Category Archives: beauty products

Oh, I know we’re still in the depths of winter (for people in the UK winter seems to have actually only just started) but there’s nothing wrong with a bit of optimistic, forward-looking makeup wearing. Dior’s 2016 Spring Look – Glowing Gardens – is actually just as suitable for winter as it is for spring, depending on which shades you plump for. Me being – well – me, I made a beeline straight for the pinkish-nude lipstick (Soufflé Nude), the platinum-tinted mascara (Addict IT Lash in Platine) and the beautiful Nude Air Illuminating Powder. I could just have easily have opted for bright corals and pale greens and all the colours of the springtime garden-in-bloom (see pic below for a selection). Mais non. Nude for me, all the way.

I’m having a bit of a renewed interest when it comes to highlighters, which I’ll talk about later on in the week, but suffice to say, for now, that the Nude Air from Dior is a gorgeous example. “Glowing Nude” really warms up the skin and is a good all-year-rounder if you like that “just skin” kind of look. You know when all of your base and face products are very similar in tone? And you get an almost sporty, summery look? That.

Dior did well with the whole design of these Nude powders – I remember when the very first variation launched, it was beauty love at first sight. Heavy, luxurious compacts with good mirrors and easy-to-blend powders with subtle, glowing finishes. I have a selection of the bronzers and complexion enhancers and they’re all pretty foolproof to use. This highlighter is just as user-friendly – not too shimmery at all and doesn’t look frosty, though I would probably not bother using the kabuki brush it comes with, cute as it is, if you want a believable application. You can find the Glowing Nude Air Glowing Gardens at Selfridges here for £40.

It’s definitely my pick of the collection, along with the absolutely delectable Soufflé Nude lipstick, which is just the softest, chicest nude-pink. If you fancy a dabble with a pretty shade this spring but don’t want it to actually be pink-pink then this is an excellent compromise. It’s £26.50 here.

I have mixed feelings about the Platine mascara. On the one hand, the platinum shade was quite a nice – softer –  alternative to jet black, but I’m not sure it gave enough definition for me. I’m going to try it again just on the lengths of the lashes, using black at the roots. I’ll try to remember to update you re my success. If you want to take a look at the mascara (or anything else from the collection, for that matter) it’s currently exclusive to Selfridges.com. Continue reading →

Every brand seems to be jumping on the liquid lipstick bandwagon, and Essence have released five shades of Liquid Lipstick and they retail for just £2.50 each from Wilko. The new Essence Liquid Lipsticks are described as being a 2 in 1 formula which combines the coverage of a lipstick, with the shine of a lipgloss. The packaging is very obviously inspired by the Dior Fluid Stick packaging, with a lipstick bullet shape within the centre. I really like the packaging, and that the lids are colour coordinated to reflect the shade inside which is perfect if you own multiple shades.

From the five shades on offer, I have three of the shades; 01 Colour Party, 04 Show Off! and 06 Make a Statement. Even though the shade range is pretty limited, I’d like to think they’ll add more shades in the future as Essence usually have really great shade ranges across their makeup line, but the shades do cover all bases with nudes, pinks and a couple of reds so there’s bound to be at least one shade that’ll suit everyone.

Each of the Essence Liquid Lipsticks have a doe foot applicator which is quite narrow rather than the rounded shape you usually get with a doe foot applicator, and I find this narrower shape makes for a much more precise application, and the middle of the applicator features a small well which holds extra product so you don’t have to keep dipping the applicator back into the tube for more product which again is similar to the Dior Fluid Sticks.

Colour Party is my favourite shade from the three that I own, and is a pretty light pink which looks a little bubblegum-esque in the swatch above but on the lips it’s a lot more muted I can assure you. Show Off! is a bright reddy coral shade which almost looks neon on the lips, and Make a Statement is a dark reddy brown shade which isn’t particularly flattering on my pale skintone, but I imagine it’d look lovely on darker skintones. They feel quite smooth on the lips, with no detectable scent whatsoever and the weartime is around one to two hours, with Show Off lasting the longest from the three shades that I own.

Baum und Pferdgarten. A brand that I was previously unaware of until a whole load of my friends started chirruping away about the B&P summer sale and, in particular, their gorgeous, comfortable dresses. Look at those prints! They make a casual-fitting summery piece into something rather more special; these are dresses you can simply throw on with a pair of strappy sandals, or flipflops, or even some battered Converse, and still look nicely put-together. Baum und Pferdgarten are the more relaxed, more functional equivalent of your always-ready Diane von Furstenberg or Issa dress; beautiful prints, wearable lengths and a cut that’s designed to flatter. B&P’s are definitely looser where the others cling, and the fabrics (for the summer collection at least) are on the lighter and cooler side, but they are easily as worthy of the “wardrobe staple” status.

The dresses shown above might still be available in the sale if you hurry, but I have my eye on a few other things including the “Hudson” dress and the “Etsu”. You can find sale dresses here.

Baum und Pferdgarten

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