Everything Cherrychan108

Best of July 2011

2011-07-31T21:29:00.001+01:00

Hi all, I'm back and here I am with my favourites of July 2011 and a anything else I've missed out since my absence...

Sanex Anti-perspirant Sensitive The heat is enough to make anyone sweaty and sticky let alone the nervousness of ponging the moment you arrive at the office but never fear because I have found the ultimate solution!
I have never found a deodorant that actually works let alone a roll-on. If it did work the effects wore off eventually and I'd go back to my refuge of electric fans. I happened to get this on offer and I wasn't expecting miracles because, to be quite frank, I'm not really into roll-ons. However this baby really works and keeps me fresh and odour free all day. I LOVE IT.

Lavshuca Eye shadow Quad - BR-1

This is a really pretty palette I picked up at SaSa in Hong Kong. If you haven't got the Urban Decay 'Naked' palette and you're looking for similar neutral shades then this might be the one, if you can get hold of it! The colour pay off is great and the texture is velvety and easy to glide on. These colours can be used in combination to create anything from simple day time looks to heavy smoky evening eyes.

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Speak of the devil, I have rediscovered this wonderful palette and it's actually more versatile than I realised. The golds and bronze colours are perfect for the summer! It's become my go-to palette when I'm not feeling creative but the outcome is always great.

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Frame Plus Mascara

One of my ultimate favourite mascaras on this planet, this tiny baby works miracles. It primarily gives extreme length but can build up really striking, voluminous lashes, even for the tiny hairs I was blessed with. It's a comb applicator so I didn't expect to like it but actually it works a treat and even great for those under eye lashes. I HEART!

Missha B.B Boomer

I adore this primer because it gives me such a subtle glow. I like to use this directly on my cheeks, the bridge of my nose, forehead and slightly on the chin. It's great mixed into your tinted moisturiser or foundation too. It's light weight formula means I can layer this on top of moisturiser and not feel like my skin is clogging up. This primer is perfect for creating a healthy, dewy complexion.

Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Liner

At last, drugstores now have a real decent gel-liner that is easy to use and totally affordable. This baby comes with it's own brush that is perfect for creating cat eyes and I have been using this every day. It sets really well and does not streak; this one is a winner for sure.

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation

This foundation has been great for the summer because it really does last all day. For hotter days I have been applying a sheer layer of it rather than mixing it in with moisturiser like I would every Summer. This conceals all of my flaws and a little goes a long way. The shade I'm using is 200 Soft Beige but I do have to mix it with the shade below it because it is still too dark for me, yet the shade lighter is much too light. I still really like using it and it's been my go-to for quite some time.

GOSH Precious Powder Pearls - Glow

This little pot of glory was featured sometime last year on my blog and it's still one of my all-time favourite bronzers. This gives me an instant glow and makes me look like I've been on holiday. For instant hot summer glamour, go for these precious powder bronzing pearls.

What are your Summer must-haves?

Much love,

Cherry x

Park Bom inspired look

2011-04-28T23:28:00.001+01:00

Hello everyone, the next video up is going to be a Park Bom inspired look and I hope you guys will enjoy it. I have loved Park Bom since 'We Belong Together' came out and I've remained a big fan since. Her purple lenses are absolutely adorable, the ones I'm wearing are BS201 (bella special purples) and you can get them from: http://fotdlooks-shop.com/

I think I'm going to get some bangs cut into my hair just like Bom's, what do you think?

Cherry x

Covering Away a Bad Skin Day

2011-04-16T23:51:00.001+01:00

One of the biggest learning curves in make-up application and in every girl's life is learning the art of covering imperfections on our faces'. We all have blemishes and dark circles and I am not exaggerating when I say that I've been looking for my perfect concealer since I even knew what make-up was.

So here are two products I am excited to show you that help cover up my flaws and imperfections and give me the confidence to walk out the door. But first, a before and after picture is much needed:

Without Make-Up

Perfectly Covered

So I think the two concealing products that have to be mentioned are these:

Missha Perfect Concealer [Natural Beige]

A small pot of wonder! I bought this in Hong Kong and it's fantastic at covering dark under eye circles. I find that it's easy to apply and light-weight enough to wear even when you are looking to wear a little less make-up. It has great coverage and best of all it looks completely natural to the skin. I find this works best with a brush as a gentle touch with this product produces better results. When using this, always remember to pat and never to swipe and then set with a loose powder on top.

Vichy Dermablend Make-Up

I really like this foundation as it has really top-notch coverage. It is light enough as a foundation but can also be used a concealer. It may be expensive and not in a particularly large bottle but this product will last you quite a long time as a little goes a long way. I find it is best for covering redness and it's been helping to cover my blotchy, dry and red skin well. You can pick this up at big Boots stores or find it online. I used the shade no. 25.

I hope you all like it, watch the video to see how well this works!

Peace, Cherry x

Tea in my hair

2011-04-07T20:48:00.001+01:00

When I was in Hong Kong I picked up a foam hair dye by Liese and it was in the colour 'Milk tea brown'.

Inside came with everything I needed, including perfect instructions (in three different languages), gloves (good quality ones) and a sachet hair treatment (not so good).

Mixing the hair dye wasn't particularly difficult and when you get to grips with it it's actually quite simple.

My hair has always looked different colour in different lights so I must show you! Here are some photos of my hair colour before:

I know it's kind of strange.

When applying the hair dye, I found it quite tiring to keep massaging in the mixture to produce the foam in my hair. Eventually I got there and when there was foam, it made covering all of my hair easy. For once, I was sure I got every single strand.

And below is my new hair colour. I really didn't expect it to be as dark as it is. I thought it was going to come out as a rich, bright blonde (see picture above) but it really has come out a light brown instead. Overall I'm pleased with the colour though as it's a nice change!

Here is a quick comparison:

Much love,

Cherry x

The Sienna-X Spray Tan

2011-03-10T18:53:00.001Z

For my present as maid-of-honour, I was taken to my local and favourite spa to have a spray tan. It's there that I got the Sienna-X Spray tan and it was an absolutely fantastic experience! The process only took about 10-15 minutes and it's turned out great. I chose the very lightest shade so I could go on holiday confidently and look glowing in pictures. The treatment cost about £40 at my spa but I assume it's different at each place that does it.

I love that it doesn't have an offensive smell and it looks extremely natural. My face doesn't look too dark but you'll see from my shoulders and neck that I am looking golden. Tell me what you think!

Cherry x

My sister and I before

My sister and I after

with flash

Without flash

A Simple Bridal Look

2011-03-09T20:48:00.001Z

Just wanted to share a bridal look with you all. I find that if bridal make-up is done well it will look effortless and simple, seamless and natural. Yet to achieve bridal make-up that has the endurance to last throughout the day AND look perfect for the photos can be quite challenging. One bit of advice I can give to those doing their own make-up is to practice everyday for as long as you need, let that be a month, two or one week beforehand. This will be a huge day in your life so looking your best is important, especially as we all hope to only do it once and once only...

Cherry x

The StriVectin-SD Trial

2011-02-04T22:04:00.001Z

I know a lot of you will be interested in the results for the StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate, at least I know I am. I have been applying this on since the 28th of January and each time I dab my eyes with this expensive potion, I wonder whether this is just an overrated eye moisturiser. There is only one way to find out and that is to do a real trial on it to see how well it works.

The full 'program' takes 8 weeks, by which this means that in eight weeks time my eyes should have visibly less wrinkles and I should look even more youthful and awake since my dark eye circles should disappear. I have been using this for one week and that only means I will be due for a final comparison around March 25th 2011. Throughout the course of the eight weeks I shall update you all but it's exciting to know that perhaps by my Sister's Wedding, i shall have brighter and smoother eyes! Above is a picture of me prior to any usage of the product. This was taken bright and early in the morning - face completely naked! The picture quality isn't perfect so it may be difficult to see, but on right eye is this irritating crease that forever traps in concealer and foundation - this is what I'm wanting to get rid of. I know my dark circles aren't the worst but they are not good news without a great concealer. I hope in a few weeks time there will be great improvement!

The next beauty wonder I really want to try out is the Clarisonic; I have been wanting it for years and now that I have a full-time job, it only makes sense to put that on an official list of things I could realistically buy! I am considering purchasing the 'Mia' via the internet but am unsure as I'm the type of gal who would want anything that has 'plus' at the end of it ....so perhaps I will end up with the Clarisonic Plus over the Mia.

Anyway nice talking to you ladies, shall speak soon!

Much love,

Cherry xxx

Haul 1st/2011

2011-01-30T23:25:00.001Z

Hello everyone! I thought I'd share with you all some of the things I picked up. It's my Sister's wedding in March and I want to really look my best..so hello expensive skincare!

Lancome Tonique Douceur (200ml) [£20.45] - I picked this up because it's been a long, long time since I splashed out on an expensive toner. I have always been pleased with a few select drugstore ones (Botanics, Simple, Neutrogena...etc) but I decided to spend some hard earned cash... the first place I headed to was Lancome because, for me, it's quite a trusted brand for skincare... and voila! This was recommended to me for combination skin and having used it a few times....well, i shall tell you soon!

Lancome Baume Eclat (125ml) [£19.90] - I didn't know what to expect with this cleanser, all I knew was that it was good for my skin type and that I needed a new cleanser! It turns out to be a cream to oil formula and is suitable for any skin type. Similar to a lot of oil based cleansers, the aim is to moisturise as well as clean off grime along with any trace of make up. I am trialling this out as it's a tricky one, again I shall have to get back to you on this one!

Lancome Hydra Intense Gel Face Mask (100ml) [£31.65] Hydrated skin means good skin! This mask caught my eye because you can apply it and tissue it off as it's gel based! It only needs five minutes to rehydrate your skin and you can use it once/twice a week. I will be using this once a week, in the morning before work... as it's pretty expensive!

MAC Brush Cleanser (233ml) [£8.50] - These days I'm way too busy to constantly clean my brushes, so in desperation, I've picked up the famous MAC Brusher cleanser to save time and effort but be as hygienic as possible. I am also going to be practising make up on the bride and bridesmaids so this will come in handy!

I finally got my hands on the StriVectin-SD! (30ml) [£49.00] ! I didn't know when I was going to have the courage to buy this and it turned out when I realised that even my concealer was having a hard time covering my dark circles! The Wedding is soon and I really need to fix up so I have approximately 8 weeks in which this product should be fully working its magic by then! I hear some really positive things about this tiny tube of wonder and for £49...I really do hope they are true!

As I was walking through Boots, I was wondering to myself about what kind of foundation will work for the Wedding day? I knew, above everything else, I needed to find something that would last a long time. That was when I walked past the new Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation (30ml - 100 Ivory & 200 Soft Beige] [£6.99]. I thought I would give these a try as they were on special offer (2 for £9!) and as I like a lot of Rimmel products, I didn't think I could go wrong! I have a habit of buying two shades of foundations as I like to mix them or use the darker one for contouring! I have been wearing this non-stop just to test it out to see if it lives up to its claim! To Be Continued...!

I don't know why but I've always resisted from trying out the Maxfactor False Lash Effect (Waterproof) [£10.99] simply because it was on the steep side for a mascara. I have always wanted it and I have finally got it! It's quite large and sports a brush that I am not particularly used to, but none the less I am very pleased to finally own one as I have always loved my Maxfactor Masterpiece Mascara. I am also trying this product out to see if this will be useful for the Wedding. The trial continues...

That is it for the haul, stay tuned for a few mini reviews and also the true trial of the StriVectin SD Eye Cream!!

Peace,

Cherry x

FOTD - Kitten Liner and Red Lips

2010-11-04T18:04:00.001Z

This is the look I've been going for recently having fallen in love with No7's Stay Perfect Lip Lacquer in Flamenco Red. I haven't worn this look often in the past but I'm embracing new changes for a new season; this is classic and bold yet not overstated. By keeping the eyes simple and the lip colour loud, my look is easy and quick to achieve but I can give off the impression that I make a lot more effort than I do!

Products used:

Eyes: L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Liquid Eyeliner, Revlon Double Twist Mascara
Lips: No7 Stay Perfect Lip Lacquer [Flamenco Red], The Body Shop Cranberry Lip balm
Face: MeMeMe Flawless Concealer [Buttermilk], Make up Forever HD Foundation [#120], MAC MSF in Medium Deep (for face contouring), EYEKO Fat Balm [Strawberry]

Be Amazing,

Cherry x

Best of September 2010

2010-10-11T00:50:00.001+01:00

Oh dear, I'm sorry it's so late, but better late than never, right?

I am still loving the Vichy tri-active anti-imperfections hydrating care; it's a perfect base for make-up and keeps the redness in my skin at bay. The moisturiser also hydrates my skin and is light enough to wear every day. Overall a winner for me, if it wasn't so expensive I would purchase this myself. Thank you to the people who sent me it!

Bio Oil - I am even more of a believer than before. My scars are fading slowly yet surely; this acts as a great pre-moisturiser and wonderful as a night moisturiser. As well as this, it's fantastic to use with the at-home face steamer and lovely for other parts of the body. I know a lot of people are sceptical about this product but those who have loved this product will never ever stray from it. Having used it consistently day in, night out since June, I would be sure to say it's made a huge impact on my skin.

Rimmels' lastest mascara offering is a winner for sure. The Lash Accelerator has cool packaging and a really great formula. Similar to Maybelline's Lash Stiletto, the glossy and thin formula creates long and intense lashes helping out even those who were handed the tiny lashes at birth. Overall a lot better than I expected. I prefer this over Maybelline's Lash Stiletto as it gives overall fuller lashes and the wand is much more user friendly.

The blusher I have been using a lot of recently is MAC's Springsheen blusher. This is an old favourite and I come back to this time and time again. It has the perfect balance of pink and peach, with a wonderful yet subtle golden hue that helps illuminate the face perfectly. I use this a lot in the Autumn months but it's extra special during Christmas.

One of my favourite lipstick lines has to be Revlon's Matte collection. A fabulous Autumn colour is 003 Mauve it over which is nude pink/brown colour. It can look fresh or glamorous depending on the rest of your make-up. It's a winner of a colour because it's so versatile.

Thank you Garnier for sending over this face wash. This was given to me a long time ago but I didn't use it because the pump broke in the mail. As well as this, I have always been used to using their Fresh Essentials line and felt that Soft Essentials may not be right for my skin. However it's proven to be a great face wash, cleansing off all make-up and leaving zero residue on my face. It does not leave my skin dry or tender. If I decide that there is nothing better on the market in this price range, I will definitely repurchase this.

I am really big on exfoliating my face and I've been using St Ive's Microdermabrasion scrub for over a month now. It's gentle yet effective and leaves my skin feeling smooth and rejuvenated. It contains chamomile which soothes and it smells lovely. I originally picked this out for my Mum and she has been loving it too. I am still using St Ive's Apricot Scrub for break-out phases but when my skin is not being a pain, this is a good, everyday product to use.

