Scarlett and Crimson

A week or two ago I attended the launch of Scarlett and Crimson, a new makeup line from beauty masters Ruby and Millie. The range is launched at girls making the transition from childhood to teen, and aims to educate about makeup as well as being fun to apply.

This is an interesting idea that taps into a new younger market; rather than dabbing into their mothers sky blue eyeshadow and coral lipstick, Scarlett and Crimson gives teens the opportunity to experiment themselves with an easy to use collection. This range contains bright, pigmented colours that rival Mac, yet also has a line of solid beauty basics to sculpt and enhance,





During the evening Ruby Hammer demonstrated the products on some willing volunteers. I was especially interested to see how she used the products as the target age range for the makeup could be viewed as controversial. It could be argued that encouraging young teenagers to wear makeup is untasteful and sexualising girls far too young. However, the looks Ruby created were fresh and natural, she gave the girls luminous dewy skin with the fun of a light coloured lipgloss and barely-there mascara. It became clear that teaching youngsters how to apply makeup properly can only be a good thing, girls want to experiment with beauty and Scarlett and Crimson gives the opportunity for easy-application with fun products.

The girls above were both made-over, and you can see the makeup is enhancing not garish.

Bianca enjoying one of the delicious complimentary cocktails.

My camera does not have a flash (I must pay £159 for that luxury) so I put a blue art filter on to lighten the images...

Back in London

I am back in London after a flying visit to West Wales for Christmas. It consisted of the usual feasting, films and wine. I managed to move myself boxing day for a walk with the dogs but as soon as we stepped onto the sand the heavens opened and we got totally drenched! It passed and left a rainbow in its wake, and I was waiting with my new camera...

This week posting shall resume with some interesting beauty products and perhaps even a fashion item, though I must confess at the moment clothes are at the back of my mind, the thought is almost repellent after all that Christmas cheese! Hope everyone had a good Christmas!

Room with a View

I am ill yet again which does not make for an exciting weekend. This morning I managed to get to Stoke Newington to visit dear B, we had a cup of tea, she cut my hair in her bedroom and then we went for a delicious Thai at Yum Yums; this restaurant is supposed to have recently been on something Gordon Ramsay, and the food was indeed yum, also extra points for having an exotic fish pool and stylish toilets. Now I am back and sniffing through sheets of toilet roll, trying not to leave my room into the ice kitchen and bathroom. We have no heating and I feel a bit like Oliver Twist! Picture above is what I shall be seeing for most of the weekend.

Work Shoes

Having recently changed jobs, I have now found myself in an establishment with a dress code. Gone are the days of long flowing (tangled) locks, and boyfriend slouchy (comfortable) cardigans, I now have an actual suit jacket and hairspray in my hair! I can't say I am too sad at this change, at the moment it is a novelty to consider my appearance in the morning, however I have come unstuck with the 'work shoe'.

Our shoes must be black, polished and heeled. They also must be bearable and foot kind- admittedly I am sat on a swivel chair for most of the day but there are also regular studio treks miles down into the bowels of the building. I need something functional, yet something that wouldn't be sneered at an after-work event, and possibly could take an outing of a weekend. Tricky. So far I have this one pair above, some mid-heels from Office but I'm struggling where to go next...chunky Mary Janes? Suede wedges? A shopping trip is in order. Recommendations gratefully received!

Hunting for Treasure at Mahiki

Mahiki is a nightclub in London with a tropical theme; bartender wear tropical shirts, the roof looks like a tiki hut and the drinks are inspired by the tropics. Mahiki is often the backdrop for paparazzi shots of young royals/ WAGs/ 'popstars' and the like.

Last time I went to Mahiki it was some sort of model occasion and a club photographer was duly doing the rounds. Bianca and I walked in and were forced to stop our route to the bar as the said photographer was talking a picture of two twiggy legged blonde models in front of us; he flashed and got the shot, they walked away and we found oursleves directly in the path of his lens. He gave us a slow look up and down and then walked away- our faces were were not worthy of a photograph! Ultimate snub for mortal (non model) girls!

This time however we were in the far better company, instead we partied with fellow bloggers for the Aussie Angels Girl's Night Out! On arrival we were brought a round of fruity cocktails which were shortly followed by a platter of snacks including some delicious vegetable spring rolls.

