Sunday 29 July 2012

Botanics at Boots



Boots have just re-launched their Botanics range and I was interested to have a look recently when in the store. The new packaging looks a lot better than before and shows images of flowers as it is working with Kew Botanic Gardens using plant extracts in the products. They have an amazing collection with 5 ranges from Radiant Youth Skincare, Organic, Ultra Calm, Shine Away and All Bright. I chose the Shine Away Mattifying Gel Cream which I wasn't planning on buying but they were doing 3 for 2 and I had already picked up a couple of other bits and thought I'd give it go. I have quite oily skin and I haven't seemed to find something that controls it very well, until now.




It claims it will help tighten pores and reduce imperfections, as well as hydrating the skin and leaving it feeling matte. I can feel it tightening slightly but haven't noticed much difference with my pores yet but it definitely hydrates and leaves skin feeling so soft and banishes shine!



This product contains Willowbark which is a natural clarifier. I'm not sure if it is the Willowbark but the smell of the gel is really nice and reminds me of the smell of tea - strange but I like tea so I don't mind. You only need to apply a small amount of this as a little really does go a long way. I tend to only use it at night after cleansing because I tried it before applying make-up and could feel it all turning into a rubbery texture and peeling off! Plus you'll get more benefits from it by letting it soak in for a long while.


The great thing about this product is it only costs £4.99 but at the moment you can save a 1/3 and it is only £3.33 which is such a bargain!



Tuesday 24 July 2012

Natio Products


A little while ago I bought a few products from a brand called Natio and thought I'd do a post on them. The brand is very popular in Australia and is sold in the UK only by Debenhams department stores. Natio is Latin for "creation" and "birth" and means Goddess of Nature which fits well as the products are all natural and come from plant-based origins. 






I initially stumbled on the products as I was looking for a new foundation that was similar to Benefit's Playstick Foundation but didn't break the bank so much! I found Natio's Cleverstick Foundation on the Debenhams website priced at £11.60 which is a pretty decent price for a foundation and over half the price of Benefit's. The foundation only comes in three shades and I got Natural although my skin is quite fair, but I like my foundation to give me a bit of colour. The product is a foundation and concealer in one and covers redness very well. It has quite a thick creamy texture and slightly waxed which at first put me off as I thought it would make my face feel greasy but it doesn't. It smoothed into my face well and doesn't feel heavy at all. It claims it is a powder as well; however it didn't feel as powdery as the Benefit foundation does. The good thing about this is that you do not need to apply much for coverage and it also has SPF 15 in it which is a plus. As you can see from the image below I have used mine a lot and only have a small amount left now and I will definitely invest in another!


                                      



Natio Mineral Loose Foundation
The second product I bought from Natio is the Mineral Loose Foundation which I use for a light coverage during the day and also I like to powder a bit on over the top of the Cleverstick to help it keep put. I have it in Beige Sand and the colours compliment my skin colour well. This foundation is really good if you have sensitive skin and helps conceal lines and imperfections well. Now I have to say the packaging isn't great and the little brush that comes with it, whilst a good idea is hard and brittle and I wouldn't advise to use it. But if you have a good powder brush it makes all the difference! It is priced at £15.60 but you only need to use a tiny amount of this and it lasts for ages, I have had for a good 3 months and have over 3/4's left so well worth it!






Natio Glow Skin Brightening Face Balm
As well as make-up the brand also do a very big range of skincare products too. This Skin Brightening Face Balm is perfect to wear before bed or under make-up during the day. I also find it works well as a primer and helps make up stay on for longer. It says it restores radiance and evens out skin tone which I think it does and if you use it regularly you will notice a difference. After applying it leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth and you can also mix it with your foundation and it will help if you feel you have dry skin. This balm is priced at £10.40, it is only a small bottle but you only need to apply a few pea sized amounts in each application. It smells really nice too! 




There are so many other products from the Natio range I'd like to try and the whole range is really well priced for what you get. Plus if you buy it when Debenhams have a mega day (which is what I did!) you save an extra few quid too!


Monday 23 July 2012

Lana Del Rey for H&M


So it has been confirmed this week that Lana Del Rey will be the new face for the Autumn Winter 2012/2013 campaign for H&M. The singer will be debuting her first high street collaboration in September which will also feature a TV commercial with Lana’s cover of Blue Velvet as the soundtrack. This will be Lana’s first official modelling job after signing with Next Models in January this year, and what a great start to it she has.

A preview of what to expect from the collection has been released, showing Lana in her usual retro look wearing a pink mohair jumper and sleek high bouffant hair. She fits well into H&Ms look and I think she is a very good choice for the brand. Of course this will only increase her popularity as a singer as well as boost her career as a model.

The high street are now following a trend of using celebrities to boost sales, which I guess needs to be done in the climate we are currently in and it looks like brands will continue this and leave us pondering over who will be their next…

It certainly gets people excited to see the clothing they produce and I am sure as soon images are released of Lana wearing the new H&M collection, the pieces will fly off the shelves in a matter of days.





Sparkly Nail Tips


I have lately found I have a little obsession with nail polishes and as there are so many out there to choose from it wouldn’t be right if you didn’t try a bit of creativity! So I finally got some acrylic nails put on but Instead of getting them painted at the nail bar I went home and created my own version of the nails below seen on new cover of the Elle Edit Magazine.
I love the metallic tips on the nails and the colour will go with everything.


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So here is the finished version of my own sparkly tipped nails.
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It’s so easy to do these nails and can be done in lots of different colour variations.

What I used:
LA Colors – Bubblegum np361
Barry M – Silver np288
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How to do it:
1. Firstly I got some masking tape (was the only thing I could think of using, but worked well!) and cut little strips and taped them across each nail covering the tips. 

2. Then using the pink nail varnish coat the nails (2 coats is best) and leave to fully dry. 
3. Once dry remove the masking tape – if any of the colour seeped through just remove with nail varnish remover and a cotton bud.

4. Then you just have to paint the tips in the silver polish and voila!

5. Add a top coat to keep the polish lasting and for extra shine!



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