Best of Black Friday Beauty & Style

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Head spinning at all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers? Yep, mine too. I’ve spent hours wading through (and being tempted by) them and here are my Top Picks - all things I’d love regardless, so the fact that they’re on offer is a true bonus. I’ve included some style picks that were too good not to share!

BENEFIT I’M GLAM THEREFORE I AM: SAVE ALMOST £10

This gorgeous make-up kit includes 4x eye shadows, a blush, highlighter, mascara and lipgloss in really flattering, wearable shades. I think these Benefit kits offer brilliant value even at full price and this will go fast - great gift idea!

Benefit I’m Glam Therefore I am, £19.68 (RRP £29.50)

 sANCTUARY SPA BOX DELIGHTS

SANCTUARY SPA BOX OF DELIGHTS: HALF PRICE

I really rate Sanctuary body products and have used them for years. Packed with enough treats for at least six months, this beautifully presented gift set would spoil one lucky person - or could be split it up for stocking fillers!

Sanctuary Spa Box of Delights, £22 (RRP £45)

Smashbox-mini-best-sellers-kit

SMASHBOX MINI BEST SELLERS: HALF PRICE

When I featured Smashbox Primer recently, lots of you were interested in trying it - and here’s your chance! This kit includes the original Photo Finish Foundation Primer, Photo Finish Eye Primer (liking the sound of that!) and Full Exposure Mascara.

Smashbox Mini Best Sellers Kit, £14.50 (RRP £30)

 

Hand-Chemistry-winter-moisture-bundle 

HAND CHEMISTRY: 3 FOR PRICE OF 1

A recent brand discovery that I hadn’t yet shared and one that I’m blown away by… you all know how obsessive I am about hand creams and after using this trio I’m completely WOWed. I noticed a difference in the texture of skin on the back of my hands within days. I know that sounds mad - I was pretty shocked too - but then the products did come recommended by people whose opinion I totally trust (British Beauty Blogger + Kenneth Soh, you were right again!). I’ve been using the Hyaluronic Concentrate (aka supersonic moisture in a pump bottle) all over my body and it’s just amazing - my skin practically hoovers it up.

Intense Youth Complex hand cream targets 8 signs of ageing; Hyaluronic Rich Hydrator gives deep above + below surface hydration in very cold weather and Hyaluronic Concentrate provides supersonic levels of hyaluronic acid, nature’s mega hydrator for smoother, plumped skin on the hands and body (trying mine on my face next!).

Hand Chemistry Winter Moisture Bundle, £20 (rrp £54)

Pai-Pure-Hydration

PAI PURE HYDRATION: £90 OF FREE PRODUCT WITH STARTER KIT

Pai was one of the first skincare ranges I discovered and fell in love via my blog and I’ve had several products in my stash ever since. Created to meet the needs of the most sensitive skins, it’s one I turn to when my skin is feeling fragile or overworked - and the skincare brand I always recommend with total confidence that whoever uses it will love it too.  Kits are available for all skin types - I was torn between this and the Instant Calm range and wouldn’t hesitate to try either.

In the Kit: Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser, Organic Muslin Cloth, Lotus & Orange Blossom BioAffinity Skin Tonic, Avocado & Jojoba Hydrating Day Cream

FREE Extras (all full sized, with RRP fyi): Wild Oat & Sea Aster Instant Calm Redness Serum £42.00, Echium & Argan Gentle Eye Cream £28.00, Kukui & Jojoba Bead Skin Brightening Exfoliator £20.00

Pai Starter Kit (inc £90 worth of free bonus products), £75

 

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PHILIPS SONICARE DIAMONDCLEAN: SAVE £150

This is about as glam as tooth brushing gets and I really want one. Not just a pretty face, it’s the No1 recommended sonic toothbrush brand by dental professionals worldwide, promises 100% more plaque removal and whiter teeth in one week.

Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Rechargeable Toothbrush, £99.99 (RRP £249.99!)

