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: Olivia Burton Wonderland Watch

I've never really been one for wearing watches - and I'm not really sure why. I went through a phase of wearing a lime green Ice watch, which I still sort of love, but I had grown out of. After breaking my trusty all-black Swatch watch, I received this beautiful little Olivia Burton number for Christmas.

Olivia Burton Wonderland watch

I found it really hard to find a watch to suit me - I've got irritatingly large wrists, so women's watches usually look ridiculously small on me, and then men's or unisex ones are too big... I also definitively did not want one that looked gigantic on my wrist, or like a kids watch, also. I was also torn between leather and metal, however I knew empathetically that I didn't want one with a lot of bling, no sparkles or glitter, as this is just not me!

Anyway, I managed to narrow it down to a few Olivia Burton watches and then made my friends wait whilst I uhmed and aahed over which one I actually wanted before going for this one. I'm so glad I went for it - it's smart enough that I can wear it with nice outfits, and casual enough that I can wear it day to day. I just thought I'd share with you some photos, because sometimes the photos you see on websites are a bit dodgy or badly photographed. 

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?

new in: fossil preston handbag review + what's in my bag!

I recently splashed out on a new handbag - and it makes me very happy. I find nothing better than finding 'the perfect black bag' and I think I've found it in this lovely little number from Fossil. 

Fossil are one of those brands that I never really think to look at, for handbags, or anything like that, but I was in John Lewis in Southampton a few weeks ago, and I saw this little number and fell in love with it. It's got a long strap (a must, for me), a thousand little pockets for my bits and bobs (not a must-have, but very useful for all my accoutrements), comes in a beautiful soft black leather, and just generally looks pretty great. It was pricey, as bags go, but then not at expensive, at the same time, and seems quite reasonable for a good quality handbag.
I love all the gold hardware detailing, it's not normally something that I would opt for, normally I'd pick a silver tone over gold, but I really like this. I'm not one for handbags you can't throw over your body, or can only hold in the crook of your arm, because I get annoyed with bags like that! For every day, I need the ease of one I can wear cross-body when I've got my hands full. 

For whats in my bag, keep reading..

couch to 5k - week 2 review

I did this this for Week 1, and here is Week 2! I had said I might re-do week 2, but Jenny told me to just give it a try, and it went really well! I'm enjoying getting out in the fresh air (even though it's freezing most days) and I think the extra cardio in my fitness routine is doing me good. Anyway, here is the run down...

RUN 1: 25/01/2015, 9am, frozen ground, a bit cloudy, a bit windy, brightening up towards end of run.
As I said in my last post, I had my concerns about being able to do week 2, if I hadn't run for the whole 8 minutes. However, I attempted it and did really well! I think I actually quite enjoyed today's run, weirdly. Missed one of the intervals because I was fiddling with my headphones, so actually replayed it instead of just cheating myself and giving up, so feel really proud of myself for that. Had a bit of an ache in my hip from the previous runs, but I made sure to do a good few stretches when I got home and hopefully that will help.

RUN 2: 01/02/2015, 9.45am, 2.36 miles, cloudy with a bit of sun, two degrees and very windy.
I was actually really looking forward to todays run, I'm annoyed that I didn't manage to go at all this week because it's been snowing. It was SO cold out and very windy but I'm proud of myself for running the whole 9 minutes. I was actually really getting into it, even though I felt kind of sick at the end, I didn't look to see how far through I was until I was on the very last run, so obviously my stamina is improving! Breathed better this week, and had less muscle pain (none in my hamstrings!), just the same ache in my hip, that I need to work on stretching out.

RUN 3: 04/02/2015, 8.30am, 2.32 miles, very cold and cloudy, icy ground with some snow. 
The ground was very icy and I slipped several times (no falls though, my balance is improving!) so I had to go very slow. My time per mile was awful, but at least I went! I ran through all 9 minutes of it with a lot more ease this morning. Hip still ached post-run, no hamstring problems anymore.

