Estee Lauder Mad Men Collection

I'm a huge fan of Mad Men - if you are too you'll be just as excited about this collection.

If you don't watch Mad Men (why not?!) it's a big American TV drama set in the Sixties. The beauty trends of the Sixties are among the most copied ever and this collection doesn't veer to far from the classic Sixties look.

Porcelain skin, nude lips and manicured, creamy cashmere nails were all the rage and this Estee Lauder collection nails that retro style perfectly.

There are only 3 pieces to this collection - I suppose that is a good thing for our purses, and because the 3 items are so spot-on Sixties, perhaps you don't need any more than 3..

Nail Lacquer in Pink Paisley

Rich, Rich Lipstick in Pinkadelic

See-Thru Blush in Light Snow

I am lusting after the blush big time - how adorable is that packaging?! The boxes that these products come in all match that blue and yellow print which gives everything a romantic, retro touch. I kind of want a top made in this print now too...

This collection is set to launch on 4th March to coincide with the sixth season of Mad Men in the UK.


Liz
xo

Marc Jacobs Sunshine Edition

If you're looking for a Summer perfume, I would definitely start with this gorgeous Marc Jacobs collection - the prettiest bottles for Summer fragrance this year I think!

Daisy Sunshine

Daisy Eau So Fresh Sunshine

Oh, Lola! Sunsheer

Most brands will just focus on one Summer fragrance so I like that Marc Jacobs has come up with 3. They all seem to have subtle differences which is a great idea - a lot of Summer fragrances are overly sweet and very similar to each other so it's great that Marc Jacobs have recognised that not every woman wants the same thing from their Summer scent.

These have only just become available this month and I'd imagine will continue to be on sale into Summer.


Liz
xo

p.s. I have just picked up the April issue of Marie Claire which I believe goes on sale tomorrow (it has Mila Kunis on the cover) - Marc Jacobs have an advert in here with samples of the perfume above so if you fancy a sniff grab a copy!

Dolce and Gabbana Animalier Collection

Hi everyone!

Following on from yesterday's post, I wanted to show you the other two products in this collection from Dolce & Gabbana.

Dolce & Gabbana Animalier Classic Cream Lipsticks in, from left: Desert, Iconic, Caramel

These lipsticks are a long-wear, moisturising cream formula that apparently smell of rose. They are supposed to represent 'classic' colours whilst still retaining that smouldering, sexy element that the Dolce & Gabbana is reknowned for. They cost £27 each and you can get these online from Harrods.

Dolce & Gabbana Animalier Eyeshadow Quad in Desert

This eyeshadow quad is really worth the investment if you can find it. All of these products are limited edition and the eyeshadow is the one that is tricky to find online! The quad features an assortment of your classic, matte powders as well as a shimmery gold accent for a touch of glamour. The palette costs £44 so is quite pricey but I think most women will get a lot of wear out of these colours and a palette which keeps them all in one place is very handy.

If you are as in love with this leopard print packaging as I am you'll want to rush - the collection has been around for a little while and once it's gone it's gone! I personally want one of each!

Will any of you be buying any of the products from this collection?

Liz

xo

Dolce and Gabbana Animalier Glow Bronzing Powder

I'm a huge fan of animal print so I love the look of this limited edition item from Dolce & Gabbana.

Leopard print has long been a source of inspiration for D&G and this whole collection is devoted to that. 

This bronzing powder mixes tones of mink, beige, bronze and coffee colours. At first glance it looks like it has quite a lot of shimmer to it which would not be ideal for the whole face but it would make a great bronzer/highlighter for the parts of the face that would naturally become sunkissed in summer.

This bronzer costs £39.50 and is available from Harrods online.
The packaging on this is so cute and a theme they have carried across a few other items too - I am ashamed to admit I might buy them all for the packaging alone! I'll do a post on the other items shortly.


