BRILLIANT CUSTOMER SERVICE ALERT: Origins in John Lewis on Oxford Street

I've had some emails recently from readers and followers (how pretentious does that sound?) asking me about the nicer places to shop, i.e. where the products works and the SA's are helpful and not obnoxious.

I'm kicking off the series with one of my all time favourite concessions..

I don't often rave about how brilliant customer service at a certain place was as there are places where I've been where one time the service was ok, the next time it was abysmal and the time after that it was ok again.  However, the ladies who man the Origins concession in John Lewis Oxford Street deserve a special shout out.

I'd say that I am what you call a nuisance buyer..I don't do it intentionally, I just am.  When I'm asked if I want help, I politely decline..the SA wanders off and I find something I like and then have to pluck up the courage to ask for help.  I say "pluck up the courage" as there have been many a time when I've said no, had a proper look through the products and then not been given any help when I've decided what I want to ask.

I've always liked the Origins counter in this John Lewis as they have a sink! This might sound like something minor but when you've been swatching and trying products on your hands, a sink is a Godsend.  Plus, you get to use each product and see the effects of only that product.

I popped down there this Saturday just gone.  I know exactly what I went to John Lewis to buy..clothes pegs.  Sexy, I kow.  The clothes pegs are "underground", you can't even see the Origins concession from the clothes peg section but as you come up the escalator, you're bang into the beauty section.

With my hands full of peggy goodness and an intense yearning for an ice-cream maker (they were out of stock), I headed upstairs.   I always like to have a good old nose at all the skincare stuff they have in the Oxford Street branch as the branch nearest to my place is a bit lacking..

There were a fair few soaps which caught my eye but I decided against them as I still have a lot to use...after a quick swatch session of the Dr Hauschka makeup, I turned into Origins.  The lovely SA (whose name I didn't get but had a really nice shade of reddy hair) let me have a good old nose around and then asked me if I wanted help.  I did my standard "no thank you" response and carried on looking..

Whilst I was looking, another SA appeared on the scene and started talking to the other SA.  Then I came across about five products which piqued my interest and both SA's were brilliant, answered all the questions I had without giving me that "Stupid cow, why can't she read and leave us alone?" look that you get from a lot of concessions..I'm looking at you, Chanel..where I stood for a good 15 minutes wanting to buy three lipsticks whilst all three of the counter staff just giggled amongst themselves.

Anyway, you know sometimes you go to buy something and the SA's just want to take your money without being helpful? They're not like that at Origins.  I picked up a mud mask and a microdermabrasion scrub and (even though I knew) was told the difference between the two.  I told the SA that my current clay mask was a bit crap and that my microdermbrasion scrub was rather brilliant so she advised me to tak the clay mask and leave the scub.  This is the mark of a good SA, countless other ones would have tried to sell me both but the Origins SA actually listened.

So, I found what I wanted and bought it.  I got a little sample set with it and I am going back to buy the larger version of the products from the sample set.  I had a long discussion with the SA about how cold it was outside (that's what you get for wearing a thin shirt and jumper combo) and the best products for dry skin in winter.  She suggested the Ginger range which I have had before..and was forbidden from buying again as it smelt too pungent.  I'm going to buy it twofold this Xmas as I can live with the smell so Simon can go do one.

This is what a SA should do.  Ask if you want help, leave you alone when you ask but then be helpful when you ask questions and not just sell you anything without explaining what products do.  I've been to this counter time and time again and I have always had a fantastic experience.

What a mean contour..

I was looking through the Matalan catalogue the other day (all class, me!) and besides seeing a bargainous coat that I really liked, I also saw the perfect Halloween costume for my 7 year old cousin.

Then I came across this..

He looks quite angular as it is so I'm not sure if it's brilliant makeup skills or just good genetics.  Either way, I am slightly envious..

EOTD: Neutral-eyes

This is what I've been wearing to work for the past couple of weeks, it's easy but still looks like I've made somewhat of an effort.

It's easy to blend, just blend the lighter shade into the lid and then smatter the darker shade in the middle of the lid.

The Jemma Kidd pencil is getting some serious love from me, I've been using it as if it's going out of fashion and have only had to sharpen it twice so far.

The baked eyeshadow is my favourite of the bunch from The Body Shop.  I have to work quite hard to get colour from some of them but this one seems to like me and can take a lot of layering and it looks a bit foily.  I also think that this might be my new "my lids but better shade" and IT'S NOT IN A PALETTE!! The Body Shop best not discontinue this or there will be trouble..for me, mainly.

This photo of my eyeball reminds me just how much I love my Maybelline Colossal and that I should really buy it again and give away all the other mascaras I own..

What a Difference a Day Makes...

Yesterday:

Today:

Whenever I get them threaded I always promise myself that I will keep on top of the regrowth and I never do, I'm going to check this post whenever my brows get out of shape hoping that it will motivate me to actually getting them done.

