Chantecaille metallic eyeliner

I bought this last year on India Knight's recommendation. Mine is gold and they don't seem to have gold anymore which is a shame but there is a divine looking green. Anyway, it's perfect for sparkly festive eyes without looking like you've gone mad in the glitter pot.

It's elegant and very fine but you can build up to make it thicker. It's easy peasy to apply and if you get the silver, then I reckon, like the gold any mistakes are easily forgiven. It lasts for hours and hours. I layer it with black or dark brown eyeliner and lashings of mascara and it's party eyes in seconds.

It is expensive but it lasts for ages. That's my festive make-up tip for you.

Jo Malone for Zara

Did you hear? Jo Malone has created scents for Zara! Beside myself I am. I placed a Zara order this week (the kids clothes make incredible presents) and threw in a 40ml perfume in Vetiver Pampelmousse. I can never resist grapefruit.

It cost £15 and it arrived today. I sprayed it on at about 10.30am. It's now 9.20pm and I can still smell it. Actual Jo Malone perfumes don't last like that. I am very impressed. It smells gorgeous, the bottle is lovely. The packaging is nice but a bit over the top in these planet-watching times.

Run don't walk.

New bathroom #2

When you're a beauty obsessive, you need a good bathroom. I've been waiting to renovate our main bathroom for five long years. Finally, in October, it happened. Not without drama, we had leaks into the kitchen a fitter who had a heart attack, a basin with a hole in it (not where it was meant to be), and my normally stoic project manager was heard cursing and saying, what is it about THIS house?

An excellent question and I wish I knew. If something can go wrong, it will. Followed by 20 other things. But now I have my bathroom of heavenly delights. We ripped out the bath because after all, I have my bathing boudoir now. So, it's a shower room. It's really hard to plan a bathroom no matter how much you pore over Instagram and interiors blogs. I planned this all myself and am now considering a new career. But it took me months of looking at plans, researching shower trays, tiles, basin fittings etc. Basically I find myself with free evenings and at a loose end because this was what I did with 80% of my spare time.

The fun and reward is in the details. Picking out the bathmat (made.com) and the storage (controversially I have no cabinet, instead a vanity unit and two sleek black units I bought from amazon) and the plant.

And of course, the products! I didn't buy much at all (because, it may astound you to learn, I have quite a lot already) but I did get some new Function of beauty shampoo and conditioner. Why? Because you can choose the colour of course! I went with hot pink and it gives me joy to see those bottles. I was also gifted the delightful Ortiga shower gel which is a real treat.

I have one more bathroom to do. Again, I feel the need to explain I don't live in a mansion. The house is badly planned so there is a tiny ensuite shower room to the guest room. I've started a pinterest board because that 80% of time can't solely be filled with watching old episodes of The OC.

My Beauty Pie round-up

Before we start, I don't get any money from Beauty Pie and there are no affiliate posts to be seen here.

Now then, I love Beauty Pie. I joined very early on and have been happy with 90% of what I have bought. Here are some of my favourites.

I've talked about the serums before. The serums are worth the membership alone. At last, I am serum happy! I've tried all of them. None of them are bad, most of them are excellent. I am not a huge fan of the QI energy one but I still use it. If I had to pick a favourite, it would be the Uber Youth Super Serum. This is a great all-rounder and feels very moisturising.

I am a big fan of the Japanfusion cleanser, it's gentle and works a treat. I am a cleanser junkie. I have about five on the go at any one time but this remains a staple. I don't feel the other Beauty Pie cleansers are quite as good for me. I tried a few and didn't rebuy.

I am currently using the Dr Glycolic toner. I decided to stop my Zelens facial pads habit because they are expensive even with the discounts I always sought out. I like this, it does the job. I also love REN Ready Steady Glow and find a combination of these work (not at the same time! use on alternate days).

I just bought the Super Healthy skin moisturiser for the second time. It's a good basic day moisturiser and works as a base for make-up. Is it my perfect moisturiser? No because my perfect moisturisers are from Drunk Elephant and Sunday Riley and they are £££££. However, this is perfectly acceptable and good value and I am happy using it.

