please note: this post contains affiliate links which means that if you purchase anything using these links, a very small percentage of the product's cost will come to me at no expense to yourself. This helps with the running costs of my blog, thank you!
It feels surreal writing this post right now when I took the pictures of these products last year in my old home, when I was actually meant to write this blog post for Mother's Day.. but it definitely is more relevant this year at this very uncertain and strange time.
The world is being told to "wash your hands for 20 seconds or more" due to the outbreak of Coronavirus and we're being told to practise social distancing to reduce spread of the virus or self isolation or quarantining.. so I thought I would use my extra time at home to achieve one of my goals I've been slacking on for the last two years - nurturing this very blog again <3
It's quite a worrying time for a lot of people, especially here in the UK when we're on a 2 week lag behind other countries where the virus has hit hard, but if you were still looking to buy something for your mum for Mother's Day here in the UK (or just any day to show you appreciate her), then I always thought hand care options would be best (as mum's use their hands so much!), so they deserve hand care products as a treat.

Obviously now with the government advising us to wash our hands with soap for 20 seconds+, pretty much everyone is experiencing ashy hand syndrome (including myself, even though I don't have eczema like my son), so tbh if you want to treat yourself here are some options I thought I'd include [some *gifted],  starting with my faves that are most affordable and then some special gift worthy treats:

Ramadan 2017 - The Body Shop Eid Treats Beauty Calendar!

So Ramadan is upon us once again and despite recent incidences in the news I'm hoping this month teaches us the true meaning of peace and patience as well as general reflection on ourselves.
This year will be another hard year as the hours of fasting are 18+ here in the UK and like last year, ironically the weather has decided to finally become hot again in time for Ramadan. If you missed my matcha milkshake recipe last year on the blog, be sure to check it out here if you'd like some extra health benefits when breaking your fast and an alternative refreshing drink with a quick caffeine fix if you're a tea/coffee drinker.
Despite this and the 24 hour job of being a mother to a boisterous 3 year old (and toilet training atm!), I have a couple blog posts planned that I hope to get up this month, including an Eid gift guide and hopefully some more foundation reviews to add to my Foundation Files database! 
Be sure to also check out my Instagram too as I will be opening this calendar every day and plan to do a few giveaways as well as a special Instagram takeover too 👀
I thought I'd start this month by sharing this absolutely stunning and well made "Eid Treats" Beauty Advent Calendar especially made for Ramadan/Eid ever so kindly sent from The Body Shop.
Read on to see more!

Saturday Skincare: Face Masks - Save/Spend

It's been a while since I've written a Saturday Skincare post (see previous posts here) and after last week's Instagram Live topic of masks, I decided to write up my most favourite masks right now and am planning on doing more Save/Spend dupe style posts soon!
So this post is featuring my most used masks: the GlamGlow Youthmud Tinglexfoliate Treatment and The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask; read on for my thoughts on the two!

Travelling Essentials!

As you may or may not know I've recently come back from holiday (Malaysia this time), so I thought I'd share some of my updated travel essentials.

Not a lot has changed since my holiday saviours post back in 2011 (here), I've in fact updated and expanded on these since, as you'll see below.
I've decided to split this post into 2; the first is my personal carry on essentials i.e. allowed on the plane to get you through a journey. The second part includes my makeup essentials for holiday/travelling but of course I take a bit more sometimes depending on whether I'll be dolling myself up for restaurants or not.

Carry on essentials:

Bearing in mind my last flight lasted over 14 hours I found these to be absolute saviours on the plane (and off it too of course!).

1) Elemis Tea Tree S.O.S spray - this is a total all rounder natural antiseptic; from helping insect bites/cuts and grazes, to spots and refreshing and deodorising tired feet, this spray is handy to carry around everywhere let alone just on the plane! Available at department stores or at HQhair & lookfantastic.com for £19.40.

2) Avene Thermal Spring Water - this year I couldn't find a small bottle of the usual Evian spray I usually carry with me in Boots so I picked up this Thermal Spring Water can instead. Another all rounder, but this can be used on the face when it feels tight (all that AC being pumped in the plane tends to dry me out) or handy for carrying in humidity on the beach as a refresher for the face. It's many uses are endless, including toner, soothing sunburn, acne, rashes and razor burn. It also doesn't interfere with makeup and actually helps set makeup! Available from Boots for £3.15 (50ml) or £6.50 for 150ml (not allowed on the plane).

