Thursday 31 July 2008

Estee Lauder Stress Relief Eye Masks

So apparently the Bliss Triple Oxygen eye masks aren't out until October which is a bit of a mare, because I need help now. Luckily, I have an uber super eye mask that is keeping crow's feet at bay...

Estee Lauder Stress Relief Eye Masks are an amazing 10 minute treatment that gets rid of bags, dark circles and any puffiness like magic. There's no actual witchcraft mentioned in the ingredients but I'm sure they give it a special name so as not to alarm you*.
Anyways, the ingredients they are 'fessing up to include cucumber, aloe vera, allantoin all of which help refresh and relax the eye area. You just pop the refreshing little patches on for ten minutes and then chill out, letting your eye bags pack up and ship out.


Fab.

These little babies are available from Estee Lauder counters and at esteelauder.co.uk £22 for ten packs - that's only £2.20 a treatment!

*Like no-one tells you red food colouring is made of beetles or that Percy Pigs have pork gelatin in them - how wrong is that?

Wednesday 30 July 2008

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Mask

Burning the candle at both ends might be all kinds of fun but it's not great for the skin. I have reached a fantastic level of paranoia about getting old and waking up every morning with a mouth like Ghandi's flipflop and looking like I could merrily promote the Beijing Olympics with my residual eye make-up and washed out skin is not helping.

And so, I am on a new quest - products, quick and easy treatments and make up that give me the healthy glow of a hungover sixth former rather than a still drunk 27 year old.


My first offering is one of my favourites. The now cult classic, Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Mask! Seriously, there is no bad. You can peel off your pyjamas/night before's dress, wash your face with a gentle cleanser then pop on a layer of this bad boy. Once you've hopped in the shower and washed last night out of your hair, you'll have a big fluffy face of foam delivering oxygen deep into your skin. Rinse it off and ta-da, you look younger, fresher and sober.
Now you just have to remember to walk in a straight line...

The most exciting thing I've heard this week is that Bliss are following up the mask with individual eye masks. Imagine what sort of a bender I'll have to go on to properly review those bad boys.
I am good to you, you know...

Monday 28 July 2008

It's getting hot in here...

I'm dying.
Okay, so that might be an overreaction but CHRIST ALMIGHTY, is it hot enough?
The office where they are currently holding my prisoner is having 'challenges' with the air conditioning and I think I might pass out.

Happily, I am armed with the new Antistax Cooling Leg Spray. I'm a big fan of Antistax as I fly a lot and has a total hypochondriac, I'm forever convinced I have DVT so I love their capsules - it's all about red vine leaf for leg vein health dontcha know? - but when it's so hot like this and you've trekked the length and breadth of London to sit in a baking oven, I mean, office, you really just want a little extra cooling boost.

The spray is dinky enough to sit in my handbag without weighing me right down and it's a complete lifesaver when you're feeling MANKY. Do yourself a favour and slip out the flip flops for a quick blast to the feet if you can - make time for it if you're going out after work and it'll give you a good couple of extra hours before your feet start to feel a bit Elephant Man.

I'm about to start my second can of the day.
Better stop in Boots on the way home and get some more...

Thursday 24 July 2008

Well-ell-ell-ell Lulu makes me wanna shout

Actually, she makes Mummy BeautyLover want to cough politely and tell you how really rather lovely her products are.
No, really, Lulu.
Yes, that Lulu.
'Well-ell-ell-ell, you make me wanna shout' Lulu.

Anyway, whether you believe me or not, Lulu has got some a-maz-ing prods out on the market that are apparently responsible for her insanely youthful appearance. Check her out, she looks younger than me! That's not right!


Mummy BeautyLover, who I will point out now suffers something terrible with dry skin which gets irritated if I so much as blow a kiss at her, especially likes the Glory Days day cream, which plumps skin and then locks in all the hydrated goodness, and the Smart Balm eye cream that has mucho omega-3 acids that stop that icky crepey look, plus yeast extracts and botanicals to prevent puffiness.



I robbed a bit of the Glory Days last time I was Chez Fam, it's pretty bloody good and even took the edge of the, ahem, mother avert your eyes, morning after deathly pallor I was rocking. And it's all kinds of pretty.
I may have to give the whole range a once over - especially liking the sound of the Youth Juice skin oil...

Lulu is awesome - check it out here.
Does this post read like Russell Brand wrote it?
Sorry, I've been on the Haribo and full-fat Pepsi again.
Bad BeautyLover.

Tuesday 22 July 2008

Beat the credit crunch at The Parlour

My beloved East London pampering hidey hole is being very very good to us...
They have ingeniously created a Champagne Lifestyle on a Beer Budget option for we strapped for cash chicas in the big smoke.



