Friday 29 July 2016

The Beauty Games Collection by KIKO

As soon as I saw the new KIKO collection, I thought it was absolutely genius. The Beauty Games Collection is inspired by the 2016 Olympic Games, creating a collection inspired by fun, colour and sports. All the products in the collection are inspired by are hitting the playing fields. The collection is designed to be feminine, sporty and elegant. The full collection features nine new products, from bronzers, to highlighter sticks, to coloured mascara, to nail polish. I'm here today to show you a small selection from The Beauty Games Collection.




First on my list is the Beauty Energy Mascara*, which is available in five different shades. The shades include a classic black hue and then four bright colourful shades. The mascara is designed to be both volumizing and lengthening. I've been experimenting with 'Vivid Violet' and 'Energetic Indigo' which both look lovely on the very tips of your eyelashes. Simply apply your normal favourite mascara and then brush the Beauty Energy Mascara on to the ends of your eyelashes. The wand itself is made from silicon, which follows the shape of the lashes, making application simple.

Inside the pink tube is the Fresh Cushion Perfector Base*, designed to be a perfecting base with a light coverage and soft, velvety finish. The gel product has coloured micro-pigments inside, enriched with hyaluronic acid to give your skin a burst of moisture. The base comes in two shades; light/medium and medium/dark, I had medium/dark which is the wrong shade for me, but it felt very light and smooth in my skin. 







The star of the show from my collection is the Take It All Beauty Kit*. The kit is available in two different shades and it's designed to give you everything you need. Inside the exclusive kit, you get three eyeshadows, a bronzer, a blusher and a kajal pencil. You also get an eyeshadow applicator and a small brush, which I personally think waste space, but I know lots of people like to see them included. One of the kits has a Natural Tones vibe, whilst mine is a Rosey Tones finish, which regular readers will know I love! The kit is packaged in a blue zipped leather case, which is not the most sleek packaging, but it does keep it well protected! It's an amazing little kit for chucking into your handbag for on-the-go emergencies! 

These are just three products from The Beauty Games collection, there are six other amazing products to choose from. I thinking in particular of the 3D Light & Glow Highlighter and the Outdoor Bronzer. The collection is limited edition and it will not be around for long, so if you like something, get to KIKO quickly! On your marks, get set, go! 



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Thursday 28 July 2016

Thursday Tittle-Tattle #52


'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This is my favourite time of year in the beauty world, as the focus has moved to summer. This week we’re talking about high end makeup palettes and some new makeup brushes!


Air Blush from Marc Jacobs Beauty
Air Blush is the newest blush innovation from the genius team at Marc Jacobs Beauty. The blusher has been designed to create a naturally luminous, flush of colour which lasts up to 24 hours. These blushers are really one of a kind, creating an incredible glow that "can only be found on a dancefloor". The new formula uses japanese air powder pigments infused with air, this combination offers seamless, natural-looking colour. They are finished with a lovely innovative pattern, which was actually inspired by marc’s spring 2013 striking striped gown. The lighter shade in each palette highlights the skin, whilst the deep shade contours. You can use the shades separately or you can blend the two together. These blushers are available in five shades and they retail for £28 each here

NARS 'Survival Kits' & Dual Intensity Blush Palette
As soon as I saw the Survival Kits from NARS, I fell in love with the idea. The kits offer you everything you need for makeup survival. Each kit includes a palette filled with a combination of blusher and eyeshadow, plus a lip gloss and the Black Moon Audacious Mascara. If that's not pulling at your heartstrings, there is the #NARSissist Dual-Intensity Blush Palette, which is utterly swoon worthy. This offers you everything you need in an all-in-one cheek palette. There's a highlighter, blushers and a contouring shade. Featuring the shades; Soft Tulle, Damask with Gold Sheen, Peony and Titian. This palette retails for £46 here

New Morphe Brushes Kit
A whole new set of Morphe products have dropped at Cult Beauty this week, but my favourite has to be the 7 Piece Rose Gold Brush Set. As the name suggests, the brushes are finished in rose gold and the set includes a collection of face and eye brushes. There's everything you need from buffing in foundation, applying blush and contour, plus a lovely eyeshadow look. The brushes all came in a handy travel case, which makes it perfect to take on your travels. The set includes; Tapered Powder Brush, Angle Blush Brush, Flat Foundation Brush, Oval Fluff Brush, Chisel Angle Brush, Pointed Crease Brush and Small Shadow Brush. The set is only £15 and you can buy it here

Introducing The Beauty Expert Collection - The Rose Edition
Last week Beauty Expert announced the launch of 'The Beauty Expert Collection', a luxury Beauty Bag containing a handpicked selection of six premium full-sized skincare and body care products. The first edition is the Rose Edition and a new edition of the Beauty Expert Collection will launch each season. This summer it's all about feeling beautiful inside and out with the soft and subtle tones of rose! Rose is renowned for its soothing properties, is perfect for both dry and oily skin and reduces the appearance of fine lines and ageing. The brands inside this collection include MONU, Pai, and REN, the collection is worth £134, yet it retails for only £50 here.
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Wednesday 27 July 2016

Perfect Me, Perfect Hue | Palettes By Stila

As soon as I saw the new range of palettes from Stila, I was obsessed! There's just something about them which pulls at my heartstrings. The Perfect Me, Perfect Hue Eye & Cheek Palettes, are a collection of chic eye and cheek palettes. They come in lots of different colour combinations and the shades were curated by pro makeup artists to perfectly complement your skintone. Let's take a closer look at these pretty palettes...



