Lancome Hypnose Star Mascara



Simply Marvelous



So I was in Whitstable over the weekend with two of my very good friends who reminded me that I needed to blog. I have been so super duper lazy with it but this product deserves some big shout outs! Holy smokes - it's the best thing since sliced pizza. A free tester came with the Tatler magazine for August (Cindy Crawford is on the front) but after realising how good it is I ran to the House of Fraser at lunch. The sales lady winked at me when I asked for it like it was some kind of secret that only we knew about.

Lancome has always been the leader in mascara as far as I am concerned. I have tried countless brands ranging from cheap to higher end but I always come back - they are the best.

This only comes in black just so you know. It has short bristles on one side to start building but then longer bristles on the other side to lenghten. It didn't clump at all. Came off easily with a wipe.



It's £21. It's not cheap but it will last as you really don't need to use too much. Remember to twist in the bottle - don't pump - that's how it dries out and bacteria grows!

Browmance

Everywhere I go lately I am reminded about the essential eyebrow!

Today my friend Zoe told me about this place - and her brows looked great after a tint and threading - just simply changed her face in a good way - you couldn't see them before she's so fair.

http://www.browhaus.com/uk/

Other mate Linsey decided to forget mascara for her party makeup and just go with defined brows - it was a different and cool look.

I am completely addicted to this show called Desperate Scousewives which made the Scouse Brow famous. I mean these brows are a little mad and crazy but a statement nonetheless!

The girls at work and I discussed earlier today - some friends of friends use a stencil and draw them on. All kinds of looks!

Tangle Teezer

I am loving this product and every girl/boy should get one. I have this problem with my natural curly hair - after the gym it is wet and lank and trying to get a comb through it without washing/conditioning (which I don't have time for all the time) or the beach after a sea dip is a nightmare.

It doesn't pull your hair - it seems to glide through your hair and gives a much needed blissful scalp massage. It claims to make your hair shiner - not sure but it certainly looks smoother and no static! Can be used on wet or dry hair. Don't be shy - painless detangling can be achieved by using a firmer pressure.

1) Always put your Tangle Teezer down on its back. In this way you will minimise the changes of damage to the teeth

2) To clean, gently remove loose hair from teeth (if any) and gently rinse Tangle Teezer with warm water.

3) For a deeper weekly clean, add a small about of shampoo to warm water for rinsing.

4) Dry at room temperature. Do not be tempted to speed dry by putting on a radiator or drying with a hairdryer.

5) Not for use with heated styling appliances.

It's won a few awards such as best buy from Grazia and Cosmo so all these people can't be wrong. 10 out of 10 from me! Excellent gift or stocking stuffer (here for £10).

Update - Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System



Clarisonic Mia in white by Clarisonic. Part of the revolutionary sonic skin cleansing system to cleanse the skin and reduce the size of pores, the brush uses a sonic frequency which micro massages the skin in just 60 seconds, removing dirt and oil while helping to minimise the appearance of wrinkles. The brush is operated on a one button, one speed system.

I was pretty sceptical about spending so much on this little brush but I have to admit it - it's done wonders over 2 months of diligent use.

- My pores are smaller and less noticeable

- My foundation and blusher looks smoother

- My moisturiser and facial oils are easily absorbed

I have used with my own cleanser - I don't think it matters which cleanser you use just don't use an abrasive one with this. Let the brush do the work for you. It has a timer which turns off after one minute of use. I sometimes go for two minutes depending on if I wore makeup during the day. Once in the morning and once before bed. You don't need to press hard - work over forehead, cheeks, chin and nose in small circular motions. It is water proof so fine to keep in the shower. 

The replacement heads are available on ASOS and around £21. Should be changed every three months.  

I think if you can't afford facials on a regular basis like me then this is a great investment.



Odette Toilette's Vintage Scent Sessions - 1920's

What a fun day! Decadent. That is what the 1920's were after all (Art Deco, silent film, women  smoking in public and on film, jazz, flying, golf).  


