Favourites | February

It's the first of March and I'm starting to get that spring feeling, and it goes a little something like this:

1. Commuting in daylight feels novel and exciting
2. However much black you've worn over the past few months, you feel an almost irresistible pull towards pastels
3. You have been shocked at how pale your legs are (reaches for fake tan)
4. You've got the urge for a new routine

I'm definitely feeling the latter point strongly, and the next few months is going to be focused on shaking things up, starting with the blog. If spring is a time for light and new life, so it should be here. So, without further ado, let's get started on my first monthly favourites!

Nars Orgasm Illuminator
£22.50 at Nars counters

As much as I love a pretty cheek highlight on others, I've never found quite the right product for my pale skin. I bought this Nars tube last summer after I found myself powerless to resist the pretty rose gold sheen it imparted as I swatched it in Selfridges beauty hall (why is it that everything in there is irresistable?). Sadly, when I applied it over my blusher the next day, I found it lifted too much of the colour, and this tube was quickly relegated to the 'maybe I'll use this one day' cupboard. Following a recent stash-shopping extravaganza, I've been pairing this with Sleek's Flushed blush, and it looks dreamy. It's such a subtle effect that instantly brightens my face, making it perfect for the office.

3LAB Perfect BB SPF 40
£72 at www.net-a-porter.com and Harvey Nichols

The beauty blogging community is divided on BB creams, with many of the view that they're just glorified tinted moisturisers. As someone who will reach for a lighter base over foundation 99% of the time, I have found my nirvana in 3LAB Perfect BB, and in my opinion, the name is no exaggeration! The coverage is light, even and absolutely flawless. The masking-effect of foundation is not really something I enjoy for day time: I want to see my skin underneath and for my base to just look like really great skin. I've found myself reaching for this everyday for work, and I feel like it transforms my face immediately, evening out the tone whilst keeping a sense of the skin underneath. For the office, I will still lightly contour my cheekbones, but the difference between this product and foundation is that I would happily wear this without any additional makeup, whereas I would look ridiculous with a blanked-out foundation face. The only draw back is the price, but initial outlay aside, this tube has lasted over a year as you need such a tiny amount. Having spent the past few weeks working through a large pile of samples to see if I can find a dupe, I've found nothing that comes close. It's looking like I'll be repurchasing when this tube finally runs out!

Dybrow by Eyelure

£7.50 at Boots and Superdrug

The only thing that irks me about this product is the lack of an 'e' in Dybrow. Dye has an 'e', eye ends in 'e', but I'm being pedantic as this product is amazing. I was into a great routine of dyeing my brows a few years ago and then for some reason, I stopped. I was then paying somebody to dye my eyebrows, which is truly the most ridiculous thing to spend your money on. From opening the box to brushing out your finished brows, this takes all of ten minutes, and although the prospect of a Scouse Brows error looms large on your list of anxieties, taking it slowly and wiping the dye off every couple of minutes to check the tone removes the risk of them getting too dark. I use brown which is sufficiently ashy to suit most complexions, and can of course be left on longer for a darker shade. 

Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer by Collection

£4.19 at Superdrug

I first heard about this product in one of Tanya Burr's tutorials, and if Tanya says she loves it, it's pretty certain I'll buy it. Even with her seal of approval, I am absolutely astounded by the quality of this concealer: it beats absolutely everything I've tried, well, ever. Prior to buying this, I had been using a combination of high end corrector and concealer that had worked well for years, but had begun to exaggerate those fine lines around the eyes that come from 31 years of life. My assumption had been that the Collection concealer would be better for younger skin, but boy, was I proved wrong: it never creases, lasts all day (I haven't worn it for the 16 hours it promises but I don't need to touch up at all) and absolutely annihilates dark circles. There's a tiny bit of luminosity in there, meaning it's great for under eyes, and the overall effect is one of being exceptionally well rested. The doe foot applicator is ideal for under eye use, and I always finish with a bit of Rimmel loose powder. In my makeup-obsessed life, I've always found high end concealers to be much better than their drugstore counterparts, but this one bucks the trend and beats everything I've tried hands down. 

The only downside to this product is the quality of the ink on the tube which always rubs off over the first few weeks of use. I've taken to scrubbing the tubes as soon as I buy them so I don't end up dotting myself with ink smudges! Needless to say, I bulk buy this when it's on three for two: I know it's cheap to start with, but it's even better when it's cheaper!

