Last week it was time to make a decision, to cut or not to cut? I am talking about my hair, do you know that feeling, just a day or two before your appointment at the hairdressers and you think I really would love to chop it all off and have a new start. But then the other voice in your head is shouting out loud, saying don't do it just get a little trim.

Well I didn't listen to that shouting voice, or maybe it was just the hairdresser that really convinced me to cut off a good 3-4 inches. To my surprise I really like it, I love how thick and bouncy my hair feels. Now that all of my old dye is out of my hair and I am an all natural again, I feel like its time to really take care of my hair and have a new beginning!

As I was chatting to the hairdresser asking her what I could do to get some much needed moisture back into my hair she recommended me the Philip Kingsley Elasticizer. I have heard great things about this mask and tried a sample size before, so I thought I would buy a bigger size and upgrade my hair routine and become serious about looking after it.

So far I have tried it twice and I am really impressed with the results. Its a pre shampoo treatment that you work into wet hair with your fingertips, or I like to use the Tangle Teezer. Then you cover your hair with a plastic cap, in my case it was a plastic Salisbury's bag as I didn't have a plastic cap (need to get one!) and leave for 10-20 min. I personally think its better if you leave it in for at least one hour to see better results or even sleep in it if your hair is super thirsty and needs moisture. Then all that its left to do is to rinse it out and wash your hair like you normally would with shampoo and conditioner.

Afterwards you are left with super soft and bouncy hair that has some amazing shine. The only think that I was hoping for and this treatment did not do was to control my frizziness. It was not as frizzy as it normally be but my hair was not frizz free ( a good blow dry sorted that out). I though I would let you know if you are looking for a frizz taming treatment. But non the less I still love how this product transformed my tiered and dry hair into some lushes locks, I am completely sold on it. I might even buy the 500l bottle, I wouldn't want to be without this stuff!!

LITTLE TRIP TO SPACE NK

So apparently I can not go to town without spending a little in my favourite shop SPACE NK. I don't know what it is that lures me in but once I am in, its hard to escape all the amazing products that they sell. And the sales assistant must have smelled that I didn't need anything specific but still wanted something and as she caught me in the hair aisle, she started talking and I started buying.

She told me about this amazing brand Percy and Reed and what they are most famous for is their shampoos and conditioners for super fine hair like mine. The one product that really stood out to me for its uniqueness is the Lovingly Light Foaming Treatment Mask, its not like a normal mask that has heavy oils and waxes in their masks, no this one is a light foam that works just like a normal mask but doesn't weigh your hair down.

With it I also got the Bountifully Bouncy Volumising Shampoo, which claims to deeply cleans your hair and leaves it with more body than Miss M. Monroe!! Sounds all good to me!

I can't wait to try these products out and see if they really do the job they promis. Have you tried any products from this brand, if you have I would love to hear what you think!!

YSL YOUTH LIBERATOR SERUM FOUNDATION

Here is what YSL have been saying about their new Youth liberator Serum Foundation!

This product is a combination of the technical expertise of YSL SKINSCIENCE committee and the innovation of Yves Saint Laurent colour team. It revives the skin's youthful brightness and enhances the complexion's natural colour tone. The skin looks smoother with a healthy glow. Dull zones are neutralised creating a more uniform complexion.

So I am sure you all have heard about this new foundation that YSL has come out with last month. The YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation is a hybrid of foundation, it combines some key ingredients that you would normally see in a serum with your everyday foundation. If you like me and like to wear your foundation on a day to day basis and feel guilty about not giving your skin a break, this is meant to make you feel a little bit better about it! I am not quite sure if it can life up to all the anti wrinkle claims but one thing is true. It is a wonderful foundation!!

This was a love at first sight ( or first try better) kind of affair. It comes in this very stylish glass bottle with a black lid and has a pump, making it ever so easy to use and not waist any product, mess free!!

I like to use one and a half pump, applying a little bit more on the areas where I need more coverage but if you haven't got problems with your skin, one pump would be more than enough as its really easy to blend into the skin.

One of the main things that I love about this foundation is that it's a medium coverage but it does not look heavy on my skin. Its like the best of both worlds, you get a flawless complexion and at the same time look natural! It also gives a nice glow without making you look greasy, even on my oily skin.

The only thing that I would say that is a bit of a shame, is the colour choices that it comes in. I was matched on a YSL counter and the lightest shade was to light on me and the shade that I bought in the end ( B30 Beige) is just a little bit to dark for me at this moment. I can still make it work but I wish they had a shade in between.

It last on me for about 5 hours, not the longest I have seen some other foundations can do but good enough for my oily skin and nothing a bit of powder can not sort out. It would last even longer on a dry or normal skin!

Overall I am really loving this foundation and I have to say its the best one yet!! I just love the finish this foundation gives and that its so easy to apply, it has made my morning routine pure bliss and I love how luxurious it feels to apply it on my face!!

Have you tried this foundation yet? I would love to know what you think about it!

