Jason Natural Care Shampoo

I have a lovely organic produce shop near my house at university, and when I was in there recently I noticed that they sell natural body products in addition to food. I was on the look out for some more shampoo - I'd run out of Yes To Tomatoes which is 99% natural and, since I couldn't find YTT shampoo in any of my local Boots stores and couldn't be bothered to order it online, fancied finding a different natural alternative. I can't remember whether I've mentioned already that I am considering slowly transitioning to more natural hair and skincare products (says the girl who just recently bought the mineral-oil-heavy Eve Lom cleanser...)

I bought "Long & Strong Jojoba" for healthy hair growth and "Volumizing Lavender" to add body to fine hair and have been using the jojoba one for the last two weeks.

Results: my hair has definitely grown, though I can't necessarily say whether it's grown more quickly than usual. My hair felt squeaky clean after washing, but not dried out. However, I've noticed my hair doesn't look good for three days like it did with the Yes To Tomatoes or Pantene Pro-V Fine Hair Volume and Body shampoo that I used between YTT and Jason. Also, while the smell isn't unpleasant, it's a little hippy-ish for my tastes and does last after the shampoo is washed out.

I probably wouldn't buy that one again, but after using the lavender (volumizing) shampoo once earlier this week, I must say I was impressed. My hair felt light and soft and I do feel like it had some extra volume. The smell was also more pleasant. I'm looking forward to finishing the jojoba shampoo and moving on to the lavender one!

Sweater Weather Tag

Favourite fall candle scent? As soon as it cools down I prefer warm, powdery scents. I like Colony's Powder Fresh and Wax Lyrical's Warm Embrace. Of course, it won't be long before I switch to Christmas scents. I have my eye on John Lewis' Winter Spice and Lily Flame's Snowfall.

Coffee, tea or hot chocolate? I used to be a coffee fiend, but now I'm turning more towards tea - I love Twinings' Lady Grey, Pukka's Vanilla Chai and Yogi Tea's Ginger (alternatively, simply adding hot water to chopped fresh ginger is amazing).

What's the best fall memory you have? Until a few years ago, I didn't like autumn at all, so I can't say I have any vivid memories associated with the season.

Which makeup trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner? Dark lips all the way! I can count the times I've winged my eyeliner on one hand. It's unfortunate that dark lips are so much harder to maintain.

What is the autumn weather like where you live? In the last few years, autumn has been bitterly, bone-chillingly cold towards the end. It used to be relatively mild. Being England, it's also rather rainy.

Favourite Thanksgiving food? I don't celebrate Thanksgiving but there are plenty of incredible stuffing recipes on the Internet! I also love cranberry sauce and sweet potato mash.

Hats or scarves? I love hats but I don't own many. I wear a scarf pretty much every now that it's cooled down. My favourites are from markets in Oman and Morocco, and I also have a few from Zara and Urban Outfitters. We Are Owls and Yarnz scarves are the stuff of my dreams, though.

(We Are Owls scarf)

Most worn sweater? Last year it was a boyish, blue and purple striped affair by Le Mont St Michel x Urban Outfitters, but this year it's a tie between an oversized brown from Wallace for Madewell, and a navy striped Brora cashmere hand-me-down from my dad.

Must-have nail polish this fall? Chanel Paparazzi and Essie Luxedo.

Football games or jumping in leaf piles? Neither, thanks!

Skinny jeans or leggings? Skinny jeans, no question.

Combat boots or Uggs? Out of the two, combat boots, but again, neither.

Favourite fall TVshow? What is a fall TV show? I don't watch a great deal of TV but round about now I'm starting to feel like watching Christmas films...

Inspired by Temptalia: My Top 15 Products

Temptalia posted a great poll today asking readers to comment with their top 15 makeup products. I answered with a version of my top 15, and it inspired me to write out a more carefully chosen top 20 on here.