I find that aloe vera gel is brilliant for soothing the brow area as mine is quite sensitive.  I slather on the gel and let it sink in itself.  I never get the temptation to itch and the area is nice and non spotty the day after.

Do you thread, wax or pluck?

The Never Ending Foamy Exfoliator

Many moons ago, me and a certain blogger were talking about random things and she happened to mention a foamy body moisturiser that she picked up from the Pound Shop.

At that time, I had taken a dislike to body butters as they never seemed to sink in so this foamy thing could have been the answer to my prayers.

I trotted off to the Pound Shop and came across the foamy moisturiser but I also found a foamy exfoliator.  I had never ever seen a foamy exfoliator before and was intrigued as to how it would work..how could it? Foam is soft and exfoliation requires scrubby bits..

I duly bought it and have been using it on a weekly basis ever since.

It was the name which intrigued me most of all, PORE REFINING mousse cleanser..which has micro crystals in it.

I thought that this was a gimmick, how could foam exfoliate your skin?

Anyway, I've been using it since I bought it and I have only good things to report on this.

I use it whenever my skin feels a bit dull and it does leave it feeling cleaner, it actually looks more perked up and my pores do look smaller with continued use.

Foam can sometimes leave your skin feeling a bit tight and dry, this doesn't really do that unless I use too much of it and even if it does, I use a moisturiser afterwards which brings my skin back up to a nice "finish" (can you tell we have been doing a fair bit of DIY recently? I've been dropping DIY terms in everywhere).

The directions say to push the pump down ONCE and no more, I think once is a bit too much because I seem to get too much product so I push it down half-way.  The pump has yet to get clogged and even if it did, I'd just rinse it with water (that's what is suggested on the back).

This cost me the grand sum of £1 and it just lasts and lasts and lasts, I have had it since about January and it is nowhere near finished.  You know when you shake a product and you can tell that you've used it? You can't tell with this, it still feels full.  I have had other foam products where you could easily tell that they were nearly finished.

I have normal/combo skin and this is the one aimed at my skin.  Olay do do one for normal/dry skin, it comes in greeny packaging so all skin types are catered for.

Models Own brushes

Back when Models Own had their 50% off sale, I bought some glittery polish and some eye makeup brushes.

It's well known that I am not an expert blender and I am trying to improve using as many brushes as I can.  I was going to buy just the angled liner brush but when I saw that you could get three brushes for £7, I decided to take the plunge as it wouldn't be a fortune lost if I didn't like them.

I have now used them a few times and here's what I think..I LIKE THEM.  The hairs are nice and soft and the handle size varies from brush to brush, you know how I am fussy about things like that.  I don't want a blending brush having a handle the size of a foundation brush and vice versa.  They look different next to my other brushes as they are white and the rest are black.  This causes a slight problem because they can get mucky quickly when eyeshadow is smudged on them but it's nothing a good wipedown won't fix.  I have washed these babies and they dry in super fast time so I'd say they're really good if you do a quick wash with your brushes everyday.

Angled brush

I find that a lot of these angled brushes only work with one type of liner, be it gel or powder.  I've used this brush with both and it works equally well with either.  I tend to use it more with gel liner bcause I prefer gel liner over cake liner.  The size of the handle with these brushes is important, I have used a brush before which had a massive handle (lengthwise) and it was nigh on impossible to tell if you had a good line because I was so far from the mirror.  That wouldn't be a problem for you if you weren't short sighted but as I am, it was a right pain in the neck.  With this brush however, you can get right up close and personal and see exactly where the product is going.

Eye Shading brush

I use this to apply colour to my lid and it does a very good job of both picking up enough colour and smoothing it over the lid.  It makes blending really easy and I feel that I don't have to put a lot of effort into it when I use this brush.  I have never used a blending brush which had a head of this shape, they are usually narrower and taller and they always give me unwanted results.  This follows the contour of my eye in the way that I want it to.

Once I apply colour to the crease using the blending brush, I use this brush to blend the crease colour with the lid colour.

Blending brush

I was going to use this to apply the colour under my lower lashline but it was a bit too big for that so I used it to define the crease and apply the colour along it.  It does this very well and lends itself very well to laying colour.  I have also used it to blend out gel liner on the upper lashline when I'm doing an easy smokey eyed look and it is the perfect size for that.

I have always struggled to apply colour to my crease and blend it out but this last brush is perfect for noobs, just apply the colour where you want it and use the eye shading brush on its side to blend it in.

I've added a photo of a rough sketch EOTD I did with these brushes as it helps illustrate my points better..

These brushes are brilliant if you are new to blending, I wish I had bought them before because they are fool-proof.  I have improved a bit since I started but I bet if I had these before, I'd have gotten further than I am now.

You can buy these brushes from here for the princely price of £7 for the lot.

EOTD: Golden Brown..texture like sun

I do love that song..despite it being about something not very wholesome..

