Sleep in a Bottle - Elizabeth Arden Advanced Night Repair

A few months back Estee Lauder released a new formula of its best selling Advanced Night Repair, now called Advanced Night Repair Synchronised Recovery Complex II (what a mouthful!). 
I'm a little late to the party with this one as I did not like the original formula at all. I wasn't keen on the smell or consistency and apart from that it didn't actually do anything for me. I used a big sample too, over about a week and still it made no difference whatsoever. So when they improved the formula and came up with the new formula I wasn't remotely interested. However after a couple of samples found themselves in my Boots bag I decided to give it a second go. And boy am I glad I did. It is amaaaaaazing. I wake up in the morning after applying this on its own the previous night and my skin looks amazing. No matter how many glasses of wine I've had or however many times the children wake up in the night my skin looks fresh and somehow smoother. It also looks hydrated and glowing, a world away from what it normally looks like. You can put moisturiser on over the top for an extra moisture boost, which I probably will do as the weather gets colder. My skin is on the dry side with the occasional spot, which it clears up, goodness knows how, so it is suited to all skin types. Anyway it is that good I will never be without it. I'm going to buy their eye cream too as I've been told by a friend it's just as good. You can buy it from Boots here.

They say 

PRODUCT DETAILS

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Recovery Complex II
See the transformation as all major signs of ageing look significantly reduced. Wake up to more beautiful looking skin-every day.
Advanced Night Repair addresses the appearance of all key signs of visible ageing, with innovative technology for more comprehensive and precise night-time renewal.
• Lines and wrinkles look significantly reduced. More than 75% of women felt their skin looked more youthful.*• Skin feels smoother, hydrated, stronger. 82% of women felt their skin was immediately hydrated.**• Skin looks younger, radiant, more translucent and even toned. 83% of women felt their skin looked healthier, fresher, more rested.*• Effective for all ethnicities.
Experience the power to change the look of your skin-every night.
NIGHTLY RENEWALMaximise the power of skin's natural night-time renewal like never before with our exclusive ChronoluxCB™ Technology-a major innovation. 
It helps promote the natural synchronization of skin's night-time renewal process so that it renews its appearance at exactly the right time.
And now, it supports a natural night-time purification process, vital to younger-looking skin. 
DAILY PREVENTIONHelps protect skin's appearance against environmental damage. Helps reduce the look of past damage caused by every major environmental assault.
INTENSE HYDRATIONHyaluronic Acid locks in moisture, creating the optimal conditions for skin's natural renewal. Every Night. Every Day. Every Key Sign of Ageing.
25+ Patents Worldwide.***

========================HOW TO USE• Apply on clean skin before your moisturiser.• Use several drops.• Smooth in gently all over face and throat.
NIGHTLY RITUALMaximise your experience for younger, healthier-looking skin with this nightly ritual:• Apply a drop on each fingertip of one hand. • Touch fingertips of both hands together.• Massage serum over face and neck, starting at the centre, outward.

========================FORMULA FACTS• Dermatologist-tested• Ophthalmologist-tested• Fragrance-free• Non-acnegenic

========================*Consumer testing on 524 women for 4 weeks.**Consumer testing.***Patents and patents pending. 

NOTD - Gelish Need a Tan

I love love love this Gelish colour, Need a Tan. It's a gorgeous creamy white/beige, which despite me actually needing a tan isn't too deadening on the nails if you know what I mean?! It's super chic and I'm going to be rocking it all Autumn with Breton stripes and grey denim galore.

Any other good Gelish colour recommendations please let me know! 

Chanel Emprise

Just a quick post on my new favourite nude, Chanel's heavenly Emprise. As the sun comes out and a sprinkling of daffodils appear, I have begun to yearn for all things Spring. Gone are the festive reds and greys for my nails and out come the pretty fresh nudes. Chanel's Emprise is definitely my favourite. It is a little peachy, a touch beige, a tiny bit pink but predominantly nude. It is quite an opaque nude which I love and leaves your hands looking polished and pretty but very natural. LOVE.

Neom Organics Cocooning Set

I recently won a Neom Organics Cocooning scent set for new or soon to be mums on my favourite beauty website ever A Model Recommends (I want everything Ruth tries out and I am addicted to her videos which you can see here). Anyway I never win anything, so to win some Neom goodies which I have been meaning to try for a while was a massive bonus.

This kit includes a mandarin, ylang ylang & chamomile Cocooning Travel Candle, Cocooning Bath Oil and Cocooning Body Oil.

They say
The light and fruity Mandarin top notes are enveloped to combine beautifully with cosy, ultra-florals such as Ylang Ylang, Chamomile and Jasmine for the ultimate new or soon to be mum scent.

