jo malone earl grey and cucumber review

This Jo Malone fragrance was a little birthday gift to myself. Whenever I pass by a store or a concession, I'm drawn in by all identical bottles with their unassuming labels hiding a multitude of scents...

After spending some time perusing the scents in the Selfridges beauty hall (which is like a black hole of money as it is) - I eventually settled on this little one: Earl Grey and Cucumber Cologne. Normally I would go for something more spicy, less fresh, and those are the scents that I go for these days, however at the time, it was a warm summer day in London, a bottle of my ultimate favourite fragrance, Blenheim Bouquet was on it's way out...

And so I was taken in by this crisp, fresh scent. Supposedly it's akin to Earl Grey tea, with notes of cucumber and bergamot, with a base of beeswax and musk; but it's generally just a delightful fragrance, perfect in the spring and the summer, but lasting just as well into the autumn, splashed liberally over the neck and wrists on the way out of the door; it's one of those scents that I can't get enough of, and you could never wear too much.

Do you have any Jo Malone fragrances - what would you recommend? 

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The Smell of Summer; Blood Oranges by Anthropologie

I bought this little fragrance on a whim in Anthropologie recently - it caught my eye, as so many things in that shop do with its adorable packaging - since discovering there is a store in Guildford, it's been so very bad for my bank balance... I thought it would be great for keeping in my work handbag, and for travelling (as I usually lug about my giant bottle of Miss Dior or some such, and I'm terrified its going to crack all over my suitcase).

I was drawn in by the cute paper tube packaging (although I initially thought the bottle would come out of the tube, but thats okay, it makes it more travel friendly) decorated in blood oranges and vines. I am a sucker for anything that tells me it smells like blood oranges. I think I just have some faux-romantic connection between them and holidays in Italy - who knows, but they really are the scent of summer (that or lemons, or perhaps roses or honeysuckle, or strawberries...).

What I do know is that it smells dreamy, and just like summer in a little bottle. As I am writing this the sky is a flat grey and it's drizzling down (hopefully by the time this is published the weather will be sweeter, too) however one whiff and I can imagine we're in the midst of a glorious English summer. It's sweet and citrusy enough that it makes me long for the hot weather, but there is a touch of something bitter and spicy running underneath that make me think of London in the summer, for some reason; when everything is hot and lovely, and then a bus comes by and all you can smell is exhaust.  I realise that isn't the most beautiful analogy, but I'm not one for sickeningly fruity perfumes these days, I like something with a bit of tartness or bitterness thrown in, and this manages that.

- perfume reviews -

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Tom Ford Black Orchid Review

I remember when I was in college I really loved the song Perfume, by Sparks - and thinking it was really cool that I new all the perfume names... I was young, shh. I do still like the idea of being someone that has their fragrance. Black Orchid isn't that for me, I don't think, but it probably is for a lot of people because it's so iconic. It's a scent I can pick out of a crowd, like Opium or Poison (and, unfortunately, that Paco Rabane 1 Million because every club used to reek of it at one point...). 

Since purchasing this fragrance, I've realised that there are few scents as polarising as Black Orchid. I've had people tell me I smell amazing, and that I smell like a man (I don't consider this an insult, per se, as I love a cologne-like scent worn on a woman, but I think it was meant as one, so I'm including it here). It's definitely something you'll know if you like or not. I knew from the first whiff that I liked it. But because so many others seemed to dislike it, I questioned my taste, so I picked up a small bottle..

I should've realised it's a classic for a reason! This fragrance is really not for everyone: as a good rule, I would say if you like anything sweet and light and fruity and floral, you probably won't like it (though I would still urge you to try it out, as I adore it and I do like some floral scents).

It smells rich, oriental, dark, woody and like incense - it reminds me of the smell of burning incense from the 70's, think ylang-ylang, sandalwood or patchouli. Looking up on the notes, it also tells me that there is vetiver in there, and that is probably the reason why I am obsessed with it (as I love that scent). In reviews, people say it reminds them of 'balsamic chocolate' a lot - which I don't get in the slightest, so who knows.

It lasts on me like no other, too, and I still get a whiff of it at the end of the day, which is a huge plus point for me. In the summer I love those fragrances that smell like a gin & tonic with lime, but they're gone by lunchtime, and you have to reapply.

At the risk of sounding cheesy, also, it's definitely an evening perfume, if you get me. When I look at the word sexy written down, it looks so inadequate, but it's a definite night time, date night, evening fragrance. That doesn't mean I don't wear it during the day, but I wouldn't call it an everyday scent - plus, I like to keep somethings special, and this to me is a definite luxury fragrance.

