Valentines & a Long-Wear Lip Product

Hello my lovelies...I hope you all have a lovely, romantic Valentine's night planned.  Unfortunately I will be spending mine alone because my hubby is working offshore until Wednesday (awwwww...*get the violins out*...poor me!).  I kinda feel like Valentines Day has become way too commercial and all about who gets the best/biggest bunch of flowers.  I also don't like the way single people are made to feel so I say make Valentines Day whatever YOU want it to be.  If you and your friends are single...go out or stay in and have a girly night.  If you can't be with your partner, then today just serves as a reminder of how much you love them.

I did tell Chris not to get me anything since I don't need flowers or a card on a specific day of the year to know that he loves me (he did put a ring on it afterall!).  BUT I came home today to find a vase of flowers that had been delivered and left outside my front door....

That's typical of Chris though, he's a big softie at heart and he likes me to know I'm appreciated.  At least we can go out for a romantic meal when he gets back on Wednesday.  The weather offshore hasn't been great so there's talk of flights being delayed.  I have my fingers crossed that he doesn't have to stay longer than planned!

I also wanted to mention a product that really impressed me at the weekend.  I was heading out for a meal with two of my best friends so I wanted to make sure my lipstick stayed put throughout the munching.  I had tried a couple of long-wear lip colours in the past but they always seemed to dry my lips out.  This time, I decided to give Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Lip Duo in Perfect Peach a go...

On the Estee Lauder website, they claim it "wears up to 12 hours—lasts comfortably through meals, drinks, busy days.  Luscious shades won’t kiss off, rub off or fade out.  Apply base shade for long-wearing colour. Wait approximately 2 minutes for colour to set.  Apply glossy topcoat for moisture and shine. Additional topcoat can be applied whenever you want extra shine".

First off, I love the peach shade.  It looked more pink in the tube but when it is applied, the peach colour shows through more as you can see in the following pics...

Just to ensure a smooth application and good finish, I used a wet muslin cloth to exfoliate my lips lightly whilst in the shower.  This just gets rid of any flaky areas on your lips and ensures a smooth base for the long-wear lip colour.  I also applied my Korres Lip Butter while I did my makeup to make sure my lips were well moisturised.  The Double Wear Lip Duo REALLY impressed me with it's lasting power.  It was still very much present after a three course meal and 2 wine spritzers.  When it did come off, that was only because I removed it with my cleanser.  The colour is beautiful because it has a real brightening effect on my complexion and it's a nice way to wear colour without it being too 'in your face'.  I really want to try the Coral shade now!

Finally, since quite a few of you had been asking after the infamous Wolverine, here's a pic of who he will be spending Valentine's night with...

It'll never work out but I don't have the heart to tell him!

Black Swan

So you all MUST have heard of this film by now!  I went to see it with my girlies last night and it blew me away.  We all stood outside the cinema afterwards talking about it and I really can't remember the last time a film made that much of an impact on me.  Without ruining it for anyone who hasn't yet seen the movie, the plot is basically this:

It's a psychological thriller about a ballet dancer who wins the lead in 'Swan Lake' and is perfect for the role of the delicate White Swan - Princess Odette - but slowly loses her mind as she becomes more and more like Odette's evil sister, Odile, the Black Swan.

The story was inspired by a Dostoevsky poem 'The Double: A Petersburg Poem' which is about a man whose life is on the verge of destruction due to the sudden appearance of a double of himself.  The man is a government clerk who goes mad, obsessed by the idea that a fellow clerk has stolen, literally in every sense of the word, his identity.  The director wanted to work this story into the incredibly controlled, competitive and artistic world of ballet. 

Everything about the film was intense and beautiful.  The cinematography was spot on, the immense tension was sustained throughout the whole film and the costume design is just exquisite!  Natalie Portman was brilliant in the lead role and it's obvious from her performance that she has trained extremely hard to perfect the body and poise of a ballerina.  Apparently it took 6 months for Natalie and Mila Kunis to lose 20lbs from their already slim physiques and to attain the right body type and muscle tone of professional ballet dancers.  Obviously they both had body doubles for some of the more demanding wide shots where they have to be en pointe (on the tips of their toes) for a long time.  I have to say that it wasn't pleasant (and painful at times) to see how skinny Natalie had become but, I guess she did what she had to do for the role.