 

Sensationail-Boots-Deluxe-Home-Gel-Nail-Kit

SENSATIONAIL DELUXE GEL STARTER KIT: HALF PRICE

My favourite beauty gadget… this home gel polish kit by Nailene contains everything you need for 20 professional quality manicures that last around 2 weeks. If you missed this last time it was on offer, now’s your chance!

SensatioNail Deluxe Gel Starter Kit, £50 (RRP £110)

 

 Liz Earle set

LIZ EARLE: 20% OFF TOP SELLERS HERE

This skincare duo includes Liz Earle’s No1 product, Cleanse & Polish with a bottle of Instant Boost Skin Tonic, which is my favourite from the range! The 20% discount offer ends midnight tonight (Fri 28 Nov).

Liz Earle Beautiful Skin Duo, £22.40 (RRP £28)

 

STYLE: DAYWEAR

Urban-Outfitters-Lee-sequin-blue-black-plaid-shirt Overdyed-blue-tartan-shirt-Urban-Outfitters

URBAN OUTFITTERS: UP TO 50% OFF HERE

I’ve been after a blue plaid shirt for months… throw in a few sequins and I’m sold: Lee blue/black sequin plaid shirt £52.50 (RRP £75). The deep Prussian blue (& lower pricetag) of the overdyed one is also luring me: Overdyed tartan flannel shirt £21 (RRP £30)

 

fluffy beaniegrey hat 

I’m on a Hat Hunt and torn between the cuteness of this fluffy beanie and super stylish 100% wool felt hat, which I know would take more oomph to wear (probably giving me some in the process!). I’m liking the grey, which seems more relaxed and wearable than the usual black.

Black Cable Knit beanie, £20 (RRP £40), Grey Bollman Wool Hat, £30 (RRP £60)

 

STYLE: EVENING

Boden-jewelled-gold-pump Day Birger night twirl Gunmetal-Cross-body-bag Boden-black-jewelled-heels

BODEN: 30% OFF EVERYTHING WITH CODE F4V7 HERE | ATTERLEY ROAD UP TO 75% OFF SLECTED (FRI) & 25% OFF EVERYTHING (MON) HERE

With party season approaching, no doubt I’m not the only one thinking ‘what to wear?!’ This Gunmetal bag, £24.50 (RRP £35) is calling me in (total magpie, can you tell?). I think it would tone in well with the gold jewelled flats and jeans for daywear or a little black dress and the black jewelled heels for evening.

The real star of the show from all my finds is this beautiful Day Birger et Mikkelsen black lace top, £35 (RRP £140) which I’ve had my eye on for weeks and CAN NOT believe the reduction (yep, I’ve already ordered it, so excited!). Also comes in an equally pretty short sleeved version.

 

DON’T MISS…

Johnlewis.com - 10% off Beauty, 20% off handbags (inc some premium) & more

HouseofFraser.co.uk - 10% off Beauty, up to 40% off across the site

Selfridges.com - 20% off online with code SELF14 (til Sun)

Feelunique.com - 15% off beauty all weekend with code CYBER15

CultBeauty.co.uk - up to £75 off (codes on site)

Topshop.com - up to 50% off + free delivery

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Morning Skincare Routine: Winter

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The temperature has dropped, the heat is on, I’m spending more time indoors - and my skin is feeling it. Some products which previously made my skin feel good now leave it feeling slightly tight. I’m always prone to dehydration but dry patches creep in too at this time of year, more on my body but also on my face. I tweeted yesterday about dry patches around my eyes and it seems lots of you are experiencing the same (La Rochy Posay Cicaplast Baume has almost cleared that up already, thanks to Andrea for suggesting I try this - already had it but didn’t think to use it on my face).

My current picks feature creamy textures, lots of moisture, oils and serums. I’ll do a separate post on my evening routine, but here’s what I’ve been reaching for each morning.

