Bath and shower care, almost good enough to eat

patisserie-de-bain-creme-patissiere-review-1Seriously: the Patisserie de Bain products smell so delicious you feel like eating them!

And what’s best, until the 18th October you can get this gorgeous gift set, which comes with a luscious shower gel and body soufflé as well as a soft shower puff. in the new sweet scent Crème Pâtissière, a sweet vanilla cream. Yum indeed!

patisserie-de-bain-creme-patisserie-review-3Costing £10, it’s yours free when you buy any two skincare products at Superdrug (subject to availability).

The shower gel feels amazing on the skin, lathers well leaving a subtle warm vanilla scent behind and a clean soft skin.

The soufflé is luxurious moisturising and soothing; it applies well and sinks quickly, leaving no stickiness behind. It tops up the shower gel scent, without being too overpowering. Skin feels quite velvety after use.

patisserie-de-bain-creme-patissiere-review-2If you don’t know Patisserie de Bain, they are a lovely brand with products made in the UK.

Check out their fab range: everything bath and shower that feels and smells amazing; little luxuries at a really good price, to help you #makelifesweet every day.

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You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Skincare, for all pockets

nspa-skincare-review-4Be honest: would you say, by looking at the gorgeous nspa skincare products, that they carry a tiny price tag? I don’t think so.

Nspa is a brand created by spa experts in the UK, exclusively for Asda. Yes, you heard right. Asda.

In fact, Asda beauty has a great range of products, including nspa, whose products are benchmarked against big brands in the market.

I tried some of their Beauty Rituals Ever Youthful anti-ageing products, which are all enriched with a hyaluronic acid and tetrapeptide complex.

The whole Beauty Rituals line carries four steps of skincare: cleanse, exfoliate, treat and moisturise. All products are dermatologically approved and free of parabens.

nspa-skincare-review-3As I love a serum, I’m going to start with that. The Ever Youthful Double Action Serum, which costs £6.40 (no, you didn’t read it wrong), contains ginseng and and anti-oxidant rich Vitamin A, E and Pro-Vitamin B5 complex.

The serum is light and sinks in the skin very well. Skin feels soft , nourished and moisturised after use. It is also vegan friendly.

Eye creams are also a little vice of mine and the Ever Youthful Eye Cream (£5) is very good. Light upon application and quickly absorbed, it does not irritate my sensitive eyes.

Can be used overnight and also during the day under makeup; it behaves very well.

nspa-skincare-review-2It helps support the delicate round the eye skin, plumping and nourishing, working against crows feet and fine lines.

They also have a day and night cream: the recharging and restorative Ever Youthful Bouncy Night Cream (£6.40), which is admittedly is a bit rich my my skin type, but has real bouncy texture and does feel nice on the skin once applied.

The Ever Youthful Day Cream, £6.40,  (obvs!) with protecting SPF 15 and is possibly thicker than I would like, close to the night one, but absorbs well and feels lovely on the skin. The smell is very nice too – in fact, all products have a lovely smell.

Not pictured, because it lives in my bathroom, is probably my favourite product from the range, the Deep Cleansing Face Wash (£4.50). Its pump delivers a rich foam that cleanses without stripping the skin and does a very good job of even removing eye makeup.

The nspa Ever Youthful range is really goo, especially when you think about the price point – the most expensive products cost £6.40 and at the moment they have a 2 for £8 deal on.

Plus, you can get it while grocery shopping at Asda, in-store and online.

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You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

All over tan – Got your Back!

bronzie-tanning-mitt-4Tanning. I love looking bronzed; it makes me feel better. In fact, we all know that looking tanned masks the imperfections, so our bodies look better.

However, we all suffer from the back tanning problem: how to get even tan? Ask a friend? When I had a love in boyfriend the poor thing would, most of the time begrudgingly, apply tan on my back. What about now?

Fear not, Bronzie is here to save us all!

bronzie-tanning-mitt-1Bronzie Got Your Back is a 3 in 1 back and body mitt that not only solves the back tanning problem but also makes tan application much faster.

It is basically 2 luxury, velvety, soft and padded tanning mitts with a protective film on the inside, linked by the same material.

bronzie-tanning-mitt-3You can apply your favourite tanning product whenever is needed, anywhere on the mitt. The middle part is perfect for reaching across the whole back and back of the legs, like a huge tanned hug.

And of course, you have two mitts, one of each end of the band, to apply all over the body, so no need to change hands.

I have to say, tanning is way quicker and efficient since Bronzie entered my life.

And I must add: now that not only is the sun gone, but also gone is the hope of tanning in this country until next year (brrr, chilly wind), my Bronzie is going to get more frequent outings!

