Tuesday 26 April 2011

Easter in photos

Have loads to post, just struggling to find the time at the mo!  A pink blusher, Superdrug Swiss Apple night serum and a lovely facial oil - all up soon!

In the meantime have sorted the photos from Easter on the photo blog

here's a taster - 
Easter 11-25


Enjoy!

Thursday 21 April 2011

Breaking News! Superdrug launches Beauty Card

If like me your primary reason for buying all your beauty essentials in Boots has been those wonderful wonderful points then you are going to love this!  Superdrug are going to launch their own Beauty card so you can earn points buying boring stuff like cotton buds and toothpaste to spend on lovely things like GOSH nail varnish and the new Sleek palette (Monaco will be mine!).

The cards will launch in all stores on May 11th and the card can be used to gather points on line and in store, the points can then be spent in store.  A big huge massive benefit over the Boots card is that the Superdrug card allows you to use your points as part payment; how many times have you had 20 points on your card and been in dire need of a £21 product?! Nightmare no more!  

You will earn 1 point for every £1 spent and 100 points is the equivalent of £1.

There will also be the option to choose favourite brands on which to collect extra points during special promotions, which I love the idea of.


To celebrate the launch customers can earn 50 bonus points for every £5 spent on Superdrug branded products in store (until 7th June), while online during the same period customers will receive 10 points per pound on all shopping, plus there will be 1,000 chances to win 1,000 points every week.

Sounds like a winner to me and I will be outside Superdrug ready to get my card on May 11th!

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Superdrug Vitamin E All Over Body Cream

I was very kindly sent a tub of Superdrug Vitamin E All Over Body Cream to review.  I have to be honest and say that my general morning routine doesn't really allow for a great deal of slathering on of unguents and lotions, certainly not on my body, all the time goes on my hair and face - the bits people are going to see!  I do also feel that when you are not loving your body it often doesnt get the attention it deserves, so the arrival of this coinciding with my latest attack of the mighty weight issue was timely indeed!

The first thing that was apparent about this was that it is a mahoosive tub of body cream 475ml to be exact which for £2.99 is seriously barginous - a big tub of aqeous cream would be about the same price, but who would want to smear that all over themselves?!
Superdrug-4

So what do Superdrug have to say about this:
 
Give your skin an intensive hydrating treat every day with this all over body cream that's rich in naturally soured Vitamin E. Non-greasy and easily absorbed, it will moisturise, soften and smooth your skin to leave it feeling refreshed and looking radiant. Our naturally sourced vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant which revitalises and protects the skin, helping to combat the damaging effects of the environment and prevent premature ageing.

So no terrific claims that it will rid your body of cellulite or make your more toned, just that it will hydrate and moisturise and I have to say it does the job very nicely!  I hate putting on body cream and then finding that it leaves my skin feeling greasy and you have to haul your jeans up over oil slick legs, yuk!  This soaks in really well and left my skin feeling soft and very comfortable with a light, delicate scent that wont upstage your perfume but just smells clean and light, lovely.
Superdrug-5
The only downside to this for me was that the tub has no seal, either external or underneath the lid, that said it wouldn't be hard to tell if a tub had been played with and for £2.99 you cant have everything!
Superdrug-6


You know that great big tub of cream that you keep by the bed and smooth onto elbows and knees at bed time, or rub into your cuticles cos your hand cream is still in the kitchen, or grab big handfuls of when you skin suddenly feels dry and tight?  This is the perfect big tub of cream! Its cheap enough that you can be generous without breaking the bank and nice enough to use that you want to be generous with it!

 

Tuesday 19 April 2011

14lbs by 14th May - week 4

Feeling rather chuffed with myself this week! Just back from the gym and I lost 3lb this week, whoop!  So a total of 7lb in the first 4 weeks which I am pretty happy with tbh.

That said Sophie from sophiephiephie blog left me a link to a really terrific post on her blog that was written with the help of her mum is who is the Principle Dietician at a leading London hospital and a wise woman too I reckon.  Next time you are hacked off cos you only lost 1lb this week read this and think on! A pound off is a pound off! Thank you so much for your comment and link Sophie, your timing was spot on!

So over to you Annabella - let's hear it!

Monday 18 April 2011

Has anyone seen my metabolism?

