Berry nice

Kiss kiss. Christmas is fast approaching and the mistletoe is beckoning. Regardless of time of year and social expectations, I believe you should always take care of your lips. The saying goes 'the eyes have it all' but lips also deserve to be treated. So apply, blot and pout (not literally speaking of course). Lets see what Boots have released for you beauties this Winter.

17 cosmetics have a new lip stain out which is similar to Rimmel's '1000 kisses lips stain', you can read my Rimmel review here. But does 17' 'Berry crush lip stain' measure up to Rimmel's efforts? Read on, dear readers, read on....

I was in a rush when I bought it so I didn't test out the colour on my hand before, rather daftly I know, so I pretty much was swayed by the packaging colour. I was expecting a soft, candyfloss pale pink but I got a rich, fuchsia colour. At first I was a little off put but on second thoughts I actually liked the colour and it made a nice change to a red lip on a night out.

The same as the Rimmel lip tint, the application is simple; draw the colour on with stain stick and then a quick slick of the moisturisiser stick to lock in the colour and add a subtle hint of shine. I found when wearing this product the moisturiser had to be reapplied often but the colour was long lasting, suprisingly so.

Verdict-Make sure you test the product first, but this is a great inexpensive product, at £4.99, £1 cheaper than the Rimmel version. I can't recommend this enough, the colour is extensively long lasting, vivid and who doesn't love a fuschia lip?


I'm so sorry I haven't had time to reply to your lovely comments this week! I'm on the case.


NG <3

Nailed it

The crackle effect has become somewhat a phenomenon in the beauty world and the first time I used Rimmel Crack your colour Crazy top coat in 010 black graffiti I had high expectations. I've loved Rimmel nail polish before and the bottle is decorated with a zebra pattern so this was the effect I expected from the polish.

I first used it over a glittery gold Floozie nail polish (I don't know the name of the shade-it was from a Christmas gift set). I was quite disappointed to say the least. I did put a little too much on by accident at first so my nail went completely black. Too little though and no effect was there. The black blended more so with the gold rather than creating a top coat, even though I had left it a good half an hour between coats, creating a metallic black, which was good but not the desired effect.

I used the product again over the top of Topshop nails Ice crush (a clear glitter polish). The second time I used this I did prefer it to my previous use. As I had already applied the product I knew how much to use. However, the effect was not that of a zebra, it did create a crackle affect but it wasn't the most consistent product on nails as while one would have a great crackle, another would look mainly black with a few cracks in it. One advantage was that for a dark colour it did come off easily.

Verdict-Rimmel, I love you and your products but this is not the best one for me. My application was far from great I'll admit but this product was not what I expected. I will probably use it again (although I will be very careful with application. I'd stay stick to the Barry M crackle effect polish-I payed £4 for the Rimmel one but I'd rather pay a few quid more for the Barry M one.


NG <3

Oil me up

I have never tried a hair oil treatment before. So, naturally as any fashion/beauty blogger would do, I oiled myself up, well my hair anyway. My product of choice was 'V05 give me moisture hot oil'.

The application is simple: hold the capsule under the shower or in the bath to heat it up, then apply to hair for a minute before washing off and partaking in the usual shampoo/conditioner routine. Post-treatment, pre-shampoo, my hair was noticeably smooth. The oil replenishes dry and damaged hair-which, no thanks straighteners+Winter winds my hair did need. After I had styled my hair I didn't see a big difference, however, but healthy hair needs moisture so I assumed the product had worked to repair my hair as it was a little smoother. However,seeing pictures of before and after the treatment the difference in shine, gloss and just general healthiness is noticeable!

Before (left) and after (right):

Verdict-The weekly treatment takes minimal effort, which is always a plus in my eyes. A great product for adding oomph and shine to hair. The capsules are great ideas as they allow just the right amount of product to be applied so oily, greasy hair wasn't a major problem. Remember though, when it comes to hair oils I am a novice!

Have you used this product? How does it compare to other hair oils?


