Mag Love of the Moment: Harper's Bazaar's June Issue Starring Cheryl Cole

Not only do they have the beautiful "Angel of the North," Cheryl Cole, as their cover star, this month's issue had me in glossy mag heaven for a good while :)

Love the look they photographed Cheryl in, it's so pretty and romantic. I especially love the exotic smokey-eyes, sumptuous lips and locks, paired with soft light pretty fabrics...

St. Moriz Instant Self Tanning Mist / Spray V's St. Moriz Mousse Review

I wen't along to Semi-Chem a few weeks ago in the UK to pick up a new bottle of St. Moriz Self Tanning Mousse and to my surprise found that they also had St.Moriz Self Tanning MIST in stock! I had never actually seen or heard of the so called "Mist" version of this infamous self tanner before and so was pleasantly pleased with my discovery, especially as it was only £2.99 :) and so, of course, I gave it a go...

The St. Moriz Mist is basically a spray, it comes in a 150 ml can with a spray top (akin to a deoderant can) and the Mousse comes in a 200ml bottle with a pump on top which dispenses the formulation in a bubbly mousse (kind of a given, but hey ho!)

After exfoliating and moisturising the dry areas on your skin (knees, elbows, hands etc) you are directed to "Spray the tanning mist lightly and evenly in continuous sweeping movements 6-12 inches from the body" then "Rub gently into the skin to achieve even tan development." I try to do the spraying in the instructed "evenly" way and it becomes apparent that I am not a tanning pro. I am left with a few big uneven strips of wet brownish liquid across my legs. This is quickly solved however by rubbing the liquid into the skin with my hand until it looks acceptable (like the Mousse it is tinted so you can see how it has applied). I then follow quickly with the thorough washing of my hands as I find that St. Moriz leaves horrible staining on them if not rinsed straight away (a bit of a problem if you set out to tan your whole body - I combat this by stopping for a hand wash pit stop after each section of application - leg, wash hands, other leg, wash hands...) The drying is fast and the end result does not differ much from that of the Mousse... It leaves you with a lovely golden olivey-brown tan which lasts for 2-3 days and does not smell pongy like some other tanners :)

In my opinion, the Mist is a good idea and was an exciting discovery, but, I do find the Mousse easier to apply... You simply dispense it in your hand and rub it in instead of trying to control the spray - which you end up having to rub in with your hand anyways.

To conclude, the Mist was good for a change, and if like me you are not an expert in applying tan stick to the mousse.

For you guys also in the UK, St. Moriz can also be found in TX Maxx, Savers and Sally's, failing that there are several reputable online suppliers - check out Amazon, for example!

Product Loves of the Moment...

Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Care Mascara in Noir Black

Sephora by O.P.I Nail Colour in 'How Cute is That?'
Benefit Coralista Blusher
E.L.F. Warm Bronzer
Barry M Lip Paint in #147
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in #54 Beige
Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush Lip Gloss in 'Fuzzy Naval'


Possibly a recurring coral theme here??

Late Night Shopping: Ruby London at New Look Studded Bag

Thursday's = Late Night Shopping = Naughty Purchases <3

Loving the soft colour and texture combined with the stud detail.
Detachable strap so that it can be worn as an over the shoulder bag too... I prefer it with just the hand/shoulder handles though :)
Retailed at £55 but I managed to get a student discount bringing my total to £44!

Happy Thursday :)

Lipstick Love of the Moment: Barry M Lip Paint in #147

Providing the perfect poppin' pinky-peachy-coral colour that I was after!

Like most Barry M Lip Paints I need nice moisturised non-chapped lips for this otherwise it applies unevenly due to its drier matte consistency.

Blusher Love of the Moment: Benefit Coralista

Carrying on with my current coral craziness...

Benefit Coralista!


As I own - and have been impressed with - the majority of the Benefit blusher & bronzer boxes, I bought this as soon as it first came out last year. I must admit after an initial product honey-moon period we grew apart only for our flame to be reignited recently...

Not only is the packaging killer and the smell lovely (fruity peaches and cream!) but this ticks several blusher boxes (oh the irony)! It instantly warms my face with a simple sweep over the apples and a tad on the nose. It is a beautiful coral colour with pink undertones topped off with a wonderful pearly sheen of gold running through giving it such great dimension. It is velvety smooth and applies with no fuss, and more importantly, no patches! Not a harsh blusher

Like most, I do not use the little brush that comes along in the box - although it is cute and possibly one day will come in handy when I have forgotten my usual blush brush - I just don't find it to be the best for the job (hard to blend with, etc) so I use another!

