Make-up is the new Champagne

An exciting meeting took place in Birmingham last week, which in weeks to come you will be hearing all about, but for now my lips are sealed I'm afraid.

I couldn't wait to celebrate; any normal person would have cracked open a bottle of bubbly at the nearest bar but me being, well, me rushed over to the nearest beauty hall in honour of the occasion, because let's face it there's no need for a glass of fizz when you can have lipgloss and liners right?

Well, not on a midweek afternoon there's not anyway.

Despite my good mood and 'party with the plastic' attitude that day, I was actually pretty restrained with myself and walked away with the following three products in my little yellow bag.

As I don't live near any exciting beauty counters or do much beauty buying online I wanted to look at a few brands I don't get to see much and their new products.

Nars Larger than Life, Long-wear eyeliner

I passed up Nar's Fall collection as the colours weren't very 'me' but on good recommendation I did check out their new (ish) range of Larger Than Life eyeliners.

I rather predictably went for the brown of the bunch, Via Appia, and have to say, I absolutely love it.

The formula is amazing, they're almost like a gel liner but in an easier to use, foolproof stick form so they're super soft with an intense colour payoff making them a dream to apply and work with.

I will do a full review soon but in short these beat Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide on pencils, Mac's Pearlglide liners and Estee Lauder's Double Wear eyeliners hands down as they are completely transfer resistant, so no smudging or budging throughout the day.



Illamasqua Precision Ink in Glister

On days when I feel like winging it (flicked out black liner) I always turn to my Illamasqua Precision ink in Abyss (review); it is the easiest liquid liner I've used and the staying power is incredible so I've always wanted more colours.

I passed up the newest shade, Havoc, as I'd just purchased the Larger than Life pencil and being unusually practical/reserved for me I plumped for their nude shade Glister instead.

An absolutely stunning shade, Glister, is a neutral with a mauve tint to it that's full of tiny pink and purple shimmer, totally unique.

If I'm honest I'm not entirely sure how to use this best yet, I've been applying it in my inner corners to open up my eyes which I love but I'm sure it has other uses!

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Bare Naked.

My all time favourite lipgloss LM's After Hours, it is the epitomy of peachy pink perfection and the formula is AMAZING (review) but of course, like all great things it was limited edition.

The permanent shades in their range just aren't tacky enough for me, they're all a bit 'sophisticated neutral' whereas I'm all about the 'trashy nudes'.

Anyway, LM's new collection The New Smokey Eye has SIX new lip glace shades and all of them are baby nudes!!!!

I reluctantly only bought one, Bare Naked, which I'm obsessed with right now, it's a gorgeous milky pink with beige tones, very similar to Mac's Boy Bait.

Bare Baby (After Hours dupe) and Bare Peach are next on my hit list, as is a glass of fizz after writing this post! Phew!

When you feel happy do you celebrate by hitting up the beauty counters too or is it just me??
xxx

Golden girl

I'm a firm believer in the rule 'accessories can make an outfit'. The right shoes, handbag or jewellery can transform even the simplest of ensembles and that's the reason I always invest in good quality 'finishing touches'.

I never buy high-street jewellery (H&M being my only exception), simply because I resent the fact the pieces rarely last a few weeks, tarnish like mad and are wildly overpriced for the quality.

I also know that that there are amazing designers out there who offer well priced, quality made designs at affordable prices that last much, much longer; fellow blogger/jewellery designer, Farah, just so happens to be one of them.

The Sasha necklace and the La Perla bracelet, Designs by FaraM.

Farah approached me several weeks ago and asked me to check out her new designs (Designs by FaraM) online which I did and I have to say it was love at first click.

Her designs were simple, elegant, chic and unique. They were 'right up my street' and needless to say I placed an order with her right away.

Each piece I ordered was custom made by Farah, she adjusted the bracelet to fit my wrist perfectly, checked the lengths of chains with me and even changed some crystal colours for me, amazing!

