Product review: Guinot Lait Hydra Fraîcheur (cleanser) and Lotion Hydra Fraîcheur (toner)

Cleanse. Tone. Moisturise. We all know the drill. I’ve been doing it for a very long time in my life and am always very happy to try new products for the life-long routine. This time, we are talking steps one and two with Guinot’s Refreshing Cleansing Milk and Refreshing Toning Lotion.

The Hydra Fraîcheur products aim to keep skin fresh by helping to balance hydration.

First, the cleanser – the Lait Hydra Fraîcheur has a fluid milky texture and it is not too thick. Spreads well on the skin when applied with circular movements. Removed make-up well, including eye makeup. Skin felt soft after, not greasy or heavy, but I am not a huge fan of any milk cleansers – I prefer to wash – so I did it after application. The pump delivers the right amount of product and a small amount goes a long way.

The Lotion Hydra Fraicheur toner has rose extract and is suitable for all skin types, just like the cleanser. It is liquid, alcohol and foaming agent free and indeed very fresh, with a subtle sweet-ish fragrance. Skin felt comfortable during and after application there was no stinging or dryness.

When I first used the duo in the evening, my skin woke up bright and plump.

You can get more details on the Lotion Hydra Fraîcheur toner and the Lait Hydra Fraîcheur cleanser from the Guinot website, and buy it from selected salons and some online retailers.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Liz Earle Vanilla and Saffron creamy shower nectar and silky body lotion

Who doesn’t like a relaxing, indulgent shower/bath? Well, braces yourselves: Liz Earle is launching their amazing Indulgent Bath and Body range in March 2014 and I was lucky enough to get my hands on the lovely Vanilla and Saffron creamy shower nectar and silky body lotion.

Firstly, the scent: I just love this warm vanilla with saffron fragrance, laced with water lotus, honeydew, gardenia, lily of the valley and white orchid, tonka bean and musk notes. From the three launching, this is my favourite (read more about all the products and fragrances here).

I like the packaging, colours are lovely and bold, and it is functional. The pump dispenses a good amount of product and they are easy to use in the shower.

The creamy shower nectar has a luxuriously thick consistency and is gorgeously pearlescent. It feels really lovely on the skin, leaving it soft and supple, with a hint of the scent when washed away. If it has a small downside is that it doesn’t lather and I am a foam kinda gal… It is also fantastic as a bath cream!

The silky body milk is light in texture, applies and absorbs really well. It leaves the skin moisturised and soft – but best of all, smelling fabulous. And it lasts (the smell and softness too!) This is a great treat not only for your body but for your mind too! I’ve been using it daily since I got it and I just can’t get enough.

As mentioned, the whole line will be out in March 2014. The Vanilla and Saffron creamy shower nectar and silky body lotion will sell for £12.50 and £14.50 respectively.

Keep an eye on the Liz Earle website for more information and out for the whole range, which also has a body butter and scrub (which I cannot wait to put my hand on!).

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Guinot Damsel in De-stress gift set

Oh, Christmas time… Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way…. my bells are jingling so vigorously they are about to jingle all the way out of the window in seasonal rage.

Well, maybe it is not that bad. It is however, quite stressful to walk around frantic shoppers. Everywhere you go is so busy. This takes its toll on me. And I thank Guinot for this helping hand – the Damsel in De-stress gift set, that will help you ease away a little bit of the parties anxiety.

The kit contains a full size Mousse Nettoyante Bioxygene (150ml), a foam cleanser that removes impurities and makeup and has oxygenating properties. The liquid inside turns into a very light, airy foam – one full pump is enough for the whole face. It melts makeup well (heavier eye makeup still needs proper removal) and leaves the face feeling clean and soft. It doesn’t dry the skin and smells deliciously floral.

