Review: No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum

7 years after its first launch No7’s Protect & Perfect Serum has been reformulated to make it even more effective! Targeted at the first signs of ageing (20-35 age range) it promises to give you younger looking, more radiant skin in just 2 weeks. As you all know I always take my time testing out products and therefore don’t post as quickly following launch (or as often as other blogs) because I really want to use each product thoroughly before giving you my opinion!

I was sent the new No7 Protect & Perfect Serum as I was impressed by all the positive reviews on the website and wanted to see how this serum would work on my (late 20-something) skin. As well as targeting fine lines with Matrixyl 3000 Plus and peptides I was interested to see how it would function in helping to repair and protect my skin with its antioxidant complex, while keeping away blemishes using salicylic acid.

After two weeks of use I have to say that I haven’t noticed a huge amount of difference in my skin yet, but I can see that it looks smoother and more even toned. I also think that it has done a good job of keeping my skin clear as I had a few breakouts when I started using it and these have cleared up a little faster than usual! I have enjoyed using the serum as it has a light, gel like texture that feels comfortable on the skin. I like the fact it’s so light as my skin does tend to get oily throughout the day and this serum doesn’t leave any oily residue behind. I will definitely continue using it and will be sure to let you know if I see any dramatic changes!

The No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum can be purchased for £24.95 on the Boots website here (and they are currently running a 3 for 2 promotion across their skincare and bodycare range too)!

Review: No7 Early Defence Eye Cream

I am sure that many women in our parents' generation would not even have thought about anti-ageing skincare in their 20's, but as we learn more about the science of the skin it becomes evident that prevention is even more important than targeting change that is already occurring! Though we are told it is never too early to start it can sometimes be difficult for those in our 20s to find the right skin care. We no longer want the drying anti-pimple products aimed at teens (though we may still be getting plenty of blemishes that we would love to zap), but intensive anti-ageing products aimed at the older generation maybe a little too rich. I was therefore excited to hear that No7 had launched a range specifically aimed for ladies from their 20s to mid 30s to keep young skin looking younger for longer!

No7 Early Defence Skincare (consisting of Day, Night and Eye Creams) works as a ‘stepping stone’ to help in the transition from everyday skincare to proactively delaying the signs of ageing. The range offers No7’s new and most effective patent pending daily protection technology, ‘Double Defence’ that, in combination with No7’s unbeatable 5* UVA technology, gives skin advanced daily protection from the sun and environmental stress to help it look younger for longer.

I was kindly sent the No7 Early Defence Eye Cream* to test out a few weeks ago. It  is especially designed for the delicate areas around your eyes, enriched with Vitamin C to help reduce puffiness and dark circles, for brighter more beautiful eyes. This cream has a very light texture so it doesn't feel too heavy around the eyes. It sinks in quickly and is perfect for use before makeup. It leaves my skin feeling hydrated and smooth.

No7 Early Defence Eye Cream (£13.50 for 15ml) is exclusively available at Boots stores across the UK and online here.

Review: Veet Spawax Stripless Warming Kit

Spring has finally sprung! I have been so excited to see some sunshine this week, however it has made me think that I may not be able to hide under black tights forever... With the temperatures going up it may be time to show a little more skin, which definitely means paying a little more attention to some body parts that have been left as nature intended for too long. As work has been super busy I haven't had a chance to book any waxing appointments and instead opted to try out the new Veet Spawax in the comfort of my living room.

The Veet Spawax Stripless Warming Kit* is designed for easy at home waxing on all body parts (except the face). The kit comes with a warming tower (which lights up when plugged in) and 6 wax disks infused with lily and sugar fig. I used it on my lower legs, for which you would normally need 4 discs (I used 5 as I'm sure the recommendations didn't include my 5"10' frame).

The discs took about 40 minutes to melt. The warming tower should be left on even after the wax has melted as it does not overheat and actually regulates the temperature so the wax stayed melted, but not too hot.

Using the spatula provided I applied a layer of wax (the thickness of orange peel) along the hair growth, making it thicker at the end to create a tab that is easy to grip. I waited for the wax to cool and set for half a minute and then pulled it off in the opposite direction to hair growth. It was super simple to use!

