Haus of Gloi

I blame London Make Up Girl, as I do for so many things.  This time, and don't ask me how she's done it, the bewitching creature that she is, she's actually converted me to body lotion.

But not just any body lotion, specifically it was her review of the Samhain scents of pumpkin butter and perfume oils from Haus of Gloi that made me think about giving body lotion, well, cream, really, a try.  I tried them a couple of months ago - in  the same scent - and loved them.  Really unusual scents, and a glorious range of products.  I got the bathing dust, pumpkin butter, and bubbling scrub in sample sizes to try, and kind of fell in love.

The major reason I don't really use body oils, creams, butters or lotions is because I don't really suffer from dry skin, once or twice a year I'll get a scaly shin (or two) from shaving but that's about it, so I use body lotions, creams, oils, butters, moisturisers, emollients, etc as an extension of my perfume routine, which is why finding exotically scented body products (etc) is important to me.  If it's not scented, I'm not interested!

Luckily for me, the scents at Haus of Gloi are amazing, and different.  Following my success with the earthy, leafy, almost incense-y Samhain (now discontinued, sorry!) I ordered sample sizes of most of the Yuletide scents and they arrived recently, out of the three I ordered, two I love, and one ... well, one I don't like.  At all.  But hey!  Two out of three ain't bad.  Allegedly.

I'll start with Snow Wolf, Haus of Gloi say:

Bristling and prowling, lonesome and haunting. Three howling firs, white frankincense, vanilla bean husk, tainted by droplets of blood cedar.

Simply put, this smells amazing.  Peppery-spicy, woody and rich with not even a slight hint of sweetness (I can't pick up the vanilla at all), this is a scent perfect for winter, it's highly unusual, almost masculine, and it's something I want to wear every single day.  Oddly, for a spicy scent, it doesn't seem "warm" at all, I think it's because so many spicy scents are based around cinnamon, and clove, that this seems very "clean" for a spicy scent, and is all the better for it.

Hearth.  Haus of Gloi say:

The warm glowing center of any home. Autumns last apple pickings, warm bread, orange rind, various fire roasted nuts, cracked black pepper all nailed down by an oozing sticky benzoin

 In the jar this smells of ginger cake, almost.  Sadly, on my skin, I can't bear it.  At ALL.  It's sticky, sweet and just too food-y.  And something in the formulation clashes with my skin chemistry meaning I want to just scrub the damn stuff off as quickly as possible!  However, I know some people love this scent, so this is just me.  I can totally see it working on other bodies, this is purely my being a bit sensitive to one of the ingredients.  Which one, I don't know, sadly!

Eggnoggin':  What Haus of Gloi say:

The Haus 'nog! Cream, sugar and a shot of dark rum topped with fresh grated nutmeg.
 

I should hate this.  Technically, it's more or less everything I dislike in a scent, creamy, sweet and a little indistinct.  However, I don't. I love it.  Alongside the warm, creamy sweetness is just a tiny hint of spice (from the nutmeg) and the scent all together on my skin is dazzling.  It's one of those perfumes you wear just for yourself, occasionally sniffing random parts of yourself to remind you how good you smell.  I love it.

The formulas of the products are good too.  The pumpkin butters are an amazing texture, thick and creamy but almost immediately absorbed by the skin, and they perfume your skin beautifully.  I'm also a fan of the bubbling scrubs, despite not having any dry skin in need of exfoliating (don't hate me, I neglect it terribly you know!) they're almost solid, and don't go runny until you actually are exfoliating with them, and this makes them much easier to use than traditional sugar or salt scrubs.  I just wish they hadn't discontinued the bathing dusts!  I think a jacuzzi full of Eggnoggin' would be huge fun!

I've just ordered full-size backups of both Snow Wolf and Eggnoggin' pumpkin butters, bubbling scrubs and perfume oils.  That's how much I love them.  Hearth, however is going to languish on the shelf until I find someone to give it to.... Haus of Gloi?  Haus of Joi more like ...

