Sorry readers for being AWOL, I’ve been busy being a decent citizen, but Happy New Year to all and sundry and thanks for reading TSoS and making this year so
Here’s to 2012!
Archive | December, 2011
Polar Opposites of Beauty
I’m not talking about what people find beautiful, or what appeals or doesn’t – but about two make up brands which I quite like but couldn’t be more different. When people ask me why I love make up (and how I should be more confident in myself and I don’t need it blah blah bullshit) it’s because it’s so much fun. I don’t get why taking time on your face makes you an insecure person. You know, doing your face is just fun.
I went to the Rokit x Illamasqua event in Rokit’s Covent Garden store (where I also did the windows back in August) where myself and good friend Melina got our make-up did (and got personalised stockings from Rokit Recycled).
This could kind of be an outfit photo. Green arran sweater, courtesy of JAEGER. Pierre Cardin coat, VINTAGE, bought in Le Marais, Paris. ‘Made in England’ Brogues, courtesy of DR MARTENS. Nails: Barry M Cyan, my own, and Filthy/Gorgeous Tea Bird and Chanel Riva mixed – courtesy of FILTHY/GORGEOUS and CHANEL BEAUTY.
British brand Illamasqua has the most amazing store in Beak St (off Carnaby Street), and Alex Box, the founder of the brand, is not only an incredible make up artist, but has translated that to the most amazing colours and products. And they don’t test on animals, which is fantastic. You can sign up for in store and at their concessions for make up lessons (£30, fully redeemable on products) to learn some tips and tricks and how to add more drama to your look. Illamasqua will even kindly do your make up for free, if you’ve got a party or event to go to, and you need to change things up quick. Melina is already a beautiful creature, but add some polish to that and bam!
Melina and I at the Armani Exchange 20th Anniversary Party.
Swedish brand Pixi couldn’t be further from Illamasqua’s drama – Illasmasqua is Lisbeth Salander, whilst Pixi is Elsa Hosk. Neither are those are bad things, in fact, I love how make up is all about transformation and enhancement and being able to mix it up, or just keep it simple. Pixi’s flagship London boutique in Foubert’s Place (just around the corner from Illamasqua) is owned and run by make up artist Petra Strand who launched Pixi in 1999 with her two sisters.
Pixi is all about fuss free, multi tasking products that enhance and make your skin glow which are infused with botanicals and plant ingredients. Makeup to Wakeup, Petra coins it. The store is one of the most cutest places I’ve ever been in, without being twee or trite. That’s a tall order. I used to shop in Pixi a lot when I was in college, I’d save my money and get my make up done around my birthday. It’s grown immensely in the past five years, Pixi is now also stocked in Boots in the UK, online at ASOS and in Target in the US.
I went along to the launch of the new Pixi x Tinkerbell collection in their flagship store, a 6 piece capsule collection launching for SS12 in collaboration with Disney, in line with Pixi’s ethos of easy fuss free radiant products. For once I had my mum’s camera with me (she wants it back) so I got to take some pictures in store.
Illamasqua Flagship 20 Beak Street, London, W1F 9RE. Illamasqua is also stocked on ASOS, and Selfridges UK wide. Full list of national and international Illamasqua stockists
Pixi Flagship 22a Fouberts Place, London W1F 7PW. Full list of national and international Pixi stockists.
That’s Not The Only Thing That’ll Be Fake During Sex: The Louis Vuitton Condom
HAW.
So I saw this on ONTD and I was all ‘Whuuuttt no’ but Marc Jacobs has Marc by Marc Jacobs condoms, and he’s the creative director of Louis Vuitton so you know, this could work. Granted they cost a dollar fifty (from the Marc by Marc Jacobs store) each as opposed to $68. But what better way to show how much you care for a girl by um, wrapping up in a designer johnny. You not only wanna protect her from getting knocked up, you want to do it while making her forget that you didn’t supersize her fries at McDonalds, and refused to pay for a taxi home – instead waited for the night bus and didn’t offer your jacket. And a portion of the proceeds are meant to go to amFAR. Sounds..about right.