You can buy the Bronzie Got Your Back from their website, and it costs £14.99.

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You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

I (finally) fell for Chanel

chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-4My first Chanel lipstick. Yes, you heard it right.

This is one of those moments that makes me feel like a fraud as beauty blogger. Until a few weeks ago, I didn’t own a Chanel lipstick. There, I said it. Even my Chanel bag came before the lipstick!

So obviously I went for a red. Not any red, but the gorgeous Rouge Allure Velvet Rouge Feu (57), part of their Le Rouge Collection no1.

chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-1This is an orange red, which personally is the best red for me (although true and blue also suit my complexion) and it has a beautiful matte finish.

Despite the finish, it is very creamy and extremely comfortable to wear. Durability is very good and it fades evenly.

chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-3Also, I find this quite special as it was purchased at the brand new Fabled by Marie Claire shop in Tottenham Court Road, London, where you can find the best names in beauty – skincare, makeup, nails, fragrance, hair – it’s all there!

The counters are super approachable and the service and care are fantastic. Plus, you get to shop the Marie Claire edits, which are perfect for those looking for a look.

chanel-rouge-allure-velvet-lipstick-review-2I have to say that Marie Claire nailed it with Fabled. Bringing all those brands together, making beauty shopping easy.

And it gets easier: you can shop online and get it delivered with Ocado, within a named 1-hour slot. You can read all about the Fabled shopping experience on this post.

And because I love you, here’s a 15% discount code: VOU039323938, valid until the 26th October.

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Beauty reimagined: Fabled by Marie Claire

fabled-by-marie-claire-review-1Imagine a gorgeous place where your favourite beauty brands come together. That would be enough, right?

Add some beauty experts edits and opinions, from a leading magazine, to make your life easier when choosing the best products for you.

fabled-by-marie-claire-review-2Then, top it off with a real shop full of friendly and approachable professionals in the counters.

Enough? Thought so, but there’s more: online shop with the superb Ocado delivery service, within a chosen 1 hour time slot.

Too good to be true? Maybe, but it’s real. All this is Fabled by Marie Claire.

And you can experience it right now as I have an exclusive 15% discount code for you, lovely readers, to start shopping online right now: VOU039323938, valid until the 26th October 2016. 

To me, the concept is genius: an online shop tons of amazing beauty brands covering makeup, skincare, hair and fragrance, supported by the magazine expert edits, reviews and trend watching.

Beauty lovers that might be short for time, or are not sure about what red lipstick to go for, now have a haven to make their lives easier and help them nail they beauty needs.

And The Fabled Shop in London’s Tottenham Court Road? Dreamy!

fabled-marie-claireI was about to place my order at fabled.com and decided I needed a new foundation. Took the opportunity to try the new Urban Decay All Nighter foundation.

So I went to the shop for a colour match, as I work nearby. Even though I told the lovely makeup artist on the UD counter I was not buying, she was lovely, helpful and super friendly.

I also wanted to get myself a new eyeliner – I went for Estée Lauder Little Black Liner. Obviously both will be reviewed soon!

fabled-by-marie-claire-review-3Now to the order. The site is clean, well categorised, so it is easy to use and find what you’re looking for. You can also look for specific brands, skin concerns, the Marie Claire edit and specific filtering within categories.

They have an online chat to help you in those decisive hours and placing the order is very quick and painless, with Ocado delivery (free over £15, £3.90 otherwise) slots from 5:30 am to 11:3pm.

And you can attach it to your grocery shopping. Now, that’s as exciting as it is dangerous!

Remember, you can get 15% off right now with my code VOU039323938, valid until the 26th October.

fabled-by-marie-claire-review-4At fabled.com and at their fabulous The Fabled Shop at 21 Tottenham Court Road, London, you can find Aveda, Aromatherapy Associates, Balance Me, Bobbi Brown, Benefit, bkr, Burberry, Clinique, Caudalie, Crabtree & Evelyn, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Essie, Eyeko, Estée Lauder, Eylure, ghd, Giorgio Armani, Gucci,  Hugo Boss, He-Shi, Lancôme, Lipstick Queen, L’Oréal Paris, Marc Jacobs, Maybelline, Nails Inc, NARS, OPI, REN, Rimmel, Seche, St. Tropez, Skin & Tonic, T3, This Works, The Balm, Tom For, Urban Decay, Zelens (breathe) and much more.

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You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

All natural, Naked Beauty (oil)

skin-tonic-naked-beauty-oil-review-1Now, I’ve had my eyes on Skin & Tonic London for a while and was thrilled to try their new product: the Naked Beauty Oil.

