NYX had a BOGOF offer on their Jumbo Lip Pencils the other day so I bought a mini NYX haul and thought I’d share my 5 on it.

Firstly,  just so you know what shade I’m pitching these colours up against here are my vital statistics:

I’m typically an NW45 in Mac but currently enjoying being a #44 in MUFE Face and Body.

1. I picked up 4 colours which all varied from what I had expected from the swatches on the site. They turned out darker and warmer so I think I’d definitely describe them more as autumnal shades.
2. Narcisse and Burgundy are pretty similar but I think Narcisse has an extra pop to it that made it my favourite of the bunch. I have to say though, compared to the site which showed them both as vibrant shades of deep fuchsia/purple the end result was a bit disappointing. Don’t get me wrong they’re nice colours but just not what I was expecting.
3. Chaos and Vixen also turned out different once applied. I thought Chaos would be more peachy/corally but turned out more like an orangey red. Vixen also seemed more chocolatey than the deep dark red shown on the site.
4. All the pencils apply like a dream. Their creamy consistency glides on and feels super moisturing.
5. This creamy consistency is both a pro and a con. The colour doesn’t stick around long and the finish loses some of its luster quite quickly so I found regular reapplication was required.

Conclusion

Overall these are fun colours to play with. They blend well with each other and other lip products.

I toyed with Vixen as a lip liner around MAC’s Siss lipstick (a chalky nude that did not work for me) and it turned out a very pretty purple which was surprising.

Also made Chaos a bit more wearable for me (orangey reds aren’t really my colour), so it’s proved to be a useful colour to have.

I guess if I had to buy only one out of the bunch it’d be Narcisse, although Vixen has proven useful in resurrecting some of my banished buys.

NYX Jumbo Lip Pencils retail at £4.50 and can be purchase from the NYX Website

And there endeth my first swatch review! Yay!

PS: Pics above were taken with no gloss, no liner and no filter.

She’s since worn is designs a few more times including this gorgeous yellow number at the 2011 Governers’ Dinner.

French Creative Agency, Murmure show just why they’re every bit as “creative and passioned” as they claim to be with their innovative use of concrete as a business card.

Playing with the notion of scales, Murmure created a set of business cards made of concrete. This material, so characteristic of our environment, was enhanced by using the smallest  and  most  refined  communication support. The refinement and the technique required for the typography highlight the harshness and the roughness of the used material.

I mean is that even allowed? Do Presidents do skits? Apparently so. I guess it’s no less cheeky than some of the theatrics thrown around by David Cameron during PMQs but still, it’s not like they have Coldplay strumming in the corner.

But here we see the ‘Preezy of the United Steezy’ throwing down his policies, backed by the Roots. I’m totally shocked. Given the first US president I can recall is Reagan I can truly say I’ve never seen anything like it.

Seems like his campaign is determined to be fresh and innovative and this is definitely that…

As always salutes to the fantabulous Pinboard crew for this studio video! And in case you’re curious, here’s the original. Enjoy!

This is soooo comforting. The kind of food that feels like a hug with every mouthful. It tasted so good when I made it that I thought I’d share but I can’t really give exact measurements as TBH I didn’t use any, so here’s a guestimate recipe. You can’t go wrong really, just flavour to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

• Smoked Salmon
• 1 Leek
• 1 Egg
• 1 Large Potato
• Philadelphia Soft Cheese
• Butter
• Salt
• Pepper

Method:

1. Chop potato into equal size chunks. Boil in salt water with an added knob of butter until tender. Drain add a little more butter, milk, salt (not too much as Smoked Salmon can be pretty salty) and Philadelphia then get mashing.
2. Set egg to boil for 7 minutes
3. Meanwhile gently stir fry smoked salmon and leek till salmon has nicely pinked and leek cooked through. Roughly 2-3 minutes.
4. Finally once the various elements are ready. Spoon out mash, followed by the salmon and leek, then quarter your boiled egg and place on top as the pièce de résistance!
5. Enjoy

A couple of years ago I posted about a Sam Cooke medley that I loved as it captured “a great sense of fun as Sam Cooke shares some light-hearted advice about how to treat your woman”…

At the time I couldn’t find a clip to share but now I have! Yay! Happy times. Hope you enjoy!

TIME magazine has launched its 2012 list of 100 Most Influential People In The World and there are some fascinating figures included. From actress Viola Davis to the President of Nigeria.

What I didn’t immediently realise is that each entry in the list features a bio written by a fellow ‘person of influence’ So Cecily Tyson had some lovely things to say about Viola Davis and Elton John shares why he’s such a fan of Raphael Saadiq…

Viola Davis x Cecily Tyson

As I watch Viola’s career soar, I marvel at her strength, stamina and amazing spirit, which I believe comes from her faith in the Almighty. She has taken an opportunity not just to set a standard but to redefine it.