1. Guerlain Cils D'Enfer Mascara
2. NARS Night Porter Eyeshadow
3. NARS Iskandar Eye Paint
4. NARS Kinshasa Brow Gel (I don't own this but it's amazing)
5. MAC Graphblack Technakohl Liner
6. MAC Studio Finish Concealer*
7. YSL Touche Eclat
8. Guerlain Meteorites
9. Dior BB Cream
10. MAC MSF Natural
11. Kjaer Weis Blossoming Cream Blusher / MAC Cremeblend Ladyblush
12. Rouge Bunny Rouge Titian Blush Wand / NARS Penny Lane
13. Ilia Beauty Polka Dots & Moonbeans Illuminator / NARS Copacabana Multiple
14. YSL Glossy Stain #9 Rouge Laque (my favourite lip colour)
15. Armani Lip Maestro #400 The Red
16. Guerlain Terre de Sienne Lip Liner
17. Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Garnet / MAC Pro Longwear Lipglass in Forever Rose
18. Stila Lip Glaze in Black Cherry
19. Chanel Rouge Allure in Rivoli
20. Dior Ultra Gloss in Flash (discontinued - try MAC Lustreglass in Instant Gold)

*I picked this one as it's the one I've ever owned and liked. NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer isn't for me. It's been about 4 years and I've used half the pot of the MAC stuff if that gives you a clue as to how infrequently I wear concealer, and therefore how little I know about which ones are good.

Concealer aside, take all these as solid recommendations! Some of these brands are harder to hunt down as they are not available everywhere - or at all - so I have added a more accessible (and in almost every case, cheaper) alternative.

Korean Beauty Products On eBay

I recently made my first (long overdue) foray into Korean cosmetics in London's China Town*, where I bought eight sheet masks, including one whitening mask and one containing snail slime, with plenty of help from the lovely assistant. I nearly bought a lip tint from 3 Concept Eyes (fans of StyleNanda will know this brand) for £18 when my companion pointed out they were under £10 on eBay.

So I spent the next few evenings trawling eBay and making a Korean cosmetics shopping list, then I finally made my first purchase via iamlove-shop on eBay. They have a huge range of skincare and makeup from brands such as The Face Shop, Tony Moly, Missha (whose BB Cream is reportedly one of the best ones out there FYI), Innisfree and Mizon. I plumped for something I identified as low-risk, a solid perfume stick from Tony Moly called "Bebe Powder". I absolutely love the smell of baby powder, so I reckoned it could almost definitely not go wrong. There's 9g of perfume and I paid $11.58 + $2.50 P&P which adds up to £8.82.

Bebe Powder on the left (image from Kpopheaven.com)

It arrived this morning and I am thrilled! There was a risk I'd find the kawaii bunny packaging tacky, but I think it's rather lovely. It smells so fresh and powdery, plus the main ingredient is shea butter so it is very smooth and not at all drying. It's not a strong scent - I don't think anyone else can smell it unless they hug me or something like that. I like to use it on my wrists and around my ears and neck. I also use it under other perfumes. The order also came with two samples of Tony Moly Aura CC Cream, Intense Care Sleeping Pack (moisturiser?) and Red Appletox Honey Cream.

Other Korean beauty shops include beautynetkorea, pzh888, rubyruby76 and sing-sing-girl.

Here are the next few products I have my eye on - and at those prices, I really have no excuse not to get them!

Top row: Missha The Style Sheer Fluid Blusher in 04 Vivid Coral, 3 Concept Eyes Cream Blusher in Baby Peach, 3 Concept Eyes Lip Marker in Red and Pink.
Bottom row: The Face Shop Pastel Cushion Blusher in Rose Cushion, Skin Food Egg White Pore Foam, Skin Food Brightening Rice Mask

*sorry, don't know the name of the shop but I think it may have been down Newport Court?

Kjaer Weis Cream Blush in Blossoming

Ages ago I posted about a sample set I ordered from the American beauty site Spirit Beauty Lounge. One of the samples I ordered was a cream blush from Kjaer Weis - an organic brand who, at that point, I'd never heard of, but the they seem to be getting more and more coverage, which is great - which actually turned out to be my favourite blush out of the samples I'd ordered. That's not to say I didn't like the other shades (two RMS Beauty Lip 2 Cheeks) but they didn't suit me nearly as well and I also found them a little patchier. I'll swatch them nonetheless.

