A beauty junkie in London: January 2010

Slimming World vs Weight Watchers

It's January, so I'm going to be all stereotypical and decide I want to lose some weight/get healthier. Of course I'm going to be a bit late on the bandwagon with this one as it's almost the end of the month already.

Now, before I launch into this post in detail I wanted to make clear a couple of things:

I am not a doctor, nor am I advising anyone on how to lose weight.
I don't think crash diets are the way forward.
Yep, that time old approach of healthy eating and exercise works.

I am considering signing up to either Weight Watchers or Slimming World. The reason I want to do this is so I feel a bit better about myself. I am not overweight, my BMI is 23.4, which is deemed healthy, but for my height (5ft3) my weight is higher than I would like it to be, and a BMI of 23.4 is on the higher end of the scale.

My aim in signing up to either Weight Watchers or Slimming World is to bring down my BMI and weight to a level I am more comfortable with.

I am looking for something that is healthy, balanced, doesn't exclude food groups, doesn't leave me hungry and is easy to follow. Something that means I can still eat out or have take-away occasionally.

I don't want to go to the meetings, so an online plan would suit me best. I have done a bit of research already and I like the look of SW, but the price is a bit off putting - twice the cost of three months of weight watchers. Is it worth the extra cost?

What I would love to know from anyone reading this is - have you tried either WW or SW? What did you think - good or bad?

Any helpful comments would be fantastic!

(oh, and I'm also going to start doing more regular exercise - starting with buying an exercise bike)

MeMeMe Beat the Blues: a tale of a bathroom disaster

Before Christmas I was sent a couple of products from the MeMeMe range to review. One of the standout products was the gorgeous 'Beat the Blues' liquid highlighter. A pretty shimmering pink liquid, in a nail varnish-like bottle that blends easily into a pretty glow.

This is meant to be comparable to a similar product by Benefit, although I don't own it so I can't comment if this is true - if you do, let me know what you think.

I really like this highlighter- it's great to use under foundation on cheekbones to create a subtle glow, that looks healthy and not shimmery in daylight. It helps add a bit of a healthy dimension to matte foundations that can suck the life from skin.

So, as I said I really like this. So when THIS......

...happened on Wednesday this week, I was pretty upset. I managed to drop it (twice in one morning, once was fine - second time, not so fine) so I was left with shattered glass and pretty pink shimmer splatted all over my bathroom.

This isn't in any way a criticism of the product, I only have my own clumsiness to blame. But how depressing is it when you break a product you love?! I'm going to try and get an empty container so I can decant the product that is left into it and continue using it - or go all out and buy another one.

The MeMeMe Beat the Blues highlighter is available from Superdrug and costs around £4.99.

**The Small Print**

This product was sent to me free of charge for review purposes. All reviews are honest and impartial, regardless of source.

Maybelline Dream Creamy Foundation: Review

Maybelline recently launched it's latest foundation offering to the market, and as usual - I was sucked in by the hypnotic advertising. Yep, that's right - I was won over by the promises of baby-perfect skin and a pore-less finish (excuse the dirty sponge - picture taken after I have been using it for a few days).

My history of testing out Maybelline foundations has been pretty repetitive. They launch one, it looks amazing in the advertising, I buy it, love it at first, then realise it's not for me and then discard the bottle/tube/tub like an unwanted piece of junk mail.

Of course, every time I manage to repeat this - in total denial that Maybelline foundations are probably just not for me. Anyway, the process has decided to repeat itself with the new Dream Creamy.

Described as 'solid-to-liquid, ultra-smooth and hydrating', all sounds good. Especially since I have dry skin at the moment so I had high hopes.

So what did I think?

Well, it was mixed. Firstly, the texture is pretty dreamy - smooth as a baby's bum and very very creamy. The pot comes with a make-up sponge in the lid. It was really easy to apply and thanks to the gorgeous texture it was easy to blend.

But it wasn't all dreamy perfect skin. I found the texture so easy to blend that it was easy to blend it right away - leaving no coverage. This can be avoided by using something other than the sponge applicator it comes with to apply it.

The colour range is really limited with this foundation, the palest one (light porcelain) is a fairly good match for my NW15 skin.

This foundation is really moisturising, so you will end up shiny after using it. If you have oily skin then this probably won't work at all for you I'm afraid - I also found that it didn't last all day for me - slipping off by around lunchtime. Setting with powder helps, but with a shiny nose and dry cheeks my skin is probably a bit too combination/indecisive for this to be the one for me.

I have heard from others that this foundation has caused some people to break out, so far it hasn't happened to me but I have only been using it since Sunday.

My other slight criticism is of the packaging - I like that the foundation and the applicator are separate, but I wish it had a mirror for on the go application. The base pot with the product in is also screw-off, and a couple of times already I have prodded the lid into it - making a bit of a mess.

So my overall opinion - this foundation is nice, will use again but wouldn't repurchase when it runs out. If you have seriously dry skin then this could be the foundation for you - although not if you are looking for heavy coverage or a matte finish.

