Review of Lancome Hypnose Precious Cells Mascara and an Update

As promised, I wanted to let you in on my thoughts on the new mascara from Lancome...Hypnose Precious Cells.  It promises magnified volume and it's their first mascara to be based on their research into lash conditioning using plant cell extract.  With regular use, it claims to make your lashes stronger and look denser and fuller.  I own the original Hypnose and Hypnose Drama mascaras and I really like them both for their lengthening and volumising effect.  I'm always looking to improve the strength and condition of my lashes so a mascara that can offer those benefits is definitely something I want to look into.  I do use Loreal's Lash Renewal Serum every night and this has done a fantastic job of filling out my lashline but this mascara could work as my daytime treatment.  I don't use the Loreal Serum in the day as it goes a bit stringy and clumpy when you apply mascara over it.

Just a note re the photos...I really don't like these close ups of the eye area because you start discovering wrinkles you didn't even know you had!ha ha.

 So onto the product...well the brush is very slim with quite short bristles which really helps to get right down to the lashline without poking yourself in the eye.  This mascara wand is great at grabbing every single lash and creating alot of definition and for that reason, I do think it works better as a daytime mascara.  Simply because I like uber thick, dramatic and glam lashes for night-time.  It gave my lashes good length however I wouldn't say it created a whole lot of extra volume (I applied two coats int he pic above).  There are days when I want to go for a more natural look and this mascara is perfect for that.  The formulation is actually brilliant, it doesn't budge at all during the day so there's absolutely no flaking or smudging which is a huge plus.  You can just apply it in the morning without any need to keep checking it during the day.  It's also very easy to clean off at the end of the day...I hate it when you have to keep rubbing your eyes with eye makeup remover to get the damn stuff off.

So my overall thoughts on this mascara are that if you like the more defined, fanned out natural look to your daytime mascara, then you will love this.  If however you go for the more dramatic, fuller lash look then you would be better sticking to something like Lancome Hypnose Drama, Rouge Bunny Rouge Amplitude or YSL Faux Cils (the original formula!).  Keep in mind though that mascaras such as this one are great to create a base to define lashes before adding a more volumising mascara over the top.

I also wanted to update you guys on my weightloss.  I have been absolutely dedicated to my gym programme (I go 4-5 times a week) but I have also been having one day off every week when I can have some wine or eat what I want.  This seems to actually help my weightloss and I think it's because if you don't eat enough then your body tends to store more fat because it thinks you are starving.  However, if you have a day off every week and eat slightly more than you would on normal days, it seems to trick your body into making sure your metabolism burns everything off.  Put it like this, when I did slim fast every day I was losing 1lb a week, then when I started having a day off the slim fast, I started losing 2lbs/2.5lbs a week.  I think the evidence speaks for itself.  I have also been doing 15-20 mins of the Power Plate exercises 4 times a week and while this doesn't really assist much in the weightloss, it certainly helps to tone up your body REALLY quickly.

I lost just over 2lbs this week so I'm getting close to an overall weightloss total of 3 and a half stone! (56lbs).  I have done this over the course of the past year and a half so it's been a slow process.  I'm getting so excited seeing my body shape change, getting fitter and more toned and generally feeling really healthy.  I think the Green Tea has made a fabulous difference and it has really helped me in my weightloss.  I really think the only way to lose weight is steadily over a long period of time.  It's weird looking back at pictures of myself from a couple of years ago because my face looks so different.  I really feel like I'm in the best shape of my life and that's a really good feeling knowing that I am in control of my own body and doing it in a healthy way.

I have my wedding hair trial part 2 on Friday and my mum will also be geting her hair done so I can't wait for that! It's the first time I will get to see my hair styled with my newly highlighted hair extensions.  I will take some pics and let you guys see how that works out.  It's now only 6 and a half weeks until the wedding so excitement levels are high!

