Tag Archives: beauty
Mood boosting nails from Kure Bazaar and disco nails from Yves Saint Laurent
Summer just doesn’t seem to want to kick in in NW10. I’m still wearing my woolly scarves and HeatTech which doesn’t do much to put me in an upbeat mood. But this is where the power of make-up really comes in as a mood-booster. I’ve been testing out these Kure Bazaar nail polishes and the colour palette is pretty impressive. My current favourite is Fabulous, a uplifting pink with just a hint of milkiness (third from the left). Kelly is another hot, tropical pink, this time with a subtle shimmer. Both shades are super-flattering on short nails and the added bonus is that Kure Bazaar is one of the new generation of non-toxic nail polishes that are emerging. You can buy them at Selfridges and KureBazaar.com.
Another bit of nail news comes from Yves Saint Laurent. I love YSL polishes – the colours and consistency are second to none, and of course you know I adore the gold casing. The way these La Laque Couture Tie & Dye duos work is quite interesting. Apply the main dense colour as your base coat (choose from signature Yves Saint Laurent shades of blue, pink, purple and orange), wait five minutes, then shake the shimmery topcoat and apply as many layers as you like depending on how intensely you want your nails to dazzle. They cost £18 per duo and are a cute idea for statementy disco nails – and let’s face it, disco is definitely cool again…
Oh and while we’re on a nail tip (LOL), I’ve just discovered Deborah Lipmann’s ‘The Stripper To Go’ a lavender-infused nail lacquer remover finger mitt. You get one mitt in a sachet which easily cleans ten nails in about ten seconds. Converted! Six sachets cost £14 so they’re not cheap but an excellent option for travel.
Buy it now: Chanel Les Beiges
This Chanel Les Beiges sample has been sitting in its box for weeks because I was too scared to use it. I’ve never used bronzers because I don’t know where to position them, but I finally couldn’t resist this sand-hued compact (a first for Chanel) and went for the plunge.
Verdict: Peter Philips has triumphed again with this elegant Healthy Glow Sheer Powder (with SPF15) which has barely perceptible golden specks that very subtly catch the light (I used shade 30). I’ve found the best way to use this is to be confident with the brush; swish it in a swooping figure-of-three type action along the side of the face from brow to chin, then a bit over the forehead and nose. The results are so impressive – a natural, outdoorsy ‘wellness’ effect.
I think this is going to be my hero product for the summer although the only downside is it’s quite heavily scented so that’s something to get used to. It’s selling fast but Selfridges currently has all the shades.
Beauty social networks ‘are a marketer’s paradise’…
I often trawl The Fashion Spot forums to research new fashion ad campaigns and magazine editorials but I’m not so well up on the beauty forums. The New York Times has an interesting piece on beauty review sites like She Said Beauty and Pampadour, which let consumers talk to each other about beauty products before they buy. Sephora’s beauty network, Beauty Talk gives its super-users advance info on new products which is a nice perk as well as a good way to keep them contributing to the site (unsurprisingly, Beauty Talk members spend more money on the site than regular customers). Read the story here…
Beauty bits: Michael Kors, NARS, Jo Malone London, Into The Gloss, & Other Stories, YSL, My Beauty Emporium
COMING SOON: MICHAEL KORS MAKE-UP
The Michael Kors machine is about to get even bigger with the announcement of his colour cosmetics line arriving in August. He already has a hugely successful fragrance market (the scented Michael Kors leg shine is one of my all-time favourite products), but this beauty line is set to send his stock even higher. Continue reading
Last chance: So Dior at Harrods
Gosh isn’t there a lot going on with retail right now? Online may be the all-powerful monster threatening the high street, but bricks and mortar stores are fighting back by ramping up the drama and excitement on offer.
This weekend is your last chance to get involved in the multi-sensory experience that is Dior at Harrods. Continue reading
Free goody bag: Cult Beauty’s ultimate gift with purchase
The beauty sample box phenomenon keeps on growing. (There are now even sites dedicated to swapping and collecting products.) Cult Beauty has its own take on the idea with its ‘goody bags’ which work as a tempting GWP.
From today* if you spend £50 or more, you can receive a swag bag of cult minis, including NCLA’s Peter Som nail wrap collection, 3ml Dr Lipp Original Balm and 3ml Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax. Continue reading
Beauty buy: Tom Ford Lip Color Shine
When it comes to Tom Ford, I find myself hopelessly conflicted. The Tom Ford Gucci years did nothing for me (I mean, those ridiculous feathered jeans!), ditto his recent women’s RTW. His menswear on the other hand is impeccable, and don’t get me started on the fragrances and make-up. Continue reading
Catherine Baba for Nars
Like thousands of other, I love Lisa Eldridge and her excellent how-to ‘beaut-orial’ videos. But here’s something a bit different that I spotted on her Facebook page today. It’s a film for the new NARS Satin Lip Pencils featuring Canadian pop star Sarah Ruba (beauty-wise a cross between Angelina Jolie and Lana Del Rey) and the inimitable Catherine Baba. Quentin Jones directed the vid with Lisa Eldridge wielding the powder brush.
There really does seem to be an effort by brands to feature more diverse examples of style and beauty and it’s great that true originals like Baba are getting featured in beauty campaigns, just because they’re fabulous, not because they ‘look good for their age’ (a ghastly phrase if ever there was one). The video has also caused a bit of buzz due to its interactive technology that allows the viewer to dictate the storytelling. (You can see that version here.) Watch and enjoy Catherine Baba slinking across the screen in kimono-arm-party-gown-fest awesomeness as only she can…
Kilian: luxury fragrance in clever packaging
I love what the young perfume brand, Kilian is doing with fragrance and packaging right now. Combining experimental fragrance with multi-tasking accessories and an eco-consciousness, Kilian Hennessy’s (of the Hennessy cognac family) current scents come in refillable spray bottles of eau de parfum (£160) that are then packaged in white glossy cases. Continue reading
Teenage Precinct Shoppers: Nigel Shafran’s beauty street style
It’s weird how you don’t really get beauty street style blogs. I mean, there’s a bit on The Sartorialist and Vanessa Jackman but it’s not highlighted as such and I’m not so aware of beauty street style as ‘a thing’. And yet the changes in hair and make-up over the years are often more pronounced than in clothing trends. Continue reading