1. CLEANSE: Clarins Extra Comfort Cleansing Cream is a creamy rinse-off formula which is fast and easy to use. It removes any overnight grime, while feeding my skin with moringa, mango and shea butter, leaving it soft and comfortable.

2. HYDRATE: A spritz of Uriage Eau Thermale all over my face and upper body helps put back some of the post-shower moisture and feels so soothing. I often double up with an extra layer of moisture on my face by splashing on my favourite face quencher, Bobbi Brown Extra Treatment Lotion. I alternate this with La Roche Posay Pigmentclar Serum, a lightweight hydrating lotion with gentle exfoliating properties for a more even skintone. 

3. NOURISH: Not gonna lie, the refreshing scent is a big part of my attraction to Yes to Cucumbers Daily Calming moisturiser for sensitive skin. Thankfully the texture is really lovely too and it makes the most gorgeous base for make-up. (Very happy to hear that this range will soon be available in my local Gordon’s Chemist.) La Roche Posay’s new Pigmentclar Eyes is a recent addition to instantly illuminate while decreasing the appearance of dark circles over time, all via a cooling metal applicator. While I’m not expecting to ditch the concealer any time soon, this is very pleasant to use.

Sounds a lot, but honestly takes about 3 minutes. My evening routine is a bit more intensive, coming soon…

Do you change your routine in Winter?

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NEOM Focus the Mind & Candle Tips

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Scent has always been important to me - from perfume and candles to fresh flowers and cooking food - even something as simple as a shampoo that brings back memories. I love to be surrounded by beautiful smells that have a positive effect on my experiences. The whaft of brewing coffee or lighting a fragranced candle when I’m feeling under par can elevate me from feeling a bit blah to a much more contented place (chocolate helps too).

The last couple of weeks have been pretty full-on due to work deadlines and extra long hours. When I reached the point where it all felt a bit too much (may have happened more than once!) NEOM’s Focus the Mind candle gave me some much needed respite. It contains 13 pure essential oils with pine, eucalyptus and cedarwood to help boost energy and concentration, which my flagging brain definitely needed!

“Pine has long been used to help attain mental clarity and instil a sense of peace, along with eucalyptus and cedarwood, which are known to help with colds and boost the immune system.”

Not to be confused with the smell of naff pine bubble bath from childhood, this scent actually smells like walking through a pine forest - you know that heady ‘feels good to be alive’ kind of smell?

 

CANDLE BURNING TIPS

I asked NEOM founder, Nicola Elliot ,for a few tips on making the most of our candles this Winter…

  • A Neom candle emits the most effective therapeutic scent once it has been burnt between 2-4 hours.
  • It's important to trim the wicks of the candles regularly (usually just the black tip after it has cooled down), as this will mean your candle will continue to burn evenly. 
  • To intensify the treatment results, use alongside the corresponding reed diffuser which will provide a continual flow of therapeutic scent.

And a few tips of my own…

  • Don’t set candles too close to a wall - or in my case, on the fireplace - to avoid smoke stains (hence my newly blue wall above!)
  • The first time you light a candle, keep it lit for two hours+ for an even burn
  • Stop lighting your candle once it’s almost burnt out - don’t be tempted to use up the last couple of mm. In the last few months I’ve had one candle in a tin go up in flames and one in a glass jar smash - pretty scary & presumably due to overheating (nb neither were NEOM).

NEWSFLASH: I’ve just heard that NEOM’s first store opens in Wimbledon Village, London this week! Set to become the hub of Neom Wellbeing Club, it will host tutorials and talks from fitness, nutrition and mindfulness experts. If you’re in London, get £15 off your first purchase of £60+ by quoting the code ‘WIMBLE14’ in-store.

