Beauty News - Liz Earle to launch new product...

Exciting news dropped into my email box today....

One of my favourite brands, Liz Earle, are to launch a new product 'Sheer Skin Tint', after many requests and 3 years in the making... This is the first step into Liz Earle Colour!

If you want to find out more you can register here to be one of the first to know

http://uk.lizearle.com/makeupuk.lizearle.com/makeup

I for one cannot wait!

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Bath and Shower Oil

After a wonderful massage on Saturday I had been wanting to continue the theme of indulgence and relaxation and this arrived in my post box just in time - Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Bath and Shower Oil. This promises to help ease aches, sore joints and relieve stiffness and tension.

I like bath oils, I much prefer them to bubble baths. They feel really luxurious, soften the skin and wrap the bathroom in gorgeous scent, bringing a real treat to the senses. I just lie back and enjoy.

This one from Aromatherapy Associates has Lavender, Rosemary and Ginger as its key oils. Now, whilst I am not a fan of lavender, the way this has been blended means that it is not a strong lavender scent,  it is something really rather pleasant and actually I didn't want to get out of the bath! As my husband passed the bathroom he commented 'that smells nice' and that was with just one tiny capful in a full bath. I was impressed that the scent was nice and strong, Aromatherapy Associates say that this product contains therapeutic levels of the key oils. The ingredients are pure, containing just natural oils and nothing else.

The bottle is just gorgeous and passes my all important bathroom shelf test

The massage left my shoulder a bit tender so this seemed like the perfect time to see the oil's effectiveness and I can honestly say my shoulder felt so much better after using the oil, in fact my whole body just felt calm and rested. I even had a great night's sleep, Aromatherapy Associates products seem to do that to me.. the Relax Candle is one of my favourites for helping me to sleep.

This oil would be ideal if you do a lot of sport or if you are suffering from muscle strain or indeed for just any time your body feels heavy and stiff. 

Using the oil - It can be used either how I used it (a capful in the bath) or you can apply it to your body and shower it off.

Not recommended in pregnancy 

Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Muscle Bath and Shower oil costs £37 for 55mls and can be purchased online from www.aromatherapyassociates.com

*PR sample

Beat The Heat With Halo Deodorant Wipes

I was sent a few items from the HaloWipes range to review. These wipes were the ones I was most sceptical about..

Claims - The wipes contain a non-sting lotion providing effective deodorant protection while they cleanse and refresh.

I wasn't confident about using these at all but on Saturday I took them with me to use after a massage and swim to put them to the test. I used one wipe and then walked from Westminster Bridge to Covent Garden, it was hot and sunny, I walked up escalators instead of letting them take me up. Had dinner, had a wander around Covent Garden and then headed to Kings Cross.

Next morning I still felt fresh and there was no sign of any sweat...... I have to say I am so impressed by the effectiveness of these wipes, they are actually better than my usual choice of deodorant!

I think these are really handy to have in your handbag for emergencies and whilst I don't 'do' festivals I think these would be excellent!

Each pack contains 10 wipes and are available in a few supermarkets and pharmacies retailing around the £1 mark.

*Closed* Giveaway - New Witch Liquid Concealer - 10 to win!

*Giveaway Now Closed*

The lovely and generous people from Witch have offered me 10 of their new liquid concealers to give away to my lovely readers!!

Witch anti-blemish liquid concealer

This is a mattifying concealer available in 2 shades to fit most skin tones -  01 Light which can be used with light or medium tinted moisturiser and 02 Medium which can be used with medium and dark tinted moisturiser.

It will conceal dark circles, hide and treat blemishes and spots. It is lightweight, gentle enough to use on the under eye area, oil and fragrance free. Application is easy with a brush tip pen.

Available from July in Boots stores and online at Boots priced £6.99

This concealer is launching in July 2011 so you have the chance to be one of the first people to try it - To enter 

• This giveaway is only open to UK residents
• You must be a GFC follower of BeautySwot.com - you can follow by clicking follow on the right ( I will be checking)
• Leave me a comment stating your email address and which shade you would like 01 Light or 02 Medium
• Giveaway will end in one week on 4th July 2011 at Midnight (BST)  - So hurry and enter!
• Winners will be selected at random by random.org and details passed on to Witch Skincare who will contact you to arrange for your prize to be sent.