After being treated to some amazing card tricks by magician Alex, there was a commotion in the corner of the room! Here came a procession of tropical men carrying a heavy wooden pirate chest; This was the famous Mahiki Treasure Chest cocktail, a literal chest of rum, fruits and ices that comes with a pretty price tag! They always attach a massive firework to it, to make sure that the whole room notices that someone is spending money, vulgar but sadly, it was also really fun! The chest was placed upon the table and a chap topped it up with a bottle of Moet. We all grabbed a straw.


What a lovely night! So much better than the usual practice of being too ugly for a club photo and too poor to buy any drinks! Thanks to the lovely PR girls at Aussie who gave us a great evening. I also feel a comfort in the fact I have finally sampled the £100+ treasure chest, the most pricey drink I had had the pleasure of consuming in London; that definitely beats the meager £14 for gin and tonic in Bungalow 8!

Ellie and Bi

I look like I'm wearing a crown but I wasn't

Meet My New Toy

After months of staring at the Jessops website I finally took the plunge and bought the Olympus Pen! I have been wanting an SLR and as soon as I saw this one I wanted it badly. I admit my desire was mainly based on superficial values, it looks good and I wanted it around my neck! Hopefully this will mean better quality images on the blog, especially beauty wise but it may take awhile for me to get to grips with it. I used to be into photography but now I can't distinguish an aperture from a camera strap! Wish me luck, I want this to be more than just a pretty necklace.

A Day In Paris

I was contacted about a competition to win Eurostar tickets with Le Nouveau Paris. To enter you had to describe what you would do in Paris with 1,00o euro to spend. This is what I would do!

A champagne breakfast on the Eurostar, bubbles and clinking flutes, if it is past ‘the night before’ then it is allowed. On arrival in Paris I immediately hail a cab. I am not walking in these shoes, and the metro is far too reminisant of my old enemy, the London underground; Paris is my new friend and I wish to start on a good note so cab it is. I will probably hear some French music whilst trundling down Parisian streets, and it will probably make the journey romantic as I am a sucker for accents. It’s a good job that I won’t know what the singers are saying as few lyrics are poetic these days.

I have asked the cab driver to take me to Notre Dame, no, I’m not cultural, but The Hunchback of Notre Dame was one of my favourite Disney films. This is because it scared me the most. The intro soundtrack with gypsies stealing away by boat was enough to make my sister and I cower behind the sofa. So Notre Dame is something I wish to see and experience, I want to search for Quaismodo and shout ‘the bells, the BELLS!’.

I will pull up at Notre Dam and gasp in hyperbolic awe at the magnitude of the building. I will note the gargoyles and morn that they are not as talkative as their Disney counterparts. On entering the church I will look around with reasonable interest and try and work out if I can get to the tower. I’m not sure if this attraction is that accommodating but I would hope so.

After leaving Quasi, I would eat a very large lunch. It would contain my favourite food, cheese, as much of it as possible. After, the cheese feast I would order a coffee and sit on a table on the street in pure Parisian cliché. Of course it is winter, so my nose would be red and eyes watery; that is the best I can do though, so no point worrying about it.

Moving from my seat slowly I would walk the least steps possible to get another cab. This time destination is death. Oh I love to be dramatic but here it is true. I am heading towards Cimetière du Père Lachaise, I had to goggle the name for the spelling, but I have written it down and will show it to the driver. I am going to see the grave of Oscar Wilde and wallow in amongst the graves. My camera will probably be turned to the ‘Grainy Film’ for some moody shots of headstones.

By this time it would be dark and time to eat again. Time also, for wine, red wine. I will struggle with the menu as I am vegetarian, but French stick with my glass of rouge is sufficient. After dining it will be another cab back to the station, and then a sleepy Eurostar trip to King Cross, punctuated only by looking back through the pictures on my camera’s little screen.

Just Bitten Again-Twilight DuWop Lip Venom

Review



Quite a long time ago I dedicated a post to my quest for 'just bitten lips' and even joked about our favourite vamp Edward Cullen; I am not particularly a Twilight fan (it's mainly R-Patz I adore) but I do really enjoy most things vampire, so I had experimented, using some Benetint and tried to create a vamp worthy look.

Then recently I was browsing the ASOS beauty section when I saw the above, yes it is actually a Twilight Venom by DuWop!

Feel the rush as you apply this crimson lipstain suspended in a venom-laced plumping conditioner. As close as you can get the vampires bite.

That was enough to send me rummaging for my already exploited credit card and adding to basket! Unfortunately, not everyone is as eager as I to get close to a vampires bite. I found out that 'Loser!' is the immediate response when telling a friend you have bought a Twilight lipgloss, but that friend will have already commented 'oo just bitten lips' before learning the franchise of the said lipgloss; this product really does what it says on the tin!


