Revive Eye Renewal Cream Review

I received a sample of Revive Eye Renewal Cream in an pre-christmas order from SpaceNK, and I've eked out the sample for about three weeks, to see how it compares to the Sarah Chapman Eye Recovery I love (this was one of the very first things I reviewed on this blog here and I've been using it since Christmas 2008).

The Revive Eye Renewal Cream isn't a cream at all to me; it's a light, clear gel. I was concerned that it wouldn't be moisturising enough for my dry under-eye skin, but surprisingly it does appear to be able to hydrate and moisturise well, likely due to the EGF (epidermal growth factor), a polypeptide that is marketed as 'responsible for creating dynamic and fast moving cell activity, leading to a youthful and radiant complexion'. I personally have doubts that this ingredient is small enough penetrate to the basal layers of the epidermis where new skin cells grow. Whatever, it's good at hydrating the skin.

I did notice a slight tightening effect from the Revive when I applied it, and a benefit of this cream is that you can also apply it to the upper lid (I'd recommend applying on the brow bone rather than directly to the lid personally - it will travel to the lid as you blink). It's not quite as hydrating as the Sarah Chapman, but my eyes haven't felt tight or crepe-y while I've been using it, and my fine lines are no worse (or better) than when using the Sarah Chapman.

Summary: I'd recommend the Revive if your primary concern is slackening of the skin around the eyes, and particularly on the lids. For my dry but not slack skin, I'm sticking with the Sarah Chapman (which is £30 cheaper for the same amount).

Ingredients (from SpaceNK website. I have no idea what 'recombinage' is, but it sounds like a made-up word to me):

water (aqua), glycerin, sodium polyacrylate, sodium hyaluronate, hydrolyzed wheat protein, butylene glycol, dimethicone, dimethiconal, tetrahydroxypropyl ethylenediamine, recombinage, sodium carboxymethyl betaglucan, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, bisabolol, panthenol, allantoin, propylene glycol isocetheth-3 acetate, carbomer, selerotium gum, PVP, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, methylparaben, propylparaben.

Sisley Phyto-Ombre Eclat in Stardust 17

Sisley Stardust is quite a good dupe for the infamous Erika F by Lancome (which is not available in the US). I actually prefer the Sisley (which is good, as it's twice as expensive as the Lancome). Sisley eyeshadows are buttery smooth and well pigmented.

Stardust is a greyish green with very subtle gold shimmer. I like to wear it with the Phyto Khol Star Bronze I reviewed here, and I've also pictured that below and in the swatch.

Swatched left: eyeshadow, right: khol

Sisley is very expensive; I can't remember exactly how much the eyeshadow was but I'm pretty sure it was at least £30. I don't buy Sisley outside of the GWP deals they typically have at least a couple of times a year. The GWP sizes are always generous, and make the price of the brand more palatable.

My best of 2010 products

This is a round-up of my absolute personal bests (and disappointments) of 2010.

Best New Cosmetics Launch:

• Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Colors. I have all of the brights and the deeps, and they are gorgeous; Mr Ford's eye for colour and texture is excellent. My favourite lipstick formula.

Old Faithfuls:

I'm afraid it doesn't make me a very interesting beauty blogger, but there are quite a few products that I discovered in 2009/early 2010 (or even before then) that I'm still loving.

• rms Beauty - I'm still loving this line, and in particular the 'un' cover-up concealer. 
• Rouge Bunny Rouge - Solstice Halcyon eyeshadow has all but ended my ultimate taupe quest. I also love Delicata blush. 
• Sarah Chapman Eye Recovery

New Discoveries:

• Haus of Gloi. I have not developed dry, itchy shins at all this winter, and I credit HoG's excellent Pumpkin Butter body cream for that. Next year I'm buying vats of Samhain and Pumpkin Queen from the Halloween line. If you don't like girly or foody scents I'd recommend Snow Wolf from the Yuletide line (my favourite from Yuletide by a country mile). 
• Roxana Illuminated Perfume. I've loved everything I've sampled from Ms Villa's range, and I'm looking forward to trying more of it. 

