OOTD: Direct your feet to the sunny side of the street

After about a fortnight of grey clouds and constant rain, Friday finally gave us some sun :)

It was a scorcher in Glaswegian terms but since I was working then spray tanning on Friday, I only managed to catch mid afternoon/evening but even then it was still lovely & warm and to top it off, it stayed light late into the night.  Just how summer should feel.

I go for easy clothing on summer days and tend to make use of accessories.  Because I also had just had a spray tan I needed to wear something that wouldn't rub the tan or leave any lines behind so I opted for a navy strapless maxi dress from ASOS.  The dress is described as navy but it has a definite purple tinge about it... it's quite bright.

catalogue posing into the distance!

A pair of gladiator sandals for comfort, again from ASOS.  They are a peachy, tan shade but they only thing that let's them down is their velcro fastening instead of a buckle.

excuse the hideous tootsies!

 

I accessorised with a multi layered bead necklace from H&M.  The browns and turquoise really set off the navy in the dress.  I also wore my Mango rayban-esque sunnies which I love.  They add a bit of cool to any outfit.

My hair is being quite awkward at the moment and I am waiting to get it re-done again so I tend to just scrape it up in a top knot these days.  Estee Lauder Orange Crush gloss is becoming a bit of a permanent feature in my make up this week and again wore it on this sunny Friday as it seemed a perfect choice to celebrate the mini heatwave (which only lasted a day by the way!).

Has everyone else been enjoying good weather?

x

Estee Lauder Orange Crush

When it comes to the latest of the Estee Lauder Pure Colour collection it was Pure Love at first sight!

I guess orange isn't everyones idea of a wearable colour especially in eyeshadow form, no matter how refreshing a shade it may be for summer.   I always felt the same ... and as much as I adore an orange lip or a peach cheek, the idea of wearing it on my eyes just seemed obscene.

That's until this week when to my surprise and excitement these 3 new limited edition shades dropped through my post box.  Created by Tom Pecheux for the Derek Lam's Spring 2011 runway show, inspired by 1960's California, Lauder have taken this bold look from the runway to real life with these 3 beautiful products.

Sugar Cube, Orange Crush and Orange Crush Gloss

Pure Colour Eyeshadow in Orange Crush (RRP £16) is an utterly stunning shade of bold, bright orange.  The pigmentation is fantastic, a lighter hand will give a subtle wash of colour that can built upon to create a slightly bolder finish.  With a slightly heavy hand, a vibrant finish can be achieved which is equally as stunning if not a little more daring.  The second shadown in the collection is Sugar Cube a shimmering white that is a fantastic highlight and blends fabulously with Orange Crush.

As above, sugar cube, orange crush and orange crush gloss

The absolute beauty and most wearable of this small but perfectly formed collection is the Pure Colour Gloss in Orange Crush (RRP £16).  This is quite a fiery orange and has a high shine finish, it's lush on the lips and lasts for hours (although its shine does fade) which is a bonus!

The minute I got this I tried to recreate a similar look to the runway creation.  I used a bold line of orange crush on the lashline and blended with sugar cube, taking sugar cube up to under the lashline as a highlight.  I used MAC blacktrack to line the eyes but I think this colour would look equally as good if not fresher without they liner.

Hideous photobooth quality but you get the idea

On the cheeks I stuck with an old favourite NARS Laguna to bronze/contour slightly and for blush,  MAC springsheen which is lovely peach shade and complemented the oranges very well.  I lined my lips lightly with a nude liner before applying Orange Crush gloss.  I'm not sure if Estee Lauder would recommend wearing the bold eye and lips at the same time but it certainly worked for me. 

Even with my red hair which I initially thought would clash with these colours, I could really make this look work and it was something different to the same old neutrals.  It's definitely a gorgeous summer look that can easily be taken into autumn.  It's especially gorgeous for us blue eyed babies out there ... the contrast between the orange and blue just makes your eyes .... POP! (there, i said it!).  Even with pale skin, these shade rocked it... I can only imagine how much more amazing they would look had I been tanned!

Anyway, it seems this collection is so exclusive it is only available at Harvey Nics in London, Manchester, Leeds and Edinburgh.  I would recommend you try and pick these gorgeous shades up if you can though - they look stunning, apply wonderfully and make a statement as bold or as subtle as you like!

Anyone else brave enough for orange eyeshadow?

x

A bewitching new lippie

I have been dying to blog about my new lipstick since I bought it a couple of weeks ago and had hoped I could get some good photos for you to drool over.  Alas, time has been precious these past few weeks and with a busy work schedule it's been difficult to capture the beauty of this wondrous new shade in my collection.

Max Factor Colour Collections lipstick aim to target their colour range at specific skintones, fair, medium or dark.  I chose a medium collection lipstick ... Bewitching Coral.   I have been whipping out the summer brights already in an attempt to bring a bit of sunshine into my dreary, wet and cold days and this is definitely going to be one of my summer staples.

It is a gorgeous bright pinky coral that really illuminates skin.  It definitely suits better with a tan and is very longwearing.  The texture feels wonderfully moist on the lips and glides across my smackers giving a smooth colour blocked finish.

It was so hard to pick up this shade in photos and admittedly these are very bad quality (quick iphone pics).  This 'face of the night' was taken before a night out .... where I teamed Max Factor bewitching coral with a gorgeous The Body Shop sparkle liner in gold.  I applied it on my lower lashline and winged it out under my regular liner.  I think this eyeliner may be a seasonal item only as I can no longer find it on their website.  I hastily applied my make up so it is a bit messy but I really love this look and hope to recreate it again with a little more finesse.

This was one of my first Max Factor purchases in a longtime, the last time I purchased I think it was their Lasting Performance foundation when i was 15!!  I would definitely re-purchase these lippies and for around £7-8 they are quite good value ... plus they are currently on a 3 for 2 offer at Boots :)

Has anyone tried the Max Factor Colour Collection lipsticks?  What's your favourite?

Holidays are coming ....

We are in the height of Summer but as I type, the rain is lashing off my lounge windows and there is a dull grey layer covering the sky. Where is our summer, Glasgow?? Where is it?



Well, I will be going abroad this year to find my sun but this means my skin will be on display so I need to make sure it's looking tip top and fuzz free.

I usually go by the old fashioned method of using a razor to de-fuzz but on my last holiday I decided to try a leg wax. I didn't like it. It was painful, sticky, intrusive (i had to listen to the therapist rant on about her 'gas' problems) and to be honest the results were not only rubbish in the sense that I was still a bit hairy afterwards but it hardly lasted a week before I had to get the shears out again.


This time I am going to venture into something that I find scarier than waxing and that's ..... EPILATION.


The word sends a shiver down my spine. I will never forget my friend Julie getting an epilator for Christmas and returning it the following week because she couldn't stand the pain. However, I do live by a 'no pain no gain' attitude and I really want to see if this works for me.

I am going to be trying out the Philips Satin Perfect epilator.






The new Philips Satin Perfect has an extra-wide head which enables it to remove more hair in one stroke, giving you long-lasting smoothness, faster. Its high performance discs are made of textured ceramic material, which gently grip and remove even finest hairs

I am hoping for a longer lasting result than waxing or shaving and a much smoother finish. I realise it may be a little uncomfortable but Philips say that this 'gently' grips and removes the hair so I am putting my faith in the brand not to disappoint.


Feel free to join me on my mission for perfectly smooth summer skin as I take you on my epilation adventures!


Any tips for using an epilator are very welcome and I hope to share my own tips with you in the coming weeks once I have fully reviewed Philips Satin Perfect.



x