debenhams beauty AW12 snippets

I know the photos aren't the best and there aren't many at all of them but my camera decided the weather was as unbearable as I did and decided to stop working at the press day yesterday. I completely forgot to whip my iPhone out too! Useless I know, but I just wanted to share these few photos with you and talk about the new products!

The main thing I got really excited about is the little 3-step corrector kit from Benefit (I have no idea what it's called, I wish I'd managed to get a snap of the front of the packaging - can anyone let me know?). Lily pointed out that the products inside also had their own lids which is super clean and handy! We also saw a new fragrance, See & Be Seen Sasha. I don't have any of the cocktail shaker perfumes but I love the packaging and this one had a really lovely smell! I've seen the glosses on various sites but I don't think they're available in the UK yet so will be making their way over in the Autumn I guess - I love the idea of them though, the perfect companions for the boxed powders! I have most of them so am looking forward to trying a few of these. I actually bought Sun Beam last week so keep your eyes peeled for a review! Also pictured is a limited edition London themed That Gal primer which is out now!

Other brands on show included Philosophy and Xen-Tan, two names I've been itching to try recently! I especially can't wait to get my hands on a bottle of the Purity cleanser and I'm really curious about the Microdelivery Peel set!

bourjois magic nail polish remover

Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover: £4.99
You've probably heard all about this by now, but I thought I'd share anyway! This little pot of magic means I'm more willing to go crazy with nail colours as polish removal was the bane of my life up until recently. I don't know if I'd label it 'one second' but it really takes no time at all to get product off your nails, even with glitters it's easy peasy to get off although it takes a little longer! The idea of the product is basically a pot filled with nail polish remover with a sponge inside that has a hole in the middle of it. You stick your finger in the hole (...), wait a couple of seconds, twist et voila! Lovely clean nails. Also the smell makes it that little bit more enjoyable too, with the sweet fruity scent.

I'd definitely recommend this product as it means no wastage of cotton pads and also means no smears of colour staining your skin either (if you know what I mean by that). Have you tried this? What do you think?

weekend wishlist #047

1, 2, 3, 4
001. You are right to be thinking 'be serious' at this because look at that sickening price tag. So cute though.

002. Shouldn't be considering getting this because it's so plain and so expensive at the same time. But I am!

003. Need some pretty storage solutions for bits and pieces around my room, a few of these cheap and cheerful plant pots will be making themselves at home in my room after my next trip to IKEA.

004. May have already bought this today on my lunch.. after my work pal commented on my white bits where my sunglasses had rubbed off my tinted moisturiser. Operation bronzed babe is a go! (Debenhams 10% off ends tonight!)

lolita lempicka fragrance giveaway

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I hadn't heard of Lolita Lempicka before I was greeted with a perfumed cream in my LOOK Show SS12 goody bag. The scent is a 'subtle blend of sensations that stirs the senses' of 'liquorice combined with aniseed, ivy, violet and tonka beaan with the sweet rich notes of amarena cherry, vanilla and praline'. It's a very girly scent with it's soft musky notes. The bottle is so adorable too and feels like a grown up version of the Vera Wang Princess range.

What I'm here to introduce you to, though, is the new L'eau en Blanc fragrance. Softer than its original counterpart, the limited edition perfume inspired by Lolita Lempicka's collections of wedding dresses is 'a bouquet of white violets with a hint of raspberry and musk' - the top notes are violet leaf absolute and iris, the white violet and raspberry make up the heart notes and has base notes of heliotrope and musk. A perfect bridal scent - soft, romantic and dreamy.

As it's impossible to sniff through a screen here's your chance to experience both the original and new scents in the flesh! Unfortunately it's for UK readers only but there will be more chances for everyone in future! I'm using Rafflecopter for this giveaway which is faster for me to find a winner and should be easier for you too! You can also gain multiple entries so I hope you enjoy using it! The giveaway will close at midnight on Monday 4th June. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

glossybox may 2012: 1st birthday

Noble Isle Summer Rising Bath & Shower Gel, Lolita Lempicka L'Eau en Blanc
& Eau de Parfum samples, Weleda face cream/body milk, Collection Lasting Colour
Gel Eyeliner,HD Brows Brow Beater via GlossyBox*
I can't believe GlossyBox are a year old already! Lots of people have been excited about the contents of the 'birthday box' so here we are! With this month's box you get an extra little mirror as a gift as well as a balloon to celebrate. My dog loves playing with/popping balloons so I blew it up for him straight away!

I don't usually care for shower gels in beauty boxes, but this one smells absolutely lovely and is described as 'an immaculate fragrance evoking the beginnings of summer' which is so perfect for the weather we're getting at the moment! It doubles up as bubble bath too which is always a winner for me as I prefer baths and always use bubbles!

The Lolita Lempicka fragrances aren't my usual choice of scent but they have definitely grown on me. They're both musky and sweet, with the new L'eau en Blanc perfume being a bit softer, I'm rubbish at describing smells but if you like the sound of that or have smelled this scent before and liked it keep your eyes peeled for tomorrow's blog post!

I'm not sure if the colours of the eyeliner will be varied in boxes as my product card has a picture of a brown pot too, so I'm going to assume everyone will get the same for now. I think a lot of people might initially be disappointed with a brown liner but it's an intense dark chocolate brown and I find brown liners make my blue eyes stand out more so I'm glad I got this. I can't vouch for its longevity though as I haven't worn makeup since the change in weather!

I'm not fond of rose scents at all so the Weleda body milk (I'm guessing by 'milch' as there was nothing in English on my packaging) isn't my top pick from this month's box, but I do like other Weleda products I've tried so I will still use this. (EDIT: Apparently the product is both for the face and the body, ohai multi-tasking!)

