Makeup And Beauty Blog - MakeupSavvy

NOTD - KIKO Violet Orchid Nail Polish

2012-01-28T11:00:00.000Z

As I was talking KIKO yesterday I thought I would carry on today and show you another lovely nail polish from the Italian brand.

I own around 7 KIKO nail lacquers now and have to say they are one of my favourite nail polish brands along with Revlon and Models Own, oh and Barry M... and also China Glaze (I have a lot of favourites! They just apply so well, are quite opaque within 2-3 coats, they dry quickly, last well and most important don't cost the earth!

Also I find they have quite a lot of unique shades and a vast range which is good to see for the price.

KIKO Violet Orchid Microglitter can be found on the KIKO UK website (here) or in-store at Westfield Stratford priced at £3.90.

As you can see in the sunlight this is such a lovely deep slightly duo chromed shade! On the KIKO site this is listed as a micro glitter polish (here) however I would say it has a more a metallic/duo chrome finish. Just so pretty for wearing on the nails in winter.

The nearest shade to this on the UK high street would be Gosh Gasoline which I haven't actually done a post on yet! However it is such a lovely deep shimmery purple shade.

Fee xo.

Ordering with KIKO Online & Reviews!

2012-01-27T16:08:00.000Z

After discovering KIKO around two years ago in an Italian makeup swap I have been in love with the brand. However until recently KIKO wasn't available at all in the UK, but lucky for Londoners the first KIKO store opened up in Westfield Stratford City shopping centre (oh, how I was jealous!).

But last week whilst lusting over some products I discovered KIKO now have a UK website - with free shipping o your first order!!

Now before I get into what I purchased I thought I would get the few downsides out of the way... the main one being that there is a minimum order of £25 - so no snapping up a few cheap-y nail polishes and bagging free delivery! Also delivery is from Italy however I only realized this once I had received my order and it is slightly on the slow side (around 10 days) especially as it is stated as 'express delivery' which I didn't mind as it was free delivery for my 1st order, but I don't think I would be impressed if I was paying the normal £5.90 delivery charge. Though maybe I am being slightly harsh as I was expecting delivery in a few days and to be shipped from somewhere in the UK for some reason - I guess it would of been nice if they had stated shipping was from Italy.

Small glitches aside, if you are interested in KIKO I would highly recommend you either visit their store if you can or place an order online as you won't be disappointed as the brand is just such amazing quality!

Even though I already own quite a few products from Kiko it definitely look me some time to decide on what to purchase from the website as they do have quite a wide selection of products and I wanted to be sure I chose well. Which consisted of lots of Google searches when I found a product I liked the look of to see swatches and reviews. Which I must say paid off as I love all the products I purchased!

KIKO Mixing Solution 50ml - £3.90 (available here)
This is described as a mixing solution for pigment loose powder eyeshadow to make eyeshadow creamy to ensure the highest blendability and hold. I decided to purchase this for purely practical reasons as I own quite a few Barry M Dazzle Dusts and NYX Pigments that I just do not use, as I highly dislike the mess when using them and the fallout. So I purchased this in hope it would help me get some use of of the loose eyeshadows. However I have been thoroughly impressed with the mixing solution and the results it gives and it has definitely gone beyond what I though was just a pratical purchase!

As you can see in the image above when the mixing solution is used with a loose eyeshadow (Barry M Dazzle Dust in a shade I have forgot, sorry ) it becomes a lot more pigmented and even. Also using the solution is very easy as you just place one drop into the brush you are using and then pick up the eyeshadow, which actually removes the mess and spillage involved as the solution really grabs the pigment. Also the solution gives loose eyeshadows such staying power! So pleased with this - with definitely have to write a full review in the near future.

KIKO Nail lacquer 270 Aqua Sequins - £1.50 was £3.90 (available here)
After already owned quite a few Kiko nail polishes and being so impressed with them I knew I had to get a couple more to add to my collection. Of course I had to include one glitter polish in there but sadly on trying this out it is very similar to Maybelline's Flash Cosmic nail polish, which you can see on the nails in this post on my favourite glitter nail polishes here. However the Kiko polish is slightly nicer as when it doesn't catch the light it doesn't look like yellow flecks unlike the one from Maybelline. So sadly this won't be getting as much love as I would of hoped! But for only £1.50 I really cannot complain and I am sure my niece will enjoy using it!

KIKO Nail lacquer 349 Light Olive Green - £1.50 was £3.90 (available here)
When I placed this into my online basket I crossed my fingers in hope that is would be a dupe for OPI Skull & Glossbones (from the Pirates of the Caribbean collection) and oh, I haven't been disappointed in the slightest! I had been looking for a dupe for the OPI nail polish for quite a few months now without much luck as after all it is quite a unique shade, so I cannot explain how pleased I am with this and for only £1.50 as well!

KIKO Double Glam Eyeliner in 09 Plum and Wood - £4.40 was £8.90 (available here)
This was one product that I didn't need to do any research on as I already own a lovely Double Glam Eyeliner from Kiko in a gorgeous brown and gold shade. These without a shadow of a doubt are exactly like the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on eye pencils which retail for £16 each. Think creamy, pigmented, waterproof eyeliners that just don't budge and last on the eyes all day. I'm sure there are a lot more dupes than this but I instantly thought Plum was a really good dupe for UD 24/7 glide-on eye pencil in Rockstar and the Wood also seems a good dupe of Whiskey.

This is just a super duper product is you like creamy eyeliners that are that waterproof it takes you multiple attempts to remove it fully at the end of the day!

KIKO Lip Volume Plumping Lip Cream 15ml - £6.90 (available here)
This was the wild card of my order as I didn't do any research on the product and for just under £7 it wasn't the cheapest of products that I could of purchased. However I do like trying out plumping lip products and I also liked that it also softened the lips like a lip balm at the same time. Now this is no miracle worker however it is free from that 'tingle' you get with a lot of lip pluming glosses and treatments but instead you get a more warming sensation, but this does give some effects with the lips looking that tiny bit more plumped up, as it you have been eating something spicy maybe!

What I like most about this product is that is really does soften the lips and kind of works are a primer/base before applying lipstick which I didn't except to see in the product. This isn't my favourite product out of the order but I am still pleased none the less.

KIKO Pencil Lip Gloss in 09 Light Beige - £3.90 (available here)
I decided to try this out as I have never tried a lipgloss in crayon format, I have quite a few lipsticks crayons from various brands though and I have always been impressed plus I know the whole lipgloss pencil is a more European product as Essense do quite a few as well. As you can see from the swatch above this is just a subtle beige/nude shade that is great for daytime wear. What I like most about this is that is has a nice glossy but non-sticky finish and is non-drying which is always important for me. Would really like to try more shades, maybe something light pink or even a deeper shade.

Kiko Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadow in 06 Golden Brown - £6.90 (available here)

Another favourite of my order! But after reading so many great reviews on these I knew it would be love at first sight. With most reviews I read on the Long Lasting Stick Eyeshadows they all compared them to MAC shadesticks... now never trying them I really cannot say. But what I can say is that swatch definitely doesn't do the shade any justice at all and that I just love this product. Once applied on the lids you have a bit of time to blend the shadow and then once it has dried this doesn't move and stays just as pigmented all day with no creasing (I do always apply UD Primer Potion though) I even find at the end of the day this is hard to remove. The stick literally just glides onto the lids and just looks so pretty and shimmery. Really just such good quality!

If you love pigmented cream eyeshadows than I really do urge you to try this out as it's just a perfect product that cannot be faulted and also the packaging looks really sleek as well.

As you can see I have been thoroughly impressed with all the products and don't think I could of been any happier with my order - well except for the delivery time.

KIKO really is such high quality for the price and I would actually compare the standard to be up there with the likes of MAC!

Fee xo.

Lifting the Lid... December Boudoir Prive/Jolie Box

2012-01-26T18:30:00.000Z

I'm back rambling about monthly Beauty boxes again!

This time Boudoir Prive, which has recently joined hands with leading french beauty box subscription service - Joliebox. Now I was really enjoying the Boudoir Prive box.. with brands such as - Korres, Zoya, Rahua and Rose & Co to name a few.

So I really do hope that the Jolie Box carry on along the same lines with quite popular brands and not more niche french brands that aren't as well known. However based on this box alone it seems that we don't have anything to worry about... though only time will really tell.

The Price
The Jolie Box contains 5-6 deluxe samples and is priced at £12.95 including delivery. The box is of course monthly and if subscribed to this month you will receive your first box in February. Like all the beauty boxes you can cancel at anytime but it does work on a direct debit basis. You can view more info on the box here.

The Packaging
The Bourdoir Prive box for me had some nice features such as the magnetic close lid and the cute mirror sticker however on the whole I thought the entire appearance of the box was a little bland. So I must say I'm much preferring the new look to the box - from the vibrant fuchsia ribbon to the chic black box that is slightly more compact.

The Products
The first JolieBox contained - OPI Gold Shatter Nail Lacquer, Mitchell and Peach Shower Wash, New CID Cosmetics i-gloss, Jane Iredale 24-Karat Gold Dust, Yon-Ka Vital Defense.

Bonus products - Kusmi Detox Tea and a Jolie Box Concealer Brush.

OPI Gold Shatter Nail Lacquer (full size - worth £10.50)

I was really surprised to see a full sized OPI nail polish in the first Jolie Box as after all the polishes do retail for over £10 and it is also quite a recent release for OPI. Plus I had previously purchased this for my sister as I thought it was such a lovely polish. I personally don't love the crackle/shatter trend but without a base nail polish the OPI shatter doesn't actually shatter and looks just like a normal nail polish so I have used this quite a bit.