Pictured here is the Perfect Me, Perfect Hue Palette in Medium/Tan*. The palette is designed to be a simple easy-to-use compact, as the palette is already filled with products for your skintone. The palette includes five eyeshadow shades and two blush shades, designed for medium or tanned skintones. I'm actually pretty fair, but these shades still suit my skintone well. The eyeshadows feature the shades; Curious (soft nude), Captivating (neutral champagne), Daring (deep rose with gold pearl), Feisty (mid-tone red brown) and Magnetic (deep plum). You can see that they give you everything you need to create anything from a nude finish, to something more dramatic. The palette also includes the blush shades Inspiring (coral brown) and Mysterious (neutral peach).

Stila describes these palettes as the "one swipe" solution and I have to agree. The shades are extremely pigmented, you need a very light hand, especially with the blusher shades. The powders have a slight amount of fallout (more in the pan than on your cheeks), but other than that they are easy to apply and blend. Stila is proud to use Colour True Pigments, which means the colours look exactly the same on the skin, as they do in the pan. This makes it really easy to plan your looks and it makes makeup application quick and simple. Whilst I wouldn't have picked the Medium/Tan shades if I'd gone out and bought the palette myself, it gives me a chance to create something different to my usual look.

These little palettes are very compact and perfect for traveling! The palettes retail for £28, which I actually think is a really reasonable price! It took a little while for these to drop in the UK, but they are available from Cult Beauty right now! Let me know in the comments below which shade you would pick? I'm personally tempted to buy the Fair/Light option ready for my next business trip!
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Tuesday 26 July 2016

Avene's New Tolerance Extreme Range

The Tolérance EXTRÊME range from Avène has been around for a while, but it's recently been given a bit of a face lift. The range has gone minimalist, keeping the effective and hardworking skincare, but by using only seven ingredients. We all know that our skin is faced with many challenges every day, aggressors from air conditioning, weather and pollution all take their tole. Avène feel that the skincare market has become very complicated and that the complex products can leave our skin feeling ‘overloaded’. Making it really hard for people to achieve skin comfort, especially for those with very sensitive skin.

Avène have taken inspiration from the nutrition and health market, taking things back to basics. Creating new formulations that fully respect and preserve the skins balance. Avène have developed the NEW Tolérance EXTRÊME range using a maximum of seven ingredients, in an effective and high performing formulation. I have two products from the new range to show you today!




Both products from the new Tolérance EXTRÊME range, use a combination of water, Glycerin and a selection of oils to keep skin hydrated. The ingredients leave skin feeling nourished, whilst still allowing it to breathe. 

Let's start with the Tolérance EXTRÊME Emulsion, which is designed to be a light daily moisturiser. It's created for normal to combination skin, created to be hydrating and soothing. It has a very milky texture, which disappears quickly into the skin leaving a good base for makeup. It's created with just six ingredients; Avène Thermal Spring Water, Glycerin (for hydration), Caprylic (for nourishment), Behenyl Alcohol (which creates a film to protect the skin’s barrier), Squalane (plant based moisturising agent) and finally Sodium Acrylates (which helps product spread easily and absorb quickly). The Tolérance EXTRÊME Emulsion retails for £13.50, which is for 50ml and you can buy it from Escentual

The second product is the Tolérance EXTRÊME Mask, which is an absolute must for anyone who travels a lot. This is an intense soothing and calming mask, which suits all skintypes. It has a really refreshing texture, which feels like it's nourishing the skin, without making it feel heavy or greasy. You only need to apply this mask for 5 minutes and it gives your skin a huge hydration boost. It's created with only 7 ingredients; Avène Thermal Spring Water, Glycerin (for hydration), Caprylic (for nourishment), Behenyl Alcohol (which creates a film to protect the skin’s barrier), Shea butter (which is soft and creamy), Safflower oil (a nourishing oil) and finally Sodium Acrylates (which helps product spread easily and absorb quickly). The Tolérance EXTRÊME Mask retails for £15, which is for 50ml and you can buy it from Escentual

The Eau Thermale Avène Tolérance EXTRÊME range is available right now from Escentual.
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Monday 25 July 2016

Getting A Summer Spa Experience At Home | Good Spa Guide Twitter Chat

If you've never heard of The Good Spa Guide, it is well worth checking out their website. They have a really cool and simple mission, which is to demystify the growing world of spa beauty. Helping you pick the best spa and treatments wisely, so that you don't waste your money and you get the most from your spa experience. They use their website to share the best in spa beauty, sharing only the very best spas so you can get the most out of your me-time. 


The first twitter chat in July was a tremendous success, so we are pleased to announce that there will be a second #SpaBeauty chat on September 22nd. Join us at 7pm to chat all about at-home spa treatments for Autumn/Winter! 




We all know that getting a spa experience is not cheap and it's pretty difficult to find the time to really switch off. The good news is that whilst it's really nice to head to a spa, it's really easy to create your own spa experience at home. It might be pricey to stock up on some of the best products, but once you do, they tend to last for ages, so you making a worthy investment. Here are some of the spa products I've been trying out over the last couple of weeks.


