If I Could Only Have One...

Last month, Jess wrote a blog post where she chose just one product for each make up category. I thought it would be fun to do as well. Obviously this is just hypothetical as this would be too difficult to use only one product on an everyday basis. Where is the fun in that?! Some of these products have been favourites of mine for years so they were easy to choose. Others such as eyeshadow and blusher were much harder to chose because I have quite a few products for this category.

Primer - Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch - I own quite a few primers but this is my favourite and the one I reach for the most. It provides a smooth, velvety texture to my skin making it the perfect base for foundation. It does a good job of blurring imperfections like small blemishes and pores. It's just a shame I have acne and large pores so it doesn't leave me with a flawless base!

Foundation - Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation - This is the only high-end foundation I have tried but one I fell in love with straight away. It was the foundation I wore on my wedding day and lasted well even when I was dancing until 1am! The only downside is that it doesn't come with a pump but I think you can buy them separately. 

Concealer - Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer - A well known concealer in the beauty world for being a good concealer at an affordable price. I think I will always purchase this concealer as it does the job it's supposed to do for under £5. 

Powder - Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - Another drugstore product that does what it's supposed to do for a bargain price. I always buy this in translucent and use it as a setting powder. It does a great job of keeping my skin looking matte as I'm not a fan of the dewy look.  

Bronzer - The Body Shop Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder - I'm so glad I discovered this bronzer a couple of years ago. It's the perfect bronzer for fair skinned gals and doesn't have a hint of shimmer. I love using shade 1 all over my face to give me a little bit of colour. 

Blusher - NARS Blush in Orgasm - This is my favourite shade of blush. I just wish it didn't have so much shimmer in. Let's face it, there is a lot! In the packaging it looks so beautiful but sometimes I wish there was less shimmer. 

Highlighter - Sleek Highlighter in Face Form Contouring and Blush Palette - My favourite highlighter is within this palette so I don't know if you can buy it individually and I don't know it's name but it's the highlight I always turn to. It's the perfect shade to just provide a glow and the shimmer is so fine so it just catches the light.

Brows - Maybelline Brow Drama - My eyebrows are wild! I always need a brow gel just to tame them and keep them in place throughout the day. For years, I was using a clear mascara but this left them feeling a little crispy. Brow Drama provides just enough hold without making them hard and means I can skip filling in my brows when I'm in a hurry because it's tinted. 

Eyeshadow - Make Up Revolution Beyond Flawless Eyeshadow Palette - This is the latest edition to my make up collection. 32 eyeshadows for £8 - what's not to love?! That's only 25p a shade! There are so many shades that I love and the quality is really good for a budget brand. Yes there is a little fallout but nothing that a tissue under the eye won't solve.

Eyeliner - Daniel Sandler Long Lasting Waterproof Eyeliner - I love the fact this eyeliner isn't black and it's also waterproof so it's lasts for hours even on my waterline. It's a lovely creamy texture so it doesn't drag and applies beautifully.

Mascara - Rimmel Extra Super Lash Mascara - I have been using this mascara for years now. I have tried many different brands over the three years that I have been blogging but I will always go back to this one. It gives great length, volume and separates my lashes perfectly. There are two different versions but I prefer the straight wand over the curved one.

Lips - YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Lipstick - The most luxurious lipstick I own, it comes in beautiful packaging and was my wedding lipstick. It will always have a special place in my heart. 

Which products would you choose if you could only have one?

Rachel x

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National Calvados Week 2015

At the beginning of September, I was invited along to The Blue Pig in the Northern Quarter, Manchester. The event was a preview of National Calvados Week, which is a celebration of the annual apple harvest, held in Normandy, France. National Calvados Week runs from 18th to 24th October 2015. Père Magloire is hosting National Calvados Week in the UK and there will be bars taking part in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Liverpool. During National Calvados week over 100 bars, shops, supermarkets and independent off licenses including The Blue Pig, Almost Famous, Mr Coopers, Wine Rack and Corks Out who will have special cocktail menus, Père Magloire Calvados range tasting, food pairing and cooking with Calvados in their most succulent dishes.

On arrival, we were greeted with an Applejack - a simple cocktail made from Père Magloire V.S.O.P and cloudy apple juice. We were introduced to Dave Marsland from Emporia Brands (Drinks Enthusiast) who ran a masterclass on Calvados. Calvados is distilled from cider and protected by the Appellation Calvados Contrôlée. Père Magloire is part of French national heritage. The firm is the oldest and best known of all the Calvados producers. The history of Père Magloire began in 1821 and was one of the first French trademarks to be registered! 

Paul Coony, the Head Chef at The Blue Pig created a menu to complement Père Magloire. To start we had Brie tarts with apple and Père Magloire chutney paired with Calvados Père Magloire FINE V.S. It was possibly the nicest starter I have ever had! We couldn't help but go back for more! The chutney was to die for and Paul gave us a little jar at the end to take home. Thank you Paul! If I wasn't already converted, I would go to The Blue Pig during National Calvados Week hoping it was on the menu!

