MAVALA’S 60th Birthday Limited Edition Polka Dot Cosmetics Bag

Mavala is celebrating its 60th birthday and in some style too. The iconic nail care brand launches John Lewis Roadshow for April 2019 and 60s Inspired Limited Edition Polka Dot Purse.  Created in 1958 by Madelaine Van Landeghem, with the introduction of Scientifique K+ Nail Hardener, which remains one its best-selling products to date, Mavala is available globally in over 100 countries, with stockists ranging from small independent salons to large department stores.

I got to know Mavala via their Mavala STOP, a product which helps to encourage you to not bite your nails. Growing up, I was one of those horrible nail biters, any second I got, my fingers were in my mouth and I was chewing away. Mavala STOP tastes absolutely horrendous, so much so, I stopped biting my nails and it is something I now never do. 

Moving on from that product, I have over the years slowly used quite a few of the nail care products within the range, but that isn't all Mavala are known for. They now have products reaching across the hand, feet, face and make-up categories and they all created from rigorous research and manufactured in the company’s Geneva factories to impeccable quality demands.

To honour the 60th birthday, Mavalawill be heading back to the 60s by launching a new and limited edition Polka Dot Cosmetics Bag packed full of the brands iconic and most popular products including 

• Oil Seal Dryer - Dry your manicure in an instant with Mavala Oil Seal Dryer. The unique formula leaves nails touch-dry within seconds, whilst nourishing and softening dry cuticles.
• Protecting Hand Cream - specially formulated for dry, damaged hands and sensitive skin. Its composition blends marine collagen, very moisturising, and allantoin well-known for its healing properties, to soften dry skin and prevent redness and roughness.
• Base Coat - This Base Coat prevents the yellowing sometimes caused by nail polish by protecting the nail plate and the outer area of your nails.
• Colour Fix - This is a clear top coat which is reinforced with acryl which forms a glossy, hard but flexible film and “fixes“ nail polish, protects it against chipping and extends the life of manicure.
• Mild Nail Polish Remover - An effective and mild nail polish remover.

In addition, and so that everyone can enjoy this special occasion, Mavala will also be launching a John Lewis roadshow in April 2019, offering complimentary Mavala mini treatments and promotions at stores across the UK. The Mavala nail specialists will be travelling to 12 of the biggest John Lewis stores, offering mini Mavala treatments and expert nail advice. 

There will also be a competition running for the duration of the roadshow to find the ‘Hands of Mavala’, with selfie stations set up so that customers can capture their fresh manis and share on social media with the hashtag #Diamondnails. One lucky winner will receive a collection of 60 fabulous Mavala shades! At the roadshow, the Mavala nail technicians will be on hand to offer expert nail care advice, arming customers with the know-how to ensure they have the healthiest, most beautiful nails possible. Mavala produces simple, effective solutions for all nail related woes, such as improving dry, weak or flaking nails and they can even help customers help kick the nail biting habit.

Have you tried any products from Mavala?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Time Bomb Supersize Hero Collection QVC TSV

I absolutely love a good TSV from QVC and if those terms confuse you, it is simply an incredible offer (Today's Special Value) from QVC and essentially you get grab yourself an amazing bundle of products for literal pennies.

This latest TSV comes from Time Bomb and it was towards the end of last year that I blogged about their TSV (here) and it was an incredible value for money. This one is equally amazing and it contains four products which come together to make an amazing skincare routine and it goes on offer on April 1st featuring the following products:

Take Off Time Cleanse + Buff (£25 200ml) - Described as being a daily mini-facial for clear polished-looking skin.  What I love about this product is how gentle it is on the skin, almost like a milky formula which has dermatological grade crystals within and together they remove dead and dry skin that is clinging to the surface.  Its main ingredients are Sunflower Seed Oil and Shea Butter which moisturise the skin as the cleanser buffs its way around.  

Ideal for use daily both morning and evening, it makes for a great first cleanse.

Next, we have the Complexion Cocktail with a Shot of H20mega (£30 for 150ml) - This is one of Time Bomb's newest Complexion Cocktails and it is described as being for skin that is withered, wilted and sucked dry of essential moisture.  

A proprietary powerhouse blend of hydrators which have been specifically chosen to help refill and repair the skins natural hydration system, you will find:

• Chia Oil - One of the richest sources of Omega 3s
• Electrolyte-Rich Coconut Oil - known for exceptional hydrating powers and another top source of Omega 3s’

On the skin, this tonic feels incredible, just a few drops needed on clean, dry skin and it smells like summer in a bottle.

The third product within this collection is the Collagen Bomb Essential Skin Fuel (£42 for 30ml) - Described as being supercharged with powerful ingredients known to help “fuel” production of collagen and prevent it from breaking down.

Its uses a proprietary combination of the ingredients which include:

• Pycnogenol, derived from the bark of maritime pine trees found in the South of France, has been clinically proven when applied topically to help maintain skin’s structure by 1) binding to and reinforcing collagen 2) inhibiting collagen destruction 3) promoting better quality collagen 4) scavenging collagen-attacking free radicals
• Padina Povanica brown algae, found to promote healthy collagen renewal and preserve the integrity of collagen fibres
• Davilla Rugosa leaf extract found to protect newly synthesized collagen
• Borage Oil found to enhance collagen production
• Micro-collagen found to deliver intense moisturization

In a pump action bottle, you can apply this peachy coloured cream both morning and evening using just 2-3 pumps.  

