Festive Nail Color

Photo Credit: www.amazon.com

I couldn't live with The Color to Watch on my nails right now... it's just not very festive or appropriate for Fall/Winter in my opinion. So I took it off after a day 1/2 and traded for OPI's Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow. I love it!

It's a dark green. Almost like Hunter Green and very appropriate for the holidays! It's very glossy and sleek and indoors it's so dark it nearly looks black in poor light, but when I go outside, you can really see that it's a Christmas Tree shade of green! I think this is the chicest shade of green nail polish I've ever tried and I'll definitely be keeping this color in my nail wardrobe!

This Week's Nails: OPI's The Color to Watch

I bought this color a while back when I was looking for Chanel's Paradoxal and couldn't find it. I eventually found Paradoxal and used it first. I have to say, I'm pretty disappointed in this color. It's got an irridescent quality that's a bit too bubblegum for me. I thought this color would be a lavendar or purple color infused with grey tones like Paradoxal, but it's not. It's more of an irridescent lavendar with sparkles that kind of reminds me of bad 80's prom dresses and puffy sleeved bridesmaids gowns. It's not the worst in the world, but I would prefer it more for spring than for Fall. I will probably take it off in the next couple of days and go for something a little darker.

Have you tried this color? How do you like it?

Product Review: Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque

Photo: www.kiehls.co.uk

I've been concerned about the massive size of my pores for a few months now. They used to be perfect, but they turned into these bottomless pits of volcanic proportions and I could tell a major difference in the lackluster quality of my skin! I was not happy!

Hubby (who knows me so well and encourages my beauty product addiction!) had given me Kiehl's Deep Pore Cleansing Masque as a gift, but I had never used it. I found it in my stash and decided to give it a try! This is what it looks like when you put it on:

Pretty... I know! haha Anyway, you just wash your face and put a thin layer of the masque on your damp face and leave it to dry. When it dries, you just dab it off with a warm, wet wash cloth (or flannel as they call it here in the UK).

This product contains Amazonian white clay, oatmeal and aloe vera. You may have recently read Pretty in Pink Megan's review on a homemade oatmeal mask - she didn't seem too impressed with the mess of it. This masque isn't messy at all. I have to say it's very effective! My skin looks and feels cleaner, smoother and my pores are shrinking at incredible speeds! I have used this masque 4 times now, as recommended, twice a week for 2 weeks. The results are amazing! This will definitely be a permanent staple in my beauty stash! Here in the UK it goes for a whopping 21 pounds, but it's totally worth it! Having to use only a thin layer, it lasts for ages. I've done it 4 times and hardly made a dent in the jar.

What face masques are you using these days? Any particularly amazing ones out there that you can't live without?

New Nail Color: Cuckoo For This Color by OPI

My nail polish from last week was chipped beyond repair so I had to do something about it... I painted these myself so don't judge if they're a little less fabulous than a professional manicure, but I had to share this color cause I love it! It's OPI's Cuckoo For This Color! It's a dark green with a hit of sparkle. It's almost like a tealish hunter green so it's lovely for the holidays especially!

What color are you rockin this week?

Product Review: Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

Photo Credit: www.glamour.com

I have been curious about Elizabeth Arden's Eight Hour Cream since it was recommended by Victoria Beckham in her book That Extra Half An Inch, which I read at least 3 or 4 years ago. I came across Eight Hour Cream when we first arrived here while doing a major toiletries haul in Boots (a popular drugstore here in the UK) and I instantly had to have it!

Before moving to London, I'd been warned by friends and facialists alike of the dangers of London damage to one's face and skin. It's a busy city (translation: dirt and smog in the air) and the weather is cooler if not cold (translation: drying to the skin) so a good skincare regime is key!

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Intensive Daily Moisturizer for Face has SPF 15, which is my number 1 necessity for a moisturizer. Even though my NARS primer also has SPF 15, I'm adamant. If I didn't wear make-up, I'd wear moisturizer and there seems to be no end to the damage that sun exposure cand do to your face. Even when it's not sunny or hot outside, you are still exposed. So I'll take as much SPF as I can get on my face!

