Liz Jones, at it again!!

You may not be familiar with who Liz Jones is, congratulations you can consider yourself lucky! 

Unfortunately her penchant for writing useless drivel for the Daily Mail often makes front news so imagine my surprise (I'm being sarcastic if you hadn't noticed) when I check my twitter this weekend and find loads of tweets about the most recent article she's written.

I will link the article here but if you cannot be bothered to read it I will quickly summarise it for you: 

a bunch of very beautiful celebrity women have gone "BearFaced" for Children In Need and Liz Jones being an insecure, pathetic excuse of a woman as bashed them for not really being make-up free and for the use of an air brush, apparently no woman looks like that without make-up!

Personally having seen the pictures I do not think for a second that any of the celebrities were airbrushed but if they have been then in this instance lets look at the bigger picture, it's for charity who the hell cares! 

Believe it or not dear Liz but women can look good without a single scrap of slap, just because you don't you find it impossible to get your head around, problem is make-up can only go so far and you look like a pillow of dough with a mouth and skin of a tortoise and eyes like currants (her words not mine). 

I'm sure Liz is correct when she says that some of these celebrities have had lash extensions and plumping injections but Liz you've had a face lift, yes you read correct a FACE LIFT, pot calling the kettle black.

She goes on to say that some thing are meant to be smoothed over, covered up, lied about and that there are far too many women who don't wear make-up to work already, don't encourage more! 

I'm lost for words, how can you go around telling people that you'r basically unattractive if you don't cake your face in 10 layers of product.

I find it hilarious that you Liz Jones who as battled with an eating disorder in the past can sit there and promote such crap, in fact lets face it you should not be in a position to judge image at all as you clearly have a very warped outlook of the female species.

You have claimed that you found your own appearance ugly and you hare projecting you own insecurities onto other women, it all boils down to jealousy. 

Here's an idea stop judging other people and work on that nasty personality of yours!!

She claims that this whole idea of "bare faced beauty"is enslavement to a bogus male idea of beauty were we supposed to look "fresh out the shower". WTF are you on drugs? Actually scrap that you're far to boring and middle aged for that (again her words not mine, different article).

Let me tell you most men are not very observant when it comes to what make-up you have or don't have on and in the long run don't give a shit either, most of them are "scared" of the junk we put on our faces and prefer the less is more approach. I don't understand how you can class this as a bad thing, how are we conforming to a bogus male idea of beauty by wearing less make-up when really all it says about them is that they love your appearance just as you are.  

What you are saying is that all women are unattractive without the optical illusion of make-up and anyone who is beautiful bare faced is lying about it, Liz Jones do me and everyone else a favour and work on yourself before you judge others.

Beauty is only skin deep, everyones looks will go one day or the other but a bad attitude and ugly personality is far worse. 

 

Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain

Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain is the latest lip product to be released by YSL and a fist of it's kind for the cosmetics industry.
These are a lip stain that is glossy (like the name would indicate) and if you've ever used a stain you know how drying and matte they look on the lips, which is usually the reason why I steer clear of them but these are completely different.

The two shades I picked up are:

No.9 Rouge Laque, a true red (and the shade used in the promo image)

No.12 Corail Fauve, a bright coral

The texture of these is quite unique, they feel creamy when applying and cooling at the same time and you do have to build up the intensity in stages, they aren't the sort of product you can just slap on and go.
They are worth the extra effort though as once they are on they stay put for the majority of the day without touch-ups and the best part of it is that despite the glossy finish these stay put and don't bleed outside my natural lip line.

They have a pleasant scent and the packaging is gorgeous, they are well worth the £22.50 they cost.

New Hair and Tips On Looking After Bleached Locks

Over the past few months I've been gradually lightening my hair with highlights, the goal was to get as light as possible with minimal damage, not an easy task when your hair as previously been dyed dark brown but I was determined I would achieve platinum eventually.