CDWM, Great Products & a Big Disappointment

Hi guys! I'm back after a busy weekend.  The Come Dine With Me night went really well and all three courses turned out the way I wanted them to, although I was so busy trying to make everything perfect that I forgot to take pictures of the food!  Luckily someone else did so there's photographic evidence that I didn't stuff it up! However, I did remember to take pictures of the layout of the table.   Please note, I removed the bed sheet that was drying on the washing line before anyone arrived!  The dogs seemed to like lounging around the heat of the Chiminea... 

As I said previously, I held it at my parent's house because they just bought a new pergola for the garden (for anyone who isn't sure what that is, it's basically a fancy tent!).  I really wanted to create a nice atmosphere for me and my 5 gal pals to have a nice meal so I tried to make the table as pretty as I could.  I embellished the menus with gems, I got place name cards, cushions on with the seats, candles etc.  I set up my laptop with speakers too and made a great playlist on iTunes with songs that I knew everyone would like.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to this type of thing so I wanted everything to co-ordinate nicely.  We didn't have the nicest weather for it but it certainly wasn't too cold to sit outside and we had the blazing Chiminea to keep us warm! 

I had big faux diamond ring napkin rings but since my napkins were paper and too small, I had to just use them as decoration...but they DID come in handy later on as props when we were all prancing around to Beyonce's Single Ladies! ("If you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it!")

I am relieved that my turn is over and done with because it's really hard to relax when you're constantly watching the time for things in the oven and trying to make sure everyone's wine glass isn't running dry.  Chris has demanded that I make the meal for him at some point since it went down so well and our 3 year anniversary is coming up in July so we'll see...

Onto some beauty stuff I have been loving of late.  As I have said before, I have become slightly obsessed with 'prepping' my skin before the wedding and ensuring that it's as blemish free as possible before the big day.  So that means no picking at spots no matter how tempting (gross I know but everyone does it!).  I always just want to expel any badness from my skin and I end up leaving it looking worse than it did before.  So that's a cardinal rule running up to the wedding day because we all know that it takes some time for blemish scars to fade.  One product that has really impressed me this month is Loreal's Perfect Clean Foaming Gel Wash:

I used to be devoted to Neutrogena's 2-in-1 Visibly Clear Wash/Mask but this product has replaced it in my daily morning skincare routine.  It seems to be alot more gentle on my skin and slightly more effective when I do get blemishes.  Since using this, my skin has been so clear and the Salicylic Acid is great for exfoliating any dry skin patches.  It's a clear gel that you apply with the soft rubber scrublet that is attached to the bottle.  I was dubious about this 'scrublet' when I first saw it because I thought it might be uncomfortable to use or feel weird but it's actually a good tool to work the product into your skin.  It's not going to exfoliate your skin like a muslin cloth would but it helps to work the wash into your pores to lift out any dirt.  I LOVE this!

The product that I have been using before bed is the Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash which leaves my skin feeling divine.  It's really gentle, removes 90% of my makeup, it's anti-ageing and you only need a small amount in each application.  My skin looks and feels really radiant when I use this product and it really makes a difference to the texture of your skin.  I'm all about refining skin texture because makeup only looks good when the base is good.

Because I am wearing a strapless wedding dress, I really wanted to work on my upper arms where you can get those little bumps, which apparently are a build up of keratin in your pores.  I have been exfoliating my upper arms every day in the shower to try and smooth the skin out and my scrub of choice has been St Ives Deep Cleansing Apricot Body Scrub.  This stuff is absolutely brilliant for getting rid of those bumps because it's designed for 'oily, blemish prone' skin which overall I don't have but this is perfect for my upper arms.  My upper arms are now lovely and smooth so I will keep up this routine until the wedding day to ensure they stay that way.

A product that works really well with that scrub is the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin E.  Now I have used this body moisturiser before but I had forgotten how amazing it was at smoothing the skin and fading any scars you may have.  This moisturiser has done a fantastic job of softening my skin and I now use it every single night before bed.  I had some scars on my elbow from Psoriasis and it has totally faded them out in a matter of days.  I think sometimes I try so many different products trying to find the perfect one, that I overlook old classics that really do the job.  I am going to stick with this from now on because nothing else has made my skin look and feel the way this does.

