Rococo's Gold Leaf Nail Apparel

This season everything dark, dark and glamorous, so think Baroque and think Gothic. Think elaborate lace and velvet with more than a hint of brocade and then think gold over black, like we're seeing from Dolce & Gabbana.

Source - Dolce & Gabbana Facebook Page

If you fancy a bit of that luxe look then you'll be needing Rococo's Gold Leaf on your manicure.

Literally what it sounds like, gold leaf in a clear polish. That's 24 karat gold there and in each bottle is 1 karat which is why this is a not very cheap £35...but oh its so worth it. This is decadent and beautiful.

I've put this on over Chanel Blue Satin to show it off fully...

Really gorgeous but before I did a full manicure I had a quick swipe over my bare nails and I think that'll be my next manicure as I love the simplicity of this.

I won't lie I did struggle to get it out of the bottle and onto my nails a bit, but I got there with a bit of patience and am confident next time I'll be quicker.

Gorgeous and very very decadent. Available from Space NK and Cult Beauty.

*Disclosure - PR Sample*

Brenda Anvari Skincare

I recently posted about a couple of beautiful Brenda Anvari skin care products I was using, the Skin Tonic and the Skin Serum. Those two items have made a massive difference to my skin, seriously, dehydrated skin? What dehydrated skin? So I've now added a few more products to my weekly and daily skin routines.

I recently went along to Visage House for a Deep Pore Cleansing Facial which was superb. I have raved before about the experience at Visage House and this occasion was no different, with the exception that on this occasion I was treated by Brenda Anvari herself. Not only was my skin treated to a very excellent and effective facial but I was able to pick Brenda's brains to get the benefit of her many years of expertise in the skincare industry.

I have learned that since using the Skin Tonic and Skin Serum twice daily since my last visit I have managed to stop my skin being dehydrated which is in itself a revelation. I've learned a lot about the little bumps on my face (which is why I was there). A huge amount of those little bumps on my face have now been removed, a few remain, particularly on my chin, which Brenda was unable to work so thoroughly on as I was having a break out at the time of my appointment and squeezing and digging around in infected spots is a strict no no.

At Visage House there are four Face Treatments ranging from 45 mins to 1hr 45 mins, each is tailored to the individual. Prices range from £50 to £89 and if you are in the local area (Exeter) I highly recommend.

After my Face Treatment I was sent off with three new products to add into my daily and weekly regime and much like the Skin Tonic and Skin Serum, these are absolutely fabulous and my skin is really starting to show  the difference now I believe.

The Cleansing Milk (£15.95 for 250ml) is beautiful, with Lavender, Grapefruit and Bergamot. It smells out of this world. In the evenings I use this after first using an oil cleanser, and in the mornings I am using this alone. You just massage it in really well before either rinsing off or removing with a tissue or cotton wool. I prefer to  wash away with a muslin as I feel that's most effective, but this is beautifully gentle, but still super effective. I then follow up with the Skin Tonic and the Skin Serum. Morning and night.

Then in addition I have the completely amazing Facial Exfoliating Cleanser (£15.95 for 250ml).

I love this. I love everything about it. I love the herbal scent (rosemary). I love the light creamy texture and I love the amount of scrub it gives... it's perfection. It leaves my skin glowing. If there's one thing I can't stand it's a scrub that's so gentle you can't feel the scrub, but neither is this harsh, it feels like it's working and it leaves my skin glowing. I use this three times a week.

Finally, I'm now using the Intensive Face Mask (£15.95 for 50ml)

For something called Intensive, this is the lightest creamiest  mask ever. It's not one of those that dries on your face like a clay mask, nor is it a peel off mask, this is one of those that dries almost invisible and there are several ways of using it. You can use it as your traditional face mask, apply it and leave it on for 15-30 minutes then remove. Or if your skin is in particular need of saving, you can apply and leave on overnight. Then finally Brenda told me that if you do ever squeeze a spot (tut tut), then apply some of this to it immediately after and leave. The mask replenishes and restore the skin with it's ingredients, Sea Buckthorne Oil That has a rich source of vitamin A and Omega 7 and Bergamot Oil for anti-aging and conditioning. It's truly gorgeous and leaves my skin so smooth and radiant.

My skin is still not perfect, I'm still battling with hormonal spots that never seem to go, but that aside, my skin has never been better. I'm also using a wonderful moisturiser and eye cream which I'll be blogging about very soon, but I credit Visage House and Brenda Anvari for the massive change in my skin. The treatment has cleared out the vast majority of blocked pores (some of which I'm told had been blocked for a long long time) and the products I'm using are helping to stop the pores from getting blocked again. Things are definitely on the up. Each blocked pore is a spot waiting to happen, so to have so many removed really helps me get back to a blank canvas as it were. Now my skin is no longer dehydrated, but is combination, but because it's sensitive that means it could change at any time... so I'm doing my best to look after it.

