Shaping up for summer with apps and Warburtons Escapes (a healthier alternative to crisps!)

It's that time of year again when you can finally emerge, butterfly-like, from your winter clothes and slip on something a bit more summery.  Er, until you realise that you need to tone up, shave your legs and get a bit of fake tan on before you can legitimately start dressing for summer.

I'm going on holiday in July and I want to look a bit better in my bikini than I do at the moment so I'm following WeightWatchers ProPoints (which works for me) but rather than use their app and pay monthly for the privilege I use one called Ultimate Value Diary Plus which allows you to track points, track weightloss, search for ProPoints values of foods and calculate any that aren't listed.  It's a real motivator and always available as it's rare I go anywhere without my phone.  It's comprehensive too so it does everything I need it to.

I've also been using the Zombies 5k app to get into running, it's basically a Couch to 5k app for people who don't do any running to get them up to being able to run 5k in 8 weeks, but with a twist.  It builds in a storyline about a zombie invasion, so you're training as a runner to help with missions in a zombie apocalypse.  It sounds a bit weird, and it probably is, but it's really helping me to stay interested in running whilst being appropriate for my shocking levels of fitness - the only exercise I get is walking Pearl and walking to/from work.

It gives clear instructions to build up your fitness and syncs in to your playlists so that in the periods where you're running around it plays your music while telling you what to do.  It also tracks progress too.  I have to admit I get a bit freaked out when it makes out a zombie is chasing you and you have the croaky moan of a zombie coming through your headphones...I run a little bit faster when that happens though...

Another thing I've been trying to keep me on track are Warburtons Escapes - a baked pitta bread snack with 45% less fat than a packet of crisps.

They come in a variety of flavours:

• Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper
• Sour Cream and Chive
• Spicy Chilli Jack with a Hint of Cheese
• Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar
• Fiery Madras
• Chicken Tikka

My favourites were the Sour Cream and Chive but the Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper are yummy too.  Overall I liked all the ones I tried - salt and vinegar were probably my least favourite - and I found they had plenty of flavour, a lot of crunch and were pretty satisfying. They look kind of like Doritos but thankfully taste nothing like them (hate Doritos). Unfortunately my boyfriend also likes these too - normally saying something is healthy is akin to telling him it's got arsenic in it - so I've hidden what's left! He just thought they were baked crisps rather than pitta which I think is a good thing.

And here's the nutritional information from the Salt and Black Pepper flavour to give you an idea of how the might measure up next to your favourite crisps:

One thing I will say is that in terms of WeightWatchers points, these are 5 ProPoints per bag which is actually higher than a bag of Walkers but you do get 40g of snacks rather than 28-32.5g (which is what a normal bag of crisps usually is) so I personally feel like you get more for your points, and they seem more filling.

I was sent these for review but I'd definitely buy them in future for a healthier snack.  They've just launched in the shops now so keep an eye out for them - their website will be launching too at www.warburtonsescapes.co.uk or you can follow on Twitter @warbsescapes

Tell me something Pinteresting....

I was always one of those kids/teenagers who ripped things out of magazines when I found them interesting and kept them in a box.  The problems with this are storage, organisation, how often you look at it and how often your impressive hoard is admired by other people - you collected all this stuff for a reason and no-one ever sees it?!

As an adult, it started with nails (as it so often does with me), since I started blogging - maybe even before - I've been hoarding pictures of nail art and designs that I've liked or been impressed by.  These just took up a lot of space on my hard drive and I didn't really look at them that often, which was a real shame.  I also wasn't that great at backing up my images and also sometimes I'd spot a design on my phone then I'd have to do some sort of convoluted screenshot/email type of deal which got annoying.

When I heard about Pinterest, a website where you can collect and share pictures from any website/device, I knew this would be the perfect solution to my problems - I can upload/link images from any device, it's all backed up, other people can see them and I can collect them in once place.  For me, out of all of the recent social media sites that have sprung up, Pinterest is by far my favourite. The other good thing about it is if you're browsing and see something pinned that you like/want to buy, then the pin links back to the source so you can see where the image first came from.

As a blogger, it's also a really great tool to publicise your blog, if you do fantastic nail designs or amazing eye make up then you can easily add your images on to Pinterest so that people can find them and get back to your blog to find out how to do it.

Here's a snippet of my nails board below (there are some of my own designs in there too, I don't dabble in nail art half as much as I used to), if you like it you can follow it here:

So, if you haven't already joined Pinterest, why not sign up here and start pinning?

Paperself Under the Sea lashes from TK Maxx

I fell in love with Paperself lashes a long time ago but resisted buying any because they're expensive, probably really fragile (and I'm really clumsy) and they're not something I could really see myself ever wearing.  They're so pretty though and the designs are ridiculously intricate.

I love the beauty, food, accessories and home sections in TK Maxx - I can't really cope with the clothes section, it's too jumble-saley and there's too much disappointment there for me when you spot something you love but can't find it in your size - but I need to be in the right mood and have enough time to have a proper root around.  I was passing through on my lunch break and spotted Paperself lashes in the beauty section for £7.99 - still not cheap but about £4 cheaper than their retail price.  They had a good variety of designs too but I exercised some self restraint and only bought this Under the Sea design.