I am loving The Body Shop's Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter! It's on par with my previous favourite, Botanic's Hair Mask, but it feels richer and smells a bit better (not that Botanic's smelt bad!). It leaves my hair feeling strong and conditioned and that's all I really ask for. I will keep using this (I apply this every other time I wash my hair) until I run out and if I find there is no drastic difference, I may go back to the Botanic's as it's half the price and twice the size. Overall, it's a great product for my hair and if you haven't tried it out, I do recommend you give it a go.

Last but not least, I have to tell you about The Body Shop's Moringa body scrub. I did not expect to like this as much as I do but having tried a few of their fruit scrubs and olive scrub, I find that this floral Moringa scrub is my favourite. It wakes you up as well as perks up my mood, great to energise in the morning or even to wind down in the evening. The floral smell is not too over-powering and makes me feel really feminine (and for some reason, very English). I will definitely repurchase this baby girl!

Thanks everyone, I shall be back for some more reviews soon.

Have you tried any of the above?

Peace,

Cherry x

Jasper Garvida S/S 2011 collection - 'Belle'

2010-09-21T20:37:00.001+01:00

I had the pleasure of attending Jasper Garvida's collection catwalk again, this time viewing this Spring/Summer collection for 2011, quaintly named 'Belle'.

The collection sings femininity with its fitting tops and full pleated knee-skimming skirts. The colours reminded me of candy land with lots of candy floss pink, gold, pastel purples and orange. The collection is all about small embellishments, floral, block prints, a bit of lace, silk and soft jersey layers.

The hair sported was sleek up into high poufy buns with lots of embellishments and hair scarves. The show was styled by Toni & Guy and directed by Tim Furssedonn.
The make-up, directed by Sandra Cooke of AOFM, was a lot of pale and porcelain features which is very common in Spring looks. The make up in minimal with sculpted cheek bones and pink lips. Absolutely stunning.

So think up-town prima ballerina for Spring Summer of 2010 and work it Jasper Garvida style.

What do you think of the collection?

Peace,

Cherry x

Katy Perry - Style Icon?

2010-09-19T22:46:00.001+01:00

The previous post (of Kim K and her high waisted jeans) was honestly a 'once-in-a-blue-moon' celebrity gossip/fashion post for me, and whilst I try not to talk about celebrity gossip too much, I couldn't help but be inspired to write today's post.

(Not gossip as such but it is about fashion and it's fitting considering it's Fashion Week at the moment and tomorrow I shall be attending LFW seeing Jasper Garvida's show again)

Today's hot topic is actually about one of my 'favourite' celebrities - Katy Perry. I remember when she first burst into our screens with "I kissed a girl" and I had fallen completely in love. I remember thinking how fresh yet kitsch she was and since then I've been watching her style transform.
She didn't quite make it to my 'Style Icons' post because she her style can be slightly outlandish. Nonetheless, she has come out with some of my favourite outfits of the past and I Just wanted to share them with you. There is something about her style, her look, her behaviour and demeanour that sends shivers to my spine.

I love her in mini dresses, especially when she
turns up in something cute and pink.

This is a personal favourite picture because this is Katy
MATCHING her hubby Russell Brand. She is dressed
slightly more 'normal' but I love it, They are
both so smokin' hot here. (Russell Brand is no Johnny Depp)

This picture makes it to this post because
of the blue wig. I've never liked wigs
but I think she looks fantastic.

Talk about blue, look her at in this blue polka dot dress
she recently wore in London. She has great legs.

Perhaps one of my favourite Katy Perry outfits.
How can she look so innocent look yet ooze sex appeal?

And finally this is one of my favourite gowns
she's ever worn. I love that she always stands out from the crowd.
She does showcase the odd blunder from time
to time but you can't help but love her for shots like this. And for the
fact that her 'blunders' were purposefully done.

Do you have a not-so-obvious Style Icon?

Peace,

Cherry x

Fashion Thoughts - Kim K and High Waisted Jeans

2010-09-18T14:48:00.001+01:00

A few of you may know that I'm going through the process of shedding a lot of weight (again) and it's been such a rollercoaster ride. When I struggle I have to focus and think about what my goals are and what it is I want to achieve.
Besides optimum health and all the other saintly things I could spout out, I do want to be able to wear myself a pair of high waisted jeans and actually look good.
I could not possibly pass the look off right now considering my abundance of chub and unshapely butt. And I always thought that high waisted jeans were really for tall stick thin girls. Tall perhaps but Kim K proves to me that even the more voluptuous kind can give it a go. Is there hope for us mere mortals?

I came across these photos from an old article in The Daily Mail. Here Kim looks amazing and the article talks about how wonderful Kim looked in them while Jessica Simpson didn't necessarily do them any favours.

I don't know about you but I think this is just a bad angle, right? I mean Jessica isn't Kim K but she is no fruit cake! (I wouldn't mind looking like her ><)

So I've come to the conclusion that shapely women CAN wear high waisted jeans (well Lord, you can wear anything you like but does it look good?) No one wants to risk a camel toe. Or perhaps you need to be Kim K and look sexy in anything, even a trash bag.

Ah Kim K, one of my "I-would-if-I-was-a-man-or-lesbian" women :)

What do you think of high waisted jeans?

Peace,

Cherry

An Easy Evening Look (Urban Decay Naked Palette)

2010-09-17T19:07:00.001+01:00

A video for this look will come up soon, I hope you enjoy it!

Urban Decay Naked Palette- A Simple Go-To Look

2010-09-06T18:09:00.001+01:00

I would totally use this look for any situation that caused for minimal, classy, under stated make up such as an interview, seeing family or business meetings. This is easy to to and terribly quick!

Products used:

Urban Decay Primer Potion

Urban Decay Naked Palette
- Naked (base colour)
- Buck (crease contour)
- Dark Horse (deepen crease)
- Creep (intense smoking colour)

Eyeliners - Urban Decay 24/7 Eyeliner Pencils in Whiskey and Zero

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes

Others:

MAC Blush - Spring Sheen
Rimmel Color Show Off Lipstick - Shake Up Pink

BLOG SALE

2010-09-05T17:18:00.001+01:00

RULES:

- UK ONLY
- FIRST COME FIRST SERVE
- READ DESCRIPTION BEFORE PURCHASING
- PAYPAL ONLY
- PURCHASE THROUGH COMMENTS ON THIS POST ONLY, IF ITEM HAS BEEN CLAIMED THEN IT IS MOST LIKELY GONE. ASK ITEM HAS BEEN CLAIMED, YOU MAY PUT DOWN YOUR NAME IN CASE THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE HAS BEEN VOIDED.
- DO NOT PURCHASE THROUGH MY EMAIL, COMMENTS ONLY
- MONEY MUST BE SENT VIA PAYPAL, ONCE CONFIRMED I WILL SEND PRODUCT THE FOLLOWING DAY.
- NO RETURNS, NO REFUNDS.
- PRODUCTS ARE LEFT FOR PURCHASER TO SANITIZE IN THEIR OWN WAY BUT ALL PRODUCTS ARE CLEAN AND TO EXCELLENT HYGIENE STANDARDS
- MORE QUESTIONS? EMAIL ME AT: cherrychan108@googlemail.com

How to purchase: Leave a comment stating what products you would like. Leave me your email address and if you are contacted then I will give you my paypal address. Once the money has been confirmed I will send the product to you ASAP.

BarryM Nail Paint ~ No. 284 ~ Used 1-2 times
Price: £2

Eyeko Chi Chi Polish ~ Swatched once
Price: £3

BarryM Nail Paint ~ Cobalt Blue ~ Used 1-2 times
Price: £2

GOSH Velvet Touch Eyeliner ~ Black Ink ~ New
Price: £5

SATC Falsies ~ Samantha ~ NEW
Price: £5

SATC Falsies ~ Miranda ~ NEW
Price: £5 SATC Falsies ~ Charlotte ~ NEW
Price: £5

The Body Shop's Carrot Moisture Cream ~ 50ml ~ NEW x2 (can be sold separately or together)
Price: £2.50 EACH

Ambre Solaire Gloss Bronzer - Original ~ Used once
Price: £3

L'Oreal Sublime Bronzer - Natural Tan - Used Once
Price: £3

BarryM Nail Paint ~ Mint Green ~ Used once
Price: £2

August - The Best and The Worst

2010-08-31T14:14:00.001+01:00

Aha! Could this be the first time I'm actually ON TIME doing one of these favourites? Possibly, quite possibly.

Let's kick off with Urban Decay's Naked Palette

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Have I ever been more in love with a palette than this? No. Not ever. I am truly obsessed with this and I don't know whether it's the packaging or the shadows but there is definitely something about it that just makes me drool. The quality is everything you could wish for and it's surely become my go-to as well as one of my top favourite palettes EVER. Click here for a closer look!

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes Mascara

Apologies for having not posted my review on this yet! But I'm sure a lot of you have been there and done that. It's surely also become one of my go-to mascaras and I love it as much as the L'Oreal Lash Architect or even the Eyeko Mascara. It gives great length and really helps define my lashes; the best part is that it doesn't transfer or smudge. A definite win.

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Mascara Primer

I've been wanting to talk about this for a while but it seems that it's been disappearing off of shelves in the UK? Or is that just me? Perhaps it's being discontinued but I find that this really pushes my mascara application that one bit further and with this my lashes always look fuller. I like this over the L'Oreal Lash Extension Primer a lot more. Has anyone tried this?

MAC Lipstick in Dressmaker

This was passed on from a friend because she thought I would like it more than she did, and boy, was she right! This is another one of those peachy orange colours and you all know that one of my all time favourite lip colours is MAC's Ravishing which is comparable to Dressmaker. I think Dressmaker is definitely more wearable than Ravishing because it has more of a nude peachy cool tone to it where as Ravishing is a soft yet warm orange with a pink-ish tone. If you're unsure of what Ravishing looks like it's very comparable to Revlon's Colorburst Lipstick in Peach.

L'Oreal Studio Secrets Anti-Redness Primer

I tend to go on and off with this product but since my skin has started losing it's tan, I've noticed this really helps out my red patches on my face. What I've come to like doing is taking a very small amount and applying it to my entire face; it seems to even out the skin well and although it makes me a bit pale, it gives a good base for an even foundation application. I prefer this over the No.7 version.

Bio-Oil

I've been using this for such a long time now and you might remember when I did that Clinique 3-Step trial and how I felt like my skin was drying up like the desert! Well I was so relieved to be able to go back to my normal skincare routine and I feel like Bio-Oil is a vital component of it and it's become one of my holy grail night moisturisers. I feel like my skin condition has improved a lot using this and while I haven't noticed it fading much of my scars, it's made my skin less botchy and irritated and so there is a lot less scratching and bumps on my face. Why do I have a feeling this bad boy is going to feature in a lot of the favourites to come?

BarryM Nail Paint Limited Edition 030

It's become an unwritten rule that I never wear the same colour twice consecutively. That changed when this beautiful nail paint arrived in store.
I've heard it being said and I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thinks this. You look at this colour and you think it's nothing special; you might even think you have this colour already. However when applied to the nails it's a completely different story. The colour is so likable that I think it's become one of my favourites! An absolute gem and a colour any girl could pull off!

And that is it! I couldn't find anything I particularly disliked so I shall relieve you of this post.

Thank you for reading!

Have you tried any of my favourites?

Peace,

Cherry xxx

Eyeko Punk and Chi Chi Polish

2010-08-29T23:32:00.001+01:00

{Left] Eyeko Punk Polish, [Right] Eyeko Chi Chi Polish {with flash}

{Left] Eyeko Punk Polish, [Right] Eyeko Chi Chi Polish {without flash}

If you're asking me, one of the best low-end nail polishes you can get around are probably Eyeko nail polishes (along with a few other brands). I love their range, product quality, price and packaging. So when I was sent two of their latest additions to their nail polish range, i was really rather excited.

The first is Punk Polish which is actually an extremely fast drying neon pink. It dries off matte and looks great even with one quick coat. This is a totally awesome colour and will serve me well for parties and gigs.

The second was for the polar opposite girls and it's called Chi Chi Polish. According to Eyeko it's 'for girls nails', so it's made for those who are extremely fluffy and sweet. Really it's just a lot of orangey-pink glitter and two coats can get you the results above. However if you want more of an opaque result, three coats would suffice. Furthermore, I would recommend you definitely applying a top coat for this!

My favourite of the two is Punk polish although I can't see myself using it much. Chi Chi polish will probably prove to be more versatile, time will tell.

Have you tried these out yet?

Peace,

Cherry

PS. When purchasing from EYEKO, type in the code E3103 for a free gift!

Urban Decay's Naked Palette

2010-08-23T13:57:00.001+01:00

Girls and guys, I really don't think I've been THIS excited about an eye shadow palette in a long time. The last time happened was perhaps my 120 Pro palette experience but this just cannot be compared.

When I first saw the debut of this palette I almost had a heart-beat meltdown. It's everything I've ever wanted and although it sounds absolutely ridiculous every word is true. I've always loved colour and I'm not unhappy with rainbow palettes but for me, a good neutral eye is not only hard to achieve but its timeless, classy and versatile. To be able to work a good neutral eye you really have to discover the right tones, shades and shape; the wrong brown or taupe can make you look dirty or tired.

Urban Decay, known for its bright and powerful eye shadows, has bought out their own neutral shades palette and I adore it because of the range of textures, colours, the sexy packaging and amazing quality. I could not believe it when I opened the box; it's sexier in real life than on screen.

The range is breath taking and it crushes my ebay neutral palette to smitherines. It's my new love!

My favourite shades are definitely Virgin, Naked, Buck, Darkhorse, Creep and Gun metal <3

The palette also comes with a double ended eyeliner with both Zero (a striking black) and Whiskey (a dark, velvet brown)

Above is Zero, Whiskey and then Bourbon; the latter is one of my favourite browns from UD and as you can see it's a rich, darker brown than Whiskey.

You'll also find a mini UD Shadow Primer Potion which will be perfect for travelling. It's so cute!

Do you want to get Naked?

Peace,

Cherry

Goodbye Summer, What's up Fall?

2010-08-18T02:01:00.001+01:00

Summer is slowly ticking away for us here in the UK and why I'm sad to wave good bye to beautiful weather, obligatory ice cream, obsessive SPF, hot topless men and beach wave hair, I'm also quite excited about Fall coming along.

I love Fall (or Autumn, as we say here in England) because I adore the chestnut coloured trees and the cool breeze against the dimming sun; there is nothing quite like walking in warm rain. But one of the best things about Fall is the transition in fashion and how comfortable I am with it.

For me, Fall is about layering, smart dressing that sees bringing small parts of Summer into your warmer attire and enjoying the feel of different fabrics. One of my favourite additions to cooler weather clothing is actually ladies knitwear. While I think a cute boyfriend knit cardigan is always cool to throw on, I enjoy the more feminine kind because it suits my shape and style more.

Knitwear can be disastrous if you don't accessorize well or if you overdo it; far too often do I see cardigans being slung on without thought and usually rather than complimenting, it destroys a person's shape and outfit.