Blossoming is a warm peachy-pink shade - the kind of blush that suits me best  - in a super creamy formula. The standard blush, i.e. not the sample, comes in a heavy metal compact, and the idea is that you can buy refills instead of repurchasing the whole thing. I love it when brands do this although it does tend to be a practice of high-end brands such as Guerlain, so even the cost of refills does sting. The original is £38 and the refills are £19 at Naturisimo.

Swatched above heavily then blended out. Excuse the goosepimples and the state of my face in the following shots, I took these at about 8am which is really early for me because I'm a student. The advantage is that my deathly pale morning face shows the blush rather well.

 



It's super blendable, even without moisturiser underneath (bad habit) and virtually impossible to over-apply. It's a perfect autumn-winter shade for me and would probably suit 99% of those with pale skin, though I'd skip it if I were darker. There are 4 other shades in the range though, so I think everyone will be able to find one that suits them. A huge thumbs up from me!

Blog I Love: Tinted Red

Tinted Red is a treasure trove of lip (and other) swatches. The day I found it I read every single post on there.

Her lip swatches are excellent. Here, for example, is Guerlain's Orgueil:

Can't recommend it enough!

Rivoli

I finally got round to buying Chanel Rouge Allure in Rivoli at the end of August. I've wanted it ever since my MAC What Joy! was stolen at a party (!) but it seems as if putting items on my (imaginary) wishlist means it takes me far longer to buy them than if I were to just get them on a whim... Anyway, Rivoli is a dark, reddish berry shade, almost totally opaque with a shiny satin finish.

The following photo shows the difference between the bullet colour and the colour on the lips:

The following is an outdoor, sunlit shot (skin looks surprisingly good but I have practically no top lip...)

Lip primer almost definitely required. Not the colour/formula to wear if you are planning on doing a lot of eating or drinking. I don't mind touch-ups, but this berry shade obviously carries quite a high risk of high-impact smearing.

Rivoli has, like most berry lipsticks I imagine, some down sides, but it's such a gorgeous colour that I would recommend it to anyone who likes high-end lipsticks. Maybelline Red Garnet is very similar, and Revlon Red Velvet is similar but sheerer. MAC's Hang Up, Dare You and Dubonnet are all nice deep shades.

Wishlist

Now that we are fully entering fall autumn, most people make little, sometimes subconscious, changes to their beauty or skincare routines.

Here are some things I want to put on my face to celebrate the changing season:

NARS x Guy Bourdin Blush in Day Dream (available November 1st at Selfridges)

& Other Stories Eye Pencil, £6, and Creamy Pearl Eye Colour, £7, both in Challis Gold, www.stories.com

(budget version of NARS Iskandar Eye Paint or Stila's Comex Gold Magnificent Metals Shadow)

Becca Beach Tint in Fig, £20 from Space NK

Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencil in Tart (pictured) and Corvina, from Selfridges (or Sephora, $24)

There are so many things I need-want from Sephora, mostly from Bite, Tarte and Fresh. My Sephora wishlist grows almost daily...

What new makeup are you lusting after for autumn?

"Eve Lom Cleanser" or "Why I no longer wash my face twice a day"

So at the end of September I used up the last of my Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser, an absolutely wonderful foaming gel cleanser (sorry Caroline Hirons, I know foam is naughty) and decided to take a risk and try out a different one.

After a few grim days of using Avene Gentle Gel Cleanser - not very good at removing eye makeup, even worse at keeping skin clean - I made the trip to Space NK to ask for advice. As Space NK ladies are wont to do, she pointed me straight towards Eve Lom's legendary cleanser. I bit the bullet, handed over £55 (!!!) and headed home.