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butters

£6.99 at Boots and Superdrug

I should start this section by saying that I have never been a lipstick wearer. My Mum, by contrast, is a lipstick fiend, operating something akin to her own Estee Lauder counter at home, and could never understand why she didn't pass on that particular gene. I have always felt that lipsticks wear me, and have instead gravitated towards peachy pink glosses and balms: boring. All of that changed when another Tanya Burr tutorial led me to Revlon's Lip Butters, and Pink Truffle in particular. It was, of course, sold out for several weeks before I managed to get my hands on it, but when I did, it was love. These butters seem to sink into the lips, staining them ever so slightly and giving great longevity of wear, but are just as moisturising as a balm. As many other reviewers have said, their texture is somewhere between a lipstick and a lip balm, but the colour pay off is so much more than a balm could ever impart. I asked Mum to choose a few shades for me at Christmas as she bought Berry Smoothie and Wild Watermelon, both of which I adore. She followed these with Cotton Candy, Sweet Tart, Candy Apple and Peach Parfait, the latter being my favourite of the whole collection. I now have ten shades and plan to swatch them all for a full review soon. If you want to add a bit of colour to your lips but hate that heavy lipstick feeling, these are definitely for you. They're nearly always on three for two at Boots and Superdrug, and who doesn't love a freebie?

Beauty Blender sponge

£16, available online

I can't believe I haven't blogged about this yet, but whether you're a foundation or a tinted moisturiser/BB kinda gal, this is a brilliant bit of kit. This tear-shaped sponge should be used damp, and I find that I get the best results from putting a pump of base product onto the back of my hand and then dabbing/bouncing the sponge over my face. It gives skin an almost airbrushed finish, and the narrow end of the sponge is absolutely perfect for applying concealer. The fact that it's used damp means I give it a good wash every morning, which makes me feel much happier than using a brush that is cleaned only weekly. I haven't tried the Real Techniques version which is much cheaper, so perhaps I'll pick one of those up soon and do a comparison post. This definitely isn't an essential, but if like any other beauty obsessive, you find yourself day-dreaming about makeup brushes, this is certainly worth a look.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my first monthly favourites! I'd love to hear whether you'd like to see more of this kind of post, and even if you might like a favourites video at some point soon...!

Review: Edward James salon

There are relatively few universal truths, but I think we can probably all agree with the following:

• Triangular sandwiches taste better than square ones
• Putting kittens in the oven doesn't make them biscuits
• It is impossible not to feel better after some good quality pampering/grooming

While I tend not to dabble in the baking of felines, at-home or salon maintenance is a non-negotiable for me, particularly when I'm busy. When work is hectic, life can feel as though it passes by in a haze of meetings and deadlines, punctuated by the occasional nap in front of Gardener's World or some other televisual tamazepam. Although taking time out can often seem like too great a luxury, treating yourself to a salon visit almost forces you to relax: there's nothing to do, nothing to think about. You can just be.

This was just the experience I had when I visited Edward James London salon in Clapham last week. After an immensely busy few weeks, and on the night before a big presentation, I stepped off a perishingly cold Northcote Road and into the warm, Aveda-scented glow of this small yet bustling salon. As soon as I'd made myself comfortable, restorative glass of prosecco in hand, I was greeted by Craig, the salon manager, who was to provide one of the bounciest blow dries I'd had for a long time. After a chat about my hair and the products I normally use, he gave me some excellent insights into my hair type that have been entirely absent from previous consultations. We agreed that a blow dry with some movement was the order of the day, and then I settled back to enjoy a wonderful head, shoulder and neck aromatherapy massage which is included with all treatments.

The stresses of the day already dispensed with, I was then seated in an incredible massage chair while my hair was washed and treatment applied. The chair creates the feeling of floating on a gently undulating sea - chairs which just enable you to have your feet up are now very much yesterday's news in my book! It was then back to Craig, via a chat with Edward, the salon's charming owner. I'd noticed Edward chatting to all of the salon's 'guests' (everyone in the salon uses this over the slightly seemy 'clients'!) and it all felt like we were at a rather laid back party; the ever-present host ensuring that we were all enjoying our experiences. I felt so welcome, something which I'd never really thought about when visiting a salon, but Edward's easy manner creates the most wonderful, friendly atmosphere, something that is extremely rare in salons of this standard. It feels very much part of the community, and it is easy to see why the salon recently won a Best New Business award. Being there really made me want to move to Clapham!

Finally, it was back to Craig to impart as much gloss and bounce into my hair as I've seen in a very long time whilst we swapped stories of being northerners in London, and I was subject to yet more relaxation in the form of a hand massage. If I wasn't sufficiently fond of him for giving me great hair, I will love him forever for telling me that he liked this hat!

After saying my goodbyes, I stepped back into the cold feeling altogether restored, and after looking at the time, I was shocked to see that little more than an hour had passed. It reminded me that it really doesn't take long to bring some balance back to your life, and when it leaves you coiffed and confident, so much the better.

Edward James London is at 18 Northcote Road, Clapham. Blow dries start from £28.

Beauty: Minimalism

If you're a product junkie, you'll know the feeling of having a multiplicity of products in almost every room. Some things make it to those hallowed spots reserved for products in daily usage - see bathroom shelves and dressing table - while others are left strewn in drawers, wash bags and cupboards, just waiting to be rediscovered. A quick scan of my designated beauty zones (i.e. every room in the house) turns up bottles, jars and tubes for just about every skin and haircare concern: my routine is anything but minimalist.

