Generation Next - The Spring Collection from KIKO

One brand of make-up I haven't ever used or played with is KIKO, a brand I know a lot of my blogging friends adored, so imagine how excited I was when this little lot dropped through my door!

KIKO Milano Generation Next Colletion is new for the spring and it is full of all kinds of amazing shiny packaging that every magpie would love, not to mention lots of colour with the main theme being celebrating the future.  The dynamic geomatric packaging has been inspired by the famous italian Murano glassware, using those designed to capture the playful multicolours used throughout his work. 

Starting with the KIKO Mosaic Highlighter in 01 Future Light.  Everything about this highlighter is stunning, from the outer box, to the silver casing within which the highlighter sits.  Once opened, as you can see, in front of you is a mixture of matte and shimmery shades which help to create a perfect glow. Enriched with multi-reflective pearls the soft powder makes it easy to blend, highlight, illuminate, enhance and brighten any skin tone.  As you can see from the swatch below, it is a very delicate shimmer and that is just one swipe of my finger across the top of the mosaic pattern, you can of course build it up.

What I also love is that there is also a mirror which is always handy to have. This highlighter has an RRP £14.90

KIKO Cool Touch Eyeshadow in 01 Original Cream is one of eight creamy intense eyeshadows.  Once applied it gives a long-lasting metallic and glossy finish. Again it is packaged inside a truly stunning case which compliments the highlighter and the shade I have is absolutely stunning, it works with any shade and highlights the eye area.  There is an RRP £8.90

KIKO Frosted Look Lipstick in shade 01 of 6 shades.  To look at, as you can see, it is a creamy chubby pencil lipstick which makes the application quick and easy, especially if are on the go.  Given that it is called a frosted lipstick it gives you a satin finish with colour that holds for a good 4-5 hours after application.  I applied this when I went to see Slipnot at Wembley as I left work at 5pm, when we got home at midnight, there was still a hint of the colour on my lips, which considering I had eaten some chilli beef nachos and had a few bottles of desperado beer, is quite impressive! you easy and quick application on-the-go. There is an RRP £7.50

To work alongside lipsticks is a lip gloss and the KIKO Glassy Lipgloss which I have in shade 02 is again beautiful, from the outer casing which again looks stunning alongside the Highlighter and eyeshadow compacts with the silvery finish, is one of six shades.  This liquid lipgloss provides intense pigmentation with a really glossy wet-look finish.  It is described as being a hybrid of a lipstick and lipgloss and has a water-based formula which coats the lips whilst moisturizing them at the same time, but it is not at all sticky or tacky when applied. When you first come to use it, there is a really subtle vanillery scent which soon disappears. There is an RRP £7.90 

The final item in my little bundle of joy is two KIKO Crystal Eyeliner in shades (5) which is a stunning bright blue and shade (6) which is an almost black shade.  As these are pencil eyeliners, they are really smooth on the eye area, given they are formulated with a combination of waxes and filmogens, it gives the feel of a liquid liner and once it has been applied, nothing budges it, not even a day in front of a computer screen, even with a hand swatch, it is really hard to remove. There are six shades available and they have an RRP £6.90

As someone who has just been introduced to the world of KIKO, I am really impressed with these products and love everything about them from the amazing packaging to the long-lasting formulas, it is an exciting collection to have and it doesn't stop there.  The collection also includes a Generation Next Face Brush, CC Cream Cushion, Masterpiece Bronzer, Mosaic Blush and Crystal Fusion Super Moisture Face Serum which sounds amazing. The Generation Next collection launches in March.

What do you think to this collection? Are you a KIKO fan?

I Love... Perfectly Peachy Bath & Shower Créme

Bath, body and beauty brand I Love… is one I am a big fan of, more so because last week I was invited along to see what was new for 2015.  The brand has become the first cosmetics company to commit to adding breast cancer awareness signs and symptoms labels to their limited edition Perfectly Peachy Bath and Shower Creme as part of he charity CoppaFeel's new #SHOWERHIGHJACK campaign.  For those of you who read my blog regularly, will know how important I think the charity is, so I was delighted to learn that I Love had taken their mantra onboard.

