Travel essentials for hot climates.

This Saturday I fly out to sunny Florida with my son. Now, I love the heat, but coming from not-so-sunny Scotland, it takes me a while to acclimatise. So, for the best part of my holiday I'll be a hot, sweaty mess. I can't wear foundation or it'll unattractively slide off my face. Eyeshadow is usually a no-no: even with the best primer I have stripy lids by the end of the day, where the shadow has settled into the creases. All this without mentioning the fact I'll be splashed with water periodically, whether it be on Splash Mountain, or under one of the misters located around the Disney parks. I need staying power, sun protection, and moisturization throughout the day. I need a cleanser that will remove all the grime of the day and I need to rehydrate and soothe my no doubt burnt skin each evening. I also don't want to be carrying a tonne of makeup with me, so I've given it a lot of thought and I've narrowed it down to these products:

I knew I was saving those sample sizes for something!

When it comes to holiday makeup, I'm all about the eyes. My cheeks are already going to be flushed from the heat so blusher is out, and I've explained the foundation situation so all that is going on my face is Caudalie vinoperfect Broad spectrum SPF15 day perfecting fluid. Hopefully this will provide my face with some protection from the sun while brightening my complexion and giving me a healthy glow (which no doubt will be overpowered by the sweaty glow I'll have within 2 hours!).

Lips need moisturization, but no colour. I'll be eating and drinking throughout the day and am unlikely to stop to reapply lipstick in the middle of 'It's a Small World' so all I'm taking is some Burt's Bees beeswax lip balm.

So, on to actual makeup products, of which there are only three. Firstly, brows. I can't leave my brows undone or I feel naked, so I'm taking my Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in 'taupe'. I also rarely leave the house without a winged liner, and recently I've been loving my Bourjois Clubbing Ultra Black Eyeliner so I'm taking that along. The staying power has been amazing for me so far, so I'm hoping to test its durability further in the coming fortnight. I'm giving it further staying power by bringing along my sample size of Benefit's 'Stay Don't Stray' primer. To top off the eyes, I'm bringing my favourite waterproof mascara, Tarte 'Lights, Camera, Splashes'.

As I've mentioned previously, I'm a cleansing oil sort of girl, and my favourite recently has been DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. It removes everything I want it to while not drying out my skin, and I also don't need to pack any cotton wool pads, as I just rub it on to my skin and rinse off. I will also be taking along some Johnson's Daily Essentials Gentle Eye Make Up Remover  to get all of my eyeliner off. For moisturization I'll be slathering my Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream over any red/dry areas, and applying a little re-gen oil to a scar I have, and my stretched lobes. 

And that, my friends, is it! Aside from a little hand sanitizer (I'm obsessed with them), and some Batiste dry shampoo (because we all know my hair is going to be a hot mess). I really am traveling as lightly as possible and trying to make my holiday makeup routine as easy and quick as possible so I can spend more time enjoying the Disney Parks, and quality time with my boy.

Gail xx

August Glossybox unboxing.

This month's Glossybox is their 3rd Birthday box, and each contains 6 items, one extra than the usual five. I was expecting big things from this box as it is their birthday. This is how I got on...

First off, here's the box:

After last month's being heavily themed, I was expecting something fun this month, but alas, I was met with the classic pale pink box with Glossybox logo on the front. But, not judging a book by its cover, or... not judging the contents by the box, I moved on and opened it up. The only difference I noted inside this month was the little sticker securing the tissue was printed with a number 3.

