There seems to be alot of free gifts with magazines recently - brands such as Cowshed, Crabtree & Evelyn, Benefit, Balance Me..to name afew are all giving away free gifts this month.
So here is a small run down of what free gifts are coming up and when -
Free Jemma Kidd Lipgloss - Red Magazine £3.60 - There are 3 to collect in the July Issue which is out now. Worth £14. (There is a picture of the lipgloss in 'Shell' which is the one I picked up at the bottom of this post)
Free Neal's Yard Nourishing Orange Flower Daily Moisturizer - Red Magazine - In the August issue out July 3rd Worth £7.
Free Benefit products - Glamour Magazine £2 - A choice of 3 Benefit cosmetic pencils, Eye Bright worth £14, Bad Gal worth £14 and It Stick worth £17. In the July Issue which is out June 10th.
Free Cowshed Bath & Shower Gel 100ml - Marie Claire £3.50 - A choice of 6 bath & shower gels all worth £8 each. In the July issue on sale June 10th.
There is a choice of -
Knackered Cow - Relaxing bath & shower gel
Horny Cow - Seducing bath & shower gel
Wild Cow - Invigorating bath & shower gel
Grumpy Cow - Uplifting bath & shower gel
Lazy Cow - Soothing bath & shower gel
Moody Cow - Balancing bath & shower gel
Free Balance Me Lip Balm - Psychologies Magazine - In July issue which is out now worth £8
Free Crabtree & Evelyn Therapy Cream - Grazia Magazine £1.95 - You have to fill out the voucher on page 69 and take it to your nearest Crabtree & Evelyn Store. Magazine is out now with Angelina Jolie on the front. Citron, Honey & Coriander Therapy Cream 50g is worth £6.
As for the Jemma Kidd lipgloss in Shell it isn't the best of glossies and the colour is quite sheer but it looks nice over a more pigmented lipstick. It is worth getting and Red magazine is a good read.
Hope this helps!
When I say cheap I mean cheap. I purchased a set of 15 nail brushes from an Ebay seller for a mere £2.94 including delivery. But what swayed me to write this post though was the fact that the price is the same where ever you live in the world.
The brushes are actually £0.99 Buy it Now and the flat rate P&P is £1.95.
The reason for them being so cheap is that they are from Hong Kong and to be honest I was abit weary as it was my first time buying anything from Hong Kong. But they arrived within 6 working days in perfect condition and with NO sales Tax added on.
So this is the reason why I am sharing this with you, because I know how hard it is to trust an International seller with only stock images of the products.
You can find the exact listing here from Abcdeshop.
Anyway onto the brushes. Out of all 15 brushes I found that alot could be used for makeup instead of using them as nail art brushes. Especially the above fan brushes. These two brushes are so soft and are shred-free. I have been using the white fan brush for brushing away fall out from my under eye area. The orange brush I have been using to apply powder highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones and also for dusting powder over my t-zone. As the brush is so fine it is perfect for applying powder as it just gives a light dusting of powder to remove any shine.
Anyway onto the brushes. Out of all 15 brushes I found that alot could be used for makeup instead of using them as nail art brushes. Especially the above fan brushes. These two brushes are so soft and are shred-free. I have been using the white fan brush for brushing away fall out from my under eye area. The orange brush I have been using to apply powder highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones and also for dusting powder over my t-zone. As the brush is so fine it is perfect for applying powder as it just gives a light dusting of powder to remove any shine.
Alot of the other brushes are perfect for applying gel eyeliner with. The two above are the main ones that I have been using and yes, they have been washed and are still just as good.
The left bent brush is perfect for lining the inner corner of the eye and the right flat topped brush is great for creating a winged out look as you can achieve a thin or thick line with this brush, which you can see below.
Here are some of the other brushes that are great to line the eyes with. The rest are definitely aimed at Nail Art, however I have found afew of the longer tipped brushes hard to work with as they are quite bendy/soft.
