I Heart Cosmetics

Lycon Waxing - 1 Year Later

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 23 May 2012 00:51:00 +0000

I went on a training course today. It was held by Strip Distribution, the people that operate Strip waxing bars in London which I reviewed about a year ago here http://www.iheartcosmetics.co.uk/2011/04/strip-waxing-and-lingerie-boutique.html at the time I went there to review a treatment for this blog and today I went there to be trained in using their waxing products myself which are by the brand Lycon! I was so excited when I realised that in the space of 1 year I have gone from getting waxed there to training to wax there that's so cool! (I paid for this all myself fyi).

We spent most of the time during the course talking about and using hot wax. Hot wax is the main wax used in Australia where Lycon is made however over here it is often mistaken for regular strip wax. The difference with hot wax and strip wax are that strip wax uses a paper or fabric strip to remove it and it is applied very thinly to large areas of hair such as the legs, hot wax (although confusingly it is really cooler than strip wax) is used on smaller areas such as bikini line and eyebrow, it can get out more stubborn or shorter hairs and is more gentle.

I thought the course was fabulous and the bubbly nature of the trainer Hannah made you feel good, like nothing was a problem that she couldn't elp you out with and she explained everything in so much detail, it was definitely one of the better courses I have been on and I have turned into a bit of a course whore as I love learning new things.

To apply the wax you must put it in the correct shape to ensure that there is a lip or belt around the outside which is thick enough to ensure that when you remove the patch it comes off cleanly. I think I am going to practice hard to get my technique up and book onto the intimate/brazilian waxing course as soon as I think I am ready. I think with things like this it is important to use a couch to 5k mentality - you don't just run 1 metre one day then 5k the next so I should work up to waxing someone's noonie on a course by practising my basic bikini waxes and g string waxes for a month or so then reassess whether I think I am good to go. I wouldn't want anyone who was a bit nervous doing my intimate waxing if you get what I mean so I don't think I should be doing it until I can do the gstring wax on auto pilot.

Do you like going on courses for work or for hobbies? I really like learning and I don't even mind doing homework! What a nerd.

Liplicious - Lip Jewels in Sparkling Soda

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 20 May 2012 10:00:00 +0000

One of my little Vegas purchases was this tube of Lip Jewels from Bath and Body Works. I wasn't expecting much from it but it was cute and I loved the sparkly champagne colour and the pink packaging.

It's turned into a real jem of a product! It's not too sheer in that it looks like clear lipgloss as you can see a very slight tint and the shimmer, the shimmer manages to look nice and not tacky and it's a great product to have in the handbag to put on when your lips feel dry as you don't need a mirror to reapply. It looks gorgeous on it's own but can also be layered over lipsticks if you fancy making them shimmery and it's quite long lasting - well that is if I don't try and lick it off my lips as the sparkling soda flavour tastes of vanilla butter cream.

It cost me $8 in the USA from here Bath and Body Works but I had a look on ebay and it seems you can get them for around £8 including postage.

Have you ever been to Bath and Body Works?

Stila In The Light Palette

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 15 May 2012 21:02:00 +0000

Stila In The Light Palette was my holiday saviour, it turned up in the post 2 days before I left - I wasn't expecting it and I LOVE it. Stila is one of my favourite brands and I adore many of their products and have them from before and after they came back to the UK and after. This palette is lightweight and perfect for travelling due to the cardboard packaging and the stunning colours of the shadows mean that you have enough to keep you going even on a 2 week holiday.

There are 10 of their buttery soft and super pigmented shadows including Kitten which is a massive Stila seller. are is a stunning eye shadow palette which features 10 highly pigmented and silky smooth neutral shades, including the best-selling Kitten. My favourite is the top left hand corner neutral which has a slight yellow tone to it as it cancels out the purple in the eyelid leaving you with the perfect base colour for blending an adding other colours. The palette also contains a Smudge Stick Waterproof Eye Liner in Damsel (a matte, chocolate brown),

Shades are:

Bare – Matte ivory shadow.
Kitten – Shimmering nude pink shadow.
Bliss – Matte nude shadow.
Sunset – Copper shimmer shadow.
Sandstone – Matte neutral brown shadow.
Champagne – Pale gold shimmer shadow.
Gilded Gold – Bronze with gold shimmer shadow.
Luster – Dark shimmering brown shadow.
Night Sky – Deep shimmering blue-grey shadow.
Ebony – Matte black shadow.
Smudge Stick Waterproof Eyeliner in Damsel – Matte chocolate brown.

