Products I'm currently loving ..

Some of you may have noticed that I no longer do Monthly Favourites posts. I decided to scrap that feature on my blog for 2010 and just share my love of the products that I'm enjoying as and when with no rigid structure as it suits me better and I was always posting them late anyway!

Anyway without further ado, these are the products that I've been reaching for the most recently.

1. Biotherm Oil Therapy Baume Corps - My search for a body lotion that actually keeps my skin moisturised is over. I find this moisturiser as light as those that fall by the wasteside for me (i.e Vaseline Intensive), but it's not watery! The rose, apricot and passion flower oils infused within the lotion hold in moisture really well and the oils combined give off a lovely scent that not's overpowering either. It's a shame it costs friggin £23, but this is the only lotion-style moisturiser that hasn't left my skin looking ashy after an hour! This was sent to me to try and I'm half way through it and Summer's not even here yet. I need to put it down!

2. Max Factor Lash Extension Effect  - My lower lashes are pretty sparse and I usually avoid using mascara on them at all as they just end up a smudgy mess after a few hours. The thin, long brush lets me coat each lash without making a mess and it actually stays put far longer than when I use other mascaras in the same place. It also allows me to coat my lashes on both my inner and outer corners with ease, which opens my eyes up. I sometimes use this before my 'main' mascara to lengthen my lashes first too. It's really made a difference to my mascara application and gets a thumbs up from me. Fab mascara!

YSL Faux Cils - An oldie but a goody and for good reason IMO. I ummed and ahhhed between buying this and the newer Singulier mascara, but in the end opted for this industry fave. It separates my lashes well without clumping them and gives intense colour which I like a lot too. I love the packaging which is sleek, simple and emits luxury. I secretly breathed a sigh of relief when I got along with this as my lips were firmly pursed when handing my card over to pay for it! I hope it doesn't dry out as quickly as I've read it does.

Afro Hair and Beauty Live

It's that time of year again, the Afro Hair and Beauty Show is back! 

Now in its 28th year and and at a new location, the spectacular hair and beauty event that launched the careers of the UK's top Afro Stylists – is coming to trendy Islington with a fresh look and fabulous line up! 

The show spans over the bank holiday weekend next month on Sunday 30th and Monday 31st May and will be at the Business Design Centre, Islington, London. 

The show will be split into 3 fabulous zones:

Shop – sample brands from around the world, some of which are available exclusively at the show, and speak to experts who will help you uncover your perfect product.

From natural shea butter to lace front wigs, every taste and pocket will be catered for.

Spoil – be polished and preened with massage, threading, makeovers and more in the Indulgence Zone.

Show – watch the amazing stage shows with fashion, dance and demonstrations across the whole weekend. 

This year, the winner takes all in the amazing Sensationnel Icon. The show-stopping spectacle will bring together the most creative hair designers from around the country, with each one creating a collection of elaborate masterpieces. Colour, shape and astounding workmanship are a must! There are three trophies Weave Genius, Braid Impact and Avant Garde.

Also check out the Annual Wahl Battle of the Barbers. Speed, accuracy and
showmanship are the name of the game with this (almost!) cut-throat competition. Eight barbers, eight sets of clippers and two judges will go head to head with the stop-clocked contest that sorts the men from the boys!
 

Tickets are just £10 in advance and £12 on the door. Visit www.afrohairshow.com for more info and an exclusive offer to get two tickets for the price of one*

Believe it or not I've never been! I think I need to rectify this and see what all the fuss is about.

NOTD - Illamasqua Jo'Mina

Well after seeing peoples swatches, I had to go and get this for myself. I love it! It's such a gorgeous, bright purple creme. I've always wanted to own a purple like this, but haven't been able to find a shade like it until now.

I'm on my second day of wearing it and have no chips yet. I hope it goes the distance. For £13 it better!

Nailgals High Summer Collection preview evening

Last week I attended the Nailgirls boutique nail spa, where a private event was held after hours to preview their new summer nail polish collection.

Founded in May 2009 by sisters Lynda-Louise and Joannna Burrell (lovely ladies by the way), Nailgirls boutique spa is situated in the heart of Islington on a cosy residential road off well-known Upper Street and offers a range of treatments to get fingers and toes in tip-top condition.

