Amy Antoinette - Beauty Blog

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

2012-01-25T17:00:00.000Z

Boujois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation is my current favourite foundation. If you want healthy, glowing skin in an instant, this foundation delivers it. Light on the skin with a silky gel texture, it buffs and blends beautifully into the skin resulting in the perfect balance between dewy and matte. As with all my foundations, I use my Sigma F80 or ELF Studio Kabuki Brush to apply for a flawless finish. Bourjois claim the vitamin-rich fruit therapy formula gives skin a radiance boost, evens complexion and has an instant anti-fatigue result, and I'd have to agree. When I want luminous, natural looking makeup, this is the foundation I use.

The packaging is another plus point. The glass-like bottle (although it's plastic) makes it appear more up-market and the pump is ideal for dispersing just the right amount of product, meaning no spillage or wastage. This foundation isn't especially long lasting - that's a claim which only my beloved Estee Lauder Double Wear has lived up to, but I use it with primer and set with powder as I have an oily t-zone and it lasts a good 9 hours. In terms of coverage it's light-medium, so I'd say it's better for use on good skin days as it won't conceal any skin problems but coverage is easily buildable. I have the shade 52 which is a good match. I often find high street cosmetics can be more on the pink side but fortunately Bourjois seem to cater for the warmer skin tones. Overall a fantastic foundation and one to rival the likes of the designer cosmetics!

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation is priced at £10.99 and is available to buy from Boots and Superdrug.

Our English Country Garden Wedding

2012-01-22T16:27:00.006Z

I can't quite believe that it has already been five months since Matt and I said our vows. How quickly the time has flown!

In the lead up to our wedding I had no nerves whatsoever. I was cool and calm up until the night before the big day, when during a meal with our families, they hit me full on and I could barely eat a thing! My bridemaids and mum did a fantastic job on the day of soothing my nerves, ensuring I ate (and had a little champagne!) and keeping me stress free. I had waves of butterflies dancing in my stomach throughout the morning as I was getting ready, it all seemed quite surreal, but when I was ready and the bridal car was waiting outside to take my parents and I to the Church, all my nerves just melted away and I was left with pure excitement. Hearing the Church bells chime as I stepped out the bridal car added to joy of the moment and I was filled with such happiness.

I clutched my bouquet as my bridesmaids arranged my dress. Before us were the double doors leading to all our closest friends and family and of course, the altar were Matt awaited me. Pachelbel's Canon in D began to play, I slipped my arm into my father's and the doors opened. As I saw Matt standing at the altar, my face broke into a huge smile and as I took each step down the aisle towards my best friend, my face was a mix between pure elated joy and getting a little teary eyed with the emotion of it all.

Holding hands as we recited our vows was such a special moment, and before we knew it the Reverend was pronouncing us husband and wife. I've never felt such happiness (I think my face says it all in one of the photo's below!) After four years together and patiently waiting, we were finally married!

Our reception was everything we'd hoped it to be; informal and fun. The marquee looked beautiful and I'll always treasure the memories of the day before when my parents, Matt and I spent the most gloriously sunny day surrounded by trees, flowers and greenery, setting everything up and seeing our plans come to life. The marquee was a vision of pastel pinks, neutrals and lilacs. Perfect for an outdoor August wedding in a marquee! You can read more about the planning behind the wedding and our inspiration here.

The evening was filled with fun, laughter and dancing to our favourite Motown and Rock n Roll classics. The dance floor was packed all night long and it was fantastic to see everyone we cared about having such a good time. It's true what they say, the day passes by so quickly. One of my favourite memories is when Matt and I took a moment together to savour the magic of the day. We snuck off to sit by the pond as the sun was setting just before our first dance to reflect on the day and revel in each other's company as husband and wife.

So after two years of planning, here's how our English Country Garden wedding came to fruition....

Nobody quite prepares you (nor can they) for the comedown after your own wedding. It is such a magnificent day filled with love, laughter and happy memories that the days afterwards can be a little bittersweet. Even five months on, whilst watching the highlights of our wedding video, I shed a little tear over how such an incredible day is now over. If only we could do it all again! Here's to our beginning as a married couple, and our journey through life together filled with many more happy memories to come.

"I have found the one whom my soul loves" - Song of Solomon 3:4

Photography: Rachael Connerton
Florist: Floraldeco
Cupcakes: Yummy Little Cakes
Hair: Jarah Hair & Day Spa

What's in my Makeup Bag?

