Babyliss PRO Perfect Curl

OMG !!!! I have just stumbled upon the most amazing product I have ever seen.

What is this contraption I hear you ask.  Well if you struggle with curling your hair the way I do I call it a god send.  You basically take a section of hair, clamp it in the device and it sucks in your hair.  You wait for a few seconds release the clamp and out comes a perfectly curled piece of hair.  It's like magic !!!

Check out the video below:

I was truly amazed when I saw it and it's gone straight to the top of my Beauty Wish List.  

Here's a brief outline of product specifics:

From longer lengths to shorter styles, no matter what the hair type, the Perfect Curl will create shiny, long-lasting curls, every time.

• Ceramic curl chamber for smooth and shiny curl creation
• 3 timer settings for looser waves, soft curls or more defined curls
• 3 heat settings; 190°C, 210°C and 230°C for long lasting results on different hair types
• Powerful heating system ready to use in seconds with ultra-fast heat recovery
• Curl direction control for either a uniform or natural look
• Suitable for shorter and longer hair lengths
• Heat ready indicator light
• Auto shut off
• Salon length swivel cord

It will be available to purchase from the end of March from Sally's and Capital Hairdressing.  It's not cheap though £120+VAT (that's £144 to me and you).  I can't wait to check this out, what are your thoughts on this ?

OPI Liquid Sand - Stay The Night

Hey Everyone

So I'm going to admit as well as being a makeup junkie I'm also a massive polish junkie.  I love anything new, innovative and a little bit different so when I saw the OPI Liquid Sand polishes I kinda fell in love.

  These were released in the OPI Mariah Carey Collection and the one I purchased is called Stay The Night.  It has a black base with red glitter.  When you apply the polish it goes on glossy but as it dries it leaves a matte, textured finish with sparky red glitter particles running through it. 

It leaves a beautiful effect and under the light the red glitter sparkles against the matte black sandy finish.

 

The staying power of this varnish is above average I would say.  I have had it on since Tuesday and it has only just started to show signs of chipping along the edges.  If you wanted to make it last longer you could pop on a top coat after a few days.  This would give you a glossy finish that's just as nice as the matte but will take away the sandy texture.

 

I guess taking it off will be a bit of a chore.  Looks like I will be wrapping my fingernails up in aluminum foil again but between you and me I think it's worth it.

 

I'd definitely recommend this one if you're looking for something a little different to add to your collection.

 

Do you like the new textured polish trend or are you more of a traditionalist when it comes to polish?

 

Bioderma - A Review and some Gossip !!!

Look on any Beauty Blog and you will see rave reviews regarding this product.  Bioderma is a French Pharmaceutical Brand.  The Sensibio H2O Micellar Solution is a gentle cleansing water for sensitive skins that can be used to remove makeup from the eyes and face and as a daily cleanser.  It is used extensively by Models and Make Up Artists.

 

My skin is super sensitive, so when I heard about this I was intrigued to give it a go and see how it would work on my skin.  I purchased the cute little 100ml bottle from ebay (I didn't see the point of getting a huge bottle if it wasn't going to work for me).

So just a little bit of background regarding my skin.  I have a small amount of eczema on my upper lip and also on my left eyelid that is easily irritated and can get very sore, especially with makeup and makeup removers.  I generally tend to avoid using harsh products on these areas for fear of aggravating them.  The Bioderma cleanser has been amazing in this respect.  It has not irritated any of these areas at all which is an absolute god send.  I can honestly say I will never be without this product again.

In terms of makeup removal it does a pretty excellent job.  Occasionally I will use an oil based eye makeup remover to remove the final traces of eyeliner and mascara from my eyes when I have done a heavy eye look but other than that the Bioderma works just fine.

So here's the downside.  Currently it is quite difficult to get hold of in the UK and online retailers are often out of stock or charge an extortionate amount for it.  Many people pick up bottles on visits to Paris and other areas in France but for those of us that are not making regular trips to France it's a bit of a sad tale.  There are rumours that the full range will be available in the UK shortly and it was available in the Harvey Nichols Beauty Mart in London for a short time, unfortunately they are not allowed to stock it anymore.  The rumour mill suggested that it may be available in Boots but my discussions with the ladies at the Beauty Mart seem to suggest otherwise.

Apparently Bioderma will be going into your local independant UK pharmacy !!!???
Now Boots I can understand but I can not see my local pharmacist buying in masses of Bioderma products to fulfill the needs of those of us in the know about it's brilliance.
I do not understand Bioderma's sales strategy here and I think they have completely misunderstood the UK market by adopting this approach.  I am hoping that what I have heard is wrong, but if I'm not, get ready to start hunting around in your local pharmacy's to get your Bioderma fix.

What do you think about the Bioderma sales strategy ???