You Have Slightly Disappointed Me:

• Ellis Faas. In particular the Milky Eyes applicators. I love the colours, I love the texture, but if you don't use these products every day you lose an unacceptable amount of product each time you try to use them (and that's not in any way okay at the price). Even the brush applicator products can be difficult to dispense only what you need. 
• Suqqu. I did not think that the Autumn 2010 collection was as interesting as previous collections, and I was disappointed by the delay of the launch of the Creamy Glow lipsticks in the UK. I didn't like that the Sheer Blend lipsticks were put into the spaces for the Creamy Glow lipsticks in the display either, as I nearly ended up buying a lipstick I already own.  I also think that another overhaul/reformulation of the foundation line is too soon after the last one, particularly as the current foundations are already some of the most-lauded on the market. 

Rouge Bunny Rouge and Tom Ford face of the day

Pictured from blush, clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Orpheline blush, Rouge Bunny Rouge Solstice Halcyon eyeshadow, Rouge Bunny Rouge Bejewelled Skylark eyeshadow, Rouge Bunny Rouge Lola eye kohl pencil and Tom Ford Pure Pink Lip Color.

I was very happy to receive Rouge Bunny Rouge Bejewelled Skylark for Christmas this year, particularly as it means I can try to approximate the Chanel Holiday look I posted about here.

I lined my upper lashline with Lola, then patted Bejewelled Skylark onto my lid. This eyeshadow is very pigmented, so you only need to pick up a little bit at a time. I then blended Solstice Halcyon into my crease and underneath my lower lashes.

I applied Orpheline blush a little higher than I usually apply blush, then finished with Pure Pink Lipstick.

The eyes and cheeks are pretty good substitutions for the Chanel (and I prefer the texture and pigmentation of the Rouge Bunny Rouge products). I think the lipstick is quite a bit brighter than the Chanel image though. I wouldn't wear all this together for everyday; I'd tone down the lips and/or blush if I was leaving the house! 

Happy *Christmas (*insert holiday of your choice)

I've told Mr London he's footing the psychiatrist's bills in the future, as he is the parent who builds snowmen/snow severed heads with Miss London.

Happy Christmas to you all, and thank you to everyone who reads this blog. I love getting to know you through comments and emails.

Our tree doesn't really have a theme, other than 'glitter explosion'

Unexpectedly lovely fragrance combination of the day

I recently purchased Lyra solid perfume from the Roxana Illuminated Perfume Etsy shop. I'll post a proper review of this sometime soon, but today I tried it with the Sierra liquid perfume (also by Roxana). I wasn't sure if the combination would work; Lyra is a soft, feminine floral/vanilla/amber and Sierra is a fir/citrus/frankincense. I thought that Lyra might be somewhat overpowered by Sierra, but it holds its own and softens Sierra beautifully; making it more Mother than Father Christmas. 

The Etsy shop is www.etsy.com/shop/IlluminatedPerfume. 

Yves St Laurent Rouge Pur Couture 17 Rose Dahlia

Rouge Pur Couture is the new(ish) satin cream lipstick formula from Yves Saint Laurent. The tube is a warm gold cube that closes with a satisfying click. I like the YSL logo on the front; it means I am always sure I am putting the lid on the right way round (I have a thing about lining up lids and bases). 

The Rouge Pur Coutures are fragranced; a perfumed rose, quite similar to the scent of the YSL Faux Cils mascara. It's not my favourite scent (and I prefer unscented lipsticks) but I can tolerate it. The formula feels comfortable and non-drying, and lasts quite well (at least three or four hours, fading to a stain that leaves good colour). They don't feel heavy or waxy on the lips either. 

Swatched: a medium rose-coral

Swatched on the left: Tom Ford True Coral, on the right: YSL Rose Dahlia. Rose Dahlia is slightly less pigmented/creamy than True Coral and a softer rose-coral shade. 

Applied, and in the context of the rest of my face. This is an everyday sort of colour for me; a bit more casual than my usual reds, but still brightening.

There are some other nice colours in the range; I also liked 7 Le Fuchsia - a bright pink, and 9 Rose Stiletto - a muted cool rose (not too light). There are also several good reds and nudes. 