The Veet SpaWax Stripless Wax Warming Kit is available for purchase in Boots for £39.99. Refills containing 6 disks are £8.99 here.

His and Hers Valentine's Gifts from Braun

Apologies for my hiatus of late! Wedding planning and work coincided with the beginning of the year being spent on jury service, leaving me quite time poor and pretty exhausted! I was lucky enough not to be involved in some of the more well publicised trials currently on at Southwark Crown Court, but nevertheless it was a very emotional and draining few weeks. However, I have lots of things to update you on so look out for a little flurry of posts…

Today I wanted to do a little feature on some cool new gadgets from Braun that I was sent to trial before Christmas - a ‘His and Hers’ grooming duo featuring the Braun CoolTEC shaver and the SkinSpa epilator.

My fiancé, who despite my best efforts is only interested in grooming under duress, has been dutifully putting the new Braun CoolTEC shaver (£199.99) to the test. Braun’s CoolTec is a revolutionary new dry shaver that has been designed to minimise irritation, making it perfect for sensitive skin and since Luke has eczema I thought he would be the perfect candidate for trials. It’s innovative feature is an aluminium cooling bar built into the head to remove the heat created during shaving, thereby cooling the skin, minimizing redness, burning and itching sensations, and leaving skin refreshed. It also has an adaptable 3 stage cutting system to adjust to the contours of the face and a SensoBlade, which has been specifically designed to target and capture hairs growing in different directions.

In essence, all these fancy specs mean that this shaver works really well, giving a smooth, comfortable shave with minimal irritation. My fiancé is a sceptic when it comes to electric shavers, having broken various models due to his coarse stubble, but the CoolTec has been going strong! He has explained that it does take him a little longer to shave in the morning, when compared to a traditional razor, but the fact that he can use it in the shower (it is waterproof up to 5m) still saves him time overall (and makes me happy as there are no messy hairs left in the sink). Overall the best testament I can give is that he has actually started using it quite independently, so much so that the last time I unplugged the CoolTec charger to charge my toothbrush the CoolTec had quickly taken its place! High praise indeed ;p.

For my part I have been using the Braun Silk-epil Skin Spa (£169.99) over the last month, which is an epilator and sonic exfoliator in one convenient gadget. As you may have read in my previous reviews I am a huge wimp when it comes to any forms of pain, so I am always very cautious when it comes to epilation. However, every time I try a new epilator from Braun I am impressed by the progress that has been made, and this was no exception.

This epilator can be used wet or dry, which I find super convenient not only with regards to saving time, but also clean up. The fact that this epilator is so good at picking up short hairs was also a welcome feature. In fact, it can remove hairs 4 times shorter (0.5mm) than waxing and some as small as a grain of sand! The exfoliation brush is a great addition as it works hard to make your newly smooth skin even softer. The brush refines the skin 4 times better than a manual scrub with more than 3000 micro-vibrations per minute. I especially love to use it before applying fake tan as it leaves no oily residues, like some scrubs can, and makes sure my skin is perfectly primed.

More info on both of these grooming gizmos can be found on the Braun website here or on the Boots website - CoolTec and SkinSpa


Have you guys tried the Braun CoolTec or SkinSpa? What do you think of them? Perhaps it’s time to treat yourself (or your partner) to a little preening this Valentine's Day! xxx

#Bootscamp!

Today is the day! From 1-2pm we will be chatting all things beauty at the Boots twitter party. Look out for the #bootscamp hashtag to win lots of goodies. We hope you can make it!

For hints, tricks, tips and offers to help you get out there this summer visit Boots Camp at boots.com/bootscamp. It’s tough to look great but Boots Camp can help: the place to find inspiration and advice to help you stay gorgeous and body confident this summer and it’s worth it! From make-up multi-taskers and getting luscious sun-ready hair, to keeping your holiday glow, Boots Camp is the ultimate summer destination!

Make sure you follow @perfectpolished and myself @NatalyaFGM as well as the experts. We can't wait to chat with you! xxx
 

Boots Let's Make it Happen!

