All For You!

Argh the lengths I will go to, to lay my hands on a beauty freebie, so I can review it for you all.


Today I went to seven , yes you heard me right, seven stores (including braving the craziness of Oxford Street on a Saturday,) to track down Benefit's Radiant Skincare freebie in conjunction with Grazia magazine.

I finally located this beauty launch must have at my local Debenhams and let me tell you it was well worth the wait!

This offer is a gorgeously packaged three piece set, comprising of sample sized facial wash, moisturiser and best of all a really great eye cream.  Housed in a nifty box, the samples are good sizes and for once for a freebie - the moisturiser and eye cream aren't housed in cheap plastic, but in glass bottle and jar with the type of quirky packaging you can always expect from Benefit.

I couldn't wait to get testing.....

Foamingly Clean Facial Wash

This foaming cleanser had a lovely consistency, foamed well and was lightly scented.  It was a little awkward to get out of the sample tube, but I put that down to the design of the bottle.  It cleaned my face in that it took off all my make-up, but it was a little too harsh for me. This self -proclaimed gentle cleanser wasn't gentle enough, unfortunately for my skin and left it feeling really, really dry.


Triple Performing Facial Emulsion

Gold stars all round on this light oil free gem!  It was light, but felt luxurious, absorbed beautfully into my skin and the oil-free super light formulation contains vitamins A & E, with the added bonus of SPF Factor 15.


It's Potent Eye Cream

Dark rings can always be covered by concealer, but you can make a huge difference to how the skin around your eyes looks, by investing in a great eye cream. This is one of them.  It definitely pepped up and hydrated the skin around my eyes, without feeling too heavy.  It  contains apple extract, which boosts the skin's collagen production and peptide complex which restores firms and elasticity to your skin.

It's pretty rare that you get a such a good skin launch freebie, so it was definitely worth all the hassle it took to track it down.

Lashicious

My signature make-up wouldn't be complete without eyeshadow, winged tip eye-liner and my finishing touch -mascara.

Great lashes are ridiculously easy to achieve and there are so many for you to choose from.  Here are my top three:

Mua Mascara -At just £1, this mascara is a great daytime essential and perfect if you're a beauty novice. Its small easy to use brush.  allows you to get right in the corner of your eyes without smudges but still gives you evenly coated lashes.  

Maybelline Great Lash - or as I call it the ultimate mascara. You know the one I'm talking about!  The pink tube with the green cap.  I've got short, curly lashes. Two coats of Great Lash and my lashes are transformed into long, separated lashes, which really make my eyes pop.

Christian Dior's Diorshow Mascara £17- will give you an ultra-glamorous look.This cult classic mascara leaves lashes ultra thick, long, and curled. If you want high voltage catwalk-length lashes then this is the mascara for you.

Mascara Maintenance -You should only keep your mascara for four months, after that they tend to dry out and remember not to pump the wand in and out, as you are exposing the mascara to drying air !

Mascara Magic - Never be afraid to mix and match your mascara e.g. one coat volume, one coat lengthen to get you that wide eyed long lashed look that makes your eyes pop!

Mascara Mischief - Don't forget mascara doesn't just have to be black - try moss greens if you are a blonde or how about a rich bungrundy which suits brunettes and dark skin.  Purple makes brown eyes stand out.

Remember whatever your choice of mascara or make-up in general ....have fun with it ! 

Kate Rocks Rimmel !

Ms Moss may have been axed by Burberry and Top Shop but can this fashion temptress conquer the lipstick jungle? That's right Queen Kate, the fashion icon who has had more comebacks, then a vintage Ossie Clark dress, is back yet again, this time launching a cosmetics range with long-time partner Rimmel London.


Featuring six lipstick colours,  including her signature blood red shade, and a selection of eyeshadows, these must haves will be housed in  chic leopard print rhinestone pouches.