I still prefer the Tom Ford Private Blend lipstick formula, but the Rouge Pur Couture are much less expensive (although still definitely high-end) at £23. The Rouge Pur Couture are also easier to get hold of; I bought mine at my local Boots, which now has a YSL counter. 

Ila Face Oil for Glowing Radiance

I like facial oils to supplement a moisturiser. In the past I've used and liked Sundari Pitta, Decleor Neroli, Decleor Rose D'Orient and Darphin Chamomile oils, and so I was keen to give Ila's face oil a go when it was sent to me to try.

The biggest benefit of using an oil instead of just switching to a richer moisturiser is that you can target the oil where your skin needs it the most; I concentrate application on my cheeks and neck, take any residue up to my forehead and avoid my chin entirely.

I've been using a drop of this on a damp face and another drop for my neck and decolletage underneath my normal daily moisturiser. You only need the smallest amount; using a drop or two does not leave any oily residue on the skin. I do feel that it has helped to give my skin extra protection in the very cold weather we've been having, preventing dryness and leaving my skin plump and comfortable. The Ila Face Oil is a blend of argan oil, rosehip seed oil, sandalwood and rose otto, and is very nourishing so I'd suggest it's best for normal to dry skin. I think that it might be a little rich for an oily skin in anything other than extreme weather.

It smells (quite potently) of rose with a bit of sandalwood. If you like rosy smells you'll love this, but if you don't care for fragrance in skincare (natural or otherwise) then I would recommend sniffing before buying, because the smell does linger. I personally like the smell very much. The Face Oil is £55, but it's twice the size of most facial oils at 30ml.

The website is at www.ila-spa.com.

Ingredients:

Disclosure: product was provided without charge by PR for company. 

Davina Peace Spiced Punch on a Winter's Afternoon candle

I've written  about Davina Peace products here, and today I'm posting a more thorough review of the candle I was given to try. Davina Peace uses a blend of beeswax and soy, and essential oils (no artificial fragrances) to give scent.

Spiced Punch... is a traditional citrus/spice blend, but the soy wax gives a warm, creamy aspect to the scent, which makes it softer than other festive candles on the market. It scents the air more subtly than other festive candles I've used in the past, although it still fills my open plan living/dining room with a beautiful scent. I'm a complete convert to non-paraffin candles; I like the added creaminess, I find they burn more evenly and don't throw the black smoke that even well-trimmed paraffin candles sometimes can.

The ceramic container is lovely too; it is designed to be the right thickness to give a soft light/glow through the top part where the candle has burnt away while it is lit.

The wick on my candle was originally a bit on the short side, and I did have to scoop out a little of the wax directly around it. That's my only criticism of this product; it was impossible to light the wick until I'd done this. It is possible that I had a rogue candle with a too-short wick, but if this is the length they all come with I'd recommend making it a few mms longer; it's easier to trim a wick than it is to make it longer.

The Davina Peace website is at www.davinapeace.com and the products are also available at Harrods. I'm still swearing by the hand cream too.

Disclosure: product was provided without charge.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Whim of Mine lipstick applied

Swatched, a slightly browned/muted medium pink. I'm not sure I'd call this a raspberry, which to me means a more bluish pink; this is more of a warm toasted pink shade to me. 

Applied on my lips. The natural pale mauve of my lips mutes the colour somewhat. If you have less purple/more pigmented lips, you will most likely find the colour is quite a bit deeper and brighter. For me it makes quite a good natural lip; I could not wear RBR Irreverence, which is a rosy shade on many other people (on me, it was almost a nude, and too pale for my comfort zone). 

Rouge Bunny Rouge products are available at zuneta.com.

CTonics Passion cleanser and Milk moisturiser

Having almost used up the CTonics items I reviewed here, I decided to try a couple of different products from the line. I opted for Passion tonic (cleanser) and Milk elixir (moisturiser).

Passion is the cleanser for dry, chemically treated hair, and the richest cleanser in the range. The texture is  odd (even odder than the others) - it is the same rich brownish cream, but it has little bits in it that look like fig seeds. I took a picture to show the texture, but it honestly looks so horrid I won't publish it unless anyone would particularly like to see it. I find it harder to distribute evenly through my hair than Tranquility and Pulse, which both have a smooth texture. However it does leave my hair very shiny and my scalp very comfortable and I would repurchase again in extreme cold or hot weather. The rest of the time I'll stick to the Pulse.

