GUCCI PREMIER PERFUME

After ripping open the gift wrap in what can only be regarded as indescribable excitement, I knew this would be love at first sight.  Gucci Premiere Eau de Parfum is in high demand and in so many wish-lists, but as a luxury purchase, I thought I would write a mini review for you all.

So, let's talk packaging. On receiving this product, whether it is a gift to yourself or from a family member or friend you will be in awe of the beautiful packaging. If you are anything like myself the packaging is as equally important as the product itself. It is important not to judge a book by it's cover, but, you will be right on track. The box has a Gatsby feel, with a champagne colour and the double G symbols creating a unique pattern. The gold theme runs through onto the perfume bottle which is a reflective golden bottle with an attached decorative charm on the neck of the perfume bottle. Again, the Gucci signature is on the bottle stopper, and gives an immediate luxurious feel.

So, onto the most important part. The scent.  Scents are unique to each person, but what I can say about this perfume is that it is a sophisticated scent: If you are one for fruit scents this is probably not for you. This scent is rather woods, giving a musky tone, yet with citrus undertones from the orange blossom and bergamot. This is a feminine, natural yet sophisticated scent that people from the age of 21+ would appreciate. I am drawn to this fragrance for more glamorous occasions, which is mimicked in the extravagant packaging and alluring scent.

We have the 75ml which retails at £77.00 from Debenhams, so make sure you read this review and get a tester before you buy. This is also available at most department stores.

How do you rate the perfume??? 

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TEAR DROP GEM NECKLACE

Ooh La La....

We love this elegant necklace, which is perfect to wear for spring summer, although we will probably wear this all year round. It is beautifully designed, with on trend turquoise beads, and diamante tear drops. This is something that can be worn to spice up a plain outfit, and can be worn casually or for an occasion. It is light weight, with pastel shades that suits most skin tones.  This beautifully structured necklace is found in Peacocks  for only £7.00. I know a bargain when I see one, and this is definitely it. For those of you living in the UK looking for a cute, yet striking accessory for summer that will match most outfits this is one for you!

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CLARINS LIQUID BRONZE FACIAL TANNER

If you are anything like me, your face has to play catch up to your body when tanning. This is mainly due to wearing SPF daily, or maybe my face is less prone to tanning than my body! Luckily I do have olive undertones to my skin due to my Italian roots, but a bit of added help to even out my tan is always useful!

The Clarins liquid bronze self tanning lotion for your face, neck and décolleté is great, as it evens out your skin tone, and even after the first application gives a natural sun-kissed glow. Unlike most self-tanning products this does not have the typical biscuity scent and is rather subtle and pleasant. Only a small amount - the size of a 10p piece should be applied onto a cotton pad, and swept onto the face, neck and décolleté. I do this after my normal night time routine, and by morning the transformation will be revealed, and you will have a summery glow to die for!   This solution is great as it is virtually fragrance free, easy to apply, and streak free. Also it doesn't cause additional break outs, and is great for all skin types. I use this three times a week for a consistent olive look to match the rest of my body, but a little does go a long way. For naturally paler skin tones this could be used twice a week.

 

Clarins Liquid Bronze Self tanning Lotion can be bought here via Debenhams at 125ml/£18.00, which is pretty awesome as only the smallest amount is needed for that back from a lazy weekend away glow.

 

What are your favourite Tanning products?

 

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MISSHA SIGNATURE EXTREME COVER CONCEALER SPF 30/PA ++

I bought this concealer sometime ago now, as it is supposed to be the perfect match to my  Missha BB cream that I use and I was in need of a heavy duty concealer. This product is available in two different shades: #21 and #23 which suit pale to medium tanned skin. The concealer contains brightening focus powder which is popular in Korean products, as it brightens skin tone, hides dark circles, and even out hyper-pigmentation. The Concealer is also incredibly long lasting with a rather impressive full coverage due to the amino acid pigment.

The concealer is packaged beautifully giving an impression of a high-end product - Not too dissimilar to the cream YSL blush pots. The container looks like it is made from glass but it is actually plastic, so it will not smash if you accidentally drop it – which is lucky for me!  The lid is embossed with a floral pattern of the Missha logo, which is very striking. This will certainly be the best looking product in your makeup kit. An added bonus to this heavy duty, creamy, beautifully packaged concealer is the golden concealer brush that accompanies the product, and even better - it is a fantastic brush!

Some of the main ingredients in this product are ingredients: fullerene, skin liquid lamellar sheet, amino acid coating pigment, butter complex: shea butter, cupuacu butter, cocoa butter; white flower complex and tea complex. This is great as they are mostly natural skin loving ingredients.

