DKNY Be Delicious ... Giveaway!

It's been 5 short years since DKNY released the fresh and yummy Be Delicious fragrance and they are pulling out all the stops to celebrate!

DKNY fragrances have always been a staple in my perfume collection ever since my early twenties. My first DKNY fragrance was actually purchased in New York and I remember when Be Delicious hit the shops, I just had to be the first of my friends to pick it up.

I love it's fresh, fruity, youthful scent that always gets a compliment or two. The packaging is also adorable - an ode to the Big Apple itself.

To celebrate it's 5th birthday, DKNY are not only holding a competition to win a trip to New York on their facebook page here... they are also giving you the chance to win a bottle of Be Delicious Eau de Toilette on this very blog.

If you would like to be in with a chance of winning this delightful fragrance you must do the following:

1) Follow this blog (well it would be nice)
2) Post 'Bite me!' in the comments below
3) Ensure you have left contact details if you have entered as 'anonymous' otherwise, what's the point?
4) Be a UK resident

Them's the rules, Good Luck!

x

Eco Tools - Earth-Friendly Beauty

I am pretty faithful to my collection of Nars, MAC and Laura Mercier make up brushes. They have been with me a long time and fortunately they have lasted the distance however, they are becoming old and whenever one needs replaced it is a hefty price to pay.

As most of you will know make up brushes don't come cheap and often when building up your own kit of make up tools it can take a while to build up a decent collection that will cover every make up eventuality.

Well, here is where Eco Tools can make it a little easier and help the environment too .... as Eco Tools say, they boost your beauty while benefiting the Earth.

I was sent this cute 6-piece set a month or so ago and while I was ready to dismiss these brushes for being cheaply made and bad quality ... all it took was one feel of them to realise their potential.

The brushes are made of a taklon synthetic fibre while the handles are made of bamboo so they actually look kinda pretty and come housed in a hemp brush wrap. The fibres on these brushes are so silky soft so no harsh rubbing on your skin. In fact the brushes are made of all ethical, replenishible, recycable materials.

Included in the wrap set are:

Blush Brush - I have been using this as a bronzing brush in place of my beloved Nars brush which has seen its last days it seems. Whilst it isn't quite as good at bronzing my cheeks, it is a fantastic for applying blush, especially when you want that warm flush of colour to your cheeks

Eye Shading Brush - I use this to blend away any sharp edges left behind by my shadow application

Eyeliner Brush - I use this to add some colour to my eyebrows. While I normally wear an eyebrow pencil, I occasionally switch it up and shade MAC Mystery along my brows using this brush - it works a treat!

Concealer Brush - I never use a brush to apply concealer and if I did I would use something fluffier so this brush has been put to use by patting on cream eyeshadows. It's not brilliant but it's better than my normal method (fingers) which doesn't pack on enough colour for my liking.

Lash & Brow Groomer - Every girl (& guy) should own a grooming brush and this one is lovely. The brow side is so soft in comparison to the supermarket own brand one I had previously used.

Overall, I think this is a great set, especially for those who don't necessarily want to spend a lot or don't wear make up enough to justify the cost of expensive brushes. I even think these would make a great gift or stocking filler this Christmas.

As far as I'm aware you can buy this set in Boots for only £14.99 which is amazing when just one brush from Mac can cost double that price.

Who else has tried Eco Tools? Do you have a favourite brush from the set?

x

I crown thee ... Queen of Hearts

Next weekend is Halloween and this year I have a 'proper' halloween party to go to.

When I say proper, I mean that it requires the party goer to dress as something ghoulish or scary, so no sexy mermaid or minnie mouse for me :(

I don't watch a lot of scary movies so I don't have a lot of inspiration in they way of frightful costume ideas so it took me a while to decide what/who to go as.

I finally decided on a baddie from one of this years iconic movies - Alice in Wonderland. Queen of Hearts being the said baddie. She's scary enough, huh?

So, I have the dress, the shoes, the bag, nails, make up ... even the hair but one vital piece of the costume was missing.

The Crown.

After scouring the shops and the internet there was nothing that suited. I was either offered cheap tiaras or pink fluffy crowns from the likes of Claire's and offered pricey but beautiful creations from Etsy and Ebay. Not wanting to break the bank, however, I thought I would try my hand at making my own.

