M-Lab moisturisers

I have been lucky enough to try out a few samples of M-Lab products over the last week and have to admit I have fallen in love them with, despite the crazy price tags!! It is true though with M-Lab products you do get what you pay for so worth investing in. 

My beauty tip is to alway invest in a good SPF moisturiser for the daytime, as UV rays damage your skin and cause pre-mature ageing. M-Lab Anti-Ageing Day Treatment SPF 15 is formulated with 65% clinically active ingredients and contains dermal barrier factors, anti-oxidants and peptides, supported with sensory-perfect UVA/UVB protection. 

Valentine's Day Gifts for Him!

If you are struggling to find a new Valentine's Day pressy for the man of your love, then take a look at what I have got my boyfriend! Hugo Boss Pure (£35)  is a gorgeous, fresh, aquatic fragrance inspired by power of water & coolness of blue colour. It also includes top notes of fig water, citrus, lime and smells simply divine and so fresh. Soem mens fragrances are really strong and over-powering but this one is so light and fresh it can be worn during the day, as well as for a night out. 

I hope my bloke likes it.. will let you know how he gets on! The cheapest place I can find it at the moment is on Feel Unique for £27.95 including delivery - bargain!

MAC Blonde Collection out soon!

MAC have a fab new collection coming soon called Blonde, Brunette, Redhead which will be in shops in February. As a blonde, I have naturally tried out some of the Blonde products so will give you the lowdown on the best ones! 

There is currently no information on the UK site yet so will link to the US site so you can check out colours etc.  

It is such a brilliant idea to offer ranges for different colourings, so you know which colours will suit you the best! My favourite product that I recommend to everyone is the Limited-Edition Mineralize Skinfinish (£18.60) which was specially created for the Brunette Blonde Redhead Collection. Each offers a colourwave of four shimmering shades in a range of light to dark - a bit like the bobbi Brown Shimmer brick. It leaves a really strong colour on your cheeks and is very shimmery. I also loved the lipglass in Strawberry Blonde (£10.28) which matched perfectly. Would be great to hear people's opinions of the other shades - Brunettes and Redheads? 

My new bikini from Primark!

Whilst browsing Catwalk Queen I came across a gallery of Primark's new collection (very summery!) and saw my new bikini (£7) I bought last week!

What do you think?

Makes me want to run to the beach right now even though it's raining!

Check out all of Primark's new collection here!

myface cosmetics - video with Charlotte Tilbury

Check here to watch a video with Handbag Beauty Editor Katie Corcoran, who chats with top make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury to talk skin care saviours, her new range and why make-up is so important right now.

I have been a fan of myface cosmetics, who offer different ranges for your skintone - fair, medium and dark. My favourites include the mymix foundation (£12.71) and the upload mascara (£9.78), which gives you the most amazing lashes! 

Triology Organic Skincare Range

Based around the trilogy of simplicity, purity and vitality, this New Zealand based brand is a firm favourite of mine now (and Danni Minogue apparently!) All beauty products are 100% natural and comes in a cool selection of minimalist packaging. 

Trilogy products consist of a unique combination of organic rosehip oil and the finest pure plant extracts. My favourite is the Energising Face Lotion £24.95 which firms skin and boosts skins moisture levels by simultaneously replenishing both oil and water requirements. I also like the Purifying Masque £16.95, which is a home spa treatment that clears and smooths stressed skin!

Sebastian Laminates Blonde Shampoo

As you know I am a BIG fan of Sebastian hair products, they are one of my favourite brands. Whilst browsing Marie Claire beauty pages, I saw a great review of their brunette range, which as a blonde I can't obviously comment but I totally agree with the brilliant description of the shampoo as it was so wonderful!

My hair felt super sleek and soft after using just once and ensured my blonde highlights stayed bright for several days (no more dull hair for me!) Plus my hair looked shiny as well, which all blondes now is a bit of a challenge! Check out Look Fantastic for some great deals on Sebastian products. 

My Vanity Case

Sorry for the lack of posts over the weekend, have been a busy girl visiting family and friends in London and only got back late last night!

However, on Saturday night I found a really great site called My Vanity Case www.myvanitycase.co.uk which is a fab online boutique selling US brands. My pick of the brands is Principessa who have a really cute body lotion for £4.99 that smells gorgeous and is really long lasting as well. Yummy!

Cutest Valentines Day pressy ever...Urban Outfitters Heart Shaped Shopper!

Ok I know it's not Valentines Day just yet but I thought I would start writing about my favourite gifts that I might just like, incase my boyfriend is reading...! I love this cute heart shaped shopper bag from Urban Outfitters (£28) which is perfect for shoppping trips with your loved one... or simply looks good on my arm! 

Tangle Teezer - miracle new hair brush!

