Category Archives: Beauty & Grooming

Make It Happen! Get Healthy and Join Us On Pinterest

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January is full of promises of better health habits, but as the year goes on, resolve weakens and more help is usually needed. So I have made a Pinterest board full of inspiration. Join me on Pinterest and make your own #bootsmakeithappen board. Boots will be choosing the best one and will put it on their Facebook page.

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According to new research, more than three quarters (84%) of us are feeling positive about achieving our health and beauty goals throughout 2013. That’s why Boots has launched Let’s Make It Happen – to encourage people to take action on their health and beauty goals. The initiative basically looks at what can we change in our lives this year – whether that’s stopping smoking, going to the gym more regularly, having more body confidence etc.  Boots’ Let’s Make it Happen tells you what you need to achieve these health and beauty goals, including products and service support. All the information is available in The Feel Good Forum on Mumsnet.

I have been walking, eating less meat and drinking lots of water. I have also been taking a multivitamin. What have you been doing?

Get pinning and have fun.

 

Sponsored Post

 

Vichy Idealia Smoothing and Illuminating Cream Review

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vichy idealia reviewIt is not common for me to be upset when a moisturiser runs out. There is always something else to try. But when my Vichy Idealia Smoothing and Illuminating Cream ran out I felt forlorn. It is just that good.

It smells delicious, which is probably the Kombucha tea extract, the packaging is stylish and the texture of the pink cream is light and not too heavy, but, importantly, it really works. I used this religiously twice a day, except for once or twice when I went to bed late. When I did not use it I could see the difference in my skin. I just looked less fresh, less ‘illuminated’. The overall tone of my skin is greatly improved. It evens skin tone and smooths out wrinkles.

I have sensitive skin and this hypoallergenic cream was gentle with it. It did not irritate it at all. It is also paraben-free. I really love this moisturiser and so did my skin.

Vichy say,

– Enriched with Kombucha 3%, AHAs, Vitamins, Probiotics and Polyphenols
– Skin feels more even, smoother, supple and refined
– The complexion is more radiant
– Skin is replumped with moisture
– Skin looks more youthful, fresher and healthier

The ingredients

vichy ingredients

It is quite pricey at £22 but I think it is definitely worth the money and a little goes a long way. It is like youth in a pot.

Available from Superdrug or Selfridges.

 

Amanda Seyfried Is New Face of Parfums Givenchy Very Irresistible

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Amanda Seyfried, not content with landing roles in Lovelace and Les Misérables, is now also the face of Parfums Givenchy new fragrance, Very Irresistible.

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Parfums Givenchy Amanda Seyfried Press Photo

Amanda Seyfried, who began acting in her teenage years, is one of the most
captivating actresses of her generation. She has appeared in a string of
outstanding films, including Mamma Mia!, Chloe, Dear John, Letters to Juliet, In
Time and, more recently Les Misérables. She will next be seen in the film Lovelace.

Parfums Givenchy Global President Thierry Maman said: “Amanda is a very
talented actress with a sparkling beauty and an effortless sense of elegance.
We very much look forward to working with her on a new exciting
communication campaign.”

The new campaign featuring Amanda Seyfried will be unveiled from Fall 2013.

Millie Mackintosh Launches New Limited Edition Summer Lashes

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Millie Mackintosh lashesBride-to-be Millie Mackintosh has teamed up with Nouveau Lashes to launch two Limited Edition Summer Lashes named after Millie’s favourite holiday destinations Ibiza and St Tropez.

“My lashes are perfect for summer fun! Great for holidays as they are water and heat resistant and fantastic for festivals as they are safe to wear for 2/3 days.” – Millie Mackintosh.

These unique benefits are due to Nouveau Lashes strip lash adhesive which is tried and tested to endure holiday temperatures and pool side fun, and being latex free they are safe to wear all weekend long.

As well as the Nouveau Lashes Adhesive, each box also contains a pair of mini tweezers, 2 sets of corner lashes and 1 full strip lash to achieve Millie’s 3 Summer Lash looks.

The Pool Party – to complement your sun kissed face, perfect bikini and wedges you do not want anything too heavy; so just add the corner flicks to your outer lashes for a gentle, irresistible lift.

 

Dinner & Drinks – make your eyes sparkle and start melting hearts! As the sun goes down it’s time to get a little more serious and Millie advises to use the full strip lashes for extra flutter.

 

Party Time – let your eyes do the dancing by placing the corner lashes on top of the full strips for lashes that simply ooze glamour, sexiness and downright wickedness!

