My (YELLOW) Wish List for April 2011!

So I know this post is long overdue. When I started these monthly colour wish lists, I intended to post them at the beggining of the month but I'm sure you'll forgive me for posting this one at the end of the month... it's been a busy one!

As April has seen the start of spring, glorious weather and (of course) Easter, I thought that yellow was the most appropriate colour for my wishlist...

First up is this fabulous patterened leather wallet from ASOS. I think this would make a gorgeous summer purse, and could even be carried as a clutch (it's just that pretty!) and only £25?! Bargain!

The next item isnt strictly yellow, but gold (close enough!) and comes in the form of a huge diamond (sadly not real) Paco Robanne Lady Million is one of my all time favourite fragrances, and I was super excited to see that they have realeased a solid perfume edition.. what a fabulous addition to my handbag this would make... £27 from House of Fraser

I also fell in love with these cute-as-a-button bow earrings from Marc by Marc Jacobs when I was in New York. I refrained from buying them after having already treated myself to a new bag and watch from the brand, but I'm regretting it now as they're much more pricey in the UK! £45 from Net-a-Porter.com

Last but not least, I've been lusting after this gorgeous feather print dress from Max C at ASOS. This one's on sale from £55 to £38 so I might just have to treat myself!

Close up of the gorgeous print!

What do you all think? Anything yellow on your wish list this month?!

Fx

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J Lo's 'Come Back' Continues...

Unless you've been hiding under a rock for the last few months, I'm sure you're all aware of J.Lo's recent 'Come Back'. After a couple of years off, giving birth to twins, and reaching the big 4-0 milestone, Jennifer Lopez is back and looking better than ever before (leaving all of us mere mortals green with envy!)

And to top it all off? She's got another fragrance release to coincide with the effective relaunch of her career.. and it's a good one!

Love and Glamour is a fun, fruity fragrance that is perfect for summer. The bottle looks like an Oscar (don't you think?!) which would make a fun addition to any dressing table. On first spray the scent reminds me of the discontinuted Les Belles De Ricci by Nina Ricci, which was one of my childhood favourites (my sister had it and I was so jealous I snuck a spray at every opportunity!) It has the same somewhat sour yet fruity scent, which I love. Definitely a winner in my book and a perfect, light-hearted summer fragrance!

Has anyone else tried this yet? Thoughts?

Love and Glamour is available in Boots now, from £12.50

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I Never Thought I'd Need These in England but...

As the sun has been shining consistently for the past few days (an almost unheard of occurrence for the UK, especially in April!) I thought a sun protection post was in order!

As I'm sure you are all well aware, it's very important to protect yourself against the sun's harmful rays, especially if you are going to make like my dog Woof and bask in the sun all weekend...

As I'll be lying next to her for the next few days, I thought I'd tell you all about my personal favourite sun protection products.

First off... the obvious one: Sunscreen!

My sunscreen of choice has been Piz Buin 'One Day Long' for a few years now, but I've recently been loving their latest release the 'Ultra Light Sun Spray' which comes in a variety of factors up to 50+ which are all light, non-greasy and easily absorbed. Yes, even the SPF50+ is super light... no unattractive chalkiness here, thank you!

It also smells divine. I've gotten so used to the smell of Piz Buin products over the years, they just smell like holidays to me now - love it! These are also currently buy one get one free in Boots and Superdrug - so now's the chance to stock up for summer!

The second bodypart on my list of things to protect is my hair. If you spend an arm and a leg in the salon perfecting your colour, the last thing you want to do is watch it fade in the sunshine.

The best defence for your hair would be a big stylish sun hat but I'm not really one for hats, especially when sunbathing and therefore like to use a protective spray. My favourite is Schwarzkopf BC Bonacure Sun Protect Spray, which acts like a leave in conditioner with the added bonus of protecting your hair from UV rays.

If you're a blonde like me, it's also important to use a product like this if you're going to be in the pool a lot... no one wants green highlights now do they? This spray is lightweight, doesn't make your hair feel sticky and smells lovely and summery too!