This new routine takes at least twice as long as a cleanse with the Kiehl's gel, not to mention the fact you have to actually use a muslin cloth. I hate the feeling of the balm on my skin, I hate the feeling that I might not have got it all off with the cloth, I hate using a cloth. I hate that it doesn't get all my mascara off. I hate using it so I use it, like, twice every three days. My skin got a little worse over the first few days of using the cleanser but after a go with Origins Clear Improvement Mask everything is looking fine. Not great, but definitely fine. I've only moisturised twice since I started using Eve Lom, mostly because I feel like my skin would get too greasy after using both the balm and a moisturiser as the balm does leave it looking glowy. So basically, my skincare routine has kind of fallen apart. At least the stuff (apparently) works as an exfoliant.

Bottom line, I will be powering on with the Eve Lom because it cost an arm and a leg, I will definitely post about it again once I finish it to give my final opinion, but I suspect I'm about 20 years too young to be using a balm cleanser. My skin is still relatively teenager-y and this formula probably isn't the best fit.

Finally managed to log back in to the blog + new lippies

So for a month or so I've not been able to log in to my blog (Google issues) but I'm back on and I've bought lots of new makeup!

Here are my new lip products:

Top to bottom: Chanel Rouge Allure in Rivoli, YSL Glossy Stain Rebel Nude in 105 Corail Hold Up, Bite Beauty Lush Fruit Lip Gloss in Garnet, MAC Lipstick in Impassioned.

Skincare changes have also been made (more on that later) and I bought a load of Korean sheet masks!! More on those as I try them out.

NARS Velvet Matte Pencil in Dragon Girl

Because one more swatch of Dragon Girl on the Internet can't hurt, right?

My first ever lip product. I've lost count of the amount of people who've called this the perfect red (I don't agree, but I still think it's great.)

I used to find it kind of drying, but then I realised that it was okay to wear lip balm under lip colours. It wears off the inside of the lip a lot more quickly than the outer edge, to the extent that if I was wearing this, I would have to take it with me wherever I go, but other people report it being very long-wearing, so I guess it varies. I've not worn it in ages so I haven't tried it with MAC Prep + Prime.

Worn with Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara and YSL Touche Eclat. I don't know if Touche Eclat makes a difference at all, I'm still playing around with it and seeing what I can do.

Skincare update + Clear Improvement Mask review

While I was away my skin started acting a little confused, so I'm pretty much over my tinted moisturiser phase. It got spotty and yet drier than usual. I washed my face with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser twice per day and ended up using Bobbi Brown Eye Cream on my cheeks and occasionally on my face as my normal moisturiser (Clinique Superdefense) started to go funny about three days after I left home. I also used Clarins Wrinkle Control Sun Cream SPF30 if I was spending more than a few hours in the sun. My sister, who is very sensitive when it comes to body sun creams, got on really well with the Clarins cream. Although my body is fine with sun cream, my face tends to get greasy whatever SPF I put on it (I used Lancome Genifique Face SPF30 while on holiday earlier this summer and didn't really get along with that) even though I didn't really sweat a great deal while in Europe.

I wished I'd brought my Good Things Five Minute Facial Mask with me for a bit of grease relief. On my previous holiday I used it a couple of times to even out my skin's texture as it had started to go slightly bumpy.

When I came home I went to my local Origins counter - while it's going to be a challenge to break up with chemical-laden makeup, I am making a vague attempt to go more natural with my skin and hair care - to get me a new moisturiser and something to sort out my problem patches. I came away with (as I said in my previous quick post) the super-lightweight Balanced Diet Moisturiser, £24, and much praised Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask, £22. 

I used the mask last night on my problem areas and saw some improvement immediately after I removed it. I had about 6 spots each on my forehead and chin and a couple on my nose, along with the classic redness. After the mask the redness had almost completely gone, and this morning half the spots have completely dried up. Fantastic stuff. The Origins lady recommended using it twice per week, which I'll probably do until my skin calms down, when I'll start to use it once a week. So far, so good with Balanced Diet as well. Considering trying an Origins cleanser when my beloved Ultra Facial runs out, but I'm not sure I can bear to part ways with Kiehls.