The Black and White Swan costumes were a creative collaboration between Rodarte, Amy Westcott and the director, Darren Aronofsky.  However there has been alot of controversy surrounding the fact that Amy Westcott has been all but forgotten when it comes to giving credit in the press.  How hacked off would you be if you were a massive influence in the process of creating these beautiful costumes and you didn't get any credit for it?!

The ballerina costumes had a real baroque feel to them and although they have received critisicm for not including straps, as swan lake ballerinas would wear purely for function, I think art overtook practicality on this one.  Natalie Portman's makeup and hair looked AMAZING when she played the White Swan!   

I totally fell in love with the white, floor-length gown Natalie wore in the film (which I'm assuming was Rodarte?).  Here is the initial sketch...

And here is the gown on screen...uhhhh, so beautiful!!! It would make an incredible wedding dress!

So my overall thoughts on this film is that it was as much about fashion as it was about mental illness and instability.  BUT, don't think that the fashion is the main star of the show...it just decorated the background of what was altogether a brilliantly twisted and unpredictable story.  There were quite a few points in this film where I literally jumped out of my chair.  But on a flip side, there are a few genuinely funny points too.  Natalie's character, Nina, wants so much to be perfect, disciplined and in control that it takes over her whole world.  She's so obsessed with her Swan Lake character that she eventually becomes just that.  She pushes her body and mind to the brink in a quest for ultimate perfection in her art.

I give this film a 9 out of 10!  It's not just a film for girls, I really do think that guys would like this movie too (and if they still aren't keen, just let them know about the girl-on-girl scene between Natalie and Mila!ha ha).

Have you seen this movie yet? What were your thoughts?

Style/Makeup Crush & Jemma Kidd

I tried to watch the new 90210 series but I just couldn't get into it.  I used to love the old one in the 1990's and could never make up my mind whether I wanted to have Jason Priestly or Luke Perry as my boyfriend!  Good guy vs. Bad boy! (bad boy usually won).

However, one of the cast members of the newer version that has caught my eye off-screen is Jessica Lowndes.  I pretty much always like what she wears and it's very similar to my own style I guess.

I totally coveted that Miss Selfridge embellished cropped jacket that she wore in the first pic below!  I also love how sleek she looks in a tailored blazer and glizty trousers/leggings.

I am literally IN LOVE with that white dress below with the delicate black belt detail around the waist...stunning!  I really like the colours in the third pic too, a kind of maroon skirt mixed with a delicate baby pink silk top.  Very sophisticated!  I like that she looks sexy without having all her bits annd bobs out, which is how it should be done.

I saw this pic of her from a photoshoot and just thought...wow! How amazing is that jacket??!  You could have someone's eye out with it but it's so 'fierce' as Tyra would say!

I'm also loving Jessica's makeup looks, especially the one below with soft smokey, defined eyes and a bold pink lip.  I always think it's easier to get away with stronger looks when you have dark hair...not sure why that is.  Maybe because of the contrast between light and dark when you have blonde hair? It makes darker makeup look more intense...just a thought. 

I love that Jessica doesn't try to hide her freckles which I think always look cute on girls!  I had some serious hair envy going on when I saw the pic of Jessica below.  It looks like they might have tinkered with the colour of her eyes because they don't normally look that green.  She does have beautiful green eyes but they're not normally this vivid.

I have been using the Jemma Kidd Pro Skin Rescue Bio-Complex Veil for the past week or so and I used it as a base for the red lip look in my last post. 

I am a big believer in primers.  I know not everyone sees the point in them but for me, the good ones really do add that extra polish to your skin.  Alot of people ask how I get my skin to look flawless in my blog pics and the answer is a proper skincare routine, a good primer, a good foundation and good concealer.  I never use Photoshop or any other software program to airbrush my pictures because I feel that would be a misrepresentation of the product's performance.  Primer is an important step in my routine to smooth out my skin to prepare it for makeup.  My favourite basic primer is still the L'Oreal Studio Secrets Smoothing Resurfacing Primer but this Jemma Kidd product is very unique.  Let me tell you why...

