Freebie Fursday: Mon petit bonbon

It is not without an intense feeling of awkwardness and shyness that I went to work today with my wonky slaughtered brows. (catch up on brow gate here). Fortunately, I was busy with a conference and that helped keeping my mind off my brows. However, I just couldn't help thinking about another thing: the free Ciaté nail polishes in the July edition of Marie Claire magazine (£3.70) out today, and I couldn't wait till my work day was over to check the 3 shades of polishes on offer: Jelly Bean, Purple Sherbet and Bonbon.



I am not sure how much the word bonbon is used in everyday conversation in standard English but in French we use it all the time, and it is the most commonly used word to mean 'sweets'. The name certainly helped, but ultimately, it was not my memories of sweets eating times in France which led me to buy Ciaté Bonbon: it was its delicious shade reminding me of Smokey Lilac (BeautyUK), Innocent (ELF) and Steady as she rose (OPI). I am not the best at describing colours. For me it's a dirty nude lilac, and it's right up my street.











Unlike My Fair Lady, the Ciaté freebie we got a year ago, Bonbon's coverage was much better and I achieved the opacity you see on my pictures in 2 coats. The formula was a dream to play with and the flat brush made the application even more dreamy. This polish is such a good quality, it's worth its £9 retail value and more. So you can imagine how chuffed I am to have managed to get it for a mere £3.70.










If I listened to my heart, I'd rush to the shop to get a back up. However I must stay sensible. I have nowhere finished the nail polishes in my collection that Bonbon reminds me of and having a back up of bonbon would just be pure gourmandise. I wish it had been sunny today, I like photographing my nail polishes using natural sunlight you see and I can only apologise for these indoor snaps, and inability to wait for a sunny day to capture and share my impressions on Bonbon. I like it so much, I want to frame it.

Check out Purple Sherbet beautifully captured by Nic (Strawberry Blonde) here.  

What: Ciaté nail Polish, in shade 'bonbon'
Where: a decent place which sells Marie Claire Magazines
How much: £3.70

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Free Benefit and Ciate in Magazines start tomorrow

This is your 24 hour reminder about some fabulous magazine freebies available from tomorrow, 31 May 2012. Grab the July 2012 Edition of Marie Claire Magazine (£3.70) and get a free ciate nail polish worth £9. The shades to choose from are Bonbon, Jelly Bean and Purple Sherbet. I am not sure which shade is which from this shady scan but I really fancy trying the greige purple number! I will make a definite purchasing decision when I will be able to see the bottle in real life.







More freebies did you ask? Buy the July 2011 Edition of Glamour Magazine (£2.00) also out tomorrow, 31 May 2012 and get a free benefit primer sample/travel size (to choose from That Gal or Porefessional) and a mascara. Expect a stampede for this one and don't delay your trip to your newsagent if you want one of those. I predict a riot on the primers and a mountain of unwanted bad gal lash mascara (I have yet to read a positive review about the mascara). I was impressed by the that gal primer during my makeover so I really want to get one. I prefer using nanoblur on my pores but the porefessional is so smoothing, I am tempted to get one of these as well.

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NailsInc BlueBell Nails courtesy of InStyle Magazine

Bluebell or wild hyacinth is the name of a flower, belonging to the lily family and which grows shed loads in Scotland. Also the name of a gorgeous creme finish nailsinc nail polish which came free in the June 2012 edition of the InStyle Magazine (full details of the operation and other free colours here) 





I vowed myself not to buy it, as I am not really into blue polishes to be honest (don't let me enumerate my exceptions because that would defeat the point that I've just made) but it was free with the magazine and Emma wanted to see what it looks like. That's it, I am just going to blame Emma for this acquisition.


NailsInc BlueBell was lovely to play with (applied very sloppily here though!) It does present the usual nailsinc quirk, i.e goes on a bit unevenly at first to dry to a smooth finish later, but I am cool with that. The coverage is exceptional. In one thick coat, it covered the not-so white of the white of my nails but you still want to apply a second coat to cover the ridges of the nail. The colour reminded me of a cross between Models Own Beth's Blue (what I actually wore on my nails the day I avatared myself) and Gosh Lavender Love. It is a beauty.