When I conceived this post (this morning, drying my hair - its when I do my best thinking) it was going to be a rant about how unfair my life was, that I had virtually starved myself for 4 weeks, had spent an inordinate amount of time in the gym, quite literally sweating my ass off, and had managed to lose only 3lb.  Having done my compulsory 400 cals in the gym this morning I decided to leap on the scales one last time this week. And was shocked to notice that I had lost 2 kilos, which is actually 4.4lbs!! In total, I hasten to add, not this week!  That WOULD have been awesome!

However, if I was trying to shift that last pesky 10lb, ladies I hear your pain (yea right, do I bollocks), that would be acceptable but when I have something in the region of a quadrillion lb to lose you wouldn't think it out of the question that around 10 lb could just eff off themselves with only a minor tweaking in the amount of crap I eat.  But no, it seems not.  Just to be clear, as the suggestion has been made that someone who is a quadrillion pound overweight who is going to the gym 4 times a week AND actually going in and doing stuff, not just parking in the car park with a paper back and a sarnie, might just be lying about the amount of food they eat or the amount of exercise they are doing I have put together some figures.  I want to say "here's the science bit" but Modesty Brown might read this and coffee would shoot down her nose at my concept of science!

So at my current weight my Basal Metabolic Rate (can I just point out I am typing this on Friday night after half a bottle of Prosecco, I reckon I am due kudos for even being able to type basal metabolic rate, let alone knowing what it is!) is 1745. In other words I need 1745 calories to maintain my current weight, god forbid.  I have just read that the easiest way to lose weight is to work out your BMR at the weight you would like to be, taking things in stages if you have a lot to lose. So if I wanted to maintain a weight that was a stone less than I weigh currently my BMR would be 1671 cals per day, so to lose weight I need to reduce my daily calories by 74 calories a day.

So, if we assume that one Weight Watchers pro point is 50 cals (I did some googling and this seems to be the accepted level) then my points value of 29 pro points a day equates to 1450 calories.  Which is  295 calories a day LESS than my BMR to maintain current weight and 221 cals less than I would need to maintain a weight 1 stone lighter.  Therefore I should be losing weight, no? And thats before we factor in the calories burnt in 4 gym sessions (1600/wk now you ask).

So on that basis we can assume that a 4lb weight loss, sorry 4.4lb, over 4 weeks is pretty freaking paltry.  But am I disheartened. Well, yea  a smidge! But I will not be beaten! 
So instead of a rant this post has turned into a battle cry; bring on the drummer cos I am going to war. 


Onwards and upwards. Oh and Annabella - weigh in is Tuesday morning, try not to forget there's a honey! x

Thursday 14 April 2011

Superdrug Optimum Swiss Apple Cream

What is it with Superdrug?  I just never think its a good as Boots and that anything of their own brand is going to be rubbish compared to the same product produced by Boots. I think its called being a snob?

haul-6

So I was in need of a moisturiser and I was in Superdrug and spotted the day cream version of the much hailed Swiss Apple night serum.  I am sure you have all heard about this so I'll precis. Scientists in Switzerland noticed that when the apple fell from the tree it didnt wrinkle as rapidly as they had expected so they assumed that something in the apple was preventing early on-set wrinkling.  Which leads me to conclude that a) Swiss scientists are horribly under employed and b) that they have really weird thought processes.  So having done some scientific stuff at the apple they drew out the magic ingredient and sold it to the people that make a serum that costs £245 and to Superdrug who make a serum that costs £11.99.  Which, frankly, is also pretty odd and makes me think that the Superdrug serum was once stored on the shelf next to the appley magic stuff but thats as close as it got and likewise the newly released £9.99 day cream would be similarly lacking in any kind of active ingredient.

Here is the back of the box so you can read the dramatic claims for yourself:
haul-7
Some pretty big claims don't you think?To be honest it was the mention of Hyaluronic Acid that swung it for me as I am pretty sure I read somewhere recently that its fab.


I have to say that for £9.99 its as nicely packaged as some of the more expensive creams I have tried.  Nice heavy glass jar and I like that the jar was sealed with a foil seal - it is Superdrug after all where finding a product that 20 thirteen year olds haven't already slormed all over the faces can be a complete chore.
haul-8


The cream itself has a nice dense, cushiony feel to it and is not in the least greasy and has no real scent, that I have been aware of.


