Marks and Spencer I Love Makeup Collection

Laura Mercier Free Spirit Palette

Laura Mercier are good at bringing out handy little palettes.

Their latest is called Free Spirit Baked Eye Palette.

Containing 5 baked, domed eye shadows with a double ended brush.

The brush has a flatter firm synthetic end and a fluffy soft brush end.

These shadows can be used wet or dry.

The synthetic brush end works best when wet and the fluffy brush when dry.

Pastels are going to be big again this season and these tones fit in with this trend.

Reminding me of ice cream colours, shades are muted, soft and blend easily. A natural smoky eye could be created easily or for definition try the brush wet and use colours as a liner.

Palette is £30.00 and available now from http://www.lauramercier.com

Ole Henriksen Power Peel

  Ole Henriksen discovered his passion for skin care whilst he was working as a model and show dancer and suffering from acne.

 Whilst living in Indonesia he was helped by an aesthetician that helped his skin condition with the use of natural ingredients.

He has studied cosmetic chemistry and anatomy and eventually he went on to open the Ole Henriksen of Denmark Skin Care Centre in Beverly Hills. He has been working form his Hollywood Spa offering treatments for the face and body since.

I tried the Power Peel 3 step treatment.

This contains 6 sachet style packs.

 Each pack includes a facial scrub, Lemon Strip Peel and Chamomile Comfort Mask.

The 3g sachet holds enough for one use.

The first sachet is the Almond Polish. 

This contains Oat Kernel Flour, Bamboo Stem Powder and Almond.

This abrasive scrub really gets all the dead skin and dry patches away.

 Feels gritty on the skin which I love as it feels like it’s thoroughly cleansing my skin.

After rinsing off my skin is quite pink but not sore at all.

Skin already feels super soft.

Next I used the Lemon Strip. 

This is designed to peel and refine the skin.

 Lactic and Glycolic acid combine with fruit acids help refine the skin.

 These feels a little stingy on application and my skin flushed over my cheeks and forehead.

 It’s not an uncomfortable feeling but if you have very sensitive skin you may find this feeling a little unpleasant.

 It is meant to feel tingly though so don’t be alarmed.

After 2 minutes I apply the third stage straight over the top.

This is the Chamomile Comfort mask.

This is instantly cooling and calms the tingling sensation.

Primrose Oils, Chamomile and Azulene reduce any inflammation and irritation.

 This mask is thick and creamy and although it dries off slightly its not chalky.

After 15 minutes I washed it off.

 My skin is super soft and plumped.

I had some flaky areas around my nose, which have now gone.

I was very impressed with this three step and will continue to use this every month to maintain my skin.

I love the handy sachets, great for traveling and these products are also available in full sizes if you prefer. 

For more info and to purchase check out http://www.olehenriksen.com

 

YSL Lips

I am in love with these new YSL lipsticks. The cases are absolutely stunning gold and silver cases with the YSL logo embossed over a band of colour. The colour on the case reflects the colour of the lipstick. No more rummaging around in your handbag, opening lids for the colour you want!

The Rouge Volupte Shine lipsicks (Number 12 Coral Incandescent, 5 Fuchsia in Excess and 19 fuchsia in rage pictured) are glossy, moisturising and although they may look scarily bright they are actually more sheer than you think.

 Colour is buildable and the anti oxidant ingredients help condition and soften lips.

 The Volupte sheer Candy line up (No11 Frosted Mint and No12 Tasty Raspberry) are basically a lipstick that's similar to a lip balm.

 A very sheer veil of colour that is packed with fruit extracts and vitamins. Smell pretty amazing also!

 The mint green although may look strange actually comes out almost transparent.

Each lipstick is £23.50 and available from http://www.yslbeauty.co.uk

Givenchy

This February Givenchy launches their new Le Rouge Lipstick collection.

This lipstick is aesthetically very pleasing.

 Cased in the matte black leather and silver which has been present in some of the Givenchy fashion shows of recent.

Each colour has a velvet, creamy texture that is rich in pigment.

 No need to layer up as one application gives a full, bold, opaque covering.

We tested the colour in Fuchsia Irresistible #205.

 As you would expect from the name it’s a vibrant, blue based bright pink with a satin finish.

A lovely touch to this lipstick is the scent they have added.

Fragranced softly with Mimosa and Blackcurrant makes it even more appealing.

Available in 12 colours categorised into;

 Les Naturels-All nude tones from light beige to warm brown

 

Les Roses-From soft Rose through to vibrant Fuchsia.

 

 Les Creations-Bold original shades from Magnolia to Mandarin.

