Beauty Blogging Blonde

Clarins Colour Breeze Spring 2012

2012-01-30T20:55:00.004Z

I love it when brands bring out seasonal collections and this spring, Clarins are bringing it all over my face!! Below are some snaps & swatches of some of the products from the new Colour Breeze collection, available from February 2012. Enjoy!

Joli Rouge Lipstick; Baby Pink & Poppy Red Joli Rouge Sheer Lipstick; Pink Coral & Pink Magnolia

These lipsticks are sheer, gloss but incredibly non-sticky. In addition (& most importantly) they aren't in the slightest drying on the lips. I had never tried Clarins lipsticks before these & I am genuinely blown away. I have been wearing Poppy Red a lot; it looks glossy & sheer, but still with a brilliant pop of even red.

The bullets are fabulously packaged, in heavy high-shine silver casing. Inside the lid is a silicone seal, that will keep the lipsticks hydrated & also ensures the lid wont be flying off in your handbag! These will retail for £16.50 which I think is super reasonable for such a high quality product.

Baby Pink Poppy Red Pink Coral Pink Magnolia

Gloss Prodige Intense Colour & Shine Lip Gloss

Raspberry (L) and Candy (R)

These glosses are indeed intensely shiny! They are packed with shimmery particles that really intensify the depth of colour, without being chunky or gritty. Super pretty & there are 8 shades in total to choose from. The Raspberry feels a little dark for a srping collection, but is a very wearable colour nonetheless. These will retail for £15.50 a pop, but if glosses are your 'thing', you'll love the quality of these.

Limited Edition Instant Light Blush

Vitamin Pink (L) and Coral Tonic (R)

Without a doubt, these are the stand-out products for me. I adore cream blushes & these are off the chart! They have the finest of finest shimmers, with the Vitamin Pink (weird name?!)having a pay-off that NARS Orgasm should have had - not chunky or glittery, just a gorgeous natural glowing sheen. I have worn the pink every day for the last week. These are limited edition, so scoop them up while you can; they will retail for the princely sum of £19 each, but are worth twice that.

These sponge applicators work a treat, but they squelch when you pull them out the bottles!

Vitamin Pink

Coral Tonic

There is a variety of other products, including a gorgeous Limited Edition Face & Blush palette (£30) and a Limited Edition Eye Quartet Mineral Palette (£30). I haven't focused on these as I haven't yet tried them out, but I will!

Is there anything you'll be picking up from this Spring Collection?

A x

Birthday Giveaway

2012-01-29T16:24:00.003Z

Hello!

January saw the anniversary of my 30th year on this little planet & also saw my blog turn 2! With my trip to New York taking up all my spare time, I didn't have time to do a birthday giveaway, so here it is!

All the products were picked up in New York and will go to one lucky winner. So, up for grabs is...

1 bottle Nails Inc Special Effects 3D Glitter

1 Jack Black Lip Balm in Pink Grapefruit

1 Mini Diptyque Philosykos Cologne

1 Mini Diptyque L'Au De Neroli Cologne

1 Philosophy Mini Shampoo in Lime Blossom

1 Philosophy Mini Conditioner in Blackberry Musk

1 Philosophy Mini Body Lotion in Green Tea

1 Sephora Lip Gloss in 'Vintage Pink'

1 Sephora Clear Makeup Bag

Rules

To enter you need to be a follower of this blog. I will check.

You need to leave me a comment on this post telling me what your favourite birthday present ever was. It doesn't need to be a novel, but failure to do this will result in your entry being deemed invalid.

1 entry per follower. There are no extra entries for tweeting about it etc, but if you feel like sharing, please do!

Entry will close 11.59pm on Friday 3rd February 2012. Entries posted after this will not be accepted.

I will pick a winner at random, using the good old method of my husband choosing a number.

All decisions are mine & are final.

Good Luck!

What I Did in NYC

2012-01-25T09:00:00.005Z

Day One

We arrived in Manhattan after flying Aberdeen-Heathrow then Heathrow-New York JFK. The flight left Aberdeen at 6.30am & in total was about 10hrs travelling, but we arrived in NY at 1.30pm local time. We flew into JKF as we were staying mid-town. If you're staying the down-town, you might want to consider flying into Newark. Our hotel was the Affinia Manhattan, on 31st/7th, right opposite Madison Square Garden. It was gorgeous, clean and the room was a good size.

I wasn't sure how bad we'd be feeling when we arrived, so I had booked tickets to the 10pm show at the Comedy Cellar down in Greenwich Village. We'd intended on heading down about 8pm for a bite, but by about 6pm we were still feeling stuffed from all the salty plane food, so we had showers, got dressed, hopped in a cab & headed down to the Comedy Cellar about 7.30pm to see if we could swap for the 8pm show, which we could. Was absolutely hilarious and very glad we decided to stick with the plan. I had a mojito which was so strong the room was spinning, so I quickly switched to coffee! The place was packed out. If you're thinking of going, definitely make reservations & get there at least 1/2hr before the show starts as there will be a queue & if you aren't sharp, they give your seats away. You don't pay for the reservations until the end of the night, so if you do miss your booking, you don't lose your money. By 10pm we were tucked up for a well deserved sleep, looking forward to the next day (my birthday dun dun dunnnnn!)

Day Two

I had done a lot of research into breakfast as last time we were there it was a nightmare trying to pick somewhere good and you do so much walking that a good feed first thing is essential. On the Thursday we went to the Tasty Cafe, on Madison Avenue (about 10 minute walk from the hotel). I had banana pancakes, which were delicious!

As the day was my birthday & we had plans for the evening, we decided to take it easy during the day. We started off walking up to Bryant Park & The New York Public Library to moon over where Big & Carrie nearly did the deed. When we were there as part of our honeymoon, we had dinner in the Bryant Park Grill which is highly recommended!

The New York Public Library

View from the Library steps

Ice Skating in Bryant Park & Bloomingdales. Cupcake from Sprinkles Bakery

After the Library, we trekked on down to Lexington to sample the wares from the Sprinkles Bakery, which were definitely worth the detour! Then, it was on up to 90th/5th for the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art and the Gugenheim.

The view down Park Ave, MoMA and The Gugenheim

By about 2pm, we were ready to start heading back down to the hotel, so we detoured through Central Park, past the Jackie O Reservoir. We picked up a cab at 72nd, which dropped us at Macy's on 58th, where we had a 'pre shopping day' browse, before walking back through Times Square. Neil sat & worked out how far we walked that day & it was just under 7 miles!!

At 7.30pm, after a much needed red-hot shower, we were dressed to the nines, ready to hit the town. I had booked a table at Buddakan, which is famed for being featured in the first SATC movie; where Big & Carrie had their wedding reherasal dinner. I was really nervous that they might have fluffed our table or we wouldn't be cool enough to get in, but the experience was brilliant. When we arrived, they asked us to wait in the bar for 5 minutes whilst they got the table ready (it was packed). Neil ordered a couple of Mojitos which we took to the table & honest to god, it is without a doubt, the best mojito I have ever had. There were dozens of waitresses & hosts so you didn't need to wait on a thing - water was topped up regularly & they were on-hand to explain the menu. We ordered the BoBo plate to start and I could have eaten 15 of the carrot dumplings! Mains were also delicious and I even squeezed in a portion of pumpkin cheesecake for dessert (what can I say, I was all spanxed up!). The cocktail bar was gorgeous & we could have stayed for a few more, but we were both mega tired so headed back to the hotel & crashed.

Day Three

On the Friday, we'd planned on starting the day right down in SoHo, but after seeing the Meat Packing District on the Thursday night, decided to head down there for breakfast at the Chelsea Market. Buddakan is in Chelsea Market, although the entrance is next door, so had a quick snap whilst we were there. After the market, we just headed east and joined Bleecker Street which runs the whole way through SoHo. A quick stop off at the Magnolia Bakery for more cupcakes and headed off to Michael Kors to buy my watch and then Kate Spade for my bag. All in all, a good shopping day!

Following the shopping, we walked on up to MAC Pro store in the Flatiron district, which is an absolute haven & I stocked up on some stuff for my kit. Then we headed to the Blue Smoke for sticky BBQ ribs, which were absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced.

That evening, we had Knicks tickets (purchased from StubHub) at Madison Square Gardens (literally a skip from the hotel). The atmosphere was incredible & there were so many people. I have to say, everything is so well organised & runs seamlessly in America. We sailed through the tickets, security & were directed to our seats in the space of about 5 mins. The highlight of the game had to be after the ref had made a particularly bad decision was a guy behind us shouting 'Sir, you're not very good sir' !! How super polite!! There was no swearing, no fighting, no bottle throwing or racist insults songs & was a breath of fresh air. After the game, we headed home to eat our cupcakes!

Day 4

Saturday was our last full day & when we woke up, it had been snowing! The way the snow was dealt with puts the UK to shame. All along the streets were guys out with giant squeedgees (sp?) pushing the snow off the pavements and the roads were heavily salted. By the Saturday night, all that remained was some slush around the drains. Unbelievable.

Anyway! Breakfast was had at the Europa Cafe just round from the hotel as we were heading to Macy's next, which is just 3 streets up from the hotel on 34th street. At Macy's, we had to wait 1/2hr to get in as shops don't open anywhere in NY until 10am, which is a bit annoying. The day was going to be spent in the main shopping areas, namely 5th Avenue & Herald Square. We got some good bargains in Bloomingdales using the 10% visitor discount and spent a good couple of hours in cabs going back & forth to Steve Madden stores trying to track down various sizes of shoes.

Earlier in the week, we had picked up some tickets from a street vendor for the Comic Strip, the setting for Seinfeld. Even though we'd already been to a comedy show, we didn't have plans for the Saturday evening, so decided to cash them in and I'm so glad we did. We got seated right up at the front & the dramatic highlight of the evening was 2 hecklers getting thrown out. They were sat right next to us at the same table; she looked exactly like Tulisa from N-Dubz and he looked like Spencer from The Hills which was weird! I'm fairly certain they were on something and they were being total pains in the ass, so the atmosphere was much more relaxed after they left. My 2 favourites were Chuck Nice & Marina Franklin and the club is definitely worth checking out. We ended up at the 10pm show this time so were exhausted by bedtime about 1am!

Day Five

After packing & checking out of the hotel (where we were able to store our luggage til later) we only had about 4 hours to spend before the flight home. We just dawdled about up 5th Avenue. We went to Nike Town as they have a brilliant selection of women's gear. I picked up a few bits n bobs, including my leather jacket from GAP. The day ended with a frantic rush to a Duane Read pharmacy for a few things to bring home, including about 5lbs of peanut butter M&Ms!

The trip has been incredible & such a good way to celebrate my birthday. If you're debating about going, I can't recommend it enough! And, if you've already got a trip planned - I'm very jealous!

Hope this was interesting! I'd also like to know if you're interested in a 'how-to' guide for short stays, so leave me a comment if you are!

Amanda x

What I Bought in NYC

2012-01-24T15:57:00.005Z

I'm back, jet lagged (*sobs*) and already missing New York so much. We had such an incredible time and I'm already planning our next trip. I will follow this up with a 'What I did' post in the next couple of days for those who are interested & possibly planning their own trip, but in the meantime, for all who love a bit of bag porn, keep reading!!

*I shouldn't have to say this, but this post is not representative of my usual shopping habits. I saved hard for this trip and am only doing this post for all you nosey biatches.*

Nike Free Fit Gym Shoes

I have a bit of a knee injury at the moment which means my running has taken a bit of a back seat. In the meantime, I'm doing a lot of weights, circuits & I'm planning to start yoga so have been looking for a pair of flexible gym shoes for a while. I loved the pink which isn't available in the UK & they were about £12 cheaper than buying them here.

Vetyverio by Diptyque Paris

This was a little more expensive to buy than it would be here, but in Scotland there isn't anywhere to sniff them, plus the Diptyque boutique down in Greenwhich was so gorgeous! This smells like grown-up, fresh, floralals. Yum!

Kate Spade Portola Valley Kaley Leather Clutch

You may remember a few posts ago, I blogged about the Kate Spade Bow Valley Rosa. Unfortunately it turned out it was an 'online exclusive'. Bah. However, whilst I was down at the store, I spotted this gorgeous purple clutch. I nearly went for black, thinking that it would go with anything, but then my outfits are usually black so figured the purple would add a welcome splash of colour.

