Friday 30 September 2016

Autumn #SpaBeauty Tips With Good Spa Guide

Last week I took part in the latest #SpaBeauty chat in collaboration with Good Spa Guide. This is the second chat that I've taken part in and they never disappoint. The Good Spa Guide aim to demystify the growing world of spa beauty. Their Twitter chats aim to help you pick the best spa and treatments wisely, so that you don't waste your money and you get the most from your spa experience. I joined lots of other amazing bloggers to chat about Autumn spa beauty tips, our home-spa routines and protecting our skin from the Autumn weather. I really love taking part in these chats as I pick up lots of great tips, I'm here to share some of my favourites! 



Early morning pick-me-ups 
One thing I hate about Autumn/Winter is waking up when it's dark outside. When it's dark outside I really struggle to wake up and get going. For years I've made use of the Aromatherapy Associates oil products to spruce me up first thing - the Revive Body Oil* is perfect for this, I just apply the oil to my skin in the shower. The Revive line is an uplifting and detoxifying formulation, designed to wake you up with it's fruity fragrance.


Stopping clogged pores and protecting your skin from dehydration 
Regular readers will know all about my combination skin, I have a really oily t-zone but my cheeks can get quite dry and sore. I tend to commute by train a lot in the colder months, which means my skin is exposed to the wind and rain. Therefore my skin really suffers from dehydration, but if I use too many greasy products on it my pores become clogged. I loved Hayley's (from Tea Party Beauty) tip of adding an extra exfoliating product into your routine. Caudalie's Deep Cleansing Exfoliator* is perfect for this as it's perfect for all skin types. It uses lots of active ingredients to renew cells and help the texture of the skin. 



Protecting your body from dry patches
My feet, knees and elbows really suffer with drying out in the colder months. I loved Ting's (from The Ting Thing) suggestion of adding a few drops of body oil to your regular moisturiser for an extra boost. She mentioned that you can do the same with your skincare routine. You could add the Renight Oil from Comfort Zone* to your night cream for something super indulgent. 



The perfect at-home spa evening

I shocked the group with the news that I hate baths, I just find them so uncomfortable and boring, so for me it's all about making the shower as luxurious as possible. The Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil by Aromatherapy Associates* is perfect for this, simply rub the oil onto your body and then jump under the shower. Your skin feels soft and nourished, but you also leave the shower feeling ready for bed. For me the next important step in any at-home spa is a good face mask.

The new Trufflesque mask from Temple Spa* is one everyone needs to try. First of all lets discuss the fact that it is GOLD, you can feel yourself glowing before you even take it off. The goal of the mask is to leave your skin feeling more plump and super hydrated. It's also packed with lots of great anti-ageing ingredients, which helps to create the appearance of instant youthfulness in the skin.

Lastly we all agreed that you need a lovely hot beverage, lots of ladies were a fan of hot chocolate, including Chloe (from Lady Writes) who suggested Hazelnut Hot Chocolate - YUM! Some of us have been testing the tea from Camilla's Tea House London* and it's some of the best I've tried. So far I've tried Lemon and Ginger (Zest Tea), Very Berry and Green Mint and it's hard to pick a favourite.

Once again, just like the last chat, we all left the chat lusting over spa days and me time! I think it's lovely to take the time to chat about pamper time, I've taken lots of inspiration from people who joined the chat and I'm going to be taking advantage of the long evenings ahead of us! 
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Thursday 29 September 2016

Thursday Tittle-Tattle #60

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This week I'm talking about lots of Autumn/Winter launches, a beautiful new highlighter palette from Sleek Makeup, loads of Beauty Advent Calendars and the Marc Jacobs Christmas collection.




Beauty Advent Calendars start to make an appearance
Christmas beauty is well and truly in full force, which means that Beauty Advent Calanders have started to appear! There are been announcements from ASOS Beauty (RRP £50), Sanctuary Spa (RRP £25), Rituals (RRP £50), Benefit Cosmetics (RRP £34), Boots No7 (RRP £39), Jack Wills (RRP £35), NYX Cosmetics (RRP £60), L'Occitane (RRP £42) and BareMinerals (RRP £75). Which one will you choose?

New highlighter palette from Sleek
The first highlighting palette from Sleek was a huge success and I have no doubt that the second one will be a huge hit. The new Cleopatra’s Kiss Highlighting Palette (£9.99) is packaged in a gold compact with a mirror and mini powder brush. The shades inside the palette include two powder shades and two cream shades. The shades include: Sphinx (gold powder), Dynasty (bronze gold cream), Delta (pale gold cream) and Goddess (rose gold powder).