Overall for £25 this is a complete bargain and I am pretty sure I will get the same amount of use out of this as the UD Naked Palette.

Some New Shellac Swatches

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 13 May 2012 12:34:00 +0000

As I know you girls find it useful to see the different Shellac shades here are some more swatches from my work over the weekend.

Shellac 'Rockstar Nails' - Clear shellac with two coats of scrubbed in gold glitter.

Shellac Studio White and Clearly pink for a natural french look.

GHD Air Hairdryer - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 11 May 2012 22:04:00 +0000

The question you probably want to know the answer to is - would you spend £99 on a hairdryer? The answer is - if I guarantee it would last more than a year (the time my normal ones seem to blow up) then yes.

I've had hairdryers melt, explode, peter out, make a screeching noise then go pop and all of these cost £30-£40 each. So I have had a lot of absolutely rubbish dryers and I think this must somehow qualify me to be able to tell the good from the bad (not to NVQ level but ....still).

I should mention that the hair dryer comes with two nozzles which are different sizes, I think you're supposed to use these to keep your hair straight but having the puniest, un-voluminous-est hair in the world I need to dry my hair upside down to create any sort of volume and drying it straight would make it look flat as a pancake so I have no need for these and can't really comment if they work or not.

Why is this a good hairdryer?

The GHD Air hair dryer is very light which is a great start point as waving a heavy dryer about in one hand at your hair for 15 minutes or so does tend to kill the biceps and also it's much less painful when you inevitably bash yourself in the head (or is it just me who does that)? It has variable heat and speed functions including a cool shot so you can set your curlers in.

Once you've used it, somewhat like GHD straighteners, you can't imagine going back to your Argos purchased £30 dryer at all. Looking at it in comparison the Air is so much more compact, better looking, lighter, the lead/cord more solid and it is easier to hold in your hand. It really makes drying your hair quicker due to the 2100 watts and easier as it is so powerful. It isn't as loud as my regular hairdryer and I would say shaves a good 5 minutes off of my hair drying time (or 1/3). My hair is also a lot less frizzy when I dry with this than usual.

Yes this is a very expensive dryer and yes I was personally sent this to review, but I honestly believe it is worth the money and as with the expensive straighteners I was sent nearly two years ago to review, I use it every day.

£99 from http://www.ghdhair.com/hair-dryers/ghd-air

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:02:00 +0000

I picked the Maybelline Dream Fresh in Sainsbury's when I got back from holiday, I seem to be a sucker for a BB cream and I didn't see any while I was away. This may have been as the sales assistants in Sephora [descends into a rant] where I had planned to look for BB creams, are absolutely irritating as hell to the point where I would really like to punch them all, just LEAVE ME ALONE TO BROWSE YOU FREAKS! I hate being followed around by shop assistants, just let me ask if I need help you're not a stalker! Every time I tried to look I got asked over and over and over again what I was looking for, and then they try and tell you... well actually I have no idea since I wasn't listening and couldn't give a stuff what they were saying, they seemed affronted why I wasn't listening but they still didn't take the damn hint. So getting back to the point, I gave up and bought my new BB cream in Sainsburys.

Purchasing in the supermarket meant that this only cost £7.99 and I think that's a fair price, it isn't a particularly big tube so any more would seem a bit overpriced.

I like the consistency, it's less coverage than Clinique's BB cream but enough to hide the dull grey tinge my skin seems to have and it brightens it up and makes my skin look nice and natural. The product only comes in 4 shades which isn't particularly large, the darkest shade doesn't seem very dark at all.

Dream Fresh has an SPF of 30 which is brilliant and my preferred SPF number for daily facial wear. It's oil free and non greasy but does give moisture to the skin, you won't look dry and crispy. I love that the BB cream is light and gives a natural finish, feels nice on the skin and I like the colour (I am the lightest one..obviously)!

I noticed that some of the reviews of this product say that it was overly greasy, some said it was cakey and some said it was orange. I do think this is better if you have dry skin as it is quite moisturising, regarding it being orange, try and test out a shade and look at it in natural light before buying with ANY foundation or BB cream otherwise it is quite likely you will buy the incorrect shade.

Overall I give this 7.8/10

Have you tried any other 'drugstore' BB creams? Any good ones?

Skin Saviour - Origins Drink Up Intensive

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 08 May 2012 22:34:00 +0000

If you have dry and dehydrated skin, have had a bit of an alcohol fuelled weekend or have recently been on a plane - this product is a godsend.

