A Perfect Weekend Away In London

Pre our son my husband and I would think nothing of booking a weekend away. Even though we were born and bred in London some of our favourite weekend trips have been spent in London, staying in a nice hotel and just doing the tourist thing. I find that when you live in London you can become blind to all it has to offer, and opt to go further afield. However, we have so much literally on our doorstep so why waste time travelling and take in some more of the local sites. I have seen so much but there is so much that I have yet to discover!

Getting away these days is a lot harder now that we have our 5 year old to consider but that doesn't stop me planning a perfect weekend away in my head, dreaming and imagining of all the fun things I would like to do.

First things first, I would choose and book a Central London hotel online and would look at using Hotel Direct who offer a great choice of hotels, most of which have spa facilities.

My perfect weekend in London would of course include my husband for company; we would start with a leisurely breakfast at Leyas in Camden. It is an independent coffee shop serving a delicious brunch menu at weekends. I would have Eggs Benedict as it is tasty and filling, a glass of orange juice and a latte to set me up for the day. We would amble down the road to Camden Market, a must visit destination and get a bite to eat from one of the many street kitchens. The variety of choice is huge, so there really is something for everyone there.

Making our way back to Central London, we will take in a West-End show. I love plays and musicals and have seen quite a few over the years. On this occasion I fancy seeing a matinee performance of the musical The Jersey Boys which has been on my to see list for quite a while now. Dinner would be fun and relaxing at Belgian favourite Belgos restaurant in Covent Garden for dinner and drinks, it isn't romantic as it is far too noisy but there is plenty of time for that...if it is a nice evening we will no doubt end up in a Cocktail bar, mine is a White Russian or a refreshing Mojito.

Next morning we will visit a museum, a revisit to The Victoria and Albert or perhaps The Charles Dickens Museum would be great, take a walk in a Royal Park and make a visit to Fortnum and Mason for a bit of food shopping. Heading back to the hotel our afternoon will be spent enjoying one of my favourite past-times afternoon tea and some indulgent spa treatments. Nothing less than a full body massage will do for me to relax body and mind, ready for the week ahead. If time allows a facial or manicure would be nice and then use of the spa facilities.

Oh yes that pretty much sums up my perfect weekend.

How about you?

*Sponsored post 

Facial Mists

A facial spritz/cooling spray has been part of my holiday beauty bag since my 20's but it used to be Evian that I took and I would use it to cool down during the day in the heat, certainly never wearing my makeup by the pool.

However, more recently I have been using a Facial Mist during the winter months for a boost of hydration and to pep up my tired looking skin during the day. Great for spraying mid afternoon the facial mist has given my skin a dewy look and freshened up my makeup for a more radiant appearance. This way I have found I can add things like blusher to refreshed skin rather than add more foundation and layer even more make up on to dry skin (does that make sense?) or washing off and starting again!

Not entirely a beauty essential but a welcome addition to mine...just close your eyes, spray and enjoy reaping the benefits.

Two that I am liking -

Simple Kind To Skin Moisture Boost Hydro Mist Spray 50ml £5.99*

Perfect for sensitive skin, this has no scent and feels really gentle. This mist absorbs into the skin pretty much instantly (don't rub it in) to give nice dewy skin with a nice cooling effect. Small enough to pop into your handbag.

Simple say 

2 Skin Loving Nutrients: Lotus Flower for optimum hydration and Glycerin hydrates and nourishes

2 Vital Vitamins: Pro-Vitamin B5 actively restores, softens and smoothes and Vitamin E moisturises to improve skin condition

No Perfume, No Colour, No Unnecessary Ingredients and No Harsh Chemicals so it won’t upset your skin.

Dermatologically Tested and Approved

Anatomicals Spray Misty For Me Facial Spritz 100ml £6**

Refresh, hydrate and cool down with this wonderfully scented calming facial spritz which contains lavender and peppermint extracts. Ideal for after cleansing, refreshing or setting makeup. This is great for Summer too.

