Boots Offers: £99.99 Discount on Philips Lumea Precision Plus & Ted Baker Star Gift of the Week... & More!

Just spotted these deals in my inbox and wanted to pass them on to you, since they seem rather good, and I know saving money at this time of year is always handy. Of course this could just be persuading you to spend money that you hadn't planned to spend, but they are still bargains and sometimes it can't be helped. ;-)

First up is the Lumea Precision Plus, an at home IPL device from Philips which is now £350 (online only), saving you a hefty £99.99. Now I haven't used this, but it does get good reviews, and if you're looking into long term hair removal, represents great value in both at home devices, and when compared against the cost of salon/professional treatments.

I also noticed that the previous model, the Lumea Precision also had a large discount of £104.99 (online only), taking it down to a very affordable (for this kind of product) £295.

Next there's the Boots Star Gift of the Week, this week being a fab looking Ted Baker Sitting Pretty gift set, down from £45 to £22 (online and in store)... a perfect present for a loved one, I think. This is available until midnight tomorrow, when a new offer will become available.

Includes:

• Bottle of Body Wash (250ml)
• Tub of Body Scrub (300ml)
• Bottle of Body Lotion (200ml)
• Bottle of Bath Foam (250ml)
• Tub of Body Soufflé (300ml)
• Bottle of Hand Cream (125ml)
• Vanity Case (100% polyester, handle: 100% PVC)

I also noticed they were offering £10 off £60 spends in toys and gifts... which also applies to the star gift of the week, saving you an extra tenner if you were to want to buy 3 for various people in your life. Handy to know. This deduction is done automatically for you, and I believe ends at midnight tonight.

Finally there's various discounts on fragrances available here and an added incentive of an extra 1000 points (£10 worth) if you buy 3 at the same time.

So all in all, not a bad bunch of offers to be had. Will you be purchasing any? x

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

John Lewis Christmas... I'm Window Shopping Again!

I am a girl with massive magpie tendencies. I love bling, sparkle, glitter... whatever you want to call it. So, Christmas for me is like my idea of heaven (even though I am TOTALLY not ready for it yet, this year). You get to put up decorations which make your home sparkly, you get to overdo the glitter and sparkle in outfits, and you get to do it often too. So, I always find myself browsing such items online... and in particular on the John Lewis website for their Christmas decorations, as I've always loved what they have to offer.

I've actually shied away from my normal golds/browns for the most part, I guess as I have lots of similar items already, and so my eyes were drawn to different colours that are sooo pretty. Have a look and see for yourself!

John Lewis Sparkle Glass Bauble , Blue £2.40
John Lewis Sparkle Glass Bauble, Black £2.40
John Lewis Glitter Strip Glass Bauble, Orange/Black £2.80
Shakspeare Glass Iridescent Opaline Diamond Hand Blown Glass Tree Decoration, Multi £14.40
Shakspeare Glass Metalic Opaline Hand Blown Glass Bauble, Cobalt Blue £14.40
John Lewis Red Glitter Pine Cone Heart Wreath, 25cm £10.00
John Lewis Indoor Battery-Operated Holographic Christmas Star Light, Multi £20
John Lewis Indoor Holographic Christmas Tree Light, H75cm, Multi £35.00

I'd also love these brilliant looking lights to brighten the place up... they look super cool:

John Lewis Indoor/Outdoor LED Popsicle Christmas Line Lights, x100, Multi

And, if it's not too late to start an advent calendar then I'd also love this cute Ciaté Mini Nail Lacquer Advent Calendar too... y'know, just because it's pretty and I'm slightly addicted to nail polish and all that jazz. ;-)

Have you been window shopping anywhere recently? What decoration themes have you gone for this year? Are you even ready for Christmas yet? xx

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Ciaté 'Treasured Possessions' Collection!

Just noticed a sneak peak of an upcoming 'Treasured Possessions' collection on the Ciaté Facebook page, I think I spy some of the shades from this post last month - how exciting!

I'm definitely going to need to get my hands on them all, they look right up my street (ie, they're full of glitter and shimmer) but are also perfect for Christmas and party season for those who don't normally bother with glitter (even if only on the tips of the nails), don't you think?

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Boots Star Gift of the Week - 17 Ultimate Collection!

With another week, comes another offer from Boots in their annual Star Gift of the Week event. This week we have a set from 17 cosmetics that looks great and is a snip at £17, down from £35.

The set even has some make-up brushes included too. Ok, so they may not be MAC quality (although I haven't seen/felt/used the set in any way, so you never know), but I'm betting they'll be fine for starting off/taking on your travels etc. The colours look lovely too, universally flattering, and easy to wear, don't you think?!

