Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in 80 - Suspense

Good day readers!

As some of my regular readers will know, I love Chanel. If I could afford it, I would have the entire Chanel make-up collection. Unfortunately I can't, so I make do with raving about the products I can occasionally afford to splurge on, such as this rather lovely lipstick.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine Hydrating Sheer Lipshine in Suspense is a gorgeous deep pink/purple with a tiny hint of a warm plum shade, with little particles of purple glitter through it, giving it a rather unusual two-tone effect. This hasn't shone through in the pictures sadly but in person, this is an impressive shade of lipstick!

I tried pictures with and without flash to try and give you a better impression of the shade but sadly it hasn't worked well! Suffice to say, this is one lovely lipstick though. It glides onto the lips as you apply and it genuinely hydrates the lips; one of my main issues in the winter months is dry, chapped lips and this is a lipstick that helps to treat them and doesn't cling to the dry patches on my lips. With a sealant, the lasting time on this is about 3 hours before I need to reapply, even if I've been eating and drinking during that time. Generally I am impressed with the quality of Chanel lipsticks and this little beauty is no exception.

And here's a picture of my pasty mug wearing said lippy! It adds a lovely pop of colour without being too in-your-face, looks like a gloss on the lips and is soothing to wear. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine retails at £24 (RRP), which although it isn't cheap, I think it is a worthwhile investment since I find it very wearable and I always feel a little bit more glamorous wearing it and having it in my handbag! Personally I prefer Chanel lipsticks to MAC (I know, shocking opinion for a blogger to have!) and would rather treat myself to some Chanel since they always look and feel luxurious, adding a touch of class and elegance to one's make-up collection!

What are your thoughts on this lipstick? Or do you have a particular lipstick that always makes you feel more glamorous whilst wearing it?

Take care!

Christina xo

A Little Less 25 Candles, A Little More Wishlist

Hey there!

Post may be slightly sporadic from me at the moment (I shall explain later), but one good thing is that my birthday is coming up, yaay! I'm going to be 25, which I'm fine with. I will never understand people who become obsessed with ageing/hiding their real age etc. I'm happy with it, growing old is part of life so get on and have fun with it!

With that being said, I thought I would share some of the things (material or otherwise) that I would love to receive for my birthday...

1. I would like my mum to get out of Intensive Care.

Not many will realise this, because I didn't want to sound all "woe is me", but my mum is currently very ill, having had 2 operations and is currently in an ICU. It would be very unrealistic, given her current state to wish for her to be completely out of hospital, but if my mum was in a general ward, eating and drinking so I can take her juice and sit with her on my birthday, I would be extremely happy.

Me, my bro, my mum and my dad at Christmas. If we can all be together on my birthday, that'd be just grand :)

2. I would like my flat to be fully unpacked, decorated and not looking like I've just moved in!

Basically this all comes down to the fact that since we moved back, Kris and I have barely had a chance to sit still or even get anything done. At the moment we're both in this cycle of home-hospital-work so we don't have a lot of time to finish unpacking things. If I could find some unpacking/painting fairies at some point...


(Source: Pinterest)

Ok my house won't look like this, but so long as it looks clean and not full of boxes please?

3. Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Taboo. - I would never spend £18 on a nail polish for myself, but God that is such a pretty shade!



You can buy Taboo from House of Fraser and other leading Chanel stockists.For me maybe? :P

A pretty short wishlist from me this year, seeing as the main thing I want for my birthday is for my mum to be well enough to celebrate with me! Anyone else have a birthday coming up? What would be on your birthday wish-list?

Christina xo

Top 12 of 2012 - My favourites

As the year draws to a close, I'm going to jump on the blogging bandwagon and share the products I've loved in 2012. Hope you don't mind, but have a gander and see if you see anything you like!

SKINCARE

Clarins - Water Purify One-Step Cleanser. This is a relatively late entry into my favourites (only bought it at the weekend.) but already really enjoying using this. It has mint so it really freshens the skin as it removes make-up and cleanses.

