Michael Kors Rose Gold Double Strap Watch Review

Pretty much every girl and her handbag have a Michael Kors or Marc Jacobs watch these days, it’s actually harder to find someone without one. But I understand why, some of them are bloody gorgeous. I can’t say I’m a massive fan of the metal link ones by MK, some of them look a little to brash for me, so I was overjoyed when I came across exactly what I want in the form of this beauty. Michael Kors don’t actually seem to do many leather ones, I think I’ve seen about three but this is the one I fell in love with and just had to have. I’ve never owned a watch before, shocking I know, so I wasn’t sure whether I’d get my wear out of it but it’s safe to say I’ve never had it off. I bought it just after Christmas as a little treat to myself so three months on I’d thought I’d share my thoughts.

First off the double strap is something I haven’t actually seen before so it immediately caught my eye. It has a kind of fish scale pattern that I thought might look a little tacky before I got it but it’s subtle enough and compliments the rest of the watch rather well. My favourite part of it however is the actual face; I love the fact that it’s rose gold which we’re all crazy for at the moment. I also love how large it is, to be honest I thought the fact it didn’t have actual numbers was going to drive me up the wall and make it difficult to tell the time but that hasn’t been the case at all (I’m no Joey Essex). Although the design is very simplistic, there has been a lot of attention to detail. A tiny MK embossing adorns the crown (watch jargon for that little thing that sets the time) and the words Michael Kors sit on the front of the face, back of the face, on the inside of the strap and on the strap fastener. No forgetting who this bad boy belongs too.

Unfortunately I’ve had some trouble with it; only two months in the part of the strap that attaches to the face had completely teared and was literally hanging off by a thread. It wasn’t wearable at all, I was gutted so immediately took it back to Earnest Jones who sorted me out a replacement no problem. I think the reason it had given way was because it doesn’t sit on your wrist in the same way a watch would with just one strap would. It kind of sits at an angel and I think the tension on one side had just caused it to rip. I’ve decided that if it does it again I’ll be returning it and getting my money back as obviously there is a design fault if keeps continuing.

 

Hopefully this won’t be the case though as I do absolutely love it, it’s comfortable and doesn’t get in the way of anything despite it having a big face. Saying that, unfortunately a day after I received my replacement watch I went out, got drunk and woke up the next morning to find I made some great dirty big scratches on the glass. Very annoying, you can’t take me anywhere.

 

Michael Kors Rose Gold-Plated Double Strap Watch – ernestjones.co.uk @ £145

Do you have an MK watch? Have you had any problems with it?

Han X

The Day Facebook Asked Us To Bare All, What Did Our #Nomakeup Selfie Achieve?

 

So unless you've been living under a virtual social media rock over the past few days, you won't have noticed the influx of #nomakeup selfies that have taken over our timelines. Women everywhere have wiped away their eyebrows and laid bare their panda eyes and blotchy chins for all to see.

At first I'll admit I was sceptical, Tuesday night saw the odd one cropping up amidst pictures of tonight's tea and next doors dog. I took it as another Facebook fad that I didn't quite understand. However the following morning saw my Facebook feed peppered with 'nominations' and fresh-faced women ready to bare all in the name of cancer.

Of course there were still those questioning what this selfie overload was really about and what good it was really doing. Many a status bore something along the lines of "do something practical and get sponsored to help charity" and "these selfies don't achieve anything". True, they don't change the millions affected by cancer and they don't offer up a cure, but what they have done is put cancer, and not just breast cancer, at the forefront of everyones minds. Have you ever really seen this many people drum up support for one good cause in a matter of 48 hours? I haven't. It makes sense, the social media generation are selfie obsessed, barely a day goes by without coming across 1 or 10, so incorporating this into the way we generate charity awareness seems pretty genius to me. It was fun, took less than 5 minutes to do and absolutely everybody could get involved and feel they were doing something.

And they did do something, not only have these selfies got people talking about cancer, with people far and wide sharing their own cancer journeys, but they got the donation ball rolling. Despite the opinions of the cynics, nearly every other selfie I saw incorporated a screenshot of their BEAT texts to 70007. There’s no doubt that it’s pretty amazing but I personally don't think a bare faced selfie demands an immediate donation for it to be justified. But what I do feel is that it should inspire us to tip 50p into that charity bucket next time we walk past or encourage us to go out and buy a Marie Curie daffodil over the next few weeks.  If this is what happens then the job of the selfie has been done.  

