'Gift Of The Week' From Boots!

On offer now in Boots for one week only, is this fab Boss Orange Spa Set, slashed from £60 to £29.50, saving you a whopping £30.50.

After all the mayhem of Christmas parties and running around buying gifts and sorting out Christmas dinner, a girl needs a little relaxtion in her life. If you know somebody who fits the bill, head down to Boots and pick this up to treat them with and show a little appreciation.

THE ULTIMATE GIFT FOR TOTAL INDULGENCE

LESS THAN HALF PRICE – ONE WEEK ONLY AT BOOTS

 Running from 29^th October – 4^th November 2010

The spa set includes a range of items to indulge with: 

Boss Orange eau de toilette (50ml)

Boss Orange perfumed body lotion and shower gel (50ml each)

100% cotton Hugo Boss fabric spa slippers 

A sensual Boss Orange scented candle to set the mood 

It comes complete in a stylish white carrying case too.

Great news for shoppers who were left out in the cold last year when some customers were piling products into their online baskets before midnight, and then purchasing them as soon as these offers went live. 

 

This year, the offer opens at 7am each Friday, and any products in virtual shopping baskets before this time will be removed, so more people have a chance of picking up a bargain!

Available while stocks last!

Guerlain Faces Legal Action Over Racist Comments

Guerlain is currently in the centre of a racial storm in France, after one of of its best known perfumiers said he "worked like a nigger" to create a new fragrance.

Anti-racism groups have threatened to sue the perfume house for the offensive comments which has seen angry protesters take to the streets of Paris in fury. During a television midday news bulletin a fortnight ago, Jean-Paul Guerlain, 73, a descendent of the perfume house's founder, was asked about the brands classic fragrance Samsara, which was inspired by his first wife. He replied: "I worked like a nigger. I don't know if niggers have always worked like that, but anyway."

** Pause**

Race relations in France are strained at the best of times, so these comments would have done little to simmer the underlying racial and cultural tensions that have been making the headlines of late.

Protesters gathered outside Guerlain's Paris store after Jean-Paul Guerlain said he "worked like a nigger" on a perfume.

Protesters gathered outside the Guerlain boutique on the Champs Elysées last weekend, calling for a worldwide boycott of the perfume house and its owner, the luxury brand, Louis Vuitton-Moët Hennessy, because of the racist slur.

Patrick Lozès, of France's Representative Council of Black Associations, said the fact Guerlain felt so at ease using it on national TV was symptom of the "deep sickness" of racism in French society. He condemned LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) and the Guerlain company for not reacting to the comments quickly enough.

Idiot.
Jean-Paul Guerlain

US civil rights leaders, including Al Sharpton (oh you're in trouble now), who are visiting France next month, have asked for a meeting with Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss Guerlain's comments.

The French designer later apologised, saying in an e-mailed statement, “My words do not reflect in any way my profound thoughts but are due to an inopportune misspeaking which I vividly regret.”

Guerlain head office said his words were unacceptable. LVMH released a statement condemning "all forms of racism". Christine Lagarde, France's finance minister, said Guerlain's comments were "pathetic".

This doesn't impress me at all, but sadly it doesn't surprise me either. I don't think that comment was an accidental slip of the tongue, but instead was just a small insight into Guerlain's ignorant mind. No doubt such language was deemed acceptable in his youth and bandied about in a casual manner on a regular basis, but in 2010, you've clearly lost your mind if you think you can repeat derogatory language like that (on live television no less) and not expect an angry and disgusted response to it.

Guerlain - nil point.

NARS Christmas Gift Sets - Out On Monday!

As if the NARS Holiday 2010 collection wasn't enough to get you psyched up, NARS have pulled out all the stops to dazzle you further this Christmas with the addition of two cute Christmas gift sets which both contain  NARS best selling hero products!

 SWEET DISPOSITION SET

The cult-favourite and iconic multi-purpose Multiple, perfect for eyes, cheeks and lips comes in this cute set of thee minis. Multiple is perfect for adding gorgeous highlights to the skiin and comes in a creamy formula that blends effortlessly.

Shades: Luxor (Iridescent Pink), Malibu (Pinkish Brown) and Orgasm (Peachy Pink with Shimmer).

 CRAZY HEART SET

Check out this quintet of medium sized glosses, perfect for day and night and in a wide range of shades, suitable for every occasion. 

Shades: Easy Lover (Ultra Sheer Hot Pink), Babe (Sheer Orange Red), Orgasm (Sheer Warm Pink with Golden Shimmer), Turkish Delight (Pink Sorbet), Misbehave (Sheer Cherry Red with Gold Shimmer).