The top five hair tracks I swear by:

1. Leave conditioner on whenever possible. I try to leave it on for about two minutes before washing it off-leaves hair so soft.
2. Salt spray! Whether you want to add some oomph to poker straight hair, or perfect your bedhead look. It doesn't have to be expensive, beauty shop's own brands are great. I use Superdrug's version. Beach hair in winter? Check!
3. When you have a day off, a lazy day if possible avoid the straighteners give your hair a well deserved rest!
4. Once a week treat your hair to a hair mask, there are plenty of treatments to choose, whether you want repair, hydration, nourishment, protection. Sit back in the bath and grab a magazine and a glass of wine for the ultimate relaxation.
5.  Finally, eat well. Vitamins and nutrients are key to healthy hair, as is drinking plenty of water.

What are your hair commandments?

 NG <3

The stage is set

If I had not known that Joe Wright was the director of 'Anna Karenina', I would have guessed it would have been a Baz Luhrmann film. Theatricality, drama, intensity-well the setting is a theatre after all. And that is what distinguished 2012's version apart from the rest of the adaptations, the theatre setting. It is so important to give a novel much loved by many people a people an unique twist, and I think Wright has achieved this. It does seem an odd concept at first, but then again no odder than Seth Macfarlane's Ted, but it worked perfectly. And the cast had a little something to do with this.

Aaron Johnson played a cool, cold Vronsky, one that I did not have much affinity to at all-Wright's intentions, I suppose. I have to say his youth brought a lot to the love story-a little more convincing than Sean Bean's Vronsky it has to be said. It was amusing to see Jude Law taking a different role to what we are used to. No longer the rom-com hero, he played Alexei Karenin- a man of high position, middle-aged and balding (seriously). I've never really considered Law to be a great actor but I was pleasantly surprised by his performance, as he created a detached, and at the same time, sympathetic character. Finally, Keira Knightley, was, well as Keira Knightley is in her speciality period drama, striking, engaging and as Karenina slightly naive.

Lenin is not as prominent as he is in the novel, taking a backseat to Anna's story. But then again it is inevitable to fit 864 pages into 2 hours without editing parts of the narrative out. It would have been pleasant for Kitty and Lenin's romance to be explored more deeply, and certain elements are missing. The main theme of the book is Lenin's struggle to find the meaning of life, and disappointingly, this seemed a very minuscule detail of the film, compared to the intense theatricality of Karenina and Vronsky's affair. Watching the film independently to the novel, I would not have identified Lenin'sstory to be a major theme of the novel, and I believe this is where the film is lacking.

Every cloud has a silver lining though, and that comes in the form of the lavish costume design. Jacqueline Durran says of the costumes;

"He (Wright) told me that he didn’t really want to make it historically accurate, costume wise: he wanted to stylise it. The way he wanted to stylise it was to concentrate on the silhouette of each character and to take an 1870s silhouette, but simplify the surface details so that it really had the architectural simplicity of 50s couture. What I had to do immediately was look at the 1870s shape then strip away all the surface detail and just be left with that pure shape."

 So, while not historically correct the costumes were ornate, magnificent, dreamy and to be quite frank, pretty darn spectacular. Think rich, deep colours, expensive (faux) furs, satin of the highest quality,and you're in the sumptuous design world of Wright's Anna Karenina. One costume is even featured in the Hollywood costume exhibit, as pictured below.

The verdict? Highly enjoyable, I recommend you watch, the best Anna Karenina adaption I have seen. Not a masterpiece though-crucial parts are missing, I completely understand the constraints involved, but I do think it would have been refreshing to see Lenin more. I would say watch out for an Oscar nomination within the costume and set design categories!


What did you think to Anna Karenina? Are you planning on seeing the film?


For more film news please check out URN where I will regularly be offering my thoughts on the world of film, every Friday 6-7pm GMT.