First up we have the Thalgo Exotic Island Body Scrub*, which I actually think is my favourite of all the products, so we're starting with a bang! As the name suggests, this is an exfoliating body scrub. This scrub is created with Bora Bora sand, sea salt and coconut shell, designed to gently exfoliate the skin. It's enriched with Monoi and jojoba oils, which leave the skin feeling smooth and soft. You simply apply the scrub to your slightly damp skin and exfoliate the skin. Then simply rinse the scrub away from the skin with some lukewarm water. Use the beautiful vanilla-scented scrub once a week for smooth skin, it frankly smells like a cocktail and it just feels exquisite on the skin.


The Temple Spa Glorious Mud* is another beautiful body treatment. It's designed to give your body a real detox! The Glorious Mud is created with a blend of seaweed, mud, kaolin clay and red algae. You simply warm the mud between your hands and then slather where you want to treat. You can use it on your legs, décolletage, arms and back or even just all over the body. You wait for the mud to dry and then jump in a bath or into the shower and rinse it off. Although it's quite messy applying this product, it's actually a really relaxing process. The Temple Spa Glorious Mud leaves your skin feeling hydrated and smooth.


I've been a huge fan of Aromatherapy Associates for quite a while, so I was excited to have the Revive Body Oil* back in my collection again. What's great about the oils from Aromatherapy Associates is that they are multi-purpose. Either apply them in the shower, add them to your bath, or use them as a massage oil, the possibilities are endless! The Revive line is an uplifting and detoxifying formulation, designed to wake you up with it's fruity fragrance. The fruity fragrance comes from Pink Grapefruit, Rosemary and Juniper Berry. Whenever I use an oil from Aromatherapy Associates, it feels like a real treat and always makes my home smell like a spa! 




Moving on to skincare we have two products to talk about. The first is the Comfort Zone Hydramemory Cream Gel* which is a rich hydrating cream. It's created with macro hyaluronic acid, Moringa Oil and a blend of other natural extracts (apple, lentil and watermelon rind). It has quite an innovative texture which Comfort Zone describe as a 'sorbet'. When you apply the cream to the skin it gives you a real burst of moisture, which my skin really craves at this time of year. As well as hydration, the cream offers smoothing and brightening properties. You can use this both in the morning and the evening after a serum, but I've really been enjoying slathering it on during my pamper sessions.


My final spa inspired product is the Nimue Skin Technology Exfoliating Enzyme*. It's an exfoliating product which is designed to remove dead skin cells, leaving your skin feeling smooth and radiant. It's formulated with a bunch of fruit enzymes to treat the skin without leaving it feeling irritated or sore. You simply apply a small about to your clean, dry skin and leave for 2 minutes. You then massage your skin with wet fingertips for 3-5 minutes, before rinsing off the product with a wet muslin cloth. This really takes some dedication, but there is something really relaxing about the whole process. 


Don't forget to join the Good Spa Guide twitter chat in September between 7pm and 8pm, join us using the #SpaBeauty hashtag and share your thoughts! 





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Friday 22 July 2016

The Laura Geller Gelato Illuminators

I've been in love with the Laura Geller Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator in the shade Ballerina, since it landed in my collection in Autumn. It's everything a highlighter should be and I'm not sure I could live without it! Today's chunk of good news is that the Baked Gelato Illuminator lineup has doubled in size, with two new gorgeous shades!


Laura Geller used to be one of those brands that nobody could get hold of! You'd have to beg your American friend to send you some products and pay hideous customs fees, or just learn to cope. Laura Geller is now readily available in lots of places here in the UK, namely Cult Beauty and Escentual. This means that Laura Geller's products can be part of our growing collections, without any pain or stress. 

I've spoken before about my love for Laura Geller's Gelato lineup, I'll be honest, everytime I look at the blushers or the highlighters, my heart skips a beat. They are just the most simple design idea, with the stunning swirl is made to mimic the swirl of Gelato, but they are beautiful and make me dream about eating ice cream at the beach.

Laura Geller’s Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator has been given a lift for the spring/summer season. Adding two beautiful sun-friendly shades, for that subtle glowing from within highlight. The two new shades are Charming Pink* (which is a pale pink-silver shade) and Peach Glow* (a warm peach-apricot hue), designed to add natural radiance back into the skin. The highlighter comes in a little compact, which is black on the bottom with a clear lid that lets the beauty shine through. The texture of the Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator is buttery and it blends on the skin effortlessly. The highlighters have some very small glitter pieces, which just add to the glow and sheen, without being overloaded with glitter and shimmer. 

I always find these highlighters impossible to swatch, as the effect is so subtle and pretty, but it's a great way to add a little oomph throughout these warmer months. You can pick up all four shades of the Baked Gelato Swirl Illuminator from Cult Beauty, retailing at £21 each. 
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Thursday 21 July 2016

Thursday Tittle-Tattle #51


'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This is my favourite time of year in the beauty world, as the focus has moved to summer. This week we’re talking about a new beauty box from QVC Beauty and some exciting new skincare launches!




