After a while, I realised I had more than enough New CID cosmetics to fill a normal persons makeup bag.

Normal person.

Thus, after deciding to go blonde and feeling so fresh and so clean (clean), I decided to do a full face of their fabulous products:

i-gel Long Wear Gel Eye Liner Trio With Brush in Graphie/Granite/Carbon – This is a super soft-and-creamy eyeliner trio with staying power. It also doesn’t dry too quickly, which lets me create a subtle smoke-out with my finger after applying a thin line with the brush provided. Easy eyes in 1, 2, 3!

i-glow Compact Shimmer Powder with Mirror in Ice Pop – I rarely wear blush (hello, rosacea!), but this is a sweetly shimmering light pink which almost cancels out the natural flush in my skin. Perfectly pretty for my almost-transparent winter skin.

i-flutter Double Brush Lengthening Mascara in Black – As a total mascara snob, I was wowed by this. There are a lot of things I demand from a mascara and – apart from being a stiffer brush than I would opt for – it has them all: volume, length, separation, staying power.

i-prime Foundation Primer – Dreamy, silky, phenomenal. I use it every day, whether I wear makeup or not.

i-open Double Ended Eyeliner and Under Eye Concealer – If you don’t already know, nude eyeliner on the water line opens up your eyes (especially eyes that get no sleep, a la Lela London’s) while avoiding the harsh look of the bright white eyeliner that many old-school makeup artists recommend. To be honest, I don’t ever use the concealer end as I never ‘touch up’ in the day, but the eyeliner is a must.

i-conceal Brush on Fluid Concealer – New CID is one of the only brand that has a colour light enough for me (Extra Light) that feels like it hydrates as well as covers. You don’t even need foundation with this baby.

i-polish Nail Polish in Tutti Frutti – Of course, you wouldn’t get a post featuring New CID without a light-up product! This is one of their upcoming nail polishes, which will be priced at only £10 with all colour goodness of the Nail Greats with no chemical nasties.

i-pout Lipstick in Pomegranate – Another light-up product, this time with a handy mirror attached to the lipstick case. Enriched with Vitamin E, i-Pout feels richly conditioning and the taste is slightly sweet but not overpowering.

Full face and hair (though a bit too straight for my liking after a long day!), below.
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Necklace: Rachael Ruddick crystal cave pendant necklace
Handbag: Vivienne Westwood squiggle clutch in Fuxia
Shoes: Diesel Desire Washed Denim Boots
Shirt: Contrast Twist Trim Jumper in White
Jeans: Multi Pocket Stretch Jeggings in Lilac
Blazer: Tipped Linen Jacket in Navy

BOOM. It’s here. The project that has been in months of months of development…She Said Beauty – the Ultimate Beauty Discovery Box. I have been honoured as the Editor of the beauty blog and general online “voice” of the brand.

Keep in mind, this is only Step One of She Said Beauty and, in fact, you will be blown away by both the quality and quantity of changes that are coming in the next six months. My lips are sealed in regards to the whats and whens, but I can let you know that along with a Facebook-esque integration to the site, the blog will be transitioning into magazine territory, with the Beauty Director of Elle - Emma Strenner – and some incredible writers and bloggers already on board.

I love my team, and I am so proud of what we have already accomplished in just a week of business.

CLICK HERE TO TAKE A LOOK AROUND!

(Note: Take a look at my first Editor’s Letter, Zooey Deschanel makeup tutorial, and “Make-up For Me” for a content taster. You will love our ‘real girl’ face of the day Street Beauty on Tumblr, and should definitely follow us on Twitter and Facebook for insider updates!)

In the day or so after New Year 2012, I was feeling very English (ahem Welsh, to be honest ahem) and felt entirely gluttonous enough to splash out on afternoon tea at The Kensington Hotel with The Boyfriend.

As teas come, I find The Kensington Hotel‘s offerings to be quite modern and interesting, yet an experience which is ‘traditional‘ enough to please almost every type of tea-lounger.

The Menu:

SANDWICHES
Smoked chicken with citrus mayonnaise
Honey roasted ham with
wholegrain mustard mayonnaise
Scottish smoked salmon with
horseradish and chive crème fraîche
Egg mayonnaise and cress sandwich
Brie with sundried tomato and rocket

HOME MADE SCONES (The Boyfriend’s Other Woman)
Warm homemade plain and raisin scones
Cornish clotted cream
Lemon and passion fruit curd
Homemade strawberry and rose petal jam

SWEET THINGS
Rich traditional English fruitcake
Victoria sponge
Carrot cake
Fresh fruit tart

…I’m considering moving in. Indulgent photo evidence, below.
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Though I’ve been pleased with the results of all my trialled products from haircare brand Phyto, nothing stands out quite as much as their “Phytonectar“. True to their branding, Patrick Alès‘ vision of creating plant-based and environmentally-conscious hair products has tricked down to create yet another powerful botanical remedy. Phytonectar is a hydrating shampoo for dry and over-processed hair (check, check, for me!) with medium-to-course texture (check, tick, yes, yes, YES!).

The product itself is a super-thick emulsion, enriched with orange blossom wax and St. John’s Wort (20%), which gently cleanses and revives even the most dehydrated, brittle hair. As it is a natural product, it comes without parabens, synthetic dyes, petrochemicals, and phthalates. This means while the shampoo doesn’t have the “lather” that chemical-filled shampoos trick us into believing means “clean hair“, it is filled with the most incredible, nourishing, and natural hair helpers.

If you want soft, frizz-free, and (most importantly) healthy hair, dump the sudsy shampoos and grab a bottle of Phytonectar.