** The small print**

I bought this product myself. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless of the source.

Garnier launches for 2010

Garnier, one of the biggest affordable beauty brands in the UK held a series of launch events this week to share the latest and greatest products that are coming in 2010.

I was invited to get a sneak preview of some of these along with some other beauty bloggers and so I wanted to pass the information on to you lovely readers.

So, what's coming in 2010 from Garnier?

The biggest launch of the year from them is a deodorant - admittedly, deodorant isn't a product to get all excited about but it is an essential. I've said it before and will say it again - there is no point having flawless make-up, if you have sweaty pits.

There is a whole back story to the launch of the deodorant range, involving minerals and volcanoes... basically one of the ingredients is derived from a mineral rock that is formed in a volcano, it's meant to be super absorbent but still allows skin to breathe. There you go - a basic science lesson from a beauty junkie...

Anyone who watched Got to Dance on Sky 1 may have already spotted the advert (not that I would watch that sort of rubbish... ahem) I *may* have spotted the ad at the weekend and actually said to my boyfriend that it was a bit odd that Garnier were launching a deodorant when the brand is mostly known for hair colourants, styling product and skin care.

The range includes 6 different scents:

- Sensitive

- Silky

- Ultra Dry

- Invisible

- Extra Care (for recently waxed/epilated/shaven skin)

- Fresh

The Garnier peeps were VERY excited about this launch as they say it's the 'launch of the decade', the sceptic in me says that it's not hard to be the launch of the decade when it's only a month old... but we will see. I will be doing a proper review of these over the next couple of weeks- so will feedback what I think then. First impressions - they smell nice, so let's hope they work as well as they claim.

Other launches include a flexihold and shine hairspray (in the picture above at the front slightly right of centre) from the Fructis styling range, two new ranges of ammonia free hair dye for blonde that claim to still be able to cover 100% of grey hairs, sun tanning oil that reaches the previously unreachable heights of SPF30 and the Pure Active Exfo-Brusher - a cleanser with a soft silicone brush to help cleansing (a little like the L'Oreal Scrublet that has launched in America and I spotted in Superdrug last week). See picture of the SPF15 spray oil below.

Plus some of the skin care ranges are being re branded, although all still fairly recognisable (the pink clean and soft is still pink, just with another name). Picture below.

So, overall - very interesting launch and it has certainly sparked my interest in what Garnier have coming up this year. Main thing I took away from today, I need to start fake tanning again - Garnier are launching a new self tanning gel and I really want to try it. I love the spray tanner they have, so hope this is as good.

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland... elbows at the ready girls

So, everyone and their friend will already know that at the beginning of March Urban Decay are launching the much-anticipated Alice in Wonderland palette. I can almost feel the frenzy bubbling through the Internet as I type. I won't deny it, the palette does look gorgeous - to see pictures, please visit the fabulous http://www.lipglossiping.com/ (she has some amazing photographs).

The colours are pretty, but I'm afraid I'm going to sit on the fence with this one - I'm a bit 'meh' about it. This is probably because the majority of colours are re-named versions of the main line of colours (midnight tea party = midnight cowboy rides again, for example). Now, don't get me wrong - I would very much like to get my hands on this, but I'm not going to be queuing at dawn or desperately entering payment details online for it.

I had the complete opposite for the Book of Shadows II, I was desperate to get my hands on that one for some reason - but I couldn't find it anywhere as it had already sold out all over.

Anyway - the palette is set to be launched on 1st March - are you going to be in the que? It's a strictly limited edition with only 2000 available in the UK apparently, so elbows at the ready if you want one.

The MAC palette - shadow choices 1

Back at the beginning of the month I posted about how I had bought a 15-pan MAC pro palette and that over the coming weeks/months I was going to gradually aim to fill it (New Year, New MAC). Well, today is that exciting day where I add the first shadow - actually, not just the one - I have actually got two to add (one would get lonely).

So for my first additions I decided on Vex (left) and Sable (right).

Yep, both fairly standard neutrals. I want to build up a good base of go-to colours before I branch out into the rainbow shades. I know that including photos on this post is probably a little pointless as they are probably colours everyone has seen a million times before, but I'm going to do it anyway.

So, drum roll please...here is the first shadow of my palette! (yep, I'm making a too-big-a-deal of this).

The only other bit I want to add is why I went for these colours. I was going to get either Phloof! or All That Glitters but I had already bought a really pretty neutral highlight shade from the Clarins Spring collection earlier that day so didn't want to double up too much in one go. I then spent ages uming and ahing over the endless brown/gold/bronze shades before eventually settling on Sable. Other shades I considered included Woodwinked, Twinks, Mulch, Tempting and Honesty.

But I went for Vex because I thought it was neutral yet usual. For those that aren't familiar - it's a mixture of pale grey/green with a slight shimmer of pink. It's gorgeous shade - for all over the lid or as a highlight. Very versatile - although I don't think it goes that well with the brown shades, I feel it would look better with greys and paler colours.