I'm home!

Been galavanting around Europe, but once I got home I treated myself to some new beauty and skincare treats!

I had my first foray into Origins (at last) and left with Balanced Diet lightweight moisturiser and the Clear Improvement charcoal mask. I also bought Chanel eyeshadow in Hasard from the Autumn 2013 Superstition collection, Rouge Coco in Rivoli, nail polish in Frisson and Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat.

I also have Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Cream SPF30, which I used during my trip, Puffy The Eyebag Slayer under-eye patches from Anatomicals and a bunch of samples including Avene, Mario Badescu and Bumble & bumble (but I find it such effort using up samples and always worry that they are going to mess up my skin.)

I used Balanced Diet last night and loved it, so I suspect that or my Clarins sun cream will be my first review to come up.

Bobbi Brown Tinted Moisturizer SPF15

When I had my Bobbi Brown makeover last week, I decided it was time to buy a Tinted Moisturiser. There were two main reasons I didn't want to buy a BB cream. Frstly a kind of refusal of the BB cream obsession (especially given that by all accounts most non-South Korean BB creams are just tinted moisturisers with a different name.) Secondly, most BB creams have a higher SPF, for example, Bobbi Brown's is SPF35, which I worry might feel greasier and make me glow white in photos. I do have a separate face sun cream just in case though!

I bought the lightest shade they had in stock, Extra Light, which is the right colour for me in the summer. A lighter shade, Alabaster, is also available, and I think that in winter that would suit me better. In addition, there are 5 darker shades.

The coverage is really sheer, as you would expect from a tinted moisturiser it simply evens out any redness and makes the skin appear a little smoother. If you usually use concealer, you will probably still find yourself wanting to use some in conjunction with the tinted moisturiser.

It comes in a regular and an oil-free formation, and even though I chose the regular one, it's not heavy or greasy, and hasn't broken me out at all.

This wasn't my very first tinted moisturiser: I used Benefit's You Rebel Lite (£24.50 for 50ml) which is a little lighter than Extra Light in colour for a year or so when I was 14. It didn't make my spots any worse but it was a little streaky and perhaps a touch too yellow for my skin. I definitely prefer the Bobbi Brown formula. I would like to try NARS Tinted Moisturiser which comes in 11 shades, two of which are lighter than Extra Light, but it is £28 for 30ml, and it's SPF30. I've heard good things about it though.

In short, though, I approve of this formula and I'll definitely keep using a tinted moisturiser. I have a feeling that when the signs of aging start appearing (hopefully not too soon) I'll be happy that I'm already using some kind of base makeup and don't need to make the conspicuous move from bare skin to foundation.

Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Blush in #5 'Nip Slip'

This blush wins the award for the most random blush packaging ever.

A pump! What? That's not to say I don't like it though. It's fun to use (and it does come with an actual lid, so no spills.)

This is more than enough for two cheeks - only a tiny little pump is needed. This blush will last forEVER.

Despite being described as a 'neutral pink', it looks slightly cool-toned in the bottle, then super neon highlighter watermelon, ever so slightly brighter and darker than it appears above when it's swatched thickly, then it warms right up to a sort of hot peach when blended out. It is pretty thick, I apply it right after moisturiser (or tinted moisturiser as I've been converted!) to make sure that it blends out more than it did in the above swatch.

Depending on your colouring it may warm up even further on the cheeks as it did on mine. I can imagine this colour being flattering on almost every skin tone. It lasts all day and then needs a fairly enthusiastic cleanse to remove all traces of the blush - if you ever need a blush to last more than 12 hours, this is a solid candidate for the job.

I got it from Sephora where it was $26, and I'm on the lookout for places to get this range in the UK. There are a lot of products in the range that are called HD Micro-something, and if they're all as long lasting and well-pigmented as this blush, then I might be on to a winner. 

N.B. If you are wary of chemicals in your makeup, I would avoid these. I hope to be able to try Tarte's Amazonian Clay powder blushes, also from Sephora, which are said to be very well pigmented and long-lasting, but also all-natural.