Imagine my sadness when I found out that the Louis Vuitton Condom is not affiliated with our favourite luggage maker, but Georgian architect (and all around LV fan it seems) Irakli Kiziria who, um, obviously got tired of waiting for 10 years for a project to see fruition, decided to dabble in unauthorised contraception. How long will this go before he gets, well, cockblocked?
I wish I could be witty enough to make some more puns and wisecracks, but I think Ghana Celebrities saves me the trouble and does it best.
The first question I asked myself when I read this was; how will a man decide which chick is worth a Louis Vuitton condom and who is worth the ordinary stinking Durex? I nearly slapped the last guy who tried to used non-scented condom on me, I hate the ordinary scent of condoms and it becomes worse if mixed with the STICKY WHITISH THINK…LOL
Check out the comments too. Classic.
via: Louis Vuitton Condom
WIN and TREAT YOURSELF to Strictly Make Up, Ministry of Waxing AND Browhaus
Thank y’all very much for participating in TREAT YOURSELF. I’ve had so many entries, and the prizes are starting to be drawn. This will be the last treat for TREAT YOURSELF 2011. Boo I know. In the spirit of Christmas parties, and dancing, and being glitzy, and mistletoe and stuffs and making out underneath the mistletoe – I have a treat and a extra lil’ suthin too.
Strictly Make Up have kindly offered TSoS readers the chance to win The Strictly False Eyelash Kit and the Strictly Fabulous Lip Gloss collection, perfect for a gift, or keeping for yourself to add some dazzle and sparkle to your festive looks. The Strictly False Eyelash Kit comes with falsies, gel eyeliner, mini tweezers and an angled eyeliner brush to get the perfect party eyes. The Strictly Fabulous Lip Gloss collection comes with EIGHT lipglosses, from clear and nude to red and vampy.
And as an extra little treat, Ministry of Waxing (home of the vajazzle FYI!) and Browhaus are also offering TSoS readers 25% off all treatments (excluding IPL and Brow Resurrection) for the rest of this month. Just quote ‘ScienceofStyle’ and you can get 25% off a treatment at Ministry of Waxing AND Browhaus. If you’re caught in a bad browmance, Browhaus can sort out your tired, straggly, overplucked brows whilst Ministry of Waxing will ease you away from painful experiences with Immac, and trying to rip congealing wax off your legs. Both are located in Covent Garden, so even handier.
You know what you need to do:
1. FOLLOW this blog on Google Reader or Bloglovin’
2. SEND an email to winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title BEAUTY with your and FULL NAME/EMAIL ADDRESS you used to subscribe. Don’t worry if you email me with a different email than the one you chose to subscribe with – as long as you tell me what email address you used to subscribe.
3. FOR TUMBLR FOLLOWERS – you can also enter by following me on Tumblr and emailing winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title WATCH with your COLOUR CHOICE, FULL NAME and TUMBLR.
4. UK AND IRELAND ONLY
5. This prize draw ENDS December 16th 2011
Prize courtesy of Chalk PR
Win and TREAT YOURSELF with a CliCloc Watch
Remember those snap bracelets that you’d whack on your wrist and they’d wrap around? Such fun, in a 99p piece of plastic and fabric. Kids these days, don’t know what they’re missing out on.
You can however, relive that nostalgia with a timepiece. The name CliCloc comes from the fact you click and lock the watch. Easy peasy. And they’re homegrown in good ol’ London, and come in eight different colours, with interchangeable faces and straps. Everyone’s favourite non threatening and cuddly rapper has one (Tinie Tempah) and my favourite beatboxer, the PETEBOX who I saw live at the Free Running Championships a couple of years ago.
I was also at the Notts Summer Party ’08 but missed him
The nature of the strap means it’s easy to put on, silicone doesn’t irritate the skin, and doesn’t require much fumbling of fingers and cursing as the strap slips off your wrist onto the train tracks – yet again. Plus the bright colours are cheerful and appease the soul. (I have the yellow one obviously).
TSoS is giving away ONE CliCloc watch from the CliCloc Couture Collection (alliteration!) to one lucky reader. The CliCloc Couture comes in EIGHT different colours – and you the winner can choose which colour you’d like – colours can be seen here in more detail. With a choice, you know you can be cheeky and give it as a Xmas gift.