Finally, we have the Powerball Intensive Moisturiser (£37 for 45ml) and it is perfect for those who suffer from chronically dehydrated skin. Featuring 21 natural hydrating agents such as Bio-protectant Trehalose which helps to preserve the skin’s internal fluidity, keeping it supple, elastic and resilient. Followed with a proprietary blend of Hyaluronic Acid and Aqua Cell Complex (lentil, watermelon and apple extracts) which is said to load and refill the skin’s essential moisture reserves, for softer, smoother, plumper tone and texture.

If you are familiar with Time Bomb products, then the Powerball comes shaped like a ball and it comes apart to reveal the cream. The cream itself is fairly thick and on the skin, it absorbs really quickly. Perfect for applying both morning and evening.

Coming together, these four products make an amazing routine and each product compliments the next. If you haven't come across Time Bomb before they have Lulu as their brand ambassador and they have a really simple and straightforward reasoning

 "Time Bomb is a radically simple, remarkably new approach to skin care. A collection of powerhouse formulas and breakthrough innovations developed to help women of all ages “stop the clock!”. 

Over time, everyone’s skin inevitably slows down. There are four key functions, that when no longer performing at optimum levels, cause the skin to look older: loss of sloughing ability, loss of moisture, loss of oil (sebum) and loss of collagen.  So, this TSV goes lives on April 1st and given the products together have an RRP £134 the price of the TSV is usually less than half that, so once the price is revealed, I will update my post with it.

Have you ever used anything from Time Bomb before?

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

New additions to the Benefit Hoola Family

For the longest time, I have been a huge fan of Hoola from Benefit Cosmetics**.  It is the bronzer that I always end up going back to and repurchasing because it is just so easy to work with and even the brush is simple to use. Then came Hoola Lite in 2017, which is designed for those of us who have fairer skin and I like it a lot and have almost hit pan, but I prefer the original because I feel the original has much more uses - for example, I use it as eyeshadow too!

New to the family come two further launches, which I have seen and have swatched and they are Hoola Toasted and Hoola Caramel.

Hoola is designed to give the skin a natural looking tan, so for me both Hoola Light and Hoola both work, because I am so fair skinned, so with Hoola what we have now, is:

• Hoola Caramel: medium–deep bronzer
• Hoola Toasted: deep bronzer

Now, depending on you like your bronzer and your skin tone, you could make both of these work for you. The new two new additions both come with the same soft, blendable formula and matte finish as the original Hoola bronzer and both come complete with a built-in mirror and powder brush.

The new additions are priced at £26 via Benefit Cosmetics.  

What do you think to the new additions? Are you a fan of Hoola?

 

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.

Poppy Sloane Tres Chic Vegan Mascara

I am a mascara fiend, it is the one product I never leave the house without and I love nothing more than discovering something new. The latest in the line of newness for me come from Poppy Sloane, a brand I had never come across until now. A brand that takes pride in being 100% British and back in 2014, the Poppy Sloane smudge proof mascara first conceived. What they wanted to create was the best waterproof mascara that didn’t smudge, smear or flake. Essentially, they wanted to design the best smudge proof mascara on the market. Fast forward to 2019 and the Mascara has been reformulated having taken on board opinions and comments by those using it.

So now we have a mascara which claims to be more volumising whilst retaining all of its other features from the original formulation and now it is also Vegan.

This smudge proof mascara is fantastic for its waterproof, flake proof and smear proof qualities. Completely coating and tubing your lashes, this mascara is super stylish – there are no fibres as bamboo has been added to give extra volume and avoid a mess with the added bonus of being anti-microbial – good for eye health. It is easily removed with plenty of water and a little bit of friction. No special makeup removers are required and it’s best not to use makeup wipes or cotton wool/pads – just water and your fingers or a flannel. 

When I buy a mascara, I am quite picky about the formula that I want to use. I don't like anything that is overly wet because I have fairly long lashes, so I don't want to apply something, only for it to drag my lashes down. What I have found with this mascara is that the formula isn't at all wet and because of the design and shape of the brush, it manages to grab just enough product to coat and tube the lashes. Again, there are no extra fibres that have been added, instead, bamboo (instead of Beeswax) has been added to give extra volume and avoid a mess with the added bonus of being anti-microbial which means it is good for eye health.  It is also water-resistant, smudge proof and flake proof and when it comes to removal, you just need some warm water and a cloth, no excess rubbing and it is all removed.

The brush for me is the absolute selling point.  When I use a mascara wand, I want something that separates my lashes as well as coating them. The wand itself is quite thin and really flexible, so it moves freely with your hands as you weave it in and out of your lashes and with bristles of all different sizes, tapering off towards the top, it manages to coat every single lash, even the smallest ones towards the inner corner of your eye. You can add 2-3 layers without clumping or ending up with spider lashes.

I have absolutely loved using this mascara and it is worth noting that as well as being Vegan, this mascara is hypoallergenic and free from parabens, palm oil, bismuth, lead, mercury and phthalates. Priced at £15 it is available from Poppy Sloane or you can also find it on Amazon** too.

*this post contains PR samples and/or Affiliate Links** unless indicated otherwise - you can learn more on my Disclaimer page.