Poolside Glamour

Three items on my recent holiday helped keep me up there in the glamour stakes by the pool. Now I am not talking about false lashes, heavy foundation and some thick gloopy pale gloss but more subtle tricks that meant that I looked alive whilst sat by the pool and they had the added advantage of containing SPF and being good for my skin!

The first product I popped on after my suncare was the Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream . I have waxed lyrical about this product both in a blog post and on twitter and I still think the same.. it is fabulous. A light product that hides imperfections, evens out skin tone and makes skin look so much better and yet so natural, PLUS it contains an SPF30 for additional protection.

The second product was the new(ish) Smashbox Full Exposure Waterproof Mascara, lashes look long and luscious, it comes in a nice rich black and does a great job after a dip in the pool. There were no panda eyes here!

Finally, the third product I used by day was the Lanolips Lip Ointment With Colour SPF15 in shade Apples This conditioned my lips leaving them beautifully soft, protected them from the Sun with the SPF15 and provided a pretty and subtle red glossy hue to my lips. What is there not to love.

BeautySwot Beauty Products Of The Year 2013

As 2013 is drawing to a close, I felt it was time to share my 5 favourite beauty
products of the year. These awards are not taken lightly. All of these products have been selected for the following reasons

They live up to their claims
I reached for them the most
I would be happy to purchase them over and over again

So without further ado... the BeautySwot Products of the Year 2013 are -

1. Optrex Actimist 2in1 Spray for itchy, watery eyes

This product wins hands down for changing my life, literally. Although technically not a beauty product it was a product that was indispensable for me last Spring/Summer. I was hugely sceptical of its claims but one or two sprays per eye and I got instant relief from itchy, watery hay fever eyes. It meant that hay fever season wasn't miserable for me and it was so easy to use I could pop it in my bag and use it on the go. Magical

You can read my original review here... http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/04/instant-relief-optrex-actimist-2in1-eye.html

2. GINVERA Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream 

This BB Cream was my go to product over Summer and even now I still use it often instead of a standard foundation as it provides good coverage for even skintone whilst remaining light and natural looking and giving a nice glow to the skin. It has an SPF30 and it smells wonderful. I absolutely love this skin base, and although it came to the UK in 2012 it was in 2013 that I thankfully discovered it. A fantastic BB Cream that I rave to all and sundry about.

You can read my original review here..http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/04/ginvera-green-tea-nude-cover-bb-cream.html

3. Dermalogica Skinperfect Primer SPF30 

A primer with a hint of colour, SPF30 and a base so good at smoothing and covering the skin that I could go out with nothing else on. This is why I gave it the accolade of the Rolls Royce of primers. Excellent on its own or under foundation. I give it 10/10.

You can read my original review here... http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/08/dermalogica-skinperfect-primer-spf30.html

4. Elemis Frangipani Monoi Salt Glow 

This salt scrub is like heaven in a jar, it smells amazing. Elemis have excelled with this launch, it smells good and the scrub is gentle yet smoothing. A beautiful spa experience in your home, this is guaranteed to transport you to sunnier climes... (I wish it could, but for now I will settle for this!) Best bodycare product launch of the year.

You can read my original review here...http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/06/elemis-frangipani-monoi-salt-glow.html

5. Makeup Brand Of The Year - Kiko Cosmetics Milano 

Finally no year would be complete without mentioning Kiko. This was undoubtedly their year. A huge range of products, consistently good quality and on trend shades. I have reached for many of their products over and over again this year. If you are looking for good quality makeup and tools at a great purse friendly price you cannot go wrong with Kiko.

Excitingly they have just opened a huge store on Regent Street in London. A must visit for beauty lovers.

Well that's it, my five products of the year..what products have stood out for you this year?

Face Of The Day Featuring Bourjois Blush in LILAS D'OR

I purchased LILAS D'OR blush from Bourjois quite a while ago but have only just got around to using it. My goodness I LOVE it! So pretty, so natural looking and the formula is super smooth meaning it does not leave a powdery finish.