#SHOWERHIJACK aims to unite the beauty industry into helping hijack women's showers nationwide to bring 'Copping a Feel' into your everyday routine.  Knowing what the symptoms and spotting the signs of breast cancer are, will hopefully become second nature to everyone once they are educated and understand what it is they need to be looking for and the most common place to look and to check your own is whilst in the shower.  To help you do that, on the back of the bottle is a handy little guide to show you what it is you should be looking for - very handy!

Kris Hallenga the Founder and CEO of CoppaFeel used the term 'peachy' as a description for her boobs and so Perfectly Peachy the bath and shower crème was born.  The product itself smells of fresh peaches and it is packed with pro Vitamin B5 to help keep your skin and body feeling nourished and moisturised, not to mention soft and supple.  I adore the scent and it lingers on the skin for a good few hours after using it.

Launching in March with an RRP £2.99 this is one scent I can guarantee you will love.

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire

One of the things I am obsessed with right now is perfume.  In particular the new YSL Black Opium fragrance which I am desperate to get my hands on and this Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire scent which I came across just before Christmas whilst at a blogger event and I loved it at first whiff!

The very lovely people over at Cosme-De very kindly gifted me the Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire gift set which would make a fantastic gift for anyone, it looks exquisite from the box to the contents.

The perfume bottle which is 30ml is one of the prettiest bottles I have seen in such a long time.  Its crystalline transparency allows you to see the stunning powdery pink of the fragrance and through that you can see a silhouette of the little black dress, which is apparently ready to dance!

The fragrance notes are always something I pay attention too, I am getting to know what ingredient's do and don't work with my skin and this one most definitely gets the thumbs up.  The first thing you get a sense of is fresh flowers and that is due to the roses, jasmine and orange blossom which give it a really delicate fragrance.  Add to that cherry, apple and blackcurrant which make up the middle notes leaving white amber and musks to finish off the scent with its base notes. All of this together makes for an amazing scent and it lasts such a long time that when I spray it in a morning on my way to work, I can still smell it on my way home from work 8-9 hours later.

Also in the box alongside the perfume is La Petite Robe Noire Velvet Body Milk for Glamorous Skin in a 75ml tube.  The formula is exactly that of the perfume but as a body milk it is really hydrating and nourishing on the skin.  I am not usually a fan of items like this in a gift set, but this one is divine and it is one I use as a treat, for a night out with friends or for date night with the mister and it just adds a little extra to what is already a wonderful perfume.

This set on Cosme-de retails at just £34 which is such great value for money when you consider the bottle alone is that price (and sometimes more) here in the UK. 

Valentines Day Gift Ideas

I am apparently hopeless at deciding what I want for gifts, be it birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas or just because.  With that in mind I have cobbled together a gift idea post for Valentines Day, for that special lady in your life, be it your Wife, Girlfriend, Fiancée, Mum, Nan or a secret crush you want to surprise.

House of Fraser has an incredible selection of gifts to choose from, the list is literally endless and whilst I would ideally love them all, these are some of my favourites.

You can never go wrong with a perfume and as a brand, Issey Miyake has always impressed with both male and female fragrances.  City Blossom which you can see below sounds absolutely wonderful and the kind of fragrance I would choose. With top notes include citrus accords, pink pepper and calone. Its floral heart comprises of white petals such as osmanthus, freesia and magnolia, while the base hosts natural white Virginian cedar, white musk and ambrox.  It is limited edition and has an RRP £51

The second item I absolutely love because A) The tin is just brilliantly designed and B) Kiehls is an amazing brand and C) I am a lip balm obsessive, so put them together and before you, there is this beautiful lip balm set which is exclusive to House of Fraser and has an RRP £28

The third item on my list is this Laura Mercier Ambre Vanille Honey Bath. What sold it to be was the explanation behind the product and the fact I love spending a good hour in the bath with my book/Kindle.  

