Adventures of Barbarella

Favourite Look #7: Barbarella

Cut your own fringe

 

Hair. Jan 2012

 

Favourite Look #3: Lashes + Red Lip

Current Skin

Favourite look #2: Smoky + Red lip. (Crazy Eyes)

Favourite look #1: A natural nude

Pacific Blue

I'm breaking all the Winter rules and wearing this mauvey blue on my tips & toes for Winter. I think it looks wonderful. This is certainly one of my all-time favourite colours.

Greek Goddess Hair

Well I'm really getting into the high buns, aren't I? This is an all-time favourite of mine, you see it in almost any 60s movie, during a party, girl with the half-hair up in a white discs dress. So Britt Ekland.

My version is more relaxed, since it's just a ponytail bobbi pinned to my head. I'm surprised it didn't fall over with all the wind today.

Up

I'm not sure what happened to this picture, i saved it and it messed up. But it looks so cool I'm posting it:

Chantecaille Just Skin

Tanning

Here goes one on tanning. I haven't written about this for a while. In that time, countless products have been released, better formulations aplenty. I've done a little bit of experimentation over the last couple of weeks, and I can still say that:

St.Tropez Mousse is still my favourite thing for body. Fast, easy, completely foolproof. Been using this since i was 17, although of course, the formula has completely changed since then. Actually, I think I used the lotion at 17, but straight after when the mousse was released I switched to mousse. Ah the lotion! Those were the days! I got so dark, and my sheets/clothes/people who touched me, too.

Clarins Liquid Bronze is my new favourite thing ever for face! Next some pics to show just how natural this looks:

Beauty Essentials

I'm stuck at home with a cold and I have nothing to say about clothes. In fact, I'm not wearing any, so I thought i'd take this opportunity to catch up with something that I've been meaning to post for a while. It's not particularly fun, it's just one of those things that we girls like to know about. It's my beauty basics, those items that I am so dependant on that I systematically use and don't ever talk about, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to everyone.

SilkSkin pillowcase: This is a silk pillow case but not only that- in my experience, the best. It's not just like regular silk (granted, it's more expensive), it feels almost tacky. It's the softest material I've felt in my life, it feels almost moist. And I do sleep on the side, but it is also fantastic for the hair, it doesn't tangle at all on this.

Talika Lipocils: I've been using Talika on my lashes for years and years. It conditions them and brings them to their optimum state, which for most people means that it makes them curl, longer, thicker, and more of them. I use it as a primer in the morning (makes mascara apply so much smoother and also makes it easier to take off at night) and every night.

Liz Earle cleanser: I've only used this for about 4 months now but it has already become an all-time necessity. It just works and it feels great.

Nuxe Lip Balm: Again, used this for years (since I was 18?) on and off. Whenever I don't have it around I always miss it. It has a funny consistency for a lip balm, kind of like an organic lemon+honey health bar crushed. It doesn't have any shine and it keeps your lips moisturized for ever. I can't do vaseline or anything with petrolatum, it give me eczemas and doesn't moisturize at all.

YSL Touche Eclat: Another all time. I don't have dark circles, but this just makes my eye area feel bright and awake. It's also the best highlighter ever. And it feels like a cooling eye cream treatment.

I'm stuck at home with a cold and I have nothing to say about clothes. In fact, I'm not wearing any, (does a La Senza thong count?) so I thought i'd take this opportunity to catch up with something that I've been meaning to post for a while. It's not particularly fun, it's just one of those things that we girls like to know about. It's my beauty basics, those items that I am so dependant on that I systematically use and don't ever talk about, and I wholeheartedly recommend them to everyone. I think I'd rather have these than my wallet.

SilkSkin pillowcase: This is a silk pillow case but not only that- in my experience, the best. It's not just like regular silk (granted, it's more expensive), it feels almost tacky. It's the softest material I've felt in my life, it feels almost moist. And I do sleep on the side, but it is also fantastic for the hair, it doesn't tangle at all on this.

Talika Lipocils: I've been using Talika on my lashes for years and years. It conditions them and brings them to their optimum state, which for most people means that it makes them curl, longer, thicker, and more of them. I use it as a primer in the morning (makes mascara apply so much smoother and also makes it easier to take off at night) and every night.

Liz Earle cleanser: I've only used this for about 4 months now but it has already become an all-time necessity. It just works and it feels great.