3) Body Cream - I tend to not make use of the deluxe creams I get with perfumes so chose this one on my last trip, but general body creams come in handy for travel; again the aircon tends to dry out the skin so it's always good to carry some sort of moisturiser for hands and feet at least.

4) Dental hygiene products - If you're not lucky enough to be flying business or first class chances are you'll need to carry your own dental hygiene. Rinsing the mouth out with mouthwash or brushing teeth usually helps me feel awake again especially if you're constantly eating/sleeping on the aircraft!
 
5) Concealer kit - This Wild About Beauty concealer has two different shades perfect for finding the right match for your skintone which also contains skin calming and nourishing ingredients and no nasties. Shade "Medium" suits my NC35 skintone best and the bottom also holds a HD translucent setting powder underneath, which can be used to keep shine at bay too if needed. Available at Debenhams and House of Fraser for £19.50.

6) Lip products - Vaseline Lip Therapy (£1.99) is a must as it's another all rounder; I use it around my nose to prevent myself from getting ill from the germs that circulate around the plane (I'm a real germophobe!) as well as conditioning lips/dry areas of the hands/body. I adore carrying Carmex Moisture Plus around to also condition the lips whilst adding a tint of colour. Available at Boots for £4.49.

7) Badger Balm - If you find sleeping above cloud level a chore like me, you'll be needing something to help you along your way so I recommend the Badger Balm which contains Lavender and other essential oils to help clear your mind. Available at feelunique.com for £6.99.

8) Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair - Dabbing a couple drops of this wonder serum to tight skin instantly hydrates the skin whilst also keeping it smooth. Can also be used over makeup that has been dried out by aircon. Available for £44 for 30ml at all Estée Lauder counters including Boots, Debenhams & House of Fraser, but I carry a trial size on holiday!

Makeup essentials:

These are my absolute essentials for holidays to hotter/humid climates, of course there can be more if absolutely needed but when on holiday I like to wear the absolute bare minimum if poss!

1) Waterproof mascara - whether you wear eyeliner or not, chances are you wear mascara at least to open up your eyes and give volume or length. My personal everyday favourite at the moment is the Kiko Unforgettable waterproof mascara; its curved brush gives a curl to the lashes whilst volumising too and doesn't get everywhere come rain or shine. Available for £7.20 online or in Kiko stores in both Westfields in London.

2) Waterproof eyeliners - I have a vast range and array of colours in the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner pencils (approx £14 each) so I tend to take a couple of these on holiday with me, but recently I've discovered that Chantecaille have released their 24 hour waterproof liner which also is creamy and long lasting and the bronzed brown shade in Oolong gives just enough definition to the eyes to not be overpowering. Urban Decay pencils are available in Debenhams and House of Fraser stores and Chantecaille liners are available at Liberty, Fenwicks, Space NK and Harrods.

3) Tinted moisturiser - A must for those who don't fancy baring all and want even skintone but without wearing heavy coverage. I like this tinted moisturiser as it gives a decent coverage and has a high SPF of 20. It does oxidise a little so you may need to go a shade lighter than expected. Available from £12.66 at HQhair to £20 at the usual department stores.

4) Concealer kit - see above for description of this Wild About Beauty concealer kit.

5) Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray - if you do decide to wear either powder/mineral, liquid or cream foundations, this setting spray keeps makeup on for up to 16 hours.. perfect for those long days or evenings when you don't want to touch up on makeup.

6) Carmex Moisture Plus - as above, this tinted lipbalm comes in handy before lipstick or by itself for a hint of colour.

7) Urban Decay Razor Sharp Powder - aside from this powder helping skin feel smooth, it also helps keep shiny-ness out of your holiday pictures, with just a puff and buff on. I got this mini size from a Limited Edition box but you can buy the full size for £21 at Debenhams & House of Fraser as well as Lookfantastic & HQhair.

8) Wild About Beauty mattifying balm (£21) is great to use as a primer before applying makeup due to it's slippery nature; although it states it can be used after I find it works much better applying under a tinted moisturiser or foundation, and then topping up with the above Razor Sharp powder if needed. If you're shiny but don't like the drying feeling of powder then this also is the product for you! Available at the Wild About Beauty website and Debenhams and House of Fraser.

