nail polish

March Favourites

Oh March, i'm so glad you are nearly over. On Sunday my family and I are off for a week of sun-filled fun in Lanzarote, the Canary Islands. I can't tell you how much i'm looking forward to this trip. I have been working a lot since January and feel a touch exhausted. I know some would scoff at my mention of work and I realise working freelance is nothing like working a full time job, but it's the first time i've worked in the 5 years since having my daughters, so let me have my moment!

Aesop Fabulous Face Oil - it was love at first smell with me and this face oil. I was given samples of this at my consultation with Caroline Hirons and just couldn't get enough of it. This is one of the very few brands which is cheaper to buy in Australia, so I had my husband mule it home on his recent work trip (as penance for getting to eat gnocchi with my family while I was stuck in London). If you are looking for a really lovely, hydrating face oil to wear under your moisturiser then give this one a try. 

Bourjois Nail Polish Remover Pot - this is certainly not a new product, in fact here in the UK it seems to have cult status. I have been hitting the nail polish hard lately and this pot makes taking it off so simple. Just put your finger in (there is an internal sponge wall inside the pot), twist a few times and the polish is gone. There are lots of copies of this being launched, but this is the original.

The Body Shop Face Massager - a full review of this can be found here, but in brief it is a nifty and very affordable little tool that you roll over your skin after applying your serums and moisturiser. Since using it my skin has been behaving quite nicely. £6.00 and it comes Caroline Hirons approved. 

Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey - this is a repurchase from me. I had this years ago and always loved the simple hint of colour it gave. It is Clinique's suit anyone shade. I'm always fairly low key on lip products and prefer those I can quickly swipe on as I race out the door so this is perfect.

By Terry, Terrybly Densiliss foundation - more details on this here. I shelved this late last year as I wasn't taking too much makeup on my trip home to Sydney, and have only recently put it back in rotation. The colour match is perfect for me and it give a good amount of coverage without being too full-on for day time wear. As for the anti-ageing benefits it contains ... I haven't been using it consistently enough to see any difference so the jury is still out on that.

The CND 1 Week Top Coat Review

I have had some really bad experiences getting Shellac manicures in the past. I love the fact that it stays chip-free for 2 weeks, but it does something strange to my nails and they proceed to break consistently for about 3 months afterwards. The last normal manicure I got chipped in the first 48 hours. I was not impressed.

Fresh out of the salon and looking pretty damn perfect ...

Fresh out of the salon and looking pretty damn perfect ...

The CND Vinylux Weekly Topcoat sounded too good to be true when I saw at at my local nail salon. I was pretty sceptical, but since it costs the same as a normal manicure I thought I would give it a go. I opted for a medium grey shade called Rubble (you can view the other colour options here although not all colours are available in the UK yet) which is uncannily similar to my Prada handbag. It took about the same length of time to be touch dry as a regular polish. I did do a few minor dents later that afternoon when the polish was still soft, but nothing major. 

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The polish seems to get harder as the days progressed. I gave my hands a proper workout during the week with a photo shoot, bathing my two children, going to the gym and more. I made it through to day 6 with only a very minor chip on my thumb and was so impressed it had my grey removed and a red put on.  The other aspect I love is that it is removed with normal nail polish remover, so there is no hidden costs of having to go back to the nail salon to get it taken off professionally. 

I had a colour change on day 6 but the grey could have easily stayed on another day or so.

I had a colour change on day 6 but the grey could have easily stayed on another day or so.

This may be a dream-come-true product for people like me who can't tolerate the damage shellac inflicts on your nails! I had my nails done at Tip To Toe nail salon on Northcote Road which you can find here. I paid £17 for the original manicure, and £9 when I went back for a shape and polish change.


Spring Beauty Lustings by Dior

There are some amazingly pretty things launching for Dior this Spring, exclusive to Selfridges. I couldn't help myself but include some examples below for you to lust over! 

I'm not sure I could actually bring myself to use some of these palettes, the detail in them is just so lovely.

 
Trianon make-up palette for glowing eyes and a fresh complexion £59.00

Trianon make-up palette for glowing eyes and a fresh complexion £59.00

5 Couleurs Trianon Edition couture colour eyeshadow palette £41.00

5 Couleurs Trianon Edition couture colour eyeshadow palette £41.00

Diorblush Trianon Edition vibrant colour powder blush in Corail Bagatalle £30.50

Diorblush Trianon Edition vibrant colour powder blush in Corail Bagatalle £30.50

Glow Maximizer light boosting primer £28.50

Glow Maximizer light boosting primer £28.50

Dior Vernis Trianon Edition frosted effect nail polish £18.00

Dior Vernis Trianon Edition frosted effect nail polish £18.00

 

Christmas Beauty Treats

There are some absolutely gorgeous Christmas beauty treats for sale at the moment. Even though it is only October, I can't help buy feel excited about the festive season when I look at these.  Last week I blogged about the L'Oreal Luxury Beauty Advent Calendar which you can read about here.  And here are a few extra items to add to the wishlist.

Clarins Christmas Crackers

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How chic would your table setting be with these babies lying around? 

£39.00 for 6 from Selfridges here.

Ciate Mini Mani Month Advent Calendar

Featuring a mini-sized treat per day to take you right from 1 December to Christmas Day. £42.00 from Space NK exclusively here. Act fast as this sold out last year.

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Beauty Ball Shimmer Balm by This Works

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This lovely tree bauble contains a shimmer balm to use as a highlighter on your cheekbones, lips and cleavage. £12.00 from Space NK here.

 

 

For amazing gift sets you can never look past Sephora. These are from the US website however I will be in Paris in early December and may just have to see if I can pick some of these up there.

Sephora - Give Me Some Lip gift set  

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A set of six lip favourites in pinks and nudes. $25.00 USD here

Sephora - Lash Stash gift set

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An 11 piece set that guarantees amazing lashes and includes a set of false lashes. $45.00 here

Sephora - Fragrance Sampler gift set

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Featuring 14 samples of their best selling fragrances and a clutch bag. Once you have sampled to your delight, you can take the included certificate into their store to redeem a full sized bottle of your chosen fragrance. $70.00 here.