Nuxe Lip Balm: Again, used this for years (since I was 18?) on and off. Whenever I don't have it around I always miss it. It has a funny consistency for a lip balm, kind of like an organic lemon+honey health bar crushed. It doesn't have any shine and it keeps your lips moisturized for ever. I can't do vaseline or anything with petrolatum, it give me eczemas and doesn't moisturize at all.

YSL Touche Eclat: Another all time, and the older I get the greater it becomes. I don't have dark circles, but this just makes my eye area feel bright and awake. It's also the best highlighter ever. And it feels like a cooling eye cream treatment.

Question: What are your favourite all-time skincare items?

FINALLY answering this question. I use very few products. I don't have a huge amount to say about them, other than, they are fantastic and they work. For reference my skin is sensitive normal to dry-ish and blemish prone.

- Estee Lauder Tinted Moisturizer: This is great for Summer, for going to the beach. It gives some color and has some SPF. The only thing I'd say about it is that it looks quite shiny and it doesn't have any coverage, it's just a tint. I wouldn't wear this out in the city with nothing else on.

- Garnier BB cream Miracle Skin Perfector. I have this in Light and Medium, I mix and match. It's the best moisturizer with some coverage and it makes skin feel amazing. I wear this by itself as a light foundation every day. My skin looks a lot better after starting using this, I don't know if it's because I'm no longer wearing foundation every day, or because this stuff is so good.

- Skinceuticals Retexturing Activator: This is the only "treatment" that I use on my skin. I use this twice a day. I couldn't say what it does, it just makes it brighter and gets rid of impurities. It's also moisturizing enough to skip moisturizer.

- Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish: This is my cleanser. Tried it once and never went back to anything else. It is that amazing. I've noticed a huge, visible improvement on my naked skin after using this a few times. I never thought a cleanser made any difference in the quality of your skin. I still can't figure out how it does it.

- Sisley Gel Express aux fleurs: This is a great express masque, when your skin is dehydrated and feels a bit rough after a night out, this smooths it out, gives luminosity, hydrates...I've used this for ever.

- Mario Badescu Drying lotion: I dot this on pimples and they go away within a few days without a trace

- Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion: This is meant to be used for cysts. Let's face it: there's no miracle for cysts except hard drugs and hormones, but this does help them heal without too much of a scar.

Shalimar Parfum Initial Review

Ah, Shalimar. The sole mention of the name is so evoking! You can't touch it. It's one of those fragrances that makes the wearer inherently cool in front of perfumistas.

Shalimar is one of my mom's signature scents, she guards it zealously. I imagine we all have women in our family who wear it. It is the "First Oriental", and one of the most famous scents in the world. I love it, in theory. But the few times I've tested it, it didn't go how I imagined. I feel like I spray it on but I can't reach it. Shalimar, in my head, is gorgeous and has no boundaries. On my skin however, it's an old bar of soap. I get whiffs of something I like and that is strangely addictive- that bar of soap is scented with something that I like, but I can't get to it.

Is it the powder, is it the bergamont, is it that essences smelled different 200 years ago? I don't know. Whatever it is, it's frustrating.

Fast-forward to Shalimar Initial, which is a loud blast of that scent that I couldn't get to, right from the beginning. With a little dirty thrown in there.  I don't want to say that it compares to Agent Provocateur or Vivienne Westwood Bodoir, but it has that spirit, that is a little sweaty and wouldn't be quite right on a bright Summer morning.

Fortunately, it is nothing like I thought it would be, given the premise of a "Shalimar for a 17 year old". It's not that I think that a teenager's selection should be limited to "fresh" and "fruity floral"- I myself was more interested in Philosykos when I first started smelling things- and it's not that I doubt the good taste of the younger generations, but this doesn't strike me as a particularly "young" fragrance. It's pretty powerful, has a lot of character, it's not approachable or easy to wear (not significantly so), and I don't think it is standard enough that everyone will like it. Which is a good thing.

So what does it smell like? If you're familiar with Shalimar, take away the soapy edge and the powder, intensify the sweetness of the citrus, vanilla and the tonka, and add a dirty stocking. Parfum Initial starts with a certain effervescence. Sweet citrus, lemony. Flowers come in...sandalwood, patchouli. Very charming. Sophisticated, but Shalimar is still more elegant, opens more sinuously. Parfum Initial I would say, is a modern interpretation, but not a dumb one. I love Parfum Initial, although a part of me wishes this was a little bit more like Shalimar.

If you have no idea what Shalimar is, try it, if only because it's a big part of history.

I agree with others that this is less fine, less detailed, and more to the point. Warmer, fleshier. If Shalimar is a tall tower carved in ivory, in your oriental estate in India, this is the girl sitting inside it.

