Nail colour of the week

Essie Chocolate Cakes this week. I need to tell you that is much nicer than this picture, it's a rich, dark, deep chocolate. I rarely choose brown nail polish but I am loving this. It goes with my new ring.

Bliss triple oxygen instant energizing eye mask

I've just returned from a lovely weekend away in the country staying in a divine little hotel. I hesitate to call it a hotel since it only had 5 bedrooms but calling it a B&B would be misleading. This place had the best food I've eaten anywhere. It's here if you're interested and I highly recommend it.

I always do a beauty treatment when I go away somewhere for the weekend, especially if I have a nice swish bathroom. It's fun and adds to the decadence. I bought these Bliss eye masks in New York in November on the recommendation of my boss who raved about them. I hadn't used them yet (they are expensive, I wanted to feel that I could properly relax with them) and so yesterday I tore into one.

You have to pierce the liquid side and let the masks soak in it and then put them under each eye. The regular Bliss oxygen face mask is a miracle worker and I am here to report that these babies are also The Business. I was looking a little weary having been drinking wine and cocktails the night before and not slept very well. I popped these on and they are sooooo soothing and cooling. They almost sting a little and I was concerned I was going to have red patches under my eyes but no fear, I think it was just the ingredients revitalising me!

I really did feel fabulous 15 minutes later. You only get four per pack so they are a real treat but wow. I highly recommend these for those jaded days.

Chanel skincare

I've steered away from Chanel skincare in the past with my thinking going something like this: I don't want to get into Chanel, clearly I will adore it and it and will cost me a fortune. Sometimes the universe wants you to have something despite your best intentions and last week, a friend at work gave me a full size Chanel serum and toner as she said they didn't suit her skin. She gave them to me with the words: "I wondered who would appreciate them and thought of you". Discussing make up and skincare by the water cooler seems to have finally paid off.

I'd love to tell you they are nothing special, nothing to see here, move along. But the serum is amazing. It just sinks into the skin, no tackiness, no stickiness, no greasiness and makes you look better. Does it have to be so sublime? The toner is also lovely. I don't go much for toners but this one is gorgeous. Anti-pollution, it's as gentle as can be and you can feel it working. 

Oh for goodness sake, why did this have to happen? The toner is £29 which isn't too ruinous but it's just a toner. It's water.  The serum is £78. The last serum I got was L'Oreal's and was £10 in Boots. I thought I liked it. Ha! How little I knew. It didn't make me feel like I was getting visibly younger as I applied it. Those French know about skincare. 

If you're Victoria Beckham, I recommend it although you probably bathe in it. If your husband is an investment banker (or indeed you are) get the whole range. If you have a normal income then get the serum if you can, it's wonderful.

Selfridges beauty hall

And so to Selfridges with a friend who needed foundation advice. I took her to the Armani counter and all was well as she fell in love with the Maestro foundation. She also bought a lipstick which I was very impressed with. In fact, I love all the Armani make-up, it's beautifully packaged and very classy. The lady did her eyes too and the colours were superb, the range is called Eyes To Kill and they are so pretty:

I was tempted I must say. We looked at Tom Ford make-up which, as always, breaks my heart in its perfection. However, it's ruinously expensive and there is nothing I feel I must have.

In case you think I am sickening for something, I will say I did spend and it was at Bobbi Brown. The Skin Perfecting Retouching powders have intrigued me and a lovely girl put some on me. They come in about 5 or 6 colours but if you are white then you're down to two - yellow or pink. She thought pink would be the one for me but it was the yellow that worked like magic. It was the end of a long day and I was looking pretty weary. She put this powder on and it simply revives you like magic. The site says it works like magic and I really cannot disagree.

It's £25 and I think that's reasonable however unfortunately I fell in love with the brush she used and had to have that.

And naturally I could not resist the lure of the long wear eye gels.

I got Ivy Shimmer Ink and it's fabulous. I am sporting it today and I am convinced with my magic powder I am ready to take on the world!

We then retired for cocktails with our loot (and free mascara from Bobbi Brown) feeling very happy with life.

Nail colour of the week

Don't Sweater It. Honestly. That's what it is called. It's a nice neutral, slightly dark brown/beige. I like it. I was in the mood for something a bit different today. Part of me is wishing I had Luxedo though.

I have my eye on...

Hello,  I've not abandoned this blog. I've been having a quiet January and not had much beauty news to report. However, yesterday I went shopping and perused various beauty counters. I didn't buy anything (well, no beauty things) but I have my eye on a few things I want.

First up of course is Bobbi Brown. I can't get enough of Bobbi. I am so loving the long-wear eye gels and want Chocolate Shimmer, Black Mauve Shimmer and Ivy Shimmer Ink. No, I don't need them but I want them.

I am also intrigued by the new Retouching powders. I tried these on my hand yesterday and think they could be winners.

I've never paid much attention to Origins make-up before but I've heard good things about their Ginzing mascara. Out of interest I had a look even though me and my beloved Estee Lauder Doublewear are rarely apart these days. It looked ok but the brush is too thick for me. However, the eye creams caught my attention.

These were in a gorgeous range of neutral, easy to wear colours, and the texture felt fabulous. If I needed them at all, I'd have bought one.

Finally I don't know how much longer I can resist Tom Ford make-up. 

Be still my beating heart.