Review: Elizabeth Arden Red Hot Croc Color Collection

"Every woman has the right to be beautiful." - Elizabeth Arden

Being ever the experimental buyer I purchased Elizabeth Arden Red Hot Croc Color Collection from feelunique.com last December for a bargain price of £45 in the sale (when the value of the combined products retails to £300)!

The set comes with a red croc travel makeup bag which is perfect for stashing away your beauty products whilst on the go, not particularly big or small just a right size for easy travelling. Whilst not something that I would perhaps use myself, (well not the main attraction for me buying the set) I felt it was still a decent sized store-away used that can be used for storage.

The set contains:

- Elizabeth Arden Deluxe Compact containing 12 Beautiful Colour Eyeshadows: Shimmering Taupe, Pearl White, Amethyst, Toast, Precious Metals-Highlighter, Shimmering Emerald, Midnight Blue, Heathered Plum, Rose Quartz, Aquamarine, Sun Peach and Sparkling Sable Rooted in NYC with more than 100 years of beauty expertise, Beautiful Color Eye Shadows were developed in shades that are trend driven and in a formula that is good for your skin. The outcome: smooth, crease-free shadows that combine long-lasting colour with luxurious skin care benefits.
- 2x Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Radiance Blushes in Sweet Peach & Blushing Pink (4g each) Beautiful Color fuses with care. Colour-true, high-pigment powder sculpts and defines the appearance of cheeks for a natural, radiant glow. The buildable, long-lasting formula is enriched with vitamins and antioxidants to help soothe and protect skin.
- 3x Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Ultra Lipsticks in Cassis, Tulip & Coral (3.5g each) These lustrous, colour-saturated lipsticks infused with Volulip™ deliver brilliant moisturising colour with lasting comfort and shine. Achieve plumper, fuller-looking, more defined lips that feel youthfully soft, smooth and nourished.
- 2x Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lipglosses in Diamond & Red Door Red (4ml each)Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lipglosses have a silky smooth texture and impart rich colour and lustrous shine. Infused with conditioning and hydrating ingredients, these non-sticky glosses sooth and comfort lips like a balm. Maxi-lip™ helps support natural collagen for plumper, fuller looking lips.
- 2x Elizabeth Arden Eye Pencils in Espresso & Smoky Black (1.1g each) These long-wearing pencils give your eyes definition and drama.
- 2x Elizabeth Arden Smooth Line Lip Pencils in Taupe & Plum Rose (1.1g each) Precision liners for perfectly defined lips.
- Elizabeth Arden Pressed Powder with Sponge Puff in Nude Shimmer 5.3gThis beautiful sheer shimmer will give your skin a radiant, healthy glow. Elizabeth Arden Shimmer Powder is a great finishing touch to any look. Apply to cheeks and body for a sparkle and shimmer that is sure to get you noticed. 
- Elizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Mascara in Black 7mlElizabeth Arden Ceramide Lash Extending Mascara with ceramide triple complex (Ceramides 1, 3 & 6) plus vitamins to help reinforce and restore lashes' natural protective barrier. Protein-based complex Keravis helps fortify, lengthen, define & revitalise lashes.
- Elizabeth Arden All Gone Eye & Lip Makeup Remover 50mlThis two-phase formulation easily and gently removes even transfer-resistant, waterproof makeup without irritation. Softens and comforts, leaving skin perfectly smooth & clean. 
- Elizabeth Arden Nail Lacquer in Candy Apple 5.8ml Beautiful colour for your nails, this Elizabeth Arden Nail Lacquer will complete any look.
- Elizabeth Arden 3 Piece Brush Set with PouchIncludes Cheek, Eyeshadow and Angle Eye brushes

My favourite piece has to be the Elizabeth Arden Deluxe Compact, a palette of 12 every day to evening eyeshadows that can be easily played up and down and is quite versatile. I don’t find them too pigmented; rather they have to be worked up with an angle eye brush (which the set does include)!  But nevertheless they have a satiny shimmery finish, and I was impressed by the range of shades from nudes to strong emerald/blues.

This cute set would be a great gift for anyone as an introductory and curious newbie to Elizabeth Arden products! Whilst I am not totally blown away, the set does make a nice alternative and I was particularly impressed by the consistency and the long-wear-ability of the liners.

It can be purchased from feelunique.com for £50.

…ArA…

The Body Shop Hand Cream Review

"He who comes into equity must come with clean hands" - Legal Maxim 

With the current gale force winds gripping the nation my hands can be left worse for wear. Hands are often the most neglected part of our body and also a tell-tell sign of age; I have often moisturised everything but my hands! I purchased this dainty looking Body Shop Hand Cream set a while ago after the pint-sized 30ml counterparts were perfect to stash into a few handbags of mine...

