1000 Follower Giveaway! | WIN Stila In The Light Palette... **NOW CLOSED**

Hello my lovelies!

I'm fast approaching the 1000 follower milestone & decided it was time for a giveaway! As some of you may know I try to run regular giveaways, they don't always contain expensive products but it's just my way of saying a big THANKYOU to my lovely followers. I was completely stumped at what to offer as my 1000 follower giveaway prize but I've read so many reviews about this product I knew it wouldn't disappoint.

Up for grabs is a brand new Stila 'In The Light' Palette.

To enter this giveaway:

♥ You must be a follower of this blog via Google Connect, If you're not simply click the follow button on the right hand side.

♥ For one entry leave a comment on this post, enter me will suffice & please include your email address so I can contact you if you win.

♥ For one extra entry tweet about this giveaway & make sure you mention me so I can see your tweet. You can follow me on twitter using the button on the right hand side or my twitter ID = @xbeautygeekx please remember to mention in your comment that you tweeted.

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The boring bit {the rules!}:

♥ You must be a follower of this blog via Google Connect.

♥ You must be 16+ or have your parents/guardians permission as I will need your address to send the prize.

♥ This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY.
♥ All qualifying entries will be entered into random.org

This giveaway closes on Friday 31st August 2012.

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Once again I would just like to say a huge thankyou to each & every one of my beautiful followers. I never imagined I would reach 1000 followers & I still can't believe I'm nearly there!

Good luck everyone =]

Sarah xx

NOTD | Barry M - Cappucino...

Good evening lovelies, It's nearly the weekend!!

I received a lot of lovely comments on my post yesterday, mainly aimed towards the new Barry M nail paint in 'Cappucino' so I've decided to show you it properly in a NOTD!

 

As you can see it's a lovely muddy purple shade. I love colours like these, especially for Autumn which seems to have reared it's head rather early this year!

When I first saw this in the bottle I thought it looked really similar to Barry M 'Mushroom' but as you can see below they really look nothing alike. I've also compared it to another similar shade in the Barry M range 'Dusky Mauve'  but again they are very different!

 {L-R} Barry M Mushroom | Barry M Cappucino | Barry M Dusky Mauve

Like all Barry M paints this was really easy to apply, it was opaque in 2 coats & lasted around 4 days befre chipping.

Barry M nail paint is available from Boots & Superdrug priced at £2.99

Sarah xx

Haul | A Mini Haul...

Good evening lovelies, I hope you're all well!

I wasn't going to post a haul as I really haven't bought much recently but I thought you might want to see the couple of things I have picked up.

Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains in 001 Honey & 020 Lovesick - Boots | £5.99 each

Barry M Cappuccino Nail Paint - Boots | £2.99

I'd heard a lot about the Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains and was eager to give them a go, I'll be popping a full review of them up soon! I saw this new Barry M shade & couldn't resist picking it up, I have a serious addiction to Barry M nail paints!

Swatches of Revlon Just Bitten Lip Stains {L} 020 Lovesick & {R} 001 Honey

Caudalie Beauty Elixir - Feel Unique | £9.90

I finally caved!

Xen Tan Dark Lotion - Feel Unique | £21.95

I've heard lots of good things about this fake tan & I can't wait to try it out tonight

3 Face Cloths - Primark | £1.50

I've been addicted to Caroline's blog Beautymouth & she highly recommends face cloths/flannels instead of muslin cloths so I picked up 2 packs in Primark.

Grey Cross Detail Crop Top - Primark | £6.00

I was recently in Primark, somewhere I can normally spend some serious moola and this is the only thing I came out with! I love the beading detail on the crosses & I can't wait to wear it with my black maxi skirt.

Bright Lights Summer Nights Top - H&M | £9.99

I had a pair of shorts that I needed to return but didn't have the receipt so swapped them for this. I fell in love with this tank top when I saw it & I think it'll look nice with so many outfits!

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So there we have it, I know it's considerably smaller than my normal hauls but we're buying a house so I need to save the pennies!

What have been your favourite purchases this month?

Sarah xx

Review | Origins Super Spot Remover...

Hello my lovelies, I hope you're all ok.

I can only apologise for my recent absence, to cut a long story short my mum nearly died so the last thing I've wanted to to is blog the past few weeks but she's all better now so I'm getting back into the swing of things! I have so many posts planned & my 1000 follower giveaway is coming up shorly so keep you eyes peeled for that!

I wanted to share with you a product that has been a life send in the past couple of weeks, due to the stress my skin has been awful & breaking out all over the place and this has been invaluable!