In the picture, the set has a Frontcover gift set feel about it, with the book format... this is both good and bad, as it's nice to have all the things you might use together in one set and is clearly a great gift option, but it's not all that practical in terms of taking it away with you due to the extra, quite unnecessary bulk - in my opinion, of course.

Contains:

    5 x Lip Gloss Godets (6.4g total),
    5 x Pressed Powder Eye Shadows (6.4g total),
    8 x Baked Powder Eye Shadows (5.7g total),
    Blusher,
    Bronzer Trio in Limited Edition Colours (8.2g total),
    Pot of Eye Liner in Black,
    Compact with Metallic Cream for Eyes, Lips and Cheeks,
    Limited Edition Mascara in Black,
    2 x Eye Pencils in Coffee and Black,
    17 Photo Flawless Skin Primer,
    Lash Curler,
    Pencil Sharpener,
    5 Piece Brush Kit,
    Hints and Tips from Makeup Artist Vanessa Guallar.

Not bad, eh?!

This post originated at www.thebeautyscoop.co.uk

Christmas Gift Guide: Valentino 'Valentina' Perfume!

It's Christmas Eve, oh my god, I actually cannot believe it's here already and will be gone even quicker than it arrived. I had so many more gift guides planned this year, but unfortunately postal and email issues, along with the fact that time has been going at least twice as quickly as it should have really kicked most of them to the kerb so I hope you have enjoyed the little gift ideas that I have managed to post up!

Perfume is always a sure fire hit in my Christmas stocking (I don't actually have a stocking, but it's better than saying in my Christmas carrier bag, or badly wrapped present as Mr Beauty Scoop has forgotten or rushed the wrapping lol), and I am sure many of you ladies feel the same?! Well, this fragrance is one of my new favourites.

For a start, the bottle is beautiful - a pleasure to place on my dressing table and one that stands out from a lot of my other perfumes (I own a lot). The floral decoration actually feels like very thin ceramic or porcelain - I actually thought that it could be plasticky or something before I got my hands on it, not even for any reason either lol.

Side view to show the floral decoration.

The notes in Valentina instantly caught my attention, here's the description that I was sent "Calabrian bergamot is a hymn to exuberance and freshness, shaken up by the insolence of white Alba truffles. In their trail, jasmine, Amalfi orange blossom and tuberose celebrate radiant beauty, while being offset by the rebellious delight of wild strawberries. Finally, the nobility of cedar is seduced by the captivating sensuality of amber" I thought these notes sounded like they'd be really lovely together... and they totally are. I absolutely adore the fragrance.

My first thoughts when I actually smelled the perfume was that it reminded me of Nina Ricci's Premier Jour (even though I don't think they share many of the same notes - from what I can tell they only share vanilla and amber), but my mind changed when it settled as it started to then remind me slightly of Hugo Boss, Deep Red perfume with a touch of Armani Code too, that also share a few notes with it; thankfully it's not exactly like any of these, as I own (and love) all three of them.

I actually cannot stop smelling my wrist whilst I wear this perfume, I can't get enough of it and I've had compliments on it whenever I have worn it. Yet again, my mum is coveting a bottle for herself - her birthday is in February so maybe she'll get lucky for it. :-)

I think this perfume would be perfect for any occasion, day or evening and also for any season as the different elements of the notes keep it from being too floral/sweet (summery) or woody/spicy (wintery)!

Since it is Christmas Eve, I thought I should write about something that you could actually rush out and buy right now, and this is available now from most department stores (I've seen it on Debenhams, Selfridges and John Lewis websites, so I expect it to be in stores too) and also online if you can wait until after Christmas. x

Christmas Gift Guide - Last Minute Gifts From Boots!

If you're not very organised for Christmas and have pretty much missed all the last delivery dates for online purchases, then this little gift guide could hopefully give you a little help and save you from turning up empty handed on Christmas morning!

I think that Boots is a great place to visit for this last minute gift grabbing, as not only do they stock their usual fabulous cosmetics and fragrances (and more, but let's keep this beauty related) but they also have a plethora of Christmas gifts available at varying price points. Here's a selection of my favourite from this year's gift selection:

FrontCover:

Packing Case is a lovely little set from FrontCover that contains everything that they think you need for a weekend away; including 4 fine line baked powder eyeshadows, 4 fine line baked cheek colours, double ended black mascara/sealer, mini black kohl pencil with smudger, double ended suit-all lip stain and iridescent gloss, translucent pressed powder, mini tweezers, cheek brush and double ended eye applicator! Now that's quite a lot for the £18 that it costs... and that's without including it in the current 3 for 2 offer - bargain. I'll be posting swatches of these later today.