So there you have it! Obviously SPF is a major factor in holiday packing, but there are so many brands out there, the highest SPF is always best, 50+ is best if you have really sensitive skin.
These are my most essential saviours for travelling, hope this has helped you consider some products you may not have thought of using on your travels/holiday!

Do you have some holiday must have products you'd recommend? Please feel free to share them with me, I always love to use new things on holiday!

 

Argan+ Precious Oil Elixir review

Since Argan oil has burst onto the beauty scene, I've seen and heard many raving reviews claiming it to be a miracle product, particularly for hair.

When I received an email showing a new range of products with Argan oil as the main ingredient, I thought I'd give it a go and see what all the fuss is about.
The range of Argan+ products is predominantly for the body/skin as opposed to hair, with products including a body polish (scrub), body butter, body oils and sculpting serum.

I decided to go for an all rounder from the Argan+ range, the Precious Oil Elixir which can be used all over the body from hair to nails. The logo encompasses an "A" with the number "5" within it as it contains 4 other African oils too: Baobab, Kukui, Moringa and Sachi Inci oils. These oils provide skin and hair with intense nourishment.

This elixir oil can also be used in hair as a treatment before washing, to condition dry/dehydrated skin, hair and nails; stretch marks and also on the face with moisturiser.

Review

Packaging: The bottle is cute and dinky but feels like a quality product. I do have qualms with the dispensing part of the bottle; as it has a tiny hole it's hard to get a fair amount of the product out; obviously it's a rich product so you wouldn't want too much out in one go, but this dispenser barely gets any product out (unless you tap it like the old school ketchup bottles!)

Texture/Feel: The oil feels nice and smooth straight away and leaves skin feeling beautifully soft and supple (I found myself touching my face a lot after mixing a bit with moisturiser!)
Scent: The scent is a lovely rich/exotic smell, it reminds me of Tom Ford Black Orchid for some reason! Overall I quite like the smell.
Price: This product will be selling at £12.99 for 50ml; this may seem like a lot for such a small amount but as you only need a small amount because of it's richness, so it should last a fairly long time.

Overall FrootiFactor: I would give this oil a 5 out of 5 however I do find the nozzle/dispensing method a bit tedious so I'll have to give it a 4.5!

I've been using this oil for a few weeks now and in the last couple days I haven't used it at all to see if I've noticed a difference.
I have to say where I'd mix it with my body lotion before I had lovely soft supple skin and just in the last couple days where I haven't used it I've noticed a dryness on my arms and particularly my feet which are the most neglected part of my body. I'd definitely recommend this product if you feel your body needs a boost from head to toe (literally). 

Argan+ is available from Boots and prices range from £8.99 to £14.99.

Have you tried any Argan Oil products before? What has your experience been with them and which other brands would you recommend?

Review: Xen-Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe

Product 5 of the TFWOC series is by Xen-Tan - the Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe.

This product is a caramel/coffee-like colour and spreads on my skin invisibly:

I applied it to my right arm only and compared it to my left arm:

The tan is very natural looking and looks like I've just been on holiday - perfect!

Packaging: The packaging is dark brown metallic with gold writing and certainly looks "luxe". The instructions and ingredients are very clear which I like.
Finish: Lotion.
Texture: Creamy caramel/coffee coloured lotion that settles in skin when spread with the hand.
Key Ingredients/Facts: Paraben free with Green Tea extract (antioxidants for aging) and Shea Butter for nourishing the skin.
Application: After the usual routine, the Absolute Luxe lotion can be applied with the hands or a mitt to the face and body; I applied it with a glove as I didn't want to with my hand, but I found it emulsified, so I used my hand to blend in and washed it straight away! 
As the tan was practically invisible once blended in, I couldn't see where I was applying and ended up with a bit of streaking.
Smell: The scent is described on the packaging as "Vanilla scent" however when I applied the product all I smelled was the tan smell. Once dried on the skin however, the tan smell was not as obvious (almost completely gone unless you inhale your arm!) which was quite impressive as I was sceptical about their "scent secure" claim.
Who this would be perfect for: I think this product leaves a lovely natural looking tan, very like the tan I usually get when I go on holiday! I'd recommend it predominantly for darker skin tones as I think it would be too big a colour difference in very pale/fair skin tones, even though I find it to be more of an olive tan than orange which is great.  FrootiFactor: I have to say I quite like this product a lot, my husband even commented at how nice it looked so that's a plus point! The downside is that it left streaking as it blended into my skin tone when applying. I give this product a 4.5 out of 5:

The Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe can be bought from the Xen-Tan website for £33.99.