This is a very glitter heavy look and I wouldn't wear it anywhere bar a desi function where you can get away with it.  I have also started taking my photos in the bathroom and I think the lighting in there is a lot better.  What do you think? Stay in the bathroom or go back to the bedroom?

There is no skill as to how I did it, just a copious amount of blending the base shadow all over the lid, the eyelid shade over the inner half of the eye and the crease shade all over the crease area.  I'm also not wearing mascara but I did use the contour brush to push black eyeshadow into my lashes which made them look a lot thicker.  It doesn't look too spectacular here but if you copy it you will see how bling-tastic it is.  My camera seems to be failling me so I'm on the lookout for a new one.

Since doing this look, I have been working pretty long days at work and as I rub my eyes a lot when I'm tired, I've started using the black shadow in lashes trick as it makes my lashes look thicker and allows me to rub my eyes without making me look like a panda.

ETA: I just noticed how messy my palette looks, I should clean it..

Discover Aveeno..

A while back I was accepted to be an Aveeno Discoverer, which basically means that they send me stuff and I review it..

Now we have that out of the way, time to give you the rambles that you have all, by now, become desensitised to..

The boxes remind me of the boxes that Harrods ship their ties in.  Simon ordered a few a while back and when these turned up, I assumed he'd ordered more.  When I saw the boxes, the Aveeno part was covered with a letter..hence the confusion.  I can actually read!

This is what I got..times two.

The Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion was a blessing in disguise.  I've mentioned before that my skin went from being normal to being really dry.  I tried so many moisturisers which promised to sort it out lickety split but they wrote cheques they couldn't cash.

I didn't think this would do anything as others hadn't.  How wrong was I.  I used this and it sunk in nice and quickly, was easy to rub in and it didn't have an overpowering smell.  My skin was still soft the next day and I didn't have to reapply which is something I had to do with every other moisturiser I used.  It says "24 hour moisture" but I find that I can skip a day which is brilliant.  I've already finished one tube and am close to finishing the second.  If you have dry skin I would recommend this until the cows came home.

The Hand Cream smells of nothing when it comes out of the tube but as you rub it in, it smells of almond slices but the smell fades quickly.  It feels greasy when you put it on your hands but as you work it in, you feel it melting and the grease vanishing.  I think grease is equated with sticky hands when it comes to handcream and you don't get that here either.  I like it but I like this more but that's only because it smells like sweets and I'm a pig.

The Daily Moisturising Lotion (Lavender) is the one on the left hand side.  I first used this to moisturise my legs after shaving them.  I shaved my legs in the morning of the last Bank Holiday and decided to moisturise when Eastenders finished (half 8!)  My legs stung like mad for at least 15 minutes.  I'm writing this part of this review at 9 p.m on that Bank Holiday so the pain is fresh in my mind.  The stinging fades within 20 minutes and the moisturiser does sink in nicely.  My skin also feels pretty nice and soft.  I'm yet to use it on skin I don't shave.  However, no other moisturiser I have has ever stung me like this has.  I like the smell of this over the Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion but then again, this has been marketed as having a fragrance whereas the others haven't.  Also, it's not as moisturising as the Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion, I had to apply this every day.  If you have super dry skin, buy that instead.

The Daily Moisturising Lotion (no fragrance) did not sting my legs at all which was odd.  Putting my expert detective skills into gear, I realise that the fragrance must be the irritant.

Overall, my favourite is the Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion and I will be using this as my exclusive moisturiser from now on as the search for one which provides me with the moisture I need is off!

Review: Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic

You don't know happy I was to hear the words "skin tonic" be bandied about.

I was more than in love with my Boots Original Beauty Skin Tonic before it was cruelly snatched away from me by the devil that is discontinued products.

So, here I was, holding this beautifully wrapped Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic hoping that it would work just as well as my other skin tonic..

What do Liz Earle say?
"This heavenly scented, non-drying floral tonic revitalises, soothes and brightens. Gentle and alcohol-free it also adds a fine layer of moisture. With conditioning natural source vitamin E, hydrating organic aloe vera and rose-scented geranium."

What do I say?
It's nice..but I don't think it is as good as my HG skin tonic.  This does not mean that it doesn't work.  The Liz Earle one dries very quickly and leaves your skin feeling lovely.  You don't need to moisturise after using it if you use it generously.  I do this and leave my skin alone.  When I'm tired and don't use it properly, I make sure to use a moisturiser afterwards.

I feel that it does add moisture which is nice from a "toner".  Whether it soothes and brightens is yet to be seen.  However, I didn't really notice a brightening effect with my other skin tonic.  It smells pretty nice and works how I'd want a toner to work.

Even when I use it with a light hand, it feels a bit heavy for my skin so it might work better if you have dry or normal skin.

Repurchase? 
I don't think I will.  I'm not totally convinced by this.  I have been using it for a fair while and it hasn't wowed me in the same way that my other tonic did.  I suppose it is unfair to compare it to my other skin tonic so I will say this: it does work, it does everything it promises to but for me, it's not as good as my baby.