Neom Focus the Mind candle, £30 with free delivery

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How I curl my hair with ghds

GHD-Bird-of-Paradise-purple GHD-Bird-of-Paradise-purple- 

I’m late to the ghd party. My friends were gobsmacked to hear that I’d never tried them, so I made it my mission to find out what the fuss what all about and finally, I get it. I’ve been using the Bird of Paradise V Sunset ghds with a metallic pink/purple ombre effect, glittery plates and matching heatproof mat that doubles up as a carry case. This limited edition set is definitely the prettiest I’ve seen... the actual irons are very slim with curved edges, perfect for curling.

Please excuse the mix of hair lengths and colour as I had to take the pics over a number of weeks. (I’d planned to share my findings sooner but was gutted to realise my pics were among hundreds of others I lost recently, so this is round 2: looks re-done - and breathe…)

I haven’t watched many ghd tutorials, so was making things up as I went along, but one tip from a friend stuck in my head and proved the most useful. The process of curling your hair with irons is a bit like curling ribbon with scissors - grip section of hair where you want the curl to start, twist the iron around the hair and pull it out twisting downwards. I discovered that pulling the iron down vertically gave me a more relaxed curl with straighter ends, while using it horizontally gave more traditional, curling wand style curls. You can see me twisting it vertically in the first pic below.

Very importantly for fellow frizzy haired girls, I had to smooth my hair before I started this whole process. I basically just blow dried it with the nozzle pointing down and smoothed through quickly with a brush, no major precision here, but for me there’s no point curling the ends and leaving the top full of fuzz - it kinda spoils the overall look. Starting this process with naturally smooth/straight/silky hair would be a whole lot easier. My hair is naturally wavy, frizzy, fine on top and coarse underneath. Truly blessed I know.

CASUAL CURLS / WAVY DAYTIME LOOK

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I wasn’t hugely methodical in the casual curl process, just gripped random small sections and twisted the hair down vertically, curling ribbon style, occasionally changing direction. I’ve shown a close up of a single curl, next to an undone section of hair and the last pic is the final look. One side of my hair (your right) takes a curl better, which makes things look a bit uneven, but I wasn’t aiming for Shirley Templeness, so that’s ok… it adds to the natural effect. 

CURLY CURLS / EVENING LOOK

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{This gorgeous necklace was a gift from my lovely friend & fellow blogger, Avril, available from her shop here}

This look was more about traditional curls with rounded, bouncy ends. I sectioned my hair with a butterfly clip, styling the under sections first to make sure I didn’t miss any bits, then followed a similar process to the casual curls. I blow dried my hair smooth and used the ribbon-curling method - this time holding and twisting the ghds horizontally for a rounder, more distinct curl. Once the curls cooled, I ran my fingers through them to break them up a bit for a more natural look, then went in with the styling products.

STYLING TOOLKIT

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Not gonna lie - I’m a bit paranoid about ruining my hair with this onslaught of high temperatures - my locks are very heat sensitive and I’ve had to abandon the use of tongs in the past (partly why I’ve avoided ghds for so long), so I’m very careful to do everything I can to protect. Here’s how….

First up, a double dose of protection: I start by spritzing on Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence through the mid lengths to ends - I had to have this as soon as I heard it described as spray-on Elasticizer - strengthening as it protects from heat/ UV damage and importantly for me, detangling! Once brushed through I go in with ghd Heat Protect Spray, a long term favourite to reduce heat damage, I use this daily and love how it sprays in such a fine, even mist.

Once I’ve finished styling and my curls have cooled, I smooth through the ends with L’Oreal Expert Sealing Repair serum. This comes out in a cool double pump; half oil, half cream and is brilliant for smoothing, de-frizzing and defining curls without weighing them down. I’m a bit obsessed with this range at the moment, especially the Absolute Repair mask, highly recommended for dry/damaged hair in need of tlc.

I use a light misting of Aveda Pure Abundance Volumizing Hair Spray to hold everything in place. I normally hate hair spray, but this one smells so good and doesn’t leave my hair tacky or stiff… maybe it’s extra lightweight because of the volumising element, but it does work well on curls.