Do you need it in your collection?
If you are into purpley blue polishes, this is definitely one gorgeous limited edition item to own, wear with proud and enjoy. I am :)

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Free NailsInc polishes in Instyle Mag. starts tomorrow

I reckon that my nail polish is so vast that I could have enough nail polish to paint the hands and toes of all the people at my workplace. But despite that, I am finding it hard to resist a free nail polish. It's not entirely free, mind you. You need to buy a magazine to get it.





Buy the June 2012 edition of InStyle magazine (£3.80) and leave with a free nails inc nail polish worth £11. There are three colours to choose from: Peach Sorbet, BlueBell and Power Pink. These colours were designed exclusively for the magazine, are limited edition, and will be available from tomorrow (Thursday, 3 May 2012) until stocks last.


I quite fancy checking out the ‘Bluebell’ in person and see what it’s like.
Will you be heading to your newsagent and check out the shades too?

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Win Bliss Skincare Beauty Prizes Every Day In March

Have you ever tried any Bliss Products? I haven't. I've always found them a little bit too high end for me. If you're like me and is a Bliss virgin, there could never be a better time to try them ... for free!

This March, Glamour Magazine is offering their lucky readers gorgeous FREE Bliss skincare beauty goodies, every single day. Each day, there's a different prize to win. Here are my personal picks.

03 March
Bliss triple oxygen instant energizing cleansing foam, £24
"Breathe new life into a lacklustre complexion back with this fantastically frothy cleanser. The first step in our Triple Oxygen regimen, it infuses your daily cleansing routine with a burst of O2. Used in our spa’s radiance-revving Triple Oxygen Treatment™, the refreshing liquid-to-foam formula is the first to deliver oxygen along with a super-powered form of vitamin C, while hydrating and gently washing away makeup and impurities. Tired skin will be left looking bright and revitalized—so ‘glow’ wash up!"


05 March
Bliss the youth as we know it anti-ageing moisture lotion spf 30, £55
Our The Youth As We Know It anti-aging collection is packed with turn-back-time perks—but we’ve managed to squeeze in one more with the latest addition to the line. A daytime alternative to the much-loved moisture cream, this lightweight lotion boasts the 10 age-battling benefits (visibly diminishing wrinkles, filling fine lines, hydrating and firming, to name a few), but adds SPF 30 to the mix for UVA/UVB protection that keeps both aging and burning at bay. It’s a ‘sun’-beatable daily moisturizing must-have!

09 March
Bliss fatgirl soap, £14
Get ‘lean’ while you get clean with this soap sister to our famed ‘Fatgirl’ formulas. Made with massaging nubs and caffeine to stimulate circulation and contour the body, ‘skin’-vigorating peppermint and grapefruit extracts, it’s a lively lather that really raises the ‘bar’ on body toning.

11 March
Bliss daily detoxifying facial toner, £20.50
This really refreshing, mega-moisturising, pH priming toner will not only help you milk your moisturiser for all it's worth, but it's amped up with antioxidants to purify and protect you from everyday age-expediting aggressors. Think of it as one small step for you, one giant leap for your skin.

12 March
Bliss triple oxygen + c energizing cream, £46
This lightweight gel-cream is formulated with a trio of oxygen ingredients and an advanced form of vitamin C to revive fatigued, sallow, stressed skin and give it that just-stepped-out-of-the-shower sheen. The unique pairing of Oxygen, which helps to support cell respiration and super-powered form of Vitamin C, which reinforces collagen synthesis, helps the skin rebound from external and internal stresses, improves skin hydration, and breathes new life into lacklustre complexions.

13 March
Bliss fabulous face lotion spf 15, £25.60
This stalwart beauty hero, with added SPF 15 instantly illuminates the skin with phytonutrients, whilst delivering a nice dose of vitamins, minerals and omegas to promote healthy skin.

16 March
Bliss peeling groovy, £49.10
This gently exfoliating dermatologist-developed formula is a triple threat against aging: it simultaneously perfects skin's texture, lightens dark spots (from sun, breakouts or other complexion-related mishaps) and lessens the look of lines and large pores. With moisture-magnetizing AAEs (amino acid exfoliators) instead of irritating AHAs, it's A-OK even for those who skew sensitive.