The two brushes below are the ones that I have tried out the most. The metal dotting tool works really well for applying dots of nail polish to the nail or creating small hearts. The other brush is good for creating flicks on the tips of the nails.
Last but not least the brushes come in a clear case with clear plastic sleeves to protect each brush, which is definitely needed for the longer tipped brushes.
Overall I am just really impressed with the quality for the price that I paid. Definitely worth buying even if you aren't into nail art.
Also this may seem like a sponsored post (because I have been so positive about this item) or that I have been sent them for free, but I 100% haven't. It was just a Ebay seller that I stumbled across and thought it was worth the risk for £3 and it definitely was worth it.
I just wanted to share these with you because what can you buy for £3 these days!
As summer has officially arrived I thought I would talk about perfume.
For me summer cannot be without new perfumes, winter on the other hand sees me using the same perfume day in day out.
However over the past year or so I have noticed that alot of the newer fragrances have become increasingly expensive . Afew of the more recent high end perfumes start at £40 for 50mls and to be honest however much I love the scent it is just too much to pay when you want to purchase afew new perfumes over the summer.
So what I like to do is to purchase a miniature version instead, which does mean searching abit online to find the specific one or in some cases there isn't even one available, but where I can I buy the smaller version instead.
I don't think I even need to mention how much more handier they are, especially when carrying them in your bag or for travelling with. I also think they make me try more perfumes that I wouldn't normally try as for under £10 it is worth it.
First up in my miniature collection is Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely Perfume Wand which I purchased for £7.95 at Cheap Smells. This is a 4.4ml roller ball pen that is alcohol free. It is definitely alot softer and more wearable for the day than the Eau De Parfum spray...
However it doesn't last that long on the skin, but then again if you keep this in your bag you can keep on re-applying it, which is what I tend to do. As for the packaging it does look quite like a chunky version of the Touche Eclat pen with an added leaf scroll detail, it looks alot more expensive than the £8 price tag. For me this is a silky musk/amber fragrance which is very aptly named as it is just 'lovely'.
The 50ml Eau De Parfum version of Lovely is available for £22.50 also from Cheap Smells.
Next is a 5ml version of Thierry Mugler Eau de Star - Eau de Toilette, which I purchased for £4 from Superdrug. You can normally find the miniature fragrances at the front of most Superdrug stores next to the tills. If you want something slightly different to Thierry Mugler's famous Angel perfume than this is it. This is quite a pure fresh scent that has good staying power and seems to linger especially in heat. It is also quite a sensual fragrance that is perfect for summer nights.
The 50ml Eau de Toilette spray is available for around £25.
Dior J'adore Eau de Parfum Absolue 5ml - This is actually part of a set of J'adore fragrances ranging in strengths, this being the strongest scent. The set of 5 miniatures retails for around £30 at Duty Free...however I am sure this particular one is available on Ebay for around £6. Not bad when the 50ml Eau de Parfum is priced at £55! I am not even going to try and describe this fragrance...I just know it is deep and luxurious and as it Parfum Absolue it lasts forever like no other perfume. If you want a mature deep perfume for the evening this is for you.
Dolce & Gabbana No 18 La Lune Eau de Toilette 20ml - Again this is from a set of five 2oml fragrances that I purchased here from Debenhams for £34.50 so you are really getting to try 100ml's of perfume from the new range. The 100ml version is available to buy for £35 so this is a great way to try all the fragrances before you purchase a 100ml scent. I really do think this is a great idea and truly love the set. The perfume itself is a fresh floral scent that is perfect for summer, it is also quite unique.
The Body Shop Coconut Perfume Oil 15ml - If you want a perfume that lasts forever, that stays on all day and is cheap. Then this is for you. There are nine perfume oils in the Body Shop range all priced at £6.50. I have previously reviewed the Coconut perfume oil and also the Strawberry perfume oil so if you want to read the full review just click here.