It also comes with a full size 50ml Masque Dynamisant Anti-Fatigue, a masque that helps reduce the signs of fatigue. It has AHA’s and refreshing mint and eucalyptus cold oils and “eliminates dead skin cells, boosts cell vitality, refines the skin’s texture and leaves the skin perfectly moisturised and luminous”. The mask is a thick-ish white cream and indeed very refreshing on application. It doesn’t dry on the skin after applied. My skin was feeling moisturised and slightly stimulated by the freshness of this mask. It removes easily and there is no residue or greasy feeling.

Finally, the third item in the kit is a scented candle, which I find great for when you out on your Masque Dynamisant. It has a similar scent to the Mousse Nettoyante Bioxygene and it not lives permanently in my bathroom.

It makes a brilliant Christmas present that will help the owner get a little post-party lift! And it also great for day to day. The cleanser has become my official morning cleanser.

It reatils at £50, but you can find the Guinot Damsel in De-stress gift set for £40 at Salon Skincare. It can also be found at Guinot salons. All info on Guinot products and treatments can be found on their website and products can also be bought here.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Liz Earle product launch

Not many things are more exciting than check out new products. Especially if they come from a brand that has delivered many great ones before. No wonder I was excited to attend the Liz Earle product launch in London.

The main launch was for their brand new Indulgent Bath & Body collection, which promises to help you “immerse yourself in a world of relaxation”. Basically, this range tells you that you should be allowed to bombard your senses with exquisite fragrances and sensations to treat your body and mind on a daily basis. And this should be affordable.

So this is exactly what they delivered: three exotic fragrances developed in partnership with top perfumers, available in March 2014.

In separate thematic rooms, we were expertly guided through the sensorial world of the fantastic blends:

Tiare & Jasmine, a floral blend of the exotic Tahitian tiare flower (which only flowers once a year) and the well known jasmine, neroli, orange blossom, almond milk and sandalwood, developed with master perfumer Oliver Cresp. I found this lovely and sweet, in the right amount.

Bergamot & Ginger, a zingy and fresh mix of citrus-y bergamots and ginger with flowery freesia, lily, jasmine petals and lemon blossom, created with Sabine de Tscharner. This is a refreshing fragrance, almost masculine, but very summery. My personal preference is for sweeter scents, so although it is a very pleasant scent, this one is not really for me.

Vanilla & Saffron, an exquisite blend of Madagascan vanilla with spicy saffron create a fragrance almost as good to eat. It also counts with water lotus, honeydew, gardenia, lily of the valley and white orchid, tonka bean and musk notes. Needless to say, this was my favourite, I feel warmly hugged and wrapped by it. I just love it and could be doused on it 24/7. It was developed with Harry Freemont.

Each fragrance has four products: Creamy Shower Nectar (£12.50) with a lusciously thick and pearly consistency; Melting Sugar Body Scrub (£14.50), which feels divine against the skin and leaves it oh-so-soft; Silky Body Lotion (£14.50), which glides, perfumes and moisturises beautifully and the Indulgent Body Butter (£16.50) which is absorbed quickly by the skin but offers that extra rich moisture touch.

You can see I am sold – they offered an amazing hand massage using the products and I could not stop smelling my hand for the rest of the day. The scents linger in a very discreet and comfortable way and I keep catching a whiff of the deliciousness of Vanilla & Saffron all day long.

In addition to that, they were also showing off their new nail colours for Spring/Summer 14, Moonlight, a pale grey and Awakening, a pretty coral, as well as their beautiful Radiant Glow Bronzer, a quad-shade bronzer which delivers a warm gold colour with discreet shimmer, really giving the skin a gorgeous glow!

A lot to look forward to come March next year!!!

You can also purchase and get more information on the current Liz Earle fabulous skincare and makeup ranges on their website!

Rush Blogger Meet at the House of Rush

The House of Rush is a gorgeous flagship Rush hair salon located near Piccadilly circus in London. But this is no ordinary hair salon – it is a locks and beauty haven offering treatments for your mind and body, and of course, great hair services. From the outside, it is unassuming; enter, and you are in for a luxurious treat over two floors.