Despite my accumulated stash product arsenal, I still hold the view that there is untold beauty potential in pharmacies and department stores across the world and my quest to uncover them knows no bounds. I want to try everything, but secretly, I crave a simple, paired back routine of beautifully-packaged products. Oh for a life without clutter and a bathroom shelf that looked this chic.

Clockwise from top left: Parsley Seed Mask £27 by Aesop, Mustard Soak £8 by Fig & Yarrow, Ocean Mist £18 by Sachajuan, High Potency Eye Lift £78 by Perricone MD, Nourishing Repairing Mask £16.94 by NOUNOU

All from www.cultbeauty.co.uk

Closed - Giveaway: Elegant Touch Envy Nail Wraps

Elegant Touch Envy Nail Wraps are the perfect solution for those of you craving some cute nail art without the hassle of a trip to the salon or the need to master straight lines, which, if you're anything like me, is never going to happen :) To save you even having to leave your house, I'm giving away two packs of nail wraps to one lucky winner. If you fancy your chances of winning these little beauties, all you need to do is:

1. Follow The Beauty Hall with Google Friend Connect

2. Follow The Beauty Hall on Facebook (which you can do here)

3. Leave a comment below

This giveaway is open internationally and a winner will be chosen at random on Sunday 26th May at 8pm GMT. The winner will be announced on The Beauty Hall's Facebook page, so stay tuned!

Good luck!

Beauty: Tria Hair Removal Laser 4X

I'm quite excited about this. Tria has launched a new at-home hair removal laser which delivers results in as little as 90 days, and I'm going to be putting it to the test. I'm very much on the cusp in terms of hair colour, so I'm really hoping this works for me. I have convinced myself my hair is light brown rather than red, but we'll see what the laser decides! I'll be keeping you up to date on progress.

Have you tried laser hair removal? What do you think?

The Tria Hair Removal Laser is priced at £375 and is available in this lovely green and hot pink. For more info, click here.

CLOSED: 20% off treatments at Spa London, Ironmonger Row Baths

On a rainy April morning, Stephen and I arrived at Ironmonger Row Baths, ready to descend to the recently-renovated, subterranean Spa London. After a long working week, there is nothing more appealing to me than spending an afternoon of steam rooms, saunas and scrubs. Spa London didn't disappoint.

After three hours luxuriating in the two steam rooms (eucalyptus and peppermint-scented), the two saunas, scrubbing ourselves with ice chips, experiencing the traditional Roman bath ritual of tepidarium (warm), caldarium (hot) and laconium (hotter!), reclining (and napping, Stephen...) in the relaxation room, we then made our way to the treatment rooms. I had the Elemis Coconut Rub and Milk Ritual, which saw me scrubbed with dried coconut and coated in delicious lotions and oils, wrapped up and left with the silkiest skin I've felt in a long time. Stephen had the Ironmonger Row Baths Scrub and Wash which probably wasn't the right treatment for him, given that he's a frequent exfoliater. Although it was enjoyable, he didn't notice a huge amount of difference to the smoothness of his skin, so this is perhaps one to skip if you're a bit of a scrubber (sorry, I couldn't resist that one!)

So, onto the good stuff. Spa London at Ironmonger Row Baths have very kindly offered readers of The Beauty Hall a whopping 20% off all treatments! Yep, that includes facials, body treatments, tanning, manicures, pedicures, massage, waxing and everything in between! There's no code - you just need to book here and the discount is already applied. The offer is limited to one use per person and there is no closing date to the offer. How splendid! The offer is not valid at any other Spa London location. Entry to the Turkish Bath is not included in the cost of the treatment.

If you do go, please make sure to let me know what treatments you have! 

Enjoy x

Beauty: Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm Review

Before you ask, the photo above isn't a snap of a novel packaging experiment. This photograph shows what happens when you love a product so much, you just have to get into every last corner of the tube to use it all up.

And I love this product.

Merumaya's creator, Maleka Dattu, has a wealth of skincare knowledge behind her, and following spells at Clinique, Lancome and Origins, decided to set up her own skincare line. Maleka describes the process of the creation of her Melting Cleansing Balm as being motivated by a desire to create something 'beautiful and luxurious', and from the minute you flip the cap open, that's exactly how it feels. The fragrance is delicate and indulgent, and reminiscent of the finest spa treatments.

A little bit of the balm goes a long way, and true to its name, it melts into the skin on application. It's so silky that, at the end of a long day, I find myself unable to resist a relaxing facial massage, and after removing the cleanser with a flannel and hot water, I follow with another cleanse to remove any final traces of makeup. The website Q&A is wonderfully honest, and says that testers had mixed results with eye makeup removal but my experience has only been positive. For me, two cleanses is sufficient to banish all traces of my non-waterproof mascara, eyeliner and eyeshadow.

