The Rachelle Lust List: 4th December 2012

1. Elizabeth & James specialise in some seriously stylish one-pieces and fitted separates; these are the perfect shoes to match (£270). I need to wear these with everything in my winter wardrobe. PS. River Island have some similarly edgy styles in for a quarter of the price. 2. I'm not one to preach about constantly coordinating your undergarments; I've fallen separately in love with this Mimi Holliday Bisou Bisou lace and satin bra (£55) and this Angelique Bow Thong (£35) separately (although the matching Bisou Bisou knickers are a real treat, too). 3. The Valentino 'Va Va Voom' studded nude leather clutch is featuring in my dreams, as of late. Wow. 4. An Alexander Skull Print Silk scarf (£165) mightn't be the warmest garment on the winter-wear market, but it is perfect to layer for any day of the year. 5. Obsessed with these adorable 'His & Hers' Johnathan Adler mugs (£24)! Perfect Christmas present for newly-weds, or yourself, if you cant resist.. You can never have too many chic white mugs, right? 6. Its my turn to have a little dry/tight/winter-skin crisis, I'm craving some luxurious and natural-super-ingredients to restore things back to happy-hydrated-times; I'm terribly guilty of not using a primer, By Terry Hyaluronic Hydra Primer (£41 at Space NK) looks to be the answer to my prayers. 7 & 8. Sisley are one of the most reputable names in high-end skincare, my poor face is crying out for a cocktail of their most famous face-masks, Hydra-Flash Intensive or Black Rose Cream Mask are packed full of skin softening wonders. 9. Another installment of the lazy-girls guide to baking; these Harvey Nichols Gingerbread Cookies are ready to bake, simply add eggs and butter. How cute is the packaging? They taste as good as they look. 10. This weeks lipstick craving is another Mac wonder; Rebel. No where near as dark and scary as it appears in the tube, its another Mac best seller that has somehow managed to escape my clutches. Until now. rachelle xo

My Happy List { № 6 } : Pamper Time

Tensions are running high, tempers are fraying and my mental state isn't as it should be after the crazy few weeks I've had at work (and a night out on a school night last night..); in approximately one hour I'll commence my night-in with a pot of my current favourite tea blend, a fresh Diptyque candle and a ton of lovely treatments to restore my hungover, dehydrated and cold-weather-beaten skin into something hopefully slightly more attractive: hair-masks, manicures and pedicures, exfoliating scrubs and a rich slathering of body butter - sometimes a little DIY TLC is all you need to pull yourself around... 

I'll get around to popping up a post on my favourite products for these lovely little nights in but not today, I'm too busy rushing through a mountain of work so I can get started! What are your fail-safe pampering rituals? rachelle xo

r a c h e l l e ' s h a p p y l i s t . . .

wearing heels  |  finding the perfect cup of tea  |  the first coffee  |  morning cuddles  |  a thick stack of magazines  |  a good manicure 

The Rachelle Edit: My Current Skincare Routine

I'm one of those skincare geeks. The annoying ones who spend ages researching what to buy, how it works and what ingredients will work with what I know about my skin. Its timely, often expensive - but worth it. I've never been blessed with a flawless, baby face - since I was about eleven. Teenage spots, dryness, flakiness, spot-scars, redness, and an oily t-zone are just some of the horrors I've encountered over the years.

As a beauty blogger, I've tried millions of skincare products claiming to cause miracles; some work, some don't. I've created a collection of the truly miraculous skincare products that really do what they claim on the tin which I rely on a daily basis..

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish £14.25 | Each night, I take my makeup off with a pump of the famous cleaner, leave a moment and polish off with the cloth. I always double cleanse with a half pump of this massaged onto the face and rinsed off, I've used this stuff for years and never looked back. My skin is thoroughly cleaned, soft and gently exfoliated. Kiehl's Extremely Gentle Eye Makeup Remover £16 | I don't always use this, just whatever I find next in rotation, but I always prefer a swipe of this on cotton wool as opposed to removing eye makeup with a cleanser, never a pleasant experience I find! Garnier do an excellent one for about £3! Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair from £44 | This has become another staple in keeping my skin, clear, supple and fresh. It works wonders on all skin types while you sleep, I always apply this at night straight after cleansing. I'm only twenty and not worrying about ageing just yet, but I do love the sun and I'm hoping this will act as 'insurance' against that as promised within time... 

Five Favourites: Face Masks

You don’t use it everyday like face wash or toothpaste but like your weekly at-home file and paint job, it’s a necessary part of your beauty regime. Why? It holds the key to revealing better skin. A mask can rejuvenate your complexion after a night of heavy partying; slough away dead skin and unclog pores from too much sunscreen/hormones/make-up (delete as applicable); or offer up a dewy look during the change of season in as little as three minutes. I've tried what's probably considered faaar too many masks in my time, and have rounded up my five favourites...

Estee Lauder Idealist Dual Action Refinishing Treatment (£36) - I use this twice a week and have done for about two years, it does an incredible job of keeping skin clear, pores small and prevents break outs. Its grainy texture warms up on contact with your skin so you can really feel it working.

Eve Lom Rescue Mask (£35) - With a fairly strong aroma reminiscent of Vick’s Vapour this isn’t exactly a treat, it’s more of a needs-must product. And if these needs include a cure for blotchy skin, clogged pores or full-on break outs then this is an essential addition to your regime. The instructions recommend the mask be left on for 15-20 minutes but I think it works just as well in ten. The mask feels cool and tingling against my skin, if not a tiny bit uncomfortable, but the sensation is more than worth it. My skin looked clearer and more even after one go, with regular use I have noticed fewer blemishes appearing. Pricey, but worth it.

Estee Lauder Hyrda-Complete Multi Level Moisture Gel Mask (£29) - This is a treat to use, the gel sinks into skin instantly with a cooling & plumping effect, leaving my face so soft and hydrated.

Caudalie Radiance Revealing Mask (£15) This is a brilliant and innovatively designed product. The tube had a brush at the end to apply the mask smoothly, ensuring a completely even coverage with no mess. The mask was soothing and left my skin feeling incredibly soft after 10 minutes. I saw a noticeable difference and my skin looked more radiant. I’m hooked.

Elemental Herbology Facial Glow Radiance Peel (£39) - This mask is luxuriously thick, has the added benefit of exfoliating granules and has a lovely creamy, fruity fragrance. Containing Manuka Honey, Papaya and Vitamin C this is the equivalent of a smoothie for your skin. It contains Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) to slough away any build-up of dead skin to leave your complexion dewy; the granules help lift and remove the dead skin that the AHAs have loosened when you come to remove the mask. When used reguarly, it really does wonders for the skin.

p r e v i o u s  f a v o u r i t e s  . . .

liberty beauty hall splurges  |  beauty oils  |  summer nails  |  may 2012  | british beauty buys  |  tom ford spring/summer beauty  | matte lipsticks   

rachel xo