Festive beauty gift ideas

Whether you’re shopping for Christmas, need to buy a belated Eid present, or just want to treat someone, there’s no moving for all the beauty and skincare gift ideas around to tempt you.  I find it hard work going to Boots for a Meal Deal and not looking at all their gorgeous No7 and Sanctuary sets, strategically placed near the till.  With all the choice out there, it’s easy to hammer your credit card and make a mistake, by buying someone an unwanted gift.    
                                 
So, to make things a little easier, I’ve selected some beauty gift ideas – for different budgets – which are guaranteed to please.  And of course, I’ve included my warts-and-all critique. 

   

Secret Santa

      
Stargazer eyeshadow singles - £4 each  

Stargazer

Let’s face it, we’ve all either been on the giving or receiving end of a crappy Secret Santa present.  With a budget of usually £5 or £10, there’s little room to please or be pleased. 

  

My personal ‘favourite’ was a toxic-looking makeup set, consisting of chalky eyeshadow and gloopy, candy-coloured lipgloss, which needless to say I never used.  Another memorable gift was a jotter pad and a packet of candy sticks.  The budget was £5, but I suspect the pad and sweets cost no more than a pound, so my Secret Santa made a nice profit.      

I’ve also been guilty of giving rubbish presents.  Short of ideas, I’ve doled out not-so-fresh-smelling smellies, and even a Kylie calendar to a male classmate who didn’t appreciate the suggestion.                                   

Anyway, if you would like to give a girlfriend a secret Santa she may actually use, why not try Stargazer’s stunning eyeshadows? 

Despite their modest £4 price tag, they actually come in pretty impressive colours, which are neither cakey nor chalky.  I tried two of their eyeshadows, a Hot pink/Fuscia shade, along with the coppery brown, and was pleasantly surprised.  The Fuscia is actually a very impressive vivid colour, that doesn’t betray its price once applied.    

Stargazer eyeshadow

One observation is that I noticed that as I was dabbing into the colour with my brush, the eyeshadow did crumble slightly, so it may not be the most durable shadow compact, but I’d say it’s better than some of the Collection 2000 Eyehadows, which crumble far more easily.  And also for £4, you can’t expect Mac-quality.

But aside from this, it’s a fab secret Santa which will be gratefully received and has a much higher likelihood of actually being used than a nasty toxic makeup set.   

Stargazer is available online - http://www.stargazer-products.com.

   

Best friend or sister

Frontcover Style Queen gift set - £35

Frontcover Style Queen gift set

Frontcover Air Kiss lipstick set - £20



Airkiss

    

So the boat is pushed out a little further when it comes to your bestie or sister, but of course, a bigger budget doesn’t guarantee a better buy.  If you’re buying makeup, the risk is even higher, as it’s such a personal purchase.  The safest way of ensuring you get it right is by buying a gift set with a variety of options.  That way something should definitely float their boat.     

To deliver the real wow factor and cover all bases, Frontcover is your brand of choice.  You may have seen them in Boots, but Frontcover is a relatively unknown brand (at least to me) of gift sets which combine three must haves for any wannabe beauty – great makeup, the essential tools, plus a handy guide.  It’s like a makeup artist in a box!

   

I tried two of the box sets.  The first is Style Queen (£35), which apart from your base, provides everything you need for you face – eyeshadows, lip glosses, blusher and the brushes you’ll need to get arty. Heck, they even throw in eyelash curlers!   

I gave myself a makeover by religiously following the instructions on the box, and was pretty impressed with the results. 

I love the shadow line (for those who don’t know what that is, it’s a clear eyeliner pen which you dip into a pot of powder to create a coloured liner), though my only bugbear was that you had to be so careful of loose powder falling onto your face.  It happened to me. Twice.           

My other niggle was that whilst the baked eyeshadows looked beautiful, they didn’t quite translate onto my eyes as well.  This was a shame, as some of them are really drool-worthy. I’ve yet to try them wet, maybe this will give me more luck.   