I cannot recommend Brenda's skincare products highly enough, they are exceptionally well priced considering the expertise and wonderful ingredients that go into them, and they are really effective, without any scientific babble to blind you. Gentle, cruelty free, simple and effective, perfect.

The next step for me on the road to skin recovery is to get the rest of the blocked pores unblocked and then I'm keen to get a facial oil into my routine somewhere. I'm also thinking I might go for a bit of Microdermabrasion at some point but will be taking advice from Brenda as to when she thinks that will be appropriate.

If you're in Devon and you need your skin sorting, get yourself to Visage House for the most luxurious, effective Skin Treatments around. If you're not in Devon but you like the sound of any of the products then you can buy the whole range online along with the beautiful home fragrances and body products.

Postage and Packaging is free if you spend over £50 and that is easily done, especially with Christmas looming, or  it's £6.95 per order.

*Disclosure - Both the products and the treatment were provided to me free of charge*

Clinique Even Better Eyes Review

I have to say I'm loving all the Clinique Even Better products. I'm actually not using this product at the moment because I've had a sample of something else I'm currently trialling but I have had this one for quite some time and used it twice daily.

As a rule I don't actually suffer with dark circles at all, but what I do have is these to dark marks on the outer corners of my eyes... they look like my lower lash eyeliner has smeared outwards, or indeed bruised...either way, I struggle with them a bit as they look a lot like I am pretty bad at applying make up (which I am of course, but not in that way!).

Even Better Eyes is a dark circle corrector. Lots of things can lead to dark circles, age, dehydration, poor circulation and numerous other things and as the skin is so thin there, it can make these circles look even darker.

So then, Even Better Eyes deals with the dark circles by lightening the area of over time with Vitamin C and Mulberry Root. It also protects against irritation and environmental assaults with caffeine and green tea. Then finally it improves structural support.

If that isn't enough for you then there's some instant brightening effects with "optic technology". Oh and lastly, the applicator is designed to fit under the eye and deliver a massage as you apply your product which in turn helps improve microcirculation and break up congestion.

It's a great product, as I would expect. My dark marks didn't disappear altogether, but they certainly diminished quite a lot while using this product. I was impressed. It also is worth mentioning the texture, it's very lightweight and absorbs quickly, oh and it's oil free too.

I personally probably wouldn't keep using this, as I feel dark circles isn't really one of my many concerns, but I know it is an incredibly common concern, if it's one of yours, I'd highly recommend this product. Available now and priced at £28, this stuff really works.

*Disclosure - PR Sample*

Molton Brown Valbonne

This is my first experience of a Molton Brown fragrance. I just have a little sample vial but my gosh this is one of those perfumes so perfect I'm saving that little vial for best. Which means I'll very rarely get round to wearing it but I'm too poor to buy a bottle right now.

This is for me, perfume perfection. I like a lot of perfumes, I even love quite a few, but this...this is my absolute favourite perfume EVER.

Okay so Valbonne is the latest addition to the Navigations Through Scent collection. Each scent takes its inspiration from the origins of perfume and the ancient trade routes with Valbonne landing in the global capital of perfume, Grasse, in the Provencal region of France. Forgive me, I'm borrowing heavily from the press release here, writing about perfumes is my definite weak point...

Inspired by the leather tanning origins of the town and its historic association with perfume making, this perfume is a floral scent (orange flower, bergamot, mimosa, rose and orris) with rich and heavy base notes of vetyver and leather.

The leather notes are very apparent in this and its perfume perfection to me. It's unusual, it's rich, it's perfect for the season and I love love love the  explanation from Jennifer Jambon (Molton Brown's Principle Perfumer):

"The old Gantier perfumers were renowned for the way they infused leather with local flowers and essential oils to create fashionable and luxurious scented gloves. In Valbonne we we have created a modern version of this traditional fragrance - starting with bergamot and orange flower, the scent combines with a floral heart made  up of orris, rose, jasmine and mimosa from Grasse. The Intense, woody base note is of leather with a hint of vetyyver, which balances the overall fragrance to make it unisex"

Truly a fragrance that has won my heart. I'm in that awkward position of wondering whether I should sell a child or not... ;) I am also loving the sound of Londinium from the same range, along with Apuldre and Singosari.