Pulling back the paper, I was pleased to see full sized products, excepting a perfume sample. Here is what I received:

Kryolan for Glossybox Highlighter Cashmere: The booklet stated that 'This highlighter is a versatile, lightweight cream with a gloss finish. It provides cheekbones, lips, and other parts of the skin with a beautiful velvety shine.' Having swatched this immediately (I was excited to be holding a Kryolan product, they are a brand I've been intending to try for a few years now) and subsequently used it on my cheekbones, I can agree with the description. The texture is smooth and lightweight, it goes on smoothly with minimal need for blending, and gives a beautiful glossy sheen to the skin. I look forward to continuing to use this. This product is full size and retails for £12.95 / 4.5g

Figs and Rouge Mini Hand Cream: 'These hand creams are enriched with shea butter, natural antioxidants and algea extract for beautifully fragrant and indulgent skincare. Softens, nourishes & thoroughly pampers hands throughout the day!' Again, the description is fitting. This hand cream is certainly soft, absorbs into the skin easily and left my hands feeling lovely without being greasy. My issue here is the scent. While I'm a lover of sweet-smelling perfumes (my favourites being Prada Candy, and more recently Tom Ford Jasmin Rouge), I'm not a fan of smelling like actual food, and for me, this smells exactly of sherbet. A pleasant enough smell on the surface, but it is strong and lingering, and overpowers any fragrance you already happen to be wearing. I feel like my 12 year old self would love this though. £6.95 / 80ml (full size).

Yves Rocher Pink Nail Polish: 'Mini polish - maxi colour! Part of a palette of nude, vibrant or glamorous shades, slightly shimmery or intensely lacquered. Their mini format lets you succumb to the temptation of all the colours guilt-free!' At first I had my doubts this was full size as it it literally the tiniest polish I've ever seen! Mine came in the shade 'Rose' which is a beautiful pale pink. After just one coat the colour is amazing. I was expecting it to be sheer, but it is definitely not! For such a little bottle it is packed with colour and at just £3.60 / 3ml it's an inexpensive and cute way to give this great brand a go. This product was the birthday bonus product.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer: 'Originally created specifically for Audrey Hepburn, this pre-shampoo treatment delivers unrivalled elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine without weighing down or coating the hair. Suitable for all hair textures.' I have incredibly fine, flyaway hair, which is also prone to becoming very greasy. Especially when I use product on it. So, I was dubious about this, but in the interest of experimenting, I gave it a go. In order to use this you first have to wet your hair, apply the product in sections, then cover your hair with a shower cap for 10-20 minutes. I was lacking in the shower cap department and so rocked the clingfilm-round-the-head look for 20 minutes. After rinsing out I shampooed my hair and immediately noticed a difference. My shampoo seemed to froth up much more than usual and my hair felt almost squeaky clean as soon as I rinsed. Totally not what I was expecting after slathering cream all over my head. I also conditioned my hair then went ahead and blow dried it. I usually have to use straighteners to tame the frizz of my freshly washed hair, but this time I didn't. This product left my hair far more manageable than usual and smooth enough to dispense with the straighteners. This was a full size product, and is on the pricey side at £38 / 250ml

LALIQUE L'Amour: 'This soft, sensual fragrance has delicate top notes of rosebuds laced with fresh bergamot, white floral heart notes and a musk base note. This fragrance captures the essence of love.' The only sample size in this box. This perfume is light, floral and summery. It's certainly a pretty scent, but unfortunately not for me. Full size is £67 / 50ml

[COMFORT ZONE] Essentials Cleansing Milk: 'A revitalising, gentle milk cream containing anti-oxidants and hydrating active ingredients to help remove any make-up and pollution residues for radiant, refreshed and softer skin.' Usually I'm a cleansing oil type of girl, but again for the purposed of experimentation I gave this a go. I'd had a makeup-free day and so was interested to see if it would remove any of the 'pollution residues'/daily grime from my face. I'm pleased to report it did in fact do its job, and my face felt smooth and hydrated after use. Hydration is a must for me as I have extremely dry skin and can't use a cleanser which feels like it's stripped the moisture from my face! I'll be giving this cleanser another try with a full face of makeup to see how it tackles that challenge. At the moment though, I think it's a good product if you like cleansing milks. This was full size, £20 / 250ml


All in all a decent box. I was happy to see so many full sized products and with a value of £84.18, it was certainly worth the £10 subscription fee.

Gail xx

Reliving the past!

A few days ago, I received my two Urban Decay Deluxe Eyeshadows in the post. Seeing those little oval cases with their patterns on top brought back a rush of memories, like re-applying my heavy black shadow in the tiny mirror in the bathroom at work. I should probably have invested in a primer, but I didn't know I needed one back then!