Well as you might have noticed from the recent profile picture change that day as come, my hair is now white almost borderline grey actually because a strong toner was used (my hair likes to pull gold).
Below is a before and after:

Now obviously lightening your hair with bleach all over is an harsh process and you will get damage but if done properly and with the right aftercare you hair will be okay and it's less damaging in the long run cause unlike highlight your not overlapping colour.

Here are my tips on keeping platinum locks in tip top condition:

Don't wash your hair too often, it will dry out your hair and wash the toner away faster. Try and use dry shampoo and keep shampooing to a minimum. Also when you do wash your hair make sure you're using a purple shampoo as you do not want the blonde to turn yellow.

Hair oils are your best friend, there's loads of them on the market, the one that I currently use is the Kerastase Elixir Ultime but I've  tried several different ones and they all work pretty much the same. I apply mine to the ends of my hair every single night to help moisturise and nourish.

Use a deep conditioning treatment every time you wash! Alternate between a protein mask and a moisturising one, you don't want too much of either as it will weigh down you hair and too much protein can make you hair snap. My two favourites are the Joico K-Pack Deep Penetrating Reconstructor and the K-Pack Intense Hydrator.

Don't rip the brush through your hair, be gentle. Since it's bleached it might tangle up a lot more but pulling a brush through the knots isn't going to do it any good. Use a good detangler or leave in conditioner and it will make brushing so much easier.

Have a toner at the ready, I use one by Goldwell and it's brilliant! It works in 5 minutes flat and eliminates all brassiness.

Be prepared to embrace the roots! Now I'm not saying let them grow out till they are past your ears but there's no need re-do them every 3-4 weeks, it makes it harder to not overlap the colour. Every 6-8 weeks is plenty.

So there you have my top tips to keep your bleached hair in great condition!
What is your top tip for bleached hair?

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter Swatches

I've already reviewed the Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters so I'm not going to repeat myself and tell you how much I love them but they finally reached the UK so I've had a chance to pick up a few more shades.
What I will say is that a few of the colour don't seem to be available outside of the US (Red Velvet, Gumdrop, Sugarplum, Creamsicle, Cherry Tart) so if you want to get your hand on them you might still have to use the ebay seller I talked about in my original post

These are the shades I have currently:

015 Tutti Frutti - a bright tangerine tint that will look great on people with a tan
025 Peach Parfait - a sheer peachy shade with golden shimmer
040 Red Velvet - a dark, deep morello cherry red
055 Cupcake - a pale, blue based sugary pink
080 Strawberry Shortcake - a medium neutral pink that very wearable
090 Sweet Tart - a bright coral pink and my favourite of the bunch

These retail at £7.99 but at the moment they are on 3 for 2 in Boots so there's no better time to pick a few up!

Nail Of The Day: Chanel Le Jeans Manicure

Chanel recently released a small collection of blue nail polishes to coincide with the release of the new Rouge Coco Lipsticks.

The collection is called "Le Jeans De Chanel" and was released in London last year and sold out on the first day, they have bought the collection back and this time it's available at every counter in the UK.
The best part is that two of the shades are going to be part of the permanent collection, Coco Blue is the only LE one so get it quickly if you want it.

Because I love all of the shades and couldn't decide which one to use first I decided to use all 3, I'm going to call this the: Le Jeans Manicure

The shades are:

Blue Rebel, a dark inky blue shade
Blue Boy, a medium, slightly faded out blue
Coco Blue, a pale clean pastel blue with a subtle white pearl

Chanel Blush Horizon De Chanel

This gorgeous blusher was released as part of the Chanel Spring 2012 Collection: Harmonie De Printemps and is sadly limited edition (so I suggest you pick one up as quickly as possible if you want one as some counters still have stock).

To look at the product is beautiful and it's almost a shame to use it as it looks so pretty in the pan however when blended on the skin it's the most perfect peachy pink shade I've ver used and makes my skin look glowy and fresh.

