Belle Morte Beauty

Irish Bbloggers Secret Santa - THE BIG REVEAL! #IrishBbloggersSS

2013-12-22T21:39:00.001+00:00

Hi everyone!

Well the time has come for the BIG reveal as part of the #IrishBbloggersSS 2013!

First of all though - I'd like to say a HUGE thank you to the wonderful Aisling of Total Makeup Addict for organising this and making it all possible. I know a lot of time and effort went into making this a success so a big thank you from everyone Aisling!

My Secret Santa was Alex from Pink Elephant Bloggin'

I didn't know Alex at all, so I had great fun catching up on lots of her posts I missed, trying to see what sort of things she'd like - after which I (hope I got this right anyhow!) that she was a lover of nail polish and berry stained lips (Well she likes MAC Rebel anyhow so the girl has good taste! hehe) and I tried to match skincare products to suit her skin type also - hope I did OK!

I hope she won't mind me posting a photo of what I sent her here - I have to 'fess up - I almost forgot about deadline for posting out the presents. Now I had all the stuff bought and set aside, however I got in a bit of a fluster to get the items wrapped and packed up when I sent them last Friday to get to the Post Office before closing time, so in all my rush I didn't get a chance to get everything wrapped as nice and neat and pretty as I would have :(

Image courtesy of: Pink Elephant Bloggin

Which now leaves me to the lovely lady who gifted me with my wonderful Secret Santa pressie.

Take a step and a bow please, Miss Nora from Too Many Muffins

I got a delightful surprise on Wednesday when my package arrive from Nora which was beautifully wrapped with red paper - unfortunately, in my eagerness to see what surprises lay in store I forgot to take photos before digging in!

I got two gorgeous sets from Nora along with a beautiful handmade card - thank you SO much! I'm delighted with them! :D

Mavala Cracking Duo set and a Pixi Beauty Ice Eye palette

The packaging is so cute - it's like a mini Christmas cracker - love it!

The included polishes are Miami and Mexico. A really nice combo of a muted pink and a dark, vampy purple!

Next up was the Icy Eye palette by Pixi Beauty. I never actually heard of this brand before, so I'm really looking forward to trying this out.

There's a really nice selection of shimmery chocolate tones in this - not too unlike one of the Naked palettes at all!

Thanks so much Nora - I love the presents! Would you believe it, I've never used Mavala either so I'm relishing the chance to try them out also - think I'm gonna go with the purple first! :D

I'm so glad I signed up to partake in this, what I hope will be the first of many more #IrishBbloggersSS to come! Again, big thanks and credit where credit is due to Aisling for organising all of this for all of us. It really was a fantastic idea.

I can't wait to have a good ol' snoop at everyone elses goodies now. I hope everyone is delighted with their presents and glad they took part.

Merry Christmas guys, wishing you all a lovely holiday - I hope Santa spoils you rotten! ;)

Thanks for reading, as always x

Ali Mac Skincare - Winter Skin Saviours

2013-12-21T18:30:00.000+00:00

I came across the Ali Mac Skincare range some time back which seems setting the blogosphere alight with great reviews, so of course as a bit of a skincare obsessive I was very eager to try out some of the line for myself to see how it fares.

Alison McIntosh, the founder and creator of Ali Mac Skincare set about to develop a range of wholesome, natural and ethically produced products both free from synthetic and unethical ingredients.

Ali Mac believe that we should all be more aware of the sheer amount of harmful ingredients that skincare products contain and that we should take a more natural approach to our skin.

First up is the Chamomile Hydrating Face Mist.

"Tone & Hydrate with this refreshing blend of chamomile, organic mandarin and soothing calendula extract for a fresh, radiant complexion."

The face mist comes in a large brown tinted bottle with your standard spray nozzle. Most of the Ali Mac range comes in brown class jars and containers - for those of you who might be wondering, the reasoning behind this is that brown glass absorbs the most ultraviolet radiation, so it offers the best protection from potentially damaging light, thus preserving the shelf life of your products for longer :)

This comes in a 150ml size

I've been using this twice daily after cleansing morning and evening and I've also been spritzing myself with it when I feel I need a bit of a boost as I find it really refreshes you and it keeps your skin hydrated throughout the day. I've also been using it as a "setting mist" after I've applied my makeup in place of my usual MAC Fix+ Rose to prevent makeup looking heavy or cakey.

I personally love the smell of this - this is going to sound horridly cliched, but it's like a nice summer breeze - such a pleasant anti-dote to the awful weather we're currently having.

This is great for calming rosacea, sensitive or easily irritated skin - it will help tone down redness whilst soothing and hydrating the skin. I was a little surprised to see Alcohol listed as the second ingredient in this, however I haven't experienced any sensitivity whilst using this, it's very mild.

Next is the Rose Anti-Oxidant Face Serum. Oh how I love serums! When you have seriously dehydrated and dry skin, serums will become your new BFF so I was looking forward to trying this out.

"An intensive treatment serum: the synergy of precious oils; high in GLA (Gamma Linoleic Acids) contained in our serum packs a powerful punch to restore and regenerate your skins tissues; helping to reduce fine lines & wrinkles"

First impressions were good - it's beautifully scented with Damascus Rose oil which is one of my favourite scents (I'm a big lover of most Rose-based perfumes and love using Rose Water as a toner) so I knew this was going to be a hit before I even properly tried it.

This comes in a 30ml brown glass bottle complete with pipette which lets you control each drop of the serum so you needn't worry about using too much or wasting any.

I found using just two drops of this serum to be more than sufficient for my needs, however if your skin is seriously stressed and drier than the Sahara you could try adding 3/4 drops for an ultra-nourishing treatment.

I've been using this straight after cleansing and waiting for it to settle in before applying and moisturiser. If you have a particular moisturiser you love, you could also add a few drops of this to your moisturiser and mixing it in before applying to your face to give your moisturiser an extra hydration boost to give your skin that little bit more TLC and protection during this harsh winter weather.

If you're a fan of Trilogy's now infamous Rosehip oil, you'll LOVE this! I've been using rosehip oil fairly religiously for the past 2 years or so, however I've now been converted to this, especially for the winter months.

I received two unexpected samples which was a really nice touch and I was delighted to see that I was sent the Chamomile Cleansing Melt and Chamomile Face Polish

Left to Right: Chamomile Cleansing Melt, Chamomile Face Polish

I'm a HUGE fan of cleansing balms in general - they don't strip your skin of any essential oils, they're fantastic for dry skin and better yet, this one doesn't contain any mineral oils.

Enriched with shea butter and argan oil it instantly feels nourishing and rich and makes a breeze of removing makeup thanks to it's incorporated sunflower seed oil. My skin just loves creamy cleansing balms such as this - begone the days of yore of harsh foaming cleansing agents which left my skin feeling dry and tight. Taking off the days daily grime and dirt is a pleasure with this beauty - my only gripe is that I used it up in 5 days!

This works great in combination with a muslin cloth soaked in warm water. You can use the cloth to gently exfoliate and buff your skin for a really smooth finish.

If you need something a little more fast acting however, the Chamomile Face Polish contains natural sugar to gently slough away any dead skin and cells to leave your skin feeling, well polished. The fine nature of the granules means that this can be used even on the most sensitive of skins also. This like the Cleansing Melt also contains shea butter and sunflower seed oil so it feels pleasant on the skin and doesn't strip it of essential oils and fatty acids.

I've been guilty in the past of being far too enthusiastic of the ol' exfoliators in vain attempt to conquer and banish all signs of dry patches and flakiness, however I've since learned that I need to be gentle and take it easy on my skin as it is prone to redness and sensitivity so I have somewhat a love/hate relationship with exfoliators in general, however I really got on well with this and I could see myself purchasing a full size version of this in the near future.

I'm adding the Ali Mac Rose Anti-Oxidant Face Serum and Chamomile Hydrating Face Mist to my list of Winter Skin SOS Saviours this year - I've been using them in conjunction with the Kerstin Florian Correcting Rescue Creme and my skin is definitely looking happier and healthier since I started this routine.

Pricing & Availability:

Rose Anti-Oxidant Face Serum - €41.95

Chamomile Hydrating Face Mist - €22.95

Rose & Camellia Face Polish - €22.95

Chamomile Cleansing Melt - €22.95

http://www.alimacskincare.com

Indulge yourself this Christmas with Pixy

2013-12-20T19:24:00.002+00:00

If you're looking for some pampering treats this Christmas, whether it be for yourself or as a gift for someone then look no further than Pixy for your very own winter skin wonderland.