High Summer 2010 collection

Eyeko Nail Polishes

A package lay forlornly on my porch on Saturday morning - unexpected, but appreciated all the same. Eyeko has popped the following polishes in the post for me.

(L-R)

  Tea Polish - A soft dusty pink cream 

Coral polish - A bright coral cream

Petite Polish - A pretty pink lustre, great for a french manicure

This is my first time trying out Eyeko polishes and I'm impressed with the quality of the one I tested - Coral Polish. After one coat, I had even coverage but thought I'd put a second one on as that's what I'm used to. 

I didn't find the texture too gloopy or thick and it was easy to apply to. The brush can sometimes pick up a little too much polish so I had to wipe excess off the side of the bottle before applying but it didn't alter the overall application once I quickly figured that out.

They cost a mere £3.50 each and I won't hesitate to check out what other shades they have on offer when the mood takes me.

www.eyeko.com

Are you a fan of Eyeko polishes?

2000 volunteers needed for free nail treatment - Guinness World Record attempt!

 Ok, the lovely students at the London College of Beauty Therapy are aiming to break a world record on Thursday 13th May 2010 by carrying out the highest number of File and Polishes in eight hours - their target? Over 2000!

This is where you come in! They need 2000 volunteers (men as well as women) to come along on the day between 11am  and 7pm - all volunteers will receive a free file and varnish (or file and buff) performed by a highly trained therapist.

LCBT is staging the event to support the charity Wellbeing of Women which funds medical research into all women’s health issues.

The students, who regularly support charities, are hoping to receive great support from the general public which will allow them to perform at least two thousand file and varnishes under the watchful eyes of the Guinness World Record adjudicators. 

The Guinness World Record File and Varnish event will take place between 11am and 7pm on Thursday May 13^th at London College of Beauty Therapy, 47 Great Marlborough Street, London W1. 

The college is located close to Oxford Circus Underground Station.

To book your free file and polish email the LCBT on:

HelpUsNailIt@lcbt.co.uk

Another blog sale...

..is going up tomorrow evening. I'm unsure of the time but it'll be between 8-10pm. I'm drowning in make-up and just have too much so need to get rid.

 Oh and I finally sent off all items from last weeks sale yesterday morning so they will be with you shortly.

xx

Bits and bobs from The Body Shop

Remember that 25% discount I posted about, that The Body Shop were offering? Well I  took advantage of it myself and ordered the following:

2 x Sweet Lemon Shower Gel

1 x Pink Grapefruit Shower Gel

1 x Coconut Shower Gel

1 x White Head Band

1 x Facial Massager (Thanks to Rhamnousia for bringing this to my attention)

I also got a free full sized Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub chucked in too. It smells gorgeous, but is quite runny which I'm not a fan of. Do their scrubs come in different textures, depending on which scent you buy?? My Coconut scrub was definitely thicker.

I've also noticed through my online banking that I've been overcharged ...cheeky! An email has been swiftly sent to customer services. Hmph!

Which other products from The Body Shop do you rate? I'm loving their shower gels at the moment (as you can see LOL).

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Foundation: Digitorial

This is a digitorial post, written by me on behalf of  Clinique via Handpicked Media. All opinions are 100% mine.

Clinique have released a moderate coverage foundation called ‘Anti-Blemish Solutions’. This liquid foundation is designed to gently keep blemish-prone skin comfortable and balanced by minimising excess sebum without drying out your skin. Once your skin has improved, the foundation then continues to safeguard your skin against future breakouts, so ideally you’ll only ever need one foundation to keep your skin looking in great condition all year round.

Check it out in more detail here

Take a look at the video below to see it in action:

I'll be trying this foundation out for myself shortly and since I do suffer from the occasional random breakout, I'm intrigued to see whether this will work or not. Stay tuned for the next instalment.

Beauty Blog Link Love - 24.04.10

Curious about the new Balanciaga Paris fragrance? So was Rae, over at theNotice -- but she's since quenched that curiosity. (And fallen in love while doing so!)

Beautyjunkielondon finds a perfect coral nail shade for spring, by Rimmel.

