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Archive for the ‘Editor’s Secrets’ Category
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
 I was unsure about New CID Cosmetics i-glow when I first tried it. I have the Coral Crush shade, which in the pan is quite an intimidating hot pinkish coral shot through with loads of golden shimmer. It’s a baked product so the powder is very find, but it’s very, very sparkly and I was worried that too much on this would give me OTT glitter face.
Still, I decided to give it a go as the colour is very pretty, and used a big brush to sweep it onto the fleshy parts of my cheeks, with a bit of my usual Benefit Dallas swept below for contouring. I was surprised, looking in the mirror, how natural and pretty it looked. Rather than looking caked-on, it gives more of a soft glow. Because the baked powder is super-fine, I think most skins will be able to get away with all the shimmer particles , as it’s more light reflecting than glittery.
I was even more surprised on meeting up with friends when one – who sees me at least once a week – said instantly, “You’ve done something different with your makeup, you have something a bit extra, it looks nice!”
This was the best compliment, because my favourite kind of makeup is the stuff that makes you look better, but is hard to identify. I always call it ‘your face, but better’ makeup. It’s lovely when someone says “Your eyeshadow’s pretty,” or “I love that lipstick!” but even better when they think you look great but can’t put their finger on why (because then you can always just say “oh, no, I’ve just been eating well and taking care of myself” and pretend that glow is 100% natural!). So three cheers to New CID for taking something that looks scary and making it incredibly wearable. This is going straight to the top of my blusher pile for a quick skin fix!
i-glow Compact Shimmer Powder £24 at New CID Cosmetics
Tags: blush, coral, coral crush, glitter, gold, highlighter, New CID Cosmetics, QVC, shimmer, shimmer powder
Posted in Editor's Secrets | 1 Comment »
Thursday, May 12th, 2011
 After my old favourite from Elizabeth Arden got discontinued, I’ve been on the lookout for a fresh-scented, fairly gritty body scrub that doesn’t contain loads of oils that I can use before applying self tan. Lots of the tanning brands make them, but they’re always hugely overpriced for what they are and smell a bit rubbish.
But a recent press event came to my rescue when I discovered Champneys’ new Watermint Body Scrub. It’s really fresh and minty, but it doesn’t smell like toothpaste, it’s a little sweeter than that and would be great to use in the morning or after a workout at the gym for a bit of a refresh!
It has enough gritty bits to really slough off all the dry skin, but it leaves none of the oily residue you find with richer scrubs – so while you may need to moisturise afterwards under normal circumstances, it makes a great pre-fake tan scrub.
It’s also affordable – a snip at £6 from Boots. I’d definitely recommend this if you’re bored of paying over the odds for a scrub that does the job!
Tags: body scrub, champney, fake tan prep, fresh, invigorating, watermint
Posted in Editor's Secrets | No Comments »
Friday, May 6th, 2011
With all the fuss and hype surrounding Urban Decay’s Naked palette, it’s easy to forget that there are actually lots of other gorgeous nude offerings out there if you know where to look.
Pixi’s Nude Shade Wardrobe is a perfect alternative if you don’t like the heavy shimmer of the UD offerings. A little softer and pinker in tone, a lot of the colours in this set can be used as blushers as well as eyeshadows, and they’re designed and packaged so that you can use them solo, or run the brush over any area of the palette for a blended shade.
The textures get great reviews, and the mix of light and dark shades are brilliant for creating highlight and shadow, so if you fancy yourself as a bit of an eyeshadow artiste, the possibilities are endless. I love the look of the right hand side with its subtle shimmers and sexy smouldering shades. Perfect for a simple smoky eye (without ever looking like you’ve been punched in the face).
Pixi Nude Shade Wardrobe £18.50 at PixiBeauty.co.uk
Tags: blushers, eyeshadows, kits, multi-use, nude shade wardrobe, palette, pixi, urban decay naked
Posted in Beauty Tips, Editor's Secrets | No Comments »
Thursday, May 5th, 2011
 I’ve banged on about my puffy eyes many times, so it’ll probably come as no surprise to you that one of my favourite secret weapons is a caffeine-infused eye roll-on that instantly cools, tightens and de-puffs.
Now, I’m smart enough to know that most of the power in this Garnier bestseller is in little more than the cold metal rollerball applicator. For all I know, the liquid inside might just be water (though Garnier say it’s enriched with caffeine and Pro-vitamin B5). But the power of this is not in long-term results or a deeply scientific moisturising complex, it’s in that lovely instant cooling sensation you get on application.
I use this religiously on days when even keeping my eyes open is a struggle. It works wonders to make you look a bit more fresh-faced the morning after the night before, and after a long flight it’s great for perking up the skin around the eyes. The visual results are not hugely dramatic, but you feel an instant difference. Cooling and soothing, it’ll at least make you feel more awake, even if it doesn’t have long-lasting results.
Keep an eye out for offers instore and definitely think about picking one of these up if you know you’ve got some late nights coming up!
Garnier Caffeine Eye Roll-On £10.20 at Boots
Tags: caffeine, cooling eye gel, eye roll on, garnier, puffy eyes
Posted in Editor's Secrets | No Comments »
Thursday, April 28th, 2011
I recently misplaced my favourite facial scrub (the amazing Origins Modern Friction) so my skin’s been looking a little dull as a result. Refusing to buy more when I know I have half a tub floating round somewhere, I grabbed this product from my stash. It’s from Tesco’s Skin Wisdom range, and has been compared to my Origins favourite in the past. But with the benefit that it is a lot more affordable.
My pot was a production sample so it may have changed slightly before hitting the shelves, but what you get for your £6 is a good sized pot of a pinkish coloured facial scrub. It smells fruity and fresh, a bit like a berry yoghurt, and the texture is quite creamy and rich. That said, the scrubby bits (technical term there!) are much bigger and more abrasive than I’m used to. A little of this goes a very long way, so if you’re going to use it, use it sparingly and go easy on the bits of your face that need less exfoliation.
I’ve been using the scrub twice a week for a couple of weeks now, and it’s definitely helped to revive my skin and stop it looking so dull. I don’t like it as much as my Origins because it feels slightly more abrasive and I don’t know if my skin really needs something so harsh. That said, it has definitely helped to slough away any dead skin and keep me looking as radiant as possible and it’s an absolute bargain because you need a tiny amount per use. I’ll definitely continue to use it if the results remain as good as they currently are.
If you’re on a budget and looking for a face scrub that’ll really make a difference, I’d definitely give this one the thumbs up, but only if you’re skin isn’t sensitive. If you know you react badly to harsh scrubs, give it a wide berth and go for something gentler.
As an aside, it’s also brilliant for removing fake tan stains off hands and I’ve been using it post-application to make sure I don’t end up with brown fingers!
The Skin Wisdom range is available at Tesco stores nationwide.
Tags: cheap alternative, Face Scrub, microdermabrasion, origins modern friction, skin wisdom, Tesco
Posted in Editor's Secrets | No Comments »
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