Sunday 29 April 2012

Free Shipping on GLOSSYBOX


To celebrate GLOSSYBOX 's First Birthday (hasn't a year gone quickly!) they are offering FREE postage on boxes until 31st May 2012! Simply visit the Glossybox website and enter the code BIRTHDAYPROMO at the checkout to blag yourself free postage & packaging! 


Also they are offering 40% off boxes which ends tomorrow (30th April 2012) so be quick if you want to take advantage of this great deal! Simply visit the Glossybox website and enter the code AFFWSPRING4OFF at the checkout to save yourself £4!

If you want to have a peek inside what I got in this month's special edition Earth Month Box then click here

Happy 1st Birthday GLOSSYBOX! 
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Friday 27 April 2012

LUSH Anti-Animal Testing Campaign


I am only just catching up on the news about LUSH's latest Ban Animal Testing Campaign and it really got me thinking about how I feel about animal testing. Their protest campaign was very extreme and hard-hitting with a lady being 'experimented' on and subjected to 'animal tests' in front of a window shop whilst horrified shoppers and pass-a-buyers looked on, but of course it was all played by actors.


As the photos show for ten hours the girl was force fed food, despite her chocking and gagging and trying to break free, given injections, and dragged along with a rope. If that wasn't horrendous and humiliating enough, she even had her hair shaved off in front of stunned onlookers!





I'm glad LUSH have touched on this debate and raised awareness and highlight what animals have to go through when many companies still test beauty products on them. I must admit I am not as vigilant about buying animal friendly products or products that haven't been tested on animals as I should be! I'm probably better with skincare and body care as I tend to use all organic or natural products and generally it's made quite clear on the packaging that it hasn't been tested on animals but make up tends to be quite tricky to find out if they haven't been tested on animals! I am not as vigilant probably as I am a meat eater (each to their own) and it's not something that I would immediately look for on packaging.


However, I had a look on http://www.peta.org and was quite shocked that brands (that I love) still test on animals which is quite disappointing :( Where do you stand on animal testing? Do you avoid brands that test on animals? What did you think to the LUSH campaign? 
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Save 40% off GLOSSYBOX


Quick Blog Post to let you know you can save 40% off GLOSSYBOX! Simply visit the Glossybox website and enter the code AFFWSPRING4OFF at the checkout to save yourself £4 off the box until 30th April 2012! 


If you want to have a peek inside what I got in this month's special edition Earth Month Box then click here


Enjoy X
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What's inside April 2012 GLOSSYBOX!

This month's GLOSSYBOX is "The Natural Box" in celebration of Earth Month and to support brands that help the environment and believe in natural packaging and ingredients. It contains five natural beauty products that guarantee making you feel your best, look gorgeous and while at the same time satisfying the green goddess within! The GLOSSYBOX it's self came in a plain brown outer box, and the beige inner box has been made of recycled materials and everything is 100% biodegradable.





I really love the themed boxes and the different packaging as it makes the subscription service more fun and exciting! So what's inside my box?

Caudline Vinosource SOS Thirst-Quenching Serum (worth £9.66)
Although I've heard a lot of good things about the brand this is the first Caudline product I've tried! This is newly-launched ultra-concentrated serum that sinks in nicely and is extremely natural and plant-based, ensuring your skin never lacks moisture and the deluxe size tube is exclusive to GLOSSYBOX.

INIKA Cosmetics Certified Organic Eyeliner (worth £11.75)
I have tried a few products from this brand and have enjoyed using them and this eyeliner is no exception - and I'm not a huge fan of mineral makeup as I find it messy and not very well pigmented. I have found especially organic eyeliners I've tried in the past hard, scratchy and not well pigmented, but this INIKA version is rich and creamy! It is a full size product and obviously it doesn't compare to MAC eyeliners but I would definitely recommend it if you are after a good organic and natural eyeliner with no chemical ingredients.

Monu Professional Skincare Moisture Rich Collagen Cream (worth £17.50)
A rich, luxurious cream to relieve dryness and smooth fine lines. This is another full size product but probably suited for more mature skin so will pass on to my mum to try. *Ipdate* I actually tried this cream myself and I absolutely LOVE it! It's the best face cream I've tried to date (you can read my rave here) and I will be definitely re-purchasing!

