Nail colour of the week

This week, Wife Goes On. You know, all these colours look the same online and this is described as a 'bold true red'. It's nothing of the sort, it's a pink with some coral undertones.

Anyway, it's lovely and again, I am ready for Spring!

Nail colour of the week

I'm over dark colours for a while, I've decided Spring is just around the corner and so today I went for E-Nuff is E-Nuff. Most ridiculous name but a divine, buoyant colour that put me in a good mood, considering it's a Monday.

An accidental makeover

Yesterday I decided I needed a Friday post-work treat so I made for Selfridges to spend some remaining Birthday gift vouchers. What I was interested in was the YSL lip gloss/stick that I posted about in January. However, the lady could not have been less interested. I tried on two colours, both of which were a disaster, and she showed no interest in helping me find a colour that might suit me. So I decided that YSL were not deserving of my custom. The glosses are weird anyway and quite drying FYI.

I drifted over to the Bobbi Brown counter where yet again, I got sterling and amazing service. I am beginning to wonder why anyone would wear high-end make up that isn't Bobbi. The ladies are universally brilliant. I asked for a blue eyeliner (given my current obsession) and before I knew it I was on a chair having it applied. I said to Rebecca (lovely, check her out if you are in London Selfridges) that it was impossible to leave a makeover without spending £100. And so it came to pass. That's how good she was and that's what YSL missed out on.

To the goodies! Honestly, I could have spent £200. Everything she used was fab. I went in all faded and tired after a long week and within 20 mins I was looking radiant! Genius.

I bought a fabulous hydrating gel cream.

I instantly loved it and MAC was sold out of the moisture gel I had wanted to try. It sunk in perfectly and felt vital to my well being.

Then she put on a foundation after I said I never used foundation. I think she considered that a challenge.  It was this one.

It smelt heavenly and glided on. I didn't buy this as I simply couldn't justify it but I would have bought it if I didn't already have two lovely tinted moisturisers. It was excellent.

To my eyes. She used the long wear gel eyeliner in Denim Ink and then smudged it with an eyeshadow in Midnight. Using the ultra-fine brush. The look was a-mazing. Who knew it could look so awesome? Well, I did actually but I wasn't expecting it to look this good! I bought all three. 

Then she used a black mascara which was very nice too but I didn't get that as I have so much mascara and it didn't bowl me over.

A powder blusher which I am not used to but it was perfect. I didn't get it though.

I feel duty-bound to point out it was not this colour!

A divine lip balm and then creamy lip colour in Hibiscus and I was good to go. I can't believe I got the lip balm but really, it was so moisturising and yummy. And at that point I figured a new lipstick wouldn't hurt!

It was a spectacular makeover. I learned more about how to apply eye make-up. I had fun. I left feeling much better about life. Bobbi Brown rocks my world!

I think everyone should make an effort to have a makeover at least once a year because we all get in to habits and it's nice to refresh your look. You don't have to buy anything and she really put no pressure on me at all (although there is never any need to put pressure on me to spend money!) but you learn tips and it's just fun.

A most enjoyable way to start my weekend. Luckily I was going for dinner so it wasn't wasted!

Nail colour of the week

Essie's Chocolate Cake today. It's a brown and I rarely wear brown but it has red depth and I rather like it. I can't wait for sunshine and brighter colours though.

Navy blue eyeliner

I love the internet. One of my current obsessions is Pinterest. It's a virtual way to create moodboards and bookmark your favourite posts from websites by theme but it's so pretty as it creates a picture for your bookmark. Check it out at www.pinterest.com.

There is no better way to waste half an hour of your time than browsing other people's posts and what I enjoy is that you find things you didn't even know you were looking for. Which is a long-winded way to introduce the fact that I now need navy blue eyeshadow. I saw this pin above and thought oooooh, nice!

I've long loved navy and do have some gorgeous blue eyeliners but they are not quite the right hue. So I followed this pin to this page. What an informative post. Not only does the blogger recreate the look and tell us every item she uses, it also lists what Mila wore and it turns out it's all Dior. Specifically this:

I was adoring Dior eye palettes in Dec 2010. If I hadn't just got the Urban Decay set, I'd be hot footing it to get this but no, I mustn't. I shall find a cheaper alternative, I only need the navy hue anyway.