Both sets are priced £32 each and are available to buy from November 1st. Are they going on YOUR Christmas list?

QVC launch the first UK 24-7 Beauty Channel!

QVC fans in the UK are no doubt rejoicing at the news that the channel is set to launch QVC Beauty, the first ever beauty channel dedicated to beauty. The spin off channel will focus on premium beauty brands and deliver beauty advice and product demonstrations into the homes of savvy shoppers across the country. Best of all? It's on 24 hours a day, every day! 

Each time I flick over over to QVC in the hope of catching one of the beauty programmes, I'm instead confronted by a dodgy velvet top being showcased as being 'bang on trend', therefore I welcome the arrival of QVC beauty with open arms! QVC Beauty will feature the likes of Decleor, Bobbi Brown, Liz Earle, Nails Inc and Elemis as well as a host of other fab beauty brands.

The QVC Beauty channel will be available on Freesat channel 816 and Sky digital channel 658 and launches at midday tomorrow.

Check out all that QVC Beauty has to offer here.

Korres Body Butters - Revisted

I've tried these before, and you can check out my original review here.

Since trying Korres Jasmine body butter, I've tried a couple more scents and so this is a brief post delivering my thoughts on them. The quality's still exactly how I remember it. Luxe, rich and which without a doubt transforms your skin into a silky canvas. Korres body butters moisturise really well and priced at £12.50 each, I don't think they'll leave you filing for bankruptcy should you decide to treat yourself.

Having originally tried Jasmine, I picked Vanilla Plum and Yoghurt to see if I preferred these scents.

VANILLA PLUM: I love the smell of vanilla, but unfortunately it's pretty scarce in this moisturiser. The plum aroma again isn't very dominant in the way you'd expect it to be and it's a spicy plum as opposed to a sweet plum scent that meets your nostrils. It wouldn't smell out of place at Christmas where we're treated to warm, spicy wafts reminiscent of frankincense and similar aromas. I'm sat firmly on the fence with Vanilla Plum. I'm not so sure I want to smell like this from head to toe as it can become heavy. I still use it but tend to use it on my legs where my nose can't catch a strong whiff of it.

YOGHURT: Hmmm well it doesn't smell like yoghurt that's for sure. It's a little powdery, kinda sweet, but not sickeningly so. In fact I find this very hard to describe. I think I like it, I don't dislike it - I just need to get used to it. I like using this after a shower or bath in the evenings but I'm unlikely to layer this on first thing in the morning, even though the scent becomes much lighter within an hour of applying it.

Korres Body Butters are available in the following flavours:

Vanilla Plum, Quince, Kumquat, Fig, Jasmine, Yoghurt, Japanese Rose and Guava. All contain Shea Butter, however each body butter contains its own unique active ingredients. 

I think Korres should perhaps try their hand at making 'less exotic' sounding scents in this line as the ones I've tried are all a bit 'too cool for school' for me. If they made good old shea butter or coconut body butters with the same gorgeous, rich texture I'd buy them by the bucketload!

Have you tried Korres body butters? If so, what's your favourite scent? 

You can buy Korres from Zuneta.com, Bathandunwind.com, Selfridges and John Lewis.

How to Sweeten Your Mum Up This Christmas ...With a Little Help From Estee Lauder

A few weeks ago, I was having a conversation about Estee Lauder cosmetics with Mummy dearest. "Is the christmas gift set out yet?" she asked. "Which one?", I replied. "Oh you know, the one that comes out every year and has EVERYTHING in it - eyeshadows, lipsticks, a case, brushes - everything!"

*Cue me giving my Mum a blank stare* I didn't have a clue what she was talking about.

My Mum buys GWPs (gifts with purchases) regularly, but as I tried in vain to remember the numerous make up bags and freebies I'd seen her use over the years from the likes of Dior, Clinique, Elizabeth Arden et al, I couldn't place this particular Estee Lauder gift set.

Two days later at the Estee Lauder launch for the Pure Color Extravagent by Tom Pecheux Christmas collection , I realised my Mum did in fact know exactly what she was talking about and as a result I now know exactly what to get her this Christmas which will result in her thinking I'm the best daughter ever.

Beauty Blog Link Love - 23.10.10

Phyrra's Indie Spotlight for October is with Amy of Sugarpill Cosmetics!

Check out this great Splurge vs Steal over at Prime Beauty. Cindy did a look with both palettes--can you guess which is which?

Sophie shows her amazing Sleek Makeup prize package that she won, lots of goodies included!!!