Laura Mercier Leading Ladies
Laura Mericer has decided to celebrate the Laura Mercier 20th anniversary in style! They have introduced three limited edition lip kits, in exclusive colours inspired by Laura's favourite Hollywood leading ladies. In each of the kits there is a limited edition shade the Velour Lovers Lip Colour and a Lip Glace. They are available in three universally flattering shades of nude (Catherine), rose (Sophia), and red (Vivien) and they come packaged in a collectable box with mirror. They retail for £29 each here

Models Own releases Gilt Collection
Models Own have jumped on the success of other rose gold collections and released their Gilt Collection. The collection includes lots of different makeup products, including palettes, lipsticks, mascara and eyeliners, all packaged in pretty rose gold packaging. Prices range between £7.99 and £19.99, you can shop the collection here

Marc Jacobs releases stunning Christmas collection
Marc Jacobs are at it again and I'm struggling to hold on to my money! They have just released their full Christmas lineup and there really is something for everyone. My favourite item from the collection is the Object Of Desire Palette. It's a gorgeous palette finished in gold and it includes six eyeshadows, a bronzing powder, a pretty blusher and a limited edition luminizer. It's packaged in gold leather case, with a tassel on the side, which is a bit bulky in my opinion, but the products inside are beautiful. If you're a lipstick fan you will love the Petite Le Marc Lip Creme collection. Inside the pink leather pouch you get five mini buttery, creamy, vibrant lipsticks. Marc Jacobs say they are packed with hydrating ingredients for the ultimate colour and shine.
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Wednesday 28 September 2016

Contouring On-The-Go With Rimmel London

I know that some people are bored of hearing about contouring, but I'm still obsessed with the whole trend. Especially as now contouring products are everywhere, meaning that you can really play with the trend at every budget. As much as I love my high end beauty products, I really enjoy buying and testing alternative products from the high street. I really do love treating myself to some of the more extravagant products on the market, but sometimes you want a bargain product, which doesn't cost the earth. Enter the Sculpting Palette from Rimmel London, a perfect contouring solution for under £7.



This product has actually been out on the market for a little while, but I completely forgot it existed! The Sculpting Palette is currently available in two different shade combinations (however they are named #002 and #003, which probably means that at least #001 will appear in the future). The aim of the palette is to give you everything you need for sculpting, in one handy little palette. The Sculpting Palette is quite a small compact, it's a rectangle shape finished with rounded corners. The base of the compact is black, the lid is finished with gold and it has three clear windows which lets the powders shine through. As I mentioned, the palette really is quite small, but Rimmel have managed to squeeze in three different powders and the palette is still easy to use and navigate. 



You've probably guessed by now, but in the palette there is a highlighter, a bronzer and a blusher. Rimmel say that the colours have been designed to blend with your natural skin tone for an effortless contoured finish. You can see by my swatches below that the colours are actually very subtle, they are not strongly pigmented, which makes it a great palette for beginners or for on-the-go application when you can't necessarily fix mistakes. The bronzer and the blusher have a matte finish, whilst the highlighter has some pretty shimmer running through it. 

I've been loving chucking this palette in my handbag for when I need a quick touch-up after work. You can pick up the Sculpting Palette from Boots now, priced at £6.99


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Tuesday 27 September 2016

The First Mist From DECIEM | NIOD

If you're a regular reader here on Hope, Freedom, Love you'll have heard of DECIEM, as they are one of my favourite beauty brands. However, if you're new here or if you’ve simply not heard of DECIEM, you have some serious catching up to do! I've never hidden my love with DECIEM, an umbrella beauty brand, who own a whole suite of impressive companies. Whether you want haircare, skincare, supplements or even hair removal products; they have you covered. Their latest innovation is from NIOD, DECIEM skincare brand which focuses on non-invasive skincare treatments. The Superoxide Dismutase Saccharide Mist* (know as SDSM for short) is their first treatment mist. As with all NIOD products, the name of this mist feels pretty scary (my boyfriend has questioned me about it at least 5 times). However, when you work your way through all the science, the goal of SDSM is quite simple. 



Whilst you might be tempted to class this as a toner, DECIEM insist that this is a dermal treatment mist and should not be classified mistakenly. It's a mist that aims to act as a fundamental daily force against oxidative stress, water loss and inflammation. DECIEM explain that stress, water loss and inflammation are three main pillars that deteriorate the skin, contributing to the loss of visible skin quality over time. As with a lot of DECIEM products, the science behind SDSM is quite complex. However, in simple terms this mist is all about protecting our skin against pollution and other environmental stress. Using the mist regularly can protect your skin from inflammation and environmental stresses, whilst keeping your skin hydrated. 

DECIEM chose to package SDSM in a huge 240ml bottle, encouraging users of the product to use it frequently and to be generous with every application. Using the product is very simple, just spritz it onto your face and body as desired. Ideally you should apply the mist in the morning and at night after cleansing the skin, but before other treatments. As with all products of this nature, it's quite hard to test the long lasting effects. However, what I can say is that my skin loves this product and it feels noticeably more hydrated with every use. You can pick up SDSM from the DECIEM website here, priced at £34. 
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Monday 26 September 2016

WIN Maybelline's Vivid Matte Collection | Giveaway

It was really exciting when I received my invitation from Maybelline to London Fashion Week. I've never been to London Fashion Week and I was really excited to experience what it's like. We were invited down to their suite and given the low down on the makeup trends for Spring/Summer next year. Their makeup artist showed us two different looks for the season, including how to create the perfect red lip with the Vivid Matte lipsticks.




