Sex and The City plus a little Chanel...

The weekends for me are an opportunity to sit myself in front of my mirror and actually take my time with my make up.  This is a stark contrast to weekdays when I'm sat on a train at 7.20 and attempting to apply my face whilst half asleep....oh how glamorous!

The biggest difference from week to weekend is how I do my eye make up.  Monday to Friday it's all about the mascara and not much else.  However, come Saturday and Sunday - the eye shadow is out in force, lashes are carefully applied and more than a hint of eyeliner can be seen.

Today, this was the result:

 Golden brown eyelids with a hint of sheen courtesy of Chanel, a flick of black khol and my new obsession: Sex And The City Charlotte lashes.

The texture of the Chanel Illusion D'Ombre (82) did take a bit of getting used to, I will admit.  However, the result is beautiful and the Khol pencil was an absolute dream to apply - it was soft enough to apply without dragging the delicate eyelid but still allowed for precision.  As for the lashes - these are true Holy Grail material.  They are ridiculously cheap from Savers but are fantastic quality, have an invisible band so they are so easy to apply and even after 5 or 6 wears they are still in perfect condition.  As can be seen from the picture, I have a pair of the Miranda version too which I am yet to try, but have high hopes for!

What are your current favourite for creating a simple, but effective eye look?  I'd love some recommendations!

xxx

Cheek of the week?

We've all seen FOTDs and EOTDs but do we think COTW could catch on??!  It does rhyme after all...

I would happily make the statement that cheek products are my favourite to buy.  Lipsticks are nice but I never really get that excited about; eyeshadows I love but have enough to last me lifetime..

Cheek products however possess an appeal second to none...  The allure of a new bronzer, blush or highlighter is sometimes just too much.  The multitude of formulas and vast selection of shades means I never get bored of madly swatching products in the aisles of Boots or at the Selfridges' counters.  And as such, I can always justify a new purchase.

Most recently it has been Sleek's Rose Gold that I finally got my mitts on two weeks ago and it hasn't been off my cheeks since.  Combined with Chanel Bronze Universel and MAC Hush Cream Colour Base, it creates the perfectly defined, highlighted and rosy cheeks that I am always aiming for.

These three products were made for each other.

What cheek products have you fallen in love with recently?  Do we think COTW could catch on?!  Did Rosie cheat with Hugo? (Not connected but an all important question all the same...)

Let me know! xxx

Chanel at a fraction of the cost?!

When the Chanel Illusion d'Ombre luminous eye shadows hit the shelves, it's safe to say there was a little bit of hysteria throughout the blogging community ;).

I, for one, admired them from afar but my frantic saving for 'Gap Year Round Two' restricts me from my buying such luxurious things.  Well....sometimes anyway!

I have to be honest, I was feeling a little bit hard done-by (after all, is going back to Australia really worth it?  Answer - yes very much so!) so was over the moon when these 17 Wild Metallic Eyes popped up on my radar.

Obviously I have no idea on how they compare in formulations, but so far, I reckon the 17 version is pretty much perfect and comes in at a delicious £3.99.

Heavily swatched, Wild Nude is quite a cool toned brown but when blended, becomes a sheer, warm bronze.  Perfect as base for a brown smoky eye or as a wash of colour for every day.  Right up my street and on second inspection, a colour I prefer to all the Chanel options..my bank balance is sighing with relief ;).

Have you tried these, Chanel's version or both?  Let me know how you think they compare! xxx

An Update and Weekend Wish List

Hello gorgeous girls!  I am so, so sorry for going AWOL over the last few weeks.  This is down to a combination of finishing exams, a technology breakdown, a few random road trips and leaving Manchester for the final time.  It was very emotional and yes, I did cry!

But moving upwards and onwards, I am now back in leafy Warwickshire for the foreseeable future and am happily settled in my gorgeous family home.  Things are nowhere near calm however as we are in the midst of decorating and stacks of DIY is calling but this does mean an entirely new bedroom - inspiration is flooding in from weheartit!

As for me, I am in the graduand limbo before graduation in a few weeks and trying to relax but constantly finding jobs to apply to - why is being an adult so hard?!

I am excited about the prospect of a 'real job' though - I have no idea what I really want to do so the sky is the limit which is pretty exciting!  I have some amazing things in the pipeline but I don't want to jinx them by saying too much...

However, I cannot stop myself from mentally planning what I might buy - typical girl - with my first real salary....

