Saturday 30 October 2010

Speed Review: bareMinerals Flawless Definition Volumizing Mascara

Mineral makeup is undeniably the "Marmite" of the cosmetics world- people either love it or hate it. When talking about mineral makeup, I immediately think of base but the lovely people at bareMinerals recently sent me a parcel of products which I'm in the process of working through & reviewing... This mascara (£15) stood out as their new, big launch for October. I'm normally a Benefit BadGal devotee but this intrigued me. The mascara was presented on a fluro pink card proclaiming the launch & packaged in a black, white and pink box so I was a little disappointed to find a very minimalistic black & grey tube- I certainly think they could have extended the colour scheme or done something a little different to make it stand out in crowded cosmetics bags. Having said this, it's what's on the inside that counts and I have been impressed with this product. I don't agree with the claims of it being a volumising mascara as although it offers some volume, there are certainly better mascaras out there if that's what your focus is upon. Perhaps others have tried this & felt differently- the stats on the press release certainly suggest as much, e.g. volumises lashes up to 600%. For me, it delivers on flawless definition and incredible lengthening properties which have me hooked. I'm currently relying on this as my daily mascara to enhance my natural lashes, with no clumping.
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Sunday 24 October 2010

Rituals Competition

This slightly cheesy but undeniably cute competition popped up in my inbox this week and caught my attention.
I have to admit to not being particularly familiar with Rituals- I've tried just a couple of their products & have been impressed. Their Infinity Handwash & Lotion Duo with Sweet Orange & Japanese Mint has earnt a place in my bathroom and Eve's Kiss lipbalm works as a fantastic budget alternative to an old lipbalm by Lancome (apologies readers- the name fails me but it came in a green tube!). Likewise, when I've visited their shops, the staff have provided strong customer service, reminiscent of The Body Shop in the good old days although I don't understand why their travel sizes are so limited considering that they are expanding into airport sales outlets.
So.. on with the competition! Rituals are launching a signature Facebook page and to celebrate, are holding an international photo competition entitled, "My Bathroom Friends".
Once a fan of the page, the idea is that you take and upload a creative photo of yourself, your friends and your favourite Rituals product inside a bathroom. Any bathroom can be the backdrop, be it your local gym or a hotel suite. The first twenty entries will receive a Rituals gift and the overall winner will win a luxury spa weekend for two in the home of Rituals, Amsterdam. Get snapping!
www.facebook.com/ritualscosmetics
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Sunday 10 October 2010

This week I'm loving....

Nude Lips Lip Balm.
I always prefer natural beauty brands where possible and think they're particularly worth the investment when choosing lip products.
This version from Nude, presented in a cute cube pot, is currently keeping my lips kissably soft as the season change takes it toll. It's a very thick balm which needs to be warmed for application, not ideal when in a hurry but the trade-off to this is that it'll last and last.
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Wednesday 6 October 2010

Skin Deep talks to...

