. 

Four coats; bleurgh. 

So I'm really not a fan, just in case you haven't picked that up.  I had high hopes for the Care To Danse? but I can barely tell the difference between it and Don't Touch My Tutu.

Quick apology for the state of my hands and cuticles, I'm just about to finish my MA in Popular Music which means I'm spending all my time bashing away at my guitar whilst recording songs for my final project, so my hands are truly suffering.

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FOTD: Grown-Up Glam

If you're a regular reader of my blog (and if you are then thanks very much!), you'll know that recently I've developed a bit of a thing for false lashes, which I keep typing as falsh lashes for some inexplicable reason.  I've been very Goldilocks about my hunt for the perfect lash, as I don't want anything too big and unnatural, but I also want something that has enough of an impact to make a difference to my lash look.

I picked up a set of individual lashes by Eylure from Boots last week and got to work on them as soon as I got home.  I think calling them Individual Lashes is a little misleading as they're tiny little clusters of about 3 or 4 lashes.  My main bugbear with my natural lashes is that outer corners; I think I'm OK with the majority of my lashes, but the outer corners are a little stumpy and tricky to elongate with even the best mascara.  Therefore, these Individual Lashes have proved a godsend.

They're really easy to apply, I just grab them with a set of tweezers, dip them in the nozzle of my glue, wait 30 seconds and then stick them to the outer corners.  The set is marketed as a semi-permanent lash kit and comes with a strong glue and a glue remover.  I didn't want to go the semi-permanent route, so I used my own glue instead which is Duo Eyelash Glue.

For this FOTD, I borrowed the look from the typical 40's siren look of black eyeliner and red lips.  I wanted it to have that 'sex kitten' look but with a modern twist that would be wearable during the day.  Therefore, rather than sexing up my hair, I instead held it back in a medium/high ponytail and wore a neckerchief with the look, and these two elements are more typical of the 50's Teddy Girl look.

My base is my usual Ginvera BB Cream, followed by my Custom Blend concealer and Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer under my eyes.  I then used Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Powder to set the whole look.  I used Mac's Pink Swoon on my cheeks and a touch of Mac's MSF in Blonde just to add a bit of light to my face.

I used Bobbi Brown's Natural Brow Shaper in Blonde to define my eyebrows, but on reflection, I think this look would've benefited from a more defined brow.

For the eyes I tightlined with Laura Mercier Cake Eyeliner in Black Ebony, followed by one coat of Chanel's Inimitable Mascara after curling my lashes.  I then got to work with applying Eylure's Individual lashes; on each eye I used one of the medium length and two of the short length.  I used the medium on the further outer corner, then filled in gaps and blended with the short length.

For the lips, I'm wearing Maybelline's Superstay 10h Tint Gloss in Lasting Pink.

I found this a really easy look to create that is simply and quick and works as a great alternative to my usually favourite nudes.

*Ginvera BB Cream was a PR Sample.  Everything else mentioned was paid for by me.  

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Maybelline Superstay 10H Tint Gloss

Maybelline appear to be on a mission to make all make-up long-lasting at the moment, as shortly after the arrival of their 24HR Colour Tattoo Eyeshadows (which I really do love - swatches can be found here and here) they launched a range of Superstay Tint Glosses in five shades, which are stains that allegedly last for ten hours.

I purchased the Lasting Pink shade as I do love a bit of pink.  Lasting this may be, but pink it most definitely isn't; I can't actually find a hint of pink in this shade and therefore I'd definitely describe it as a strong and poppy red.  I still like it, although I don't think it's the most flattering red for me.

The texture of this is interesting, as during application it applies like a gel, whereas once it's dry it feels like a tint.  It's got great pigmentation and the colour payoff is truly impressive.  As I said, this particular shade of red isn't too flattering on me; whilst I'm fairly neutral and therefore in theory should be able to wear most colours and shades, this is just a little bit too red and makes me look a tad pale.  Whilst this leans blue, I think it would suit people with a bit of warmth in their skin as it's a lovely red, just not a red that suits me.

The doe-foot applicator is not the greatest, but not terrible either.  I did read on The Sunday Girl's review of this that the shape of the brush head would make it really difficult for small/thin lipped people, such as myself, so I assumed this would make it a real challenge for me, but I think as long as you're careful with the application then it's pretty achievable.  What you can't do with this is apply it quickly on a train or in the back of a cab, because it's safe to say it's likely to everywhere, which is not what you want to do with a long-lasting stain!

