Welcome to the House of Colour...

Do you really know what colour suits you?  

I don't mean what colour you love and want to wear endlessly because its so the colour of the season...I actually mean do you know what colour makes you look absolutely drop dead gorgeous, what colours give you a true sense of confidence and what colours do you need to wear to make everyone wish they had your style!!

For my birthday this year, my Mum organised, not only a morning of colour, but also a lifetime of knowledge for her and myself.  It was fabulous to spend a full morning with my mum, it was also lovely to share it at the home of Karina, our personal consultant, with the House of Colour.


Learn more about House of Colour here xx :-)

First things first:-
Off with the make up, tie back and cover your hair and be covered in a white cloth to create an absolute clean slate.  Now Karina is all set to work her colour magic...

Golly how shocking do I look :-( anything will be an improvement on this pic, truly!!












The Colour Wheel - it's split into 4 sections which represent the colours of the seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter)...

Is it this or that...

So the House of Colour Consultant then takes you on a journey of colour.  Bringing similar colours from the very different areas of the Colour Wheel and offering you the choice of 'this or that'.  I actually found this quite difficult at first, I was more interested in what colours I actually 'liked' rather than what made me look good.  

I got the hang of it though and once I 'saw it' I couldn't believe how my face and eyes really came to life when the 'correct' shade of colour was under my chin.  "Oh my, how did I never see or realise that before!?"

Very similar greens but there really is only one that makes you look fabulous xx :-)

What season of colours are we?



Once Karina had me realise how I looked so much more alive, brighter and actually felt more confident surrounded by 'my' colour scheme, we were all set to put on a little makeup and apply the exact shade of lippy that totally worked for me...

Now that's a better look.  

So, I'm a Winter Jewel.  Also, I'm better in silver jewelry and should I feel inclined to wear pearls then I should go for white pearls.










My Mum went through the exact same process and ended up a perfect Spring.  

She looks amazing xx :-)

...and there is the lovely Karina (she's confident as a Winter Jewel and really did look stunning)










So, will this change your life?  

Perhaps 'change your life' is a little heavy!  I do feel your confidence to dress in a colour you were 'never sure about' will shine out.  You will feel confident knowing you look fabulous and I know your shopping trips will be very different....Let me explain, I've always been a shopper for pleasure and tend to come home with items that don't actually go together (2 tops, one pair of shoes and a couple of paris of earrings) Course, I felt I 'needed' these items and they'd be worn at some point.  Since my experience with House of Colour, I've actually stopped to think before buying and since then, have purchased fewer items and now know what colours I can easily pair together to create a 'new' outfit from my older wardrobe.



Like this scarf...with the colours in it being from my Winter colour scheme, I can pop this around my neck or shoulders to completely change a top and therefore create a perfect outfit for me.














Find an house of colour near you Here..... Find YOUR House of Colour

If you do live in the UK and more specifically in the South Yorkshire area then I highly recommend visiting Karina...her House of Colour web page is here ... Karina

There's a House of Colour pretty much everywhere so, just because you are not in England or visiting England in the near future, you've really no excuses for not finding your season of colours and embracing them with a passion NOW xx :-)

I want to thank Karina for our wonderfully colourful morning and for the knowledge we took home with us.  Yes, me and Mum now know 'our' colours but its so much more than that!  xx :-)

Me, after my House of Colour experience
and wearing my Red lippy

Kisses n smiles from me xx :-)

Discover Beauty with Vanity Trove

I recently told you about the changes at Vanity Trove.... My recent post about the new VT concept...

How the Beautiful Surprises of Vanity Trove have now been transformed into a wonderful platform to Discover Beauty.  Yeah, such a fabulous concept idea...now you can 'choose your own' samples as and when you like and discover the beautiful things in life for yourself.  Add to that it's delivered with care and speed and all your goodies come inside the most glamorous of boxes xx :-) Ah, yes, I'm loving it!!



Here, now, I'm going to post in more detail exactly what I chose from my sample choices, the cost and what I think about the products I received.






