Chanel's Reformulated Longwear Le Vernis and Gel Top Coat

Christmas Day as a child is probably the only comparable degree of excitement that I felt for these arriving in the post. Sure, let's all mock the girl getting passionate about nail polish. But in the wise words of M&S, these aren't just any nail polishes... 

Despite the wonderfully chic bottle, and incredibly beautiful shades, Chanel nail polishes are a nightmare in one area - longevity. So upon hearing the news that Chanel were reformulating, releasing a capsule collection of pre-existing favourites with some new additions and a gel top coat to boot, I got understandably excited.

So managing to get my grubby mitts on new shades Organdi*, Mythique* and the Gel Top Coat* and give them a good road test. Organdi is an elegant dusty salmon shade, opaque in 2/3 coats with tendencies to last 3-4 days, with any minor chipping being mostly unnoticeable. (Side note: I find the original range differs largely in formula and longevity. Tapage is opaque in 1 coat on me, and lasts days. Secret can take up to 5 coats and lasts only one day) Mythique, opaque in 2 coats, doesn't offer the same longevity, but the soft burgundy shade is a pleasure to apply, going on smoothly without any streaking.

Both shades lasted an extra day with the Gel Top Coat, which is quite the far cry from the 7 days claimed by Chanel. In my honest opinion, the only way to achieve a gel finish is with gel. It does however make the polish look like an ultra-glossy professional gel nail, offering flexibility and strength to the colour. So if like me, your nails are very much prone to breaking, this extra step is helpful in reinforcing your otherwise weakling nails.

Apparently these shades are more nail-friendly in their ingredients than the previous range. I haven't worn either enough continually to comment on this, so we'll have to take Chanel's word on that one...

I would recommend these to any Chanel fans, and those looking for a slightly longer lasting version than the original formula. If you own some of the cult classics like Ballerina and Pirate but want an extra couple days, of wear fork out a little cash for the reformulated Longwear Le Vernis or Gel Top Coat and you will not be disappointed. For perspective, I'd place the original formulation at 7.5/10 - these being closer to 8.5. These are available in Debenhams now. Retailing at £18 for 13ml.

Best Beauty Videos of Youtube

I don't know about you, but I hate people trying to make plans with me on a Sunday. They are strictly reserved for laziness, Netflix (mulled wine if it's near Christmas) and typically a dose of Michalak blogs.

I'm not a big fan of watching Youtube, I don't personally see the attraction. I know that seems relatively shocking but most just don't cut it for me, of course we have Lisa Eldridge who is simply a goddess, but I rarely find myself branching out. Even Charlotte Tilbury's channel is now something which seems filled with overzealous claims about products and totally heavy makeup application. BUT What if a girl just wants subtle makeup?!

Well, I'm not claiming these are natural, but they are super pretty, are filled with tons of amazing tips, and are my go-to for inspiration (or just my absolute favourites for when boredom strikes) let's get to it...



Monika Blunder and Phoebe Tonkin go ALL BRONZE EVERYTHAN' - We all know how much I love Phoebe Tonkin. And with Monika's soothing voice and expert knowledge, this is ideal for me. Looks so healthy in the skin then completely sultry on the eyes - perfection!


Lisa Eldridge does boyish - so far from the traditional makeup you see on YouTube, yet so beautiful. This is minimalism at its finest, and ideal if you, like me, need the perfect combination of masculine and feminine on a daily basis.

Monika Blunder and Karima McKimmie recreate Emilia Clarke look (think Mother of Dragons meets Mother(s) of Makeup) - More beautiful makeup courtesy of Monika. Can anything honestly beat those stunning brows and striking eyes?


Shameless Fripperies werks a Super-Speedy Bronze Look *sassy hair flip emoji* - Another bronze look, but ideal for inspiration when you're more pressed for time. 


Glam and Gore transforms into Lana Del Rey (and a zombie?) - Not at all a daily look, but techniques always translate, right? And if you have a weirdo inside you wanting to get out her channel is everything you'll ever need. Seriously this girl is freaking awesome. Can we be best friends, already?! 