 

Each lipstick is £24.00 available from February 2013.
http://www.givenchybeauty.com 

Bourjois Aristo Clash Collection

Bourjois Aristo Clash Collection.....

Miracle Glo Perfecting Glotion

Miracle Glo is a lightweight lotion that enhances skin radiance.

Apply to bare skin or buff over make up with the miracle glo buffing brush.

Due to it’s gel/fluid texture it refracts light and creates a 3D radiance to the skin.

Anti oxidant ingredients help to protect the skin against every day pollutants.

I buffed this into my skin after moisturising with the Mineral Glo stippling brush.

It sinks in quickly and adds a soft sheen.

 If your skin is more combination or oily you could just apply it to the high plains of the face rather than all over.

 You could also mix a little with your foundation to save time.

The result…

It did give a sheen that catches the light but it is very subtle.

 Feels very luxurious and would be really nice for people who don’t wear a lot of make up and just like a radiant glowing skin.

A nice product for a no make up day.

This 60ml bottle is £33.00 and available from http://www.timebombco.com

Bella 'Breaking Dawn' Makeup tutorial

There is something about Kristen Stewart that I find utterly captivating, I know that she has her detractors but in a way it makes her appeal to me that bit more. I especially love her make-up, admittedly her make-up artist is often Beau Nelson and I love his work (and him).

I was mesmerised by the make-up in 'Breaking Dawn pt 2' although there are definitely some effects added in post production to create the ethereal glow that Bella has, In this tutorial I tried to capture something similar using M.A.C Luna Cream Color Base (pearly white highlight) while keeping the eyes flat and dead with matte eyeshadows.
To complete the look I used an app called Eye Colorizer to transform my iris's blood red.

PRODUCTS USED:
Illamasqua Skinbase http://tidd.ly/9718cfd8
MAC Brun Eyeshadow http://tidd.ly/b3d5ab82
MeMeMe Arch Angel http://tidd.ly/15f8a092
MAC Omega Eyeshadow http://tidd.ly/b3d5ab82
MAC Embark Eyeshadow http://tidd.ly/b3d5ab82
Clinique High Definition Lashes http://tidd.ly/2f2ac8c2
Amazing Shine Lashes No.46 
Bobbi Brown Warm Ivory Creamy Concealer http://tidd.ly/d5b32afa
MAC Skin Finish in Light http://tidd.ly/e45b882c
MAC CCB in Luna http://tidd.ly/626d82e2
Chanel Notorious
Makeup Forever Aqua Lip Pencil 11C

Sleek Pussy Cat Lashes

Sleek’s new lash line have taken their inspiration from the fabulous feline.

 The collection consists of eight styles made from natural fibres.

Each pair comes with its own adhesive.

 
Bengal

Angled, thickly spaced for a wide eyed look.
Natural lashes will fill the gaps so length will be staggered.

Burmilla
Criss-crossed fluttery lashes, dark at the root and longer in the center.Great for volume.







Persian
Dense, thick dark lashes for a dramatic full on solid lash look.

 Rag Doll
Angles Criss-crossed with a longer outer edge.
Mixture of thick and fine lashes.





 Russian Blue

Thick at the root and separated ends.Good for root volume and longer ends.






Sphynx
Widely spaced segments of lashes with fluttery tips for length in center and outer edges.

Siamese
Curling lashes that give a more natural volume but still with lots of length in the center.

Savannah
Thick, dramatic lashes with extra long wispy lenghts.

Prices start at £6.49 and go up to £7.00.

These are really nice lash designs and something to suit everyone.They do all come up slightly more dramatic than you may think so if you are new to lashes go for the more natural ones to start with.

The band on these lashes is slightly thicker so they will take a bit more patience when applying.

Apply a thin line of glue and leave for about 30 seconds to go tacky.

Hold your mirror low so you have to look down into it and apply to the roots of your lashes.

Available form www.sleekmakeup.com

Body Armour Ultimate Skin Protection

 

Body Armour is a range of skin moisturisation that helps to protect, hydrate and nourish your skin.

 Its main ingredient is Babassu oil, which is a vegetable oil, extracted from the seeds of the babassu palm from the Amazon region of South America.

Containing no Parabens but packed full of Vitamin E, Avocado oil, Coconut oil and Coco Butter.

The silver aluminium packaging is unisex and looks sleek and clean.

Each product has the same smell, which is fresh, clean and would appeal to both sexes.

The range consists of four products Face cream, Body Lotion, Body Butter and Hand Cream.

Face cream 50ml is in a pump style dispenser. Quite rich as you would expect but absorbs quickly.

 Would be more suited to a normal to dry skin.