The L'Oreal primer will smooth your skin, hide visible pores and make your makeup go on easier and last longer.  BUT this Jemma Kidd Pro product is an innovative super duper multi-tasker because it's:

• an anti-ageing moisturiser
• a primer
• an illuminator
• a tint that evens the skin tone
• has SPF15

How amazing would this product be to take on holiday/weekends away with you as a multi-tasker?!  Here's the blurb:

" Anti-aging complex of Sodium Hyaluronate spheres to moisturise, hydrate, plump and even out fine wrinkles; added anti-oxidants Vitamin A, C and E which act as food for the skin to increase elasticity, clarify and brighten, also contains SPF15 for added protection to give luminosity and radiance to the skin.  Innovative anti-aging all-in-one skincare treatment with added SPF 15 can be worn alone or as a prep and prime base.  Unique and innovative natural skin' like texture that glides onto skin blending effortlessly.  Formulated with a botanical complex of Horse Chestnut, Algae, Butcher Broom, Calendula and Cantella extracts which improve the skins micro-circulation.  Moisturises and evens skin tone leaving your complexion naturally radiant, luminous and flawless".

The product itself is quite thick in consistency but you only need one pump for the whole face.  There are two shades available (Nude P1 and Nude Y1).  I have Nude P1 which is for warm toned skins with a pink undertone and Y1 is more yellow toned for cooler toned skins.  This product can be used alone as a tinted moisturiser OR under foundation as a primer.  I like to use it under my foundation because it makes my skin look amazing.  It's basically like the L'Oreal one BUT it illuminates your skin and has an SPF as well so cuts down the need for other products.  I have seen some reviews of this product saying that people don't understand what the product is trying to be.  But, I think it's obvious that the brand developed it as an answer to lugging around loads of products (moisturiser, illuminator, SPF and primer).  It was made for convenience, efficiency and as a time saving tool and that it certainly is!  I love the conceot behind the product and I love the product itself.

When you apply with, it feels like a thinner consistency version of the L'Oreal primer.  You only need a very thin layer on the face and you will instantly notice that your skin looks alot more even in tone, radiant and redness is significantly reduced.  I love that this product does so many different things and the fact that it saves you having to lug 3 or 4 different products around when you're travelling.  This is a holiday must have!  It's quite expensive at £32 for 35ml pump tube BUT when you think about all the boxes it ticks and the fact you only need one pump per application, it's actually not that bad.  Plus I never get sick of how it makes my skin look flawless and perfect.  It has the slightest hint of illuminating 'shimmer' but it doesn't look glittery on the skin.  It just translates as a glow.  You can buy it from Feel Unique with free postage worldwide too.

Something I discovered yesterday is that when you combine Estee Lauder DayWear Plus Sheer Tint Formula Moisturiser WITH the Jemma Kidd Pro Skin Rescue Bio Complex Veil, it gives you the most amazing holiday skin combo!  It's never nice to have to wear foundation in the summer or when you are on holiday in hotter climates.  I am very self conscious about the redness in my skin so I always like to make sure my skin looks even.  I used both of the above products on clean skin yesterday and this was the result...

I was really impressed by how much this product combo evened out the discolouration in my cheeks.  Normally my cheeks are very red but these products made my skin look slightly more tanned, really healthy and radiant.  All I would need is a teensy bit of concealer around my nose and under my eyes and maybe some powder down my T Zone to eliminate shine.  Finally I have found products that will allow me to foundation free in the summer!

I Finally Found My Perfect Red Lipstick

A while back I blogged about my quest for the perfect red lipstick.  Nothing says glamour quite like a full on, vivid red lip.  I had convinced myself that I just couldn't get away with bright lipsticks.  BUT after my bold lip epiphany, I realised that it's all about finding the right shade for your individual skin tone.  There are so many shades to choose from and I quickly realised that there's a perfect shade for each and every one of us.  I felt a bit conspicuous wearing bright lipsticks at first but the more you wear them, the more you get used to it.  Believe me, I thought I would be a strictly nude, pink and peach lipstick girl forever but I am so glad I took the plunge to try something different.  Don't get me wrong, I will always reach for my nudes during the day but there's something about smoothing on a vivid shade that completely transforms your look for night time glamour.  I am very much in the school of thought whereby I only like to accentuate one feature at a time.  Heavier eye makeup? Keep the lips natural/light...Bright Lip? Keep the eye makeup simple. 