This blusher is essentially a 3 in 1 product as the top section can be used alone for a pink look, the bottom section for a peachier look of blended together for a healthy flush, it might initially sound expensive (it's £46) but really you're getting a bargain for such a versatile product, lol

Topshop Lash Catcher Mascara Review

My mascara of choice for a long time as been L'Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black as it gives intense volume and pigment in one quick coat, I've tried many mascaras but alway go back to that one.
I had read a few good reviews on the new Topshop Lash Catcher Mascara which is part of their Sisters Of The Moon collection so I picked one up but wasn't expecting much of it.

This may possibly be the best mascara ever created! The effect it give to the lashes is amazing,  it lengthens and defines, gives mega volume and intense pigment with one coat, doesn't smudge or run and it leaves the lashes looking soft and conditioned, it's pretty much perfect!

The packaging is also very cute and a definite step up from the L'Oreal one.

Lash Catcher Mascara retail for £10

GlossyBox March 2012 - Harrods Edition

As soon as GlossyBox announced that they would be doing a collaboration with Harrods for their March box the beauty community went crazy and eagerly awaited the day that the postman delivered theirs to their door.

I was one of those people but the reality of it is that when it actually arrived I wasn't that impressed! Don't get me wrong, I think the selection of product that they included are great quality and I will use all of them however I have already tried 3 of the 5 product included in the box (I know they were not to know that but Harrods sells a huge variety of cosmetics so it sucks to get ones I've already used) and they included a perfume sample as one of the items! 

Now I'm all for perfume samples if they are provided as an extra but not when they are one of the actual items, I can go to any department store and get them for free, also I noticed that a few of the other boxes had mini bottles of fragrance which to me is a bit unfair.

I guess all in all I was expecting more from this months box and was a little disappointed.

Anyways this is what I got:

Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlily Moisture Bath & Shower
I've used this in the past and while it is a lovely shower gel it's not worth the price, there are better products out there for less.

Yves Saint Laurent Forever Youth Liberator Serum
I love this serum and I'm considering purchasing the full size! It absorbs super quickly and it leaves my skin looking glowy and radiant.

Burberry Lip Cover in Rosewood
This is the item I was most looking forward to, I love the formula of this lipstick but it's not my kind of colour.
I'd be intrested in looking at the other shades on offer though.

Clarins Extra Firming Body Cream
I've not tried this yet and probably won't either as I'm not keen on Clarins Body products as I find them to greasy.

Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau de Parfum
This scent is okay, what's not okay is that I can get these free at any department store.
This is not a deluxe sample, GlossyBox please sort it out!

Chanel Rouge Coco Haul

This past Friday Chanel released a small lip collection consisting of 6 Rouge Coco shades and 6 Rouge Coco Shine shades, while 6 of the shade are re-promotes the 6 new shades are gorgeous and will become part of the permanent range.

I picked up the two "pinkier" offering and can see myself getting lots of wear out of them.

70 Soirire - sheer yellow pink with golden sparkle

117 Magnolia - a cool toned medium, milky pink

I love them both equally and Soirire actually looks great over magnolia instead of a gloss.

I also picked up the Rouge Coco in shade 40 Charme (a blue based pink) which was part of the Spring 2012 collection and Rouge Coco Shine in shade 56 Chance (a bright, sheer candy pink).

And because I'm almost out of cleanser and toner I picked up the Mousse Exfoliante Purete & Lotion Purete which I have used in the past and are amazing.

L'Oreal Rouge Caresse - Review & Swatches

One day while walking trough Boots on my lunch break I spotted a stand for these new Rouge Caresse lipstick and was intrigued as I actually hadn't seen or read anything about them online.
They were on 3 for 2 so I quickly picked the 3 shades that appealed to me the most.