The box was a little bit beaten up, but that didn't matter to me.  Something worth keeping in mind is that these don't come with glue so if you don't have any, you need to get some if you want to use these.  I used my trusty new find - Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive

If you can't find these in your local TK Maxx or you want a cheaper option, Stargazer are doing some paper lace lashes which are pretty similar.  I haven't tried these but you can see a review here.  Some of the designs are gorgeous and they're priced at a more purse-friendly £6 each.  Or if you've fallen in love with Paperself and want to try them out for yourself/see more designs, they're available from Beauty Bay*.

Also, I seem to have gone into eyelash overdrive since I got my lash extensions off - every other post is something to do with them at the minute!

Primark Letter Earrings Set - 3 pairs for £1.50

I first spotted these on Laurenella's blog - as an "L" name too these really appealed to my earring fetish plus at £1.50 for 3 pairs of earrings, all of which I liked, how could I say no!

My local Primark is a smaller one, there's a massive one in Manchester if I can be bothered to travel (usually no), so it can be a bit hit and miss.  It took two lunch break visits, a lot of rooting around and some help from a sales assistant but I eventually found the earrings and popped them in my basket.  There's a swirly gold pair, a diamante silve pair and chunky gold pair in the set.

I also popped another £40's worth of stuff into my basket - yes, £40 in Primark!  I bought work shoes, tights, knickers, some holiday clothes and some summer shoes for my boyfriend so I didn't feel like I'd been too ridiculous.  Still, I only went in for some earrings!

Available from Primark, £1.50 for set of 3 - there are plenty of other letter options if you don't have an L name too!

Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive

On a night out a little while ago, my friends were all raving about Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive.  To quote: "It goes on like an eyeliner so it isn't messy like a tube of glue and you won't even need to take it out with you as it keeps your lashes on all night...get the white one, not the black one, that one's rubbish."  As a loyal Duo devotee, this lash adhesive had totally passed me by.  I do like Duo, it lasts for ages but let's be honest, it stinks to high heaven and applying it from a big tube can get a bit messy at times.  It's still a good glue though.

So, in the interests of being an eyelash obsessive I ignored all advice and bought both the black and white glues to try out.  My friends were right about the black glue - it's a good idea in principle as it looks like eyeliner on so in theory you can skip the step of doing your eyeliner.  In reality, not so much, I found it got quite messy when you're repositioning the lashes to the right place on your eyes.  I did find a sneaky use for the black glue when I had my lash extensions on though, if I was getting to a point where there were a couple loose and my appointment wasn't until the following week, I'd "line" my top lashes with this to stick them in place and make it look like I had eyeliner on.  It was good as a temporary fix but it did make my next lash appointment a big of a nightmare as there was glue everywhere.

The white glue however, was amazing.  I used this in my recent Lovers of Lashes review and I have to say it was great, it was ridiculously easy to apply (as my friends said "like an eyeliner" with a little brush on the end of the stick that you just put on in a straight line), dried quickly and was invisible once it was on.  It kept my lashes on for well over 12 hours with no top ups and would probably have lasted even longer.  It doesn't have any sort of scent really either so it might actually be good for more sensitive eyes.  One thing I would say is that it kind of stays feeling a little bit tacky even when dry (the black one does the same), but whether that's to do with the make up I had on with it I don't know.

I found removing all traces of the glue needed a little bit of scrubbing but I think that's the case with most lash glues really.  They stick, it's what they do.

My friends were right and this will actually be my go-to false lash glue in future...I might actually give up my Duo as this glue smells better and applies more easily with no fuss.  High five Revlon, I never thought I'd change from using Duo with my lashes!  Revlon Precision Lash Adhesive is available from Superdrug* from £5.10.

My entry for the Ted Baker SS13 Blogger Competition #TedSS13

As a general rule, I don't really do these types of style competitions as I'm not usually a fashion blogger but Ted Baker is a brand that I love and wish I could buy more of.  Every time I look at their website or spot a little piece of Ted Baker on ASOS I just want to Buy All The Things.

So without further ado, here's my three favourite (and I struggled to narrow it down to three, believe me) items on www.tedbaker.com:

 

First up is the GOJJI Orchid Print Maxi - £229.  I fell in love with this dress a little while ago when I spotted this girl wearing it in the press coverage of Ladies Day at Aintree.  I love the print, the sweetheart neckline and the fact it's a maxi dress.  The other good thing about it is that it's the sort of dress you can dress up or down - wear it at night on holiday, a wedding or a night out.  I just think it's a gorgeous dress!

I'd pair this with RIKA Enamel Bobble Matinee - £75 in bright pink as I think it picks out the pink in the dress, as well as looking really glam.  A Ted Baker purse, especially a bright patent one, is high up on my list of Ted Baker wants (I've actually blogged about these before too!)

In terms of shoes, I'd finish this off with BALLENA Flat Leather Sandals - £100 as I think these are dressy enough to wear to an event but casual enough to wear for something more dressed down.  Plus they're the sort of sandals that go with everything.  As someone who's quite tall, with a penchant for massive heels, it would be quite nice to actually be comfy and glam for once without standing about a foot taller than all my friends.

So there you have it, my favourite Ted Baker summer look...I can almost smell the scent of suncream, tropical flowers and a nice cocktail now!

Lovers of Lashes False Eyelashes in #022 Asia

I love it when I get an email to review something totally up my street, you know, something that I would buy myself without trying first. Check out these lashes I was sent from Lovers of Lashes, they're a style I would wear - full and feathery - albeit maybe a little longer than I'd usually try which makes them more of a night out/occasion lash for me.

