I’m a confirmed night owl. I’ve always been happier to work and play when others around me are sleeping. I won’t lie, it’s tough balancing that lifetime ‘philosophy’ with being a Mum.
When I do eventually drag myself to my pit bed, my mind is usually swimming with ideas and thoughts of things I want to accomplish the following day. I simply find it hard to switch off.
Research in the UK has shown that following a warm bath, you go to sleep around 10 minutes earlier and enjoy a deeper slumber. So: immerse yourself in the water, leave all tension and thoughts behind, experience deep peace and relaxation. In Chinese Wu Wei, this ‘Go with the Flow’ is a key concept in Taoism.
Wu Wei is a cream bath foam that forms part of their new Tao Rituals line up. I wrote about this range last month and have been putting this sample through it’s paces in the name of relaxation and bubbles.
The packaging is adorable… well, not quite… the lid is adorable. Stupid thing to get hung up on, but it’s bamboo… it’s *squee* cute. Ok, I’m over it now.
What can I tell you? Wu Wei bubbles nicely… feels creamy on my skin and it smells like a 1000 angels have pooed in my bath (that’s a good thing by the way).
A little goes a very long way indeed… I’ve been using this 500ml bottle twice a week for the past month and don’t think I’m even halfway through the bottle yet… so that’s *counts on fingers* 8 baths so far which works out far cheaper than those pesky Lush Bubble Bars no?
Does it help me fall asleep faster? No. Anyone got a big mallet?
Rituals Wu Wei (£10.50) is available to buy online and in selected stores (check the website for details).
Hmmm… that makes this post sound far more dramatic and exciting than it actually is.
Perhaps if myself and VexintheCity hadn’t been gently chaperoned to the exit when it was time to go home, I’d have had the opportunity to ‘lose myself’ and run around QVC HQ in a style akin to Mission Impossible… camera flailing… whilst being chased by 3 burly security guards and papping Dale, (the ‘Housewive’s Choice’) secretly devouring all the biscuits in the QVC kitchen.
Not that it wasn’t exciting or interesting… It was! But the one thing that struck me above all else was simply how quiet and relaxed the place was. Now, I know we arrived after ‘home time’ for most, so the offices were understandably peaceful… but the live studios were also incredibly relaxed, almost serene.
Anyway, let’s have a look around…
The offices… where all the model booking, show planning, product organising and general adminy stuff takes place.
The prep room! Like a well-oiled machine… all the trolleys get stacked with products relevant to the show they’re destined to appear in. This is the beauty trolley for that evening’s 10 o’clock airing. I spy Decleor, Nails Inc, Bare Escentuals and other lovely things.
The prep Kitchen! They were showcasing utensils and a range of cookware. Gotta have some food to put in ’em right? It was HOT in there, but the gorgeous foodie aromas that were wafting down the corridor were immense!
Check me out, I done a panoramamama! What a geek! (Click the picture to see it LARGE)
This is one of the studios (I forget which number – there’s 6 in total I think). QVC headquarters and studios will be relocating in the next couple of years to Chiswick. Their current location was never supposed to be permanent, though they’ve been there 17 yrs now!
The building they’re in wasn’t designed to house studios. Natural light floods in from the atrium above and needs to be blacked out and checked before they go live each time, which obviously isn’t ideal.
Oh, oh, oh! We got to stand behind the cameras whilst a show was going out live! Mobile phones OFF and super quiet creeping about was the order of the day. At one point, I had to physically restrain VexintheCity who admitted an overwhelming urge to run infront of the camera waving her arms about like some day-release. I would have TOTALLY pretended not to know her.
As I said earlier, the studios were really quiet…. even the live ones. Imagine it… big room, two presenters, 1 floor manager (have I made that job title up?) and 1 camera man. That’s it. Eerie! It was pure QVC cheese too… I loved it. Jilly Halliday was demonstrating some funky *cough* clothing, whilst Dale Franklin was asserting his charm over the nation’s ladies, encouraging us to part with our cash for some of the latest and greatest jewellery on display. Flippin’ fabulous!
Control Room/Production-y bit…. Like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise! Lots of buttons…. wanted to dive forward and press a couple. Accidentally slip and sit on about 20 at once, you know the score. I behaved myself.
This lady was watching Dale do the jewellery presentation… she was nice. Are you still with me? Hello? Hellooo?
After all that tour excitement, we retired upstairs to where Bare Escentuals had set up a little room to give us a sneak preview of their new (to the UK) matte foundation. I’d had the pleasure of meeting their national makeup artist SJ previously but it was good to see her work her magic again.
Bare Escentuals Matte is due for release on QVC on the 10th July… we were given a sample, but I’ve already got a pot (in a better colour match) that I scored in a blog sale a month ago. I promise to review it before it releases over here (tick tock). It’s a great alternative for those among us who like the idea of mineral makeup but dislike the dewy finish that minerals tend to give. I predict it’s gonna be a big seller throughout the Summer.
SJ getting to work on the beautiful Keren who’s currently guest blogging for Lindsey at Beauty Mecca.
And the finished result. Subtle but flawless.