Next on my list to try ... Jurlique Rosewater Balancing Mist 

*PR Sample
**Glossybox inclusion

Models Own HyperGel Gel Effect Polish in Naked Glow - Nails Of The Day

Today I fancied going nude and Models Own HyperGel Gel Effect Polish in Naked Glow is a fabulous, creamy, dreamy nude shade. As with the other shades in the collection this dries to a wonderful gel effect glossy finish.

Love it.

Models Own HyperGel Gel Effect Polish is available in 10 shades and costs £5

*It took two coats to achieve opacity

**PR Sample

Gu After Dark Gu-zullionaires's Puds

Gu say

A decadent evolution of the classic millionaires’ shortbread: chocolate biscuit crumb, salted caramel made with sea salt from Guérande in western France, treacle-infused cheesecake and our richest ever ganache.

I say 

Decadence in every spoonful! Seriously delicious pudding that is worth the indulgence.

I don't often have desserts at home but every so often passing the trolley down the aisles something catches my eye that I find impossible to resist. On this occasion it was the offer of a half price Gu pud. My only decision was which to go for, something I had tried before or throw caution to the wind and try something new.. well I opted for the try something new and picked Gu-Zillionaires Pud. It was the promise of salted caramel that enticed me.

So what do you get - a crumbly, barely together chocolate biscuit base. A soft, smooth and creamy treacle tasting cheesecake middle. A wonderful layer of sweet and salty salted caramel and finally a rich chocolate ganache to break through on the top, complete with tiny gold nuggets. The result.. one of the most perfect desserts I have ever tasted.

Yum, yum and thrice yum.

They come in a pack of two for sharing, alternatively noone is going to think any worse of you if you eat them both...

Autograph Ultimate Shine Twist-Up Lip Colour in Strawberry - Red Lipstick

Another crayon style lipstick and this time it is from Marks and Spencer Autograph range - Autograph Ultimate Shine Twist-Up Lip Colour in Strawberry. Coming in smart glossy black and silver packaging it looks expensive but comes in at a very reasonable £9.50.

I wore this glorious red lip colour on Valentine's Day. The ever popular stick formula design made it really easy to apply and create a good shape on my lips negating the need for a separate lip brush. It is a full pigment lipstick that only needs one application for full coverage, with a glossy finish (but not overly so in this Strawberry Shade) and feels soft and light just like a balm. This red shade was uber flattering on my skin tone and I found it easy to wear, without feeling overly made up and out there like some red shades can make me feel. Its lasting power was not that great but I am not overly bothered about that, however as a bonus it did fade evenly.

Swatch of Autograph Ultimate Shine Twist-Up Lip Colour in Strawberry

My Valentine's Day Makeup 

I wore the red lipstick with a neutral blush and a navy Kohl eyeliner which I just applied to my lower eyes. Having never done it like this before I found it to be really effective.

Oh and I should mention that this is the first red that my husband hasn't commented with.. isn't that a bit bright.. but instead said wow, you look nice! Winner

Autograph Ultimate Shine Twist-Up Lip Colour in Strawberry £9.50 from Marks and Spencer

*PR Sample

Higher Living Sweet Chai Drink - Review

I absolutely love this Sweet Chai drink from Higher Living, I have switched from drinking normal tea with milk to having Sweet Chai a couple of times a day as it is just so nice.

Sweet Chai from Higher Living is an Organic Herb Infusion which is naturally Caffeine free.

Ingredients - Licorice, Fennel, Anise, Peppermint, Ginger, Cardomom, Cloves, Black Pepper.

To try it properly I made it a few different ways to see which one I liked best, I tried making a chai latte with milk. It was nice enough but the flavours didn't come through enough for me. I tried it with almond milk which was ok as well. However, the way I liked it best was just the bag, left to brew in freshly boiled water for 5 minutes. The full beautiful chai flavours and taste come through. Pure and simple.

This drink is quite different to what I normally would opt for so I was surprised at just how much I did like it. Spicy, a tiny bit peppery but with a gorgeous sweetness that consumes the mouth as an aftertaste. If you like sweet things this hits the spot nicely. Actually what I liked most about it was that each sip potentially could taste a tiny bit different from the one before.