 

Easy Days

My nail crystals started falling off yesterday. That might be because they rubbed against my shoes. Crystals don't allow much shoe choice, do they?. I had grown to love them actually, and I'm sure I'm gonna do it again. I almost got my hotfix swarovski stash out ready to do it myself but then I thought- no. Hotfix glue on nail might not be such a good idea.

So I went back to Mod About You by OPI. I first had an infatuation with it when I was 19. And I have incredible memories! It can never go wrong.

I'm wearing my clog mules again.



I didn't even go out today except to replenish my Cookie Dough ice cream stock, so I did some liquid eyeliner (NARS felt tip) and Vegas Volt on lips.

Blingy Sophy Robson nails and a Lie in the park

Check out my new bigger pictures! I wasn't sure they wouldn't crash my server and I've never used them, but here's hoping they don't.


I'm wearing the standard Summer uniform in the Guess Girl variation. Shorts, tank top, some some jewlery, metallic sandals and a little bag. It just gives it that touch that's on the right side of tacky. And Raybans, nothing beats my raybans.



I did something outrageous today...behold..CRYSTALS!

(my feet are battered. They always are. On this ocassion I got attacked by some miu miu flats)

Out of everything in the world this was probably the least likely design for me to choose. So i went for it! (Initially I wanted a D&G inspired flower pattern but it was very hard to do on toes. I still wanna do that next time, somehow.)

I went to Sophy Robson's salon (big fan, who isn't) and, I'll tell you something, I don't usually get pedicures or manicures. I've only had one in my life, when i was 19. They don't last long and I spend the money on other things. So you know, you have to choose your luxuries. But I was very curious about visiting Robson's team and doing something different so there you have it!  It was great fun, efficient, fast, functional. I like that.

Then I went to the park with Tommy & co. to show off my new glittery toes, it was really hot and that was great. Had a picnic that was made out of a Raclette crepe and a red velvet cupcake for dessert.

And a little information on the makeup:



I'm quite tan so I'm wearing Laura Mercier Natural Beige and Classic Beige mineral foundation mixed.
Chanel cake eyeliner in black. As amazing as you've heard. I've been recommended this by so many people. I surrendered.
Diorshow Extase mascara
Bobbi Brown Pink Beige lipgloss on lips. Now with the new applicator and bigger size, you really can't beat this gloss. They've always been my favourite, they are the shiniest and stay on until you eat them.
Pretty sure there's dirt on my face too. I'm one of those people who attracts dirt like a magnet.

Happy Sunday! xxx

Sun-tanning: Beach favourites

I have to restrict myself not to carry all of this every time I step out of the house.

(Left to right)

Hawaiian Tropic: I just love the smell/look of this brand. And I MUCH prefer body oils to lotions. They feel better and look great, don't wash off etc. I wear that oil for moisturizing, not really for protection. I only wear that on top of some other sunblock, once I have a tan already.

Hei Poa hair oil: I drench my hair in this before going to the beach, and ideally would reapply after swimming but I never do that. I have the feeling that it stays in my hair until I shower though, so I'm not too bothered. What does it do? It keeps it from drying out in the sun, and from getting all frizzy while it's drying. It's so humid here, hair never quite looks dry anyway. I use the Hei Poa body oil too. More on that some other time.

Garnier body oil: I am an oily gal I told you! I love this stuff, this is probably my favourite all-rounder. It's not cheap, but it feels great, smells delicious but not overpowering, doesn't rub off, ever, even after swimming- which makes it particularly difficult to get the sand off yourself, it sticks to it like glue-. Very recommended.

Polysianes gel nacree SPF10: Another one of those moisturizers that you use purely for glitz and decoration. It's a gel-oil texture, completely delicious and indulgent. And it has a gold shimmer to it. Smells amazing. The whole polysianes line does.

La Roche Posay Anthelios SPF50+ for Face Tinted: This is a tinted cream which is great because it acts like a tinted moisturizer, and the protection is unparalleled. Favourite face SPF. My mom wears it too. You know it's good when your mom has worn it for thirty years.

I apply all of this (well, not all of it at the same time. I choose the high SPFs first) over my body before going out, and then reapply as needed. I usually stick to a 30-15 and always use high protection on the face because otherwise it starts feeling horrible. I think it's a good idea to listen to your skin, it should feel lovely and moisturized all the time; if it doesn't you need more cream. And if you haven't tried oils, i urge you to.

