NEW: Clinique, Bobbi Brown, Balance Me, NIP+FAB

It’s been yonks since I last did a post on my pick of the week’s new beauty launches. I always find these features fun to write (and an interesting read hopefully too!). But I’m back on the case and plan to start running these regularly again. I'll include any current brand website offers too.

So, here’s what caught my eye this week:

7 Summer Holiday Beauty Heroes

I’ve just returned from a month-long vacation *she sobs*, most of which was spent in the beautiful Costa Blanca town of Denia - you may have read one or two posts I wrote while I was there? Popping over to Denia has become a bit of an annual August ritual, though this year we were ‘blessed’ with rather variable weather.

Amid glorious sunny days, we witnessed two terrific thunderstorms, one of which was accompanied by a rather impressive tornado out at sea - sorry no camera to hand for pics :(.

The week before we left, I gathered together a small collection of beauty products that were true heroes of mine this year. I photographed them in the garden in beautiful sunshine (ah, sweet memories!). Here they are and why they made my list:

Face Up Fitness: A Gym With a View and Saying Goodbye to Training Holidays

   

Getting back into training after a break is painful – literally! Just a week off from the gym always has my body complaining bitterly when I’m next pressing those dumbbells, walking those lunges and working those push-ups. And I know I’m not alone!

Face Up Fitness: Training, 6 Ways To Stay Motivated!

With a certain sense of foreboding, I give you my top six tips on how to keep the exercise bug going.

If you’re a regular reader of my blog, you may recall that I launched Face Up Fitness about a month ago, as a platform for sharing my passion for gym training. I mentioned then that I would kick off the series proper about now, with a ‘top tips’ on motivation.

Dermalogica Multivitamin Power Recovery Masque – Nourishment for Lacklustre Skin

I confess Dermalogica is not a brand I am that familiar with or have used much. I don’t honestly know why that is, as they take a ‘skin health’ approach to skincare - a stance that chimes enormously with me. I guess the label has just never really cropped up on my radar.

Escentric Molecules, Molecule 01 – A Scent With a Pheromone Effect (Tested!)

What is it that makes us want to wear fragrance? Is it simply a wish to smell something nice on ourselves? Or is it something deeper, a desire to appear attractive to other people - we feel an alluring aroma emitting from our skin will help make that happen?

I confess, I’m motivated to wear fragrance for both these reasons. I get great enjoyment from having a good sniff of my wrists after I’ve sprayed a scent I like on them. Equally, I get a massive buzz from someone I quite fancy coming up to me and telling me how nice I smell - I didn’t really say that did it? I’m married!

I’m clearly not alone when it comes to wearing fragrance for reasons of attraction. For those of you who know and love your scents, the name Molecule 01 is probably familiar. For those who don’t, but who like the idea of wearing something that will act as a people magnet, you may just want to read on!