Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm

I adore cleansing balms. I love their rich texture, their scent, how they feel on my skin and more importantly the results I see.

 The only downside to a cleansing balm is often they come in huge, heavy glass pots. These pots look beautiful on my bathroom shelf but my travel wash bag hates them!

 Hurrah for Merumaya Melting cleansing Balm. A 100ml tube that squeezes the balm out rather than faffing around with a dainty spatula.

Key ingredients in this are Sweet Almond Oil, Echium Seed Oil and is packed full of omega 3, 6 and 9.

 Smells like a blend of aromatherapy oils without the overpowering scents that some balms have.

I think this cleanser would be perfect on all skins even an oily skin. Will nourish a dry dehydrated skin and will effectively cleanse all dirt and bacteria away from an oily/congested skin.
 I have an oily/combination skin and after using this for a few weeks I haven't noticed my skin has got any oilier like I thought it may.
 My skin does feel softer and I can definitely notice its really well cleansed. My skin often looks puffy and dull in the mornings and I think because this cleanser requires a little more effort of massaging in, this has helped kick start my circulation making my skin plumper and awake.

Once you have spent a few moments massaging in, Merumaya recommend removing this with one of their cleansing clothes or flannel.

 Dampen the flannel with warm water and the balm will remove easily.

 After my first use my skin felt clean and ridiculously soft with no residue left on my skin.

This cleanser is £14.50 for 100ml which is a really reasonable price considering the quality. A little goes a really long way so you will get a good few months’ use out of this.

Check it out   
http://www.merumaya.com/product/melting-cleansing-balm

The New Black Nail Kits

I have had a fun day of playing with nail varnish today. The New Black Nail products are fab if you like to experiment with colours and textures.

The Typography set is something I haven’t seen before.

 Paint the nails with 2 coats of the provided white nail polish. Some whites I find go patchy but this white colour is really thick and opaque.

 Once dry get hold of one of the mini newspaper print sheets.

 There are a couple of styles of print covered in words such as live, love, peace passion, cherish etc etc…all very sweet.

Cut the newspaper to fit over each nail. Once trimmed apply the transfer solution over the painted nail, lay the print on top (print side down) and apply more of the transfer solution on top.

The instructions then advise to press and hold an alcohol soaked cotton pad on top of the nail for 30 seconds. I didn’t have any alcohol to hand so used an alcohol based hand sanitizer gel which worked fine!

Gently peel off the newspaper and you will be left with nails covered in type. So easy and looks great.

The final stage is to apply the topcoat to seal. I would advise applying the topcoat sparingly as if you apply too much it leaves a pink tint to the nail.

The Typography nail kit lasted for 2 days on my nail and then it started to look a little worn and grubby (white is a hard colour to keep looking fresh).
Good fun for a night out or special occasion.

 The New Black Nail also do tons of other sets if type nails are not your thing.

Their Ombre kits are also really cool.Five shades of the same colour but graduated from light to dark. You can paint each nail a different colour for the true ombre look or paint them all the same.

Ombre Horizon

The New Black Typography set is £21.95 and the Ombre sets are £26.50.

 Both these and more colour options are available from http://www.gurumakeupemporium.com

Eden Allure Pure Argan Oil

 

I hear a lot of buzz around Argan oil. This wondrous, magical ointment from exotic Morocco!

 The promise of a natural oil, with no harsh chemicals and packed full of essential fatty acids sucked me in.

 I went out to my local health store and purchased a huge bottle that looked more culinary than beautifying.

 Although I was happy with the results I couldn’t help but be put off with the smell of this product.

 I used it mainly at night and felt like I was sleeping in a bag of peanuts.

 We were then kindly sent a 65ml bottle of Eden Allure Argan Oil, which although it has the same benefits as many of the other Argan oil’s it has been refined and deodorised removing the nutty scent.

 Genius!

A fabulous moisturiser on dry skin, after shaving legs and amazing as a night oil treatment for the face.

 Not overly greasy (it is an oil obviously so expect a certain amount of slip) it was easy absorbed and felt luxurious to massage into my legs after shaving.

 Can also be used on split or dry ends of the hair to smooth and nourish.

Argan Oil is effective at deeply moisturising, helping with skin inflammation, healing of scars, improving elasticity.