HAIR AND SKIN SUPPLEMENTS

When it comes to hair and nail health I am definitely one of those people that are not blessed in that department. My hair takes forever to grow an inch and when it does its very thin and fragile. Same thing one the nail front, they are always brittle and peel ever so easily. It really can get me down some times especially when I see pretty girls with thick long luscious hair that goes all the way down to their waist. Oh how I long for that look but if I am honest with myself I don't think I will every be one of those girls. When ever my hair gets past my bra strap it starts splitting and cries out to be cut no matter what I do.

But one thing that I have been doing for over 1 year now is to take vitamins. And not just one multivitamin, no I take a whole bunch to suit my needs.

I know that some of you probably think that I doesn't really matter what you take and that is simply down to genes but I have seen a real difference in my hair and nail growth since I started taking these on a regular basis. My hair went from growing half an inch per month to growing a full inch and my nails have never been as strong as they have been now. You can't fault that!? And another little side effect of taking all these is that I haven't had a cold or flu in such a long time and in my mind its all down to eating healthily and taking those supplements. I know that taking zinc can make a huge difference to your immune system and I certainly have seen those benefits. Are you interested now? Here is what I have been taking.

Biotin is necessary for cell growth and the metabolism of fat and amino acids and its often called "food for the hair" as it can increases the rate of growth in hair and nails.

Folic Acid like biotin is a member of the B vitamin family and has demonstrated lots of benefits in a variety of areas. Folic acid is necessary for the healthy development of our cells, a healthy brain and protection from cell damage that can lead to future cancers. Just one of the many benefits is to increase the growth of hair as it promotes cell turnover and health of new cells.

Zinc

Many people know about zinc for its immune boosting properties but this mineral is actually a wonder of health benefits. Zinc is important because it is found in every tissue in the body and is directly involved in cell division. It is a powerful antioxidant, helping to prevent cancer and the maintenance of ideal hormone levels. It accelerates the renewal of the skin cells and an insufficiency can result in hair loss and hair that looks thin and dull. There are also a number of shampoos which contain zinc to help with dandruff.

Silica is a trace mineral, which means the body only needs a very small amount of it to stay healthy. However this small amount is essential for many parts of the body such as our bones,teeth, skin, tendons, blood vessels, nails and hair. It is essential to build healthy bone tissue and collagen, the framework which makes the body "stick" together! Silica has been know for its help to strengthen nails, hair and keep your skin radiant and healthy looking!

Skin Hair Nails Supplement
If you don't what to take all the other vitamins separately a good skin, hair and nail supplements is a great alternative. It covers most of the basic needs that your body needs to grow strong and healthy hair and can be a great start into taking supplements. I started with this supplements but soon found out that there was more that I could do to improve my overall health of my hair and nails perfect if you don' like swallowing a tone of pills.

One last thing that I must stress is that I by no means know everything about vitamins and minerals and this is just what I personally like to take. If you need more help with choosing supplements for you, I would always advise you to ask a chemist first. They often can help and pin point you to one mineral or vitamin that helps with whatever you want to improve. I for myself like to go to Holland and Barrett, I think they have a wide selection and number 1 class quality ingredients in their products.

NOVEMBER FAVOURITES

Again a month has come and gone in a blink of an eye and its time for me to do my monthly favourites. This month all I could think about was to get ready for Christmas! I know its a little early to start stressing about Christmas presents but when you have a tone of people to buy for and also have to send some parcels back home, there is no time to leave Christmas shopping a last minute affair. One year I send a parcel off to late and it got to Germany 2 weeks after Christmas, not a good look!

But this year I am right on track with December free to enjoy the Christmas season with the children and also get some festive home baking done.

But now lets get one with what products I most loved this November!!

Number one product of the month has to be my new YSL Youth Liberator Serum Foundation.I looove this foundation. I heard a lot of people rave about this foundation and was super intrigued to try it out myself and was completely blown over. I have tried lots of foundation before and thought I tied some really good ones but nothing can quite compare to this one. It just glides on effortlessly and give me a that flawless complexion with a healthy glow that I have been after for so long. I only have been using it for about a week but I had to have it in my monthly favourites( watch out for a full review coming soon) and I am sure you will see this keep on popping up in a few post of mine.

Next up is Clinique Take The Day Of Cleansing Balm. A lovely lightweight, perfume free cleansing balm that quickly dissolves make up and removes even the most stubborn waterproof mascaras. Using this for a whole month straight has made my skin behave and not break out as much as it normally does. I think its down to this cleanser as its really gentle to my sensitive skin. I like to do a double cleanse with it each night and normally when I remove my make up and I go in with a toner afterwards I can still see make up on the pad but not with this baby!

And that brings me to the next product that has helped my skin stay calm. The Clarins Gentle Exfoliator. First up I want to say that its not as good as the Alpha H Liquid Gold that I love so much, which made me a little disappointed but after trying it for a whole month every night I have to say that this gave me that glow and fresh look that I loved so much with the liquid gold. The difference is that the Liquid Gold give you quick results but you can not use it every day as it is to harsh on the skin but the Clarins toner is a really nice gentle everyday toner that give you the same good results if you use it on a regular basis.