Michael Kors Watch

This is my official birthday present, that I bought with the money my friends & family had given me. I decided not to go for the Michele Deco watch as it was just too expensive (it was going to work out at over $800). I love the shape & the mix of the rose gold & silver.

Michael Kors Satchel

This was about the only thing on the wish list that I actually bought! I love it so much! It's so soft & I really like the ostrich embossing on the leather.

Milly Bag

I had seen a few bags from Milly on Net-a-Porter, but hadn't really paid that much attention. Then I spotted this little bag in Bloomingdales (I went for the non-ostrich version) and was blown away by how buttery soft they are. Plus, the range of colours was brilliant - neon pink, lime green, bright blue. The strap is detachable so can easily be used as a small clutch & the inside is just like a purse.

Gunter Boots by Steve Madden

Both my husband & I love Steve Madden; they do brilliant leather shoes & the range for men is fab. These boots will be replacing my very old & much loved cowboy boots and I they are unbelievably comfortable. Now, Steve, if you're reading, can you please get your stores over to the UK (a pop-up shop in London wont cut it). Shipping to the UK is $40 per pair so is pretty much a no-go. The options on Asos are rubbish. Grrr

Leather Jacket from GAP

I have been looking for a leather jacket FOREVER and I only spotted this about 3hrs before we were due to go to the airport. I was already over budget, but it fitted my requirements perfectly - no fancy zips or fussy details, not too bikerish & lovely & soft. So I got it - it was fate! This is obviously not me in the pic, but I couldn't face doing pics of myself today!

PINK Campus Pants from Victoria's Secret

Again, this is clearly a model in the pic - it's very similar to how I would stand in my joggers (ahem) but mine are lime green! They are so bright I'm going to have to wear my sunglasses in the house. They are so comfy, loose & inside is towelling.

Peanut Butter M&M's (*dies*) and the Jack Black Lip Balms

So, that's it. I bought a few other things, but these were the things that I could get decent photographs of! Makeup wise, I only bought 1 single eyeshadow from MAC. Weird, but Sephora just didn't do anything for me!

Pink Birthday Manicure

2012-01-16T17:40:00.002Z

Another trip to Preen Beauty in Aberdeen for my fortnightly manicure and I went for something way out of my comfort zone, but I am loving it!! My NY wardrobe has a bit of a colour blocking theme going on, so figured rather than plump for my standard black gel manicure, I'd rock out some neon digits! For those who also have bio-sculpture gels done, this is shade 89.

My nails are marginally shorter than normal as I very sadly ripped one of my nails yesterday, but they grow quick.

I would say the tone in this pic is truest to how they look in person

Gel manicures typically last 2-3 weeks and can really help nails that are in poor condition, provided you care for them properly. They are light years beyond the old acrylic style manicures, which were like cement. The bio-sculpture gel is soft (so your nail isn't brittle/rock hard) but very tough. If removed properly (by soaking & gently pushing the softened gel off the nail), then there will be no damage to your nail underneath. My nails are always in much better condition following a few weeks under gels; less splitting, peeling and generally no breaking (this sad wee one this week was due to a pair of too-tight jeans!).

A xx

NYC Wish List

2012-01-16T10:00:00.001Z

Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm

My lips have been chronically dry this winter (even my trusted Blistex isn't hitting the mark) so I am super excited to try this out in Sephora. I've heard brilliant things about it from Vex in The City and The Gloss Goss. You can order them from Mankind, Feel Unique etc but I'd like to have a look 'in person'. Plus, online in the UK they are about £7 each, whereas in Sephora, they are $7.50, which will save me about £2 per tube. Not a massive saving, but every penny counts!

Urban Decay Naked 2

I can't make up my mind about this. I bought the original NAKED palette last time I was there & it was a bit cheaper than buying it in the UK. It sits in my kit and is fab for brides. I'm not sure this is going to be worth another spend and in Sephora it's $50, which is about the same price as the UK. Hmmm *thinks*

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Super Size

This is a no brainer. Laura Mercier tinted moisturisers have become a staple in my bridal kit & my own makeup bag. In the UK, 40mls costs £33, which stings a bit, but it's so fab I don't grudge paying it. However, browsing through Sephora online, I've found a 'Super Size' version, which is 3.4oz (100.5mls) costing $58 (roughly £38). This is more than double the UK size, which to buy here a 100mls would be £82.50! Saving about £46. Brilliant!

Kat Von D Tattoo Concealer

I meant to buy this the last time I was in the US, but never got round to committing. I regularly do tattoo & birthmark cover-ups and whilst I'm not sure it's the absolute best concealer out there, but I've regretted not giving it a go, so will be picking it up. Probably.

RayBans

I love me a pair of RayBans and since buying my gold aviators a couple of years ago, they've barely been off my face. I've written before about sunshine in Scotland (particularly in the winter), it's always low & in your eyes. I wear sunglasses ALL THE TIME so when I'm 50 i wont have prune like eyes. Invest people! The gold frames I have just now look great with my colouring, but I do ache for a pair of proper dark black shades, so will be picking up a pair. Buying them in the US instead of here will save me about £20-£30.

Michele Deco Day Watch

As many of you will know, the trip to NYC is for my birthday (30 grrrrrr) and my lovely family & friends have been very generous by giving me some money to spend on something special. I'm not 100% sure what I'll get (and my research will probably include a whizz round Tiffany's) but I love the look of this watch! I already have a couple of large watches from MK and Fossil, but they are both round & thought this was a little different. I particularly love the fun of the black & colours. From what I can see on the Bloomingdales website, you pick the 'head' and the strap seperately. Does anyone know if this is how it works instore too?

Michael Kors

I adore MK's uhhmmmmm 'aesthetic'? 'ethos'? I'm not sure what it's called - you know; the white t-shirt, jeans & leather sandals basic style of his designs, so where better to invest in a good, basic tan leather bag. Love!

Kate Spade

I don't even know what to say about this bag. Ever since I saw it online a couple of weeks ago, I've thought about it hourly. It's like Ms Spade looked inside my head & made my perfect bag. Incredible.

This is just a selection of the things I *really* want to check out whilst I'm there. There are 100 other places I have on my list to go (MAC Pro store is 1st!). I will do some 'haul' (hate that word!) posts once I'm home. In the meantime, if you know of anywhere I should definitely go, hook me up!!

Birthday FOTN

2012-01-15T10:13:00.002Z

This week Beauty Blogging Blonde turns 2 (!!) and I turn 29+1! I haven't had much time to think about my blog birthday so will sort that out once I'm back from New York, maybe with a bit of a NYC giveaway... keep your peepers in tip top peeping condition!

Anyhoo, last night I saw some family for pre-birthday dinner & birthday cupcakes as I wont be here on my actual birthday-day. Thought I would do a quick dinner makeup post...

I'm a little shinier in the pic than I actually was (I hope!), but you get the gist. I wanted some nice bronzey dark smokey eyes, flushed cheeks & no lippy as my lips are currently so dry. So here is what I used...

FACE Atelier Ultra Foundation in #1

No7 Eye Mousse in 'Fudge'

MAC Patina E/S

MAC Smut E/S

Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Black

YSL Aqua Resistant Mascara in Black

Clinique brow fine liner in #2

MUFE HD Cream Blush in #6

Chanel loose powder in Clair

A xx

Stila Makeup Amnesty

2012-01-11T20:38:00.003Z

*I don't normally publish press releases but thought this one was too good not to shout about!*

To celebrate the launch of the BRAND NEW Stila makeup counter at Harvey Nichols London**, Stila have created their Stila Makeup Amnesty: Stila Steal, in which Stila are giving away one FREE Lip Glaze in Kitten worth £15 to every visitor…when you trade in an old lip gloss (even one that isn’t Stila). Head to Harvey Nichols London on the 19^th January to snap up this offer!

**there will be a follow-up in Manchester in Feb, so keep your eyes peeled if you can't make it to ol' London Town

GHD Video Review

2012-01-07T16:46:00.004Z

A 3d tour of these gorgeous Scarlet by Katy Perry GHD Hair Straighteners...

Buy online here

These were sent for review purposes, but all opinions are my own

Alpha H Liquid Gold

2012-01-05T20:55:00.002Z

When the lovely Mrs H from Beauty Mouth answered my plea for advice on some new skincare to help my middle of the road, averagely oily/combination skin about a year ago, by recommending Alpha H Liquid Gold, I had no idea she was going to change my life.

Up until about 3 years ago, my skin had been fine. Not bad, but not great. Then, I had a reaction to some birth-control, I got fat & my skin went mental. I had to stop all hormone treatments entirely, my weight (& moods!!) stabilised, but my skin didn't. It just got worse. Eventually I had a course of treatments at the Sk:n Clinic, which thankfully helped massively. But it never got really good. It was still oily, very spotty around that time of the month and just generally unpredictable.

I started using Alpha H, about 9 months ago (exact time escapes me!) but literally from the first night, the improvement has been measurable. At first, it just seemed my skin was less oily. Then, after a few months, I started to doubt if my period was due because my skin had stayed so clear. Now, the old acne battle scars are fading at a remarkable rate. It is quite incredible.

I can't speak highly enough of this little miracle worker and because I don't want to gush, I'm just going to say; it works. Try it. My skin was still quite sensitive & delicate around my chin when I first started using it & I experienced absolutely no stinging (a little tingle perhaps, but nothing I couldn't handle). My skin around that area has healed to a degree it looks smooth & clear as new born skin. There has been no peeling, like I experienced with other treatments. In fact, my skin feels more moisturised after using it than before and it soothes any red patches that linger after using a face scrub.

It's quite pricey (around £30 for 100ml) but you only use it every second night & a tiny splash is more than enough. 100ml should last approximately 6 weeks. I usually buy mine from HQ Hair, which has free shipping (but can take a few days), but I was lucky enough to scoop a supersize just before Christmas on QVC, which cost around £40 for 200mls. Bargain!

Try it & let me know how you get on.

Lyst me up baby!

2012-01-03T19:27:00.003Z

It's not often I post twice in a day (especially 2 non-beauty related posts!) but when I saw Amie's post on Lyst, over at Credit Crunch Chic I couldn't resist sharing! Lyst is a website 'revolutionising the way we discover fashion'. I don't know about you, but if it isn't featured on ASOS or Net-A-Porter, I'm quite often stumped as to where else I can find gorgeous clothes, bags, shoes & watches. This solves my problem!

I started off creating a dream birthday outfit to wear on my birthday night in NYC. We are booked to go to dinner in the Meat Packing District. Obvs I need to be dressed to the nines. What better than a Valentino dress?! The cost of this entire outfit would be over £3k; wonder if TK Maxx will have it in the sale... A stunning find is the wool cape, available on NAP for £83. I am seriously considering picking it up!!

Leather Camera Bag

2012-01-03T10:00:00.001Z

This is the first of many (I'm sure!) of 'prep for NYC' posts. I do have some priorities ahead of planning where I'm hitting up for cocktails & shoes and my first one was to organise a camera bag for my Nikon. I actually tweeted a few days ago asking for recommendations of online places with bags that didn't scream 'I'm a camera case'.

As much as I would love to buy this Marc Jacobs, I amplanning on taking all my £££s with me to NY and not spending more than I have to here. So, I had to re-evaluate my budget and was delighted when Primark came up trumps with this little leather bad boy! It was £6 and fits the camera perfectly. I might add in a little foam block to support the lens from underneath, but even if I don't this will work; exactly what I was looking for!

Luxe Gold Nails

2012-01-02T08:42:00.003Z

I'm seeing out the last remaining days of the festive season with a more sedate, but still very sparkly manicure. This will last me a good couple of weeks and my next appointment will be my pre-New York manicure (I haven't mentioned on here yet that I'm off to the Big Apple with husband in 2 weeks time to celebrate my 2nd 29th birthday so expect a few preparation posts on bags, outfits, shopping lists etc!).

Anyway, back to the nails! As usual, it was by Sarah at Preen Beauty. It is black gel, with bronze glitter pushed in, then sealed in with a clear gel.

New Blog!

2012-01-01T22:25:00.002Z

I just wanted to let you know I have started a new blog over at One Snap Girl. I am aiming to post 1 picture a day for the next year, documenting my very boring days!

The point is to get me photographing more, using my new camera and to learn more about how to take good photos etc. I think at the end of the year I will get an album printed too.

Anyway - have you done something like this? I found very few other sites with similar projects; do you know of any?

