BritishBeautyBlogger

Olay Regenerist CC Cream

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:10:00 +0000

So, here's the Olay CC cream, the next generation BB. There has been much speculation in beauty world about whether BBs are the emperor's new clothes and literally a tinted moisturiser by another name. Well, in part that is true - any old stuff has come out under the BB label and you would be hard pushed to find a difference between some tints and some BBs.

CC cream is basically a BB but a little bit more and it will be down to the individual to decide whether they want to experiment. This one, from Olay, claims to perfect your complexion instantly, fight the look of wrinkles and reduce the appearance of dark spots. Now, if it does reduce dark spots then that is a skin-care benefit that will put it in another league; make-up that does a tricky skin-care job. It's a combination of moisturiser, SPF, anti-ageing serum and foundation - I can certainly say that in testing it makes skin look beautifully dewy and radiant, but coverage is not as intense as I expected it to be.

I am not sure that it lives up to the claim of giving more coverage, but it is a very pleasant coverage. More to the point, it's the anti-ageing serum that gives it bonus points in my book. Sali Hughes of The Guardian wrote a feature on beauty creams that made me stop and think. She said if you are going to invest in a high-street product, make sure you buy one from one of the really rich brands who have time and money to invest in testing and formulating at the highest level. And, she is right - I hear a great deal about Olay anti-ageing but have always dismissed it as another supermarket/chemist brand, but it made me look at the likes of Olay in a different light. So, that anti-ageing part of the whole thing is probably the most important, whether it's called a CC, a BB or simply a tinted moisturiser.

Olay Regenerist CC Cream launches in Spring next year, right on time for all the fresh and dewy looks that will be on counter where it will certainly fit in.

Beauty Right Now: Stuff You Can Buy Today

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:51:00 +0000

Realistically, I don't think any of these things will reach you by Christmas now, but I'm hoping that you feel deserving of a post-Christmas present for yourselves! There are some great sale bargains to be had already so, here's a line up of my top picks.

I absolutely swear by this stuff to keep me sane.. a bath isn't a bath without a generous slug of Aromatherapy Associates. AA was one of the first aromatherapy brands to emerge and it's still, in my view, absolutely the best. You only need a few drops for each bath or shower so this little lot will keep you in luxury bathing til at least Easter, I reckon! It was £99, it's now £49.50 HERE

I really like the Coach fragrance, but unless you know the Coach leather brand, I can see why it's slightly missing the mark. Presentation is great, the scent is a lightly sweet floral - just really pretty. This boxed set is down from £49 to £24.50, HERE

Here's your chance to stock up on luxy suncare at more or less high street prices. This Dior SPF30 is down from £21.45 to £16.05 HERE

Remember that cheeky little YesforLov kit with the invisible ink pen and a little torch so you can write messages on your body for your dearest to find (we had a lot of laughs thinking of messages like 'walk the dog, we've run out of milk etc), but this could be one Happy New Year if you're in the mood! It's down from £24 to £12 HERE

This indulgent Spa Secrets box from Elemis is down from £90 to £50.60 HERE

This is a good opportunity to get a haul of Illamasqua; the Black Christmas set is down from £96 to £76 and contains nine Illamasqua goodies..Pure Pigment in Zeitgeist, Powder Shadow in Obsidian, Eye Brow Cake in Thunder, False Eye Lashes, Sealing Hel, Medium Pencil in Sophie, Sheer Lipgloss in Artifice, Masquara in Raven and Precision Ink in Abyss. I think that's quite a bargain. Find it HERE

Shu Uemura Spring 2013 Lashes

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:26:00 +0000

You've got to love these beauties from Shu for SS13. I'd probably have a go at the bottom pair but maybe not the top! Find more info HERE

Happy Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:56:00 +0000

“It’s too early. I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January.”
–Lucy as her friends eat new snowflakes #peanuts

Every year, I say I'm going to do something really special as a card for BBB readers and every year it's the thing that doesn't happen...so this is my very home-made picture of my Snoopy Wreath on top of my oven! It's so far removed from the witty gif or glamorous drawing or any of the other in-my-head plans, but Happy Christmas anyway! Thank you so much for dropping by, your insightful comments and your communications on Twitter, and I wish you so much happiness for Christmas. xxx

Lip Gloss from Next

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:39:00 +0000

This trio of glosses for £4.99 really caught my eye in Next today so I bought them, but now they're giving me the creeps a little bit because they look kind of too real.... *shudders*.

Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 10:52:00 +0000

I always inwardly (ok, outwardly as well) cringe when I get a Serge Lutens press release - ever since I had one that said "tick tock" for a whole side of A4 paper, and nothing else, I get a sense of foreboding when one appears! The one that accompanies the new fragrance is, well, not all that forthcoming, but I've managed to extract a little bit of information.

La Fille de Berlin Eau de Parfum is a floral oriental with rose and pepper. That's it.

However, fans of Serge Lutens are legendarily loyal; the scents are remarkably complex and by all accounts, utterly addictive. So, they'll be happy to know that this newness is launching exclusively at Harrods on 13th February and nationwide on the 27th. Personally, I'm totally at the shallow end and liking it because it's pink.

MAC Candy Yum-Yum Returns

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 19:45:00 +0000

MAC's vivid, matte pink lipstick, Candy Yum Yum, is returning in February to the UK and literally any minute now (11pm, I am told!) to the North Amercia e-commerce site. It's been brought back by popular request and is now part of the permanent line-up.

Chloe Fragrance: My Little Chloe

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:55:00 +0000

This is such a lovely idea from Chloe; mini 20ml bottles priced at £25. To give you an idea of the size, I've snapped it next to the Hourglass Lipstick.

Fuller sizes cost between £38.50 and £60, so to have one at £25 that is packaged beautifully in a small glass bottle with the ribbon makes it that bit more affordable and very portable. I'm not sure when these launch, but I'll keep you posted.

When Packaging Goes Bad: SiennaX Illuminating Pencil Trio

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:50:00 +0000

This Illuminating Pencil Trio looks innocent enough but oh my - the packaging is dreadful.

Because...

Someone decided to glue the pencils at the bottom into the box.. meaning that all you get when you try and pull out a pencil is the lid! Wrestling the pencils out of the box, they're all covered in glue at the bottom when you finally extract them.

Which is such a shame because the pencils are absolutely lovely to wear.. they're so glisteny without being glittery and great value at £12 for the set of three.

Kate Moss's Hourglass Pick-Up

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:43:00 +0000

So, this is the Hourglass lipstick a little bird spotted Kate Moss snapping up in Liberty. I don't often report on celeb purchases because I really couldn't care less, but I can just totally see her in this shade, Muse.

Find it HERE for £22.

Givenchy SS13 Hotel Prive

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Just before Givenchy launch the lipstick of our lives in February (the leather cased Le Rouge) their Hotel Prive SS13 collection above hits the shelves in January.

Above: Ecrin Prive Limited Edition Eyeshadows, £46, with taupe, grey and beige and a very pretty irridescent, milky rose shade highlighter.

Rouge Interdit Limited Edition No59: Private Beach, £21 and Gloss Interdit Limited Edition No35, in Private Rose and Private Fuchsia, £19.50.

Two Vernis Please Limited Editions No183 Private Grey and No184 Private Taupe, £13.

Find them from 21st January.

BBB & TheBeautyPages.com Christmas Gift Guide Part V

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Twinkle, Twinkle, You're The Star!

This is the last of our gift guides; hope you've enjoyed and thank you so much to wonderful photographer, Caroline Leeming.

