Monday 20 September 2010

Review: Clarin's Silky Smooth Body Cream.

I have been using this body cream for the past three days after my Mum got a smaller 40ml version from Bental's with some other purchases.  The first thing which I noticed, and my main reason for 'borrowing' it, was the amazing smell. Its quite sweet but not too overpowering so would go well under most perfumes. After wearing the cream for a while the scent does change into something different. It's not quite as terrible that I'd have to take it off. Its just a plasticy undertone. (Think carrier bags not Barbie)

Clairins claims it: "softens skin, leaving it smooth and delicately scented with the reassuring notes of Eau Ressourçante. Promotes a feeling of well-being and relaxation."

It has definitely left my skin 'silky smooth' but it seems to be more of a surface moisturiser than one that would really sink in as it left some surface residue for a while and I felt afterwards that I needed to put on another thicker moisturiser; having said that, I do have very dry skin so for somone with normal skin it would probably work better. After the residue has sunk in, it definately makes my skin feel softer and smoother. As for the feelings of relaxation and wellbeing, I wouldn't have thought that unless I had read the label and if I was looking for something to relax me this wouldn't be my top choice of products.

It costs around £26 for a 200ml pot from Debenhams and other department stores which for Clarin’s brand products isn't too bad but, apart from the smell, I wouldn't say it was that much better than your average high street moisturiser.

My ratings: (0 is the worst to 10 being the best)

Fragrance: 7.5
Texture: 6
Performance: 4
Value for money: 4

Overall: 5.5/10

Happy Monday,

Em x o x

Wednesday 15 September 2010

By-gone bedroom to beautiful boudoir for £20

1.       Cushions. 
Cushions are fantastic for a variety of reasons; they add colour, comfort and warmth to a bedroom. You can also get them relatively cheaply from Tesco Home, ASDA,  or Wilkinson’s and usually retail at around £5-£10 depending on the detail and materials used. You can make a plain duvet look fantastic if you get some cushions of different sizes and shapes just keep the colour scheme consistent to avoid it looking too busy. I love the Tesco Floral Appliqué cushion in Teal at £7.
2.       Room fragrance.
A beautiful boudoir should be a retreat for all the senses and that includes smell. Buy a small fragrance burner and some fragrance and tea-lights or even some scented candles or a room spray so the moment you step into your room you’re welcomed by a pleasant aroma. You can even try some aroma therapy. If you are using an essential oil, you must first add some water to avoid the fragrance being too over powering, and only around 5 drops (or less!) of oil is needed. You can always top it up later if need be.  I like the Wilkinson vanilla candles only £3 and they come in lots of different fragrances if you don’t like Vanilla.
Lavender – calming effects are especially good when mixed with camomile but don’t burn camomile on its own because it smells nasty! Friendly warning.
Satsuma/lemon/exotic – revitalising, uplifting and refreshing.
Green tea - calming, Spa fragrance
Jasmine, – Beautiful floral scent which is an aphrodisiac so be careful ;)
Vanilla – is sweet and calming. Good to create warmth in a room
Rose – welcoming floral smell.
Also, Don’t be afraid to mix different oils to make your own scents. Green Tea and lemon create a light refreshing blend and Rose and lavender can be mixed to create a deeper floral sent. Get creative and remember if it doesn’t smell right you can always take it out once it has cooled and put something else in.
3.       Lighting.
Never under estimate the power of lighting to make a room cosy. Soft lamps and candles are more inviting than a harsh desk light. Fairy lights are also another cheap option. You can get a whole string in ASDA for £2 around Christmas time.  You can drape these over your bed, around your windows, over your curtains, around your desk, everywhere.
4.       Wallpaper
When you’re on a budget, snippets of wallpaper or wrapping paper can be so useful. Send off for samples or go down to your local B&Q and get samples of ‘feature’ wallpaper. The more glamorous the better. These can be use in a variety of ways. Frame them in a variety of mismatched frames as a feature collection in a room. Or a similar look can be achieved by
cutting them into squares and arranging them. If you have any leftover they also make great draw liners.
5.       A cosy throw
Throws are fantastic in the winter for adding colour and they’re extremely versatile. Put over a chair or on your bed, you can even get reversible ones with two colours so you can change it that way too.
6. A Wall collage
Another fantastic idea to brighten up your room is to make a room collage. Grab a whole load of interesting pictures, photos of you and your friends, interesting adverts and things which you like. cut them out and stick them in a group on your wall. The one in the picture is from my bedroom last year and I used lots of different makeup looks because thats what I love but you can always use what you're passioante about - planes, pandas or people the choice is endless.

Total spent on brightening up bedroom.
1 x Cushion = £7
1 x Fairy lights = £2
4 x pieces of wallpaper = £0
2 x Vanilla candles = £6
1 x Throw = £5
1 x Wall collage
Total = £20
Top Tips
If you get bored of your bedroom look, swap cushions, throws and accessories from another part of the house.
Cushion covers are really easy to make if you have a little time and some spare fabric.

WARNING!
Never leave Tea lights unattended
Never put essential oils undiluted onto the skin – it can cause irritation or in extreme cases an allergic reaction.
Pregnant women and people with Asthma need to be careful with how they use essential oils. Always read the label for further instructions.

Have a great day! Feel free to leave some comments with some tips of your own,
Em x o x o


Monday 13 September 2010

The Ultimate Autumn Trend wine red lips


Dark red wine lips are a top trend this season and has been seen in the Autumn catwalk shows of Givenchy, Moschino and Karl Lagerfeld. To get the perfect red pout follow these simple steps:


1) Prep lips using a good lip exfoliater (or use your usual facial exfoliater and rub off with a tissue) This is essential for a smooth finish especially in the autumn months where your skin can dry out because of the extreme differences in temperature


2) This is also why you then need to prep lips by moisturising. Even Vaseline will help condition your lips.


3) Next use a good lip liner which matches your lipstick. (Mac lip pencils in ‘Redd’ (£10) is fantastic. ) Start at the centre of the ‘cupid’s bow’ and work outwards following your natural lip line.


4) To prevent bleeding of colour, which often occurs on more mature or dried out skin, use a lip line fixer which contains beeswax. The best one I’ve tried is the Body Shop lip line fixer which is £7.50 but absolutely brilliant and lasts a long time

5) Finally add lip colour with a lip brush for more precise application. Again, start at the cupids bow and work your way outwards filling in as you go. You can get some fantastic lipsticks from your local superstore but MAC lipsticks are fantastic if you want to treat yourself

6) Dab your lips with a tissue and reapply for a longer lasting matt finish or coat with clear lip gloss for a glossy look.

Top Tips

• Red lips look fantastic paired with red accessories



• The fantastic thing about red lips is that it suits every skin tone and type and can give you a little ‘pop’ when the rest of your make up or outfit has neutral or dark tones.

• Remember if you have bright lips you need to be subtle on the rest of the face to avoid looking ‘over done.’
  • Red lips never  go out of fashion so buying a good lipstick is a good investment

Hope you have fun with one of this seasons hot looks,


Emma x o x