Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector - Worth the Hype?

After hearing all the hype surrounding the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfectors I was intrigued. So, after a few clicks on my laptop Apricot Shimmer was on its way to me. (I ordered mine from Escentual as it was the cheapest).  A few days later a little package arrived on my door step and the rest is history. The love affair had officially begun... Sounds a little dramatic admittedly, however I'll paint the picture for you: I bought it eight weeks ago and there has not been one day go by where I haven't used it. In fact, I haven't used anything else on my lips but it. And coming from a beauty blogger with a collection of lip products as long as my arm, that's saying something! It even trumped every lip product I took away with me to Gran Canaria for a week and, as I loved it so much, I picked up Rose Shimmer whilst I was over there. 

The texture is heavenly and not sticky in the slightest. They add a beautifully natural glow to the lips whilst adding a subtle and understated hint of colour. They smell amazing - a sweet vanilla scent but not sickly. Admittedly at first I was a little apprehensive about the sponge-tip applicator, however I've found it works perfectly with the product and also helps to set them apart from their glossy competitors. 

So, are they worth the hype? In my opinion, Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector's are worth every little bit of hype and praise they receive. Give into the hype and you won't be left disappointed, only miffed that you didn't give in to it sooner! 

Bravo Clarins! 

Twitter // bloglovin // hellocotton

x

Disco Pant Dupes

Not too long ago, the only place you could pick up a pair of highly coveted disco pants was American Apparel. At a slightly ridiculous £70 a pair, they're not cheap under any stretch of the imagination and are definitely an 'investment piece' (a fancy term used to justify an expensive and extravagant buy). I'm jealous of how amazing disco pants look on so many people, as they wouldn't suit my day-to-day style at all. However, I think they'd be perfect teamed with a peplum top for a night out when I don't feel like having my skin on show. 

If like me you don't want to spend £70 on AA's disco pants, channel your inner Olivia Newton John with these cheaper alternatives...

Frenchy Shiny Disco Pants - Missguided, £18.99

Available in black, navy, burgundy, grey, royal blue and gold

Sizes 6-14

Amerie High Shine High Waisted Disco Pants - Boohoo, £20

Available in black, navy, berry, cobalt and silver

Sizes 6-14

Ark Black Disco Leggings - ARK, £22.99

Available in black,wine, red, royal blue, khaki, purple, silver and gold

Sizes 6-14

Disco Pants - Glamorous, £29.99

Available in black, royal blue, pewter and gold

Sizes 8-14

Hearts & Bows Rave Pants - ARK, £34.99

Available in black

Sizes 4-14

Are you a fan of disco pants? 

Would you rather splurge on the real thing or save the pennies with a pair of cheaper dupes?

Twitter // bloglovin // hellocotton

x

Chanel and Real Techniques - The Perfect Match

I've been the proud owner of Chanel's highly coveted Soleil Tan De Chanel (or Bronze Universal) for just over a year now, however by looking at the tiny dent I've made in it you'd be easily lead to believing it's a relatively new purchase. I'd be lying if I said the reluctance to use such an expensive product on an everyday basis wasn't a reason, however the main reason is simply because none of my brushes lived up to the job. A little gutting considering I spent £29 on a bronzer... however that was until I bought the Real Techniques Core Collection. Within this set are two complete gems: the buffing brush and contour brush, and it is the contour brush which I have discovered to be the perfect brush to use with Chanel's Soleil Tan De Chanel. 

Before discovering the contour brush I paired my Soleil Tan De Chanel with Sigma's F82 round top kabuki brush. It's synthetic bristles make it the perfect brush for cream products, however I find it's thick density makes it very easy to pick up too much product on the brush, and thus apply too much product onto the cheek. The fact that it isn't tapered also makes application a little more difficult. As I prefer using bronzer to contour, it was difficult to get into the hollows of the cheeks to create a subtle, defined cheek. 

The contour brush is perfect! Like the F82, it is made of synthetic bristles which makes it the ideal brush to use with cream products (including the cream-gel hybrid that is Chanel's Soleil Tan De Chanel). Synthetic bristles pick up and absorb less product, which means you can gradually build up to the amount of coverage and colour as desired. As we would expect from the name, the contour brush is tapered to perfectly fit the contours of the cheek to create subtle definition to the face. Synthetic bristles should also in theory shed less, which means hopefully no more fishing out brush hairs with cotton buds!

Brush hairs + Soleil Tan De Chanel = Gross!!

Definitely don't underestimate the importance of finding the right tools for the trade. If a product doesn't initially work for you, try it out with different brushes, applications and techniques. Dig out all the products you've demoted to the bottom drawer and have a play around with them. Chances are you'll find a match which works perfectly for you. 

Twitter // bloglovin // hellocotton

x