Wearing Red: With a Twist

Wearing red during the Christmas season has become somewhat of a tradition. Over the last couple of weeks I've really noticed the predictable surge in the number of rouged lips and scarlet manicures. Now, I'm not against traditional Christmas colours but I am going to suggest three ways that you could wear red that are all a slight twist on what's "traditional". We have to at least try and keep things interesting!

Textured Top Coats

Bring on the red nail polishes by all means but finish off your manicure with an interesting topcoat. I've been loving Seventeen's Glitter Nail Effects Polish in Red*. It just gives my nails a little something extra that helps them stand out from the crowd.

A Flush of Red

If you want an interesting way to incorporate red into your routine then invest in a red cream blush. All you need is a dot on each cheek, blended out with either your fingers or a stippling brush, and you'll have replicated a natural looking flush of colour. My pick is for this look is Illamasqua's Cream Blush in Libido. 

Blotted Lips

I've seen some very "perfect" looking red lips gracing London's streets lately. Whilst they look mightily stylish, a perfect pout requires quite a lot of time and effort. My preference is for a hint of matte red, blotted into the lips. Apply your lipstick, take off excess product with a piece of tissue and then really rub the remaining lipstick into your lips. The final effect is a stain-like finish that's very easy to wear. For this look I like reaching for Rimmel's Kate Moss Matte Lipstick in 101.

A-Derma: Skincare for "Difficult" Skin

For the last month I've been trialling A-Derma's skincare range for sensitive, eczema prone skin and I have to say - whole heartedly and with no reservations - that it is a wonderful, wonderful range. I have a really awkward skin-type - it's combination (with starkly dry and oily areas) and it's sensitive - and I've found it difficult to find products that work for all my skin issues. However, I found that the A-Derma products that I've been trialling have really helped to keep my skin soft and smooth with very, very few dry patches (when I'd normally by this point in the year be struggling with almost painfully dry and red cheeks). I've had a couple of problems with spots this month but this is entirely due to hormonal breakouts. Other than this, my skin has been a real dream this month and these products have definitely played a big hand in that. I'll give you a low down on my experience with each product below.

A-Derma Sensifluid Micellar Water

available from Escentual for £13.00*

I found this micellar water gentle whilst still being effective. I don't think that it is the best micellar water I've ever tried but works brilliantly at removing makeup and gently cleansing skin. I'd definitely recommend it to those with sensitive or dry skin, or just anyone looking for a gentle way to remove their makeup including stubborn (although not Benefit They're Real levels of stubborn) eye makeup.

A-Derma Hydralba Light Hydrating Cream UV SPF 20

for fragile normal to combination skin, available from Escentual for £14.50*

This is a wonderful moisturiser to use in the morning. It has a very light consistency but offers a good deal of hydration coupled with SPF protection. It works really well under makeup and it's definitely the daytime moisturiser that I've been using the most this month. I found that it didn't leave my t-zone oily throughout the day but kept my cheeks from getting too dry - a perfect product for difficult skin types. This is my second favourite product out of the four.

A-Derma RheaCalm Light Soothing Cream

for normal to combination reactive skin, available from Escentual for £15.50*

Because I've been getting on so well with the Hydralba Light Hydrating Cream and Nturialba Nourishing Cream, the RheaCalm Light Soothing Cream has taken a bit of a backseat and I haven't used it as much as the other products. That being said, it has a really nice consistency - light, but very hydrating - and because it doesn't contain SPF it can be used in both the morning and the evening. Additionally, it is the only moisturiser of the three I tried that isn't scented making it more suitable for those whose skin is sensitive to fragrance. 

A-Derma Nutrialba Nourishing Cream

for fragile and delicate skin, available from Escentual for £20.00*

This is my favourite of the bunch. It's a really rich and hydrating evening moisturiser but it isn't at all heavy. It straddles a fine line and it gets it so right. I found it perfect for my skin - it isn't going to be what very, very dry skin types need but it works well for those who get dry or tight patches and want something to help even out their skin's needs. Again, it didn't aggravate my skin or give me spots and it didn't leave my t-zone oilier. I really, really need to stress how much I like this. If you have very dry skin then this is also available in a thicker and more nourishing version.

Have you tried anything from A-Derma before? What skincare products are you using at the moment?

Tange Teezer: Different Strokes

I have been seriously lucky on the giveaway front lately. I've never considered myself a very lucky person but recently I've been putting myself out there a little bit more on twitter and entering far more giveaways and it's definitely paying off. I'm not one for hoarding products - it's not the winning itself that I enjoy. What giveaways offer me that I really, really appreciate is the opportunity to try new brands and new products. On this occasion I was lucky enough to win Really Ree's Tangle Teezer Giveaway (which I entered about seven/eight weeks ago) and my prize was the entire Tangle Teezer range.

 It was wonderful timing as I was in the market for a new hairbrush (I've had my current Tangle Teezer for almost eighteen months and it is getting a bit worse for wear). I'm not going to keep all five of brushes for myself, I'm going to keep a couple and pass the others on to some of my family and friends as gifts this Christmas. I know a few people who are going to seriously love these brushes and I feel really privileged to be able to introduce them to a brand that I really like. Before I won the competition I didn't actually know that Tangle Teezer made brushes for children but I know that the Magic Flowerpot is going to make one little girl I know very happy indeed (her birthday is coming up and she'll love it). So I'll end with a very big thank you to Really Ree and Tangle Teezer for this incredibly generous prize and keep your eyes peeled for their future appearances, I'm definitely looking forward to comparing my Original Tangle Teezer to a couple of others in the line!

Have you won anything recently? Have you tried Tangle Teezers before?

Natural Beauty Products: Living Nature Concealer in Light Review

This month I've been wearing Living Nature's Concealer in the shade Light*. I got mine from MyPure, a great website for shopping for natural beauty products (especially at the moment as they have some great free gifts with purchase). I tried one of Living Nature's lipsticks last month and I really loved it, but I just haven't gotten on so well with this concealer. It isn't "bad" by any stretch of the imagination, but even the lightest shade is just a bit too dark for my skin at this time of year when I'm at my palest - if you have very fair skin then this will be much too dark for you.

Living Nature's Concealer* has a similar scent to another natural concealer that I've tried out - it's quite a heavy scent but it isn't unpleasant. The concealer has a thick, liquid consistency and a little goes a long way. The best way I've found to apply it is by squeezing some onto the back of my hand and using it a little bit like an artist's palette. I dip a brush (usually Real Techniques' Contour Brush) into a dot of concealer and swish it around on the back of my hand. As you blend the concealer out, it lightens considerably and it is essentially to really blend it out onto your skin in order to achieve an even finish.When you apply it to your skin (I've been using it under you eyes and around my nose) it lasts really well and offers medium coverage that doesn't look too thick or heavy. 

Overall, I'm really impressed with the performance of the concealer but I do wish that it came in more shades (there are only three) so that I could get more use out of it. For now, I'm resigned to mixing it with another concealer that's lighter in tone to make it wearable. You can find Living Nature's Concealer* online here for £21.00.