I'm not around ...

 ... I'm in hospital today, having a teeny tiny procedure.  Hopefully all will be well, and I'll be back to normal service soon!  There's a full week of posts this week, but I may not be up to a full schedule next week, but I'll keep you posted ...

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Lipstick of the week

I spent last week wearing mainly neutral glossy lips, but with occasional splashes of colour, it just felt right somehow ...

 Clockwise from top left here, we have:

Clinique Catwalk Coral
Chantecaille Lip Chic in Bourbon Rose
Chantecaille Lip Chic in Tea Rose
MakeBelieve Enhance Lipgloss
Lancome Juicy Tube in Crazy Raspberry
Clinique Chubby Stick in Plumped Up Pink
Guerlain L'Extrait Rouge G in Paresse

Here's the shades again, this time with flash:

And here are the swatches:

Catwalk Coral is a lovely full-coverage coral shade, with a slightly whitened base.  It's rather difficult to wear (occasionally I feel like it's wearing me) but I love it regardless.  The two Chantecaille Lip Chics are old favourites, of which I'm going to need a back up of both soon.  The Makebelieve is a lovely gloss for wearing alone, as it contains a tiny amount of shimmer, drawing attention to the lips without feeling gritty, or making it look like you've been snacking on fairy wings.  It's been ages since I wore a Lancome Juicy Tube, and their sticky fruitiness hasn't altered in the slightest in the intervening years.  This isn't a bad thing, btw ... The Clinique Chubby Stick is a limited edition sold in aid of Breast Cancer, it's a really lovely pink shade, and very cheering.  The Guerlain L'Extrait is one of my very favourite things a richly pigmented pink that lasts for hours.

And, here's the aftermath:

What've you been wearing? 

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Art Deco Dita's Classics

After being genuinely hugely impressed with several of the lipsticks from the Art Deco Dita's Classics collection, I thought it was only fair to try some of the other products in the range.  I found the display in my local Debenhams, and after a peaceful half an hour swatching (the stands are unmanned), I made a selection of purchases of the powder-based products.  

First of all is the palette you see above, Art Deco products form a modular system, you buy an empty container, then fill it with the shades of your choice.  The palette I picked out can hold eight eyeshadow pans, or two blusher-size pans and two shadows, or any combination thereof.  The empty palette costs £14, it has a good sized mirror, emblazoned with "Beauty is Art" at the bottom.

I basically went for neutrals, as the lipsticks I have from the collection are all on the bright side, I thought that neutral shades would complement them best.

I picked out a black (for tightlining), a slightly warm champagne, a dark rich brown, a cool shimmering white, and, of course, a taupe, this time matte, as I don't have too many matte taupes.  Is there such a thing as too many taupes?  If there is, I don't want to know.  The blush is a cool rose, and what you can't see here, because I'm a lousy photographer, is that there is a tiny hint of iridescent blue shimmer in the formulation.  It's not like anything else I own, and it's very beautiful.  It's not at all sparkly on the skin, which is nice too.

 
The shadows, whilst not as buttery soft as some I've come across, are nice and velvety on the skin.  I find them both easily blendable and buildable. When you factor in their £6 each price point, they're extremely good quality.  I grouped the slightly warmer shades of shadow to the left, and the cooler to the right. 

The blusher costs £10.25, and whilst I normally don't like mixed palettes, there's enough of a lip around this one to ensure that you can use the blusher with most brushes, and not get it intermingled with your shadows, which is handy.

Here are  the same swatches blended out slightly (the swatches above were one or two passes on bare skin applied with a finger, hence the slight patchiness):

Overall, I'm deeply impressed with both the Dita's Classics collection, and Art Deco generally.  I love the freedom to create your own palette, and the price point is a good one too.  You can now find Art Deco at your local Debenhams.

The Fine Print: Purchases. Yes, I was that impressed.