Very, very nice, I already plan to restock.

Higher Living Sweet Chai 15 bags costs £1.99

Look out for a couple more Higher Living reviews....coming soon.

*PR Sample

Mandara Spa Giveaway - New Winners Drawn!

I have redrawn 4 winners as the others didn't get in touch so look below to see if you are a lucky winner and get in touch - email bettina@beautyswot.com with your details to where you would like your prize sent to!

Congratulations to ...

Jane Willis
Clare Woodman
Maggie Fawcett
Vicki LTBeautyBlog

Well done ladies

x

JAPONESQUE Lash Lengthening Mascara Review

I have worn this JAPONESQUE Lash Lengthening Mascara quite a few times now, I keep pulling it out of the makeup bag as it is a good, decent and reliable mascara.

JAPONESQUE say

High definition lengthening mascara. Pro Performance defining mascara to stretch your lashes to incredible heights.

Lush, elastic formulation dresses each and every lash with rich inky colour, while innovative diamond shaped bristles provide optimal separation for exceptional definition and length. Slim precision brush captures and coats every lash for the finest fanned-out effect.

The unique geometric placement of bristles provides lengthening and radial dispersion of product and allows the lashes to flow through, giving excellent pay-off.

My thoughts

I like the wand a lot. Straightforward and easy to use, no complicated instructions on this mascara!, Short clean bristles allow you to get close to the lashes and reach even the smaller ones. The wand separates lashes for definition and lengthens them beautifully with a nice rich black coating of colour. I like this mascara for everyday wear.

Before 

After

JAPONESQUE Lash Lengthening Mascara £18

*PR Sample

Kiko Overblown Volume Mascara Review - With Before & After Pics

Kiko Overblown Volume mascara is the latest mascara from the Italian brand and this one has one of the messiest wands I have ever seen.

Here is a close up of the brush

Kiko say

Mascara with an extreme volume effect to give fullness and definition to the lashes together with an elegant, feminine curl.

The elastomeric maxi-applicator increases the volume of eyelashes, dressing them in intense black with a shiny finish.

The fluid formula, together with the special shape of the brush, separates the lashes and gives them an attractive curl. The brush allows the mascara to be evenly distributed and can even reach the smallest lashes in the eye corners. The flexible bristles are in two lengths, the longer for combing the lashes from root to end and the shorter ones at the tip for making up the lower lashes, giving maximum definition to the eyes. During the easy and buildable application, the supple texture envelops and emphasizes the eyelashes without leaving any residue.

My thoughts

I am all for volume mascaras and this one doesn't disappoint, providing nice curl and thick, well defined lashes that stand out. You really only need to apply one coat to make impact, two coats starts to get messy and a bit too thick looking. I like the intense black shade and for the price (under a tenner) this is an incredibly decent mascara.

You can see the results for yourself below. What do you think?

Before 

After

Kiko Overblown Volume Mascara costs £9.90 

*PR Sample

Valentine's Day Outfit - What I Wore

The weather was hideous, cold, wet and windy so I think my Valentine's Day outfit was pretty appropriate under the circumstances!

My whole outfit revolved around this Navy Heart Motif Jumper from Wallis that I simply could not wait to wear.  I love it, it has 3/4 length sleeves, some of the hearts are made with sequins and the back has a ribbon tie. So pretty. Hearts and romance :)

I don't normally do jumpers but this was so flattering I couldn't resist.

I paired it with navy skinny jeans and nude heels.

What's In My Makeup Bag - Weekend Style!

Although I technically didn't go away for the weekend I was away for 2 nights and three days, this was all the makeup and skincare that I took. It looks like a lot pictured, however there were a lot of minis included in this stash and I absolutely LOVE my Cath Kidston bag which holds a lot, there was still some spare space in there!

I should add I flew to Dublin and so had to comply with the flying rules on liquids. Liquids & Gels were placed in a clear bag whilst going through security and obviously each item was less than 100ml.

