Vichy Normaderm Hyaluspot Review

Vichy Normaderm Hyaluspot* is spot treatment that works. I could end the review there really, because I have wasted so much money on 'miracle spot treatments' over the years, that it really is somewhat of a novelty to find one that actually does what it's supposed to do. 

This is a gel which combines salicylic acid to treat the spot and purify the area, and hyaluronic acid to moisturise the skin, preventing it from drying out. Flaky skin is something you normally have to put up with as a side effect of spot treatments, so this is a genius combo. 

Vichy say that it creates a plaster-like effect on the skin which isolates the imperfection, reduces bacterial contamination and stops the spot development within two hours. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and encourages the skins’ own natural healing processes. 

I applied this to a spot on my *ahem* decolletage the other night (oh the glamour - somehow the words 'spot' and 'decolletage' don't quite go well together do they?). As I sat in bed watching telly, I literally watched the spot transform from big angry red pulsating spot into timid little insignificant spot within a couple of hours. By the next day it was more or less gone altogether. Usually it would have gotten bigger until I wouldn't have been able to resist the urge to pick at it, and then it would have hung around for weeks. 

        

Vichy recommend that you apply this using the metal applicator (which does feel nice and cool against the skin) but unless you are disinfecting it each time, I'd imagine it could get a bit icky. I prefer to squeeze it onto my finger and apply it that way.

Anything else you need to know? It's non comedogenic, paraben and silicone free, dermatologically tested and costs a very reasonable €10. You only need a tiny bit each time so the little tube will last you for ages.

So, now that your skin blemish problems are sorted, Vichy's On the Spot Hero is on hand to help you with all your other daily dilemmas, from inappropriate outfits to burnt dinners. Like Vichy on Facebook to check out his, eh, words of wisdom ;-) He even made us a personal video. Whatta man! I think I can forgive him for pronouncing my name wrong, and having better eyebrows than me for that matter.

For Your Information - FYI- 20% Off Real Techniques Brushes at Cloud 10

I am a little obsessed with makeup brushes, I especially love affordable makeup brushes that actually work.  Real Techniques fall right into this category and for two weeks Cloud 10 Beauty are offering up to 20% off all Real Techniques Brushes.

The offer runs from the 15th - 28th May and has up to 20% off Real Techniques when you spend €40/£40 with the code realtechniques20. They are also offering 10% off when you spend €20/£20 using the code real techniques 10.

I have a couple of brushes from the range which I really like, I love the Blush Brush - I love to use it for bronzer,  I also have the Core Collection which is great for those who want a perfect base.  I want to check out the Expert Face Brush (I am obviously obsessed with face brushes).  Don't forget that Cloud 10 also give you samples when you make an order and have really quick shipping. We have had nothing but good experiences whenever we order from them.

If you're like me and are waiting for the New Duo Fibre Brushes they will available from Cloud 10 in June (which is only a couple of weeks away - in case you don't have access to a calendar).

Dior Addict Be Iconic Lip Gloss 853 Rouge Defendu

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I am the kind of person that marketing teams dream about, I see an advertisement and get caught up in the excitement of the whole thing.  When I saw the visual for Dior Addict Be Iconic Gloss I have to admit I was totally sucked in.  I wanted beautiful pouty glossy lips.  Part of my mind gets swept away and thinks I am going to look like the advert.  I know, I know it's silly but how simple and elegant is the picture - I want to look simple and elegant while also looking pouty and mysterious.  Is that too much to ask for? 

A lot of people have gone off lip gloss (did you know the Lipstick Index is an actual economic "Thing"? During recessionary times women want better value for money);  some people won't even remember that a few simple years ago ladies didn't wear lipstick at all - it was lip gloss all the way (of course I always felt jealous of those people who didn't live in a windy country, during lip gloss' heyday - where there is lip gloss and wind, there is hair attached to lips).  There is nothing that will quite make the lips look as juicy and kissable looking as lip gloss (this is somewhat ironic because there is nothing that lads like less than kissing lip gloss attached to a woman).

The Be Iconic glosses come in 24 different shades. I loved the idea of the clear jelly like glosses (they also have some that have a shimmer).  So much choice but I of course went for one of the more vibrant shades - 853 Rouge Defendu. 

