Benefit Christmas, all wrapped up in love!

I don't like to say the C-word so early in the year but needs must and I hope when you read this post you'll start to get excited about the season.

Benefit Cosmetics have launched what I think, and I know they think, are their best Christmas sets yet. Perfect for newbies and addicts alike there is a great range of products at a budget to suit everyone.

I had the pleasure of attending the launch of their Christmas sets in their new store in Carnaby Street, London. The store is amazing and is the flagship branch for their new blow-dry bar, it also offers waxing, tanning and shellac manicures. Added to that the salon and treatment area is tucked away from the rest of the store and there is access to a champagne bar and nibbles while you pamper.

I was lucky enough to be sent home with two of the 14 sets available this year, Primed for Lovin’ and Crescent Row.

Two of the gift sets this year are housed in storage tins that are also stackable. Primed for Lovin’ is the larger of the two tins and contains three full sized products, They're Real, High Beam and Porefessional as well as a mini ultra plush lip gloss in the shade Sugarbomb. The tin costs £44.50 and is great value considering that most of the items retail for around £23.

The Crescent Row Set contains four miniture fragrances, one of which is the newest addition to the collection, Noella. At £29.50, the price of one full size perfume, the set is great value for money.

Another set that caught my eye was Little Love Potions, which contains a selection of mini  bestsellers, ideal as an introduction to the brand or for anyone who likes to have minitures to keep in their handbag.

The set includes Porefessional,  It's Potent, High Beam, Posietint, Stay Don’t Stray, Watt’s Up, Bad Gal Lash, That Gal and Hoola lip gloss. This set retails at £29.50 and I’m sure I’ll be heading out to add this to my collection soon.

All the sets are available now and are limited edition. The most limited being the very exciting Countdown to Love Advent Calendar. There was a giant calendar displayed at the event, which I think every blogger stared at for a while thinking ‘I wish’.

Featuring 24 miniature Benefit goodies, the calendar will be available to buy on 2 November, no doubt only for that day, from Debenhams stores and select Benefit Boutiques. The Benefit ladies stressed that they were extremely limited edition and that some stores would only have 10 so I suggest if you want one to get that date in your diary for a trip to a store.

Finally if that wasn’t enough Benefit have two new products to showcase too, but for now I will leave you with an image to whet your appetite and I will be back with a full review soon.

Check out the website, here, and let me know, what is on your Benefit lust list?

Sweet Bird of Youth and Let’s Go Lashes

A couple of weeks ago I was selected as one of 30 lucky bloggers to watch Sweet Bird of Youth at The Old Vic with Amazing PR and Let’s Go Lashes.

After arriving at the theatre the Lets Go Lashes team applied faux lashes for us and we all got to mingle and chat as we waited for the show to start.

The lashes used were from the Let’s Go Striplash Tease range, number 4, which are half lashes and cost £8.95. 

One of the things I love about these lashes in particular is that they add length and volume to the outside corners of the lashes, looking glamourous yet natural. 

Half-lashes are also that much easier to apply yourself. Lash application for me usually involves a lot of growling and cursing but I have managed to apply the lashes without too much fuss since the night. I was told after removing to peel off the glue and store the lashes to use another time. I have used them three times in total now and I think I still have a few uses left.  

The show itself was amazing and although I understand that it is sold out if you do have the chance to go I would highly recommend it. I didn’t know the story line before attending and made a point of not reading about it to keep it a surprise.

The play is by Tennessee Williams and tells the story of Chance Wayne when he returns to his home town as the accompaniment of movie star, Alexandra Del Lago — played by Kim Cattrall — who he hopes to use to help him break into the movies business and ultimately get back what he had in his youth, his girlfriend.

The play explores the idea of youth and celebrity and even though it was written in the 50s, the themes are relatable today. Apart from the acting and the story, the stage itself was beautiful and the movement between the scenes was done in a very clever way.

I want to give a huge thank you to Amazing PR and Let’s Go Lashes for allowing me to attend and to Let’s Go Lashes again for getting me over my fear of lash application!

If you wear false lashes do you prefer the natural or dramatic look? And if you have any play recommendations, pop those in the comments below too.

Discover Nuxe

I was invited to an event to Discover Nuxe, which was perfect because apart from seeing their products on shelves in Dubai didn't know anything about them. 

Nuxe is a French natural origin cosmetology brand that has been around since the end of the 1980s. It has its own research and development labs and numerous patented ingredients, which is something that really impresses me. 

At the event were walked through their product range, each designed for either a different skin type/concern and had the chance to feel the products and take in the lovely scents while admiring the new artwork designed to complement the range.

In terms of stand out, must try products, I loved the sounds of the Nuxellence youth and radiance revealing fluid and the Creme Fraiche beauty mask. The Reve de Miel (honey) lip balm also felt great on the lips and was much more nourishing than any lip product I have tried before. 

One of Nuxe’s most famous products is the Huile Prodigieuse, multi-purpose dry oil, which can be applied to face, body and hair.