According to new research, three quarters (84%) of us are feeling positive about achieving our health and beauty goals throughout 2013! That’s why Boots has launched Let’s Make It Happen – to encourage people to take action on their health and beauty goals. The initiative is looking at what can we change in our lives in 2013 whether that’s to stop smoking, to go to the gym more regularly (check), lose a few pounds or just to have more body confidence. I am definitely looking to get healthier this year and think this is a great initiative to help everyone achieve their personal goals!

Boots are helping people align their priorities with their lifestyle both in terms of products and providing support.They have established a partnership with Mumsnet and various radio stations and they have a radio show which airs on Sunday night which is also hosted in a Feel Good Forum on Mumsnet.

If you are stuck for ideas, why not create your own Pinterest board of beautiful images? I find this a great way of finding inspiration, whether it be for new makeup and hair looks or even aspirational images.The best boards will appear on the Boots #makeithappen Facebook page!

 

You can check my #bootsmakeithappen board here:

 

 

 

*Sponsored Post*

Gillette Venus Naked Skin: Final Thoughts

After 12 weeks my Gillette Venus Naked Skin Challenge has now come to its end so I thought I would share with you my final results and thoughts on the system.

I hope this review has been helpful for those of you considering the Naked Skin system. Let me know if you have tried it for yourself and what your experiences have been? You can also check out my 6 week update video or initial impressions.

For more info or to purchase the Gillette Venus Naked Skin system you can view the Boots website here where there is currently a special offer that lets you buy the Gillette Venus Naked Skin IPL for £299.99 when you enter discount code VENUS150 at checkout.

#bootsgiveitago Wrap Up

Did you get a chance to log on to twitter and join in with the #bootsgiveitago party? I had such a fun time hosting and just wanted to do a little post to recap some of the trends we spoke about and the great tips that some of my amazing followers shared.



What are your favourite trends for Spring? Will you be trying out any of the looks we spoke about? We would love to see them on twitter, just use the hashtag #bootsgiveitago so we can see your lovely faces ;).

If you want any further information on the various trends or Boots give it a go Friday events, it’s all still live here: http://www.springsummertrends.com/

Hope you guys had fun and thank you to everyone who joined in with us! xxx

Win a Goodie Bag and Give It a Go!

Fancy winning a fabulous goodie bag from Boots and learning all about the new makeup trends this season? Then come and take part in the #Bootsgiveitago twitter party at 1 pm today. Just follow me on twitter (@NatalyaFGM) and look out for the #Bootsgiveitago hashtag! Goodie bags are being given away every 10 minutes :).

Check out all the details on how to particupate and win below:

This #bootsgiveitago Twitter Party give-away is free to enter and no purchase is necessary. It is open to residents of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland including the moter, its associated, affiliated or subsidiary companies and agents or anyone profeChannel Islands and the Isle of Man), excluding employees and their families of the Prossionally connected with the promotion. Participants must be 18 years or over


Everyone who uses the hashtag #bootsgiveitago will automatically be entered into the draw to win

All winners will have used the hashtag #bootsgiveitago with either a great makeup tip, or an insight into a Spring/Summer trend. All winners must be following either @PerfectPolished or @NatalyaFGM

It is a condition of entry that all postings are subject to the terms and conditions. Submission of a posting will be taken to mean acceptance of the above rules and terms and conditions

You can open a FREE twitter account here: www.twitter.com

All entries must take place between 13:00 and 14:00 on Friday 22nd March

Winners will be notified via DM to the Twitter account they used for the party. They have 48 hours to respond and claim their goodie bag after being notified, after which time the goodie bag will be considered unclaimed and will be re-assigned using a random selection method

The Promoter may vary or amend the promotion at its absolute discretion

The Promoters accept no responsibility for technical difficulties which may result in Tweets not appearing in the Twitter stream as viewed via Twitter.com and therefore not eligible

The Promoter is Boots UK Limited. Registered office: Nottingham NG2 3A

Tweets with the Party hashtag(s) may be used in promotional materials for Boots, used on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest and other social media platforms. Participation will be taken as agreement for use of material in this way

Events may occur that render the competition itself or the awarding of a gift impossible due to reasons beyond the control of the Promoter and accordingly the Promoter may at its absolute discretion vary or amend the promotion and the entrant agrees that no liability shall attach to the Promoter as a result thereof



Hope to see you there soon! xxx



*Sponsored*

Boots Give It A Go Twitter Party

I am very excited to be able to share some fantastic news with you all today. This Friday Boots will be holding the fabulous #bootsgiveitago twitter party and have asked me to host! 