Aside from the amazing support drummed up for cancer, I also watched in awe as I saw the whole female community get together and actually support one another. All too often we are told to see each another as mere rivals; women forget to back one another up. However the influx of bare faced selfies yesterday saw women actively encouraging those around them to get involved. There were women reminding other women that they were beautiful and for the first time I didn’t feel like I was going to be judged for uploading a selfie (which I sometimes feel happens even when I am wearing makeup). It was refreshing and there was a complete sense of ‘togetherness’ in the way people were embracing this challenge. Not only this, but as we are well aware, women everywhere are constantly fed those images of ‘perfection’, but yesterday made me realise that I am in fact normal. It was a relief to know that we all have those dark circles, spotty T-zones and not-so perfect pearly whites and for once women everywhere were welcoming them.

Social media is a wonderful thing and yesterday it really proved its worth. Reports have said that £15,000 was donated off the back of our beloved selfies and I for one am proud to have taken part.

Han X

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation Review

I have done a review on Estee Lauders Double Wear foundation in the past on an old blog of mine, but back then I wasn’t as in love with it as I am now. With that and the fact I have worn this for around a year I can safely say what it is that I love and hate about this product.

First off, the one thing I love about Double Wear is the coverage. It is medium to high which allows for building so if medium just isn’t doing it one day then you can work it up. I rarely have to use much concealer when I’m wearing this as it covers 90% of blemishes on its own, hooray! But one thing that surprised me was that aside from its ability to conceal and the fact it is on the heavy side of the coverage scale, it still sits naturally on the face. It doesn’t feel heavy and doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable which I have found even some lightweight foundations can do!

I personally think this is down to how matte double wear is. I would describe it as a semi-matte finish, because it doesn’t make my face look dry or moistureless but at the same time is the only foundation that keeps my oily skin at bay. It doesn’t slip or slide off my face and with regard to my comment about lightweight foundations making me feel uncomfortable, it is because after a while I start to feel the oils building up. All I want to do is reach for a face wipe! I hate that feeling, but DW doesn’t do this and that's why I always use it when I know I’m going to be out from 9am until late as it doesn’t let me down. Handy having such faith in a foundation huh?! It deserves it to be honest because it is good.

The only qualm I have about this product is the fact I can’t wear it everyday. The fact that it is so heavy duty means that it can break me out if I wear it relentlessly which is not good. Therefore that’s why I use it when I know I have a long day ahead as that is what I feel it’s good for. With that, I don’t always need full coverage to be honest so it hasn’t become too much of a problem. But another thing is the SPF, which is obviously all well and good but I definitely can’t wear this on a night out. It doesn’t picture well at all and gives me a white cast over my face, making me look really washed out and colourless. I’ve heard this is because of the SPF reacting with the light, so avoid if you plan on getting snap happy ladies.

Overall I think it’s a great foundation, I think it’d take some getting used to if you haven’t used a high coverage foundation before (like I had to) but once you find your way with it, it really is worth the money. I will definitely be repurchasing when I’m all out!

Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - £27.50 @ selfridges.com

Have you tried this foundation before? Are there any medium-high coverage foundations you’d recommend?

Han X

MAC Dark Side Lipstick Review

Dark Side is possibly my favourite MAC lipstick thus far. I love it. I picked it up whilst schmoozing the MAC counter on a whim one day and fancied a treat. I couldn't have chosen a better colour, as it's exactly what I've been looking for. 

 

 

Dark Side is a deep burgundy red with some subtle purple undertones and I think it is a shade many of us can work. It twists the classic red into the grunge and does so with ease. My favourite way to wear this shade is with thick black winged liner on the eyes teamed with a flawless finish on the skin, just add a leather jacket and you're smokin'. Of course not everyone wants to rock that look on the way to the food shop for example, but you can work it pretty much any way you want from edgy grunge to vampy to smart and sophisticated. It's wearable as a statement lipstick or a subtle stain, either way don't be put off by the intensity of the colour because it's a shade that I feel everyone looks good in. 

 

As for where this belongs on the MAC lipstick spectrum, it is from the Amplified collection (yet again) and certainly lives up to the expectations of this range. It is extremely pigmented, very creamy and not drying and stays on for ages. In my opinion you seriously can't knock an Amplified lipstick and they are definitely the best in terms of formula. 

