The Body Shop Shea Shower Cream

The recent cold British weather has been playing havoc with my skin and especially my body, so I went on the hunt for products to help aid hydration. First up was The Body Shop Shea Shower Cream:
There isn't any need to ramble on too much about this product, it's a 'does what it says on the tin' kinda product, a rich lathering shower cream. The main ingredient in this product, as well as it's sister products, is shea butter known for it's ability to provide long lasting hydration to the skin. It is also full of essential fatty acids, a cocktail of antioxidants and vitamins A, D & E, as well as many other skin loving properties that are great for protecting and nourishing skin. Shea is a real 'super food' extract for skin, it great at preventing dehydration, protecting from pollution in the environment and aids the skins own ability to cope with harsh climates. So all the jumping from inside and out that we know messes with out skin is reduced with one little ingredient - impressive. If you have naturally dry skin or like me find that in winter you tend to have to reach for richer formulations, then this is a great shower product. The formulation is 'soap-free' so it won't dry out your skin, the shea cream does feel creamy as it lathers up. The slightly nutty scent is pleasant, not too strong but you certainly know what it is. Overall this surprised me at how well a shower product can go to providing hydration on it's own, paired with a body butter and you will feel silky smooth all day long. Definitely worth the price and will have it's place in the bathroom reserved from now on. 

Available from The Body Shop online here & in-store, priced at £4.00 for 250ml

Brighten up your nails with Nails Inc

Each season Nails Inc do a fabulous job at creating great colours that match the trends and sometimes a stand out nail colour can make a huge difference with the way your outfit will look. Clockwise from the top are: Covent Garden Place, New Oxford Street, Baker Street and St Johns Wood. I'm absolutely loving Covent Garden Place right now, I'm back into my bright nail colours after the gloomy weather London has had recently, it's nice to have a pop of colour. Hop over to my Instagram if you want to see the shade on my nails @MakeupLoveerBlog. The Gel Effect range is one of my favourite polish ranges, you get such a glossy and long lasting finish but it also conceals any imperfections that your nails might have it really plump's up the nail. I can see myself wearing all three colours, though Covent Garden Place and Baker Street are my favourite out of them all. You can't beat a bright pop of pink or a shocking blue to transform a plain outfit. St Johns Wood is part of Nails Inc's newer line NailKale which is formulated with 'supercharged kale extract' to deeply nourish and protect the nail from any breakage and splitting. Kale is known for containing high amount of vitamins A, C and K which stimulate advanced keratin production, that will help to make nails stronger, brighter and more nourished. NailKale is a great range if you want to have fashion forward colours on your nails whilst also still treating them, to ensure you have strong and healthy nails.   

You can purchase all four from Nails Inc. prices for Gel Effect are £15.00 and NailKale are £14.00  

Doll10 Lip Wardrobe - Lipsticks & Glosses

Doll 10 isn't a very big brand in the UK and I know sometimes it's a risk trying new brands but they are well worth it especially the lip products. These lipsticks and glosses are from the 'Lip Wardrobe' line, which is pretty unique in that you can click your choice of lipstick and gloss together to form a longer wand, which takes a way the hassle of rooting around in your bag for your gloss after putting on your lippie. The formulation of this range is great, both have great pigmentation giving you a full colour but they still feel creamy and smooth on. They are formulated with collagen tri-peptides and paired with hyaluronic spheres, that will help to keep your lips hydrated and help to reduce the appearance of any fines line and wrinkles around the lip. They also have something Doll10 call Dura Quench IQ, which gives your lips superior hydration, so one swipe will leave you with smooth, supple lips that are perfect for kissing. Who doesn't want irresistible kissable lips for Valentines? You get a full sized lipstick and gloss, so don't think because of the way the packaging is and that you are clicking them together the sizes are smaller, I have to say both are bigger than some other brands I love. The packaging is pretty too with them being rose gold each with a silver base, with the Doll10 'D' logo being printed on each.   The gloss comes with the standard doe-foot applicator and much like the lipstick gives create coverage for being a gloss. It is mildly sticky but only just, it certainly is a creamier feel that most glosses out there. Both last well on my lips, I also use the Doll10 invisible lip liner that helps to stop any feathering and add extra life to the products. 
The colour selection in the range is also impressive, with everything from a very pale nude, to warmer nudes and pink, with brighter pinks, reds and a gorgeous berry tone too. I like the way that each lipstick has a coordinating lip gloss, so it takes the time out of trying to match the perfect colour to compliment it. Most of the range in the lipsticks tend to be more of a creamy satin finish, with a few that have a subtle shimmer/frost to them. The glosses are similar again in that most have a creamy look, with again a couple that have more of a shimmer shot through.  I am in love with the products, from the concept with the packaging to the creamy smooth formulas and glossy finish. 

Here in the UK you can find Doll10 on QVC UK here, with prices starting from £19.50.

Let me know what your must have lipstick and glosses are in the comments below!

(I do have a photo with swatches of all the colours but it won't upload from the memory card to my PC, but I will update as soon as possible!)

#Instaglam Contouring with Rodial

You know when you discover a product and it immediately becomes a daily must have, one you cannot live without? Yet despite how much you have been using it you completely forget to mention it. Well that has happened with the Rodial Instaglam Compact Deluxe Contouring Powder (what a long name!). I went along to the launch of Rodial's new sculpting bar in Harvey Nichols before Christmas to see what the bar and the new make-up range launching was all about. After having my make-up done at the event I was kindly sent this to try out as I loved how it was applied on me. The new range of make-up from Rodial is all focused on sculpting the skin, using colour rather than skincare to achieve this. Maria Hatzistefanis, the founder of Rodial, worked for over three years perfecting the formulations and products, giving us as the customer some great products. The entire range is pretty much all shades of taupe, beige and nude brown's, not a hint of orange in sight, ensuring the flawless sculpted look you create looks natural. Maria has striked a great combination with great products that are easy to use, so no matter if you are new to sculpting, the range isn't a scary place to start. It's a simple range to get your head around and I highly suggest asking the make-up artist for some tips if you are unsure, but once you master the celebrity sculpting secrets you won't look back. I have fallen in love with the contouring powder it defines my cheekbones and sculpts my face, yet you really wouldn't know I'm wearing it. The texture is so fine and light-weight, it blends beautifully on my skin and leaves me looking like I was born with supermodel cheeckbones. Who wouldn't want that? For me it has been one of the best launches and products I've tried recently. If something can stay in my make-up bag longer than a week, it's a winner in my books. I have to also mention the luxurious weighty packaging, as it looks great both sitting on your vanity or when you pull it out for touch up's to your lipstick. It doesn't feel cheap like some brands packaging, it feels special, plus I love the faux leather detailing mixed with the sleek silver.

Do take a trip down to the Rodial Sculpting Bar at Harvey Nichols to try the products for yourself. Book yourself a session with one of the make-up artists to get sculpted and see what the fabulous new range is all about in person. 

You can also pick it up online here for £52.00.

Perfect Formula 4 Piece Collection

I wrote a post about Perfect Formula Pink Gel Coat here if you want some more information about the product and how it helped get my nails back to being healthy and strong. However after trying some of the colours the brand offers I wanted to share them with you too. From left to right: Hot Coral - an almost neon coral shade, Mystic - a sheer taupe shimmer shot through with pinks and purples, Pink Gel Coat - the original & Light Taupe - a gorgeous pale nude shade. The coloured lacquers have the same great formula and benefits, just with the added benefit of being a colour too. One coat gives you a full opaque coverage, so you get your treatment, base coat, coloured polish & top coat all in one bottle and all in one application. My favourite shade has to be Light Taupe as right now I'm loving nudes nails. 

Check out Perfect Formula on QVC UK here. 

Let me know if you are a fan and why you love the brand in the comments.

Beauty at home with City Swish

A couple of weeks ago I had the lovely pleasure to have a manicure and pedicure done at home from the newly launched City Swish. City Swish is a new on demand London beauty service that will come to your home, work or hotel to pamper you for a night out or just your favourite weekly treatment. With manicure & pedicures, massages, waxing, spray tan and hair styling the team can ensure you are looking great from head to toe. The lovely Francesca came to my home to let me try the service out for myself, I hadn't had the experience at home and actually preferred the comfort of being in my home having my manicure done. She was extremely professional and after picking out my colours she got to work getting my nails in tip top shape. We chatted about the company and her years working as a therapist, as well as exchanging what our most loved brands and products are. It was nice to be sat on my sofa in an environment that was familiar, as well as taking out the travel to the salon. I love the idea of being able to fit beauty treatments in around busy schedules and life, with City Swish bringing the salon to your home. It feels more relaxed at home, things felt comfortable like I said, I didn't feel like I had to go the second it was over, very relaxing as a beauty treatment should be. I'm going to book in my next appointment just before Valentines so that I'm looking polished come February 14th.

If you live in London zones 1-3 then I cannot recommend the services of the girls from City Swish enough. You can check them out and book your own treatment on their website here.