Midweek post: May Favourites Video

I'm back with a video, it was rushed and not my best I don't think, it's so hard to remember what I want to say about products when I'm filming...I need to start writing lists! I'm much more coherant in written posts.

Let me know what your May favourites are :-)

Wonder Product: YSL Glossy Stain.

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Vernis a Levres in '08 Orange de Chine', £22.50.

These are one of the newest additions to the YSL product range, a sucker for Yves Saint Laurent beauty and for lip products it wasn't long before I gave these ago. After trying on number 12 'Corail Fauve' and Makeda trying on number 11 we were bowled over by so many factors that these glossy stains kept coming up in conversation throughout the day as we were wowed by the unbelievable staying power as we shopped, drank and chatted. Big shout out to the blonde lady on YSL counter in John Lewis Westfield Stratford- we loved her! She even passed us after she had finished work, stopped us and commented that our lips were still intact, 6 hours later!

As much as I loved number 12, I felt I already sort-a had this colour. When I returned a couple of weeks later I opted for number 8, which is an orange shade with a coral element to it though not miles away from the original 12. I am IN LOVE.

Reasons to buy;

• The shine finish is so intense, enough to rival any lip gloss, no shimmer or sparkle chunks, just pure high shine.
• The colour pigmentation is impressive yet controllable; one layer applies a stunning wash of colour whereas two layers reaches full opacity.
• The product is totally unique, it's got the best elements of a lipstick (in terms of colour pigmentation), gloss (in terms of high shine) and lip stain (this product will be on your lips for the day, and on your hands if you happen to swatch any!)
• The product can be described as 'smooth' in so many ways- application is smooth, the packaging is smooth, and the barrier-like finish feels SO smooth on the lips.
• Kissproof!- You can kiss your boyf with this on, and nothing will transfer from your lips to his or affect the shiny finish.
• The colour range is excellently established; there is a colour for everyone.
• I found there to be absolutely no side effects to the lips after a days wear of this, heck even after three days wear my lips are in a condition no worse than they started off. This really impressed me, especially after nursing my poor lips back to health after lip abuse the last couple of months!

Have you tried these? What colours do you own?

Dita Von Teese's Eau de Parfum

Dita Von Teese fragrance 'Dita Von Teese', £20 for 20ml (Available from Liberty's)

Promotional image from www.liberty.co.uk

It wasn't going to be long before Dita hopped on the celebrity perfume bandwagon, and I must say that the outcome is simply delicious!

This perfume was released a few weeks ago now, and it is exclusive to Liberty's, so read on if you're interested in this new fragrance!

I love the smell of this, the scent is warm and sensuous, it's luxurious and really sexy. I would group it under the Prada 'Candy', 'Ghost', Thierry Mugler 'Angel' family of scents that are heavy, distinctive and sweet. 

An extract from a page in the magazine above states that the fragrance contains rose, jasmine, bourbon pepper and patchouli, so you can imagine how deep it is yet so feminine.

It's a scent that I have been choosing to wear in the evening because it definitely holds that depth you want from a night time essence. On the Liberty website it states that it has been self named because Dita 'is the physical embodiment of everything she is presenting to a worldwide audience with her first scent creation: Glamour, elegance, and self-confident sensuality'

I don't love the bottle packaging though it does reflect elements of the fragrance itself as it's unique, seductive and stylish.
The cone shape means it lies on it's side, although it's not bulky (making it perfect to carry around in your bag) it's awkward that it lays on its side next to all of the upright perfumes you'd find in most people's collection. It's unusual, that's for sure! The jet black bottle also makes it stand out from the rest, the only other women's fragrance that I can think of that is packaged in black is Tom Ford's 'Black Orchid'. The downside to the opaque glass means it will be impossible to see when the product it running low.
A black tassle hangs off and is decorated with a single red bead, this adds that extra decoration, that extra bit of 'oomph' and attention to detail that Dita is so well known for herself.

Do you like the sound of this fragrance? What do you think of celebrity perfumes? Do you like the bottle?

Midweek post: Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers

Shu Uemura Eyelash Curlers, £20.

 1) Natural 2) After using Shu Uemura eyelash curlers 3) two thin coats of mascara

Oh my days, as soon as I lifted these curlers away from my lashes for the first time, it was love! I've got fairly long lashes naturally but I was getting more and more frustrated at how they looked, they never curled in the way I wanted them too and I knew they could look better than they did. There's only so much mascara can do and my droopy lashes were doing my head in...time to take action and bin my cheap curlers!

My research showed that these had won several awards and were a makeup artist's necessity. Passing by the Shu Uemura store in Covent Garden I couldn't resist, and I could have easily bought so many more things from there if only money could grow on trees!

The grip you hold on your lashes is easily controllable with these to determine the outcome that you'd like. Since using these for a couple of weeks now I've experienced no pulling or discomfort when using them, nor have they affected my eyelashes negatively. 

