Worst Beauty Advice of 2009

This award has to go to Vogue's November Make Do & Mend Issue in which they suggested we use black pipe cleaners to fashion ourselves a pair of 'statement' eyebrows. Vogue, what were you thinking? Thanks to www.beautyeditor.ca, a special mention must go to Cosmo US October issue in which they advise using a thong as a hair tie as a 'fun' trick that guys love. And we read this stuff, why?

The Top 5 of 2009: Simply The Best

Rather than do a full blown review of all things beauty, I’m picking out my top five products that really stood out in 2009. It’s torture to limit myself to five, but at least this way you’ll know that nobody’s in it for the sake of it and these really are the very, very best beauty items you can buy.



Prestige Total Intensity Eyeliners

I still have yet to find eyeliners at such a great price (£4.99) that are as effective and durable as these. I still use mine almost every single day as of last January – and not much stays the course that long in my box of tricks!



Skinceuticals Phloretin CF

A little dose of magic for the skin. This serum pumps moisture back into dry skin in double quick time and within a couple of days I’d noticed a difference. My skin looked and felt soft, moisturised and well, just better.


Jonathan Ward Fragranced Candles

Jonathan Ward is a candle artisan. Cleverly constructed scents that infuse your home with delicious and enticing aromas are too delicious for words. This is a young company that hasn’t yet given way to overt commercialisation and therefore quality, integrity and a personal touch is very much evident.



Max Factor Second Skin Foundation

Easily the best foundation that I’ve tried in years, that knocks spots off pricier competitors. It’s a doddle to blend, stays put and more importantly gives the complexion that illusive ‘flawless’ effect.


Oribe Haircare

Simply put, Oribe is the best hair care range I’ve ever, ever used. It leaves hair feeling and looking silky, glossy and pampered.

Beauty Wishes for 2010

So, here's my list of things that I WISH someone would invent - please do add in your own inventions!

1. Wash-Off Nail Dye: so all you need post-dying in the colour of your choice is a slick of clear polish to make it shine and keep it from fading:

2. Magic Mascara: I'm sure this one is on its way, but I'd love to see a mascara that makes your lashes grow.

3. Wash Away Bath Oil: A proper, proper bath oil that doesn't stick to the sides of the bath but melts away with the water leaving the bath clean.

4. Make Up Spaghetti Reducer: You know those annoying little 'strands' that appear after you've applied foundation over moisturiser or applied body cream? I'd like a little potion that stops them from every happening.

5. Proper Patent Mascara: Not the rubbishy, pretend patent mascara, but one that really does shine black on the lashes...just can't think of anything more gorgeous. I'd even accept patent false lashes if they are nicely done.

I'm dying to hear what you've invented in your heads...you never know, some beauty boffin might be listening!

2010 Emerging Nail Trends

Revlon Minted

Revlon Lilac Pastille

There's a real pastel theme emerging for next year's nails, sparked in no small part by Chanel's creamy fondant green Jade polish this autumn. Two new shades from Revlon launching in March have caught my eye, Lilac Pastille and Minted - both must-haves for holiday nails (because I feel they need a bit of a tan to wear well and not strip colour from hands). I'm quite keen to try them with black moons or tips too - especially the lilac - for statement nails. Watch out too for some stunning shades coming from Marks & Spencer (yes, really!), including another washed mint version, and the brightest of yellows.

Almost Painless : Injectables

I knew there was something I forgot to post about! Just before Christmas I had a few fillers put in to disguise those smoky creases (yes, I know, a smoking beauty editor - shoot me now) round my mouth...I always go to the same clinic (Courthouse Clinic in Wimpole St - and before you ask, no, I don't have shares in it!!) but have had various practitioners over the past couple of years. This time I got the head honcho...Dr Patrick Bowler, who used an injectable - Restylane - with a pain killing ingredient in it. Now, anyone who has ever had injectables put in the tiny creases around the mouth - or anywhere else for that matter - will know it takes you to the limits of your pain threshold. With so many nerve endings in such a sensitive area, you really, really have to want this procedure! Personally, I love Restylane for its instant wrinkle ridding results so am prepared to go through the horrible sensation. However, the filler with pain killer was a revelation...much less painful (I still felt a pinprick) and entirely bearable...and still with the same line erasing results. If you feel like venturing into the world of injectables then please do make sure that you ask for the type with pain killer in it, and don't rely on Emla cream that is given out by many clinics, to numb the area, because it doesn't really.