If the demand for Kate's make-up range is anything like as popular as her first fashion sell-out collaboration with Top Shop, whose tills rang and whose website traffic leapt from its average of 1.5 million page views per day to 5 million, then Rimmel is set to have a monster hit on their hands.

Pout Power !

This week, US Market Research firm The NPD Group, Inc, released their latest US Beauty Industry Report, which listed the cosmetic sector in the US as currently being worth a staggering $185.2 million. 

The star of the show and seemingly recession proof are lipstick and lip product sales.  They've risen by a whooping 7%.  

Yes, we may all be tightening our belts when it comes to eating out and buying clothes, but when it comes to those finishing touches - or 'non-negotiable extras' (as I like to call them), there can be no compromise !

No, I don't mean just shoes and handbags but make-up. In particular, 'Pouts with the Pow Factor ! 'After the kick-arse popularity of MAC's Wonder Woman make-up line, launched February this year, there is no way you can ignore the superheroine in you and not lasso yourself a hot new lipstick.

Neon colours are one of the hottest trends this season and if you are too frightened to wear it on your  body, why not wear it on your nails or lips.

Orange is one of those super sexy colours, that looks incredible on dark skin, but can also add a lreal pep to paler skin.  For your nails, I love Nail Inc 's Porchester Place £11.00 (grab it while you can though, because it's part of their summer limited edition range)! Or,why not try out No 7's Stay Perfect nail polish and paint your nails in their gorgeous Golden Palm shade.  

On your lips, unleash the dangerous diva in you, by slicking on L'oreal's new Paris Glam Shine Fresh lipgloss in Tangerine £8.99 .  

If you are feeling really brave, then high-kick your way towards Dior's Addict Lipstick, in Fire £22.00 - a little pricey I know, but you are getting a super, rich colour density lipstick with excellent staying power. 

Just what every Wonder Woman needs !

Free and Fabulous Darling !

I may love to shop, but I also know how to watch my pennies, so here's my round up of the best freebies on offer this month.

MAGAZINES

• Marie Claire Inika Mineral Eyeliner or Eye Shadow  collect both together worth £23.50
• In Style Body Shop £5.00 gift card
• Company - Double Headed Liquid Eyeliner/Pen
• Glamour - Its a free for all, so choose from a trio of Benefit goodies -  High Beam, Benefit Tint and Posie Tint
• Elle - Reiss vest in white, stone and blue
• Tatler - Sunglasses

ONLINE

• Boots, Beauty - Philosphy Black Bag Gift, when you buy two or more selected Philosphy products
• Superdrug, Fragrance - Buy a Paul Smith fragrance and get a free pair of Paul Smith socks just in time for Father's Day this Sunday.
• House of Fraser, Hair - Frekki 59ml shampoo and conditioner free with any two Frekki products

INSTORE

• Debenhams, Beauty - Lancome Temperley for Lancome free gift bag with two or more skincare purchases.

COMING SOON

JULY

• InStyle, Beauty - Body Shop Super Volume Mascara or 2 Eye Definers
• Marie Claire, Beauty - Ciate lipgloss

Secret Agent Kiss Kiss

If there's one thing I insist on when I'm shopping it's great customer service !

　

To find out exactly what you can expect in terms of customer service at  your favourite stores, I am going undercover as your Secret Beauty Agent.

　

I will be going into some of your favourite stores buying products or getting makeovers or simply picking up tips. This week I went to House of Fraser on Oxford Street. I headed over to the Estee Lauder counter to pick up the Idealist  Cooling Eye Illuminator.

　

My assistant was the lovely Emily, who was a great representative for the brand. Smart, but not overly made up and she seemed genuinely glad to help me. She had great product knowledge and when I asked for some samples, she instantly customised my experience by asking my skin type and what I  was interested in.  A really great customer experience for me.