I was lucky enough to be recently sent out the Indulge Pixy Gift Box which is a complete bargain at under €20, so you won't feel like you're breaking the bank splashing out on this.

The Indulge Gift Box comes with;

A moisturising Bath Bomb - I got Lime Light in mine, a Pixy portrait Honeysuckle Soap that smells just divine and is full of natural goodness, some skin-softening Lime Body Scrub Cubes - ideal for exfoliating and brilliant for removing fake tan and last but certainly not least, a therapeutic bathing experience by way of the included Muscle Soothing Bath Salts that not only contain therapeutic Epsom salts and Dead Sea Salts but have the beneficial qualities of Black Pepper, Eucalyptus and Rosemary essential oils that create pure Pixy bliss.

The set comes in a delightful glossy cardboard box with each item lovingly presented. I personally think it looks great in the box the way it comes, however the set also contains some cellophane and ribbon so you can create a DIY hamper if you wish and get some extra brownie points too while you're at it.

The gift box

Contents

Bath Bomb in Lime Light

Zings into life in a burst of grapefruit and lime fragrances and a sprinkle of glittery mica, then the honey powder gently softens your skin as it cleans.

This smells absolutely amaaaazing! I could smell it straight away once I opened the box - you get a gorgeous citrus burst through the cellophane. Such a delicious scent - I even left this in my bedroom for a few days before using it to scent my room and it worked a treat.

Ingredients

Sodium bicarbonate, citric acid, honey powder, grapefruit fragrance, lime fragrance, colourant, mica.

Honeysuckle Soap

Contains rich cocoa butter and macadamia oil to deeply moisturise your skin, it is great for all skin types but is particularly beneficial for dry or ageing skin. With a sheen of glitter and a summer-fresh honeysuckle fragrance, this is a beautiful bar!

How pretty is this with the fairy? It's almost too pretty to use but It's not all style over substance with this however - it works up into a nice bubbly lather and leaves your skin feeling squeaky clean yet nicely hydrated - it's not at all drying.

Lime Body Scrub Cubes

These moisturising Lime Body Scrub Cubes are probably one of Pixy's bestsellers and with good reason, when applied melts into the skin ensuring lovely, soft to the touch, silky, smooth skin.

Lime oils cleanse and purify the skin - if you're a fan of citrus scents you'll love this. It goes amazingly well with the Lime Light bath bomb. It's ideal for exfoliating your skin before applying fake tan too to ensure you're not left with any flaky patches.

Great all-rounder!

The Muscle Soothing Bath Salts include Epsom salts which remove toxins, exfoliate the skin, reduce swelling of sprains and bruises, relax muscles and sooth your aching bones.

Dead Sea salts, rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium, gently exfoliate, improve circulation, slow down skin aging and ease muscle stiffness.

Black pepper essential oil, rosemary essential oil and eucalyptus essential oil to help in healing and preventing skin conditions, they increase perspiration for natural skin cleansing, flushing out toxins and bacteria.

They naturally deodorise and disinfect and to top it all, their scent is very beneficial for easing mental exhaustion!

After a long hard day's shopping spent traipsing about the town all in the name of last minute Christmas shopping and frantic, panic buying it's hard to beat chilling out in a bath with a few spoonfuls of these bath salts to de-stress and clear your mind

These are quite potent, so a little goes a long way. It comes in a lovely jar which looks great in the bathroom and it's generously filled to the brim, so this should last ages. I've taken 4 baths using these salts and I've barely made a dent in it.

You can find this set, along with others for just €19.95 over at Pixy.ie

There's also free delivery when you spend over €10

If you fancy it, why not wish the Pixies a Merry Christmas over on their Facebook and Twitter while you're at it :)

Kerstin Florian Correcting Rescue Creme

2013-12-20T08:30:00.000+00:00

When it comes to dry and dehydrated skin, sometimes even with the richest creams, they can’t quite quench the skin. Have you ever tried creams where they sit on top of your skin leaving a greasy film but never quite sink in and deliver the comfort and hydration that your skin needs?

As someone with perpetually dehydrated skin (Yep, it's a total pain despite me drinking 6+ litres of water daily, but that's a whole other story!) I'm forever trying out new moisturisers, creams, serums, lotions and potions in the hopes of finding "the one".

The most recent addition in my quest is the Correcting Rescue Creme by Kerstin Florian.

Kerstin Florian Correcting Rescue Creme promises to strengthen skin’s natural protectant for hash weather (especially those who ski) and is the ultimate weather proofing product. When I first picked up this product, I was thinking to myself surely this product WOULD deliver the hydration my skin needs and sure enough it did deliver.

But first, onto some photos.

Bright orange lid with embossed logo

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), C12-20 Acid Peg-8 Ester, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Dipentaerythrityl Hexacaprylate/Hexacaprate, Hydroxystearic/Linolenic/Oleic Polyglycerides, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cetyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Beta Vulgaris (Beet) Root Extract, Carbomer, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Kernel Oil, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum (Fragrance), Disodium Edta, Haberlea Rhodopensis Leaf Extract, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Chondrus Crispus (Carrageenan), Yeast Extract, Boerhavia Diffusa Root Extract, Pseudoalteromonas Ferment Extract, Harpagophytum Procumbens Root Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Hexyl Cinnamal, Linalool, Geraniol, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Limonene.

Benefits:

Ultra-moisturizing, protective crème acts like a calming blanket to shield the skin from extreme climate conditions

Rich formula with a high concentration of fatty acids rapidly improves hydration and enhances the skin's ability to retain moisture

Anti-inflammatory botanicals help soothe redness associated with rosacea-type skin conditions

Paraben-free, natural fragrance

"These ultimate corrective products based on hyaluronic acid, vitamins and glycolic acid treat, repair and refine the skin. Reveal healthy vibrant skin and improve skin texture, sensitivity, uneven skin color, fine lines, loss of elasticity, hyperpigmentation, dull or dry patches, clogged or enlarged pores, blackheads and acne scarring."

I was really impressed to see handy little spatula included with this. It's a small token I wish more skincare brands would include with their jars and pots as I know personally, I hate dipping my fingers, no matter how clean they are, and despite washing them just prior, into pots of creams and lotions for fear of contaminating them with bacteria. Ok, so I probably am leaning towards the OCD side of the scale there, but I'm all about the spatulas for scooping out product! I always give my spatulas a quick spray of 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol (rubbing alcohol) after each use to ensure they're hygienically clean before their next use also. Anyways, I will just say that I was very pleased indeed to see the Kerstin Florian branded mini-spatula included - other brands please take note! :)

The jar itself contains a pretty generous 50ml of product, compared to the usual 30mls or thereabouts you normally get. It's housed in a nice thick, clear plastic jar with a matte silver screwtop lid.

Hygiene insert is also included to ensure you don't have any leaks or spills when travelling.

Kerstin Florian Correcting Rescue Creme promises to strengthen your skins natural protectant for harsh weather conditions and is the ultimate weather proofing product. When I first researched and read up on this this product, I was thinking to myself surely this product WOULD deliver the hydration my skin needs and sure enough it did deliver.

Texture wise this is rich, creamy and very unctuous. It has a luxurious feel to it and absorbs into skin fairly quickly, leaving skin well hydrated with a nice dewy finish.

In addition to its ability to quench dehydrated skin almost instantly, I am most impressed with how well this moisturiser can keep my skin hydrated without leaving any greasy residue which is a total skincare bugbear of mine. In fact, this worked so well I could use this both day and night. Since I’ve began using this, I had no issues with dry, tight and flaky skin! Praise the bejaysus!

I've been using this for the past month as a day/night cream along with a facial oil (which I'll be telling you about shortly) and it's working an absolute treat. I've been out in the elements quite a bit lately, what with last minute Christmas shopping, panic buying, and generally strolling around taking in the sights and sounds of the festive Galway Christmas Market and this Rescue Creme is really living up to its name!

The Kerstin Florian Correcting Rescue Creme has definitely made its way to the top of my Winter Skin SOS and Dry Skin Rescues.

Who will love this:

Those with normal to ultra dry skin, even combination skin with dehydration can benefit from this. Also great for sensitive skin as this calms and soothes irritated skin.

Priced at €60

Available from:

Beauty Boutique

The Marker Hotel Spa

Knockranny House Hotel Spa

Eye of Horus Cosmetics - Awaken the Goddess within!