19 March
Bliss the youth as we know it serum, £46
A light weight illuminating moisture lotion.

23 March
Bliss triple oxygen instant energizing mask, £39.90
A super quick fix for dull, tired and sallow, 'I'm sick of my skin' skin. Engineered to mimic the effects of our spa's famous Triple Oxygen Treatment Facial in seconds.


Now I just need to remember to enter the competition on these days. Bliss offers many more products than just cellulite treatments and anti ageing care but these were my personal favourites.

Will you be entering the competition too?


Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with Glamour Magazine and/or Bliss.
I am not being paid or compensated in any way for writing about this competition.
I stumbled on the competition today and thought I could share it with you :)

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Crushed Grape, whatever the season. Free Leighton Denny Manicures

There are times when I spend ages trying to find that first sentence on how to start a blog post and others, like tonight where billions of way to start a blog post comes bustling in my head and I am overwhelmed. Please excuse me for I am very excited tonight. It's been a while since I've played with a Leighton Denny nail polish and I forgot how good it was.

When the gorgeous Nic, from Strawberry Blonde Beauty Blog told us informed us about the Magazine Freebies offers in March 2012, I got a bit hot under the collar: 3 shades of Leighton Denny nail polishes can be yours for free, if you purchase a copy of the March 2012 edition of Red Magazine (£3.80)





Nic warned us that the actual magazine with the free polishes would be hard to track down but being a massive fan of Leighton Denny, I was not going to give up so easily. I was lucky, they had some in my local Marks and Spencer and I managed to get my hands on 'Crushed Grape' a dark berry polish and a lilac polish annoyingly called 'Whatever'.





I can't explain in words the delight it was to experience 'Crushed Grape' and 'Whatever' on my nails: smooth, creamy, easy peasy to apply, opaque in one coat, dries fast, only £3.80. What more can a girl want? Well perhaps spending some time en-tête-à-tête with Leighton Denny himself.


I didn't do any clean up whatsoever on my manicures, (it probably shows but I would be quite happy to parade with my nails like that) I went really sloppy with it so much so that it felt like that the polish applied itself. I am in love, totally in love. As a consequence of my infatuation, I am going to leave you with an avalanche of photos.


Crushed Grape in all its glory, one coat only:







Now with slightly warmer lighting





and this is, ‘Whatever’. I am not going to lie. I feel the name doesn’t do justice to the beautiful shade and finish. Again, this is one coat. I know!!







Now with warmer lighting







If you have not yet tried a Leighton Denny polish and can hunt a Red Magazine with freebies in, you will not regret it. It will probably be the best £3.80 you've ever spent   








Needless to say, if the third free shade ‘Vamp’ had also been available at my local Marks and Spencer, I would have also bought it. Let me know if you managed to get your hands on it, I would love to see!  
      

 
Leighton Denny, will you marry me?      

 

What? Leighton Denny nail polishes in 'Crushed Grape' and 'Whatever
How much? Free on purchase of Red Magazine, March 2012 edition, £3.80
Where? I don't know. In some Marks and Spencers. xx

     

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Free Fluttering Falsies courtesy of Cosmo

Wait, another magazine freebie? What can I say? I like reading magazines. I am massive fan of false eyelashes. One of my favourite brand of eyelashes is Eylure so when the September issue of Cosmopolitan was released with a pair of exclusive lashes, it was a no brainer for me: I just had to buy the magazine. That's right, if you buy the September edition of Cosmopolitan Magazine (£3.50) you can get your hands on a free pair of 115 Eylure lashes.






Straight from the packet, I could see right away that these lashes were the right size for my smalls eyes and wouldn't need any trimming whatsoever. I love it when I don't need to trim the lashes and I can just pop them right on.





They have an invisiband type of lashline which I am not a fan of. I much prefer solid yet thin lashlines, as I do not like the appearance of the little gaps of emptiness.





The little gaps of emptiness, in close up action shot:
They could have done with being applied a smidge closer to the lashline





The Eylure 115 flare on the outside corner. This not my preferred shape of lashes but you might like it. I am paranoid enough about the my droopy lids and I feel that this particular shape doesn't suit my eyes. Ideally, I would have preferred them either straight or the same length as the inner corner.






