Super Gorgeous

How To Lose Your Belly In Your Lunch Hour

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Nestled in amongst all of the other medical clinics in Harley Street lies Landmark Lifestyle. They occupy the first floor of number 100 - a tall, thin, grand building which is very wish with the decoration and furniture. The other thing that made it nicer than your average medican centre is that refreshments were available - and I don't mean a water cooler in the waiting area. Proper hand-made tea and coffee, or water from a glass - what a treat!

I was explained how the Med Contour (or Vaser Shape in America) works through a combination of lymphatic massage and low level ultra sound to flush out your toxins and break down fat. People tend to use it when they can't shift that last little bit of blubber, or to accompany excersize. Some of their clients even use it so that they can allow themselves the odd 'cheat day' without it showing up on their bodies!

I was then shown to the treatment room, which is very much like a room in a beauticians - nicely decorated with a bed, but with a large machine in the corner. It does look quite a beast which made me slightly nervous, but the person in treatment before me came bounding out with a beaming smile and gorgeous, sweat-fee face so I knew it couldn't be that bad!

The treatment begins with a photo and measurement of the area you want to change - in my case, my stomach. Two kids and no stomach muscles doesn't work in my favour. This is to show you your progress along the way - they recommend around 3 to 5 treatments for you to really be able to see a big, noticeable difference. You lay on the bed then your lymph nodes are opened using a very light vacuum - in my case 30 seconds on each side my neck, and stomach. Then the contouring begins.

A machine about the size of a DVD case is rubbed over your problem area in long, flowing movements. It doesn't hurt in the slightest - it feels like someone rubbing a warm piece of metal on you. My lovely therapist Maria could not have been nicer if she tried - she is such a genuinely lovely lady, who, as the treatment went on, regaled me with tales of her life. It could get boring without that as this treatment takes an hour each time. She kept asking me if I wanted to sleep (and believe me, with the hum of the machine, and having my tummy rubbed, I absolutely could have), but fearing I'd not want to wake up, I continued chatting.

As well as working on the front of my stomach, she worked on the love handles at my sides and also my back. Once an hour was done the vacuum machine went back on the lymph nodes - this time a little stronger and for 10 minutes, then a short massage from Maria.

I was measured again afterwards and pleased to see I'd lost 2.5cms which isn't bad going for an hour of laying down doing nothing! I felt perfectly fine afterwards and ready to go about my day as normal. The only evidence I'd had it done was that I had faint red circles on my stomach from the vacuum, but they were gone by the following morning.

I would wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone - it's so pain-free, quick and effective. It's not like having a body-wrap where your body shrinks down for one night - this get's rid of it, never to be seen again!

For more information or to book a consultation, visit www.med-contour.co.uk

Real Techniques Duo-Fiber Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:00:00 +0000

I am a bit of a brush fiend - I love how you can create different looks and shapes with certain brushes, and my favourite is when I find brushes I adore which don't cost the earth. The Duo-Fiber Collection from Real Techniques is a limited edition trio of brushes which fall into that category.

Inside the box is a Face brush, Contour brush and Eye brush with a sleek black and white handle, and black and white duo-fiber, handcut taklon bristles. It's the first duo-fiber collection from the range, but I hope this sparks off a whole new line for Real Techniques as I love them.

The ferrule on each of the brushes is really long which means you get a lightweight application so can really build the product up in layers. The brushes are perfect for creams, liquids and powders so are really versatile. The name of the brush is on the handle, and follows the Real Techniques colour coding system - orange for the face, pink for finishing and purple for the eyes - the other ranges of brushes have the colour system as the colours of the brush handles making them super-easy for beginners to pick up and get to grips with without too much fuss, plus Sam's online tutorials are on hand for the best way to use the brushes with some ideas for looks, so they really are perfect for newbies as well as dab hands.

The Face and Contour brushes are fairly flat - I like that in a brush - for my contour I normally squish down my normal powder brush to make it thinner... no more squishing! The Contour brush is absolutely gorgeous. I love it so much that I am definitely going to buy another so I can have one in my kit as well as my personal make up bag. It's the perfect size to nip in under the cheekbone and it deposits colour in a nice, even way. It's small enough that the thinner side can be used on the sides of the nose, and the fatter side can be used on the temples if you wanted to take your contour one step further. So much love for this brush!

The Face brush is a little more flippity-floppity than I personally like for my own face - I like a nice dense, short haired brush as I like to pack my powder on, but for my kit - perfect. It picks up a small amount of powder to give a light sweep over the face. The fatter side can be used to pat colour on too, but as the bristles are long, as is the ferrule, it's a bit too much of a light application for me personally. If you like to powder just for a bit of insurance rather than a necessity (i.e. not a powder-ho like me!) then this brush will suit you fine.

The Eye brush is rounded, the same width all the way round. The length of the bristles plus the fluffiness means eyeshadow goes on really nice and gently - I've found I can take my colour right into the crease with this and it gives a nice soft edge to the shadow. You could also use it for gentle blending or for adding soft colour or highlights, even highlight to the cheekbone.

What amazes me most about this brush set is that it's only £23.99 - that's £8 per brush which is good going for brushes of such high standard - they launch in the UK in Boots on 20th May are limited edition, so grab them while you can!

What's in my Birchbox?

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Fri, 10 May 2013 17:09:00 +0000

It's May Birchbox time already! If you'd like to see what's inside my box and my thoughts, check out my video below:

Let me know your thoughts and if you got anything different in your box.

Colgate Model Search with Elite Models and GIVEAWAY!

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:39:00 +0000

For any girl or guy who has dreamed of becoming a model and following in the footsteps of top Elite supermodels such as Cindy Crawford, Stephanie Seymour and Gisele Bundchen, the time is now here. The UK arm of the 2013 Elite Model Look competition, which is sponsored by Colgate MaxWhite ONE, kicked off in Manchester and over the next couple of months aspiring models all over the country will have the chance to be scouted by top Elite model scouts. Up for grabs is a modelling contract with Elite Model Management UK for the female and male winners, a spot in the prestigious World Final for the female winner, and the chance to be the new face of Colgate MaxWhite ONE for its next advertising campaign.

To launch the competition, eight models, including three finalists from last year's competition, strutted their stuff in an impromptu fashion show around iconic locations in London. According to a poll of 1,000 British adults, a smile is the number one factor in determining a person’s beauty. These models showed that is indeed the case – and proved their dazzling smiles are what has propelled them into the modelling industry in the past year.