I picked this up on a whim, for no particular reason when I was wandering through Debenhams a few months ago. After using it once I was completely hooked and it's benefits have shown themselves even more the last week or so since coming back from Vegas. The hotels in Vegas have strong air conditioning, then you venture outside into the burning desert heat - add that to the recycled air of a 10 hour journey on a plane and you have some seriously crispy skin in need of assistance.

The tube is handy and easily deposits the product and the cream is an off white colour with the consistency of a thick smooth moisturiser.

The intensive moisturisation that this mask gives you helps replace the lost moisture in your skin and helps your skin feel smoother, softer and more hydrated. This mask contains plant glycerine, hyaluronic acid, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, mango butter and Japanese seaweed which help rehydrate and prevent future dehydration.

All you need to do is, after cleansing, apply a layer to your face and then head off to bed. When you wake up just wash your face as normal to get rid of any residue and there you go - baby soft skin which smells like apricots and is plump and gorgeous.

You can use the mask up to two times a week. I tend to use it once a fortnight so I don't overdo it and get milia as it is very rich. It performs even better if you exfoliate first.

I have absolutely zero issues or niggles with this product and I think it's fab. The price is £20 which I think is very reasonable. Overall 10/10 and a must have staple I will repurchse.

Sally Hansen Salon Effects Real Nail Polish Strips

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 06 May 2012 07:00:00 +0000

One of my beauty store buys in Vegas was this cool invention, it looks like a nail foil but it's actually a nail transfer made of real nail varnish! I am really impressed with these as not only are they easy to apply and relatively low cost (well if you're in the USA, since I haven't seen them here).

You simply pick which transfer to use, remove it from the foil sealed packet, remove the card backing and apply to the nail, smooth over then either trim or file the end to fit. Job done! You could apply a clear topcoat over to make it last longer.

I chose an Ed Hardy tattoo style print as I knew I would never be able to achieve it with freehand nail art. As the print was so busy I just applied to my thumbs and ring fingers. The red is gel polish in Hotzy by Artistic Colour Gloss. You can remove the real nail polish strips with normal varnish remover.

I think it looks pretty funky! There are lots of different colours and designs which you can see here Sally Hansen Website but I am sure you could get some via Makeupalley or a swap or Ebay if you're in the UK.

What do you think?

Book Review - Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:41:00 +0000

Were you a sherbet lemon or chocolate lime fan? Penny chews or hard boiled sweeties (you do get more for your money that way)? The jangle of your pocket money . . . the rustle of the pink and green striped paper bag . . .

Rosie Hopkins thinks leaving her busy London life, and her boyfriend Gerard, to sort out her elderly Aunt Lilian’s sweetshop in a small country village is going to be dull. Boy, is she wrong.

Lilian Hopkins has spent her life running Lipton’s sweetshop, through wartime and family feuds. As she struggles with the idea that it might finally be time to settle up, she also wrestles with the secret history hidden behind the jars of beautifully coloured sweets.

Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of Dreams – a novel – with recipes.

I have read so many chick lit books over the years, for some reason I am a very quick reader - I think it has something to do with not wanting to put the book down until I find out what's happened but some of this style of books are so hard to get into with irritating characters that you can't relate to. I really felt like if Rosie were a real person she would be a friend, her man problems are things that a lot of women can relate to even if they haven't been in the same situation themselves and she is funny and very likeable.

The first Jenny Colgan book I read, meet me in the cupcake cafe, was so funny and sweet that Jenny's new book was the first I looked for when I hit up Gatwick airport's WHSmith before my flight. I NEED books on a flight, I watched The Vow but literally all of the rest of the films on Virgin's list were a load of boring rubbish so I definitely needed a backup of books and music - I did also purchase Simon Cowell's book but Matt nabbed that and I haven't got it back yet!

The book also has recipes at the beginning of most chapters, so if the talk of sweets leaves you craving some, why not put the book down and make a few marshmallows?!

Have you read Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams? What did you think?

Las Vegas Holiday

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:53:00 +0000

I just got back from Las Vegas...booo! I am sad to be back, it is so lovely and warm there the heat is so different to when it's hot in Europe, the heat felt like when you open the oven and it just hits you hard and is all around you and coming in wave after wave of searing heat. I have to say I LOVED it, it was a bit unnerving going into the hotels from the blazing sun and the aircon being totally freezing though!

I found the flights totally did a number on me, does anyone else get really swollen after a flight? My feet have expanded to cornish pasty size they feel awful. If you have any tips to get rid of this swelling then please let me know, I have been drinking plenty of water already.