Through the partnership with the Epson Skin Clinics, they also offer medical treatments including botox, dermal fillers, radio frequency, permanent hair reduction, vein and pigmentation removal, microdermabrasion and peels, amongst others. Varied beauty treatments are available: face and body using Kéraskin, Rodial and Elemis, lashes, massages, waxing, tanning, manicures and pedicures. Hair cuts, colouring, treatments and extensions are also available, as well as male grooming! So much!!!

Downstairs – mani and pedi paradise

Manicures in full swing

Oooh, polishes!

A treatment room

Tranquil…

Blogger receive their oxygen blast

Tresses delight

Botox demo

And bit more

A tiny bit showing, but not for long

Dr Gillian Carver shows how it’s done

Bliss products – and bloggers!

Male hair care

I want it all – Redken, L’Oréal and more…

Shu Uemura

My hair wants Kerastase!

Keraskin potions!

Make-up time!

Rodial and Keraskin

Elvive

At the event, we watched a botox demonstration by the capable hands of Dr Gillian Carver, and had all of our questions answered. You’d be surprised how natural looking a botox-treated face can be – no need to be totally overworked and expression-less!

I also had a demonstration of oxygen blast, where 100% oxygen in mist form is applied to your face. It can be done over the make-up without spoiling it, and it is great to help skin retain hydration. I found particularly nice over my eyes, as I suffer from really dry eyes and it helped to alleviate it. It takes 10-15 minutes and costs £20 – a great lunchtime treat!

The manicure queue was long – most ladies left with beautifully painted talons using Essie and OPI polishes! The autumnal berry shades were by far more popular with the ladies, from what I could see.

Everyone was lovely, and I met loads of amazing bloggers including Sophia from Beauty in my mind, Zoe from Face value beauty blog, Rachel from Beauty Queen UK, Olivia from Beauty from the Fjord, Sheen from Golden and Sheen, Lisa from Lisahh-Jayne.com, Becky from Lipgloss and Lashes, Kimberley from Kimberley’s beauty blog, Alice from Tea Party with Alice, Kat from Tales of a Pale Face amongst other lovelies.

It was a fun night and even better, you can get 20% off any beauty services or 50% off microdermabrasion! All you need to do is to quote the code BLOG20 and/or MICRO50 when booking. The discount is valid at House of Rush only, until 31 October 2013. It makes a great autumn treat!!!

Finally, I’d like to thank Rush, Laura from Alison Jameson PR and Becky from Lipgloss and Lashes for the invitation! 🙂

You can check out the House of Rush website for more information on all treatments and to book – remembering there are over 60 Rush salons across London and the South.

You can also follow @RushHairBeauty on Twitter to be in for great information and promotions!

Product review: L’Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Advanced Correcting Serum

Boy, do I love a good serum. Because of my problematic skin history, I avoid very rich nice moisturisers. To make sure I give my skin the hydration it needs, I top it up with a lovely serum. And the serum du jour here at So Many Lovely Things is the L’Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Advanced Correcting Serum.

First, I am gonna give you the facts: this beauty is aimed at people in their 20’s and 30’s and contains LR 2412 which is derived from Jasmonic Acid and already being used in high-end products from the L’Oréal family for more mature skin, in higher concentrations.

This ingredient is combined with Perline-P, which is composed by a plant derived sugar (which is said to reduced the appearance of pores), a potent but gentle on the skin exfoliant (HEPES) and a bark extract, which helps to soothe the skin and reduce redness. This combination of LR 2412 and Perline-P should tackle pores size, uneven skin tone and texture, showing visible improvements.

L'Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Advanced Correcting Serum

The shot didn’t capture how pretty the pink in this serum is!

Now, I tried Lancôme Visionnaire for 2 weeks and really loved it. The Skin Perfection serum has a very similar effect on my skin – I also felt it on the first application. Applied at night, I wake up with suppler, plumped skin, looking rested, brighter.

Two weeks on, I noticed the general aspect of my skin is better, make-up sits much better, even my scars seem less visible. It is worth noting that Visionnaire contains the L’Oréal patented exclusive ingredient LR 2412 at a 4% concentration, so double the Skin Perfection concentration.