2013-12-20T00:40:00.002+00:00

Hello all!

I'm really excited to share this new brand that I recently discovered - let me introduce you to Eye of Horus Cosmetics. They're an iconic Australian brand fairly new on the shores over here and first impressions are excellent - their promo images are ah-mazing - right up there with Illamasqua for creativity and drop dead all round gorgeousness.

But looks aren't everything right, so what about the company itself?

Well, Eye of Horus are paraben and cruelty free, contain as much natural content as possible and are suitable for even those with sensitive skin. There's no animal testing on their products or their ingredients - so double kudos there!

The packaging is lush! Black and luxurious gold - straight off the bat they look and feel like premium products, these are definitely a step up from the high street brands.

My package came wrapped in gold paper inside a black and gold Eye of Horus gift bag, complete with gold handle - if you're stuck for a last minute present, whether it be for yourself or for someone else, you'll definitely feel like you've been spoiled rotten opening some Eye of Horus products.

I've been trying out the Goddess Mascara in black with Egyptian Moringa Oil and the Emerald Tabula Goddess Pencil.

"Goddess Eye Liner pencils are uniquely formulated with beautiful waxes in a creamy rich formula ideal to draw, smudge, smoke, and define the eye blending, or combining with our Goddess Eye shadows. Can be used for day wear to accentuate eyes, or evening wear to get that sensual smokey look. Smudger on tip allows to define or smoulder as much as you like.
Safe to apply to waterline, It literally glides onto the lid so smoothly with no pull, and once it sets its truly waterproof and has lasting power that stays all day and night."

The Emerald Tabula Goddess Pencil is ultra creamy and very pigmented. It really reminded me of Urban Decays 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencils - very smooth to apply with no tugging of the delicate eye area. Longevity was fantastic - I easily got 8+ hours of long lasting, smudge free wear.

Inspired by the shade and the Egyptian origins of this brand really makes me want to go out and create a Cleopatra inspired look now. These products are just calling out to be used for a Liz Taylor makeover! Think lots of teals, emerald greens and petrol blues set off with metallic gold highlights and mega winged liner!

Of course, you don't have to be quite so OTT - the Emerald Pencil looks great when applied to your waterline and slightly underneath your lower lash line to make an otherwise everyday nude, matte eye look really POP! I've also tried it as a winged liner with Sugarpills Goldilux Chromalust - the combination of metallic gold and emerald looks great, I'll definitely be wearing a lot more of this over Christmas.

The pencil is double-ended and features a handy sponge smudger to smoke out your liner and blend any harsh edges.

I've also been trying out the Goddess Mascara in black with Egyptian Moringa Oil

More beautiful imagery!

"Uniquely formulated in the style of the ancient Egyptians with natural waxes and the revered Moringa Oil, found in Tutankhamen’s tomb. Ideal for sensitive eyes, Eye Of Horus Goddess Mascara strengthens and lengthens for Ultimate Goddess lashes. Natural based formula wont clump, run or smudge.

Volumising, Nourishing, Paraben Free."

I'm not a huge mascara aficionado, sacrilege I know, however as I religiously bin every mascara once they hit the 6 week mark once opened no matter how much is left or how good they are, I hate shelling out big bucks on something I know I'm only going to get 6 weeks out of, max. However this really feels like a high end product with the luxe packaging and the formula inside doesn't let it down either! Oh no!

"Suffering from sensitive eyes and fine, brittle lashes we researched how the Aincent Egyptians used natural waxes and oils in their iconic beauty products. We used this aincent formula as a basis for our eye makeup range to provide products that are naturally based, non irritating, nourishing and great for sensitivities"

The wand can really make or break a mascara and I'm pleased to say that I love this wand! It's got a slight hourglass shape and it's made of stiff synthetic bristles which make it really easy to get at the roots of your lashes to build thickness and volume.

The inclusion of Moringa Oil feels very nourishing on lashes, and it's super pigmented leaving a lovely glossy black patent finish.

Panda eyes, clumpy lashes and flakiness are my absolute mascara pet-peeves, but I had no such issues with this beaut.

I really loved this mascara when since I've started using it because it sweeps on, defines lashes beautifully – with no clumping nor gluing.

It leaves lashes feeling flexible rather than stiff and comes off really easily. A great one for sensitive eyes so this is a brand to earmark if you find some mascaras irritating.
Despite the massive number of mascaras on the market, finding that perfect mascara can be a bit like finding the Holy Grail but Eye of Horus has developed a formula that won’t run, smudge or clump and it strengthens and lengthens for ultimate “goddess lashes”. If you love a mascara that veers towards natural and is non-irritating, then this one’s probably got your name on it.

Removal is a cinch with a cloth warmed with water (yes, just water!) as the heat melts the waxes, or use your usual eye makeup remover or all over cleanser to gently sweep it off.

Mascara and liner are everyday staples of mine so, like most ladies I've tried quite a number throughout the years, often feeling disappointed and let down by outrageous claims - not so with Eye of Horus however. The products really live up to their description and do as they're supposed to without costing the Earth either which is a welcome relief.
Emerald Tabula Goddess Pencil £13 / €15.50

Goddess Mascara £17 / €20

Find them here at Eye of Horus Cosmetics

Perfumed Jewelry WINNER!

2013-12-18T23:07:00.001+00:00

A big THANK YOU to everyone who entered my recent Perfumed Jewelry competition, however now the time has come to announce the lucky winner and that is... *drum roll please*

Entry: #430
S. Leavy

Whom if I'm not mistaken is the ever lovely and wondrous Miss Greeneyes

Congrats miss! Thank you so much for entering.
I really hope you'll like your new Perfumed Jewelry - I can't wait to find out which perfume you'll choose to go with it :)

All entries were entered and verified via Rafflecopter and chosen via their random algorithm.

Thanks to all who entered and congrats once again to S. Leavy - I hope this brings some Christmas sparkle your way!

Enjoy! xx

Seaons Greetings

2013-12-18T22:47:00.002+00:00

Hi all! Ho ho ho!

Sorry I've been very slack with the aul bloggin' lately - I think I had a dose of "Blogging Fatigue" (Thanks for posting about that Makeup Monster - good to know I'm not the only one!) what with getting ready for Christmas, shopping, getting the house organised and decorated, wrapping presents and having my phone die on me meant I haven't been blogging as often as I'd have liked lately but I'm hoping to get back on track from tomorrow onwards.

In other news, the wonderful Aisling of Total Makeup Addict organised a fantastic #IrishBbloggers Secret Santa so hopefully by now, everyone has received their yuletide goodies. I got into a bit of a flap on Friday to have mine posted out on time, so unfortunately I didn't get to wrap up and prettify my package as much as I would have liked, but a little birdie tells my that my Secret Santa received the package on Saturday (Wow, that was quick!!) so all is well! I was also delighted to receive my SS gift today from a lovely blogger - I'm absolutely thrilled with my present and can't wait to share it during the big reveal on Sunday the 22nd - along with having a good ol' nosey to see what everyone got in the post! Thanks once again for organising this Aisling - such a brilliant idea! We must definitely continue this for 2014 too! :D

I've spent FAR too much over these past few weeks - I'm dreading getting my credit card bill in January - eeek! On the plus side however, this also means that I'll have some new beauty booty to share with you all over the coming weeks. I'm hoping I won't get hit with anymore unexpected customs fees though - just got stung for €50 on a Sigma brush order today, ouch!

I came across some lovely photos of Galway this month and wanted to share a few on here. If any of you get a chance to visit the Christmas Market, GO! I've been trying to sample all the tasty treats on offer and the beer tent is all kinds of awesome!

Fantastic shot of the Christmas Market by Declan Colohan Photography

Fabulous mural beside O Connells pub in Eyre Square by Ruairi O Byrne

Galway Christmas Market by Alex Zarodov Photography

Kirwans Lane

Unfortunately, I couldn't find all of the original sources / photographers who took these amazing photos, so if they're one of yours, please let me know so I can credit you appropriately :)

I hope each and everyone of you are keeping well and aren't too frazzled by all the last minute Christmas shopping and battling the crowds whilst trying to snap up those last pressies.

I plan on taking it very leisurely this weekend whilst (over?) indulging in lots of mince pies and mulled wine. Can't wait to catch up on blogging also and share my latest purchases with you all!

A big special thank you to my Secret Santa - you know who you are! ;) All to be revealed on Sunday, so watch this space! x

WIN Perfumed Jewelry Competition!