Let me introduce you to the cutest little bottle you'll ever see...

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What Origins have to say about this product:

'Red PMS blemish? Bad joke breakout? Heal, fight and fade it fast. Just dab on a dot and feel blemish-busting Salicylic Acid instantly help speed healing while anti-spot technology helps visibly correct post blemish darkening. Skin-calming Caffeine and Red Algae help visibly relieve irritating redness. And to help keep skin looking spotless, super exfoliators eliminate excess oils and pore-clogging debris.'

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Before I go on to talk about the product I just have to comment on the packaging, how cute is this little bottle?! I've compared it above to a Mac lippy just so you can see how diddy it is!

The product is dispensed through a stopper in the bottle, this stops you from wasting any product and allows you to dispense just the right amount. 

The product itself is a clear gel that dries to create a film on the skin. I dot the gel onto the spot/blemish and then wait for it to dry. The gel normally takes around 5 minutes to dry & then I continue with the rest of my skincare routine.
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As mentioned above my skin has been awful recently and this product has been a godsend. When I've noticed a spot or blemish I apply this during my evening skincare routine and by the next day the spot is alot less visible and it hasn't spread to the surrounding areas of my face as spots normally do. By the second or third day the spot has gone completely. I also find that this gel has stopped stops scarring as much, an issue I had particularly in the chin/jaw area. 

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I'm not gonna lie, this product stings like a bitch! If the spot is quite 'raw' {eww!} then the stinging can be worse but i actually don't mind this, it feels like it's really working. The smell is quite medicinal, it's by no means a nice smelling product but it's pleasant enough.  

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Overall I really can't recommend this product enough, I know the bottle is tiny but I've used this loads over the past few weeks & I've hardly made a dent in the product. I've tried a few spot creams but this is certainly the best without drying out my skin. 

Origins Super Spot Remover is available here priced at £12.00

Have you tried this product, if so what did you think?

Sarah xx

These Are A few Of My Favourite Things | July Favourites 2012

Hello my lovelies.

I know I say this every week but I can't believe it's time for my July favourites already, where is this year going?! 

Here's what I've been loving this month...

1 YSL Touche Eclat Foundation | 2 Garnier Summer Body Moisturiser | 3 Lush Rub Rub Rub Scrub | 4 Origins Super Spot Remover | 5 Essie Fiji | 6 Nars Angelika | 7 Seche Vite

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YSL Touche Eclat Foundation | I bought this on the day it was released & I've used it every day since. It provides a lovely natural coverage whilst adding a lovely glow, I'll be posting a full review very soon!

Garnier Summer Body Moisturiser | It's been a month since my holiday & I've started to lose my natural tan so I've been using this every day to top it up. I love how this feels on the skin & I love the colour it provides, I know i'll be using this all summer.

Lush Rub Rub Rub Scrub | I bought this after Gracie recommended it & I'm so glad I did! It's the best shower scrub I've ever used, I feel like it really works & my skin feels lovely after using it.

Origins Super Spot Remover | My month has been an utter bitch this month due to stress and I've broken out alot more than usual so this product has been a godsend! It's by no means a miracle product but it helps to reduce spots & I've found it also stops the breakout scarring, full review to come soon!

Essie Fiji | I think I've worn this nail polish for about 3 weeks this month, every time I took it off I was reapplying it! It looks lovely with a tan & I need to buy another bottle ASAP, you can see a NOTD with Essie Fiji here.

Nars Angelika | I bought this blush a couple of weeks ago on Buyapowa & I absolutely love it. I know it looks like a glitter ball in the pan but this really doesn't transfer to the face & I love the colour. I have a little Nars blush collection going which is awful for my bank balance!

Seche Vite Top Coat | This is somewhat of a cult product in the beauty world & it's easy to see why. I love how shiny my nails looks after applying it & my nail polish lasts so much longer after using it. I'll be posting a full review of this next week along with a link to where you can buy it for £6 so keep your eyes peeled for that!

I'd love to know what your favourite products ware this month.

Sarah xx

Review | Wahanda & Full Body Massage - Beauty Above

Hello my lovelies.

Wahanda recently contacted me & asked if I would like to pick a massage treatment* from their site to review. I'd never had a massage before & was uber excited to book one. Incase you've never heard of Wahanda before here is a little information on them...

'Wahanda is the online home for health, beauty and wellness, with comprehensive listings of spas, salons and health centres across the globe at its very foundations. You'll also find that it's decorated with expert tips and advice, with everything you need to know about treatments, trends and therapies proudly on display for all to see. So, if you’re wondering where your nearest spa is, whether to wax or shave, what to eat before yoga or maybe you’re just curious about colonics, at Wahanda you can gather together a scrapbook of everything you need to know and all the exciting spas and clinics around the world you want to try out.'

