Chanel Vitalumiere: The Review

Chanel is a brand that I really lust over... obviously I am in love with their bags but also their cosmetics!  I think its mainly the packaging I enjoy so much it just looks so chic and expensive!!  So on my recent trip to Paris I decided to splash out on a little cosmetic pleasure and Vitalumiere foundation was one of my splurges

To say I have heard a lot about this foundation would be an understatement! It has pretty much been tried and tested by every beauty blogger, and has had very mixed feedback.  I decided to take the plunge despite some of the negative reviews and picked the shade beige which pretty much matched my current foundation colour
I have been using Vitalumiere for just over a week now and I am completely addicted!  On my first try of this I was really shocked at how oily and runny it felt, I was convinced my entire face would melt off within hours of applying!  However, I came home after a long and exhausting day sight seeing and my make-up was pretty much the same as when I put it on!  It does give you a very dewy look but I really love that, I control it by using a little translucent powder over the top which also helps to set the foundation and I believe prolong staying power
The foundation also has pretty good coverage whilst not looking too "made up" and a little really does go a long way so I can see this lasting me a while. Vitalumiere also contains SPF - BUT the kind that does not give you a super white ghost face in photos!
I would avoid this at all costs if you have oily skin, I just can't see it settling on your face due to its dewiness. Also if you are prone to breakouts as again the oiliness may not agree with your skin type
This retails for £33 per 30ml bottle here which is on the expensive end of the scale for foundations but for me it is worth paying for and I will definitely be repurchasing
What has your experience been with Chanel's Vitalumiere?  Whats your favourite foundation brand?

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Halloween Nail Art Feature for Sky Living Online

TODAY is the day my Halloween nail art feature for Sky Living Online goes live *squeals*!!!! I was ecstatic when the lovely Emma asked me to visit and create some Halloween designs on her and her colleagues for a feature on their site and I immediately started work  on a nail wheel (below)
I had a fab afternoon chatting and painting the girls nails.. I hope they loved my designs!!
You can view the feature here.. let me know what you think!!!!

http://skyliving.sky.com/halloween-nail-art-how-to-with-lucie-herridge

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10 Strikes of Lightning

The weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse recently and we were struck by a lovely storm the other evening which inspired my latest design!!  I cannot stand thunderstorms, they terrify me!  I remember once being in Spain and there was a proper big electrical storm and me and my big sis hid under the duvet it was SO loud and so scary!!!!! 
Lightning nails however are a little less frightening and I am actually loving the look!!!  I used all Models Own polishes for this mani, I have named them below the piccie..

Models Own "In The Navy", Models Own "Indian Ocean", Models Own "Snow White"

What has been inspiring your nail art recently??

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My Xmas Beauty Wish List

Yes I am talking Xmas.. I don't know why people dread it so much I fricken love it!!  It is also my birthday Xmas Eve so I think I look forward to it more than most!  I also like to get buying gifts as early as possible so I tend to start lists around October time!

I am probably one of the easiest people to buy presents for, I am sure of it!  I love anything that I can apply to my skin, body or nails so basically cosmetics, perfume and clothes is what I usually receive! I have been browsing the net recently to start writing my extensive Xmas/Birthday list and here are some of my fave beauty finds (friends and family take note!!!)  

 

 
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Street Style

I was recently sent a link to the Sky Living HD website and up popped my picture under a section on Reading Festival fashion!!

I had totally forgotten I had let someone snap my photo (I think I was pretty tipsy on cider by this point) so it was a confusing but nice surprise to see they had included my photo on their website!!  - Thanks Sky Living :)

As well as sending me the link to their cool website, I have also been offered a very exciting opportunity to work with them on a little nail art related project... to be revealed very soon!!!

Anyhow here's a snapshot of the page I was featured on, if you want to view the article or anything else on their website, latest celeb gossip, fashion faux pars etc click here!

Wellies - Hunter

Socks - Gilly Hicks

Shorts - Topshop

Ombre Jumper - Zara

Bowler Hat - M&S

Bag - Primarni

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PARIS: My Guide

Bonjourrrr!! Jeeez I am officially in love with Paris!  We had such an amazing fun filled trip and I cannot wait to visit the beautiful city again!  So many people said how dirty Paris is but we really thought the complete opposite, it was probably the cleanest city I have been too and the buldings are just stunning This post will be a long one, so brace yourselves!   DAY 1    

We arrived at our hotel to cloudy skies but very warm air, and upon opening our room's French doors I let out a little squeal of delight as we had the most perfect view of the Eiffel Tower!  I cannot recommend out hotel enough, Hotel Elysees Union which I have linked for anyone interested in a very good priced, clean and friendly place to stay.  We were in the perfect location along the Champs-Elysees, right next to a metro station but far enough away from the main road to be pleasantly quiet   Straight away we knew we had to get our asses up that tower, we took the short 5 min stroll to it and got in line! So I love rides, and never had a problem with being up high before but holy MOLEY it is well high up the Eiffel Tower!!! I freaked out big time and almost didnt make it to the top!  But luckily my other half was persistant enough to make me wait in the long line to the top, reminding me I may only ever get to do this once  

   

Oh there we are!! Do I look a little terrified?!  I feel it :-S

 
We then decided to get a bus tour as we needed to get our bearings a little and we wanted to see which attractions/monuments we actually wanted to see and when.  This was a great idea as we got an idea of where things were, what we wanted to see and we got a 2 day pass so could use the bus as a normal transport service. Sorted.
 