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It was a fabulously fun evening and a real change from the norm for me. I hope you enjoyed a little sneak peek behind the scenes. Don’t forget, it’s beauty month at QVC… there’s lots of tempting TSVs coming up and check out the Bare Escentuals big Matte launch day on the 10th July.
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For more info on what you can expect from QVC’s Beauty Month, watch this video with Alison Young below:
Have you been lemming the new mineralize shadows from MAC’s In The Groove collection but can’t quite stretch to £15 a piece?
I’d like to tell you to get theeselves down to The Body Shop to check out their new Baked Eye Colours. But at £9.50 a piece, they’re no bargain alternative.
Here’s a swatchfest on the samples I received from The Body Shop.
It’s a picture-intensive post, so if you wanna check out more swatches from The Body Shops new Baked Eye Colour range…. read on… (W = Applied Wet, D = Applied Dry)
My first foray into the infamous world of BB Creams!
What are BB Creams?
BB Cream stands for Blemish Balm Cream and is a very popular base product in Asia. Korean companies in particular offer a wide-range of BB Creams to suit many different skin types. They fill the gap in the market between cosmetics and skincare… a product designed to give flawless coverage whilst benefiting the health of your skin in one (or many) ways.
I first heard of BB Creams when I went to South Korea a few years ago, I had absolutely no idea what they were or did until I arrived back in the UK and started blog reading.
BB Creams at the minimum, offer moisturisation and coverage, with many more offering SPF, Whitening Properties and Anti-Aging to name but a few. They’re big business in Asia and have been slowly but steadily making a splash amongst makeup aficionados worldwide.
So, why has it taken me so long to try one? Ultimately… convenience. You have to head to eBay or online stores that specialise in Asian cosmetics. Then you have to work out which BB Cream you fancy trying and frankly, there are so many available… it all gets a bit confusing.
I took the plunge and settled for South Korean brand Skin Food.
A multi-function product for skin care and makeup. Containing gingko leaf and green tea extracts rich in lecithin and vitamin B, it protects sensitive skin and improves skin tone. Use when you want to achieve a bright, radiant skin tone.
It’s a little warmer than my skintone but ultimately blends to a decent match. Colour matching seems to be one of the biggest issues with BB Creams and it’s always worth googling for a swatch to get an idea of how it might suit you.
The texture is truly rather lovely. Thick but not so thick that it’s hard to spread. There’s still enough slip to the product to stop it dragging across your face as you spread it. Coverage is medium… it tones down my redness quite well and evens out my skintone. Blemishes are not covered and concealer is necessary. It really does feel like I’m wearing something different to my usual foundations… far more natural feeling on the skin.
Ultimately, this would be all you need if you’re blessed with great skin. Oily skins will probably want something a little more matte. I’m pleased I bought it, do I want to try more? Oh yes….
I think I may have developed a dangerous new addiction.
Are you a fan of BB Creams? Let me know some of your favourites!
Like it’s not TOTALLY obvious from the snap below.
QVC HQ!
I was tempted to slip my shoes off at the entrance before entering the temple of home shopping, but that would have looked kinda uncool right?
Walking round, it was interesting to hear more about the channel that’s been beaming beauty products (and more) into our homes for the past 17 years.
This is just a teaser post really, I’ll tell you more about behind the scenes at QVC over the weekend, but I’m back in the big smoke today ‘cos a little birdy told me that there might be an exciting MAC collection getting it’s first airing?… and I’m all over it!
Totally a layering shade, so I thought I’d just see how many coats it needed to achieve opacity.
I got to 4 and I’m just about there…
One of the best applicators of the Summer of Love set, this glides on the nail and dries quickly. Once opaque, it’s a beautiful pale gold shade with a lot of sparkle.
It’s feminine without being too floaty. I like it more than I thought I would on initial inspection.
Sadly it has chipped in two places along the cuticle edge which is rather odd, I think it may have more to do with a heavy handed application of top coat though… which renders that last statement rather useless.
I’ve got one more shade to show from the Summer of Love kit.. I know it’s practically old news now, but I’m determined to get them all blogged for swatch purposes!
When I was contacted and asked if I wanted to review a couple of products from the Elemis range, I tried to choose carefully. The last thing I wanted to do was choose something that left me feeling uncertain of it’s value. I wanted products that I could have an opinion about…. something tangible that I could describe to you. I don’t care if it’s rubbish, fanastic or unfathomably dull… I just want to be able to have confidence in my feelings on the product. And sometimes skincare leaves me feeling a little confused.
It’s to this end that I chose two masks that claim concrete results. You may have already seen my Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Gel Mask review. That mask blew me away with outcomes that I could almost instantly appreciate…. smoothing, refreshing, complexion lifting… most of it’s promises came true on my face. A blogger’s dream and an absolute delight to describe to you.
But then it all went a bit wrong.
Elemis Absolute Eye Mask will leave your purse £27 lighter for a generous (considering how far a little goes) 30ml tube.
It describes itself thus:
Elemis Absolute Eye Mask is an eye-brightening treatment that combines vital extracts of Rose, Mimosa, Cornflower and Comfrey to help decongest, firm and minimise dark circles and leave the delicate eye area soothed and revitalized.