Happy New Year...

2012-01-01T20:57:00.000Z

From Beauty Blogging Blonde

xxx

Bumble and Bumble Quenching Shampoo & Conditioner

2011-12-30T07:48:00.003Z

I don't know why, but this winter has played utter havoc with my hair. It hasn't even been that cold, but it has been chronically dry for weeks now and styling was verging on a total impossibility, due to the fly-away-ness of it.

The perms I have to add texture & body obviously dry my hair to a certain extent, but that's always been manageable. Recently, I've been finding it harder to form 'natural' curls, with the perm just looking frizzy and if I left it straight, it would be sticking to my face & generally just being a big ol' ball of static. It was getting so bad, I was using a giant blob of intensive hair masks each day instead of a regular conditioner, just to try & keep it under control!

I wouldn't normally spend £45 on shampoo & conditioner but I was desperate! My hairdresser used to use Bumble & Bumble and my hair always looked incredible, so when I was in John Lewis the other day, I bit the bullet & picked up the Quenching range.

When I smelled it in the shop, I was not impressed, but once it was on my noggin, the smell was light, fresh; a bit apple-y without a fruity chemical overload like Herbal Essences.

From the first use, my hair has been transformed. Unlike other 'intense' products I've used, my hair still blow-dries full of body and doesn't freak out when I take my red-hot GHDs to it, to smooth the ends. Perfect! My only concern is that I will not be able to live without these 2 little bottles from now on & it will cost me a fortune!

I struggled to find a UK Bumble & Bumble site, which is why the link is to the US, but it is available in-store at John Lewis.

GHD Scarlet Collection

2011-12-26T13:19:00.004Z

Christmas came a day early in the BBB household when I collected this from the post office depot, delivered from the lovely peeps at GHD HQ.

This the latest Classic Styler from the GHD Scarlet Collection. The styler is the Gold Classic but with gorgeous red plates (which are sparkly!).

The collection comes in a beautiful art-deco inspired box with a gorgeous red satin carry-case and heat mat. There are also 2 clips included for when you're styling away!

One of the first things I noticed when I took mine out the box was how light it was. I thought it was something I was just imagining, but then weighed it against my old stylers (which are a good 5 years old) and there was a noticeable difference. Then, I read the back of the box and whaddya know? This is their 'lighter body' model! So, in summary, these stylers are light!

As someone who mostly uses their stylers to create curls, I was really pleased to see how curved the barrel is, allowing the hair to glide through. The edge of the plates is quite rounded too and I've noticed that these don't create that line where you first apply them, before pulling them through. Will be particular good for those who use straighteners on their fringe.

Most noticeable was how cool the outer casing remains whilst I'm using them. Curling requires a lot of handling of the area around the plates and husband is used to me squeaking F%*K@NG OWWW on a regular basis when I'm doing my hair. But these were cool and a pleasure to use.

If you are sitting with a pile of Christmas Cash, wondering what to spend it all on, then I wouldn't hesitate to highly recommend a pair of these. This collection is £129 and with free delivery.

I will have a video up in time for New Year's Eve, demo-ing how to achieve the perfect GHD curl. In the meantime, I'm going back to my dressing table to admire them. Look... how pretty!

These were sent for review purposes, but all opinions are my own

Merry Christmas from Beauty Blogging Blonde

2011-12-25T10:00:00.001Z

Festive Nails - Essie 'A Cut Above'

2011-12-24T16:43:00.002Z

It's Christmas Eve! The next 3 or 4 days will be a constant merry-go-round of visiting, drinking, eating and general merriment and I always find at this time of year, nails need to scream PARTY but be very low maintenance.

Gorgeous nails (in my book) are one of the ultimate accessories, meaning my outfits can be a bit more low-key, but I still feel a bit glam. I've had this beautiful gem of a polish in my store for about a month, but this is the first time I've tried it out and what better time to start!

This is 3 coats over bare nails. I was going to put a base colour under but when I tested it out, it looked so pretty & delicate on it's own I decided just to go with it. I'm surprised at how smooth it has dried and I haven't bothered with a top coat. The best thing is if it chips slightly over the next few days, it will be disguised and I can get through the party season without fretting!

Chanel Lumiere Scultpee De Chanel

2011-12-18T15:32:00.002Z

I nipped to the Chanel counter the other day to re-purchase their amazing loose face powder Poudre Universelle Libre in Clair and whilst I was waiting on the Sales Assistant finding me one, this caught my eye.

The Lumiere Sculptee De Chanel is a compact highlighting powder that claims to light the face with "an ivory halo sprinkled with golden and pearly particles".

The compact on display looked fairly mundane, just like a block of peach powder. I was about to turn my nose up, when the SA presented a brand new one to me. The intricate design is gorgeous, apparently inspired by a baroque-esque belt worn by Coco Chanel. It is one of these things of beauty that I knew I was going to buy, before I'd even swatched it. I'm SUCH a sucker!

So anyway, I swatched the one on display and the payoff was a gorgeous satin peach that didn't look at all glittery. I gave a nod of the head to the SA and the deal was done. Imagine how disappointed I was when I got mine home to discover it was a block of silver glitter!! Noooooo! Once I'd calmed down, I realised it was just overspray and a few swipes of a brush soon got rid. I don't know why brands bother with overspray, it just annoys me.

Don't be put off by how glittery it looks - this was pre-overspray removal

Now it's back to it's normal peachy satin non-glitter state, I have been using this across my whole face, not just as a highlighting powder. In fact, as a highlighter it's pretty cack, as it doesn't have anywhere near enough glow. But as a face powder, it's bloody incredible!! I was a bit worried it would be too sparkly, but it just gives the skin that beautiful finish that you'd pay £££'s in microdermabrasion for.

For me, this is a massive win. Unfortunately, it seems it's limited edition as it's part of the christmas collection. I'm seriously considering a couple of back-ups. I think it was £41, but it's a fairly hefty size that should last a while. Anything that can have that effect on my skin is worth it!

Heeled Winter Boots

2011-12-17T08:13:00.003Z

Living in the north of Scotland, footwear causes outfit dilemmas for a large proportion of the year, particularly in winter. It can be icy, wet and snowy all in one day and usually by about January I've given up trying to look stylish and resorted to my ski jacket, thermal leggings and hiking boots.

Heels are definitely not my thing when the temperature plummets (I am far too accident prone to risk it) but I do miss the height and spend a lot of winter feeling a bit frumpy in flat, functional boots. I think these are my winter-wooly saviour!!

These are so so comfy - I wore them to a job yesterday which included 6hrs driving & 5hrs on my feet and they were great. The heel is not too high so the balls of my feet weren't burning and I wasn't desperate to kick them off at the end of the day.

The sheepskin-esque lining goes down to the ankles and even though the foot section isn't lined, they are super cosy.

The sole has a kind of rubbery feel, so completely non-slip.

I have been wearing mine with my skinny jeans tucked it, with the tops of the boots just left to kind of do what they want. I'm looking forward to wearing them with thick tights and skirts too.

Just to prove how versatile they can be, this pic is of the boots plunged into a foot of snow! I went for a bit of a trek through Glenshee on my way home last night and stopped to take some pics. Clambering to get a good view & my boots kept my feet dry & warm. My socks weren't even the slightest bit damp!

Now, I'm sure you're all wondering where you can get your mitts on a pair! Soooo - these are from Primark & cost £18!!!! They had them in black and I think there was also blue. I think I'm going back for a black pair and possibly a back-up brown pair. Mine are a size 6 and fit perfectly, with a little room for extra thick wooly socks.

Party Nails

2011-12-12T20:14:00.002Z

I'm back!! Not that I technically went anywhere, but boy have I been busy!! Work is off the chart at the moment, I've been squeezing in 3 Personal Training sessions a week at the gym, on top of my regular work outs and with Christmas coming, I've barely stopped for breath!

First Christmas party of the season was on Friday and to celebrate (and a chance to relax in my favourite city salon) I headed on over to Preen Beauty for a Bio Sculpture manicure with a twist! Check out my party nails!!

These were created by applying 2 coats of black gel, then pressing pink glitter on with the tip of a sponge. I went for 1 accent nail on each hand where the glitter was applied over and the rest of the nails have a graduated effect. Love!!

ow ow ow

2011-11-20T17:58:00.002Z

Excuse me while I digress from all things beautiful to bring you a blog post on all things evil.

Yesterday, I had a PT session at the gym. Occasionally we do circuits and usually I manage without too much complaining. Enter the kettlebell. *shudders*. If you've never used a kettlebell, let me appraise you of all the information you'll ever need. They are of Russian origin. They are heavy. They are MEAN!

The exercises were not overly complicated & didn't look too bad when being demonstrated. I am used to my PT making everything look easy, but even by those standards, I figured these couldn't be too bad. A few squats? *shrugs*

(don't know what the fluck she's smiling about)

Today, I am dying. Every fibre of every muscle is in utter agony. I can't bend my right leg to walk properly and my arms are being supported by pillows to reach the keyboard to type up this post. I literally would sleep on the road.

I fully expect to look like this in a few more classes. non?

Just for fun, doesn't everyone's Zumba classes look like this?

Lush Snow Fairy

2011-11-19T08:17:00.002Z

I must have been living under a rock for the last few years as it is only in the last fortnight that I discovered Lush Snow Fairy shower gel. An annually limited edition product that comes out each year around November, it is Lush's No1 Christmas best seller and it is absolutely delicious. It's so popular, in fact, it has its own Facebook page!!

Lush say it smells of 'candy floss and pear drops' and I'd say it's probably even sweeter than that. It's like sticking your head in a bag of pic 'n' mix. It is shot through with blue silver sparkles that look pretty when you're using it, but don't leave you covered in glitter after. I've found it's gentle enough to use on my hair & if you do, the heat from the hairdryer will make the yummy sweet smell fill the room.

This year, you can also pick up the Magic Wand Bubble Bar, a solid version of the shower gel that can be used in the bath. Will make fabulous stocking fillers those extra girly girls!

Getting my Twig on

2011-11-17T10:00:00.002Z

I've been loving bottom lash mascaras recently, giving my eye makeup a whole new dimension. The 2 I've been using are Clinique's Bottom Lash Mascara and Daniel Sandler's Baby Jet Mascara.

The brushes are completely different, with the Baby Jet probably quite suitable for short lash owners to use on their upper lashes too. Baby Jet is slightly more difficult to use on the lower lashes as the wand is so long, meaning you can't 'wiggle' as much as the Clinique. The result is more 'dainty' looking lashes.

I like both results and sometimes find the Clinique means I'm a little heavy handed, resulting in quite heavy looking lashes. The real test for this product is smudgeability. In this contest, Clinique wins hands down. This stuff does not move, whereas I find the Baby Jet moves at the sign of the slightest hint of oilyness around my eyes. If you don't have oily lids, you'll get a super performance out of either.

Daniel Sandler Baby Jet

Clinique Bottom Lash

Bare Necessities

2011-11-16T10:00:00.001Z

A few weeks ago, I wasn't feeling 100% and went to work with no makeup on. One of my colleagues I have worked with for years didn't recognise me and it got me to thinking if I wear too much makeup and how I take for granted the adjustments I can make to my face each day without even really thinking about it.

When I take my makeup off at the end of the night, I always do one side of my face first, then the other side. I thought this would be a fun way to compare the difference between a made-up face and a bare face!

This is just my quick & easy office makeup; tinted moisturiser, a wash of a neutral eye colour, some mascara & a sweep of blush.

What do you think?

Bourjois Ultra Care Mascara

2011-11-14T19:05:00.002Z

I very rarely review mascara. My reasons are 3-fold; 1 - I generally find them bloody boring, 2 - I find mascara a very individual product & results are not guaranteed and 3 - I very very rarely find a mascara that actually does a good job!

Bourjois' Volume Glamour Ultra Care Mascara for Sensitive Eyes has come totally out of left field & has completely blown me away. I literally look forward to using it every morning, which I know is weird.

I am a through & through waterproof mascara fan. I struggle to remember my last non-waterproof mascara. But after removing my latest round of semi-permanent lashes, my poor wee lashes were sparse, brittle & very delicate and my go-to tube of MUFE's Aqua Smokey Lash just wasn't cutting it. I scoured Boots for something cheap but gentle that I could use for just a couple of weeks, whilst my lashes went into respite.

