I heart NYC

Besides the incredible amount of creativity it contains, including this which is a mind blowing must see...

The endlessly inspiring fashion and street art...

The most super fun form of public transport...

And the most enjoyable way ever to spend a weekend, here and here...

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I never fail to uncover some major make-up gems that find their way to the very top of my beauty routine or my set bag and here are a few worth trying out.

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Sensual Skin Enhancer (silly name) from the late, great Kevyn Aucoin is truly the wonder base product I have been searching for,  It is a super creamy multiple product working as a foundation, a blemish concealer and an under eye highlighter providing astounding results.  I find you get the best out of it if you work it into your skin with your fingers, it comes in sixteen shades and is available here in the UK for £36.00 and here in the US for about $56.00.  It's a tiny pot but it goes a very long way and is perfect for a little enhancement as opposed to a full coverage base.

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Doctors Dermalogic Formula - DDF, Ultra lite oil free moisturising dew (long name) is exactly what is says on the label, it's super light but seems to keep my skin hydrated all day and make-up can be applied almost straight after using it. If you have sensitive skin and are searching for a great summer moisturiser give this a go.  Available here for $40.00

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Finally Fresh Cannabis Santal (controversial name, ha!) is absolutely delicious,  it is marketed as a mens fragrance however I found it to be sexy and sultry and seemingly perfect for NYC.  With top notes of Bergamot and Brazilian Orange, heart notes of Cannabis Accord (no it doesn't smell anything like that) and rose and base notes of Chocolate, Vetiver and Vanilla it is simply delicious.

I always find New York City a constant source of inspiration and this time round was certainly no exception.

French Fancies

Embryolisse is a pharmaceutical skincare company hailing from Paris that has been an expert in it's field for more than 60 years. Their products are a massive hit with skincare devotee's and Make-Up Artists alike.  I find when I'm working long hours my skin really dries out.  At home I always keep my very favourite skin care products to hand, but I also always have some rotating new ones that I am in the process of trying out.  Embryolisse - Filaderme Emulsion is one of those products.

It is a brilliant moisturiser that really packs a punch.  My skin has been crying out for a product that is light but incredibly hydrating and this really ticks both of those boxes.  

In the translated direction sheet that is packed into the box I found a section filled with little skincare tips.  They are so typically French and such good advice that I think we could all do with incorporating them into our skincare routines.  Here are just a couple...

• Don't let water dry on your skin, It will dehydrate it.
• Don't rub your skin dry, pat it gently with a towel.
• Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and excessive quantities of tobacco and alcohol.
• Eat a balanced diet keeping fats. sugar and salt to a minimum.

If you discover Embryolisse on your travels pick up some of their products and let me know what you think of them.

Some Snapshots

Here are some very mediocre Instagram shots I quickly snapped last week on my make-up truck just after breakfast. A little sneak peek into my daily life at the moment.

{A Continuity File} - {A Variety of Pins}

{Some SFX Sponges} - {A Bunch of Hair Products}

{Some of the Stuff at my Station} - {An SFX Palette}

{The Lid of an SFX Palette} - {One of my Flight Cases}

{A Selection of Skincare Products} - {Some Heated Rollers}

{Cotton Buds for Various Things} - {My Beloved Bobbi Brown Palette}

{I Would be Lost Without These} - {Glorious Loose Powder by Make Up Forever}

What is BB cream anyway?

You must have heard of BB cream by now.  It is also known as beauty balm and is apparently such a wonder product that any cosmetics company, both luxury and high street, worth their salt has created a version.  There are now so many on the market all claiming the same miracles that I am going to give you a little rundown of one I decided to test run at random.  Clinique age defense BB Cream SPF 30 £25.00 ($39.00).

All of the creams are apparently (so they claim) the first line of defence for your skin, especially for us city dwellers.  Packed full of antioxidants and SPF30, these are the ingredients that protect us from the elements and general junk in the atmosphere.  

It contains UVA/UVB to protect us from any premature signs of ageing.  It also contains special optical beads to reflect light away from the skin which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.  

Although anything with light reflecting properties will do this if used in the right way.

There is more, It gives enough coverage to even out skin tone and cover over any (very little) pimples.  This particular BB Cream comes in three shades.  Think tinted moisturiser in terms of coverage.

Personally this won't be replacing the base products on my dressing table, but have a do go with one as these are good multi-functional products, and if you are a fan of minimal fuss items then this will be perfect for you! 

So there you go, a wonder balm or a totally un-necessary make-up bag edition?  Have you tried one, what did you think?

Cracking Up

It is so cold in London right now, and one thing I find always happens in the freezing weather is that my hands start to suffer.  Hand cream is something everyone should have with them at all times, guys included!  You see the skin on our hands contains no sebaceous glands (sorry for throwing the word sebaceous in there without warning) this means they don't get oily and is one of the reasons our hands are one of the first places our skin shows signs of age.  So lets talk hand creams.