L-R: La Perla bracelet(£14), La Corde (£15), The Grace(£11) and The Sasha (£12 - wrapped twice here).

The quality of each piece is fabulous, every chain is tarnish resistant and is 16K Gold plated, genuine Freshwater Pearls, Mother of Pearl, Onyx and Swarovski Crystals are also used.

I'm over the moon with all my pieces, but I have to say the one that stands out and I would say is the 'must have' piece is the Sasha necklace.

Similar in design to the Lisa Taubes chain necklace the Sasha is versatile, elegant and I love the addition of the randomly placed black onyx beads for a classic black/gold combination. I have literally not taken this off!!

I know this is far from make-up related but I am so happy with my latest acquisitions that I couldn't wait to share them with you, so if you are interested you can take a peak at Farah's whole collection here.

Ohhh I almost forgot, if you are interested and want to purchase then Farah has offered my readers a special 10% OFF any item, one per customer using the code YMBB10!

What do you think? Are the designs right up your street too?
xxx

Too Good To Miss

I often receive daily offer e-mails from companies, £2 off this, £10% off that, etc that don't interest me much but the one I got this morning was too good not to take up and of course share with you guys!

In fact I did take up the exact same offer about a month ago and it was well worth it as you'll see below.

ELF (Eyes,Lips,Face) are having their LAST EVER (not sure if this is some publicity stunt but whatever) 50% off everything deal over this weekend and it's well worth a look.

Here are some of my picks from my recent ELF haul.




I love ELF, surprisingly; despite their budget prices their products are incredible value, the packaging is sleek and more impressive than most drugstore brands and they are fantastic quality.

Their Mineral and Studio lines rock.

Rack up your order and be sure to type in LAST50 (UK/EU) and LAST50IT (Italy) to get your discount!

Have a great weekend!
xxx

Seasonal shade switching

I'm a constant shade switcher when it comes to polish; I repaint practically every day, this is partly down to boredom and partly due to wear and tear, because one thing I can't tolerate are chipped nails (FYI)!

Meaning I rarely wear the same shade twice and I can honestly say I have NEVER ever finished a single bottle!

This is not a good thing but I like to think that it's not down to my vast (ridiculous) varnish collection but simply that companies make the bottles too big, right? Not counting Mavala of course.

Anyway, I've gone way off tangent with this as always, the point of this post was to share with you the polish that has converted my shade switching ways (for now).

Say hello to Strictly Legal!

I purchased this beautiful, bowed bottled a couple of weeks ago to mark the transition into Autumn/Fall which is my favourite time of the year colour/trend wise and it hasn't come off my nails since.

I've painted, repainted and touched up 'legally' all fortnight with it, which makes it one of the only polishes I've ever had a long lasting relationship with.

I think it's safe to say I'm in lacquer love!!

Here's why?

Firstly, it was created by boudoir nail enamel brand, Ciate who make some of the best quality polishes around, their peachy nude, Sugared Almonds is my absolute fave (totally recommend).

It lasts really, really well on my nails, around three days to be precise, which on me is saying something but the real reason I love this so much is the shade.

Strictly Legal is a very deep plum shade which is jam packed full of the tiniest gold sparkles that give it the most gorgeous dimension and effect when applied.

In some lights it looks like a definite purple but others it could almost be a very, dark and warm brown, the perfect Autumn shade in my eyes.

Having said that it must have been my favourite shade last Autumn too! After a few days of wearing it I realised Strictly Legal had an uncanny resemblance to another great polish I own, NYC's Canal Street.

They are practically identical, I wore both last night and couldn't even tell the difference.

Have a look at a swatch of Canal Street here and if you do like it then I suggest you save yourself £6 and opt for the purse savvy NYC polish instead! Oops!

How often do you shade switch? What's the polish you wear again and again? I'd love to know!
xxx

Get your beauty sleep with Silkskin

Forget sleeping for 100 years like Aurora because you could wake up looking like a sleeping beauty every morning thanks to one of the best kept beauty secrets around.