 

 

Despite saying they're more of a night out lash, I actually wore these from day to night.  I've removed my lash extensions for the time being (first time completely since January!) but I think I'd forgotten quite how short my real lashes are...perfect time to try these out.

 

These didn't come with glue, which isn't a problem for me as I had Revlon Lash Precision Glue recommended to me so I wanted to try that out - worth keeping in mind if you're not as lash obsessed as me though and you don't have spare glue around.

 

 

The band on these was thin and flexible which again is my preference as I find them much easier to apply than a thick, stiff band. These were easy to apply/position and didn't feel too heavy or unnatural on, though at first I could really tell I had them on. They stayed on all day/night without the need for any top ups or emergency fixes (always a good thing especially if you've had a little tipple!)

 

 

I actually really liked the style of these lashes - they're quite long which I think makes people realise they're false but they're so light they don't look fake (if that makes any sense!).  I think they were possibly a little OTT for the daytime but I thought they looked great, they don't look took wispy for night time either and I think a night time occassion is probably when I'll next wear these.

 

 

These lashes came off with no problems and could easily be stored and used again. There's a whole range of 100% mink lash styles on their website http://www.loversoflashes.co.uk all priced between £10-£15 so you should be able to find one for you. They're really reasonably priced too and as you can reuse them, well worth it.  I'd definitely use Lovers of Lashes eyelashes again.

 

For more information about Lovers of Lashes visit:

 

http://www.loversoflashes.co.uk/
Email: info@loversoflashes.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/loversoflashes
Twitter: www.twitter.com/loversoflashes

New launch: CND Vinylux

CND are a brand who I would consider pioneers in the nail world.  In the last few years alone they've brought us Minx, Shellac and Rockstar Nails which have all led to real changes in the industry and the way that salons do nails.

So I was intrigued to hear that they're launching a new range: CND Vinylux - 62 colours that can be applied to the nails without basecoat and without the need for UV lamps.  You use a Weekly Top Coat which is formulated to become more durable when exposed to natural light to reduce the number of chips that occur.  Apparently it dries in 8 1/2 minutes and removes an acetone-based polish remover in just one minute.

I'd be interested to try this but I don't think it will replace gel polish for me.  I can see how it would work for people like nurses or shift workers etc who maybe can't wear polish all the time for work but want to wear a long lasting polish that they can remove themselves.

More information, including colours and application details can be found at AllLacqueredUp or watch a sneak peek video here.

Too Faced Sweethearts Perfect Flush Blush

Ok, I admit it, this is another blusher I bought pretty much for the packaging without actually trying the blush first (I have to stop doing that).  I have to say Too Faced do some gorgeous blushers - I really wanted their leopard one a few years ago after I bought a friend one for her birthday.  It was one of those presents that I seriously considered keeping for myself but I'm a good friend so I reluctantly handed it over.

Let's talk about the packaging...pretty yes? I think Too Faced aim to position themselves somewhere around Benefit in terms of packaging and price and I have to say I think I prefer Too Faced, but I haven't tried loads from either brand.  The vintage style heart shaped box is so cute, however it's made of cardboard so don't expect it to stay looking great for that long.  I wish it was a proper compact!  Unlike Benefit you don't get a little mirror or a brush either.

It's a mix of three different shades of blusher - rose, coral and peach - each with a hint of shimmer so that you get a good blend of colour rather than one solid one.  Be warned, the colour isn't really strong. It actually gives quite a subtle, natural colour that you can certainly use every day so if you're looking for something bold or you have darker skin you might not want to bother with this.  As I said, there is a slight shimmer to it but not over the top. It's buildable but I prefer to wear it a bit more natural.

It does last throughout the day without any top ups needed.  I do think this mix of colour and texture suits my skintone though, I look more glowing and awake with this on.  It isn't a soft powder, more of a baked one, so there's a bit less wastage and mess too (always good news!).

I don't know if I'm getting stingy in my old age or what but I didn't pay £24 (RRP) for this, and I don't think I would.  It's a nice everyday blusher that suits me but for that price I'd want something a bit more - there's a decent amount of product in there too (5.5g).

Available from Beauty Bay for £24, if you're a bit of a blusher connoisseur or a fan of the brand then go for it!

Ted Baker Under The Sea Seahorse Make Up Bag

I saw this in last months Boots Health & Beauty Magazine and when I couldn't see it on the Boots website I emailed them to ask when it was likely to be available as the Boots near me is pretty small and doesn't tend to stock a really wide variety of things.  I do live a 10 minute train journey from the big Boots in Manchester though so I can always pop there if there's something I really want.

Unfortunately Boots emailed back to say that the item had been discontinued and wouldn't be available. Booo!  I love seahorse stuff so it was a bit disappointing as in the magazine it was down as Boots exclusive.

However, I spotted this Ted Baker stuff on ASOS (not that I'm obsessed with it or anything) in the same design as the make up bag I wanted and while I really like the flip flops and the cover up, they're kind of expensive and with the flip flops you won't even see the design.  I might get the cover up for my holidays if I can find some sort of big discount code...

Anyway to cut a long story short, I was checking Ebay to see if I could find the cover up cheaper and I found a seller who was selling the make up bag I wanted and another version so I was all over that.

I think I'm going to save this make up bag for my holidays as it's a decent size to get everything plus it's a bit too pretty just to carry around in my bag to get grubby.  I was given a small pink PVC one a little while ago that I use every day because it's easy to keep clean and carry my little bits and pieces around.  It's bright pink inside (and wipe clean!) and has a little zip pocket to stash things in there.  I love the enamel zip too, how cute is that?

