British Bling

What could be more suiting for this Jubilee weekend than celebratory patriotic nails. Essie have the perfect combo and whats more you can get them at a discount price through the 'Best of British' sale at Cocosa. 

Aruba Blue, a luscious Safire blue -  Blanc, a creamy white -  First Dance, a dramatic rich red

£7 @: www.cocosa.com/Beauty/

Iconic Radiance Booster - Celebrating 10 Years

I am a massive fan of the Elemis Papaya Enzyme Peel and use it once a week to exfoliate and smooth my skin. In this current heat wave it works amazingly well to unclog pores and instantly refresh the skin.

Finding normal grainy exfoliators too abrasive, I switched to the Papaya Enzyme Peel a few years ago and love the way it leaves my skin super smooth, moisturzed and glowing. Using a natural fruit enzyme extracted from Papaya and Pineapple sourced in Africa, the enzymes work instantly gently dissolving superficial dead skin cells at the same time as giving the skin a much needed moisture boost with its blend of natural milk proteins.  On application, simply smooth over cleansed skin and leave for 10-12 minutes then remove with a damp cloth, there's no rubbing required making so it is excellent  for sensitive skins. This peel is also fab for a quick  radiance boost before a night out.


Celebrating its 10th year anniversary British brand Elemis have created this pretty summery limited edition of the Papaya Enzyme Peel launching in-stores on the 1st of June. Designed by Laura Oaks a british designer widely recognised for her unique 'digital decoupage' featuring layers of vintage and hand drawn imagery, while also using her own photography. 

Working alongside the charity SOCO for every product sold Elemis will provide a 5-in-1 a vaccination to immunise a child in Africa against 5 leading diseases with and hope to donate 50,000 vaccines.

£28 available from the 1st of June @: www.timespa.co.uk

Beau - Nails on the go

After many colour investigations I  finally decided to go for gel nails on the wedding day, again it was hard finding the right colour, wanting a soft natural pink tone, I tried quite a few brands only to find  most colours far too yellow, white or pink. 

Someone recommended Beau by CND Shellac,  which was instantly a hit, a perfectly balanced soft  natural pink, with a promise of 14 day wear, mirror finish, zero dry time and no nail damage.  I have to say it lived up to most claims. I love the fact it dried then and there under the UV lights, no mess, fuss or worrying of smudging.  

The finish was supper smooth, glossy with a shiny fresh look, that would usually die within a day or two with normal polishes, but in this case lasted over 2 weeks. Towards the end of the second week and due to fast growing nails it was definitely time for removal, however being on the honeymoon in Cambodia with no acetone remover in sight, I was rather naughty and peeled them off, a big no no as this strips the surface of the nails leaving them slightly brittle and dry, however after a good dose of the nourishing Jessica Phenomen Oil, my nails are back to normal. I would definitely try Shellac again it is ideal for a fantastic finish when on this go.

The colour was a lovely soft subtle pink with tiny glistening particles that reflected the light beautifully. 

Beau week one: 

Beau towards the end of week two:

Applied @ Glo Beauty in Fulham glospraytanningandbeauty.com £30

Beauty & nature at the Chelsea Flower Show 2012

Check out the beautiful the L’Occitane Immortelle Garden, awarded a prestigious Gold medal at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show this week.

This garden is designed by Peter Dowle, who has brought together key plant species inspired by the breathtaking Corsican landscape, so naturally put together it looks like it's been at home in Chelsea for years. Immortelle grows wildly along the Mediterranean coast and is the main inspiration for this organic design, which also features further plant species that grow naturally in Corsica such as myrtle, lavender, daises and verbena, all key ingredients in L’Occitane’s beauty products. 

L’Occitane’s award winning Immortelle skincare range is sourced from organic fields in Corsica and has been said to possess key anti-aging properties. The remarkable plant has an exceptional longevity and its shape and colour never fade, even when it has been picked. In 2004, L’Occitane launched their very first large-scale organic Immortelle plantations in Corsica and thanks to the partnerships established with local Immortelle growers and distillers, 44 hectares have now been successfully cultivated.

Bridal Hair - up or down

Freshly back from the honeymoon and I can't help counting down the days for the official wedding photos to arrive...  Once landed a little black book of ideas will be revealed.

My amazing hair stylist/make up artist Ellie Tobin popped by for 3 hair trials before the big day.  I couldn't decide between hair up, a stunning vintage 1930's sweeping chignon, or down, a soft loose more ethereal style, which personally felt was more me and suited the low back dress. 

Here is a peak, decision to be revealed...  

                          UP

                

DOWN

Thank you Ellie for being so creative and patient, I absolutely loved my hair, which held in one place day and night and the make up was just perfect! 

xx

http://www.elliemakeup.com

Off on the honeymoon!