Do you like Black Orchid? Let me know if you've loved a perfume everyone else has disliked! 

spring skincare favourite: kiehl's midnight recovery concentrate review

I've had a few instances of feeling like an adult recently - as a rule, since I've turned 18 I've felt fairly unprepared for adulthood. I'm clearly just one those people that likes to live in my little bubble pretending I'm 17 and nothing can hurt me. Recently I've had some little wake up calls - like realising I have to pay back student loan (a day I thought would never come).

Sometimes everything feels a bit up in the air and - but then I realise that there are small, adult, things I can have control over. Like picking up my favourite bottle of wine at the weekend, buying houseplants and getting excited about looking after them... and sorting out my skin-care routine. Small things, you know, that make me feel like I've got my life in check.

I'm a few weeks shy of my 25th birthday, and I think I've finally figured out what works for my skin. It doesn't mean I still don't suffer hormonal breakouts (because anyone that has seen me this week can attest to the volcano that's currently living on my face) but it means I can have my tried and tested products that suit my skin. What I love about knowing that, though, is that you can introduce products, and try them out, and know that you skin probably won't go mental, like it might've done at 16 or 17 years old, and it might even like them.

I wanted to try a facial oil. Whilst I have an more oily forehead and nose area, my cheeks get quite dry, and I've heard good things about this little blue bottle. I do really like it - I'm not sure it works wonders, however, but it makes me feel very pampered, and the smell is divine. It makes my skin feel plumped up and more moisturised; I've been mixing this in with my base when doing my makeup some mornings, and it makes my skin glow like no other.

I always struggle describing smells in writing - but to me this smells like luxury. You know when you're in the Liberty fragrance room and surrounded by those amazing, rich smells and everything feels too expensive for you but gorgeous anyway - that is what this is like. It smells a bit like jasmine and rosehip, and when I have my tobacco and patchouli candle burning, my night-time routine turns into somewhat of an aromatherapy session; and this is mostly why I like this product. It gets me sleepy! I have a terrible time falling asleep when I'm tired, which sounds bizarre, I know, but I just have a very overactive mind and find it incredibly hair to switch off, so things like lull me into a false sense of security and get me all cozy and ready for bed.

I'm not sure it's making me look any younger or making my skin recover it's vitality, and I'm not sure I'd repurchase this - however it makes me feel fancy, and like I've got my shit together, so I suppose that's all you can ask for, in a skincare product.

new in: miss dior perfume review

This perfume is a feminine indulgence, on my part - I am not a 'feminine' scent wearer, if you will. Anything overtly saccharine or floral, I left in my younger years, when I used to wear some sickeningly sweet perfumes, I actually shudder to think! Generally, when I go for a perfume these days, it's bordering on the cologne side of things, and it nearly always has to smell fresh and citrusy. However, this is a complete variation on that rule. I used to wear my mums bottle of this perfume, it reminds me of her, even though I think I took it and wore it most of the time. I kept smelling a similar perfume on someone at work, and it reminded me of how much I enjoyed this fragrance, so after revisiting and re-smelling it in John Lewis every time I went, I was lucky enough to find it in my stocking on Christmas morning.

I don't enjoy the bottle, but I suppose that doesn't effect the smell, I just think it looks very cheap, particularly with the plastic bow. The smell, though, it really is my perfect girly perfume. It's soft enough to wear in the day time, or layer up for evening, and because it's a 'chypre' perfume, it has that sort of leaning towards old-ladyish scent, which I kind of like. It reminds me of something my great-aunts and grandmothers might have worn. Then it has a citrusy top-note and a rose or jasmine middle note (I'm terrible at identifying florals!), which fade to the musky base notes. In a way, it seems just perfect for this time of year, mixing both the musk and the floral notes for a spring-time scent.

So it's kind of a throw-back for me in several ways, and I enjoy that, and I can see me wearing it a lot over the next year. What are you wearing at the moment, any new purchases?

all about that glitter: lips, nails and eye make up for new years eve!

Like Meghan Trainor and her penchant for bass and booty, at Christmas and New Year I am all about that glitter. I've recently been trying to mix up my makeup and try and get away from the eyeliner-flicks that have become my uniform, and what better time than December and January, when the festivities make it acceptable to wear glitter all day, every day. Plus, introducing flashes of glitter into your everyday makeup can help January not seem so long, dark and cold.
Read on for my favourite picks of nails, eyes, lips and some face staples to suit you for any situation at New Year..

E Y E S

My favourite thing is a glittery eye - whether thats mixed into a smokey eyeshadow, smudged along the waterline, or a wash of glitter along the lid with a sweep of liner. I particularly love creamy bases, my go-to's are the Illamasqua liquid metals - I have them in Superior (the blue), Surge (the gunmetal silver), and Solstice (the gold). They're great swept all over the lid or used as a base. I'm also a giant fan of the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre in Mirifique (black) and Epatant (silver). These look like an eyeliner or a cream base in the pot, but dry to a powdery consistency on the eye, which I'm a big fan off, as they are quick and easy to smudge into a smoky eye. I particularly love to use the silver Epatant with Urban Decay Zodiac - an amazing glittery green eyeshadow - all over the lid, with MAC Carbon (what should be a staple in everyones makeup bag, a true matte black) smudged along the lash line.