To wear your knitwear right this Fall, remember to find pieces that are the right length for your body; also chunky knitwear isn't for everyone (I'm a fine example of that) and never wear too much knit wear in one go unless you want to look like granny's knitting basket.

Here are some pieces I've seen around that are totally inspiring me this Fall.

And here are some pieces that a few of my favourite designers produced this A/W 2010.

Sophistication at Prada RTW AW2010

70s Country Chic at Anna Sui RTW AW2010

Statement Scarf Style at Issey Miyaki RTW AW2010

Sexy oversized cardigans at Stella McCartney RTW AW2010

Are you looking forward to Autumn/Fall?

Peace,

Cherry x

Giving Back (Giveaway) - Maybelline Mono Eye shadow

2010-08-16T21:53:00.001+01:00

Thank you for helping me reach to 376 followers; I hope it's been as amazing for you as it's been for me.

I will be doing regular mini give aways from now on just to show my appreciation. They will be small but they are free for you so go ahead and enter!

I'm giving away this NEW Maybelline Eyestudio Mono Eyeshadow in 'I love Lilac'. It's going to be a beautiful for this summer and looks beautiful on everyone! Who doesn't love lilac?

Rules:

You must be a follower - that's a given.
Post my blog link on another blog (or beauty website) and tell them about my give away. Then in the comments below, link me back to that website.
If you are under 16 please have permission for me to send you this product as I will be needing your personal address. If you are unsure, just ask your parents!
This giveaway ends on Sunday. Next give away is next Monday.

Next give away will be: GOSH VELVET TOUCH PRIMER

Good luck

Peace

BarryM Limited Edition Nail Polish 030

2010-08-16T00:56:00.001+01:00

Okay, I know I said I was on P10P but I couldn't resist the 2 for £5 deal on BarryM Nail Polishes (in both Superdrug and Boots btw).

The reason this naughty purchase happened was because I was dry out of base coat nail polish (yay for P10P!) but I was starting to struggle without it. For me, it is a necessity because nail polish is what makes me happy. I'm serious! I went without a base coat once recently and I ended up with stained yellow nails, so I now refuse to use it without protection (remember this, boys and girls).

So I decided to put a base coat as a necessity...after all, the BarryM base coat is also a top coat as well as a nail hardener at the same time. So is that not nail care?

Seeing as it was Limited Edition and there were no other ones catching my eye I picked up this pretty lilac-magenta purple bottle and decided this was going to be my colour of the moment.

A gorgeous one coat does the trick and definitely makes me smile. It's like a burst of spring time with a sprinkle of feminine charm; it's everything you would want in a nail polish.

Have you run out to get this baby yet?

Peace,

Cherry x

New Nail Polish Storage NEEDED + Raspberry Zebra Nails

2010-08-13T16:25:00.001+01:00

It's getting a bit ridiculous isn't it? What once used to be ample storage space for my modest nail polish collection, has become an overcrowded tool box of confusion and colours. Love it as I might, I think I need a bigger box if not for the fact that one day soon the lid won't close, then because I absolutely cannot stand rummaging through all those nail polishes looking for one colour, and not piling them all back in. I will have to find a different way of storing them ... any ideas?

While I'm at it, I thought I'd show my nails for today. Having had an in depth conversation with a friend about the colours of deep cherries, I started to crave for a juicy dark red colour and one of my favourites is BarryM's Nail Paint in Raspberry. So I decided to go for an animal print, zebra if you will, with a complimenting white strip to give it a modern feel. What do you think?

What's your go-to statement colour?

Peace,

Cherry x

Wedding appropriate attire

2010-08-11T14:42:00.001+01:00

What to wear to a wedding?

These days I find dressing up for a wedding to be a lot less complicated than it used to be. In the old days, going to a wedding meant you had to wear something smart/formal and anything too bright/colourful/revealing/short/etc was out of the question, at least at an Asian wedding anyway!

In 2010, weddings seem to attract the strangest of fashion senses, perhaps it's an indication of warped taste or maybe some think weddings are now a chance to party up as opposed to celebrate in style. I didn't feel comfortable enough to take pictures of the fashion victims at the wedding however I did take pictures of my family and friends and particularly, what my sister and I wore. I thought I'd show you one of my favourite outfits; I've worn this outfit to several different events, all accessorised differently with different hair styles, brooches, ribbons, shoes, bags, make up etc. For me, you should always wear something that won't clash for the bride or her maids/maid of honour; you should look groomed and well presented. This means, nothing fluorescent or too shimmery!

Above is a picture of my brother in law, my sister, the bride and myself. I'm wearing my laced blazer from River Island and my Miso floral dress from Republic. I didn't manage to find a picture of my shoes but I'm wearing my favourite brown heels and carried my Louis Vuitton messenger hand bag.

I'm particularly pleased with my Sister's outfit because we've always had a problem when it came to buying clothes for her. She has a very particular taste and often she finds it hard to pick up softer and more feminine pieces. We were looking for something that didn't scream attention yet something pretty and that she could wear again.

We picked a beautiful tea dress from Miss Selfridge which happens to be on sale at the moment! It's beautifully understated and what's great about something like this is that you can wear any outer wear with this and change up the colour arrangement. The frills are very 'fall/autumn' and the colour is absolutely timeless. The beauty about a tea dress is the versatility and if you shop smart, this can take you through many years to come!

What would you wear to a wedding?

Peace,

Cherry x

Eyeko Creams and Eyeko Nail Polishes continued...

2010-08-11T00:00:00.001+01:00

Recently I was sent few products from Eyeko to try out and boy, am I pleased! I was sent their Limited Edition 3in1 Cream which now has 'Extra Glow' to try and so I thought it would be a good time to compare its original to the new limited edition.

Left :Original 3in1 Cream
Right: Limited Edition 3in1 Extra Glow Cream

The original 3in1 cream moisturises the skin, highlights the face and supposedly works as an eye cream. I am guessing that the eye cream claims from its hydrating properties and its light reflecting qualities but I haven't heard many people using it for this purpose.

The new Limited Edition is not as dense as the original and gives a different highlight and also it contains jojoba and vitamin E. The original look gives a yellow warm hue while the 'Extra Glow' gives off a pearlescent shimmery highlight. Below are some pictures to show you the difference.

Left :Original 3in1 Cream
Right: Limited Edition 3in1 Extra Glow Cream

The picture above shows what the creams look like applied to the skin but not yet blended in. I wanted to show you the texture as well as an obvious difference.

Left :Original 3in1 Cream
Right: Limited Edition 3in1 Extra Glow Cream

When blended in, these give off completely different highlighting results. While 'Extra Glow' gives a brighter and lighter appearance, I can't help but enjoy both creams because the original look is much more warm and sun kissed; use this under a mineral skin finish by MAC (such as By Candlelight) and this really creates a gorgeous glowing look to the face. I do like the new 'Extra Glow', this is a great all-round highlighter and will look lovely all year round.

Currently these creams retail at £8.00 per pot on Eyeko's website but I think they are great value because they truly last for a very long time as little goes a long way. These creams are very dense and give decent colour pay off. If you do happen to be spending at Eyeko, please use my Ambassador Code:

Moving on, I wanted to talk about two more of the Eyeko Nail Polishes. Previously I had written a post about their nail polishes which you can find here. I had mentioned that I previously had lost one of my favourite Eyeko nail polishes which was 'Nude' Polish. Thankfully, Eyeko sent over another one to replace it and I was completely overjoyed! Here is a swatch of this gorgeous pink nude:

Eyeko Nail Polish in 'Nude'

I adore colours that take zero thinking power to apply; this is definitely a no brainer because it goes with absolutely anything and looks particularly gorgeous in the Spring time!

They also kindly sent over Cosmic polish which was one of the few that I am missing from my collection. I am so pleased because out of the few that were missing, this is the one I was really wanting to get my hands on.

Eyeko Nail Polish in 'Cosmic'

Cosmic polish is rock glam in a bottle; the gorgeous liquorice black with multi coloured sparkles really makes it look like you've dipped your fingers into space! It's glossy and dries very quickly, it's my current favourite and obsession. The sparkles are not too chunky like glitter and it's not fine enough to be shimmery; it just looks like stars in the galactic! I love it!

What's your favourite Eyeko Product?

Peace,

Cherry x

Project 10 Pan Query

2010-08-07T04:31:00.001+01:00

I just need to be enlightened but ...

for those who have done the whole P10P shabang, can I ask...do Hair Care products count? Surely that is a necessity as is skincare which apparently doesn't count? But if that was the case... would make up not be a necessity too? How can we define this? Doesn't it just depend?

Someone, please clear this up for me!

Peace,

Cherry x

Blog Tag!

2010-08-07T04:25:00.001+01:00

Yep. So I'm tagged by my bestie Vicky to answer eight of her questions and my job will then be to tag some of you lot! Seeing as it's 4am and I'm not asleep, this seems suitably appropriate.

Rules:
People who are tagged must answer the 8 questions, make their own 8 questions and pass it to 8 Blogger buddies, to continue the cycle!

Vicky's questions are as follows:

1. Twitter or Facebook? ~ Facebook hands down!

2. Tea, coffee or hot chocolate? ~ Oh my. Tea.

3.iPhone or Blackberry? ~ I want to say iphone but I'm going to stay loyal to my BB crew!

4.Words or Pictures? ~ Can I say 'both'? :P. Words.

5.Cinema or DVD? ~ DVD!

6.Still or Sparkling water? ~ Never sparkling!

7.Toy Story 2 or Toy Story 3? ~I haven't seen 3 yet so 2 it is although I hear good things about 3

8.Windows laptop or Apple Macbook? ~ Well Windows but I do want me a Macbook!

And that's it! So I'm going to tag the following to answer the questions below:

Ling
Charming Vanity
Shirley
Erica
Lisa
Fei
Get Gawjus
Gemma

And my questions will be the following:

1: What's your earliest memory'?
2: What's the meaning to life?
3: What would you do if you found out that the sky was actually pink all this time?
4: Little Black Dress or Little White Dress?
5: Who's concert are you dying to go to next?
6: I'm a genie and I grant you a wish, what shall it be?
7: Cosmopolitan or Glamour Magazine?
8: What's your worst habit?

Peace,

Cherry x

How to blow-dry hair straight!

2010-08-06T17:53:00.001+01:00

Products Used:

V05 Heat Protectant Styling Spray
TIGI Catwalk Root Booster Spray
Umberto Giannini Sleek and Chic Blow Dry Cream
Kerastase Oleo Relax Oil
Corioliss Round Brush
John Frieda Secret Agent Finishing Cream
Bedhead Head Rush Shine Spray

Peace,

Cherry x

NOTD - Cherry Cherry Boom Boom!

2010-08-03T22:26:00.001+01:00

I thought I'd share with you a really quick and cute cherry design I did on my nails the other day. It's very easy to do and takes seconds. All you need is a very fine brush and something like a ball point pen if you don't have one of those fancy nail sticks with balls on the end :)

First base - Essie (California Coral)
Second base - TopShop (Sunset)
Green stem - BarryM 284
Red Cherries - BarryM (Bright Red)

I hope this inspired you to create your own nails with your favourite fruits on them!

Would you like a tutorial one day?

Peace,

Cherry

Best and Worst of July 2010

2010-08-02T17:01:00.001+01:00

July has been and gone and it was a crazy month for me; I want to share some products that has got me through this month and put a smile on my face.

Botanics Instant Glow Tinted Moisturiser

If you have not yet read my review for this product then please check it out here. I have been using this product every summer and it's particularly appreciated on hot days. It's disappointing to know the amount of people who don't actually like this; I think it's very hard to colour match with this product and I'm lucky enough for it to match mine! I personally don't find it cakey and like that its neither too heavy nor too sheer. A win for me.

Claire's Accessories Blusher - Discontinued

I won't ramble on about this one because I'm almost certain you can no longer find this in stores. This was passed down from my equally as fashion/beauty obsessed best friend, Vicky, who had a few in a stash (this girl collects, a lot). I had kept it at the back of my storage for a while and when I tried it out I was pleasantly pleased. What it does remind me of are my love for blushers and bronzers that come pressed in gradient shades. I love the versatility of that concept and I think it means consumers like us can save on buying so many different colours.

Beauty UK Palette - Earth Child

Beauty UK palettes, which are found in Superdrug or on the Beauty Uk Website, are great value and worth checking out. Each palette comes with 10 complimenting colours and there are a six different palettes to choose from. This palette should take you all through out the year and you can create classic, timeless looks or even dramatic smoky eyes. The eye shadows have some minor fall out but it doesn't bother me too much; I experience similar happenings with Sleek products and they are still amazing to me. I would snap these up quickly because they are becoming increasingly popular and that only means prices will rise. So at £3.49, what have you got to lose?

This is a quick smoky brown look I did with this palette. Simple!

Garnier Spot-on Roll-on

This has helped me zap my spots well in the month of July! My skin seems to have become quite immune to the Origins Spot Remover (don't worry, this happens with me!) I have had to seek out other spot busting products and this is the one that's come out on top. I wouldn't recommend this for sensitive skin but it will work well for those who keep getting red blemishes and need to battle them quick time! Overall a decent product and I will remember this one in the future when I need a spot busting boost.

L'Oreal Volume Million Lashes

I will be doing a review on this soon but I will tell you that it's become my go-to mascara this month. It lengthens and gives enough volume but not too heavy to become spider-lashes. It some how gives me a fuller set of lashes ('millionizing' them I guess!) and doesn't clump up my lashes due to a relatively thin formula and a good stopper on the tube to stop excessive amounts of mascara gathering on the brush. Overall, a quality mascara from L'Oreal again!

Blistex Intensive Moisturiser

The perfect moisturiser for the lips; a saviour for when I did my lipstick swatching video. It doesn't give shine and doesn't sit on top of the lips like a lot of petroleum based lip products do. This seeps into the lips and soothes really well. Like a lot of the Blistex products, this is nourishing and definitely needed in every girl's purse. This will be kept by my side for when the weather turns cold and my lips will become dry.

Garnier Hydrolock Moisturiser

A perfect moisturiser for those who hate greasy lotions and prefer the thinner formulas for legs, arms and feet. This has been keeping my limbs soft and supple and has been a God-send every time I've rushed out of the door with shorts on. Unfortunately it's doesn't contain an SPF otherwise it would be perfect. This is a wonderfully thin formula but leaves your skin feeling smooth and most of all, not sticky! Overall a quality moisturiser and a recommended product!

Sleek Kajal Eyeliner - Nocturnal

This has been really easy to use and definitely speeds up the eye-lining process. The Sleek Kajal Eyeliners are great for creating a dramatic winged liner or even good as a black base for your eye shadow. The formula is somewhat waxy so it can slip and slide if its on the lower lash line and the weather is particularly warm. This is sorted out with some black eye shadow on top which is normal practice for me. Overall a good one to pick up for those who love a dramatic eye effect!

How has July been for you?

Peace,

Cherry

33 Lipsticks Swatch

2010-08-01T18:08:00.001+01:00

I hope you girls enjoy this!