The Vivid Matte Liquid Lipsticks* were the official lip colour of London Fashion Week and they were getting a lot of attention in their suite! The Vivid Matte collection features eight different shades, meaning that the collection includes every shade a girl needs. There are pretty nudes, daring reds and perfect plums for Autumn. I've swatched every beautiful shade for you below. From top to bottom we have; Nude Flush (05), Nude Thrill (50), Berry Boost (40), Orange Shot (25), Rebel Red (35), Electric Pink (15) and Possessed Plum (45). There is one additional shade not swatched here, which is Coral Courage (20), a lovely Coral Pink.




They are packaged in a pretty rectangle tube and they have a handy doe foot applicator, which makes application dreamy. You can tell by the swatches above that these lipsticks are super pigmented, which helps you to achieve a high impact colour. The Vivid Matte formulation is all about achieving beautiful colour, with a vivid matte finish, but without creating dry, flakey lips. The colours are so vibrant on the lips and leave the lips feeling moisturised. The formula allows you to use these lipsticks in three different ways. For a classic matte finish swipe off the excess on the wand and apply sparingly to the lips. If you want to have a more stained look, apply and then dab the lips with a tissue. For a more vivid, shiny look apply generously. 

The Maybelline Vivid Matte collection is available now, retailing at £6.99 a shade here. However, Maybelline were kind enough to gift me a second set of the Vivid Matte Collection, which I've decided to give away to you guys! To get your hands on them you just need to follow the instructions below, make sure you read the T&C's below the widget! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions! The giveaway prize consists of 8 shades of the Vivid Matte lipsticks (shades 05, 50, 40, 20, 25, 35, 15 and 45).The giveaway will be running until October 3rd and you can enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. To be eligible to win you must be following my blog via Bloglovin. There are additional entries if you follow via Twitter and Instagram, or tweet about the competition. Worldwide entry is permitted.The prize was gifted to me and Maybelline agreed to me using these lovely products in a giveaway. 
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Friday 23 September 2016

Eyeko Black Magic Mascara

Eyeko is an award-winning makeup brand, specialising in my eye makeup products. It was started in 1999 by makeup veterans, Max and Nina Leykind, with the aim to re-invent the mascara market. They came up with the idea of creating "zero-waste squeeze tubes" which would later become iconic in the makeup industry. They wanted to create a wardrobe of formulas and brushes, which would offer easy application but also give instant results. 

For me, Eyeko is just one of those brands that has sat in my beauty stash for ages and I've just never tested it. I've had Eyeko in tons of different beauty boxes, but they always seem to be eyeliners, which just isn't "my thing". So when the Eyeko Magic Mascara landed in my collection, it went straight to my dressing table for testing.





The Eyeko Black Magic Mascara offers you the chance to "transform your lashes". The mascara aims to be the
 "ultimate mascara" with a formula that creates volume, curl and drama with an extreme black finish. The mascara comes packaged in the iconic squeezy tube that I mentioned earlier, paired with a curved brush. Eyeko call the brush "the curvaceous helix brush" designing it for full lash contact.

I have to be honest and say that the first time I used this mascara, I was really disappointed. I actually went to delete it my pictures of it as I just didn't think I wanted to review it. However, something compelled me to try it a second time and I fell in love. The first time I used it I just found it watery and far too thin, which meant it did not create any volume or drama. I'm not sure if it just needed some air in the tube, because every time since, it has been performing completely different.

The brush makes the mascara really really to apply, it really hugs the lash line, catching every single hair as you apply the mascara. The brush itself is actually quite small, which means I tend to get the mascara all over my eyelid, so I do need to do a little cleaning up before I can leave the house. The formula of the mascara is really nice, it's lifts, curls and volumises my lashes. It doesn't clump and it doesn't seem to crumble off my lashes during the day. It's also water-resistant which means you don't end up with panda eyes if the April Showers pay a visit! The formula is also created with keratin and shea butter, to create a blend which offers long-term lash care.

All-in-all I'm pretty impressed and I'm really glad I gave the mascara a second chance. It retails for £17.50 and you can pick it up from M&S here.
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Thursday 22 September 2016

Thursday Tittle-Tattle #59

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This week I'm talking about lots of Autumn/Winter launches, including a new makeup range from Tanya Burr, a Christmas collection from Ciate and the new lip product from By Terry.




New Autumn collection from Tanya Burr

Tanya Burr is at it again and I actually think this is my favourite collection from her so far. The whole line up is totally on-point, it's covered in gorgeous rose gold packaging and there's something for everyone. The new collection features three cheek illuminators (which look a lot like the cheek sticks from Charlotte Tilbury), a body illuminator, a face illuminator, six lipsticks and a new midnight blue eyeshadow palette. It's due for launch next month from Superdrug and Feel Unique. 