Happy beaching xxx

Kohl

Guerlain Kohl Kajal Black Frida LE crayon

This is amaaaazing. Smudges like crazy but still amazing.

(For non smudge eyeliner fun I recommend the YSL waterproof pencil)

Note: I love this makeup on men.

Pause for visualization of Johnny Depp.

Hair is au naturel, again! And I've been wearing that white t shirt all the time except when I wash it, that I walk around naked aimlessly waiting for it to dry. Gosh I'm really taking my time to style myself this week.

Oh! Speaking of visualisations. This is totally unrelated but it's important- Today I was explained how mobiles can produce cancer: the electromagnetic waves they emit have an effect on water, so what they do is that they suck the moisture out of our brain. Cancer is far too abstract a thought, but picturing my brain DRYING OUT?? = EWWWWW. People, wear earbuds.
 

Post-Haircut

I took these while I was having a conversation believe it or not. multitasking.

ha I captured a rainbow on a spritz of Eau De Ciel

Essie Splash of Grenadine

This is such a pretty magenta pink!!

Jelly, so it looks sheer (but not streaky) with one coat, and covers the nail with two). Amazing texture I love it. One sheer coat makes your nails look like a popsicle, would be great for the beach.

Miss Dior Cherie 2011

I've never been a fan of Miss Dior Cherie; sales assistants have been shoving it up my nose since the day it was released, and to me it just smelled like mint- strawberry gum.

The EDT however- completely different scent. They got rid of that artificial aftertaste, and it was all caramelised popcorn and flowers. I loved the EDT. I'm not alone when I say, we've been waiting for Dior to come to their senses and realise that the EDT is so much better, and just tweak the EDP to match it.

Well ladies and gents - that's just what they did.

I won't attempt to produce a comparison between this and the original one; I don't know how they compare, the original was a nightmare of strawberry syrup gone bad on me. This is a completely different story. As for how it compares to the EDT: the base is the same, the EDT is fresher and has an obvious popcorn note that I don't quite get in this one

Sprays: I'm doing fine with my usual two, smells more than enough for most of the day. As I've said before, I don't like leaving a trail, i only want those who lean on to smell me.

So what does it smell like? Well, may I present the notes:

 (as listed on the sample slip):

Italian Mandarin Essence
Egyptian Jasmine Absolute
Patchouli Essence

I like how they didn't dare to put an ethnity on the Patchouli. It is SUCH a sanitised patchouli, I can't even tell it's patchouli. And did you notice they're not marketing that foul strawberry anymore? Interesting for a scent that was ABOUT strawberry when it came out.

More:

Top: sparkling citruses
Heart: Rose Damascena, intense jasmine, patchouli
Base: vetyver, sandalwood

I'll go through the end result: There's a candied citrus opening with lots of mandarin/orange. It's not acidic at all, it's like one of those homemade sugar coated candy jelly sweeties made from real fruit. It quickly settles to sweet flowers, and yes, I'm pretty sure there is still some strawberry. It dries down to a flowery mix of candied petals that stay fresh and, I guess, laboratory sandalwood.

I don't really smell the patchouli. Patchouli to me is an earthy mossy smell and there's nothing earthy about this scent at all.

Finally, let's discuss the campaign:






Why are they marketing this with Natalie Portman wearing a little black dress? Why is Sophia Copolla directing it? That's like getting Stella McCartney to make Britney's tour outfits and hiring Gwyneth Paltrow as her body double.

Miss Dior Cherie is a girly, frilly, pink, cheesecake-pose kind of thing- the previous ads were wonderful and everybody loves them. They could have really gone for it with Portman, she's such a perfect Lolita. Not a sterile portrait shot wearing a black dress..That is soo Vanity-Fair cover in the most boring sort of way. There's nothing grown-up about this scent, and that is the whole point.

 

Illamasqua Nudge

For me to get over this company's disastrous marketing campaign and their offputting names, the products must be very good

They are

Absolutely wonderful nailpolish

Bring it, Summer!

We're winning

Sent from my iPhone

"L'Agent" by Agent Provocateur. Fragrance review

It's funny with Agent Provocateur. It's one of those houses that is so big and commercial, that you almost expect bad things from them. They aspire to be kinky, elegant, sophisticated, and somewhere along the line it goes wrong. Their clientele is stuck up, their models are either socialites or Russian escorts (it's a fine line), and they sold out last year. The depraved tone of the campaigns can be hilarious. The whole plot is a little cheesy and pretentious.




I'm compelled to review them positively though, because I do love a lot of their products, even if the more racy designs have to be worn very carelessly, kind of like if you put on a different color sock by mistake in the morning. Outstanding analogy.