Twirl the Ambre Vanille emulsion into your bath and watch it transform into a decadent foaming experience. The thick, rich bubbles leave your skin supple and your senses calm and relaxed, while Shea Butter and Vanilla Extracts leave skin velvety soft. Sweet Almond Proteins, Hydrolyzed Rice, and Oat Proteins along with Pro-Vitamin B-5 offer skin moisture balance and protection. For skin that loves to be pampered, indulge in this luscious Honey Bath.  This has an RRP £32

The final three items on my list are jewellery related. Most people think jewellery when it comes to Valentines Day and quite a few people are proposed too or do the proposing.  Now I personally think Diamonds are a girl's best friend to coin a phrase, but for Valentines perhaps a little something different for that woman in your life.

This Radley watch I love firstly because it is pink and secondly because it is just so pretty, retailing at just under £100 it is an absolute bargain.  It hosts a leather strap, is water resistant up to 30 metres and comes with a 2 year guarantee!

Diamond earrings are very useful accessories to complete and outfit and I love the simplicity of this pair from JamesAllen.com. At a price of £246, it is a great gift for the special someone who loves bling.

Finally, we have these stunning Ted Baker Studs.  For anyone who knows me or reads my posts regularly, you will know that I adore Ted Baker products, be it makeup, bath and body, perfume or jewellery.  These Studs are heart-shaped, so perfect for Valentines Day and retail at just £19! 

So there you have my Valentines Day gift ideas, I hope you find them useful.

Bee Good Honey & Crambe Daily Hand Cream

One of the brands I am glad to have made acquaintance with since I started blogging is Bee Good. Bee Good is an independent British skincare company based in rural Hampshire, who have harnessed the centuries-old healing powers of British honey, propolis and beeswax in an innovative skincare range, designed to make a real difference without the use of parabens, synthetic colour, mineral oil, silicone or SLS/SLES. Each and every one of their products are described as being packed with hard-working intensively soothing ingredients, there is nothing better to care for your lips than this nourishing and protective treatment delivered from the flower, to the bee, to you.

The product I have been using for the last month is this natural Honey & Crambe Hand Cream**. I am a huge fan of hand creams and I use a lot of it because I find working with a lot of paper, ink and spending time at a computer really does dry my hands out and I like to ensure I always have some cream to hand.

This hand cream is very rich but it absorbs itself really quickly with no effort. As you can expect if you are a fan of Bee Good products, it is packed full of ingredients to ensure your hands are extremely well moisturised and hydrated. As with most products from Bee Good you can expect to find British wild flower honey which is very moisturising, British propolis which is renowned for its antibacterial properties, pro-vitamin B5 which is skin softening and then British Crambe Oil which is said to be deeply nourishing for the skin. The final two ingredients British borage oil and camelina oil provide rich sources of essential fatty acids which help strengthen and protect the skin.

I absolutely love this hand cream, it is so luxurious and rich as well as being hydrating and moisturising, a perfect desk/handbag hero.

Boots No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter

A few months ago I went into my local Boots store for foundation matching which you can read about HERE and as part of that service I was also matched with a lipstick and as it was a 3 for 2 offer on at the same time, I was to choose something for free! Well we all know how good a Boots 3 for 2 offer is and it took some time swatching everything I liked the look of and in the end I opted for the No7 Instant Radiance Highlighter. This Highlighter was something I had had my eye on for some time after seeing another blog post on it and it was the last one in stock (fate) so it was mine.

We all love a good highlighter and this is one brilliant. The highlighter comes in a stick or crayon as some people call them and is quite rotund. To use you simply twist the silver part at the bottom it to show the nib which you then use as the highlighter. When I decided this was the product for me, luckily the lady at the counter decided to give me a crash course into how to use it properly. As with any other highlighter you might have, I was told to begin by sweeping the stick gently onto cheek/brow bones, down the centre of your nose and then onto your cupid's bow to create that illusion of younger, dewy skin.

When you look at the highlighter it is not a wet formula as you might expect it to be, instead it is a dry formula and if you have used similar blush or bronzer sticks you will know what I mean.  It glides onto the skin so you need to pretend you are colouring in with your Crayola crayons, one glide along the skin is enough for you to dab and blend with your finger tips, I tend to simply pat my skin where I have applied the highlighter to get the best effect for me.  I was surprised to find it so easy to use and it really does give a nice subtle glow, perfect for when you are going out or for everyday use. 