Here are just afew interesting perfumes that would be ideal for summer or travelling with.
L'Occitane Cherry Blossom 10g solid perfume £6.50 from Asos
Love & Toast Persimmon Plum 8ml roller perfume £16 from Space NK
Honey I Washed The Kids 10g solid perfume £5.10 from Lush
Crazylibellule & The Poppies Lemon Pie 5g perfume stick £11 from HQ Hair
I would love to know if you own any miniature perfumes and if so which ones.
So here is my first ever attempt at Nail Art - I don't know if you could call it Nail Art as I used nothing other than nail polish...no Konad stamps or nail pens. Just Pink Flamingo by Barry M and Dynasty by Collection 2000 Hot Looks. Very Simple to do.
I got the idea from looking at Wah Nails which has such a large amount of inspiration if you are wanting to do something different to your nails. As you can see below this is what I based my nails on and to be honest I think I should of gone with a nude/coffee coloured base. But I may try that some other time.
As I enjoyed doing it so much I am thinking about doing weekly step-by-step tutorials here on my blog. Again with no nail pens or anything to overly faffy just nail polish and abit of creativity!
As I am not into kitsch nails that much I am thinking of looking at different types of prints that are in style at the moment and basing the nail designs around that.
Here are some of the prints that I thought may be good to try out as I think all are quite achievable as nail art -
From top left ;-
Alexander McQueen, Mui Mui, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Giambattista Valli, Issa and Stella McCartney
I really hope you all like the idea as I have been wanting to do something abit different on my blog for afew weeks now.
So I would love to know your thoughts about doing simple nail tutorials and ofcourse any suggestions are more than welcome.
I think the most important thing to mention is that I purchased the kit at a reduced price of £5.50 from Asos and there is still a wide range of colours available which you will find here. Originally a kit costs £21.50 and to be honest if I had paid full price I don't think I would be as pleased. So if you fancy trying these out, I would do it now, while they are only £5.50!
The kit contains 2 nail pens - A water based opaque colour (in my case Gold Leaf) and a 'Wrapture' top coat pen that is basically a clear nail polish in a pen format.
The kit also comes with two sachets - a nail varnish remover towel and a clean-up towel to tidy up any mistakes when applying the water based polish.
Basically the idea is that you can apply the first pen as messy as you like. Because as it is water based it dries within 20-30 seconds and then to can either wash your hands or use the clean-up towel which is just a moisture wipe really to remove all the nail polish that is on the skin.
The picture below is just an example to show how the colour stays on the nail and washes off the skin. You don't even need to rub to remove the polish from the skin.
The kit contains 2 nail pens - A water based opaque colour (in my case Gold Leaf) and a 'Wrapture' top coat pen that is basically a clear nail polish in a pen format.
The kit also comes with two sachets - a nail varnish remover towel and a clean-up towel to tidy up any mistakes when applying the water based polish.
Basically the idea is that you can apply the first pen as messy as you like. Because as it is water based it dries within 20-30 seconds and then to can either wash your hands or use the clean-up towel which is just a moisture wipe really to remove all the nail polish that is on the skin.
The picture below is just an example to show how the colour stays on the nail and washes off the skin. You don't even need to rub to remove the polish from the skin.
Next you apply the 'Wrapture' top coat which seals the nail polish so it doesn't fade off, which is would do without a top coat as it is water based after all.
I did find that the top coat was quite gloopy and didn't apply well. So unfortunately I have started to use just a normal top coat from Barry M. Ofcourse if I was travelling I would just use the top coat provided but I would always opt for a normal top coat.
Anyways here is the finished result!
Overall - Even though the first pen is water based (which is the whole concept really) the colour is really opaque and I am sure this would be the same with all the other pens within the collection.
But like I say the second pen does let it down slightly as the consistency just isn't good. It is almost like a sticky thick clear lipgloss to apply. I am sure if I had paid over £20 for this I wouldn't be impressed.
