Benefit 15% Discount

Hey girlies!

Just a very quick post to let you know that Benefit are offering 15% Discount on their website until 12 November so if you're planning on stocking up on their goodies, use this code at the checkout: GLAMBFFS

New Shoes & Accessories

We had the opening of our new shopping centre in Aberdeen yesterday called 'Union Square' and there was much excitement over the new shops that would be available (I was particularly interested in Zara). I decided to get off work early and check it out. Looking back...probably not the best idea as I was met with this site... Needless to say, I turned on my heels and headed over to the other shopping centres instead! I hate stressful shopping environments and I like to be able to browse at my own leisure, try on clothes and generally enjoy it. I looked at those crowds and queues and to be honest, it just wasn't worth the hassle.

So off I toddled to the other side of town and it was the best idea I could have had because all the other centres were deserted so I could shop to my heart's delight with no one standing on my toes, pushing me and jabbing thier elbows into me...hurrah! Here's what I bought...

I love any kind of enclosed gladiator shoes mainly because you can get away with a really high heel and they're still comfortable! These brown leather ones complete with trendy stud detail are by Steve Madden.

Yes, I have a thing about studs at the moment, I just love embellisments of all kinds. You can never go wrong with black shoes and these eyelet and stud patent ones are also by Steve Madden.

I love how a belt can totally update an existing dress in your wardrobe and this one really caught my eye, it has an elasticated section at the back with a little clasp and it's from Warehouse.

I spotted the bag above in Warehouse and noticed it was only £20! It's metallic pewter colour with gorgeous detail. It has a heavy braided metal and fabric strap that can also be tucked inside the bag to create a clutch bag.

I also got a pair of super dark straight leg jeans and a black mini lantern skirt both from Topshop but these probably wouldn't show up that well on camera. Overall I was really proud of myself as I really didn't spend that much given that most of the stuff I bought was on sale. It's not often I come back from a shopping trip WITHOUT a slight tinge of spender's guilt.

Have you bought any lovely items recently?

Sleek Graphite Palette

Here comes the latest Sleek eyeshadow palette and I think it's actually my favourite so far! I really don't need to harp on about these eyeshadows too much as you probably all know how brilliant they are. They are creamy smooth, blend effortlessly and are amazing value for money. No doubt you will have read the reviews of the previous limited edition palettes in other blogs or watched vids on YouTube about this. The shades vary from pale silver/beige to denim blue to indigo purple blue to the blackest of blacks.
The reason this one is my favourite is because it's the perfect palette to create an alternative navy blue smokey eye...it's not quite as harsh as black and is really easy to wear. This look also gives a nod to the 80's trend that's still going strong at the moment. It's all about strong statement eyes and the look is all over the catwalks.

To give you an idea of what I mean, here are some examples of looks you could create using this palette...

Products I have been loving...

I'm back! I couldn't help myself while I was away and found myself logging onto Chris' parent's computer to try and keep up to date with everyone's blog posts. I just about managed it. I hope you all had a a great weekend, mine was very busy and I kinda feel like I need another holiday!
So, on my return, I just wanted to let you know about a few products that have been getting me through the rainy, cold weather of late... Sebastian Taming Elixir - This frizz tamer contains Avocado Oil to smooth the hair and add shine. This product has been fantastic on those days when there's horrible misty rain and you often get a bit of frizz by the time you get indoors. I have been using two squirts of this elixir on damp hair then blowdrying it straight. It feels completely weightless and leaves no stickiness or residue. My hair looks shiny and smooth, even after being caught in damp weather. It has even sorted out any breakage that was visible at the roots and my hair looks alot healthier.

NUDE Advanced Smoothing Complex - If I had to compare this to an existing product on the market, then it would have to be the cult product from Estee Lauder, Advanced Night Repair Concentrate, which I have tried before. I loved that product but I love this even more because the results can be seen alot quicker and it's also cheaper. I have been using this product after cleansing and before moisturising every night. I always have to take extra care of my skin in winter as it can dry up very quickly. This product has helped to keep my skin super smooth and radiant. A little goes a very long way (one pump is enough to cover your whole face). It's a serum consistency and sinks into the skin immediately. It has made my skin feels silky soft and there are no dry patches to be seen!This is a winter essential for me!
Cosmetics A La Carte Face Final Powder (Vanilla) - This product could be compared to MAC MSF Natural in that it diffuses light to give a soft matte finish with a subtle glowiness. It's transparent and mineral based so it won't aggravate the skin in any way. It feels silky smooth and weightless and my makeup was set perfectly for the whole day without any cakiness at all. It almost creates a soft focus look to the skin which I love!