Yes, it’s an oil (although they call it a serum), so it’s more than halfway to winning my heart. More than that, its British produced, organic and from a company well worth knowing, they are really good people.

Starting with the deep reddish orange colour, this luscious oil applies and sinks well on the skin.

I love using oils overnight, and with this my skin wakes up plump and radiant.

With rosehip, apricot, pumpkin and raspberry oils, all containing vitamins A, C & E and omegas 3 & 6, this oil has healing, refining, soothing and hydrating properties for dry skin.

skin-tonic-naked-beauty-oil-review-2It is perfect for the colder season just coming in and at £25 for 30ml, it is a real bargain.

The Skin & Tonic London Naked Beauty Oil is available from their website and from shops like Selfridges, Anthropologie, Whole Foods Market and Fabled by Marie Claire. It is certified organic (99%), 100% natural, unscented, suitable for vegans and , non GMO and not tested on animals, so it’s all round goodness for you and your skin.

Remember when I said they are really good people? Skin & Tonic London use a maximum of 7 ingredients and they are organically certified.

Their small batches are hand crafted and they support small, local producers in the UK and France, as well as fair trade cooperatives in Ghana and Sri Lanka, and give 10% of their profits to charity:water.

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You know the drill, but I’ll say anyway: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

Salon care, at home!

wella-at-home-system-professional-review-1Wella is a brand that for me holds nothing but great memories. Before I bought my own shampoo and conditioner of choice, my mum used to buy the good old Balsam and Revlon Flex and Aquamarine. So my hair grew up with that.

And of course, Koleston was the first hair dye I used to blondify my life. and stayed for seven years.

Fast forward (only) a few years and Wella is back in my life, but with a difference: the products I am using are tailored to my hair needs. That is Wella at home.

The salon consultation is more extensive and you leave with a more complete regime. The online tool, however, gives you a snapshot of the best products for your needs. And there is no surprise both matched, with a few added products for the salon consultation.

I am talking about the Energy Code Speed mapping, dubbed the “speed dating” (opposed to the “dinner date” salon consultation, which can be guided with the app that help salon professionals “prescribe” the personalised Wella regime for their clients), which doesn’t take that long and you end up with a full regime to care for your locks.

The best thing is that you end up with products from various lines, mixed and matched especially for you. That makes me feel special!

After talking about my concerns – sensitive scalp, fine hair, oily roots, dry ends and so on – I left with five amazing products.

wella-at-home-system-professional-review-4The Wella System Professional Balance shampoo provides gentle cleansing. It lathers well and leaves hair squeaky clean without stripping. it is great for sensitive, irritated and itchy scalp.

wella-at-home-system-professional-review-2We all love a good mask and I was given that and not a conditioner. Weird, I know, but it works, to be used twice a week, the System Professional Volumize Mask is a dream. It reinforces the hair structure from within and delivers super moisturisation.

wella-at-home-system-professional-review-3The System Professional Hydrate Quenching Mist is great to use. It can replace the conditioner most days; it gives the hair that extra hydration without weighing it. It is leave-in and helps with detangling for stress-free brushing/combing and smooth hair.

wella-at-home-system-professional-review-5I also got the System Professional Alpha Energy, a scalp spray to help strengthening the hair, also from the within. It works at hair structure level for healthier, stronger hair. That translates in less damage, more manageability, less irritation and better moisture. After continuous use, scalp should feel rejuvenated and less irritated.

Lovely to use, it is quite refreshing and soothing at application; it smells divine and disappears on hair after application; when applied on dry hair, it does not grease or clump. It dries quickly and hair looks fresh at the roots.

For finish, my longer prescription came with Repair Perfect Ends and Luxe Oil Reconstructive Elixir which I have been using (and loving!).

However, I am also using the brand new Wella Oil Reflections Luminous Reflective Oil. It is luscious, light, the smell is fabulous and gives the hair a gorgeous finish.

Best part (apart from amazing hair, of course), is that my bedroom smelt like a salon after drying. So nice!

You can take a look at all the amazing Wella System Professional products, do the express mapping and get your personalised code.

Sadly the Oil Reflection Luminous Oil is not available until January 2017 – so make a note and hurry buy it when it is out!

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You know the drill, but I’ll say again: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.

 

Gimme (more) oil!

dermalogica-phyto-replenish-oil-review-1Here I go say it again: I love oils. I know I keep going on about it but there are so many amazing products now on the market I cannot help but rave about it.

Dermalogica is a brand I am very close to and they have added yet another product to my love list: the phyto replenish oil.

What I like the most about this, apart from its amazing properties, is the fact is mixed well with other products, even makeup. No surprise as dermalogica was the first in the market to come up with the concept of skincare layering.