Casting dates are:

Lakeside Shopping Centre, Thurrock - 11th & 12th May 2013

MetroCentre, Gateshead - 25th & 26th May 2013

Braehead Shopping Centre, Glasgow - 31st May & 1st June 2013

and people all over the country can enter online at colgatemaxwhite.co.uk. There is also an opportunity to win a fabulous shopping spree for you and three friends in New York City, so the fun isn't just limited to serious models.

You could check out Elite's video for some top tips on how to take a great photo. Good luck!

Colgate have very kindly given 5 Super Gorgeous readers the chance to win a Colgate MaxWhite ONE toothbrush and toothpaste. All you have to do is enter your details into the Rafflecopter widget below and 5 lucky entrants will be picked at random on Saturday 18th May.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beautecobox - a New Beauty Box

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Fri, 03 May 2013 15:00:00 +0000

A new beauty box has launched today - Beautecobox. They are an eco-friendly company, using 100% recyclable materials and trying not to use excess packaging. The box differs from other beauty boxes, as there is a choice of which box you'll get before it comes. Subscribers will get to choose from 3 menus meaning the contents will be much more suited to each individual. Each box will contain 1 or 2 star items (full sized products), and 3 or 4 trial sized products.

I've recorded a video of the unboxing of my Beauteco box if you'd like to have a nosey...

The boxes will be £10 each month, + £2.95 p+p, although subscription packages are available which saves money.

You can sign up for a subscription at www.beautecobox.co.uk

My Day at The Arqiva BAFTA TV Awards Style Suites

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Fri, 03 May 2013 09:56:00 +0000

As well as the big film awards early in the year, BAFTA also has a Television Awards in May. I was invited down to the Style Suites last week where this happened....

Photo courtesy of Jai'me from www.boymeetsfashion.com

They had invited select members of the press, and four bloggers to experience the Style Suites which were located in London's swish Corinthia Hotel.

The Style Suites are open to all the nominees of the BAFTA TV Awards to get gorgeous pre-awards. I was given the star treatment for the day, visiting each of the brand partners, and getting made up to look like Sienna Miller in The Girl (which I'd never watched before so it was very interesting to see the look unfolding!)

The day began with a St Tropez Spray Tan with celebrity tanning expert Michaella Bolder, a good start to any day! As the look we were going for was very 'English Rose' skin-wise, we decided to go for the Sensitive tan - which leaves skin with a glow, but has no guide colour, and develops over 8 hours - so when I got home that evening, I had a gorgeous tan ready for the weekend - score!

The St Tropez team will be in the suite from the Thursday before the awards, right through to the Sunday where they will be providing skin finishing. Some of the nominees request a spray tan in their own home, which they also have a team available to do.

Michaella predicts that most of the nominees will be going for a glam golden glow. The clothes for the TV Awards are much more playful, and perhaps shorter - this will be the first time a lot of people will have got their legs out in a long time (me included!) so making sure there's no pasty legs on the red carpet is what she's trying to achieve. Skin wants to look luminous and glowing - slightly dewy like holiday skin with a nice sheen.

I asked Michaella for her top tips for tanning at home - the most failsafe option is a mitt and mousse. The mitt will absorb the moisture of the product so you get a nice even finish over your skin. Pump 2 to 3 pumps on to the mitt and distribute over the body evenly. Use the mitt with no extra product on to do your hands and face... and to get the backs of the hands, put your hands into a claw shape to make it looking natural.

Next up I was off to the MAC room - where the next step of my transformation took place. Sienna Miller's character wears quite simple make up, with a black eyeliner flick and either red or neutral lips - I decided to go for the red look for a bit more fun!

Photo courtesy of BAFTA

For the 10th year running, the MAC make up team will be on hand on the day of the awards - there will be a team at the Corinthia and another team doing home visits. They will all be given a touch up kit so they can keep themselves looking gorgeous for the rest of the night.

Terry Barber, the Director of Makeup Artistry at MAC said, about this years trends - "This year, I predict we will see a throwback to the glamour of old Hollywood with a touch of modern neon. Lashes will be well defined with Extended Play Lash Mascara – a mascara that is like a ‘blow-dry’ for the lashes. Lips will be filled with a matte burst of electro red. Skin will be refined and teamed with a light layer of foundation coverage to make skin look fresh, natural, yet perfect – try the new M∙A∙C Mineralize Moisture SPF15 Foundation." And that's pretty much what I ended up with! The Mineralize Moisture SPF15 Foundation felt comfortable on my sore, Roaccutaney skin and left a pretty dewy finish. After eyeliner I had corner lashes applied, and Lady Bug lipstick with some lip conditioner.

Terry Barber’s top five products used in the world of Film & TV over the last twelve months include:

MAC Prep + Prime Skin Base Visage which gives a flawless look that works from underneath the foundation.

MAC Fast Response Eye Cream - a must-have for those tired moments on set - it's an "instant miracle worker".

MAC Extended Play Lash in Endless Black gives up to 16 hours of wear.

MAC Lipstick in Lady Danger as it works as a great retro, yet modern red for any period drama or television chat show needs.

Off to Mark Hill, the hair partner for this year's awards who expect to be busy on the day of the awards with 10-20 people to style each! There will be 9 stylists and assistants on hand, so it seem's it's a very popular stop in the Style Suites!

Mark Hill himself will be there on the day, and already has confirmed Sienna Miller as one of his do's for the day.

The team predict that this year will be Hollywood and glam (I sense a theme here?!) - it's moved on a notch from loose waves and is more defined. Plaits aren't such a main focus any more but may be incorporated into a style, or we may see micro-plaits which are hot this year and adds texture to a style while being effortless.

Photo courtesy of BAFTA

My hair was curled with the tongs, then rolled and pinned up at the back. I've never had my hair like that before, but I felt like I was from a different era for the whole day - I loved it!

House of Fraser is the style partner, and is offering brands including Biba, Untold and all of their eveningwear collections such as Shubette, JS Collections and Adrianna Papell.

The nominees are sent a lookbook with the available gowns in it, however many of the nominees and VIPs will book personal shopping appointments within one of the stores in the weeks leading up to the awards. When it comes to who get's what it's first come, first served, and once a dress is confirmed it will be off limits to anyone else. The team are also on hand to avert any last minute dress disasters - last year a certain celebrity's vintage gown split one hour before the awards so they had to sew her into her dress!

