Mar

Hey Gorgeous Girls and Guys,

I’ve been all about the hair products lately, but I couldn’t resist trying out the new foundation range from Clarins; Clarins Everlasting Foundation with SPF 15, when a sample landed on my desk last week. Where better to test it out than on a day when I have to rush straight from work to a friend’s birthday with no opportunity to touch-up my make-up.

Clarins claim that this foundation will give you 15 hours of absolute perfection with a 100% natural mineral shield SPF15 to boot as well – did it last that long? Mostly! The easy to blend, lighter-than-you-think formula, feels like silk on your skin with a light matte finish. This foundation is not so thick that you look like you’ve caked it on, but certainly not as fine as a tinted moisturiser. It comfortably sits on the skin and is relatively non-transferable.

My foundation looked fresh throughout the working day and most of the way into the evening, I did touch it up a little to cover up blemishes, dark circles and around my mouth (messy eater) during the evening but overall I was really impressed.

When I took it off my skin still felt healthy thanks to the super-hydrating plant-based micro-patch that seals in moisture, reducing dehydration. My one criticism would be the scent, it smells of fresh melon which is personally not to my taste, thankfully the scent doesn’t linger so it’s not a big issue but more of a niggle.

The Clarins Everlasting Foundation with SPF15 has 10 different shades in the range so that you can find your ideal match.

My gorgeous rating: 4 out of 5 – It’s just the scent that lets it down, but compared to other brands that can smell chemically, the fresh scent may be a welcome change from that.

As always stay gorgeous,

Feb

Hey Gorgeous Girls and Guys,
Last year I introduced you to the shampoo and conditioner in the gorgeous L’Anza Healing Smooth range. Both products reviewed really well, but as we didn’t have the full range to review they missed out on the coveted 5 G’s of glory!

Never to miss a trick the lovely L’Anza people sent through the final parts in their Healing Smooth range for us to review…they’re really after that extra point!

The two products below are your finishing products in this range, they can be used one after another or individually depending on your preferred finish. They are colour safe, have been specifically formulated to work effectively alongside the L’Anza Healing Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner, to product-by-product straighten and smooth our hair. Coix seed’s amino acids soften the bonds which define your hair’s type, not breaking them – as Brazilian straightening techniques do, but rather gently manipulating them and bending them so that they straighten instead of curl around one-another. Frizz is locked out and moisture locked in for a softer and glossier finish.

L’Anza Healing Smooth Smoother Straightening Balm (250ml)
L’Anza Healing Smooth Smoother Straightening Balm temporarily straightens curls and waves. Shea butter works to maintain a healthy level of moisture within your hair whilst Mangosteen Fruit boosts the shine qualities of your hair.

This balm is lightweight and greaseless and it allows for movement of your hair whilst smoothing. I tend to rub through about four pumpfuls to my towel dried hair before blow-drying and combing through with a wide toothed comb for a smooth, sleek effect. Once dry, my hair feels light and as though there’s no product in it, apart from its smoothness and softness.

My gorgeous rating: 4.5 out of 5

L’Anza Healing Smooth Thermal Defense Heat Styler (200ml)
L’Anza Healing Smooth Thermal Defense Heat Styler protects your hair up to 260°c making it an ideal protector to use alongside your straightening iron or other heat-styling tool.

This pre-heat styling spray provides a gentle slip for smoother styling (which won’t stick to your irons), a touch of hold helps to style your hair whilst eliminating frizz and adding shine.

For me personally this is a great product although my hair is naturally quite straight so I don’t really have need for it after using the Smoother Straightening Balm. If your hair is more wavy then perhaps this product will be more suitable for you.

My gorgeous rating: 4 out of 5

My overall gorgeous rating: 4.9 out of 5 – you have to leave some room for improvement – I think a serum would make a great addition to this range.

As always stay gorgeous,

Feb

Hey Gorgeous Girls and Guys,

So there’s been a wave of craziness sweeping our Facebook and Twitter accounts recently – Blinc have arrived at Gorgeousshop, and the girls in the office couldn’t be more excited. But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding so we set to trialling these innovative products to give you an honest low-down of the next big thing to hit make-up!

Blinc Mascara (6g) – £15.95

I actually jumped at the chance to road test this when it came into stock – the fuss about Blinc Mascara is that it is the original waterproof mascara that forms tiny tubes around each lash, rather than painting them, for a water-proof, smudge-proof and tear-proof result. Blinc also claim that your lashes are volumised and lengthened for dramatic definition.

Blinc say that their mascara has been formulated to be suitable for even sensitive eyes, wearers of contact lenses, active people and performers – AND that this no-smudge, anti-fade mascara does not clump or smudge and lasts from dawn till dusk.