Here is a swatch of the two pens and on the right is just what the water based polish looks like when water touches it. As you can see it just washes away.
My main concern with these pens was that they could get clogged up or the nail polish tip could harden. Both do kind of dry out especially the Wrapture pen. However I've found that the water based pen just needs running under the tap and drying or wiping it with a makeup wipe and the Wrapture pen needs to be wiped with some nail polish remover.
Other than that the kit is quite good. I have found it is perfect for painting my toe nails in a rush! I can be as quick/messy as I like but as soon as I wipe each nail with a wipe it looks like I have applied it perfectly. In total rush situations I don't even add a top coat and the polish does seem to last all day.
Tigi Bed Head Superstar shampoo - At £9.80 this isn't the cheapest shampoo in the world, however it does tick alot of boxes. Most importantly it is SLS free, which for me is very important as I don't use anything containing Sodium Lauryl Sulfate anymore, and normally this would mean that you lose that 'lather' or foaming effect in the shampoo, which I think makes you actually use more of the SLS free shampoo because it doesn't lather up. Anyways I am rambling. Basically even though it is SLS free it does foam up and it also smell great. Like watermelon and strawberries!
Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner (£3.25) - For some strange reason this kind of makes me think of freshly made lemonade...it's almost zingy (is that even the right word to use?) on the skin, which really wakes it up and makes it breath. It is basically a Breath of Fresh Air. It does wonders for my skin and in summer I couldn't be without it. Very refreshing and lovely.
Jelly Pong Pong Lip Orchid in Petal Pink (£8.00) - This was a product that actually surprised me this month. If I am honest I thought it was way too pink in the pot and the consistency was abit to thin. However I was wrong. Well I stick by that it is abit too thin and doesn't stay on the lips all that long. But it is such a pretty vibrant pink colour that is quite hydrating and even though it doesn't have great staying power it does leave a nice stain to the lips. I have also been using the smallest amount on my cheeks and it really does last all day. I have included a swatch of it below so you can see the actual colour of it.
Sleek i Divine Palatte in Storm (£5.99)- I think this will be a firm favourite for quite awhile. It is more than worth what I paid for it and I have been using it most days. The choice of shades are great, the only negative things I could say about it is that is would of been nice to see more matte eyeshadows in there than shimmery ones. But overall I really can't fault this. I have even been using afew of the darker shades with a damp angled eyeliner brush to line my eyes.
D&G 3 L'Imperatrice (part of a 5 x 2oml set for £35)- I am not even going to try an describe the scent of this because I know I will fail. What I would suggest is that you go have a sniff of the whole collection if you are near a Debenhams or House of Fraser. Number 3 and no.10 as so far my favourites. No. 3 is a very fresh, fruity floral scent that has definitely got a peach smell too it. Which makes is perfect for a day time scent. My other favourite is definitely a more mature evening scent without being too heavy. I think it is called La Roue De La Fortune but if it's not it is no.10. It is quite a warm fragrance that lingers for awhile and I can smell that there is Jasmine in there. But other than that I haven't a clue. I just know they smell nice!
Soap & Glory Sit Tight (£14) - I have to say I wasn't a firm believer in thigh firming, bottom trimming supposid miracle creams. However as summer is approaching quite rapidly anything that is going to make my thighs appear more pleasing to the eye is good is my books. To be honest for the price I think this is the best product we are going to get, it has high levels of caffeine in it to stimulate all them nasty fat cells and hopefully drain them away. As for result I have been using it for about a month now and have noticed a difference. That cellulite/dimple look to the backs of my thighs has really reduced and it does look and feel much softer! A must try if you are going to be wearing shorts this summer!