I also recently picked up this wonderful, matte grey Bobbi Brown Shadow Stick in Shadow which I've been using with my own little quad. It consists of MAC Copperplate (a cool-toned matte grey), Beauty Marked (an amazing glittery purple-black), Smoke and Diamonds (a beautifully soft, rich and pigmented shimmery grey) and a Grand Entrance (soft, shimmery champagne silver-pink): altogether they create a really beautiful smokey eye, particularly when paired with my new favourite eyeliner, the Bourjois Liner Clubbing and lashings of my favourite waterproof mascara, 17's Va Va Voom in Black.

N A I L S

Nails are one of those things you can definitely go all out with, I always think. If you're not that comfortable chucking glitter all over your eyelids, or worry over a red-lip, stick to eyeliner and paint giant chunky gold holographic glitter all over your fingertips. That particular culprit in question is OPI When Monkey's Fly, it's got amazing bits of gold foil and holographic glitter in, and looks great when layered over any dark polish. I'm really into dark greens at the moment, like Barry M Racing Green, and Essie's Styleonomics will forever be a favourite, with it's dark and gothy green-black. I received the green and white glitter Urban Outfitters polish in Snow Globe from a friend for Christmas and it looks particularly awesome over the Barry M green. You can never go wrong with a silver or gold at this time of year, but I find silvers suit my skin-tone better, so I'm more likely to reach for Leighton Denny Diamond Diva, with either an amazing H&M holographic glitter polish called Jo Is In The House layered over, or Essie's Hors D'ouevers (a sort of shimmery silver gold champagne colour) on top. And even though Christmas is done and dusted by December 31st, a dark or glittery red is a classic in my book, and my two favourites are China Glaze Ruby Pumps and the vampy dark red that is Essie's Wicked.

L I P S

This is where the glitter theme sort of falls apart, because please don't wear glittery lipstick, I beg of you. As you can tell, I'm not being that adventurous with my lipstick this year, and thats because I'm shunning all the dark vampy lipsticks in favour of nudes and pinks, and it's weird for me but I'm going with it. I'm adding my favourite reds in here though, just because.
On the red spectrum, my all time, absolute holy-grail of dark red lipstick is NARS Fire Down Below (bottom of picture). I actually hunted for years for this, and it's the best true dark red I've found, not a berry or pink hue in sight, but has enough brown and blue in to make your teeth whiter, and not make you look like you're from the 80's. Honourable mentions go to Illamasuqa's Encounter, a good all-rounder red, but if you want a more sheer lipstick, you could try something like the YSL Volupte Sheer Candy in #7, which can be layered to that darker red, but goes on sheer.

However, I'm big into the pinky-nudes (I blame a Kardashian sister, though I'm not sure which one) and these are all my current go-to lipsticks from MAC. From the top down (to the left of the gold YSL colour) is MAC Blankety, a new favourite and is a bit paler than my lips, which  I love. In the middle is an oldie but a goodie in Plink!, and at the bottom, my true my lips but better lipstick, MAC Hug Me. I've been using them with the GOSH lip-liner Nougat Crisp to make it last as long as possible. I've just realised that maybe this is was being an adult is like, and not doing an neon pink lip on a daily basis...

F A C E

When you've got a lot going on on your nails, lips, eyes, etc, I think it's always best to tone down the contouring for a day. That doesn't mean not making the most of what you've got though. I love Yves Saint Laurent's Le Teint Touche Eclat foundation - I wear it in BR10 because it's got a great, buildable coverage and still remains dewy and fresh faced, so you can use it accordingly where needed. When paired with it's sister translucent powder, YSL's Souffle D'Eclat, and then a little bit of NARS Albatross highlighter swept over cheekbones, it gives the dewy illusion with good staying power. I've also been really enjoying eyeshadow of late - a change from my usual eyeliner - so a good shadow primer is needed, and I've been enjoying the Rimmel Exaggerate. It's not god's gift to beauty, and there are much better shadow primers out there, but for it's price-point (£4.99) and if you're in a pinch and need it, it's pretty good. Also make sure to prep your lips before even going NEAR that red lipstick - I was given this amazing blueberry EOS lip-balm by a friend and I've been carrying it with me ever since. The egg shape still feels a little weird to rub on your mouth, but I'm getting used to it!

What will you be opting for on New Year's Eve? I mean, despite liver-damaging amounts of alcohol..!

winter skin saviours

It always gets to mid-November, and my skin becomes a cracked, parched, sad mess. It really doesn't help when you're going from a super air-conditioned environment at work, to the virtually arctic temperatures outside, to an overheated house at home. Couple this with a sickness and period-induced-breakout, and basically my skin is a mess. Here are a few products I've been using to try and regain some control..