Vex close up

I chose Sable because it was a really deep, rich, shimmering brown - after testing pretty much all of the brown shades on the counter I decided on this as it didn't have too much bronze/glitter/gold like some of the others.

Sable close up

Vex (top) and Sable (bottom)

Vex (left) and Sable (right)

So, these are my first two choices - what shall I go for next?

** The Small Print **

All products mentioned in this post were bought by myself. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless of the source.

Boots No7 Spring 2010 Limited Editions

Boots No7 is still one of those brands I'm a bit surprised not to hear much about in the blog world. I don't really understand why as overall I think they are reasonable quality, easily accessible nationwide (UK) and the prices aren't too high. I think it's perhaps a bit of a hit and miss brand - some products are really good, others not so much?

But anyway, I think the new Spring collection that launched this week (27 January) is going to fall into the good category. I have been sent a few bits this week and whilst I have only had them for a few days I am so enamoured with them that I wanted to blog about it straight away.

Spring for No7 is all about 'natural radiance' and in my opinion the top product in the limited edition line is the Natural Radiance Highlighter. Pictured below, the highlighter is a really finely milled and smooth and definitely more shimmer than glitter. The golden champagne shade is flattering for pretty much every skin tone in my opinion as it's more golden than silvery so won't look ashy. But I'm no expert - so do correct me if you think otherwise.

Also part of the collection is a pretty palette of four eye shadows in dome-style pans. These colours to me are a fresher take on the typical Spring=pastels approach. The colours are deeper and richer than typical pastel shades, but still softer then jewel colours - kinda in between the two though.

When I first looked at the palette I was immediately drawn to the deep blue/purple shade and I thought this would be my favorite but when I tested them this was probably the one I was least impressed with. My favorites actually would have to be the pink/berry shade and the green - which is very unusual for me. The pale blue also comes out on the whiter side of the spectrum so would make a good brow highlight. I just love the gorgeous glowy shimmer of all the eye shadows.

Another drool-worthy addition to the collection is the luscious hot pink lipstick called 'Rubellite' that actually made me go 'oooh' when I opened it up. The picture doesn't really portray how amazingly vibrant the colour is but after trying to take about a gazillion photos I settled on this one as the closest it was going to get - although it looks far more red toned, rather than the fuscia pink that it really is. But believe me when I say this colour really does make you go wow. Really well pigmented and creamy when applied it doesn't feel dry or heavy on the lips.

Below is a series of pictures showing what the highlighter, shadows and lipstick swatches are like -pretty self explanatory really.

Highlighter swatch

Eyeshadow swatches

Lipstick swatch

So what do you think of the latest offering from No7? Prices vary from £10 for the lipstick to £13.50 for the shadow quad or the highlighter.

Final word from me on these ones - I really like the packaging. Gorgeous turquoise marble-esque lids for the highlighter/eyeshadow quad and glossy chrome-silver for the lipstick with a transparent tip so you can see the colour before you reach for it. Lovely stuff.

** The small print **

All products mentioned in this post were sent free of charge for review purposes. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless of the source.

Beauty Blog Link Love: 23/01

Next round of Beauty Blog Link Love - check out the rather fabulous links below!

theNotice has a three-part video series on how to contour your cheeks -- check out the first tutorial here!

MAC Mineralized SatinFinish gives off a beautiful finished look according to Eve's review at xLovelymakeupx.

Marina from MakeUp4All reviews and swatches on the cheeks Illamasqua's Cream Blusher in Rude and Illamasqua's Lipstick in Over.

Lipglossiping asks if the modern age has spawned demon digital artists.

This week, Louise wonders if the nude lip is all it's cracked up to be

Krasey Beauty takes you back to school with Skincare 101

Head over to Beautifully Glossy to check out L'oreal's Studio Secrets Resurfacing Primer.

It's Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, so check out some makeup looks inspired by some of the costumes!

Jellyminx swatches her cream eyeshadows!

Lisamarie at Beauty Crazed visits the Benefit Brow Bar for the 15 minutes that changed her life.

Sarah over at I Heart Cosmetics has found a really cool new invention for your makeup brushes!

Liparazzi has found the perfect concealer to brighten up her life, put a boi-ing in her step and Benefit her on her wedding day.

Jo over at Music & Make Up is having a one year anniversary giveaway.

Lisa Kate from Sparkle is my Crack! shows you how to look like a Cheer Bear!

The Makeup Snob shares her opinions on a couple NYX lip and eye palettes.

That's all for this week! Stay beautiful :)

xoxo

Weekend euphoria

Yay, it's Saturday! Which I am very very pleased about - it has been a long week. But enough about me, the title of this post actually relates to the product I wanted to mention. On Thursday I popped into Boots at Waterloo Station and of course couldn't leave without picking up a random beauty item - so I bought a Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Euphoria (number 510).

The colour is a gorgeous shimmery pale lilac-pink, quite classic yet still quite unusual, so hard to describe. The picture above is pretty accurate though. The formula is smooth and the picture below shows two coats over my trusty Mavala Base Coat (no top coat).