It comes with a cute little powder puff complete with a small pink bow. As cute as this applicator is, I prefer to use my kabuki brush to buff the product into my skin. The puff would be ok if you wanted to re-apply at any stage though. I used the Vanilla shade which is the medium one available. If you want a natural dewy but non-shiny finish to your makeup then this product is perfect.

Madara Eco Body Nourishing Cream - What with the cold dark nights drawing in, this is the time of year I like to slather myself in a rich, nourishing body moisturiser every night to cocoon my skin. I never have time to apply it in the mornings but by using a very rich product at night and shower oil by day, this seems to balance out my skin and keeps it soft and moisturised. My product of choice lately has been this Madara cream for dry to very dry skin. You know my love for natural and organic products and this cream contains natural plant vitamins, minerals, bioflavonoids and other biologically active substances to keep your skin super hydrated. The cream sinks into my skin leaving no greasiness (which is a pet hate of mine) and that's why it's becoming another one of my winter essentials.

Prescriptives is no more

I'm not sure if any of you guys have heard but as of 31st January 2010, Estee Lauder will be stopping all production of the Prescriptives brand. They released a statement saying that they didn't think it was viable to continue and they couldn't see a future for the brand. So if you like any of their products, you better stock up before the New Year! I haven't used that many products from this brand but I felt compelled to tell you in case there's anything you own from them that you love. I would be gutted if one of my HG products was discontinued and I didn't get a chance to get back-ups!

Another brand bites the dust due to the recession!

Upcoming reviews

Hi everyone!

Just a quick update post on what reviews you can expect over the next 2 weeks. I am going on a little holiday to Ireland tomorrow with Chris to visit his parents/friends so I won't be back until Monday. I'm gonna get serious blogger withdrawal!

Here's a quick list of what reviews I have in the pipeline and a little on the product description...

NUDE Advanced Smoothing Complex - "Highly coveted and instantly effective, this anti-ageing serum visibly smoothes the appearance of wrinkles. CoQ10 and Vitamins A, C and E protect and stimulate cell renewal. Milk peptides increase collagen production and hyaluronic acid instantly hydrates for plumped, firm and younger looking skin".

YSL Singuliers Exaggerated Mascara - "Volumizing micro-spheres thicken the lashes, with Pro-vitamin B5 to protect, nourish, and reinforce of the lashes’ structure. Like hair extensions, nylon micro-fibres extend the lashes. A high performance “curling wax” helps style the lashes for an ideal curve".

Cosmetics A La Carte Silk Touch Bronzers in Sunbeam and Freckle - "Silky perfect powder to smooth and even out the skin. A light dusting helps keep your face looking flawless and matte -especially important if you are being photographed".

Vita Liberata Rich Silken Chocolate Self Tan - "has a sheer matte tint for instant colour. Within 3 to 4 hours your tan will develop underneath leaving you golden brown and gorgeous for up to 7 days. Infused with silk and nourishing extracts. Rich Silken Chocolate softens skin for a truly streak-free tan. It is totally odour-free and dries in moments".
Have you guys tried any of these yet?

Frontcover Eye Spy Palette

Since I loved the last Frontcover Nudes palette I tried, I was excited to see this Eyespy one with loads of lovely shades to experiment with. Just look at this amazing encylopedia of eye makeup.... It looks just like a magazine cover which fits in with Frontcover's angle on fusing fashion with makeup. I LOVE that concept. The inside cover even has suggestions of different looks to try and tips on how to apply the products from Front Cover makeup artist, Leanne Shaw. This is great for anyone who wants to try something new or for people who aren't sure how to apply ceratin types of products. There's a couple of looks there I never would have thought of trying, like the double-eyeliner look so it's a really nice touch.

