Ahh, Homeoplasmine. Another product that is currently doing the blogger rounds, I bought this little tube in a Parisian pharmacie for €5,80 (although Beauty Mart are now selling it online, priced at £6.00). I'll be perfectly honest and say that this purchase was wholly influenced by this Lily Pebbles post. After a couple of months kicking around in my handbag/on my bedside table, I thought that it was about time I added to the hype...

To start with, lets talk packaging. Homeoplasmine is housed in a small metal tube, which whilst not glamorous, is perfect for being bashed around in the depths of my handbag. It's refreshing to spend my money on a product, and not the fancy packaging it comes in. The content of the tube is a clear cream which to my nose has no apparent scent. Despite being really emollient it feels almost matte once applied, and in addition to its moisturising properties, Homeoplasmine contains anti-septic ingredients.

First and foremost, Homeoplasmine has served in my makeup bag as an excellent lip balm. It's one of the most intensely moisturising balms that I own, I love how a thin layer isn't at all sticky, but leaves me with smooth lips which form a great base for lipstick After a recent bout of the flu, I also discovered that Homeoplasmine is great for soothing irritated skin - particularly around my nose. I've since been applying it as a bit of a wonder cream, including on my cuticles. This cream is a great all rounder, which is a welcome addition to my collection.

The High End Battle: Eyeshadow Crayons

Eyeshadow crayons seem to be having a bit of a moment. It was only a matter of time before I jumped on the bandwagon, with two (shocker) neutral offerings. The Jouer version has been kicking around in my stash for some time, but the Chubby Stick is a new addition. Here's a comparison of the two, along with swatches.

The novelty of an eyeshadow crayon is that it's incredibly malleable. Given the creamy nature, once applied (I like to sweep them on to the lid straight from the bullet) they're extremely easy to blend with a fluffy brush. The Jouer product retains its cream texture, whereas the Clinique version settles down to a powder finish. Both crayons claim to be crease free, but I have oily lids, so they need layering up over an eyeshadow primer first. I tend to get around six hours wear out of both of them with a base underneath, although I've found the Jouer version to be slightly more long lasting.

Colour wise, both shades lean towards the bronze side of things, with Jouer's Baroque being more grey, and Clinique's Ample Amber being more golden. Both crayon's are really pigmented. The Clinique crayon is definitely easier to wear on a day to day basis, as it's a lot warmer and more subtle. Baroque is lovely for a smoky day to night look, and in terms of price, measures up as the more expensive of the two at £19 for two grams of product. The Clinique stick is priced at a slightly cheaper £17, with a little more bang for your buck - three grams worth of product in total. Overall, they're similar products and both make wearing eye makeup easy peasy. Are you a fan of eyeshadow crayons?

Swatches L-R: Jouer Creme Eyeshadow Crayon in Baroque & Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Ample Amber.

Currently Loving 01

I've decided to switch things up a little over on LJ. I'm going to change my blogging schedule to every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, and am in the process of introducing a couple of new features. Rather than the monthly favourites which I sporadically published last year, I'll be posting regular round ups of the products which are currently floating my boat. Here's what I've been diggin' lately...

I'm on a bit of a Clinique hype. During a rather disappointing shopping trip, I decided to console myself with a couple of beauty purchases, opting firstly for their Even Better foundation. I've been mostly bare faced lately (I was bed bound last week with torticollis), but when I have opted to wear makeup, I've used this every time. Even Better offers a lightweight, fresh finish, j'adore. My second Clinique purchase was the Chubby Stick for Eyes in the shade Ample Amber. I won't say too much on this foundation as it'll be making an appearance on the blog later on this week, but it's a pretty shadow which is super easy to wear.

Peter Thomas Roth Un-Wrinkle Lip made its way in to a "help, I'm getting old!" Cult Beauty order towards the end of last year, and was rarely used until a couple of days ago. Although I haven't got lines around my mouth yet, my lips are on the thin side, so I want to look after the little that I've got. I can definitely feel a plumping tingle going on when I apply this, but I guess time will be the true test.

Lastly is the standard non-beauty item, this time it's The Tudors box set. I'm a history geek, but particularly love anything Tudor related. How I missed this series I do not know, but it's helped me to get through my horrible no neck movement week. Plus, it helps that Jonathon Rhys Meyers is a total dream boat (insert heart eyed emoji here...).

Sensational Sugar Plum Gel Polish

It's no secret that I love a good nail polish. Now, promise me a manicure that dries instantly, stays cheap free for two weeks and has the glossiest of finishes (so glossy that it is in fact a total pain to photograph), and we're on to a winner. I was lucky enough to receive a Sensationail Starter Kit for Christmas, which included the shade Sugar Plum.

Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Set

I've wanted to try Smoky Lash for the longest time. When I spotted it as part of this set in Sephora, including a free miniature eye pencil and makeup remover, I couldn't say no. Smoky Lash is one of the most raved about and divisive mascaras in the blogging world, and has frustratingly limited availability in the UK. Is it worth the hype? Well, yes.

Brand Profile: NARS

Over the next few months, I'll be publishing a series of introductory posts to some of my most-used high end and drugstore bands. This will include taking a look at the history behind these brands, and some of their best products.  To kick things off I'm starting with one of my favourites, NARS.

Phyto Phytokeratine Ultra Repairing Mask

For the past twelve months or so, my go-to hair masks have been the ones detailed in this post. However, on a recent trip to City Pharma I spotted this Phyto hair mask in a duo with the corresponding shampoo, priced at less than €5. Spur of the moment purchases aren't usually my thing, but this was a good one.

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm

Sometimes, the most simple products are the best ones. I often forget how important to my routine a plain old lip balm is, and this Nuxe offering is one of my favourites. It's a well loved blogger product and has been kicking around in my handbag in some guise or another for over twelve months now. Here's why...

My Mac Quad

I will happily put my hands in the air and admit that I'm an eyeshadow n00b. For years, the only time I wore eye makeup was on a night out, and then it consisted of lashings of mascara, heavy eyeliner and black eyeshadow everywhere - hence how battered my Carbon looks. In the last few months though, I've been experimenting with my eyes a little. I've finally got round to filling my palette, so I thought I'd share my thoughts on the shades with you.

Love, Chloé Eau Intense

It's no secret that I adore Love, Chloe. I've spoken about how much I like the original version of this scent before here. When I spotted the intense version in Sephora in Paris I added it straight in to my basket without even smelling it. Normally I'm not quite so rash with pricey purchases, but I hadn't been able to find this anywhere in England. Predictably, I love this intense version as much as (possibly more than) the original.

My 2013 Beauty Favourites

Last year's annual beauty favourites was a mammoth affair (read it here if you dare). This year, I've limited myself to five products which I've enjoyed using throughout the year. There are a couple of re-offenders from last year, balanced out with a few new loves too. Here we go...