In my line of work, I get to try a LOT of skincare. Some good, some OK, some breaks me out. Some goes in my kit, some goes next to my bed, some goes in my makeup bag and some goes in a drawer for a rainy day.
This is my winter skin savior this year. I get super-dry and even (dare I say it) a bit flakey when it’s really cold. Kiehl’s new Rosa Arctica cream has been my base for makeup for myself all winter long. It’s really thick and creamy – and if you have dry skin you know how key that is.
It’s made with Haberlea Rhodopensis, which is also known as Resurrection Flower and it grows in extremely dry conditions. As it is able to survive 31 months without hydration, it was this hardiness and its regenerative properties that intrigued Kiehl’s and encouraged them to look more closely at the properties of this unique flower. When proper hydration is restored, it returns to life within hours. The nutrients responsible for the regeneration of this flower are enriched the Rosa Arctica cream. All I can tell you is it works!
You have to sort of push it into the skin, but once you get it in there, it’s intense hydration. And the hydration stays all day, which you don’t get with a lot of skincare. It also gives the skin this amazing glow – I don’t know how as there’s no luminisoity in the cream itself, but it must be the power of those arctic flowers!
It’s a great week at MM HQ as one of my favourite hairdressers, Mr Neil Moodie, has a brand, spanking new blog out, and it’s gorgeous. Neil is not only an amazing hairdresser (the hair at the Burberry shows and in the ads – that’s Neil, every season), and he’s done everyone from Victoria’s Secret’s Angels to Gwyneth Paltrow. He began his career working with iconic photographer Corinne Day throughout her career – Corinne’s photos of Kate Moss? All Neil.
Most recently he’s had a gorgeous British Vogue cover with Arizona Muse, so he knows his stuff. Oh, and he’s the loveliest guy with a super-cute dog, and did I mention he’s hilarious? As in I would clap my hands when I saw his name on a call sheet for a job as he would just have me in stitches all day long.
Now you can regularly visit MoodieWorld with interviews, how-tos, behind-the-scenes and general glamness at www.neilmoodie.com
How cute is this new video! I’ve loved Betty Boop since I was a little girl, and I’m so happy she’s been brought back with this cute Lancome collaboration. If the new Lancome mascara, Hypnose Star, is anything as good as their existing mascara range, well I’ll take ten please. Lashes fit for a star!
So you would think that with two full palettes of nude lipsticks, that would be enough. I thought so – or I’ve been trying to think so as I’ve been trying to use the products I have instead of madly cruising for new ones (a girl can, unfortunately, only carry so much makeup). However! Now I’ve found the new Burberry Lip Mists, and all bets are off.
When one thinks of Burberry, one thinks of trenchcoats, London, and Rosie Huntington Whiteley (well I do anyway). The Burberry makeup range won’t dress you or take you to London but it may take you that little bit closer to Rosie’s look – OK, well some of the way anyway. They do some of the best nude lipsticks I’ve ever found. Lots of nude lipsticks actually make you look dead, by stripping too much colour out of the lips, which can be great to pair with a strong smokey eye but quite frankly, is just not that flattering on most people. What works better is something that enhances the pigment you have in your lips, which is why the Burberry lippies are so great. There is a plethora of natural shades to choose from, so you can find something that makes you look gorgeous, instead of Night of the Living Dead nude.
I am loving the Lip Mist in 213 Field Rose right now, as it IS the colour of my natural lips, but kicked up, ooh maybe half a notch. It’s quite creamy and not too sheer so it sort of fills in the edges and makes my lips look fuller and well, dare I say it, a little bit pouty. Not quite Rosie territory but getting there. I do love a lip product that you can just whack on without thinking about, and this is one of those – effortless gorgeousness.
I always think that Peter Philips and Chanel Beauty couldn’t possibly impress me more, and then they come up with something new like this extraordinary film to showcase the new Rouge Allure lipstick range. Peter Philips’s crystal makeup is incredible and I love the Surrealist take on lipstick – Man Ray would have loved this! A round of applause for my favourite beauty brand. Well played Chanel, well played.
“She wore blue velvet, bluer than velvet were her eyes…”
I couldn’t tell you why but for the last couple of months I have had two obsessions – deep blue eyeshadows, and David Lynch. Maybe it’s from being hypnotized by Isabella Rosellini’s performance in his extraordinary film Blue Velvet at an impressionable age (not to mention her blue eyeshadow in the movie!) or maybe it was my recent purchase of NARS Outremer cobalt eyeshadow that sparked my latest obsession. Whatever it is, it’s got me channeling Blue Velvet. Unfortunately the scene where Isabella Rossellini sings Blue Velvet has been deleted on YouTube for copyright reasons (SO annoying when that happens!), but this video gives you an idea of why I’m so inspired:
And these are the shadows I’ve found to give me the velvety blue goodness I’ve been after. Just to be clear, it’s not a baby blue, or a pastel blue (although Lord knows I dug up enough of them when I was rummaging in the makeup Vault for this story), it’s rich, decadent otherworldly blue eyeshadows, from inky navies to brighter sapphire shades. Here are my picks:
Tom Ford Cobalt Rush– Tom Ford shadows (here I’m going to wax lyrical again) are absolutely beautiful. Soft, buttery-smooth, pigmented and come in quads of four colours that are gorgeous individually or used together. Cobalt Rush is his quartet of blues with a navy, a teal, a shimmering white and a beautiful grey-blue. Like all Tom Ford products it’s sophisticated and luxe. Do be careful when applying though as I find there’s quite a bit of shimmer fall-out, but the finish is so beautiful it’s well worth it. Pop a tissue under the eye whilst you’re doing your eye makeup to catch any fall-out.
Revlon 16 Hour Shadow quad in Serenity – Sky blue, glittery black navy, pale blue and a surprise pale gold for a highlight (which is what I love about it) make up this quartet of lagoon lovelies. Revlon’s new shadow quads come in all the colours of the rainbow and give long-lasting, crease-proof wear.
NARS Outremer – This is the shadow that got me on the Blue Velvet tip. It’s a bright, beautiful deep blue that has to be seen to be believed. It’s not like any other colour I’ve seen and makes other blues look flat and – just not blue enough. NARS China Blue is another of my favourite ways to sing the blues.
MyFace EyeTouch Eyeshadow Trio in BellBottom Blues and Silk Screen Art duo eyeshadow in Pop Culture – I’ve been a fan of the MyFace Trio eyeshadows since they were released, and I love this new addition to my collection. A beautiful shimmering cobalt, a pale white-blue and a navy Blingtone make this indispensable in my kit.
MyFace also have new Silk Screen Art duo eyeshadows in gorgeous colour combos dreamed up by celebrity makeup artist Kay Montano. Pop Culture is a bright vivid blue and a chartreuse green, and these are great eyeshadows for makeup artists to have in their kit as the colours are lovely but ones that are quite hard to find. Plus there is the ever-attractive MyFace price point – they aren’t expensive compared to a lot of other similar products.
Laura Mercier Eyeshadow in Deep Night – I think this was my original navy shadow in my kit and one I still use to today. Just a beautiful, deep matte blue with a hint of black, so perfect for a smoky eye or for lining (if you’re so inclined). Her cake eyeliner in Bleu Marine is also gorgeous.
Chanel Eyeshadow Quad in Bleu Celestes – Ah Chanel I can’t do a job without you so it’s only fair I talk about my first blue eyeshadow quad that despite my plethora of other options, I can’t bear to part with. Bleu Celestes has a deep navy, grey-blue, a brighter blue and a shimmering white with that perfect Chanel finish that I can’t go past.
“You wore blue velvet, bluer than velvet were your eyes…”
