Free Nail Product!

Hi

Just a quick post today to show you all what I got for free today.

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Instant Nail Hardener which is designed for people with ‘soft, fragile nails that break, crack or appeal’ and this product claims that it will give you ‘harder, stronger, healthy looking nails in 5 to 7 days’.

And guess what?! If you struggle with your nails, you might be able to get one free too.

There is a token in Marie Claire (Uk) which can be exchanged for one free Diamond Strength Instant Nail Hardener (worth £8.45) from Superdrug while stocks last. Check the token but I think the offer expires in the middle of August and can not be used online.

So if you’re interested, it might be worth seeing if your local Superdrug has some Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail Hardener and if they do, get a Marie Claire – I think most Superdrug’s retail the mag – and claim your freebie because if you don’t, I’m sure somebody else will!

I’ve never used the  Sally Hansen Diamond Strength Nail Hardener before but I do use the Sally Hansen Nail Growth Miracle a lot and I love it!

Admittedly my nails are not particularly weak but about two or three times a year, they do all tend to break at once like lightbulbs and that is when I will be digging this little freebie out to put it to the test and see if it can nurture my new baby nails. I have high hopes!

For those of you who are interested, this is what I wrote about the Miracle Growth Product (which guarantees 30% longer nails in five days) in a review on the Beauty Judge website www.beautyjudge.com earlier this year,

‘I was surprised when I read that another reviewer was disappointed with this product.
 


This product has been a staple of mine for about three years. In my work, I have to wash my hands constantly and use alcohol gels. My nails take a battering but as soon as they start breaking. I apply this once a day for a few days straight. One coat each day on top of the previous for about three to five days and then remove and start again. Quickly going to once or twice a week for maintainance and my nails seem to grow. I only have to go through the whole regime two or three times a year.


My nails definitly grow because they are not breaking, the varnish at the very least protects them from the outside world so they have the opportunity but I would not like to say if +30% from white edge in five days is accurate. It is too hard to measure. Sometimes my nails can be quite hard to cut or file down so I believe there is possibly some super nourishing going on as prior to Hansen, my nails broke all the time.


I have brought this repetedly and have no regrets!’

So will Superdrug be on your list of places to visit this week? What do you think of Sally Hansen products? Any other nail recommendations?

X

Helllllloo Honey!

Hi all!

Let me tell you about a beauty haul of a different kind, a natural one. If you follow this blog, you will already know I am curious about natural beauty regimes and am considering moving in that direction especially now my Clinique products are running out. I have already started to gather and use a few products branded as “natural”.

First of all, there is my wonderful Moroccan Oil. I still love this product and yes, I’ve caved and purchased the full size. My hair is generally more managebable, softer and seems healthier especially the ends now that I’m using this product. However, I have found a couple of drawbacks too. After a couple of days, my hair does feel greasy and seems to need washing every couple of days as opposed to two or three times a week. I think I’m suffering from a build up of oil and am struggling to wash it out with my new staple Naked shampoo and have had to result to Curly Wurly and Big for a clarifying wash. I think it is time for me to wash and style my hair once without the Moroccan Oil to stop further build up but am I brave enough?! I’m not sure, I am seriously addicted to this stuff which is why despite some kind suggestions I have not surrended to the cheaper but probably as effective aragon oil instead. Despite some drawbacks, I can not imagine life without Moroccon Oil now.

Secondly, there is the Naked shampoo and intensive conditioning treatment. The shampoo is ok. My hair seems shiny but that might be the oil. I think this shampoo does clean my hair a little but I’m not convinced that it is anything special and think if you are using it regularly then you are going to need a throw a clarifying shampoo in to the routine once a week or so too. As for the conditioning treatment. Again, I think it is ok but I am not at all worried that I do not have a back up of this product.

Thirdly, we have my Dead Sea Salts exfoliator that I have spoken about before. I have found it messy and impratical to apply this product to dry skin as directed and actually now use it on wet skin. This seems to work well. I have also been dabbing a little bit on to blemishes over night before rinsing it off in the morning. At the very least, none of the blemishes have got worse when coated in the dab of salt. With some blemishes, the product seems to have helped in the healing of the spots.

Fourthly, we have honey. I have been coating my entire face in pure honey for about 15 minutes and it leaves my face so soft and refreshed once rinsed off.