The Sher System

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Free Skincare Consultation? Get thyself to Harrods ASAP!

Like the juxtaposition of old school/yuppie language there?

I have always wanted to go for a decent skin consultation but have never had the first idea where to go.  I don't have any obvious problems that I could take and present to a dermatologist so I've just never bothered.  I have been to some counters where they've been helpful (Clinique) and some where they haven't..

Something landed in my inbox the other day and I'm posting it up here because I know I can't be the only one who wants to get their skin examined but doesn't know how and where to go about it.

Thus, if you find yourself in London and in Harrods on the following dates and between the following times:

• Sunday 19th September between 1 and 5 pm
• Thursday 23rd September between 3 and 7 pm
• Saturday 25th between 1 and 5 pm
• Sunday 26th between 1 and 5 pm
• Saturday 2nd October between 1 and 5 pm

Go have a free skincare consultation with Jermaine Rich.  She is a skincare expert and has a new range launching at Harrods entitled "Occo".  She is a leading expert in the field of holistic treatment development and has over 40 years experience.  Jermaine is one of the founding members of Aromatherapy Associates and was key in developing their signature treatments. 

Get yourselves down there if you can, I'm stupidly excited about it.

Just as a teaser, these are two of the products from the range..

I don't have dry skin but I love oily cleansers so I will be trying this out (the last one I used had mineral oil in it and I've been on the lookout for a better one ever since).

In total there are more than 65 products in the whole range so hopefully you will find something for you.

EOTD: Walking Stereotype

If there was one look which you could attribute to Indian girls throughout the ages, it would be this.

Thick eyeliner and lashings of mascara.

If you ever get that chance to look through any old photo albums belonging to Indian people, there will always be a photograph of someone sporting this look, regardless of when the photograph was actually taken.  I know it's true for my family..I have the bouffant haired photographs to prove it.

I'm not sure why this look is so popular, it could be because kohl is used in the eyes of infants' in India to ward away evil spirits or because it was a favoured look of Bollywood heroines back in the day.

Anyway, it's just really popular.

It was worn in the 70's, it was worn in the 80's, it was worn in 90's, it was worn in the 00's and is still being worn now as we we enter the 10's.

I have never worn it myself because I always felt that my liner skills were crap and that my eyes were too small.

After my recent success with my Stila smudgepot, I decided that it was time for me to get a piece of the action.

I am impressed with this for many reasons.

Firstly, I got the flick in the right place.  Achieving this has been no easy task in itself.  I used to draw the line across the lid first and then add the flick but this video tells you how to do it properly.  I don't often say that videos are great because I don't copy them that often.  I totally copied the steps in this one and it DOES work.

Secondly, there is no gap between my lashes and the liner.  The same video as above taught me that you really need to work the product in there as having even a tiny gap will be noticeable.

Thirdly, I managed to end the liner on the inner corner with a little flick. I didn't follow any directions for this, it just kind of happened. 

Lastly, I managed it without resting my arm on something solid, wahey!

I could tidy the tail up a little bit but I'm glad I've finally got the flick in the right place.  I never realised how matte the Bobbi Brown liner comes up but it's brilliant for daytime wear, they do versions which are more shimmery, too.  I wanted to use this pencil but couldn't find it so was stuck using the craptastic BadGal.

Clarisonic on a budget..really!

This comes with no instructions, I had to Google them.  As there were no instructions, I used it in the way I saw fit, the logic being that if it works sans instructions, it works full stop.

I will admit now that I have used my own face washes and scrubs with this product.  I have also used the products which came with this.  I like using my own products more.  Once again, my logic was the same as above.  You don't want to buy this, use the products, like them and then realise you can't buy them again without buying the whole kit again.  I have Googled refills but the best I could find was an obscure site which suggested ebay.

The first time I used it, I used the facial brush and a Clinique face wash.  It definitely made my skin cleaner as Simon asked me why I looked far lighter when I came out of the bathroom.  It didn't feel much smoother until a few hours later.

Then I applied scrubs to my face and used the brush over them so that I got a good exfoliation “work out”.  This worked well for me as my skin did improve.  It made my skin feel very plumped up and smoother..almost instantly.

The attachment I've used more than the rest (for my face) is the brush.  I felt at first that the bristles were far too long and that shorter bristles could clean your skin more.  I don't know how much cleaner my skin could be but it is currently the cleanest it has ever been.  Smaller bristles would give you more control.

After the second usage, the pores on my nose were clean.  I am not sure if that was because of the brush or because of the makeup remover as that remover has cleaned my pores like that before.  Since then, I have stopped using the makeup remover and my pores remain just as clean.

I've used all the other attachments, the pumice attachment helps greatly with dry skin under your feet and the other two are great for buffing serum into your skin.  My mum swears by serum and she has been using the circular soft pad to buff it in and more than one person is convinced that she has had some kind of facial surgery.  I swear, giving her things to test is a curse.  She looks like my sister as it is and here's me handing her stuff which will make her look younger than me.  The body de-flaker is brilliant if you have really dry skin as if you use it before you shower, it removes all the dry flakes of skin and you end up using less moisturiser when you've finished in the shower.

