Absolutely Balmy

If I ever find myself out and about sans lip balm within my immediate reach, I get worried. Very worried. For as long as I can remember, the one beauty essential I could not live without has been lip balm. This runs even deeper than my relationship with perfume. One of the things I irrationally dislike is having chapped lips. And it is not simply because they are quite unsightly, they're also distracting in their rough, uncomfortable texture and pain. 

Over the years, I have accumulated a great number of lip salves to keep my lips hydrated and smooth. Matte, tinted, glossy, SPF, you name it, I (probably) have it. Having so many of them ensures that I'm never without them, as there will always be one lurking in the depths of any one of my bags. Here is my collection that is currently in rotation.

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Fragrance Free - The cult classic. Although this is marketed as a multi-purpose product that can be used to treat dry patches and minor grazes, I mainly use this on my lips. Winter is a particularly tough time for chapped-lip sufferers, and this is by my side at all times during that season. It gives a slightly glossy finish, and I guess you could compare it to Vaseline but with more substance and body. Even though this is fragrance free, there is still a light scent, which I can only assume is a natural one. The fragrance is not the most pleasant one: if you imagine a blend of citronella and strong herbal tea, the result would probably be similar to the Eight Hour Cream scent. And it is pricey, but I've had the same tube for two years now, and it shows no sign of running on empty. I have suggested this to friends to treat cracked or dry sores in the corners of the mouth, and it has made them better or disappear. Result.

Smith's Rosebud Salve - I have hit the bottom of the tin on this, and find myself scraping product out of the corners at this point. This smells of (you've guessed it) roses, but not in an overwhelming way. It gives a nice glossy sheen to the lips, and does its hydrating thing well. One issue I have with it is that it goes on a bit thin, whereas I prefer that thick, gloopy feeling, perhaps because it feels like my lips are fully coated and ready to face the elements with a thick layer of balm. With the thinness of this product, I have to reapply it quite often. But if you like a next-to-nothing feeling on your lips, this is the one for you. Nevertheless, the thin consistency of this product means that I apply it to my knuckles when they are dry and sore, and I don't have to worry about it showing or going all over my clothes/anything else I touch. I love the whole multi-purpose thing. Can we also talk about the beautiful packaging?

Nuxe Rêve de Miel Lip Balm - This one is the odd one out, as it gives a completely matte finish. It reminds me of the Dermophil Indien lip balm that I applied religiously as a child. The smell is, well, honey-like. It's not swoon-worthy fragrance, but it's not unpleasant either. After you've applied the Rêve de Miel, it feels as though nothing can possibly make your lips feel chapped again, as the matte balm forms a barrier on top of your lips. But wait, it doesn't stop there. The product also moisturises your lips. Protective AND hydrating? Yes please! And because this is matte, it does not wear off as quickly as the more oily ones do. Even water has a hard time getting rid of this stuff. 

Maybelline Baby Lips Balm Intense Care and Cherry Me - These American favourites have only just landed on our British shores, and I have already fallen head over heels for them. This range comprises a mixture of tinted balms and clear lip care balms that all contain SPF 20, and as far as I can tell, both are great at hydrating and nourishing the lips. Intense Care is your run-of-the-mill clear lip balm, with the same consistency as the Smith's Rosebud Salve. Cherry Me offers a very subtle reddish-pink tint, and it smells lovely. Retailing at £2.99 each, they're definitely not going to make your wallet weep.