The main trends the team predict for the night will be a mixture of modern, catwalk inspired monochrome and clean lines as well as Great Gatsby inspired, traditional glamour, with full length beaded gowns.

I asked for tips for any woman deciding what to wear for a big night out and the general consensus was to wear something that not only made you feel glamorous, but was also comfortable as there's nothing worse that spending all night breathing in or constantly re-adjusting your dress. Go for something that fits you perfectly in all the right places and you will automatically feel confident and beautiful.

Carat is the jewellery partner - a brand that is loved by many celebrities, as you can see in the photo below.

Just look at these gorgeous diamonds!

Psyche! The secret of Carat, is that they don't use diamonds, but hand cut and polished natural gemstones. This means the price tag is a lot more purse-friendly and they can actually be worn, rather than hidden away!

They didn't have the range there on the day but check out the bracelets from the Chelsea collection - I am totally lusting over the rose gold ones!

The brand operates in a similar way to House of Fraser - the nominees are sent a look book, and if they like any of the pieces, they are sent them with a view to them being worn. I picked out some cluster earrings which we thought were very fitting for the era, a matching ring, and a simple bracelet.

Photo courtesy of Jai'me from www.boymeetsfashion.com

And that was the end of my day! I really enjoyed getting to see how the other half live for the day and was so fun to transform into someone else I never would have otherwise. The hair, clothes and jewellery are things I never would have picked out myself - it was great to have a play with new styles, I encourage everyone to do it!

The Arqiva British Academy Television Awards take place on Sunday 12th May. You can watch them on BBC One and BBC One HD. I shall be going to the awards (what on earth shall I wear!?) so make sure you're following me on Twitter and I'll try to sneak in some updates!

Nails of the Day - Eve Snow Poppy

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Thu, 02 May 2013 18:58:00 +0000

I'm so used to hearing nail polish brands boast that they are '3-free' (DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde), that when I heard that new nail brand, Eve Snow's polishes were '3-added', I was left confused. The 3 additions to the polishes, aren't, thankfully, the harmful chemicals that are eliminated by 3-free polishes, but are Vitamin E, Argan Oil and Ginko Biloba - all of which are good things to be on your nails! It's nice to know you can be conditioning your nails at the same time as them looking lovely.

I tried out Poppy, a bright post-box red colour which was extremely glossy and wore nicely. In fact, on the tube last night the girl sitting next to me asked me what it was as she loved the look of it so much! There must be something special in that polish!

The lid, similar to Butter London's polishes, comes into two parts - so you can screw off the main, square lid to reveal a thinner lid underneath if you find it easy to apply it that way. The brush is wide and the formula feels just right - it was nice and easy to get an even coat of polish over the nail and two coats left it gorgeously opaque.

They're a new brand so have a fairly small range of colours at the moment (16 if I counted correctly) but after this one polish - I'm impressed and look forward to the expansion of their range... lipsticks are coming soon too!

Eve Snow polishes are available at www.evesnow.com priced at £12

April Empties

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Wed, 01 May 2013 08:34:00 +0000

How the hell is it May already!?

I had thought my empties would be saved for every other month, to allow me enough time to have enough empties to warrant talking about - although, somehow, in April, I've managed to use a lot of things up - plus I've got very into the habit of saving empty packets. In fact, even when I use up every-day household things like cordial, it does go through my head that I've emptied it and I need to save it. Argh this is turning me crazy!

As usual, there's a video explaining and showing my empties:

but for those that prefer to read (or are at work!) here's a short summary of all the products.

Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara (£17 from Clinique) - hands down my favourite ever mascara. It fattens lashes like no other, doesn't flake, lasts all day, and doesn't give you panda eyes. This is the second tube I've got through and I need to buy another as soon as possible. Nothing else in my stash compares. There's a full review here.

Philip B Oud Royal Perfect Finish Shaping Fiber (£21 from Space NK) - I was given the first pot of this at an event - it's for styling short hair, so I gave it to my boyfriend - who adores it. It's much more pricey than the usual cheapy he'd pick up at Boots but it is absolutely amazing. I've ended up buying him one for every occasion since. You can style your hair and know that it will be in the same place at night. It doesn't look stiff - you could totally mess it up with your fingers, ruffling it, and it would go back to the place you styled it to be. It smells delicious too.

Roaccutane 20mg (available on prescription) - I completed my first month on Roaccutane! I've done a video about it which is available here.

L'Oreal Feriea Pastel Pink Panther Toner (£4.79 {currently £1 off} from Boots) - This is a pastel pink toner designed to give a baby pink tint to blonde hair. I think it's designed for much lighter hair, even though it showed a photo on the back of hair coloured like mine, it didn't do much for me. My Starlooks video shows my hair after two uses of the toner. There was a very slight hint of pink, and a few streaky bits, but nothing major. Emma from Milkteef used the Lavender one and it looked fab on her.

Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes (£2.99 {currently £2} from Superdrug) - I like to use these to remove the bulk of my make up before using my cleanser. This helps me to know that my skin really is totally clean. The Simple wipes have never given me a reaction, and are nice and wet, so they're easy to work with and don't cause any discomfort.

Nivea Stress Protect Deodorant (£2.50 from Tesco) - I first used this as part of the Nivea Stress Protect Challenge - the idea being that you produce a different kind of sweat when you stress, that when you're hot and sweaty - and this helps to combat that. I had always been faithful to my Dove deodorant, but I'm now converted. This is amazing and leaves me feeling and smelling fresh, even in the most stressful of situations.

Korres Guava Shower Gel (I had a little travel sized bottle from a beauty box, but you can get a full size bottle for £8 from FeelUnique) - this was a really yummy shower gel - it reminds me of that holiday smell, a bit guava-ey, a bit coconut-ey... but I'm not a big shower gel obsessive - to me a shower gel is a shower gel - as long as it smells nice and cleans me I'm happy - and this did both!