2012-01-19T16:30:00.002Z

Here's a little peek at the items I carry in my Disaster Designs Dandy Makeup Bag when I'm out and about.

L'Occitane Lip Balm

L'Occitane create amazing lip balms. This one smells delicious and does a fantastic job of keeping my lips soft, nourished, moisturised and protected.

L'Oreal True Match Powder

To keep my foundation flawless all day.

LED Mirror

A makeup bag essential.

Bloom Blotting Tissues

I suffer from an oily t-zone so I always keep some blotting tissues at hand to ensure I have matte skin.

Clarins Instant Perfecter Lip Gloss

This is my absolute favourite lip gloss. It's non sticky, smells incredible (caramel - yum!) and makes lips look polished with the perfect hint of colour and gloss.

17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick in Beehive & Nudist Peach

My two current favourite lipsticks, I carry both with me so I have a choice or pink or peach lips.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eyeliner

This double-ended eyeliner is perfect for touch-ups on the go as you have a choice of Ink (black) or Whiskey (brown) eyeliner.

No7 Nude Lipliner

To keep my lipstick in place longer I use my favourite nude lipliner which can we used with any colour.

Click here if you want to be in with a chance of winning a £200 Selfridges voucher

Win a £200 Selfridges Voucher with Pinspire!

2012-01-19T13:13:00.004Z

If you love collecting images you're sure to become addicted to Pinspire, a new site which allows users to collect and share content from the web. You can create a vast range of collections: from fashion to interiors, travel to food - if you're looking for something particular you're likely to find it here. Whether you want to plan your wedding, find a new hairstyle, research fashion trends or just collect inspirational pictures, Pinspire allows you to do so. Users can browse images, follow links back to the owner's blog and subscribe to the owner's posts. I wish this site had been around two years ago when I started planning our wedding. I have folders in iPhoto full to bursting with all sorts of imagery and it really would have been so much simpler to use something like Pinspire to organise it all. Not to mention saving a lot of memory on my MacBook!

As an incentive to join the site, Pinspire are running a competition on a select few UK blogs where readers can win a £200 Selfridges gift voucher. To enter, simply sign up to Pinspire before February 1st and leave a comment below with an inspiring image or profile you found on the site along with your email address. It's that easy!

If you fancy following my Pins you can find me here.

Here's a peek at a few of my favourite images I've uploaded since joining the site...

*Sponsored post

Barry M Dolly Pink Lip Paint

2012-01-18T16:30:00.003Z

Whilst rooting around in my lipstick drawer the other day I came across Barry M Dolly Pink Lip Paint (no.146), a long forgotten unloved lippie from a few years ago. I'm guilty of being a stuck in a rut when it comes to lipstick, I favour nudes and pinks over bright colours but since daring to wear red lipstick I've been more adventurous when it comes colour. Rediscovering the aptly named Dolly Pink was the perfect opportunity to play around with a pop of pink. This vibrant Barbie pink is bright enough and bold enough to be different but still suitable for everyday if you're brave enough to wear it. Not only is Dolly Pink highly pigmented, it has a great texture to it, gives just the right amount of gloss to the lips and the shade will compliment any skin tone. What do you think?

Barry M Lip Paints are priced at £4.49 and are available to buy from Boots and Superdrug.

The Body Shop Body Butter Bargain Alert!

2012-01-18T10:19:00.001Z

I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop Body Butters. I can always rely on them to deliver soft, smooth and hydrated skin. If you're a fellow fan, take a peek at The Body Shop's sale, where selected scents of Body Butters have been reduced to just £5.00. What's more, if you buy them online and enter the code BUTTER at checkout, you will be discounted a further £2 off each one. So that's a full size 200ml Body Butter for just £3!

I took this opportunity to stock up. I already have the Shea Butter and Coconut scents in my beauty cupboard but I couldn't miss out on such an amazing deal so I ordered a further five more - Passion Fruit, Papaya, Blueberry, Almond and Brazil Nut. I did fancy trying the delicious sounding Spiced Vanilla but sadly this one was out of stock. This huge Body Butter haul should've cost me £62.50, but it came in at just £15. Don't you love a bargain?!

Have a browse of the selected scents on offer here and remember to use the code BUTTER for further reductions!