It took place at specialist perfumery Les Senteurs located in West Marleybone. A beautiful shop with loads of perfume and cologne you can't get anywhere else in London.

Odette is a lovely lady - beautiful and clever she spoke to us about 1920's with a presentation of photos, clips of film, fashion and art over patisserie cake and fizz. 


But best of all we got to have an open discussion about  8 scents originated from that era. Some were rare, some extremely familiar and one unfortunately extinct, and, as Odette eloquently put it, they all had/have their own personalities.


Scent 1 - Tabac Blond from the House of Caron Paris. A masculine mix of cloves and carnation. Things that popped into the heads to describe were decadence, glamour, cigarettes. This was mine and Annie's favourite and the best bit was we got a free sample in our goodie bag. I don't know any women that wouldn't smell good with this on - it smells even better the next morning. Bliss! 


Scent 2 - En Arion 1929 House of Caron Paris. This scent at first was too powerful for me and maybe slightly too flowery but wears off nicely. It was a scent created to show the glamour of air travel (for those that could afford it back then). Amelia Earhart was in mind. 

Tall, slender, blonde and brave

Scent 3 - Nuit de Noel House of Caron Paris. Lapsing, green notes, gummy, liquorice. Christmas was in the name but I didn't really understand that. I suppose we're used to cinnamon, citrus, cloves and pine as Christmas smells. This morning I thought of late nights and boozy parties. Really delicious died down a bit - a tad much at the start. 


Scent 4 - Le Dandy by D'Orsay. Boozy, fruity, woody, pineapple. Not my favourite. Smelled powdery and maybe old ladyish. 


Scent 5 - Nohiba by E. Coudray Paris. Supposed to have been the scent that Josephine Baker wore. Well that sort of speaks for itself. Anne and I thought not as saucy as you would have imagined but very nice. There were exotic tones to it which the 1920's were into at the time (the orient, egypt etc). 


Scent 6 - Shalimar Guerlain 1925. Who doesn't know this. Theatre, Art Deco. Popular for 90 years, Shalimar was created in 1921 and re-released in 1925 in a bottle designed by Raymond Guerlain and made by Cristalleries de Baccarat and launched at the Decorative Arts Exhibition as an antidote against The Great Depression. Guerlain was inspired by Mumtal-Mahal, the women whom the Taj Mahal was built for - again that interest in the exotic. 


Scent 7 - Chanel No. 5 1923. Jasmine, ylang, ylang. Chanel felt the time was right for the debut of a scent that would epitomize the boyish, modern flapper that would speak to the liberated spirit of the 1920s. It was interesting to see how the bottle had changed over the years but the scent remains the same. Always. That is their focus - it's never changed over time unlike others due to changes in regulations on what they can and can't use anymore. 


Scent 8 - Arpege Lanvin. Rose, ylang ylang, peach. Similar to Chanel No. 5. I have one word to describe and that is cloying. It would make me sick if I had to wear it. I don't like it any better this morning. 


At the end I was so inspired to buy a perfume that I loved now I was an "expert". I found one - the major note was amber. I forgot how much I loved amber. Maitre Parfumeur Gantier Ambre Precieux. I am in love with this but at £98 a bottle it's going to have to wait... look at the bottle though.. sigh. 

One last thing. I didn't realise that the creation of the cocktail was 1920's. And it wasn't because they were fun or pretty to look at but they were originally created to mask the horrid taste of moonshine due to prohibition! I just thought I'd share that. 

Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System

Pores. I hate you. Mine seem larger lately - like miniature craters all over my nose. I am constantly trying scrubs or masks that promise instant results. I drink a lot of water to help combat clogging but because I wear glasses I have problem areas such as nose bridge and upper cheeks.

I am going to buy this. 

A mere £120.00.

It promises to be a fun and expensive experiment. If it works it could be a good investment. Once again - I am here to help and try before YOU buy!

I will be blogging this weekend after attending this with Annie. Over and out.

Love Bambi.