Maybelline Colorsensational lipstick in Ambre Rose

The Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick range seems to have create a bit of a buzz across the beauty blogging world- have seen lots of posts and tweets about the range - so of course I bucked to the peer pressure and had to go and see what all the fuss was about. So last week I popped out at lunch and picked up one for myself (along with a Boots meal deal- yum).

The colour I chose was number 112 'Ambre Rose'. I think this has been a pretty popular colour as have seen a few tweets and blogs about it. I can see why, it is a really pretty, pale, peachy-pink with a golden shimmer. I don't regularly wear lipstick, tend to prefer either balm, gloss or bare lips but I do like pale shades like Ambre Rose. As much as I love this colour, I still wear it with a slick of lip balm as a base as I find this helps keep the colour soft and smooth and lips from getting dry.

To see a picture of the lipstick click here (sorry for poor photo quality- I need to get a better camera!)

Anatomicals Farewell the Scarlet Pimplehell Face Mask: Review

A while ago I tested the Anatomicals Hair Mask and REALLY loved it- it smelt divine and left my hair the softest it has been since I started abusing it with heat and products... I am pleased to find that the face mask is very much the equivalent in quality as the hair mask. The thick, gloopy, mud-mask actually smells quite nice, which is a pretty rare quality for a mud-mask in my opinion. The sachet contains a decent amount of product, enough to probably do two faces-worth of mask action. In fact, I did one on Friday (full face) and then another (T-zone) on Saturday- yep, this is how eventful my weekend has been.

Anyway, the mask applies easily and dries in around 15 mins, depending how thick you spread it. It washes off fairly easily, although as per usual with a mud mask this can be a little messy. After rinsing, my skin felt really deeply clean but also soft rather than the usual tightness that I tend to have after a face mask and today my skin still feels lovely and clean. I have another sachet of this that I plan to take away with me for a bit of a holiday pampering session.

You can get of these skin-pampering lovelies from the Anatomicals website for £5 http://www.anatomicals.net/

Dermalogica Clean Start

The Dermalogica Clean Start range was announced back in July and is launched nationally (UK) from September- I couldn't make the launch but I was sent a few samples to test out for the blog.

The range is pretty extensive, including everything from face wash, shine-free moisturiser, to facial spritz and lip balm. Designed to treat oily, problem skin and containing salicylic acid the range is targeted at teenagers (those teens with a Dermalogica budget- lucky sods) rather than mid-twenties types like me. But despite this I have really enjoyed using the range.

My favorite product is the Clean Start Wash Off Cleanser, although I don't tend to have problem, spotty skin but I do tend to suffer with dry, sometimes flaky skin around my nose area. It might sound weird that a cleanser designed for oily skin has helped this, but the salicylic acid helps to clear away dead skin cells, which has meant this has totally cleared up for me. If you suffer from something like this, or blackheads or oily skin- then a cleanser containing salicylic acid can really help.

Overall I really like this foaming cleanser and plan to buy my own when the sample runs out.

Ped Egg review

For those of you that don't know what the Ped Egg is a brief explanation: it is a cheese grater, for crusty feet.

Sorry if you are eating your dinner, but there is no better way to describe it. The Ped Egg is a hand-held pedicure device to help get baby-soft feet without the hard work. The egg-shaped design serves two functions: firstly, for ease of holding and secondly, the egg shaped holder catches the dead skin foot scrapings.

Again, this sounds pretty disgusting- but it is actually a bit satisfying to see the volume of foot dust that the Ped Egg accumulates- you will probably be quite surprised at the quantity. It is worth noting though that the ped egg is not exactly a water-tight container of the foot-dust: it will spill out if you knock, shake or tip the ped egg at some angles.

To be honest, I was quite intimidated by the metal graters of the Ped Egg- despite the advert claiming they won't burst a balloon- they still felt pretty sharp to me. But, nerves aside the results are impressive. The Ped Egg did do some pretty decent work on my feet, this is no mean feet as I am someone who lives in flip flops from May-September. I liked the fact that it is pink too, somehow looks much less clinical than the white version.

I also spotted the 'Ped Egg for Men' version in black at 30% bigger than the normal Ped Egg in the JML catalogue. I may have to get one of these for my boyfriend, who could probably do with an industrial strength version to sort his sportsman-feet out.

Also, has anyone else looked at the JML catalogue? I am amazed by the amount of products that are in there- they all seem works of genius and the sort of thing that you never knew you needed but now cant live without... darn the power of advertising, I'm such a sucker for it.

Amazing give-away on www.sweetshuganhon.blogspot.com

Spotted this amazing give-away on http://www.sweetshugahon.blogspot.com/ that everyone should have a look at and enter. She is being amazingly generous and basically letting the winner go on a spree at MAC- so if you win, you get the colours of your choice! I couldn't help but enter, if you want to too, then the instructions are below:

How to enter?

Easy, all you have to do is leave a comment on http://sweetshugahon.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-first-contest-mac-giveaway.html with the names of what M.A.C Eyeshadow/Lipstick/Lipglass & Blush do you girls want!

For example:You must write..