This is the first time I have painted my nails since Christmas. One of my beauty new years resolutions was to sort out my cuticles and look after my nails (and to look more polished). So since Christmas I have been really piling on the cuticle treatments and laying off the polish as my nails weren't in the best condition after a dodgy manicure pre-Xmas. They are in much better condition now, so thought I would get back on the polish bandwagon.

The downside of this colour though is that it really doesn't dry in 60 seconds - I made the fatal error or attempting to paint my nails first thing in the morning (yep, pre hair/make-up/getting dressed) who knows what I was thinking. I think I was taking the '60 second' thing seriously and expecting it to be dry quick enough that I wouldn't ruin it. You can probably see from the picture that this wasn't the case and within moments of starting to get ready for the day I had completely smudged about 50% of my nails - check out the big chunk I took out of my forefinger!

Moral of this story - don't try to pain your nails when you are in a hurry. Doh!

**The Small Print**

I bought this product myself. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless of the source.

Beauty bargain: Wahanda Mob Deal

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I was sent a press release yesterday for a beauty bargain that I just have to share with you all.

Health/Wellness/Beauty website Wahanda have this week launched a daily offer they are calling 'MobDeal'. By this they mean it works similar to a flash mob where the many is greater than one - in other words, by working together as a cosumer group we can get access to some pretty amazing deals that as individuals we wouldn't have. Yesterdays offer of £15 haircuts has already passed I'm afraid - but today's offer is even better.

Tuesdays deal is either a one hour facial or one hour massage for only £20 (saving £50). Now, who doesn't love a bit of bargain pampering? I'm about to order mine now.

If the deal itself isn't enough, Wahanda is also giving something back– for every MobDeal purchase made, Wahanda will donate £1 to charity:water to continue supporting their great cause of bringing fresh water to communities.

So if your interested visit www.wahanda.com/mobdeal/ to find out about the deal of the day.

When innovation goes wrong: Aquafresh iso-active foaming gel

It's debatable if toothpaste falls into the beauty category or not - in my opinion pretty much anything that is related to the body/face can be considered beauty - and that includes whitening toothpaste.

So, I was sent a toothpaste product (yep, it's beauty but still random) last year to test. Yes - I tested it at the time and wasn't keen on it so put it to the back of the testing pile debating if I would just ignore it or come back to it and give it a second chance.

The time came again for me to drag it out of the cupboard when last week I ran out of the normal toothpaste and necessity meant I needed to drag it out again. So I did, and nothing has changed.

The product I am talking about is Aquafresh iso-active foaming gel (whitening). I guess the fact is that there is only so much you can do to make toothpaste innovative. Not much point making it vibrate like all the other 'innovative' products are doing so they decided to make it foamy. The problem is, that it tastes like you are just spraying aerosol into your mouth and this is not pleasant. Yep, there is a minty taste at first but pretty much immediately after it starts to foam it tastes of aerosol. It foams quite a bit, but if this really has any benefit is debatable.

Really don't like this product and won't be buying again and thought I would share that thought with you. Moral of the story for toothpaste product developers - sometimes sticking to the simple approach is good enough.

Oh, but for some reason my boyfriend likes it. Just can't account for some people... has anyone else tried this out? What did you think?

**The Small Print**

I was sent this product free of charge for review purposes. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless of the source of the product.

Nars Orgasm Illuminator

Nars Orgasm, is one of those cult beauty products that everyone seems to know about - beauty junkies and non-obsessives alike. It is said to be the perfect, suits all shade, that gives that perfect 'afterglow' effect that is supposedly oh-so-flattering.

Personally, I'm not an orgasm fan. That sounds wrong, but remember I'm talking about make-up! I don't think it suits me, maybe I'm too pale and not a fan of strong blush looks, maybe I'm just applying it wrong. I don't know, I just don't think it's all it's cracked up to be.

But, before I get too anti-Nars orgasm I am extremely intrigued by the Nars Orgasm Illuminator that is to be launched this year. I love glowy liquid highlighters and this does look rather lovely. Described as 'a complexion enhancer that makes skin look instantly refreshed, radiant, and glowing.' - which means I pretty much need it, as this is ultimately my goal in applying make-up.

This isn't out yet in the UK - has anyone international got their hands on it? Is it as amazing as I am imagining?

Bubble bath related musings.

Aren't long bubble baths wonderfully indulgent?

I'm addicted to them at the moment - really can't get enough. There is nothing that is more relaxing than a soak in a tub filled with yummy smelling bubbles.

I never used to be a fan of baths - probably due to living in shared houses where it tended to be a little TOO long between cleaning... or being in a flat with a non full sized bath. But since moving into my own flat (with the boyfriend) and especially through the recent cold snap I've been having baths every day. They are the perfect way to relax, have some 'me' time and a bit of much needed pampering in miserable January.

Of course, the fact that I still have a sack load of Lush goodies that I bought in the sale has helped but I just wanted to share my thoughts on the wonders of baths. Make the most of them people!