2013-11-25T07:30:00.000+00:00

So it is with great merriment and glee I want to announce that I have a pretty fab prize up for grabs - you may have read my previous review on the utterly unique and "scentsational" Perfumed Jewelry and well, the good news is that you can get your hands on one too - complete with your favourite signature scent!

You can read my full review of the product here
As part of the prize you will receive a full Perfumed Jewelry set consisting of;

"Enchanted" pendant and chain - silver

A diamond effect jar containing three JewelStones infused with your chosen signature fragrance - your choice, it's up to you!

The three JewelStones will provide up to 3 months worth of diffusing your fragrance, so choose wisely :)

Perfume & Pendant above shown for illustration purposes only. You will receive the pendant, along with three JewelStones infused with your chosen scent - it doesn't have to be Chanel No. 5 :)

You simply choose your favourite scent encapsulated into the

unique JewelStones. There's 200 fragrances to choose from, so

you'll be hard pushed not to find your favourite.

Brands include Armani, BVLGARI, Chloe, Calvin Klein, Chanel,

DKNY, Dior, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Jo Malone, Prada,

Stella, Tom Ford and Victor & Rolf to name but just a few.

View the full list of fragrances to choose from HERE

Entering couldn't be easier; Simply use the Rafflecopter below.

This competition is open Internationally so entrants from worldwide are welcomed :)

Starts Monday 25th Nov - 9th Dec

So that's two weeks left to enter - I've sent the end date as Dec 9th to hopefully ensure your prize gets to you before Christmas so you'll have another treat to open come the 25th! :)

I'm not Santa Claus though, so I can't make any guarantees it will reach you by then, but I'm sure the Elves will make their best efforts to ensure it does arrive to you by Christmas x

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for entering and best of luck! x

Ding Ding Ding!!! We have a WINNER!

2013-11-24T19:37:00.000+00:00

Wow, that competition certainly proved popular - it seems you lot are mad for Jasper Jewellery and who'd blame you!

Thank you SO much to each and all of you that entered, I certainly did not expect to see such a positive response.

As much as all as I would LOVE to be able to make each and every one of you winners, sadly I'm not Uncle Gaybo and this isn't the Late Late Toy Show (but it will be next Friday! Hurrah!) so I don't have one for everyone in the audience :(

Thanks to the powers that be over at Random.org however, I have selected one lucky winner and that is... Drum roll please...

Entry #11,640 Lizzie McF

Many congratulations Lizzie - you're the winner of the Jasper Jewellery Amethyst & Silver Pendant Necklace.

Thanks for entering Lizzie and I hope you really enjoy your prize courtesy of the lovely folks over at Jasper Jewellery

Again, a HUGE thank you to all that entered, I really appreciate you taking the time out to enter my lil ol' giveaway, you guys all rock! :)

Didn't Win? Don't fret - something tells me this won't be the last chance you have to win a piece of Jasper Jewellery - watch this space for more details coming to a blog post near you soon! ;)

Mag Freebie Alert! Free Orly Polish in Star Spangled with Cosmo this month!

2013-11-24T19:05:00.000+00:00

Hello one and all!

I'm sure like myself, you all love nothing better than a good ol' magazine freebie so when I spotted this in my local newsies I just had to share it with you all! :)

The December issue of Cosmopolitan (complete with tongue-wagging Miley) are offering one of four Orly shades with this months mag.

Left to Right:

Star Spangled, Hair Band, Country Club Khaki and Naughty.

I'm a total sucker for nice reds and all the more so if they're glittery and sparkly, so Star Spangled made its way into my shopping basket. I still want the other three too though!

Star Spangled

"Star Spangled" is a red jelly jam packed full of red

glitter in it. It's smooth and applies like a dream. It's a lot

like China Glaze's "Ruby Pumps" but it's richer, has more

depth, and is more red than pink.

One Coat

Two Coats

The only downside to the freebie is it being only 5ml. In all reality though how often do we use a whole bottle of full size nail polish, unless its your favourite.

Out in all good newstands now! :)

Have any of these shades caught your eye? I'm very tempted to go back and try and collect the other three shades in the range now too!

Nailed It! Nail Art Supplies

2013-11-16T08:00:00.000+00:00

I've long been in awe of the plethora of amazing nail art tutorials there are out there, but I have to admit I haven't tried anything too adventurous just yet when it comes to painting nails (I feel much more at home painting faces!) however with the likes of the amazingly talented Miss Greeneyes and Cuti-CLUE-les showing off their latest creations on an almost daily basis, it's spurred me on to try out this whole nail art malarkey and see what I've been missing out on all along.

So of course, that required a few purchases which I thought I'd share with you today.

16pc Nail Art Brush Set

Synthetic brushes + dotting tool (I've wanted to try out one of these for so long!)

I opted for these in hot pink as most of my brushes are the stand black with silver ferrule and I didn't want to get them mixed up. On saying that however, I actually think some of these brushes would make amazing eyeliner brushes as they are so small and precise. The look like they would also be great for very fine, precision detail work if you want to get extra arty with your eyes and as they're synthetic they'll be well suited to work with cream products and gel liners etc...

10pc Nail Wheel

I also got a set of 10 nail wheels - well practice does make perfect after all. I'm also thinking that these may come in handy for cataloging my polish collection. The majority of my polishes are Catrice, which as much as I love them them and all, trying to find a particular among your stash when they all have black lids and are standing upright can be a bit troublesome - yes, first world problems. I know.

Looking forward to trying out some designs on these now that I have the tools to play around with.

Metal Gold Bows

I also ordered some metal gold bows, I can't wait to use these. I'm thinking that they'd go very well with some dark polish bases like black, plum, navy & red.

They're teeny tiny and very cute

All of the above were sourced on eBay. Prices vary but it was all cheap as chips - plenty of bargains to be had on there if you don't mind possible lengthy delivery times. I've also ordered some striping tape, metal studs and a few other bits and pieces but I'm still awaiting arrival of these.

So, are there any "must have" nail art tools or stuffs I should have?
Did you get any particularly good bargains on eBay for nail stuff in the past? Let me know in the comments below, thanks :)

Yuletide Treats from YON-KA

2013-11-15T15:00:00.000+00:00

If you're a regular reader you'll know that I have a lot of love for YON-KA - the French luxury skincare brand really delivers on quality and it's a personal favourite of mine when it comes to keeping your skin in check over the winter months due to the brands hard working yet gentle on your skin formulas which are made from 90% natural ingredients.

I normally stock up on skincare during the winter months in the run up to Christmas as there's normally great value to be had with the various gift set offerings - usually making a saving on the RRP.

When I came across YON-KA's 2013 Christmas offerings I thought they were too good to pass up and wanted to share them with you all. The range features three beauty clutches containing products which target hydration, vitality and body softness.

The Hydration and Vitality clutches contain two full size products

and one miniature whereas the Softness clutch contains two full

products.

Absolute Hydration

The Hydration set contains the brands three most hydrating and comforting products, namely Creme 28 a day cream, Hydralia an intensely hydrating and hardworking serum and Masque No. 1 which is a personal favourite of mine - see review here

Next on my wish list is;

Absolute Vitality

These products are designed to be radiance boosting - which

sounds like they might be the perfect pick-me-up after one too

many mince pies and glasses of mulled wine. This set contains

Pamplemousse (Which happens to be one of my favourite words

- Pamplemousse, I could say it all day!) which is apparently a

celeb-fav day moisturiser. You'll also find night cream Phyto 58

and last but not least, my hero product Masque No. 1

Last up to complete the trio is;

Absolute Softness

This is one for the body care lovers out there! All that rich food, late night partying and central heating doesn't do your skin any favours, however this looks to remedy this as it contains Lait Corps a velvety hydrating body milk along with Nutri-Protect, a 3-in-1 repairing hand cream, so there'll be no excuses for chapped and dry hands with this in your handbag!

I think these a lovely, well rounded selection of some of YON-KA's best loved products all wrapped up in a cute clutch. I think Mammy Morte be in line to get one of these as it was her who initally introduced me to the brand back in my teens when I frosted white eyeshadow and glitter was the height of glamour and sophistication - oh the shame.