Fifthly, we have lemon juice. I have tried covering my face in lemon juice and leaving for five to ten minutes. It stings a little when applied. When washed off, I feel like my face has had a bit of a workout. However, it does not seem to have helped much with blemished skin. However, it works wonders for my very, very dry hands. I have never used anything so effective on my hand. I just run half a lemon over my hands before bed and then for 24 hours afterwards my hands are so soft. Unfortunatly unless I repeat the treatment, they do seem to dry out again very quickly. I would still say if you are going to try any of these, I would say try this one and prepare to be impressed!!!

Finally, we have Olive Oil which compliments the Lemon Juice hand treatment. Once I’ve cleared the build up of oil in my hair, I would like to try this on my hair and am planning to use it to enhance my new tan.

So do you have natural beauty tips or raves? Please tell me, I’m getting in to this whole natural thing. I have to say that none of the above (apart from Moroccan Oil) are really finds of my own. I have read about them on various blogs but have relied heavily on posts from Bubblegarm’s beauty blog. There is so much information here and she really explains why the products might work too. And what is more, she test drives them all to give you more of an idea if something might be worth pursuing. So if you are thinking of moving in a natural direction then some of her posts are worth reading! http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/search/label/Natural%20Remedies

X

PS You might want to pop along to the GMTV website and read the deals of the week from money expert, Martin Lewis http://www.gm.tv/money/money-saving-expert-martin-lewis/46987-martin-lewis-deals-wekk.html FIVE Bourjois lipsticks for £9 inc. delivery!

Twenties Girl

I don’t know if reading is meant to be cool anymore but I’m going to confess I can be a bit of a book worm when I find a book, I like and here is one I like. A lot!

Twenties Girl written by Sophie Kinsella (Author of  the ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic’ series and more). This read may not be particularly profound or likely to be remembered as a fabulous example of English Literature but it is very entertaining.

Twenties Girl kept me up until the early hours laughing, smiling and crying. I absolutely broke my heart at one point.

As usual Kinsella seems to express a very contagious passion for fashion, style and beauty. There are some very inspiring descriptions of outfits. The story also reminds me to live the life I’m lucky enough to have. This book is good for me and then, as if all of these little pieces of inspiration and lessons are not enough, Twenties Girl also includes a discount for 15% off Benefit Cosmetics Online until the end of April as well as a Complimentary Benefit Make-Upper if I take the book along to the counter AND there is a competition for Benefit goody bags, each with £500 worth of goods at www.sophiekinsella.co.uk 

I brought my book at Waterstones but presume, that the same edition of the book with these offers is also available from other retailers too.

I honestly think if you are looking for something to pass these long dark days of February then there are things you could find a lot worse then this little gem.

Has anybody read this book, what did you think? What other reads do you recommend? Who inspires your attuide or the way in which you dress?

X

All about eyes!

Look what has happened to my All About Eyes which I brought on New Years Eve.

 

 

All gone, all ready :-(

 

Oh, I am going to miss it. This product has been a big part of my life for the last month. I apply it twice a day and it has made a real difference to how my eyes look and in fact, just makes me look healthier and a lot more rested. Here is the just of a review that I have submitted to the BeautyJudge website ( http://www.beautyjudge.com ).

I have been applying this product  in a triangle under my eyes and then more sparingly on the lids and at the skin meeting my lash lines in the outer corner. I have also used it very lightly and occasionally on sensitive skin around my nose. The cream feels very soft and velevty to touch and it is just ever so slightly cooling when it makes contact with the skin.

I have been using it twice a day and apparently as well as short term benefits, it has an accumulative effect. I’m not sure about the long term results yet. I don’t think that I have been using it long enough but I can say short term, that my eyes do look a lot better every day. It has reduced puffiness and I’m less dependent on my Erase Paste to get rid of dark circles. I would say that when I do conceal under the eyes, the concealer seems to go on more smoothly and needs less working in. The skin on the outer edges of my eyes is very dry and there had been a dramatic improvement here. I use the cream very sparingly on my lids as they can actually become oily with this product.

It is also worth noting that I was not directed to use this product on my nose but I have when I felt my skin wanted me to  and the sensitive areas there have healed. This product is a great compliment to the Clinique Three Step system.