Jane Iredale 24-Karet Gold Dust in Rose Gold (full size - £11)

I'm not a huge fan of loose shimmery products however I instantly fell in love with that rose gold shade and also how it was more of a multi-purpose product that could be used on the eyes, checks, shoulder and apparently in the hair according to the Joliebox website (I'm not convinced). This is just a lovely quality product that has led me to look at other Jane Iredale products.

JolieBox Concealer/Eyeshadow brush (exclusive to box)

I found this such a nice touch to the box and would personally love to see more of these in upcoming boxes to collect a set of them. Maybe a lip brush when a lip product is featured in the box, a blush brush for when a blusher is featured and so on. I have been using the brush for packing eyeshadow onto the lids as I personally don't like to use larger concealer brushes but more precise ones. As an eyeshadow brush this is really good quality, flexible and soft.

New CID Cosmetics i-gloss in Babydoll (full size - worth £16)

As a lover of New CID products this product was amazing to see in the JolieBox - especially as it is a normal wearable shade as well! Sadly this wasn't all a bed of roses for me, the reason you may see in the image and in my negatives below. But that aside this is a lovely gloss that isn't sticky and is such a nice shade, however I can't say I love the scent to it, subtle but a bit plastic-y. I know I couldn't purchase a New CID i-gloss for £16 however it is a lovely product to receive in the box.

Mitchell and Peach Shower Wash (50ml sample)

Samples of high end shower gels really don't float my boat so this was a bit of a 'meh' product for me so will probably just sit in a box until I decide to cast it off to someone. However even if I was into pricey shower gels I don't really get this product as this is actually a totally natural fragranced product (it definitely smells all organic) but then it goes and contains Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate which I wouldn't be wanting on my skin at all!

Yon-Ka Vital Defense Intense Hydration cream (5ml sample)

Another rubbish-y sample here as I don't know anyone who would sample something that was only 5ml in size and then spend £40 on the full product. As this didn't suit my skin type I used this on the backs of my hands as a nice anti-ageing, hydrating treatment. So at least I got something out of it!

Kusmi Detox Tea (20g miniature tin)

I'm never really sure why these beauty boxes think that organic/detox teas can come under the beauty category, but they do! This smells very lemon-y but nice. I will probably try it at some stage even though I don't drink teas but not something I would class as a 'deluxe beauty sample'.

Positives

Like previous Boudoir Prive boxes I have been impressed with the main bulk of the content and definitely think it is worth £12.95. I'm glad to see it's staying mainly cosmetic based as I find makeup a lot more fun compared to skincare as I just don't think these types of boxes can cater for so many different skin types. Also I really did like the addition of the Jolie Box Concealer brush as it was just a nice touch and I really do hope they keep that up even if it's just in every few boxes!

Negatives

The only real negative falls with the New CID i-gloss which isn't the fault of the beauty box, however as it is a negative I thought I would ramble about it here! As you can see in the above image this is how I received the lip gloss with quite a rubbish brush and it doesn't seem I am the only one from talking to others on Twitter and reading reviews. The reason for this happening is that the opening of the tube is too small for the actual brush so it's basically a design flaw. Which when you are paying £16 for a product you really don't expect to happen.

Other than this I can't say I really have any negatives about the box expect for that I really don't love seeing 5ml samples in a box that states it provides 'deluxe beauty samples'.

Overall I am hugely impressed by the first ever UK Jolie Box and hope they can keep this level of content up!

Fee xo.

Yes Love Nail Polishes!

2012-01-26T10:30:00.000Z

A bit of an annoying tease post today I'm sorry to say as these two lovely nail polishes where purchased whilst on holiday in Spain and aren't even available on eBay or anywhere online in fact - how annoying! So sadly this blog post is a little pointless if I'm honest.. unless you are going abroad or live in Spain.

However I just couldn't not share these with you as I really didn't expect to like orange glitter nail polish! I mean really. Orange glitter should not work... but oh, it does!

Okay, so it's not very wintry, but ahhhh just look at it. It reminds me of glittery orange jelly shoes from when I was a child! The only down side has to be the smell though.. oosh this is seriously strong, think nail polish remover strong.

I have a feeling it is one of those very cheap-y nail polishes that has a wonderful concoction of different chemical in, but ahh well!

When I actually purchased this shade (Yes Love 631) in a strange little shop in Lanzarote one part of me was saying 'oooo glitter nail polish' and the other part was saying 'no, it's orange and tacky looking'... but the glitter side won and I'm glad it did as now I'm thinking I need to seek out some other orange glitter polishes!

As for application it is a normal three-coater but did take forever to dry as I did slap it on, however I was impressed with how neatly it applied.

The other nail polish (Yes Love 89) I purchased was another I was a little unsure about as I'm almost sure it has gone off a bit as that black in the glitter was once clear I am sure!

However this was only 3 euros and I plan to wear it over a black polish anyway, which I am sure will look really pretty! Over a nude or pale shade though I just don't think this would work as the clear polish just looks too murky and would discolour the base polish.

On a side note... I think because I own quite a lot of nail polishes I have now started to get a bit bored with brands such as Revlon and 17. Which is why my eyes literally light up when I discover a new brand of nail polishes like this. My other recent discovery was the amazing Saffron glitter polishes that can be found on eBay (or on market stalls or so I have heard). But I now have my eyes on a few interesting looking shades on eBay by Etude House.

If you can recommend any unique/international nail polish brands please let me know in the comments as I would love to start building up a more unique collection.

Fee xo.

The Big Skincare Mystery?

2012-01-25T10:30:00.000Z

Well, well, well, it's not everyday I receive an unbranded PR sample that intrigues me like this!

Meet the new high street 2-in-1 cleansing facial wash and 3 minute mask that will be revealed on March 1st.

Now I must admit it's no big mystery as after 5 minutes of searching online I'm 99% sure I know what the product is and I'm please to say it's well under the £5 mark. But unless you really want to know and beg me via twitter I'm keeping schtum as there are prizes to be won via the Big Skincare Mystery Facebook page (here). So I don't want to ruin it! Though ask me and I may give in as I HATE surprises and also hate keeping secrets!

Anyway, onto the daily cleanser/mask which I actually tried out today as a face mask...

The product itself seems on smell and appearance quite nice... no nasty synthetic/chemical smell unlike a lot of cleansers for spot prone/oily skin but quite a fresh, aloe vera/cucumber scent...which is rather pleasant.

As instructed I applied the cleanser/mask to wet skin and left it for 3 minutes. I was glad to see it wasn't a mask that set as I just cannot be doing with no speaking or smiling, even if it is only for three minutes! Plus I don't love that unnecessary tight feeling. However even though it didn't set at all, I could feel it slightly firming up and becoming more mask-like if that makes sense. After washing the mask off, my skin definitely felt clean (zero residue), with no redness and VERY smooth.

All in all quite a promising, non-over powering product that does seem quite suited to oily/problem skin with ingredients such as Kaolin and Salicylic acid (always good for the ol' spots!).

If you do want to sample this product you can actually request a sample over on the Facebook page and there is also a chance of winning some lovely Topshop vouchers!

Fee xo.

After Christmas Spending!

2012-01-24T10:30:00.000Z

So it is just after Christmas (kind of) and I received everything I wanted and more, but for some reason January has been a month of me treating myself for some reason!

However I'm not going to dwell on this or feel any guilt as it is just bad for the soul and done already! Well that is what I like to tell myself. So as I have accumulated a few nice items and some re-purchases I thought it was time for a bit of a 'haul' post.

First, my star buy at only £2.50...

... A miniature Denman hairbrush keyring!

Just what everyone needs. Okay, to be fair I wil probably NEVER be brushing my hair with this, I mean really, who would brush their hair with a bunch of keys hanging from it, tempting to get tangled in your hair - the idea was flawed to start with. But in emergencies I may resort to using it... who knows!

But for me it's all about it being miniature! This isn't something I openly share with many people but I do have a love for anything small/miniature. You name it - if it's small I am bound to love it... Sylvanian Families, teeny tiny designer chairs, Monopoly pieces, dolls houses, the inside of snow globes and of course mini beauty products and perfumes. I could go on all day! So when I spotted this in Boots my eyes just lit up and I didn't even think about if I would use it as an actual brush or not.

Now I know not many Boots will stock this as I found it in a rather large store but you can purchase it from Denman on Amazon for only £2.50 with free p&p - here.

Next up was a bit of a naughty splurge but in my defence both items were in the sale, so I was being savvy!

Now I will admit I'm not really a lover of lip gloss or lipstick (I say this yet own over 80 lip products!) however there is something that always draws me in. I think it must be a combination of most lipsticks having nice packaging and always wanting to find that perfect nude shade.

I only own one Guerlain lipstick and love both the packaging and the shade, so when I saw a nice little clearance tray on the Guerlain counter I had to have a look and to my amazement the only products that haven't been mushed up or used were these two beauties. Okay, I'm now started to sound like I love lip products - though I guess my definition of not being a fan is still pretty obsessed to the average person!

I must say the Guerlain Kiss Kiss Gloss Extreme Shine in Pomme Du Desir 806 (£16.00 - Debenhams) does look like an odd choice/shade, however this is just such a different product for me. The shade is just so dazzling and unique and definitely doesn't apply with that green hue that is looks in the tube. I think this will look best over a bold red lip just sparingly dabbed along the cupids bow and also the middle of the bottom lip to really make the lips stand out.

The Guerlain Kiss Kiss Baby Nourishing Lip Balm in Romantic Nude 260 (£21.00 - Debenhams) on the other hand is definitely a nice safe product that would suit anyone. This is actually more nude than it appears in the image and applies quite sheer as it is a lip balm after although it can be built up and is quite like a lipstick. You can definitely feel this is a high end product as it just apply so so well and keeps the lips from drying out. Really pleased with this!

As for re-purchases, I caved in and bought a new can of Batiste Brunette Dry Shampoo which even though it does the job it feels on a par with buying face wipes - but sometimes washing your hair can seem too much like a chore. I know it's not a product that is going to add any benefit to my hair and is only going to increase my laziness!

