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If you had a £50 voucher to spend at Topshop, what would you buy?
That was the question put to me by Sheenie recently, to which I replied without skipping a beat, “Make-up, obviously!”
I am in no way shape or form a fashionista, and frankly the clothes in Topshop are either not my style or out of my budget. Their colour cosmetics range on the other hand, is absolutely chock full of gems at surprisingly affordable prices.
Having bought a fair few Topshop make-up bits before, I knew you could get fair bang for your buck. But when Sheenie surprised me by actually giving me aforementioned £50 voucher* (knows how to treat a woman, that one!), I was still quite surprised by the amount of things I managed to add to my basket. Check ‘em out:
Eye Palette in Game On (£12.50)
One of my absolute favourite make-up items is cream eyeshadow – it’s so versatile and a real staple in my arsenal to use as a base for powder eyeshadows. Along with classic silver and gold, there are also two quite unusual shades in here in the form of a denim blue and a rosy mauve. The texture isn’t dissimilar to Topshop’s revered Cream Blush – soft and creamy on application, drying down to a smudge-proof, unbudgeable finish.
Cream Blush in Morning Dew, Afternoon Tea and Head Over Heels (£6 each)
Speaking of the Cream Blushes, I couldn’t resist adding three more to my blush stash. I am a big fan of these, for the easy-to-work-with formula mentioned above along with the cute polkadot packaging, handy mirror for on-the-go touch ups and most of all, their ridiculously purse friendly price. I mean £6, really? It would be rude not to. Morning Dew, the peach shade, is the perfect colour for my pale skin to see me easily through Spring and Summer.
Lip Liner in Ceramic (£5)
For someone who owns an obscene amount of lipsticks, I definitely don’t own enough lip liners to pair with them. This nude shade is very close to my natural lip colour, perhaps a shade darker, which makes it an ideal base for nude lip colours to prolong their wear and prevent any feathering. If you don’t own a lip liner whose colour falls into the ‘my lips but better’ category, you definitely need one and if you’re fair like me, this might be a good bet.
Lip Bullet in Heartbeat (£8)
I think these twist-up Lip Bullets are quite a new addition to the Topshop range, and this gorgeous hybrid of coral, orange and a hint of red is my favourite of the shades available. Leaning neither too cool or too warm, this should suit most skintones and is as long-lasting as it is easy to apply, not to mention it packs a serious punch in the pigmentation stakes.
Sugar Skull Mini Wipes (£1.25 each)
More of a basket-filler than anything else, I think I underestimated how useful these would be for me. I am the sort of person who can’t walk past Boots without wandering in for a swatching session, so keeping some wipes in my bag at all times is infinitely handy and I don’t know why I didn’t do it before. These cute little packets are the perfect handbag size (who wants to lug a bulky pack of Johnsons baby wipes around every day?) and let’s be honest, the sugar skull design is pretty much a dealmaker.
That brought my basket total up to £46 – add on £4 for standard delivery and bam, that’s my £50 Topshop make-up splurge!
So, I’ll finish where I started: what would you buy with a £50 Topshop voucher?
Leanne Do Not Refreeze
Well, this can become a reality as there is a £50 gift voucher up for grabs from the lovely folks at Appliances Online for one lucky person to spend on whatever they choose. It can be Topshop, Boots, Feelunique.com or ASOS – it’s entirely up to you if you win.
Just tell us what would you spend £50 on and why, and post your answer in the comments box below with your email address. The best answer will win a £50 e-gift voucher to spend on their wish-list. Sounds good? Get cracking then!
Appliances Online also has a fabulous lifestyle blog you might want to check out for ideas and inspirations.
*£50 Topshop voucher courtesy of Appliances Online
Competition rules:
- This competition is open to UK residents only – sorry!
- Multiple entries will not be accepted.
- Closing date is Sunday 2nd June 2013.
- No alternative product or cash alternative will be offered.
- Winner will be given 48 hours to respond, after which another winner will be selected.
- Email addresses supplied will NOT be used for marketing or mail-out purposes by Just Nice Things and Appliances Online.
I am optimistic that we will start to see some warm weather this year…no, honest! If like me you’re trying to remain positive or if you’re a realist and are about to jet off to sizzling climates then here are some tips to have you prepared for a heatwave…
When you go on holiday, you like to be guaranteed a couple of things. Good food, nice accommodation and friendly staff are important factors, but there’s one thing you seek more than anything, hot weather.
And although you want to bask in the warm sun in your best summer wear, you’ve got to keep yourself cool, as dehydration and overheating can cause muscle weakness, fatigue, headaches and sun strokes.