Packed with Vitamin F, E AND C I think this is a really worthwhile product for everyone to store in his or her bathroom cupboards.

  Safe for sensitive skins although people with a nut allergy please avoid!

Eden Allure also does products for the body and nails along with soaps infused with Lavender or Grapefruit.

The 65ml bottle we used is $18 and you can purchase from http://edenallure.com

New Cid I-Glow

  We have recently discovered New Cid and you may have noticed their range of I-Glow compact shimmer powders have been featuring in lots of our tutorials.
 Each powder compact has a domed marble design incorporating a blend of colours. This blend helps to make the colour appear more dimensional on the skin. Pick out areas of colour from the compact or sweep brush all over.
 The powder feels silky smooth and the finish is a light reflecting sheen.
 Available in 3 colours of Ice Pop, Coral Crush and Sirocco.

Ice Pop

Ice pop is the least light reflecting of the three. Colours marbled in this are pink, lilac, white and plum although the baby pink tone if the most prominent once on the skin.
 This colour doesn't so much shimmer but is subtly radiant with a very fine gold fleck catching the light. This has a high colour pay off and is buildable but be careful not to over do it as it builds up to a very blue toned pink if you apply too much.
 Would look great on a fair skin tone.

Coral Crush

 Coral Crush is a combination of antique gold, peach and pink. More of a warmer tone than Ice Pop with the peach being the prominent colour. This compact has a much higher light reflection of warm gold highlights. This would look good swept over the cheeks but a little too strong to be used all over the whole face.
 Nice on a medium to dark skin tone. Would make a beautiful highlighter on a dark to very dark skin.

Sirocco

Sirocco is our favourite. A pale gold infused with warmer peach/gold tones this is amazing as a highlighter on all skin tones.
 Creates a wet look shine to cheekbones, eyelids or body.
 Brings a flat, dull looking skin to life. Again I wouldn't use this all over the face unless you like the Tin man effect but just delicately place on the high planes of the face.

Each powder is £24.00 and available from http://www.newcidcosmetics.com

You can view us using the Sirocco powder in our recent tutorial below.

Dior Bird of Paradise Collection

Dior's new summer look is called Bird of Paradise. It's a mix of tropical colour blocks that are inspired by Latin America.
Every tone of blue seems to have been incorporated into this collection from aqua through to peacock blue whilst the lips are more natural hues of juicy pinks and coral.

DiorSkin Nude Tan BB Cream SPF15

Summer collections always see the launch of a product to give our skin a sun kissed glow. For this collection Dior has adapted its current Dior Skin Nude BB Cream and given it a tanned twist.
 Does the normal work we would expect from a BB Cream of smoothing out an un-even skin tone and giving a sheer veil of cover however this is infused with a bronze pigment to warm up the skin.

 The colour is sheer but has a very peachy/orange tone so if you are lighter than around a medium skin tone or NC35/NW30 (in MAC terms) then I would blend a tiny amount in with your regular moisturiser to give you a tint of colour. If your skin is darker than this then you will be able to smooth it over the skin on its own.
Texture is creamy but dries to a matte finish. Would be suitable for a normal/combination skin. Maybe a little to matte and drying for a dry skin type.
 Has an SPF15 however ensure you are still using a normal sunblock underneath when lying out in the sun.
This comes in just the one colour and is £30.00

Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo

Combination of blusher and bronzer in one mirrored compact make this a good product to pop in your makeup bag for your vacation this summer.

 We sampled the colour in Pink glow but there is also another colour option of coral glow.
On the left half is a combination of soft peach and beige bronzer. Powder gives a radiant finish but with no glitter thank goodness. I am not a fan of a glittery face in the sun.
 The bronzer side is has a natural colour payoff so would be suitable for a fair skin tone and could also be used to contour. These colours also look great swept through the eye socket also for definition.
 The right half are two shades of a vibrant peachy pink. This however does have a fine gold glitter running through it.
 Colour comes out much stronger so only a small amount on the apples of the cheeks would be needed.
Comes with a Kabuki brush for application.