I enjoyed wandering around the different casinos and shopping centres, above is Caeser's Palace shops where they had Victoria Secret and the Bath and Body Works shop so I could get the hand sanitisers that I really wanted. The rest of the shops were nice but very pricey (Louis, Louboutin etc.)

I managed to get a good picture from the top of the Eiffel Tower attraction at Paris hotel, it was great to be able to see all of the hotels and the people working on the resort were really nice and friendly.

I went on the New York New York casinos' Manhattan roller-coaster and oh my god it was absolutely terrifying! I was screaming the entire way around, my glasses nearly flew off an in my efforts to hold them in my hand and not lose them (and spend the rest of the holiday blind) I managed to bend them! I haven't ever been to any proper rides before an I really found that this shook me up and I had legs like jelly afterwards. If you were planning on doing this - eat afterwards not before!

Places I recommend:

CSI Experience at the MGM Grand - obviously only if you like CSI
Siegfried and Roy Dolphin Garden at the Mirage - the big cats were a bit boring but the dolphins were a-ma-zing! I'd stay away from the stroppy ginger woman at the big cats enclosure, I've never seen anyone get so mardy about being asked NOT to take a photo of someone. Newsflash love, I HATE strangers taking my picture! Get over it!
Pink's Hotdogs at Planet Hollywood - cheap and cheerful and tasty
BLT Burger at the Mirage - chocolate shake is LUSH and $6
Paris casino - Eiffel tower for amazing views
Hooters! I loved it here! Probably makes me a weird woman but I thought it was fun and the food was great
Senor frogs at TI
Rhumbar at Mirage - they have Shisha if that's your thing
Caesars - I loved it!

Places I wouldn't bother with:

Cheesecake factory - overpriced and over hyped - didn't taste anything special to us
Rollercoaster if you're scared of them - I was too scared to enjoy the views
King cola at Rhumbar - far too strong urgh!
North outlets - Michael Kors was same price there as in the strip shops as were my Sketchers trainers. Bit pointless going all that way.

Viva Las Vegas

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:08:00 +0000

No posts for a few days as I am off to Las Vegas...

Yeah baby!!

New 2012 Clinique Chubby Sticks

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 20:57:00 +0000

In June, Clinique Chubby Sticks will have an increase by 8 new shades. I already have a pale pink chubby stick that is a handbag staple and now another beige toned one that is heading the same way.

The new shades are: Heaping hazelnut, Bountiful blush, Oversized orange, Curvy candy, Pudgy peony and Mighty mimosa. The one pictured is Heaping hazelnut.

Chubby sticks are £16 and when the new shades are launched they will be available here clinique online

My 3 day juice detox diet review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:01:00 +0000

On Friday my juice detox diet/cleanse was delivered from Mydetoxdiet. I would like to add that I decided to do this, bought and arranged this myself. Perhaps if a PR had arranged this they would have suggested a different amount of days or that I didn't need to do it or to do the one with more food etc. etc. this is just my personal opinion and happenings.

Here is what the package looked like, it came by courier, was nicely packed and was chilled.

You have a little typed up menu which tells you which supplements, drinks and broths to drink at what time. This was my first surprise, I had no idea that the JUICE detox included a broth which needed heating, this was totally innapropriate for me at work as I have no microwave and you are supposed to have this for lunch which was impossible. This meant I had to leave it until the end of the day, by which time I was starving and faint, to have the tiniest morsels of food rather than just juice.

The second thing I was surprised with was the supplements, they tasted vile and made me burp which is horrid, I kept getting the disgusting aftertaste when I burped so I spent most of the day wanting to vomit.

Some of the juices tasted nice, and some of them just ok as in I had to just down them like a man downs a pint usually holding my nose. The Soo Raspberry, Banana coconut dream and home made lemonade were nice, the rest of the others were just blah. Then there came the most horrendously vomit inducing juice i've ever tasted in my life.

Now I eat regularly every green vegetable that is juiced in this bottle (brocc, kale, spinach, cucumber etc) but juiced and having to drink it cold left me heaving and trying very hard not to be sick. I had to drink 1 of these on day 1 and 1 on day two. I had about 100ml of the first one on day one, threw it in the bin and spent an hour trying not to be sick. I promptly threw the second one away as well. It tasted more like eye of newt and toe of frog than vegetables.

I lasted on this 3 day juicing diet until about 8pm on the second day. I had the breakfast smoothie from the third day as I felt just so faint and cold and shivery like I had no energy whatsoever. I drank that in about a minute flat and was instantly starving hungry again, so I had another one from day 3's stash thinking well I might be cheating but at least it's still juice.