Now for the disappointing product...YSL Faux Cils Noir Radical mascara.  I was SO excited when they brought this out because I love the original Faux Cils mascara and the concept of a sooty, intense black version for more drama sounded amazing.  The original Faux Cils formula creates amazing length and volume, doesn't flake or smudge and really lasts the distance.  It's only downfall is that it dries out quite quickly but that never bothered me because I loved it so much.

However, this Noir Radical formula is NOT the same as the original.  The problem is it smudges within minutes of application and not just a little bit of smudging, but LOADS.  I ended up with panda eyes on the outer AND inner corners of my eyes, where it bled into my lower waterline (I only wear mascara on my upper lashline).  What a nightmare! It looked awful, messy and it made me look tired.  I just can't use this mascara.  It's almost like they added coal dust to it or something because it has no staying power and just migrates all around the eye area.  I read Lollipop 26's comments that maybe it was because of the shape of her eyes, but no, I can confirm that it's just that the mascara's formula is not up to scratch.  This is really disappointing because usually I love YSL's products.  I won't be touching this again so I will be sticking to my mascara faves...YSL Faux Cils original formula or Rouge Bunny Rouge Amplitude mascara.

Have you tried the Noir Radical mascara? What are your thoughts?

My Summer Wishlist

Now that the wedding isn't too far away, my thoughts have turned to the honeymoon and the fact that I really need to stock up on my summer clothes! The shop I usually turn to for colourful summery clothes is Monsoon, I love the middle eastern feel to the embellishments and colours.  Since I will be spending most of my time next to the beach and chilling out on the honeymoon, light cotton sun dresses are probably my best bet and this one from Monsoon caught my eye! I love the fresh colours...

I also spotted these gorgeous pewter sandals that will go with just about anything...

I have been reading all the travel info for Malaysia and even though it says not to wear bright colours as it attracts Mosquitos...I just can't resist a splash of colour for my holiday.  I will just have to rely on my jungle insect repellent! I love this beach dress from Accessorize, it would be perfect to throw on over a bikini...

I also had a wardrobe clearout recently and found two pairs of jeans (one cream and one dark denim) that are too big for me since I lost weight.  The waist is 'comfortable' rather than too big but the thighs on them were massive so I cut them with scissors to make cute little shorts.  I also tied a colourful silk scarf to the belt loop of one of them just to give it a nice edge.  I love it when you can make use of old clothing that you never wear anymore.

I love big beach bags that you can just throw everything into so this one from Gap is perfect, plus it will go with pretty much any outfit since it's a neutral cream. I love the cute little bow on the front...

I have to say that I never buy expensive sunglasses because I'm too clumsy and I think I would cry if I sat on a pair of Guccis or Ray Bans! So I generally just buy cheap ones every year from places like H & M or Oasis.  I tend to favour Aviators because they suit my face shape and I think they look pretty cool (I think it's because it's reminiscent of Top Gun...yeah I know...I'm a geek!).

I went to see the nurse yesterday at my local medical centre to chat about which vaccination I will need before going on honeymoon.  She told me I would need a Tetanus booster and I can still remember how much that injection hurt and it was about 15 years ago! It left a huge lump on my upper arm so hopefully this one won't do the same.  There were a few others she mentioned and I have to go back and get them all in one go...ouch! I am not afraid of needles per se but it's not my idea of fun to become a human pin cushion.  I was moaning about it on Facebook and one of my friends reminded me that's it's really not the worst problem to have...he suggested that sipping cocktails on an exotic beach would ease the memory of the pain!ha ha.

I will be having a busy weekend so this is the last you will hear from me until next week...I have a review of the new mascara by Lancome 'Hypnose Precious Cells' so stay tuned for that.  Have a brilliant weekend everyone!