My Lips But Better swatches MAC's upcoming holiday collection, A Tartan Tale.

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed checks out new products from Olay Regenerist and wonders if they will be as popular as the last one!

Sarah from IHeartCosmetics shows swatches of her collection of Korres Colour Cherry Oil Lipgloss.

The Lip Print discovers a cheap and cheerful treat for shoppers on a budget.

Eyelining has a look at a rather pretty multitasking marvel from Rituals.

Amy Antoinette organises her makeup collection and showcases her new dressing table.

Has Emma finally found her HG foundation? Head over to BirdsDecorateBranches to see if YSL Teint Resist might just be yours too!

Pink Diva's Beauty Spot loves all of the pink beauty products for Breast Cancer Research month. Check out some of her favourites.

Retrodiva checks out Annemarie Borlind to see if going natural is possible with oily and breakout prone skin.

TheGlossGoss reviews her Haus Of Gloi haul. Halloween themed products -- perfect for the Autumn season!

theNotice takes an early look at Clinique's Strawberry Fudge Holiday 2010 collection (yes, with swatches) and loves it!

Good bye Neutrals, Hello Drama! Jenn spices it up over at Spiced Beauty.

Jeweled Thumb shows evidence that makeup is magic!

Pink Sith says you can't put a price on FEELING pretty. Come find out why she thing Guerlain Meteorites Voyage Compact is the bee's knees!

Are you made for 'Fire and Ice'? Over at The Glamorous Gleam, Mz. More compares the legendary Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Fire and Ice to other red lipsticks in her collection.

***

Audrey Dao has 2 giveaways going on for the month of October. Check them out now before it's too late....

Mein link: Win a basket full of beauty products from Boot's on Beauty Woo Me.

Daily Polish celebrates reaching the 1 year mark of daily posts of new polishes and manicures with a giveaway where the first prize is worth over £200!

Jellyminx has a spooky giveaway, enter before it closes on Halloween!!

The Nail Files: Barry M Racing Green

Hmm I dunno how I feel about this polish. It looks nice and pretty in the bottle, but isn't as vibrant as I'd like it to be once applied on the nails. It's probably why this is the second time I'v worn it since purchasing t well over a year ago. Don't let the photo taken with my camera flash fool you, I WISH it was that shade of green in reality (if you know any polishes that do, please let me know). If you like dark green polish with a subtle shimmer then I guess you'll like this, but it doesn't excite me very much and I don't think it's particularly flattering on my skin tone either.

Excuse the messy paint job! I had no patience the night I applied it and wiped it all off 5 mins after these photos were taken!

For the price, I can't complain. At £3.99 a bottle you can afford to 'not like' a Barry M polish and pick up another tomorrow!

'Gift Of The Week' From Boots!

This week's Gift of the Week from Boots is a corker! In-store and online today for one week only at Boots, the Sanctuary Spa Perfect Pamper Box has been slashed from to £19 from £40 

And for £19 you get the following:

Spa Skin Body Polisher

Salt Scrub Sachet (60g)

Body Butter (150ml)

Body Lotion (250ml),

Foaming Bath Soak (75ml)

Luxury Bath Float

Luxury Shower Cap

If that’s not enough, the gorgeous gift set also contains a Classic Eau de Toilette (25ml) fragrance, along with moisturising Hand Cream (30ml) to ensure skin stays silky soft and smelling luscious!

Also, good news for shoppers who were left out in the cold last year when some customers were piling products into their online baskets before midnight, and then purchasing them as soon as these offers went live. This year, the offer opens at 7am each Friday, and any products in virtual shopping baskets before this time will be removed, so more people have a chance of picking up a bargain!

Happy Shopping!

Giveaway: Win L'Occitane Divine Immortelle Serum + Eye Treatment

French skincare brand, L'Occitane have released a new range of anti-ageing skincare, which includes Immortelle essential oil, believed to help with cell regeneration and to have anti-ageing properties. It launched in the UK earlier this month and, I have a set of the Divine Extract serum and Divine Eyes treatment to give away to one lucky reader! 

If you'd like the chance to try out these new products for yourself, you need to do two simple things; 

*You'll need to be a follower of Vex in the City - through Google Friend Connect, by 'liking' my Facebook Page or by entering your email address and subscribing to my posts in the box on the left sidebar. You don't have to do all three but if you do, then you'll never miss a post from me! ;-)

*Leave me a comment below (telling me how you follow my blog) and your preferred email address so you can be easily contacted, should you win.