Prior to using this product, I was a devotee of Emma Hardie's Amazing Face Cleansing Balm, which is truly wonderful. At around £34 for 100ml, however, it ranks as the most expensive cleanser I've ever purchased. For me, Merumaya's Melting Cleansing Balm matches Amazing Face's performance on every front, and costs a grand total of £14.50. Yep, you read that correctly. Even more fantastic is the following statement from Maleka:

"Working in collaboration with some of the best cosmetic science brains, I have fulfilled my goal to provide luxurious, effective skincare and have chosen to present it at an accessible price point."

I find it so refreshing to see brands that are committed to developing high-performance products that are much more affordable than some of their counterparts. I'm not especially excited by the idea of paying a premium for luxurious packaging: I just want a product that works. And this one does just that. I can see this being a feature on my bathroom shelf for a long time to come.

Merumaya's Melting Cleansing Balm is available from John Lewis and online for £14.50.

Three Things

Inspired by my favourite blog, Cupcakes and Cashmere, Three Things is a new series to keep track of everything that brings a smile to my face. Expect a mix of beauty, food, photographs of the sun and plenty of celebrations of new yoga poses I've managed to find my way into!

- My current beauty favourites, reviews of which are coming up soon -

- The cherry blossoms outside my flat are finally in bloom -

- That the weather will soon be sunny enough to rock this gorgeous Nails Inc Feathers polish, which makes me smile every time I look at it -

Beauty: Estee Lauder Display

I've written before about my Mum's love for Estee Lauder. Handbags, drawers and dressing tables sparkle with that familiar glint of gold, and when it comes to shopping, there are few finer words than 'gift with purchase'.

Whenever I read a blog post about makeup organisation, I think of Mum, and while at home, I managed to pick up the perfect display piece for all her gorgeous, gilt cases. The results were even better than we thought they would be.

This beautiful mini Estee Lauder counter now sits on her bedside table for her to admire as soon as she wakes up. We quickly learned, however, that perfection has its downsides. The next day I received a text message:

'I'm on my way to a meeting and I don't have any lipstick. They're all on display!'

Hair: How to improve hair growth

glamour.co.uk

When it comes to haircare, Philip Kingsley is my go-to. A trichologist since 1957, his experience is unparalleled. His products have taken me from coarse, frizzy hair that relied on expensive treatments, to soft, silky locks that don't even frizz in the rain. It's nothing short of miraculous.

I will be posting an updated hair routine very soon, but in the meantime, the latest post on the Philip Kingsley blog on how to improve hair growth is must reading. Steer clear of gimics: this man knows his stuff!

Beauty: Makeup Brushes - How Many Do We Really Need?

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I absolutely love watching makeup tutorials on YouTube but the one thing I'm always amazed by is just how many brushes are used in the process of achieving a look. Most of the videos I watch are filmed by professional makeup artists, so it makes sense that they have a broad range to ensure that they can achieve the finish they want. But for the rest of us, I wonder just how useful a few hundred pounds worth of MAC brushes really are?

If you're anything like me, your morning makeup application is probably time-limited (there's somewhere else to be) and possibly happens on the train, in between traffic lights or somewhere else that requires a reasonably compact, portable makeup bag. The idea of carting around a range of brushes for every contour of my face doesn't seem especially practical. 

I probably own about 20 makeup brushes, yet I only use four with any regularity. Perhaps more tellingly, three out of the four cost less than £5, and I don't think my makeup looks any better or worse for it. The other 16 sit in a little pot, tucked away in a cupboard, probably never to be used again. Sure, I could pick a MAC 217 out of a line up, but my E.L.F blending brush doesn't do too bad a job and for the fraction of the price. As for the crease colour brushes I own (yes, I have two: both exactly the same), well, let's just say I can think of better uses for the money!

My makeup bag big four are:

• A MAC 213 eyeshadow brush
• An E.L.F Studio mineral powder brush
• An E.L.F eyeshadow blending brush (the one I use is discontinued)
• A Topshop angled brush for brows and eyeliner

How do you feel about makeup brushes? If you have a vast collection, do you use them all? Do you see a difference between expensive and cheaper brushes? And hands up who's bought a brush because they saw it in a tutorial and never really used it? *raises both hands*!

Offer: 20% off at Cult Beauty

I'm not normally one for posting about discounts but the fabulous Cult Beauty has 20 per cent off until midnight (GMT) on Tuesday 12 February and the site carries some of my all time favourite brands. It would be rude not to take advantage!

I'll be stocking up on some of my favourite shampoo and conditioner, what is, in my opinion, the best cleansing and moisturising masks out there by a certain spa brand and sampling some of the Rose Otto range from REN. I'm also really tempted to try some of the Perricone MD range - it all looks so amazing!

What's your favourite Cult Beauty buy? Shop their selection here.

Beauty: Brows

I have a bit of an obsession with eyebrows and two in particular...