Christmas collaboration between Chloe Morello and Ciate
I'm literally obsessed with this new launch from Ciate! Chloe Morello (a beauty YouTuber) has joined with CiatĂ© London to bring you her ultimate beauty must-haves in this limited edition collection! The collection retails for £45 and it includes the most gorgeous eyeshadow palette, a lip velvet, a mascara and a makeup pouch. The Pretty, Fun & Fearless Palette featuring a mix of best-selling CiatĂ© London shares as well as a selection of shadows carefully curated by Chloe herself. You can buy the collection right now here

VINCENT LONGO launches at Cult Beauty
Until last week I'd never even heard of Vincent Longo and I'm already obsessed! They are a brand well know for luxury formulas that perform at such a high level. One look at the range on Cult Beauty and you'll see that the colours are beautiful and totally on trend. They are a brand that have cult status in the beauty industry, with makeup artists and actors swearing by their products. Check out the range now on Cult Beauty.

New Click Sticks from By Terry
The new Rouge Expert Click Stick Lipsticks from By Terry are getting a lot of traction in the beauty community! The new product comes in By Terry's beautiful packaging and it's shaped like a lot of the brow products on the market. The formula is a lip pencil and lipstick all in one, which By Terry says feels like a lip balm on the skin, hydrating the lips with every application. There are 25 new velvety matte shades from nudes and pinks to reds, oranges and plums. The "click" name comes from the handy push button control. These will be available until 15 October exclusive to Space NK and nationwide thereafter.
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Wednesday 21 September 2016

The Famous Soy Face Cleanser From Fresh

When Chris bought me home a Fresh skincare set from Sephora I was honestly thrilled! I’ve heard so much about Fresh recently and I’ve wanted to try something from this lovely brand. The Soy Face Cleanser is designed to be the perfect all-rounder, it’s perfect for lots of different skin types. So whether you have normal, oily, combination, dry or sensitive skin, you can keep reading as this one is for you! 





The Soy Face cleanser is a best seller from Fresh and it’s their “do-it-all” cleanser and makeup remover. It’s designed to remove makeup and impurities without damaging or stripping the skin. As the name suggests, it’s formulated with soy proteins, which is packed with amino acids, which help support elasticity in the skin. The Soy Face Cleanser actually dates back to 1999 - I didn’t even know Fresh had been around that long! It was a product of the soy buzz that took the world by storm in the early nineties. Soy was taking the world by storm, it was in health stores and in recipes, yet Fresh was determined to bring it into skincare. The Soy Collection was actually Fresh’s first product in the skincare world and it’s still incredibly popular today.

The cleanser comes packaged in a handy white tube, finished with very simply brown and black lettering. The cleanser itself is white and it’s quite a thick texture, which has a gel formulation. I did not know what to expect from this cleanser, but I have to say that I’m really impressed. The cleanser is really gentle, as you apply it to the skin it honestly feels so natural and simple. It has a very slight scent and it leaves the skin feeling very soft and clean. The Fresh Soy Face Cleanser removes makeup with ease and leaves a very nourished skin behind. The soy in the cleanser is complemented by Rosewater, which helps to calm and balance the skin. There is also cucumber extracts in the cleanser, which help to soothe the skin. So all-in-all you’re left with a skin that looks smooth, healthy and free of impurities.

The Soy Face Cleanser is great for when your skin is misbehaving and you want to reset your routine to start again. I’ve been enjoying taking this with me when I travel and I think it’s a good cleanser to have in your beauty arsenal. It’s formulated without Parabens, Sulfates and Phthalates. It retails at £30 for 150ml, which actually makes it quite pricey, but it’s one to add to your wish list for any upcoming birthdays.
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Tuesday 20 September 2016

Budget Strobing With Makeup Revolution

Strobing is taking over the world at the moment, it really is something that is growing with popularity by the minute. Literally all the beauty brands are getting in on the action this season and beauty fans are inundated with choice. When there's so much choice it's really hard to choose what to buy, which explains why I've probably added 10 new strobing products to my collection in just a few weeks. I'm not normally a fan in a brands copying other brands ideas, but sometimes there's a product you just can't ignore. 



The Strobe Highlighter Powder by Makeup Revolution might look familiar to you, as they are very similar to the new highlighters by Laura Mercier. The difference is that these cost just £3, whereas the Laura Mercier highlighters are £32. The Strobe Highlighter from Makeup Revolution comes in three different shades and they are actually all very similar. I picked up Moon Glow and Radiant Lights, to be honest it's almost impossible to tell them apart, I really don't need both in my collection.

The Strobe Highlighter Powder comes packaged in a black compact, with a clear lid which lets the beauty of the highlighter shine through. I will say that the compact feels very sturdy and secure, however I gifted one of these to my sister and it shattered on the way home in the car. The powder is finished with a wave like pattern which is embossed into the powder. As you'd expect from Makeup Revolution these powders are really pigmented, one dab of my brush in the compact is enough product for my whole face (and I like a lot of highlighter). The powder adds a beautiful glow to the skin and it looks beautiful when it catches the light. 

When it comes to Strobing, I really think it's worth investing in some of the high end products. Purely as I think highlighting powders will be in fashion forever, so it's a great way to invest your money. However if you're strapped for cash, these powders from Makeup Revolution are beautiful, well worth spending your pocket money on. You can pick up the Strobe Highlighter Powder from TAM Beauty now


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Monday 19 September 2016

Gimme Brow | The New Benefit Brow Collection

Benefit's Gimme Brow is a firm favourite in my beauty routine, I basically use it every single day. As you probably know, the Benefit Brow Collection was recently given a bit of a makeover, so it seemed like the right time to give it a new review!




