Discovering Tom Ford

There's something decidedly old school about Tom Ford makeup. Whether it's the luxe black and gold packaging which evokes thoughts of the couture ranges from the man himself, or the timeless colour range of the products which feels as though they were designed with me in mind. Perhaps that's the magic of Tom Ford beauty - it's luxurious, almost inaccessible, and yet you instantly feel as though you were meant to wear it. It's more pricey than other designer beauty ranges, so I just had to put the products to the test to let you know if they're worth the splurge! 

I began with the mascara (applied to the left eye in the image above), which promises to transform lashes with optimal glamour and drama. I have small eyes, so rely on mascara to intensify my makeup look, and it has to be long lasting! I found the wand very easy to use, it's tapered and has a slight angle, and delivers plenty of the mascara to each lash, instantly adding length and volume in just a couple of strokes. The finished result is a dramatic yet delicate lash, and thankfully they lasted all day with no crumbling or smearing, surviving even my runny eyes on a chilly Autumn morning!

Before we continue, I must apologise for the airbrush effect that I've used for my skin in these photos! If you watch my vlogs you'll have heard me complaining about a strange reaction that I've been suffering from on my cheeks, and I didn't want this to detract from the makeup which I wanted to focus on, so I decided to just blur it out!

Back to the brows. I used the Tom Ford Brow Sculptor in the shade Taupe. I'm not typically a fan of this type of brow pencil - a calligraphy type waxy pencil tip, I usually prefer a very thin pencil type brow product like the Anastasia Brow Wiz, but the Tom Ford Brow Sculptor changed my mind. Easy to apply and create natural looking shape and depth to the brows, I found the colour match incredibly natural, and even in the areas where my brows are very sparse, the Brow Sculptor added colour and definition in the most natural way. The packaging is stunning, and in the opposite end is a handy spoolie to neaten brows once you've finished shading, as well as a sharpener hidden inside.

- Deep Mink -

- So Vain - 

Ah the lipsticks! This is where I truly feel that the beauty products were made with me in mind! Tom Ford beauty has all of my favourite lip shades covered, for an everyday but glamorous lip colour, the Deep mink and So Vain shades are amongst the most beautiful lip colours that I've ever tried. The colour payoff is gorgeous - an intense colour payoff with a surprisingly balmy soft texture. A natural shine but without being glossy is a nice change to my usual matte finish, and much more comfortable to wear now that the weather is getting cooler. At �38, they are most definitely a splurge for most of us, so these incredibly wearable shades are the ones that I'd be most tempted to splash out on - they are timeless classics which add a priceless elegant finish to even the simplest of makeup looks.

And finally, Lips & Boys. I mean, what a great name! They're hard to get your hands on, but with 50 shades to choose from it's worth searching for them because you're bound to fall in love with a shade or two! A personal favourite is this deep red, plum, autumnal shade named 'Wes'. It's fortunate that it's so tiny, perfect for popping in your clutch bag - as the lasting power is not fantastic. It's my only fault with this lipstick, and when you're used to matte lip products which don't need touching up for hours, it's more noticeable when wearing a glossier shade that needs frequent reapplication. The colours work well when you blot with tissue, and this helps with the lasting power without softening the colour.

Another beautiful shade which i'll be picking up more frequently when we reach spring time is Addison - a very girly pink shade but without the 'cheap' look that so many pale pinks can give. So often I avoid the girly shades, worried that they detract from an otherwise elegant makeup look, but Tom Ford have developed a shade that ticks all the boxes for a perfect pretty shade while still looking classic, and beautiful.

Also in the images above, is the Tom Ford Nail Polish in the shade Toasted Sugar. While I'm yet to apply it (never have I regretted my Shellac decision so much!) the shade is beyond beautiful, and destined to become my everyday colour.

Overall, a luxurious and beautiful range, from the packaging to the product inside. Tom Ford has encapsulated the exclusivity and desirability of his couture ranges in his beauty range and it's most definitely one to your 'must try' list!

These products were kindly sent to me for review purposes and so that I could share them with you! Find out more on my Disclaimer.

Have you tried Tom Ford beauty? Which products would you most like to discover?

xoxo

SHOP THE RANGE

New In : H&M Beauty

Did you ever see a more beautiful beauty range?! As soon as I laid eyes upon the gorgeous new beauty collection from H&M, all beautifully lined up in the Oxford Circus store, I knew that it just had to be mine. I barely gave a thought to the actual makeup (I know, bad beauty blogger) and instead was just so transfixed with the packaging that before long, my shopping basket was full, and I was racing home eager to photograph possibly the most photogenic beauty range, ever.