Milk isn't quite moisturising enough for my long, dry ends. (My hair is shoulder-blade length, and the ends have been highlighted and then dyed over so are very dry). I have to use a lot more of the Milk than I did of the Blossom to leave my ends feeling soft. I think it'd be most suited to more normal, shorter or fine hair.

I prefer the feel of the Pulse tonic, but I do like the results of the Passion tonic for very dry/long hair (particularly when I used it with the remnants of the Blossom elixir).  I prefer the richer Blossom elixir on the ends of my hair at the moment, but when I get it chopped off I think the Milk will be fine for me. I prefer the smell of the Milk; it has a fresh, clean green tea scent (Blossom smells quite hippyish).

Summary of which products I'd recommend based on my experience:

Normal to dry short/very fine hair - Pulse and Milk
Normal to dry long hair - Pulse and Blossom
Very dry short/very fine hair - Passion and Milk
Very dry long hair - Passion and Blossom

Ctonics products are available from misebeauty.com, which is where I buy mine from.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Catherine (of Aragon)

From the 'Housewives of Tudor England' collection, Catherine is a deep, greyed-purple with pink and blue micro-flakes suspended in it. I love this colour; it's unusual but elegant. Anne is still my favourite of the bunch though (she's also my favourite of the queens).

The picture is with two coats applied. Again, thanks to the lovely Amy of cafemakeup.com for helping me to get hold of these polishes.

Sweet Anthem Anastasia Solid Perfume and Perfume Oil

While ordering a perfume oil in Cordelia to layer over the solid perfume I reviewed here, I also ordered another few samples. The fragrance I'm reviewing today is Anastasia, in the solid perfume and perfume oil, which I ordered as it sounded lovely for winter. I like to layer both solid and oil for maximum longevity on my dry skin, but it isn't strictly speaking necessary with the perfume oil, which has good sillage and longevity on its own. Both samples cost $5 each, and are enough for many applications.

In the pot and vial, and when first applied on my skin, there is a sharpness to Anastasia which I think comes from the champa and white patchouli. It's not unpleasant; it reminds me of the smell of the air after snowfall; a clean, sharp, crystalline smell.

I then get an apple note; although there is no apple listed, I think it might be the combination of the honeysuckle and green tea that tricks my nose into thinking it smells a freshly peeled green apple.

Finally, the fragrance settles into a clean, floral musk. On my skin the honeysuckle comes through, like the ghost or a dream of summer in winter. It's definitely a feminine smell, but it's not girly/sweet; it's the smell of a Snow Queen, cool and elegant.

Sweet Anthem is closed for the holidays until 01 January 2011. There is a wait for turnaround - typically 14-21 days until an order is shipped, although this can be longer in busy periods. I don't mind the wait, which is balanced (and I think at least in part caused) by the fact that the perfumes are priced very modestly for the quality of them (the accountant in me suspects too modestly!)

There is an Etsy shop, I've always ordered from the Sweet Anthem website though, which is at www.sweetanthem.com.

Looking forward to 2011

I know it's a bit early, but here are some of the beauty things I'm looking forward to in 2011.

Davina Peace skincare - I love the handcream and the candle, and the body cream and oil are gorgeous, although I still love my Haus of Gloi Pumpkin Butter the best. I am looking forward to trying the skincare products that Davina and her team are currently working on.

More colours from rms Beauty - Rose-Marie Swift has hinted on Twitter that she's working on new colours. I'd love some darker cream eyeshadows.

Haus of Gloi - again, Britton has been hinting at some very interesting scents for Valentine's Day on Twitter. I am also crossing my fingers very hard that The Seeress (a sea-scented concoction) makes another appearance this spring.

Estee Lauder Wild Violet Spring Collection - I haven't bought anything from Estee Lauder in forever, but this collection has me interested in the eyeshadow palette and nail polish. This post on BritishBeautyBlogger has pictures and more details.