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Current Skincare - Night & Day

I've been ill recently, necessitating a more than a couple of hospital trips, and it means I need a small procedure later on in the year. It's nothing too serious, but the feeling of being more rundown than usual has been showing in my skin, and as a result I've had to break out some of the big guns in my skincare arsenal.  Far from being a pain, I've found myself really enjoying taking care of my skin recently, mainly thanks to these somewhat ... er, luxurious* products.  I have two routines, evening and morning, and I'll take you through them both.

Evening:

  
In the evening, I like to give myself a really thorough cleanse, using a lot of massage techniques.  Le Belle Oil Cleanser (£28) is a fairly thick oil-based cleanser which doesn't really emulsify, so is perfect for a really thorough cleanse when you've got a full-face of makeup on.  And even if you don't, it's still great for a really deep cleanse. I rinse using one of my gazillion washi cloths and some hot water, then I give my face a good going over with a Zelens PHA Bio-Peel Resurfacing Face Pad (£65) These are a recent discovery for me, and I LOVE them.

Based on a combination of AHAs and BHAs, alongside PHAs, and with a combination of acids (including salicylic, lactic, citric and polyhydroxy)  these are a gentler alternative to my beloved Alpha-H Liquid Gold.  They help to resurface, and rehydrate your skin overnight.  When my skin is feeling sensitive, it's easier to use these then the Alpha H, and I can really tell the difference.  I follow with a spritz of toner (see morning), then add two drops of Sjal Saphir Concentrate Oil (£125) An anti-ageing oil suffused with sapphire, this stuff is amazing, plumping and firming, it's a pleasure to use. I use it as a serum rather than a moisturiser, as it's rather light, so I finish with a tiny dab of Zelens Z Recovery Intensive Repair Balm (£140).  Again, on the pricey side, this is the one product on this list that I'd go without shoes to re-purchase.  A thick, slightly gummy "balm", it leaves the skin plump and hydrated, plus it soothes and repairs any dry patches or irritated skin.  It's light and non-greasy, and after applying, I always look forward to seeing how great my skin looks the morning after, if I could marry a product, this would be The One.

Morning:

 I do another oil cleanse, this time with Nude Cleansing Facial Oil (£28) it is lighter than the Le Belle, and emulsifies easily in water.  This is my default cleanser - I may dabble with others, but Nude is the one I return to again and again and again, even in this, my fourth (eep!) year as a beauty blogger. 

After rinsing with a washi, I spritz again with toner, this time with Sjal Mineral Kalla Energy Tonic (£50), which is hydrating and calming, and sets your skin up for serums and moisturiser nicely. For daytime use, I like Darphin Camomile Aromatic Care (£41), as I find it it both soothing, and protective for my "prone to redness and sensitivity" skin.  Finally, I apply a layer of Kate Somerville Goat Milk Cream ($55), which contains both goat milk (good for a lactic acid dose), and aloe vera for soothing, plus avocado and jojoba oils for hydration.  Sadly, SpaceNK have dropped the Kate Somerville line, so I beg everyone I know who has a trip to the US planned to pick some up for me, and this is my fourth jar.

I realise that this is an expensive routine in anyone's book, but what price skin?


*  Expensive.  Yes, I KNOW.

The Fine Print: I sold my soul to PRs, various relatives, and several online retailers for some of these products, which are a combination of samples, gifts and (in a surprisingly large proportion) purchases.  You don't even want to know what the MiL wanted in return for the Goat Milk Cream ...

Oh, all links in this post are for informational purposes only, and are NOT affiliate links.
 
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Dove Creme Mousse Body Wash

I don't get too excited about shower gel, as a rule - unless it's fragranced like one of my favourite perfumes, or, well, rhubarb - but Dove offered me the chance to try out their newest body wash, and I thought I'd give it a go.  I also had some visitors over for the weekend, and I thought I'd get them to try it as well.

It's a rich, thick, pearlescent cream (not quite a mousse, there's not enough air in it for that), that smells slightly sweet, and lathers up really well.  I found that my skin very definitely felt softer after using this than it does with my normal shower gels, which surprised me and I can tell this, because I don't routinely use body lotion.  Don't hate me! 

