By God I Love New York

Seriously.
It's 100 degrees out and I'm frizzing like an early 90s Nicole Kidman but I wouldn't be anywhere else in the world.

You'll be pleased to know I'm blogging in the back of a cab in my Alice+Olivia finest, sporting Louboutins and totally rocking some sweat proof slap.

It's all about primer baby and in this heat and sunshine, I'm sticking to my spf40 Cityblock.
Long live Clinique.

And since I've slept for about six hours since Thursday, long live Beauty Flash Balm and Touche Eclat while I'm at it.

Don't wait up...

Bobbi Brown Jewellery Collection

There is always a downside to getting something you want.
Next week I get to go to New York and see my lovely friends.
But it means I miss this AMAZING Bobbi Brown collection...

To celebrate the launch of Coutts London Jewellery Week, an exclusive, limited edition Bobbi Brown Jewellery Collection will be available at Bobbi Brown counters all over London from the 9th - 15th of June.


The collection has been handpicked by Bobbi (a self-confessed jewellery addict!) to complement any and all of your bling. Here's the good stuff... inside you will find:
Brightening lipgloss in White and Pink
Shimmer Brick in Pink (my FAVOURITE)
Black Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner
Black Everything Mascara

And all this comes in a very chic black jewellery pouch for, wait for it, £81.50 - wowsers, it's almost worth coming back for! Bobbi Brown is absolutely one of my favourite brands. All of her products have an incredible knack of helping you look like you, but ten times better. Very cool.

Check out Bobbi-Brown.co.uk or call 0870 0342566 for more info.
And you can find out more about jewellery week here...

And I'll sulking a little bit here...

Lipstick Queen Oxymoron Gloss

In my search for pretty things throughout June, I present to you one of the prettiest things I've found in ages. Lipstick Queen's Oxymoron Gloss.

This delicious little compact is home to one of the cleverest products that you didn't even know you needed (until now). And it's pretty. And it has moron in the title (snigger).


The colour goes on sheer and light with the cutest little brush included in the pack but it's absolutely matte. As in shine and sparkle free. As in, completely. It's such a great idea for those of us that don't always want gloopy lips and hey, we all know boys that have lipgloss phobias. These light, creamy colours leave your lips looking slightly flushed and just kissed without drying them out or terrifying weak men with a wet look finish.

I also love the word play (hey, I'm word people) and the clever Lipstick Queen hasn't just created a product that is an oxymoron - a non-glossy gloss - but she's also given them fab names: Honest Politician, Minor Crisis, Free Ride and Deafening Silence.

I heart Minor Crisis, a beautiful soft pink and will be rocking it in contrast with my shimmery Stila Kitten eye palette all summer.
Get me.

Get yours here

What I did this summer... shopping in LA

Okay, I don't have a clever theme for June, okay?
I've worked my ass off coming up with barely relevant themes and I'm all out.
June going to be all about pretty things. We like pretty things.

Today's pretty things are the pretty things I bought on holiday last week in LA.
Behold their glory!

Stila Kitten Palette


I didn't love Kitten as a standalone shadow, as you know, it's all about Cloud for me but in this palette, I HEART it the mostest. Each complementary shade is summery, shimmery and all kinds of perfect. They're really all you need to get through the season... Just beautiful. And the compact is all kinds of covetable too. Yum.

Marc Jacobs Daisy Purse Spray


Utterly impractical and ineffectual - it's so not a handy shape to be in your handbag but look how purdy...

Hard Candy Kiss and Tell Lipgloss

Again, I didn't need it, it's not that special but it's got a FREAKING MAGIC 8 BALL IN THE LID!
I will now be making all my man decisions by way of lipgloss.
Got to be better than the ones I make on my own...

Bare Escentuals Buxom Babes Lip Tints


Following on from the gloss set on QVC, this set has brighter, lighter summer colours and at $27, is a total steal.

I know there was a tonne more stuff but this was the bulk of it...
And I'm going to New York next week so get ready for another load then.
Mew, my bank manager hates me.

May I... have splendiferous tootsies?

As you can imagine, LA facilitated all kinds of flippity-floppingtons and open-toe sandals so one's pedicure had to be tip-top.

However, how does one go about getting a tip-top pedicure for the flippity-floppingtons if you have NO TIME EVER?


It's easy, you head down to Boots, seek out the Ruby&Millie concession, you buy the gorgeous pink 450 and you paint your tootsies yourself. This stuff is great. It's the perfect summer pink, not neon enough to scare your mum but not coral enough to make her want to steal it. And it doesn't chip.
Ever.
Ever ever*.



*Well, it chipped a tiny bit when I jumped off the back off a model of a giant sloth at the La Brea tar pits but that's to be expected really. And that was more a chip off the actual nail than polish.
The sloth was giant. GI-ANT.

May I... avoid ingrown hairs?

I will never learn and that's a fact.
One of the reasons I know this is because every time I go on holiday I say I'm going to get my everything waxed before I go to avoid irritating shaving and depilitorising (is that even a word?) and yet I've only managed this once. That's pathetic, isn't it?

And the worst bit is, with all the fabby products available that actually work, I have no excuses.
Nads hair removal gel is particularly great according to my BeautyMecca Beauty Bunnies - there's no heating involved so there's no chance of me burning myself (again) and it's about as natural as these things get. The £14.99 pack, available at Boots includes enough to remove hair from both legs up to 15 times. Hmm, much better value than my local waxing laydee.


And to avoid all those icky ingrown hairs, they have a new Ingrow Solution, containing anti-inflammatory Green Tea leaf extract and Aloe Vera. Hurrah.

Nads also have a heap of cool facial waxing prods but since I once tried out a waxing strip where there was no tache and removed a couple of layers of perfectly good skin, I haven't tried them out. The Beauty Bunnies however, they say yay.
Go on, save yourself hours of annoying and painful shaving over sunburn.
Like me.
Bugger.

May I... soothe my skin with Sjal?

While I was away I had the BeautyMecca Beauty Bunnies (e.g. people I have bribed with product) test out some of the lovely news prods on the market - I am only one woman, people! One of the topper most tip top reactions to any range I've ever had was from the bunny testing Sjal skincare. This fab collection of luxe prods was created by mother and daughter duo, Karen and Kristin Petrovich and is a totally fabo eco-luxury skincare range, bridging Eastern medicine, Western bio-technology and bio-osmotic power. Clearly I didn't make that up myself... The entire range is free of petroleum jelly, alcohol, silicone, mineral oil, caffeine and fillers which is always nice, and boasts celeb fans including the ageless Ruby Hammer, super sexy Angelina Jolie and gorgeous Helena Christensen.

I've been obsessed with the new Mineral Kalla which is a fantastic spray on toner, for a good couple of months. There's always a spray on my desk to freshen up my skin during the day.


Sjal says: Mineral Källa is a deep penetrating mineral tonic, which is designed for immune boosting, toning and barrier protection. Mineral Källa contains gold, germanium and adaptogens to counteract stress and improve cellular energy. It provides strong bio-adhering hydration lasting over 24 hours. Mineral Källa protects the skin against pollution.
BeautyLover says: Wowsers. I like that it makes me feel fresh and purdy.

And my testing bunny is completely enraptured with the moisturisers and cleanser. To quote her directly, 'Sjal is the dog's' and 'What the bloody hell am I supposed to do when it runs out? You've ruined me for any other moisturiser ever again. You cow.'

I think what she meant was 'it's pretty good and thank you very much for bringing this into my life, kind friend'.

Check it out for yourself at panachecosmetics