Suqqu Creamy Glow Lipsticks - launched in Japan in September with the Blend Colour Eyeshadows and Balancing Cheeks (which launched here this Autumn), these will be launched in the UK in Spring (I'd guess around March). I shall be having a look at them, although I'm a little sad that my favourite sales assistant has now left Suqqu for the Revive counter (at least she's still in Selfridges).

Rouge Bunny Rouge Holiday 2010 collection - my interpretation

This is the Rouge Bunny Rouge Holiday 2010 look. It was being discussed on Twitter, and shamefacedly I had to admit that I already own a lot of the products used for the look (actually, that's something I like about Rouge Bunny Rouge - the seasonal looks do tend to use products from the existing line-up). Modesty Brown challenged me to have a go at translating the look into real life. 

Pictured: eyeshadows in Tantalising Lovebird and Delicate Hummingbird, loose pigment in Wishing For Wings and cream blush in Vermeer.  

My skintone is a lot more olive than the model in the picture, so I'm always going to muddy the colours up more. I don't own Capricious Nightingale, so I used Tantalising Lovebird in my crease instead, which is a much warmer pink. I substituted MAC Prunella Kohl for the Rouge Bunny Rouge Delilah (I much prefer the texture of the RBR kohl, but I only own the brown Lola from the range. Delilah is on my Christmas list). 

I should have gone much more dramatic on the eyes if I really wanted to replicate the look, but I didn't fancy the raised eyebrows at the school gate. I'm not a make-up artist, but I don't know how it would be possible to achieve the brighter violet eyes in the RBR shot without layering with another purple product, although perhaps the combo of Capricious Nightingale underneath might do it. The colour combination in real life is very pretty and wearable though, and reminds me a lot of the Suqqu Spring 2009 collection, themed around the contrast of cherry blossoms against bark. 

I think I did quite well with the necklace though

Top image is from Rouge Bunny Rouge website, www.rougebunnyrouge.com.

15% off at Content Beauty Online 13-15 December

This code is valid for any order over £35 placed online at beingcontent.com from today until Wednesday.

I shan't tell Mr London, as I've already spied a Content box 'hidden' underneath his side of the bed. As always I'd recommend rms Beauty products, and also Inika for a mineral foundation that doesn't give that odd bacofoil look to the skin.

Posts on other blogs I've enjoyed reading recently

I haven't done one of these posts for a while, but here's a round up of a few blog posts I've really enjoyed recently. If you haven't seen them already, I'd recommend going and having a read.

If you're' looking for the perfect gold nail polish for parties, have a look at Helen's comparisons over at just-nice-things.co.uk. OPI Glitzerland is calling to me.

The Le Metier de Beaute holiday eye kaleidoscope kit looks beautiful in Gaia's post over on thenonblondeblogspot.com. I've also been following her series on the Outlaw Perfume Project with interest; the final post is here, and I'd recommend going back and reading the series - I've discovered a few natural perfumers that I'm interested in trying out from it.

I'm not usually a fan of pastel eyeshadow palettes, but Amy's post on the Chanel Promesse quad over at cafemakeup.com has me interested in this one.

In the opposite direction, Anastasia at lipsticksandlightsabers.com reviewed some eyeshadows from Sugarpill, which are extremely bright indeed. I know I tend to stick to sludge eyeshadows, but every so often I'm very tempted by the green and purples from this brand for something completely different.

(picture is a completely random one of our gingerbread house from last year. I particularly liked the mutant gingerbread men.)

Update on Nude Advanced Cellular Renewal Serum

I reviewed this product after just over a month of use here and I thought it might be useful to give an update a month further on.

I've been using this religiously every night. Most nights I use it on my skin on its own, with no further moisturiser, but when the weather has been particularly cold I've layered a couple of drops of a facial oil over it. I do still use my Sarah Chapman eye cream.

I'm increasingly impressed by this serum/treatment. It has improved the look and feel of my skin; my skin feels soft and plump, and my cheeks have a noticeable glow to them that I wouldn't expect at this time of year. I have a few small lines on my forehead and a vertical line between my brows, and I do think these have been softened.

I'm certainly not claiming that this serum will magically make you look 20 again, but my skin has been noticeably more soft and clear in the two or so months I've been using it, and I thought my skin was pretty good to begin with for my age (30*cough*something). I liked it after a month, but I've noticed more difference in the second month of use. I haven't been over-impressed with the other Nude skincare I've tried in the past, but I'd re-purchase this serum.

