Soleil Tan de Chanel, Illuminating Highlighting Fluid………………Capturing That Sunkissed Look!

Hi Everyone,

How are you all? Chanel will be releasing their summer collection at the end of this month and i noticed that they are relaunching two Soleil Tan de Chanel products as part of the collection. One is the famous cream bronzer for all over the face and body and the other is, the illuminating highlighting fluid in shade Sunkissed.

I don’t own the cream bronzer because i have so many others and i will have to wait until they are close to finishing before i purchase this, which could be in two more years or so. I do; however, own the Soleil Tan de Chanel Illuminating Fluid in the shade Sunkissed so, no better time to review it.

A couple of years ago, i was looking for a highlighter which could be applied to my then, tanned face. Most of my highlighters i owned were very pale and did not suit my skin during the summer months. I never knew that Chanel did one because i hadn’t seen it before and i can’t remember if this was part of a collection or not.

I tried it at the counter and thought it had a unique colour to it. It’s a bronze shimmer with a rose gold metallic effect. I probably am not explaining it well but simply put,  it’s unique.

Before applying it, you need to shake the bottle up and then take your finger over the top and touch the product slightly, (a tiny amount is all that’s needed)  then apply it with your fingers to the top of your cheekbone blending out. Its sets into place, does not budge or wear off at all and gives a glorious shimmer.

If you have medium, olive or tanned skin, this is going to look amazing on you. It doesn’t show up so well on pale skin but still gives a healthy glow.

I wouldn’t recommend that you wear this as a blusher unless you have totally flawless skin; however, as well as the cheekbones, you can apply it down the bridge of the nose, top of the lips bow and inner corners of the eyes as well as under the brow arch. A tiny amount can be added to your foundation for extra illumination. One bottle is going to last you many years and is possibly the only bronzing highlighter your ever going to need.

Hope you liked the post and i will catch up with you all very soon, take care.  

My Top 5 Favourite Lipsticks……………… For Spring.

Hi Everyone,

How are you all? Spring is in the air and you wouldn’t know it in the UK. But still!!!  Anyway, anyone who reads my blog will know that i am a bit of a lipstick fanatic. I own far too many to count and constantly buy more. Its my favourite piece of makeup along with mascara. So, i thought i would do a post on my top 5 most favourite colours.

Setting out, i didn’t realize how hard this post was going to be. The problem is, i love so many shades of lipsticks and some are autumn/winter shades as well as spring/summer ones. So i thought i would break the post down into 4 sections and i am going to start with my five favourite lipsticks for Spring.

I tend to go for brighter shades in the spring and summer and more muted deeper ones in the autumn and winter.

Here they are:

1. Chanel Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lipstick in shade 91 Séduisante.

I have done a post on this lipstick already here. Its such a lovely shade of pink with a slightly nude finish to it. Very much a day wear lipstick and gives a very soft feel to the lips without wearing off quickly. The packaging on Rouge Allure lipsticks is probably the nicest and classiest out there. It has a spring action pop top.

2. Chanel Rouge Coco Shine 74 Parfait.

I bought this last year. It is a pale pink shade with a lot of gold shimmer. Ideal for wearing over other lipsticks to mute the shade down a bit and also matte lipsticks to add a lot of shine. It can also be worn on its own to add a bit of shine to your lips. Ideal for Spring because the sun will catch the gold shimmer on the lips and it has the nice watery feel to it as Rouge Coco Shines do.

3.Dior Addict  Lipstick. DiorKiss 578. 

This was the one that Kate Moss wore in the promo picks at the time and is a stunning quite bright pink. I like the Dior addict lipsticks because they remind me a lot of Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, in fact a very lot!! They are soft and have a wet like feel on the lips with a little slip and the colour needs to be reapplied fairly regularly due to the moisturizing finish on them. I loved this shade on Kate Moss, so i had to have it.

4.Chanel Rouge Coco Lipstick in shade 77 Jersey Rose.

A Gorgeous nude pink/coral shade. I just love this in Spring. It goes with the Chanel Joues Contraste Blusher 65 Espiégle, (they came out together). Rouge Coco lipsticks are not as moisturizing as Rouge Allure; however, they have more staying power and i like the way they feel on my lips.

5. NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage.

A very bright, in your face blue-toned fuchsia. Because it is matte, the staying power is amazing. The downside of wearing matte lipsticks is you really have to make sure your lips are not dry in any way or the lipstick will cling to the flakes. I tend to calm the shade down a little with Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Parfait, pictured right.

Yes, i do own more Chanel lipsticks than any other, followed by Dior but these lipsticks are just heavenly and worth the expense.

What are your favourite lipsticks?  Take care and i will see you all soon.

The Tuesday Tester………………..Dior J’Adore Eau de Parfum

Hi Everyone,

Hope your all feeling good. So Summer is on its way and i seem to love wearing perfume in the spring and summer rather than winter time. I made a recent purchase with Dior and the SA threw in this 5ml bottle of J’Adore as a free sample.

Normally, when i get free fragrance samples i am overjoyed; sadly though, out of all the Dior perfumes available, this is my least favourite and i nearly always get landed with it. Sorry if your an avid J’Adore fan but i guess it’s all about personal preference with perfumes.

J’Adore was created in 1999 by Calice Becker. She has also created Beyond Paradise for Estée Lauder, Hilfigers Tommy Girl, Donna Karan’s Gold and Cuir de Lancôme among some others. Quite interestingly, i do not like any of these perfumes either but like other fragrances by all the same companies.

The composition of the perfume is;

Top Notes     Citrus, Mandarin and Neroli

Mid Notes      Jasmine, African Orange Flower, Ylang Ylang, Tuberose and Rose

Base Notes    Woody and Vanilla

The fragrance that comes through the strongest for me is rose, ylang ylang and vanilla. I also get an artificial chemical smell, not super strong but i can smell it and it is this which puts me completely off the perfume. I’m not sure if the combination of the ingredients just does not work but it does little for me.

I have also sprayed the Dior Miss Dior Cherie on the other arm and the difference is amazing. I love this perfume. I think i prefer Patchouli as a base ingredient and i love Freeshia and Lily of the Valley in this perfume. I also love Dolce Vita and Dior Pure Poison, these are my personal favourites.

Obviously, i will not be purchasing a full size of this fragrance but i wish Dior would give out more samples of their other perfumes rather than J’Adore all the time.

I adore Dior but not J’ Adore! What do you think of this perfume? See you all soon and take care.

Dior Wet & Dry Mono Eyeshadow…………………….240 Mariniere

Hi Everyone,

I hope your all happy and well. I told you i wouldn’t stop at one of these great eyeshadows. When i purchased Lilas Mitzah reviewed here, i also noticed a beautiful unusual shade of blue that i fell in love with. I don’t normally ever wear blue because i have blue eyes but i thought i would give this a go in the socket with a more neutral colour across the lid. This way it wouldn’t be over doing it.

Mariniére is a medium blue which is quite subtle and not very pigmented when applied dry but is a little more when applied with a damp brush. It takes on a slightly deeper metallic effect, like most of the shades in the new Dior mono eyeshadows do. For full collection and names in the UK just click.

The swatches below are without and with flash on the right. The left swatch is dry and the right is applied with a damp brush.

Of the 18 shades available, they are split into day and night and nude, pop and smokey shades, so there is a shade for everyone. I am largely impressed with these shades. I am still planning to buy a couple more later on, when funds allow.

There is no fall out at all with either of the two shades i own now. I did find that Mariniére was slightly more powdery, (Blue shades always seem to be) than Lilas Mitzah and it would need to be used as an all over the lid colour when dry, rather than a socket colour. It just doesn’t have enough intensity. The Lilas Mitzah was so much more intense dry and wet.

I  have used Mariniére in my socket but it made little impact; so, i used it on my eye lid towards the outer corner of my eye with Lilas Mitzah in the socket. This gives a better effect.

I think this shade of blue is going to suit people with deep brown eyes best. It isn’t as universal a shade as Lilas Mitzah but its still a very nice shade of blue.

Hope you liked my post and i will see you all very soon. Take care.

Chanel Le Volume Mascara……………….Lashings of Long Lashes.

Hi Everyone,

Hope your all well. Early May saw the release of Chanel Jeux de Regards eye makeup collection and as part of that collection, was the much anticipated Le Volume Mascara. Getting great reviews, it looks like Chanel finally cracked it and produced a great mascara.

