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New Birchbox

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I was really excited when I heard that the Birchbox was adding the Beauty Blender to their offering of products in the June box! There is no guarantee what products will be in the box, but I took a chance and ordered it.

The concept is a good one for beauty fanatics. Their strapline being – Discover beauty and lifestyle products to suit you! The aim is to let customers sample some great high end products. Names like Caudalie (famous for their beauty elixir), theBalm and OPI to name just a few.

It’s a beauty junkies dream! I was lucky enough to have got the Beauty Blender which was my main motivation for wanting the box.

I am so excited to try the Beauty Blender (which includes a blender cleanser) as it is an iconic product that all beauty guru/bloggers recommend and use!

the-products

This month’s products were from all over the world and has a World Cup/Brazil theme, hence the green pouch.

The other great products in my box were; the Caudalie day perfecting fluid, the Naobay Body Radiance Lotion, a miniature OPI nail polish, theBalm cheek and lip tint and a Birchbox Brazil themed flip flop key ring.

The subscription costs £10 a month and you can cancel at any time. I recommend signing up, just for this box alone. I am so happy with my box and can’t wait to try them!

Thanks Birchbox!

Love A. xx

Beauty Blog

May Favourites

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This month I am loving…

…All things beauty! I went to a family wedding in May and couldn’t do without the items below:

I’ll start with the Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate. This is a replenishing Elixir of pure essential oils and distilled botanicals to visibly restore the appearance of skin by morning.

I put some on my hands and tap it into my skin just before bedtime. The smell of lavender is very soothing and in the morning my skins feels so nice and smooth. There are many night time serums arround but I find this one is great for the skin and affordable. I can recommend this if your skin needs a little night time tlc.

Next I am loving Laura Mercier’s body and bath soufflé in ambre vanillé. This smells so nice on  the body and really lingers on the skin. It’s a scent in a bottle! Even my husband is a huge fan! My son does too and am sad that it’s nearly finished. 🙁

Next I am not usually a fan of bright coloured lipstick, but I wanted to be a little daring in the month of May. So when I tried the L’Oréal L’Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick in the colour Ruby Opera, I was pleasantly surprised; red/maroon actually suited me! I find it brightens up my complexion and looked good too!  I got a lot of compliments while wearing it at a recent function.

I was also liking the Essie hors d’oeuvres nail polish. This is a glittery nail polish that is silver with flecks of gold in it, which also creates a great accent nail. It came in very handy at the wedding I recently attended. I really like this nail polish which can also be worn on its own at a glitzy event.

I absolutely love this next product.  The price is steep, but really worth it! It’s the Hourglass Ambient Lighting powder in Mood Light.  This powder creates a glow to the skin and adds to  flawlessness. I like this powder as it adds dimension to my face and have had lots of compliments on my skin since I started using this.

The last item I am loving is the Mac Mineralize concealer in NC42. I find that this particular  concealer is great for adding light to the eyes.  I use in true Kardashian style, drawing on a triangle under my eye and blending it in with a brush.  It adds a shine where the sun hits it.

Well most of those were high end, but I am very much a local drug store kind of Gal (Boots/Superdrug). I prefer the more reasonable price tags 😉 But if a product is really good I will pay for it, as the Ambient Powder and Kiehls Midnight Recovery above.

P.S. I had the loveliest time at my cousins wedding!

Also, this month I have been loving Vampire Dairies and Revenge on tv. I am sad though that both have just finished for the season.

What were your May favourites? Please comment below!

Beauty Blog

My feature in Beauty Bloggers Base Magazine

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Base Magazine Launch – My first written feature in a magazine

I recently wrote a feature for a new magazine launch. The piece was named make your own.

skincare

I chose to write about home made remedies, as I have used these on many an occasion and love to have a good pamper session or two. 🙂

feature-small

I was kindly invited to the magazine launch on 15th May at The University of the Arts of London in Elephant & Castle.

It was very surreal to see my name and article in print. I have had pieces of my work published before, but it was great to have a feature published.

I enjoyed meeting the editors of the magazine, as well as all the other bloggers.

There was food, fun and some nail polish applications.

A magazine dedicated to beauty bloggers is nothing to be sniffed at. It has its perks too!

Not only do you get to try great products but sometimes get a few freebies on the way…
…I was lucky enough to get a goody bag from the lovely ladies of Base. The bags included products from amazing brands such as Kiehl’s, Molton Brown, Rituals and Lush to name but a few.

I thank the lovely ladies of Base Magazine for giving me the opportunity to be a part of their 1st magazine launch and for the fabulous goody bag.

My sister came with me and enjoyed the event too!

Thank you Base Magazine!

Blog

Maybelline Better Skin Foundation

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Better Skin

This is a great foundation! I was pleasantly surprised -“It does exactly what it says on the tin!”

When I  saw the Maybelline’s boot camp for the new SuperStay Better Skin foundation on Facebook, I jumped at the chance to join in. I am always up for a challenge or for a good juicy make-up review.

I don’t normally wear foundation every day and reserve it just for special occasions. However, I have always wanted a foundation that I could use everyday without it adversely effecting my skin. I have normal skin and therefore prefer nothing heavy. This foundation is good and really caters for all skin types. I found it light and dewy.

Application

I have been using the foundation for just over 2 and half weeks and can safely say that this foundation is really great! Over the course of use, I can see a visible difference in my skin. My skin is more even, smooth and glowing. I am so happy with the results that I can recommend this to anyone who is in need for a foundation with no regrets.