I chose this specifically because it claimed to be for sensitive eyes. It had the word 'care' in it, so I was sold. It was either that or I didn't wear mascara at all. I didn't expect much (I am famously not a fan of Bourjois), there were no testers and so I had very low expectations. I have never been so wrong about a product (I actually feel a little guilty for being so harsh on big ol B).

The bristles on the brush are soft and there's no 'stabby' feeling along your lash line as this goes on. The formula is nice & wet, but there's no splodging. I've been using this for about 4 weeks now and it's still nice & wet. There's lots of good things I could say, but the absolute, without a doubt, stand out feature is the fact it doesn't smudge. I have oily lids which is the reason I normally opt for waterproof formulas, but this stuff doesn't budge! I wear it to the gym every night (and I am a girl who doesn't feel like I've achieved unless I have sweat dripping down my face) and not once have I gotten home to find I have sweaty black streaks down my cheeks. It is incredible.

Since I've started using it, my eyelashes have returned to their normal, full selves. They are in superb condition and look great with this mascara applied. I can't see any reason why I would go back to any of my former favourites and think this has secured it's place in my makeup bag long-term. Plus, at about £6, it's about 1/2 the price of any of the others I would normally use. Result!

Sophisticated like a hooker?

2011-11-13T08:23:00.002Z

One of the things that I adore about Mac, my husband, is his enthusiasm to show that he takes an interest in my life. Last night I mentioned, as I was getting ready for dinner, that I hadn't decided what makeup to wear. His response was "a smokey eye, a red lip and some Nars".

I do dread to think what I might end up looking like if I let him do my makeup!!

Philosophy 'Have a Cherry Christmas'

2011-11-07T20:52:00.002Z

There's absolutely no link between cherry flavoured shower gel & Christmas, but obviously the pun of "Have a Cherry Christmas" was too much for the bods down in advertising at Philosophy to pass up.

I'm glad they didn't because it. is. gorgeous. I just bought the shower gel on it's own, but you can also buy the set, which includes the lipgloss, instore at Boots. The shower gel on it's own is £14. If you love delicious sweet heavy fruity smells, you need this.

I will be buying backups to last me the year before this sells out! Yum!

Pudsey Nail Rock Nail Wraps

2011-11-05T21:58:00.002Z

You can buy these super cute Pudsey-inspired nail wraps in Boots for £6.65. I don't normally bother with the faff of fiddly things like these, but I couldn't resist these & they are very pretty!

25% of the £6.65 will go to Children in Need

47 things about me

2011-11-05T06:31:00.003Z

Something a little bit different...

1. I have a 'deep down in the pit of my stomach' fear of turning 30 in January

2. I wish I could get over it

3. My blonde hair is naturally this colour.

4. I am petrified of the dark & ghosts & if I'm home alone, I sleep with a light on.

5. I fundamentally can't reconcile the real world, religion & how people can exist in one AND believe in the other.

6. I am completely aware of the conflict between 4 and 5.

7. I thought my 6 or so best friends from school & I would never be apart. 12 years after moving away from home, we keep in touch on Facebook and I haven't seen most of them in about 10 years.

8. I can't believe I'm a grown up.

9. I have a twin brother (and a baby brother).

10. My dad & brother (twin) are both Navy men and I have a giant traditional swallow tattoo down my left ribs in honour of that.

11. I have had 5 operations performed under a general anaesthetic.

12. One of those operations was to have my ears 'pinned back'. 2 different surgeons operated on my ears and so one ear had 20 stitches & the other had 10. They are both completely at odds with each other and are as pointy as Noddy's. But I'm still glad my parents had it done.

13. Another operation was to have a mole removed from my eye. An actual mole from my actual eyeball. Gross.

14. I yearn to be one of those women who can wear red lipstick flawlessly all day, every day.

15. I was once told my big toes look like thumbs. All I have seen since then, when I look down at my feet, is weird hands. I can't shake it & think perhaps I need therapy.

16. My mum used to be in a show choir & I thought it was the most glamourous thing ever.

17. Hoarders annoy me to my very core. I have no nostalgia for crap. All my stuff is current & I use it. Otherwise it goes in the bin or to the charity shop.

18. People are usually quite surprised to hear that I would love to be a housewife

19. I don't know if I ever want to have kids, but if I do, I'm seriously interested in adopting.

20. I wish I was a dancer in L.A.

21. I feel very privileged to have been able to go to university 3 times and study what I wanted. I completed 2 years of a Fine Art degree, but dropped out as I was too young & had no idea what I wanted. I went back 3 years later & completed a Sociology degree with Distinction & have since completed a Post-Grad in Human Resource Management.

22. I used to work in a chip shop.

23. I was approached my STORM modelling agency when I was 15 in Piccadilly Circus. I told them I couldn't join them as I was doing my Standard Grade exams.

24. I've regretted that decision my entire adult life.

25. I love my husband more than I ever thought possible...

26. Worringly, I think I love my cat as equally as much. The cat certainly doesn't get shouted at as much.

27. I wish I lived in New York

28. I once tried to dye my hair black but it went green. I was a rubbish goth

29. I love my MUA work and would do it for free if people weren't prepared to pay.

30. I love silence

31. I haven't eaten chocolate in over 2 years. It's a small insignificant fact to others, but it amazes me on a daily basis.

32. If I could apply that type of willpower to the other aspects of my life, I'd be running marathons, be a size 8, always have clean socks & be a millionaire.

33. I am still seriously considering a career in politics. And it's not because I have an enduring crush on Nick Clegg

34. I want to be fit. I want to see muscles in my arms and legs. I want to feel energised & like I can do anything. Weirdly, my inspiration is usually Vikings - they were so strong, just from going about their daily life. I can't imagine Vikings being worried about being obese or having to abstain from chocolate.

35. When I was 15 I had a boyfriend who was 18, had a car & I thought was the coolest thing ever. He treated me like utter shite & so I'm still smug to this day that when I saw him 10 years later, he was working as a waiter at TGI Fridays.

36. I always let bus drivers pull away from bus stops. It's in the green cross code people!!

37. I can speak a small amount of German. I would love to be able to speak French or Italian.

38. I'm not (never have been) particularly interested in visiting either France or Italy.

39. I want to write a book. I have no thoughts on what it would be about & I have a crap imagination. This blog post is probably the closest thing to writing a biography I will ever get.

40. I worry far too much what other people think of me, to the point where it inhibits things I want to do or say. I'm working on it.

41. I used to work in a bar where we were expected to get up on the bar and dance to the Grease megamix whenever the DJ saw fit to play it.

42. I loved that job.

43. I have a constant paranoia that I have killed someone and have suffered from some sort of stress-related amnesia forcing me to forget the incident & the police will turn up at any moment.

44. If my dad had had his way, I would have been called Guinevere. I secretly wish I had.

45. I loved the movie 'The Craft' and to this day wish I had magical powers.

46. I love fashion but I only ever wear the most simple of outfits.

47. It took me 5 attempts to pass my test, but I've never had an accident. Everyone else I know in my 'immediate circle' has crashed, had penalty points etc. It makes me a little smug.

I stopped at 47 as I couldn't think of anything else interesting & didn't want to put fillers in. I'll maybe do another one, another time. Was this the most boring 7 minutes of your life?!

An evening with Shaun Leane at ROX

2011-10-23T19:54:00.003+01:00

On Thursday, I had the utter pleasure of attending an evening with Shaun Leane at ROX in Glasgow. There was champagne, diamonds & schmooze and it was brilliant! The evening has truly set the tone for christmas coming...

If you are unfamiliar with Shaun Leane, you might want to check out his website where I am sure you will recognise a few iconic items, such as the bespoke brooch he created for Sarah-Jessica Parker .

Or the Diamond Glove created for Daphne Guinness; heavily influenced by his long friendship with Alexander McQueen, whose untimely passing meant he never saw the finished piece. As a bit of an exclusive, Leane did let it slip that there will be work on additional pieces to the collection, so keep your eyes peeled!!

In fact, McQueen had been right by Leane's side for much of his career, meeting in a pub when McQueen was studying for his MA. From the get go, the pair clicked and Leane cites McQueen as having a massive influence throughout his career. One of Leane's most recent collection 'Bound' has been influenced by the coiled corset he created for a McQueen show, taking the african elements from the coils and building them into a gorgeous, wearable pieces. Leane talked very tenderly of his relationship with McQueen and it's clear that he will continue to draw on the friendship for years to come.

I think one of the things about Leane that particularly appeals to me is his appreciation and understanding of the feminine form & attention to detail. Instant nostalgia & romance are qualities I love in my jewellery. I look for a story and I think with Shaun Leane, you get one. Check out the Sam Taylor Wood 'Tear Catcher' ring. It makes my heart melt!

Pressed on who he would like to collaborate with in the future, Leane earmarked Viktor & Rolf and Cartier. Cartier would be amazing! On stating he'd like to revisit their archive of 20's pieces & rework them, there were a few weak knees in the room (and I'm sure my husband's heart stopped momentarily even though he was 150 miles away!).

On predictions for the future, Leane reckons the trends will be leaving the intricate, twisted details of previous collections behind and make a move towards minimalist, clean and bold lines. I absolutely can't wait to see what his future collections will bring. What I do know is I need to snag a pair of these before that collection disappears!

Thanks goes to ROX & Toni for inviting me a long. It was something so different & the train journey was definitely worth it!

My Week in Hipstamatic...5

2011-10-23T15:16:00.003+01:00

Kirsten

Queen Michelle & Shaun Leane

Gok Wan for Specsavers

2011-10-22T20:09:00.002+01:00

I mostly wear contact lenses to correct my ridiculously rugby-ball shaped, lazy & unfocused eyes, but I do love a pair of statement glasses for days when I feel my wardrobe needs a little boost (or if I have an important meeting).

I'd been lusting after a pair of Cutler & Goss, but was not prepared to shell out £270 (then another £100+ for custom lenses). This pair are from the Gok Wan range at Specsavers and they also come in white! What I loved more about these than similar pairs available was the matte, textured wood effect. Just a little bit different.

What's better is that because I have the contact lens direct debit with Specsavers, all my glasses are 50% off, so these cost me £45!!

Unsung Heros

2011-10-21T09:00:00.002+01:00

There are a few products that lurk in every single person's bathroom cabinet, makeup bag, vanity case... Wherever you keep them and whatever they are, you probably use them every day without even thinking about it. But where would you be if they didn't exist...?

Too Faced Shadow Insurance & MAC Face & Body transform my makeup on a daily basis. Without Shadow Insurance, my eyeshadow would have disappeared by 10 am & my brow bones would be covered in mascara smudges.

Without MAC F&B, I would NEVER have a foundation that matched my skin tone!

Without my Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, I would have downward facing eyelashes & would look like Miss Piggy!

Without Bioderma Crealine H2O, I would probably still be hopping about from cleanser to cleanser, on the hunt for the Holy Grail.

Without Dior Creme De Rose Lip Balm, I would have horrible cracked lips!

What are the unsung heros in your makeup bag?

FOTD Feat. MAC Twinks

2011-10-20T09:00:00.001+01:00

The products used today are...

Chanel Pro Lumiere (10)

No7 Eye Mousse in Fudge

MAC Twinks Eyeshadow

MAC Smut Eyeshadow

AVON Gel Shock Liner

YSL Aquaresistant Mascara

MAC Crosswires Lipstick

Battle of The Blues...

2011-10-19T09:00:00.002+01:00

As I was half-heartedly tidying up my makeup storage today, I realised I have 3 navy polishes. Who the heck needs 3? We have, from L - R...

GOSH Attitude Illamasqua Propaganda Chanel Blue Satin

GOSH's Attitude is a Limited Edition shade and is the brightest of the 3. It's a completely flat colour, no shimmer, no duochrome, nothing. Like poster paint (except it's glossy).

Illamasqua's Propaganda is a shade I swatched instore over the top of Rouge Noir & it looked incredible. I don't think I've tried it on it's own since I bought it.

Chanel's Blue Satin is a firm old favourite. I've probably had this bottle for at least a year, hence the crust around the top! It has a slight micro-shimmer through it and is the deepest of all 3.

GOSH Attitude is very thin & streaky. But it dried in about 1/2 a second.

Illamasqua Propaganda is slightly darker & thicker to apply, but still quite sheer. Streaks not as bad as GOSH, but still not completely opaque.