QVC to launch beauty box
The most exciting news I saw this week was from the team at QVC. They've announced that they are launching their new beauty box. The box is called Tili, which stands for; Try it, Love it. The first box will include a whole of exciting brands; Alpha H, Elemis, Essie, Vita Liberata, Nexus, bareMinerals and Becca. The products inside the box include; Essie Ballet Slippers Nail Polish, Nexxus Shampoo and Conditioner, Vita Librata Phenomenal Mousse, Alpha H Liquid gold, Elemis Smart Cleanse Micellar Water, BareMinerals Skincare Skinlongevity Vital power and the Becca Backlight Priming Filter.All the products in the box will be available in luxury sizes. The box isn't available yet, but mark July 22nd in your calander, as that's when it will be available! It will be available exclusively at qvcuk.com, retailing for £20, it's worth £62.17!!

Roger & Gellet announce new line inspired by Green Tea
I'm always excited for a new Roger & Gallet launch and this one will not disappoint! Thé Vert (Green Tea) collection from Roger & Gallet is this summers UK launch and it will be exclusive to House of Fraser. It's inspired by Mount Fuji at sunrise, inspired by the delicacy and harmony of Japanese tradition. It's created with distilled natural precious essences. The new range will include a Green Tea Eau Fraiche Fragrance in 30ml, 50ml and 100ml. It will also include the Perfumed Soaps, Nourishing Body Lotion and Relaxing Shower Gel. Some of the items are already available online here

New high street skincare line focussed on hydration from Neutrogena
If we're not talking about face masks, it all seems to be about hydration at the moment. The Hydro Boost Neutrogena has already been out in the USA for a while, but it's now made it's way to the UK. The Neutrogena Hydro Boost lineup aims to give lightweight and intense hydration. The collection includes five new products including; the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser, the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel-Cream Moisturiser, the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Cleanser, the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Micellar Water and the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleansing Wipes.

Flash Hydro-Boost Instant Plumping Emulsion
News of a new REN product dropped last week and it's launching in September. The latest formulation from the skincare brand is the Flash Hydro-Boost Instant Plumping Emulsion. It's designed to give you plump, smooth skin instantly, whilst having anti-aging and anti-dehydration properties for the long term too! The new product is designed for all different skin types. It has a special special water-lock technology, which helps water circulate the skin. It also uses peptide to help the skin reach optimum moisture levels.

Giorgio Armani launch Matte Eye Tints
The innovative Eye Tint formula debuted at the Giorgio Armani Womenswear Spring/Summer 2015 show last year.  However, Giorgio Armani have just released a new range of matte shades. The matte shades are designed to be a set of smokey nude hues, perfect for all different skin types. If you're not familiar with the Eye Tint formula, they are a line of long-lasting, intensely pigmented, cream eyeshadows. There are six new shades available, which Selfridges say "blend seamlessly into skin..composed of aqueous ingredients and pure pigments for extreme colour intensity". Pick them up from Selfridges now, priced at £27 each
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Wednesday 20 July 2016

The Nourishing Lip Treatment by ESPA

ESPA are one of my all-time favourite brands and I'm frequently shocked when people say they've never tried anything from them. ESPA are an award-winning spa company that has been rocking the beauty industry for over 20 years. They create everything you could think of, from makeup, to haircare to their innovative spa treatments. All their products are make their manufacturing facility here in the UK. Headed by a specialist formulations team and tested by therapists worldwide; so you can guarantee you’re getting a great product. ESPA recently announced that they have created a brand new Nourishing Lip Treatment* and I'm here to tell you all about it. 





ESPA have combined their skincare and treatment oil heritage, with other natural ingredients to create a new Nourishing Lip Treatment. Designed specifically with high-impact lip therapy in mind. The idea is bang on trend at the moment, with lots of other high end brands creating similar products. The concept is that a lip treatment boosted with oils, combines the qualities of a balm and a gloss, but far outperforms both products. 

Creating a lip product boosted with oils, means that you can treat the lips to hours of hydration, whilst making your lips feel soft and supple, with a high shine finish. ESPA's Nourishing Lip Treatment is packed with both anti-aging and replenishing properties. The formulation includes Indian Gentian Leaves, an award-winning ingredient which blurs the appearance of vertical lines around the lip area. It also smoothes skin, boosts collagen and even reduces the risk of your lipstick bleeding. It's also packed with Konjac Root and Hyaluronic Acid Filling Spheres, which plump, smooth and of course, give a boost of long-lasting hydration. Next we have Omega-rich Raspberry and Pomegranate Seed Oils, which are great for nourishing dry lips. Finally we have Pink Grapefruit Essential Oil which offers fresh flavour and completes the 100% natural ingredient line up.

Simply apply ESPA's Nourishing Lip Treatment to the lips using the doe foot applicator. It has a subtle fruity scent, which I love and it applies like a dream. It's not slightly sticky, which makes it incredible comfortable to where at any time of the day. The treatment is designed to be used every day to keep your lips in good condition. You can apply throughout the day or simply use it as the final step in your make-up routine. You can also apply it generously before you go to bed in the evening, for an intense moisture boost overnight. The Nourishing Lip Treatment retails for £19, available from ESPA, Harvey Nichols,John Lewis and Fenwick.
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Tuesday 19 July 2016

Paul & Joe 20th Anniversary Makeup Collection

Let me start by saying I'm more of a dog person, but there's something so endearing about the collections by Paul & Joe. Paul & Joe is one of the brands I rarely see on the bloggersphere and it's a real shame, as they are a beautiful brand. The whole brand to have has a real Parisian feel, designed to bring a sense of happiness to your makeup routine. It's about having fun whilst giving your skin and makeup a real healthy radiance. Twenty years have passed since the brands creation and Paul & Joe are celebrating! They've released the Paul & Joe 20th Anniversary Makeup Collectionand it's got something for everyone! 




