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Product review: Filorga face cleanser

Filorga foam face cleanserThis foam face cleanser came in the lovely BBloggersXmas goody-bag. I had never heard about the brand, and found out M&S stocks the French company which concentrates in medical aesthetic solutions for home use, focusing on anti-ageing.

This is what Filorga says about their cleanser: ” The first anti-ageing cleanser that dissolves the slightest traces of sebum, make-up and pollution while intensely hydrating the skin and protecting it from free radicals. In addition to an ultra-gentle latest generation surfactant of plant origin, it features the following guest stars: high-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid, well-known for its moisturising properties, smoothes dehydration fine-lines and Madonna Lily, which soothes irritation and protects the skin from free-radical attacks.”

Filorga foam face cleanserI found this cleanser very nice; the foam is thick and one pump gives you enough to wash your face. It cleans deeply, removing make up and leaving the skin feeling clean. It is non-drying and I felt it was really gentle on my face. The fact it has hyaluronic is a bonus for me, as I usually leave anti-ageing on the second plan to concentrate on anti-acne skin products!

It retails at £20 for 150ml at Marks & Spencer.

Product review: Beauty Boxes San Remo beauty case

beauty_boxes_1Wild! This gorgeous beauty box from Beauty Boxes is not only functional but also pretty!

The zebra print is lovely and it has a light texture to it too. The size is as I expected and this box is on the small side (the company has a great range with lots of different sizes), but fitted more than I thought! Immediately when seeing it, I thought it would make a great hair styling tools and products box – and it didn’t disappoint.

In the bottom compartment, I fit a professional hair dryer, my straighteners and my curling wand, as well as my brushes and a can of product. In the pull up compartments, I could put other accessories and products. I like that the drawers are different depth and sizes, this is really handy! I could definitely fit more stuff than I did in the pictures!

As expected from a Beauty Boxes box, this item is built to a high standard; all hinges and locks are smooth, the finish is great, the delivery service was superb. It even came with a little stickers saying the name of the person who packed it, and a quality checklist inside, also signed by the person doing the controls! Really nice!

This particular box retails for just over £50 and can be found here, in many finishes, and also browse their fantastic range (including my gorgeous Genoa trolley and make-up brushes).

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

Nails of the week: nude and red

red and nude nails - somanylovelythingsThis week I went again with a combination I love: discreet nude and vibrant red.

Originally, I wanted to do a nude half moon manicure , with red on top, but that didn’t go that well for me; somehow the half moons were too big, looking more like full moons and I wasn’t happy with it. At all.

So I got my dotting tools out and added some red dots… it looked ok but still not great, so I added some nude dots in between and ended up with this kind of dripping mani. I didn’t like it a lot, but it grew on me; the fact it is impeccable after 8 days helped me like it more.

So I started painting the whole nail with the Nails Inc nude Basil street and the applied Colorama’s 40 Graus over it, leaving the (ginormous) moon. Using the dotting tool, I added red dots close to the half moon line and then added the nude ones, intercalated.

Had I thought I was going to end up with a dripping mani, I would’ve Kenmore precise – I just went adding dots randomly… It didn’t end up too well, but I don’t hate it!

Rating:

3_star

Product review: Magnifibres brush-on false lashes

magnifibres - so many lovely thingsHaving not heard about it before, so my first admission is that when I opened this product, I had no idea what it was – and was very surprised with what I found. It came inside the fantastic goodie bag from the BBloggers Xmas event.

Magnifibres looks like a mascara bottle, and when you pull out the wand, there is some “wolly” material entangled on the brush, which you apply to your lashes to give them a false lash effect.

How, that’s how it works: the wolly material are actually natural fibres that stick to our lashes, building up volume and length.  You apply a coat of mascara, then brush on the fibres to it, wait 30 seconds, apply another coat of mascara and voilá – the lashes look thicker and longer.

Second admission is that I thought it wouldn’t really work. Well, I was wrong. It does give you thicker, slightly longer lashes. The build-up is evident when doing the process once. You can also build up and add more product and mascara layers, to create an even more dramatic look.

magnifibres - so many lovely things

For me, it is all about the volume. My lashes looked ever so slightly longer, but the volume is more noticeable. Love it. One thing I didn’t like very much is that, as I suffer from super sensitive eyes, sometimes after applying, I can feel a fibre inside. But after a few seconds, I stop feeling it. I would worry, if the company hadn’t stated the fibres are all natural.

It comes off with your mascara, so no special treatment needed there. It looks like there is plenty in the bottle!

It retails at £20 and you can buy online, at QVC or Selfridges.

MAGNIFIBRES

Some Valentine’s inspiration…

Hello all. I am about to write about something that is not inspiring me much this year: Valentine’s day.

