Cuticura Anti Bacterial Hand Washes

Hand washes have come a long way from just a floral choice of Rose or Lavender. With the onset of Winter there are lots of bugs going around, lots of illnesses that are spread just by poor hygiene so I do my bit and ensure that I wash my hands regularly so I can (hopefully) reduce my chances of getting ill and encourage my family to do the same.

I was sent the colourful new collection of hand washes from Cuticura to try out.

Cuticura say 

This technologically advanced trio of deep-cleansing anti bacterial hand washes remove 99.9% of bacteria fast and can protect from re-infection for up to 3 hours, without disturbing the skin's own protective barriers.

Salicyclic acid from Willow Bark and Sweet Birch trees combined with powerful natural extracts create a highly effective cleanser with anti-microbial properties. Its large molecular structure ensure long term protection from everyday bacteria.

With sense-inspiring odour neutralising fragrances and superior skin soothing properties, this collection of  hand washes are alcohol and paraben free.

My thoughts 

None of the scents are particularly girly so great for all the family and in an easy to use pump bottle that my five year old can use with ease (he did check and double check with me that they were hand wash, bless him)

Black Pepper & Pomegranate 

This hand wash is my favourite, sweet but with a hint of spicy pepper. Anti-oxidant Pomegranate (rich in Vitamin C, E and A combines with skin warming Black Pepper. Gorgeous fragrance.

Lime & Bamboo

My second favourite, This zingy scent is deliciously zesty and refreshing, this is my husband's favourite. Naturally anti bacterial Lime blended with calming and soothing Bamboo. Mmm, mmm.

Ginger & Manuka Honey

This does smell nice if you like ginger (not one of my favourite scents, generally) - the heat and warmth of ginger exudes from this and combines with sweet honey balances to make a stimulating handwash that feel reassuringly soothing, this just sounds good for you don't you think!

Cuticura Anti Bacterial Hand Washes cost £2.49 for 300ml

*PR Samples

Pivoine Flora & Cherry Blossom Hand Creams From L'Occitane

As part of my winter skincare regime I have purchased some wonderfully soft leather gloves to protect my hands when out in the elements. Of course, being the hand cream obsessive that I am a hand cream or two or three are never far out of reach.

Readers of BeautySwot.com will know that L'Occitane is a brand that I love and these gorgeous hand creams in a handy 30ml tube are perfect for popping in the handbag to apply anytime.

Both contain Shea Butter, are light and non greasy leaving skin feeling soft and silky.

Cherry Blossom containing cherry extract has a delicate fruity scent of cherries

Pivoine Flora contains grape oil and has the flowery scent of peonies.

L'Occitane 30ml Travel Size Hand Creams cost £8 each

Winter Cold Skin Saviours - Lanolips & Aromatherapy Associates

 For the past week I have been suffering from a cold and with it comes all the side effects... dry, cracked and splitting lips, sore nostrils from the constant streaming and sneezing, feeling snuffly and finding it hard to breathe. On top of that until today I had lost my sense of smell and only now it has still returned for things that have a STRONG scent. So as you can image on top of the sore throat and temperature I have not been feeling too well!

Well the lovely people at Lanolips and Aromatherapy Associates kindly sent me some products to try out..

I present to you a little winter cold survival kit that has been helping to ease my symptoms and make me feel a bit better :)

Top of my list is the humble pocket tissue, portable and a staple at home and in the handbag, I like the Luxury Soft Satin Tissues from Tesco - these are soft but strong and don't flake which super important.

Lemsip Cold & Flu sachets in Lemon - Lemsip really works but if you don't have any at home, a couple of paracetamols, honey and fresh lemon in hot water can help too..

Every time I opened my mouth (I talk a lot) or smiled my lip would split, Vaseline wasn't going to do the job (tried it)  so I turned to Lanolips 101 Ointment £11.22 in Boots. This has worked a treat, soothing and hydrating my dry, chapped lips and healing the recurring split so I am suffering no longer. I have also used it with success on my sore, red nose. This is also fab for popping out on the school run on cold mornings as it protects the lips and imparts a delicate sheen which I love.

