Beauty Blog

Glossybox time! I was particularly impressed with this months - the theme was 'City Chic' and even came with a little travel book with City guides and stickers! (I'm such a girl...)

Glossybox

Elizabeth Arden: Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant Fragrance Free

I am a huge fan of this cult product - I used to work for Elizabeth Arden and it's been their top seller for years. It sells itself as 'the worlds hardest working product' and it certainly is a wonderful multi-tasker. I use it, personally, on dry areas of skin such as elbows and knees, and also as a lip balm, intensive overnight moisturiser treatment and on cuticles. Thank you GlossyBox for this!

Nails Inc: St. James

Another win this month - I am not the hugest fan of Nails Inc, I don't get the cult following of their products as I think other products give better results at half the price, however this colour is perfect for my style and the size is great for popping in my handbag to cover chips and nicks on the go.

Juicy Couture: Couture La La

I always feel a little bit disappointed when I have a perfume sample in my Glossybox - the sizes are so small and you can usually get them free in a department store. I also usually don't like the scent anyway. This one isn't too bad though - a combination of 'bright, bold florals and sensual woods and musk'. Quite a grown-up scent that I'll probably pop in my handbag when I don't want to waste my usual, expensive perfume.

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics: Lip Blush

I *love* Jelly Pong Pong - their products are great fun and great mult-taskers. This is a lip stain with lip balm - it resulted in a sheer pink shade and because the texture is enriched with beeswax and cerasin it felt moisturising and nourishing too. The colour didn't last a particularly long time, but about right for this texture of lip product and the moisturising quality lasted a little while longer yet.

Tresemme: TRESemme Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray

Another item that I constantly use and need - hairspray! And again, the perfect size for my handbag on a night out! Hairspray is pretty self-explanatory... no need for a long review!

Beauty Blog

I realised as I was writing this that it is exactly a year since my very first Glossybox Beauty Blog! Where does the time go?

Valentines GlossyBox

GlossyBox Brochure

MicaBella Cosmetics: Mineral Blush Powder

While I'm not sure about the colour of this blush, as I usually prefer a slightly pinker shade, I like the texture and slight glittery sheen. I would probably use this more for contouring than blush and for a very natural, daytime look.

MeMeMe Cosmetics: Beat The Blues

I was very excited to find this in my GlossyBox - I *love* MeMeMe! This skin illuminator works to highlight cheekbones or temples, or can be mixed with foundation for a natural glow. The texture felt quite thick, however I'm looking forward to using it as part of my regular make-up kit.

Helen E Cosmetics: Moisturising Lipstick

When I saw the colour of this lipstick in the tube, I was a little bit disappointed as it appeared quite similar to a shade I had received in a previous GlossyBox. However, once I had applied the lipstick, I was pleasantly surprised - it is much more natural and flattering than I had expected, and is actually a nice daytime shade. And yes, my lips felt nice and moisturised too.

Narciso Rodriguez: Foe Her l'eau

This is a 'first look' exclusive of a new fragrance launching this month. The blurb states that this is a 'modern and sensual fragrance' which 'forgoes the traditional citrus and blends a symphony of floral top notes with a heart of musk.' I'm never usually a fan of the fragrance samples in GlossyBox as I have my usual favourite perfume - this is slightly too musky for my personal taste, but it is a nice, sensual fragrance and lasted a long time.

Docteur Renaud: Raspberry Soft Cream

Yes, I like this a lot. The cream is formulated for dry and sensitive skin, which I have, and has hydrating properties and all natural ingredients. The cream texture was thick and luxurious so a little went a long way and it smelled divine. My skin felt instantly moisturised and still does, several hours later.

If you liked reading this Beauty Blog, why not have a look at some previous GlossyBox reviews?

Beauty Blog

Those of you who have read my blog in the past may remember that I used to write Glossybox and Beauty reviews.

Well I stopped ordering Glossyboxes in order to save money for new costumes (priorities!) but I recently decided to treat myself to a new, three-month subscription and my October box arrived this morning!

