Saturday 23 July 2011

NOTD - Max Factor Max Effect Mini Nail Polish in Coral Diva

Well, the sun is just about shining here, so I thought I'd do a bright and cheerful NOTD.  I purchased Coral Diva by Max Factor ages ago and I'm sure it was just a few pounds.  It's a brilliant summer colour and would look great with a tan (which unfortunately I don't have).





It applies easily, dries quickly and is pretty long lasting.  You could probably get away with 1 coat, but I thought two was necessary.  I also like it, as it's a small bottle of polish; being a polish magpie, it's unlikely that I'm going to ever use up another polish before it goes gloopy, so smaller bottles = less wastage, less storage space required and kinder on my wallet.  What's not to like?!




I've worn this on my toes and I think it's even better than on my fingers, especially for a summer holiday.  Just wish I was going somewhere nice now... However, it's not too bright and I've happily worn it to work as well.

What's your favourite holiday polish?

CLOSED....Blog Birthday Giveaway! Chanel, Deborah Lippmann, Body America and Avon

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

Hi  Ladies!  Well, it's my blog's first birthday today, so to celebrate I thought I'd have a little giveaway...  I've collected some products by some of the brands I've really liked over the past year and you can win them all!




First up, there's Astonishing Lengths Mascara by Avon.  I've recently been buying bits from Avon and I'm impressed!  Good quality products at very reasonable prices.


I bought some lip butters from Body America earlier this year and I've really enjoyed using them.  I've not tried Toast to the Coast, but I'm curious to know what it tastes/smells like - if you win, you'll have to let me know!



You may know that I've become slightly obsessed with Deborah Lippmann polishes over the past 6 months.  I went to House of Fraser to buy Across the Universe for this giveaway, but unfortunately, it was sold out!  However, I spotted Wicked Games and I snapped it up instead.  It's been a challenge not to keep it for myself, but somehow I've resisted!


This is the second sample I've had of Inimitable Intense Mascara by Chanel.  I loved the first sample so much, that I bought a full sized one!  However, I have so many unused mascaras, I thought I'd put this sample in my giveaway.  My first sample lasted about a month, so it's a reasonable sample.




Finally, I thought I'd get one of my favourite lipsticks... It's Coco Rouge by Chanel in Mademoiselle.  This was my first Chanel purchase, and it's still one of my favourite colours.  It's a pinky shade, but pretty neutral, so I think it will suit most skin colours.

Well, that's what's on offer.  So how do you enter?  Well, firstly, you MUST be a follower via Google Friends Connect.  New followers are very welcome, but not if you've only set up an account to enter giveaways.  Then leave me a comment saying 'enter me'.  Please either make sure you leave your email address, or have it easy to find on your blog so that I can contact you if you win.

You can have a second entry by tweeting a link to my giveaway, making sure you mention @bristolbeauty in your tweet.

The giveaway closes at Midnight on Friday 12th August 2011, afterwhich I will pick a winner at random using Random.org.

The giveaway is open to international followers as well!

Please note that I have opened the lipstick to photograph, as my own is now a bit yucky.  I haven't swatched it or used it though. 

Thank you very much followers - good luck to all!  xxx

Friday 22 July 2011

The Bristol Beauty Blog is One Year Old... Tomorrow!

Hi everyone!  Well, who would've thought that the last year would speed past so quickly and my little old blog would be a whole year old tomorrow!  I can't believe it's been going for this long.


It's been a fabulous year for me - I've really enjoyed blogging and emerging myself in the world of beauty.  When I started this blog, I was re-emerging from a decade long beauty rut, finding my feet in the world of makeup and beauty.  But now I'm a fully fledged beauty addict!  I've had some highs and lows, spending too much money on frippery, but also finding some beautiful products that have made me smile and made me look, well, better!  Although I'm not the most prolific tweeter, I've managed to rack up more than 2000 tweets and have had some brilliant chats with other lovely bloggers - Hi to everyone who I've crossed paths with over the last year.  I've learnt a lot and 'virtually met' lovely, fantastic people, and have mercifully managed to escape any haters or negativity.

I'm planning a little giveaway to celebrate and will include some of my favourite products and brands of the past year - I will post more details of that over the weekend.  However, today, I thought I'd share the past year's blogging journey with you...

One of my first posts was when I bought my first Chanel lipstick - in fact it was my first Chanel!  I was so excited about it, I rushed home to blog about it.  And, I even wore that lipstick today!