Make sure you follow the other girls' reviews on this project as well: 

  Annie Epiphannie

LaaLaa Dolce Vanity

Sophia Tattooed Tea Lady

Tass Une Tasse

Grace All That Slap

Hafsa Muslimah Beauty

Yinka Vex In The City

Stephanie Nerd About Town

Dija Dija's World

Lola LolaStar Heart

Have you used any Xen-Tan products before? Which tanning products do you like?
 

Review: Make Believe Tan Lotion & Glow Tinted Moisturiser

Product 3 & 4 of the TFWOC series is by Make Believe. I made a mistake of thinking that week 3's product was the Vita Liberata mousse so I've had to wait til that one has faded (and it's a 2-3 week tan!).
Luckily I had some St Tropez tan remover and scrubbed away at my arm but I had left the other arm un-tanned so for this post I'll be using the one arm.

Review 1: Make Believe Self Tan lotion with bronzer [w/b 24th September]
I was sent zone 4 (Golden Tan):

The product when first applied looks like a chocolate-caramel kind of smooth colour (no glitter or sparkle) and it's what I'd say is a "colour guide" as it's dark and you can see where it's been spread on the skin.

I applied it to my right arm and took a before and after of the same arm so you can see the difference:

no tan

zone 4 just applied

after washed off

As you can see, when just applied the tan is very visible. After washing the tan off the colour is less obvious and more natural looking.

Packaging: The packaging looks like its an established/quality product and has easy to understand instructions.
Finish: Lotion with bronzer.
Texture: Creamy chocolate-caramel coloured creamy lotion that when spread settles in skin.
Key Ingredients/Facts: Lipo-Care Complex - keeps skin looking toned and can help reduce the appearance of cellulite so great for thighs and arms! Anti-Oxidants and fruit extracts help protect skin against aging.
Application: After the usual routine of exfoliating, shaving and moisturising before applying a tanning product, the Self Tan lotion can be applied with a glove or mitt to the face and body; not with the hand as instructed unless you want orange palms! This particular product can be re-applied for a deeper colour.
Smell: The scent as described by Make Believe is an "exotic fragrance". On first smelling the product I could smell a cinnamon/cinnabon kind of smell which isn't bad! But when the product settles in there's a tan smell as with all tan products.
Who this would be perfect for: I personally think this product leaves a lovely subtle warm tan to my skin tone; I wouldn't recommend zone 4 for very fair skin tones as I think it would appear too orange, however for more olive/tanned skin tones this is lovely and looks quite natural.
FrootiFactor: Aside from the tan smell which is eminent in pretty much all tan products, this Self Tan Lotion is good as it applies with an instant bronze guide and looks very natural. I'd give this product a 4 out of 5:

The Self Tan Lotion can be bought directly from the Make Believe website for £24.50 or from Boots.


Review 1: Make Believe Glow Tinted Moisturiser [w/b 1st October]
Make Believe also do a few products especially for the face and I received a Enhance Glow Tinted Moisturiser to review.

It comes in a 30ml size and has a fairly thin nozzle so you don't get too much product out in one go.

Once blended in there's a slight noticeable shimmer:

You can see where the cream isn't on my skin shows as a yellow tone, therefore I found the shade to be too peachy/light for my skin tone.

Packaging: I love the packaging of the tinted moisturiser; black and gold are a classic combination for a rich-like feel.
Finish: Tinted moisturiser cream with shimmer.
Texture: The product is a cream texture and takes a bit of blending in to sink into the skin.
Application: I used my hands to work the cream in which does need careful blending; it may be better to use a blending brush for this reason.
Smell: No particular scent.
Who this would be perfect for: I think this product would be better suited to cooler/peachy skin tones rather than ethnic/yellow tones, but the peachyness isn't too obvious once blended in on the face. The shimmer is lovely, not too over powering, and it does give a subtle "glow" if you're looking to achieve that dewy look. Having said that, this product is not good for people with dry skin as the glitter clings to dry areas accentuating them.

