Mio Liquid Yoga - an incredible combination for relaxation!

Mio is a brand I am completely new to yet is one I absolutely love already. I was kindly send two products from the range - Liquid Yoga Stress-free Space Spray* and Liquid Yoga Restorative Bath Soak. 

Mio have a mantra which I really like and it is "We believe in giving you Fit Skin For Life" simple, straightforward and easy to understand. You will also not find any parabens, petrolatum, mineral oil, synthetic fragrances, artificial colourants, sodium laureth or lauryl sulphate, xenoestrogens, phthalates, PEGs or glycols within the range.

Mio Liquid Yoga Stress Freer Space Spray is designed for calm, especially important for those of us who are stressed, have busy minds, find it hard to switch off, cannot fall asleep easy and just need the chance to take a deep breath and let life catch up with us. This time of year is notoriously busy for everyone and I have really enjoyed spritzing this on my pulse points when I am sat at my desk being angered by many things, rather than pick up the computer screen and launch it, I reach for my Mio. I also use it as a pillow spray before going to bed if I am wide awake and need some help drifting off. It also doesn't stain any pillow cases it just smells incredible.

This spray uses at least 8 powerful essential oils including V-Tonic™ blend to give you incredible emotional benefits through aromachology. It therefore isn't a surprise to see Lavender, Mandarin and Mentha Arvansis (wild mint) all of which are incredibly calming. There is also Lemon which is stimulating and is said to help with concentration and alertness plus Cypress which is rebalancing.

Mio Liquid Yoga Restorative Bath Soak is heaven in a bottle. It is well known that I love bathing, I find it incredibly relaxing and it is something I look forward to doing to escape from the world for an hour. Add some of this bath soak and I am wanting to stay there all day. This Liquid Yoga bath soak has three main properties and that is to help ease tense, tired muscles and to calm and restore.

Again, Liquid Yoga Bath Soak again comes packed with amazing ingredients such as Magnesium-rich Epsom salts and Arnica, again there is the inclusion of the amazing V-Tonic™ blend which is a blend of essential oils such as spearmint, cypress, lavender, mandarin and chamomile essential oils all of which help to ease your stress and anxiety. Alongside those you will find Arnica which is renowned for its soothing properties and Andiroba Oil which is especially good for helping ease muscular aches and pains, plus Murumuru Butter which is really hydrating and moisturising for your skin. Put all of those together and it is bath heaven. Not only does it smell absolutely amazing with a mixture of Lavender and Arnica, it is one of those scents which is instantly relaxing and is the perfect tonic if you need some chill out time and want to wind down.

With these two products, you have an incredible combination for relaxation, tense easing, de-toxifying and re-energising. I have never tried anything quite like Liquid Yoga and these are definitely products that will remain in my bathroom and in my handbag for those times of need.

Have you ever tried Liquid Yoga?

MyShowcase: Christmas Dolores Ltd Edition Beauty Bag

Meet Dolores, isnt she just amazingly cute? Dolores is the Limited Edition Beauty Bag* from MyShowcase and she has just landed on my mat. Looking as though she is straight off the catwalk with this seasons trends, Dolores has her berry red lips and gold lids ready for any festive soiree or get-away.

So what is she? Dolores is the perfect sized back who is big enough to hold all of your beauty products, she measures 7inches x 8.5inches and has a depth of 1.5inches. Made from embroidered canvas with a handy wipe clean front cover, inside there is a beautiful festive red lining and it opens and closes with a zip.

I think this would make a brilliant Christmas gift for fellow beauty lovers, any female in your life, be it your mum, girlfriend, sister, wife or even best friend, it is such a lovely gift to give and as you can see, she does hold an awful lot of products!

Retailing for just £19.50 you can find Dolores right here on the Myshowcase

website, though you will have to be quick because she goes out of stock exceptionally quick.

Five Christmas Gadget Must Haves

Here at RED5 we are delighted to announce that this year we are able to bring to you a whole new host of cool gadgets. We’re talking, drones, quadcopters and loads of Star Wars goodies.  It’s our job to make sure nobody is disappointed with what’s under the tree and it’s your job to listen, get ready for this year’s top Christmas gadget must haves!

