Clinique Bonus Time

I used to get so excited to see those words in my 20s. I've not partaken of a bonus for some time but yesterday I met my sister for an afternoon of light shopping and gossip on Kings Road. Is there a more delightful way to spend an afternoon? I don't think so. We shopped, we lunched, we shopped some more, we went to Peter Jones for a coffee and talk turned to make-up. I was explaining that I felt I needed a foundation in my life. I've always been a tinted moisturised kind of girl, very natural, nothing too heavy. But over the last year or so, despite loving my Origins CC cream, I've felt something was missing. My sister being the wise one that she is said, well, why don't we go and look at foundations in here? So we did.

We fell upon a Clinique bonus so we stayed and looked. Clinique has so many foundations. It's overwhelming. They have a new one they are busy promoting which appears to be a foundation and concealer in one. Which confuses me. I asked for some advice and the woman was helpful. She tried a few shades on me and I ended up buying this.

In my experience, every Clinique sales assistant wants you to go darker than you are. I reined that in and ended up with Ivory. I'll report back.

I had to buy something else to receive the bonus so it just so happens I've just finished my Dramatically Different Moisturiser this week.

I am so happy that they reformulated this. It is now a complete bargain and a perfect base for make up.

And then I got to choose some gifts. I went for a bright pink nail varnish, a chubby stick in Woopin' Watermelon (which happens to be my favourite and mine is running out), Repair Wear Sculping Night Cream which costs £58 and I got a massive pot of it and a tube of face cleansing something or other. Plus  I got two extras that you don't get to choose: the Custom Smart Serum and some perfume. All in a cosmetics bag.

It's a generous deal. I had forgotten the delights of freebies. All in all, tremendously satisfying.

Kiehls Creme de Corps

This product gets a lot of love on beauty forums. I've always thought it looked like it would be greasy, I can't bear a body lotion that takes forever to sink in, who has the time? Anyway, last week I found myself in Terminal 5 Heathrow on a Saturday for a work trip. Clearly that meant I had to buy something to cheer myself up. I bought a small bottle of this because my skin was feeling particularly dry.

Why have I not bought this sooner? It's miraculous! It sinks in effortlessly yet skin feels properly hydrated in a way that no other body lotion has ever achieved. I now plan to buy a massive bottle of it ready to prep my scaly body for the summer. It really is wonderful and it smells nice, not over powering but pleasant. I thoroughly recommend it.

Serums

I have rarely seen the point of serums but times change, one gets older, fine lines appear and the inevitable happens. Serums have happened to me and I'm wondering why I waited so long. Whereas I'll spend a small fortune on Karl Lagerfeld branded cleansers, somehow I become a little more cautious about serums. They are just not that exciting and I have splashed out on the Clinique one and not seen any visible difference. So I decided to spend less.

I recently finished an Olay serum. This one:

I liked it very much. I mean, I finished it. It takes me forever to finish anything but I religiously used it every morning and it lasted a good three months or so. Seeing as how I liked it, I of course then replaced it with something else. This one:

As recommended by Sali Hughes in her Guardian column. It's ok, it's a bit runny which I find annoying. I prefer the Olay one and it was cheaper so lesson learned there.

Serums provide a great base and help moisturiser sink in better. I think of them like polyfilla.

Both are available at Boots.

Nail colour of the week

Sable Collar. It looks nothing, NOTHING like this picture. It's more of a shimmery taupe with some mauve going on. Great name.

Nail colour of the week

Essie's Mind Your Mittens which is a great name. I actually had this on last week and loved it - a grey/blue that surprisingly goes with pretty much anything I was wearing.

Marks and Spencer Moroccan Escape

January is a time for saving one's pennies after the excesses of Christmas. A time to lounge in hot bubble baths and read books. And I am here to tell you that this £4 bubble bath is a steal. It smells of oranges, it bubbles beautifully and I am loving it. There is a shower gel, oil and various other things in the range which I've not tried but I am stockpiling this.

Cleansing

I'm a bit obsessed with cleansing, everything starts with clean skin sweeties. Last week I bought two essential cleansing products. First up, Shu Uemura cleansing oil.

Yes, I got the Karl Lagerfeld one because why not? I adore this stuff, it's very expensive but a large bottle lasts me a year. And this bottle makes any bathroom (even my horrid, needs replacing bathroom) look stylish. It's perfect for a quick morning cleanse requiring minimum effort and leaving skin soft and smooth.