From left to right

L’Occitane Relaxing Lavender Collection, £42. www.loccitane.co.uk

Bobbi Brown Caviar & Oyster Collection Mini Brush Set, £60, www.bobbibrown.co.uk

NYX Nude on Nude Palette, £25, www.nyxcosmetics.co.uk

Mac Mineralize Skin Finish, £21.50, www.maccostmetics.co.uk

Stila Snow Angel Palette, £29.50, www.stila.co.uk

Hugo Boss BOSS Nuit Pour Femme Eau de Parfum, £32.99, www.johnlewis.com

Ciate Sequin Manicure, £14, www.selfridges.com

Clarins Eye Quartet Palette Odyssey, £30, www.debenhams.co.uk

Estee Lauder Christmas Crackers, £45, www.selfridges.com

Guerlain Liu Eye and Lip Calligraphy Palette, £48.60, www.escentual.com

The White Company Noir Body Cream, £35, www.thewhitecompany.com

Jo Loves Gift Set, £170, www.joloves.com

Paco Rabanne Lady Million, £33.99,www.theperfumeshop.com

Penhaligons Gentleman’s Fragrance Box (sold out). Try The Sartorial Collection, £80, instead.

Waist Warmer from Imomoko

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 17:54:00 +0000

If you're looking for something a little bit more exciting that the Uniqlo waist warmer I showed last week, this one is available on Imomoko for $32. I knew I'd spotted this the last time I was on the site, but while I was searching for it, I came across this!

It's a bra dryer. I guess you just mould your bra around it while wet and then hang it up to keep it in shape and dry. Good idea? My bras have never gone out of shape, I must just say.

And if you ever wondered where we could go next with sheet masks, here it is.. cat eye shaped masks.

The HydraFacial

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 16:36:00 +0000

I'm still buzzing a little bit from my Hydrafacial at The Waterhouse Young Clinic on Devonshire Street. It is the kind of functional facial that is right up my street and oh my goodness, it is a glow-maker! Calling the treatment a HydraFacial is a little misleading, however, because it is not a pamper - it is a combination of hydration with Hyaluronic acid and anti-oxidants plus dermabrasion, so it whips off old skin and at the same time, steeps new skin with Hyaluronic. The difference between HydraFacial and a normal dermabrasion treatment is that it is much gentler, using serum to soften cells and then suction to remove.

The additional phase is a suction thing for decongesting blocked pores. So, it is exfoliating, hydrating and extracting. The little device that does all this facial whizziness is a small-headed wand that feels fairly comfortable, but if you are hoping to drift off into a relaxed reverie while it happens, forget it!

The HydraFacial takes less than an hour - I'd guess at about 40 minutes, if that, so it is perfect for those in a hurry, and the dermabrasion and extraction stage is finished with a red light treatment for a few minutes. But, really the proof of the efficacy is in the result and I have to say that I GLOW! It's very, very impressive. My skin looked even, toned, soft and hydrated with a little extra something on top of that.

The less happy news is that this is not a cheap treatment.. Waterhouse Young charge £230 a time. I think if your skin is really dull and lacklustre, with congestion and dehydration it could be the best £230 you ever spent; younger, great skin (unless congested badly) probably won't benefit as much. Full results come after a course of six or more, but I'd say that this treatment stands very well on its own as a strikingly good pick-me-up.

Although I had my HydraFacial at Waterhouse Young HERE
it is available nationwide so check Skinbrands for details near you if you aren't London based, HERE. If you decide to book at Waterhouse Young, please mention you read about it here.

Seche Nail Polish

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:30:00 +0000

I discovered some Seche polishes on Libertyoflondon.com - I don't think I knew that Seche made colour. I'm absolutely such a fan of Seche Vite as a quick dry over colour - I use that or Lumos every single time I paint my nails and although Lumos is fabulous I still think that Seche Vite come out the winner. Has anyone else used Seche colour polish? I'd love to know what you think.

You can find them HERE

Fortnum & Mason Christmas Decorations

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 09:00:00 +0000

They're nothing to do with beauty - I can't even make a valid beauty link here and it isn't even Accessory Wednesday, but I've had my head turned a bit by these beautiful glass decorations from Fortnums.

