Whitney Port Venus & Olay Blogger Challenge!

A few weeks ago I was challenged by Venus and Olay's new ambassador Whitney Port to customise a pair of denim shorts for a chance to feature on Whitney's site, as well as win a pair of shorts designed by the leggy lady herself. I am a huge Whitney fan as I love her style and general attitude so I was excited to try out the new Venus razor and take part in the fashion challenge!

I was sent a pair of denim shorts to play with, along with a bag of embellishments and of course the new Venus and Olay razor that combines Olay Moisture-Boost shave gel bars, which help replenish your skin’s moisture, with Venus’s five-blade technology for an incredibly close shave. The shave gel bars mean there’s no need for an extra shave gel, which is perfect for travel or when you are in a hurry. As well as being super quick and convenient this razor gives a really close, comfortable shave. I also noticed that the bars have a lovely scent, which was a nice surprise!

So after trying out the razor I was all set to show off my legs and began working on the perfect pair of shorts to do so. I decided to keep the colour palette very classic and focus on some gold detailing on the front and back pockets. Since my sewing technique is somewhat lacking there was a lot of fabric glue involved, but I'm pretty happy with the results. I think the extra sparkle gives the shorts a bit of personality, while still being really wearable.

I used lots of gold thread on the back pockets to make them really stand out and give the shorts a little bit more shape. I then tied the design in with the front by accentuating the corners with more gold sequins, to reflect the shape of the curve.

So what do we think ladies? Would Whitney ever wear a pair of shorts like this? Regardless of the competition I had so much fun decorating (and almost gluing my fingers together) and I can't wait to show them off on holiday in a few weeks :). xxx

Witch Anti-blemish Cosmetics

Recently I took part in the ultimate skincare challenge - a fun filled week of activities designed to test Witch's new anti-blemish cosmetic range. I am a long time fan of Witch products, having used their witch hazel oil control foaming face wash religiously throughout my teens, so I was excited to see what their new cosmetics had in store!

As someone who has oily skin will tell you - makeup and oils do not mix too well. I have always had oily/combination sensitive skin, and despite now peeking into my mid twenties (I'm 24.. gasp!) I still have the skin of a spotty teenager - unpredictable! Witch hazel is a fantastic ingredient that has always worked well for me as it is astringent (tightens the skin), hemostatic (reduces blood loss/ inflammation) and contains a range of antioxidants.

The cosmetic range aims to still deliver all the benefits of witch hazel skincare in makeup. I think this is a brilliant idea, especially as there is growing concern over the various ingredients used in cosmetics. If you put effort into your skincare routine, why not extend it into your beauty regime and make sure that all the products you use not only make your skin look good by covering imperfections, but also targeting the problems?

So to thoroughly test the new range we embarked on a week of challenges. On day one we met up for some drinks, nibbles and introductions to our fellow bloggers, the Witch team and of course the range.  We were also colour matched - no surprises there, tinted moisturiser in No.1 light for me! However, I was impressed to see that the translucent pressed powder worked well on all skin tones without casting a white veil.

On the second night the girlies had a shopping experience, to test how the makeup would stand up under bright lights and the pressure of Oxford street's Primark. As I was in Paris for work I wasn't able to witness the madness for myself ;).

On Wednesday night we embarked on the biggest challenge of all - a dance class at Pineapple studios! If our makeup could last an hour of (perfectly) synchronized Gilrs Aloud routines it wouldn't fail us on a night out.

I chose to wear the Skin Clearing Primer under my usual foundation and was happy to see that after more than a little perspiration it was holding up well as the curtain fell ;). Those wearing the tinted moisturiser were impressed how well it had lasted too.

On Thursday we had a jazz filled night at Ronnie Scott’s, in the heart of Soho. The lights were low, the music was loud, but we still managed to fill the room with our makeup chit-chatter.

Friday came all too quickly, and while I was attending my best friend's 25th the girlies were feasting on Byron burgers - I was more than a little jealous! Our pick of the top Witch products in this new line were the primer and the concealer (which is currently residing in my bag).

Of course it wouldn't be much of a challenge if my lovely readers were not able to take part and test the cosmetics for themselves, so in my next post I will be giving away 20 sets (!!!) of products from the new anti-blemish range!

To learn more about Witch's new cosmetic range you can visit their website here. Do have a look at the 'witch challenge' section to see more photos and information about our escapades!

Have you ever tried Witch products? What are your thoughts on anti-blemish makeup? xxx