About
Firstly, it is made by DuWop who are well known for their plumping lip venoms; this has a mentholy peppermint scent that tingles the lips a little on application.

Colour
The stylish separated formula needs a good shake to blend the 'blood' and the 'venom', but what is actually best about this mixture is that it separates back on the lips; this means that the red colourant sinks towards the centre and bleeds through the fine lines of the lips to create that bitten look. Beware the colour is really bright and though a stain will turn heads! My camera didn't pick up the colour too well, but it really is primary brick red.


Longevity
Unlike most lip stains I've tried, this has a conditioner to stop that horrible sticky tacky feeling, and it does not dry your lips out further. It also stays put really well and I had a Starbucks successfully without leaving a trace on the cup lid!

Value
It doesn't come cheap at £14.50, and I don't mind admitting that I was horrified to see the size of the actual bottle once all the fancy packaging was removed! The tube is smaller than the above picture, and only 2.96ml! Saying that, this product gives the effect that I have been trying like an alchemist to conjure for quite sometime. It is a bit of a scandal to pay so much for something so physically small, but I would probably do it again, as I use it almost everyday.

Mavala Winter Nail Polish

Review



I have become a little obsessed with painting my nails and change the colour as soon as a chip appears, sometimes even when they are still perfect! I had began to get bored of my colours so it was fantastic when I was given the opportunity to try out the new Mavala winter collection, Viva La Colour. These colours are inspired by the seasons catwalk collections, and are not the shades that I would stereotypically cast over winter. I used them consecutively over a week or so and chartered the progress my inferior camera...



The first shade is a vibrant creamy pink; almost fuchsia in colour it is a stark contrast to my usual dark nails and this was the first decided to try out. It glides on smoothly and gave a professional finish after just two coats. I was surprised at how much I actually liked having bright nails, with all outfits it was nice to have a splash of colour somewhere!




The second is this beautiful metallic navy blue. I love this colour and actually already posess the similar Chanel Blue Satin, but this one is by far superior! Whilst the Chanel looks very dark on the nails and only shows a hint of blue when the light catches, this shade is very vivid and obviously blue. Once again it when on smoothly with no streaks (unlike gloppy Chanel) and lasted chip free for a good few days. I was really impressed with this and it shall return to my nails on their next, impending makeover.



The third shade in the collection is this milky pink. I must confess that I did not get on with this polish quite so well. The it took about four coats to get a strong shade, and I had a problem with the brush picking up too much polish and then blobbing everywhere. Saying this, the colour was pretty though subtle, and a nice shade of pale pink.

Mavala polishes come in smaller sizes than usual which is more economical if you rarely completely finish a bottle. I also noticed that my nails were a lot stronger after trying the polishes over the week; I'm not sure if this is due to the polishes themselves as I did use a ridge filler each time, but I have used that same ridge filler for months before hand with little improvement on my week nails.

Check out the full range of colours and products here

Bright Star

I am not that much of a film person; I don't find comedies funny, romances sicken me and horror is too mentally traumatising. I find 'arty' films devoid of story and novel adaptations disappointing and lyric destroying...I do not have the motivation to sit though 3 hours of story that can be explained to a friend in a sentence and it would never occur to me to watch a film on my own for entertainment at home. I have been to the cinema recently though; I found out that there was a film about Keats and could not resist going, even if to dissect it piece by piece.

Keats is my favourite poet, my fail proof inspirational literature that I return to still. Though he is now known as one of the greatest Romantic poets (and poets of all time), he died aged 25 virtually unknown. This film seeks to tell the tale of his three year romance with Fanny Brawne leading up to his death in 1821.

The trouble with these sorts of biographical tales is that the film makers have very little to go upon fact wise. This story is crafted using Keats' poems, and letter conversations between him and Fanny, these texts act as posts where everything in between is dramatised and fabricated. I knew this would be a problem for me, and indeed it was. Did Keats really walk miles and collapse in the shrubs outside his lovers home? Did he actually quote Bright Star to her as he lay upon his 'fair loves ripening breast'? I, like the director Jane Campion, do not know, but I highly doubt it.

Fanny Brawne (played by Abbie Cornish) is a dressmaker obsessed with designing new and progressive clothes and is constantly appearing in new flamboyant outfits. I'm not sure how historically accurate her fashionista personality is, but I imagine the shallow preconceptions of being clothes obsessed was designed to contrast with the deep musings of Keats.