Shockingly there are no lotions or potions in sight, just pillows!



Sleeping on silk has long been famed for it's anti-ageing and frizz fighting properties, but it's never really been something I'd ever seriously looked into before; to be honest I was too much of a sceptic to splash the cash.

But, for the past four months I've been catching up on my beauty sleep after being kindly sent my very own piece of luxury linen to try by Silkskin.

Made from 100% pure silk the pillowcase is of course sheer luxury to sleep on and the softest thing my head has ever laid on, but all that's to be expected as nothing can compete with the opulence of silk.

As I'm not here to review bedding I'll move on and talk about it's high claims for delaying the ageing process and taming your mane.

What they say:

- Helps to maintain the moisture levels in your skin and hair delaying the ageing process.

- Helps to prevent bed head and stop hair from falling out.

- Can benefit those with health conditions such as sensitive skin, breathing problems, allergies and circulation conditions.

- Contains amino acids which aid in skin healing and aid moisture absorption, making night creams more effective.

- Does not dry out hair/skin as there are no added colours or chemicals.


I think it's almost impossible for me to give an opinion on whether or not it has helped my skin or to be precise whether it would help anyones skin, as it totally depends on how you sleep; I sleep on my back with the back of my head against the pillow so my skin rarely touches the silk.

Although I may not be able to form an opinion on how it fights wrinkles or aids health complaints I can however comment on how it tackles frizz.

Over processed and heat damaged my hair was basically a big tangly mess, it used to resemble something of a rats nest in the mornings which was an unavoidable nightmare to tackle.

I didn't notice any difference for the first few weeks but after a fortnight or so my hair was much calmer and easier to tame.

Don't get me wrong, I don't wake up with perfect, sleek tresses but it is considerably, I'd say 80% less bushy and a million times easier to tackle in the shower.

Because it prevents the need to weaken the hair from combing and also from drying out as the silk helps to maintain its moisture levels I think it's definitely worth looking at if you want to maintain long term hair health.

Like all things luxury it doesn't come cheap at £36 a pillowcase, a hefty investment but in my mind worthy of consideration if you dye your hair or if a birds nest mane is the bane of your life!

Check out Silkskin's website for more information and countless dermatologist and renowned hairdressers commendations.

Have you ever slept like a princess on silk? Worthy of investment yay or nay?
xxx

My Six Summer Staples

I don't think I've ever done a collective favourites post on my blog before; I usually leave the waffling to YouTube and stick to one product reviews on here, but little time and lots of lovely things have meant that this is my only option.

Above are six products that have really been the backbone to my make-up routine this summer; I do use the term 'summer' lightly though when referring to the past season as the UK hasn't had much of one this year unfortunately.

However, on the odd week or two that the sun has been scorching then the following products have been real staples in my face routine and all of which I highly recommend looking at.

1. Clarins UV Plus, SPF 40, Oil Free

Firstly, discard all those negative thoughts about suncream being a big greasy mess that you couldn't possibly slap on your face before your make-up, because this sunscreen is amazing and a great solution for all those who can't stand to be bare faced in the summer months.

That's me included btw; whether I'm at home or on holiday I need coverage and I previously only used to rely on the small SPF's that foundations offered to protect and perfect my summer skin, which simply isn't good enough; especially since I exfoliate my skin mildly everyday and use fruit acid peels weekly, which make it increasingly prone to sun damage.

I have oily skin all year round so have always discounted sunscreens for the fact that they would be too heavy and greasy on me but this is neither, the formula is amazingly light-weight and leaves a silky but slightly matte finish to the skin which is what I think makes this also great to use as a primer prior to foundation.

The slight pink shade calms uneven tones in the skin and evens out the skins texture allowing the perfect base. If your skin is not as oily as mine then you can apply a moisturiser over the top too!