1. This giveaway is open to entrants worldwide (See? I haven't forgotten about you!)

2. One entry per person

3. The giveaway ends in two weeks, on Wednesday 3rd November 2010 at 11:59pm (GMT)

4. A winner be randomly selected using random.org and notified within 7 days of the giveaway ending.

I've been testing them myself over the past month, so expect a review as soon as I get a moment to write one up. They're quite pricey, £65 for Divine Extract and £45 for Divine Eyes, so all the more reason to enter my giveaway!

Oh and if one giveaway isn't enough for you (and you're based in the UK), then be sure to enter my 17 giveaway which ends next Tuesday.

Coming Soon: Korres Milk Proteins Foaming Cream Cleanser (For All Skin Types)

It's funny but thinking about it, Korres is the one of the only brands I can think of which has consistently impressed me with its skincare products. Each product that I've tried so far has resulted in a positive experience. I think their skincare products are great!

Following the seven year success of the best selling Milk Proteins 3in1 Cleansing Emulsion. The Milk Proteins Foaming Cream cleanser completes the cleansing collection for all skin types. 

 

A gentle cream-to-foam cleanser for effective, soap-free cleansing that leaves the skin soft and moisturised. It removes oil, dirt and face and eye make-up without stripping the skin. Milk proteins, rich in lactose and essential aminoacids, offer nourishing properties and form a hydrating layer on the skin by bonding with water molecules. 

A complex of vegetable proteins from Amaranth and Rice soothes and refreshes the skin. The combination of natural cleansing agents and emulsifiers ensures a very mild formula, fully compatible with the eyes and skin.  It sounds promising and I may check this out once I've used up the cleansers I have at the moment.

Available at the end of October and priced £18.00

After my last experience with a cleanser that declared it was suitable for all skin types (Yes Decleor I'm talking to you), I'm a little hesitant about this being of the same "one suits all" variety, but I guess that's something I'd just have to find out for myself.

Are you a Korres fan? By the way how do you pronounce it, "Core-rezz" or "Cores"? I say both depending on whatever falls out of my mouth at the time!!

Illamasqua - The Brand Film

Illamasqua has fast become known as a brand that brings the art of make up to the high street and into the hands of those who want to accentuate their look, stand out and defect from the safe every day shades that many of us seek comfort in.

I'll be the first to admit that whilst knowing that Illamasqua were 'different' from most of the other make up brands, I couldn't tell you 'their story' if you were waving the Euromillions winning ticket in my face! Continuing the theme of celebrating all things British, Illamasqua have enlisted the help of Vicky McClure, star of This is England '86 - recently shown on Channel 4, to star in a series of films for Illamasqua, the brand film being the second.

I watched it from beginning to end and think it sums up the history and story behind the Illamasqua brand perfectly. I've always known Illamasqua were 'different' and now I know exactly why.

See for yourself...

You can watch the first film, 'Poem' starring Vicky here .

Nelsons Pure & Clear Blemish Gel

This little gem has come in handy so many times I thought it deserved a mention. I can't remember for the life of me where I got this from. I may have nicked it from my Mum at some point, I genuinely can't remember how this came to be in my possession. What I do know is that whenI have a dodgy pimple erupt on my face, a teeny drop of this has quickly calmed it down and dispelled it within 24 hours.

A quick Google has informed me that Nelsons is in fact the UK's largest manufacturer of natural healthcare products. Its Blemish Gel contains increased strength tea tea, arnica, St John's Wort and calendula.

 Blemish Gel ingredients: aqua, alcohol, tea tree oil, arnica montana extract, calendula extract, hypericum extract, triethanolamine, carbomer, limonene (tea tree oil source), linalool (tea tree oil source).

It looks and smells like any ordinary tea tea gel, but I've had such great results from it, I thought I'd do a quick post in case this can help anybody else who suffers from blemishes or spots. All I do is apply it to the blemish(es) in question on a clean face before going to bed and again under my make up in the morning. The tea tree scent is quite strong but you only really notice it as you're applying it. Once you've washed your fingers, it's forgotten.

The tube, although quite small, last months (literally) too. I've been using this sporadically since April or so and the tube look brand new.

Nelsons products are free from: SLS, SLES, PEGs, parabens, lanolin, silicones, artificial colourings & fragrances.

Nelsons can be found in Boots and also have a number of other stockists. You can check that list out and the rest of the range on their website

http://www.nelsonsnaturalworld.com

Have any of you tried this or any other products by Nelsons?