As a main, we had Père Magloire marinated sticky pork ribs paired with Calvados Père Magloire V.S.O.P. They were also delicious - Paul is a talented chef! From the range of Père Magloire Calvados we tried that night, V.S.O.P. was my favourite so I was extremely happy to find a small bottle in our goody bag!

Dessert was Père Magloire, dark chocolate and hazelnut truffles paired with Calvados Père Magloire 12 Year Old. I love truffles but unfortunately I don't like dark chocolate so I found these too bitter but the texture was lovely. My sister and mum were fans!

To end the evening, we had a signature Père Magloire Calvados cocktail - Pomme par Jour. I have the recipe if you wanted to recreate at home;

• 35ml Père Magloire V.S.O.P.
• 20ml Triple Sec
• 20ml Lemon juice
• Dash water
• Muddled apple

I had a fantastic evening with incredible food and drinks. Thank you Père Magloire! You have a new fan of your Calvados!

Don't forget to head to The Blue Pig, Mr Coopers House and Garden,  Fumo, Astons of Manchester or Almost Famous during National Calvados Week which is 18th to 24th October 2015. If you're not from Manchester or would like more information, visit http://www.nationalcalvadosweek.com/

Rachel x

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Crete Photo Diary - August 2015

After our trip to Whitby and Northumberland, we decided we needed a week away in the sunshine, just the two of us. So we went to the travel agents and booked a last minute holiday to Crete. We had never been before but we absolutely loved it and would 100% go back. We stayed in the resort of Agia Marina which is on the West of the island. The weather was fantastic and we had glorious sunshine everyday. Our hotel was just five minutes from the beach and was centrally located within Agia Marina. We fell in love with Crete. And we have added Greek food to our lists of loves. I'm craving moussaka but I know it won't be the same. Until next time.

Enjoy some of our photos.

Rachel x

The smallest plane EVER!

A perfect start to our holiday!

Let's go to the beach...

The sunset over Agia Marina beach

Live Well. Laugh Often. Love always.

One of our many starters that week. So many carbs!

Moussaka is amazing!

Honey Raki

Souda Bay

A Venetian lighthouse in Chania

Amazing Gyros. Amazing view.

Sail away with me.

We walked all the way round to the lighthouse in the heat and then had to walk back again!

We found an awesome spot to watch the waves crash upon the rocks.

Happy 3rd Birthday Lost In Lipstick!

Today marks three years since I sat down and created Lost In Lipstick. An awful lot has happened in those years; my make up collection has grown enormously compared with what I previously owned, my obsession with skincare started and I've met some of the nicest people that I'll ever meet in the blogging community.

It has almost been a year since I purchased my own domain and I love this little space I have created online. There have been times of absence. Obviously my most recent disappearance (I'm now back and loving it!) and last year when I was planning my wedding which was crazy but I miss it so much! I'm going off on a tangent here.

What I want to say is thank you to everyone I've met along the way, either online or in real life, I've met some great friends. Thank you to everyone who reads my blog and thank you to all the brands/PRs that I have worked with along the way.

I have made many great memories through blogging and here's to many more! *raises a glass*

Rachel x

Northumberland Photo Diary - August 2015

Our second holiday of the Summer was spent in Northumberland with Rory's family. We stayed in a small village called Alnmouth which is near to Alnwick. There were 12 of us in total, 8 adults and 4 children and we stayed in a massive house which sleeps 19 so there was lots of room for the children to play! We were really lucky with the weather while we were there and we made the most of having a massive garden and living next to the beach for a week! There are so many castles in Northumberland and we actually visited two while we were away; Dunstanburgh Castle and Alnwick Castle. We also visited Alnwick Gardens, The Holy Island of Lindisfarne and Barter Books which is one of the largest second hand bookshops in Britain.

Here is a selection of photos that I took during our week in Northumberland. I am pretty restricted as a lot of photos feature my nieces and I don't feel comfortable putting them on my blog when they are not my children. There is a good selection though and gives you a glimpse into what we got up to and the different places we went to. I will include a caption for each photo to explain them in more detail. I hope you enjoy this post.

Rachel x

This is the view from our garden gate - Alnmouth Bay

Alnmouth Bay

Dunstanburgh Castle

Selfie outside Dunstanburgh Castle

Ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle

Embleton Bay

Embleton Bay

Beach art by our nieces

Alnwick Castle

Alnwick Castle

Getting into character at Alnwick Castle and being a princess!

Alnwick Gardens

Granny Turismo

Poison Garden at Alnwick Gardens

Beautiful sunset over Alnmouth Bay (that was our beach hut for the week!)

Beautiful sunset over Alnmouth Bay

The Holy Island of Lindisfarne (and Lindisfarne Castle in the background!)