If you are a regular reader - hi! - then you'll know that I have some rosacea and very sensitive skin so I was a little concerned that this would cause me all sorts of issues.  The very first time I applied it I was a bit heart in mouth, initially there was some slight sensation, that I thought was going to increase to stinging but which stuck at tingling.  I have been using the cream for 4 days now, morning and evening and as I have been to the gym 3 out of those 4 days have used it again mid-morning after my shower.  Folks something weird is happening - my skin has never looked better!  Now it might be that I have been going to the gym so much and all that sweating is flushing the crap out, or maybe its the healthy eating; all that fruit and veg.  Or maybe its this £9.99 pot of appley magic?  Of course it could well be all 3!
haul-9
It isn't always the best base for make up as it tends to form a sort of paste on your skin, that balls up and rubs off when you smooth on make up, it doesn't happen all the time and nor does it happen everwhere but its worth applying it and letting it settle before reaching for the foundation.  I have very dry skin and its mattifying tendencies have left me a tad dry a couple of time too, easily remedied by popping on a quick dollop of some Avene cream prior to the foundation.


I have every intention now of purchasing the night serum to see how I get on with that as well.  I do think that a slightly longer test than 4 days is going to be vital to give a really balanced review of this, so will post again at the end of the month just to update you but so far I'm impressed.


Bloody hell, have just found that on the Superdrug site you can buy both the day cream and the serum for just £16.98 rather than the usual price of £21.98 - bargain and wish I had spotted this, or that they had it in store perhaps?! 



 


Tuesday 12 April 2011

Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss - Pink Pop

Holding my hands up to my make-up purchases this weekend being totally driven by 2 days of sunshine; first orange nail varnish and now this:
haul-4

I had admired (lusted after) a very similar shade in the Chanel glosses last time I was having a play but wasn't sure that I could carry off a bright pink gloss and didn't want to spend twenty odd quid only to find out that I couldn't.  So the Revlon was an affordable alternative.
Actually on the lips it isn't so opaque that its scary, it sheers out enough to just give a nice hit of colour.  For a gloss it is surprisingly comfortable to wear too, I haven't found it particularly sticky which is a benefit, although I did have the whole hair/gloss thing going on in the Co-op car park when a particularly strong gust glued the two together, I am so cool.

Having decided that bright is the way to go I was very very very tempted by the Revlon Super Lustrous gloss in Coral Reef.  It's orange.  Lip smackingly orange.  Did mention to my very beloved daughter that I had considered an orange lip gloss and without pausing for thought she said "if you buy it I will disown you, you are waay to old for orange gloss".  Never one to hold back.  Bitch was right about nude lips so I guess I had better listen.

Revlon Super Lustrous lipgloss costs £6.99 and is on the Boots site here
Just googled Coral Reef and had a look at images, looking at the swatches it does seem that the vast majority that bought Pink Pop also bought Coral Reef.  Clearly they don't live with the self-appointed arbiter of age appropriate lip colour like I have to! A lot of them did also appear to be about 19. 

Sunday 10 April 2011

NOTD - Max Factor Bright Orange

The clue's in the title folks!
haul-3

I had got my heart set on Mad about Mango and Bubblegum from the new scented Revlon range, but when I got to Boots, where they were 2 for £8, they didn't have Bubblegum and tbh Mad about Mango wasn't quite as orange as I had hoped, it was a softer less in your face shade than the rather appropriately named Max Factor Bright Orange!
Taken indoors (much clearer if you click to enlarge)
 You may notice that comapred to recent NOTD posts my nails aren't looking quite as nice as usual.  This is because something really bloody annoying happens to me after a few glasses of wine - I seem to become hell bent on self destruction and invariably my nails get it.  I cannot tell you how deeply peed off I was at 3am this morning cleaning lilac nail varnish off the tattered remains of my nails, especially as I had planned to buy nail varnish today.  I am so bloody cross with myself for doing this yet again, think I am going to have to get a bottle of stop and grow to slap on my nails whenever I drink to stop this from happening.

Outside in full sunlight (again not sure about quality, click to enlarge)
 I absolutely love this nail varnish, its the really juicy splash of colour I was hoping for, these photos are no base or top coat and 3 coats of polish, there is still some vnl which would usually bother me but today not so much, largely I think because I am so disgusted by my nails a bit of vnl is the least of my worries.  Will have to do another NOTD post with this colour when my poor nails have had chance to recover.

Bright Orange is £3.99 from the Max Factor Colour Effects range, in Boots although this shade isn't available online.

I also picked up a lush lipgloss, a moisturiser that has been hitting the press and replaced my concealer, posts on all 3 to follow during the week.