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Resurrection Aromatique Hand Balm - I love Aesop products, their natural goodness and the simplicity of their design I find most appealing.  This particular tube is filled with more of a balm than a cream.  It is greaseless and really acts as a barrier against  the elements with lots of healing properties if the cold has already got the better of you. £18.00 (28.00)

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Unusually rich-but not greasy at all hand cream spf10 - Kiehl's products can do no wrong in my eyes really (except be way more expensive here in Europe than in the USA!). This again is a great all rounder and one that I would recommend to the guy's.  It is scentless, with very unassuming packaging, it is not greasy and it has spf10 in it, perfect for protecting your hands from sun damage! £10.00 ($16.00)

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Lavender Hand Cream, Jurlique - This is my favourite hand cream.  It melts into your skin a dream and it smells like lavender, obviously, which is so soothing.  The formulation is so light and the calming effect is has on your skin lasts for ages. £17.00 ($26.00)

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Almond Coconut milk Hand creme, Laura Mercier - If you have ever used any of the Laura Mercier skincare or body products you will know that they smell out of this world.  There is no way you will be able to use the cream in the vicinity of another human being without them asking what that incredible smell is.  Reason alone to shell out for this luxurious treat.  Oh, its a very lovely hand cream too! £13.00 ($20.50)

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If you would rather a really practical, good value, product then the conditioning hand cream from Vaseline will rise to the challenge with far less showmanship than its more expensive competitors.  A really good everyday, deeply moisturising product with a price tag of only £2.99 ($5.00).

I hope you all have a lovely cosy weekend, whatever the weather where you are!

What's The Skinny?

Great skin is something that virtually everyone I know is trying to achieve and maintain and why not?  It gives you a real confidence boost when it looks smooth, clear and hydrated.  Although I am a firm believer in looking after your skin from the inside (fresh ingredients and plenty of water, blah blah blah!).  I am always searching for the perfect combination of products and gadgets to help my cause from the outside.

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I had read some great reviews about this product, the Clarisonic, so as soon as I could get my Sephora fix in the USA I had bought one of these babies to take out for a test run.  I decided to go for the most compact version in the range of the three available called the Clarisonic Mia.  It. Is. Amazing.  My skin has never felt so clean and flawless.

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If any of you have a sonicare toothbrush then just imagine its big sister ready to give your face the clean out of its life!  It works with a teeny drop of the cleanser that you already use and the Mia gets going on a one minute cycle of sonic vibrations that opens your pores, clears them out and refines them, it removes all traces of make up and visibly reduces any fine lines. Phew. All that in one minute.  

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The next step up is the Clarisonic classic which has three different speed settings, although the Mia is more than enough for me.  And then there is the Clarisonic Plus which is the big version that comes with a body brush programme and attachment.  Perfect for skin buffing to aid circulation and cellulite reduction or any fake tan prep you might do.   All of these products have interchangeable brushes which come in normal, sensitive, delicate, deep pore and body.  I use the normal one at the moment and I cant fault it.  My skin is apparently loving being so cared for.

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And look, it even comes in a ton of different colours to match your bathroom decor, if that's the type of thing that floats your boat.  And for the guy in your life the cliche manly grey!  Incidentally I insisted my man give it a whorl and he was suitably impressed with the results and if he had his own I'm sure he would use it.

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This piece of pampering kit doesn't come particularly cheap, they start at about £75.00 ($119.00) for the Mia, but give yourself a treat or put it on your Christmas wish list and I promise you, you will not be disappointed with the salon facial-esque results this will give you.

The other piece of skin beautifying kit I got my hands on in the States is the tanda Zap.  I sometimes get breakouts and hate the idea of putting harsh astringent chemicals on my skin and I really, really hate the idea of taking any prescription drugs in order to clean up the problem.  So I am always on the search for the miracle cure without going to see a dermatologist.  This little product is proving pretty efficient at some serious breakout busting.  

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It works on the basis that the very strong blue light is placed over the problem area as SOON as you feel a spot about to appear,  I will let the guys at tanda Zap explain:

Blue Light: 414nm blue light works by producing oxygen singlets which attach to the P.acnes bacteria (acne-causing bacteria). These singlets have a phototoxic effect on key porphorins, causing the P.acnes bacteria to self-destruct

Sonic vibration: Increases microcirculation to reduce swelling and inflammation while agitating the skin to expose more of the bacteria to the light

Gentle warming: Produced by the light energy, opens pores and allows the light to reach more bacteria.

Scientific I know, makes sense, yes, does it work, you know I think it does! I have used it religiously on every break out since I have had it and it has definitely kept the spots from developing (gross I know but we are all friends here!). It was $49.99 in Sephora (about £32.00) and so far it seems to do what it promises.  I will certainly keep you posted if that changes anytime soon.

So these were the little technological skincare gems I discovered on my travels.  Do you use either of these? Do you have any fail safe products you use for pimple control?