　

Next, I moved on to the Cover FX counter, directed by another good assistant on th Benefit counter whose 'erase paste' concealer range unfortunately didn't run beyond a rather green looking beige. I'd heard of Cover FX before and seen it when it first launched exclusively at Harvey Nicks, so I was curious to see what it had to offer me.

　

Zoralia was was great. She ran through my skin type, every day skin care regime and then as well as general product knowledge, highlighted exactly why Cover FX would suit me.

　

She expertly removed my existing warpaint and made up my face half in foundation the other in concealer, so I could see the difference in coverage, before finishing me off with a dusting of mineral powder. 

　

She priced up all the products she used on me and when I decided to just take the foundation, there wasn't any of that sour lemon face you sometimes experience from some sales assistants when you don't buy everything they recommend to you.

　

As well as my foundation, she gave me a sample of the skin primer and a look card which included all the prices of the products.

　

She was personable, professional and really made me look and feel great. As for the things I left behind - well it's payday next week and I will definitely be going back for them.

　

My Secret Beauty Agent rating 5  *****

In Living Colour

Hip, hip hooray!   No you haven't accidentally clicked onto a kids birthday blog....I am beyond excited to tell you all about Estee Lauder's new Even Skintone Illuminator. What's the big deal I hear you all cry?

　

Well, while women of colour have been represented in global advertising skincare and fashion campaigns like Dove Real Beauty and Benetton...as far as cosmetics industry have been concerned in the UK, until recently the joys of being able to pick up a foundation in the right shade, would have been just about as likely as finding George Clooney on special offer in aisle 9  at the supermarket !

　

This is despite the UK ethic beauty market being estimated as being worth £70 million. Lauder's decision to integrate its print launch with a digital platform on Facebook is by no means unusual.

　

However, just like  the recent Oscar De La Renta perfume launch, where selecting 'like' guaranteed the viewer a free sample - old school, but engaging.

　

Lauder has tapped into the beauty of creative, interactive engagement of its audience (film, games, skincare forum)  prior to the product winging its way onto the shelves.

　

As well as appealing to its existing customer base, Lauder has acquired a brand new customer base,  seduced by the lure of its mighty multi-ethnicity Illuminator.

　

The entry of Lauder the high end 'black' cosmetics market , along with YSL Touche Eclat's illuminator for black and mixed race skin (after a 20 year wait! ) Yes my cup truly runneth over!  

　

Available exclusively at Selfridges from this week and nationwide from July, the Lauder Illuminator provides a healthy spot of competition for the likes of Bobbi Brown, MAC and Iman and more importantly ensures, a wider selection of products for women of colour to choose from.

　

So is it any good?  Hell yeah !! Being the diva that I am, I wasn't content to wait until UK launch day, so I got Ms P to send me a Beauty SOS special delivery from NY, starring Lauder's Even Skin Tone Illuminator.

　

Any product that boosts it can improve skin tone by up to 62% in just 2 weeks is enough to grab my attention.

  

Having battled my way hrough a pretty heavy bout of teenage acne, followed by that enemy of adult skin.....adult acne...,(how much skin invasion can one diva take!) my skin was definitely in need of a little TLC!

　

I have oily skin and the oil-free formula was perfect for me. The Illuminator lotion consistency is very light and instantly sinks into your skin. The pump dispenser allows you to accurately apply the lotion, without wasting any.

I found that by dotting it onto my skin and then gently dabbing it in, my whole face was evenly covered. For those of you who hate heavily scented skin creams, the Illuminator won't disappoint. The scent is very subtle and barely discernable. As with all Estee packaging is attractive, practical and won't take up too much space in the bathroom.

So Does It Work?

I've been using it for just over a week now and already I am noticing a difference. My skin has definitely brightened up.  There is a luminous quality to it that I've always craved, but so far never managed to achieve except when my make-up has been professionally applied.

The darker pigmentation spots, I have left over from my acne haven't  magically vanished, but they have definitely lightened and that in my eyes is a result.  I'll keep you posted on whether things keep going in the right direction.