Here are our favourite tips to ensure you stay cool when the heat strikes:
1. Light clothing
Lightweight clothing, like linen and cotton, will keep you cool when the temperature is at its highest. These fabrics absorb perspiration, (sweat) and then evaporate it, keeping you cool. Heavier, synthetic fabrics like polyester, acyclic and nylon trap the heat, so avoid them when the weather is warm.
2. Take a bath
When you’re feeling the heat, get into a tepid bath or shower, just below body temperature. Although an ice-cold shower seems more appealing, your body will generate its own heat to compensate for your heat loss.
3. Ditch the duvet
Heavy cotton duvets are great to snuggle up to when it’s cold outside, but they quickly become your enemy when the weather heats up. So try swapping the duvet for a sheet, or even better, stick the sheets in a sealed plastic bag and pop them in the freezer for an hour before bed.
4. Avoid alcohol
As much as you’ll be longing for a nice cold beer or white wine spritzer, unfortunately, alcohol dehydrates the body. Instead, opt for cold water or low-sugar fizzy drinks to keep you cool.
5. Aloe vera
Ladies, to keep you chilled this summer, invest in the soothing, cooling qualities of Aloe vera. So replace your normal moisturiser for those rich in the African plant, as it will bring down your body temperature.
6. Cool your wrists
OK, this sounds a little far-fetched, but chilling your wrists can help to cool you down. Simply run your wrists under cold water for five seconds or so, because your main arteries are there and it will help to cool your blood.
7. Botox treatment
Having trouble with excessive perspiration? One option to combat this is Botox treatment. It takes about 20 minutes and involves multiple small injections into the skin, blocking the problem sweat glands. But don’t worry, the injections are relatively pain-free.
So there you have it, just a few hints and tips to keep you cool this summer. Just don’t forget to pack your sun-cream!
*This is a sponsored post provided by Face Clinic London, a Botox clinic providing wrinkle treatments, dermal fillers, sweating treatments and much more.
At Just Nice Things we like to shake things up a bit so today we have a guest reviewer in the form of a man – it’s our Tan. Yes, he’s ours because he keeps coming back for more!
Tan has been getting to grips with Braun’s Series 5 5040S Wet & Dry shaver, one of three models available in Braun’s series and what’s more, they are on special offer with up a third off this Christmas at Boots so if you’re wondering what to get for the most important man in your life be it your dad, brother, husband or boyfriend, perhaps this might be it.
Let’s see how Tan got on with losing his shaver virginity to this grooming gadget…
The Series 5 5040S Wet & Dry premium shaver is the new product from Braun released just in time for Christmas.
At first glance the 5040s looks a premium product that is beautifully designed. The shaver has a rubberised, ergonomically designed body which makes it easy to hold in the hand either wet or dry. When I took it out of the box what I first noticed was how light the shaver was to hold compared to a Remington I had previously used. It is very simple to use straight out of the box with no assembly required.
As it describes itself as a Wet premium shaver, I decided to try it out in the shower. Not only that, as I have sensitive skin, I tend to shave a couple times a week and so had a good amount of stubble for the shaver to work its magic on. So this was a good test for the 5040s. I found shaving to be a good experience, quick and efficient. The shave was smooth and sharp and I didn’t find myself having to go over the same shaving spot twice. Neither did I have to press the shaver against my skin too hard, simply a soft and easy motion did the trick. This is where the Flex MotionTec helps the 5040s as it seemed to glide at times, and the pivoting shaver head came into its own when shaving around the neck area. Most electric shavers advise to hold the shaver at 90 degree angle for best results, however the 5040s works well even when you don’t adhere to this.
Now you can argue that the quality of a foil shaver is in the foil, and how long it stays sharp for, however with regular cleaning and maintenance I do not perceive this to be an issue. There is also a short beard trimmer on the back for those keen on styling but I had no use for it.
It will take 60 minutes to fully charge the shaver, and you can expect 45 minutes of cordless shaving. For myself this mean charging the shaver once a week. Maintaining and servicing the shaver is quick and easy. The head can be taken off for cleaning simply by pulling gently with the thumb and forefinger and you should do this frequently to keep the blades and moving parts clear of bristles – it allows the shaver to work better and will help the heads stay sharper and the batteries last longer. Braun supply a small brush and some lubricating oil that come in handy.
The shaver is supplied with a two pin mains charger and can be used whilst you shave. There’s nothing worse than your shaver dying halfway through a shave when you can’t plug the charger in and carry on.