The logistics of how to put the batteries in did baffle me.  If I had instructions, it would have been easier.  You have to twist the battery lid in a certain way to ensure that the product stays on.

Just when I finished typing this up, I saw an info-mercial for it on TV and watched it from start to finish.  The instructions they gave were a bit different to what I did.  They suggested putting the Cleanser onto the brush attachment and using that on your face and then using the soft pad and buffing in the Resurfacing Cream.  To apply the serum, you just use your fingers.  I personally think that my method of buffing it in works better as I couldn't see a difference when I applied it by hand.  In the photo above, the brush attachment is missing as it was drying out in the bathroom window.  I wouldn't even have known about the massager attachment had I not seen the info-mercial this morning. 

I’ve used the product in the way the info-mercial suggested and I didn’t like it.  The Resurfacing Cream is very fine and yet very gritty at the same time.  I applied the Cleanser to my face and removed it.  Then I dipped the round soft pad attachment into the Resurfacing Cream and moved it around my face.  It was very hard to remove it all, I washed my face for a good 10 minutes and it still felt gritty.  I applied the Serum and this made the grit feel more evident so I had to wash my face and apply my toner.  However, this method immediately made my nose feel smoother and smaller on the pore front.  The problem I had with this method was the fact that the cream kept slipping off the top of the pad so I had to keep stopping and smearing it back over the top of the sponge.

I also have a tiiiiiiiny issue with the size of the tub that the Resurfacing Cream comes in.  The tub is only halfway full.  The bottom half of the tub is solid and the cream is just in the top half..that's not a problem as such but why make the tub so big?

You know how you usually watch these info-mercials and you're thinking "Yeah..right! You're only saying it because you're getting paid?" Well I watched it and I have to say that everything the ladies said was true.  You do look younger, your pores are smaller, your skin is smoother and it feels brilliant.

So, do I like it?
Yes.  It does make you look younger and it does sort your pores out too.  The attachments work well and I have had soft feet and softer skin since I started using it.  Considering the fact that it costs you less than £30, I would recommend it..it's a multi-tasking genius.  You should however, use it with other scrubs and face washes as I find that those work better.

Want a gentle exfoliator? Liz Earle to the rescue!

I LOVE exfoliating.  I'm not quite sure why, but a part of me loves the feeling of a scrub on both my face and my body.  It's the glow of nice, smooth, clean skin that comes out underneath it which really fascinates me.

I think scrubs are quite foolproof because if one makes you too oily, you can wash your face, tone etc..as normal and if it makes your skin too dry, you can always put more moisture in.

I already have two scrubs on the go but wanted something a bit different.

Then I got this Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator.

I am usually anything but gentle with my skin but with this product, you can't help but be gentle.  It's not your typical facial scrub, it has a thick, cream like consistency and the "beads" only come to force when you rub it over your face.  The "beads" are there, you feel them washing over your skin and taking dirt with them but they're not so hard that they feel like granuales.

I didn't really see a big difference with my skin after using this the first few times.  I think you have to use it for about a month or so before you see results.

My nose is my current bugbear and I'm convinced the pores could be a lot cleaner.  After using this for a fair while, I found that it did make my pores cleaner and tighter.  I could actually see that they were cleaner and they looked a lot smaller.  I'm fairly chuffed about this and think I have finally realised that a gentle scrub is what I need to sort my nose out.  I didn't have the forethought to take before and after photos but believe me, there is a marked difference and for that reason alone, I think I will buy it again.  Having said that, it has not had any adverse effect on my face at all, I just feel that I can get away with a harsher exfoliant on my face..

If you like to give your skin a good deep clean via exfoliation then this may not be what your heart desires..but then I suppose you know that anyway, don't you? Otherwise why would you buy a gentle scrub?

My mum has normal skin and she really liked it, she said her skin felt a lot softer after using it so I'm thinking it is more suited to normal skin than it is for oily skin if you're looking for a gentle all over scrub.

This retails for all different prices, a 70ml bottle will set you back £12.25, a 50ml bottle will cost you £8.75 and a 15ml tube is less than a fiver.  I quite like the fact that you can get differing sizes so you can trial products before spending a lot of money on them.  You can buy them from here.

EOTD: Pinstripe

I really liked this look, especially the black I used in the outer corner and the fact that I managed to blend it nicely...or so I thought.

You couldn't tell IRL though so it's all good and the actual shade of green is perfect for my brown eyes..AND I managed to apply the right amount of shadow under my eye.  I added some liquid eyeliner just in case anyone got too close.

Batiste have some serious competition

Having thick, curly hair which I straighten is sometimes a problem.

My hair takes ages to wash and properly dry..and that's even before I can think about straightening it.

