Look beauty Cool Britannia nail pop

The Olympics might be over, but if you're still in a patriotic mood, then take a look at this super sparkly Look beauty Cool Britannia nail pop:

Look beauty Cool Britannia nail pop

The nail varnish is made up of tiny flecks of red, white and blue glitter, which once painted, almost looks holographic on the nails.

The glitter particles are nice and fine, so it's quick and easy paint on. Because most of the polish is made up of glitter, it dries very quickly, although you are still left with a gritty texture once dry.

For a glitter polish, it was surprisingly pigmented, I could have gotten away with one coat, although for a truely even colour, I'd recommend two coats.

Cool Britannia* retails for £5 and is available from selected superdrug stores and online at Lookbeauty.co.uk

Did you enjoy the Olympic games? Will you be buying this patriotic nail varnish?

Fashionista stylebrows kit review and swatches

For years, I've always kept my brows in good shape, but it wasn't until I started filling them in with this Fashionista stylebrows kit, that I realised just how important eyebrows are to your face structure:

FashionistA stylebrows kit

A relatively new launch for Fashionista, this stylebrows kit contains 3 shades of shadow, a clear wax as well as mini tweezers and a duo ended brush.

The dark brown shade works best with my hair colour, and it leaves my eyebrows nicely filled in without looking too harsh. The 3 powder shades cover a good spectrum of colour, however the other 2 are far too light for me to use on my brows. They can be used as eyeshadow, but rather than a universal palette, I think I'd prefer a couple of different palettes, each with lighter or darker shades to suit your eyebrow colour.

The mini brush is actually pretty decent. The fibres are stiff enough for precise application, but still have some flexibility so you can blend out and soften any harsh lines. There is also a mini tweezer, which obviously isn't as good as my normal pair, but will do the job if you discover any stray hairs during application.

A couple of minor points aside, I really like this stylebrows kit. It's made such a difference to my eyebrows, and it's now a daily essential for my make up bag.

FashionistA stylebrows kit* retails for £7 and is available now from Superdrug.

Do you spend much time on your eyebrows? What do you use to fill them in?

Guerlain la petite robe noire

When I think of Guerlain, I think of classic, more mature scents, but they've recently brought out a new La petite robe noire perfume, and I think it's perfect for the younger generation:

Guerlain la petite robe noire

On opening the box, my first thought was how beautiful the bottle was. The colour gradient is so eyecatching, I love the attention to detail, and just like the little black dress, it looks so chic and luxurious on my dressing table.

So what about the actual fragrance? Well with notes of black cherry, berries, almond, rose, liquorice and smokey black tea, it's sweet and fruity, yet at the same time rich and seductive.

At the moment, I'm very much using this as an evening scent. However, come wintertime, I can definitely see myself spritizing this on in the morning, then feeling very chic and Parisian as I go about my my daily activities.

Guerlain la petite robe noire* is available now from Boots and Selfridges

Do you own any Guerlain fragrances? What's your favourite evening scent?

Instagram 010

Birthday dinner/Cocktails/New shoes

Pizza/New fragrances/The yummiest chicken salad

Revlon cherries in the snow/Birthday chocolates/Westfield London

August's Glossybox/Crabtree & Evelyn solid perfume /Salmon with Mediterranean veg

Relaxing at Baglioni spa/Pretty new things/French treats

My Instagram username is Peonieslilies if you'd like to follow me on there.

How nice has the weather been recently? After months of cold temperatures and rain, it's so nice to finally dig out all my summer clothes and flip flops! Because it's been so hot, I've not worn much make up, but I am loving nail varnishes and accessories at the moment!

As you can see, it's been another food filled fortnight, but I am slowly getting back into cooking and exercise, so at least it's a bit more balanced. If like me, you struggle to find the time (and motivation!) to exercise, then I'd definitely recommend taking a look at the LiveStrongWoman Youtube channel. They've got some great workouts and it's really helped to get my fitness back on track.

I'm also thinking of investing in some Zaggora pants and a juicing machine, so if you have any recommendations, then please do let me know :)

What have you been up to recently? Who are your favourite Youtubers?

Ps. If you'd like to guest blog on Peonies and lilies, then click here to find out more :)

Guest blogging

Just a quick post to see if anyone would be interested in doing a guest post for Peonies and lilies? Over the years, I've had some great guest bloggers, and would love to share some more posts with you this September.

Gratuitous photo of the Whitsunday islands :)

It would be great if the post was in keeping with the theme of this blog, so if you'd like to write a beauty, fashion or lifestyle guest post, then please email me (peonieslilies@gmail.com) with an idea of what you'd like to write about, as well as a link to your blog.

Guest posts will be published throughout the month of September, and I will of course link back to your blog.

I hope at least some of you will be interested, and I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks so much :)

Maxfactor make up giveaway

It is officially the weekend, and what better way to celebrate than with a Maxfactor make up giveaway:

Smooth effect foundation
Colour Xpert eyeliner
False lash effect 24 hour mascara
Lipfinity

Celebrity make up artist Caroline Barnes has put together a 'Summer rain' make up kit (so you can look your best whatever the weather!). And to celebrate their new Twitter page, Maxfactor have kindly offered to give away a set (worth over £38) to one lucky winner.

For your chance to win, simply be a GFC follower of Peonies & lilies, and leave a comment below telling me what your favourite rainy day activity is. Please also leave an email address so I can get in touch if you are the lucky winner.

Please note, this giveaway is for UK readers only,
and will close at 12pm on 26th August. Good luck!

P.s Don't forget to check out the Maxfactor Twitter page, where they will also be giving away a P&G beauty goody bag.

The P&G goody bag will include Olay, Pantene, Oral B and Max Factor, the choice of products will be at P&G’s discretion and may vary from products featured here. The giveaway is open to UK and Ireland residents only, to be in with a chance of winning you must become a follower of the Max Factor UK twitter page.

Glossybox August 2012 - International superstars

It's Glossybox time again, and this time they've gone for an International superstars theme, no doubt inspired by the recent London 2012 Olympic games:

This month 5 out of the 6 items are make up/nail care. Normally I prefer getting skincare over make up, but this month they've chosen the products really well, and almost every item is super wearable and universally flattering.

Broadway nails imPRESS press on manicure
Vera Valenti l'ombre a paupiere margarita eyeshadow palette
DHC deep cleansing oil
Glossybox lipstick in Glossy pink
Alessandro pro white nail polish
Lipcote lipstick sealer

Love the illustration!

The Glossybox lipstick was created exclusively by Kryolan make up and is a beautiful dusky rose shade. I'm also looking forward to trying the DHC cleansing oil as soon as my current cleanser runs out.

The only product I'm not keen on is the Vera Valenti palette. Being a neutrals girl, I won't get any use out the blue eyeshadows, but with 5 other beauty samples to try out, this is still one of my favourite boxes.

RRP £10 (plus P&P)*, available from Glossybox.co.uk

Are you a Glossybox subscriber? What did you get in your box?

Revlon cherries in the snow

Cherries in the snow was one of the first colours Charles Revson created for Revlon, and having tried it out, I'm not surprised it's still going strong nearly 60 years later:

RRP £6.49*, available from Boots and Superdrug

I'd describe it as a gorgeous glossy red, with just a hint of pink. Red nail varnish is such a classic, and the touch of pink makes it just that little bit more youthful and fun.

For such an old nail varnish, the formula is surprisingly pigmented. The above photo shows just one coat, and it was touch dry almost straight away.

There is also a matching lipstick, which I'm now really keen to try.

Have you tried this colour? What are you must have nail varnishes?

Summer haircare routine

My haircare routine very much focuses on keep the roots oil free and injecting as much moisture as I can into the ends. These are the products I've been using this summer to do just that:

At the weekend I always wash with the aptly named Bumble and bumble sunday shampoo. This detoxing shampoo is great for washing away any product/silicon residues. It foams up really well so a little goes a long way and it always leaves my hair feeling squeaky clean without drying it out.

I then follow this up with a small blob of Ojon intensive hydrating 2 minute hair mask. This rich creamy conditioner does a great job of smoothing and nourishing the ends of my hair. It take a few minutes to fully rinse away, but once dried my hair is left silky smooth, soft and shiny.

During the week, I've been using Pantene aqua light shampoo and conditioner, both of which are lightweight, easy to rinse out and leave my hair feeling nourished but not weighed down. Incidently, Pantene have teamed up with Cancer hair care and are currently donating 5p from the sale of every bottle from their Pro V classic care range.

In between washes, I like to use Batiste Lace dry shampoo to freshen up and add volume to 'second day hair'. As always I simply spray over the roots, leave for a minute or so, then rub in and brush out any excess.

Finally, I like to use L'oreal elvive extraordinary oil whilst my hair is still damp to add extra nourishment to the ends. This contains a variety of flower and oil extracts and leaves my hair seriously soft and silky. The oil is very lightweight, you only need a few drops per use and the pump makes it so much easier to dispense.

Have you tried any of these products? What are you currently using as part of your haircare routine?

NATorigin lipsticks in Coral and Fig

Launched in the UK in 2010, NATorigin is an organic company which produces a range of hypoallergic skincare and cosmetics. For the last few weeks, I've been trying out 2 of their ecocertified lipsticks:

With ingredients such as beeswax, shea butter, sweet almond oil and jojoba seed oil, it's not surprising that both lipsticks have a balm texture and feel very moisturising on the lips.

Considering the balmy feel, the lipsticks are surprisingly pigmented and can be built up to a rich colour with just a few swipes. However, because they are so balmy, staying power isn't great and you will need to reapply during the day.