Mulberry Bayswater in Oak Natural Leather

2012-01-15T16:00:00.003Z

I've been coveting a Mulberry Bayswater for years. For me, Mulberry make the most classic, elegant handbags and the Bayswater is iconic, instantly recognisable and oozing style and class. The Bayswater is one of those bags that will never go out of fashion and can be worn with any outfit, be it casual or smart. My heart leapt with joy when my husband surprised me with a beautiful Mulberry Bayswater as a wedding present. The leather is beautiful (and smells divine!) and the soft suede interior is the ultimate luxurious touch. It's an ideal size for me - big enough to be worn over the shoulder but small enough to also be held in the crook of the arm. I can fit a surprising amount of things inside which is perfect as I'm guilty of lugging around an extraordinary amount, but should I need more space, the internal belted sides can be adjusted to give more room.

The Mulberry Bayswater is available to buy online at the Mulberry website or in store at Selfridges and House of Fraser.

P.S

If you'd like to vote for me in the Marie Claire awards, just click here, you'll find me under the Best Beauty Blog category!

Beauty Blog Link Love

2012-01-14T20:00:00.000Z

At Musing on Beauty, Mariella gives Japanese brand Suqqu a try with their Reset Cleansing Oil.

At long last, BB creams are (finally!) hitting it big in North America. Check out theNotice's BB cream coverage, which has only just begun.

polish insomniac shows us how to make a difficult polish look good!

The Pink Sith has FINALLY finished her quest for the elusive L'Oreal Infallible Eye Shadows! Read about the colors she got and see what she thinks!

Have old dried out nail polish strips and don't know what to do with them? Musicalhouses shows you how to save your dried out nail polish strips!

Miss Beauty Nerd loves nude colours, especially ones by Bobbi Brown. Currently, she's coveting the Bobbi Brown Nude on Nude Eye Palette!

Check out Jenn from Spiced Beauty's current obsession from Sleek makeup.

Phyrra shows you the latest lip product she's been lusting after, new Fyrinnae Lip Lustres.

Looking for a full coverage foundation that doesn't feel like a full coverage foundation? Gouldylox Reviews checks out this one from Tarte and puts it's lofty time promises to the test!

My Lips But Better learns the hard way Tweezerman's nail files aren't nearly as good as their tweezers.

Wishing for Spring like Tracy at Beauty Reflections is? Then take a look at the new Lise Watier Aquarella Spring 2012 Eyeshadow Palette.

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Beauty Crazed is giving away a giant pile of makeup to celebrate the new year! Come enter and decide for yourself just how crazed they really are!

Cor Silver Soap

2012-01-12T16:30:00.003Z

The Silver Soap by Cor is a bit of a wonder product. The little orange orb looks unassuming but it's packed full of multi-tasking super ingredients. A product which claims to cleanse, even skin tone, fade sun spots, maintain moisture, minimise wrinkles, replenish collagen and deliver UV protection, all in a single step certainly had my attention, and with Sarah Jessica Parker being a fan, I was expecting good things.

What makes The Silver Soap special is the way the active ingredients reach deep below the skins surface by being delivered directly into the dermis layer of the skin, via the pores which allows the feeding of vital nutrients to the skin and killing off bacteria. Cor is suitable for every skin type due to the mild pH level, so whether you have troubled acned skin or sensitive skin, The Silver Soap should be just as effective.

The ingredients in Cor soap are all natural:

Silver

One of the best antibacterial agents around, Silver also has healing properties which speeds the growth and repair of cells.

Collagen

Known to firm and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, Cor’s soap contains a combination of four different types of collagen.

Chitosan

A natural fibre which evens out skin tone and balances oil levels whilst facilitating cellular regeneration.

Sericin

A silk protein which locks moisture in and forms a UV film to protect you from harmful rays. Cor soap has a SPF 15 for 3 hours protection.

This has now become one of my favourite skincare products as it thoroughly cleanses my skin (to the point where it squeaks!) without stripping away any moisture, leaving my skin soft and glowing. Cor advise smoothing over the face and rinsing it off after a couple of minutes to allow the ingredients to penetrate the skin. There's no need to use a toner afterwards as the Chitosan calms enlarged pore size and balances out the skins level of oils. I can't say whether it really does minimise wrinkles and fade sun spots but I can say I'm prone to blemishes around my chin area and within a week The Silver Soap had cleared them up and left my skin looking very even and pure. I've heard it works wonders for acne and eczema too. It is pricey - the 30g travel size below costs £35, but if skincare is important to you or you have troubled skin, I recommend giving it a go.