MUSIC BY FRANKI LOVE http://www.youtube.com/user/frankilov...

Disclaimer: Some of these lipsticks may already be discontinued!
1. Liparazzi Lipstick - Rehab
2. The Body Shop Lipstick -- Bronze 01
3. Maybelline Colour Sensational - Midnight Plum 338
4. Maybelline Colour Sensational - Galactic Mauve
5. Maxfactor Lasting Colour - Midnight Plum
6. MAC Matte Lipstick - Ruby Woo
7. Revlon Matte Lipstick - Strawberry Suede
8. Maybelline Moisture Exteme Lipstick - Passion Red
9. Revlon Matte Lipstick - Wine Not
10. Rimmel Color Show Off Lipstick - Kiss Me
11. Maybelline Colour Sensational - Shimmer Pink 125
12. Maybelline Colour Sensational - Ambre Rose
13. Maybelline Moisture Extreme - Toffee Cream
14. Maybelline Colour Sensational -- Sweet Pink 132
15. MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick - Saint Germaine
16. Maybelline Colour Sensational - Pink Hurricane 165
17. Clinique Long Last Lipstick - All heart (soft Shine) 15
18. Maybelline Colour Show Off - Shake Up Pink
19. Revlon Colorburst Lipstick - Peach
20. Rimmel Colour Show Off - Tell No One
21. ELF Mineral Lipstick - Nicely Nude
22. Illamasqua Lipstick - Obey
23. Maybelline Colour Sensational - Coral Pop
24. MAC Creme Sheen Lipstick - Ravishing
25. Maybelline Colour Sensational -- Summer Pink 148
26. Estee Lauder Pure Colour Crystal Lipstick - Crystal Nude 302
27. GOSH Lipstick - Darling 134
28. L'Oreal Color Riche Shine Gelee Lipstick - Golden Vanilla
29. Revlon Matte Lipstick - Mauve it over
30. Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick - Nude Delight
31. BarryM Lip Paint -- Peachy Pink 147
32. MAC Creme Sheen Lipstick - Creme D'Nude
33. Revlon Matte Lipstick -- Nude Attitude
34. Blistex Intensive Moisture

Any favourites?

Peace,

Cherry x

Review: Botanics Instant Glow Tinted Moisturiser

2010-07-30T16:07:00.001+01:00

The Low Down

I've been using this product since my mid-teens and it's quite a hard product to recommend because I know little people who actually use this. This may be because it only comes in one 'shade' or that Botanics does not specialise in make-up products. I wanted to share the Botanics Instant Glow Tinted Moisturiser with you because I think it's about time I revealed to you my favourite summer product.

What Do They Claim?

"Botanics Instant Glow Tinted Moisturiser is a lightweight tinted moisturiser that adds light diffusing particles, giving skin a more even radiant tone whilst helping to maintain skin elasticity" -Boots.com

"Ginkgo: This extract contains a complex of anti-oxidants shown to stimulates microcirculation and protects skin. Ginkgo boosts and guards. Echinacea protects collagen" - Packaging

How did it work for Cherry?

This has been a summer staple for a long while now; I enjoy the slightly refreshing herbal scent, it feels like a super light foundation that blends into the skin to light-weight 'nothing-ness'. It gives my skin a subtle glow and evens out my skin tone well.

Below are two pictures, the first is of my bare face and the second is my face with the tinted moisturiser applied.

My bare face

With tinted moisturiser applied

How to use this product

It's perfectly adequate to use your clean fingers for this product but you can treat it as your usual foundation.

When applying this product, I like to use a primer underneath (i.e. an anti-redness or mattifying one) and sometimes a finishing powder on tops. Depending on my skin condition I will use a concealer but this isn't always necessary.

You can then go on to continue your make up routine as you please.

Cherry's Final Verdict

I would recommend this product to anyone who has similar skin tone to me (see bare faced picture). In the winter I am an NC20 in MAC and usually the first or second tone of a foundation colour range, however in the summer I will turn to one/two shades darker. When I am ghostly porcelain in the winter I cannot touch this product because it will not match the rest of my skin. I would say that this is perfectly suitable for those who are darker than myself as it will add a great glow and even out the skin tone.

The Botanics Instant Glow Tinted Moisturiser will last you through two summers (from my experience) and I do favour this over Benefit's You Rebel as it's non-greasy and gives a greater coverage.

What I find interesting are the claims for boosting Ginkgo and protection from free radicals. It's hard to measure these claims but I've heard of the benefits of both Ginkgo and Echinacea. Gingko extracts guard your skin from 'free radicals' which are molecules that destroy tissue and age skin in time. These are given off through pollution and toxic chemicals which we face often in a busy and urban lifestyle. If this product really helps to protect the skin then it might be a good investment. Echinacea has also been known to keep skin tissue strong and protects collagen and while I can't measure this, it sounds good enough for me.

The one gripe I have about the Botanics Instant Glow Tinted Moisturiser product is that it doesn't contain any UV filters or SPF therefore I had to apply a moisturiser that uses an SPF before hand. I don't find this bothersome as such because I have a habit of using a my SPF moisturiser before everything but I would be happier if this product contained it, therefore if I chose not to use it that day, I wouldn't be worrying about sun damage.

With the added skincare benefits and cheap price of £4.49 (from Boots), I think this product is worth picking up and trying out. You can even use this in the winter to bronze around your face or it can be used all over the body when your tan is starting to fade!

I award the Botanics Instant Glow Tinted Moisturiser a 4.5/5. It loses half a point for being restricting in colour shades and containing 0 SPF but otherwise, this is a fantastic product.

What's your favourite tinted moisturiser?

Peace,

Cherry

Bronzers for Beginners

2010-07-30T03:32:00.001+01:00

Above is a video showing how I use bronzers and the different types I've used, plus the techniques you can try out for a quick and easy application. I hope you find this useful! Below are closer pictures of some of the products I mention in the video.

Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush (Coffee Cake) is a good choice
if you're a beginner in make up. It's easy to blend,
quick to use and gives a really beautiful warm tone to the skin.

Rimmel Bronzer in 020 Sun Bronze. This is my second (or third?) one of these
and they are really, good quality and inexpensive drugstore blushers. It gives
a matte finish and gives a medium colour pay-off therefore
it won't be too overwhelming and it's hard to go wrong with this.

Stila Push Up (Nude Flash) is also a good choice for those
who find powder blushers a bit of a hassle. These sticks allow quick
colour application and gives a beautiful tanned glow to your face.

If you can get your hands on Sleek items you can try their bronzers or
their blushers. This is a particularly gorgeous terracotta colour that I think
is a beautiful alternative to a regular bronzer. The Sleek blush (Rust) would look
lovely on already tanned skin and as it's highly pigmented, a little goes
a very long way.

If you're looking for an all-over sheer bronzer, The Body Shop Sun Lustre Bronzers from
a couple of seasons ago are a good choice. You may not get this exact one in
stores now as they were apart of a collection however they still carry
these large panned bronzers. You can pick these up in
The Body Shop for £12.00 and they will last a life time. They also have
a very pleasant sweet smell to them. This gives a beautiful
shimmery glow to the face and body. Classic product.

Bronzing Pearls are relatively new to me but I've tried and used GOSH's Precious Powder
Pearls (Glow) and they are perfect for a buildable application.
It's neither too heavy or too shimmery and gives a wonderful luminosity to the skin.
It may be slightly trickier than a mousse blusher but it's not too hard
to use and you can't go wrong with this unless you accidentally spill the pearls!

Lastly, I wanted to show you No7's Sculpting Bronzer which is actually a limited
edition and I'm unsure as to whether this is still available but I would snap
it up if you manage to come across it in a Boots. The colour gradient
is absolutely perfect and will take you from Winter to Summer.
The point of showing you this product is to highlight the idea of using a bronzer
product that has a gradient of colours (such as the MeMeMe shimmer bronzers, which
coincidentally look like the Bobby Brown Shimmer Bricks). This way you can use a variety
of colours throughout the year and achieve different looks.

What is your favourite bronzing product?

Peace,

~Cherry~

My Style Icons

2010-07-29T14:45:00.001+01:00

I thought I'd share a few of my style icons with you.

Nicole Richie

Nicole = chic, raw, soft, hard, sexy

Nicole can look amazing amazing. The sequin dress on the model doesn't appeal
much to me. Worn on Nicole, it's transformed. Prime example of
wearing the dress as opposed to the dress wearing you.

Two of my favourite women in Hollywood together!
Christina has had disasters but from time to time, her style rocks my world.
I especially love that she incorporates grunge/punk with a bit
of old school glamour.
Again, Nicole looks amazing with sequins and skinny jeans.

Christina Aguilera

Xtina

= loud, sensual, hardcore, effortless

Looking ravishing in a little red dress. This is a sexy little red riding hood of 2010.

Flapper glamour meets urban sun chic
Those shades are amazing!

Alexa Chung

This woman can do no wrong. She is dainty yet so, so cool.

Effortless. I wish I could find the right trench for myself. This autumn, I shall
find the perfect one.

So sweet! This is my perfect Sunday shopping outfit!

Sienna Miller

Sienna is London, laid back and edgy.
I don't have the legs to wear that dress with those boots
but Sienna looks fabulous.

Sienna pulls of the statement boot very well

Who are your style icons?

Peace,

Cherry

Flowers on my mind

2010-07-24T15:08:00.003+01:00

Pearls, gold, dainty chains, lockets, lace, heart, stars, bows, ribbons, frills, flowers, satin and skulls... are you excited yet?

With every fashion season comes great promise that top designers will bring inspiration to the high streets and what's fabulous about a new season are the new little embellishments you can become obsessed about.

It doesn't matter whether we're talking jewellery, dresses, shoes, hair accessories or lingerie, there is almost always something you can add to your collection and if you're a true high street girl like I am, then you will find each obsession more exciting than the last.

It wasn't long ago that I was snapping up anything that used gorgeous lace because winter called for jumper dresses, lace, jeggings and military boots. I particularly adored the lace trend and as a result, I'm prepared for another lace trend to come but perhaps I could pass it off as 'vintage'.

My latest obsession comes in the form of flowers this summer and it started around spring time. I'm particularly in love with reds, corals, peaches and pinks. These days, floral dresses can be paired with leather boots or chunky jewellery to harden the look up or it can remain soft and feminine which is why I think every girl needs dresses embellished with floral patterns this Summer. If you prefer your garments to be plain, why not try out some flower detailed jewellery?

"How do you like it?" - I like mine just above the knee, with added frills and small details. I love it to be flowing as it skims over my less-loved body parts. How do you like yours? -Cherry x

At Taste of London Festival, transitioning between lace and the florals.

Below are some more inspiration pictures that you may enjoy!

peace,
Cherry x

Essie, China Glaze and OPI - A few swatches

2010-07-24T03:45:00.001+01:00

I know I said I was on 'Project 10 Pan' but these nail polishes were purchased BEFORE the project began! I recently went to that nail shop and I know I must inform all Londoners (or even those within travel distant to London) where this amazing shop is. I shall don't worry. I picked up my first two, ever, Essie nail polishes and also two China Glaze and one OPI. Below are swatches, please leave a comment as to which one is your favourite! Enjoy.

Essie - California Coral

This baby only needs one coat; it's formulation is fantastic as it's easy to apply as it's neither too thin or too thick. The colour is absolutely gorgeous and overall a really great nail polish.

Essie - My Private Cabana

A gorgeous nude pink. The picture on the left is one coat and the one on the right shows two coats. This is an easy colour to wear; great for those indecisive days and wonderful for those who like to have nude, natural nails but like a tone of pink. Fabulous!

OPI - Sheer Your Toys

The closest description I can give for this colour is a muted grey with a tone of purple. Do you see it? It's the grey version of that really popular taupe colour everyone is loving at the moment (such as Eyeko's Posh Polish) but I feel this would be great for those who feel the taupe colour is a bit too warm. I think it says "chic" without being too feminine. This says "girl with brains" to me, I don't know why but it looks like a clever colour.

China Glaze - Gilded Treasure

A sheer gold with very fine silver shimmer running through it. It's actually perfect for the summer but can even be worn during festive times of the year. One coat is incredibly sheer while two coats gives a bit more colour. Wear one coat in the summer and two coats in the winter. Definitely a versatile gold to have and one for everyone.

China Glaze - Passion

A stunning, solid, old looking gold colour; this nail polish is great with one coat but seriously hot with two. It applies magnificently and looks hardcore. It gives a sort of ornamental finish and will look amazing with safari-esque trends, bronze summer styles, warrior style fashion and futuristic flavoured garments. This nail polish isn't for the faint hearted. I. Absolutely. Adore. This.

Peace,

Cherry x

Project 10 Pan Begins

2010-07-23T01:40:00.001+01:00

Some of you may not know what 'Project 10 Pan' really is and to be perfectly honest, I'm not 100% sure myself. But I'll give you a brief run down of what I think it is; the term was coined by the famous and lovely Lollipop26 and it's a promise (and struggle) to use up 10 beauty products you already have before continuing to buy anymore. Get it?

This simple yet affective method is a way to keep levels of products in the household to a certain level and it will force one to actually use the things they buy. This way you will think twice about the things you buy in the future (if you manage to finish ten products) and you will save money because you are no longer allowed to spend whenever and where ever, anymore. What I want to know is, how much are you allowed to buy when you finally reach pan on ten products? Surely there is no point buying 20 more products afterwards?

Originally I was reluctant to participate in this project but I've decided that the amount I spend has no correlation to the amount I earn. Nor does it correlate to the levels of 'need' I have for the product(s) in question. The only thing that my spending level is parallel to is my incessant need for owning new things and the temporary comfort it gives me when I try something new. This clearly isn't the way to go if I want to travel, buy my own flat, buy a new and faster car etc.

So Project 10 Pan is a small bid to say good bye to spontaneous and irrational purchases and hello to frugal living and smart spending.

This will be particularly difficult for the next few weeks as the summer sales continue. Did you hear that River Island is having a online only 25% discount on SALE items? Isn't that absolutely amazing? But no, I shall resist. Besides, I have so many 'things' it's unbelievable. Soon, Clinique are sending over a new kit for me to try out (fingers crossed the mail man doesn't steal my stuff again) and so, there is apparently no need for new skin care. The only thing that is difficult for me are nail polishes. I'm not a collector of much in life but when it comes to nail polishes, ever shade of a colour can appeal to me at any time. This is dangerous stuff.

Currently I already have 73 nail polishes and that's not including the one or two I've managed to misplace. Do I need that many pink nail polishes? No. But do I love them and want more? Of course! There is ALWAYS room for more; it just means going to Muji and buying another container to store them in. See how this becomes a snow-ball effect?

So unfortunately haul posts will now be appearing less frequently; instead you shall be updated on my experience of Project 10 Pan and consequently find out what I'm really made of.

