This week I am wearing another oldie: Framboesa (raspberry), from Colorama.
I really enjoy the berry shade, which keeps me on the reds, but the burgundy shade makes it a bit more autumnal.
Having used the Miss Sporty nail polishes in the past weeks, I found this one quite thin to apply, so had to do three coats!
Still, looks good – very shiny and goes perfectly with my Diva MAC lipstick!
Now I went back to red two weeks ago, I am struggling to find the will to paint my talons another colour. A bit pathetic, I know, and today I actually applied a berry shade (with a tint of purple on it, which I really like) just to remove it all and go back to pure scarlet.
This one is, however, a red I hadn’t worn before, bought a few weeks back . Cherry, from Miss Sporty, is a gorgeously hot metallic dark red, also on the Last Colour Pro brush range, so delivers the high shine I mentioned before and I am really counting on the durability. My one struggle – Miss Sporty doesn’t put the name of their shades on the nail polish bottle itself, so, just a disclaimer: I think it is Cherry, based on a guessing game using their website.
I am really looking forward to trying on the grey I bought on the same occasion I got this one, just waiting for the perfect occasion – I am sure it will come soon!
A couple weeks ago, I bought a few nail colours from Miss Sporty – a classic red, an iridescent purple, a hot pink to replace and oldie and… I floated towards my very first new season nail colour, a dark mettalic gray. I am very sure I will be wearing it soon and it will feature on the “nails of the week” – have applied it, just to try it on, and it looks fab!
I haven’t really seen that much in terms of nail colour tendencies so far on the web, apart from a mention on Vogue, but by digging a bit I think my bet is on a multitude of ash tones, especially graphite, charcoal and matte greys. Midnight and cobalt blue, pearlised deep mocha, greige and metallic/iridescent green also seem to be popping up. I would also count on deeper reds – berry, burgundy and even maroon.
Chanel‘s Black Pearl, Blue Satin, Graphite and Particuliere, as well as Dior‘s Underground, New Label and Perfecto and Illamasqua‘s Bacterium, Viridian, Propaganda and Phallic(!) really fit the bill (all pictured on the right). I will be definitely looking for more affordable options to test!
I have to confess I am a little bit sad that the super brights are getting a rest for the colder months and although it does make sense, I remain a big fan of glowing nail colour – I shall miss the flaboyance of summer in that sense. I do prefer warm colour on my talons – but I suppose red will always be there to comfort me!
The one for me - Pure Seduction
This is great news for me – Victoria’s Secret angels will land in the UK next summer – just read on Vogue that they will open their first shop in London, in New Bond Street.
As their Pure Seduction moisturiser is the only one I have used for the past ten years, this means that, by this time next year, I will no longer need to stock up everytime time I go through duty free – yes, bizarrely enough, they are available in UK airports. Plus, this will contribute a tiny bit to my sanity, as I always panic when I think I might be running low and have no flights booked.
I own a few Victoria’s Secret lingerie pieces, and at one point had a fragrance by them – this will be a good opportunity for me to explore their range as I always wanted but never could.
I wonder if the products will be overpriced…
I can barely contain my excitement since I opened the newsletter from MAC this morning and saw their Packed to go collection, with a dozen beautiful compact product packages.
All very portable, what I find great about this range is that it covers a fair bit: from isolated areas (eyes or lips) to full face and looks in a box – and even brushes (although this is not news – every year MAC launches sets of make-up bag size versions of their brushes; I have two!).
My very favourites have to be the eye shadows, the Cool and Warm Smokey sets – 6 shades for under £30, good value, if you, like me, is used to paying around £11.50 for one MAC eye shadow colour. The colours are very up-to-date, with 2 lighter shades, which are always a good all round base colours and rich greens, browns and dark reds.
The all black three assorted eye liners, which promise “versatility (which) lies in the application and the graphic quality of the line”, also intrigue me.
The Cinematic collection, offering lips kits and brushes, also caught my eye. I simply adore the colourful brushes!
I am in love (again!) and it is going to be very hard not to grossly overspend this weekend, as I have a make-over booked with them!
Wish me luck resisting!
Minaj's rainbow dip-dye
Lavoisier’s conservation of mass law tells us that in nature nothing is wasted, nothing is created, everything is transformed. I really like that – even though the principle is really used for chemistry and mechanics, I do believe things are cyclical, and fashion is no different.
One example, of many, is platform shoes. I have worn platforms twice in my lifetime – not when they became hugely popular for the first time, in the 60’s and 70’s, but when they had a brief revival in the mid 90’s and recently and for the past two years they have been everywhere. And the trends keep coming back to haunt or delight us, albeit with a modern twist but recycled nevertheless.
Anyway… I saw the dip-dye hair trend on Vogue recently, and even though it is something I will never consider (I am too much a colour coordination freak to do that), I thought it was worth a mention.
It is transformed from the past – what we see today, an almost polished look, with well treated and well coloured locks is reminiscent of the bold colours grunge girls wore back in the 90’s.
Niki Minaj’s is my favourite, just because it is a different twist on the trend, and I think it suits her. If to be tried at home, I suppose colourful hair inserts could do the trick. If you think this one is definitely for you and are feeling brave enough, here is a tutorial on how to dip-dye your hair.
I am also not that keen on the ombre hair seen in the same Vogue gallery (super overgrown roots, giving the hair that lighter colour at the tip). I like my highlights retouched, thank you very much.
Cyndi Lauper shows her true colours!
Funnily enough, over the weekend, as I watched old video clips on obscure music channels quite late at night, I saw the ever fabulous Cyndi Lauper singing True Colors, back in 1986. Of course, her hair colour has always been flamboyant to say the least, and here she also has a second colour on the bottom layer of her hair, but you can see the orange dip-dye-esque colour there.