I'd heard quite a bit about Tangle Teezer brushes from Dragon's Den so was very keen to try the brushes out. I have quite long, thick hair that has a tendancy to get tangled easily so was hopeful that the brush would live up to it's promise of dramatically reduce hair breakage, splitting, and damage due to mistreatment of your hair.

The brushes come in several funky colours (I tried the purple sparkly one) and only cost £9.75. Plus they aren't too heavy so can fit nicely into your handbag. The brush lives up it's promise and glides effortlessly through my hair, even when it was wet! Normally when I brush my hair I am left with bits of hair everywhere and this was definately reduced when I used the Tangle Teezer. As an added bonus, the brush also massages your scalp whilst brushing!

I recommend the Tangle Teezer to anybody with long, thick hair that get's tangled easily and is subject to slight straighten abuse (like me!) Click here to buy now!

Updated... Look magazine have also featured the Tangle Teezer here too!

Prescriptives make up...

I have been using some great products this week from Prescriptives and thought I would share them with you.

My favourite is the new Photochrome compact foundation (spf15) which comes in a cool metal package. The smart photochromic pigments make skin look natural in any light, all day long and I love how it starts off as a 'cream' foundation and then finishes as powder. My skin did look really flawless and lasted all day so definately worth trying out. My only concern is the size, which I do have my doubts on how long the foundation will last me so let's see! 

I found before apllying the Photochrome foundation, using the Illuminating Liquid Potion which has three-dimensional holographic pigments, helped create flawless looking skin and ensured the foundation lasted longer.. genuis! Finally I tried out the Falsh Eyelashes mascara which is fab for giving lashes volume and conditioning them at the same time. 

I look forward to trying out more of their range and will keep you posted on my findings.. tada for now!

Clothes Show London - that's two shows per year now!

Great news to report, The Clothes Show will now be held in London, as well it's usual Birmingham event - so that's two shows a year! Yippee and great for Southern girls like moi! The show will take place at the ExCeL Conference & Exhibition Centre, from 29 to 31 May 2009. Tickets are on sale now and are available online at www.clothesshowlondon.com. 

New Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Serum Intensive Lift

I am not exactly that old (22 to be precise) but I am always interested in trying out products that promise to restore skin firmness and elasticity to instantly tighten slackened skin (like mine hehe) 

Ok here's the science bit - Elemis Pro-Collagen Body Serum Intensive Lift (£45) is a non-sticky, easily absorbed gel-serum formulated with an anti-ageing Peptide combined with Acacia, Paracress and the revolutionary Padina Pavonica to stimulate the fibroblasts (network of skin fibres) to speed up cell-communication and production of Collagen and Elastin. What's really lovely is to apply the serum after a shower, so your skin is left feeling soft and super smooth. This beautiful Serum has the subtle aroma of Rose and Mimosa, the renowned signature scent of the Elemis Pro-Collagen Body range. Love it! Of course to see the 'real' effects you need to use for much longer but initally I am v impressed!

It's not available in-store or online until February 2nd so you have to wait until then! But for now check out the full range of Elemis products at Time to Spa. 

I am loving Karpati nail varnishes....

You may remember a few months back I mentioned how I loved using Karpati nail varnishes (£9.75) and their funky easy-to-use packaging. If you’re not great at painting your nails then you need to get your hands on some of these beauties from Australia.

 I love the genius cut out feature that ensures your fingers sit in the correct place, while you continue to paint. Perfect for when you are in bed and you have to balance the bottle whilst painting your nails...! Ok maybe that's just me that does that!! ;-) Check out the full range at Beauty Expert, my favourite is the Marsh Mellow shade! 

Miners Fruit E Lip Balm

I am loving these gorgeous brightly-coloured Fruit E Lip Balms from Miners (£2.39). They contain Vitamin E creating extra smooth and supple lips and taste lovely too! They also have sunscreens to protect your lips from the sun (haha well in summer!) I love the range of flavours too, my favourite is strawberry :-) Definately will brighten up your handbag in the depths of winter, bring on the summer please!!!

Derma by Linda Papodopoulos

Most of you probably remember Linda Papodopoulos from This Morning and Cosmo magazine but she has created a skincare range called Derma. The philosophy behind derma is simple - a healthy mind means healthy skin. This range has the potential to help you de-stress and simultaneously give your skin the nutrients that it needs, so that you can achieve the beautiful, healthy skin that you deserve.

I really like the Intensive Facial Serum (£30) which helps relieve stressed skin – perfect for after a busy day at work. This cute travel kit (£24) is a great way to try out the range of products and to take with you on trips away!

New trends and products for 2009!

I found this from fav beauty blog Cult Beauty about the new trends for 2009 in the fab world of beauty. I would like to add that I think mineral make up is going to be a big trend for this year as you see more and more ranges launch. Brands will also have to be more ethical in their packaging and CSR as well, with more pressure on them to be environmentally friendly.  