Figs & Rouge Lip, Face & Body Balm (worth £3.29)
Although I had heard of the brand, this is another new product to me, and i'd say this is my favourite product out of the box! I love these multi-purpose balms and this one is 100% pure natural and organic and can be used on lips, face and body. This is another full size product, the packaging for the little tin is adorable and vintage looking. I received the Cherry & Vanilla flavour which is petroleum free and smells like sweets and is a dream to use, sinks in nicely and is not sticky. The balm protects skin against dryness, and is also soothing, nourishing and handy to pop in bag cuticles, lip balm, ends of hair, dry skin, or cuts.

Burt's Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk and Honey Body Lotion (worth £3.68)
I have long loved the Burt's Bees Lip balms and recently have been trying out their Orange & Ginger body wash that smells amazing but haven't tried any more of their body range, so the body lotion is a welcome edition. This product is 99% natural and nourishes the skin up to 24 hours so I'm interested to try!




This is one of my favourite boxes as I love the Earth Month concept and as you all know I love natural and organic products and discovering new ones. This month's box contained four full size products which is very generous! I have totted up the value of the products and it comes to roughly £45.88 which is well worth investing £10 (plus £2.95 P&P) You can find out more and order your own GLOSSYBOX here. Next month is GLOSSYBOX's 1st birthday so expect something special and exciting - I will keep you posted ;)

What do you think of this month's GLOSSYBOX? Did you receive anything different to mine?
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Thursday 26 April 2012

Review: Peony Anti Aging Skincare Products

This morning bright and early I received a packaging with a couple of new skincare products from Peony Rejuvenates Skincare - a skincare brand I was unaware of until the lovely Jules contacted me and introduced me to the range. I received the Anti Aging Foaming Facial Cleanser and the Anti Aging Gold Juniper Exfoliating Crystals. My first thoughts about hearing the word 'Peony' would be that it would smell flowery and old-lady ish but I'm pleasantly surprised - it's a fresh, gorgeous 'spa like' scent!  


For hundreds of years, White Peony has been celebrated as a flower of healing and beauty by people in it's native Taiwan, Okinawa (Japan) and Hawaii and is the secret to their youthful, smooth complexions. Dianna Cohen was inspired to create a range that uses the powerful white peony for it's strong anti-aging properties, and healing effects on wounds, scars and skin conditions. Her skincare range is 100% natural, uses organically and sustainable wild white peony and gentle enough to use on sensitive skin. 


Foaming Facial Cleanser
This gentle cleanser removes impurities and make-up without stripping the skin's natural oils and maintaining the skin's natural pH balance. It smells gorgeous and has that nice fresh and relaxing 'spa-like' scent. The cleanser comes in a hygienic pump action bottle, and one or two pumps is more than enough to clean your whole face. I applied a pump of the cleanser in my hand mixed with warm to create a foam and massaged onto my face and neck for 2-3 minutes before rinsing with cool water. 


The cleanser contains Peony extract, Horse Chestnut, Jojoba Oil, Green Tea and Hyaluronic Acid. It left my skin feeling soft, clean and refreshed without feeling tight like some foaming cleansers can leave your skin. The foaming facial cleanser has been formulated to work with the Gold Juniper Exfoliating Crystals to visibly reduce pore size, eliminate dead skin cells, stimulate the skin's cell renewal cycle and leave skin feeling beautifully soft and silky. I love this cleanser after using it morning and night, adore the scent and the bottle is a good size for travelling. 


Gold Juniper Exfoliating Crystals
First of all the packaging looks very expensive looking and the crystals (look more like grains/seeds) in it's clear heavy plastic jar. They remind me a little of The Body Shop Japanese Exfoliating Grains from 10 years+ ago that I used to use (not sure if they still sell those?). The crystals are a gentle dissolving exfoliator and detoxifier, to eliminate dead skin cells, unblock pores and help stimulate the skin's cell renewal cycle. With regular use, the crystals help to visibly reduce pore size, and minimise the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.   


