MakeUp Revolution Store In A Store At Superdrug

Hiya Darlins
This is just a quick post ( famous last words )  On the new concept for Makeup Revolution and Superdrug that I visited on Friday in the Superdrug store in Guildford, it was a 2 and half hour round trip on the dreaded M25, but I'm nosey and wanted to give you the low down.

As Lovers of Makeup Revolution and for online shoppers Tam Beauty you will know the range is huge - and I seriously mean HUGE, they are constantly bringing out new items at a lightening rate, so much so there is a  new hashtag  #Fastbeauty. They pride themselves on being able to bring customers the very latest trends at probably faster from idea to counter than any other makeup brand.

I just want to point out at this stage, I do not work for Makeup Revolution, I am not sent items from them to review so this post is purely my opinion.

Makeup Revolution Renaissance  Palette Day

Makeup Revolution Renaissance  Palette Day

If you are lucky enough to get into this store be prepared to be spoilt for choice, I understand the next opening of this new concept will be at Meadowhall,  and if , like me you live in a small town with a limited Superdrug you will know the frustrations of seeing something new from Makeup Revolution on social media, wanting it and not finding it in your store, and literally forgetting all about it, I know that there is an online shopping service,  I have used it and have to be honest could do with improvements on speed of delivery, but if I want just the latest item for review, by the time it's been delivered my mind is elsewhere and it is no longer news worthy.

Makeup Revolution Flawless 4 Palette

These new Store in a Store spaces are fantastic, the display is mind blowing and you actually get to do the touchy feely thing  with all the latest releases, which is something we all love to do with makeup, it's stylish spacious and dangerous!  trust me you will want everything !

Makeup Revolution Chocolate Rose Gold Palette

Makeup Revolution Chocolate Rose Gold Palette

On the opening day there was an offer of a bag of goodies free if you spent over £15.00, well.............yup I did.  I have photographed the bits I bought as these were the things I specifically wanted to try.

Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter

Makeup Revolution Liquid Highlighter

I have been desperate to get my hands on the Renaissance Palette Day simply because I cannot believe the value for money !   Seriously it has packaging to rival Dior and for that reason alone I wanted it,  along with it's night time sister palette it's the first time I have seen such phenomenal packaging from the brand, so of course had to own it.

I may at some stage blog these items if time allows, but for the meantime I hope my pics do them justice.


Check out the range here Superdrug.com

Lyn 💋

Four London

Hi Loves

Those of you that follow Thelavenderbarnltd on Instagram will have already seen snapshots of my day in London with the Hair Salon Four in Mayfair. 
Just to give you a background on Four, the salon is renowned for being the place to go for colouring, Named Four after four of Mayfairs leading hair colour specialists the salon is home to many famous faces including Nigella Lawson, Tess Daly, Yasmin Le Bon and David Jason to name a few. The salon is famous for its hair colouring skills as many stage and screen stars need drastic colour changes whilst still maintaining a healthy head of hair !




My visit started by being greeted with smiling faces at reception, I was a little early which was great as it allowed me to sit on the sumptuous velvet sofa and get a look around while feeling the atmosphere, the salon is on 2 levels, with the upper level having an open gallery looking on to the lower floor, the place is filled with the most stunning floral displays everywhere you look and has the friendliest buzz of happy busy people, I often find that salons especially in London can be hugely intimidating, not so with Four it was comfortable from the moment I stepped through the door.








Before being introduced to my Colourist Luci Green, I was draped in a gown and my handbag was placed into a huge cotton dustbag to protect it from hair and colour, a nice touch that I had never seen before.  Luci greeted me with a smile introduced herself and led me to the upper floor, we discussed what I had in mind, the condition of my hair, and how much time I had to upkeep a new style, this under normal circumstances for the salon would be done as a consultation, Luci and I had spoken on the phone previously and she had seen photos of my existing cut and colour, which as you all know is grey.  Showing me her Ipad with lots of ideas on colour, it was decided that I would have an all over bleach as I wanted my grey to be more silver and a lot lighter, something that I had always wanted but as yet been able to achieve.

