Beauty Geek

Five Things I Love May 2012

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Tue, 29 May 2012 19:50:00 +0000

It's been an eye-opening month for me beauty-wise, as I've come across a few items that are cheap and cheery yet really worth a mention and a well-deserved place in my love list for May.

Yardley Royal Diamond EDT (S)

This arrived as a surprise last week and it's become my summer perfume. It's such a pretty, floral scent without being too heavy or sickly, but most importantly, it doesn't smell like it costs £9.99. It's got a familiarity to it and I think it's quite close to Estee Lauder's Pleasures but I won't know for sure until I get my hands on some to test side by side. I'll be reviewing this fully soon so keep an eye out for that if you want to witness me embarrass myself trying to describe perfume notes. It's available all over the place (suddenly I'm seeing Yardley everywhere!) including Boots.

Bobbi Brown Treatment Lip Shine in Orchid Pink

I've already reviewed this so I won't go into more detail and risk repeating myself too much, but this gorgeous pink is so easy to wear and works for both daytime and night time looks. As I mentioned in my full review, this is currently a limited edition shade as part of the Miami collection, so if BB decides not to make it permanent I'll be gutted as it's my absolute go-to pink that takes my easy daytime look from bare to gently polished. That and it works really well with a tan too! This seems to have disappeared from the BB online shop, so I'll do a bit of digging and find out what's happened to it....please god don't let it be gone forever.

E45 Nourish & Restore Body Lotion (S)

I'm never normally one for body lotions, but I'm very aware of the fact that the skin on my body has been drying out recently which I think is partly due to stress and partly due to the fact that I've been keeping the heat on for much longer than normal due to the crappy weather. Anyway, I hate applying body lotion as I hate the sticky, greasy feeling I usually get and I've only ever known a couple of products that don't leave a residue. I was given the three new variants that E45 added to their range but my favourite is this one as it leaves me with really soft skin without the horrid residue, plus it's only ever so slightly fragranced, so it doesn't interfere with my perfume. I can apply this liberally and it all soaks in, so I tend to apply it after a shower. I've also been using it as a hand cream and an aftersun, so for £3.99 this is a bargain of a multi-purpose product. Available at all the usual retailers and currently in the Summer 3 for 2 promotion at Boots.

Clarins Ever Matte Skin Balancing Foundation

I've been obsessed with BB Creams for longer than I can remember, so I decided last week that it was time to reacquaint myself with foundation. I've read so many positive reviews about this offering from Clarins that I decided to get colour-matched and try it out for size. This was my first introduction to Clarins make-up as I've never tried anything from them before, but it's safe to say the introduction went well as this is a brilliant foundation. The coverage is excellent, the formula is perfect for my skin and the wear is great. Again, I'll be reviewing this more fully with pictures very soon, so I won't go into lots of detail yet but it's safe to say that this is a firm favourite of mine and I'm using it daily. Priced at £24 and available from all the usual retailers including Boots.

St Ives Blemish Fighting Apricot Scrub (S)

I can't imagine that there's anyone who's into beauty who hasn't at some point tried the cult product that is the St Ives Apricot Scrub. I remember trying this years ago when I first started buying beauty products (I've just realised that it was probably, literally the last century when I used the Apricot Scrub for the first time which may well be the most depressing realisation I've ever had) and using it regularly. However, as times goes on you try new things and forget about the old favourites, so it was great to be reintroduced to the brand recently when I attended a St Ives event. I'll be honest and say that it would never have occurred to me to try this scrub again had I not received it at the event, but I'm seriously impressed by just how good it is. The granules are tiny and soft so you don't feel like you're scratching your face and they're housed in a brilliantly slippery emollient meaning that you have a very gentle exfoliation, yet skin feels perfectly polished afterwards. This is easily as good, if not better, than the higher priced scrubs I'm used to using so it'll be a definite repurchase for me. I have some other St Ives products on their way to me so when I've tried them out, I'll let you know my thoughts. This is £3.99 and also part of the Boots Summer 3 for 2 promotion.

As I said, it's been an eye-opening month with some seriously cheap products making their way into my regular skincare routine. There are so many things to love about beauty blogging and one of them is that you often end up trying products that you wouldn't normally give a second thought to, but you try them anyway for the benefit of the blog. Sometimes your instincts were right, other times you end up rediscovering old favourites or being introduced to new ones that become staples. There is so much joy in beauty blogging!

Coming soon:

Review - Neal's Yard Palmarosa Daily Moisture
What's new from Paul and Joe Beaute
Glossybox May Edition

Apivita Lip Care with Pink Rose

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Fri, 25 May 2012 22:46:00 +0000

I'm finishing off the week with the last of my favourite pink lip products that I'm making my way through at the moment.