Because of the flash on my cam you can't clearly see the colour but here is a rough idea... :)

Surprisinly I have a coral tinted lip gloss on here too, Sehpora's Gloss Ultra-Brilliance in no.12... not the best lip gloss (not pigmented and the applicator is useless) but had the colour I wanted today and is nice and glittery!

Lovely Jubbly!

Hair Care Love of the Moment: Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Hair Repair Treatment

So it is Sunday today and since this is when I usually squeeze in some time to relax and unwind after a busy week and therefore carry out beauty treatments as part of that (face masks, deep hair conditioning, etc) I thought I should write about my new hair treatment love...

Inecto Pure Coconut Oil Hair Repair Treatment.

Firstly, this has such a delicious irresistible smell of sweet coconut (one of my favourite smells!) so from that it was sold to me right from the first sniff :-)

As for the result of the product it only gets sweeter...

I apply it to slightly towel dried hair and leave for 5 minutes - a good generous dollop is needed for my thickness and length of hair. After this time it is rinsed out and I get to the task of blow-drying. The result is wonderfully soft conditioned locks that smell just yum! The initially strong coconut smell does slightly fade once dry but still lingers enough to make me smile when I catch a whiff.

It must be noted that I only use this once a week as like most other hair treatments if I were to use more than this it would lose effectiveness ending with limp greasy hair.



I noticed that Inecto also offer Pure Coconut Oil daily Shampoo, Conditioner & Serum in their range that I may try next!

Have you tried any of these?

Nail Polish Love of the Moment: SEPHORA by OPI 'How Cute is That?' Nail Polish

I am totally feeling coral lips, cheeks, accessories, coral everything at the moment, and so when I came across this beautiful coral-y pink nail polish during one of my rummaging sessions in my uncontrollable nail polish collection, I was pleasantly surprised :)

Meet SEPHORA by OPI Nail Colour in 'How Cute is That?'...

This is a lovely bright and interesting colour, according to Sephora it is a "Vintage Pink Coral," in some lights it appears more orange and in others pink - always with a lovely subtle golden shimmer running through. Whatever the exact colour is I think it is bright & beautiful!

I picked this up in July 2008 on a trip to the US, along with a few equally pleasing SEPHORA by OPI nail colours... Although I love the colours I purchased it needs to be noted that this range is NOT as good of quality as OPI's own brand nail polish. They seem to be a lot runnier/watery and a good 3 thin coats are needed. So if you are looking for a nail polish for applying in a hurry I would give these a miss.

All my own opinion of course :-)



I'm sure I will post about the other colours that I had purchased from SEPHORA by OPI in the not so distant future!

MAC Love of the Moment: To The Beach Summer 2010 Collection: Mini Haul!

I am trying to watch my spending as there has been so many new MAC collections recently and as I should be saving my money for more "important" things :-p I only picked up 2 items...

MAC To The Beach Lipstick in 'Thrills' & MAC Lustre Drops in 'Pink Rebel.'

'Thrills' Lipstick -

I love this lippie! A bronzey frost finish in a beautiful amber rose copper colour... Sort of hard to explain and really quite original, I don't have any other lipsticks like this. It warms my face instantly and makes my lips look full. With its golden bronze shimmers and amazing depth of colour it is certainly not your average dull muted pink lips. When I swish this on I feel like a beautiful beach babe!

Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel -

So I have heard so much about Lustre Drops, but i had yet to purchase my own until now. I debated over buying them in the MAC Style Warriors Collection, but, as at the time I was trying to cut down on my consumption of Makeup, I resisted, and have since wondered if that was the right decision :-p Before I was not sure exactly what Lustre Drops did but now I totally get it. 'Pink Rebel' is a lovely light pink-toned pearly liquid formulation. It is great as a highlighter on my cheeks and brow bone and it instantly brightens my face with its pearly gold shine creating a luminous look. I have yet to try adding this to my foundation or moisturiser like some have suggested but I think this would be an idea :-)


Did you pick up anything from the To The Beach collection?

MAC Pret-a-Papier: 'Light Over Dark' Mineralize Blusher Duo - Swatched

Very pretty, but for me it is a little bit too shimmery for a full on blusher and more like a bronzer... applied with a light hand to the apples of the cheeks (building to preference) it provides a lovely bronze glow with a hint of peach and gold shimmers.

Of course as with all MAC Mineralize Blushers/MSF's's it is pigmented and smooth, blending superbly.