BEFORE

TOM THE SCISSOR NINJA

Luci then introduced me to Tom Tsang who was going to cut and style my hair, Tom decided to cut the bulk of my hair style before colour and would come back to me after Luci had done her magic,  and magic she certainly did, every single step of the way, included bowls upon bowls of fresh bleach for each section, Luci said that she liked to keep the product fresh throughout the process, I was left for an hour with my bleach applied, now you would possibly think this was a boring hour, oh no !!  earlier on I was offered a menu, as the salon has in house caterers, unfortunately for me I had dental work the day before so had to suffice with coffee while I watched the most beautiful trays of food and beverages being delivered to customers, I watched hair extensions being applied, a lady having a manicure and pedicure while her hair was being done, my hour of waiting went rather too fast, I was enjoying being nosy, at no stage was I left without being checked on, and at the end of my cooking period I was led to the basin, where I enjoyed Olaplex treatment a head massage and the grey toner being applied, the thing I found fascinating and something that I have to say has never occurred to be before, but my hair was treated with the exact delicate treatment that your skin would receive if you were having a facial, it was patted not rubbed, and treated gently at every stage.

AFTER WITH THE GORGEOUS LUCI

Next up it was the turn of the scissor magician Tom, the nicest friendliest guy ever !  he knew exactly what I wanted, pretty much what I already have but I needed a cut badly as I had been saving myself for this trip. Tom is like a scissor ninja, it was as though he cut and styled my hair under a spell, it was all done so seamlessly with what just came across as great skill on his part, no faffing or fussing it was just done ! amazing- it was a real pleasure to watch a craftsman at work, he set about blow drying my locks into a glistening pale grey bob, that I couldn't actually believe was my own hair, STUNNED is an understatement !

AFTER

Luci and Tom escorted me to reception ensuring I was happy, where I couldn't stop looking in the mirror and actually realising that this new look was mine !

Fortunately my new do wasn't wasted as I had an event to attend in London that evening, where a lot of familiar faces were as equally as impressed by my new hair as I was. To be honest I wasn't expecting anything really different to my usual hair but somehow it was transformed from my usual home colour to a work of art.

Thank you once again Shirley, Luci and Tom if you ever read this, you literally made my day.

Four London 


Lyn 💋

P.S. At no time was I asked where I was going on holiday 😄


Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF links.

    

Bio Essence 24K Bio Gold Night Cream

Hello to your gorgeous self,
Was I right in thinking it would be impossible not to fall in love with this cream based on the packaging alone ?  I did, and was rather hoping that the contents lived up to my expectation, I love anything gold and shiny and with it's 24 Karat Gold particles I was hoping for good things from this glamorous jar.

Firstly it would be easy to think that the gold flakes are a gimmick - But no, when absorbed by the skin they release active gold ions that are rich in trace minerals.  On first dip into the jar ( it does come with it's own spatula )  the formula is almost gel like, when applied to the skin it has a water burst effect that delivers pure moisture and hydration, the gold flakes simply disappear leaving you with the dewiest, glowiest, skin ever, probably not real words, but it gives you an idea. 
 I would say pat this in gently to your face, neck and decolletage and just feel your skin drink in the moisture, if your skin is slightly dry or dehydrated this will literally feel like a fountain of moisture, it has such a cool soothing effect it is a sheer pleasure to use.



What I would say about this night cream, is what at first seems like a cute marketing gimmick, turns out to be some serious skincare at a bargain price, I looked up the price after testing, and have to admit to being totally shocked, I expected this to be around £60 +  it is in fact  Currently on offer at £15.95 ( link below )  I can honestly say I am blown away !!



This is my first outing with Bio Essence, but expect to see more, I have looked at the range and now have a shopping list, if this one night cream is anything to go by I am totally looking forward to discovering more.



Lyn 💋


Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF Links.