Pricing and Availability;

Absolute Hydration Set - £80 / €95

Absolute Vitality Set - £78 / €93

Absolute Softness Set - £52 / €62
YON-KA Shop
Renaissance Skincare

Are any of these sets calling to you the way they are me yet? :)

Lash Love: Eldora False Lashes

2013-11-14T18:14:00.001+00:00

If you've been reading my blog for a while, you probably know by now that I love lashes. So much so in fact that I actually collect them - much like others collect shoes and handbags. Yup, lashes are one of my weaknesses. And so it is that I'm also on the lookout for new types of lashes for my kit whether they be synthetic or human hair, dainty and light or full on drag queen drama - you can never have too many! ;)

I recently got these beauties from Eldora who are well known within the beauty industry for their vast selection of lashes.

D152 - Wing shaped lashes with diamante crystal stones

£4.90

These are on a very fine, thin bad and are quite long and wispy accentuated with the pretty crystals - I'm really looking forward to trying these out over Christmas which always calls for a bit of bling!

They come in your standard lash tray - complete with adhesive. I normally ditch the adhesives that come supplied with lashes, favouring to use DUO adhesive instead - however it's handy to keep the mini lash glues that come with lash sets as they're purse-friendly and can come in handy in an emergency when you get wonky-lashitis at 2am on a night out ;)

B178 - Dark Synthesis

£5.90

Oh my! These are SO thick and dense with a criss-cross effect going on. These actually remind me of Illamasqua's Lashes in Lush (£14.50) given the density, but for less than half price!

You may not be able to tell from the photos, but these are double layered lashes (again, like the Illamasqua ones) however the bottom layer is a deep black, whilst the top layer is a rich brown. I've never had brown lashes before, so they're definitely nice for a change.

Even though they're very thick and dense, they do taper out and get wispy at the ends to give a more flattering look - these ones are definitely more on the dramatic side though.

These obviously aren't going to be to everyones taste but if you're looking for a full on lash to get noticed, you'll be hard pressed to find a pair to compete with these - especially at less the price.

These are my pick of the bunch - I just need somewhere to go with them now, hmmm...

Next pair up is H113

£4.50

These ones are actually real hair. Funnily enough, I didn't find them any "softer" than the synthetic lashes, so I'm not sure whether that means they're highly processed or else the synthetic lashes are actually of very high quality. Either way, I found it pretty hard to distinguish these from the synthetic lashes. The unnatural style of them may have had something to do with that also.

Again, these are on a thin band which gives good flexibility - meaning they should be easier to apply. A good/bad band makes all the difference to a pair of lashes.

These too are very full and dense - but are singularly layered. They flare out nicely at the ends and variate between shorter and longer lashes give some depth.

These are probably my least favourite from the bunch - no particular reason, I just prefer the other styles to this but I do have to say that human hair lashes for just £4.50 is pretty much unheard of - so there's value to be had in these!

And now, last, but most certainly not least as I'm sure you'll agree when you see them...

Maxi S143

£11.50

At £11.50 they are by far, the most expensive out of the bunch - but for the type of lashes they are, I don't find them expensive at all. I know personally, I've spent multiples on this before for lashes that weren't half as nice. Fantasy type lashes are always going to cost that bit more due them being more of a specialty product but the price point of these certainly doesn't put me off.

These are a really light, wispy lash at first but then they branch out into burlesque-heaven! They're embellished with pretty brown feather with white spots and finished off with the most beautiful, elongated plum feathers. I've never seen any lashes quite like these before. I'm already getting excited thinking of what looks to try these out on!

These are definitely statement lashes - not for the fainthearted!

If you're a Makeup Artist you can also avail of a professional discount - handy for when you want to replenish your kit or get some flamboyant lashes for a special shoot.

You can apply here: Eldora Makeup Artist Account

Where you need to supply the usual criteria, e.g. Qualification & Tear Sheet etc..

The prices I have listed above are the RRP and do not include the Pro Discount.

Eldora have one of the best and most varied selection of lashes I've ever seen online before - everything from natural daytime lashes, to massive feather lashes and unique fabric lashes.

Check out their shop here; Eldora Lashes Shop

UK Delivery is Free and European Delivery is £1.50 (which is VERY reasonable) or Free if you spend over £20 (before any pro discount is applied) They also deliver worldwide for £2.90 - or Free if you spend over £20 - again, this is before any discount.

What do you think of the lashes? Would you wear any of these or are they a bit too OTT for you?

Betrousse - Absolutely Fabulous, Darling

2013-11-12T21:38:00.000+00:00

Well sweeties (I'm channeling Eddie here!) I'm back again with a brand spanking new Betrousse box today.

The latest Betrousse edition is called "Absolutely Fabulous" (I wonder if they've been catching up on some Ab-Fab re-runs?)

As usual, the Betrousse box features full sized products - no fear of getting any measly perfume samples or teeny weeny one-use sachets here!

Also, in contrast to other beauty boxes on the market - you can actually see the products before you buy. It does take the element of surprise out of the whole experience somewhat, but more importantly you can decide beforehand if the contents are what you want and are willing to part with your hard earned cash. Hands up how many of us have been left feeling disappointed and deflated with well, crap "mystery" boxes? Been there, done that, bought the subscription.

So, what's in this latest box and is it really Absolutely Fabulous?

You get a nice big black box (oooh-er!) in the post. Admittedly it's not as nice and dainty as some of the other beauty boxes out there, but you have to remember that Betrousse send out full sized products which wouldn't fit in the standard beauty box. I have to confess, I am a sucker for nice packaging but give me decent products at a good price over tiny samples any day of the week. Plus, I gotta say, I actually happen to like the black and hot pink combo. For reference, the boxes are about the size of a shoe box.

You'll find the goodies safely wrapped up in pretty pink tissue paper alongside lots and lots of foam peanuts to ensure everything arrives in one piece.

Some info regarding the brands included

And onto the beauty swag inside...

There's 6 full sized products all catering for skin, hair and body. No makeup stuffs this time.

Sensuous Shampoo by Duck Island

Stimulating the senses whilst capturing the exotic aromas of the East. Duck Island is a sensuous shampoo that will leave your hair feeling supreme, stupendous, stunning and silky smooth. We deliver this product to you paraben and mineral oil free, scented with Duck Island signature fragrance ‘Elissium’. Derived in part from the Greek for ‘paradise’.

Category : HAIR CARE - Contents : 250ml

Public price : £14.98

Facial Exfoliate Creme

By Leor

Our Facial Exfoliate Creme contains smooth pumice to naturally but gently exfoliate your face and neck. By removing dead skin cells you will notice fresher and more vibrant skin. And with our French Lavender edition of this product it means that your skin can enjoy all the benefits of lavender essential oil.

Category : Skin care - Contents : 100 gr

RRP : £11.00

Hedelweiss 24h Cream

By Helenere

Moisturizing cream with normalizing and protective properties, based on a pure and exclusive complex of extract of Edelweiss. It stimulates cellular respiration, prevents loss of moisture and fights against harmful exterior agents and UV rays. It leaves a feeling of freshness and enhances make-up.

Category : Skin care - Contents : 30 ml

RPP : £30.00

Sculpted Silhouette Inchwrap Firming Gel

By Spa Find

This incredibly rich toning and firming gel contains Iso-Slim Complex, a combination of natural slimming and fat-burning agents Caffeine, Carnitine and Spirulina, blended with Soy Isoflavones skin is tightened and lifted, and cellulite is visibly reduced with the aid of natural Ivy Extract, Dead Sea Minerals and Hyaluronic Acid, known as the key to the fountain of youth.

Category : BODYCARE - Contents : 250 ml

RPP: £25.30

Hedelweiss Intensive Serum

By Helenere

An intensively repairing and rehydrating serum, it ensures radiance and well-being to your skin. The perfect formula for a fresh and silky skin! Concentrated highly moisturising based on a pure and exclusive complex of extract of Edelweiss. Prevents loss of moisture and cutaneous elasticity by considerably increasing the natural hydration of the epidermis. Constitutes a real day & night nourishment for the skin.

Category : Skin care - Contents : 15 ml

RPP : £32.00

Pure & Clean Face Wash

By Organic Surge

With its 100% natural foaming action, this skin-balancing face wash rinses away make-up and impurities without stripping skin of its natural, protective moisture. Formulated to address the needs of oily or combination skin, Pure & Clean face wash cleanses without over-drying and is clinically tested for sensitive skin. Rosemary, peppermint and citrus essential oils combat breakouts and oiliness to restore the skin’s natural balance and leave the complexion bright and clear.