Dior Christmas Look - Grand Bal

Yet another stunning Christmas collection I feel I must share with you. This one by Dior is wonderfully festive and of course inspired by Dior's Grand Ball. There isn't a thing in this collection I wouldn't be delighted to own.

The star of the collection is the amazing Grand Bal Palette. A hefty £60,  this is stunning. Two eyeshadows, two glosses and a black liner. Beautiful.

My favourite things are the lashes.... so stunning. £19.

Then there are four Diorific Vernis, £20 each, Top to bottom are Marilyn, Diva, Diorling and Lady. I would particularly like Lady and Diva.

 Then there are four Diorific Lipsticks, Diorling, Diva, Lad and Marilyn, each a different shade of red. £25 each.

There are two  5 Couleurs Eyeshadow Palettes, in Night Golds and Fairy Golds. Both £40 each. I'll take both please!

Finally there are two Dior Addict Ultra Gloss, a gold and a red, £21 Each, Lame Gold and Ceremony Red.

Finally, there's a Loose Powder in Gold Dust...I'd love this but in reality I don't have any excuses to wear such a beautiful product. £31.50, I don't have an image for that one sadly.

A truly truly glamorous collections with they palettes and lashes really appealling. To me, this collection screams Christmas party.  Beautiful!

Halloween at Lush - Twilight Shower Gel

Ah... I said it very recently and I'm saying it again... I'm falling back in love again with Lush. I'm loving a variety of things at the moment but the Halloween Shower Gel, Twilight is a beaut!

An iridescent darkest purple gel, aptly named, as this is the shower gel you want to use before you hit the hay.

This is s strange combination of lavender and malt. It doesn't sound like something that should ever work, but it really does.

I have no idea what those malt notes are, but there's a whole host of lavender which I adore, then tonka for a vanillary hit and a bit of balsamic there too.

The weird thing about his is how the scents "perform" for me. When I pour out the gel, into my hand or onto my sponge, I am hit with a sort of cinder toffee scent, lush and edible, but as soon as the gel hits water/my body, its the lavender and then the lavender is pretty much all I get. Its unusual but beautiful. But I'm a massive lavender fan. The lavender is tempered by the other ingredients for sure but there's no denying that the main scent is lavender. Beautiful. The small bottle is 100g and £4.25, the other bottles are £8.50 (250ml) and £14.95 for 500ml.

The other halloween offerings this year are Calacas Shower Jelly £2.35

A bright green sugar skull jelly for washing your bits with  and scented with lime and jelly bean (yes please!).

And finally The Enchanter Ballistic £3.20

A bright orange ballistic scented with lime and neroli.

I'm keen to pick up a Calacas before they disappear!

If any of these take your fancy, grab them fast!!

Available from Lush of course!

*Disclosure - PR Sample*

Liz Earle Signature Foundation Review

I feel very fortunate to have been able to try this out. At long last here is the new Liz Earle Signature Foundation (£21) and the foundation brush (£18).

 The Signature Foundation is available in nine shades which cover most skin tones but I doubt if all are covered, but still, it's not a bad colour range. It's a beautiful texture which should give an smooth and radiant finish, without shine and it's also buildable, something that's quite important to me since my skin changes so much so often! One day I want a lighter coverage, the next I've broken out and need a heavier coverage. This does do a pretty good job on both counts.

I was sent shade 2, Ivory. It's nearly perfect. Not quite, it's a little too yellowy for my skintone but its not too much of a problem.

On my skin it looks absolutely lovely on application, very natural, and I find myself reaching for it quite often...

But I find it doesn't wear too well on me over the course of the day. I find it goes quite patchy and because the colour isn't quite right I feel the patches are fairly obvious. If you enlarge the next picture to actual size I think you'll see what I mean, my forehead is patchy, my cheeks are patchy, my top lip is patchy...

Such a shame. I think the foundation really looks good on my skin and it feels beautiful. I'm fairly sure this is just my tricky skin making my life difficult as usual as I've read great reviews on it. I like it and I want to love it, but I think it's just not right for me sadly.

I must just say a couple of things... I love this swatch chart with all of Liz Earle's colour cosmetics on it...

..but don't use it to actually try and guess what colour you actually are... as you see, shade 2 on my hand bears no resemblance to the colour chart. That said the descriptions on the Liz Earle site are actually good and pretty useful so instead of looking at the pictures, read the colour descriptions.

Anyway, this isn't for me sadly, it just doesn't last well enough and the bottle I have isn't quite the right shade. But I have no doubt that this will be holy grail stuff for a lot of people.