Key points:
- Oil Free
- 100% Mineral screen
- Anti-Pollution
- SPF 40
- UVA/UVB/PA+++
- Non - comedogenic

I really love this for protection and prep but the only drawback is of course it's price, which is just under £30. However, if you are looking for a cheaper alternative then I've heard great things about La Roche Posay's Hydraphase UV SPF 30.

2. Clarins Mosaique Summer Bronzing Compact SPF 10

I have waxed lyrical about this beautiful bronzer in many a video and really wanted to dedicate a whole post in its honour but I never got around to it in the end. (Note to self - be a better and more organised blogger!)

Anyway, this gigantic bronzer which offers a whopping 20g of product in its compact has helped me fake bake all summer with it's foolproof bronze shade.

It is not dirty in tone, nor red or orange, just a gorgeous matte natural tan shade perfect for fair to mid skin tones.

The formula is great and easy to work with making blending a breeze, no stripes in sight!

This is quite possibly my favourite matte bronzer from my collection and well worth a look if you want a flawlessly tanned face without having to go in the sun but unfortunately the compact was limited edition as part of Clarins Summer 2011 collection but is still available at various stores online for around £25.

3. Clarins Instant Light, Natural Lip Perfector

I seem to have had something of a summer fling with Clarins over the past few months as my next must have item is again by them.

The Instant Light, Natural Lip Perfectors have been a firm favourite of mine for well over a year now. I have to have at least one of the three gorgeous shades with me at all times.

Top-Bottom: No3, No2 and No1.

I have never owned a lip product as essential as these tubes; the formula offers the creaminess and hydration of a lip balm, the glossiness of a lipgloss minus any stickiness and a colour payoff similar to that of a good sheer lipstick.

PERFECT! I can't emphasise enough how much I love these, every women should own at least one shade in their make-up bag.

4. Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation

The best drugstore (affordable) foundation I have ever tried and one I reach for regularly over many of my high-end cover ups.

Healthy Mix is spookily similar to Chanel Mat Lumiere in my opinion, offering a great medium coverage level, a light but long lasting formula and a matte yet at nicely luminous finish.

Oh and if that wasn't good enough, it also smells amazing and is enriched with radiance boosting fruit extracts to hydrate and repair the skin.

Key points:
- Oil Free
- Long lasting
- Medium coverage
- Light-weight on the skin
- Non cakey
- Mattifying but not flat

5. Bourjois Delice de Soleil bronzing spray

Delice de Soleil is a wash off spray that melts into the skin instantly and offers a slight powder finish of subtle bronze.

It's similar to Sally Hansen's Airbrush Legs (LOVE) but in a facial friendly formula. It has been a summer staple for me as I've loved using it on 'no' make-up days all over my face for a slight natural tan and light coverage so I didn't have to use foundation.

Also it's perfect for days when your feeling a little pasty and want some colour without the hastle of fake tanning as you can use it anywhere on your body. The scent is also divine, Terrys Chocolate Orange anyone?

6. Urban Decay De Slick, Oil Control setting spray

I'm a huge fan of setting sprays; I love how they remove that powder look that make-up can sometimes leave, add instant luminosity to your skin and help to keep your make-up on just that little bit longer.

I love Mac's Fix Plus in the winter but in the summer when your foundation feels like it's going to slide off your face then I find I need something a little stronger.

I've been through several bottles of Urban Decay by Skindinavia's All Nighter spray (LOVE for nights out and long days) and was all out when I spotted this one, specially formulated for oil control so I decided to give it a go.

It's fab, if you have a problem with make-up sliding off, oily skin or just want your foundation to look perfect all day then I really recommend De Slick. I don't know how or why it works but it just does.

I wouldn't have survived the (occasional) heat without it!

I know this is a mega long post but I was desperate to share my favourite summer finds with you. Well done if you got all of the way through and I'd love to know your summer staples in the comments below!! Or if you have tried any of the above?

xxx