A little bit of trivia from the Bourjois website -

Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush is our iconic and timeless product since 1863.
Bourjois Little Round Pot blush was the first ever dry powder making make-up accessible to all women everyday in the 19th century

I don't use the scratchy teeny tiny brush that comes with it (it also has a mirror in the tiny pot) but it is perfect for scratching the surface to release the product as I find that after a few uses my brush doesn't pick up the blusher. 

Here I am wearing it

I find the shade LILAS D'OR ultra flattering, what do you think? What shades from the range are your favourite?

Bourjois Little Round Pots Blusher are available in 12 shades and cost £7.99 each.

What's Inside My Makeup Bag - A Summer Look

I thought I would share with you a Summer Makeup Look that I have been wearing quite often in this hot sunny weather, all the products fit nicely into the Sew Lomax Sweet Cheeks Blusher Make Up Pouch which is just adorably cute!

The look I have gone for is fresh, flawless and Summery. It features peachy/orange shades and is perfect for everyday. Fast, taking just seconds to apply and simple, I am loving it.

Inside my makeup bag from left to right -

EcoTools Bamboo Blush Brush - Super soft and great for blending.
Max Factor Clump Defy Mascara in Black - I will do a separate review for this with before and after pics.
Sisley Phyto-Blush Eclat in Mango - read my review here - http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/05/sisley-phyto-blush-eclat-in-mango.html

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream - If you haven't read my rave review (where have you been!), you can read it here -http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/04/ginvera-green-tea-nude-cover-bb-cream.html

Kiko Cosmetics Milano Pearly Eye Base - I like to apply this alone to brighten the eye area but will be testing it out as a primer for shadows in due course.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer - A great matte bronzing powder

Miners Tin o'Tint in Mango - A delicious lip tint in a natural looking orange/coral shade 

My Top 3 Skin Bases/Foundations for Combination Skin

Here are my top 3 foundation choices for combination skin. These are here because I turn to them the most. I would repurchase these in a heartbeat and they absolutely work for me. My criteria for a good foundation - easy to blend, must cover my redness and pores and have staying power. Not much really!

In no particular order -

1. Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay in Place Makeup SPF10 £27.50 for 30ml

Double Wear has been a favourite of mine for many, many years now. Although this is quite a heavy foundation, coverage is impressive for a true flawless appearance and it is adjustable so it doesn't NEED to look mask like. I don't need to wear a separate concealer or a primer. This is the one foundation that I would apply if I knew I was going to be out all day and evening and didn't want to reapply. It stays put and looks good until the minute you remove it. A fantastic and reliable foundation with cult status and rightly so. Available in 30 shades.

You can read my original review here.

2. YSL Le Teint Touche Éclat Foundation £29 for 30ml

Le Teint Touche Eclat Foundation really impressed me the first time I wore it and I go back to it time and time again. This is a revelation, it is incredibly light, covers everything I need it to and essentially looks natural and makes my skin look so good. Although its staying power is slightly less than the DW I like how fresh and radiant it makes my face look and it remains so for many hours. Available in 22 shades.

You can read my original review here

3. Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream £26 for 40ml 

I cannot rave enough about this BB Cream. As a base it ticks all the boxes and provides the level of coverage that I require and demand in a product. Ginvera is a moisturising base with skin benefits, provides excellent coverage, a high protection level of SPF30 and it is similar to texture to the YSL foundation. It goes on a little Ash looking in colour but soon melts into the skin disappearing to be virtually undetectable, allowing you to just have fabulous looking skin. This is a perfect Summer base but truth be told I would be happy to wear this all year round.

You can read my original review here

What are you favourite foundations?

Bright & Glowy - Make Up For Summer

The sun's out (at last) and this is one of my favourite looks for daytime. Coral blush awakens the face and is super flattering and bright coral lipstick intensifies and enhances the whites of the eyes. I wear it with a light brightening base ( GINVERA BB Cream is excellent - coverage vs lightness is the best I have tried) and add a cream based highlighter for extra glow. Pair with a bronzer and lashings of jet black mascara and you are set for Summer.