The HD Brows Brow Beater may well be the 'top' product in the box for most people this month as it's a current and popular brand. I think it's just a glorified clear mascara - although it conditions the hairs as it sets - but seeing as I've been meaning to buy one of those for my brows I'm really pleased this was in the box!

What do you think of the birthday box? Are you a GlossyBox subscriber?

new real techniques brushes

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush: £9.99
Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush: £6.99
Real Techniques Setting Brush: £6.99
Since trying out the Stippling Brush and the Core Collection (plus a few others I haven't blogged about yet) it's safe to say I am hooked on the Real Techniques brushes. Normally I would wait for this kind of thing to become available in Boots but I just couldn't wait, so ordered these three new brushes from Beauty Chamber a couple of weeks ago.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush
The main gripe people have about Real Techniques brushes is that the really amazing ones come in the sets, meaning you have to spend £20+ just to try that one brush out. The most raved about brush is the Buffing Brush from the Core Collection, and I've heard the Expert Face Brush is comparable. I have to be honest though, I used this once for liquid foundation and switched straight back to the Buffing Brush - it's smaller so is good for getting into all the nooks and crannies, but I just prefer the larger flat top of the Buffing Brush to get my foundation looking flawless.

Real Techniques Fine Liner Brush
I wasn't really fussed about buying this one, but it is absolutely amazing for using with gel liner! I hadn't used a gel for quite a while but now it's my liquid liner that's taking a backseat. I twist it in the gel pot so all of the bristles are covered for a lovely clean line above the eye. The bristles are extremely soft and easy to work with.

Real Techniques Setting Brush
This is the brush I use to apply powder highlighter. It works like a dream and also does a good job with powdering pesky places like around the nostrils - I hate it getting too cakey but do like some coverage there so for me this picks up just the right amount of product. Again, super soft bristles and really easy to use.

Overall I don't regret buying any of these brushes, in retrospect my favourite of the bunch is the Fine Liner Brush which I expected to be the least exciting of the bunch. I find the prices of the brushes very reasonable considering the same from MAC or somewhere like that would be a lot more. It's just a shame they work out more expensive in the UK (considering that's where Samantha is from - the brushes are made in the US so cheaper there) but there you go!

Have you tried any Real Techniques brushes? Do you have a favourite? If not, do you have a preferred brand?

healthy eating with sensodyne

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I know that post title doesn't really sound right but just stay with me on this one! Oral hygiene giant Sensodyne specialise in care for sensitive teeth as well as protection from acid wear. I was a bit confused when I was introduced to the Sensodyne Pronamel BBC Good Food page, but obviously a lot of healthy foods contain more amounts of acid than your teeth would care for - think fruit juices, vinegar and even roasted vegetables!

Because of this, celeb Chef Sophie Mitchell has joined up with Sensodyne to show that eating better doesn't mean you won't enjoy tasting your food. You can see the list of recipes here including the one for chargrilled salmon below.


Judging my instagram posts you'd think I'd never seen a salad before.. but contrary to popular believe I'm not always stuffing my face with fast food! Food is a very social thing for me so I don't really tend to eat that much at home. Recently though I've decided to limit my white carbs and switch to wholemeal bread and rice. It's probably the easiest thing you can do as a first step to a healthier lifestyle! I also don't really eat that much meat as it is so have started buying vegetarian options so am looking forward to cooking with those! It's also worth looking at the recipes for Skinny Spaghetti and Skinny Shrimp Bowls from Rosie for a healthy but filling meal. Can't wait to make those!

Do you have any healthy recipes you'd recommend - either meals or snacks? How do you keep a balanced diet? I'm actually looking forward to summer as I tend to just want to eat fruit all the time - if it ever gets hot that is..

caudalie beauty elixir

Caudalie Beauty Elixir 100ml: £28.80
Sorry if you've seen this a million times already - it seems to have blown up in the blogosphere lately - but I thought I'd add my two cents anyway! Caudalie Beauty Elixir is a toner/serum type product that you spritz onto your face before applying moisturiser but can also be applied over your makeup throughout the day to freshen your skin. The main ingredients are 'extracts of grape essential oil of rosemary, orange blossom and rose extracts, benzoin, myrrh essential oils of oraganic balm mint and mint' and personally I really don't like the smell, but I know it's a 'good' smell if that makes sense? The product is supposed to smooth, tighten pores and give a burst of radiance to the complexion, I'm not sure if I'm overusing it as I've gone through about a third of it in almost a month, and my skin leans towards the dry end of the scale. I do really like it though, it's probably a placebo but my skin feels refreshed after (I notice a tingling sensation) and it clears my mind a bit too. A spa in a bottle, if you will!

Have you tried this product? What do you think? I'd definitely repurchase but next time I'll be buying the 30ml version as it's easier to pop into my bag for on the go. Are there any products similar to this that you'd recommend?

weekend wishlist #046

1, 2, 3, 4
001. Already have some gold ones but now I've seen the rose gold I have to have them! I'm so glad this colour is getting more popular as it means it will be more readily available on the high street. So pretty.

002. I've been eyeing this skirt up since it arrived on the website, I can't believe it hasn't sold out yet! I'll definitely be ordering it soon before it does. As you must know by now it's impossible for me to say no to animal print.

003. My skin seems drier than the Sahara desert at the moment, despite the various oils and moisturisers I've been using recently. Has anyone tried this? It's quite pricy for a mask but I've only heard good things about Origins products. There's also an intensive version, so I'm stuck between the two really.

004. I said I wouldn't delve into another brand of nail polishes. I told myself I really didn't need to as I already have so many bottles! Those facts are now irrelevant and I can foresee a mini splurge on a few of the pastel shades from Essie now that they're available in Boots! Loyalty card points = much less guilt. It all balances out.