Lanolips 101 Ointment is made from 100% Ultra Pure Grade Lanolin and Lanolin Oil. It is extremely rich and is best used warmed up. I rolled the tube between my hands to warm up the product and make it easier to squeeze out of the tube. It has no fragrance or colour (useful when I am applying to my nose!)

101 Ointment can also be used on dry, itching skin, cuticles and as it is baby friendly can be used on nursing nipples and more! The packaging is sweet and is perfect for carrying around.

I am finding the Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Essence £17 invaluable for easing congestion and stuffiness. It has really helped me to breathe and it smells so good! This essence contains Eucalyptus, tea-tree (anti-bacterial properties) and peppermint oils.

I find it soothing and calming, giving me such a sense of well being that I love sniffing a tissue with a few drops of it on it and inhaling ... gorgeous for anytime!

*Aromatherapy Associates Support Breathe Essence is not recommended in pregnancy 

Silver Glitter Polish - Spot The Difference

Two nail polishes - one is GOSH Glitter Matt Finish Frosted Sand Look in 01 Frosted Silver £3.99 and the other is 2True Pro Sequins Glitter Polish in Christy £4 and to be honest I cannot tell them apart...Every other nail is painted with one or the other..That said, they are both utterly gorgeous and perfect for Christmas party season. Fine silver glitter with slighter bigger silver chunks replicating sequins that ensures sparkly, eye catching nails. Just like a silver sequin dress!

I just applied one coat for this fabulous effect. Both were easy to apply and dried quickly.

I have seen the GOSH Frosted Sand in Gold gold version in the flesh and it is stunning too, going to be picking that one up!

Both GOSH and 2True are available from Superdrug

*PR Samples

JAPONESQUE Velvet Touch Foundation Review

I recently reviewed the JAPONESQUE Luminous Foundation and I mentioned that I would be reviewing the Velvet Touch Foundation next. It has to be noted that I am a firm lover of the liquid foundation format but I am not averse to trying out others so I was really rather curious to try this cream format.

JAPONESQUE say 

Feather-light whipped skin enhancer for a beautifully translucent matte skin base. Its imperceptible second-skin texture melts into the complexion leaving a weightless 'airbrushed' finish and velvety feel. Available in 8 shades.

My thoughts

Of the 4 sample shades I opted to try SHADE 5 which wasn't so bad for me. It was slighter warmer than my skintone but blended in it just meant I didn't need to add bronzer to warm it up. I don't know whether it was because of the cold weather but getting it out of the sample pod, the texture of the cream was quite hard but warmed up it was silky smooth to apply and blend. Actually it was really nice blending it in as it just appeared to melt into my skin, covering light blemishes and evening out skin tone. The finish is velvet and matte, skin feels wonderfully soft and smooth and looks it too.. I have to say I liked it a lot and the foundation lasted well, despite me having a cold and having to use tissues regularly. Flawless, smooth and long lasting, Velvet Touch receives a thumbs up from me. A great winter foundation.

Swatch of Velvet Touch Foundation in Shade 5

Wearing Velvet Touch Foundation in Shade 5 

JAPONESQUE Velvet Touch Foundation costs £24 for 19g and is exclusive to John Lewis

*PR Sample

Dentyl Active Smooth Mint Mouthwash Review

I let my husband review this mouthwash, he regularly uses mouthwash so I thought he was best placed to give an opinion on it. On a personal note however I want to say that it smells wonderfully minty - The bathroom smells just like he has showered in Original Source Mint and Tea Tree, which I absolutely love!

Dentyl say

Dentyl Active Smooth Mint Mouthwash is unique. Shake vigorously to physically activate the two-phases. When you swish and gargle, the advanced formula moves around the mouth powerfully attracting, lifting and absorbing the bacteria and debris that cause bad breath and plaque. Rinse out and you will see what has been removed - proof that it really works.

Dentyl Active Mouthwash helps to fight plaque, protect teeth and gums, and provides long lasting tingly freshness for up to 18 hours in a single use.