Isn't it such a divine look?

Not sure about the lashes but I am just loving that blue. And she has similar coloured eyes to me so obviously I would look just like her!

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Sometimes you just need to buy something you know you don't need. And so it came to pass this week. I kept reading about how fabulous the Urban Decay Naked palette was and I thought, no, no, I never use make up sets. However in a moment of weakness, I bought it and it arrived yesterday.

I have immediately changed my mind. Of course I need this, hell everyone needs this. How have I lived without it? Have I been going round with sub-standard eye make-up? It's a set of perfect, delectable colours that all go with each other. As it is Urban Decay, the pigments are spot-on, the application is easy and frankly, you could chuck away all the eye make-up you own and go with this. Why you'd do that is anyone's guess as any fool knows, you can never have enough eye shadow.

It's £35 which I think is a bargain. You get some of the primer too in a dinky travel-size. It comes in a velvet case and you can have hours of fun playing with all the colours. Also, there is a Naked 2 palette out so, you know, if you get bored with this one, you can buy that one too!

Recommended.

Nail colour of the week

I finally had a manicure yesterday, the first one of the year with my lovely lady. It's good to be back and to celebrate I chose a new colour, Essie Macks. What is that name about? What can it mean?

Anyway, this is a glossy, beautiful red and much less brown than the picture above might indicate. I am loving it.

YSL Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres

I want this. A long lasting lip stain that is also glossy. I don't know how either, I am sceptical but one must investigate. Apparently a new movement in lip wear is born! Look.

I am going to Selfridges today so I shall enquire and play.

Nail varnish

I keep reading about this one - One Perfect Coral by Revlon. So last week I decided to buy it because I'd not bought anything for ooooh, days and days.

I can report that it's perfection. This is the ideal toe colour for summer (or winter but who sees your pedi in winter unless you live in the tropics?) It's really lovely and also looked nice on my fingers but I didn't keep it on for long as I had to go to a funeral and it felt a little frivolous.

I am struggling to write anything positive beauty-wise this January. The most positive thing I can say is it's nearly pay day and we're nearly past January. Hang in there people.

What do we need in 2012?

The year that it all ends according to the Mayans. I think we can all agree that we must make sure our hair and make-up is on trend just in case.

The Stylist is a great freebie magazine that comes out once a week. A very nice chap at work picks up a copy for us ladies each week and leaves them on our desks. I was perusing my copy in the bath earlier (with a fabulous new SpaceNK bubble bath) and they had Top 10 products for 2012. All are coming out this year.

Some caught my eye. Let's get to it.

MAC Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Gel (£26) - released 2 Feb.

Water moisture gel. I am already drawn in. It sounds dewy and you know, I love the promise of dewiness.  "An ultra-light gel like cream" says the website. Not too eye-wateringly expensive. It's got to be worth a go.

Dior New Look Mascara (£23) - released 30 January

Royal Jelly. Black Glass Pigment.  Yadder, yadder. It's a new mascara and therefore, I am trying it.


London Addixtion Sprax Delight Texturising  Spray-Wax (£12.60) - released late April 2012

I cannot find anything online about this. It sounds great. Easy to apply, doesn't weight hair down, gives texture. If I can find it, I shall be investigating.


YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum (£60) - released 16 January

Firstly, you can already get this at John Lewis so the 16 Jan release date is wrong. I've been reading quite a bit about this. I can't be arsed to repeat all the science guff, Nobel prizes and so on. It just sounds awesome and I want to try it.

January is all a bit blah isn't it? My advice is to have lots of indulgent bubble baths, drink wine (January detox has been scientifically proven to be a waste of time - yay!) and dream of holidays, I've already started planning mine...

Nail colour of the week

I've just done my nails and I am delighted with the result. Chinchilly with a layer of Shine of the Times over the top. It's a subtle shimmery grey as a result. Perfecto.