Dr Lipp - An Autumnal Multi-Function Wonder!

Today I thought I would do a miniature ode to one of my favourite beauty products, the Dr Lipp nipple balm (sniggers.)

Long time readers of my blog will know that I love multi-tasking beauty products and this one is an absolute corker on that front. Yes, of course its original purpose was as a healing balm for breastfeeding women, but over time it has become so much more than that!

My primary use of Dr Lipp is as a super hydrating lip balm, I'm yet to find anything that works as well as this stuff. It's only ingredient is lanolin which means there are no chemical nasties here! I'll try not to bore you too much with the science bit but the long and short of it is that because lanolin is so similar to our skins natural oils and lipids, your skin is quite happy to absorb it.

Other recent uses which I've discovered for this balm are:

• For dude's into running...this can prevent serious chaffing, nuff said

• Little cuts and scrapes can benefit from a light layer of this stuff, it will form a light barrier preventing bacteria from getting in whilst still allowing your skin to breathe and heal

• Rub onto dry cuticles, I quite like to do this in the evening after slathering on a ton of hand cream and then popping on some cotton gloves

• A smidge of this on your cheeks or over eye lids will create a cute and dewy gloss look

• Another great use is around the sides of your nose, all of that blowing during cold season can really take it's toll and lead to dry and sore skin, this stuff is a total lifesaver and will ease the pain

• Any patches of itchy or eczema like skin

So there you have it, a super multi purpose balm that will keep you going as the weather gets colder! 

What are your favourite uses for Dr Lipp? 

Dior Vernis Nail Varnish - 970 - Nuit 1947 - A Review

Autumnal colours are some of my favourites, the deep and moody shades of red and purple just suit my skin tone and make me feel all warm and snuggly. It just makes me think of cuddles in front of the fire, roasting marshmallows and of course, the return of the Pumpkin Spiced Latte. BLISS.

As such, I'm sure it's of no surprise that as the leaves begin to turn, my taste in nail varnish echoes the colours which I find so comforting.

I've spoken of my love for the newly formulated Dior Vernis colours before, their new gel style finish is super shiny and hides a multitude of sins. In addition, I actually find this polish is pretty hard wearing if you're heavy handed like me. I can apply this on the Sunday and the first signs of chipping don't set in until Thursday (although in all honesty this is normally because I help it along.)

This particular shade, Nuit 1947  is absolutely gorgeous and is almost identical to the Chanel Rouge Noir polish. It's that deep cherry red on the nails and in some light it looks almost black. The thing I really love about the new Dior Vernis polishes is that they come with an awesome one stroke brush which helps if you're a little shaky on the application front.

Here it is in normal light, what did I say, it looks as though it's black. I'm a big fan of darker polish on shorter nails, and I trimmed mine right back this weekend. I reckon the Nuit 1947 really makes them look quite chic.

Here it is in the sunlight, you can see the red tones here. It's probably one of the more vampy shades I own and whilst two coats seems to do the trick, I like to add a third to make the colour that little bit deeper.

I can guarantee over the colder months this year this will be my go to polish.

What's your go to polish in the colder months? What do you think of the Dior Vernis in Nuit 1947?

My Small (But Well Loved) Primer Collection

As part of my time on What Laura Loves Today is spent blogging about beauty, you'd probably assume that my make-up collection is pretty substantial. It might surprise you to know that my make-up collection is actually pretty small all things considered, I prefer to hoard skin-care more than anything else. After all, a good skin care routine means you need less make-up!

Anyway, that is by the by, the point of this post is that I thought you may like a wee peak at what primers I have in my make-up drawer, my philosophy with primers is that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" and these three have proven their worth time and time again.

First up, on the far left we have the Gerda Spillman Hydro Pearls which I have spoken about before HERE.Whilst it's primary function is as a primer it's also a light moisturising fluid, which makes it my go-to primer in the colder months.  The extra bonus with this particular product is that it helps to protect your skin from environmental pollutants (thank you London), and, as it's water based, it keeps your skin feeling hydrated for longer. I've been using this for well over a year and can safely say that with time, it reduces the appearance of pores and leaves my skin with a lovely silky finish.

Next up in the middle, we have the Laura Mercier Foundation Primer in the Radiance Finish. Now Laura Mercier is well known for her primers so I'll try not to bore you to much. I tend to use this when I'm having a bad skin day as the light pearly liquid helps to give my skin a more luminous finish thus making it look super healthy. I'll be honest, when I first grabbed this, I was worried the pearly element would be a little too glittery and it'd stick out like a sore thumb, but under my foundation/tinted moisturiser, it looks lovely. It obviously goes without saying, it's pretty effective and helps to keep my make-up in place for longer.

Finally, at the far right, we have the newest addition to my collection and the most expensive of the bunch but this is make-up and skin care combined. The Lancome Visionnaire 1 Minute Blur is awesome, it not only minimises my pores but it also smooths out my skin, blurs any imperfections, evens out my skin-tone and somehow makes my skin looks as though it's glowing. Whilst it's not marketed as a primer, this is how I've been using it as it has that slightly silicone feel that I associate with most primers. It seems to work well as it keeps oil at bay and the staying power of my make-up is, as you'd expect, improved.