In August last year, I went rooting through my Mum's makeup and found possibly the world's oldest makeup - I've still not seen anyone who can beat 45 years!  If you can, do let me know!

One of the things I've surprised myself with is my love of crazy nail polish colours.  This may have started with my purchase of Chanel's Khaki Vert polish, and continued with this funky YSL manicure, culminating with a new obsession with Deborah Lippmann.

This year I've had two very different facials. The first was awful, when a supposedly pampering treat turned out to  be far from it.  The second was a very different experience and I loved it!

I've tried out a few different looks over the past year such as this one, this one, this one and this one! Most were far more adventurous than I would ever have tried a year ago.  Some have been more successful than others, but I've enjoyed them all!

One of the best, but funniest things that happened to me, was when the fantastic and best selling author Jill Mansell discovered my blog and gave me a shout out on Twitter!  It was lovely to have support of such an amazing woman.  But, and unfortunately, there is a but, she gave me a shout out literally seconds after I posted about my footcare regime, including some 'lovely' descriptions of going to a chiropodist.  Loads of people were landing on my blog at probably my least 'beauty' post and, I suspect, swiftly leaving again!  Nevermind, it was great to hear from Jill!

Thanks to all my followers and readers - big kisses to all of you!  I'm running an anniversary giveaway here, so do check it out!

Thanks for reading! xx

Tuesday 19 July 2011

Amazing Grace – Dr. Hauschka Rejuvenating Facial from Grace Emmerson - With Special Offer!

Recently I was asked if I would like to have a Dr Hauschka Rejuvenating Facial treatment, and understandably, I jumped at the chance.  I’ve never tried any Dr Hauschka products before, or had a treatment using them, so I was interested to find out more.  I was invited to the home of Grace Emmerson who would carry out the treatment.  Grace lives not far from me, in a lovely house in a quiet part of Bristol, with plenty of parking nearby.

If you fancy a facial after reading this post, Grace has kindly offered Bristol Beauty Blog readers 20% off Dr Hauschka Facials!  Just quote "Bristol Beauty Blogger" when you are booking! 


When I arrived, Grace showed me into her beautiful treatment room, and immediately set about putting me at ease, as we chatted briefly about the facial and she asked me about my skin and skincare routine.  For the last couple of months I’ve been suffering from terrible breakouts on my neck and we discussed the possible causes of this.  Grace asked me about my work and whether I had been stressed recently, which I most definitely have been.  We concluded that this was the most likely cause of my spots.


I then lay down and the treatment began.  It was an hour of pure, pampering bliss!  I’m always slightly self-conscious with beauty treatments, but after a couple of minutes I shut my eyes and totally relaxed.  My face and chest were wrapped in various moistened and scented lengths of muslin – sometimes warm and sometimes cold to stimulate my skin.  A number of cleansers were applied to firstly remove my makeup then the deeply cleanse my skin.  Grace has such a light and gentle touch, it felt so calming and relaxing.

Once my skin was thoroughly clean, Grace massaged my face using touch and soft brushes to stimulate my lymphatic system.  This felt so wonderful that I drifted off a couple of times.  After the massage, a nourishing treatment was applied and I again drifted off for a few minutes whilst it did its work.

Finally, my skin was cleansed again using the lengths of muslin again and a moisturiser applied.  Grace finished the treatment with a few head and neck rolls.  The whole treatment took about an hour and I felt unhurried and totally pampered.

Afterwards, not only did I feel completely relaxed, my skin felt fantastic.  It was so soft and smooth and moisturised to just the right amount.  Once I had got dressed Grace brought me a glass of water and some snacks and we talked about the facial.  She talked me through the rejuvenating facial and the Dr Hauschka products she had used and would recommend for my skin.  I was surprised to learn that she used a dry oil on my face as a moisturiser.  Although I occasionally use a facial oil in the winter, this oil didn’t feel at all oily – it was light, but also moisturising.  My face felt lovely.


The effects of the facial have lasted well.  Although my breakout hasn’t completely cleared up, it is so much better and my face feels and looks like it is on the mend.  I’ve had no adverse reaction to any of the Dr Hauschka products used, although my skin can be sensitive to new products. I’ve also been taking Grace’s knowledgeable advice and being gentler on my skin – I typically scrub my skin far too much and am quite harsh on my face in general.  I’ve been trying to tone back on the scrubbing and attempting to replicate a more gentle approach on my face – my skin seems to like it!