Zombie Slayer Blast Kit

At number one we have, wait for it, the Zombie Slayer Blast Kit. If Walking Dead has taught us anything it’s that a zombie apocalypse is coming.  The question is are you ready for it?  What’s great about this product is that it allows you to get creative and actually build the model yourself. So we advise you not go fighting any zombies before it’s up and running, the ending would not be pretty.

Now if you’re a mum reading this buying for your son, don’t fear. He’ll be chasing zombies not you. The gun fires paper ammo, 60 rounds will be included in the package. Just in case the apocalypse comes sooner than expected, everyone will be ready.

Spy Drone Quad

Everyone’s talking about them, we’re selling them. This particular product comes in at a very reasonable price. For those of you not wanting to spend too much, we recommend this style of drone quadcopter. This little quadcopter comes with a built in 3MP camera, allowing you to take pictures and record 640 x 480p videos whilst in flight.

Don’t really know what that means? It’s good, high quality imagery coming straight from the sky, amazing! A lot more user friendly for those who are new to this flying in the sky business.

The Beast

The Sky Drone Pro White is for those of you who want to spend a little more. Perhaps you’re a more experienced flyer. You won’t regret this purchase, at just a little extra cost comes great joy and added bonuses.  For example, this beast records high definition footage, with help from its clever free app your smartphone will become an eye in the sky.

Talking Chewbacca Plush

It’s back. Star Wars is back and we’re loving every minute of it. At RED5 HQ everyone has a beady eye on all Star Wars gifts, but it’s only fair we share the goodness. What is Christmas without the fluffy giant Talking Chewbacca Plush, who we all hold dear in our hearts.

Chewbacca, legendary co-pilot, not just best buds with Han-Solo, he’s now yours too.  This bundle of fun and fluff springs to life at a press of the belly. Enjoy endless hours copying his Wookie language and giant roars.

Star Wars BB8 Droid

Since we are on the topic of Star Wars, why stop? Keep the good stuff coming I say.  For those of you desperate to get in touch with your inner dark side, the new BB8 droid is for you.  This bundle of joy is already on the path to greatness, it’s set to star in the new ‘The Force Awakens’ and we’re all going crazy for it.

Give your loved one the gift of friendship this Christmas, guaranteed to keep you busy throughout the Christmas holidays. This clever little droid is completely controllable from your smartphone or tablet, packed with various voice commands which fulfil all of your Star Wars dreams.  With help from the clever app, BB8 Droid can create and view holographic recordings, awesome.

Interactive Glow T-Shirts

Ok so we accept that not everyone is Star Wars crazy, actually we’re not sure, but we’ll mix it up for you nonetheless.  After all, this product is so worth it. It’s hard to shock us gadget heads here at RED5 but every now and then, it happens.  

That was certainly the case when we first got our hands on these interactive Glow T-shirts from illuminated apparel. So cool! It’s sometimes the case that with novelty clothing comes a lack of style; thankfully, that’s not a worry here. At first glance you’d be none the wiser.

The T-shirt is a stylish black with a large white polygon graphic, pretty trendy if you ask me. When the lights go down, that’s when things really kick off. Simply pass a UV light (included) over the white space and watch as the clothing comes to life. The good news is Smartphone lights work just as well, so if you’re out clubbing and forget your pen, do not fear. Talking of clubbing, if you’re that guy who’s unlucky in love, I have a feeling your luck just turned.

What are your Christmas Gadget Must Haves?

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LookFantastic Little Black Friday Box + Giveaway

If you are not aware, then today is Black Friday where you can grab youself some amazing bargain right across the internet, in supermarkets and in stores. The amazing people over at LookFantastic have put together this most amazing box, which you cannot purchase anywhere, to showcase some of the brands which will go on offer and you can see them right here plus all the rest of the Black Friday Deals.