Sarah has found a new anti-aging moisturizer and eye cream and shockingly... they actually work!

It's a plane, no, it's a monster (well actually, yes), no -- it's just Jeweled Thumb's enormous coiffure! Be scared, be very scared.

Red lips are always high on The Lip Print's agenda - check out her latest obsession, Lipstick Queen Medieval.

Louise takes a look at the Guerlain Summer Limited Editions this week, and is surprised at what she sees.

Phyrra's Indie Spotlight for April is Glamour Doll Eyes. Find out all about Vee, the owner of GDE!

As Lime Crime's ultra bright lipsticks finally hit the UK high street, Lipglossiping puts them under the spotlight!

Krasey Beauty tours the exclusive Tokidoki collection for Sephora, and has the swatches to prove it!

Madame B Fatale shows you how to create an up-do suitable for day and night

Might as well face it -- Cindy from Prime Beauty is addicted to Dior .

Amy Antoinette tries epilating for the first time.

PinkSith talks taupe with MAC Greasepaint Stick in Dirty.

In the hunt for a wasabi green nail polish? Hell Candy Make Up discovered a new shade by Barry M. Like it or loathe it?

Yinnie reviews the unsuspecting formula that is the Estee Lauder Total Make-up Remover.
***
Win a full set of ELLIS FAAS makeup, no strings attached, on beautywoome this month.

Want to win Audrey Dao's April Reader of the Month Giveaway? Just leave a comment and you're entered!

Jemma Kid Pro Skin Rescue Bio-Complex Veil Winner

Thank you for all your entries (you lot sure love a freebie eh?), they kept me awake until stupid 'o clock this morning as I sorted them all out! LOL 

A winner was selected randomly using random.org and that winner iiiiiiiiis.......

 Silhouette Screams

Well done my lovely, an email should be waiting in your inbox for you.

Stay tuned for my best giveaway yet cos it's birthday time for Vex in the City soon and the prizes for 3 lucky readers are gonna be on point!

I won't even ask you to retweet my blogiversary giveaway 20 times or post it on your blogs for 40 extra entries. How's that?

Topshop Make Up

I had a peek at the new makeup range by high st fave Topshop this week and was left pleasantly surprised. Based around two collections -  the Core range which will be a permanent feature and the second, Spring/Summer 2010 which will be limited edition and change seasonally, the new line will be hitting selected Topshop stores on May 5th.

Topshop have teamed up with make-up artist Hannah Murray to release an impressive mix of lipsticks, cream blushes, highlighters, eye pencils, pigments, skin tints and an array of other products.

I had googled for images prior to seeing the collections in person and was left far from impressed as the hi res images just didn't do it any justice. In person it looks better, but I'm still not the biggest fan of the white plastic packaging - I gernerally prefer my packaging to be sleeker and a tad more discreet. 

My views on the actual quality of the products is more favourable. Inspiration has clearly been taken from MAC and YSL for some of the products, which certainly isn't a bad thing and if anything makes the range more attractive for those who don't have the disposable income to treat themselves to more expensive brands on a regular basis.

The Core Range

Spring Summer 2010

I wasn't feeling very well so didn't swatch as much as I'd like to, but I did swatch all of the cream blushes (no surprises there) and the texture is similar to the recent blushcremes which featured in the MAC in Lillyland collection. I love them!

A lil' birdie has told me that the range has been made by the same company who make MAC, so that explains that if it's true!

Products will be priced from £4-£15 which will no doubt be music to the ears of many Topshop fans who have complained about their increasing prices over the years. I think the launch of this line will be a roaring success, they are some great products within the line which I think will appeal not only to their loyal teen customers to also to their "trendy" older customers too.

A few more pics ...

Topshop cream blushes  - looooooooooove!

The range will also be available online and in the New York City branch of Topshop so our cousins across the pond get a look-in too!

Will you be checking it out when it's launched in 2 weeks?

Blog sale and giveaway winner update

Hey guys,

Just letting you know that after my impromptu illness last night/today I've been unable to post out your blog sale purchases or select a winner for the Jemma Kid Bio Complex Veil.

