Helmies

I was dubious of Helmies. But I needed them. Between being in that new-baby state of self loathing for the state you're in and a the 3 year old saying 'I don't like those pink nails you have on Mummy [my natural nails] but the red ones back on' I needed a way to paint my nails and write the numerous emails/blog posts I had lined up or change a nappy if necessary. Mr Harrod has a habit of working late... quite a lot.

London Fashion Week SS16

Earlier in year I kept meaning to be really organised and do a post on my favourite looks from London Fashion Week AW15. Then I didn't feel at all enthused by any of the things I saw* and I deleted the post. For SS16 however there were a lot of looks I liked - red lips, glossy lids, creative pops of colour and full on glitter.

I've put links below to the Instagram accounts of a few that I particularly liked below if you want to investigate further... I hate putting up other people's pictures.

1. Andrew Gallimore for Zandra Rhodes
2. Lan Nguyen-Grealis for Teresita Orillac  
3. Val Garland for Vivienne Westwood
4. Andrew Gallimore for Studio Fulton
5. Issidora for Ivana Pilja
6. Val Garland for Anya Hindmarch

* I know there is a lot of creativity and talent to create those looks - they just weren't my thing and this is my blog.

The Sunday Spend

Enabling...

• ASOS have some great offers on beauty at the moment - my favourites are Face Lace, Paul & Joe and Lord & Berry
• Cocktail Cosmetics have some special offers - my picks are Daniel Sandler's Beyond Sunset quad and Real Techniques Nic's Picks.
• Cult Beauty have an amazing goody bag available when you spend over £100. Seems a lot but they have amazing skincare products so top up and get over £150 worth of genuinely good products
• Feel Unique have some great giveaways - I've already entered the Phyto one.

Busy Week Vlog - Friday Video

Mostly my weeks are spent looking after my children and dogs, washing, cleaning and doing make-up when I can. Some weeks I get to go out and do things and unlike the hundreds of vlogs I start when I'm on my way out to work and then get to involved in to finish this I did finish... sort of. Not really.

Dove DermaSpa

Years and years ago Dove Spa sent me some products and in it was a big tub of whipped body moisturiser that was (and is) without doubt one of my favourite moisturisers ever. Then they stopped making it. I've kept the remaining bit of my last pot for years using it only when I'm feeling particularly dry and crispy I would use it. As a treat.

When companies stop making things, or go out of business altogether, it can be a nightmare for those who really love their products (why oh why didn't I stock up on MyFace MyMix Foundation when I had the chance? By far the best high street foundation there's ever been). So I'm really excited to be trying out the new Dove DermaSpa range. I have incredibly dry skin on my body so a good affordable moisturiser is a must and I have high hopes that the Goodness Body Cream will be similar and as good, if not better than the whipped body moisturiser I loved all those years ago...

Hand Chemistry Intense Youth Complex

I've tried a lot of hand creams. And in fact it wasn't so long ago that I was evangelising about La Roche Posay Cicaplast Hand Cream and saying it was my new favourite.

Well that didn't last long did it. I still really like it but my god, from first second the Hand Chemistry Intense Youth Complex hand cream hit my skin I was completely in love. It had an immediate effect on my hands an they still look younger even though I haven't used it for four days. By younger I mean smoother, with more of a glow and generally healthier looking. Ever since my friend Lucy ('Hi Lucy' *waves at Provence*) said she never did the washing up without gloves because it made your hands look old I have been pretty obsessed with not letting my hands age. I'm going to send her a tube of this asap (coals to Newcastle I know, when she is living in France, but still)...

Art & Makeup by Lan Ngyun-Grealis

Having grown-up with a passion for art but not knowing how to turn this passion into a job, Lan Ngyun-Grealis was one day asked to cover the make-up stand whilst working in retail to pay her way through university. Her eye for colour, detail and her knowledge of art worked with make-up and with a face as her canvas she had the added challenge of translating what the client wanted into a wearable look. Fourteen years later and she has published this stunning book, Art & Makeup showing how her love of art appears in her work and how she interprets these influences onto the face. She is also sick of people thinking that there is no creativity or talent required to be a make-up artist, especially in times of airbrushing and computers. If you haven't heard of Lan then maybe you've seen Paloma Faith, Lan is her make-up artist and responsible for all the incredible looks in Paloma's videos and shows.

The Sunday Spend

Because I'm an enabler...

• Feel Unique are celebrating fashion week with 15% off all orders with the code for CATWALK15
• Boots are doing 2 for 1 on Balmi lip balm
• Beauty Bay are offering a few deals - 2 for 1 on Eye of Horus cosmetics and 20% on DuWop
• Essentual have some great deals - if you need to top up your Bioderma stocks (it's steal much cheaper in France) or need more perfume this is worth having a look at.

Origins GinZing Eye Cream - Quick Review Video

I love this eye cream. I'm not much of a fan of eye creams, I usually just use my moisturiser but this I always have a pot of

You can get Origins GinZing Eye Cream here

Three month baby update - Friday Video

Here's Jim..

Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer

I bought this with a desire to be blown away by it. I wasn't. BUT the more I use it the more I like it and that's saying something as primers are a hard thing to review. There are so many contributing factors to whether your make-up stays on or not, weather, the product you are using, how your skin is that day, the list goes on. How it makes your skin look and feel is a matter of personal preference.

Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer is not going to fill your wrinkles in the way that some primers do but it does smooth it and, as the name suggests, give it the most beautiful glow. A glow that, for some, will be too much and for others this alone will be enough (I am jealous of those in the latter category).

But not for me in my pregnant/post-baby grey, blotchy horror skin phase I need all the help I can get and this really is a lovely way to start of your make-up or, if you have great skin, you could just wear this as is. It's very moisturising so also great if you find a full-on foundation leaves you feeling a bit dried out. It's also one of the best primers for having a good vitamin content so it's genuinely nice to your skin. If you have oily skin this is probably not going to work for you. Yes it says its suitable for all skin types but I've found that oiler skins often don't look great at the end of the day with a glowing primer underneath.

 

What You Need to Know - Pixi Flawless Beauty Primer

• £24/US$22
• Good for dry, dehydrated and normal skin
• Evens skin tone and adds glow
• Contains Vitamins E, A and C
• Available in the UK from Pixi, Beauty Bay, Look Fantatstic
• Available in the US from Target,