The cream comes in a pinky, orange little pot. The colour reminds me of fruit and just gives me the general impression that I am nourishing my skin which is a feel-good factor. As the cream is in the pot, I can see exactly how much is left and get it all out so there should be no wastage and you can use all that you’ve paid for.

The only problem is that I have used mine very quickly. I have been using this product for just over four weeks and have just finished my first 15ml pot. I am sure I remember the Clinique lady giving me the impression that it would last a lot longer then this so I am a bit surprised that I have used about twenty two pounds worth already. I would certainly use this cream again but I think it is going to have to be on an alternate basis with a slightly cheaper one if I am going to go through the pot this quickly. It may be me putting too much on but this is honestly the amount that my skin seems to need and if I used any less with each application then I do not think that I would be happy with the product results. I know I have also used it (lightly and ocassionally) on an area not directed by Clinque but I still would not have expected the pot to finish quite as quickly as this!

As with all Clinique products that I have encountered, this has been allergy tested and is fragrance free. It is a shame that I have finished the pot so soon, I’m going to miss this little eye cream.

So that is my review for All About Eyes and clearly, it is a bittersweet farewell for now but I have to move on so what have I chosen to stand in?

Well, I had to think about this one. There was several choices.

Firstly, the infamous Kiehls Avocado one which Lollipop26 raves about. I saw this in SpaceNk recently and had a play around with the sample. It looked gorgeous and very nourishing. It was a very fruity colour and even to touch, it seemed as if it would be very refreshing and soothing. However, this is an even more expensive product then Clinique All About Eyes and it is hard enough been sensible and wrenching myself away from that (because it does not make moneysense). If Kiehls really works as well as Lollipop26 and others claim then I could see myself even poorer every month. On the other hand, what if it doesn’t work for me? It could be quite an expensive experiment. I am prepared to invest in my beauty but thanks to Clinique, I think my eyes are doing ok at the moment and I think it would be wiser to purchase this cream maybe after a cheaper, quite possibly less effective one. I guess I’m saving this product that I suspect is magic in case of an eye emergency. My plan at the moment is to use a more expensive eye cream then a cheaper one then expensive and so on. As I count Clinique as an expensive one, it is the turn of cheap and sorry but I don’t think that Kiehls qualifies here.

Secondly the tinted Garnier Eye roll on. Mushine has blogged about this ( http://bubblegarm.blogspot.com/2010/01/garnier-2-in-1-tinted-eye-roll-on.html ) as has others and then of course, every time that I walk in to Boots or open a magazine there is Garnier. This roll on has had a lot of exposure and to be honest, it was the front runner to replace Clinique. I liked the price (about £10) and many of the reviews. It is great that it is a skincare product and conceals at the same time. If I had no Erase Paste left then I probably would have brought this product. However, I already have a concealer that I’m perfectly happy with and I have heard that the original eye roll on was not raved about as much and this makes me wonder. This new version may be a wonder product but is a lot of that down to the new tint factor, the part of the product which least interests me? I was already dubious to how well this product will work at night. As you readers know, I like heavy coverage from creams and skincare products (even if in reality, there is little added benefit). I like to be able to feel there is something there protecting my eyes. I wasn’t sure that a roll on could deliver this and also the fact that the product was tinted suggested to me it was been sold as a 2 in 1 product. I like the idea of this for many beauty products but I already have a concealer and I would like to use my eye cream as a treatment at night and who wears concealer to bed (well. . ,ok but none of us should do)? Therefore, this suggests it was designed for daytime eye care and then would I have to buy something else and spend maybe another £10 to look after my eyes at night. Well then I would land in the expensive bracket again and we know right now, we can’t be there.

Also note the tint only comes in two shades. Normally when there is such a small shade range even the light shade is too dark for me.

Thirdly, I considered Soap and Glory. FoundOnFilm (http://foundonfilm.blogspot.com ) felt when she first tried Soap and Glory’s eye gel that it worked just as good as All About Eyes. Like I need any encouragment, I scoured the Soap and Glory shelves but couldn’t find the eye gel so it was with another wrench that I pulled myself away from the Soap and Glory lip products (that Imogen from Foxy Locks has raved about) and continued my quest for eye creams.

Fourthly, there was No 7’s new eye cream (Protect and Perfect). Hmmm, Is £16.50 cheap? Yes girls, this is the one.