NEAL'S YARD CITRUS HAND SOFTENER

This is just my favourite hand cream du jour, but there are others out there. I picked this up for pennies in the staff shopping at work because the packaging was slightly damaged, and I love it. It sinks in well, leaves my hands feeling wonderfully soft, and smells citrusy, so what is not to love, really?

WAITROSE PURE BEAUTY BALM

I've been loving this a lot of late, because I've been ill. It's an odd product, as I'm not really sure what you'd use it for in the summer, but I've been enjoying it slapped on my lips or around the edges of my nose at work to try and combat the particularly sore skin I have from blowing my nose 100 times a day. I've also been using it on my cuticles to try and prevent them from splitting, and it seems to be working a treat.

KIEHL'S CREAMY EYE TREATMENT WITH AVOCADO

I think a side-effect of wearing makeup in dry hot and cold conditions has left me with some seriously unattractive dry skin around my eyes. I'd been using this up until a month or so ago when it ran out, and just sort of forgot to repurchase it, despite really liking it. When this dry skin appeared out of nowhere, I left it a few days before realising that I no-longer had this cream in my arsenal. With the wonders of click and collect, it was here the next day and already I've noticed an improvement in the skin around my eye. Similarly to the Watirose beauty balm, the product almost liquifies when it's heated up, and turns into a watery consistency that sinks into your skin. 

NUXE REVE DE MIEL ULTRA COMFORTABLE FACE CREAM

Unfortunately, I'm running severely low on this stuff, but it is my ultimate winter moisturiser. This stuff is thick and creamy and takes forever to be absorbed into the skin, so it's definitely not a morning product. I layer this stuff on at night before I go to bed, right down my neck and decollete and end up sticking to my pillow, but in the morning my skin loves me for it. It always looks noticeably plumper and more moisturised.

BLISTEX MEDPLUS

I had cracked and bleeding lips until I started using this.. they were gone in about two days, I didn't even know I could heal that quickly. It's also a fucking bargain at £1.50 in Sainsbury's at the moment, so I suggest stocking up.

MERUMAYA MELTING CLEANSING BALM

When I need to wash my face, I always think that I don't want to be using something overly drying and foaming, stripping any moisture or oils my skin might might have left. I love to cover my face in this, leave it as long as possible, then use a hot muslin cloth to gently steam it off. My skin feels amazing, afterwards and so smooth and moisturised.

So anyway, that is what I've been using to combat this dry winter of ours, if you have any recommendations, please let me know, I'm always up for trying something new!

summer face favourites

After posting about my current face - I  realised how much I used to enjoy writing about makeup, which I don't do too much anymore, since I got out of the whole #bbloggers scene. So I thought I would talk about my favourite summer makeup. It's really not that much different to my regular makeup.. Just, more pared back than it is in winter. Less vampy purple lipstick.

MAC Brow Pencil in Spiked: I recently purchased this and it's just a great. I spoke about it in this post, but it's really fine, creamy and just all round great. I was using the Soap & Glory Archery one, but this is much nicer, I think.

Kiehl's Creamy Avocado Eye Treatment: I've been using this for quite a while now, and have noticed a definite improvement in the skin around my eyes. I still use a regular face moisturiser, but I find the recent humidity has all by completely sucked the moisture from my skin so it's great to inject a little extra moisture if I can.

MAC Carbon Eyeshadow: I love eyeliner, it's a problem. Pretty much all I wear these days is black cat-eyes, crap tons of mascara, and red lips. So adventurous, I know. But in the summer, unless it's a special occasional I really can't be bothered to deal with putting that stuff on my sweaty (sorry) eyelids. This is where a matte black shadow and a tiny angled brush (I used the MAC 266) comes in handy. Quickly sweep it along the lashline, and it looks like eyeliner. Super quick, no fuss.

MAC Eyeshadow Quad in Deep Truth, Big T, Nylon and Woodwinked: This quad came about because I saw this beautiful looking eyeshadow palette by Laura Mercier which I still really want, but thought I had the exact same shades in my MAC collection. So I dug out some similar shades and changed it up a bit, swapping the light blue for a shimmery white highlight, and I've got my perfect summer quad. The bronze and blues go amazingly well together when swept across the lid lightly, with a little bit of shimmer, it's a good combination. Some of the colours I have (the blues) were limited edition, but MAC re-release so many of them, you're bound to find similar ones.

Malin + Goetz Lip Moisturiser: I got this free with a magazine recently, and I think it's absolutely amazing for those days where you've been out in the sun a little too long without an SPF lip balm on, you know you're guilty of it too. This gets them feeling a little less disgustingly flaky afterwards, always a plus.

Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer: I love this concealer for under my eyes and wherever else I need a little extra coverage, quickly. It's in a really easy to apply with the twist up tube and means I can throw it in my bag without needing a makeup-brush or anything else. When slipped over well moisturised skin, it goes on like a dream. 

MAC Chili lipstick: I can't forgo red lipstick, even in the summer, but I've managed to take step away from my favourite vampy reds and berry hues, and have been reaching for this one so much in July. It's sort of a browny-orange toned red, but don't let that put you off, it works amazingly well with tanned skin and barely there makeup. A little mascara and highlighter and it looks so effortless.

Benefit Sunbeam Highlighter: The perfect shimmery gold highlighter, which doesn't make you look like a glitter bomb exploded on your face. Mine is a little sample size version, but it's lasted me forever, and I love it dabbed lightly along my brow and cheek bones.

Bobbi Brown Bronzer in Natural: I've posted a full review of this here, but it's really just the perfect, terracotta shade, with a great formula. No shimmer, so great for contouring, too. 

perfecting the face

My beauty-themed posts are few and far between these days, but I've recently been perfecting my go-to-makeup look. I've been really into make-up since I was like fifteen, now, so I know what products I will go back too time and time again, as well as a few new things, I thought I would share with you.

FACE
Origins Make a Difference Plus + Treatment
Yves Saint Laurent Le Teint Touche Eclat (Shade BR10)
Maybelline The Eraser Eye Concealer  (Light)
Yves Saint Laurent Souffle D'Eclat (Shade 02)
Benefit Sun Beam Highlighter
Bobbi Brown Bronzer (Natural)

EYES
MAC Eyebrow Pencil (Spiked)
Rimmel Exaggerate Waterproof Eyeliner (261 Noir)
L'Oreal Voluminous x5 Mascara (Extra Black)
Bourjois Liner Clubbing (Ultra Black)
Benefit High Brow

LIPS
Malin + Goetz Lip Moisturiser
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Volupte Shine (Shade 04)

In the summer, I really love this Origins treatment, I use it like a moisturiser in the morning because it's super light-weight and helps my foundation blend well. The YSL foundation is truly my holy-grail foundation. It's sheer and dewy, but buildable and smells like watermelon. Literally perfect. In the summer I go for a combination of the Bobbi Brown bronzer which is the perfect terracotta shade for my skin, making me look all sunkissed as well as being a great contour. I also dab a very small amount of the Benefit Sun Beam across the top of my cheek and brow bones, just to add a little highlight.
A new eye product I got recently, was the MAC eyebrow pencil, but I'm obsessed with it already - it's got the perfect tiny point, which is great for drawing in brow hairs. Irritatingly,  it looks like a bad match in this photo, like it's too red or something, but it does match my hair here, which doesn't look nearly as red as it currently is... so annoying! Trust me, they match. Another recent discovery is the Bourjois Liner - it also has a really fine point for a drugstore liner, making it super easy and quick to do a neat little cat-eye in the morning.
And as always, my face would not be complete without a pop of bright lipstick - the instant I bought this YSL one I knew it was the absolute perfect lipstick. It's sheer enough that you don't have to spend forever prepping your lips like some lipsticks, and you can layer it, too. It's not the most long-lasting of lipsticks, but I love it just the same.

Have you made any recent discoveries that you know will be with you for a long time? I always love the challenge of finding the perfect product that will be repurchased time after time... Maybe a bit weird, though.

do-it-yourself gifts - part two

image from transientexpression.com, tutsplus.com and julieblanner.com 

This year, I want to try and make as many presents as possible, because I want to give nice things to my friends and family even if I am a bit poor this year, because they still deserve nice things. Over the next three weekends I am going to show you some of my favourite items you can do for friends - that will cute and thoughtful, and won't break the bank!
This week we have things that we have enough time to get making, and can be churned out, so to speak, if you have a lot of friends and relatives. 

• Knit or crochet headbands; my girlfriends have loved these as presents in the past, and I think I'll be utilising them again because they're really quick to make and, in my opinion, much much nicer than the ones you get in Primark that are probably made somewhere horrible and will fall apart in five minutes. I would love to receive one, I know that! There are lots of variations on this theme, like the braided one above, and this Antropologie inspired version, progressing to something to something a little more complicated like this one called Saving Grace, or a real cute seed-stitch bow-headband. Failing that, get a free account with Ravelry and browse their archives, there are loads!
• Handmade cases; this is a sort of catch-all image, but there are all kinds of patterns out there, knitted, crocheted, sewn - hundreds. Search on Pinterest for Kindles/iPad/iPhone case, and there are loads of really good ideas. I love this step-by-step tutorial from tutsplus.com in a self-striping yarn that is really cute, and in the right kind of wool it would be good for guys as well. Here are some great ideas for crocheted iPad cases, or handmade Kindle cases. Find a cute fabric and basically sew an envelope - maybe with some foam in -  for a good protective case.
• Homemade beauty products; obviously, everyone loves something for a good soak and everyone loves getting bath stuff for Christmas (or I do, at least). Giving a home-remedy bath scrub or cleansing balm gives it a great little twist, particularly if you find a cute little vintage jar or Kilner jar to tie a bow around. I would be sure to write a little list of ingredients just incase the recipient is allergic or sensitive to anything. OF course, there are thousands of recipes for all sorts of bath and beauty products out there, I've been making a cleansing balm of Coconut oil and Vitamin E oil of late, and I am really loving that. However, I have rounded up some of my favourites: Gemma has a very similar balm cleanser and Meg has both a cleansing clay mask, lavender bath soakk and a suitably Christmassy vanilla chai body scrub. Bow Tied Beauty also has a wealth of information about making your own products, which may come in useful and I love this mint milk bath from Julie Blanner, but she has a lot of other amazing sounding things which I suggest browsing if interested. 