My special-guest reviewer - actually my baby sister - says: "this smelt really nice, lathered very well indeed, and left my skin feeling smoother than a baby's bottom".

High praise indeed from a very hard to please audience.  I liked it, I have no idea whatsoever what the "nutrium moisture" referred to on the bottle actually is, but my skin seems to like it...

The Fine Print: This is a sponsored post.

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I'm A Collector: Serge Lutens

I love how they look like a chemistry set

 Turns out I've accidentally been a "niche" perfume collector for years now.  An entire lifetime ago, a tiny collection of six (or it may have been eight) fragrances appeared in my local Debenhams, and I was shocked and appalled to discover that they cost a whopping £40 each.  Naturally, I ended up buying two.

I'd never heard of the brand "Serge Lutens" at the time, and it was described to me as a range from a French artist who was more concerned with the story of a fragrance, than the fragrance itself, at the time I thought it was just so much bullhooey, but I realise, as time goes on, that the sales assistant wasn't talking that much rubbish, to be honest.

Anyhoo, I thought you might like a little tour around my collection, so here goes:

From left to right, we have La Myrrhe (bell jar), Tuberose Criminelle, Ambre Sultan, Vitriol D'Oeillet, Sa Majestie La Rose, A La Nuit, Un Bois Vanille, Clair de Musc, L'eau Froide.  That's nine, there used to be ten, but I had to part with my bottle of Jeux de Peau because my nose registered it as rancid margarine, and that's not a fragrance I adore to be honest ...

Anyhoo, in no particular order, here are some thoughts on each of these:

Sa Majestie La Rose and A La Nuit were the first two Lutens that I bought, and these bottles must be the best part of fifteen years old now as a result. Actually, on checking, I can see that both these scents were released in 2000 - which fits - and that means that my versions are original bottles in that case.   

Sa Majestie is a thick, rich rose which feel red, red, red on the skin, it's fairly sweet, but with a hint of the greenery underneath a rose bush to it too. I think the scent has some minty facets to it too, but there is no mistaking that this is, first and foremost a rose fragrance.   A La Nuit, on the other hand is a jasmine, almost a soliflore, it's very very strong at first, but softens down to something more wearable after a couple of hours.  If you don't like jasmine, then avoid this by all means possible.  These are, to some extent, the yardstick by which I measure any and all rose/jasmine fragrances to this day.  Whilst these are both almost photo-real flower fragrances, which plenty of punch, they're amongst the simplest fragrances, being almost linear from start to finish, amongst the Lutens collection.

Ambre Sultan.  Oh man, how much do I love Ambre Sultan?  A lot, is the answer.  It is dry, rich, woody, spicy, powdery and incensey, all at the same time. It feels like wandering around a spice market, wearing powdery furs, and as such, it's not an amber fragrance for the shy and retiring. Last winter it was the only fragrance I wanted to wear, and I have a hard time picking out other fragrances in my collection to wear instead, still.  An all-time classic.

Tuberose Criminelle: I love tuberose, and this fragrance highlights all the strange aspects inherent in the flower, the first blast is all menthol, camphor, and rubber.  It's one of the most shockingly odd fragrance openings I've ever come across, and it never fails to make me smile. Once you get past this Listerine-gasoline blast, there's a rich, creamy and adorable white floral fragrance behind it, but your work colleagues might prefer it if you apply this a good hour or two before you get to the office ...

Vitrol d'Oeillet: Or, Angry Carnation.  My search for a proper carnation scent goes on.  Have you ever stuck your nose into a bunch of carnations?  Of course you haven't, everyone (seemingly) hates the poor carnation, but do yourself a favour, and the next time you're given a bunch of supermarket flowers replete with carnations, stick your nose in and take a really good sniff, it'll be peppery, and clovey, and spicy, and not in the slightest bit sweet.  Luten's take on carnation tones down the spicy (angry) facets of carnation with violet, and sweetens it up, so it loses a bit of punch.  I love it regardless - as I do any carnation scent - but ... it's not the one.

