innocent until proven guilty

This was my outfit from Saturday night - but have only just gotten around to posting about it. I went out to the cinema, sufficiently bloated myself with popcorn and some questionably-colourful slush drink, and watched The Lincoln Lawyer. I am a true geek when it comes to legal dramas and courtroom showdowns. I honestly love them. I highly rate the film; it was high-paced and full of twists. My viewing pleasure was also, somewhat, enhanced by the screen presence of Mr McConaughey. 


My outfit was pretty casual. My brown-camel tee with pocket detail is from Topshop. Such an easy piece to wear and stocked in a plethora of colours. I bought it a few sizes too big so I could sling it off my shoulder. I wore some slouchy black harems from H&M and workman style boots from River Island. My cinema is notorious with being a little effusive with the air-conditioning, so I draped myself with my cranberry knit cardigan also from Topshop.


My headband and bangles are from Accessorize. I bought this headpiece maybe a year ago, but it has solemnly hung off my mirror feeling a little unloved for quite some time. I think it was the recent hair colour transformation that revived this piece, and I just love how all the colours marry together perfectly. Plus it adds a bit of pizzaz to an otherwise pretty plain outfit!


I hope you are all well and have had a pleasant start to your week. 
I am officially now on birthday countdown...5 days and counting.

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you got me in a spin

Let me introduce you to Bourjois' latest innovation, set to revolutionise your mascara application, with every speedy rotation. Mascaras nowadays seem to have a life of there own, vibrating all over the show, and regarded somewhat as slightly...gimmicky? Call me cynical, but I admittedly passed on all these pulsating products and stuck to the trusty, old-fashioned method of application.
So it would be fair to say I was slightly dubious when I was confronted with Bourjois' Volume Fast & Perfect Mascara Rotatif, booted with a new auto-rotating brush. 
"In just one coat it gives a false eyelash effect in record time."

The brush bristles are soft and full. I find this type of brush much more favourable than the silicon rubbery bristles that you get with some mascaras. The brush offers perfectly even distribution and deposits the mascara on each individual lash without the fear of overload. The high resistance volumising formula contains natural waxes, vitamin E and jojoba oil complex, making it suitable for the most sensitive of eyes. I found the formulation really nice, not overly drying or cakey and wasn't too stressful to remove.

I really rate this mascara, despite a hesitate start. At first, I found the brush kept catching my skin and leaving a smeary mascara mark over my eyeshadow, causing upmost frustration. But through a little bit of practice, it becomes simple to use and gives great results. The brush rotates through your lashes, literally catching each one, rolling them around and coating them completely. It is the perfect lazy girl's mascara, and does a grand job in volumising and lengthening the lashes. I found the best method for applying the mascara was to be very gentle and literally let the brush do the hard work. I half-close my eyes and tilt my head slightly downwards.

Bourjois Volume Fast & Perfect Mascara Rotatif will retail at £11.99 (€16.99 ROI) and shall be released to the expectant consumer in May 2011.
It will be available from Boots, Superdrug and ASOS.


Are you dancing in circles over this revolving revolution?

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Liz Earle's Brightening Treatment Mask

Another glorious offering from the extensive Liz Earle skincare range, and yet again, it doesn't fail to please me or my skin. The Brightening Treatment Mask, a fast-acting 'minute' mask, is ideal for whenever dull skin needs a quick fix and some rejuvenation. It is packed full of fancy, naturally active ingredients such as aloe vera and witch hazel, which help to cool and tone the skin. White Clay is also present, a super-fine powder which absorbs excess sebum on the skin and draws out embedded impurities.

This mask is perfect for those who don't have time to sit around with cucumbers on their eyes, slathered in a sludgy solution for half an hour. It acts quickly, invigorating your skin whenever it needs a boost of radiance. Simply apply to clean, dry skin and leave on for any time between 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The product comes with Liz Earle's infamous pure muslin cloth. Soak this in hand-hot water and then gently wipe your face to remove the product.

What I love about this product is that you can tailor its use totally to your needs. In the mornings, I am mad-dashing all over the show and cannot justify 2 minutes out of my tight timetable to let a face mask linger on my skin, however 30 seconds is completely acceptable! And I honestly do feel the effects from such a short time. It perks my skin up, leaves it zesty-fresh and completely cleansed. Due to the active ingredients, you will experience a wonderfully tingly sensation on your skin, which is completely expected. However, Liz Earle do advise this product may not be suitable for very sensitive skin.

I would say, I do prefer this product more as a quick step in my regime, rather than as an indulgent face mask, and I don't think it quite compares to the Deep Cleansing Mask I featured last year and still use on a weekly basis. 

This Brightening Treatment Mask is available online and the 50ml Starter Kit (as featured) is £13.

Are you a fan of Liz Earle and is this something that appeals to you?

