Currently Loving

Without a doubt I've started about 50% of my posts by apologizing for a lack of posting because some form of technology has failed on me. This time? My laptop. I decided that silk bedding and silk leggings was a good idea... It isn't, it's like a slip and slide. Hopefully it will be fixed soon and I can get back to blogging. I miss it.

But in case you hadn't noticed, I'm officially self-hosted! I made the move last week as it was the only thing I could do with my iPad. I'm now lyonnotes.co.uk which will hopefully clear up the is it "Lyon" or "Lyons" confusion. I'm oddly excited, it looks so much more slick without the blogspot.

I managed to get this sneaky one done on my old laptop. It's (incase you hadn't worked out yet) a couple of things I'm absolutely loving recently.

Chanel Les 4 Ombres in #234 La Poesie - If there was ever an eye quad that was my eyeshadow preferences encapsulated, this would be it. It's lovely baked formula gives off an ideal amount of pigment, and as you'd expect from Chanel, there's no glitter in sight, just small flecks of shimmer which look like an incredible satin shade when applied. The shades are a warm tan, ivory, a dark smokey brown/plum and a soft lilac/pink (all are shimmer). This is surprisingly my first Chanel eye quad and I definitely would buy more. Be quick if you want one, these are limited edition.

Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau EDP - After a nightmare time trying to find a Jo Malone fragrance I liked, I went to the opposite end of the elegant perfume spectrum and went for Diptyque. I had smelled this in store before and refused to admit that I could wear anything other than overly feminine, floral scents. This is much more masculine that what I normally wear, and for that reason I love it. It's an ideal switch up for winter, and it's long-lasting strong scent lingers for just the perfect amount of time. As my first foray into Diptyque I can truly see the beginning of a love affair...

Eve Lom Kiss Mix - I have to give the beautiful Latasha credit for this one. She got it as a free birthday gift in Space NK whilst we were shopping and was enough of a babe to give it to me. Ever since I've been obsessed with the menthol type scent, and lightweight, hydrating texture. Take note; a Tasha recommendation is a GOOD recommendation.

Chanel Rouge Allure Velvet in #40 La Sensuelle - I caught a glimpse of this online and decided to have a quick nosey in Debenhams at how good it is. I fell in love at first sight. Bit excessive for just a lipstick? No. This matte finish, highly pigmented wine-red shade is ideal for blotting into a stain (my preferred type of application) or layered for a full effect deep winter berry lip. I've had so many compliments when I wear this, and I think I've just become a convert to dark lips and to the Rouge Allure formula - amazing!

Wishing and Wanting #9

1- Acne Jensen Boots 2- Bobbi Brown Smokey Nudes Palette 3- Rosie for M&S Satin Pyjamas 4- Diptyque Mimosa Candle 5- Tom Ford Shade and Illuminate 6- Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau EDP

Words cannot describe how much I want those ankle boots. They're literally the most perfect boot. The question is, would I actually wear them or be terrified of ruining a pair of £390 boots?

Bobbi Brown have just released their new Smokey Nudes collection and this palette is a stunning little sliding compact with a mix of matte and shimmer shades. It's gorgeous, I seriously want! Keeping to the makeup theme, how luxurious is Tom Ford's Shade and Illuminate? It's one of those things you wouldn't even consider buying for yourself but if the right person just chose to gift you with supermodel cheekbones...

Since winter is coming I may aswell stock up on pretty PJs and candles too, right? I've just ran out of my beloved Neal and Wolf candle so I'm looking for something as pleasant and comforting to fill the void.

Brow 101 with Eylure

Brows are one of those things that when we were growing up, just existed. We plucked them, a lot. And other than that, we just didn't care about them too much. It's only recently that having perfect brows has become one of the things we lust after most. 

Eylure Brow Stencils* - £4.95

These are the thing I got most excited about when Eylure launched their new brow range, the pack of brow stencils. Despite them not seeming too exciting, I have a serious case of wonky brow, and both look like they belong on different people so I'm constantly trying to get a teeny bit more symmetry. I know "brows are sisters, not twins" but what if they were to be twins, just not of the identical variety? And I can't just simply go to a salon, because truthfully I don't trust anyone around my eyebrows where wax is involved.

Each pack provides four stencils, Slim, Medium, High and Full arch, each providing a different arch and thickness. I like to alternate between full and medium to help shape my brows in the way most similar to my natural brow shape. I place the stencils over each brow and shade in heavily with my usual brow powder. When I remove the stencil I'll be left with a terrifyingly uniform slug on my face that means I can get go happy with the tweezers.

These are working so well for me, and I truly recommend them to anyone with fuller brows that's halfway to terrified by the idea of a beautician doing them.

Eylure Brow Nourishing Oil* - £8.45

Slap me if I'm wrong, but I do believe this is one of the first brow growth products from a high-street, popular brand? Given most brow oils and growth promoters are on the costly side of things, the Eylure one makes a nice purse friendly addition to anyone's routine. Rosemary oil is one of the main ingredients, which will help promote blood circulation, thus helping the hair follicles grow healthily and stronger. I have noticed that my brows seem to be growing better than normal since using this, and I've been having to trim them more often. I'm not sure if after using this nightly for about 4 weeks I should be seeing serious results, but I would say they're definitely healthier and much more manageable. Plus, my skin surrounding the brow seems to be getting less irritated by my hair removal methods since starting using this oil. 