Inside my LookFantastic Black Friday Box are the following items:

Amazing Cosmetics, Amazing Concealer. Now I have been using this for well over a year and absolutely love it and have a blog post ready to go live soon. It is available in 10 shades and it uses effective waterproof technology and highly pigmented formula is designed to conceal dark circles, blemishes, sun damage and broken capillaries. I absolutely love that it conceals my redness when I am feeling insecure and that it disguises dark circles really effectively. RRP £19.50

Eve Lom - There are two Eve Lom Products in this box, one I have tried and absolutely love and the other I am totally new too. The Eve Lom Cleanser (in the pot) has featured in a LookFantastic Beauty Box, to which I subscribe. This is an exfoliating cleanser which uses Clove Oil's antiseptic properties encourage clear skin, Eucalyptus Oil drains away toxins, Hops Oil tones, and Egyptian Chamomile and Cocoa Butter soften and soothe the skin. Without drying the skin, this Cleanser removes even the most stubborn waterproof make-up. Then we have the Eve Lom Morning Time Cleanser which contains the four signature Eve Lom aromatic cleansing oils together with papaya enzymes and carrot oil to stimulate collagen production, leaving skin radiant, refreshed and balanced. It works to decongest the skin and remove even the most stubborn waterproof make-up, whilst rejuvenating and deeply nourishing tired skin. Together they have a value of around £50.

Glamglow Youth Mud Masque - I am an absolute massive fan of this mask and have raved about it here. It is essentially a 10 minute facial which leaves your skin feeling just absolutely amazing after use. The unique tingling and exfoliating treatment works for all skin types to tackle any problem areas and leave skin soft and renewed. This tube has an approximate value of £15.

Tangle Teezer Original Purple Crush - Now if there was one product I wished I had invented it is this one! I absolutely love it and have more than one (okay I have 4) and I just love how versatile the patterns, colours and shapes are. If you are not familiar with them, Tangle Teezer's uniquely designed teeth flex and flick as they glide through the hair, eliminating tangles and knots on contact, minimising breaking, splitting and damage caused by mistreatment. It's perfect for all hair types and is recommended for fragile or colour-treated hair, hair extensions, weaves and children's fine tangle-prone hair. RRP £10.60.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge - I have never tried this particular sponge, but it is said to allow you to apply liquid and cream foundations flawlessly, giving your skin a poreless, airbrushed appearance. Easy to use, the sponge features rounded sides that allow you to smooth foundation over large areas of your face, whilst the flat edge allows you to blend it into the contours of your eyes and nose. I am looking forward to trying this out as I know quite a few people have raved about it. RRP £5.99.

The final item is this box is from La Roche-Posay and it is the Effaclar K (+) - La Roche-Posay research has shown that under the effects of external aggressors (pollutant particles, dust) oily, imperfection-prone skin undergoes oxidation, which can trigger a chain reaction – hyper-keratinisation, sebum hyper-production, oxidation of sebum and impurities present at skin surface. All of which can lead to the formation of new imperfections. Described as being the The anti-imperfection moisturiser is especially formulated for those who experience repeated pore-clogging resulting in an uneven skin texture. Microexfoliant LHA - a keratolytic agent - and retinol Linoleate perform an intense, fine and targeted micro-exfoliation which unclogs pores and transforms the surface of the skin. The complexion is left looking and feeling smoothed, with tightened pores and diminished imperfections. Suitable for combination to oily, imperfection-prone skin. Also suitable for sensitive skin. This has an RRP £14.90.

This amazing box of products has a value of over £100 and I have one to give away to one of my lovely readers along with a Steamcream Christmas Cracker which you can see here.  To enter please use the Rafflecopter below and ensure you do complete the mandatory entries otherwise your entry will be null and void.  If you are under 16, please ensure you have parental permission to enter because I will need your home address.  This Giveaway is UK only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If none of these products have grabbed your attention, then all is not lost because LookFantastic are also offering you a huge 20% off which can be redeemed on a wide selection of brands using code LFBLACK - valid 27/11-30/11. Minor exclusions apply.

Getting into the Christmas Spirit with a Festive Jumper!

