Category Archives: beauty feature

L’Occitane Almond Collection

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L'Occitane Almond

L’Occitane Almond

The L’Occitane Almond Collection is one of my favourites – it’s ultra nourishing and so prettily scented. Almond Oil Shower Gel has so many awards I’m surprised it hasn’t found an agent and left for Las Vegas. So, a little upcoming news for the range – line extensions aren’t usually that noteworthy but one of the new items is Lighter Legs (£20) which I’m certainly interested in.

I once got very, very told off by a PR for making fun of a ‘heavy legs’ gel they had in their range – I’d never heard of heavy legs so I really didn’t understand but ever since then, I’ve made sure I’m more educated about it because tired and aching legs really aren’t funny. If you’re in the first flush of youth then tired and achy legs probably won’t have happened at all, but as you get along in life all sorts of aches and pains pop up that you hadn’t factored in. In France, ‘heavy legs’ is much more of a thing than it is here which isn’t to say that we don’t get achy and fatigued limbs, but more that we don’t really factor in treating them with non medical products. While L’Occitane Almond Collection Lighter Legs isn’t a medical treatment, the inclusion of menthol and peppermint essential oil certainly will refresh the sensation (although, of course, not deal with the cause) of tiredness in feet and legs. In fact, having used this kind of product (and my dad, who at 78 goes skipping off to Egypt every five minutes swears by them) it’s just a lovely, hot weather fatigue kind of relief. And if your limbs feel fresher, they also feel lighter.

I’m expecting L’Occitane Almond Collection Lighter Legs to get as many awards as Almond Oil Shower Gel when it launches in May. And if you’re wondering why the ballet book in the picture, it’s because the new products have been put to the test by members of the Royal Ballet – their top picks are going to appear as a collection, also in May. It’s tu-tu exciting!

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Bath and Body Works Mad About You Body Lotion Review

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The fragrance from Bath and Body Works “Mad About You” is fairly new, it just came out past February. Read ahead for more details.

bath and body works mad about you body lotion

Product Description:

America’s #1 Body Lotion just got better! With 2x the moisture and 3x the Shea, our enhanced lotion contains more of what skin loves, leaving it feeling incredibly soft, smooth and nourished. Fortified with nutrient-rich ingredients like protective Vitamin E and fast absorbing Jojoba Oil, our ultra-nourishing formula delivers 16 hours of continuous moisture.  A love-struck pairing of soft peonies and black currant kissed with creamy vanilla musk.

 

Key Fragrance Notes:

Top Notes: Black Currant, Luscious Strawberry, Sparkling Cassis
Mid Notes: Ginger Lily, Bright Peony, Pink Jasmine
Dry Notes: Amber Wood, White Patchouli, Vanilla Musk

Our exclusive Mad About You fragrance captures the rush of falling truly, madly, deeply in love.  Our triple moisture body cream is the perfect deep, daily moisturizer.  Provides 16 hours of continuous moisture.  Infused with Shea butter and with your exclusive Daily Moisture Complex of protective Vitamin E, Aloe and conditioning Vitamin B5.  Non greasy formula absorbs quickly, leaving skin feeling soft, smooth and nourished.

Price:

$12.50

Ingredients:

Packaging:

Okay, I am a sucker for pretty and cute packaging and this also has won my heart. This lotion has such sweet and simple feminine packaging which I would have even bought without even sniffing it :P It’s a transparent bottle with a silver color cap which you press the top to dispense product. The lotion is itself a very light pink color, so the bottle looks like it is that color too. The packaging also has “Mad About You” written on very pretty looking flowers. I am really glad BBW has new style bottles, I really got bored with the old packaging.

My Experience with Bath and Body Works Mad About You Body Lotion:

Before I bought this product, I had tried samples of this, so I knew what I was getting into. I received some free samples from my friend who had received these sample bottles even before the product came out. Ever since I became a fan of this scent and just had to go out and buy it.

bath and body works mad about you body lotion

Whenever I buy any type of lotion, the scent is always the main factor for me. The scent of this is just amazing! It is a smell which is hard to describe, something of various flowers and fruits and fruits – something sort of roses, jasmine, and berries. I just love how the scent lingers on my skin many hours later. I get so many compliments from my husband :D. I apply lotion all over my body after shower most mornings and when I return home around 6 or 7 o’clock I can still smell it all over me, though it is not as strong as it first smells, but it is still lightly there which is longer than usual lotions.

bath and body works mad about you body lotion

The consistency of this lotion is fairly thick. It is definitely not runny and when applied it goes on thick. It feels a bit too thick when applying but my skin absorbs it quickly and after some time, the thick heavy feeling is gone. I have combination skin tone but it mostly depends on the season. My skin tends to be on the dry side in the winter since most of my time is spent in central heaters so my skin over dries. I have been trying out this product since this winter and it has kept my skin from drying up and instead I am left with soft and supple feeling skin. Even after 6 to 7 hours, my skin still looks and feels moisturized. I do not have to worry about re-application (except for my hands). It works exceptionally well for dry elbows, knees, and heels. For the price of this product, I think it is definitely worth it and even currently BBW is having a huge sale so all you ladies must take advantage.

Pros of Bath and Body Works Mad About You Body Lotion:

  • Smells very refreshing and fruity.
  • Provides perfect amount of moisture for skin.
  • Perfect for winter time use.
  • Moisture lasts a long time.
  • Lingering scent, stays on skin for hours.
  • Pretty packaging.