Elemis Senior Press Office, Ellie.
Elemis PR

SD: It's that time of year again.. October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Can you tell us about Elemis and the Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign?E: We've always supported a breast cancer charity and this is the second year that Elemis has pledged £10,000 to Breast Cancer Care. We chose this charity as it offers a great professional support and expert information to anyone affected by breast cancer. Behind the scenes, we plan a year ahead to create an eye-catching collection. This year, our Sparkling Beauty collection contains five Elemis products in a bright fuchsia pink bag. The pink "boob tube" Pro-Collagen Lifting Treatment Neck and Bust is a great product to help customers be breast aware and also be a part of their beauty regime. It's a great collection with a big saving- what's more the pink cosmetic bag will look great on your dressing table.
SD: If you were to introduce Elemis to someone for the first time, which product would you recommend?E: Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. Since joining Elemis, I've converted my mum, aunties, cousins and most of my friends to using the Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. They love it! They can't believe the difference it has made to their skin and how soft it is. It's great working at Elemis as we get to try all the products and it's definitely a talking point when we have people round the house and they look at the bathroom. They think they are in Elemis heaven!
SD: What is your favourite Elemis treatment?
E: The Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial was my first treatment at the day-spa and instantly became my favourite facial. I have some superficial scarring so after 90 minutes my skin is left feeling smooth and incredible clean. Also, I love the treatment as you have your neck, shoulders, scalp and arms massaged during the treatment. Seriously indulgent! It's incredibly tranquil at the day-spa- the perfect hideaway off London's Bond Street. As soon as you enter the spa you feel instantly relaxed which adds to the whole Elemis treatment experience. If only we were lucky enough to have an Elemis treatment every day!
SD: What are the best & worst aspects of working in beauty PR?E: I think the best thing about my job is working in an industry which I enjoy. My friends always say that I have a great job as I get to try new products and treatments, get invited to some great events and receive lovely gifts. Aside from the "perks" of the job it's great to be creative with a company and brainstorm ideas- for example our Elemis SpaBus- and see the end result, or launching a product and seeing a lovely review featured. I still have the same buzz as I did back when I first started my job. The thing I love about beauty PR is that each day is never the same. I could be pitching for an article one day to writing a release to organising a launch so the job never gets boring. The worst? The 5am starts or early mornings to set up an event. I'm not a very good morning person but beauty journalists are ever so lovely so all worth it when you see them at 9am!
SD: What's the best insider tip you've picked up?
E: That toning is just as important as cleansing. Noella Gabriel says, "A toner has 3 actions on the skin: 1) Removes the remainder of cleanser, 2) gently tones the pores and keep it squeaky clean and 3) prepares skin for the next application whether it be a moisturiser or night cream."
SD: What do you predict will be the next big thing in beauty?E: I have seen more advanced beauty gadgets creeping onto the beauty shelves. This seems to be something that could be the next big thing to enhance a beauty skincare regime. I've seen the Bliss Pore-fector which has had nothing but good reviews so I'm keen to get my hands on one.
SD: What are your five desert island beauty essentials?E: Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream. This is my favourite moisturiser and will keep my skin super hydrated.
Elemis Liquid Layer SPF 30. You can't be on a desert island without protection so this is definitely coming with me. Lovely and lightweight and what I love most is as an SPF it doesn't have that horrible, yucky SPF smell.
Philosophy Kiss Me SPF 20. This is a lovely minty cool lip gloss with a light red tint- love this! I recently took this on holiday with me and it's incredibly soothing, perfect in the heat!
label.m Protein Spray. Great to use after shampoo and conditioning to help protect, nourish and condition my hair.
Le Metier de Beaute. A friend recommended this mascara to me and it's my new-found fave. I always have trouble with mascara smudging towards the end of the day so this is a great waterproof and smudge-proof mascara.
SD: Any beauty guilty pleasures?E: Lip glosses and lip balms. For some reason, I have a stack of them at home (I have just counted 2 lip glosses and 2 lip balms on my desk and one of each in my handbag!). I'm not sure when this all started but I'm guaranteed to buy a few lip glosses in duty free- although it doesn't help when I recently discovered Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush lip glosses are now available at Gatwick duty free! My only problem is that I never finish any of them!
SD: Who is your beauty icon and why?E: I don't have one particular favourite beauty icon. I love Beyonce as she always manages to pull off different looks, Natalie Portman and Liv Tyler for their natural, flawless beauty and porcelain skin and of course, Cheryl Cole. Whenever I see her in the magazines or on TV she always looks effortless.
SD: What is your secret London hotspot?E: Aside from the Elemis day-spa in London? Kettners brasserie in Soho. We recently held a launch there and by chance, I met 2010 Masterchef's winner Druv. It certainly made my day and what I didn't know was that they actually film a few scenes of Masterchef at the restaurant and if we wanted to, we could request his culinary skills for our event. The food there is great and the last time I went for my boyfriend's birthday dinner, we saw the actress Emma Thompson dining with her friends. It's definitely a secret hotspot!
SD: Finally, what does Skin Deep mean to you?
E: Getting to the bottom of skincare and not something that will be "airy fairy" but giving you information with substance.
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