gifts - part one

Have you started thinking about presents? I know that now I've been paid I'll have to gather my bits and bobs - I think that hopefully I have got all my immediately family sorted, now just a few friends to think about! Attempting to be a bit more organised this year - how about you?

hair scare

I'm having one of those weeks where my hair is really annoying me.. I've wanted to get it cut for a while, but recently I'm really considering lopping all my hair off. I don't think I could do it right now, I've been growing it for about four years to get it to my ideal dream of 'witch hair' (aka, super long and black and straggly haha).. but when it's hot and because my hair is incredibly thick (think like, takes four hours+ to dry fully to my scalp!) I just get really annoyed with it. 

In short, I've just been googling cute new hair styles and I just want it short and layery and messy with my fringe back.. I think come September, my fringe will be making a reappearance, I miss it so much! I've also been really considering going a little bit lighter with my hair colour.. it's always been a chocolate-brown to a dark black-brown, playing occasionally with ombre or reddish tints: can you tell I'm not that adventurous with my hair?! I'm really intrigued about going a honey brown with a reddish tint.. Anyway, I've been scouring the internet for celebrities with hair like I want.

1. Abbey Lee Kershaw; I used the middle reference for the colour I wanted my ombre and I absolutely love her hair like this - I think this is the way that I want mine.. only a teensy bit darker, and more red.. 

2. Freja Beha Erichsen; I think this is a little too Alexa Chung-like for my taste, but I like the messyness of it, because I am so not a straightened-every-day kind of person.

3. Emma Stone; because she's perfect? It's probably the ideal length that I would go for, because I am not really brave enough to cut it all off.

But maybe now that the weather is turning colder I'll want my hair dark and black like I do every winter? Who knows, but it's fun to think about having a change.

origins eye doctor review

Origins Eye Doctor, £26

I bought this a while back, and I had been meaning to do a review on it for about as long.. It was only when I started preparing the review-post for its replacement that I felt I should give you my opinion on this little pot!
I got this around my birthday.. basically I hit 22 and felt like I should be using an eye-cream. Sort of like a mid-early-twenties crisis, if you will. Or something like that. Anyway, I wanted to start using something on my eyes because even though I wasn't getting lines, per se, the skin around my eyes was starting to feel quite tired and not as 'fresh' when I woke up in the mornings. So I thought I would invest in this.
My initial impressions were good, it smells lovely. Like cucumbers or avocados? It's very soothing, and if you keep it somewhere cool, it's so refreshing on tired eyes. It's a nice, creamy consistency. Not too runny, not too thick. Nice to pat into the eyes and then let sink-ink, but not for too long. However, after using it for a little while, I felt like it wasn't doing that much to my skin. Then it ran out and I got another one, and realised just how much I loved it - you don't know what you got until it's gone could not be a more apt phrase!

Price: 2/5 - It is expensive for what it is! However, I get a sneaky £6.50 in John Lewis, so I can't complain too much!
Packaging: 5/5 - I really love the little blue pot.
Product: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Would I repurchase this product?: Yes, yes, yes. 

What do you think of Origins eye-creams, have you tried them? Have you hit a mid-early-twenties crisis or are you still young and fresh-faced?!

peaches and cream

Having suffered from acne-prone skin for most of my life now, compliments on my skin is not something I usually recieve. However this week, I have had three! So, this is a huge step in the right direction. Above is just a sneak preview of the new products I have been testing out, on the recommendation from Caroline Hirons (I do SO love her blog and her way of saying things!). I've also been taking fish-oil tablets daily, so I think it is a combination of these things that are helping. I don't want to speak too soon though, so I am going to wait another week or two before giving you a full review! 

Anyway, I'm off for lunch at a friends today, can't wait to have a good gossip!

penhaligon's blenheim bouquet review

 

 

Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet Eau de Toilette, £80.