Liz
xo

Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes

Following on from the insanely popular Chubby Stick for lips, Clinique have recently introduced the Chubby Stick Shadow.

The concept of the product is great in that it is an easy to store, easy to apply shadow - you literally just draw it on straight from the pencil.

The colour range is pretty impressive - there are 12 colours to choose from, ranging from beiges/nudes/browns to purples/blues/greens!

A couple of my faves...

Lots o'latte

Whopping Willow

Massive Midnight

The formula of these works great as an eyeshadow. Thhey have a non-smudge formula and it doesn't 'collect' on the eyelid or crease. 

Apparently these also contain vitamin E for soothing the eye area - but who cares really when they look this pretty...

These are £16 each and available from Clinique, Selfridges, Boots.

Liz

xo

Ciate Very Colourfoil Manicure

Ciate always have their finger on the pulse when it comes to nail trends and their next offering is the Very Colourfoil range (see what they did there...?)

Photo courtesy of Ciate

Ciate claim this is really easy to apply, and the idea is to create a raw foil finish. This product gives you a lot of creativity - you can mix up different colours and layer them for a completely unique manicure.

Photo courtesy of Ciate

The way this works is that you use a Foil Fix Glue which you dot over the nail, then pick your chosen shade of foil from the sheets provided, press the whole sheet over the nail then pull it off so that it only stays where you have glued. Then you can apply different colours in different places, by putting the glue on other parts of the nail.

This set will be available in 3 different colours: Carnival Couture, Kaleidoscope Klash and Wonderland. All of these will be exclusive to certain retailers (Selfridges will be selling Carnival Couture).

These are going to be available in the UK in March and will cost £18 per set.

Will any of you be trying these out?


Liz
xo

Bobbi Brown Lilac Rose Collection

This is a really pretty collection from Bobbi Brown which appeared at a few shows over London Fashion Week.

The colours are really wearable and girly. My favourite piece is the Shimmer Brick below. All of the Bobbi Brown shimmer bricks are great - they provide just the right amount of shimmer and colour and I like that you can mix a bunch of great colours together with just the swipe of a brush.

Lilac Rose Shimmer Brick Compact, £32

Lilac Rose Nail Polish, £11

Lilac Rose Eye Palette, £45

 I really like the eye palette in this collection (above) - it is quite expensive, it has 8 really great colours in it that I think most people would get a lot of use out of. You can create a lot of different looks with this palette too.

Lilac Rose Lip Gloss, £17

This collection is now available to buy online from Selfridges or Bobbi Brown.

Liz
xo

MAC Archie's Girls - More previews

Hi everyone!

A lot of the Archie's Girls collection is available on the Selfridges website now and it should be live on the MAC website soon, so I thought I'd share a few more of my favourite items from the collection...

Betty Lipsticks in (from left): Girl Next Door, Betty Bright and Oh Oh Oh

 The Veronica lipsticks are much more in my colour range than these Betty ones, but they are growing on me each time I see them. The Betty shades in this collection are probably more everyday colours - very girly, peachy and pretty. Having seen swatches of these, my favourite of the above is Betty Bright which is a vibrant peach colour. 

Betty Polish in PepPepPep

Pearlmatte Face Powder in Veronica's Blush

 I am loving the look of this face powder - the cute design has reeled me in! This face powder combines pearlized and satin shades and can be used as a blush or highlighter also.

Veronica Powder Blush in Prom Princess

 This blush is a mid-tone pink berry with a satin finish. The pigment in these blushes is really good so you only need a tiny amount.

Veronica Polishes in (from left): Past Curfew and Double Trouble

If anyone has got anything from this collection already, let me know by leaving a comment - I'd love to know your thoughts.

Liz

xo

Tresemme Platinum Strength Monodose

I've been trying a couple of other products from this range by tresemme in the hope that, as well as using Kerastase Initialiste, I can expect a big improvement in the quality and texture of my hair.

