My favourites this season are Soya Want A Candle in “Buttermilk”, Soya Want A Candle in “Sugar Cookie” & Dusk “Meditation”. Do you have any favourite candles this Winter?
July 21, 2011
Winter Beauty Routine
In a happier, simpler time when my fingers didn’t feel like they were going to snap off every time they hit the keys on the keyboard, I posted my Summer Beauty Routine. Now that it’s the dead of winter, and I am happily living in the safest time of year for a pale-face to exist, I figured I might as well post my updated routine. Also, I saw that Natalie over at The Mustard Jumper had posted her updated routine and I copied the idea. Okay? I’ll admit it. Now for the current routine:
Face
Cleanser: Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel
Toner/Mist: The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner
Exfoliant: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant
Moisturizer: Dermalogica Sheer Tint Redness Relief
Facial mask: Astara Blue Flame Purification Mask
Makeup Remover: Face of Australia Gentle Makeup Remover
Night Treatment: Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Oil
Eye Cream: The Jojoba Company Guava & Cucumber Firming Eye Balm
Spot Treatment: Ole Henriksen Roll On Blemish Attack
Body
Shower Gel: The Body Shop Coconut Shower Cream
Body Lotion/Cream: Flourish Almond Milk Body Lotion
Anticellulite/Firming Treatment: The Body Shop Cactus Brush (dry body brushing)
Body Exfoliant: Passport Tahiti Coconut Vanille Body Scrub
Hand Cream: Bloom Butterfingers Shea Butter Hand Cream
Lip Balm/Treatment: Aurora Spa Rituals Vanilla & Honey Lip Moisturiser
Perfume: Serge Lutens Un Bois Vanille
Nail Polish: OPI/Sephora Meet For Drinks
Hair
Shampoo: O&M Fine Intellect Shampoo
Conditioner: O&M Fine Intellect Conditioner
Clarifying Shampoo: Fekkai Apple Cider Clearing Rinse
Leave-In Treatment: Seven Wonders Moroccan Hair Oil
Mask: evo Mane Prescription
Heat Protection Spray: Toni & Guy Iron-It Heat Defence Spray
Volumising Product: Tigi Catwalk Your Highness Thickening Gel Cream
Shine Product: Fekkai Sheer Shine Mist
Makeup
Primer: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Foundation: Givenchy Photo Perfexion Foundation in Perfect Ivory
Tinted Moisturiser/BB Cream: Biotherm White D-Tox BB Cream
Concealer: Benefit Erase Paste in Fair
Powder: The Body Shop Loose Powder in #01
Cream Blush: Stila Convertible Colour in Gerbera / Becca Lip & Cheek Creme in Rosebud
Powder Blush: Estee Lauder Blush in Peach Nuance / MAC Mineralize Blush in Dainty
Liquid Highlighter: Benefit High Beam
Powder Highlighter: Stila Powder Highlighter in Gold
Mascara: Lancome Hypnose Mascara in Noir Infini
Eyeliner: Lancome Le Crayon Khol in Noir
Eye Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion
Powder Eyeshadow: Urban Decay in Virgin / Urban Decay in Sin
Lip Gloss: NYX Round Lipgloss in Strawberry
Lipstick: NARS Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage
February 13, 2011
Autumn/Winter Wardrobe
The time has come the walrus said to start thinking about my Autumn/Winter wardrobe for the year. Winter is my favourite season, so despite the fact that the temperature is still in the high 30′s, I am already eagerly trawling the internet for beautiful cold-weather pieces. I’ve not been feeling well for the past couple of days so I decided to treat myself and take advantage of the ASOS free shipping and 15% discount code that is available at the moment (VIPSS11 for those playing at home). I ended up with these two pieces for my Autumn/Winter wardrobe this year:
I’m making a conscious effort to pick pieces in shapes and colours that I know I’ll get a lot of wear out of this year. Truth be told I really did not need another scarf this season, and as snobby as it sounds I tend to opt for cashmere scarves most of the time (this one is acrylic) but I couldn’t resist the beautiful forest green colour. After browsing ASOS for a while and settling for those two pieces I did my monthly Etsy search for the term “peacock” to see what gems I could find. I ended up buying this bangle as soon as the page opened. It’ll probably end up being hideously tacky but who cares, it’s a peacock.