Bobbi Brown Sheer Lip Color in Hot Raspberry

The other day I went for a make up session at a Bobbi Brown counter which ended in me buying a tinted moisturiser (yeah, I now wear tinted moisturiser) and a, excitingly, hot pink lipstick that is misleadingly described as sheer. I thought that a counter makeover was the best time to start trying lipsticks that weren't red, so on a whim I picked this neutral toned bright fuchsia.

Okay so it's not full cover, but the colour is by no means subtle. It feels totally weightless and also hydrating.

It lasts surprisingly well through a couple of glasses of water, and it doesn't lose its shine then its colour as you might expect, instead staying shiny right until the end (about 5 hours after application). Despite the brightness of the colour, I find it a lot more wearable in the daytime than most of my reds. Thumbs up from me! I'm after NARS Schiap next.

Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara

I noticed a couple of days ago that both my trusty Clinique High Impact Extreme mascara and my Guerlain Cils d'Enfer mascara sample were getting pretty dry. Part of me wanted to just go to Boots and get some under-a-tenner Maybelline Extreme Cat Rocket Volum' Boost Lash (or something like that) but I can't resist the pull of the John Lewis make up counter. Along with the division between drugstore and high-end mascaras, I'd say there's two main price categories within high-end: those from, say, MAC, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, Clinique, which typically cost £14-18, and those that cost £22-25 such as Lancome, Dior, Giorgio Armani. I decided to stick to the first category. More specifically, I wanted to make my first ever Bobbi Brown purchase*.

I'm starting to develop an opinion on mascara brushes and effects. I like bristle brushes as opposed to plastic ones, I like the brush head to be as large and thick as possible, I prefer a non-waterproof formula. I like mascaras that give fluttery lashes, but with potential for layering and buildability. Having done no previous research into Bobbi Brown mascaras, I picked the one with the largest bristle brush: Extreme Party Mascara, £18.

When I got home, I looked it up on MakeupAlley, where it has a solid pretty rubbish 2.9 out of 5. Lots of blog reviews complain that it's not Extreme Party enough, instead rather fluttery. Perfect!

This photo is two layers of careful application and wiggling. The brush is pretty massive and also it tapers off towards the end, meaning that you can get in to the little lashes on the inner corner, but it also has potential to cause clumps if you rush. But I never rush mascara, so I don't count this as a negative. The formula is fast-drying and curls my lashes very well.

I definitely prefer the brush to Clinique's Extreme High Impact, which is plastic. The original High Impact mascara (still available) has a bristle brush, but it's not as wide as Extreme Party's. This formula can be removed using cleanser, which is a huge bonus for me as I can't bear oil-based removers. This puts it ahead of Guerlain's amazing yet indelible Cils d'Enfer in my personal rankings. So I think I might be looking at my new favourite.

Of course, mascara preferences vary wildly from person to person, but if your mascara preferences sound similar to mine, I definitely recommend checking this out.

*I know, what?! Though I've never purchased one, I have used Bobbi Brown products before - I took my mother's Pot Rouge in Pale Pink off her hands, but I hated it. It was too cool and utterly un-blendable. Until very recently I've felt a little too young for BB. I don't know what caused my change of heart but, as I said when I bought the mascara, I think it's going to act as a gateway drug. Lots more Bobbi Brown will be finding its way into my makeup bag soon.

Giorgio Armani Lip Maestro #400

Another scheduled post, still on holiday :)

#400, £25, is in total contrast to my last red lip, Guerlain Genna. While that was a slippy, creamy, orange-toned lipstick, this is a satin-matte, practically permanent, deep, slightly blue based red. But just because it's totally different, doesn't mean I don't adore it.

This is high-impact colour. It's not in the slightest bit sheer, it's practically Dulux paint. The formula is velvety, but if you want to push the wear-time to the 8 or 9 hour mark without completely drying out your lips, I'd use a little bit of balm underneath. This will still stick like glue.