Another skincare item that I have been obsessed with this month is the Una Brennan Tea Flower Deep Clean Facial Scrub. This scrub has been my wake me up dose in the morning, with its lovely cooling and fresh scent its the perfect start into a new day. And after using it you are left with squeaky clean skin that feels fresh and plump.

November was kind of the month of skincare but I do have one make up product that also made it into this month favourites. And its an old favourite of mine that I will be sad to see come to its end of its life. I am talking about Mac Viva Glam Cyndi Lipstick. Its that kind of red lipstick that you can easily wear on a day to day basis. It has slight pink undertones and goes super nice with my kind of skin colour. But it is coming to its end and only was a limited edition, leaving me on a new hunt for the perfect everyday berry red lipstick that I can where during the day and not look like I tried to much!

Don't get me wrong I happily wear a  full on red lip during the day but that can get me the odd look here and there when I drop off the children at their school.

MY MUJI BOX FILL UP

Last week I told you about my newest purchased the muji box and now I want to show you how I filled it up. I still have more stuff laying about and a trip back to muji will be sooner rather than later but for now I am quite happy with the results. All my daily make up choices fitted nicely into this two drawer box.

In the top drawer I have all my finishing powders, bronzers and blushes. Like my Nars Orgasm Blush and Laguna Bronzer, two great staples in my make up collection but I am sure you all have heard of them by now. Then we have some mac blushes that need depotting and to be put in a palette, there is Mac's Welldressed and Mocha blusher, both are my most worn blushers in winter. On the top corner there is my much loved Bobbi Browns Shimmer Brick which is still going strong after all these years. Another Bobbi Brown products that made it in here is Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks, a lovely cream blusher that is perfect for lazy days when you just want to freshen up your look.

For powders I have my Mac Blotting Powder that I use most on a daily basis and two more Laura Mercier setting powders, one lose and one pressed which I often take with me on a night out!

The bottom is filled with all my daily bases! First of is my Laura Mercier Foundation primer which I mostly use when I go out and want my make up to last all night. Then we have my Loreal Eau De Teint, a lightweight medium coverage foundation that looks super natural and works well with my combination skin. For an even lighter finish I reach for Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. Mascara wise I am using the Loreal Volume Million Lashes mascara, a good choice if length is what you are after.

Next up are the brow products, there is my much loved Maybelline Brow Gel which gives you neat and tidy eyebrows in an instant and for days when I want strong eyebrows ala Cara Delevingne I reach for Lancome's Le Crayon Sourcil eyebrow pencil. Watch out Cara I am coming!

My Concealer of choice is Maybelline The Eraser Concealer, a great one for under eye circles and blemishes.

And the last product is my daily moisturizer, I use the Vichy Normaderm Moisturizer with salicylic acid. I love this one as it keeps my spots and breakouts under control!

So there you have it, my attempt to organise my make up collection. Now all that is left to do is to go back and get more!!

ORIGINS MASK MARVELS

Lately I have been trying to look a little bit more after my skin and whats not better that a mask, when trying to get perfect skin.

And since I have never tried any of Origins products I though it would be a good idea to start with the mask kit that they are doing for Christmas. I love these little packs of travel size products, I think they are the perfect way of trying out products without the heavy price tag of a full size. It can be a little bit dangerous for me to not get lured in with all these Christmas offer on every counter but hey so far so good.

The Mask Marvel Kit comes with three 75ml tubes of the bestselling Origins mask.

Clear Improvement Mask 

Its a lovely Charcoal and White China clay mask that can really help with acne prone skin. It sucks up all the nasty stuff that can block your skin and acts like a purifying mask. It claims to absorb environmental toxins and dissolves impurities, to me that sounds like just what my skin needs after a busy day of work and running around my children.

Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask

This is an overnight mask that is meant to plump up your skin and make it look more radiant the next day. Origin's recommend it to be used twice a week, instead of your night cream so that your skin can quench it's thirst. I think we can all do with a mask like this in winter when the heating is drying out all the moisture in our skin. 

Drink Up 10 Minute Mask

Another skin hydrating mask but this time it's one you can use in just 10 minutes. This is a more traditional mask that you can use for whenever you feel like your skin feels a little bit dry and needs some more moisture. This mask has a lot of oils in its ingredients and its algae extract delivers an extra helping of hydration making it an ideal mask for this season.

I will be spending my evenings trying them all out and scaring people with my mask face!! ;-)

THE MUJI MAKE UP BOX

If you are an avid reader of beauty blogs you know about the Muji craze that is currently going round. And if you don't know what I am talking about then well let me fill you in!!