At that point I decided to look at myself and see if it was worth breaking the diet. I weighed and measured myself - it was exactly the same as before the diet, I looked at my cellulite - it was exactly the same as before the diet. So I thought.

FCUCK IT!

At 10pm I ordered a pizza hut. I don't crave pizza or eat it a lot but I was just so so so hungry and weak feeling and I wasn't up to making myself anything by any means. God damn it tasted amazing.

Verdict on juicing diet

Load of crap. I have done MANY diets over the years and have never ever fallen off the wagon and not even completed the timeframe of the diet like this one. I have NEVER felt hungrier than on this diet, it was awful like a gnawing pain inside and I felt freezing cold, shivery and like I was going to vomit and faint. The vast majority of the juices were disgusting. This is NOT the diet that a very very busy fairly thin person who needs a lot of energy to work and work out should be doing, I realise that now. I did feel pleased that I didn't have any headaches or aches and pains from caffeine or sugar withdrawal, I don't have too much of either so at least that pleased me.

Overall I have learnt from this experience that I have to find a diet where you have plenty to eat, be it slimming world free food, Dukan's protein food fest or something like that, having to ration what you eat to such a minimum amount is severly depressing.

I would 100% recommend Dukan, Slimming World or Rosemary Conley's diet over juice diets. I personally stick to the Tone It Up diet plan but you do have to buy the plan and do the workouts too so if you can't afford that stick to the ones I mention above.

I hope this is helpful. I am going to stick to juices and smoothies in moderation from Crusssh where I normally get them as they taste amazing.

SK:N Clinics Laser Hair Removal Treatment 1

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:01:00 +0000

I was back at the London Wall SK:N clinic yesterday for session 1 of my underarm laser hair removal.

What happens - they check if any medication/pregnancy or other changes have occurred since your patch test. You hop up on the bed and the area being lasered is cleansed and then a gel is applied (I think it's aloe vera gel). You put some funky massive glasses on to protect your eyes, as does the nurse (I think they are nurses?), the machine is switched on and away you go.

The machine is very loud and it also blows cold air out so when you are being lasered and it gets a bit hot, the area is cooled down. All very sensible. The treatment is so quick that while it is a bit ouchy I was laying on the bed for a maximum of 5 minutes having it done. I was in and out of SK:N in 15 minutes and that included me confirming my future appointments with the receptionist.

I was completely surprised with both how fast and how much less it hurt than I thougth that it would.

How long does it take? - Literally 5 minutes for my underarms.

What if I am a bit of a baby and it hurts? - Just suck it up! They try and work quickly so it is best to keep still, the pain is a bit like someone jabbing you with a pin very gently then ever so often jabbing you a bit harder, it doesn't hurt per se just a bit like oooh! Makes you jump. I have no idea why people say it feels like a rubber band pinging you, it's nothing like that at all! I am assuming that it hurts more where the hair is stronger and that the pain must be the root of the hair but that is just an assumption. On one underarm I said ow three times on the other I tried to keep quiet but it hurt about twice.

Things to remember when having laser hair removal are:

no sunbeds or fake tan on the area being treated
wear a high factor like SPF 50 if you are in the sun
shave the area to be treated before the treatment
do not wax or epilate the area being treated

How does it work?

To eliminate hair, the laser emits gentle pulses of energy that pass through the skin to the hair follicle. This energy is then absorbed into the hair follicle to destroy it so that is unlikely to grow there again.

Am I a viable candidate for laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal can be applied to all areas of the body and on all types of skin (Cynosure works on even tanned or dark skin).

How many laser hair treatments are required?

Typically patients will see results in 4 - 6 treatments, though this number will vary based upon skin tone, hair color and several other factors. Your doctor or practitioner will talk to you about variables that may affect your individual results.

Sk:n clinics are all over the country and you can view their prices here https://www.sknclinics.co.uk/treatments-and-pricing/laser-hair-removal

I will keep you updated how I get on with treatment 2 x

SK:N Clinic Laser Hair Removal Consultation

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:11:00 +0000

May I introduce you to the Cynosure laser - hello and zap zap! I will be becoming friends with this machine over the next couple of months as SK:N clinic have given me a trial of their laser hair removal treatment.

I chose underarms as I am not a very hairy person but if I was shaving my underarms they would need to be done every 2 days, which frankly is a pain and such a faff every other morning when I could be having another 2 minutes kip.