This foundation retails at a reasonable £8.99 which is dream in itself. The bottle contains a good amount, about 30ml and comes with a pump, which is better for hygiene. It also contains SPF20 which provides not only sun protection and the bonus is that there is no camera flashback! I have tested this thoroughly :-).

Overall I have been very impressed with this foundation and would definitely buy it. I can now say that I vouch for Maybelline’s slogan – “See better looking skin!”

 

Blog

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet

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The Matt Lipstick

I was really excited about trying this new lipstick sensation from Bourjois – the Rouge Edition Velvet. Not only are they a good buy (compared to other more expensive brands) but also have such great colour payoff and highly pigmented. And with such vibrant colours to choose from – it’s easy to want them all!

There were only a few colours in my local Boots, but I hope they have more colours. These will be great for the spring summer seasons.

On first application the lipstick feels almost powdery, but after a few minutes it turns into a lovely velvety matte texture.

A Winner

The staying power is also impressive, lasting on the lips for a long time (and that is saying something, as nothing lasts on my lips!) Reason enough for this must have buy. When applied lightly it also gives a nice look of natural vibrancy. A real winner!

Thanks Bourjois.

Travel

Saas Fee, A Travel Blog

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Here is the first blog I professionally wrote for Inghams.co.uk –

Saas Fee, Switzerland – A gem of a place to visit

Switzerland is a great country to visit any time of the year – fresh air, snow-capped mountainous peaks, luscious lakes and great scenery all round! Think of Switzerland, think of fresh breads, cheese and tasty chocolate. That’s why it was high up (excuse the pun) on my list of places I always wanted to go.

Our journey started with a hassle-free short flight and all too soon we stepped into Switzerland’s veritable beauty. We were greeted by Inghams’ helpful Reps who informed us where to go for the efficient Swiss transport network to Visp, through Montreux and Lake Lucerne and it’s amazing lake and views! …Then we boarded a coach to journey to the much anticipated Saas Fee.

I knew nothing about Saas Fee, however, I had heard that it was very green and a great base to experience lots of activities and of course lots and lots of walking. It is known as “Die Perle der Alpen” translated as “The Pearl of the Alps” a traffic-free mountain village environment, great for families. The resort also had the added bonus of free use of lifts in the summer.

Exploring Saas Fee

Our holiday started with a wonderful and informative welcome meeting. Our Rep was very helpful and an all-round nice, smiley guy. The main highlight was a visit or should I say dip in the Kneipp hydrotherapy area (pioneered by Sebastian Kneipp). Well known for reviving your senses, we partook in a few key steps. Firstly we removed our footwear and socks. Then we went around a cobbled trail barefoot, before dipping our legs in a cold water bath, which refreshed the body as well as the mind. Wonderful. On the way back we couldn’t resist leaving the party and going straight on a cable lift to Plattjen, and Langfluh for Spielboden. We hoped to feed the Marmots, but unfortunately we didn’t spot any, although my son, Ayaan did have extreme fun exploring and playing in a mini sand-pit. We paused there for some delicious coffee and home-made ice cream at the Spielboden mountain restaurant (with outdoor cosy/fleecy rugs to keep you warm while sitting outside).

Luckily we did spot some Marmots while visiting Hannig. The lift is a short walk up-hill, but once at the top, it was well worth it. There was a play area for my son where he was happily climbing and sliding about. This is also a good walking area where if you are lucky, apart from the stunning views, you can spot an Ibex or two. Ayaan also had great fun playing with some friendly local goats.

switz

While in Saas Fee, the Feeblitz toboggan is a must-do, thrilling, experience and fun for all ages.  Nearby high above the trees also lies the Abenteuerwald, an adventure forest, which is a great fun day out.

We took a trip via the Felskinn cable car and Metro Alpin (the highest underground funicular railway) where you can summer ski, take a rest and enjoy the views while sipping coffee at the highest revolving restaurant in the world at 3,500m. We also visited the ice pavilion, which was fun, although not for the faint-hearted as there are a few steep steps to come down and climb up after a visit.

14101 Saas Fee, Switzerland A gem of a place to visit

Everyone loves Marmots

The free use of lifts in Saas Fee covers not just Saas Fee but also the nearby resorts of Saas Grund, Saas Balen and Saas Allmagell which can accessed via an easy bus ride.  We especially loved going to Kreuzboden in Saas Grund and The Hohsi Land, where Ayaan enjoyed pulling himself along the lake on a raft. There was lots to do here; tyre swinging, go karting, a water park and secret tunnels. You can even hire a mini motorbike for the day to explore and take yourselves down the mountain. We also enjoyed the mini zoo where you can pet the goats.  And if nothing else ,you cannot fail to enjoy the stunning Kreuzboden lake where you can relax for a while and eat the lunch kindly packed for you by the Chalet Hotel Ambassador’s staff.

The Mattmark, a dam in Saas Almagell also makes for a good trip. We took an excursion to see the magnificent Matterhorn via the Gornergrat rack railway which was built over 100 years ago. We stopped at the various stops, took in the glacial views (where you can see a reflection of the Matterhorn in the crystal clear lake)  had a mini train ride and enjoyed the local flora. At the top we took in the stunning  panoramic views.

Saas Fee is a great must-visit place, for adults and children alike.  It’s a perfect location for scenic walks, viewing beautiful glacial lakes and offers oodles of choice for exploring and fun!

See the blog here: 

collage1 Saas Fee, Switzerland A gem of a place to visit

I’ll leave you with an interesting fact you may not know! Saas-Fee was one location where the video for Wham!’s (anyone remember it??) hit single “Last Christmas” was filmed in 1984.