Swatches

L-R

Pur Minerals Beach Bum Gloss Stick - Super glossy hint of colour that works with your own lip colour, bright coral but wearable. I wear this in the mornings for the school run as it is less punchy than a full on lipstick.

Sleek True Colour Lipstick in Coral Reef - This fluoro bright lipstick with a sheen finish is packed with colour, one swipe and you get gorgeously creamy rich, even coverage. Coral Reef is not a colour you would wear if you want to hide away, it is so bright and punchy, instantly awakening the face. I love it. Shades optional.

Liz Earle Healthy Glow Powder Blush in Nectar - Words cannot express how much I love this blusher, unfortunately I dropped it the day I received it so the packaging broke but it's what's inside that really counts.  Nectar is described as a rose pink but I think there is definitely a hint of orange in it. I finger swatched it so you can see just how bright and stunning this is. So complementary to my skin tone, Nectar brightens my cheeks effortlessly with a pop of colour and provides a healthy glow. The formula is sheer but buildable so it looks really natural on the skin and not powdery in the slightest. If you haven't tried the Liz Earle blushes I can highly recommend them.

Benefit Watt's Up Soft Focus Highlighter -  One of my all time faves, this is a champagne toned highlighter that is in stick formula, just glide across the top of the cheekbones and blend. Simple but effective natural looking radiance.

Winner Of Ginvera BB Cream and Green Tea Marvel Gel

The winner as selected by random.org is......

Sarah Berryman

Congratulations Sarah - please email within 48 hours to claim your prize - bettina@beautyswot.com

Thank you to everyone who entered, I loved reading about your favourite holiday destinations and have put a few on my to visit list!

Win Fabulous Ginvera Products! BB Cream and Green Tea Marvel Gel

You will by now know how much I am loving the products from GINVERA. I have reviewed and raved about both the Green Tea Marvel Gel and the Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream and now I am pleased to say one reader of BeautySwot.com will be able to try out these wonderful products for themselves in my latest giveaway.

I have teamed up with the lovely people from Janiro who have brought GINVERA Green Tea products from Singapore to our shores and are offering one person the following prize -

GINVERA Green Tea Marvel Gel 40ml £22 - My review - http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/03/ginvera-green-tea-whitening-marvel-gel.html

GINVERA Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream 25ml £18 - My review - http://www.beautyswot.com/2013/04/ginvera-green-tea-nude-cover-bb-cream.html

To Enter 

• You must be a follower of this blog, please leave a comment on how you follow and what your favourite holiday destination is.
• You can gain an extra entry by tweeting about this giveaway. Just tag your tweet with @BeautySwot at the end so I can see it. 

The (not so) Small Print -

• Maximum entries per person is 2
• Open only to UK residents
• All entries will be logged and numbered, and the winner will be selected by www.random.org
• Entries close at 23.59pm, 16th April 2013 
• The winner and instructions as to how to claim your prize will appear on the blog on Wednesday 17th April. 
• You will have 48 hours to get in touch to claim your prize before someone else will be selected

Thank you for entering and good luck!

GINVERA Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream - Review

Having raved about the GINVERA Green Tea Marvel Gel the lovely people at GINVERA got in touch and asked me if I would like to review the Green Tea Nude Cover BB (beauty/blemish balm) Cream. I know the world has moved on to CC (colour correcting) creams but to be honest my world was never really ignited by the BB creams due to the fact that I need pretty decent coverage and very few passed muster... Before I agreed, I asked what the coverage was like and the reply was amazing, needless to say I needed to see for myself!

Claims 

For All Skin Types

Enriched with premium Green Tea, Ginseng, Chinese Angelica and Hyaluronic Acid, Green Tea Nude Cover BB cream provides the benefits of blemish free concealing, sun block effects, whitening, moisturising and reduction of lines, providing a long lasting smooth and ultra light feel to nourish and perfect your skin.