Dior DiorShow Extase Mascara

Dior DiorShow Extase Mascara

I'm not sure when this launches in the UK, but the newest mascara from Dior claims to plump lashes from the inside and out. Built-in treatments - in the form of ceramides help to reconstruct lashes, while spherical Black Pearl pigments and 'Metamorphosis Powders' patented by Dior increase volume by 50% on application.

Image sourced from Sephora.com.

Nars Orgasm Illuminator for February

Nars Orgasm Illuminator

Nars very kindly gave the heads up for some of the new products coming in 2010 in their Christmas card. The one that Nars fans will probably be most excited about is the Nars Orgasm Illuminator coming to the UK in February (although I've already spotted it on the cyber-shelves of Sephora). Mix with foundation, tinted moisturiser or wear alone for an orgasmic glow.

Overall Beauty Sale Haul!

Eeek they're here! I'm been dreaming about these nonstop since I first saw them and now they're finally here! *squeal* (Click these suckers to enlarge, they're ginormous!)


Kelly's Green, Redwood Forest, Vampy Varnish, Mendocino Midnight, Union Square, Napa Valley Red. OMG SO HOT

These are Kelly of Vampy Varnish's personal creations! Check out her swatches!

These came along for the ride as well:


Studio 54, Saturday Night Fever, Hard-On Nail Strengthener, Top Rock Topcoat.

Studio 54 almost seems a little frosty, Saturday Night Fever looks like it could be twinny to Emerald Sparkle. I'll admit, I only bought Hard-On for the name and Top Rock because it's scented. Heh.

Looks like they made the bottles smaller, as you can see in the second picture. They're .5oz now instead of .6oz.

I can't wait to try all of these on. OMG I'm so excited. SO MANY GREENS!!! SO MUCH GLITTER!!!! The colors, Duke!

Aveda Balancing Infusion

Aveda Balancing Infusion

I was sent this tiny bottle of balancing plant oils a few weeks ago and put it to the back of the 'testing' pile because it just didn't look very exciting to me. However, when I did bother to read the packaging, I discovered that it is effortless and extremely practical. You simply add a couple of drops of the concetrate (containing ylang ylang, patchouli and Jasmine oils plus plant ceramides) to your regular moisturiser to give it a turbo charge of hydration. I've been using it with my Caudalie Grand Cru at night and it really is quite impressive. Just adding two drops really does give extra moisture and I wake up with skin that feels very soft, without a hint of dryness. My one complaint is that the dropper mechanism isn't very effective - it's nigh on impossible to shake out the required two drops (unless maybe I'm supposed to tip it upside down and just wait for a drop to fall out....which could be for ever). I end up with just a splodge of oil in the palm of my hand which I can only approximate at two drops which I then mix with moisturiser. The smell is quite strong - you have to like botanical aromas - and the price is reasonable at £18.11, compared with switching to a more heavy duty moisturiser. Even with the dropper irritation, I love this way of ramping up regular beauty creams without a huge outlay. There are also infusions for acne prone skin and sensitive skin.

Estee Lauder: Brand New Brushes

Estee Lauder Make Up Brushes

I was sent a set of the brand new brushes from Estee Lauder before Christmas so I've had plenty of time to put them to the test. I'm not really a 'tools' person, preferring to grab any old thing that will do the job, but I have to say that these really do hit the spot - and even more so if you are a brush afficionado as I know many are. They're all ultra-soft, making blending a doddle, with good length handles for a proper grip. I particularly liked the powder brush (shown), although I've been using it for blusher. They aren't budget friendly brushes though, with the powder brush coming in at a whopping £32 which puts them firmly into the luxury category for me. Are they worth it? Hmm, that's a hard call with so many similarly priced (Laura Mercier for example) or less costly brushes on the market. On balance, if you are a brush girl, you'll adore these - if, on the other hand you are like me and a bit 'meh' about tools, shop around and you'll find similar quality for considerably less.