NEW IDENTITY

Hi everybody I just wanted to let you all know that from now on my blog will be called ALL ABOUT EVE'S BEAUTY. My old name was just not really suited for what I wanted my blog to be. Hopefully you all will like the new name and the new changes that will come to this blog.
And sorry if it caused you any inconveniences, I just wanted to change the name sooner rather that later.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

SWEATER WEATHER TAG

1. Favourite candle scent? Has to be cinnamon! I kind of have a lust after this stuff. Not just Candles, when it gets cold outside I need to have cinnamon with nearly everything! In my coffee, rice pudding or apple pie I can not be without it!! So it comes to no ones surprise that my house also has to smell of cinnamon in this kind of weather!
2. Coffee,tea or hot chocolate? Well I like both tea and coffee but if I have to decide between the two I would have to go with tea. There is just nothing better than having a hot cuppa when you come in from outside after a long afternoon walk with the dog! Instantly makes you feel relaxed and cosy!
3. What's your best fall memory you have? Growing up in a little village in Germany as a child, we were always playing outside, having lots of fun but one of my favourite memories from back then was when we were collecting conkers. We used to throw sticks up the tree and every now and then we would hit a branch, creating a little shower of conkers. Then we would all rush and get as many as we could find and at the end of the day compare our sacks. We had so much fun doing this and it holds some great memories of mine.
4. Which make up trend do you prefer: dark lips or winged eyeliner? I like both but sometimes a dark lip can look a bit wrong on me so I would rather go with a winged liner. I love that 20's look with just a very natural base, red lips and a black winged eyeliner.
5. Best fragrance for fall? I don't really have a fall scent. I normally just carry on wearing the same one I wear though out the year. At the moment I am still loving my Paul Smith Rose Perfume.
6. What is Autumn weather like were you life? The UK is famous for it's rainy weather so I guess its definitely living up to its reputation. Yes it does rain most of the time and it can get pretty miserable out there but every now and then when the sun is peeking though its quite beautiful.
7. Most worn sweater? This year I have been loving my angora grey jumper that I got in TK Maxx a while back. I love how soft and warm it is and goes with almost everything!
8. Must have nail polish this fall? Has to be Revlon's Vixen (post here). I have been wearing it non stop with my grey jumper! I am so in love with this unique colour!
9. Favourite TV show? Oh this is a difficult question for me. There are just so many good series out there that its hard to choose, but I guess if I have to stick to one it would have to be Homeland. I just love how each season keeps me guessing whats going to happen next. So comes Sunday 9pm, you know where to find me! In front of the TV with a large glass of red wine in one hand and the other biting my nails for excitement!
10. What song really get you into fall spirit? Hmm I don't know, there is not really one song that I listen to each year in Autumn. The only obvious songs that come to mind are Christmas songs. Who doesn't like a good Christmas song to get you in the mood so what do you think can we let them count?

EMPTIES #1

Yes this is my first attempt to show you that I have been a good girl and used up some of the products that I have been buying over the last months or so.

It does really feel good when you used up a whole bottle of  product, in my case making room for new purchases and putting my conscience at ease!

A notable repurchase form this round is the Alpha H Liquid Gold, which I have to say I was really sad to see empty. I love this stuff, each time I use it, I wake up the next morning with fresh and glowing skin. If my skin is suffering from breakouts I use this for one week straight and my skin becomes something else. People compliment me on my skin and ask me what I am using to give me that glow. I can not give this enough praise and if you haven't tried it yet I really urge you to. It can make all the difference in this kind of weather!

The next products that I have bought several times and keep coming back to is the Vichy Normaderm Moisturizer. This is my go to day moisturizer that I wear under my make up. It gives my skin lots of moisture without making it shiny or greasy and the salicylic acid contend helps keeping the breakouts at bay.

Another face product that I like to use in the morning is Neutrogena's Visable Clear Gentle Exfolianting Wash. Using this in the shower in the morning makes me feel refreshed and energised, ready to face the day. It is super gentle and leaves my skin smooth and soft without being too over drying or harsh!

On to hair next and here I have two products that I have enjoyed using. First up is Paul Mitchell Clarifing Shampoo. I only got the little 100ml bottle but this has lasted me for at least 3 month. This is not an every day shampoo, its an clarifying shampoo that you should only use once a week when you want to give your a rehab and bring it back to its glory. It leaves my hair super duper clean, removing all the dulling build up and impurities. Its a great shampoo and I really recommend it to you if you on a hunt for a good clarifying shampoo.

The other hair products that I am sad to see come to it end is Kerastase Cristalliste Conditioner. I bought this little shampoo and conditioner travel kit a while back (here) to try out some of the much raved about Kerastase products and the Cristalliste line stood really out to me. Its like made for my hair! A good hair day is almost guarantied when I use the shampoo and conditioner together. Both are really lightweight and make my hair look healthy and shiny.

Lastly I wanted to tell you about the Clinique Deep Comfort Body Butter. I am normally not so much into body care and creams but now that the weather has changed I have been looking after my body a bit more. Its mostly down to the fact that in Winter I like to take baths and to keep the relaxing experience going I like to follow up with a rich moisturizer. And the Clinique Body Butter is a real delight, it is mega thick and rich and make my skin feel so nice and soft, even until the next day.  

So here we have it, this moths empties. Its kind of weird for me keeping these old bottles but I love sharing with you what I have been using and showing of that I have been a good girl, using up all my products!!