These are basically L'Oreal's answer to the Revlon Lip Butters: sheer, shiny lip colour that feels light on the lips while still being moisturising, the texture is actually very similar to the Chanel Rouge Coco shine but with less pigment.
They have that typical raspberry scent that L'Oreal like to infuse all their lip products with, that I can't stand but luckily I only smell it in the tube and on the lips it's practically non existent.
I really like these and the only negative point is that they don't last very long on the lips so I constantly feel like I'm reapplying.

left to right: Aphrodite Scarlet, Cheeky Magenta, Nude Ingenue

06 Aphrodite Scarlet - a gorgeous coral/red shade that looks borderline neon in the tube but applies really sheer
07 Cheeky Magenta - a bright, blue based magenta pink that as decent pigmentation and leaves the lips with a nice stain
501 Nude Ingenue - a creamy nude beige shade with a little bit of shimmer

Did you pick up any of the new L'Oreal Rouge Caresse Lipsticks? What do you think of them?

Nail Of The Day: OPI Nicki Minaj Pink Friday

I know you probably seen this colour a million and one times by now but I love this shade so much that I had to feature it in todays post.

It's the perfect shade of bubblegum pink and perfect for spring and summer, if you like OPI's Mod About You and Essie Fiji your going to love this one too.

Nail Of The Day: Butter London, Blowing Raspberries

Butter London is one of those brands that I've heard loads about but never actually got round to trying mainly because they are quite hard to get hold of in the UK and I hadn't found a place that sold them.

On a trip to Harvey Nichols last week (I was looking for a replacement brush head for my Clarisonic and some Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser) I spotted a small stand of Butter London and ended up buying a few products.

One of the shades I picked up was Blowing Rasberries and I absolutely love it! It's the most gorgeous raspberry red and the formula is amazing, the texture is thick but not gloopy, it covers amazingly well even with one coat, it dries fast and gives the effect of having a gel polish coating on the nails.

I would actually say that the quality is better than the likes of OPI and Essie and on par with the quality of Chanel, I can definitely see myself buying more.

Butter London nail polish retails at £12

JolieBox February 2012

Jane Iredale Just Kissed Lip and Cheek Stain
I absolutely adore this product! It is essentially a clear lip balm that changes colour according to the PH balance of your skin giving you your own personal shade of pink.

Lavera Basis Sensitive Organic Hand cream

This is a lovely hand cream, very moisturising but easily absorbed, it might not look like much (packaging is kinda boring) but it's a really good product.

Macadamia Deep Repair Mask

I have used this product for a few months now and I love it! It smells fantastic and makes my hair soft while adding some much needed strength.

I will be saving this handy little sachet for when I go on holiday.

Kimia Rejuvenating Facial System 

I've add a smaple of this in a previous Glossybox and I really like it. Essentially it's a facial oil and a moisturising spray that you use together to restore moisture and radiance to the skin.

The facial oil smells amazing and absorbs really quickly, the moisture spray is nice but I'm not convinced it does anything that the oil wouldn't do on it's own.

Taaj Himalaya Micellar Water

I love cleansing waters so I'm really pleased they included this one in this months box.

It as extracts of green tea, chamomille and rosemary and smells really refreshing, it removes all of my makeup really well but it does however sting my eyes a little bit so I have o be careful.

GlossyBox February 2012

Duwop Venom Gloss 

Me and Duwop Lip Venom do not get on, it may plump your lips but it burns so much that I cannot bring myself to use it. I thought the gloss version might be a bit milder but it's not, pretty shade (I got it in Buttercup) but I hate the way it feels on my lips.

DR Bronner Magic Liquid Soap

This is a multi-purpose liquid soap that you can use on your face, hair and body as well as an household cleaner while still being gentle. I've used it as both and hand wash and face wash and it seems to work okay but I'm not to sure how I feel using something you can use down the toilet on my skin

Paul Mitchell Round Trip 

Not tried this yet and probably won't as it's target to curly hair to define and separate. Will pass this on to my sister.

BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eyeshadow

Haven't tried this either but it's a pretty grey shade that would be great to create a soft, smokey eye.