Bioderma Crealine H20 (mine's from a french pharmacy, but you can get it for £15.95 from Guru Makeup) - this is actually from my make up kit, not my own stash, but I thought I'd include it anyway. It's a really gentle Micellar water which removes make up and eye make up. It's great for sensitive skin, and models love it - particularly if they're going from show to show, having their make up taken on and off. Sometimes I find it a little too gentle for stubborn eye make up, but it's lovely and refreshing and kind to the most sensitive of skins. I don't use it myself as I feel I need something a little more heavy duty and medicated for my crazy skin, although after facial treatments such as Dermarolling, it was bliss!

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Serum (£45 from Selfridges) - this eye serum is lovely and light-weight; almost water-like to feel. It sinks in nice and quickly and leaves the under eye area soft and hydrated. I haven't fallen in love with it enough that I feel the need to rush out and buy it again, but it did help to reduce puffiness and fine lines slightly. Theres a full review from pictures here.

Bliss Firm Baby Firm (£46.75 from LookFantastic) - this serum is very moisturising, which meant that, when my skin was oily (pre-roaccutane), I had to stop using my moisturiser as both together was just too much for my skin! It left my skin soft, supple and plumped, but I think it's more suited to drier skin types.

Bourjois Cream Blush 02 & 03

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:08:00 +0000

Everyone seems to have a little round pot of Bourjois within their stash somewhere - it could be to do with the fact they've been around for a long time, constantly improving and keeping up to date with trends while being really affordable. They created the first baked blush 150 years ago, and now, next week sees the release of their Cream Blush - 4 gorgeous little pots of blush which transform from cream to powder on the skin.

I have been testing out shades 02 and 03. 02 is the shade I would automatically go for - I do love a coral cheek. 'Healthy Glow' is it's name, and it's a pretty good name as I think that's just what it gives you. Once it's on the skin, a slight amount of pearly shimmer shows through, giving a nice dimension to where the blush has been applied. It's a beautiful apricot blush which will get thorough use from me.

Both of the Bourjois Cream Blush's that I tried are really easily buildable. I have been using my finger to apply, over the top of my foundation - patting it on then blending it up - they are so easy to apply and the first application isn't too heavy so you can't go too wrong!

03 'Rose Tender' is a babydoll pink colour, which gives a nice gentle flush to the cheek. Again, there is a small amount of shimmer particles which I think is nice for a powder-blush (what this has set to be) as it leaves the skin looking fresh. I have worn it quite lightly, but you could go more extreme if that's more you're thing!

The Cream Blush launches on 8th May in Selfridges, and 15th May at Boots, Superdrug and Asos priced at £7.99

Revlon Expressionist Nail Art Duos

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 10:38:00 +0000

This year, nail art seems to be hotter than ever - and Revlon, never ones to miss a trick - have just released a collection of 7 nail polish duos featuring a wide, flat brush at one end to paint your base colour, and at the other end, a thin, nail art brush for you to apply a feature colour over the top.

The amount of designs you could do with these is endless! They are really to use and the nail art colour is thinner than normal polish, making it easy to get nice fluid strokes with the brush.

Using Pinkasso - I painted the base colour of a slightly pearlescent coral over my nails, then used the fuchsia nail art colour to paint the tips of my nails going from one side to the next and meeting in the middle.

For Vincent Van Gold I decided to go down the zebra route - drawing lines from one side of the nail to the middle, alternating between the sides. I love love love the base colour of this - it is almost glass-like in finish - a gorgeous blue varies from being ultra-dark to a gorgeous royal blue.

For Ulterior Motif I used the charcoal colour all over my nails then using the pink glitter I applied a blob to the base of my nail, dried off the brush then pulled it up towards the end of my nails. I found this the hardest to work with as it didn't show much when using it for linear designs as the glitter is sporadic - but I like it as an accent.

The Expressionist Nail Art Pens are available now in Boots and Superdrug priced at £7.99 each.

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:32:00 +0000

After 17 years of success, leading charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer has launched Fashion Targets Breast Cancer - a fab idea in which lots of high street and online retailers have joined forces to offer certain exclusive items with a minimum of 30% of proceeds going to the charity.

Each year 50,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer - the campaign will help to raise vital funds for the charity to help stop women dying from this disease.

This year's campaign is all about uniting mothers and daughters and is fronted by Sharon and Kelly Osborne and Peal and Daisy Lowe, who are encouraging shoppers to 'Wear Your Support' - and now it's easier than ever - to support the cause, you don't need to wear a t-shirt emblazoned with the charity logo - there are some gorgeous pieces from the likes of River Island, Warehouse, my-wardrobe.com, Topshop and Debenhams.

Three of my favourite pieces from the collection are these:

1. Topshop Love skirt - £22 with 30% going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer

2. Laura Ashley stripe dress - £80 with 30% going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer

3. Topshop Love t-shirt - £18 with 30% going to Breakthrough Breast Cancer

You can view the rest of the items, and shop now by clicking here.

Illamasqua Paranormal Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 15:29:00 +0000

Next Tuesday (30th April) sees the launch of Illamasqua's latest collection - Paranormal - where everything is not as it seems. I went along to the launch this week, which was very eerie, and had a look at the new things on offer.

The new range consists of 3 nail polishes which - to the eye look like normal, pretty nail polish, but are secretly UV nail polishes that glow in UV black light - Parnormal UV Nail Varnish is limited edition and comes in Ouija (bright pink), Omen (bright green) and Seance (bright purple) as well as a clear UV topcoat - Geist.

The eyeshadow quad, Paranormal Palette, looks just like a palette of pink, green copper and purple shadows - but when you touch them they are squishy - kind of Moondough-esque.

The new gel liner, Infinity, promises to be blacker than black... and the rest of the things, I was lucky enough to get to take home for a play...

Hydra Veil was one of the most exciting discoveries for me on the night. I rarely get in a fluster over skincare, but this is something else - literally like nothing I have seen before. It's main purpose is to be used as a primer before foundation, to get rid of those flaky bits we get near the nose (or anywhere!) and to hydrate under the eyes - but could also be used to hydrate the whole face as part of a skincare routine or on a long haul flight. When you open the tub, there is a little scoop spoon attached - and this is where the fun begins.

Hydra Veil looks like any thick, gel-like product. To the touch, it's bouncy - like a jelly. You use the scoop spoon to get some product out - and the jelly just grows back over and settles back down to a flat topped product again, with no indentations - it really is magic!

I had a chat with David Horne on the night, Illamasqua's Director of Product Development - and he said that he rejected so many products before this because it wasn't settling perfectly. This one has definitely hit the nail on the head - I can't stop testing it!