Thoughts at the end of the week?
Need to research some better stretches for my hip, as nothing seems to be helping it. I also have a reoccurring pain in my knee that I've had for years (and attributed to be overweight) that I want to get seen too, as it feels like I've got a lump of cartilage or something where I shouldn't have... Also worried about being able to do week 3, but my lovely friend Tara is encouraging me on Instagram, so are my friends and family, so hopefully I can keep on going!

Weight lost?
A tentative 3lbs, that I'm mostly attributing to last week when I ate better. I feel like I look thinner though in the mirror, particularly around my hips/bum/lower stomach where I hold a lot of weight. I posted a little picture of my progress over on my Instagram, if you're interested! 

Well I feel like I'm making some progress, even if my last run was painfully slow. Finally got my GPS tracker working, so I can see the sort of miles and speed that I'm doing. Got myself some new tops and stuff to run in, invested in an Under-Armour t-shirt and an Addidas vest, so now I've got some options. I'm also thinking about getting myself some better shoes, still, going to check out a running shop this week or next to look into it.

Are you doing couch to 5k?! How is it going? Please share your story below, I need inspiration and motivation! 

couch to 5k - week 1 in review

(Run 2 vs Run 3!)

One of my new year resolutions was to take up running. I had a friend at uni who was really into running, and I always sort of envied her. I love walking and being outside, and I really just wanted to be able to go for a run somedays, if I felt like it. I've lost six stone, and improved my fitness in the gym, so I wanted to try my hand outdoors...

I wasn't expecting it to be as hard as it was - it seems to use completely different muscles to running inside, and it's harder to breathe, and I feel like I'm 6 stone heavier again..! I'm documenting this here, because hopefully one day I'll be able to run 5k, and I'll have this as a record. Some other people may be on the fence about starting running, like I was, or overweight and wondering if they can do it.. well maybe this will give you some inspiration!

RUN 1: 11/5/2015, 1pm on a Sunday afternoon, windy and overcast. 

I think I only ran for about 4.5 minutes in total, and I found that pretty tough. Slightly hungover today. Fast-paced walked where I couldn't run. That afternoon my shoulders ached and the back of my thighs/bum. Next day, my thighs still ache and my hips and knees a bit.

RUN 2: 16/01/2015, 12.30pm on Friday lunchtime, cool, but bright and sunny.
I managed better this time around, running for 6.5 minutes in total, out of 8. I fast-paced walked where I couldn't walk, but with the sun I felt warmer so I don't know if I was as fast as on Sunday (when it was freezing and trying to keep warm!). I'd been to the gym early in the morning and my legs were a bit achey, made sure to do lots of stretches when I got back because  after the last run I seized up! Aiming to do my next run on Sunday or Monday, weather depending. Later that day, I am much less stiff.

RUN 3: 18/01/2015, 10am on Sunday, cold, drizzle, windy, miserable.
I bought myself some new gear this weekend, and it makes me feel so fly. Running tights and a jacket, it seemed to help as I was faffing less with my clothes. A lot of dogs out, some not being controlled by the owner, which pissed me off so I managed a good 7 minutes of running on that anger (maybe a bit longer, I tried a new app and couldn't hear it very well, I only walked 1 interval, though). I looked up lots of hamstring stretches and did those post-run and I feel much better, only my left hamstring is tight now, but I have some muscular pain in my hip. 

Thoughts at the end of the week:
I think I'm going to repeat maybe another couple of Week 1 runs, to make sure I can run the 8 minutes, before moving on to the Week 2, as I don't want to, excuse the pun, run before I can walk! My homework for the week is to look up some more stretches and try and improve my flexibility. Going to look at investing in some better shoes as I had soaked feet by the time I got home on Sunday.

Weight loss?
Just under 2lbs! 

I'm not sure how long I'll keep up the couch to 5k plan, I'll be honest, but I am going to give it my best shot! I feel like my body wasn't meant to run, but maybe that will improve. It was one of my goals for this year, to at least give it a go, and I've started! I reckon I won't be able to do all the runs in one week, so I'm a bit iffy about that, but I'm gonna try and stick to it as closely as possible.