The whole palette contains a mixture of 15 domed baked iridescent and suede matt texture eyeshadows in Moon river, Parrot, Vanilla Ice, Powder puff, Burnt toast, Amber green, Black Ink, Lime sherbert, Moondance, Lagoon, Bluebell, Vintage violet, Bougainvillea, Tallulah pink & Taffeta blue. Underneath that are 5 pressed matt shades in Glacier, Stone wash, Gothic grape, Sledgehammer & Iron stone. Then there are 4 sparkling eye glitter gels in Ingot, Star sapphire, Silverdollar & Sweetpea. One really cool addition to the palette is a Shadowline solvent which turns all the shadows to liners! What a great idea! The multi-faceted shade, Tafetta Blue, would be AMAZING as an eyeliner! Lastly, the palette also has a nice soft double ended applicator which is actually very good quality. Often you find that applicators in palettes such as these tend to be a bit scratchy or sparse but this one feels very high quality. The palette has a RRP of £35.00 which I think is great value for money since you're getting so much in one palette...I mean, the colour combinations are endless! This would be a fantastic Christmas present for someone too.

Let's take a closer look at the domed eyeshadows, I love the look of Powder Puff, Burnt Toast and Tafetta Blue (which really does look like tafetta!)...

The suede matte eyeshadows would be great for creating a more subtle look for daytime and Gothic Grape would make a great alternative eyeliner shade...

The Shadowline is such a great idea. Something that did pop into my head when I saw it though was that when I decide I want to use another colour, I'm not sure how I'm going to clean it without watering down the formula. If anyone has any suggestions on this, please let me know! I wasn't so taken with the idea of the glitter liners as I am not really into the glitter look, I prefer shimmery products. However I will still give these a go...

And now for the domed eyeshadow swatches...

These eyeshadows are silky smooth to the touch and blend really well. Black Ink wasn't as pigmented as I would of hoped, however the rest of the colours made up for it. Vanilla Ice and Powder Puff are perfect base/highlighting colours, whilst I can't wait to experiment with Burnt Toast and Lagoon! There's pretty much every colour you would need here and you can create new ones by blending a couple of them together. Amber Green is a very unusual khaki green that would be interesting to contour on top of Powder Puff.

Vintage Violet and Moon River also look amazing! And now for the suede matt eyeshadow swatches...

Gothic Grape, Sledgehammer and Iron Stone don't show up on camera as having the strongest pigmentation but they work alot better as liners than powder shadow. Glacier and Stonewash are lovely smooth shades that would work great together.

As I said previously, the glitter liners don't really do it for me as sometimes it can look cheap but I will persevere, what with the festive season rearing it's head. Please don't be offended by the fact that I am dismissing glitter liners if you're a big glitter fan, they just aren't my bag. Each to their own and all that!

I wanted to do a swatch of Gothic Grape, using the Shadowline just to demonstrate how it works so much better as a liner than as a shadow. I think that it's more wearable for me in this form too as dark purple shades just make my eyes look so sleepy.

So overall, I am really impressed with this palette, both for it's design and colour combinations. I don't know what it is about having all those different shades in one palette but it makes me want to experiment with new colours. I'm like a kid with a new toy! Right, I'm off to try out that double liner look...

n.b. - If you only want to check out the Shadowline product (which is genius!) then you can buy one here http://www.frontcovercosmetics.com/shadowline.asp

October Favourites

I wanted to share with you, some of the products I have been absolutely LOVING this month... 1) Aussie Luscious Long Shampoo & Conditioner - this stuff makes my hair feel absolutely gorgeous, it always seems to revitalise the colour and gives my hair so much shine. When I style my hair, it just falls into place effortlessly. It does all this without weighing my fine hair down or making it static...perfection at an affordable price!

2) Kerastase Reflection Chroma Riche Intensive Mask - this treatment is a life saver! I used it on Friday night and left it on for about 10 minutes while I pottered around. Once I rinsed it out, my hair was tangle free immediately. It gives you hair such a boost in terms of shine and condition, it's just amazing and definitely the best hair mask I've ever used. My hair felt and looked amazing on Friday night. Love it! I want to repurchase the shampoo and conditioner from this range as it's also amazing. I like to rotate what shampoo/conditioner I use as my hair seems to become immune to things if I use them everyday for a prolonged amount of time.

3) John Frieda Weather Works Frizz-Ease Weather-Proofing Style Sealant Creme - wow, that's some title! I often change my styling products around regularly and this one has been sorely neglected over the last few months. I had forgotten how good it was! I often find myself trying so many different things that sometimes I don't appreciate just how good certain products are. I apply two pumps of this to my hair when it's damp, comb through and then just dry it straight with my hairdryer and round bristle brush. It smoothes my hair like a dream, makes it super shiny and it feels so light so there's no sticky feeling left on my hair. It also means I don't need to use straighteners on my hair!
1) Korres Blush in Pink - I have been using this gorgeous blush all week and I love the healthy glow it gives my cheeks. You only have to apply this very lightly as it's very pigmented!It is a matte formulation so there's no shimmery bits in it which is ideal for daytime when you want a more natural look. It lasts all day and I never have to reapply it. The powder is silky smooth and blends so easily.