Peace,

Cherry x

A Simple Summer Smokey Look

2010-07-21T00:05:00.001+01:00

Here is a look you can definitely try out this summer! It's a smokey-eye that can be worn during the day or night and it suits summer well because of the gold and orange base it has. It's super easy and flattering for all eye shapes and sizes, skin tones etc etc.

The key products include:

This is the Maybelline Eye Studio Diamond Glow Quad - 022 Bronze Drama. Layer the shadows on one by one starting with the left gold colour as a base. Use the orange as a slight contour, then the khaki green to deepen the crease. Finally use the end charcoal colour to smoke it out! Easy!

On the lips I'm using GOSH's Light Lightn' Shine Lipglaze in 01. It's a subtly shimmery lip gloss and gives a nice shine to the lips!

I've also used Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation in True Ivory. This is a great drugstore foundation, perfect for the summer because it's quite light but gives decent coverage. It's easy to blend, good for sensitive skin and comes in great packaging. Nothing I don't love about this!

Products used:

Too Faced Eye Shadow Insurance Primer
Maybelline Eye Studio Diamond Glow Quad - 022 Bronze Drama
Sleek Kajal Eyeliner - Nocturnal
Gosh Eyeliner - White
Collection 2000 Glam Crystals - Dig It
Natural Collections Clear Mascara (For Brows)
Maybelline Volume Express Falsies Mascara

The Body Shop Matte it Primer
Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer - Nude Beige
Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation - True Ivory
Rimmel Clear Complexion Foundation Powder
Bourjois Blusher - Lilas D'or
GOSH's Light Lightn' Shine Lipglaze in 01

Inspired: Little Red Riding Hood

2010-07-19T23:27:00.001+01:00

Recently I went to my best friend's and his brother's joint birthday party and we were told to dress up! Eeek, I personally have a little phobia of dressing up and masks (I know, strange) but I I decided to embrace it! I went as Little Red Riding Hood but I gave her a more grown up twist. Tell me what you think about the look and the video for this shall be up on my Youtube page soon!

And My outfit with two of my best friends

Hope you like the look,

Peace,

Cherry x

Eyeko Nail Polishes - Swatches and dupes! + Rainy Nails

2010-07-15T17:34:00.001+01:00

Saucy, Vintage, Rain, Coral, Posh, Tea Rose

Before I say anything, I am missing one from my collection. I need to compose myself before I continue this post otherwise you will leave this page feeling very upset too.

OKAY I'm done.

Eyeko were kind enough to send some nail polishes my way a few days ago and so I thought to share with you my thoughts of the products as well as swatches, possible dupes and my nails. The one I am missing from the my personal collection is 'Nude polish' and I am so disturbed because I loved it. I will let you know when it turns up but I have a feeling it just won't. Excuse me whilst I go jump off a bridge.

So behold, six of the seven polishes that I do have. I was actually sent four of them and I had purchased three previously. The ones i really am missing are Cosmic, Indigo, Lilac, and Vampire, all of which I think look lovely too. However the ones I do have, really rock my world. Shall we begin?

Saucy Polish

Above is one of their most recent shades called Saucy Polish; named perfectly fitting, it's a gorgeous, fiery 'Tabasco' red that I seriously adore. I love that it neither too dark, too bright, nor to in your face or dull. The current swatch is of one coat only which is absolutely fabulous. It doesn't need too coats but it is do-able if you wished because the formula is very thin and easy to apply. The dupe I found was 'Salsa' from Elite but it's a brighter red. For me, Saucy wins.

Vintage Polish

Vintage polish is one of those colours that make anyone go 'ooh!' because it seems rare but these days, you'll find nail polish lines are bringing these colours in at lightning speed. It's usually called some sort of peppermint green or of that variation but Eyeko has cleverly named it Vintage polish and all of a sudden it seems to look different. Do you see what I mean?

The thin formula doesn't do this colour as much justice as Saucy as you will require two coats. However as the formula dries relatively quickly, this causes no fuss or problem. I do favour this colour over BarryM's Mint Green.

The dupe I have is BarryM's Mint Green and against Vintage Polish, it's quite similar. In real life BarryM seems 'greener' the BarryM formula is thicker. I have to say that I do prefer Vintage because it's slightly on the blue side of things; or perhaps the name really does psychologically affect me. Either way, I am loving it even though I didn't expect to.

Rain Polish

A totally unique and intriguing colour; Eyeko has somehow shaken me with excitement again! I've never been the biggest fan for a blue nail polish so when I found that my attention was on Rain polish, I was both disturbed and excited. I love that this blue has a grey tone yet its not dull; it definitely illustrates my image of London rain very well. For this colour, you will need two coats for a solid outcome. I think for those who find royal blues more difficult to wear, this may be easier because it's quite neutral.

Coral Polish

For someone who is loves coral, I've realised I have little (or none, rather) coral nail polishes. It's a shocking revelation. Eyeko's offer of a Coral Nail polish actually doesn't seem like the coral I've always had in mind. This coral is less peachier than the type I personally favour and actually turns up a bit more red and loud. Does it make sense to you when I say that coral is quite a mild-mannered yet cute colour? This, by no means, is anywhere close to something like Benefit's Coralista blusher or Maybelline's lipstick in Coral Pop. Those are either peachier or orange and I thought those were the only variations. Apparently we now have a coral which is, indeed, more red. I can't say that I dislike it, but I still can't see this as a coral colour.

Posh Polish

The first thing to say about Posh is that my camera has managed to make this colour look slightly more grey toned than it really is. The picture on the right is slightly more true to the real colour. Again, like Vintage, this kind of shade has become increasingly popular. Colours like Posh are quite understated and chic; it's one of those colours that you wear when you want to be slightly sophisticated and trendy. For some you might find this colour quite boring and I feel that it would be in the summer but come the winter months, this colour will be rocked over and over again, every year. This is another 'one coat wonder' and the dupe you will find in my collection is Nails Inc's London which was a limited edition, I believe. You will find this colour in many nail polish lines these days and I think every girl should have one of these in their collection.

Tea Rose Polish

This was one of the ones I snapped up quickly when I first laid eyes on Eyeko Nail polishes. This is definitely one of my colours that I like to wear often which is why it was particularly easy to find a dupe of. Again, named perfectly well, this pink has a very feminine and 'safe' feel to it. It's a very wearable pink for most people and again, this is one coat only. The dupe for today is OPI's Japanese Rose Garden which is soft and creamy as well. The difference would be that Tea Rose is less on the pink side but it's very close to the OPI dupe.

To end this post I have done my nails up! I'm using Eyeko's Rain Nail polish and topping it off with a sheer white tip. The white polish is OPI's Funny Bunny which is my 'go-to' for a french manicure tip because it's sheer and doesn't look so fake; it's also more forgiving when it comes to mistakes and imperfect lines. When Funny Bunny is applied on top of a strong colour (i.e. not a pale, sheer colour), it actually lightens the base colour so what you get is a subtle tone difference. This is how I achieved a 'rainy' blue nail with a baby blue tip! Voila!

I hope you enjoyed this post,

Peace,

Cherry x

OoTD - Outfit for a day of long shopping!

2010-07-14T22:50:00.001+01:00

I went shopping in central London and I thought to take some pictures for you to show you what I like to wear on a mild day. It's a simple nautical dress with a long white cardigan. I haven't pictures for shoes but imagine snake skin blue pumps!

Dress - Apricot
Cardigan - Uniqlo
Necklace - Topshop
Shoes - River Island
(L'Oreal Hip High Intensity Pigment Stick from http://www.love-makeup.co.uk)

Peace,

Cherry x

New Hair Cut and yet Another Haul

2010-07-06T02:30:00.002+01:00

I finally managed to get a hair cut and I'm so happy with it! I opted for a slanted fringe and I took about 1inch of hair off for it to grow. I know that seems ironic but that's apparently the case.
I have kept the layers as they were as I'm trying to grow them out. I love having layers but I'm trying to grow my hair into a more sophisticated and glossy, long mane and see how that goes for me. If I decided I don't like that, I can always go back to my choppier hair that I adore!
My hair is naturally thin so some of you might think that the new hair seems a bit on the limp side but I'm yet to style it in the way I like. Once I get my volumizing products in there I'm sure it will turn out fine. Also in a bid for my hair to grow faster and in better condition, I'm not refraining from my straightening irons and taking supplements. I shall have to update you on how that goes!
So following my hair cut I went off shopping. Here are some pictures of what I bought and a few words about them.

When L'Oreal's Resurfacing Eye Primer first came out I didn't think much of it. I was sure this would be a gimmick. When Lollipop26 said that she liked the product I still resisted. Since then I saw Dulce Candy use this and was instantly sold.

I then also picked this anti-redness primer that also comes from the L'Oreal Studio Secrets line. Again, I originally ignored it but was sold when I saw Dulce Candy use it. I've some previous experience with mint green concealers before and have never warmed to them too much. This however may just prove me wrong.

L'Oreal had a 3 for 2 offer going on so I picked up their lash primer. I have heard nothing about this product and until that moment I didn't even know this existed. Fingers crossed it will do something!

I couldn't help myself and picked up L'Oreal's latest Volume Million Lashes... I know Eva Longoria is wearing fake eye lashes (as they all do) but I just thought the idea sounded amazing. It's just a big version of all the other plastic bristle wanded brushes! I hope the formula will prove me wrong.

I've used a few of these gel type primers before that give you a really silky feeling to the skin. I have also used the L'Oreal Studio Secret mattifying version as well as Gosh's velvet touch foundation primer. Each product lacked something and I'm hoping this one will be the answer. I've heard some positive reviews so fingers crossed!

I used to this the Kerastase Oleo-Relax all the time but I stopped because I was trying out different products. I've come back to this because my hair dresser used it on me today and it reminded me of how much I loved it. It calms frizzy hair and allows hair drying time to speed up. It makes my hair glossy and smooth so it's well worth the money.

Finally this is a round brush that my hair dresser recommended to me. Usually I use the natural bristle type brushes and have always been told they are good for the hair however my hair dresser told me to chuck them out!

This is the Corioliss round hair brush which is ceramic and retains heat for a long time so when blow drying it will smooth out hair and tame it well. If you can see the barrel changes to the white colour in the heat to show optimum temperature for using this brush. It also comes with a pin (top picture) that allows you to separate your hair! This is supposed to be better for my hair and will assist me in my bid to not use my hair straighteners as much. All in all, a very good investment!

Peace,

Cherry x

FOTD - Paradise Green Look

2010-07-04T23:10:00.002+01:00

Today's FOTD features my Sister who did her own make-up! She has put together a really amazing eye-look that is perfect for the summer weather and looks amazing with anyone who has dark eyes or hair. This look is particularly flattering for those with brown eyes and will look gorgeous day or night. Read my Sister's blogs here and also here!

Eyes:
~Almay Bright Eyes Eyeliner (upper water line)
~Mac Shade stick - Lucky Jade
~Bourjois Duochrome eyeliner in 61 Vert dore
~ Shu Uemura fiber Xtension Mascara
~Loreal Telescopic Mascara

Face:
~The Body Shop Vitamin Eye Day Cream
~Missha BB Cream No 23

Lips:
~Clinique Full potential lips plump and shine in 08 Play Full Plump

Always time for a haul... rants and raves!

2010-07-03T16:15:00.002+01:00

What was supposed to be a quick drive to my furthest possible post depot turned out to be a haul which so happened to take place in the most furthest possible direction to the depot you could be. Somehow, I find there is always time for shopping especially on the weekend.

Today I entered Top Shop and and originally I entered the changing rooms with about ten different clothing items. I ended up selecting four and was happily on my way to the tills when I suddenly caught sight of this beauty and the love was instantaneous. I was blinded.

Vicky and I had been discussing the love for satchel type bags a while ago when we still zombied around the buildings of our rubbish university and obviously she got there before me in snapping one up from Oasis. Since then I've been craving for a satchel bag but have never quite found the right one. See, I am incredibly picky with my bags and shoes. These are goods that I tend only to spend money on if I feel like I'm going to use it a lot. It's not like me to switch bags everyday which is why I 'wear' bags that can be incorporated into almost all of my outfits; and my rule is that my shoes should match my shoes in someway, which explains why out of all the little yet expensive luxuries that I do have, shoes and bags come very bottom of the plentiful list.

But that's not to say that I don't LOVE shoes and bags. I do, I really do. Where I'm picky with shoes because of my wide feet and my love for comfort, I'm picky about bags because I have too many pet peeves about them.
I hate holding bags because I'm lazy therefore I almost always opt for large swinging shoulder(able) handles or messenger sling-over types. I then have to have a good colour; a lime green bag is going to be useless to me even though I love the colour lime green. I hate bags that feel like they're going to break in less than two uses because they probably are. I despise bags that are too big because everything gets lost and I tend to end up putting more useless things in there to fill it up. My Mum is a prime offender of such act. I keep saying to Vicky "structure, Vicky, I need a bag with structure!" because there is nothing worse, for me, than a bag that has too much space for my phone to get lost in. Then I can't have a bag that is too small because my purse is gigantic and Blackberrys tend to be a brick size too. I cannot have a bag that is too heavy because I have a lazy back! You see the list goes on which is why today's beauty is going to be treasured for a long time. It better be....cost me a small fortune.

There is absolutely nothing I dislike about this apart from maybe the fact that it's made from real leather. I'm not sure how I feel about that. What do you think? Is it weird to be slinging cattle skin across my body?
Anyway. I love everything; the adjustable strap, the weight, colour, shape, structure, size, style, usability and quality. This will cost you £50 from Top Shop and I have a feeling they will be gone very soon.

Oh and in the end I put down three of the clothing items so I could buy this. I figured it was between the the excessive clothes or the must-have bag. So the bag won.

They even give you a health warning; what more can you ask for?

Wow. Okay enough about the bag! Let's get on to the other things...

I walked into Boots and actually came out with only three products which is just shocking. Besides just repurchasing my moisturiser and nail polish remover, I picked up a lipstick. Originally I headed to 17 because I've heard so much about their new Mirror Shine lipsticks especially in the colour 'beehive'. I was not too keen on the colour from what I've seen and I wasn't that keen when I saw it in person either. I didn't care much for the packaging because it looked ever so slightly tacky. There weren't any other colours I liked either so I left it. It might just be me but I feel that 'beehive' was totally overhyped. I applied some of 'beehive' on my lips, left and kept shopping. I'm glad I didn't buy it because it felt sticky on the lips and it neither felt soft or gave good colour pay off. I realise it's loved for its 'sheer' quality but I prefer colour. If i wanted sheer, I would blot or use less. It's just as well really, there was none of that colour left!

I then remember the new Revlon Colourburst lipsticks and I immediately got excited because I am a huge Revlon fan and when it comes to their lipsticks I'm a real believer. Their matte collection is my favourite and so Colourburst would naturally take my interest. I swatched every single colour and decided to pick only one because I wanted to be sure about the quality before I committed to more colours.

I picked Peach which in my opinion was another safe colour for me. It's a typical colour I would wear and I'm very pleased with it. I like that it's neither pink or orange, insanely bright nor too dull. it's a perfect colour and the quality is great. The lasting quality seems particularly good and I like that it applied on so well. So far, so good. Well done Revlon.