Como Shambhala Invigorate Body Lotion

Not impressed that this was included in this months GlossyBox as I've already, previously recieved this in a past GlossyBox, surely there as to be a way to log what you've already sent out to people so they don't get the same product twice? 

It's an okay body lotion but i would have preferred to try the body wash instead.

Revlon Lip Butter Review

I'm pretty sure that all of you by now have heard about Revlon's new Lip Butters and how amazing they are, now usually when there is so much hype around a product I find I'm let down but not in this case, they are the best lip product I've ever tried!!

They don't officially release in the UK until the 14th of March (my birthday, thanks Revlon) so if your impatient like me you're going to have to get them of ebay, the seller I used onelasttouch as the whole selection of shades and delivery was super fast.

The two I got are: Strawberry Shortcake, a medium neutral pink & Red Velvet, a dark blood red but I liked most of the shades and will be getting more.

These are essentially marketed as a tinted lip balm but I would say a sheer, moisturising lipstick is a more fitting description. They provide a sheer, juicy slick of colour and a moisturising feel while still feeling light and non greasy.
They are also fragrance free which I think is a bonus.

One negative point is that they are incredibly soft so the tube can get quite messy but it's something I can live with because the actual product is great.

If you suffer with dry lips but love wearing colour on them like me than you will adore this product  and should rush out and buy some when they are released next month as I predict these will sell out fast!

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Express Treatment Conditioner Review

Let me begin by giving you a bit of backstory on my hair: naturally I have dark blonde hair that I abuse with bleach every 8 weeks, this makes my already dry hair even drier.

Add to that a generous amount of frizz and what you have is what I can only describe as pubes hot glued to my head, I dread washing and drying it cause it's such a long process and I'm always looking for product that add moisture and manageability.

Normal conditioner aren't enough so I have to resort to using a more intensive formula, I got a sample of this in a magazine and didn't think it would do much but it's actually perfect as a daily treatment.
It claims to be an 60 second intensive treatment which might work on thinner hair but on my thick, coarse barnet it's not strong enough,what it does do is provide moisture without making my roots flat and detangles my hair so it's easy to brush.

It doesn't fully tame my frizz (nothing really does unless I straighten my hair) but my hair definitely looks less bush-like when I've used this and is generally easier to work with.
It also smells lovely and it's inexpensive, it's usually priced around the £3 mark but I stocked up while it was on offer so I think I paid £1.79 and bought 3 tubes.

What are your favourite conditioners?

Feelunique January Box 2012

I'm very sad that this will be the last Feelunique box has they have decided to withdraw the service as they feel there is a better way to deliver these kinda sample boxes so they are better suited to each individual.

They are however working on a newand improved service which should be released in the up-coming months.

I actually really like this months box and was impressed with most of the products.

Elemis Lime and Ginger Hand and Body Wash

I love this product and have used it before, a little bit expensive for what it is but it smells amazing and cleanses the skin well without drying it out.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer

I've always been intrigued by this product as it promises to add shine and elasticity to the hair but it's a pre-shampoo treatment so surely it's effects will be rinsed down the drain the second I wash the product out, right? Well I was wrong it actually does work and does a pretty good job at making my hair feel more manageable and look in better condition, it's quite expensive though so I'm not too sure I would purchase this that often as I would rather spend that sort of money on a nice hair oil which I can use as a pre- shampoo treatment but also as a styling aid.

Decleor Phytopeel Face Peel Cream 

This product is one I'm not sure I get, you pop a small amount on your dry face and rub until it sort of "balls up" on your skin. I found it dragged my skin quite a bit and didn't make it feel smooth like all my other scrubs.

Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Usage Dry Oil

I adore this product! It smells and feels very similar to the NARS one but at a much cheaper price. I will be buying a full size and keeping this little bottle for my holidays.

Leighton Denny High Performance Color

As some of you might know from previous posts I'm not a fan of Leighton Denny polishes however I was pleasantly surprised with this one.  I don't know if it's the colour (Viva La Diva) or if the mini sized bottles are better quality or what but it went on smoothly and dried quickly.