I posted that I had recently acquired this a couple of weeks ago now, for my birthday, and I wanted to wait until the initial love-affair had worn off before reviewing it properly for you. Well, the affair isn't over, it has just intensified. Sorry! I will try and be as unbiased as possible.

I will get onto the packaging later, and shall start with the most important thing - the scent. You get an initial burst of fresh, limy, citrusy goodness, with a spicier undertone. The freshness lasts on me for quite a while, despite it only being an eau de toilette. As time wears on, you get a slightly different scent, one that is more spicy, and smells more like the base notes of pine, musk and black pepper, I find however, that even when it's starting to wear off (usually around the end of the day) I get little flashes of the sweeter, lighter lime and lavender head notes.

I'm generally not too concerned about staying power of a perfume, as I know if I want a strong perfume, to go for parfums with a richer and deeper scent.

What I really love about it, is that it's fresh and citrus based without it being too girly. I used to love girly, fruity scents when I was younger, and I still sort of do, except they can smell quite cheap overpowering and thats not really what I want. A lot of Penhaligon's perfumes are unisex, and my housemate said he really liked this one, and it smelt like something he would wear, so I think it's quite suitable for both men and women.

The packaging feels very expensive - because it is. This costs £80, which I don't actually think is unreasonable, not for 100ml, however, it was a birthday present, I didn't buy it myself. The box comes in two parts, the top three quarters lifting off to have the perfume resting in a little stand. It's thick, reinforced card, not cheap. The whole experience of the shop is amazing, too. I got this from the little store in the Burlington Arcade in London, where a very lovely woman ran me through various scents that I would like and let me try and uhm and aah, even throwing in a few samples of the other ones I liked. 

I absolutely love the bottle itself. The label is beautiful and exactly the kind of thing I love, right down to the typeface used. Apparently they used to come with little glass stoppers, hence the top, but this lifts off to reveal a typical spray pump. The bow is the only thing I don't like, because it feels a little cheap and you can see the glue. However, everything else is perfect so I can't fault this one thing.

This concludes my mammoth post! I've never reviewed a perfume, even though they're one of my absolute favourite things in life. I had put myself on an extreme perfume ban (I own too many!), I haven't even had any bought for me in over a year and a half, so this felt like such a treat. Is it bad that I have my eye on Castile already?

freebies

The face you see (or don't) above is one that two weeks of virtually uninterrupted rain has caused. I'm actually started to go a bit crazy, and rather sad because of it. I was watching beautiful videos on Vimeo earlier today of sunny dawns and warm evenings and I could feel myself going a little bit crazy. It's not even like it's Autumn and I have the winter to look forward to. I'll try and stop moping, I'm sorry! To keep me occupied, I went to the shops for my mum the other day and splurged on two magazines. I was going to get the magazine that had the Ren skincare with it but I didn't think I'd actually use any of the products, or read the magazine - and then I spotted these two, and couldn't decide which one to get, so went for both!

The Neom hand cream is really nice, although the smell is a little strange and I can't quite place it, it's very moisturising. I know when my Nivea & L'Occitane have run out, I'll replace it in my handbag with this one! I also opted for the Balance Me face wash, as I am almost finished with my current one and I want to have options to try when it's done. This one smells amazing by the way - apparently it has grapefruit, frankincense and ylang ylang in and I can't wait to try it out. 

anyway, I thought this would be a little heads up, because I haven't seen these doing the rounds like the Ren has and the Benefit one did. I like this because it made me buy Harpers Bazaar, too, and I haven't done that in years - I forgot how much I really like the magazine! I also spotted one with a Xen Tan freebie, but I don't really go in for fake tans, so that didn't interest me.

Have you gone for any of these - what did you get?

better than skin - mac hug me review

MAC Lipstick in Hug Me, £13.50

Just a speedy post from me today, I thought I would show you all the lipstick I'm currently reaching for nearly all the time. I have always said that I never saw the point of "my lips but better" shades.. and here I am, writing a post about one! Oh well. I kept reaching for this during a week of overtime, when I wanted to wear a little bit of lipstick but not something so loud and overwhelming that I wouldn't be allowed at work. This is one of the first MAC lipsticks I ever bought, I bought it because it was so 'nude', and I thought I could get away with it for school! It's just a little nub now, and I have to wind it up all the way to use it and I know it won't be long before it's gone! Anyway, it's a very glossy lipstick, because it's a Lustre, but I like that, because the fleshy kind of colour could look quite tacky and drying if it wasn't that glossy. It looks a weird colour in the tube - sort of a dirty greyed flesh tone, but it changes when it's on the lips.

Price: 5/5 (bought when MAC lipsticks were a tad cheaper)
Packaging: 5/5
Colour: 4/5
Texture: 5/5
Would I buy this product again?: I'm leaning that way..!

