A Skincare Secret is Revealed…

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A mysterious locked box. A key hidden in a secret garden. It sounds like something from a children’s box. Well it was a reality for me last week when Dr Organic couriered a super secret box to my office. I had no idea what was inside. The tag read “…receive your key at Dr Organic’s secret garden tomorrow night”. This is what working with brands and PRs is all about. I was eager to find out more so I headed to The Ham Yard Hotel roof garden the following evening.

I’ve been to my fair share of roof gardens (Londoners love them, especially in Summer) but this one was different. It felt as though I had walked into a country garden, albeit it a slightly smaller version. Beautfiul wild flowers surrounded a decadent fountain, and all round us were Dr Organic Snail Gel products littered amongst logs, moss and ivy. It all felt very magical.

As we sipped on cocktails and ate our fair share of canapés (with my partner in crime Jamila) we were treated to a talk by make-up artist Kenneth Soh. He told us the best way to pair the products with our daily make-up routine. It was refreshing to hear from someone who wasn’t a typical ambassador for the brand, but instead was someone who used the product themselves and genuinely loved it. As the night drew to a close we said our goodbyes under the fairy lights, before rushing home to open our boxes with the keys we had acquired. Incase you were wondering, the boxes were filled with the new Dr Organic Snail Gel range (hand cream, face serum, face gel, face cream, eye serum and face mask), all of which will be released on October 8th in Holland and Barrett stores.

Review: NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Club Mix

Some people may change their wardrobe for Autumn, I change my lipsticks. Yes it’s true, I have a whole collection of lipsticks that I set aside just for A/W. Although in my defence it sounds worse than it is. It’s usually only about 3-4 lipsticks – don’t worry I’m not hoarding cupboards of them. This year I also have a new lip pencil to add to that collection, and it’s one that I’m very excited about.

NARS is a brand that has been recommended to me by several people, but never for their lipsticks. However I received one of their Velvet Gloss Lip Pencils in a goodie bag from ASOS recently, and it was in one of my favourite shades – a deep berry, or s NARS are calling it ‘Club Mix’. I was ready to make my first foray into the brand.

Pros:
+ Long lasting
+ Barely transfers
+ Good pigmentation
+ Applies easily
+ Moisturising


Cons:
– Needs to be sharpened after use


Notes:
It’s rare that I come across a lipstick that will stay put when drinking or eating. Even high-end brands fail at the task we all want them so desperately to succeed at. A lipstick stain on a cup may look good on Instagram but in reality none of us want to be re-applying our lippie all day. That’s why I’m so impressed with this little number. The NARS Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil offers long-lasting wear with minimal transfer. It applies easily with a creamy texture that feels very hydrating, and doesn’t dry out lips. The pigmentation is excellent, giving you the exact colour you see on the tube. The only downside to this amazing lipstick-gloss combo is the design of the product. Unfortunately this is very much like a pencil in that you have to sharpen it once it wears down. I’m not a fan of sharpening kohl, lip pencils etc. It’s a messy business and I don’t want anything to do with it. Still, I love this shade so I may give it a go once I use it up. Although I am already having premonitions of me breaking it like I did all of my eyeliners in high school. As for price, these retail at £18 each, which is pricey but considerably less than I spend on my Chanel lipsticks. Keeping that in mind, I probably would buy the matte version of the lipstick over this gloss one, purely because of personal preference.

You can buy the Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Club Mix at NARS and at counters nationwide.

Review: The Micro Nail

When I attended the Pegasus Showcase a few months ago there were whispers of a new secret nail product being tested on the press and bloggers, from the makers of Micro Pedi. The lovely ladies offered for me to test the product out but as I would have needed to take my nail polish off (and I’d just had a manicure) I declined. Still, I was intrigued to find out what this mystery product was and so they promised to keep me up to date. Fast forward to last week whilst I was in France – I received an exciting press release revealing the secret and offering to send me along one of the products to try out. Of course I jumped at the chance, and now I’m going to share that secret with you.

The Micro Nail is a revolutionary new nail care product set to take the nation by storm. The innovative device claims to gently smooth, buff and polish your nails quickly yet effectively.

“MICRO Neil leaves your nails with a gorgeous natural shine lasting for up to two weeks. Using two micro mineral rollers it gives the illusion of a glossy top coat when you are actually nail varnish free, also helping to smooth ridges, reduce staining and improve the appearance of dryness. Battery powered, it takes the hard work out of buffing, with rollers that rotate up to MOO times per minute you can have a salon smooth manicure in seconds. The MICRO Smooth roller buffs away ridges and stains while the MICRO Shine roller works instantly, to leave nails with a beautiful, natural shine.”


What did I think of it?
I wasn’t sure what kind of product to expect when I first heard all of the hype behind the now announced Micro Nail. If I’m going to be honest I’m not sure if this is really needed. I can’t say I’ve ever wanted a battery powered buffing/shining device. That said the product does work, and I was very pleased with the results [See before and after photos]. I’ve been playing around with negative space nail art lately, and it’s good to know that after using this, my nails are shiny enough by themselves and no top coat is needed. If you wear a lot of nail polish you’re probably not going to be too bothered by this, which is why I think I’m on the fence about it. However if you’re the opposite to me, but you’d still like to add a bit of shine to your nails, then this would be perfect. The device itself easily fits into a handbag, and although I’m not a fan of pink I do like the kitschy appeal of it. As for price, the Micro Nail retails at £39.99, which is certainly not pocket change. It is an investment though, as you can buy replacement rollers (£12.99 for a pack of four) so you won’t need to throw it away once you’re done with it.