PLEASE GIVE ME MY:

1. MAC (Smoke & Diamonds) Eyeshadow.
2. MAC (Costa Chic) Lipstick.
3. MAC (Florabundance) LipGlass
4. MAC (Pinch O' Peach) Blush.

and the link of this post on your blog.

RULES:

1. You must be a follower.
2. You must blog or post this on your blogspot and link to it.
3. Must be 18+ years old.
4. write in the comment box on http://sweetshugahon.blogspot.com/2009/08/my-first-contest-mac-giveaway.html, like the example above and the link where you have re posted my giveaway.

The give-away is open to everyone in the world and ends September 15.

My First Barry M Review...Barry M Lip Gloss

I know, I am a bit 'behind' with the whole Barry M thing. The brand has been around for eons, but it's just one of the ones I have always overlooked. I haven't ignored it, who could ignore those rainbow colours? But I just never got around to actually BUYING any of it. To be fair, I didn't buy this lip gloss I am about to review (it was sent to me to test by the PR, I didn't steal it!) but it has been an introduction to the brand- about time too, better late than never and all that.

For those that are, like me, a bit late on the Barry M bandwagon- the Dazzle Dusts are probably Barry M's most famous product, but the range extends far beyond shimmering pots of rainbow eye-dust. It also includes eye pencils, bronzers, lip paints and lip glosses. Of course, most of you probably already know this- but for those that don't know, now you do.

Right, onto the lip gloss. I was sent LGW4 'Pastel Pink' (pale pink, fourth from the right in the picture) to test and I really like it. I'm going through a bit of a pale-lips phase at the moment so this was perfect timing. My favorite thing about this gloss is the smell- it smells good enough to eat - with strawberry flavour starburst being the first food that comes to mind when I smell it. I love make-up that smells good. Other good things about the lip gloss- it lasts reasonably well, isn't too sticky and the colour is even.

All in all, a good introduction to the Barry M brand- I now have my eye on some of the Dazzle Dusts, specifically 'Bronze' and 'Tan'- has anyone tried these? Would love to know what you think and any tips on the the best ways to apply so that I don't end up covered in shimmer...!

No7 Extravagant Lashes review

Mascara applicators... what will they think of next, we have bristly ones, spiky ones, plastic ones, curved ones, straight ones, one's that look like explosions and now, square ones. Yep, that's right- square.

The lovely people at Boots have recently launched the new No 7 mascara, called 'Extravagant Lashes' (£12) and they were kind enough to send me one to test out for the blog. First observation- the tube is the fattest I have ever seen. The applicator is a bit bizarre looking, with square shaped 'prongs' (can't think of a better word).

So, does the square wand have any effect on the final result?

I'm undecided. On first application, I wasn't too impressed- I thought it made my lashes look caked in black goop and really dark but not at all separate or long. It also felt quite 'wet' and took a while to feel dry. But as with most products I test out, I always give them a couple of goes and on second try I was a bit happier with the result. I did slightly cheat as I applied it over my day-time coat of mascara (Smashbox Bionic Mascara, FYI). This time the application was far smoother, and left my lashes dark and dramatic but not too clumped. Only complaint I have this time is that they don't look very long, I think the thick coating at the base takes away from any length-impact the mascara could have.

Overall, I think the mascara is decent, but I do think the square applicator is a gimmick and would put money on it not taking off.

Note to self- I need to get a decent camera so I can start showing what these things actually look like on- just tried taking an iPhone pic and it was rubbish!

Smelly things...in a good way.

I have done a couple of fragrance reviews in the past and have to say I find them quite hard to do. Fragrance is such a subjective thing, and beyond commenting on the design of the bottle it is really difficult to put into words a review of a fragrance that will apply to everyone. Despite that, I do love testing out perfumes and find that it is the best way to find your favorite- a quick spritz in a perfume shop doesn't really cut it- it is good to be able to test out perfumes over a few days, to see how it changes and how it 'sits' with you, what initially smells divine, might, after a few hours make you cringe.

Anyway, enough of my fragrance musing...onto the ones I have been sniffing...

Salvatore Ferragamo 'Tuscan Soul'- this one deserves a mention because my mum, who is notoriously adverse to most fragrances (she turns her nose up in disgust at the majority she smell) actually loved this. So much so that I have given her the tester and it has replaced her normal staple perfume (Anais Anais, if you were wondering). The perfume is a refreshing citrus/lemony scent and certainly non-offensive.

Issey Miyake 'A Scent' - A new launch from the Issey Miyake range, I love this smell- it is light and fresh but something about it is a bit different, almost a little bit masculine... not sure what it is, but I like it. This was by far the most gorgeous packaging of the ones listed here (hence being the picture I decided to use) very dressing-table-worthy.

Lulu 'Time' - I didn't really know what to expect with this perfume, 'time', to me evokes thoughts of 'age' so somehow I connected this to meaning old...so I was expecting quite a dated perfume. In practice, this isn't the case, the perfume is OK, quite floral and a little talcum powder-like. Not offensive, but probably not one that I would want to make it into my daily perfume collection (although the hints of talcum have grown on me).