No7:

No7 Liplicious Library (£16 and included in 3 for 2 offer) - 5, 5ml No7 lipglosses in shades Marshmallow, Angel Cake, Caramel, Sweet Peaches and Sherbet Twist for £16 (also on 3 for 2 currently)! Perfect for the pouts of your loved one(s) and the colour selection is great too - there's a gloss for almost every occasion in there.

17:

17 Large Eye Palette (£10 and in 3 for 2 offer): - A great palette containing both day and night appropriate shades all in a slim case (not always a fan of cardboard casing, but a lot of brands are using it these days, so I won't moan about it throughout as that would get tedious)! The DAY shades included in the set are: Limited Edition Green, Medium Purple, Light Pink, Orange and Pink and the NIGHT shades include - Limited Edition Bronze, Dark Purple, Grey, Light Blue, Dark Blue (5g of each selection, 10g total). I had swatched these, but the photographs broke somehow - will try to redo on another post as soon as possible.


Strictly Come Dancing:

The Eye Colour Collection (£16 and included in 3 for 2 offer) - I think this set encompasses everything that Christmas is, shimmer, shine and glitter with double ended eyeliners (including glitter options), gold, silver and bronze chunky pencils, mascara and normal eyeliner pencils too. Again, a lot of the swatch photographs I took are with the ones that broke,but I did salvage this one from the chunky pencils.

Strictly Latin Lookbook (£10, and also included in the 3 for 2 offer): Another multi product gift set, containing eyeshadow, pressed powder, and lip glosses. I love that this comes with a pull out section with hints and tips on how to get the look. Bargain.

PR Samples - Views and extensive last minute gift shopping knowledge are my own!

Gift Idea: Soap & Glory - Whirly Girl!

I'm a big fan of Soap & Glory products, they're girly and their body products smell GREAT (I know this is personal preference, but I happen to love the smell of their Righteous Butter etc)! I always receive a bit of S&G for Christmas as stocking filler fodder, which I'm always happy to receive too!

The Whirly Girl gift set is a bit different to the usual items I receive as I usually get their bath and body products, so it was actually really nice to try out a couple of their other products. I was particularly impressed with the 'Arch De Triumph' pencil that is double-ended and used to fill in brows and highlight underneath them too.

L-R: Brow Pencil, Highlighter, Blended Highlighter

The brow pencil end was quite hard, but drew easily and the highlight end was creamy and smooth, again easy to use. I really like the pinky highlight shade, especially as it allows you to highlight without the use of shimmer - I feel this could be great for use on a wedding day, or other such day when you know you'll be photographed as I think it would react a lot better to flash photography!

The lipgloss is a light peachy pinky shade (Candy Gloss Pink) with lots of sparkle inside that claims to make your lips more full, and whilst I don't think it made my lips much, if any bigger, it did make them look smooth and plump - which could be partly due to the light reflection from the glossy and sparkly finish! The gloss does make your lips tingle, be warned that you will probably either love or hate this, personally I love it - I can't explain why, I just do!

The body spray is lovely, it's not the signature Soap & Glory scent to my nose, but not far off... it's sweet and fruity but with enough tang to stop it being sickly. It's also really strong in scent, meaning that you probably won't need to use as much each time you use it.

I haven't really given the lashes a proper testing out, mostly because I still can't really apply lashes all that well, and until I have perfected the art, there's probably not much point in me commenting to say if they're good or bad.

All in all, this is a lovely little set to give (or receive) as a Christmas present and everything I've come to expect (and love) from Soap & Glory. Available now for £20 at Boots, and is also available as part of the 3 for 2 offer, making it even better value.

PR Sample - Views are my own!

The Christmas Countdown Begins...

I can't believe it, it's actually December already(!), and that to me means that panic can now set in as Christmas is officially here (almost) and I need to get my skates on and get my gifts for people chosen, bought and then wrapped... the countdown is ON!

I'm sure many of you are also in the same predickydoodah* as me, especially if you also don't have a clue what to buy for your nearest and dearest. So with that in mind, I'll be doing a series of posts to try to help you pick some fabulous gifts for the special people in your life.

Another part of Christmas that I look forward to is partying and with that thought in mind, I'll also be showing you my favourite party season make-up, accessories and skincare to help get you through the festive season in style.

Finally, I'll also be throwing a couple of competitions into the mix, so don't forget to come back and check the site for those too!

*Mr Beauty Scoop insisted that I wrote this, instead of the more widely used word 'predicament' that I originally had typed out!

Gorgeous New Kooky Nail Wraps For Christmas!