Cynicism aside, I did enjoy the film. As these stills show, it is visually beautiful. Sets and scenes are perfectly chosen with hyperbolic visions of the moving seasons. It is worth going to see just for the subtle impact of these scenes.

ASOS Beauty and the Bloggers

I am horridly behind on posting but this week will be more fruitful. ASOS recently held a bloggers beauty evening at their Mornington Crescent HQ and I was genuinely excited to see their new Christmas makeup lines.

The event was held in their studios, where there was a beautifully set out dressing table, laden with all the newest xmas beauty treats. Bianca and I dived straight in and began layering our faces with a new covering of makeup.





I began by trying the Nicola Robert's Dainty Doll concealer for pale skin. The moussey formula is actually very smooth on the skin and it is presented in a handy screw top pot with cute cartoons. The colour was quite natural on my skin, I tried Porcelain which was a good match but they also have a pure white which looks interesting!

Next, these amazing Bourjois eyeshadows and blushes;
Exclusive to ASOS these limited edition eyeshadows and blushes have beautiful vintage pictures on the pots. I intend to get some and then display them on an old fashioned dressing table (which I am going to try fit in my room soon).



After we had crammed as much makeup on to our face as possible (so tempting to try every product), we had a look at the new ASOS black range. We were encouraged to try on the samples for a strut down the catwalk; Bi and I didn't take too much encouragement and grabbed the cool cage dresses in alternate colours. Unfortunately we are not sample sized girls and could not get the underskirt over our hips! So we had a good laugh, took a head shot (with the zip at back undone) and went on our merry way! We found some sparkly jackets and heels and took a spin down the runway in those instead- picture at top!



The Black collection has some amazing pieces in it though, namely this black feathered cape. I think I might have to get it; would love to layer it over coats, dresses, and more! ASOS have really stepped up their game this winter, and I think my purse is going to feel it- internet shopping is dangerously easy!

Make Do and Mend

I love Vogue, they are just so thrifty. Take for example this ingenious shoot from the November UK Vogue issue...yes times are hard so they show us how we can make, do and mend from everyday household supplies. Above is a dress crafted from nothing but cotton wool balls with shoes made from toilet rolls- a couture look for pennies! Well, not quite...the text proudly proclaims that this outfit cost a mere £120 to make.

I know that this is a frivolous bit of fun where someone witty got to be creative, but I had to laugh that the pages of Vogue are still showing me unrealistic purchases- I can't even afford loo roll shoes!!

It is a clever though. Here are some more shots from the editorial:

Source: Thefashionspot

ChinaFright!! Chinawhite Relaunch

Chinawhite relaunched itself last week and Ellie and I decided to go along, a decision fuelled by the need for a mid-week drink rather than excitement over the venue and it's return. This London club was previously renowned for its WAG-tastic clientele, girls in shiny cocktail dresses, spiky heels and orange tans, so we both had a little outfit crisis before we went. I had a panic I would be the only girl in tights, only girl with a modest hem, etc etc.

In the end we both opted for the safe LBD. Ellie worn an amazing vintage cape that was once part of a nurse's uniform, I love it and want it. I did a dark lip and wore what I like to call my Sherlock Holmes coat. I wore this coat a few years back to Covent Garden and a tramp shouted 'Star Trek!!' at me- I was bemused but apparently someone has massive shoulders in it. Well now shoulders are fashionable so I avoided any jests from the homeless.

I was diligent to my blog and we took photos outside as we departed:



So the club itself? After descending ankle snapping stairs designed to uproot the even most of sober girls' balance, you will arrive in a black box room. This is pretty much it. There was loud music and lots of hungry looking girls milling around. We grabbed a wine and looked out for canapes but sadly they consisted of chicken legs which does not bode well for a couple of herbivores.

Undoubtedly the best thing in the club was the taps in the toilet. I don't know if you can see from this picture below, but the water falls from long mirrored tubes. That was really enjoyable!



The paper the next day showed some of the royals at this event, plus fire eating dwarves and naked dancers but we saw none of this as we sloped home early, ending up in one of Shoreditch's finest food establishments. It's relaunched but I don't think I shall be in attendance again.

The Great es(t)cape

If you ever wanted to hear a tale of woe, I have a good one about a cape. An American Apparel cape that I lusted after and bought, only for it to be stolen by a rotter. Well, though far from my wardrobe, this AA cape has not been far from my mind, and recently I re-purchased the exact same one - the black version of the photo above.

