Tag Archives: liberty london

A vitamin C boost to tackle dull skin

Posted in Beauty, Skincare by

Valo [Light] Glow Boost EssenceWho’s with me in no longer bearing the winter? Thought so. I had enough. London is so miserable in the winter so I cannot wait for those longer, brighter days.

While those don’t come, my skin keeps suffering with the brutal wind and heating. Dullness ensues.

A while back, at my favourite place, Liberty, I came across Lumene, a gorgeous Finnish brand and its equally gorgeous Valo [Light] Glow Boost Essence.

Now, we all love a bit of glow and we know highlighter can only do so much. I only “discovered” some glow in my skin in the last few years, so I am doing everything I can to retain even if a tiny bit of it.

Valo [Light] Glow Boost Essence

This light serum is loaded with vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, which makes it the perfect hydration and glow potion to fight the winter effects on the skin.

Its consistency very fluid, colourless and feels so smooth on the skin, which drinks up very quickly. I use about 3-5 drops for my face and it is suitable for all skin types.

I do feel it helps reset my complexion, especially when used at night. It also helps maintain the plumpness and hydration which my skin tends to lose in the course of the day, when I apply in the morning.

Valo [Light] Glow Boost Essence

Apart from brightening vitamin C and moisture preserving hyaluronic acid, The Valo Glow Boost Essence contains Arctic cloudberry extract a and pure Arctic spring water.

Altogether, they works to help achieve plumper, smoother and more radiant skin, which subsequently appears more youthful.

I use it mainly at night, at times combined with other serums and oils and at times with some other vitamin C products on top. I sometimes add it in the morning too, with some more vitamin C products on top, because you know, bitch gotta glow.

You can get this the Lumene Valo [Light] Glow Boost Essence from Liberty (always worth a trip over). It costs £29.90 for 30ml and you can also get it from feelunique.

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say again: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

A blemish rescue oil. Yes, really

Posted in Beauty, Skincare by

Votary Blemish Rescue OilThis year you haven’t heard it: oh how I love a facial oil. And this is a gem from a brand I got to know quite recently: Votary, which makes this post that little bit more exciting.

Now, my personal battle navigating between aggressive, drying blemish fighting and hydrating, nourishing age fighting products is known to an extent here (and I’ll publish a full piece on it soon), but this little hero addresses just that. Tamanu oil and salicylic acid, make it nourishing with blemish fighting properties.

Votary Blemish Rescue Oil’s 2% salicylic acid goes down deep in the pores dissolving dead skin cells and exfoliating all the way to the surface. This helps with the congestion that usually brings spots about.

And the blend of natural plant oils including rice, oat, tamanu and rosemary essential oil aids quicker recovery and promotes  balance.

Votary Blemish Rescue OilIt’s a great targeted, non-aggressive solution which is a bliss to use: it doesn’t feel heavy or greasy, and even though it’s for use on the spot, I feel it works wonders on the whole face or areas, like the chin, to help prevent breakouts.

And for that, I really want to get the Votary Clarifying Facial Oil, as I think it would be a very powerful duo for problematic skin.

The Votary Blemish Rescue Oil costs £35 for 15ml (it goes a looooong way!) and you can find the gorgeous Votary products at Liberty – I mean, any excuse for a trip over there – or online on their site.

written by Dani

You know the drill, but I’ll say again: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Flirting with the light side: nude on my lips

Posted in Beauty, Make Up by

laura-mercier-sheer-lip-review - 1Wait. Is that a nude-ish lipstick. Ok. You got me.

My eternal affair with red is undeniable but it turns out that in the past months I became less and less monogamous.

laura-mercier-sheer-lip-review - 2I feel nude-ish lipsticks are just easy to wear and uncomplicated. This might not be the “classic” nude, but we know the definition of nude is a bit skewed; it should be what comes close to your natural shade.

For me, the best “nudes” are the pinkish ones, which are – ahem – close to my natural lip colour, so it feels just like it’s amped up, shinier, softer and prettier.

Enter Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Colour in Baby Lips, all the way from the gorgeous Liberty. This lipstick is super soft and glides beautifully on the lips. The smell is lightly sweet.

It is semi-matte and delivers a good colour for its “sheer” name; it also feels hydrating and has anti-ageing properties.

For being creamy and sheer, admittedly, it does not last forever on the lips, but does a good job fading evenly, not feathering, bleeding or drying lips.

Apart from this brand new addition to my unlikely growing selection of nudes, I love Sleek Private Booth and GOSH Matte in Rose.

Who would know?

The Laura Mercier Sheer Lip Colour is available at Liberty in six flattering colours and costs £19.50.

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This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Shine and shade with the gorgeous Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit palette

Posted in Beauty, Make Up by

hourglass_ambient_lighting_edit_palette_review - 1Can Hourglass do anything wrong? From what I can gather, the answer is no. I am flooded with fear every time I approach the counter as I know I am about to part with a great chunk of money.