THE BIG CLEANSE

 Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm £21

La Roche Posay Toleriane Cleanser £11

Loreal Micellar Solution £4.99

I have to admit that I have a little bit of an obsession with cleanser, its my favourite thing to go and get when I am skincare hunting. I don't know what it is that makes me drawn to this certain aisle of the skin care shelves as its quite a basic thing to do. I suppose it's the wish for some magic cleanser that makes my skin look flawless and radiant, almost like wiping all the imperfections off with a good cleanser and a hot cloth.

My love for cleansers started when I first used Liz Earls Hot cloth cleanser, I was so amazed how much a good cleanse can improve you skin and since then I have not looked back.

One of my resent discoveries is the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleanser. Its a rich, thick balm that when you rub it in between you hands becomes an oil and works wonders in taking off your make up. Now if you like your cleansers to smell amazing and luxurious this might not be for you as it has absolutely no smell to it whatsoever but for a skin like mine its perfect as it has no alcohol or perfume in it. 

I like to use this either as my second cleanse or use it twice and I guaranty you there will be no mascara left on you, it really does what it says on the tin, take the day off.

Another brilliant cleanser for spot prone skin is La Roche Posay Toleriane Cleanser. I have used quite a few bottles of this and I always like to have this in my house. It's another cleanser with not a lot of chemicals and perfume in it ( do you notice a pattern here). Its a creamy lotion that feels quite cooling and fresh when I cleanse my face which makes it good to use in summer. You will have to do a double cleanse with this cleanser ( which I do with all my cleanser, just in case I missed a bit) as it doesn't quite manage stubborn mascara hanging on for dear life but for £11 you can't go wrong with it.

And then there is the famous micellar water. I use Loreal Micellar Solution which is a very affordable make up remover that has the power to wipe away even waterproof mascara. I like to use it as my first step to loosen all the dirt and grime that has accumulated on my face over the day. Soak some cotton pats and press down onto you eye lids, leave for 30 seconds and you will be surprised what comes off. After I finish wiping some more pads over my face I will us a more cream or oil based cleanser to do my second cleanse with.

Giving yourself a good cleanse like this will leave you skin super soft and glowing.
All that is left now to do is to put your PJ's on and relax in bed! Job done!

AN AFTERNOON TEA

Who doesn't love a nice cup of tea in the afternoon when its getting cold outside and the best thing to go with an English cup of tea are scones. I love these little cakes, they are just so light and delicious, a lovely little treat in the afternoon to lift up your mood in those dark winter months.

Making scones for tea makes me also a little nostalgic! Some of you might not know that I studied to be a chef back home in Germany and qualified as comi chef after 3 years. When I finish my qualification I decides to start travelling and work as a chef in the UK for a while. And it was here in a little restaurant on a popular nature reserve where I first learnt to make scones. I loved making these as a lot of people always complimented me on how good they were and kept coming back for more!

So when I now make them at home I always look back at those days when I first came to the UK and everything was so new and exciting. My kids like them just as much as I do and they never seem to last for very long in our house.

Here is how you make them!

Ingredients

500g strong flour ( normal  plain flour will also do)

80g soft butter, plus a little for greasing the baking tray

80g caster sugar

2 eggs, plus one egg for glazing

5 tsp baking powder

250ml milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 220C, Gas mark 7 and lightly grease a baking tray with butter.
2. Put the flour and butter into a large bowl , using your fingers rube the butter into the flour so that you get little crumps.
3. Next add the sugar, 2 eggs and baking powder and use a wooden spoon to turn the mixture gently, making sure you mix in all the ingredients. 
4. Now add all the milk little by little to form a very soft and wet dough.
5. Sprinkle some more flour onto a clean surface and tip the soft dough out onto the work surface and sprinkle flour on top.
6. Use you hands to fold the dough. By folding and turning the mixture you incorporate the last of the flour and add air. Do this a few times until you have formed a smooth dough. If the mixture becomes too sticky use some extra flour, be careful not to overwork  your dough.
7. Next roll the dough out and with a pastry cutter ( if you don't have one use a glass) cut out round shapes and place the scones onto your baking tray. Any left over can be rolled out and used again.
8. Lastly brush the scones with some egg wash and bake the them for 15 min or until golden brown. 

          Serve with clotted cream,some strawberry jam and a nice hot cup of tea!!! 

ENJOY!!!

LOREAL NUDE MAGIQUE EAU DE TEINT FOUNDATION

Loreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint £9.99

Last week this foundation made into my favourites and I told you how much I liked it and that I would do a full on review.

So here we go!!

Loreal says: A featherlight foundation,feels as light and fresh as water. Instantly fuses with skin, blending seamlessly to leave a silky, second skin effect

Lets begin with the feel and coverage of this foundation as these are the main things that make this foundation great. It has a very light but slightly oily feel to it making this foundation really easy to blend, I used my fingers as I think its the best method to work this foundation into my skin. I tried using a brush but I found that I was using way to much and it didn't give the same flawless look as my fingers would. When I say its feels slightly oily I don't mean that that is a bad thing I have really oily skin myself and a grease ball look is the last think I want. It feels oily because this thing its packed with silicons that help smooth you skin and almost prime it at the same time. Once it has dried it fells super soft and silky on the skin giving a nice flawless finish.