Next up are just some jewellery pieces I picked up. Again, the reason why you see less jewellery hauling is because it's another one of those things that I'm incredibly picky about but not in the same was as I am with bags and shoes.
In England, jewellery is always so expensive for what is essentially bits of cute metal, beads, pearls and frills put together on a chain its sold for about ten-twenty-one hundred times its cost. I do love jewellery but I rarely buy at full price unless I can't help myself. To be honest when it comes to accessorizing I adopt the 'less is more' approach - only because I fear all of the bits and bobs will get tangled up with hair/bag/buttons/skirt/person-sitting-ne xt-to-me.

Top Shop and Miss Selfridge had some sales on their jewellery which I always take part in so these are the ones I chose:

You might have guessed that I was particularly liking the whole bird theme. As always my jewellery features a lot of flowers and pearls. I'm never really one to buy bracelets but at half price, I thought I might push the boat out a little this time.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. Please vote for me at Cosmopolitan's blog awards :) It was ultimately make my day! If you like my blog, please pass it on.

http://www.cosmopolitan.co.uk/your-life/cosmo-blog-awards/special

Peace,

Cherry x

Nail(s) of the day! - Mom, Sis and Me!

2010-06-30T01:09:00.001+01:00

On the very rare occasion, my sister, mother and I will congregate together in the kitchen to do our nails and its usually just something to do whilst we spend time together. My Mum works in a food environment so she doesn't wear nail polish on her fingers and only does so on her toes! I'm the opposite although I have been making a bit more effort recently. My Sister does both - well, go figure!

Here are some pictures of everyone's nails!

These are my sister's nails and she has this fascination with bright green colours so she put together this very gorgeous combo of I <3 Rimmel's Green Grass as a base and then OPI's Call My Cell-ery on top. She's added a pretty flower sticker embellishment. Overall, a gorgeous, flamboyant, summer's green set of nails!

I, on the other hand, went for something I never usually do which is a red. I tend only to wear reds on special occasions but because I really wanted to try out this Zoya nail polish which was a gift, I decided to go all out and do both hands and feet in red! I am in love with this formulation, might I say it's just as good as OPI? This is one coat, smooth application, hassle free and dried in no time. Where can we UK peeps get this?
This shade is in 'Salma' so I'm going to channel my inner Mediterranean goddess and maybe put a flower in my hair. I also added a simple flower embellishment using a few rhinestones. I'm not a big fan of sticking things on my nails when it's too hot so i stuck to one nail! That's enough bling for me!

So Mum decided to mess around with my nail polishes. She proudly said that she has never tried any other nail colours but reds and pinks and so wanted to see what other colours were like. What do you think suits her the most?

"meow"

"south side"

Hope everyone is having a lovely week,

Peace,

Cherry x

Cherry is interviewed!

2010-06-29T00:19:00.001+01:00

Thank you Oana for an amazing experience and opportunity! It was strange to be interviewed for the first time but was wonderful to be asked such positive and stimulating questions!

I thought some of you might enjoy a bit of 'light' reading so here is a link to the interview and please subscribe to Oana's lovely blog!!!!

http://networkedblogs.com/5gZp5

A Lady's Summer Face

2010-06-26T16:04:00.001+01:00

It's very easy to achieve an effortless look when the look really is effortless! In the summer we want bright, breathable and beautiful so that's what I've tried to achieve with this look. It's very simple, wearable and lady-like; I wore it to the Taste of London festival with a white and pink outfit.

It's a peachy day look that I feel compliments brunettes particularly and can work for all skin tones:

Skin:
Mac Prep and Prime Primer w/ SPF 50
Revlon Beyond Natural Foundation - Light Pale 210
Benefit It Stick concealer
Illamasqua 'Excite' Blusher
GOSH Precious Bronzing Pearls - Glow

Lips:
Illamasqua lipstick - Obey *DUPE* BarryM's lip paint in 147

Eyes:
L'Oreal Carbon Gloss Liquid Eyeliner on upper lash lines
Benefit Eye Bright on lower lash lines
Gosh Amazing Length'n Build Mascara

Peace,

Cherry x

Review: Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub

2010-06-24T23:25:00.001+01:00

The Low Down
I believe I purchased Lush's Mint Julips Lip scrub around last Christmas time when they first arrived in store. At the time it was a purchase I didn't think much about and I had no other experiences with 'lip scrubs' but I couldn't help but wonder how this would differ from any other scrub. Nonetheless I picked up this small, heavy jar and hoped for the best. I've been using it from time to time and usually in the bathroom. I find it hard to just apply throughout the day as some others have been doing because of the consistency (we shall get back to that later).

The scrub smells like mint-chocolate chip which I think was a smart move considering this is something that could easily be ingested accidently (or on purpose as I've heard as well!). It gives a soothing tingle to lips and so when I use it I always feel quite refreshing. A few friends I know have also been testing it out, right now, the verdicts from many are still undecided.

This jar gives you 25g of product and contains castor sugar, jojoba oil, vanilla extract, tagetes oil, peppermint oil and limonene.

And what do they claim?
"Our fabulous lip scrubs are here to keep your kissers sweet. When you use Mint Julips, you'll find yourself craving a bowl of mint-chocolate chip ice cream. It's made with refreshing peppermint oil, which will make your lips feel soothed and tingly, and sweet vanilla extract to lock in moisture and protect your lips. Simply rub it over your lips when they're feeling the need for some sugar".

- Lush.co.uk

How did it work for Cherry?
When I first opened it, it really did look like a small jar with sugar. It's of a brownish colour and the first thing, besides the consistency, that I remember was the great mint-chocolate chip smell. When it came to using it I found it incredibly grainy as I couldn't pick up anything on my finger. It proceeded to drop everywhere so what I had to do was drop a tiny drop of olive oil into it. Since then the consistency has been perfect and it didn't dissolve the sugar.

I've been using this product for a long while now and overall I'm pleased. I love how smooth it makes my lips and the tingly sensation it gives. It's comforting and uplifting smell is pleasing as well. The only thing is is that this is EASILY replicable at home and does not need to be bought from a store. A simple mix of sugar, peppermint oil and a few drops of olive or jojoba oil is enough. You can use straight sugar and oil if you really wanted to. So why pay for a product like this? Probably because you're either too lazy or you don't have sugar in your house - but that's unlikely.

Since I've got to the bottom of the jar the oil has remained at the bottom so the consistency has become more liquid-like but the grains are still there and usable. It has not yet gone rancid which is always good to know!

How can you use this product?
I find that I use this about once a week and I only take a small amount. I usually use this in the shower and I try not to get any water in it. It scrubs well and eventually due to the moisture in the shower it dissolves into my lips and skin. I think the added olive oil also makes it even more moisturising so that is a bonus. Also because I sometimes get dry skin around my nose and on certain patches on my skin it needs some light exfoliation just to smooth it out. This scrub is good for a quick scrub on small areas as well.

How much will it cost me?
In the UK this is £4.50 - pretty pricey for what is ultimately sugar and oil.

Cherry’s Final Verdict
What I do like is the smell and that it's made my lips smooth every time. It's given me a quick reminder that lips need love and care too and sometimes lip balms cannot solve flaky lips on their own. However once this is used up I shall use it to contain my own lip scrub which will cost a fraction of the price. It's not that I don't love it, it's just I love my money more!

Furthermore I've been hearing that people have been rubbing this on their lips and then licking it up? I know that it's from Lush and it's 'natural' but I think even that pushes it for me. Do you really want to be eating your dead lip skin for fun? I'm not sure I would but I guess it's each to their own.

I give this product a good 4/5; it loses a point for the price.

Peace,

Cherry x

Win prizes!

2010-06-23T01:08:00.000+01:00

Enter Vicky's amazing 75 followers give-away! Hopefully you will win and love her blog as much as I love it too :)

Clairol Nice'n easy hair dye - Natural Lighter Golden Brown

2010-06-21T23:55:00.001+01:00

I've been dying (haha) to dye my hair for months now; I seem to have mislaid the memory of the last previous hair dying session because it's been a bronze-like brown for a good four to six months (or so - who knows). I remember months back my friends were commenting on my hair colour and all I could think was "what ...what's so different?" and since the sun has been shining I've realised it's not even my unhealthy brown that they were seeing it was some other type of brown only a dye could create. So it was bugging me all this time and I've never been a fan of this type of brown; it's very 'Cherry back at high school' and it's way to warm for my liking. I also know if I give it too long in the sun it will turn bright orange - so something HAD to be done.

I scoured the shops for a type of brown I have never tried and also decided I would try a different brand just to push my limits to the max! First, let's show you my cam whoring pictures and then we shall discuss the outcome!

Below are pictures of literally yesterday, pre-unknowingly-coloured:

Can you see that the brown you catch in the sunlight is very light and bronze? Compared to my Sister's hair in the last picture, it's very brown despite in some pictures it seems black.

Below are pictures of the new hair colour!

What's different about nice'n easy compared to the previous hair dyes I'm used to is the colour-blend technology. You can see that each picture shows a slightly different tone and my whole family agree that its lighter on the top and darker at the ends.

I didn't know how to feel about this because I'm so used to it being one block colour but I've decided I really like it. I love that it gleams in the sun and my hair looks more interesting now. The colour wasn't as light as I was hoping for but as all us brunettes know, it's hard to achieve a brighter colour without bleaching our hair. This is the closest a hair dye has to getting it to the colour I wanted and it's very similar to what is predicted on the box.

The one thing I have to say about this hair dye is that it PARTICULARLY smells violent; the smell is extremely strong and almost burned my throat sore. I would urge anyone to open plenty of windows and doors when using this product.

More hair updates soon as I'm getting my hair cut on the 5th of July! In the mean time, tell me what you think and what you would suggest if I wanted to go even lighter next time!

Peace,

Cherry x

Review: Boots Botanics Face Soothing Cleansing Balm

2010-06-19T01:50:00.001+01:00

The Low Down
As you all may know I am a gigantic, raging Botanics devotee and I have been using their products since I can remember. I think I've tried about 70% of their products and I am still finding little gems from their brand range once in a while. My latest discovery from Botanics is this Organic Face Soothing Cleansing Balm which comes with a organic cotton cloth and is packaged in a fancy little box. This is a product that is mainly used for cleansing the skin and removing make up from your face and what it attempts to do is to soothe the face with its natural ingredients. This product also nourishes the skin and therefore its a good alternative for those who find some make up removers too harsh. The additional cloth is designed to help remove the make up, exfoliate the face and by using it as a compress you could draw out impurities as well.

This product is of solid consistency and feels similarly to say something like Coconut Oil or Wax. Having bought and used three of these babies already I have found crystal formation on the top of this product every time which is apparently very normal (they even have a slip in the box which tells you so). The crystals melt away through warmth so it does not affect the effectiveness of the product.

Originally I purchased this on the recommendation of a few friends on Youtube and I was intrigued because I had never even looked at this one properly. At the same time I didn't feel the need to use another make-up removing product because I have plenty and I felt the usual Olive Oil trick worked for me just fine (bar the occasional residue that never quite came off). However I gave it a go because it sounded amazing and for a small fortune I thought it would be good to try something new.

And what do they claim?
This product contains Shea Butter which is widely used in West Africa for both cooking and skincare. They say that Shea butter is both nourishing and conditioning to skin and hair. Botanics also claim that when used together the organic cleansing balm and cloth gently and effectively cleanses and exfoliates to remove make-up and impurities, leaving the skin feeling soft, healthy and clean.

How did it work for Cherry?
You can probably already guess that I adore this product having repurchased over and over again. I personally do not use the organic cloth because I find it harder to clean with and the make up is hard to wash off of the cloth. Altogether I didn't like using it so I gave in and bought facial cleansing sponges instead. (I found the one from The Body Shop the best; I've used one from Superdrugs before and while it worked well, it just wasn't a good a quality as the Body Shop's and furthermore I found it needed discarding quick).

This product leaves absolutely no trace of make up on the face and it does keep my skin feeling very nourished. What I like about it is that it's a better cleanser than olive oil, it's organic, it smells wonderful and it's almost therapeutic to use.

There are a few things I must make you aware of is that if this product gets into your eyes it's mildly uncomfortable; it won't blind you and it won't cause you agony but it's not nice to have in your eye at all. Secondly if like me you use this once a day to cleanse off your make up you will find you have to repurchase this quite often. However in saying that I think I may be the very few out there who goes through this stuff like a chocolate bar, for some reason I like to use quite a bit but that may be due to the fact that I do wear a lot of make up. So it will vary between people but I would say if you love this, be ready to repurchase it sooner than you think.

How can you use this product?
I use this product in the shower and it's the first thing I do even before washing my hair. You can take a small amount and start massaging it straight onto the face dry or wet. Once you have massaged enough (I use my eyelashes as a bench mark - once all the mascara feels like its come off then I'm good to go), I will wet the sponge under very warm water and start massaging away in circular motions. Then I keep run water over my face with the sponge still wiping away at my face until all make up residue has disappeared.

After cleansing off my make-up I still find it a necessity to use a facial wash. By using the cleanser you have cleaned off the first layer of make up and dirt that sits upon your skin but its still vital to deep cleanse.

How much will it cost me?
You will find this product in Boots at £6.49. Not a huge price to pay but definitely more expensive than some.

Cherry’s Final Verdict
I really enjoy using this product but that doesn't mean I feel it's necessary; with this said I cannot stop using it and there is something about this product that makes me keep repurchasing. The selling points for me is that it's organic, it's effective and does what it says on the box. It's integrated well into my routine and I think if I had to go back to cleansing with a make up remover or olive oil then I would feel sad. That's not to say I couldn't live without it but I do enjoy using this and until there becomes a reason not to then I probably won't stop using this.

Finally I have to say that in the process of using the balm I did stop and started using pure Coconut Oil to see if it did the same job. I purchased a large tub of solid coconut oil to use a cleanser (and for other home remedies such as hair masks) and it worked exactly the same. It's also a solid form of oil and I have a hunch that solid oils probably cleanse better than liquid oils; don't ask me why but it seems this way). The upside to using coconut oil is that it didn't feel half as uncomfortable as the cleansing balm when its accidentally rubbed into the eye. What I missed about the cleansing balm is the smell and how it made me feel but the coconut oil cleanser worked equally as well and my skin still remained soft and nourished. Furthermore, a gigantic tub of coconut oil from a health food shop such as Holland and Barretts costs around £11 and has a greater versatility as it can be used as a moisturiser for the skin and hair not to mention in your cooking.
The reason I switched back to using the cleansing balm is purely because Boots often does good promotions on the Botanics ranges and I find it hard to resist. Also by the time I reached near the end of the coconut oil it began to go slightly rancid (...I know) because I kept dipping my fingers in but it kept well for ages. So providing I was a bit more sensible with the coconut oil next time, it could prove to be a much more frugal move on my part and in a sense it's even more natural. I don't know whether this is the move I shall make next time; I think it depends on what kind of offers there are at Boots! But if you feel that the cleansing balm is not for you because of either the price or perhaps the availability to you, then try coconut oil.

