Things I'm loving at the moment

No7 Radiance Boosting Hot Cloth Cleanser

I have been coming home quite late a lot recently and this is what I keep reaching for on those evenings. It takes off everything, really quickly and causes no irritation to my skin whatsoever. I really love the fact that you can see how much product you have left (unlike the Liz Earle cleanser tube - only downside I hasten to add). Its about £9 from Boots.

Aloe vera gel 
Especially for 'the time of the month'. I slather it on my breakouts at night and seems to calm them down by the morning.

I get mine from Holland & Barratt

Batiste Nude Dry Shampoo

I love how I can volumise my hair with this when applied to the roots. I end up with  a messy, wavy head. Great stuff. You can get this from a whole bunch of places.

Green tea

I thought all green tea tasted the same. But I was wrong. I am trying to cut down on coffee because of my inability to sleep for more that four hours in a row. I have taken to drinking more water, and try and drink at least two cups of green tea a day at work. I bought these from a stall at a Japanese festival I went to recently. Green tea is the only ingredient in it, and it is delicious.

Bloomin' October Heatwave

So this crazy heat wave during October in London has come and gone with a blink of an eye. Fingers crossed we get another one before the year is out (I am trying to ignore the global warning issues for this moment). All the John Kettley and Michael Fish successors are hinting at it.

The heat and lashings of sun had actually caused my orchard plant to flower - first time in two and a half years. How gorgeous are they?

This weather has also made me discover Pink Lemonade from Marks & Spencers. I am addicted to the stuff and it looks very pretty too.

There is something about the sun that makes people happier and fluffier and nicer. For me, summer of 2011 was that heatwave in October.

Two

Xx

Lazy weekend

The weekend has been hot, hot, HOT. In fact the whole week has been scorching although I missed most of it as I have been stuck in the freezing air conditioned office.

I went up to Hampstead Heath with some friends for a picnic and sun-lazing. It was not as heaving as I expected it to be which was great. Hampstead Heath is gorgeous. A friend of mine got chatted up by some random stranger who was walking around with a massive tear on the side of his sorts. So huge that you could see his underwear. It was hilarious watching.

After an outdoor lunch, we made our way to Shoreditch and hung around for a bit until we ended up at this place where the band below were playing.

I've got to say,  Black Manila Flamingo Drive nearly burst my ear drums. I am sorry to say they were sooo bad live. But sifting through the bad guitars and keyboard, the guy has a pretty good voice and the music did sound a bit Jam-esque. Maybe it was the sound system that made my ears bleed, but I think I will google search them to see what they are really meant to sound like.

Sunday, lazed around with the little nieces in the garden eating ice cream and watching them ruin my make up brushes and eye shadows because they were giving each other makeovers. I didn't even have the energy to scream at them so they carried on and demolished a whole eyeshadow palette with their fingers. The six year old nephew later ran into the garden and jumped on top of me whilst I was snoozing to show me his latest Dr Who purchase and searching for my iPhone to play City Farm (I only found out recently that the cheeky little monkey made a separate folder on my phone for his games). Again, I did not have the energy to get him off me so I just lay there for half hour whilst he rambled on about sonic screwdrivers. In the evening I managed to get ready and head over to my friends for a Shisha, indian tea and movies.

It was a pleasant weekend, but I did feel a bit weird at times. Could not put my finger on it. I think it must be me trying to settle down being single again. Or maybe I'm worrying myself how quickly I think I am getting over it. I have made sure I have kept myself busy since it all happened, once I slow down then I can have a think of what the heck the next chapter of my life needs to be. Because this new freakin' chapter has been a long time coming.

Anyway, hope you are enjoying the heatwave in the UK, as we have been told to bring out the wooly scarves and thick coats for the end of the week!

Lots of love

x

Bargain buys

I have been trying to go to the gym regularly now for the past seven months. I decided to join one next to work so i wouldn't get lazy and not go after work if I joined the gym near home. I haven't been too bad actually as going with a buddy does help. Well, I'm trying not to think about the recent 5 week lapse. I'm getting back on it. 


I don't know if anyone else has the same problem, but my my gym bag seems to be really heavy with products - I carry around so much stuff other than just the gym kit such as shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, crams, lotions, makeup etc. I did use to carry small decanted bottles around me but somehow the fuller size products seem to have creeped back into my bag. 


