2 eyes, 83 eyelashes (or thereabouts) and 2 mascaras.
On one eye, I’ve applied £21.50 worth of mascara (DiorShow Iconic)
On the other eye… £5.99 worth of mascara (Boots 17 Wild Curls)
There’s undoubtedly a difference, and the expensive mascara (on the left as you look at it) has done it’s job well.
But is the difference really worth £15.51?
Hand on heart, for me… I think it’s worth it. My husband thinks I’m a sucker.
What do you think?
That’s it… that’s all that I have left of my current favourite fragrance after decanting myself a small amount and giving the rest to a friend.
Jo Malone White Jasmine and Mint reminds me of Summer. It makes me think of cottage gardens and fresh linen catching the breeze on the washing line.
But Mr L doesn’t like it and in all fairness, he has to smell me 24/7 and it’s a scent that truly bothers him.
When I was 17, I bought myself a bottle of Dior’s Hypnotic Poison. It had just been released and I sampled it in the Duty Free Store on the RoRo ferry to France. I fell in love with it’s sweet and gentle scent. Vanilla, almond and sugar… it’s everything a teenage girl would love. I spent all of my holiday allowance on that one bottle before I’d even got halfway across the English Channel.
Back then, it was new and remained relatively undiscovered for a while. It was the first perfume I’d ever worn that lasted for hours on my skin, I couldn’t leave the house without being complimented on how lovely I smelt.
I’m now 12 years older. The oriental and intoxicating scent I used to cherish and adore reminds me a little bit of play-doh. It’s cloying and childish and admitting this upsets me.
Shall I tell you why?
I met my husband wearing Hypnotic Poison. I married my husband wearing Hypnotic Poison (along with the matching body lotion) and I gave birth to our child wearing Hypnotic Poison. Everything about our life has been set against a backdrop of Bitter Almond, Caraway, Vanilla and Caramel. It’s one of the most comforting scents we know.
The end of a love affair… it’s not tempestuous or exciting. Like many endings, it’s just sad.
I know I’ll never be without a bottle stashed somewhere in the back of my wardrobe… but I need to find something new, something that will carry me through my 30s and beyond. What if I fall in love with something else that Mr. L hates? What if he can’t let go of my signature scent in the way I’m dying to and no other scent compares?
As much as I assert that it’s MY scent, on MY body… it’s not. It’s ours… and I’m not sure I’d be ready for him to fall out of love with his signature fragrance either.
Perhaps I’m being melodramatic… I usually am. But of the traditional 5 senses, the sense of smell is a hugely important and often subconscious one.
Do you have a signature scent? How would you go about finding a new one?
Back in December, I went a little Dior crazy. I couldn’t sleep, I couldn’t eat… (stop laughing)
Anyway! I was a woman possessed obsessed with the Dior Cristal Boreal Holiday Collection and when I picked up a few pieces, a couple more shadows from the new One Couleur Extreme range fell into my hot sweaty hands too.
Left to Right on the top row: Dior One Couleur Extreme Eye Shadow in Flash Black, Dior One Couleur Extreme Eye Shadow in Silver Gem (LE), Dior One Couleur Extreme Eye Shadow in Trendy Taupe.
Flash Black: A true black infused with silver sparkle… this is such a great base for a wonderful smoky eye.
Silver Gem (LE) – This is a limited edition silver from the Cristal Boreal Holiday 2009 Collection… this is the shadow that I first swatched on counter that made me loopy for the collection. It’s a pretty darn opaque silver with a buttery finish.
Trendy Taupe – A teeny bit disappointing because it’s so dark on me, I wanted more of a midtone shade for the lid and this fairly pigmented shade doesn’t quite fit the bill.
The cast of characters… You can see the sparkle of Flash Black (left), the opaqueness of Silver Gem (middle) and the deep tones of Trendy Taupe (right).
I think that concludes my pre-Christmas Dior haul…. now to find a new obsession for Spring/Summer… What’s on your radar?
As part of my Dior haul, I also purchased the Dior Sparkling Liner in the Xmas ’09 LE Shade Sparkling Purple.
I actually had no intentions to pick this up until I swatched it on the stand… oh my.
It’s a beautifully iridescent purple liner with a brush that ensures a precision fine line. It’s massively pigmented and perfect for winter.
Look at that… it just glows and reminds me of stained glass. I’ve been pairing this up with grey shadows on my lids and have worn it once or twice on it’s own with lots of black mascara.
I’m so pleased I picked it up!
I think I paid around £20. Do you wear coloured liners? Any preferences or tips on shade selection for a chick with grey/green eyes?
A beautiful gun-metal silver/grey metallic with more than a hint of purple.
Applies beautifully with absolutely no brush marks. Needs a top coat to achieve a great glossy finish, wear has been very good.
It’s a fabulously winter-y shade and my first Dior Polish, I’m very impressed with the quality!
What are some of your fav Dior polishes?
So, you’ve seen the FOTD but not the palette… I got that ordering all arse about face didn’t I? Although, you couldn’t actually see the shadows in the FOTD anywayyyy… but I digress…
Here she is!
I’m not a fan of these silly velvet pouches… I dunno why, but to me… they cheapen the product. Makes me think of a tacky ornament that you pick up in the pound shop at Christmas for an Aunty that you don’t like very much. Yeah, I don’t know how the hell I got from Dior to pound shop tat in one fell swoop either.
The casing on the other hand is pure luxe. Love that midnight blue… just beautiful!
It’s a very cool toned palette, which suits me perfectly! I’m loving the combination of totally wearable shades… gawjus!
As you can see from the swatches… this is one heavily pigmented palette. The shade difference between the silvery taupes are perfect and the purple is a fabulous nod to the festive season. The finishes are all metallic/shimmer and blend like buttah.
The palette is LE but there was still plenty of stock in the Boots I bought this from last week. I paid £36 (well, I didn’t ‘cos I used my Advantage Card… but, I woulda done if…. oh you know what I mean!).
Do you like? Is it a bit cool toned for you?
A girl with too many lipsticks.
And a blog about them.