The Paul & Joe 20th Anniversary Makeup Collection is naturally inspired by cats. I can practically hear the cat-obsessed beauty lovers squealing with excitement! The adorable cat-themed collection features for of Paul & Joe's most loved beauty items. The collection has been created using the special anniversary print, which means it's truly unique to this special birthday. 

As you open the box, two fabric items fall onto your lap and they are just beautiful! The first is a Paul & Joe Tote Bag which folds into a cat shaped pouch. It's perfect for chucking into your handbag for next time you need an emergency carrier bag. The other item is an adorable pouch, in the iconic hummingbird print from 2006. This clutch bag was so popular in 2006 that Paul & Joe customers queued for hours just to get their hands on it! 





Let's talk about the makeup! First of all we have the lipstick, which was first launched in April 2004. It's shade 025 and it's packaged in the iconic cardboard packaging, with a panther print. The shade is a pretty peach-pink, which is perfect for summer and lots of different skintones. The Pressed Compact Duo (in shade 001) was first launched for Paul & Joe's 10th Anniversary. It's the perfect party compact, with a pressed powder on one side and a glittering highlight on the other. It's finished with the flower embossing and a pretty white flowered compact. Finally we have the Face Colour in Cheerful Tulip (shade 39). This caught the eye of cat fans in January 2005 and it's making a reappearance 11 years later. It's the perfect shade to pop onto the apples of your cheeks, whatever the season! It's packaged in a yellow cardboard pan and embossed with the flower again.

The Paul & Joe 20th Anniversary Makeup Collection is going to be a hit with Paul & Joe fans. However, I also think it's a great way for a new fan to get acquainted with the brand. The kit is available now, priced at £64.




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Monday 18 July 2016

Believe The Hype | Lancome Juicy Shaker

If you're a frequent follower of my blog, you probably know that lip products are not really my thing. I never wear lipstick and I don't really like anything too pigmented on my lips. However, every now and then a product launches and I just can't get enough of it. When the Lancôme Juicy Shakers* entered the bloggersphere world, everyone started to go crazy. I'm here to tell you why you should believe the hype...





The Lancôme Juicy Shaker comes packaged in Lancôme's signature silver packaging, which feels super luxurious. The Juicy Shaker itself is packaged as a super cute cocktail shaker, designed to work with the biphasic formula. The Juicy Shaker is a colour infusion lip oil, combining ingredients which include sweet almond oil, cranberry oil, omega 3 and 7 and musk rose oil. You simply shake the mini cocktail shaker, blend the formula together and apply it to the lips with the applicator. 




I really do not have a bad word to say about the Lancôme Juicy Shaker. What is particularly lovely for someone who is scared of pigmentation on the lips, is that you can vary how pigmented this product is. You can wear it as a very light sheen, or keep building it up to something more intense. It's a really lovely glossy hue on the lips, which I just think is lovely and universally flattering. On the lips it's incredibly comfortable, boasting a non-sticky texture, which all the extra benefits of the different oils playing their part. I have the shade Berry Tale, which is a gorgeous and natural pink hue. It's a lovely colour and the colour is natural enough, even for a lipstick-hater like me!

When so much hype surrounds a product there is always a worry that it will not live up to the hype. However, I'm really pleased that the The Lancôme Juicy Shaker does not disappoint and is truly worthy of the hype (and the £18 price tag)! The product first launched in March and it's available in 14 different shades (plus on limited edition shade), so there really should be something for everyone. They are available at lots of different beauty stores (including Boots here) and at World Duty Free, where you can grab it at a bargain price!



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Friday 15 July 2016

The New Gel Effect Top Coat | Seche Vive

Seche Vive* is the new Instant Gel Effect Top Coat from the genius team at Seche. Seche Vite has been a staple in my routine for longer than I can remember. It's the only top coat I've found that gives a beautiful glossy effect, dries almost instantly and keeps my nails chip free the longest. It's not just me that loves it either, it's award-winning and is cult favourite to people all over the world. It's used across catwalks at London Fashion Week and the even the Duchess of Cambridge wore the top coat on her Royal wedding day! So it's safe to say that I'm in good company!



Now the team at Seche are ready for something new and with the rise of gel-effect polishes it seemed like the most logical step to take. Seche have released the Seche Vive Instant Gel Effect Top Coat, with the aim to make it the gel top coat to outshine all others. The new formulation offers all the fast drying properties from Seche Vite, with the glossy, high shine finish of gel. The best bit is that you don't need an LED light to make it happen and you just have to remove it with any acetone or non-acetone nail polish remover.

Seche Vive comes in the same box as Seche Vite, but the bottle itself is a pretty blue shade. It's an opaque bottle, which means that you can't see when you're going to run out, but I'm hoping it stops the top coat from going gloopy too quickly! The polish applies really easily without dragging or streaking the underlying manicure. It dries very quickly and it leaves your nails with a lovely glossy finish. 

