Friday 28 November 2014

Winter Skin Wardrobe

Just as you would pack away the flip flops and maxi dresses after summer and get out the wooly jumpers and scarves, I find my skin wardrobe needs mixed up too come the turn of the seasons. Gone are the mattifying products I need to keep my shiny skin at bay and in comes the big players in hydration to stop my skin looking dry and dull. I have brought out a few of the big guns in recent weeks and it has made a big difference to the texture and look of my skin, never mind making my make up look a whole lot better.


For day to day moisturiser I have been using my trusty Yonka Pamplemousse moisturiser that I have actually been using for almost 2 years now! I first got my hands on it in an early Glossybox and until then I had never found moisturisers particularly 'exciting' but when I finished my first ever tube I realised nothing I used in its place lived up to this one! Since then I have been getting my hands on them through blog sales but lucky for me they are now launching in Scotland so it should be a lot easier to get my hand on their products which is exciting!


I am a huge fan of the Emma Hardie cleansing balm ( seriously, who isnt?!) so I have been using the Amazing Face Treatment Cream * at night to give my skin a super shot of hydration and give it a bit of a glow. I love applying this as it feels beautiful on the skin and in the morning it looks like I have had a decent nights recst ( essential for the party season!). My face just looks a lot more 'lifted' and plump when I am using it which is exactly what I have been needing. 


For brightening I find nothing beats the power of Vitamin C and this serum from Image skincare has been working wonders on giving me that glow. I have loved this and the SPF moisturiser that I have used in the past from Image so I am defo asking Santa for one of the Image Christmas sets that they have just now ( see here for stockists) as there are some amazing savings to be made for this salon available brand. 


Thanks to another one of my wanders through the Debenhams Beauty Halls I have incorporated the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair II into my routine. I finished my bottle of the first formula earlier this year and not gotten round to replacing it so when I read some absolutely cracking reviews (including the thumbs up from Ms Hirons) for the new and improved formula, I couldn't resist picking it up. I have been super impressed with how it leaves my skin looking in the morning and like its predecessor it is beautiful to apply at night and totally comfortable on the skin. I am a sucker for a miniature too so the little Christmas gift set seemed the perfect time to buy!

What is your winter skin wardrobe?

Beauty Blogger Sleepover



Being a blogger has provided me with some amazing opportunities over the years from fabulous parties to trying amazing products but the best part has to have been getting to know other bloggers along the way. The number of us here in Scotland has grown massively through those years and I have met some absolute beauties in that time, so the chance to have an old school sleep over with some of them was amazing. The lovely Laura from A life with frills was super smart and organised a fabulous night in for us at the Fraser Suites in Glasgow with a host of companies taking part to make it a night to remember.




I have used these suites a few times in the past to accommodate both work colleagues and also my own family as I love that the rooms are not just beautifully put together but incredibly practical too with their own little kitchens to allow you a little bit of home whilst staying right in the city centre. They were the perfect spot to host a gaggle of excited bloggers indulging in a little bit of pampering and a big bit of snacking :)


We were treated to some amazing snacks from Dominos ( including some bloody gorgeous macaroni cheese bites that I am still burning off), nifty little cake pops from Cake-Cetera and a really beautiful berry cake from Whole Foods in Giffnock to top it off. We washed it down with an amazing punch laura made and some Fentimans botanical flavours- whilst gabbing away about all things beauty and blogging ( and possibly tearing up at numerous christmas tv adverts too....!)


 Fit to burst in my pj's we were lucky enough to have some of the fab Glasgow Benebabes with us to sort out our brows and soothe our skin. I have met the amazing Heiman before and she is a real waxing pro and sorted my messy brows right out with the signature benefit brow mapping, and then the super lovely Lynne treated me too a relaxing facial which ended up with a surprise sneak peak at a brand new Benefit product not out until next year! Puff Off! is an eye gel that can be used under OR over makeup to help fill in fine lines and of course de puff the area- it even has a little iron as an applicator- how cute is that!? It is going to be the niftiest addition to your make up bag come January.


We were delighted to be given a Shearers candle to take away with us which was amazing considering the rooms had all been scented with them which created such a lovely atmosphere. I love a good candle and the burn time on these beauties are seriously impressive.

Thanks so much to Laura and the rest of the gals for a really unique event that going into the mad party season was just what I was needing.

Thursday 27 November 2014

Glasgow Reviewed; The Thalgo Facial at Shining Beauty


I see a good facial much like a performance, elements need to work together to create the overall experience and this is exactly what I got when trying the Thalgo facial at the new West End salon, Shining Beauty. Gill has created a superb multi-functional space that feels clean, calm and indulgent- everything I am looking for when out for some pampering! I have never experienced Thalgo products before but I knew we would get on seeing as they are marine based products and anything along those lines I tend to find comforting and relaxing and they certainly delivered that whilst also giving me a beautifully soft and bright complexion.


I got myself settled into the treatment room that feels a world away from the busy Dumbarton Road that lies outside and was impressed from the clean yet inviting lines of the room to the sumptuous feel of the blankets I was nestled under. With the lights dimmed and some gorgeous music playing ( none of your standard panpipes here) Gill got under way with the facial. here is where the performance element really comes together, with the music and atmosphere working with her skilled application of the products and additional indulgent moments such as the use of hot towels and aromatic misting sprays, this whole treatment feels far more 'expensive' than the £45-55 price tag.


The products felt super fresh but still luxurious on the skin which is no wonder considering the research behind them. Thalgo are the undisputed experts in marine based skincare and contain multiple active ingredients that are extracted with a strict commitment to nature and the brands ecological footprint.  I was impressed to learn afterwards that all the products she used come in at a fantastic price point, from the gorgeous  Purity Cleansing Milk at  £19.90 to the moisture filled Hydra Marine concentrate at £39.50, they felt so indulgent I was sure they were going to be way out of my league!


The Thalgo facials at Shining Beauty are a truly gorgeous sensory experience that is delivered at a superb price. The results from the products were excellent and it left me with results beyond clear and bright looking skin, I left feeling 'floaty' and rested which led to a wonderful nights sleep which is a real bonus.

You can contact the salon on 0141 237 7230
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