You know what you need to do:
1. FOLLOW this blog on Google Reader or Bloglovin’
2. SEND an email to winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title WATCH with your COLOUR CHOICE (BLACK/WHITE/YELLOW/GREEN/PINK/PURPLE/ORANGE/BLUE) and FULL NAME/EMAIL ADDRESS you used to subscribe. Don’t worry if you email me with a different email than the one you chose to subscribe with – as long as you tell me what email address you used to subscribe.
3. FOR TUMBLR FOLLOWERS – you can also enter by following me on Tumblr and emailing winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title WATCH with your COLOUR CHOICE, FULL NAME and TUMBLR.
4. UK AND IRELAND ONLY
5. This prize draw ENDS December 13th 2011
Prize courtesy of CliCloc
Win and TREAT YOURSELF to the Limited Edition Gold Diana F+ Lomography Camera
If you like me, some bitch broke your camera, or you rely heavily on your phone but long for actual nostalgia shots not created by Instagram, or both, then this treat would be right up your street.
The Diana F+ is an analogue medium format camera from the 1960s that produces those delightful colour saturated atmospheric pictures you may have seen being touted around on blogs and Flickr. If my terrible explanation was too terrible to understand, here’s some pictures which will give you an idea of what the Diana does.
All images via Lomography Diana F+ Gallery
TSoS is giving away ONE Limited Edition Gold Diana F+ Lomography Camera (worth £99) to one lucky reader. Even if your festive season goes absolutely tits up, at least the pictures you take can tell a thousand lies. Having a crappy new year drinking Rose at midnight on the street after being kicked out of a party?* No worries, take the Diana F+ out with you, and all you’ll have are magical memories on film after you’ve repressed how your life invariably sucks. Also it has a handy chain strap so you don’t go losing it. Considering I don’t own a camera, I kinda wanna keep this for myself. But I won’t.
AND as an additional treat, Lomography is offering ALL TSoS readers (including the prize winner) a £10 credit to spend in the Lomography store (aptly named Piggy Points) by signing up here.
You know what you need to do:
1. FOLLOW this blog on Google Reader or Bloglovin’
2. SEND an email to winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title LOMO with your FULL NAME/EMAIL ADDRESS you used to subscribe. Don’t worry if you email me with a different email than the one you chose to subscribe with – as long as you tell me what email address you used to subscribe.
3. FOR TUMBLR FOLLOWERS – you can also enter by following me on Tumblr and emailing winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title LOMO with your FULL NAME and TUMBLR.
4. UK AND IRELAND ONLY
5. This prize draw NOW ENDS December 14th 2011 AT 8PM GMT
Prize courtesy of Lomography UK
*This may or may not have happened to me
**Additional small print: Entering the Lomography giveaway on TSoS means you consent to being signed up to the Lomography UK mailing list. They promise not to spam you, and you can opt out any time. This is only applicable to this giveaway only.
WIN and Treat Yourself to a Volcom SEED Parka by Anju Khusal
Yes it’s Monday. Yes Christmas is just around the corner, but not exactly around the corner, and you are either stuck in the office wishing you were still in bed, or still in bed wishing you had a job *cough*. Even further into the future is the thought of festivals, soggy tents, and washing with wet wipes. Either way you should be drinking a cup of tea and perusing this blog.
Volcom is a surf, skate and snowboard brand based out of California, and is known for its collabs with up and coming talent and designers. When I got this email, I had to share, because it combines two things I love, big brands giving a chance to young designers and um, getting emails. Volcom SEED (Sewing Elements of Exploratory Design) launched in 2009, offering London College of Fashion students a chance to design their own capsule collection. The winning designer, Anju Khusal spent the last 6 months at Volcom in France designing her own capsule collection, out this AW11.
Volcom offered me the Butterfly Parka as a gift, but I instead chose to give it to a lucky reader. TSoS is giving away ONE Volcom SEED Butterfly Parka (RRP £103) in M (UK 10-12) because I’m just feeling real nice. The Butterfly Parka is a long version of the classic wind breaker with a funnel neck and a zipper that conceals a fold in the hood. It has above the bust tuck details and adjustable elastic draw cord on the waist. The inside is lined with Anju’s origami inspired lining. Don’t all be wearing the same parka to Glasto next year (yes I know Glasto isn’t on next year) but you know what I mean. Be dry, be stylish, but most importantly, don’t look like you all raided Topshop, amrite?