Right. With these in hand, I'm off to lie in the garden with Woof! Hope you all have a fabulous bank holiday weekend! Fx

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Are You on The List?!

Whilst perusing the shelves in duty free at Heathrow Airport last week on my way out to New York, something caught my eye. Ever the sucker for fabulous packaging, my eye was drawn to the fabulously bling bottle of the new 212 fragrance by Carolina Herrera, aptly named '212 VIP'.

The original 212 always reminds me of my mum, who wore it for years and for that reason, once I'd realised what it was I didn't think I'd be a huge fan myself. I was however, pleasantly surprised!

This fragrance is a perfect balance between the sweet, fun fragrances I usually gravitate towards and the more sophisticated 'grown up' fragrances i wish i would gravitate towards. The fragrance itself is inspired by modern, stylish and creative New York youth. The passionfruit and vanilla notes definitely keeping it fresh and young, while notes of rum and musk add a little something extra. The overall effect is a lovely, somewhat intriguing scent.

If I could compare this fragrance to anything I would say it has a similar feel to Paco Robanne Lady Million with a little bit of Agent Provocateur L'agent thrown in there for added maturity. The design of the bottle reminds me of Lady Million too. It's heavy and feels very luxe with the magnetic lid closure. Definitely worth a sniff, this new release has firmly secured a place on my fragrance wishlist.

The one downside? The branding is a tad on the cheesy side... 'Are You on The List?!' Cringe.

Eau de Parfum 30ml, 50ml and 80ml are available now from £26.90

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Sneaky Peak: NARS Summer Collection 2011 (including swatches!)

If this weekend's fabulous sunshine didn't manage to get you in the mood for summer, then a sneaky peak at the new NARS summer collection certainly will!

The collection comprises of a good mix of colours from the boldest of brights to pretty neutrals, I really think there will be at least one must-have item in this line up for everyone!

Eyeshadow Duo in Dogon (Above left, £23.50) "Named for the Mali-Based culture, this metallic taupe (with icy green sheen) and charcoal black duo eyeshadow delivers an unexpected twist on an otherwise neutral colour combo"

This duo has to be my top pick from the collection. It's not the product that initially caught my eye but is definitely the item I would pick for not only being the most wearable, but the most subtly pretty too. The taupe shade is simply gorgeous. If MAC's Satin Taupe and Club (two of my all time favourite eyeshadows) had a baby, this would be it! It has a very subtle green shimmer to it which looks stunning all over the lid. Add a little matte black to the lashline to add drama, or a little more to create the perfect smokey eye. This is definitely my must have product from the collection.

Eyeshadow Duo in Exotic Dance (Above right, £23.50) "A well coreographed pairing of metallic white with silver sheen and metallic gold, creates a dazzling duo eyeshadow"

This duo on the other hand did catch my eye in the pan, but once swatched, it wasn't quite what I'd hoped for. While the gold is stunning and a lovely smooth consistency, the white is chunky and difficult to work with (think MAC lustres!)

Eyeshadow Trio in Cap Ferrat (Above, £33.50) "Inspired by the Alpes-Maritimes fegion in southeastern France, this trio eyeshadow of sea blues - icy sea foam, silver green and icy turquoise - delivers a cool wash of colour to the lids"

The first thing I noticed about this trio is that the three eyeshadows are all separate, something I believe is a first from NARS (love it!) The colours are gorgeous, especially for the summer. While the bright shades aren't for everyone, they are more wearable than you would think (see the swatches below!) and would look beautiful on darker skin tones or with a tan. They are all soft and easy to apply and blend as I've learnt to expect from NARS eyeshadows... a lovely little trio!

Highlighting Blush in New Order (Above, £20.50) "A soft pink blush with gold and silver shimmer, highlights cheeks with the softest hint of radiant colour"

I wanted to love this blush so badly. It is absolutely stunning in the pan, a pale lilac-pink with silver shimmer. As with many of the NARS blushes, the problem is that the so called 'shimmer' is actually glitter, making it very hard to pull off on a day-to-day basis. Although this is undeniably a gorgeous colour, I was disappointed that I couldn't wear this all day, every day. Definitely more of a night time shade!