If anyone else is trying this plan, please let me know, I'd love someone to talk about this crap with - particularly if you're a complete beginner like me! I also want to post a picture every time I run on Instagram, so follow me there, too!

book review: the snow child by eowyn ivey

This was a book I'd heard a lot about, I'd seen it for ages, on trains and in bookstores and charity shops. It seemed like my kind of thing, magical realism set in the Alaskan wilderness, with unreliable narrators and foxes... I saw it for £2 in a charity shop and thought I couldn't really go wrong. 

I wanted to write this review when the book was still fresh in my mind, however I didn't, and I think it says a lot about the book that I can barely remember anything about it. It was a very quick read, I think I read it in a couple of evenings, it captured my attention enough to finish it, which isn't always a given in my case.

I think though, I am not the kind of person this book is aimed at, and I'm highly surprised it's been rated so highly on Good Reads. The story focuses on an older couple, Mabel and Jack, who move to the Alaskan wilderness after Mabel cannot cope with the death of their child. The beginning of the book interested me, the emphasis on the loneliness of the wild they have moved to, but I really didn't invest anything in the characters, and after Faina appears several times and they begin to interact with her, my interested dropped off rapidly. The story from there on out was predictable, and I found myself skipping over the lack of plot, because I was bored.

It's sad, because I felt like the story had a lot of potential, but it really just fell flat, and I remember very little about it, except for a lot of descriptions of snow. Have you read this and did you enjoy it? Let me know, because I felt like I was missing something, as so many people seemed to enjoy it! 

review; people who eat darkness

People Who Eat Darkness: Love, Grief and a Journey Into Japan's Shadows, Richard Lloyd Parry

The other day I was in town with my mum scouring charity shops and came across a really good find - a book I've had my eye on since I popped in my Wishlist on my Amazon back in May 2013. It cost me a single hard-earned pound, saving me a good amount, too. Just to preface the review; I am well aware these kind of books aren't everyones cup of tea, but I have a strange interest in true crime fiction, that started when I read In Cold Blood back in sixth-form. I have a few books on criminal psychology and 'interview with serial-killer' style books, and whilst I understand how they can be problematic in glorifying the killer, not the victim, I found that this book did the opposite; honouring the victim, in a way.

People Who Eat Darkness: Love, Grief, and a Journey Into Japan's Shadows is so intriguing to me because Japan is a culture that is completely alien to me. It is very intensely researched, written by a journalist who investigated the case when it occurred when he lived in Tokyo, drawing from a huge archive of interviews with the family and friends and police that were involved with the case. It is the story of a British girl called Lucie Blackman who disappeared in 2000 from Tokyo, whose body was later found in a cave at the seaside. The case is something that I remember vaguely from my childhood, one of those things that was always hastily turned off by my mother, like that of Milly Dowler, whose body was discovered in my local woods: seen but never spoken about.

The book is well written, unfolding throughout a series of interview transcripts, with Lucie's father, sister, other friends, but told in such a way that it feels like fiction. The most interesting aspect was the view of the Japanese police force, which is alarming at best, and the way that they dealt with the case. I urge you to read it to find out the facts behind the case, because I have devoured the book in a matter of days, it's that engaging.

The most compelling reason for encouraging you to read this book, though, is the overwhelming humanity and sadness of it. I know I have the ability to completely separate my emotions from cases like these, but the  amount of depth and insight into her life and family at the beginning of the book made finding out what happened to her really intense and I actually got very sad and emotional reading it. 

I'll say again; I really do recommend this book with caution: it is quite graphic and sexual and definitely not for anyone unprepared or under eighteen, probably. That said, I think its a very interesting read, if a little hard at times.

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?!