This doesn't seem to be available on the Ted Baker website but as I said I bought mine from Ebay - there are other items available with the same design as above!

If you entered my Zinio magazine subscription and your name's Helen...

...could you please drop me a line in the comments below with your email address or email me at lucy@beautyandtheblogger.co.uk?  You haven't left your email address on your original comment so I can't get your subscription sent to you.

Thanks!

Blanx White Shock Toothpaste - the first whitening toothpaste with an LED light

When I first got an email about this toothpaste I was really intrigued.  Toothpaste with an LED light?  How does that work? Well I got my answer!

Blanx White Shock contains Actilux which is activated by UV light so when you remove the lid it the light switches on and activates the Actilux, thus whitening your teeth. You can also use the light on your teeth directly to whiten them further. The theory is that Actilux also reacts to sunlight so every time your teeth see sunlight it whitens them more...an excuse to smile? 

The light and toothpaste come seperately so you can is reuse the light once your toothpaste is finished.  I have to say I do think the light is a little bit of a gimmick and the amount of time that the product would be exposed to the light in an average use is fairly minimal so likely to be ineffective.  I can't say I've noticed a massive difference in the colour of my teeth but it is a nice toothpaste and leaves your teeth/mouth feeling really clean and fresh.

Upon spotting this in the bathroom, boyfriend was like "ooh, this is a fancy toothpaste!" and when I explained about the Actilux I got: "Hmm, sounds like a gimmick..." - which to be honest would sum up my review in a sentence.

As with all whitening toothpastes, this isn't going to make your teeth Cowell-white in the space of a day.  I do think the only way to get really white teeth is to get them done at the dentist (or Crest Whitestrips are pretty good too though again it's fairly subtle!).  I'm not sure that I'd buy this again, though it is a decent enough toothpaste, I don't think it really gives the kind of whitening results that I want.

This costs £6.99 for the toothpaste and LED light with further tubes of toothpaste £4.99, available from your usual toothpaste stockists.

Crystal Clear - Crystal Polish, Intense Anti-Ageing Serum, No Shine Serum and Illuminate

I was sent some products to review from Crystal Clear, a brand I have heard of before but have never used.  The products I'll cover in this review are the Crystal Polish, Intense Anti-Agening Serum, No Shine Serum (sample) and Illuminate (sample).

First up is Crystal Polish.  This contains anti ageing ingredients, essential oils and precious stone garnet to provide a mild dermabrasion effect.  The packaging on this is pretty big and quite heavy though it does look nice and serves its purpose pretty well.  I love the matte black box these products come in though.  My first thought was that it smells really fresh and vaguely citrussy. The product itself is actually quite thick and dense, you sort of spread it over your fully cleansed skin rather than rub it in (in an almost clay-like consistency) then rinse it off with warm water and pat dry. I've been using this once or twice a week, though you can use it daily apparently, as I don't like to over exfoliate my skin.

You can feel the exfoliating pieces in there but it doesn't feel really scratchy or harsh. In terms of smell and consistency it actually reminds me of a much less gritty version of this, but without the second step.  I actually think I might just prefer the Crystal Clear as it feels less like it's scraping my skin.  The first time I used this was on a grey March day when my skin was looking similarly grey and tired.  And wow!  It really brightened up my complexion and sloughed off any dead skin on the surface.  I really looked more awake after this and my skin looked revitalised.

The Anti-Ageing Serum is another revelation, described as an "Intense anti-ageing moisturiser is perfect for those whose skin needs more than a normal moisturiser. Our powerful formula contains high levels of proven active peptides and oxygen complex, which help to restore and repair dry, ageing tired skin. The result is fabulously firmer and younger-looking skin with wrinkles plumped from within."  It feels light and fresh whilst also feeling nourishing and moisturising at the same time.  It doesn't feel greasy or silicone-y either (like it's sat on the top of your skin), it absorbs really well.  My skin feels reallt hydrated and just lovely after using this but while it is light, it does feel a bit heavier than a normal serum so I tend to use this after I've taken my make up off or if I'm having a make up free day.  Again, this smells really citrusy and yummy.

I've only really tried out the Illuminate and No Shine Serum once as I've been too busy using the other two!  I'll start using them properly soon and come back with a proper review.

Crystal Clear products are available from www.crystalclear.co.uk from £20 - they also do salon treatments such as dermabrasion.

P.S. Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a digital magazine subscription of your choice here - ends 7th April.

Chanel POUDRE SIGNÉE DE CHANEL Illuminating Powder

Because I'm saving up at the moment to pay for my holiday,I'm trying to restrain myself from purchasing too much stuff at the minute.  So why do I keep torturing myself by window shopping...especially with this Chanel Poudre Signee de Chanel Illuminating Powder?

The embossing on this is ridiculous and as well as the Chanel logo features camellias and lipsticks.  I actually don't think I would buy this anyway as I probably couldn't bring myself to use it and disturb the pretty (I felt the same way about the MAC Marine Life Highlight Powder from their To the Beach collection a few years ago).  I imagine it would be a fab addition for someone who actually collects make up, and limited edition pieces.  It's actually a really nice looking highlighter too, you can see swatches and some more closeups on Temptalia.

I'm kind of hoping that by posting about it I can get it out of my system.  Available from Debenhams* for £46, as I said this is limited edition so if you're as into it as I am (and can spare the cash) I'd head over there sharpish!  One day I will fill my house with Chanel!