It transfers on to cups etc., but the transfer isn't evident on the lips at all. After literally 7 hours, inner lip fading may be evident and the finish may be slightly more matte than velvet-satin, but it's still very much there.

This is almost definitely a winter colour. It makes me look pale, but doesn't wash me out or anything.

An oil-based make up remover is an absolute must, followed by an immediate lip balm or moisturiser application. If I'm not careful it can take my lips a day or two to recover. But in my opinion, that's a given, and also a fair trade-off, for a lipstick this matte and long-wearing.

Another highly recommended red.

Guerlain Rouge G 28 Genna

This is a scheduled post as I'm on holiday.

I bought Genna, £31, last Thursday because I can't help but make a purchase every time I'm alone in John Lewis make up department. I decided I wanted to try on a couple of more orange reds to see how orange I could go, and this was the one I settled on.

Oh my goodness, this is luxury. I've bought Guerlain Meteorites before, but never had a lip product from them. I've read a lot about Guerlain lipstick packaging, but just in case you haven't -

It's a super chunky shiny case with plenty of weight to it.

Pull the cap off to reveal a pop up mirror. So in love.

Oh yeah.

L'application. I took a few photos of me applying, but they're all a bit silly.

It's so shiny and silky. I realised that all of my reds are either mattes or liquids/stains, this is the first creme finish red lipstick I've ever bought. And I love it. It feels like I'm not wearing anything on my lips, and the finish is so stunning and not at all aging like I thought it would be (no reasoning behind that thought at all).

I applied directly from the bullet because it feels nice, but when I bought it the assistant used a brush. She also recommended using a lip liner due to the slip of the lipstick.

It's warm and slightly orange, but not so orange it makes my teeth look bad.

Enough photos?

Sheer application also looks good. It doesn't stain, which is a positive, because sometimes you just want a lipstick to come fully off at the end of the day (but not before then, this lipstick has good wear.)

Blog I love: BEAUTY IS BORING

I absolutely love BEAUTY IS BORING by Robin Black. I came across it via Twitter a while back, but that was in the days before I got in to using Google Reader (RIP) and I forgot to bookmark the page. I was thrilled to find it again on a Refinery29 post about beauty blogs worth following, along with a bunch of great blogs I'd not read before.


(All images in this post are from Beauty Is Boring)

There are so many great things about BIB, like, the photography is so stunning in every shot. The looks range from over the top to subtle with plenty of wearable ideas. Each post contains step-by-step instructions and a complete product list including purchase links. The range of looks and of model types really shows off Black's versatility as an artist. Plus, the rarity of her posts makes each new one so exciting.

Face Of The Day: In Honour of Black Cherry

This is a face of the day in honour of the fact that I found my favourite Stila lipglaze that I thought I lost about 5 months ago. I'm pretty sure I wrote before that I didn't like sheer lip colours - I lied. I love this one. I love it so much I'm wearing it in June, even though it's a definite winter shade.

It's Black Cherry and it's a part of the permanent range, costing £15 for 2.4ml. Mine's only 1.5ml because it was part of a holiday set of 8 glosses. Despite the smaller size, I'd recommend getting a set because you still make a great saving, plus you can try out more colours. There are always plenty of trios available on their site.

Black Cherry is a great product for anyone looking for something a little bit nineties who doesn't want to go all the way to mocha coloured lipstick (me). For me, Stila lip glazes have always been a very nineties product as well, so bonus points for parading it around and applying it in public, right?

Bottom is applied thickly, top is spread out as I would apply it on my lips - note the good pigmentation. They are pretty sticky, which a lot of people probably wouldn't like, but they are also long-lasting.

MLBMOT. My Lips But More On Trend.

Also on my face - MAC Cremeblend Blush in Ladyblush, & Other Stories Luminising Powder in "1", Clinique High Impact Extreme Mascara, a weirdly shiny forehead. 

Yes I'm in bed, no that's not a pyjama top. Final words on Black Cherry: you need to buy it.