Box number 1...
...At $25.00 with a chance to choose 7 items.  I chose:-

 Kérastase Elixier Ultime - a versatile beautifying oil suitable for all hair types.  Hair is nourished, protected and enhanced leaving it feeling light, soft and supple with incredible shine.  3ml sample

Huiji Fruity Lite - A fruity tea that can aid weight loss.  15g sample (I received 2 packs)

Touch in SOL toc toc toning capsule base - a primer product that promises to smooth, soothe and moisturise to create a perfect base for your BB or CC.  There's moisture gel with pearly capsules to brighten and define, crystal powder to conceal fine lines and/or wrinkles.  5 ml sample

Touch in Sol In the Skin Renovation BB Cream - another BB cream on the market with SPF 36 PA++.  I love BB creams and will try them until the cows come home... :-) 5 ml sample

Enavose - Black Tea Quench Mask - Provides moisture to deeply hydrate and replenish skin with nutrients and vitality.  15 ml sample

Enavose - 1st Line Alpine Edelweiss Foam Cleanser - Creamy foam texture lifts impurities and reloads moisture for a refreshing wash.  30 ml sample

Enavose - 1st Line Alpine Edelweiss Dew - Nourishing essence that hydrates refreshes and enriches skin.  30 ml sample

So, there is the list of 7 items I chose.  But there's bonus items thrown in too...I got :-

Herborist Whitening & Revitalizing Mask.  30g sample

La Roche Posay 50+SPF Melt-in Cream.  2ml sample

Skin 79 Super+ BB Cream.  2ml sample

All in all, an excellent box full of goodies I had either tried before and loved or really wanted to try.  My faves are the Enavose collection and I'll enjoy having this Swiss made product in my daily routine.















Box number 2...
...At $25.00 with a chance to choose 7 items.  I chose :-

Love More - Japanese Soy Milk Enzyme Moisturising & Smoothing mask - this mask promises to rapidly help improve skin clarity and fight against aging.  1 mask

Nuxe - Fondant Cleansing Gel - suitable for normal to combination sensitive skin for cleansing and removing makeup from face and eyes.  15ml sample

Nuxe - Gentle Toning Lotion - for normal to dry sensitive skin

Heliocare sun protection gel 50 SPF - 5ml sample

Avancé Eye Makeup Remover - Works instantly to remove even resistant or waterproof eye make up.

Cyber Colors Ex Volume Waterproof Mascara - promises to create big eyes that won't get smudged ;-) 8g sample

SpectraBan Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin - an anti-UVA & UVB, PA++ SPF30 and it's waterproof.  20g sample.

My bonus goodies were :-

Kérastase Elixir Ultime and

Huiji Fruity Delight slimming tea.

All in all very happy with my second box and particularly looking forward to trying the Love More mask and seeing if the Cyber Colors Mascara really is waterproof and smudge-less :-)

So, now I come to box number 3.  I mentioned in my earlier post about the changes to VT which meant I had some Vanity Tab points/dollars stacked up and, these do have an expiry date.  So, I was left with $15.00 to spend.  Luckily I spotted a special Trove for guys and thought I'd order this to check out what Vanity Trove were offering the gorgeous boys of Singapore...


To start, the box design is perhaps a little more masculine (colour and overture are different).  What's inside this 'Vanity Trove - Men's Folio Edition'?...

GATSBY products - 6 Gatsby products to be exact...

Facial Paper - removes oiliness and dirt on-the-go.  Removes stickiness from the face and prevents acne spots.  5 wipes sample size pack

Deodorant Body Paper - Ice-Type - There's no English on the pack but I'm guessing they are deodorant wipes that are another on-the-go product and ideal for your guy to slip in his bag for those quick fretting up moments when the Singapore heat gets a little too sweaty :-) 3 wipes sample size pack

Facial Wash (actually 3 different facial washes) -

...Nano Million Scrub - Ultra Pore Cleanser that unclogs pores with micro beads.  50g

...Perfect Scrub - for shire free and smooth skin, it promises to thoroughly remove oil and dirt.  50g

...Acne Care Foam - reduces oil and skin's redness and kills acne causing bacteria.  50g

Super Hard Hair Styling Gel - a super-strong and super-lasting hair gel - it says it's non-sticky, long lasting for a hard look and is resistant to perspiration and humidity.


Alright, OK, not going to be trying out the GATSBY 'guys Trove' myself but I think it makes it a pretty nice gift or is ideal for your Mr Man's business trip.  I'll probably let my eldest son loose in the box of GATSBY products...he's still at that age where a wash or shower seems like a really unlikely event (yep, he's obviously not old enough to notice girls yet :-))


Check out the Beauty Profiles of the VT beauties...

Course, after you've Discovered Beauty in this way you then have to get involved in the social side of Vanity Trove...this means logging on to your beauty profile, updating your beauty table, reviewing your products and adding one or 2 items to your wish list.  I'm simply loving the concept, enjoying getting involved and the absolute indulgence of receiving a box of beauty goodies is a sure fire way of making your day xx :-)

Sign up here..Discover Beauty for you...

