Free Boots 17 "All About Nude" eye palette

Buy any two Boots 17 products and recieve the "All About Nude" eye palette free.

 Swatch:

 

The Lipstick & Cream Blusher on my lips:

To qualify for this freebie, I re-purchased the Shine Control loose powder, which as you can see compared to my old one (left), they've improved the packaging and changed its name from Oil Control to Shine Control. The old one also stated it was 'lightly medicated' whereas the new one doesn't.

I also picked up a black eyeliner pencil which I gave to my sister.

Estée Lauder Gift Time at House of Fraser

 It feels like ages since an Estée Lauder Gift Time has been available local to me, so I was excited to see their current offer available tomorrow - from 25th August to 10th September at UK House of Fraser stores.

There is a choice of 2 gifts [free to you with the purchase of any 2 products], complete with the same items but different shades. Both kits include:

An eyeshadow quad compact, lipstick, eye pencil, mascara and a double ended lipgloss, plus their Advanced Night Repair Complex and new DayWear Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Day Cream

To recieve my gift, I re-purchased my Double-Wear Pressed Powder [£26.50] that I had hit pan with recently, and a beautiful eyeshadow quad [£35.50]- 'Surreal Skies'. I felt very guilty after purchasing this as I know full well I have enough neutrals/nudes/brown eyeshadows to last a lifetime, yet somehow I justify it with the thought of 'well, these colours are slightly different to any I have - plus it's all in one compact so I won't need to take any other shades with me when I'm away', haha.

Pure Color Five Color EyeShadow Palette - 'Surreal Skies'

 so gorgeous!

Recent purchases/Harvey Nicks haul

  

Now I don't know if you've heard already, but Harvey Nichols recently had a special offer going, where if you spend £110 or over, you'll recieve a gorgeous Limited Edition goodie bag packed full of amazing products such as:

- Per-fekt Skin Perfection Gel in Radiant, 1ml
- Bare Minerals Foundation in Medium Beige with brush, 0.28g
- Laura Mercier Mini luxury mascara in black, 5.7g
- Lancôme Lipstick, L’Absolu Rouge, 1.6ml
- Cover FX Mint Glaze Clear Lip Gloss, 3ml (full size)
- nails Inc. Nail Varnish, 10ml (full size) – x3 options
- NARS Lip Gloss Trio, 2.15ml – x2 options
- Shu Uemura Complimentary Corner Flare Eye Lash Application Voucher (available in Knightsbridge, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh and Leeds)
- Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essentials in Bare deluxe sample size
- Clarins Discovery sized Hand & Nail Treatment Cream, 50ml
- Bremenn Instant Forehead Smoother, 5ml
- Bliss Lemon and Sage Body Butter, 50ml
- Sisley Express Flower Gel Mask, 15ml
- Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser, 30ml
- Elemis VIP £10 discount card/treatment spa pod voucher
- Balenciaga Signature Scent mini fragrance, 5ml

I've been wanting to try the Dr Hauschka range for some time now, I'm always on the hunt for the next product that could sort out my combination/acne-prone skin. I purchased the Normalising Day Oil, Rejuvenating Mask and Moisturising Day Cream.

I also purchased the Laura Mercier translucent Loose Powder, & lipgloss 'Petal', which has a beautiful pinky-gold shimmer to it.

Quick summary of the Dr Hauschka products -

Normalising Day Oil

• Regulates the overproduction of oil by the skin.
• Regulates the size of the skin's pores.
• Protects the skin from exposure to sunlight and cold.

How to Use:

• Use in the morning after Cleansing Cream and Facial Toner or Clarifying Toner.
• Tap 3 or 4 drops of Normalising Day Oil into the palm of your hand.
• Gently apply to the face, neck and earlobes, pressing gently until it is absorbed.

 This product initially made my face feel too greasy. But it quickly sunk in - and combined with the Day Cream, it really does leave my combination skin feeling sufficiently moisturised and supple. I haven't noticed a significant decrease in my scars yet - but I do feel this product is working well, even after only a couple of weeks use.

Moisturising Day Cream

• Activates the skin's natural moisturising processes.
• Regulates and balances the oil and moisture content of the skin.
• Protects the skin.

 The smell does put me off a bit from all its ingredients, but this is a nice lightweight moisturiser - a little goes a long way.

Rejuvenating Mask

• Softens acne scars.
• Normalises dry, pale skin with large pores.
• Stimulates dry skin to produce more moisture.
• Stimulates pale, depleted skin after stress or illness.
• Moisturising and soothing for sensitive, reddened skin.
• Improves the blood circulation, relaxes and decongests inflamed skin.
• Intensive care after sun exposure.

 I haven't used this mask enough times yet to notice a difference in my scars - but this DOES immediately leave the skin feeling firm, soft and thoroughly fresh & cleansed.