Hair Extensions Update, Wedding Makeup Trial and my Search for the Perfect Wedding Lipstick

Oh my god, things are getting so crazy with the wedding plans! It's only about 7 and a half weeks to go now and I'm finding myself getting increasingly busy sorting out the details.  I'm loving every minute of it though and I'm really trying to enjoy every second of the build up to it.  I know it will be over so quickly. 

My lovely hairdresser, Leigh, just dropped off my hair extensions today after highlighting them for me (ok, the way I phrased that made it sound very celeb, having my own hairdresser, but you know what I mean!).  Leigh added a slightly darker tone through the extensions underneath so it just shows through slightly and gives them depth.  She also added some blonde highlights so they would blend into my hair colour more.  I have to say that I am absolutely delighted with them and they now match my hair EXACTLY.  They really are great quality extensions and Leigh was saying the same thing so I would highly recommend you take a look at the FoxyLocksExtensions website if you were thinking of buying some.  She treated them with an intensive conditioner so they are really soft and they smell gorgeous...like coconut...yum!

I can't wait to have my hair trial with her next Friday so I can get my hair done with the heated rollers like the inspiration pic of Petra Nemcova I had previously shown you guys...

I really want my hair to be loose and natural looking, I really don't like it when curly/wavy hair looks too contrived so I think heated rollers is the best way to get the look I want.  I might test the look out on my hen night in Aberdeen since I use any excuse to get glammed up! Me and the girls are heading out for an Italian meal (where you get to dance on the tables to Euro pop at the end of the night...I know...classy! But a hen night is no place for being classy).  We are then heading off to a lovely bar for some cocktails in our VIP area and then onto a club for some serious dancing! That reminds me, I need to stock up on some Scholl Party Feet!  Better dig out my bride sash and L plate again...

I promised you guys an update on the makeup trial I attended last weekend in Glasgow.  Myself and three bridesmaids headed down on Saturday to the makeup artist's flat and unfortunately we missed an absolutely gorgeous day in Aberdeen...sod's law!  The makeup artist, Laura, has worked on the Mobo awards, fashion shoots and often travels with a dance company.  She did a great job on everyone. I won't go into too much detail about the trials but one thing I will say is that I've decided that I am going to apply my foundation myself.  I took along my Estee Lauder Double Wear foundation and Laura said she uses it alot on brides so that settled my mind on whether it worked well with flash photography.  She applied it on my with a foundation brush but the result was quite uneven and patchy.  This foundation seems to react alot better to being applied with fingers so I decided I would do that myself on the day as that's how I can get the most flawless coverage.  I am such a perfectionist when it comes to my skin and I really want it to be perfect on the day.  So I will be doing that and my concealer, whilst Laura does everything else.  I have decided to go with individual false lashes since they give the most natural effect and there's less chance of them peeling off at the edges like strip falsies.  I unfortunately forgot to take pics of the finished look but it was sunkissed with pale gold and bronze eyes, flicked brown eyeliner and natural lips.  She did put brown liner on the outer part of my lower eye but it really didn't suit me and made me look tired so I won't be doing that on the day.

I have mentioned before that myself and my friends have been doing Come Dine With Me nights...there's 6 of us and this Saturday, it's my turn! I've decided to have it at my parent's house because they just got a new pergola and chimnea in the garden so we will be dining all fresco!  I have really enjoyed planning the menu and all the little details.  I really love cooking for people and entertaining in general.  Here's my menu that was emailed out to the girls on Monday...

I won't let on too much about it because I know that some of the girls involved read my blog so I don't want to spoil the surprises for them.  I will post some pics of the night next week so you can see how it all went.  I have my fingers crossed that it all goes well!