Skincare

L'Occitane Cherry Princess Hand Cream Travel Size 
Lanolips 101 Ointment
From the Elemis Brilliantly Beautiful Travel Set - Pro-Radiance Cleansing Balm 20ml
                                                                                 Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules 14 caps
                                                                                 Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 15ml

Makeup

From the Benefit How To Look Best At Everything Set - 
POREfessional PRO balm to minimise the appearance of pores 7.5ml
Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow “cheers to me” in Champagne brightening makeup 7ml

BURBERRY Warm Glow Natural Bronzer in Summer Glow 04

Smashbox Blush Rush Powder in Silhouette

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush in LILAS D'OR
Palladio Herbal Eye Shadow Trio - Chocolates (the 3 shades take me from day to night)
Boots No7 High Shine Lip Crayon in Daydreamer - a barely there nude

Clinique Long Lasting Lipstick in All Heart - A beautiful bright

Estee Lauder Stay Perfect Concealer & Sumptuous Extreme Mascara Duo 

Fragrance - Burberry Body EDP Perfume Sample Spray

February 2014 GlossyBox - The Valentine's Love Edition

The February GlossyBox 2014 has a rather fabulous Valentine's Day inspired kisses design which is great fun and one to keep.

The theme of the box I am not entirely sure about, it may be Love it may be indulgent treats. It wasn't completely clear but there were a few things to enjoy in my box as it happens. I think that these could have been used for a Valentine's Day look but unfortunately mine arrived the day after!

So what was inside my February GlossyBox

The 5 items

Nougat London Sparkling Body Shimmer in Cherry Blossom 100ml (full size 250ml £14)

This body lotion smells amazing, it contains mallow extract, vitamin E and wheatgerm enriched oil and comes with a hint of shimmer. I am looking forward to using this on my decolletage and legs!

Nougat London is a new brand for me to discover so I was pleased to see this in the box.

Maybelline New York Master Kajal Kohl Liner in Pitch Black £5.99

This is a cream stick eye liner and it applies like a dream with a nice and rich, intense black shade. I cannot wait to try this on my eyes. Can be used to line eyes and create bolder looks too.

Ciate London Paint Pot in shade Raspberry Collins £9 for 13.5ml

I am a fan of the Ciate formula but am not overly keen on hot pink shades which Rasberry Collins is so will be passing this on to my sister (lucky her!)

Eldora Eyelashes £3.90

I don't wear false lashes so will be passing these on.

Toni & Guy Hair Meets Wardrobe Stick It Up Gum £7.20 90ml

This hair product from top brand Toni & Guy claims to hold and control for a gravity style with a high shine finish. Glossybox says this product is good for flyaways. I may just give it a go for that as I rarely wear my hair up in a ponytail or require extra volume ;-)

A bonus chocolate treat from Lindt was included, the Lindor Treat Bar was devoured almost immediately upon opening the Glossybox! A gorgeously smooth chocolate with a lovely soft filling. Delicious and worth 79p.

Final thoughts

Value wise this was a brilliant box with 4 out of 5 of my items full size.  On a personal level however in terms of items I would use there are probably 2 that I am looking forward to using, 2 that I will be passing on to others and one I am a little undecided on its suitability for me.

*PR Sample

Philosophy Amazing Grace Eau De Toilette - Perfume Sample Saturday

Philosophy's Amazing Grace fragrance (EDT) is their best selling and award winning scent. Described as amazingly clean and beautifully feminine. Welcoming bergamot to greet the senses, irresistibly soft, clean muguet blossoms and lasting musk with its classic beauty.

My thoughts 

After a very brief citrus hit from the bergamot, the fragrance settles to a soft, clean powdery/soapy scent. Fresh, clean, feminine and inoffensive this is a beautiful EDT that I would consider purchasing. Light but effective, as if you have just stepped out of the shower. I can see the reason for its popularity. A great everyday scent.

I like it very much.

Philosopy Amazing Grace Spray Fragrance EDT costs £32

Cuticura Anti Bacterial Hand Gels in Lemon Sherbet & Sugar Candy

As well as always having a tube of hand cream in my bag, another staple is anti bacterial hand gel. Very useful if you cannot get to a basin when out and about!