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purity

Purity by Illamasqua, one fifth of the Toxic Nature's nail collection launched last week online. Purity nestles up with a host of intoxicating greens and lurid oranges, so by comparison, this shade is rather understated. However, this muted peach hue shouldn't be readily dismissed. It is such a rich unique colour that sits so prettily, I am in love with it already.

Taking two coats to achieve complete opaqueness, and like with all Illamasqua nail polishes, it is a joy to apply and goes on silky and streak-free. 


Available online now for £13.50.
Are you peachy for this polish?

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present in petals

High waisted jeans - Gap
Floral print top - Miss Selfridge
Sequin jacket - H&M


Hold the phone, I am wearing jeans! These are the only pair of jeans I own and have ever held in high regard! I think the high waisted style is mildly flattering on me, and works best for my figure. High heels are completely necessary with them so I wore my cream patent heels that I featured in this outfit post.


I hope you have all had wonderful weekends. Mine, as ever, has been jam-packed. I played hockey on Saturday during the day which is my standard weekend ritual and I simply love it. This was my attire for the evening. I went out with my boyfriend Rob and two other couples. We have all been friends for years and we always endeavour to meet up as much as possible. Unfortunately, due to relocation and hectic schedules, we don't see each other as much as we'd like, but when we do, it is always guaranteed to be like time has stood still since we last met. We ate pizza, drank cocktails (well the girls did) and had a fabulous night together. Today, Sunday, more exercise resumed, kicked off with my twice-weekly Zumba class. Always assured to blow the cobwebs away. And then I played another hockey match this afternoon which was a bit dismal, not only because we lost but the heavens decided to open half way through.


I just wanted to say thank you for all the really lovely comments on my latest post regarding the new hair do. I have taken note of all your suggestions and will keep you posted on my battle to fight the inevitable fade!

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seeing red

It was five weeks ago to the day that my chameleonic transformation from blonde to red began. The results were more than pleasing, but the words of warning from my hairdresser rang emphatically in my ears as I left the salon. Red is an extremely tricky colour to maintain, expect fade and expect it fast! Over the past five weeks I have mourned my colour every time I have washed my hair. Blooded water coated my shoulders, my bath awash with a ruby tinge, my hair becoming less and less red. 

Five weeks on and my hair was drab and lacklustre, yet I was torn between my head and my heart. Do I continue my plight for the red tresses I so desired or throw in the towel, surrender to nature's way, and opt for a more maintainable colour?!

These below images swayed me. A girl only lives once...

And so back to the salon I went tonight, having previously briefed my ever-patient hairdresser, and the necessary dye specially ordered in. This time around I wanted something a little bit more vivid and true. I am not shy when it comes to hair colour and I really love the brilliance of the results....

Unfortunately these photos don't fully capture the true intensity of the new colour, and it looks quite similar to how it was before, but believe me, it is a lot more wow!

And so begins my quest again to try and keep this colour as vibrant as possible, for as long as possible! If anyone has any tips or tips for protecting coloured hair, or any holy grail products I should use, then please please do share.


Happy Friday to you all and I hope you all have wonderful weekends.

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Toxic Nature

Toxic Nature - Illamasqua's Spring Summer 2011 collection. A colourful juxtaposition of intoxicated neons, powerful pastels and dirtied earthy tones represent Illamasqua's visionary concept of nature's battle against a genetically modified society. Toxic Nature is unpredictable, raw and unchartered. It is a paradox of tones and hues, a beautiful contradiction, a clashing deliverance of unbound creativity.

 

I attended the Illamasqua event last week and met with other bloggers with a similar anticipating disposition. The mystical setting was perfectly apt to host the unveiling of their new collection. Rainbow-bright macaroons enticed us from a far whilst earthy foliage, enlarged critters and smouldering forestry propped the room. It was a privilege to witness the collection in all its unabashed glory, as well as being treated to having our nails lacquered by the lovely ladies from WAH nails. 

The collection comprises of the following products;

5 x cream pigment (£17)

 Emerge (peach) Bedaub (mint) Dab (lilac) Hollow (toffee) Delirium (rose taupe) Mould (grape)

5 x nail polishes (13.50) as above...Gamma, Stagnate, Purity, Radium, Bacterium

2 x lipstick (£15.50) Atomic (fuchsia violet) and Flare (bright orange)

2 x sheer lipgloss (£13) Torture (coral peach) and Divine (fuchsia pink)

Precision Ink (£17) Glister (a wonderfully enchanting opalescent nude)

I have received a few products from the collection which I will duly swatch and show in a future post. I am most excited to try Purity nail polish, a lovely true peach hue.  


This collection is available to the masses online from Thursday 10th March and subsequently launches in the Illamasqua store and on counters on Thursday 17th March.
What are your thoughts on this eclectic collection? 
Are you ravished by Toxic Nature?

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