Superdrug - Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot-Cloth Cleanser. I bought this to see if I could get along with a hot-cloth cleanser without paying out too much for either No.7 or Liz Earle. I never will now because I love this offering from Superdrug too much! My skin feels squeaky clean and I've noticed an improvement in my skin's clarity since I started using this.

Benefit - It's Potent Eye Cream. I got a sample of this a few months back, and have just received the full size at Christmas. This is the only eye-cream (bar Body Shop's Elderflower Eye Gel) that has made a difference to my eyes, and the Benefit is the only one to make a difference to my dark circles, which are sizeable. I'm very impressed with this.

Lush - Cupcake Face Mask. This is another product which has made such a big difference to my skin. This had significantly reduced the oiliness of my skin, and has made my skin look less blotchy too. Plus it's chocolate. This is always awesome!

MAKE-UP

No.7 - Summer of Dreams Bronzer. This was the bronzer that made me realise that even ivory beauties like me can pull off a little bronze. This is light and buildable enough that I never look like I've gone overboard.

Guerlain - Sun in the City Compact. I am so glad I paid for this on holiday. This is a highlighter, body shimmer, eyeshadow all rolled into one beautiful, pearly compact. I love using this, it's so pigmented and full of mother of pearl and the gold shade looks so luxurious. Love love love!

Max Factor - False Lash Effect Mascara - My favourite mascara. Ever. That's pretty much all I can say!

MUA - Lipstick in Shade 12. I love all the MUA lipsticks, but this shimmery pink is the perfect perk-up colour for me. It has the slightest hint of glitter to it, so it's good for day-time glamour.

Estelle and Thild - Raspberry Lip Balm. This has really helped with my chapped lips this year. It has lasted ages, has the lightest hint of raspberry and is very moisturising for the lips.

Chanel - Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour in L'Exuberante. This is my holy grail of lipsticks. Its rich colour, creamy texture and matte look means it is unlike any other lipstick I own. I always feel so classy and glamorous wearing it.

Benefit - Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation in Believe in Me Ivory. I thought, until I spoke to my local Bene-babe, that my skin was purely oily, and that I should only use matte bases. After seeing the difference this makes to my skin when I wear it, I wonder how I lived without this. I look glowy and healthy wearing this, and I've never had such a good skin tone match from any base I've ever used. Win!

Urban Decay - Smoked Palette. Another late entry to my top 12, as this was a Christmas present from my lovely boyfriend. So far I haven't used all the shades yet, but they all look divine, and the ones I have used shimmer and accentuate my eyes so well. It's hard to imagine life without this palette now!

So those are my favourites of 2012. I'd love to know your thoughts on my favourites, and what your favourites are too. Have a brilliant and successful 2013 when it arrives! :)

Christina xo

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet - Luminous Matte Lip Colour

...That title is one hell of a mouthful. But then this particular Chanel lipstick is one hell of a lipstick! This was one of my duty-free purchases when I was heading through Glasgow Airport en route to Gran Canaria in September. I originally wanted to purchase the red shade, La Fascinante, but ended up being swayed by the beautiful, deep pink shade L'Exuberante instead...

The pictures really show off how beautifully pink it is, living up to its luminous title! I would describe it as a warm, deep pink. Matte lipsticks can sometimes be slightly chalky, and difficult to apply, but not this offering from Chanel. It glides on effortlessly, and it stays put for c. 4 hours (and that was without Lipcote over the top!)

And here's me wearing it! Looking back at this pic, it does seem to warm up the complexion a little, yes? It feels luxurious to wear, and I feel very glamorous wearing it. Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet Luminous Matte Lip Colour comes in 9 shades and costs (on average) £25. You can find it at most Chanel counters, House of Fraser online, Selfridges online and many more. I paid £20.50 going through duty free though. It is a pricey lipstick, but it's well worth it for its lasting ability, the quality, and also the way it makes you feel. I really do feel like an invincible queen when I wear this! If I receive any beauty gift vouchers over Christmas, I may invest in another! I would go so far as to say this is my holy-grail lipstick!