Are you into collecting make up rather than using it?  Do you have this Illuminating Powder?   Can I come round and look at it if you do?

I want a new outfit for Easter...

Remember when you were a kid and you got bought a new outfit for Easter...well why doesn't that still happen?!  I'd 100% prefer a new outfit to Easter eggs, even more so now that I'm an adult!  It's pretty unlikely that I'm going to get a new outfit from the Easter bunny, but just in case he's reading, here's what I've got my eye on (which seems ridiculous when it's snowing outside):

 New Look* - Blue Denim Stud Yoke Shirt Dress, £22.99

 I don't actually need the Easter bunny for this one - the lovely Shen told me about a 25% off New Look code that's going around along with my 10% student discount on top so I couldn't resist doing a cheeky order.  How often do you get 35% off something you actually want?  I also used Quidco* so I should get 7% cashback on top of all that so this will probably work out at around £14.50...bargain.

 

River Island - Black Leather Fringed Biker Jacket , £150

I really want a fringed leather jacket (with the denim dress above, I'm actually going a bit Western aren't I?) and this one is one of the nicest ones I've seen.  One day I will own a really expensive leather jacket that will last forever (one day).

ASOS - Cambridge Satchel Company 11" Lilac Satchel, £105

I love satchels, I think they're the perfect mix of pastel and pretty.  The Cambridge Satchel Company do a range of gorgeous, bright colours and they look really sturdy and well made - lilac is one of my favourite colours too so this is ticking a lot of boxes here.

ASOS - Michael Kors Aviator Sunglasses, £84

I want these!  I have a million pairs of aviators, and I still manage to buy a new pair each year, these ones are gorgeous.  I don't normally buy expensive sunglasses because inevitably I lose them or they get squashed in my beach bag.  I'd have to buy a decent case if I got these.

 

But to be honest, I'd settle for these pug pyjamas from Topshop....

Win a digital magazine subscription of your choice courtesy of Zinio!

I was lucky/spoilt enough to not only get a subscription to Grazia for Christmas, but also a Samsung Galaxy Tab for Christmas (which was 3 months ago...how quickly is this year going!) and I really have to say I'm massively chuffed with both.  I've recently downloaded the Kindle app and I'm currently in the process of getting loads of books loaded on there to read, I just need to find some spare time!

So, when I was recently contacted by Zinio about their massive range of digital subscriptions (over 5,000 different titles), they were preaching to the converted really!  They do subscriptions to Hello, Vogue, Glamour, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and Tatler to name but a few and you can purchase single magazines and even read and share articles from top magazines with friends.

For me, the plus sides to a digital subscription are the accessibility, the convenience of having everything stored in once place as well as it being better for the environement as it's not printed on paper.  It also works out really reasonably priced with Zinio even having discount and 2 for 1 promotions on selected titles so that you can make the most of your pennies.

Zinio have kindly offered me 10 digital subscriptions for my readers for a magazine of their choice - these subscriptions are available to use on iPad, iPhone, Android, laptops and desktops.  To enter all you need to do is:

• Visit Zinio and have a look through their magazine subscriptions to decide which magazine you'd like to subscribe to
• Leave a comment below with your name, email address, how you follow BATB and which magazine you would subscribe to with Zinio 
• For an extra entry, tweet the following: "@LucyBATB is giving away 10 digital magazine subscriptions courtesy of @Zinio, visit www.beautyandtheblogger.co.uk to enter #bbloggers #giveaway" - don't forget to mention in your comment below that you've Tweeted along with your Twitter handle

Giveaway is open until midnight (GMT) on 7th April 2013, winners will be notified shortly afterwards by email and will need to provide their full name, email address and title of magazine you wish to subscribe to.

This giveaway is open internationally to readers of Beauty and the Blogger.  Please note that in the interests of disclosure and transparency, as part of this review and giveaway I have received one free digital subscription from Zinio for my personal use.
 

I'm Ebaying again!

I've had a bit of a guilt-induced wardrobe clear out recently and I've listed a few items on Ebay - mainly clothes and shoes with the odd accessory thrown in.  There's items from ASOS, River Island, Zara, Primark and Topshop amongst others, so if you want to have a look please feel free to visit my Ebay listings here.

PureLogicol Triple Helix Collagen Boosting Mask

PureLogicol isn't a brand that was on my radar previously but after reading about their new skincare range I really wanted to try out their Triple Helix Collagen Boosting Mask which claims to improve skin radiance and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by instantly firming skin and boosting collagen synthesis.  It's also supposed to hydrate and nourish.

The packaging is heavy glass with a gold lid which feels like really good quality (as well as looking good on your dressing table).  It's easy to get product out but you do dip your fingers in to get it which I know some people aren't mad about...it doesn't strongly bother me.

The active ingredients include:  Perfection Peptide P3, Pepha-Tight, Papaya fruit, Pseudo Collagen, Dragon Fruit, Agave, Acai, Edelweiss, Borage Seed Oil, Boaobab Oil, Red Clover, Honeysuckle extract, Vitamin A and Tamanu Oil.  I'm not even going to pretend I know what all of that is, but it sounds good.

The consistency of this isn't creamy or greasy, it feels very light and sort of sits on the top of your skin rather than feeling like it's soaking in.  It smells quite innoffesive really.  You apply a light layer of this to your face in a upward motion (good for your skin) and then leave it for 20 minutes then remove with water or a muslin cloth. 