Over on my YouTube channel today, I published a haul video going through my very first impressions of each of the gorgeous goodies, but since filming it I've tried all of the products ready to report back my first impressions, so let's kick off with the blushers, as I did in the video.

Colour wise, H&M have an incredible colour selection for their blushers; the Autumnal dusky pinks and mauves are exactly what I'd been looking for, and in this incredible packaging it was hard for me to resist, so yep, I bought two. The hexagons, the gold, there's something very luxe about how these look and I was instantly drawn to the almost purple toned blushers and grabbed a cream and a powder. Of the two, the powder is my favourite, purely as I prefer that texture for my blush in general, but the cream consistency was far better than I expected; not greasy in the slightest, and a lovely colour pay off. A little hard to blend, but the final result was lovely.

I picked up this cream eyeshadow in the shade 'Glam Glow' in the hope that it would be a dupe of my Charlotte Tilbury equivalent, and while it's not quite so luxe, I would say that it's a fabulous hughstreet alternative. The colour when applied is a whimsical pinky champagne, with a subtle shimmer, and decent colour payoff. A fabulous base, but I'm not sure how well this would blend for a smokey eye.

The lipsticks are another beautifully packaged produce, with their eye-catching gold tubes, and clean white lids. I picked up two pinky shades, going for a classic nude and a slightly more autumnal pink. Both have a lovely moisturising feel, similar to the KIKO lipsticks, giving a not quite gloss, but certainly not a matte-drying finish. They leave my lips feeling moisturised, and colour payoff is good, but the lasting power isn't quite as good as I'd hoped for.

The perfect amount of shimmer lies within these gorgeous single eyeshadows, not too sparkly, and not a flat matte-shade, H&M have got the glitter-scale absolutely tipped perfectly on their powder shadows. I went for three neutral colours which all blend very nicely together, but the colour payoff is not as intense as my pricier eyeshadows, you really have to give that brush a good swirl!!

Oh the nail varnishes. In the store the display seemed to go on for miles, it was so hard to choose which to go for (MAJOR first world problem) so I ended up walking home with four autumnal shades. I've been wearing U-Taupe-Ia for the past week now, and have given it one top up after a few chips appeared, but overall considering the price I'm very impressed with both the formula, and the incredible colour range.

9 incredible colours in one palette, I wouldn't be surprised if the Smokey Nudes eyeshadow palette sells out pretty soon, as every one of these shades is just so darn wearable. With stunning packaging and a lovely mirror in the lid (and at just �9.99) I think this is my favourite piece from the collection. Again the colour payoff isn't great, but if you keep on swirling, you'll be rewarded.

Finally the powder. I said in my video that I thought it may be quite drying, as that's the effect that it had when I swatched, however I'm pleased to report that I love the effect it has when applied to my face; not drying at all, just giving a lovely subtle matte finish to my makeup, and keeping my base in place for hours to come.

All in all, a fabulous collection, and no doubt one which will send the blogosphere into a frenzy! The stunning packaging and accessible price points (most items around �5) make this range an absolute winner, and I can't wait to try more!

Don't forget to head over and watch my video for more first impressions and information about the products!

Will you be trying out the H&M beauty range?

xoxo

New In Beauty : Clarins Joli Rouge Lipstick

It's big news, lipstick lovers, because Clarins have done the unthinkable - they've gone and played around with their infamous Joli Rouge lipsticks, revamping the formula.... and guess what? They're incredible. Often when a brand plays around too much with an already incredible product, the new launches are just 'different' and not 'better'. They play just for the sake of playing (plus, how fun must it be being a chemist in a beauty laboratory! I'd forever be creating new concoctions!) and I didn't think that there was much to be improved on on the Clarins Joli Rouge lipsticks. OK, maybe an extra shade or two might have helped, but Clarins have gone all out, and bought out 25 new shades, just in time for Autumn.

It's been over a year since I first reported on the Clarins Joli Rouge lipsticks (see my first review here) and since then they've become the lipsticks that I reach for mostly in the cooler months, when my lips are in need of some nourishment as well as a blast of colour. The new formula is even more moisture-enriched, so you can toss out your balms - because with organic marsh samphire extract and mango oil ingredients, these lippies will give you smooth, soft and nourished lips as well as a high shine, highly pigmented colour. 