Revlon Colourstay Foundation: Review

I've had this foundation for a while, I bought it before Xmas and have been meaning to do a quicky review of it ever since as I really like it. I bought it when Superdrug had the 3for2 offer across all make-up (which I thought was amazing by the way and would like them to bring back...).

This was one of those purchases that was basically decided for me by the twitter/blogging world. I saw loads of reviews or tweets saying how amazing a foundation this was and that it was comparable to a much more expensive MAC one. I'm not normally a fan of heavy foundation and I knew from the reviews that this one was, and that it needed some special/slightly fiddly application to make it look natural. I agree with the reviews on this - it is quite a heavy foundation, with a bit of a tacky feel and I do have a bit of a fussy way of applying it to make sure it doesn't look like a heavy mask.

To apply and set I do the following:

- Pour a little dollop of foundation onto a make-up sponge (either dry or damp)

- Use a foundation brush to roughly spread the foundation all over the face

- Use the make-up sponge to blend and buff into skin and work into awkward corners

- Apply under eye concealer (using either MAC moisture cover or a L'Oreal brightening one)

- Lightly dust MAC blot powder over the T Zone

- Use a kabuki to buff a light application of MAC MSF Natural in light

Coverage and staying power wise I really like this foundation. It is heavier than I normally wear and would probably skip it over summer but for this time of year it suits me fine.

Skin is left looking flawless but still natural enough that it doesn't look like 'too much'. I even had compliments on how good my skin looked- so I was sold.

My only issue with this is that I wish it had a pump as it's likely to go off in the bottle before I get close to finishing it. It's generally more hygienic and easier for travel if it had a pump.

For reference I'm around a NW15/20 and I bought the shade buff which is probably a tad on the dark side for me. I got the oily/combination version and did find when I was shade matching that there was a clear difference between the shades for the oily/combination and the dry skin formulas- so do test out before you buy!

But I would definitely buy this again.

**the small print**

I bought this product myself. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless if the source of the product.

Budget vs Blowout: coral blush

I was recently using my the Benefit Coralista blusher from the Powderazzi set I got for a bargainous £18 in the sale at ASOS.com and I spotted that it looks remarkably similar to a e.l.f. studio collection blusher (Candid Coral) I bought a while ago. Now, I don't think I have the most precise eye for these subtle colour differences so I thought I would share some pictures of them on here and see what others think? Am I right, and is the e.l.f. blush a good dupe for the Benefit or am I totally colour blind?

So, on in the left corner we have powderazzi and on the right we have e.l.f..... I realise that left and right don't technically have corners. And the e.l.f. swap over for the next picture... so ignore the left and right waffling. Black packaging is the e.l.f and the gold is the Benefit.

They look pretty darn similar, right? Well, I think so at least. In the swatches below the top one is the e.l.f. and the bottom one is Benefit. I think they look pretty similar, perhaps the Benefit has a slightly cooler sheen to it, but personally I don't think there is much in it.

So I would say that if you like the look of Coralista by Benefit, then it's worth ordering yourself a e.l.f. blush in Candid Coral to save your self a few pennies (Benefit blush is around £23.50 and e.l.f. is only £3.50+p&p).

Having said that, although the e.l.f. is surprisingly high quality for the price with a decent level of pigmentation the Benefit blush is undoubtedly smoother and creamier. If you look very closely in the pic above, the e.l.f. blush swatch is a bit darker at one end - I found this was the case as it wasn't quite as smooth and easy to blend so there was a bit of colour build up where it was first applied. There wasn't much in it, but us beauty junkies are meant to be a bit fussy aren't we?

So what do you think - bargain dupe or just cheap copy?

**The Small Print**

I bought both of these products myself with my own money. All reviews are honest and impartial, regardless of source.

Just a thought...

I do like to randomly ponder things.... recently I have been thinking about my affinity for using new products (hence the beauty junkie name). Yep, I like using new products, that's no surprise - but the thing that makes me wonder is the fact that even when I find a product that works I can't resist the urge to test something new?

Just as an example - I am really enjoying my current skin routine, my skin is clear and soft and I haven't had more than a couple of spots in the time I have been using it. But there is still an endless list of products that I want to try out - despite the risk of my skin not being to happy with my experimental ways.

I guess it's slightly different with make-up as there is more of an element of creativity and new things are always welcome (although with foundation/concealer it's the same - I always want to try something new, even when I find ones I love) but when it comes to hair and body - I guess this beauty junkie is never satisfied (well, not till I find a product that makes me look like a Victoria Secret Angel that is...).

January diets suck: Get your Just Deserts

If you are one of the many, many people out there who have decided that January is the time to start a diet then this might be something that tickles your taste-buds, without the guilt.

Instead of eating Strawberry Cheesecake, how about you rub it all over your body? No, I'm not being rude - I mean the Just Desserts Body Custard. Just Desserts are all flavoured like different naughty treats - chocolate souffle, strawberry cheesecake, vanilla ice cream or lemon meringue. Kinda brings a whole new meaning to 'a moment on the lips, lifetime on the hips'...

