Five top tips on the best festival beauty routine

When you're hitting the festivals you still want to look great – despite rocking out in the heat amongst crowds of bodies. With a weekend of music at your fingertips the last thing you'll want to do is spend all day touching up your make-up, especially when your closest thing to a bathroom is those rather grotesque portaloos. Whether you're heading to Glastonbury or Reading Festival you can still create a pretty dewy look that will actually last by using five key make-up items that prep your skin the right way.

The best star to your day is a soft base to put your make-up on to. Shiseido Pureness MatifyingMoisturiser is a oil free lightweight moisturiser that is perfect for letting your skin breathe in the hot sun. If your skin isn't too dry conserve the amount you apply and rub into spots that actually need it.

Sweat is a make-ups arch enemy as it removes its resistance and staying power. During the summer the need for a heavy foundation isn't so necessary as the suns rays help to brighten your skin tone which will reduce how noticeable any blemishes are. BB cream mixed with waterproof sun tan lotion makes a great alternative to foundation and is much lighter on your skin. Try Decleor Hydra Floral BB cream with 24 hour moisturising effects.

The sun can quite easily melt cream or liquid formulas so when it comes to making your skin glow try to stick to a powder bronzer. Instead of applying it to larger areas like the apples of your cheek or bridge of your nose, use a small brush to to dab it on to the top of your cheek bones and keep your stroke around one inch. La Prairie Cellular Treatment Bronzing Powder13.5g is a luxury powder that gives your complexion a golden glow whilst protecting your skin.

The eyes are the key to your soul and show just how much you're enjoying yourself. There's nothing worse then jumping around to your favourite band and someone telling you your mascara is running down your cheeks because you're sweating so much. The key to keep your face smudge free is waterproof mascara. Christian Dior DiorShow Waterproof Mascara Backstage 11.5ml is a staple of the catwalk and perfect for your festival make-up routine. Lashes are left thickened and curled with the Aquastop technology keeping your eyes dry.

Make sure your eye make-up lasts by applying less mascara on your top lashes and leave your bottom lashes bare. If your lashes are long there's no need to curl them as the oil from your lids will smudge the look. Add long lasting definition to your eyes using a long wearing eye-liner pencil. Kohl pencils are the best because they can be easily smudged to give you a smokey eye and won't run if any sweat gets around your eyes. ModelCo All About EyesSmokey Eye 3 Piece Set includes a fabulous eye-liner that you can use to showcase your eyes.

However you choose to wear your make-up during festival season the key is to simply have fun! Let your hair down, paint a few flowers on your cheek and put a flower in your hair and jump up and down to the music because it's time to enjoy.

You can buy all the makeup/beauty products feature at Click Fragrance

What's in July 2014 limited edition Stars and Stripes Glossybox? Find the exclusive reveal here!

If you didn't know July 4th was Independence day in America you've probably been living under a stone for a while. To celebrate the iconic occasion Glossybox themed their July edition on the Stars and Stripes of the sunny USA.

Each product is either linked to the colours of the American flag or originated in the states. I love the limited edition Glossybox style and it certainly stands out in comparison to the typical girly pink theme. The products are worth well over the price of the box but I can't say everything was really to my taste. Check out my video as I first opened the box - don't forget to comment and let me know what you think!

As ever if you can't wait, here's the scoop below.

Bellapierre Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick
This cult American favourite is formulated with completely natural ingredients including natural waxes, mineral pigments and antioxidants including Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Not only are there no nasties in the ingredients but it offers long lasting colour and protection against the sun.

• Glossybox offers a full sized product. Get yours for £20 at Bellapierre

Absolute New York Perfecting Eyeshadow Primer
This oil free creamy formula evens the skin tone around the eye area to make eyeshadow application a lot easier. It keeps eyeshadow crease free and helps colour to stay strong for a long lasting look.

• Glossybox offers a full sized product. Get yours for $4.99 at Nicka

Carmex Lip Balm
Adored by celebrities and makeup artists all over the world Carmex is the lip balm that inspired all lip balms. Made with menthol, camphor and beeswax, this au naturale product works to keep your lips nourished, conditioned and protected form the elements all year round.