I also bought the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish.

This smells heavenly. I think I am addicted to Eucalyptus because I am a sucker for anything made with it. I use this with a regular flannel in the evenings to lift all make-up off effortlessly. My usual rinse off cleansers just weren't doing the job for me anymore. It must be this damn ageing thing.

So, £100 on cleansers. I had better look radiant.

Party eyes

Nothing pleases me more than breaking out the sparkle knowing that it's totally allowed because it is Christmas. I am not interested in wearing gold jumpers or decorating my home in tinsel but given half a chance, I'll throw some sparkle on my face.

Last weekend we had our annual Christmas shindig at our house and I was feeling very tired. I needed some party mojo so off I went to my local Bobbi Brown counter and said to the lady, give me party eyes please!

I am delighted to say that she did a super job and Bobbi Brown remains my favourite counter for down to earth make-up advice.

The long wear eye gel now comes in sparkles! Unfettered joy! She went to work with Thunderstorm (having primed my lids with various neutral shades) and then used black gel eyeliner too. Then she patted on a sparkley eyeshadow in Pebble. Her tip was never to use brushes for sparkley eyeshadow but to pat on with your fingers. I have recreated this and can tell you it's easy peasy. Finished off with Smokey eyes mascara. I felt a million dollars. I bought Thunderstorm and Pebble (just the names please me) and have been using the Thunderstorm as a day look (without the extra glitter of Pebble) and it works very well.

All hail Bobbi Brown make-up.

Christmas beauty gifts

Yes it is December already. Yes, it's too early to put up your tree. No, it's not too early to start shopping for gifts. I'd be happy with any of these on Christmas morning.

Aromatherapy Associates are truly beautiful bath oils. I've only ever had one bottle of their oil and I still dream about it. Unfortunately CoverBoy took a shine to it as well so it didn't last long. This Lavender and Peppermint one sounds divine.

Clarins facial oils are a staple for me, especially in the winter. Pop this on before you go to sleep and wake up with plumped up, soft skin.

Their Tonic bath and shower concentrate is also a firm favourite. It smells like the essence of Clarins and I always take it travelling to pep me up.

2015 is going to be the year of Aesop for me. I am dying to try this serum.

I love all things Origins. Gloomaway is perfect for dark January mornings.

Jo Malone is always a treat and I can never resist a scented candle. Pine and Eucalyptus is the scent of Christmas. This one is ridiculously priced but I covet. Hard. You can buy a smaller one for £40.

My Christmas candle this year is from Diptyque and it is heavenly, filling my living room with the scent of pine needles.

My love of Chanel Exclusifs is bottomless. I adore Bois des Iles but I am currently having a moment with No18. They are a luxury but you will never tire of seeing this on your dressing table. So chic!

Charlotte Tilbury is the launch of the year. I've not tried any of it but I hear rave reviews. I have issues with the look of this range, it's too blingy for my tastes however I can never resist an eyeshadow palette and The Sophisticate looks like the perfect office colours.

I also think this make-up bag is cute.

I bought this YSL nail varnish in France not realising it has a grained effect. It's a gorgeous colour and the grainy thing is weird, I must admit it's not quite my thing but I think those more into nail art would love it. Perfect gift for a teenager.

Molecule 01 is the perfume that is unique to everyone. I adore it and always get compliments when I wear it (I've just finished my bottle - hint hint).

Finally, I am currently rediscovering the absolute joy of the heated roller. Pop a few in for 5 minutes and you have instant glamour. I've been using heated rollers for over 30 years and upgraded my ancient ones a few years ago. Look at these ones though! Who could resist?! And they are a bargain.

Happy shopping!

Nail colour of the week

Not done one of these posts for ages. This week I am sporting Essie's Shearling Darling which is nothing like the picture, it's basically almost purple and dark. It's very nice and I like the name.

Living Proof. Again

I didn't think it was possible for me to love this brand any more but this no frizz shampoo and conditioner is magical. It's quite simply amazing. I was in New York for two weeks where there was much rain. People were asking me if I'd had my hair blow dried. No, indeed. Just my poor attempts with the hotel hairdryer. If your hair frizzes at the first sign of damp then you need this and the 5 in 1 styling cream. Together they are transformational.

I am having a very happy hair moment. I am using this, the 5 in 1 and have rediscovered the joys of a heated roller and I feel like I am in a hair advert.