The beginnings of my crown

Fortunately I live right next to a crafts store so on Saturday I went for a browse and left laden with moulding wire, swarovski beads and glass lovehearts.

This is my first attempt at trying to make a tiara or crown of any sort and although a bit messy as I had no plan in place for how it would look when I started, I really love the result. It has even inspired me to design and make more.
I plan on placing the crown nonchalantly on the side of my head although I have made it big enough to place in the centre. Hopefully my massive backcombed hair on the night will keep it in place.

To create my little masterpiece I used wire of 3 different guage/thickness with the thickest being used as the base of the crown and depending on weight of the beads I used an appropriate wire to support.

I also used 3 different styles of bead - a red swarovski crystal bead, a red glass loveheart and a black plastic bead. I shaped wire in the shape of love hearts all the way around the base with a main large black and red loveheart at the front of the crown.

If I had put more thought into the whole effort I would have designed the crown before I began and would have known what materials I wanted prior to purchase but these are all things I can change for next time as I am sure I will try this out again. It's quite therapeutic.

What do you think of my DIY crown? Does it do Queen of Hearts justice?

x

Eyeko Fat Balm

Yesterday I was completely inspired by the lovely Oxford Jasmine who had tweeted a photo of herself wearing Eyeko's recently relaunched Fat balm on her lips and cheeks.

Lucky for me, that morning some samples had arrived in the post from Eyeko so I wanted to copy Jasmine's gorgeous look.

I received a fat balm in Toffee (rrp £6) which is a lovely warm caramel nude. I also received a London Lips gloss in Mayfair (rrp £6.50) which I believe to be limited edition and is the perfect companion for Toffee fatbalm.

Fat balms have been relaunched with SPF15 and contain jojoba oil for moisture and a fuller, softer lip and just pigmented enough to add a hint of colour and shine.

I patted the fatbalm straight from the tube onto my lips and cheeks. The fat balm gives your cheeks a lovely glow that eliminates the need for a highlighter. It isn't too sticky but I did get a couple of hairy face moments when my hair needed sweeping out of the area with the fat balm applied ... nothing that wasn't easily rectified though. The shade toffee is particularly lovely, it is a very natural looking colour that gives a warm flush to your cheeks. Lovely for winter and a fantastic product for a minimal hassle free make up kit.
This was my first ever experience with a Fat balm and I have to say it felt really lovely on. On your lips it felt hydrating and can certainly be worn on it's own but as I love my gloss I teamed it with london lips in Mayfair.
Mayfair is just like toffee fb but in lipgloss form. It isn't too sticky and smells delicious giving a lovely plump shine.

The fat balm lasted all day on my cheeks while the lipgloss lasted a good while on the lips before needing a re-application for full on gloss again. Even when the shine had disappeared there was still a lovely hint of caramel colour on the lips so that it wasn't necessarily vital to re-apply.

I really think Eyeko products are worth a look, they are fantastic value for money and the products are of great quality. When I tweeted Jasmine about my copy cat look yesterday, she even claimed that she thought the fat balm was better than Bobbi Brown's pot rouge which is quite something. I haven't tried the BB pot rouge so can't comment personally but it certainly food for thought when you think of the price difference and the reputation of such a high end brand as Bobbi Brown.

What do you guys think of Eyeko's fat balm?

x

Clinique's Pink Ribbon Key Chain

As I hope you are already aware, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a lot of cosmetic and skincare brands are finding new and creative ways to get involved and help get the message out there.

In support of the cause, Clinique have released a gorgeous little key chain incorporating their global best seller - Long Last Glosswear SPF 15 in 3 pretty shades of pink which has been exclusively designed for Breast Cancer Awareness campaign this October. The keychains retail at £15 with £2 from each sale going to Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

I think these will make a perfect Christmas gift for friends or stocking filler for family, I only hope I can get to my local Boots Clinique counter before they sell out!

x

Famous Dave

I started using Famous Dave's Gold Edition Tanning Mousse a few months ago now and I have been dying to write up my review since then but I'm only getting round to it now.