MAC Dark Side Lipstick - £15 @ MAC 

 

I'm in love with this lipstick! What is your favourite statement shade? 

Han X

Daisy & Flowerbomb Purse Refill Set Review

I’ve got a bit of a thing for these perfume miniatures at the moment, I mean we all love having the 100ml sitting on our shelf but when a girls on a budget you need something to soften the blow and that’s where these come in.  It all started with my Mum purchasing Daisy Eau so Fresh for me as a Christmas gift and I then went on to buy Flowerbomb in NYC. I knew I loved my little Marc Jacobs handbag companion so not being able to afford the full size (damn you Sephora), I opted for the baby counterpart.


Many of us are familiar with Jacobs’ signature and extremely recognisable scent Daisy. I’ve gone through a few bottles over the years and I still love it no less. It’s an extremely wearable scent for both daytime and evening, it’s just that versatile! It has a light, fresh, airy scent that doesn’t feel overpowering or heavy, you’ll receive many a compliment wearing this! As for the refill purse edition I have, I am extremely happy with it. The bottle is pretty much a miniature version of the big 100ml bottles, complete with pink rubber flower on the lid. I love the fact that this is a spray dispenser bottle as it makes everything just that little bit easier. For your money you get 20ml already in the iconic Marc Jacobs bottle and then another 15ml in a glass tube ready for a refill. The refilling process is very easy, just use the funnel provided, unscrew the spray dispenser and pour away.

 

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb is one I have been after for so long and I have finally got my hands on a teeny portion of this beautiful scent. As the name suggests this is nothing less than a whole load of floral notes. It has a very girly and very sweet scent that I think some may find a little too overpowering, however it isn’t sickly which I can sometimes find with this kind of perfume. As for how I have taken to my refill kit I would say it’s pretty so-so. It comes with the iconic multi-faceted bottle, but it’s tiny (7ml) and is without the spray dispenser, it’s the whole pour and dab kind of thing. I’ve also had a ‘mare trying to refill it, you get the handy funnel to assist you with this but it’s just all a bit of a faff. The product just sits inside the funnel once you’ve poured it and refuses to go down. My thinking is that because this bottle is so small, placing the funnel inside the lid makes it air tight and there’s no room for manoeuvre. Instead the perfume ends up seeping out of the lid and you end up wasting product trying to get into the darn bottle, not the best. I can’t knock the perfume itself, I love it, but I think V&F need to take some tips from Mr Jacobs concerning the whole travel duo thang.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Eau So Fresh Eau de Toilette Purse Spray and Refill  - £25.05 @ escentual.com

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Travel Duo - $35 @ Sephora.com (doesn't seem to be available in the UK)

Have you had any refillables before? Anyone ever tried rollerball versions?

Han X

Cult Favourites | NARS Laguna Bronzer & Super Orgasm Blush

Every brand has those stand out products that you just have to have for the sake of the cult. For NARS it’s their Laguna bronzer and Orgasm/Super Orgasm blushes; they don’t have a review on every blog ever for nothing. Choosing whether to leave out such highly talked about products from your blog or to add your opinion to the masses is a tough decision.  I don’t want to bore people with the same old story I’ve seen myself hundreds of times. But I know these products are good and because of that I want in too.

What I’m getting at is that no one needs me to do the whole shabang on these two products. Instead I’m combining them together and giving you a brief low down on why I love them and why I use them religiously.

NARS Laguna Bronzer:

I’ve been using this for around six months now and I’ve been entirely satisfied the whole time. Looking at the product in the pan, Laguna appears dark, a tad shimmery and I’ll admit, a little bit daunting. On the skin however it transfers into a gorgeous golden hue and there isn’t an orange undertone in sight. It warms up the skin when dusted on in all the right places and also makes for the perfect contouring companion. It doesn’t look muddy or dirty, but blends easily and effortlessly, creating that sought after definition. This is helped by the fact that it is a very pigmented bronzer and you don’t need that much product to achieve the look you’re after. It’s a pricey number at £26 but it is one I would seriously consider investing in if you haven’t already. I use mine every single day and feel I have definitely got my money’s worth, and I’ve barely made a dent in it!