Nail Lacquer Duo
 I really like the idea of having two mini nail lacquers in one set. The idea is one goes on your toes and one on your fingers. Kind of like a mix and match bikini.
 This duo is an indigo blue and fuchsia pink set called Bahia but there is also a turquoise and mint set called Samba .
Each set is £22.00 and the size is slightly smaller at 7ml.

  Jelly Lip Pen

Ilhabela Jelly Lip Pen

 Chunky, twist up pencil style lip balm in 4 shades. Slightly less pigmented than other similar style products I have used. I tried the colour called Ilhabela, which is a baby pink infused with glitter particles in peach and gold.
 I love the gel/balm texture of this pen but didn't like the glitter particles. Found they got stuck on my constant dry lips!
 Because of the sheer coverage you would need to top up regularly throughout the day also.
These are £19.00 each.

This collection is already available exclusively at www.harrods.com and nationwide from 17th May 2013.

Bourjois Cream Blush

 

It’s great that Bourjois have recognised that although we may love the fresh face, peachy cheek that a cream blush gives we hate the tacky feeling a cream blush can sometimes have.

 These 4 new shades from Bourjois in a small, flat 2.5g pot with a mirrored lid are creamy to the touch but dry to a more matte finish whilst still giving you the finish of a cream.

Has enough playtime to be able to blend but sets to give a soft tint of colour that has a silky powder feel.

Shade 01 would be lovely on porcelain to fair skin tone. The perfect apricot tint.

 Shade 02 is a more vibrant with a coral peach tone.

Shade 03 is a peach toned soft pink and has a very fine silver pigment fleck running through it

Shade 04 has a more matte finish with more of a warm brown/pink tone.

Colour is buildable and goes on very true to how it looks in the pot but I did find after a few hours it had sunk in and I needed to re apply. The small handy sized pot does make it easy for re application though.

 I found best application method was tapping the product into the apples of my cheeks with my fingers.

 Also has a pleasant soapy scent.

Each pot is £7.99 and available from  www.selfridges.com from 8^th May 2013 and from 15^th May 2013 available at www.boots.com www.superdrug.com www.asos.com

ESPA The Sensitive skin remedy

 

We are so blessed to live in the beautiful city of Norwich in the heart of the Norfolk.

 Discovered by the Romans, Norwich has the best of small city life whilst only being 40 minutes from the beach and 2 hours from London.

Elm Hill, Norwich

   One of the oldest areas of Norwich is called Tombland. Here you will find cobbled streets, a cathedral and many shops and houses that wouldn't be out of place in a Charles Dickens novel.

The picture above was taken on my stroll to possibly the quaintest, cosy beauty salon I have visited.

Nestled amongst the higgledy-piggledy streets this oasis of calm and tranquillity offers a huge array of treatments to cater for all your beautifying needs.

The Beauty Room is a first for Norwich being the only spa that uses and stocks ESPA products.

 ESPA takes its influence from Asia, European and Ayurvedic philosophies and not only do the ingredients benefit the skin but the scents and textures of these products make you feel like you could be on a retreat in Bali!

 All ingredients are 99% natural and only the finest, raw ingredients are used. You may even find the colour varying between products as ingredients are sourced from around the world at different times leading to natural colour variation.

No parabens are included, products are vegetarian and all formulas and ingredients are cruelty free.

 If you have an allergic/sensitive skin then you would need to check the ingredients listing to ensure your particular allergen is not present.

The spotless trolley at the end of the treatment is a sign of a great therapist!

The Beauty Room owner Danielle told me how she wanted only the best, experienced therapists for her salon and my therapist Louise was certainly that.

From my initial consultation through to her fluid techniques and application of product I could tell I was in good hands and even dozed off for a bit!

I experienced a back, face and scalp treatment which began with a back exfoliation and massage using scented oils that I had chosen through a sensory test. Sensory testing is applying different oils to your skin for you to choose your favourite. Nothing worse than laying in oil that you can't bear the smell of!

Now I like a firm massage with no tickles so I experienced firm pressure, elbows and lots of crunching shoulders. Just the way I like it but if you're a little more delicate than your desired pressure will be applied.

Next was the facial part. All of the products Louise was going to use on me had been decided and discussed before hand and the reasons behind them explained.

My skin is normal/combination but also hormonal which means I get hard lumps under the skin each month that eventually disappear.