As you all know I love experimenting with makeup so I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to chat with you all about your favourite trends and share some tips! Plus, with goodie bags being given away every 10 minutes, you could win some amazing prizes to help you achieve the looks you have always wanted to create :).

If you want to take part make sure to look out for the #bootsgiveitago hashtag and follow Cat from @perfectpolished and myself @NatalyaFGM along with the lovely MUA @vanesaguallar on Friday from 1 to 2pm. I have been lucky enough to have my makeup done by the gorgeous Vanesa, who is the MUA for Seventeen, on a videoshoot during the summer so I can't wait to hear all her tips for the new season!

If you are planning on a spot of shopping on Friday you can also pop along to Boots stores to join in the events being held there! You can check out all the information about participating stores here.

I would love it if you guys could come and support! xxx

*This is a sponsored post*

Gillette Venus Naked Skin: 6 Week Update!

As I am now roughly half way through my trial of the Gillette Venus Naked Skin I thought it was about time to do a little update for you guys on how I have been getting on with it!

So far so good! I have seen a slight reduction in hair growth and am happy to report that my super sensitive skin has been fairing well with the treatment. I usually have a few red patches straight after using the system, but these are not painful and (much like waxing) disappear after a few hours. I am excited to see the final results and will report back at the 12 week mark!

For more info or to purchase the Gillette Venus Naked Skin system you can check out the Boots website here, where you can save £100 by entering the code VENUS at checkout!

Oral-B Pink 600 Electric Toothbrush Gift Set

I think we can all agree that brushing our teeth is not the most exciting part of our beauty routine, but it is nevertheless one of the most important. Your smile is one of your best assets, so to make sure it is clean and healthy it's worth investing in an electric toothbrush. Since I purchased my Oral-B brush many years ago I have never gone back as it definitely makes a difference, especilly as an electric toothbrush can remover 100% more plaque than a manual!

The only disadvantage is that the fiance has also noticed the superiority of this brush and is constantly stealing it. Just to clarify before I get any outcries we are not sharing a toothbrush (Yuck! We are not Marshall and Lily from How I Met Your Mother). He has his own toothbrush head, but is constantly stealing the base and 'forgetting' to recharge it. Finally, I am feeling rather smug to have found the solution to this problem...

The new limited edition Oral-B Precision Clean brush has just been launched in pink! The girliest pink will not only brighten up my otherwise unisex bathroom, but I am hopeful will also ensure that it remains firmly on my side of the sink. I am tempted to wrap up my old one and give it to him for Christmas, just to make my point ;).

The new Oral-B Precision Clean 600 Electric Toothbrush Gift Set is exclusive to Boots and is available here for just £25.

Small Wonders

If you are struggling for a last minute gift or have forgotten that office Secret Santa present why not try your luck in Boots? They always have fun gift sets around Christmas and this Soap & Glory Small Wonders mini hat box is no exception.

With 5 mini products for just £10 it makes a great stocking filler too. Plus it contains some of my all time favourites from the Soap & Glory range:-

• Clean On Me
• Hand Food (great size for your bag)
• The Righteous Butter
• Scrub of Your Life
• Shower Puff

Or if, like me, you are far too greedy to give it away the minis are super useful for travel too. I have safely hidden mine away for my holiday in January! Yay! xxx

*Christmas Giveaway!*

With just two weeks left before Christmas I thought I would do a little festive geveaway featuring some gorgeous beauty products from Boots! If you haven't seen the Boots Christmas advert yet, then you can check it out below. I really do see you guys as an extension of my friends and family so wanted to spread a little love and joy to my beautiful readers!

I will be giving away three gorgeous prizes:

• No7 The Nail Collection with four nail polishes in Devils Delight, Totally Teal, Hot to Trot and Damson Dream.

•  Ted Baker The Name on Everyone's Lips. A set of four glossy lip crayons presented in a beautiful ballet print tin from Ted Baker.

• Botanics Facial Oil plus two mini Nails Inc. polishes.

All you have to do to enter is follow this blog and leave a comment below with your choice of gift set and your e-mail address. The competition will be open for a week!