Untitled, a photo by Mr and Mrs Harper on Flickr.

A Nailicious Milkshake Pastel

While on the search for the ideal bridal nail colour I came across Tendresse, a gorgeous soft pink pastel by Chanel, unfortunately it is slightly too pink for my wedding day, but perfect to glam up any spring summer outfit.

Originally form the Aquarelles collection, this super glossy ultra feminine sheer strawberry milkshake pink, applies ever so smoothly, with no streaks in sight, giving a pristine rich polish without the pallid, creamy/white tones or transparency most other pink pastels leave behind.

£17.50 each  

www.chanel.com

Happy Easter!

Hand made white chocolate eggs at the lovely Borgo Egnazia Puglia Italy.

Scents and Sensibility

Firstly apologies for my lack of recent posts, I have been snowed down with never ending wedding prep. Everything now seems to be in place and looking in decent order, so I am just about to embark on a well deserved Easter break, no excuse for a quick post and plenty more beauty/bridal tips to come post the event. 

My fiancé is not at all keen on my current scent Jo Malone’s Pomegranate,  so the last few weeks have seen me on a mission to find a beautiful wedding scent that we both love. This  has taken me on a sensuous journey through an array of delightful scents by Acqua Di Parma, Diptyque, Vera Wang, Miller Harris, Penhaligons, and Guerlain to name just a few... 

While on the hunt I came across Diptyque 34 Boulevard Saint Germain for him, a gorgeous medley of 
sparkling blackcurrant, green fig 
leaves, fresh rose pepper and citrus, 
Egyptian geranium and tuberose, combined with warm woods and a touch 
of eucalyptus. Simply Divine! (£60/£85)

I finally discovered my perfect scent in Annick Goutal’s Ninfeo Mio Eau De Toilette (£60/£79), a beautifully crisp, woody and sensual scent inspired by Ninfeo gardens in Rome.

Launched in 2010 this vivacious scent opens with the breathtaking vapor of Italian lemon, followed by the zest of fresh bitter orange tree combined with the essence of petitgrain. Gradually, the scent begins to unfurl into the aromatic undertone of an Italian garden, in which conifers thrive alongside lavender. The soothing warmth and soft fig leaf is brought to your nose by a cool breeze and a woody accord of  lemon tree captures the freshness of the citrus fruit in a downy cocoon.
 Fresh but with a warm depth, this is definitely an elegant boudoir classic for that special occasion, I can't wait to wear it!

Top notes: Italian lemon, Italian citron, petitgrain, bitter orange and galbanum. 


Heart notes: Lentisque absolute, fig and lemon tree.
 

Base notes: Woody accords.

Facial Extravagance with EVE LOM

The other week I was lucky enough to try the gorgeously luxurious Eve Lom Signature Facial.  A facial like no other that uses contrasting temperatures of hot and cold alongside a unique massage technique to thoroughly cleanse, tone and awaken the skin. 

Starting with the iconic Cleanser, the facialist begins with a thorough cleanse. The warm slightly grainy cleanser is smoothly applied to the skin in soothing circular motions, it is then removed initially with a warm cloth followed by a cool one for final removal.  The next step is the application of a warm paraffin hot-wax mask, this is the most surreal sensation. Your face is enveloped in layer after layer of soft warm thick wax, creating a comforting cocoon of warmth surrounding your face. The heat of the wax opens pores and deeply softens the skin. It felt so amazing,  that I had to ask my therapist to take a photo of my face, so I could see what it looked like, which is not as exciting as it felt, all I could see was a thick white film on my face. This wax truly gives the most unique comforting sensation. Following removal of the mask, a gentle extraction takes place to renew the skin’s surface and unblock pores.   

The next step is a half hour of lymphatic drainage to clear blocked lymph channels and to encourage decongestion, with a heavenly acupressure massage to the upper body to clear away tension. Following this, Eve Lom’s camphor based Rescue Mask is applied and removed with a hot, chamomile soaked muslin cloth, gently exfoliating the skin and removing dead skin cells. The final step, an ice-cold compress, is applied to refresh and revitalise the skin.   

My face was left feeling ultra relaxed with silky smooth soft skin that looked radiant and felt fully cleansed. There was no sign of the earlier extractions, which is always a good sign. In short, this luxurious facial gives instant radiance that lasts whilst de-stressing the face and mind at the same time. Two weeks on and my skin is still revealing the benefits even post my hen weekend!  
Eve Lom Signature Facial from £115 (90 mins) http://www.evelom.com

Sun Kissed

This fab new instant tan has saved me on two emergencies in the last few weeks, once when asked to attend a rather glam awards ceremony very last minute and the other when the usually trusty St Tropez didn’t live up to expectation on my pale pasty post winter skin.