I have become really impressed with No.7 of late and have a wish-list as long as my arm, starting with the concealer match service which I intend to take advantage of as soon as I have some time to do it. This Highlighters costs just £9.95 and is such great value for money.

Have you tried anything by No7 recently?

Models Own New Releases

I am a big fan of Models Own nail polishes and when it comes to the brand, that is as far as my knowledge with the brand started and ended, until now!  Today I have some new releases to share with you and I am sure you will be as impressed as I am!

The first item is this pocket sized Nude Palette which is just so so cute and the perfect size for my make-up bag which I take with me in my handbag everyday! The Palette itself has six shades, some of which are matte and some of which are shimmery and they can be used alone or mixed and matched giving you the perfect eye make up for daytime and a night out.

Also within the palette is a mirror which I am alwas impressed with, this mirror is the length and width of the palette and also in there is a double ended sponge/brush applicator giving you everything you need to create your look.

 

 

This palette is available right now along with a Smokey Eye version and they are priced at £8 each which is an absolute bargain.

Coming next is a Gel Eyeliner which is available in either dark brown or black.  The eyeliner comes inside a little pot with a cute little lid and an accompanying applicator brush, which is a bright pink colour and very very cute.  The eyeliner is enriched with Beeswax for a soft, conditioning effect.  The eyeliner is a no transfer liner, it dries almost immediately for a smudge free look.

This gel eyeliner retails at just £5 - what an absolute bargain!

The final item I want to share with you is called HyperEyes Mascara and it has the most fantastic brush called the 'Mohican' which volumises top lashes and defines lower lashes because it is designed to capture every lash, coating them expertly to give that defined, volumised look.  Housed inside this slick silver coloured tube, this mascara is a jet black colour with a really smooth formula which is not overly wet and dries really quickly.  The formula is also enhanced with protein to condition and build strong lashes.

There are two types of bristles on the brush, one side is raised and the other much smaller. The raised bristles which are quite long, help with the definition and evenly coating of each lash for precise coverage.  The smaller bristles on the opposite side are designed perfectly for those lower lashes, again helping to capture every lash. 

Costing just £8, it is not only a bargain but a great mascara.

All three of these products are brilliant and I am enjoying getting to know them and see how they work, but my first impressions of them are that not only are these affordable but great value for money and are more than worth looking at.

What do you think to these new releases?

Burt's Bees Therapeutic Bath Crystals

I am a huge fan of Burt's Bee's products and I love everything from the Lip Gloss, Lip Balms, Hand Creams, Body Creams, Bath oils, Cuticle creams and pretty much everything I have tried to date.  Infact Burt's Bees are no stranger to my blog because I have mentioned quite a few of their products to date.  One product that I have been glad to be reunited with is then Burt's Bees Therapeutic Bath Crystals.  

For those people who haven't heard of Burt's Bee's before, as a company they were born back in 1984 when they began selling beeswax candles fast-forward to 1989 when the company has grown and taken off as a brand, they stepped into the cosmetic industry and began to make cosmetics, starting with soaps and perfumes. Today they sell over 150 plus products around the world and like many companies within this market they use as many natural ingredients as they possibly can and they go one step further by ensuring that most of the packaging of their products is created from recycled materials as far as possible. You can now find products from Burt's Bee's for your lips, face, body, hair, hands and feet, for men and for babies to name but a few, so there is definitely something for everyone.
 
These bath salts used to be sold in a tin, similar in size to a tin of baked beans.  Fast forward a few years and now we have them sold inside this plastic tub instead.

 
These Therapeutic Bath Crystals are to be used in your bath, now for my regular readers you will all know that I love baths, not only do I love them but I like them to be nice and hot because I an intending to spend more than an hour in one with my book, a chilled glass of wine and a facemask if I have one around. For me a bath is a luxury I look forward to. I have a stressful job and a stressful lifestyle and I do like to kick back and treat myself at least once a week to a self-indulgent bath.