Prices start from £15.00 for The Silver Soap and more information is available from the Cor website.

What's your favourite cleanser?

*If you'd like to vote for me in the Marie Claire awards, just click here, you'll find me under the Best Beauty Blog category!

Topshop Hyperreal Nail Polish

2012-01-11T16:30:00.000Z

Whilst in the payment queue in Topshop this weekend, I spotted Hyperreal Nail Polish - a beautiful coppery rose gold colour with a touch of shimmer to it. It was too lovely not to buy and I promptly applied it once I returned home. It's fast drying, streak-free and took two coats for an opaque finish. I love it.

What do you think?

Topshop Hyperreal Nail Polish is priced at £6 and is available to buy in Topshop stores or online here.

*If you'd like to vote for me in the Marie Claire awards, just click here, you'll find me under the Best Beauty Blog category!

17 Mirror Shine On Lipstick - Nudist Peach

2012-01-10T16:17:00.002Z

My favourite lip product of 2011 has to be the 17 Mirror Shine On lipsticks. These creamy tubes of loveliness blur the line between lipstick and lipbalm so they'e easy to wear and they're the kind of product you can apply without using a mirror. They're highly glossy (without being sticky) and moisturising but give a good amount of sheer colour to the lips. The 17 Mirror Shine On lippies aren't particularly long lasting on the lips but the tube itself has lasted a long time considering my many re-applications. The only downside to this lipstick is the packaging. The peacock blue tubes look a little cheap and tacky and would have looked better in similar packaging to the Sheer Moisture lipsticks, but as the product is so amazing it doesn't matter too much.

Nudist Peach is a natural peachy shade that is perfect for everyday wear. It has fast become my favourite lip colour so I'm never without this lipstick in my makeup bag. After discovering just how much I loved 17 Mirror Shine lippies, I swiftly purchased the shades Beehive (light pink) and Belle (rosy pink) and these now seem to be the only 3 shades I wear, resulting in the rest of my collection being sorely neglected. Not only are 17 Mirror Shine On lipsticks amazing value for money, they have the quality of a much more expensive product. If you haven't already tried these lipsticks I urge you to go and try them - you won't regret it!

17 Mirror Shine On Lipsticks are priced at £4.59 and are available to buy from Boots.

*If you'd like to vote for me in the Marie Claire awards, just click here, you'll find me under the Best Beauty Blog category!

Marie Claire Blog Awards 2012

2012-01-10T11:22:00.000Z

I'm delighted to say I've been 'longlisted' for a Marie Claire Blog Award in the Best Beauty Blog category. There seems to have been a bit of a mishap as I was sent an email yesterday morning informing me I had been longlisted but my name wasn't to be seen on the list and so I thought there had been a mistake, but by the end of the day my name had appeared on the site!

There's always a bit of a hoo-ha surrounding magazine blog awards but casting the magazine's motives aside, I think it's such an honour to have been nominated by your peers and readers, it still surprises me that anyone would do so! So thank you to all who nominated this blog and if you would like to vote for me, just click here and follow the instructions.

Jason Wu + Melissa Ultragirl Black Shoes

2012-01-09T16:55:00.003Z

After falling in love with the beautiful Melissa + Vivienne Westwood Tortoiseshell Bow Pumps, I was eager to add more Melissa shoes to my collection so I was delighted when my husband gave me these gorgeously glossy black Jason Wu + Melissa flats as one of my Christmas presents.The shoes are based on the design of the bestselling Melissa Ultragirl pumps, whilst the cute owl bows that adorn the toes of the shoes reference Jason Wu. My husband chose the glossy black for practicality, but these are also available in nude, burgundy and transparent grey. I love the classic cut and colour of these shoes and the girly detail of the pink and black lace print on the interior. Although Melissa shoes are fairly pricey considering they are made of plastic, I think they're a fantastic investment. As mentioned before, the Melflex plastic along with the cushioned sole make these amazingly comfortable to wear and long lasting. They're also waterproof and the perfect combination of sweet and sophisticated. No doubt I will be adding to my collection again some time soon!

Vivienne Westwood for Melissa shoes have an RRP of £85.00 and are available to buy from NONNON, Sarenza and ASOS.