I was sent a sample of these 'Body Custards' to test out and of the four my favorite was strawberry cheesecake - it reminded me of a layered gel/cream moisturiser that Boots Natural Collection used to do called strawberry and cream (I don't think they sell it any more, but if they do then please let me know) and it truly smells delicious.

Sadly I can't say the same for all the flavours/scents. Lemon Meringue smells like the toilet cleaner Ciff - afraid that's not the signature smell I'm trying to capture! The boyfriend's favorite was the Chocolate Souffle - but I think that's because he actually wanted to grab a spoon and start eating it. It smells pretty much just like cocoa powder - so if you are a chocoholic who is trying to cut back then maybe this would be a happy compromise. The vanilla ice cream one was fairly non-offensive and probably the best choice if you don't want to be left smell like a pudding all day.

The Just Desserts come packaged in body-butter style tubs but don't let that fool you into thinking these are the same level of moisturiser. They are lighter, I would call them a step up from a normal lotion, but not quite as thick as body butters. The moisturising properties aren't as effective as body butters either so if you have really dry skin then they aren't going to give you the moisture you need, but if you have normal skin then these would be fine. So whilst these aren't the best choice if you are looking for a moisture boost, they are a bit of fun.

Oh, but don't try to eat them.

Whilst these were fun to test out, I doubt I would buy again as I have quite dry skin and do need something a bit more moisturising.

You can buy Just Desserts online at http://www.getyourjustdesserts.co.uk/products for only £2.99 (+p&p) a tub.

**The Small Print**

These products were sent free of charge for review purposes. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless of the source of the product.

Label.M Resurrection Style Dust: review

Volumionous hair seems to be the number one hair request now a days - well, at least it is for me anyway. I have long hair, that is fine and generally quite flat and quite a pain in the bum to get looking like it has any volume. Over the years I have picked up a whole load of tricks (blow drying upside down, hairspray, not using too much conditioner etc etc) but I am always in search of miracle products that give me a little more oomph. I recently found one in the shape of LUSH Big Shampoo which I reviewed recently. But I have also found another one that I wanted to share my review of: Label.M Resurrection Style Dust.

With a name like Resurrection Style Dust I think the first thing that I thought was that it would be like dry shampoo, but this couldn't be further from the truth. This is a magical product that you use as a finishing step to hair styling, to give hair a boost and help get the volumised, bed-head look.

The dust comes in a small pot that is a similar size to a large bottle of nail varnish. This might sound weird, but it's fascinating to look at the dust if you give the pot a shake - it is so fine that a small shake puffs the powder up and then it gradually deflates as the weight of the powder pushes the air out. I know, this sounds a bit bizarre - but it actually helps demonstrate how clever the powder is. It is so fine that it almost weighs the same as air - a good thing when you are on the quest of volume.

So, enough about looking at the product - how does it work? (and more importantly DOES it work?) To use this powder - you simply shake the pot to dispense a *tiny* amount to the roots. Then, scrunch the roots up with your fingers to get the hair poofed (yes, that's a technical term).

So, does it deliver? It does, there is no doubt that this product delivers volume. I really like it, but there are a few points about it that may mean that it wont suit everyone. The powder creates messy volume and feels a bit sticky as it turns into a paste-like texture when applied - the messy texture isn't necessarily what everyone wants, so if you are looking for a neat style then this wont be for you. I also know that some people don't like the sort of product you can feel - as my Mum says, hair feels 'clarty' (she means dirty) - then you probably won't like this. You do have to be careful not to use too much or else hair will feel *too* sticky but it won't necessarily add any extra volume than using just a small amount.

It should also be noted that this isn't a product to be used all over - just at the roots, I use it on the crown area to create really localised volume.

Having said that this is a product you can feel, one of the things I really like about it is that it is one you can 'resurrect' (see what I did there) throughout the day. If you feel your hair is dropping a bit, all you need to do is scrunch up your roots again where you applied the product and the volume will be revived - just like magic.

Label.M Resurrection Style Dust costs £9.25 from Toni and Guy salons. I think this is pretty good value and only using a tiny amount means the product will last a really long time. I was sent this to review but will definitely buy this again when my sample runs out. If you want some messy root volume, or a bed head style then I think this is worth a look - as long as you factor in the points I mentioned earlier to decide if this is the product for you.

**The Small Print**

This product was sent free of charge for review purposes. All reviews are honest and impartial regardless of the source of the product.

A blog well worth a look: London MakeUp Girl

Whilst putting together my list of blogs for the awards and reading through the posts on Beauty Blog Link Love that people should read it crossed my mind that a lot of the blogs I read fall into different 'categories' in my mind - with the bloggers being experts in different areas. One that came to mind that I wanted to share with anyone who isn't already aware is London MakeUp Girl.

London MakeUp Girl is a really great blog for niche, specialist make-up brands rather than the traditional mainstream brands that are everywhere. A huge Ellis Faas fan, Grace really is an expert in the lesser-known but just as special brands from all across the world.