This is the 'Monodose' from the range, which contains 15ml of intensive conditioner in a cute little squeezy tube with a twist off cap.

Tresemme Platinum Strength Monodose

The idea behind this product is that you put it on the mid-length to ends of your hair for just 60 seconds at the end of your shower/bath and it delivers a concentrated dose of healing and beautifying ingredients so that when you wash it off, your hair is as good as new.

I've used this twice and have to admit that I have noticed a difference in my hair after using it. It has felt shinier, softer and almost thicker, without being fly-away or static which many intense conditioners can cause your hair to do.

After using this, my hair felt really silky and as if I had just had a salon treatment applied to it - which is really good for just £1.49 a go.

I think the ideas is to use this once or twice a week so it's a great pick-me-up for damaged hair that needs a treat at the weekend. I've been using this alongside the 'Stay soft' leave in conditioner from the same range, as well as Kerastase Initialiste - both of which I would also recommend.

Has anyone else been trying the products from this range? What were your thoughts?


Liz

xo

Autumn/Winter 2013 Trends from the Catwalk: Power Brows

Model of the moment (and 2012 Model of the Year) Cara Delevingne has been pioneering the power brow trend for a while now and it's finally translating onto the catwalk at London Fashion Week A/W 2013.

Cara Delevingne at Anna Sui A/W 2013

I'm a big fan of a strong brow and a firm believer that eyebrows can change the entire look of your face. Bold brows have been seen on a number of catwalks so far this season...

Holly Fulton A/W 2013

Marc Jacobs A/W 2013

Michael Kors A/W 2013

Donna Karan A/W 2013

The good news is you don't have to have naturally big brows to take part in this trend. Firstly - stop tweezing your brows for a couple of months, only tidying up any stray hairs that fall below the natural brow line.

RapidBrow claim that their Eyebrow Enhancing Serum (£37) will restore sparse, uneven brows in around 60 days. I haven't tried this so I cannot vouch for whether or not this works - there are mixed reviews online but a lot of positive reviews amongst them. There are a couple of similar products which claim to do the same thing so it may be worth reading around before you purchase as none of them are cheap!

To create the look yourself at home, there are a number of products that can help you out. The most important thing is to keep your eyebrows looking groomed - big brows are cool, but they should look sleek not scruffy!

Benefit Brow Zings

This is a great multitasking item that comes with everything you need for great brows. The 'Brow Zings' kit by Benefit comes in light, medium or dark and contains a pigmented wax, a shaded powder, miniature tweezers, a hard angle brush, blending brush and a mirror. The kits costs £22.50 but if you are just starting out with the brows trend then it saves buying all the items individually.

Benefit High Brow

Another Benefit item - 'High Brow'-  is a luminous brow lifting pencil which costs £14. It comes in one colour, which is a glowy champagne beige/pink shade and is designed to be applied directly under the arch of your brow. I really rate this product - it definitely gives extra radiance to your face and you can actually use it to highlight your cupid's bow as well which gives your pout a plumped look.

CK One Brow Pencil and Gel Duo

This is another great multi-taking product, by CK One. The Brow Pencil and Gel Duo features an angeled pencil for precise shading and filling, plus a gel to keep brows in place. The gel is a soft-hold gel and once applied is undetectable. The angeled pencil makes application really easy and you don't have to worry about sharpening it. A really good staple product.

Bobbi Brown Brow Pencil

Bobbi Brown's Brow Pencils are, in my opinion, among the best pencils for brows. It only comes in 5 colours (blonde, ash, grey, mahogany and brunette) which is a bit of a limitation but it has a lovely, creamy texture that makes it really easy to apply and long-wearing. The finish of these pencils is very similar to an eyebrow powder and each one comes with it's own sharpener. For £15 each, considering the quality, they are pretty good value.