Blog sale goodies will be posted tomorrow so should be received by Saturday if you're based in the UK and a bit later if you're overseas.

I'll also be selecting a giveaway winner tomorrow too.

Thanks for your patience xx

THE CEW(UK) 2010 BEAUTY AWARDS WINNERS ARE ...

The winners of the annual CEW Beauty Awards were announced yesterday and here they are in all their glory:

Click to enlarge

The winners are ...

 

Mass Categories 

Best New Bath & Body Product 

All for Eve Body Butter  

Best New Haircare/Styling/Colouring Product 

Batiste Coloured Dry Shampoo  

Best New Everyday Skincare Product 

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil

Steamcream 

Best New Skincare Treatment Product

GoodSkin Labs Lumecin Overnight Brightening Gluco -Protein Treatment

Best New Self Tan or Sun Care Product  

St Tropez Wash Off Instant Glow Body Lotion 

Best New Make-up Product 

All for Eve Lipstick  

Best Classic Beauty Product

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor  

Best New Men’s Grooming Product

A'kin pureMAN Calming After Shave Balm 

Best New Brand

All for Eve
  

Prestige Categories

Best New Bath and Body Product 

Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare Superskin Body Cream  

Best New Haircare/Styling Product

Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment  

Best New Everyday Skincare Product

Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare Superskin Moisturiser

Best New Skincare Treatment Product 

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex  

Best New Certified Organic Skincare Product

Balance Me Super Moisturising Hand Cream 

Best New Self Tan or Sun Care Product 

St Tropez Everyday Mousse 

Best New Make-up Product

Diorskin Nude Natural Glow Hydrating Make-up  

Best Classic Beauty Product 

Liz Earle Naturally Active Skincare Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser 

Best New Women’s Celebrity Fragrance

Crabtree & Evelyn India Hicks Island Night

Best New Women’s Fragrance 

Marc Jacobs LOLA 

Best New Men’s Fragrance 

Gucci by Gucci pour Homme 

Best New Men’s Grooming Product 

Clinique Skin Supplies for Men Age Defense for Eyes

Best New Brand

Dolce & Gabbana the make up
   

Mass or prestige Categories
   

Best New Hand and Nail Care Product

All for Eve Hand Cream 

Best New Salon Professional Haircare Product

Kérastase Sublimateur Jour 

Best British Brand 

Elemis  

Best Iconic Beauty Product 

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

Well there you have it, the industry has spoken! Do you agree with the insiders choices oand do awards like these encourage you to go out and spend your dosh on the winning products?

My new obsession ...Becca Cosmetics

Ever since I reviewed some Becca products as part of my stint as a guest blogger for Zuneta, I have spent hours pouring over products, reviews and images trying to decide what I wanted to purchase for myself.

I am currently obsessed with this brand which hails from down under.

Becca doesn't come cheap but Beauty Bay has reduced their remaining stock, as they will no longer be stocking it on the site. I managed to pick out the best of what was left and this is what I bought. Zuneta has also reduced some items.

MAC in Lillyland Cremeblush swatches

Yeah, yeah I know I'm late with these swatches, but acquiring them wasn't the easiest of tasks (long story), despite them being purchased as soon as they were released. Anyway, I've been reaching for cream blushes ever since I tried that Becca cream blush I tried and tested for Zuneta.com and just wanted to share these babies with you as they've been on rotation for the past fortnight after receiving no love hidden amongst my other blushes.

The new blushcreme formula is an improvement on the existing one. The blushcremes in this collection are thinner, lighter and not as 'tacky'. They're also much easier to blend. I haven't found the existing blushcremes particularly difficult to blend, but there's a distinct difference between them. 

I don't know if MAC plan to release more shades in this texture and will eventually phase out the existing ones, but the new look blushcremes get a thumbs up from me and I hope they do. You really can't go wrong with these and the shades aren't as garish on the skin as they look in the pan.You can blend with a brush (I use the MAC 131) or my fingers and they glide over the skin really easily, with no dragging.

I'm yet to layer them under or over powder blushes (yeah, I put cream blushes on top of powder to prolong the colour sometimes) and have been happy to wear them on their own at the moment, but I love how they don't sit on top of my skin and sheer out to give my cheeks that look, as if they're emitting colour from within. Lovely!