I predict that the Seche Vive Instant Gel Effect Top Coat will be hit with beauty bloggers and manicurists. It is available right now, retailing for £9.99 at Superdrug!
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Thursday 14 July 2016

Thursday Tittle-Tattle #50

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This is my favourite time of year in the beauty world, as the focus has moved to summer. This week we’re talking about a customised beauty box from Cult Beauty and some exciting new Too Faced products!



ELEMIS create The Hero Collection for Breast Cancer Care
The Hero Collection for Breast Cancer Care is created to give your body and mind space. The Hero Collection includes harmonising massage oils, firming balms, bliss inducing detox capsules and anti-ageing moisturisers. Richly blended with powerful natural extracts to effortlessly melt tension and leave you content and relaxed. All the products inside would retail for £95, but you can get your hands on this kit for £55

Too Faced Brow Quickie
Brow Quickie is a brow gel which is filled with fibers, which you just brush onto your brows. Too Faced say that it plumps your brows in seconds, whilst grooming them for a super natural finish. The fiber gel technology mimics real hair to shape and plump brows with just one sweep. Brow Quickie is buildable, which means you can create anything from a simple natural brow, to a brow that wows! It's a quick and easy product which makes it perfect for on-the-go touch ups! Too Faced Brow Quickie retails for £17

Too Faced Naturally Radiant Concealer 
The brand new concealer from Too Faced instantly hide imperfections, including dark circles, lines and wrinkles. It offers complete coverage, whilst offering skincare benefits. The formula includes Coconut Water, Alpine Rose and Hyaluronic Acid, to give a boost of moisture, brighten the skin and give the skin a youthful appearance. It's oil free and it can be used on it's own or with foundation to give the skin a radiant finish. Too Faced Naturally Radiant Concealer retails for £20


Create your own beauty box at Cult Beauty
This idea is so clever and I'm resisting all my urges to place an order! Cult Beauty have created their ever first customisable beauty box. The box is filled with cult products to suit every skin type, complexion and hair texture. The box includes three skincare items; the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm, Pixi Glow Tonic and the Alpha-H Daily Essential Moisturiser SPF 50. You then get to customise the box with your choice from an edit of beauty bestsellers. You get to pick a shade of the Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector and the Ouai Shampoo. The box offers you a phenomenal 30% saving, priced at £95.

NARS limited edition eyeshadow palette
When will NARS stop creating swoon-worthy palettes? I really hope the answer is NEVER! The Long Hot Summer collection features two blushers, a bronzer duo and three lipglosses, but I'm most interested in the eyeshadow palette! The Long Hot Summer Eyeshadow Palette is available online & at NARS Boutiques only. It's a radiant set of six shimmering and matte bronzed shadows. The eyeshadow tones range from glistening champagne to captivating copper. The shades include; Long Hot Summer I, Long Hot Summer II, Belissima II, Long Hot Summer III, Long Hot Summer IV and Bengali. Buy the eyeshadow palette online here.

What new launches caught your eye this week? I'd love to hear all about them! 
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Wednesday 13 July 2016

My Summer Fragrance Picks

I love spritzing a fragrance and being reminded of a happy moment in time. Let's be honest, we've all been there and it's the best feeling. Every summer I love to do a little rotation of my favourite fragrances, as it's the perfect time to bring my light fruity scents out to play. This season I've added a few new additions to my fragrance line up, so I'm here to share with fragrances have made the cut.






The Old Favourite
I call the Fleur de Figuier Eau de Parfum* the 'old favourite' as it has has holy grail status in my collection. I've definitely made no secret of this on my blog in the past. The Fleur de Figuier perfume was only released last year and it's the first Roger & Gallet scent to be made into a perfume. The fragrance is deliciously sweet, it's a summer fragrance and it feels like a beautiful summers day every time I spray it on my wrists. Naturally, the fig notes make it really fruity too, but it has a beautiful floral musk to finish it off!

Top notes: Mandarin, Pink Peppercorn, Candied Fig Accord
Heart notes: Violet Wood, Fig Pulp
Base notes: Musk, Patchouli, Moss


The Fleur de Figuier Eau de Parfum is available from Escentual, retailing at £40 for 50ml. 

The Eco-Friendly 'Barely There' Scent
As soon as I tried the Rain [Reserve Blend] by CLEAN Reserve, it was love! I love their ethos, I love their methodology and above all else, I love the scent. CLEAN Reserve approach fragrances in a completely new way, making use of high quality raw ingredients, which are fairly gathered in a responsible manner. ‘Rain’ is inspired by the rainforest - taking Amazonian rain and mixing it with a whole host of other ingredients (including bergamot, cucumber and water lily). What I really love about it, is that it feels really fresh on the skin. It's a clean scent by name and by nature, it's so easy to wear and it's really very pretty. It's the perfect scent for when you want to wear a perfume that isn't too strong. 

Top note: Bergamot
Heart note: Moist White Flowers
Base note: Patchouli

CLEAN Reserve scents are priced at £79 for 100ml and you can buy them from SpaceNK.