Eylure Brow Trio in Dark Brown* - £9.95

Brow palettes are one of those things that I cannot get enough of. As much as I love using MAC eyeshadows and my Anastasia Brow Gel, having everything in one place makes everything seem so much easier. This includes a wax, a coloured powder and a highlighting powder, which is completely new to me, as I've never to this date felt the need to highlight under my brow.

I applied this in the same way I would normally (with my usual brushes, instead of the one included) with an angled brush and brushed through with a spoolie to soften any harsh lines. I then went in with the highlighting powder on the angled brush provided and blended out with a fluffy brush. This made a HUGE difference, and it really made my brows look much more defined, and it seemed to cover up any of the fine "baby" type hairs under my brow. To finish off, I slicked some of the wax on lightly to set my brows and brush upwards. After this my brows stayed defined from morning to night and never strayed, because face it, eyebrows sliding to your cheekbones isn't a good look.

Eylure Permanent Tint for Brows (Single Application)* - £9.95

Ok, confession... I haven't used this. Last time I used an Eylure dye I had a really bad reaction so I decided not to risk it. My Aunt soon swiped this off my hands and slicked it on her brows, using the teeniest amount of product and finding it went way further than anticipated. So despite the single use claims, if you're careful when squeezing out the product you should get at least 3 applications (but don't hold me to it). I'm usually her brow guru, and she usually goes for a black tint which can look unnatural, so leaving on a dark brown for a minute longer develops into a beautiful deep brown/black which helps to give the appearance of thicker and more defined brows.

And there's just what can only be described as a snippet of my high-maintenance eyebrows, if you're interested in knowing the rest; the tweezing, trimming and shaping, let me know!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend! Lots of love.

NEW IN : Iconemesis Phone Cover

iPhone cases are one of those accessories that really should be as pretty as your handbag, but I seem to only ever buy one every few months when the previous one falls apart. Why should all my other accessories get so much attention, when the one thing I always carry around is my phone? Truthfully, I don't know but when Iconemesis offered to send me a new case over I squealed in excitement at the opportunity to throw away my old and battered Giovanna Battaglia case.

I chose this incredible illustrated skull design on a white background to match my white phone...  

Skull case - Iconemesis

The case itself is a thick sturdy plastic that's thick enough to feel like it offers protection for your phone, but not that thick that you look like you work on a building site. Much unlike some of the other more outrageous cases I've had, I would be very happy to pull this out of my pocket (I had a case with bunny ears and a tail not so long ago). I can't recommend this brand enough for good quality cases, and equally incredible designs.

Now, to go and watch some old episodes of The Vampire Diaries. Started rewatching these as I was sick, now I'm obsessed again. Thank God for DVD boxsets...

Lighten Hair Minus the Dye - John Frieda Lightening Spray Review

You know one of those things that just crops up every now and then and you become completely obsessed with it and talk about it that much that everyone around you notices and gets reasonably fed up with you? THAT. I'm so obsessed with the John Frieda Go Blonder spray that I've been practically screaming it's praises from the rooftops. Here's why... 

You all know by now that I went from being the darkest brown to a blonde in almost one swoop, right? Well, I've been a blonde for over two years now, and I'm still not sure if blondes do have more fun, but I'm sure of one thing; roots are a pain in the arse. Excuse my French, but they are, right? They look dreadful, and with my hair being a really warm toned blonde my roots always look extra mousy, and just all-round horrible. So upkeep can be quite the pain.

I've spent so many hours scouring the internet to find a product or natural way of lightening my hair, and all of them are either ridiculous or don't sound very sanitary. As I was beginning to give up, I came across John Frieda's Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Controlled Lightening Spray. It has a small amount of peroxide to help send your hair in the right direction when it comes to lightening. It's activated by heat, so the blow-drying and straightening we usually do to look pretty has its benefits where this spray is concerned. 

I apply this in different ways, depending on what parts of my hair need brightening. To blend my roots in; I wash my hair then section off my hair, spray directly to my roots then use a fine-toothed comb to distribute the product further down the hair to avoid any patchy areas. To apply all over, I wash my hair (this product should only be used on wet hair) and brush it carefully, parting where I usually part my hair, and holding about 30cm away before brushing my hair through again.  

You can use this in numerous ways, for root touch up, highlights or all-over lightening, giving you the versatility that you want when it comes to your hair. This would be ideal for people like me, wanting their roots to blend in, or for people wanting to freshen up (or make) an ombre or balayage effect on their hair.

Since using this my hair has been in a much better condition from not constantly applying dyes to upkeep the colour. I've lost counts of how many times I've been complimented, and my family have asked whether I've lightened my hair. I'd say the proof is in the pudding, but I didn't take any before pictures, because I truly didn't think that it would work. I was completely incorrect and for fellow blondes, this is a game-changer.