Dentyl Mouthwash has a unique formula that is :

Clinically proven
Advanced anti-bacterial action
Alcohol-free
Contains fluoride
Helps fight plaque bacteria
Cares for teeth and gums
Tastes great, does not sting
Helps fight 'morning breath' and severe cases of bad breath
Provides a mouth that's healthy and clean
Ultimate fresh breath confidence

My husband's thoughts

Nice fresh mint taste that leaves a long lasting freshness to the mouth, noticeably longer than other mouthwashes I have used. It feels cooling and a little icy at first but it doesn't sting. The fact that it is alcohol free is a huge plus and it doesn't leave the mouth feeling dehydrated or dry feeling which ones that do contain alcohol do after the initial fresh feeling. You need to shake the bottle to mix the two phases of the product, makes me smile as it reminds me of Orangina (Shake the bottle, wake the drink), and when you spit it out you can see the nasty things that have been removed, coated in greeny/blueness... nice!

Dentyl Active Smooth Mint Mouthwash 500ml costs £3.15

*PR Sample

Lush Scents - For One Month Only....

Fallen in love with the scent of your favourite lush product, ever wondered how fab it would be if there was a perfume with that scent.. well wonder no more! Exciting news for Lush fans - For one month only the top selling fragrances have been turned into a liquid perfume and are available to purchase online from www.lush.co.uk

The five limited scents are

Snowcake (£23 for 30g)
This sweet smelling marzipan fragrance has all the delicious warmth of an almond pastry or a crisp macaroon. With sweet benzoin resinoid, floral rose absolute and the blackcurrant fruitiness of cassie absolute, this is a cosy, comforting fragrance that’s just perfect to see you through the long cold winter.

Lush products that share the Snowcake scent include… Marzipan Bubble Bar, Smitten hand cream and Snowcake soap.

Snow Fairy (£25 for 30g)
Christmas just wouldn’t be complete without the sweet fragrance of Snow Fairy. If you love pear drops, candy floss and dolly mixtures, let Snow Fairy send you on a fluffy pink journey of fragrance that will keep you smelling sweet and tasty.

Lush products that share the Snow Fairy scent include… Snow Fairy Shower Gel, Candy Mountain bubble bar, Magic Wand bubble bar and Snow Fairy sparkle bar.

Ponche (£23 for 30g)

A fiesta of fragrance, bursting with fruity energy and exotic oil, Ponche is just the thing to pair with your best dress and high heels. The citrus scent of pettigrain oil combines with exotic davana and buchu oils to create something really special. Ponche is inspired by a boozy fruit punch that’s traditional in Mexico. Refreshing and juicy, Ponche is a joyful and uplifting perfume with a real kick.

Lush products that share the Ponche scent include… Ponche Shower Gel.

Calacas (£25 for 30g)

This fruity fragrance smells deliciously of lime and jelly beans and will put a smile on the face of all who wear it. Lime and neroli oils give Calacas its citrus edge, with earthy frankincense (olibanum) to give a rich depth to the perfume.

Calacas is a favourite from Halloween past and used in Calacas shower jelly, The Enchanter bath bomb and Lady Catrina soap.
Rose Jam (£30 for 30g)

With real Turkish rose oil, rose absolute, a hint of zingy lemon and dash of geranium oil, the beautiful Rose Jam fragrance is one of the Lush’s most popular scents. Rich, fruity and luxurious, Rose Jam is a modern, youthful perfume that’s nothing like the old-fashioned rose scents found on your grandma’s dressing table.

Lush products that share the Rose Jam scent include… Bubbleroon, Ro’s Argan body conditioner and Rose Jam shower gel.

Reading these descriptions I am most tempted by Rose Jam, Snow Fairy and Snowcake, mmm!... Which ones are you tempted by?

These limited perfumes are available from 22nd November for one month only.

Melvita Rose Shower Cream

Melvita say 

This Rose Shower Cream offers a smooth lather and a delicious natural fragrance without drying the skin, preserving the balance of even the most delicate skins.
Combining an extra-gentle, soap-free washing base with a subtle cocktail of Rose seed milk, Musk Rose oil and floral water, it makes your skin feel softer and more comfortable.

My thoughts 

This shower cream feels soft and silky as it glides across the skin. It has a wonderful light rose fragrance (I am a huge fan of rose scents) that is nothing like the old fashioned heavy Rose scent that a lot of people find overbearing, using this whilst shaving my legs I found it to be non irritating. Gentle, comforting and skin smoothing. Provides a pleasurable bathing experience. Skin is left feeling wonderfully soft. A lovely natural skincare product.