I usually get home from work at about 6 or 7 in the evening and by the time I've relaxed and even think about washing my hair, it's about 9..then my hair will take a good few hours to dry.

This is why dry shampoo is a Godsend.

I religiously use Batiste as I find it works well with my hair.  I just use the bog standard one as it doesn't make my hair look grey (although some have complained about this and Batiste have listened and bought out versions for ladies with darker hair who have this problem).  By the by, I've seen many reviews on Batiste Nude but haven't been able to find it ANYWHERE, boo!

Then I read this post and was intrigued..I never even knew Superdrug did their own version of dry shampoo, the only dry shampoo I ever saw in Superdrug was by Samy..which I'm sure has been discontinued as I haven't seen it in store for ages.

Another reason why I love this is the scent.  Everyone and their mum knows what Batiste smells like and they can figure out in a second that you're a dirty mare who hasn't washed her hair..and I'm poet and I don't know it!

The Superdrug version smells very strongly when you put it on but the smell soon fades but lingers (very lightly) throughout the day.  When I first had it on, I kept catching a whiff of it all through the day and couldn't figure out what the smell was.

The actual shampoo which is sprayed out is a lot finer than Batiste, you can't really see it on your hair which is brilliant as combing out is easy.

I really like this and it works well enough for me to either switch from Batiste or pick it up in a case of emergency.  Hair emergencies are real emergencies I tell you!

Compared to Batiste, I find that this absorbs oil just as well but then also leaves a little shine behind whereas Batiste takes the grease and goes, leaving your hair totally matte.

They had two variants in store but the other one didn't smell as nice as this so I chose this one.

It retails for less than £2 which is another reason why I loves it.  I still love Batiste but this gives me an added gloss which is nice.

Apples, Dots, Pencils and Chocolate

This week has been a very long week.  I try and sneak onto Twitter during the working week but this week, even that little joy has been denied.

Usually, come this time on a Saturday, I can remember what I was doing at work on Monday but that isn't the case this week.

Here's what I've been enjoying this week..

 I bought this on Monday as a replacement for two reasons.  The first being to replace my Rimmel pencil which ran out.  The second being that when work gets stressy, I take solace in makeup.  I'm just happy that I went to Boots before John Lewis because I'd have spent way too much there.  I am loving this pencil, it's nice and smooth and lasts a whole day..it does transfer though so you do have to be careful of that.  It works really well in place of a liquid/gel liner too, you get a really nice, pigmented, smooth line.

I do not know who bought these into the flat though logic dictates that if it wasn't me then it must be Simon.  I don't know where they're from but I'm assuming Borough Market as that's where he goes when he buys fruit and veg.  They are really nice, I think they're my perfect apple.  I'm quite funny about apples, they can't be too sweet or too acidy and they can't be soft.  I hate soft apples and pears. I remember back in the day telling Simon that I liked pears that "hurt when you swallowed"..I shan't type his (filthy) response here.  Talking of pears, don't you hate the ones that taste of nothing? Literally, all they taste of is water...sludgy, warm water.  Anyway, now you know what I look for in apples and pears, I am sure you will sleep easier at night.

I've been having some right neck problems as of late due to the fact that Simon seems to be unable to understand the fact that my big old head needs some support.  He never ever uses the memory foam pillows because he doesn't like them and thus I have to suffer with wimpy duck feather ones..which, by the way, don't split open the way they do in comedies (we have conducted experiments).  I've managed to get my own way and use my memory foam pillow and my neck problems have totally vanished.  In addition to that, I am loving this new bed sheet set.  It was a right bargain and really brightens up the room.  I can't be doing with ironing the sheets as they straighten themselves in a day or two.

Photograph from Gu website.

I saved the best til the end.  I saw these on offer in Sainsburys on my way home and I bought about a million.  They have all finished.  I bought them on Tuesday I think.  They are hands down the nicest puddings EVERRRRRRRRRR.  I even ate Simon's one when he was on the phone to his mate.  You snooze, you lose is a phrase we live by in this flat.  He dives into his and has to eat all three layers at once whereas I go layer by layer which is odd because when we have ice cream and cake, he eats them separately whereas I have to mix and match, 

What gets you through those stressful weeks?

Concealer! Concea! Conc!

See what I did there? No? Never mind..

I've done it.

I've finally done it.

No no, I haven't spotted and photographed Big Foot or found a cure for the common cold.  I've done something far better..

A concealer that actually works for me!

The story is simple.  My eye went manky..I went shopping for a new makeup remover and happened to come across a Clearance stand in my local Boots.

I picked up a concealer which matched..as well as I could match it with one eye.

Bought the baby home, tried it on my good eye and it worked.

As the days went on and my eye went back to its usual self, I started using the concealer more and more and realised that it was love.

It matched my skin colour perfectly, didn't settle in lines, was easy to apply with fingers and lasted ages.