Review: Bourjois Volumizer Mascara

At first glance the new mascara by Bourjois, Volumizer, looks like an ordinary mascara but you'll soon realise that this comes with a mascara wand with a difference. Remember when we were dazzled by the dual-ended wands which hit the market a few years ago? Well Bourjois did pretty well with their Coup de theatre 2 in 1 way (although it didn't do much for me), and they've since decided to step things up a notch in the mascara world.

Bourjois claim that Volumizer will give your lashes 11 times more volume, a promise which initially fell on deaf ears having heard similar claims and being left disappointed from a number of other brands all too many times before.

Volumizer has two openings, two lids and one brush - confused? No need to be. 

Check out this eye CANDY! New falsies on the market.

If there's one thing I'd love to perfect, it's applying false eye lashes. In the past I've tried (and failed miserably) to give my peepers some added sex appeal with luscious lashes but I always ends up with them swinging off my face or creating a sticky mess over my eyelids.

I may be tempted to try my hand at applying them again with the arrival of eye CANDY lashes. Created by the experts behind leading false lash brand Eyelure, these handmade designs are perfect for emulating 50s and 60s glamour.

From what I can gather they're available in at least 20 different designs and come in classic strips and individual lashes too, so whether you want to sport a subtle, seductive, striking or sexy statement with your eyes, there's something for everyone.

The new eye CANDY lashes are available now from Boots stores nationwide, Boots.com, Gordons Chemists and justbeautifully.co.uk, priced at £4.49

How good are you at applying falsies?? Can you give me any tips?

Review: Palmers Body Moisturisers

You may remember me raving about Biotherm Oil Therapy Baume Corps. I utterly adore everything about this body moisturiser, but not the price (£23). Well my second bottle finally ran out a few weeks ago and a bargain priced bottle is yet to materialise on Ebay, so I've had to dig out other moisturisers that I've now had on rotation more than usual lately.

I thought I'd do a quick post on these various body moisturisers from Palmers. The weather's much colder now and you don't need a degree in Biology to realise the benefits a good body moisturiser can have on your skin. I've used Palmers moisturisers on and off since I was a child, but over the past few years I've mainly used body butters as my main body moisturiser.

1. Palmers Olive Butter Cream Oil - it promises to give the skin the moisturising properties of an oil, but in a lotion formula and also contains organic extra virgin olive oil. This has a similar texture to my beloved Biotherm moisturiser, but doesn't quite leave my skin feeling as silky. With that in mind, it's still my favourite out of the three although I don't think it will withstand the effects that central heating and extreme cold weather can have on my skin, so I'll certainly need something else when the weather gets even colder. It's light, non-greasy, absorbs very quickly and the olive oil scent is quite subtle and easy on the nose. I'll more than likely purchase this again at some point in the future.

2. Palmers Cocoa Butter - the lotion equivalent of the famous solid version. This moisturises and absorbs into my skin well, but I find it a little too sticky for my liking, until it dries properly which to be takes less than two minutes. I'm not a huge fan of the chocolate scented vanilla aroma that is widely associated with Palmers skincare products as I find it too distracting and worry it will clash with any perfume I choose to spray over it. I tend to slather this on after a shower in the evening, when I'm just chilling at home and have no plans to leave my abode! Overall a good moisturiser, it's just the pong and slight tackiness that I can feel afterwards that puts me off.

3. SPF 15 Body Lotion - my least favourite of the trio. It's quite a thick formula, which I tend to like in body butter form, but not so much as a lotion. When I'm in a rush in the mornings, the texture proves to be a hindrance as it takes longer than I'd like to sink in and I've even had to grab a towel to wipe off the excess! I don't know whether it's the SPF in it leaving a white cast, but I find this leaves my skin (especially my feet) looking dry again after a few minutes! I've left the house, only to glance down at my feet whilst on the doorstep, to proclaim "What the actual hell?!" on more than one occasion and have had to run back inside and grab something else to re-moisturise my feet.

All three contain vitamin E which will soften and soothe the skin but hands down my favourite product by Palmers is still the Skin Therapy Oil which lasts forever and does the job I need it to. If you like the look of this, but don't wanna fork out a tenner, then head down to Boots where the Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula Moisturising Body Oil, (which might I add, looks practically identical) is currently included in Boots 3 for 2 Mix and Match offer. I doubt there's much difference between the two and I'm certainly gonna buy a couple of bottles which should see me right through winter as I think this oil is spot on.


Have you tried any of these? What's your favourite body moisturiser?

The Nail Files: China Glaze Who's Wearing What

I bought this nail polish well over a year ago and it's from the limited eddition China Glaze Creme Couture collection. Now discontinued, Who's wearing What is a pale lilac creme, which has more grey in it than a typical lilac shade. I fell completely in love when I bought this and wore it constantly.