Although the MAC in Lillyland collection is long gone off the MAC website, these blushecremes are still attainable off either Ebay, Specktra or Makeupalley if you look hard enough.

Zuneta Guest Post no 3 - Korres goodness

It's that time again. I've penned another guest blog post for Zuneta.com, focusing on a Korres product that I've grown very fond of. It went up on the site late ladt night due to server issues but it's up in all its glory now.

Check it out here

Illamasqua Body Electrics swatches

Like a few other UK beauty bloggers, I was sent some items (beautifully wrapped) to try out, from the latest Illamasqua collection Body Electrics. The latest offering from the 'cult British make-up brand' features creams, powders and dry body oils infused with light, shimmer and shine and is also the first collection by Illamasqua which introduces make-up for the whole body.

If you're new to Illamsaqua's infamous liquid metals, then the quad including all four available shades may be right up your street. I already own Solstice and have swatched other shades at their counter in Selfridges, so I'm familiar with the formula and texture, which is smooth and extremely pigmented. 

A new shade Surge, which is described as 'a molten pewter' has been introduced with Body Electrics and is included in the palette, but it didn't really wow me. I think these work better as highlighters or eyeliners as they crease like a b**ch on my eyelids. When I initially tried to use Solstice as a lid colour about a year ago or so, it lasted for a couple of hours and then the creasing began. 

I haven't attempted to use it in that way again and I'll personally stick to using these for an electric flash of colour on my lashline or as a cheek highlighter, but you can have fun experimenting as they can also be used on the body. I've used Solstice on the middle of my lip with a slick of gloss over the top and it looked pretty. I don't know if they're actually lip-safe. I didn't get any reaction but double check cos I'm not taking responsibility if you lips swell up like Joan Rivers!

RRP £29.50

UK Spa Fortnight - starts Monday 9am!

The UK's best pamperfest is back!

This year's UK Spa Fortnight kicks off on Monday 19th April and runs for just two weeks until 3rd May. I must have been under a rock last year because I completely missed this! 

The Good Spa Guide and Lastminute.com have come up with an amazing range of 2-for-1 spa deals for you - and they're only available during UK Spa Fortnight. UK Spa Fortnight is packed full of offers from over 200 of the UK's top spas including some of the most exclusive spas who don't usually discount.

With discounts ranging from £25 for a spa day for two people, to a free second night at soe of the UK's top spa resorts, there's a pamper package to suit every budget. Now you can afford to treat a friend - or yourself!

Participating spas include Champneys resort nationwide, The Sanctuary, London and a range of quality spas across the UK.

For full details visit www.goodspaguide.co.uk/ukspafortnight from 9am on Monday.

I've noticed that lastminute.com appear to be taking bookings already and dates are disappearing fast, so if you see a bargain, pounce on it!

Remember, it's only running for two weeks!

Recycle with Origins and get FREE samples.

In May Origins is launching its Return to Nature Recycling Program which has been designed to further develop their commitment to the planet and more importantly help to reduce waste. Currently cosmetics containers are being sent straight to landfills and Origins is the first brand within the cosmetics industry that will be inviting customers to bring back to store their empty cosmetic packaging from ANY brand and receive a free Origins sample in return. 

The old containers will then be sent off to Waste Care, their recycling partner where they will be recycled, or if there are components of packaging that can't be recycled than used for energy recovery.

Good news eh? I dread to think of all the plastic skincare packaging I've wasted by chucking them in either my bedroom or bathroom bin becuase I'm too lazy to go downstairs and put the bottles in with the recycling rubbish in the kitchen! 

My understanding is that you get one sample regardless of how many pieces of packaging you take in, so you may need to space out visits to your nearest counter! *ahem*

Nubar - Summer in the City collection

To coincide with the release of the eagerly anticipated Sex and the City movie sequel, Nubar have created four nail sets based on the fashion capitals of the world.

The collections will feature some of Nubar's most popular and unique shades with each city reperesenting one of the SATC girls. The collections will include the following shades.

I've done my best to provide links to swatches to all the shades, but www.nailgal.com is down at the moment (I actually gasped in shock) so I couldn't find all the polish swatches online.