Korres Pomegranate Lip Butter - For a bit of colour to go with your care, you cannot go wrong with the Korres Lip Butters. This one gives a beautiful coral-tinged pink tone with a hint of gloss, and its shea butter and rice wax formula help to moisturise the lips at the same time. Traditional lip glosses tend to irritate my skin, so I always look for a combination of colour and balm, which Korres manage to do and they get it so right with their natural formula. I do have one gripe, and that's with the packaging. Although it looks good, the pot is actually quite small, and product gets under my nails every time I have to dip my finger in the apply the product. This wasn't a problem when the surface was flat, but after extensive use, the surface is now concave, which is just optimal for getting pink goop under my nails. Aside from that, I cannot fault this lip butter.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - As far as lip glosses go, this has to be my holy-grail product. For me, it really is a winning balm disguised as an ever-so-slightly tinted gloss. The colour wholly complements my natural lip colour, and I love the spongy applicator. There's not much to say about this, really, because the product and its packaging speak for themselves. Let me just end by saying that this smells like cake. Oh and I love Clarins. Enough said.

Review: Bioderma Hydrabio Légère Moisturiser

As this summer and its tropical temperatures draw to a close, I want to write about the products that I have tried over the past few months and how I got on with them. I think it's important to give products, especially skincare ones, a few weeks to see what kind of effect they have on your skin.

During the summer, the last thing I want on my face is a thick and heavy moisturiser that sits uncomfortably on top of my skin. I couldn't quite find the right water-based product, though, as some of my searches only led to smelly and expensive products. When I unexpectedly came across the Zest Pharmacy in Soho back in July, the lovely shop assistant recommended the Bioderma Hydrabio Légère Moisturiser (stockist information below). I scrutinised the claims on the packaging: For dehydrated sensitive skin? Tick. Deep care generating hydration? Well, that's all I need from a moisturiser.

This is a lightweight product, which makes it perfect for hot summer days. Water is the first ingredient listed on the packaging, which is probably why my skin absorbed the moisturiser as opposed to having an oily film form on top of it. My skin almost instantly feels rehydrated but not oily when I put this on. This is particularly useful if you moisturise before you do your makeup, as it won't cause the makeup to slip and slide during the day. And what about the actual job it's supposed to do - moisturise? Well, I get dry, irritated patches of skin every now and then if I'm overzealous with the flannel or if I don't drink enough water. The Hydrabio Légère completely did away with those, which was surprising considering how thin the product is.

My only issue with this is how small the packaging is. For £14.00, you only get 40ml, which puts this moisturiser on the slightly pricier side. I guess a little does go a long way: I only use two pumps each time to cover my whole face, and even that is almost more than enough. But drugstore cheap-as-chips moisturiser this is not. I'm just glad I've found something that does not clog my pores, that gets rid of random dry patches of skin, and that simply feels good when I apply it.

You can find this product at (and purchase online from):
John Bell & Croyden: 50-54 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2AU
Zest Pharmacy: 18 Broadwick Street, London W1F 8HS
The Garden Pharmacy: 119, Long Acre, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9PB

Beauty Wishlist

Just when I think I've sated my beauty hunger, it comes back in full force. Sadly, my budget doesn't allow for unlimited spending on beauty products, so I simply keep on dreaming of what I'm coveting, in the hopes that, one sweet day, they will come into my possession. The list of such products is growing longer and longer by the day, such that I find it hard to keep up with all the different subjects of my daydreams. So what better way to commit them to memory than to compile some of them into a blog post?

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil: Autumn is hurtling towards us (it's only a month away!) and central heating will be back to its havoc-wreaking ways on my skin. Combine that with my love for skinny jeans, and my skin does not stand a chance in the moisture, softness and suppleness departments. This shower oil, however, promises to hydrate and replenish the skin, all whilst making you smell like almonds and vanilla. Considering that one of my all-time favourite scents is that of almonds, I am aching to get this product into my shower routine. Excuse me while I use up all my current shower gels as fast as I possibly can.

AlphaH Liquid Gold: Everyone who has tried this swears by its acne-curing, fine-lines-erasing, sun-damage-reversing, large-pores-tightening properties. That would usually be enough to sway me, but the price tag reads a hefty £31.50. To be honest, my skin does not need such a radical treatment at the moment, given that I've sussed out the right spot-zapping routine for me, and I've got an overall great skincare routine that works. But there's just something about the endless list of rave reviews about this product that continues to hold my attention.

Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Icon: This liquid lipstick is legendary, not least because Jessica Alba wore it in the shade 'Riviera' to the 2013 Golden Globes. Its texture is unique in that it feels like a gloss, but goes on the lips like a matte lipstick that packs some serious colour punch. What's more, it lasts for an eternity on the lips. You can eat, kiss, drink, and it will not budge. Given my clear affinity for red lipsticks, I am keen on trying this beautiful deep blueish hue of red, 'Icon'. Just to continue with the name-dropping, Kat Dennings and Christina Hendricks both wore this lip colour, and it looks fantastic on both of them. I will be sure to sample it the next time I pass by an Hourglass counter.

REN Keep Young and Beautiful Anti-Ageing Eye Cream: The night eye cream forms a gap in my PM skincare routine that is waiting to be filled. After a quick browse at the REN counter in Liberty last week, the shop assistant gave me a little sample of this eye cream. As with all things 'anti-ageing', I doubted I would ever even use this product. Then I thought why-the-heck-not, and applied this before bed time. And, I don't know if I just had a particularly good night's sleep that evening, but I woke up and the usual darkness under my eyes had faded away, and the puffiness that comes with the dark circles had gone down. Only 21 and putting an 'anti-ageing' product on my wishlist? Who cares?

By Terry Baume de Rose: I recently waltzed into a Space NK fully expecting to pay around £10.00 for a pot of the stuff and be merrily on my way. Oh how naive I was. When I double-checked the price and the shop assistant replied with £35.00, I balked. £35.00 for a 10g pot of lip balm?! Well, if the reviews of the Baume de Rose are anything to go by, this balm might as well have its own religion. Baume de Rose-ism. It promises to smooth, plump and protect lips 'in an instant', whilst giving the lips a subtle nude sheen. Don't get me started on everyone raving about the heavenly smell of this product. However, this is staying firmly on my wishlist: I simply cannot bring myself to spend £35.00 on 10g of lip balm when there are many cheaper options out there that are just as effective. But there's no harm in just lusting after a bit of luxury, right?

Liebster Award

One of the things that inspired me to start writing about all the things you see on this blog was simply reading what many others had to share about their favourite beauty products, music, food, health, lifestyle, and thoughts in general. Most blogs I have come across, whether they have garnered a huge following or they are just starting out, have one thing in common: passion. People who take the time to pen a post, take photographs and respond to comments truly care and are passionate about whatever topic they write about.

So I really value the premise of the Liebster Award, which is to allow people to discover as many new blogs as possible (usually with followings of less than 200) by letting bloggers nominate each other. In doing so, you also find out a little more about these bloggers and what makes them tick. There is no big award at the end of it, but I love the idea behind it. I was nominated by Kammi whose blog BeautyBookBlog reflects that passion I mentioned earlier. Her blog is filled with beauty-related posts interspersed with book reviews, and I like that she combines both her interests in one medium.

The rules:

1. Link back to the person who nominated you.
2. List 11 facts about yourself (optional).
3. Answer the 11 questions given to you by the person who nominated you.
4. Nominate 11 other blogs, preferably blogs with under 200 followers.
5. Compile 11 new questions for your nominees to answer.
6. Notify the bloggers whom you have nominated.