Top: New Order Blush

Bottom (l-r): Dogon, Exotic Dance, Cap Ferrat

Soft Touch Eyeshadow Pencil in Queen (Above, £16.50) "Regal, easy, portable and long-wearing. This smooth and creamy soft touch shadow pencil, in a majestic and modern citrus gold glitter can be swiped on lids and blended with a fingertip"

This is easily my least favourite from the collection. The colour isn't what I'd normally go for anyway but the pigmentation of this pencil is very sheer with chunky glitter. Everything about this pencil seems cheap to me... the colour, consistency and glitter content is something I would expect from Barry M, not NARS!

Lipgloss in Wonder (Above left, £17.50) "This shiny, sheer manadrin orange lipgloss is laced with pink and gold shimmer for a pop of citrusy colour"

This bright orange shade looks scary in the tube, but having learnt from my experience with the gorgeous 'Nana' lipgloss from NARS' Spring collection this year, I made sure to swatch this before I passed judgement (a good move!). It's actually a very pretty, sheer orange gloss that looks great layered over the Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil. The consistency is smoother than the other NARS lipglosses I've tried too, not sticky at all.

Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero (Above right, £17.50) "This pink canteloupe, velvet matte lip pencil is as subtly suggestive as the seductive, slow-tempo latin music after which it's named."

I keep seeing this pale pinky-coral shade in upcoming collections. Be it in the form of nail polish, lip products, blush or eyeshadow, it's definitely going to be an 'in' colour for summer! It looks scary at first, but applied with a good lipbalm underneath (I'd recommend Lanolips) I think it looks gorgeous.

Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage (Above left, £18.50) "Named for the string of cities that line the gulf of Tunis, this matte, hot pink hue saturates lips with ruch, bold colour."

Definitely not one for the faint hearted! This pink is bright but definitely beautiful. Being matte makes it a little harder to pull off, but if there is any time to wear this shade, it's in the sunshine!

Lipstick in Mayflower (Above right, £17.50) "This nourishing sheer raspberry lipstick delivers subtle colour with a shimmery finish"

This really is the perfect 'your lips but better' lipstick for me. A sheer, natural pink with a glossy finish that leaves your lips feeling soft and moisturised. I'm a big fan of this one, I can see it becoming my everyday summer lip colour.

l-r: Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bolero, Pure Matte Lipstick in Carthage,

Lipstick in Mayflower, Lipgloss in Wonder

Nail Polishes in Ecume (Above left, £13.50) "An opaque white nail enamel that is at once vintage-inspired and avant-garde in sensibility"

White is a gorgeous colour for summer nails, but I wouldn't splash out and buy one from NARS... save your pennies for the rest of this collection!

Nail Polish in Kismet (Above right, £13.50) "Fate, Destiny, a predetermined course of events. This metallic sunflower nail polish was simply meant to be."

This colour is absolutely stunning and quite unique. As I said above, I don't like spending a lot of money on polishes that can be easily duped for a few pounds. Unique colours however, are definitely worth the more hefty price tag! (and this would look fabulous on tanned toes!)

On the whole, I was really impressed by this collection. I think the choice of colours offered something for everyone, while still managing to offer bright, fun colours for summertime.

The collection will be available in May.

My Quick Summary!

Must Haves:

Mayflower Lipstick, Dogon Eyeshadow Duo

Worth A Look:

Cap Ferrat Eyeshadow Duo, Wonder Lipgloss, Bolero Lip Pencil,

Carthage Lipstick, New Order Blush, Kismet Nail Polish

Give it a Miss:

Queen Eye Pencil, Exotic Dance Eyeshadow Duo, Ecume Nail Polish

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Car Polish?

Those of you who follow me on twitter may be aware of my recent obsession. I've been trying to find a nail polish that matches my car. Normally this would be an easy feat, surely? Well as some of you may know, my car is a pretty special colour and I've searched high and low for a polish that could potentially match my prized motor.