Currently I'm trying out a new serum that I've got a sample of through this post on BritishBeautyBlogger.com. I'll report back on how it performs after I've finished the sample, but it'll have to go some way to beat the Nude.

Tom Ford Ginger Fawn Private Blend Lip Color lipstick

This is Ginger Fawn, the last of the Tom Ford Private Blend Lip Colors I wanted. I'm not sure it suits me as much or is as easy for me to wear as the reds/plums from the line, but I think I can just about get away with it.

Ginger Fawn is a creamy, slightly softened orange. It's not too bright or too pastel; I think it'd be a good choice for blondes and/or those with blue eyes and clear colouring.

Swatched: True Coral on the left, Ginger Fawn on the right. True Coral is brighter and has more of a pink tone to it; Ginger Fawn is a truer, slightly muted, orange.

In context of the rest of my face.

Okay, lovely Mr Ford. I'm not likely to go for the other nude lipstick shades in the line (too pale for me), I need you to be cracking on with some eyeshadows or blushes now please. Maybe next year? I do hope so, because I've been extremely impressed with the lipsticks from the line.

My favourite colours from the line are (in order of preference), Pure Pink, Moroccan Rouge, Smoke Red, True Coral and Bruised Plum. (I do also like Black Orchid when in a stormy mood).

Disclosure: product provided by PR officer for the brand, without charge.

Rouge Bunny Rouge Angelic Cockatiels eyeshadow

Shimmery flesh-toned eyeshadows are very popular; MAC has Naked Lunch, Stila has Kitten and NARS has All About Eve. I own or have owned all of these, but I haven't liked any of them as much as Rouge Bunny Rouge Angelic Cockatiels.

What I like about the Rouge Bunny Rouge is that it gives a soft, almost metallic glow rather than a frosty shimmer. The colour is also perfect for me; a slightly peachy beige, not too pink, too orange or too pale.

Swatched on my hand: the colour blends into my skin, the eyeshadow is nicely pigmented.

Applied. I wear this buffed over a base of Rouge Bunny Rouge Solstice Halcyon eyeshadow, a semi-matte slightly mauve taupe. Unfortunately, make up that looks nice in real life can look a bit washed out in photographs, but I hope this shows the general texture and glowiness of the eyeshadow.

Rouge Bunny Rouge remains one of my favourite make up brands, and I reach for the eyeshadows probably more than any others. I find them comfortable on my drier skin, and they last well without creasing or irritating my eyes.

In the UK, Rouge Bunny Rouge is available at www.zuneta.com, which does ship internationally. If you don't want to shop online and you have access to Le Metier de Beaute, Jojo is a good alternative with a similar texture, although a little darker than Angelic Cockatiels. There are pictures of Jojo on thebeautylookbook.com here.

Rouge Terrybly Age-Defense Lipstick in Frenetic Vermillion

The SpaceNK loyalty scheme, N.Dulge, recently gave cardholders a £10 credit 'just because'. If you shop at SpaceNK regularly, it is worth signing up for the scheme; the standard 1 point for each pound, 100 points = £5 isn't as generous as say the Boots loyalty card, but the discount events are worthwhile.

With a £10 credit burning a hole in my psyche, I went back for another Rouge Terrybly lipstick and opted for 200 Frenetic Vermillion. This is a clear orange red, and the kind of red I find the easiest to wear; on me, orange reds look much softer than blue reds.

I don't like it as much as 201 Terrific Rouge. I find Frenetic Vermillion noticeably sheerer in texture (I think that's visible in the lip swatch below, and I applied it in the same way as the Terrific Rouge swatch) and subsequently it fades a lot quicker; it fades down to an even stain, but that's all that's left after 2-3 hours, rather than an obvious red lip. Like the Terrific Rouge, I do find the texture very comfortable.

Ayala Moriel Espionage Perfume review

Ayala Moriel is another natural perfumer that I have to thank Gaia (thenonblonde.blogspot.com) and Trish (scenthive.com) for bringing to my attention.