See below the baked eyeshadow result:     

Frontcover baked eyeshadows

However, the negatives about the baked eyeshadow and tricky shadow liner was far outweighed by the many positives.  The lip glosses are stunning.  I tried ‘Brick Wall’, and loved it for its understated, subtle colour (this suits me best).  The non-baked eyeshadows come on nicely and helped me create an impressive smokey eye.   
 

Frontcover blush



My favourite item of the set is the domed blushers.  The set has two blushes - one is a silvery pink shade, but I’ve gone Gaga for the darker blush, a perfect combination of gold, pink and peach.  It’s the perfect blush, and looks beautiful on Asian skin.  It reminds me a bit of Bobby Brown’s Shimmer Brick with its multiple shading.  Swept onto cheeks, it gives a golden, rose glimmer, and seems made for us desi girls, who may struggle with silver tone-blushes. 

And to top it all off, you have every type of eye brush you’d need, with a blusher brush and lip brush to boot.  For the novices (like me), each brush has it’s purpose etched into it, for example ‘Fluff and Buff’, ‘Blend and Shadow’ is written on the side for us dumb-asses.    

This gift box is impressive in size, and would put a smile on anyone’s face. 

I’ve also tried Frontcover’s Air Kiss Lipstick set (£20), which has 20 lipsticks in almost every shade going.  The set also comes with a retractable lip brush and nude lip liner.      

 

On opening the box, I was slightly unimpressed by the size and presentation of the lipsticks in their Perspex cases.  However, the lipsticks themselves are of good quality and are long wearing, which is much more important than having a pretty outer cover.         

 

Frontcover lipstick

The lipsticks come in gloss, matte and frosty tones.  Shades range from deep red to the lightest of peach.  Some of the colours don’t translate so well on Asian skin tones, such as the first row of lighter shades, which range from lilac to salmon.  However, there are enough colours there that can sort you out for most occasions, whether it’s just a trip to the shops, a day in the office, or a wedding.                                    

  

Being a lover of lipstick, I love the idea of experimenting with different shades, and this really is the kit for it.  So if you’re buying for someone also loves lip colour, this is the ideal set.     

Finally, it works out about £1, per lipstick, which is a price you’d never pay for a decent lipstick on the high street.  So from that point of view, it’s pretty good value for money.       

Both Front cover gift sets are available at Boots. 

 

The girl that has it all… but you’re still despo to impress 

Arbonne Vanilla Amber gift set - £81 - www.arbonneinternational.co.uk

Arbonne Vanilla Amber gift set

Finally, there are some people who just have it all.  They shop in Whistles, and wear Swarovski.  For this lucky lady (who you may secretly hate), any old gift won’t do.  I found this out when I was charged with buying the leaving present for my boss.  While I was intent on spending the kitty on some jewellery, I was assured that she would never wear anything under £100.  So she got flowers, which no doubt died within a week.  In hindsight, some luxury skincare would have been a much longer lasting, better buy. 

       

If you know a lady who loves her indulgent skincare goodies, you can’t go far wrong with the Arbonne Vanilla Amber gift set, which really is luxury in a box.   

The set contains a shower gel, sugar body scrub, body lotion and shimmer body powder.  While it may be steep for some budgets, Arbonne is all about premium luxury.  The brand can be seen as an upmarket Avon, so all the products are aimed at girls who like the finer things in life.    

         

As you’d expect, the Vanilla Amber gift set contains pure vanilla as well as amber, dewberry, lemon and orange.  Given its price tag, you’d expect something special, and that’s what you get.  I’ve tried the set, and can vouch for its potent fragrance, which stays with you all day.  While the body wash cleanses and adds fragrance, the sugar scrub is a great exfoliator which adds moisture at the same time.  Finishing off with the body lotion gives you the full Vanilla Amber treatment, and smells a treat, too.  

                  

The Vanilla Amber gift set is available from: www.arbonneinternational.co.uk.

I hope that this post gives you a few options when buying gifts this season.  I know I haven’t gone into gift options for men, but I will impart this bit of wisdom: if you have the misfortune of landing a boy as a Secret Santa, do what I did this year, and get a Gillette wash bag.    