I've been using this recently and have been surprised by the versatility and how much I like it. I love oils generally but I tend to save them for night time use. Because this is a dry oil means there is no greasy feeling and it dries quickly so I've been able to get dressed straight away without the oil transferring to my clothes.

The smell is gorgeous and I have used this on my legs to moisturise and on my hair to add shine. I have also tried it as a hair mask by applying it to my roots and wrapping my hair in a towel for a few hours before shampooing. After washing my hair felt softer than it has felt it in a long time so I will definitely be using the oil like this again. You can also mix in the oil with your normal moisturiser or foundation to give a smooth and nourished base.

The spritz is quite powerful and I would recommend spraying close to the skin or directly onto your hands and then rubbing where ever you need otherwise you will get a light layer of oil all over the bathroom floor! 

There is also a shimmer version of the oil available. I squirted a little too much on my hand at the event but with the right amount the shimmer would provide a very pretty glow and would be perfect with a tan or for use on sunny days.

You can see Nuxe's full product range and find out more about the brand on their newly launched website. 

I'd love to know, how did you discover Nuxe? 

Marks and Spencer spring beauty 2013

I have to admit the Marks and Spencer beauty hall has largely gone unnoticed by me, I’ve always appreciated M&S for their food and designer clothing selections but have never spent too much time browsing beauty. After attending the M&S Spring Beauty event this week, I realised just how much more it has to offer.

 

 

What impressed me most was the quality and variety of brands that M&S are now stocking, including REN, Pur Minerals, Glam Glow, Nuxe, Diego Della Palma and Leighton Denny.

I'm going to point out just a few of the things that really caught my eye at the event. First of all for kids/young girls was the Hello Kitty range of products with a cute London theme.

They also had a young girls makeup range, which included bright, fun colours and these lipsticks with very cute heart shaped bullets.

Moving on to the “grown-up” selection, any one who has shopped at M&S for a while will be familiar with the Autograph range of products. The product that grabbed me the most was an eyeshadow palette, which looks very much inspired by the Urban Decay Naked palette. I did have an “ooooh” moment when I got home and saw that one was contained in the goody bag, so I will of course have a review up soon.

Pur Minerals are a new brand to me, but as someone that loves mineral foundation, I was excited to see mineral primers/colour correctors and pressed eyeshadows.

I also got to have a manicure at the event and chose shade Dusky Pink from the Autograph collection. It is peach toned pink and is a perfect spring shade. I have been wearing the polish for four days and am only just getting wear at the tips, a very impressive result.

Apart from the small selection I have showed, there are also new perfumes, a baby product range and lots of skin and body care as well as self tan to be found in the beauty hall. What do you think of the selection and will you be checking it out next time you are near a M&S?

#bbloggersXmas

Before Christmas I attended a beauty bloggers event organised by Lola Star Hearts and Vik Beauty held at the Reebok bar in Canary Wharf. The event was about networking with bloggers and PRs and there was also the opportunity to see product demonstrations.

There were plenty of sweet treats on offer too and generally the idea was to have a chilled out and fun time. I had a lovely hand massage from the Aromatherapy Associates team and spoke to the ladies from Slendertone about a machine specifically designed for the face to tighten and firm the facial muscles to help with anti-ageing and skin condition in general.

On top of all this there was also a beauty quiz and Twitter competitions for a chance to win various goodies. I was lucky enough to win one competition giving me a three month subscription to Jolie Box, which I plan on activating in the new year!

Finally we all went away with huge goody bags filled with products from brands including, Inika, Sleek, Bad Apple, Lush, Magnifibres, Make Believe, Lee Stafford, Macadamia Hair and more. I’ve already tucked into the bag, so expect to see reviews soon!

I really enjoyed the day and I hope that the ladies are planning on organising another in the near future!

#Merrybenechristmas — Benefit’s Christmas Party

Benefit held their first blogger Christmas party at Mary Jane's bar in London, which was a mix of beauty talk, festive food and drinks and of course makeovers! I have previously visited the Benefit headquarters, which was an amazing experience and I equally enjoyed this one.

On this occasion Benefit showcased their Christmas gift sets, which contain a mix of full sized and trial sized products. The gift sets are a great way of treating yourself and trying three or four products for a reduced price. They are also great for teenagers or those new to makeup.

One set that caught my eye was the Jet Set beauty collection (all the sets have a travel theme this year), which contains a mini sized Porefessional, four neutral eyeshadows (plus a sponge applicator), a blush/highlighter, lipgloss and mascara. In the past the sets have contained colours that I would not always use but since everyone loves a neutral palette, there is no danger of this palette going unloved.

We had a demonstration of the set and the look that could be achieved, which took less than 10 minutes! We were also told about Benefit’s achievements over the last year, including having two top 10 selling products, and that there will be lots of exciting products to come in 2013.

We were all lucky enough to walk away with some goodies including Porefessional and They're Real, which I have reviewed in the past.