Category : Skin care - Contents : 200 ml

RPP: £5.49

I haven't tried any of the products yet but I'm really looking forward in particular to trying out the Sensuous Shampoo and the Hedelweiss Intensive Serum. I'm also interested to see how the Firming Gel fares out.

In total, the value of all the products included comes to a whopping £118.74 / €144!!

So, how much does it cost?

£19 / €22 + P&P

Which is a very impressive saving on the RRP. Obviously, like all beauty boxes, this may not be everyone's cup of tea (or glass of bubbly if you're like Patsy) but for me personally, I know these are products I'll use and for £19 / €22 they're blimmin' bargaintastic!

I do love a good bargain and with each product working out at just £3.16 / €3.66 it's hard to find any fault with this latest Betrousse offering.

Betrousse UK

Ever tried Betrousse before or are you already subscribed to any beauty boxes? If so, which ones and how do you like them? I'd love to hear your thoughts on beauty boxes in general, please let me know in the comments below :)

Thanks for reading x

Scentsational - Perfumed Jewelry

2013-11-11T07:00:00.000+00:00

Hi Guys!

I have something a little bit different to show you today. So different in fact, that I believe this is a one-of-a-kind, well, it's certainly not like anything I ever came across before.

Let me introduce you to Perfumed Jewelry (Sorry, that's how it's spelled - believe me, I want to change it to Jewellery too! So no, it's not a typo) :P

Love your bling & all things scented? Then meet your match made

in heaven – Perfumed Jewelry, who cleverly and so prettily infuse

your favourite perfume into a JewelStone, to release it all day long,

every day, for 28 days, all while encased in a pretty pendant.

The back story behind this clever brand is that, fifteen years ago, the creator Renee looked into her mother’s jewellery box and found a scented handkerchief that had scented all of the jewellery in the box. While the scent didn’t last, she thought, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful to put perfume and jewelry together?” and so Perfumed Jewellery was born.

Simple, classic packaging

You simply choose your favourite scent encapsulated into the unique JewelStones. There's 200 fragrances to choose from, so you'll be hard pushed not to find your favourite.

Brands include Armani, BVLGARI, Chloe, Calvin Klein, Chanel, DKNY, Dior, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Marc Jacobs, Jo Malone, Prada, Stella, Tom Ford and Victor & Rolf to name but just a few.

I received Chanel No. 5 infused JewelStones with my order.

If by some chance your favourite fragrance isn't listed, they will even go so far as to order it for you at no extra charge! You may have to wait up to a month for a specialised order however, which is fair enough and I think it's fantastic that they even offer this service. Especially at no extra cost.

Inside the beautiful presentation box you'll find your pendant along side a gorgeous storage jar for your JewelStones.

"Enchanted" Pendant

Each jar comes with 3 JewelStones infused with the scent of your selected fragrance.

The JewelStones themselves are shaped like mini diamonds, complete with facet cutting. They appear to be made from a hard, white chalk-like substance.

I was a little skeptical at first as to how well the stones would hold the scent and whether or not there would be much longevity or power to it.

The scent was extremely powerful however - much more so than I was anticipating. You could instantly tell it was Chanel No.5 with intoxicating woody, aldehydic and powdery notes. If you're not a fan of strong scents, then you may want to pass one this one. There's plenty of others to choose from however.

Each JewelStone is designed to release the fragrance for 28 days. With 3 included, you get a 3 months supply.

Back to the pendant now;

The pendants come in a variety of styles - there's 6 to choose from. This one is "Enchanted"

All necklaces are a 30 inch chain with a filigree pendant. This sits around mid way down your chest - they're quite long.

Use the small clasp on the side to open the pendant

Then simply place one of the JewelStones into your pendant

Snap it shut and it's ready to wear. Simples!

I'd be lying if I didn't say that at first this reminded me of the Thuribles priests swing in churches with burning incense. It must be my Catholic school girl childhood coming out in me :D

I really love the idea and concept of this product. The pendant itself is beautifully crafted and would make a lovely piece regardless of the JewelStones. The selling point with this product however, is of course the JewelStones.

I did wonder about how the scent would translate to the JewelStone, but I have to say it definitely did smell of Chanel No. 5 - very potent and strong too. I can't say how lighter scents would fare, but if the Chanel No. 5 is anything to go by the JewelStones are well scented and infused with your chosen scent.

I love perfume. I love wearing perfume. I love getting an unexpected and pleasant waft of it throughout the day just when you think it's disappeared from your skin. I'm not convinced that I would swap my beloved bottles of perfume for this completely just yet however. I like being able to wear a scent on my pulse points, letting it adapt to my skin and change throughout the day.

With this however, the scent stays at the same strength throughout the day. I think this would be a great purchase for those who are allergic to perfume. I have a few friends who are allergic to perfumes and make do with the scented body lotions of their favourite fragrance instead, so I foresee a few of these being given as Christmas presents this year :)

I do think it's a really nice way of "wearing" perfume and it does indeed last longer than the traditional way of spritzing your perfume on your skin. And if nothing else, it's a lovely piece of jewellery. The allure factor is definitely in the ability to match your jewellery with your perfume though.

Perfumed Jewelry is priced at $140 (AUD) and this includes the chain, pendant and a 3 months supply of JewelStones infused with your chosen scent.

At today's rates, this works out at about €98 / £82

If you run out of JewelStones you can purchase a new 6 month supply which includes 2 JewelStone jars and 6 JewelStones for $50.

Or €35 / £29

Perfumed Jewelry are based in Australia, but get this, shipping worldwide is free, as is gift wrapping which is a nice added bonus and comes in handy for Christmas shopping.

What do you think of Perfumed Jewellery?
Could you see yourself wearing something like this?
I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below :)

Thanks for reading,

Sunday Shockalocks : Surya Brasil Amazonia Preciosa Hair Mask Review

2013-11-10T18:07:00.001+00:00

Hi all! I hope you're all enjoying a nice lazy Sunday all cosied up and warm. The weather is horrible at the minute - so dark, dull and grey. Not nice at all. It's a perfect excuse though to get all warm and snuggly indoors in front of a fire and veg out to some Christmas movies - can't believe it's that time of year again!

Oh, I know you're probably thinking, why is she talking about Christmas so soon - it's not my fault though, the Christmas movies are on non-stop on Sky and the shops are already tempting me with their festive treats. Christmas starts sooner and sooner each year as soon as Halloween is over, BAM, out comes the decorations.

Speaking of Halloween, my hair was put through the rounds over the bank holiday weekend with lots and lots of backcombing and hairspray galore. Sure, I got the look I was after but all the backcombing and teasing certainly left my hair in a bit of a state afterwards to say the least.

Be warned;

My hair really was a veritable birds nest full of tangles and knots like no other and I dreaded getting it back into shape again. Honestly, I feared I wouldn't be able to run a brush through it - I really did go a little OTT on the ol' hairsrapy, backcombing and dry shampoo to get it really poofy.

As luck would have it however, I was recently sent a Amazonia Preciosa Brazil Nut Hair Mask to try out and this turned out to be my saviour and godsend all in one.

Rich in Vitamins E, B1, B3, B6, Omega-3s, copper and zinc.

Natural, vegan and organic

"This hair care range has been blended from ingredients sourced in the Amazon and has restorative, nutrative, revitalising, restructuring and clarifying treatment powers. Use on a regular basis to effect long term health for your hair and scalp."

Ingredients:

"Each hair mask is produced with a base essential oil extracted from the Preciosa Tree, an Amazonian native, and mixed with specially selected plants, fruits and herbs. These ingredients help restructure the hair strands, making them stronger and protecting against sun rays, wind, pollution and other chemicals such as smoke that can damage the hair. Each ingredient is ethically and sustainably harvested, to support the local economy and indigenous population."

The hair mask comes in a aluminium-type squeezable tube - not too unlike your standard toothpaste.

I actually really like how easy it is to dispense product from this - I'm not a big fan of large pots and jars you have to scoop out product with your fingers with - plus it's easy to gauge how much you have actually left and how much you're using with each use.

The hair mask inside is lovely and buttery - it reminds me of a rich shea butter body lotion as opposed to a creamy hair conditioner that I was expecting. It has a lovely emollient rich consistency and you can definitely smell brazil nuts in there - in fact, the scent almost reminded me of a vague marzipan type scent. Very nice, I liked it a lot. Not at all overpowering.