London Haul

Hey Everyone,

So I finally managed to make the trip down to London and pick up some of the products on my Beauty Wish List.  Here's what I got:

Flatter Me Pearlmatte Powder - MAC Archie's Collection

  I believe this Collection is exclusive to Selfridges (for the moment at least).  

I just couldn't resist the cuteness of this face powder and really wanted to get something from the collection.  This was the only thing that really stood out.

Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre.  

I have been hearing so many good things about this product and how it is the perfect base for makeup and a MUA staple product, so I thought I would see what all the hype was about.  I'll keep you updated on what I think about it and whether I agree with the masses.

Burberry Lip Glow - Pink Sweet Pea.  

So Burberry have finally added some long awaited colour to their regular neutral palette - and all for the better I say.  This lip gloss is so bright and lush, it doesn't have that nasty sticky feeling you get from some glosses so is very comfortable to wear.  The sun is now making an appearance here in the UK so bring on the Spring/Summer brights - can't wait. 

Burberry Lip Glow - Pink Sweet Pea

 Tom Ford

I'm not going to bore you with the details of how much I love the Tom Ford makeup line.  I think I've spoken about it enough already but I sooooo dooooo lol.  I picked up a couple of things from the Harrods Concession.  The Lipstick in True Coral and the Blush in Narcissist.

Tom Ford Lip Color - True Coral

 

Tom Ford Blush - Narcissist

 Inglot Palette

You've got to love Inglot for this concept.  Instead of carrying around ten eye shadows in their palette I can now carry thirty - a girl can never have too many eyeshadows don't you think???  I got my grubby little hands on all ten of the Rainbow Double Sparkle Shadows.  First impressions are very good all the shades are very pigmented and blendable.

Illamasqua

Oooooo the impulse buy!!!  Illamasqua's I'm Perfection Nail Varnish in Scarce.  Perfect timing for Easter - My nails look like they've been attacked by pink Cadbury's Mini Eggs.  I think it's a really cute look.

 

I'll be posting some looks using these products over the next few weeks.  Please let me know if you would like to see additional swatches of any of the items above.

See ya

FOTD - Inglot Eyeshadows

 FACE

Foundation

Laura Mercier Creme Smooth Foundation (Golden Beige)

Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Compact (20 Beige)

Corrector & Concealer

Bobbi Brown Corrector (Dark Peach)

MAC Studio Finish Concealer (NW30)

 Cheeks

Nars Laguna Bronzer

Nars Orgasm Blush

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (Stereo Rose) 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish (Porcelain Pink)

EYES

 MAC Paint Pot (Painterly)

Inglot Eyeshadows:

No. 446 (Deep Purple)

No.460 (Silver)

No.490 (Bright Pink)

No.376 (Deep Grey)

Makeup Forever No.92 (Bright Purple)

Inglot Eyeliner Gel (No.77 Black)

Benefit They're Real Mascara

Ardell 102 Lashes

MAC Eye Brow Pencil (Stud)

LIPS

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter (Lollipop)

I hope you liked the look...

TAG...Why Do I Wear Makeup?

I just read a tag post on Miss Beauty Adikt's blog that I really liked and thought, as I'm new to this whole blogging malarky, it would be a good post to do to let you all know my thoughts on makeup...

My Current Makeup Setup

 So here it goes...

When did you start wearing makeup?

Apart from the odd application of lippy at school and college I have to say that I only really truly got into wearing makeup in my mid twenties.  I started by doing quite simplistic looks but have to say I prefer a more full-faced makeup look nowadays - done well of course lol !

What was the first makeup that you bought and loved?

You're going to laugh at this but it was actually a lip liner from Miss Selfridge - I'm pretty sure they don't do makeup anymore but when I was at College it was readily available from Boots - It was a pinky nude colour and I basically lived off it all the way through college.

What is your most used eyeshadow?

I must admit I play up my eyeshadow quite a bit so I'm always using something different.  I guess if I had to choose anything it would be my Naked 2 Palette by Urban Decay.  The colours I tend to use most from it are; Snakenite, Suspect, Tease, Busted and Blackout.

When did you begin loving makeup?

I remember the first time a close friend of mine took me into a MAC store.  I was in awe - I had never seen so much makeup in one place.  That was the start I guess...we didn't have a MAC store locally at the time so whenever we would go somewhere that had one I would pick something up to add to my collection.  I also think You Tube had a big hand in me becoming truly obsessed lol.  The first "Makeup Guru" I started following was Marlena from Makeup Geek, I used to watch her videos and then try to recreate the looks on myself and got pretty good at it...it just escalated from there and now its a true passion.

How do you feel without makeup?