I have to admit being a more of a Gillette razor kind of guy, and having sensitive skin, I was a little sceptical but there was really no need. This is definitely a premium shaver and the quality shines through from its well designed exterior, the new Flex MotioTec technology, to the close smooth shave it provides.
Price wise, compared to the Philips and Remington brands, there are cheaper electric shavers on the market. Retailing at £189.99, its certainly not cheap, however by shopping around online you will find the big retailers discounting in the run up to Christmas, with Boots and Amazon pricing competitively at around the £100 mark. At this price, the Braun Series 5 5040s Wet & Dry Premium Shaver is definitely worth investing in.
The new Braun Series 5 range is available at Boots, Amazon, Argos, larger supermarkets and other good electrical retailers. Series 5 5040S normally retails for £189.99 but will be priced at £127.29 at Boots until 31st December 2012. You can also pick up Series 5 5030s for £100 (RRP: £159.99) and Series 5 5070cc for £133.99 (RRP: £199.99). Visit www.braun.com/uk for more information.
Tan Araf
*PR sample*
Thank you, Tan! Glad to hear your handsome visage survived the Braun machine. What do the rest of you think?
P.S: Tan occasionally writes a brilliant blog. Do check it out and hopefully he will be encouraged to write some more!
Today beauty blogger Rucksana Hussain is a guest reviewer for Just Nice Things. The Birmingham beauty junkie kindly agreed to try a selection of eye make-up from George at Asda.
Whenever I go to Birmingham, I always call in on Rucksana who is like a little devil sitting on your shoulder, egging you to buy more make-up from Selfridges’ in the Bullring. Her blog Walking in a Beauty Wonderland is one you must add to your list of blogs to follow. Without further ado, let’s see what Rucksana thought of George’s offerings.
I have been keen to try the George make-up range but my local Asda doesn’t stock it annoyingly, so when Sheenie asked me to review some products I jumped at the chance. I was given a selection of 4 single eyeshadows to try, which are a mixture of textures with variable results.
First up is Jellybean, a blue toned lilac. This is the kind of colour I am always attracted to. However I was left a little disappointed with how it performed. I used this all over the lid on top of MAC’s painterly Paint Pot but discovered it wasn’t true to the colour in the pan. It’s very sheer so to get a good depth of colour I had to build it up with a few layers. Jellybean is a shimmer eyeshadow but gritty in texture though it did blend fairly well.
Next up is Yeti, a red toned brown which is a matte eyeshadow. I am always on the search for a good cheap matte eyeshadow and this delivers nicely as it’s well pigmented, smooth and buttery to work with. Yeti blends beautifully and works well for a smokey look.
Panther is my favourite. Firstly I love the name as it reminds me of my black cat. It is a very deep slate grey shade with the same texture as Yeti, and has a silver sparkle. I used Panther in the crease and it looked so pretty and sultry. It also serves well as an eyeliner when used with a damp liner brush.
Snowflake is the final shade I tried. It is a pearly white iridescent shade and rather frosty which is quite apt for its name. I used this as highlighter on the brow bone but found it to be way too stark. It is exactly the same in texture as Jellybean, a shimmer but not smooth and quite gritty. Unfortunately it is the one I’m least fond of out of the 4.
I tried all 4 shades over MAC’s Painterly Paint Pot for around 6 hours. There was a fair amount of fading especially with Jellybean which had lost a lot of its vibrancy but there was no creasing.
Overall the eyeshadows are pretty good quality and the design of the packaging is sturdy and secure fpr £2.50 each so you can’t complain.
The final product from George is Volume Lash, a waterproof mascara. It claims to thicken lashes and add volume. It definitely added volume but didn’t really lengthen them much. It is a dry formula and if too much product is applied it clumps the lashes together. I favour my mascara to add length, volume and to fan out my lashes so they look, full, fluttery and voluptuous. Volume Lash didn’t give fanned out lashes but spiky instead.
Volume Lash comes with the ubiquitous bristle which I prefer over plastic applicators. The other thing that stands out is the yellow packaging, which bears a similar look to Maybelline’s eye-catching Colossal mascara.
All in all, I do like Volume Lash. It is very good value for money at just £3.50 and outperforms some major mascaras I’ve tried that cost more. George really does offer some absolute gems, I just wish it was more accessible in their stores.
George make-up is also available online at www.asda.com.
Rucksana Hussain
*PR samples*
Thank you so much, Rucksana for your honest opinion. Have you tried these or other products from the George range? If so, what do you think of them? Do you have any favourites you could recommend? Let us know your views by commenting below.