Of the 2 that I was sent Fig is definitely my favourite. The plummy red shade works well with my skintone and makes a lovely everyday work appropiate lipstick. Coral on the other hand is more of an orangy red, and is one that I would reach for when I want a stronger lip colour.

Packaging wise, the pink plastic case is pretty basic, but it is eyecatching and sturdy enough to withstand being thrown in my handbag.

What do you think about these 2 lip colours? Do you actively seek out organic make up?

French pharmacie haul

I'm a big fan of French skincare so on my recent roadtrip to France I just had to pop into a local pharmacie and stock up on a few basics:

I love the Bioderma crealine H20 solution for make up removal, so naturally they were the first item on my list. Whilst there I also spotted these green bottles of Bioderma sebium H20. They're targed for oily skin, something which I suffer from, so into the basket they went too.

Finally, I brought a small bottle of Caudalie beauty elixir to try out. On first impressions, it's very refreshing, I love the herbal scent, and I'm hoping the essential oils will be beneficial for my skin.

Unfortunately there weren't any big pharmacies where we were, else I'd have picked up a lot more. Hopefully next time I'll be visiting Paris and can shop to my heart's content in one of their bigger stores.

Are you a fan of French skincare? What are your favourite products?

Ps. Congrats to Ying who is the winner of my Saturday night out kit giveaway. Congrats Ying, can you please email me your address and I'll get your prizes sent out asap.

Neom invigorate candle review

I love scented candles and anything with bergamot in it, so this new Neom invigorate candle is literally a match made in Heaven for me:

RRP £39.50 (travel size £13)*, available from lookfantastic.com

With notes of bergamot, grapefruit and lime, the candle is zesty, fresh and very citrus. Once lit, it gives off the most refreshing aromatherapy scent, but even unlit, the essential oils are strong enough to lightly fragrance my desk.

At £39.50 it's not the cheapest of treats, but you do get a massive 1kg candle, which can burn up to 50 hours. Best of all, the ingredients are 100% organic, so there's no need to worry about harmful pollutants or black soot marks.

Have you tried any Neom candles? What's your favourite scent?

Olympics - London 2012

Olympic fever has well and truely hit the UK, and last Wednesday I was lucky enough to spend the day exploring the Olympic park as well as watching 2 nail biting matches:

Like a lot of people I didn't manage to win any tickets in the lottery, and had pretty much given up hope of watching a live match. However in a twist of fate, my flatmate had some spare tickets for the Olympic park and naturally I jumped at the chance to visit!

It was a beautifully sunny day on Wednesday, and even though we weren't in any of the stadiums, the atmosphere was just buzzing! I had so much fun exploring the area and taking photos, and in the end we were lucky enough to get recycle tickets for both the men's hockey and the women's basketball.

All in all, it was an amazing day. It felt so surreal being at an Olympic match and I'll forever cherish the fact that I was lucky enough to be a part of London 2012.

Do you have a favourite Olympic sport? Which country are you supporting?

Bourjois Summer 2012 - Paris flowers

Inspired by the beauty of a tropical flower, Bourjois' summer 2012 collection includes a mix of bright blues, bronzey oranges and a gorgeous coral lipgloss:

Bourjois summer 2012, available now from Boots and Superdrug

I'm already a big fan of the Effet 3D lipglosses, and this Corail artistic shade is just perfect for summer. The formula is moisturising yet non sticky, and the lipgloss pigmented enough to add some colour without being too dramatic for everyday wear.

Both the vivid blue (02) and spicy orange (16) eyeshadows are very vibrant, but being a neutral girl, they're not shades that I can see myself wearing very often. That said, they are nicely pigmented, non chalky and apply with minimal fall out.

Finally, there are 2 mascaras to choose from. Volume clubbing black jack gives very dark separated but voluminous lashes, whereas Volume glamour max has a much chunkier brush and is waterproof so a better choice for the poolside.

What do you think about the new summer 2012 collection? Will you be giving blue eyeshdaows a go?

Glossybox July 2012 - Festival glam

Glossybox has become something of a monthly highlight for me, and this month's box is all about getting festival ready and looking glam on the day:

Compared to last month's make up centred box, I definitely prefer this month's offering, especially as it contains the much raved about NUXE body oil.

Paul Mitchell awapuhi moisture mist
Monu night renewal complex
Elizabeth Arden skin balancing skincare
Bex London N6 fragrance sample
Nuxe huile prodigieuse
Jelly Pong Pong lip frosting

Of the 5 products, I'm most hesitant to try the Monu night cream, simply because it sounds too rich for my skin. I do however like the bonus satchet of Elizabeth Arden skincare. You can also trade in the information card for a more deluxe sample at one of their Debenham counters.

The N6 perfume starts off quite masculine, but settles to a rich evening fragrance, and I love the bubblegum pink lip frosting, even if it does smell very sickly sweet.

RRP £10 (plusP&P)*, available from Glossybox.co.uk

Are you a Glossybox subscriber? What did you think about this month's box?