What primers are in your collection? Have you used any of the above?

What Laura Wants - Yet Another Beauty Hit List

It's been a while since I did an edit of bits and pieces which are currently on my beauty radar so for old times sake, here's a quick idea of what I'm holding out for.

First up at number 1) we have Omorovicza which is a Hungarian skincare brand which I've fancied trying for a while. Trouble is this line, with its mineral packed water and hi-tech skincare wizardry doesn't come cheap hence why I'm reluctant to simply splurge in one go. Lucky for me, there are various try me style kits on the market, the one I've pictured is full of travel sizes, however, Cult Beauty have a fabulous 6-piece try me set for only £42 which includes the iconic Queen of Hungary Mist and Thermal Cleansing Balm which you can pick up HERE.

Next at number 2) is another item from the new Nails Inc range, namely a collaboration with Alexa Chung. The Alexa Lace features different sized red particles which, when applied over just the right colour (I reckon a nude or white would look fabulous) will give the illusion of lace. If you fancy a bottle yourself, it's £15 and you can grab it HERE.

Right, we're half way home now and at number 3) it's the Body Shop Honey Bronzer in shade 01, the lightest they come. I've never quite been brave enough to play around with bronzer, but this shade is so light, it looks as though it would be tough to make a mistake. As it's a matt finish it won't sink into pores so fingers crossed, it's ideal for beginners. If you fancy messing up the beautiful honey comb pattern, you can find it HERE, a bargain at only £13. 

I'm going through a lip product phase, so of course, at number 4) it's the newest addition to Charlotte Tilbury line, the Matt Revolution Lipsticks. The shades Amazing Grace and Sexy Sienna look absolutely stunning and right up my street in terms of a more natural lipstick look. In the UK, you can see them in the flesh in Selfridges and get swatching to see which shades take your fancy, failing that, you can grab them for £23 HERE.

I've made no secret of my love for Philosophy, all of their products smell amazing and I imagine that this collection at number 5) would not disappoint. As we're heading into fall, I've started craving autumnal fragrances, namely cinnamon spice and all things nice. I don't think this collection is available here in the UK, but I'm keeping my peepers peeled just in case.

Finally, at number 6) it's the Rodial Dragon's Blood Night Cream. As it's packed full of hyaluronic acid it'll plump up your skin and keep your skin looking hydrated as the temperature drops. At £58 it's certainly not cheap, but I'm yet to find a Rodial product which doesn't float my boat so I suspect this will be well worth the investment. You find it in SpaceNK HERE.

What's on your beauty hit list right now?

Nails Inc. NailKale Superfood Base Coat - A Review

So Nails Inc have recently undergone something of a packaging make-over and I must say, I really like it. 

It's sleek, I love the clean lines of the bottle and that font, it's simple but it definitely catches your attention. Along with a packaging make-over which includes a weighty lid which pops off, Nails Inc have also introduced a line of NailKale polishes infused with good stuff including a base coat and top coat.

The NailKale Superfood Base Coat contains aloe vera, ginseng and pomegranate to apparently enrich and smooth the nails. I have to say, it certainly doesn't smell like your typical varnish and it actually smells pretty pleasant when applying if you think about say Seche Vite which seriously pongs. In addition, the Superfood Base Coat is also formulated with vitamins A,C, and E to help prevent splitting and breaking as well as keratin to help promote nail growth. 

Basically, as well as being a base coat, it's also a treatment for your nails which I've been applying every week as my nails are peeling and breaking in the most frustrating of places. I have to say, what I'm most impressed with is the brush, it's one of those amazing one stroke brushes which makes applying the base coat an absolute breeze. Just two coats of this quick drying formula and you're good to go.

I'm also pleased to report that despite the odd green colour in the bottle, it pretty much goes onto the nails clear. I've only been using this for a few weeks so it's a little too early to tell how much it's helping in terms of the condition of my nails, but I'll keep you posted. My nails are certainly growing pretty swiftly which is great considering I've had to cut them right back.

All in all a great basic addition to my ever expanding nail varnish collection, it's £15 and I grabbed mine from House of Fraser.

Have you tried any of the new NailKale line? What you think?

Outfit of the Day - The Floral Midi Skirt

I have taken a massive leap out of my usual comfort zone here, and when you see the photos you'll see why. Over the last few months I've tried to introduce some pieces into my wardrobe which are a little different but still incredibly versatile. 

London has a tendency to be a sea of black and grey which is great for some, black and grey pieces will work with almost everything, it can be chic and it's always a safe bet if you're stuck for what to wear, but my is it boring. Enter Me!

Today, I'm wearing:

Top: Gap

Skirt: Deka Rose Print Full Midi Skirt - Oasis - £60

Shoes: Hamble Oak Navy Combi Suede- Clarks - £59.99

First things first, I am totally in love with this skirt from Oasis, the print is absolutely stunning and so romantic with it's combination of navy, magenta, lilac, coral and vivid pink flowers meaning it's open to all sorts of colour combinations. I've kept things print simple here, but I've also worn the skirt with a simple grey crew neck t-shirt to make the skirt really pop.