I firmly remembering buying Gimme Brow, as I bought it as soon as it launched here in the UK. Back then that was a pretty big deal for me, as I was just entering the world of high end beauty. I really did not have many high end products in my collection, so spending £18 on a brow gel took some convincing. That being said, it was getting some serious hype in the bloggersphere and so I was pretty certain it was worth the pennies. Fast forward nearly two years and Benefit's Gimme Brow is a firm favourite in my collection. It's safe to say it was worth the hype and I never looked back.

If you're not in the loop Gimme Brow is a tinted brow gel, which has won it's fair share of awards since it's launch! The gel contains tiny microfibres, which are used to recreate natural looking brows, whether you're applying to your eyebrows or to your skin.

What I really love about Benefit's Gimme Brow, is it's tiny little wand. I've tried lots of different brow wands in my time, but I find this one the easiest to navigate. The wand has little bristles which mimic the hairs in your brows to give you a natural finish. As you brush the want through your brows, it adds some really good colour and definition to even the lightest brows. I always use Gimme Brow as the final step in my routine, I use a spoolie to brush out my brows, fill them with my eyebrow pencil, brush them again and then set them with Gimme Brow. 

Benefit Cosmetics say that the formula of Gimme Brow hasn't changed with the rebrand and as far as I can tell this is true! It's been given a total facelift, swapping the brow tube for this snazzy metallic finish. The new packaging is definitely more bulky than before, which is a bit of a pain when your traveling. However, the new handle is definitely easier to hold and makes the product easier to work with.

Benefit's Gimme Brow is available in three different shades and it's available at Boots, priced at £18.50




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Friday 16 September 2016

Rimmel London's First Cream Blusher | Royal Blush

I have very few blushers from the high street, it seems to be the one product that the high street brands forget about. My makeup collection is filled with high street foundation, mascara and eyeshadow, but until now it's been lacking blusher. Rimmel London have been one of the worst culprits, with just one powder brush in three shades to offer the public. However, they've recently announced and released their first ever cream blusher and I'm here to tell you all about it. 




As I mentioned, the new Royal Blush is a Rimmel London's first cream blusher. The Rimmel London Royal Blusher is a little square shaped compact which comes in the colour of the blusher on the inside. The tiny compact is decorated with the Rimmel London crown and finished with the name of the product in white writing. You simply pop open the compact to reveal the blusher inside, the blusher fills the whole compact which means there is no wasted space. These little blushers would be perfect for your travel makeup bag, or just for your handbag for on-the-go application. 




The blusher itself is a cream-to-powder blusher and it's incredibly light to the touch. It's beautifully pigmented, which means you just need a little bit on your finger or brush for a soft flush of colour. I've been applying this to the apples of my cheeks using a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush, it blends beautifully into the skin. You can build this product which means you can go from a natural soft flush of colour, all the way to something more dramatic. You can see by my swatches below that when these are on the skin they look give you silky, satin finish. 

There are three colours of the new Royal Blush - 001 is Peach Jewel, 002 is Majestic Queen and 003 is Coral Queen. I picked up Coral Queen and Majestic Pink, as they are the colours I thought I'd get the most wear out of. I've swatched these for you below, Coral Queen is on the bottom and Majestic Pink is on the top. These beautiful blushers by Rimmel London only cost £5.49, which makes them a perfect addition to anyones makeup collection. Pick them up now from Boots or Superdrug


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Thursday 15 September 2016

Thursday Tittle Tattle #58

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This week I have lots of new makeup products to talk about, including Bobbi Brown, BECCA and Rimmel London. 




BECCA Cosmetics reveal Bronzed Amber
BECCA fans will be flocking to get their hands on this brand new highlighter. Bronzed Amber is the first of its kind. It's a beautiful bronzing shade in a pressed version of the Shimmering Skin Perfector. BECCA say that the new product is a creamy and luminizing, perfect for adding a bronzed highlighter to any makeup look. It's still exclusive to BECCA Cosmetics, so I'm waiting on tenderhooks to see if we will get the chance to buy this in the UK. Check out the Bronzed Amber highlighter here

Cara Delevingne's first campaign for Rimmel London
If you're looking for a new mascara, the new ScandelEyes Reloaded Mascara might be for you! The new mascara is packaged in a bright orange tube, so you definitely won't lose it in your makeup bag! The new mascara is designed to give you bold, full lashes, with a clump-free volume that is sweat-proof, smudge-proof and humidity-proof for up to 24-hours. The new Rimmel ScandelEyes Reloaded Mascara (£6.99) is available in Black and Extreme Black. The campaign for the new mascara features Cara Delevingne, her first for the brand.