Apivita Lip Care with Pink Rose, is, as it sounds; a pink, tinted lip balm. There's nothing new there, but this does a truly fantastic job at replacing moisture in my lips and it contains organic beeswax and Olive Oil.

I don't know if Olive Oil is something that regularly features in lip care products, but if not then it should as this is my absolute favourite lipbalm at the moment; the fact that it's pinked tinted is a bonus as even if it wasn't, I'd still use it.

The packaging is pretty and functional and I do like the design of having all the info on the outer casing. The finish is a super-pretty, girly blush type flush of pink that I love.

The other thing I like about this is the fact that it doesn't taste like a standard lipbalm; for me, there are a lot of lipbalms that can catch the back of my throat when some get in my mouth, but this one doesn't and instead tastes slightly sweet.

I use this daily and it's the first thing I grab from my bag when I've got a moment spare to apply something to my lips, so it's a definite winner for me.

Apivita Lip Care with Pink Rose (S) is available from the Apivita website priced at £3.76.

Bobbi Brown Treatment Lip Shine in Orchid Pink

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Wed, 23 May 2012 21:30:00 +0000

Another day, another pink lip product OR another day, another Bobbi Brown product; delete as appropriate. I knew I'd love at least one of the shades from the new additions to the Treatment Lip Shines as I was obsessed with Pink Glisten when the line was first launched. The only thing I didn't love about it was the fact that it had a bit of sparkle in it, which I'm not a fan of for daily wear.

Orchid Pink is a beautiful, neutral pink that I am absolutely in love with at the moment. The difference between the Treatment Lip Shine and other similar products like the Lip Butters and Rouge Caresses is that this is more of a treatment lipstick as opposed to a highly-pigmented tinted lip balm, so you get a really decent payoff with a quick application. The only thing I'd say is that it's slightly more drying than tinted lip balms, but the difference is negligible.

Normal lighting.

As with most moisturising lipsticks, the wear isn't great with this, so you're looking at maybe 3 hours if you don't eat or drink. However, it's conveniently packaged so that application is quick and simple and as you don't need to build it up, reapplication is a breeze.

Harsh lighting.

The four new additions to this line are part of the limited edition Miami collection, which could mean that they won't be around forever and if that's the case I'll be gutted as this is possibly the closest I've ever come to my perfect everyday pink.

Day lighting.

Apologies for the dry lips in the photos; I took a batch of lip product photos over the weekend when my lips were really dry.

Upper swatched lightly, lower swatched heavily.

Swatches of the other shades can be found here and the new additions to the line can be purchased at the Bobbi Brown online shop for £18.00.

Sk:n Laser Hair Removal: Treatment Two

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Wed, 23 May 2012 10:45:00 +0000

Just a very quick update on my progress regarding the laser hair removal I'm currently having with Sk:n. I had my second treatment last week and it went as easily as the first treatment, more info of which can be found here. The pain level was the same; it's uncomfortable and rather unpleasant, but completely tolerable and incredibly quick! I was in and out of the treatment centre within 15 minutes, having had both underarms treated.

Since my first treatment, I've shaved my underarms twice and the second time was only to make sure my underarms were clear of hair in time for the second treatment. Twice! The first time I shaved was pretty much a token gesture as there were a few hairs visible, but they were very fair and fine and not obvious at all.

My underarms were a little uncomfortable after the second treatment for about a day, but not so much so that it caused any problems, they were just a little tender.

So far, I'm a total laser hair removal convert and would really like to get my legs done now as even if the hair is reduced rather than removed completely, if the results are only needing to shave every couple of months then it's totally worth it.

I'll update after my next treatment which will be my third of six treatments in total which I'm having at six weekly intervals.

More information about the Laser Hair Removal (T) treatment I had with Sk:n is available here.

Staying Safe in the Sun

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Tue, 22 May 2012 23:00:00 +0000

So today we FINALLY got some sun after months of broken promises from the various weather channels. Now I can go full speed ahead with waxing worry and pedicure panic to ensure I'm summer ready. However, another essential element of summer preparation is sun protection. I do think, being a Brit, it's quite easy to take a half-hearted approach to sun protection as we see so little of the sun, and when it does make an appearance it rarely feels as if it's capable of doing much damage, not just because it tends to only appear for a few days here and there.

According to AXA PPP healthcare, in 2011 900 young Brits were diagnosed with malignant melanoma (when a mole develops into skin cancer) which equates to two people a day being diagnosed with this type of cancer, making it the second most common cancer in 15-34 year olds. I do believe that a lot of people don't realise just how quickly and easily a melanoma can develop, which is why AXA PP have decided to help by involving a medical expert for a live chat on Tuesday 29th May between 3pm and 5pm.