Hi Loves
As you probably know if you are a regular reader, I have had a few hospital experiences this year, and one has led me to discover I have a bit of a heart problem, this post is not about that as I don't like to dwell on the negative it just explains the reasoning behind my lifestyle changes.

I have almost come to the end of a 3 month journey with a wellness coach, there will be a blog post coming soon about this, during this time it led me back to Yoga, I say led me back, but in all honestly I had dabbled before, I took a few classes at a gym which in all honesty were so embarrassing I ended up doing the "class clown" thing that I always seem to fall back on when I feel out of my depth. I decided that I would try to practise at home and purchased a cheap yoga mat from Amazon and a Gerri Halliwell Yoga DVD - Epic fail, the mat was as thin as cloth and bunched up at every move, and if I could have strangled Ms Halliwell and her irritating self I would have put my hands through the TV screen just to shut her up !  all in all this experience did not lead me to feeling calm or even a little bit Zen like so that was another experience that gathered dust.




Yoga was suggested again as part of my introduction back into gentle exercise, I didn't take it too seriously and dragged out Ms Halliwell and my cloth like Mat ( you can imagine my delight ! )  Moving on I am now the proud owner of  a   and I thought all yoga mats were equal - WRONG.  This mat has made such a huge difference, first and most importantly to my mood, no more irritation at having to stop to straighten out a ruched mat, this lays perfectly flat and still at all times, the lotus design whist being super pretty is there for a reason, the raised pattern is actually grip which aids you in each pose without slipping and sliding, cleverly the more you use your yoga mat the grippier it gets, at 4 mm thick it gives the right amount of depth and comfort with Eco friendly 6P Free and Latex free construction I can imagine this being a trusted friend for years to come.  I am also currently using   Which aids with deepening stretches, correcting alignment and helping you to hold a pose longer,  I find this essential as a beginner as there are many poses that a strap is needed to help you stay in the pose.  








Whoever thought that I would actually get into Yoga ?  definitely not me - but I have surprised myself, obviously at 60 I am not as flexible as I would like, but you know what ?   each day is just getting that little bit easier and it's one of those things that you make work for you on a personal level,  Calmia has now become a bit of an addiction for me as well, because not only is the site about Yoga Equipment it is also a fabulous wellbeing site with a fabulous blog by founder Lucy Wakefield, it offers hints and tips at all levels as long as clothing that you wont want to take off.  Take a look and see what you think.   There is also currently a Sale on !!!

Lyn 💋

Post contains Brand/Agency samples, unless stated, may contain AF links.

Hiya Darlins

It seems like every time you turn on the TV or pop to the shops there is a new mascara on the market, one that promises, to thicken, lengthen, give fuller sexier lashes, etc.

Well, I got caught up in the New From Rimmel London Wonder'fully Real campaign promises, the before and after pictures were stunning, and I have to admit that it has been many many years since I tried anything from Rimmel, they were probably my first foray into the world of makeup and we get seduced over the years by new and exciting launches and wander away from old favourites.

Firstly I love the packaging, anything pink and shiny has my attention straight off, the brush is nothing less than amazing, slender and jam packed with short almost rubber looking bristles, you literally only need to be gentle when applying this mascara, it applies without any persuasion first coat every time, I needed only one coat of this to have me amazed at the length and look of my lashes, it is truly amazing !  However, my joy wasn't to last, withing an hour of being out, my daughter was attacking me with her finger and removing this mascara from my lids and under eyes as though I was a child ! I struggled all day, and kept mopping up the damage, not one to be deterred I tried again the following day, thinking it was my own fault for not wearing an eye primer, nope, same thing happened again with an eye primer, day three I thought I would try it with powder, not that I have a greasy skin but was giving it a good try out, unfortunately the same thing again, the mascara was on my lids just under my brows and again panda style under my lower lashes.



Here's the thing, I am fortunate in that I am not short in the lash department and do have naturally quite long lashes, and am thinking that this product is so good at adding length it maybe just too much for me and causing the lashes to actually touch my skin, I so so want to love this, as my lashes look nothing less that stunning when wearing it, but unfortunately, my love affair is not to be.