I had high hopes for Famous Dave and I wasn't disappointed. My preferred fake tan is a mousse (other than Sunbrushed) so I knew I would have no problems with application etc, but this actually proved better in all respects than I had imagined.

APPLICATION: Famous Dave has a great colour guide. It's just dark enough to see everywhere you have applied but not ridiculously so and not green tinged like other tans. This means you could probably get away with a sneaky application and still leave the house if you had to. As I normally do I apply with a tanning mit which I find is the best way to apply mousse tan. Now, the best thing about application is that this tan dries almost instantl but doesn't dry so quick that you don't have time to work into the skin. There is no damp feeling, literally seconds after smoothing onto the skin it feels dry and looks smooth.

SMELL: It just smells like fake tan. That's all I can say really. There is no gimmicky perfume/vanilla/marzipan fragrance that later turns to soggy biscuits but I like that about Famous Dave. It just smells of tan, deal with it.

RESULTS: I applied at night and showered off the next morning. The results were lovely, an even, smooth coverage with no streaking or patchiness. The colour was very natural but there was an evident change in shade which is what we are looking for. The colour was more golden and sunkissed and gave the appearance of a sunny glow to the skin which was lovely.

LONGEVITY: The colour lasted around 4 days or so befor it started to fade. This is where I get to my only sticking point with Famous Dave. When it starts to fade, unless you are vigilant with exfoliation and moisturising, it can go a little bit on the patchy side. This is easily rectified though with a little scrub over the problem areas.

I bought the 200ml bottle of Famous Dave Gold Edition Mousse for £23.95 which I think is pretty good value considering Xen Tan charge £21.95 for 118ml. I found the 200ml lasted me about a month and I got at least 2 full body applications a week with that.

In summary, I think this tan is fantastic and I will continue to repurchase. I love the kooky and unassuming name and I love the results. It definitely sits up there in my Top 5 Tanning products.

Anyone else in love with Famous Dave?

x

Yesterday ...

I stopped by Frasers when I left the office to meet up with...

Amanda from Beauty Blogging Blonde and her friend Lisa. While we were there, we also spotted ...

Colin and Justin! Amanda interviewed them like a true pro using her amazing presenting skills. Check the interview out on her You Tube Channel - MillMollMac ...

They were absolute dolls and told us they even had their own blog which you can look at here. We then waited outside the store for ...

The stunning Elizabeth Hurley. She is absolutely gorgeous, angels literally appear from the sky and start singing when she enters a room. No, really, they do. I was completely mesmerised. Liz was there to ...

turn Frasers PINK to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Estee Lauders pink products that I blogged about here. Later ... We enjoyed a cocktail or too at the after party before heading home with smiles all round!

x

Mulberry for Target

Mulberry's budget collection for Target hit stores this week in the US.

Unfortunately for us Brits, Target won't be shipping to the UK however, my luck was in as my husband just happens to be in LA this week and being the clever shopper that he is, he has managed to pick me up a few.

Yes, not just one, he has picked up a little selection to choose from.

Although the bags are not made from real leather, especially that butter soft Mulberry leather we have grown to know and love, the brand have promised that there is no scrimping on quality and design.

Although I wasn't there to choose my bag my husband has made a good job of describing each bag and ensuring he picks up what he feels will be the stand outs in the collection - I might as well be married to Tim Gunn :)

He even emailed me photos of him modelling the bags, wearing them daintily over his forearm just like I would. I wonder if I should be worried about him, he looked far too comfortable in pink leopard print! ;)

I'll be honest and say until I see these bags in person, I am not entirely sure I will like them. Being fake leather, they may look a little cheap, even looking like fake bags especially for us in the UK where it won't be common knowledge to non Mulberry fans of the high street collaboration.

The Mister is back next week so I will have to wait until then but I'll be sure to keep you posted on my thoughts.

In the meantime, what do you think of this collaboration? Do you have a favourite style?

x

Ms Hurley is coming to the Weege!

Tomorrow I am planning on hotfooting it out the office early doors and heading down to Glasgow's House of Fraser.

Why?

Well, It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Estee Lauder spokesperson and Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign Ambassador, Liz Hurley, will be at the store to meet and greet customers as well as turning Fraser's PINK!