The products colour is the very same – a pearly milky white with a gorgeous translucent shimmery pink when you smooth it over. It smells lush too. The skin feel very satiny after application.

My skin is loving it. I am also using others product from the range, the day moisturiser (which I will review soon) and the toner.

To make all this even better, Superdrug has an amazing promotion on the range at the moment, the serum was only £11.32, but even at full price, this is a bargain (RRP £19.99, full price listed at Superdrug is £16.99). You can also find it in Boots and other retailers nationwide.

Obviously, I will keep using this, and will certainly re-purchase. With such a problematic skin, you really need to hang on to what it likes!

For more information on the Advanced Correcting Serum, visit the L’Oréal Paris website.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Olympia Beauty 2013

This was my second time at Olympia Beauty. Just the idea of over 520 beauty exhibitors under one roof is enough to make me forget how much I have walking around in crowds!

The show is free for professionals and I registered as press. On the day tickets for the general public can be bought on the day for £15.

This year the show didn’t disappoint. I was particularly impressed with their Press and Social Media Hubs – much bigger and better than last year’s, with more brands showcasing products – OPI, Dermalogica, Elemis, Lash Perfect/Hi Brow, Sienna X amongst others and a spacious area with refreshments (including cute Marc Jacobs Diet Coke bottles!)

The stands were fantastic! This year, a lot of gel manicures again, but also for domestic use and teeth whitening I think were the bigger presence for consumer products. Lashes and brows were also quite predominant!

olympia beauty 2013 - somanylovelythings

Overview

The view from the mezzanine

So many things to see!

More stands!

Elemis launchs

Elemis best sellers

Lovely wax

Dermalogica new range

Sothys

Nail, nails!

Hi Brow

OPI’s Xmas collection!

Marc Jacobs Diet COke

Inglot

Teeth whitening on the spot!

The Pro Makeup shop amazing hygiene products!

Pros showing how it’s done!!!

Body painting

Amazing jewelled make-up

Nailympics

Jazz nail polish

Massager! Great product!

Amy Childs

Exhibitors were great – from huge brands for consumer (OPI, Elemis, Dermalogica, Ardell, Color Club, Essie, Fake Bake, Minx nail foils, NYX and many others!) offering discounted products to salon equipment and therapies machines to the professionals, and lots of and sample therapies going on.

I was very happy to se a bit more make up – Inglot and Illamasqua making an appearance. Although I was disappointed with Illamasqua – they were not selling products!

As usual, they held competitions – Nailympics – the international nail competition, The Art of Make-up and The Art of Body Painting.

The educational part of the show was even bigger too and was divided in “Business of Beauty”, “The Creativity of Nails”, “The Art of Make-up”, Make-up Artist Guest Stage” and “Aesthetic Beauty”, covering an amazing amount of topics around beauty and therapies.

As a blogger, it is great to get direct contact with brands. As a consumer, it is fantastic to pick up lots of great products at a very good price. As a beauty lover, and amazing opportunity to see what is going on in the market. It’s an overall win!

Needless to say, I came home with bunch of products that will soon be gracing the blog – fun times!!!Always a pleasure to go, and I will for sure be there in 2014!

Product review: Simple Kind to Skin+ Perfecting Beauty Balm (BB cream)

Love the Kind to Skin+ package designs!

I must say, before anything, I am not a fan of BB creams. For someone like me, who looks for a full coverage, BB creams just don’t quite cut it.

I was, however, pleasantly surprised with Simple’s very first BBC cream, part of their Kind to Skin+ range.

What I really like about it is that, even though they only have one colour, it did blend extremely well on my face. And over at the event, there were a few bloggers, with different skin tones and they all seem to share this opinion. Also, the coverage is very good. One day, I even wore it on its on (with a bit of powder to set) and it was fine!

It blends very well, absorbs quickly and the finish is very sheer and natural; in terms of colour and coverage is great!

I also tried it as a primer. This worked alright, it didn’t actually make the make-up last longer (which is not really this product’s job, but hey, gotta try!), but made it look good.