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Aren't they amazing? Cara Delevigne has been my eyebrow poster girl for many years now, but beyond getting some new ones transplanted (yep, they do that now - scary), I'd never really thought about changing my natural shape until I came across this Michelle Phan video and was stunned at just how easily her look was altered with just a few tweaks to her brow makeup. The first look in the video, The Audrey, is what I've been using the create Cara brows, and I'm delighted with the results! It's definitely what I'll be doing until I go back to get this done!

Which is your favourite look from the video?

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Beauty: Seventeen Doll'd Up Mascara and 3-Way Liner

Has anyone else been obsessing about three-dot liners, yet finding themselves unable to justify the Clarins investment? I mean, can't we make do with a bit of eyeshadow underneath our eyes or a bit of smudgy kohl? Do we really need an eyeliner that fills in the gaps at the base of our lashes?

Yes. Yes we do.

After reading a few reviews of the Clarins and Bourjois products, and contemplated why I was so late to the party, I emerged from the tube and walked zombie-like into Boots. I wasn't thinking especially clearly, I was just compelled to buy. The Bourjois one was nowhere to be seen. A little dejected that an investment in something that I was pretty sure I didn't really need but had to have was required, I walked back toward the door and the Clarins counter when something caught my eye. I needed to repurchase the Seventeen  BB cream (now with SPF 25 - well done, that brand!) and there in front of me was a three dot liner, free with purchase of Seventeen's new Doll'd Up mascara. I don't need mascara. I never need mascara. Did I care? No way. Nothing would stand between me and my three dot liner. Off I went to the till and the rest is happy history.

Firstly, Seventeen have been extremely canny here. There is huge hype surrounding these liners, and yet this one is currently only available when purchased with the mascara. Would I ever have considered buying a Seventeen mascara? Not a chance. Rimmel and Maybelline launch something new and I'm all over it, yet a Seventeen launch would easily pass me by. Also, note that I'm writing Seventeen rather than 17. A stealthy re-branding has been happening over the past year and the culmination is some pretty covetable and accessible products. It's a lot more than can be said of when I was a teenager! (Blue eyeshadow and orange foundation, anyone?)

So, what do I think of them? The three-dot liner is, without doubt, one of the greatest makeup inventions of my lifetime (I don't overestimate, I promise!) Dotted along the lashline, it gives subtle definition, but that definition is so perfect in its subtlety that it's somewhere close to mind-boggling. Why hasn't this been thought of before? Full on black eyeliner seems too harsh for the day (apologies to the sisters Middleton) but these dots makes eyes look wide awake and perfectly made up. It's also entirely fool proof, and having applied on a bumpy tube, I still emerged with it looking perfect. How many of us could say the same for our favourite gel or liquid liners? And it lasts all day. Please, don't anybody wake me up from this eyeliner dream. Oh, you can also draw lines with it, but if you ask me, all you need is dots.

And the mascara? Colour me surprised (and colour my lashes a lovely black!). I have recently consigned an Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme to my 'maybe I'll use this again one day but probably never will' drawer due to it's propensity to clump and a new Clinique mascara that looked great on my Mum is sadly lacking for me. Doll'd Up? I've worn it every day since I got it. It's a fantastic daytime mascara - lashes are lengthened, gently curled, and you can build it up without it clumping. I'd want a little more drama for night, but this is perfect for daytime, and you know, I wouldn't hesitate to try whatever they put out next.

Finally, a plea. Seventeen: whatever you do, make the Doll'd Up 3-way liner a part of your range. Let us buy it for years to come. And moreover, keep doing what you're doing. It's fantastic.

Doll'd Up is available now in Boots for £6.29 with the 3-way liner free with purchase. Now you've finished reading, go forth and buy!

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Hair: Updated Routine and Reviews

Image from http://www.babble.com/home/rifle-paper-co-prints-for-the-powder-room/

Miraculous things have happened to my hair over the past few months. I bit the bullet and had about four inches off the length at the beginning of September. This followed me taking my permanent blow dry custom back from Trevor Sorbie (disappointing) to Daniel Hersheson (amazing). In the intervening months, I've tried some new products, thrown in a few supplements, adapted my diet, and changed up my routine a little bit. The result? Unprecedented growth, shine, and most exciting of all, no split ends (it's been seven weeks since my cut and normally we're seeing signs around week five!) So, what's in and what's out?

Pre-shampoo

I've read so much about Phillip Kingsley's Elasticizer over the years and yet weirdly, I've only tried it in the past few months. All I can say is that if you haven't tried it yet, don't wait another minute. Applied to damp hair for 20 minutes before you shampoo, it leaves hair silky, revitalised and strengthened. I had the privilege of meeting the man himself a few weeks ago and he told me the story of how he created this wonderful product for Audrey Hepburn, who tried it, loved it and used it for the rest of her life. My life isn't quite as glamorous, but anything that brings me a little closer to Audrey can only be a good thing.