I have been on the search for the perfect wedding day lippy for all my professional photographs.  Now you know I am a huge fan of nude lips so for the rest of the day, I will be rocking a nude lip (probably my YSL Rouge Volupte in no.1 or Estee Lauder Pure Colour lippy in Vanilla Truffle).   It's a well known fact that you have to wear a darker lip colour for the proper photographs otherwise you're lips become lost and don't stand out.  I will only be dabbing on the darker lip colour as I'm going for a natural effect so I don't want to slather it on and make it obvious that I'm wearing a lip product.  I think I may have found the perfect slightly darker pink based nude that's not outside of my comfort zone.  I often find that darker lip colours just don't suit me but this Estee Lauder Pure Colour Crystal Lipstick in Crystal Baby seems to be just the right colour to define my lips in the photographs without making me look really different...the last thing I want is to not even look like myself in the photos.

I love Estee lauder lippies, they are just so high quality, smooth to apply and long lasting.  They are also non-drying and feel creamy on your lips.  Crystal Baby may be the perfect shade to avoid the washed out look in my wedding photographs.  I was looking into Mac High Tea but it seems to be just slightly too brown for what I'm looking for.  I have heard that Mac Jubilee is a good shade but I haven't got that one in my collection yet.  I was going to wear Mac Angel but I decided that a nude would look better with the pale gold/bronze look I was going for.  It's all about finding the right shade for your skin tone, because lipsticks can look so different on different people.

So that's all my news for today, I must warn you that I may not be posting as often as I normally do because I am so busy at the moment but I will do my best to check in with you guys and give you updates on how everything is going!

Bye for now!

Gorgeous Summer Lip Gloss and Wedding Shoes

Hello, hello!  I just got back from my latest wedding dress fitting and thought I would give you an update on how it all went.  My dress is all ready to go but I just have one more fitting on 3rd July to make sure it's perfect.  I find myself falling more in love with the dress every time I see it.  It's amazing.  My mum took along my wedding shoes today so I could see them with the dress and I couldn't remember if I had shown you guys what they look like.  They're a kind of champagne colour, the perfect heel height, slightly darker than my dress with the obligatory glitzy edge! You know me, I have serious magpie tendencies!...

For some reason, my dress makes me look really tall, it must be something about the floor length dresses that create that effect (hey, I ain't complaining!).  I was happy to see that I won't have to do too much more work to be in the best shape for my wedding.  The panic started because I originally thought I was going to go for a lace up design at the back but when the dress was being made, the seamstress phoned to say that the dress would really suit a zip and buttons more because it created cleaner lines with the style of the dress.  The shop has measured me for a lace up so they make the dress a bit smaller so everything is nipped in.  However, since I switched to a zip, when I got the dress, it turned out to be VERY snug i.e. I could hardly breathe when it was done up!  I had a bit of a blub after that fitting because I felt a bit crappy.  The I pulled myself together and got on with toning my body up at the gym.  The last time I got a fitting I had chubby bits under my arms and 'back fat' as it's so fondly known.  The snug fit of the dress just accentuated that...not pretty.  I swore to myself that I would start a plan at the gym to tone my upper body and it has definitely made a huge difference.  The dress looked so much better on me this time so I only have some fine tuning to do.  My mum is taking her Power Plate over for me to borrow until the wedding.  After seeing how amazing her figure looks now after only a couple of months of using it, I wanted in on the action! So I am going to use it every day for 10 mins in the morning and 10 minutes at night (same thing my mum does).  I will keep you guys updated on whether it makes a difference.  I will still be going to the gym and doing cardio etc but this is just an extra thing to make sure I look my best on my wedding day (and the honeymoon!).