Melvita Rose Shower Cream 200ml costs £10 but I have noticed it on their website for a rather bargainous £5 right now!

*PR Sample

Boots Star Gift - Sanctuary Spa Ultimate Glow Pamper Tin!

You know Christmas is fast approaching when Boots launch their weekly Star Gift bargain and this week's one from Sanctuary Spa is a cracker!

For just £19* (value £40) this top to toe pamper tin contains the following

Body Wash (250ml)
Body Lotion (250ml)
Spa Skin Body Polisher
Radiance Exfoliator (100ml)
Fresh Faced Purifying Wash (140ml)
Spa Facial Headband
Pumice Foot Scrub (50ml)
Moisture Rich Foot Butter (50ml)
Spa Pedicure Foot File

A delightful box of gorgeous goodies for some home pampering I think you will agree!

Snap it up fast from today in store and on the Boots website, whilst stocks last.

*£19 price is for one week only when it will revert back to £40

Keeping Warm This Winter With Moccis Slippers

These gorgeous slippers arrived just in time for the Winter cold snap. With the weather turning decidedly chilly and heating bills climbing keeping feet warm is a priority. I hate my feet being cold and I find that if the floor is too cold that I end up having cramps and spasms in my toes so to be snuggly is to be happy.

I have been wearing these handmade MOCCIS Moccasins Leather Slippers in Rock'N'Roll and have enjoyed warm, cosy toes. They are soft, comfortable and the leather soles mean that on my wooden/laminate flooring I don't slip and they feel sturdy on the carpets too. Soft and flexible I find them really comfortable to wear and move in and not at all restrictive. The double stitched ankles ensure they stay on my feet.

I chose the black with white stars version but there is a wide choice of prints and some exceptionally fun looking ones. Rita Ora instagrammed a pic of her wearing the penguin ones! Got to say I am tempted by some more fun prints now :)

MOCCIS Slippers are available for adults, junior and babies... The ones pictured are the adult version and cost £59.97.

Visit www.moccis.co.uk for more details

*PR Sample

Alter Ego Hairdryer From Ego Professional - Review

My hair is long, thick and porous and as a result it can take me ages to dry it ready for straightening. In the past this has meant many times leaving the house with a style unfinished.. however what I have learnt is that not all hairdryers are the same. When I lived at home I was spoilt, my mum had a professional hairdryer. When I bought my own (different brand, much cheaper..) I wondered why it would take me literally hours to dry my hair...

I did buy a more fairly expensive hairdryer (over £50 under £100) but it is quite heavy so after a while my arm begins to ache and it is noisy so I kind of regret it now. I probably should have bought one over the £100 mark like this one that I have been trying out from Ego Professional because it is only when you try better that you realise what you have been missing!

The Alter Ego Hairdryer 

The Alter Ego is a Sunny Dryer as opposed to a Windy Dryer.

Windy Dryers blast out air and blow water molecules off the hair. Imagine it’s raining on your car windscreen and a gust of wind comes along. It blows the water molecules clean off the screen and this is essentially how a windy dryer operates.

Sunny Dryers use gentle, yet strong heat to penetrate deep into the hair shaft. Back in the car if the sun shines after a rain shower, on the windscreen you can actually see the water molecules reducing in size until they disappear. The sunny dryers evenly distribute heat from the inside out, meaning less damage and healthier hair.

Alter Ego say

The Alter Ego's  ‘far infrared’ technology achieves quicker results than conventional heaters as it uses HW2 technology to emit negative ions which evaporate excess water off more quickly. The remaining moisture is broken down and then absorbed and locked into the individual hair strands. This deeper heating means hair can be styled more quickly and the results are healthier and last much longer.

Static electricity is also eliminated using this far infrared styling because the negative ions manage to smooth and seal the hair's scale like outer structure, the cuticle. With it being sealed and smooth, the cuticle layer protects the hair shaft from chemicals, the elements and daily abuse. It also helps to reflect light more brilliantly, create less frizz, fewer tangles and it polishes any style to a silky-smooth, jewel like shine.

