Golden Nails

This Christmas my friend Grace bought me the Front Cover Nails set. Straight away I had to try out the gold glitter nail paint 'Guinea'. I can't remember if I used 3 or 4 layers of varnish but I wanted a really strong coverage... here are the results:

I didn't actually have the camera flash on but the nails are so shiny with all the glitter that they throw back a lot of glare into the camera! Not sure if I will be keeping them on for long, but I was very happy with the results!

Guest Post ‘Captain Awesome’ – Office Secret Santa, the dilemma

Every year I'm the one who ends up with the worst possible person in the office to get a secret Santa for. What do you get for a man who you've hardly spoken to all year, and the spending limit is £5? There are only so many boxes of Ferrero Rocher that I can buy before they start thinking I secretly work for them.


This year if I get unlucky again in the secret Santa draw I think I'm sorted, at £4.99 this Radox for Men Gift Set could be my saviour:  

The set comes with a shower scrub, shampoo + shower gel, and a wash cloth.  Now that’s what I call a deal.  The scrub is refreshing, invigorating, and clears off those pesky dead skin cells.  It leaves you smelling fresh without having people think you borrowed your girlfriend’s soap.  Having so much included at such an attractive price, I give this product an 8 out of 10 on the awesome scale.

Captain Awesome.

Guest Post ‘Captain Awesome’ – Kyoku for Men – Oil Control Lotion

This product is perfect for the active urban lifestyle of any man on the go.  Kyoku combines scientific research with natural extracts in all of their innovative products. 

The Kyoku oil control lotion is a very light, scent free lotion that absorbs quickly into your skin.  There is no greasy residue left on your hands like other brands.  As somebody with extremely oily skin, this product definitely does the job.  After just one day my forehead was noticeably less shiny throughout the day.  I found this product worked best for me when I used it in the morning after my normal skincare routine, so that my skin didn't get as oily throughout the day.  I use my regular moisturiser before bed as I found that once a day application was most suited to my skin type (combination: oily t-zone).

This product definitely does the job but doesn’t come cheap.  Therefore I give it 7 out of 10 on the awesome scale.

This product is available at Harrods.

Captain Awesome.

The Best Beauty Buys for Winter

Not only does your wardrobe need to accommodate the sudden drop in temperature, but so do your skin and haircare routines.  Here are my top 5 products to take you through the winter months:


1. An intensive moisturiser for your face- an absolute must!! My skin dries up like a prune when I go from blustery winds to the hot office day in day out. My (beautifully smelling) night time miracle cream of the moment is Yes to Blueberries Intensive Moisturising Night Repair Cream. Formulated with moisture-retaining shea butter to help smooth and hydrate skin, blueberries to give your skin a powerful dose of anti-oxidant goodness while you sleep and noni fruit, an exotic fruit to help soothe and calm your skin from the day's wear and tear. Priced at £19.99.

2. A deep conditioning hair treatment. Keep your hair lustrous and soft with an intensive deep conditioning treatment that has been specifically formulated to revitalise hair. My favourite at the moment is by Racoon and priced at just £10 it's a bit of a beauty bargain too. Tip: The conditioner has a thick texture which doesn't drip when you are leaving it on for longer to get a deeper condition, if you put some cling film over the conditioning treatment and leave on for around an hour your hair will warm up which is supposed to let the conditioning treatment work deeper into the hair shaft.

3. The Quick Fix. Party invites are ubiquitous this time of year, cue the quick fix - Nanoblur. What the experts say "Nanoblur is not skincare. It is quite simply tomorrow’s high technology, today. It is not a cream. It is a suspension of millions and millions of particles that reflect light perfectly in billions of directions to make the skin’s surface appear completely   flawless. " It's true, this is like wall putty for the face. Within seconds your skin appears to have been resurfaced, pores are minimised and even the colour tone of the skin appears more even. Priced at £19.99. Tip: Less is more with Nanoblur, I just use Nanoblur under my eyes if I'm going out because I get quite dark circles... but I always mix it with a little moisturiser to ensure a perfect finish.