The perfect antidote to tired, stretching bodies, nauseous and weary spells and when you are in need of some well-deserved me-time... because a happy mum makes a happy (and contented) baby!

I say
I have become increasingly obsessed with reading ingredients on beauty and make up products recently, so am increasingly opting for organic and natural products as much as possible and these gorgeous Neom goodies tick all the boxes. Luxurious, heavenly scented, beautifully boxed, aesthetically gorgeous and of course really good products.
The candle smells heavenly, the bath oil is gorgeously luxuriant and the body oil is about a million times better than slathering bio-oil on your bump.
This heavenly set would be a gorgeous preggers treat to yourself when feeling huge and fed up waiting for baby, or an extra special pressie for someone special you know who is pregnant. I love love love it.

Thanks Ruth and Neom.

Baby Dude has no interest in posing for photos when there are fingers to chew

Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector

On my never ending search for a dark circle eraser and eye firming, wrinkle removing eye cream all in one miracle thingy I came across Clinique's Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector, which is supposedly a treatment for dark circles not purely a mask.

They say 
NEW Even Better Eyes has the power to brighten the appearance of the entire eye area. Plumping hydration makes thin eye-area skin appear less transparent and the cooling massage tip refreshes tired-looking eyes. Optics instantly brighten all skins, fair to deep.

I say
It is a good eye cream, not amazing but good. The cooling metal tip isn't the best invention in the world, after using it on one eye to smooth in the cream it is warm by the time I get to the other eye which kind of defeats the object. Anyway the actual eye cream is oil free and gorgeous and soft, velvety even, it does feel great on the skin, although it settles in fine lines. I'm not sure about plumping but it is certainly hydrating, the skin under my eyes are definitely less crepey. It is a peachy colour, yet doesn't provide any coverage just a few light reflecting particles. I've been using it twice a day as recommended and haven't seen any noticeable change in the dark circles, maybe it is more of a long term thing? Make up doesn't sit that well over the top either.
Overall I like this eye cream, I think it over promises a little though, but to be fair I think nothing short of a miracle would be the only thing to erase my very dark circles combined with a newborn stealing all my sleep.

Clinique's Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector is £28 for 10ml and you can buy it here.

NOTD - Jessica Pret-A-Porter

A quick nail of the day for you from Jessica. This colour, Pret-A-Porter is an unusual choice for toes, especially if you have pale and see-through legs like mine have been this summer. However I went for something other than my usual coral/red choice on my toes and I LOVE it. This is a gorgeous creamy beige, which is just on the right side of a white pastel. It has a hint of warmth so not making your toes look dead like a more lilac based polish can do. Weirdly it made my feet look browner, genius.

If you fancy something for the last of the summer different you must try this.

Jo Malone - Amber & Lavender Bath Oil

I love a nice long soak in the bath, and very rarely get the chance with two under two, but if and when I do I make sure it is as calm and luxurious as possible, and always with a good book, glass of wine and a hair or face mask. And what better way than to really indulge with a Jo Malone Bath Oil. This Amber and Lavender Bath Oil is a new addition to my bathroom shelf and is the most luxuriant bath oil you can imagine. It smells indulgent and expensive, infused with amber and petitgrain, lavender and bergamot it is great for ultimate bath time pampering.

You can buy this from Jo Malone here.

NOTD - Models Own Utopia

This Summer I am all about nudey pastel shades, last year I was all about bright corally reds and oranges. This colour is gorgeous, Models Own Utopia is a white based pastel, with a lilac cool toned tint through it. It is a stunning summer shade, the only thing is the brush is a bit rubbish and streaks quite badly so you have to be uber quick and perfect when painting. On the plus size it is super chip resistant, I'm three days in and it's still almost immaculate.

I am on the look out for a dupe though as the streaks just bug me, if any of you know one please let me know!

Budget Beauty - Collection 2000

Collection 2000 budget beauty

I am going to start doing regular posts on brilliant budget beauty buys as there are many unsung heroes of the beauty world which aren't high end yet get seriously over looked.

First up are a few goodies by uber budget brand Collection 2000, I but mine from Superdrug.
The Collection 2000 Cream Puffs are gorgeous, moisturising lip creams, championed by Lisa Eldridge. They feel matt and velvety and look far more expensive than they are, oh and they smell of chocolate, bonus. The nude is my favourite, it is a perfect shade which doesn't make you look dead like most other nudes. Oh and it's very Bridget Bardot. They can be a little drying but for £2.99 I'm not complaining.
Second is the much blogged about Collelction 2000 Lasting Perfection Ultimate Wear Concealer. It is such a good price for such a high quality product, covers really well, great colour, lasts forever (16hrs to be precise) and is a great one to stash in your handbag you don't mind a toddler chewing. I have shade number 2 which is fair and a great colour match.