FrootiFactor: I'd give this product a 3.5 out of 5 as its a good product if you're looking for a "glow" however it's probably too light and peachy for more darker/yellow or red skin tones.

The Enhance Glow Tinted Moisturiser is available from the Make Believe website here for £15.

Make sure you follow the other girls' reviews on this project as well: 

  Annie Epiphannie

LaaLaa Dolce Vanity

Sophia Tattooed Tea Lady

Tass Une Tasse

Grace All That Slap

Hafsa Muslimah Beauty

Yinka Vex In The City

Stephanie Nerd About Town

Dija Dija's World

Lola LolaStar Heart

Have you used any Make Believe products before? Which tanning products would you recommend?

 

Review: Karamel & Brown Glow Creme [w/b 17th Sept]

So Product 2 of the TFWOC series is by Karamel & Brown.

I was sent a Glow Crème and a lovely velvety tanning mitt.

This product is described as an intensely moisturising creme with natural ingredients and anti-oxidants to create a long lasting glow that fades evenly.

what the product looks like straight from the bottle

The packaging also says that the Glow Creme has an "instant bronzer guide colour" which I thought meant that it would be brown.. this product is a green colour and pretty much absorbs straight into the skin so you can't actually see where it's been applied!
I applied it to my left arm with the mitt, but got no colour whatsoever so I applied it again and still no colour difference appeared, if anything my non tanned arm looked darker!
I finally applied it again with my bare right hand (as usually products with tanning DHA in it show up on the hands as an orange-y colour) and this is what the end result was:

top arm: with Karamel & Brown Glow Creme, bottom: no Glow Creme

left hand: no Glow Creme, right hand: applied Glow Creme directly to arm

As you can see, there's barely any colour difference at all! These pictures were taken at least 4 hours after applying the product which should be enough time for the product to develop, but there's pretty much little to no colour.

Packaging: The packaging is quite basic but I like the logo and font on the bottle.
Finish: Moisturising cream.
Texture: The product is a cream texture and sinks in to the skin pretty well.
Key Ingredients/Facts: Karamel & Brown products have no parabens or alcohol and use organic Aloe Vera, vitamin rich moisturisers and "premium active ingredients". It does actually contain DHA (the active tanning ingredient) but it must be in the tiniest amount.
Application: After the usual routine of exfoliating, shaving and moisturising before applying a tanning product, the K&B Glow Creme can be applied evenly and massaged in well, using sparingly on dry areas like elbows and knees. 
Smell: When first applied it smells of coconut which I love! After a while you can smell the distinct warm "biscuit-y" smell that all tanning products have.
Who this would be perfect for: I'm not too sure who I think this product would be perfect for; at best I'd describe it as a coconut-tan smelling cream/lotion but there's barely any visible difference in colour between the two arms (or hands) above which isn't enough for me. I do think that it's very nice and moisturising and does feel lovely on the skin, however I personally am not too keen on smelling of the warm tan smell and could find other creams without the smell!

FrootiFactor: For a product free of parabens and alcohol it smells quite lovely on first application, however I'm quite surprised at the minimal effect this product had on my colour.. I didn't feel it gave my skin a "glow", I felt it just intensely moisturised it with a tan smell. For this reason, I give it only 2 FrootiFactors as I don't think this product is best suited to me personally.

The Glow Creme can be bought in both 50ml (£6.95) and 200ml full size for £16.95 from the Karamel & Brown website.
I've now received all the brands products in this TFWOC project including Vita Liberata, Make Believe and Xen-Tan, so look out for these reviews too!
Make sure you follow the other girls' reviews on this project as well:

  Annie Epiphannie

LaaLaa Dolce Vanity

Sophia Tattooed Tea Lady

Tass Une Tasse

Grace All That Slap

Hafsa Muslimah Beauty

Yinka Vex In The City

Stephanie Nerd About Town

Dija Dija's World

Lola LolaStar Heart

What do you look for in tanning products? Would you consider tanning if you have a fair amount of colour yourself? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!