• Glossybox offers a full sized product. Get yours for £2.69 at Graftons Beauty

Color Club Glossy Seal
Color Club nail polish are made exclusively in New York and are renown for their non toxic and cruelty free ingredients. The shade Glossy Seal is completely unique and was made exclusively for July's Glossybox.

• Glossybox offers a full sized product. Get yours for $8 at Color Club.

Dr Bronner's Magic Liquid Soaps Baby Mild Liquid Soap
If your skin is very sensitive and can't handle many soaps then Dr Bronner's Magic Liquid soap may be perfect for you. Cultivated with a blend of Organic coconut Palm, Olive, Hemp and Jojoba Oil as well as pure Vitamin E the soap is gentle enough to be used on baby's skin.

• Glossybox offer a sample size. Get a full sized 237ml product for £5.99 at Dr Bronner

What do you think of July's box, would you buy it?

Goody Good Stuff launch a range of sweets that cater for those with food intolerances

If you're a vegetarian or have a gluten free diet, finding sweets to suit you can be virtually impossible. Goody Good Stuff saw the gap in the market and went on a mission to find the solution. The result was a fantastic range of sweets that cater for those with food intolerance's. The 8 varieties vary from the traditional cola bottles to the more unusual Tropical Fruit and contain natural ingredients that make them good.

The brand has worked hard to make their sweets:

• Fat free
• No artificial colours
• Dairy free
• Gelatin free
• Gluten free

Cola Breeze tasted very similar to normal cola bottles and would probably be my favourite out of the selection. They were quite soft and chewy and the taste was very familiar to a traditional sweet.

Koala gummy bears were a selection of fruity gummy bears that were very soft and jelly like.  I could certainly taste the fruitiness but wasn't too sure on the feel of the sweets consistency.



Strawberry and Cream were a selection of tiny strawberry and cream sweets. The strawberry drops lacked flavour and had a bit of a funny aftertaste. I did think the cream tasted a lot better and were a lot more enjoyable.

Summer Peaches had quite a intense, strong peach flavour that tasted really natural. The sweets were so soft they virtually melted on my fingers, great for little kids or babies.


Cheery Cherries were probably one of my least favourite out of the selection. They tasted quite artificial and had a dry taste that made chewing them quite unpleasant.




Sour Fruit Salad were certainly more lemon like then sour. With a pleasant fizzy lemon taste these sweets were less tongue twisting and more like a refreshing drink on a hot day.





As well as offering large bags of sweets Goody Good Stuff offers a small range of 25g bags that would be suitable for those who only want a few or want them all to themselves.

Sour Cheery Cherries were very sour but didn't taste as artificial as the original Cheery Cherries. I did feel you could taste the cherry more after the sourness had gone.

Sour Koala Gummy Bears were so sour I had to take a bit of time eating them. They were quite pleasant and still had the fruity taste once the sourness had gone.



I really feel it's fantastic to find a confectionery product that caters for the minorities on the market. Whilst many of the sweets were pleasant, I did feel that the texture is something you'd have to get used to as it's very different to a traditional gelatine sweet. I wouldn't be able to eat many in one go but then perhaps that's why they're so good for those on a diet!

Goody Good Stuff shows originality, real invention and the ability to offer something for those who struggle to find products to suit what they can eat.

I give it 3.5/5

You can find them at Nature's Health Box

Advantages

• Caters for the minority and those with food intolerance's
• Has a large range of small and bigger bags
• No artificial colours
• Pleasant fruity taste

 Disadvantages

• Some of the sweets are very jelly like and have a consistency that's very different to normal sweets. This does take some getting used to. 

Victoria Green launches a new range of beauty bags at Debenhams

Victoria Green is a British textile and home product designer with over 20 years of experience including designs for large brands like Marks and Spencers and The White Company. Her first solo collection of beauty bags are fresh off the factory floor and currently available at Debenehams.

The range is designed for women who love prints, style, colour and prints combined with outstanding quality. 