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Sanex Zero% – everywoman’s shower buddy



Sanex Zero%



 No, the title isn’t a typo, Sanex really is a great shower gel for everywoman (no space intended).  This is because - while it’s not gorgeously fragrant like most other shower gels out there, Sanex’s is as pure as they come - containing no nasty chemicals.            

I first used Sanex when I was a teenager.  At the time, I was suffering from slightly sensitive skin, so I wanted a shower gel that wouldn’t irritate.  The lady in Boots suggested I try Sanex on the basis that it has minimal chemicals, so wouldn’t be harsh on my skin, cleaning and protecting at the same time.

  

She also mentioned to me, in secretive, furtive tones, that Sanex was good for ‘back-ne’.  I was mortified, and despite my insistence that I wasn’t suffering from that common teenage issue, she winked at me and insisted that it would do the trick.  Shame aside, at least I could bank this information should I indeed suffer a hormone imbalance resulting in pubescent spots.    

Anyway, the Sanex bottle itself was rather large and intimidating, and looked more like a toilet cleaner or bleach.  Compared to the other, pretty shower gel bottles on the shelf, it looked unashamedly medicinal and slightly unappealing.  However, I took the saleswoman’s suggestions on board.  It was totally the right decision, as Sanex did a great job at soothing my irritated skin, with its fragrance free, clinical magic. Over the years I dabbled with different brands to fulfil my need for fragrant showering, but Sanex always held a special place in my heart.    

  

However, Sanex has come back with a vengeance with Sanex Zero%, ramping up it’s packaging, with a clear bottle, that’s much smaller and doesn’t scream ‘I’ve got problem skin’.    

  

It’s still the same great Sanex, which helps you get clean and protects the most sensitive of souls, but it’s new look makes it much more palatable.  And this time round, the product itself feels much more lather-able, a must for any shower gel. 

So I would say, if you crave a shower gel that will leave you smelling fresh as well as clean, this fragrance-free concoction isn’t for you.      

However, if you are itchy, sensitive or even suffer the dreaded ‘back-ne’ (I won’t tell anyone), give Sanex a try, as it might just be what you’re looking for.

Sanex Zero% is available in the following variants:

Normal skin, dry skin and sensitive skin RRP £1.89, 250ml

Also available: Sanex Zero% foam bath for normal skin RRP £3.19, 650ml

The Sanex Zero% range is dermatologically tested and proven to keep skin healthy.     



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Autumn beauty looks for desi girls

Sheer Cover Modern Neutrals

Despite the crippling cold and cough I’ve been suffering with, I actually love this time of year.  Because as the leaves fall off the trees and we approach winter, my shiny face is kept in check.  The lack of sunshine and low temperatures mean that I don’t suffer from the usual faux pas of oily skin and slippery makeup.     

But also, as winter approaches, makeup looks can be experimented with once again.  Out goes the sunkissed shine and summery colours, paving the way for a more sophisticated look.  Autumn is all about matte skin, earthy tones for eyes and cheeks and darker lips.            

 

But of course, while autumn hues work wonders for the pale and interesting, picking the wrong tones can leave us desi girls looking chalky and dull.  Also, going too deep on the lip colour can look harsh and ageing, particularly if you have thin lips.  So to help you (and myself, of course) I’ve reviewed some of the looks that are great for everyone.     

When you think of autumnal beauty, the simple rule is to look at the leaves falling off trees.  Now, I know that sounds like a bunch of hippy BS, but it really helps!  They leaves are a deep shades of crimson, gold and mulberry, and it’s from these where winter beauty takes its inspiration.  Sheer Cover’s Modern Classics Eye Palette (above) pretty much covers these colours with its subtle, muted tones. 

I’ve experimented with this palette for a daytime/work wear look.  The one thing to be mindful of is that some colours don’t show up so well on Asian skin, so it’s worth investing in a good eyeshadow primer or base to make sure the colour sits well.            