Cuticura have just released two sweetie inspired anti bacterial hand gels exclusive to Primark - Sugar Candy and Lemon Sherbet and at just £1 for a 50ml bottle a bit of a bargain..Bright and fun packaging, they will be easy to spot in the handbag.

Sugar Candy 

Starts with the familiar smell of alcohol but dries to a pleasant sweet blend of juicy pink grapefruit, vanilla and sugared violets.

Lemon Sherbet

Citrus and zesty lemon softened with sugared vanilla.

A nice, fun twist on hand gels and they smell good!

Lovely!

*Jar of personalised sweeties were a gift 
*PR Samples

Pur Minerals Mineral Mudd Masque Detoxifying Masque with Pascalite Review

Friday is face mask day, well it is for me! I like a good clay mud mask and this is a good mud mask.

Pur Minerals Mineral Mudd Masque Detoxifying Masque with Pascalite 

Pur Minerals say

Unlike anything you have tried before, this amazing masque will detoxify and clarify all skin types! Pascalite, a unique form of calcium bentonite clay, contains rich minerals and is ideal for deep cleansing for a brighter, smoother complexion.

Usage instructions 

Apply masque liberally to clean skin and treat for 2-30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. 

My thoughts 

This is a brown coloured mask, that has a fresh but not overpowering scent. It dries quickly and very, very tight! I couldn't leave it on for more than 10 minutes and actually I don't feel it is necessary to leave it much longer than the time it takes to dry, believe me it soon feels uncomfortable.. It also takes some effort to remove. However, the results once removed are worth it. My skin is left looking really bright and clear, the mask does a superb job of unclogging pores and drawing impurities from the skin, a sigh of a good mud mask. Also it does indeed leave skin feeling super smooth and soft.

It is pricey but I would only use it once a week.

Pur Minerals Mineral Mudd Masque Detoxifying Masque with Pascalite costs £25 and is available to buy from Marks and Spencer online and in the new Beauty Halls.

*PR Sample

Moccis Warm Heart Slippers

My Moccis slippers have been indispensable this winter in keeping my feet nice and cosy but when I spotted these on the web site I fell in love with them, a rather Valentine appropriate print for Spring!

The style is called Warm Heart and cost £59.97 and they look super cute in the kids sizes as well costing £34.97.

Balance Me Rose Otto Hand Cream Review

Another gorgeous hand cream recommendation for you today, this time from natural skincare brand Balance Me. I have already reviewed the Super Moisturising Hand Cream which had a lovely formula but the scent wasn't quite able to win me over. As predicted though the Rose Otto Hand Cream is far more to my liking.

Balance Me say

We have combined the best elements of our multi-award winning super moisturising hand cream with our most cherished rose essential oil blend to create a richly hydrating cream that has the lightest of textures and is perfect for dry, delicate and sensitive hands. Our ultra-soothing and skin-quenching rose otto hand cream deeply smooths and moisturises dry hands with its emollient blend of anti-oxidant rich, protective Arctic cloudberry, soothing cameila and kukui nut oils and our exquisite aroma of softening rose otto, palma rosa and rose geranium essential oils.

My thoughts 

The Rose Otto Hand Cream has a lovely and appealing delicate rose scent. The cream is non greasy, absorbs fast and leaves skin feeling velvety super soft, hydrated and smooth looking. What is there not to love!

Balance Me Rose Otto Hand Cream 50ml £10

*Balance Me promise no parabens, sulphates, petroleum, mineral oils, silicones, dea, plegs, poropylene glycol, artificial fragrances and colours.

*PR Sample

Models Own Artstix Nail Polish Duo in Ember Red - Nails Of The Day

Models Own Artstix are my favourite glitter art polishes. One end is the nail colour to paint your nails and the other end the glitter to cover it, design wise (to paraphase Louis Walsh from the X Factor) you can make it your own!