Shampoo

My criteria for shampoo is that it should be as natural as possible and SLS-free, which means it's all round more gentle on hair. Australian Natural Botanicals is a new player on the market and the divinely scented shampoos and conditioners are 98% natural. I've tried both the normal and dry shampoos and have found them both excellent. Dry would be my usual choice, but the scent of the normal shampoo is so delicious and the results lovely and lustrous, they're both contenders.

Conditioner

Ojon's Damage Reverse has been my staple over the past few months, closely followed by Philip Kingsley Moisture Extreme. Both are rich, moisturising and beautifully scented - perfect for hair that needs a bit of extra TLC.

Styling

Toni & Guy's Heat Protection spray has well and truly replaced Aussie's Take The Heat. Both are great products but T&G just seems to have given my hair weeks longer between cuts, making me think the defence is a little more robust. It also has a great little button on the head to stop it leaking if you pack it and I now have a bottle in the three places I'm ever likely to be styling my hair!

Tara Smith's Shining Moment Glossing Spray is a complete revelation to me. Another of the recent M&S beauty hall additions, it gives mega watt gloss without weighing hair down. The beautiful botanical scent means it's gender neutral (I observed a bewildered man being spritzed by Tara and then admiring his newly sheeny crop!) and the product really performs.

Supplements and diet

After reading an article in Elle magazine, I've been taking biotin, cod liver oil and vitamin B12 for two months. It apparently takes three months to see results in your hair, but the unusually quick growth makes me think these additions to my routine are already contributing.

Besides this, I've added more good fats to my diet, including oily fish, ground flaxseed (added to porridge) and avocado. This has been a constant in my routine for five months and after years of low fat eating and what I thought was naturally dry hair, my new growth is glossy and silky: to say I'm delighted is an understatement!

The Beauty Lite: what's in my makeup bag that I *love*

*disgruntled noise*

I can blame poor planning, indecision and hastiness (who knew they came together?), a peculiar life view on 'what's right for me' and a lack of technical savvy, but all bring us to the same point: I have been without the internet for three weeks, and look set to extend this for numerous weeks to come.

*frustrated noise*

So, I must embrace the Blogger app. On the train.

*fear of effort spent and wasted following potential failure of app, the possibility of which seems likely given the proliferation of average Blogger app reviews noise* (whatever that sounds like)

Anyway. I need to post and it needs to be now, so it's falls to writing about what's on me that I love.

1. Maxfactor Lipfinity lip tint in 01

This is the exact shade my lips should be and gets around the fact that all I've ever sought in life (lip-wise, at least) is a natural looking lip that's just a bloody great colour. Great for pale girls and anyone seeking a rosy pink pout. Will repurchase!

2. Nars American Dream eye shadow palette

L.O.V.E. This was a gift and I would *never* have picked a palette with a bluey-grey, brown, gold and pink yet I can't get enough of it. Maria V knows me better than I know myself! Get it!

3. Maybelline Colossal Cat Eyes mascara

If it's mascara and it's not Maybelline, I'm sceptical. For me, nobody does it better, and each new release is better than the last. Happy to admit I'll be selling out to the next brush/formulation but there's no maybe about it: it'll definitely be Maybelline!

4. Molton Brown Cheek Bloom in Peach

Another Maria V gift and love the natural glow. I don't even know if they still make this, but as I'm running out, it may be a good time to check!

And I called the 'The Beauty Lite'? *aching typing thumb noise*

Beauty: Birthday Presents

Apologies in advance, but this is a slightly gratuitous selection of makeup. Two of my very favourite people - Hannah and Maria - thought that my 30th birthday present couldn't be anything other than makeup, and boy, did they spoil me. Maria's weapon of choice was Nars - a brand I always find myself cooing over but one I've only ever bought foundation and lip colour from. Hannah surprised me yesterday with a trip to the Chanel pop up store in Covent Garden, where I had a manicure (my nails are in autumn colours: Frenzy to be precise), my makeup done by one of the artists and £45 to spend. I loved what was done so much that I spent an additional £50 to get my favourite things, and believe me, I could've spent more!

So, for your viewing pleasure, here are my birthday makeup treats. I've never had this many boxes all at once, and looking at it all lined up makes me feel very lucky indeed!

The beauty haul (see what I did there?) in all it's resplendent glory.

The compacts. Nars American Dream eyeshadow palette and Chanel bronzing power in Desert Coral

From left to right: Nars American Dream, Chanel Safari and Ivory

How beautiful are these colours? I can't wait to do a smokey eye with these shades. This is also my first Nars compact and I can't stop touching it: the rubberized packaging is divine.

Next, the Chanel monos. I was stunned at how beautiful the two looked together. The artist washed Ivory all over the lid and put Safari along the lashline from about half way across my eye and up through the crease about the same distance, then blended out. It's such a stunning day look, and one I'll be testing in the office tomorrow.