I love the hooded design, and it is made from thick jersey so perfect for the chilly weather of the moment. I have also been wearing it around the house, as our dear little flat is already an ice box. With the buttons open the cape becomes a hooded blanket, and the best accompaniment to a cup of tea and a 4OD documentary (transgender 8 year olds last night!)

Acne Paper Party

On Friday we went to a party for Acne Paper in Spitalfields Church. There is something a little wrong about partying in a church, but we soon got over that after a few vodka based cocktails. There was a DJ on the balcony and fire podiums outside, and also three wise men walking around on stilts? I forgot a camera but there were Blackberrys on hand (sadly not mine) to take photographs. I ended up in a denim number as I didn't change after work, I felt a little out of place amongst the black slicked fashion lot but then again perhaps black cannot disguise that truth.

I have changed the layout of my blog with the intention of doing shorter yet more frequent posts, lets hope it works!

Signature scent Vs. One for Every Occasion

Some people have a signature scent that is engraved in to their personality, and on smelling that perfume somewhere else you are immediately reminded of them. I have always liked the idea of this, but with so many options I have not yet remained faithful to any one. Just as you pick your shoes with the day's activity in mind, I pick my perfume in accordance to mood and situation. Here is a quick run down of the perfumes that I reach for the most:




Givenchy- Hot Couture



Givenchy's Hot Couture is probably the closest thing to my signature scent if I were to have one. I found this perfume on a sample rampage in Boots and loved it's classic scent. I wear this perfume both day and night quite frequently, and have kept coming back to it; in fact now I am on my second bottle, which is definitely a perfume first.



Dior- Addict
Christian Dior Addict surfaces fairly often but only in the following conditions: It must be night, I must be wearing heels that are hard to walk in, I must have black painted eyes and messy hair. If I were to describe this scent in a word, it would be 'dark', even the perfume itself is purple on the skin initially.


Benefit- Maybe Baby

Benefit Maybe Baby is like a trashy novel of the perfume world; flirty, fun and fleeting. It has a sweet scent that doesn't last too long on but for some reason I love the smell of it. And others do too, I wore it on a brave journey to London Bridge and on alighting an old man told me that I looked and smelt lovely! I certainly didn't look great that day so maybe that was the power of Maybe Baby?


Michael Kors

Michael Kors was a gift from Bianca who had abandoned it on the grounds it 'smells like cucumber' (Bi is a renowned cucumber hater). Whilst I can't actually smell the cucumber that she found so replusive, it has a distinct fresh smell that lasts from morning to eve. This is for days when I feel a bit grumpy, and I put it on in preparation for becoming more annoyed on the tube?

There are other perfumes but these are the staple four. Perhaps it could be said that I have four signature scents? I think it is a shame to limit to just one when there are so many out there, my sister even picks them by the look of the bottle! Do you have a signature scent or one for every occasion?

Undercover Aussie Pampering Evening

I genuinely had an Aussie post in mind awhile back; I got hooked on this hair care range in school, the shampoos all smell absolutely amazing, and I have been using the intensive 3 minute miracle condition for years. So, I was very excited when I was contacted and asked if I would like to be an 'Aussie Angel'. Check out the website HERE

Last Saturday we were treated to a 'pamper' evening in a fancy Soho salon. We arrived, and after chatting with very generous champagne top ups, we were transferred to a stylist for a wash and blow dry using Aussie products. I was prescribed the mega shampoo and conditioner, with a dab of my favourite 3 minute miracle at the tips. The shampoo really does leave your hair with an amazing fragrance, it is so pleasant I can sometimes sense a lingering trace around fellow Aussie-using commuters when on the tube! Makes a nice difference to BO.

Anyway, onto more pleasant tales. My stylish asked how I would like my hair dried, and I requested 'messy and surfy and volume'. Poker straight hair doesn't suit my face, neither does anything too polished, and the stylist achieved a nice gentle wave that wasn't OTT yet was a major improvement on the usual unkempt look!

Here are some pictures from the evening:

Me feeling a bit uncomfortable having a lone photo: my hair is under control for once!


Jeanie and stylish with a new shorter and spikey hair do


Bianca with Hollywood gold curls


Anne with a stunning fringe and shiny finish

The interactive aspect of this event worked so well, there is no better way to explain a shampoo than to actually wash someones hair with it. If I wasn't already converted, I definitely would be now! After we all had finished in the stylists chair, we were taken for a drink at a nearby hotel with a fancy roof garden. It was such an enjoyable evening and I met some lovely fellow bloggers who I'm sure I will be seeing again! Thanks to undercover Aussie for a great girly evening!