Having said that, this is my favourite Batiste Dry Shampoo (£2.99 - Chemist Direct here or Boots/Superdrug) and cannot be faulted - except for the smell!

I also purchased another bottle of Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation in 01 (the palest shade) as this really did impress me in 2011, as all Bourjois foundations do. I won't go into raptures about this as I really do think this deserves a full review but what I will say is that it is such a good quality foundation that performs more like a high-end foundation for a fraction of the price. You can find the foundation at Boots for £9.99 (here) and at the moment you receive a free full sized Bourjois mascara!

Last but not least I had to include my new favourite shoes! My first ever pair of Melissa Ballet Flats. I'm so pleased with these and love that they are scented (they smell of cupcakes!) like all the other Melissa shoes and have a lovely white heart at the back. I just know they will last me ages unlike so many other flats I have previously owned that have just worn down on the backs so quickly. For anyone interested here is the link to the shoes but I'm sure they will be on sale somewhere online!

Hopefully this hasn't been too boring and if you want to see swatches or a more detailed review on anything feel free to ask in the comments below.

Fee xo.

NOTD - Barbie Nails!

2012-01-21T11:00:00.000Z

So last week I was feeling oddly summery even though it was freezing cold and raining outside! But instead of wearing summer attire and freezing to death whilst looking like an idiot I decided to delve into my summer nail polish collection (yes I now divide my nail polishes into three boxes - nude & wintry shades, pastels & bright summery shades and special nail polishes & glitters!). Very organized I know! If only the rest of my life was like that.

Now a pastel nail polish would of probably been more appropriate for the wintry weather but I find pastel shades a bit wishy-washy against my pale skin in winter so only the really bright shades stood out to me!

The shade I obviously went for was Gosh Neon Baby (£4.99 - Superdrug) which is a pretty bright pink that just reminds me of BARBIE! I can't say I still love Barbies or the whole Barbie look but I do definitely remember my suitcase of Barbie's very fondly - I literally loved them!

Anyway, so this was 100% the shade I was drawn to first and because it's quite Barbie-esque and I think it's a shade that you can get away with anytime and just look girly wearing it. As with all Gosh nail polishes this applies really well and also lasts well on the nails - just two not overly thick coats is enough!

But as I was feeling summery and girly I decided to add a bit of glitter with the lovely Saffron Gold Speckles Nail polish that I purchased from eBay for only £2.19 (here) which I just love as it's such a pretty glitter and is actually good quality! I actually recommend the whole Saffron glitter range as they are just so lovely and different for the price.

I feel the glitter did turn it from Barbie nails to quite Nicki Minaj-esque but still really pretty, fun and girly!

This definitely isn't my usual style of nails but I really do love how it looks and will be wearing this a lot more especially once summer comes around again!

Fee xo.

Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette Review - Part 2

2012-01-13T10:30:00.000Z

Me again!

So if you didn't read my last post (here) on the Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette then I suggest you go read that - if not just for the pretty images of the palette!

But today's post is a more of a 'making your mind up' post because I know that some people haven't tried either of the palettes but now want to purchase one after the release of the 2nd palette and quite a few people are umm-ing and arr-ing about purchasing Naked2 even though they are still really enjoying the original Naked palette. Oh the dilemmas of the beauty obsessed, hey?!

So what do you exactly get with each palette...

Naked eyeshadow palette (£35 - Debenhams here) - 12 x 1.3g UD eyeshadows, eyeshadow brush and a travel sized Eyeshadow Primer Potion.

Naked2 eyeshadow palette (£36 - Debenhams here) - 12 x 1.3g UD eyeshadows, double ended eyeshadow brush and a travel sized Lip Junkie lipgloss.

Like I mentioned in part 1 (here) I really don't get why Urban Decay would include a lip product with a palette that is purely just for the eyes - it makes no sense. So I definitely prefer the extras with the original Naked palette as the primer potion is SUCH a good product and it really is useful for all eyeshadows.

Naked eyeshadow palette

So I have had the Naked palette for over a year now and think it may have been my most used product of 2011! I literally used it so much and actually had to make an effort to use other eyeshadows. But this is not about how I use it. So here is why you may or may not like the original Naked palette.

Why you may love it - These are some seriously pigmented eyeshadows that apply so nicely with little fallout. There is are some great shades in the palette, such as - Sin ( a lovely highlight shade and so buttery feeling), Sidecar, Buck (great for brows), Smog and Toasted (this may be my favourite UD shade, ever). Quite a lot of the shades are warm toned so if you suit pigmented, rich, warm toned eyeshadows than this is definitely for you. However even though I personally suit cool-toned shades I found I could still enjoy most of the shades... though some of the darker shades are just too rich and pigmented for me. But if you love strong smokey neutral eyes then this palette would be perfect in achieving that. Also the included mini eyeshadow primer potion really does work and comes in very handy with all of the eyeshadows.

Why you may dislike it - The packaging if I am honest is just pants, just so impractical it's just silly. Firstly the packaging is flocked so it grabs hold of fluff and any makeup it comes into contact with and it you dare put this in your makeup bag the edges will start to show wear and tear pretty quickly. Also it's made from cardboard and only has a magnetic close to keep it from opening. So for the first week it will look lovely... but believe me, it doesn't last long. Now this may sound slightly odd but if you do have quite pale skin or only like subtle neutral shades than this palette may be to strong/rich for you... I sometimes find when using some of the shades for just a neutral everyday smokey eye it can look a bit too full on as the shades are so shimmery and pigmented - so I definitely enjoy using this more when going out at night.

Naked2 eyeshadow palette

This is just a sleek palette full of beautiful new shades, this is definitely more wearable for the day for me personally as the shimmery shades are more pearl than anything else, which I do prefer.

Why you may love it - This may be slightly more expensive than the original palette but this looks the business! The palette is well made, practical and durable with a bigger mirror and even the eyeshadows seem to be slightly more finely milled . There really are some lovely shades in this that are quite unique (I'm talking - Suspect, Pistol, Verve) and also some shades that can be used not just as eyeshadows, such as Bootycall makes a lovely highlighter, Blackout is great for using as liner on the upper lashline and if you are fair haired, Tease could be used to fill in your brows. There are also slighter less shimmery shades in this so if you want something more subtle for work or you just don't want to look too made up then this palette will be perfect.

Why you may dislike it - You still have some of your deep, pigmented shades with this, such as - Half Baked, Snakebite and YDK but the whole palette seems just more neutral and subtle (which may be a good or bad thing depending on how you want to use it). However the two lighter matte shades don't give great pay off and are slightly chalky... really foxy just isn't that great at all. The free lipgloss whether you like the Lip Junkie range already may disappoint you as the packaging is just so rigid that it is actually hard to get the product out of the tube and because the product is so small the label on the tube is all wrinkled up even before you use it... just not really thought out. Plus surely the newer eyeshadow primer potion in Sin would of been nicer to include.

But which is best?!

I'm going to be rubbish and say I just can't answer that as it all depends on your skin tone and what you want to use it for the most. For example I love that Naked2 is more cool toned on my pale skin but for someone with much darker skin to me the shades would be quite warm toned - if that makes sense! But if you do want a more pigmented more shimmery palette I would go for the original Naked palette.

As for if you need both palettes? Well that is basically like asking someone do they need more than one or two red lipsticks! Some people will say of course they do as there are so many different tones of red and some will say probably not - so it definitely comes down to which camp you are in!

I really hope this has been helpful!

If you have any questions on either of the palettes feel free to ask in the comments below and I will try my best to answer them.

Fee xo.

Naked 2 Eyeshadow Palette Review - Part 1

2012-01-11T20:23:00.000Z

Now I know the Urban Decay Naked 2 palette went on sale in the UK this week so I'm thinking this review may just get nestled in with all the other excited new palette owners writing about it.. and maybe I should of talked about it earlier, but I didn't so, oh well!

BUT I'm writing about it now and I hope if you haven't purchased the Naked 2 palette already then my review will come in handy as I was actually one of the lucky people to receive the palette early from Urban Decay. So I have actually been using it for a good month and a half now and really feel it's review time!

Of course I can't talk about the Naked 2 palette without mention the original Naked palette, so it is going to be kind of a comparison review - which I really like as I get to be totally honest about both products and give my pros and cons to each!

The price info about both Naked palettes...

The original Naked palette I found to be the cheapest on BeautyBay.com for £32 including free delivery (here) but you can also purchase it from Debenhams.com for £35 (here), again free delivery if you want to get the points for your beauty club card.

The Naked2 palette for the moment (well for a month) is exclusive to Debenhams, so if you want to purchase now you can find it there (well here) for £36.00... again with free delivery.

*I must admit I don't love the price increase on the first palette as I remember when I purchase the palette last year it was £28 and I actually thought that was a fair price. Plus it also saddens me that the new Naked 2 palette is £1 more expensive for not much reason. Having said that though I do think the palettes are the best neutral eyeshadow palettes out there and if you do like your neutral then the price should go by the by if you want to purchase one or even both of the palettes. I just hope by 2013 we aren't seeing the prices creeping into the £40 mark.*

So onto the Naked 2 palette...

What you get - 12 x 1.3g Urban Decay eyeshadows (3 matte, 9 shimmery - with 5 brand new exclusive shades). The palette also comes with a travel-size Lip Junkie lipgloss in Naked and a double ended Good Karma Shadow/Crease brush which is exclusive to the palette.

If you are just interested in the eyeshadows I'd suggest to skip to the next picture as I'm just going to ramble about the whole of the palette here!

