Category Archives: beauty look

The “Cosy Night In” is a theme close to my own heart this year (it’s too much hassle to do anything else, quite frankly) and so I’ve picked out the ultimate presents for people who just want to chill. Preferably next to the fire. With a glass of red wine in hand. I’m following this post closely with “Gifts for the Glamorous Night Out”, so don’t feel disheartened if you have a dozen party animals to buy for – I have your back. But for now, if you’re searching high and low for lovely things that will be appreciated by Mums, Sisters, Best Friends and Auntie Magdas the world over, look no further.

Let’s kick off with some Luxury Hot Chocolate, pictured above. You can’t go too far wrong with Whittard and this kilner tin looks suitably festive – you can find it at Amazon here for £8. I’m big on hot chocolate, not being a tea-or-coffee drinker, and this one is lush. Not too bitter, not too sweet…just right. As Goldilocks said.

Sticking with the gourmand idea, something tasty for the body: Laura Mercier’s Almond Coconut Milk Soufflé Body Creme. This is part of a gorgeous “Sweet Temptations” set that has everything you need for an indulgent bath ritual – the scent is warm and sweet and perfect for slathering on before cosying up in pyjamas. You can find the set here at SpaceNK – it’s £49. *just spotted at House of Fraser for £44 here.

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There is so much newness from MakeUp Rev that I’m going to break it all up into two.. possibly three posts… see how we go, but I think the products that are the most anticipated are the Makeup Revolution Salvation Palettes – five 18 shade palettes, each containing a mix of shimmer and matte shades. I can’t swatch all of them (I’ve never wished for more arms before now!) but have snapped each one.

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Perhaps “dupe” isn’t quite the right word to use here; “alternative” is far more accurate, but it doesn’t sound as good in my title! The Eye Duty Triple Remedy Gel Cream from First Aid Beauty isn’t by any means a copy of Sisley’s amazing Eye Contour Mask – it isn’t a mask, for a start – but its texture and intense hydrating effects put it firmly into the same category. And seeing as though one (the Sisley) costs over £80 and the other (FAB) is £26…well, it would be rude not to do a comparison!

Sisley’s Eye Contour Mask is an old favourite of mine. Despite its heart-stopping price (although do see below for a cost-justification/enabling moment) it’s one of the original – and best – eye masks for instantly pepping-up saggy, tired eye areas. I used this mask throughout my most intense modelling years (by intense, I mean lots of modelling mixed with lots of travelling and lots of going out!) and it didn’t ever fail to make me look better. I’d apply it to my undereyes before bed or at the start of a flight and then remove it when I was about to have my makeup done.

Watch a very old video where I transform my hungover face…

The only problem with this little routine was that the eye mask was so moisturising that if I didn’t leave enough hours between applying the mask and getting to a shoot (ie, I went to bed in the early hours!) the makeup artist would find it difficult to apply foundation or concealer around the eye area. The slightest bit of residue from the mask meant that makeup slid about and refused to settle in. The only way to ensure that makeup went on was to remove the eye mask with cleanser and then re-moisturise, which used to annoy me because I felt as though I was washing away the mask magic!

So I’ve always been on the prowl for a sort of lesser Sisley mask that could be used directly before makeup – one that didn’t need removing. Which I suppose, strictly speaking, is not a mask at all but an eye cream. Moving on…

The moment I tried the First Aid Beauty Triple Remedy I knew that I’d found a nice little alternative. The same thickish, glycerin feel, the same sensation as wearing those jelly stick-on eye masks that cost a fortune per wear… Deeply hydrating, incredibly refreshing and with a firming, cooling effect that is just brilliant for groggy mornings. And (this is where the Sisley point-of-difference comes in) it is relatively quick to absorb, so no residue, but the hydrating effects last just as long.

Now I do think that the Sisley mask, with its rose and arnica and antioxidants and the like, seems to be more effective as a leave-on product; the longer you have it on for, the better it works – but the FAB Gel Cream is just excellent in all other ways. Quick, convenient, sits brilliantly beneath makeup and really does feel comforting around the eyes – all of this for £26.