Love Story - The Musical

Or, time for something completely different.

No, I haven't gone completely crazy, one of my very first posts on this here blog was about opera, which I don't think anyone ever read, so I think it's okay for me to talk about my love of musical theatre here too.  And, I do love it. Growing up we were banned from watching musicals in my house, as my mum hated them - used to say that "people just don't do that" whenever people burst into song.  As a result, as an adult, it's entirely possible that I love them a bit too much.  I may have more musical soundtracks on my ipod than is entirely healthy, but hey, a good tune is a good tune!

However, I have to admit that when the opportunity to watch a preview of Love Story, which has been made into a musical by Howard Goodall and Stephen Clark, and has been produced by Michael Ball came up this week, I boggled a bit.  "But how's that going to work?" I wondered to myself, imagining such delights as the "Leukemia Boogie Woogie" and other such nonsense.

Luckily, the starkly staged, surprisingly non-schmaltzy musical bypasses such cheese (aside from during the Pasta song, which is actually rather amusing, and it's a tune I've had in my head ever since) and is played both well, and admirably straight.  The one act chamber-musical zips by, drawing you into the heart of the piece, and making you care for the characters, in spite of their flaws, and almost eradicates the memory of the incredibly saccharine seventies film it's based on.

Everyone knows how it ends, of course - and if you don't, they tell you in the first few minutes - and this should, realistically, stop you getting that engrossed in the story, but I don't mind admitting that I had the biggest, most painful lumps in my throat throughout the last 20 minutes of the show, and I am one of the biggest cynics of all time.  And, I had something in my eye - yes, something in my eye, dammit - at several points, too.

I adored the simple costuming of the characters and Emma Williams (who plays Jenny) has one of the most gorgeous wardrobes I've seen in a long time. I wasn't too sure that choosing to signify her illness via the cunning use of a cardigan was a great idea though.  It's a simple motif, but hey, Cardigan of Death?  Hmn ...

If I have a criticism of the play, it would be that Michael Xavier, whilst more than adequate, isn't actually good-looking enough to play Oliver.  Shallow, perhaps, but hey, I'm a beauty blogger, sue me. It was just always in the back of my mind that - as written - Oliver is a bit of a boor (not to mention a bore, but that's more the fault of the source material than the play), and it's hard to see why Jenny would be so dazzled with him in the first place.  Your mileage, as always, may vary.

So, why did they do it?  The answer is, I guess, because they could.  And they did it well, if you ask me, I didn't roll my eyes once.  And,  I haven't enjoyed crying so much in ages.

Find out more about Love Story on Stage here. Or you can see their facebook page here.

Andy Tauer's Advent Giveaway

I'm a massive fan of Andy Tauer, I was lucky enough to meet with him recently (more about that anon), and I enjoyed a great deal hearing about how he is inspired to create his perfumes, and to be able to smell some of the ingredients that make up his creations. He is certainly an artist of perfume in an increasingly corporate bland and fruity-smelling miasma.  If you're interested how perfumes are created, rather than designed, then you should certainly read his blog.

Anyhoo, this year, he's having an advent giveaway, with a chance to win a scent every single day, and it's something I'll be entering at every opportunity (I have some samples of his fragrances here that I'll be reviewing very soon) how about you?  It's 24 opportunities to win a wonderful prize!

Click here for details of Andy Tauer's Advent Giveaway

Beauty Bloggers Backstage - Sparklecrack Central

This month, I got to interview the lovely and charming - and patient! - LiAnn of Sparklecrack Central.  I love her blog as it's an astonishing fount of information about all things mineral, and nail varnish, who could ask for more?   Also, hers is possibly the best named blog out there.  Well, after this one, of course ... [cough]  Without further ado, I bring you LiAnn:

1) You run a multitude of great sites, how on earth do you find the time?

Gnomes, clones, and alternate dimensions.