So first of all, I love the packaging! It is spot on, it is sleek, robust, wipe clean... and really just what the first palette should of been! The double-ended eyeshadow brush definitely comes in handy especially for travelling, but sadly the quality isn't that amazing it's not as soft as I'd of liked but it's nice enough. However the lipgloss... hmm hmm, I am wondering what Urban Decay were actually thinking when they included this with the palette. Now I personally don't love the Lip Junkie lipglosses so I haven't even used it properly, but even if I did... I would of much preferred an eye related travel sized product than a lip product... something like one of the newer eyeshadow primer potion or even a mini mascara would of done the job.

A lipgloss just doesn't work for me with an eyeshadow palette, sadly!

Rubbish image... in real life the eyeshadows are actually warmer than this.

The Naked2 eyeshadow shades...

I was tempted to include swatches but my temporary digital camera just isn't up to it, so here are some links to some really good swatches of the eyeshadows.

Lipglossping swatches (pale skin tone) - here

Temptalia swatches (medium skin tone) - here

Vex in the City (darker skin tone) - here

Favourites - Booty Call (light but perfectly shimmery!), Suspect (chic and unique), Verve (just love this!) and YDK (so pigmented and a lot more loved that Half Baked).

Dislikes - Half Baked (already in original palette and just too heavy and too much fall-out) and Chopper (too much glitter!).

Yawns - Foxy (pale and boring), Tease (just a bit yawn-worthy) and Busted (too dark and just not my cup of tea).

Nice extra - Blackout (so pigmented & perfect for using as eye liner).

The quality of the 12 eyeshadows really doesn't been to be talked about much as they are the great quality you would expect from Urban Decay - soft, buttery, pigmented and just all round lovely.

Now trying to put the original Naked palette out of my mind and not comparing the two at all I would say the Naked2 palette is a true neutral eyeshadow palette that has a good variety of shades and will be loved my anyone that does want a true neutral palette. However I'm not sure if 3 matte shades is enough as there are 12 shades after all... an extra one would of been nice I think. The eyeshadow that surprised me the most was Blackout which is a very black eyeshadow with the odd fleck of glitter (very subtle though) as I don't use darker eyeshadows, but this has been perfect for using with an angled liner brush at the roots of my lashes to make them look fuller and also are liner. You could even use this with a damp liner brush for a more pigment/intense effect.

The shades that stand out most for me are shades such as Suspect, Pistol, Verve... they are just true neutrals for me, nothing to over the top, just very wearable but also quite unique to this palette. Which is why I would stay it's worth the purchase really are they truly make the palette!

I was going to thoroughly compare both palettes but this post is becoming quite lengthy now. So tomorrows post will be 'part 2' so I can ramble some more. As I think if you don't own either the original Naked palette or the Naked 2 palette or you are thinking of buying the Naked2 palette it's important you think about if you need it because 24 neutral eyeshadows is a lotta eyeshadows for anyone!

My final thoughts on Naked2 (for now!)...

I am just so glad they got the packaging spot on this as if you are paying over £30 you do want something that is good quality and practical for every day use - so I'm very pleased on that front. I'm also pleased that they included 5 exclusive new shades but if I'm honest I would of liked more new shades (exclusive or not - I don't care) and even though Half Baked seems to be loved by many I don't think it needed to be featured in both palettes at all.

If you are a true neutrals lover that only wears neutrals day-to-day with £36 to spare (or to splurge!) then I would say get it, but expect to abandon all your other neutral eyeshadows for quite some time as this will be the only thing you reach for!

Overall on first appearances Naked2 did seem a bit bland but I have now realised that, that is strangely the beauty of this palette... the shades a pigmented but subtle which is such a beautiful combination.

Make sure to keep an eye out tomorrow for my full comparison of both Urban Decay Naked palettes!

Fee xo.

Your Skin, Your Rules, Nivea's Treat!

2012-01-06T19:05:00.000Z

Today I want to talk about a great new campaign from NIVEA and also about skincare routines in general.

A few products from NIVEA have featured constantly in my skincare ever since I can remember and actually it was from my mum, who also used these products, that I found myself using them. I have talked about them before in previous posts - they are the Oil -free Moisturising Day Cream SPF 8 and the Tinted Moisturising Day Cream in Natural and are both from the NIVEA Visage Daily Essentials range. For under £3.00 each these two products just cannot be faulted!

The oil-free moisturiser is one of the only moisturisers that I can use every other day and it does not affect the balance of my oil-prone skin (because it's oil free and so light) which is great. Also the Tinted Moisturising Day Cream is perfect for me in summer on the days that I do want some coverage but don't want the weight of a foundation.

This leads me on to NIVEA’s own thoughts on their Daily Essentials line which basically just mirrors what I have been going on about. They get that we all have different lifestyle and don't stick to or need the whole cleanse, tone and moisturise routine any more. It's just about what works for you and selecting those products and using them! So the NIVEA tagline 'Your skin, Your rules' just makes total sense and also, in a way, takes the pressure off us consumers thinking we ideally need to buy a whole range of products for them to work!

What is your routine like! Do you have time for a routine? Do you cleanse morning and night? Let me know!

Anyway, now on to the NIVEA treat and the lovely offer they are running at the moment! NIVEA also want to know about your skincare rules - whatever they may be. By heading to the NIVEA website and showing the NIVEA Daily Essentials product you use via a web cam or by typing in the barcode. Then all you need to do is write a bit of information on your own skincare to receive your instant free treat! Really quick and easy to do as well!

The NIVEA Treats include...

Dance Lesson for Two

Dance lesson for two: Ceroc, jazz, latin, fusion... at over 270 venues across the UK.

Makeover and Photoshoot

New ID Studios makeover and photo shoot: A professional hair, make-up

and photo session, plus take home free 5x7 prints.

Online Yoga Course for four weeks

Online Dru Yoga course: Enjoy two free classes over four weeks, which

you can do as many times as you like in the comfort of your own home.

All the treats must be redeemed by 31st May 2012 but are all totally free - which I think is just great!

I especially love the sound of the free makeover which you can actually do as a group booking of three, providing each person has a valid voucher, which would make a lovely day out! Also the Yoga course sounds great especially after Christmas to tone up and de-stress.

Either way I highly recommend having a look at the site (here) and at the free treats from NIVEA!

*sponsored content*

To Save or Splurge on Magnetic Nails!

2012-01-06T10:30:00.000Z

To say I am late to magnetic nails is a slight understatement! But to be fair I have never been very keen on 'nail art' the easy way so I put off crackle nail polish when it first came out, only to later realise that I quite liked it... maybe. I'm basically very on the fence about nail polishes that give nail effects really as I enjoy creating my own nail art!

But that aside I thought it was about time I tried magnetic nail polish and with receiving the Nails Inc offering of the magnetic trend from my sister at Christmas I thought it was definitely time to write a blog post giving my own thoughts on the now not so new nail look!

I also thought it would be good to compare two magnetic nail polishes with two very different price tags to see how they perform... I may also do this with crackle/shatter nail polish next week.

17 Magnetized Nail Polish in Blue (10ml) - Available from Boots £5.99

So the cheap one first (well cheaper one first as £5.99 isn't that um, cheap really!). First impressions were that there wasn't very many instructions, WHICH I know sounds a bit dense of me to say... but the bottle has no images to show the results you can expect and it basically just suggests you paint your nails, hover the magnet over the nail until the magnetic effect appear. Now I may very well of been a bit of a simpleton here.. but that little ridge thing on the cap there - well I didn't figure out that it was for resting just below the cuticle until I had unsuccessfully done three nails and touched the wet polish with the magnetic. So I think it's fair to say that if I didn't instantly get what the odd little lip was for, then I'm sure other will do the same.

I found one coat actually to be enough but it did apply too thick on some nails which meant the magnet actually pulled up the nail polish slightly (you can see below on my middle nail) and even though the process of painting my nails and then hovering over them with the cap was easy enough I did find I would do one nail quite well and then the next wouldn't really give the same effect.

But overall it did the job and gave a magnetic effect and I do actually quite like the shade... I think I would prefer the grey one though for a more striking finish.

One thing I really did like about this nail polish was that it only needs one coat so you can quickly paint them and hover over each nail and you are done! The only let down really is the price as 17 aren't really that pricey and I think £6 for a nail polish - magnetic or not, is slightly too steep. Would of been happy to see this at £4.99 really!

Nails Inc Magnetic Polish in Houses of Parliament - Available from Look Fantastic (here) £10.40

Onto the more pricey version! Now I am slightly going on about this but I was really pleased to see full instructions (they even mention what the lip on the cap is exactly for) and actual images of the results you could see with this. Also I instantly liked the shade, just slightly more chic and grown-up. Plus I think when it comes to magnetic nail polish the results maybe show up better the darker the shade - I may be wrong though!

Application wise I followed the instructions and applied one coat and let it dry and then applied a second coat and used the magnet whilst they were wet. So slightly more time consuming than the 17 one but I think giving my nails one coat first gave a better finish and it definitely wasn't too thick unlike the 17 one seemed to be on a few nails. Also I did notice the magnetic did work better and quicker - which I really do think would be the point in spending that bit more... and then of course you have the magnetic cap and can use it with other cheaper magnetic polishes as it does seem to be a stronger magnet. Yes, I am rambling now!

I definitely did make less mistakes with this polish and as you can see my nails do look neater but that could just be from learning how to use the magnetic cap properly?!

I also liked the glossy finish to the Nails Inc polish and didn't think it needed a top coat, were as the 17 one was slightly too dull for my liking so I would of used a top coat if I had of kept it on (I removed it to apply the Nails Inc one).

So which would I pick...

This is a bit of a tough one as I like the effect of magnetic nails but know I wouldn't personally do it that often so for that reason I would chose the cheaper 17 version but maybe in a darker shade so the results were a bit more obvious. But if you really do like the effect then the Nails Inc Magnetic Polish wins hands down as the application is nicer and the results are just better - so it's worth the splurge. So no real winner... I'd just say it pretends on how much you like the trend!

One a side note...