Chanel Blue Satin was opaque on the first coat. Regardless of age, it is quite a thick polish and isn't the easiest if you've got narrow nails.

I added a 2nd coat of the Chanel, but you probably can't tell. This takes ages to dry, but once it is, is rock solid for days.

The Illamasqua is about 85% opaque, but I quite like the hint of the bright blue coming through the dark.

The GOSH is fun and I really like the colour. I don't think it's very fair actually to compare it to the other two, as they are really quite different in colour, once they are applied.

Before, this comparison, I think I would have automatically said the Chanel was my favourite, but I think I actually favour the Illamasqua. The Chanel is so dark, it's almost black. I really like how Propaganda has that little flash of bright, although I think it could do with being the teeniest bit more opaque. The GOSH will be nice to have, but I don't think I'll get *that* much wear out of it.

What about you? Do you like the blues?

NARS Nepal FOTD

2011-10-18T09:00:00.001+01:00

I spotted NARS Nepal on another blog last week, but can't remember where. Anyway, I thought it might finally be the nice pink nude I've been looking for, for ages. I checked it out on Friday at House of Fraser & after swithering between Nepal and Cairo (at £16.50 a pop, I couldn't have both!), I finally settled on Nepal. Cairo is gorgeous, but probably smidge darker than what I really wanted. I think I'll go back for it next month...

And, here's the pics!

It appears slightly more peach here than it is. It's more of a pink nude, than a outright peach shadow. A lovely soft satin finish, it has a slight yellow-toned highlight that gives the lid a lovely natural sheen.

It's quite similar to MAC's All That Glitters, but isn't quite as orange or as glittery. But apart from that, they're similar! Haha!

This FOTD is brought to you by...

Laura Mercier Oil Free Moisturiser in Nude

NARS Nepal

NARS Bengali (in the crease)

Make Up For Ever Aqua Smoky Lash

HD Brows

Daniel Sandler Baby Jet Mascara

Dior Creme De Rose Lip Balm

Enrapture Extremity Heated Rollers

2011-10-16T18:51:00.004+01:00

If you follow me on Twitter, you will know I have been hankering after some form of decent curlers for ever. I thought the O was going to be the answer, but since they were launched last year, the price (£200!) has continually put me off taking the plunge.

Enter Enrapture Extremity Heated Rollers. I have actually had* these for about 4 weeks and have been using them regularly. Today was the first time I actually had time to sit & capture the magic on film!

The rollers come contained with the heating station, comprising of 4 heating bays. There is also cord storage at the back.

The set comes with 20 rollers - 10 large & 10 small, so you can create a variety of styles, depending on which rollers you use. The rollers are covered in a thick velvet which sort of combs hair as you pull the roller taught, before winding. The butterfly clips (which are so smooth to open, no pinging out your hand!) have metal plates on the insides, allowing the heat which emits from the core of the roller, to be rebounded back into the curl.

I have to admit, they take a bit of getting used to! As someone who is used to creating waves & curls with my straighteners or wand in the blink of an eye, I got very frustrated, but the results I was eventually achieving, made it worth the practice! The best thing about these is the fact the rollers aren't hot to touch, even when they are 'ready' so you have plenty time to fiddle about, roll-up, unwind and do it all again until you get it right!

So, with my perm, I can create massive volume from 'wet'. But as many of you know, I go to the gym regularly through the week & have to wash my hair each night. Most mornings, therefore, I don't bother washing again, as my hair would become too dry. This means that I have to style my hair from flat bedhead! This before pic is said flat bedhead!

This is my hair left to dry naturally the night before - even though it's permed, the curls don't form unless I form them properly when my hair is still wet, so when it dries naturally, it just looks sort of frizzy & crimped! I would have loved this hair when I was 8! One of the great things about the rollers is that while they are doing their thing, making my hair nice and big and bouncy, they also actually smooth out these kinks & frizzy bits!

My 'go to' technique is to section off the top crown of my hair. If I'm in a rush, I will just put rollers into the top for volume & run some serum through the ends of the rest. When I have an extra 5 minutes, I add some big rollers to the ends of the rest of the hair (pictured below).

I then add 4 or 5 big rollers into the top section & add 1 to my fringe at the end.

And 10 minutes later, once they've cooled completely (it's important to let them go cold, to set the curls properly), this is the result! I particularly love how they make my fringe so full.

As someone who has been lucky enough to try the 'O' and Enrapture's Extremity Heated Rollers, I can honestly say, the result is fab using either. However, Enrapture's Extremity Heated Rollers rock up at just £74.99, a whopping £120 cheaper than it's counterpart. I know which one will be getting my vote!!

You can read more details about all of Enrapture's products here where there is also full details about where you can buy both online & instore.

What do you think? Have you tried these?

*PR Sample

My Week in Hipstamatic...4

2011-10-16T12:58:00.003+01:00

Queuing for a new phone. I didn't even want the 4s, I just wanted the 4 8gb. I still had to queue :(

I was rewarded with a strawberry cosmo

I discovered this week my cat is, in fact, a robot...

...but quite likes a bath

Chanel Quartz

2011-10-12T20:45:00.002+01:00

I showed you Chanel's Peridot a few weeks ago and promised to swatch Quartz up, but then completely forgot. Thanks to my mum tweeting today asking about a nice grey, it reminded me I hadn't, so here you go!

Like Peridot, the application is very smooth, but does need a good two coats to get full coverage. Unlike Rouge Noir, it dries in about 2 minutes with no top coat!

It has an amazing colourful shimmer running through. It appears plain silver in some lights then with the tiniest flick of the wrist, the colours just jump out!

FOTD No7 Stay Perfect Eye Mousse in Plum

2011-10-11T10:00:00.002+01:00

After raving about these eye creams a few days ago, I thought I'd do a quick FOTD with the Plum colour, which is by far my favourite.

Estee Lauder Enchanted Garnet Nail Polish

2011-10-10T10:00:00.001+01:00

The Estee Lauder Christmas collection is very soon upon us and this year's offerings don't disappoint. There are 9 different products from Pure Crimson collection, gift bags including 3 from Michael Kors and a Swarovksi evening bag gift set, not to mention the Professional Makeup Artist Color Collection, that is £50 with any fragrance purchase. Seriously, christmas at Lauder is where it's at!

This is the only nail varnish in the Pure Crimson collection; Enchanted Garnet. Its a gorgeous blood red, with a pink undertone. When I first applied this, I was like "woah how did they do that, it's sparkly on my nails but not in the bottle?! Amazing!" Until I realised I'd applied it over the top of Chanel Peridot. I can confirm there is NO sparkle in this pretty red jelly-like polish.

It is however, very sheer & took a good 2-3 coats to get it looking like it's supposed to. The thinness did also expose all the little flaws in my nail. But I adore the colour so will be overlooking that & rocking this shade right through winter!

Left: 1 Coat Right: 2 Coats

1 Coat

2 Coats

This will be available whilst stocks last at £14. It is LE so grab it while you can!

My Week in Hipstamatic...3

2011-10-09T17:30:00.002+01:00

I have been so busy this week I barely managed to get any pics!

one of my brides getting her finishing touches

my new Vivienne Westwood ring

my xmas polish of choice

& I've no idea what these next 2 are, but very pretty!

and this week's lifesaver

Boots No7 Instant Radiance Foundation

2011-10-09T08:00:00.002+01:00

I am having a bit of a No7 love-in at the moment! Like the eye creams, I was given this foundation by Boots to use in a show. The night before, I tried it at home on myself and completely fell in love.

It has a pump!! It has a PUMP!!!!

So, details. It's branded as 'Instant Radiance'. Usually when 'radiance' is banded about in relation to foundation, it usually means it's full of shimmer, but this is so different. The texture is extremely light, very similar to Chanel Vita Aqua Lumiere or MAC Face & Body. Once applied to the face, it 'dries' within a few seconds and literally the skin is dry to touch, not tacky or sticky. But once dry, it's not matte, instead it stays kind of glowy, but dry! It really is quite incredible.

The coverage is medium, but because it sets so quickly, you can very easily pop a 2nd 'coat' on. I've also found it doesn't streak AT ALL and looks just as beautiful applied with either a brush or fingers.

The only negative I think is the fact that the lightest shade is porcelain, which isn't very porcelain at all. It's very similar to Chanel Pro shade 10 Limpede, which is quite yellow. It's about 1/2 a shade too dark (for me, it's fine & I just add a splash of white MAC F&B, but for girls lighter than me, you're going to struggle to get a colour match.

Ok, so I can't rave this much about a foundation without giving you some before/after pics! Be kind!

So this little beaut costs £12.50 and you can buy it online or instore. I'm not sure about the shades on the Boots website though - they don't match the shades available in both Boots stores I checked out.

*this was provided to me at no cost, but that was for use in a show, not for 'review purposes'. I truly love this product!

Vivienne Westwood Red "Let It Rock" Medal Ring

2011-10-08T12:34:00.003+01:00

Accessory could be my middle name (although it'd probably need to be hyphened with makeup). I absolutely adore jewellery but as I've gotten a little more mature I tend to try & buy longer-lasting pieces that are more style/interesting than just frivolous/fashionable. I find accessories that are more unusual tend to go with everything as they actually don't go with anything - does that make sense? (probably not!)

Anyhoo! One of my all-time favourite brands is Vivienne Westwood. I can't get enough of her edgy clothes and have a very modest (and growing!) collection of earrings, a scarf & now this ring! I think what I like is the hard rock/punk edge to the brand, but usually done in a relatively pretty, wearable & often subtle way. For example, the scarf I bought earlier this year is plastered with profanities, but it mostly appears as art/graffiti when I'm wearing it.

When I spotted this ring on ASOS earlier in the week, I knew it was going to be mine before I even could properly look at the price. It's so simple, but I love the message "Let It Rock". It's the perfect example of why I love the brand.

The 'medal' is attached to the band of the ring securely, but it moves about a bit, which is why it looks a funny angle in these pics. Once it's on your finger, it sits flat. All VW jewellery is handmade, which I think just makes it a little bit more special.

I went for large, which fits very comfortably on my middle finger. As a size guide, my middle finger is about an 'O' and the large fits perfectly. The large was far too big for my ring finger which is an 'M' - a medium would have been fine for that finger.

Next on my list is this one...

What about you? Is there a brand you buy from over & over?

A x

No7 Stay Perfect Eye Mousse

2011-10-07T21:04:00.003+01:00

I only discovered these last weekend, when I was given 'Pewter' to use at a fashion show. I adored the colour, but never having been a big No7 fan, I wasn't really expecting great shakes. But I have been blown away! They are so highly pigmented, blend out forever and dry to a lovely satin finish, with no creasing sight. Amazing.

I went back to Boots & picked up Fudge & Plum to chuck in my bridal kit. Really good long-lasting, non-creasing, pigmented cream bases are like gold dust and at £9 each, are significantly more affordable than their luxe Laura Mercier counterpart.

There are 6 shades in total. I don't think I'll get the other 3 - there's a vivid olive green, a sky blue & a peachy cream which all look nice, but I don't think they have a place in my kit. But I am considering buying back-ups of these ones in case they suddenly discontinue!

I have another post coming up on N07 Instant Radiance Foundation shortly. Believe me, you'll want to put your £13.50 aside for that one!!

Union Square Fashion Weekend - The Pics!

2011-10-02T20:25:00.003+01:00

So, as you probably know by now, my weekend was quite busy working at the Union Square Fashion Weekend, in Aberdeen. I spent the mornings making over the models, my lunchtimes on stage doing makeup demos (no photos of that though) and all my time in between was spent enjoying the atmosphere & taking some snaps! Needless to say I am a tired little birdy & very much looking forward to bed tonight! Here are a few pics from the weekend...

I hate to use that awful term, but the models were all 'real girls' and we had such a fabulous variety of faces, skin tones, heights, shapes and sizes! Brilliant! Caireen was a tiny little fire cracker who loves makeup & embraced both the dark black red lips on the Saturday and the dark smokey grey eyes on Sunday. She also loved lashes so we piled them high!

Faye had some of the best eyebrows I've ever worked on! She also had amazing dark green eyes, so on both days we kept a very soft smokey look to enhance them, keeping lips nude & glossy.

Hazel is the winner of the Union Square Top Model competition and she is seriously a model in the making! At 5'10" with gorgeous skin, teeth and legs up to *here*, she would give Jade a serious run for her money!