They also included a sample of the new Jean Paul Gaultier fragrance for men called Kokorico. It's quite nice actually, smells like spicy bitter chocolate with an hint of woody notes.

Are you sad to see the Feelunique beauty box go?

GlossyBox Valentines Day 2012

This month GlossyBox is Valentines Day themed and looks very pretty in it's hot pink box but I wasn't so impressed with the contents, like I've said before these boxes are hit and miss as you cannot guarantee that you're going to love everything.

Murad Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer - Dewy Finish

This is the product that immediately caught my attention when I opened the box but after trying it a few times I'm not that impressed. The product is tinted a sort of tan colour and with me being so pale it showed up on my skin and looked like I'd used the wrong shade of foundation, it's also marketed as providing a dewy finish but I found it left my skin looking far more matte than usual.

Clarins Extra Firming Day & Clarins Extra Firming Night Cream

These would be perfect for a mature, drier skin type but on me they are wasted. The texture is really creamy and it feels nourishing on the skin but it's far to heavy on my combination skin type and my skin felt congested after using these two days in a row. Nice but not for me.

Fab Body Moisturiser

Not keen on this for quite a few reasons. I'm not a big fan of body moisturisers to begin with as I'm quite lazy and slapping a cream on after I shower feels like a chore so it as to be an amazing product for me to be motivated enough to use it.
This just felt really basic, there's no scent to it and texture wise it seemed to just sit on my skin and not get absorbed, there's better products out there in my opinion.

Eyko Skinny Liner - Midnight Blue

I've not tried this purely because I only ever use black or brown liner and this one is  a deep navy blue. I know a lot of people got the pale pink shade which I would have prefered as it would have been perfect to brighten the waterline.

BTW the sweet that they included was so delicious that it almost didn't make the picture, I'd almost unwrapped it when I remembered it was probably a good idea to take a photo first, lol.

Bad Sales Assistant Rant!!

So the other day I made my way over to the Laura Mercier counter in Selfridges to check out the Silk Creme Foundation as I'd heard good things about it, I found the testers and located 2 shades that could possibly work with my skin colouring and proceeded to place a drop of each on my wrist to check which one suited me the best. Obviously it would have been a lot better if I could have tried it on my face but there was no mirror and the 2 sales assistants who worked there were pretending they hadn't saw me.

I asked the one closest to me which one would suit me best and she replied "the pinkier one would suit you best because your pale". I cannot tell you how many times I've heard that statement and how much it annoys me because I don't have a single trace of pink in my skin, yes I'm pale but my skin is very yellow based and I have no desire to place pink foundation on top of it so I can look flushed the whole day.
Pale skin does not equal pink, it comes in all different undertones!

She handed me the bottle back and proceeded to resume her conversation with her colleague, rude bitch never even attempted to swatch the foundation on my skin. I'm your potential customer, therefore money in the till and since this time of the year is quiet you would think they would be glad of the sale but she was far more interested in discussing what she was up to on the weekend. WTF if you can't be arsed to do your job properly then maybe, just maybe it's time to look for a new one!!

Now clearly I'd made my mind up that there's no fucking way I'm giving these arseholes my money even if the foundation turned out to be amazeballs, so the idea is to get a sample and buy the foundation online if I end up liking it.

Did they give me a sample? Yes but only after they looked m up and down and huffed and puffed the whole way trough it. What is you problem? No wonder that counter is always dead because if this is their attitude with everyone then I'm not surprised. It's a fucking sample and guess what it's not coming out of your wages if you give me one, if I'm gonna pay £33 on a foundation I want to be sure it suits me especially when you can't be bothered to check the colour match properly in the first place!!

I was fuming when I left the counter and I had to question myself why do some sales assistants behave this way? You work for an higher end prestige skincare and make-up brand but that doesn't make you fancy, you don't own the company, you are still retail and your job is to serve the customer and do it with a smile even if your having a bad day, I mean that what you are getting paid for! Might I recommend a job were you don't have to deal with people!

