From the archives: Poppets

This was my first purchase from www.etsy.com/shop/Strangestudios. A few more have joined the family in the study since then.

You can read a little more about them in my original post here: Something wicked this way comes...

From the archives: my first RMS Beauty purchases

It's hard to believe that RMS Beauty was launched more than three years ago now. My first purchases were RMS Beauty Myth and Illusive (link to my original post) and I still love the brand.

I haven't tried anything from the line I haven't liked, but the absolute standouts for me are the Un Cover-Up Concealer, Luminizer  and cream eyeshadows in Magnetic and Karma.

From the archives: Roxana Illuminated Perfume GreenWitch

There is always a good chance that on any given day I'll be wearing GreenWitch. I liked this so much from the 1ml travel size I originally reviewed that I asked for the full 7ml bottle for my anniversary present last year, and I bought the honey pot solid version when that came out to layer. This fragrance blooms on my skin and I love it.

My original review is here: Roxana Illuminated Perfume GreenWitch review.

From the archives: Le Metier de Beaute Lip Gloss

I think this is the most unflattering colour on me I've ever pictured on this blog (I wasn't willing to show a full face picture of the even-less-flattering-on-me Creme Caramel).

In case you missed it the first time round, here is the proof I should never wear warm brown lips: Le Metier de Beaute Lip Creme Gloss in Chocolate Creme.

From the archives: Tom Ford Pure Pink - my favourite and my best

Unfortunately, this is a lipstick you can't have, because it didn't make it to the new line up. The closest to it in the current line is probably Violet Fatale (which I also like) but Tom Ford Pure Pink Lip Colour (link to original post) still has a very special place in my heart.

On holiday

We're off for a couple of weeks  tomorrow and I would have scheduled some new posts but unfortunately working long days in order to get work finished got in the way.

I have scheduled a few 'From the archives' posts - with links to previous posts. I wonder if this is how magazines do the August edition? Just think, "Oh bugger it, let's just dust off those 'getting your body beach ready', 'how to bronze successfully' and 'make up for holidays' articles!'

Be good!

Organic Surge Daily Care Face Wash

Organic Surge products are gentle products that are plant based with some certified organic ingredients, at very affordable prices. They are also created and made in the UK.

I was sent this Face Wash to try. It contains rose geranium essential oil, which is helpful for balancing the skin (rose geranium is particularly recommended for oily sluggish skin, or to help heal skin suffering from breakouts). It costs £5.19 for 200ml.

I'm going to be completely honest. I'm not going to swap this totally for my usual hand blended, cold-pressed, raw ingredients cleanser with more active/expensive essential oils and ingredients. 12% of the ingredients in the Organic Surge Face Wash are from organic farming (my usual Live Native balm cleanser is 90% organic origin), but 98.9% of the ingredients (in the Organic Surge) are from natural origin, and it costs £5. It lives in my gym bag and I use it to clean my skin without stripping it after training, and it's perfect for that purpose; it gets off the sweat, is refreshing and doesn't leave my skin feeling tight.  If you are looking for a gentle, affordable foaming cleanser, this is a great option and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Coco-Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin (Veg)*, Sodium Lauryl Glucose Carboxylate, Lauryl Glucoside, Coco-Glucoside, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzyl Alcohol, Sucrose Laurate, Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil*, Pelargonium Graveolens Flower Oil, Tocopherol, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate, Geraniol, Citral, Linalool. *ingredient from organic farming. Naturally occurring within essential oils.

I haven't tried this myself, but I also wanted to mention this handwash in support of The Archie Foundation.

100% of the sales of the Archie Foundation Helping Hand Wash (with lavender and patchouli) go to the The Archie Foundation, which supports child health in the north of Scotland. Projects include funding musical therapists and helping to fund new children's wards and equipment, as well as individual grants to sick children. The Handwash costs £3.99 for 250ml.

Organic Surge products are available from the website at www.organicsurge.com, or from John Lewis, Waitrose, Ocado, Whole Foods and Fresh & Wild.

Disclosure: PR sample Daily Care Face Wash

Harry Potter Studio Tour

We took scores of photos, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone who is planning on going, so this is the only one I'm going to show you. (If you know where we are - please don't say in the comments! I really don't want to spoil it for people.) There are lots of catch your breath in wonder moments, and it's well worth the entry fee (£28 for adults, £21 for children or a family ticket for £83). You do have to book in advance - there are no tickets on the door.

