Thursday 30 December 2010

Review: Fearne - It’s All About the Lips 'Vamp Red' lip collection

I was already over the moon when I discovered the 'Fearne' eye collection make-up but I was absolutely thrilled to have finally found a red lip gloss that suits my pale complexion (see pic below). The vibrancy from the red colour wasn't too harsh and I feel that it gave a glamorous touch without being too over the top. I certainly felt wonderful wearing it!

What I loved about the lip gloss was the fact that you twisted it to adjust the amount of gloss that came out on to the brush; meaning that you could have a very glossy look or just use the pigment that was left on the brush. Because of the fact that you applied it with a brush meant that it was also very easy to get in to the arch of the cupids bow (this really accentuates nicely shaped lips).

The lip liner pencil worked really well with this lip gloss too, by applying before the gloss I was given great definition to my lips, and I hope that they looked very kissable! :)

I normally hate lip glosses as they are so sticky my hair always gets stuck in them and then smeared all around my face - which is not a very attractive look. This lip gloss managed to be ultra shiny without being at all sticky which I found amazing!

Anyway, the lipstick was also great but I feel the 'vamp' describes the colour of it very aptly as it is quite a dark red. So probably best for evening wear. The colour of the lipstick I felt was a little too dark for my complexion, so I lifted some off with a sheet of tissue paper which left a wonderful shade of red on my lips without being too harsh.


OVERALL: £10.00 for this kit is brilliant value, and if I had to pay that just for the lip gloss alone I would as the colour and finish are so good. I will definitely be checking out the other shades in this range.

For more information please visit www.boots.com

Hotter Shoes 'Keswick' walking boots review



For more info please visit www.hottershoes.com

Sunday 12 December 2010

Review: Earth Friendly Baby products


Having a toddler with sensitive skin in the household means that we can only use the gentlest of products on his skin. We have discovered a fantastic new brand called 'earth friendly baby.' The packaging relays everything about these products - simple, ecological and baby friendly. I knew these must be good products when I saw that they had received the 'Mother and Baby Silver Award', but I was keen to test just how good out for myself!

Organic Mandarin Bubblebath (£5.99)


The packaging looks suitably apt for any nursery or bathroom that has a baby/toddler in attendance. But even better than the packaging is the wonderful list of ingredients; all of which are free of artificial colouring, synthetic fragrances and SLS.



The bubble baths come in a range of fragrances; Organic chamomile, Organic Lavender and Organic Mandarin. The one we tested out was mandarin and it was simply gorgeous! I have done some research on this mandarin and found this:

"Mandarin is believed to improve mood and "relieve anxiety". Mandarin is really a happy oil, as the smell of the oil gives you the feeling of cleanliness. It is safe for all ages, and children especially enjoy the aroma of the oil."

I totally agree with the above statement. It really is a happy smell and I think will probably become one of those smells which you will maybe associate with the childhood of your children. Lots of other wonderful ingredients such as chamomile, lavender, rosehip, hibiscus, wild bergamot and poppy are also included in this bubble bath and that is probably why we feel so revived after using this product. That's right I said 'we' as I thoroughly enjoyed using this product too.

Once thing I did note about this product was the consistency; it was much more runnier than the bubble baths I have used in the past. This wasn't a bad thing however as I think this was due to the oils in the product which left the skin much more nourished than usual bubble bath. It seemed to instantly moisturise the skin. And more impressive to my son was the fact that this bubble bath seemed to produce huuuuge bubbles!! It was lovely to actually be able to use a bubble bath in the knowledge that it wouldn't be provoking any reactions on my son's skin. He thoroughly enjoyed playing in bath filled with beautifully scented bubbles!


Mandarin Body Lotion – £4.99 for 250ml

I might be cheeky but aside from using this on my son's skin after a bath, I have now adopted this for my skin care routine. It makes my legs smell great after I shave my legs and is just so nourishing! It really feeds the skin! This again was very different to normal body lotions, as the consistency wasn't creamy but more runny; but worked oh so well! It has the most amazing smell that really lingers on the skin and the ingredients work fantastically to achieve the goal of soft skin! Wonderful!


Eco Baby Wipes – £2.99 for 72 wipesFirstly, these wipes had much more substance to them than most flimsy wipes, so it was much easier getting a grip on things that needed to be wiped up! They were ultra soft and this was enhanced by the added water and Aloe Vera that these wipes contain. These will make a great addition to my handbag for when we are out and about.