You know what I'm going to say now..it has been discontinued but I have bought backups in bulk from ebay so I'm happy. However, the odd thing is this..I can get a good High Street foundation match from Bourjois but their concealers are too light..yet Rimmel foundations are too light for me but their concealer was spot on.

I'm still a concealer noob so if you have any tips re. how to apply it properly and to make it last a bit longer on the eye area, tell me!

The Makeup Hitlist

Is basically a list of three or four items of makeup which I need to finish before I buy any more.  I've used it successfully in the past to finish up an eyeshadow, two lipglosses and about five mascaras.

Currently it is these three beauties:

I have been trying to finish the 17 lipstick for the longest time, it makes my lips go orangey now but moisturises them a treat so I'm using it as an "at home" treatment..I just need to make sure I do it at a time when we have no deliveries.. 

The Prestige mascara is one of my HG mascaras and as I have been using it more and more recently instead of keeping it for special occasions, I am realising why exactly it is my HG.  This is the non waterproof version but there is next to no transference when your eyes water and no clumping at all.  I have reviewed it here already.

The Stila lipglaze is a mini and doesn't really provide any noticeable coverage so I'm just using it as a lip slicker and it is finishing very quickly.

What's on your hitlist?

EOTD: Autumn

I was pissing around with my Jemma Kidd stuff and I really wanted to see if you could use a pencil and smudge it successfully over a cream shadow without it all falling in on itself.

Before I get to the good part (yes, there is a good part) I'm just going to ramble a bit more about the cream shadow.  I am a cream shadow noob..well, a decent cream shadow noob.  I remember a few years ago I got a silver cream shadow free with a magazine...it separated within two weeks so I had to shake it before using it but it was still very runny.  This Jemma Kidd one is not like that, it's got a bit more gumption and I have had it a lot longer than two weeks.  I didn't read the instructions because I'm a rebel (read: the instructions were in the box and required some effort and I was too lazy)..

I took the doe foot applicator out and sloshed it over my eyelid and then blended it in.  Then I decided to take the doe foot out but transfer the shadow to my brush and then blend..I think both ways worked as well as each other.

After putting the eye on, I read the instructions which said that you are meant to draw a line along the lash er..line and then smudge it upwards with a brush and add more as you need it..which makes sense but would take you a lot longer.

Anyway, enough talking! It's pure photos now and a "how I got the look" (aka a tutorial)

These photos how wimpy this eyeshadow is, it's nothing compared to my (poor departed) Maybelline Colossal.

How to do it

• Take MAC 239 and dab it in the Stila highlighter
• Apply it to the inner corner of your eye and take it slightly under your eye and onto the lid
• Take the applicator out of the eyeshadow container and dab it on your eyelid
• Get your blending brush and blend..it's not hard with a cream shadow
• Blend a bit more
• Add more if needs be..
• Wait a minute or so for the shadow to set
• Get your eyeliner pencil and draw a line from the middle of your eyelid to the outer corner
• Blend it with the smudger
• Apply more of the pencil if you want a darker, smokier look but make sure you don't line all the way to the inner eye because you don't want the area to be too dark (it's fine to smudge it out there but you don't want any concentrate..)
• Take the pencil from the outer corner of your eye and take it a quarter of the way around your lid...smudge it.
• Whack on some mascara
• Take the pencil right under your waterline and "rub" it through your lashes until it joins the Stila highlighter and until the line is pretty dark.
• Smudge.

Perfect Nude Lip for Women of Colour

I have been trying to perfect this look for ages and I think I'm finally happy with it.  I never thought that I'd wear a nude lip to work as I feel that it tends to wash a face out if you haven't balanced it with a statement/dark eye.

I personally think that getting a nude lip for those of us with darker skins is one of the biggest makeup problems we have, alongside finding a decent concealer which doesn't cost the earth.  You want a nice nude lip, not one that looks like you've smeared someone's concealer all over your lips.

As my lips are not uniform in colour and are already quite pigmented, getting a natural (as possible) nude lip is made that little bit more difficult.

A long time ago now, I took the advice of this WOC beauty oracle and she told me that she had recently bought a lipstick which worked as a perfect nude.

I rushed to ebay and bought it.

It has been documented here before and I have used it for a few desi functions when the eye makeup has been heavy.

I have always wondered how people figured out which coloured lipglosses worked over certain lipsticks.  I came across this totally by accident.  I wanted to make my lips glossier but had no clear gloss and grabbed the lightest coloured gloss I could see.  I have never really layered coloured lipgloss over a lipstick before but I am so glad I decided to mix these two as I now have the perfect glossy nude lip.  The colours are strong enough to not vanish the second I put them on my lips.

I've got hand swatches and lip swatches so you can see the colours as they are and how they transform over to my lips.

The top left hand photograph of my lips is how it looks in reality, the rest are just there to show you how it looks when layered. 

Do you think this works as a nude? If you have any tips and tricks re. getting a good nude lip, leave a comment!

Tuesday, 5 September 2000

This day 10 years ago, I met Simon.