I also recently purchased further Laura Mercier products (I'm becoming obsessed...) -

 Bronzing Pressed Powder - 'Matte Bronze', Second Skin Cheek Colour - 'Lush Nectarine' and Lip Glace-'Baby Doll'

The packaging of the bronzer is beautiful & I've swatched this just once & already love it. Same applies for the blusher - a gorgeous coral and my new favourite. The lip glace is a fresh shimmery pink, great for the summer.

 

Aaaand last but not least, I've FINALLY tried a Topshop make-up product! Lipstick in 'Nevada' (£8), a soft nude for everyday. Really moisturising & great quality for the price.

Estée Lauder GWP - Debenhams

 

Free Estee Lauder gift set worth £60

(when you purchase any 2 Estée Lauder products)

Offer ends 19/03/11, Debenhams

 Free gift includes:

Time Zone Line & Wrinkle Reducing Creme SPF 15

Advanced Night Repair serum

Advanced Night Repair eye cream

Pure Color eyeshadow palette

Pure Color Long Lasting Lipstick

Sumptuous Bold Volume Lifting mascara (mini)

Cosmetics bag

& a generous-sized compact mirror!

The 2 products I decided to purchase were; Pure Color Longlasting Lipsticks, in shades Vanilla Truffle & Apricot Sun. Debenhams had a store event on where cosmetics were reduced by 10%, so that was a nice bonus :-)

 

 [Left: Vanilla Truffle. Right: Apricot Sun]

The claim:

TRUE VISION™ COLOR

• Maximised colour impact
• Magnified vibrancy, clarity and dimension
• Amplified brilliance

INDULGES YOUR LIPS
In 2 seductive finishes:

• Satin, Lasting Creme
• Lustrous, Lasting Shimmer

Medium-to-full, buildable coverage.

• Long-lasting wear
• Fade-resistant

 Swatch: Vanilla Truffle - a gorgeous, soft creamy nude.

 Swatch: Apricot Sun - glossy, shimmery, slightly darker & more pink than Vanilla Truffle.

What strikes me first with these lipsticks is how soft & creamy they are upon the lips - so much more pleasant to wear than other lipsticks I've tried.

IIIIIIIIIT'S ESTEE LAUDER GIFT TIME

HOUSE OF FRASER - FREE GIFT WITH ANY 2 ESTEE LAUDER PURCHASES

[2 SETS TO CHOOSE FROM - ONE WITH 'HYDRATIONIST' MOISTURISER, ONE WITH 'RESILIENCE LIFT EXTREME' MOISTURISER]

Both come complete with a (sample-sized) Make-Up Remover, Eye-shadow Palette (gorgeous shades), Long-Wear Eyeliner Pencil, Mascara, Lipstick (a looovely pink) & Idealist Serum.

Offer starting 3rd Feb '11.

My two purchases to recieve this free gift were:-

MagnaScopic Maximum Volume Mascara & Face Primer Plus

I was pleasantly surprised to find the MagnaScopic Maximum Volume Mascara comes with a free bottle of Eye-Makeup Remover, & Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream at the moment :-)

As for the Primer, I'm a little apprehensive that it may cause more spots than normal, due to its purpose involving being much like a 'mask' on the face for the make-up to set upon. But I've heard nothing but good reviews about this (& the mascara), and I like the sound of its mattifying purpose, so we shall see. I really really do not want this to cause even more break-outs than normal!

This is the best GWP I've come across - grab this offer while you can!

[HOF Stores in the UK]

Estée Lauder Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick & Purifying Mud Foam Cleanser

Signature Hydra Lustre Lipstick - 01 Pink Sand

  

"Colour so creamy, it seduces every curve of your lips."

 Estée Lauder also claim that: "You know this is an extraordinary lipstick from the moment it touches your lips.

• Full-coverage colour has true character and depth.
• Finish is lustrous for a smooth, sophisticated shine.
• Rich, hydrating formula feels light and comfortable.
• Hours of moisture. Hours of wear."

My new favourite lipstick - I love the creamy texture, the classy packaging and the soft sophisticated colour. However, the downsides to this are its smell/taste on the lips, and the fact it actually isn't that long-lasting... I found after a couple of drinks I already needed to re-apply. 

As much as I love this lipstick, I'm not sure I'd re-purchase to be honest, as the price is quite steep and I'm sure there are cheaper nude/pink alternatives out there, albeit less creamy and moisturising.

As there was a Gift Time promotion offer on in Boots (buy 2 products to recieve sample-sized products & a travel/makeup bag), I also bought the 
'Sparkling Clean Purifying Mud Foam Cleanser' (£19).

"The right Estée Lauder cleanser sweeps away impurities in a burst of refreshment.

It works gently, without stripping essential lipids away from your skin.

Skin is left feeling cushioned, primed, ready to maximize the benefits of the formulas that follow."

This smells gorgeous and leaves the face feeling really refreshed. I also love that it doesn't leave the skin feeling too dry/stripped  - and I can already tell this product is gonna last for AGES! You only need a small amount to massage into the face and the tube is fairly large. Pricey (what the heck...I love Estée Lauder), but worth it for this cleanser.

