Alva Coleur Lip Balm Review - Soft Rose

Another exit review for Alva Coleur Liquid Lip Balm in Soft Rose. The 8ml tube lasted me about 4 months of daily use.

The liquid balm is a soft non-shimmery translucent rose colour although it looks purple in the tube, do not fear. It adds a hint of colour and shine to the lips. It's liquid texture means that it's easy and quick to apply but not sticky and lasts a fair amount of time before reapplication. The packaging is a simple slim lip gloss tube with screw top and wand applicator. I don't have to worry about temperature drops solidifying or highs liquefying it in my bag (if you've ever had a lipbalm/lipstick melt in your bag, you'll appreciate this even more).

The thing I like the most about this product is the scent, I never get tired of it - it smells like Vanilla Cola - something I never drink as I value my teeth but I love the smell! Also being a braces wearer (for the time being) it doesn't end up all over the front of my clear step brace which looks worse than lipstick covered teeth...

The balm is also available in a soft peach colour which will be great for soft summer lips. I tend to use this all the time as a moisturising and hydrating lip balm or preparation for wearing lipstick. I find that it acts as a temporary lip plumper without resorting to stinging or menthol sensations, so perhaps more suitable for those with cinnamon/menthol sensitivity.

I already have my back up of this product (thank goodness). A definite repurchase.

You can find out about the Alva range and the Liquid Lip Balm ingredients/prices from the Alva website.

5 new gift sets from L'Occitane

Just when you thought you had your Mother's day gift sorted, along comes L'Occitane with five gift sets! Available in Plum, Cherry, Shea Butter, Lavender (pictured) and Rose, each is £39 from their website.

4 new pigments from e.l.f Studio

More alliteration from e.l.f Cosmetics UK, the four Studio Pigments. A small selection on colours which are trendy "biologically" inspired colours.

Innocent Ivory is a cream shade which when applied leaves a beautiful irridescent pink (as a highlight for smoky eyes it's lovely. On it's own or applied over another shadow, it provides warmth and shimmer without glitter.

Mystic Moss is a deep green with flecks of silver shimmer. Intense when packed on over a darker colour or an interesting alternative to a black smoky eye. Looks amazing on every eye colour.

Magical Maroon, which if you are blue eyed is going to look simply stunning. A deep plum shimmer.

Naughty Noire is a deep charcoal colour, very little shimmer so perfect for lining, blending and it has an intense colour pay off.

I don't think I can take much more alliteration, I bet you there will be a "teasing teal" before long!

Available now at £3.50 each from the e.l.f cosmetics website.

The BEST eye make up remover I have ever had...

This is an exit interview for a product I have recently finished.

This product makes taking off all kinds of eye make up (even the most stubborn waterproof liner and mascara) a complete breeze without leaving my eyes sore and streaming. No sulphates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, colours, glycol or silicones.

It was such a surprise too, I really didn't expect a product that costs only £4.99 for a generous 125ml bottle and that is a completely vegan product but claims to be very gentle to be up to much.

Try it is all I can say. It's a definite repurchase for me!

What is it...? Follow this link here and see!

Natural Products Europe 3-4 April 2011

I will be at this show, with my friends from Alva Skincare and Makeup. I'll be giving tips on how to use their new make up range Green Equinox and valuable skin care tips on how to achieve your perfect look every day.

This is an industry event (so businesses looking to connect with other businesses) so I don't think it's possible to buy products on the day. However, I am reliably informed that there may well be a chocolate fountain and strawberries at the event in London's Olympia (there always seems to be at these healthy events)!

Hope to see you there, find out more about the exhibition here http://www.naturalproducts.co.uk/

Eye of the Day - Turquiose

4 New Mineral Eyeshadows from e.l.f Cosmetics

Smoldering is a smoky gunmetal with pink/blue/green/pewter shimmer. Yes it is gorgeous!

Flirty is a fresh deep lavender colour with silver shimmer.

Dreamy is a beautiful teal/sea green with fine silver shimmer running through it.

Beachy is a gorgeous bright blue with a blue shimmer.