2) Bobbi Brown Longwear Gel Liner in Graphite Shimmer - I absolutely adore this stuff (you can probably tell by the dirty great big hole I've made in it!). I have pretty much been using it continuously since I bought it. It's the perfect daytime liner as it's just that bit softer than black, which sometimes can be a bit harsh. It's just the right consistency which makes it a cinch to apply quickly and neatly. I actually use a small smudge brush to apply it along my upper lashline and this liner lasts ALL day, with no smudging or bleeding into the waterline. It has just the right amount of shimmer and it stays put so there's no shimmer fallout. There's a reason why these liners have won awards and they've definitely won me over. I'm going back for every colour I can get my hands on!

3) Korres Shimmering Eyeshadow in Bronze - I can't rave enough about this eyeshadow colour - it's mega pigmented, lush to apply, smooth and silky...just a pleasure to use. I love creating bronzed eyes and this is the perfect shade to add a bit of intensity in the outer corners and crease. It looks amazing against blue or green eyes. It's shimmery without being glittery and just plain gorgeous.

4) Korres Shimmering Eyeshadow in White - as I have said before, this eyeshadow isn't white, it's a very pale silver and it's absolutely perfect as a base for a smokey/platinum eye. It has all the same amazing properties as the Bronze shade I have described above. I used it in my latest FOTD and you can see how lovely it is. It's such an easy colour to wear and it really is my go to shade when I want to create a glamourous smokey look. Team it with MAC Print and Carbon e/s to deepen and contour...so easy to do and so striking.

5) ELF Mineral eyeshadow in Natural - I picked this up after seeing Lollipop26 rave about it on YouTube. I wasn't disappointed! This eyeshadow is the most gorgeous goldy beige that can act as a base colour for so many looks. You can't go wrong with a neutral colour like this. It looks amazing when used with the Korres Bronze e/s. It's fantastic value for money and gives the most beautiful sheen to your eyelids whenever they catch the light.

6) Rouge Bunny Rouge Big Lash Amplitude Mascara in Pure Obsidian (Black) - This is my FAVOURITE mascara at the moment. It's the one I always grab in the morning because I can rely on it to give amazing volume, length, intense colour and staying power for my lashes. It has quite a fat brush but it's by no means too bulky and it still alows you to get all the little lashes. It never ever flakes, clumps or smudges and it makes my lashes look almost fake. You can just keep layering it for more and more drama. This is a serious contender to push YSL Faux Cils off the top spot! I will report back on whether it dries out prematurely like Faux Cils does but I doubt it as the formulation seems slightly thinner. I love the packaging of these products and I would say this is a star buy! If you haven't tried anything from this brand, then I would highly recommend you try this mascara. It's pricey at £24 but SO worth it because it's better than 10 of my other mascaras put together.

What are your October favourites?

Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment

My hair is already pretty long but I have always wanted about an inch longer than it is. It never quite gets there as I get trims every 6 weeks to get rid of any split ends and make sure it stays healthy and looking good. I was in Boots at the weekend and spotted the Lee Stafford Hair Growth Treatment which claims to be a "gorgeous, thick intensive treatment with Pro-Growth™ complex gives your hair strength from within by fertilising your follicles, creating a healthy environment on your scalp to help hair grow faster and reach its maximum potential length. Its soothing formulation reduces irritation and moisturises the scalp, helping to keep it healthy and improving the volume and feel of your hair".

I am always dubious when products make claims such as these but maybe I'm just being too cynical. This product is £6.84 for a 200ml tub. They recommend that you use an 'egg-sized' amount on your hair between shampooing and conditioning. This product would be great value if it worked so i would be keen to hear back from anyone who has tried it! Apparently you have to use it very regularly to see a result but I reckon it would be worth it, especially if you have shorter hair and you want to get past that 'in-betweeny' stage as soon as possible.

The customer reviews on the Boots website are mixed with one customer stating "You have to use this product several times a week to see the benefits. It REALLY works" and the other stating "i've bought this twice- maybe you have to use it all the time for real results.but i haven't noticed much difference!!! it smells really nice and is in a nice tub, and lasts a few weeks, but my hair doesn't seem any longer :S also its quite expensive!! give it a go but im not quite convinced it does what it says it should".