I am attending the London Wall branch of the clinic and I had my consultation with Siobhan last week. A consultation is important to determine whether you have an optimum skin type for the treatment and so you can discuss any questions or queries and just generally get an idea of how the treatment works. They also do a patch test using the machine I am presuming to see that you don't have an adverse reaction, all of mine went fine though and I am booked in for my first proper session Thursday.

Things to remember when having laser hair removal are:

no sunbeds or fake tan on the area being treated
wear a high factor like SPF 50 if you are in the sun
shave the area to be treated before the treatment
do not wax or epilate the area being treated

How does it work?

Am I a viable candidate for laser hair removal?

Laser hair removal can be applied to all areas of the body and on all types of skin (Cynosure works on even tanned or dark skin).

Does it hurt?

The laser treatment causes only minimal discomfort. Patients often say it feels similar to the snap of a rubber band. Slight redness or localized swelling can occasionally occur, but this usually subsides within the first 24 hours after treatment.

How many laser hair treatments are required?

Sk:n clinics are all over the country and you can view their prices here https://www.sknclinics.co.uk/treatments-and-pricing/laser-hair-removal I would definitely say that I felt safe having a treatment done in this clinic as there were lots of forms, the surroundings were like a posh doctors office and everything was spotlessly clean. The staff knew what they were talking about and put you at ease immediately.

I will keep you updated how I get on with my treatments!

Vita Liberata Phenomenal 2-3 Week Tan Mousse Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 06:30:00 +0000

I couldn't have been more excited when I heard about the Phenomenal tones 2-3 week fake tan by Vita Liberata, in fact I went on and on and on about it so much in real life and on Twitter, and the blog that they sent me one to review! I wonder if this tactic would work for a BMW X5?

I was excited about this as j'adore fake tan. It is the best invention beauty wise for me as I am pale skinned, tan very poorly and love looking brown and healthy. I do get fed up with how generally fake tan fades, gets patchy and has to be reapplied once a week. But this product means that I only have to apply it once a fortnight which is just a revelation!

The tan in action, this is WITH flash, see what it did to the girl in front

Not that I feel smug how brown I am in comparison or anything ;P

Vita Liberata Phenomenal 2-3 week tan is perfect for very sensitive skins. Simply choose the tone you prefer, apply to skin and avoid showering for approximately 2-24 hours. If you want the colour to be more intense and to last longer, simply reapply! You can buy the tan in light, medium and dark just like the shades of their spray tan already come in (I use this for my gorgeous beauty retreat clients) so I was familiar with the depth of shade, I wouldn't personally use dark as this is for a more olive toned skin person, or someone who has the urge to look like an oompa loompa if they are very pale (you laugh but I have been asked on many an occasion to tan someone to a shade I personally find radioactive).

The mousse is easier to apply than their rich silken mousse and is the easiest mousse I have ever applied, bearing in mind I find mousse the easiest type of self tan home product to use and this is about as easy as it comes. I used the Vita Liberata mitt, I can't remember if they sent me one or not but I have about 15 as I stocked up when I bought my spray tan solution as they are the best mitt's ever and give the best finish, they are different to the usual Soltan or Superdrug ones I used to use as it is much softer so it glides along the skin easier.

To extend the life of your colour apply multiple layers of Phenomenal Tones, i.e.:

1 application = approx 5 days

2 applications = approx 7 days

3 applications = approx 10 days

Now I simply used 2 applications 24 hours apart I did the first coat one evening, washed it off the next morning, went to work, then the gym, had another shower, came home and applied coat 2, went to bed and then rinsed it off the next morning.

2 Coats lasted me 13 days

You have to be careful when using this tan as any mistakes will last for ages so please follow the info below:

Using a tanning mitt apply as you would a tinted mousse, blending colour as you apply. Avoid the heel of the hand, and wipe knuckles, knees and ankles immediately. Any unwanted application should be removed immediately as the colour will take to the skin in only a few minutes. Do not moisturise prior to application, except for areas of exceptionally dry skin. You can shower or moisturise one hour after application. Do not apply with bare hands as colour will take to the palms of the hands and Phenomenal Tones can last 10 days or more.

This tan is really natural and looked like a holiday day, I got a LOT of compliments and the fade off was easy, it simply got lighter and lighter without any flakes, scaly bits, lizardy skin or patches. I am however a good girl who moisturises with an oil free moisturiser daily, exfoliates gently every couple of days and shaves gently. If you do this you will prolong any tan.

You can buy this tan here http://www.vitaliberata.co.uk/store/?q=0&cid=7 where it costs £37.50 - at just over a tenner more than most normal brands fake tan I would hazard a guess at it costing you £3 more per full body tan than a regular bottle.