The Holiday Essential
The Ghost Eclipse Eau de Toilette* needs no introduction, I would be amazed if you've never seen this scent before. It's earmarked by many as their 'holiday essential' as it captures summer from start to finish. You can't not love it's simple moon shaped bottle, which looks gorgeous in the sunlight. Being an Eau de Toilette, the scent is very light, which makes it a perfect scent which is unobtrusive but feminine. You'll see by the notes below, that the scent is incredibly fruity, it gives it a lovely sweet tang which becomes more floral as the fragrance wears.

Top Notes: Bergamot, Peach, Mandarin, Lemon, Blackcurrant Buds, Apple, Marigold
Heart Notes: Freesia, Lotus, Rose, Blonde Woods

Base Notes: Musk, Amber Crystals

The Ghost Eclipse Eau de Toilette is available in three sizes; 30ml, 50ml and 75ml, prices start at £25 and you can buy it from Escentual.  

The One That Smells As Good As It Looks

There is no denying that the Missoni Eau de Parfum* looks exquisite from the outside, I can't resist the pink, green, red and purple hues. The bottle screams summer before you even lift the lid and give it a spritz. The good news is that it smells as good as it looks! If I compare this to the Ghost Fragrance, it has all the same characteristics, but this one has more of a floral undertone. Sometimes I personally find floral scents too powerful and old-fashioned, but this is the perfect blend of floral and fruity notes. It's got a bit more to give, so I like to wear it when I'm going out to dinner or to somewhere a little bit fancy. 

Top notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Cedar, Pomme d’Amour and Pear
Heart notes: Mahonial, Petalia and Jasminum Sambac
Base notes: Ambra, Tonka Bean, Sandalwood

The Missoni Eau de Parfum comes in three sizes; 30ml, 50ml and 100ml, prices start at £42 and you can buy it from Escentual.

What are your favourite summer scents? I'd love to hear about them in the comments below!


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Tuesday 12 July 2016

Creating A Flawless Base With Stila Aqua Glow

When Stila's Aqua Glow range dropped in Spring, the beauty world went a little mad! It felt like whenever I went, I couldn't get away from people raving about how good it was. So you can imagine my excitement when these beauties dropped through my letterbox! These products are from Stila's Impressionism collection, inspired by the light and vivid colours form the Impressionism revolutionary art movement. The range is all about introducing featherweight textures, with light and water to create a flawless canvas.




Let's start by speaking about the Aqua Glow Serum Foundation* which I have become completely obsessed with! This foundation is a water-based serum foundation, which makes it incredibly light on the skin. As you'd expect from a water-based foundation, this is incredibly moisturising on the skin. This is enhanced by the addition of Hyaluronic Acid in the formulation, giving a real boost of nourishment to the skin. It glides over both my dry cheeks and my oily t-zone, blending into both areas with ease.

What's particularly nice is that this is a very buildable foundation, you can start with a light coat which gives the skin a lovely perfected finish. Or you can keep building it up to something much more substantial, with it going cakey and thick.The foundation is packed with multi-reflective pigments, which deflect light to give you a really even and radiant finish. The Aqua Glow Serum Foundation is available in in 10 different shades, which reach all across the skintone spectrum and retails for £34 (from Cult Beauty).

Whilst I'm here I wanted to give the Aqua Glow Serum Concealer* an honourable mention! Again this is a water-based, buildable formulation, which blends beautifully. What I love about the concealer in particular, is that it gives you nearly invisible coverage. It's created to avoid the heavy, cakey finish and to just give a little bit of extra coverage where you need it both. I've tried it on both dark circles and blemishes, where it performed beautifully! The Aqua Glow Serum Concealer comes in 8 shades and retails for £19 (from Cult Beauty).

All-in-all a really impressive lineup from Stila, I'm so impressed and I can't wait to try some more of their products! I'd love to some recommendations in the comments below!
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Monday 11 July 2016

Radiance In A Bottle | Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum

When it comes to testing skincare, there are some things I love to test and some that I'm a little more reluctant to try. However, one type of product that is firmly in the 'love' category is serums. I absolutely love testing serums, as I feel like a good serum can really transform your face. They come in all different formulations, that target a whole host of skin concerns and worries. The latest one that I've been testing, is Caudalie's Vinoperfect Radiance Serum*, which Caudalie have recently relaunched and I'm here to share my first impressions!



The Vinoperfect Radiance Serum is one of Caudalie's cult classics, targeting and correcting the appearance of dark spots, pigmentation, acne scars, sun damage and melasma. The serum is highly concentrated in Viniferine, which is exclusively patented by Caudalie. Like many of Caudalie's exclusive ingredients, Viniferine is found in the grapevine and it's unique properties make it 62 times more effective than Vitamin C. Therefore the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum provides exceptional anti-dark spot action and exceptional luminosity. Whilst I don't suffer with dark spots, I always crave extra luminosity, so it seemed like a fabulous product to test out! 

Normally the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum comes packaged in a glass bottle, with a handy pipet, but my little sample came in a tube. The serum is created with a light, oil free formula, which means it's immediately soaked into the skin, which is perfect for me when I'm in a rush in the morning. Straight after applying it leaves my skin feeling plump and hydrated, leaving a lovely base for makeup. It's lightly scented with notes of mint, caraway and galbanum, delivering a boost of freshness.