Now for the essence of luxe packaging. Hannah rightly noted that this bad boy is exactly what you want to pull out for touch-ups on the go!

This is perhaps the stand out product of the lot for me: the Chanel bronzing powder in Desert Coral. I asked the artist to concentrate on contouring if possible, as being very pale, I can never find a powder light enough to look natural. This is absolutely *perfect*, and has single-handedly revived my passion for Chanel makeup. Love the beautiful sand-scape on the powder, too.

A change from my usual black eyeliner: Chanel's Berry Precision Eye Definer.

There's a tiny bit of shimmer to really enhance the rich plum shade.

Moving on to nails with Nars' Storm Bird nail varnish. I adore the colour (it looks much more shiny on) but am sadly struggling with the texture. Three coats before it's opaque and it feels a little chalky. I'll persevere as it's too beautiful not to!

The final product has slipped very easily into daily use already: Nars' Velvet Gloss lip pencil in New Lover. This is a perfect natural, everyday pink and lasts really well, with all the shine of a gloss and none of the goop. I was stunned that this kind of texture could come from a pencil, and it's so handy to toss into your handbag. I anticipate many more purchases in various shades!

There are a few more skin products but these are the prettiest to behold. Thank you, girls, for making this a very beautiful birthday!

Beauty: Shavata Brow Tint and Shape Review

What is it about going on holiday that makes it so difficult to get back to your normal life? Two weeks of sun, sea and er, sleep (settle down: this isn't Fifty Shades of Grey, you know!) have somehow rendered me incapable of doing little more than wafting between work and home with the occasional stop-off for dinner somewhere delicious. It was my first two week summer holiday in years and the stress has been well and truly blitzed: hurrah to that!

Anyway, on to matters beauty, which is what I assume you're here for :) Last week, after a particularly brain-numbing meeting, after which it was clear that only something beautifying would soothe me, I wandered by House of Fraser on Oxford Street and spied the Shavata concession in its new spot by the window. I've been toying with tinting my brows for months, but given that I could lay my hands on nothing lighter than dark brown, I felt it was a task best left to the professionals. So, in I went!

The staff, as you'd expect, have immaculate brows, and I felt confident that they'd pay heed to my desire to keep my brows looking slightly fuller than the usual emaciated caterpillar that certain brow bars leave me with (*cough* *cough* Benito). The whole tinting and threading process took no more than 20 minutes, was pretty much pain-free, and although I thought they looked a little intense to start with, I'm completely delighted with the result. What do you think?

Excuse the serious face: I still wasn't quite sure how much I liked them when I took this!!

A shape and tint costs £30, and you can find your nearest counter here.

Nailed: Mavala The Elle Orange

I got this polish free with Elle magazine last year and I've never tried until this week: how had I not?! For some reason, I just didn't think it'd look great on, and yet here I am admiring my nails as I type, which means I'm having to go back and amend lots of poor spelling!

The reason for trying it now is that I'm on a bit of Mavala bender at the moment. I've fallen hook, line and sinker for the cuticle remover, and now I'm trialling the hardner in the hope of combating my slightly flaking tips (damn you, Seche Vite!)

The Elle Orange was created alongside the Elle Grey and Red to celebrate the magazine's birthday last year. I remember hoping for the grey, but as a subscriber, the choice was out of my hands. Maybe bitterness and resentment were factors in not trying it!

The Elle Orange is an intense red-orange, almost tomato-ey. It's the perfect summer pedicure shade.

Mavala's polishes all come in dinky 5ml bottles, because seriously, when have you ever run out of nail polish?

It's finished with Seche Vite, as always, which dries quickly and leaves your nails super glossy. The downside is that it does dry your nails, and some people have issues with Seche Vite's use of toulene. I won't reinvent the wheel as there are plenty of bloggers who've covered this issue at length.

Absolutely love this!

Unfortunately, as Elle Orange was a limited edition, it's no longer available. That said, it looks like their Nice polish would be a good substitute.

I'm so excited to try more of Mavala's shades. What are you favourites?

Beauty: The Weekly Facial

If I had a bottomless budget, I know what I'd go crazy on. It wouldn't be shoes or holidays or dinner out all the time (although I'd do those things, obviously!) My number one indulgence would be skincare, and facials in particular.

I love having a good facial. I love being pampered, adore the relaxation (yes, I even find extraction strangely calming), and all that followed by plumped and gorgeous skin? Sign me up! I'd happily hand myself over to a professional every couple of weeks if I could justify the extravagance.

As you'll gather from the proliferation of 'ifs' in this post, I have neither a bottomless budget nor the ability to convince myself that having my face kneaded bi-monthly to the sound of wind chimes is a sensible use of my money. So, how do I cope? Why, I invested the cost of aforementioned good facial on a selection of lovely 'do it myself' products! Ta-daaaah!