The first note that hits me is a fresh tobacco note. My father smoked roll-ups (still does, when my sister doesn't catch him) and he uses a golden rolling tobacco. As a child, I used to love smelling the fresh packet when he first opened it  (it was the 80s, it wasn't so anti-smoking then - you could buy candy cigarettes) and that's what Espionage smells like on me when first applied; a clean, golden, slightly peaty-damp tobacco note. It's not especially smoky on my skin, but my skin seems to absorb smokiness in fragrances and mellow it.

After a while it settles down into a musky, leathery, utterly delicious my-skin-but-better scent. The Ambrette and Jasmine give the scent good longevity, and a slightly sweaty-skin note to the leather accord. It's not cumin-skanky leather-trousers-after-a-rock-concert, it smells more like a horse that has just been for a good gallop. There's rose in the blend, but I don't get a lot of floral until only the woody base of the perfume is left after several (six or more) hours, and then it's still subtly leathery and not an overtly feminine floral.

This is described as innovative, daring and yet subtle. I'd agree with all of that; it's definitely not girly, but it smells lovely on me and blends into my skin beautifully, and it'd be a very good choice for a man too. Although it is a work-appropriate fragrance for me (not too heady or too floral) I find it has good sillage and very good lasting power for a natural perfume - I get wafts from my wrist several hours after quite a sparing application. This is a must-try for any fans of leather perfume.

I bought a 1ml sample for $12; the perfume extract is available in 4ml and 9ml, and as a perfume oil in 5ml and 10ml. I'm planning to buy the 5ml perfume oil as my skin is naturally quite dry. The website is at www.ayalamoriel.com.

Beige Pink Blusher comparison

Top left, clockwise: Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicata, Sue Devitt Koh Samui, NARS Madly.

I like bright lips and as I have almost no natural colour in my cheeks I need a good blush to balance my face when wearing them. Anything too bright can look a bit garish to my eye so a bronzer would be a natural substitution, but I only have a couple of bronzers that work on my skin without being too orange or dark. I tend to prefer to use a beige pink neutral shade of blush instead. These are my picks of the beige-pink blushers.

left to right: NARS Madly, Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicata, Sue Devitt Koh Samui

Madly is very warm and quite dark on me when swatched, and the shimmer in it is more obvious than I am completely comfortable in. I do have to be very careful not to overcook Madly on my NC20 (light but not porcelain-pale, olive-toned) skin, or it can look a bit grubby.

Delicata is my Goldilocks 'just right' of beige pink blush. It's not too dark but it adds enough colour to my cheeks to make me look human/alive and the pink/beige/peach shade goes with any lipstick colour. I can apply it with my eyes half-closed in the worst lighting, and it never goes wrong for me.

Koh Samui is a little pinker than the other two, and the shimmer in this blush is a cool silver. This is a good beige pink for a cooler skintone. It works well on me, and the pale shimmer makes it a good 2-in-1 blush/highlighter.

Edit to add: Here's a picture of me wearing Delicata, here's a picture wearing Koh Samui, and here's a picture of Michelle from Lipstick Rules wearing Madly. I think Madly works better on Michelle's slightly warmer and deeper skintone (although I would still say that Michelle has quite fair skin).

10% off at Zuneta this weekend

The code is XMASZU and it's valid until midnight Sunday (05 December).

My recommendations:

Rouge Bunny Rouge - Delicata Blush, Lola Eye Khol and Solstice Halcyon eyeshadow (my 'go-to' face).

Hourglass - the eyeshadow duos, and the cream bronzer/blush duo.

Butter London nail polishes - Branwen's Feather.

Edward Bess - anything (just be aware the bronzer and lip products are figgy-scented).

Rouge Terrybly and Blush Terrybly colour descriptions

I was in SpaceNK yesterday with a random £10 credit burning a hole on my N.Dulge card. While I was there, I made a note of some shade descriptions of the Rouge Terrybly and Blush Terrybly range. These are just my jotted down thoughts on the colours, as I know swatches online can be difficult to judge. I most likely won't be buying any of the nudes (100s) but watch out for them on Visionary Beauty where Replica has already bought 103. I have already posted pictures of 201 here and yesterday I bought 200, which I will post a picture of soon. There's a quick swatch of both of them below.

