Estée Lauder Gift With Purchase

September 9, 2016 - Vicki

Estée Lauder Gift With Purchase, Exclusively at House of Fraser*

During September at House of Fraser you can pick up this fantastic Estée Lauder Gift With Purchase when you buy 2 products from their counter (1 is to be either skincare or foundation).

Inside this lovely blue and white printed bag you get a fantastic selection of 7 Estée Lauder beauty essentials, including some of their best sellers and a lovely mix of skincare and makeup. All the products are deluxe samples which are a really great way of getting to know a brand and also testing out if you’d like to buy the full sized version. I think a lot of you will be heading back to the counter to do just that after trying out a few of these products.

Take It Away Makeup Remover Lotion 30ml

This is a gentle makeup remover which promises to remove even stubborn waterproof mascara. This will leave your skin soft, clean and smooth leaving behind no greasy, oily residue. Also this is a very decent 30ml sample, which will last for quite a few face washes!

DayWear Advanced Creme SPF15 15ml

This lovely lightweight day cream is rich in antioxidants and also has broad spectrum SPF15 so not only does it fight the early signs of aging it will help protect your skin from further damage which causes premature aging. It smells fresh and feels cooling on the skin. You get a 15ml deluxe sample which comes in a luxurious glass jar. I was so excited to try this out and will be taking it with me on an upcoming City Break.

New Dimension Shape & Fill Expert Serum 7ml

Serums are always a step I really enjoy in my skincare routine & Estée Lauder do some of my favourites although this is a fairly new release so its new to me & I’m very excited to try it out. This serum is all about plumping, lifting and improving facial contours with Estée Lauder’s Shaping Technology and pro-collagen complex which are designed to help improve both visible volume and structure. So this sounds like a power house of a serum and I am excited to have a 2 week sample.

Advanced Night Repair 7ml

I am already a massive fan of this and have raved about it on my blog before, but it’s just a fantastic serum for making your skin look even, radiant and well rested. It 100% works and I am excited to have this mini sized version to take away with me. This is a great product to see included in this Free Gift and one I know a lot of people will fall in love with.

Advanced Night Repair Eye 5ml

So this is a fantastic eye cream, well its more like a gel formula which is so fluid and lightweight. It is designed to tackle a whole list of skin concerns including, every key visible sign of eye ageing: fine lines, wrinkles, puffiness, dark circles, dryness and uneven skin tone. Its pretty wonderful and a pot lasts for a very very long time as you only need to apply a very small amount.

Pure Colour Intense Kajal Eyeliner in Blackened Black

A kajal pencil eyeliner is a staple in every makeup bag, they can be applied lightly for a little definition, smoked out for a more intense look or just smudged along the upper & lower lash lines for that sultry effortless look. This is smooth, easy to apply and jet black. This is the perfect travel sized liner & is going straight into makeup bag.

Pure Colour Envy Sculpting Gloss 4.6ml

I am not a huge lipgloss wearer but I think I am in the minority there. This gloss is in the shade Reckless Bloom and is a shimmery pink. These glosses are formulated to make your lips look more plump and give you that perfect pout. They’re a hydrating gloss for smooth, lasting shine that starts with a subtle hint of colour and builds to the intensity you desire. Immediately, lips are moisturised with no stickiness.

This Free Gift With Purchase from Estée Lauder is jam packed with everything you need to keep your skin looking and feeling amazing. It includes 7 Deluxe Samples and amongst them are new releases, international best sellers and some of Estée Lauder most iconic products.

So head to the Estée Lauder counter at House of Fraser and take advantage of this offer during September (whilst stock lasts).

August and September 2016 Product Empties

September 8, 2016October 16, 2016 - Vicki 1 Comment

Jarrow B12 Vitamins

The lovely Gemma of HelloGemma recommended these B12 Vitamins to me & you can order them from Amazon, I have the Tropical Flavour but they come in a range of flavours & strengths. I must admit I didn’t think I was too lacking in B12 but since I started taking these almost 2 months ago I have so much more energy. I’ve been very good at taking them daily and I don’t get that slump in energy and I feel like my moods haven’t been as unpredictable since I started having these. I highly recommend checking them out if you are looking for a B12 supplement.