Christina Aguilera 'Insprire'- I was really keen to test this out as Christina Aguilera perfumes are pretty much the only 'celeb' fragrances that I like. I have her original one and really like it. This one is not quite as impressive, the bottle looks a little cheap and the smell is a little overpowering on first sniff. This is one of the ones that is worth testing out over time though as the smell does settle so it is far more subtle and wearable.

Salvador Dali 'Little Cherry Kiss'- This perfume is the perfect example of don't judge a book by it's cover, or don't judge a perfume by it's name. I wanted this to smell sweet, like cherries, but sadly it doesn't. It does smell sweet, but is quite overpowering and reminds me of the 'Charlie' body sprays I drowned myself in as a teen. Very cute bottle though.

Ed Hardy by Christian Audigier Woman- This is another case of don't judge the perfume by the name, or the packaging. Fashion-wise, I'm not an Ed Hardy fan (personally, I think it's a bit chavvy...no offense) but the perfume is actually really nice. I first smelt this in the Perfume Shop and then was sent a tester to try out and like it. It is another sweet-smelling perfume which immediately makes me think of candy floss, but for some reason I really like this.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Above are my views- take them or leave them, it's totally up to you- but make sure you give a perfume a proper test before you hand over your cash.

What am I using right now...

This is the first 'tag' post I have decided to do, after spotting it on a couple of my favorite blogs I thought it was a really good idea to get a true insight into the products that a person has tested and stuck with- the ultimate endorsement!

Shampoo: Might be a bit of a strange one but Neutrogena T-Gel for Dry Hair is my current pick- I have a really sensitive scalp and this keeps it at bay and keeps my hair soft and silky too- what more could I want.

Conditioner: Currently loving the James Brown freebie conditioner I got with this months Marie Claire- It smells lush and leaves my hair soft.

Styling products: I have been using the new Treseme 24 Hour Body mousse, although I'm not actually that keen on it and will probably switch soon- if you have any suggestions for a good volumising product would love to hear them. I also use MOP Lemon Grass Lift spray, which I love- it smells fresh and gives hair a real boost.

Shower Gel: Original Source Mint Shower Gel- just the kick I need to wake me up in the morning.

Body moisturiser: I tend to mix up the body moisturiser I use a lot, but currently keeping it simple with either Johnson's Baby Lotion or Dove Body Butter.

Deodorant: Dove

Fake Tan: Again, something I change and mix up a lot. Tend to use Dove Daily Glow every other day and then use St Tropez Mousse Bronzer or Famous Dave's for an extra boost. Famous Dave's is the best one for my legs which look better with a bit of a darker colour.

Cleanser: Currently using the Dermalogica Clean Start Cleanser which contains salicylic acid and has really smoothed out my skin without making it dry.

Exfoliator: Been using the Clinique Turnaround Instant Facial as a mask/exfoliator. I love the really fine consistency of this product, leaves my skin soft and smooth without irritation.

Primer: Smashbox Photofinish Light - love this primer and need to order a full size one as my tester size is about to run out.

Foundation brush: I don't usually use a foundation brush, I tend to apply with my fingers as it is easier to blend.

Concealer: Currently using the ELF Studio Concealer/highlighter

Powder: Another ELF Studio product- using the Complexion Perfection to calm redness and stop any shine.

Blusher: Not really a blusher fan, I tend to have too much natural blush of my own as it is!

Bronzer: Yet another ELF studio product that I love- the Warm Bronzer. I use this as both a bronzer and highlighter.

Highlighter: See above, or I use ELF all over colour stick in lilac petal.

Eyeshadow base: I don't tend to use a base, although I probably should- any suggestions for a good one are welcome!

Eyeshadows: Changing all the time with eye shadows, currently switching between H&M e/s in Suanita Bonita and my new Collection 2000 trio in Zenith.

Eyeliner: Rimmel Professional Liquid Eyeliner in black

Curler: Always use a curler, but more out of habit than because of the effect- just a cheap Boots one at the moment.

Mascara: Mascara is probably my biggest beauty obsession as I have far too many. My current favorite is probably Clarins Wonder Volume in Wonder Black, or possibly Smashbox Bionic Mascara in Black.

Lipstick: Not really a lipstick fan so don't have a favorite.

Lipgloss: Tallulah Glossary in Brazilla- gorgeous mineral gloss in a deep berry shade with golden shimmer. I did a blog post on this so check it out for the full review.

Nail Colour: Currently wearing Boots 17 in Pink Grapefruit although thinking of switching to Zoya in Zara (gorgeous lilac with a bronze shimmer)

So these are my current picks-what are your current favorite products? Let me know your suggestions for a hair styling product that volumises and an eye-shadow primer- I need to find some good ones.

Not STRICTLY beauty related....

OK, so this isn't STRICTLY...beauty related, but it is girly and I'm a huge fan of Strictly Come Dancing so I couldn't help but post this. Plus, the contestants do use about 75% of the worlds share in make-up and fake-tan every week...so it is slightly relevant!