A great couple of buys which won't cost the earth and really do what they say on the tin.

NOTD - Barry M Peach Melba

Barry M's Peach Melba is super summery and I am loving this nail polish at the moment. It is a gorgeous pastel peach, which isn't far off a nude, and makes your hands look bronzed and summery in an instant. You only need two coats and lasts a good few days without chipping without a base or top coat, which would prolong it even more if you wanted it too. It is a steal at £2.99 and can be bought from Boots here.

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask is a fab fab product. Although not for sensitive skin, (it really does tingle), it is a must for tired mummies who want to wake their skin up a little bit. The best thing about it is you only need to leave it on for 30 seconds to 2 minutes so a super duper speedy quick fix. The mask contains stimulating camphor oil and toning witch hazel to help give your skin a natural-looking radiance. It's naturally active ingredients include aloe vera to help cool and soothe, toning witch hazel and purifying white clay.

You remove the mask with one of their famous muslin cloths, which you can buy with it in the starter kit or the mask alone if you already have muslins. These act as a gentle exfoliator and make sure every scrap of product is removed. I would post a picture of me modelling the mask but didn't want to put you all off it!

I really like Liz Earle products, their infamous Cleanse & Polish is good, (although I still prefer Eve Lom), and their sunscreens are a must for natural, organic products, and this mask is just fabulous. I love that it is such a quick fix, time is not a luxury I have at the moment!

The Brightening Treatment Mask comes in a 50ml tube or pump but you can also buy a 15ml tester or travel size with muslin from Liz Earle online.

NOTD - Orly Rage

Ooooh I love this colour. Orly's Rage it is a rose-gold metallic, which is surprisingly quite neutral and subtle for a glitter/ metallic. It has a subtle pink sheen, which doesn't really translate in the photos but it is gorgeous. It paints on flawlessly and dries really quickly, two coats is all you need for a sparkly bit of day time bling.

NOTD - Essie Mint Candy Apple

Essie's Mint Candy Apple is fast becoming a favourite across the blogosphere and after Essie landed in my local Boots, I couldn't resist trying it out being a huge fan of Essie. The colour is gorgeous, a pale turquoise pastel, and it is brilliantly chip resistant as you'd expect from Essie. My only thing is, after wearing Shellac for the past year, it (as well as other standard nail enamel's) lacks shine, gloss and the wow factor that gel varnishes deliver. So I love it, the colour is gorgeous and it is less faff and time to apply, but I'm going back to Shellac as soon as this comes off I think!

The other ingenious nail related product I bought was Bourjois Magic Nail Varnish Remover, which literally takes off your nail varnish in a second. Almost worth painting your nails just to use this! It is great, smells way better than standard nail varnish removers and actually has some very good conditioning oils in it such as almond so it doesn't dry your nails out at all. Love this.

Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser

The dewiness of this product does not come out that well in the pictures above but believe me I'm glowing away, subtly of course.

So recently I've been addicted to skin care products and make up, I think it's because fashion is pretty much out of the question with a huge bump, and as my skin is blemish free for once I have become a bit of a beauty junkie.

Anyway, on my quest for perfect dewy skin, I decided on Laura Mercier's Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser. It has had pretty mixed reviews, some people think the illumination is too much. I used a friends a few years back and my face just looked like I had been showered in moon dust. However after seeing it used on A Model Recommends (probably the best ever website and blog) I thought I'd give it another shot. I'm not sure if the formulation has changed, or my skin has, but I LOVE it. As well as having and spf 20, this tinted moisturiser also contains shea butter to hydrate the skin, liquorice root and green tea to calm and soothe, and vitamins A, C and E to guard against free radical damage. 

I bought the shade Natural Radiance, a medium beige for light to medium skin tones, which blends perfectly, and the glow is definitely not too much, on me anyway. I love the whole dewy look. It doesn't crease or make me look oily, and for everyday it is a perfect skin pick me up for a natural dewy look all from one product. The coverage is medium, and buildable. I would recommend using a primer first though, pores full of shimmer are not a good look. When I bought this from Space NK the Laura Mercier rep actually matched me up and told me to use a primer too and apply with fingers rather than a brush (I had to deal with a screaming child so didn't have time to ask why).
I actually bought this in preparation for post baby number two when I'm surviving on no sleep and my skin is looking dull and crap, so the added ingredients and promise of a one-minute glowing makeover product are enough for me. 

If you are looking for light coverage and a dewy fresh looking skin I highly recommend this tinted moisturiser. You can buy it from Space NK here.