Cons of Bath and Body Works Mad About You Body Lotion:

  • Consistency can be a bit on the thick side.

IMBB Rating:

5/5

Would I Recommend Bath and Body Works Mad About You Body Lotion?

Yes, I recommend. When I compare this with my other BBW lotions, this one has given me much better results.

Would I Repurchase Bath and Body Works Mad About You Body Lotion?

Yes, I would repurchase this.

Sisley Paris Phyto Cernes Eclat Tinted Eye Concealer Review!

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There are definitely advantages to having a dedicated under eye concealer; lighter texture, light reflecting properties, hydrating qualities etc.  I am partial to a liquid concealer (I love Nars, Jill Stuart, Origins in particular) but they are for my facial blemishes.  I was pleased to try this eye concealer from luxe brand, Sisley, which is especially made for the under eye area.

Sisley Paris Phyto Cernes Eclat Eye Concealer Review 1

They say: This tinted concealer instantly camouflages dark circles and shadows to perfection, reduces puffiness and signs of fatigue, visually smoothes out wrinkles and fine lines and beautifies the eye contour area. Day after day, it helps significantly minimize puffiness. The supple, melting formula guarantees easy application, a natural finish and long lasting hold.

 

Sisley Paris Phyto Cernes Eclat Tinted Eye Concealer comes in three shades (I chose 03, the darkest) and comes with a synthetic brush.  At a pricey £58, it certainly is expensive, but I found it to be a very very good under eye concealer which seemed to care for the eye area too (in the sense that my eye area can get dry and flaky throughout the day and I didn’t get that when using this product).

So in the box you get this long brush (not a mini one like you sometimes get) which is great for blending in the product or applying it on other areas or on the lid, if you like to wear concealer on the lid (I do).  Otherwise, I found this product blended in nicely with just my warm finger.

Sisley Paris Phyto Cernes Eclat Eye Concealer Review 2

The tube had another nice feature which is a silver ended applicator (it’s a squeezy tube which is like a lip balm). The applicator is very cooling and soothing, and it helps reduce puffiness.  It was very welcome when applying to my tired, hot eyes.  It can also be used to massage a little, a bit like my beloved La Mer eye cream which comes with a metal ball applicator (I kept it, but never could bring myself to rebuy the eye cream).

I wondered if 03 would be the right shade for me – concealer that is too dark under the eyes looks pretty bad, but this worked really well without looking too garish or racoon like, as under eye concealers can.  It has a yellow-peach edge to it which covers my dark circles perfectly well and brightened up the whole area without looking too much.

It has a nice texture that is not as light as say, touché éclat, but isn’t as thick as a cream concealer or say, NARS liquid concealer.  It’s just right – thick enough to cover but thin enough to sink into the skin and not look heavy around the eyes.

Sisley Paris Phyto Cernes Eclat Eye Concealer Review 3

You can see the difference here (concealer applied on the left side – you literally only need 2 – 3 dots under the eye). I like how natural the finish is – brightening without being too obvious.

Sisley Paris Phyto Cernes Eclat Eye Concealer Review 4

If there was any criticism, it would be the price and that it can settle into deeper under eye lines towards the end of the day.  I don’t know any concealer that doesn’t.

This eye concealer costs £58 from various websites such as Spacenk – sometimes there are offers on for 10% off on websites like John Lewis. It’s expensive but it is really very good and I believe it would last at least 1 year with regular use.  I certainly don’t like all the liquid under eye concealers I use – they either don’t cover enough, or are too heavy, or the shade is way too pale – so I think this is a very good product because it doesn’t have any of the above problems.

 

The Lipstick Color That Looks Like Pure Joy

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shout embed

Certain beauty products — think NARS blush in Orgasm, Clinique’s Black Honey lipstick — are so good, they’re practically famous. And, while we do love so many of those well-known, well-loved products with a loyal following, we’ve been wondering why others have been quietly flying under the radar. With that in mind, meet our new beauty series, Cult Classics, in which we’ll introduce you to the products you really, truly should know about (and try, like, right now). They’re not brand new, but trust us: They’ve got staying power. 

Every spring, we ritualistically ditch all the dark, moody hues in our lipstick drawers (and cabinets and shelves) in order to make room for more vibrant, warm-weather-appropriate colors. It’s the beauty equivalent of molting and leaves us feeling rejuvenated and ready for outdoor adventures. But, no matter how many bright colors we line up, there’s only one we really need to attain unbridled joy: Marc Jacobs Beauty’s Lovemarc lipstick in Shout.

Despite its name, this color is definitely not as loud as a shout. It’s more like a song or like a single note sung into the spring air. It’s the kind of hue that just feels good to look at. It practically glows with prettiness. It’s vibrant without crossing the line into neon and has hints of coral to give it a melon-like vibe.

It also goes on like a dream with a semi-matte finish that looks almost like the natural texture of our lips. Though lip gloss tends to be more popular in the warmer months, there’s just something about matte lipstick that we want all year round. Combined with dewy skin and a ton of mascara, we think this is as close to perfect as a spring lipstick can get.

Marc Jacobs Beauty Lovemarc Matte Lip Gel in Shout, $30, available at Sephora.