Beauty - DollyWink Cream Eye Shadow in Gold (from Japan)

Most of you already know that I have a deep love and fascination for Asian beauty products. Beauty brands from that part of the world pay attention to detail and produce high quality beauty essentials. It has taken a long time for the west to realise the innovation involved in the Asian beauty industry but they are slowly getting there. The popularity of BB cream is testamount to that. I am very keen to review lots of Asian beauty products on this blog and today I bring you my first. The product I will be reviewing is DollyWink Cream Eyeshadow in Gold.

DollyWink is a cosmetics line fronted by popular Japanese model Tsubasa Masuwaka. It is a line she produces in collaboration with very popular cosmetics line Koji and it is very big in Japan. The collection includes eyeshadows, nail polishes, lip products and lashes.

I have been a fan of the range for a long time so it made sense that my first review would be a DollyWink one.

So let's get on to the review.

The first thing you'll notice about this product is the super cute packaging. All DollyWink products are adorned with the black bow and polka dots. Most products also feature Tsubasa's face too. I love anything cute and girly so that packaging ticks all my boxes. It is distinctive too so you can always tell it is DollyWink even when it isn't boxed. the brilliant thing about the rear of the packaging is that it shows a swatch of the product. This is a genius idea and it is something I have never come across on Western products.

The colour is a very pretty metallic gold and it is extremely wearable. It glides on easily and stays put for hours. this colour would be excellent on the eyes paired with black liquid eyeliner. But you could also use it as a highlighter on the cheekbones.

Verdict: A brilliant, wearable multi purpose product that doesn't break the bank.

Available from Sasa.com

Beauty - Shop Mac Cook Mac - Tendertone Lip Balm in Purring

I got sent a lovely package of cosmetics from a friend and this item was included. I was really keen to try some of the shop mac cook mac collection and I was really happy to discover this beautiful looking lip balm in there. This one is actually sold out on the mac website. It is a lovely colour and the colour is a peachy shade. It is labelled as a lip balm but I'd say it is more like a cross between a lipbalm and a gloss. it applies like a gloss too. It has a fruity scent that is very pleasant and non overpowering. It gives the lips a wash of colour and the formula isn't sticky i actually forgot I was wearing it after a while as it feels so light. I love the Shop Mac Cook Mac gingham packaging reminiscent of the 50s in America. This balm works great as a daytime product because it conditions your lips while providing them with a hint of peachy colour. This lovely little pot will certainly be getting regular outings.

£11 from Selfridges

PS You'll have hopefully noticed that my photo skills are improving. I recently got a DSLR and I followed the tips the lovely Zoe gave at TOWIB. Go check out her amazing photography skills for yourself!

Beauty - An Afternoon At Leticia Haute Coiffure

Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending an event at Leticia Haute Coiffure with fellow bloggers Neily and Akeela. Leticia Haute Coiffure is a hair/beauty salon which also incorporates a nail bar and treatment rooms. It is based in Marlyebone and is impeccably stylish with friendly and knowledgable staff. We were given a tour of the premises and met everyone involved. the list of services this salon offers is endless and at prices that won't break the bank. I had my nails done by a lovely lady at the salon and the staff made us feel welcome and looked after. It is the little touches that really make a salon stand out and that was definitely the case at LHC. despite not being open long the salon were finalists in last year's London Lifestyle Awards and it is easy to see why. The owner of the salon spoke with such passion and love and it was apparent how much love and attention she dedicates to the salon. If privacy is your thing the salon even has private rooms available at the back of the salon. They've recently expanded the salon which is also when they introduced the nail bar. unlike most salons they also offer Fashion Styling and owner Leticia is a former stylist. I had an an excellent day and Akeela and neily were the perfect companions. I've known them for well over a year now and I had a great time with them. We started off at Foxcroft & Ginger in Soho for coffee and cake and then made our way to LHC.

So a big thankyou to Akeela, Neily and LHC for a fabulous afternoon.

Leticia Haute Coiffure can be found online at www.leticiahautecoiffure.com

Beauty - Urban Decay Mariposa Palette - Review & Photos

I've been a fan of Urban Decay for a long time (especially the priming potions) but I never really 'got' all the hype over their naked palettes. But then I'm not a huge fan of a palette that contains only nude colours as I love a bit of colour. So I was interested to try out the Mariposa palette. It has been out for a few months now and is priced at £28. So first of all lets talk packaging. I am actually not a huge fan of the packaging as I love pretty things but it does the job and I love the embossed butterfly on the tin. Fingerprints show up pretty easily on theis kind of packaging though.