Yes, sounds a bit bitter, and I am usually a big fan of the day, but my boyfriend is away for work and I will spend my evening alone. Well, not alone – I booked myself a lovely facial and massage at the Elemis spa (which I will be reviewing), so that will detract from the fact I should be sipping some champagne in a romantic setting!

I can still look around and think of options for outfits, places, Valentine’s things I like… a bit sad, but hey, there is always next year! There are so many cute dresses out there at the moment, I am really into bodycons. So how about a pretty dress for the night? Here are some ideas from the high street:

This H&M stripey dress – For a great figure!
The Dorothy Perkins dress – Chic
The Topshop dress- for a little mystery
The Zara red dress – simple but sexy
The back of Miss Selfridge cream bow dress – So cute!

And some shoes, of course!

Vinyl panelled shoes from Dune
Metal platform shoes from Zara
Nude and black shoes from Topshop
Nude shoes from River Island
Red and gold from Miss Selfridge

I usually like to pamper myself; put a face mask on before the date; I tried the Elemis freshskin deep purifying mask, followed by their magical moisture quenching face mask and woke up with calm, soft skin. Love it!

lush_lip_scrubFor extra soft kissable lips, I found a favourite: Lush Bubblegum lip scrub. It is made of sugar, tastes amazing and you can eat it afterwards (I know, right?).  I wear it daily, in the morning, then apply my favorite lip balm (at the moment, Nivea lip butter).

How about a little treat for the couple? I came across this cute Elemis couples’ kits – for her, an Exotic Frangipani Monoi body oil and a bath and shower cream; for him, a Sharp Shower Body Wash (with invigorating spearmint and peppermint essentials oils) and  a Time For Men deep cleanse facial wash. They retail at £12 each.  I have the Frangipani body oil and it is amazing – the smell is lovely, it absorbs well in the skin and leaves you really moisturised and soft – I will post the full review soon! You can buy these lovely sets here.

elemis

Ladurée macaroons are also a very nice little treat! I am a big fan – they are really the best and their little boxes are super cute….

If you are in London, I find there are so many options of lovely places to go with your loved one. I know that they are overpriced, but sometimes it is just worth going for the experience. There are so many amazing options… For example, Altitude 360 is doing a romantic 5-course with a glass of champagne  each for £99. Searcy’s champagne bar offers a special menu and their champagne selection is fantastic, but my favourite has to be the Wallace restaurant at the Wallace Collection, set in a beautiful courtyard in central London, and amazing value for money, at under £30 pp for the set menu.  The London Eye has special Valentine’s flights with champagne from £35.04 (online booking price).

Staying in? Waitrose is doing a special twist on their dine-in deal: a three-course meal and a bottle of bubbly for £20!

This year, we had a play booked for the day before Valentine’s (we managed to re-book for the following week!) – and I think this is a nice way of spending the evening with the loved one!

However, the most important thing is that you have each other and have fun spending time together!

Happy Valentine’s day!

heart banner

x x x

Nails of the week – pink gradient

pink gradient nails - somanylovelythingsOh, how I love a good gradient. Relatively simple to do (it just requires a bit of patience!), gradients deliver great “value for money”. It is pretty, different and can be done with the cheapest, plainer nail polishes around. Love it.

I am totally in love with this weeks mani – it is girly and sparkly, totally gorgeous (even if I say so myself!)

I used a light pink from Kiko, number 376 candy pink, and a dark pink from Revlon, sweet tart. As usual for my gradient, I painted all nails plain white (Natural Collection nail tip whitener) and sponged the pinks after it was dry.

To finish it off, I applied one coat of the super gorgeous electric lane from Nails Inc, which gave it sparkles and an extra dimension with its holographic goodness.

Application was a bit long. I did the white base, let it dry for most of the day and sponged in the afternoon on a Sunday, it took three rounds of sponging. All together, counting base coats and top coats, I have eight (yes, you read it right!) EIGHT coats of nail polish on! However, durability is ace: I’m on the 8th day, no chips! What annoyed me this time is that there was an awful lot of excess polish under my nails and that was a pain to remove… Having said that, it was well worth it!

pink gradient nails - somanylovelythings

You will certainly see more gradients coming soon… watch this space!

Rating:

5_star

My 2012 beauty revelation

Yes, you read it right. It is 2012. I know, it is indeed a bit too late for this kind of post, I am still getting back to my blogging saddle after the holidays (yeah, maybe I am a bit lazy).

I use many beauty and make-up products on a daily basis. Foundation, eye shadow, mascara, face wash and moisturiser are staples I cannot think about living without.