11 Questions answered:

1. What is your favourite lipstick shade? I think Chanel Rouge Allure in 104 Passion suits everyone and is an all-rounder shade of red.
2. What is the most recent book you read? Aside from all the academic literature I'm swamped with for my dissertation, the most recent book I read was 'The Diary of a Nose' by Jean-Claude Ellena.
3. Do you have any pets? If so, what do you have? I don't have any pets.
4. What colour are your eyes? Brown.
5. What inspired you to start blogging? I kept raving about the same products to my friends, and thought I should write about them. Also, reading other people's blogs made me want to start my own.
6. Favourite fragrance? This question is a bit like asking me what my favourite song is, but I'll go for the one scent that makes me do a double-take and sends me to olfactory heaven every time I smell it. L'Eau d'Hiver by Jean-Claude Ellena for Frédéric Malle.
7. Dream career? When I was a kid, my dream job was to be a perfume maker, or a 'nose'. Unfortunately, my inaptitude for Chemistry (or anything science-related) showed early on and dashed my hopes of becoming a 'nose'. 
8. What do you do to relax/chill out? I like to run myself a bath and watch a TV series while I relax in the warm water. I follow this up with a steaming mug of tea or hot water with lemon juice and honey.
9. Favourite song? Ahh, seriously? (see answer to Q. 6).  Jokes aside, my favourite song at the moment is F for You by Disclosure.
10. Do you have any tattoos? If so, how many? I don't have any tattoos. I have a feeling that, if it came to getting one, I would regret it soon afterwards. 
11. Favourite superhero? I haven't read anywhere near enough comic books to properly answer this question. But after a bit of research, I've come to the conclusion that Spiderman is the superhero I like the most. He seems to have a strong moral compass and sense of responsibility (although he overdoes it sometimes), but also retreats into loner-ism, instead of puffing his chest out and placing himself at the centre of attention (did someone say Superman?) Also, I don't care much for Batman's gadget-loving ways. A spiderweb will do just fine, thanks. 

The blogs I am nominating: (Since the Liebster Award has done the rounds in the blogging world, and I'm very new to blogging and discovering other blogs with smaller followings, the pool of blogs I can nominate is suddenly quite small. So, I have decided to initially limit the nomination list to five blogs, all of which I think are well-designed and written. I would rather not go on a following spree solely for the sake of this post, and I really want to take the time to read blogs as much as I can instead of skimming over a number of new blogs. If I find any new blogs over time, I will definitely add them to this list as I go along.)

Northwestern Beauty
City Whispers
Lauren's Beauty Stuff
Daisy Meadow
Fusels

Questions for the nominees to answer:

1. If you could make an impact on the world in one way, what would this way be and why?
2. What is your favourite film?
3. What gadget are you currently coveting?
4. Describe something you have learned recently.
5. What is your pet peeve?
6. Which decade/era would you like to have lived in?
7. What is your all-time favourite skincare or beauty product?
8. What is your favourite cuisine?
9. Where do you like to shop? (This can be a shop, website, or a department store.)
10. If you were to travel anywhere and money is no object, where would you choose to go and why?
11. What is your favourite drink?

Many thanks to BeautyBookBlog again for this nomination.

Music To Get Ready To

Nothing gets me going and ready to tackle the day or night ahead better than a good playlist. Although this is not strictly beauty-related, I love playing a few songs while I go through my makeup routine in the mornings or before nights out. So I've made two separate playlists to share with you - one for the morning, and one for the evening.

The Morning one is filled with soul and mid- to uptempo songs that ease me out of that sleepy haze and put a spring into my step as I go about getting ready for the day. It's mainly made up of feel-good pieces that are sure to put a smile on my face. This playlist is as important to me as breakfast is in the morning.

The Evening playlist is slightly more upbeat than its morning sister. I usually experience a dip in energy in the late afternoon, and I need something to get myself back on track and excited for a night out or whatever drinks/dinner plans are on. You'll also find here a mix of old and new(-ish) tracks, simply because I just can't resist a little 'let loose' dance to these songs, be they by Disclosure or Chaka Khan. Good thing said dancing happens in the privacy of my room, I don't think any witnesses would be able to handle the off-the-charts cringe fest that it really is.

Ode to Clarins

I know the title of this post kind of gives it away, but if I had to pick one skincare brand to stick to for the rest of my life, it would have to be Clarins. Overall, their products just work for me better than others, and my fussy sensitive skin is always satisfied with a good dose of Clarins incorporated into my skincare routine. In fact, I am so in love with Clarins that I've probably accumulated enough of their products to open my own little shrine stall at a department store. I like the whole premise of the brand, whereby a focus on plant extracts (as opposed to chemical-based products) lies at the heart of all their products. The packaging is also simple and appealing, with brief product descriptions in French and English on the front of their products. It works and it looks good. What's not to love?