With the Ambient Lighting Edit palette is no different. In fact I knew it wouldn’t as last time they brought out an ambient lighting trio, I was very close to buying it.

This one has six amazing products – a powder, two highlighters, two blushes and a bronzer.

The powder, called iridescent Strobe Light and is new to the brand, gives that airbrushed effect, it’s almost translucent for my skin tone, with a glow sheen to set and tune skin to perfection.

I have to admit that this is only good for me when my problem skin is having a good day as it doesn’t conceal much.
hourglass_ambient_lighting_edit_palette_review - 4The highlighters are beautiful; a subtle, non-glittery shine that catches and reflects the light beautifully.

Dim Light has a peach undertone to blur and highlight and Diffused Light is pale yellow, or white-golden to boos clarity and conceal redness.

Both work very well. hey are so subtle that you will only realise they are hard at work when the light catch it. Beautiful and long lasting too.

hourglass_ambient_lighting_edit_palette_review - 3The blushers are marvellous. Mood Exposure has a soft plum tone and is fused with Mood Light powder, for extra brightening. I didn’t think would go with my skin, but it’s my favourite.

Luminous Flush is a champagne rose shade combined with Luminous Light powder, to add a candlelit glow.

The fact they are marbled with some of the powders created a gorgeous colour which is subtle, multi-dimension and multi-tasking. They are very pigmented, extremely blendable and complimentary to the highlighting powders.

The bronzer, Luminous Bronze Light, was my biggest surprise. A medium tan shde is fused with Luminous Light, for a very soft and warm glow.

hourglass_ambient_lighting_edit_palette_review - 6It is subtly glittery, it has good pigmentation (a little goes a long way!), applies well and makes for a decent light contour.

Every single product in this palette is very wearable. The compact is gorgeous and a pleasure to whip out of the makeup bag, although not that small. It is great for a day to night transformation or touch ups in the day. Hourglass says the colours are complimentary to all skin tones.

The deal breaker with the Ambient Lighting products is their Photoluminescence Technology, which filters out harsh light and refine the appearance, as if the skin is glowing from within and not the surface. Hourglass products are free from parabens, talc, fragrance, nanoparticles and gluten.

  Is it with the £65 price tag? If it’s within your budget, definitely yes. I thought I was going to regret. Well, I didn’t, especially when I picked it up at the beautiful Liberty London.

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Changing foundations: discovering Hourglass Immaculate

Posted in Beauty, Make Up by

hourglass immaculate foundation review10 years. The time I stuck to the same brand of foundation. Admittedly between different types, but mainly one for more than half of that time.

Continue reading →

Product review: Hourglass Film Noir mascara

Hourglass film noir mascara

I bought the Film Noir full spectrum mascara in Onyx, from Hourglass, after getting a sample with an amazing load of products I got for free at Liberty after spending a certain amount of money on beauty.

It caught me in a time I was quite unhappy with the mascaras I had been using. Somehow my all time favourite Maybelline falsies wasn’t agreeing with my lashes and they seemed clumpy and messy. I bought a Dior mascara and that was horrible – clumpy to the max!

So I decided  to give this a go. After using the sample for a while, I noticed that this mascara gave good lashes separation, length and volume. I hadn’t heard of Hourglass before, and their prices are quite steep (£25 for the mascara) and that was the reason I didn’t buy straight away. What a fool, I could’ve been happier before!

Hourglass film noir mascara

The brush seems have twisted bristles in an hourglass shape. I really like that it doesn’t dry the lashes. If you need to re-apply later in the day, it is not that dry rubbing, that just seems to clump more and more, as the new coat cannot stick to the lashes. It applies softly, almost as if an extra coat when you applied for the first time.

Durability is great, in fact, it is very stubborn and although it is not waterproof, it needs an oil based eye make up remover to come off completely and easily. A normal one requires a couple goes at least.

hourgalss mascara on eye - somanylovelythings

This is what they say on their site:

“A sensational all-round mascara with dramatic, cinematic results: Film Noir volumizes, lengthens, separates, and conditions lashes all at once. The signature hourglass-shaped brush is designed for optimal application, while the intense concentration of Panthenol (ProVitamin B5) generates a reflective, jet-black sheen.

• Signature “pinwheel” bristles of the brush volumize, lengthen, separate and condition lashes for low-maintenance application with high-impact results
• Pro-vitamin B5 hydrates and conditions lashes to keep them supple and healthy-looking
• Added polymers help formula adhere to lashes and resist smudging and fading
• Triple-cut hourglass-shaped brush evenly distributes product to create volume while lifting and lengthening
• Free of phthalate, sulfates, synthetic dyes and gluten”

I really cannot disagree from their description, really. I am chuffed with the purchase. I returned to the brand counter at Liberty since buying this one to buy their Veil primer which is great – will review at some point!!! And they always give you samples! If you have a Regent Street Association card, you get 10% off at Liberty, including Hourglass!