I may be pointing out the obvious here...

It is worth noting that without using the magnet on the cap all magnetic nail polishes are basically standard nail polishes, which is great as it means you can get a lot more use out of them and all the shade that are magnetic are quite different and nicely metallic.

Also the same applies to crackle or shatter nail polishes.. which I tweeted about last week and quite a few people seemed surprised at this! Basically the crackle effect is a chemical reaction when it coming into contact with the base nail polish that you are using. But it you apply crackle nail polish onto naked nails (so no nail polish on the nails at all) then the crackle nail polish just won't crackle at all, which means you can enjoy it as a normal nail polish are well as a crackle one!!

This is also good if you have bought a crackle nail polish and decided you don't like the effect or you just want to use it more than you would if just using it for the crackle effect!

So hopefully that little tip is news to some of you and I'm not just pointing out the obvious!

Let me know how you feel about magnetic nail polishes.

Fee xo.

Playing Catch-up & A Christmas Haul!

2012-01-04T19:49:00.000Z

So I am finally back to blogging and even typing these first few words seems a little bit new and different - which is slightly crazy as it really hasn't been that long! But at it's a new year I have a nice new notebook, ready to be filled with post ideas and different series that I didn't get round to doing last year and a few new ones which I'm quite excited about!

But to ease myself back into even using a laptop again I thought I would just post about some of the beauty related gifts I received at Christmas as I have read so many other blogs on this and it's always nice to see what people received etc etc!

As you can see above I did receive some lovely products from MAC Cosmetics which were on my Christmas list. Now unlike most other beauty/make up obsessed ladies I don't actually own many products from MAC (though I do really enjoy them as a brand) which is mainly because they have so many products, I am always overwhelmed when I visit a counter that I just buy one item at a time. So I chose wisely with products that would last me some time/be multi-purpose and put two Paint Pots on my list in Bare Study (perfect as a base) and Rubenesque (just so pretty!) and also Viva Glam II which looks nothing like the swatch on Debenhams website, though I am surprisingly loving that it's a darker nude and it seems to go really well with my pale skin.

I also received two new perfumes... not that I need ANY more, as I literally have around 10 on the go at the moment (how bad it that?!) but I made sure no one bought me anything over 50ml! I was so pleased to receive Lovely by Sarah Jessica Parker as I have had this in the past in a small 10ml roller ball and loved it. Also my sister wears this a lot, so it reminds me of her and I always think she smells nice. I'm not amazing at describing fragrances but I would definitely say this is quite a powdery scent that is more on the dry side but also quite floral and pretty smelling...! I also received Vera Wang Rock Princess which I'm a bit on the fence about as I was lusting after Vera Wang Princess, but never the less this is still a nice perfume that I will probably use when I want a bit of a change from all my favourites.

Just writing this has made me realize that I have way too many perfumes and definitely do not need anymore until my birthday in May - at the very least!

Another thing I definitely did not need more of was nail polishes, but my eyes always light up when I receive or buy new shades - I truly am addicted to different finishes and shades!

My lovely intuitive sister actually really surprised me with the Nails Inc Magnetic Polish in Houses of Parliament which I wouldn't of treated myself to and I have never even tried out magnetic nail polish before, so this was lovely! I also received three mini Topshop nail polishes that came as a trio in Eyes of Steel, Glimmer & Heart of Gold and I must say I really love them - you cannot beat a good metallic nail polish! So nail of the day posts will be coming up of all four nail polishes this month I am sure!

I also received my favourite shampoo, which seems to have been re-packaged/re-branded slightly as it was the Tigi Bedhead Superstar shampoo and now it is called Tigi Bedhead Styleshots Epic Volume Shampoo - what a mouthful. But either way, I love this shampoo! Also as a little stocking filler some lovely person gave me the Lip Smackers Coca Cola Lip Balm trio which I really love as I am so sick of rubbish quality novelty lip balms even though I love my novelty flavours, so it was great to receive ones that were good quality and actually smell like Coca Cola!!

I was 100% spoilt this year like I always am really, even though I didn't actually ask for much! I also received some lovely pieces of jewellery, gift vouchers, clothes etc and maybe my most used or should I say mosted watched product - the first series of Six Feet Under which I had only seen one episode of years ago... I'm up to the 3rd disc already and I'm just loving it. I definitely needed a new series to get stuck into with all the nasty weather we are having and this is just perfect.

Hope that wasn't all too much for you to read! Fingers crossed I get my blogging mojo back tomorrow with a bit of a nail post.

Hope you all have had a lovely holiday/break!

Fee xo.

Saving the Best for Last - S&G Big Splendour set for only £25!

2011-12-21T16:10:00.000Z

I'm back!

Hope you are all doing well and all getting excited for Christmas! I must admit going on holiday did feel like I was in a time warp as it felt like it was summer but I'm slowly but surely getting back into the festive spirit!

So to ease myself back into blogging (I still have quite a few gift guides to post before Christmas day still to do!) I thought I would let you know about the AMAZING Soap & Glory offer at Boots, well that is if you don't already know about it!

You will have to be very quick as these seem to be selling out every day but the Big Splendour was £60 and now is a totally amazing £25 which works out at only £2.50 a product... crazy stuff!

The Big Splendour set includes...

Clean On Me™ Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel - 500ml
The Righteous Butter™ Body Butter - 300ml
Pulp Friction™ Body Scrub - 300ml
Face, Soap & Clarity™ Fresh Facial Wash - 150ml
25 Off Your Face™ Cleansing Wipes
Heel Genius Foot™ Cream - 125ml
Hand Food Hand™ Cream - 125ml
Mist You Madly™ Fragrant Body Spray - 250ml
Sexy Mother Pucker™ Lip Plumper In Candy Gloss - 7ml
Calm One, Calm All™ Bubble Bath - 500ml.

Now IF you wanted to be savvy you could split the set into three gifts all contains three Soap & Glory products and still have one left for yourself and the bag or you could be nice and give the whole set to someone you really like OR you could just treat yourself to it and not need to buy any S&G products for quite some time!

Either way this is such a fab offer and definitely worth popping to your local Boots to see if they still have any left (even if they are out of stock I find it is always worth asking if they are going to have any more deliveries in before Christmas!).

The offer runs until December 24th!

Fee xo.

PS. Glad to be home!!

Be Beautiful: Invigorating Ginger & Lime Salt Scrub

2011-12-16T10:30:00.000Z

When I read that Rebecca from Be Beautiful blog was creating her own natural body care range I was genuinely so pleased and happy for her. I mean it's amazing that someone can be inspired enough by makeup/other bloggers to even create a beauty blog, let alone an actual skincare range!

So I was really happy when Rebecca contacted me to ask if I wanted to review/trial out her first ever product, plus I do really love to support other bloggers because I honestly think there is enough room for us all. Also if you read my posts you will know that I am fairly conscious of certain chemicals and do quite like natural/organic body products but have never ever actually tried something that is super duper hand-made and not mass produced. Basically I was just looking forward to trying it.

Be Beautiful Invigorating Ginger & Lime 100% Natural Salt Scrub

£7.95 inc p&p/200ml available to buy here.

My honest first thoughts were that the scrub did look a bit ugly (slightly like frogspawn!) but it smelt amazing - so fresh! But I do have to admit my favourite ever scrub S&G the Breakfast Scrub also doesn't look that amazing. Also I instantly thought that the packaging actually looked quite natural but something you could see on a shelf say in Boots.

As for the consistency hand on heart this really impressed me as it is gritty and exfoliating but there are no huge grains and it isn't a scrub that falls off the body when you apply it/start rubbing it in which I was impressed by! This also spreads evenly and the smell is just so nice as you rub it in, perfect for waking you up in the morning.

Also as this contains essential oils it does leave a slight coat on the skin (which Rebecca was a bit worried about as she knows I haven't liked scrubs like that in the pass) but this wasn't an issue at all for me as unlike other scrubs containing oils this soaked into my skin fully before I stepped out of the shower so no sticky body parts! So I really do think Rebecca has got the balance spot on with just enough that is hydrates the skin... this is something that impressed me the most as I'm sure getting that balance right is a tricky process of trail & error!

Overall I have been really impressed with this and if you are into natural products or just want to support a wonderful beauty blogger doing wonderful things then I do highly recommend this. I was using the salt scrub on the tops of my arms and on my hands (it's great for keeping next to the sink) but have recently started using it all over prior to tanning and it has really buffed off any dry skin I ha on my knees, elbows and feet!

I really do hope the Be Beautiful range grows from strength to strength as it have been clearly made with passion and also knowledge and I'm also really looking forward to seeing what Rebecca comes up with next!

Fee xo.

Christmas Gift Guide - Teens

2011-12-14T10:30:00.000Z

Buying for teenagers is pretty easy as there are just so many products on the market aimed at them! But I thought it would still be nice to do a gift guide and split it into three parts as lets face it, you wouldn't give a 12 year old girl the same gift as someone that is eighteen.

I'm not sure how right I have got it but I hope you enjoy!

Early Teens...
When I was in my early teens, around 12/13 I remember receiving a huge makeup set (the kind with lots of cheap makeup in) and I absolutely loved it. But of course teenagers today are a lot more savvy and also sadly more grown up, so it's about making them feel like they aren't children anymore but without making their parents stare on in horror as they open their present of false eyelashes from Aunty Linda!

Impulse Mini Trio Set (Tesco £3.50 - here)
This is just a cheap little gift that could be included along side another present. These all smell quite nice and are ideal someone in their early teens for putting in their school bag or using at the weekend etc!

Harajuku Lovers Jingle G (Fragrance House £12.50 - here)
This perfume is just lovely to give as a gift this Christmas for all ages really! It has actually sold out on Escentual and Boots online now so the link included above was the only place I could find it at, but at least it is free delivery still. The fragrance itself isn't very Christmas smelling but it is nice and sweet and fun and the top can be used as a Christmas tree decoration for years to come!