Immediately after application.  

Longevity-wise, it's pretty good.  I very much doubt it'd last anywhere near 10 hours (what is it with companies making insane claims about the time a product lasts? Just be honest and say 4 hours which is still good!) but I did put this through quite a few tests today including horrid weather of rain and wind, eating and drinking and whilst it didn't stay bright and punchy the whole time, it was definitely still very much present after the 3 hours or so.

The one thing I do like about this tint is the way it fades.  A real issue I have with tints is how they fade patchily and you end up with a ring of bright colour around your lip line and virtually nothing left in the fleshiest part of the lips. This fades fairly evenly, meaning you still look as if you have an even wash of colour, albeit not as strong as it was on first application.  The colour still shows slightly brighter on the lip line, but it's generally a lot more even.

After 3 hours of wear.  

So all in all, this gets a thumbs-up from me as it fades well, lasts fairly well, the colour payoff is good, the application isn't too tricky and I'll definitely be trying some other shades.

I'm putting together a FOTD post that includes this, so I'll be posting that within the next few days.

Available at the usual haunts priced at £6.99.

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Ardell Accent Half Lashes

....and on we go with my latest obsession; fake lashes.  I still most definitely have not got the hang of application yet, but I think I'm getting there....?

After the elation of the successful application of a pair of fake lashes, I got all busy and ordered three packs of Ardell lashes.  They arrived today and I got to work, but I have to say, I actually think I prefer the Eylure ones! I don't know if it's just because they're new and need to be broken in, but I found these harder to bend around my eye shape.

I still like them though and will therefore probably wear them on a night out tomorrow night and see how I get on.  It's worth noting that I'm on a date tomorrow night, so if half way through my schmoozing session (that's right, I'm a schmoozer) I become aware of a lash strip crawling down my cheek, I won't be happy.

Once I got the blimin' things to stick, I was actually quite pleased with the result.  I think I'm just not a fan of full lashes, even the alleged 'natural' ones, so these demi-lashes suit me perfectly.  I've still pretty much missed the natural eye line and applied them about a foot too high (or a couple of mm's if you're not a fan of drama) but I'm getting there....slowly but surely....

Tomorrow I'm off for my weekly visit to Boots, so I'll be seeing what else is available in the wonderful world of fake eyelashes, which no doubt means that there'll be more reviews to follow.

I purchased these Demi Lashes from an eBay store here.

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John Frieda Heat Activated Styling Spray

John Frieda's Heat Activated Styling Spray is pretty much exactly as it says; it's a styling spray that's aimed at boosting volume and reviving over-processed hair and over-styled hair that is activated when you style with heat.

I wouldn't say my hair is particularly over-processed, although it is bleached pretty regularly and I do hotstyle with my Babyliss Big Hair, so it definitely gets a bit of roughing up on a fairly regular basis.  

To use this, you just spray it into wet or damp hair and style as usual.  The directions are a bit confusing as they state "Spray on wet or towel-dried hair.  Use more or less depending on hair length and thickness" and I did find myself wondering 'more or less than what?!'  However, I've tried using this both sparingly and completely saturating my hair, and it doesn't seem to hit that point where you've used too much, resulting in lanky, 'producty' hair.  

Not the most useful of pictures, but this shows that it's not thick or too sticky looking. 

Very few things make it into my regular hair styling products list because very few things that I try tend to deliver.  This, however, is a really lovely, easy to use product that definitely boosts volume, adds a good glossing and doesn't weigh my hair down or leave it feeling tacky to the touch.  It's also - as mentioned above - pretty foolproof to apply.  

I don't ever expect miracles from hair styling products, but what I do expect is for them to make my life easier, one way or another.  If they do great things for volume but are a pain to apply, or add an amazing sheen but you have to tread really carefully with how much you use, I lose interest in them very quickly.  This styling spray is definitely a keeper as it gives me my hair, but better and you can't tell I have any product in at all.  Therefore, I'll continue to use this as it adds a little something extra to my blowdry finish.

The Heat Activated Spray (S) and all other John Frieda Full Repair hair products are available now.. 

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Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

I was seriously excited about this product as it arrived without my knowledge, so I just happened upon it during my weekly Boots visit and gave the shades available a quick swatch which you can see here.

When I swatched it, I was really impressed for two reasons; firstly, the Light shade completely disappeared (not great for swatching generally but great for me!) and secondly, the foundation seemed to perfectly mask the little pores on my hand which I tend to use as a guide to establish a product's pore masking ability.