The set that I purchased had a selection of the 3 most popular, I love the vintage retro metallic packaging; tube sized and easy to use. The set contained two Hemp Seed Hand Protector creams which is the somewhat "power cream" out of the three that I own; it has a very thick consistency (which takes some time to absorb) and is somewhat tinged with a mild green colouring. It is not the best smelling cream out there (smells rather like a day out in a muddy field, takes a bit of getting used to) but is the most heavy duty cream in the collection in terms of its accolades. It states it is designed for "very dry skin" and supposedly has worked wonders for damaged cuticles as well as hands which is probably due to the Hemp Seed element that contains moisturising properties, mainly the fatty acids that Hemp Seed is made from. As I do not particularly like the scent I apply this to my hands for a S.O.S.-super treatment at night and I am guaranteed to wake up with soft subtle hands. 

The Wild Rose SPF 15 hand cream is much more to my liking, not only does it contain SPF (winner winner) but its beautifully fragranced and you can smell the roses in an abundance. Although it is targeted for "mature skin" I still love the scent, the rosehip oil no doubt combating those stubborn age spots for mature skin. This cream is a lot lighter than the Hemp Seed Hand Protector, for me this is why it is more practical to be stashed away in your handbag whilst on the go and definitely reminds me of those long summers.

My favourite out of all three has to be the Almond and Nail Cream, ah where do I start with this gem?! This cream is tailored specifically for manicures as it contains the duo of a manicurist special agents panthenol (vitamin B5) and and sweet almond oil celebrated for good skin and nails. The most quickest to absorb and the smell lingers too which is oh-so-divine! It is targeted for all skin types and for me has the most appeal.

Currently the above 30ml Body Shop Hand Creams are £2.50 online! Grab them whilst you can!

Which one is your favourite?

...ArA...

Prada Candy L'Eau Gift Set Review

"Basically I'm trying to make men more sensitive and women stronger." - Miuccia Prada 

Woah, first blogpost of 2014! Well life had caught up with me as of late so what better way to start 2014 with a quick perfume review of Prada Candy ...

I am a ridiculous sucker for anything pretty/dainty/feminine looking (those darn marketing people have ticked all boxes when it comes packaging again at Prada). You just have to look at the heavy duty gold rimmed packaging and metallic gold Prada emblazoning; finished with beautiful pastel pinks, ah it looks too pretty from the rest of my perfume collection, definitely oozing that ultra feminine vibe. I was gifted this Prada Candy L'Eau gift set for Christmas which contains a pretty stylish pouch (a great pink piece perfect for stashing away your beauty essentials) as well as scented body lotion.

Firstly, judging from the name alone you would be forgiven if you thought it would make you smell like a sweet confectionery jar; at first I hesitated when opening the top for the smell was rather overpowering. But rest assured once you apply a few spritz and after a few minutes the scent somewhat mellows on the skin and becomes far less "sickly-sugary" and for me at least is quite wearable for the daytime. For me the vanilla and caramel tones are quite vivid, it has slight fruity elements too which gives it somewhat a playful and youthful feel - a lot milder compared to it's twin Prada Candy perfume, which is more deeper and stronger in scent (hence the darker pink packaging).

Overall I have to admit I was drawn in my the packaging more than anything else, it just oozes a slight vintage lady-like elegance! J'adore!

Prada Candy L'Eau De Parfum is £65.50 for a 80ml bottle in Boots.

...ArA...

Tart up Tartan

This season the Tartan print has come back for an ultra-cosy yet chic look that can easily be worn for that formal and casual basis.  I love tartan coats (or known also as 'checked'); they look very fashionable and can be worn easily making an instant style statement – think chunky oversized coats that can add instant colour and a class whilst keeping you snug.  The tartan print can be safely worn by all ages, a versatile and timeless print that is somewhat evergreen...

1. Checked Coat £129 from Zara | 2. Navy Coat and Red Tartan Check Boyfriend Coat £64.99 from New Look| 3. Black Checked Biker Sleeve 2 in 1 Coat £85 from River Island | 4. Per Una Checked Belted Coat with Wool £99 from Marks and Spencer | 5. Collarless Check Wool Jacket £85 from Topshop | 6. Checked Coat £149 from Zara


...ArA...