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?

bobbi brown bronzer review

Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder in Natural, £26

I have been wanted a nice matte bronzing powder for a while now - I had been using an old MAC Sculpt and Shape Duo (Bone Beige/Emphasise) for years but it cracked and shattered and I eventually just chucked it. I had been making do with a Nars blush but I felt it was about time to replace it. I had a good browse around John Lewis and eventually came to these. I don't really stop that often at the Bobbi Brown counter. Like MAC, I feel they have good, staple items (I really love their gel eyeliners) but they are quite pricey and they don't always have the luxurious feel of a Chanel or YSL product, as much as I love them.
Or at least thats what I used to think because I do really love this! The powder itself is amazingly soft and finely milled, it's very velvety and feels very rich, so I am a huge fan. It's the perfect shade for me, too - I'm quite pale in the summer but I go quite olive-y with a tan, so this is the perfect inbetween. With a light hand it just adds enough colour to give me a slightly glow, and then I can build it when (if!) I get a tan. So I am a huge fan. I really love the giant mirror, too, which means I can chuck it in my makeup back and not need to take an extra mirror.

Price: 4/5 (I got this for just under £20, using my discount!)
Packaging: 4/5
Product: 5/5
Overall: 4/5
Would I buy this again?: Yes!

Have you tried these? Or do you have another favourite bronzer of the moment? Let me know!

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? 

florentine sunshine - chanel mimosa review

Chanel Mimosa, £18-ish

Two nail posts in a week? What madness. Still, you know a love of it runs deep in my heart! This little bottle holds a special place in my heart because I bought it when I was in Italy. Sadly, that's sort of where the love ends. I still really love the colour - and in the bottle it looks beautiful! It has a really amazing shimmer in the bottle that doesn't stand up on the nails. The formula is awful, even with three or four coats, it's still not opaque, and that bothers me. Also, it's pretty streaky. I feel like Chanel either do really amazing formulas, or really shitty, and this is one of the worst ones. Oh well, I still keep it around in the hope that one day it'll magically work! haha. It is a gorgeous colour, and will forever remind me of Italian sunshine and the botanical gardens in Florence where I sat and painted my nails with it, but still, it wasn't really worth the Chanel-price-tag!

Price: 2/5
Packaging: 5/5
Colour: 5/5
Formula: 1/5
Overall: 2/5
Would I buy it again?: I will buy other Chanel's, but not this one.

Did you get this when it came out? What do you think of it..?

summer brights - china glaze neons

China Glaze Sun Worshipper 

China Glaze Flip Flop Fantasy, both £5.99

My love for China Glaze neons has been going on for a long, long time - as long as this blog infact.. See my post from back in 2010 about some of the green neons I own. Anyway, I've had these two for a long time, also, and I promised a full swatch and review back then, and never gave you one..Nearly two years later, I come through on that promise! Haha, I'm useless. Anyway, neons photograph.. horrifically, and I'm no camera expert, so these aren't really accurate shades. They're as close as I could get. They're these shades, but.. fluorescent! Temptalia has the most accurate swatches, colour wise.
Sun Worshipper is an amazing, not quite traffic cone orange, and not quite yellow, it's somewhere inbetween. It practically glows in the dark! And because it's so bright, it makes me look really tan. However, on overcast or dull days, it looks obscenely bright. Wear indoors, and you risk blinding people - my mother hates it!
Flip Flop Fantasy is a neon-coral, I suppose. It looks pink in the bottle, but takes on an orange tone when on the nails. It's less bright than Sun Worshipper.. though that's not saying much. It has a better formula though.
Neons are notoriously tricky - although I do own some good ones (In the Limelight, Turned Up Turquoise, Purple Panic). They are very thin, and watery, and require several coats to build it up to a flat colour. China Glaze recommend three coats, and with some polishes, that is enough. Sun Worshipper, I find, takes a lot more. And even then, you can still sort of see the nail lines through, so be warned, it takes patience! I also hate the matte/satin finish, so I always top-coat them. It protects them from chips, but it shortens the wear, I think.