I am loving the panoramic camera on the Iphone5, this is the view from our bus of the crazy Parisian traffic!!!

  

Tourists much?!!



After a long afternoon of heights and bus tours we needed a traditional Parisian snack and what better than a little macaroon!

 



 
 Dinner that night was a gorgeous little French restaurant recommended to us by our hotel  called Jamin
I had a gorgeous dish of seabass in a lemon, parsley caper sauce with tiny croutons and rice - it was heavenly!!!!  The best seabass I have eaten, no lie.  

Drooling.

This restaurant isn't the cheapest, but not the most expensive either, a starter and main with wine is approx €100 for two, but the food is delicious and well worth it
   

DAY 2
  We woke up to a very rainy Saturday morning but it was still quite warm so all we needed was a trusty umbrella and we were set! We decided to visit the Notre Dame cathedral as it was indoors and near the shopping area and this was probably best for a damp day  

 

Notre Dame was absolutely gorgeous!  The way these buildings were built hundreds of years ago is astonishing!  The gothic craftsmenship is stunning.  I actually have a bit of a fear of churches, I have never been to one for a happy occassion only for sad ones so I just associate them with those bad feelings but this one really wasnt scary at all and was rather calming and peaceful.  Definately visit it if you get the chance

    We needed a little something to warm our cockles after being out in the rain so it was deinfatly time for the world famous Angelina hot chocolate!!  I had been dying to try a pot of this stuff for ages and there was a long que outside which made me want to hot liquid even more!  My boyfriend is somewhat of a chocoholic so for once he didn't even mind waiting in line  

Be prepared for a bit of a wait

   

   

Heaven.

To say this hot chocolate is thick is an understatement.  It literally like drinking melted chocolate or thick cream and it is bloody delicious!!!  We had this alongside a croque-monseuir (equally as yummy) and boy did we feel sick!  I couldn't even manage one of their scrummy looking pastries for afters :( waahh!!    After Angelina we visited the Galleries Lafeyette, a beautiful and huge shopping centre with hundreds of designer brands, I couldnt help but pick up a little Chanel...  

 

Dinner on day 2 was a little difficult as it seems you generally have to have reservations to eat anywhere on a Saturday night (take note of this peeps!)  So we asked a lady at our hotel again for something relitively good value and maybe a little different from the usual French cuisune.  She recommended us a Japanese restaurant which my favourite so we made a last minute reservations straight away at Manten  

 
 To start was a tasty mushroom and spring onion soup and a tradition Japanese salad which tasted just like a non-creamy coleslaw!   For main, I had salmon sushimi which is one  of my favourite ever foods and some delicious looking meats kebabs.  Both dishes were absolutly lovely and would you beleive it, even with a half bottle of wine this meal for 2 was under €30  

 

 
    DAY 3   After most of the previous day spent shopping and wandering, the mister was desperate to visit some landmarks/museums/something educational so off we went to The Louvre.  

Oh hi I'm at the Louvre!

  The day started a little drizzly but all of a sudden the sun came bursting through with a vengance and the temperature shot up to 22 degrees and we were sweating hot!! Lush! At The Louvre we decided we needed some structure to our visit as the place is so blimmen big you could spend hours and hours getting lost in art work and sculptures we didn't really know anything about.  We went for an interactive tour where you get your own Nintendo DS on a lanyard and headphone.  With this you can basically wander about and the DS activates when you stand near a painting or walk into a new section and it tells you what you're looking at.  But again this could have you aimlessly walking round for hours, so we decided to do the Masterpiece Tour.  This basically starts you at a certain point in the museum and directs you as you walk through the different sections only taking you to the main attractions and works of art which is all we really wanted to see. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at the Louvre, the history of the piece is so interesting, I especially liked the Greek sculptures with arms or heads missing, and imagining what they actually looked like before falling apart    

  

I poked the Mona Lisa.


  We then took the metro to Montmarte which I think is my favourite part of Paris.  It is like a beautiful little village looking over the rest of Paris and is full of culture and character!  The sun was shining and we took a wander around the square where artists sit and paint and sell their masterpieces (I could have bought them all) There is also the second highest point in Paris there, the Sacre Couer, another beautiful church which we took a look around whilst there  

 

 
 We ended the day on a high quite literally, by climbing the 4 millions steps up to the  top of the Arc De Triomphe.  I almost passed out  

 
 We had booked our dinner for Sunday night a couple of days before as we had heard this place got pretty busy.  We had dinner at The Beef Club which is a new modern French style brasserie specialising in steaks and burgers.  The meat was delishious and cooked to perfections but we actually preffered our starters as they were really really good!   Scott had a Scotch Egg and I had Prawns with a crab and shallot puree.  It was phenomonal I could have eaten 10 more plates of each!!  