What I love about it,  is the fact you gain an instant tan of which you can control the tone and depth on application. It gives your skin a lovely glowing golden bronze colour, that dries straight away, smells pleasant, doesn’t streak or rub off on clothes, yet it can never the less be washed off when ever you choose, leaving you in charge!  

                  

Before:

KARORA’s Instant Tan is the only natural instant tan currently available in the UK market today. Thanks to its skin enriching organic ingredients that include jojoba, aloe, horse chestnut extract, sweet almond and grape seed oil, it can be used both on the body and face. Free from parabens, chemicals, artificial fragrances and dyes, it is most definitely the safest option out there come rain or shine for an immediate sun kiss.

After:

£13.99 available at: www.karoracosmetics.com

That's my April, May and June nails sorted by Chanel

Check out the stunning new April, May and June colours by Chanel for Spring 2012 

This sumptuous sunset ensemble of creamy, non-shimmer shades, give a smooth, rich and wonderfully opaque finish. They proved  easy to apply, quick to dry, leaving nails smooth and flawless  

April -  a rich fuchsia plummy red with purple/raspberry undertones 

May - my favourite, a beautiful pretty shell pink. Will be bringing this one on the honeymoon.

June - a soft a summery tangerine, needed three coats to get the above coverage and colour.

Why not have a bit of fun with them like my good friend laliqueheart!

£17.50 each available at: www.chanel.com

Only Roses

What can be more suiting for Valentines Day than a heavenly Rose scent. I am quite fussy when it comes to floral fragrances especially rose, as my nose has a clear preference for a little depth,  maintaining a bit of zest and freshness. Sweet sugary notes are definitely a no-no in my book. 

The newly launched diptyque Eau Rose, nails all these demands to a T, with its fresh infusion designed to celebrate the multiple aromas of the rose in its natural state. It is a delicate and very clean, uncluttered scent, unusual for a rose perfume. On smelling it you really can imagine holding up a freshly blossomed country rose to your nose.

With zesty notes of bergamot and blackcurrant combined with the depth of rose, musk, cedarwood, and honey, it is a warm scent, but by no means sickly sweet, the zest gives it a bright accent of  freshly crushed leaves or grass. It has a good lasting power too. I am not massive fan of the bottle's packaging, which could be a little more sophisticated, but the scent is definitely my top pick this Valentines. 

Eau Rose £60.00 available at: http://www.diptyqueparis.co.uk

Facial Radiance

Three of my friends, who to be fair have amazing skin, have been raving about Linda Meredith facials for months now and with devoted clients that include Sienna Miller, Gwyneth Paltrow and Rosamund Pike, they must be right. So with the big day fast approaching and radiant skin in demand, I decided to give it a whirl.

I had my first Haute Couture Facial last week and was extremely impressed at how thorough and knowledgable my therapist was, she fully analyzed my face spotting issues I was concerned with before I even opened my mouth. One shocking revelation was that the regular spots I get around my neck, which never seem to go away are  linked to a diary allergy, since my facial I have significantly reduced my diary intake and low and behold have noticed a big difference already. Yay!

The Haute Couture Facial is tailored to meet every individual’s requirements. It starts with an impressive analysis, deep cleanse followed by the application of unique double action Micro Glycolic Serums, designed to penetrate deep into the epidermal layers with anti bacterial properties that not only remove dead skin but work under the surface to dissolve excess dirt and trapped sebum. The serum is applied with gauze and worked into the skin in circular movements. This was followed by an extremely thorough extraction, a soothing mask and gorgeously relaxing facial massage.

I was slightly concerned after the facial as my skin appeared bit raised in places and a slightly red, but overnight this went down leaving a lovely glow. Since the treatment I have noticed that my skin appears a lot more smooth, pores seem to be smaller too and touch wood, I have had a less breakouts already. I have further facials booked over the next few months so will keep you posted, next in line is the Linda Meredith O2 an oxygen-regenerating facial. 
Available at: http://www.lindameredith.com

Something Blue

Now which to choose....  

Top 3 to decorate my lucky toes on the big day! 

Essie Lapis of Luxury £9.95, a beautiful luxurious warm blue with a hint of purple. Rich and smooth in texture, no streaks in sight!

Revlon Blue Lagoon £6.49, a very pretty baby blue with soft shimmering particles that reflect the light beautifully. Light in texture, is it is easy to apply and relatively streak free. 

Barry M Blueberry £2.99, a lovely rich 1950's vintage blue. Having never used Barry M before, I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it is to apply, giving this amazing rich streak free colour in just one coat! 