However, when I put it on the other night, I quickly remembered why I haven't worn it for months. It typically needs about three coats for full colour, takes forever to try I almost always end up smudging it if I don't finish off with a topcoat of Seche Vite - which I forgot to use in this instance!

It's still a lovely colour, but probably won't see the light of day again until Spring. 

'Gift Of The Week' From Boots!

Another week, another 'Gift of the Week' from Boots

Whether it's your mum, sister, best friend or girlfriend that you have in mind, Ted Baker Girliest Convenience Vanity Case is an ideal way to treat girls who love to pamper themselves.

Packed full of full-sized products from the Ted Baker collection, this gift set is sheer indulgence. It includes have a choice of 2 fragrances - one a delightful mix of jasmine, rose, pear and apple which features a Cleansing Body Wash (300ml), Rich Body Soufflé (250ml) and a Fragrance Body Spray (150ml); the other fragrance is a magical blend of tangerine, lychee and plum featuring a Relaxing Bath Soak (300ml), Body Lotion (300ml), Body Spray (150ml) as well as a scented candle to create a relaxing environment for some well-deserved pampering.

 

PICK UP A PAMPERING CHRISTMAS GIFT AT BOOTS

FOR JUST £19 – THIS WEEK ONLY

Running from 15^th October – 21^st October 2010

These lovely products come in a beautiful floral vanity case – the perfect travel companion for any girl-on-the-go. In order to take home the Ted Baker Girliest Convenience Vanity Case at this bargain price, should head to your nearest Boots store or visit boots.com on Friday 15^th October, as the offer is only available while stocks last. 

I'm looking forward to seeing what next weeks 'Gift of the Week' will be.

Estee Lauder Extravagant Gold Photos + Swatches

The only eye shadows in the new Estee Lauder Christmas Collection, come in the form of a five shade palette. The packaging and design is the same as that of the Blue Dahlia eye shadow palette we saw released earlier this year.

This time we're treated to bronze, gold and brown tones which are great for autumn/winter as they are all year round. The texture of the shadows is smooth, and the overall quality is good, although with the exception of the dark chocolate brown shade, they don't appear to have the same density as the Blue Dahlia eye shadows. 

My favourite shade is the aforementioned dark brown in the middle, it has the most pigment of them all and I can see myself definitely using this to smoke out eye looks with other shadows I own.

Taken with flash

No flash

I have a lot of neutral, bronzey type shadow shades so the mixture in this palette although pretty, hasn't made me (a make up fanatic) stop in my tracks. The shades also look quite different in natural daylight and not as vibrant as they do when taken with a camera flash. They're inoffensive, wearable shades that can be worn by a range of skin tones which is always a winning formula.

However, I think this would make a lovely gift, which is quite handy with Christmas being around the corner. Who wouldn't be pleased to find this under their tree on Christmas morning?

How much is it? £34

Where can I buy it from? Estee Lauder counters nationwide, Estee Lauder online

FOTD using the palette is coming up shortly.

Unlocking the Vault: K By Beverley Knight blush in Flame

Have they or haven't they gone bust? Or are they just selling off their stock at less then half price for the sheer fun of it? Who knows and to be honest I'm past caring. Whatever the current status of K By Beverley Knight Cosmetics is, I'm just glad I managed to get my hands on this gorgeous powder blush before they disappear in a puff of smoke! With that in mind, I really should buy a back up of this while I still can as I use it all the time.

A deep, warm amber, infused with sparse gold sparkles, this blush really is utterly gorgeous. The gold sparkles, don't really make that much of an impact once on the cheek, but the depth of the blush leaves such a lovely flush of colour, offers a great alternative to a peach toned blush and it lasts quite a while once applied too.

Grab it now whilst it's still on the K By Beverley Knight website for £6!

The Nail Files: NARS Mash Nail Polish

Check out this beauty by NARS which is part of the current limited edition Vintage Nail Polish Collection, currently being sold in Selfridges. Mash is an army green infused with gold and in my opinion is hands down, the best shade of the lot!

It can look quite dull in bad lighting but looks stunning when caught in sunlight and you can really see the gold that runs through it. If you own the gorgeous MAC Seriously Hip (Style Black), then in comparison, this is less shimmery.

I'm not so keen on the formula, which is very thin. Two coats got me the finish shown in the photos. I prefer my polishes a little thicker when applying them, but the finished look makes up for it.

A beautiful colour for A/W which will sex up an all black outfit and add a bit of oomph!

