Tom Ford - Signature Colour collection

*Tom Ford Black Orchid: here. *Tom Ford Lipstick: here. - - - 

Today, I am thrilled to present to you; two icons from Tom Ford's beauty repertoire - both from the Signature Colour Collection. They are inarguable classics. 

The first, Tom Ford's Black Orchid. Encased in black glass and adorned with classically Tom Ford gold accents, this is a dark, luxurious and sensual blend of florals and warm spices that sits atop the dressing tables of stylish women everywhere. I can't begin to recall the number of times I've caught this beautiful, recognisable scent on a friend, at an event or in a meeting and asked the wearer 'which perfume do you have on?' and they always answer 'Tom Ford, Black Orchid'.

"A luxurious and sensual fragrance of rich, dark accords and an alluring potion of black orchids, and spice, Tom Ford's Black orchid is both modern and timeless. Bottled in fluted, black-glass, black orchid makes an unforgettable statement of iconic style and worldly glamour."

The top notes are french jasmine, black truffle, ylang-ylang, blackcurrant and citrus, the middle notes feature spice, fruity notes, orchid, lotus, gardenia and jasmine whilst the base notes are made up of patchouli, sandalwood, dark chocolate, incense, amber, vetiver, vanilla and balsam.

Next, what must surely be Tom Ford's most iconic and beloved beauty item; the lipstick, which comes in a rainbow of shades from classic reds to wearable nudes and more experimental colours like purple and fuchsia. I already have about 8 of these, and so can say with absolute sincerity that in my opinion, they stand out as the best lipsticks I've ever used - in terms of both aesthetics and functionality. For my every day shade, I opt for Casablanca (as does my mother!) and if you ever see me wearing a red lip, I can assure you it's Cherry Lush. 

"To Tom Ford, there is no more dramatic accessory than a perfect lip. It is the focus of the face and it has the power to define a woman's whole look. Each lip colour is Tom Ford's modern ideal of an essential makeup shade. Rare and exotic ingredient including Soja Seed extract, Brazilian Murmuru butter and Chamomilla Flower oil create an ultra-creamy texture with an incredibly smooth application. Specially treated colour pigments are blended to deliver pure colour with just the right balance of luminosity."

For this feature, Tom Ford and Harrods kindly sent me a new shade to add to my collection; Scarlet Rouge. When compared to my much used, classic, postbox red Cherry Lush, Scarlet Rouge is a slightly darker, slightly more brown-toned and sexy red. It's utterly perfect for evening wear, with just the right amount of shine. As expected, Scarlet Rouge has that same velvety but pigmented texture and the same deliciously appealing smell. I swear I could recognise a Tom Ford lipstick from the scent alone.

As I mentioned above, I find these lipsticks to be incredibly comfortable to wear, but they also perform well in terms of colour payoff and lasting power. A rather taboo subject to discuss when it comes to lipsticks is how 'well' they wear off. No one ever mentions how lipsticks do, inevitably, wear off. Of course, I look for long lasting power but I don't expect earth-moving miracles. As an every day wearer of Tom Ford's lipsticks I can tell you that when they do eventually wear off, they wear off well. In the sense that the colour fades evenly, not patchily or only in the centre, creating that clown-eqsue look. You can apply a Tom Ford lipstick in the morning, accidentally leave it at home and go about your day without fear. 

Have you ever tried Tom Ford products? If so, what are your favourites? Let me know below!

By Terry Rouge-Expert Click Stick - A Review

Lust over the By Terry Rouge-Expert Click Stick for yourself here. 

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The Rouge-Expert Click Stick is a new launch from the luxury French beauty brand, By Terry. With 25 shades to choose from and retailing at £24.50, it promises a 3-in-1 performance with high pigmentation, a precise application and a velvety smooth, balm-like texture. 

By Terry is a brand that I'm already quite besotted with. I know I can expect the absolute highest performance and quality from their products. So, I was very, very excited to try out the Rouge-Expert Click Stick - more excited than I have been for a new launch in quite a while. It was the unique teardrop shape of the bullet that first caught my eye, and after trialling the colour 'My Red' (a classic, true red) I can truly say that it applies the colour to my lips in a way that I've never experienced before. I didn't trust the unusual shape at first, imagining it'd feel strange and unfamiliar. I applied it tentatively, without lipliner (something I never do with bright colours) and was shocked by the incredibly intense coverage and the way the teardrop shape just... works. It just works in a way that I can't quite explain. It reminded me of the first time I tried a liquid lipstick; just one sweep does the job in terms of shape and coverage, unlike a normal lipstick which can take a few coats to reach its full colour potential. I suppose it just demonstrates that there was clearly a lot of research and trialling that went into the teardrop shape. The 'click-stick' mechanism, that pushes up just the right amount of product also works well. It's not too over-zealous which means you won't end up smushing the lid onto unused product.