Entry is timed to prevent massive crowds, and it's brilliantly staffed and organised. Plan to spend at least three hours wandering through and poring over the detail. There is an outdoors area in the middle of the tour where you can eat a picnic and I would recommend bringing your own sandwiches - only the egg and cheese ones were left at the refreshment stand by about 1.30pm and they are very expensive. You can buy Butterbeer, which tasted like an odd mixture of yellow-tinted cream soda topped with marshmallow fluff to me.

The merchandise shop is well stocked and will part you from your money. Wands and scarves are £25 each, and there are replica wands of many of the characters. The staff member at the wand tester table can help you find the perfect wand for you through a series of questions. Mr London cheated terribly to make sure he ended up with Neville Longbottom's, and Miss London didn't want to take any risk that she might not get Luna Lovegood, so didn't go through the process and just grabbed the wand. I am much too mature for all that nonsense  - so picked Bellatrix Lestrange's wand myself ;)

The chocolate is very expensive - an admittedly solid chocolate frog (150g) was £8. The house robes are £75 each (Miss London was tempted until she realised that'd be all of her saved up birthday money blown).

The website is at www.wbstudiotour.co.uk. If you live in or are visiting London/England and are a Harry Potter fan I'd thoroughly recommend it.

Seasonal Colour Analysis - have you tried it?

Almost everyone of a certain age will remember Colo(u)r Me Beautiful and the four season colour analysis (Spring - Light and Warm), Summer (Light and Cool), Autumn (Dark and Warm) and Winter (Dark and Cool). At school, we had a colour analyst in for a lesson (grooming and deportment, don't ask) and she thought I was either an Autumn or Winter, but could not decide (I think it was during one of my dyed red hair periods, which probably didn't help).

Later, this was refined into a 12 season system that also takes into account how muted or clear someone is, and that most people are a mix of two seasons (i.e. not completely cool or warm).

Zuzu over at Everyday Beauty got draped in the Sci Art system last Christmas (her post is here: Everyday Beauty: I got draped). I  missed this post at the time, but discovered it when Zuzu shared the contents of her dressing table in June.

I think I'm a Dark Winter. I look better in cooler colours, and I need contrast and depth (I tend to look ill in warmer colours, not in black). I also tend to mute lipsticks - bright and deep lipsticks don't look as bright and deep on me, and we all know how much I like a red lip! I can't wear nude lipsticks - even colours that look quite rosy and natural on other people look like liver pate on me. Let's not talk about how orange lipstick doesn't work for me. I have also wondered if I might be a Dark Autumn (but I think I'm more cool/neutral olive skinned than warm-toned - people see olive and try to match me with yellow foundation).

I also enjoy trying to categorise the people around me - Ma is definitely an Autumn, either True or Dark. When I was a child she was always trying to force me into the brown shades she loves, which I hated. Mr London is a light season, possibly a Soft Summer and I think Miss London is definitely one of the softs, probably a Soft Autumn as she is quite golden toned (which explains why her shopping trips with Ma are much happier than mine ever were).

A lesser spotted shot of all three Londons

I've been enjoying this site and blog very much www.12blueprints.com. I really want to get myself draped - Nikki Bogardus of www.mycolorrx.com visits London regularly, and I'm very tempted to book myself in for her next trip.

Have any of you had your season done? Would you put me in Dark Winter, or a different season?

Beauty Spotlight What's In My...

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic shares the crazy amount of product hiding in the desk drawer in her office. She has to be prepared for staying a while, but this might be a bit too much!

I am in awe of Christine, who is an ICU doctor. She's often called into work at odd hours, and this is the stuff she keeps there so she looks and feels at least vaguely human. Click on the picture and go read her blog. 

L'Artisan Parfumeur Seville A L'Aube

L'Artisan Parfumeur Seville A L'Aube is a result of a collaboration between perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour and fragrance writer Denyse Beaulieu, and is a limited edition fragrance that sits in the 'Exotic Travels' L'Artisan stable. I was recently invited to a blogger event to meet Betrand and Denyse and try the fragrance.

Denyse told the olfactory story of a romantic night in Seville to Bertrand, who remarked it would make a very good perfume and then actually made it, while Denyse wrote a book (The Perfume Lover) that details the original story (and other personal stories), the process of making Seville A L'Aube and some history of perfume generally.  I'm not going to repeat the story here; you can read it from the extract of The Perfume Lover on Denyse's blog, Grain De Musc.