Left straight out of the tube, right blended lightly...but you still can't really see it!

Weirdly, I didn't actually buy it there and then, I instead went back and bought it a few days later.  To be honest, I'm really undecided about it as a BB Cream and I still haven't completely formed a conclusion.  On the one hand, I like the fact that is has such a high SPF (30), it's an easy to work with BB Cream that blends seamlessly with my skin tone and doesn't make me look greasy, and it's got fairly good staying power.

However, there's something a bit 'meh' about it that I can't quite put my finger on.  There's a risk that I'm still too in love with my Ginvera BB Cream (review of which is here) as ever since that arrived, no matter what I try I always end up reverting back to it, but I think it's more to do with the fact that it doesn't really amaze me in any way.  It's a very light coverage (although I quite like that as I prefer something that'll just give me an even skintone, then I use a concealer on any difficult bits) and it has quite a nice finish, but there's nothing spectacular about it.

Same as above in different lighting.  

It certainly wears well and I can use it with or without a moisturiser and it doesn't exacerbate oiliness at all, nor does it show up dry patches, plus it doesn't break me out.  It also didn't do half as well with the pores on my face as it did the pores on my hand.  I think it's the sort of product that I'll probably end up using up, but that I wouldn't bother repurchasing.

It's available now in four shades and the shade I use is light.

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Bite Lips

I mentioned in my Cocosa post that I'd been introduced to Bite, who are a brand that only create products for the lips.  Very occasionally I develop a soft spot for a brand, usually because I love what they have to offer but also because I love the concept and ideas behind the brand.  All of the above applies to Bite, as I'm really taken with the various lip products they have to offer and I'll definitely be trying more; my current obsession is their Spring Cleaning Trio set with contains all the things you need to get your lips in good condition for the warmer months.  My lips are always the wrong side of dry, so I need this in my life!

Those who attended the Cocosa event and had a lip makeover with Bite were given a goody bag which contained the colour they were matched to and a couple of other goodies which I thought I'd share.

First up we have the Line and Define Lip Primer which is pretty self-explanatory; it's a lip primer in a pencil form that's easy to apply and works as a really good primer for lipstick, especially if you're like me and prone to dryness and the little flaky bits.

Unfortunately I had very dry lips when I took the swatches of the lipsticks so apologies for showing slightly unpleasant, up-close images of them!

Next up is the Lush Lip Tint which is an absolute dream to apply and wear.  The shade I have is Lychee which looks a bit too brown/beige in the tube for my liking, but thankfully it comes out a pretty, gentle, nude pink that's a really lovely colour for day time.

Lush Lip Tint in Lychee: My lips were very dry, hence the 'bitting' in the middle.  

I was given two of the High Pigment Pencils and the first one is Chablis which is the shade I was matched too.  It's incredibly flattering as it's within the limits of the natural colour of my lips, so it adds a bit of colour, warmth and definition without being too overboard.  I really love this colour at the moment and I'm wearing it daily.

High Pigment Pencil in Chablis.

Last is the other High Pigment Pencil which is in the shade Pomegranate.  This is a seriously bright, blue toned red that's really very strong on the lips; it's not something I would wear too regularly unless I was dressing down the rest of my make-up, but it's still a lovely bright colour with an amazing texture and great payoff.

High Pigment Pencil in Pomegranate.  

So these were the items that proved to be my first introduction to Bite and there's not one thing I don't either really like or love.  There's a massive range of colours available, some of which are currently featuring in one of Cocosa's flash sales here, so if you're a lip freak like me then it's definitely worth a look.

*All products mentioned were provided free as part of the Cocosa event goody bag.  

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My First Fake Lashes: Eylure Naturalites Lengthening

Still haven't mastered the art of looking comfortable in pictures....

I mentioned on Twitter last night that I'm on a new mission to get myself capable in the art of fake lash application.  There are very few make-up items I wouldn't go without if pushed for time, as long as I have nicely framed eyes thanks to a great mascara, so I've always thought I'd be a lash addict, if only I could get the blimin' things to work.

I've tried so many times to use false lashes, but I've always found them really difficult to work and I've never been able to get them firstly to stick, and secondly to look as natural as possible.  Therefore, last night I took the bull by the horns and decided to not stop until I'd got them looking at least semi-normal.  My determination paid off, and I got them to do what I wanted, so I thought I'd try again today.