There will be a lighting ceremony so to speak, turning on the pink bulbs outside Frasers making it all pretty and girly.

In support of the Breast Cancer Awareness month, Estee Lauder will donate £7.50 of each purchase in their Pink Ribbon Makeup Collection featuring the Elizabeth Hurley and Evelyn Lauder Pink lip collections which come housed in a gorgeous pink moc croc clutch.

If you are Glasgow bound tomorrow why not show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness month by heading down to Frasers and joining in on the pink festivities.

x

If there is one thing you should buy this winter ...

It's an H&M faux fur stole.



A steal at only £12.99, it is the perfect winter accessory for:



a) warming you up
b) adding a bit of glam
c) looking like an extra from The Sopranos: Christmas edition
d) looking like an extra from 'Where the Wild Things are'
d) changing your daytime blazer from spring/summer to autumn/winter chic in seconds
e) draping over your bare boobies a la Dita Von T! (Don't pretend you hadn't already tried/thought it!)

Here's me wearing mine (in the bathroom - as you do) over a belted cardi, also from H&M. It gives the cardi a cosier, dressier feel for work but underneath I still look like a bit of a pleb ... oh the art of illusion!

This is such a versatile item, worn casually or all fancied up and looks delightful draped over your winter jacket/cardi as equally as it does just thrown over a t-shirt or vest.

I suggest adding some blingtastic broaches and adornments for an evening party look ... great for all the upcoming christmas nights out!

What do you think of my fur stole? C'est chic? non?

x

Belle D'Opium by YSL

As a child in the 80's I remember my sister in law always had a huge bottle of YSL Opium on her dresser.

I would sneakily spray it on myself hoping she wouldn't notice but of course the strong, overpowering scent of spiced amber was always a dead giveaway. Back then Opium was a bit of a 'power perfume'. To me it equated to the smell of success.

Now welcome to the scene Opium's younger, cooler, sexier sister in the form of Belle D'Opium. Don't get me wrong, this is still a 'power perfume' as such with it's sensual and femine base notes but it's not flouncy or delicate and thankfully doesn't send you into migraine hell.

Definitely more of an evening perfume amongst other things it contains a mix of spicy white flowers, lily, amber and notes of sandalwood, patchouli, tobacco and vibrant incense - an ideal blend of femine and masculine.

I really really like this perfume, definitely a winter choice for me and can already imagine wearing it to many a Christmas party.

The bottle itself is gorgeous with it's deep blue and purple shades with striking gold and red detailing, all very glamorous. When I look at the bottle it reminds me of Dita Von Teese wearing her deep purple wedding gown when she wedded Marilyn Manson.

In fact, I imagine Dita Von Teese would love this perfume.

Has anyone else tried this perfume? What are your thoughts?

x

Wavy hair woes ...

Today I headed to Argos and picked myself up my own Babyliss Wavy Wand. The downside to having a giveaway on your blog, you can't enter yourself!

I tried the wand out earlier and as much as the results are spot on in terms of waving the hair, I a) feel my hair is still a bit short to achieve the gorgeous waves I aspire to, and b) my hair looks and feels dry and frizzy.

Here are the results, I have shown you one side of my hair as it was just a quick trial and didn't spend too much time on the other side.
The shape of the wave looks just right although i'd prefer it if my hair was longer. Look at the photo below though ... my hair looks like a bag of straw. I think it may be due to the fact I have recently 'ombred' my hair but what can I do?
This is where I need your help. What are the best products to use on my hair before styling in this way? How can I make my hair look strong, shiny and irresistable again, short of dying it back to one block colour?

Will a bit of frizz ease solve this? Or will my hair need some serious TLC?

HALP?!

x

Babyliss Wavy Wand WINNER!

Thank you all for your entries for the Babyliss wavy wand giveaway. The giveaway ended midnight on Friday night and this afternoon I collated all twitter and blog entries onto a spreadsheet and I waved my magic wand via Random.org.

Each entry was allocated a number and Random.org chose the winning digits ....
Which correlated to the following winner...
YAY! WELL DONE Somethingblue_2!!

