Swing, Sing and Shine with Swarovski

The Swarovski lookbook landed on my doorstep this week and for a magpie like me, turning each page was met with 'ahhhs', 'oohs' and 'want that one!'.

Swarovski's spring/summer 2012 collection "Swing, Sing and Shine' is a tribute to vintage styling and an ode to the lights, camera and action of the entertainment world.  Creative Director Nathalie Colin uses the collection to tell the story of a young woman as she evolves from a student to that of a starlet becoming accustomed to fame and the limelight.  The collection takes us through themes using pastel colours and shapes associated with the swinging 'sweet sixties' and the glamour of 'in the spotlight'.

I adore the the mix of colour, texture and material used in this collection from the bright gems of the Rainbow Earrings, the pearl and fabric mix of the Ribbon Necklace and the masculinity of the Motaigne chain necklace.

Rainbow Earrings

Ribbon Necklace

Monochrome: Montaigne Necklace (Want this!!)

Monochrome: Remix Bracelet

Vintage Glamour: Reception Bracelet - perfect for a Bride!

 So many stunning item.  I feel like this collection is bigger and better than ever before.  There is something to suit all tastes, whether you are preparing for a school prom, your perfect wedding day or simply looking for some gorgeous statement pieces for everyday wear.

What I also didn't realise is that Swarovski also have Hello Kitty and Disney collections.  I know how many of you love a little bit of kitsch in your life so thought I would includes some examples of the fun yet glamorous and chic offering from Swarovski.

Hello Kitty Chic Earrings

Hello Kitty Glamour Necklace 

Disney Thorn Rose Ring

Asides the stunning jewellery and sparkly bits and bobs, I was quite taken by the imagery used in the 'Swing, Sing and Shine' in particular the make up (naturally).  Graphic Fluoro pink liner accentuated the shape of the models eye on an otherwise neutral lips and cheek.

Front cover of lookbook

Does anything take your fancy then?  I love a good old browse round a Swarovski store in all it's sparkling glory.  Think I will go in and take a look at some of these items in the flesh,  after all my birthday is only a few months away ;)

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Interiors Inspiration: Handira

While I was in Morocco, I scoured the souks for potential interior inspiration.  I love to fill my home with stories which usually means subtle pieces and sometimes statement pieces come home with me from my travels to fill my abode with pretty things.

In Marrakech I stumbled across and cheeky chap selling some of the most wonderful rugs I had ever seen.  Loomed from sheeps wool and covered in sequin, one of them caught my eye and after a half hour of haggling, I got my price and bagged my rug :)

It was only after returning home that I learned more about my purchase.  It turns out my new rug is traditionally a Moroccan Wedding Blanket or Handira.   Apparently, Brides and their relatives painstakingly create these blankets in time for the big day where the Bride wears it on her journey to her groom.  It is said to have talismanic power and protects its wearer from evil.

Nowadays, they have become a bit of a showpiece in peoples homes as rugs, beadspreads, wall hangings and more.

I plan on using mine on my bed.  Here is my inspiration ...

This is exactly like mine

Those of you with an eagle eye might have spotted a Handira in that ghastly Sex and the City 2 movie.  After being such a fan of the show, I cannot tell you how much I hated this film!! 

I think they are beautiful works of craft and I can't wait to use it in my new home.  I think it will make a real statement in my room should I decide to use it on my bed.

What statement pieces do you love in your home?

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Royal Raspberry

I've had an emotional rollercoaster of a week, I've experienced death, births and new beginnings ... a poignant week in my life that won't be forgotten for a long time but thankfully for all the right reasons.  

One constant in my week which has been my lipstick. Sad but true.  I found a stash of Barry M lipsticks hidden away in a drawer which meant I was able to reacquaint myself with some old favourites.

Barry M's lip paint in 141 Royal Raspberry is a gorgeous deep raspberry shade erring on the gothic side of blackened red.  It has a slight shimmer to it, almost appearing metallic in its tube.  I have worn every day this week and haven't found it drying at all.  It's pigment is lovely and quite long lasting.  When it does begin to fade their is still enough stain on the lips to maintain colour but I still love to reapply to make sure I keep that shade of deep glistening raspberry.

Barry M Lip Paints are £4.49 from Superdrug or online at the Barry M website.