As for the foundation brush, the traditional foundation brush shape isn't my preferred method of application, I prefer a flat top brush to buff in, but I have used this for review purposes and find it to be pretty good, with a range of my foundations actually. I still prefer a flat top to buff in, but this works very well, doesn't leave me streaky, doesn't seem to waste too much product either. Jolly good!

You can buy online at http://uk.lizearle.com as usual, or of course visit your nearest counter which I'd recommend when buying foundation.

*Disclosure - PR Sample*

St Ives Scrubs

Oh I do love a good scrub. I have a few on rotation that I'm currently loving, two of which are these:

First up the Elements Warming Scrub. It warms gently on contact with water, ingredients include sunflower and camomile and Sunflower to soothe and sugar and jojoba beads to exfoliate, leaves my skin glowing I have to say and it's a very budget friendly £5.10, perfect for the winter months to get your glow on.

The other item up there is a St Ives Classic, Invigorating Apricot Scrub. What can I say, it's a bargain price of £3.99. Leaves my skin soft and beautiful. It's not quite my favourite scrub out of all the ones I am using but it's a budget favourite.  Nice amount of scrub without being too harsh (for my tastes) and well worth keeping in the bathroom.

I am having a massive flashback to some amazing St Ives Shampoo and conditioner I used to absolutely love. A quick google would seem to suggest they don't make shampoos any more though. :(

The St Ives range is available from Superdrug.

*Disclosure - PR Samples*

YSL Northern Lights for Christmas

All the Christmas collections are killing me at the moment. Why oh why do I have no money?

YSL's offerings for the festive season are no exception. Inspired by the magical aurora borealis this is an absolute dream of a collection for those who love shimmer, light and duo (multi) chrome effects.

Here are a just a few of the beautiful offerings. I'll take one of each please!


Blush Radiance No8. £31. There is another shade but this is the one I'd like. Beautiful, especially when teamed with the other products in this small collection

Be still my beating heart, this is the La Laque Couture Top Coat in premiere Neige. I'll take three please. £18.

Then there are the two Pure Chromatics Palettes, Boreal Palette Arctic Night and Boreal Palette in Polar Night. They come in sequinned pouches and it's the left one that calls my name. It's beautiful. £39

Then there's the Boreal Palette Polar Night, which is a highlighter. Obviously with the the other products, to get the ice princess look, I'd need this one too ;) £39.50

 Finally, Golden Gloss in No 55 and No 56. Screaming Aurora Borealis to me. Naturally I need both of these. £22.

Absolutely stunning collection. Wonderfully festive. I covet it all.

Lush Blousey Shampoo

It's Friday night (at the time of writing), I'm just sat here catching up on some of my recorded telly, drinking coffee, playing stupid Facebook games and I've just realised I am stroking my hair like I have OCD....with a few more sniffs of my hair than is strictly sane looking...it occurred to me that I could be doing something more constructive, so here I am writing about the Lush shampoo I'm currently loving.

Blousey is a new addition to Lush's hair care range and is a banana based shampoo.

Before I discuss it in more detail I just want to say I think Lush are really upping their game at the moment. For the first time in over a year I've just been on the site and filled a fantasy shopping basket. I can actually only afford to buy a couple of things but let me tell you, it's been a long time since I've wanted to treat myself to a load of products. But anyway, I digress. Blousey is, as I say, a banana based shampoo, for damaged, bleached or fragile hair and in particular, coloured hair.

Lush and I don't have a good relationship when it comes to to their shampoos and conditioners, one of the lovely lovely staff in my local store (hello Izzy!) has spent years making it her personal mission to find something that works for me, to no avail. Some of the products work for the first week or two, before slowly but surely turning my hair to straw. Blousey has not done this and is in fact my new shampoo love.

I have to admit, it's not the most visually appealing shampoo in the world...

It's made with lots of bananas, cocoa butter and cupuacu butter (I don't know what that is!), those ingredients make it nice and moisturising. Then there's cloves, star anise and pimento to add shine. And the scent... well it's not banana as you might expect, it's rose, blackcurrant, rosemary and juniperberry. The scent is fairly powerful, but it doesn't linger for ages, but I do love it.

So thank you Lush, I love this! Now you've just got to find me a conditioner! I'm pinning my hopes on Happy Happy Joy Joy or Big Solid Conditioner.

This is a lovely lovely shampoo and as someone who doesn't usually get on with Lush shampoo's I can wholeheartedly recommend this one.

Only downside is the price, which is £18 for 240g. I can't see me buying it as regularly as I would like so will be saving this for special ;)

*Disclosure - PR Sample*