I will be really interested to see how the new judging format is going to work- I thought Alesha was fantastic on the show a couple of years ago but I'm not confident that it will translate into her having authority as a judge- although this wont stop me from tuning in. The loss of Arlene will certainly be felt- her comments have always been amusing!

Anyway, for strictly fans out there....a bit of a teaser video.

Collection 2000

An afternoon in Angel on Friday turned into a bit of an impromptu night-out, which gave me the perfect excuse for some 'emergency' beauty purchases. But, as I was on a bit of a tight budget (it's that dreaded week before payday) I had to do this on the cheap. So I popped into Superdrug as this is the best place to find bargain beauty treasures to browse and see what I could find. After um-ing and ah-ing over a few different 3 for 2 offers and other purse-friendly deals I decided to go for the 3 for 2 deal from Collection 2000.

Collection 2000 is not a brand I use regularly, although it used to be one I loved when I was a teen, but I am starting to reconsider since using the three bits I bought yesterday, which were:

- Collection 2000 Sheer Moist Foundation

- Collection 2000 Magi-Length Mascara (in Ultra Black)

- Collection 2000 Colour Intense Trio (in Zenith)

I have to say that I was both impressed and surprised by the quality of the products- especially since I only paid around £8 for the lot. The foundation formula was good, a little thicker than a tinted moisturiser and left my skin even but not caked in make-up.

The mascara and eye shadow trio were the most impressive though- the eye shadows are surprisingly silky, easy to blend and lasted perfectly all night. The colours are really pretty shades of champagne/bronze/shimmering deep brown so really easy to do a quick smoky eye. I didn't bother using the applicator that came with them, instead using my finger- I find this the easiest way to apply e/s.

The mascara really was ultra black, the application wasn't perfect as it was over the top of my normal day-time mascara but the colour is easily the most pigmented I have. It did leave me looking a little scary when I went to wash it off at night as my entire face was covered in black.... but that's my fault for not removing the mascara first!

Anyway, to sum it up- Collection 2000 is a cheap and cheerful brand but with decent quality for the price- well worth a look.

A few things to look forward to in Autumn...

I hate to be thinking about the end of Summer but it nice to know that as we say farewell to the warmer months there are some things to look forward to- in the form of new season make-up launches.

Every new season brings new shades, textures, experimental products and new formulas- to varying success. Autumn is probably my favorite for new products as most brands are gearing up towards Christmas so tend to release their big-hitters around this time of year so there are usually some really desirable new bits and bobs to lust over.

With this in mind, I thought I would do a bit of a round up of some of the things that I have been quite excited about in recent/upcoming make-up launches:

Clinique Limited Edition Most-Wanted Colour Compact (above right- £38)

This is something that has already launched (at the beginning of August) but is well worth a look. Containing a selection of suit-all shades of eye-shadow and blush this little compact is a gem for handbags. The colours are fairly generic but good for on-the-go touch ups. The 'most wanted nudes' version, that I have been testing contains a pale champagne, a mid brown and a paler taupe eye-shadows and a pretty, warm pink, blush, plus two applicators.

Colours aside, my favorite aspects of the compact is actually in the design- it contains a large mirror and is neatly-sized, with a zip-up fastening- so there is no risk of it popping open in your hand bag and causing a make-up disaster. I think the design is fantastic and it would be great if Clinique could adapt this into a customisable compact so the shades can be chosen on an individual basis.

Vie at Home Guilty Pleasures Range

Vie at Home has consistently impressed me with both the quality of the products and the stylish packaging they are housed in. The new season brings the 'Guilty Pleasures' range- which did intrigue me for the name alone- and contains a whole host of exciting make-up and body treats (available from the 23rd August).

My personal favorite from the range is the 'All that glitters' eyeshadow collection ( left- £11.50) which contains three shades- a metallic copper, shimmering white and a metallic charcoal. All housed in a pretty gold plastic compact with mirror and applicator.

Again, with this product one of my favorite features of it is the design- the compact contains a decent sized mirror (so no squinting to apply) and the eye shadows are set in recessed compartments- meaning the shades don't mix and create a mess when used- a fabulous innovation in my opinion, especially with pale and dark shades along side each other.

Vie at Home is also launching a couple of other new product that I will be reviewing: the Airbrush Perfection Foundation and the Guilty Pleasures 'The Glamoriser', I will post about these in the next couple of weeks.

Boots No7 goes 'Back to Basics'

When I saw the details of the No7 Autumn launches I have to admit, I was overly-excited. I love make-up and vibrant colours and the whole idea of different 'looks', but at heart I tend to gravitate towards the more natural, easy to wear shades (how boring of me...I know)

I find that Boots No7 is one of those brands that is really reliable for affordable, decent quality, make-up that isn't intimidating- and the Autumn collection is no exception- with the brand choosing to focus on good-quality basics rather than trends. Amongst the make-up ranges they have also released a selection of make-up brushes for professional style application.

The product I was most excited about is 'The Essentials Palette' (£14.50) available in two shades (stone and canvas). I immediately liked the look of the stone palette: a mixture of greys and muted, dusky purple-ish shadows all in a compact with mirror, applicator and eye-liner. (the canvas palette is all browns and creams, in case you were wondering). The compact is all you need to create a day or night look- the shades really remind me of the new Benefit Smokey Eyes Compact, although I haven't compared these side by side.