AXA PPP have recently launched an online Cancer Centre which offers help, support and guidance to those suffering from cancer. I'm a massive fan of anything that is freely available to support cancer sufferers as when my father was diagnosed with throat cancer 2 years ago, he relied heavily on online forums and support sites to help him through the experience and in contrast, my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer 16 years ago when the internet wasn't as easily accessible, so she had to rely on meeting other cancer sufferers on the off chance and as a consequence often felt very isolated. The internet is an incredible support system for cancer sufferers and the fact that AXA PPP have produced a centre specifically aimed at encouraging and informing those who are battling the disease is fantastic.

The live chat will be held at the Cancer Centre with Professor Nicholas S A Stuart. Professor Stuart is Professor of Cancer Studies at Bangor University and honorary consultant medical oncologist. He was appointed to his current post in 2001. His main research interests are in clinical research into the assessment and development of new anti-cancer drugs and the assessment of the effects of chemotherapy.

I do think that sunscreen itself can be a bit confusing; mainly regarding what SPF I should be using and how I should be using it. Therefore, here's some information from AXA PPP's feature How to protect your skin from sun damage regarding sunscreen usage:

What?

We should be using a broad spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15.

When?

On clean dry skin, ideally before any other skincare products. We need to reapply regularly, especially if we've been swimming.

How much?

Two teaspoons full of sunscreen is enough to cover the arms, face and neck and two tablespoons is enough for the rest of the body.

More tips, suggestions, guides and features regarding sun-protection are available here.

So if you have any burning questions (yes, I went there) regarding using the right sunscreen, how to keep an eye on moles and sun-protection in general, the place to find these answers is at the AXA PPP live chat on Tuesday 29th May between 3pm and 5pm here. However, if you can't make it to the live chat, you can submit your questions in advance on AXA PPP's Facebook or their Twitter page.

*Sponsored post*

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:04:00 +0000

Look what we have here! Lately Revlon seem to be well ahead of the game when it comes to realising what consumers are looking for in a lip product; you only have to read the hundreds of reviews of their Lip Butters (which were eagerly anticipated by UK make-up lovers for months before they landed) to know that they're speedily becoming the high-street lip kings.

In July we'll get the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains which will be stain/balm hybrids in crayon form. Look familiar? I think it appears that these could be Drugstore rivals to the Clinique Chubby Sticks at the much more purse-friendly price of £7.99.

There will be seven shades available, covering a good range of the colour spectrum from the deep berry of Crush and Romantic to the pretty pales of Cherish and Darling. According to the press release, "100% of women tested felt lips were more moisturised with a soft stain of colour", so I can't wait for these to arrive and I can see there being another Lip Butter style furore over the next coming months as we anxiously await their landing date of July.

Max Factor Colour Effect Flipstick in Boreal Mauve

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Sun, 20 May 2012 04:39:00 +0000

Max Factor recently released a rather interesting take on the lipstick called the Flipstick, which is basically 2 different, complimentary lipsticks in one. The idea is that you can play around, create all sorts of inspiring designs and generally spruce up your approach to lipstick application.

The one I chose to try is Boreal Mauve, which has a frosty pale pink at one end and a vivid violet pink at the other. I'm suffering from horrifically dry lips at the moment that not even Lanolips can fix, hence the flakies in the pictures.

Here's the paler pink on it's own:

And here's the violet on it's own:

I decided to try and go for a look that incorporated the two but was still wearable, so I went for the oh-so obvious approach of using the stronger colour all over the lips and using the paler shade to accent the middle, creating the illusion of fuller lips.

Obviously this only works if you blend the two colours together, otherwise it can look a little bit like you have no idea what you're doing with make-up....

Both pictures, top to bottom: Paler shade, darker shade, both shades blended together.

All in all, I'm a fan. I like the concept, I enjoy the contrast of the two shades and appreciate the fact that they both give different finishes too; the paler shade is frosted and the violet is demi-matte. They're available in six shades and are currently on special at Boots, down from £8.49 to £6.49 here.

NOTD: Soho Fishnet

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:31:00 +0000

Not the most creative of names for today's NOTD, but I'm seriously tired and out of ideas. Today I had my very first experience with a magnetic varnish and I'd say that whilst the results were a little mixed, I'm definitely a fan and now massively fascinated by the way they work. How do they work? They look like holograms! Amazing. Anyway...I had a play around with Nails Inc Fishnet in Soho and here are the results.