4. Party Nails. What better way to decorate your nails this season than with these polkadot Children In Need Inspired nail wraps?! 25% of the purchase price is given to the charity - so you can look good and feel good this festive season!

5.  Bouncy locks.  Quickly transform your hair from straight and lifeless, to bouncy and wild with a pair of hair tongs. Tesco have just brought out a range of Twilight hair stylers. "Get Bella Swan’s waves with Twilight Tongs or Alice Cullen’s poker straight style with the Twilight Straighteners, which also come in a convenient mini version if you’re travelling to see the penultimate part of the Twilight series." I've not tried any of these twilight hair products out yet, but they're sure to make great Christmas presents as they're all priced around the £25 mark.

What are your top beauty tips for winter?

Speed Weft from Windle & Moodie - Blogger Event

I'm one of the biggest beauty fad sceptics around, it's always like I'm trying to seek out faults in products to stop myself from purchasing! Due to my (overt) scepticism of everything I really do have to see it for myself before I believe it...


Introducing to you the new 'Speed Weft' from Windle & Moodie - at home hair extensions that actually work, and are undetectable to the naked eye... thicken and lengthen your hair in a matter of seconds!

I was lucky enough to go to a blogger event where we got taken through step by step how to use the product, and the history of how the product came about.  We then got to try out the hair pieces to see which colour suited us, you can also get a speed weft fringe, which I think is a brilliant idea to purchase if you've ever considered getting a fringe, this way you can see whether or not it'd suit you! 


Interestingly, if you've ever watched Pushing Daises staring Anna Friel, you'll have noticed how her hair changed a lot throughout the programme (the dream sequences etc and going back in time). Anna Friel's hairdresser on Pushing Daisies used a similar product to Speed Weft that they created especially for her so that the hair pieces could be quickly and precisely put in place.

"Made with non-human hair, the weft looks, feels and behaves like your own locks. You can apply heated tools to style your Weft up to 170C. The hair is 18 inches long and has 5 rows of hair stitched together invisibly, plus additional 2 layers of hair that drop 3 inches below the Single Row. We suggest you take your Speed Weft to your hairstylist to cut to your own style, or if you are feeling brave, you can cut it yourself."

My favourite thing about this product is that by adding these hair extensions in, you have transformed your look in a matter of seconds, it's the easiest way to get extra volume and thickness in your hair without spending hours with volumizing mouse and the blowdryer. 


For more information, or to watch the tutorials visit the Windle and Moodie site here!

Jonathan Saunders LFW Fekkai Video

"The hot ticket for day two at London Fashion Week certainly belonged to Jonathan Saunders. The Scottish designer has always had a huge influence during London Fashion Week, and this season was no different. Taking over an open office space in Paddington, the room was lit with fluorescent lights as cat-eyed models slinked through the room.

With their messy hair clipped away from their faces, the theatrics of Saunders show solely belonged to the clothes. Beautiful and romantic prints, delicate, flowing chiffon – Jonathan Saunders did what he does best and designed for the female body. Moving away from the tailored silhouettes of past seasons, this season the shapes were looser – softly pleated skirts fell just under the knee, printed or finely sprinkled with polka dots.

Written by Kavita

New York Fashion Week – NYFW Hair Bargain!

If you’ve watched any of the shows at NYFW you’ll have spotted some truly spectacular hair and make-up on show. One of the easiest looks to recreate on a budget is the hair from Marc by Marc Jacobs and Victoria Beckham’s SS12 collections.