Moving on.

I am a huge fan of Agent Provocateur, the original fragrance. It is dynamite. It really is sex in a bottle- and that sounds offputting to the extreme worded like that, but I mean it in a good way. Agent Provocateur is definitely night-wear, and worn before bed it would keep me awake.

The new one, L'Agent, that I am now getting to, is different. Very very different. But brave too! I jumped of excitement when I tried it. Wow! All out there with the dry rose petals, pepper, incense. Oriental? I don't know about that- then again I'm too blonde for orientals, I never liked them, I haven't experimented with them, I might now know what I'm talking about...- To me and my limited experience, it's an oldfashioned musky floral, really. It reminds of a lot of things but it's more beautiful.



It's wintery, it is sexy, it is not particularly sweet but it could easily be a comfort scent, like a cup of pure, bitter cocoa. I envision a boudoir with red velvet furnishings, a heavy brocade dress on the carpet, a poutpurri on the dressing table and an incense stick burning next to it. That's what it smells like to me. Slightly stuffy in a way, as if the room hadn't been aired for days, and as if there had been quite a few women in it, each wearing different scents. Women, not girls. It could have been produced decades ago.

Finally: It's quite potent, but wearable. I'm enjoying wearing this with casual clothes.

I'll let you know what the male population thinks. That will be Review Part.2: "Action or No Action: Cut to the chase: What you really wanna know"

Quoting from Fragantica.com so you can get a better idea of the notes:

Top opening bursts with pink pepper, davana oil, rosewood, ylang-ylang and angelica. Amazingly powerful and tempting heart blends floral notes of Bourbon geranium, May rose, Sambac jasmine, tuberose and osmanthus. The base includes the darkest and most enigmatic ingredients of patchouli, sandalwood, amber crystals, tonka bean, labdanum, myrrh, black incense and musk.

Agent Provocateur is available in 50ml EDP here
L'Agent is available in 100ml and 50ml EDP here

 

Babyliss/Conair Hot Rollers for volume

Frederic Malle Lipstick Rose Fragrance Review

"Lipstick Rose" is, in it's austerity, possibly the prettiest name in the galaxy of fragrance. Modest and evoking all the coquetry and playfulness of a pinup. I heard of this scent on its release, far before I became interested in "smelling" at all, and it was so out of my reach and yet so bloody magnetic to me, I haven't forgotten it ever since.

The descriptions you'll have read: "a powdery, violet-scented tube of lipstick", "almost a novelty scent (...) To use Andy Warhol's words, this is "a deeply superficial" perfume", "theatre, backstage, lots of powder, excitement"

So a few months ago, one gray ol' day I come across the words again "Lipstick Rose", and it turns out I'm living in London and the possibility of testing it is a reality. So dressed up in my favourite posh girl attire I head out, get to the shop, refuse the paper slip and spray some juice on my wrist directly.

BANG. I get slapped on the face by a cloud of chalky violets. Immediately, I felt cheated on, and all that I had read about this character broke down to reveal an artifice that I really did not approve of. It was cheap, it was insolent, it broke my heart.

Rule #1: Don't get close to Lipstick Rose, she bites.

Now, I am rather obstinate and when I get my eye on something, I am inflexible! Not content with being let down, I went right back the next day and sprayed it on again. That is when I decided I didn't care for it. I forgot about it at that point, and instead of burying my nose into my wrist, I lived with it that evening- and that is when it started doing its magic, colouring the world around me and building the fantasy that I had read about. And it was wonderful

Of all the fragrances I have experienced, Lipstick Rose is different. You will not like it if you smell it up close. You will abhor it, you'll choke on it. I feel I'm being simple if I say that it's the silage that touches me -it's not that- it's that for some reason, this doesn't develop any flavour until it's floating around you. Once it's there, I've caught whiffs of all the different notes and pink visions it contains, but on my wrist I've seen nothing.

So what is it? It is a waxy, violet-flavoured lipstick on a desk with loose powders and pink roses. It is not dainty; it is modern, quite warhol-esque, and it is unnerving. This is one that I admire and respect, and need to be dressed for (and my clothes will smell of it for days).

There's a lot of wax and a lot of powder, I love both, I can never get enough wax! It is also independent and will not become a skin scent a couple of hours later- it is what it is, it's not so much a part of your body, as a part of your costume. And that's why it's a "tricky" one for me. A high dose of this one when you're not in the mood is disastrous, (I would say the same of any vibrant violet fragrance), I wear it with constraint and it would bother me if others didn't. Sometimes a sniff out of the bottle is enough.