 I've missed these beautiful little presents!

This months box also contributed towards Cancer Research

List of products - the theme was 'home pampering: escape from Winter weather'

Anatomicals: Don't Just Clean it, Woman, Scrub it - Body Scrub

A cute package and a lovely, pink grapefruit scent. I used this in my morning shower and although it lathered up nicely I had to use quite a lot and the grains are very fine: I prefer quite a coarse grain in my body scrubs. The product is described as having 'a bravura sense of charm and wit' - well I can't say as I thought quite that much of it, but it was a nice, gentle product that I will use through the winter to keep my skin polished.

Yves Rocher France: Instant Anti-Wrinkle Moisturiser - Hydra Vegetal

A nice sized product that fits perfectly into my travel toiletries bag. The texture felt more like a good quality serum as I applied it and definitely left my skin feeling moisturised and smooth.I couldn't say whether it instantly smoothed wrinkles though, as I don't have any! It's not as rich as the moisturisers I usually use, but it is a nice, light product and I will use it while travelling as it felt quite refreshing.

Skinetica: Anti Blemish

I have dry/combination skin and do get small blemishes and spots every now and then, so I was happy to receive this product. I expected it to smell like tea-tree however it was a very light, slightly medicinal but inoffensive scent. I used a cotton-tip to apply to a small skin blemish and it stung slightly (which I always presume to mean it's working!) It also made my skin feel quite tight but it says 'results in 2-3 days' so we'll see.

Green People: Organic Self-Tan

Now I rarely, if ever, use fake tan - my one or two forays into this area of a beauty regime have had interesting consequences and I prefer to embrace my pale and interesting look. However, for the purposes of research I did use a tiny amount on the back of my hand (so I may end up with a biscuit-coloured left hand tonight!) The scent initially reminded me of play-doh however it's now developed into a sort of peach/tea aroma, which is unusual but not unpleasant. It had a nice texture and the little I used went an alarmingly long way! The packaging says the colour will develop over several hours, so again, we'll see how it goes!

 

Sally Hansen: Complete Salon Manicure - 340 Black Platinum

I love having painted nails: I love the look of my hands with a slick of colour on my talons, however I *hate* the process of painting them! I have to say, I was quite disappointed with this product. It is described as being '5 steps of a manicure in one bottle: base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, colour and top coat.' Well I suppose it may be, but I don't think they intended it to take five coats to build up a solid colour!

 

 

Four coats and some patches are still uneven!

The colour went on smoothly, though, and I liked the shaped brush which allowed me to apply the varnish quickly and accurately. It also dried quite quickly, which is handy when I had to put so much on!

If you enjoyed reading this blog, why not have a look at my previous Glossybox posts?

xx

Vintage Hairstyling - Book Review!

I've mentioned this book before but I love it so much that I thought it deserved its own blog post!

Vintage Hairstyling: Retro Styles with step-by-step Techniques by Lauren Rennells

The books author, Lauren Rennells, is a fellow Blogspot user, and writes here! I can lose hours going through this wonderfully informative blog.

Well, back to the book - this is the second edition: I did the first edition but loaned it to a friend who never returned it. It was a good excuse to buy the revision though, which has more styles and techniques in than the original.

 

Products, Tools and Decorations

The first section of the book contains product information and pictures, explaining which products work best for different techniques and styles, and detailing their uses, both in modern and vintage styles.

 

Curl and Set instructions

There then follows several pages on different types of curls, including the ubiquitous Pin-Curl and Victory Roll as well as the Marcel wave or the Finger wave, popular in the 1920's. There are also details of different sets, combing out techniques, and producing curls with different methods such as water or velcro rollers.

Close-up images accompany the step-by-step instructions, making something that could be quite confusing, clear and concise.

Finished styles and step-by-step instructions

The main section of the book is my favourite, featuring finished styles and instructions on how to create them yourself.