MAC Brow Finisher

A lot of people like the brow gels that come in bottles with a mascara brush, but I think this product from MAC is much sleeker, easier to use and tidier than the traditional gels. This is a twist-up wax-style grooming gel stick which has a slanted tip for easy and neat application. This leaves your brows with a sheer, subtle shine and keeps them in place whilst conditioning them at the same time. It costs £12.50 but you don't have to use very much and there is no waste product so it lasts a really long time.


Liz
xo

Weekend Beauty - Products you can buy now

Lancome Teint Visionnaire Foundation Skin Perfecting Makeup Duo

This is a clever 2-in-1 product which features a perfecting foundation enriched with skin loving ingredients  to visibly improve the condition of skin. At the top of the bottle, a little lid flips back to reveal a high coverage corrector. This is a fairly rich, creamy corrector designed for use on dark spots, under the eyes and on any redness or blemishes.

Available now for £36.00


Smashbox Jet Set Waterproof Eyeliner

This is a gel-based, waterproof eyeliner. The clever thing about this eyeliner is that it stays 'blendable' for 60 seconds before drying. It is available in 6 different colours for £16.00 each.


Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes

If you love the chubby stick lip product, you'll love this too. Best used over a primer, these have a lovely creamy texture and come in 10 different colours for £16.00 each.


Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express Mascara

Maybelline are among the best when it comes to mascaras in my opinion. This mascara offers clump free volume thanks to the new brush design. Promising up to 8x more volume and an even coating on each lash, this is a steal at £5.99.


Enjoy!


Liz

xo

MAC Archie's Girls Preview

I am SO excited for the MAC Archie's girls collection to launch. 

This collection is based on the 1950's comic book series, which focused on 'best friends and worst enemies' Betty (blonde) and Veronica (dark).  Betty is characterise as a girl next door type, whereas Veronica is the racier of the two, and the collection is based around this principle - dark vs light, if you will... 

There are literally so many pieces from this collection that I will be wanting to buy, but in the meantime I just wanted to show you the lipsticks and glosses I am particularly enthusiastic about. The Veronica collection is much more my style, but I will also feature some pieces from the Betty collection for you soon!

Above form left: Veronica Lipstick in Daddy’s Little Girl, Ronnie Red and Boyfriend Stealer

The lipsticks are exactly what you would expect from MAC - really great texture, good colour impact and the cute packaging makes them even more covetable. I am lusting after 'Boyfriend Stealer' in particular, which is a gorgeous, dark wine shade. I think lots of the products from this range will sell out and wouldn't be surprised if this lipstick was the first one to go!

From left: Veronica Lipglass in Mall Madness, Strawberry Malt and Feelin’ So Good 

These lipglosses are the same texture and quality as MAC's usual lipglass range which a lot of people love. As you can see, the lipsticks are designed to compliment the lipsticks so these are a great addition to the range, either to wear alone if you are more of a gloss girl or to layer over the lipstick for a shiny colour impact.

All the Archie's Girls products will be launching in March in the UK - be sure to sign up for the alert on the MAC website so you can be first in the queue and I'll see you there!


Liz

xo

Estee Lauder Zodiac Powder Compacts

How fabulous are these...

Estee Lauder's Zodiac Powder Compacts all come with a translucent powder inside plus an extra refill for when you run out.

These come in presentation boxes which makes them perfect for gifts and they also feature a velvet pouch to keep them in so they don't get scratched.

 Each compact also has a coloured birthstone in the clasp to match the zodiac sign. 

I really like these - they are the perfect indulgent gift for a friend or relatives birthday and cost £65 each from the Estee Lauder website.

Liz

xo

Estee Lauder French Nudes Collection

These polishes are heaven for any nude enthusiast. There's 5 different shades in this collection, so there should be something for everyone.

From left: Diabolique, Nudite, Bittersweet, So Vain, Ballerina Pink.

Estee Lauder claim these all have great pigment and leave a glossy finish even without a top coat - you can see them swatched over on one of my favourite blogs 'British Beauty Blogger' by clicking here.