Raphael Saadiq x Elton John

Immaculately dressed (a Saadiq trademark) and moving like the soul stars of old, he confirmed that great black music is alive and well and not just a string of hip-hop monotony.

 Barack Obama x Joe Klein (TIME’s political columnist)

But most of all, in the roil of a difficult time, he seemed smart and steady, trustworthy. Monuments are not often built to politicians who are merely trustworthy, but they do tend to win re-election.

Freeman Hrabowski (Educator) x Andrew J. Rotherham (Co-founder of Bellwether Education)

But perhaps the most envied science program in the country is at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. That’s where Freeman A. Hrabowski III, 61, has spent 20 years as president turning a humble commuter school into one of the nation’s leading sources of African Americans who get Ph.D.s in science and engineering.

Goodluck Jonathan (President of Nigeria) x Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (President of Liberia)

He has spearheaded the fight against corruption and turned Nigeria into an example of good governance. He has also made a significant impact on consolidating peace and security in West Africa.

Portia Simpson Miller (Prime Minister of Jamaica) x Yvette D. Clarke (Congresswoman for New York’s 11th District)

I can say from personal experience that her presence is already inspiring a new generation of women, particularly from the Caribbean diaspora, to get involved in public service and to make a difference. Sister P is a woman to watch.

Fatou Bensouda (soon-to-be chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court) x Kenneth Roth (executive director of human rights watch)

Thoughtful, soft-spoken, yet determined and forceful, Bensouda has been a leading voice pressing governments to support the quest for justice, particularly in Africa.

[via TIME]

Prices start at €359 for a small duffle. *sigh*

This place is impressive! Wasn’t particular struck by the look of the outside but the views from the inside are just breathtaking. Blue seas to the front, green spaces to the back and high ceilings throughout. Gorgeous.

This multi-level house in Cape Town, South Africa is the handiwork of Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects (SAOTA) and the interior design by OKHA Interiors.

[via desiretoinspire]

[via beautyisdiverse]

I’m quite fascinated by this. Their big selling point seems to be that all cables are hidden and it integrates with your presumably current Ikea-laden front room. Interesting to see what the Tech reviews say and what the pricing will be. Innovative step for the once-upon-a- flat-pack store though.

]]> http://www.harlemloves.com/2012/04/the-gadget-uppleva-tv-x-ikea/feed/ 0 http://www.harlemloves.com/2012/04/the-destination-areias-do-seixo-portugal/ http://www.harlemloves.com/2012/04/the-destination-areias-do-seixo-portugal/#comments Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:23:08 +0000 Harlem http://www.harlemloves.com/?p=7572 I’m gradually coming down with a case of ‘need-to-get-out-of-the-country’ fever. I need warm sun, the sound of water (beach or pool I’m not fussy) and a landscape to inspire… This hotel however is an inspiration in itself… Want. To. Be. There. Now!

Areis Do Seixo has some pretty great reviews on Trip Advisor and pricing seems to be around £200-£300 per night for a double room.

Love this project. US-based photographer Glenford Nunez, shares a sneak peek at what will hopefully become a must-have book of natural hair portraits.

The blurb on the site reads:

The Coiffure Project started out as simple cell phone photos of my assistant Courtney who wears her hair natural. As a photographer it is in my nature to constantly document the world around me. Courtney is always near me so I found myself taking her photo often. Over time, I noticed that I was accumulating a small body of work. I thought to myself “I may have a good thing going” so I decided make a conscious effort to create a book of natural hair portraits.

]]> http://www.harlemloves.com/2012/04/the-video-make-it-count/feed/ 0 http://www.harlemloves.com/2012/04/the-munchies-no-bake-nutella-cheesecake/ http://www.harlemloves.com/2012/04/the-munchies-no-bake-nutella-cheesecake/#comments Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:44:40 +0000 Harlem http://www.harlemloves.com/?p=7522 I’ve been eating pretty healthy lately so I think this sweet treat should be allowed. The recipe by My Baking Addiction features an Oreo cookie base topped with Nutella, cream cheese, whipped cream, a chocolate curl and some roasted hazelnut… delish

RECIPE

If i could live in a shop it’d be this one. Think that means I’ve matured from the days when I dreamt of living in my local off-license so I can sneak sweets in the night…

This store is a definite upgrade, from the gorgeous bright and breezy tipi in the shop window to just about everything else!

Haven’t done a model post for a while but saw this one of Sessilee Lopez and had to share. Werk!

 [via Beauty is Diverse]