Now I looked at some reviews before buying because I do get some puffy eyes (I really have to start this drinking water thing) and Clinque made a real difference. Most of the reviews I looked at were on the BeautyJudge website. It did not get a perfect rating of five stars but scored about 4 point something and when I actually read the reviews, I realised that disapppointment mostly laid with the packaging. I think somebody thought the pot looked cheap. I do not have a problem with this but since purchasing, have seen a review on the Boots website saying you can not empty the pot because of the design and looking at my pot, I wonder if wastage is inevitable. When you take the lid off, there is still a rim stopping you getting your fingers in to the pot properly. We’ll see . . !

Anyway back to the product. Like others, I have wondered if the phenonmenal success that No7 skincare appears to have achieved (especially the Beauty serum) is down to good marketing but on the other hand when I’ve previously sampled miniatures, I have never been disappointed but nor have I rushed out to get the full-size. I have decided to give No 7 a shot because I think you need to use skincare products for more then three or four applications to get a true idea of how they will work for you. If it is disappointing then I will be wary of No7 in the future and I will think even more carefully about the expensive replacement when the pot is finished (Is that Kiehls I hear?!).

Apparently No 7 is going to chase away my dark shadows and puffiness. It will smooth,brighten and revitalise my skin. Mainly the same promise in the short term as Clinique. It also says that it will protect against free-radical damage. I’m not sure what this means but am reassured by the fact that the cream was voted the best eye cream by the Now Beauty Awards in 2008 (2008, just how new can this cream be?!). I’ll keep you informed with what I think . . !

Just to note Boots say that the cream is hypo-allergenic and dermalogically tested.

Finally before I go since we are all about the eyes today. Just to let you know that I picked up a Max Factor Lash Extension effect mascara in Boots for £7.99. I think at full price, it will retail for £10.99. I thought I saw in Superdrug that they had a similar offer but I can’t see anything on their website. I will try to get some mascara pictures and a review up soon.

Ooh and I was in Superdrug to pick up my free Barry M courtesy of Fabulous (again, review and pics soon), happy day. However, I had to ask a lady where the giveaway was and she wasn’t even sure if they had already ran out. This was at about 13.30 this afternoon. Luckily one was found for me but it did make me wonder exactly how many are going to be available so I’d claim soon if you are entitled to one.

Anyway I hope you are all having a happy Sunday.

X

Ps Don’t forget, you have a chance to win a No 7 product, the beautiful Crystal Lilac nail varnish, in my competition. I might be a bit cautious with No7 skincare but I have several No7 nail varnishes and love them. See the Competition post for more.

Weekend Plans

And here is a couple more suggestions for this weekend.

1/ Pick up the InStyle March 2010 issue

 

There is a Best Beauty Buys magazine with it.

I haven’t had time to read it all yet but already have a couple of items to add to my wishlist as well as a few little tips to make more of myself. For example, they quote make-up artist Alex Box who says ‘When wearing a strong lip colour, powder the outside edge of your lips to lock in the colour and prevent bleeding’. I can’t wait to get lost in this one this weekend (when I’m not partying, of course!) There is also an offer for 20% off at ASOS until the end of February.

2/ Keep an eye on my blogroll in the sidebar this weekend. I have already added a link to Jessica Rose and Milly (Pearls and Poodles) and I hope to add some more over the weekend. I’m really in to blog surfing at the moment. I’m also hoping to do a post this week where you can all introduce yourselves and your blog in the comments ‘cos as I’ve said before it is hard to get your blog known out there and I’m sure that some of you are hiding some real gems.

3/ I have enjoyed so many posts this week and I think, I am going to start highlighting them on my blog. This one by Gemma is all about Style Inspiration ( http://gemsmaquillage.squarespace.com/blog/2010/2/1/my-style-inspiration.html ). She actually has a file crammed with piccies of style and icons who inspire her and in this post, she shares it with us. I have to create one of these files. I hope that I have time to this weekend. It will be so useful for my fashion challenge. If any of you have a style file or create one after sneaking a peek at Gemma’s then please leave us a link to it here. I’d love to see what you like and what inspires you all!

4/ Take a look at my Competition post and the lovely treats on offer for the winner and then starting doing what you need to, to enter. I can’t believe that the closing date is almost only a week away.

5/ And finally, don’t forget to party with Creative Moments http://www.your-creativemoments.co.uk/blog

Happy weekends, yay!

X