My lipstick in the last pic is Clarins Rouge Eclat Pink Magnolia - my lips are loving the creamy formula of these lipsticks though my favourite shade is the slightly peachier Strawberry Sorbet

Have you tried curling your hair with straighteners? I tend to switch things up depending on the occasion, what kind of curl I’m going for and how much time I have. Actually it’s mostly about the latter! If you’d like to see how I curl my hair with other styling tools, let me know in the comments below, leave a message on my Facebook page or email me at strawberryblondebeauty@gmail.com

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Jo Malone Christmas Collection 2014

JML Christmas Cracker

I always look forward to the Jo Malone Christmas Collection and this year’s is the best I’ve seen... I can’t believe how much of it has sold out already and it’s not even December. Clearly everyone is is much more organised than me! Here are my Top Picks, starting with the always popular cracker I’d most like to pull…

Jo Malone Chistmas Cracker, £32

Lime Basil & Mandarin Cologne 9ml Blackberry & Bay Body &  Hand Wash 15ml Nectarine Blossom & Honey Body Crème 15ml

This is already sold out in most online stores, so don’t hang around if you want to pick one up!

JML Cologne Collection 

Jo Malone Cologne Collection, £68

9ml Colognes: Lime Basil & Mandarin | Blackberry & Bay | Peony & Blush Suede |  Amber & Lavender | Wood Sage & Sea Salt

This is my personal top pick, which I’m tempted to treat myself to! I love every single one of these scents - the perfect gift for anyone who like to switch up their scent as often as I do.

JML Travel Candle Collection

Jo Malone Travel Candle Collection, £62

Pomegranate Noir, Pine & Eucalyptus and Incense & Embers 

Jo Malone candles are renowned for their amazing quality and throwing off powerful scents - I love this travel sized set and think it’s a great way to try a selection of the candles.

 

Jo Malone Pomegrante Noir Christmas Collection 

Jo Malone Pomegranate Noir Collection, £68

Pomegranate Noir Cologne 30ml, Pomegranate Noir Body & Hand Wash 100ml and Pomegranate Noir Body Crème 50ml

Perfect for layering up your favourite scent, this set is also available in the Peony & Suede Blush fragrance.

 

Check out (what’s left of!) Jo Malone’s Christmas collection at Selfridges, John Lewis & House of Fraser

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Skincare Gifts They’ll Love

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When choosing a skincare gift it’s always best to steer clear of anything that draws attention to ‘issues’ - so avoid the ‘Acne Buster’ or ‘World’s Worst Wrinkles Fixer’ and veer towards skin boosters. Think brightening, hydrating, skin-enhancing products that most people will appreciate, both to prep skin for party season and help it look better the morning after! I have four fabulous options to share…

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I think this Dermalogica Our Favourites, £33.50 set is genius, with 5 generously sized miniatures for the price of one full sized product. These top-sellers are suitable for all skin conditions, with a total value of £48.50. The only one that’s new to me is Skin Hydrating Booster (always open to some of that!); the rest are all winners already and the primer is ace:

  • PreCleanse
  • MultiActive Toner
  • Gentle Cream Exfoliant
  • Skin Hydrating Booster
  • Skin Perfect Primer SPF30

Best for: The Skincare Beginner / Any Skin Type / Skincare Experimenter

Selfridges-Fairest-of-them-all-beauty-set

Selfridges Fairest of Them All, £40 is one of the prettiest gift sets I’ve seen and contains some amazing brands, encased in cute Alphabet Bag. I’ve bought quite a few of these bags (empty!) and adore them. Add this lot and I’m sold! I’m not sure of the exact value of this set but the majority are high end brands and I’d expected it to cost a lost more.