I also wanted to share a couple of amazing lipglosses with you guys, they are both gorgeous colours for summer.  The first is Jemma Kidd Makeup School Hi Shine Silk Touch Lipgloss in Petal - a milky peach shade.  When I first saw this, I though of Holly from The Yummy Mummy's Beauty Blog because I know how much she loves peach lipglosses...well, Holly, you would absolutely adore this product.  It's such a brightening colour that looks so fresh and summery.  I can imagine it would look great on any skintone because it's such a soft, flattering colour.  If you are scared to wear bright corals that are in at the mo, then peach is a great alternative.  You could also wear it over a coral lippy to tone it down a bit for the daytime.  I LOVE this lipgloss, the formula is great and doesn't have the sticky feel.  I am wearing it today with slightly golden skin, pale gold eyeshadow and brown flicked eyeliner and I really love that combination.  The second gloss I am obsessing over is Estee Lauder's High Gloss in Honey...a perfect name for this shade.  This gloss looks incredible over any nude lipstick! It's got slight shimmer to it but it's so fine that it just shows up on your lips as a shiny effect.  I like to wear it over Estee Lauder's Pure Colour Lipstick in Vanilla Truffle (my all time favourite nude) or YSL Rouge Volupte in no.1 Nude Beige.  It's a gorgeous gloss for any kind of sunkissed, bronzey look...like the Charlize Theron look from my previous post.  The best thing is you get loads of gloss for your money...15ml!

That's all for today but I will be posting something on Monday to update you on how I got on with the wedding makeup trials (hopefully with piccies!)

Have a brilliant weekend everyone :)

Ramble

I'm getting to like these ramble posts! It's just a great chance to get all my weekly thoughts out on one post...and it's very cathartic!

1) SATC 2 - I went to see this last night with my friends and we did the whole cocktails thing beforehand although that resulted in me having a splitting headache by the end of the film...I think that's because it was pitch black and my eyes got strained.  I won't say too much about the film as I know not everyone has had a chance to see it yet.  What I will say is that I don't think it deserved to be slammed by the critics.  I think if you take it for what it is (which is an extended episode of the show) then you will enjoy it.  It's silly at times, but enjoyable silliness.  I am a huge fan of the show and I wasn't disappointed by this film, there were loads of really funny bits.  I now have a huge crush on the older man in the film, the Danish guy that crashes over the sand dunes in a jeep...I don't normally go for the older guys but he is a fox! ...sigh.  I don't think it's as good as the first one which was more of an emotinal rollercoaster but it still had the SATC magic.  So my advice is, go see it...don't listen to th critics, I mean it's not supposed to be profound like Schindler's List...it's a fun film to be enjoyed when you're tiddly on Cosmopolitans!

2) The weather is finally looking up again in Aberdeen, the sun is actually out and it's warm outside! The above pic was taken in a park in Aberdeen...I know, hard to believe!  This phenomenon has been apparent for the last couple of days and long may it continue! The only downside to the lovely weather is that it's really warm at night time so I haven't been sleeping that well...waking up all sweaty is never pleasant. (some people are never happy!ha ha).  I am hoping to head out to my parent's place for a BBQ on Sunday...ahh bliss!

3) Two shows that I'm OBSESSED with at the moment are The Wire (of which I have acquired the full boxset) and The Pacific.  The last show I really got into was The Sopranos, what is it with HBO? They have the best shows! I have really been enjoying The Pacific...I used to love Band of Brothers so when I heard this was made by the same people, I knew I had to watch it.  I love the way they integrate the real soldiers at the start of each episode to remind you that this stuff all happened, it's not fiction.  To be honest I wasn't aware that alot of this stuff went on in Pacific, not to that extent anyway, but I think that was the whole point of the series, to highlight the great number of soldiers who lost their lives in these battles.  It's very emotional to watch and I often find myself close to tears.  It's good to remind yourself of how lucky you are to have had such a sheltered life.

4) I really need to get back in the swing of my exercise program at the gym.  Because it's so warm outside, the gym is sweltering at the moment! There was actually a point on the cross trainer yesterday when I was finding it hard to breathe because I was so hot.  It's so hard to get motivated when it's so sunny outside!  I have also been struggling a little bit with the Slim Fast thing in the past couple of days.  For ages, I had been sticking to the 2 shakes and a main meal but I have cheated for the past two days and only had one shake, a big snack then dinner.  I think I just need to be a bit more strict on myself and get myself back on track to lose the weight before the wedding.  I still have about 7lbs to go before I reach my target for the big day.  I have about 8 and a half weeks so it's more than do-able if I buckle down.  Overall, I'm more interested in being toned than losing weight.