I’ve been adding a drop of it to my foundation before applying on my skin for that extra glow – after all, it is a luminous treatment oil!

Of course, that means the skin protection barrier reinforcement treatment is working thought the day, even if in a small dosage.

dermalogica-phyto-replenish-oil-review-2The best thing is that is does not compromise the foundation finish (except for a subtle added glow) and durability. Skin does not feel greasy, heavy or as if it is about to melt.

Alone, it is a fabulous replenishing oil with a great texture that sinks beautifully in the skin, which is left free from shine, but with enhanced luminosity.

It contains antioxidants camellia japonica, that helps reinforce the skin natural barrier and eating later collagen, tamanu oil, which combats free radicals, chia seed oil delivering fatty acids, balancing orchid flower extract, hydrating hyaluronic acid, sunflower seed oil and vitamin rich rice bran oil.

The dermalogica phyto replenish oil sells for £56.20 (30ml) and a tiny bit goes a very long way with amazing results.

You can get it from the dermalogica website or over their fabulous shops and counters nationwide.

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

Nails dipped in gold

nails-in-paint-can-good-as-gold-review - 6Golden nails. I’ve always had a penchant for them. Finding the right shade is a bit tricky, as I don’t like it glittery, but the new Nails Inc Paint Can in Good as Gold comes as close to golden perfection as possible.

Perfect for a quick fix, the spray on nail polish from Nails Inc was a pioneer and I was dead excited when I tried the also precious silver Shoreditch Lane when it launched with only two colours and amongst a media frenzy.

nails-in-paint-can-good-as-gold-review - 4Feelings towards the product remain the same as when I did my original review: love the novelty, the colour is great, pigmentation on the gold seem a bit more scatty then the silver (I went over twice) and the durability is good.

This time, I used the Nails Inc 2-in-1 base and top coat, which makes a very decent job of both, a rarity for 2-in-1 product. Golden thumbs up!

nails-in-paint-can-good-as-gold-review - 7*Maybe* I over sprayed onto my fingers on purpose. There’s no denying I wish I could se the pre-tidying up version and sport fingers dipped in gold, but that wouldn’t go well in the office, I am sure. But, oh, it’s so tempting!

In terms of time saving, I don’t think it is actually much less than normal painting, as I fell tidying up is always needed.

nails-in-paint-can-good-as-gold-review - 2Advantages include the fun (seriously!), the act you can quickly apply on top of any nail polish you’re wearing for a quick change, and of course, I made a meal out of it, but you can be much more targeted with the application to make clean up easier.

nails-in-paint-can-good-as-gold-review - 5Nails Inc Paint Can now comes in eight shades with Good as Gold by Lottie Tomlinson being the newest. Each can costs £10 and the recommended 2-in-1 base and top coat costs £8.

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

 

 

You’re invited to experience love in a bottle

michael-buble-by-invitation-perfume-2A scented love letter. That’s how the new Michael Bublé fragrance, By Invitation, is described.

I must admit I was rather sceptical, as I usually am of celebrity fragrances, but will say outright: I was very pleasantly surprised.

michael-buble-by-invitation-perfume-4The bottle, a lovely glass circle suspended within a golden ring, with the top being a metal version of an atomiser, is just very elegant and looks amazing on the dressing table. However, I think if it was a real atomiser, it would give this perfume the luxury edge.

Packaging is also clever in the sense it hasn’t got his name all over the bottle; only his initials on the inside of the metal ring. Classy.

michael-buble-by-invitation-perfume-1Bublé, a self confessed hopeless romantic, is through his perfume, inviting his female fans to experience “love in a bottle”, he says.

That’s a huge claim Michael, but I have to say I can feel the lovable warmth of this floral oriental fragrance.

It has top notes of red fruits and bergamot, while lily of the valley, wild jasmine and spicy inflections of peony are at its heart, on a base of sandalwood-musk and vanillas.

For me, it hits the spot as a deep, elegant and sensual scent, the way I like my perfumes to be. It has the initial allure, it develops well on the skin and it does stick.

michael-buble-by-invitation-perfume-3Of course, Mr. Bublé is no perfumer and renowned French perfumier Karine Dubreil-Sereni is the expert behind it.

Karine says that there were no restriction to use the finest ingredients to create this dream perfume of his imagination; how he would like a woman to smell.

And the price, in my opinion is excellent for such a quality fragrance. By Invitation by Michael Bublé costs £55, £39 and £29 (100, 50 and 30ml respectively).

There’s also a Luxury Body Lotion (£14, 150ml) and a Shower Gel (£12, 150ml).

It can be purchased from michaelbubleperfume.com and from the 11 September you can get it from The Perfume Shop.

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