NEW YORK - CARRIE.

A vibrant foursome including coral, blue, silver and blue/green duochrome shades.

Peacock Feathers, Mali Blue, Star Sparkles and Palau Coral

PARIS - CHARLOTTE

An array of romantic pinks and deeper shades.

Cupid, Pink Creme, Noir and Camelot Blossom.

LONDON - MIRANDA

If your fashion sense is dictated by your career, then London is the perfect collection for you.

Sandstone, Green Tea, Costa Rica Coral and Palisade

MILAN - SAMANTHA

A tantalising group of colours to bring out the sex siren in you.

Caberet Red, Passionate Purple, Hot Pink and Knight's Amor

Coming soon on www.beautyshed.co.uk

£8 each (sold separately)

Beauty Shed will be running a special promotion where if you buy 3 polishes, you get the 4th free, so that's four polishes for £24.

Marks and Spencer Beauty 2010

When I think of M&S, I tend to think of those adverts, underwear and their food! It's not a place I associate with my make-up purchasing.

I had a look at their summer beauty collections today and was left pleasantly surprised. Their entire range has been revamped and gone is the dull, sensible packaging I made a point of steering clear of and it's now hello to the Chanel-esque quads, MAC Slimshine-alikes and pretty polishes. 

The new range goes by the name of Perfection and with over 200 shades, covers everything from foundations to nail polishes, to blushers and eyeshadows. Stand out products include Perfection Day & Night Mascara; a double ended mascara which gives well dressed lashes for day and full on glamour for after dark.

Giveaway: Win a Jemma Kid Pro Skin Rescue Bio-Complex Veil

I was going through my stash over the weekend and came across this. It doesn't suit me, I had a chance to try a tester a few months ago and nah ...not the one, but a brand new tube was still bestowed upon me. It's not made for WOC at all, though I live in hope that Jemma Kidd eventually makes this in a shade darker enough for me to wear. I won't hold my breath though. 

So anyway, what's the Skin Rescue Bio-Complex Veil?  Keep reading.

"This multi-tasking formulation is designed to work as your moisturizer, prep formula, primer, illuminator and tint. Nourishing botanical complexes work with active peptides to reduce visible signs of aging, repair damage and protect against external aggressors. An SPF of 15 shields against UV damage, thereby reducing your risk of age-related imperfections. The skin is left evenly toned, perfectly moisturized and youthfully radiant."

This is only available in Two shades. I am giving away Nude Y1.

Like the sound of it? Then tell me you want it (literally) in the comments box below, and INCLUDE your email address so I can get hold of you if your name's picked out of the hat handbag.

This giveaway is open to all readers, both UK based and Internationally.

The giveaway closes on April 18th 2010 at 8pm (GMT)

The winner will be contacted within 48 hours.

OH AND FOR THE RECORD, THIS WAS NOT SENT TO ME BY A PR COMPANY - SO THERE!

No 7 Skin Illuminator

The new No 7 illuminator from Boots has been the subject of much talk recently, and I wanted to try it out and see if it was WOC friendly.

Described as a beauty fluid, the illuminator comes in two shades Peach and Pink and I opted for Peach which is the warmer of the two shades and shows up as a very pale peach.  Pink is whiter in colour and was too cool for my skintone.

I like the tube it comes in, which has a twist top with a surprisingly soft brush attached to it. I thought it would be quite coarse to the touch. You twist the top (which has 'on' and 'off' written on the front and back) and product seeps through the middle of the brush when you squeeze the tube.

 Click to enlarge 

It applies smoothly with the brush, but has a tendency to dry patchy, so blending with fingers is ensure a equired. You can wear it on top or under foundation, but I prefer to mix it with mine as it gives a really nice glow to my skin, without looking greasy. When I blend it on top of my foundation, I can't really see any visible colour to it other than a very faint outline if I don't blend it properly, but I can see the shimmer it leaves behind on my skin when my face catches the light.

 

In the picture below it gives a lovely iridescent glow which was clearly visible on my hand and looked very pretty when caught in sunlight. I'm not so sure my camera picked it up though.