Good luck!

The Friday Column

When I grow up I want to be.....

Today's Friday Column is focusing on Careers Advice and my experience of it...

I have to admit to being a little bit jealous of those people who know exactly what they want to do in life and set out to do it. In my experience, however, I think that those people are in the minority and the vast majority of people do not know what they want to do 'when they grow up' and need some guidance.  

Of course there are a lucky few who manage to stumble into fabulous jobs or a career by chance or through contacts, some find their niche again by being in the right place at the right time and through sheer hard work and perseverance but many people dread Monday morning and their daily grind.

I was one of those crying out for advice...

I went to an all girl's private school and there the expectation was of high achievement and the head mistress at the time decided that we should not fulfill the traditional female role and all aspire to acquiring professional jobs. 

Aged 13 I watched a televison programme on how forensic science helped catch criminals and it all sounded so fascinating and satisfying that I then focused on this for a career (albeit briefly!). As chance would have it, a week later one of the teachers was holding a mini careers lesson and asked us if we had any jobs/careers in mind, I mentioned becoming a forensic scientist and she got all excited and then uttered the words 'of course you have to excel at science'.  There ended that dream.. I actually didn't really like science at all and certainly wasn't great at it. 

By the time I was 16 I had a good idea of the kind of things I was good at .. English, Drama and History (where memory came in useful). I had this romantic notion that I wanted to be a novelist. I loved writing and this seemed like the natural choice. When a careers adviser visited the school I mentioned this and she told me it was so refreshing to hear, that all the other girls had told her they wanted to be Doctors or Lawyers. She gave me a few leaflets on various jobs where good writing skills would be an advantage and went on her merry way.

One of the suggestions was a career in advertising, well that sounded fun and exciting! In my leaving interview with the headmistress I mentioned that I wanted to go into advertising and she made a throwaway comment 'Oh you have to be good at art'. Eeek, I was dreadful at art. Another choice shot down in an instant.

Around this time I was watching LA Law on TV and the lawyers were all glamorous, life seemed exciting and at the same time the bad guys were put away or punished appropriately. This career seemed to suit my personality and my ability. I studied law at 'A' level and then went on to obtain a good degree in the subject. 

Whilst I was at University I ended up on the jury of an Old Bailey murder trial. I was fascinated by it and yet by the end I was so frustrated. I got to see the mechanics of the legal profession but when it came down to it I realised the verdict was out of your control.

I did enjoy law a lot but I felt that I would enjoy doing something a bit more creative more. I visited the careers adviser at the University but was just given a few photocopied sheets on various subjects that I had expressed an interest in and was once again left to my own devices. I felt disappointed because I felt that a bit more digging might have found out what I would really be good at and then guidance on how to find and apply for these roles would have been great. In fact that is what I thought careers advice was.

In those days the internet was just emerging so pretty much everything was done offline, I would imagine these days it would be easier for students to do their own research on these things.

I had a few jobs in retail whilst at School and University, I had a short stint in recruitment and then gained a place on a graduate training programme. While I was working at this company I found that a role in product management was a good match. I think that I would love to work in product management for a cosmetics company as that is where my interest and passion lies. Alternatively, I know that I would enjoy writing articles as my passion for writing has never diminished. I recently assisted proofreading and editing a book on the Beauty Salon Industry which I enjoyed immensely. 

There were so many roles out there that were not mentioned when I went for careers advice and yet they existed!

My advice - Consider what you are good at, what kind of things motivate and drive you. Read What Colour Is Your Parachute for some great tips. Try and obtain some work experience in areas of interest and make lots of contacts. These days it is most definitely not a job for life so there is so far more scope to try lots of different things. There are lots of courses available to learn new skills and improve existing skills for job development and progression.

What was your experience of careers advice and what advice would you give someone starting out?

Eyeko Liptastik Glossy Lip Pens and Cherry Fat Balm Swatches

I received the full set of Eyeko's Liptastik Glossy Lip Pens and a Cherry Fat Balm in the post this morning and they looked so lovely I couldn't wait to swatch them...

With Flash

Natural Light

From top -

Cherry Fat Balm
Loud Mouth
Lip Lover
Hot Lips

First thoughts - the colours and texture are gorgeous.

