Sleek blush: left, Rose Gold; right, Coral
Today I want to talk about blush, possibly the most underrated of make-up products. For the longest time I didn’t really use it, or I just used a bit of bronzer instead (my faithful NARS Laguna). I have a naturally pink complexion and that combined with years of being a shy, blushing child made me reluctant to voluntarily make my cheeks pink!
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May I introduce Issue Two of PYLOT Magazine, The Family Issue.
I work on this magazine with a very talented bunch of individuals and twice a year we release a new issue. We are immensely proud of it and I’d love for you to check it out.
We are an all-analogue, fashion and photography magazine — pioneering a modern approach a digitally saturated image economy. The publication works with a carefully selected group of the most exciting creative minds to form a distinct voice through its design and content.
The soul of the magazine is devoted to the publication of all analogue fashion, fine art and architectural images. It subscribes to a strict no beauty re-touching policy, celebrating the unique artistry of analogue processes. The objective is to offer readers a critically engaging, rich and multi-faceted content.
Through the craft of creating images PYLOT looks to explore the ever-increasing questions that form around the ethical uses of photography in fashion and popular culture.
If you’d like to check out more, or purchase a magazine, please visit pylotmagazine.com
Rx
L-r: Apocaliptic, Aurora, Celestial
Anyone who frequents Boots or Superdrug on a regular basis will have seen these adorning the shelves of the Rimmel counter for months and months. They are the Apocalips Lip Lacquers and they are brilliant.
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You may remember my, frankly catastrophic, time with the Clinique skin care range last year. It wasn’t fun for anyone involved. Since then I’ve been using the Body Shop Seaweed range, which has been, alright. And that’s all I can say about it really. It’s alright. My skin doesn’t look radiant, but it doesn’t break me out, it is pretty average stuff. So I’ve been on the hunt for some different skincare products which will improve the look of my skin.
I owe a lot to the Effaclar Duo [+] which is a cream sent from the gods. (I picked up another in Paris, and FYI, it is loads cheaper on the continent!) It keeps my skin clear and makes it feel amazing, but I can’t use just moisturiser, I need something to clean and cleanse my face too! As a result I am trying the Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference range.
I bought the tester size pack from Debenhams for £15. I bought the set for combination skin as that’s what I have but there is another set available for dry skin.
As you can see you get a cleanser, a toner, a serum and some lotion. After using these four products for the last three weeks I can whole-heartedly say that my skin has been transformed. It really has made a visible difference (**cringe cliché alert!**). My skin feels radiant, nourished and looks healthy. I’ve barely worn foundation the last couple of weeks because my skin looks so clear.
The products themselves:
The cleanser is the wonder product of the four in my eyes. My skin feels better than it has in years after using the cleanser – it cleans your skin but leaves it feeling healthy and refreshed – a perfect way to start the morning.
The toner is brilliant for taking off any scraps of makeup etc, that the cleanser (or I) misses. It smells amazing and works brilliantly with the cleanser.
The serum is super nourishing, or it feels like it is anyway! It’s not got the nicest smell but because it feels like its working wonders I’ll forgive it.
The lotion is the product I like least. In that, I don’t like it at all really. I’ve come to realise that I hate lotions. Give me a super thick moisturiser any day of the week over a lotion. As well as the texture being totally wrong for me it also smells of cucumbers, which I detest too.
In summary, the cleanser and toner are wonderful and I will definitely be purchasing them in full size. The serum is also good but at £39 for 30ml (WHAT!?) I think I’ll be looking for a serum which is a bit kinder to the purse. Needless to say I will not buy the lotion but will stick with my La Roche-Posay and my age-old favourite Nivea Pure & Natural Day Cream for the mean time.
Rx
Hello lovelies! It’s been a little while, I’m afraid I’ve been dashing around the country (and the continent – more to follow) so my poor blog has been suffering. But I am back and have found lots of things to tell you about. Here is the first one:
This is Hip Hop from Rimmel’s Salon Pro with Lycra by Kate range (mouthful). This nail varnish is beautiful and my absolute go-to colour for this Spring. Bright, block colours are going to be a big thing this season and this is one way to achieve that trend. I can’t get enough of this colour, it just makes me smile. I was tipped off about Hip Hop from Anna at Viviannadoesmakeup (great blog, you should check her out!)