On Hazel's eyes on Sunday, I used a gold cream base and packed on MAC's Antique Gold pigment.

and these were the shows!

Thank you so much to Union Square & Penny for giving me this fab opportunity and I can't wait to do it all again next year!

My Week in Hipstamatic...2

2011-10-01T19:23:00.003+01:00

another Saturday, another wedding, another bride...

one of my gorgeous models for this weekend's fashion show

and I know this isn't Hipstamatic, but I adore this pic of Belle playing X Box!

Pretty Payday Purchases...

2011-09-30T21:50:00.003+01:00

Perfect nude camisoles from H&M

Leather belt from New Look

I'm having a nude week... Top from New Look

I couldn't resist the stars! Top from Dorothy Perkins

and my most favouritist of all...

Boudoir Prive

2011-09-29T20:27:00.002+01:00

I've been putting off writing this post for a few days in the hope that I'd discover what it was I feel about this month's Boudoir Prive. The truth is, I think I just feel a bit 'meh'. Maybe I'm still a bit jaded from Glossy Box. Who knows...?

As I haven't been signed up & paying for Boudoir Prive for the last few months (this is a PR sample), I can't really comment on whether or not I think it's worth subscribing. I don't think I will be. The products I received were fine; just not quite unusual enough for me, given the lengths Boudoir Prive have gone to express their luxeness. I'm just a little uninspired. It's a nice enough box and I think for those who don't spend the majority of the time researching, testing, sampling new products, then these kind of boxes are ideal.

The star of the box; I've never tried Zoya before so will definitely be checking them out!

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

2011-09-28T21:11:00.002+01:00

Until recently, anti-ageing hadn't really been on my radar. As I'm approaching 30, I have been aware that I should probably start to consider a more amped up skincare routine, but as someone still battling mild acne, it's hard to get my head around the thought that my skin might not always be teenagerish!

But I received this from Estee Lauder a few weeks ago, with the words 'it's the perfect 1st anti-ageing product' lingering in my ear and I have been really really impressed.

I'm not going to go into all the science-y DNA-y blurb (you can read ALL about that here). But what I will tell you is that it is plumping, smoothing & clearing. My skin literally glows after applying this, my pink acne scars look less 'pink' and I usually go back for a 2nd 'coat' just before bed. I don't care this is £50. I will be repurchasing & repurchasing.

What I've been up to...

2011-09-28T20:40:00.003+01:00

I've bought a new camera and have been very distracted trying to take the perfect picture. I need lots more practice!

I mentioned a few days ago about Union Square's Fashion Weekend but I was so excited to receive copies of the promo booklet that will be handed out - I'm in print! My first official publication!

sneak peek of my face charts which the other MUAs will be using on the models.

The fashion weekend is 1st & 2nd October from 12 - 4ish. If you're in Aberdeen, come on down & say hello! I will be on stage at 1.30pm both days & would be nice to see a few friendly faces!

OOTD

2011-09-24T21:20:00.002+01:00

This is the outfit I wore to Edinburgh on Tuesday. As I had to go to work in the morning, I needed something that would be smart enough in the office, casual enough for the blogger event and still be comfy for a 6hr round trip. Not too much to ask! In the end, I opted for black skinny jeans, with a bit of stretch, patent heels, cream flouncy blouse & gold accessories. Was quite pleased with the overall look!

Top: Primark (£12)

Jeans: New Look Tall (£20-ish)

Shoes: New Look (£20)

Necklace: Dorothy Perkins (£12)

Watch: MK by Michael Kors (£various)

My Week in Hipstamatic...

2011-09-23T22:31:00.002+01:00

Accepting the summer is well & truly over

I'm on a journey of heel discovery. These are my current favourite pair

A thorough clear-out of my day-to-day makeup

On the train on my way to Edinburgh

Waiting on a sandwich in Costa

My drive home from Edinburgh saw me do 50 miles before stopping for gas... I was trading my car in the next day & didn't want to fill up!

On Wednesday I traded in my wee Polo. Au revoir fair little car :(

Thursday I treated myself to a Pizza Express. But I had a salad

Prepping for this weekend's round of bridal bookings

Union Square Fashion Weekend

2011-09-23T19:52:00.002+01:00

October 1st & 2nd sees the return of Union Square's Fashion Weekend. I'm excited to tell you that I will be working there all weekend making up the models & doing some Q&A sessions so if you have a burning question about beauty & makeup, head down & check it out!

Zen Lifestyle

2011-09-21T21:30:00.002+01:00

Yesterday I skipped on down to Edinburgh to attend the Zen Lifestyle blogger's evening, at their 3rd & newest salon on Hanover Street. As soon as I arrived, I was greeted by the Director, Fiona & a glass of champers (which always goes down well!).

Fiona took me on a guided tour around the salon which has been open a little over a month. Zen has 3 salons all in Edinburgh, but there has been about 7 years between openings, with Fiona stressing that it was important to the company to take their time, ensuring quality over speedy expansion.

After a quick introduction, the lovely, lovely staff quickly set to primping & preening us, with all the girls being treated to Shellac manicures, Blink & Go Lashes, HD Brows and a skin analysis courtesy of Murad, whose products are used extensively throughout the salon.

Julie applying Anna's lashes. Julie also did my lashes & she was so professional & friendly. She has worked for Zen for 5 1/2 years and her passion for her job shone through. All of the girls were super friendly & happy to listen to our banter!

The treatment rooms are absolutely stunning and are the perfect setting for the huge range of SPA treatments and Clinic treatments available. If I thought I could get away with these colours in my bedroom I would, but think Mac would have something to say!

My 'Blink & Go' lashes. They took about 20 minutes to apply & should last approximately 10 days. A quicker & cheaper alternative to full semi-permanent lashes & easier to maintain, they are a favourite of Edinburgh's busy city girls, who often pop in during their lunch.

Those of you who read my blog regularly know I am a massive gel manicure fan, but had never tried Shellac, until now. I am delighted with the effect - it feels lighter than the bioscultpure. The colour I chose was Fedora and I'm so pleased with how much it looks like my all-time favourite shade Rouge Noir!

Throughout, the salon quietly oozes decadence & grown-up glamour. The Zen team have paid attention to every tiny detail and any girl will feel relaxed & pampered after even a short visit. I can't recommend Zen highly enough; I thoroughly enjoyed my time there & will 100% be paying a visit the next time I'm home!

A x

That magical moment when...

2011-09-18T21:56:00.001+01:00

... you realise you love a product enough to go back & spend £33 on a new one!

Glossy Box: What a Load of Rubbish

2011-09-17T15:11:00.003+01:00

In July, I wrote this post partly about the fact that there seems to a wide variance in both the value from month to month but also from box to box in a given month. At the time, when boxes started to vary from person to person, many of us assumed that it was because GlossyBox was starting to tailor the contents depending on the answers given when a subscriber completed the mythical Beauty Profile.

This is what I received this month (September). Looks pretty good huh?

Or does it? Brunette????? Can you imagine that I, Beauty Blogging Blonde would have answered the question about my hair colour any other way than BLONDE?? Not to mention how many people on Twitter have been complaining about the shades they received & at the time of writing, 4 people had tweeted me to say their palette was smashed when they received it.

When I signed up in May, I did so with an understanding that the first couple of boxes wouldn't be tailored but they would start to do so within a couple of months. I didn't expect that GlossyBox would ignore people on Twitter or their emails, or they would speak to their customers like children, or treat us like idiots. I forgave the weird little note in July. I forgave the inclusion of Xen Tan in 'Dark' last month as a bit of a blooper. 5 months on, with no indication that my boxes will be tailored any time soon, I absolutely will not forgive being treated like a dunce or being taken for a ride.

This is a screen shot from their website as of today. The message I take from this is 'we might not always get it right, but we will do our best to tailor as far as possible' not what they are actually doing of 'We are currently not tailoring but we will in the future' meaning new subscribers are basically subscribing to a lie.

This screen shot is an excerpt from their Twitter account, on Friday confirming that currently, all products are sent out at random. The mythical beauty profile I mentioned at the start has now been unavailable for existing subscribers since May/June to access, update & check. Why? So far, GlossyBox have ignored tweets from myself & others asking, so we remain in the dark.

Since receiving this month's box, I have logged in to unsubscribe. But there isn't an unsubscribe button. There isn't even an available area to find out how to unsubscribe without searching in the FAQs, where you are told 'to send an email with your account information'. Sooo, what account information do they need? I've emailed to ask & so far haven't even received an auto-response confirming receipt of my email.

Sleek Pout Paints

2011-09-14T19:31:00.002+01:00

There are some things Sleek do very badly (matte eyeshadow anyone?) and there are some things they do very very well. These new Pout Paints are one of the better ones.

Left - Pin Up and Right - Port

Avoiding the 80 billionty posts on these when they first came out, I knew everything I really wanted to know; they could be bought in Superdrug, they came in a variety of colours & they are cheap.

I checked out a few shades last week & I nearly bought 4 or 5, but eventually settled on these 2 classic shades; Port & Pin Up.

Pin-Up is a slightly orange toned red. It runs the risk of making my teeth look ever so slightly yellow, but it's so pretty I'll just not smile & all will be fine!

Port is much brighter than it appears in the tube; a clear, fresh, bright blue-toned fuschia that will go with everything.

The small print; these will stain your lips & surrounding face like a beatch unless you remove properly. Do not, I repeat, Do NOT go to bed without taking off. It will look like there's been a murder...

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

2011-09-12T21:09:00.002+01:00

My latest love affair... Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. Makes my skin appear smooth, even & glowing. Simples.

Like I just stepped out of a salon...

2011-09-07T20:06:00.003+01:00

My hair has been straddling the fine line between long/lush and long/stripper for a while. In 2008 I started growing it for my wedding last year & just never really stopped. The shortest layers were past my chin & at the back it was below my bra strap. I quite liked it, but it was unmanageable, uninspiring & unflattering. But I was struggling to let go and have been thinking about getting it cut for months, without ever picking up the phone & booking an appointment.

(don't ask...)

After a desperate plea on Twitter, Rainbow Rooms International swooped in & offered to rescue me from barnet despair. I was booked in with the lovely Leo (more on him later...) the very next day for a complete overhaul. Rainbow Rooms was founded in 1979, with the first salon on Glasgow's famous shopping mecca, Buchanan Street. Since then, the brand has grown & grown, with a full in-house range of haircare products, 2 teaching academies and salons across the west of Scotland. The salons are known for luxury, relaxation & fabulous customer service, not to mention the highly talented & friendly staff.

Despite the reputation, I still took the stairs up to the salon with some trepidation; I kind of still wanted to keep all my hair and was reluctantly resigning myself gradually to knowing that really, it had to go. I also HATE going to new hairdressers. Hate. It. I mean, who feels comfortable going somewhere new where all the girls always look amazing and you have to have a wet head? Come on people, I am not alone, am I? But I was greeted by a receptionist with a mega-watt smile oozing friendliness and I immediately felt at ease. I was seated to await my fate.

A moment later, Leo was by my side, introducing himself, taking a seat & getting comfy for a very thorough consultation. One of my most hated stylist tactics is when they stand behind you, grabbing hair, throwing it around, eyeing up where they can cut off 2 feet, when all you've asked for is a trim... Anyway, I digress. Leo asked what I was thinking, I gave him a bit of uhmm'ing & ahh'ing before reaching for the pile of photos I'd taken with me. Leo then briefed me on what he thought would be right, before discussing my face shape, hair condition & potential treatments. Before long, we were finishing each other sentences & the rest as they say, is history...

During the consultation, I was asked how I style my hair (I don't), how long I spend styling in the morning (uhhh 3 seconds?), what products I used (£2 hair masque from Aldi - Leon just about threw me out) and what I wanted out of my cut (hair I don't have to style for more than 3 seconds, but which looks fabulous darling). Leo correctly assessed my hair as verging on traumatised from it's treatment over the last year and when I told him the last time it was cut was January, I think a little bit of him died inside. We discussed the treatments I would have; a shiatsu head massage to open up the hair shafts, allowing the conditioning treatment to fulfil it's conditiony destiny & really sink in, for a deep revival of my poor straw hair (a special thank you to Ellie, a firecracker cheerleader who gave me an amazing massage!)

Right, this was me before!

