Like sands through the Hourglass

so are the days of our lives, during which I like to play with makeup. No, seriously. It's not a bad gig. If you can't tell from the lead in, this bit is about, no, not soap operas... Hourglass, the very lovely, very stylish and very effective range of mineral makeup that I've been working my way through the last month.

It's recently made an appearance in the UK on zuneta.com, but has been at Sephora in the States for some time (I'd venture to say at least a year). Fittingly, their LA HQ contacted me with some goodies to use in almost perfect sync with the UK launch and after consistent use, I have only glowing reviews to report back on what I've seen. 

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LA beauty brand nettiescrub

Manicurist Nettie Davis is the lady behnd the niche skincare brand nettiescrub that is, no doubt, the darling of the homemade beauty boffins on Etsy. Why, you ask? Because she has created such a lovely, fragrant, functional range of aromatic skincare and candles. It's not too big, not too small (just right, in fact), has packaging that makes it feel just homeade enough and, well, the brand has her name right in it and there's a valid reason for why this brand exists (she tore through exfoliator when doing manicures so made her own instead to have on-site while working). Nettie's resume includes work for big brand names and celebrities but it's as a brand founder that I'm such a fan of Nettie. 

Description

The range is comprise of four flavours: Grapefruit, Lemon, Cedar and Lavender. You can buy candles, body balms, soaps and scrubs in these flavours. The lip balms come in Mojito, Limoncello, Earthberry and Cinnamon Citron. The Cedar Body Balm To Go was a godsend when it arrived. I'm a consummate cuticle nibbler... not because I want to be (as any addict will tell you) but because I have to (thank god it's free unlike many other habit-forming things in this work). Mine are so so dry, cracked and peeling all the time. I can't help myself and it's a super unsightly habit. The balm is a pretty dense and it's almost like a body pomade. It's not viscose, but all the better because it means you don't over use it and it won't explode in your bag, making a mess. The cedar scent is subtly woody and a bit sweet. It's very nice and understated and a great option for people who don't like fruity or buttery scents. It's made of Shea Butter, Soybean Wax, Organic Jojoba Oil, Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil, pure essential oils of Cedarwood, Grapefruit, Geranium, and Cinnamon and Grapefruit Seed Extract.

The Lemon Body Buff smells just like lemonade, swear to Bob. If you're hankering for a glass of the stuff you could just ask easily mix a spoon full of this into a glass with some ice and water. It's made of sugar, Soybean Oil, Grape Seed oil, Lemon Essential Oil, Organic Aloe Water, Jojoba Oil, Spearmint Oil, Organic Acai Oil, Organic Olive Oil, Grapefruit Essential Oil, Rosemary Essential Oil and Grapefruit Seed Extract. The grain is fine and the residue left on you and your tub is negligible. 

The Good 

Products come in mini-sizes, very simple, natural ingredients, great scents, affordable price points.

The Bad

The balms might be too waxy for some.

Price 

2oz. Cedar Body Balm To Go ($14.00) and the 4oz. Lemon Body Buff ($12.00).

Buy nettiscrub Body Balm To Go and Body Buff

Drew Barrymore finally finds a look that suits her

To me, Drew Barrymore seems like the sort of woman who just always looks like a little girl playing dress up with her mum's cosmetics and jewellery. She never seems to sport looks that really fit her body and personality, with the blue confection of a dress and the tranny bouffant on the red carpet recently driving that point home.

What must make it difficult is that she doesn't sit at either end of the conventionally attractive spectrum for white girls: she's not a bombshell and she's not a girl next door (although I'm sure thousands of you will disagree with me on that point). She's somewhere in the middle... To date, I have never seen her in anything I really like... until now. It looks like somebody finally figured out her attractiveness.

It's 1920s glamour, a look I never would previously associated with Barrymore. It's the most flattering and natural thing I've seen her in. She should do a lot more period dressing from this era... Seeing her in pics at this premier she looks very Daisy as played by Mia Farrow (not in personality). She rocks the Gatsby-era garb and make up.

The round face, arched brows, sharp little nose, pale complexion, wavd bob and soft (in a good way. I am so sick of seeing vein-covered biceps on women) figure are exactly what was au fait in the 20s. Just look at Mary Pickford, Clara Bow or Louise Brooks (my absolute favourite) and you'll get what I mean.

Whoever styled Miss Barrymore for the Grey Gardens premier, well done you.

Photos of Drew Barrymore are from Just Jared.