Disaster Designs Dandy Makeup Bag

2012-01-02T16:45:00.000Z

It's surprising just how long I've managed without a makeup bag. In the past I've been guilty of grabbing any makeup I want to take out with me and throwing it into my bag. However, since my husband surprised me with a lovely Mulberry Bayswater as a wedding present, tossing makeup into the beautiful suede interior isn't an option. This makeup bag from Disaster Designs was the perfect solution. Everything about it is lovely, from the stitched 'Make up for lost time' logo to the miniature mirror zipper. The size is ideal - it accommodates a good amount of makeup and includes a zipped compartment in the interior but it doesn't take up too much space within my handbag. What do you think?

Disaster Designs items are available to buy from Amazon, eBay and a number of independent online stores.

Christmas Gifts 2011

2012-01-01T11:21:00.002Z

Finchley Filofax, Ray Bans, Topshop Leather Purse, Melissa + Jason Wu Pumps, Topshop Pyjamas, MacBook Case, iPhone 4s Cover, Topshop Blazer, Topshop Fur Stole, Fortnum & Mason Classic Christmas Hamper

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. This year was the first time in my life where I spent Christmas away from my family so it felt a little strange not waking with them on Christmas morning. I was blessed with lots of lovely presents from my husband which I've pictured above, (besides the Fortnum & Mason Hamper which was a lovely corporate gift that we've enjoyed tucking into!) and I'll be doing some in depth reviews for a few of the items. We also received some beautiful gifts for our home and tickets to see Matilda the musical which we're so excited about!

New Years Eve for my husband and I was spent at home snuggled under a blanket watching films as we finally caught the flu that has been going around. I'm optimistic about 2012 and I'm hoping it will have better things in store than 2011 which hasn't been the best year. You may see some changes on my blog soon, I thought it was about time I updated the design. I'll also be blogging about our wedding soon, so many of you have asked about it and I can't keep you waiting any longer!

Thank you for all your support over the last year.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2012!

JolieBox December Box

2011-12-23T14:40:00.001Z

As you may have heard, Boudoir Prive has joined hands with JolieBox - the leading beauty box supscription service in France. By joining with JolieBox, Boudoir Prive can continue to provide new and exiting brands for members to sample, alongside a wider range of established brands at the height of luxury - think By Terry, Kiehl's, Lancome and Benefit!

I love the packaging of the JolieBox, it's sleek and compact which makes it seem packed to the brim with goodies, unlike the Carmine box which has the products rolling about in all the empty space!

My favourite products are the lip gloss which is a lovely pink shade aptly named Babydoll, and the multi-use Gold Dust which I'll most likely be using as a blush due to the beautiful rose gold shade. It was nice to see a full size OPI nail polish included in the box, and although shatter polishes aren't to my taste, I believe if you apply it to a bare nail it will apply like any other polish and leave lovely gold nails-very festive!

I liked the extras - you can never have too many makeup brushes and although I'm not a tea drinker I love the little tin. Overall I'm pleased with the selection of products in the first JolieBox, I hope the others will offer as many delights.

The JolieBox costs £10 per month plus £2.95 P&P.

More information can be found at their website.

Burt's Bees Christmas Gifts

2011-12-23T11:41:00.000Z

Some more divine Christmas Gift Sets if you're looking for some very last minute loveliness!

Bee Pampered Spa Set - £19.99

This Sugar Scrub and Body Butter set has a touch of festivity with the Cranberry & Pomegranate scent, perfect for a cold Winter's evening!

Embossed Tin Set - £14.99

This lovely tin set contains Milk & Honey Body Lotion (which I've used before and has become a firm favourite) Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (sounds delicious!) and Lip Balm with Pomegranate Oil.

Keepsake Trio - £9.99

This tin containing a trio of assorted lip balms is perfect for the lip balm lover, with Beeswax, Mango and Acai Berry flavours.

Beautiful Treats - £4.99

If you're on a budget or looking for a small stocking filler this set looks lovely and includes a hand salve and lip balm.

Burt's Bees Gift Sets are available to buy from John Lewis and Boots where they are part of the 3 for 2 offer.

Philosophy Christmas Gifts 2011 - Fun in the Frosty Air

2011-12-21T14:45:00.000Z

Philosophy can always be relied upon to offer the most beautiful Christmas Gifts each year. I'm a huge fan of the brand, so when some festive packaging is added in to the mix I'm even more smitten! Last year's Warm & Toasty collection was so delightful and delicious it prompted me to whip up a batch of Hot Buttered Rum based on the scrumptious shower gel. This year sees more beautifully packaged products in the form of Fun in the Frosty Air, another gorgeous gift set containing Ginger Berry, Fresh Vanilla and Sugar Plum scented gels. I love how Philosophy products can be used as shower gels, shampoo and bubble baths - multi use products at their best.

