Feelunique Pick N Mix

Do you have a list of products you really want to try but are not sure whether they are for you?  Well over at Feelunique, there is a service called Pick N Mix and it is so easy to use along with a great selection of products to choose from a great range of brands.

So how does it work?  Well, for £3.95 which covers the cost of shipping and handling you can choose 5 samples per month for free, it is a bit like making your own beauty box with 5 products you want to try and not being disappointed when it arrives to find there is nothing you can use in a way.

The products I selected are as follows:

	ELEMIS Daily Redness Solution Complimentary Sample 2ml	1		£0.00
	Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift and Sculpt Moringa Cleansing Balm Sample 5ml	1		£0.00
	Emma Hardie Amazing Face Protect & Prime SPF 30 Sample 5ml	1		£0.00
	By Terry Cellularose Hydradiance Mask Sample 2ml	1		£0.00
	By Terry Cellularose Hydradiance Serum Sample 2ml	1		£0.00

All of which I have on a wishlist across a few sites.  I am a huge believer in trying something before you buy it and often it doesn't mean that you need a huge sample to test something. That said, each item you can choose for your selection does state the sample size, so you will need to weigh up whether or not you think it is worth while.

So this is my selection:

All of these have been on a list of products I have been wanting to try and I am glad that I can no give them a go.  So far, the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm is one I definitely want as a full size because as expected and suggested I have absolutely loved using it and this little pot last a whole week, so I am really impressed with it.  The Elemis Daily Redness Solution is one I need to try a bigger sample of because I need more than a weeks worth to get a full feel as to whether or not it will work for me, but I do like the feel of the cream. Everything else I am still yet to try and am debating taking with me on a long weekend get away in a few weeks time.

I think this idea from Feelunique is really clever and yes I know not everyone will think so because you can go and pick up sachets in magazines and from beauty counters, but not every product and not every brand do sample sizes for testing, so for me, this is just a great idea and a great way to get a brief introduction to a brand or brands as there are a few here, before buying full sized versions and should you decide to do just that, you get a £3.95 gift voucher in your follow-up email which you can redeem on a future purchase . The only downside is you can only do one Pick 'n' Mix sample selection per person, per month.

What do you think to this idea?

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Staying Cool and Refreshed In The Heat

Living in London in the Summer can be both amazing and an absolute nightmare. We all relish seeing that yellow ball of fire in the sky, spending lazy days in the park eating ice cream and watching life pass by - absolute bliss. Then comes the fact that London is a bit of a sun trap and the heat can be absolutely stifling, whether you are at work, at home or on public transport.

Given the temperatures in London now and for the last couple of days, the heat is manageable but there are always some items I have to hand to help cope - Mists!  Be they facial mists or mists in general, they are an absolute god send and are just amazing when you need a cooldown.

These are the ones I have around the house, carry in my handbag or use at work currently:

Avene Eau Thermale Spring Water Spray has a unique formula soothes hypersensitive, allergic and irritated skin by leaving a barrier on the skin to deliver long-lasting comfort and reduce itching. The versatile spray can be used by the whole family and is ideal for cooling sunburn, nappy rash and razor burns caused by shaving.  This mist costs £7 for 150ml

Caudalie Grape Water* is made from 100% organic grapes. Extracted from grapes during the harvest, this mist soothes, refreshes and moisturises the skin at any time of the day. Preservative-free. Fragrance-free. No need to blot after spraying.  The mist is so light, it doesn't leave your skin drenched, but instead it instantly cools and refreshes on contact.  This mist costs £6 for 75ml.

Benefit ultra radiance facial re-hydrating mist* not only looks stunning in the bottle, but it instantly refreshes, revives, soothes and moisurises. Using the exclusive tri-radiance complex to deliver immediate & long-term hydration. Contains magnesium PCA and white & blue lotus extracts, known for their relaxing properties and to help skin combat stress. This mist costs £20.50 for 133.1ml.

Vichy Mineral-Rich Thermal Spa Water* is a unique water well-known for its fortifying and soothing properties. Filtered through volcanic layers, Vichy Thermal Spa Water is naturally enriched with 15 minerals and 13 trace elements. Vichy Thermal Spa Water is recognised by the French Academy of Medicine and has been shown to hydrate and soothe the feel of the skin in order to fortify the skin's natural protective function. This mist costs £7 for 150ml.

Evian Brumisateur Facial Spray, a lightweight mist enriched with essential mineral salts. The spray contains pure Evian mineral water from the Alps, which is free from chemical treatments, has a neutral pH, and is hypoallergenic. Each spray releases several million micro-droplets for hydrated and instantly refreshed skin, and can be used at any time of day by the entire family.  This mist costs £2.99 for 50ml.

I never go anywhere without having a mist spray with me, whether it is at home, in my handbag or on my desk at work, they are invaluable to have and incredibly hydrating, soothing, cooling and refreshing.  A tip - keep the mist in the fridge so it is extra cooling.

Do you use a facial mist? 

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise

Benefit ASOS Exclusive Contouring Kit

ASOS is possibly not the first place you think of when it comes to Beauty, but it should definitely be somewhere you consider. If like me you love Benefit Cosmetics, then this Contouring Kit which is exclusive to ASOS is a fantastic deal.

The contouring Kit by Benefit features a five piece kit which, as you can see, contains:

• 2 x boi-ing Concealer: I have shades 1 and 2 within this kit with 1 being light and 2 being light/medium. What I love about Boi-ing is its ability to conceal and camouflage dark circles without creasing under the eye. It can also be used to conceal minor imperfections and discoloration again without creasing. These are two full sized 1.3g pots.

• Dandelion Shy Beam Highlighter: This is a liquid highlighter and again, I adore it having had a few sample sizes.  It is a soft-matte, nude pink highlighter which is said to put the most natural-looking spotlight and is perfect for strobing. This is a full sized 10ml bottle.

• Hoola Bronzer: I have used Hoola for absolute years and it is one of the first products (along with You Rebel) that I bought. Hoola is a matte warm tan bronzing powder which you can double up as an eyeshadow and it comes with its own little brush! This is full sized.

• the POREfessional PRO Balm: - Quickly minimize the appearance of pores & fine lines for smoother-than-smooth skin!  You can apply the balm which is really lightweight alone, under or over makeup. It is a translucent formula which contains a vitamin E derivative known to protect skin from free radicals.  Within the kit, you get a 7.5ml luxury sample tube.

All of these bought separately would cost in the region of £85 and with ASOS they cost just £43 which is a massive saving and goes back to my first point of why you should not only shop around when purchasing your beauty items, but do look to ASOS for some absolute bargains!

*this post contains PR samples unless indicated otherwise