It was a long time coming but yesterday I eventually got round to sorting out my barnet.  I had it re-dyed and trimmed which really gave it a little boost of shine and bounce again (no, I didn't go for multicolour unfortunately :( ).  Instead of my usual blow dry finish, Stacie, my hair fairy, tried out a conical wand on my hair to give me some voluminous waves.

The result had a bit of a 70's feel to it which I loved.  Stacie used the Diva Conical Wand from Sally's.  It has quite a thick barrel which is perfect for big waves.  It's priced at around the £40 unless you have a Sally's membership which will get you a bit of a discount.

So far I've never invested in my own conical wand but after seeing my hair like this, I think I might buy one for myself.

Are conical wands still making an impact on you?  Share your wavy hair tips?

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Hairspiraton: Mermaid Hair

You may remember, although it was ages ago, I blogged about my fascination over dip dye hair.

At the time I was looking to find a good spray colour for the ends of my hair as there is no chance my work would let me through the door with anything less than 'normal' hair.  Lucky for me I was kindly sent a whole 7 cans worth of different colour sprays from Colour Extreme Hair Art.

I never got round to trying out dip dye even though I was dying to try out these colours.  That's until I read Claire's post here which then directed me to the talented Lou Clavé blog who created the amazing looks.

As you can imagine, dip dye just wasn't enough anymore, I wanted a full head of turquoise, purple, pink - basically full on rainbow mermaid hair!  So out came the Colour Extreme Hair Art sprays which had lay unloved for far too long.

I had 7 colours to experiment with: white; black; purple; blue; green; orange and pink.

I started off slowly and gently with a recreation of dip dye using the blue spray.  The blue worked quite well on my auburn hair making a noticeable difference.

I then began to layer some colour and moved onto the purple spray.  The purple spray looked fantastic on my hair which surprised me as I wasn't sure if it would show up.  When layered with the blue it created a lighter pink shade which gave a great effect of graduated colour.

I then applied the pink spray to some naked hair but it didn't really show up.  It would have been lovely if it had as a really vibrant pink would have been wicked thrown into the mix.  I then tried some of the green which apparently has a UV glow to it but again this didn't show at all.

I decided to try some orange at the top and fringe of my hair, this did show up but for a redhead like me, orange isn't really a colour I want my hair to be! ;)  I then decided to try some white, mostly for the layering purposes.  If I applied white to naked hair, I hoped that blue or pink layered on top would create some pastel shades.  The white was very obvious when applied and rightly so, pastel shades appeared when I layered the more vibrant colours with it.

with flash

The only colour I didn't try was the black, only because I was going for a full on rainbow fusion of colour.  

Once the spray dries on your hair, you can touch it without any colour transfer so no need to worry about getting it on your skin and hopefully this translates the same with clothes, it certainly didn't cause any problems with what I was wearing although I would probably steer clear of white tops.

Because I used so many colours, layer over layer, my hair ended up quite hard to touch but I am sure had I applied a normal amount, i.e, enough to create the coloured look you desire rather than an experimental session, then this wouldn't be the case. 

However, I can guarantee this will dry your hair out so be sure to give your locks a nice treatment afterwards for a bit of TLC.  

It washes off easily, although I recommend shampoo-ing twice to be sure you are rid of all colour. 

I can't tell you how much I loved having coloured hair and will be using these sprays again for a night out.  This time I will stick to the white, blue and purple to create graduated colour and pastel shades all over my hair.  

You can buy Colour Extreme Hair Art Sprays from Boots for around £4.

What do you think of rainbow hair?  Do you dare?

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Deborah Lippmann: The Stripper to go ...

... for go go girls apparently.

I received this little sample in the Christmas Glossybox and to be honest, I didn't really notice it until yesterday until it came time for me to sort my tootsies out for a party I was going to.

This ingenious little finger mit is doused in lavender nail polish remover and is a quick alternative to removing nail polish with cotton pads and remover, relieving you of the mess and awkward bits of fluff that gets left behind on nails.   Each mit is supposed to remove polish from all 10 nails.

Before

In all honesty, I thought this was a bit gimmicky until it did everything it said it would and at super speed time too.