They're Cream Tea baubles. They're quite pricy at £40 but the perfect present for Anglophiles or afternoon tea takers! Find them HERE

Laduree Charms

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 16:51:00 +0000

Because Mr BBB works in Paris, over the years we've become aware of the custom of La Galette des Rois; or King Cake. It's a cake made of flaky pastry and a frangipani or almond cream centre. Traditionally, in France, it is eaten on the eve of Epiphany (6th January) and has a charm hidden in it. Whoever finds the lucky charm in their slice of cake becomes King or Queen for the day.

This is my box of Laduree charms and they are from several years ago, so I can't remember whether they were intended for La Galette des Rois because traditionally those are made from China, and these aren't. It's only now I'm looking at them that I wonder if they are just, well, general charms. I seem to remember that at the time we thought they were Galette des Rois charms.

I really wanted to start collecting these, but they are so hard to get that I stuck with the one, treasured box, although it did mean I missed out on the set designed by Christian Lacroix for 2010. Grrr. I've tried to find info on this year's Laduree set, but their website is beyond frustrating and I've given up! But I do love the idea of cake charms, a little like our own Christmas Pudding sixpence. It seems a lovely thing to do.

This Works And So To Bed...

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:28:00 +0000

I've no idea how I missed this! I love This Works; the Deep Sleep Bath Soak is one of the most effective sleep promoting bath products I've ever used, so if you know someone who finds it hard to get a decent night's kip, this is the very thing. It's a luxury set, priced at £65 but on the site you get a free Pillow Spray with orders over £40, plus if you bought all the things individually it would cost £10 more than the set put together. Anyway, what price a good night's sleep?

My sleep is always a bit hit and miss but I find that a couple of things really help - first, if you do steep in a warm bath (Deep Sleep Soak contains lavender, chamomile and vetivert), go straight to bed afterwards.. don't faff about downstairs to undo all the relaxing goodness! The other thing I do if I really can't drift off is count - the same as the old counting sheep thing, but in my mind I draw the numbers out really slowly and start again if I get distracted. It sounds silly, but actually focussing on mentally drawing numbers is harder than it sounds.. you end up having to start again because thoughts will crowd your head but if you re-focus and start the count again you will drop off. The thing is not to get frustrated with it and just to let it happen..

Find the set HERE

A Sneaky Peek at B. at Superdrug

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:02:00 +0000

New skincare and make-up brand, B. is launching into Superdrug from the middle to end of January, and so far I like.

Just so we are absolutely clear, I'm going to be working with B. in a professional capacity through next year. However, none of that stops an honest review; they know that.

The skincare range is split into three sections known as Skin Phases, determined by your skin age. They're all high in Hyaluronic Acid, Tetrapeptides and Niacinamide in varying quantities depending upon what your skin actually needs. The thing I'm most excited about is the Micellar Water - I tried it this morning and it's a very well formulated cleansing water. It left my skin without a trace of dryness but thoroughly clean of make-up. The moisturising formulations are also very slick - they feel premium when they aren't priced as such (the Micellar is £4.99).

There is also an entire colour range to introduce you to, but I will post on them - and more skincare - as and when I try them out properly.

Christmas Gift Guide Part IV 2012 From BBB and TheBeautyPages.com

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:00:00 +0000

Chestnuts Roasting By An Open Fire...

Gorgeously aromatic treats for Christmas Day...