No, actually, I've been installing scripts, working with HTML and CSS, and
running multiple sites of one variety or another since the early 1990s -
so while the nature of the sites may change and site projects may come and
go, the mechanics are kind of second nature by now. What changes are what
content's being prepped, and any other organizational facets (like herding
cats for Beauty Blogs' Backstage :D )

2) Mineral makeup, why?

Because most pressed makeup (and all liquid makeup) contains
preservatives, and has a definite shelf life. You swipe the applicator
through it, bacteria gets deposited in the medium (the
eyeshadow/foundation/blush/whatever), the bacteria grows in the medium and
on the applicator, and eventually - after a few months or years, even if
they're not used much after the first few times - the medium might be
unsafe for continued use. Plus pressed powders can crumble after either
rough handling or the passage of time; and when that happens they're
messier to store and sometimes can't be stored without some juryrigging.
Mineral makeup, specifically (for me) loose-powder makeup, is largely
inorganic so bacteria can't grow as easily so the makeup is effectively
"good" for longer; it's easier for me to work with to get the effects I
want; and because it starts out as a loose powder, I can easily repackage
it or even repot into smaller jars - for nice-neat-uniform storage (yay,
OCD!!), for travel, for giving some to a friend, whatever. (I know that
companies spend a lot of money on their packaging, and so they -=really=-
don't want to hear that last. But there you go.) I've spent a lot of money
these past three years on makeup; but each year I've spent less money; and
unless a product performed extremely poorly (I'm thinking of Ulta's
mineral eyeshadows and a few other ultra-cheapies), I didn't have to throw
anything out. They're like investment-clothes-shopping: I buy an item like
a loose-powder mineral eyeshadow or blush, and I'll be able to use it
safely for years, even decades to come.

I still prefer non-"mineral" lipstick, because I use lip products rather
infrequently, when compared to eyeshadows and blush; and without
preservatives, the lip stuff will start to "sweat" and go off in a year.
(And my fridge is already full of my nail polishes; I don't want to add my
lipstuff, too. I need room in there for milk and eggs and food and
suchwhat.)

3) 3 Desert Island items (not makeup-related)

My books (if I can only pick one: Cyteen, by C J Cherryh); SPF 85
sunscreen, so I don't fry or get skin cancer; and a sat-phone to call when
I'm quite ready to head back to civilization. (I have a strong practical
streak....which apparently doesn't extend to moderation when buying
makeup.)

4) Who inspires you?

Anyone who lives their principles, quietly goes about their life
exemplifying said principles, and neither gives nor takes crap from
others. It's not easy sometimes, because we all have that part of
ourselves that really wants to "correct" others or give them information
we don't think they have, and we honestly think they would be happy to
have; but every adult has both the right and the responsibility to make
their own choices and deal with the results thereof. It's one thing to
give someone information about this, that, or the other thing -=when they
ask for it=-. It's another thing altogether to assume that someone is
either so stupid or so overwhelmed with everything else that they can't
possibly know X, or so insensitive that they have to be guilted into doing
Y. It's hard to resist the voices that say, "You're right! Now tell
everyone so that they can be right, too!" But people who do manage to
resist The Drive To Be Right more often than not, ESPECIALLY with humans'
pack-mentality, inspire me. They make it easier for me to do the same
thing, to extend to others the courtesy that is so often denied to all of
us in ways so small...that we may not realize.

5) If you could have dinner with anyone (throughout history), who would
you pick?

Someone who can cook well and is willing to clean up. Julia Child and her
kitchen staff, possibly. Or Alton Brown and -=his=- kitchen staff. With
either of those two, I'd be looking forward to quizzing them during the
prep as much as I would be eating and enjoying the food. :D

6) What is your favourite movie, and why?

Real Genius, because that virtually -=was=- my college experience,
surrounded by geeks and pyrotechs and wisenheimers (but minus Ick, who
made the "exploding" homemade dry ice); or Blade Runner, because of the
story, the issues, the concepts, and the cinematography.