It combines the precious gemstone, Tourmaline – an electrically charged mineral, considered one of nature’s most potent emitters of negative ions and far infrared heat - with the 4000 year old mineral rich red earth of the mountainous forests of Korea. Together they harness the power of far-infrared rays and anions and the double-sided honeycomb shaped HW2 molecules. The result is a fantastic dryer that actively removes toxins and static from each hair while reducing styling time, retaining moisture and cushioning the hair from direct and damaging heat. HW2 is the best of nature and the ultimate in technology to give amazing, healthy, sleek and shiny hair.

Features

Ceramic and Tourmaline
10 ft swivel chord
Ultra lightweight
8 heat and speed settings, including a cool setting
1700 Watts

My thoughts 

Well this dryer is quieter than my usual dryer, is much lighter than my dryer, has a very useful longer chord so I can stretch it to my mirror to see my styling and dries my hair in less than 10 minutes! (I timed it) My hair is left smooth, feeling silky soft and it has reduced the amount of flyaways. Fantastic.

The only thing that I find slightly irritating is that the controls are right where my hand holds the dryer and they are very sensitive to touch and so you can end up switching off the dryer without intending to.

Alter Ego Dryer from Ego Professional has an RRP £109.99 - call 0845 230 9660 for stockist information

*PR Sample

Mavala Christmas Baubles

I love these Christmas Baubles from Mavala, coming in two festive hues Rouge Rubis, a sparkling red or Pure Diamond, a dazzling silver for a glittery and striking finish they make a perfect present for a polish lover or a fabulous decoration for your tree that can then be used! They cost £5 each and are available from John Lewis Stores.

Beauty Look - Smokey Plum Eyes Using The Body Shop Smoky Plum Eye Palette

I am not a major fan of big palettes of eye shadows as I find that I always seem to use up my favourites whilst other shades are languishing barely touched, but what I am a fan of are quad palettes that provide a step by step guide on how to use and where to put the shades. A bit like painting by numbers, they make my life a lot easier.. as soon as I saw this limited edition 4 Colour Eye Palette in Smoky Plum from The Body Shop I knew I had to try it. I thought the shades would look beautiful with green eyes.

The eye shadows come in a sturdy black casing with a mirror and it also features two brushes which fit inside -a mini eyeshadow brush and a mini eyeliner brush. This is a really nice compact and is small enough to carry around if you do need to touch up. The eyeshadows are very smooth to apply, easy to blend and build on if necessary and I found I had very little fall out. Excellent quality and a nice result. Foolproof in fact.

Close up of the four shades

Swatches

The finished Smokey Plum Eyes look complete with lashings of mascara and lined with Inika's Black Caviar eyeliner pencil, I love it.

The Body Shop 02 Smoky Plum Eye Shadow Palette costs £15

*PR Sample

JAPONESQUE Luminous Liquid Foundation Review

Recently I attended an event to introduce JAPONESQUE makeup, available exclusively to John Lewis, the brand is known for its beauty tools and brushes but have launched a beautiful makeup collection. Born from a desire to create something truly unique this range of colour cosmetics epitomises that concept: The swirled packaging of each product is a one of a kind individual work of art created from a unique blend of gel pigments that flow and blend before setting – no two will ever be the same. The collection features foundations, powders, eye shadows, blushers, mascara, lipsticks, glosses and more.

I was given a foundation sampler booklet and today I am reviewing the Luminous Foundation and shortly I will be reviewing the Velvet Touch Foundation.

JAPONESQUE say 

Flawless liquid makeup. Exquisitely moist liquid foundation for the perfect balance of skin dewiness and flawless coverage. Exceptionally supple texture to layer, blend and customise your coverage. Creamy and comfortable to wear, skin looks radiant and perfectly balanced.

Swatch of Shade 4

I have left an area uncovered so you can see the difference when applied

My thoughts

I tried Shade 4 which was the perfect match for me - the others being either too pale or too dark. The foundation is quite runny but feels quite dry to apply so I feel that you need to work quickly with it. It disappears fast into the skin leaving a lovely, flawless appearance and no hint (for me) of the slight redness that I suffer with. I preferred to wear it without a primer as I found it just didn't require it. I think that it looks fresh and bright and it photographs well.