Anyway, as I don't want to take my expensive things to the gym with me, I have come across some real beauties that are dirt cheap. So here are a few of my proud finds:

Boots Coconut and Almond Shampoo

This cost freakin' 99p! Amazing stuff. It leaves my hair soft and clean and smelling lovely. I haven't tried out the conditioner, but I tend to use my Moroccan oil after coming out of the shower anyway so that works as my conditioner. 

I am pretty fussy with my hair, with all the dyeing and blow drying damage, and I think this stuff works great

Natural High Brightening Eye Cream

Contains Organic Rosehip Oil, and other things to help brighten the eye area. I have to say, it does help. I love how it easily sinks into my skin after the shower and brighten it to make me look fresh-eyed. I don't know if it does anything more that provide a temporary cosmetic effect as I have been using it only a couple weeks now, but I really like the effect it gives. Bargain at £2.49 considering the most I have spent on an eye cream has been over £80 and did crap all to improve the dark circles around my eyes.

Sleek Makeup I-Divine 12 Piece Shadow Storm

I had initially bought this because I wanted easy to wear eye shadows and a good black. Most of the bottom ones have broken beyond repair due to it travelling in overnight bags etc. So I thought I'd have it in my gym make up bag for those times I go out straight after a workout. They are very well pigmented and I find that they apply really well with just my fingertips. These palettes are great value for money at under seven quid. 

So these are my bargain finds. I would really be interested to know what people take to the gym with them so that it will give me inspiration on how to pack lightly!


Side note: I never thought I'd say this ever, but I really enjoy the gym and I can see a big difference in my mood if I haven't been for a while. To be honest I probably am not doing enough to actually lose weight as my diet and general lifestyle is still rubbish, but when I feel down, down a strong coffee and spending twenty minutes on the treadmill really helps bring things to perspective. 


Hope you enjoy your weekend what ever you do.


xx

Being single again

Well, I'm back in the world of being single again. I have just come out of one of the most normal relationships I have ever been in. He was kind, and funny and lovely and sensible. At a time when my life was spiralling into crazydom, he came along and pulled me to to a world that other people seem to always have.

He is definitely what I needed to help me bring back my faith in humankind. I enjoyed the simple things we did and even if once in a while, I went back to my loud self, he didn't even flinch. So I began to think that maybe there could be a future with him.

But as I said, he is sensible. Far more sensible than me. He does not live in cuckoo land like I do half the time. Staying together was not realistic. Too many sensible reasons to go into but needless to say that I am very sad about it.

I wish we were able to work things through and live happily ever after. But it was not meant to be and I can leave this relationship not having any bitter feelings for him. Because we ended it before it got too messy and before we ended up resenting each other.

I am so glad I met someone like him and I am grateful for the time we spent together. We did the usual 'lets stay friends', I wish we can but.... maybe not now.

I have always felt detached from the real world and with him, I felt like I was part of it for that short while. He probably doesn't know how much he means to me at a whole different level. There is no point in telling him. He'll forget me in a couple of months as people do in the real world, and I will be so jealous of the girl he eventually settles down with.

I just hope my girlfriends pull through for me during this time. I don't want to go back on the dating scene, as I don't think I will find anyone as kind as him. Also, trying to meet someone is so exhausting. I don't know how anyone else does it. Even one of my mates who has been virtually a hermit for the best part of four years found a man who wants to be in a serious relationship with her the moment she went out of the house!

This post is dedicated to those of you who are single, or those who have ever had to let go of the best thing that ever happened to you. And this post is also dedicated to the boy who will never read this.

Space NK Private (not so private) Sale

Yesterday, Space NK held a private sale for their Indulge card holders. I couldn't make it because I was in the mud in Hyde Park, with seven other merry friends, dancing away to WHITE LIES, PAUL WELLER and KINGS OF LEON.

Drunk Caleb!!

Fantastic day beginning to end. I digress...

So, from today until saturday, this sale is open to everyone. I popped down there today for a browse. They have some amazing Laura Mercier makeup and it took all my strength not to buy any because I really should finish up what I have.

In the end I picked up a couple of skincare products from a line I have never heard of before - Zelens
The sales assistant was raving about them, saying how great they were and that the reason why its so cheap now is because Zelen is repackaging their products. I don't know why, so I believed her. And picked up the eye cream. Was originally £121, on sale £60. This is still the most expensive eye cream I have every bought in my life. But I am desperate for a miracle cure for my troublesome dark circles.
Its full name is intensive triple-action eye cream, and comes in a box. Inside you get a leaflet and 15 ml worth of product in a sturdy glass container.

 The other thing I bought for £25, originally about £150 is the advanced luminescence serum. I still am in love with the Darphin Serum which I am still using, but I just got sucked in and got this. I'll probably use this one at night as my Darphin serum also acts as a great base for my make up.

I have just got home and looked for reviews on Zelen products. There are not a lot, and they are mixed. I have put my faith in the Space NK assistant and hope I haven't just squandered £85 down the pan.

I'll start using this stuff tonight and let you know how it goes. In the meantime, if anyone has had any experiences with Zelens Skin Science products - I would be really interested to hear your thoughts.

UPDATE - Sept 2011
Both products now used up. Pretty quickly may I add. Absolute waste of money.

Quick note

Just to say, I haven't stopped blogging. There are loads of new things I have picked up and want to write about. Loads of different experiences I want to share. Its just, I don't know where time is going at the moment.

I am hoping to sort myself out over the next couple of weeks and re-start the blogging again

Have a lovely bank holiday everyone :)
xx

Darphin Melaperfect Serum

I am really excited about this product. If anyone had read through my blog posts, they will know that I am obsessed with having clear, even skin tone. Being of Indian origin, I am more prone to darker areas around the skin and brown spots. I have a few clusters around the sides of my face which I yearn to get rid of. Since using sunscreen over the past year, I have noticed that it has helped stop the formation of new ones. But I need something that will help reduce or even get rid of the existing ones.

The Darphin Melaperfect Anti-dark spots perfecting treatment claims to help combat these two huge issues of mine. This serum contains a patented 'Trametes mushroom extract' which helps minimise the appearance of pigment marks.

I would say the serum is just a tad thicker than the others I have been using. I like that I can put on my face cream straight after using the serum as it absorbs immediately into my skin without leaving any sticky residue. My skin feels really soft and smooth after the application, and I find that moisturiser just glides after using this.

So does it work? Well, I have been using it only in the night time for about three weeks now and I love how my skin feels in the morning. I can definitely see an improvement to its texture since using this as my skin is looking and feeling smoother. My dark spots are still there BUT I have noticed that the area around my mouth looks a bit more even to the rest of my face. An exit review will be in order to see whether or not it has worked. It will be a while though as I only need a pea size amount for each application. So far, I am loving it, my skin is loving it - I have high hopes for this!

Its exclusive at Space NK at the moment, but I think it goes nationwide in a few months. It is a bit steep at £57 but this will last months and months and months. But serums are always a bit more expensive. Plus, its one skincare product (along with eye cream) that I don't mind splashing out on.

Dior Skin Nude Foundation

My Chanel Vitalumiere bottle has been scraped clean, with my Mac Face & Body and Nars Sheer Glow almost at their end. So I decided to go out and get myself some new foundation. Contrary to many popular reviews, I found the the Chanel and the Face and Body did not like my skin much. I feel the F&B a bit too sticky and heavy for my skin, and Chanel - well not a good colour match for me amongst other niggly things. I still like the Nars one, and probably will get another bottle once I've finished mine.

I popped over to House of Fraser and skimmed pass the Dior counter. An assistant saw me eyeing up the DiorSkin foundation and asked whether I wanted to try it. So yes I did. She matched me to 031 Sable/Sand which I thought would be too light at first. But on my skin it blended in pretty well. I liked the finish so bought myself a bottle.

Here is what it says about the foundation on the actual Dior website:
Natural Glow Hydrating Makeup - Containing nearly 40% water, this fluid foundation offers an instant sensation of well-being. KSin appears fresher, silky and feels more comfortable. Thanks to micro-droplets of water, this foundation's coverage is lighter than a “classic” fluid formula, and it evens out the complexion and makes it appear more radiant and transparent. With daily use, the skin becomes more beautiful for an ever more natural and radiant result day after day.

I have only used it for about three weeks but I love it. Its not too dewey which I like, has spf 10, soo light and lasts a good 6-8 hours without rubbing off on my clothes. The coverage is great. I have some awful blemishes round my chin area because of a small outbreak. This foundation covers it up well without the need for much concealer and without looking like I have caked on make up. It still lets my skin look natural.