You know what you need to do:
1. FOLLOW this blog on Google Reader or Bloglovin’
2. SEND an email to winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title PARKA with your FULL NAME/EMAIL ADDRESS you used to subscribe. Don’t worry if you email me with a different email than the one you chose to subscribe with – as long as you tell me what email address you used to subscribe.
3. FOR TUMBLR FOLLOWERS – you can also enter by following me on Tumblr and emailing winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title PARKA with your FULL NAME and TUMBLR.
4. UK AND IRELAND ONLY
5. This prize draw ENDS December 11th 2011
Prize courtesy of Canoe PR
I Had A Sleepover in IKEA
A sitcom staple is the “locked in room/locked in mall” trope. A group or a couple get locked in a shopping mall, room or a store and hi jinx are ensured, including an emotional realisation, odd bonding activity, some sort of character development, a chase scene, doing some competitive sport, and a dressing up portion set to an appropriate rock ‘n’ roll jam. Since my whole life is about closing the gap between TV and real life – sleeping overnight in a store was definitely on my bucket list.
When Katie who was covering IKEA’s The Big Sleepover for her blog Art of Sleep invited me to come sleep overnight with in her IKEA Lakeside, I was on it like a tramp on chips.
Thankfully I am not in this video as I was hiding from the cameras.
The competition was run on Facebook by IKEA through the Sweepstakes app to win the chance to have a sleepover in IKEA for you and a friend. When I mentioned it on Twitter and Facebook, EVERYONE was jealous. Even more jealous then when I went to the EMAs and was in the same room as Justin Bieber. It’s the little things isn’t it?
Being press, we were picked up and taken there and upon arrival got a goody bag of stuff, including an eye mask, wind up torch, biscuits for midnight snacky times, toothbrush and toothpaste, and towels that we would need for sleepy times and then told to get into our pyjamas (not provided) and slippers which were provided. I wanted to rebel, but Katie told me to behave myself. I was really hoping someone would be wearing a silky inappropriate negligee, but alas, I was disappointed.
Hey guys, you’re missing out waking up next to this in the morning! (I’m talking about myself Katie)
Heading up to the restaurant to be pumped full of bullar (Swedish buns), biscuits, and cocoa – we then picked bedlinen (to keep) to go make our beds.
Myself and Katie made a plan to leg it to get the best bed, but it turns out we didn’t have to. Being press, we got an actual room suite. Ok, the ‘rooms’ in IKEA only have three walls and people kept wandering in, but and we had a modicum of privacy and we didn’t have to make our beds which I flaunted a lot. To everyone. I’m a dick, I know. Ah schaudenfraude.
Haha plebs. I also picked this bedlinen to take home.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t use our own bathroom. But we had our own Christmas tree!
IKEA laid on some very nice treats, which are things you would usually do on a sleepover, such as nails, a film, massages, but also a sleep expert whom we unfortunately didn’t get to regale with our sleeping issues, and um, a “celebrity” reading a bedtime story as well as cheerful IKEA staff bringing around cocoa and non- alcoholic mulled wine (in case anyone got lairy). I started chatting to some other people who had won the competition, but I ran into a Twihard when I was getting my nails done, who was really offended when I started laughing really hard about when she found out she would be her friend’s +1 at the cinema during “Breaking Dawn”. Whoops.
We got our nails did, chilled in our boudoir, kept bringing random stuffed toys into our adobe, and hissed at people coming in (I didn’t hiss, but close enough). Lewis from IKEA told us that we had inadvertently picked the nicest bedroom suite (and most expensive). Score! We kept drinking tea, watching episodes of Community on my BlackBerry PlayBook, and eating biscuits. A bad idea, I found. Not really the best idea for a narcoleptic and someone who suffers from frequent insomnia.
Lights out was at 11, and I was completely exhausted so I fell asleep straightaway, and then woke up at 1.30am. Bit odd to wake up surrounded by price tags. I then stayed awake until 5.30am. No wonder I had issues sleeping, I was hopped up on sugar.