London Beauty Spot

Working just off Marylebone High Street, my lunches are often spent admiring the many beauty stores along my rather distracting route to Pret.  The below are just a little taster, there are loads more... 

  

Spring Clean Skin

There’s nothing like clay based mask to deeply cleanse, decongest and refine post festive skin.  Renowned to draw out dirt and impurities, clay allows skin to breath. Used just once a week within your skin care routine or twice in emergencies, your skin is left smooth, soft and toned. These highly effective masks will transform sluggish lack of luster into healthy radiance.

                                          Top picks: 

• Eve Lom Rescue Mask £50 100ml - This highly effective mask, is an instant deep emergency treat, for sluggish and stressed skin. A staple SOS, I could not live without.  Key ingredients of cooling camphor decongests, whilst almond extract reduces redness. Kaolin absorbs excess oil, reduces puffiness and ground almonds gently exfoliate for a smoother complexion.

Top tip:

‘You can also use the Rescue Mask as an instant pick-me-up for puffy, morning-after or jet-lagged eyes: just dilute with a little water, apply under the eye, leave for five minutes and gently remove with a damp cotton pad.’ Eve Lom

• Aromatherapy Associates Deep Cleanse Mask £32 100ml - Containing natural antiseptic ingredients and minerals to draw out oiliness and unblock pores.  I find this mask extremely revitalizing and love the cool, smooth texture, that leaves your skin silky soft when removed. Key ingredients of anti-bacterial lavender and ginger are combined with natural clay and mud to absorb excess oils and replenish vital minerals. 



• Caudalie Purifing Mask £18 50ml - Composed of 2 types of clay, to purify cleanse and absorb impurities. I  have found this mask extremely soothing on irritated skin. Unlike many clay masks it doesn’t seem to dry, which means your skin feels a lot less re-stricted and tight.  Key ingredients of clay (kaolin and bentonite), cypress, lavender, chamomile, zinc and  flaxseed, cleanse and strengthen pores while regulating sebum production. 

I have used two of these masks for years and more recently discovered Caudalie's.  There's a space for all 3 in my cupboard, as they work in harmony with each other depending on my skin's need. When it is irritated and lacking luster I find the Caudalie Purifying Mask works best to calm and reduce tiredness, when my skin has break outs and looks tired, Eve Lom’s Rescue Mask works best to stop pimples in there track, instantly boosting my complexion and for a soothed smoothed skin, Aromatherapy Associates Deep Cleanse Mask is always a must. 

This NYE my nails are adorned with...

Essie Going Incognito £9.95

Topped with the gorgeous OPI Rainbow Connection £14.50

Loving the sparkle! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Holidays!

1920's Carole Lombard by Christmas Tree

Wishing you a merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year! A massive thank you for reading Beauty Preen.

My Winter Skin Hero

Between heated rooms and the cold outside my skin has been showing the strain, the office heaters blasting dry air into the room doesn't help. As one of my favourite products I usually use Caudalie's     Elixir in the summer for a cooling spritz to refresh, after cleansing to tone and in flights to hydrate. However since last week it has officially become my winter skin saviour too, taking prime position           on my desk. Whenever my skin starts to feel tight and dry I spritz it with this refreshing light mist for instant relief. I wouldn't say my skin is by any means radiant yet, but it is definitely looking less drab,         has a  healthy glow and feels more supple. 

This gorgeous plant based product is proven to smooth features, tighten pores, soothe skin, set make up and provide an instant burst of radiance. 


Key active ingredients:

• Grape extracts - radiance 

• Rose extracts - Toning

• Benzoin, myrrh, essential oil 
of organic mint balm - Astringent

•Essential oil of rosemary – Rejuvenating

•Orange blossom water - Softening 

Make up artist Louise Page swears by it 'I find nothing revives complexions better. This product works wonders as part of your skincare routine, small enough to carry in your handbag it offers an effective quick fix to achieve an instant glow even when sprayed over make-up. All in all it is an amazingly light spray that lifts the complexion and adds new life to make up.’

Available in two sizes 30ml £11 and 100ml £32 at John Lewis

Create An Angle

Just had a girly evening with my good friend Rachel and boy were her nails impressive, check them out! 

Polishes used, Rimmel 60 Seconds Black Out & Essie Bright Lights.

Her technique: 
1: Start with a base coat, let it fully dry, then tape with scotch tape on an angle across the top edge of the nail. Paint across the tip with Essie Bright Lights (orange). Remove tape immediately and wait for colour to dry. 

2: Once dry tape up again in the opposite direction, paint in line with the Black Out, leave to dry and finish with a topcoat. Et voila!