I picked this varnish up at the Nails Inc event, and whilst I was looking forward to seeing what it could do, I couldn't have been less enthused about the shade as I'm all about the brights and the pretties, of which this is neither.

Smudged little finger :(

However, I was pleasantly surprised by the shade itself once on the nails and I think it's something I'll use again without the magnet. One of the many things I love about writing a beauty blog is the fact that the products I get to experience continue to broaden and open my mind to things I would never have considered previously and this varnish shade is definitely an example of this.

My cuticles still haven't been done and are crying out for some help so apologies for the pictures including my tatty cuticles.

I had a bit of trouble with the magnet - from what I can gather, quite a similar issue to many others - in that I kept accidentally touching the nail with the magnet and smudging the varnish. Unfortunately I've run out of time so can't fix the smudges, but thankfully they're not too obvious unless you're specifically looking for mistakes.

The magnet itself has a lip that helps guide you to how close it needs to be to the nail. This works in theory, but I needed to tilt it a little towards the nail to force the design through and of course the result was getting it too close to the nail and smudging. I don't think this is a major issue and I think with a bit of practice I can get the hang of it.

The major issue for me with the magnet is that it's too small for my fingers. I have big hands (big hands, big heart...I'm sure people probably say) with big fingers which of course means big finger nails, so drag queens beware! Therefore, the result I get is a strip of fishnet down each nail, which I think, with a bit of perfecting, will actually be quite an interesting effect on its own.

I am truly fascinated by the results of this varnish; as you move your hand around, different parts catch the light and it looks magical! I will definitely be perfecting my magnet skills to get this right as I'm a fan of both the shade and the effect of the fishnet.

Nails Inc Fishnet in Soho (S) costs £13 and is available at the Nails Inc online store here.

"Someone With" Site For Breast Cancer Sufferers

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:51:00 +0000

Not strictly a beauty post but it definitely ties-in with beauty related topics. Someone With is a one-stop shop for those at every point in their experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer and includes a lot of resources to help people come to terms with their diagnosis, as well as a huge array of products available to assist with every element of the truly traumatic experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer. There are a lot of vanity items, which I believe to be incredibly important and often overlooked as people don't realise the devastating impact breast cancer has on confidence and self-esteem.

Everything you could possibly need is available here, along with lots of support, advice and information, so if you or anyone you know is having to deal with breast cancer, it's definitely worth visiting Someone With.

Traditional Thai Facial at Thai Square Spa

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:08:00 +0000

Ever since my recent Oskia facial I've completely changed tact in the types of facials I go for. Whilst I used to be all about the treatment facials - usually aggressive procedures that 'beat' the nasties out of my skin - I've instead started showing more of an interest in facials that are aimed at calming, cleansing and pampering my face. I'll still go for the hardcore treatment facials every so often (can't change a habit of a lifetime) but I've noticed a huge difference in the way my skin reacts to gentle facial techniques. I think it's probably because I'm a little older now and I'm starting to consider taking action against the ageing process!

I booked in for a Traditional Thai Facial for two reasons; firstly, I've never had one so I was curious as to how it would be different to regular Western facials and secondly, I knew it would involve lots of massage and hot towels. Massage and hot towels rock and there will never be enough massage and hot towels in my life.

When I arrived at the Thai Square Spa I was impressed by how themed it was; the minute you walk in it's like visiting another country as everything is decked out as a Traditional Thai spa with lots of amazingly Zen additions such as beaded doors, flowing water fountains and gold bathes. It's an absolutely glorious looking spa that has a very calming effect from the moment you arrive.

I was taken downstairs to the treatment area and asked to get changed in the changing room where I was given a robe and some slippers. Once I was ready, I was taken to the treatment room and given a foot bath using rose petals and gentle massage. I was then asked to disrobe, get under the towel and lie down. My facial included my decolletage and shoulders, all of which were thoroughly cleansed using various herby oils and balms. The cleansing process occurred several times and in between each time a hot towel (yay!) was used to remove the product. After the cleansing, I was given several massages, and eventually a massage apparatus was used made of herbs packed tightly in a muslin cloth and heated. I have no idea what it's called but this is what it looks like:

The whole facial lasted 75 minutes and was incredibly gentle, calming and therapeutic. It was one of those experiences where you leave feeling relaxed and refreshed rather than zonked out and ready for bed, which was handy because I drove there! After the facial, I got dressed and was given some tea and water in a lounge area that had magazines to read until I was ready to leave. All in all it was a really lovely and pampering experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and the little additions like the foot bath at the start and the tea at the end made the whole experience feel much more luxurious.

Thai Square Spa is located at both 25 Shelton Street and 40 Earlham Street (two entrances) in Covent Garden. The Traditional Thai Facial (T) I had costs £85 for a 75 minute treatment and more information can be found here.