  • Alphabet Bags Fairest Of Them All canvas wash bag
  • Inner Me Beautify Me capsules
  • Michael Van Clarke 3 More Inches Magic Oil
  • Caudalie Mini eau du Beauty 30ml
  • Fountain Beauty Molecule
  • Lord & Berry Twist Stick in Arizona
  • Deborah Lippmann nail varnish in My Old Flame
  • Bioeffect EGF serum deluxe size
  • Timebomb Complexion Cocktail B1

Best for: The Beauty Lover / Luxury Beauty Fans

Clarins Radiance & Beauty collection 'Beauty Boosters' Boots Exclusive 2014

Clarins Radiance & Beauty Collection ‘Beauty Boosters’, £30 is a Boots exclusive and offer of the week 21-28 November. It works out less than half price with a value of £65 and includes a mix of essentials and treats perfect for a pre (or post!) party glow:

  • Relax Bath & Shower Concentrate 100ml
  • Hand and Nail Treatment Cream 50ml
  • Instant Light Lip Perfector 05 Candy Shimmer 5ml
  • Beauty Flash Balm 50ml
  • Be Long Mascara 3ml

Best for: Pampering Fans / Party Gals

 

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A Beauty Box like Birchbox is a cleverly convenient way to present a ready packaged gift with a mixture of gorgeous beauty products. Available as as a one off purchase or subscription, these cost around £10 each; for a limited time, 6 or 12 month subscriptions include a free gift worth £45 here (for you, obvs!). I loved my November Birchbox (above, still available) or you can choose from zillions of beauty gift sets from Benefit to Caudalie here - I actually had no idea Birchbox stocked all these brands until I stumbled across them just now.

~ Best for: Beauty Experimenters / Young or New to Beauty / Beauty Fanatics / Anyone unlikely to treat themselves ~

 

Hopefully I’ve inspired some of you with these ideas?  My personal choice would be the Dermalogica or Fairest of Them All. Please tell me I’m not the only one who has barely started thinking about Christmas until now?!

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Thoughts on Beauty: a Healthy Attitude

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I could probably count on one hand the number of friends who veer anywhere close to sharing my obsession with beauty products… either they’ve perfected the natural beauty thing, just aren’t into make-up, or feel unsure where to begin. This is part of the reason I started Strawberry Blonde Beauty, a little corner to share my interest with like minded people and guide beauty novices towards products that really work. Sometimes it makes me feel a little bit guilty... I mean I’m not exactly saving lives, but if I can help someone find a product that encourages them to hold their head a little higher, then that’s enough to make my day.

So why *do* we put so much effort into make-up, skincare, hair, nails, the whole shebang?

There are bigger, more important things in life. Of course there are. And these are often the very things that have driven my beauty obsession over the years, whether to conceal red eyes with the right eyeliner, soothe woes with a bubble bath, lift my spirits with a bright lip, or create a moment of precious me-time to paint my nails during ‘so this is what being a parent / grown-up is actually like’ moments.

It’s quite a deep rooted thing for me (yup the irony), but essentially, I enjoy it and it makes me feel better. Sure I’d love to be the type that rolls out of bed looking like she just stepped out of a photo shoot (I have 3 friends like this: Ali, Priscilla & Tania - if I didn’t love you so much I’d hate you *jokes*), but even if I didn’t need make-up, I’d still wear it - because it’s fun! Show me a girl who disagrees that half the pleasure of going out is the getting ready… (admittedly moreso pre-kids, with a leisurely glass of something sparkly in one hand and lipstick in the other). Often that 10 minute skincare and beauty routine is the only me-time any of us mums have in our day, so why not enjoy it?!

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And if we’re being completely honest, I feel unattractive without make-up. Close friends and family see me make-up free all the time, but beyond them, I feel that The Real Me is unacceptable. Not cool, I know. And I’m not looking for a sympathy vote, just trying to explain…  I grew up as a Frizzy Ginge in the days when red hair was absolutely not cool and Frizz Ease had not yet been invented. I was also painfully thin and very self conscious about it (the reason I could slap people who feel free to comment on my child’s ‘skinny legs’). I also towered above my friends, had buck teeth, transparent lashes and was ghostly pale... painting a pretty picture, huh? Let’s just say there was name calling (probably not that much, but it felt like it at the time) and the insecurities stuck.