I've also heard that Boots do a hair loss treatment spray that can be applied directly to the roots, that is supposed to work in the same way. Although I'm not losing my hair (thank god!), it can be used just for it's hair growth properties. Has anyone used this?

FOTD (plus outfit)

I headed out on Friday night for some drinks to celebrate my best mate's birthday and this is what I wore:

The colours got a bit bleached out in the first pic...so annoying when that happens!

Face: Loreal Studio Resurfacing Primer, Revlon Colorstay in True Beige, Korres Wild Rose concealer in WRC2, MAC MSF Natural Medium, Lancome Tropiques Mineral Bronzer, Barry M Natural Dazzle Bronzer to contour, Jemma Kidd Creme Blush in Paw Paw, Nars Albatross Highlighter.

Eyes: Benefit Brows a go-go palette for brows, MAC Paint Pot in Painterly as a base, Korres Shimmering eyeshadow in White all over lid and in inner corners, MAC Print e/s in Print on outer corners and in crease, 17 e/s in Ivory Coast on browbone, Bobbi Brown Longwear Gel Liner in Graphite Shimmer along upper lashline, MAC Penultimate liner in Rapid Black applied very close to upper lashline to intensify, Lancome Cils Booster, Rouge Bunny Rouge Big Lash Amplitude Mascara in Pure Obsidian.

Lips: GOSH Darling lipstick and MAC Lipglass in Underage.

This is what I wore on the night...

Excuse the 'taken in the mirror' pic of my outift but Chris was faffing around at the last minute before we went out so I had to take the pic myself.ha ha. I got the cerise mini-dress from Monsoon about three years ago from their 'originals' collection, which I love coz you always get amazing pieces that you can wear again and again. I adore this dress coz it will never go out of fashion and the beading detail is gorgeous. They have a similar one in Monsoon at the moment if you wanted something like this. The matte sequin blazer is from Warehouse (I posted on this recently). The peep-toe shoes are from Steve Madden, they are the most gorgeous deep purple!

Updated Lust List

This is a new regular post I will be doing every so often (complete with a spangly new icon I created!) just to list some of the products that are on my list of things to get over the coming months. Basically, I'm just looking to hear opinions on what you think of these products, if you already own them. There's nothing worse than wasting money on something you have been coveting for ages and then it turns out to be a huge disappointment!

1) MAC Naked Lunch e/s

2) MAC Lipstick in Snob and Lovelorn

3) MAC Pigment in Naked

4) Diorskin Forever Foundation

5) MUFE Smokey Lash Mascara

6) Illamasqua Illuminator in Halcyon

7) Bare Escentuals Mineral Blush in Sorbet

8) Estee Lauder Sumptuous Mascara

9) Estee Lauder Daywear Plus Multi Protection Anti-Oxidant Moisturiser

10) Chanel Bronze Universal

11) Jemma Kidd Duo Lipstick in Wendy

12) Bobbi Brown Oil Free Foundation

13) YSL Singulier Mascara

14) YSL Rouge Pur Lipstick in 148

15) Nars bronzer in Irrésistiblement

So hit me back with your opinions/experiences with these products! Thanks!

I Love her Style: Olivia Palermo

The Hills is my guilty pleasure (even though Chris makes fun of me for it) but I never watched many episodes of The City as I quickly got bored of it. I do remember not liking Olivia Palermo much - she just seemed too snooty for my liking. However, I absolutely LOVE her style! She mixes alot of classic pieces with really on trend stuff (alot of which is from Topshop, which the US is really into at the moment. I guess they see it as being really cool and edgy because it's a fashion forward British brand). I love the way she mixes things that you would never even think of putting together normally, but when she does that, it ends up looking fab!

The makeup and hair are generally kept very simple. She mixes alot of different textures, embellishments and fabrics but somehow it all just works. I adore the embellished Topshop jacket she is wearing in the pic above and I also love the necklace she is wearing below.

She is also great at doing very "grown up" looks with crisp tailoring and simple lines like below. Even though the look is very grown up, she keeps it fresh with an on trend structured blazer, relaxed hair, a statement necklace and killer platforms.

She often works a softer laid back look with luxurious fabrics like silk or chiffon, like the drapey blazer in the pic below. It turns a simple, relaxed look into something that looks altogether more polished and sophisticated. This looks very french...so chic!