The crystals smell of lavender, are very relaxing to use - I personally would save this step for an evening and use twice a week for a treatment and the crystals are very finely milled and gentle to use on the skin. The idea is you mix a small amount of the crystals with the foaming facial wash and gently massage in for 2-3 minutes then rinse like normal. I enjoyed mixing these products together as saves so much time. The crystals contain peony extract, juniper powder, lavender essential oil, juniper berry essential oil and purified water. My skin felt super soft and smooth after use and even the dehydrated rough patches on the tops of my cheeks were gone! 


Foaming Facial Cleanser is priced at £20 for 150ml and Gold Juniper Exfoliating Crystals cost £25 (30mg) / £19 (15mg) and Peony Skincare is available exclusively at Fenwicks Brent Cross or Tunbridge Wells and online at www.peonyskincare.co.uk Have you ever tried any Peony products? What were your thoughts?
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Marc Jacobs is launching a Make Up Range!



If the whispers are true then Marc Jacobs is set to bring out a collection of trend -focused colour make up to his already popular fragrance and fashion empire - Good news for us beauty lovers! The range is still in the early planning stages, but Marc is thought to be collaborating with Sephora to bring out the make up range, and will be launched in UK later this year (fingers crossed!). 
Marc says “I see makeup, fragrance - everything, really as an opportunity. The idea of choosing a colour for your lip, or an eyeliner - it’s just such a delight. The ritual of waking up and making those choices is something people really enjoy. We currently are working on defining what Marc Jacobs cosmetics will be, what they’ll say, what makes them distinctive. I think that will take some time, but the first meeting was good.”
I am so excited for this range to come out! I already love Marc Jacobs Daisy perfume and I predict there will be some quirky packaging for the makeup range too! Are you a Marc Jacobs fan? What do you think about him bringing out a makeup range?
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Wednesday 25 April 2012

ghd Peacock Hair Styling Tool


ghd stands for ‘good hair day’ and is an iconic British, professionally endorsed hair styling brand, available only through exclusive premier salons, ghdhair.com and a few select retailers. ghd has been transforming the way women style their hair around the world for more than ten years: ghd re-invented the professional hairstyling tool market ten years ago with the launch of its ground breaking and award-winning styler replacing flat irons, straighteners and curlers with a professional styling tool designed for salon use that could also be used easily by women at home. 

ghd have launched their most eye-catching limited edition range to date - the ghd Peacock Collection. Three individual limited editions form an iridescent injection of jewel colours; sapphire blue, amethyst purple and emerald green.The stunning ghd Peacock Collection is on trend for Spring Summer 2012, as striking iridescent finishes graced the high-end designer runways of Marc Jacobs and Chanel, whilst bold, gem-coloured hues featured heavily at Oscar de La Renta and Rodarte.

The Peacock Collection limited edition features the iconic brand’s most luxurious styler to date – the ghd Gold Classic styler - transformed with striking plates, allowing you to create a multitude of looks from curls, flicks and waves to the sleek and straight styles showcased on Spring Summer 2012’s most decadent catwalk shows, ensuring you stand out from the crowd.

ghd Peacock Collection RRP £119

*sponsored post
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Kindle Touch


I have been umming and arring about ordering a Kindle for some time. There's nothing nicer than the feel of a real old-fashioned book, especially hard back and turning pages, but on the other hand a Kindle is more convenient when travelling or commuting to work as they are so light weight. I also was thinking would I get much use from it as I already own an iPad and it might be just a fad gadget? 


The price of the Kindle's have come down in price since they were first launched, and I much prefer the new sleeker design. I was just browsing the internet and came across a good deal on the new Kindle Touch from Currys, which is a similar design to the iPad with it being touch-screen. The Kindle Touch with WiFi is priced at £109 with free delivery and you also get a £10 voucher, which could go towards Kindle Accessories! 

Currys also sell the Kindle Touch Wifi & 3G for £169 which also has the same offer of free delivery and £10 voucher. Have you been thinking of getting a Kindle? Are you a Kindle owner?


                                                                                       
                                                            
                                                        
                                
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Tuesday 24 April 2012

Win Your Skincare Routine From Nourish Skincare


I recently met Nourish Skincare at The Vitality Show - the stand really stood out from the rest as the branding was so fresh, nice clean packaging and most of all the owner was so friendly and willing to chat to us! 