How much does it cost? £13
Where can I buy it from? Selfridges, Space NK

Want To Win £75 Worth Of O.P.I ? Then Head Over To HQ Hair!

HQ hair are giving away to a stash of OPI goodies to celebrate the launch of its new Burlesque Collection. Sounds good? Check it out here.

All you have to do is email them and reveal what your favourite nail polish is. Simples!

Good Luck!

Unlocking the Vault: MAC Gingerly

When I want to add a little warmth on my cheeks but still want a fairly neutral cheek, I sometimes reach for MAC Gingerly. A perm addition to the MAC line, this blush has a sheertone finish and is described on the website as a 'Capri Bronze'. It doesn't look bronze in the slightest to me though. I'm not sure quite how to describe it, it shows up quite 'peachy' on my skin tone.

It has a tendency to look ashy if too much is applied, so be sure to blend it properly. If you want to give it a little oomph, I think this looks pretty with a gold highlighter on top to brighten it up, but if truth be told if I were to lose this tomorrow, I wouldn't shed a tear. NARS Gina blusher on the other hand ...!!!

Estee Lauder Christmas Collection - Pure Color Extravagant By Tom Pecheux

After the huge success of their Blue Dahlia collection, Estee Lauder's Tom Pecheux brings glamour and sophistication to the upcoming festive season with the launch of their Christmas collection.

Awash with a mixture of rich berry reds, golds and shimmer, they do well to showcase a collection that reflects the warm tones of Christmas, without resorting to an explosion of glitter and not much else!

The collection features a lip palette which consists of a solid red lip gloss and four sheer glosses in berry, gold, champagne and coral tones. The eye shadow palette is a mixture of warm gold and brown tones that help perfect a smouldering smoky eye that will easily take you from day to night.

Two lipsticks and lipgloses in varying shades of red/berry tones complete the lip products and shimmer polishes in light gold and deep aubergine/purple round up the collection.

 Eyes:    

Pure Color Five Color EyeShadow Palette in Extravagant Gold - £34.00 

Lips:

Pure Color Five Color Lip Palette in Extravagant - £34.00

Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Extravagant Red - £17.00

Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick in Extravagant Berry - £17.00

Pure Color Gloss in Extravagant Plum -£16.00

Pure Color Gloss in Star Ruby -£16.00  

Nails:

Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Extravagant Pearl - £12.00

Pure Color Nail Lacquer in Extravagant Night 9ml - £12.00  

I attended the launch of this collection and have a few of the products, so keep an eye out for future swatches/FOTDS.

Beauty Blog Link Love - 09.10.10

My Lips But Better writes about the MAC Venomous Villains launch party and shares her thoughts about the products.

Check out the duo-chromed awesomnicity (yes that is a word!) that Aijuswhanakno found through Persephone Minerals.

Tammerly at Pink Diva's Beauty Spot gives you the 'gloss' on the 2010 Sydney International Beauty Expo.

Amy Antoinette experiments with Kim Kardashian curls.

Lisamarie from Beauty Crazed gets to pretend she is a real makeup artist with the TEMPTU AIRbrush system!

Kim Porter reviews Dr. Miracle’s Follicle Healer Hydrating Oil, a great product for dry, damaged hair.

With blogger events and launch parties, it's Illamasqua overload at Hellcandy make-up! Check out the photos from the launch party here.

Majolica Majorca Lash Expander Mascara and Yinnie's lashes become BFFs over at Looking Glass Beauty.

Daily Polish professes her love for all things Catrice with the turquoise lacquer, "I Sea You!"

Over at The Glamorous Gleam, Mz. More gives you a sneak peek at the new Sleek MakeUp Bad Girl & Good Girl Palettes, due to be released on October 27th!

Eyelining uses some NYX pigments to demonstrate how bad packaging can ruin a perfectly good product.

Vex in the City shows you how to step up your nail game on the cheap, with the new Instant Nail Effects from Barry M.

Emma swatches the best Orgasm dupe yet for only £3.99 at BirdsDecorateBranches!

Melissa reviews Smell Bent's limited edition Halloween Killer Smellies over at LovelyAndroid.

You need an idea for Halloween? Vesna at Beauty addict blog has one: turn yourself into a Dark Fairy for this year's Halloween!

Love NARS makeup but not the price tag? Lipglossiping signals the "dupe alert" siren when she shows off a serious but affordable dupe for NARS Albatross!

The Pink Sith is less than impressed with the Too Faced Naked Eye Palette, despite it having a few great taupe shadows.

Jellyminx jumps on the naked band wagon and shares a look created using the Urban Decay Naked Palette.

