Tag time

Thank you to the gorgeous Shifa over at Get Gawjus for the tag! Go check her out.

I feel like I did this one yonks ago, so it's high time for an update. If you haven't yet done this one, you must (and tell me in the comments!) Let's get cracking:

SHAMPOO: I have a feeling it's something cheap and cheerful like Pantene or Tresemme...I can't remember though - shampoo gets decanted into my Hello Kitty shampoo pump from Japan!

CONDITIONER: I don't condition..is it very wrong? Always found it made my find hair lank.

STYLING PRODUCTS: A VO5 volumising spray thing. My poor hair's been very neglected recently.

SHOWER GEL: Iris soap from Santa Maria Novella

BODY MOISTURISER: Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse

FACE MOISTURISER: Liz Earle

DEODORANT: Dove

FAKE TAN: I don't have the patience for it

CLEANSER: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

EXFOLIATOR: I don't.

PRIMER: I don't

FOUNDATION: Estee Lauder Double Wear. I love it, but I don't think they have a colour that's perfect for me though, so the hunt is on again.

FOUNDATION BRUSH: MAC 190

CONCEALER: Barbara Daly from Tesco!

POWDER: Clinique Soft Finish pressed powder

BLUSHER: MAC MSF Redhead

BRONZER/CONTOUR: Barry M Natural Dazzle / MAC Strada

HIGHLIGHTER: BeneFit High Beam

EYESHADOW BASE: UDPP. Now living in a clean little jam jar - ha, foiled you Urban Decay - I didn't throw mine away half full as you hoped I would!

EYESHADOWS: a mix of MAC, NYX, Inglot and others. Currently loving my Sleek Storm palette though - it's what I reach for most often at the moment.

EYELINER: GOSH Velvet Touch and Sephora.

CURLER: Rarely bother. Got a Revlon one though.

MASCARA: L'Oreal Telescopic or Clinique High Definition

LIPSTICK: Stila Ariel, Clinique Waterviolet

LIPGLOSS: Hate hate hate sticky lipgloss!

NAIL COLOUR: silver uber cheap one by 2True.

Last weekend

Home. Well, my folks' place - which I probably should have grown out of calling home, but haven't. Well, it's their fault for making the place so bloomin' warm and welcoming and relaxing and perfect isn't it?

This stack of logs makes me very happy. Though I am a dab hand with an axe, let me reassure you, should you have any that need chopping!

Happy Birthday to me!

It's my _th birthday today. I would say it's felt a little unbirthday as I was at work, where nobody knows it's my birthday because I haven't been there long. But, Mr C made up for me, meeting me for lunch and handing over all my cards and pressies this morning!

Among my presents, treats from two of my favourite places in Paris (now thankfully both with branches in London)

A John Galliano Diptyque candle one of the lovliest smells I know. It smells of incense and woodsmoke. And a boxful of Laduree macaroons - the most delicious treat I know.

Yum to both!

Mr C - how well you know me!

Reviews - new bits and bobs

Rubbish posting of late - I am in awe of all you ladies with busy jobs who still manage regular wonderful posts. I'm struggling to keep up at the moment.

Anyway, a few recent purchases (all very cheap and cheerful I hasten to add)
Pink wallet - now, how cute is that bad boy? My regular wallet is huge - mum sized - and I love it, but sometimes I want to be a bit more lightweight so I spotted this in Matalan. Who cares if it only lasts a year - at £4 I can't complain.

I bought a couple of things from Boots 17 range - I really am going back to school with my shopping at the moment. A nail varnish so vile and middle aged I've binned it already. And that 'green glimmer' eyeshadow. Beautiful consistency and pigmentaion. But no - I just have no idea how to wear this without looking like I'm about to take a leading role in Wicked. I wish I could. Any tips?

So I got the 'Bronzed & Gorgeous' palette for free with those 2 purches. Containing:
1 lip colour (it's pants. Just ignore)
2 eye colours - 'ivory coast' a good highlighter colour and 'statuesque' an Ondine-alike (yay!). Both are again beautiful consistency and pigmentation
1 instant glow bronzing powder - actually, this isn't bad. Needless to say use the brush at your own risk - but with a proper brush, it's quite a nice contouring colour.

So overall, not bad for a freebie.

And - something I've never looked at before, a bit of M+S make up. This is what lunch hours working in the city do to you - you're left to browse M+S as there are no other remotely fun shops nearby. Just Pret. And Eat. And Itsu. Not much lippie in any of them.

Anyway, it's an Autograph Sheer Gloss Lipstick. And I like it. Very creamy, feels nice on and a good selection of shades. And for £7.50 I might investigate a few more in the range. Oh, and I LOVE the packaging. Simple and beautiful and expensive looking.

And, after intially adoring my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation in Ecru, I became increasingly convinced it's not the right shade for me. My face is a distinctly different colour to my neck, which is awful. Apparently it's the lightest shade they do, but I'm giving a sample of Shell (more pinky toned) a go to see if that's any better. So far...so good. Fingers crossed.

Anyway, holiday is not too far off so soon I shall be thinking about tropical island make up!