I am currently testing out the Apple range which you will see a review of very soon with my thoughts. The Nourish team have offered one of my readers the chance to win their very own personalised skincare routine! The winner will receive a Nourish Gift Set containing a cleanser, toner, moisturiser and a face serum all suited for your skin type all presented in a lovely box worth £40! The lucky winner will get to pick from the following Nourish ranges: Orange for Protection, Lavender to Relax for stressed out skin, Apple for Balancing Combination Skin or Rose for Radiance. 


To make life a little easy for me (and you!) I thought I would try out Rafflecopter.com after hearing about it on the Blogger Twitter Chat #bbloggers to help pick a winner as sometimes it's a little overwhelming to keep up with the entries when I receive nearly 200! 


*This giveaway is open to all my readers (through GFC) from UK only*
*Giveaway closes on 29th May 2012 at midnight UK time*
You can enter below with the steps in the Rafflecopter (you have to click on 'read more' for the Rafflecopter box to appear....

Good Luck X

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Ted Baker Gift Set Winner!

Thanks to everyone that entered the giveaway to win a lovely Langley Perfume Gift Set from Ted Baker Fragrances kindly supplied by the Keep Me Inspired Club! It's taken me a while to go through all the entries but after selecting using random.org the winner is.....


 MARIJONAILS!


Congrats and if you could email me your address details so I can get your prize sent out asap! that would be great. Keep your eyes peeled for some more giveaways coming this week :)

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Review: Eyelash Extensions by Boudoir Lashes


I have dabbed with eyelash extensions in the past - my first experience was at a press event a few years ago by a Chinese lady (can't remember the name or the brand sorry!) who didn't speak a word of English so she couldn't explain the process, but you know me i'll try anything once! I didn't find the experience relaxing at all, the eye pads were itchy and uncomfortable and it felt as if she was gluing my eyelids together as they became very itchy and hot! I had visions of not being able to open my eyes at the end of the treatment! I also was dying to sneeze but had to hold it in as I thought the eyelashes (that looked like pubes) are gonna fly everywhere and I might make her jump and she might poke my eye out! At the end of the treatment she blasted my eyelashes with a hairdryer to dry the glue which at the time I thought was normal.... I was quite pleased with the end results - and the fact I could actually open my eyes - although they did look quite fake without mascara, as I'd only had outer corner lashes applied, but I found it difficult to work how anyone could find the treatment relaxing or fall asleep!


My second attempt was at a Lash Bar launch last year which I felt more comfortable as the process was explained at every step and I felt like I was having a treatment done in a proper salon environment. However I still didn't find the treatment that relaxing that I could of fallen asleep but the lady was very chatty which put me at ease. The end result was much better than my first attempt, however it was still quite obvious the lashes were fake - which I didn't mind so much, but I'd only had half a set applied so still had to wear oil-free mascara to blend in my real lashes. 


Back in February had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Asma Docrat - who runs Boudoir Lashes which is located in the BECCA Flagship shop in Kensington. I'd call her The Queen of Lashes - she is very experienced, passionate, trust-worthy and really knows her stuff! She was telling me that on some of her clients she can create layers of lashes of different lengths exactly how the natural lashes grow - which is a skill and a half to master! 


When I first arrived at the salon, we had a chat about how I wanted my lashes to look and I immediately trusted Asma's opinion, and said to her to just go with what she thought looked best. I filled out a form with my details and to say I have no allergies or any contraindications that would prevent me having eyelash extensions carried out. I laid on the bed and had a nice cosy blanket put over me and Asma first of all taped down my bottom lashes (to prevent them sticking the the top ones) which is a bit of a strange experience at first but you soon get used to it. Then she placed some cooling eye treatment patches on top which really made the difference as they were so comfortable and I felt like I was having a proper pampering treatment, I believe she picked the eye patches up from Sally's.  