Overall I am still awarding this product 4.5 Cherries because of it's effectiveness and great unique selling points. It loses a point because I seem to use it up quickly and therefore it can cost me quite a far amount of money in a year.

My Pink Nail Polishes - Swatches

2010-06-13T01:43:00.001+01:00

Nail polishes are quite an addiction to mine and while I do not collect for the sake of it, I do like to buy nail polishes even if I'm not going to use them all the time. If I like the colour and if I will wear it, I will buy it, but some of my nail polishes may have been used once or twice. In saying this though I love them all equally and each one has its own story as to why I bought them.

Last time I showed you my nail polishes collection and this time I think it would be useful to show you swatches of each colour group; this way you may see something you like and add to your own collection. I'm starting off with the pinks because I I know its one of the more popular nail polishes colours and pink is always nice to wear in the Summer.

You must also bare in mind that my nail polishes mostly consist of BarryM and OPI.... my two favourite brands!

No7's Stay Perfect ~ Frosted Pink ~

OK contrary to everything I've said above, this is neither an OPI or BarryM and nor does this have a story as such. The others do I promise. But this was given to me many many years ago therefore I can't tell you if its the right consistency or smell at all. I can tell you if seems still in good condition; it's just very sheer and its frosty without being too shimmery. I like.

BarryM Nail Paint ~ 279 Bright Pink ~

True to its name, a very bright Barbie-esque Pink. I would say its one of the more out-there pinks I have but it's definitely cute for "dress up like a little girl" night. I picked this up because I just thought that it would be a sin to go without a 'proper' pink. So I know that when I'm looking for something that cries out baby cute, this is the one to go for!

Shu Uemura's ~ C975 ~

I actually didn't show this one in my nail polish collection post because I somehow misplaced this somewhere else. When I rediscovered it on my desk I was ecstatic! This pink brings back so memories. I purchased this in Japan a few years ago and it's still in such good condition. It's a brilliant statement pink and even though it's very loud, I find it more wearable than some other pinks. I think this may be one of my favourite pinks and since I have rediscovered this, I want to buy more nail polishes from Shu Uemura. This pink reminds me of Japan and its cute lolitas walking around the streets of Tokyo. I adore this one!

China Glaze ~ Mom's Chiffon ~

I'm personally not the hugest China Glaze fan, i like them but I won't queue up for them. However this pink caught my eye quite a while back and why I like it is because its a very pretty warm pink and it's more sophisticated. It's soft and I feel more wearable than a lot of light pinks because it almost has a peachy tone to it. LOVE THIS.

BarryM Nail Paint ~ 305 Pink Flamingo ~

This baby is very similar to China Glaze's Mom's Chiffon but I would say that Pink Flamingo slightly peachier and less 'pink' if you will. Again, I love this colour for the same reasons why I love Mom's Chiffon. I think it has to be one of my favourite BarryM Nail Paint shades. I remember falling in love with this and I believe its one of my earlier BarryM Nail Paints purchased!

Rimmel 60 Seconds ~ Rose Libertine ~

I know a lot of you love this already, it's Rose Libertine! I would say that the picture on the left, which is taken with a flash, seems more true to its colour! It's a nice, creamier wearable pink and I really love the formula. I adore this nail polish brush as well. Overall a huge win for me and I know I've worn this more than once so that is saying something!

Eyeko Nail Polish ~ Tea Rose Polish ~

I can't say enough good things about the Eyeko nail polishes, it's a shame there aren't that many shades that I do fancy but I do have a few. I particularly adore this one because its not a pink I really have a dupe for. It reminds me of a creamy berry yogurt actually and what I love is that it's a muted out pink without any dullness, it's quite old school looking and just so CUTE. I love this so much!

OPI Nail lacquer ~ Japanese Rose Garden ~

To be honest I recall buying this because I loved the name so much, typical isn't it? But I do like this because it's one of the pinks that has a touch of purple in it. It's soft and a more elegant kind of pink. You could easily where this shade any time you're feeling extra feminine and it would suit everyone. I can't say I've worn this more than once but that doesn't mean I dislike it at all!

OPI Nail Lacquer ~ Shorts Story ~

I recall this polish being in a collection that OPI comes out with from time to time. I adore this because it's bright without being loud, it's similar to Japanese Rose Garden if you added more pink and made it brighter. Another stable favourite pink of mine!

BarryM Nail Paint ~ 302 Fushia ~

Here is statement pink at its best. It's a deep hot pink and it definitely reserved for my more louder moments. Personally I feel like you could wear this in the day but you would agree that its less wearable than say, for example, Pink Flamingo or RImmel's Rose Libertine. This screams out edgy and hardcore so I prefer to use this in the evening.

Topshop Limited Edition Nail Polish ~ Sunset ~

You may have noticed this is probably the odd one out of the lots. Beside No7's frosted pink, there are no other glittery or shimmery ones in my collection. This is because generally I prefer matte nail polishes and I'm not sure a big fan of glitters or shimmers unless they're extra special. Don't get me wrong, I love fancy nails and all that shebang but it's not often I will pick one like Sunset. However I think I liked this because it reminded me of the sunset (true to its name) and it looked perfect for this summer. The formulation for this one is actually quite sheer so you have to apply three coats if you want to see no more nails! It does dry very quick however and I do love the gold in this nail polish, I guess it makes it interesting. Definitely the underdog of all the pinks!

I hope you found that remotely interesting, if you have any other pinks you think I will like, please tell me about it! I am ALWAYS looking for nice new nail polishes to purchase.

Peace,

Cherry x

A quick blog sale

2010-06-12T14:53:00.001+01:00

Just selling some things not because I don't like them but I just have dupes. Please read the description below them and read the terms and conditions!

Terms and Conditions:
~You must live in the UK - No international orders please...sorry! Unless you're dying for it please email me! But I have very little luck with sending things abroad so I wouldn't chance it LOL
~ You must have consent if you're under 16 please, I don't need angry parents on my case!
~ You must have a PAYPAL accounts
~ I will only send it once the money has been transferred
~ If you would like to snatch up one of the items or more, please email me. It's on a first come, first serve basis. Email me at Cherrychan108@googlemail.com. I shall update when the product has been sold.
In the Email you must state:

what it is you would like
your full name and valid address [your information will be deleted and cleared ASAP, no one will see or use your info!]
if I write back to you then you are successful in the transaction. I will therefore send you my paypal email and you can then transfer the funds.
~ If I do not email you or get back to you, you have not been successful in the order. Sorry!

If you have anymore questions please state in the comments below!

*SOLD* GOSH Smokey Eyes Palette ~ £5.00 ~ Brand new, Opened for picture purpose only

*SOLD* Lancome Color Fan ~ £5.00 ~ BNIB

*SOLD* Lancome Lip Fan ~ £5.00 ~ BNIB

*SOLD* Revlon Illuminance Creme Shadow {Wild Orchids} ~ £4.00 ~ Brand new

*SOLD* Sleek Original Palette ~ £4.00 ~ Brand New

*SOLD* Maybelline Pure Mineral Foundation [Vanilla Rose] ~ £6.00 ~ Brand New

GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer ~ £8.00 ~ Brand New

Maybelline Expert Wear Mono eyeshadow [I love Lilac] ~ £3.00 ~ Brand New

Revlon Nail Enamel [A Plum Attraction] ~ £5.00 ~ Brand New

Revlon Nail Enamel [Vixen] ~ £5.00 ~ Brand New

Revlon Fabulash Mascara [Blackest Black] ~ £5.50 ~ Brand New

*SOLD* Revlon Matte Lipstick [Va Va Violet] ~ £6.00 ~ Brand New

Don't forget, my email is:
cherrychan108@googlemail.com

You will contacted if successful.

Thanks everyone in advance ^_^

Cherry x

A small drugstore haul

2010-06-09T23:58:00.001+01:00

Well, I couldn't help myself.

Superdrug Flower Shaped Make-up Wedges

It's summer time and it's this hotter season that I use sponges to apply my foundation because it gives a much sheerer application when used in conjunction with a mist (such as MAC's Fix+ or The Body Shop's Vitamin E Mist). I know some people dislike using sponges but I find it gives a much more natural finish and leaves a fantastic streak free application. I prefer these flower shaped ones, I originally used the ones from the Cosmopolitan brands but they seemed to have disappeared off of the shelves so these will hopefully work well!

St Ives Radiance Cleanser & Apricot Scrub

Those who know me will remember my obsession and love of St Ives...and who doesn't? Well I'm back on a mission to zap my skin back to the way it used to be! i used to have pretty good skin; an even complexion, blemish free and smooth, soft and supple. Nowadays I have a lot of blemishes, it's dull, lack lustre, greasier and at the same time very dry! So my skin has been causing me havoc more a long, long, long time now and so I'm going back to my old routes. St Ives is currently doing an offer of BOGOF on St Ives products so I'm going to start off on the gentle cleansing then go into the blemish fighting just to get my face used to it. This is because I spotted (haha) another face wash I'm curious to try out.

Simple's New Spotless Skin Triple Action Face Wash

Having recently been very impressed with some Simple products, I've decided to give one of their newest face washes ago. I used to use a few Simple products but was never a devoted fan but recently have rediscovered the brand. Besides the fancy packaging and interesting claim to work from day 1, this attracts me because it's supposed to be gentle as well. I'm really hoping for a tiny miracle in this ...! Fingers crossed everyone!

Maybelline's Diamond Glow Eye shadow quad in "Bronze Drama"

I don't think I've bought eye shadow in a long time because I just have so much it was getting ridiculous. It's not often you can use up an eye shadow, especially when you have the amount I have, so I promised not to buy any more new eye shadows. However I just could not help buying this quad because I think the arrangement of colours are gorgeous and this will look wonderful for the summer. I can't wait to try it out!

TBS's Soft Hands Kind Heart charity Hand Cream

Has anyone noticed the recent "hard-sell" approach The Body Shop staff have adopted in stores when selling to their customers? I've noticed this more than a lot of people because I used to love their gentle and laid back approach (not quite 'Lush' hippie, dreamy gentle, but just soft sell type attitude) but the more i go into TBS, (which is a lot) I keep getting bombarded by offers, deals an promotions. Putting this aside because from a business point of view I can see why they are pushing their staff to do so, I sometimes think it makes me more reluctant to go in. I mean, if I need help, I will ask, trust me. TBS, take note!
Anyone I was sold his hand cream which cost me £5 but a good percentage of this goes towards helping to stop child trafficking and in the end was contributing to a good cause. I tried it out in store and it was great to use; it sunk in quick, was no greasy, smelled non offensive and wasn't too expensive. So I have popped this into my make up bag to remind myself to do a little good deed from time to time and that "hard sell" is definitely the way to push goods off the shelves.

V05's Heat defence taming Spray

I've finally had enough with the liquid spritz for a hair protectant. I've tried them and I'm not a fan. I dislike the way it flattens my hair and I don't like that I either have to wait for it to dry before applying my straighteners or I end up "teppan yaki-ing" my hair! So I've reverted back to an old favourite I used to use in college. As VO5 points out, this apparently doesn't protect from curling irons and hair dry (really?) so I still use their hair protectant in my hair before blow drying it. I spray this into my hair before heat styling it and it gives glossy, light, frizz free results! I believe the offer at Boots is 2 for £4 so hurry!

Botanic's Organic Rose Water Toner and Face Soothing Cleansing Balm

Whenever Botanics has an offer I will also take advantage of it because I am quite a dedicated fan of this brand. This is probably my fourth bottle of the Rosewater Toner and my third Face Soothing cleansing balm. I don't know how I manage to get through this stuff but it's the most pleasant to use and effective for me. Right now I'm using up my Lush Toner Tabs for my toner but I might just use them up in a facial steamer because I miss using the Rosewater too much.

Bio-Oil

As I said, I am looking to turn the clock back on my skin and since the condition of my face has been a state, I've gained a lot of scars, uneven skin tone and marks. Furthermore having had my mole removed, I'm looking to fade away the scar (particularly the one on my nose) as soon as possible. I know this can work because as I child I had a large chicken pox scar on my nose and my Mum used to make me rub vitamin E oil on the scar. Now the scar is not noticeable at all! I would go back to this old faithful but Bio Oil contains vitamin E and I have heard so many positive things about this product. A friend also uses this when she facial steams so I really want to give that a try!

TBS Body Scrubs in Moringa and Olive

I've never really bought TBS Body Scrubs before because for me I find they are quite expensive. In the past I've used the Mango one and I am currently using up my Pink Grapefruit one (which I really recommend) but having been pushed the offer of 2 for £15 (which is a bargain seeing as these babies are £12.50- each!) I took two and the ones I chose were Moringa and Olive. Both smells are slightly strange but I picked creamier ones because I found the Grapefruit one acquired skilful hands because it's very runny. I've been applying some fake tan recently and when I don't like it, I scrub like a mad woman so these have been great!

That's it everyone!

Peace,

Cherry x

How to have a Summer's Glow about you

2010-06-04T18:25:00.001+01:00

There will be up an up and coming tutorial, for now I want to give you a quick preview of the look. I created this look because often I get asked how to achieve flawless skin with a glow. I have very flawed and dull skin so it takes a bit of effort to get this kind of effect but overall, I quite like it! Tell me what you think in the comments below x

Peace,

Cherry x

The Body Shop Home Fragrance + Perfume Oils - My favourites

2010-06-04T03:26:00.001+01:00

I think the online make-up community, as well know it, talks little about fragrances in terms of aromatherapy oils or any other type of home making scent and I think the reason for this is that there are so many 'home fragrance' products in the market its very easy to ignore these small bottled gems and reach for can aerosols or mists.
Fragrance oils have been around for so long; I remember as a child that was what TBS (the body shop) was to me. It was a place filled with strange bottles and the ones that stood out to me were the tiny oils that I had no idea what to do with. It's only now in my early twenties that I have discovered what these things truly are and since around Christmas of 2009, I have been absolutely in love with them.

I personally like the Home Fragrances A LOT; recently The Body Shop has changed their packaging and for a long while I thought they were discontinuing all Home Fragrances Oils (HFOs) because they were all disappearing off the shelves besides the Coconut oil. I was going to panic because my favourite signature room smell is Sandalwood and this smells calms me and puts me at ease. I was going to give up searching when bank holiday came around recently and TBS was promoting a 30% sales offer. So I clicked onto HFOs hoping for the best and there they were; newly and fantastically packaged and all the original scents have been twisted with a different accompanying ingredient and the smells are absolutely intriguing to say the least. Previous oil Vanilla has now got added alluring Tonka in it; Green tea now has a splash of lemon; Cotton Linen now is now sweetly accompanied by Aloe and my personal favourite Sandalwood has a new energising note of Ginger. These aren't the only new twists but the ones I have particularly notes because they are my favourites. I think these new variations are more than I could ask for; the old HFOs were lovely but to be honest I was beginning to mix them (which is a huge no-no, apparently) because they were somewhat uninspiring. Luckily TBS did this for me and now I can enjoy sitting in my room so much more!