I said I’d address the price issue, and here it is: Sisley’s Eye Contour Mask is a hefty £81.50, but  (and here’s the crucial part) you do get twice as much product than almost any other eye cream or treatment on the market. The standard is 15ml, Sisley give 30ml. So to compare in a fair and true manner, you need to double the price of whatever you’re doing the comparison with. In this case, FAB’s Gel Cream is £52. Still a truckload cheaper than Sisley’s, but it’s definitely food for thought…

First Aid Beauty’s Triple Rescue Gel Cream is on Amazon here or LookFantastic – don’t mix it up with the one in the tube with concealer mixed in, I have no idea what that one’s like – and Sisley’s gorgeous mask is here.

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So, by know, we all know about—and are totally obsessed with—roller lash. The #struggle that most of us are facing now is this: how are we supposed to decide between they’re real! & roller lash!? They’re both so good. They’re real! is that guy you’ve known forever. He’s totally hot, super familiar, and you know you’ll never get sick of him. But roller lash is new. It’s fun, exciting, different. It’s like the sexy and mysterious new guy—once you kiss him, you just can’t get enough.

So with all that goodness, how are you supposed to choose!? Which one is right!? We’ve got good news for you, curlfriend—you don’t have to choose! The BEST part about these ah-maze mascaras is that they go together like a wink & a kiss! It only takes four simple steps to become a real high roller: 

1. Apply roller lash to both eyes using the hook ‘n’ roll method (hook the base of your lashes with the outside of the brush & slowly curl upwards until the brush is hugging the tips of your lashes).

2. Apply they’re real! to your lashes horizontally, wiggling the brush from the base of your lashes through to the tips.

3. Finish by applying they’re real! vertically, using the ball on the end to separate and add super length and drama to your lashes.

4. Step back and examine your gorgeous self—va-va-voom! 😉

In four simple steps, the great debate is solved! Never again must a Benebabe be forced to make the nearly impossible choice between they’re real! and roller lash! Like we always say, if you can’t decide, have them both. 😉

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Well, hello! Things are busy over in these parts and I have really been struggling to find the time to blog between other projects in the past few months (FYI, you can hire me for freelance work and I’m just a joy to collab with ;)). I have about twelve million posts photographed and ready to go and SO many things to share with you, so it’s time to make some time to blog! And first up we have a few favourites from the past couple of weeks…

Since bleaching all of the life from my hair I’ve had to up my haircare game x1000 to keep the straw feeling at bay. I’ve been religiously using the Swell Hair Ultimate Protect & Renew Serum after every wash mixed with some of the John Masters Rose & Apricot Hair Milk. The Swell serum is a silicone-free hair serum to banish frizz, conceal split ends and offer heat protection. I really like this because of it’s super thin/watery formula that disappearers into the hair without a hint of grease or stickiness, plus it mixes with and thins out the thick-ish cream John Masters hair milk nicely. I’ve been using the JM milk for so long now it’s got to be a firm favourite, it has managed to keep my hair feeling soft and in a semi-okay condition throughout all the colour, so that’s a-okay with me.

I’m not much into nude lips at all but recently I’ve found myself reaching for the Beauty Counter Lip Sheer in the shade ‘petal’. I got this in a Beauty Heroes box at the beginning of the year and even though it’s a totally gorgeous product (um hello, that packaging!) I didn’t reach for it at all after the initial excitement wore off. I’m not sure what’s changed, maybe just an unconscious switch up, but I like it a lot at the moment. It’s sheer enough to not be too pink, too nude, or too pale. Perfect.

Perhaps the most out of place in this bunch is that little pot with an illustration of Voldemort on the lid. That is the ‘You Know Who’ Face Highlight from Brija Cosmetics, and oh boy it’s beautiful. I love love love it. I had been looking for the perfect powder highlighter for ages, it was surprisingly difficult because every natural brand out there only seems to be releasing cream highlights! What’s that about? But Katie came to the rescue and added this to her recent Brija order for me after I had tried a sample. It’s not too shimmery and has a gorgeous, ethereal blue/purple glow, so pretty!

Lastly, the SkinOwl Mangosteen Beauty Drops have been pretty much all I’ve used on my skin at night. The 60ml bottle is huge and never ending – I’m really afraid I’m going to waste it and have it go off before I can use it up, I’m not even a third of the way through! It does smell divine, even Mikey notices when I use it and says I smell nice (and he notices literally nothing). The oil is just simply baobab and mangosteen oils, it’s simple, rich and calming. I only need about 3-4 drops for my face to leave it perfectly nourished and feeling cushy – I use extra to spread down my neck and chest now too (gotta use it up!) and love how calm my complexion looks every morning after use.

What have you been loving lately? Have you tried any of these?

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