The concealer feels velvety and rich in texture which blends perfectly, however I don't think it is suitable for all skin types. I personally found that when my skin is particularly dry, the concealer looked slightly cakey and does not blend nicely, emphasising any dry areas. If you have very dry skin then you should use a moisturiser such as Oilatum before use. Also as you can see from the swatch picture, the concealer is rather peachy/ yellowy undertone which is excellent for balancing out any red patches or spots that may be on your skin.

Before Concealer                               After Concealer

You can find this product online here: http://cosmetic-love.com/   at a retail price of £13.15 including postage. Some people may find this product slightly on the pricey side, but I believe it is well worth the money and would be a staple in your makeup collection.

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ALPHA-H LIQUID GOLD

So this modest looking container contains what I personally consider to literally be liquid gold!

The Liquid Gold solution contains a safe amount of Glycolic Acid - fear not: You will not wake up with flaking skin on your pillow as a result of a DIY acid peel. Rather the opposite in fact. You will wake with glowing skin, with an improved appearance in tone, and texture, and minimised pores. This form of chemical exfoliation is more beneficial than manual exfoliants which are too harsh on the skin, and are not recommended. With long term use, it has also improved hyper pigmentation and acne scaring, as a result of the most severe form of acne in my teens. To look back and reflect on the condition of my skin when I was 14, to the affects of medication from dermatologists, which left hyper pigmentation and severe scaring, to now - the results are incredible. The great thing about this product is even after the first use instant results are visible, unlike other products where there may only be a slight difference over the space of several months.

When using the product it is important to have thoroughly cleansed skin, free of any other product. Pour a small amount of the solution onto a cotton wool pad and gently wipe this over your face and décolleté, avoiding the eye and lip area. The first thing I expect you to notice, or at least I certainly did, is the odd tingling sensation - it's almost as though you can feel the dead surface skin cells being broken down. I have recommended this product to my friends, some of whom have sensitive skin and they found the product did not irritate their skin at all, and were astounded at the morning after results.

As I have said, this product has been in my skin care routine for years now, but it is strange to think that so many people out there have not heard of this skin care marvel! If any of you out there do, or have suffered with acne, you will know how annoying trying to cover scaring and hyper pigmentation is, but with continual use I can guarantee that this product will erase such effects. And what is even more impressive is that a subtle BB cream is all I now need, rather than coatings of foundation, derma-blend and powder.

This product isn't suitable for teenage skin. I started to use this product when I turned 20 and I have never looked back. It is important though, to maintain a good skincare regime moisturising day and night in-between Alpha-h treatments. I use this products 2-3 evenings a week, and use serums and moisturisers in-between. Also after using Alpha-h it is important to wear SPF when in the sun, as the very top layer of your skin has been shed, and you may easily burn.

You can buy this product online at http://www.beautybay.com/  Liquid Gold retails at £31.50 for a 100ml bottle, or £44.95 for a 200ml bottle. There is free shipping world wide, so spread the word and get your hands on this skin care must have! You will never look back.

It would be great to hear from you and about your skin care experience with Alpha-h or other products.

 

Steph :)

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DOVE NOURISHING OIL CARE THERAPY

This Dove Nourishing Oil Care is one of our new favourite products, because it does exactly what it claims! I had always used hair oils to help protect my hair, but have always been rather sceptical about leave in conditioners, especially as we both have fine hair.  But this is our new holy-grail product. Our hair felt great, and the light weight solution meant it did not weight down our hair making it look limp, lifeless and lacklustre.

 

This is a great product containing Nutri-oils with almond, coconut and argan oil to smooth and condition your hair keeping it soft to touch all day long. The mix of oil and conditioner is perfect for all hair types and even better for softening the appearance and condition of heat damaged hair: I know it made my split ends feel smoother and look healthier. Another thing I love about this product is that it is so incredibly easy to use, so it's great if you are on the go. All you need to do is simply shake the bottle so the oil and conditioner combine, and spray onto wet or dry hair, although for extra nourishment it is best to spray onto dry hair between washes.

 

This product also smells amazing! and even better, it lasts in your hair for a good part of the day, so not only does our hair look health and conditioned, but smells gorgeously too, so you'll be bound to get compliments from your friends! They may even get the little green eyed monster on their shoulder until they buy the product themselves :D

You can purchase this conditioner at any Boots near you at only £3.59, so go grab a bargain while you can!!!
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LA ROCHE-POSSAY EFFCLAR DUO

Miracle Product?