Directions recommend to use with a "thermal cap" - not having one of these to hand, or well more precisely, having never even heard of one of these before, I resorted to using my tried and trusted method - a good old plastic shower cap followed by wrapping it in a warm towel.

Given that my hair was in such a state, I left it a lot longer than the advised 10-15 minutes. Overnight to be precise. I felt my hair could really do with the intensive moisturising boost as it was really in birds nest territory unfortunately. :(

I used a fairly large blog (very technical term there) on my first use, however for subsequent uses, I've been using the amount of a €2 coin and that seems to be more than sufficient for my needs.

After leaving it overnight, I attempted to tackle my tangled tresses with a wide toothed comb so as to prevent any further breakage and thankfully, the hair mask really helped to lubricate my hair for the comb to do it's thang without pulling and snapping my hair. In fact, I'd go as far as to say the hair mask added elasticity back into my hair which I fear would have stretched and snapped otherwise.

Seeing as this does not contain any silicones, you may find that this doesn't give you that "OMG it's soooo silky" feeling when you're rinsing it out, but I can definitely say hand on heart my hair was in MUCH better condition after just the first use and when it dried, it was left looking lovely and shiny and silky. Hurrah! It worked! :D

I've been using this in between every second wash or so as I've been trying to make amends with my poor hair after the way it was abused over Halloween. In fact, I'm looking forward to taking a nice long, hot bath this evening with the Brazil Nut hair mask doing it's thing wrapped up in the trusty and ever reliable shower cap & hot fluffy towel method.

When I run out (which is sooner than I'd like as I used a LOT of this on my first use) I'll definitely be replacing this - without a doubt. It did what it promised, what more could I ask? After taming my unruly locks after Halloween it really stood up to the test. Thank you Surya Brasil! :D

Along with the Brazil Nut Hair Mask, the Amazonia Preciosa range also comes with a mask to suit every hair type;

Ucuuba Hair Mask for curly and fragile hair. Controls volume, hydrates, softens and shapes curls. Increases hair strength and manageability.

Buriti Hair Mask for dyed and damaged hair. Rich in Vitamin A, naturally absorbs UV rays.

Murumuru Hair Mask for oily hair. Protects and strengthens the hair. Regulates and cleanses the excess of oil, while moisturising dry tips.

Cupuacu Hair Mask for normal and straight hair. Protects, thickens and strengthens hair.

Amazonia Preciosa Hair Mask €11.50 for 120g

Available from YourTonic.com

WIN a Jasper Jewellery Amethyst Silver Pendant Necklace

2013-11-07T21:55:00.001+00:00

Hello everyone!

The lovely folks over at Jasper Jewellery have very kindly and generously offered me a beautiful Silver and Amethyst Pendant Necklace to give away.

"The rich oval Amethyst coloured and faceted Cubic Zirconia centre

stone is surrounded by 50 individually hand placed white diamond

colour Preciosa crystal elements. The entire Amethyst Pendant

Necklace is very beautifully finished in flawless platinum tone."

MAC Halloween Looks & Rick Baker Collection

2013-10-30T19:53:00.002+00:00

Hi Guys & Ghouls!

Halloween, my favourite time of year is nearly upon is and of course that means dressing up and playing around with new makeup looks to get into the spirit (spirit, geddit? OK, I'll leave all the cheesy puns for now.) In case you're in need of some inspiration for tomorrow nights festivities, I thought I'd share some of my most favourite MAC Halloween looks along with some tips on how to achieve the looks along with a peek of some of the latest Rick Baker looks from MAC's newest MAC + Rick Baker collection which is out now.

The Capitol’s couture queen, Effie Trinkett, was also spotted wearing a runway-worthy makeup look.

KEYS TO THE LOOK:

Pale white skin, bright eye makeup seamlessly connecting with the blush on cheekbones, pursed lips.

THE METHOD:

To cop Effie's pale matte skin, use a foundation one shade lighter than your skin tone. Mix two blush shades as an eyeshadow and cheek color, and create a corner flush by applying blush high on your cheekbones, and finally defining eyes using a black kohl liner. To achieve Effie's pursed lips, conceal the outer corners of your pucker using a white kohl pencil. Apply lipstick on the center of your lips, and top it off with gloss.

Inspired by the book and movie The Great Gatsby set in the Roaring Twenties, it's the definitive look of the era when women started sporting short bobs instead of long locks, and short, sleeveless dresses as compared to the previous decade’s long, restrictive frocks.

KEYS TO THE LOOK:

Lips were colored in deep shades of brick red. Eyes were defined by using dark shadows and adorned with lush, doll-like lashes. Eyebrows were thin and sloped down.

THE METHOD:

Draw eyebrows downwards and set with clear brow gel. Do a soft smokey eye using a dark eye shadow on the outer crease and a stark white shadow on the lid. Curl lashes and apply four coats of mascara. Perfect the 1920s look by dabbing on some black cherry lipstick.

The original va-va-voom sex symbol from the 1950s Marilyn Monroe is always a Halloween fave! Complete the look by wearing a short blonde wig with large vintage curls, a white, deep-neckline dress, and sexy kitten heels. Don't forget the flirtatious confidence!

KEYS TO THE LOOK:

Flawless skin, framed brows, winged eyeliner, and Hollywood-red lipstick.

THE METHOD:

Highlight the browbone, nose bridge, cupid’s bow, and cheekbones using How to Marry. On the crease use a matte beige eye shadow and contour using an espresso shade. Line eyes and apply false eyelashes. Of course, Marilyn's bombshell beauty wouldn’t be complete without her signature red lipstick, so apply one using a lip brush and blot with a tissue, sex kitten-style.

Why wear a mask when you can just draw it? The daring cat-loving villainess from the Batman comic series, the Catwoman hides her identity by wearing a winged eye mask. She pairs it with luscious red lips.

KEYS TO THE LOOK:

Drawn-on mask with a classic red lip.

THE METHOD:

Start by sweeping a terracotta eye shadow all over the lid. To offset the black mask, brighten the lower lashline and inner corners with white kohl pencil. Trace the desired mask shape by using a felt-tip liner. Fill it in by using a black kohl pencil. Seal the deal by painting on gel liner all over the area. Don't forget to swipe on a bold red lipstick. Purr-fect!
Gotye’s music video “Somebody I Used To Know” conquered music charts and most probably some broken hearts too. Gotye had graphic face art on his face imitating the Art Deco backdrop and making for a perfect pop culture reference.

KEYS TO THE LOOK:

Four painted slices on half of the face.

THE METHOD:

Use four different brushes when applying each color per face section. Mix lipsticks with foundation to achieve salmon and brown. Use two different shades of gray on the forehead and eye area. Use a black liner to define each sections to make them more distinct. Leave skin bare and set with translucent powder.

Performer Nicki Minaj is famous for her bold, colorful, even outlandish makeup looks, almost like a modern-day Barbie doll.

KEY TO THE LOOK:

Rainbow popping colors and throwing makeup inhibitions out the window.

THE METHOD:

To achieve Nicki's perfectly arched brows, mix two shades of eyebrow pencil to get the right shade. For eyes, use a canary yellow eye shadow as base, applying it past the crease. Lightly pat on a green eyeshadow on the lid concentrating on the outer edge of the eye. On your lower lashline and using a flat brush, sweep on a blue eye shadow. Define lashes by using a black kohl liner, making the line more intense by using a felt tip liner. Lightly dust apples of the cheeks using a pink blush, and finish off the Barbie look by painting your pout with a warm pink lipstick

Next up are some of the recently released face charts and their stunning real life promo shots from the new MAC + Rick Baker Collection for you to feast your eyes on!

Happy Halloween everyone! Please let me know in the comments below what you're planning on dressing up as - I'd love to hear what kinda looks you're all going for :D

Thanks for reading! x

Glossybox - The ESPA Edition

2013-10-23T09:00:00.000+01:00

Back by popular demand, Glossybox recently re-launched their ESPA edition.

I missed out on it first time round, so I was delighted to get the opportunity to snap one up before they sold out yet again and I'm delighted I got one.

The ESPA Exclusive edition came in a lovely muted taupe box. Very simple and understated.

The packaging wasn't quite as neat as other Glossyboxes I've received in the past, but that's no biggie

Taaa-daaaah! Gift Card!

Contents:

Five luxury ESPA sample sizes.

50ml Energising Shower Gel – Coconut, Eucalyptus and Peppermint revitalise for the perfect start to your day.

• 50 ml Energising Body Lotion – Shea Butter, Vitamin A-rich Almond Oil and Peppermint nourish your skin.