Accessorize Make Up (Superdrug from £3.00 - here)
Accessorize makeup is nice and again, for any age but some of the packaging is perfect for anyone in their early teens, it's super girly and all the shades are nice and pretty.
At the moment Superdrug had an offer on the Accessorize range when you spend over £6 you receive an eyeshadow palette (above). So I purchased two lipglosses for £3 each and received the free palette which is actually worth £6!

MUA Immaculate Collection Palette (Superdrug £8.00 - here)
For anyone in their early teens a large eyeshadow palette like this is great as most won't own so many eyeshadows and it means they get to play around with all different shades! I really do like this and think the quality is really great for the price. You can get this online at Superdrugs or in larger stores OR at the moment if you spend £8 on the new MUA website you get this palette FREE - here.

Barry M Nail Paints (Boots from £2.99 - here)
Barry M nail polishes are for any age but I think more appreciated than Miss Sporty or Natural Collection for someone in their early teens (I keep saying that don't I!) as Barry M products are kind of cool aren't they. There are so many amazing shades and they definitely look nice as a trio... plus when you spend over £6 on Barry M products in Boots at the moment you receive a Limited Edition Nail Paint which is very sparkly and lovely!

Nail Art - (Various prices)
I won't go into specific products here but nail art is definitely a great present to give as it's something really fun to try out on Christmas day and to get creative with! For nail art pens I would suggest - Topshop (here), Stargazer and Models Own. For nail stickers and gems etc I would suggest - Girls With Attitude (here) and Stargazer and also Nail Rocks (here) for nail wraps.

Mid Teens...
I personally think that the mid teen age stage is slightly harder to buy for as it's kind of all about being cool and things can go from being cool to so un-cool pretty quickly at that age. Also when you are 15/16 you can be easily offended when someone buys you something that isn't grown-up enough!

Lauren Conrad: Style (Amazon £5.29 - here)
I remember when I was around seventeen I was given the Victoria Beckham style book and I totally loved it and this seems to be the exact same style of book but just with Lauren Conrad who is very 'now' and also it is a bit more informative. I wouldn't even say the receiver of this gift needs to be an actually fan of Lauren Conrad it's just a good book on style, shopping and make-up tips! Also £5.29 is such a good price as the R.R.P is £9.99.

17 Make up (Boots from £2.89 - here)
You could go for any brand when buying makeup for someone in their teens but there is just something about 17 - it just basically ticks all the boxes. It's affordable as a gift so you can purchase quite a few items, the packaging is always nice and the products are always good quality. I would say stick to mascara, eyeshadow trios (love Enraged at the moment), lipsticks and nail polishes! Also when you spend over £6 on 17 products at the moment you receive a free gift set of nail polishes!

Makeup Brush Sets (Blush Professional from £9.99 - here)
If you are buying for a girly girl that is getting into makeup a bit more than a brush set could make the ideal gift! A large brush set like the one above with 18 brushes in it will literally cover everything and will last them such a long time.

Katy Perry Purr 30ml (Boots £24.99 - here)
Unless the teenage you are buying for is a goth/emo/something alternative then I'm pretty sure most teens quite like Katy Perry! This comes in such a cute bottle and is just nice... I won't even try to describe the scent of this as I can't pick out any notes in it. But out of all the newer celebrity perfumes I would say this is the nicest looking and smelling.

Violent Lips Tattoos (HQ Hair from £10.50 - here)

I'm pretty sure if you gave these as a gift this year they won't receive anything even remotely similar! These are just so fun and actually do look good and are fairly easy to apply! Also ideal for anyone that loves Jessie J!

Late Teens...

I would say this is pretty much the easiest age range to buy for as it all about getting something good quality and something that looks nice & pretty!

Rae Morris Makeup: The Ultimate Guide (Amazon £10.02 - here)

This has to be the most informative makeup books I have read, ever! It just contains so much information and the images in the book are just so detailed and beautiful. This is something that they will be able to go back to time and time again and read snippets from. 100% worth the price and will make someone that loves makeup a great gift.

Models Own Nail Polish (ASOS £5 each - here)

Whether you buy a trio of glitter polishes, mix n' match or buy some shades from the new and amazing Beetlejuice collection these are sure to make a really nice gift. These are super duper quality and some of the shades are just amazing. The polishes above are Champagne, Magenta Devine and Golden Green.

Benefit Primpcess Set (Benefit UK £25.00 - here)

Any Benefit set/kit would make a lovely gift this Christmas but the Primpess set is my newest set (you can see my full review of it here) but I equally love the Finding Mr Bright set. All the sets are just great for trying out Benefit products and the packaging is always amazing. The Primpcess set is sold out online like a few of the other sets so I would definitely say to go to your nearest Benefits counter and not to be tempted by discount sites or eBay as the Internet is now just so saturated with counterfeit Benefit products.

MAC Lipstick (Debenhams £13.50 - here)

Mac lipsticks are kind of cult products now aren't they?! Even if you can only afford the one, it would make someone a lovely treat - any age! My tip is to purchase a shade you have seen the receive of the gift wearing the most so that you cannot get it wrong. Also this is definitely something to wrap up really pretty in gold sparkly paper and to tie a little bow around.

Guerlain Insolence 30ml (Boots £35.50 - here)

The Insolence perfume is just an example really even though I personally adore this scent. But if your budget stretches to a fragrance then something like Vera Wang Princess, Burberry Body, Juicy Couture Juice, etc would make SUCH a lovely present and I think the receiver of such a fragrance may pretty much love you after opening it!

I really enjoyed writing this so I hope you also enjoyed reading it!

The next gift guide I am thinking will be either on books, high end beauty gifts or gifts for men!

Fee xo.

Vera Wang & Hugo Boss Fragrance Giveaway! CLOSED

2011-12-13T10:30:00.000Z

Today I have a lovely Christmas giveaway for two amazing perfumes that have been kindly provided by FYFO!

The giveaway will run until Saturday 17th (11pm) so fingers crossed the two winners with receive the prizes before Christmas! As you can see the two fragrances are Vera Wang Rock Princess (100ml) which comes in an amazing bottle and Huge Boss Orange (50ml) which I personally love the smell of (here)!

UK only, sorry!

The Rules...

As I am feeling festive you don't need to be a follower of my site you just need to have a valid e-mail address!

To enter just leave me a comment telling me what your favourite ever scent is and also which perfume of the two you would prefer (I cannot guarantee you will get this but if your comment is picked first you will get the fragrance you want!). Plus your first name and e-mail address.

It is as simple as that!

Good Luck!

Fee xo.

Oh Christmas Tag, Oh Christmas Tag!

2011-12-12T10:30:00.000Z

I am finally feeling Christmas-y!
I have most of my shopping done, my decorations are up and now I'm on to thinking about how I'm going to wrap all my presents... which is my favourite part!

So to spread my festive-ness I thought I would do the Christmas tag that has been floating about... feel free to copy & paste it and do it on your own blog!

1.What is Your Favourite Holiday Movie?
Surviving Christmas (see here) with Ben Affleck as it's funny but also heart warming and also Elf (see here) because it never fails to make me laugh!

2. Whats Your Favourite Christmas Color?
I instantly thought of red but I do love a bit of gold. Though if glitter was a colour I would say glitter!

3. Do You Like To Stay in Your PJs Or Dress Up For Christmas?
I always, always stay in my pyjamas in the morning when I'm opening my presents and eating breakfast but then I go upstairs with all the lovely makeup and new clothes I have received and get dressed up a bit!

4. If You Could Only Buy One Person a Present This Year Who Would It Be?
Ohh this is a bit of a deep question for a Christmas tag as you would want it to be someone that really deserved it or someone that would really appreciate it! So for that reason it would be someone in my family who wouldn't expect it (they actually never expect me to buy them a present) but it would hopefully mean a lot to them!

5. Do You Open Your Present Christmas Eve Or Christmas Morning?
When I was younger my mum and dad use to always let me open one present on Christmas Eve just before bed and then the rest on Christmas morning. So I have carried on that tradition now that it's just me and my boyfriend (and the dog!).

6. Have You Ever Built a Ginger Bread House?
Nope! Even though they look pretty... I'm not sure how easy it would be too eat!

7. What Do You Like To Do On Your Christmas Break?
Lots! It's the only time in winter when I would rather be doing something than hibernating in bed! I love Christmas shopping, watching festive films, sitting at home with all the decorations up and the fairy lights on, spending time with family, wrapping presents to make them look beautiful and of course the day itself!

8. Any Christmas Wishes?
Just for next year to be good and healthy.

9. Favourite Christmas Smell?
I love burning candles but the one smell that always reminds me of Christmas is the smell of roast potatoes! So tasty!

10. Favourite Christmas Meal Or Treat?
It has to be Christmas lunch... my sister is the best cook and makes the most amazing turkey, roast potatoes, stuffing, french style peas and chantenay carrots! Om nom nom... so good!

Hope you are all looking forward to Christmas!

Fee xo.

Betty Crocker Candle Winner!

2011-12-11T18:27:00.000Z

Thanks to all that entered the giveaway! I was really surprised at the number of entries for the candle!

The winner was comment 149 which was...

Jess!

I have your e-mail address so will e-mail you ASAP so that I can get it sent straight off to you.

Make sure to keep an eye out for a wonderful perfume giveaway (well two perfumes actually) that should be up on Tuesday while I am away!

Fee xo.

Christmas Gift Guide - N-Spa Treats!

2011-12-10T11:00:00.000Z

Oh my, oh my how I like my N-Spa products!

For me N-Spa are cheap, fun, smell amazing and look slightly like Philosophy products which are quite pricey indeed. These make lovely but cheap gifts at Christmas as you can purchase 3 products for around £6-7 which I think is just great!