Marc By Marc Jacobs: ‘It's a bit of a departure for Marc’, says Guido, ‘it's more grownup this season with an actual up-do instead of leaving it loose and or just a simple pony'. To achieve the desired look, Palau folded the lengths of a ponytail upward, securing it with a silver Goody Barrette. The lengths were then flipped back over the  base and secured around the mid section with another Goody Barrette. “It’s girly but sophisticated,” said Pala

Victoria Beckham:  Guido created a Catherine  Deneuve inspired half up-half down  style, which he secured using a Goody Barrette. The look channeled elegance with a masculine twist. The simplicity of the  Barrettte perfectly reflected Victoria Beckham’s sophisticated collection.

The best thing of all? These Goody Barrettes are just £2.19 for a pack of 3 at Morrisons!

Little Miss Nails Inc!

It’s Mr Men & Little Miss 40th anniversary, so what better way to celebrate than an inspired collection from Nails Inc. . Fantastic idea, I love a bit of nostalgia, and combining it with nail varnish is even better! This limited edition collection comes in 4 splendid colours just perfect for summer/autumn:

Nails Inc Little Miss Chatterbox nail polish – a grey/brown polish, this colour is great for everyday wear, I think I'd wear this one to the office as it's so neutral that it'd go with anything :) 

Nails Inc Little Miss Splendid nail polish – a minty green nail polish (pastel), super cute colour - I'd personally wear this one more in spring/summer... but of course I want it anyway!!

Nails Inc Little Miss Sunshine nail polish – looks peachy in the bottle, but when I put it on I think it's more apricot toned, it has a slightly orange pigment to it, which is nice because it makes the colour pop just that little bit more than a normal peachy/nude varnish.

Nails Inc Little Miss Naughty nail polish -  light purple nail polish (but not pastel)... I'm pretty tempted to buy this one just because Little Miss Naughty was one of my favourite Little Miss' but I don't really wear purple often...

Overall I love this new collection, the quality as usual for Nails Inc is spot on... 2 thin coats and you've got perfect coverage that lasts. Nails Inc may be slightly more expensive than other brands, but I'm happy to pay more for better pigments that stand the test of time!

Will you be buying anything from this Nails Inc collection?

Green People Organic Body Spa Sensuous Sugar Scrub 245g

When I read that 60% of what we put on our skin is absorbed in to the blood stream I was pretty shocked. I am usually pretty careful at what products I use anyway, because I have sensitive skin... but having read that I am now trying to go as organic as I can with my skin care!


The basis, in my opinion, to any good body care routine is to start with a magnificent exfoliant.

I love this sugar body scrub from Green People as it really does give a good scrub without being scratchy - I think this is thanks to the shea butter which gives an almost balm like texture when you wet the scrub.


The product recommendation is to use twice a week - but I only use mine once a week and this scrub is so good that it keeps my legs silky soft for a full 7 days! Perhaps if you had callous feet etc you'd want to use it 2-3 times a week to start with to really see the benefits!

I'd definitely rate this product a 5* and would repurchase!


A little information to note:
The packaging is recyclable and non air-freighted. Green people use only use the purest, natural and organic ingredients hand made in small quantities to ensure you receive the freshest products possible. What's more, Green People have always donated 10% of their net profit to charity! 


For more information check out http://www.greenpeople.co.uk :)

Summer Hair

SUMMER IS HERE!


Ahhh but the havoc that that can play with my skin and hair is crazy! The increased humidity can play havoc with my hair and leave it looking a little bit fuzzy and frizzy! In turn, this means I have to use my hair straighteners more... which can make my hair even drier! Madara to the rescue!


MÁDARA haircare to the rescue :) 

To combat my unruly hair I have been using the nourish and repair shampoo and conditioner which really gets deep in to the hair follicles and prevents my hair from drying and getting split ends. There are lots of different ranges of  MÁDARA hair care: gloss and vibrancy collection which is great for normal hair as it enhances the natural shine and the colour and shine collection which deeply nourishes your hair counteracting the effects of dying the hair.


MÁDARA’s hair care range is certified as organic and contains typical herbs and plants from the Baltic region, including nettle, linden flower, quince and plantain, which contain high levels of active ingredients.  