Every time I read her blog I feel that I learn something new about make-up brands I have never heard of - which is really refreshing. Go have a read now!

Blog Awards

Quick post to say thank you to the lovely Ashwini from http://clearlybeautiful.blogspot.com/ for nominating me for two blog awards. Nothing like a bit of sharing the love and positivity in the beauty blogging community - read on for my nominations below!

I have decided to be all efficient-like and double up the awards - below are ten blogs that I really like and read regularly. The awards have some 'special instructions' (post on blog, let nominees know...etc) plus for the 'You're a doll' award answer the questions: what character from a book/movie are you most like?

If your blog is below, consider yourself nominated! Of course this isn't the extensive list of the blogs I read, but it's a selection of a few I enjoy.

and last, but by no means least BritishBeautyBlog - a must-subscribe for any beauty lover who wants to get the inside track on the latest launches in beauty.

Oh, and the character from a book/movie that I am most like....I'd like to think I'm like Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's but I'm probably more like Reese Witherspoon's character in Legally Blonde. Apart from without the Harvard Law Degree.

Beauty Blog Link Love 2

So here they are - the second selection of links for Beauty Blog Link Love, hope you find some new blogs that you like!

This week:

theNotice is hosting a New Year's giveaway with lots of discontinued or hard-to-find items, and everyone has three chances to win!

Priminition, an expose on primers - over at Jeweled Thumb

A go-to neutral purple-beige look from Maggie at The Polka-Dotted Apple!

Krasey Beauty warms it up for winter with a golden makeup look using Chanel's Spring 2010 collection

Vex in the City explains why Dr Hauschka Rose Day Cream is all she needs to beat her winter blues

Amy over at Yoetke Beauty Blog is taking L'Oreal's 4-Week Lashboost Challenge!

Arianne can't stop raving about her holy grail foundation (OMG!) on Glitter Geek.

Lisa Kate has some Sparkle Approved Mineral Makeup Companies to share with you!

LiAnn asks what beauty products you tried that made you say "meh"

Retrodiva wants to know what your signature fragrance is!

Jellyminx Thinks swatches Sleek Eyeshadow palettes

Hot Beauty Health share some sexy haircolor ideas to start the new year off fresh!

Over at Lipglossiping this week, Charlotte contemplates life with triangle hair.

This week at Get Lippie, Louise tries out a Scarlet Johanssen-style makeover

Stay beautiful, makeup junkies! Hope you all had a great week.xoxo

Lush Big Shampoo Review

I have been twittering and blogging away about my new-found obsession with Lush, since I have spent my life savings (slight exaggeration) on bits and bobs from the aforementioned fragrant shop, I thought it was about time I shared my thoughts on one of the products with you.

I initially got a tiny sample of the Lush Big Shampoo when I was in store pre-Xmas and after only trying it out once I knew I had to go back and buy it. I even raved about it so much to my friend that she had to try it too.

Big shampoo is like no other shampoo I have ever tried in the past. It contains salt, so feels more like an exfoliator than a shampoo. Very bizarre on first use, it kinda feels like it might clog your hair up and leave it with bits in - but when you apply just a really tiny amount it creates an amazing, thick, creamy lather and most of the salty bits seem to vanish. Those bits that don't rinse out really easily and after around 7 uses I have never been left feeling like there has been anything left behind.

In fact, one of the best things about the shampoo is how clean it leaves hair - squeaky clean in fact. The name Big shampoo isn't just for show either and this is my favorite bit of it - the salt manages to leave my hair with a significant amount of 'oomph' that it was lacking before. Since my main hair complaint is that my hair is always 'blah' adding some 'oomph' is the perfect result. I found the results (volume-wise) to be best when I managed to let my hair air dry, rather than blow drying it. Even with no styling products, backcombing or anything my hair had about twice as much volume as it normally does. SOLD!

The only down side is that because the shampoo contains salt and is super cleansing it would be best not to use this every day. Darn it, I finally find a shampoo that makes my hair all oomphy as I want, and I cant use it every time.

Oh also, since I always whinge about my sensitive scalp I thought I should give it a mention. I haven't found this at all irritating, perhaps the salt helps slough away dead skin? It might be helped by the fact that I also picked up the Snake Oil Scalp Bar from Lush too - will give this a full review when I have had a bit longer to test it out.

But anyway, back to Big Shampoo. I love it - the pot is huge and I find I only need to use the smallest amount so think it will last for ages. I just have to tear myself away from it so I don't use it every day.

I bought this myself and it cost around £9 for a big pot. I will definitely buy this again when the pot runs out, but as I said - I doubt this will be for a long time as each wash only uses a dollop about the size of a 20p and if I'm being good and not using it every day.... this will last months.

Lip lifesaver: Blistex Relief Cream

I very rarely get ill and when I do it ALWAYS seems to manage to be when it's a holiday or weekend. So, when I came down with a cold over Christmas I was hardly surprised. It wasn't anything dramatic, just a pain in the bum to get a cold over the holidays.