Today I am wearing Ember Red - made up of Hot Red nail polish and Ember Glow glitter. The polish is gorgeous on its own, a wonderfully rich and dark blood red. The glitter is made up of red dots, golden and bronze hexagons that twinkle in the sunlight. This particular combination looks like Autumn in a bottle, the glitter pieces like fallen leaves. Very pretty indeed.

The polish formula is fantastic, it applies so smoothly and the brush wide enough (on my nails) to fill the whole nail in one sweep. I like the brush handle as it is nice and narrow so easy to hold for my little hands. Perfect and having a duo product at £6 a real bargain.

Models Own Artstix Nail Polish Duos are available in 12 shades and cost £6 each.

*PR Sample

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara Review

I have a few mascara reviews in the pipeline, one of those mascaras is the dual ended Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer on one end and the Sumptuous Extreme Mascara on the other.

I was given the dual product sample when I purchased a full sized concealer and it is a great space saving item for travel that I think they should sell it!

Estee Lauder say 

Estée Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara

Lashes seem to multiply, magnify, grow to extremes.

Three different high-volume fibers create audacious, false-lash effects.

THE FORMULA
Extreme Bold Volume™ formula is a blend of three high-volume fibers in a mousse-light base.

Acts like lash extensions multiplying and growing the look of lashes. Fortified with conditioning Lash-Advancing Vitamin Complex.

THE THREE FIBERS

Unique interlocking fibers build volume + length
Hollow fibers create massive volume, without weight
Ball fibers fill in and fill out even the sparsest lashes

THE BRUSH
Oversized BrushComber Extreme™ with two types of bristles—flexible fibers carry maximum formula; solid fibers comb and separate for clump-free definition.

THE COLOUR IMPACT
Prismatic pearls intensify pigment and luster. Eyes look brighter, wider, more seductive.

THE LOOK
Outrageous volume, lift and curves for an audacious, false-lash effect.

My thoughts 

First up the brush is huge! It is practically the length of the mini tube and I was a bit worried as my eyes are small and I anticipated a lot of mess on application. However, as you can see applying it was fine (no mess!) and I could even apply the mascara to my innermost lashes. The extreme black shade is very apparent in the photo. It is a lovely rich black shade that really enhances my already darkish lashes to give impact. Yesterday, in another mascara review I wrote that the mascara was nice enough but not wow enough for me to part with cash again. I have been wearing Sumptuous Extreme Mascara and every time I wear it I see that the results are quite spectacular. All my lashes are coated, thickened and lengthened. The result opens my eyes right up and the lashes stand out. I would be highly tempted to buy this mascara.

Before 

After 

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Mascara in Extreme Black costs £22

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast HD Mascara Review

I love, love, love writing mascara reviews! As I have mentioned a few times on BeautySwot.com I don't wear false lashes, inserts or lash extensions so I like to see how different my lashes can look when I apply mascara to them. As always there is a before and after pic and no post production enhancements have taken place :)

Today is the turn of Soap & Glory Thick & Fast HD Mascara 

Soap & Glory say 

The BRUSH is the stuff - Soap & Glory's 7-SIDED FAN FLARE-180™ brush with a V-groove to lay down volume & intensity, and a network of combing & curling surfaces to give length, definition and DRAMA. Featuring strength-building COLLAGEN* PRE-PEPTIDES, LONG-STRETCH POLYMERS that wrap lashes in a flexible, lengthening film and NO FLAKE24 all-day wear technology, prepare yourself for TOTAL LASH LIFT-OFF!

My thoughts 

The gold packaging of the mascara tube is very YSL. The wand is quite long so can make it hard to handle and reach into those innermost lashes... The mascara formula is not too wet or dry. 

There are instructions on how to use - 

For dramatic doll-like lashes, apply the first sweep of Thick & Fast High-Definition Collagen Coat Mascara with the V-Groove side for volume, then roll the brush from roots to tips for length and curl.

I find that the mascara does indeed lengthen and curl my lashes rather impressively which you can see below. The lashes are separated well, however I personally would have preferred my lashes to look slightly thicker than the results that this mascara has given. You can go over lashes with several coats of mascara without clumping and lashes are left feeling silky soft.