August 21, 2010
Guest Post: Winter Beauty Essentials – Katerina from Adore Beauty
Time now for our eighth and final in a series of Winter Beauty Essential guest posts. This time we hear from Katerina – makeup artist extraordinaire from Adore Beauty! (you may remember Katerina from her set of “Eyeshadow Bible” guest posts here at The Belle Lumiere!)
Winter for me, means the three R’s: relax, recuperate and renew. There’s nothing more appealing to me than staying indoors with a great big cup of tea, a good book and a rich face mask slathered on. As weather become’s cooler, my skin, body and hair definitely require a little more TLC.
SKIN – Although my skin is best described as combination to oily, I am quite often dehydrated. Especially in Winter when my skin is subject to freezing cold air and then harsh heating quite abruptly. Nothing cures this dehydration quite like a nice layer of Ultraceuticals Ultra Moisturiser Cream. It goes on beautifully under makeup, and if I’m feeling that extra bit dry, I’ll pop a little extra on before bed. Hello supple skin!
BODY – L’Occitane Shea Ultra Rich Body Cream is literally my little slice of heaven. This gorgeously thick cream feels amazing to apply, and
even works on uber-dry spots like my elbows knees and heels. One of my favourite things about it is the fact that it doesn’t have that greasy finish most thick creams tend to have.
HAIR – Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment – Ok this treatment is hardcore. And I need it because I am married to my GHD. I apply a generous amount to my locks and slap on a shower cap. The longer you leave this treatment on the better, so I’ll curl up with a book or a well loved DVD while I let this little beauty work it’s magic. After a good shampoo and condition, my hair is shiny and bouncy and completely restored. Love it.
TRADITION – Every year as soon as it starts getting awfully cold, my best friend and I will put a hair mask in, chuck on some wooly ugg boots and have toasted sandwiches and Earl Grey tea while we watch Love Actually. It’s not glamourous by any means, but it’s out initiation for Winter!
August 8, 2010
Guest Post: Winter Beauty Essentials – Maya
Time for our seventh in a series of Winter Beauty Essential guest posts. This time we hear from Maya – my daily co-conspirator, and the part-time East Coast blogging representive for The Belle Lumiere!
Winter. Oh how I love you. I love everything about you. The drop in temperature, the fact I can add more layers, justify cosy nights in, generally indulge in everything and anything in the name of ‘comfort’ and also when winter rolls around I know it’s almost time to celebrate my birthday. When picking three beauty products that help survive winter, two things comes to mind. Moisture. I have dry skin at the best of times so in winter I need this by the truck load! So, with this in mind, my three picks are as follows:
01: Aesop Rind Aromatique Body Balm – This is currently my favourite moisturiser of the moment. Very moisturising but still light and sinks in quickly. Sure the blurb on the Aesop talks about how brilliant the citrus in this works in summer but I love it’s light, citrusy smell when everything around me is grey and dark.
02: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant – It’s gentle, exfoliating goodness that is perfection in a bottle. I can use it daily even with slightly sensitive skin that is very dry. After using it, my skin feels brighter, softer, super clean and sexy and my in turn my skin just drinks in moisturiser.
03: DuWop Private Red – Okay, anyone that knows me will know all too well how much I talk about this lipstick (read: love and push onto others) but in my defence, the perfect red is hard to find and after living my life with the belief I couldn’t wear a red lipstick, I’m a convert. Colour changing and perfect with everything I wear
in winter, I couldn’t love this any more.
My favourite winter tradition is, perhaps unsurprisingly to anyone that knows me, one that involves food. A favourite dish of mine is borscht (or beetroot soup to the uninitiated). Every winter Mum makes several pots of this over the three months of the season (as her Grandmother showed her), slow cooking all the ingredients until a very colourful and comforting soup emerges that is probably lucky to last 5 days in our house, getting better with each day as the flavours intensify over time. Served with a decent amount of sour cream and lots of garlic bread (or bread that has been rubbed with garlic – not the Italian variety!) this is winter heaven for me.
July 25, 2010
Guest Post: Winter Beauty Essentials – Emily from ‘The Love Of Pink’
Time for our sixth in a series of Winter Beauty Essential guest posts. This time we hear from Emily – my friend, and editor of the always hilarious beauty blog The Love of Pink.
I generally love winter in all its stormy anger and blistering cold, but I truly detest what it does to my skin! It bashes my hair and skin about and always seems determined to sabotage my beauty routines.