• 7ml Skin Radiance Mask - Mulberry, Bearberry, Liquorice and Pumpkin Enzymes revive skin's natural glow

• 7ml Skin Radiance Moisturiser – revive dry, dull skin with this naturally skin-brightening moisturiser

• 3ml 24-Hour Replenishing Eye Moisturiser – Ginkgo Biloba, Mimosa and Evening Primrose hydrate and diminishes fine lines, puffiness and dark circles

• A Glossy handbag sized magazine – with a home spa ritual developed by an ESPA therapist

This box also comes with a £30 Gift Card to be used in the ESPA online store. This is what really swung it for me as the box itself was only £20 (plus £2.95 P&P)

So basically, you're getting all the trial size ESPA items in the box for free along with an extra £10 bonus. Nice one Glossybox!

I haven't used the Gift Card yet but there's no mandatory minimum spend so yay! I'm currently eying up what to get with my Gift Card - so if anyone has any recommendations then please let me know. Thanks! :)

What's In My Handbag

2013-10-22T19:05:00.000+01:00

Want a peek to see what's inside?

I'm not really a "bag" person per se, but for some reason or another I do seem to have accumulated quite a few down through the years so I'm forever chopping and changing bags (yeah, I've done the whole going out thing only to realise I've left my wallet in my "other" bag before too, eeek!) but here's a lil snapshot of what I've been carrying around with me lately.

Inside:

Nook Simple Touch Glowlight - this goes everywhere with me! I love being able to catch up on a good book whilst on the go. For anyone that's interested I'm currently reading Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey.

What should be in the photo but isn't: Samsung Galaxy S3 - again, this goes everywhere with me and it's not in the photo because it was taking the photos at the time :)

BRTC Jasmine Water BB Cream - good for dry skin and paler skintypes - handy for on the go as application is a cinch and it gives a nice dewy, medium coverage finish.

Boots No. 7 Dry Skin Rescue - comes in useful when you've got an annoying dry or flaky patch, this usually sorts it out in a jiffy.

Illamasqua Powder Foundation in 230 - I recently picked this up in one of their sales. It's a foundation for darker skin tones but I bought it with the intention of using it as a powder contour shade for my pale NC15 skin and it's absolutely perfect for the job!

ARTDECO Bronzing Glow Blusher in "Sundance" from their Tribal Sunset Collection - REVIEW

Gorgeous complementing shades of pinks, corals and bronzes -

perfect for those with a porcelain complexion to give a radiant, sun

kissed glow. Buttery soft and richly pigmented - I love this!

Catrice Lipstick in Color Bomb from their Revoltaire Collection

This is one of my most favourite lipsticks EVER! A gorgeous coral matte shade.

MAC Lipstick in Rebel

A lovely wine shade for evenings and just an all round really wearable and flattering plum shade for all skintones

Illamasqua Brow Cake in Thunder

Catrice Liquid Liner from the Spectaculart Collection

Super fine point on this makes cat eye flicks an effortless task

GOSH Velvet Touch Lip Primer
Perfect primer to use as a base before any lip products - it really does make your lips feel velvety smooth! It's also great to use on it's own to condition your lips throughout the day.

Collection Cosmetics Killer Curves Mascara - REVIEW

A decent mascara that does what it's supposed to without costing the Earth, what's not to like?

And finally a few brushes. I normally just bring the bare basics when it comes to brushes so here's three of my every day staples:

Sedona Lace FB 07 from their Vortex Set

E.L.F Mineral Powder Brush

The small size of this brush makes it ideal as a contour brush

Benefit Hard Angle Liner

I use this for filling in my brows, with gel liners and if I'm really stuck, as a lip brush when on the go - and it works a treat for all three tasks!

And that's it!

Thanks for looking, as always,

NEW Sigma Advanced Artistry Brush Set

2013-10-22T01:51:00.001+01:00

You know how people collect shoes and handbags? Well, I collect Makeup Brushes. Nothing gets me quite as excited as a good ol' brush set. Big poofy powder brushes, tapered dome contour brushes, jumbo fan brushes, teeny weeny detail brushes.. yup I have the whole shebang and then some.

Sigma Beauty is one of my favourite go-to's for brushes when it comes to the sheer number on offer and the decidedly hard to beat prices, however I was lemming some more brushes and as luck would have it Sigma have just launched their brand new Advanced Artistry Brush Set.

The Advanced Artistry Set contains 3 detailed and specific brush kits for targeted areas in makeup. Blend, conceal and color your way to the extreme with these uniquely designed brushes.

I haven't tried these out yet as they've just been launched, but I'm already lusting after them and they'll no doubt be on my Christmas wishlist!

First up is the Extreme Color Payoff Kit

The Extreme Color Payoff Kit contains six brushes designed to deliver a strong and pigmented application of eye shadows, bases and liners. The different shapes and sizes of the bristles allow you to create a variety of looks while providing an intense and concentrated color payoff. Intended for makeup enthusiasts, the creative possibilities are endless.

Brushes included in the kit:

E20 – Short Shader: Apply color onto small areas of the eye such as the outer eyelid. Also use to smudge the lower lash line.

E30 – Pencil: Soften pencil liners along the top and bottom lash lines, add shadow to line the eyes, or use to highlight inner corner of eyes.

E44 – Firm Blender: Intense, even blending of the crease for strong color application.

E57 – Firm Shader: Apply intense colors all over lid for a controlled color finish.

E58 – Cream Color: Long brush head is best used to apply cream products for a diffused finish.

E59 – Wide Shader: Apply intense color for a fast, strong application of the full lid.

Price - $63.00

Spot On Concealer Kit

The Spot-on Concealer Kit contains six brushes for ultimate concealing of blemishes, dark spots and any other imperfections. The various brush sizes, textures and angles were designed to apply the perfect amount of product for maximum coverage anywhere on the face. Buff and blend your way to flawless skin.

Brushes Included:

F63 – Airbrush Blender: Delivers an airbrushed application of concealer for a diffused, well-blended finish.

F64 – Soft Blend Concealer: Best for buffing and evening out concealer applied with a light hand on large areas or all-over finish of the face.

F66 – Angled Buff Concealer: Gives a soft, light to medium coverage under the eyes and around the nose.

F68 – Pin-Point Concealer: Best for coverage of small spots that needs extra concealing.

F69 – Angled Pixel Concealer: Apply concealer in a patting motion for best results on areas such as the sides of the nose.

F71 – Detail Concealer: Use with a soft, light sweeping motion for a subtle touch of concealer.

Price: $63.00

The Perfect Blend Kit

The Perfect Blend Kit contains six eye brushes designed for all of your basic blending needs. The assortment of brushes provide a variety of uses such as working shadow into the crease, buffing out harsh lines and blending colors for a diffused finish. Whether you want to go from subtle to sensational or sharp to smoked-out, this is the perfect kit.

Brushes Included:

E32 – Exact Blend: Blend intense color onto to the outer corners of the eye.

E37 – All Over Blend: Best for going over your entire lid to blend any harsh lines.

E38 – Diffused Crease: Blend strong color into crease for a diffused effect.

E39 – Buff and Blend: Best for blending of smaller areas for a precise finish.

E48 – Pointed Crease: Use tip of brush to pick up darker shades and apply using a rolling motion for crease control.

E71 – Highlight Diffuser: Best to highlight areas such as the brow bone with shorter side of brush or to soften edges.

Price: $63.00

The Advanced Artistry Set

This set contains all of the 3 individual sets already listed above.

Blend, conceal and color your way to the extreme

with these uniquely designed brushes.

Contains 18 Brushes in total.

E20 – Short Shader: Apply color onto small areas of the eye such as the outer eyelid. Also use to smudge the lower lash line.

E30 – Pencil: Soften pencil liners along the top and bottom lash lines, add shadow to line the eyes, or use to highlight inner corner of eyes.

E44 – Firm Blender: Intense, even blending of the crease for strong color application.

E57 – Firm Shader: Apply intense colors all over lid for a controlled color finish.

E58 – Cream Color: Long brush head is best used to apply cream products for a diffused finish.

E59 – Wide Shader: Apply intense color for a fast, strong application of the full lid.

F63 – Airbrush Blender: Delivers an airbrushed application of concealer for a diffused, well-blended finish.

F64 – Soft Blend Concealer: Best for buffing and evening out concealer applied with a light hand on large are

as or all-over finish of the face.