The Christmas sets are all currently reduced on the Benefit website, so if you don’t have one waiting underneath the tree and want to treat yourself post-Christmas these are even more of a bargain.

Smashbox London — on location

To celebrate Smashbox Cosmetics re-launching in the UK exclusively in Boots, they hosted a Smashbox on location event in London last night.

I found out about it via Facebook and without really knowing what to expect hopped along after work to the location near Oxford Circus and entered a room filled with make-up, make-overs, photography booths and a chance for a phootshoot experience.

There was nothing not to love. I loved the photography filling the room and the corner dedicated to photos that were being uploaded to Instagram in real time.

Unfortunately the event finished at 7 and we didn’t get the chance to have a photoshoot or take advantage of the photo booths, but we did all get our eye makeup done and walk away with a goody bag filled with sample and full sized products!

If you would like to check out more photographs from the event check out the hash tag smashboxlondon on Instagram or Twitter.

#LiveBloggers event

Tuesday night I was fortunate enough to be invited along to the #LiveBloggers event organised by Grace (from All that slap) and Ewa (from SocialBeautify). The concept of the event was to get beauty bloggers together having a live bbloggers chat, interacting with one another as well as people on twitter.

The girls did such a great job in organising an intimate event where we could all meet and indulge in talking about beauty, makeup and blogging. I was glad to meet some of the people whose blogs and twitter accounts I have followed from the early days of my blog — including Epiphany A and Laura —  as well meeting lots of new bloggers.

One of the topics we discussed was our high end and low end best beauty buys and brands. In a future blog post I am going to compile my personal list of favourites but I did come away with a long wish list of products, which I know will be dangerous for my bank account!

As if the venue, food and event in itself wasn't enough we were also sent home with a huge bag of goodies, which you can be sure I will be reviewing soon. Of course I am most excited about a cleanser from a brand called Super Facialist, it has to be love right?

I didn’t do too badly with the tweeting but I completely failed when it came to taking pictures, one of the bloggers I met though, Julie from Sweets Are My Weakness, has done a fab write up of the event and included lots of pictures so I encourage you to visit her blog. 

In the mean time tweet me or leave a comment below telling me what your favourite high end and low end products are. 

Nazila Love Glamour meets Ghost the musical and a giveaway!

Last Friday I was one of 30 lucky bloggers invited to an event organised by Amazing PR to introduce Nazila Love Glamour glitz nails and watch Ghost the musical.

The event was at the Piccadilly Theatre, London, and started with the bloggers and their guests being led down to the bar where we were able to redeem a complimentary Godminster cocktail while we waited for our Nazila Love Glamour manicure.

The nail kits are amazing, each Nail Glitz packs contain 24 nails of different sizes and designs, which you can combine to create your unique manicure. Dubbed the “ghost nails” the nails are black and silver and have 3D bows, diamante and chains attached. They are very striking on and I although I had the full set some of the staff wore accent nails, which also looked very effective.

They are very long but I was told by Nazila herself that you can just cut and file the nails down to the length you prefer. I love the shape of these nails so I would be reluctant to cut them down but I may try filing those that I can starting at the back of the nail so that I don’t lose the shape.

After getting the manicure and having a chat with some fellow beauty bloggers we headed to our seats to watch Ghost. I have to admit, having seen the film, I wasn’t sure how it could be adapted to the theatre but the action scenes and special effects were amazing and I really enjoyed the show.

As if all that wasn’t enough, after the show we were all invited on stage and met the two leading members of the cast! You can check them on YouTube.

GIVE-AWAY!!

As a bonus I have been offered the chance to give-away a pair of tickets to see Ghost the musical to one lucky blog reader. Entering is simple, leave a comment with “enter me” on this post, including an email address or twitter handle that I can contact you on if you are the winner!

There are a few rules (please see the full terms and conditions below):

The prize on offer is two tickets to see Ghost the musical for a showing on Monday-Thursday until 13 September 2012. 

1. You can only enter once
2. You must be aged 18 or over and be a UK resident.
3. The giveaway will run for two weeks closing at midnight on 8th June. I will then select a winner using random.org and contact them within 48 hours. The winner will then have 48 hours to reply or another winner will be selected.

Check out my Facebook page for more pictures of the event and the ghost nails!

Good luck! 

Terms & Conditions

• This competition is free to enter and no purchase is necessary. Only one entry per person.
• Entrants to this competition must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK.
• The competition prize includes: 2 tickets to Ghost The Musical valid Monday-Thursday until 13^th September.
• The immediate families of the blog offering the competition are not entitled to enter.
• milktwosugars Limited reserves the right to amend and/or withdraw the competition at any time without prior notice.
• The blog editor will randomly select a winner from all valid entries.
• No cash option or alternative to prizes offered.
• The winners will be notified by the blog editor following the closing date of the competition.
• Entrants will be deemed to have accepted these rules and to agree to be bound by them.
• The judge's decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
• The promoter of the competition is milktwosugars Limited.