Click to enlarge 

This reminds me somewhat of the NARS Illuminator as it has the same texture but I prefer the colour of the NARS illuminator which is a deeper peachy gold. I love the 'twinkly' effect of the No 7 Illuminator, it's a nice product which perks my foundation up nicely when mixed in, but it's not essential to my make-up wearing routine.

You can find it at Boots for £10.50

Have any of you tried this? Your thoughts please if you'd be so kind.

New SATC 2 poster

Ok, I love Carrie and she looks hot in this new film poster, but I also love the other Miranda, Charlotte and Samantha. When are they gonna get a look in? They star in Sex and the City too!

25% off all online orders at The Body Shop

The Body Shop UK are offering a fab 25% off when you spend £25 online. That's not all, you'll also get a FREE full size (200ml and worth £12.50) tub of Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub with your order too.

I've been meaning to place an order at The Body Shop and I'm glad I waited because the Pink Grapefruit Body Scrub is on my wishlist, so I'm really pleased with this bargainous offer.

OFFER HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO TUESDAY 20TH APRIL 2010!

ENTER 'SPRING25' AT CHECKOUT

Nubar Fortress Collection

The new Fortress Collection from Nubar plays on the 'Greige' trend for spring, putting grey back into the spotlight with a selection of eight shimmery, creme and metallic shades.

I'm loving Barricade, a medium grey creme (as modelled below) and have my eye on Knight's Armor, which looks gorgeous. I'll swatch Silver Sword in a later post as I'm loving Barricade too much to take it off at the moment. The quality is fantastic, no streaks and two coats gave perfect coverage.

For more swatches of the collection, check out Elaine's over at Lacquer Laine.

You can buy Nubar polishes from Beauty Shed and they cost £8 each.

BECCA Bombora collection

As a newly covcerted BECCA fan, I thought I'd give their latest offering a mention. I was a bit confused when I took a look at the Bombora collection last week, as I thought it only consisted of one product - the Bombora palette.

Anyway moving on, Becca have released the Bombora palette which comes with a highlighting crème, lipgloss, eyeliners and a multi purpose cheek and lip shade. The palette is inspired by the sun, sea and surf and the associated tone. This suits all skintones and I think would be great for taking on holiday. The shades enclosed will easily carry you through the Summer months too.

• Lip Gloss: Mai Tai (sheer peach nude)
• Lip & Cheek Crème: Bougainvillea (sunset peach)
• Highlighting Crème: Mazu (fleshy gold)
• Compact Eyeliner (with shimmer): Raffia (deep turquoise)
• Compact Eyeliner (with shimmer): Sunburst (glistening gold)
• Dual Ended professional brush

Thanks to London Makeup Girl, I've since discovered that in addition to the palette, there's also a new Beach Tint (cheek and lip stain) in Pink Grapefruit, which is a warm pink, and a new sheer Lip Tint lipstick in Letitia, also a warm natural pink, featured in the collection

Check out this tutorial using the Bombora palette, which is currently featured both on Zuneta.com  and their YouTube channel ZunetaBeauty.

.

Illamasqua - Body Electrics

 

After a long awaited build up, the latest collection Body Electrics, from home grown brand Illamasqua, has now hit counters. 

I'm not gonna lie, I thought it would be more..erm..exciting? I'm over liquid metals now and although the dry body oil in Pulse looks nice, I'm reluctant to fork out £32 for it. The purple polish JoMina, looks interesting and I'm hoping it's really bright and different to recent purples that I've cast my eye over.

I'm more taken by the promo images, than the products themselves to be honest, which I think look super-cool.

What do you think? Is the collection a yay or nay for you?

Check it out here

Zuneta Guest Post no 2 - Becca Cosmetics

The second in a short series of posts I'm writing for Zuneta.com went live yesterday. I finally got to try Becca, an Australian cosmetics brand who are well known for their extensive foundation and concealer range. I had the chance to try a cream blush and lipgloss.

I had a few issues with my camera yesterday morning, so there's been a delay in attaching the following images but they're up now!

I'm so impressed with the quality of the products I tried, that I ordered a few more BECCA products yesterday. Have a look and drop me a comment over here.