 

Some styles list different variations to create different looks, such as the Pompadour, which offers the Pompadour Twirl, The Happy Pompadour or Your Unique Pomp, or the option for styling fringes: Bettie Bangs #1, and Bettie Bangs #2.

Hairstyles based on famous movies or actors: this is very Veronica Lake

Several of the styles are based on iconic movie hairstyles, such as the Golightly, inspired by Audrey Hepburn's character 'Holly Golightly' in the classic film "Breakfast at Tiffany's" or the Bardot which is obviously inspired by the film beauty Brigitte Bardot.

 

Options for different hair lengths

The hairstyles also cover a range of eras: The Silent Film Star is based on the silver screen stars of the 1920's, there is the 30's Fake Bob, The Page Boy, which recreates a style popular in the 1940's, The Pin-Up is reminiscent of the bombshells of the 1950's and the Beehive is pure 60's glamour. There are also several modern-looking styles such as the French Twist or the Receptionist that, while popularised in the past are still very much used today, more so than the obviously retro styles such as Hat Hair or Snood Style.

 

Finishing Touches

The final section of the book is given over to finishing touches, and covers scarves, flowers, pins and other hair ornaments: there are different options of scarf styles, and even instructions on how to make a beautiful hair flower. It then briefly covers classic vintage make-up, such as winged eyeliner and scarlet lips and includes vintage manicures too!

I love trying out the styles in the book and making them work for my hair - photoshoots and shows are perfect for this as they allow me to experiment and create hairstyles that maybe wouldn't work in day-to-day life.

Silent Film Star

 

My take on the style (Bettie Bee Photography - above left)

 

The 'Golightly' and my interpretation (Candee Piccies - above right)

My favourite styles in this book are Snood Style #1, Your Unique Pomp, The Pin-Up, Tiki Lounge, The Receptionist, For The Boys, Jazz Singer, Silent Film Star and Hat Hair - several of them are intended for longer hair than I currently have but the beauty of the instructions is that many of them can be adapted, and it is easy to combine styles: for example, I have very short hair with a longish fringe so I can style the back using The Contessa and the front using The Page Boy to create my own unique hairstyle!

Oh, and the kittens love this book too!

If you enjoyed this review, why not check out my other book and beauty reviews...

xx

Vintage Collection

My name is Mia, and I LOVE vintage!

Fur, Hats and Jewellery from the 1910's to the 1950's are the bits I especially look out for, but I collect all sorts, and blogged about my favourite era's here - however I thought I'd share with you some of the beautiful vintage items in my collection.

**Please note, the furs here are all vintage**

1930's Double Fox Fur

 

My most prized vintage possession is also probably my most contraversal: this stunning double fox fur is from the 1930's and it was won on eBay for a song! The quality is incredible as it has been stored, with great care, in someone's wardrobe for the last fifty years (so smells a little musty). With one head but two complete bodies, this makes a wonderful statement but can only be worn at a very few events due to the strong emotions real fur evokes in some people. I call him Ronnie, by the way: no reason, he just looks like a Ronnie!

1930's Fur Collar

 

This was the first real fur I ever bought: from Stockport Vintage Market for quite a bargain as I got another piece thrown in too (it's worth hanging around until the end of the day to see if any stall-holders are trying to get rid of stock!) I think it's ferret, but I'm not 100% sure! I call it Stitches as there is a little damage to one side of the nose that has been stitched closed. I'm not 100% sure whether this is genuine 1930's however the company on the label was registered in 1857 and had premises in Halifax until around 1936 so I assume it's around that old!

1940's Mink Collar

 

This was the fur I bought together with Stitches at the Vintage Fair - again I think it's 1940's and it feels like mink but there's no label on this one to be able to tell. There are two bodies with two sets of feet and tails, and although it's quite small, it sits perfectly over a cardigan or coat collar. I call this one Tails because of the amount of tails! I was told it was 1940's however I could be wrong.