Price: 5/5 (They're around £6 which is VERY reasonable)
Packaging: 5/5
Colour: 5/5
Formula: 2/5
Overall: 4/5
Would I buy it again?: Oh yes, yes, yes. In fact, China Glaze has a Neon Collection coming out for Summer 2012.. Oh, my wallet..

notd, bourjois red

Bourjois 10 Day Nail Polish in 11 Coquelicot, £5.99

I bought this a while ago on my quest for a perfect orange-red, and I was going to sell it when I did it like it, or give it to a friend, but I dug it out the other day in my quest for a red nail varnish and I actually quite like it! It's a pretty, warm red, with orange-hints. It also has the teensiest bit of shimmer to it, which is barely noticeable in the second picture. It also apparently lasts for 10 days with no chips. I didn't leave it on that long to tell, but it was very good with chips after a few days. Now I've got some time off work, I might leave it on for longer to tell. I know some people really care about the chipping of a polish, but I change my nails like I change my underwear, so I never really notice! 

It does have a weirdly angled brush, though, like an eyeliner brush or something. I don't really it it, if I'm honest. I'm a fan of short, wide brushes, and the angle doesn't work for me. Supposedly it's for "touch ups" but it just irritated me. Also, I didn't like the shape of the handle/lid. You can't really tell but they're short of pinched in the middle, which does sort of make it easy to hold, but I like to sort of flip the brush around and paint two nails with one dip in the bottle, and I kept on dropping it when I tried this. 

Price: 3/5 

Packaging: 2/5

Colour: 5/5

Formula: 4/5

Overall: 3/5

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. I've tried a few Bourjois nail polishes and  I just don't find them that spectacular for £6ish! 

simply red: my red lipstick collection..

"If you know me, you know I'll like… (fill the blank)." I start a lot of my posts like this. I am a Lipstick Person. I know a lot of people are not Lipstick People. I am also a Red Lipstick Person. 

Therefore, over the years, I have amassed a large collection of red lipsticks, and I thought I would take it upon myself to show you a variety of swatted colours. For reference, I'm a pale-skinned girl, around the NW20 shade in MAC Foundations, with dark hair and eyes, so red lipsticks are one of those things that suit me like a glove, luckily! If you've never tried a red before, I recommend starting with something light, or sheer, like Revlon's sheer lip butters (see my review below!), then working up to these..or, ignore that, and jump right in..!

(If some of the applications are a little sloppy, please excuse me, I was wiping them right off afterwards.) 

MAC Russian Red

This is the red-lipstick I would recommend to everyone who wants a good, solid, matte red. It's a blue-toned red, which is good for making the teeth look good, and it has a very nice, 50's kind of red feel. I think this is the best of MAC's 'staple-reds', far outshining Ruby Woo, MAC Red, or any of the other ones they do (that I have currently forgotten!). It is what I describe as 'high maintenance'. You need to keep an eye on the application throughout the day, it's also quite drying, but on the plus side - it is long lasting as hell! 

MAC Lady Bug

Lady Bug is my every day red, and its perfect for it. It has the colour of Russian Red and the quality of a MAC lipstick without being as drying. It's like Russian Red's glossy sister. You can layer it up so it's darker, or you can wear it a bit more sheer, like in this picture. 

Rimmel Alarm

Rimmel's selection is as good as MAC's, and at a much cheaper price. I've had this one for years, I think it was the first red I'd purchased. I still think it's as good as you can get for a super affordable price! It's got a really nice, cherry-ish scent, too. If you want a cheap, well pigmented, smooth lipstick, go for this one! I'm not sure if you can get 'Alarm' (I've had it for ages), but you can get the same colour with a different name.

Sleek Pin-Up (Pout Paint)

I'm including this in the lipsticks, because it's such a staple-red, but it lacks a lot in application. It's got the staying power of a lipstick, but unless you're super slick with the application, it bleeds like hell, like you can see in this picture. 

Christian Dior Rouge Bella Vita

This is a recent addition to my lipstick collection (you can read a full review here) and I am head-over-heels in love with it. It's a beautiful orange-toned red with the perfect combination of staying power, colour, moisturising qualities and sheen.. I cannot recommend enough!