If you're a lipstick lover, I'd certainly recommend giving this product a try. I also think, considering the fact that most of By Terry products are quite pricey - this price of this product is surprising. I accept that £24.50 isn't cheap, but bearing in mind that lots of other brands that I wouldn't consider so luxurious also price their lipsticks in the same region, the Rouge-Expert Click Stick is unexpectedly reasonable. 

Penhaligons' Duchess Rose

  

I have never fallen in love with a fragrance so instantly. 

A week or so ago, I attended an event with the prestigious British perfumer, Penhaligons. Their brand is unique, clear and consistent, with a heritage that dates all the way back to the Victorian era. They say of themselves; 'we strive to create original scents for the discerning eccentrics of today' - how terribly British! 

Penhaligons have just launched 4 new fragrances as part of their 'Portraits' family. The idea being that each fragrance represents a member of a fictional family, with their animal counterparts represented through the perfume lid; Lord George; the distinguished gentleman represented by a proud stag, Lady Blanche; the sophisticated matriarch, quite reminiscent of a cunning but graceful leopard, Duchess Rose; the sweet, innocent-seeming daughter with hidden vixen-like qualities, and The Duke; the daughter's loyal and flamboyant husband, much like an English Hound. The idea of a well-to-do but drama-filled family is such a British image, but relating the idea to fragrance is genius. 

I was immediately drawn to Duchess Rose both in scent and the personality description! It's a beautiful, deep rose scent - the head note is mandarin, the heart note is rose and the base note is musky wood. I absolutely adore the fragrance and so, have worn this every single day since acquiring it. It's incredibly pungent and long lasting, but not in an overbearing way. A few days ago my mother told me that she knew I'd been in the kitchen before her that morning because she could smell the perfume! Despite it being primarily rose, which seems quite traditional and to some, a tiresome scent - I must disagree, this fragrance is full of life and every day I catch myself with my wrist to my nose, breathing it in with appreciation!

It's full name; The Coveted Duchess Rose Eau de Parfum retails at £178.

Her fragrance: 'A sparkling and ostensibly innocnt scent for the youthful daughter. A translucent floral fragrance, an English rose with hidden sensuality and thorns. Sweet and effervescent at first, a delicate and fruity mandarin creates a bright exuberance. A pastel pink rose sits squarely at the heart, luminous and romantic. The woody, sensual character of ambrox adds modernity and disrupts the innocent air of the rose. Graceful and carnal.'

The way this foursome of products has been marketed is incredible. The 'Portraits' family is so unique and terribly smart, not only does it create a character for almost everyone to relate to, it also leaves the door open to add more characters and scents in the future. Not only that, but I can't remember the last time I bothered reading a branded magazine or newspaper as I tend to find them uninspiring, but upon devouring the beautiful imagery and clever, creative descriptions of The Penhaligons Times I remembered why I chose Publishing as my degree. It's so wonderfully creative. I took some photographs of the newspaper's contents as I truly think you have to see if for yourself to appreciate it!

You can admire or buy Duchess Rose for yourself, here. I believe you can also order free samples online!

The Perfect Highlight for Pale Skin

Laura Mercier Face Illuminator  in Devotion - a cool, pearly pink.

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I have difficulty with highlighters. I'm pale - deceptively so, and often even the lightest toned highlighter ends up looking like a smear of shiny bronzer on my pasty cheekbones. I've experimented a lot, and about 18 months ago Laura Mercier's Baked Highlight in 01 found itself sitting happily in my make up collection's top highlighter spot and remains there today. It's a soft champagne highlight with a beautiful texture, great staying power and a 'behold my fabulous god-given cheekbones' finish rather than the 'shield your eyes from my laminated face' effect. 

So, when I saw that Laura Mercier had released a new collection of 'Face Illuminators' I was immediately interested. It's a brand that suits me and a brand I trust - particularly in the highlight department. The product comes in Laura Mercier's classic deep brown packaging and is baked into a swirling wave-like pattern. 

The new collection has four shades; Addiction, a gold, Seduction, a soft bronze, Indiscretion, a warm rose gold and Devotion, a cool pink. The product is described as a multi-use, buildable highlighting powder that'll bring light to your eyes, face and décolletage without shifting during the day. 