My natural lashes are quite long, so Asma added more volume, length and fullness to them and used about 6/8 different lengths, curl, and thicknesses of lashes onto my lash line - that's her secret and she offers a personalised service! After trail and error and years of practice she has this down to a fine art and applies each lash individually delicately using tweezers and uses different brands of good quality lashes and uses the finest glue. Asma works very quickly and applied around 200 individual lashes to each eye and the Two hours passed very quickly. The lashes are applied to your natural hair rather than the skin (which is what occurred when I have had extensions in the past) which makes the lashes behave like your natural lashes. It did not hurt and wasn't uncomfortable at all in fact it was a relaxing treatment and I even drifted off to sleep a few times!


Once the treatment had finished I had to open my eyes slowly and Asma gently removed the patches and tape - which was slightly uncomfortable - like taking a plaster off! I was over the moon with the final result - more dramatic volume and fullness but so natural looking - in fact I didn't wear any mascara for 6 weeks and had so many compliments! Asma provided me with aftercare which is really important if you want to ensure your lashes last a long time! Avoid wearing mascara and any oil-based products near your eyes - no rubbing your eyes (which is a bad habit of mine!). The lashes will last between 4-6 weeks depending on how well you look after them. I was really impressed as I found mine lasted a good 6 weeks and even at 8 weeks I still had quite a lot of lashes left on my right eye - I found I lost most of mine when I was sleeping and I sleep on my left side! It's only the last week or so I have my original lashes back and I miss the fluttery ones!  


The treatment costs £135 for a full set but there's currently a fab offer of 50% off your first full set applied mon-fri (t&c apply) and £35 for infills. I would definitely recommend these extensions if you have a wedding, holiday or looking to treat yourself - I can see them being addictive! After you have paid for the full set, to keep them up I think the price is very reasonable paying £35 every 4-6 weeks given how natural they look, how through and skilled Asma is and she uses the best quality lashes and glue. I think you really get what you pay for and there's absolutely no way I would ever get consider having 'cheaper' lashes applied after doing my research and reading some horror stories! You can find out more by visiting her website www.boudoirlashes.co.uk or tweeting her @BoudoirLashes


Annoyingly I have had some issues with my camera so can't upload my photographs but I will update the post when I am able to but I wanted to get this up! Have you ever had eyelash extensions? What did you think of the experience?
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Monday 23 April 2012

Review: LP Skin Therapy



I got a lovely little package a few weeks ago with a few bits from LP Skin Therapy to try. LP Skin Therapy is a skincare range developed by Dr Linda Papadopoulous (I'm sure you will know her if you watch Big Brother!) who has worked as a clinician and researcher in the field of Psychodermatology for over 15 years. Her philosophy is that happier skin is healthier skin. Designed to treat skin holistically, LP Skin Therapy works on tackling not just the external factors of prematurely ageing skin (sun, pollution) but also the internal factors, namely stress. Stress can affect the health, condition and aging process of our skin. 

LP Skin Therapy uses unique ingredients known as nootropics which have a positive effect on the mind and a calming effect on the skin whilst actives, peptides and other hard working ingredients help in the fight against ageing. Fragrances from Dr. Linda's homeland of Cyprus such as orange blossom, pomegrante and lemon oil are included to uplift, energise and relax. Dr. Linda encourages us to focus on the smells, textures and way your skin feels when using the range. By doing this, you will be sensitising not only your skin, but your mind too and making the most of the vitamins and nutrients packed into the products you use. LP Skin Therapy is a scientifically advanced skincare collection designed to help skin look rested, youthful, healthy and vibrant no matter what life throws at you. 

I was sent the Visible Results Kit for Lips & Eyes which contains: 5ml untired eye cream, 5ml re-affirm eye serum, 8m refining lip exfoliator and 8ml lip rescue gel. I have been using these products for the past couple of weeks so thought I would share my thoughts since it's a new brand I have discovered that you may not be familiar with. First of all I really like the concept behind the range - I know that if I am stressed or run down then my skin really shows the signs - dullness, blemishes, dehydrated skin etc. 

Un-tired Eye Cream & Re-affirm Eye Serum
This is a two-step eye cream the first being the un-tired eye cream which is applied lightly using your ring finger and gently tapping a small amount around the contours of the lower eye area. Then secondly, using your ring finger again gently tap a small amount of the re-affirm eye serum around the upper eyelid and brow bone. I could feel the serum working almost instantly lifting and tightening the skin - amazing! 