I am really pleased with the effect, and I have had a couple of compliments on my skin when I have been out with it on. A big thumbs up for me!

Related articles

• Diorskin Nude Compact Gel Natural Glow Creme-gel makeup review (lipglossismylife.com)

More Body Shop Stuff

I treated myself to a few things at the Body Shop last week

Vitamin E Lip Care SPF 15 (£4)

Does a decent job of keeping my lips moisturised. Plus it has spf - bonus

Tea Tree Blotting Tissues (£4.50)

I have already mentioned this on another post. I restocked because I love them. They take away the afternoon shine in a clean way. It takes away excess oil ready for retouching make up for the evenings out straight after work. 

White Musk Eau De Toilette 60ml (£14)

I have always had one of these for years now. Just a nice, cute and clean smell. 

Aloe Soothing Day Cream for Sensitive Skin (£9)

This is for my gym kit, for when I shower straight after the gym (just recently joined). The assistant said this might be the best thing for me as it is light and won't clog the pores which is what I need for my skin at that time. I tried a sample of this in the summer and I really liked it.

Also, because £15 of the products was skincare, I got a full sized Vitamin C Microdermabrasion (worth £12).

Review to follow once I've tried it out.

The lovely assistants (at the branch near Selfridges, Bond Street by the way) also gave me a sample of the Aloe calming toner and Blue Corn Scrub Mask to try out. All this for £12 is a bloody great bargain in my eyes. 

Beauty Bloggers Backstage - 7 questions with K from Cosmeddicted.com

This month, I have been paired up with the lovely K from Cosmeddicted.com I asked her seven questions, here are her answers:

1) I am obsessed with getting flawless skin. Any recommendations? 

Three things have really made a difference:

(1) getting enough sleep,

(2)drinking tons of water, and

(3) taking Vitamin E capsules. After 10 days of taking Vitamin E capsules, my skin and hair looked totally different!

2) How do you get rid of blemishes / acne scars? 

Again, water! Also gentle exfoliation and whitening products.

3) What is your typical skin care routine like?

- wash face with cleanser 

- use japanese toner on cotton to make a homemade sheet mask 

- leave sheet mask on for 15 minutes - remove, apply light moisturizer 

4) What beauty items do you always carry with you in your makeup bag or purse? 

Oil blotting sheets and lip balm. If my bag is slightly bigger, I'll have a lipstick, lipgloss, and powder in my bag as well.

5) Do you wear sunscreen over your moisturiser but under your foundation? Does it cause any problems with keeping makeup in place when you do use the sunscreen? 

I apply moisturizer, then sunscreen, then foundation. I allow enough time for my moisturizer to sink in by doing other stuff. For example, I change into my clothes after putting on moisturizer. Also, I pick a sunscreen that leaves a powdery finish.

6) How long have you been blogging for and what got you into blogging? 

I just hit my 2nd blogversary a few days ago! I got into blogging after reading a lot of beauty blogs written by other Asian girls. I'm really happy that I got to know them and even meet some of them!

7. What is you favourite high end and low end make up brand? 

That really depends on the product! For skin care, I love the Rohto Gokujyun line, which is super affordable in Asia. I love the Barry M Dazzle Dusts that I picked up in the UK. I love the Sleek iDivine palettes, although I hate their customer service. For mascaras, I never use high end products since drugstore products are great and I need to throw them out very 3 months anyway. My favorite is the Cover Girl Lash Blast (the original in the orange tube), but I'm enjoying the Maybelline Volume Express Colossal as well. It's hard to pick a high end favorite. I feel that products really need to deliver on their claims for me to want to shell out the money for them.

Have a peruse around her blog, its full of informative and fun stuff!

Origins Ginzing Eye Cream and other stuff

I was browsing though the Boots website, ordering my usual everyday supplies (like shampoo, cotton wool etc) when I came across an amazing Origins offer. Its the 'Origins Good to Glow Ginzing Eye Gift Set' which is exclusive to Boots online. The set contains:

• Ginzing Eye Cream
• Full story Lash Loving Mascara
• Duel Ended Lip Gloss
• Pretty decent sized toiletry bag

I have been on the look out for another eye cream as the two I am currently using are okay, but are not helping combat the depressing dark circles.  I have already used one of their night eye creams which I liked, but not loved but I have heard a lot of good things about Origins eye creams in general. So I thought, I might as well try the Ginzing one out as one of it's main features is to beighten the eye area. 