So about the product generally, firstly, the brush is massive! I mean huge. It takes one swipe to do each nail, its brilliant. Orange is one of my favourite colours and I think it really compliments my skin tone. The colour is really pigmented and gives a gel-type effect on the nail. It claims to last ‘up to 10 days’ – I’ve had it on one day so far and I did manage to chip it (but that was my fault) another quick dab of polish and no-one is none the wiser… shh. I rarely keep polishes on for more than 4/5days anyway (short attention span) but I’ll keep you posted in the comments on the result of this little one.
Available at all Rimmel counters, you know the drill, Boots, Superdrug etc. It retails for £4.49 but there’s usually an offer on Rimmel if you have a hunt around. There are 10 shades in all but in my opinion, Hip Hop is the best.
Have you tried this polish? Which is your favourite Spring nail colour? Leave links and comments below as I’d love to have a read!
Rx
I want to tell you today about Rimmel’s BB Cream because it is flippin’ brilliant.
BB Cream means Beauty Balm (but I’m sure you already knew that) and they’ve been around for ages! But I was looking at my make up collection this week and realised this cream is one of the long-standing members of the group. I’ve been using it since it came out!
The BB Cream is a 9-in-1 skin perfecting super makeup, apparently. The nine things it claims to do are:
Primes
Moisturises
Minimises Pores
Conceals
Covers
Smoothes
Mattifies
Brightens and
Helps protect
Now, to me, conceals and covers are pretty much the same thing, right? And I’m not sure how you can mattify and brighten at the same time… Regardless of what it claims to do, here’s what it actually does. It perfects your skin. By that I mean, it evens skin tone, adds a hint of colour and gives a healthy look to the skin. For me, it brightens the skin and has a slightly dewy finish – but I feel this is because I have slightly oily skin. I doubt it will give such a finish on dry skin.
I use the Rimmel BB Cream on the days when I don’t want/can’t be bothered to wear foundation. It’s a really creamy formula which blends beautifully into the skin. I use either my fingers or my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush to apply the BB Cream after my moisturiser. I then usually add a bit of powder to set the cream and to prevent any shine throughout the day.
I use the shade light as I’m paler than pale but it also comes in Medium. There is also now a matte version if your skin is super oily, or you don’t want a dewy finish. Also, it has SPF25 which is brilliant to protect the skin from those harmful sunrays! You can pick this up from Superdrug, Boots etc for £6.99.
Do you use BB Creams? Which is your favourite? Leave links and comments below!
Rx
I don’t know about you but I am terrible at getting up in the mornings. I mean TERRIBLE! I am most definitely a night owl. Those larks can bugger off in the early hours!
As it takes me three alarms to get up in the mornings I am often pressed for time when getting ready for work. I’m not one of these girls who can manage my make-up on the tube to work, I seriously admire all those that can! So for me I have to be ready as I run out the door and here is my look – it’s quick, simple and looks like I’ve spent at least 3x as long on it as I actually have.
So this is my general face attire for work:
And here are the products I use:
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Gel foundation – Beautiful foundation which lasts all day. I use this as an everyday foundation when I don’t want a glowy finish which I get from the Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation
Rimmel Stay Matte powder – The BEST powder ever. Fact. Very battered and well loved.
Wake Me Up concealer – Super high coverage. Makes me look awake!
NARS Laguna Bronzer and Deep Throat Blush duo – My favourite item of my make up collection by a mile. Adds a touch of colour and makes me look healthy and ready to face the day. The duo was a limited edition but you can buy both colours on their own.
Urban Decay Primer Potion – I use this everyday, without fail. Makes my eyeshadow stay put all day.
Mac eyeshadows in Patina, Mystery and Omega – Patina over the lid, Mystery along the lash line. Omega through the eyebrows.
Lancôme Hypnôse Mascara – My favourite mascara ever. Ever. Makes your lashes look massive with one fell swoop.
Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya – Moisturising, sheer and a beautiful colour, I love it.
What’s amazing is you can slap these products on in a flash, they’re easy to work with and are quite lenient if you aren’t quite awake when applying them!
What do you wear for work everyday? Are you as hopeless as I am at getting up in the morning?? Leave links and comments below!
