Barry M lip loving

There's a lovely big Superdrug near work so I popped in at lunchtime yesterday and picked up these two. They were £4.19 each so pretty affordable and despite being cheap, the packaging is great (Rimmel, No 17 - take note!)



Lipstick no. 146 - Dolly Pink, and lip gloss in no. 2 - Toffee


They're the first Barry M lip products I've tried, and overall I'm impressed. The consistency of the lipstick is lovely - I have the say the colour is BRIGHT..I'm not entirely sure how often I'll find myself reaching for this one, but nevertheless it's a fun addition.

You may already have noted my deep hatred for lip gloss but I'm determined to find one I like. This one falls very much into that 'my lips but better' category - and the effect is pretty. It's not as sticky as some, which I like. The overpowering toffee smell is a little off putting as I'm not sure I like feeling as though I'm smearing toffee sauce on my lips!

So, I'm going to try some more soon I think - which Barry M lip paints and glosses do you have? And do you like them?

ubi ibi libris....

Reading this great post from the wonderful Amanda made me think how much I'm enjoying the book I'm currently reading - to the point of letting my friends go off to lunch without me so I can spend a blissful solitary lunchtime reading instead of being sociable. I've read quite a few of Paul Auster's books, and loved them and now it turns out I love his wife's writing too, or certainly this book...

It's What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt

I wish I was clever enough to write a review that would enthrall you, and tell you how much I love it and make you want to read it too. Instead I'll quote from the Guardian's review:

"Siri Hustvedt has written a novel of ideas, in which she tackles questions of how much of what we perceive is personal, how much shared, how much is fixed for all time and how much is liable to shift."

To be honest, I'm loathe to read to the end of the review in case it reveals the ending.

It's set in the 70s and onwards and is the story of an art writer, his family, his friendship with an artist and his family, and how things change over the course of time. I love the snapshots of a New York from another time and I just love the way she writes - she has just such a beautiful, spot on way of phrasing things.

Give it a go.

p.s. the title of this post...I studied classics, and my dad is a classics teacher - and this quote is close to my heart - "ubi ibi libris, ibi libertas" where there are books, there is freedom. Great words.

Sunday afternoon chores

Spent the afternoon doing the unenviable task of sorting through all my clothes and shoes deciding what to keep, what to charity shop and what to bin. Dull but essential, and it seems a good time of year to get the job out of the way.

Obviously this job can't be done without something interesting on TV - so I had a retro moment with one of my favourites....who remembers St Elmo's Fire?



I can't tell you how much I was in love with Rob Lowe when I first saw this film. Has he aged at all?

Anyone else love the brat pack films?

More Inglot treats

We ploughed our way through the crowds at a heaving Westfield today so I could go coat shopping. The effort was worth it, and I now have a lovely new winter jacket -and a purple one at that!

I made a quick stop at Inglot to pick up a couple more eyeshadows. They're a wonderful alternative to MAC - cheaper at £11 for 3 eyeshadows and as far as I can tell so far the pigmentation is almost if not as good as MAC. And they fit into the Pro palettes.

From left to right we have:
a matte neutral shade (390)
a pearl finish pink-y mauve (445) (a little like MAC's Trax crossed with Satellite Dreams?)
a pearl finish deep red-ish purple 452 (similarish to MAC's Cranberry?)


swatched without any primer:


Love them! What do you reckon?

A trip to Westfield is complete without a) a trip to Inglot and b) a cupcake from Buttercup (I ate it far too fast for a photo!)

5 Loves, 5 Hates

LOVES

1. My Diptyque John Galliano candle. One of my birthday presents - it reminds me of home as my folks always have one on the go. It smells of incense and wood and is a lovely cosy winter-y smell.


2. What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt. It's been on my reading list for years now, and I stumbled across a copy in my local charity shop last week - joy! I'm so engrossed.


3. Corn on the cob. I never ate corn actually on the cob until we lived in NYC and I bought some at one of the street fairs that seem to spring up every month. And, wow, how much do I love it. I could eat it every day.

4. ELF Studio Warm Bronzer. Thankfully it turns out I'm not dangerously allergic to this and I love it. Great product at a great price.



5. Tunnocks Tea Cakes. These are THE BOMB




HATES

1. Capers - urgh. Root of all evil. It almost creeps me out too much to post a picture


2. 2True Plumptuous Lip Gloss. Yes, granted it's cheap lip gloss to probably not the finest quality, but it reminded me of why I HATE lip gloss and stopped wearing it. Sickly smell and too sticky. Yuck.



3. Temping....I've been at the same company 6 months now - hopefully soon to be made permanent but until then it's temp wage, no holiday allowance.


....Do you know what? It's a good week - I'm stopping at 3!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Do you want to see something beautiful?