OMG super awesome sneak preview SPRING 2010 BARIELLES!

UPS man just totally surprised me with this package! A Festivus miracle!!

Darling Dahlia, Blossom, Myrza's Meadow (someone at Barielle plays Magic: The Gathering? Oh wait... that's Urza.), Snap Dragon, A Bouqet For Ava and June Bug.

Click to enlarge.

Two of these have GLITTER!!

I'm on my way to a Christmas party so I have to post and run... More info soon!

EDIT: Forgot to post these, too excited!


Myrza's Meadow


June Bug

100% of the proceeds from A Bouquet For Ava, June Bug and Myrza's Meadow purchased at www.orcf.org will be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund

A polish I really like - China Glaze Afterglow

China Glaze Afterglow. I found this polish in my stash a couple weeks ago. I was moving all my China Glazes into an Ikea Helmer, attempting to sort them vaguely by color. That's when I saw it. I didn't even know I had this. I don't think I've ever worn it. It's a shame, cause it's SO FREAKIN' COOL! It's a sheer polish with a milky nude-peach-yellowy pink base, which throws you off because it looks kinda funky. But the funny base isn't what shows up on your nail- it's the wicked blue iridescence! It has both a bright blue flash and bright blue shimmer particles. It looks electric. I can't stop looking at it. I think it would be amazing for layering over other colors, but I kinda like how this looks all by itself. This is three coats. I think one of the reasons I'm so drawn to this is that it reminds me of a polish I had in junior high. It was from Afterthoughts, remember that place? They sold cheap jewelry and did crappy ear piercing? Anyway, the name of the polish was Angel. Angel looked a bit like this (and a lot of other polishes, white with blue iridescence seems to be a popular theme).

So, there you go. China Glaze Afterglow. Cool polish.

You know... I really like doing random posts like this. I haven't had much time to sit and do 'real' reviews of collections lately (despite the fact that I have months worth of crap to post! Oy) and it really has me thinking.... Random posts are fun. Reviews feel like work, unless it's something I'm super-super excited about, and then it's fun.

And speaking of reviews, I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do my full Nubar Prism review soon, as I STILL haven't seen the polishes in sunlight. It's been... what... a week? That's Chicago winter for you. I really wanted to see how much they sparkle in real sunlight and get some better pictures. I may just have to review them with my initial impressions. Hopefully I'll get a little sunlight before they come out and I won't have to do that.

I think that's all I wanted to say... I feel like I'm forgetting something. I don't know. *dodges avalanche of green slime*

If I don't get another chance to post before then, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas! I know I will, I'm making rum cake.

Happy Christmas And Thank You

Happy tidings to everyone..and a huge thank you so much to all those of you read my blog and those who take time to comment and add your amazing input to the posts. This blog is designed to be an open forum where your views and thoughts are invaluable. Where possible, I give feedback to the brands concerned so they've got the ultimate 'customer feedback' on their product - good or bad. So, your voices are heard. I also want to thank (no, don't worry, I'm not doing a Gwynneth getting all teary and rambling for hours!) the PRs who stoically brave their clients' wrath when things don't get such a positive response and don't bring it back to my table but carry on being helpful and kind without mentioning it. I know it happens. And also thanks have to go to both PRs and brands who have unwaveringly supported bloggers - they know who they are, and so do we. Finally, I need to say a very big thank you to all other beauty bloggers - we've formed a real blog community that's friendly, dynamic and unendingly supportive. All in all, this blog wouldn't be what it is without everyone mentioned - I'm so grateful every single day that people keep reading. My thanks.

I'm taking a few days off from 24th through to 28th or so, but will be moderating comments and of course, if anything too exciting comes in, will be adding in a sneaky post between the turkey and the Queen's speech.

Oh, and finally, to those who asked whether they should invest in a Slendertone Face system, I say yes. I stopped using it and noticed the difference..I'm back on the buzzing big time!