Rx
The stars of Hollywood gathered last night for the highlight event of their calendar, the Oscars! The 86th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard to celebrate the achievements in film over the last 12 months. I always look forward to the Oscars, I love film and I love fashion, its a win-win! So let’s take a look at the highlights (well my highlights anyway!)
Ellen DeGeneres took charge of proceedings distributing pizza and taking selfies with the A-listers. She was light, entertaining and fun – everything you want in a host of an awards show which takes itself quite seriously! This selfie crashed Twitter and is now the most retweeted thing ever. Ever:
Fashion was out in full force as it always is. Here are some of my favourite dresses gracing the red carpet last night: (photos from here)
The boys looked pretty dapper too…
And so to the actual awards! Here are some of the results:
Best picture: 12 Years a Slave
Best director: Alfonso Cuaron – Gravity
Best actor: Matthew McConaughey – Dallas Buyers Club (should have been Leo!)
Best actress: Cate Blanchett – Blue Jasmine
Best supporting actor: Jared Leto – Dallas Buyers Club
Best supporting actress: Lupita Nyong’o – 12 Years a Slave
Best adapted screenplay: 12 Years a Slave
Best original screenplay: Her
I completely agree with the results bar one. Can you guess which one? I’ve seen both Dallas Buyers Club and Wolf of Wall Street and both are brilliant films. Matthew McConaughey and Leonardo DiCaprio were both tremendous but I just think Leo was better, he was simply incredible! I can’t praise Wolf of Wall Street enough it was a perfect film for me.
Jared Leto was the stand out performance in Dallas Buyers Club for him. His portrayal of Rayon was so accomplished and emotional. It’s hard to believe this is the first film he’s done in six years!
And as for Best Picture? It couldn’t have been anything other than 12 Years A Slave, could it really? The most powerful film I’ve ever seen and am likely to ever see for a very long time.
Did you watch the Oscars? What did you think to the results? The fashion? That selfie?! Leave links and comments below!
Rx
I’m desperate for it to be Summer! Or at least Spring at any rate. I am so sick of this constant grey gloom that has deposited itself over London. It’s cold, windy and downright rubbish. Boo!
I thought Spring had finally sprung, right on cue, on 1st March. It was a glorious day, but alas, the rains have returned. So to cheer myself up I brought spring to my nails with this nail design.
First I used Barry M Gelly Nail Polish in Green Berry. Wonderful polishes, and I did a full review of the range here. I did two thin coats and let it dry for a few minutes before moving on.
I then used Nails Inc Hyde Park Place to (carefully) colour in a corner of the nail in this gorgeous grey from their In the Nude collection.
Finally, I used Nails Inc Floral Street to (even more carefully!) draw a thin line between the green and grey. I used a nail art brush for this which was a little tricky but I took my time and it got easier towards the end!
I used Sally Hansen Insta-Dri to protect the design.
It’s not perfect but I really like this design. As I look at it now, its almost a grey cloud with a silver lining which makes me happy, just as Spring will when it finally arrives!
Rx
I’ve been having a few issues of late with my skin. My complexion hasn’t been as clear as I want it to be and I’ve had a few pesky spots popping up on my skin. My skin tone hasn’t been very even either. Basically, my skin has had a major case of the winter blues!
So after doing a bit of research I landed upon La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo [+]. This is, according to La Roche-Posay, a complete skincare solution which targets the key signs of oily, blemish-prone skin.
I’m going to put this out there… This is a miracle cream! My skin looks a hundred times better after using this cream. I’ve been using for about a week now and my skin is less oily, much clearer and on the whole, looks much healthier. The cream claims to unclog pores and refine the skin’s texture and so far, I can definitely see an improvement!
I feel like if you have very troublesome skin this cream could really make a huge difference. My skin is not that terrible and this cream has done wonders! I would highly recommend using this if you have real issues with blemishes and oily-ness.
The Effaclar Duo is non-comedogenic and has no parabens which is always good and the cream is enriched with La Roche-Posay Thermal Spring Water (fancy!). Currently the Effaclar Duo is £15.50 at Boots which is not cheap for 40ml! But I will definitely buy this again, its incredible stuff! Also, it’s included in the 3 for 2 offer, which might help you justify this to yourself…
Have you used Effaclar Duo [+] before? What did you think? Leave comments and links below!
Rx
A lot of lovely things 
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