Having previously been a tiny bit disappointed with Chanel mascara’s, i was quite excited about trying out this new one and finally i got to. I purchased a couple of items from the Jeux de Regards collection and received a couple of  samples of Le Volume to try out.

Chanel Le Volume Mascara One Coat

I have been wearing it for the past week now and i am in love with it. The formula is slightly wetter than previous mascaras; however, this is a good thing. Why? It gives you time to play before it dries and also enables you to build up coats without any clumping. The end results produce long, almost spider leg-like lashes which are separate and lifted.

I have long eyelashes but believe me, a bad mascara can make my lashes look awful.

The secret behind the success of the new Le Volume mascara from Chanel is the formula has changed and the brush is designed on rows of snow flake styled discs. This enables every single lash to be captured by the mascara wand with speed and one coat looks nice in itself for day wear. If you have short, slightly sparse lashes, this is the mascara for you.

The mascara has no fragrance, there was no irritation from it, it didn’t smudge nor did any bits of dry mascara fall onto my eyes, which happened to me when i used YSL’s Shocking mascara. In fact; one You Tuber thought it was like YSL Shocking Mascara. Let me tell you now, there is no comparison at all. I threw the YSL one in the bin, yes it was that bad.

From left to right. My eye without mascara, one coat of Chanel Le Volume Mascara and two coats on right.

There are three permanent shades available in Black, Navy Blue and Prune;, costs £24.00 for 6.5ml

Two Coats of Chanel Le Volume Mascara

My final thoughts are that i am going to buy the prune shade to begin with as i have blue eyes and this colour is lovely. I will never quite say goodbye to Lancôme Definicils because it is my Holy Grail mascara; however, Chanel Le Volume mascara is a fantastic alternative and is hot on its heels for producing a similar effect.

Have you tried it yet? What are your thoughts on it?  Have fun everyone and i will be back soon.

My 100th Post Special……………..Ten Ultimate Favourites.

Hi Everyone,

How are you all?. I can’t believe i have written 100 posts and haven’t got writers block yet haha! I still have one or two ideas up my sleeve so lets hope i can make another 100.

So, for my 100th post i thought i would do a top 10 ultimate favourites. These are perfumes, cosmetics, skin care and random things i love and will never be without. Lets get to it.

1. Perfume: Chanel Chance Eau de Parfum 100ml/£95.00

The first time i ever tried this perfume i knew it was going to be an all time favourite. I am on my second bottle now and that’s nearly finished and will buy the 100ml one next time. Its just a gorgeous statement perfume. I have mentioned this in a favourites before but it still is.

2. Skincare: Clinique Repairwear Eye Cream 15ml/£28.00

One i have gone back to time and time again. It just makes the eye area nice and soft without puffing up my eyes. Obviously, as time goes on my skin care favourites will change as my skin does and i am already looking at new brands to try. Bought this for years now. 

3. Skincare: Vichy Liftactiv Retinol HA  Moisturizer. 30ml/£27.00

Love this. None greasy and a little bit goes a long way. Great price too. Wish i had discovered this years ago. I will continue to use this during the day because it is a great moisutrizer with SPF 18 and works really well under makeup. I’m on to my second bottle.

4. Cosmetics: Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua Foundation. 30ml/£32.00

On my second bottle and i love it. If you want the perfect no feel, real looking makeup with a soft natural sheer illuminating finish, then look no further. Sometimes i don’t need to wear foundation with a heavier coverage as my spots are hormonal. So, when my skin is clear i always reach for this. It is a firm favourite and NO ! Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation is nothing like it at all. Haha! just needed to clear that up.

5. Cosmetics: Lancôme Definicils Mascara. 6.5ml/£22.00

Wore this since i was 19 years old. Yes, i do try out all the new ones that come out, because i am a mascaraholic and none do the job of separating and lengthening lashes as good as this. It lasts ages too. The formula is spot on and i don’t think it is all about the brush sometimes, i think the formula is also very important . Dior Extase and New Look are nipping at its heels though and now i have tried Chanel Le Volume, which is in the Dior Extase style of finish too.