So, when they arrived I challenged myself to create a dramatic look with them which was a higher standard than those I sported back in the day. Lets just remind ourselves of that, shall we?

I especially enjoy how far under the eye I applied this!

I was a bit worried the green would overpower my natural eye colour and that I just wouldn't suit it, so I used Graffiti in combination with Zero to darken it up a bit and make it a little less in-your-face green. I used 'Nooner' from my Naked 3 palette as a transition colour. I also combined it with a strong black liner, this time my Bourjois liquid liner which I'm a huge fan of at the moment. The result, I think, is a striking look which may not suit everyone for daytime, but would certainly look amazing on a night out, maybe paired with a green belt or a little green clutch as accents.

Despite my worries, I don't think it detracts from my natural eye colour at all. If anything, I think it brings out the hazel accents and I'm loving how well it works. I'm definitely going to continue my trend of trying out bold colours and I'd urge you to do the same. It's fun, and you might learn you suit colours you were scared to use previously!



Gail xx

Orchid Haze brightens rainy days...

Hello lovelies :)

Today is the day I give you my review on the Tom Ford Orchid Haze palette. I've had a few days to have a play with it now, and can truly say I absolutely love it. Each shadow is buttery soft to the point where it's almost creamy. The colour payoff is, as you would expect, wonderful. When applied to the lid, each colour blends seamlessly into the next with minimal effort. These shadows would be amazing for someone who struggles with blending as they do all the work themselves.

Slightly creepy mirror-image of the same eye, sorry!

I can't help but feel, when I'm wearing these shadows, that they just *look* expensive. I find a lot of shadows cling to little imperfections on the lid and can begin to look cakey if there are quite a lot of layers being built up. With this palette the shadows are so lightweight and smooth that this doesn't happen and the result is a well-blended, professional looking finish. Basically, I cannot rave about them enough and would recommend that everyone go buy this palette immediately.

Tom Ford Beauty Eye Colour Quads, £63 House of Fraser.


Gail xx

Let the Blue Sky Meet the Blue Sea and All is Blue for a Time.

Today was the day to face my fears and just go for blue! Blue eyeshadow is my kryptonite. I've never been able to make it work for me, and when I do give it a try, I'm convinced I'm walking around looking like Pat Butcher from Eastenders.

Not a good look.

But having seen blue feature heavily on the catwalk this season from the likes of Giles, Marques'Almeida, Kenzo, Osman, and some beautiful under-brow blue from Todd Lynn, I decided that blue would be my nemesis no more. I will wear blue and I will not look like Mimi from The Drew Carey show.

Having green eyes, I figured I could go for a pretty bold look without my eyes being overpowered. If you have blue eyes, try using just a blue mascara, or a shadow or liner which is not a similar shade to your eye colour so they're not fighting for attention. I chose to embrace the trend in the form of eyeliner. I applied Laura Mercier cream eye liner in Indigo in a cat-eye fashion to an otherwise naked lid. Then I tightlined with Bourjois waterproof eye pencil in blue neon, running some along my lower waterline too. Then, as I was going all out, I also used a blue mascara: essence colour flash mascara in #02. I kept the rest of my makeup simple, using just a touch of Bourjois cream blush in 02 'healthy glow' over my faithful MAC face and body foundation in N1. Brows are filled with Tom Ford brow sculptor in Taupe.

Surprisingly, I love it. I love how the contrast with my natural eye colour makes them stand out, and the dark, matte liner makes the whites of my eyes whiter and brighter. This is a trend I'll definitely continue to follow, and I'd encourage those who are unsure to give it a try. Blue is no longer my kryptonite!

Gail xx

It's my party and I'll buy if I want to...

It's my Birthday! Today I decided I was going to treat myself to some new makeup, possibly including some high end brands I've yet to try, so that's exactly what I did. First stop was the Tom Ford counter, where I usually just drool on their products a bit before walking past, but today I went ahead and purchased a couple of things. First was the Eye Colour Quad in 'Orchid Haze', a beautiful quartet of plum coloured goodness. Each shadow in the palette has a different finish; sheer sparkle, satin, shimmer and matte, making it versatile as well as beautiful. When swatched, the colour payoff was wonderful and the formula felt buttery soft.