I personally like silicons, I have a few primers with silicons in them so for me its not a big issue but I know a lot of people don't like silicons.

The thing with the silicons is that it makes this a very long lasting foundation yet doesn't feel heavy at all on the skin. It feels like almost nothing on which I really like and it also has a medium to full coverage. Which is another thing I like about the foundation.

The look you get with this foundation is a very natural one and it comes in 6 different shades. I have the lightest one (100 porcelain) and I think it's a great shade if you have very pale skin like me. I can't speak for the other shades but I do have to say that if you have very dark skin there is no shade that would match you which is very disappointing and quite surprising of Loreal.

Packaging wise they made it look like a little perfume bottle hence the name Eau De Teint. It comes in 20ml glass bottle with no pump. I think its a lovely idea with he bottle but one morning I was in a rush to get ready and I dropped it on the floor. Because its so slim its an easy think to do so let this be a warning to you as it took me ages to get it off the floor.

What else can I say about this foundation to you? Oh yes I has an SPF of 18 ( great as an winter foundation) and it did not make me break out. It has some alcohol in it which made me a bit weary but it didn't cost me to break out.

For the price I have to say £9.99 is not bad for a good foundation like this but I wish they could have done a 30ml bottle instead of just 20ml.

I do love this foundation a lot because of its silky light feel and the high coverage it gives but I have to say that I don't like the bottle it comes in, yes its great if you want to put it in your bag and carry it with you but for people like me that are quite clumsy it means that I have to be extra careful with not tipping it over maybe they should just put a pump on it and that problem would be solved for me.

Have you tried Eau De Teint yet? Let me know what you think if you have!!!

REVLON VIXEN NAIL ENAMEL

Revlon nail enamels are one of my favourite nail polishes of all time. They are right up their with Essie and OPI nails colours. When you compare them to other nail polishes they really stand out in therms of colour choices and staying power. And it was Revlon's Vixen colour that had me magically hone in and grabbing it. 

I love wearing red on my nails and since I didn't have any dark red in my collection, so I had to have this one. Revlon Nail Enamel in Vixen is such an amazing colour for Autumn, it's a lovely dark, sexy red with slight brown undertones in it giving your nails an edgy feel but still keeping it very chic.

Another think that makes this nail polish so appealing is that its a perfect dupe for Chanel's famous Rouge Noir Nail Colour that Uma Thurman wore in Pulp Fiction. It even has its one Wikipedia page dedicated to telling you the story behind how it was made and what a stir it caused when it first came out on the marked.

Can I say more?!?

EYEBROWS LIKE AUDREY

That is what I want when I think of eyebrows. I like them bushy, thick and strong, ah maybe that sounds a bit wrong, ok not bushy but you know what I mean. I love how Audrey Hepburn has her eyebrows in her iconic films, she looks so natural and fresh without wearing lot of make up. If you think about her look she didn't wear a lot of make up on her face, all she did was, make her eyebrows more defined and thick, put some black eye liner on the upper eyelid and a little lipstick on her lips, that's it. There wasn't much contouring or highlighting going on, yet she looked beautiful and radiant. So when people say eyebrows frame your face and you should look after them they are right!

Eyebrows really do frame your face, I notice it every morning when I put my make up on. I leave my eyebrows for last so when all the make up is done and only the eyebrows are left to do and I look into the mirror I look weird. Only when I have drawn them in its when I look complete and the whole make up comes together.

Here is how I like to do my mine!

First I like to fill them out with some powder eyeshadow, I like to use Mac's wedge eyeshadow and my Mac 266 angled brush and roughly draw out the shape I want them to be. Then to make them a little bit stronger and more defined I use my Lancome le crayon sourcils eyebrow pencil in the colour 020 Chatain. I love this pencil, its the perfect shade for my eyebrows and its really easy to draw with. It has a soft but not waxy mine and the best thing is that it comes with a spoolie on the other side. If you happen make a mistake just use the spoolie and brush though a few times and it all looks good again.

Lastly I go over my brows with Maybelline browdrama brow gel. I never used a brow gel before until a few weeks ago but now I really like it. It keeps my hairs all in order and helps them stay in place for the day. It has this unique brush applicator that has a little ball at the end making it super easy and quick to apply the gel. 

If you don't like drawing in your eyebrows and faffing around with them or never get the shape right you could just use this to define them a little as they come in 3 nice eyebrow colours. 

So that's how I look after my brows, what do you think? How do you look after your eyebrows? Do you like them thick and strong like me or do you like them thinner and more natural?

OCTOBER FAVOURITES

Loreal Professional Tecniart Volume Architect £13

Loreal Nude Magique Eau De Teint Foundation £9.99

Vichy Normaderm Anti Age Resurfacing Moisturizer £15

Revlon Lipbutter Raspberry Pie £7.99

Rimmel Moisture Renew Let's Get Naked £6.49

Avon Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil Treatment £3.50

With October now gone its time for my monthly favourites again!This month we had a lot of fun with the children, first we went to a local bonfire which had a huge fun fair and lots of little stores with candyfloss, hmm yummy how I love this stuff (reminds me of my childhood), roasted chestnuts and everything else that you can imagine that is not good for you and makes you put on a few pounds.