Everyone wants and needs a Christmas Jumper in their life, true? Well, there are so many to choose from that I have chosen the ones I really want and would actually wear.  

I've seen many people comment across social media about how they always purchase a Christmas Jumper to wear on the day, or get matching ones with their partner and then there are some who don't bother at all.  I have quite a few Christmas jumpers, my favourite one being two bunnies with fluffy tales which I bought from Asda George a few years ago, it is pink and white and I wear it as soon as it starts to get cold.  Now I think it is about time I bought a new one and here are my choices:

So there are the 8 jumpers that I have become quite fond of and picking one of them is proving to be quite a hard task. There is the good old Home Alone quote jumper from Primark with 'Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animal' emblazoned across the front, something which will always stifle a cackle or a lovely ice blue coloured jumper from Dorothy Perkins with the lyrics 'Let it Snow' which I think is really pretty. Then there are the animal ones which feature a Primark Robin and his fury hairy wings, New Look reindeer who is looking far too excited that it is Christmas and a jolly little owl from Next with his Santa hat on, Then we have a nice traditional grey jumper from House of Fraser which is really festive and goes with every outfit or a black one which is decorated with a Christmas Tree from BHS. The final jumper, perhaps the one most people will love features a Unicorn and that comes from Asda.

I think I have chosen jumpers which anyone could wear, there is nothing too cheesy except Home Alone, but that quote always amuses me and there are plenty which can be worn with jeans, leggings, jeggings and a skirt which just add a touch of festivity to an outfit.

Which ones of these jumpers would you choose and do you buy yourself a Christmas Jumper?

L’Occitane Advent Calendar and Gifts

Not too long along I posted about 32, yes THIRTY TWO beauty advent calendars that you could choose from and apart from some of them being absolutely amazing but a tad 'ouchie' on the bank balance, some of them are more affordable and simply fantastic.

This year L’Occitane not only have some amazing Christmas Gifts for men, women, your home and some amazing stocking fillers, they also have their first-ever advent calendar** and most readers will know that I am a huge fan of the brand and I am yet to try a product and not love it. This advent calendar is filled with 17 beauty products and a further 7 Provençal gift treats including a selection of their best-selling products and if you want to know which ones, then you can ruin your surprise here. It costs just £39 which is an absolute bargain.

What I think is fantastic about this calendar is that if you are not too familiar with L'Occitane as a brand, then an advent calendar like this would be a really good introduction, because not only do you get the excitement of opening an advent door everyday for 24 days, but the samples behind each are big enough to give you an insight as to what each product is like and give you the chance to decide whether or not you want to try a full sized version. 

 If like me you already love the brand, then it is the perfect opportunity to stock up on your handbag/desk samples.

Have you stocked up on L'Occitane gifts for Christmas?

5 Biggest Lipstick Putting On Mistakes

Putting lipstick on is not as easy as you might think. In fact, if you wish to wear it long and bright, you need to know a few common mistakes many women do. That might help you out understand how to wear a lipstick right and so – improve your looks radically as well.

1. Forgetting to hydrate

So, one of the firsts mistakes you might do is to forget about the crucial hydrating ritual every time you are planning to apply lipstick. Well hydrated lips will be a lot easier to maintain, and lipsticks will look a lot smoother then applied as well. Moreover, some lipsticks dry out your lips, and it is crucial to hydrate them at least after wearing lipstick too. So a simple lip balsam near your night table is vital to have.

2. Wearing wrong shade

Another big mistake is surely not choosing the right shade of the lipstick. The best way to get the rights shade is to look at your skin complexion, or even to your eye colour. Basic rule would be trying to match your skin undertones with lipstick's. Or do the opposite and match eye colours with the opposite colour of a lipstick. For example, if you have green eyes – purple toned lipsticks will be perfect for you.

3. Not considering your lips shape

You can choose a perfect lipstick colour, but you can still miss the shot if you haven’t thought your lips shape along with that. Rules are simple in this case: dark lipstick makes lips appear thinner while lighter lipsticks can make lips look fuller. So if you were gifted with thin lips stay away from dark shaded lipsticks. And if you are trying to avoid making your lips look even bigger than they are – better pick darker shades nude lipsticks.