Refining Lip Exfoliator
Firstly the packaging is sleek and expensive looking clear plastic (that looks like glass) and purple and every little detail has been thought out - the inside lid has a leaf handle! The balm contains cocoa butter, Vitamin E, Sweet Almond Oil, Jojoba Oil and a calming complex of passionflower, St Johns Wort, Verbena and Wild Yam. My lips have been dry and flaky recently due to changes in weather/temperature. I applied the rich balm to the lips in circular motions to gently buff away dead skin cells and exfoliate which left my lips smoother. The balm has a gorgeous rich oily texture, smells of fresh citrus and doesn't feel to harsh on the skin or lips and I really noticed the difference with an improvement of the condition of my lips after 3 uses. I haven't thought to use a lip scrub previously but this is a step that I shall be definitely keeping up in future to keep my lips soft! 

Lip Rescue Gel
The Lip Rescue Gel promises to plump and shape the lips and contains Vitamin E and a calming complex of passionflower, St Johns Wort and Wild Yam. The Gel is very cooling and stings a little when first applied but this wears off after about 10 minutes. I wasn't so keen on the Lip Rescue Gel - I found it too sticky and I didn't find it particulary moisturising I would much prefer to use a lip balm. 


The LP Skin Therapy Visible Results kit costs £28 and is available from Look Fantastic and http://www.lpskintherapy.com Have you tried any items from the LP Skin Therapy line? What were your thoughts?
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Saturday 21 April 2012

Gibraltar Fashion Week



On Thursday I was kindly invited along to Gibraltar Fashion Week whereby I had the pleasure of meeting some local Gibraltarian businesses, saw a S/S catwalk show, had my nails Shellac-ed and enjoyed cupcakes & popcorn courtesy of OASIS. Oasis showcased their Spring/Summer trends of pretty prints, feminine florals, vintage-inspired pastels and tropical fluoros in the Casemate's Gallery.    
Fashion Week was officially opened by Emmanuel Ray in the Casemate's Gallery and the catwalk shows took place inside a Marque in Tercentenary Hall Courtyard, highlight being Caprice Bourret showing off her By Caprice Spring/Summer lingerie and swimwear collection
This was Gibraltar's first time hosting Fashion Week there were a few little hitches - no refreshments for guests, cold and windy inside the venue (the models must have been freezing!), shows running late and shows cancelled (?). I hope this will be an annual event for Gibraltar and will grow bigger and better next year! Did you go along to Gibraltar Fashion Week?




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Discount Code to save an Extra 10% at Debenhams


Debenhams have a Blue Cross Sale on at the moment which ends midnight on Sunday and thought I would share with you a discount code to save an additional 10% off sale prices this Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd April! You can also use the code on full price products too online - including beauty!


Speaking of Beauty, you can also save 10% on Debenhams Beauty Club Awards 2012 Winning products until 13th May! You can find out the winning products on Debenhams.com


To save an extra 10% go to debenhams.com or debenhams.ie between Saturday 21st - Sunday 22nd April 2012 and type the offer code FH96 once you have added your items to your shopping basket. 


Happy Shopping!


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Friday 20 April 2012

NOTD: CND Shellac Rosebud


Yesterday I attended Gibraltar Fashion Week and met the lovely Holly Byers who is a qualified Nail Technician that runs Nail Karma offering home visits in Gibraltar & Spain. I selected the shade 'Rosebud' which is a pretty pale baby pink colour perfect for the Spring. The benefits of Shellac are no chipping for at least two weeks; no drying time and a super shiny finish. 

You may remember I had Shellac Hot Pop Pink applied last month for my Grazia Magazine photo shoot. Holly kindly gave me a travel friendly bottle of CND Solar oil which is a nail and cuticle conditioner to take with me as it's essential to apply this daily when you have Shellac applied to keep your nails healthy and in tip-top condition. 