These really are a great product.

My '5 minute, 5 product face'

 Gym Makeup

Not everyday is glamorous and not everyday do I wear makeup, however when I go to the gym in the mornings there's a few products I slap on to make me look more awake, and feel more comfortable. It's not that I can't leave the house without any makeup on (though I prefer not to) but at the gym especially I feel 'on show' more than if I was walking through a supermarket, for example. With my fair features and pale skin, I can look really washed out very easily (it's at times like these I'm envious of those with deeper skin or naturally dark eyelashes and brows.) so I do the '5 minute, 5 product face' to make me feel a bit more alive and ready!

I only use five makeup products and three 'tools' so I thought I'd take a quick snap before going to the gym the other day and show you what I use:

L'Oreal Lumi Magique concealer (click) ; I use this under my eyes and on any other areas where I want my skintone evened out. It's so sheer that it doesn't feel like you're really applying makeup and offers that minimal, natural coverage that you'd want, to allow your skin to breathe when exercising. I blend it in using a buffing brush so that it becomes part of the skin rather than just sitting on the surface.

MAC blush in 'Harmony' ; I use this to gently contour my face. I miss out blusher all together because I feel it can make me look a bit overdone just for the gym, plus I'll be flushed naturally within a matter of minutes on the treadmill!

MAC eyeshadow in 'Showstopper' ; This is the shade I've been using to fill in my eyebrows recently. If there's one thing I will not leave the house without doing, it's filling in my brows. I'm obsessed, they make the biggest difference to my face; they lift cheekbones, offer definition therefore making me look more alive...

 

L'Oreal False Lash Telescopic Mascara (click) ; One coat of this on my upper lashes instantly brightens and widens my eyes. I avoid using it on my lower lashes to avoid sweaty smudge marks later, just in case! 

Benefit's 'Benetint Lip Balm' (better known as BeneBalm!) ; this is a lip balm with SPF 15 that is soft and shiny (yet not too shiny!) It has the rosy colour of the original Benetint cheek and lip stain which is made from crushed rose petals, so this balm also has a delicate rose scent which actually makes such a refreshing change to the standard sweet or vanilla scents on most of my lip products. The tint brightens my complexion and adds a bit of colour that is lacking in the overall look, a great product to put on and go.

Tools used ;

Real Techniques buffing brush

She Uemura Eyelash Curlers (these are getting a review of their own later this week)

Illamasqua Contour brush

Do you wear makeup to the gym? What products can't you leave the house without?

MAC Strobe Cream- My thoughts..

MAC Strobe Cream, £12 for 30ml.

I'm always on a quest for perfect looking skin, and I believe that a dewy glow is part of achieving this. I've been trying out MAC Strobe Cream for a few weeks now and thought I would share my honest thoughts.

I don't find this product to be miles different to the L'Oreal Lumi Magique primer base that I reviewed here except in it's consistency and skincare benefits. The L'Oreal primer is a pearlised liquid whereas Strobe Cream has the consistency of a moisturiser and contains botanical ingredients, vitamins and green tea, all of which are known to benefit skins condition. MAC claim that it 'de-snoozes, de-stresses, moistens, freshens and boosts the look of dull, flat or tired-looking skin.' I do find it to be better quality than Lumi Magique, which on a couple of occassions seperated slightly on my cheeks, a problem which hasn't occured since using Strobe Cream.

Left; Strobe Cream. Right; L'Oreal Lumi Magique

I really favour it mixed with Estee Lauder's DoubleWear foundation because it made it lighter to apply with a fresher, more glowing finish. If I am honest, if I apply it as I would a moisturiser or a primer and use it underneath makeup, I don't notice a huge difference to the appearanc of my skin. This aside, I have been trying it as a replacement to my morning moisturiser as I feel if I used both together this would be product overload on my skin. It seems to really be doing my skin some good as I've not encountered any skin breakouts as a result of using this product.
It's very blendable and is also lovely patted on top of cheekbones to add an extra luminessence or dabbed down the centre of the nose. I also imagine this would look lovely used on the body for an occassion where photography is involved.

I bought this in the 30ml size as I thought it would be better to trial this before getting the 50ml size. I will continue to use this and unless I find a wonder product in the meantime, I'm quite certain I'll repurchase. I think it is good value for money (especially if we compare it to Lumi Magique) at only £12 for 30ml it's not a huge loss if this product turns out not to be for you!

Do you use Strobe Cream? What do you think of it? What products do you use to achieve healthy looking skin?

Midweek post: Bobbi Brown Gel Liner

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, £16.50

I'd recently been reaching for my Maybelline Gel Liner more and more but after noticing that it was getting drier and harder to use each day I thought it time I bought a new one. I opted for a premium one as I was hoping the quality would be more satisfactory and as it's an item I use everyday it wasn't a problem paying more for it.