4. Not using a lip liner

Lip liners were invented for a reason. And, in fact, there are a few reasons! First, a good lip liner will keep lipstick away from bleeding outside of your lips. Second, if you apply it all over your lipstick – it will last much longer. And finally, you can make your lip game a lot better if you use a slightly darker shade to create more visual interested and fuller lips.

5. Not having a lipstick in your purse

Finally, you are making a big mistake if you leave your home without a lipstick in your purse. First of all, you can’t predict whether or not it will stay in shape during the day. Also, every time you eat or drink something, more and more lipstick removes from your lips. So you are taking a risk of walking with weirdly coloured lips. Just by having one extra lipstick in your purse you will always be ready to fix things up and enjoy being a woman all day long! 

Can you think of any others?

*Guestpost

Win one of FOUR Lili Burton Brush sets!

We are so excited to partner with Lili Burton to bring you a fantastic giveaway!

We asked Lili how she got started and she shared their story with us:

"Over a girly dinner last year in the heart of London, Lili Burton decided to fix a problem facing her female friends and her: where could they find makeup tools that would help them apply makeup like a pro, wouldn't cost an arm and a leg and, yes, they had to look classy to match the rest of the expensive makeup in the bag.

They were frustrated (even in light of the abundant choices available). Lili Burton isn't the type who waits for it to happen. She makes it happen. So she approached a few makeup artists and asked what they valued about their brushes, what frustrated them, what were their clients' objections and desires.

It took a few goes to fine tune the brushes before the final "Oh yes, we love them!"

"Lili Burton is quintessentially British, but with a cosmopolitan twist, just like the birthplace of the brand."

With the help of @FemaleBloggerRT, the ORIGINAL retweet community for bloggers, Lili Burton is giving away £50 and a set of brushes to FOUR lucky winners!

Use the widget below to enter the giveaway. Contest open worldwide. Please visit the fabulous hosting bloggers and show them some love!

Rachel  //  Sarah  //  Rosie //  Teral

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Let's Stop HIV with Kiehls, MTV Staying Alive and Tinie Tempah

I was sent this Kiehls package from Klout as one of their perks, infact this is my first perk I have ever received. As a blogger, Klout is important to me because it aims to represent how much influence I have, the higher your score (between 1-100) the more influential you obviously are. A Klout perk is a reward and they are given to you based on a variety of things, including where you live, your influential topics, or your Klout Score.  

Kiehls is a brand that I am aware of but have not used. So this is such a delightful treat for me because not only is this my first time using the product but it is also a limited edition put. Kiehls have released their limited edition

Ultra Facial Cream in collaboration with Tinie Tempah, who created the label on the pot and who is the MTV Staying Alive Foundation Ambassador. The Staying Alive Foundation is a global charity which produces ground-breaking, original content that delivers vital HIV prevention messaging to a young international audience, whether that is through documentaries, advertisements or simply reaching out to people. Figures show that over 78million people been infected with HIV since the start of epidemic and 39million people have died of HIV-related causes furthermore 42% Of all new HIV infections are in 15-24 year olds and I am sure you will agree they are quite shocking statistics, more of which you can find here.

Kiehls have been supporting the fight against HIV/Aids since the 1980s and to date have raised more than $2.5million. This year, they have chosen MTV Staying Alive Foundation as their official UK Charity partner for 2015 and these pots of Ultra Facial Cream featuring the limited edition label are on sale across Kiehls Boutiques and department stores and you can also find them online. For every pot that is purchased, Kiehls will make a donation of £2 to the charity. If you want to donate a little bit more, then Kiehl's and the MTV Staying Alive Foundation have also set up the option to text and all you need to do is simply text HIV1 to 70660 to donate £5 or you can text HIV1 £x to the same number to donate your chosen amount up to a maximum of £10.