Saturday 9 April 2011

Revlon Blue Lagoon update

Had another go with this last night, 3 thin coats with long dry time inbetween and half an hour after 3rd coat, which was still not opaque and more streaky than I would consider wearable, was still able to scrape this off my nail.  So disappointed, am hoping that I have got a duff bottle and have emailed Revlon.  Will keep you posted.
Clarins-7

Look at it, it's so beautiful!
Clarins-1

That said I am now desperate for the Bubblegum pink in the scented range and am going to look for online swatches of the Mango one as well to see if it will satisfy my orange craving, although not sure about scented nail polish!
 

Friday 8 April 2011

Friday Gym sesh - bought to you by Swedish House Mafia & righteous indignation!

Monday & Tuesday at the gym; no worries.  Thursday - well its the 3rd so best get it done. Friday? Friday is the start of the weekend, no one goes to the gym on the weekend. Oh, they do? My bad. For me going to the gym on a Friday has always been a step too far, but following sticking my neck out and the subsequent self-induced fall out I decided that if I am going to make a difference that fourth session was an absolute must.

I have to thank Em for sticking Swedish House Mafia onto my mp3 - on the summit climb when I was struggling not to vom up a lung it kept me going and I managed my target of 400 cals burnt.  So thats 1,600 cals this week burnt in the gym, which I am liking!

I could make a lot of excuses about my size and they would sound a bit like this; I'm 45, this body has put two of the nicest people I have ever met onto this planet, rheumatoid arthritis, prosecco, good food, I'm 45.  But they are all just excuses.  And after my moment last night, a few tears and some of the nicest tweets and dm's anyone ever had (ladies & gent I love you) I decided to use the negativity in a way that would do me good.  

I give  you my new mantra; don't get mad, get moving!

And in the spirit of forgiveness cos I don't want karma biting me on the ass, here is a photo taken in the gym this morning which is intended purely and solely to give you a laugh!  
Have a very happy Friday!

Thursday 7 April 2011

NOTD - GOSH Lavender Love

Had real issues trying to capture the actual colour of this, the bottle in the pic below is closest.  It is a truly gorgeous perriwinkle blue and I love it.  
Clarins-2

Last year had my heart set on Essie Lapis of Luxury but couldnt find it anywhere, the minute I spotted this was pretty sure it was dupe'ish (if anyone has both would love to see how close these two are?!)




Have had GOSH polishes in the past and not been particularly overwhelmed but the application of this was lovely nice and opaque in two coats and wear is tolerable, am off base coat and top coat at the mo, none of my nail varnish applies well over a base coat for some reason?

I also nearly quite literally peed my pants in Boots when I spied this
Clarins-1

Charlotte at Lipglossiping had been tempting us with the new Butter London collection, Lady Muck was calling my name and then to make matters worse she did a blue comparison post and Essie Sag Harbour was yelling it.
The minute I spotted this Revlon Blue Lagoon I nabbed it, its pale blue, which I love and it has glitter, which I don't normally but needed it to satisfy this particular craving!
Tell me that's not beautiful? Applies like a total biatch though, streakfest from hell.  Took 4 coats and then 6 hrs after application I picked its still tacky self off my nails.  Will be trying this one again without base coat just to see if its the Rimmel 3 in 1 base top and strengthen that's causing me issues.  The glitter in this is sort of flat, not sparkly so it gives the nail varnish a texture rather than a sparkle, it is quite beautiful and might be best spotted by clicking on the photo above to make it a bit bigger. 

Sorting out the links I am delighted to notice that Revlon Blue Lagoon isn't the same shade as Essie Sag Harbour at all so thats fab, means there is no excuse not to have both!

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Champneys products now in Boots!

Quick heads up - Champneys now stocked in Boots!

Am very thrilled by this! Almost never go to Sainsburys but when I used to do our weekly shop there I always chucked in a sneaky Skin Comforting shower cream which is the only "cheapy" shower gel that I have found that smells as nice as/nicer than the Sanctuary Spa shower cream.  I am just hoping that they have this range in Boots in Huddersfield, the Age Excellence skin care is looking a bit tasty too and I really fancy a hands on play before making a purchase.


The Champneys page on the Boots website is here.  Have you used any of this range?  Did you rate it?

FOTD - No gym today!