Then on Halloween the boys dressed up in their scary costumes and I had a go at painting their faces. Jayden doesn't like having his face painted but Brandon loves it so we ended up painting his face like a scary skeleton.

I love face painting, its a little bit like applying make up, so much fun, especially when you see your child's face when they look in the mirror and think its really good what you have done.

OK on to favourites!!!

Lets start with foundation since its one of my favourite things to try out and talk about. I showed you in this post that I got the new Nude Magique Eau De Teint foundation and I have not stopped using it since. Its a lovely silky foundation that is best to apply with you fingers and easy to blend into your skin. Coverage wise its on the light to medium side and looks very natural on my skin. If you have combination to oily skin I urge you to try, it lasts very well on my skin and I didn't even need any powder to set this foundation as it drys to a quite matt finish. A full review is coming some time this week!!

Next on the list is moisturizer. I am a big fan of Vichy products and the Normaderm range is especially good for my skin. At the moment I am using the Vichy Normaderm Anti Age Resurfacing Moisturizer which has salicylic acid in it. Ever since I started having salicylic acid in my moisturizer I noticed a difference in my skin, I don't have so many break outs anymore and it makes my skin look fresh and exfoliated. The good thing with the Normaderm moisturizers is although they have salicylic acid in them they are not drying what so ever and I think that is what makes this moisturizer stand out. Its a rich formula that is very moisturizing yet it doesn't break me out or feels heavy.

OK moving on to hair next and I have been loving two things this month. The first thing I want to talk about is Avon's Advance Techniques Moroccan Oil Heat Infusion Treatment. As the name says this is an hot oil treatment for your hair that has argan oil in it. If you have never tried an hot oil treatment on your hair you have to give it a go. It can make your dry, damaged hair look like new again and makes it feel super soft.

I often do this kind of treatment on a Sunday night when you have some time on your hand, the longer you leave it in the better your hair will look. Sometimes I even leave it in over night, I just put my hair in a plait and wash it out the next day ( just don't forget to change your pillow the next day). You get 4 15ml bullets that can last you for a while especially if you have shorter hair.

The second hair products is the Loreal Professional Tecniart Volume Architect Thickening Blow Dry Lotion. This is a great root lifter for my flat and fine hair. I spray it directly into the roots of my towel dried hair, leave it for a few minutes and then blow dry my hair. It gives me a really nice lift without making my hair feel sticky or look dull. You can't feel it which is why its become my go to volume root spray.

Lastly is my new lip combo which I already told you about in my last post how much I love to mix these two colours together to achieve my perfect Autumn lip colour and of course I also had to include them into my favourites this month. Number one is Revlon's Lipbutter in Raspberry Pie and the number two is Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Let's Get Naked. They both are really creamy and nice to wear during the day but put them together and you get an amazing lip colour perfect for the colder months!

HAPPY WEEKEND!

AUTUMN LIP COMBO

Do you ever wear more than just one lip colour on you lips. Probably yes as a lot of women love putting a gloss over a lipstick to make their lips shinier and make them stand out more. But what about mixing two lipstick to get the right colour. I often put one lipstick over the other, mostly to tone down the first lipstick and make it more wearable for during the day( I have a love for strong, vibrant coloured lipsticks). Its also a great way to get your lipstick looking right on you. Some lipstick can be a little to cool toned on me so I often mix in a little orange to warm it up.

And as I was doing exactly that last week I discovered my perfect Autumn lip combo!! On that particular day I wanted to wear Revlon's Lipbutter in Raspberry pie as a lip stain so I just dabbed on the colour with my fingers, working it into my lips but I wasn't quite happy with the look and thought it might be a little to much for an everyday kind of look so I grabbed my new beloved nude lipstick Rimmel's Moisture Renew in Let's Get Naked and applied it quite generously on top. Out came a very nice wearable berry lip that suits my skin tone and looks really cool and I have been rocking this combo ever since.

How about you have you got a lip combo that works for you? Let me know I would love to hear from you!!

SMITTEN MITTENS

With Halloween and Bonfire night just around the corner and the time changing to winter time yesterday its not long now and we will be in full swing of winter. Time is flying by and even my children have been talking about Christmas for a while and have made their Christmas lists already with the odd adjustment of adding a few thing to it here and there. Normally at this time of the year I am also talking about Christmas already and get my act together and start buying things early. But not this year I have been slacking behind and I have a slight panic coming on whenever I hear the C word. Its so not like me but on thing that I have been doing is looking after my hands and nails.

When it gets colder outside my hand suffer more that usual. They get really dry and I almost have to moisturize them every time after I wash my hands. My nails on the other hand get stronger and are not as flaky and brittle as they normally are or maybe its just down to the fact that I am using more hand cream than usual.

I love hand cream, whenever I feel like I need some moisture on my hands and but some nice smelling, rich cream on them, its like a little pick me up and treat that lifts my spirit for a few seconds. Sounds maybe a little sad but in these cold month, anything that makes you feel good and picks up your mood is good in my books.