My skin's quite reactive so it does go slightly red when I use this, but it doesn't irritate it at all.  As it dries you can definitely feel the tightening effect, though it doesn't dry hard like a clay mask or similar, you can feel it plumping up your skin.  It doesn't feel at all drying or like your skin is uncomfortably tight either.  My skin does feel really moisturised, fresh and plump after using too and I do feel like my skin looks brighter and more radiant.  The smell does change slightly as it dries, it smells a little more plastic-y, whether that's some ingredients working in there I don't know.  I don't feel like I need any more product (moisturiser etc) on after this.

This is a little expensive at £75 for 50ml but I honestly do think that with skincare it's better splashing out a bit on higher quality products, especially as my skin is ageing.  Plus, a little bit goes a long way so I suspect the pot I've got will last for absolutely ages.  I've been using this once or twice a week and I find it's a really good boost when I'm going somewhere special as my skin feels great after using it.

The Triple Helix Collagen Boosting Mask is available from the PureLogicol website, £75 for 50ml.

How to follow now that Google Reader is biting the dust...

I'm sure you've seen the furore about Google Reader being discontinued from 1st July 2013.  As someone who uses Google Reader on a daily basis, I've become really familiar with GR and I like the way it all works together, it does what I want it to, so I am kind of disappointed that it's being discontinued really.  Although GFC isn't being retired there are some questions about how relevant it will be without Google Reader so it looks like the GFC followers we've all built up might end up being irrelevant.  There's a considerable amount of reading around the subject if you're interested with some saying it'll even out the playing field but others who really aren't happy.

Anway, waffle aside, if you still want to keep up with Beauty and the Blogger (I hope you do!), you can follow me through Bloglovin, Hellocotton or Bloggers.com.  I'm also on Twitter and Pinterest if you want to follow me there too.

I like big buns but this is ridiculous - ASOS Extra Large Hair Donut

Last year (a year to the day actually...weird) I blogged about my ASOS Large Hair Donut that I've happily been wearing ever since.  Now that hair donut was pretty big (especially after I finished covering it in extensions), but when I spotted the ASOS Extra Large Hair Donut I thought "ooh why not? Bigger is better right...". 

Well it arrived at the weekend and while I was expecting it to be huge, I wasn't expecting to have handbags smaller than it!  Here it is with the Large Hair Donut...wowzer.

It's gigantic!!!  Compared to a normal size bun ring it's easily 5 times the size and even compared to the large one...it's big.  I even got my tape measure out on it...7 inches wide by 2 1/2 inches deep.  My hair's pretty long and quite thick (if I didn't straighten and bleach it, it would be huge) and I haven't got nearly enough hair to go over the Extra Large one.

 

The only way I could see this working is for a dramatic updo - I've seen J-Lo with this sort of style before - on a night out or if you've got loads of hair that you struggle to tame.  As I said, I don't have anything like enough hair to go over this and I think even if I covered it with extensions to wear it I would feel a bit silly as it pretty much covers the whole of the top of my head (and I have a pretty big head y'know).  Here's how it looks on the ASOS model:

 

 

Nails Inc Leather Effect Nail Polish in Noho

I haven't been that into some of the nail trends that have been around lately - fur, feather, crackle and magnetic nails didn't really do it for me.  But the leather nails thing, I'm so into that!  I love matte polishes and I see this as an extension of matte polish.

I found this polish really easy to apply, it went on nice and even and was easy to manouvere.  I did it in three very light coats to build up the colour and keep the leather effect.  This polish dries quite quickly, like a matte polish.  It is kind of like a cross between a crackle polish and a matte polish on the nail.  It definitely does look like leather though and the lid of the polish bottle is a pretty accurate depiction of how the polish looks on the nail (p.s. I do like the polish bottle too!).

It is a little bit gritty to the touch on the nails, this doesn't bother me but if you're not into texture on your nails you might not like this.  You shouldn't use topcoat over this as it might mess with the leather look.  I do wonder if the leather effect is something that's achievable by using a technique such as sponging or cellophane over a polish but I haven't tried it so I don't know.

I really like this polish and the way it looks on my nails.  As it dries quickly too it's a great one to do in a hurry.  I'm really glad I bought this, especially in the black as I'm not wildly keen on the other two colours so I'm hoping that some of the cheaper brands will pick up on this trend (like with crackle) and we'll have more colours available soon...

Win goodies from Imperial Leather!

 

Imperial Leather have recently launched their best ever shower gel - it's twice as creamy as their previous version as well as being richer and thicker!  Dermatalogically tested with a skin friendly PH, the new and improved shower gel comes in five fragrances:

• Ocean Fresh
• Soft Touch
• Japanese Spa
• Oriental Calm
• Citrus Burst

I was sent Oriental Calm to review and I have to say it smells absolutely gorgeous, fresh and gently floral, just how you'd expect - it contains cherry blossom and vanilla bean.  I'm not normally a huge cherry fan but cherry blossom is different and not at all overpowering.  It actually smells a million miles away from the current icy weather we're having in the UK!  I really want to try the others in the range, especially Soft Touch and Citrus.

This stuff is really creamy and lathers up so well.  I hate it when shower gels and shampoos don't lather as I feel like they're not doing a good job and you're not getting the most for your money.  According to the packaging, it's a bigger bottle too which is always good news!  This felt mild on my skin and actually very moisturising.  I would definitely buy this in the future, especially since I already use Imperial Leather hand wash...I feel like they complement each other.