Totally enjoyed compiling this post with some of my favourite Youtube videos. It'd be really interesting to see who else everyone else watches regularly, or standout videos from specific people. Leave them below so we can share in the Sunday Youtube entertainment...

SHE RESURFACES...

Blogging has started to feel so much like a distant memory. Blogger has plopped off my most-visited sites, been somewhat replaced with "Citethisforme" and "Womens Health" (yes, really). So I guess if I make what can only be described as a come back, I may be somewhat inclined to kick myself up the bottom and blog more? Let's try... 

For the sake of catching up before we hopefully start producing some real, lipstick-filled content, I thought I could do a bit of an update incase you don't follow my ridiculousness on Twitter...

Where have I been? I don't know, honestly. I've been starting my second year of uni, but bar that and therapy, I've been lacking all motivation. I totally hope to get an exercise regime started soon that'll boost productivity because I need out of this slump!

What have I been up to? I kinda mentioned this, but let's essentially cover my cultural updates, shall we? So, Netflix has had me binging Narcos (so addictive) while American Horror Story has had me getting excited about television again (this could develop into a highly passionate rant). I've been feeling mostly mortified that I've been enjoying Justin Bieber's music... and even more mortified I admitted it online. I watched the last Hunger Games film a week ago and despite how ridiculously amazing it is, I'm still feeling a little in mourning. I'm not excited for Christmas yet, but if anyone would be opening to installing a mulled wine dispenser in my bedroom I would absolutely be up for the festivities.

Anything else? I don't think so... telling you my favourite beauty products when I could do a full post would be a little boring, wouldn't it?

I did, however, head down to Banyan in Manchester Corn Exchange a few weeks ago, to sample some of their menu and partake in a cocktail masterclass. The evening was spent with other lovely bloggers, press and had me feeling very, very full climbing up the Victoria station stairs for my train... 

We were given a much-needed gin and tonic on arrival, before being shown to our room for the evening... 

We were shown how they make three of their bestselling cocktails before being given the chance to make one of our choice... I went for the fruity, tasty Geisha Girl as pictured above. Mine didn't look as glamorous...

After a cocktail or two, they brought out samples from their menu. We indulged in a LOT. The salmon skewers were divine...

And the mini cheeseburgers and chicken burgers meanwhile stole my heart... 

Can I live on Banyan's food in the future please? 

- See you soon! 

IS IT EVEN WORTH IT ANYMORE?

You might have noticed i'm currently in the middle of a little bit of a hiatus. Not just from my blog, but also from Instagram and Twitter. I feel so uninspired by the whole thing. And with the recent, death in the family, I've never felt more like I, frankly, don't give a shxt care about the whole, seemingly selfish community. While I'm still pinning like a crazy person, I feel like all my other platforms (blog included) are me trying my best to produce content, spending a lot of time and effort to create something people would enjoy to read only to feel underwhelmed with the result. Don't get me wrong, I'm not making this a thing about numbers, but I feel like no one is reading my blog, like no one is even interacting anymore. I don't think I'm the only person to feel this way recently, but everything just seems so boring and dried up.

I don't think this is me signing out for good. I've achieved and accessed so many opportunities from my littler qualm I currently have, however, is my lack of endless lipstick supply. I can afford new lipstick, sure. I can afford two new lipsticks if I wanted them. The thing is... I don't NEED them. I have lipsticks I love, I have a mascara I love, and wouldn't dream of replacing it with anything else. So what happens when the material dries up because you're using the products you know work for you? I'm not going shopping for drugstore makeup because I'd be talking about things I don't care about it, and I've more moral integrity than that. And I'm also not going to buy products I don't like because it's trendy. (Contour palette? You have one face, do you need so many different shades? Not really.)  

I don't think this is me signing out for good. I've achieved and accessed so many opportunities from my little creative space of the internet which I call Lyon Notes.