Here is a breakdown of my favourite Clarins products and why they are so dear to me.

Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream: This little pot of wonder is on its last legs, and if my curiosity hadn't got the better of me (I bought the Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm to replace my beloved Extra-Comfort), I would definitely have repurchased this stuff. I slather this on and massage my face with it for a solid two minutes, and wipe it all off with a hot facecloth. There is no tingling, no redness, and certainly no dryness after a good cleanse with this Cleansing Cream, which makes it the perfect cleanser for my sensitive skin.

Instant Eye Make-Up Remover: Although Bioderma will always hold a special place in my heart, nothing beats this Clarins dual-phase eye makeup remover. Nothing. This seriously removes all traces of even the most waterproof eye makeup in an instant. It is formulated with rose and cornflower extracts, which make the remover kind to the über sensitive skin around the eyes. Super-fine oils are added to break down the most stubborn makeup. And, oh, the cheap thrill you get from mixing the initially-separated blue and clear liquids together...

Gentle Exfoliator: Since I banned micro-bead type exfoliators from my face skincare routine, liquid exfoliants have taken centre stage on my toner line-up. You'd never guess that this stuff is an exfoliant, because it even smells so gentle, as though it is almost good enough to use on baby skin (I'm sure it's not, really. It just smells that way). The plant extracts at the core of this miracle product come from tamarind and white nettle, both of which are sanitising and refreshing. There is just enough acid in this exfoliator to get rid of impurities and dull, dead cells. And, yet again, no stinging or tingling sensation.

Toning Lotion with Camomile: This toner is more on the hydrating side, and is the perfect last step before moisturising. It balances the skin and soothes any redness or irritation. This is also formulated for dry/sensitive skin, making it incredibly gentle.

HydraQuench Cream-Mask: When my skin is need of a boost in the moisture department, I always seek help in the form of masks. Although my favourite is the Origins Drink Up Intensive mask, sometimes I just need a quick fix rather than something I have to leave on overnight. This Clarins offering does exactly what it says on the tube, and restores moisture and bounce to dehydrated skin. Dry, dull skin, be gone!

Exfoliating Body Scrub: Although beady exfoliators aren't allowed near my face, I'll gladly use them on the body. As I suffer from eczema, I tend to have patches of dry skin after using cortisone-heavy treatment creams. This exfoliator gets rid of all that without irritating my skin, and doesn't add any heady perfumed moisturiser either. Simplicity in a bottle? You bet.

Moisture-Rich Body Lotion: On certain days, I just want a body moisturiser that doesn't have too much of a scent, and that absorbs easily into the skin. As with the exfoliating body scrub, this product bears no pretence, and simply does what it promises. There's no need to spend an eternity working this into the skin, and it doesn't leave an uncomfortable oily film on top of the skin.

Sun Care Cream SPF 30: I dislike those clear spray sunscreens that make your face sting like crazy when you apply it. As a result, I resort to cream sunscreens that don't have that awful astringency. I love the Clarins one for its light fragrance and for how easily it absorbs into my skin. It also protects against both UVA and UVB rays, making sure that I don't burn and don't get premature wrinkles from sun damage. As if there weren't enough reasons to love this product, it is oil-free, and so doesn't clog up the pores.

Beauty Flash Balm: I use this product as a primer underneath my foundation when my skin is in need of a little smoothing over. This hydrates and makes the surface of the skin look more regular, making that flawless-base look just that little bit more achievable.

Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector: This is a lip balm and tinted gloss rolled into one product. It doesn't leave a cakey white outline on the lips, and it moisturises the lips in the same way that a decent lip balm does. And for a product that is so wide-ranging in its colour offerings, each shade truly complements your natural lip colour and does not come on too strong. And how could I resist the sweet vanilla scent?