YSL Rouge Volupte 

Oooh 1 or the whole collection - I just need some YSL in my life!  I have always had a mental debate with myself over whether these are worth the cash but I have fully decided - YES THEY BLOODY WELL ARE!

 Dressing Table 

I've never had a proper dressing table (I make myself sound so deprived..!) but with my room being re-done, it is something that I really, really want!  I'm torn between a Venetian style like pictured or a white shabby chic version... What do you reckon?!

Lily Flame Candles

What girl's room would be complete without a stupidly large array of scented candles?!  I love this brand - the scents are amazing and they look so cute too.

Chanel 2.55

One day, one day..!!

MAC Mineralize Skin Finish Natural

 I have a love-hate relationship with powder and feel I've tried every one available in the drugstore.  This is therefore the next logical step...MAC have never let me down before though so I have high hopes!  I am excited by the light coverage that it can provide - I am hoping that over some tinted moisturiser it will be all I need when I'm tanned.

Some are realistic and some are very much not - but then a girl can dream..!

The Rumour Mill: Soleil Tan De Chanel

If you're anything like me, you've watched numerous videos and read masses of blog posts which have included usage of the infamous Soleil Tan De Chanel aka Bronze Universel.  I've always lusted after the gel based bronzer and its ability to provide either an overall sun kissed look or the illusion of beautiful high cheekbones though some clever contouring...

However, at near enough £30 for a pot, I always hesitated to stump up the money and make the purchase.  (Unemployed student in the blogging corner!)

That was until I heard the re-sizing rumours and sure enough, the Debenhams' website now states the product is £28.60 for 6g.  That's right - 30g down to 6g for the same price?!  The product listing has also mysteriously disappeared from the Boots' website...

Upon this discovery, I hot-footed it down to Boots as fast as my legs could carry me to suss out the situation...

Thankfully, the Chanel assistant had absolutely no knowledge of this so before I knew it, I had a 30g Chanel box in my possession and my debit card lighter by £28.

I'm not sure whether I had one of the last 30g pots for sale or the 6g re-size is just that: a rumour.


Have you recently purchased the famed product or heard of any re-size?!  Let me know..!

Modern 60s

Dewy skin, dark cut crease and pinky nude lips

FACE

Chanel Pro Lumiere Foundation

Bobbi Brown Corrector then Creamy Concealer under eyes

No 7 Transparent Créme Touch Powder to set

No 7 High Lights Illuminating Powder in Island Glow to Contour

No 7 Blushers in Soft Damson and Honey blended onto cheeks

MAC Hush Cream Colour Base to highlight cheekbones

EYES

MAC Bare Canvas Paint all over lid

Urban Decay Whiskey eyeliner through socket and on upper & lower lash lines

Urban Decay Buck eyeshadow blended through the socket over the liner

Sleek matte black shadow put lightly through socket to darken

L'oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss along upper lash line and flicked out

L'oreal Voluminous Mascara

Sleek matte brown shadow through brows

[In hindsight, I would have thickened the flick and added lashes - but there is always next time!]

LIPS

Prestige Silk Lip Liner

MAC Hue Lipstick

Revlon Peach Petal Lipgloss

xxx

Chanel Dupe??

I have worn Chanel Chance every day for as long as I can remember.  I like a lighter fragrance in the day compared to what I wear in the evening - Dior Midnight Poison and Hugo Boss being two examples.

It is however a lot of pennies and as I am rapidly running out I was all set to drop £40 or so on a new bottle.  However, when I was at the Zara till a few days ago and attempting to distract myself on how much money I was spending, I had a quick spritz of their perfume 'Zara Collection'.  The first thought that came into my head?.. "Chanel Chance."  At just £14.90 for 50ml I couldn't resist.

As soon as I stepped out the strore I ripped open the plastic and set about spritzing like mad.  I LOVE IT!!!

When I got home I did a little comparison with the Chanel.  As far as I am concered, they smell pretty damn similar.  My brother said they smell nothing alike and that I don't have 'a nose' for smells...  Well, I attempted a little google search of their notes etc but I could find no real info on the Zara fragrance except that it is 'floral' - as is the Chance.

So the reality is, they don't smell exactly the same but it's as close as one can get and for £14.90 I'm not complaining!  My only gripe is that it doesn't last that long on the skin - being only an Eau de Toilette - but it doesn't really bother me because I know I can spritz away to my heart's content without worrying about how much each spray is costing me!

No, it won't replace my Chance which I will love forever I'm sure but this is great for the Summer and, being Zara, looks simple and pretty classy on my dressing table at the same time.

Smiles all around :)