P.S. I accidently dropped it as I was writing this, and because it's in a solid metal container, it just bounced off the floor. So it's also good for any of you who are as clumsy as I am!


Have you found your holy-grail lipstick? Do you have a favourite brand of lipstick? Or do you prefer lip-gloss?

Christina xo

What's a Liebster Award?

I was pootling about on my emails yesterday, and saw one telling me I'd received a comment from the lovely Chloe Leonard (http://chloeleonardmakeupartist.blogspot.co.uk/) telling me she'd nominated me for a Liebster Award. I have to admit my first reaction was WTF is a Liebster award? So I went and had a look at Chloe's (rather lovely) blog, and found out that the Liebster Award is a nomination for bloggers who are new to blogging and have less than 200 followers. The word "Liebster" means 'beloved' or 'dearest in German and it's a term of endearment. Thank you very much Chloe, glad you like my blog! Hopefully you all do, but it's nice for someone to say so!

In order to be able to accept the award and to be able to display the badge on your blog, you have to do the following:

1)  Each person tagged must post 11 things about themselves.

2)  They must answer the 11 questions the tagger has set for them.
3)  They must create 11 more questions to ask bloggers they tagged.
4)  They must then choose 11 bloggers to tag with less than 200 followers.
5)  These lucky bloggers must be told.
6)   There are no tag backs.

So here goes nothing...

11 Things about me :)

1) I'm a support worker for adults with autism spectrum disorders. Challenging job, but one I love! (I love it so much I'm abseiling down the Forth Rail Bridge to raise funds for the charity. Sponsor me here: http://www.justgiving.com/Christina-May)

2) I have 2 degrees from the University of Glasgow: A Master of Arts in English Languages and Literature and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching. I was only a teacher for 3 months before deciding I didn't like it!

3) My favourite writers are: Edwin Morgan, Alasdair Gray, Tennessee Williams and Oscar Wilde.

4) I used to be an Irish Dancer. Never wore the wigs though, or the fake-tan, which is why I never fitted in with the other dancers :P

5) I love Brewdog beers. I always pay a visit to the Glasgow branch when I'm home. Check them out http://www.brewdog.com/   Also if you're in the UK, watch Food Unwrapped on C4 and you'll see the Brewdog co-founders James and Martin, being themselves and generally taking the piss :P

6) My boyfriend and I have been together for 2 and a half years. And he's still as awesome and lovely as the first day we met (baaaaarf)

7) I'm a bit of a closet geek. I quite like Doctor Who, Torchwood, CSI, Ultimate Spiderman, Batman, Firefly/Serenity, Red Dwarf, House, and anything Batman.

8) I have a birth-mark on my back which looks a bit like a UFO.

9) I hate Ed Sheeran. He is awful. Compared to some of the extremely talented unsigned singer-songwriters I have seen over the years (and I've seen a lot), he is a little toad. 

10) My favourite singers at the moment are Joshua Radin and Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. (aka Sam Duckworth). Both fabulous lads and brilliant musicians. Go check them out :) 

11) I love playing Xbox sometimes :)


11 Questions from Chloe Leonard:

1) What do you love most about the summer..?

Being able to sit outside with a cool drink (preferably a nice G&T). And that's about it, I'm not that big on the summer-time...

2) What's your favourite t.v show/movie..?

My favourite TV show has to be Gossip Girl, and my favourite movie would be Some Like it Hot. At least for now, I'm fickle and will probably change my mind in half an hour...

3) Who's your favourite you tube guru/ blogger and why..?

My favourite You-tube guru probably has to be Kandee Johnson, just because she's so full of energy and is always so happy. It's contagious :P my favourite blogger would have to be my friend Claire (http://eyeliningobsessions.blogspot.com) because she inspired me to start writing my own blog, she's honest, and she's just all-round lovely.