 
 

 
 Again it is quite pricey at The Beef Club as you have to order sides seperately at €5 a pop but they are large and I would reccomend you share fries and sides vegetables etc.  Also they must have really liked us (or felt sorry for us as we couldnt read the menu or the wine list) but they didn't charge us for our fries AND they gave us both a very lovely complimentary glass of champagne!   As it was our last night in Paris *cries* we took a little trip downstairs to The Beef Club cocktail lounge which was so fun!  The place is lit only by a few tea lights dotted around and a live jazz band was playing for couples cosying up in the corners of the room.  Very cool. We had a cocktail each with absolutly no idea what was in each but all I can say is it tasted like ginger beer and star anise and I liked it lots!!  

 
    DAY 4
   Our last morning was spent frantically packing and hopping on and off the metro for different souveniers to bring home, including a bottle of Angelinas hot chocolate!!  We wish we had bought more now though :( We also visited Laduree for a generous helping of macaroons, I mean it would be rude not to wouldn't it?!  

 
 I was also treated by my very generous lovely man to this gorgeous little beast..  

 
EEKKK Michael Kors I bow down to you!!  Loving my new bag, I have already filled it with my kitchen sink and all that!!   So that is my trip over and done with.  I feel very sad that it is over but so happy with what we did and how much I enjoyed it all!!    

    I hope this post has helped you plan your own trip if you are thinking of going to Paris! If you have any questions about where I went or stayed or whatevs, leave a comment or drop me a mail and I will answer as best I can!


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Au Revoir!!

Eeeeeek!!!!  I am bubbling over with excitement.. tomorrow I am off to P.A.R.I.S!!! I literally want to burst I cannot wait! Neither my boyfriend or I have been before which make such a change as he seems to have been everywhere!

I am mostly looking forward to eating some authentic French foods, roaming the beautiful cities streets and of course visiting the Lafayette department store for a Chanel fix!
I won't be posting whilst I am away as I will be far too busy nibbling on cheese and pondering the Parisian flea markets but I will be doing a post or 2 on my trip when I return!
A toute à l’heure!!!

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Skin Art Temporary Tattoos - In Your Own Words

If you are scared to take the plunge into getting a real tattoo, or just fancy one for a night out Skin Art Temporary Tattoos* are what you need!    

The pack I am reviewing today is called "In Your Own Words.  The Lyrical Collection" and is a selection of different words and fonts as well as individual letters to make up your own unique tatt!         These work exactly like the tattoos you used to get out of cereal boxes as a child (do they still do those?!!) You cut out which one you want, remove the plastic backing, wet it and hold on your skin where you want to tattoo to be and BANG, you are inked up!!         I am so glad fake tattoos and back in the game and with a brand new look and style and the Skin Art designs are right up my street!  I will be using these at every festival next year and I will be inking my girlfriends up on our next night out!  Also I am sure my little nieces will be chuffed with a little pretend tattoo for some fun!   Skin Art Temporary Tattoos are available online for £7.99 here or you can buy in store at Boots   Have you tried any temporary tattoos??

 

*PR Sample

Shop Skin Art Products at http://skinartuk.com/

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Paisley for a Friend

My work buddy has gone on holiday and left me alone and vulnerable at my desk.. Chocolate will be eaten!!!!!
Anyhow.. I did her nails a couple of weeks back and here they are!  She totally loved them and I am so pleased with how they turned out!  Paisley is my new favourite nail trend!!!!
Hope shes having a fabulous holiday.. I guess ;-)

Topshop Worlds End and Models Own Off White

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Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss

I received the Estee Lauder Pure Color Gloss* in Tempting Tearose which is a beige pink rose colour, a really flattering shade on the lips! This is definitely a colour that can be worn everyday as the pigment isn't too rich it just has a subtle hint of rose which is just how I like my lip products.  If you are looking for something that will stand out then this shade is not for you!

The consistency of these glosses is fabulous, the perfect mix of creamy and glossy and not at all sticky.  I would say that the gloss didn't seem to stay on particularly long though and I did reapply quite often during the day, however due to size of the product (6ml) this will still last me a lot longer than any other gloss I own!

I really love Estee Lauder as a brand, I have never been disappointed with any of my purchases from them.  The quality is always second to none, and I also love that when you order directly from them you get little samples to try out!
The gloss retails at £16 which I personally think is really reasonable for a high end gloss of this size, it will last ages!!!
I probably won't purchase this for myself as I don't apply lip gloss often enough to justify buying it, however I will be buying this as a gift for the girls I know who love to keep their lips shining!  Shop Estee Lauder at Harrods
What is your favourite lip gloss?
*PR sample
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