I think this is me mostly saying I think I'm mostly over beauty blogging. I want to make the move over to fashion, because it is, and always has been where my one true passion lies. (My inability to leave Pinterest proves this.) But it isn't as easy as a white background for beauty photos, and I'm not sure if anyone would even be interested?!

At the moment I feel like this break might have been the best thing for me, and i'll still probably be absent for another couple of weeks. Hopefully logging my thoughts publicly gives me the kick up the backside I needed to go and shoot some outfits outside? We'll see...

Multi-Purpose Balms - What are they & What do they do?

I must, subconsciously, have a real obsession with these weird waxy multi-tasking balms that claim to  solve all of the skin ailments you can possibly think of. I didn't realise that I had bought so many, but here we are... with a ton of different kinds, each with different benefits and uses. So I figured I'd do a bit of a multi-purpose balm breakdown... Let's do this... *insert muscle emoji*

These four I own full-size of, and use regularly; Yu-Be Moisturising Skin Cream, Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream (fragrance-free), Glossier Balm Dotcom, Homeoplasmine. None are excessively impressive in the packaging department sure, but its the performance that counts, right? I figured to make things simple I'll look at the texture, price, availability and the most functional uses of each product...

The ever famous Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream needs no introduction; everyone and their mums, grandmas and goldfish have at some point used this gooey orange balm. The texture is very sticky, but thins out once it comes into contact with skin. Despite its long list of uses, I use it most as a lip balm, a highlighter on my cheekbones, and even using the teeniest amount to groom brows. (Yes, really.) Typically priced around £26 it isn't the cheapest lip balm, but is easy to get hold of, being stocked on numerous online sites and is available at all Elizabeth Arden counters. Despite being fragrance-free, it still has a weird lingering smell that puts me off using this on my lips during the day while eating or drinking.  

Yu-Be is a Japanese product, which has just recently made its way overseas after gaining cult status. It appears as thick as 8hr cream, but when you start to apply, it thins out completely and feels almost like nothing on the skin, meaning you need a very small amount of product. Its strong camphor smell and thin texture means it doesn't work too well as a lip balm, but is as I've found, an INCREDIBLE foot cream. The glycerin base in the cream seems to create a barrier, which allows hydration to go much deeper, hydrating feet quickly, and leaving them soft for days. Needless to say using it as a foot cream uses up a lot of product, so the £13.50 price tag, and Space NK availability makes it a bit of a pain when it comes to repurchasing.

Another foreign import is the French Homeoplasmine (which according to my family looks like nappy cream. Glam.) which is available in this currently through Escentual at £9.95 for a huge tube. It's texture is slightly waxier and thicker than Vaseline, clear in colour, and has a natural matte finish when applied. While it's best used as a lip balm, I've found this to work really well at aiding the healing of spots, and preventing any later scarring. The added bonuses for me, are the pleasant texture, absence of fragrance and cheap price.  

And yet another foreigner, Glossier's Balm Dotcom is something all of those in the beauty loop got highly excited about. It's the cheapest (in theory) at only $12 a pop, but its US only availability makes it nearly impossible to get your hands on without an unlimited stream of money. Like Homeoplasmine, its a clear waxy balm, with a natural matte finish which works best as a heavy duty lip balm. The super thick texture means you need the smallest amount of product, and thanks to the small tube, its significantly more handbag friendly than the others. 

Overall, I'd say that the endless lists of uses for each product that seems to be promoted with multi-purpose balms are really unrealistic. Making the term "multi-purpose" pretty ironic when it comes to  I cannot imagine for a second using any of these as moisturisers, either for my face or my hands (really, Elizabeth Arden? THE STICKINESS.) But, they are without a doubt amazing products to have in your arsenal, depending on exactly what you're looking for. If I'm going to suggest one right now, it's going to be Homeoplasmine. It is easy to get hold of, and much unlike 8-Hr cream, won't leave behind any smells, stickiness or an empty purse.

What do you all think of multi-purpose balms? Have you ever tried any of these, or do you use another multi-purpose balm in a similar way? Next on my list? Paw-paw ointment.