A more detailed review will come soon. Have you tried these products?

Scandalous Insatiable Shine Shampoo and Conditioner - Review

I was recently sent Scandalous Insatiable Shine Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner to try after I had complained that my hair had lost its usual shine.

Claims 

Shampoo - Milk proteins and murumuru butter deliver extraordinary glossing results, leaving hair as smooth as glass. This rich, fragrant shampoo will revive even the most lacklustre hair.

Conditioner - The special blend of red seaweed extract and kukui nut oil infuses hair with shine and creates a silky, sleek texture.

The texture of the products are the same as standard shampoo (runny) and conditioner (thicker). The scent of both products is strong and masculine, it reminds me of a male aftershave, I found it to be pleasant. The shampoo scent is a little lighter and has a slighter, greener and fresher aspect to it that is like stepping into a garden. My husband found the scent appealing so this is great if you both want to use the product.

The shampoo lathers up nicely (that will be the SLS). The conditioner you leave on for a couple of minutes before rinsing off.

I am impressed as after just one use I noticed an immediate difference in my hair. It felt smooth after rinsing off the conditioner and was easy to comb through. Using the two products together left my hair soft, manageable and gloriously shiny. This was exactly what I was after and at a superb price.

Scandalous Insatiable Shine Glossing Shampoo and Conditioner are priced at £4.99 each for 250ml and available to buy in Superdrug.

Afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough - Review

We had afternoon tea at The Lanesborough in January 2009.

I chose to book this hotel as it was awarded best afternoon tea in London 2008 by the UK Tea Council. The day will be forever imprinted in my mind as it was probably only the 3rd time I had left my son in the care of someone else!

I have to admit I had not heard of The Lanesborough Hotel before booking but was curious to visit. When we arrived I was greeted by an imposing white building on the corner of Hyde Park. As it was January outside was crisp but inside we were warmly welcomed and shown to our seats.

I can only describe the setting as stunning, Apsleys is a truly magnificant Art Deco inspired room. There are huge glass chandeliers and comfortable seats (important when you will be seated for about an hour and a half). It is large with two tiers - you can just about see the stairs that we walked up to where our seats were. I really rather enjoyed being high and having the whole view of the room as there was a lot to admire. Situated in the corner was the piano, I somehow always manage to be in eye shot of the pianist when I have afternoon tea which for a fellow piano player makes me a happy girl.

We were shown the tea list and made our selections.  My husband opted for Jasmine Pearls a beautifully fragrant tea and I selected the Rose of the Orient tea as recommended by the Tea Sommelier. He made an excellent recommendation, this was one of the nicest teas I have ever tasted and I liked it so much I didn't ask to switch half way through as I tend to do when having afternoon tea. Rose of the Orient is a blend of some of the World's finest green teas including Sencha, Gunpowder, China Wu Lu and Pai Mu Tan  flavoured with Jasmine, cornflower blossoms and rose buds.

We were then treated to a wonderful selection of sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam and pastries. I wish I could remember exactly what was on the menu but I am afraid the visit was a while ago.. What I do remember was that I ate so much as it was so tasty that I could barely move at the end! Above is a press shot of the afternoon tea and below is one that I took on my visit so you can see the cakes that we had.

When we went there was no option for dairy free so my husband had the same menu as me.

We had an excellent time and I never hesitate to recommend this afternoon tea and I would most definitely return.

As we were just opposite Hyde Park we finished our evening with a visit to Winter Wonderland.

The Lanesborough has gone on to be awarded the UK Tea Council's Award of Excellence every year since and my brother has been more recently and had nothing but praise for this establishment also.

If you would like to experience this fabulous afternoon tea for yourself you can find more information on The Lanesborough website.

Afternoon tea is served daily at 4.00, 4.30 or 5.00pm and ends at 6.00pm. Gluten and Dairy Free afternoon tea is available. Traditional Afternoon Tea costs £35 per person.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Texturizing Sea Spray

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Texturizing Sea Spray has to be my favourite spray to achieve sexy 'beach waves'. It is made using juice from the Awapuhi Ginger Plant that Hawaiian natives have been using for centuries to moisturise their skin and hair.

The first thing that struck me about this spray is its delicious scent, it smells like cola bottle sweets with a refreshing twist. All the products in the Awapuhi range have this scent, which is so different to anything I have ever smelt in a hair care product.