I can't believe it's been 10 years since I first saw the boy.  He however, is adamant that it feels like longer.  (Git)

I'd like to say it was an instant attraction but it wasn't.  

It was my first ever AS Sociology lesson and I was made to sit next to the new boy.  I still remember what I was wearing.  Jeans, Kickers a Snoopy top (which I still have) and a Nike hoody.

The two girls who my "friends" were jealous that I got to sit next to the hot guy.  I didn't see the fascination because he certainly wasn't good looking.

He was sarcastic and rude.  Come the end of the lesson, I was properly annoyed by him and he wouldn't shut up.  I took my Verve CD out of my bag and he shut up.  Then I decided to show him the Snoopy top..and someone thought I was flashing him.  He likes to think that set the tone for our relationship, boob flashing and music.

We got to talking about them and the friendship grew from there and he realised that I could be just as rude and sarcastic as him.

A few years down the line, he asked me out, I said yes.  A few more years down the line, he asked me to marry him and I said yes. My mum and his mum are the only ones getting ants in their pants about wedding dates, venues and outfits.

I still wonder to this day, had I not taken that CD out of my bag, would we be where we are?

Someone asked me recently what it is that Simon gives me that nobody else has ever been able to.  I think the best answer to that is "peace of mind".  He's the first and only boyfriend I've had who doesn't give it for an easy life.  When I'm wrong, he waits until I apologise to him..which is a lot more often than I'd care to admit.  He is one of the very few people who sees the true me.  I can ask him all amount of stupid questions and he always has a sensible answer.  We have sensible conversations which is another thing I love about him, he is SMART.  Whenever I get stuck on something, he has a way of dumbing it down so I can understand it.  We have a secret code language which developed totally by chance but we stick to it.  He makes me cry with laughter with the things he does and regardless of how often I see him, I always smile like an idiot when I spot him in a sea of human traffic.

I like to think that over time, I have made him more like me..but in all honesty, I think he's made me more like him, which isn't a bad thing.

I've scheduled this post as we will be away for our "anniversary weekend", as I write this I'm trying to figure out what he's got planned as I hate being in the dark!

I still can't get my head around the fact that we still know each other 10 years later, which just goes to show..the best things can come from the most mundane.

Review: Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Makeup Remover Gel

You may or may not know that I recently (accidentally) blinded myself in the pursuit of blending heaven.

 As a direct result of this, I decided to see if I could get on with a gel remover.  You all know I am pants with my liquid removers and pads seem such a waste.

The logic in my mind was thus: "The pads from this range worked well on me so I hope the gel does, too".

My eye managed to mend itself in record time according to the doctor and so I was allowed to wear makeup from Tuesday onwards.

 What do Boots say?
"Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Make Up Remover Gel comtains extract of cucumber to help gently soften and soothe your skin."

What do I say?
In short, I love it.

It does everything it says it would.

It doesn't smell "sharp" and is nice and gentle on your eyes. It doesn't really have a strong smell, the moisturiser from the same range really stinks of cucumber but this is quite pleasant.

Some pads sting me slightly but neither the pads by this range nor this gel have done this.  It moisturises the eye area nicely and you don't have to pull at your eyes to get the makeup off, all you need to do is swipe and you're good to go.

I have been wearing a primer, two eyeshadows, mascara and eyeliner pencil.

I use this to remove the product at the end of the day.

I also have a habit of putting my foundation on the back of my hand and then dabbing my brush in it and applying it.  I'm often left with the option of wiping it off with a tissue, which never gets the job done properly.  I've been applying this to the back of my hand and taking it off with a tissue and it removes foundation adequately.

It is also very soothing, more soothing than any other eye makeup remover I have ever used.

I pour a little bit of the gel onto a cotton wool pad and smear it around with my finger.  Apply that to your eye and the makeup melts underneath it.

You only need to use a tiny tiny bit and it gets all the product off.

The best part is, it only costs £1.39!!

Repurchase? Er..yes!

A Surprisingly Brilliant Night Cream

I think I have finally found the perfect night cream for my mush.

It came as a total surprise to me because this cream is one I would never ever have bought myself as it is aimed at dry skin whereas the skin on my face is normal on the cheeks but oily on the forehead and nose.

I usually remove my makeup, wash my face, use some toner and then use a moisturiser.  If I don't tone, I don't moisturise.

I have been toning and using this cream for two weeks now.  It is a fairly rich and thick cream which once massaged in, makes my skin feel nicely moisturised and "normal".  Despite the fact that it is quite rich and thick,  it never makes me feel greasy and I don't wake up with whiteheads and a greasy face in the morning.  It makes my skin feel plumped up and pretty smooth.

The one negative thing I have to report is the smell, it smells like a cream my grandmother used to use..with a slightly citrusy scent.

So, what is this mystery cream?

Clarins HydraQuench Cream!

If you have combination skin and find your skin a bit tight after toning, this might be the one for you.