Here I am wearing Luminous Foundation 

JAPONESQUE Luminous Foundation costs £24 and is available from John Lewis

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil For Hair - Review

If you are looking for fuss free hair care then you should look no further than at the Dove Pure Care Dry Oil..Wash and condition hair, apply 4-5 drops of the oil before blow drying (I have thick, long hair) and personally I like to add a couple more drops before using hair straighteners. Nothing more complicated than that to achieve Salon beautiful hair. Suitable for all hair types.

Dove say 

A precious treat infused with African Macadamia OIl for beautifully supple hair. The lightweight, non greasy formula with intensive nourishing properties, instantly helps replenish lipids, softens and adds shine.

For best results, rub 3-4 drops between the palms of your hands and apply to clean, damp hair evenly from mid-length to ends. Blow dry or leave to dry naturally. Also use pre-shampoo as a nourishing treatment, or before styling to protect your hair and control frizz.

My thoughts 

A weightless oil that smells wonderful and is easy to use. Leaves hair super soft, smooth, sleek and shiny. A one product treatment that works miracles. I absolutely love it!

Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Nourishing Treatment For Hair costs £9.99 for 100ml

*PR Sample

The Joyful Gingerbread House - The Body Shop Christmas

How cute is this Christmas Gift from The Body Shop ?

The Joyful Gingerbread House features two festive scents - Cranberry Joy and Ginger Sparkle and contains 2 x 60ml Shower Gels,  2 x 50ml Body Butters and a cream crinkle shower puff.

Both scents are utterly gorgeous and exactly what you would expect from The Body Shop - a real Christmas treat.

Cranberry Joy is sweet and fruity.

Ginger Sparkle is a little bit spicy and yet fresh (my favourite and I normally hate anything Ginger!!)

The Gingerbread School House Gift Box is a Community Fair Trade Box handmade by Get Paper Industries in Nepal and by purchasing this gift (along with many others this Christmas) you will be helping to raise money for The School Project. £200,000 from the sale of gifts will go towards building 5 schools for the Fair Trade Partners. A worthy cause.

The Joyful Gingerbread House costs £17 and is available from The Body Shop

*PR Sample

Beauty Look - Red Lips

Friday night and the red lips are out. I think it is much easier to apply a bold lip with a lip brush so I used the Kiko Lips 300 Retractable Brush for precision application. This meant I was able to get a lovely cupid's bow in my lips. On my eyes I used Benefit's Peek-A-Bright Eyes Illuminating Eye Kit and for some extra definition I used a black eyeliner pencil from Pur Minerals.

The red lipstick? A lovely and moisturising tomato red colour from Bare Minerals Marvelous Moxie Range in shade Live It Up.

Swatch of Live It Up

If you want to tone down this super bright look you can do so by using a gloss, I used New CID Cosmetics i-gloss in Coconut Ice which has a cool shimmer to it. Glossy but pared down red for a gorgeous pout (this is fab for Christmas Parties too)

My Lulu Guinness Lips :)

*I am not a makeup artist, I just enjoy playing with makeup

Beauty Look - Purple Lips & Eyes - Purple Haze

Having eyeshadow palettes with berries and and purples I thought it would be a nice idea to try and bring some more colour to my face. Now it just so happens that various hues of purple shades are fab for making my green eyes pop and the whites of my eyes even whiter. I used two palettes - this brilliant one from Kiko Lounge Warm Tones and one that is US only - Pur Minerals Beautiful Creatures Eyeshadow Palette.

As I have small eyes I concentrated the darker shades in the sockets and corners of my eyes and finished with lashings of black mascara. I used the Berry Lip Shine from No7 on my lips as it is an easy way to wear darker lipstick. For the warmth in my cheeks I contoured with Smashbox Blush Silhouette in Rush and then applied a pinker toned blush Liz Earle Healthy Glow Blush in Rose.

* I am not a makeup artist, just enjoy playing with makeup

Simple Kind To Skin + Radiance Brightening Wipes - Lazy Girl Cleansing

Party season equals party makeup but it also equals late nights.. and this is where some lazy girl cleansing comes into play. Facial wipes are perfect for the odd occasion, fast, non messy and convenient.