 

Available at www.millie-mackintosh.com and participating stockists. RRP £12.95

 

Amy Childs’ Lashes | Beauty Review

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I received a pair of Amy Childs’ Heartbreaker lashes to review. They look great in the packaging, very glamorous.

I have never put fake lashes on before and wasn’t sure if it would be hard or not. To be honest, I did find it very tricky. Until I got the hang of it that is. It is like applying eyeliner, hard at first but after a while you can do it quickly and with precision. The lashes are really long and dramatic. You could either wear them for a big night out or cut them down. They are also wide but you can easily cut them down. They come with adhesive and can be used again and again.

As you can see in the pic below they are very big. I got mixed reactions, some people loved them, and others thought they were too big and should be cut slightly. Whatever you decide they are good quality and value for money. £8 including P &P. A cheap and great glamour hit.

Catherine Balavage reviewing Amy Childs' lashes

Get A ‘Lash In A Flash’ With Amy Childs’ Lashes
Need a quick beauty pick me up or if you are heading from the office floor to the dance floor and want to change your
look dramatically, then look no further than Amy Childs’ Lashes for a ‘lash in a flash’! A fabulous collection of lashes with
eight different designs to suit every girl and every occasion, Amy’ strip lashes are perfect to change your look instantly.
Durable and long-lasting Amy Childs’ Lashes are designed to be worn over and over again. Wanting to make the modern
girl feel and look beautiful, these lashes are exactly what Amy stands for, whether you want to look glam or natural.
Available in Flirt 2, Temptress 1, Heartbreaker 2 & Tease 1
From elaborate, sexy and seductive styles to subtle, pretty and elegant designs, the real question is will you be a Flirt,
Tease, Temptress or Heartbreaker tonight

www.amychildsofficial.co.uk

 

Fashion Fabulous Party | Social Diary

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I went along to the launch of the third edition of the Fashion Fabulous book. I was joined by actor/director Jack Bowman and his wonderful girlfriend Mary Burt. I also met the team behind new blog The London Index, Joseph and Leah-Jade. Check them out. Some of their photos are below.

I had a flick through the book and it is brilliant researched. I talked to Tracy and she said that she goes to every single shop and restaurant. Everything is checked to make sure it is of the highest quality. Tracey is also a hat designer and the hat she was wearing was spectacular.

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Sarah Eckersley + Leah-Jade Verasammy + Mary Burt + Jack Bowman + Guest + Catherine Balavage

Frost editor Catherine Balavage with actor and director Jack Bowman.

Frost editor Catherine Balavage with actor and director Jack Bowman.

 

Fashion Fabulous London returns with new guide for 2013

  • The results of an extensive mystery shop uncover the capital’s Top 200 retailers.
  • London’s best shopping districts revealed. Shoreditch and Shepherd’s Bush among up-and-coming areas pushing North Kensington out of the top 10.
  • Customer service in Prada rated equally to Primark.

 

London’s number 1 independent shopping guide, Fashion Fabulous London launched its new guidebook for 2013 on the 24th of April, and it is out now.

 

The third edition of the consumer guide picks out and reviews the top shops in London. The shopping equivalent to the Michelin Guide, the new edition of the book is a must-have for the style-conscious London shopper.

 

Fashion insiders Tracy Rose and Russell Rose have once again compiled the book by making mystery shopper visits to one thousand retailers across the capital. This year’s updated guide highlights the best shops visited by the couple with in-depth reviews of the hottest outlets.

 

This year’s Top 200 retailers named in Fashion Fabulous London include new entries from designer-run boutique Antoni & Alison in Farringdon and rising vintage outlet Emporium in Greenwich.

 

Once again, the West End tops the list of London districts with the most retailers in the Top 200, but new neighbourhoods have arrived in the Top 10 shopping districts.  Shepherd’s Bush, boosted by the presence of fashion destination Westfield London, now sits in the Top 10 ahead of Camden and Islington. Shoreditch has cemented its position as a fashion hotspot by ousting North Kensington from this year’s Top 10.

 

The changes in the guide’s Top 10 shopping districts reflect the increasing spread of quality retailers across London. Tracy Rose comments, “The West End remains London and the UK’s retail heart. However, we found from our visits across the city that lavish outlets and high-end service is far from limited to the boutiques of Bond Street and Savile Row. We are finding that retailers further afield in the capital are increasingly improving the quality of the customer experience, even in the current economic climate.”