Bobbi Brown set to launch City Collection
I've not been excited about a news Bobbi Brown launch for a long time, but this one has me weak at the knees. Bobbi Brown Cosmetics has announced the launch of its City Collection, in celebration of its 25th anniversary. Inspired by three of Bobbi’s favourite cities - New York, London and Paris. Each of the three cities has it's own palette, featuring four eye shadows, a blusher, a Long Wear Gel Eyeliner and Luxe Lip Color. Of course each of the palettes has it's own colour theme too. New York is all about the subtle tones, London is all about navy simmer and Paris is all about greys and pinks. The collection will be available this month exclusively at Harrods.

The perfect Autumn collection from ARTDECO

If you're looking for an Autumn collection that has it all, you need to see The Sound of Beauty collection from ARTDECO. The AW16 collection is inspired by the shades of Baroque, including earthy, deep shades, red oak, neutrals and violet. The collection includes; Long-wear Eyeshadows, the All in One Mascara, Blush Couture, the Repair & Care Lip Oil, High Performance Lipsticks, Perfect Mat Lipstick, the Perfect Colour Lipsticks, the Art Couture Nail Lacquer and the High Performance Lifting Foundation.

Benefit Cosmetics launch new eye product
The brand new Firm it up! eye serum helps to visibly tighten & brighten the delicate skin around your eyes. Benefit say that the new lightweight texture absorbs in seconds, leaving skin feeling refreshed, smooth and silky soft. You can buy it right now at Boots, priced at £28.50. 
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Wednesday 14 September 2016

Aqua Mirabilis | Roger & Gallet Introduce Skincare

If you've been sitting waiting for Roger & Gallet to enter the skincare market, your prayers have been answered! Four products have just been launched from my favourite French pharmacy brand and I'm thrilled that Roger & Gallet are now playing in this space. Legend has it that over 300 years ago monks created a powerful natural remedy called Aqua Mirabilis. It was a strictly secret recipe which used the rarest medicinal plants, selected by monks for their healing properties. This secret beauty elixir was often drunk or applied to parts of the body - protecting the users from the plague, treating burns and wounds, whilst preserving health and beauty.

Roger & Gallet are pleased to announce that they own this mystery formula. Aqua Mirabilis is created with 18 different plants, which each play their part to create this special remedy. The remedy has been used to create four new skincare products, two of which I'm sharing with you today.



The Extra-Fine Cleansing Mask is a fabulous dual purpose product. It's goal is to remove makeup, detoxify the skin and ooze radiance back into the skin. The Extra-Fine Cleansing Mask is designed to be the first step of the new beauty ritual. Combining the natural powers of 18 officinal plants, with extra fine Helianthus flower oil to create a formula that will be know for it's make-up removing efficacy. As I mentioned, there are two ways to use the Extra-Fine Cleansing Mask. The first is a makeup remover, you simply massage the gel into the skin and it turns into an oil. You apply the cleanser onto dry skin and when you rinse the mask with water it turns into a milky residue. The second way to use the product is as a detoxifying mask - simply apply all over the face, allow to absorb and then massage and rinse off the skin.

The second new product is the Beauty Vinegar, which sounds much more scary than it is! This product has been made with the 18 officinal plants, distilled plants and Fruit Vinegar. Cleansing vinegars date back to the 18th Century, historically they were made from flowers, fruits or spices and they quickly became a legendary treatment. The Beauty Vinegar from Roger & Gallet is a bi-phase texture, created to smooth, refine and clarify the skin. You use this product in the same way you would use an acid toner, simply put some on a cotton pad and rub over the face. It removes make-up residue, smoothes the skin and helps eliminate dead cells.

There are two other products in this line up; The Legendary Cream and the Double Extract (which is like a serum). If these products are anything like the two I've tried, they are going to be dreamy. Well done to Roger & Gallet for creating beautiful skincare which really tells a story, I'm so impressed! You can pick up the full line up from M&S today
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Tuesday 13 September 2016

One Last Summer Top Coat | Coachelala by L'oreal Paris

I have to confess that I am a total top coat addict! They are one of the polishes that I can just never throw away, I just think they are so pretty and they can jazz up any manicure without any effort at all. I’m normally all for the glitter top coats, but I’ve recently found something a little bit different that I want to share. So, if you happen to still be looking for a perfect Spring/Summer top coat, I've got something really cute and pretty for you today. The very aptly named Coachelala polish is part of the Flower Bohème collection by L'OrĂ©al Paris. The collection is designed to give a blossom finish to your nails, which just ooze bohemian spirit.

What I love about this top coat, is that it's so simple! It's just pretty coral and while flecks, paired with some very pretty flower shaped matt sequins. However, every time I paint this on my nails, I get tons of compliments! It just looks so pretty and you can make it look so different depending on what colour you decide to use as a base. I tend to apply two coats of colour and then I apply two coats of the top coat. I’ve tried lots of different colour combinations with this polish, it looks great over pinks, purples and blues, it’s lovely and versatile. You do need to fish for the flower shaped sequins, but it's definitely worth it.

The L'OrĂ©al Paris polishes are really lovely quality, they are a dream to apply and they last really well on the nails. They come in tiny little square bottles, which means they are really portable, a perfect holiday polish. You can pick up the Coachelala polish from Superdrug for £3.99, which makes this top coat completely budget friendly! What are you waiting for?!


