Claire's blog

Weleda Pomegranate range

2012-05-31T10:00:00.000+01:00

Samantha has done a review of the Weleda Pomegranate Firming Facial Care* range which Weleda states "reduces the signs of ageing for skin aged 40+".

I'm in my 40's so this range is perfect for me and I have already tested out the Weleda Serum which I was impressed with. My skin has dry patches and I get an oily t-zone.

I like the fresh 'fruity' look of the packaging which reflects the pomegranate ingredients and it looks nice on my dressing table. There is one instruction leaflet for all products - all are detailed on it so you don't have lots of bits of paper to refer to, which is more practical; it also means you can easily work out an effective routine with the range and understand easily how they work together.

The Firming Eye Cream 10ml £23.95 is brilliant. It does not sting, feels great and sinks in easily. There was a noticeable different within only a few days.

The Firming Day Cream 30ml £21.95 day cream absorbs quickly and makeup glides on easily afterwards.

The Firming Night Cream 30ml £22.95 is more heavy than the day cream, it feels wonderful on freshly cleansed skin. I woke up looking and feeling less 'crepey'. It's especially effective on the area under my chin which is showing signs of ageing.

The day and night cream have very similar packaging which can be confusing - a tiny sun for the day cream and a tiny moon for the night cream. I would just change this to make them more distinguishable from each other.

Overall I am very impressed with all these products and after using them for a while I stopped for three days to see how much difference it would make - the difference in my skin was noticeable. I definitely look and feel much fresher using these products and will continue with them. A little goes a long way, so although they cost more than some other brands I've used they are excellent value for money.

*PR sample

Sleek MakeUP Eau La La Liners

2012-05-17T10:00:00.000+01:00

Sleek MakeUP is one of my favourite high street brands, everything I've bought from them has been great quality at a low price and their new Eau La La Liners £4 have not let me down.

There are 20 colours in the range, they are smudge proof, highly pigmented and can be used on the eyes, lips, brows and body.

I bought Raisin (purple), Tonic (bright green) and Bullion (bright gold) and have used them on myself and clients in the waterline and as an eyeliner. They glide on extremely smoothly and set after about a minute.

The only downside I've found is that when you take the cap off the pencil lead pops out a bit and you have to push it back in, however, apart from that these pencils are great and I'll definitely be buying more!

Available online and from Superdrug.

Boots 17 Instant Glow Shimmer Brick

2012-05-14T10:00:00.000+01:00

If you want a bit of shimmer for the summer but don't want to spend a lot then this Boots 17 Instant Glow Shimmer Brick £4.99 is perfect. It has 4 colours - pearl, champagne, gold and bronze which you can use separately or swirl together. The lighter colours look lovely on top of the cheekbones and on the collarbones and the colours together make a great bronzer. I've also used it as an eyeshadow. The colour is buildable so you can start with a slight shimmer and build up from there for a more glamour bronze look. It's waterproof too so has a lot of staying power.

Gold Bronze

The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is £30.50 for 10.3g and this is £4.99 for 5.7g so it's a massive saving in comparison. It's available in 2 shades Gold Bronze and Pink Bronze.

Boots 17 BB Cream

2012-05-09T10:00:00.000+01:00

There has been lots of talk about BB creams ever since they were released in the UK last year and I must admit I was sceptical at first as I didn't understand how they were different from a tinted moisturiser. After trying both the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream and Boots 17 BB Cream I now see that they are different to either a tinted moisturiser or foundation and I have come to like them for use in the Spring months.

I prefer the Boots 17 BB Cream £6.99 so this is the one I am talking about today. It promises to:

Conceal imperfections with full coverage and help oil control
Even skin tone for a flawless finish
Have SPF 15 protection

There are only 2 colours and I chose medium which suits my NC30 skin (that's the colour I use in Mac for those who don't know). It has a creamy texture and I use it without moisturiser due to an oily t-zone, those with drier skins might want to try it with moisturiser beforehand. I use my fingers or a brush to apply on my face and down the neck (I never use sponges as they soak up too much product). The coverage is light to medium and is not buildable so any red marks/blemishes will need to be covered with concealer. It dries to a matt finish, which is why I prefer it to the Garnier BB Cream, it looks natural and gives the illusion of good skin.

It's not the most long-lasting of products so I always use powder on top and a couple of touch ups with powder throughout the day is needed to keep it in place for longer.