Jolie Laide girl gets to work showing you the best of the Elf Mineral Shadows.

Louise spends a day chatting with Daniel Sandler and getting a whole new look!

The Lip Print discovers a products with a Happy Philosophy; you can share the love too!

theNotice finds a fab product to banish under-eye bags, and it's under $5!

L at Beautifully Addicted To gives a run down on Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanse.

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Jeweled Thumb is celebrating reaching her 400th post with a giveaway! Enter to win Stila, ELF, BE, Milani Bare To Wear and more!

Enter Phyrra's Beauty for the Earth The Wizard of Oz-Some Giveaway for a collection worth $60!

'Gift Of The Week' From Boots!

Yeah I know Christmas still seems a long away off, but it's actually only 11 weeks away!

Each week from now until Christmas, Boots will be offering us, its loyal customers an amazing ‘Gift of the Week’, to help us get a head start and make some fab savings on our Christmas shopping. 

This week customers can purchase the perfect present for girly girls (or boys), Frontcover to Go for just £16 – that’s less than half price (usual price £35). It’s an ideal gift for make-up addicts who want to create hot off the catwalk looks. The kit also contains expert instructions on how to get the looks at home.

LESS THAN HALF PRICE AT BOOTS – THIS WEEK ONLY

Running from 8^th October – 14^th October 2010

Oh and don't forget that  Boots Advantage Card holders collect four points for every pound they spend at Boots, so if you take advantage of this offer, you'll be rewarded with 64 Advantage Card points with this purchase. Frontcover Winter 2010/11 limited edition collection is only available at Boots and boots.com.

I've not tried any of the Frontcover sets but have swatched them on a couple of occasions and they seem pretty good value - and for £16 I don't think you go wrong choosing this set as a gift.

Have any of you tried Frontcover cosmetics before? What's the verdict?

(On a side note, roll on the Boots Christmas Shopping Events! I've been for the past couple of years and plan on going again this year. 1200 points for every £50 spent - oh it's too easy!)

New Sleek Shimmer Blushes - Photos + Swatches

Sleek have released a new shimmer blusher collection which is a trio of three very different shades which aim to give a glow to the dullest of complexions. No doubt these will come in handy over the upcoming winter months. Being the blush fiend I am, I made it my business to check them out and see what all the fuss was about.

Rose Gold - A gorgeous gold/apricot/pinky duochrome shimmer blush. This makes the most gorgeous highlighter and really compliments tanned and darker skin tones. When I swatched it initially, I thought it may be slightly ashy, but when I wore it, it looked amazing on my NC50 skintone even if I do say so myself! I've already teamed this with Pomegranate and it looks hot, hot, HOT!! This looks like an intense version of MAC Style. The shimmer in this is just beautiful.

Pomegranate - A pretty shimmer blush with pink undertones. It has the least gold shimmer in it out of the three, In fact the shimmer is really more pink based. It gives a lovely flush of colour which will look stunning on those cold, crisp winter days. Pretty in pink? You will be wearing this on your chops! This is quite pigmented, but you can easily control its density and it builds up into a natural finish.

Sunrise - This warm bronzey blush with brown/red undertones and gold shimmer is pretty subtle on my skin tone (well I think so anyway) and I have to be a bit firm when applying it to get it to show up as vibrantly as I'd like. When the finish I want is achieved, it gives my cheeks a nice glow but I feel as if something is missing. I think I'm gonna team this with MAC Raizin next time to give it a little more depth.

They're not buttery soft in texture, but they're certainly not bad in terms of quality.The shimmer in them isn't chunky, nor does it feel gritty on the skin which is impressive considering how cheap they are. You can also build up the intensity of colour without looking like you have two harsh strips across your face as they blend really well. If you're a lighter skin tone, don't be scared of how bright or dense they appear in the pan, you can rock all three shades if you use a light hand, they're not as pigmented as say, NARS blushes.

They're lovely shades, which I would recommend, BUT I have one major gripe with them which I have to mention. I CANNOT for the life of me open them up without using a pair of tweezers!!! Seriously, I struggled to open them for a good 10 minutes before I grabbed a pair of tweezers and managed to pop them open. Please tell me I'm not the only one who has this problem. I have to use tweezers every time I want to open them! Packaging fail!!!

My favourite shade is a toss up between Rose Gold and Pomegranate. They both create different effects but are gorgeous both together and on their own. Expect to see them both in my next FOTD post shortly.

How much are they? £3.99 each

Where can I get them from? Superdrug, Sleekmakeup.com