Devotion, the cool toned pearly pink immediately caught my eye and it was love at first swatch. I prefer pearly highlights on pale skin - in my experience, they really lift the complexion and Devotion doesn't disappoint.  It's an ethereal, icy pink and the pigmentation is magnificent. It's soft, creamy, applies well and has the same finely milled texture as my current everyday Laura Mercier highlight. Applied with a light or heavy hand, it gives a beautiful pearlised shimmer across the cheekbones and even though it's a summertime release, it's a product that I can really see myself using throughout the year. I guess you could say I am now devoted to Devotion...... *insert canned laughter* 

So, Laura Mercier have continued to impress me and I'd recommend this 100% -particularly if you're a fellow fair skinned individual or someone who prefers a pearly highlight. 

Below you'll find my everyday favourite highlight and The Face Illuminator in Devotion, the product we're talking about here. 

New Beauty Launch - Mastering a Bold Lip On The Go with The Chanel Stylo

Take a look at the Chanel Stylo here. - - - 
Today, I'm going to quickly talk you through a new beauty launch from Chanel; the Stylo. (Pronounced steelo - like the word for pen in French.) 
The Chanel Stylo is more than meets the eye. Touted as a product perfect for travel, not just because of its sleek, handbag friendly design, but also due to its easy application. It's highly pigmented but without need for too much precision when applied. Ideal for mastering the bold lip look whilst on the go! The hybrid formula, contained in the elongated lipstick bullet, is said to be as intense in pigment as a lipstick, as shiny as a gloss and as comfortable to wear as balm.  The packaging is classic and simple. It's very 'Chanel' albeit slightly less glamorous than the brand's standard gold-accented packaging. To use the product, you simply turn the base, much like a lipstick - but there's a twist (...that wasn't meant to be a pun I promise) when the base is turned, you'll hear a click. This click signals that the perfect amount of product has been pushed up and out of the plastic tube. Not only that, I've found it's also retractable. Meaning less wastage and no awkward squishing the lid onto the lipstick after an over enthusiastic twist. Win win!
After a couple of weeks of use, I've become really fond of it. Often, a bright lip seems like quite a commitment - as well as being time consuming when you're in a rush. I don't usually give myself enough time to get ready in the morning and when I've been short on time but feeling in the mood for a bold lip, this has been my go-to product. 
Have you tried the Chanel Stylo? If you'd like to hear me talk a little more about it, you can watch this video - www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mvt5W99wWpw

How To: Sleek Low Bun Tutorial

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Hello hello! If you didn't already know - I'm now making weekly YouTube videos. Despite having been rather quiet about it on here, I've been really, genuinely enjoying it. My most recent video; A Sleek Low Bun Tutorial, is something that's been highly requested across the years both here on my blog and on my YouTube channel, so I thought it might be apt to share it on here! My blog has always been and will always be my first internet love - you guys have been here the longest after all! So, I'd really appreciate your thoughts. It's only 2 minutes long so if you'd like to take a gander, you can do so below! 

Aa always, thanks so much for being here.

Lancome Juicy Shakers; A Review

Hello friends! Today's beauty themed post comes to you in the form of Lancome's newest release; Juicy Shakers, a modern take on Lancome's iconic Juicy Tube lip glosses. The snazzy product container is styled in the shape of a cocktail shaker, with a vigorous shake necessary to mix the pigment and scented oil - hence the name Juicy Shaker! They retail at £18 each and are primarily a tinted lip oil, although they offer moisturisation too. 

Through shaking, the perfect amount of product is decanted into the cute little sponge applicator. First off, the product smells great. Each different colour has a corresponding scent, so 'Vanilla Pop', a berry-red, smells of Vanilla and 'Great Fruit', a very orangey red, smells of grapefruit - you get the idea. The application is smooth and non-sticky, and I admit, my initial first impression of the colour payoff was one of disappointment. The colour in the container is so bright, I expected perhaps unrealistically, to see something similar as the result. However, once I reminded myself that the Juicy Shakers are marketed as a tinted lip oil, I reevaluated my expectations. The coverage is very sheer, but the darker shades are buildable. 

Despite my initial disappointment, I really genuinely like this product. It's a very fresh, pretty look that appears quite natural. None of the harsh lines you get with lipliner or lipstick; it almost just looks like you've been *blessed* with amazingly pigmented lips. 

Another pro of this product that I mentioned on YouTube, is that they wear off in a very even manner. They almost melt away - meaning that these are quite handy little products if you're going on a date or spending time with your significant other - no need to worry about both parties faces being smeared in lipstick. It just sort of... disappears! There's my weird tip of the day. Probably not the marketing angle Lancome were going for but hey, it's a plus!

Take a look at Lancome Juicy Shakers here.

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