Now I really put it to the test as I used a glitter Deborah Lippmann polish on my nails over Christmas and this is what I was getting rid of.  We all know what a chore it is to remove glitter polish!

Well, this little mit managed to remove a whole foot worth of glitter in under a minute!  It was so quick.  With my normal routine of cotton pad and remover it takes a good bit of scrubbing before my nail is clean of lacquer.  Don't get me wrong, it still needed a good rub with the mit but once it was gone, it was gone.

I apologise profusely!!!! 

This is definitely a product for girls on the go, it's quick, easy and mess free.  With no fluffy bits of cottons stuck to the nail afterwards it means you can go right ahead painting a new colour on.  I think these are especially beneficial if you do a lot of travelling but otherwise it may not be a worthwhile
investment.

After

Six of these mits are available for £14 from House of Fraser or even better,  £6.17 from Amazon

Has anyone else tried these mits?

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Doing it like Dot ...

I didn't end up going for the Biba beauty I posted about in my nod to Dot Cottons sartorial efforts, instead I found a cheaper alternative with a little bit of a twist to it.

Instead of the subtle, 'goes with everything' camel shade I had originally admired, I found this colourful option in New Look.  Similar in shape and style to Dot's coat, it differed in its bright jade/turquoise glory.  I love bright furs but I hadn't found very many in the shops so this was a pleasant find for me.  It also came in a gorgeous maroon shade but sadly they didn't have my size.

I managed to get this coat in the sale for around £25, believe me if the other colour had been available I would have bought both!

I think this satiates my desire for Dot's coat despite the fact it's a completely different colour.  I have already moved on to my next challenge, finding the perfect trench.

Any recommendations, let me know!

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Vintage Tea Party Hen Night at Hidden-Lane Tea Rooms

Not long back, I had an exciting opportunity to work with Kirsty at her gorgeous tea rooms in the West End of Glasgow.  The Hidden-Lane Tea Rooms regularly plays host to exclusive vintage tea party hen dos and I was asked if I would be interested in creating some vintage make up looks for the gaggle of hens.

It sounded like a fun evening so I signed up straight away.  On the evening around 15-20 girls turned up and were treated to a tea party of cakes and scones and tea cups filled with their poison of choice, probably not tea.  While 2 hair sylists tended to the locks of the hen party, it was up to me to give the girls vintage makeovers.  It was impossible to get round everyone in a short space of time but I was able to makeover most of the hen party and a few touch ups for the other girls.  Most of the girls wanted a vintage pin up look with red lips and big lashes.

Louise Bichan, a fabulous photographer based in Glasgow was on hand to document the evening in her unique style.  Here are some of the images she sent me this week.

If you would like to find out more about Vintage Tea Party hen nights, contact Kirsty at the Hidden-Lane Tea Rooms on 0141 433 1240.


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BY TERRY LIGNE BLACKSTAR

I rarely leave the house without eyeliner, preferably of the black kind.  I sometimes venture into navy or deep browns but most days black is my friend.

My eye seems to look naked without liner but my problem with black is that it doesn't do the 'natural' look very well.  And sometimes, just sometimes, I would like a less made up look.

This brings me to By Terry's liquid liner Ligne Blackstar.  I was sent this to review and although excited by the fact I was getting to try out some By Terry for the first time, the fact I was sent a liner in the shade 'GREY MOTION' severely disappointed.

When was I ever going to wear grey eyeliner, I thought to myself.  This product lay for weeks and weeks before I even picked it up to try out.  I was convinced it wasn't for me but then I put my colour reservations aside and decided to go ahead and review anyway.  Of course, I would still be able to critique it's pigmentation, application and lasting abilities despite my hatred of how it might look on me.

Using fountain pen technology, with a slim brush shaped like a felt tip and housed in a sleek silver packaging, By Terry Ligne Blackstar doesn't necessarily stand out from other liquid tip liners.  Where it differs is not in it's smooth and easy application made so by it's design or that it lasts the full day (that's 8 hours of a work day to you and me) without requiring a touch up but it's the fact that after daily use of it in the last 2 weeks, it still hasn't dried out.  Every day I expect to have to apply a little more pressure to see the end result but no, it's going strong.  I realise it's only a couple of weeks but I literally expected it to dry up within days.