£18.00

Body Lotion 150ml is lightweight and great as a general body lotion for a dryer skin.

£15.00

Body Butter 100ml is super rich and deeply moisturising. A little goes a long way.

 Comes in a small compact metal tin and would be perfect for extreme body skin dryness.

£15.00

Hand lotion in 100ml completes the set in a pimp bottle. Very similar to the body lotion I think, maybe a little richer and also contains the added Almond Oil which is fab for the nails also.

£15.00

A nice range of wash bag size products that are fuss free and do what they say. Especially great for men who want to take care of their skin but don't want bulky girly packaging.

If you live/visit a hot country be sure (as always) to keep these out of the sun. The aluminium packaging will heat up if left in sun.

All products available individually or in a set for £63.00

You can get hold of these from  bodyarmourskincare.co.uk

Glossy Box January Edition

 As with most things in January this months Glossy Box is all about Detox.

The five minis this month include…

  Jason Lips Bee Healthier

Jason (meaning healer in Greek) is a natural twist up lip balm combining beeswax, Vitamin E, Green Tea, Aloe Vera gel, Shea Butter and Sweet Almond Oil….phew that’s a lot of moisturising ingredients.

Re hydrate parched lips during the winter months.

Normally £1.99

Elemis Skin glow facial exfoliator 30ml

The Fresh Skin range by Elemis are geared towards teens to twenties when taking care of your skin is crucial

Cherry powder and jojoba beads polish away dead, dull skin and leave the skin soft and radiant.

Smells delicious and not too scratchy for a delicate skin.

Full Size (100ml) normally £12.00

Premae Skincare Balance Rescue Face Tonique 30ml

 I hadn’t heard of this brand before but this particular product is aimed at people who suffer adult acne. Since I’ve been in my 30’s my skin breakouts are worse than in my teens!

Contains antiseptic ingredients Lemongrass and Sandalwood as well as Rose water.

 No alcohol means it won’t sting on application and skin doesn’t feel tight either after application.

                       Full size 50ml normally £27.50

 

Monu Aromatic Mask 30ml

Come in out of the cold and warm the skin with this warming mask.

Clay based which means it will have great drawing properties and added beeswax and coconut help to soften.

Doesn’t feel hot just gently warm with a relaxing aroma of Lavender and Rosemary.

Creamy on application and dries off slightly but not to a total concrete style finish.

 Remove with warm water after 10-15 minutes.

Full Size Normally £24.95

Duck Island Body Lotion 30ml

Lightweight body lotion infused with scents of Mandarin and Bergamot.

Scent wasn’t my most favourite, reminded me slightly of the smell of toilet cleaner but that’s just because it’s citrus and fresh smelling.

Did leave my skin nice and smooth though.

2x 250mlNormally £24.95

After doing all this you can relax with the satin sleep mask included!

To get your hands on a GlossyBox go to www.glossybox.co.uk

Cloud Nine Waving Wand

If you like a wave to your hair that’s loose, beachy and tousled then check out Cloud Nine Waving Wand.

 This ceramic barrel wand has an even diameter to create a soft wave rather than a tight curl or spiral.

It has a one-touch temperature control in which you can select your heat level.

Low is 130 degrees; Medium is 155 degrees and high is 180 degrees.

The ceramic barrel also helps to add shine to the hair.

A quick and easy alternative to rollers.

I absolutely loved this wand but as with all heated appliances PLEASE be so careful as this gets seriously hot.

A glove is included and you will definitely need to wear this to avoid burnt fingertips but I would also advise wearing a long sleeved shirt to protect your arm also.

 I actually burnt my arm and this is obviously down to my own clumsiness but with the fatter barrel it’s easy to misjudge how close you are to your skin!

Because of the heat I would advise using a heat protecting spray as well.

Section your hair and twist round small or large sections.

You can also rotate it at the root to give root volume.

In 5 minutes your hair is transformed beautifully into a bouncy beachy wave.

 There's also currently the Cloud Nine XChange on, so if readers trade in an old tool, they can get £20 off the Original/Wide Irons, Original/Waving Wands and The O, when bought from www.cloudninehair.com!

This product is £99.95 and available online at www.cloudninehair.com and also from selected salons nationwide.

Rimmel Lash Accelerator Endless Mascara

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Rimmel’s newest addition to their mascara line up is Lash Accelerator Endless Lashes.

 Packaged in eye catching metallic yellow packaging with a plastic comb style brush.

Why is it different?...

It contains an exclusive Grow-Lash complex of procapil, Keratin and Antioxidants.