Boots No7 has also launched the Extravagant Lashes Mascara this month, again- I will review this separately but would be interested to hear what others thought of this? Have you tested it- let me know what your views are in the comments below.

Simple minds....Simple skincare

Sometimes the simple things in life are the best things- this certainly applies to skin-care. I have been consistently impressed with the products I have tested from skin-care brand, Simple. Including their sun-protection range (which has some lovely after suns) but my most recent testing has been of the new Simple Kind to Skin Vital Vitamins range.

Due to my slight addiction to testing out every beauty or make-up product under the sun it is pretty important to have a simple but effective skincare routine or risk chemical overload and irritated skin.

The range includes a Pore Minimising Toning Cleanser, Nourishing Eye Make-Up Remover, and Vital Vitamin Day and Night Cream. I'm not really keen on the Nourishing Eye Make-Up Remover, although it does leave skin soft but it doesn't remove eye make-up that well at all. The Cleansing Toner is refreshing, really nice after a long day out and about although not the most effective cleanser.

On the other hand, the two face creams are lovely. So simple, with no smell at all- the two creams do have distinctly different textures though, with the day cream being a lot lighter and the night cream richer (as you would expect). I find these are perfect for keeping my skin soft without any chemical irritations or sensitivity. I also tend to suffer from dry areas around the sides of my nose and since using these creams they have vanished.

Planning to stick to the Simple life as far as skin care is concerned (apart from the occasional test of course...)

Blogger give-away.... The Winner!!!

Firstly, can I just say a HUGE thank you to everyone who has entered the competition over the past couple of weeks. It has been really great so I'm planning the make them a regular feature on the blog - so keep reading for future give-aways. Now onto the important bit- the winner!

Drum roll please.... the winner is:

Rainbowdust33

Congratulations Rainbowdust33, and thanks again to everyone for entering.

e.l.f. studio: mixed review

As I'm sure most of you know, e.l.f. studio range launched recently in the UK (has been available in the US for a while). The much anticipated range launched to HUGE blog/twitter hype so, like many, I had high expectations for the products when they arrived.

In general, I certainly wasn't disappointed, although a couple of the products did fall a tad short of my expectations- the majority of them (that I have tried) are fantastic and amazing value. But as I said, some have been a bit of a let down so below I will split them into Love and Not Love (much less severe than hate).

The Loves:

The Complexion Brush

I won this brush through watch OxfordJasmine's broadcast on blogTV last Thursday. It arrived yesterday and I'm really impressed- the brush is soft, easy to use and delivers the perfect amount of face powder. The flat design of the brush also makes contouring easy (no mean feat!) I love it! Plus I'm considering buying a few more brushes from the range...

The Warm Bronzer

I had to try this after seeing Lollipop26's review on YouTube which compared it to MAC mineralise skin finish in 'Refined'. Now, I don't have the MAC product but more than happy with the £3.50 dupe! The powder is very soft and silky, with pretty bronze shades that flatter most skin tones and just a light amount of shimmer to leave you glowing rather than looking like a glitter ball.

The Concealer/Highlighter Duo

This was the first product I decided that I wanted and when I first tried it I was actually a bit uncertain- the texture is very light and liquid, so I didn't feel confident that it was going to effectively cover my dark circles. But when I tried it, I actually found the lighter texture was quite effective, easy to blend and surprisingly decent at concealing my lack of sleep. Because it is light I also found that over the day it doesn't sink into my laughter lines. The highlighter is the same texture and is very subtle, so don't expect it to leave you sheeny and glowing- it is quite subtle. I have been using it on the top of cheekbones and just below the eyebrow.

The Not-Loves:

The Cool Bronzer:

I am not a fan of this bronzer, the texture is chalky and the colours are too extreme (too dark or too light), it just doesn't work for me. Perhaps will give it another go in the winter when a matte bronzer might be more flattering, but for now I'm shelving this one and sticking to the warm version (and considering trying the golden...)

OK, so there was only one thing that I really didn't love...I am also slightly indifferent about the concealer pencil- the texture and coverage of this is fine, but it feels like it is wearing down very quickly so imagine it will need replacing regularly.

Best thing about the range- all products only £3.50! Also, if you are on Twitter or Facebook it is well worth becoming a fan/following as they often send out offers through these channels. Keep an eye on OxfordJasmine's YouTube channel too- she gave out a free delivery code on her blog TV session last week (which I took full advantage of!)

Illamasqua now at ASOS

Illamasqua is now available through ASOS (in the UK)- this is a brand I have heard a lot of buzz in the blogosphere about, but haven't yet tried- but would love to! The colours look lovely and I like the sleek packaging design plus I have heard wonderful things about the foundation formulas.

SO, have you tried Illamasqua- what's your favorite product? Is it as good as the hype??

Blog give-away update...the prizes!

Hello everyone, especially my new and old followers!