This does exactly what it says on the bottle, creates a tousled beachy style. It is incredibly easy to use - I have spritzed it on damp hair, scrunched with my fingers and then let it dry naturally, I have also used it when my hair has been dry to vamp it up a little, defining my waves.

I have quite a lot of natural volume already so I am happy that it doesn't give oodles of volume just fab beach hair. It smells great and doesn't harden or become crunchy so that I able to run my fingers through my hair.

All in all a fab summer product.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Texturizing Sea Spray is available from Paul Mitchell participating hair salons and retails at around £17.95.


*PR Sample

Giveaway Now Closed! -Blog Birthday Giveaway - Rouge Bunny Rouge Devilish Nectar!

*Closed *

As I have recently celebrated one year of BeautySwot.com, I thought it would be a great time to have a wonderful giveaway.

One lucky person will win a Rouge Bunny Rouge Devilish Nectar Lip Potion worth £24!

This is a fabulous gloss and with such pretty packaging!

The gloss texture is bejewelled with Micro Mica particles and is imbued with the spicy fragrance of Cloves, Cardamom and Chilli, while Jojoba gives excellent softening results. It will stimulate your lips immediately, to result into that coveted just-kissed look. Use it on its own or over your favourite lip colour.

* Giveaway Small Print .....*

The rules

Open only to European citizens

The winner will be picked at random using random.org

To enter - Please leave a comment saying who you would most like to kiss whilst wearing the devilish nectar!

You will need to be a follower of this blog via Google Friends Connect/ Networked Blogs/ Bloglovin or by email.   

Please let me know which way you follow in your comment and leave me your email address to contact you if you are the lucky winner.

* Gain an extra entry if you tweet about it - I have told @BeautySwot who I want to kiss http://www.beautyswot.com/2011/06/blog-birthday-giveaway-rouge-bunny.html *

The giveaway ends on the 4th July 2011, at midnight BST. 

Good Luck!

BeautySwot x

Face Of The Day - FOTD

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Benefit B.Right Radiant Skincare Review

I recently attended the launch of the 2nd phase of Benefit's new skincare range b.right radiant.  The 3 new products that were launched that night were -

Moisture Prep Toning Lotion  - A gorgeous fresh smelling toner.
Remove It Makeup Remover - A makeup remover.
Ultra Radiance Facial Rehydrating Mist - A mist that you can use to set your makeup and spritz on during the day if necessary.

To experience some of the range we were then treated to wonderfully relaxing mini facials. I had no idea that there were treatment rooms in Benefit stores!

I was given a b.right radiant intro kit to try out the skincare products at home. I was really looking forward to trying this new range of products and discovering radiant skin..

I really like the packaging of the actual collection, it would look lovely in the bathroom and it does remind me a little of going back to traditional beauty product styling.

Foamingly Clean Facial Wash - £16.50 - For all skin types.


This has a wonderful fresh 'cucumber' scent, that I find really appealing. A little goes a long way, it lathers nicely and really feels like it is giving the skin a good clean.  However, this wasn't a cleanser for me, my skin was squeaky when I was washing it and then felt tight when I had finished. I prefer my cleanser to glide across my skin and leave it feeling lovely and soft.

Triple Performing Facial Emulsion SPF15 PA++  - £19.50 

The moisturiser claims to hydrate, protects & comfort the skin with an oil-free, lightweight formula. It also has something called tri-radiance complex, which I am not really sure I understood the meaning of!. This has the same wonderful scent that the facial wash has. Whilst I liked it, I didn't 'love' it. I found that its consistency was similar to sun protection lotions, it felt like it was sitting on my skin rather than sinking in. It does get marks for having SPF in. When on, it felt tacky to the touch for a good while after. Disappointingly, I didn't feel I appeared any more radiant than when using the average moisturiser.

It's Potent Eye Cream - £23.50 


The eye cream in the intro kit comes in a tiny pot with a narrow opening so it is hard to get to when you have used a bit of it up. This is a brightening eye cream to fade dark circles. It also contains a peptide complex known to help restore elasticity & firmness, botanical extracts including apple extract, known to help boost collagen, & loquat extract, known to help protect the skin from free radical damage. I liked this eye cream but again I didn't love it, it wasn't too heavy and a huge plus point is that it did not bring me out in spots that some creams do. It kept my eye area hydrated and soft, and my dark circles were kept under control.