Each product in the hair care range retails at £9.90.

Blogger, Elizabeth x

Smelling lovely!

Mmm Mmm Mmm! I am smelling pretty lovely today even if I do say so myself! All thanks to...

These cute shower gels with little scrubby bits in cost just £1.99 from Tesco, so they're much cheaper than most of there rivals! My favourite is the pomegranate secret... I wasn't too sure what a pomegranate would smell like, but it is divine! It's a pretty sturdy bottle too, and not too big so it'd be great for popping in your travel bag for a few days away :)


THE POMEGRANATE SECRET Shower Wash with a little bit of scrub 175ml £1.99
THE RASPBERRY KISS Shower Wash with a little bit of scrub 175ml £1.99

Have you tried much from the Tesco beauty range?

Blogger, Elizabeth x

Wayne Rooney Hair Transplant - a good idea?

I'm sure you've all seen the photos of Wayne Rooney's hair transplant in the media this week - how painful did that look!!!! (see below!) I do understand why Rooney had this done, and he has the money to so I guess it probably was a good idea. A full head of hair certainly does make a person look more youthful. However, thinning hair isn't just a problem for men, women can suffer too - which I'd imagine would be more embarrassing as thinning/balding is seen as far more common and acceptable on men.

Give thinning hair a boost with Michael diCesare's Thickening Hair Builder (21g). To use, wash and dry your hair, then expose the area that you'd like to look thicker. Hold the container 6cm - 9cm (2" - 3") from the head and sprinkle the Hair Builder on to the area. Then brush hair back in to place.

To sum up this product, it's a great quick fix, it uses a similar principle to dry shampoo. I don't have thinning hair, but I did have very bad roots last week (my roots are a lot lighter than my dyed hair... so it can look like my hair is thinning!) this product was amazing for covering up roots between dying!! I would definitely buy this product again just for using as an in between colouring fix - and if I do ever start to get thinning hair this product is going to be a god send!

Check out QVC here as the product is on at a lower introductory price.

Avène - summer love

I'm sure I don't have to state the importance of good sun protection for your health. It is also important to remember that keeping your skin protected from the elements is essential to maintain good skin elasticity and pigmentation.

Thank Goodness for Avène. Luxurious yet affordable, this is definitely my new must have sun protection! This sun cream is just perfect for those of us with both sensitive and very pale skin.

Unlike other very high protection sun creams, this one does not take forever to rub in, and is far less paste like than any formula I have used before. I was very pleased that having used this product I was not left with an oily/shiny body thanks to the oil regulating Cucurbita Pepo extract which left my skin with a more natural matte finish. 

Check out www.avene.co.uk for more info :) 
Elizabeth xx

Now I've got the suncream sorted, time to book a holiday!!

Introduction to Pilates DVD For the True Beginner

If it's good enough for Pippa...

Pippa Middleton revealed a while back that the secret to her being in such good shape is weekly Pilates sessions. Miss Middleton stated that the exercise has helped her to improve her core strength and posture, which in turn elongates the frame and helped her keep a natural poise on the day of the wedding. Pippa says that "'As someone who is always ‘on the go’, Pilates has been a wonderful escape from my busy lifestyle in London...'Whether it’s 7am in the morning or 7pm at night I always leave feeling calm, refreshed and invigorated." 

For those of us without the budget, or just wanting to give Pilates a go before we hit the gym, a DVD for beginners is probably a good way to dip a toe in the water!

• 24 key Aero Pilates exercises

• Number of exercises: 24

• Running Time: 28:31 minutes

The only downside to this DVD that I can see is that a lot of the workout is done using Pilates machines, which I don't have, but there is a whole section of simple warm ups etc that you can do without any machines.
 I'd give this DVD a 8/10. Buy yours now from www.qvcuk.com

Introduction to Pilates DVD For the True Beginner. An introduction to the world of Aero Pilates - a Pilates reformer exercise combined with low impact cardiovascular exercise. Get started safely with twenty-four key Aero Pilates exercises.