Melvita Hydrastim: To The Test

I've been trialling Melivta Hydrastim Moisturising Gel ahead of the French organic brand's UK launch. I haven't used it long enough to say what the long term benefits are but in the short term, I've found it perfect as a pre-foundation moisturiser that is light but still hydrating and more importantly, doesn't interfere with the foundation texture. (There has to be a technical term for those little spaghetti strands of product/foundation that occur when the chemistry isn't right between both formulations. Any ideas for a name for this occurence would be welcome!) Natural ingredients, an ECOCERT certification and a honey inspired regime all count for nothing if the products don't work. I like what I've seen so far from the range - Hydrastim is supposed to plump out the skin as it uses Hyularonic acid (along with Aloe and Noni (Polynesian plant)...it certainly makes it look and feel very smooth although I can't say for sure that the plumping effect is noticable. The smell is slightly on the sweet side but not unpleasant..in fact, rather pretty and it sinks in quickly and effectively. Given that it will roll in at just under £20 I'd say you're getting a very good product for that price - it feels almost secondary that the whole lot has such great eco credentials. It's available from January.

Urban Decay Alice In Wonderland Palette Limited Edition

Ok, so don't tell me I haven't saved the best till last, as I'll be taking a break for Christmas very soon! This amazing Urban Decay Alice In Wonderland Palette is limited in the UK to 2000 palettes...not a lot to go around so many beauty lovers. Collaborating with Disney, in time for Tim Burton's film that will see the world go Alice crazy, the 16 colour palette comprises Urban Decay's best sellers renamed in homage to Alice. The pop up decoration interprets Alice's journey through the Mushroom Forest (err, you'll have to ask Tim Burton about that one!). So, main points are that it launches in March, possibly at Debenhams, and if I get any notification of a wait list to join, you'll be the first to know. It will retail for £28.

Nag, nag, nag. Sales!

Okay, since this is the third or fourth email I've gotten about it, I figured I might as well post it.

Barielle's still having their Holiday sale- 10% off orders over $25, 20% off orders over $60 (and free shipping) or 30% off orders over $100 (and free shipping.) No code needed. Ends December 25th. A couple swatches here: Barielle

Also, BB Couture is doing a buy one get one free sale. Buy one polish and get another of the same polish for free. No code required, ends December 25th. Only valid on BB Couture's site.

I know there was one more sale I'm forgetting.... I think I deleted the emails already. It might have been Lippmann.

Inneov Fermete Anti Wrinkle Pills: Pills Schmills

The Times reports on a new anti-wrinkle pill from L'oreal and Nestle based on tomato extracted Lycopene currently on sale in Europe and with a British launch planned. But before you rush out to stock up on the £25 for a ten day supply of tablets, bear in mind that tests showed an 8.7% improvement in skin elasticity. Is it just me, or is that a rubbish result? 87% and I'd be impressed, but spending £75 per month (and it's at least 3 months before you are expected to see a result)for so little visual result can't be worth it. Spend your money on a fabulous handbag instead - a smile is the prettiest anti-ageing effect in the world.

Victoria Jackson: Discuss

I received this Anon comment yesterday regarding Victoria Jackson and thought I'd publish it on the main page because it is the first time I've had a comment leaping to VJ's defence. I think there is a good lesson here about how blogs really do give the best feed back that companies could ever hope to get, and since there have been nothing but negative comments regarding VJ other than this one maybe they need to listen up and realise that their approach alienates their potential clientelle.

"I work for CSK Glasgow, it's not a scam in the slightest. We aren't trained to lie, we don't do a pitch from a script, we do the research and we say what we feel is appropriate. If somebody says something that is incorrect then that's that one person, not the entire team. The goods are genuine, look on the bottom of the packaging, it will tell you there. If it were a scam do you not think that the company would have been shut down a long time ago? People walking by assume too much by thinking you get it for free, it is good make up. Not to everybody's taste but most of the people I know that use it love it! We also get returning customers who want to buy more because they think its fantastic!

SO for all you who think its a scam, think again. KNOW A BARGAIN WHEN YOU SEE ONE! We are honest about the survival kit, it really is worth 59.99, but we only do it for 29.99. AND your getting loads of genuine freebies with that promotion. SO tell me how that makes CSK a company that scams people?"