For those of you who have had facials you will understand that the treatment process and the order of products used gets forgotten as you relax so after my treatment Louise gave me a debrief about my skin and recommended products (no hard sell, just advice).

She explained that my skin is actually pretty balanced and that it's just a little stressed out and sensitive with quite a bit of dehydration.

 I have slight pigmentation on my chin from old blemishes so she advised products that would help speed up the cell renewal of my skin so that it would heal quicker and feel rejuvenated.

Lots of products were used on me however these are my key products that would fit into my weekly routine...

Hydrating Cleansing Milk- £22.50, 200ml

 Great for all skin types but because my skin is a little stressed out this has Marshmallow and Chamomile to soothe and moisturise.

 To be honest I am more of a foaming cleanser kind of girl but this milk felt luxurious and creamy and lifted all of my makeup off without dragging or rubbing. Smelt amazing and left my skin clean with no residue.

 Louise used hot mitts to remove this but you could use a damp, warm flannel or cotton pads.

   

Regenerating Face Treatment Oil-£65.00, 28ml

Now this is a pricey oil however when it comes to looking after a more sensitive skin then sadly the more refined ingredients are always better and unfortunately these will cost you!

 I like to use an oil at night so that it has time to sink in and work, if I use an oil during the day then I will be a greasy mess by lunch but if your skin is dry you can use a tiny splash of this pressed into the skin under your moisturiser.

What I love about this product is when you read the ingredients listing every single ingredient is derived from a flower, plant or herb. No crazy sounding scientific names!

 This oil is nice to use once a week as a facial massage treat.

It hydrates intensely and my skin looks plumped.

The next day my skin is so soft and calm. Avocado and Jojoba are anti oxidants and help to repair damaged skin so great if you have acne scarring or sun damaged skin.

Repair and Restore Moisturiser-£38.00, 25ml

I never really though my skin was damaged but over the last few years as I have entered my 30's more moles are appearing and my skin doesn't seem to recover as quickly.

 As we age and our collagen starts to weaken we need skin boosting ingredients.

 This moisturiser is lightweight and sinks in easily so if you are oily it will absorb quickly.

 Again the line up of ingredients in this sound more culinary than medicinal. 

Evening Primrose reduces water loss to help hydration levels, Rosemary stimulates the circulation to help push nutrients to the skin and help it repair itself whilst Bitter Orange acts as an anti-inflammatory.

I would highly recommend this range if you are seeking skincare to help correct and benefit an inflamed, sensitive skin.

 I used these particular products as they were advised to me however ESPA have a massive line of products so there will be something to also target your specific needs.

My treatment at The Beauty Room was £59.00 for a Back, face and scalp treatment however there are many different facial and treatment option at varying prices.

 To check for what would work for you, you can view all of ESPA products on their website at http://www.espaonline.com

To book a treatment and get expert skincare advise from The Beauty Room visit their site on www.thebeautyroomnorwich.co.uk/

Kate Moss for St Tropez

 

All the hundreds of blogs we have and we have never really spoken much about St Tropez.

It is one of those cult brands that speaks for itself but over the years it has developed a massive product line up that we thought we would take a look at.

Kate Moss is fronting St Tropez’s campaign this summer. We were lucky enough to be sent a press release book that contains a video showing the shoot St Tropez did with Kate featuring Val Garland.

Kate decided she wanted to front this campaign simply because "it's a cool brand".

 She goes on to say how having some colour to her skin makes her feel more confidant and loves the natural tan St Tropez gives rather than something orange.

 You can watch the behind the scenes shoot below.

Self-tan can be a disaster and over the years I have been victim off this, however I have nailed it now and pride myself on my tanning abilities!
 Self-tanning is something that requires planning, careful application and maintenance, not slapping a bit on while you wait for your taxi.
Being a typical girl, if I have a special occasion coming up I like to apply my tan two days before. I always feel like the next day it’s almost too strong but by day two its perfect.
I have used St Tropez numerous times and although I don’t particularly favour the scent, it is one of the best I have used.
If you can see past the bog monster green it makes you on initial application then you will emerge from the shower like Ursula Andress in Dr No (that’s what I think I look like anyway).

So to get the perfect tan you must put in the groundwork. This means scrubbing your body from top to toe focusing in on the elbows, ankles and any other dry patches the eternal winter has punished us with.