Mandarin Shampoo & Bodywash – £3.99 for 250ml
It's shiny hair ahoy here in the Sweet Craftiness household. Obviously we are now discovering the true benefits of natural ingredients thanks to these wonderful products! I have to keep sniffing my son's hair now that we are using this shampoo. The shampoos are specially formulated to cleanse without leaving any icky residue and is formulated to avoid any bath-time tears!

The only thing left for us to say is that we are looking forward to using the chamomile and lavender range of these products. We would certainly recommend them!

The Earth Friendly Baby line-up is available from www.HealthQuestStore.com or call 0845 310 4411

You can also check out their Facebook page.

Friday 3 December 2010

Christmas Gift Idea: Save Our Friends Plush Toys


I just had to share with my readers the 'Save Our Friends' range. We actually purchased an African Lion last year and he was far superior to your average plush toy. The eyes really appealed to you to give him a cuddle, the fur was ultra soft and further to that it was lovely to know we were helping save endangered animals.

As a child I always used to write away to the endangered animals campaigns to try and get as much information as I could on how I could help with these things. I used to do things like make bookmarks and take them in to school to make others aware of the facts.

That is maybe why this range appeals to me so much. An ethical range of loveable, large toys are a fantastic way of showing how much you care about the plight of endangered animals across the world. With twenty adorable, super cuddly toys across four environments to choose from, every ‘toy with a conscience’ sold makes a contribution to one of our wildlife charities – Born Free Foundation, Marine Conservation Society and World Land Trust.

Furry, feathery or finned, many of our beloved species are struggling to survive in today’s troubled eco system. The luxury soft toy collection is designed to raise awareness and funds for the plight of our much loved yet critically endangered species that live in the world’s most threatened habitats.

The box provides information on the conservation status of the animal, information about the charity and statistics, all providing food for thought in an imaginative way. Family and friends can purchase the toys from www.saveourfriends and choose from 20 toys in four environments – African, Ocean, Polar and Rainforest Friends.

The Save Our Friends Cuddy Toys retail from £23.95 exc VAT and delivery and are available from www.saveourfriends.co.uk.

Thursday 2 December 2010

Christmas Gift Idea: Denman Diamante Brush Set £15.19



If there’s one party essential a girl needs this Christmas it’s this bumper diamante hair set. Perfect for adding a little razzle dazzle to your locks, this exclusive set comes complete with a Denman high quality hairbrush in lush red matt velvet with sparkly diamante jewels and two high fashion sparkly hair clips.

Denman have been making world-famous Classic Styling Brushes since 1938 with a reputation built on quality and innovation.

They have been used to create some of the most iconic hairstyles and remain the preferred choice of the professional hairdresser.

This is a fabulous brush; if you are someone who cares about every little detail of your image then this brush is for you. The brush is just the right size to be able to clutch nicely and to be able to brush portions of your hair to do many different hairstyles. The shape of the handle makes holding the brush very easy and the actual brush manages to groom hair and untangle tangles very easily without hurting. If you have ever bought a cheap brush you will know the pain that they can cause – well this brush is at the opposite end of the scale, and it actually feels therapeutic as it seems to massage the scalp when you brush.

Aside from making your hair look wonderful, it is also a great item to store in your handbag as it looks such a glamorous item if you need to pull it out in public. And if you thought that this brush set couldn’t get any better – what about the fact that it comes with two gorgeous hair clips. This brush would make an excellent stocking filler! I’m more than pleased with this brush!

Review: Fearne Make-up Collection - It's All About The Eyes kit

I was already a big fan of Fearne Cotton even before I discovered her new make-up range but now I am an even bigger fan. This new line of make-up encompassed everything which is loveable about Fearne; the quirkiness, the fact that it is very much on trend and most of all because it's beautiful.

Firstly, let's take a look at the packaging (which is pictured at the top of the page). Fearne loves her tattoos and rock chick image, and the packaging of these products emphasises this. The packaging combines modern florals with a font of writing that you might expect to see splashed across somebody's arm. Tied up with a black ribbon this would make the perfect Christmas gift.

Inside you have the most amazing products EVER! Even before actually using the products I thought they looked fantastic because of the way that they were presented. The pencils being nice and chunky (again with the cool font) and the little pots of shimmer dust presented in funky little pots.



I love all of these products but I am particularly in love with the shimmer dust pictured below and the greeny blue eye-pencil.

Why? Because the shimmer dusts contain an element of magic about them. They make your eyes look amazing; they contain just the right amount of sparkle. You could almost imagine this being the sort of make-up a delicate little fairy would wear. Sometimes you can get eyeshadows which aim to be glittery but they just make you look too over-done. These are so delicate you can use them for daytime wear.