Liz Earle Make-Up Collection

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Wed, 16 May 2012 03:16:00 +0000

Liz Earle have recently released a make-up collection that is right up my street. Originally, the only product in the line was the Skin Tint (which was received really well by most beauty bloggers) but now all sorts have been added including blushers (both cream and powder), 2 types of concealer, lip glosses in some very wearable nudes and pinks, a mascara and mascara base, eye pencils and brushes.

The theme for the initial line seems to be very much based on a 'you but better' approach to make-up, not dissimilar to the ethos promoted by Bobbi Brown....and we all know how I feel about Bobbi Brown!

The whole range is available now with a mid-range price point (think along a similar price point to Mac) and can be seen in more detail at the Liz Earle online store here.

Etat Pur Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:00:00 +0000

A taster of my prescription: these aren't the products you'll win as the prize is customised to your own skin type.

You know I mean business when I take a picture of a comp prize and involve those little sticky star things you put on Christmas presents. I've banged on enough about the brilliance of Etat Pur ever since I first came across the brand, so now it's time for a chance for Beauty Geek readers to get in on the action! One seriously lucky winner will have the opportunity to enjoy their own tailor-made prescription of Etat Pur products, with a minimum value of £75! This is a fantastic prize (currently fighting the urge not to enter myself...) so I'm really happy to have the chance to share this.

To be in with a chance of winning, all you need to do is complete your personal prescription here and tell me which of the products in your prescription excites you the most and why. For example, my prescription - details of which can be found here - included the Zinc Gluconate Active which I was really excited to try as I've heard it's amazing for spots (and it really, really is! Review coming soon) so I was really eager to give it a test and see what it did.

You'll only be eligible for entry if you're a follower of mine on Google Friend Connect, so if you're not already, you can follow by clicking on the follow button on the right hand side of the blog.

Leave your comment on this post about which Etat Pur product you're most excited about and don't forget to leave a Twitter name or e-mail address so that I can contact you if you're a winner. This competition will run until midnight on the 3rd June 2012.

Good luck everyone! xx

St Ives Scrubs

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Tue, 15 May 2012 02:27:00 +0000

I've always been familiar with the St Ives brand as the makers of the purse-friendly apricot scrub and I think their exfoliator is one of those cult products that everyone has in their beauty cabinet. I was aware that a few different variants of the scrub had been released over the past few years, but there's also quite a few more choices than I was aware of.

The originals with the new Renew and Firm Scrub on the right.

There's the original scrub and the blemish-fighting alternative, but there's also now a "Renew and Firm" version aimed at slightly less teenage skin, which contains alpha-hydroxy acid, thus making it both a chemical and mechanical exfoliator. I really like the idea of this so I'll definitely be trying it soon.

The Elements range.

The other newbies in the range are the Elements products, which include an Olive Scrub, a Microdermabrasion treatment and a Warming Scrub. I love treatments that warm as I do think they work well to open up the pores to ensure a deeper scrub, so this is another one that's on my list.

The ingredients and natural exfoliators.

As St Ives tend to fall into the lower end of the price bracket, it won't cost a lot to try out their new offerings, so they're definitely worth checking out.

Available at Superdrug and Tesco; Tesco currently have a promotion for 3 for 2 on St Ives products.

My Etat Pur Prescription

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Sat, 12 May 2012 17:56:00 +0000

As pretty much anyone who has visited my blog recently will know, I'm a massive fan of Etat Pur skincare. The products are cost-effective, easy to use and deliver great results in super-speedy time.

Etat Pur have developed a massive range of products to treat every skincare issue you can think of. Because there are so many products on offer, they've developed a prescription service where you fill in a questionnaire detailing your main skin concerns and what products you're looking for, and they put together a custom-made prescription of products that will most effectively treat your skin. To check out the prescription service, have a look here.

To give you an idea, here's my prescription of products I use daily:

From left to right we have: Melting Moisturizing Cream, Purifying Cleansing Gel, Propolis Active, Micellar Purifying Cleansing Water, Salicylic Acid 300 Active and Zinc Gluconate Active.

My skin is combination with areas that are prone to quite bad dryness (especially my cheeks) and other areas are very spot-prone, so this collection of products is aimed at treating all my issues including spots, dryness, hyperpigmention and oiliness. I don't use all three of the actives every day, and instead mix and match depending on what my skin is doing. This is the perfect line of products for temperamental skin like mine.