Pros:

Great for those who are wary of foundation but still want coverage
More coverage than a tinted moisturiser
Easy to apply
Not too pink, unlike the Garnier BB Cream

Cons:

Not full coverage
Only 2 colours (really?!) - no colours for olive or dark skin tones
More long-lasting on dry skins

Fun Post for Bank Holiday

2012-05-07T10:14:00.000+01:00

I've been working on an Appletiser promotion in the Westfield centre (Shepherd's Bush, London) for the last 3 days with 2 other Makeup Artists from my agency Makeup Junkies. We were doing free mini-makeovers on the public, taking about 5-10 mins per person, it was a lot of fun and I thought I would share some of the funny experiences we had:

Before applying the makeup we had to ask if people were allergic to anything, one woman said "Men".
One woman said nothing to me, sat in the chair and said "Makeup". That's all she said and when I'd finished she just got up and walked off. Bizarre.
The young girl who confessed that all her friends set their makeup with hairspray! Dangerous! I begged her to stop doing this and buy some makeup fixing spray.
The woman who wanted a makeover but wanted to look like she had no makeup on. I am not a magician!
The girl who wanted a smokey eye and when I had finished she looked in the mirror in dismay and said "It's very smokey"!! Erm, yes.
One lady was so happy with her makeover she hugged me for ages and had a tear in her eye - adorable.

Have a great Bank Holiday!

Blog Holiday

2012-04-23T15:53:00.000+01:00

Hello Readers, there has been a lack of blog posts recently as I've not had time and I'm also going on holiday to Cornwall on Thursday for a week (can't wait) so no blogging until I get back. I'll see you the second week of May.

Love and lipstick x.

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Hydrating Lighter Lotion

2012-04-18T10:00:00.000+01:00

A couple of months ago I attended an event where the lovely celebrity Facialist Emma Hardie was demonstrating some products from her range.

We were lucky to receive two products in a goody bag and one of those was the Amazing Face Hydrating Lighter Lotion £38. This is a light-textured moisturiser that sinks in very quickly but still hydrates the skin without any feeling of greasiness. It has a slight herbal smell but it's only a hint so not overpowering.

I've been using it for a couple of weeks now and I like the way my skin feels after use and the way my foundation goes on after. At £38 this is not a budget moisturiser but only a small amount (one and half pumps) is needed to cover face, neck and décolletage and I think the bottle will last me a while.

If you have very dry skin then this moisturiser would not be for you but for slightly dry/normal/combination skin it would definitely work.

Emma Hardie products are available from John Lewis, Space NK and online.

Help for hands

2012-04-16T10:00:00.000+01:00

My hands are starting to age after lots of driving in the Californian sun, what can I do to get them looking youthful again? Sophie

In the Anti-Ageing Beauty Bible it says that you should "treat your hands with the same care as your face" and it gives the following guidelines to get your hands back into shape:

1. When going outside always wear a hand cream with SPF. Here are some of my favourites:

Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Hand Cream spf15 $14.69

Clarins Age-Control Hand Lotion spf15 $30

I also really like Neutrogena Anti-Ageing Hand Cream spf25 but am not sure whether this is sold in the US as it doesn't appear on the US Neutrogena website.

2. Use an exfoliation scrub on the backs of your hands once a week.

3. If you use a moisturising face mask, slap some on the back of your hands at the same time.

4. Any creams or serums you use on your face at night also use on your hands or use a rich, hand cream (without spf) such as Burt's Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream $9 or Weleda Pomegranate Hand Cream $10.39.

5. And finally if you are doing gardening, housework etc always wear gloves.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser SPF20

2012-04-11T10:00:00.000+01:00

I live in the US and would like to buy a tinted moisturiser with spf, what can you recommend for about $40? Patricia

The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser £33 ($42 in the US) is the best tinted moisturiser I have used so far. It comes in 10 colours, gives a dewy finish with a light-medium coverage and is buildable. If you have very dry skin then a moisturiser applied beforehand on the drier areas will help. Remember to use this on your neck and décolletage as well as your face.

I have an oily t-zone with dry cheeks so when I've applied my tinted moisturiser I use some translucent powder on my t-zone to stop shininess.

There are 2 other versions in the range, the Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser SPF20 for acne-prone, sensitive and oily skin:

And the Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser SPF20:

All versions are available in both the US and the UK.

My weekend makeup bag

2012-04-07T10:41:00.000+01:00

I'm going away for the weekend and thought you might be interested in seeing what makeup I'm taking with me. It all fits perfectly into my Sephora purple makeup bag (top of the picture) purchased in the US about 4 years ago and is the best makeup bag I've come across so far.