The pencils were absolutely brilliant because they were so soft and easy to apply. I get sore eyes very easily, but these pencils must be made of very gentle ingredients as I didn't get any reaction. They were also very easy to apply and if you want a softer look you can smudge them very easily. I loved the 'Envious Green' colour as it just made my eyes look wonderful, the colour was really flattering. Although, I would say this was more of a bluey colour than a green.

I feel this kit is tremendous value at £10 and will certainly be buying more from this range. Thanks Fearne!

For more info please visit www.boots.com

Christmas Gift Idea: Lord and Berry Christmas Gift Box £19.99




Destined to give Christmas make-up bags a wake-up call, the Lord and Berry Christmas gift set will please any glamour puss. The lip and eye specialist has put together a professional must-have kit which includes best-selling, ‘ready-to-wear’, high performance products for eyes and lips which are guaranteed to keep her on top of the latest trends.

Each set contains a Lord & Berry Is This Love? Trio Palette crammed with 2 ultra treatment silk lip glosses infused with apricot extracts, vitamins and emollients and 1 multi-purpose poured lipstick.

A exotic and sexy Lord & Berry Kajal Black Eye Pencil, with a run proof formula for long lasting, rich and consistent eye definition, that’s gentle enough to use on the inner eye and a Lord & Berry Alchimia Black Mascara – giving spectacular volume, infinite length and natural curling thanks to its special soft silicon wand and perfect treatment formula.

The adorable set also comes with a fashionable white cosmetic bag and gold Lord & Berry logo.

I'm so excited to have discovered 'Lord and Berry.' For years I have been looking for a fail-proof kajal pencil that can be used on the inside of the eye without turning my eyes bright red and I have finally found it. To be honest, I would probably pay £19.99 for this product alone, as I am a glam eyes addict. The mascara also went down a treat with me as after about three coats I had the plumpest lashes ever, the lipstick and lipglosses came in gorgeous shades and left my lips looking really soft and smooth!

I am really pleased with this set!

Christmas Gift Idea: Les Fleurs De Bach Organic Anti-Stress Mask 60ml - £24.00

Even before I had ever heard of ‘Les Fleurs De Bach’ I was well versed in using 'Bach’s Rescue Remedies' – the natural flower remedy for all life's troubles. I was well aware of the brilliant results of lifting your moods and helping you deal with life's troubles; so you can imagine my intrigue when I discovered there was a company out there producing body care products that used the same ingredients.

For over 70 years, the 38 flower essence discovered by Dr Bach has helped millions of people rebalance their emotions naturally and find well-being and harmony. Les Fleurs de Bach brings you the proven benefits of these essences through a unique concept in Anti-Stress Skin Care.

Each of the Anti-Stress Skin Care products combines the purest natural ingredients with a blend of certified organic Bach Flower essences. With top notes of Bergamot and Orange which develop into a distinctive and soothing Sage and Lavender base before delivering a final chord of Patchouli and Eucalyptus.

This mask held just about every ingredient that would make me want to buy a product. Not only am I avid fan of Bach Rescue Remedies but I also love oils and only take my make-up off using almond oil and cleanse my skin with Castor oil. So I was over the moon when I settled down to read about this mask and found that not only would I be getting 15 minutes to experience the benefits of Bach flowers to uplift my mood and take all the cares of the world away from me, but also I would be gaining ultra-soft skin through the use of Shea butter, almond oil, jojoba oil, Melissa and Tilia hydrolats and natural Vitamin E.

I smeared the cream all over my face and instantly the wonderful soothing aroma hit my nostrils. I felt encased in a sense of security and safety. I always notice my skin is particularly dry after having a shower so I applied this straight after coming out of the shower. The results were amazing! My skin instantly felt softened and it was almost as if my skin was drinking the oils. After the 15 minutes I rinsed the mask off and my skin was glowing and felt as soft as a baby's bottom.

This is most definitely more than just a face mask it's a body and mind experience too as the aromas from the Bach flowers uplift and distress mentally and the oils soften and soothe your skin physically. Going to bed after using the mask I slept like a baby and then the next morning I awoke and just couldn't stop stroking the skin on my face as it was just so soft. I will most certainly be looking in to getting more of this range!

The Les Fleurs de Bach Organic Anti-Stress Skin Care range is available in selected outlets and from http://www.lesfleursdebach.co.uk