Enjoy all these new spring/summer shades which are now available on the UK and Italian websites at £3 each.

Click on an image for a larger more detailed version.

Parissa Chamomile Body Sugar Review

I purchased this system a while back from Holland & Barrett. The kit contains a 140ml pot of sugar, three wooden spatulas, 20 washable strips and a small vial of Azulene oil (which is a lovely blue colour and is supposed to prevent ingrown hairs if applied after sugaring).

I put off using it until it started to get a bit warmer and skirts were being worn! I don't really know what I was so worried about as it was "relatively" painless and easy to use.

Warm the sugar in the microwave until it has the consistency of runny honey and test is for temperature so you don't burn yourself. Allow a bit to cool on a spatula and apply to the leg or arm. If the mixture is still on the hot side then allow the mixture to cool for 5-10 mins before testing again.

Then use as you would a wax system, applying carefully and thinly to areas you wish to remove hair. The benefit of a sugar system is that it doesn't adhere as much as wax so it won't pull off more than a few thin layers of skin with the hair (saves me exfoliating).

I found it easy and pleasant to use, the great thing is that you can apply the sugar to the whole leg and then only really need to use two to three strips as you can use them more than once. This makes it really speedy! If you make a mistake or it gets on towels then it is easy to wash out with warm water. The sugar only needs to be warm for application, it remains sticky so you can use the strips in succession.

I haven't used this on the face as I am still considering laser so don't want to mess up my hair growth by removing roots. I did use it to shape a friend's eyebrows the other day and it worked really well. In fact much better as if any gets on eyelashes, you can wipe it away with damp cotton wool.

This system is a definite repurchase for me as I have tried and failed to make my own sugar mixture and now can't be bothered to keep trying! I'd rather just buy a sure fire system! I'd say that if you were doing legs, underarms and bikini once every 2-3 weeks (6 weeks? no way!) this would last about 2-3 months (4-6 full applications).

Parissa Chamomile Body Sugar Natural Hair Removal System costs between £9 - £15 depending on stockists.

L'Occitane - Elegant Legs Mist Review

Launching in the UK on 4th April, I was lucky enough to have been given a bottle to try before the launch.

I took this product to Italy with me on a business trip and I am so glad that I did. I was spending all day on my feet (in heels!) and during breaks would pop back to my apartment nearby and spray my legs and feet with this toning and refreshing spray. It's mildly moisturising but mainly light and quickly evaporates to leave soft, fresh and less tired legs!

It also smells so good that I could just wear it all over! The leg mist is a heady mix of sweet almonds and bergamot provides a clean and perky freshness. The menthol encourages fresh blood flow to the tired muscles of your legs. Unless you want tingly bits as it contains menthol, I'd advise not to spray it all over.

L'Occitane Elegant Legs Limited Edition is £13 for a 100ml pump spray. Available from 4th April 2011, UK website.

The Body Shop - Earth Lovers Shower Gels

A few weeks ago I attended the launch of The Body Shop's latest new range - Earth Lovers, a range of 100% biodegradable shower gels. I was lucky enough to meet Oxfordshire based cookery writer, Sophie Grigson (I have one of her books at home) and she talked me through how to grow a basil plant from seed. So far I have killed more than I care to remember. Fingers crossed as the seeds have germinated and are growing madly on a window sill at home.

I was also lucky enough to meet Donnachadh McCarthy, a top UK eco-consultant and I am reading his book "Easy Eco-Auditing" in the hopes of making my workplace and home more planet-friendly.

I picked the Apricot and Basil shower gel and so far I've been really enjoying it as it is soap free so gentle and non drying. It is thinner than some other gels but the smell is powerful, lingers on the skin and great for bath and shower. At £5 for a 250ml bottle it is more expensive than your average shower gel from Tesco (cue Original Source my usual shower tipple) but the scent is rather unique and reminds me of fuzzy peach... anyone else remember that? We used to douse ourselves in it at school and the boys used to say we smelled "fruity" and were confused by it.

So far there are five uplifting and delicious scents to choose from in the range. Which would you try?