The Japanfusion Supreme cream is marvellous. This is an excellent night cream. One wakes up glowing. My only issue is it's often out of stock and is right now.

That's the face sorted, moving on to the body. This body cream is a miracle. Deeply moisturising yet non tacky. It smells great too. I raced through my tub and am tapping my foot impatiently because it's out of stock.

I can never resist a shower gel and although I did not need this, obviously I bought it. This is a downside of Beauty Pie, you think oh well, I'll just try it, I am paying for shipping anyway. Fortunately it's a delightful scent and a huge bottle.

The tanning mousse is better than any I have tried which isn't to say it's for everyone. It's not subtle but I don't mind that on my legs. I wouldn't use it everywhere. Also, buy a mitt and use that for seamless application.

I am much less into the make-up. However, the pro gel eyeliner is the best eyeliner ever. I say this with no hyperbole and vast experience. This stuff does not budge until you want it to. I adore it and have it in every shade. I've just noticed the green one seems to be removed which is devastating as it's my favourite colour and I am on my third one.

Finally, the perfume. One has fig in and I know people love fig but it makes me feel sick. I have the red apple, white peony and cashmere perfume and it's very sniffable. The bottle is nicely luxurious. It doesn't last very long but sometimes a pretty light fragrance is what you want. They've just introduced 15ml sample sprays which is good because 100ml is a big commitment and I often get bored about halfway through a bottle of perfume. I ordered the Love fragrance which is new and it's again, very inoffensive. I am glad I could get a much smaller bottle. I think these would make great Christmas presents. If you are a true perfume nerd, I would say there's not much to see here but that's fine. It's why we have Chanel and Guerlain.

The make-up brushes are very good too. I have tried foundation samples and I am not into them. The tinted moisturiser is ok but nothing special. The nail varnish is terrible. The candles are fine but I am a Diptyque girl. Lipsticks are again ok but not noteworthy. I've not investigated the haircare range because literally the last thing I need is more haircare.

To summarise, serum and eyeliners are truly excellent. There are also lots of very, very good products as listed above. A downside is that products are often out of stock which can be frustrating. The packaging is chic and looks pleasing in one's bathroom. Speaking of bathrooms, I had mine renovated into a shower room of joy. I'll share photos in a future post but basically, I want to move in there.

Transforming winter skin

Hello there! I can't believe my last post was in August and tomorrow is December. I am still here, I am still beauty-obsessed but I've had some life matters going on.

Today I am here to talk about Ameliorate. A brand that is made for these dark winter days. I bought this body mitt and it's the best £6.65 I've spent for a while.

My body was getting a bit bumpy. I was without an exfoliating mitt for a few months and I really can't be bothered with scrubs having tried many over the years. They are such a faff. I realised I needed a good old fashioned slough down and ordered this. Now, you may be thinking one body mitt is the same as another body mitt. I respectfully disagree. Once you've tried this, you will throw anything else you use away. It's miraculous. My legs are now like silk and my shins are all shiny. 

Being me, I couldn't see the point of ordering just one thing from the Ameliorate site so I also ordered the Transforming Body Lotion.

These lactic acids body lotions are universally great. I have the REN one, the Clarins one and now this one. If you have any bumpy skin, it gets rid of them. I slathered this on after my slough down and then stood back and admired my smoothness. It absorbs really fast and smells nice without being overpowering but they do fragrance-free if you don't want scent.

There are great deals on at the moment because of Black Friday and I also received a free travel size body lotion. These two products have done exactly what they promise, they have transformed my body. They don't get rid of spare tyres and flabby bits sadly but they do make you feel better about them.

This is not an ad, I don't get paid for my posts and there are no affiliate links. As always, I simply post about what I like and use.

Clinique Moisture Surge Sheertint Hydrator

I can never resist a new base, especially one with hyaluronic acid which promises to keep my skin hydrated for 12 hours. Bring it on I say.