The ones I picked up from the sale were:

Sandalwood & GInger, Vanilla & Tonka Bean, Aloe & Soft Linen, Jasmine and White Frangipani

Unfortunately I have to stay away from citrus smells because my cats find them particularly offensive; they literally run out of the room and ignore me for a while. Therefore my beloved Mandarin Ginger HFO remains unloved.
I am in love with Sandalwood still and actually the newly added Ginger hasn't changed it too much but it lifts it ever so slightly. Where the old Sandalwood was aromatic and sensual, the new fragrance remains equally as seductive but is now more burnable in the day time too. It's a definite favourite still!
Previous Vanilla wasn't in my collection but only because I hadn't quite got round to trying it out. It was always a pleasantly sweet and easy going smell so it wasn't on my list of must needs but having seen a new twist of the added Tonka Bean, I wanted to try it and see what kind of smell this would give. It smells very similar to a certain perfume I'm not quite sure of but the smell is definitely 'nice'. It's very womanly at the same time it's pretty, tame, sweet and sassy. There are not sharp notes in this and therefore it's inviting. I think it would be great as a perfume but not my favourite for a HFO. That's another question, why can't TBS make some of these into perfume oils so we can wear them on ourselves? Can we do that, anyway?
Next is the Aloe & Soft Linen; the old version used to be Line Dried Cotton which was literally the smell of fresh laundry. This was always particularly nice to burn straight after I have cleaned the house, it seems to make the place even cleaner. The new version doesn't actually smell very similar but its the same concept; it smells of clean clothes except this one is clean, sweet yet refreshing. Again, it would be amazing after a good clean in the house. Actually what's nice about this version is that while Line Dried Cotton was comforting it could also be quite powerful and overwhelming if burned for too long. This one is clean yet probably more agreeable with everyone's noses. Well done TBS!
Finally I picked up Jasmine & White Frangipani which I believe maybe the new predecessor of White Petals. Having had quite an ambiguous name previously its now very specific in the flowers it uses and these flower smells are spring/summer smells for sure. It's floral scent is quite hard to put your finger on but it's similar to typical Cherry Blossom smells.... it's floral but young and exciting. If you smell very hard you can definitely smell the jasmine but what I feel is the more dominate smell is what must be the White Frangipani. It's great for those who love the smell of a sweet smelling bouquet - absolutely wonderful.

Also I think at the time I was so afraid of Sandalwood leaving me once again I took a chance on it's original perfume oil. I have never bought a perfume oil before so I didn't know what quite to expect. Having been glued to the bottle since it arrived I can say that actually this isn't quite the sandalwood smell of the original HFO. This is possibly and probably because the original HFO isn't just sandalwood but a mix of different scents with sandalwood being one the main scent. This makes sense because I remember when I was in Lush, another one of my favourite brands, they had some strong sandalwood smelling products and they were always so overpowering which is akin to this perfume oil. The smell of real sandalwood is actually very masculine; it's strong, robust, sensual, woody and delicious. I think it's comforting; I think it's what the smell of a good man hug should smell like... It's not what I expected but i do like it a lot.
I was actually reading a review by a lady who has been using this oil since the 70s and she uses it everywhere to the point where I think it would be too much even for myself. She claims that she uses it in her hair care products, washing machine, iron, body sprays and on her body and those are only the ones I remember. But it does to show you can use these any way you like and so I have generously sprinkled this oil on my bed and rubbed it on my palms because I'm sure it will send me to sleep very nicely.
The last thing I want to add about perfume oils is that I now want and 'need' to buy some others. The next ones on the list are 'Ananya', 'Vanilla' and possibly 'White Musk'.

Have you tried any of TBS's fragrance offerings? Has anyone bought one of their new candles I managed to miss? I am needing the Sandalwood and Ginger one please!

Peace,

Cherry x

FOTD ~ Un-naturally Natural Look

2010-05-31T23:37:00.001+01:00

Today I was going for a REALLY EASY and quick look for the day. I wanted to look refreshed, well groomed and if I could manage, slightly cute....JUST! So I hope you enjoy :)

Face:
~ MAC Prep and Prime SPF 50
~ Revlon Photo Ready Foundation (Nude)
~ No7 Sculpting Bronzer
~ Maybelline Mousse Blush (Peach Satin)

Eyes:
~ Elite Intensity Liner + Elite Stage Permanent Liner (brown) (smudged on eye lid)
~ Eyeko Mascara
~ Coco faux lashes
~ Benefit Browzing (Medium - eyebrows)

Lips
~ ELF Studio Lipstick (Nicely Nude)
~ Revlon lipgloss (Peach Petal)

Peace,

Cherry x

Face of the day ~ Stone Grey Eyes

2010-05-30T01:44:00.001+01:00

Not many will agree with a grey smoky eye for the day time but it doesn't bother me at all! I personally feel so as long as you tone down the rest of your make up, keep it simple and yet sophisticated, a grey smoky eye in the morning shows a bit of bravery yet mystery. So here is the Face of the day, I hope you enjoy this look as much as I did.

Face:
~ L'Oreal Studio Secrets Mattifying Primer
~ Korres Wild Rose Foundation (WRF2)
~ Mememe Illuminating Concealer (Buttermilk)
~Top Shop blusher (Pinch)
~ MAC MSF (Medium Plus)

Eyes:
~ GOSH Eye Shadow Collection (Smokey Eyes palette)
~ Elite Intensity Eyeliner
~ Eylure Girls Aloud Faux Lashes (Nicola)
~ Eyeko Mascara
~ Benefit Browzing (for my brows, medium)
~ Neo Glamour Gray lenses

Lips:
~ MAC lipstick (Creme de nude)
~ Revlon Lipgloss (Peach Petal)

I have a problem and we should probably talk about it….HAUL TIME!

2010-05-29T03:29:00.001+01:00

I know… it’s insane isn’t it. I have to stop, I have to. But for now…LET’S PARADE THE STUFF I BOUGHT BECAUSE ITS FUN!

New RImmel London SHOW OFF Lipsticks

New RImmel London SHOW OFF Lipsticks in: Shake-up Pink, Tell No One, Kiss Me

In life there aren’t that many people I follow in terms of make up buying… in general I buy whatever takes my own fancy and while I listen to reviews and take on board the opinions, I always like to form my own if it takes an interest to me. However if there is one person that I follow for make up and lipstick advice it would probably be Suzi because we A) have similar skin colour B) seem to like similar products and C) because I look up to her fashion sense, make up looks etc etc. So while I wouldn’t go as far as saying I have an idol, I really do like her style and I suppose if she likes something, chances are, I will like it too! I like to use the colours she uses too because they go well with my skin tones. So when in her latest video she showed off the new Rimmel Show Off lipsticks I was both ecstatic and completely sold. However this morning when I stormed into Boots to take advantage of the three for two offer, I realised I had not noted down what colours to get! So, in the end I picked the ones I fancied and guess what? She bought two of the three I picked…and she only picked up two. I feel well chuffed, perhaps I have learned something!

So the colours I picked at Shake-up pink, which I seriously adore because I haven’t yet got a suitable matte baby pink (believe it or not) and this one is perfect. Tell No One is also a brilliant colour; almost terracotta I would say! But it’s going to be a lovely sophisticated Summer colour. By this time there wasn’t one I loved a lot so I picked Kiss Me which is a warm red.

New RImmel London SHOW OFF Lipsticks in: Shake-up Pink, Tell No One, Kiss Me

Shake-up Pink

Tell No One

Kiss Me

Already I am loving the formula and colour pay-off. They are non-drying and have a great smell and best of all they last for a incredible amount of time. I shall use them more to test them out. I can smell a review coming in the distant future!

Simple Regeneration Age Resisting Night Cream

Considering the day cream is such a hit with me in my books, I decided to buy the night cream. Now I’ve used it once so I’m not going to say anything yet. But I am hoping for good things!

Leighton Denny Quatro

Leighton Denny Quatro

Originally I was going to opt for the Leighton Denny Crystal nail file which costs a whipping £14 but I finally put it down and came to me senses that it probably would be nice but it wasn’t completely necessary. This is the buffer and nail filing quatro and anyone who knows my nail habits knows that I religiously buff my nails and I love filing them – and it costs £6 so I hope it will be good!

Eco-tools Retractable Kabuki brush

Eco-tools Retractable Kabuki brush

Suddenly the need for a retractable brush occurred to me when I realised that the reason why I hate bringing out face powder on my day out is because I hate using powder puffs twice. I remember at school I loved my retractable brush and so I decided to get an Eco-tools one and I love Eco-tools a lot and I am happy to have found this at my Boots.

SATC Faux Lashes!

SATC Faux Lashes complete set

When I heard that SATC the movie was going to have a sequel I was SO incredibly excited! I still am! I know they will not fail me because they never have. I have watched the entire series back to back and I absolutely love the characters, the stories, it’s comedy factor, the tear jerking moments, the outfits, the music, the men, the women and I am ALL SATC! Needless to say when these Faux lashes came out I was going to pass out with excitement. I mean, this is almost like a mini chance to become one of the SATC ladies…sort of…! I have a feeling that these themed ‘girl band’ lashes are going to take off having seen a completely success with the Girls Aloud inspired eye lashes (by the way, Nicola’s all the way!!). I, however, could not pick a favourite out of these because I love them all. I feel like they’ve all captured the character’s personality well and it will be like being each character on a different day! Amazing!

SATC Faux Lashes: Charlotte

Charlotte’s would no doubt be fluttery, feminine yet modest. I think they are wearable and natural without being boring because there is nothing boring about SATC or Charlotte even though she is portrayed as the more tame and mild mannered one of the four. I think these a very cute girl next door so a definite winner for me!

SATC Faux Lashes: Miranda

I would probably say these lashes reflect the Miranda we see further into the series. This is definitely more feminine than the Miranda in the very beginning because the way they are tapered makes them fluttery and sweet. These will elongate the eye and open them up! For the same reason why I love Nicola’s lashes from the Girls Aloud series, the shape totally captures me and this has totally got me excited! The inner side of the lashes will blend in totally with your own lashes so it creates a beautiful shape to the eye. I CAN’T WAIT!

SATC Faux Lashes: Samantha

This totally typifies the glorious Samantha; long, flirty, glam, sexy and luring. I cannot wait to try these out. I love the alternating lengths and the thickness of the roots. These will give a great impact to the eye. I think with these, as expected, I will wear this more in the evening outs and for special occasions. I think if i was a bit more bold I could wear these daylights but I feel a strong look would have to do these lashes justice and Summer day-time really shouldn’t be calling for these!

SATC Faux Lashes: Carrie

I wouldn’t say these are my least favourite but I do think they look less wearable than the others. I don’t think I’ve been that fond of spiky lashes but I haven’t tried them yet so I won’t judge. This is very Carrie; statement, bold, glam, strong and striking. The little star embellishment is all the bling it needs to say how special Carrie is. Again, this will be used more in the evenings but I am excited to accompany a strong statement look with these lashes!

NYC Faux Lashes

NYC Faux Lashes

Well what have I got to lose at £1.99? Probably the cheapest drugstore lashes I have seen yet! I didn’t quite like the others that NYC had to offer but these seemed nice. What does everyone think about these lashes? Has anyone tried these at all?

Veet Complete Body Kit

Veet Complete Body Kit

I AM GETTING READY FOR THE SUMMER! I remember the last time I waxed must have been when I was 16 years old so it’s been a fair while now. I am not excited so much about waxing my underarms because the last time I did that an accident happened…. so it wasn’t good. But I will brave it and try again. Heres to a fluff free summer!

That’s it for cosmetics and make up, I’ve accumulated lots of clothes hauling to do but I plan to do a more fashion orientated post some time in the near future. I hope this will suffice for now. Thanks for reading!

Peace,

Cherry x

NOTD ~ TOPSHOP “Sunset” Nail Polish

2010-05-29T02:11:00.001+01:00

Wahey! I’ve finally got time to myself now that my priority is no longer in education; so in order to celebrate I have painted my nails, finally! I start off today with Topshop’s “Sunset” nail polish. This is the first Topshop Nail polish I have ever used and I doubt it will be my last. This is incredibly gorgeous and extremely wearable. It’s fun, flirty at the same time relaxed as it is glamorous. I find that those polish dried insanely quickly; it exceeded my expectations and more. However I must say this is the results I achieved after THREE coats of nail polish as it comes on quite sheer. I personally think it looks nice still as a sheer coat however for the purpose of this blog I wanted to show you want it looked like at its maximum potential. I think the fact that it dries so quickly allows me to forgive the need of applying three coats. I love this champagne coral colour; reminds me a lot of my favourite perfume which is D&G Rose The One. I am LOVING this!

Peace,

Cherry x

Collective Haul – Eyeko, TopShop, Korres, No7 and more!

2010-05-26T15:46:00.002+01:00

Today there is limited t ime for me to talk about each product in detail, I do a bit more in my Youtube video this time so when that is up I hope you take a look for information!

TOPSHOP BLUSHES

Picked them up in Brushed Berry, Butterscotch and Pinch. Great texture, finish, price and colour pay off. Reviews to come! Packaging also CUTE.

TOPSHOP NAIL POLISHES

TOPSHOP nail polishes in Sunset and Daredevil – summer day and summer nights? :)

EYEKO NAIL POLISHES

EYEKO nail polishes in Posh, Nude and Tea Rose. Love them all but finding it hard to deal with as Posh is very similar to Nail’s Inc promotion polish in ‘London’…. never mind!

ESSIE NAIL POLISH

Essie ‘matte about you’ nail polish – can turn any shimmery shiny nail polish into a matte one – amazing, bought from ebay. Greats a satin matte kind of look – DO NOT PAIR UP WITH A SHADE LIKE NAILS INC LONDON…trust me :) Cost around £7-8

EYEKO GIFT

Eyeko also sent me a free gift having put in an ambassador code (mine is E3103) but its from Liparazzi but I have little understanding of this brand (is it part of EYEKO? I don’t know) but it’s a moisturising lipstick with Jojoba, aloe vera and Vitamin E but the colour in Rehab, is much too dark for me!

NO7 LIMITED EDITION BRONZER

Sent to me by Boots – amazing combination of colours! Great texture, great finish, not shimmery and limited edition Sun Drenched Collection. I like to use for contouring and bronzing! This one is the Sculpting Bronzer – fantastic!

KORRES WILD ROSE FOUNDATION

Recommended by Moodeve last year and finally purchased it! Brilliant to use for this summer, definitely worth reviewing. Great finish, long lasting and easy to blend!

BOOTS HONEY BODY BUTTER

Seriously thick and creamy body butter (true to its name). Spells like sweet honey and has really saved my forever drying feet. Soothes my skin and rehydrates! Makes me kind of hungry….

Sorry for the lack of info but this blog took me 5 minutes and now I must dash! PEACE!
Cherry x