If, however you have shorter lashes that need some oomph I would say at 7.99 give this a try, it's not a bank breaker if you don't like it, and you may be the opposite of me and have total success.

Rimmel Wonderfully Real Mascara

Lyn 💋


Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF Links.

Hi Loves
As much as I am loathed to admit it, Summer is gone and I have begun to think about Winter, packing away all the linens and flip flops is always a tough job and I have to admit I am not one of those people who look forward to the Winter months, I see a lot of comments about loving candles and open fires and while I get it, the thought of being freezing cold and soaked with rain and snow fills me with utter dread.



I have to admit that I am actually pretty chuffed to have seen so many pairs of Hunter Wellies on the internet of late. I had my first pair when I moved from London to the Countryside back in the late 80'/early 90s with my Hunters and Barbour I thought I looked the part commuting up to town in my country gear, those were the days when Hunters only came in the standard green and were an essential item if you lived anywhere near a field !  who knew they would be come the ultimate festival fashion item ?  not that I go to festivals - oh no, I like a bed and clean loo's at my age.





That said I was delighted to find my old favourite boots in a trendy gloss black on the JD Williams website, so now although I still hate Winter with a passion I won't have wet feet, and in fact even look like I'm down with the kids !  to me these are an investment, as you know that they are quality
that will last, my last pair were actually 7 years before they gave up the ghost.  If wellies are not your thing you will still find yourself spoilt for choice with JD Williams in terms of boots and footwear,  I love the fact that they come in width sizes ( we are not all the same standard size ) and there are a ton of brands to choose from. 
Check out the JD Williams boot range here.


Lyn 💋


Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF links.

Super Facialist Retinol +

Una Brennon, London based facialist started her own skin care range Super Facialist back in 2012 it now has a cult following of loyal dedicated fans, and I wanted to find out why.

The range has something for every skin type and you can mix an match to your hearts content, I have heard a lot about this brand being great skincare at an affordable price, which has to be said is the claim of lots of brands as a great selling point. In this post I am featurning the Retinol + range designed for  Anti-Ageing.  I love and adore anything containing Retinol for me it is the one single ingredient that shows it's working, if you are new to Retinol you are advised to use this product in stages building up to everyday use, My skin is not new to it, so dived straight in.  I have to admit to being slightly cynical when trying this brand, often I am put off rather than sold to when something is so hyped, I tend to think " here we go"  maybe it's age or a cruel life that has made me so cynical ha ha, but whatever it is I am not easily sold.

Firstly I love the packaging which I know isn't important but always helps, I don't usually mention prices in my posts but am making an exception with this range just so that we can see if it's value for money.



Retinol + Anti-Ageing Day Cream 50ml £19.99

Lightweight, easily absorbed and beautifully fragranced this cream literally sank into my skin and disappeared within seconds, it left the skin feeling super moisturised with a good feel to it, you knew there was something there without it being visible, the cream itself contains Hyaluronic Acid, Shea Butter and anti oxidant rich White Tea.  My skin not only felt great all day through to the evening it actually looked brighter and more alive, I tested this under foundation with no primer, both liquid and cream foundation applied beautifully and held in place with no oiliness.



Retinol + Anti-Ageing Night Cream 50ml £19.99

I love the fact the whilst almost identical this jar comes in a darker shade to the day cream, my reasons are that I don't want to be reaching for my reading glasses at night when applying products, and more often than not brands make identical looking products, which frustrate the backside off you if you have to peer at the label to determine day and night!
Oh my lord, this night cream is a star it really will be one that you reach for every night knowing that come morning you will literally be checking out your skin in the mirror, slightly richer than the day cream, although not by much - again your skin drinks it up like a thirsty Cactus, containing Hyaluronic Acid, Sweet Almond Oil, White Tea and White Lupin seed extract to name a few your skin is literally treated to goodness overnight while you sleep.