It does, however, work for some (certainly worked for Cyndi), and in my opinion, worked better when it was part of a lifestyle.
Would you venture?
Just checked out this Vogue picture gallery on the best shots from this season’s advertising campaign. Luxury brands, big names and great photographers – I really loved this selection.
The Gucci shot, by Mert & Marcus, is by far my favourite, I adore the colours – this is the kind of new season image I have in my head – the outfits are luscious, there is fur, there is drama, (there is a guy!!!), the composition is great, the light, the make up… all so wonderful! Yet, what I really love about this picture is that it oozes decadence.
I was also keen on the pictures from Armani (image 5) , Tom Ford (image 11) and this amazing dress from Donna Karan (image16), wow!
Must be noted though, as much as I like Helena Bonham-Carter/think she is a good choice for Marc Jacobs/the shot is indeed imaginative (image 22), to me, it looks a bit odd, as if she is a cut up mermaid and even though I think this was the intention, it just makes me feel a bit funny. Having said that, the more I look at it, the more I like it, in a very weird way – Bonham Carter is definitely the right choice for such a quirky snap!
Which one is your favourite?
Red. My nail colour passion really lies with reds. It is, hands down, the colour you are most likely to see on my nails throughout the year. It’s sexy, it’s classic and it goes with everything.
There is no hue discrimination – they can be orange-reds, pinkish-reds, deep red, burgundy red, blood-red, purplish reds, metallic reds, you get the idea – I just love them all.
This week, I am wearing, for the first time, a red from Miss Sporty‘s lasting colour pro-brush line, which promises a “shock proof, chip and scratch-resistant formula which delivers 7 days durable colour with a high-shine finish”, apparently. The high-shine I can definitely see, still to trial the action men properties of this nail varnish in the next 7 days.
I found it a bit thick to apply, but the “pro-brush” is good – its shape really aids application. It is great value, at the moment, two bottles for £2.99 at Superdrug.
And of course, it is red – a vivacious tone of red, which I am really enjoying seeing on my nails after cheating on the scarlets with more trendy colours in the past weeks!
This week I am once again going for an old time favourite in gorgeous summery bright pink.
The fact the sun finally showed its rays over the weekend really inspired me, and I thought my nails deserved yet another bright colour splash, to keep the mood going, as if I knew we were doomed to have a grey Monday.
This nail polish was bought ages ago and it is by Colorama, which I think is the best nail polish brand in the world (in terms of duration, ease of application and price), from their “artistic” range, in “Rosa Pink”.
Love it!
Yesterday was the last day of the lovely Jacques Townhouse – Chando’s House got an apple and pear makeover into an indulgent girly hotel for this fabulous pop up venue by Jacques Cider.
I am very glad I made it – I certainly had a the most amazing time. Even thought they started the 10- day event with invitation only admission, they soon posted on their Facebook page that invitation was no longer necessary, and people would be served on a first come-first served basis within their daily 17:30 and 19:30 slots. When I first read it, I thought I’d never get in; that there would be long queues (and I really dislike queues, especially after a day at work!), so I decided not to go. However, the fact that I saw the open invite first thing in the morning on Facebook was, to me, a clearl sign that I should not miss it.
The entrance to Chandos House was deliciously decorated with apples and pears. Even though I got there at 17:28, there were only around 15 people waiting ahead of me. Soon after 17:30 a bright red lipped hostess came out with a clipboard and the queue started to move, with small groups of people being let in.
The perfect welcome was delivered by the front of house staff, including the fabulous Miss Monroe, in the hotel reception. They enthusiastically (and with impeccable posh accents) told us about the different rooms of the house and what we would in them: the Photo Studio, Wardrobe of Wonders, Trendtellers, Style Bar, Beauty Parlour and Enchanted Garden.
Each one of us was given a little key to the bar, which unlocked your 2 free refreshing Jacques ciders. We were also offered mini doughnuts and I had a bellboy escorting me up the stairs arm in arm to the Wardrobe of Wonders, which were very nice touches!
Keen to unveil the secrets behind each door, I entered the Wardrobe of Wonders, chose clothes from the racks and accessories, and posed for the camera (have to say, I do not think that this was my best shot from the 3 they took – it is not possible!!!). Waiters went around with trays laden with crispy cider, and girls (including myself) shrieked in excitement or burst into laughter when looking for accessories and trying on clothes.
After that, I went into the Trendtellers room, where I created a feather head band and stencilled my own Jacques canvas bag.
With my newly created items in tow, I went downstairs to the Style Bar, and claimed my first drink, an orchard fruits Jacques cider. Glass in hand, I moved on to the Enchanted Garden, exquisitely decorated with all sort of nick knacks. I was offered popcorn and sat around, soaking in the atmosphere and detail (and checking in on Facebook!).
I then moved to the Beauty Parlour, where I had fluttering eyelashes applied, and cheekily asked for a second treat, and spoiled for choice – between eye, lips or face make up, a massage, a hair do or nails painted – I settled for eye make up. In hindsight, should have gone for a massage, which I really need – however, my “beauty before comfort” motto shouted louder.
With smokey eyes and lashes so fluttery I could have caused a tornado, I collected my second beverage, this time a fruits des bois Jacques cider, and went back to the garden, where I just sat and relaxed – until it was time to leave, but not before grabbing my goody bag, which contained another canvas bag and a bottle of cider!
So I made my way home, smiling and marvelling about all the weird and wonderful things I encountered, enchanted and looking forward to next year’s magical townhouse!
So Many Lovely Things 
