Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals – Beauty Gadgets *New Deals Update*

The internet has been awash all week with posts on Black Friday/Cyber Monday beauty deals. No doubt it’ll be reaching saturation point by the end of today, with the promotion now having kicked off proper (I jest, but you get the gist).

ReAura Home Laser Discontinued – A New Cheaper Version Rumoured

ReAura RIP.

Rumours that Philips has stopped manufacturing the ReAura have been circulating for some weeks.  As a devoted owner and user of the home laser machine myself, I have subconsciously been putting the rumours to the back of my mind. 

That is very out of character for me – I would normally ‘bust a gut’ to get confirmation of such an important story. But I truly didn’t (and don’t) want to believe the stories! I love my ReAura (reviewed here and here)!

Yesterday though I contacted the Philips press office to find out what exactly is going on. They got back confirming the news.

The Gym Kit - 5 Skincare Essentials

Finding the motivation to get myself to the gym each week has never been much of a challenge – where else can I listen to my iPod at full volume for a whole hour undisturbed? The bigger challenge has been editing down my post-workout skincare to a bunch of essentials that is small enough to squeeze inside my kit bag.

Generally, I’m not very economical when it comes to bag packing - I adopt the ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ approach (I’m terrified I’ll leave something important behind, so tend to over pack whenever I travel).

But as a seasoned gym goer – I’ve been pounding the treadmill for a good *cough* 20 years now – I like to think I’ve become pretty adept at knowing what skincare my face does (and doesn’t) need after a sweaty workout and a hot shower.

Here’s a peek inside my gym bag – my 5 skincare essentials:

Cannabis Skincare for 2015!

You read it right: topical cannabis launching 2015.

Bob Marley is perhaps not a name you would normally expect to read on a beauty blog. For that matter neither is cannabis. But if you picked up a national newspaper this week, the reason I mention both here may not be too surprising.

Synergie EnLighten – Declaring War on Pigmentation (Review with Results Pics)

Skin pigmentation increases as we get older. That’s sun exposure for you, or more precisely, sun exposure without adequate SPF protection!

Most women over the age of 25 will have experienced pigmentation and in the vast majority of cases it is perfectly harmless. Nevertheless, an uneven tone bothers a lot of women and you don’t have to look hard to find a vast array of skin brightening products.

But treatment is a painstaking game. It can often takes months of dedicated daily use of a skin brightening formula to even out pigmentation. And even then it may not work. Sometimes pigmentation resides so deep within the skin that over the counter formulations simply won’t touch it. The problem then requires a stronger solution. Enter Synergie’s enLighten.

5 Tips to Keep Skin Glowing this Winter

I feel the cold terribly. As soon as the chilly weather arrives, our boiler goes into overdrive. And when it gets really nippy outside the wood burner goes on too (our house is old and not well insulated). All this heat does a grand job of keeping me snug and toasty, but it wreaks havoc on my skin.

Stepping outside doesn’t help. All that cold air, with low humidity and biting wind, further saps moisture from our skin.  We can’t win! Except we can, provided that we take the right steps.

Here are my top 5 tips for making skin glow this Winter:

Christmas Gifts with Deals

Christmas gift guides are arriving thick and fast. In the past two weeks the postman has delivered chez moi edits from Jo Malone, Liz Earle, L’Occitane and Space NK. Then there are catalogues I’ve picked up directly in-store, plus the masses of Christmas gifting emails that have landed in my inbox recently.  Drawing up lists for Santa is going to be exhausting work!

Whether you’re a bit pushed for time, or wish simply to compare notes, here’s my edit of the ‘Gifts for Her’ edits: 

Nourish Argan Skin Renew – Winter Nourishment

There’s something I really like about the brand name Nourish. Nourishment is precisely what my skin craves right now, so perhaps therein lies the answer!

Argan Skin Renew is a rich moisturiser for dry and stressed skin. Winter isn’t even here yet but the weather has certainly turned colder, our central heating is now on auto pilot, and my skin is starting to feel dry. Oh dear, it’s that time of year again!

November’s Fave Freebie – Nails Inc Polish (reviewed)

I have some good news: the dry spell is over! Before you start thinking I’ve gone bonkers and taken up rain dancing to invoke the recent inclement weather, I’d better explain that I’m not talking about the stuff that falls from the sky. I refer instead to the stuff that comes free with the monthly lifestyle mags – beauty freebies!

After 2 months of barely nothing, November is awash with them. Cosmo, Elle, InStyle, Bazaar, Red and Glamour – they all come with a free beauty product this month (there may be other titles too but these were the ones I spotted in my local WH Smith last Friday).

Safety In Beauty: First Year Successes and Q&A With Founder Antonia Mariconda

If you follow @CosmedicCoach Antonia Mariconda on Twitter (lots of us do - over 41,000 followers and counting!), you are probably aware of her ‘Safety In Beauty’ campaign.

The campaign was created to raise awareness of (and ultimately stop) unsafe practices in the beauty industry. It has just celebrated its first birthday.

To mark this milestone, Antonia and her team have put together the infogram below, showing highlights of the past 12 months. Successes have included getting injectable treatments banned at two major beauty events in 2014!

Aromatherapy Associates Renewing Rose Massage & Body Oil

I’m a tad (OK, a lot) obsessed with Aromatherapy Associates Bath and Shower oils. The aromas are exquisite - there’s a blend for every state of mind, pretty much. And they pack such a punch! My miniature bottles last me ages as you need add just a few drops to your bath water to fill the whole room with fragrance.

Rarely am I happier than when soaking in a tub scented with Revive Evening, Inner Strength, or Support Lavender & Peppermint - to name but three of my favourite blends (reviewed).

Given the love it’s perhaps surprising that I have never before tried anything from Aromatherapy Associates’ bodycare collection. I have clearly been missing something!

Charity Beauty – Raising Money for Good Causes

What tempts you to buy new beauty products? Is it a mega sale, a deluxe ‘gift with purchase’ goodie bag, a need to replace a favourite product – or a charity donation?