 

Review: Abi-O shimmer tan boost [w/b 10th Sept]

I was recently approached by Epiphannie and LaaLaa to join a tan project for Women Of Colour (TFWOC) and happily agreed as I do feel that certain parts of my body don't see enough sunlight and are therefore more lighter than my face or hands! I also quite like that "just back from holiday"/sunkissed look on my arms etc. 
A lot of people may be thinking: why is she tanning for, she's already got colour! But as I said I like the sunkissed look and really am against the usual ethnic stereotype of "whiter is better". I'd like to make a stand against these old stereotypes and I actually think I look healthier (and slimmer) with a tan and feel a lot prettier!

The first product I've been sent is the Shimmer Tan Boost from Abi-O of Beaubronz; I thought I'd test the product on one arm only and let it settle for a bit to see the difference between the two arms (don't worry I even it out after!)

what the product looks like straight from the bottle

So here's the difference between the two arms after a couple hours:

top: bare arm, bottom: Shimmer Tan Boost arm!

As you can see, there's only a hint of colour difference between the two arms but the shimmer is totally there.
I'd use this product on the body for a bit of shimmer and maybe the shoulders too, however not on the face at all unless you want to resemble a disco ball!

Packaging: I quite like the dinky little bottle (which is only trial size 50ml) and like the gold labelling; gives it a luxurious feel.
Finish: Golden shimmer.
Texture: The product is a golden mousse-y cream like texture.
Key Ingredients/Facts: Abi-O generally do paraben and cruelty free products (woop!) and in this particular product natural and organic ingredients are used. Key ingredients in the Shimmer Tan Boost include: BIO Active Aloe, 2.5% Ecocert DHA (the tanning agent) and shimmer mica.
Application: After the usual routine of exfoliating, shaving and moisturising before applying a tanning product (a must if you're to get a perfect self tan result!), Abi-O Shimmer Tan Boost can be applied in even circular motions on the body with hands or a velvet tanning mitt. If using hands, always wash straight after (unless you want orange palms!)

Smell: The Shimmer Tan boost has no particular smell when first pumped, however after about 5 minutes or so, a not so pleasant potato-ey smell emits from the body; not nice! It was quite pungent and made me feel totally paranoid about the smell whilst wearing it!

Who this would be perfect for: As the Shimmer Tan Boost only contains 2.5% DHA, it's perfect for tanned, brown or black skin. There's barely any visible difference in colour between the two arms above which wasn't enough for me, however for darker skin tones I think this product would be great for a bit of shimmer.

FrootiFactor: I quite like this product; from the packaging to the shimmer, however I think the smell put me off wanting to try it again; I've used St Tropez before and the smell is a bit more warmer (my husband describes it as "biscuit-y") but this tanning product only smelled of potatoes to me! I think this is probably because it does contain natural and organic ingredients and one thing I've noticed about organic products is they mostly smell quite bad. For this reason, it loses a full 2 FrootiFactors as I am very into nice smelling products, but for those who prioritise ingredients, this would be a great alternative.

The Abi-O Shimmer Tan Boost can be bought in both 50ml trial size (£8) and 200ml full size for £26 from the BeauBronz website.
So this is my first instalment of TFWOC reviews, I'll try to post my progress with the different brands I've been sent and let you know my thoughts!
Make sure you follow the other girls' reviews on this project too:

  Annie Epiphannie

LaaLaa Dolce Vanity

Sophia Tattooed Tea Lady

Tass Une Tasse

Grace All That Slap

Hafsa Muslimah Beauty

Yinka Vex In The City

Stephanie Nerd About Town

Dija Dija's World

Lola LolaStar Heart

What do you think of tanning products for ethnic skintypes? Do you agree with me in thinking tanned/sunkissed skin looks healthier? I'd love to hear your thoughts below!

Superdrug event

[picture heavy post!]

Hi there my lovelies!
As mentioned in the last post, I attended a great event hosted by Superdrug on Thursday with Numera, where we got to see some great new releases over the coming weeks.
I was welcomed with lovely service from the staff at Haymarket Hotel and after signing in took a quick sweep of the room to see what caught my eye.
There were many great brands there, some that I am familiar with: Sleek, Solait, Andrea Fulerton, MUA, FashionistA; and some completely new: Arora, Faux, Glam Republic and Simply Pure.