As for the product itself, when you rub it between your fingers it turns to an almost water-like substance. One scoop is enough to apply to your whole face. It smells divine and leaves skin feeling hydrated and ready for make up. David said it works in perfect harmony with Skin Base Foundation, so I shall be giving that a go tonight.

There are two new matte lipsticks - Posture (as above) and ESP - a darker, bolder purple. Posture is a cool toned purple which can look different in different lights. Sometimes it looks really purple, others pinkish, and sometimes a little nude. If you like MAC Blankety, I think you'd like this. It's the more purple, matte version. I am wearing it in the photos below.

The new Gleam highlighter shade is a warm bronze illuminating shade. When I first laid eyes on it, it reminded me of MAC's Cream Colour Base in Seaside - but it's much more coppery and fluid than Seaside.

As I swatched it, I thought it would make a perfect highlighter for a darker skinned person - absolutely beautiful on black skin... so me doing what I always do - put it on my eyes.

It looked really pretty colour-wise, but formula-wise, the eyes weren't the best idea as it creased within 5 minutes. I decided, after all, to try it on my cheekbones - and WOW, I'm in love! The Gleam actually worked quite well as a base for a more grungey, smoked out look too.

The nail polish I have is Ouija. It looks bright pink in the bottle, but when you catch it, you see silvery tones to it too. On the nails it looks almost metallic - then in UV light it is gorgeous and luminous (but unfortunately I don't have a black light to show you!)

My thumb nail shows the colour of Seance polish, which I had applied at the event... and this is Ouija!

It hits stores and online at www.illamasqua.com on Tuesday 30th April. Whatcha think?

Things in my Bathroom

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:00:00 +0000

My bathroom is very much a zesty and moisturising place at the moment. Five things on the bathroom rota at the moment that I'm loving are these....

Origins Drink Up Mask

Now I am on Roaccutane, my skin is even more dehydrated than ever - Origins Drink Up Mask is the perfect remedy. It's designed to be worn for 10 minutes then tissued off, but I have been wearing it as an overnight mask a couple of times a week. It feels instantly soothing to apply and the skin on my face is soft, plump and moisturised in the morning. It's perfect for skin that needs a moisture boost - whether that be as a mask 10 minutes before you apply your make up for an evening out, or overnight. There is another, richer version of this, but because of my strange skin I thought this would be the safest option - and luckily it hasn't caused me any breakouts. I'm so pleased that I will continue to use this product for ever. Amazing.

Trevor Sorbie Beautiful Curls - Shampoo & Conditioner

My hair is naturally wavy yet I'm for ever buying products to help to straighten it. I thought it was about time I embraced the movement - if I leave my hair to dry naturally, it does wave - but with a frizz - not wearable by any means. These products have definitely helped to tame the frizz and give me more of a defined curl. They have a fresh, clean, floral smell to them and lather up just the right amount. Since I started using Beautiful Curls my hair seems to hold a style more too - whether that is straight or tonged.

Organic Surge Fresh Ocean Light Body Lotion

This kind of weather means bare limbs may be on the cards soon - so preparation is key! No one wants to see crusty knees or elbows - and my Roaccutaney skin means body lotion is a must. This light body lotion is exactly that - it's really lightweight yet moisturising and sinks into the skin straight away. It's ideal for after a morning shower as by the time I've got to my clothes, it's absorbed. My skin isn't left feeling sticky or clammy so I know I'm not going to get London Grime stuck to me. Rich, heavy body creams definitely have a place in my routine, but they're best left for bed time. The Fresh Ocean smell is very citrusey, with a hint of peppermint - every little helps in giving me my morning wake up.

ESPA Zesty Lemon, Ylang Ylang & Crushed Tonka Beans Hand Wash & Hand Lotion

Earlier this year, spa brand ESPA expanded their range to include some more every-day, affordable yet luxurious products, including hand wash and lotion. Again, my Roaccutaney skin means hand lotion after washing is preferable - and I feel oh so swish having both at my sink, especially when it looks and feels as luxurious as this. They are fragranced with 100% natural fragrance made from pure essential oils - the smell is delicious and is loved by me, the kids and even my boyfriend - we can be a pretty hard bunch to please as a foursome but these hit the spot.

Apivita Lip Care with Chamomile, Organic Beeswax & Olive Oil

I'm sure you're sick of me telling you... but I'm on Roaccutane now! Lip balm is now my best friend - having one at arms reach at all times. The lip balms from Apivita are paraben free, mineral oil free, and silicone free and contain lots of lovely lip-loving ingredients. As a predominantly beeswax based balm, it isn't greasy and doesn't leave the lips glossy. I've found it's slotted nicely into my morning routine before make up - lipstick goes over the top with ease, and doesn't bleed which can be the case with other, more liquidy balms.

My Roaccutane Diary: One Month on Accutane

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 15:50:00 +0000

If you follow me on Instagram, YouTube or Twitter, you probably know that I made the decision to start on Roaccutane last month. Today is the 30th day I have been on it - I have recorded a video explaining how I got on Roaccutane in the first place, how it's going, the side effects I have experienced, and my progress so far.

Nails of the Day - Leighton Denny Meet Me In Monaco

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:39:00 +0000

Meet Me in Monaco is part of the new spring / summer Riviera collection from Leighton Denny. The bottle of polish reminds me of liquid sand - it's totally a sandy beach kind of colour!

It's quite unlike anything else I have - on the nail it's midway between a pale orange and a nude, camel colour. I really like it - it feels super-chic, unique, and is perfect for this time of year.

The polish was a little streaky with just one coat, but with the second coat the magic happened and my nails looked perfect. The brush is wide which makes for easy application, and as yet I've had no chips or wear!

Leighton Denny polish costs £11 from Marks & Spencer and BeautyBay

Elizabeth Arden - New York In Bloom Collection

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:03:00 +0000

When I saw the packaging of the new Elizabeth Arden, New York in Bloom Collection, I did an inside squeal - it's sooo pretty! Covered with floral motivs - it seems a step in the funky direction for a brand I normally consider to be quite classic.

The collection is made up of two bronzing powders - soft and warm, two nail duos - a teal and purple shade with a top coat at one end, three eye pencils - teal, platinum and brown, and two eyeshadow trios - one based on the teal palette, another on golden tones. It's a really pretty range - both packaging and product wise.

I have the Pure Finish bronzing powder in Warm. There are flowers embossed onto the powder in bronzey and pink shades - but it looks very frosted and on seeing the product in the palette, I was a little worried at how frosty it would be on the skin.

The Eye Pencil comes with a sharpener in the box, which I think is a nice touch. The colour of Iridescent Teal is very bold and pigmented - and is exactly that - iridescent teal with beautiful golden tones running through the teal.

As you can see from the swatch photo above, the bronzer isn't frosty at all, although it does have a slight shimmer to it - it gives a radiance to the skin rather than a glitterbomb effect. It has a flattering yellow-bronze colour to it which is the kind of colour I like in a bronzer.

The Elizabeth Arden website gives the tip of wearing the eye pencil under the lower lash line - so that's how I decided to wear it. It was very easy to apply but you do need to wear a primer under it and powder over it as I found it can transfer down your eye a little without.

I am wearing both the products in the photos above, teamed with Elizabeth Arden's Beautiful Colour Luminous Lip Gloss in Precious Petal.

It's a yummy, toffee flavoured gloss that glides on and feels really moisturising - it contains mango butter and shea butter. When the gloss eventually fades, you are left with a pretty shimmer on the lips. It's another well designed product - with a mirror on the side of the bottle so you can touch-up on the go with ease - the applicator is flattened which makes it so easy to apply too.

The last product I have from the New York in Bloom Colour Collection is the nail laquer in Teal Blossom. While I had it on I had lots of compliments on the colour. It's a true, greeny-blue-petrol teal shade which, when used with the top coat, leaves a nice glossy finish to the nails.

This is my first foray into Elizabeth Arden's make up range - I always considered it to be for women a bit older than me, but I am definitely, 100% proved wrong! Let me know if you've tried anything and have any recommendations.

Lancome Hypnose Eyeshadow Palettes

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:50:00 +0000

Yesterday morning I was invited to watch the amazing make up artist Alex Babsky doing a demonstration of the new Lancome Hypnose Eyeshadow Palettes. There are 12 palettes to the range, from natural, neutral looks to dramatic smokey eyes and daring colourful colours.

Each palette contains five pearl-finish shadows which compliment each other - one main colour, one highlighting colour, two shades which work well as a gradient blended with the main colour, and a very dark colour intended to be used as an eyeliner - although could also be used to smoke-out the look even further.

Alex worked with Bain de Minuit - a gorgeous, intense blue toned palette. Here is the look he created on his model.

I recorded the demo, so if you'd like to see the steps involved - have a watch by clicking below.

Also at the event was Maja, the Lancome make up artist that did me up for my day at the EE BAFTA Style Suites earlier this year. She was wearing one of the more daring palettes - Menthe á l'O.

I was given the Vert Mystére palette to take home to try myself.

The Hypnose palettes come in a sleek mirrored compact with two applicators inside. Normally I chuck applicators straight away - but these ones are extra special - the handles and their housing are magnetic! No more dropping them on the floor of the tube when you're touching up - hurrah! One of the applicators is a fluffy(ish) brush designed for sweeping colour into and above your crease, or to blend shades. The other is a double ended sponge applicator - one to pack on the colour - the other end is super-thin, to be used for lining the eye with shadow.

When you buy the palette, you also get a sticker which you can stick on your mirror as a guide of where to place what colours. The numbering system is like this...

They advise that shade 1 is the signature shade of the palette - designed to be worn over the whole of the lid. Shade 2 is the highlighter to be used under the brow bone. Shade 3 is the eyeliner. Shade 4 is to be used on the hollow of the lid and the outer corners of the eye to contour. Shade 4 is for the inner corner of the eye.

Alex's demo showed a different way of using the colours - he used Shade 1 under the eye and to map out the crease of the eye. Shade 4 with a wet brush over the lid, then with a dry brush to blend out the edges. A pat of Shade 1 in the centre of the lid, and Shade 2 in the inner corner of the eye.

I used Alex's method when trying the palette out for myself. I added Shade 3 (dry) as liner and finished with Lancome Hypnose Star mascara.

The Lancome Hypnose Eyeshadow Palettes cost £37 available from Lancome counters nationwide or Lancome.co.uk - to see the full range of shades, watch my video above.

Debenhams Press Day

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:47:00 +0000

Yesterday I went along to the Debenhams press day - it was great to see so many brands all in one place, and drool over the stunning sets they had created.

As well as seeing some of the new make up from the brands they stock such as Illamasqua, Dior, Elizabeth Arden, Mavala, Benefit, Guerlian and Estee Lauder to name but a few - there were a few brands with an area of their own. Bare Minerals were showcasing their new pressed foundation, and Urban Decay and Calvin Klein were doing make overs - I played with the new vault of 24/7 Urban Decay liners, which unfortunately will only be coming out in America - but all the new colours are available to buy over here separately - there are some gorgeous ones there - I particularly loved Ether and Abyss. [Exciting update! It now IS coming to the UK and will be exclusive to Debenhams from 2nd May - yay!].

I hadn't ever seen Calvin Klein make up before - the foundations look like a lovely finish and they had two nail polish colours (a lime and a frosted turquoise) which are scented with CK One fragrance! The eyeshadow quads looked good too - I had a little of the eyeshadow applied and it stayed put all day.

Benefit were there taming people's brows, as were Benito who were also doing eyelash extensions I had my eyebrows threaded while I was there and was really pleased with the finished result.

Beverly C was styling hair using Babyliss, which I unfortunately didn't have time to indulge in - I had a look for the Perfect Curl as I'm dying to have a go with it but I didn't spot it.

Nails Inc were doing manicures - just look at all those polishes!

Scentlab was there too - which is a great way to help people choose which fragrance you might like based on the choices you enter into the touchscreen device. It asks a few questions and based on my answers the perfume it recommended was YSL Manifesto - a perfume I'd never smelt before but is very 'me'.

Something I recently spotted on the Debenhams website is the Try Me Guarantee which I think is a fabulous idea that more companies should adopt. When you purchase a full sized product that's included within the scheme, you get a sample size of it too - so you can try the sample, and if you don't like it, can return the full sized unopened product for a refund. Hopefully this will roll out over more products soon as it's a great way to shop!

A pretty picture-heavy post, but hopefully you're now drooling along with me!

A Make Up Only Beauty Box! Starbox

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 20:52:00 +0000

I've been wanging on for forever and a day saying how great a make up only beauty box would be - whyyyy has it not been done?! Then lo and behold, I recently stumbled upon Starbox - which is exactly that. The only difference from the box in my head is that Starbox contains only their own brand of make up, Starlooks, but even so - it's a great way to try new products you wouldn't usually lean towards - colour, finish and formula-wise.

Starbox offer a monthly subscription for $15 - yes, it's an American company - shipping within the states is $2.68, but they do ship internationally - you have to contact them for a quote for anything outside of USA.

As in the Birchbox's and Glossybox's - what's coming each month is left as a surprise, but if you want a sneak peek, you can view the 'lookbook' for that month on their website - which is photos of a model wearing the make up.

I was sent the February box, which is a collaboration with one of their affiliates, Lauren Clark, who is a make up artist. The box itself is cute, the fact it's a lot thinner than the empty beauty boxes taking over my home was welcome - maybe it will make a nice lipstick holder!?

Each month there are 3-4 full sized Starlooks make up items in the box. This month the products were selected by Lauren Clark herself.

Inside the box was a lavender lipgloss, pale pink eyeliner, pink liquid blusher, and orange lip liner. I never would have picked up any of those pink items - pink eyeliner?! But it actually makes a great base for eye shadow. The pink blush in that formula is something I just would never have gone for, but again, it's wearable and I'm glad to have tried it. My favourite item in the box - and I would have bought this and would rebuy it now, is the lip liner - its so creamy and gorgeous!

So you're sent these make up items you never would have gone for - and then what? Where do you go from here?! In the information included there are a couple of face charts with ideas for how you can wear your new make up, with step by step tutorials. They do use other Starlooks products that aren't in the box, so if you wanted to follow it step by step you'd need to go on their site to see what kind of product it was and use something you already own that's similar.

I used the face charts as inspiration to create my own look with the products in the box.

Here I'm wearing the eyeliner as an eyeshadow base, the fluid blush and the lip gloss. I also made a video showing the products and swatches.

So.... what do you think of this idea? Is it the kind of thing you'd use or would you prefer a box with make up from different brands in?

You can find out more and subscribe at the Starlooks website

What's in my April Birchbox?

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 16:38:00 +0000

My April Birchbox arrived today - if you'd like to see what was inside, check out my video below.

Thanks for watching!

Superdry Press Day

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:13:00 +0000

Last week I went along to Superdry's Autumn Winter Press Day to see the collaboration with Timothy Everest for the women's Sibero Collection and sip some rather yummy cocktails created by the Experimental Cocktail Club!

The show was really interesting - rather than a catwalk, they had the four models in a room doing 'stuff' and posing every once in a while. I fell in love with the Town Coat, which the model on the left is wearing. It's navy but the back of the collar is pink (it also comes in other colour options).

The collection sees a tailored look for all different types of people. I, of course, was also checking out the models make up, which varied depending on the personality of the look. They all had matte orangey lips with the variation on the eyes - from simple liner to grungey smokey - definitely a look I will try to recreate myself!

I had a play with some of the Superdry make up while I was there too - I really love the look and feel of the bronzer and highlighter. If you get a chance in store, have a look at them - I was really impressed - although I only swatched them on my hand so do let me know if you've got them what you think!

I was lucky enough to take home with me one of Superdry's fragrances - Neon Pink.

The packaging is very Superdry-esque - cool and functional. It comes in a large neon pink cube box - which is held together with a magnetic flap. Opening the flap reveals the cute, neon pink glass bottle with matte black rubbery lid. It opens like a big zippo lighter and smells really good. It's quite a grown up fragrance - I couldn't imagine my teenage sister wearing it - and I really like it. The blurb on their site says it contains Bergamot, pineapple, galbanum, water fruits, jasmine, rose, sandalwood, vanilla and musks - it has a lovely fresh, summery, powdery smell, and I have been reaching for it every day since I've had it. It costs £35 from their website.

Illamasqua Immodest

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:20:00 +0000

I do love a pink lipstick - if you came to my house you would see that my personal collection is mainly pinks and nudes, with a few reds and purples thrown in. You'd think there are only so many pinks you can buy without repeating lipsticks, albeit through different brands. Illamasqua's Immodest is definitely one I don't have anything else like in my stash. It's gorgeously bright pink - verging on neon, which is matt in texture.

Because of the matt texture it's not one to wear when you have dry lips - you really need to make sure the lips are prepped well and there are no flaky bits otherwise it will definitely show up as it's dry itself (although not drying). The bonus is that it will last an absolute age on your lips. As I sit and type this I have had it on for 3 hours and it doesn't look any different from when I first applied it!

Despite the massive pop of colour, Illamasqua have managed to make such a wearable shade of neon pink - I love it!

Immodest costs £16 from Illamasqua

Urban Decay Ammo Palette

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 12:32:00 +0000

I am one of these girls that seems to stick to the more neutral shades of shadows - give me a 100-pan palette of nudes, taupes and golds and I'm set for life. The Ammo Palette from Urban Decay looked a little scary to me at first sight - my eyes instantly darting to the end, golden toned shades. The thing is, I have brown eyes and I know that greens and purples are good colours for me to wear - it's just hard to step out of that zone I have got so comfortable in for every-day make up.

When I swatched the shades from the Ammo Palette I had a nice surprise - for these are such beautiful versions of green, pinks and turquoise that it made me want to give them a go. The ten shades are all best selling Urban Decay shadows, and it's easy to see why.

The palette is a thin, compact (easy to transport and put in your make up bag) mirrored palette, which comes with a travel sized 11ml sized Primer Potion - which is a great, colourless eyeshadow primer which helps to show the intensity of the colours, and helps them to last longer without creasing. There is also a small synthetic Good Karma eyeshadow brush inside the palette, which is a nice tapered shape making it easy to use (although not that great for blending),

I had to do two lot of swatch photos - my kids are off school and wanted to get involved, natch!

There are some truly amazing colours in this palette. My favourite has to be Maui Wowie - it looks so metallic, like no other powder shadow I've seen before. Mildew is an amazing mossy green colour with hints of gold - just beautiful, and Last Call is a gorgeous cranberry shade - those are the stand out shades for me, although I think I can get good wear from all of the colours.