Please email me at saskiathesalsafairy@yahoo.co.uk leaving me with a note of your address so the Babyliss Wavy Wand can be sent to you!

Thank you everyone for taking part, hopefully I will have another giveaway shortly :)

x

Mango Mix and Match

A bit like a pick'n' mix, Mango now have a mix and match facility on their website, and let me tell you, it's as addictive as a pick 'n' mix!

Until now I have played around on websites such as polyvore creating dream outfits for myself or saving ideas of future wardrobe purchases but the difference with Mango's version is that it offers you up a model in her underwear to clothe head to toe in your fantasy clothing combinations.

It's a pretty cool tool but I do wish I could change up the models hair and make up a l'il bit ... she looks a bit bland without some zesty orange lippy or ombre hair ;) Nevertheless she is a great clotheshorse for trying different garments together and in my case, creating the beginnings of a capsule wardrobe.

I decided to put my model in a jumpsuit... they are my absolute fashion flavour of the day. Oversized baby grows to some, stylish and sassy to me. So here is my model in her jumpsuit teamed with some peeptoe platforms, a casual leather jacket, oversized handbag, chunky leopard print bracelet and a trilby.

This is the kind of outfit I could get away with to the office but easily translates well in a more casual situation, either shopping or hitting a bar with friends for cocktails. Effortless chic.

What I really like about the application is when you choose a garment, it lists it for you along with the price so you can tote up how much you could potentially spend on the outfit. You can start your own outfit at the mango website by clicking here.

So what do you think of this outfit? Why don't you have a go and post your own fantasy wardrobes, I would love to see!

x

These face wipes should come with a warning!

It's my own fault really, it's a bit of a skincare crime to rely on some face wipes to rid you of the daily dirt and grime that our poor faces are subject to.

Normally one to be quite careful with a skincare routine, I have grown a little weary and downright lazy when it comes to looking after my face. This might be why, when purchasing my £4 jammies from Primark a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist picking up another bargain which lay in wait beside the tills.

Primark 4 in 1 gentle facial cleansing face wipes ... a pack of 2 for £1. Now you and I both know face wipes rarely come cheap, you spend up to a fiver or more for a half decent supermarket brand so this was a bargain I couldn't resist.

I didn't think for a minute they would be of a substandard quality or full of ingredients that may strip my skin of all it's goodness. It's Primark! What was I thinking?!

Aahhh.... *shakes head, tutting at ones stupidity*

I used these for around 2 weeks solid and have suffered from full on pizza face ever since! Painful, obvious, big, red, blinding spots have crept up all over my usually clear-ish skin. Urgh.

Silly thing is it took me a fortnight to realise the source of the damage.

Now I am on a mission to 'fix my face'. I am back into a cleansing and toning routine with a bi-weekly Strivechtin facial scrub, my trusty aromatherapy associates oil slathered all over my face with a little darphin purifying balm for good measure. Keeping my fingers crossed that my skin clears up as quickly as it flared up.

Other than booking myself in for a facial (any excuse!) Does anyone have any other quick fix recommendations?

x

Foundation: New CID on the Block!

Foundation. It's probably a beauty bloggers favourite subject.

I was given this new foundation by a fairly newish brand this week. It's New CID's i-perfect colour adjust foundation which comes in a pump style packaging with it's very own brush attached.

I always worry when a product comes with it's own tools, they never normally work very well but I have to say this brush is lovely if not a bit on the small side for my own personal preference. It glides on the skin and surprisingly doesn't streak, giving a flawless finish.

You pump the pen to release the product through the brush then apply from there. The style of the packaging is great for taking out and about on the go and fantastic for touch ups.
I wore this foundation over the weekend, it was easy to apply and I found that it was quite matte on the skin so I didn't feel the need to powder but out of habit I applied a light dusting of MAC MSF natural. I found that creme blush sits particularly well with it, blending seamlessly into the skin.
The colour I used was a slight mismatch to my skin as I have been faux tan free this past week but it still blended in quite nicely without leaving behind any obvious tidelines. I would wear this as more of a daytime foundation, you can apply it quite sheer but is easy to build up to a fuller coverage if you prefer.

(Anyone interested in the rest of my make up in this photo, it's mostly the EL Christmas collection, golds and browns on the eyes and Extravagant Ruby gloss worn on its own on the lips).