So… I’m looking for decongesting, firming, dark circle reduction and a soothing/revitalizing effect.
So far, I haven’t experienced any of this.
In a complete contrast to the tri-enzyme mask, this eye mask leaves me with no instant impressions. It doesn’t tingle, soothe, feel cooling, refreshing or even hydrating upon application. Infact, if anything… there’s a small amount of tightening. And not in a good way.
The blurb on the back tells me to apply sparingly around the eye bone area avoiding direct contact with the lid and inner eye areas. “Sparingly”… I like it when expensive products say that. As previously mentioned, a very small amount will spread nicely over the eye area… this tube will last me months!
But the problem is this…
Ultimately, Elemis Absolute Eye Mask is marketed as an anti-ageing product. Maybe I’ll see some beneficial anti-ageing effects in a years time but unlike their anti-ageing Pro Collagen Marine Cream (be still my beating heart) this doesn’t even feel that nice before, during or after application.
And there you have it.
I’ll keep using it a couple of times a week as suggested on the box, and if in 6 months time I start noticing some longer term benefits, you can be sure I’ll be back to update
But those instant mask-type results that I was looking for? Move along… there’s nothing to be seen here.
I was reminded of my NARS Mediteranee (£23) duo yesterday when talking about neon orange eyeshadow. This isn’t neon… but it is bright.
Perfect for Summer!
My NARS Mediteranee duo also happens to be one of the most buttery shadows I’ve ever had the pleasure to swatch (esp the orange half). I adore it, but do have to use with an incredibly light hand thanks to it’s immense pigmentation!
Scary!
It’s a wonderful duo for darker and olive-toned girls but I was determined to make it work for me too. The warm tones really bring out the green in my eyes. I’m wearing a tiny amount of the orange in this FOTD… just a speck and then dragged out towards the end of my eyebrow.
I think it’s probably the brightest eye shadow I own. What’s your favourite Summer bright?
I’ve been using a lash growth accelerator product (Latisse) since the start of April and I’m pretty happy with the length of my lashes now. I feel that it’s made them a little finer than I’d like them to be, but I’ll continue to use it once a week or so for maintenance.
However, it means that I really need to use mascara nowadays to enhance these finer (but ultimately slightly longer) lashes. And I’ve been trialling some lovely ones recently!
I thought I’d show you a high street one that’s grabbed my attention thanks to it’s light formula but lovely dark pigment.
Lash Extension Effect Mascara contain’s Max Factor’s longest mascara brush ever, which they claim helps you to reach every lash to deliver dramatic length. Personally, I still struggled a little to reach those outer corner lashes…. L’oreal Telescopic Explosion still wins the “coating every lash award” for me.
A lengthening mascara as opposed to a volume or curl-giving product, it lengthens well. The smell is quite off-putting and chemically… I notice this often with Max Factor mascaras, it’s an irritation but ultimately doesn’t stop me buying them.
One of the things that I really like about this mascara is how easy I find it to remove. I own the non-waterproof version and this rinses away nicely with a cleansing oil. I sometimes have to massage the oil into my lashes to shift stubborn mascaras, but this dissolves readily despite not smudging on me during the day.
Priced at £10.99 I’m almost loathe to call this a high-street mascara, it is… but it certainly isn’t budget friendly.
What do you think about the prices of high street mascaras nowadays? They just keep going up and up!
This review is about 6 months overdue… sorry about that.
In late December, I treated myself to a Le Metier de Beaute eye shadow… I wanted a silver, something that I could use for the party season, not that a woman with a 7 month old (at the time) goes to parties… but I obviously had this mental fantasy of rocking some silver shadow like a post-Christmas fairy.
So I picked up “Platinum”.
How I laugh now… £21.
I’ve used it once.
WHY GOD WHY did I choose silver? Why not brown or purple or even *cough* taupe? Silver. What a fuckin’ idiot.
I will say that it’s a very pretty silver…
It’s soft and smooth with a medium pigment that builds nicely. It’s a metallic shade (duh) that catches the light when applied near the tearducts. Hell, I might even make a dent in it come 2056.
Would I buy another Le Metier de Beaute eyeshadow? Yes. I might go for a nice neon orange next time.
I need to get my hands on more of these! Especially Night Life and Hit That… but, they’re discontinued. I’m stalking eBay… and I’m on a mission.
For now, I have this one to show you…
Rimmel Play Fast in Street Wear got picked up for obvious greige-y type reasons. Please ignore the art stamp on my ring finger. It’s where I got accosted at The Clothes Show by some bloke who didn’t know what he was doing and ruined my manicure with a shoddily applied topcoat and distinct lack of charm. Dick.
Street Wear is a pale grey/beige which reminds me of Orly’s Country Club Khaki. It’s a 3 coater and a little gloopy, possibly down to it’s age… I shall try adding a touch of thinner to the bottle before using it again. It contains a subtle (but beautful) rose gold shimmer that picks up when the sunlight hits it.
Overall, it’s a nice addition to my collection… but ultimately not a must have. Wear is good but once it sets in, the polish ages quickly and unevenly.