Once the water in your bath has been running for a few minutes and there are several inches of water in the bottom, you only need to use 1-2 tablespoons, depending on how generous you want to be, I always use 2 and then let your bath finishing running and allow the salt crystals to dissolve into the water for a few minutes afterwards. The instructions with this product is that you need to spend approximately 15minutes in your bath to allow the salt crystals to work on your skin and body to "help release the lactic acid that builds up during physical activity causing muscle ache. The penetrating action of essential oils helps stimulate the elimination of waste products, helping muscles feel as good as new".

Once in the bath there are two aromas which work together, the first is Eucalyptus oil which helps to revive and relieve for tension-free muscles and the second is lemon oil many benefits particularly for the skin because it helps to decongest the skin and is especially useful for people who have greasy skin. It also helps clear the mind and relieve headaches.  Naturally this is not all the ingredients, added to those two are Soybean oil, which is used because it is a natural moisturiser which has a nourishing, softening and moisturizing effect on skin. Finally the most important ingredient is Sea Salt and it is one of those ingredients that is becoming more and more popular within bath products because it helps draw the toxins out of your skin thus leaving your skin feeling clean and refreshed as well as soft and supple because it acts as an exfoliator which helps remove dirt and grime from your skin alongside dead skin cells and hard bits of skin which need to be removed. So adding off of these ingredients together, you have quite a product here. 

 How did I feel after my bath? Well my skin was most definitely soft and smooth to the touch and well moisturised and in myself I did feel much more relaxed and stress free and the fact I liked the fragrant aroma of this product is an added bonus because it isn't too over the top it is just right and it does also linger on your skin and throughout your home. As I said before to purchase this at full price, it is likely to set you back £10.99 for 450g but you only need to use a maximum of 2 tablespoons of it per bath and depending on how often you use it depends on how long it will last. I have had mine for just over two months and have used less than a third of the tub and there are two of us who use it. I store it on my bathroom shelf but ensure the lid is secured after using to ensure that it remains as fresh as possible and I suspect I have at least another 6 months use out of it. 

For me this product is a lovely treat for my skin and something I recommend as an alternative to a body scrub or a sea salt treatment because it works just as well.  If you would like further information, you can click HERE

Aromatherapy Associates Limited Edition Renewing Rose Body Velvet

I am going to confess that I have a bit of a love thing going on with Aromatherapy Associates, to date there hasn't been a product I have disliked, only the opposite. Now as they celebrate their 30th Anniversary this year, a product has been created to celebrate and mark that occasion. That product is the Aromatherapy Associates Limited Edition Renewing Rose Body Velvet and the name alone screams luxury to me, so when it arrived, I couldn't wait to open it and loved it from the first time I smelt it.

 The body velvet combines the highest quality essential oils and plant extracts, to help rejuvenate the skin, for a noticeably firmer appearance and feel. Ingredients such as velvet flower extract which is rich in minerals ate designed to help your skin retain moisture levels for a younger, smoother looking skin. Add to that the inclusion of special peptides and gotu kola which on its own has some of the most amazing skin rejuvenating properties and assist a host of skin complaints and ailments such as cellulite, eczema, scarring as well as hosting the most amazing skin rejuvenating properties. Putting these together, not only is your left looking revitalised with improved tone and feeling softer for longer, you will see an improvement in your skins suppleness.  I have to say, it really does leave your skin velvety soft and smooth after using and is the perfect treat.

This cream as I said screams luxury and it really is a lovely thick and as soon as you apply it to your skin, it wants to absorb it as soon as it can, which it does realty well. Once it has been absorbed there is no greasy film or residue left behind, instead you get the lovely scent of rose, geranium and sandalwood, which makes it quite floral with a bit of a kick, that aroma you get when you walk into a spa is what it reminds me, something fresh and clean.

The tub costs £50 is huge at 200ml and for me, this is not a cream you would apply every day morning and night, it is something you would use as a treat, for a special occasion, a big night and so on, something to add a bit of luxury to your pamper session.