I like it but I am not wowed by it so unlikely to repurchase as I prefer other mascaras I have tried. 

What do think?

Before 

After 

Soap & Glory Thick & Fast HD Mascara costs £10.50. I am wearing shade Film Noir.

Models Own Hyper Gel in Cornflower Gleam - Nails Of The Day

Today's Nails Of The Day are from Models Own newest nail polish collection - Hyper Gel Gel Effect Polish. Cornflower Gleam is a wow blue shade and super glossy.

Models Own Hyper Gel Gel Effect Polish is available in 10 shades and cost £5 

*PR Sample
** The lovely hand and nails belong to my beautiful little sister 

Elemis Brilliantly Beautiful Travel Set - Bargain

Just a quick heads up - There are bargains to be had at the Elemis Time To Spa website on their gift sets.

I first featured the Brilliantly Beautiful Travel Set in my Christmas Gift Ideas post, with this travel set there is really no need to scrimp on your holiday skincare.

Containing 4 of my fave products from Elemis this set gives you a week's worth of brilliant skincare and a bag that fits far more - this really is a travel essential.

Pro-Radiance Cleansing Balm 20ml
Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules 14 caps
Papaya Enzyme Peel 15ml
Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 15ml

Elemis Brilliantly Beautiful Travel Set now £28 (was £35)

Winners Of The Mandara Spa Giveaway Announced!

Thanks to all those who entered the Mandara Spa Honeymilk Spa Escape Travel Bag giveaway...

I have 10 winners and these have been selected by Random.org. The winners are .....

Kim Carberry 
GracieDarling
Maggie Fawcett
Lola In The Lounge
HannahMassey
HazelBeachRambler
Pappers
DianeCary
Gillian Brennan
Naddy 

Congratulations to all of you. Can you please email me with your address bettina@beautyswot.com within 48 hours to claim your prize. 

Any prizes unclaimed will be redrawn and new winners selected 

Keep reading for more prize giveaways!!

Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Eau De Parfum - Perfume Sample Saturday

I am a little late to the Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb party it would seem, the reason being that I am not a huge heavy floral scent fan and the name conjured up an image that my heart said to leave well alone. Today however I finally made it to the party and am joining in with full vigour...

Viktor&Rolf say 

A floral explosion, a profusion of flowers that makes everything more positive. Viktor&Rolf designed a bottle cut like a multi-faceted diamond for their fragrance. Full-bodied and opulent, the Eau de Parfum explodes in a bouquet of sensations with its addictive floral notes which leave their trail, like a whirlwind that is distinctly couture. A millefleurs around the freesia, Centifolia rose, osmanthus and Sambac jasmine, supported by a background of patchouli.

My thoughts

A pretty bottle and a pretty fragrance. Flowerbomb is slightly sweet and to my nose and surprise it didn't seem particularly floral. Not sure what I was expecting but it was not this! The scent is not overpowering but strong enough to make a statement. I knew I was wearing it and it made me feel feminine. I felt like I could detect vanilla and caramel tones.. perhaps the patchouli? I found it quite similar to Prada Candy L'Eau which is no bad thing as I really like that EDT.

Overall not a bad scent at all and one that I can see appealing to all ages. Indeed it does as this is a best-seller in the fragrance market.

Viktor&Rolf Flowerbomb EDP is available in 30,50 and 100ml

Models Own Hyper Gel Gel Effect Polish - Lilac Sheen

I absolutely love today's Nails Of The Day. Models Own Hyper Gel Gel Effect Polish in Lilac Sheen.

The shade is EXACTLY the same colour of my bedroom wall growing up in my teens, so I have much affection for it :) I love purple shades and this is a subtle and creamy, pretty lilac. Perfect going into Spring.

Models Own claim Hyper Gel are long lasting and chip resistant, I have only applied this today so let's see how it goes..

Models Own Hyper Gel Gel Effect Polish costs £5 and is available in 10 shades.

*PR Sample