Pick any one of their top treatments, pedicure, manicure, facial, blow dry or massage and enjoy 30 minutes of treatment for just £30. What's not to love?

The Parlour is at 3 Ravey Street, EC2A 4QP, just five minutes walk from Old Street tube.
Call 020 7729 6969 or log on to www.theparlouruk.com to check out the pink gorgeous wonder that is The Parlour...

P.S. You know I love you non-London BeautyMecca ladies, don't you?
I just love getting a massage for thirty quid more. Well, as much anyway.

Friday 18 July 2008

I'm only Dreaming...

Primarily that I won't be ill this time next week. Honestly, I feel like I've had flu for my entire life, it's enough to drive a girl into a spa.

In an attempt to deskankify myself, I'm turning to pretty perfumes. I'm hearting purse sprays and travel bottles at the mo, and if they come with a lipgloss, I'm all the happier.


I was never a massive fan of Tommy Girl, it was all a bit bright and shiny for my liking but I am a fan of the new Tommy fragrance Dreaming. It's a pretty, sophisticated fragrance, rocking some white peach, tuberose and freesia notes. Floral and fruity but with a really pretty warm heart at the centre of the fragrance.

And, shock, the rollerball comes with a lipgloss for just £15.00.
Bar-gain.
I smell pretty, oh so pretty, I smell pretty and witty and wise...

Monday 14 July 2008

The importance of a good polish - Zoya

As I sat on the bed last night, applying my fifth coat of cheap neon orange nail polish, I started to think about all the other things I could have been doing with the time I WASTED if only I'd used a good quality nail polish.

1. Read this month's Elle which I still haven't finished
2. Popped round my friend's for a gossip
3. Mixed a lovely cocktail (okay, made a cup of tea)
4. Walked up the road to buy milk to make the cup of tea
5. Got in bed twenty minutes earlier

Life is too short for shit polish.
Go and spoil yourself with some lovely Zoya polish. The colours are uniformly gorgeous, it doesn't chip and it doesn't wreck your nails. And it doesn't take twenty five coats to get a true shade.


I LOVE hot pink Layla but I'm also totally obsessing over the new Gossip collection.
And it's not just because all the shades are named after the bitches, I mean, lovely girls on The Hills.
Although I won't be caught dead wearing Heidi...

Friday 11 July 2008

Bliss Blow Out Sale!

I think Bliss heard me waxing lyrical about Spa Paradisa yesterday...
There's a pretty amazing sales on their website right now - go people, go!

I'm stocking up on lipsalve and Shock Therapy Shower Gel.
Make sure you check it out before it ends on the 15th...

www.blisslondon.co.uk

Thursday 10 July 2008

sorry, I'm crap

Sorry kids, I've been so out of it this week.
Promise not to let you down next week - I even missed the Cosmo Beauty Awards on Tuesday due to lurgy - yuck!

However, I have been lifted out of my misery by the AH-MAZING Spa Paradisa products at Superdrug. The ridiculously beautiful Coconut and Frangipani body cream has TOTES replaced my Bliss Lemon+Sage. I know. Massive. And it's only £8.00.


I've never ever in my whole life had so many compliments from so many people about a product, boys like it, girls like it, the lesbians at Tegan & Sara's gig liked it, my parents liked it, my cat seemed quite keen - it's a miracle. And it's really really effective. I'm buying in bulk.

Move over Body Shop Body Butters, your time is up.

Friday 4 July 2008

Dr Bragi, Miracle Man

It's a doctor theme this week...

I don't think I've been very secretive about the fact that I've been caning it in the style of a) a student in Fresher's week, b) Amy Winehouse or c) a very silly 27 year old who has a full time job, a three book deal, a beauty blog and no way of juggling the three without looking like crapola.

I look like crapola.
Or at least I would if it weren't for the wonderful rescue mask from Dr Bragi!


I have totally overused my Beauty Flash Balm and Advanced Night Concentrate to the point where my skin barely registers that I've applied them - it damn near demands that level of intensive treatment on a daily/nightly basis these day. And so I've been forced to look to more intensive measures. The mask is one of those fabric jobbies that is full of active enzymey goodness that hydrates and firms the skin. My thirsty complexion loves it when I've kept it in the fridge and then let it warm up for a couple of minutes at room temperature before popping it on.

After ten minutes, slip it off, tissue off any excess and go straight to sleepies - don't wash off the magic. Seriously, it's amazing, like a good night's sleep in an enchanted tissue.
And all for a tenner at Victoriahealth.com

Next week I'm hoping to include the Flying Doctors, Doogie Howser MD and the KLF's Doctorin'the Tardis...