Honestly, I can go without wearing makeup.  In fact, most days I do.  I don't usually wear makeup to work unless I have extra time in the mornings - I love my sleep so that doesn't happen very often lol.  I do think I look better with makeup on, it just gives me that je ne sais quoi, but hey doesn't everybody ;) 

What do you like about makeup?

I love how it can transform the way you look.  I use it as a creative outlet putting colours and looks together then looking in the mirror and thinking damn that looks good ! It just gives me a certain satisfaction.  I love experimenting with colour, texture and different products.

Three Holy Grail items:

Hmmmmmmm now there's a question.  

1. Black Kohl Eyeliner - If I had to leave the house with just one product on my face this would be it...a quick swipe through the waterline and I'm good to go.  Also it's versatile and can be used for other things...

2. A Nude Lipstick - This would be the second thing I would choose when leaving the house in a hurry.  My favourite nude at the moment is Tom Fords Lipstick in Indian Rose 

3. Clarins Gental Day Cream - I have quite dry and sensitive skin and this is the only moisturiser I have found that doesn't give me any skin issues - I love it and wouldn't be without it. 

Why do you wear makeup?      

I wear makeup because it makes me happy.  That might sound a bit cliché but it really does.  I like how you can use it to enhance your features, even out your complexion and experiment with different looks.

 

Any misconceptions about makeup that really bother you?

A general misconception I feel that is out there is that you have to spend a lot of money on a product in order for it to perform.  I will admit that I buy a mix of both high-end and budget makeup.  I do tend to prefer high-end but that's generally because I like the packaging and the premium feel of the product plus I have the extra disposable income.  There are some great budget brands out there and high-street makeup is getting better and better all the time with innovative well performing products.  A couple of Budget brands I love are Sleek and Revlon.

If you would like to read Miss Beauty Adikt's post on this Tag you can find it here.  Thanks for the inspiration Selina xXx

Also if anyone else would like to do the tag please let me know so I can read your thoughts on the subject.

...Beauty Wish List...

Hey Everyone,

Here's a quick peak at what's currently on my beauty wish list. 

 1. Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre

I may be a bit late to the Party on this one but I've been reading some good things about this moisturiser.  A rich consistency and suitable for dry skin.  
A make-up artist must have ! - Lets see shall we ???

2. Tom Ford Lip Color - True Coral

 I mentioned how much I loved my Tom Ford lipstick in Indian Rose in My 2012 Favourites post.  Well True Coral is next on my list - I'm a sucker for coral lipsticks... ;)

3. MAC Archie's Girls Collection

A few products from this collection are catching my eye.  Betty's Pearl Matte Face Powder in Flatter Me.  This powder/blush has a golden peach base with coral hearts and looks adorable.  Veronica's Spoiled Rich Eyeshadow Palette containing a range of purple hued eye shadows also looks very pretty.  Can't wait to swatch these to see if they're worth adding to my collection. 

4. Burberry Lip Glow - Pink Sweet Pea No.20
Burberry packaging together with a beautiful pink gloss.  If you haven't guessed already I'm a sucker for beautifully packaged makeup.  It makes you feel that extra bit special when you're using it.  This one definitely stood out in their Spring/Summer Collection.

5. Inglot Double Sparkle Rainbow Eye shadows
I already have 10 of the Inglot matte rainbow eye shadows so I thought these would be a nice addition to the kit.  I like the versatility these provide although the palettes are rather heavy which don't make them ideal for traveling with.

 
6. Burberry Complete Eye Palette
I am hoping these are still available when I manage to get down to London as they were part of Burberry's Holiday Collection.  I hate buying makeup without swatching it first - especially expensive makeup. So please, please, please keep one of these waiting for me :)

7. Tom Ford Cheek Color 
Tom Ford is going to be one of those cosmetic brands that absolutely

annihilates me.  There's something about that rich mahogany packaging with gold accents that just says buy me, buy me !!!  I have read some good reviews about their blushes so why not eh !!!  I can't make up my mind between Narcissist (pictured above) and Flush an orange-coral shade.

My London shopping trip is planned for February so hopefully some of these beauties will be coming home with me.  Can't wait !!!

What's on your current Beauty Wish List ?

Have you purchased any of the above products? If so, what did you think of them ? 

Sleek - Blush by 3

Hi Everyone,

I hope you're all doing well !!! The snow in the UK has been relentless - we really do not do snow well here - but it's so beautiful you can't help but love it !!!

I was in Superdrug the other day and picked up two of the Sleek Blush by 3 Palettes.  I've been meaning to try these for a while but whenever I have looked for them they have been sold out - Don't you just hate that !!!??  So when I saw them in store I just couldn't help myself :)

The two that I picked up were in the shades Pumpkin and Lace

Sleek - Blush By 3 - Pumpkin

Sleek - Blush By 3 - Lace

 Each palette contain two matte shades and one shimmer shade.  These can be worn alone or mixed together to create a variety of different looks.  I love how pigmented these blushes are - a little does go a long way.

