Make Up Review: Chanel Luminous Cream Eyeshadow in no. 85 Mirifique

I'm going to depart from the needlework norm here, and do a bit of a make-up review. I usually like cheap and cheerful makeup - Rimmel, Barry M, etc - but every now and then I treat myself to something a bit more luxurious. And as I work in a fancy pants department store, with discount, it seems a shame to waste it!

I treated myself to a part of the new fall Chanel range, one of their new cream eyeshadows. Even though I am a devotee of less expensive products, I do like the way with luxury products you get great packaging, and a few extras, like the little angled brush seen in the left foregound above.

I chose the cream eyeshadow in no. 85 Mirifique, which is a black base combined with multicolour sparkle. I say cream, but it is more of a rubbery gel, almost with the consistency of Plasticine (or Play Doh for North American readers):

As soon as you apply it, it turns to a powdery consistency. This is when you notice the quality of the product; unlike other cream eyeshadows I've tried in the past, it doesn't have that greasy texture you so often find, and the sparkle lasts all day, without fading away like other products.

Here are some examples on the back of my hand:

 The angled brush is great, because you can use it to draw a thin line or a larger sweep of shadow. 

And here it is for a smoky eye effect:

I worked it into the crease, and then under the eye, for a dark, almost Debbie Harry-ish look. 

Here's a close up:

 

I wore it with Bourjois plum eyeshadow on the lid, Botanics eyshadow up to the brow in latte, Rimmel liquid liner in black, and Lancome mascara on lashes and eyebrows. You have to practise a bit when using it, as the colour is quite intense and it's easy to slap on too much. You only need to work a little into the brush, then blend it.

This is quickly becoming one of my favourite products. Why? Because it lasts all day; it's versatile - you can use it to cover the whole lid or just as a liner; and a little goes a long way.

That's it! Hope this helps anyone who was thinking of buying it.

Fabric Shopping in Dalston

This post may not be of much interest to those who don't live in London, but there are some pretty pictures at the end, so stick with it.

I've lived in Dalston 17 years - I'm quite attached to it! I've seen it go from an undiscovered, slightly neglected little corner of East London, to the so-called 'New Notting Hill', with a new coffee bar/art gallery/cool pub opening every week. Where previously when you told someone you lived in Dalston, the reaction was usually 'Where?' or 'Ooh, it's a bit rough there'. Now it's 'I wish I could live there, but I can't afford it now that it's so cool.'

But I sort of miss the scruffy old Dalston that was here when I moved into the area in 1994. (Don't get me wrong - its got a long way to go before it's considered posh...) It worries me that all of this 'improvement' will drive out all of the things which made Dalston unique. The cheap and cheerful Turkish restaurants, the £1 jewellery stalls and cheap housewares on Ridley Rd market, and all the afro hair stores. And my favourites - the fabric shops and stalls. Normally, I like to keep all of my secret places to myself, but I'm going to share a few with you, in the hope that a few people will check them out and support them.

First, the stalls of Ridley Rd Market:

Fabric stall, Ridley Rd.

On any given day, there are at least 4 fabric stalls on the market, as well as several permanent shops, selling a variety of goods, mostly viscose and rayon, some cottons, sometimes even a bit of wool. And they're all cheap as chips! I love the 50p stall:

50p stall

 This is where I bought the fabric for my leopard dress from last Halloween. 

I also love this stall, just for it's craziness. I always find intersting buttons and trims here:

Haberdashery explosion!

A few more stalls:

But the store I seem to use the most is Dalston Mill Fabrics, which is a permanent shop at the end of the market.

Dalston Mill Fabrics, trading for over 30 years

This relatively small entrance hides an Aladdin's cave of fabrics and haberdashery. There isn't really anything they don't have, from everyday fabrics to fancy evening silks and beautiful woollens. It's not the cheapest, but the selection is brilliant. This is just 1 room:

A sneaky picture I took of the suitings room...

There's also an extensive range of haberdshery, as well as a small selection of knitting wool, beading, and embroidery supplies. They even have huge feather boas and fox furs hanging from the ceiling. Every time I visit, I go in with one idea and come out with something completely different. And they have a great selection of oil cloth's, of which this is one:

How insane is that?!

Next, another long established Dalston business - William Gee:

If you want a truly vintage experience, visit William Gee for linings, interfacing, buttons, zips, and all the paraphenalia you need for dressmaking. Established in 1906, this still has the feel of a shop from Edwardian times - you enter a somewhat bleak room with 2 long wooden counters, where you have to wait in line to be served by the next available member of staff. Everything you would ever need is stacked in neatly labelled boxes behind the counters, and unlike some stores which also sell wholesale, no request is too small. And they have some fab window displays:

A recent bias tape themed display

 That's it for my round up of Dalston's best fabric shops. if you're ever in the area to attend a Japanese Jazz workshop, or check out the latest in artistic, sustainable roof gardens, don't forget about all of these businesses that have been here through thick and thin to make Dalston what it is today.

And here are the pretty pictures I promised - rainbows over Ridley Rd Market, taken last week: