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[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I’m not going to bother with a Friday Treat this week – it’s Black Friday so the whole of the internet is full of treats! I can’t compete. I’ve got mixed feelings about Black Friday – it’s really, really tough on small brands and retailers who feel they have to compete but will struggle […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] So, as promised, I’m back with the beautiful L’Occitane gifting options – urgh, I can’t believe I called these presents ‘gifting options’ – I’ve been here too long! My family loves L’Occitane – from my 89 year old dad to my sister to my kids so from over the years, I feel like I could sit […]
[unpaid/purchase/affiliate] It’s not the first time I’ve posted on Instagram about Victoria Beckham Satin Kajals and a couple of people have said theirs crumbled or broke or they simply just didn’t understand it because it was smudgy and not precise. I’ve got several of the Satin Kajals, some of which have been press samples and […]
[unpaid/sample] You can’t go too far wrong with Delilah, a homegrown beauty brand that I’ve been a fan of for years. I remember them at the very beginning. They’re ten this year so this three piece Beauty Heroes set is something of a marker of how far they’ve come in a decade, featuring Lip Saviour, […]
[purchase/affiliate] I love picking up products from Asia, especially if they’ve gone viral on social media channels, like this Curling Iron mascara from Judy Doll, a Chinese brand. The premise of it is that by using the ‘curling iron’ applicator, your lashes will hold their curl all day – but only if you curl them […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] While it’s true that I’m very bored of beauty advent calendars, there’s always one that’s something of a star – it’s one I feature every year but somehow the month has run away with me and I see that L’Occitane is out of stock. While I temporarily panicked, I’ve done a quick search and […]
[affiliate] First up, what is ‘reedling’? It’s a popular Korean beauty trend that uses micro-sized particles that act like micro-needles when worked into the complexion via a serum. They’re made from natural sea sponge and they’re called spicules. These spicules (made up of silica and calcium) create minute punctures in your skin similar to a […]
If you have a big entrance to make, head over to H&M for this insanely lush and glamorous coat. I tried it on at the Regent Street branch on Tuesday and other women were walking past me saying, ‘that looks amazing on you..’ and honestly, that has never happened before. It’s everything snow queen and […]
Current Body is going all in with Black Friday deals and as I work with them quite often, I wanted to make sure that you get the 20% off for the Current Body RF Skin Tightening Device. I’ve tested it properly over a period of weeks (the post is HERE) but as a brief recap, […]
Whenever I find a skin care product that I really like, the nature of this job is that I have to move on to make space to test and try other products. It’s honestly never happened before that I’ve worked with a brand and then continued to use the product for months after the initial […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I’ve avoided posting about Advent calendars other than a quick top ten round up for the early birds last month because with the exception of a few (which you’ll start to see next week) I am bored with them! What I’m not bored of is 12 day advent style beauty boxes because practically speaking, […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I absolutely loved the Skin Rocks gel cleanser which preceded this new balm launch. In fact, I’d say it’s the best gel cleanser I’ve ever used. I’ve got more mixed feelings about the Skin Rocks Cleansing Balm because while it is a super cleansing balm, I am not sure if its £55 worth of super cleansing […]
[unpaid/sample] Look Good Feel Better is a charity beloved by the beauty industry – they run wellbeing classes for women affected by cancer. I know several people who’ve genuinely benefitted from LGFB sessions that deal with changing physical appearance – it’s a very uplifting experience. The charity also runs specific classes for men and young […]
As you will have seen from previous posts, I’m a fan of ZIIP Halo for its easy to follow routines and instant radiance results as well as the longer term real effects. So much so that I’ve tested it out over an extended period of time not once, but twice (see previous posts HERE and […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] Last week, Dora and I headed to the Jo Malone London Christmas pop-up in Covent Garden which is in situ until 24th November, at which time, it ups its very shiny and glamorous sticks and heads off to Edinburgh St James Quarter until 15th December. One of the good things (of many) about Dora […]
[unpaid/affiliate] I must admit that I was very excited about the M&S collaboration with Bella Freud but in the event, it was a bit of a damp squib and I didn’t buy anything at all. The slogan sweatshirts that Bella is famous for were just nothing-y and not nearly edgy enough to be cool. Same […]
As ever, the minute I publish a BBN, something exciting happens and last month was no different as Unilever announced that they are selling both REN (one of my favourite brands ever, far too expensive though) and Kate Somerville. Actually, this was announced at the end of August which means I have missed two months […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I am asked questions about tubing mascara more than any other category of make-up except perhaps foundation – whether it’s simply asking which I think is the best one, understanding how a tubing mascara differs from any other mascara or a tubing mascara for sensitive eyes…and the strange thing is, there really aren’t all […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] This QVC special offer is so good that it has a post of its own. With a price tag of £71.95, it contains £243 worth of products and really, I cannot argue in any way that it’s not an absolute bargain. As soon as I see the words ‘frangipane monoi’ I’m in bliss. This, […]
[unpaid/affiliate] I am not a fan of a cardigan in general – they make me look as though I’ve given up on life, so I don’t have many in my wardrobe. However, one of my favourite pieces of clothing is a black cashmere long cardigan with a hood which I got for a bargain price […]
[unpaid/sample] Life is spooky sometimes. When I was leaving The Clean & Tidy show at Excel with Gen last week, we passed a restaurant and I commented, ‘that’s where I had a coffee with Sam Farmer, years ago’. A few days later, Sam got in touch on Instagram to say he is back working full […]
[unpaid/affiliate] I know, from bitter experience, that the coveted Dolce Gabanna Panettone tins, with their vibrant patterns and delicious cakes, sell out very quickly indeed. These have served as perfect Christmas presents for friends and family in the past couple of years – I gave one each to my sisters/brothers-in-law last year and to the […]
[unpaid/sample] Every year – sometimes a couple of times a year – I flag up the gorgeous lip balms from Andrea Garland, a) because I’m good like that, and b) because there is such a variety I will never run out of new styles to show you. With the weather about to take a chilly […]
[unpaid/samples] Lisa’s latest lipsticks are a world first – honestly! All of the refill componentry is made from aluminium – not even a speck of plastic anywhere. She has apparently been trying to get this recyclable technology off the ground for five years and, as a relatively small brand in the big world of make […]
[unpaid/sample] It’s taken me nearly forever to get this review up – Cecred is Beyonce’s hair care range and bearing in mind that it is predominantly aimed at textured hair, I wanted my friend Amisha to test it out for me because, obviously, my hair is textured. It took a while to get together but […]
Watching: Rivals on Disney. My friend recommended it – I was certain I’d hate it – I absolutely LOVE it. Why? Absolute romp, the eighties outfits, Katherine Parkinson. Tip: Not in front of the children. Watched: Sweet Bobby on Netflix. Why? Beyond belief catfishing story. Tip: Popcorn. Listening: The Kill List Podcast. Why? Tech journalist […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I currently have a review queue for ash/grey haircare – having never been a hair care fan at all, I’m very much enjoying putting products I’ve never tried before through their paces. I reviewed Oribe last week, and this week, at the opposite end of the price spectrum is Provoke Go Ashy at £5.99 […]
[unpaid/samples/affiliate/ad] I tested a fragrance – Santal Beauty – earlier in the year from the brand Bibbi, founded by Swedish born Stina ‘Bibbi’ Seger and her husband, Jan Vilhelm Ahlgren in 2023. At the time, I said I’m too practically minded to join the whimsy that accompanies this brand where Bibbi practices meditation and can […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I must admit, I didn’t even know Espa existed any more – it’s one of those brands that was always in every magazine and Sunday supplement about a decade ago. The brand was founded in 1992 by industry veteran, Sue Harmsworth, and always had the sophisticated air of a heritage brand. Espa was sold […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] Like several Gen Z targeted brands, Kosas has accidentally made a great brand for Gen X and Boomers. Gen Z prefers a less-is-more approach and so do we! The thing about these brand new marbled blushers is that they’re being introduced to an audience who is seeing them for the first time. Baked blushers […]
[unpaid/affiliate] It’s interesting that silk lined beanies are mostly marketed towards textured or curly hair and that they’re not nearly as mainstream as they should be. My daughter bought me one a couple of years ago and I wouldn’t be without it for my mainly straightened locks. Hat hair is nobody’s friend and yet, it’s […]
My friend Joyce has been on a trip to the US recently and very kindly did some beauty shopping for me. She brought back these Olay Cleansing Melts and I’m sorry but they’re some kind of absolute magic! Apparently, a decade in the making, the melts are one of the cleverest beauty products I’ve seen. […]
This mini set from Lixir Skin was such a treat to trial. It’s designed to provide a full facial experience (you can do it from your sofa – I did) that is a real boost to the complexion. I love this idea – a facial in a bag filled with everything you need to do […]
[unpaid/sample] Well, this has been many, many months in the making, and full disclosure, the creator, Thom, is a good friend of mine and also the person responsible for keeping this site fully running. I know from my own production (soap) that getting exactly the right formula, the right packaging, the right tone of voice, […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I feel lucky this week that so far, everything I’ve reviewed has been so lovely. One of my secret pleasures is getting a new cleansing balm – that first carve through the surface is just so satisfying! Notably, this product comes with its own spatula which I always find helpful – balms are delicious […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] I’ve had such a good weekend of beauty testing – often the week is so hectic and it’s a bit of a juggle creating separate content for Instagram and paying Subs that it’s the only time I can really drill down with stuff that takes a little longer. So, I’ll kick off with Oribe […]
[unpaid/affiliate] A very quick Friday treat this week – somehow I’ve run out of time (and I was so organised at the start of the week!) to do a full post. I know I’ve covered all things leopard print, but there is a bit of me that has started to ‘need’ a leopard print tote. […]
[unpaid/sample] There’s a lot to be said for keeping things simple when it comes to skin care. The beauty market is so noisy and so busy that it’s hard to make choices – it seems there are so many areas to be improved 😉. Sensitive skin is something I’m often asked about – there was […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] One of the best modern beauty inventions is Blemish Dots – stickers impregnated with salicylic acid (at a minimum) that you apply over a spot to create an airless environment where healing can begin. Your spot can’t escape the salicylic acid which will penetrate oil glands and act as a chemical exfoliant on zits. […]
[unpaid/sample/affiliate/ad] About a decade ago, niche fragrances were something of a secret – these entrepreneurial noses were quietly honing their craft for people who wanted something more than what the high street had to offer. At a certain point, all high street fragrances started to smell the same – of cakes, basically – because the […]