Retinol + Anti-Ageing Restoring Serum 30ml £16.99

I have used both of the products above alone, and with this serum, great alone, superb with serum, the difference is visible, I have used the serum under both the Day and Night creams on clean skin and it somehow makes a huge difference at locking in moisture. Designed to target wrinkles, uneven skin tone and lack of radiance the serum is sheer perfection, the difference in skin tone and texture is visible, fine lines are softened and your skin is left glowing, even if you are a lover of another brand of moisturiser or night cream I would still recommend using this as a base. Again it is wise to build up to using Retinol if you have sensitive skin or are a new user, and don't forget that you will need an SPF always as your skin will now be more sensitive to UV rays.

Find Super Facialist at Boots.com 

Lyn 💋

Nads Hair Removal

OK OK I know the name causes a giggle in the UK but Nads is the name of the Australian Hair removal company that started in 1992 by Founder Sue Ismiel, it has become a world leader in the home hair removal market, with a huge range of products that are a solution to any hairy problem :)

I tested 3 products in the vast range and was lucky enough to be able to use Mr LB as a Guinea pig.




Starting with Nads Facial Hair Removing Creme.
This cream is specifically designed for the delicate facial area (upper lip & chin )  I usually wax my upper lip maybe once or twice a year, it's quite blonde but even so I don't want to see it, I tried this facial cream with a huge amount of hesitation, many years ago I remember my Mum using something on her top lip when I was a child which resulted in her having a huge scab with burnt skin for months, ever since then I have been terrified of facial cream removers, however, I had committed to testing this out, so test it I did. I followed the instructions to the letter and applied the cream in a thick layer to my top lip using the handy in built applicator, the products tells you to leave on for 4 minutes minimum with a maximum of 10 minutes, well given that I was scared to start with I went for four minutes and removed it the very second my timer reached it's ding! you remove with a soft cloth or tissue, I used a cloth and then rinsed thoroughly, I then applied the soothing balm as instructed.
NO redness or irritation occurred,  I was left with one or two hairs that I attacked with tweezers, but to be fair to the product this would not have happened had I left it longer, also there was no horrible hair remover smell which I expected to experience.




Nads Natural Hair Removal Gel

This tub of gel comes complete with 170g of gel, 5x cotton strips, 1 x spatula and 3 x Nads Cleansing Wipes.  I have no experience of home waxing other than many years ago attempting to use sugar hair removal from The Body Shop which was a total disaster.  This time I used my Guinea Pig tester Mr LB, he has never experienced this method of hair removal and has sworn that he never would, he is a total baby when it comes to anything  like this and yells and shouts if the odd eyebrow is plucked, so I was really looking forward to this !!  The Gel is a no heat product, however we did have to pop it in the microwave for a couple of seconds just to soften it for application, once it was soft it spread easily in the direction of the hair growth, I applied the strip and through crying tears of laughter warned him to get ready, Oh my lord !! literally one rip and it was like I had a rug in my hand, the hairy beastie had a perfectly bare stripe on his back, it literally removed every single hair and left baby soft skin behind. after he has stopped dancing around the bathroom he was highly impressed and said it didn't hurt as much as he expected, so I think it's safe to say that if a woman used this it would be almost pain free !!  It 100% did it's job and left nothing behind.  I didn't continue with his back as I wanted to move onto testing the next product on him.





Nads For Men Hair Removal Cream.

This product contain Aloe Vera which is known for it's soothing healing qualities. It can be used on a mans back, chest arms and legs. we used it on his back.  ( monkey )  As with the facial cream the recommended time was 4 to 10 minutes, I like to err on the side of caution as it was a new product and went for 4 minutes, in actual fact this was all that was needed, it removed every hair, now he does do this on a regular basis with another hair removal cream brand BUT usually suffers with a bit of soreness and redness, there was nothing like this with the Nads, it does however have a really strong hair removal fragrance which I wasn't keen on while applying, but it didn't last and was easily rinsed away. I do believe he is planning on switching to Nads from his usual brand due to the lack of discomfort when using Nads.