This DVD is brilliant, unlike some Beginners DVDs, this one truly is for a beginner (I even managed to follow what was going on!!!). So, instead of being scared off by not being able to do any of the exercises I feel more positive that this is a level of pilates that I can safely and enjoyably participate in.

TOPSHOP MAKE UP - LIMITED EDITION SANDSTORM

If something is limited edition then straight away I'm more interested, and if it's limited edition TOPSHOP Make UP in very pretty designs... then all the better!!

Firstly, the packaging is beautiful, simple but very luxe at the same time (pretty specks of gold on a creamy background makes the packaging seem like it is for a much higher priced product). Secondly, the colour palette of the products themselves is just beautiful (If you get a chance check out the nail varnishes they're very fairly priced and come in some truly gorgeous colours!)

Out of the Sandstorm Limited Edition collection my favourite product by far is the blusher/bronzer cheek duo. I literally use this product every single day! The only downside to this product, is that you have to use a fairly hard brush to get the pigment on as it is a baked powder so doesn't come away too easily... though for me this is a plus point too as I am always dropping things and so a practically smash-proof bronzer/blusher is just perfect for me!!

Ahhh I think I'm going to have to try and pick another one up quickly before they sell out, I don't know how I'll cope when it runs out!!!!

Have you tried anything from the TOPSHOP Sandstorm collection?

Elizabeth x

MÁDARA

Wow, what a busy few weeks it’s been, Easter and the Royal Wedding! Thank goodness we were blessed with great weather! … Although, for me, this means a change to my make-up routine!

When it’s sunny outside I prefer to use a tinted moisturiser to keep my skin hydrated and let it breathe. I am currently using Madara tinted moisturiser.

MÁDARA Decoface organic tinting fluid come in two shades: moon flower (this is the one that I use), for fairer complexions, and sun flower, for slightly more tanned complexions. Madara moonflower is a great alternative to wearing foundation as it still gives me a great finish but looks a bit more natural as it evens out my complexion whilst still showing my freckles.

What I love most about this this product is that all of the colour and shimmer are obtained from natural plant minerals and mica.

I'm quite the fan of MÁDARA at the moment, check out my other post here.

What should I pack? Holiday essentials...

Holidays will soon be upon us… preparing your skin for holiday is of course important, but I often forget to take in to consideration what I am actually going to bring with me! Taking big bottles of shampoos and moisturisers can not only weigh down your suitcase, but also leaves you prone to risk of liquid leakage on to pretty summer dresses. Disaster! 

There isn't much relevance to this photo, but I took it in a hostel in Spain last Summer and it just really makes me laugh!!

So, here are my holiday must haves:

1. SUNSCREEN!!! I was silly enough years ago to not bring any sun cream with me, and presume I could just buy some out there at the local supermarket, but this wasn't actually the case, as I'm pale I need to use a minimum of factor 30, and abroad you can't always find this. So I'd recommend always bringing your own sunscreen especially if you know that you'll need the protection of those higher factors. Soleil Suncare Kids is enriched with Vitamin E to protect and moisturise the skin. The clever sand resistant formumla reduces sand sticking to the skin and its water resistance maintains protection even during swimming. Extracts of chamomile soothe and moisturise the skin. Dermatologically tested this photostable formula will not break down protection in sunlight. I know it is meant for kids, but I love the smell of this sunscreen and it's green so you can obviously see if you've not rubbed it all in properly! 

2. Palmer's Swivel Stick – won’t leak in your bag! To get a gorgeous even tan you need to have well moisturised skin, this pan stick is great at really targeting those dry areas such as your knees and elbows. I like to keep mine in my handbag as it simply cannot leak (also great for putting on your feet before bearing all in those flip flops!) Or just use it as an ultra nourishing lip balm!