I purchased this a couple of weeks ago and it's very good. However, I personally need another moisturiser underneath but I am getting old and dried up as I speed towards my 50th birthday. Your mileage may vary. This gives you a magical glow, covers up any minor imperfections and has an SPF in it. It's not for you if you have any serious cover up needs, it's great if you have pretty good base skin already.

I am liking it a lot for this time of the year. It lasts well, doesn't feel heavy and instantly makes me look better. What more can we ask for?

Dr Bronner liquid soap

Hello out there. I hope everyone has had a great summer. Mine has been very busy with theatre outings and weekends away. On one weekend away, I stayed with my old neighbour who now lives in Cardiff. While I was there, he raved about Dr Bronner's soap and how it's the only soap that doesn't irritate his skin as he is an eczema sufferer. He was so enthusiastic about it, he showed me his extensive collection so I could smell them all. Truly, he is a great friend for a reason and that reason is we can get excited sniffing liquid soap together.

I noted that said soap was not in my guest bathroom so I didn't get to sample it properly. However, the icing on the cake was when he said: "and you can buy it with Ocado." My middle-class heart sang with delight.

This stuff is wonderful. CoverBoy has sensitive skin and we had some rather unbecoming bottles of prescription soap in the bathroom. No more! I bought the peppermint Dr Bronner and we've not looked back. He declares it amazing and no irritation. It is refreshing but not aggressively so. It's very concentrated (despite being almost watery in texture) so you don't need much and on a hot summer's day, the peppermint is almost like a balm soothing your troubles away. I also bought the orange one which, while nice, doesn't please me quite so much. There is a flavour for everyone though, I want to try almond for the winter.

The marketing is a little too close to god for my liking but I can overlook that because it really is fabulous stuff. They claim you can use it to wash your clothes, brush your teeth (ummm, maybe if up a mountain and with no other choice), clean your house and so on. I am fine with simply using it to wash my body and highly recommend it.

Murad City Skin Broad Spectrum SPF 50

Summer is here! It's 26 degrees in London today. Flaming June!

With summer comes the tedious topic of SPF. I know we're meant to use SPF every single day come rain or shine but it's hard for me to believe in deepest winter that I need it in London. However, now we're into very long days and hot sun, I am here for it.

I find a good facial SPF hard to find. Many make me eyes stream, some are too chalky, or too sticky. They can be hard to apply make up over.

Call off the search because this is a miracle. I read about it on Caroline Hirons blog and she handily had a discount code so I availed myself. I am absolutely loving it. It's easy to apply, it doesn't make you greasy or leave a residue. It also gives you a little glow and it's a great primer for make-up. Also, my eyes are just fine.

I can't recommend this highly enough. I know it's quite expensive but the best thing you can do for your skin is use a SPF so think of that. And look out for discount codes.

Dry shampoo nirvana

I find dry shampoo perplexing. I know approx. 80% of women swear by it and walk around with bigger and bigger hair held up by copious amounts of what is basically a talc. But I've never mastered it and believe me, I've tried. I have purchased so many different dry shampoos and felt underwhelmed. Sure, some have been better than others but none have made me a dry shampoo disciple.

This one is different. It's micellar water and therefore it is damp. It works. By god, it really works and it doesn't leave you with a dusty scalp. Application is the same, spray on, wait 45 seconds, massage in. But it instantly works and there is something quite nice about your hair being damp. It's only a little bit damp, it keeps its style. Which is the point of using dry shampoo, after all.

Maybe you're in the happy Batiste camp and if so, you carry on because this is more expensive. But, if you're also a struggler, this could be The One for you.

The Ordinary

The Ordinary is so refreshing. The pricing is a joy and the packaging is chic. I've been investigating it more over the last few months on the basis if I don't like something, it only cost me £5.

It can be intimidating if you don't know ingredients or have a chemistry degree. I have thought for some time that they need to explain the products better. Last night, I came across this article and it explains each product beautifully.

The repeat buy for me is this one:

Marine Hyaluronics has a water-like texture, it's very light. I use it after cleansing and before serum. Not every single time I wash my face but when I feel it needs a boost. It sinks in immediately and leaves no residue. I love it and it's especially good after a winter of central heating and windy walks. 