This moisturizer feels clean, not oily and smells lovely. I've had some great moisturizers that I simply couldn't use because they smelled AWFUL! Eight Hour Cream has left my face feeling clean, yet moisturized and very soft in the face of all the harshness of London. It's also comforting that it is protecting my skin for 8 hours. I would definitely recommend this moisturizer to anyone who is looking for a good moisturizer to soften and protect the face!

Falling in Love With Fall

As many of you know, this is my first Fall in 3 years and I'm loving it! We've been blessed with some really amazing weather here in London and I'm loving every minute of it! This is my OOTD from yesterday. Please excuse that the photo was taken in the Starbucks bathroom!

Black Tee - H&M

Black Cardigan - Uniqlo

Olive Green Denim Mini - Uniqlo

Tights - Anne Klein

Fur Cuff Booties - Marks & Spencer

A close-up of my new booties... I love them and I successfully walked around in them for about 5 hours before they started to hurt! SCORE!!! I searched high and low for some black booties that I love and I'm so glad I found these!

The leaves have turned and are starting to fall from the trees. This is taken outside our building. Gorgeous!

And today I tried a new color. I broke a nail yesterday so I had to shorten them a bit. Color for this week is Chanel Vendetta. It's a purple that's so dark, it's nearly black and it's perfect for Fall/Winter. I love it!

I suppose now it's time I take down my Halloween decorations... xoxo

Product Review: Kerastase Nutritive Bain Satin 3

Photo Credit: www.instyle.com

Upon the recommendation of many friends, bloggers and tweeters, I decided to try Kerastase shortly after we arrived in London. I have now been using it for a bout 4 1/2 weeks as my primary shampoo and conditioner.

I was told by a friend that I could find Kerastase products at any Tony & Guy salon and she was right. When I went in to purchase, I noticed there are several different types/colors of the brand and that each one is labelled 1, 2 or 3. I came to understand from the lovely staff at Tony & Guy in Westfield London Shopping Centre that each color represents a type of hair, i.e. straight, curly, elderly, color-treated, etc. and that each number represents the strength with 1 being the weakest and 3 being the strongest. Luckily there was a Kerastase specialist in house who could suggest to me which one I should use. I told him my hair is very dry, had been highlighted 2 to 3 times a year for the past 3 or 4 years and though it's thick, the individual hairs are very fine and wimpy. I told him as well that my hair is breaking like crazy and even falling out. He said that the color treatment along with being naturally blonde, having a bit of curl and the extreme climate changes of recent years made that totally normal and he suggested that I use Bain Satin 3. He told me to only wash my hair every 3 to 4 days because of the dryness and the strength of the product, but that if I washed in between to use an alternative shampoo and conditioner on in between days.

I have done everything he's asked me to do for the past 4 1/2 weeks and honestly, my hair feels worse. After I use the Kerastase, I find my hair hard to untangle, brittle and dry. It feels really unmanageable. However I do notice more of a shine, but the softness isn't there.

So I ask you... have any of you tried Kerastase before? Did you have a similar experience? Should I give it a little longer to prove it's worth? Did you receive similar instructions when you purchased this product in the past?

I would love any feedback and suggestions that any of you beauties could provide! Thanks in advance! xoxo

Product Review: L'Occitane Dry Skin Shea Butter Hand Cream

Source

I recently received a sample size of the L'Occitane Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream for free with the purchase of a magazine so I've been using it. My review is simple. It's fabulous if you can stand the smell! This is a non-greasy hand cream that really softens dry hands, however it has a strong soapy odor that is nearly intolerable. If you want to try it, I would suggest using it in very small amounts at night before you go to bed or anytime you're just at home as the scent would overwhelm your perfume.

As it stands, I'll continue using the 1 oz. sample that I received, but I probably wouldn't purchase a replacement when it runs out. There are bound to be better options that smell better as well!