Baume de Rose by Terry

I was first given this little pot of Baume de Rose by Terry by one of my best friends (who I think loves Space NK more than I do) as a birthday present, and loved it so much have used and purchased another pot. Don't get me wrong it is probably the most ludicrously priced lip balm you can find (£35 anyone?) but I must say for a little bit of luxury and an honestly amazing lip balm it really is good, hence repurchasing. 

This little frosted pot of rose scented pink balm not only smells divine, it doubles as a cuticle/dry patch treatment. Tres handy for the excess left on your finger after applying to lips. It smooths, plumps, hydrates, repairs, nourishes AND regenerates, not to mention the 15 SPF. Pretty good for a humble little pot of balm. It also looks great on, quite a pale pinky/ bluey toned gloss which is not at all sticky and lasts for ages. Actually the one good thing about this is the pot lasts forever, good thing really for the price. 

Anyway, as you can tell I love this lip balm. If you're after a special treat for your lips you can buy it at Space NK here.

NOTD - If Mermaids Had Toes...

If mermaids had toes they would definitely be this colour - Jessica's Bikini Blue, the most gorgeous powdery yet glossy pastel blue.
Perfect for the summer, makes your toes look brown and beautiful. Amazing! What was more amazing was having someone else paint them for me as I can't actually reach my toes anymore.

My Beauty Secret in July's Pregnancy & Birth Magazine

This month sees my number one pregnancy beauty secret in the July issue of Pregnancy & Birth magazine in their 'How the Experts Stay Beautiful' section. It's an obvious choice I have mentioned before, but Bio-Oil really is my one of my all time favourite products, and great for multitasking. Obviously it's amazing through pregnancy for massaging and moisturising your bump, but I have also been slathering it round my eyes every night, as it is alleged to help with fine lines and also pigmentation which has just appeared thanks to pregnancy hormones. I must tell you my skin has never been better. The fine lines have practically disappeared and my skin is visibly hydrated and smooth. The results are better than any eye cream I've used before and I've been through most of SpaceNK's selection. Also a bargain at £8.95 for their small sized bottle, which lasts an age. I will definitely be using this way beyond pregnancy.

ps. I'm loving Pregnancy & Birth magazine at the moment, one of the best on the shelves for sure.

NOTD - Shellac Rosebud

Shellac Rosebud

A few pics of my nail of the week - Shellac Rosebud. A pinky/ nudey shade perfect for Summer days sipping Pimms and eating macaroons.

On the subject of nails, I am so pleased to see Essie has arrived on the High Street. The best on trend, long lasting and glossy nail varnishes you can buy. I particularly love their mat top coat.

TRESemme Heat Defence Styling Spray

TRESemme or "TRESamazing", this stuff is unbelievably good, I really cannot recommend it enough. It has transformed my hair from straw to silk.
TRESemme's Heat Defence Styling Spray protects your hair up to 230 degrees celsius, so it is perfect for GHD users or anyone who uses hairdryers and tongs. I have used a gazillion different hair products and styling sprays including Kerestase, Moroccan Oil, Salon Professional, Phillip Kingsley and all the high street brands. However, this combined with a serum, I'm currently using John Freida's Frizz Ease, is head and shoulders (couldn't resist sorry) above all of them. I should start by telling you my hair has a good old natural frizz to it and has been highlighted for years. I also use a hairdryer and GHDs daily or every other day. After a couple of weeks use of TREsemme's amazing heat defence spray my hair is silky and soft, and stays straight for days and days. I spray it from root to tip, and my hair no longer gets greasy or goes flat and lank, it literally stays like I have just washed it for about three or four days (I used to wash it every other day). What's more it is a bargainous £4.69 from Boots for a large 300ml bottle, which lasts for ages.
I literally can't believe how good this is and have recommended it to all of my friends. Go buy!

NOTD - Never too old for glitter!

Topshop - Adrenalin

Nail inspiration - pink blossom

Being 7 months pregnant there are a very limited amount of things you can do to make yourself feel pretty or glam. 
Shopping is pointless as having two months to buy and wear new but tent like clothes isn't exactly fun, your body resembles a whale 99% of the time so can't exactly put on a nice dress and go out with the girls because you just feel huge, and not being able to lie on your back restricts all kinds of beauty treatments you can treat yourself to. 
So for me it's all about the shoes, hair and nails. And wearing a lot of black. So for a black tie event in London we went to this week, hair was masterfully coloured, shoes bought (black but toweringly high to elongate said whale like body), and nails were glittered to the max courtesy of Topshop's psychedelic pink glitter nail polish Adrenalin. A small glimmer of kitsch and girliness to help me cling on to sanity surrounded by many very beautiful friends.
*This nail varnish needs a good four coats to get full glitter effect (it is very fast drying) and only lasts a night before chipping.