I love the assortment of colours in this palette. There are a couple of nude-ish colours included as well as some jewel tones and some darker colours perfect for achieving the classic smoky eye. The colours aren't too shimmery either. I'm not a huge fan of overly shimmery colours as it makes them unsuitable for day wear. So let us break down the shades included:

Rockstar – A jewel toned purple, it glides on easily and a little goes a long way. Good pigmentation.

Gunmetal – A brilliant charcoal shade which is a great basis for the aforementioned smoky eye.

Skimp – A nude beige tone. Great base colour.

Infamous – A lovely bright purple that is actually quite wearable. Lighter than rockstar.

Wreckage – A brown-gold that has a slight sheen to it. One of my favorite shades.

Haight – An almost baby blue colour, applies extremely easily.

Money – A shimmery grey-green. Unique colour, not heavily pigmented I needed a few layers to get it to show on my dark skintone.

Mushroom – A gorgeous taupe hue. Works well with some of the darker shadows.

Spotlight – Bronze hued and quite glittery. One of my least fave colours in the palette.

Limelight – Quite similar to spotlight but a little more gold toned.



The palette comes with a good quality mini brush. No shredding occured even after cleaning. Overall I think this is an extremely good palette that can be used to achieve a variety of looks. It is the perfect palette to take you smoothly through from day to night. At £28 it is good value for an Urban Decay palette. The tin would fit easily in a handbag or suitcase so it is great for transporting a wide variety of colours in the minimum space possible. The colours apply well and last very well. Would I get it again? A resounding yes!!

£28 from Look fantastic

Have you tried this palette? What did you think of it?

Lime Crime Magic Dust in Medusa

Today I'm bringing you the second of my Lime Crime reviews (you can see the 1st one here). I've been wanting to try the magic dusts ever since they first launched. I opted for a dark shade as I'm a massive fan of the classic smoky eye but the range comes in almost every colour of the rainbow.

 

 The packaging is cute and kitsch with the Lime Crime unicorn adorning the lid. I often have problems applying loose eyeshadows but this one applied smoothly and easily. I wouldn't advise applying without the help of a brush. Like all loose shadows be careful of excess falling powder landing under your lower lash line. I avoid this issue by placing a little loose face powder under my eyes then brushing it away after. This shadow has a slight shimmer but it's not overwhelming and it stayed put all day long which in my experience is a rare thing for loose shadows. I'm really keen to try the other brighter loose shadows and maybe try mixing colours to create my own custom colour.

 



 

Overall A high quality easy to apply loose shadow with great staying power. This colour would be excellent for nights out to achieve a dramatic smoky eye. Highly pigmented. A little goes a long way. Available online from the Lime Crime website. Price - $14 (£9-10)

Review - Lime Crime Opaque Lipstick in Countessa

I've been a fan of the Doe Deere Blogazine for a long time now. The writers personal style is immennsely feminine and very frivolous - I adore frivolity. But she doesn't just write a blog she also runs her own beauty business which includes lipsticks, glosses and eye dusts. The colours in her collections appeal to my attention seeking side with shades such as yellow and green. Odd colours for lipsticks but so up my street. I've admired the range from afar but a couple of weeks ago I finally placed an order. I ordered one of the glosses, one of the eye dusts and of course a lipstick called Countessa which I'm reviewing for you today.


     
   

 The first thing you notice about Lime Crime makeup is the super cute packaging emblazoned with unicorns. I absolutely love it. Its a lot more fun than your average lipstick packaging and it looks so pretty and as you know I adore pretty things. The lippy applies smoothly and easily and quite evenly. My main problem with very opaque lip colours has been getting the colour even around my lipline but no such problem with this one. The colour is very bright so of course this colour won't suit everyone but the Lime Crime lipstick collection isn't all about super bright hues they also stock a lot of colours suitable for daily wear. This lipstick wears so well. I didn't need to touch it up for about 5 hours and I don't get that kind of wear from many lipsticks not even MAC. The only negative that I can find is the rather long delivery time as my order had to be sent all the way from the USA. Obviously this wouldn't prove to be a problem for my US based readers (which is about 50% of my readership). To view the whole range visit the Lime Crime Online Shop here. Lime Crime is also stocked at UK based Space NK and their site can be found here.

Nail Art on Men - Yay or Nay?

Image via Models.com

Model David Agbodji is shown here sporting a $100 nail art manicure at the Fashion Fordward event in NYC. I think the nail art looks amazing (not $100 amazing though). But this isn't about the value of his nail art. what I'd like to know though is - are you for men sporting nail art or against?