Having used quite a few different Etat Pur products in the past few months there isn't one that I wouldn't continue using and my current skincare routine is heavily dominated by the brand. I am such a huge fan and love recommending these products to others, however, the reason I thought I'd run through the prescription service is because over the next few days I'll be launching a fantastic competition which will involve the full Etat Pur prescription experience. This will be by most exciting competition yet, so keep your eyes peeled!

NOTD: Pink Diamond

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Fri, 11 May 2012 23:38:00 +0000

So, expect some truly horrific images that include close-ups off my shocking cuticles and bad application technique, but it's all necessary to show you the colours and effects of the varnishes I've used!

This NOTD combination was inevitable, as I've had my eye on Notting Hill Gate ever since I first took it home from the Nails Inc event. It's a perfect pop of bright pink that looks fabulous on fingers and toes and I absolutely love it.

As I'm out tomorrow night for my bi-annual socialising session (I seriously need to get out more. SERIOUSLY) I decided to bling up my nails with some glitter. But not just any glitter, oh no, it had to be Nail Jewellery, and what better shade to go with Notting Hill Gate, than Princes Arcade?

So this NOTD includes two coats of Notting Hill Gate and two coats of Princes Arcade. Notting Hill Gate was almost opaque on the first coat, but I added another as I knew the brightness of the pink would be dulled by the purple tones of Princes Arcade.

I love this NOTD: it has everything I love in a nail look; brights, pinks, glitter and sparkle. I definitely think that Nails Inc's Jewellery range are an adult's answer to sparkly fingertips as there's just something slightly more sophisticated about the size and arrangement of the chunks of glitter. I suppose it looks a little more expensive as it's very much like having nails dripping in diamonds, so I'm a total convert....at least I will be right up until I try to get the bugger off come next manicure.

It's safe to say that my pictures do not do the nail jewellery justice as it's really an effect that needs to be viewed multi-dimensionally. I tried really hard to capture it, but sadly to no avail.

Both Notting Hill Gate (S) and Princes Arcade (S) are available now from the Nails Inc online store here, priced at £11 each.

Bobbi Brown Treatment Lip Shine - Limited Edition Shades

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Thu, 10 May 2012 22:34:00 +0000

Bobbi Brown have added four shades to their Treatment Lip Shine line as part of the new Miami Collection. The four shades in all pictures from left to right are:

Pink Orchid

Peach Sorbet

Pink Seashell

Golden Bronze

Lots of pictures in various lights! I've purchased Pink Orchid (predictably) so I'll be reviewing that soon. Unfortunately Pink Seashell looks a bit orangey in the harsh interior lighting of my local shopping centre, but if you scroll down to the daylight pictures you should hopefully get a better idea of it's true colour.

Daylight lighting:

Clinique Chubby Sticks - New Shades!

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Thu, 10 May 2012 21:50:00 +0000

Following on from the phenomenal success of the original eight shade line-up of Clinique's Chubby Sticks (of which my favourites were Woppin' Watermelon and Chunky Cherry), another eight shades have been added to include a lot more pinks which, obviously, pleases me immensely.

I'm really keen on the look of these shades and Curvy Candy, Mighty Mimosa and Pudgy Peony are the ones that are appealing to me most. However, I think Oversized Orange could prove to be a really lovely take on the summery coral bright that's currently so popular, and I'm also quite fascinated to see what Voluptuous Violet looks like on the lips.

All in all, a few great additions to the Chubby Family which will be arriving on the 1st June 2012.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream DARK Swatch

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:58:00 +0000

Just a quickie that I've been meaning to do for a few days, which is a swatch of the Dark version of the Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream.

As you can see, it's far too dark for me, but it's handy to have a swatch comparison.

I've swatched the other shades here and my review of the product itself is here.

Clinique Mascara Swap is Back!

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Wed, 09 May 2012 21:32:00 +0000

I absolutely love it when brands do those trade-in events where you bring them something of yours that you no longer want or use, and they give you a sample (usually fairly decent sized) of their version of the same thing in exchange.

Clinique I 'think' were the first to do this last year and now they've decided to do it again, but this time you have two mascara options: High Impact Mascara for drama, or High Length Mascara for, well, length, obvs.

The promotion is running from the 14th-20th May 2012 and all you need to do is bring along your rejected mascara (which can be from any brand), hand it over and pick your new Clinique one. I don't think I've tried the High Impact Mascara so that's the one I'll be going for.

This is a Debenhams exclusive so it'll only be happening at Debenhams Clinique counters.

Free Mini Manicures: Guinness World Record Attempt

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:08:00 +0000

Tomorrow at the London College of Beauty Therapy there will be an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for how many nails can be filed and varnished in eight hours. It's going to be quite an event as not only will there be the free mini-manicures and goody bags, but Andrea Fulerton - Celebrity Nail Technician and the creator of the nail art brand - will be helping achieve the record, so it should be a good day!