St. Moriz Self Tanning Mousse (£2.99) - Again for the price I really doubt there is anything better than this on the market at the moment. It is no St. Tropez but it is nearly there! I would say if you are umming and arrring about whether to try the mousse or the spray I would go for the Mousse as there is definitely more control over it. It does stain the hands abit more so you have to make sure you scrub them. The one thing you have to be careful about it them nasty orangey tan marks near the wrist/fingers! But other than that the mousse gives you a natural non orange tan for upto 5-6 days and it does fade quite even and naturally.
Lush Breath of Fresh Air Toner (£3.25) - For some strange reason this kind of makes me think of freshly made lemonade...it's almost zingy (is that even the right word to use?) on the skin, which really wakes it up and makes it breath. It is basically a Breath of Fresh Air. It does wonders for my skin and in summer I couldn't be without it. Very refreshing and lovely.
Jelly Pong Pong Lip Orchid in Petal Pink (£8.00) - This was a product that actually surprised me this month. If I am honest I thought it was way too pink in the pot and the consistency was abit to thin. However I was wrong. Well I stick by that it is abit too thin and doesn't stay on the lips all that long. But it is such a pretty vibrant pink colour that is quite hydrating and even though it doesn't have great staying power it does leave a nice stain to the lips. I have also been using the smallest amount on my cheeks and it really does last all day. I have included a swatch of it below so you can see the actual colour of it.
Sleek i Divine Palatte in Storm (£5.99)- I think this will be a firm favourite for quite awhile. It is more than worth what I paid for it and I have been using it most days. The choice of shades are great, the only negative things I could say about it is that is would of been nice to see more matte eyeshadows in there than shimmery ones. But overall I really can't fault this. I have even been using afew of the darker shades with a damp angled eyeliner brush to line my eyes.
D&G 3 L'Imperatrice (part of a 5 x 2oml set for £35)- I am not even going to try an describe the scent of this because I know I will fail. What I would suggest is that you go have a sniff of the whole collection if you are near a Debenhams or House of Fraser. Number 3 and no.10 as so far my favourites. No. 3 is a very fresh, fruity floral scent that has definitely got a peach smell too it. Which makes is perfect for a day time scent. My other favourite is definitely a more mature evening scent without being too heavy. I think it is called La Roue De La Fortune but if it's not it is no.10. It is quite a warm fragrance that lingers for awhile and I can smell that there is Jasmine in there. But other than that I haven't a clue. I just know they smell nice!
Soap & Glory Sit Tight (£14) - I have to say I wasn't a firm believer in thigh firming, bottom trimming supposid miracle creams. However as summer is approaching quite rapidly anything that is going to make my thighs appear more pleasing to the eye is good is my books. To be honest for the price I think this is the best product we are going to get, it has high levels of caffeine in it to stimulate all them nasty fat cells and hopefully drain them away. As for result I have been using it for about a month now and have noticed a difference. That cellulite/dimple look to the backs of my thighs has really reduced and it does look and feel much softer! A must try if you are going to be wearing shorts this summer!
St. Moriz Self Tanning Mousse (£2.99) - Again for the price I really doubt there is anything better than this on the market at the moment. It is no St. Tropez but it is nearly there! I would say if you are umming and arrring about whether to try the mousse or the spray I would go for the Mousse as there is definitely more control over it. It does stain the hands abit more so you have to make sure you scrub them. The one thing you have to be careful about it them nasty orangey tan marks near the wrist/fingers! But other than that the mousse gives you a natural non orange tan for upto 5-6 days and it does fade quite even and naturally.
Onto more 'boring' favourites of the month...these are just them non-exciting favourites that I have used throughout the month and have really just worked.
Scholl Cracked Heel Repair Cream (£4.00) - Come spring I start to wear higher heels and flat flimsy sandals which are equally as bad for my feet. So by the beginning of summer my heels aren't in good shape. They aren't so much as cracked, but I get this nasty build-up ( I hate using the word build-up to describe something!) of hard skin that is pretty much dead. I also get this odd prickly hot feeling in my heels if I am on my feet all day. So I have been using the repair cream on and off throughout the month and it has just stopped the prickly feeling and has softened the hard skin. Boring but it works.
Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo (£3.00)- Well apparently Lauren Conrad likes to use this..which isn't a reason to buy it but I thought I would mention it. It comes it this handy travel size, which I keep in my bag and actually I use it for two things! Ofcourse when my hair is feeling abit limp/greasy I spray it in the roots and it bring my hair back to life for another day or so. But I also use this on my feet! No I am notbeing strange. It is basically like using talcum powder on them. It is great if it is hot and you are wearing sandals and your feet are getting sweaty and are at that point were they are about to start rubbing and causing blisters. You just spray it on and kind of rub off any white marks and it basically dries the feet and stops them from sweating!
Bepanthen Nappy Care Ointment (£2.50)- Again I am not that crazy, I promise. I don't use this for it's purpose ofcourse! I use this on my lips. I am one of them unfortunate people that suffer from dry lips come summer or winter. But this really works a treat on them, almost locking in the moisture and keeping them soft all day. It isn't like a cream, but it does leave you with a nude look to the lips so I apply this at night and then the smallest amount throughout the day to keep them soft. Totally fragrance free and it doesn't taste funny!
Boots own Oil-Absorbing Sheets (£3.49) - Oil-Absorbing Sheets are one of them things that when they are gone I never remember to get anymore even though they work. However my shiny nose reminded me to get some about two weeks ago and I have nearly used them all up. I always opt for the cheaper version as they do the same job. A blot come 4pm either side of my nose and on my forehead for good measure does the trick and keeps my makeup looking fresh and shine free. I also use these in the morning to remove any oil from my eyelids before I apply a base/eyeshadow.
I am quite glad these favourite posts are only once a month because it seems that I had alot to talk about. I really do love reading what people favourites products are though.
So if you have a May Favourites make sure to leave me a comment with a link to the post or just tell me what you are liking this month!
So the free over-sized beach bag season has started. If you aren't familiar/don't already have a free cheaply made bag collection lurking at the bottom of your wardrobe, let me explain.
Come May, brands such as Reiss (as above), Cath Kidston, FCUK, Paul & Joe plus numerous others think summer is the ideal opportunity to advertise themselves by creating free bags which are offered when you buy magazine like Marie Claire, Elle and Easy Living.
Half of the time though the brands quality goes straight out the window and we end up with a pretty much hideous/cheap bag that we would only use to carry home our shopping in.
For some reason though I cannot bear to throw these cheaply made free bags in the bin and so over the years I have created a sizable collection which never sees the light of day. I think the reason for this is because I image some mere under aged worker that has created the bag and so I cannot come to term with just throwing it in the bin. I may be wrong and for all I know it could of been made by the hands of a 40 year old woman from Hackney. I highly doubt it though.
So hopefully without sounding to narcissistic, I have come up with a simple solution. Whether you have a wonderful magazine bag collection already or if you are new on the scene this should hopefully make your bags useful and it will also stop you thinking that maybe you could wear it too the beach or ermm somewhere one day.
I don't think I even need to explain it really. You just lift the pole up in your wardrobe, making sure firstly that there aren't too many clothes on the rail for you too lift. Or this may result in you dropping the pole (like I did) and finding your whole wardrobe of clothes at your feet!
Next you simply hook the handles of the free bag onto the pole and Voila!
If your pole is glued/screwed down or what not, you could hang the bag on a coat hanger.
Then you are free to stuff as much junk as you like in there. If you are being organised ofcourse, it would be an ideal place for your shoes or even electrical hair products, like your hair dryer and straighteners.
If you aren't lucky enough to have one of these free bags, don't fear! As you can see below the same idea applies to giftbags, you can't load them with as much, but they are still pretty strong.
So what you see below is actually part of my underwear drawer!
I know this has absolutely got nothing to do with Makeup and I will probably never to a post like this again but hopefully it is abit savvy?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)