The range is available from all major retailers and is very reasonably priced.  For more information visit www.imperialleather.co.uk

If you'd like to win all five shower creams in the range, all you need to do is leave a comment below with your name, how you follow Beauty and the Blogger and which of the Imperial Leather Pampering Shower Cream frangrances you think would be your favourite.

 

Sorry giveaway is for UK readers of Beauty and the Blogger only.  Giveaway will close at midnight on 20th March 2013, the winner will be contacted by email and will receive all five Imperial Leather Pampering Shower Creams.

How to look after lash extensions - aftercare, tips and tricks that I've learned along the way

I've had various types of lash extensions and false lashes applied over the years and I've found that it's a bit hit and miss what aftercare advice you get given to follow so I thought I'd put together a little reference guide for people who might have their lashes done in the salon.  Hopefully people will find it helpful!

BEFORE

There are all different types of lashes that you can get applied in a salon so it's best to be clear about what you're getting beforehand so you know what to expect:

• Strip lashes - these are like the normal lashes you can get in Boots on a strip but you pay to get them applied in a salon.  I've never had this done but when they usually cost between £5-10 to get them applied in a salon.  They should really only be worn for a night so are good for parties or events if you're wanting a glamorous look and there are obviously different styles available.
• Cluster lashes - these are little groups of lashes, usually 3-5 joined at the root in a V shape, they're applied to your lash line to enhance the look of your lashes and you can have as many or as few added as you want (some people just have them in the outer corners).  These normally cost between £10-20 to get done in a salon and though they can last 2 weeks - I've had them for that long before but my own lashes were in a sad state by the end of things - I wouldn't wear them for more than 1 week at a time.
• Weekend lashes - individual lashes applied at your lash line, these last between 3-5 days and cost about £20-40.  I haven't had these before.
• Holiday lashes - individual lashes applied to your own to enhance them for 2-3 weeks, after which they should be removed. These usually cost between £20-40.  I haven't had these before either.
• Semi-permanent lash extensions - individual lashes applied to each lash individually.  These last 2-3 weeks, after which you can get them maintained to fill in any gaps and this way they can last up to about 3 months.  It costs anything between £30-150 for a full set, with maintenance costing between £20-50 every few weeks.  They can be as natural/OTT as you like.  Application takes about 1 hour 30 mins with maintenance between 30 mins to an hour.

It's important that as well as understanding the lash type and application method, you're realistic about your expectations and how long they might last for you.  I have lots of lashes but they're short and dark.  As much as I love long, spiky lashes, it's not an achievable look for me as my own short lashes wouldn't support really long extensions.  This is fine and I just go as long as I can without them drooping and make sure I have plenty of them packed in.

Really, you should have a patch test to make sure you're not allergic to the adhesive at least 24 hours beforehand but this isn't always offered - ask, especially if you're prone to allergies or have sensitive eyes.  You might also get a lash tint (or at least offered one) to darken your own lashes before application (this will also need a patch test).  I tend to skip this part as my lashes are already really dark, just short.

THE TREATMENT
This is the treatment process for semi-permanent lash extensions, all of them are applied in a similar way but this one takes the longest so is probably the "worst" ones to have applied, just because of the length of time.  I quite often fall asleep getting mine done though so it can't be that bad!

1. Firstly, you have to lie down to have lashes applied.
2. You will usually get gel pads put underneath your eyes (where you get eye bags) and your lower lashes might get taped down to stop them getting in the way.  This is done with your eyes open.
3. Your lashes will be swiped with cleanser to remove any oils that might stop the adhesive working properly.
4. With your eyes closed, your beauty therapist will start to gently "stroke" each individual lash onto your own.  The adhesive is usually odourless.  Keep your eyes closed at this point!  The therapist will then move over to your other eye.
5. Once she's finished, the therapist will check your lashes and make sure none are sticking or positioned differently and might reposition or tweak some of them. Sometimes a sealant will also be applied for extra protection (you can also buy this to maintain your lashes).
6. Make an appointment for 2-3 weeks time for a top up (go for 2 on your first visit).

AFTERCARE

• Try not to have a hot bath or shower for 24 hours after your lashes have been applied
• Avoid using eye make up - if you really have to, use oil free products
• Don't tint or perm your lashes once they're on and don't use lash curlers
• Using oily cleansers or eye creams will weaken the bonds so avoid this wherever possible
• Easier said than done but try not to sleep on your face as this can put pressure on the lashes and either make them position strangely or fall out
• Some aftercare I've seen recommend using a lash comb regularly - I prefer to use my fingers to reposition any that are straying
• You can buy sealant to use yourself, I don't as I've never felt it made a huge difference
• Keep up your maintenance appointments
• If you decide to remove them either go back to the salon or use a lot of baby oil/oily cleanser to dissolve the glue and remove.  Don't pull them out - your own lashes will come out and it'll look worse than ever!

I'm not sure if you're meant to do this, but I do...if I can see that a lash has become twisted and is going to fall out, I'll quickly add some Duo lash adhesive to the base of the lashes to keep them in place until my next maintenance appointment.  I'll remove this before my next appointment.  If I notice I've got a gap where I've lost a couple of lashes I'll fill it with an individual lash or cluster lashes and some Duo lash adhesive as a temporary fix.  Here's what I use:

I think that unless you have a very patient friend with a steady hand and a few hours to kill you would struggle to do a full set of these, especially the individual ones - you couldn't apply these on yourself!

