Blogmas 2014 - #1 Body Shop Vanilla Brûlée range

Happy Monday beauty addicts!

A scrumptious selection of bakery scented goodies
suitable for any sweet-toothed lady in your life!

The first day of Blogmas is sprung (I only discovered the existence of this term for my personal challenge last night on Twitter!)

Now it's a lovely, fairy light-lit, twinkling adventure to the funnest family day of all on the 25th. All very exciting, but as a gal with an aversion to all things cinnamon and clove scented, I can find the Christmas season somewhat nauseating with a profusion of such scented candles, pot pourri and oil burners.

How delightful then that the Body Shop has come up with some other festive scents. There are three scents in the range - glazed apple, frosted cranberry and vanilla brûlée.

While slightly saccharine the VB range is very much of that the ilk of the Laura Mercier bath and body products I adore but tend to hoard rather than using them as wantonly as I might with these beauties.

Smokey Eye Looks: Colourful version

Greetings Guys and Gals,

So I started the smokey eye series back in February when I first started on the blog and actually never quite finished before disappearing into my rather dull day job for a few months. Now I've re-surfaced and joined the blogging world again I thought I'd finish the original eyeshadow series.

For my skin I applied Illamasqua Cream foundation (#133) on my cheeks, centre forehead, chin, upper jaw and centre of my nose. I then used MUA Cosmetics concealer on my temples, under my cheek bones, edges of my chin, lower jaw and sides of my nose. I set that all with translucent powder and went to work on the eyes.

Getting started series #7 Highlighter

Aloha beauty addicts and explorers!

Today we shall be visiting all things shimmery and luminous (both with and without glitter depending on your preference…the name of the blog likely gives away my own preferences). Now, although I am hardly an exponent of subtle make-up - and harbour a glitter fetish to rival that of almost any drag queen living, I must confess for skin (and cheeks) I prefer the dewy, gleaming subtle finish of a highlighter which doesn't contain glitter. 

I don't even like an overly frosty highlighter, however as your intrepid beauty explorer I will try to guide you through the Seven* Steps of Make-up Disco Heaven…

- Step 1 "I'm So Excited" - this is a subtle, are-you-really-sure-you've-got-something-on, kind of highlight. I achieve this through using a light and slightly peachy toned concealer e.g. Illamasqua Skin Base Lift or YSL Touche Eclat - per Item #3 Concealer. 

- Step 2 "Rock the Boat" - here, we step into some gleam, but definitely no glitter, and a subtle lightening effect across your cheekbones, nose etc - e.g. No7 Instant Radiance chubby cheek crayon (2x shades) or you can use a subtle finishing powder with some radiance properties.

- Step 3 "Get Down Tonight" - on this little step up to discovering our total inner disco diva we've retained some subtlety as to overall effect but have stepped towards the light which is glitter, here I like something like Bourjois Poudre de Riz (limited edition).

- Step 4 "I Feel Love" - this offers a more pronounced glimmer but we're back off the glitter. Generally I find that liquid products such as NARS highlighter (assuming you don't opt for the glitter Super Orgasm variant) or BeneFit HighBeam work well here - we're after clear pearlescence here but no standalone glitter particles. 

- Step 5 "Hot Stuff" - for a more intense version of Step 3 you can use a light eyeshadow to precision highlight (whether you have a s**t ton of glitter raining down on your face will, I guess therefore depend on your brand of choice - Bourjois or Urban Decay….wow Nelly!).

- Step 6 "That's the Way (uh-huh uh-huh) I Like It" - Upping our glimmer quotient I'd head to the serious powder highlighters - we're talking packed full of pigment with a danger of making you look like the Tin Man if applied incorrectly (translation: my favourite products - to be fair you can get a subtle result with a light hand and a fan brush) e.g. Bobbi Brown shimmer brick - see also the Body Shop's high street dupe version - or MAC mineralise skinfinish powders. 

- Step 7 "I [Disco] Will Survive" - The ultimate in disco highlight - some Vaseline (or similar) and actual glitter. Why the eff not, eh? Naturally this should be reserved for Halloween, fancy dress parties and gay bars, but let's face it what girl doesn't want to re-live the '90s with some iridescent purple / blue / white glitter adhered to the high planes of her face? 

Live it, love it, own it - or as this clever lady has done, use it to replace under eye concealer (cunning)…

For a daytime subtle look a further trick I employ is to apply my blush over my highlight - it can tone down any excess frostiness from heavy handed applications or as you learn and gives a "glowing from within" finish to a matte blush.

Enjoy playing chick-a-dees, and remember as Dolly says "I enjoy the way I look, but it's a joke"

'Til next time, love, bubbles and happy kittens

xx Josephine xx

{*} Note: I have a slight confession here, I just wanted there to be seven steps to the disco heaven which was pure glitter cheekbones. In all honesty I'm not sure I believe that Step 5 should exist - the technique does however, just not sure it stands alone from Step 3. Pray forgive me reader, I couldn't have an even number of steps plus seven rhymes with heaven?!?!

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Twitter: @JojoSparklesNI

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Faves and Fails: June 2014

Good evening Beauty Addicts (and explorers)!

Apologies for the long absence - things have been very hectic with the day job but I have decided, as part of my "Second Half of the Year" resolutions that I shall re-double efforts on the blog. I hope you forgive freely and read captively… xx 

I tried a few new products in June, with varying degrees of success. I thought I'd share a few of them with you. For information my skin type is classic combination with occasional dryness on the cheeks, dry skin on the body and my hair is greasy roots (dry ends prior to the chop due to heat and dye abuse). 

Fave (skincare) - Prai wrinkle concentrate - available on www.qvcuk.com 

While I don't actually use this as an anti-wrinkle treatment I have found it's excellent as a face oil. Previously I hadn't really found one I could get into bed with, so to speak, but this one is delicious. I use it every day or two pre-morning moisturiser or when I'm feeling a bit drier in the winter it can get daily use in the week. Easily light enough for daily use.

Fave (body care) Diptyque Satin Oil for body and hair - available online and at John Lewis & Space NK

Beautiful, jasmine scented oil that absorbs almost instantly. This was definitely a splurge - but worthwhile as the scent lingers so beautifully. If your budget won't stretch to the Diptyque prices do check out the beauty oils at the Body Shop. They're lovely to use (I heart Moringa) and very reasonably priced. 

"Fail" (hair care) - Neal's Yard Organics Shampoo (Geranium for oily hair)

As with my skin, I have combination hair. Deep fried ends and grease ball roots are a daily battle for me - delicious little thing, aren't I? 

Anyhoo, adoring geranium oil as I do this seemed heaven scent (bad pun!) and I was delighted on the first use. However the efficacy dwindled over the month so I'm reverting back to the usual stuff and a niggling suspicion that now it *must* be ok for me to add the geranium oil to the other stuff…? This may well work for you and if so, I'm super jealous because it scents your bathroom and hair beautifully :)

What are you addicted to at the moment? What's let you down despite all the hype and/or expectations? Let me know in the comments section.

Love and hugs

Josephine

xxx