With a scrumptious red berry scent, it does take a lot of willpower not to want to lick your lips constantly, but the Joli Rouge is a pleasure to apply so reapplication is never a chore. The tip seems to snugly fit the shape of your lips, with the point meaning you get a precise application every time. The beautiful gold casing ( much more beautiful than the previous silver designs if you ask me ) is the final detail that gives these lipsticks a great big nod of approval from me!

As for the shade range, you'll find everything from bright spring corals (701 Orange Fizz) through to deep autumnal tones (705 soft berry) as well as everyday dusky pinks - my current favourite lip style, such as the above - 751 Tea Rose.

The new Clarins Joli Rouge lipsticks have just launched, and retail for �19.50 each.

Will you be trying the new Clarins Joli Rouge?

xoxo

A First Look at Aerin

Aerin is one of those brands that I'd admired for the beauty of the products, lusting for the delicate gold packaging, pining for the printed bottles - basically all my Instagram dreams come true. I had not, however, expected to be equally if not more blown away by the quality of the products themselves. My first dabble with the brand included testing out a couple of their Rose Balm Lipsticks, the Multi Color for Lips and Cheeks, and their instantly recognisable Amber Musk Body Lotion.

The Rose Balm lipsticks come in a pleasantly weighty gold tube - a satisfying 'click' closure and frosted detailing on the lid. A beautiful design without detracting from the product within. The lipsticks are incredibly moisturising thanks to the natural wax ingredients usually found in balm products, and yet the luxurious texture gives the medium coverage that you'd expect from a light lipstick. The finish is slightly glossy, but, preferring the matte look at the moment I chose to blot with a tissue which gave a very natural, but still fully pigmented finish. My two shades, Perfect Nude and Coral Sands are not only both beautifully flattering, but also the two colours which I see myself alternating between for the remainder of the Summer months.

The cream formula of the Multi Color made me a little nervous at first - I'm historically not the most skilled at applying cream products to my face, so I began by dabbing the taupey rose shade onto my lips. A cross between a balm and a cream, the formula gave a beautiful soft shade - incredibly natural, like my By Terry Baume de Rose but even softer and more delicate. Pleased with the shade (and blown away by the gorgeous rose scent), I dared to apply it to my cheeks. If only all of my cream products could be this easy to apply. I dotted the cream onto the apples of my cheeks, and used a brush to blend. The result? A warm, very natural and healthy glow that my powder blushers could only aspire to give me. The shade 'natural' is a colour that i'll be reaching for on a daily basis as Autumn sets in, it's so wearable, and build-able too. On the cheeks, and on the lips, the Aerin Multi Color is a new unexpected favourite.

The Aerin Body Lotion is possibly the most beautiful of the bunch, the first impression really wows, and I knew instantly that this one would be displayed proudly on my bathroom shelves. The moment the lotion came into contact with my skin, I felt the luxurious lotion quenching and softening, and the fragrance took me by surprise - a warm coconut and rose scent, with a musky infusion which lingered on the skin. My skin looked, and felt refreshed, and the lotion sank in almost instantly - as far as first impressions go for a body lotion, I can't imagine they get much better than this.

Have you tried Aerin yet?

xoxo

First Impressions : Estee Lauder Pure Colour Envy

It's about time I switched up my usual Coral lips and neutral eyes combo, and I'd recently been on the  hunt for a new Summer lip when I discovered the Estee Lauder Pure Colour Envy Sculpting Lipsticks. Taking the highly coveted position as my 'everyday go-to lipstick' is their 'Daring' shade (top photo) - a wearable red shade with warm orange tones which make this the most perfect lipstick for a daytime look.

They're ultra hydrating and don't settle onto the dry areas of my lips, and the colour stays put for hours so constant top ups are a thing of the past. As for the pigment, for a lipstick that has a more glossy finish, the colour payoff is seriously intense, so in short, there's nothing I don't love about these lipsticks.

In the middle image, from right, Tumultuous Pink (a slightly dusky pink), Defiant Coral (a pinky coral), Confident (a surprisingly wearable purple shade) and Daring (my fave).

Daring is the one I've been reaching for, and the one which seems to add instant luxe appeal to every look that I pull together,  you only need to take one look at my recent Instagram Selfies to see how it's been the colour-du-jour for most of my recent snaps! It's so much more than a standard coral shade, with the Poison Apple red hue to it, it's somehow more grown up than the corals that I previously coveted as my go-to lip shades.

Have you tried any Estee Lauder Pure Colour Envy lip shades?