I acquired the cleanser this week:

It's moisturising, easy to rinse off and very effective. It's a perfect size for travelling too. I am impressed with it.

I have really only dipped my toe in The Ordinary. I think there will always be duds and by that I mean, products that won't suit my skin but may be fabulous for someone else. I tried a serum and found it too heavy for me.  There are dozens of items to try and as I say, it's so nice to not be spending £££ on skincare. 

Neutrogena love

I've always liked Neutrogena but it's frustrating that we can't access many of the products in the UK. I was in New York last week for work and, as you can imagine, I set aside time for my Sephora trips and drugstore runs. I have so much to report back on, I went a bit mad.

I'll start with Neutrogena and this retinol oil.

I always research what beauty editors say to buy in the US. I compiled a long list but this was the one thing I was determined to get hold of. I am a little wary of retinols. I know prevailing wisdom is give them time and let your skin adjust but flaky red skin does not appeal. This is designed to be gentler yet still effective. I am using it every other day and so far, no adverse effects. I need to give this more time but I do think my skin is looking pretty good with it. Early report is positive.

I am in love with this concealer. It's so moisturising and doesn't settle into fine lines at all. It's better than concealers that cost three times as much.

Another new obsession is SPF. I need to be much better about wearing it daily but I find many of them to be difficult to then put make up over. I bought a couple of SPFs and more on my other one in a future post but I am loving this as it doubles as a primer. It's lovely, great texture, make up applies with no bobbles and SPF 15. I am very impressed.

I recommend the concealer and SPF. I will report back further on the retinol oil.

Drunk Elephant Babyfacial

As promised in my previous post, this is my report on Drunk Elephant's Babyfacial mask. As a reminder, you can't buy this in the UK because of EU regulations. I asked a friend to get me some in the US. It's $80, not cheap but you don't need much so I think there are at least 15 applications here (I made that number up, could be more, could be less) which then works out at around $5 for a facial which doesn't seem so bad. I am here to always justify spending money on products for you.

Is it any good? Short answer, yes. Let me expand. The reason you can't buy it here is it's considered too strong for at home facials. It comes with warnings of building up to leaving it on for 20 minutes, not to use if your skin feels sore etc. I approached with some trepidation. However, it was fine. I had no tingles, no redness. I left it on for 15 minutes to be on the safe side. You must do this at night because many people are red afterwards but fine after a night's sleep.

My skin is pretty robust, I use exfoliating toners almost every day. Before using this, I skipped my exfoliating toner the night before. As it is winter, skin tends to be a little more sensitive with central heating and freezing temperatures. I would say if you have skin prone to redness or sensitivity to maybe wait until spring before using this.

I applied a thin layer (no need to go thick and waste this elixir of youth) and waited. I used a soft flannel to remove. I looked in the mirror and saw no immediate difference whatsoever! But then I felt my skin and it was incredibly soft, I examined it more closely with my trusty magnifying mirror and it looked more even, open pores had shrunk a little, and it was glowier (that's a word now).

My box came with a sample of the Marula Facial Oil so I popped that on and went to bed. The oil is annoyingly good. I can see a Drunk Elephant obsession blooming here and I was so determined to not be drawn in, ah well.

Is it worth $80? Only you can answer that. For me, yes. I will use it once a week. I am going to the US in March so let me know in the comments if you need this and I can be your mule.

Drunk Elephant

I was doing well resisting this but then I received a 20% code from Cult Beauty and my will power waned.

I bought this moisturiser and I love it. It's a great base for make up and my skin feels very hydrated. I also love the packaging. Would I buy it at full price? No. It's not necessary to spend over £50 on a moisturiser but it's made my January more bearable and we all do what we can to endure January.

The Babyfacial is not available to buy in the UK. My friend picked one up for me in the US. I don't have it in my hot paws yet but am expecting the exchange to take place next week. I hear amazing things about this so am looking forward to trying it and hoping my face doesn't fall off. I shall report back.