Before Wahanda contacted me I had actually used them in the past to purchase vouchers at my local hair salon. the booking experience is very simply, you just input what you're looking for in what area and you'll see what they have to offer. You buy an e-voucher which you print, call your chosen salon & take the voucher along with you to your appointment. Easy as peas!

After Wahanda contacted me it took me a little while to pick the salon I wanted, I didn't want to waste my first massage! i finally settled on Beauty Above in Gravesend, it had really good reviews & the lady I spoke to was really friendly.

Beauty Above massage room

After I booked my full body massage with Laura I was SO excited all week! When I arrived at the salon Laura was really friendly, she took my coat and talked me through what the massage would entail. I explained about my blog & she allowed me to take pictures. I took lots on the day but they didn't turn out too well, the only half decent one is the picture above so apologies for that.

I had booked a 90 minute full body massage and i have to say I have never been so relaxed in my life. Laura started off on my back & shoulder area, I've always suffered with tension in this area and she spent around 45 minutes working the muscles and popping out the knots, eww! She then moved onto the arms & legs, I found it quite tickly at first but soon got used to it. I go to the gym regularly so the muscles in my legs often ache, she paid special attention to this area & it felt amazing. She finished with a head massage, I can't comment on this too much as I fell asleep, how embarrassing! If anybody ever plays with my hair I fall straight to sleep, from what I remember it was lovely!

Overall I enjoyed the whole massage experience a great deal & will certainly be booking another with Laura very soon. I always thought massages were a waste of money, I would prefer to have something to keep like a new blush or lipstick rather than a massage but now I know what they're like I can't wait to book another!

If you're looking for a massage in Kent I would definitely recommend taking a look at Wahanda!

Are you a massage fan?

Sarah xx

*PR sample

Glossybox | July 2012

Hello my lovelies, it's nearlyyyyy the weekend, yay!

This month I was super excited about receiving my Glossybox, after seeing what other people had received I couldn't wait to rip open that cardboard box! Here is what I received...

July Glossybox 2012

This month Glossybox want to help you get festival ready, whether you're a Glastonbury girl taking a well deserved break this year or a wireless fan. Glossybox want to help you rock the festival look & get you feeling glam in an instant. 

Included in my July Glossybox:

HD Brows Foxy Eye & Brow Palette | I was beyond happy when I saw this,  I missed the HD Brows palette the first time around and have never let myself live it down. When I saw other girls had received it it I was praying to the beautygods I would too! I can't wait to start using this & will of course post a full review soon.

Clynol Enrich Colour Shampoo | Not the most exciting product & I don't have coloured hair but it was nice to see a shampoo, something I haven't received before. I travel quite often to see my boyfriend & hate lugging bottles of shampoo around so this should come in handy!

Monu Golden Glow | This is another first for me, I've never received a fake tan is a Glossybox before so it was nice receiving something different. I won't be using this on my face as Glossybox suggest but will certainly give it a go on my body. 

Jelly Pong Lip Frosting | I've heard of these before and I was really pleased when I saw this in my box. I tried it out almost straight away & I loved the colour and feel of it on my lips. It also smells & tastes delicious, I will certainly be getting a lot of use out of this!

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Lotion | I'm a big fan of Elizabeth Arden & I'm always up for trying new skincare so was happy when I saw this included in my box. I haven't got much to say about this at the moment as I haven't tried it yet but if I like it I'll certainly let you know.

Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Skin Balancing Skincare Samples | Also included in my box were some sample products from the Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference skincare range. As mentioned above I like trying out new skincare & will be giving these ago over the weekend.

Overall this has to be one of my favourite boxes if not my favourite Glossybox to date. I was over the moon when I saw I had received the HD Brows palette & I will use everything that was included in the box, a first for me!

What are your thoughts of this months box?

Sarah xx

Wishlist Wednesday... #5

Good evening cupcakes, I hope you're all well!

With it being payday next week I've been planning what I'm going to spend my hard earned dosh on, here's what I've got my eye on this week...

 1 River Island Striped top| 2 Korress Lip Butter 'jasmin' | 3 Phyto Phytoneutre Clarifying Shampoo | Select Studded Clutch | 5 Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stains

There's been alot of talk on the blogsphere about the Select studded bag & I can't wait to pick one up. I've also got my eye on the new Revlon lip balm stains, I need to refrain from buying them all!

What have you got your eye on this week?

Sarah xx