Autumn/Winter 2013 Make-up Favourite Looks

"The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion" - Yves Saint-Laurent

Berry/Wine/Plum Lips

Embrace your inner Goth and go for an edgy dark berry lip colour keeping the eyes simple – an instant winter statement. I particular love the matte plum shades, you can simply blot any excess away to tweek the pigmentation to your liking and you are ready to go. The versatility of a matte lipstick means you can finish it off with a hint of gloss for a night out!

Left to Right: Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Rouge Volupté Shine lipstick in shade Prune in Fire £24 from Selfridges | 

Rimmel Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in Wine £5.49 from Superdrug 

Classic Smokey Eyes

My all-time favourite look, yes the classic smoky eye is a timeless look that can bring out the depths of your eye colour if worked correctly. For Autumn/Winter I like to experiment by mixing subtle plum colour for my bottom eye line – I then team this up with my trusty black kohl liner and blend to create a subtle impact. For instant drama I like to pin my hair back and letting my eyes do all the taking, this adds instant glamour without overdoing it, remember to keep the lips nude for a balanced look.

Nude Lips

Yes the au natruale nude lips are still dominating this season, an easy way to create and lustre and youthful complexion if done correctly! See my earlier blogpost on finding the perfect nude lip shade for your skin tone here.

See my earlier review about the Perfect Nude Lipstick by clicking on the above link!

Bold Brows

I am proud to embrace my natural thick eyebrows, dare I say it they have become one of my signature beauty traits (and have done so for some time)! The likes of Miss Delevingne have certainly shown that having a fuller brow not only makes you look a lot youthful but can transform the whole shape of your face. I tend to use my HD Brows kit to perfect my brows. Another trick is to use a little bit of Vaseline to add instant definition to your brows. Less of the plucking now ladies!

HD Eye & Brow Palette in Vamp £19.96 from HD Brows 

Brrr-ace yourself for Winter!

...ArA...

Light A Candle and ‘Lantern’ up your Evenings…

...Transit umbra, lux permanet...

With the shorter days being an inevitable the one thing that cheers me up after a long day is coming home to the warmth and setting a cosy scene by lighting some candles to bring some bright into the gloomier evenings. Next have a fantastic range of beautiful home décor sets and have something for everyone; from fragranced patchouli candles adding an elegant waft to any room, to spiced candle jars which always remind me that the festive season is near and those Christmas markets, they even have vintage styled lanterns that are to die for!..

#1

Medium Cream Ceramic Lantern £12 from Next

So pretty and understated this lantern holder has a beautiful heart shaped opening and is great to store those bigger pillar candles that need that extra safety support whilst looking ultra shabby chic cute! 

****

#2

Wild Orchid and Plum Fragranced Votives £10 from Next

These dainty yet perfectly sized candles smell of classic autumn/winter fragrances that consists of plum, berry, orchid blossoms and notes of amber and sandalwood that create that perfect British autumn/winter feel…they each have an individual pattern which makes them look perfect styled alone (for multiple separate usages) or within the set itself. 

****

#3

Festive Spice Fragranced Candle Jar £8 from Next

I love this Candle Jar, not only can it be lit to release the seasonal smell of juicy oranges and festive spices but when not in use it can sit nicely on your dresser/vanity table and act as an intricate trinket jar feature. Plus once all the candle wax is melted you can store whatever you want within this beautiful metallic red jar; but you will have to wait a while, as it alleges to burn up to 60hours! Now that is what I call lasting power. 

****

#4

Set of 3 Gold Tea-light Holders £10 from Next

Cannot think of anything more glamours to harbour tea-lights in, with the slightly stained golden glass and embellishments on the front of the holder you are guaranteed to add some extra sparkle to your evening. Perfect for aligning around a frosty window.

****

The full collection can be seen on Next online here.

...ArA...

Storage: Cake Tins

"Soon her eye fell upon a little glass box lying underneath the table. She opened it and found in it a very small cake, on which the words "EAT ME" were beautifully marked in currants."- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Following my last post on storage (see here) I thought I would do a quick post for those of you less inclined to dabble with anything close to DIY. Cake Tins I find are the perfect solution for storing anything besides cake; they look super cute stacked on a dressing table, adding a perfect vintage look whilst being protective and practical in storing those countless items! These storage tins below have been lying around (still in their packaging) for a year or so in my room, only did I recently discover them again (shocking I know, my room is an endless pit of hidden treasures cultivated from the hoarder that is inside me)! Who would want to even considering hiding these beauties in a kitchen cupboard?...

This Set Of 3 Regency Cake Tin can be brought from dotcomgiftshop.com online for £12.95 (plus £2.95 delivery costs). 

Cake anyone?

...ArA...