Lancome Juicy Shakers

It always amazes me how beauty brands are constantly innovating to bring out exciting new launches. First there were matte lipsticks, then lip oils and now these gorgeous cocktail inspired Lancome Juicy Shakers:

Lancome Juicy Shakers

 Lancome Juicy Shakers in Cherry Symphony and Freedom of Peach

I still remember when Lancome Juicy Tubes were a thing and desperately wanting one as a teenager. Fast forward 10 years and these exciting new Juicy Shakers are set to be even more popular! Shaped like a mini cocktail mixer, it contains a bi-phasic blend of pigment and oil which you shake to mix together into a moisturising lip colour. Now I must admit it was the novelty factor which first caught my eye but the packaging actually works really well, with the cocktail lid fitting comfortably into my hand and I love the soft tapered sponge which makes application so quick and easy.

In terms of colour, both Cherry Symphony and Freedom of Peach are very sheer, adding more of a light wash then anything heavy or dramatic. They're also both delicately scented with their fruit namesake and completely non sticky on the lips (great if you have long hair and live in a windy city like London)! For me these are the perfect handbag lip product, an ideal blend of colour and nourishing ingredients and I've already got my eye on Wonder Melon and Berry in Love to try next! 

Lancome Juicy Shakers, RRP £18, available now. 

Have you tried the new Lancome Juicy Shakers? What are your favourite lip colours this Spring?

Life - February and March round up

Without a doubt the highlight of my month (and year) so far has to be our incredible 10 day trip around India. There's just something about being on holiday that I find so motivating and inspiring! I can't wait to start working on my photo diaries and restaurant reviews but first a look back over the rest of February and March:

Taj Mahal, India

Anniversary celebrations

February is always a special month for us as we celebrate our anniversary and Valentine's, and it's crazy to think that we've been together for nearly 10 years now!

Sunday roast at Zelman meats

Continuing with our quest to try out new steak restaurants we came across Zelman Meats, a relatively new opening from the Goodman group in Soho. Unfortunately on Sundays they only offer a set roast menu option but we both loved the Picanha steak which was so tender and well flavoured that we'll definitely have to go back and try the full menu. Plus they offer a really good selection of cocktails which would be perfect for dinner with friends. 

 BGO games and movie night (photo from JoeBlogs)

Another recent highlight was the games and movie night with BGO. Despite being a huge superhero fan I've never got round to seeing any of the X-Men movies but really enjoyed Days of Future Past which had me captivated right from the start. We also got to play some of the new BGO Marvel slot games and somehow I even won a prize for being a top scorer on the night!

Flower arranging with Wonderush

I was recently offered a trial of Wonderush, a monthly subscription website which lets you sign up for all sorts of classes and experiences around London. It's particularly good for health and fitness but also has lots of craft options such as flower arranging which I went along to one Saturday morning. I don' think mine was the best attempt but it was a fun session and I've certainly picked up a few tips for future reference.

Hyde Park run

This year hasn't been the best for exercise but after a long break I finally dusted off my trainers at the weekend and surprisingly managed my first ever run without stopping once - I think it was all the walking in India which helped to build my fitness up. I'm now super achy but it feels so good to be back on the fitness bandwagon and I'm really hoping I'll have the motivation to keep it up as we go into Spring and Summer.

How was your February and March? Do you have any tips for staying motivated and keeping fit?

New in - Kiehl's face masques

Kiehl's are a relatively new addition to my skincare routine but having gotten on so well with their Ultra Facial Cream (review here) I was keen to try a few more products. They've recently launched two new face masques, both brightly coloured and packed with active ingredients. There's a turmeric & cranberry seed masque to energize and add radiance, and a cilantro and orange masque to help defend against pollutants:

Kiehl's turmeric & cranberry seed energizing radiance masque

Kiehl's cilantro & orange extract pollutant defending masque

Kiehl's turmeric & cranberry seed energizing radiance masque

Kiehl's cilantro & orange extract pollutant defending masque

In winter I often struggle with dull skin so was really pleased to see an immediate effect after using the new Kiehl's turmeric and cranberry seed energizing radiance masque. It tingles slightly on application which soon disappears as it dries and you're left with a rather attractive mustard yellow face (definitely not one to answer the front door with)! It also tightens on the skin so you can really feel it working and afterwards the crushed cranberry seeds gently exfoliate as you wash away, getting rid of any dead skin cells and helping to add even more of a glow. 

Kiehl's cilantro and orange extract pollutant defending masque is rather innovative and exciting. Instead of a weekly treatment like most masques, this is designed to be used several times a week. I've been using this in place of a night cream, applying generously all over, letting it sink in for about 10mins then tissueing off any excess and leaving it to work it's magic overnight. Like anti-aging skincare this is more of a long term preventative option but rather scarily recent research has shown that pollution can be almost as damaging as the sun so it's good to know that there are protective products out there, especially as London has some of the highest levels in the world!

Both masques available now, RRP £28, instore and online at Kiehs.co.uk

Have you tried either of these two masques? What are your favourite Kiehl's skincare products?

L'oreal Elvive Extraordinary Clay haircare

When I found out that L'oreal were bringing out their new elvive extraordinary clay range of haircare I was instantly intrigued. Living in London there's a lot of pollution and over the last year or so I've noticed my hair getting a lot more oily, to the point where I'd have to wash it almost every day! So a new range designed to rebalance the roots without drying out the ends sounded just like what my hair needed: 

 L'oreal elvive extraordinary clay hair care

L'oreal elvive extraordinary clay hair masque

The new products are all based around refined clay, an ingredient long since used in skincare to help detoxify and deep cleanse. Within the L'oreal elvive extraordinary clay range there are four products to choose from and I decided to start by trying the clay masque and silicone free shampoo. 

The masque is designed to be used pre wash on dry hair and although it takes some time to really work into the roots (I'd suggest doing it layer by layer), it's nicely scented and easy enough to apply. After 5-10 minutes it's time to wash off and shampoo. Now I must admit with the mask being quite thick I was worried about rinsing it all out but it softens really well under water and after shampooing and conditioning my hair definitely feels a lot fresher and lighter.

L'oreal elvive extraordinary clay promises up to 72 hours of pure lightweight roots and I have to say it's not far off! On the third day I need some dry shampoo, but considering I was having to wash almost every day before its a big improvement and I would definitely recommend giving it a try if you also struggle with oily roots. Plus the masque is surprisingly fun to apply and it's a good excuse to have a mini pamper session and treat yourself to a face mask too.

L'oreal elvive extraordinary clay haircare, available now at Boots

Have you tried anything from the new L'oreal elvive extraordinary clay range? What are your favourite products for oily hair?