However, I get really excited when I get a new product, something completely different that works for me. So for 2012 I have two highlights: face serum and pre-cleanse oil.

credit maccosmeticsI will start with the serum. This thing goes on your face before your primer. Yes, before. And there was me, at some point, thinking foundation was the first thing. Then something before the foundation came into my life – the primer – and that was a game changer. Now, there is something before the primer (I thought the clue was on the name, but no. My primer shall be renamed “seconder”). Jokes aside, I really enjoy using the serum: it kinda prepares and protects your skin to receive all the rest. It is refreshing and light. And mine is also brightening. I have been using the MAC Prep+Prime Skin Brightening serum since July last year and love it. One little bottle lasted me all this time – I just purchased another one in January 2013. You can read my full review here.

image credit: dermalogicaNow, a true revelation was the  pre-cleanse. Seriously, I keep adding layers of complication to my beauty routines, and the trend for ’12 was to introduce steps in preparation… What really surprised me about it is this is an oil. Yes, oil. I never, ever in a zillion years considered slapping oil in my more than problematic skin. Oil. On acne skin. No. That shows I’ve suffered from this for too long, Technology is an amazing thing and it was love at first rub. I put it on my face and was sold. Applied to dry skin, it melts make-up with no need for vigorous rubbing or repeated washing, Those of you out there with sensitive (and often irritated skin by acne products, acne itself and other delights), know how much a difference no rubbing to remove heavy make up makes. Gentle circular motions sees all the slap coming off. Miracle. Delicate rubbing on the lashes removes most of mascara and liner, cutting the eye make up remover job in half at least. As it warms into the skin, you can almost feel it sinking in and removing the grub.

Once I am done massaging it in (and have grey, red and skin colour patches of molten make up all over my face), I wash it off with water and it turns into a milky consistency, washing away easily, not sticking as oil to your face. Trust me. I was scared I’d throw water in it and it would just slip away. That wasn’t the case.  I then proceed to use my normal face wash and the work is quick and effortless. I use Dermalogica precleanse and love it – a bottle goes a long way, bought in September and it is probably still halfway. I use it, on average, 4 times a week.

So there you have it – those two were my best beauty discoveries of 2012. What are yours?

Fighting acne

woman with hands on face - credit: www.amhc.org

image credit: amhc.org

First, apologies for the long post. This is not an easy post for me. I don’t use my blog to vent, or to moan. I have hung on to this unpublished post for almost three months now and although the situation has improved since I wrote it, I am far from happy. My blog is beauty related, and there you go, I don’t really feel beautiful sometimes because of this. I don’t think I ever spoke this openly and in-depth about this issue that has accompanied me for about 18 years now. To me, it is always visible,  its scars are ever so present, as a painful reminder of everything I had to work through all these years.

I started suffering from acne at around 15. There were just pimples in the beginning but soon they became huge painful boils under my skin, which was always red and swollen. My face was always the only place where they would appear.

When I was 17, I had my first treatment with Roaccutane, a powerful retinoid from the vitamin A family. I took it for six months and the side effects were horrendous: body aches, soft tissue extreme dryness, cracked and bleeding lips. It was awful, but I came off the other side with great skin, and thought I had won.

However, six years on, when I moved to London my skin reached a state it had never been before; the boils were back, bigger, deeper and more painful than ever. So much so that the GP suggested I saw a dermatologist. And they told me what I really dreaded: Roaccutane was the only way out. Terrified of the side effects, I said I didn’t want to go through all that again. Once is enough and I would rather live with the acne. I was lying. nothing is as bad as living with it. So I entered another course, this time during a whole year on a lower dosage, so cut down the side effects. Once again, the medication worked its magic and I had a spot-free face.

But the two violent bouts of acne cost me dearly, I was left with the scars to remember, everyday, all the pain it had inflicted on me during the best years of my life. I am not saying I lost my confidence; although there were lows, I have always been an outspoken, extrovert, confident woman who never let the acne define me. It could’ve been much worse in that respect – but I remain sensitive about it.

One good thing it gave me is my love of make up, which stems from the need to hide myself for years. I had a long fringe that would conveniently cover my cheeks most of the time. I think most of my acne trauma is in fact, due to the incessant treatments, and the physical pain of the boils. As only the scars were left, I decided it was time to face the world, however ugly I believe they are. And I did. I left all those feelings in the past and embraced a pull back do.

But recently my skin hasn’t been happy and the breakouts are re-occurring. Not the monthly ones, which I learnt to ignore. They are cystic again, they are growing on top of each other, a classic sign of when things are going bad…. you wouldn’t probably be able to see them, but I know they are there. Hurting.

So I went to the doctor and I was told I could get a referral to a dermatologist, who would probably put me on Roaccutane, I broke down in tears. I cannot do that to myself again. So I went on antibiotics for a while – and improvement is pathetic for me to be pumping myself up with drugs everyday. I hate my scars. I always hated them so much, but now it’s serious. I had enough.

The final low was this bright red, sore spot bang on my cheek.Why won’t it just leave me alone? I should be worrying about wrinkles at this age… not freaking acne!