Starting from bottom left:

Real Techniques brush - great brush for bronzer and blusher
Mac 266 brush - fine enough to use on eyebrows and as an eyeliner brush
Laura Mercier Oil Free Primer - my favourite primer
Max Factor Masterpiece Max - the best mascara
Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation - bought this recently and really like it
Too Faced Shadow Insurance - a great eyeshadow primer
By Terry Touche Veloutee - I use this under the eyes to give highlight (very similar to Touche Eclat and created by the same person Terry de Gunzburg)
Mac Teddy Eye Kohl - my favourite brown/bronze eyeliner
Avon Supershock Gel Eyeliner - my favourite black eyeliner
HD Brows Palette - great for brows and you can use the black as an eyeliner and the light colour under the eyebrows

Top left:

Laura Mercier (limited edition and no longer available) - a great little compact with 4 eyeshadows, 1 cream cheek blush, 3 lip glosses
Nars Laguna bronzer - my favourite powder bronzer at the moment
Carmex lip balm - a old favourite
Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit - left side my favourite for concealing dark areas and uneven skin tone, right side a very fine powder to put under the eyes after concealer
Bobbi Brown Corrector - this goes under my eyes before concealer to neutralise the very dark circles I have
Cowshed Lazy Cow Soothing Travel Candle - recently bought these and love them

I hope you are all having a great Easter.

Nars Bronzer in Laguna

2012-04-04T10:00:00.000+01:00

I've been using my Nars Bronzer in Laguna £25 for months now and it's really good. It gives a glow to the cheeks without being orange, the colour is a lovely bronze that reminds me of a colour Bridgette Bardot would have worn in St Tropez. It glides onto the skin beautifully, you can build it up and it stays all day.

My skin is a pale, yellow tone and Laguna would suit my colour up to an olive skin tone. There are two other colours in the range, 'Casino' which is a dark brown with gold shimmer and 'Irresistiblement' a golden terracotta. I haven't used either of these two but it looks like Casino would suit a darker skin tone and Irresistiblement a paler skin tone.

This is definitely my favourite powder bronzer at the moment and yes it is £25 but it lasts ages and is definitely worth the price.

Cowshed Lazy Cow Soothing Travel Candles

2012-04-02T10:00:00.000+01:00

Whenever I'm staying away I like the idea of taking a candle with me to create a nice atmosphere in the room, however the thought of putting a large, heavy candle in my luggage puts me off (I'd rather add extra lotions and potions), so when I saw these travel candles from Cowshed I knew I had to try them. I'm a big fan of their quality beauty products.

The candles are so small they could easily fit into even your handbag and they smell delicious - I smelt quite a few before choosing the Lazy Cow range with jasmine, chamomile and sandalwood oils. They are made with 100% natural wax, contain essential oils, GM free, with organic and certified vegan ingredients. The burn time is approximately 10 hours per candle. At £22 they are not cheap but with the quality of the ingredients I think definitely worth the price.

There are different Cow fragrances for whatever mood you fancy:

Horny Cow - romantic
Grumpy Cow - uplifting
Knackered Cow - comforting
Lazy Cow- calming
Moody Cow - harmonious
Wild Cow - invigorating

They also make single large candles for £30 with a burning time of 60 hours. Check out the Cowshed website there's lots of interesting products for everyone. I bought my candles in Boots.

Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara Extreme Black

2012-03-28T10:00:00.000+01:00

Rosie has reviewed Rimmel Scandaleyes:

I am lucky in that I have quite thick, long lashes so just need a mascara that defines my lashes. I tried the Rimmel Scandaleyes Mascara Extreme Black £6.99 as the bright orange packaging caught my eye.

The brush is massive and can be a bit difficult to use at first especially for the smaller lashes in the corners, however I am used to it now. The mascara gives lots of volume but can go clumpy which I don't mind but if you don't like clumpy lashes then this mascara is definitely not for you. I used Extreme Black which is a deep black colour, very dense and I like this. It takes a while to dry as it's quite wet but it does last the whole day without flaking off. I like this mascara but would not say it's my favourite.

Plus points: Lots of volume, lasts all day, good colour
Minus points: Brush is very big, can get clumpy

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation

2012-03-26T10:00:00.000+01:00

I want to buy a good foundation but am on a budget so don't want to spend more than £10. I have combination, pale skin - please help. Amy

The Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum Foundation is an excellent high street brand which retails at £10.99 but definitely worth the extra 99p!

It has a gel texture which means it's easy to blend and the light-medium coverage gives a slightly matt effect whilst giving the skin a radiance (Bourjois state that after 4 weeks of use you should see 69% more radiance to the skin). The colours have a slight yellow undertone which is always flattering and will neutralise any redness on the cheeks. There is a fruity smell but it's very pleasant and not overpowering. If you get an oily t-zone some powder on that area will make sure everything stays in place for the day.

For me the closest high-end brand to compare it with is the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and I know a lot of people say Healthy Mix is just as good.

The downside is this foundation does not come in tones for darker skins - come on Bourjois, we need more colours for this great foundation.

Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Nude Lilac

2012-03-21T10:00:00.000Z

Hope you can see the shimmer from my picture

I bought this Laura Mercier Lip Glace in Nude Lilac £18.50 as the colour looked so pretty - lilac with a subtle gold shimmer.

The clear, square tube means you can see the product clearly and the doe foot applicator is just the right size for application. This gloss is not overly sticky and feels moisturising on the lips, it gives a wonderful shine and a slight plumping effect, however the lack of stickiness does mean that it doesn't last as long as some glosses. There is a vanilla scent which I don't mind but this may be off-putting for some and I think it would probably be better off without it.

This is a lovely lip gloss that suits most skin tones and goes really well over lipstick the only thing that might put me off a repurchase is the price.

Weleda Pomegranate Firming Face Serum

2012-03-19T10:00:00.000Z

Samantha has done a review on the Weleda Pomegranate Face Firming Serum*:

"I'm in my 40's and my skin does need attention so the Weleda Pomegranate Range £34.95 is perfect for me. The packaging is very appealing - I love the red 'juicy' look.

You have to be careful on application as the product has a tendency to shoot out when you press down so what I do is carefully apply one pump (that's all you need) to the back of my hand, then apply to my face in specific areas. Funnily enough, the skin on the back of my left hand where I put the serum now looks younger than my right hand.

I use this serum in the morning and at night after cleansing with my Weleda cleanser; it feels light and absorbs quickly and I apply my moisturiser over it with no problem and when that has sunk in I apply my foundation, which goes on smoothly. I have dry patches on my face and an oily t-zone which are corrected by this serum. I concentrate on the area near my eyes on my fine lines, around my mouth and under my jaw where the skin is a bit crepey. I have noticed an enormous improvement very quickly - I look less puffy and tired.

I am very pleased with this product and when it runs out I will definitely be repurchasing. On the website is states 'Dermatological tests show that after 28 days of use depth of wrinkles reduced by 29% and skin moisture levels increased by 39%' and I can see that happening to me. A 10/10 for me!"

*PR sample sent for review

Age prevention

2012-03-14T10:00:00.000Z

I'm 24 and have good skin, however recently I've noticed some fine lines appearing. What can I do about this? Should I be using anti-ageing products? Aislinn

In one of my favourite books 'Allure Confessions of a Beauty Editor' it says that "in your 20's prevention is the key for skin care." Sun exposure ages your skin more than anything else so this means that your best friend for anti-ageing is spf. Make sure you buy a daytime moisturiser and eye cream that contain a minimum of spf15. If you can't resist sunbathing in the summer make sure you keep your face out of the sun and use a high protection sun cream with both UVA and UVB protection.

At 24 you are too young to start using products for anti-ageing but you will still need a good skin care regime. This means cleansing twice a day (once in the morning shower, once in the evening), moisturising twice a day (morning and night, your night cream should not contain an spf) and using a gentle exfoliant once a week.

It's really as simple as that.

Neil George Volumising Spray

2012-03-12T10:00:00.000Z

Do you have limp hair and find some volumisers rather sticky or heavy? If so, Neil George Volumising Spray £18 might be the answer. I came across this brand recently and was firstly drawn to the attractive packaging and then found that the brand was created by two British hairdressers who simultaneously moved to LA having never met. Years later they met and set up the Neil George Brand.

The spray is used on wet hair before blow drying, there is no sticky residue and you get a lot of volume. It's infused with botanicals of Lime Flower and Orange Blossom and this gives it a pleasant smell. I like this a lot and use it nearly every time I wash my hair.

Biscuit Friday

2012-03-09T10:00:00.000Z

I just had to blog about these new biscuits that I've discovered by Roots & Wings, an organic company who use the finest organic ingredients made with the very best British craftsmanship. They were standing proudly on the shelves of my local cafe and the tempting packaging caught my eye.

The first pack I bought were the Crisp Orange Biscuits, a zesty orange biscuit covered in organic milk chocolate. They definitely do not scrimp on the chocolate, it's a thick layer, creamy and delicious and goes perfectly with the zesty orange taste - totally scrummy and didn't last long. The second were the Totally Tempting Toffee Caramel Biscuits. These are an organic wheat biscuit, light and crisp, studded with toffee caramel - creamy and extremely yummy. They both remind me of biscuit versions of Ben & Jerry's.