Today didn't go as well, as I didn't get them to sit as close to the natural lash line as I managed to last night, but I've already got mascara on so I'm wondering if this might've been why.  For all intents and purposes though, they look OK so I'm going to keep hammering away at them until I get them right.

Spurred on by my success last night I ordered a few packs of Ardell lashes and some Duo Eyelash glue which I understand to be one of the best.  Hopefully this will be the start of my new love affair with false lashes!

The ones I'm wearing in the pictures are Eylure's Naturalites Lengthening which were the least dramatic I could find at Boots.  They're still a bit OTT for me, so I've ordered some demi-lashes that sit on the outer part of your eyes, which I'm hoping will be more natural.  I'll update as I go but in the meantime, I'm happy that my stubborness paid off, and I'm now getting my lash on....

I have Maybelline Colour Tattoo 24HR in On and On Bronze on my eyelids.

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Nails Inc News

Before I start, I need to apologise for the quality of some of my pictures as I now have a new camera which I wasn't fully familiar with by the time I arrived at the event.  Sorry about that!

Last week was an exciting week for new arrivals and launches in the beauty world, but nothing excited me quite as much as arriving at the Nails Inc HQ to see what was new.  There are *so* many exciting things being released by Nails Inc this year, so here's a look at a few of my favourites:

Nail Jewellery

Oh my gawwwd...these are four of the most ridiculously pretty nail varnishes I have ever seen!

They're a step-up from typical glitter varnishes as they contain hand cut particles to create more of a jewelled as opposed to glitter effect.  They're best used as a topcoat over either a shade that matches the glitter or a darker shade to ensure they really pop.

L-R: Princes Arcade, Burlington Arcade and Royal Arcade.

My most recent NOTD was done using the Princes Arcade version of this, which you can have a look at here.  I still have the same shade on and I still can't stop studying my nails and turning around my fingers to catch different lights, as you do.

L-R: Princes Arcade, Burlington Arcade, Arcade and Royal Arcade.

The four shades are Piccadilly Arcade (Emerald), Burlington Arcade (Diamond), Royal Arcade (Sapphire) and Princes Arcade (Pink Diamond) and are all available now for £11.

Sprinkles Collection

L-R: Sweets Way, Pudding Lane, Sugarhouse Lane and Topping Lane. 

More pretty, glittery goodness in the form of the Special Effects Sprinkles Collection which are independent polishes (meaning they don't need another colour underneath) that contain mattified particles to give a sprinkles effect rather than full on glitter, which results in a kind of cake/sugary/sweet treats effect that is absolutely beautiful.

Sweets Way.

The four shades available are Sugarhouse Lane (pastel grey with monochrome glitter), Sweets Way (pale blue with pastel blue, pink and white glitter), Pudding Lane (teal with navy and gold glitter) and Topping Lane (pink with fuschia, silver and blue glitter) and will be available in June for £11 and I want them all!

Couture by Nails Inc

This is a fantastic idea for treating friends to bespoke, custom designed nail varnish bottles as you can create your own personal version of a Nails Inc varnish by choosing the shade of the varnish, the style of the cap and label and the box it comes in.  I love the concept of this and think it's a fantastic idea for gifting anyone who's beauty obsessed.  You can create in store at Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge or Edinburgh, or you can do it all online by visiting the link here.

Magnetic Polish

Nails Inc were the first person to bring us magnetic nail varnishes, and now they've taken it to the next level by introducing different effects that can be created including fishnet and star effect.

Left nail has the Star Magnet, other two are fishnet. 

Star Magnet. 

The fishnet ones are available now in the following shades: Piccadilly (gold shimmer fishnet), Soho (chrome metallic fishnet) and Spitalfields (green metallic fishnet) and the star effect ones will be available later this year.

These are a few of the new arrivals that I'm looking forward to, but there are also some other amazing products launching including the Juicy Sheers, which are fragranced, high-gloss transparent shades (perfect for bright yet gentle summer nails), Neon Crackles which are four new bright shades of crackle and the gorgeous, sophisticated colours of the A/W collection which include some classic, elegant shades of plum and navy.

All in all, it's clearly an exciting year for Nails Inc and as soon as I've got my Shellac removed (which is still there, under the Nail Jewellery...) I'll be in nail swatching heaven!

Lastly, if you were wondering what I was banging on about in my post here about how Nails Inc inspired me to display my varnishes, here's what I meant:

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