I also found that this foundation photographed quite well in natural light and flash which is always a bonus. I-perfect colour adjust foundation is £28 and you can buy it from the New CID websites here.

What are your New CID recommendations?

x

Itison's Winter Indulgence at Radcliffes Beauty Salon

I had a tough day today ... you know the kind of day when everyone you come into contact with has to bring you down in some way? By the time I had finished work I was stressed and full of tension and definitely ready for an evening of pampering.

My luck was in as I was booked in for a salt scrub, mud wrap and hot stone massage courtesy of itison.com. Itison is a fantastic site offering exclusive invitations and daily deals with huge savings on a variety of different events & activities from spa treatments, sunday lunch at a posh hotel to indoor climbing experiences. I have been a member of itison since the off and have bagged quite a few of their deals already - mostly pampering sessions ... i do love to treat myself ;)

Tonight I got to preview what will be tomorrows deal - a 'Winter Indulgence Spa Package' at Radcliffes Beauty in Glasgows Merchant City, which consists of a salt glow body polish, full body thermal mud wrap and a hot stones therapy massage.

This package normally costs £140 but for itison members (which is free to join) ... you get it for a bargaintastic £58!!I couldn't get to the Salon quick enough after I left the office. I was greeted by the lovely Michelle, my therapist who welcomed me into what would be my little bit of heaven for the next 2 hours.

With calming music, low lighting and scented candles filling the room, I was already starting to relax. For this treatment you need to pretty much be naked and as Michelle passed me the paper pants, she warned me it could get messy. For all you shy girls, you need not worry as your modesty is safe at all times.

The treatment started off with the salt scrub. Michelle massaged gently as she scrubbed which helped ease off initial tension and felt fantastic on the skin. If you are ticklish you may want to warn the therapist beforehand as I literally screamed when Michelle touched my foot ... hope I didn't give her too much of a fright!

Michelle then wiped off the salt scrub with warm towels which felt amazing in itself before starting on the thermal mud wrap. This is where it gets messy! A mud product by Pevonia was slathered across my back arms and legs, the mud was warm and soothing. I was then wrapped up in towels, literally snug as a bug in a rug. I was then given a head & scalp massage which I hadn't expected and it sent me snoozing almost immediately.

Michelle left me for 10/15 minutes while I snoozed. Embarrassing confession: I actually woke myself up snoring at one point, that's how zoned out I was. I then had to shower off the mud (the shower cubicle is in the same room so no need for shuffling in and out of rooms) before it was time for the pièce de résistance - the Hot Stone Massage.

Ugh! It was utter bliss. This was my very first hot stone massage, so wasn't sure what to expect. Oil was slathered over my legs and back before the hot stones were placed on then used to actually massage my muscles and get rid of aches, pains and unwanted tension. The stones are quite large and very and warm so feel very comfortable against your bare flesh, it almost feels like the stones are melting into your body.

I was actually sad when the treatment was over, I could have stayed there all evening, I just didn't want to move. But here I am snuggled into my fluffy bathrobe, chilled out, relaxed with smooth, rejuvenated skin that my husband keep stroking in awe - I think he is jealous!

This deal will go live tomorrow on itison.com and is live for 6 months so will make a fantastic Christmas present ... but I can see me being a bit selfish and booking myself in again ;)

Thank you Radcliffes Beauty and itison for such a lush evening!

Remember to join itison.com here to take advantage of this amazing Winter Indulgence deal - 3 amazing treatments for only £58 - but be quick, it is only available to buy tomorrow, Tuesday 5th October!

x

Estee Lauder's Extravagant Christmas Collection

Tom Pecheux is quite possibly the best thing to happen to Estee Lauder. His pure colour collections are strong, modern and outstanding.

Following on from the Blue Dahlia collection, Estee Lauder now present their dazzling Christmas collection which is just as gorgeous. The collection features 2 palettes - a lip and and an eye palette, 2 lipsticks, 2 lipglosses that compliment the lipstick, 2 nail polishes and a mascara.