I find that a lot of wipes can be quite harsh on my skin, leaving it red and sore as I try to remove all my makeup so I was curious to try these ones from Sensitive Skin Experts - Simple. If I am going to scrimp on my usual cleansing routine I want to make sure the cheat's way is going to also be effective and is still taking care of my skin.

Simple say 

Radiance Brightening Wipes are a perfect blend of gentle cleansers, skin-loving ingredients and mango extract to cleanse and remove impurities. With added moisturisers. Perfect even for sensitive skin.

3 Skin loving ingredients
- Mango
- Glycerin
- Bisabolol

No alcohol or Oil - Non drying and non greasy

No artificial colour or perfume

My thoughts 

The wipes are a decent size, reasonably thick and are unscented. I find that they are gentle, they don't make my skin sore or red. Skin is left cleansed, feeling soft, not tight and not sticky. It effectively removes heavy makeup and is gentle enough to use on my eyes and mascara removal, I only need one wipe to remove everything. Great party season essential.

Simple Kind To Skin + Radiance Brightening Wipes costs £4.19 for 25 wipes

*PR sample

What's Inside The November 2013 GlossyBox

November's GlossyBox was delivered on a cold, wet and sodden day. Unfortunately by the time I received it the outer box was soaking wet and this had penetrated the inner box to a very small extent. The theme for this month's box of five samples is based around Winter Beauty Essentials. This month the box also includes a glossy mini magazine to read with tips on the perfect Winter red and dark plum lipsticks and more.

So what is inside my November 2013 GlossyBox ?

Elegant Touch Rapid Dry for Nails - Full Size £3

I haven't tried this out but as the name suggest this spray promises to dry nail polish in 60 seconds whilst also conditioning cuticles and leaving the nails glossy. I am looking forward to putting this to the test as I am so impatient when it comes to polishes drying and always seem to manage to smudge them! Watch this space.

Yves Rocher France Hand Cream - Full size £1.95 

Being the hand cream obsessive that I am this has already found its way into my handbag. This is a gorgeous light fluid and runny hand cream that smells just like a Terry's Chocolate Orange which personally I love, although it does make me want to eat my hands. However, the scent is not overpowering and it doesn't linger too long. Hands are left silky soft. This is from the Festive Winter collection from Yves Rocher France.

Vichy Idealia Life Serum 2 x 3ml samples - £29.50 for 30ml & a 3ml Idealia Smoothing and Illumination Cream. (value of samples £7)

I love my serums asd the Vichy Idealia Life Serum was on my to try list so I will be trying this sooner than I thought.

B. Quick One Coat Professional Finish Nail Polish - Full Size £4.99

In the box is a bottle of polish from Superdrug's own brand B. I received shade Mermaid which is a greeny/blue teal colour. It is not really a shade that I would get much use out of so I will be gifting it. It dries super fast and one coat achieves opacity. I liked the wide brush and it was easy to apply.

Emite Make Up Micronized Eyeshadow in Dams - £16.80

Completely free from oil, nickel, parabens and perfume. It has been finely milled and is silky like in texture. I love the idea of this eyeshadow and would probably have loved it if it had been in a colour that I use a lot. My shade is black and as I have small eyes I tend to wear lighter colours to open up the eye so again I would probably not use this much if at all. However, if you do like creating smokey dark eyes this would be a fabulous addition. Emite Make Up is not a brand I have come across before but after all GlossyBox is all about discovering something new..

Final thoughts 

Value wise this box delivers with four full size products and a value of over £34. It is a shame that you cannot choose shades that you would probably get more use out of, now that would be fantastic.

GlossyBox is £10 + P&P

*PR Sample

Dove Style+Care Range - New!

I am very excited about the new Dove Style + Care range. I was recently invited to try out the products with a styling session with Celebrity Stylist and Dove Hair Ambassador Christian Wood. Christian decided to give me a Jennifer Aniston straight sleek do which I was delighted with because if you know me you will know that Jennifer is my hair icon...

On my already dried hair that he was going to be restyling he used the Heat Protect Spray, the Frizz Free Shine Cream Serum in preparation for the blowdry. He finished my style by applying the Nourishing Dry Ends Serum to the ends of my hair for that ultra smooth and sleek finish. I was incredibly impressed.. I thought my hair WAS sleek and smooth when I arrived but Christian took it to a whole other level! When I picked up my son from school the other mums loved my new do and actually thought I had had it cut and coloured!!