After swatching furiously at every makeup counter I could think of, I finally found my perfect match in the form of the infamous Revlon Cherries In The Snow Lipstick.  It's a gorgeous cool toned red.  The original shade was launched in 1953 with the iconic ad featuring one of the world’s first supermodels, Dorian Leigh. Revlon wanted to introduce the 1950’s housewife to the fantasy of opulence and escapism from everyday domesticity.  It became a cult classic in the 1950's and I can see why!

First off, I lined my lips with Prestige Lipliner in Tomango.  I love these affordable lip liners and also have it in a really natural shade, Silk and a bright pink, Baby.  They go on really smoothly, without dragging on your lips and they last for ages which is really important when you are wearing a bright lip colour over the top.

I then applied the lovely Revlon Cherries In The Snow...just look at the beautiful raspberry/cherry red colour...

I love the consistency of this lipstick, it's so comfortable to wear and doesn't dry out my lips.  It's ever so slightly shiny on the lips, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's a glossy lipstick.  It has a super smooth consistency with really great staying power.  This will definitely be my red lipstick of choice from now on because although it's a cool toned red, it doesn't drain my face of colour like some others do.  It's the perfect tone for my colouring and it really brings out my blue eyes.  I love how cool toned reds make your teeth look whiter too.  FINALLY I can do a red lip! Hurrah!

In case you guys are interested, I will list which products I used for this look.

Face:  Jemma Kidd Skin Rescue Bio Complex Veil (as a base)

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation (Fresco)

Bobbi Brown Corrector (Light to Medium Bisque)

Estee Lauder Maximum Cover Foundation in Light/Medium (as a concealer)

Benefit Hello Flawless Powder (shell)

Dior Matte Sunshine Bronzing Powder (Honey Matte)

Sleek Contour Kit (Light)

Blusher in New CID Cosmetics Eyes Lips Face Palette

Estee Lauder 5-Tone Shimmer Powder (Pink Shimmer)

Eyes: Benefit Brows a go-go Palette (blonde brow powder)

Estee Lauder Brow Setting Gel

Mac Paint Pot (Soft Ocre)

New CID Cosmetics Eyes Lips Face Palette (ivory shade all over lid/inner corner and lightest brown to contour)

Mac Vanilla e/s on browbone

Benefit Powderflage

Estee Lauder Double Wear Zero Smudge Liquid Liner (Black 

Benefit Eye Bright (on waterline)

 Ardell Fashion Lashes Natural (110 Black)

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara (Black)

Lips: Prestige Lip Liner (Tomango)

Revlon Cherries In The Snow Lipstick

I decided to challenge my crappy false lash applying skills and try once and for all to master my technique.  I have tried many times before and failed spectacularly.  BUT this time I did it differently to see if that's where I was going wrong.  I applied the lashes after foundation and powder but BEFORE any eyeshadow was applied.  I figured I had failed in the past because the lash glue wouldn't adhere to my lids when I was wearing eyeshadow.  Whaddaya know, it worked!

Yes people, I actually managed to apply the lashes and I reckon they look pretty darn good for my first successful attempt! I think it's a case of practice makes perfect when it comes to false lashes.  Also, I am definitely more of a fan of the natural look lashes.  They feel lighter when on and I think they look alot more flattering.  Heavier, more dramatic lashes can make eyes look heavy and tired.  I already have dark circles so I don't want to make myself look even more tired!  I really rate these Ardell ones because they are the perfect length and volume if you just want a subtle change.  This was my first time trying Ardell lashes and I am really impressed at how easy it was to apply them.  They stayed put which is more than can be said for the Eyelure Girls Aloud lashes I tried in the past!

So I managed to tick off two items off my beauty wishlist for this year...finding the perfect glam red lipstick AND mastering the art of applying false lashes.  Go me!

Since I love the Revlon lipstick, it's only natural that I would love the matching Cherries In The Snow nail polish!  I only had to apply one coat to get the colour in the pic below.

This shade looks gorgeous on fingernails as well as toe nails.  It dried really quickly which is a must for me because I'm awful at smudging my nails.

Some people think it's a beauty no-no to match your nails with your lip colour but I love this shade so much, I don't care!

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