The event is taking place from 11am - 7pm and is happening at this address:

London College of Beauty Therapy
47 Great Marlborough Street,
London W1

It's all for a good cause so if you happen to be around London during those times, pop along and do your bit for charity by having your nails done...they need 3000 volunteers in total so please help by spreading the word.

Blue Illume Toothbrush Competition: The Results!!

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Tue, 08 May 2012 18:10:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who entered the competition to win one of two Blue Illume toothbrushes.

The competition has now closed and the winners are:

~~Jaycee~~

ella87310

Tinkertink2010 (claimed)

Congratulations guys! Please e-mail me at geek@beautygeekuk.com with your details and I'll send you your prize.

Please don't forget to enter the Etat Pur competition for your chance to win £75+ worth of Etat Pur products!

Illamasqua Get Nailed Bank Holiday Promotion - Final Shades and 10% Off!

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Mon, 07 May 2012 02:33:00 +0000

Monday will be the final day of Illamasqua's Get Nailed promotion, and as promised, they've added something a bit more to the promotion by giving 10% off everything on the site!

What's a bit confusing is that there are five shades mentioned in the promotional e-mail, but at the time of writing this, there are seven shades listed at £7.50 on the site. I don't know whether that will change or not, but it might do.

The 10% promotional code is:

MAYBH

And today's five shades, from left to right are:

Alarm, Jo'mina, Scarab, Phallic and Lament.

The two shades that are showing as £7.50 rather than their usual £13.50 are:

Collide and Load, but as I said, I don't know if they will stay in the promotion for the rest of the day or not.

All promotions end at midnight tonight (7th May 2012)/

Happy Shopping!

Glossybox: April 2012

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Sun, 06 May 2012 18:52:00 +0000

A while ago I had to give up on beauty box subscriptions as my funds weren't allowing me to keep them up (I had to embrace being a poor student fully) but recently, the makers of Glossybox got in touch and kindly offered me a complimentary subscription, which means from now on I'll be able to share the Glossybox contents and my thoughts on them, which is fab.

April's Glossybox was the natural edition (it appears Glossybox have recently started theming their boxes which I personally think is a great idea; I like the idea of receiving a collection of complimentary products rather than a few, various random ones) and this month, all products in the box were completely natural in keeping with Earth month. On top of the products being natural, the box was also made of biodegradable materials so pretty much everything received was good for the environment, although I'm unsure as to the inclusion of the strips of paper that the products sit on; maybe it would've been a good idea to use strips of newspaper or something equally recycled...just a thought!

As I used to list the products in order of favourites, I think I'll stick to the same approach. So I'll start with:

Inika Certified Organic Eyeliner

I was most excited about this item for two reasons; firstly, I much prefer getting make-up items rather than skincare as I like the idea of subscription services such as these allowing me to become more experimental with different shades, colours and products. Secondly, the shade I received was Sapphire and I've recently been looking into purchasing a Navy blue eyeliner, and this shade is Navy blue! It's got a really lovely consistency, doesn't drag and is nicely pigmented, so this will be appearing in either an EOTD or FOTD soon. This eyeliner can be purchased for £11.75 from here.

Figs & Rouge 100% Organic Balm

This is a multi-use balm that can be used to add moisture to the lips, face and body. I've used it on my lips and it absorbs really quickly leaving them feeling really nourished, and because it absorbs so quickly it works as a great base for lipstick. However, the only thing I don't like about it is the flavour; I received Peppermint and Tea Tree - neither of which are tastes I particularly like on the lips - so whilst the taste is tolerable, it isn't my favourite flavour for lip products. I will continue to use this though as I like the fact that it sinks in so quickly. I also think this'll prove really handy for dry skin on my hands and feet and I'll be using this for my cuticles too. There are loads of gorgeous flavours available, each of which perform slightly different tasks (the Peppermint and Tea Tree is soothing and antibacterial) so this is definitely a brand I'll be investigating further. The price seems to vary depending on what retailer you visit, but you can purchase it here for £3.49.

Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum

Caudalie are one of those brands that I hear lots of good things about, seem to have various samples of, but never actually use. However, this serum couldn't be better timed as my combination skin is playing up a bit, so whilst I'm definitely much less spot-prone than I used to be, my cheeks are starting to dry out more and I'm painfully aware of the fine lines appearing on my forehead. I've given this serum a couple of goes and it feels really light yet still nicely moisturising. This would definitely need to be used in conjunction with a moisturiser but so far I really like it. The sample included was 10ml and this retails for £29 for 30ml here.