I think this tan is brilliant and really do recommend it, I think the brand is great and really innovative and I'm not just saying that as the tan was sent to me as I spent plenty of money on Vita Liberata products myself as 3 litres of spray tan are not cheap!

How much do I wish I was at Coachella?

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 21:27:00 +0000

Oh my god I wish I could have been at Coachelle 2012 to see these:

Harrods Summer Colour Picks

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 14:31:00 +0000

1) Givenchy Vernis Please! No.177 - Bucolic Poppy

2) Givenchy Gelée D’Interdit

3) Kanebo Sensai Smoothing Water Make Up

4) Clinique Blushing Blush Powder Blush Iced Lotus

5) Creme de la Mer powder brush

6) Givenchy Gloss Interdit No.32 - Bucolic Poppy

7) Clinique Brush On Cream Liner Black Honey

8) Clinique Cream Shaper for Eyes

9) Givenchy Le Prisme Yeux Quatuor No.79 - Bucolic Blossoms

10) Kanebo Sensai Concealer

With spring having sprung and summer colours blossoming, now is the time to choose some beautiful make-up options to reflect the change in the weather. Start with a flawless base from Kanebo and apply your powders with a natural brush to make sure that your skin is the perfect canvas for the colour. Add some glistening hints with a feather light blusher and a touch of drama with Clinique’s gel liner, and finish with a dash of rouge to the lips and a lick of lacquer on your nails. You’ll be dressed to impress this summer and dazzling like the goddess you are!

Sarah x

Slendertone Arms Challenge Week 2

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 21:02:00 +0000

Week 2

You can read about the Slendertone Arms system for women and my first week here Slendertone Arms Challenge Week 1

Above is the picture from week 2. I think there is a bit of a difference, I think it looks a bit tighter? Let's hope so!

You can buy the system arms here Slendertone Arms.

Shellac market research

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:54:00 +0000

In the interests of market research I would love it if you could answer the below question if you are a CONSUMER (not a nail tech) thank you!

Please fill in the gap ->. 'I would get shellac/gel polish every 2/3 weeks if it cost £.........'

And no free isn't an option! If you wouldn't get it at all no need to respond.

Danke very much!

Wallpaper, iphone clock & interiors update

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:42:00 +0000

After the excitement of the flat came the banality of the mortgage documents. May I just say whoever thought up a banking system where you are forcibly moved to online banking with no paper statements even though you have to have paper statements of your savings as 'evidence' that you can pay for the mortgage deposit was a total halfwit. My online ISA and online saver don't even HAVE monthly statements just a yearly update! I have no idea how I am going to get around that short of taking out the cash and plonking it on the desk of the person due to approve it?! Surely in this day and age there could be a secure bank to bank/building society system where they just phone up the other bank and check if there is the correct amount of savings in an account? Too easy... Meh. Rant over.

Wallpaper

To cheer myself after the mortgage delays I went wallpaper shopping as I decided that I would have wallpaper on the wall behind the bed in the bedroom to add a bit of interest. The room is fairly small so there won't be a lot of things in the room and I hate clutter so I thought something nice on the wallpaper would brighten the room up a bit.

The wallpaper is by Laura Ashley and is called Isadore. You can get it cheaper on Ebay normally, I paid 1/3 of the retail cost per roll. Bargaino!

iPhone Clock Radio

I was given this funky iPhone 4 clock radio for the new flat and I think it is fabulous! I have only given it a quick go as I don't want to muck it up before it is in it's home but it's compact but with good speaker quality, looks quite smart and stylish and I don't think it could go out of fashion as it's quite plain and classic looking and it only costs like £30! I think this is a real bargain as most normal bedside clocks cost more and this charges your phone at the same time (why does the battery always die overnight normally)?

One website you can get it on is called Mobile Fun and they do all sorts of mobile and techy gidgets gadgets like iPad 3 accessories ,phone cases etc. etc. so they are worth a look.

Mirrored Furniture

Looking through design magazines, Pinterest and google images I have come to really like mirrored furniture for the bedroom and hall in particular some sort of bedside cabinets or a chest of drawers. I think they would bring light into the room and also look quite glam.

Overall I think I was the bedroom to look simple, classic, cosy but a little bit glam or luxe rather than just looking bare and cold. If you have any design tips, blogs or any questions then plase do let me know.