Truly genius though.




If you found Lipstick Rose very, very strong-minded, Drole de Rose by L'Artisan is a similar, softer take on powdery rose and violets. It starts green and powdery, but the dry down is almost identical, just a lot more timid.

Makeup through generations Pt.1: Routines

I promised I would make this post; the ladies are not always collaborative but I managed to write down their regimes. On Part 2, I will attempt to expand this further.

It's second nature for me to refer to products by their names and function. Not so for these ladies. I quote:

- What are you using now?
- I've always used this
- What is it though?
- It's a powder
- ..but you used it without a base?
- It's my base
- Oh. So it's like a foundation?
- No, it's powder

Moving on. What I love about older women and their makeup is their loyalty to it; the transformative process is a luxury that they'll take every day to look their best and they pride on it. It shows that they care.

Grandma's (84) makeup routine:



OPI Hot Ayers Rock on nails applied by moi

- Olay regenerist serum "I love serums they make all the difference. My skin feels so much denser"

- Maderas powder to cream makeup "I've been using this makeup for ever. My mom used to have it too- the loose version. After applying with a puff I smooth it out with my fingers to avoid it looking powdery, it's quite creamy so that works well"

- drugstore-brand pearly blue eyeshadow, estee lauder dark grey eyeshadow to contour "I really like blue around my eyes. I have a blue Lancome kohl pencil that I use on my inner rim as well. I've applied a bit too heavily today but it will all come together when I put on my lipstick"

[I just love how old ladies will use blue eyeshadow and fuchsia lipstick and lots of blush all at the same time. I am totally going to be one of them, big hair and all]

- LOTS of Estee Lauder pink blush. "I like rouge on my cheeks to be noticeable and I brush it towards the temples. I have a very sallow complexion and blush instantly gives me life. Blush is wonderful"

[She's very serious when she speaks of her blush. She truly thinks it's the essence of life. That and lipstick]

- Guerlain Reve D'or lipstick (alternates with Estee Lauder Tiramisu, her favourite which she claims is far more moisturizing and feels a lot nicer to use. This one was a gift) "My lipsticks are usually expensive, they're the one part of my makeup that I like splurging on because there's a big difference between a good lipstick and a so-so one. I like using a reddish lipliner to give my lips definition"

[I have tried to persuade her out of her red lipliner and time after time I have failed. It's okay. I won't deny anyone the pleasure of red]

- YSL eye pencil in black "I've always worn my eyes very made up. They've always been my best feature"

- Lash Curler and L'oreal Voluminous Mascara

- L'oreal Elnett hairspray on hair "Hairspray is essential to mantain the style. Having my hair done is very important to me. I go to the salon once a week and ask for a lot of volume"

Other grooming: Handcream (Neutrogena original) every couple of hours. Soaks her feet in moisturizer every night before going to sleep. Pedicure every two weeks.

Grandma's tip: "Take care of yourselves. One gets older but one has to always keep taking good care of oneself. I always have done and always will, for as long as I'm able to"

Mommy's (53) face of the day:




Mom is currently carrying four makeup bags with products that spill over my piano, sofa and carpet. She's not a "neat" makeup enthusiast and she often doesn't know what she's using but she's a fan of all the latest jazz.

- Sisleya global firming serum "my power-serum. Prohibitively expensive but SO GOOD"
- Sisley Hydraglobal "another good mention"
- Sisley All Day All Year moisturizer "to protect the skin from the sun. I'm a huge believer in potions and lotions, I use quite a few of them, on top of each other! Been a Sisley fan for ages. Diana uses them too"

- Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua makeup Beige Ambre Desert "I'm using this sample that I was given at the counter. But just slightly. Just a minimum amount of foundation. And I don't powder"
- Bobbi Brown concealer in Sand "Barely there"
- Brows: Benefit brow-zing in Light "This is my latest discovery. The colour is perfect for my ashy brows. I was using MAC Omega until recently. Brow definition is very important for women of a certain...How should I say this? Of an age like mine!"