NG <3

The perfect match

When it comes to make-up, foundation is always a tricky subject. So many women strive for the 'perfect' complexion, whatever the hell that is. I'll level with you now, I am not looking for the 'perfect' complexion because there is no such thing, instead I'm searching for improvement. Everyone has their own skin type and make-up should enhance your features, not change them to match an 'ideal'. However, most foundations I have tried don't seem to 'enhance' my complexion very well. The last foundation I used 'Bourjois healthy mix serum', was ok. It gave me good coverage but after a while, hello Mr shine! 'Benefit playsticks' also used to be a favourite but when my skin was a little dried out in winter it wasn't the best (I should probably mention I have quite oily skin, which can be prone to dryness in cold weather). This time I consulted the Internet and found, from great reviews, 'Rimmel match perfection cream gel' foundation.

I was a little apprehensive-I've not tried a gel foundation before, and was concerned that it wouldn't hide shine, look obvious and not last all day. I was pleasantly surprised when I applied-it gave my skin a creamy, matte texture without looking to cakey. It even passed the 'changing room test'-I felt happy with my skin under the drab, unflattering lights. With a little help from 'Rimmel match perfect primer', it stayed on for hours, I didn't even have to powder my nose once for any shine. It is one of the best foundations I have used. The best part? The price-£6.99.

 

The verdict? Worth every penny, this excels foundations that are much more expensive. I can't compare it to BB creams though-I'm yet to dip my toe in the water, so to speak. Who knows, maybe that will be my next beauty adventure!

Have a great weekend.

NG <3

Love bites

Dear readers, I do like a rouge lip. Nothing says ooh la la (except for Louboutins, of course) than a deep red lip that Gwen Stefani would be proud of. In this consumer world, walking into your local boots you are instantly presented with a range of brands from high-end Dolce and Gabbana, YSL, to what I call 'mid-priced', Maybelline, L'Oreal, through to those 'spending the £2 on my boots advantage card' moments at Collection 2000. If that wasn't hard enough lipsticks come in black, orange, blue and every shade between, oh and don't forget the texture! Matte, glossy, subtle shine? So you see my problem. I don't want to spend too much on a shade that I'm not sure will suit me or smudge, or I'll have to reapply a lot.

Georgia Jagger fronts the campaign

I was intrigued to try Rimmel's 1000's  kisses lip stain. I chose shade 'Carry on Cherry' a rich red hue with a pink hint. The texture is matte, but the balm adds a hint of shine and gloss can always be added for that extra va va voom. Versatility does not end here as the colour can be applied lightly for a subtle effect or built up to a rich, deep red. It doesn't have the best staying power though-I had to reapply it fairly often but the red hue, even when faded was still visible. Overall though, it's great especially if you want a product that is versatile-perfect for students ;).

 

Carry on cherry

NG <3

Les Demoiselles de Rochefort

At first, I will admit, I was a little apprehensive. 'Les Demoiselles de Rochefort', or 'The young girls of Rochefort' if you prefer, soon drew me in with its catchy, upbeat songs, impressive dancing, colourful characters and top notch, 60s French style.

 The film follows the enchanting twin sisters, Solange (Françoise Dorléac) and Delphine Garnier (Catherine Deneuve, the two were sisters in real life). Composing and dancing, they aim to escape and make it in Paris whilst finding their true love, but is their ideal man further away than they think? The plot is interesting, if a little unrealistic due to the overwhelming amount of coincidences. Don't write this film off as far fetched though, it adds to the unique charm of this cinematic masterpiece (oh yes, I went there). To add to that, the costume design is just lavish, and as you can see from the picture some exquisite hats are featured that could rightfully be described as works of art, just like the film itself! There is no doubt the film showcases 60's style in it's prime.Throw in some singing sailors, a dashing Gene Kelly, a reference to the classic 'Jules et Jim', probably the coolest name for a little boy ever, Bou-Bou, and you've got a treat.

The verdict? If I were giving stars as a verdict it would bethe magic five. It is an amazing film, untimely stylish and iconic. I recommend you watch ASAP!

Jacques Demy, I applaud you.

NG <3