I know some people come in week after week to just get samples (I work in retail too, we all have them) but don't act like you've stepped in shit when someone is genuinely interested in your products and don't moan afterwards that you've had a bad day and taken no money cause it's your crappy attitude that's caused it.

BTW the foundation sucked in more ways than one, my face was left so dry that I had to go out and buy a thicker moisturiser and it was super cakey and felt heavy on my skin.

Have any of you had bad experiences at a counter and if so which one was it (come on, we all want to know) and what happened?

Quick & Easy Pasta Recipe: Spaghetti Aglio, Olio & Peperoncino (garlic, oil & Chilli)

Not my usual sort of post but while making lunch for myself the other day I realised this is not a dish many people are aware of which is a real shame as it's incredibly tasty and very quick and simple to do.
The ingredients list is minimal and and it's stuff that everyone should have lying around their kitchen and should take roughly 20-25 minutes to make.


Here's what you need (serves 4):

1x packet of spaghetti
6 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1x onion
2x large cloves of garlic
1x large hot red chilli (you can substitute this with 1tbsp of dried chilli flakes or use a bit of both)
salt

The above recipe is a basic guideline you can add more garlic and chilli if you want to, I actually used 4 cloves of garlic and I was making this dish just for myself.

Step 1 Start by placing a large saucepan of water onto the stove, you want to do this now as it seems to take forever to boil and the rest of the recipe isn't going to take long.
Make sure you add a generous amount of salt to the water otherwise the pasta's going to taste bland.

Step 2 Chop up all your ingredients.

Step 3 By now the water should be at boiling point so pop the spaghetti in and cook according to packet instructions.

Step 4 Place the oil into a frying pan or wok.

Step 5 Add the onions and garlic and fry until soft.

Step 6 Add the chilli's and a pinch of salt and fry for another minute or so but watch that you don't burn the onion or garlic as it doesn't taste very nice if you do. 

Step 7 Drain the Spaghetti, add to the wok and give it a good stir to coat the pasta with the oil mixture.

Step 8 Place the spaghetti into a dish and serve.

So there you have it, super simple and delicious and it didn't take you ages to make.

If you do try this recipe out make sure to leave me a comment letting me know what you think.

Best Beauty Products Of 2011

Since I'm never consistent in doing a monthly favourite post I thought it would be a good idea to do a "favourites of 2011 post" so I can share with you all the products that really stood out for me last year and ultimately the ones that I think are worth spending money on.

I've broken them all down by category, so if you're only intrested in one area you can skip past the rest.

Skincare

Cleanser 
Garnier Pure Deep Clean Foam Wash

Have gone trough countless bottles over the years and always come back to it despite trying new stuff.

It's a great basic foaming cleanser for oily/combination skin and it works well at deep cleansing without over drying.

Toner
Burt's Bees Acne Solutions Clarifying Toner

Good for keeping skin clear and helping to heal any little blemishes, it's not to expensive either and it really works.

Moisturiser
Origins Vitazing Energy Boosting Moisturiser

Amazing product! Similar to a tinted moisturiser but not quite, this comes out grey but once you blend it into the skin it adapts to your skintone and gives you a gorgeous even glow.

Exfoliator
Alpha H Liquid Gold

Not your typical exfoliator as it's completely free of any abrasive particles, this is a clear liquid containing glycolic acid that you apply to skin like you would a toner.
I find using this 3 times a week keeps my skin clear and glowing and works far better than any scrub I've ever used, it's expensive but it lasts a long time as you only need a little.

Mask
Lush Cupcake Mask

Brilliant deep cleansing mask that smells good enough to eat, this is like smoothing After Eight Mints all over your face.
I love that it as a slight exfoliating effect and makes your skin super smooth.