Thank you to so many of you for entering the give-away and for all the lovely comments. Very excited about how well the give-away is going so far, over half-way there and at this rate the winner will be selected very soon! Please do spread the word about the competition, everyone is welcome and it is really easy to enter (to see how and to enter click here).

Now, onto the important details: the prizes! Here are the details of what you can win:

1x bottle of Johnson's Holiday Skin body lotion (for fair to medium skin)

The original and best gradual fake tanner.

1x Osmo Essence Matte Sea Spray

Another one I recently reviewed in the 'Beach Hair' post, click here if you would like to see what I thought.

2x Nail Varnishes (1x elf nail polish in Royal Purple and 1x elegant touch in Pillar Box Red)

Both of these brands are really great nail polishes that I have recently tested out other shades for my step-by-step pedicure post. The colours are really rich and last for ages!

1x RMK Skin Care kit

RMK are a really great skin care brand and this mini-kit is perfect for holidays and weekends away.




1x Anatomicals "I am woman hear me snore sleep mask)



I LOVE anatomicals, this sleepmask is part of the lighthearted range of products- I love how it is fun and doesn't take itself too seriously. I reviewed the deep conditioning hair mask from the range if you want to read more click here)



1x Smashbox mini lip gloss in Aura



This is a lovely lip gloss in a pretty toffee colour that will suit everyone. I was introduced to the Smashbox brand through writing this blog and really love it, I am now a slave to their fantastic 'Photofinish' skin primer (which I have a couple of mini's of) and reminds me I need to order a new one. If you are in the UK you can get smashbox from http://www.justbeautydirect.co.uk/



1x Prestige eye shadow in 'Pixie'




Prestige make-up is really good value- high quality for affordable prices. This is a pretty purple shade eye-shadow that would go perfectly with a slick of black eye-liner (I cant live without my prestige black eyeliner!)


1x 2true Glitter Eyeliner 'no 4' (purple)

As if to match with the eyeshadow...this fab glitter liner is perfect if you love a bit of sparkle. Not so densely packed with glitter that you look like you fell off a Christmas tree, this eye-liner adds a lovely bit of sparkle.

1x Body Shop mini Peppermint Cooling Foot Lotion

Last but not least- a mini peppermint cooling foot lotion from the lovely Body Shop- perfect for freshening up tootsies in hot weather, and making them smell good enough to eat.


Now you know the prizes, get entering- will be selecting the winner when I reach 100 followers!

***THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED (17/08/09)****

Summer tanning at home: Brown Sugar

Quick mention of a rather fab service that Londoners who want a summer glow will love.... mobile spray tanning.

Yep, a lovely therapist will come to your home- spray you and take away all the mess with them, what more could you ask for? No more walking down the high street with an embarrassing muddy look... you can have it all taken care of by a professional, in the comfort of your own home!

20% off your first tan- only £24!

Get in touch with Kia, the fab tan-expert via http://www.brownsugar.vpweb.co.uk/default.html

Product Rave: Fat Burner Balm

I was recently sent a 'Fat Burner Balm' to test out and I have to say on first thoughts I was extremely sceptical. A balm that burns fat?! Surely this isn't possible? Well, this is kinda true- it isn't possible- the balm doesn't burn fat- so the name is a bit misleading. But what it does do is 'energise' and suppress your appetite, again, on reading these promises I was very sceptical- how on earth can a lip balm suppress appetite?! The answer is that it contains caffeine, green tea and hoodia extract- which I was a little unsure about as hoodia has had some mixed reviews.

Anyway, despite all this I decided to go ahead and give the balm a test. What's the worst that could happen? And in a best-case scenario, if it manages to stop me from snacking then I will be amazed. So I started slathering on the balm and waited for it to work it's magic.... not sure what I was expecting? Perhaps to me miraculously turned into a supermodel-svelte specimen through a simple slick of balm.... a tad unrealistic perhaps...

But I have positive news to report- I honestly do think that the balm did somehow suppress my appetite and the evidence is this: not only did I not snack AT ALL yesterday, but also- when it came to lunch time and I was 'allowed' to eat, I really didn't feel that hungry. So only had a Philadelphia/bread stick dipper thingy and felt totally satisfied all the way till dinner. On top of all this, I managed to feel totally awake all day long- with no need for my usual daily can of coke.

All in all, I was pretty impressed, there is a chance that the effect is all in my head (but even if it is, then that is fine with me!) and of course as with any caffeine product you should be careful to limit your intake, as the packaging warns.

Oh, and on a side note- the balms not bad either, moisturising and available in a range of flavours, I tried original but I'm going to order in one of the fruity flavours next time.

If all this has made you want one to try for yourself then you can get Fat Burner Balm for £4.95 from http://www.hqhair.com/

Blogger give-away!

Hello lovely blog readers and twitter followers and generally anyone who happens to stumble across this page...

I have decided to do a wonderful beauty give away with lots of exciting goodies to win... BUT there is a catch. The catch is- beautyjunkielondon has to reach a whopping 100 blog followers before I give anything away.

How to enter:

To enter the competition all you need to do is:

1: Follow the blog (the link is on the right, underneath the 'categories' tags list)
2: Comment on one of the posts (any post you want to comment on) and include "ENTER ME" in the comment.