Ginvera Green Tea Exfoliating Marvel Gel

So you apply a thin layer of this green gel to your face when its dry, then with your fingertips gently massage it for a minute or so, until the gel starts forming little balls. Its quite odd at first but it feels satisfying and it lifts off all the grease, dirt and grime from the day, leaving your skin so soft and clean. Its formulated to reduce blackheads and blemishes and I have to say it does a very good job at both. I use it twice a week and I very get very few blackheads. This tube lasted me for almost a year and I would 100% repurchase, its a great exfoliating mask to have in your collection.

Max Factor Velvet Volume Mascara

This is a great mascara for layer up & achieving that voluminous lash effect. It never crisps up on my lashes and it holds your curl all day long. Its just an easy mascara to work with and I really like the plastic wand, the bristles work well to coat each lash with a good amount of product. This is good option if you don’t have the thickest of lashes.

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

Absolutely love this cleansing balm, I don’t think I will ever stop using it. Its gentle, effective and a little goes a long way. A pot lasts me a good few months because you only need about a 10p sized amount, I use it daily either morning or night as my first cleanse. It removes makeup with ease and it never irritates my eyes. I really only have good things to say about it.

Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara

This is so good at giving length to your lashes and fanning them out so they look fluttery, I love wearing this Mascara when I want a more dramatic look. The brush is massive and can take a bit of getting used to but the formula is pigmented and isn’t too wet. I don’t think I could pick a favourite out of the two Max Factor mascaras in this post but its OK to own more than one mascara, especially if they do different things.

Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Hair Treatment Serum

All I will say about this is, if you want glossy, sleek, manageable hair this serum is for you. Its incredible and a bottle lasted me over a year! I am sad its finished and will be repurchasing next time I am in Holland & Barrett. Everything about my hair is better when I use this.

Bath & Body Works Hand Sanitiser in Cupcake Sweetie

I always have one of these hand sanitisers in my handbag, Bath & Body works do the nicest selection of scents. I do like the more spicy Autumnal scents best but these sweet ones are still nice. I know B&BW don’t have any shops or stockists in the UK but you can get them on Amazon or eBay.

New Lancome Cushion Makeup

September 6, 2016 - Vicki 3 Comments

I know this style of cushion makeup has been quite popular for a while now, especially in South Korea & its slowly gaining a following in the UK as more brands get on board with this beauty trend. I have never tried any cushion makeup products before & was very intrigued as to how it all worked.

I have read that cushion foundations started out in South Korea as a skincare / makeup fusion much like a BB Cream but with better coverage – this sounds perfect to me. Lancome were the first Western brand to release their version, the Miracle Cushion Foundation which hit the market last year and after its huge popularity they have followed it up with the Teint Idole Ultra Cushion. This new release promises more coverage and includes SPF 50, Lancome have also extended on this cushion concept and they have a range of Cushion Blushers too. Get Excited!

Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Cushion Compact*

This foundation comes beautifully packaged in a luxurious gold & black compact with a large mirror in the lid, a small puff sponge and the actual product comes sealed in a pack so you open it and clip it in. This ensures the foundation is fresh and also means there is minimal waste as you repurchase a refill once it runs out and you always reuse the gold compact, very clever. This is available in 9 shades in the UK which is disappointing because there are 18 shades available in the US.

I did use a foundation brush to apply, I tapped my brush lightly on the middle of the cushion to release just enough product, then I buffed it into my skin. This was very easy to blend and after initially thinking I had the wrong shade it turned out Beige Rose was a perfect match. This applied evenly and very seamlessly, it felt hydrating on my skin and didn’t extenuate any fine lines or pores.

This is a full coverage foundation but it feels light on the skin, I think its because it has quite a fluid consistency and you need so little product. It has a natural soft focus finish, Lancome say it gives the skin a semi matte finish, which might make you worried that it will look flat or dull on the skin but this is not the case. It looks very radiant and not at all flat I think it left my skin with more of a natural, even glowing finish.

I love that is has SPF 50 so your skin is protected from the harmful effects of sun damage and the fact this is in a handy compact means you can easily re apply it / or touch up throughout the day. I am sold on this & now wait to try all the cushion makeup. I am interested to see how long the product lasts, you get 13g and from using it a couple of times it seems you don’t need to use a lot of product to achieve a good level of coverage so we will see.