So aged 13 I’d pinch my cheeks on the school bus to try and introduce some shade of Alive; by 14 I’d discovered blusher (a super flattering orange shade, obvs); and at 15, added Rimmel Pink Shimmer lipstick to the mix - in attempt to conceal lips that I thought were too full (not cool then either). You get the picture. Make-up was a lifeline to me. Thank God my beauty-savvy big sister soon taught me how to use it.

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All of that seems like a lifetime ago (it is!) and of course I have a whole other set of insecurities now, but my attitude has changed. I feel good some of the time and when I feel rubbish I know how to take things up a gear. Mostly I feel quite sad for the time I lost worrying about how I looked back then and wish I’d appreciated what I had. I will do everything I can to encourage my 9yo daughter to accept her beautiful self - inside and out - and am careful not to mention my insecurities in front of her. Growing up is hard enough these days without me pre-empting her awareness of lines and muffin tops. I love that she has zero interest in the plethora of beauty products gathered on every surface of our home, refuses to let me even paint her nails and tells me off for putting on make-up Every.Single.Day.  

The truth is that ‘Perfect’ is completely and utterly subjective. One person’s perfect is another’s imperfect - and vice versa. All that any of us can do is make the most of what we’ve got and where we’re at right now. And if healthy skin, pretty make-up and a gorgeous fragrance can help us towards achieving that, then so be it.

 

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Bobbi Brown Scotch on the Rocks

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I’ve swooned, experimented and swooned some more over Bobbi Brown Scotch on the Rocks and am ready to share my thoughts. If they aren’t already obvious. Inspired by the legendary Lauren Bacall, this collection is all about creating smouldering party looks. Red / gold / bronze /metallic tones wrapped in packaging that wouldn’t look out of place in Lauren’s hand, it’s traditional with a modern edge and totally Screen Siren.

RED

Bobbi-Brown-Scotch-on-the-Rocks-Bordeaux-Lipstick-Nail-polish

I’ll start with my Top Two: Limited Edition Lip Color and Nail Polish duo in Bordeaux. Rich, classy and very flattering on pale skin, I can see me wearing these throughout the party season and Winter. The lipstick is rich and creamy with a satin finish and applies best on well prepped, moisturised lips. It works straight from the bullet, though I like to use a lip brush for an evening look.

 Bobbi-Brown-Bordeaux-Nail-Polish-swatch Bobbi-Brown-Bordeaux-NailPolish-swatch

The nail polish is precisely the colour of a glass of Bordeaux wine. I’ve used two coats here - it looks deeper and more vampy with three, but I’m kinda transfixed by the slightly translucent effect of two - like when a glass of red wine catches the light. The texture is very fine, which I think it looks more sophisticated than thick plasticky layers. I’ve used Seche Vite top coat and had good wear time - no more nor less than a standard polish - but there is something very glam about this and at £11 it’s not outrageous for a high end treat.

GOLD

Bobbi-Brown-Scotch-on-the-Rocks-Bronze-highlighter-gold-lipstick-lipgloss 

The quilted effect Highlight Powder comes in Bronze Glow and Pink Glow; this one is Bronze and very warm toned. Like the Beige Gold Shimmer Lipstick, I think this would look best on deeper skin tones and would recommend the cooler Pink Glow for pale faces like mine. The Warm Glow Eye Palette includes a mix of buttery soft golds, nudes and Scotch-inspired browns. While the shades may not stand apart from other Bobbi palettes, I think many will be powerless to resist the decadent mock-croc, gold-trimmed packaging.

SWATCHES

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From left, Bronze Glow Highlight Powder, Beige Gold Shimmer Lip Color, Gold Glitter Lip Gloss, Bordeaux Lip Color. You can see me wearing the lipstick and nail polish on my Instagram today (I’ve been wearing both non stop).

Bobbi Brown Scotch on the Rocks, from £11.

 

 

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