- Bobbi Brown Goldstone cream metallic eyeshadow "My favourite at the moment. Really love how this catches the light and does not come off. I'm a big fan of Bobbi Brown eyeshadows in general, I have a couple"
- Bobbi Brown Black Plum eyeshadow to contour "I have a droopy eyelid and I like smoking it out and extending it out a lot"
- Estee Lauder Turbo-lash, "which is driving me crazy because it starts vibrating the moment you take it out of the tube. I like YSL Faux Cils better, though it smudges"
- Guerlain loose Kohl in brown inside the eye "Best kohl, I've always used this one. We have all the colours they're come out with"
- YSL Eye Pencil in Black to line "This smoky eye is so flattering"

- Chanel Rose Dentelle lipstick "I was on the hunt for a pink and this is the only one that looks good against my medium rosy skin; tried all the Rouge Voluptes and they all looked pasty. I usually stick to deep mauves and beige browns. But the effect of this lipstick is very brightening" I concurr.
- Chanel Lilirose lipliner "I am never without a brown-ish lipliner. I've used Chanel Desert all my life, Lilirose is Diana's I'm just trying it out with the pink lipstick".
- Chanel Rouge Contrast Pink Explosion blush "such a "happy" shade! It looks so sweet"

Mom has finished her makeup and is now going to take a morning bath.

Stay tuned! x

Chanel 19

"Striking and admirably dissonant portrait" "Haughtly and immune to sweetness, with a somewhat antiseptic air, this extraordinary perfume appeals to anyone who has ever wished to know what it is to be heartless"

Tania Sanchez

Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf

I am embarrassed to announce that after my very documented peregrination of niche houses I've ended up enjoying a sample of Flowerbomb. I never really paid any attention to this. Until recently, I knew naught of mainstream scents. I really like Viktor&Rolf though, so the fact that this is mainstream doesn't entirely put me off.

It's very sugary. Don't ask me how it compares to others in its league, Sarah Jessica Parker, Juicy Couture, Vera Wang and the like- I have no clue, bear with me. All I can say is that this smells of candyfloss and flowery vanilla and it does not smell cheap. Similar to MOR Marshmallow actually, minus the powder.

It's quite a delicious composition of sweetness, very creamy and well-rounded, and definitely a gourmand. I can see how people say it's missing something because it's not a big personality scent- but I don't think it's missing anything since it's nothing in particular to begin with; it's just pretty. I never liked candy growing up, but I can now appreciate it in small quantities.

The target demographic for this seems to be a young consumer; I find it quite pointless to categorize scents into age groups. I guess this wouldn't be the signature power fragrance for a woman in her fourties, but it might well be her comfort scent. Sometimes one wants a bite of cake. Flowerbomb is perfect for those days.




On the same(?) line, I did test Fantasy by Britney Spears this week too, it is one of those *fantasy* scents that in my head and in theory, I love, to the extent of telling people I love it. I read about it and I love it, in all its tackiness. It turns out, it flops on me. Total fail. If somebody had a pineapple cocktail, cupcakes and a milkshake, and then threw up; that's what Fantasy smells like and I couldn't wait to wash it off.

Chanel n.19 Fragrance Review

Chanel n19 is a ray of light to me. It's a cool white floral, powdery green scent. If it were a colour it would be a sunny white. It isn't as green as others because it has that powdery musky sweetness to fall back on, but it is by no means an opulent flower bouquet either, and I don't detect aldehydes in this one.

N.19 is feminine, bright and quiet, stays in the background and doesn't make you smell "of" something. Which is why it's such a perfect throw-on, everyday scent. I can't imagine one circumstance where this one would be obtrusive. In the mornings when I'm not quite ready to smell anything, it doesn't interfere with my senses; in Summer it's light and in Winter it's comforting; and it's surprisingly sensual for evenings. 

If I were reading this I would be bored out of my mind and would now look for the following clarification: When I describe this as "fresh" and "light" (two words I abhor in fragrance reviews, they alienate me immediately) it is in contrast to the type of  fragrances I go for: heady grand bouquets, power vanillas and candied roses. This one, although "lighter" because it shines through you rather than decorates you, is as special as the best and a beauty in it's own right.

I had to google the notes, I can't tell them apart, they melt into each other like a sunrise: Galbanum, hyacinth, neroli, bergamot, jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, orris, narcissus, ylang-ylang, oakmoss, cedarwood, iris, vetiver, sandalwood, leather, musk. From these I notice the rose and iris on a woody base the most, but they are so transparent I could hardly affirm they are rose and iris and vetiver.

 

Vanille Havana (Vanille Absolutament)

I googled the new name of this juice and got nothing - that wasn't a very successful change of name! Rebrands are always difficult, especially when everybody is so enamoured with the original.