At the moment I have two favourite hand creams and they both have the floral scent in common. The first one is the Cath Kidston Rose Hand Cream. This hand cream is such a luxury, its very rich in its formula, with a lovely smell of roses and white amber. It leaves my hand super moisturized for a few hours and it has no parabens, sulphates or artificial colours making this a great natural product.

The other hand cream that I am currently using is the L Occitane Pivoine Flora Hand Cream. This is not as thick as the Cath Kidston one, which makes it the perfect cream to stick in your handbag and use on the go as it sink effortlessly into my skin, leaving a subtle shine to my hands without the greasiness. The cream has a lovely delicate flowery perfume of peonies, just divine!!

Another thing that I use on my nails especially is the OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Oil. The oil really helps with keeping my cuticles in good condition and hydrating my nails. Since using it on a more regular basis I have seen a real difference in my nails. Not a broken nail in sight!!

 L Occitane Pivoine Flora Hand Cream £8

Cath Kidston Rose Hand Cream £10

OPI Avoplex Nail & Cuticle Oil £5.94

PERFECT SHADE OF RED

Ever since I got into make up I have been on the hunt for the perfect kind of red lipstick that suits my skin tone down to the T. I love that red lips, pale skin look a la Marilyn Monroe with just a a little liner on the eyes. Its just my style. I am not into edgy and ultra modern fashion but more of a classic, simple and chic kind of girl. And with that goes a nice classic red lip, well at least in my head.

I know a lot of girls only wear red lipstick on a special occasion or on a night out but I don't mind wearing red lips during the week as an everyday make up thing. I think its just the perfect accessorie when you are wearing a leather jacket and some nice black boots.

The only thing is that it can be ever so tricky to get the right shade for your skin tone. Some have pink undertones, some have blue or orange which makes it hard getting it right especially when they all look the same in the bullet.

Then there is the problem of your lip shape as well, darker red lipsticks can make small lips look even smaller, so if you are not blessed in that department its best to go for a lipstick that has orange undertones in it. The orange helps make your lips appear fuller and more plump.

But if you are lucky and have nice full lips than that is not something you have to worry about.

So over the years in my hunt for my perfect red lips I have tried many lipsticks but few have stayed and I am still on the look out for my go to, no fuss red lipstick that suits my fair/medium skin tone. 

The closest I have come so far is Mac's Ruby Woo lipstick, this is just a lovely red lipstick with pink undertones which seems to look best on me and last super long on my lips making them look nice, even after its worn down a bit. 

The second one that I wear on a regular basis and looks good on is the YSL Rouge Volupte Shine in No 4. I love how moisturizing this lipstick is as to a lot of other red lipsticks. The only thing is that it's not as long lasting because of the formula but its super easy to apply and you don't really need a lip pencil to draw out a shape.

The other YSL lip colour that I have is a more blue toned Lipstick and is from the Rouge Pur Couture line. Is a lovely lipstick for pale blondes with cool undertones in their skin. I have more warm undertones to my skin which makes the lipstick look not as nice on me as on others but I still wear it on night out when I like my lips to stand out.

The last one is the Bobby Brown's Lip Color in No 10 Red. This is a classic red shade with a lovely shine to it but I just don't seem to be reaching enough for it. I thinks it's down to the fact that it is slightly to dark for me and makes my lips look smaller than they are. I have to use a lip pencil with it and draw out my natural lip line to make my lips look fuller which makes it more of a going out lipstick as to an everyday one. And that is what I am after. 

If you have any recommendation or want to share your favourite lip colour with me please let me know in the comment section below. I can't wait to hear from all of you!!!

 Mac Ruby Woo £15 

YSL RougePur Couture £25

Bobby Brown Lip Color #10 £19

YSL Rouge Volupte Shine #4 £24

HAPPY WEEKEND!!!

DOVE NOURISHING OIL CARE REGENERATING MASK

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Regenerating Mask £4.59

Dove promises : A revolutionary lightweight blend of argan, coconut and almond oils rich in vitamins E and F. This intensive treatment nourishes even extremely dry hair to smooth up to 100% of roughness and frizz control.

I have to say when it comes to hair products I can be very critical. I am sure a lot of you have dried so many hair products out there and not really seen an improvement or any kind of change in your hair. Normally I would gravitate to the more expensive salon ranges just because I have seen better results with them, but lately I have been trying out some of the more affordable hair care brands. 

The Dove Nourishing Oil Care Regenerating Mask was one of them. I love Dove but I have never tried any of their hair care products. But the other day as I was doing my weekly shop I saw this on offer and I thought why not give it a go. I was lucky as it was the last one left on the shelf and I have not been disappointed.

This mask feels ever so rich and luxurious and its a sheer joy putting it onto my hair. It has that typical Dove kind of scent that I come to love over the years and the blend of different types of oils helps my hair to feel super soft and strong. I really saw a difference in my hair and the mask didn't feel heavy on my very fine hair.

I use the mask about once a week for about 20 min in wet hair. Rinse and you will be left with bouncy, healthy hair that you will love.  

What do you think? Have you tried any of the Dove hair care range?? I certainly want to try some more of their products!