Fun in the Frosty Air is priced at £22.00 and is available to buy from Boots and Selfridges

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania for Melissa Ultragirl Tortoiseshell Bow Pumps

2011-12-21T11:34:00.000Z

These are the latest pair of shoes to grace my somewhat meagre shoe collection. After adding some glitz with the beautiful gold glitter Miss KG Licorice 2 pumps, I was looking for something more demure and classic to use as an everyday staple and these Vivienne Westwood beauties were the perfect solution. I love the warm brown tone and the touch of girly detail on the toe which is adorned with a glossy double tortoiseshell bow and a tiny peep toe. The outside of the heel reveals the iconic Vivienne Westwood Orb badge which is a nice token on an otherwise simple silhouette. What's more, the super soft Melflex plastic along with the cushioned leopard print insole makes these the most comfortable pair of shoes I've ever worn. The Ultragirl Bow pumps are the perfect amalgamation of smart and casual plus they smell of bubblegum. What more could you want from a shoe?!

Vivienne Westwood for Melissa shoes are available to buy from NONNON, eBay and ASOS.

Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10

2011-12-21T10:00:00.018Z

LiftActiv Serum 10 is the latest innovation from Vichy - a powerful anti-ageing serum that leaves skin velvety smooth and reduces the appearance of wrinkles. The secret behind Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 is a potent 10% concentration of the breakthrough anti-ageing ingredient Rhamnose (a sugar derivative capable of a long lasting lifting effect and anti-wrinkle action) combined with Hyaluronic acid which helps hydrate and plump skin. The serum also contains Vichy Thermal Spa Water, rich in soothing and regenerating minerals and a ceramide based texture which aids the absorption of the active ingredients into the papillary dermis. The results are a powerful lifting, re-plumping anti-ageing serum specifically formulated for sensitive skins.

Hypoallergenic, Paraben free and tested under Dermatological Control.

Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 is priced at £29.50 for 30ml and is available to buy from Boots (where it's had fantastic reviews!)

*Sponsored post

Schwarzkopf Live Salon Style Home Hair Colour

2011-12-20T11:51:00.001Z

LIVE Salon Style is a brand new range of professional permanent home hair colours which combine intense formulas and sophisticated shades. From velvety brunettes and cloudy blondes to crimson reds and reflective blacks, LIVE Salon Style’s 20 permanent shades contain a professional colour-intense pigment mix that deeply penetrates the hair, covering 100% of grey for long-lasting, shiny colour.

Louise Redknapp has been announced as the new face of the Schwarzkopf Live Salon Style and has unveiled her darker side with a gorgeous new chocolate brown colour. In the dramatic transformation, Louise Redknapp has embraced the darker style that is reminiscent of her early days as a fresh-faced pop star. Known for her beachy blonde locks, the TV presenter wanted to revamp her look and settled for a warm rich brown which she says has made her hair look healthier and more luxurious.
Before & After

Whether you're partial to a bit of home hair colouring (it's the only way I've coloured my hair for the past 10 years!) or a complete newbie, it's worth taking some tips from an expert on the best way to apply hair colour at home.

If you're considering changing your own hair colour and fancy playing around with some different shades before taking the plunge, the Live Salon Style Colour Booth App lets you do just that!

Schwarzkopf LIVE Salon Style is available nationwide from Superdrug, Boots and leading supermarkets and pharmacies for £5.99.

*Sponsored post

The Sanctuary Spa Christmas Gift Sets

2011-12-18T11:00:00.000Z

If you want to treat a loved one to an indulgent gift, The Sanctuary has an array of gorgeous gifts. From stocking fillers to luxury gift sets, there's a pampering gift to suit all pockets and personalities this Christmas.

Ultimate Facial In-A-Box - £20

This step by step 30 minute spa facial contains everything you need to transform your skin from dull to dazzling and allows you to indulge in a luxurious facial from the comfort of your own home. With repeated use, the combination of products will result in radiant, hydrated and healthy skin.

Spa Perfect Pedicure - £12.00

This colourful box of goodies includes Foot Polish, Intensive Heel Balm, Foot Butter, and Moisture Locking Socks for super soft feet.

The Sanctuary Spa Christmas Gift Sets are available to buy on a 3 for 2 offer from The Sanctuary or Boots.