La Roche-Possay's Effaclar Duo is a formula created to reduce the effects of acne by unclogging blocked pores. After reading extensive reviews in the beauty world with positive product feedback, we had rather high expectations that this treatment would solve our skin dilemmas, and would be the miracle product that we have been searching for!

 

 

This product is rather inexpensive at £13.00 for 40ml. The packaging is minimalist, and classic with a white base and blue detailing. The design feature of including a thin nozzle for product application means that using the product is quick, easy, precise and hygienic. It also has a great formula that dissolves into your skin immediately without feeling sticky, and doesn't have a strong fragrance.

 

Ingredients in this product include Niacinamide and Piroone Olamine, which reduce localalised imperfections and prevent future breakouts by purifying the skin. Lincoleic Acid also aids in unclogging pores, with thermal spring water preventing irritation.

Our Results: My sister and I have trialled this product for months now, and we are sad to say that it has not worked for us. At all. In fact, we found that the treatment caused further long-lasting breakouts and pimples. After using the product daily for five months now, it is safe to say that this product is not for us, and our mild acne has only been made worse. This product is not for us; however it may be that miracle product for people who have small blemishes rather than a mild form of acne.

 

If you have used this product then we would love you to share your results and how you found the experience with us in the comments area below  :)

This product is available to by here: http://www.boots.com/en/La-Roche-Posay-Effaclar-Duo-40ml_1002787/

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BARRY M GELLY HI-SHINE NAIL PAINTS (POMEGRANATE AND PAPAYA)

 

After thoroughly testing the range if Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine nail paints, we are incredibly impressed, and it's time to tell you our findings of this high street steal at only £3.99. Our likes for summer include the stunningly vibrant pinky-red shade that is pomegranate, and the strikingly cool shade of papaya from the Gelly Hi-Shine collection.

 

 This product transforms your typical manicure into a high impact gel look. The consistency is particularly opaque, and with darker shades such as pomegranate and blackberry only one coat is needed. The pastel shades however are fantastic as a soft pastel finish is seen with just one coat, but for more impact two coats give a vibrant effect for summer, such as papaya which is transformed from a light peach to an eye-catching vivid orange shade. The product is fast drying and does not easily chip, lasting approximately 4-5 days. So, if you are short for time and want a quick nail fix, you will absolutely love the Gelly Hi-Shine range. We would suggest using a base coat as without the formula is rather tricky to remove.

Pomegranate

Papaya 

We are  incredibly impressed with the collection, and especially the price tag. We know a high street steal when we see one and this is definitely it. There are many shades in this collection ranging from soft pastel shades to punch vibrant shades perfect for spring summer so check it out. These polishes are available at Boots and Superdrug.

 

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MISSHA PERFECT COVER BB CREAM

BB cream’s or blemish balm’s are the new craze that everybody wants to get involved in. And why not? This multi-purpose product works as a serum, moisturiser, primer, foundation and SPF, which is great for people on the go.

 

Authentic Korean BB creams including, Missha Perfect Cover is completely differ to western formulations. This product gives a buildable medium-full coverage look, without looking 'cakey', due to its light weight texture. Normally I would apply the product at 7am, and at 8.30pm the coverage is still rather impressive.

This product is suitable for a broad range of skin types, including acne prone, oily skin, to sensitive, drying skin for young and mature skin types. My sister and I have combination blemish prone skin, so we personally found the "mattifying, whitening, scar reducing, pore minimising" claims the most interesting. After using this product for almost a year now, I can confidently say that I haven’t noticed my acne scars to fade at all, nor a whitening effect. However this product causes no irritation, covers break outs and if anything suppresses them, whilst combating oily skin and minimising the appearance of pores. 

 

The Missha bb cream comes in 3 different shades, #13 very bright, #21 bright, and #23 Natural and calm. The bb cream I use is #21 Bright and is the perfect shade, whilst Steph uses shade #23. The bb creams may only come in 3 colours but picking a shade to fit your skin colour is not a problem. The product initially appears as a grey mask on application, but don’t be alarmed: Within a few minutes the product oxidises and matches your skin colour perfectly.

 

The 50ml product is in a convenient pump bottle. However when you think you have finished the contents of your bb cream, think again! Cut off the top and scrape out the remains – I have found a further 2 week application from this alone!

Comparing this bb cream to western brands such as Garnier and No7, this gives a very natural, matt finish, whereas I personally found that the western brands had an unnatural orange tone and left the skin looking greasy, with poor coverage.

The Korean product can be purchased online from  http://cosmetic-love.com retailing at £9.78 with postage, which is great value compared to some high street products because of the brilliant coverage and lasting power.

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