See my beauty profile and add me to your 'follow list' here...Clare Victoria - VT Beauty Profile...You can simply make your own Beauty Profile by logging on to VT with Facebook (and you don't need to be a subscriber to add your favourite products, review and tell the world your must haves to a beautiful you xx :-)

Go on Discover Beauty with Vanity Trove, what lady doesn't deserve some serious pampering in her life xx :-)

kisses n smiles from me xx :-)

Too Cool For School

Not sure about being too cool for school...I'm most certainly too old for school!  Never was much of a fan of school anyways...

Blah, blah, blah....get to the point!!  So, to my surprise I received an invitation to participate in the celebrations to mark the opening of the first 'too cool for school' store in singapore xx :-)

Who and what store?  

Too cool for school is the unique cosmetic brand introduced in year 2009 as a division of TODACOSA. The brand image reflects the originality, experimentation, artistic sensibilities and the fresh, rebellious sprit of those in their teens, twenties, and thirties. 

Starting off in a store along with other brands (perhaps a little like the Sephora of Korea) it took off so well and went down like a 'no school snow day' (for those who have never experienced this 'no school snow day' excitement....believe me, it's pretty darn cool and even the teachers are jumping for joy!  

Anyways the store owned brand went down so well, and everyone who tried it loved it, that it branched out and became a whole brand and store of its own. I've read from a few blogs that a number of bloggers go shopping to Korea and come back loaded up with the too cool for school goodies.

The first and only 'Too Cool For School' store in Singapore is now situated at Far East Plaza on Scott's road (honestly not an ideal location...the store looks way too good to be in such an out of way plaza). I hope their second store will be a little more conveniently placed.  

Still, I headed down there and met up with some lovely beauty bloggers who I'd not seen for some time.  We all agreed the store is pretty cute and adorably quirky.  Their range of products are endless and there really is something for everyone.  I actually thought I'd find nothing but cutesy stuff that only the teenage audience would like, but no!  I'm in love with their mass of makeup products especially the choice of eye makeup (creamy textures and sparkling shades), there's lovely shades of blush/highlighter and I'm loving the primer sun screen SPF 50.

Here's some pics I took at the event...sooooo adorable xx :-)

I didn't buy anything on the evening...to be honest the store was pretty crowded but I will head down there again and grab myself some gorgeous goodies.  Watch out for a review of what I bought as and when I've dome some serious testing xx :-)


kisses n smiles from me xx :-)

Discover Beauty with Vanity Trove

No longer a monthly box of surprise goodies!  This beauty box just got a whole lot different...

Previously, I was subscribed to the monthly payment scheme and paying by PayPal...I then went off to Europe for summer break and something odd happened.  I was still paying $25.00 per month but not actually receiving anything!  A little worried, I logged onto VT and my account to find I had a whole load of dollars racked up on my Vanity Tab xx :-) eeeeek!  Lets have a prepaid spending spree...

Here's what I found out....so, now VT has actually become a customised beauty sample platform.  You simply choose  6 goodies, they are packed into a gorgeously glam box and whisked to your door before you can believe (I ordered one morning and received my troves the same day ...there's quick service!)

Explanation....Shop and Discover Beauty HERE xx :-)   

I've opted out of the automatic annual/monthly subscription plan (I know I'll forget to place my order and, because the points/dollars on my Vanity Tab have expiry date, I'll lose out and by annoyed at myself).  I do though, intend to take a look now and again to check out what's new on my recommendations list and order as and when. See something fun, new or simply cannot miss out on and I'm adding it to my trove.

I actually used up my vanity tab (the tab does have expiry date) and ordered myself 2 customised boxes and one special trove full of goodies for the guys...

My 3 very glam looking troves...

I'll take pics and post details of what I got next time...

Course the beauty table and review section has become a major part of VT and it's lots of fun to get involved in posting your reviews, adding to your wish list and updating your beauty profile.  By making your beauty profile and keeping it up to date, your list of recommended samples will be just perfect for you to choose from.

Vanity Trove you've changed your style but took on a great idea and I'm sure, like me, you've got some ladies (and the odd gentleman) who total love your concept.  Keep up the good work xx :-)

kisses n smiles from me xx :-)

Staying safe, hydrated 'n' smiling in the Singapore haze

Wowzers!  This Singapore haze has been the talk of the city and has spread like 'wild fire' :-O

PSI @ 401 Friday 21st June 2013
...scary, scary pic - like a movie where the zombies climb out of the River
and launch their attack, Yikes!!