Bourjois Regard Effet Metallise Metallic Eyeliners

Bourjois Regard Effet Metallise Eye Pencil 

51 Noir Effet Miroir - A dark grey (charcoal) with a slight metallic sheen
77 Brun Alliage - A rich brown with a slight shimmer

These are currently my favourite eyeliners. Soft and creamy with no drag, they literally glide across the skin. The colour is so intense you will only need to draw on once. Once dry they do not budge for hours and they are waterproof. I was so impressed with their staying power. I applied the eye pencil at 4pm and at midnight my eyes looked exactly the same. Simply fantastic!

Brun is really wearable for day and the Noir Effet is great for creating a smokey eye effect and not as harsh as a strong flat black.

Have you tried these liners?

BioEffect EGF Serum - A Review

BioEffect EGF Serum burst onto the UK scene around Christmas time last year. The product was developed and is made in Iceland. BioEffect EGF Serum claims to be a second generation anti-ageing serum that encourages the skin to repair itself,  to leave your skin with a healthier and fresher appearance by moisturising and at the same time inhibiting the signs of ageing. 

The serum contains just 9 ingredients - EGF (Epidermal Growth Factor) is the key ingredient in this product.  A substance which occurs naturally in human skin and which has the ability to speed up the rate of cell turnover within the skin.

Claims 

Suitable for all skin types.

Reverses the signs of ageing.

Diminishes uneven pigmentation.
Adds radiance and luminosity.
Moisturises deeply.
Eliminates dry spots.
Improves complexion.
Approved by Dermatologists.
The only plant derived EGF in skincare**.

My Experience

When the product launched in the UK you could claim a free sample from the website and at £125 for a 15ml bottle I was delighted there was an option to try before you buy!

Since then I have seen lots of people raving about how wonderful this product has been for them and I was getting more excited about the thought of incredible looking skin, a real transformation. Some people had mentioned their skin looked different after just one use.

I was sent a 3.5ml sample bottle with a dropper to dispense. I used this last week, perhaps the thought of hitting 34 sent me rushing to my bottle.... I used it as described, after cleansing at night. I used one drop as that seemed to be plenty.

Day 1 - It felt oily and didn't seem to absorb into my skin - I woke up with greasy looking skin

Day 2 - I tried it again and again I felt that it was just sitting on my skin. In the morning I looked at my skin and again saw no difference except oily, wet looking skin.

Day 3  - I noticed spots appearing on my skin and rather than my skin glowing it just looked oily and my skin is normally normal/combination.

I am afraid that I stopped using it after this as I just didn't like how it made my skin look or feel. It started to become oily and spotty. I think it was just too rich for me. Sadly it wasn't a miracle product for me and my serum search continues.

The company says that younger skin reacts more quickly to the serum than older skin. Many people notice changes after just a few days of use such as increased glow, moisture and a more even skin tone. It takes longer for the serum to exert its effect on deeper layers of the skin and for wrinkles to be reduced.

Have you tried this product, what did you think ?

Happy Birthday BeautySwot.com!

Yesterday BeautySwot.com celebrated its first birthday :-)

What a fantastic year it has been.

I can honestly say I struggle to remember a time before BeautySwot! In the last year I have discovered lots of fabulous new makeup and skincare. I have been fortunate to be invited to events and met many new friends in fellow bloggers and lovers of beauty products. I joined twitter and have enjoyed tweeting with people from all over the world and chatting not only about beauty but all manner of subject. I have created a facebook page for BeautySwot.com fans too. More recently I added an option to receive BeautySwot.com articles by email straight into your inbox.

Thank you all for reading, leaving comments and supporting me. I look forward to another beautiful year.

Make Up and Reading (Magazine Freebies)

The July issues of popular women's magazines have been a very good month for makeup addicts!

Marie Claire are offering a free Inika Mineral Eye Shadow in Gun Metal or Graphite Eyeliner worth approx £10

I went for the eye shadow - Look out for a smokey eyes of the day very soon!