If you want to check out the selection of gifts on the Boots website you can see their recommendations here.

Good luck my lovelies and I hope you are all having a wonderful festive season! xxx

Gorgeous Ted Baker Gift!

I just spotted this beautiful Ted Baker gift set on the Boots website and had to share it with you as I think it makes such a lovely gift. Plus at a fantastic price of £22 (down from £45) it really is a savvy purchase!

The Ted Baker set includes:

• Body Wash
• Bath Foam
• Body Scrub
• Body Souffle
• Body Lotion
• Hand Cream
• Purple Vanity Case lined with ballet shoe pattern, built-in mirror and jewel fastening.

I absolutely adore this Ted Baker gift set, and am pretty tempted to pick one up for myself, if only for the gorgeous travel case! xxx

Gillette Venus Naked Skin

Hair removal is a topic that has come up on this blog many times. So many people ask me questions about the latest methods and tools and how well they work, so I am always keen to try out different products. My latest escapade is the Gillette Venus Naked Skin designed by Braun. This is an at-home IPL hair removal system that uses a unique, professionally-derived Square Wave technology to emit controlled, consistent light energy to effectively treat unwanted hair. 

The benefits should become clear in six treatments (one treatment recommended every 2 weeks), but with continued periodic use Venus Naked Skin promises to help break the cycle of hair re-growth leaving you with continuously smooth, continuously beautiful skin.

The system comes with the specially formulated V Activating Gel that enables the light to transfer to the hair root helping to put it to sleep. The system is suitable fo use only on lighter skin tones and on areas including the face and below the neckline, such as your legs, underarm, bikini line, arms, back and stomach.

Having used a number of at home IPL systems I found this incredibly easy to use on my first attempt. There may be a slight stinging sensation during the flash, but this is momentary and is nowhere near as unpleasant as waxing. The system has to be plugged in while in use, but the cord is long enough so that this isn't an issue. The area of contact is larger than many comparable IPL systems, which is great as it means the whole process (especially when using it on the legs) doesn't take too long. Though the gel can be a little messy it does help to show which areas you have treated and ensure that you are getting the best levels of light penetration.

If you want to see how the Gilette Venus Naked Skin system works please do check out the video below. 

The Gillete Naked Skin can be purchased for £359.99 (saving £50) for a limited time using the code EB10 at checkout here.

I shall be updating you all with my progress soon so stay tuned to see the results! xxx

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

With a number of these crayon style balms currently on the market it has taken me quite a while to work through my selection. However, I was so impressed with Revlon's offering in their Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain I made sure to set aside an afternoon to show you a selection of shades and how they look on the lips!

So let's see how these balms/ stains measure up!

 

On the skin you can see that they are glossy and deliver a good amount of pigment in just a few strokes. I love the ease of application with these and as the swatch shows you can get a pretty precise line as they are not too soft.

So what about the lips?

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

I was really impressed with the buildability of these balms. The swatches above show a fairly full application, but as you can see they are still super glossy. I love a versatile lip product and the fact that these can be worn as just a sheer tint, or full on colour, makes them a handbag essential.

The Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains are available for £7.99 here. Which is your favourite shade?

Good Things Miracle Mattifier Moisturiser

The biggest beauty mistake I ever made in my teen years (along with being a little too tweezer happy) was trying to combat oily skin by stripping it of all moisture, which inevitably made the problem worse! In fact oily skin still needs moisture to keep it soft and healthy, the last thing you want to do is remove all your natural oils, breaking the barrier function of the skin and basically asking for trouble.

Good Things Miracle Mattifier is a great moisturiser to use if you have oily or blemish prone skin as it pulls off a clever balancing act. It is quickly absorbed and gives your skin plenty of hydration while clarifying blackcurrant extract helps to absorb any excess oil, so your skin stays smooth and matte and is less prone to breakouts. This cream smells delicious and with a little going a long way it really lasts whilemaking your skin feel smooth, but not at all greasy. It is also free from parabens, mineral oils, sodium laureth sulphate and is suitable for vegans.

The Good Things Miracle Mattifier moisturiser won't break the bank either as it's just £5.33 here.