It sits right on my waist and hits at just the right point below my knees (I'm 5ft 6" in case you were wondering). There's quite clearly a ton of fabric here meaning the skirt has a great weight to it but it also means the skirt really keeps the flare and shape as the day progresses. As it's quite weight, I see me being able to wear this right through the colder months by pairing it with a pastel coloured chunky knit and thick tights.

Next, moving onto my shoes, these are from the iconic Hamble Oak line at Clarks. I'd been thinking of getting some brogues for a while, but I hadn't spotted a pair I liked. Most stores keep things pretty safe with simple black or tan leather but I thought to myself, that the brogue is such a classic style of shoe, I wanted something a wee bit different. 

These brogues are a combination of navy suede and snake effect leather which I think gives a really nice twist. As they're navy I can really see myself getting a lot of use from them. They're also one of the most comfortable pairs of shoes I own with some nice padding right on the balls of your feet meaning I can wear these for hours. I've also got my eye on the Oxblood pair which are a gorgeous combination of blood red leather and tweed!

All in all, I'm so glad I braved something a little different. Naturally I'd be grateful for any thoughts you guys may have on to style things a little better perhaps, this is still a new venture for me!

So over to you, my lovely readers, any suggestions? What do you make of the Deka Rose Print Skirt?

Revisiting a Much Loved Skincare Favourite - Kiehl's Skin Rescuer

Those of you who have been following me for a while may remember that one of my first posts was about the Kiehl's Skin Rescuer, this being way back in September last year.

Now, I don't want to repeat the post in its entirety here, but for those who aren't familiar with this product, it's basically designed to help your skin combat stress, things like air-conditioning, over-exposure to the sun, the cold rain and fresh winds, and even hormonal fluctuations really affect your skin and can result in blemish, red blotchy patches etc.

It's a vicious cycle, because the visible signs of stressed out skin lead you to worry even more which makes things even worse and that's where this product comes in to save the day.

The reason I'm revisiting this product in a post is because after 1 year and over 2 months of use every single day, it's finally coming to the end of its life which makes me rather sad. I'm literally at the stage where I'm unscrewing the cap and running my finger around the inside to scoop out whatever I can.

I purchased this for a whole £29.50 well over a year ago which makes this little beauty incredible value for money!

I have to say, this is probably one of my favourite moisturisers of all time, it's formulated with chamomile which  is known for it's calming qualities, mannose which helps to protect and maintain the skins barrier and rosa gallica which helps to reduce the skins sensitivity thus reducing the signs of fatigue and redness.

If you've never tried it and you suffer with pesky problematic skin, I'd really recommend trying it, given it lasts for over a year, I don't think you could do much better in terms of value for money and effectiveness. 

 Have you tried the Kiehl's Skin Rescuer yet? What do you find helps your stressed out skin?

Outfit of the Day - Unusual Details

So a couple of weeks ago, I was lucky enough to win a competition with Garnier to go VIP to watch 'The Saturdays' at their Greatest Hits Tour in Brighton and meet the girls before hand. I was pretty nervous, I mean, those girls are all gorgeous and I had no frikken idea what to wear. I wanted something comfortable enough to wear for the whole concert, but that little bit glamorous so I could at least look ok when meeting the girls . When in doubt, I've always thought to myself K.I.S.S in other words, Keep it Simple Stupid.

Whilst my outfit was fairly simple, I added a couple of quirky details like my tote and necklace to jazz things up. Today I'm wearing:

Dress: Joy - Louche Berlynn Dress - £20

Necklace: Hema -£4

Bag: Lulu Guinness

Shoes: Clarks - these boys are old faithfuls. 

First of all, lets talk about the dress, it's a gorgeous jersey material and from the front, it looks like a pretty standard fitted jersey dress. It has a round neckline, half sleeves,  it's elegant yet simply cut and hugs in all of the right places. In that respect, you'd be right, it is a fairly standard jersey dress, but in the words of Fat Amy, "it's very reserved in the front but party in the back."

I love the racer back style detailing on this dress and that's what really caught my attention in the first place as I love pieces with something that's a little bit different. That, and the fact that it was 50% off in the sale making it a wee bit of a bargain.

As I wanted the focus to be on the dress, I paired it with my faithful Clarks boots (the comfiest pair of boots I own FYI) and this super cute geometric necklace from London's newest store, Hema. I believe that Hema are based in Amsterdam and they've just opened a couple of stores here in the UK. I have to say, it's awesome, bargains all around and some pretty unusual offerings in the jewellery department. 

Make-up wise, it's much the same, except this time, I wearing a red lipstick from the new L'Oreal Collection Exclusive Pure Reds, this is the shade Julianne which is aimed at fairer skin tones. I reckon it just helps my outfit to pop that little bit more and takes things from plain and uninteresting to Woooaaaahhh There! 

Anyways, what we all came here for was 'The Saturdays', see I told you they were gorgeous! Just look at how smug Ad looks, I mean, after all, he is stood next to Molly King so who can blame him.

How would you style a jersey dress? Have you visited Hema yet?