Seville A L'Aube is an oriental orange blossom fragrance. The main notes are orange blossom and incense, with petitgrain, beeswax, luisieri lavender and jasmine. It opens on a green and fresh note from the petitgrain and luisieri lavender, then the orange blossom takes centre stage with a warm musky floral skin-but-better heart, and finally the incense is quite soft and gentle (the ghost of incense that has been burnt, rather than a still burning censer).

I found the luisieri lavender note very interesting. It is very green and almost balsamic - it's not a sweet and powdery lavender, it has a darkness and slight bitterness to it. Betrand Duchaufour had some of the individual ingredients (are they called ingredients in perfume?) at the blogger event and when I sniffed a little of the lavender on its own, I fell in love with it. It's dark, syrupy and sharp all at once - like shadow lavender. This was the note that made the orange blossom and incense play well instead of being altogether too much together. The overall effect is warm, beautiful and refined, which is interesting as the story that inspired it is quite racy!

Seville A L'Aube has strong sillage and it lasts all day on my skin. I'm used to the more gentle sillage of all natural perfumes these days, so I actually find it a little too strong sometimes for my personal preference (and acute sense of smell) if I apply more than one or two sprays. If you expect your perfume to last well, Seville A L'Aube will not disappoint, and it's not overly heavy, it's just intense and long lasting.

Compared to Jo Malone Orange Blossom, Seville A L'Aube is less aquatic and more complex. Compared to Andy Tauer's Orange Star, Seville A L'Aube has less bitterness/zestiness, is more smooth and more instantly accessible/wearable (I love Orange Star but it is weird).

Available from the Covent Garden L'Artisan Parfumeur shop and online from www.artisanparfumeur.com this costs £88 for 100ml. I hope this makes it as part of the permanent line up, as it is lovely.

Disclosure: sample.

Chantecaille Faux Cils Longest Lash

If I'd known how much this mascara cost before I bought it, I probably wouldn't have. The 'How the heck much?!' moment at the till was in respect of the £55 price tag (it's actually £60, but I had a £5 NDulge reward, which obviously makes all the difference). I won't be buying (m)any other colour cosmetics this month.

With the price out of the way, this is a really good mascara. It lengthens quite dramatically and doesn't clump. I don't find it overly thickening, but I don't like piled on mascara so it's likely that a more dramatic effect is possible with more coats. It does not weigh down a curl, doesn't feel crunchy, doesn't flake and removes easily with my usual makeup remover/cleanser. I also like the shape of the brush:

Not too wide, not too tapered (I don't like christmas tree mascara brushes) and densely packed. I was trying to decide between the Chantecaille Faux Cils and the By Terry Terrybly mascara, and it was the brush that decided it (obviously I was unaware of the thirty quid price difference between the two at the time.) Both formulae claim to build stronger lashes; if you're in your twenties or early thirties you probably don't need this sort of thing, but as you age the lashes, like your hair and skin, do get drier. I've only been using this for a week, but my lashes do seem to be more flexible and in better condition even after removing my makeup. It claims to make natural lashes look longer and fuller after two weeks.

Before applying (after curling lashes).

With mascara applied (I didn't do any extra curling between the two pictures - the extra lift is from the mascara.)

I'm quite torn, because I do like this mascara, but the £60 price tag is obscene. I will enjoy using it, but will probably try the Terrybly one when I next need to change my mascara.

Similar mascaras I've tried: Lancome Hypnose Precious Cells gives a similar effect, but I'd rather buy from an independent line than a L'Oreal one, and the Lancome smudged more.

I found I rarely bothered with the serum from the Sue Devitt Lash Intensifier and Lengthening Mascara, and the formula of the mascara itself dried out a bit too quickly for my liking.

Kjaer Weis Lovely Cream Blush

Receiving my first Kjaer Weis products for my birthday in July inevitably led to buying a couple more for myself. One of my purchases was Lovely, a cooler pink cream blush, released with Goddess Lip Tint and Divine Eyeshadow last autumn. In both pictures, Lovely is on the left and Blossoming on the right.

Swatched - they are quite similar, but Lovely has a cooler, clearer pink tone and is a touch brighter than Blossoming. On my skin, Lovely gives a cooler flush, Blossoming a more neutral rosy glow.

I like both very much; you probably don't need both, unless like me you want two pink blushes to tone with cooler red/pink lipsticks and more neutral/coral reds respectively. The texture of the Kjaer Weis cream blushes is excellent; they give good colour, don't feel sticky, blend well and last well without fading.

I purchased this (and a couple of other things, including Goddess Lip Tint) from www.slowfashionhouse.com. Delivery was extremely fast and efficient.