Hmm... I think I will write a post on my favourite MSF's soon ;-)

Mascara of the Moment: Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Care (Rant/Review)

Sometimes I find my eye lids becoming slightly red and puffy after a long day of mascara covered lashes irritating them, so when I seen that Bourjois had added a sensitive mascara to their already hefty range I was willing to give it a go and purchased Bourjois Volume Glamour Ultra Care in 'Noir Black' - RRP £8.00, but I believe I got it on offer ;-)

So, I have been using this for a few weeks now and would definitely purchase it again. Within this time I have not experienced one day of irritated eyes, therefore it has obviously been keeping my peepers happy! As far as the actual effect of the mascara I find that it does just the same job as the normal Bourjois 'Ultra Glamour' mascara - creating a decent amount of volume and separation on the lashes which lasts until the end of my working day. Also it does not leave a horrible black creasing/smudging under the eyes after a long day which I see on some womans poor under eyes.

Overall, I would say that I have tried better mascaras as far as volume and 'glamour' go. It is not THE most vollumising mascara in the world but I use this more for general daily wear for a natural pretty eyed look and reserving a more dramatic effect mascara for weekends and nights out. One other less desirable point to note is that this one clumps a little on the brush end, meaning I really have to scrape it off on the top inside of the tube as I pull it out to stop a clump coming out on the end of the wand which would effectively transfer on my eyes creating a not so lovely gloopy clumpy look (I hate when that happens!)

Basically, the main point of me buying this one was for its kindness to eyes and I believe it delivers... :-)

Have you guys tried any other 'Sensitive' mascaras that would be worthwhile?

Drugstore Foundation of the Moment: Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation Review

As far as drugstore foundations go I usually buy Revlon foundations (with Revlon ColorStay being my favourite, followed by Revlon PhotoReady.) But, when I paid my local Superdrug a visit to purchase a new darker foundation due to my skin developing a decent tan from being on holiday in Egypt, I found myself trying out Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation. I loved the fresh look of the model and the fun and fruity design in the ads and as they had it on offer at £7.99 I was drawn to it and thought I would try something new. I went for colour 54 'Beige' which seemed like the perfect colour for my current tan'ness, baring in mind I am usually quite fair skinned.

The first thing I noticed about this is the smell. It has a lovely fruity smell (quite like peaches) that actually lasts on the skin and almost brightens my mood when I get a whiff of it in work. As for the formulation it is'nt runny but has a decent thickness and is quite creamy so when I apply it with my foundation brush it goes on well, settling into the skin as a slightly matte base, leaving my skin feeling velvety smooth with a nice dewy glowing look. This stays put throughout my working day and does not slide/wype off easily. I have sensitive skin which is often dry in areas and therefore I need to be careful of which products I allow to grace it but I found this to be quite comforting for my skin. It keeps it fairly moisturised and does not dry it out or make it feel tight like some other foundations. The benefit about the packaging is that it has a pump which I beleive is more convenient and hygienic, also you can clearly see how much is left in the bottle which avoids you unexpectedly running out. I'm not so sure if the described "fruits" and "vitamins" within this mixture actually have any benefit but if I were to trust what Bourjois say then the fact it contains such components is good also.

Now, for the bad points... I found that on first application it seems like quite a nice colour but then after a little time it seems to oxidise and starts to orange. With looking orange being one of my pet hates this is not so desirable and so I found to keep it at bay I have to apply a lighter tanned powder over the top. I use a discontinued AVON mineralise loose powder for this which I just sweep over my face. The bad things about the packaging is that it is quite cheap and plasticy and not very sturdy. Lastly, after a few days of full usage a few little spots seem to appear on my t-zone - nothing considerate or controversial as this often happens to my skin due to makeup but it needs to be noted :-)

Overall, this is not a wonder product and I will not be swapping my Revlon Colorstay for this temporarily, but it made for a nice little change and as far as drugstore foundations go I would recommend trying this one as it is far better than some.

(Excuse how sleepy I look in this pic - It was taken after a tiring day in work!)

:-)

Have you tried Bourjois 10 hour sleep effect foundation...? Think I will try this next time!

Nail Polish Love of the Moment: China Glaze - Agent Lavender

To satisfy my current obsession with pastel nails I rummaged through my nail polish drawer checking out all of the light colours in my collection. I came across a few forgotten polishes which met my criteria, but one in particular stood out...

China Glaze - Agent Lavender.

This is a pale lilac/light blue polish, it is quite a cold muted colour but bright at the same time (if that makes sense at all) and looks wonderfully powdery and creamy. A gorgeous light tan works a treat with this and it also seems to match a lot more outfits than I had originally thought it would!

I had this on today and after just a few hours of wearing it I had received several compliments which has only increased my love for it now :-)

Also, it needs to be noted that this, like most China Glaze polishes, glides on with little hassle and dries like a dream. However, as it is quite a light opaque polish two coats were needed, which tends to be the norm for me anyways!