Red Magazine are giving away a  free Jemma Kidd High- Shine Silk Touch  Lip gloss worth £14!  There are 3 fab shades to choose from  - A new shade of red created exclusively for Red Magazine, a Coral and a soft pink. I really couldn't decide but in the end I went for the Coral. I am glad I did it is really nice! I feel the urge to do a lips of the day to show you, very soon...

Glamour magazine are giving away a 4ml mini size of Benefit's benetint, high beam or posietint.

As I already own both high beam and posietint I have opted for benetint

Have you bought any of these magazines for the freebies on offer - which did you choose ?

The Friday Column

Games People Play - Joe South 1968


Oh the games people play now 
Every night and every day now
Never meaning what they say now
Never saying what they mean

(If you want to know the rest of the lyrics and listen to the song, it can easily be found by searching Youtube).

We sang this song at Primary School, we had a really nice teacher who loved singing and playing his guitar with us. At the time I didn't give a thought to the lyrics and just sang to my heart's content. 

I have recently found out that this song was probably inspired by a 1964 book by Psychiatrist Dr Eric Berne called Games People Play (The Psychology of Human Relationships) which focuses on the games people play when dealing with each other. I think this is really fascinating and am going to purchase it from Amazon to find out more.

What kind of a person are you ?

Are you a straight-talker, Are you blunt? Do you prefer to keep quiet until you are spoken to or are you jumping out of your skin to get your point of view heard? Do you believe in the old adage 'If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all? Or do you believe you have to be cruel to be kind ?

I personally believe if you cannot say anything nice, don't say anything at all. I would never say something to hurt someone's feelings, I just cannot do it. I am honest but I would rather hold my tongue then be cruel. At the other end of the scale I will not give an empty compliment, if I say 'I like your dress', I mean it.

Do you say things that you don't mean?

I remember once telling a boyfriend that I didn't want a Valentine's card (not thinking for one minute that he wouldn't get me one) So why was I surprised to not receive one. He responded with 'well you said..... '. When we say we are fine - are we really fine?  When we say 'No I don't need help' why do we then wonder why no one offers to help.

I know I have been guilty of expecting my husband to read my mind and then have been upset when he hasn't. We make a conscious effort to talk and be straight with each other, no game playing.

Roles

In the book Dr Berne identifies 3 roles/egos - Child, Parent and Adult, many negative behaviours can be traced to switching or confusion of these roles. He considers how these roles and how we approach people can  affect us in our work life. He shows how different approaches will result in different responses.  This all sounds really interesting to me and I look forward to analysing my own behaviour!

I am sure we have all at one time reverted to a childlike sulk when perhaps it would have been better to respond in a more adult-like manner!

Do you play games?

Skin Wisdom Day Spa Range By Tesco

Readers of BeautySwot.com know that I love everything and anything to do with Rose scents, so when I read in a Sunday Magazine recently that Tesco sold a bath and body oil with Rose and Geranium in their Skin Wisdom Day Spa Range, I was looking forward to trying it.

The range was created and is used by three UK Spas - Cupcake, Pure and Glow - and is available exclusively to Tesco.

Now I love to be pampered but don't often get the chance to take time out of my life and head to a Spa so home pampering is the next best thing. I do try on a Sunday morning to spend a little time treating myself to a soak and have been using this range.

The packaging is attractive and not dissimilar to Molten Brown's, which a lot of brands seem to be doing now.

Pure De-Stress Unwind Bath and Body Oil ((Rose and Geranium)


Disappointingly I cannot detect the Rose which I was hoping for, but it is a pleasantly sweet floral scent which nods more to the Geranium. This is a bargain bath and body oil whose scent rises beautifully in the steam of the bath. I like the fact that it is dispensed in a handy glass spray bottle (non messy). I find it calming and leaves my skin soft.

Pure De-Stress Shower and Bath Gel (Rose and Geranium)


This complements the above product nicely. It has the same scent, lathers nicely (a little goes a long way) and once again leaves the skin soft to touch

Very Enriched Skin Silk Shower and Bath Gel (Vanilla and Neroli) & Very Enriched Ultra Rich Body Butter

Once again the scent lends itself far more to the Neroli than Vanilla which is quite spicy. I like this scent a lot and something keeps drawing me back to smell it on my skin. I think that it has something unisex about it and my husband is happy to use it.  Just like the Rose and Geranium, a little goes a long way.