6. Book: Eyes of Darkness Leigh Nichols/Dean Koontz

One of the first books i read as a young teenager. I loved horror novels at the time and this one has plenty of twists and turns going on. I have read it twice more since and never got bored with it.

The story is about a woman who wakes up in hospital and doesn’t know how she got there. During her stay, she is treated by four male doctors who terrorized her when they were teenagers and killed her boyfriend, she believes she is going mad because they all treat her like she doesn’t know what she is talking about. Very gripping read!

This was written by Dean Koontz as an early author who used a Pseudonym, Leigh Nichols. I read a lot of his later books but i though his early ones were incredible.

7. Film: Jerry Maquire/Erin Brockovich

Couldn’t pick between either. Love both of them and i really enjoy both Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts films. Will Smith is another firm favourite.

One is fictional and propelled Renée Zellweger into the limelight and is just a great story. It also won Cuba Gooding jr. an Oscar for best supporting actor. The other is based on a true story, which features a cameo role from the lady herself and won Julia Roberts an Oscar too for best actress.

8. TV Series: Sex and The City

There has been no other TV series ever that i have loved and religiously watched as much as this one. I own all episodes and both films too.

Very well written and directed, stars 4 women who each have characteristics that are present  in any one woman. It is easy to identify with each woman in their own right and i just loved it so much. It was on TV at a time in my life were i was going through very similar situations and working out what i truly valued within myself and in others.

Funny thing is, i have learned more about who i am over the past year. I have had a tough year on a personal and professional level; however, it has also been great because, i have made a brand new start. I had sort of been forced into it but i am going to be brave and embrace it after all, i am a believer in fate and there are reasons why changes are made in our lives, even if we don’t get it at the time or don’t want it to happen. We usually come out the other side a lot happier. Safe was always boring and i have been safe for far too long now haha! Sorry, getting too heavy! Time to lighten it up again.

9. Lithograph: Disney Magic with The Little Mermaid

I worked for Disney in the past on one of their cruise ships and they did a maiden crossing of The Panama Canal when i was on board. So, we sailed from Florida to Los Angeles. As a nice gift for their staff, they had this lithograph made for each and every one of us. Pictured, are both Disney Land and Disney World and the ship Disney Magic, Ariel, Flounder and Sebastian.

They often did nice little things for the staff. We had Mickey Mousse pins made when we sailed around the awful Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne too. Sometimes, they would throw parties on the beach in Mexico with music and full buffet. Great times in the journey of my life.

10. Music: U2 Joshua Tree

I still listen to this CD and i never get tired of it. I like Rattle and Hum too. U2 at their finest.

There you have it. My 100th post special and here’s to the next 100. I will see you all soon.  Take care.

MAC Brow Finisher…………………Taming The Wild

Hi Everyone,

Hope your all well. For a long time i have plucked my own eyebrows. Most of the time i get it right, but i did over pluck them and they started to lose their shaping. I wasn’t too impressed with myself at all. I decided it was time to get them re-shaped.

My first visit to Blink Brow Bar to have them threaded was interesting. The lady had to start a slow process of allowing regrowth while shaping at the same time. 4 months on and they are looking really great now and i am not going anywhere near a set of tweezers again. Lesson learned.

I also realize the importance of having coiffed brows and pay so much more attention to them now than i ever did before. Not that i ever had bad brows anyway, until i started over plucking.

MAC Brow Finisher helps to keep any stray hairs in place, so they look very tidy. The stick looks like a slightly thicker eye liner but it is a white opaque firm wax and goes onto the eyebrows clear and sets them in place; costs £12.50 for 5gm, which is affordable.

Left is without MAC Brow Finisher and right is with it, plus a small amount of brown pencil.

My Thoughts

I do really like this. Its super easy to use because you just use it like a brow pencil where ever its needed and then comb brows through with a clear wand, (also available to buy from MAC).  It doesn’t set up hard and it also doesn’t make your eyebrows feel greasy either or smudge your brow pencil. Lasts a good 2-3 hours before drying off and then you may need to re-apply; my brows are slightly unruly so, one application is good for me and i use pencil too. If your using it every day, then you will need to buy another one within two months approximately, but it isn’t that expensive anyway.

I will be repurchasing this one. A great idea from MAC with a reasonable price tag. Have a great week everyone and i will see you all soon.