It also brought with it a series of beauty-issues that I could have done without. Including dry flaky skin around my nose (due to constant tissue-action) and really dry, sore lips - from having to breathe through my mouth at night (thanks to a bunged up nose). Pleasant. I have been using a couple of products to tackle these issues, including Johnson's Baby Moisturising Cream for my nose (and randomly the Clinique All About Eyes rich moisturiser... hey, whatever works) and these have been helping with the crusty nose situation. But I have one product that really needs raving about.

Blistex Relief Cream. Thanks to my cold, my lips were REALLY dry and REALLY sore (on the plus side, it meant that they were very red and a bit swollen - I have always wanted plumped lips) but the pain and discomfort wasn't worth it, so I had to find a solution. So I reached for my faithful tube of Blistex Relief Cream which completely solved my dry lip problems.

I was amazed by how well it worked - one application made my lips feel instantly soothed and nowhere near as sore. The cream really did work so quickly, and around 3 applications and my lips were feeling back to normal. I think that's pretty amazing - as soon as my lips are back to normal I can switch back to a day to day lip balm. I love the minty-menthol tingle of the Relief Cream and the texture is light and creamy and absorbs easily but with something like this it's all about the results - it does as it says on the tube, and that's good enough for me.

I bought this product myself and will definitely buy it again - I recommend it for anyone who suffers from dry lips, either regularly or occasionally. It's a great product to have on standby, just in case. The only down side with this tube is that if you squeeze it too hard you will be stuck with an un-stoppable stream of product - so squeeze gently!

An introduction to Beauty Blog Link Love

It was just the other day that I was tweeting about wanting to find more fabulous beauty blogs to read, so I recently jumped at the chance to join a blogging network. SO with that in mind, I want to introduce you to Beauty Blog Link Love.

Beauty Blog Link Love (or BBLL for short) is officially on-air today with this Link Love post. We're a new community of -- obviously -- beauty bloggers, and we're committed to bringing you the best and brightest stars of the beauty blog world twice each month! Don't worry; this won't affect the posts on any of the blogs that you're reading, but what it will do is form a casual, contract-free environment for bloggers to share posts that they're proud of, which means that you'll get easy access to the best reading material possible.

Today we'd just like to introduce all of our lovely members so far, so stick with us! If you're interested in joining BBLL as well, you can find out more here. Now, onto the bloggers:

Adina, the voice behind KraseyBeauty, a blog for all things beautiful in New York City.

Amy, the beauty addict & product junkie who posts a collection of swatches and reviews on Yoetke Beauty Blog.

Arianne, who loves all things beautiful (from makeup to geekery that may sometimes involve kitties) is the gorgeous gal-with-brains behind Glitter Geek.

BeautyjunkieLondon, (that's me!) as you all know, I'm a London-based beauty obsessive who has found an outlet for all things wonderfully girly and shallow.

Caz, a UK beauty blogger and newly found Lush addict at thisiscaz.

Eve, who writes xLovelyMakeupx and loves anything fashion and makeup.

The Jeweled Thumb, of the eponymous blog.

Kelly, the Jellyminx Thinks blogger.

LiAnn, of Sparklecrack Central, who is hooked on makeup though she didn't wear it regularly until she was nearly 40.

Lipglossiping, a girl with too many lipsticks (and a blog about them).

Lisa Kate of Sparkle is my Crack! who happens to be obsessed with glitter, guinea pigs and winking cupcake tattoos!

Louise, the blogger behind Get Lippie.

Maggie, who writes The Polka-Dotted Apple.

Sara, a Bay Area beauty blogger who documents her cosmetic obsession at The Makeup Snob.com.

Sarah, the shopaholic behind the reviews, hauls and hair drama at I Heart Cosmetics.

Stephanie, the makeup artist from LA blogging about makeup and fashion at Aquahearts Makeup Obsession.

Vex, with Vex in the City.

And, finally, the editor of BBLL (Rae) who also writes theNotice: a beauty blog, which she fills with reviews, swatches, FOTDS, and a side of snark.

Happy New Year: New MAC

Happy New Year to all. My first post of 2010 is a fascinating one.... an empty MAC pro palette. Yep, that's right - empty. I've mentioned before on this blog that I'm not a die-hard MAC lover, but through reading various other blogs I have started to slowly, slowly, build the number of MAC bits I own as some of them really are must-haves.

In general though, I'm not too fussed about keeping up with all the collections (although the Warm and Cosy collection was a slight exception, there was ONE thing from there that I really really wanted) or spending huge chunks of my salary on the brand (I'm a bit of a brand-hussy, I don't like to limit myself to just one). But I have been convinced that the eye shadows are really good quality, with pretty much any colour imaginable available, so I decided to buy myself an empty palette and gradually over the next few months get new eye shadows to add and will do a new post on each one - till eventually it is full.

I have a couple of colours in mind, but if you have any suggestions for must-have MAC shadow colours then please let me know in a comment!