 

Shops that offered a personal touch to customers were highly commended by the pair. Tracy states, “We particularly enjoy the experience offered by designer-run boutiques, where the customer can meet the creators of the items on sale. Being myself both a fashion designer and an avid shopper, I appreciate how much consumers value knowing about how their clothes were made.”

 

Each of the top retailers reviewed in Fashion Fabulous London receive a rating out of 5 shopping bags on choice, service and wow factor.  Every store was re-evaluated this year with many receiving new ratings: In service, Bond Street’s Prada store lost its five shopping bag rating while Primark on Oxford Street improved on its one shopping bag rating – both now having two shopping bags in the 2013 edition.

 

Readers of Fashion Fabulous London will discover personal accounts from Tracy and Russell from their visits to each outlet. Tracy recounts the story of a showdown with shoppers in the Alexander McQueen store, with one envious customer snatching a shoe from her grasp. In another review, Russell gets to know Camden’s leftfield Cyberdog shop by trying on a yellow laser print ‘Talk to the Hand’ T-shirt.

 

Russell Rose comments, “We hope that this year’s guide will be the perfect companion for fashion-lovers looking for either high-end or high street shops. Whether you’re looking for shoes or handbags, we’ve taken the leg work out of finding the best stockists.”

 

Fashion Fabulous London will be on sale from 30 April 2013 at leading retailers nationwide including Harrods, Selfridges and Waterstones, and online from Amazon.

 

Top 10 London shopping postcodes

The top 10 districts in London ranked by the number of Fashion Fabulous London’s Top 200 shops in each district.

2013Rank Postcode District 2012Rank
1 W1 West End 1
2 SW1 Belgravia 2
3 W11 Notting Hill Gate 4
4 E1 Brick Lane /Spitalfields 3
5 SW3 Chelsea 6
6 E2 Bethnal Green 7
7 WC2 Covent Garden 5
8 W12 Shepherd’s Bush =11
9 N1 Islington 8
=10 EC2 Shoreditch =11
=10 NW1 Camden 10

Manuka Doctor ApiClear Blemish Cream Review

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Mille Mackintosh

Everyone has the occasional break out no matter how good their skin is. I am no exception. The last spot cream I used seemed to take the occasional spot I got and multiply it so my usually clear skin had a bit of a freak out. Enter Manuka Doctor ApiClear Blemish Cream. I had high hopes for this as I have previously reviewed their face mask. It also has Made In Chelsea star Millie Mackintosh as a fan.

Millie Says, I won’t be going to anywhere this year without Manuka Doctor’s ApiClear Blemish Cream. Breakouts often occur during festivals and holidays and so having this to instantly soothe my skin is a lifesaver! It is so easy to use – I just pop it in my bag and know that my skin will stay blemish free.

The cream has UMF 18+ Manuka Honey, witch hazel, vitamin E and Propolis. It is calm and cooling and non greasy. It doesn’t have any nasty parabens or SLS.

I use it on the occasional pimple and it does speed up the healing process. My skin looks a lot better. Considering how inexpensive it is (£5.99 from Holland & Barrett) I will be buying this when it runs out. A great little cream that helps clear up spots quickly.

Top marks.

Calvin Klein Delicious Luxury Creme Lipstick Review

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Calvin Klein Delicious Luxury Creme Lipstick in Cosmopolitan.

IMG_3470I must confess that the colour of this lipstick was a bit challenging. I see women wearing bright lipstick all the time and feel a tug of envy. It just looks so fabulous on them. I usually wear nude lipstick. My problem with bright lipstick is that I have a big mouth – no jokes please. At school I was made fun of because of my big lips. Of course now I see them as a plus. I get compliments on them a lot. But I always thought that wearing bright lipstick made them look too big and was just too much of a hassle. Which just goes to show how much I don’t know.

The lipstick looks amazing on. Although my boyfriend has reservations, ‘Jeez, that’s bright. It really doesn’t suit you.” he says. Thanks for that! I persevere anyway.

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I like how the lipstick brightens up my face. I like the colour, it is beautiful. The lipstick is good quality, as you would expect from Calvin Klein. It stays on my face all day and it does not dry my lips out. I get a lot of compliments and even my boyfriend comes around to it.

So am I converted? Completely. I will be brightening up my make up look, and as for the Calvin Klein lipstick, it is a piece of luxury at a completely reasonable price, and an excellent lipstick to boot.

Available from Fragrance Direct and Debenhams.