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Monday 12 September 2016

Trip The Light Fantastic Powders | MAC Star Trek Collection

I'll be the first to admit that I rarely like the MAC collections. For me they tend to be too bold or too OTT for a girl who likes that natural beauty finish. No part of me is a Star Trek fan, so when I heard that MAC were releasing a Star Trek-inspired collection, no part of me was interested. I naively chucked it into the "trash" in my email and forgot all about it. That was until Selfridges sent me an email with these beautiful powders hidden at the end. I had not seen anything about them, but I knew I needed them. I put out a tweet asking my fellow beauty fans what they were and within half an hour I'd placed an order.



Since placing my Star Trek themed order I've been reading a lot about Star Trek and it's stamp on the makeup industry. MAC's collection has been created to celebrate 50 years of Star Trek. It's inspired by all things astrological, bringing deep earthy hues, glitter and shimmer, all packaged in sleek packaging. The collection features 25 products - being a highlighter obsessive, the product that caught my eye was the Trip The Light Fantastic Powders. These powders are fabulous multi use products and they actually remind me of the Hourglass Ambient Highlighting Blushers, which are one of my favourite products of all time.



They are swirled powders designed to add luminosity to the skin, blending effortlessly into the skin. The powders are fairly sheer in pigmentation, meaning that you can use them as a highlighter, as a blusher or even as a bronzer. The Trip The Light Fantastic Powders are available in three different shades. There is 'Luna Luster' which is a pretty rose shimmer, 'Strange New Worlds' which is a strong coral hue and 'Highly Illogical' which is a pretty golden plum. My regular readers won't be surprised that I struggled to pick one colour. In the end I opted for 'Luna Luster' as it's a great everyday hue and 'Highly Illogical' as it's going to be fantastic for autumn. I've been loving layering Luna Luster to the top of my cheekbones for a natural highlight and using Highly Illogical on the apples of my cheeks for a plum blush hue. I love how versatile these powders are and I'm so chuffed to have them in my collection. 

The Trip The Light Fantastic Powders retail for £26.50 each, you can pick them up from John Lewis here. You can also buy them from Selfridges, MAC Cosmetics and Debenhams. 





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Friday 9 September 2016

An Introduction to H&M Beauty

I have really fond memories of walking around H&M, which my first few pounds "spare income". I was at University and I was just falling in love with makeup, I spotted a nail polish duo for like £3.99 and I fell in love. As my love for makeup grew apart from my little nail polish duo and really forgot H&M Beauty even existed. Until the relaunch last year, when the beauty blogging world went mad for the new line of makeup. It took me a long time to gave into the hype, but a few weeks ago I picked up a few items.



The relaunch of H&M Beauty happened in May 2015, with H&M announcing 700 new items of beauty. The line includes "make-up, haircare, bodycare and other essentials" and the prices start as low as just £1.90. The packaging of the new line is incredibly chic, inspired by gloss black compacts and hexagon shapes. The line includes lots of makeup essentials that every girl wants in your makeup bag.

I decided to pick up a few different items, kicking things off with my biggest love; eyeshadow palettes. I opted for the Eyeshadow Palette in Smokey Nudes, which features nine different shades. It comes in a black glossy compact, which has a large mirror inside. The nine shades are quite shimmery palette, which I personally love and it comes with a leaflet of tutorials to get you started. The shades are quite pigmented and offer incredible quality when you consider the palette costs £9.99. Keeping on the eyeshadow theme, the next thing I picked up two of the Eyeshadow Pencils - in the shades 'Fairytale' and 'Golden Age'. These are really pigmented and very glittery, they glide onto your eyes with ease and they have credible staying power. I just draw these straight onto my eyelid and blend them out with my finger tip.

Next on my hit list was the Eyebrow Pencil, which retails for just £2.99. It offers strong colour payoff, in quite a firm formulation, so if that's what you look for in an eyebrow pencil, this is for you! Personally I prefer very soft formulations, so it doesn't compare to my favourite eyebrow pencils and I would not expect it to, as they are often nine times the price! Tango Pink was my Powder Blush of choice and to be honest, the twenty-two different shades makes it hard to pick. I love everything about this blusher, from it's pretty hexagon packaging, to the formulation inside it's a winner in my eyes!

I've swatched everything for you in the image below. Moving left to right, we have three shades from the eyeshadow palette, followed by 'Golden Age' and then 'Fairytale'. The sixth swatch is the Eyebrow Pencil and finally you have the Powder Blush in Tango Pink. All things considered, this is a really nice line of makeup, in my opinion it will not compete with the high end brands, but if you're comparing to Rimmel London and Maybelline, I think you're on to a winner. The line is available in 900 stores but you can also pick it up online at hm.com - wooh!




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Thursday 8 September 2016

Thursday Tittle Tattle #57

'Thursday Tittle Tattle', is a Hope, Freedom, Love blog series that has quickly become home to some of my popular posts. The series is dedicated to breaking news of the beauty world. From time-to-time, Thursday’s blog post will be dedicated to news featuring; beauty and lifestyle news, events, discounts, and even a bit of fashion news thrown in too! This week I'm talking about MORE new face masks, an amazing new brush set and a new retailer for Marc Jacobs Beauty.


