Friday Video - January 2014 Favourites

This are the things that have got me through a long and strenuous January. Some make-up, some skin care and a few other things.

Clarins Waterproof Eye Liner
Pixi Glow Tonic 
Daniel Sandler Smudger
Laura Mercier Metallic Eye Cream in Gold
Charlotte Tilbury Film Star Bronze & Glow
Dermaviduals Eye Gel Plus
Origins Make A Difference +
Ash Jalouse Boots 
Guns N Roses Line Up Shirt

Friday Video - Face of the Day 16th January 2014

Using as many reasonably priced products as I had to hand and a bit of a ramble about DIY, moving house and aggressive babies.

Products Used:
Origins Make A Difference+
Garnier Skin Perfector
Avon True Colour Eye Shadow Quad in Mocca Latte
MUA 3 in 1 Contour Pen
L'Oreal Telescopic False Lash Mascara
MUA Pro-Base Palette in Natural Rose
Sleek Makeup Face Form in Fair
Accessorize Mineral Bronzer in Laguna
Sleek Makeup Luminous Powder in 1
Collection Cream Puff in Fairy Cake

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow

I didn't enjoy the run up to Christmas - for various reasons I won't go into but due in part to the most horrific cold I've had in a long time. I had to cancel all my fun early December plans and was generally snotty and abstemious until the 12th by which time I was so behind with the boring bits of Christmas that there was not that much time left to do fun stuff (yes, yes I know, cue tiny little violins).

The outer packaging - which you have to throw out

This is how I came to hop off the tube at Bond Street on my way to meet friends* and head straight into Selfridges with a four year old voucher burning a hole in my pocket and a hankering for some of the new Charlotte Tilbury products. 

I thought I deserved a treat and never having scraped together enough money for the Mulberry bag or Chanel sunglasses I wanted to use the voucher for come really high-end cosmetics for personal use. I'd heard and read some fantastic things about Charlotte Tilbury products and the beautiful, classic packaging made my mind up.

I ended up with three products - Filmstar Bronze & Glow, Charlotte's Magic Cream and the Retoucher (reviews on the other two to follow). I have to say you do pay for the packaging - a lot of which you throw away but it's been incredibly well thought out and produced, I almost didn't want to put it in the bin, but that's where it has to end up which and I'd rather not have all the disposable packaging and pay less.

The actual case. Nice isn't it!

I was originally going to get the gold Bar of Gold highlighter but was instead persuaded to try the Filmstar Bronze & Glow face sculpt and highlight and having tried it on there really was no decision to be made. Yes the Bar of Gold may be really lovely to have in your kit for photographic shoots and the more glamorous looks but as this was a personal, rather than a work purchase, the Filmstar Bronze & Glow was much subtler and more wearable and I often contour my face so it's wonderful to have something that does the job so beautifully. It really does transform your face. As long as you blend, blend, blend.

This is now available in two colour options light to medium and medium to dark. Although I usually prefer a matte colour to use as a sculpt this has a lovely tone - you just need to be careful with your blending - and the darker contour powder is beautiful on its own as a bronzer.

The gold-based highlighter is beautiful - very subtle and glamorous. This set is definitely for those who like a classic style of make-up and have a bit of money to spend as it's £49 for 16g of product so not cheap.

I really love this and I would like to keep in my collection, whether I can afford to at that price remains to be seen. I'll also be interested to see how long it lasts and whether it breaks up eventually, as so often happens with products in beautiful packages. There's no denying a lot of thought and time has been put into the new Charlotte Tilbury range and this is one of the products where it really shows. If you try one thing from the range this would be the one to go for I think.

What You Need to Know - Filmstar Brzone & Glow

• £49 for 16g
• Two colours available - light to medium (the original) and medium to dark
• Paraban free
• Available online and at Selfridges

* for supper at Canteen on the South Bank - lovely and fun but I had completely lost my sense of taste so I have no idea what my Mac Cheese tasted like but I'm assuming it was delicious

UPDATED JANUARY 2017

Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturiser

Ugh what a massive disappointment, especially as not so long ago it was my Product of the Week, but when it ran out on 27th December I couldn't believe it.