Well... I may have found it!

One of my lovely friends on Facebook let me know about Nails Inc. 'Franklin's Row' polish, which looked like this online:

Promising...

When I finally got my mitts on this shade I was not dissapointed!

It's almost the perfect shade! It is slightly on the dark side, and would be an even closer match if it had a little more pink and bronze in the mix, but it's definitely the best I've found so far!

It was lovely to apply too and the colour is so pretty on the nails - LOVE it! You can pick it up on Nailsinc.com for £11.

On a side note, thank you so much for everyone who's sent me their suggestions for a matching polish since I mentioned it - I've been inundated with tweets, comments, messages and emails from you all I feel really quite overwhelmed! And an extra special thanks to Zara, who tracked this one down!

Fx

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Optimistic.

On Thursday morning I made my way to central London, having been invited to Paul Smith's head offices to meet the man himself and hear about the brand's upcoming fragrance release: Optimistic. In this kind of situation, I'm never quite sure what to expect. The Paul Smith brand is one that I have always admired for being fun and quirky, but it is hard to imagine how this mood would translate into a 'meet and greet' type situation.

I was therefore expecting some kind of awkward corporate set-up followed by more awkward questions and even more awkward dingling around at the end. Upon arrival, I was nothing short of startled to be led straight up to his office and greeted by the man himself with a warm handshake and pat on the back.

What followed has not only cemented my perception of the brand, but has also somewhat inspired me on a personal level too. Paul Smith is probably the most down to earth, intriguing and inspiring man I've ever come across. His office looks like something from a magazine shoot, a relative rabbit warren of toys, gadgets, books, rabbits, knickknacks and even bicycles. During the hour that our small gathering of beauty bloggers spent there, we were not only encouraged to have a look around but actively shown and told stories about all kinds of trinkets that Paul has picked up during his long career in the fashion world.

After a few minutes with the designer you realise why the name of the new fragrances is so fitting. Especially in recent times, where optimism has become an even rarer trait. Paul Smith remains optimistic, interested and utterly inspiring. Having planned a business trip to Japan (where the Paul Smith brand has seen great success) months ago, he is still travelling there next week to make sure all of his staff and friends are alright 'and to give them a big hug, because they need it'.

His attitude is truly infectious and has left me with so much respect for not only him, but the brand he has built and everything that he stands for. A little optimism is what we need right now don't you think?

The fragrances (one for men and one for women, which Paul actually spoke about very little, but had some bottles on his desk for us to try) smell lovely too.

Fresh and light hearted, they are both the kind of scents that you can't really not like. Definitely worth checking out, they're available in Boots now and nationwide 1st May.

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Jason Wu Collaborates with CND

One of New York's hottest young fashion designers Jason Wu, famed for designing the white dress Michelle Obama wore to her husbands inauguration, has collaborated with CND (Creative Nail Design) to create his very own nail polish collection.

Jason Wu

What at first glance appears to be a fairly standard selection of shades, upon second look absolutely shines in terms of subtle originality.

l-r: Miss Wu, Anna effect topcoat, Brigitte, Sophia, Veronica

There are four colours in the collection including Wu's 'trademark' limestone nude with a matte finish entitled 'Miss Wu', a gorgeously glamorous warm pink called 'Brigitte' and a deep blue-toned red called 'Veronica' that looks almost pink in the press image. The final colour, entitled 'Sophia' lets the side down slightly in my opinion. It's a lovely mushroom taupe shade but I feel like I've seen this one a hundred times before.

What makes this collection really stand out for me though, is the 'Anna' effect top coat. This clear topcoat claims to leave the nails with a very subtle 'tweed'-like crackle effect.

Michelle Obama in Jason Wu

On the whole, I love the look of this collection and think the choice of shades perfectly embody the look and feel of Wu's designs. I was a little disappointed to find you can only buy all five colours together though.

The Jason Wu Collection is available now from CultBeauty.co.uk and is priced at £49.95.

Thoughts?

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