NARS Summer 2010

Here are the images for the NARS Summer 2010 collection. I was super excited to see them on Specktra last week, but that excitement soon died down as nothing jumps out at me. I may change my mind on the eyeshadow duo when I get to swatch it for myself at a counter..we'll see.

I don'[t have the image names as yet, but since this now appears to have been released stateside, I'm sure you'll see them popping up in posts shortly. I'm still holding out for their new cream blush, Enchanted which I've been told is out on UK counters, along with the rest of the collection next month.

I recently got my hands on the Sugarland e/s duo and now have my eyes firmly trained on Misfit e/s duo for my next NARS purchase.

What do you think of the new collection images and what are your favourite NARS products?

SATC 2 - OFFICIAL extended trailer! Guess who's back??

Since being informed of its existence 20 mins ago, I have watched the new extended trailer for SATC2 four times already!! I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE IT!!! LOOK, LOOK, LOOK!!!

Roll on May 27th!!

Thanks to Makeup4All for making my day and telling me it was available.

Enter my SATC tour ticket giveaway if you're a fan and haven't already.

Ben Nye Banana Visage Poudre

My last experience with a translucent powder was enough to put me off them for life. I bought Corn Silk Translucent Powder after seeing it pop up in magazine after magazine (I didn't understand the relationship between magazines and advertisers a decade ago) when I was younger. It did absoultely nothing for my skintone and left me looking very ashy.

I kept hearing about Ben Nye' Banana Visage Poudre last year and all the feedback was positive, especially amongst darker skinned women so I instantly knew it was a product I needed to try out for myself. I managed to hunt some down on good ol' Ebay a few months ago and just aswell too, as it was a no-show at the London IMATS on both stalls I found to be selling Ben Nye.

Now whilst Ben Nye' Banana Visage Poudre is immensely popular with make up artists and non-professionals alike, I'm having trouble making this work for me. I read endless comments that "this is amazing" and it "leaves you shine free ALL day". Well I applied it this morning and I was shining like a beacon 2 hours later! Not amused. I also feel it sometimes 'dulls' my make-up too.

I'm not a fan of the packaging and would have preferedr to see it come in a wide pot with a screw-off lid. The sieve makes usage quite awkward and the cap is too small for you to dip your powder brush into to pick up product. I end up shaking it into my MAC loose powder lid instead. Texture is similar to that of talcum powder and finely milled and a pale yellow colour - lemon like, but lighter. This is generally used to set foundation but can also be dusted under the eyes to catch eyeshadow fall out, and then swept away.

For those who have read the hype surrounding this, you can get it from Screenface and other theatrical makeup companies. Banana poudre suits all skintones, but as a lot of traditional translucent powders show up ashy on dark skintones, this is a better alternative.

Who owns this and how are you making it work for you? I'm frustrated that I have this 'wonder product' in my possession that I can't get the most out of? Which brush do you use to apply it with. Hit me up in the comments box with suggestions or this will end up in a blog sale.

Make Up Store - Carnaby Street

If you've visited Carnaby Street recently, you'd have noticed that the Make Up Store is now open for business. I popped in last week, as a thunderstorm cascaded over my head for shelter and had a chance to take a look around. Situated just a few metres from the MAC Pro Store, the Make Up Store is a welcome addition for beauty addicts and I fully expect to see this store packed on a Saturday afternoon.

Filled with foundations, eyehadows, pigments and much, much more, the Make Up Store has a wide variety of shades and finishes to suite everybody's tastes, complete with tools a plenty to stock up the kits and collections of make up users on all levels.

The store is designed as self service with all products easily accessible to customers to pick up and take to the till themselves (I bet they'll have a security guard present to deter shoplifters by the end of the month though!). 

Many of you may already be aware that there's a branch in Westfield and there are also a number of international stores too.

Prices are mid-range and comparable to those of M.A.C and I was particularly taken by the scented candles which smelt utterly divine! I'd already swatched myself silly in M.A.C beforehand so I didn't really swatch many of their products as I was all swatched out but those I did swatch had nice pigment pay-off. I'll certainly be going back to have another look soon.

I took a few (crap) pictures while I was there to share with you: