Quote of the Week

"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." - Kahlil Gibran

Quote of the Week

"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart." - Kahlil Gibran

Quote of the Week

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not." Ralph Waldo Emerson

The 3in1 Miracle Cleanser!

I am completely in love with this product and so I have to tell you all about it! I used to be a soap and water girl (even though I knew better) then I started using a cleanser from Clinique which I thought was working well with my skin. Then I was introduced to Mary Kay's 3in1 cleanser!

This product is great for when you don't have much time in the mornings and if you are one of those people (just like me) that always thinks there's better things to do with my time than to sit there for 10 minutes each morning and evening to go through a strict skincare routine. With this product, just as the name suggests it is 3 products in one! Once you take your eye make-up off, you apply this cleanser which has lovely little microbeads that help to exfoliate the skin, while the cleansing lotion cleanses the skin. And for that added extra, the microbeads adds a fresher as hey burst while you're rubbing the product into your skin.

In addition to having great cleansing qualities, it is part of the Timewise collection which means it is formulated to help erase the visible signs of ageing and leave your skin feeling smoother and more radiant looking!

What's great about this product is that it is available in 2 formulas, one for normal to dry skin (which is a lotion) and one for combination to oily skin (which is more like a face wash).  Personally, I have combination skin which falls more on the oily side of combination, and I must say that after using this cleanser for a few weeks my skin felt less oily.  Now I rarely have to worry about reapplying powder throughout the day because my skin is far less oily compared to what it was before!

Priced at £20 it is not a cheap cleanser, but neither is it at the pricey end of the scale. Also, bear in mind this should last you 2-3 months with use twice a day (morning and night) so it is a good product that will last.

I really like this product, it has made my skin feel soft and smooth every time I use it! And who can complain against having 3 steps done in one go!!

Mary Kay products aren't available in shops but you are able to order them online through their website.  As a company, they are completely focused on taking care of your skin, which is why they have Independent Beauty Consultants rather than shops.  These consultants are there to help women learn how to look and feel their best everyday in the comfort of their own homes. Also, Mary Kay Cosmetics has a 100% satisfaction guarantee, Now where else can you get that!

Quote of the Week

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." Cofucius

Why Don't YOU Wear foundation?

I found this great article from Kay Montano about why people don't wear foundation.

It is so true that most women will go into a department store or shop looking for the right shade of foundation, pick one they like and then come home to find it looks a completely different shade to what it was in the shop and then it get demoted to the bottom drawer never to be worn again.  I don't think I have ever met a woman that hasnt been through this.

When trying out a new foundation before purchasing it, you should test it along your jaw line, this will allow you to see the base colour of your skin as you will have less sunlight affecting the colour of your skin at the jaw line.  The perfect shade will disappear along the jaw line, if you want to make doubly sure you have the right shade, try applying a lighter and darker one either side to see which one disappears best.  Then walk outside and see if has still disappeared into your skin.  Please remember the lights are bright in department stores and will show differently to natural light.

Also, whatever you do do NOT let anyone in the shops pressure you into buying a foundation colour or product you are not completely happy with.  Remember, it is your hard earned money you are spending and the last thing you want to do is to spend it on something that will sit in your dressing room table for the upcoming months.

To read Kay's article, click here

If you do find it hard to select the right shade, and do feel intimidated when you enter a department store to buy make-up, why not try a complimentary facial from your local Mary Kay Independant Beauty Consultant.  The Mary Kay range of foundations is very large and has shades coveing the palest snow white, to the darkest bronze skin under the sun.  All of the products are backed with a 100% Satisfaction guarantee, so if you decide you do not like the shade selected for you, you can swap it for a better match.  Now you dont get that at Boots!  For more information take a peek here

Pat McGrath on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

I absolutely loved this film!

Quote of the week

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” — William Arthur Ward”

Product Review: Ciate Nail Enamel

Hello, my wonderful readers, I am sorry it has taken me so long to write up some of my reviews, but work has been manic and I have lots of positive news for a change!

Now, about this nail polish/varnish/enamel, whatever you want to call it!? I love it!

It arrived in my July GlossyBox, and I was pleased with the colour.  The colours that were available were Skinny Jeans, Beach Melba, Kitten Heels, Big Yellow Taxi, Speed Dial, Mojito and Caberet.  As always with GlossyBox, you can’t choose what they send you so I know that some subscribers weren’t very happy with a Shrek Green (Mojito) colour, but I was one of the luck ones and received a lovely bright orange colour which is Speed Dial.

These nail enamels sell at £9 for a 13.5ml bottle.  Personally, I usually go for a cheaper range of nail colours from Barry M or Rimmel, but once I tried this product, my view changed!

When you apply this nail varnish, it doesn’t go on very thick, so for good coverage you will need to apply 2 coats, in addition to this I found that it felt quit gloopy coming out of the bottle, so care is needed for application.  But it lasts!!  I definitely found this product lasted a lot longer before chipping than most of my other nail polishes.  I do have a couple of more luxurious polishes, but Ciate’s product outlasted Ruby&Millie and MAC’s.

Also, the handle on the brush is nice a long, which allows you to get a better grip and it sits nicely in your hand for a smoother application.

I would definitely recommend this product to anyone that loves a nice bright colour on their nails.  Ciates products are also formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate and toluene free. Plus they have a very cute and ultra-feminine little bow on the bottle which makes them stand out.

You can find these nail enamels at http://www.ciate.co.uk/

Product Review: Benefit Porefessional

Bonjour wonderful readers, I really want to tell you about this product!

Benefit's Porefessional primer is a great product, its silky lightweight balm is created for translucent pore coverage and smoother skin for make up application.

I have combination skin and the pores on my nose area can be quite prominent.  Using this primer really helps to create a smooth base for a longer lasting make-up all day.

The product description says this primer is suitable for all skin types, but to be honest I don't think this would work very well with dry skins.  It can feel quite thick and when applying the oil absorbing properties, which are great for keeping excess oil away, can make it hard to spread around the face.  So if you do have dry skin just make sure to properly moisturise before using this product.

The primer has a light foundation colour to it which I was surprised to see when I opened the tube, but as you apply the cream it disappears into the skin for a translucent finish.  As I am very fair skinned this works well for me, I'm not sure how good this is for darker skins.  But the colouring of the primer is great to reduce any slight redness you may have on your skin.

I don't apply this all over my face, but only to the area's that need smoothing and calming.  It leaves my skin feeling great and creates a lovely base for make-up application.  The primer can also be applied throughout the day for touch ups on oily area's to reduce shine.

Although this product is quite pricey and sells at £23.50 for a 22ml tube, it does last quite a long time as you don't need to apply too much each time.

I would recommend this product for those with oily skins and large pores as I think you will really be able to feel a difference in your make up from the first application.

Dior Games - great idea!!

The Must Have Make-Up App!!

Over the last few months, I have been working with Andy on his next iPhone app....

Having spent a lot of time trawling through the app store to see what wonderful delights there are in terms of make up apps, but I was very disappointed with the range that's available. I am a lover of lists and databases and through my obsession of make up I collect so much make up and sometimes find it hard to keep track. So I had the brilliant idea to create an app that will help you keep an inventory of your products.

The app has now been finished and 'Make-Up Kit' is now available to purchase from the App store!

Quote of the week

“The best thing is to look natural, but it takes makeup to look natural”- Calvin Klein