Miller Harris Bois d' épicerie Votive Set, £52 for 3 (www.millerharris.com)
Molton Brown Myrrh Muske and Cypress Candle, £36 (www.moltonbrown.co.uk)
Fortnum & Mason Christmas Candle, £40 (www.fortnumandmason.com)
Jonathan Ward Orange Opium Reed Diffuser, £35 (www.jonathanwardlondon.com)
Urban Apothecary Luxury Candle, £25 (www.urbanapothecarylondon.com)

Photo Credit: Caroline Leeming HERE

Origins Offer

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Mon, 17 Dec 2012 09:00:00 +0000

This is a fab offer for BBB readers only - if you use the code BBB at check-out, you'll get a free 30ml Drink Up Face Mask with orders of £20 or more (and it's free delivery anyway until the 20th). This offer runs from today, Monday 17th December to midday Thursday 20th December, so if you're short on last-minute gift ideas or you think you're going to need some serious pampering yourself, do it! Click the Origins ad in the side bar to get to the site.

Fifty Shades..No, Sorry, Twenty - Clinique Compact Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 11:29:00 +0000

This is the new Even Better Compact Foundation from Clinique, launching in March. As a general rule, I don't like compact foundations, but was surprised at the finish on this and the fact that it isn't as drying as many.

The sponge is pre-treated with anti-bac to keep it hygienic and this goes on like a dream. However, it's not the same as a fluid foundation in that the formula is rather dryer - as I suppose you would expect it to be to stay compact. My tip for this is to use plenty of moisturiser underneath for a dewy finish.

Chocolate Treats

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 11:25:00 +0000

I was sent this amazing box of chocolates - nail lovers will instantly know by the bottle shape who it's from! I love the attention to detail (and of course, the fact that they're chocolate!) and wanted to share it because it's so unusual - I've never had anything like it before.

Obviously, I haven't tucked in yet!

But, it's only a matter of moments before I can resist no longer....

Sephora Fragrance Sampler Sets

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 11:21:00 +0000

I've had to wait til everyone is out of the house to post about these because they're gifts for my children. They both love fragrance so a lovely friend picked these up for me while she was in New York.

The women's set (in pink) comes with twelve sampler sizes of fragrance and a little pouch to keep them in. On the Sephora site it does show the box open so you know what you're getting, but I still think it's a little bit cheeky to show the bottles on the outside when there are just vials inside. If you didn't check properly you could quite easily think there were mini-bottles inside.

But, the vials at least are pretty and the little bag is always useful. This cost $50.

This is the male sampler set - again twelve vials and a post-shave gel from Jack Black but I have no idea what a 'scent certificate' is. This was also $50. I think they're really lovely sets and the little vials are great for chucking in a pocket or handbag.

But, what is my house going to smell like on Christmas Day?!

Daniel Sandler Newness 2012/13

noreply@blogger.com (britishbeautyblogger) — Sun, 16 Dec 2012 11:12:00 +0000

There are some proper make up treats in store from Daniel Sandler, all available now.

This, I think, is my top pick from the DS newness - it's the Instant Tan Face Powder and there is NO shimmer. Not even a teeny, weeny glimmer of it. As someone who does not like glitter-face, this is quite a find. And, it's completely water-resistant so it's gym-bunny perfect. If you like to wear a little bit of make-up during your step-sesh then this is ideal although I'm not sure how it would fare under Bikram circumstances - if you try it, let me know how it does! Of course, there is the obvious advantage, being shimmer free, of being totally boy-friendly - no give-away sparkles in this. It's £22.50 and you can find it HERE

Next up, two brand new matte lipsticks launching in January. Marilyn in a vivid orange and Gigi is the perfect Schiaparelli pink.

They are pigment saturated with a long-stay formula and a brilliant January pick-me-up at £13.50 each.

Here's the new Sculpt & Slim palette made for contouring. Personally, I'm never going to be the kind of make-up wearer that uses contouring, and I'm not sure that powder contours are as good as creme contour products, but if you want to up your game in the definition stakes, you'll love it. It's £24.50 HERE

The Radiant Sheen Illuminating Palette is beautiful (the colours are more accurate in the reflection) because it is so versatile. You can highlight your eyes for a shimmering wash of colour or sweep over the cheeks; pink for eyes is a hot colour this coming spring and summer but I'd wear any of these shades as an eye illuminator. It's £28 HERE