Now of course N-Spa products residue in Asda but for all those poor people that don't have access to an Asda, then you will be glad to know you can actually buy N-Spa products online from Asda Groceries Online - here. I am really not sure how much delivery is but if you really do want to buy some products from N-Spa then all is not lost atleast.

Vanilla Creme Brulee Shower and Bath Gel 500ml
(£2 - here or in store)
I use to use this many moons ago when I didn't avoid SLS's and can say that I use to love it - the smell is just soooo amazing. But the reason why I have it now is because it's a Christmas present for somebody! There are so many different scents in the range but this has to be my favourite and is great for using as a shower gel as it just lasts ages and foams up so well with one of those shower puffy things!It also smells lovely in the bath and does make the skin feel quite nice.

I think three of these which would total only £6 in three different yummy scents would make a lovely but cheap gift this year.

Indulgent Toffee Shimmer Body Oil 150ml
(£2 - here or in store)
I would say this product is more suitable for someone in their teens as it's just a bit of a fun product to use that smells very yummy!
I'm personally not in love with this body oil as I don't overly love shimmery skin but with a tan I do use and like it - so it's a bit hit and miss for me. But again with other products this could make a lovely gift.

Indulgent Gingerbread Whipper Body Cream 250ml
(£2.oo - in store)
This whipped body cream is just to die for... the smell is literally amazing! This is a perfect product to use near Christmas as it just smells so festive and wintry. The product is a really good size for only £2.00 and I just cannot fault it.

Hot Butter Fudge Sugar Body Polish 350ml
(£4.00 - here or in store)
My total favourite product out of the whole range - THIS product is just A-mazing! My love for this is on the same level as my love for Soap & Glory's The Breakfast Scrub. The scrub comes in a huge pot (like the angel cake packaging below) and is a jelly like sugar scrub that is golden in colour like brown sugar and just smells so, so, soooo good - I just can't explain how good this stuff smells. Basically if you like warm yummy smelling products or know someone who does then you need to buy this! The scrub itself isn't overly harsh but it isn't a thin scrub either, just somewhere in the middle.

This is so yummy that is feels slightly wrong using it in summer so this is definitely one to buy for winter/Christmas.

Indulgent Angel Cake Bath Melt 350ml

(£4.00 - in store)

This is basically a luxury kind of bubble bath and when you scoop this out it's quite an odd jelly like texture that just feels more substantial! I can't say I know what Angel Cake smells like but this smells sweet and almost bubblegum like. Again I think this would suit teens more than anything as it's a sugary sweet product that looks really nice as a gift.

Raspberry Milkshake Body scrub 225ml

(£2.00 - here or in store)

I think I must of tried every single body scrub from N-Spa now but this is my favourite one for in summer. It's fresh, grainy and cheap! Also I personally love this as it doesn't contain any sulfates which is a huge thumbs up for me as so many body scrubs like this contains SLS's in them.

Vanilla Creme Brulee Body Scrub 225ml

(£2.oo - here or in store)

This is again one yummy product that I mainly just use because I love the scent. But I must admit I love the type of scrub that is it, kind of a cream with good sized grains in it. Some days I use the Fudge Sugar Body Polish when I want to exfoliate and then other days when I just want to wash my skin and be a bit lazy I use this and just stand there inhaling it in the shower!

All I can say is om nom nom about this!

I actually feel a bit hungry now!

What I would do for a few (large) spoonfuls of Marks & Spencers Salted Caramel Sauce right now?!

Mmmmm just so good!

Fee xo.

Compagnie De Provence Soap Stack

2011-12-09T10:30:00.000Z

Just a mini review of a stocking filler type gift today!

This is the Compagnie De Provence Soap stack from Zalando which contains 5 x 25g mini soaps for £6.95 with free delivery - here.

I have never tried anything from Compagnie De Provence before but they have always interested me especially with their lovely look Rose Liquid Hand soaps, but they have always seemed slightly too pricey. Which is why I was attracted to this - it's cheap enough and you get to try out five of the different soaps to just use or to see which you like the most.

I must admit I do kind of do want to keep this to myself and I may just, as I seem to have over bought for a few people this year!

The five soaps in the stack are...
Mediterranean Sea, Fresh Verbena, Summer Grapefruit, Wild Rose scent and Olive & Lavender.

I haven't unwrapped these as I still may give them as a gift but even through the wrappers you can smell these soaps which is a good sign. Each soap is a pretty good size for travelling with or keeping next to the sink. The ones I would try first would have to be Summer Grapefruit and Olive & Lavender as these smell the nicest to me.

It is quite a small gift but even so this doesn't look cheap and I think this would be ideal for some slightly older that likes likes nice toiletries and what nots!

Overall a cute but slightly different gift that will compliment another present really well!

Fee xo.

NOTD - China Glaze Tinsel Town

2011-12-08T10:30:00.000Z

I cannot believe the lack of sparkly, glittery nails on Makeup Savvy this Christmas. It's actually a bit of a disgrace seeing as I own sooo many pretty glitter nail polishes!

However I will be rectifying this, this week as I am now armed with some potent glitter nail polish remover (Sally Hansen's Kwik Off) and I have all my most Christmas-y glitter nail polishes all lined up to use!

But today I want to show you one that came with the China Glaze Santa's Little Helpers set that I purchased last month. This is by favourite polish from the set as it is so different from anything I have and it looks so pretty on - not exactly like tinsel but still so amazing with the texture and sparkly of this.

Tinsel Town actually reminds me of one of those amazing rocks that look normal on one side and then you turn it over and to reveal the most amazing crystal pewter that sparkles under any light!

This only needs two coats and it's done but it does chip within 1-2 days which isn't so amazing. But I'm sure with a top coat it will last longer! The thing I love most about the polish is how much it sparkles without looking like it is full of glitter if that makes sense and I also love how rough it looks even though it doesn't actually feel rough compared to other glitter nail polishes I have tried in the past... almost a smooth glitter polish.

I bought this as part of a China Glaze Santa's Little Helpers set from eBay which you can find with this UK Seller here for only £11.75 with free p&p!

The other shades in the set are - Velvet Bow, Ring in the Red (see my nail swatch) which is so lovely and Icicle (see my nail swatch).

Fee xo.

Betty Crocker Gingerbread Candle Giveaway! CLOSED

2011-12-07T17:00:00.000Z

Just a quick little giveaway before I am sunning myself on a beach next week!

I mentioned these lovely little Betty Crocker candles in my Candle Gift Guide (here) last week and I thought it would be nice to give one away so someone can enjoy it before Christmas!

The giveaway is for one Gingerbread Betty Crocker Candle and is open to UK readers only.

The Rules...

Not many rules with this one as it is such a small prize... you don't even need to be a follower of my blog even! You just have to live in the UK.

All you need to do it leave me a comment below with your first name and e-mail address.

The giveaway will close Friday 9th December at 11pm and I will announce the winner Saturday 10th December so that I can post it off on Monday before I jet off on my hols!

Good Luck!

Fee xo.

Yardley Royal English Daisy Perfume

2011-12-07T10:30:00.000Z

Another day closer to Christmas and another possible gift idea!

I tried this perfume last week as a little sample and was so impressed with both the scent and the price that I went out and bought it as a present for a family member!

This is the Yardley London Daisy Eau de Toilette 50ml which is currently on offer in Boots for only £6.66 (normally £9.99) - here.

Yes, only £6.66 for a 50ml perfume! Crazy. Now this of course isn't a 'young' persons scent, even though I personally do like it and would maybe wear this in spring. But as the brand is more focus towards the more mature ladies I would say this is an ideal present for mums, aunts and grandma's!

For me this seems like an updated/good alternative to the Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers perfume... the two perfume don't smell the same but I feel like the quality of the perfumes are very similar and would suit the same type of people. So it you know someone that likes Sunflowers then I'm sure they will really like this.

As for the scent itself - think a light daisy scent combined with fresh spring weather. It is clean and light and just smells nice! The bottle as you can see is quite elegant in shape with a metal top and is boxed which makes it seem that bit more expensive than it is.

I'm now very intrigued to smell the Yardley English Rose perfume (again £6.66 here) as I use to own Paul Smith Rose and did quite like it but I haven't purchased it again as it is slightly too steep in price as it didn't blow me away. So if this smells anything similar then I am on to a total winner!

Yardley also do gift sets with the Daisy perfume for £10.00 (here) which include a 75ml body spray... but I actually think the perfume looks nicer on it's own!

If I have time before I go on holiday I will write a gift guide on fragrances as I feel I have gone perfume mad this year and have tried and bought so many!

Fee xo.

Christmas Gift Guide - All Things Hair!

2011-12-06T10:30:00.000Z

Now I don't often talk about hair products on Makeup Savvy but I actually don't now why that is, as I do love my hair products and own quite a lot. Plus I do have quite long hair that I love to preen. So I felt it only made sense to write a gift guide on all things hair that you could give as gifts or ask for Christmas this year!

Firstly I want to mentioned what I feel is the top hair tool this Christmas and one I have been personally wanting for quite a bit. Yes, it is the Babyliss Wave Envy (£39.97) which I like to say creates 'mermaid hair'. I was going to ask for it for Christmas but I knew I would use it a lot in the run up to Christmas with parties and different events to go to... so I did have a slight splurge and bought it for myself! I have only used it once but you can see what my hair looked like here without running my fingers through the curls and keeping it quite neat, and here is my hair ruffled up with a bit of volume in it - what do you think?

I am sure I will do a full review of this in time, but already I can say it gives such lovely results and is SO easy to use!

Aussie 3 for £10 at Boots...

This was actually one of my first Christmas purchases (to someone that I hope won't be reading this!) as I thought it was a pretty good price for three Aussie products that retail for around £5 each... so really it's just like 3 for 2 isn't it! I just find Aussie products so yummy and really good for the hair, plus I don't actually know anyone that hasn't liked Aussie products, especially the 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment... the smell is just amazing and it works wonders!