Reviews, Keeping Hydrated and Bridal Makeup Inspiration

I'm almost feeling back to normal now after my mad hen weekend! While I was wandering around Edinburgh with my pals, I couldn't help but stop and get Chris a little gift.  He has a HUGE sweet tooth and loves any kind of chocolate or sweet things.  So when I walked past The Fudge House, I thought I would pick up a few different flavours for him.  I got four types of fudge all packaged in a little box...chocolate hazlenut, white chocolate, creme brulee and maple syrup.  As you can see from the pic, he has been at it already and there's already some gone!

I'm surprised I managed to resist getting myself some but although my wedding dress is ready to pick up now, I will be having another dress fitting at the end of this month to tweak the fit so I have to be good! I weighed myself after being away at the weekend to see if I had put anything on and low and behold I had put on just under 1lb.  That's ok though because I did go all out and eat/drink whatever I wanted.  I can lose that again in less than a week so I'm ok with that!

Chris had taken a trip back home to Ireland at the weekend and he returned with two gifts for me from his lovely mum.  She kindly bought me a dress from Savida and a skirt from Dunnes Stores.  I am so lucky to have a future mother in law who knows exactly what my style is, she always gets me such lovely things!  The dove grey dress is a jersey type material with a cream vest lining, tie waist and crochet detail on the bust...perfect for lazy summer days.

The pale grey skirt has gorgeous embellished pockets and is pretty short but just the right length for me...I might wear this on my Aberdeen hen night in July! I love clothes that have beading or intricate embellishments, it just adds a bit of glitz and interest.

After getting back from Edinburgh my skin and hair felt a bit dry...that could be because of the copious amounts of alcohol that was consumed...not big and not clever! I found three products that really infused my hair and skin with hydration again.  The first being Loreal Elvive Re-Nutrition Nourishing Fluid which I like to apply both day and night.  I work it through the ends of my hair after blowdrying and also at night before I go to bed.  I find that it's light enough not to make my fine hair greasy but it works hard at making my hair feel like silk.  My hair already feels tons better.  Another hair product I really rate is the Sebastian Hydre Deep Moisturising Treatment, this is amazing if you have dry or frizzy hair and if you're blonde, you'll know what I'm talking about! I leave the treatment on in the shower for 5-10 mins and then wash thoroughly...this is important to ensure that all of the product has been washed out of your hair.  Otherwise, you will end up with a build up of residue and you're hair will be static all the time.  I switch around my hair treatments alot because my hair gets too used to using the same product and it becomes less effective.  My favourites are still Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment, Kerastase Chroma Riche Mask and I would say this Sebastian one is now up there with my favourites.

The third product is a skin saviour if you have dry skin.  It's the Estee Lauder Hydra Complete Multi Level Moisture Gel Mask.  It's described as a 'long, refreshing drink of pure moisture for your skin'.  My face feels so soothed after using this and it plumps out my skin texture, softens it and smoothes any dry patches.  It's a great mask to use the morning after a big night out because it feeds your skin with the hydration it needs.  It's oil free so it's great for sensitive skin.  It contains alot of natural ingredients like Cactus Flower and Mohave Yucca and is also great if you work or live in an air conditioned environment where skin can get really dried out.

Onto some things that I have been loving at the moment.  First up is the Givenchy Prisme Libre in no.4 Tender Sun.  Although the diagram on the bottom of the product indicates that it is intended for use on your cheeks, I love to swirl the four bronzey shades together for an all over face glow.  This gives such a luminous but non shimmery radiance to your complexion and it looks very natural.  I love the packaging although I don't find the double sided face puff inside that useful as it applies the product too heavily for my liking.  I much prefer to use a big powder brush to give an even and natural finish.  The palest peachy coloured powder in the quad is really brightening and brings my skin to life.  It doesn't look chalky on the skin and because you only need a small amount for each application, it will last for a long time.