Pretty simple huh? Yep! Well- get entering!

I will shortly be posting details of exactly what the give away prize will be-just to tempt you a little bit more....

**UPDATE**

This give-away is open to EVERYONE, wherever in the world you are- I will post internationally!

FYI- to select the winner all names will be put into a hat and the winner selected at random...

If you love a give-away, here are a couple more fab ones for you...

• http://jbreezybaby.blogspot.com/2009/07/feeling-generous-hmmlets-have-giveaway_22.html
• http://mizzworthy.blogspot.com/2009/08/product-give-away-st-moriz.html

*** THIS COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED (17/08/09)****

Breast Cancer Awareness: Clinique's "Pink Ribbon Charm"

I don't really want to be thinking about Autumn/Winter yet (since we have barely had a summer) but cant help but post something coming up in October- Breast Cancer Awareness month. Clinique is continuing it's support of breast cancer awareness (for a whopping 16th year) by launching an adorable Breast Cancer Awareness Long Last Glosswear SPF15 "Pink Ribbon Charm".

For each lip gloss key charm sold in the UK, £2 will be donated in total to the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign. (£1 will be donated by Clinique and £1 by Boots to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for its breast cancer research study at the Royal Marsden Institute of Cancer Research in the UK).

With an RRP of £15 there is a little voice in my head that questions why perhaps a slightly larger chunk of the profits couldn't be donated to such a worthy cause? But on the other hand, not a bad price for three Clinique lip glosses...

Beauty News: Fashion-forward No7

Boots brand, No7 has today announced a fashion-forward partnership with London based designer Todd Lynn. The partnership will see Lisa Eldridge, celeb make-up artist and N0 7 Creative Director, creating make-up looks for the Spring Summer show at London Fashion Week this September.

I for one, will be interested to see what looks (both fashion and make-up wise) will be rocking the catwalk from this Brit-tastic pairing. Rumour has it that the newest No7 launch - 'Extravagant Lash' mascara - will feature heavily... as will dewy complexions....

How to do a home pedicure: step by step

I think doing a home-pedicure and getting it to look perfect is one of the hardest beauty things to master, well at-least I never quite manage it (always my right foot that looks wrong) but to make the process as easy as possible I have put together a few how-to tips:

1. Scrub-off hard skin: using a foot-file such as Boots Smoothing Foot File (£3.49) is a sand-paper style file. If you have some seriously hard skin you may need something a bit more hardcore Boots Gorgeous Feet Foot File (£3.49) is a metallic 'cheese grater' style foot file.

2. Apply foot cream: see my 'Flip Flop Ready Feet' post for a couple that I think are fab.

3. Trim nails: so they are square and short. Nothing looks more gross than long toenails (and tacky, if it is done on purpose) Keep them square to help prevent in-grown toenails.

4. Apply a base coat: if painting nails a dark shade to prevent the colour from staining nails. Recently I have been using Mavala Protective Base Coat (around £8)- I like this one because it dries really quickly.

If you don't have a base coat you can just use a clear polish- something that creates a barrier between the dark colour and the nail.

5. Paint nails: go carefully, don't rush! Depending how flexible you are will make a difference how easy this is, but make sure you have good lighting and get your feet as close as possible so you can see what you are doing.

Yesterday, I painted mine a gorgeous deep purple/blue shade from Elegant Touch Professional (£4.95) called Dark Purple. It's an absolutely stunning colour but there is no hiding mistakes with something so deep- which is unfortunate as I totally messed up my right foot (as usual) so removed the colour and re-painted today with e.l.f. nail polish in Blush (a subtle creamy gold-much easier to disguise when I go wrong...).

The picture at the top is of the elf shade from the elf website- but it doesn't really show the true colour which is far more golden.

6. Use a drop of quick-dry solution: if (like me) you hate waiting for polish to dry. I have been using SpaRitual Andale Dry and Shine Drops- they work really quickly and all you need to do is drop them onto the nail with the built in pipette applicator.

7. Slick on a top coat: Again, like with the base coat- a clear polish can be just as effective- all it really needs to do is to create a barrier between the colour and knocks and bumps. But I have found the glossiest ever top coat though- anther Mavala product- Colorfix Strong Flexible Top Coat (around £8) so glossy and dries pretty quickly- fabulous.

A little touch of magic... Dove Spa Flash Dash review

I have been using Dove Spa's Flash Dash Instant Beauty Drops (£15) on and off for a couple of months now and thought I would share my views on it.

The Flash Dash comes in a tiny bottle with a pipette to dispense droplets of the pearlescent liquid. The light reflecting pearl effect is a tried-and-tested method of adding a touch of radiance to skin.

What do I like about this product:

• It is light and absorbs easily


• Tiny bottle is easy to carry around

What do I not like about this product:

• One drop applied to bare skin doesn't seem to make any difference.

The best use I have found for this product is to apply a couple of drops under the eye, over-make up. This is especially good if, like me, you have a few lines under your eyes and make-up can tend to settle in them- the light reflecting effect of the Flash Dash helps disguise lines and keep you looking wide-awake.