 7) Finally (and most importantly): Kittens or penguins?

Kittens!! Both are cute (good), both have herring-breath (not so good),
but penguins just aren't great cuddlers.

So there you have it.  You can read the utter drivel I wrote in response to some great questions from Liann here: (sorry LiAnn!)

Nail of the Day - China Glaze Emerald FItzgerald

Another beauty from the Vintage Vixens collection, this one:

A deep, dark glassy green that doesn't appear black on the nails, I adore this shade. It's not - quite - a Christmassy green, but rather it reminds me of an expensive car paint job.  I was worried it would give me lobster hands, but luckily, it doesn't!

Picture shows two coats over China Glaze sticky base coat, and no topcoat, as I used China Glaze drying drops to finish it off, I like them because they don't shrink the polish beneath as with Seche Vite, and they smell of wintergreen, which makes a nice change for a nail product!

Wear is incredible.  I wore this polish whilst building half of Ikea's finest furniture over the weekend and only had to replace the polish on one nail that I broke when I was messing about with a claw hammer.  Tools are not toys, people!

I found this bottle all alone on a shelf at my local Sally's and had to give it a home. I picked up most of the rest of the Vintage Vixen collection at a trade show a few months ago, and had somehow overlooked this one.  I think it cost me about £4.  Bargain!

Browhaus Lashes in Bloom - Eyelash Extensions

So impressed was I with my initial visit to Browhaus, that I recently went back at my own expense and got myself kitted out with some eyelash extensions.

Browhaus will do your lashes to your exact specification, natural, full, curly, long, however you want them!  I asked for full-on dramatic lashes, hoping to replicate the effect I always want from mascaras and am always disappointed with not achieving!  I love the effect they achieved, and I'll be honest, I'm beginning to wonder how I'll live without them!

The process isn't that difficult, but it is pretty time consuming.  Your lower eyelashes are taped down (to avoid them getting stuck to the glue they use on the upper lashes), and individual lashes are glued to your own lashes.  I opted for individual lashes, but they do have an "express" service, which uses clusters of fake lashes to speed the process up a little.

I actually found the process - once the taping was sorted - very relaxing, and as the heated beds are so comfortable at Browhaus, I did find myself dropping off to sleep once or twice!

Things you need to know:

You will need to change your cleansing routine, oil free eye make up removers, and avoid the soaking the lashes - I use Amie Eye Makeup Remover, on a cotton bud.

Do not use mascara.  Anything oil or wax-based on the lashes will soften the bonds of the glue, and cause your new lashes to fall out.

Your new lashes are not made of hair, and will take a day or two to get used to, they're more stiff than natural lashes, and you might find that you can see more of them than you do your natural lashes.  Try not to fiddle with them!

Try not to put your new lashes directly under the spray of the shower, again the hot water will loosen the bonds.

Your new lashes will fall out with the natural growth of your own lashes underneath.  This is perfectly normal, and nothing to worry about, but you can expect to need to have your lashes filled in slightly every 2-4 weeks, depending on your natural rate of growth. Infills at Browhaus cost just £10.

I had a few problems during my first week with some of the lashes on my right eye dropping off for no good reason, but Browhaus offer a service where if you have any problems whatsoever during the initial seven days then you can go back to the store and have them fixed/altered/infilled or even removed for free.  I went back and got mine infilled after a week, and have had no problems since.

Lash in Bloom eyelash extensions normally cost £58, but currently there is a special offer at Browhaus where you can get extensions and eyebrow threading together for just £45, which is a bargain in anyone's book!

I love 'em!

Sparkle And Shade

The always lovely Emily over at Sparkle & Shade asked me to take part in her "Inspirational Interviews" series this weekend.  I was very flattered - and amused - to be asked to take part, and loved answering the questions!

You can see what I had to say for myself here: Sparkle & Shade's Inspirational Interview