Moisture and Nourishment
Brightening and Even Tone Skin
Protection against harmful UV rays SPF30 PA+++

Natural flawless coverage resulting in an even tone and visibly more radiant skin.

GINVERA BB Cream Natural Light Swatches 

My thoughts 

Blown away by the effects is all I can say!

Well actually I can say a lot more -

The BB cream has a grey/ashy tone to it so I wasn't sure it was going to be a good shade match but once the runny fluid hit the skin it melted and disappeared into the skin, creating my own flawless skin. This product covered everything - redness, blemishes and pores - making my skin look so incredibly beautiful, fresh and natural that I fell in love with it instantly. 

My skin was truly flawless but the coverage felt so light, it was invisible. Although my skin looked fresh, it wasn't dewy, the finish was velvety. It also smells rather nice too without being overpowering.

Pleasingly the effects lasted ALL DAY and my skin looked as fresh and as bright as when I had first applied the BB cream.

I liked the nude cover BB cream so much that I have worn nothing else since.. I switched one evening to  my beloved Estee Lauder Double Wear, I could see that DW looked far heavier and wished I had put the BB cream on instead. Unheard of.

Achieving flawless perfection has never been so simple.

To sum up - I absolutely love the Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream and with a high SPF this is one product that I would happily purchase again and again.

The best BB Cream I have tried so far.

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream costs £18 for 25ml and £26 for 40ml

*PR Sample

GINVERA Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel - Review

This week I will be sharing my current beauty routine with you and today I am starting with GINVERA Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel - with the tagline - Zero Blackheads in 1 step.

GINVERA say 

Ginvera Green Tea Marvel Gel works by specifically targeting the cornified skin layer, dissolving and removing the dead skin cells on the top most epidermis layer. This gentle yet effective exfoliating action zeros-out blackheads thoroughly and painlessly and helps remove deep layers of dead skin. When the dead skin barrier is removed, the new skin underneath is revealed, allowing your skin’s healthy radiance to glow from within. It helps prevent pimples and controls oil secretion to help you stay shine-free the whole day!

Directions for Use:

Before cleansing, squeeze an adequate amount and apply onto dry face and neck with dry fingers, focusing on the T-zone area in particular. Gently massage in circular motions until you can see small flakes appearing (these are the dead skin cells and dirt from the skin). After massaging, rinse off with water or facial cleanser afterwards.

Claims

1. Rubs away deep layers of dead skin cells

2. Rubs away blackheads painlessly

3. Contracts pores for refined skin

4. Lightens black spots, freckles and scars

5. Removes oil seeds

6. Regulates sebum secretion to prevent pimples

7.Brightens dull complexion

8. Changes dark, rough skin to smooth skin

9. Whitens skin as it gives way to new born skin

10. Enhances quick absorption of skincare products.

My thoughts 

I received this gel in a press bag last Summer and having not heard of the brand I must admit I put it to one side. Before buying a facial exfoliator I checked my box of skincare and makeup still to use and came across this, finally giving it a go..

I have to say I am glad I did. 

On opening the product I wasn't keen on the scent, it doesn't smell as nice as other green tea products I have tried but strangely I haven't noticed the scent since, the strong smell has disappeared.

This is a gel textured, completely smooth and extremely gentle facial exfoliator. On the outer packaging it says you can use this daily and I have been for the last 2 weeks (If you are exfoliating daily or regularly make sure you use a moisturiser with high SPF)

I have found that it glides on smoothly, as it is rubbed it eventually rolls into balls as you can see in the picture above. Once rinsed off my skin is left feeling so smooth, it clears out the pores brilliantly.  Over time this has really cleared up my skin, it looks and feels smoother and much, much brighter (which has been a challenge with the current weather)

I would recommend this product.

GINVERA Green Tea Whitening Marvel Gel costs £22 for 60ml and is available online or from Harvey Nichols

*PR Sample