NARS Super Orgasm Blush:

Nars have numerous cult status blushes, Super Orgasm just being one of about five. I would describe this as being a very girly, frosted baby pink with peachy undertones, however if you don’t like glitter then this probably isn’t for you. Super Orgasm has very large glitter particles and an incorporated shimmer that are very visible in the pan. On the skin however the glitter aspect of the product doesn’t transfer as you might expect, most of the particles come away from the brush as excess or don’t stick onto the face at all. For some this will be a disappointment but for others a relief, I find it to work well just as it is, I don’t find it to be too much or too little, it just epitomises what makeup should be – pink, girly and fun. The lasting power is about 4-5 hours, not revolutionary by any means but I think it can depend on how much you apply initially, I tend to try not to be too heavy handed and just add more throughout the day.

NARS Laguna Bronzer - £27 @ Selfridges

NARS Super Orgasm - £22.50 @ Selfridges

So there we have it, NARS are a firm favourite with every beauty lover and I’m no different, what are your favourite NARS products?  

Han X

My New York City Purchases

 

First off I should acknowledge the fact that I've been away from my blog a little longer than anticipated. Sometimes life just throws you curveballs and all you can do is try to handle them, which also meant that I didn't feel at all like blogging. But I would also like to say thanks for the 20+ Bloglovin' followers I gained while I was absent, it was a nice surprise!

Anyway I'm back, and I'm back from the big apple which was absolutely amazing. It's definitely one of my favourite places, especially in the snow. My last post was a NYC wishlist, which I actually managed to stick to (roughly...). Unfortunately I was on a bit of a budget as I didn't have a great deal of time to save up spending money (we booked it pretty last minute!). Nevertheless I still managed to spend a good few hours in Sephora and MAC, swatching, testing and oozing over everything, so here's what I bought...

1. MAC Lipsticks

I actually only bought two lipsticks whilst I was away, Crème In Your Coffee and Plumful. These were both on my wishlist and I just had to have them. I wasn't too bothered about my other choices so I just bought the ones I had been eyeing up for ages. No regrets, they are both gorgeous and I haven't stopped wearing them since!



2. MAC Eyeshadows

I bought Cranberry, Naked Lunch, Sketch, Espresso and Rice Paper. The latter made an appearance because the lovely lady at MAC told me that it's great used as a highlight paired with Espresso on the brows. They only work out at around £7 in the US, a bargain in comparison to our UK prices. I only wish I could have bought more!



3. MAC Palettes

I went a little palette crazy. I already have the 15 insert palette which I bought a few months ago, but they are so much cheaper stateside that I just had to buy them all. I purchased the duo for my brow shadows, the quad for when travelling, the 6 insert blush palette and the 30 insert eyeshadow palette. I need to sort out what is being used for what, and I'll probably give one away but for less than £35 for them all, I would be mad not too!

 

4. MAC 208 Brush

I only have two MAC brushes currently, both 217’s of which I love but there are definitely more I want to add to my collection. I went for this one because I don’t actually have any brow brushes and felt it was time to invest, especially with all my eyebrow related purchases!

 

5. Makeup Forever HD Foundation

Finally got my hands on this! So unfair that some brands are only available overseas! At the moment I'm still in the process of working out my opinion on this one, but so far it's good.

 

6. Hourglass Arch Brow Shaping Pencil

I literally only bought this because I saw a comment by Viviannadoesmakeup stating she loved it. I think she's got great judgment and she hasn't let me down here, it's so easy to use it's quite ridiculous. The shade is perfect for me and I love its simplicity.

 

7. Anastasia Dipbrow Pomade

As you can see I am a little obsessed with the whole brow thing. This had me a little daunted at first, I've always used a pencil before now, but with continued practise it becomes less scary and you begin to work out your knack for painted on brows. I have to give myself a good ten minutes to get this right however so this only comes out when I have the time!

 

8. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb

I really wanted the full size version but it's just so expensive. Instead I settled for the little baby version which is so cute, it would make a lovely gift. I think it’s a gorgeous scent and apparently Zara do their own version! Let me know if you’ve tried it!

 

So there goes, I’m happy with my purchases and have fallen in love with some of them. More detailed reviews on my favourites shall be up within the month which I can’t wait to share. Not sure whether to write a post on what I got up to in New York over the 5 days, what do you think?

Han X