QVC’s Elemis TSV show on Sunday 29th April

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 08:14:00 +0000

As I know a lot of you love Elemis Pro Collagen products and QVC's Today's Special Value deals I thought I would let you know that the QVC Today’s Special Value

This will be presented in an exclusive collection of Elemis hero products, two of which will be announced on air along with the price (a guaranteed saving up 64%)

This essential collection is the perfect take-away kit for weekends away and holidays and includes:

• NEW Pro-Collagen Advance Eye Treatment 15ml – Full size

• Melting Cleansing Gel 125ml – Full size

• Pro-Collagen Marine Cream 30ml

• Cellular Recovery Skin Bliss Capsules x14

• Rehydrating Ginseng Toner 50ml
• TWO MYSTERY PRODUCTS

You can get up to date details at http://www.qvcuk.com/

Neom Sumptuous Body Wash and Body Lotion Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:33:00 +0000

You might have noticed from my posts on Neom that I have just a slight obsession with their candles. It started with a small travel candle idly purchased after a beauty salon appointment, as the salon used the candle in the room during my massage. Now I have 2 large 3 wick candles just itching and waiting to be let loose in my new flat (presents from 1 friend and erm...a present for myself haha) and now I have also been very kindly sent a body wash and body lotion to try in my favourite scent which is sumptuous.

All I can say is WOW, if you love the scent of the candles then you need one of these in your life, and if you have never tried anything from the brand then get a travel candle and give it a go, I doubt you would be dissapointed.

I must say I prefer the body wash just because I need a much richer body butter to satisfy my dry skin but if you don't have severe dry skin then I am sure you would be just fine (and if you like body milk type textures). The Sensuous scent just makes me feel happy when I inhale it. I am sure that sounds rather pratty but it's true! It is the most gorgeous combination of

Ylang Ylang, Frankincense & Patchouli which is really decadent but really comforting and relaxing at the same time.

You can find the body wash here and the lotion here

Sensuous body wash and Sensuous Organic Body Lotion and they are priced at £16 and £23.50 respectively. Personally while I think the body wash is a 10/10 for moisturising, scent, packaging, gift-ability and being overall gorgeous I would rate the lotion at 8.5/10 and would therefore definitely recommend the body wash over the lotion although that is just my personal option.

Have I managed to convert anyone to Neom? If so which are your favourite scents? I love the rose and neroli candle it is awesome!

In Love With Fashion - Aubergine Asymmetric Dress

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 15:27:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but getting a picture of my outfit of the day, night or any time basically is almost impossible since I don't have a slave or personal photographer, so I rarely have a pic of my outfit but here is a half pic of my lovely new dress from In Love With Fashion which costs £48

I really wanted to make a post about this dress as it is so comfy, can be dressed up or down and for someone as tall as me it still is long at the back! I love it. I wore it with a black Warehouse waist belt, black platform Zara strappy sandals and some Lisa Tabues and Orelia Jewellery and my gorgeous Harbinger of Death ring from Jewel Heritage. It's actually the only ring I own!

I read about the online shop on Tali's blog and then saw the pictures and knowing how tall she is figured the style would be a good bet as the dresses were long enough on her. They also have 20% off on their online store during Easter just use the code WELOVEEASTER20 at the checkout on orders over £40. Happy Easter!

Real Techniques Stippling Brush Review

noreply@blogger.com (Sarah) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 07:30:00 +0000

I love foundation and cream makeup products and am always on the lookout for a new stippling brush to apply them with to get the perfect finish. I also love vloggers and youtubers for beauty tips and have wateched Pixiwoo for a long long time.

Sam Chapman, makeup artist, vlogger, blogger co Pixiwoo channel presenter and professional makeup artist for 15 years teamed up with Real Techniques to bring women high-tech tools that deliver high-definition results, alongside tutorials packed with techniques you can use to boost your look.

The collaboration has resulted in frankly a frigging AWESOME stippling brush which is functional, pretty and cruelty free whilst giving an excellent finish to tintied moisturiser, foundation, cream bronzer and blush and even gel blush and cheek stain.

The dual fibre brush which is made of synthetic taklon has the perfect length and density to ensure a flawless finish and perfect blend ability and also has the ingenious flat bottom so you can stand it up on your dresser or table so you don't get foundation on it!

This brush ensures there are no streaks in your application at all and for the price it is totally amazing. I paid £11.99 for mine at Boots here http://www.boots.com/en/Real-Techniques-Stippling-Brush_1253416/ and they currently have a 3 for 2 offer on to save even more money.

You can see the brand's website here Real Techniques

I recommend this brush 10/10 and actually think it is better than my Mac stippling brushes and much cheaper.

Have you tried any of these brushes?