I was lucky enough to test the Spot cosmetics pouch and was struck instantly by how cute it is. With a fresh spot print the bag really stands out on my dresser and is really roomy so I'd have no problem fitting lots of products inside.

I give it 4/5

You can get the Spot cosmetics pouch for £8 at Debenehams

Advantages

• The pouch is really roomy and has lots of space for all your makeup products
• At under £10 this product is a little bargain
• Cute spot design

Disadvantages

• None that I can see!

Protect your feet from the pain of blisters with Compeed blister relief plasters

We all love our kitten heels and sparkly wedges for completing our outfit and making our feet look glamorous. What we don't love are the blisters it creates.

It doesn't matter how low the heel might be, new shoes have a habit of rubbing your skin till it bleeds or a blister forms. With its cushioned protection Compeed blister plasters is a life saviour in a little box.

The clear plaster is really easy to apply - simply peel the two white tags off the front of the plaster then peel the Compeed label off the back and apply to the sore area. You get 5 plasters per box and they act as a second skin to protect the shoe from making the injured area any worse. The plasters can be left on for a few days till they become loose to aid the healing of your blister and help you to continue wearing your favourite shoes!

A fabulous product for the fashion conscious lady.

I give it 4/5

Get yours for £5.49 at Superdrug

Advantages

• Stops the pain of blisters or sores by cushioning them from your shoes
• Lasts a few days without needing to be replaced
• Comes in a handy little box which can easily be slipped into your handbag

Disadvantages

• Some may prefer plasters which are probably a lot cheaper

Glitz and Glamour Makeup teams up with Alex Silver PR to write a how to bronze tutorial

I recently teamed up with Alex Silver PR to write a guest post on how to bronze your skin. Head over now to read all about it!

Leighton Denny reveals all about his life and his new book How I Nailed It in this exclusive interview

I was lucky enough to get a interview with Leighton Denny (MBE). Find out how Leighton got started in the business and what it felt like to get his MBE.

Get Leighton's How I Nailed It before your friends do

Unless the goddess within with Eye of Horus goddess mascara

Eye of Horus want you to Awaken the goddess within with their Moringa Oil enriched mascara.


The mascara comes beautifully presented with a large bag that is filled with black tissue paper imprinted with the Eye of Horus label. The packaging itself is lovely and really stands out with gold lettering and the iconic Egyptian eye icon.

The brand embraces the Egyptians way by incorporating natural waxes and plant bases ingredients into all their cosmetics. The mascara has a volumising hourglass silicon brush with massed bristles that flexes to capture every lash.

I found the mascara was easy to apply and didn't irritate my eyes, although there was a small amount of clumping. I was able to get it into the inner corners to coat the smaller lashes but I can't say the overall effect was any different to a typical high street mascara. Whilst it gives typical results I'd expect from a mascara the added ingredients such as Moringa oil are something not often used in mascaras and a promising step away from artificial ingredients.

I give it 3/5

Advantages

• Uses natural ingredients including Moringa oil
• Suitable for sensitive eyes
• Has a flexible wand so you can maneuver the brush to coat hard to capture lashes

 Disadvantages

• Small amount of clumping
• Don't expect a major difference to your lashes as the result is pretty average

Get yours for £17.00 at Eye of Horus UK

*this was sent as a sample to test

Get beach ready with St Ives april facial scrubs

Dull pasty skin can be a pain and often send us on a quest to find the perfect cleanser or exofliator that will give us bright, glowing skin. After all the prospect of lying by the pool feeling like you have to cover up in makeup is not the best way to start a relaxing holiday.

St Ives aim to help get beach fit with the launch of four facial scrubs that promote healthier looking skin. The products contain the fresh essence of apricots and use the natural oils found in the fruit to hydrate and nourish your skin.

If you have normal skin and want a nature radiance try Invigorating as it removes dull and dead skin to reveal a smooth complexion.

Sensitive skin requires the Gentle version that's formulated for sensitive skin, containing skin soothing botanical, micro beads and Jojoba oil to gently remove skins impurities.