Just how gorgeous are these? I adore Starry Night, Christmas Eve & Baby It's Cold Outside in both red and gold... I have no self control or decisiveness when it comes to choosing between things I like so I'm thinking I'll end up with all 4 designs and not enough fingers to wear them on over Christmas - ha!

Available from http://www.kookynails.com priced £5 per sheet (I think it's £2.50 postage per oder), with lots and lots of other designs also available on there!

What do you think, would you wear these? x

Boots 'Better Than Half Price' Offer Of The Week - Protect & Perfect Intense Collection!

Christmas is coming and Boots are in full swing with their gift of the week promotion, this week they're selling a No7 Protect & Perfect Intense collection, a set that comprises of:

Protect & Perfect Intense Day Cream 50ml (RRP £22)
Protect & Perfect Intense Night Cream 50ml (RRP £23)
Protect & Perfect Intense Beauty Serum 30ml (RRP £21)
Protect & Perfect Intense Body 200ml (RRP £27)

So, individually these products would cost you £93, but Boots currently have it on sale for £45, which is a £45 saving.

This would make a lovely present (if you know people like my mum, who love to receive skincare and make-up for Christmas) or even for yourself, whether you already use this regime, or just fancy trying it out for the first time!

Boots Site!

Selfridges Beauty Advent Calendar 2011!

Last year saw most of us lusting after a brilliant beauty advent calendar costing £60, and they clearly realise how successful it was, since they've only gone and done it again this year! And, even though I probably own a large amount of the products included (that's NOT the point though), I still find myself wooed by this little beauty!

The calendar, which is exclusive to Selfridges is now £80, but just look at what you get... I don't think that's too bad going for all the goodies below!

• Lancôme Teint Miracle 03 5ml, Trésor eau de parfum 7.5ml, Miracle eau de parfum 5ml, Hypnôse Drama Mascara 2ml, Hypnôse Classic Mascara 2ml, Absolu Nu 302 Mini, Mini Juicy Tube 19 – Lychee, Visionnaire 7ml, Génifique 7ml, Génifique Yeux 5ml, Rénergie Lift Volumetry Day 15ml, Eau Micellaire Douceur 50ml, Bi–Facil 30ml
• Giorgio Armani⁄Emporio Armani Armani Code Femme eau de parfum 3ml, Emporio Armani Diamonds eau de parfum 5ml
• Kiehl's Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream 7ml, Kiehl's Crème De Corps 30ml, Kiehl's Hand Salve 30ml, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate 4ml
• Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil 20ml
• Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb eau de parfum 7ml
• YSL Belle D'Opium eau de parfum 7.5ml, Rouge Pur Couture Mini, Khol Pencil Mini

I expect Mr Beauty Scoop's answer to my request will be much the same as last year (see previous thread, linked above) but I'm going to pester him for one anyway (if you don't ask, you don't get)! 

What do you think my lovelies? x

Link! 

Paul & Joe Christmas Collection 2011!

I can't believe I am saying this, but Christmas is coming(!) and I've already started doing my Christmas shopping and my own wish list (trying to be organised, for once); so I think now is a great time to tell you about the gorgeous looking Paul & Joe Christmas Collection so you can add your favourite pieces onto your Christmas wish list to Santa! The collection includes:

Ornamental Self Select Eye Colour's, £12 each - These come in pretty little boxes with different designs and a ribbon attached, so they can also double up as Christmas Decorations once you've got your shadow out. I love this idea, the hippy in me likes less waste and this is such a great way of doing it.

 Joy To The World

 Silent Night

 Midnight Clear

 Deck The Hall

Fa-La-La-La-La

Nail Colours, £10.50 each - Paul & Joe polish bottles are beautiful, but it's what's inside that counts and these polishes do not disappoint. They're colourful and sparkly amd they're perfect for Christmas (although frankly, I think that you could easily get away with wearing them in the summer too).

 

 Rockin' Around

 

 Merrily on High

 

 O, Holy Night

 

 Hallelujah

 

Home for Christmas

Ornamental Makeup Collection, £30 - A gorgeous case that contains one lip and one eye colour!

L-R - 001 Silver Belles (Metallic Eye Gloss 01 and Lip Lacquer 01) & 002 Noel (Metallic Eye Gloss 02 and Lip Lacquer 02

Body Fragrance Collection, £34 - Body cream, a solid fragrance and a hand cream are included in this set and there are 2 options available, 003 Toyland (sweet and sensual) and 004 Mistletoe (fresh and floral).

Luxury Pouch, £32 -  Limited edition Jacquard clutch-style make-up bag!

Available from October at www.beautybay.com

Is anything catching your eye, ladies? x