As I walked around the room, a nice lady approached me (can't remember her name unfortunately!) from Superdrug's own suncare brand Solait. We got chatting about SPF and also about my terrible reaction to Banana Boat's tanning oil last year and I was pleased to find they did tan-stimulating products with SPF too.. something I may have to give a try (and hopefully not react to).
I did get a Moisturising Lotion Spray Mist in SPF 15 in the goodie bag so will defo be trying that out when the sun pops out again.
I then had a look at some of the MUA Love Hearts range which I've seen so much about and totally love the concept.

Loving the purple shade!

I got Great Lips in my goodie bag =)

The full range of polishes and lip balms should already be available this February all at a steal of a price - £2 each!
Whilst we were looking at these, the company director Ana from We Are Faux lashes introduced us to her brand and we had a little chitchat about the brands handmade lashes inspired by music, fashion and art. The ones she wore were ever so nice and fluttery and she offered us a pair each, choosing Roux Sixteen for me.

My Roux Sixteen lashes

The range will be available in May and prices seem to start from £7.99

We found a great new bath & body brand Superdrug will be launching around April next; Arora. With its tantalising display of ingredients mimicking the fragrances, we were talked through the range Arora offer; body scrubs and butters, bath shimmers and shower nectars. 

I had a whiff of them all and have to say that my personal favourites had to be Sweet Vanilla and Coconut Crème. I reckon I would have liked the Chocolate Espresso too (the bath shimmer looked lush!) had it not have had the honey smell.. I'm not too keen on honey smells as you may know!

These bath products are priced at only £3.99 each, making them an affordable luxurious looking brand without the price tag.

Finishing Touches (Superdrug's OB nail art range) caught my eye next to the Arora stand as I've been trying to play around with my nails a bit of late. 

They had everything from my personal favourites of the minute - nail wraps/foils to stencils, glitter and more.

Next Numera and I decided to get our nails done by the Andrea Fulerton girls, so whilst I waited I went over to the Glam Republic stand where I saw the lovely Kaushal of BeautyFulfilled. 

She was so friendly and as gorgeous in person and explained about this great new concept of appliqué eyeliners that will be launching in May (£4.99 each or £8.99 for a double pack). I'd spotted a great glittery liner on the lady at Arora and then found out that it was in fact one of these stick on liners which was amazing! Kaushal herself was sporting a great velvet textured liner (which looked so classy) and she offered a glitter pair to me as I loved them so much.. Can't wait to try them and possibly do a makeup look with them ;)

Glitter liner has never looked so easy!

I have to say that I love the fact that they're so easy to use.. self adhesive so no messing around with glue, or having to have a steady hand which is something I get asked a lot about eyeliner/eyeliner techniques.   

I then had my nails done "frooti" style.. with the pretty "Popping Pastels" Spring range of Andrea Fulerton polishes which look ever so girly and not too pastel-ly for my skintone. A bit of Glitter puff dust was added to make them look even prettier:

My hand with a great swatch of the new Accessorize brow pencil haha

The colours from the range include: Jade (a minty green), Carrie (pink), Debbie (coral), Emma (Lilac) and Eugenie (blue), all of which are above and will be priced at £4.99 each.

Last but not least I passed the Sleek stand on the way out, which looked exactly like the stands in the Superdrug stores, showcasing the new Blush By 3 blush compacts (£9.99) as well as the even newer Face Form compacts comprising of contours and a blush. 

L- Medium, R- Light Face Forms.

These should be priced around the same price as the Blush By 3's (or less), so I can't wait to buy them once released!

So there you have it, I chose specific brands that interested me in this post but there were a couple of others there too like the new Elemis Fresh Skin (an offshoot of Elemis but aimed at younger skin), FashionistA (the custom design palettes that I'm dying to yet see fully!), Accessorize and Superdrug OB Simply Pure range.

Here's a couple more pics from the day:

FashionistA new bronzer range

Superdrug's OB dry shampoo range

Accessorize eyebrow pencil that seems pretty good!

All in all it was a great event, maintained by the lovely Haymarket staff who kept us fuelled whizzing around with drinks, mini burgers, fish and chips cones and more.

Can't wait for the next one!