Over the next hour & a half, my hair was chopped, snipped and conditioned all the while enjoying the very friendly banter & admiring Leo's tattoos. I didn't think the day could get any better. Then Leo whispered to Ellie "bring out the O"... If you follow me on Twitter, you'll probably have heard me lament more than once about my inner turmoil about buying an O without trying it first. I think I probably cracked a window with my excited squeals. And it was amazing.

And this is the end result!!

I'm so pleased. I asked for soft, blended movement without harsh lines, for a fringe that could be flexible in style and a cut that I can easily blow-dry without minimal effort. And it's exactly what I got. Amazing. I seriously am still skipping inside with how happy I am with my hair. Love it.

This is the man himself. (How hot?!)

I left the salon, bouncing down the street with a serious spring in my step. Leo said his aim was to make me feel amazing & I did! And so did these 2 ladies. Annie (left) has been coming to RRI for a while and on this visit had brought her sister Flora to experience the magic touch. I caught up with them as we left the salon at the same time & they were more than happy to give the salon 4 giant thumbs ups!

So, I am in love with Leo & I will now be travelling 3 hours south to get my hair done. Or I will bribe him to open a salon in Aberdeen...

What do you think? Have you been to one of their salons? Is Leo your hairdresser? (if so, step away bitch - he's mine!) A massive thanks to Leo & Rainbow Rooms for having me & putting a smile back on my face!

A x

NOM!

2011-09-02T21:04:00.003+01:00

I am a secret stalker of food blogs. I live vicariously through other people's amazing recipes, drooling over their amazing gastro-creations, whilst eating my wheat-free rice crackers & peanut butter (*sad face*).

One of my absolute favourite blogs is written by Amy Jones at She Cooks, She Eats. Amy is an 'amateur' cook, specialising in customising recipes so they are lean; perfect for those of us on the Super Fit Sunday journey! Until today, I have just been gleaning little hints & tips from her blog but hadn't actually cooked a full recipe. But this Cauliflower Fritters recipe caught my eye today & since I was at home, thought I'd spend my evening cooking for my lovely husband (in the vain hope he'd spot how amazing it is to come home to a lovely home cooked meal & 'let me' quit work!)

My very first fritter batch, browning away nicely! (I'd actually bought enough for 2 lots, as I fully expected for it to go wrong!).

My warm pepper relish! This made the house smell AMAZING! I'd recommend having it simmering away if you are trying to sell your house!!

Knowing husband would not appreciate a full veggie meal, I whizzed up some of Amy's chicken skewers & salad, served with the pepper relish & fritters. How good does this look?!!

The fritters tasted absolute gorgeous - I love feta cheese & the flavour is so mild once they are cooked. The pepper relish was sticky, sweet & had a spicy little kick from the chilli peppers. Yum!!

What Friday night dinner would be complete without a sweet little treat? Amy's Super Speedy Eton Mess went down a treat, was quick, easy & fairly guilt free thanks to the Activia yoghurt instead of the double cream.

So all in all, a success!! Husband was delighted and we both had very full tummies! The fritter recipe made 12 & I only managed 2. There is a little tub of relish left over in the fridge too, for eating tomorrow!

Amy's recipes are so easy to follow & her writing style makes cooking whilst reading fun & interesting. I am an appalling, appalling cook, but I am fabulous at following instructions (ask anyone who knows me & they'll tell you my number 1 skill is assembling Ikea furniture). The fact I managed to pull this off with no disasters at all is testament!

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Swatches

2011-08-31T08:00:00.002+01:00

I wish someone had told me it was Chanel week on BBB; I would have dressed up!

Lets turn our attention to Chanel Illusion D'Ombre. Described as long-wearing luminous colours, I was dubious at first after being very unimpressed with my first swatching session on Friday. I went back on Sunday however & was completely blown away by both of these shades Mirifique & Epatant. (I have since been back & purchased Emerveille, don't tell anyone...)

I suppose they could be compared to the Armani Eyes To Kill Intense shadows, but they do feel a bit different. The Armani shadows still have an element of powderyness to them; although the Chanel pots look crumbly, they are almost gel like in texture. This is, apparently, thanks to the unique silicone base - helping them glide on beautifully & of course last for hours & hours & hours (and hours).

These finger-tip amounts are all you need to completely cover an entire lid. The pigmentation is high & true. The glitter stays put & I experienced no drop-out when I wore Mirifique in this FOTD...

And finally! No crappy little sponge applicators in sight. Chanel have included (for your £22.50!) a compact little spatula shaped brush, which is perfect for covering the entire lid & creating a gorgeous cat eye, or for creating a lovely sharp line.

LOVE!

FOTD Feat. Chanel Illusion D'Ombre Mirifique

2011-08-30T08:00:00.001+01:00

I was going to post full review pics up of these first, but I loved today's makeup so much, I thought I'd get an FOTD up asap! I tweeted this morning about my 'disco goth' look, which was completely inappropriate for the office, but it was my first day back after my wee trip to hospital, so thought I'd glam it up!

I had checked these out on Friday & my gut reaction was that the black was too sparkly, the white too cheap, the plums too meh but after going back in on Sunday, a bit more relaxed & swatching properly, I have completely changed my mind. Mirifique is gorgeous. These swatches were taken at about 6pm, a good 8 or 9hrs after applying my makeup. Apart from a little creasing just around my crease, this stuff did not budge. Glossy, wet-look lids anyone?

I topped my moody rocking look off with some skull studs from Talullah Tu.

The Chanel Illusion D'Ombre pots are available from £22.50 each. Thoughts? Have you already snapped up your favourite shades?

Christian Louboutin Book

2011-08-29T08:00:00.001+01:00

This will be my payday purchase even though technicallly, technically it wont count until October as it is on pre-order only at the mo...

"This stunning volume, with a fanciful and intricate pop-up, an elaborate foldout cover, and dramatic still-life photography, evokes the artistry and theatricality of Louboutin's shoe designs...

...The book is divided into six chapters. The first chapter covers Louboutin's biography, his start as a designer from his work for Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent to his first boutique in 1992, and his early creations and influences illustrated with many never-seen-before photos from his personal archives; chapter two features the Louboutin boutiques around the world showcasing the varied and extravagant interior designs and displays; chapter three is "20 years of design" and highlights his shoe designs from over the years with all-new still-life photography, as well as editorial art; chapter four features the spectacular interiors of Louboutin's homes in Paris and Luxor, Egypt, and behind-the-scenes shots from his studios and workshops; chapter five focuses on his creative collaborations with David Lynch, of a series called "Fetish," of limited-edition shoes by Louboutin and limited-edition photos by Lynch; chapter six is a complete catalogue raisonne of his work, with photos of all 120 shoe designs." (Amazon 2011)

You can currently pre-order on a variety of sites - Amazon so far being the best value with approx £40 off the RRP. The only problem is, I want the cover pictured above, with the pink shoes & the photo on Amazon has a grey shoe. Hmmmm quandry indeed.

In celebration of this fabulous, fabulous book that will be gracing my yet-to-be-discovered-perfect-coffee-table, here are some of my top Louby picks...

(I tried these on this store in Vegas. They are NOT comfy, but sooo pretty!)

Chanel Peridot

2011-08-28T20:45:00.003+01:00

I haven't really splurged for ages... in fact, I think it was probably June the last time I bought something more exciting than basics & today I got rather carried away in Chanel. I popped in for a re-purchase of Rouge Noir (Jane from BB recently said if she was cut open, her dna would be little double 'c's - my blood runs Rouge Noir through & through..) and left with more than I'd intended. *ahem*. Please don't tell my husband.

I will be covering the eyeshadows and 'Quartz' over the next couple of weeks; today is all about Peridot. This picture below just screams 'christmas' at me!!

Like you (probably!) I have seen 100's of blog swatches of Peridot over the last few weeks and had been left completely cold by what I'd seen and so, until today, I hadn't even bothered checking out for myself. I had it marked down as a yucky green (the same way I felt about Paradoxal), metallicy bogey colour that had no place in my strict nail wardrobe of creme black, red & nude. Look how wrong I was!!! Just look at the amazing, gorgeous complexity of this shade! It's stunning!

It's very green/gold on me. I know on some the pay-off can be very yellow (Louise from Get Lippie did not want!). These swatches are all over a clean nail, no base coat, 2 coats of polish with the Chanel top coat as a final layer.

Brush marks are evident very slightly in some lights but generally the application & finish was very smooth & even.

I'm in love. Are you? Have you snapped it up or giving it a miss? Incidently, I also swatched Graphite today and I did not like it. Disappointing, but all the more for you die-hard metallic fans!

Super Fit Sunday - Weeks 5,6 & 7 !!

2011-08-28T16:14:00.000+01:00

Clinique 'The New Black' Fall Collection

2011-08-26T20:09:00.005+01:00

I am a leetle late to the party with Clinique's autumn offering as it's been available since August 1st but nonetheless, this collection is GLORIOUS!

The 'New Black' collection has been inspired by the iconic lipstick shade 'Black Honey', with the gorgeous deep berry colours being translated into products for the eyes & cheeks, as well as featuring the original 'almost lipstick'.

This dual-ended lip product features the 'almost lipstick' in Black Honey on one end, with a gorgeous high-shine gloss (also in Black Honey) on the other. The lipstick is not quite a full-on lipstick, its consistency is more balmy with a tint of colour. It appears jet black in the bullet, but its payoff is a gorgeous glossy sheer berry, giving that 'just kissed' effect.

In a similar way, the gloss appears deep dark blood red in the bottle, but is very sheer and worn over the top of the lipstick, provides the perfect effortless red lip. This double ended lip is limited edition (the regular Black Honey lipstick is permanent), so if you want to get your hands on the gloss, get down to your local counter tout de suite.

Thankfully, the product developers at Clinique didn't just chuck a load of dark browns together for this eye quad; it actually features some very beautiful, flattering & easy to wear shades. And with all Clinique products, you can be assured of their quality - the eyeshadows are always guaranteed to be soft & easily blendable, whilst retaining an excellent pay-off. (ps, this is also LE!)

My 2 favourite shades are this gorgeous satin mushroomy peach, 2nd from the left and...

... the stunning rustic, golden brown on the end. I've had a bit of a play with the colours already & these 2 together will look incredible on blue & brown eyes.

My last top pick from this collection is the Brush-On Cream Liner in 'Black Honey'. I have owned & loved the liner in Black for a couple of years & think this shade is going to slot right into my makeup bag. It is much more day-time wearable than black, for those who prefer a much softer line on their eyes. It also has gorgeous gold flecks the whole way through, adding a touch of light. This shade is a permanent addition to the line.

This collection launched on the 1st August and can be found online. Have you already purchased? What's your favourite?

Bring MAC to Aberdeen!!

2011-08-12T19:17:00.002+01:00

Anyone who reads my blog regularly will know that I often make trips to London & Glasgow especially for makeup shopping & I've decided enough is enough! To put into context it's actually quicker (and usually not much more expensive!) to fly to London from Aberdeen than it is to take the train to Glasgow!

In Aberdeen we can't buy MAC, Laura Mercier, NARS, Urban Decay, Shu Uemura, Illamasqua etc etc. I've decided it's time to use people power for good & lets start with getting MAC to Aberdeen!!

If you want to help the campaign, you can go to this Facebook page & 'like' it. It doesn't take much for brands to sit up & listen so even if you don't live in Aberdeen go show some sisterly solidarity & help us north-east makeup lovers out!

Super Fit Sunday - Week 4

2011-08-07T20:26:00.002+01:00

Run 4 It

Mizuno Wave Alchemy 10

WOOTD!

2011-08-07T17:48:00.003+01:00

2 of our lovely friends got married yesterday & I know how much you bunch enjoy an occasional OOTD post, so here is a bit of a haphazard 'WOOTD'!

My dress first of all was from Phase Eight, currently available in the sale! The draping around the shoulders & tummy areas gave it a really flattering shape (one for the curvier ladies!). I had intended on wearing a watch & had picked out either my gold Michael Kors or white ceramic Fossil. In the end, I completely forgot to pop one on & spent most of the day in a timeless bubble!

My necklace was from Butler & Wilson last year which I actually wore to my own wedding. I love how I can wear it again & again. The shoes were Dorothy Perkins from about 3 years ago - I bought them for my engagement party in 2008!

I wanted to do something a bit different with my hair; I normally wear it down, big & curly for a 'do'. I watched a few tutorials by Lilith Moon, grabbed a few kirbies & got going!