Just to elaborate a little on the Dove Spa skin care range. The range includes a selection of lovely products that are well worth checking out. I really like the "Sooth Away" Calming Toner (£12.50), which is unique as it comes with a spray dispenser. Perfect for my sensitive skin as I can simply spritz it onto my skin to cool and calm.

The Dove Spa Salons also have a couple of super-deals on at the moment, including the fabulous-sounding 'Refresh Your Senses' treatment, which for £39 you can enjoy a full body brush, face polish and mask, full body massage and get a free Dove Spa Body Brush. Amazing value!

Blogs I love...

I love writing this blog and how writing this has opened up a whole network of other beauty-lovers who love to write, chat and share beauty tips/news/reviews. In the many hours I have spent exploring the Internet I have found loads of blogs that I love and wanted to do a quick round-up of some of my favorites that I view regularly.


Best for make-up news:

British beauty blogger is a true insider (a beauty journalist) so gets the heads-up on all the latest news and announcements from across the beauty world. I have signed up to get regular emails with new posts so I can feel almost as in-the-loop.

http://britishbeautyblogger.blogspot.com/

Best for an American beauty fix:

When I was at Uni I spent a wonderful year at Louisiana State University- it was then that I discovered the wonders of places such as Target, Walmart and Dollar Tree for bargainous beauty finds. I found some fabulous bargains when I was over there (it's probably where the majority of my student loan went) and reading this fab blog gives me my American-drugstore beauty fix.

http://nouveaucheap.blogspot.com/


Best for YouTube tutorials:

I discovered this YouTube channel a while back and have become a regular viewer of lollipop26's regular tutorials and reviews. Mostly make-up focused but with the occasional general style post they are easy and fun to watch as Laura (lollipop26) is friendly, chatty and knowledgeable without pretending to be an expert- she simply shares what she has learnt from experience, definitely something I can relate to.

Also, her review of the elf studio warm bronzer has convinced me to buy it.

http://lollipop26writes.blogspot.com/ -blog
http://www.youtube.com/user/lollipop26 - YouTube

Best for general beauty reviews:

I like this blog as it covers everything beauty-related (as I try to do) from shower gels, to lipstick. The reviews are honest and entertaining to read.

http://secretdiaryofabeautyaddict.blogspot.com/

Best for feeling stylish in London:

Being London-based (as you probably guessed from the blog-name) I love to read about anything going on in this fab city. I especially like to read about stylish-happenings (so I feel very cool and with-it) so this blog is a must-read.

http://prettystylishlondon.blogspot.com/

Right- that's it for now, this is by no-means an extensive list of my favorites- but just a few select ones that I would suggest that you check out- enjoy!

Battle of the organic shower gels

This week there has been some buzz in the news about how organic food aren't any better for us than normal non-organic stuff. Personally, I am slightly indifferent to the whole organic malarkey and will simply won over if a product smells good, works and generally makes me feel fabulous. Not that I have anything against organic products- I just tend to prioritise results and price. So I have tested out a selection of three shower gels (2 of which are organic) based purely on how well they work rather than how amazing their eco-credentials and below are my findings....

Organic Surge Fresh Ocean Shower Gel (£4.88 http://www.organicsurge.com/)

Like:

• Like the smell, fresh but not over powering.
• Little goes a long way.
• Lathers really well.

Dislike:

• Nothing, it's lovely.

Naked Bodycare Shower Gel in Oh La La Naked (£3.91 http://www.nakedbodycare.co.uk/)

Like:

• Pretty packaging- I love the Naked approach to skin care, the brand doesn't take itself too seriously.
• Really rich and pampering.
• Leaves skin soft and moisturised.

Dislike:

• I don't love the smell, a little too floral for my tastes.
• Original Source Mint and Tea Tree Shower Gel (on offer for £1 in Boots)

Like:

• The smell, packs a powerful minty burst- the perfect wake-up call.
• Bargain price- currently only £1 in Boots.

Dislike:

• Seems to be running out very quickly- only had it for a week and it's already half empty.

A no-sun summer solution: gel bronzer

As I sit writing this I am looking out of the window at the most depressing drizzle. It is the 1st August right? The 'height' of summer? I know we had a heat-wave for a couple of weeks in June, which was great- but where has it gone! But have no fear if you want to glow but are missing the necessary sun- the wonders of make-up are here to help.

Gel or liquid bronzers are a great way of getting a more natural-looking, healthy glow than you can achieve with powder bronzer and as if predicting another wash-out summer, the clever people at No.7 launched a brand new (limited edition) tinted gel bronzer (£12.50 from Boots)....

What I like about this product:

• A little goes a long way- this will last for ages


• The colour is translucent and pretty


• Blends easily


• Contains SPF 15 (despite the lack of sunshine it's still important to protect skin)

What I dislike about this product:

• A point of criticism for this is that it isn't really a gel-texture, its a cream- so the name is misleading.
• It can be easy to get wrong by applying too much- so if you are a bit unsure have a practice before braving the public (check how you look in both artificial and natural light)