Healthy Beauty: Imedeen

We all know the saying that beauty starts on the inside. However, many beauty addicts (myself included) are always looking for quick fixes and slather on topical creams or conditioners in order to improve the appearance of our hair and skin. In a bid to be healthy I decided it was time to work from the inside out and agreed to take part in an Imedeen trial to see if their famous Hair and Nails supplement would live up to its promise.

I'm sure you all know that Imedeen is the world's leading supplement brand, but I was surprised to learn that 3 Imedeen pills are popped every second worldwide! I had previously tried various supplements, but I was excited to see how Imedeen would compare.

The supplements contain:

-       Up to 10 x more Biotin than any other hair and nail supplement

-       NEW formula upgrade, now with added Zinc that is essential for protein synthesis, and    Silica, B Vitamin Complex (B1, B2. B3, B5, B6 and B12). 

Customers even report a difference in eyelash growth and gloss-levels!

After almost three weeks of taking one pill a day I can honestly say that I have noticed a difference and am thrilled. My nails feel stronger, so much so that when I went for a manicure a few days ago my nail technician commented that they were much healthier than on my last visit a month ago. I haven't seen any change in my hair as I think it is currently too soon to tell, but I have been getting compliments on my skin and feeling that it looks a little brighter than usual. I am hoping that the effects last and will definitely be carrying on with my current pill popping routine ;). 

The Imedeen Hair and Nails retails at £23.99 for a 2 month supply. The full range can be found in Boots stores and online here.

Are you a fan of supplements? Which ones do you take/ recommend? xxx

Mama Mio Bootcamp for Arms Challenge

So ladies... hands up if you are not the biggest fan of your arms. It seems that us girls are always obsessing about the dreaded bingo wings, with over a third of women (35%) admitting to another woman’s arms being the first physical attribute they register! As much as I try to stay in shape I am not a regular gym bunny and much prefer doing some cardio (a jog) or bikram yoga to slaving away on the machines or lifting weights. Coupled with having very little strength in my upper body, and generally not being blessed with an athletic build, my arms are definitely an area that I would like to improve!

I was therefore excited to be offered the chance to participate in the Mama Mio Bootcamp for Arms Challenge. Though there will not be any camouflage or mud involved as this set is designed to make toned arms achievable for ordinary mortals like me, who do not have the steely will power or the funds of Madonna (and her ridiculously toned arms)!

The set comes with skincare products to exfoliate, tighten and tone, to reveal that illusive fit and healthy looking skin. The kit also includes simple yet effective exercises, developed by Efua Baker, to banish any hint of wobble and create arm definition . Luckily, the exercise is a mere 4 minutes a day, which I think even my weak arms and short attention span can manage!

Step 1
Omega Body Buff
This is the first stage of exfoliation to reveal smoother, more toned looking skin. Omega Body Buff is rich in Sweet Almond Oil, Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and loaded with micro-ground pumice. This should be used at least 3 times a week on dry skin before showering.

Step 2
Double Buff Glove
This glove helps to exfoliate and clear away dead skin cells as well as boosting circulation. This should be used every day with firm upward strokes for 30 seconds.

Step 3
Skin Tight Toning Serum
Skin Tight visibly tightens up saggy looking skin, improving the surface tone and texture. With daily use, its four stage action will work to visually tighten up loose skin helping to ensure that your skin looks like it fits you perfectly in your battle against bat-wing wobble. Papaya enzymes gently exfoliate (to rid you of pesky back of the arm bumps and dry elbows), Hyaluronic Acid plumps with massive moisture, Soy Protein Complex provides instant gratification tightening and wonderfully ant-ageing Uniprosyn gives you eye serum technology to reduce the appearance of crepey skin.

Step 4
4 minutes a-day exercise system to reshape your upper arms
These exercises were created by Efua Baker, renowned amongst her celebrity circle as being the ‘Turnaround Queen’. She has chosen her two favourite exercises to take the wobble out of your wings and give them a tighter, stronger more defined look. Just 4 minutes a day of simple, targeted exercise.

Let the challenge begin!

If you want to join me in the Bootcamp for Arms challenge this kit retails at £49.50 and is available from Boots here. Good luck my lovelies! *Bingo wing wave*

This is a sponsored post.