 St Tropez Tan Enhancing Polish-£10.00 for 200ml
Huge tube of creamy exfoliant that contains tiny spherical man made beads rather than super scratchy grit.
I like to stand in the shower and use this before I turn the water on. This way I can scrub and all the exfoliant will just fall into the shower basin. I feel when I use it on my dry skin it scrubs dead skin away better. If you have sensitive skin maybe dampen your skin first so it doesn’t feel so abrasive.
 This polish can also be used during the week whilst you have your tan on to help freshen up any areas of tan than may have clung or gone patchy.


The Tan
This is the important bit. Depending on the texture of product you prefer there are a few options.
 I always advise using the St Tropez mit to avoid the tell tale orange hand.

Bronzing Mousse-£20.43 for 120ml or £9.99 for 50ml
My favourite as it’s foamy, lightweight and I find easier to control. Also is easier to scrape up off your beige carpet (never tan on a carpet!).

Bronzing Lotion-£30.64 for 240ml or £20.43 for 120ml
A little more of a richer texture, may feel nicer on a dryer skin. Does also come up slightly darker than the mousse so may be better for an advanced tanner.

Bronzing Spray-£20.43 for 200ml
Spraying is really easy however I find it is quite difficult to control and also if you are doing it yourself it’s easier to miss bits that you can’t quite reach. This is also the messy option, as you can’t control the spray in the air so you may find you have a bronze silhouette on your bedroom wall.
 The can however sprays at any angle which helps.


All three of these products come in the classic range, which gives you a medium golden tan.

If you like it stronger or have naturally darker skin then all three are available in a dark range.They come in a black bottle.

I use this as I naturally tan very well so I can handle my tan looking a little darker. The colour is much deeper and slightly more of a red undertone.


If your skin is sensitive then they have recently launched their sensitive range. Does all the jobs of the classic range but is made from naturally derived tanning ingredients that are better for a delicate skin.
 I found the colour to be just as effective although it is priced a little higher. Mousse is £28.00 and Lotion £28.00.

I normally use the regular tan on my face however they make a lotion for the face (£22.00), which is not quite as drying and feels much lighter.
The classic places where tanning goes wrong is around the wrists, hands and ankles. I like to mix a little body lotion with the tanning product to help sheer it out a little so it isn’t as intense.
I have heard of many people applying tan and then heading straight out. This is a fatal tanning error. St Tropez is meant to be applied, left for ideally 8 hours, and then showered off. Don't leave it on for any longer than 8 hours as it won't get any darker after this stage.
 Please wash your tan off, don't be that bronzed god/goddess at the bar smelling like biscuits (that's what I think it smells like) because you still have your tan on!

Post tanning you need to keep your body moisturised to ensure the tan doesn’t go patchy or dry out.

 Tan Enhancing Moisturiser-£10.00 for 200ml
Lightweight and smells like holidays! Sinks in quickly and helps revive the tan after it has been on a couple of days.

 Use morning and evening, especially after showering.

Tan Booster-£15.00 for 200ml
This is a great little secret weapon for when colour is fading and you don’t have time to re apply more of your normal tan. It moisturises and adds a tint of colour to a fading tan.

After seeing all the latest press launches about St Tropez I have fallen back in love with St Tropez and although I’ll never look like Kate Moss I can rival her in the bronzing stakes.

 You can get your hands on all St Tropez has to offer from http://www.st-tropez.com

TWO Magazine Palm Springs Tour

Last month I headed off to Palm Springs, California with Ruth Crilly from amodelrecommends in the hope of creating four beauty/fashion stories for TWO magazine amazingly we actually managed five!
You can see the first story High Plains Drifter in full in this months TWO. Here are a few of my highlights though.
I love, love, love this Jumper from Hush and the snakeskin dress below (also from Hush).
The boots are just perfect from Durango

Check out our behind the scenes vlogs below.

Team:
Model: Ruth Crilly
Stylist: Electra Formosa
Makeup & Hair: Me

Here are Ruth's vlogs from a models perspective.

Clarins Splendours Summer Bronzing Compact

Skin doesn’t naturally tan all one colour so it’s nice to see a bronzer that picks out different shades for a more real tanned skin effect.