3. Front cover eyeshadows – compact eyeshadow palette to go, just take 4 essential shades with you rather than bags full of shadows! I love this eyeshadow palette as you tailor it exactly to your needs, I like to take with me the 3 basics (a base colour, a nude and a contouring colour and one popping colour, something bright to accentuate an outfit). Even better, once you've used up your favourite eyeshadows you can just buy new ones and pop them in to the palette, gotta love a bit of eco-friendly :) 

4. Airbase foundation – I recently tried out airbase foundation which gives me a beautiful and natural looking light coverage - perfect for summer. Airbase foundation is available in 7 shades, you can also mix and match the shades to create the exact colour for you. My favourite thing about this foundation is that it contains vitamins A and E which are must haves when trying to keep your skin looking and feeling youthful. I prefer to use this make-up in the evenings, as it is made from silicone which can really stand up to high temperatures, so it lasts through the night without having to top up your makeup.

5.Holiday hair! Not all of us are lucky enough to get that wavy beach hair without a little bit of effort… well, we can all be lucky now thanks to Bumble and Bumble’s new texture (un) dressing crème. To best (un)dress hair with, start with a small amount of the product on damp hair and gradually build up the product (don’t use too much though, a little really does goes a long way). Let sit a minute, then loosen and ruffle, freehand. Apply to the roots for extra lift or use a diffuser for more volume all over. You can leave your hair like this for the beach look, or use it as a base to work in other styles, textured ponytails etc.

Sugared Fig! – Nougat London lip balm

I really wanted to try this lip balm because it has such an unusual flavour – sugared fig! All of the Nougat range uses only the finest ingredients (none of which are tested on animals).

This balm is very fragranced, and really does smell of sweetened figs, a lovely smell for the summer. I’d definitely buy this product again as it looks great and really delivers - no more chapped lips for me!! Although, i would maybe buy it in a different flavour because there is so much more from this range that I want to try out, for more information check out www.nougatlondon.co.uk :)

£6 is quite a bit to spend on a lip balm, but it comes in a very cute tin, and then the tin comes in a little presentation box which has a slide out mechanism (a bit like a match box) so that you can easily get to your lip balm in times of need!!

Blogger, Elizabeth x

Mothering Sunday Gift Guide 2011

This Sunday it will be Mother's Day, so I’ve put together a few ideas for gifts that Mums should love!

Indulge by name… must be a good sign! Why not treat your Mum this year to some gorgeous bath goodies such as this Aromatherapy Associates Indulgence Candle , It truly smells divine, jasmine and geranium! This candle will cost you £23.50 and is available from aromatherapy associates online.


Team this candle with an Aromatherapy Associates Little Luxuries set (3 x 3ml for £12) and have a very happy Mummy this Sunday! The Little Luxuries set is great because it gives you three miniature sized bottles of the popular bath and shower oils - Light Relax, De-Stress Mind and Revive Morning.

D’Anu – beauty without compromise. As you can probably tell from the previous mothers day gift ideas I’ve listed I think that you cannot fail at impressing with a gift if it is something indulgent and luxurious. “Wibbly Wobbly Wonder”  Smooth Green Coffee & Yerba Mate Body Scrub is most definitely luxurious, this scrub can firm and tone the body whilst exfoliating and polishing the skin, thus improving circulation and boosting the skin’s collogen production. Rich in essential fatty acids and vitamins skin is left silky smooth and visibly toned thanks to the superior anti-cellulite benefits of Green Coffee and Yerba Mate. Priced at £38.

Jane Scrivner Rose Gold Skin Atta, At £49.00 per 50ml serum bottle (and reduced to just £40 for Mothers day!), it’s a must-have beauty treat your Mum just can’t afford to be without. Best of all, 10% from the sale of this product will be donated to the Breast Cancer Campaign! Available from www.janescrivner.com

Happy Mothers Day Mums!