Pumpkin Palette Shades: Lantern, Squash, P Pie

Lantern: Is a red shade with orange undertones and has shimmer.

Squash: Is a bright matte pink.

P Pie: Is a bright matte orange.

Lace Palette Shades: Crochet, Guipure, Chantilly

Crochet: Is a matte bright coral.

Guipure: Is stunning, it has gold shimmer mixed with an orange and pink base.  It has an almost duochrome effect when swatched.

Chantilly: Is matte, a bright coral with more of a red base than Crochet.

Overall I do really like these palettes.  They are a little powdery but if you apply them with a light hand and blend them well then they are definitely workable and wearable.

My favourite colour from the two palettes is Guipure.

I would definately recommend these.

You can buy them here

My Favourite Products of 2012

Hi Everyone,

I thought seeing as it's January I would write my very first blog post about the products I have enjoyed using in 2012...

 

FACE

 

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser (Almond) 

I don't like to wear a foundation on a day to day basis.  The Laura Mercier Tinted moisturiser is quick and easy to use and provides pretty good coverage for a tinted moisturiser.  Big thumbs up for this one.

Chanel Vitalumiere Liquid Foundation

I like to use this foundation if I am going out or when I want to make a little more effort.  It gives medium, buildable coverage and leaves skin looking like skin.  I had a small sample of the Vitalumiere Liquid foundation which lasted me ages.  I think I will be purchasing a full bottle of this once I have used up some of my existing foundations...Can't wait !!!

  Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation Compact

This is very similar to the foundation above in terms of coverage.  I like it for touch-ups when I am out and about. 

  Sigma Flat Top Kabuki (F80) 

 I love this foundation brush for buffing tinted moisturiser and foundation into the skin.  It gives a flawless finish.  One of my best buys for 2012.

Bobbi Brown Corrector (Dark Peach)

 There is nothing worse than dark under eye circles.  That's where my Bobbi Brown corrector comes in.  The peach toned product banishes them away - until I have to take it off of course.  

 
Nars Blush Bronzer Trio

MAC 109 Small Contour Brush

When I saw this product I knew I had to have it.  My favorite Blusher, Bronzer and Highlight in one handy palette.  Great for traveling - A perfect combination when teamed with the MAC 109.

 

Lips

  Tom Ford Lipstick - 04 Indian Rose

I chose this lipstick as my first Tom Ford purchase.  This product isn't cheap but it was definitely worth it.  It has a beautiful creamy texture and feels luxurious on lips. 
I love it !!!!  

This part of my collection will definitely be expanding in 2013.  

My Tom Ford wishlist is building as we speak lol ;)

Clinique Chubby Stick Intense - 04 Heftiest Hibiscus

 I have always liked the idea of The Clinique Chubby Sticks but every time I swatched them at the Counter I was disappointed with the sheerness of them.  Enter the new Chubby Stick Intense Formula - highly pigmented and beautiful to wear, my favourite is the coral shade above, Heftiest Hibiscus.

 

 

Eyes

 

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Urban Decay Naked Palette2

The Urban Decay Naked Palettes are so versatile.  There are so many looks you can create with these.  Easy to travel with too.  They have made my makeup case much lighter when I go away !!!  

Benefit They're Real ! Mascara

There is a lot of hype on the internet regarding this product and it is definitely worth it.  It separates, adds volume and curl (for me anyway) and yes I have been asked if I am wearing false lashes and I can proudly say "No they're mine"
 

MAC 226 Small Tapered Blending Brush

MAC 217 Blending Brush

I love that with these two brushes I can get a complete eye look with minimum hassle.  I love the 226 for crease work and the 217 for colour application and general blending.
 

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler

 Love Love Love these eyelash curlers !!!  They do what they say on the box and live up to their reputation as the best out there.

Inglot Freedom System Rainbow Palette
 

 I picked up my customised Inglot Freedom System Rainbow palette when I was in Vegas last February.  I love that I have so much colour choice in one palette with different gradients of the same shade.  I think Inglot eyeshadows are some of the best out there, buttery formulation and great pigmentation and colour payoff.

PERFUME

  Marc Jacobs - Dot  

I just love the bottle design on this product.  The moment I saw it I knew I had to have it.  Doesn't hurt that it smells good too...

STYLING TOOLS

Babyliss Big Hair

This styler drys and shapes your hair whilst adding volume at the same time.  It has even made me put away my GHD Hair Straighteners - something I thought would never happen !!!
You know that beautiful sweeping fringe you usually get from the hairdressers but can never recreate at home ? Well this product can give you that ! Love it !!! 

What are your favourite products at the moment ?