Were they right? I think the answer is yes actually. Whilst my lashes weren’t comparable in length and volume that you get with false lashes they were noticeably defined and the main reason someone would use this mascara is for it’s staying power and that can’t be faulted. My overall score is 4 g’s!

Blinc Liquid Eyeliner (6g) – £15.95

They say that this Eyeliner “…is an intensely dramatic liquid liner which lasts all day long. “

We say that it’s not that far off however our tester did find that her sensitive eyes were a little itchy after the first use but they didn’t flare up or water and after 10 minutes they were fine. She’s used it a few times and likes the fact that it doesn’t clump or flake and it is also a great consistency to apply. After no further irritations she gave it three and a half g’s!

As always stay gorgeous,

Jan

Hey Gorgeous Girls and Guys,
So I’ve ditched the blonde and gone brunette – it’s a woman’s prerogative to change her mind – but now I’ve had the issue of finding the perfect shampoo to firstly nourish my hair making it shiny and silky-smooth, but secondly to help prevent the fading of my gorgeous new colour (pics to go up soon).

My colleague heard my woes and told me to try L’Oreal Serie Expert Force Vector Shampoo immediately, and I did! I must say after just one use my hair felt lighter, softer and definitely had got its shine back! Which was all very well and good, but great hair always seems to be the way when you change shampoo’s doesn’t it? There must be something about the change that makes your hair feel that little bit better than normal, so as not to be duped I decided to test the shampoo at the gym after a touch work-out, (when my hair is at its worst) and truth be told I was as impressed the second, third and fourth etc times as I was the first.

Obviously finding a conditioner to compliment the shampoo is important too, I’ve used both the L’Oreal Serie Expert Vitamino Colour Conditioner and my old favourite L’Anza Healing Smooth Conditioner and both work exceptionally alongside the Force Vector. So my final score is a perfect 5!! For great colour-protection, great scent, glossy shine, softness and the concentrated formulation means this shampoo will last for ages!

As always stay gorgeous,

Jan

Hey Gorgeous Girls and Guys,
When I was getting ready for my New Year’s party the other day I noticed that my skin was really suffering from the combination of central heating versus cold icy winter air – you know how foundation is meant to smooth and even your skintone…well mine looked like a flaky snowstorm! – and I thought that perhaps it was time to treat it! Most skin types can look dry and dull, particularly in areas such as your forehead and cheeks, at this time of year, and depending on your skin type you should treat this ailment differently…

Dry Skin
Skin that is dry throughout the year may be a little sore as well as dry, so you will really benefit from a gentle, soothing product that also rehydrates dry skin. Clarins HydraQuench Rich Cream (50ml) £27.20 is both rich and soothing to counteract skin irritation and tightness; your skin will feel loosened and hydrated after use. For extremely dry skin use twice a day, morning and night.

Alternatively you may prefer a more naturally based product, Inlight Organic Night Balm (60ml) £34.00 currently with Free UK P&P, is 100% certified organic by the Soil Association. Designed with mature and dry skin in mind, the intensively hydrating properties of shea butter and jojoba oil provide the skin with intense nourishment and moisturising, whilst macadamia, carrot and evening primrose oils regenerate the skin. The active ingredient of lavender soothes, calms and restores the skin, providing an ideal habitat for cell regeneration.

Normal Skin
Even skin that appears balanced most of the year can suffer through the winter. Your nose cheeks and chin can feel normal but when it comes to applying foundation or powder to your face you notice dry flakes of skin, particularly around the chin contour and forehead. A simple test is to run a dry index finger over these areas, your finger should feel smooth and soft skin underneath, areas that feel a little sandpapery or rough need to be attended to and most importantly protected. PureLogicol Super Antioxidant Moisturiser (75ml) £31.50 and MD Formulations Critical Care Shielding Creme (30ml) £57.00 both take into consideration the outward superficial needs of your skin but also inwardly hydrate and nourish from within.

Oily/Combination Skin
Oily and Combination skin types require a balancing act to ensure that you don’t over dry or over hydrate the skin. However, a little known fact about oily skin is that it can be oily but dehydrated at the same time, this can lead to a leathery texture with a sheen. If this sounds a little like your skin type then try Korres Yoghurt Cream for Oily and Dehydrated Skin (40ml) £17.62. It helps to balance the sebum producing levels in your skin whilst feeding the skin with vital nutrients which tackle soreness and irritation.

For something a little more luxurious why not try La Biosthetique Methode Clarifiante Purete (50ml) £22.10 currently with Free UK P&P. This moisturiser is light enough not to weigh down your skin but nourishing enough to help balance your skin. Natural plant extracts work to normalise disturbed sebum production, whilst inflammation is reduced thanks to the antibacterial action of lemon oil, lavender oil and liquorice root extract.
If you have any beauty queries or comments why not contact us through our Facebook Page or Twitter, all information can be found on the home page of our website.

As always stay gorgeous,

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