My weekly facial takes place on Grooming Night aka Sunday evening. TV is generally crap, you're back to work the next day so going out is unwise, so why not spend it beautifying? Sundays' long candlelit soak in the bath followed by buffing, plucking, moisturising, painting and general preening has been my end-of-weekend routine for as long as buffing, plucking, moisturising etc have been high on my priority list.

Here's the current product line up:

From left to right: No 7 Beautiful Skin Radiance Exfoliator, Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish, Bliss Steep Clean, No 7 Beautiful Skin Energising Mask, Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask, Estee Lauder Triple Creme 

Here's how I do it:

Step 1: Prep

Remove any makeup with Cleanse & Polish (tip: even if you haven't worn makeup, it's good to 'take the day off' with a cleanser first). You all know that this is my absolute favourite cleansing product. It leaves your skin brilliantly clean but with absolutely no irritation and without impacting on the natural oil balance of your skin.

I generally complete step 1 in a hot bath which obviously helps to open your pores. If you want to do this facial without bathing/showering, it's worth steaming your face over a bowl of hot water (boil the kettle and then let it cool for a few minutes so the steam doesn't burn your skin)

Step 2: Exfoliate

Although C&P exfoliates well, I like to use a grainy scrub once a week as to me, they really feel like they're doing something extra for my skin. I'm currently using No 7 Beautiful Skin Exfoliator and I'm completely in love with the smell. I'll definitely be repurchasing this one.

Here's how it looks:

Starting from the base of my neck, I sweep both hands quickly upwards over my neck a few times before applying a little more product and making small circles along my jawline, up over my cheeks, down my nose and the from the centre of my forehead outwards. Remember not to exfoliate the skin around your eye, which is my thinner and more delicate and therefore won't benefit.

Step 3: Cleanse

This is my favourite step, because this is probably my favourite product. It took me a while to find my groove with Bliss Step Clean, but once I got into the habit of using it once a week, the clarity of my skin improved dramatically (it's now very rare for me to get blemishes, although this is probably a combination of skincare, age and diet, so I'm not placing it all on this!)

The bottle has two tubes inside - keeping the active ingredients separate.

You pump a grape-sized amount onto the back of your hand. You can see the blue and green gels here.

You then blend them together with your finger, which produces a pretty aqua-coloured gel which you then apply to dry skin, again, avoiding the eye area.

This is left on for 15 minutes, at which point I remove it with a muslin cloth. It should be noted that this product really doesn't like water. If your face is wet, you can feel it slipping off, and that's not really where you want it to be. I tend to make sure my bath has cooled down by this point, or even wait until I'm out so that the steam doesn't interfere with the product doing it's job.

Step 4: Moisturise

Now for the moisturiser. I have quite dry skin, so depending on how it's looking (and how much time I have), I either choose Bliss Triple Oxygen Energizing Mask or Estee Lauder's Triple Creme (clearly good moisturisers do things in threes!) Let's start with Bliss.

The pictures below show the product on the back of my hand so you can see how it works, but you should pump the product onto your fingers and apply straight to your face. You can put this one near your eyes, but apply slowly at first, for reasons that will become clear in a moment!

Triple Oxygen is a pretty pink gel when it comes out of the pump. This mask is great as it only takes five minutes, making it perfect when you're short of time, or if you need a quick skin-boost before work.

Apply the product to your face and massage in small circles to activate the product. It's not long before this happens:

See how much foam there is from such a tiny amount of product? This is why application near the eye needs to be done delicately as you risk short-term, foam-based visual obstruction! There's never a time I put this on when I don't end up with little foam dots all over my lashes, making me look like I've just returned from the arctic. As the skin absorbs the product, the foam starts to disappear (this happens more quickly the drier the skin). Again, remove this with a muslin cloth or water (it does leave quick a slippy residue on the skin so make sure it's all off).

Now to Triple Creme. This is much, much richer, and is thick cream formula. It smells beautiful and feels utterly luxurious. Estee Lauder recommend leaving this to work for 20 minutes, but I often like to put this on when I know I won't be going out or use it instead of my night cream for bed. This can be gently tissued off the skin but no need to worry about removing all traces as it's just a very rich moisturiser. It leaves skin beautifully plump, and is one of my must-have products.

I haven't used this for at least a week and finger marks are still clear in the cream, showing just how thick it is.

Also, it was my Mum who tipped me off on this product, so it works brilliantly on mature skin, too.

Step 5: Finish! 

Follow with your usual serum and moisturiser, using the technique from facialist Vaishaly's website.

Image courtesy of vaishaly.com

If you find yourself needing a boost in between facials, the No 7 Radiance Boost mask is a lovely peel-off gel formula which really does brighten skin.

As always, remember that these are products I've selected for my skincare concerns. If you're thinking of purchasing anything I've recommended here, have a look at my 'about' page so you can get a sense of what my skin type is, and see whether they might be suitable for you. I don't have any qualifications in this field, but the above method really works for me.