Color Club Wonderland Minis Winter 2009

Holy crap. I just realized it's almost Christmas and I still haven't posted these Color Club glitters. I took these pictures BEFORE HALLOWEEN. Talk about backlog... I feel like I'll never be able to post all the things I want to post. Argh! Well, like I always say, better late than never. And there's no rule that says you can't wear green glitter after Christmas, so, there!

(These were sent to me by Color Club)

Under The Mistletoe. Let's just start off with my favorite. Green glitter, any surprise it's the one I like the most? Didn't think so. This is not generally what I think of for a 'mistletoe' shade, but it's still nice! It's a light yellowy silver-green glitter. The base seems tinted, but the glitter is dense enough to cover the entire nail with no problem. Very very sparkly.


Wonderland. Super sparkly light silver glitter. The picture speaks for itself. Uber-sparkly snowy silver glitter. Has a very bright reflective overall look. Not as dense as other silver glitters, this one would work well as a topcoat but it is dense enough to wear alone.

Yule Love It. Light red glitter in a light red tinted/jellyish base. Again, not the traditional red glitter Ruby Pumps close. I like it! This is a very pinkish red shade, almost more of a deep magenta than a true red. The base isn't as sheer as I had expected it to be, it's more of a jelly finish than a sheer tint. Lovely. Does double duty as a great Valentine's Day color as well.

Here's a quick indoor shot of them from the day I got them. That's Abracadabra on my middle finger.

The formula on these was good. The glitter was nice and dense, I did three coats of all and that was good enough coverage for me to be happy. They're a little on the thick side. Drying time wasn't lightning fast, but not what I'd consider long. Average for Color Club, but faster than the Glitter Vixens. The glitter does have a little grit to it and needs a coat of a nice thick topcoat but they're also not as gritty as the Glitter Vixen ones were. These are more of a slight bumpy finish than a scratchy gritty finish. Yule Love It is actually quite smooth for a glitter. This set also comes with a clear topcoat- I haven't used it so I can't really judge the formula.

Worth mentioning again, these are mini size, but they still have a decent sized brush. No stubby little OPI-Mini style brush. That's one thing I really like about Color Club minis, real brushes! And I just can't resist minis... they're too cute... Don't know what it is with me and mini things. Mini food, mini polish, mini perfumes... I'm just attracted to them like a magnet!

It probably goes without saying that this little set makes me squeal like a schoolgirl. Throw some glitter at me and I'll be singing your praises forever. I'm a total glitter ho.

Pupa Kokeshi Dolls

Oh my goodness, I can't believe I haven't spotted these before from Italian brand, Pupa. How Christmassy. They're available online at www.spoiledbrat.co.uk.

I Shouldn't, But I Do: John Galliano for Christian Dior Contact Lenses

I love these contact lenses that places a black border around the iris. A perfect accompaniment for lash extensions, me thinks!

Limited Edition Lanvin Dolls 2009

I don't have the words to express how much I want this beautiful porcelein Miss Lanvin 14. The ladies are sitting atop a bottle of Lanvin fragrance in scarlet dresses and are designed by Alber Elbaz, creative director of Lanvin. Find the dolls at www.brownsfashion.com or Harrods. This figure is £325 (the reason why I haven't stocked up on the whole collection!).

Another little super-quick Zoya Reverie preview

Just got some little swatches of Zoya's new Reverie collection- very interesting!


They all look duochromey/iridescent. Adina is by far the best, with a rich purple base and strong green/teal duochrome. Not a dupe of Ki, but similar feel to it. Best color I've seen in a while. Closest thing it comes to is Nubar Peacock Feathers, but it's not a dupe of that either. Very rich color.

Here's a couple quick shots of the swatches- hopefully I'll have the real thing to swatch soon! I know, they're blurry and glare-y, but I had like two seconds to take the pictures, sorry :(



Flash, shows the gold duochrome, click to enlarge.



Indoor ambient light, really shows the nice duochrome on Adina and accurate representation of the colors of the rest. Click to enlarge.

Closeup of Adina.


They all look pretty in person, but I'm most excited about Adina. It's awesome.