 Inspired by Parisian fashion, these are all very elegant and easy to wear shades. I am particularly liking the look of So Vain, as well as Bittersweet for a darker spin on a nude nail.

Each shade is designed to compliment different skin tones so everyone will have their own favourite, but I don't doubt these will be very popular when they launch.

The collection is set for UK release in March and each bottle will cost £14.50 each.

Liz
xo

Marc Jacobs Autumn/Winter 2013 New York Fashion Weel

Marc Jacobs shows are always one of my favourites and this season was no different. The collections always showcase a kind of grown up but fresh look and this season the look was very simple and sexy.

On the catwalk, the Marc Jacobs girl adorned simple, masculine styles in the form of belted coats, pyjama-style slinky shirts, and neat blazers worn at times with very little else! But there was a touch of Hollywood glamour at play here too, with vintage-style fur coats and throws, t-bar shoes and mid-length metallic dresses. 

Backstage, dark wigs were cut into a style approaching a mullet but just a bit shorter, all featuring choppy semi-side fringes and adding a touch of vamp to the whole look. Think modern day Joan Jett for this hairstyle.

The wigs were styled with small differences on each model, all individually cut with a razor. If you look at the models pictured above they are all slightly different. Some had more volume and messiness whereas others were sleek and almost pixie-ish from the front. 

A wet-look product was applied to each wig for a high-shine effect and some of the models wore bands around their head to add to the grungy, edgy look.

The make-up was created using Nars Radiant Cream Compact Foundation for a nude and glowing base. The smoky eye was created by blending a couple of matte shadows together- a dark, warm brown washed over the lid and smoked out using black and white shadows to achieve that mid-grey wash around the edge.

The shadows have been applied around the entire eye and used to line the lower lash line too - grab a liner brush for this part, then grab a good eyeshadow blending brush to blend everything together, moving it upwards towards the brow and out beyond the inner corner of the eye towards the bridge of the nose.

The lips were kept nude with just a hint of gloss  - perfectly simple and clean next to the grungy eyes.

Marc Jacob's shows are always a peak into what the 'cool' girls will be wearing next season . The collection itself is the perfect balance between glamorous and cool, elegant and edgy and is the ideal look for Autumn/Winter.

Liz
xo

Anna Sui Autumn/Winter 2013 New York Fashion Week

Anna Sui Autumn/Winter 2013 show was ALL about the sixties. The clothes themselves were the epitome of sixties fashion with textured, patterned fabrics, bright, clashing colours and graphic accessories.

The whole show was colourful, playful and very retro.

The hair and make-up for this show was very fitting for the sixties look, with voluminous, bouncy hairstyles and the classic cats eye done with a modern twist...

Photo courtesy of @patmcgrathreal

Make-up artist Pat McGrath created a monochrome look for the face which offset the bright colours of the clothes perfectly. The cats eye was achieved by applying a black pencil along the eyelid, exaggerating the shape by increasing the width and arching the tip up towards the brow (leaving about half an inch between the liner and the eyebrow).

On the bottom lash line, a black liner was used to create a dotted line. This reminds me of the Clarins 3 Dot Liner, but in this case it was done using a pencil. Nonetheless, it adds something really different to the look, bringing a dose of modernity to an otherwise very retro look. The rest of the face was kept clean with a sheer, matte base and nude, shiny lips.

The hair for this show was very Catherine Deneuve (an inspiration for the show I believe) - bouncy, shiny hair with great height. The hair was very fresh and young. Longer styles were pulled into high ponytails, teased at the roots for volume then rolled under into a big bouffant.

I actually really loved the way they styled the shorter hairstyles for this show. Models with shorter hair were styled with a chic and classic bob. Volume was applied at the crown by backcombing the roots underneath the top layer of hair and a full fringe was clipped in which framed the face (and dramatic eyes) perfectly.

Photo courtesy of @patmcgrathreal

Gorgeous!

Liz 

xo