Blemish Control does what it says on the tin and uses active clarifying ingredients to gently unplug pores and help to prevent future blemishes and blackheads.

Finally Renew & Firm helps to reduce roughness and mottled pigmentation to naturally revive the skins natural beauty.

For the purpose of the review I got to test the Invigorating facial scrub. As with all St Ives products the scrub has a gorgeous deep apricot smell that doesn't seem at all artificial. It had a creamy, lumpy consistency with a grainy texture which you would expect with a exfoliator. On applying I found it was actually quite soft and not at all abrasive. Whilst I couldn't see a instant glow after applying it's definitely a product that will work well in the long run in maintaining healthy skin and eliminating dead cells.

The range of scrubs have a lovely smell and contain 100% natural ingredients which is great for trouble skin.

I give it 4/5.

Advantages

• 100% natural exfoliants
• Gorgeous apricot scent
• Four different versions to suit different skin types

Disadvantages

• None that I can see 

Get yours for £2.66 at Superdrug (was £3.99) whilst it's on offer!

*this was sent as as sample to test

Dove puts Me Time back in the limelight with the launch of their latest Purely Pampering body wash

Whether it's a long soak after work, or a quick morning shower we want our beauty routine to take care of us. Dove's Purely Pampering range embraces the importance of Me Time with a selection of body washes give your skin a real treat.

Each body wash is lavished with delicious ingredients to help provide your skin with the extra care and nourishment that it deserves.  The silky formulation is infused with skin natural nutrients and essential oils to leave skin soft and smooth. Other products in the range include:

• Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter with Warm Vanilla nourishing lotion £3.99
• Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter with Warm Vanilla body wash £2.29
• Dove Purely Pampering Almond Cream with Hibiscus nourishing lotion  £3.99
• Dove Purely Pampering Almond Cream with Hibiscus body wash £2.29
• Dove Purely Pampering Coconut Milk with Jasmine Petals nourishing lotion  £3.99
• Dove Purely Pampering Coconut Milk with Jasmine Petals body wash £2.29

One of the new scents Pistachio Cream with Magnolia has a sensual feminine fragrance that really helps you to relax. I didn't find the wash foamed up that much but it was easy to wash with and provided good lubrication for shaving. The smell turns a lot more nutty when you rubbed it in (it does have Pistachios in) and this wasn't as nice as the initial scent. Whilst Dove advises my skin would be left beautifully glowing I couldn't really notice any difference but there's no dryness and my skin is smooth. 

Pistachio Cream with Magnolia certainly has its plus points but I wouldn't say I was completely blown away.

I give it 3/5

Advantages

• Relaxing, sensual smell
• Hydrates skin

Disadvantages

• No glowing skin 

The new body wash will be available in all good supermarkets, Superdrug Boots and other drug stores. 

*this was sent as a sample to test

Dove are giving you the chance to sample their new release with two bottles available in this exclusive competition. To win all you need to do is fill in the RaffleCopter below. The competition will run for one month from 12th July 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wilkinson Sword Intution saves you money with its 3-in-1 shaving, lathering and moistusrising element

With the weather heating up it's time to ditch the trousers and get those legs out in shorts, skirts and summer dresses. Bare legs means we need to enhance our beauty routine and remove any unwanted hair for smooth, stubble free legs.

Wilkinson Sword Intuition makes the hair removal process a little bit easier with a 3-in-1 razor that combines shaving with lathering and moisturising. With four blades the shaver aims to reduce grooming time by removing that hair in the first sweep.

The product has fun girly pink packaging and comes with a holder that you can stick to your bathroom wall to save room on storage. The shaver bar had a gorgeous strawberry scent and lathered up really well. With the combined foaming element the need for a separate body was was eliminated which is a fantastic budget saving feature. Whilst the shaver worked well on the majority of my body I found in certain smaller areas like the armpits the bar hindered it a little, resulting in having to go over the same area several times before the area was hair free. I love how the shaver left my whole body feeling like it'd had a really good shave and each area was really soft and smooth which proves the moisturising effect had worked.