American Apparel Launches Nail Polish Line

The Full Line Up of American Apparel Nail Polish


Factory Grey


Office


Poppy

There are some really beautiful colours in this brand new nail polish line by American Apparel. Simply called NailLacquer, the range has 18 shades - look out for on trend Factory Grey and ivy green Hunter. At $6 a bottle, they're affordable, and remind me of ButterLONDON's eclectic mix of architectural and bright shades.

Read All About It: Be Beautiful

If you cast your mind back to the days when you first started experimenting with make up and beauty, there are no doubt some cringe-worthy moments! Mistakes I know I made (from the photographic evidence...argh!) are orangey, tide mark foundations and totally OD-ing on hair conditioner (following the more is more principle)! Beauty journalist (and one whose features I do actually look forward to reading - she's old-school, no-nonsense and has a great way of explaining the beauty inexplicable!), Alice Hart Davis has collaborated with her daughter, Molly, to put together the ultimate teen guide on make up and skin care. With plenty of advice and suggestions, including skin, teeth, hair, spots, make up and fragrance, the book also covers eco and green products that are perfect for unreliable teenage skin. The models are Molly and her friends...so, real-life teenagers - not the High-School-Musical-a-likes normally found in the teen-model category. If you want to relive your youth, or more realistically, have a sister, daughter, friend that could do with a bit of beauty straight-talking, this is the book to do it. There are lots of internet deals on the price of this book, which is RRP £9.99, so do search around a bit.

Slimming Cream? Whatever For?

Generally, I have a pretty relaxed attitude to the myriad of lotions and potions that I'm asked to test - I don't always have faith that they'll actually do anything, but anything that helps women spend time and attention on themselves has its place. And if you enjoy using a product, then that's often enough to feel more positive. However, one area that I just won't touch is so called 'slimming creams'. I've been offered a couple recently to road test, but how in all honesty could I possibly suggest that readers spend money on something that is blatantly unnecessary. Creams won't help you slim. Eating less and exercising more most certainly will. And that is absolutely free. Women who suffer from water retention or - to a lesser degree in my opinion - have cellulite can be moderately helped by products and supplements - although with the exception of Sisley Celluli-pro, which certainly made things smoother and less dimply, I've yet to see a truly impressive cellulite cream. Whether 'fat burning' tablets and potions have any effect or not is neither here nor there - the tried and tested 'less food' method will give better results. And, if you notice, there is always a disclaimer on the packaging that says 'use in conjunction with *sweating your ass off in a gym and denying any cake that comes your way*'. So, seriously, if you're looking to drop the pounds, don't reach for the beauty shelves - there's nothing there that can help you in any meaningful way.

Love & Toast

Kind of ironic that my last post was all about packaging, and then I find these little beauties from Love & Toast which proves my point all over again. They're so quirky, innovative and pretty and contain hand cream in a variety of intriguing flavours...Gin Blossom and Sugar Grapefruit among them. There are also lip balms and bottles of fragrance, but frustratingly I can't find a website that stocks them. Oh well, a ticket to JFK for me, please. (image: www.nymag.com).

Natural Empathy Limited Edition Hand & Body Lotion

Hard working products don't have to look amazing as long as they do the job, but since its packaging that attracts us to something in the first place, it can't be underestimated how important it is to be pretty/cool/stylish. A great example is this limited edition hand and body lotion from Natural Empathy - a brand I associate with quality natural skin care, but wouldn't go out of my way to buy. Mostly Natural Empathy uses packaging inspired by William Morris - it's pretty in a Crabtree/Yardley kind of way but for my personal style, doesn't make me especially want it. However, the Union Jack limited edition is right up my street. I want this in my bathroom, today! £15 at www.naturalempathy.com.

Nubar Prisms Collection Quickie Blurry Preview

I was way too excited to wait for appropriate lighting for swatches, so I snapped a few pics in the dark of the Nubar Prism samples that just arrived. I really need to see these in sunlight to assess them properly and write a real review, so here are some funky blurry crappy pictures because I'm impatient and overly excited about new holos.

sparkles yay omg

[Holy crap I can't believe I'm posting these O_o]

Absolute

Brilliance


Essence


Gem

Jewel


Prize


Spark



Treasure

Real swatches and a review will be posted when I get a chance to do them. But now it's 2am and I'm going to bed.

I may dream about glitter. Or meatballs.