Whilst it's too early to test the lasting effects of the serum, I'm really impressed by the immediate results. The Vinoperfect Radiance Serum available in stores and online from Caudalie for £45.
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Friday 8 July 2016

Rediscovering Sleek Makeup

Back in the day I used to love makeup by Sleek, I'd spend hours admiring their stand in Superdrug, dreaming of taking all the makeup home with me. Somehow, over the last couple of years they have really fallen off my radar, so I was so excited to receive a little package with some products to try. Sleek really are a great example of a British success story, now with over 20 years in the beauty industry, they are still rapidly growing. They are never far behind the trends, pairing affordable makeup with the latest trend on the catwalk. They stand for innovation, strong pigmentation and high quality at the heart of their brand. Let's take a look at some of their products...



Almost all Sleek products come in the same chic black packaging, which I just think is lovely. There are some exceptions to this rule, like the Solice Highlighting Palette, which is equally as pretty. The packaging is robust and travel-proof, without compromising on their portable size or their pretty appearance. 

Sleek Blusher in Coral* (£4.99)
Every time I use a blusher from Sleek I'm blown away by the price point, this is less than £5 and it often performs better than the likes of NARS. These blushers are so pigmented, you really just have to dip your brush into the pan and you have more than enough to work with. You just have to pop it onto the apples of your cheeks and blend it out, then you're good to go! There are ten different shades available, so there are plenty of colours to choose from. 

Sleek Eyeshadow Palette in Sunset
The Sleek eyeshadow palettes are exactly how I remembering them being, in fact, they were the first truly pigmented high street palette that I tried. There is no denying that the eyeshadows are pigmented, easy to blend and really high quality. They are easy to apply and they have no fallout either! The Sunset palette is not a palette I would ever have bought, so I've really been enjoying being a little experimental with my eyeshadow. 

Sleek Contour Kit in Light* (£10.99)
This palette is a dream for all people obsessed with contouring, strobing or any of the sister trends. The Sleek Contour Kit brings sophisticated cream contouring to the high street at an affordable price. Inside the palette you get a huge mirror and six different cream shades. The six shades include two highlighters and four blendable contouring shades. The Contour Kit comes in three different shade variations, which means there is a colour for everyone, no matter your skintone. Sleek recommend taking an angled contouring brush and applying the contour shade to the hollow of your cheeks, the sides of your forehead and the sides of your nose. Apply the highlighter to your cheekbones, your brow bone and the middle of your nose. 

I've really enjoyed having the chance to experiment with Sleek makeup again, it's taught me to never forget my roots, great products will always be great! You can buy Sleek makeup in the UK at Boots, Superdrug and the Sleek website.
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Thursday 7 July 2016

Thursday Tittle-Tattle #49

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This is my favourite time of year in the beauty world, as the focus has moved to summer. This week we’re talking about a new fragrance from Ghost, the prettiest palette I've ever seen and Rimmel & Kate Moss’ 15th birthday.



A new fragrance from Ghost 
The Whitelight fragrance from Ghost is a blend of peach, mandarin, pear, jasmine, violet, rose, patchouli, vanilla and amber. I’m obsessed with anything peach, so I’m certain this will be right up my street. The Whitelight bottle takes inspiration from other Ghost fragrances, featuring a crescent moon, with a holographic finish. The new Ghost Whitelight fragrance is available now, prices start at £25 for 30ml and £34 for 50ml.

Illamasqua Vanitas Limited Edition Line
This week’s pretty palette award goes to Illamasqua’s Rose Gold Palette from their brand new Vanitas collection. The collection is inspired by 17th century still-life paintings, with loads of rose tones, purple shades and warm browns. The Rose Gold Palette retails for £44 and it designed to be your essential nude palette. The palette offers a variety of champagne hues to deep purples and browns. There are 12 best-selling Illamasqua shades plus two brand new shades (plum and black coffee). The Rose Gold Palette includes both matte and shimmer powder shadows designed to work beautifully with all skin tones. If the palette does not do it for you, there is also a dreamy collection of nude, rose, plum and brown lip shades that deliver immediate colour pay off. Check out my review of this palette at ReallyRee.com!

Barry M Chisel Cheeks
I’m obsessed with contouring at the moment and the Barry M Chisel Cheeks set looks amazing! The Barry M Chisel Cheeks set is available now in Boots and Superdrug and it retails for £7.99. Barry M say that “contouring couldn’t be easier with Chisel Cheeks Contour Cream Sticks”. They are designed as super blendable creams to work with all skin tones. Simply stripe on the colour from the stick for controlled application and then blend.

Laura Mercier Illuminators
I’m obsessed with these new highlighters from Laura Mercier, are they not just a work of art? The new hybrid product that highlights skin with pure light-reflecting pearl. Laura Mercier say that the highlighters offer strong pigmentation, with no fall out, making it easy to apply to the face without dragging or pulling on the skin. I really hope these make their way to the UK soon!

Rimmel London & Kate Moss celebrate 15th birthday
Can you believe that Kate Moss and Rimmel London have been a thing for 15 YEARS? To celebrate they are releasing a special range of lip and nail products. The collection features six lipsticks (three nude and three red) in the shades; Lasting Finish Lipstick by Kate in Muse Red, Idol Red, Retro Red, Rock N Roll Nude, My Nude and Boho Nude. Plus three new nail polish shades, which include a red, a nude and a glitter, so there is something for everyone.
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