 This beautiful limited edition bronzer comes in a red plastic compact that is slightly transparent to reveal the product within. 

this compact is quite large so will take up a good amount of space in your makeup bag.

 The bronzer is embossed with a South American style motif with intricate carved shapes.

 Around the edges are soft beige wedges that provide a lighter colour for a paler skin tone. The bulk of the colour is a golden tan and the central circle is a light peach with a soft shimmer.

 Swish your powder brush all over for a mix of colour or pick out the individual colour to create your individual tanning requirements.

Powder has a light-optimizing complex that gives a subtle radiance to the skin without an obvious shimmer.

Powder feels soft and silky to touch and does not crumble or drop down.

This bronzer is also infused with a fresh summer scent that I could still smell on my skin at the end of the day. Scent is not over powering, but a lovely edition that makes this powder feel even more luxurious to use.

This is available from April 2013 and costs £30.00

Clinique Moisture Surge CC Cream

So we have had BB creams, now we have CC creams!

 Sounds like it’s all getting a bit confusing doesn’t it but don’t panic, the CC stands for the old familiar colour corrector.

 I wasn’t sure if this product was classed as skin care or as colour cosmetics but I guess it sits somewhere in the middle.

 In a nutshell it’s a hydrating colour corrector that will even your skin tone whilst providing a sheer, natural coverage.

 If you think your skin is sallow (yellowish), red undertones, ashy, sun damaged or just uneven then this may be a good buy.

 The word hydrating in the title may scare of the oily skinned ones amongst us but to be honest I found it to soak in quick and felt more matte once blended in.

 With an SPF of 30 this is particularly good for sun damage or those who just like a bit of extra protection (do not use as a sun cream replacement).

The cream uses dual layered colour correcting optics to scatter light over the skin to help even tones and brighten.

Feels nice and light even though it is a cream and doesn’t feel greasy even though it is hydrating. Skin has a soft sheen and looks glowy.

 I did feel like this may flash back slightly under camera flash due to the high SPF so be aware of this and test it first if you’re thinking of it for your wedding day.

 I applied this after my moisturiser but before my foundation.

 My skin is slightly red in places and I did feel like it toned it down naturally. This is a sheer product so this alone will not mask and conceal but softly tone down and smooth un-even colour. You can then apply your foundation over the top to cover or you can obviously just wear this on it’s own if you don’t wear foundation.

This comes in 6 shades from very light through to deep. Pick the shade, which is closest to your natural skin tone.

I tested this over a scar on my arm that has purple/red undertones and even though the sample I was testing was slightly too light for me I thought it worked well at toning down and brightening the skin.

Before applying CC cream

After applying CC cream

This is available exclusively from Friday 5^th April from John Lewis and is £28.00

http://www.johnlewis.com/beauty/clinique/make-up/c700005010 

Clinique Nail Enamel for Sensitive Skin

 

Apparently, we touch our eyes around 200 times a day un-knowingly and according to Clinique, occasionally eye irritation, facial rashes and dry skin around the eyes can be traced back to allergies caused by our nail polish!

Clinique pride themselves on being 100% fragrance free so after six years of testing ingredients they have developed a range of nail enamels especially for sensitive skins.

There will be 12 shades that will stay in line and 9 limited edition shades that will only be available for Summer 2013.

For some reason I expected a nail enamel for a sensitive skin to be of a lower quality. Similar to how low-fat food doesn’t taste quite as good as full fat.

The reality is that it goes on with the same fluidity of a any good quality nail enamel, doesn’t streak and has a good colour density.

Two coats are best and all the colours I tried had a high glossy shine to them.

Lasted really well on the nail and only really started to get a bit worn around the tips after 5 days wear.

Topcoat and base coat would lengthen this wear time also.

The Limited Edition colours look like this...

The regular basic line look like this...

Here is a selection of enamels we had to test

 

We love the green colour in Hula Skirt.

 You can see Nic wearing this in her recent tutorial below where she made Jamie Oliver up like 80's Madonna!!

Nic was blown away by how long this polish lasted on her nails. 

The nail enamels are available exclusively online at www.clinique.co.uk from 25th April and Nationwide on counters from 31st May 2013.