1950's Stole

 

This beautiful fur was bought for me as a birthday present from the lovely Glorian Gray - I don't really know what kind of fur it is to be honest! The colours are stunning and the shading in the stripes looks so beautiful when the light hits it. It's a particularly large piece of fur which makes it perfect for throwing over my shoulders when it's cold, or after a show over an evening dress.

1960's Fur Stole

 

This is not real fur, but is a good simulation - the stole is shaped and fits perfectly over shoulders: I wear it closed with a brooch usually but the shaping is so good that it doesn't really need it. There are several pleats of fur which makes it look really luxurious - another fabulous find from the Stockport Vintage Fair! 

Edwardian Ladies Jacket

 

This is surely one of the most unique vintage items I've seen - obviously as time goes on, the quality of clothes specifically degrades, so to find something like this, from the early 1910's, in such wonderful condition, is remarkable. It is mostly handmade, as most clothes for the middle and upper classes would have been, in dark brown pinstriped cotton with a silk modesty panel, gorgeous lace detailing on the cuffs and covered buttons. The only sign of wear and tear is a little rust on the hook-and-eye fastening of the modesty panel so it has weathered the years incredibly well! I bought this from an antiques collector friend of mine, who has a talent for finding beautiful and unusual things, that he knows I'll go crazy for!

Victorian Lace Collar

 

This gorgeous creation is a handmade lace collar from the late Victorian era, possibly 1890's. It was designed for adding over blouses as a modesty panel or to add a little more detail to an outfit. The beautiful, handmade lace is stitched over a black backing and secured with two press-studs. The only damage is a little discolouration, some rust on the studs and a small hole in the lace pattern. However it is still a beautiful piece and is among the oldest things I own.

Red 'Leslie James' Hat

 

This beautiful vintage hat from the Leslie James company in California was a gift to me by my antiques friend - it is a gorgeous soft red felt and is shaped so it can be worn in a few different ways.  There are bands of red felt around the edges and a black fabric trim on one side. I was told this was 1940's - the company was trading from the mid 30's to the late 60's so it's reasonable to agree!

1970's 'Frederick Fox' Hat

 

I picked up this little gem at 'Room at the Top' Vintage store in Stockport one rainy Sunday. It is a tear-drop  shaped felt pill-box hat with felt peak detail and white knotted tassels hanging from the back. The gorgeous soft felt sits beautifully on the head and it is made by Frederick Fox who has made hats for the Queen, Princess Diana and '2001: A Space Odyssey'! Although it is a relatively modern piece, it is in a vintage style and looks beautiful as part of a 1940's styled outfit.

Vintage Dressing Table Sets

 

I wish I had a beautiful, large dressing table to display these in the way they deserve: the silver plated mirror and brush set are from the 1950's and have only slight tarnishing to show their age - these were another find from the Stockport Vintage Village (I spend so much money there!) The painted hand-mirror is from the 1920's and is in such incredible condition for its age. This was a birthday gift from my antiques collector friend as he knows how much I love the 1920's - it has been hand-painted and fired and, at the time, would have cost more than silver which makes it highly collectable and rare!

1950's Pearls: "Pompadour Pearls - Pearls for a Princess"

 

Another gift from my lovely antiques collector friend! Pearls are my birthstone and I absolutely adore them. Pompadour Pearls also used the slogan "Pearls for a Princess" and since my nickname is the Burlesque Princess, it is especially fitting! These beautiful 1950's simulated pearls are in their original box and have a lovely diamanté clasp - I wear them so rarely as they are very precious to me, but I always get compliments when I do.

1920's Purse

 

Another little bargain from 'Room at the Top' vintage store: this 1920's pleated silk purse in a beautiful pale blue with cream lining, came with the original hand-mirror still inside! It has a little clip section for loose change and is just big enough for a lipstick and a phone - what more do you need?! The clasp is missing one or two paste jewels but the metal detailing is gorgeous enough without it, and the few loose threads in the handle are the only signs of age.

Well I hope you've enjoyed looking through some of my vintage collection - I've blogged about a couple of the vintage fairs I've been to here and here, or why not have a nosy at my review of the book 'Vintage Style'