Un Bois Vanille: A smoky vanilla, with hints of licorice and coconut.  Should leave you smelling like a pudding, but by avoiding making it too sweet, it just avoids being reminiscent of custard.  I love how this smells on MrLippie (I occasionally spritz him with it when he's not paying attention), as it makes a really good male scent too.  If you love sweet scents, this is a great gateway into more "grown-up" fragrances.  Highly recommended.

La Myrrhe: The Serge Lutens collection has two different lines, the export (in the square bottles you see at the top) and the Bell Jars, which are only available in Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido from Paris, La Myrrhe is one I purchased last year, to celebrate my first ever trip to France, and I adore it.  From the rosy aldehydic opening, which is almost soapy in it's freshness, to the slightly smokey and incensey dry down, this is a beautiful scent.  It doesn't last anything near long enough on my skin (basically, all I want from every fragrance I own is seemingly a big, ballsy, opening, and frankly, nuclear lasting power), but the bottle is beautiful, and the fact that I'm hugely unikely to bump into anyone else wearing it just adds to the appeal.

L'Eau Froide: Icy fresh incense.  A bit of a contradiction, and I don't really have much to say about this one, except that I prefer it to the original L'Eau, which to me smelled like vaguely scented coffee-flavoured washing powder.  Nice in the summer, but nothing really to get over excited about.  For me.

And finally: Clair de Musc: No one I know gives this one much love, and if you read reviews online, many of the people I don't know don't like it all that much either.  Me, somewhat to my own surprise, I love it. It's a light, clean, almost laundry-esque musk fragrance, somewhat clean, but rather lacking in that "fresh" note that makes a lot of light fragrances smell the same.  It also smells a little powdery, almost baby-powdery, but most of all, it smells like skin.  Beautiful, clear, skin. When I first smelled it, it brought back intense memories of an aunt who died not long after I moved to London, and of my grandmother, who died when I was 13, it still does.  I got a bit emotional smelling this, truth be told.  It's now rocketed to the top of my list of fragrances to wear at my wedding in February.  It's not groundbreaking, it's not complicated, it's just ... lovely.  And if it will help me think of those relatives who can't be at my wedding, so much the better.

Jeez, this post has turned into a monster ... sorry!  But the truth is that there are a lot of Lutens available, and they can be addictive.  Even now, ten bottles later, I still have a list of others I want to try:

Chergui: Cherry-tobacco, sounds wonderful, and I'm wondering if it will bring back memories of my grandfather.
Sarrasins: Another Lutens jasmine, this time darker and less bright than A La Nuit, it sounds fascinating.
Muscs Koubla Khan: filthy, dirty, disgusting musk, the exact opposite of Clair de Musc.  I like a contrast. Also, I want to test it against Maison Francis Kurkdijan's Absolue Pour le Soir, and see which one wins the skank-off ...
Feminite du Bois: Spices, cedar and plums. This is possibly the most famous, and most highly lauded of the Lutens fragrances, and it makes me feel like a bad blogger that I don't own a bottle.
Daim Blond: Whenever I smell this, I think of a soft suede rose, in a pale apricot shade.  As this is more or less the ingredient list, I think I need this one ...

So there you have it.  My accidental niche collection, which I still want  to grow.  Anything you thought sounded interesting?

The Fine Print: A mixture of purchases, presents, and the occasional sample from a variety of sources.  I wish you could still get them in Debenhams.  And that they were still £40, I'd probably have the full set by now ... Inflation sucks.

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Sneaky Peek ...

My desk fills up with random beauty clutter throughout the week whilst I'm figuring out what I want to be writing about.  I wander around the flat, picking things up as inspiration strikes, and it all ends up here. Along with random wrappers and press releases and, well, stuff.  As you can see, perfume and skincare have been on my mind at the moment.  All this (and a tiny bit more ...) coming up on the blog this week!  If you have any specific requirements, then now is the time to let me know ...

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