For me the colour looks like raspberry jam - or like you have been sucking on fresh fruit or eating an ice lolly.  Ok so I don't look exactly like the advertisement but I think the colour is build able and very pretty.  I really like the feeling on the lips, it's very moisturising and best of all not at all sticky, with a slight fruity taste.  The consistency is so nice and smooth and when you rub your lips together there is no "lip gloop". 

Course it's me so I like a little more oomph to my lip colour so I have found the perfect pal for my Be Iconic Lip Gloss and that is a very affordable and a very pretty Matte Red Lip Colour from Elf.  Sometimes I apply the Elf colour and then a bit of Dior on top.  In the picture below I applied Dior and then applied the Elf lip colour on top.

Be Iconic glosses are really nice glosses, they feel light and moisturising and feel more like a treatment than a gloss.  The bad news?  They cost €29.00 which is the price of a small house (OK OK it's the price of a small dog house or perhaps a goldfish bowl). They are expensive.  I probably won't be picking up another one anytime soon although I will enjoy using this one - while I try to ignore the visuals of the Dior Birds of Paradise Summer Collection.

A small side note - when I was looking at the lip glosses, the Sales Assistant asked would I like to try it on, but of course I did (swatching on the hand is not a sufficient test when testing for lip gloop). She proceeded to apply about 10 different products and finished with the gloss.  When she finished she asked "is there anything you would like to treat yourself to today?"  Why yes the lip gloss that I asked about approximately 27 minutes and 10 products ago. "Great" she said but then ruined it all by saying "Is there anything else you would like to treat yourself to... and then went on to point out the other 9 products she used.  Now I understand that Sales Assistants have targets to meet and are under a lot of pressure to meet them, but us customers are also under a bit of pressure and the guilt of me spending €29.00 (yep not cheap) on a lip gloss (which is possibly all my grocery money for the week or disposable income for the month) is bad enough without feeling like the worst person in the world cause she spent ages applying the lip gloss (and other 9 unnecessary products) and the lip gloss was all I bought.  A few years ago when there was such a thing as "disposable income", I would have bought a couple of products one of which would have just been a guilt purchase but now I am being strong. 

For Your Information - FYI - Get Woman's World Tickets for Free

For the past 16 years women have flocked to the Woman's World show in the RDS.  It's a popular stop off to look at interesting stands and to collect your race number for the Women's Mini Marathon.

Normally tickets to The Woman's World Show cost €12.00 but for a limited time you can download your free ticket (here) or if you download the Woman's World App (here).  With exhibitors such as Vita Liberata, Sleep In Rollers and Sketchers (Oh lordy I do love Sketchers) it's a great day out and even better if you get free tickets.

The Woman's World Show runs from Friday 31st May until Sunday the 2nd of June.

Stila Color Balm Extravaganza

Hello My name is Mags and I am a Stila-a-holic, you already knew that though didn't you.  That's why I attend the weekly meetings that are held in my head.  I visit Stila.co.uk like most people Facebook stalk their exes - in an unhealthy and slightly creepy manner.    A couple of weeks ago Stila launched their new and rather wonderful Color Balm Lipsticks (you might have read a post I already did about Valentina* here).  Well as the weeks passed I have manged to collect a couple more of these amazing lipstick/balm/stains and when I say a couple I mean 5.  In fact you could call this a bit of a Color Balm Extravaganza. 

I love the Color Balm lipsticks, I even got them their own little house (in Homestore & More and don't worry these €2.99 holders are always in stock, none of their emotional blackmail "when they are gone they are gone" business).  This range consists of 18 fab shades so in the words of Jaws - I think we're gonna need a bigger boat. 

Color Balms feel lovely and moisturising on the lips, they have a balm texture but with intense colour, they also have a minty flavor.  The colour on the inside is reflected by the name Stila on the side of the tube and the top of the tube has a nifty little mirror which is great for me cause I tend to pop my lippy in my jeans pocket.

As you can see above the lipsticks are beautifully pigmented and leave a shine.

Gemma - which Stila describes as a Pink Violet- this is different than anything I own, I like to use a lip brush to finish off the cupids bow of my lips with Gemma because the colour is so intense.

Valentina - Orange Poppy - is a stunning Orange red, it's like a flame on your lips, I find this easier to wear than most reds because it's a moisturising product and my lips can be quite dry.

Elle - Pink Coral- If you're looking for a more wearable version of MAC Viva Glam Nicki (which is an impossible to wear tone on me) this is the way to go. It's a bubble gum pink shade. 