Now lets discuss 'Grey Motion'.  Applied to the eye this shade of grey gives a subtle definition that maintains the glam factor without looking too 'done'.  It's the type of liner I could apply to go to the gym, climb a hill or catch the red eye without looking like I had spent hours in front of the mirror.  There really is nothing worse when people give disapproving looks at your made up face will slogging out a 5k round the block 10 times with a MAC Fluidline Winehouse flick!

Still visible and creating definition to the eye after 8+hours of wear

So too, I have found this a perfect option for work.  I still look polished and presentable without having my eyes appear heavily made up with black liner.  This means I can save my dark liner for occasions where I like my make up to pack a real punch! In fact, this liner is so easy to use, I think I will probably ending up buying it in black too.

It looks like I am convert, grey is definitely a winner for a natural, sophisticated look without always having to look like the make up junkie I actually am!  By Terry Ligne Blackstar is available in 5 shades, including black, at Space NK. RRP £25.

Could grey be the new black?

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My hair ...

My most frequently asked question on my blog and in 'real life' is 'What colour do you dye your hair?'

In fear of repeating myself over and over again, I am going to fill you all in unanimously.

I get my hair professionally coloured using L'Oreal Richesse in Saffron Mahogany 6.5.  It's a deep auburn shade and I find that after a few washes it's the closest that comes to my natural colour.  When I say natural colour, I mean my purest state of hair that existed from the ages of 4 to 20 before I started dying it and stripped it of any goodness and rich colour.  It helps to start with that I am a natural redhead so it really enhances those tones, if you are lighter or darker haired, this shade will appear a lot different, I've seen it on some brunettes as very plummy.

Now for the bad news.  This is a discontinued colour and up until now I have been buying surplus tubes of it on eBay.  However, my dear hair fairy Stacie (who is the best in Glasgow) tells me that all of the products in her salon are changing so as of the not too distant future I WILL have to switch to another shade.  Of course she will try and match to this colour as best possible but I have grown a bit of a sentimental attachment to this one :(

I try and change up my shampoo every couple of months but the products that consistently re-appear in my hair care regime is Kerastase.  I use their Nutritive range (in the orange bottles), I find it works well at moisturising my often dry hair and gives a gorgeous shine.  When I am stuck in a rut with my shampoo and conditioner, I always know I can rely on Kerastase Nutritive.  I use Bain Satin 2 (shampoo) with Lait Vital (conditioner).  Every once in a while I also use a treatement from the same range, Masquintense.   Kerastase can be a little pricey but I think they are worth it.

Whether I am styling my hair up and down, I like to add a bit of volume and I usually do this using mousse.  Hair mousse used to be the devil in my eyes and I would avoid it at all cost but now I find it gives an extra boost of volume and keeps my hair in shape.  I am currently using Charles Worthington Volume Boosting Mousse which does the job well but sometimes makes my hair feel a bit heavy so I am still on the search for a fabulous volumising mousse.

I have avoided using straighteners on my hair for a while to see if it makes a positive improvement on my hair but to be honest I have noticed no difference at all other than frizz!  To avoid frizz I now use Macadamia Oil.  It smells lovely and smoothed over your hair it leaves it silky and glossy and never gives you that greasy appearance that most serums do if you use too much.   Even when I am using heat tools I will still use the oil before hand to help protect my locks from the heat.

Once I have dried and styled my hair, I usually like to give it a final boost of volume and have found a brilliant product.  For longer hair this is supposed to add a bit of wave and give that candyfloss hair effect which I love.  It's Tigi BedHead Sugar Shock...  I spray it into the roots and give it a bit of a scrunch and it gives that extra bit of va-va-voom and texture to my hair.

Finally, I always like to 'set' my hair, just like Granny used to ;) For day to day I avoid a heavy hairspray and the best one I've found for a light fix is Trevor Sorbie Beautifull Moisturise Hairspray.  It smells lush and is so light but gives enough hold to keep your hair in shape and in place all day.  I have just run out of this which is disappointing and explains the stock photo.  I will need to restock soon as I seriously love this hairspray.

That sounds like a heap of products lumped on my hair and I guess it is but I do try and rest my hair as much as I can and usually all of these products combined is reserved for nights out or a particularly dressy day.  

What products do you swear by?

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