Love Wednesdays as have decided to gym on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday morning after doing guest breakfasts.  No gym on a Wednesday means I get to wear make up. Lots of it!
Am completely loving the Clinique yellow concealer and have even dug out the Pixi blush that I gave to Em in the New Year as I felt I could actually get away with adding a bit of colour to my cheeks!  Eyes are my usual UD neutral, face is clinique anti redness with Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua, love, and lips Clarins Rouge Prodige in Lilac Pink, more love!

Did try FOTD pic with "proper" camera but preferred the one above from the point and shoot.  But whilst playing in LightRoom I took this photo:
FOTD-19

and did this to it:
FOTD-20

Which I much prefer.  I think I might "tweak" all future FOTD pics, what do you think?!!!

Tuesday 5 April 2011

More haul - Clinique Redness Solutions Corrector

Its yellow, creamy and is likely to become my most adored product to date.
Clarins-8

I had seen this and the pressed powder reviewed by Ruth's mum over on A Model Recommends and as I had just finished off my Max Factor concealer (having only in the last 3 weeks worked out how you use concealer, I know, I have no right referring to myself as a beauty blogger!) I decided to give this a whirl.  I have rosacea on my cheeks and my chin and nose are always really red, I struggle with foundation as nothing seems to completely cover the redness and I hate it.
Clarins-9

I was really impressed when I tested this in Boots, it is incredibly creamy - not far off the wonderful Bobbi Brown concealer in a little pot that I spent twenty odd quid on years ago and had no idea how to use so left it to dry out. Kicking myself now.  I applied this liberally to my chin, nose, cheeks, under eye and eye lid and really buffed it in and then applied my Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua on top and hey presto no more red face for me!  I was really surprised just how much less red my chin especially looks with this under my foundation and would strongly recommend this to anyone with redness issues.  Of course love this so am now convinced I need the compact that goes with.  It is so cute!

Not the most amazing photo ever, FOTD is very minimal at the mo as am going to the gym four mornings a week, get me!, so I have to have enough slap to not scare the guests at breakfast but not so much I look like an scary clown as it sluices down my face in the gym!

Redness Solutions Corrector is £15, couldn't find it on Boots site but it is here on the Clinique site and the pressed powder which is next on my wish list is £24 how cute it this?
Photo nicked from www.clinique.co.uk
The brush sits in the compact underneath the disk of powder which pops up so fab for on the go touch ups and I want it!

Post edit: just realised this post could sort of do with a before photo, am a martyr to my blog so am prepared to post this glorious photo once again so you can see what I am up against with this redness thang.
Holy crap, how hatchet faced do I look in this. So anyway, if you were doubting the efficacy of this concealer; doubt no more!

Monday 4 April 2011

Mothers Day - A day in pictures

A very self-indulgent post, my Mothers Day in photos.
Mothers day-1


Mothers day-2


Mothers day-7


Mothers day-10


Mothers day-11


Mothers day-12


Mothers day-13


Mothers day-14


Mothers day-15


Mothers day-17


Mothers day-18


Mothers day-19
Please note foot of sleeping, hungover daughter on sofa!

Mothers day-21


Mothers day-20



I had a fab day!

Sunday 3 April 2011

Bit of a haul - Clarins Rouge Prodige in Lilac Pink

Had huge plans to go into Leeds yesterday and then it rained so Em decided she didn't fancy mooching in the rain so settled for Huddersfield instead.  Had a fair idea what I wanted to headed straight to Boots.
Clarins-5

Wasn't blown away by the colours in the Rouge Prodige range, seemed to be a bit more shimmer and sparkle than I had anticipated and I guarantee that Clarins would sell a whole heap more lippy if the testers were displayed next to an actual real live lipstick in the proper case, the tester ones look meh and the actual lipstick is a thing of such beauty I needed one for the case alone.
Clarins-4

Isn't that beautiful. Makes whipping it out in public for touch ups pretty much obligatory.

I settled for Lilac Pink, which if I am being completely honest is pretty much the same shade as my Illamasqua lip gloss in Move, but with the shimmer I claim to hate.
Clarins-6

Told you I only wanted it for the case!  Actually I do like the colour on me, it looks like this:
 If I am standing in the shade, or like this:
 If standing in the sun!  Still looking smug thought, I honestly have no idea what thats about. I got a couple of other things too yesterday but am going to do them in seperate posts, just because I can.  One of them is a product that will be of particular interest to my reader/s that suffer from rosacea or any skin redness.  Just need to get non-smug photos of it in action!

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