Available now from The Body Shop.

Mother's Day Idea 2

Aromatherapy Associates New Little Luxuries box set is £12.00, which contains the Light Relax, De-Stress Mind and Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oils. Find it in a SpaceNK or online at the Aromatherapy Associates website.

What will you be giving your Mum? If I know my Mum, she'll just keep these on a shelf claiming they are too pretty to use! Like mother like daughter...

Mother's Day Idea 1

The kit contains generous travel sizes of our Superskin Moisturiser (15ml), Superskin Concentrate (10ml), Superskin Body Cream (50ml) and a sample size of Superskin Eye & Lip Treatment.

Having tried all of these products, I would heartily recommend the Superskin body cream, it is divine!

The Gift is available from the Liz Earle website from March 7 to April 3rd 2011 for £30 (a saving of £12.90).

How to: Eyebrows

Parting is such sweet sorrow. Give and Make Up.

As you may have seen from my Youtube page, I have a little contest going on. It's called "Time to say goodbye". Many people thought that title meant I was leaving YouTube, in hindsight perhaps a different title would have been less dramatic! The contest has now closed and I really enjoyed reading all 700+ comments and laughing along to the insanity of keeping make up and sniffled at some of the sentimental reasons too. Thank you to everyone, all winners have been notified and prizes dispatched.

This was only a small part of a major spring clean I have undertaken. Fingers crossed Mr OJ and I will be moving in a few months time as we purchase our first family home together. I couldn't bear the thought of carrying all my collection to the new home so I have had a major reorganise.

With this in mind, I have been sorting out my items for Give and Make Up, which aims to help women who have left abusive relationships start again. The cosmetic products which are either slightly used or brand new but in good condition are distributed to these women who literally have nothing, they may have left in the middle of the night in fear of their own and their children's lives.

It's a great cause and I am only too happy to donate all of my surplus cosmetics products.

Here they are all packed up and ready to be shipped (for free by generous freepost benefactors BeautyBay). I'm slightly embarrassed that I have held on to so much stuff...

If you would like to know more about this brilliant initiative to help women who have escaped abusive relationships, then the Give and Make up web page is full of all the info you will need.

See my video below!

Lanolips Rose Balm Intense for very dry hands and nails review

Lanolin is a by product of wool processing. No animals are harmed during the making of it, but they may get a bit chilly when they are shorn. Lanolin based lip products are my product of choice for lip balms especially using them at night. Lanolin is deeply moisturising and lasts a long time. I gave a tube of Lanolips 101 ointment to my sister (cue evil laugh) who is also now converted.

Buoyed by the success of the lip products, I started using Lanolips Rose Balm Intense hand cream. It's around £9 for a 50ml tube from stockists such as Boots, Victoria Health etc...

The Rose Balm is not your typical balm, it is not a solidified oil but a thick and waxy cream. In all honesty it has a similar consistency to Angel Delight (the strawberry one). Forgive the strange comparison but it is entirely true in my opinion.

When rubbing it in to the hands it feels more like a coating than a moisturising cream. It's not unpleasant by any means, sticky or oily but I find that it is not moisturising either. So I tend to only use it if I am going outside and facing the elements as it has more of a protective feel. Perhaps that is how it is meant to be used and not as a regular moisturiser. It's not a balm you can use several times a day without washing it away completely first as your hands feel very waxy. That sounds odd but for example, if you're in London for the day and only have antibacterial hand gel for cleansing, it's waxy!

A note about the scent, some people love the smell of baby lotion but I don't, unless it's on a baby! I was expecting an aromatherapy type rose scent and this was a bit of a surprise.

Unfortunately, I think it's not a repurchase for me as it doesn't fulfil my requirements from a hand cream; which are moisturising and long lasting, ability to layering without it rubbing off and non scented or something uplifting. I completely dig the tube though, long and thin, it's the perfect handbag choice. It is surprising how many hand creams are tubs and large tubes which take up more room than they should.

Sorry dudes at Lanolips, I love your 101 ointment though (cue evil laugh) and so does my sister :)