Estée Lauder 'Arctic Night' Eyeshadow Quad

Estée Lauder 'Arctic Night' Eyeshadow Quad

I recieved this eyeshadow quad in a 'Gift Time' freebie offer. I usually stick to neutral shades but decided to give these colours a go for a night out. I'm happy with the results but I find Estée Lauder's eye-shadows have quite low pigmentation - I needed to reapply quite a fair few times & even then you can see in the photos the colour isn't that bold.

I started off using the lightest shade as a base, then built up the colours with the darkest shades being in the outer corners of the lid.

I used black eye-shadow for underneath the eyes & also dabbed a little onto the outer corners of the eye-lid for a bit more intensity. I finished off with a flick of liquid eyeliner & lots of mascara.

Clarins July GWP - HOF/ Revlon Colorburst Lipstick

House of Fraser have a Clarins GWP offer on at the moment - a free cosmetics bag including 4 trial-sized products. There are 3 different coloured bags to choose from, and each set comes with different products.

I chose the hot pink and recieved free trial-sized 'Extra-Firming Day Cream', 'Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch base', 'Pure Melt Cleansing gel', and 'Extra-Firming Tightening Lift Botanical Serum'.

The 2 products I purchased to recieve my free gift were the 'Hydra-Care Tinted Moisturiser' in shade 'Peche' (£25.00) and 'Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick' in 'Melon' (£15.50).

I am yet to use much of my 'Hydra-Care Tinted Moisturiser' as I'm still currently using Estee Lauder's Double-Wear one, but upon trying this out I find that it feels really light on the skin & nourishing with a smooth texture. Due to its coverage I'd only use this on its own on good skin days! (which isn't often enough)

The packaging is a little dull as with many of Clarins skincare products... but I'm just being fussy now.

'Perfect Shine Sheer Lipstick' in 'Melon'

This lipstick claims to "deliver sheer colour and silky-smooth shine. Deeply moisturizing and long-wearing for softer, more comfortable lips."

It definitely provides sheer colour and appears silky-smooth, however I do find it drying and doesn't last as long as I'd hoped for considering the price-tag. I am pleased I bought this though - the packaging is sleek and I love the fresh (& glittery) colour.

REVLON COLORBURST LIPSTICK

'Baby Pink'

'Blush'

I've never really bought any Revlon make-up before but after hearing many good reviews about these new lipsticks I thought I'd give a couple a try - and I love them! I alternate between the two but I'd say I use the 'Baby Pink' more as it's slightly more flattering (in the flesh anyway!)

Pros

• Good pigmentation
• Moisturising
• Glides on smooth
• Sleek packaging
• No off-putting scent
• Not too matte, nor shimmery
• Doesn't feel heavy on the lips
• Fairly long-lasting
• Value for money
• Wide range of shades available

Cons

The only thing I could say is that the colour shown on the packaging doesn't really match to the actual colour of the lipstick - you'd need to actually look through the testers to see what the colour's really like. I'd like it to last a little longer too - but for the price it was (and Boots & Superdrug are offering £2 off at the moment) you can't really complain!

haul

House of Fraser have a Clinique 'Gift Time' offer on that's just started, if you buy 2 products, with 1 being skincare.

I purchased the Pore Minimizer Instant Perfector and the Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream as both had good reviews.
EDIT: I have since returned the Pore Minimizer perfector back to the store, as it didn't do the job for me, and if anything it just made me break out..!

The free gift contains samples of Take The Day Off Makeup Remover, 7 Day Scrub Cream, Dramatically Different Moisturiser, All About Eyes and Deep Comfort Butter.
However I already know that the Eye cream just doesn't go down well with me - when I bought All About Eyes in the past, within a week of use red painful and itchy rashes appeared all around the eye area where you apply it. Was quite dissapointed with this as Clinique are supposed to specialise in skincare! So now I use Olay Total Effects Eye Transforming Cream and so far it's worked great.

Allllso, anyone who likes Benefit should head down to the newsagents if they haven't already and buy Glamour magazine - which comes with 3 different Benefit products to collect.

I went a bit crazy and bought 6 as it was such a good deal haha.
You can choose from the 'Eye Bright' pencil, which works well in the inner corner of the eyes, 'It Stick' concealer which apparently is the least popular but actually works really well over spots and under the eyes, and the famous 'Bad Gal' eyeliner which has a nice design but I prefer Maxfactor or Elizabeth Arden as the kohl in their eyeliners have more intensity and you don't need to apply as much.

Image source: www.petitfeet.co.uk

Wore my Belle & Mimi leather sandals today... but god did they eventually hurt! Haha ended up wearing my trusty flip flops... and ending up about 10feet shorter.

The nail varnish I'm wearing is 'Candy' by Nails Inc & I loove it