I bought this when we were in New York at the end of October. It was about US$55 for 1oz (approx. 30ml - it's about £45 in the UK hence why I got it in New York) and I used it a couple of times a week since then - a little of this goes a long way and it's really blendable so one of the reasons I love, it's a pretty full coverage tinted moisturiser. Why oh why then has it run out two months later. I have foundations that are older than my marriage because they just last for so long. There is no explanation for this unless I got a dodgy half-empty bottle and Hourglass are firmly ignoring me on twitter.

So for this reason I have to say - save your money, don't buy this, there are lot and lots of other lovely foundations and tinted moisturisers available that will give you what you pay for. Yes the quality of the product is good but for that price I expected this to last me much, much longer.

Some of my favourite things from 2013

Thank you so much to all those who took part in my huge Christmas Giveaway. I have to say I was slightly daunted by giving something away for 24 days in a row but it actually went really well and I was really pleased I did it so thank you everyone who entered. Due to the giveaway and Christmas and powercuts I failed to film any videos over Christmas and was about to fail to do so again due to poor-hair-maintenance related vanity and my forgetfulness (me in London, camera tripod in Hampshire) but I thought 'that is no way to start 2014' so here it is in all it's bad hair and rambley glory.

If you don't already do so I would love it if you'd subscribe to my channel and leave me a comment either on what you loved in 2013 or letting me know what videos you'd like me to do in the future. I hope that you are all having a wonderful start to your year - I know there's a lot of resolving and detoxing going on but I personally think you can decide to make a change at any time of year and you get a new do-over ever day so if you haven't had a great beginning to the year then just shake it off and start again.

For those who are interested in Give and Makeup their website is here and anyone wanting to join in the New Year New You Style Project check out all the details on Modern Mummy.

Products Shown:

MAC Retro Matte Lipstick in All Fired Up (sadly no longer available but you could try eBay)
Elizabeth Arden 8hr Lip Protector in Berry
Liz Earle Signature Lip Colour in Hibiscus and Damask Rose
Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Rose
Bobbi Brown Foundation in 3.5 Warm Beige
Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow
Inglot Gel Liner in 77
Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm
Nuxe Crème Fraiche de Beaute Enriche - 24Hr Soothing and Moisturising Rich Cream 50ml
Darphin Intral Toner
St Grape Aqua Bliss Scrub
Nip + Fab Tummy Fix
Pukka love tea

Final Winners

OK the decisions are made and the winners are chosen. Thank you so much to everyone who entered, especially to those who did so most days and didn't win anything. The original winner of the Anatomicals Scrub and Waitrose Bottom Butter has claimed her prize but for the others the winners are...

Soph Nina - you've won the lip glosses (thoroughly deserved as you entered lots)
Siliva Bia - you won the Along Came Betty products and the Batiste dry shampoo
RayRay Cartucci - you have won the L'Oreal Liner and MeMeMe Nail Varnish
Natalia Sandra - you got the Amazing Shine lashes and Duo glue.

Huge congratulations - email me your addresses to contact at corinnaharrod dot com and I shall send them out to you as soon as possible x

Unclaimed Prizes from Christmas Giveaway CLOSED

Right - so I still haven't heard from some of the winners from my Christmas Giveaway so I've decided to offer them up one a comment request basis. Click on the prize to be taken through to the original post.

THE PRIZES: L'Oreal Superliner and MeMeMe Nail Varnish, Amazing Shine Lashes and Duo Glue, Anatomicals Scrub and Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter, Collection Cream Puff, BareMinerals Lip Glaze and Art Deco Lip Gloss, Along Came Betty Blusher Duo and Mattifier and Batiste Dry Shampoo

HOW TO ENTER: Leave me a comment below telling me which you'd like to win. Good Luck