Amelia - Pink Taupe - this shade surprised me most of all, if you know me, I go for the most obnoxious and vibrant shades of lipstick but I find myself reaching for Amelia, for me it's a neutral lip that just looks so pretty.

Betsey - Fuchsia - My heart belongs to Betsey,  I had to wait a while before getting my hands on this baby.  I stalked the counter (and of course at this stage that when I mean stalked I mean I would greet the counter with "Hi I am stalking the Color Balm in Betsey, is it in yet"  - sometimes there wouldn't even be a sales assistant (Hi Sue) at the counter I would just speak to the other products) and stalk the site until finally it came into stock and boy it was worth the wait.  It's the kind of shade that brightens the whole face.  Below doesn't really show its full glory - it's a stunning shade.

So what else do you need to know about these amazing lipsticks?  Well they are a part of the permanent collection (woo hoo), there are 18 shades and well they are flipping great - cause I am not that much of a weirdo to have gone out and bought that many if  they are crap.  Color Balm Lipsticks cost £16.00 or €19.00.

 

Something interesting to note is they are a little bit shorter in length than other lipsticks but that's cause they are a bit chubbier - which is great for quick application but if you have very thin or narrow lips it might make you feel a little inadequate,  I find them grand and I am no Angelina Jolie.  This is one of the reasons I like to use a lip brush around the cupids bow on the more vibrant shades (I should possibly do this with all lipsticks but really.... ain't nobody got time for that).

Here is Amelia looking all pretty - if you look at the picture above you will see that the lipsticks are now ahem... well loved.

If I was to recommend one shade it would be Betsey because its a FAB- U- LOUS shade which enlivens your face.  It really was worth the wait, I never take it out of my bag.

Stila have a wonderful new Summer Collection called Festival of Colour. I am on a bit of a shopping ban until my Birthday in June but be warned there will be some major self gifting ahead. The collection looks like an amazing 70s tye dye festival, but you know, prettier and less need for Vicks when you use the toilets - to be honest with you I love the idea of being a bit of a hippy in Ibiza on a beach and that's what this collection conjures up for me (although my mother tells me that I like my sleep too much to be a hippy and if I was to be a proper Ibiza type hippy I would have to stay up all night doing cool hippy things - I simply say "If I was a hippy I could do what I like, cause I am a hippy").    Soon my pretties.

FYI: Get Away Gorgeous with Benefit and the Morgan Hotel

Benefit Cosmetics have partnered with the über-stylish The Morgan Hotel in Dublin to offer a girlie getaway package called 'Get Away Gorgeous'. The package includes:

• An overnight stay in the very stylish Morgan Hotel with breakfast the next morning
• A Benefit Cosmetics masterclass in a private room in The Morgan where you can play with Benefit products, get your make-up done and learn some tips and tricks from Benefit staff. 
• Tapas platters and cocktails to get the party started during the masterclass!
• A Benefit goodie bag containing sample size products and other treats to take home with you. 

Benefit's new re-formulated Creaseless Cream eyeshadows, the penthouse terrace at The Morgan, yum tapas! 

Prices are from a reasonable €100 per person. A minimum of ten people is required but this would be perfect for a hen party. For bookings and enquiries, contact The Morgan. 

Aussie Miracle Shine Shampoo and Conditioner Review

I've taken a step outside my hair comfort zone recently - that comfort zone being Pantene Aqua Light shampoo and conditioner, which I have used religiously for years. I have the kind of hair that starts looking lank and greasy (ugh) the day after it's washed, and before the days of dry shampoo and my beloved Aqua Light it really needed to be washed every day to look half way decent. With Aqua Light, my hair feels really clean and light and I can get away with not washing my hair for up to three days if need be without turning into a total greaseball. (Sorry if all this talk of grease and not washing my hair is TMI!). So you can see why I've stuck with it, but the problem with it is, prolonged use has made my hair dry at the ends, and fly-away. 

Recently, I've been trying out the original Mane 'N Tail shampoo and conditioner* which I didn't get on well with (although Mags liked the Deep Moisturizing version) and Aussie Miracle Shine shampoo and conditioner*. Now, normally I wouldn't touch any shampoo promising shiny hair with a barge pole, because shine equals silicone and in my mind, silicone equals lank, heavy hair. Not with Miracle Shine, I'm happy to report. 

These products make my hair super soft, sleek and shiny, but without the weight. And I'm still getting a few days out of a blow dry. Sold!