Beauty Spotlight Team 04 August

The Pink Sith shows you the next in her series of Highlighters You Can't Have but this time you have a chance to win this coveted and discontinued beauty. See? She's not all bad!

 All You Magazine has released their "Best Beauty Buys" Winners! Pammy Blogs Beauty is reviewing some items and giving away an assortment of winning products! Come check it out!

Planning a holiday and need a travel kit, Visionary Beauty looks at the Essentials Set from Omorovicza.

Modesty Brown shares her current skin care routine.

The much sought after Chanel Fleur de Lotus Collection has made it's way all the way from Asia to the U.S.! This Nordstrom exclusive has a lot to love, but Prime Beauty, thinks the star of the show is the lovely Fleur de Lotus Joues Contraste Blush!

Have you been wanting to try the new summer blues on your nails but couldn't get up the nerve? Never fear! Shannon from Lipstick Musings has found the perfect pastel in Julep's nail lacquer in Amy! 

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed is already thinking fall - and with amazing colours from the fall Dior collection, how can she not? Check our her swatches and see if you're ready to ditch summer!

London Makeup Girl loves finding independent, home grown brands. Read about Soapsmith, a London based and themed bath and body company in her post this week.

Paula, from Older Girl Beauty, got big waves with her new Sedu 38mm Clipless Curling Iron and is giving one away to a reader to try for themselves.

Have you been debating Dior Fall? Beauty Info Zone has a palette that will push you over the edge. Go to the Golden Savannah to see what you are missing.

Perilously Pale finally finds a skin care regime that performs with Somme Institute.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic liked the way Revlon Overtime Mascara worked, but did it last for 24 hours?

Soapsmith - London soaps and other good things

Soapsmith is a company based in East London making soaps and other bath and body products in scents that are inspired by and named for areas of London. Each of the different scents has a map of the area that inspired it on the label.

I love the concept and the packaging (it reminds me of the Ben Aaronovitch Peter Grant book covers - these books are great if you haven't read them).  Happily, the products inside them live up to the promise of the idea; the scents are beautiful and the products themselves are great quality (and at very good prices.)

Lavender Hill is a fresh and pretty lavender/jasmine blend. It works well in the body wash and lotion, but my favourite product in this scent that I was sent is the Bath Soak. This is a blend of coconut milk and oat powders with epsom and sea salts, and it is soothing and relaxing. If you like baths, this is a must-try.

I was also really impressed by the Body Butter Melt in Camden Town. This is a solid body balm (made from shea, mango and cocoa butters) which is good for very dry skin. Camden Town is a blend of coconut, bergamot and subtle musk; the bergamot adds freshness and this isn't a too-sweet coconut scent.

The cold pressed soaps are very good too; Limehouse, a lemongrass/lime/litsea blend, is a perfect kitchen soap for washing hands (I don't like floral soaps in the kitchen).

More details of the products can be found at www.soapsmith.com. I wish they sold the products through the website and I think they'd do well somewhere like Zuneta too, but at the moment you can only buy online through Jarrold's department store here: Jarrold Soapsmith (they have a small selection of the products) or through Roullier White: Roullier White Soapsmith (soaps only). The products are stocked at Harrods in London, and will be in Selfridges from October. If you're near Harrods, these would be a great memento of a trip to London.

The products are priced from £6.50 (the soaps) to £12.

Disclosure: PR samples.

Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil in Stormy Grey

I like grey eyeliner; it's softer than black and is a good alternative when a brown eyeliner is too brown/warm if you are specifically looking for a cool/neutral eyeliner.

Laura Mercier Kohl Eyeliner Pencils are very soft and smudgeable, and good for the type of soft definition I prefer. You can't get a very precise line with these and they do smudge even when you might not intend them to, so I wouldn't recommend if you want a sharp line.

Comparison with a couple of other grey eyeliners I own: left Laura Mercier Stormy Grey kohl pencil, centre NARS London eyeliner pencil, right NARS Madison Avenue larger than life longwear eyeliner.

Stormy Grey is darker than London and has a little sheen (London is a flat cream finish). Madison Avenue is much bluer-toned, and is impossible to blend out. I don't like the NARS Larger than Life eyeliner formula at all - I much prefer the softer, smudgier Laura Mercier and the original NARS eyeliner formula. I do like to smudge pencil eyeliner though.

Laura Mercier Stormy Grey applied, no other eye makeup in this picture.

Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencils are £15.50 each.