This facial treatment gets the Bristol Beauty Blog seal of approval – Grace’s expertise and skills, combined with the fantastic Dr Hauschka products made it a wonderfully relaxing experience and my skin feels and looks great.  If you are interested in finding out more, or booking a treatment you can visit Grace’s website here to browse this treatment as well as the other treatments she offers.

Remember, Grace has offered 20% off if you quote "Bristol Beauty Blogger"!

Disclaimer:  I was offered this facial free of charge for consideration.  This has in no way altered my opinion or influenced my review – this was a truly excellent facial and one I would have no hesitation to recommend and one I would happily pay for in the future.  

Sunday 17 July 2011

Amazing Grace – Dr. Hauschka Rejuvenating Facial from Grace Emmerson

Recently I was asked if I would like to have a Dr Hauschka Rejuvenating Facial treatment, and understandably, I jumped at the chance.  I’ve never tried any Dr Hauschka products before, or had a treatment using them, so I was interested to find out more.  I was invited to the home of Grace Emmerson who would carry out the treatment.  Grace lives not far from me, in a lovely house in a quiet part of Bristol, with plenty of parking nearby.


When I arrived, Grace showed me into her beautiful treatment room, and immediately set about putting me at ease, as we chatted briefly about the facial and she asked me about my skin and skincare routine.  For the last couple of months I’ve been suffering from terrible breakouts on my neck and we discussed the possible causes of this.  Grace asked me about my work and whether I had been stressed recently, which I most definitely have been.  We concluded that this was the most likely cause of my spots.


I then lay down and the treatment began.  It was an hour of pure, pampering bliss!  I’m always slightly self-conscious with beauty treatments, but after a couple of minutes I shut my eyes and totally relaxed.  My face and chest were wrapped in various moistened and scented lengths of muslin – sometimes warm and sometimes cold to stimulate my skin.  A number of cleansers were applied to firstly remove my makeup then the deeply cleanse my skin.  Grace has such a light and gentle touch, it felt so calming and relaxing.

Once my skin was thoroughly clean, Grace massaged my face using touch and soft brushes to stimulate my lymphatic system.  This felt so wonderful that I drifted off a couple of times.  After the massage, a nourishing treatment was applied and I again drifted off for a few minutes whilst it did its work.

Finally, my skin was cleansed again using the lengths of muslin again and a moisturiser applied.  Grace finished the treatment with a few head and neck rolls.  The whole treatment took about an hour and I felt unhurried and totally pampered.

Afterwards, not only did I feel completely relaxed, my skin felt fantastic.  It was so soft and smooth and moisturised to just the right amount.  Once I had got dressed Grace brought me a glass of water and some snacks and we talked about the facial.  She talked me through the rejuvenating facial and the Dr Hauschka products she had used and would recommend for my skin.  I was surprised to learn that she used a dry oil on my face as a moisturiser.  Although I occasionally use a facial oil in the winter, this oil didn’t feel at all oily – it was light, but also moisturising.  My face felt lovely.


The effects of the facial have lasted well.  Although my breakout hasn’t completely cleared up, it is so much better and my face feels and looks like it is on the mend.  I’ve had no adverse reaction to any of the Dr Hauschka products used, although my skin can be sensitive to new products. I’ve also been taking Grace’s knowledgeable advice and being gentler on my skin – I typically scrub my skin far too much and am quite harsh on my face in general.  I’ve been trying to tone back on the scrubbing and attempting to replicate a more gentle approach on my face – my skin seems to like it!

This facial treatment gets the Bristol Beauty Blog seal of approval – Grace’s expertise and skills, combined with the fantastic Dr Hauschka products made it a wonderfully relaxing experience and my skin feels and looks great.  If you are interested in finding out more, or booking a treatment you can visit Grace’s website here to browse this treatment as well as the other treatments she offers.

Disclaimer:  I was offered this facial free of charge for consideration.  This has in no way altered my opinion or influenced my review – this was a truly excellent facial and one I would have no hesitation to recommend and one I would happily pay for in the future.   

Tuesday 5 July 2011

Possible Dupe for Chanel Mimosa? Avon Arabian Glow Nailwear Pro in Sunshine

After I bought Chanel Mimosa Le Vernis nail polish, I realised that I already had a potential dupe for it, and one that I had bought and totally forgotten about - Avon Arabian Glow Nailwear Pro in Sunshine.


I decided to compare the two to see how much of a dupe Sunshine really is.