Wednesday 2 July 2008

I Heart Bionova

I know you're all well aware of my New York addiction and my inability to pass by a shop in said fair city without purchasing something, so imagine how excited I was when I spotted that one of the fabu brands from my beloved Barney's had hopped over the pond!

Let me paint you a picture, there is no bad in Barney's. There are fabulous clothes, an exclusive Marc by Marc Jacobs line, a lovely restaurant and lovely, lovely person after lovely, lovely person. Screw Disneyland, it's the happiest place on Earth. And as such, I'm ALL about their exclusive brands, including the newly available to we lucky UK folks, Bionova.

The fabbiest fabu things about Bionova that, unlike so many other 'natural' brands, all of the ingredients are naturally occurring in the body. They call this Hyper-Natural. As a fan of hyperbole in all its forms, I like this.




Each prod contains between 150 - 300 bioactive substances in nano quantities which are 'delivered' to the problem area in specially created 'cells' which will not destabilise - ooh, fancy!

The prods are the work of Dr Michael Danielov, discovered during his years working in Russia on research into the effects of shock on the body and now utilized in anti ageing and the treatment of acne and problem skins. The range delivers the body’s own active ingredients successfully to damaged cells, which helps them to self-repair. I think that might be mighty impressive. And I like to think Dr Michael is a bit like Phoebe's scientist boyfriend in Friends.

The range consists of two relatively affordable areas, a range that’s affordable and can be used by everybody called ‘The Impact Line’ starting at £29. Then there's also a super swank, exclusive custom collection via the web. By answering a series of tailor made questions, a blend of bioactives is created in the Bionova lab in New York, then blended into a cream to very specifically suit your skin - and the chances of two skincare blends being identical is one in 60 million. It is then delivered to you complete with your own name on the cream.
I want my name on a cream.
This excites me hugely.

For those less concerned with uber narcissim, the Impact Line starts from £29 and is available exclusively from the BIONOVA website http://www.bionova.uk.com/.

Festival Chic - Lee Stafford Minis

Now, correct me if I'm wrong but when I went to me first festival (ten, sob, years ago) it was not in any way glamorous. If the non-festival goers on the train home didn't vomit when you stepped on board, you'd done okay. And yes, I know there are showers but they're disgusting. I was much more inclined towards a Vegas shower (strip wash with baby wipes) and washing my hair with, well, nothing.

But not these days.
Thanks to the likes of La Moss (grr) you can't just go, get mucky and enjoy the festival. You've got to worry what your hair looks like, what wellies you're wearing, which designers best reflect your musical preference and you have to wear make up.


We will tackle these issues one by one (make up needs vary by festival, of course) and I think the easiest task here is hair. This has been made much easier by my lovely friends at Lee Stafford - no longer are you destined to the Princess Leia buns of heartache by day two! Oh no, you can now take mini shampoo and conditioner, mini styling products and - drumroll - mini DRY SHAMPOO!!!!



My top tips are - wash and blow dry the morning you leave. I know it's mean to hair but if you can stand it, straighten it to dry it out at the roots. It's important you stay as product free as possible at this point. Day two should be fine but do try to avoid any strenuous work e.g. carrying your own bag, setting up your own tent, for fear of getting sweaty and greasy.

By day three, you'll want to spritz your dry shampoo through the roots and brush through well. If things still aren't looking good or you're suffering by the afternoon, now is the time to attempt the funky plaits before everything goes grease-tastic. I love that big celeb look at the moment with one plait coming across the front of your face to pull your fringe/front layers up and away. Perfect for festivals and if you put the plaits in when hair is a wee bit dirty, they'll hold until you leave. Just enough grease will actually help here. Maybe spritz with some hairspray to freeze the style.
Once plaits can't cut it, stick on a hat.
Or a wig a la Pixie Geldof at Glasto. That was pretty cool.

I'm not doing any camping festivals this year (after 2007's Reading debacle) but I will be stashing a mini dry shampoo in my desk draw, handbag and anywhere else I can fit one. Greasy hair is my biggest fear in life.
Apart from going back to Reading.

Tuesday 1 July 2008

Afterglow Cosmetics

I've been having a bit of a mad few weeks and quite frankly, could use a bit of an glow, before, after or however else it wants to appear, so I was super excited to hear about a new mineral make-up, called Afterglow Cosmetics.


It's a leading mineral make-up US company and the entire range is gluten free, cruelty free and vegan, making it the perfect choice for anyone looking for something super pure (or just the fussy ones amongst you).


I am in love with the eyeshadows (especially Storm, perfect for smokey eyes as it blends beautifully) the super dense pigment is incredible and apparently Marion Cotillard is a big fan of the lipsticks and she's uber pretty so I'm willing to bow to her selections.

Bag yourself some purdy minerals from www.afterglowcosmetics.co.uk

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