4) Who is your Celebrity crush..?

It used to be Johnny Depp (until my ex was mistaken for him in a pub by 2 well-known local actors, and caused a world-wide shit-storm with people thinking Johnny Depp was secretly partying in Scotland... Yes really. Apparently being too lazy to shave or get a hair-cut makes you look like Johnny Depp, who knew?) I think now my ultimate celebrity crush would have to be Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Mainly because he seems more intelligent than the majority of the Hollywood crowd...

5) What is you favourite meal..?

Steak. I love me a big slab of red meat still slightly bleeding in the middle, served in a mushroom and red-wine sauce, with chunky chips and loads of veg. Mwah!

6) What do you do to stay fit and healthy..?

Not an awful lot. I walk everywhere, but that's about it. Should get back into swimming when I have the time, but because I work crazy shifts I don't often get the chance.

7) Whats your favourite item of clothing..?

My Aldo court shoes. I have 2 pairs, in pink and blue, and I love them! They are my party shoes. High heels, platforms, comfy and classic. Love them!

8) What's your favourite perfume..?

A the moment, it has to be Valentina. I bought it on holiday and it's just gorgeous! Also loving Paco Rabanne's Lady Million and Black XS, and anything from Marc Jacobs :)

9) What's your favourite makeup brand and why..?

My favourite designer brand is Chanel. It's worth paying the money for the beautiful products and outstanding quality. Plus I always feel utterly classy when I'm wearing Chanel! For their value and the quality of their make-up, my budget favourite has to be Make-Up Academy (MUA).

10) What's your go to makeup look, if your in a hurry and cant be bothered..?

Hehe if I can't be bothered then I don't wear make-up! (I know, gasp!) But if I have to put some on, I go for neutral smokey eyes with a little pencil liner, and just some lip-balm on my lips.

11)And last but not least: have you any regrets since starting your blog..?

Not really, though I feel I should try to post more often...

And that's it. No offence to anyone, but I can't really be bothered with the whole tagging another 11 folk thing. If you want to do the quiz, please feel free, you can let me know and I'll generate 11 questions for you to answer. I enjoy doing these things but it doesn't necessarily mean everyone else does. Plus I follow so many blogs that it would be impossible and unfair to choose just 11 to nominate. So have a go if you like :)


And with that, I bid you adieu!


Christina xo

Haulosaurus Rex (i.e. When Christina got lots of lovely presents then went mental in Duty Free)

Recently it was my birthday (I had to work through most of it though, bleurgh), and to celebrate, I eventually went out with my nearest and dearest friends and family. And it was amazing! I had steak, wine and lots of catching up with my closest friends :) Birthdays, of course, also mean presents! And I was spoiled. I now have two new gins to try, a gorgeous new handbag, two stylish new canvas shopping bags and many other generous gifts. But the ones I'd most like to share with you are the beauty related ones (naturally.) And I will. In a minute. Because there's more...

I have also just returned from a week in Gran Canaria. Which means passing through the (Glasgow) airport duty free store! And it had just been refurbished with new counters *drools*. Plus once I arrived in Gran Canaria, I managed to grab a few cheeky bargains in a lovely little parfumeria. So would you like the run-down of my mental shopping spree/birthday haul?

 

Ta-Dah! I shall now break down each set of purchases for you:

DUTY FREE

Glasgow's duty free counters have always been pretty extensive (they have Dior, Chanel, OPI, Estee Lauder, Elizabeth Ardin, Clarins... you name it really), but since its refurbishment they have added a MAC counter (I literally squeed when I saw this...ask my boyfriend.) So it would have naturally been foolish not to indulge, no? So I picked up Studio Fix Fluid in NW15 (£17.50) and a single eyeshadow in Trax (£10). Trax is described on the MAC site as "Burgundy Plum with Shimmer" - the most gorgeous gold shimmer to be precise. I've recently been pairing it with some gold shades from other palettes, and the result is v.pretty :) Hopefully I will be able to master photographing my face soon so I can show you. The Studio Fix Foundation is so far doing pretty well in my estimations. It keeps me matte for quite a long time (Longer than my Dior Forever foundation) and gives a really good finish. I'll need to compare it to my 17 Miracle Matte foundation though in terms of longevity, but so far, a win!