You can find out more about the nail services holly offers at www.nailkarma.com Have you tried shellac?
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Monday 16 April 2012

DIY Facial at Home



Not everyone can afford to splash out on the luxury of a salon facial, but that doesn’t mean you can’t receive the same benefits! It is really simple to do yourself at home and you don’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive products.
It is really important to take care of your skin and find a skincare regime that works for your skin type. I use a whole range of different brands and I am always discovering new ones. Also, I tend to switch masks and mositurisers depending on the weather or what my skin needs! To top it off, I tend to give myself a facial once or twice a week. It is nice to take 30 minutes out to relax and pamper yourself.
You can do these steps whilst watching TV, or – better still – whilst you are relaxing in the bath as your pores will open with the heat. To create that Spa at home feel you could light some candles, put some relazing music on and spritz some aromatherapy spray in the air, or put a couple of drops of essential oils on your hot cloth.
To begin, I like to remove my eye makeup with Bioderma H2O micellar water and some cotton pads, I will then apply a cleansing oil or luxurious balm and massage that into my dry skin in circular motions. I will then add a few drops of water to turn the oil into rich milk, massage in, then remove with a hot muslin cloth. It is nice to place the cloth over your face for a few seconds to open the pores and get a deeper clean.
After rinsing, I take a cream or foaming cleanser and massage in to ensure my skin is thoroughly clean, and I will remove the cleanser using a hot facial cloth. I will then sweep my skin with toner – sprayed onto cotton pads – to add hydration, nourishment, and remove any traces of cleanser to freshen up my skin. Oily skin types should go for toners that balance facial oil content, such as lemon, tea tree and peppermint. For dry, sensitive skins, go for rose, tangerine and elderflower to soothe and calm.
To really decongest your pores and brighten up your skin, steam cleanse your face once a week. This is good for almost all skin types, though sensitive skins and those of high colour may wish to skip this step. You don’t even need to buy a facial steamer! Simply pour boiling water into a bowl and add essential oils (lavender, rose, geranium and eucalyptus) to clear your lungs and calm nerves. Inhale steam deeply several times, and then place an ice cold compress on your face to tone up your skin and close the pores.
Following this, I will use a facial scrub or fruit enzyme mask to exfoliate dead skin cells which leaves my skin super smooth and soft. Next, I will apply a hydrating face mask all over my face and neck avoiding the eye area and leave on for 15-20 minutes. If I am in the bath, I will also use an eye mask or soak some cotton pads in brightening eye lotion – you could even opt for refreshing cucumber slices which is a great help to puffy eyes!
I then warm a few drops of facial oil (rose oil is good for anti-aging) in the palm of my hands, and massage them into my face and neck in deep circular movements to lift the face. In efforts to improve micro-circulation of the skin, I stimulate pressure points around my eyes and brows, and gently pinch the skin around my eyes. To do the same, simply work in an upward direction to lift your muscles, and massage outwards towards the lymph nodes on the neck to encourage the toxins and excess fluid out of your system. To finish, I apply a rich eye cream treatment around my eyes, and apply a goodhydrating night cream all over my face and neck.
I hope you get into a facial regime that works for you! Have you tried a DIY facial at home?
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Thursday 12 April 2012

What Beauty Products I Take When Travelling

As I mentioned I am going away for 5 days to Spain on Saturday and a few people asked me to post what Beauty Products I take with me in my suitcase. I used to be really bad at over-packing then find I didn't wear half the clothes or use half the beauty products. This time I am only taking hand luggage so everything has to fit into one clear plastic bag - I'm quite impressed with how much I've managed to cram in! I have de-canted some products into smaller jars and a lot of the items I've saved from previous GlossyBox and the latest She Said Beauty Box - these samples come in really handy when travelling. 