01: Trilogy Rosehip Oil – Oh, how I love this. I smear this all over my snout every night in winter to keep those dreaded flakes at bay. It works a treat! I rave about this to everyone. It keeps my skin all soft and supple and means my foundation won’t cake around my nose or perch awkwardly on any flakiness. It is truly heavensent.
02: Lanolips 101 Ointment – Oh hai, wondertube. I sound like a broken record when it comes to this stuff but that’s because it actually works. I’m not going to lie, I was rather sceptical of this when it first launched, as I had been faithfully using supermarket lanolin on my paws, ladyhooves and whereever needed before the REAL Lanolips came along. Boy, I ate some humble pie. This stuff is medical grade genius and you can smear it over cuticles, dry patches, weird rashes… Interesting TMI fact: I had an awful dry, itchy tiny patch thing on my neck recently – I put some Lanolips on and it cleared up overnight. Thank GOD. Don’t tell anyone, okay?
03: Pantene 3 Minute Miracle Treatment – This stuff really is a miracle – I have been loyal to this for so long now and always have a tube or two in the bathroom for emergencies. I beg you to spend three minutes of your time trying this stuff – you will not regret it! It is cheap as chips too. It makes my hair all soft and touchable and stuff. It’s so quick. Three minutes, honestly. I do a scrub while it’s in and then HEY PRESTO, my locks are better already. Magic!
I love baking in winter. Actually, that’s a lie, I love baking all year round (I have the sweetest tooth in the world). But in winter there is something so intensely soothing and comforting when that aroma fills the kitchen and the smell and warmth drift into the rest of the house. This winter I am going to master the perfect apple pie!
July 14, 2010
Guest Post: Winter Beauty Essentials – Sarah from ‘Dempeaux’
Time for our fifth in a series of Winter Beauty Essential guest posts. This time we hear from Sarah – editor of the Australian beauty reviews blog Dempeaux.
By the time winter rolls around, I’m usually ready for a break from the soaring temperatures we experience during a typical summer in Western Australia. Whilst my skincare, makeup, and haircare routine doesn’t change profoundly during the winter months, here are some products that I find I can’t do without:
01: Payot Masque Creme Hydratant – This hydrating mask from Payot is great for combating the dryness I inevitably experience sitting next to a heater in winter. During the summer months I use this whenever my skin needs it, but in winter I use this mask once or twice a week to give my skin a boost. The instructions suggest to apply this for five to ten minutes then tissue off with a toner. I prefer to apply this instead of my usual night moisturiser, wait 15 minutes, rub in the excess, then go to bed – that way I wake up with very happy, hydrated skin.
02: Lanolips 101 Ointment – There was a time when every morning in winter I’d wake up to an unexpected and painful cracked lip. Not any more. I use Lanolips 101 Ointment obsessively all year round to keep my lips hydrated, but it becomes even more important that I have one of these in my handbag during winter. By applying this intermitently during the day and before bed, I have lucious, moisturised lips all day and night, and no longer have to worry about cracked lips.
03: Ellis Faas Creamy Eyes in 105 – Not only is this liquid eyeshadow fantastic for creating a wintery smokey eye, but it doesn’t budge. A few days ago I was drenched in a sudden downpour, and whilst I was towling my hair dry and removing my wet clothes, I noticed that my eyeshadow had not budged. Despite its staying-power, it’s very easy to blend on application. I just apply the product with the brush provided, then blend out with a 224.
Aside from subtle makeup and skincare adjustments, my favourite winter tradition is to re-read one of my favourite novels: ‘Wuthering Heights’ by Emily Bronte. Published in 1847, the story revolves around the turbulent, passionate, and heartbreaking love affair between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, an orphan adopted by Catherine’s father. Heathcliff is bullied and humiliated by Catherine’s brother Hindley and, wrongly believing that his love for Catherine is not reciprocated, leaves Wuthering Heights, only to return years later as a wealthy and refined gentleman. Later in the novel, Catherine describes her love for Heathcliff: “If all else perished, and he remained, I should continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.” Beautiful, warming sentiments for a cold winter’s evening. Moreover, the novel is set on the wild, cold, and windswept moors of Yorkshire, which makes it a great book to read curled up in a blanket amidst the descriptions of freezing rain and whirling snow.