We had to be out of bed at 6.30am. So I went on a little wander, as much of a wander you can have, because there was security and IKEA people around, taking us to a la bathroom, while I asked strange questions to the night watchman, including if anyone had ever died in IKEA (they hadn’t), and if he ever caught anyone in flagrante which he admitted he did. I didn’t see anyone indulging in sexy times in IKEA beds that weren’t theirs, but there was a lot of cuddly sleeping going on.
After telling me quite firmly that we wouldn’t be spooning, Katie kept inching closer and closer to me in the night. She says it was because I was hogging the quilt. Lies and mistruths. Katie was much impressed by the memory foam mattress, since my mum has one, I’m used to the fact it moulds to your butt.
After a ‘gentle’ awakening at 6.30am (read: “soothing” sounds over the loudspeaker) we dressed, had brekkie and then was taken back to civilisation, and I gifted my parents with all my IKEA treats. My mum asked if I had fun and was careful, and I responded to her that I did.
Thanks to IKEA and The Cake Group for inviting me to IKEA’s The Big Sleepover.
Photos taken on a BlackBerry Bold 9900 courtesy of FRANK PR.
Win and TREAT YOURSELF to a Valley Clothing Rorschach T-Shirt
I haven’t forgotten about the fellas of the ladies who read my blog, or the fellas who read my blog, or the ones who end up on my blog by accident, or the ladies who wear men’s clothes (i.e. myself). I wrote a post about Valley Clothing and these fellows a month ago, who are just as lovely as I imagined (their internet selves are) and who actually give a fig or two about the environment and getting what you put out.
And in true generous fashion, Valley Clothing have generously given TSoS readers a chance to win one of their limited edition Rorschach t-shirts (a run of 30).
Unfortunately sexy tattooed man not included.
You know what you need to do:
1. FOLLOW this blog on Google Reader or Bloglovin’
2. SEND an email to winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title VALLEY with your FULL NAME/SIZE (S, M or L)/ and EMAIL ADDRESS you used to subscribe. Don’t worry if you email me with a different email than the one you chose to subscribe with – as long as you tell me what email address you used to subscribe.
3. FOR TUMBLR FOLLOWERS – you can also enter by following me on Tumblr and emailing winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title VALLEY with your FULL NAME and TUMBLR.
4. UK AND IRELAND ONLY
5. This prize draw ENDS December 9th 2011
Prize courtesy of Valley Clothing
Win and TREAT YOURSELF to Bumble & Bumble Quenching Gift Set
I can attest to the powers of Bumble and Bumble myself. A year ago, I got given this very set. I have thick, dry and curly hair. Slightest moisture in the air made me frizz bomb. I had to laden my hair with product to make it look somewhat passable. I love nice products, but being a freelancer, it’s hard to know when to TREAT YOURSELF. Also years of dodgy dyeing, and over use of straighteners (I just wanted to fit in!) left my hair dry and scalp very sensitive.
I have never used a shampoo that actually moisturised my hair and didn’t irritate my scalp, until I used the Quenching Shampoo. Hand on my heart, I’m not being paid for this recommendation. It is SIMPLY the best shampoo I have ever used. And you really don’t need to use a lot of it, so it does last for an age. My hair was so soft, and silky after using the shampoo/conditioner combo (and the mask once a week) that people just wanted to touch my hair all the time, and to that I slapped their hands for getting their greasy paws in my coiffure.
TSoS is giving away The Quenching Affair gift set which contains Quenching Shampoo, Quenching Conditioner and the Quenching Masque worth £29 as a Treat Yourself Xmas gift to a lucky reader. I know, I spoil you.
You know what you need to do:
1. FOLLOW this blog on Google Reader or Bloglovin’
2. SEND an email to winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title THIRSTY with your FULL NAME/EMAIL ADDRESS you used to subscribe. Don’t worry if you email me with a different email than the one you chose to subscribe with – as long as you tell me what email address you used to subscribe.
3. FOR TUMBLR FOLLOWERS – you can also enter by following me on Tumblr and emailing winstuff [at]thescienceofstyle.com with the subject title THIRSTY with your FULL NAME and TUMBLR.
4. UK AND IRELAND ONLY
5. This prize draw ENDS December 8th 2011
Prize courtesy of Chalk PR
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