As you can see half of my suitcase is full of make up & beauty products - typical beauty blogger! In the Black & White stripy bag contains Make-up, the small white zipped bag has cotton pads, cotton buds, muslin clothes and Emma Hardie cleansing cloth. The clear plastic bag contains all the beauty products I'm taking: 






Haircare
Aveda Dry Remedy Treatment Masque
Aveda Dry Remedy Shampoo (From She Said Beauty)
Aveda Dry Remedy Conditioner (From She Said Beauty)
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style Prep (From GlossyBox)
Prive Thermal Protection
Oribe Supershine Cream


Skincare
REN Tonic Moisture Mist - this is good to use on a flight where the air dehydrates skin
Liz Earle Eye Bright
Burt's Bees Lipbalm
REN SPF 
REN No 1 Purity Cleansing Balm
Decleor Aroma Night Balm
Aromatherapy Associates Triple Rose Moisturiser 
Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream
Elemis Herbal Lavender Repair Mask
Elemis Pro-Collagen Quartz Life Mask
Elemis Gentle Rose Exfoliator
Decleor Facial Oil
Erno Laszio Eye Cream (From She Said Beauty)
Dermalogica Pre-cleanse
Manuka Doctor Bee Venom Facemask
MAC Face + Body Foundation
Illamasqua Intense Lipgloss in Femme
Clinique BB Cream
MUA Sweet Kiss Lovehearts Lip Balm
Duo Lash Glue

Body
Mini Deodorant
Mini Toothpaste
Sienna X Tan Moisturiser
Jo Malone Perfume
Como Shambhala Shower Gel (From GlossyBox)
Comfort Zone Cellulite Cream (From She Said Beauty)
Comfort Zone Toning Leg Gel  (From She Said Beauty)
Comfort Zone Body Cream  (From She Said Beauty)
Comfort Zone Tranquillity Cream  (From She Said Beauty)
Comfort Zone Shower Gel  (From She Said Beauty)




Are you impressed with how much I've crammed in? What are your travel essentials?
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Dress Drama Continues....



I didn't expect that my original review on the dress I was sent to review from Style Me Celeb would cause so much attention! You know what happened next & I thought that would be the last I'd be saying on the 'Dress Drama'. It's not that often that a give a negative review - I can probably count on one hand the amount of negative posts I have given in 3 years of blogging - usually if I find something a bit blah then I don't write about it unless it's really good (or really bad). 


Well...it's now 1am on Thursday and I have loads to do - preview for an interview, travel to London - which in it's self is a 8 hour round trip, write some articles, blog posts (if I have time?!), pack for my trip to Spain....as well as lots of other things on my long 'to do list'! And to top it off I'm not feeling that well so not in the best mood which is probably why I'm writing this as I feel the need to vent my frustration!  


Just to update you further as I mentioned that when I was rang by Murray he asked me to send back the dress (to be sent out to someone else who knows?!) so I agreed and he would be sending me the postage costs. So this evening Murray (after 11pm I should add) made some more sarky comments at me publicly on Twitter so I sent my Paypal details so he can send the postage costs. He asked when I would be sending back the dress, I am away for the next week London/Spain so I said it definitely won't be this week, but will be the week after. He replied saying he needed a definite date as he would be contacting the police as I had effectively stolen a £130 dress (was £119 actually) !!! 


To be completely honest I have no obligation to send the dress back as it was gifted to me to review, but since I have nothing to gain from keeping the dress and I am a decent sort of person I agreed to send it back. As you know I have a lot on this next week and returning the dress is not on top of my list of priorities! Maybe if Murray's attitude had been a little better in dealing with the matter and instead of calling my review a 'joke' and that 'I had written the review out of spite' then maybe I would have gone out of my way to return the dress next day. If I really was a spiteful person then I would of refused to return the dress and binned it surely? 


Let me get this straight, I was sent a dress to review and because I have given an honest but negative review they want the dress back and because I can't send it back next day delivery they accuse me of stealing it and want to contact the police! Brilliant! I am shocked with how unprofessional they have been, their PR approach is appalling and I'm baffled as to why they would want to publicly humiliate themselves even more and cast their own company in such bad light! They have also sadly shown how badly they treat bloggers in this not to mention potential customers. It's clear that the company have no idea about how influential bloggers are and insulting blogger's and their reviews is not going to score any brownie points! If they hadn't already proven what a ridiculous and unprofessional company they run...they certainly have now!   


Oh before Murray replies to this in the comments with the link to Chole from TOWIE wearing one of Style Me Celeb dresses in the Daily Mail I'll save him the trouble - Chole looked good in the dress I have to say but I wonder if she had to return her dress??
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