Nads can be found easily in the UK from Boots 

Lyn 💋


Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF links.

Hi Loves
Here was a fun evening spent with my Granddaughter, we made bath bombs that would give Lush a run for their money!  all in a kit from The Soap Kitchen, a fantastic website that provides you with everything you would possibly need to hand make bath and beauty products.



We started off with a kit which included everything needed to make some floral scented bath bombs in Rose and Lavender. on opening the box you find Essential oils, dried flowers, Bicarbonate of Soda and Citric Acid along with micro fine colouring powder and moulds, there are 5 shapes to choose from we chose standard round balls. all that was needed to be added was a mixing bowl, spoon, scales and a water mist spray.



The kit comes with full instructions, but to be honest it was so easy it was a fun project as it wasn't at all complicated or fussy.  And the house was filled with the most gorgeous fragrance while we were playing.





You simply weigh the ingredients, add them to a bowl add the colouring pigment, fragrance and petals mix, spray with plain water to activate and fill your chosen moulds. simples !

The beauty of The Soap Kitchen is that you can simply go to the site and purchase refills of whatever you need, you don't need to buy the full kit over again. This is not a novelty one off gift site, it's there for you should you want a one off gift or if you are thinking of starting a soap making or bath bomb business from home, they supply everything you need including help advice and encouragement. 





Going back to the bombs that we or should I say Mya made, not only were they easy to make, looked gorgeous, in terms of actual use they gave a certain Lush company a run for it's money, alongside superb quality you also have the added satisfaction that you made them yourself !  How lovely would it be to spend an afternoon with your kiddies making these as gifts that they could give at Christmas or Birthdays ? 

Check out The Soap Kitchen Here

Lyn 💋

Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF links.

Lovethesales.com

Hiya Darlins
This post is all about shopping or to be more precise Sale Shopping, now I know we all love a bargain, especially if it's something special that you have had your eye on a while, but I don't know about you ? as much as I love a bargain I detest going to the shops when the sales are on, all that rummaging - no thanks, it's not for me, however I always end up sighing when someone says " Oh this ?  I got it in the sales "  it's at times like that I regret not making an effort. 

Lovethesales.com

WELL !  No more rummaging, no more missing out, I have discovered a website that brings you 600 shops sales all under one roof, with savings of up to 70%  I know !!! 

Lovethesales.com features the brands that we know and love and covers everything from designer dresses, high end makeup to garden furniture and electrical all in one place, so you have no need to even pay for a car park, just grab a cuppa and be prepared to be amazed at the savings.

You can search by saving percentage, brand, style size, whatever you like, to be honest I just sit and browse without narrowing my search as I like online browsing, but if you are looking for something specific it can be done easily by narrowing the search, to give you an example click on Women's Dresses and you are presented with 41,450 to choose from so you might want to narrow it down !



I found these Michael Kors Trainers down from £130.00 to £39.99 , with a click you are taken directly to the store with the item and away you go. It's nothing less than genius and why it's not been done before beats me, it's a fabulous way of shopping, you can probably tell I am in love with it already, I have told everyone I meet about it, but only if they aren't my size ha ha
No seriously,  take a look I am convinced you will love it as much as I do, I mean who wouldn't want Gucci at a discount ?

Find Lovethesales.com here.

Let me know what you think of the site please, I would love your opinion.

Lyn 💋



Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF Links

It's that time again, and it never gets easier to make this list, of the 31 products I wrote about in August, I have whittled it down to my top 5 favourites.

In No Particular order

Beauty Expert Natural Edition




XIP Professional Platinum Passion Eyeshadow Collection 






Gosh Copenhagen Primer Plus + Skin Adaptor 




Nyasa London 






Alpha-H Essential Cleansing Balm 




That's it from me, as always if I don't like something I don't write about it, but these are the 5 items I wanted to give special love to in August.


Lyn 💋

Post contains Brand/Agency samples unless stated, may contain AF Links.