This time it is really affecting me. I want it to go away, I want the scars to go away and I never want to remember this was part of me for all this time. It is more than half my life. And I got myself thinking about taking Roaccutane again… and that makes me really sad. It looks like acne cornered me again…

I tried everything. Products do help, recently Skinetica and the Elemis range have been helping to control it without being too aggressive (yeah, I am also tired of slapping things on that make me red, flaky, horrible). However, it is always there and suddenly, I have an awful bout and it gets much worse. Medical advice that is not Roaccutane seem to be useless.

This is haunting me and I thought it was finally time to put it out there. I cannot keep this to myself anymore. Lots of stuff now cross my mind. Could Roaccutane be the way, again? Being such a strong medication, is it safe for me to have it for the third time? If I decide to get pregnant in the next couple of years (I am no spring chicken, I really need to decide soon if I am to), could it affect my baby? I know the textbook answer to those questions, as I read extensively on the drug. But the questions will always be in the back of my head. “Am I giving myself a bigger risk of liver disease?” “Am I jeopardising my fertility?” . Also, is there something I have not found yet that can help me?

I have decided I will not take it again. There *must* be another way.  But the biggest question of all still remains: “Will I ever be free from it?”.

HEEEELP!!!!

ps. I’d like to thank Grace from All that Slap, who has talked openly on her blog about a highly sensitive issue she faces – it inspired me to talk seconda and she encouraged me to do the same. Thank you for the support! x

Nails of the week – antique gold

nails in antique gold from somanylovelythingsAntique gold. Well, not quite. I called it like that because I cannot think what colour this is. Weird.

This Gosh Galaxy promised a lot from the bottle – a sort of  antique gold base with some colour shifting between blues and pinks. However, it didn’t delivery upon application.

The colour is intriguing; you can spot the antique gold base and the multicoloured flecks. If you look really carefully, in some lighting, there is a very subtle colour shifting. Sadly, not enough to wow me.

I added a pretty star from Nail Art UK, but not even that could save this mani. A waste of two stars, really…

Polish application was fiddly, one coat is very sheer, I have three on. it doesn’t dry too quickly, so the next coat was a bit gloopy. It seemed to get quite thick quickly. Durability is ok.

Overall, the colour is pretty; I like the base colour, I like the flecks but the fact it was beautifully colour-shifting in the bottle really let me down.

As I wasn’t super happy with it, I slapped Barry M croc black effect on it after a couple days, leaving only the star finger as it was, creating an accent nail, which made the mani more interesting. The crocodile skin effect is cute, very delicate and the texture is not too bad. I could still see some gleaming flecks from galaxy through it. But I encountered the same problem with this as I found with crackle topcoats: the durability is appalling – it flakes away very quickly. Plus, as I applied a couple days after I had my nails done, it wasn’t the prettiest finish, you can see a few untidy bits around the cuticle, it was really hard to clean the excess!

Rating:

3_star

Product review: Beauty Boxes make up brushes

Oh, I was delighted to receive a set of make up brushes from Beauty Boxes. Yes, you remember right, they are the people responsible for that gorgeous Genoa beauty box I can call mine (by the way, we are so happy together).

I got the set that comes in a lovely pouch and comes with 9 brushes: 3 face (duo fibre, blusher and foundation), 5 eye (shading, blending, crease, small shader and angled brushes) and lip liner. It also come with a soft powder puff.  In addition to that, I got the angled contour, the flat powder, a normal powder and a cute kabuki brush in a pouch.

The quality of this brushes is very good, they are all very soft on the skin. All brushes have the brand and also their function printed on – which is excellent for beginners!

Starting with the face, I found the powder and blusher really soft! They pick up product well, and distribute evenly. The foundation brush is also soft but firm enough, also with even distribution. The flat powder and the angled contour are precise. I love the flat powder to apply finishing/setting powder and the angled to chisel cheekbones!  The kabuki performs really well, love it for buffing and blending powders. The only one I wasn’t too keen on was the duo fibre; I use this type of brush to apply serum and then primer. Somehow this one didn’t work as well for me as my current one – but that might be because I am so used to mine. All the others however, are fantastic!

The eye brushes are also great. The shader have the right texture – not too soft, not too hard. The crease and blending ones are fluffy to do the job right and the angled liner is precise. I created this festive gold look using some of them.

The lip brush is also good, although I think it can double up as an eye liner and I don’t line my lips with a brush – I use a pencil!

The set of 9 brushes retails for £71.45 – that is great value at under £8 per brush – really recommend this set, it is a really reliable all rounder. The other four brushes are sold individually and cost between £19.45 and £29.95 and they do free delivery!

For more information on the Beauty Boxes brushes (plus other goods) and to buy online, click here.

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