Have you tried 'Agent Lavender' or do you have any other pastel recommendations?

Any opinions are welcomed :-)

Shopping Love of the Moment: Primark

I was shopping in Primark and was very impressed with their current selection of spring/summer clothes. I was trying to be uber selective and very controlled with my purchasing as I usually get carried away in there resulting in a basket that's somehow packed to the brim! So, I picked up a cute little top and pumps only!

Here they are...

Top £6

Pumps £8

(Excuse the gross hair in this pic - It was still slightly half wet from my shower and very unstyled :-p)

The cute polka dot and floral print plus the pretty ruffled back detail of the top are so lovely. Overall, its quite a light flowy top perfect for the nicer weather and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion. I tried it with a boyfriend blazer for a smarter look and with a cardigan and also a hoody for a more relaxed casual style and it looked nice with each!

I love the ruffles and the stud detail as well as the colour of the pumps... a very light pink, almost nude (best worn with a little tan on the feet, otherwise - as my boyfreind happily pointed out - they look like "excess skin"... gross but hilarious!)

And moi modelling my new top... :-)

(Stupid loose hairs in my face! lol)

So, I will definetley be returning later this week to pick up one or two other tops that caught my eye... oh dear. Afterall, it ends up being not that much of a cheap shopping trip if you get itemsx100 because "oh its ok, each thing was only a few pounds!"

Aren't the Primark marketers a smart bunch?

Love of the Moment: Pale Blue Nails... The Chanel Mystery Colour & Jessica 'Bikini Blue' Nail Polish?

Lately I have been searching for a pale blue nail polish to complete my collection of pastel nail colours, which currently consists of pale pinks, lavenders, creamy light yellows and mint greens but no pale blue... And it seems like I couldn’t be any more on trend!

After reading an article it seems like it could be the new “It” colour to have after Chanel show cased a reported “pretty” powdery pale blue colour on their models nails at a Chanel Cruise fashion show this week in St. Tropez!

The Chanel colour has yet to be named and has raised many questions on what it will be called and most importantly, when it will be released!??

As I doubt I will be able to get my hands on the particular Chanel colour I continued my search online today for a similar pastel-y pale blue due to my search in the high street ending with no leads!

So far I have stumbled across a promising looking Jessica nail polish – in ‘Bikini Blue’ and at a sale price too (of £7.99 at www.justbeautifully.co.uk)! The Jessica nail brand was actually recommended to me in a salon in Egypt in March where I was getting a mid holiday pampering and as I have yet to purchase any of their products this could be the perfect time to try them out!

Let me know if anyone reading has tried Jessica polishes or more importantly 'Bikini Blue'?


So prettily gorgeous, right?

Makeup Interest of The Moment: MAC Pret -a-Papier Summer 2010 Collection - To buy or not to buy?

Despite reading reviews describing MAC's Pret-a-Papier Collection (Released April 2010 in the USA and May 2010 in the UK) as being somewhat dismissible I quite like the look of the collection. Especially the pale but interesting girlie models laden with paper bows and cardboard buttons. Rather comparable to china dolls with porcelain skin and swishes of peachy coral coloured cheeks. Although, I would not like to have been one of those models in those dresses (paper cuts galore - awch!) I do however love the look. And, so I have found myself debating over which products to order...

The particular products I have my eye on are...

Mineralise Blusher in 'Light Over Dark'
Blusher in 'Instant Chic'
Lipstick in 'Dress Maker, Dress Maker' (Second from left)


Did you order from Mac Pret-a-Papier??

L'Introduction

It could be referred to as 'Jumping on the Blog Wagon...' But call it what you may, after stumbling across this amazingly weird yet wonderful world of blogging I am yet another victim that could not fight it, and - dare I say - has caught the blog bug! Thus, leading me to create this very here journal...

‘Amour Du Moment,' translated to 'Love of the Moment,' is all about my love for Beauty, Fashion, Photography and Art and will document my current adorations and obsessions!

I will share the photographic spreads of fashion and beauty that I am currently being dazzled by, the architecture or interiors that I have been awed by, the smell of a scent of perfume that I have been subdued by, the jewellery that I am being gemmed by, the styles or outfits or material that I am drawn to, or the colours or sparkles of an eye shadow, nail polish or lip gloss that I am smitten with.

To sum it up, this is my blog in which I will share my inspiration and loves of the moment, as well as give my reviews on beauty and fashion products and brands and write my general thoughts and opinions on anything of current interest to me!

A blogger will be made of me yet!

~ Ali