Keep Calm and Carry On poster from 1939 discovered by the staff at Barter Books

The Body Shop Spa Of The World Collection

I've never actually been to a spa before. I don't know why but there is something stopping me in my mind. Maybe I think they're too expensive or maybe it's letting a stranger touch my body. Either way I've never been tempted to go but pampering myself is something I love to do. I'm a huge fan of products that allow you to do this in the comfort of your own home and I was extremely excited when The Body Shop introduced their Spa Of The World collection.

The Spa Of The World collection offers everything you need in a spa experience - escapism, relaxation, revitalisation and pure bliss. Sounds like Heaven! The Body Shop have researched some of the most treasured ancient traditions from around the world which have been perfected by centuries of wisdom. They have discovered the finest natural ingredients, refined textures and delicate fragrances to create this fabulous range. Now you can make your bathroom the greatest spa on Earth!

There are 11 products in the collection and two tools. The products range from purifying and firming clays, sensorial and luxury oils, refining natural scrubs and decadent creams. The Body Shop have grouped the products into three categories; Relaxing Ritual, Revitalising Ritual and Blissful Ritual.

Relaxing Ritual is made up of five products; African Ximenia Scrub, Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay, Egyptian Milk & Honey Bath, French Lavender Massage Oil and Japanese Camellia Cream.

African Ximenia Scrub (£18) - In Africa, the Ximenia tree is known as the ‘Tree of Life’, such are the skin-softening properties of its oil. This softening body scrub gently exfoliates to leave skin gleamingly smooth.

Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay (£16) - An Asian beauty secret, charcoal is used to draw out impurities from the skin and remove up to thousands of times its own mass in toxins. After cleansing, use the Body Mask Brush to spread a thin later onto skin and leave to dry for ten minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water and revel in the purifying glow you will radiate.

Egyptian Milk & Honey Bath (£14) - A relaxing powder-to-milk bath, the skin-softening milk and honey bath is renowned as a beauty ritual used by Cleopatra in ancient Egypt. As soon as you pour a scoop of this creamy fragrant powder under running water, with just one breath, the scent will transport you into a state of relaxation. For a bath of pure indulgence worthy of a legendary beauty, pour five scoops under running warm water and swirl until dissolved.

French Lavender Massage Oil (£14) - The relaxing powers of lavender are legendary – particularly renowned in France, where in the 14th century, King Charles VI demanded pillows filled with lavender to soothe him to sleep. Massage onto skin to help soothe body and mind.

Japanese Camellia Cream (£23) - The oil of the elegant Camellia flower has been used by women since the 8th century to gently soften and moisturise the skin. This sumptuous velvet moisture body cream leaves skin silky soft and subtly fragranced

Revitalising Ritual is made up of three products; Dead Sea Salt Scrub, Moroccan Rhassoul Body Clay and Thai Lemongrass Massage Oil.

Dead Sea Salt Scrub (£20) - Dead Sea salt is precious for its high mineral content and the coarseness of its crystals, resulting in an enlivening scrub that will transform your skin. Massage vigorously over damp skin for the ultimate body wake-up call.

Moroccan Rhassoul Body Clay (£16) - Turn your bathroom into a Moroccan Hammam. Rhassoul, the mineralrich clay which has long been used by Moroccan women to firm skin, tightens as it dries to give instant firmness to skin. Apply a thin layer, allow to dry for ten minutes, and rinse with cold water to maximise the skin-tightening effects.

Thai Lemongrass Massage Oil (£14) - Few ingredients have the power to stimulate the senses like lemongrass, cherished in traditional Thai massage for centuries for the invigorating effect it has on body and mind. Massage into skin, focusing on pressure points and breathe deeply to feel instantly revitalised and uplifted from this fragrant aromatic scent.

Blissful Ritual is also made up of three products; Polynesian Monoi Beauty Oil, Hawaiian Kukui Cream and Tahitian Orchid Massage Oil. 

Polynesian Monoi Beauty Oil (£14) - The women of the Polynesian islands have used Monoi, a treasured, sacred, scented blend of coconut oil and tiare flowers, for two thousand years to give glow to skin and lustre to hair. A true wonder-product, massage into damp skin and comb through damaged hair when dry.

Hawaiian Kukui Cream (£23) - Exposed to the relentless sun for generations, Hawaiian women use kukui oil to nurture their skin. Exceptionally moisturising, it restores skin suppleness and leaves it nourished and glowing.

Tahitian Orchid Massage Oil (£14) - In Tahiti, vanilla orchid blended with ylang ylang and patchouli is treasured in traditional massage, with its enticing, sensual and exquisite scent and properties.

On Friday, I actually purchased the French Lavender Massage Oil as I cannot resist lavender! I will write a review once I have used it a few times but it smells amazing and I have huge expectations. Other products that I MUST get my hands on are the Himalayan Charcoal Body Clay and the Thai Lemongrass Massage Oil but to be honest I would be happy with any of the collection!

Are only of these items on your wishlist? Do you already own something from the collection? What are you thoughts on the range?

Rachel x

P.S. I haven't been paid to write this post, I am genuinely excited by the whole range! Plus I love The Body Shop!

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