The colours range from wine and khaki to mauve and charcoal.  I applied the ‘Champagne’ coloured shade (on the far left) to the inner third of my eye.  I then swept the ‘Wine’ eyeshadow along the outer corner of my eye, blending the two together in the middle.  You’ll see from the picture below that the ‘Champagne’ didn’t show up so well on eyes, but overall the look was subtle and autumnal and great for work.  Also, bearing in mind that I didn’t use any sort of base or primer on my eyes beforehand, the colour works pretty well.      



Sheer Cover Eye Palette's 'Champagne' and 'Wine' shades

  

Sheer Cover also does a Modern Neutrals Lip Palette.  I’ve tried this too, but the one thing I noticed is that colours are very sheer (true to the name), and need to be built up with several layers.  I would liken them to coloured lip glosses, rather than lipsticks or tints.  To complement my autumn eyes, I applied the darkest lip shade in the palette, as can be seen in the picture.  After a few coats with the handy lip brush, this colour came on deep, but not too garish, and was the perfect finish for my matte, autumn look.        



Sheer Cover Modern Neutrals Lip Palette












 



Sheer Cover Modern Neutrals Lip Palette



Another autumn option for lips is my current handbag staple, No7’s Moisture Drench lipstick in #100 Copper.  This is a highly pigmented, moisturising lipstick which has staying power.  Sheer it is not.  So what it looks like in the picture is exactly how it comes on.               



No7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Copper



Of course, those lovers of bling (I’m one of them) are probably not enthused by this look, and I can understand why.  While the autumn look illustrated is great for office makeup, you may need something with a little more sparkle for the evening.  However, the great thing about this look is that it is totally adaptable, with lashings of mascara and a touch of lip gloss, you can be transported from day to evening.  And best of all, with the cold front and lack of humidity, you won’t end up with a shiny face.              

Sheer Cover's Modern Classics Eye Palette and Modern Neutrals Lip Palette are both currently available at the reduced price of £14.95 (original price £20.95) from www.sheercover.co.uk. 



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Makeup mishaps and hair disasters of a Desi girl

It's easily done

On my quest for the perfect makeup, there’s one burning issue that yet to be resolved – why, oh why, does my makeup always look crap on a special occasion?    

Case in point – a wedding last weekend.  I had tried my new Front Cover makeup gift set a couple of days earlier (full review coming soon).  If I do say so myself, my application was immaculate and I instantly fell in love with a few of the colour combinations.   

I thought that repeating the process for the wedding would be simple enough.  However, on that morning EVERYTHING went wrong.  I think I was doomed from the start. 

I applied my eye makeup first, as had been advised by makeup artists in the past.  I understood the thinking behind this – that any specks of eyeshadow or mascara can easily be brushed away from a makeup free face.  However, with a bare face, I simply couldn’t visualise how the eyeshadow would look once my makeup was complete, so I piled on the eyeshadow in a gung-ho fashion.

However despite my constant layering of the eye colour in question - a pale pink which looked classy and rosy just days before – came on very lightly and ended up looking cakey and chalky on my eyelids.  Even the eyeliner screwed me over, as an unsteady stroke left me with a panda effect on my lower lashline.  I neither had the time nor patience to wipe this away, so I thickened the other lower lashline to match.  In for a penny, in for a pound and all that.     

Just to ruin things further, I was overgenerous when tipping my Bellapierre Blush – a gorgeous Dusky Rose shade – into the lid of the tub.  This meant that I had way too much blush to play with.  Despite my constant dusting of the brush to remove the excess, I still ended up with loads of blusher.  I could have always binned some of the surplus powder, but I guess in my rush to get ready, common sense went out of the window.     

Finally, having amassed a generous collection of lip colours, I found myself slightly spoiled for choice, and opted for the pink that I thought was most flattering to both my outfit and complexion.  Well, let me tell you, it failed on both counts. 

   

Will little time to go, I had to suck up my dissatisfaction with my look and make my way to the venue, despite feeling that my stunning pink outfit had been let down by a questionable face caked in dubious makeup.  And as far as hair went, three strokes of a brush was all I had time for.      

     

I would love to post a picture of my ‘look’, but quite simply, I didn’t take any pictures.  Or if I did, I must have deleted them at the scene.             