So there you have it, my guide to lash extensions.  If you have any questions, leave them in the comments section below or drop me a tweet (@LucyBATB) or email (lucy@beautyandtheblogger.co.uk) and I'll try and answer.  I'm by no means an expert or trained in lash application but I'll try!

Look Beauty Loud Lips in Shade 1 Babydoll - currently half price at Superdrug!

I think this is my first Look Beauty purchase - I first spotted them on Lauren Alice's blog and went hunting for them.

I really like the square, gold tube that this comes in, it feels really sturdy. These cost £7 which is possibly a teeny bit overpriced for what it is in my opinion but I paid it so I won't whinge!  I've just noticed they're half price at Superdrug* so worth a look if you're interested...

The consistency of this really surprised me, I expected it to be matte, thick and maybe a little bit chalky. Well no, it's none of them. It glides onto the lips and whilst it is pretty pigmented, it's also a little bit sheer and looks semi-glossy.  It can drag a bit like a chalkier lipstick would though so if you have any dry skin on your lips then exfoliating and maybe using a light balm would be a good idea as it does tend to cling to any dry patches.

Now, I've had this for a few weeks and with my blonde hair I felt like Babydoll was just a little too light and blue-based for my skintone (it leans towards lilac really) and I thought that maybe if I had a bit of a tan it might look better. However, since I dyed my hair brown I really fancied a lighter toned lipstick and I think this worked really well on me!

Overall this is a nice lipstick and given the texture of it I would try some other colours - I wasn't really interested in any of the others when I thought it was going to be a heavy, matte colour - but probably only if they're on offer/sale as I think the price is a bit high.  It also has a sweet, caramel-type scent to it which I quite like.  Based on this, I'll definitely be checking out some more of Look Beauty's offerings.

Look Beauty Loud Lips are available from Superdrug* - as I said earlier they're actually on offer at the moment (half price, so £3.50), I might stock up on a few more!

New hair? Hell yeah!

Earlier in the year I posted about how bored I was of my hair after being blonde and having some variation of highlights for the last 5 years. I also didn't want to do what I've done in the past and go really blonde, get bored, go dark brown because I couldn't think of what else to do, hate it and then start getting highlights again. So I gave it some thought this time and after stalking Pinterest, magazines and celeb hair I decided on a dip dye - best of both worlds!  I know I'm a bit late to the dip dye/ombre party but oh well...

 

I also wanted my hairstyle refreshed too as that's been pretty similar for probably the past 10 years, give or take an extension or two. So for my hair I asked to change to a centre parting and get my layers cut in a bit more to make a curly blowdry a bit easier.

 

Here's the before and after, I got it done on Saturday - I'm still not totally used to it yet but I do like it:

 

As you can see my hair before was quite ashy and overprocessed, as well as being a bit dry and damaged, particularly at the ends. I feel like it now looks a bit shinier and hopefully it will be in better condition as less bleach is being used on it. As the brown colour is so similar to my natural hair colour, I'm also hoping that I won't need to that part dyed eventually - I expect it'll fade quite quickly initially as my hair was so light though - which will mean less money spent on trips to the hairdressers for maintenance. I might even get brave and try and do the blonde myself too

though my hairdresser did have to tone the blonde underneath a few times to make it more of a caramel rather than a light ash. She explained that against the brown it would make it look quite grey if it was just left as it was.

To finish off the look I got a HUGE curly blowdry with a bit of backcombing and a lot of hairspray thrown in for good measure. I wish I had someone to do my hair for me every day. I can dream I suppose!

 

I'm really pleased with my new look, though I think I might have to rethink my wardrobe and start filling my brows in - they've always looked too dark against my light hair when I've done it before! One beauty resolution down, a few more to go, what do you think of my new hair?

Paul & Joe Cheek Colour in Gigi (2013 Spring Carousel Collection)

You know Paul & Joe right?  They do gorgeous products in really pretty, retro style packaging - a lot of it features cats, which doesn't do it for me, but some of their embossed stuff really floats my boat...even the packaging it comes in is really pretty.

See? Even the boxes they come in are pretty.  This compact is refillable, so you buy the white embossed compact and the colour block separately.  I think this is good because the packaging is so nice you can use it again, plus if you tend to wear different colours of blush depending on the season, whether you've got fake tan (or a real one) or where you're going then you can chop and change what's in the compact.  It seems a shame to throw something like this away so it's great that it can be reused - Paul & Joe do quite a lot of this as they do tend to make their packaging a bit focus.  As you can see the compact has a mirror in it too which is always handy.

The colour I went for was Gigi, a bright pink with a lighter shimmery pink section to it.  Pink's always my favourite blush colour and tends to be what I wear the most so it was a no brainer really.  I knew I'd like the colour before I bought it and I do.  It is really pigmented though so you need to be careful not to be too heavy handed - I think if you have paler skin then you might want to go for a different colour as this could be a bit bright for you.  Each to their own, though.

It comes in all sorts of colour combinations though (see below), I quite like Candy, Secret Dor and Gamine as well...I'm scrolling over that pic quite quickly because I'm trying to be good in terms of buying things at the moment!  I'm on Day 2 of a "no buy" and I'm struggling already!!!

Overall, this is a lovely blush and I would be happy to purchase one of the other colours from the range.  It's easy to write Paul & Joe off as "all style and no substance" but their products are every bit as good as their packaging.

I bought mine from ASOS for £12.50 for the colour and £6 for the reusable compact (minus student discount).  Also available from Beauty Bay*.