I am just about to start trying out the new Braun Silk-épil Xpressive Wet & Dry Epilator (£99) which has been specifically designed for women to create the most gentle form of epilation. It’s been predicted to be the 'must-have' beauty item of 2009 so I will keep you posted on how I get on!

An introduction to J.Lynne Cosmetics

I was recently sent some lovely samples of the new collection of mineral blushers from J. Lynne Cosmetics who are based in the USA. Their soft mineral blush range is created with silky, all-natural minerals and pigments which feel lovely on your skin. I think mineral make-up is definitely the area to watch for 2009 and I am looking forward to trying out all the new products that companies are producing. It certainly feels nicer wearing mineral make-up on your skin than normal products that contain tons of chemicals.

Here’s a little more info on J. Lynne Cosmetics for all my US readers. J.Lynne is a natural cosmetics company located in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, whose mineral makeup products are created in small batches and are completely free of chemicals, synthetics, fragrances and dyes. Plus they have 20% off their products at the moment so definately a site worth checking out. 

Natural Eve products to make you feel better!

I am feeling so sorry for myself and ill again.... yuck!!! I hate having a cold as I end up with a sore red nose from blowing my nose all day...:-( However, despite the downside of having a cold I have found some lovely organic products from Natural Eve to help combat the nasty effects. 

The Problem Solving Balm (£6.84) is 100% organic and contains a unique blend of special ingredients and conditioning oils renowned for their antiseptic healing properties - perfect for my sore nose! I also love the Lip Repair Balm (£5.87) which contains rich nourishing shea, olive & jojoba oils to lock in moisture to help them look and feel gorgeous. I also tried out the Instant Radiance Balm (£9.78) to brighten up my poor tired skin and give it a boost for work! It moisturises skin and is great to use before foundation. 

Their new website www.naturaleve.co.uk is launching soon so watch this space, but for the moment you can buy their products from Eco Hip.  So hopefully my cold will go away soon and the weather will improve too!

Updated... Look magazine have also covered Natural Eve as well so check out their piece here. 

Latest products from Prescriptives

I've always been a fan of Prescriptives from visits to America over the past years. They have some great new products out for the New Year which are definately worth checking out. I particularly love the new Flawless Face Primer (£18.60) which gives your skin a smoother, more even looking texture so makeup looks flawless and stays on even longer. It also reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles, while helping diminish the appearance of rednesss (amazing!)  Use before applying foundation so that it lasts longer throughout the day and is available really soon at Prescriptives counters nationwide from 15^th January, 2009. 

All You Need+For Eyes Continuous Action 24-Hour Moisture (£21.53) has vitamins, plant extracts and time-released ingredients that work together to keep the eye area hydrated, smooth and radiant.  Perfect to help recover from all the post Christmas partying and really soothing on tired eyes, it's so soothing after a hard day at work - bliss! Hopefully Prescriptives will have a UK website soon but you can buy products from counters in House of Fraser nationwide apparently! 

Soap and Glory away winter skin!

How COLD is the weather right now!! It's been so freezing that all I want to do is to wear 100 jumpers and stay in bed! Well, if you need warming up Soap and Glory have a great body softening thermal scrub "Some Like it Hot"(£7.50) with two-sugars, macadamia oil, vanilla seeds, calendula oil, white sand grains and self-activating Therminerals. It seriously warms you up and helps to smooth and soften skin. After using in the shower, follow up with Soap and Glory Body Butter which smells gorgeous. If this doesn't warm you up then nothing will! Bring on summer..please!

Vogue's New Darling Cheryl Cole

I was browsing my favourite site Vogue.co.uk this morning and saw that the new issue is out - with Cheryl Cole on the front! Doesn't she look lovely... (airbrushed...cough cough!)! Cheryl talks about her marriage to football star Ashley Cole and her meteoric rise to fame via Girls Aloud and the X Factor - plus offering up some style tips to music industry mogul Simon Cowell. Will definately be heading out tomorrow to get the new copy!

Feeling a bit pasty....?

Happy New Year Beauty lovers! I had a great New Year and feeling the effects of it still! To cheer myself up, I have discovered Tantruth's professional tanning range, which offers exceptional quality throughout its step-by-step tanning routine. I must say I don't use much fake tan as I'm afraid of turning into an ompa-lumpa but this was really easy to use and smells lovely!

Tantruth contains the latest innovations in tanning technology (impressive- tanning technology..maybe science wasn't so pointless after all!) With satin silk extracts, duo self-tanning agents and a light fresh fragrance to leave your skin pleasantly scented, you will have a luxurious deep tan, which is streak-free!! Prices start from £7.75 so cheaper than St Tropez!