Hmmm - can see the Chanel shimmer here, lacking in Sunshine

L-R Mimosa, Sunshine, Mimosa, Sunshine

L-R Mimosa, Sunshine, Mimosa, Sunshine

L-R Sunshine, Mimosa, Sunshine, Mimosa
So, they don't seem to be quite as much as a dupe as I had first thought.  Sunshine is brighter and more, well, sunshiney, whereas Mimosa has a more lemon colour.  Sunshine also doesn't have the hidden shimmer trademark that all Chanel polishes have.  Saying that, you'd have to be a nail polish expert to know that Sunshine isn't Mimosa - they are close enough to fool most people!

I liked Sunshine a lot.  I've not really used many Avon polishes before, and this had a lovely formula, nearly opaque after one application, a good brush, easy to apply and dries relatively quickly.  However, I think it's a bit bright for me. Mimosa is slightly more subtle (although not much) and I just prefer the colour.

Mimosa costs £17, whereas Sunshine is currently on offer on the Avon website at £3.  
 
Which is your favourite?

Monday 4 July 2011

The Bristol Beauty Blog's How To Guide - How To Pluck Your Eyebrows

Today I thought I'd talk you through how I pluck and tame my eyebrows.  Last year, I went for ultra-slim eyebrows, but they were hard to maintain, so I've gone back to a more natural shape.  Because I have hairs that grow randomly all over my upper eyelid, they do require a lot of maintenance still.

Firstly, you will need:


An eyebrow brush - an old toothbrush or mascara wand will work - I use the Ecotools brush
Hairspray
Nail scissors
Tweezers - I prefer flat, although everyone else on the planet uses slant ones

Here are my eyebrows in their 'natural' state.  I do get a few unruly hairs that grow almost curly, so the first step is essential.




I spray a bit of hairspray on the eyebrow brush and brush all the hairs towards the centre of my face and upwards, so they stick out above my eyebrow line.




I then trim all the excess hairs with nail scissors (to stop the curls)


I then repeat the process, but this time brush all the hairs downwards and towards the centre of my face and snip off any hairs with nail scissor, this time below my eyebrow line.  Doing these steps stops long hairs looking unruly - you don't want to pluck out these hairs as they can thin your eyebrows. I have quite long hairs, so this is a must-do step for me. I find my brows instantly look more groomed.





Finally it's time for the plucking.  I pluck between the bridge of my nose (I sometimes wax here instead), under my brows to give shape and definition, and also a few hairs above my browline.




The whole process takes about 5 minutes and is pretty simple to do.  I do it properly about once a month, and just randomly pluck out stray hairs (usually from under my brow) in between.


And voila - the finished result!

Sunday 3 July 2011

Wedding Outfit No 1 - Styling and Ideas

This summer I'm going to 3 weddings, having already been to one this year! I've also got a posh work summer ball. This calls for an outfit SOS.  Luckily, I can recycle outfits, as one is the wedding of a friend, the other is my boyfriend's cousin and the final is my sister's wedding.  No one is going to the same one apart from me and the Mister.  Anyhow, I have bought two dresses, and thought I'd have a go at styling them today.  Here's my first attempt...



I saw this dress in Oasis for £60 and it really stood out to me - I thought it would be perfect and a little bit unusual for my sister's wedding.  Unfortuneately, my Mum has vetoed it - she has bought a mint green jacket and this dress will clash.  The dress looks mint in the photos, but it's actually more of a pea green - I definitely couldn't stand next to my Mum in it!  The dress is very 70s styled - with big, flowing sleeves and a short body, nipped in with an integral belt.  I'm planning to wear this to my friend's wedding, where my boyfriend is the Best Man.







I think I can be a bit fun and playful with this dress.  I'm thinking of styling it with antique-toned gold jewellery, and bright accessories, including my purple patent Mary-Jane's from Office and an orange hand bag from Next.  I'm also considering some bright flowers in my hair.  I'm not sure about the hand bag - it might be a bit too clashy.  There's a yellow one in Oasis that I might get instead.



What do you reckon?  It's a bit different for me, and quite bold, but I can see it coming together as an outfit.  Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions!

Dress - Oasis £60
Purple Patent Mary Janes - Office £40 (2 years ago)
Orange Hand Bag - Next (4 years ago)
Earrings - Warehouse (old)
Necklace - Next £6 (this season)
Large bangle - Warehouse (old)
Flower Hair Accessories - Accessorize Clearance £1 each

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