It contains ginseng to hydrate and reduce puffiness, with shimmery silica and mica illuminaors to brighten and minimise the look of dark circles. On the Origins website, the full sized 15ml costs £20. Now on the Boots website, you get the full sized 15ml eye cream with the bonus mascara, lipgloss and wash bag currently for a grand total of £12.50!!!!!! 

Definitely worth having a try out.

Lipgloss swatches

Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother

I might have mentioned this before, I have been dyeing and highlighting my hair nearly since I have been 14 years old. Naturally, all this has taken it's toll on the condition of my hair and I decided six months ago to chop and dye it all jet black so that I can start all over again. I am liking my black hair at the moment but may go back to being lighter in the summer. My goal at the moment is to start strengthening, and healing my damaged hair. I don't like using many products because my hair is still pretty thick and feel that most things weigh my it down. However, I am using a couple of things like moroccan oil, and I have now started incorporating the Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother into my routine now.

My hair is all pretty broken where I kept putting in highlights so at the moment, it gets a bit flyaway on the top. This stuff helps control these problems. Especially during this crazy windy weather. It claims to:

"tame frizz and defend against humidity for up to 12 hours thanks to our breakthrough plant infusion formula that creates a smooth surface on hair, protecting from heat styling."

I work in an air conditioned office where myself and my colleagues have a daily battle with Facilities team over the gusts of cold air that goes through our section. I blame this office for me being ill for nearly over three months now. This evil air conditioning also dries my skin out and makes my hair look like a mad woman by the afternoon. I have discovered that this helps keep my hair style throughout the day, so now it is definitely a staple in my hair care.

The product smells AMAZING as do all Aveda products. It smells all natural, organic and how products in salons usually smell. You know, expensive! It costs £18 for 100ml and will last you for ages I reckon as you only need a small blob through damp hair. The next day, my hair doesn't look greasy and flat either - a bonus!

They were giving out samples a couple of weeks ago in their salons, I suggest try and get one if they have any left. 

Things I'm loving at the moment (Feb '11)

E.L.F Sheer Mineral Booster (starting at £3.50)

I'm a big fan of the Bare Minerals 'Mineral Veil', and think this E.L.F version is a pretty decent, much cheaper dupe. I've been using this on top of my foundation and cream blushes to set everything. It doesn't stop the shiny t-zones coming through all day however. But it is so light weight and non-cakey looking, and I like the way it looks.


Batiste Brit Dry Shampoo (£2.19)

I've mentioned this before but since discovering dry shampoo, my hair is looking better as it being allowed to rest in between washes. I cannot recommend this product highly enough, it really will change the way you do your hair! A bonus of using this is that it helps me style my hair and keep it in place without having to use other products to weigh my hair down. This Brit Batiste version is so clean and fresh smelling, I love it!

Origins Starting Over Age-erasing Moisterizer with Mimosa (£35)

Origins products as a general rule are really good and this is no exception. I'm loving using this in the winter months. I like to wear this on days I don't wear makeup (which is only when I know I'll be at home all day!). This is because when I wear this over a serum, I feel that my complexion looks smoother and brighter.  It has three main ingredients: Mimosa (soothing proerties), Argan Leaf Extract (protects against UV) and Green Algae (helps skin boost its now natural collagen). My skin feels smooth and plump all day.

NYX 'Goddess of the Night' Lipgloss in 'Juicy Red' 149 (£3.99)

NYX is a bit harder to get in the UK. There are however a few decent sites which you can order from. I'm into red lips at the moment and this on top helps soften the drama of the colour. The gloss smells of delicious strawberry and it gives such a long lasting 'glossy effect'. Really good value for money. Definitely will invest on a few more colours.

No7 Perfect Lips Pencil in' 15 Fire' (£7.50)

I love wearing this all over my lips and then using the NYX gloss on top. If I want something more dramatic, I use Mac's Russian Red lipstick in between these two products.


Korres Volumising Lash Conditioning and Strengthening Mascara (£10.00)

At first glance, the wand or the product do not look very exciting and when I first tried it, I was annoyed about the price I paid for something which I thought did not work at all. However, after a couple of days when a bit of air went in, I have fallen in love with this mascara. It does not necessary make my lashes longer, but makes them look more plump and full. I am using this every morning at the moment, and I am glad I bought it.