What lipstick are you currently loving? 

blast from the past - fotd

I used to be obsessed with really bright eyeshadow, to the extent where I have 4 MAC palettes full of insane, bright eyeshadows which I fear will never be used up.. So I have made it my mission to start wearing eyeshadow again! I do this every so often, because I get so lazy with makeup. Black liquid eyeliner and mascara is my go-to look, virtually every day it seems.
So, today I tried something different. I slicked on Illamasqua's Surge Liquid Metal all over my lid and covered in their Pure Pigment in Fervent. Fervent is an amazing reddish-coppery-blue with silver glitter that is unphotographable, but beautiful! Then a little bit of brown and black along the lashline and you're done. It took me the same time as applying my eyeliner, and people seem to think I've gone to a lot more effort. Now, I just have to work out what to do with that fluorescent green eyeshadows I own..

Eyes:
Illamasqua Liquid Metal in Surge
Illamasqua Pure Pigment in Fervent
Sleek Au Naturel Palette (the matte brown and the black)
Rimmel Liquid Eyeliner in Black
L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara 

Face:
Collection 2000 Concealer in Fair
Chanel Perfection Lumiere Foundation
MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Warmed

revlon lip butter review

Revlon Colourburst Lip Butter in Candy Apple, £7.99 rrp

I know everyone and their mother has posted about these lipsticks (lip balm?) recently, but I thought I'd throw in my two cents. They are.. nice. Maybe that's harsh. They alright! They're a nice, tinted sheer lipstick - I wouldn't actually call them balms, because they don't really moisturise, I feel. 

What I think they are good for, and when I generally reach for mine, is when my lips are feeling a little bit dry, I'm not wearing much makeup and I need a bit of pick-me-up. This is a good colour if you want a little bit of colour, or you're not used to wearing bright lipsticks, or can't be bothered with the high-maintence of a fully pigmented lipstick. They are very sheen-y though, and I do generally prefer a matte, but that is just my personal preference. 

I really love the style of the packaging, particularly the little seethrough top and the colour tube. I know there are people that only like the tapered-style traditional lipstick and don't like this kind of flat-end, but I don't really have a problem with that! 

The price is a bit steep, though. I got mine in a 3 for 2 thing at Boots a while back, but they're currently on sale at £5.99 at Boots (see link above) and I still think that is a bit pricey. I know Revlon market themselves as a higher-priced drugstore brand, but I think if they'd aimed them around the £4.99 mark, I'd be a lot more receptive to it!

Price: 2/5
Packaging: 4/5
Colour: 4/5
Texture: 2/5
Would I buy this product again?: No, none of the other colours appealed, I'm more of a solid/bright lipstick person. 

Have you tried these? I think they're generally not that well received in the blogging world, which is a bit sad! 

dior, dolce vita red - review

For my 5-year-anniversary at my work, I got given £20 worth of gift vouchers.. and I decided that a new lipstick was exactly what I needed! I've been looking for a sort of orange-toned red for a while, and I thought I'd have a wander around Reading looking for one. I thought the answer would lie at MAC, Chanel or Yves Saint Laurent, but it actually was hidden at Christian Dior! I've only ever bought foundation from Christian Dior, when this lovely caught my eye. However, I didn't know the packaging would be quite so.. odd;

I don't even know what this looks like, haha. The top round thing and the blue lifts off and it's just a circular base with the lipstick inside. It's really strange, haha. It's also very shiny and gold, which is nice. My mum thought that it looked like something that Cleopatra might have had, haha. 

Like I said, I had the gift vouchers but they usually cost around the £25 mark, depending on where you buy them. 

Anyway, the colour and formula are really lovely! It's a creamy matte-ish colour that doesn't dry out much, like MAC's mattes. It's also got a pretty good sticking power, only fading a little bit in the middle of my lips, so I generally rate it pretty highly.

Rouge Diorific in Dolce Vita Red 14 

I'm pretty pleased with my choice in all, here's a quick snap of me wearing it, but I'm pretty sleepy and I'd been up early and shopping all day, so excuse my tired face! 

Price: 5/5 (gift vouchers!)

Packaging: 2/5

Colour: 5/5

Texture: 5/5

Would I buy this product again?: I think I will definitely explore other Dior lipsticks form now on, yes!

What do you think of this colour? Have you bought any Dior lip products? Let me know! I hope you're all having a lovely Easter Sunday!

the only boy who could ever teach me

MAC Eyeshadow in Daisychain

MAC Eyeshadow in Copperplate

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara

Rimmel Liquid Eyeline (forget the name!)

Chanel Perfection Lumiere

MAC Lipstick in Impassioned

This post is cheating a bit, if I'm honest. These pictures are sort of old - I posted some webcam shots here a few days ago, but I'm super busy this week, and wanted to have something to post this week! So here are a few proper shots of some makeup I did. I really love this lipstick, it's a perfect bright pink without being hot pink or baby pink - neither of which are are good on me! I'm continuing my love affair with Perfection Lumiere here, too..