The gel is a soft and creamy formula that glides on so smoothly. The product screams quality and I'm not expecting this to dry out the same way the Maybelline one did (but I'll keep you posted.) It's jet black and it's not often you'll need two layers to achieve this effect, however it can also be applied thinly for a more subtle, off-black flick.

What has really impressed me about this product is it's staying power. I believe it is 'water resistant' (Bobbi Brown website) and so I have been applying it onto my waterline...sure enough it's still intact 6 hours later albeit slightly faded, but still there. For someone who is constantly frustrated by kohl liners slipping off the waterline to product those oh so sexy panda eyes, this product has been a real life saver. On the top lid this liner lasts all day, with no fade and no smudge- divine!

Overall I'd certainly recommend this product, I'm not an expert in gel liners yet, having only used three different ones (previously being a die hard liquid liner user) but the creamy consistency paired with excellent staying power means that I give it a big thumbs up, I'm unsurprised it has won so many beauty awards. 

It can be found on any Bobbi counter or under the 'Best Sellers' section of their website and is available in a whopping 13 shades- next on my hitlist is 'Black Mauve Shimmer' to put a bit of a spin on a classic.

What gel eyeliner do you use?

Cat Blouse.

Instagram: emilylaurenbethxo

I'm having a slight cat-themed week. On Tuesday I saw the cat from the 'A Street Cat Named Bob' book thats recently been released, I remember seeing Bob and his owner on This Morning a couple of months ago so I was quite happy when I saw Bob in real life, just hanging out in Covent Garden giving people high fives!

On Friday I finally got my other foot tattooed with the design I've been waiting absolutely ages for. And yes, it's a cat design. It was done by Simon Erl who was guest spotting at the fabulous Swansea Tattoo Company.

I also purchased this shirt. I love cats but I sometimes find corporating them into my outfits isn't the most mature of decisions. I did by the Charlotte Olympia rip off pumps from Missguided a while back but was quite disappointed by how cheaply they were made (I suppose you can't expect too much for twenty quid) and so I don't wear them all that much!

I fell in love with this blouse, I like the simplicity and smartness of shirts and this soft focus leopard head print added a more playful aspect to it. The collar with the small gold stud was an added feature, but I could take or leave that.

Finally, after months and months I think Ben has finally caved and agreed to us getting a real life kitty! We live in a flat and he suffers from allergies so it's going to be a tough pick, but YAY to me possibly having a kitten for company! I already have a cat called Chrissy but she lives with my mum and I miss her all of the time!

What do you think of the shirt? Do you love cats as much as I?

How will I be wearing red lips this summer?

Long gone are the days where I would wear Russian Red day and night all year round. As much as I do still love to rock the bold red lip, I've found the perfect way to wear red that isn't so drastic or takes as much work to perfect (great for those on- the- go) or for those of you who don't feel comfortable with such a bold look.

Let me introduce to you MyFace lipstick in '155 Strawberry Fields'

This stunning lipstick was donated to me by Makeda but is available from many Boots stores or on their website and retails for £9.99.

MyFace Cosmetics are great for makeup beginners because product shades are divided into three groups according to your skintone; Fair, Medium and Dark. This lipstick comes under the Fair category so is perfect for me! If you're stuck with what lip colours, or blusher colours to use for example, pop onto the website and it'll tell you which of their products are formulated for you.

The packaging is modern and clean because it is white with transparent elements. The twist mechanism to raise the bullet is very smooth and it's helpful to see through the lid to the colour if you happened to have a selection of their shades.

I'm so impressed by this lipstick and have been reaching for it over all of my others recently. It has a sheen finish which makes it wearable for day or night and is a beautiful cherry red colour that has pink elements to it, which I think contribute to it being more wearable for the red-shy of you out there. It's a colour and a finish that I think would suit all ages, too. It can also be seen here in my Ombre Lips post. 

It's got the soft, moisturising qualities of Revlon Lip Butters but for two pounds more come in better shades that are tailor made to suit your complexion. I will wear this colour and reapply throughout the day and my lips don't feel like they're suffering by the end of the day, it really is a joy to use and I'm pleased I've been properly introduced to the brand because I think I'll buy from them again.

What do you think of this colour? Do you own anything from MyFace Cosmetics?

Midweek Post; The Newest Shoes

I bought these shoes about a week and a half ago when I visited Westfield Stratford for the first time! That place is crazy, I love the food court and the choice of shops, but the crowds were too much (but I suppose it was a Saturday...) and people were actually queuing to get into MAC........Really?!!!

I love loafers, I always have a pair on the go but I've never really 'invested' in such a sturdy pair. Me and my friend spotted them through the window and both of us fell in love, I got the pink and she got the black (which I would also like!)

I've been living in my Converse mainly, and although I love 'um I wanted something a bit smarter too, just so I had options. These ice cream pastel pink loafers are doing the trick, they smarten up any outfit but also add a dash of colour to my otherwise monochrome wardrobe.

What shoes are you loving at the moment?