After looking on their website I see that, as well as producing a small organic range of produce, they also make a range of natural body care products.

You can buy Roots & Wings in major grocery outlets and good independent stores. They donate 10% of their profits to children's charities.

L'Occitane Lavender Cleansing Hand Wash

2012-03-06T10:00:00.000Z

The L'Occitane brand is something that I got into about a year ago and I've now tried quite a few of their products, which I have been very happy with. I bought their Lavender Cleansing Hand Wash £13.50 recently and it's another quality product from L'Occitane. It cleans my hands thoroughly, does not dry them out and smells gorgeous. The smell is not like the traditional perfumery lavender smell, it is quite woody and rather lovely.

This is priced at the slightly more expensive end of hand washes but you get 300ml for that price and I think it's thoroughly worth it.

Sunday Commandments

2012-03-04T10:00:00.000Z

When applying false eyelashes, trim them beforehand to fit and make sure you don't go all the way to the outer edge as this can drag the eye down, as well as not too far into the inner corner as this will look quite false.

New releases

2012-02-29T10:00:00.000Z

Here are some new spring products out that I thought looked rather nice - has anyone tried these?

Bobbi Brown has a new Brightening Nudes Collection with some pretty pink and lilac lip glosses and sparkly eyeshadows but the one thing that caught my eye is the Brightening Finishing Powder £40. It's an all over powder that instantly illuminates and gives a healthy glow. Definitely one to look out for.

Bobbi Brown Brightening Finishing Powder

Zoya, the natural nail polish company, have launched lots of new nail polishes:

The Feel Collection

The True Collection

The Fleck Effects Collection

Skin care guru Sarah Chapman has a new face mask the Skinesis Instant Miracle Mask £38 which promises to reveal a smoother more radiant complexion, pores appear smaller, skin looks brighter and more lifted:

Saturday Suggestions

2012-02-25T10:00:00.000Z

If you are attending an all-day event and want your mascara to stay in place, try a mascara primer beforehand, such as Estee Lauder Lash Primer Plus. This will maximise your lashes and extend the wear of your mascara.

Tom Ford Eyeshadows

2012-02-23T10:00:00.000Z

I'm sure a lot of makeup lovers will have already read about the Tom Ford eyeshadows released last year but I thought I would blog about mine anyway in case you haven't.

In this eyeshadow range are 10 different sets, which come in a quad of complementing shades with finishes of sheer sparkle, satin, shimmer and matte. The set that I have is Burnished Amber (above) which is the perfect set for hazel and green eyes but would still look fab on those with blue or brown eyes.

The set is not cheap at £62 but it's comparable with other high-end brands such as Chanel and Bobbi Brown. The eyeshadows come in a quite masculine style pallet with a 70's feel that looks very cool and unlike anything else on the market. There are 2 applicators included - usually I never use applicators sold with eyeshadows but the little brush on one of these is actually useable.

So what are the eyeshadows like? Really beautiful! They are creamy, blendable, have great pigment and very little fall out on application. They also stay put for the whole day, which is what you would expect from a quality brand.

I've had so many compliments when I've worn these shades, they make a statement but not in a garish way. These are grown-up, sophisticated colours and this palette is my absolute favourite now.

If you want a beautiful eyeshadow set and don't mind paying high-end prices for high-end quality then Tom Ford is your man.

Dr Organic Tea Tree Nail Solution

2012-02-21T10:00:00.000Z

Last year I had a bit of a nail problem - two of my nails had come a little away from the nail bed and not only was it unsightly but unhealthy. I'm not actually sure how it happened but I knew I didn't want to go down the anti-fungal tablets route and would rather try the natural approach.

Whilst shopping in Holland & Barrett I saw the Dr Organic range made a Tea Tree Antifungal Nail Solution £5.19, which is exactly what I was looking for. It's sweet almond oil containing tea tree and undecylenic acid which are both antifungal and antibacterial. The bottle has a brush inside and you apply a thin layer to the nails twice a day.

The directions say that after three weeks the nails would be improved but this didn't happen for me and I lost heart after about four weeks when not a lot seemed to be happening. However, after a week I thought I should give it another go and so carried on for another three weeks when suddenly I noticed that yes my nails were definitely improving.

My nails have now returned to health thanks to this Antifungal Nail Solution. It took a lot longer than stated but in my experience with natural products they react differently to each person. I didn't have to go down the tablets route so it was all worth it in the end.