Well pigmented, very good coverage

The thing I don’t like about this is that it has light reflecting particles. Although I am a massive fan of the glow they give, because of my skin condition, any shimmer will only make scars more evident, so I have been using matte products only for a very long time now.

For this reason alone, I don’t think this product is particularly suitable for me. Had the particles not been there, I think Simple could probably have made me change my mind about BB creams. Now, that is something!

As other Simple products, it is suitable for sensitive skin; it has no fragrance (love that – again!), SPF 15, ginger root extract, bisabolol, sweet almond and sunflower seed oils.

If you have much better skin than me (which most people do anyway), I think this is a little gem – and for an RRP of £8.99, you should definitely try (currently at Superdrug for £5.99!!!). It is an item of make-up that also cares for your skin and will give you that nice glow!

This is the kind of lovely glow this product gives your skin!

You can find more information on the Simple website.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Simple Kind to Skin+ Protecting moisture cream with SPF30

After attending the Simple Skincare bloggers event, it was no secret the new Kind to Skin+ range product that I was most excited about was the Protecting moisture cream with SPF30 – obviously, because I love Simple face moisturisers, but mainly because it has a very decent sun protection, very handy for for a sun-from-face-blocking person like myself.

And this moisturiser didn’t disappoint me; it has become one of my daily staples. The cream is very light; it is quickly absorbed by the skin and sits really well under make up. It has no fragrance which I love – I always mention that on Simple products, but this is quite important to me!

It contains vitamins E and B3, glycerin and almond oil to nourish and protect the skin.

And best of all, it has a super SPF 30. Oh, wait – if you think it cannot get any better, its RRP is of only £6.99. Yes, you heard it right. A protecting day moisturiser with a respectable SPF for less than £7. I am impressed. Very.

The Simple Kind to Skin+range is already available at Superdrug and is on offer for an amazing £4.99. Seriously, 1/3 off. Cannot be missed!

You can find more information on the Simple website.

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: balance Me skin bright hydrating face mist

When the balance Me skin bright hydrating face mist came my way after the Vevie pop-up shop event, I actually had been thinking about getting a facial mist for a while.

My skin gets quite dry in the office and I usually go to the gym in my lunch break, so a mist seemed the perfect way to keep my face fresh all day, without having to spend too much time washing and moisturising.

The balance Me mist is nicely packaged in a glass bottle which has a great atomiser delivering a very light mist, which is quickly absorbed by the skin. The smell is very delicate, kinda sweet but herb-y and doesn’t stick around. It does not interfere with the make up, freshening the skin up and taking the dry edge away instantly.

I also found it very useful at the beach – I was carrying it in my beach bag every day and spraying in between sunscreen applications, to keep myself fresh and hydrated.

It contains “hyaluronic acid which holds more than 100 times its weight in water; replenishing and balancing pineapple and rose floral water and revitalising neroli and spikenard essential oils.”

The skin bright hydrating face mist retails for £20 (60ml which go a long way!) and you can buy this and other natural, high-performance, paraben and sulphate free, aromatherapy skincare and made in the UK (phew!) on the balance Me website.

So Many Lovely Things

A blog about beauty, style, shoes, fashion and lifestyle

Category Archives: Skincare

Product review: Guinot Lait Hydra Fraîcheur (cleanser) and Lotion Hydra Fraîcheur (toner)

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Liz Earle Vanilla and Saffron creamy shower nectar and silky body lotion

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Guinot Damsel in De-stress gift set

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Liz Earle product launch

Rush Blogger Meet at the House of Rush

Product review: L’Oréal Paris Skin Perfection Advanced Correcting Serum

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Olympia Beauty 2013

Product review: Simple Kind to Skin+ Perfecting Beauty Balm (BB cream)

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: Simple Kind to Skin+ Protecting moisture cream with SPF30

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Product review: balance Me skin bright hydrating face mist

This post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my own true experience with the products and reflects my honest opinion on them.