Before I wrote about the products however (as always) I wanted to try out the products for myself, were they easy to use and could I achieve sleek smooth perfection at home.. and the answer? A big fat yes!

Dove are well known for their body care range but I have a feeling this hair collection is going to be very popular indeed. There are four products in this affordable collection and each product costs less than £5 - They all smell so nice, slightly fresh but sweetie like.

Dove Refresh+Care Dry Shampoo £4.59

Can be used on clean hair to add extra oomph and volume to the roots. I have been using it to revive and refresh my hair when I have been needing to go out but not had any time to wash and style my hair. It smells amazing and has none of the white powder effect that comes from other dry shampoos. It is made with aluminium starch and absorbs dirt and oil brilliantly. A fabulous time saving product.

Dove Style+Care Heat Protect Spray £4.59

Using a hairdryer and following this with a hair straightener makes a heat protection spray a must. This one protects hair from heat damage up to 230 degrees. Conditioning agents and silicone provide shine whilst protecting hair. Apply to towel dried hair.

Dove Style+Care Frizz Free Shine Cream £4.59

This is my favourite product in the collection. The cream is so light and doesn't weigh hair down meaning it won't look lank the next day. It also does a great job in preventing frizz and fluff when it is damp outside. Nourishing for the hair but providing the shine of a serum it is smoothing and softening.

Dove Style+Care Nourishing Dry Ends Serum £4.59

I like to use this serum like Christian did, just on the ends of my hair for extra sharp sleekness. It reduces flyaways and makes the ends look suitably healthy (I need a haircut!) Perfect handbag product that can be applied at anytime.

The result - Smooth, sleek, glossy and healthy looking hair. I am fan.

Dove Style+Care range is available from major supermarkets and chemists.

*PR Samples

Shu Uemura Holiday Collection 2013 Collaboration With Takashi Murakami

I think my favourite beauty Christmas collection is the enchanting Shu Uemura Holiday Collection for 2013. Shu Uemura have collaborated with artist Takashi Murakami to feature artwork based on on the upcoming animation series 6HP (Six Hearts Princess).  The holiday collection focuses on the pink and black princess characters as feminine icons. The art work on the packaging is really quite stunning and whether you choose to buy something for yourself or as a gift, it will be guaranteed to be appreciated.

My top picks 

I fell in love with the eye and cheek parallel palettes £60 each

On the left is the Heart-full Pink Parallel Palette which is a collection of of iridescent white, yellow, pink, orange and brown, perfect for creating a feminine and romantic look.

My favourite however is the Enchanted Black Parallel Palette which in my opinion is the only palette you will need for Christmas party season. I absolutely love all the shades and the silky smooth texture of the shadows that make them so incredibly easy to blend and shade. Glamourous, darker and more provocative.. the colours complement a red lip or a nude lip if you fancy going for a dark smokey eye. Silver, gold, white/pink highlight shade, light purple, purple, black with silver particles and emerald green and a perfect pink blush.

The palette and swatches 

Swatches of the Enchanted Black Parallel Palette

Wearing the gold and black shades from the Enchanted Black Parallel Palette

The Lip & Cheek Fun-tasy £20 lip and cheek tints are in cute gold tubes and would make great gifts. There are five shades available - dream pink, fuchsia fun-tasy, heroine rose, princess coral and magical red.

A few (heavy) swatches 

Also seen in the picture are the Soft Gel Pencils £20 in a green grey and a gorgeous purple.

The Shu Uemura collection would not be complete without some fabulous and fantastical lashes.. I don't wear false lashes but these are too pretty not to mention.

Premium Edition - Black Jewel On Wing £50 

Decorated with super long feather-like lashes, gold sequins and purple rings - I saw these applied and they were an absolute show piece.

Natural false Eyelashes - Princess Love in Wink £25

Sweet in pink and brown with a heart shaped stone in the corner these are so sugary sweet.

So the only question is .. which princess are you, The Pink Princess or the Dark Princess?

The Shu Uemura Holiday Collection 2013 is out now, available from Selfridges and from Shu Uemura online 

*PR sample