It is a bit of a shame that it doesn't come in a nice gift set (thought I can't say I love all that excess packaging with every gift set) so I am either thinking about tying up the three products in a nice wintry purple scarf or buying some purple crepe paper and using some straw tie/ribbon to wrap it all together and then I can wrap it up in wrapping paper at normal.

Also Superdrug are offering 2 for £6.99 on all Aussie hair products at the moment as
well!

Natural Hair Products

Now if you have a friend or family member that you know likes to use more natural products or likes to only use good quality hair products that actually look after the hair, then giving them the gift of these types of products can really make a thoughtful and gratefully received present. I know from past experience that nothing makes my face drop slightly at Christmas like a hair or skincare gift that I cannot use due to the chemicals in it that I avoid using.

Tigi
Both the Love, Peace and the Planet (Cherry Almond) range and the Superstar range are my absolute favourite hair care ranges... though I must admit I love the Love, Peace and the Planet range for the amazing almond scent! Both ranges are totally sulfate-free so great for anyone that is conscious to avoid that range of chemicals, or has a sensitive scalp/weak hair, or that even has dyed hair as using SLS-free products helps to prevent the hair from being stripped. Also all the products look great packaging wise and you can get some great discounts at Amazon (here) and Cheap Smells (here).

Naked
Naked hair products seem to be the most natural high-street priced range out there and I really do love them for that! They are 97% natural and have such an extensive range now in Boots, Sainbury's, Tesco and online at Naked bodycare and Boots online. My favourite products are the Buttermilk & Green Tea Hydrating Conditioner and the Hibiscus & Frangipani Strengthening Shampoo. At the moment Naked online are offering free delivery on all UK orders until 22nd December and a free product when you spend over £20 - here.

Yes To... Tomatoes
I love all things Yes To Tomatoes... even though I strangely have never ever tried a tomato in my life?! But my new favourite shampoo has to be the amazing Tempting Tomatoes Daily Volumizing Shampoo which just makes the hair feel amazing even without applying conditioner and smells so so good - I just can't explain it! I purchased the huge 500ml shampoo from Zalando (here) for £8.95 which will last me such a long time I am sure!

Hair Extras

I could easily dedicate a whole post on different nifty hair products that do all sorts of things but here are the ones that I use all the time and really do like.

Vo5 Miracle Concentrate with Argan Oil (Boots £4.99 - here) - For £4.99 this is a total miracle product that everyone needs if they suffer from fizzy or dry/damaged hair! This would make a nice stocking filler or you could even buy this as part of a trio of other different interesting hair products like the one below.

Schwarzkopf got2b Powder'ful Volumizing Styling Powder (Amazon £5.00 inc p&p - here) - This is definitely a strange but amazing product that would be ideal for someone that loves big hair. The consistency of this is almost like a sticky powder that grips on to the roots of the hair and creates amazing lasting volume!

Tresemme Heat Defence Styling Spray (Boots £4.99 - here) - This is a huge bottle that will last anyone ages and 100% does the job. Not much to say about this product but really good value for money here.

Umberto Giannini Backcomb in a Bottle (Boots £5.61 - here) - I have found some people love this and some people hate it. I personally love it, but feel there is a definite technique to using it! This is a great is you are creating a really girly gift set for someone as this product is a must before nights out!

Aussie Shine Coloured Hair Protection Serum (Boots £4.69 - here) - I really do like the Aussie Dual Personality range and think this combination of a shine serum and a heat protectant is such good idea. This really does give some shine to the hair without weighing it down at all AND it smells nice.

Hair Tools

You may see a theme with the products below - they are all by Babyliss! Now I must say I hadn't even realized this until now but clearly Babyliss come out with products that catch my eye and I must admit they are never overly complicated and are always really good quality.

Babyliss Turbo Shine Dryer (Tesco £15.31 - here) - I bought this last year after making the mistake of buying a really expensive looking hair dryer that weighed a ton (I actually use to hit myself on the head with it when drying my hair!). But with such a price difference this really does serve me well as I have used it around 3 times a week for a year and it's never over heated and I have never hit myself on the head with it! This is actually sold as being lightweight and it really is - just a nice product that does the job and looks pretty nice as well.

Cloud Nine Micro Iron Hair Straightener (Amazon £49.95 - here) - As you can see this isn't a review of the Umberto Giannini as it has been discontinued since last year... but now I have my eye on the Cloud 9 Micro Irons as I don't straighten my hair that often so a little pair for using once in a while makes sense.

Babyliss Pro Conical Wand 32-19mm (Beauty Bay £23.95 - here) - If you want to buy someone a hair tool this Christmas but don't have a huge budget then this is the product for you/them! The barrel comes in different sizes for different lengths of hair (mine is the biggest barrel size) and there is also a choice of black or pink. This is so easy to use as you literally wrap the hair around the wand, hold it for a few seconds and then you have perfectly tight or loose curls! A really nice product.

Babyliss Wave Envy Hair Styler (Tesco £39.97 - here) - Ahhh my new baby! I'm sure this will be on many people's Christmas lists this year and rightly so as this doesn't disappoint! This can give quite a few looks if used in different ways and is SO easy to use - just clamp and wait, clamp and wait and then voila, amazing waves that make the hair look so shiny and feel so soft! I am already impressed with this!

Brushes...

I don't own many brushes because I don't actually brush my hair that often - ooops! But I have included the Tangle Teezer as I know it is such a cult product now and also a very purse friendly version that would be ideal as a stocking filler!

Tangle Teezer in Pink (Boots £10.20 - here) - This would make a great gift for anyone that likes to look after their hair as it's one of those products that once you try it you just get why it is so popular and then you find you can't live without it! They also now do these in a pretty flower shaped holder for children which this works amazing well on as it removes knots from the hair without any tugging or pain. Really great and a fun looking hair product to give someone this Christmas!

Denman Be-Bop Massager (Look Fantastic £2.75 - here) - I call this the poor persons Tangle Teezer as it does virtually the same thing but definitely works better in the shower. This is meant for massaging the scalp with but I much prefer to use it after I have applied conditioner to remove any knots from my hair and it just makes any conditioner work so much better! Also really handy that Look Fantastic do free p&p so this really is such a cheap product.

Wow, I feel like I need a lie down now!

Really hope this has been useful/interesting and make sure to look out for my next Gift Guide which will be on books - make up books, girly reads, fiction etc etc.

Fee xo.

Fresh Sugar Flirt Gift Set!

2011-12-05T10:30:00.000Z

Today I wasn't going to post anything as I have been under the weather (I think it was a bit of food poisoning!) but last night I edited these pictures and after seeing how pretty the gift set looked I thought it deserved to be wrote a review about.

So here it is!

Now first things first, because I don't want anyone reading this review to like the set, then to get to the end of it and realize that the gift set can only be purchased from Fresh stores... and there is only one in the UK which is based in London! So if you live in London or are going Christmas shopping there then you can find the Fresh store on 92 Marylebone High Street.

I have heard of Fresh as a brand in the past and have seen some lovely gift sets on the QVC US site but even in dollar they seems pretty pricey so I was amazed to see that this gift set is £16.00... now I'm not saying that is majorly cheap for two/three products but for the quality and it being from Fresh I think it is a really well priced gift for someone you really like. Plus it looks really nice!

The Fresh Sugar Flirt Brown Sugar Essentials kit contains...

Sugar Lip Treatment SPF 15 (4.3g) - Now if I told you I loved this as much as my Neom multi-balm (which I have mentioned so many times now) I'm sure you wouldn't believe me. But please do, as this is pretty amazing stuff! Now I will firstly admit I am not amazed by the scent of it... but I think that is because the packaging being all warm and it saying 'sugar' on it made me instantly presume it would be a yummy sugary scent, but it's just not. It is slightly sugary and sweet but the scent is definitely fresh and citrusy but actually now one I'm getting use to, thankfully, seeing as I have been using it daily! But what I am so won over by is the formula... it's not sticky or overly thick but it just stay on the lips for so long even when eating and drinking which I find amazing. Plus this is actually a lip treatment as it does cure dry lips really well. Also in love with the packaging... it's weighty and pretty and something you actually want to get out of your handbag to use.

Brown Sugar Body Cream (100ml) - This also has a fresh scent but actually even fresher and I REALLY like it... it reminds me of sherbet lemon sweets! Just so lemon-y and sugary and just all round lovely. But again the packaging doesn't really give you the idea that it will be like that. Another lovely product that feels really good quality - it applies smoothly, soaks in really fast and leaves the skin feeling slightly plumped up and smelling VERY fresh! I didn't think this would impress me but it has. I now want to get the Brown Sugar Body Polish before summer so I can use them both together.

Metallic Gold Make-up Pouch - I am so fussy with makeup bags... I am the girl that searched for over 6 months for the perfect makeup bag and found it in a lovely Paul & Joe one! I just think there are some awful ones out there especially with gift sets... some actually make me cringe *remembers a Biotherm one*. But this is just so pretty... I really should of taken an up close image of it so you could see the slight metallic golden crackle to it, which remind me of the beautiful notebooks Barbara Wiggins makes! It is also a really good size for over night stays and it's actually padded in side which is just another sign of the type of quality you get with Fresh. I just wish it was big enough (or I had less makeup) to take this on holiday with me next week! Just to note it is slightly more gold looking than in the images.

For £16 I really do think this would make a lovely gift... it's not overly Christmas-y (I use this word a lot don't I?) but it feels something special, you can tell the quality of it instantly and I'm pretty sure most women would like the products and the bag.

Now has anyone tried the Fresh Lip Scrub or Body Polish? I need to know if they are good enough to start convincing a friend that lives in London to make a special trip to Fresh for me!

Fee xo.