Fancy giving it a go yourself? You can buy the Micro Nail in-store and at Boots.

A Peek Inside… My Little Parisienne Box

The package read ‘from France’ and my heart skipped a beat. It came, it finally came. There’d been no dispatch email so I hadn’t been expecting it. Something which added to the mystery of the whole process. Yes, I’m talking about my first monthly subscription box from My Little Box.

This month’s theme is ‘My Little Parisienne Box’. An arrangement which I myself was incredibly happy with. Before I opened my package I told myself that I had been waiting for this (for the brand to come over to the UK) for years, so I shouldn’t hype it up too much. As soon as I opened the parcel and saw the box itself, all my logic went out the window. It was adorable, and that’s just the outside. As for the inside…

What was inside My Little Parisienne Box?
– Illustration by Kanako
– Notebook (including an introduction to the brand)
– Parisienne 3D stickers
– Laptop sleeve
– Laura Mercier Foundation Primer
– Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse
– My Little Beauty highlighter pen
– Drawstring pouch

What did I think?
I know the first box to a new subscription always tries to impress, but I can’t believe the effort gone into this one. Everything from the outside to the inner flows, mainly helped along by Kanako’s delightful illustrations. As for the contents of the box, I thought they fit the theme wonderfully. Chic stationary for the busy lady? Check. French beauty favourites? Check. Happy? Check. Separately the items don’t seem to add up to much, but together and put alongside the theme, they really are lovely. I wasn’t sure if I would use the stickers, but after reading the suggestions I added a few to my laptop and I’m overjoyed with how fabulous they look on it. I am beyond excited at the prospect of using all of the beauty products (although I’ll be keeping the Nuxe oil as an extra to the one I already own), and I’ve already placed my illustration on my wall, and the notebook in my handbag. If the rest of my ‘My Little Box’ subscriptions are half as good as this, I will be more than satisfied. It’s whimsical, it’s chic and most of all it fits perfectly into my lifestyle.

If you fancy subscribing yourself, head to My Little Box.

ASOS #BeautyChat and AW14 Beauty and Fashion

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ASOS know how to throw a party. The HQ building itself (a glorious combination of art deco and cats) is the perfect indicator of the decadence awaiting you inside. I headed there with Brogan. Walking into the beautiful building we were greeted with cocktails and nail art (by Reecey Roos) – thanks to the lovely ladies at ASOS. As we headed further in we bumped into some of the people behind Google Glass. Combining tech and beauty is a sure fire way to get my attention, so of course I had to pop a pair on and have a go. I think the glasses have a little way to go before the consumer will fall for them, but I like the idea. After staring at one tiny screen it was on to another as I snapped away at the beauty products and fashion that will be on offer this Autumn and Winter at ASOS. I was excited to see some opulent accessories sitting alongside some divine beauty products. I can’t wait for everything to hit the site. Finally it was time for the beauty chat! We gathered around as Patricia Bright took to the adorned stage and answered our questions and gave us some beauty tips. The first question of the night? From yours truly of course! Watch the video below to see what I had to ask Patricia.

French Pharmacy Favourites

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It’s safe to say that when I’m travelling I have my go-to favourite French pharmacy beauty products. French skincare is renowned as some of the best in the industry, and I’ve been swearing by it for years. So it only made sense that on my recent trip to France I took along some travel size versions.
I brought products from Avène, Klorane and Nuxe, all of which are brands I’ve featured on the blog before. Spoiler alert: they all came from UK stores.

My French pharmacy travel size favourites:
Avene Light Hydrating Cream with SPF20*
Avene Thermal Spring Water Spray
Nuxe Reve de Miel Hand and Nail Cream
Klorane Extra-gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk*

 

Beauty at Hyper Japan 2014

I’ve been a fan of Japanese beauty trends and products ever since my blog started so when I visited Hyper Japan last month I knew that I had to scout out the stalls showcasing my obsession.

I was in luck as there were several brands and shops at the exhibition specifically selling Japanese beauty products. Gyaru favourite Diamond Beauty (more widely known as Diamond Lash) were placed at the front of the ‘Hyper Kawaii’ section and were there to showcase their false lashes and eyeliner. More false lashes were available from Dreamy Bows who also had an array of false nails (including some intricate 3D designs) on offer. In fact ‘false’ was the name of the game with a lot of the beauty stalls offering up lashes, nails and hair dye. Though Pastel Doll ultimately won the award for their adorable selection of wigs, which I was incredibly tempted by…even though I know I’d only ever wear it inside the house (that’s good enough, right?). Of course it’s been a while since I’ve worn false lashes and nails etc. so I was pleased to see other items on offer too. Fans of a more natural look (or just those with a penchant for beauty) beelined for P2Bus – the ultimate UK based Japanese beauty store. With make-up, skincare and beauty accessories on offer from brands such as Dolly Wink, Biore and Kose they were certainly my favourite stall, if only for the selection of brands and products.

It was great to see so many Japanese beauty products on offer this year and at some decent prices too (I’m looking at you Diamond Lash and Dreamy Bows). I bought several items myself, a few of which I plan to review on the blog. I just wish that the items were more widely available here and I didn’t have to stock up once a year at Hyper Japan.