Eye Treatment
Garnier Tinted Eye Roll-On

This works amazingly well to de-puff and brighten the eye area and because it's tinted it mildly conceals too.

Make-Up


Primer
Korres Organic Face Primer

Absolutely fantastic primer, it makes my foundation glide on effortlessly and it doesn't have the slimy feel of regular silicone based primers.

Foundation 
Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua


One of the best foundations I've ever tried. It feels and looks natural on the skin, medium coverage, luminous matte finish.
It looks like your skin but better, instant perfector in a bottle.

Concealer 
MAC Select Moisturecover

I like this mainly for under my eyes as it's nice and moisturising and doesn't look cakey, I have it in the shade NW20 as the slight pink undertone counteracts dark circles.


Powder
 Chanel Poudre Universelle Libre

I'm not a massive fan of powders as they alway leave my skin looking flat but this one is a pleasure to use. It provides a nice lightly matte finish but it still look natural and radiant and not powdery in the slightest.

Bronzer
NARS Laguna Bronzer

The most natural looking bronzer I've ever used, it's probably not ideal for darker skin tones but if you're fair to medium this will be perfect for you.


Highlighter
Estee Lauder Pure Color Illuminating Powder Gelee

Such a shame that this was limited edition because it's an amazing product.
It doesn't just work as an highlighter but also as a gorgeous golden eye shadow and it's unique texture and versatility makes it an excellent product.


Blush
Illamasqua Shimmer Blush in Ambition

One of the pretties blushers I own, it's a soft natural peachy pink shade with a little golden shimmer and it looks great regardless of what other makeup your wearing.

Eyeshadow
Urban Decay Naked Palette

Just about every nude, natural eye shadow you will ever need packaged in a travel friendly palette, I cannot imagine anyone who would like this as every shade is super versatile and would suit every skin tone.


Liner
L'Oreal Super Liner Carbon Gloss

Mascara
YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Shocking

If you're a fan of YSL False Lash Mascara you will love this! It's a supercharged version of the original, intense pigmentation and super volumizing.


Lipstick
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine

Lovely sheer, glossy lip color, it glides on effortlessly and doesn't dry out my lips.
My favourite shades are Boy, a natural rose and Evasion, a gorgeous natural peach.

Lip Gloss
Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector

One of the best glosses money can buy. They are smooth, non-sticky and moisturising working almost as a gloss and balm all rolled into one.
They also smell amazing!


Lip Balm
Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment

Not the best to wear before bedtime but if you're looking for a moisturising balm with an hint of colour to wear during the day then look no further.
I love how creamy these feel on the lips but they aren't heavy either so they feel comfortable on the lips.

Haircare


Shampoo
Phyto Phytorhum

Fab effective shampoo, cleanses well and leaves my hair feeling stronger and healthier.

Conditioner 

This is technically an express treatment mask but I use it as I would a normal everyday conditioner.
It works really well on my dry, coarse hair and leaves it feeling soft and detangled.


Treatment

This as literally saved my hair after I went from dark brown to blonde, it as proteins to reconstruct the hair but it's also very moisturising unlike a lot of other protein treatment which can leave hair dry and brittle.


Styling Products

I'm a big fan of hair oils in general but this one is the one that suits my hair type the most and provides the most softness and moisture. I also really like the fact that it comes in handy travel sized bottles.


Nails


Nail Treatment

This is the reason I've been able to grow my nails. It's not great as a base coat because it dries shiny therefore making polish application that bit trickier but it's worth the extra effort because it makes my nails super strong.


Top Coat
Essie Good To Go

Much better than my usual Seche Vite as this does not shrink and still provides the same glossy finish

Perfume


Diesel Loverdose

A gorgeous warm liquorice and vanilla scent that sweet without being heavy.

Bath & Body Works Sensual Amber

A strong sweet amber based scent and one that reminds me very much of Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb.
Really wish Bath and Body Works would come to the UK because they do a lot of really nice scents.


So there you go, you have my 2011 favourites, what are yours?