I couldn't love Strictly Come Dancing any more if I tried



I sometimes think dancing doesn't get any better than watching Vincent and Flavia.

On a more banal note, had a random little spot (or "blemish" in euphemistic beauty speak) or two pop up in the past week - I couldn't find any of the usual zappers - Body Shop Tea Tree, Mario Badescu or Liz Earle so I just applied...nothing.

And do you know what? They've never cleared up so quickly.

Any er - beauty secrets you've stumbled across?!

Christmas hols!

It's a year since we moved back to London, from New York, and though London's great, I still miss New York an awful lot.

But, we've just booked a little trip back to visit in a couple of months time, and I can't wait to revisit old haunts.

This was the view from our apartment


..though I do love living in Pimlico now, nothing beats being able to see Central Park from your window (yes, squint...you can see it - just to the right of the Hearst building!)

Roll on Forever 21, Sephora, a Duane Reade raid and lots of delicious food!

Are you off on hols anywhere interesting before the end of the year?

Rose & Co Apothecary

We took a trip to see Mr C's folks the other weekend, who live "oop north" and while we were there, we went to visit Haworth - famous for being the home of the Brontes and now also home to Rose & Co Apothecary and a more gorgeous old fashioned chemists, you've never seen. I don't know whether time has stood still, or whether it's all contrived to look very old but either way the effect is charming.


How lovely is this?


I left with a bag of rose (natch!) bath salts - I find it hard to find nice bath salts, and I HATE bubbles in my bath! Does anyone else agree?

Where have I been?

It's been so long. Too long.

The holiday was bliss. Absolute bliss


Need I say more? Lots of Milo, nasi lemak, tiger beer, sunshine, tropical fish, monkeys and cats. And by the end of two weeks even I had got a tan.

The inevitable catching up at work after a holiday has kept me very busy.

Had my first ELF order the other day. I suspect it would have arrived quickly if all the postmen in England weren't striking (don't get me started...)

So, Pink Ice custom eyeshadow, eyeliner brush from the Studio line, and Warm Bronzer, also from the Studio line.

Had a scary allergic reaction where my face puffed up and I had to go to A+E, and the doctor floated the idea it was a reaction to any new makeup I had..argh - was it the bronzer? Well, I can report a few days later I used it again, totally forgetting what the doctor had said, and I am fine. So phew - I'm not allergic.


So yes, the bronzer is lovely. Give it a go if you haven't already.

Hope you're all well. I'm off to take a tour around all my favourite ladies blogs now!

This time in 24 hours..

...I'll hopefully be browsing the duty free, about to hop on a flight to....

The difference between me and my boyfriend become evident at packing time. His rucksack is packed and propped by the front door. Mine open on the sitting room floor, surrounded by heaps of stuff and scribbled lists.

Let's be honest though, this lot + a bikini is really all I need

Sunnies, hat, books and sunsreen. I'm hoping this Piz Buin spray will be as good as my beloved Neutrogena ultra sheer sunblock spray which I discovered when we lived in New York. Supposedly its another clear one you just spray everywhere and don't have to rub in.

I can't decide whether to buy some more Estee Lauder Double Wear, this time in a better shade, or whether to branch out and try something by Bobbi Brown.....?

Any Bobbi fans here who can tell me what rocks?

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!

Some recent disappointments

A quick rundown on a few things I've bought recently. I'm sorry to say, most of these have disappointed me, but perhaps you've found differently?

Group (fuzzy) shot:
Barry M Natural Dazzle, GOSH velvet touch eyeliner in black ink, MAC Eccentricity quad and Bourjois blush in Rose d'Or.

So, one by one

Well, I read the raves, I loved the swatches and so I went out and bought the famous Natural Dazzle. I don't know I've just got a bad one but it's incredibly hard to get any colour from this. I have to literally scrub it with a fingertip to get any colour, so as for managing to load anything onto a brush - fugeddaboutit! At a tenner I'm reluctant to shell out for another on the off chance I just got a bad one... had anyone else had this problem?

The Bourjois blush
So, Rose d'Or - golden pink - sounds perfect right? But again, it's very hard to get any colour from this and oh, the smell of it is disgusting - kind of powdering and old...like make up that's been festering somewhere for far too long.

Colour Craft Eccentricity
Pretty colours - I really love this selection a lot. And I love getting four colours so much more use to me than a single and not much more expensive. But - the glitter fallout on these is really tiresome. With I'd been more diligent with my research and hadn't bought this in such a hurry.

As for the GOSH eyeliner - I love it. Despite it's waterproof claims, it doesn't stay on my waterline for very long at all, but then I can't imagine anything would. Otherwise, big thumbs up.

Anybody else hate (or love?) these products?