And with a little bit of eyeliner on. I’ve misplaced my trusty H&M eyeliner, so I had to use my basic 2true eyeliner. Sorry for the wobbly hand and the lack of liner opacity.





And with a bit of slap on:







Final Verdict: These lashes are very good quality, were easy to apply and needed no trimming. However, I am not a fan of the invisiband lashline and the outer flaring shape. The human hair material gives an added natural look to the lashes but they will need plenty of eyeliner to conceal the ‘the little gaps of emptiness’. If you do like the shape of the lashes, they are very good value for money: the vertical curl is superb, the horizontal curve is spot on,  and you won’t be disappointed.


Happy false lashing :) x

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Le gris gratuit {notd}

Fed up of Magazine Freebies? Fear not, this post is going to be short, and straight to the point. 3 shades of Mavala mini polishes to grab free on purchase of Elle Magazine (£3.80), this month. My friend gave me the grey one and I can understand why. It's a bit of a boring shade really.





The polish was a pleasure to apply. Formula glided effortlessly on my nails (I know, I do say that a lot) but it's true. The polish practically applied itself without any effort from my part. This polish would look absolutely gorgeous with a blue glitter top coat on, with a 'flakies’ top coat, or with some sheer duochrome top coat, or a crackle top coat, ANYTHING REALLY to add a bit of interest and depth and perhaps to help make my skin tone  looking so ghastly dead and pinky.








If you missed my ‘Freebie Fursday’ post, you can also get Elle Mavala Orange and Elle Mavala Red as part of the Free Mavala Nail Polishes offer, on purchase of Elle Magazine (£3.80). Elle Magazine can be bought in any newsagent, good or bad. It tickles me when they ‘from any good’ newsagent…

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My fair lady after dark - nails of the day and night

After kicking myself metaphorically in the shins for having missed the gorgeous Ciaté 'kitten heels' nail polish as part of the Glossy Box Subscription Service this month, when I saw that Marie Claire was offering free Ciaté nail polishes on purchase of their magazine this month, I didn't want to run the risk of missing out on something potentially special. If you are resident of the UK and purchase the September issue of Marie Claire (£3.60) you can get your hands on 2 free polishes from Ciaté: a nude polish called My Fair Lady and a dark purple called, called 'Wait until Dark'.



 

 
I enclose a picture of the magazine to make sure: please do not get confused with another magazine with Jessie James on it, also wearing a dark top with stars on..


This was my first experience with Ciaté polishes and the first thing which caught my eye was the elegance of the packaging. I love the shape of the bottle and the cute bow on it and this is definitely a polish I would want to leave around and display because it's too pretty for words. I first tried 'My Fair Lady'. Well, they really were not kidding when they used the term 'fair' to name this shade. Perhaps they should have called 'sheer blouse' as this polish is extremely sheer.



 

My photos show 3 generous coats of 'My fair lady' and I am not sure 5 would have given me the opacity I want. The shade is very pretty and delicate but for me this polish is not working as it is unfortunately too sheer. Application was an absolute dream which makes it even more a shame.






'Wait until Dark' is a different kettle of fish altogether and much more my style. Application was again absolutely flawless and I reached opacity after 2 generous coats. The polish applied very smoothly, no hint of streakiness, bubbles, like butter on a toast without the delicious smell (argh, I've just made myself hungry for toast).






Wearing this polish makes me feel elegant, sexy and polished and not too vampirish. However it made me feel a little sad. This is definitely more a autumn/winter shade, and this is something I didn't want to think about since I've just started my 'summer' holidays.






I've enjoyed my first experience with Ciaté. These are definitely high quality polishes. If you like the colours, you won't be disappointed with the application and the finish. I have enjoyed swatching them to share the shades with you, but I now want to reach for a lurid lime green or yellow polish and enjoy the month of August to the full. Long live summer.


Will you be getting your hands on these shades of Ciaté polishes?

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Freebie Fursday, courtesy of Mavala

It's magazine freebies time again :) Woop! Purchase your copy of Elle Magazine (£3.80) at the newsagent and get your hands on one of these shades of 3 Mavala nail polishes.




Want to see what they look like on the nail before purchase?
Not a problem. Lipglossiping swatched all 3 shades for you.

I need to be good and won't be indulging this time. Will you?

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