Whose style are you loving at the moment? Feel free to do a post in answer to this one x

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Crystal Lipstick

I used to think of Estee Lauder as an older woman's brand, I guess just because of the way it's marketed and packaged etc. Their packaging is generally never edgy or cool, I just normally gave it a miss. I have used quite a few of their products in the past like Double Wear foundation, Disappear concealer etc and I have always been impressed by the quality.

Recently I was watching a vid on YouTube by Sam from Pixiwoo about the new Estee Lauder Sumptuous Colour Mascaras and something Sam said about the brand made me think...she had said that the reason you can rely on the quality of Estee Lauder is BECAUSE it's main target market is older women and studies show they are more likely to complain if they think the product isn't up to scratch. They also generally have more money to spend so they expect more from cosmetics. This spurred me on to go and have a look at the Estee Lauder website and see what they had to offer at the moment. I've heard alot of good things about their Double Wear Cream Eyeshadows and their lipsticks. On this occasion, after splurging on other stuff, I decided to just get a lipstick - Pure Colour Crystal Lipstick in Tiramisu.

As you can see from the swatch, it's a gorgeous slightly sheer peachy/pinky gold nude colour and as you would expect the quality is brilliant. It's super smooth to apply, feels very moisturising, stays on for a reasonable amount of time and it has a lovely sheen/gloss to it too. This shade is so wearable and I think it would suit a wide variety of skintones. This makes it ideal as a daytime lipstick, which in my mind is always something that isn't too 'in your face'. This lipstick is fruit scented (fig, apparently) so if you don't like scented lipsticks, that may annoy you, but it really doesn't bother me at all. I love this lipstick!

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that although Estee Lauder isn't a cutting edge brand in the way of package design and advertising, their products are very high quality. Although their products are aimed at a different market from the likes of MAC, it doesn't mean that you should dismiss what they have to offer. You can see from the website that they do use alot of cutting edge technology in some of their products such as their mascaras and their Sumptuous mascara is supposed to be fantastic. I have added the Pure Colour Lipstick in Vanilla Truffle to my lust list after reading Hele's post on it ages ago. I have also added the Sumptuous mascara to my list.

So, do you own any fantastic Estee Lauder products and if not, have you got any on your list list?

Jemma Kidd Creme Cheek Colour

After seeing the ever beautiful Tali (The Gloss Goss) raving over this product, I ended up gettin it from Lookfantastic.com. I'm such a sucker for the products she has on her blog coz our tastes are so simliar, despite the fact that we have different colouring.

This product is described as a "unique and lightweight creme to powder texture, long-wear with added vitamin A, C and E". Now as you know, I'm not the biggest blush wearer as I have naturally rosy cheeks. I spent my teenage years covering it up with heavy foundations but now I don't mind it so much. Also, as I use gradual tanners regularly, it tends to cancel out the redness anyway. I have however started applying pale pink or pale peach blushes to ensure my face doesn't end up looking too 'flat' after applying foundation. I think you should always try and add dimension to your face by contouring and using products like blush to add a bit of interest and colour. It also makes you look healthier.

As you can see, this shade which is called Paw Paw (how cute!) is the perfect peach colour to give you a healthy glow. As Tali had said, it photographs slightly differently but basically it's not too pink or orange (believ me, I'm fussy about peach colours!). The texture of it is just dreamy, it's silky smooth, velvety and SO light. On first touch it's like a soft cream then when applied it melts onto the skin to form a super fine powder (but it never ever looks powdery). I am not a fan of creame blushes in general as they tend to create too much shine, or they end up rubbing off your foundation/powder.

However, this creme blush is so easy to use and apply, I loved it as soon as I touched it. You can either apply it with your fingers or a sponge. It can be used alone or under a powder blush as a base to make sure the colour lasts all day. You get a great little guide with this product explaining how you can use it, for anyone who is just starting out with makeup and needs a bit of advice. I think that's great as not everyone has experience with makeup application and for those of you who are new to blush, it's a nice touch.

I absolutely love this product and would recommend it to anyone who wants a subtle natural glow to the cheeks. The packaging is compact and practical. I will definitely be checking out the rest of the Jemma Kidd Makeup School range - after reading Holly's (The Yummy Mummy's Beauty Blog) post on the double-ended lipstick/primer in the shade called Wendy, I really want to give that a go!