Next stop was the Chanel counter. As I mentioned in my Wish List post, I've been eyeing up their new matte lip colour, Rouge Allure Velvet. I thought the shade La Fascinante was my dream, but when I went to swatch, I was instantly drawn to another shade, L'Exuberante, which can only be described as a deep bright pink, not fuschia, but a kind-of deep, slightly reddish, pink! I will try and get a review up with pictures soon, but suffice to say, My God, it is beautiful, and well worth the £20.50 I paid for it.

After leaving the check-out at Duty Free, I thought I was content. But alas, I had not banked on Glasgow Airport adding a Rituals store to there arsenal. And having loved their Yogi Flow Shower Foam from my Christmas Glossybox, I popped in to purchase a replacement shower foam, and picked up the matching body spray too. Delicious, luxurious smelling skin, here I come! Also, after that last stop-off, it was off to Gran Canaria with me! And this leads me on to...

HOLIDAY BUYS

One day, my boyfriend Kris and I decided we would get one of the many boats up Gran Canaria's South Coast to take us to the big town of Puerto Rico for some shopping (would not recommend staying there unless you're a typical Bulldog Brit, but like I say, some good shops) and I stumbled across a little parfumeria, where one of the ever-so-slightly-pushy sales assistants kept offering me discounts and "special prices". But there were two items I literally would have been stupid not to pick up: a 30ml bottle of Valentino's Valentina Eau de Parfum (I've seen various prices, but average appears to be £40) for around 36 euros (£29). But my piece de resistance... Getting Guerlain's Sun in the City Illuminating Powder for...37 euros (£30)!!! Not too bad considering the RRP is around £43. I am loving this just as much as my MAC Trax, and they actually pair well together too. I'm looking forward to experimenting further with it too!

BIRTHDAY TREATS

There's a reason I've added this last. One of my other presents was a Boots gift card from Claire (you can read her fabulous blog here) and I have just gotten round to spending (read: splurging) it! Having bought the Guerlain Powder, I realised that I should probably buy some proper brushes to actually use it with (and to do it justice), so after asking around I settled on getting myself some Real Techniques brushes. I bought the Base/Flawless Core collection (£21.99) and the Base/Flawless Powder Brush (£12.99). At the moment, Real Techniques brushes and sets are all on a Buy-1-Get-1-Half-Price offer in Boots, so the powder brush was only £6.50). So a big thank you to Claire! (Brushes are pictured below.)

Next up, my friends Fraser and Sara treated me to a lovely Soap and Glory gift set, which includes: Clean on Me (Shower Gel), Girligo (Moisturising Body Mist), The Righteous Butter (Body Butter), Flake Away (Body Scrub), and Hand Food (Hand Cream. I always love Soap and Glory (I rely on my Flake Away Scrub and their Fab Pore Face Mask), so I'm excited to try these products. Thanks Fraser and thanks Sara!

Last, but by no means least, my lovely brother Andrew bought me a bottle of Paco Rabanne's Lady Million. I had samples of this years ago and loved it, so I was well chuffed to finally get a full-size bottle, so again, thank you so much to my brother!

*Phew* That really is a shit-ton of stuff. I'm not going to be on a very, very strict budget in the run-up to Christmas because 1. It's the run-up to Christmas and 2. Kris and I are saving every penny we can to fund moving back to Glasgow as soon as we humanly can. So no more mental spending for me!

Does anyone have any of the products I've mentioned? Would love to know your thoughts, feelings, tips etc. All feedback is welcomed!

Christina xo