The body butter has the same familiar spicy scent. It is a thick rich butter but sinks easily into the skin and is non sticky.

Used in conjunction with each other the gel and body butter perform exactly like their descriptions. My skin is deliciously smooth and silky, far silkier than it has felt in a long time.

My only reservation with the gels are that they do contain SLS - which can be a skin irritant, which explains why they foam up nicely. I do try wherever possible to avoid products that do contain them but realise that so many mainstream products have them in.

Overall, I think this is a really expensive feeling pampering range which really performs and of excellent value for the cost conscious.

The products are currently on offer, making them even better value!

You can find them at Tesco stores or online at www.tesco.com.

*PR Samples

Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo - The One I Had Forgotten About

I have been getting great use of a Revlon Eye Shadow but when I dropped it and it smashed into smithereens I came across this in my make-up box.

Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo in Strawberry Fudge

I bought this as part of my wedding day make-up, have used it quite a few times since and then promptly put it aside as I acquired new eye-shadows. Now, I am back in love with this eye-shadow.

The packaging is classy, a mirrored case - 2 eye-shadows with a brush and mirror.

This is just perfect for Summer. The pink is an extremely gorgeous and flattering shimmer shade of golden pink partnered with what Clinique call a blushing brown. I would say a very wearable brown that looks darker in the palette than it appears on the skin.

The shadow is so easy to work and blend with, it is a nice creamy texture. There is no fall out and the shadow lasts for a reasonable time without fading, lasts even longer with a primer and doesn't crease. The colour pay off is good too - below is just one swipe on my fingertips (with flash!)

In natural light 

Clinique Colour Surge Eye Shadow Duo - Stawberry Fudge costs £19 

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today it is my birthday :-)

I don't know about you but I really enjoy birthdays. I look forward to plans  and gifts, usually surprises.. this year I have already had my present from my husband. He treated me by taking me to see Legally Blonde The Musical at The Savoy Theatre. I can highly recommend it, it was excellent and hugely entertaining.

As I haven't celebrated my birthday this year yet, I thought I would include a few pictures of me celebrating my birthday last year.

Here I am blowing out my candles to a most delicious cake from Lola's Kitchen

Hope you all have a lovely day!

Witch Skincare - Cleansing and Toning Wipes

I tend to only purchase wipes when I am going on holiday but after last years disaster with the Waitrose wipes I vowed that I would probably just take my usual cleanser with me.

As part of the bag of products I received at the Witch Event included wipes I thought I would give them a go.

I have been using these wipes when I have been too tired to cleanse properly at night..They contain witch hazel and help to tighten pores.

The wipes are actually really rather nice, they have a gorgeous and fresh scent, a bit zesty. They are a good size and quite thick. They don't sting (a real problem that I have with wipes) but they do leave it with a very slight tingling feeling which isn't at all unpleasant. I find that they do an excellent job of cleansing the skin, removing all my makeup and making my skin feel really clean and soft and not at all dry.

I would recommend these wipes and I would purchase them.

Witch Skincare Cleansing and Toning Wipes normally cost around £3 for 25 wipes but are currently on offer at Superdrug for £1.55!

Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion Mascara - Review

Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion Mascara is the newest mascara from Max Factor. It claims to be a 2 in 1 mascara achieving volume and length. It was created by combining Max Factor's mega volumising brush with its best lengthening formula.

I have to confess I have been pretty happy with all the Max Factor mascaras I have used, I think it is one thing that they do very well.

This mascara has a good size wand and head, not too big. so you can really catch every lash without it becoming a messy application experience. The brush head has both long and short bristles. In the picture below you can see the longer bristles on each side and the bristles facing are the short ones.

I think this is a good mascara, it is buildable so you can have a more natural look for day or vamp it up for evenings with more coats without the lashes hardening. It separated well with no clumping and I found there was no flakiness at all even after wearing it for a long time. Although, I am not entirely convinced about the volume side of things, I would have loved the mascara to have thickened my lashes a bit more.

Take a look below and let me know what you think.

Before

After 

Click for a closer look

I like the way the mascara fans my lashes

* I was sent black/brown for review but if I were purchasing I would probably buy black for more impact.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Fusion Mascara costs £11.99 but is on offer at Boots at the moment for £8.99