Posts Tagged ‘Space NK’
I’m all packed, checked in and ready for Marrakech and while I intend to indulge in a much needed hammam over there, I do want to make sure I’m moderately prepped for maximum sun exposure for a healthy looking tan.
Timing couldn’t have been more perfect when I was sent SAI-SEI’s Mineral Invigorate Body Scrub to buff away dead skin ahead of my holiday. I’m only picky about one thing when it comes to scrubs and that is anything that leaves an oily or sticky residue after is not one I would return to using. Thankfully this isn’t the case with this offering from SAI-SEI. It’s not perfumed but it’s packed with water bamboo and sasa veitchii extracts for a gentle yet effective scrub, and it really is a lovely one to use.
A little on the indulgence side with its price tag so approach if you’re a serious spa queen. Exclusive to Space NK, SAI-SEI’s Mineral Invigorate Body Scrub costs £28 for 200ml.
*PR sample
Mamma mia! I think I’ve fallen under the spell of this. This is Icon from Hourglass. It’s a silky lip gloss but better defined as a liquid lipstick – liquid in format but sets like a velvety lipstick and aptly named, it is an iconic, sizzling shade. It’s very Dita von Teese or perhaps Gwen Stefani, don’t you think?
I find myself wearing bold lipsticks (particularly red) frequently and in the day time too. I wish I had more time to devote to wearing eyeshadows but instead I reach for a red lippy as a quick solution, and it never fails.
The Hourglass range caught my eye at a Space NK launch last year and initially I fell for the orange shade from this collection before I was hypnotised by Icon.
The packaging is exquisite, it feels beautiful to caress (yes, I meant to use that word) and it is the holy grail of red lippies I’ve been looking for.
On top of that, it applies like a dream and doesn’t feather or peel – I didn’t use a lipliner either.
Icon comes with a sponge applicator that glides on the lips, coating the crimson red colour along the way. The Vitamin E in it prevents cracking or chapping and fortunately the formulation doesn’t form an unpleasant coating on the lips like some other similar products do.
It could well be the crème-de-la-crème of glosses – it’s certainly sexy, classy and luxurious. I’m infatuated with this blood red number and am tempted to buy a back-up with my Space NK points. What do you think? Would you give Hourglass a try?
Priced at £21 (less than Chanel and Tom Ford!), Extreme Sheen(ie) is available in a variety of colours from Space NK online and in stores.
I’m a Clarisonic virgin. I’ve just never got round to trying this little gadget that’s had beauty bloggers in a flutter for a good couple of years. Well the popular brand for sonic facial cleansing has just launched the latest model, the Mia 2.
In a nutshell, Clarisonic created this device which gently yet effectively removes make-up and cleanses the face. You just slap on some cream cleanser, switch it on and away you go. A brush head rotates at a fast speed on the surface of your skin and unsurprisingly removes more make-up than manual cleansing (up to 6 times more).
One of the main differences with the Mia 2 is the built-in timer so you know when to move onto the next part of your face (20 seconds on the nose and chin, 20 seconds on the forehead, 10 seconds on each cheek). It’s not painful to use though it does tickle your nose. So you’re done in 60 seconds basically. There are two speeds and it comes with a travel case as well.
Now I’ve always been very thorough with my skin care routine and I have read reviews by other bloggers about Clarisonic giving them break-outs but in the name of beauty and blogging, I was happy to trial the newest model.
I have been using Mia 2 for a month, once a day in the evenings because once a day is sufficient after your face has suffered from wearing make-up and being exposed to dirt and pollution outside. I don’t believe using it twice a day is a good idea – you don’t want to strip your face of its natural protective oils. Apparently break-outs are usually the cause of the Clarisonic drawing impurities that have been buried below to the surface of the skin. Although I was fortunate not to experience such a set-back I suspect this isn’t the entire explanation.
I am not a dermatological brainiac but I would have thought getting spots when using the rotating brush of a Clarisonic may be down to using it in the mornings before applying make-up. It’s dubbed as a cleansing device but essentially it is exfoliating and re-opening the pores. Any beauty therapist will advise you not to wear make-up for a good number of hours after a facial, and always exfoliate at night AFTER removing your make-up so your pores can breathe.
As I’ve just said, I am very precise with removing make-up and abide by the faithful hot flannel routine (all curtsy to our Flannel Queen, Caroline) so I didn’t notice a great deal of dirt coming off but I can confirm after one use my skin felt very soft, smooth and it looked thoroughly cleansed.
After day 2, I went to work without wearing make-up. Blimey! That was brave. I’ve also found serums and creams work much better and interestingly enough, less is needed. Make-up artist Daniel Sandler has been championing the Clarisonic since day 1 and he assured me I would see a major difference with applying make-up. Again less would be required and he’s right. Foundation blends brilliantly and I’ve been told by my dad that my face looks clearer and that it glows. Thanks, daddy Shaikh!
There is debate across blogs about what cleansers to use with whatever Clarisonic model you have. I use cleansers by Elemis and Decléor. A word of advice, remove make-up with cotton pads before switching to the Clarisonic so your brush doesn’t get filthy.
I can’t compare to previous models but something tells me bypassing them to Mia 2 is a worthwhile investment if you can afford it.
The Mia 2 charges on a magnetic cradle and used once a day the battery has lasted just over 3 weeks. It is priced at £130 and is exclusively available from Space NK until December.
*PR sample*
I’m getting older. Rapidly. And it’s a scary prospect, so I am paying more attention to my skin. The funny thing is, my skin has never looked better in contrast to the state it was in 10 years ago. I certainly feel a whole lot more confident and no longer embarrassed to leave the house without any slap on. Or perhaps I just don’t care any more and prefer the extra minutes in bed than to decorating my face with a kaleidoscope of colours.
I have realised the importance of healthy looking skin needs to be nourished on the inside (with a balanced diet) and on the outside too and without fail, I make sure my visage is thoroughly cleansed and moisturised from the moment I wake up to when I lay my head on the pillow.
One product I’ve been enjoying the pleasure of using for the last couple of months is Zelens’ 3t Complex Essential Anti-ageing cream. I think we can say that’s quite a mouthful.
It’s a deeply hydrating cream moisturiser and is part of Zelens complete skincare range, which helps minimize the visible signs of aging while improving your skin’s current tone and texture.
Developed by leading Harley Street plastic surgeon and skin cancer expert Dr Marko Lens, the Zelens range focuses on the understanding of ageing at a molecular level. Being highly scientific you get an idea of what this product will be like.
So how does it perform? Suitable for all skin types and ages, only a small amount is required and it glides on effortlessly, sinking into the skin with no greasy residue and keeps my face hydrated all day. In fact last week I asked mum what she thought of my appearance sans make-up and she thought my skin was glowing. She also thought I was wearing make-up.
I have definitely noticed my skin looking and feeling more plump and elasticated in a youthful kind of way, and fortunately there have been no break-outs. I have normal skin and this product suits my skin type really well.
The cream also feels like a luxurious product when you use it with a gorgeous soft scent, and so it should since its price tag is £95. *winces*
As I’ve explained, I’ve become more sensible and attentive towards a skincare routine, and rather than filling my basket with random products, I am concentrating on a few key ones, which does mean paying more than am used to. I am half way through this jar and I anticipate it will last me 2-3 more months so £95 over a period of 4-5 months is an amount I could invest in if I were to pick one or two absolute must-haves.
Zelens’ 3t Complex Essential Anti-ageing cream is one of the products from Zelens skincare range, which are available from SpaceNK. To find out more about Zelens, visit www.zelens.com.
Have you tried anything from Zelens? If so, what are your thoughts?
*PR sample*