Random Featuring Maybelline Falsies Mascara Review & Jimmy Choo for Uggs Launch Event at Selfridges

I'll be honest... generally I'm taking cues from some of my fellow bloggie friends when it comes to mascara! In the past I've taken cues from Pretty In Pink Megan and Posh Shasta who now writes for Cupcake Mag. Their previous suggestions have led me to try mascaras by YSL and Dior, most of which I have loved, some of which I'm still using! So when the Blogosphere blew up over Maybelline Falsies Mascara, I became intrigued! All my bloggie buddies have raved about it so you can imagine how excited I was when I saw it in the drugstore during my first week in London! Such things were not readily available to us in the islands so I snatched it up, even though I didn't really need it!

I love this mascara! It's easy to apply, doesn't feel super thick like Diorshow and makes my lashes look very long! I don't think it has the same va va va voom as my old standby, Diorshow, but it's pretty darn close, a lot cheaper, easier to apply and less gooey! I particularly like the effect on my bottom lashes, which look longer and more visible than ever... generally I can't get them to look this good! I will definitely use this product again, specifically since it's so much cheaper and it delivers fabulous results! Why pay double?


So this is totally random, but isn't Mr. Julep cute? This is him on his first day of work heading off to the office! I'm so proud of my fella!

This week's nail color is OPI's Ski Teal We Drop, which I love! It's a fabulous teal color that's perfect for fall! Also, the update is, I actually trimmed my nails down (a little too short actually) and this is the first time in years I've had to do that! I do believe the biting has stopped!!! YAY!!!

I picked up some November issues this week of Elle UK, Instyle UK and my new favorite, Tattler! I love how they give you free stuff when you buy a magazing here!!! Lipgloss here, handcream there, and some mags have free samples! Loves it!

Yesterday was a big day. Here is my OOTD.

Navy Sweater Dress: Monsoon, Cotton Blend Grey Ribbed Tights: H&M, Scarf: Alexander McQueen, Black Buckle Wedges: Nine West, Blue Ring: Boots, Earrings: Gift

After getting ready, I rode the tube alone for the first time to Picadilly Circus to meet my friend for lunch. We ate at a place called Prezzo and it was delicious! Good girlie conversation too!

When I left Picadilly, I could've tubed to Oxford Street where the event was being held, but I had a few hours to kill and decided to explore a little, so I got off at Covent Garden. It's amazing there and I can't wait to take Mr. Julep! It was like getting off the tube in Italy!

Most people have heard of Covent Garden because that's where the Royal Opera House is.

There are loads of places to eat... I just couldn't get over the size of these Paella pans!

The street artists are fantastic. This man had no shoes on and he must have been freezing!

After a few hours I headed to Selfridges and signed in. I was given this oh so attractive wrist band to wear and told to go upstairs right away. When I arrived, there was no one there to direct me and thinking I'd basically seen it all, I nearly left. I went to get one last picture of the set-up and was told to get in line, so I thought oh, there must be more to this... well, there really wasn't. Basically I could've tried on these boots and bought them if I fancied paying upwards of 500 pounds for a pair of Uggs... so I waited in line for over 30 minutes to find out there wasn't anything more to see and the champagne they passed out wasn't quite worth it. They only allowed 3 or 4 people at a time into the pop-up store and hundreds were waiting... crazy! But it was a great experience and I got some photos for ya, so enjoy!

These black ones were my favorites and I might have considered them except that the calves were so small, I'd have to cut mine in half to fit into them...

As I was leaving Selfridges, I was a bit shocked by the amount of people in line just waiting to get into Louis Vuitton! There were lines on both entrances of the boutiques... it was very odd as well since there seemed to be only 1 or 2 people in the boutique at a time. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like this is a marketing endeavor to me. All we have heard about for weeks are the queues at LV... crazy!

So, what do you think of the Jimmy Choo Uggs? Will you be buying a pair soon? Do you like them? I have to say, while I'm not completely repulsed and I do think they're kind of cute, I'm not really a huge fan... would love to hear what you think!