I started by curling all of my hair using straighteners. I sectioned off the crown & 2 sections at the front & pinned them out the way. I popped the rest of it into a low ponytail and started just randomly pinning curled sections up working around in a circle, basically forming a bun shape. I placed the hairband on in-front of the crown section, but behind the 2 sections at the front. I then backcombed the crown and pinned those curls into the rest of the bun. Next, I twisted small sections on each side of the 2 front sections and pinned the twisted sections around the back, using them to hide the hairband. Et Voila! Took about 20 -30 minutes.

And because I'm so good to you, here's a sneaky snap of the happy couple!

Cosmo Blog Awards!

2011-08-02T18:52:00.002+01:00

Most of you will probably have already read at least one other post telling you the annual Cosmo Blog Awards are open for nominations - I hope you don't mind another!

Last January, I started Beauty Blogging Blonde when I was off sick from work long-term for 2 reasons; to keep me busy & to keep my typing skills up for when I eventually had to go back to work. Very quickly, the blog became far more than a hobby for me & since I started, I have met some amazing people, done some fabulous things & even started my own freelance business! This blog is not just a blog, it literally changed my life. I love it and it would be brilliant if you could take a few minutes to head on over to Cosmo & nominate me for an award!

To nominate me you need to do the following...

1) enter your email address

2) enter the URL of this blog which is... http://beautybloggingblonde.blogspot.com

3) select the category 'established beauty blog (more than 18 months)

4) select 'no' where it asks if it is your blog

Thanks to everyone who has supported me in the last 18 months & thanks to anyone who takes the time to nominate me!

Love A xx

Super Fit Sunday - Week 3

2011-07-31T20:41:00.001+01:00

NARS Orgasm Illuminator

2011-07-30T10:00:00.003+01:00

I received the NARS Orgasm Illuminator as part of May's Glossy Box. I actually missed May's subscription, but I won my box in a giveaway by Jen over at Mizz Worthy! June's box was so-so, I'm looking forward to receiving July's. I think it'll be the deal breaker as to if I continue subscribing or not. Anyway, back to the NARS!

As I've mentioned before, NARS is a brand that I've had a bit of a distance flirt with, but never really plucked up the courage to invest in a full-on love affair with. I adore the brand in principle & I'm always lemming after other people's purchases (see The London Beauty Review and Just Nice Things but be prepared to break your credit cards out the freezer). But, I'm getting there, building a little NARS collection and this product currently takes pride of place in it!

I do love a good highlighter. I much prefer adding well-placed light than leaving it up to my skin's own devices (read oily). As a whiter than Snow White girl, I often prefer pinkier highlighters that I can layer over my blush. I was certain this was going to be too dark and too orange for me to even contemplate wearing.

But once it's blended out into the skin, it looks amazing! (obviously I don't wear this much!). A little smoothed over the top of the cheekbone, down the centre of the nose & it's like I have an amazing flushed tropical glow. It also maintains it's glow once it dries, without being over glittery. I was really impressed by the fine-ness (?) of the shimmer - not too chunky.

I found that after about 6-ish hours wear, it will be almost completely gone, but I can live with that! The tube is massive 30mls and considering you only need the size of a micro-pea, this will last forever. Making the £21.50 price tag much less 'need to hide the receipt from my husband'.

You can buy yours here.

Sleek Rose Gold Blush

2011-07-28T10:00:00.001+01:00

In Aberdeen, this blusher only became available last week, even thought it's been part of Sleek's range for, ooh, about a year? I've been aching to get my mitts on it FOREVER and I finally snapped up the last 2 on the shelf. I am now religiously checking my local Superdrug for back-ups as I will need this blush in my life, for the rest of my life.

It's really not much to look at in the pan; in fact, it looks weirdly grainy and like it will look like you've been slapped, really hard, across the face. But a gentle sweep across the cheek & it transforms, giving a very high-end finish.

The complexity of the 2 colours is stunning - the gorgeous tropical pink, mixed with the gentle gold flecks make it an obvious, out-right dupe for NARS Orgasm blush, but at a 5th of the price.

I don't say it often about products, but you need to go buy this. Now. Immediately.

Available in Superdrug stores and online at around £4.50.

EEK!! What am I wearing on my nails??

2011-07-26T09:00:00.001+01:00

Ever since Ruth (distinctly more 'fashion forward' than I) over at A Model Recommends, posted about her EEK Nails a couple of months ago, I have been dying to have a go. She had hers done by a professional in a professional salon, with professional tools. I grabbed a BBQ skewer & some Chanel, Andrea Fullerton & BarryM and made some magic!

Have a few meetings today, first day back at the office after 2 weeks off. Will be interested to see what my colleagues think. Work appropriate? Probably not. But I care not a jot! What do you think? A bit of fun or sheer ridiculousness?

TRESemme Giveaway Winner!

2011-07-25T22:06:00.002+01:00

Drumroll please....

The winner of the giant pile of TRESemme goodies is.....

SJMWELL !!

Congrats!! I will email you for your details & you should receive your prize shortly!

Super Fit Sunday - Week 2

2011-07-24T19:07:00.000+01:00

'Get Lashed London' Lash Boost Serum - Week 1

2011-07-24T10:00:00.002+01:00

I have had enough with my sparse, short lashes! I don't know what it is recently, but they are dry & I seem to have a couple of bald bits! So, I have picked up the Get Lashed London Lash Boost Serum from Boots. It cost £25 which I thought was a reasonable price - I'm interested in trying the more expensive ones as I've heard amazing things (DuLash, I'm looking at you!), but I wanted to give a high street brand a run for their money first.

I obviously don't have much to say yet! I've used it a couple of times and so far, it's fine. It doesn't sting at all, but I have noticed my eyes go a little bit bloodshot for maybe 10 minutes, but they quickly go back to normal. My eyelids are also not stained after using it. So, here are the 'before' pics..

LEFT

RIGHT

I'll be back in a couple of weeks to let you know how I'm getting on!

GlossyBox July

2011-07-22T17:32:00.005+01:00

There has been a lot of mixed reviews of GlossyBox over the last few weeks. They completely out-did themselves in the first box, with the full-size NARS product. In the 2nd box, there were no full-size products and one of the samples was Batiste. In this box, there are a few full-size products (depending on which box you get) but also a slightly bizarre, passive-aggressive note from GlossyBox...

"The products you receive this month pack quite a punch... Please do remember that GlossyBox is a luxury sample and product miniature subscription service. Whenever possible, we are happy to place full-sizes in GlossyBox. We hope you appreciate it when you receive them, without expecting it to be a regular feature"

(Does this remind anyone else of the email that will sent around an entire office reminding everyone that putting a non-recyclable item into the recycle bin is against company policy, when one person does it?)

Soo. Yes, they totally have a point. In fact, they probably would be better off had they not included the NARS in the first box! I think some people have slightly over-raised expectations of what GlossyBox will deliver. Whilst it would be lovely to receive a box of current, popular products each month, it's just not realistic. And anyway, the reason I signed up in the first place was to have a reasonably priced way of accessing products I would never have tried! So, if that's what you want, go ahead & sign up. If, what you are hoping for, is a box of Illamasqua, NARS, MAC etc each month, then don't. You'll be disappointed, which is not GlossyBox's fault!

*side note to GlossyBox - your note kinda pissed me off!

Right! Onto this month's contents! I am mega-delighted this month, probably even more so than May's box. Boxes are starting to be tailored to individual preferences, so boxes do differ from person to person.

In mine, there is...

1: Ciate Nail Polish in Beach Melba (full size)

2: Etat Libre Eau De Parfum (sample size)

3: Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Conquer (full size)

4: Weleda Pomegranate Body Oil (full size)

5: Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Luxe (sample size)

The stand-outs for me this month are (and it is complete coincidence that they are the 3 full-size products!)...

Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil

This smells absolutely divine & feels amazing on the skin. I've never tried Weleda before, but I adore body oils, so I am delighted to have been introduced to a new brand! This is a 100ml bottle which retails for £19.95!

Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Conquer

Illamasqua is a firm favourite brand of mine, so regardless of what product of theirs was included, I'd be happy. I particularly love this colour & is one I would have bought for myself. RRP is £15.50

Ciate Nail Polish in Beach Melba

I'm not Ciate's biggest fan but I really like the look of this colour & hopefully this shade will change my mind! RRP is £9

Those paying attention will have already noted that the 3 products above have a total retail value of £44.45!! So, in my opinion, GlossyBox is a winner for another month. I will be remaining subbed.

Have you subscribed? Have you cancelled your subscription? What did you think of this month's?

A x

Illamasqua Skin Base Foundation

2011-07-21T10:00:00.002+01:00

It's not very often that a product comes on the market, so hotly anticipated which subsequently receives a very mixed variety of reviews (unless you count Glossy Box...). This is Illamasqua's Skin Base Foundation; openly modelled on the 'Blemish Balms' flowing out of Asia at the moment. Blemish Balms are a foundation/skincare hybrid product which provide gentle coverage, helping to clear the skin, provide an SPF and some even lighten the skin.

Illamasqua's offering doesn't provide an SPF (yay for MUAs!) and it definitely does not lighten the skin. It does, however, profess to provide 'skin realism' - presumably nice even coverage without looking like you've caked it on with a trowel. The fact it doesn't have an SPF is not a problem for me - for my pro work, I need foundations that don't have them and for myself? *Shrugs*. I'll add one if I want one, no biggie.

So, thoughts? Well. I picked this up in London last month after swatching & sampling shades like a mad woman in store (I walked out & my friend Petra made me go back in & sort my face out it was so patchy!). My skin looked amazing - it should have done, I was wearing about 6 tonnes of the damn stuff! However, when I got home & tried it properly, I was slightly perplexed. I couldn't seem to get it blended, it looked thick & dry and just sort of sat on top of my skin like a weird imposter. I tried it out 2 or 3 mornings and eventually chucked it into a drawer after M said to me one morning "ooh I can see your foundation". After tweeting about it, Illamasqua tweeted back advising I should try using less product. So, feeling generous, I dug it back out, gave my skin a thorough moisturising and tried again. And, after a couple of attempts, it turns out that when the Sales Assistant told me 'you only need a tiny tiny bit' she was right!

The foundation is mega thick and it really is like nothing I've tried before. I find it blends best over well-moisturised skin. If I try to wear this over freshly clean skin, it just drags & looks crap. I would suggest this will be a good choice for those with oilier skin. If you have normal - dry skin, just make sure you're well moisturised! You might find your fingers will blend this better than a brush, too.

Once you've cracked the application, you're onto a winner. I ADORE the finish of this product - it's smooth, even, not too thick & just the perfect mix of matte-but-not-chalky. It keeps a slight sheen around the nose & forehead that you may wish to powder, but I find this just makes it appear more 'skin like'. The wear literally lasts and lasts and is one of the few foundations I have that I can still 'see' at the end of the day.

I've now also used it on a couple of jobs and it's looked fantastic on every person I've used it on. It photographs beautifully and thanks to the lack of SPF, there's no scary flashes, highlights or grey bits to worry about.

A fellow twitterer wondered what it does for open pores. I have quite a few enlarged ones around the inner areas of my cheeks (closest to my nose) and when I was having the problems with the application, this is where I noticed it most. However, as I say, once you've mastered blending it, you shouldn't have any problems. If your pores are excessively large, it might settle after a while, but you could try using a silicone primer underneath.

I chose shade 6 - according to the SA, it's the most neutral in the range & I'd have to agree. Having sampled all of the shades, many of them lean quite peachy & it's definitely a range I'd recommend buying in person, rather than guessing your shade & buying online. The only other thing I'd say about the colour is don't be duped by how light it looks when first applied - once set, it will change at least 1 shade darker. So, I'd recommend really taking your time to get your shade right.

Whilst we are talking about colour, I have to say, I was highly impressed with the wide range of shades available. There should be one for everyone, from the lightest to the darkest. I will definitely be investing in some for my kit, especially as good darker colours are hard to come by. You can also buy a white to lighten any of the colours. The numbering system is designed so you can easily choose 2 shades that will mix (to cover all seasons) which wont make them go ashy or too orange.

And, it wouldn't be a foundation post without a photo of how it looks on! It's not the clearest as I took it on the MAC instead of with the camera, but you'll get the gist. Overall, I give this foundation a massive thumbs up, if you don't mind putting in a little effort at the start, you'll get fabulous, long-lasting results.

It retails for £25 at Illamasqua counters & online