Rouge Terrybly
100 Terrybly Nude: pale, quite warm beige, lighter and with more pink undertones than 103.
101 Flirty Rose: the only really pink shade in the line up, a bit paler than my idea of rose.
102 Fashion Beige: warm, slightly orangey beige brown.
103 Plumping Nude: peachy nude.
104 Bimbo Brown: dreadful name, don't much care for the colour either. Straight warm brown.

200 Frenetic Vermillion: orange toned coral red, softer than the other reds. Not as bright as Julie Hewett Belle Noir or NARS Heatwave, more similar to Kevyn Aucoin Talula.
201 Terrific Rouge: classic red. Similar to Julie Hewett Rouge Noir, not quite as bright as Kevyn Aucoin Poppia.
202 Funky Ruby: bright, blue toned red, similar to Julie Hewett Femme Noir, Tom Ford Cherry Lush.
203 Fanatic Red: warmer, darker and more brick/burgundy red than 201, similar to NARS Viridiana, but more red, similar to Julie Hewett's Coco Noir, but a little more burgundy - a cross between Sin Noir and Coco Noir. Similar to Tom Ford Smoke Red.
204 Narcotic Sienna: brick, more brown than red. Similar to Julie Hewett Coco Noir, but a bit more brown.

Quick swatch of 201 Terrific Rouge (left) and 200 Frenetic Vermillion (right).

Blush Terrybly
1 Cheek to Cheek Rose: very soft pale rose beige. I was tempted to get this with my £10 off, but it'd still have been £40 with that and I can't see it being £15 better than my favourite neutral/natural blush, Rouge Bunny Rouge Delicata.
2 Erotic Pink: brighter than 1 and a clearer pink (although no obvious mauve/blue tones), but still quite sheer when swatched.
3 Platonic Coral: sheer paleish peach/coral; my picture are here, and you can read Marcia's guest review here. There's a quick swatch underneath this too.
4 Hypnotic Copper: tawny, not as dark as copper would suggest to me, and also quite sheer. Has warm/orange tones, I'd avoid on paler skin.

3 Platonic Coral swatched on my ring finger pad.

Christophe Robin Shade Variation Care: Hair Mask with Colour - Ash Brown

I read about this product on BritishBeautyBlogger.com here, and as I constantly battle against red tones in my brown hair I was very interested in the Ash Brown variant. Like the rest of the Christophe Robin range it is silicone-free. I bought this by telephone from Lost In Beauty in Primrose Hill, who were happy to send it out to me.

Compared to Aveda Black Malva colour conditioner, Christophe Robin Ash Brown is a lighter, less blackened purple shade. It knocks down redness in my hair and adds cooler tones, but without darkening it. I don't find it quite as effective at getting rid of redness as the Black Malva, but it doesn't alter or darken my base shade, so which of these two I'd recommend depends very much on what effect you are after. If you have lighter brown hair and don't want to darken it noticeably, I would recommend the Christophe Robin, as the Black Malva makes my hair a much deeper brunette.

On the left: Christopher Robin, right: Aveda Black Malva colour conditioner.

The Christophe Robin is twice the price of the Aveda colour conditioner for the same amount - the Christophe Robin is £35 and I paid a further £5 for postage. If you are just looking for colour enhancement you might therefore opt for the Aveda, but I do find the conditioning effect of the Christophe Robin more effective; it leaves my hair extremely soft and glossy, and smells pleasantly of parma violets. It doesn't actually cover the greys that are poking through, but it does make them less wiry. I leave it on for the full 30 minutes for maximum colour tone and conditioning. 

Beautique Beauty Advent Calendar starts today 01 December

Although I'm aware of Urban Retreat at Harrods, I've never shopped at their online website www.Beautique.com.

The Beauty Advent Calendar sounds quite tempting though. Every day from 01 December to 21 December,] there will be a different GWP offered from one of their brands with any purchase.

Brands sold on Beautique include Leighton Denny nail polishes, Omorovicza skincare (if I spot a good GWP one day I might finally buy the Thermal Cleansing Balm I keep meaning to try), All For Eve and Philip Kingsley haircare.

(As always, link is not an affiliate link).