So as well as donating to charity, you can get yourself this amazing facial cream. Described as being a light-textured, 24-hour hydrator helps to retain moisture within the skin, leaving skin feeling comfortable and well-balanced and it is not tested on animals. It can also be used both morning and night to keep your skin hydrated and I have been using it every morning after applying my Body Shop Serum and I absolutely love it and it is perfect for this kind of weather to give your skin some extra TLC.

You can join in to help Kiehl's to spread the word about this great cause yourself by sharing the news of their collaboration on Twitter and Instagram. Let’s stop HIV before it starts with #TINIExKIEHLS @kiehlsuk @tinietempah @mtvstayingalive.

Christmas Stocking Filler Guide

Image Credit

Beauty Christmas Gifts – perfect for the beauty lover in your life. You can get individual items, like nail varnish, nourishing hand moisturiser, and a face mask, or a gift set. Gift sets take out the sometimes stressful present selection process. They come in a variety of themed bundles – from relaxation to glamour, so you will certainly find something that suits. Prices vary too, depending on how many goodies you want to go for. Prices start from £18, so it’s up to you how all out you go!

Source: Temple Spa

Magazines – these are always great little extras and they’re totally affordable too. Popular ones like Marie Claire cover a range of topics, so it’s generally a safe bet. A brilliant free one is Boots’ Health & Beauty magazine, which is full of recommended products, offers and competitions. So you may end up giving them the extra gift of a competition win too. 

Hot Chocolate Set with Mug – what relaxing magazine read isn’t complete without a hot chocolate. These are the kinds of gifts you can whisk together yourself. All you need is a cute mug, cocoa powder, sugar, and marshmallows. 

You can wrap it all up in some cellophane to keep it neat and prettily presented. £5 mug from your local supermarket, cocoa £2, sugar (some from the baking cupboard), and marshmallows £2. All for under £10 – bargain.

Christmas Biscuits – everyone loves a yummy biscuit and at Christmas you can get away with eating as many as you like. Savoury or sweet will be a scrummy touch to your stocking. For something extra special try some Christmas-themed biscuits; you can go for traditional iced seasonal figures or have one personalised with your loved one’s name. Prices to suit all budgets (or all biscuit eaters), starting at £6.

Source:Biscuiteers

Handy Notepad – they’ll probably need to make note of all the things they’ve spotted in their magazine and are desperate to buy so a cute little notebook would be a great stocking addition. Even if they won’t be making notes, having a handy book around for shopping lists or beauty lust lists will definitely be a useful present. They don’t have to boring – they can be as elegant or fun as you fancy. You’ll be able to pick one up for under £5 from most high street and online stores.

Bath Gift Sets – nothing is better at relieving stress than a hot bath, but not everyone realises how great these can be. Bath treats can give someone a reason to take time out of their day to unwind. Whether it’s a natural soap collection, bath salts, or a creamy body butter for afterwards, they all help you unwind. As wonderful as Christmas is, it can be a bit hectic, so there isn’t a better time to treat someone to one of these chill-out beauties. Prices vary, starting at a fabulous £4.50.

Source: Bloodwise

Mini Candle – be inspired by the Yankee candle advent calendar, which you can feast your eyes on here, and pop a lovely-scented candle in the stocking. You could get one of a scent they particularly love, or go for an all-round-pleaser with a Christmas scented one, like spiced orange or cinnamon. Prices vary depending on where you go, but usually start at under £5.

Christmas Pyjamas – relaxing, seasonal, comfy, and adorable. Pyjamas are a lovely touch for those days around Christmas when you get to stay in, watch Christmas films and eat turkey sandwiches. Lots of stores are selling them now, so you’ll have plenty to choose from. Just head to their favourite shop and choose away.

Peppermint Candy Sticks – the finishing touch! They’re lovely as decorations on presents and in stockings. Plus they’re something to nibble on if your loved one is a mint fan. They add just that extra bit of Christmas charm. What’s not to love?!

Source

A very Christmasy thank you to Beauty Queen UK for the opportunity to work with her on this piece. Please follow her on Twitter and be sure to subscribe to the blog for more Christmas and beauty posts. Happy holidays!

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