Lancome Cushion Blush Subtil in Sorbet Grenadine*

Lancome are again the first Western brand to release a cushion style blush, they have released 6 wearable shades, I have the shade Sorbet Grenadine which is a pretty coral pink and it gives a lovely healthy radiance to my cheeks. The blush feels like a cross between a jelly and a sponge which has been drenched in product, its very odd but it actually works well. The formula is quite wet to the touch but is very creamy and the shade I have is very pigmented, you could really build this up to quite intense.

You need to blend these in well so you’re not left with a stripe of colour on your cheek. The colour I have has a gorgeous dewy finish and it gives your skin a healthy, radiant natural flush of colour. Oh and it makes a cute lip colour too if you like your products to be multi functional.

It has surprised me just how much I like this, I’m not always keen on cream blushers but this Cushion Blush applies so smoothly, the texture is beautifully fluid and extremely easy to work with. If your worried that because it has quite a fluid texture that it will end up just disappearing off your face, don’t be. The colour has very good staying power and stay in place for hours. I am impressed.

The packaging is a compact which is smaller but similar to the Cushion Foundation, the compact is black with a pink Lancome Rose on the top. There is a nice mirror in the lid and a little sponge applicator and in the bottom is the blush which is in an air lock compartment just like the foundation so it stays fresh and no moisture is lost.

I have enjoyed both products and would recommend them, everything from the packaging to the finish feels luxurious and well thought out. If you have a Lancome counter near you pop down and have a swatch and I promise that you won’t be disappointed.

I am pleased to say that Lancome have won me back, after I felt let down by their recent Grandiôse Liner launch.

•PR Sample

Origins Three Part Harmony Moisturiser

September 5, 2016January 21, 2018 - Vicki 1 Comment

Origins Three Part Harmony £60

Over the past 15 years as my skin has changed, aged and matured, Origins skincare have really been a consistent part of my skincare journey. At some point along the way I have used almost all of their options, some I have moved on from but there are still a few which I have never stopped loving, like their Mega Mushroom Range & also the very popular GinZing Range. They have such a fantastic range of skincare which caters to a spectrum of skin concerns and ages too.

I have been using this Three Point Harmony Cream (the three-point refers to Renewal, Repair and Radiance) for a whole year now & its a really great option for me, now I’m almost in my 40’s, as I said my skin has changed so much and I find I’m reaching for skincare which is more nourishing and keeps my skin hydrated which in turn stops my fine lines looking so prominent. This has been a very good moisturiser for making my skin look its best, not younger or less old but radiant and refreshed.

This does have a rich, thick consistency but once you massage it in, it feels luxurious and your skin is so moisturised, without leaving behind any greasy residue. It leaves the skin feeling very smooth, supple and instantly radiant. Post application you do notice an instant smoothness and the scent is beautifully sweet & uplifting.

This cream has some really lovely skin beneficial ingredients, specifically to pep up your skin and help it look more rejuvenated and glowing.

‘This intensely rich cream with Tazetta Lily Bulbs, White Myrtle and Japanese Knot Weed helps produce youthful supplies of natural collagen to help visibly repair skin’s structure. Fine lines and wrinkles are softened. With deeply nourishing plant butters plus Vitamin E, this luscious cream renews skin’s hydration levels. With Scutellaria, it helps reveal radiance, refine tone and brighten skin to impart a healthy, vibrant glow.’

This cream tackles those skin concerns which become more prominent as our skin matures and its exciting that Origins have extended their range to cater for more mature skin types. I am hoping they add a toner and a face mask to this range in the near future.

I am very much enjoying this cream but I’ve only got a tiny amount left so I have been saving to get a new pot, as I don’t think I can be without it in my routine. Its made such a difference to my dry, dull complexion that I am willing to spend the £60 on a new jar.

Speaking of the jar, this Origins cream comes exquisitely packaged in a luxurious weighty glass jar with a lightly coloured faux wooden lid. It looks pretty, understated and luxurious.

I have heard so many positive reviews about the Serum from this Three Part Harmony Collection that I am very tempted to also purchase that too. If you have tried this range let me know your thoughts & if I should get the Serum too.

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Unbiased beauty product reviews & tips

Author: Vicki