The shaver bar does reduce as it lathers, and depending on how much you use it during your bath/shower you may find you need to replace it quite often. The price of razor replacements is around £7.19 at Boots so you may need to take this into consideration when contemplating whether the razor is worth replacing your trusty body wash.

Get yours for £6.49 at Chemist Direct

Advantages

• Has a 3-in-1 lathering/shaving/moisutrising use which saves you money on buying separate body washes
• Lathers up really quickly
• The soap bar has a gorgeous strawberry scent
• Leaves skin feeling smooth and well moisturised 
• Comes with a handy storage tool so you can save space by sticking the shaver on your bathroom wall

Disadvantages

• You have to balance the cost of the razor refills with the benefits on saving on body wash as they can run down quite quickly depending on how much you use the soap bar
• Certain areas can be quite tricky to shave with the bar and you have to go over the same area several times

Save time with your beauty routine with the launch of two new Nivea's In Shower moisturiser fragrances

When the alarm clock goes off on Monday morning you've probably pressed the snooze button five times before you even manage to haul yourself out of bed. With the desire to stay in bed so tempting we all want to save as much time as we can on how long it takes to get ready. Nivea's In shower body moisturisers makes early mornings a little more bearable.

With so many products on the market it's hard to decide what product is right for you and what will give you the smoothest skin possible. Nivea has propelled the importance of a good routine back into the driving seat with their latest launch of two new indulgent scents from their In Shower body moisturiser collection, Nourishing Coca and Pampering Honey for normal skin.

This time saving product allows you to save a massive amount of time in your morning routine by eliminating the need for a separate body moisturiser. With a sensational product award you simply apply, rinse and then dry.

Enriched with Cocoa butter the Nourishing Cocoa moisturiser has a number of caring properties including antioxidants. My first impression was that the cocoa butter scent was very weak and it smelt more like a typical moisturisers. The product had a typical white, creamy consistency and was easy to apply.

The Pampering Honey moisturiser smelt very sweet and pleasant with a fragrance that contained undertones of floral blooms, honey sorbet and milk blossom. Again like the Nourishing Coca the consistency was white and creamy and essentially very easy to apply. After use there was no sticky sensation, or residue which you often get after using a body moisturiser and my skin did feel soft, although not baby soft. There was a light aroma left on my skin but nothing too overpowering or noticeable.

Nivea In shower moisturisers are perfect for saving time in the morning by reducing the need for a separate moisturiser and saving you those precious five minutes after your bath/shower.

I give it 3.5/5

Get yours for £3.56 at Boots

Advantages

• No need for a separate moisturiser
• Can be used whilst you're having a bath/shower so saves precious time in the morning - giving you more time to snooze!
• Leaves a light aroma that is not overpowering

 Disadvantages

• If you're expecting baby soft skin after use you may be disappointed  

Beverly Hills release their latest Perfect White Black toothpaste

Beverly Hills Formula  tooth whitening experts have come up trumps with their latest creation - a Perfect White toothpaste that is actually black.

Perfect White Black is a unique new toothpaste that utilises the use of activated charcoal to give beaming white smiles.

Normally only used on the barbeque, the charcoal used in the toothpaste is very safe and actually a lot less abrasive on your teeth then typical toothpaste. 

Having a nice smile is important to me and whilst my teeth aren't bright yellow they can certainly be improved. With so many whitening products on the market it can be hard to decide what's right for you and what actually works. 

With an advanced Hydrated Silica formula  Perfect White offers a high performance whitening boost whilst the stain dissolving Pentasodium Triphosphate agent prevents food particles settling on the teeth. For extra stain removal, the anti-tartar ingredient Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate coats the surface of your teeth to prevent bacteria forming, leaving your teeth feeling and appearing brighter all day.

When I was first asked to try the toothpaste I was surprised to see how black it actually was. The consistency was quite runny but it still had a pleasant mint taste and I wasn't left with any unpleasant aftertaste. After one use my teeth did feel clean and smooth but I didn't notice a huge amount of whitening. As with most whitening products it does take time to take effect and I expect the product to brighten the teeth over a period of a month.