However, upon arrival at the venue, I noticed I wasn’t alone.  Half the guests had suffered what I would like to clinically term nervous-getting-ready-syndrome, where makeup is applied with a trowel, to hilarious effect.  Cue lots of heavy eye makeup, TOWIE-esque lashes and my personal favourite, a generous dash of deep purple blusher resembling a bruise.  Many looked as though they had enlisted the help of a makeup artist, as there seemed to be some precision to the heavy application.  If so, they should demand a refund. 

You see, I don’t know what it is, but it’s something about special occasions that bring out the cack-handedness in us Desi girls.  Suddenly all the makeup rules go out of the window, replaced with the mantra ‘more is more’.     

I think my excuse is that when I’m going to getting ready for a special occasion, I feel that my makeup should have a bit more ‘sparkle’ than my day-to-day look.  So on goes the highlighter and colourful eyes.  However, with me, less really is more, and my minimal workwear look suits me much better than the he-she tranny makeup application many of us Asian girls to succumb to on a special occasion.       

So for the next wedding I’m going to, which is in a couple of weeks, I will (attempt to) be minimal.  Well, let’s see how that goes.

Names and wedding locations have been unidentified to protect overdone he-she tranny identities.           

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Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Duo Mask review

While I totally extol the virtues of homemade face masks, I have recently had a dalliance with Liz Earle’s Brightening Treatment Mask.  Why?  Because while my beloved gram flour ‘atta face’ mask needs to be worn for at least 30 minutes for the best results, Liz Earle’s solution is far more quick-fix, promising to work between 30 seconds to two minutes.  How could I resist? 

Liz Earle Brightening Treatment Mask

   

The duo consists of two 50ml bottles of the mask and a muslin cloth.  I’m not quite sure why there’s two of the same mask, but hey, my sister was pleased as she was quick to claim the second bottle. 

The instructions were simple - apply two pumps of the mask to your face, leave on for between 30 seconds and two minutes.  Then gently wipe away with the muslin cloth.    

      

On that note, I would say that two pumps is a little generous for the face.  One pump dispenses a rather large dollop of the mask, so this would suffice.    

Anyway, as my face has been pretty much a guinea pig for every kind of treatment, I thought I may as well go the whole hog and keep the mask on for the full two minutes.  It tingled slightly, which to me was a good sign that it was working.  It says not suitable for sensitive skin, so I guess the concoction of witch hazel, white clay and almond oil won’t be for everyone.  

To offer a second opinion, my sister, who bagsy-d the second bottle also tried the mask at the same time.  She also left the mask on for the full two minutes, though her skin was going slightly red, as she’s a bit more sensitive than me.

Now, if there was ever an argument for trialling a product on two people for a fairer review, this was it.  After my sister and I had both wiped away the mask residue, we examined the results. 

 

While I noticed that my skin was certainly softer, smoother and cleaner, my skin wasn’t transformed to bright heights.  However, my sister’s complexion delivered the real ‘wow’ factor.  Her post- Liz Earle face looked much brighter and, dare I say, luminous.  So it goes to show that what doesn’t work for one person might be perfect for someone else. 

However, one thing I did notice was that the initial wow factor on my sister died down after a few hours.  By the next day, she was her usual self (sorry, sis).    

  

This brings me to an important point.  Liz Earle’s Brightening Treatment Mask does exactly what it says on the tin.  It’s a quick fix solution for skin that needs a little boost.  It’s not a long-term treatment that would offer gradual results over a number of weeks. It gives you the hit you need and fast. 

 

Because of its fabulous-but-fleeting nature, I would recommend that you use it in the morning - or just before going out – as opposed to the last thing at night as we did.  Whereas my homemade face masks are great for a before-bed pamper session that’ll leave you glowing in the morning, Liz Earle’s masks works straight away, but is gone tomorrow, so it’s best using the moment you want to your skin to glow, as that’s exactly what it’ll do.  Also, as you only need to leave it on for such a short time, you can easily work it into your morning cleansing routine and still find time for breakfast.                        

  

Liz Earle’s Brightening Treatment Duo is available to buy from QVC for £25.25

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