MAC Crazee

Crazee is a funny kind of red. It's a lustre or something, and it has this shine. I do sometimes enjoy this red, it's super shiny. Sometimes I feel like this, but I often don't. It was limited edition lipstick, but you can find frosty-reds in hundreds of brands' collections, if you really want them! Generally, I really don't get frosty-lipsticks. They're just not my kind of thing. Maybe if I had a perma-tan.. haha

MAC Rapturous 

Another limited edition, I'm afraid, but these kind of colours are ten-a-penny.. and not my thing at all. In my hunt for the perfect deep-red lipstick, I found hundreds of berry-reds.. which are really just not want I wanted at all. It's a nice lipstick, another high maintenance colour, and it does bleed quite badly, but if you like a purple-ish red, this is the colour for you!

NARS Fire Down Below

In my opinion, I saved the best until last. This is probably my All Time Favourite Lipstick. Dun-dun-dunnnn... Yes, I have picked one! Haha. It's a lot darker than my camera would pick up. I swatched many a lipstick to find this beauty. It's both everything I love and everything I hate. It's drying and high maintenance and it can bleed if you're not careful.. but I put up with all of this for the colour. It's a dark, blue-toned red, which is apparently incredibly hard to find! I found a million brown-reds and purple-reds and everything in between until I found this beauty. My tips? A really good, heavy duty lip-balm underneath. Carmex or Burt's Bees are my choices, and then a good lipliner all over helps. 

That was a long post! My apologies, I can wax lyrical about lipstick, and apparently I have done! What are your favourite reds, and do you think I've missed anything major from my collection? 

burt's bees vs nivea body lotion

Nivea is my go-to brand for body moisturisation. They do my all-time, cure-all hand cream, which I have repurchased and repurchased over the years, and I recommend above all. At uni, my housemate had been using this Nivea lotion, and it made her legs ridiculously soft, so I thought I would give it ago. Whilst at home, I remembered I was given this Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Lotion for Christmas, and I thought I would compare the two and see which comes up on top..

Nivea Express Hydration Body Lotion, £5.10 for 250ml:
+ Takes roughly 3 minutes to absorb, which is good.
+ Does last for a long time, I would say about 6 hours.
+ Good on legs, I use it after shaving and it helps moisturise very well.
+ Very lovely, fresh, clean, smell.
+ Good value for money, but you use quite a lot each time you apply.
- It leaves the skin feeling like there is a sheen on top, theres no product left, but it feels sort of like barrier cream, if you know what that is. Over time, this wears off, but it does feel a little plastic-y at first.
- Bad as a hand-cream, leaves the hands feeling very sticky.

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk & Honey Body Lotion, £5.99 for 70g:
+ Quicker than Nivea, it's dry within about 2 minutes. A close run, but it matters when you're in hurry!
+ It has a buttery feeling when it's sunk in, as opposed to a sheen, which is really
+ Works really well as a hand-cream.
+ Comes in a smaller size for popping in your hand-bag and travelling!
+ Doesn't feel as waxy as a lot of their butters/salves.
+ Not inexpensive, but a little goes a long way.
- Although it feels more hydrating than the Nivea, it doesn't seem to last as long, I would say 3-4 hours at best.
- Has a less 'fresh' smell. I don't mind it, but I know Milk & Honey isn't it everyones taste, my mum in particular isn't fond of it.

The verdict is pretty inconclusive really! Both claim '24 Hour Moisturisation' which I am skeptical of anyway, both are for normal-dry skin, and claim a non-greasy feeling, which is true. The Nivea has a wide-range of choices, including Irresistibly Smooth, 'Touch of Happiness' (sounds like drugs or something?!) and Firming Body Lotion with Q10 Plus. Burt's Bees obviously do a wide-range, too, from a Richly Replenishing Cocoa and Cupuacu, Radiance Body Lotion, and a France Free Lotion with Shea Butter and Vitamin E. So there is a wide selection. I really like long-lasting, fast absorbing, hence my choices. Both of them I'd re-purchase, and are good value for money, so really it just comes down to your favourite scent, I think!

Anyway, I'm off to a Private View this evening in Hackney, which my work is in! I hope it goes smoothly.. haha.

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!