The second thing I picked up from Tom Ford was the Brow Sculptor in 'Taupe'. I'm usually a brow powder kind of girl, switching between my Benefit Brow Zings and Tarte Volumizing Brow Powder. However, the girl at the counter sang its praises and I was sold. (Hey, I was planning to buy some brow gel and a spoolie today anyway, so it's totally justified, right?). The Brow sculptor features a 'Unique Calligraphy tip', perfect for precisely applying the product, a spoolie and in integrated sharpener, so your lines are always clean and sharp. I tried this out at the counter before purchasing and loved the results. Heading away from the counter (after receiving a sample of the beautiful Jasmine Rouge scent), I made my way over to Laura Mercier.

I'd planned to get in on this Autumn's latest trend and buy myself either a blue shadow palette or some blue gel liner. I figured I could go to MAC and pick up some Chromaline in a pretty blue shade, but as I passed by Laura Mercier, I spotted a little tub of Creme Eye Liner in Indigo. Having never owned any of their products before, I decided now was as good a time as any and so I went ahead and bought it.

After a quick stop off at MAC to pick up a replacement for my almost-finished Face and Body foundation, I headed over to Boots to grab a couple of Bourjois products. I'd been eyeing up their little chocolate block bronzing powders for a while, and having heard such good reviews, it was time for me to buy into the hype! I went for the less sparkly of the two on offer, hoping I can use it for contouring as well as adding a touch of colour to my milky white complexion!

Bourjois products were also on 3 for 2, so I made the most of that and picked up a waterproof eye pencil in blue neon, and a liquid liner, 'liner clubbing' in Ultra Black. I tried this out on the back of my hand to see how fine the brush was, and was amazed that once dry I could rub at it quite vigorously without it smudging. When they say 'Ultra resistance' on the packaging, they mean it! I've since applied it on my eyes, rubbed them as a test, and it's still firmly in place. Very impressed with this so far.

So now I'm considerably poorer, but have had a lovely day. I'm looking forward to trying out my shadow palette properly and sharing what looks I come up with.

Gail xx

Speaking of Urban decay...

I've just heard that soon they will be releasing a new Naked palette - Naked 2 basics! Here's what they have to say about it:

"When UD junkies cried out for a palette of matte neutrals, Naked Basics delivered—and left them begging for MORE shades. (And we couldn’t deny them!)

Cooler in tone than the original, Naked2 Basics complements Naked2 perfectly. We loaded this indispensable palette with six TAUPE-hued matte neutrals, including five never-before-seen shades. These shadows are neutral enough for anyone, from cool skin tones to olive complexions to darker skin.

So versatile you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it, Naked2 Basics is the kind of palette you’ll reach for again and again.

Every shade in Naked2 Basics features our Pigment Infusion System™, the proprietary blend of ingredients that gives each shade its velvety texture, rich color, serious staying power and blendability.

While many brands’ matte shadows tend to be chalky or powdery, EVERY shade in Naked2 Basics has a rich, buttery feel for the perfect application. It even includes one shade with a slight satin finish, Skimp, that’s ideal for highlighting and adding dimension.

Like the original, Naked2 Basics comes in a sleek, soft-touch case that has a suede-like feel and a slight sheen. It’s small and compact so it travels well, yet we still packed it with six FULL-size shadows.

What You Get: Skimp (pale nude satin), Stark (nude-pink matte), Frisk (warm gray matte), Cover (muted red-brown matte), Primal (muted brown matte) and Undone (deep, smoky brown matte)."

Now, I never bought the original Naked 2 palette, and I'm in love with the rose gold hues of Naked 3, but the Naked 2 basics is going on my wish list. It looks like the perfect neutrals palette and something I can imagine becoming a staple in my collection. Now, time to start stalking the UD website...

Gail xx