Personally I don't mind this kind of nail art on a man as it isn't feminine. If he was seen sporting flowers on his nails though I might feel a little differently. Could nail art on guys be a growing trend or will it be restricted to the catwalk?

What do you think?

Spring 2012 Make Up

Spring makeup fully embraced the femininity trends that were ever present in the catwalk shows. The makeup had a 50s vintage feel but with a modern touch. I'm going to take a look at my favorite trends that we'll all be sporting next spring.

The Red Lip

This is one trend that never goes out of fashion. There's a red lip out there to suit every skintone. Pair with black eyeliner for a glam evening look or with just a couple of coats of mascara for daytime chic.


The Smoky Eye

While this isn't a daytime look it is perfect for a night out on the town. It fully embraces the rock chick aesthetic. Use plenty of dark grey eyeshadow, black eyeliner and mascara



The Metallic Eye

An easy look to master. Silvery shades are the order of the day. Just sweep across the upper lid just past the eyelid crease.



The Statement Lash

Statement lashes were all over the catwalk at the S/S shows. Whether you prefer super long lashes, curly ones or extreme ones - embrace the statement lash trend. Shu Uemura's feather boa lashes are perfect for this look.



The Glittery Eye

Gold or Silver glitter and lots of it is key to this over the top look. Precision isn't necessary. Apply lots over the upper eyelid and a dusting below if your brave. Finish off with lashings of mascara.

Star in a L'oreal Paris Casting Creme Ad

Hair is so important to our appearance. I'm always changing mine especially when I feel like a change of image. There are many celebs whose hair I envy but top of the list is Emma Watson's gamine crop and Frankie from The Saturdays short, sassy style.

So you've all seen the L'oreal Paris Casting Creme ads with Cheryl Cole rocking some super shiny, fabulous locks right? Well how would you like to star alongside her?

Well L'oreal is running a competition to find 3 girls to feature in their next L'oreal Casting Creme Gloss advert alongside the singing superstar herself. You can enter from the 31st October-27th November and L'oreal are looking for brunettes, redheads or blondes. Do you have what it takes? Are people envious of your fab locks? What are you waiting for? Go enter!

To enter visit http://handpickedmedia.co.uk/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?zoneid=781 and click on the application button which appears on the left hand side of the page, follow the steps to enter and upload a picture of yourself then ask friends and family to cast their vote from the 28^thNovember to 4^th December 2011.

The most popular brunettes, redheads and blondes will be shortlisted for a L’Oréal Paris Casting Day where you will receive a makeover by our hair & makeup artists in preparation for a live audition, in front of a panel of judges. This will be your chance to go in front of the camera and tell us why you love Casting Crème Gloss. And yes, you can even utter those famous words, "Because you're worth it!'

Disclaimer: Opens to female UK and ROI residents aged 16+. Entrants must register with L’Oréal Insider, colour their hair using Casting Crème Gloss and upload a photo on facebook. No purchase necessary. Closing date 27/11/2011. For full Terms & Conditions and to enter visit this page (http://handpickedmedia.co.uk/openx/www/delivery/ck.php?zoneid=781).

*Sponsored Post*

Glossy Box November Review

When I attended the Motel Rocks party a couple of weeks ago I was overjoyed to discover that we would all be receiving November's Glossybox. I've heard such good things about them so I was keen to try them out for myself.

For those of you who aren't aware Glossybox is a subscription package that sends you a box of 5 luxury beauty samples to try out every month for the price of £10 per month + postage & packaging.

I received my box on Friday and inside was the following:

Arbonne Ultra Hydrating Hand Cream 15ml (approx value £2.20)
Dead Sea Spa Magik Dead Sea Bath Salts 250g (approx value £1.37)
Illamasqua Freak Perfume 1.5ml (approx value £1.18)
Monu Revitalising Moisturiser 50ml (value £16.25)
Nail Rock Nail Wraps Full Pack (value £6.65)

The box and contents were beautifully packaged and presented as you can see and contained a card listing all the contents and a discount code for all the products.

But I have to say I was very disappointed in the products chosen. I hardly class the dead sea bath salts or the nail wraps as a luxury product. Also the Illamasqua sample was the same size as the perfume samples that you can often get for free at some perfume counters. Even though the Monu moisturiser was full size I wasn't especially impressed by that either. I've used it for a few days but it has left my skin under hydrated. I suffer from very dry skin and this product just isn't up to the job so I'll be sticking with my Kiehl's one.

I had such high hopes for the Glossybox but was left very underwhelmed. I love the concept though so I think I'll try out Be Unique and Boudoir Prive and see if they suit me better.

Do you subscribe to Glossybox? What did you think of November's box?