How cute! Orly's new summer collection



From left: Fresh, Flirty, Frisky, Frolic



I must say that Orly's latest summer collection is one of my favourites to date. These candy-cute shades are the type of colours that you'd be happy to paint on before a holiday, but will look even better as you colour up. I'll be playing around with a sugary-sweet combination of Flirty and Frolic, but the lime-liscious Fresh will look amazing on black skin! The collection is available at http://www.beautybay.com/, £9.25 each. Sx

What bed hair should look like ladies...

Me My Elos Hair Removal System...The Review

A couple of months ago, I went to the launch of the Me My Elos Hair Removal System, £449.99 (Boots), and after 4 treatments, it's time to tell you all how I got on. The answer in short is really well. Read the original write-up here...http://besttressed.blogspot.com/2011/03/me-my-elos-hair-removal-system.html

But first for a quick recap on the product. The system uses a combination of Intense Pulsed Light and Radio Frequency to penetrate deep into the skin and damage the hair follicle, and unlike other point-and-shoot IPL and at-home laser devices, it glides over the skin, emitting a pulse every second for quick and easy hair removal. As I mentioned in my last post, the device also comes with an epilator attachment, specially designed for fairer-haired users to create a wound for the light to target. I didn't get on with the epilator - I found it missed a lot of hairs, and because you can't go over the same skin twice with the IPL device, the area couldn't be properly targetted.

This week I completed my fourth session and I think I've reached pro status. The light, once sunglasses-bright, doesn't really bother me now, although it's always best to use it in the daylight to minimise this brightness. The gentle heat the device emits with every pulse is really quite pleasant, however I did find it a little uncomfortable around the bikini line. As for the results, well, trials conducted on the device found that it reduced 89% of body hair after 4 treatments. I can't say that my trial has been as successful but the results are most definitely noticeable. My underarms are pretty near hairless now and my legs now have areas where no hair has grown back at all. As per the device's instructions, I am now to use the device once every 4 weeks so I will keep you posted on any further results.

As a white-skinned, dark brunette I am an ideal candidate for this type of device, which is why perhaps it has worked so well. It would be interesting to test it on someone fairer who has to rely on the complementary epilator attachment. I cannot speak highly enough about the Me My Elos Hair Removal System. Yes, it's pricey but if my hair removal carries on at the rate it's going, then I'll save a fortune in waxing trips. This is without a doubt the best at-home permanent hair removal device I've tried. Available now at http://www.boots.com/ Sx

NEW! George at Asda Makeup

Wow! George makeup has had a serious glam-over, or should that be a Benefit-over. From the rosy cheek stain, Cheeky Tint!, £3.50, to the pearlescent highlighter, Glow Shine, £3.50, the Asda makeup line bears an uncanny resemblance to the quirky, cult brand. But at a starting price of £1.75, you'd expect George's offerings to be a little lacking on the quality side, right? Not the case. After sampling a selection of the new, updated range, I'm very impressed.

Like Benetint and Posietint respectively, on top of the Rose Cheeky Tint (above), George has also brought out a softer, more subtle shade, called Pink Blossom. I tried the original shade and, while I'm not a massive fan of cheek stains - they never seem to blend well, leaving skin looking blotchy - this was a great budget alternative. The brush was a little stiff so I'd suggest running it under hot water and making more pliable with fingers before use.

I cannot believe this is £3.50! The brush felt a lot softer than the Cheeky Tint, and the formula was satisfyingly thick, without being clumpy. I am a massive fan of Benefit's High Beam so I was always going to be a tricky customer when it came to budget immitations but I applaud George for the soft, pearlescent sheen and easy-to-blend formula. 


Hint of Tint, £5 is a tinted moisturiser with SPF 15, so a great summer buy. I was slightly disappointed with the texture - for a tinted moisturiser, beloved for their lighter-than-foundation-formulas, I found this thick and heavy-feeling. Because of this, though, it gave great coverage for my less-than-perfect complexion.

The range includes eyeshadows, nail polishes, mascaras, bronzer, lipstick and much more. Sx





Lancome L'absolu Nu Lipsticks

I'm a sucker for a sumptuous lipstick, and they don't come more indulgent than Lancome L'absolu Nu Moisture Replenishing Lip Color, £19.50 (lancome.co.uk). The collection embodies that timeless sexy nude look - think soft, stain-like peaches, pinks and barely-there reds, rather than opaque, colour-block shades. Available in 12 delicate nude hues, L'absolu Nu is a great introduction into lipwear for colour-phobics.



Wearing 302 Voile de Rose

As for the texture, well having worn two of the shades of the last couple of days, I can vouch for their lightweight, silky feel. This is down to the Pro-Xylane™ formula, which helps boost the lip's moisture levels - so much so, that even after hours of wear, I still have that rub-your-lips-together balm feeling.  



302 Voile de Rose

As a matte lipstick devotee and an advocate of high street, budget make up brands, the quality of Lancome L'absolu Nu felt almost alien to me. Yes, at almost £20 the lipsticks are expensive but that cost is easily justified by its high-shine, transparent colour and long-wearing, sumptuous feel. When it comes to lips, I'm a fan of extremes - recent lip excursions have included a bleached out nude lip, teamed with heavily-smoky eyes, to a more gothic-inspired matte burgundy - but after dipping a toe, or should that be a lip, into the sexy sheer colour of L'absolu Nu, I'm converted (at least for daywear, anyway). Sx

Wearing 102 Rouge Nu



101 Corail Evanescent

102 Rouge Nu

103 Rouge Mousseline

201 Beige de Soie

302 Voile de Rose

Nicole Scherzinger is blue

Firstly, Nicole's earthy-blue streaks have inspired me to go for flashes of tress colour myself. After trying fluoro sprays, I definitely think clip in extensions are the way to go. Secondly, this is a dance routine I must perfect, if for no other reason than to achieve those abs. Sx

Want cool nails now? Go metallic!

Myface cosmetics lil' bling chrome nail polishes, £5.99 each, have just launched at http://www.myfacecosmetics.co.uk/ and boy are they blingin'. The formulas are satisfyingly thick and dry very, VERY quickly. The pigment is also impressive - I chose a girly combination of pink and purple, as seen below, and only needed to apply one coat! As for the finish, well, that's where the polish really excels. It's as if you've dipped your fingertips in a molten rainbow...okay, that sounds a bit trippy but the point is the colour is to-die-for. Bling along with me! Sx

After one coat

Limelight

Pink Champagne

Raspberry Beret

Sugar Plum

Tequila Sunrise

Get Catherine's Wedding Nail Look

Oh God (weep weep) wasn't she beautiful (sniffle, sniffle)? After marvelling (and crying, shhhh) at the Royal wedding last Friday, I think I have post-wedding depression! So to cheer my, and hopefully your spirits, I've got the lowdown on K-Mid's (or should that be C-Wales?) nuptial nails.

As I mentioned in my post, I spoke with Kate's Big Day manicurist a few weeks before the wedding. FYI, I can now safely reveal it was nail guru, Marina Sandoval! Kate opted for a chic, natural-looking shade, with a short, squoval shape. Marina applied Essie Nail Polish in Allure, £9.95 (nailsbymail.co.uk), securing with a top coat of the cult classic, Seche Vite Fast Dry Top Coat, £9.95 (nailsbymails.co.uk). Sx