Waking up to the smell of smoke and peeping out of the window to see, well, not very much to be honest, is a shocking state of affairs!  Suddenly our beautiful view of the city and over the River had completely disappeared behind a smoke screen!

PSI somewhere around 200 Thursday 20th June 2013

The whole of Singapore, well the ones who had nothing much else to do and could tap into safari on their iPhones (i.e. that's me), were getting the psi details as and when updated each hour.

So, by Friday we were well and truly choking!  A record breaking psi of 401 !!!

Of course crazy panic buying and stock piling saw the masks, type N95 (really the only mask to protect effectively) simply disappearing and turning into gold dust :-)  Luckily I had a supply of the regular surgical masks in my little medical cupboard (these are better than nothing) so to double them up and damp them slightly is the best my family and I can do for now.

Type N95 mask
promises to filter 95% of the tiny particles

I have N95 masks winging their way from worried family in the UK, I may end up with so many of the masks that I need to sell them on the street LOL - course I would give them away to the needy :-)


Friday saw me and my eldest little man at the doctor.  Little man was wheezing and feeling dizzy and both our lingering asthma was back.  Our doctor was quick to see that the dizzy and tired feelings we had were due to lack of oxygen getting into our bodies and our bodies needing to work that little bit extra hard.  His and hers Seretide and Ventolin inhalers did the trick.  We did suffer a minor set back late Friday night (eldest little man had a high fever and was falling to sleep - even before he'd eaten dinner!!) which called for a nice cool bath, paracetamol and mum (me) going into full blown worry and panic mode.  Quickly though I calmed myself and soon got his temperature down, food in his belly, 2 puffs of the Seretide and he was away to bed.  Happily feeling better when he woke Saturday morning, thank goodness :-)


Course, like everyone we have been housebound for the whole of Saturday (not much to smile about there).  We did however have to don our masks to walk Mr Dog...oddly no one else was about walking - didn't the other dogs need to pee?  Quick toilet walks are the best thing for Mr Dog and mine is drinking around double the amount of water he usually drinks...take a queue from Mr Dog - we humans too need to drink lots to keep hydrated in this smokey dry atmosphere.

So hydration in and out is needed:-

• drink lots of cool water
• drink less coffee or caffeine based drinks
• use a water spray or hydration spray for your face and lots of moisturiser (I've been doing this 4 times per day as my dry-ish skin is really feeling the tightness :-(
• Bodies need lots of moisturiser too, don't neglect your legs and arms and neck area - when this haze has passed you'll want to slip into that bikini (or swim shorts) with supple gorgeous sexy skin because flakey dry skin is such a turn off! xx :-)

Staying happy and healthy is the main thing...ok, staying indoors is a tad boring but take it has some much needed R&R time.  Pile up the movies, get out the board games and generally have some good old fashioned family time.  Not got a family, then do the movies with snuggles and lots of 'we time' xx :-)

If you do NEED to venture outdoors then, as well as the mask (whichever type you have), I would also suggest wearing a hat too...the tiny particles in the air will be falling onto your clothes and into your hair...spending any time outdoors and then bringing the 'haze' indoors on your hair will not be good for you either.  So, I suggest, wear a hat and change your clothes when you come back indoors or, better still, shower to rinse away the smog.  I bathed my dog today and he, not only smells so much better but he's not coughing as much.

Take notes from Mr Dog -

drink lots to stay hydrated and

take regular showers to wash off those tiny smokey particles :-)

Breathing difficulties can be made worse by milk based products.  Try to avoid these as they can block the respiratory tubes and make an already strained breathing harder - I've always followed that advice with eldest little man because of his asthma when he was smaller but it's the same for these hazy conditions too.

Oh and Vitamin C - keep your immunity up to fight off any of the infections your respiratory system may decide to get attached to!

Stay indoors where possible, stay smiling beneath the mask and drink, drink drink (water).  

kisses 'n' smiles from me xx :-)

P.S.  Since writing this post we've had a massive improvement which does, however, seem to be due to a change in the wind direction and not actually because the problem is under control.  The two pics here show Saturday 22nd June @ 3pm and 22nd June @ 9am and :-

Massive improvement but will it last???
Fingers crossed, hey! xx :-)