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!

Guestpost

Relax and unwind with Kneipp

When you have a monumental cold like I have right now, the one where you literally ache from head to foot, can't stop sneezing, go through more tissues in a week than you have done all year and have a cough that makes people not want to sit next to you on public transport and generally just feel rotten to the core, then for me having a hot bath is an absolute must.

Kneipp are fast becoming one of my favourite brands when it comes to bath products. Kneipp was founded back in 1891 by Priest, Sebastian Kneipp. Sebastian, cured himself from tuberculosis using the very nature around him and devoted the rest of his life to studying the healing power of water, plants and herbs. The Kneipp range is quite extensive and consists of plant based Herbal Baths with only the purest natural herbs, soothing and effective Herbal Body Washes, exfoliating and toning Thermal Spring Bath Salts, which are sourced from an ancient underground salt water sea, the best-known medical plant, Arnica Body Care and the natural skincare range New Energy. All of the bath and body products are made in Germany with caring and holistic methods, and contain no paraffin, silicone or mineral oils.

Kneipp Eucalyptus Sparkling Bath Tablet is just brilliant and describes itself as being an energising formula which will pep you up and revive you after a long day. It contains Eucalyptus to relieve sinuses making it an ideal bath accompaniment to have during cold and flu season. As it contains Eucalyptus Oil, it really packs a punch and as soon as you put it into the bath, it dissolves, similar to a bath bomb, and as soon as the oils are released and comes into contact with the steam from the hot water, it becomes instantly soothing and relaxing and magically your sinuses are unblocked and you can breathe. It also leaves your skin feeling silky smooth and moisturised too.

Kneipp Joint and Muscle Anica Bath Tablet has been designed to soothe aching joints and muscles making it perfect for those people who exercise rather regularly. I have used it whilst having this heavy cold, the constant back ache making it uncomfortable to sleep means anything I can use to soothe my aches and pains is a bonus. Again placing it the bath after a few inches of water, the yellow coloured tablet turns your bath water a lovely shade of Berocca and given the second ingredient is Pine Oil which also has known properties for soothing aching muscles and joints, it smells quite earthy but it does the job and does bring some comfort.

Kniepp Pure Bliss Mineral Bath Salt: Red Poppy & Hemp. I make no secret of the fact I love bath salts, they might sound old fashioned and it might be something you only ever hear your Nan mention, but trust me, they are amazing! 

These Red Poppy and Hemp salts are made with pure and natural thermal spring salt and the oils of Red Poppy and Hemp. Once in the water, your bath turns into a blissful bath treatment which helps to relax the body and and provide an overwhelming sense of peace and serenity helping you to forget the stresses of everyday life. Hemp oil moisturizses the skin and leaves it silky smooth to the touch.

Having a bath is something I particularly enjoy and Kneipp products have always done as they have promised to do.  Have you ever tried them?

Look Good Feel Better Make Up Brushes

I was introduced to Look Good Feel Better make up brushes in this post and if you have never comes across them before, Look Good Feel Better is the only international cancer support charity providing practical support for women and teenagers struggling with the visible side effects of cancer treatment. I am sure we all have experience of Cancer in one form or another and I am sure we are all agreed on how awful a disease it is. 

What I love about this charity is that they take into account how traumatic and daunting it is to find out you have the disease and think about the affects and stress it has on self-esteem and confidence and offer free skincare and make-up Workshops and Masterclasses are held all over the UK for people undergoing treatment for any type of cancer. The two-hour sessions are led by trained beauty volunteers, who share tips and techniques to help with eyebrow and eyelash loss and changes to the skin.

If that isn't enough, a 12% donation will be made to Look Good Feel Better from the sale of each brush and set. This will enable Look Good Feel Better to expand their confidence-boosting Workshops and Masterclasses, which teach skincare and make-up tips to women and teenagers undergoing cancer treatment.

The Look Good Feel Better Foundation Brush is handmade.  The bristles are hand cut, and they are made from super soft taklon which makes them cruelty free, allergy free, environmentally friendly plus they’re suitable for sensitive skin. The brush is really well made and is really great quality.  

The handle is quite a weighty wooden handle and it has a slightly rose gold toned metal ferrule which features the Charity's logo. The bristles on this brush are amazingly soft and tapered into a slight point making it really easy to use for your liquid foundations, BB/CC cream and it really does help give that even coverage.

The Angled Blending Brush also has bristles which are hand cut and again made from the same super soft taklon as the foundation brush and they are angled to help with sculpting the eye socket.  

The handle is again made of wood and whilst it isn't as weighted as the foundation brush, it does have a really long handle and for using with eyeshadows, I like brushes which have long handles because I just find them easier to work with.  Priced at just £6.99 this is one of the best priced angled blending brushes I have come across.  

The Concealer Brush is the one I was most looking forward to trying as it is one brush I really need.  Again he same hand cut super soft talon bristles are featured and the same wooden long handle.  

What I really love about this brush is the shape of the bristles, they are quite short and dense making it perfect for a cream product and the tip is also tapered to help get right into the corners of the eyes and around the socket of your nose.  For the bargain price of £7.99 this is well worthy of its price tag and is my favourite brush of the three.

These brushes can be found in some Boots stores and also online at Feel Unique, LookFantastic and Beauty Expert where you will find the full range of brushes, plus the make up brush kit and sponge.

For a company like this to do something so worth while and promoting an issue which will have in one way or another affected us all gets a massive thumbs up from me.  These brushes are really good, affordable and well worth looking into to top up your stash.

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