Vanille Havana doesn't really smell of what the word evokes to me, therefore I think the new term is a more suitable choice. It is a special vanilla, skillfully adorned with spices. Warm spices with a base of vanilla would be an equally correct description. I wouldn't say it is heavily spiced because it is not intense, but that's not to say that it isn't spicy; it is. It is aromatic and transparent. What floats around you is a cloud of smoky vanilla milk, like a chai latte.

It has a warmth to it that makes it beautiful for cold Winter nights, and that's when I crave gourmands the most. Much has been said by perfume aficionados to elevate it outside of the cliche - god forbid - gourmand vanilla territory, and I agree that this is not a generic vanilla (and i can't think of it as being in the same category of "generic department store smell", none of the L'Artisan line is), but it smells pretty edible to me.

Is it grown up? Well it can be but it is not a serious scent, and it is nowhere near the solemnity, grandeur or elegance of what I expect from a perfume classified as "grown up", so it's confusing when people tell me how grown up it is. Passage d'Enfer is grown-up, Vanille Havana, less so.

What I reckon I'm missing in the mix is a flower; I like my floral vanillas. This is coming from the point of view of a regular girl who likes fragrances and might be way off beat, but that's my reality.

All this said, I enjoy this scent and appreciate it for what it is, I like wearing it because it's very comforting; I have to be in the mood for it and sometimes I feel like it just sits on my skin and it's not "me" - spice is rarely "me".

 

 

Beach Favourites - Polysianes by Klorane

This comes three months too late for my northern hemisphere readers but I thought I'd do it anyway.

All the products in this line are incredible, from the way they're packaged, to the way they look, to the way they smell like monoi oil and tiare. Some of my favourites:

The monoi oil in the glass bottle: I use this all over hair, body...it smells delicious, makes the skin glow and the hair glitter and tames the frizz.

 

Creme fondant: As an after sun, oily rather like the oil, and again, exquisite

SPF10 Nacree sunscreen: This has microglitter particles and a mother of pearl shine, cooling sensation plus the signature tiare scent and a low sunscreen. Such a luxury to apply this at the beach!



They're more expensive than your regular Nivea but not prohibitively so, and soo worth it.

I have yet to find out if these are available in London.

Kerastase Ciment Thermique - Review

  I thought I'd share with you a product I'm loving, the Kerastase Resistance Ciment Thermique Heat-Activated reconstructor milk for weakened hair. This complex-titled leave-in is basically a leave in conditioner with a gel texture, that really leaves hair beautifully revived. Feels stronger, denser, soft, shiny, hydrated. I didn't purchase this, my mom left it behind at my apartment when she came to visit. But I might consider getting it myself when I finish it. It's really good, I'm very impressed. 

I would say, because it's "heat-activated" this is ideal to use as a heat protectant + leave-in conditioner in one. So perfect for those who use heat styling, as I am doing lately. 

You only use a pea-sized amount, I've had this tub for weeks and it didn't even look like there was any left when I found it.

125ml, 19 pounds (price from Amazon.co.uk, since I didn't buy it so I don't know how much it was)



   

  

Unboxing of the magic hot styler machine- Rowenta Brush Activ Review

This is a review for the Rowenta Brush Activ.



Very impressed with the packaging. It certainly looks like I'm getting my bang for my buck (73 pounds!)



All well organised..the brushes have their own plastic caps which is good. I am surprised that this is a GERMAN product, and so the plug is european and everything is in German. I did not know that, they should've specified...Not too concerned cause most of my electrical things are Spanish so I have convertors permanently stuck on the wall. But they could've mentioned it.

Good to see that part of the proceedings of this went to cancer research..again, did not know this. I'm all for cancer research.



And a photo of me holding it, just so you can see how BIG this device is. It reminds me of one of those totally disproportionate novelty dildos. It's sooo big it's kind of shocking.



I'm not a fan of big tools, they're hard to maneuver (talking about hair appliances now). BUT this does look really really good, and i hope it performs.

I'll update this post when i use it x

UPDATE

Wow...I am very, very impressed. This thing is awesome, it's light, soo easy to use, great power, gives great volume, the brush is great, it looks pretty, the cord could be a little longer but it's fine....so yea. Very very happy with this! My hair dried super fast and super shiny. Took me 10 minutes in total. I think this has a lot to do with it being ionic, I love negative ions they make a huge difference. It is SO soft and sleek.





The only thing is...while I like the rotating option (it works smoothly, it doesn't tangle) I do not find it essential. What it does is that it "pulls" so it gets the hair very straight at the roots and I use it for some bits but not all the time; I could do without it. I think they should come out with something like this, for half the price, without the rotating function, because I imagine that it's this function that makes this so expensive.