I had been trying out a new foundation last week and wanted to share my thoughts on it.  It's Lacome Teint Idol Silky Mat Foundation in Beige Diaphane.  This foundation claims to provide 18 hours of shine free coverage that's breathable and visibly refines pores.  This foundation is a light to medium coverage but it is also buildable.  The consistency is very runny and you really don't need alot of product.  It has SPF 16 and contains Mineral Siliceum to actively control shine over time.  It's described as being hydrating, oil-free, sweat resistant and suitable for all skin types.  I would agree that the foundation is very light in texture and it feels natural on the skin, it offered adequate coverage for my skin, however my skin is currently pretty blemish free and even.  It gave a nice soft matte finish and didn't look cakey or unnatural.  I don't know about the sweat resistant claim though as I did find that the foundation tends to melt a bit after about 5 hours and when you rush around, it doesn't feel fool proof on my face.  I think this would be the kind of foundation that I would only wear in the daytime as I need a bit extra coverage and staying power if I'm heading out on the town with the girls.  It's a nice foundation for girls who are looking for a light, natural finish.  It didn't blow me away but it's certainly a good foundation for summer on lazy days in the sun when you want that no-makeup look.

I am obsessed with having flawless makeup so any kind of primer that will help me achieve that is welcome in my makeup collection! This new concealer and eyeshadow primer from Benefit Stay, Dont Stray is a flesh coloured liquid that can be applied under the eye and on the eye lid to make sure your concealer and eyeshadow stay put.  Sometimes concealers can melt or settle into fine lines (it can be due to using an eye cream that's slightly too heavy) and I personally hate it when that happens because it can make you look older.  Because I get bad under eye circles, I really need my concealer to stay flawless all day and this product is brilliant at doing that.  I just apply a tiny amount with my fingers and pat it gently into my eye area.  There's a pump applicator so this keeps everything nice and mess-free.  I normally use Mac Paint Pots to prime my eye lid before eyeshadow but this will be more handy for travelling because it kills two birds with one stone.  It's particularly useful on nights out when I know I will be bopping around to music and getting sweaty (gross, I know!).  It's like a liquid version of Mac Painterly Paint Pot so it's great for concealing uneven pigmentation on the eye lid - you could even wear it on it's own if you were going for the natural look.

I have my wedding makeup trial for myself and my three bridesmaids this Saturday in Glasgow so I'm REALLY excited about that.  I have been looking into this for a while and I really want my makeup to be perfect on the big day.  I am a perfectionist and I'm kinda scared that I might come across as some kind of diva to the makeup artist.  It's just because I am so into my own makeup and I know what works on me.  I have a list of products/words to go over with her like...Mac Woodwinked e/s, golden peachy tones, soft matte complexion with highlighted cheekbones, black flicked eyeliner...etc.  I am really particular about the coverage of my foundation for example so I want to make sure that I choose the right product for the day.  It's so hard because you need a foundation without SPF or at least with a low SPF so you don't get that white cast look in flash photography.  Also, you have to get your eyes and lips more defined than you usually would so they show up better on camera.  I have been looking for inspiration and I love the skin and eye makeup in this Pixiwoo Bridal Makeup vid, although the lip colour would be too pale...

I know that I want individual false lashes on the day and since my dress is a champagne shade, I think that gold and bronze tones would really compliment the dress and my hair.  I really hope I don't come across as really high maintenance to the makeup artist but I know what I want on my wedding day and I won't be happy unless it's perfect but I think anyone could understand that.  I am going to try and wear a top that is ivory or champagne coloured so I can get a good idea of how the makeup will look against my dress.

I really want to channel the subtlely sunkissed Charlize Theron vibe for my wedding makeup.  I love the way she always has soft definition using golds and bronze:

I think if I used a lipstick like Mac's High Tea then that would add the colour I needed on the lips.

So I will have to take some pics of how the makeup turns out.  But meantime, have you got any tips for makeup trials?