With its unique charcoal element the toothpaste really stands out but may scare some people who fear it may actually darken their teeth. It's a good concept and if it works it will prove it's more then just a fad. 

I give it 3/5

You can buy it for £4.99 at Superdrug. 

Advantages

• Contains Hydrated Silica which helps to perform a whitening boost
• Has a stain dissolving Pentasodium Triphosphate agent which prevents food particles settling on your teeth
• Has a unique selling point with its black colour and infused charcoal ingredient
• Still has a pleasant mint taste and there's no unexpected side effects
• Left my teeth feeling clean and plaque free

Disadvantages

• The whitening effect isn't instant and may take a long period of time which may be disappointing for some
• The black colour may put some people off

My June must have beauty and fashion wish list

1. Steve Madden Jewelled Sandals £69.00 at House of Fraser. Simply gorgeous.

2. Kerastase Maskeratine £23.35 at Look Fantastic. A must have for the beauty addict in you, gives hair that swish you only see in adverts. Released 30 June 2014.

3. Barry M Cor Balmy Lip Balms £3.49 at Boots. These buttery balms come in four gorgeous shades.

4. Dolce& Gabbana Velvet Rose £155.00 at Harrods. Not the cheapest of perfumes, but the scent is absolutely delightful, you'll fell like you're dancing in silk.

5. Viva La Juicy Gold Couture £44.85 at Juicy Couture. It's so new you can only find it at selected outlets. Don't miss out on your chance to grab this gorgeous reinvented Viva La Juicy.

Try the revolutionary SkinnyTan self tanner loved by Made in Chelsea's Lucy Watson

Loved by Made in Chelsea's Lucy Watson, SkinnyTan is the revolutionary tanning product that helps you slim!

SkinnyTan's popularity shot up after being presented to Dragon's Den where Kelly Hoppen, MBE saw the potential of a tanning product that has the combined benefit of making you look good and helping to reduce the appearance of cellulite.

Direct from the golden beaches of Bondi Beach, Australia, SkinnyTan 7-day tanner is a salon quality product that first bronzes the skin then develops into a deep brown over the next seven days. Combining a natural tanning active with naturally derived skin smoothing actives Guarana, the product has the ability to contour and reduce the appearance of your cellulite.

On application I found the 7-day tanner to be true to its word and found the coconut scent was a pleasant change to the typical off biscuit smell. Surprisingly the tan dried really quickly and I wasn't left with a overly sticky sensation that doesn't make me want to put my clothes on. The colour in the bronzer makes it quite easy to apply as you can see where tan has already been added. There is a small amount of colour added but it was more of a natural glow then a bronzed tan.

SkinnyTan Gradual Tanner doesn't include a instant bronzer, but instead applies creamy and and develops into a natural looking tan over the next 5-8 hours. The product is a little bit more natural then the 7-day tanner as the effect is more gradual, and the colour can be built up as desired. I felt the product was a little stickier then the 7-day tanner, and it seemed like I was applying a thick moisturiser or lotion. The product still had a coconut smell but on drying had that notable 'fake tan' smell in certain areas. There was a small amount of streakiness the next morning but I thought my skin looked more tanned then it did with the 7 day tanner.   

The major flaw of most self tanners is the awful biscuit/fishy smell that is hard to disguise. SkinnyTan eliminates that with a natural coconut smell that will make you feel you're breezing onto a sun kissed Caribbean island. The products did tan my skin but it was more natural then overly bronzed. As for the slimming effect I can't say I noticed much of a difference but it's most likely that used over a period of time the ingredients will start to take effect.

There are a number of SkinnyTan products available for both men and women including Gradual Tanner for £19.99 and 7-day Tanner for £26.99. Find out more here.

Advantages

• Pleasant coconut scent when applying
• Gives a natural glow
• SkinnyTan 7 day tanner is very quick to dry

 Disdavantages

• The gradual tanner took longer to apply and stayed stickier for a period of time after applying
• The 7-day tanner did not last seven days