Procapil is a new, natural solution that fights the hair follicle ageing process, strengthening hair from the root and preventing hair loss.

Keratin is made up of fibrous proteins and is the key structural material in making up the outer layer of human skin and hair.

This mascara would therefore be great for people who have noticed thinning of the lashes or patchiness in the hairs.

The brush is a plastic style wand with wide teeth spaces for definition.

The actual product is jet black and creamy and a rich chocolate brown is available also.

Brushes through lashes smoothly with no clumps and separates lovely.

No spider lashes!

Available from 20^th February.

Check out www.rimmellondon.com/for more info

Amaze mitt

AmazeMitts are a microfiber mitt that fits over the hand to remove all traces of make up.
 They are designed to only be used with water and through the massaging action they gently exfoliate the skin whilst removing make up.

Pretty much like a classic flannel but with the convenience of the glove style.
 They do indeed remove the make up however you do need to go over the skin a few times to remove all traces of make up.
 If you wear waterproof mascara I would remove this with a separate remover as the mitts with water alone will probably not remove it effectively.
This product would be best for people who have a sensitive skin and prefer to cleanse with water alone.
You can wash your mitt out after each use with hand soap but I would advise to machine wash them every so often to ensure they are completely clean.

These are £4.00 each and available from http://www.amazemitt.co.uk/

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask

During the winter months I have my central heating on overnight, which results in dryer, dehydrated skin in the mornings.
 I like to use something rich on my skin overnight and had never tried an overnight mask before.
This new product from Clinique launched this month. It is a cream mask that locks in moisture, delivers deep hydration and helps restore and strengthen the skin.
 Great for a sensitive skin as it contains lots of lovely soothing ingredients such as algae extract, Murumuru Butter, Olive extract and Pomegranate.

This 100ml squeezy tube contains a thick, luxurious cream that you massage all over the face and neck.
 I was thinking this would get all over my pillow case but after massaging in for a few moments it totally sinks in and there is no residue left on my bed sheets.

In the morning my skin felt totally normal, not greasy at all.
 My skin did feel soft and had more of a radiance to it.
I think for someone who suffers from dry, flaky or irritated skin this would have more of an impact and a difference would be noticed immediately.
 My skin is normal/combination so although my skin felt more moisturised a huge difference wasn't apparent however I would definitely use this as a maintenance product throughout the month or when my skin needs a pick me up.
This product is £28 and available from www.clinique.co.uk

Clarins Rouge Eclat Spring Collection

Clarins Rouge Eclat Spring Collection 2013

Available in Department stores Nationwide and www.clarins.co.uk

The Body Shop

During these colder months here in the UK nothing warms you up like a hot bath or shower with amazing scents.
It's amazing how certain scents can make you feel warm and these two products from The Body Shop do exactly that for me.







Vanilla Bliss Shower Gel is a 250ml soap free cleansing gel that contains vanilla and fair trade honey.
Smells delicious and the scent almost reminds me of the alcoholic drink called Baileys.
 This shower gel is limited edition and is priced at £4.00
This product is also part of a whole range within the Vanilla Bliss scent.











For hand hygiene check out The Body Shop Ginger sparkle hand wash.
 Bottled in an opulent looking round bottle with pump this amber coloured gel obviously smells like ginger but it's not too overpowering like ginger can sometimes be.
This 240ml bottle is limited edition also and priced at £8.00.
 This product is also part of a larger range of ginger scented products.

As of today both items were in the sale on The Body Shop website at half price so get in quick for a January bargain.

www.thebodyshop.co.uk

Chanel Spring Collection 2013

                   Understated and playful are the key words for this spring collection

A fresh, neutral palette that is not afraid to incorporate a pop of colour. 

Skin is kept in soft focus with the help of the beautiful embossed pearl pink powder.

 The luminous apricot blush brings winter skin back to life for the springtime. 

 The two eye palettes are a mixture of natural beiges and minks and lined with either Santal soft brown or rose in a light reflecting warm beige. 

 It's the lips and nails which provide the vibrancy to this collection. 

Lips cater for everything from a vampy violet plum or vibrant coral to a soft shimmering baby pink. 

  
Depending on your spring wardrobe opt for talons in rosy beige or wear a statement nail in hot vibrant pink. 

Prices
Highlighting Face Palette   £46
Powder Blush  £31
Eyeshadow quad  £37
long lasting eyeliner  £19
Luminous matte lip colour  £25
Luminous satin lip colour  £25
Pure shine long wear lip gloss  £25
Lip definer  £17.50
Nail Colour  £18

 This collection is available nationwide from January 18^th 2013.View the collection and more from Chanel on

www.chanel.com