#DareToMask with The Body Shop
The Body Shop recently launched their brand new Expert Facial Masks, adding five new face masks to the high street! The new masks are 100% vegetarian, in fact four of the masks (Himalayan Charcoal, British Rose and Amazonian Acai) are actually 100% Vegan. All the new masks are made without parabens, silicone, mineral oils and paraffin. The Body Shop say that the new masks are just their "finest recipes inspired by nature". You can pick up the new masks online or in stores. 

New Baking & Strobing Brush Set From Sigma
For someone who is as obsessed with highlighter and strobing as me, the new Baking & Strobing Brush Set has me weak at the knees. The brand new set from Sigma Beauty features five unique brushes designed to set and highlight the face for a perfected-skin finish. The brushes are designed to be used with cream, liquid or powder, which makes them the perfect multi-use set for any strobing or baking addict. The new set includes; the F06 Powder Sweep, the F42 Strobing Fan, the F79 Concealer Blend Kabuki, the F89 Bake Kabuki and the P89 Bake Precision. You can buy the brand new set here

New brand from DECIEM
The Ordinary is a new brand from my favourite beauty umbrella DECIEM . The new brand aims to demystify skincare, bringing effective skin and more familiar technologies at honourable prices. The brand is named 'The Ordinary' and is bringing a whole load of new skincare to ordinaries.com and victoriahealth.com this month. The products include; 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil (£9), Vitamin C Suspension 23% + HA Spheres 2% (£4.90), Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 (£5.90), Matrixyl 10% + HA (£9), Alpha Arbutin 2% + HA (£7), Advanced Retinoid 2% (£8), Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% (£5) and Buffet (Lactic Acid, HA) (£5.50-£5.80).

bareMinerals set to launch new foundation
The NEW BAREPRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation from bareMinerals is coming. bareMinerals say that the new foundation gives you the chance to experience flawless glam coverage. It's a new high-performance pressed mineral powder foundation, proven to stay exactly where you applied it for a full 12 hours. It's also clinically shown to improve skin clarity, reduce pore size appearance and control shine. The new foundation will come in a sleek compact and will be available in 20 shades.

The perfect matte lip from Stila
Stila have just released two new products to help you master the perfect matte lip. The brand new Stay All Day Lip Liner and MATTE’ificent Lipstick, both have a very light formula, paired with rich pigments. This means you can have the perfect matte like without it being high maintenance. The new lipstick comes in 12 different shades in a whole range of different colour hues. 

Marc Jacobs Beauty launches at John Lewis & Air Blush now available
One of the most exciting bits of beauty news this week is the news that Marc Jacobs Beauty is now available at John Lewis. Like seriously, John Lewis may as well just take all my cash right now! There are tons of products available online at John Lewis, including Air Blush, which is the newest blush innovation from the genius team at Marc Jacobs Beauty. The blusher has been designed to create a naturally luminous, flush of colour which lasts up to 24 hours. The new formula uses japanese air powder pigments infused with air, this combination offers seamless, natural-looking colour. They are finished with a lovely innovative pattern, which was actually inspired by marc’s spring 2013 striking striped gown. The lighter shade in each palette highlights the skin, whilst the deep shade contours. You can use the shades separately or you can blend the two together. Shop Marc Jacobs Beauty online here
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Wednesday 7 September 2016

Prepare Your Skin For Moisturiser | Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Water

Burt's Bees has been offering earth-friendly, natural beauty products for over 30 years. It all started in a beekeeper’s backyard in Maine and now it's a household name. They offer a whole range of products, designed to keep you looking good from head-to-toe. I've not tried many products from Burt’s Bees, for some reason I've never been drawn to try much more than a lip balm. However, I do have a bit of a weakness for testing our toners and micellar waters, so when I saw the Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water*, I thought I'd give it a try.



The Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water is designed to really make the most of your moisturiser. It's designed to be used in the morning and the evening, after cleansing but before moisturiser. Burt’s Bees pitch the water as the "skin’s hydrating first act", promising visibly smoother and softer skin. It's a 99.0% natural health and beauty care product, infused with moisture-loving botanical Clary Sage. It's an ingredient which has been clinically proven to give skin instant hydration and nourishment. The other ingredients include Kiwi Fruit Water and Willow Bark Extract. 

The Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water works quickly to restore lost hydration in the skin. Which means that your skin is plump and nourished, it really prepares your skin for moisturisation, so that none of the goodness is lost when using your moisturiser. As well as offering hydration, Burt's Bees say that the water is proven to improve skin texture and balance skin’s pH. As I mentioned before, Burt's Bees has an earth-friendly promise. Which means this product is created without phthalates, parabens, petrolatum or SLS. They don't test on animals and the water is dermatologically tested. 

The Intense Hydration Nourishing Facial Water is formulated to give your skin a real drink, absorbing quickly into the skin and leaving a lovely base for your moisturiser. It comes in a 118ml bottle and it's available now. The water is priced at £15.99 and it's available from the Burt's Bees website.
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