Beauty Blog Link Love

2011-12-17T21:00:00.000Z

Jen celebrates earth tones with this FOTD at My Funny Valentine.

Fleurissante shares her impressions on Chanel Holiday 2011 collection.

Phyrra shares with you her new favorite way to follow all her beloved beauty bloggers... on the Kindle Fire!

Take a sneak peak at the new Sigma Extravaganza Complete Kit and grab the Sigma Brushes coupons at Handmade Reviews.

Feeling the holiday blues? FabDiva20 has made it look cheerful for the Holidays with herFOTD Holiday Look #1: Bright Blues and Purples!

Gouldylox tried a new BB Cream from 3LAB that contains some seriously high-tech skincare. Is $95 too much to pay for a BB Cream with stem cells? At the very least, it looks amazing. See for yourself.

The Pink Sith asks: What do dragons, lipstick, the Welsh and the Utah Saints all have in common? Find out when you read about Shiseido Perfect Rouge in RD514 Dragon.

Midnight Violets shares her favourite red lip products, perfect for Christmas - and the rest of the year too!

Christmas is almost here! Musicalhouses does a Christmas gold and green eye look, and a Christmas gold nail look to match!

It's officially Winter! Check out Hellcandy's favourite hand creams to see your mitts through the colder weather!

Will you wear mascara during the Zombie Apocalypse? Tracy at Beauty Reflections thinks that CoverGirl 24HR LashBlast is perfect!

Are you ready for the holidays? Anita shows you some festive nail ideas over at Pleasureflush!

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Battle dry winter skin by entering Audrey Dao's Holiday Giveaway to win her favorite skin care products!

Prime Beauty is gifting one lucky reader her TOP holiday beauty pick, Tarte's Lip Service LipSurgence Collection. Enter now!

Is your skin holiday-ready? Over at theNotice, Rae is giving two winners a chance to win the Skin Tight Body Lotion of their choice. Don't miss this party-approved Prtty Peaushun review and giveaway!

DIY Christmas Stockings & Sack

2011-12-17T13:00:00.002Z

When I spotted these lovely Christmas stockings and sack on Not On The High Street, I wanted them desperately. I loved the rustic fabric which was in keeping with our shabby chic home and the addition of the cranberry polka dot fabric was the perfect touch of tradition. The downside was the price. With the stockings and sack costing £28 each I knew I wouldn't be happy spending close to £100 on three items, however lovely they were.

Instead, I enlisted the help of my mum as I knew she would be able to make these in a matter of hours! I bought some hessian fabric from eBay, some polka dot fabric from Dunelm Mill and soon I had replicas for a grand total cost of £12! I think my mum did a fantastic job, especially considering she didn't even see the picture above, all she had was my sketches!

Click here to see my Christmas decorations in more detail!

Have you made any of your Christmas decorations yourself?

Mandara Spa Christmas Gift Sets

2011-12-16T13:44:00.002Z

If you're searching for some last minute stocking fillers, Mandara Spa have a range of spa quality bath and body gift sets, available exclusively in Sainsbury's stores nationwide. A sister brand of Elemis and already a hugely popular spa brand with over 100 spa's worldwide, the brand offers affordable products with the same top quality ingredients that are used in the treatments carried out at the Spas.

Ultimate Escape Weekend Bag - was £40 now £20

This beautiful patent weekend bag is bursting with Mandara Spa essentials for the ultimate pampering experience.

♥ Amber Heaven Moisturising Bath Essence

♥ Amber Heaven Conditioning Shower Cream

♥ Honeymilk Dream Nourishing Body Butter

♥ Honeymilk Dream Nourishing Hand Cream

♥ Spa Getaway Gentle cleansing Wipes

♥ Body Polisher

Bath Indulgence - £10

An indulgent collection of 50ml bath essences and milks from each Mandara Spa signature fragrance: Amber Heaven, Tropical Blooms, Honeymilk Dream, Citrus Spice and Island Paradise.

Heavenly Hand Creams - £8

A selection of three nourishing hand creams each with their own signature fragrance to help soften skin and condition nails.

Exotic Soap Stack - was £5 now £3.33

These luxury sink side delights bring a touch of Bali into your everyday lives. Enriched with the sensual scents of patchouli and Shea butter, not only do they smell exotic they leave hands thoroughly moisturised.

Mandara Spa products are available exclusively in Sainsbury's stores nationwide.