Reds, berries and golds feature strongly which is especially fitting for the Christmas season. It perfectly mixes brights with neutrals which gives the ideal palette for creating both subtle and dramatic looks with only a few products.

So, you wanna see?

I was kindly gifted these products for review purposes and hope to do some fotd posts soon using them as it really is a wonderful winter collection.

The first of the 2 palettes is the eye palette 'Extravagant Gold'. There are 5 shades of golds, champagne and browns. Great for a smokey eye or an everyday neutral.
Next is the lip palette with one true red lip colour surrounded by 4 sheer glosses that compliment the red in gold, champagne, berry and an utterly gorgeous coral.
The 2 lip colours are absolutely gorgeous, covered in a gorgeous gold glitter which doesn't transfer onto lips (i almost wish it did). The 2 shades available are Extravagant Ruby and Extravagant Berry. Extravagant Berry is my absolute favourite, it is the perfect balance between goth and glamorous and will definitely be my winter lipstick of choice.

Extravagant Berry

After searching for months for a perfect berry, it lands on my lap out of the blue. Berry lovers, you will definitely want to get your hands on this.

Extravagant Ruby

To compliment the lipstick we have 2 beautiful glosses in star ruby and extravagant plum. I wore star ruby on it's own today and I loved it. A lovely sheer pinky red on it's own, I imagine it will top up Extravagant Ruby lipstick wonderfully.

Star Ruby (L) Extravagant Plum(R)

Finally, I was given one of the nail polishes - 'Extravagant Night'. A glitter infused purple berry shade. What I like about this is that instead of being a gold shimmer, it is actually an infusion of silver sparkle throughout ... like little sparkling stars in a winter nights sky.
I really like this collection, it's sophisticated and modern and gives us just the right mount of sparkle needed for a Christmas promotion. The colours are so versatile that I will be packing them in my suitcase for my winter sun holiday. The gold neutral eye palette and coral in the lip palette will adjust well to lazy days on the beach as much as it fits perfectly into a backdrop of a winter wonderland.

What products do you think are a must from this collection?

Will they make it onto your Christmas list?

x

The beginnings of a winter wardrobe

I hibernate in the winter. As soon as it gets too wet and windy I hide under a blanket watching DVD's and eating enough chocolate to keep the fat stores at a sufficient level to keep me cosy.

This year I've decided to change that and what better way to motivate myself than make sure I have the suitable attire to be snug and stylish in one go.

In the last fortnight I have started my winter wardrobe shopping and thought the best place to start was with a decent coat ... once I ticked that off the list I ended up accidentally buying some bargain jackets and before I knew it my winter wardrobe was getting out of control already. So be it.

winter coats by saskiathesalsafairy featuring all saints jackets

My biggest buy so far is my new winter coat. It's the 'cute 40's coat' from Karen Millen. I have it in black but above it is pictured in Camel. Camel is very 'in' this winter but I find it to be quite a draining colour on me despite how chic I think it looks, therefore I went with the black.

This coat is a gorgeous angora wool mix and is so soft and cosy. I love the oversized buttons and detail around the collar where it almost looks like a bow. It feels lovely and luxurious and will probably be reserved for days when I want to make an impression as it looks smart, grown up and polished.

My best bargain so far is the H&M aviator jacket at only £24.99. Aviator jackets are a big trend this winter and being a trend as such, I really didn't want to spend a lot of money on one nor did I want to miss out on recreating a Top Gun/Kelly McGillies moment. H&M's version looks much like the topshop version but at a fraction of the cost! Winner.

I also picked up a gorgeous fur Gharani Strok jacket from TK Maxx that will be perfect for glamming up cold nights out on the town and Christmas parties :) I think I will go seventies glam with leggings, sparkly eyeshadow, red lips, high heeled boots and a bandeau head band ... fit for Studio 54!

Despite these purchases I still want more. I need to replace my All Saints jacket and ladies, it looks like Lana is winning so thank you for all the comments on that! I do also like the Cape trend which keeps coming back every few years, maybe I should invest in a classic cape this year that will keep me going for the next decade.

Of course, winter wouldn't be winter without military styles making an appearance, luckily I still have some military style pieces leftover from last year so the credit card can sleep soundly tonight!

What are your winter coat musts and lusts?

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