Philip B Drop Dead Straightening Baume

Whilst this isn't going to prove hugely useful to me (I never like hair to be poker straight and prefer a bit of texture and movement), the fact that it defrizzes means I should be able to put it to use as I get really bad flyaway hair, so hopefully this will help with that. Whilst this isn't a great inclusion for me, I can see that I'd probably be in the minority as a lot of people like hair to be as straight as possible so if this turns out to be an effective product for aiding straightening then this isn't a bad box addition. Add to that the fact that, as it's quite concentrated, you only need a small amount and this 15ml sample should last a while. Available here at £17 for 178ml.

MonuSpa Enriched Body Cream

Obviously this was going to be last in my list as I am not a fan of body creams being included in beauty boxes. I'm sure it's a personal choice but I cannot ever get excited about a body cream, not unless it smells absolutely dreamy, which very few do! This one has quite a herby/florally smell which thankfully isn't too intrusive. It does soak in quickly and seems to moisturise the dry parts of my hands well. I'll probably use this as a hand cream as it doesn't leave a greasy feel and the sample is dinky enough to travel with. The sample included was 30ml and 200ml is £23 and available here.

All in all, not a bad box for April that had a good mix of products and a couple of things that I'm really happy with. What I find most interesting about these boxes is the fact that we all have such a different idea of what constitutes a good box; I've read reviews saying that they prefer make-up heavy boxes (like I do) and others saying that they hate the inclusion of make-up and prefer skincare, so the people at Glossybox have quite a task on their hands trying to keep everyone happy! Next month is the birthday edition, so I'm looking forward to seeing what products will be included in that.

Glossybox (S) is available here for a monthly subscription fee of £10 per month plus £2.95 postage and packaging.

Illamasqua Get Nailed Bank Holiday Promotion - Day 2 Shades

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Sun, 06 May 2012 01:25:00 +0000

Illamasqua are reducing the price of selected nail polishes in celebration of the Bank Holiday weekend, meaning that five shades each day will be reduced from £13.50 to £7.50 for one day only.

Sunday's shades, from left to right, are:

Blow, Poke, Bacterium, Scorn and Taint

All available at Illamasqua's online store here.

NOTD: Catch the Bow Tie

noreply@blogger.com (BeautyGeekUK) — Sat, 05 May 2012 09:00:00 +0000

This is probably one of my most favourite NOTDs to date, not just because it's quite time-consuming and therefore comes attached with a sense of accomplishment on completion, but also because I absolutely love the finish.

The base colour is Orly's Catch the Bouquet which is the prettiest, girly pink. Whilst I know I was supposed to avoid all pink colours when I made my selection from Orly's permanent collection (more info in my post about Orly's Cherry Bomb here), I'm so pleased I decided to go for this shade as it's quickly jumped into my top pinks for nails.

It looks slightly more orange toned in the bottle than it does on the nails; I thought it'd be more of a peach colour but it's turned out to be more salmon and contains a slight sparkle. It's kind of like a toned down version of OPI's Pedal Faster Suzi! which is another pink I love. I'd say this is more of a grown-up shade, thanks to less sparkle and more of a nude leaning.

I needed two coats of this shade - probably could've gone for three - to start forming an opaque finish, but as was the case with Cherry Bomb, this shade is easy to apply and has a great consistency.

Once nails were dry, I got to work on the water decals which were sent to me by the lovely Yvonne from Hail the Nails to try out. I was a little nervous about them as it's fair to say they do involve a fair bit of faff, but they're most definitely doable; even by someone who doesn't do fiddly like myself.

I didn't smooth down the decals as smoothly as I should've, so there's a little bit of lifting on two of them and you can see the outline if you're really looking for it. It's worth noting that the pictures taken are in a very bright, photography light, so they're going to pick up every little detail. In normal light you can't see the outline at all.

I'm not going to go into too much detail about my experience with the decals as I'm going to write a separate post detailing a few tips I picked up and showing off some of the designs. I was sent a few different designs to try, but as soon as my nails were dry from creating this look I went online and ordered five more. I love them!

Once the decals were on, I applied two coats of Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Topcoat and the look was complete. I decided to place the bow ties with the bow itself sitting at the top of the nail as I quite like looking down and seeing them in all their glory. I'm really loving this look and will definitely be experimenting more with decals soon; I've already got plans for my graduation nails and for the Olympics!

The bow-tie decals (S) used in this NOTD are available here priced at £1.99 for 20, but if you're heading there now then prepare to be distracted as there are a lot of amazing designs on that page. Orly's Catch the Bouquet (S) is available here for £7.99 and Nails Inc Kensington Caviar Topcoat (S) is available here for £12.