I like that there are neutral shades thrown in there with the colours - it means you can shake up a neutral look, or go for full-on colour. The colours have been laid out in a way that the shade opposite it compliments it perfectly - all of these pairs could be used with the lighter colour on the inner part of the lid, the darker on the outer part, and a little Oil Slick in the crease or outer V for definition. You could add some Polyester Bride to the tear duct and under the brown bone too - there are so many options!

The palette has been around for a while, but it has recently been re-released with a new formula for the shadow - they feel really creamy and velvety and really do pack some punch colour-wise. You do have to be careful when you apply - there is micro glitter in a few of the shades, which can fall down when you apply, so apply in thin layers rather than loads of product in one go - they're so pigmented anyway that you really don't need much.

Here are a couple of looks I created using the colours from this palette

For this look I used Maui Wowie all over the lid, then added chopper to the middle of my eye close to my lash line and blended it out to the outer corner of my eye. I then did the same with Last Call a little further over, and added black eyeliner which I blended out with a brush. I added Last Call under my lower lash line too.

For this look I applied Sin to the inner third of my eye, then Smog in the crease of my eye and blended out. I then added Mildew all over the rest of my lid and blended the colours together, then a small amount of Oil Slick in the outer corner. I used Mildew under the eye and finished with liquid liner and mascara.

There are really so many combinations that could be created with this palette - for £23 I think it is amazing value for money!

Urban Decay is available at House of Fraser, Debenhams and online at lookfantastic.com and beautybay.com

Nails of the Day - Nails Inc Chester

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:25:00 +0000

Nails Inc have really been one of the top dogs with this years textured nail polish trends. Their Feathers range has been out for a while and I still haven't seen a high street copy (although I seem to think Model's Own have their own version - I could have dreamt it though as I can't find any evidence of this online!). Although I love buying cheap, high street alternatives - I also love it when it doesn't happen as it makes the product a little more special, more 'different' and means it's not going to get over-done by every tom dick and harry.

Nails Inc have four shades to their Feathers range - which is a clear polish with lines inside, like sugar strands. I have Chester, which is a mixture of turquoise, orange and yellow strands. They apply fairly sparsely so I find it best to use a coloured polish on your nails before using the Feather polish (I went with Nails Inc Royal Botanical Gardens) - I used three coats of Chester to get the finish you can see in my photo, but it's also pretty with one coat.

I really like the effect it leaves - it is very unique and not like anything I've seen before. The only issue I have with it is the removal... it takes forever and a day! If you've ever removed a full on glitter polish you will know what I mean because this is just as bad! That said, it wears really well and it's easy to fill in any tip wear without it looking dodgy because of the randomness of the strands.

Nails Inc Feather polish is currently on offer for £9.90 (usually £11) at lookfantastic.com

Laser Eye Surgery - 6 Months On

noreply@blogger.com (Alice at SuperGorgeous) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

Last October I had laser eye surgery as part of Optical Express' Team 21 Celebrations. In my original post I said I would update you with how my eyes were... so here I am, 6 months post-surgery, to fill you in.

There were 21 of us that were part of Team 21 - all bloggers who would be writing about our experiences with laser eye surgery. Some of the others I had met at one of the events that was held before everyone's surgery took place - I formed friendships with a couple of the girls, both of whom were having their surgery before mine. I was so excited when they reported back that they'd opened their eyes the next morning to near on perfect vision - after all, perfect vision was the goal were were all aiming for.

When I woke the next morning, I was slightly disappointed to see that my vision wasn't much better - I was pleased I could see - but so far there were no improvements. Optical Express make sure you are seen 1 day, 1 week and 1 month after your surgery - and then on if necessary. I made my way to the opticians (wearing no eye make up - you're not allowed for the first week) with very blood shot eyes - for them to check me over.

The optician said he was pleased with how the surgery had gone, and not to worry - everything was fine, just to continue with the drops I had been given, and Vita-Pos (which is almost like Vaseline) which you put into your eyes before going to sleep.

I continued that week, doing as instructed, but at times I found my vision would go very blurry and I could hardly see at all out of one of my eyes. Optical Express assigns you someone you can contact whenever you feel you need help, so I did email my person that week a couple of times - she reassured me and said it was all normal.

At my one week post-surgery check I was told I had severely dry eyes, which is why I was experiencing the blurriness and strange vision - the optician gave me some different drops to use to try to help combat this, and told me that although normally people would have stopped the Vita-Pos by now, I should continue with it.

One month then passed since my surgery, and although my eyes were better, they still weren't great. My eyes were still showing signs of being dry, although not quite as bad, and the eye test showed that there was improvement in my vision from 3 weeks previously. The optician gave me another set of drops, I was told to continue with the Vita-Pos and to come back in a month's time.

During that month, I found the Hyco San Plus drops he had given me really seemed to help. I was using them quite regularly, and I felt I could see so much better once I had the drops in. I even slept without my Vita-Pos some nights, as I felt so fine - although in the morning I realised I wasn't ready yet, as my eyes were really sore and dry.

At my next appointment I was told that my eyes had improved a lot, but were still showing signs of dryness (sorry if I'm sounding like a stuck record at this point!) - they were a lot less dry than they had been, but there was that little niggle still there, and this was causing my vision to be less than 100%. I had to continue with the drops and Vita-Pos, and so it continues.

At my last appointment I was told that my eyes were almost how they should finally be, but if they didn't get there, I could be re-lasered. I feel like my eyes have made such an improvement since being done... my last appointment was 2 months ago and I feel, even in that time, that I can see so much more clearly, and only have to use the drops if I'm extremely tired as my eyes tend to start to get a little dry then. When I see things up close I can see them really clearly - sometimes if I'm doing my make up in the mirror and close one eye I am amazed by how crisply I can see through the other eye. I can now use the computer without having to wear glasses, and without squinting, although it doesn't have that sharpness that I used to get with my glasses on - which is the result I was expecting. My eyes have changed so much in 6 months that I expect that they will continue to improve with time.

So, although laser can be a life changer, it's not immediate - it can be a long, slow process, as I have seen. Optical Express have been great throughout the whole experience, reassuring me every step of the way. 6 months on, I feel I am finally there - I still carry drops in my handbag, but haven't used them in ages. It doesn't always happen like it did in TOWIE - everyone's healing times are different.