A Makeup & Beauty Blog – Lipglossiping

BuyaPowa are teaming up with Closer magazine all this week to bring some extra special beauty bargains to the co-buying table.  The team over at Closer have included some of their celeb-fave products and I’m excited to reveal the pretties that will be going live this week.

As you can see, I only have the heads up on the best price for the first two to go live (they’re terrible teases over at BuyaPowa HQ!) but goodness me, how gorgeous is that YSL Lipstick?

If you want the heads up as and when the co-buys hit the website (remember: limited quantity, limited time!), head over to the Closer facebook page or sign up to the email alerts at BuyaPowa to ensure you’re the first to know!

You know the one, the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector is probably the most covetable highlighter on the planet thanks to videos from Lisa Eldridge.  Cult Beauty are giving away a 15ml ‘mini’ (I say mini but a 15ml highlighter is going to last you a long time), with every BECCA order over £30 while stocks last.

With the full-size 50ml version retailing at £33.00, this is a deal worth just shy of £10.00 – not to be sniffed at on a £30.00 order!

Go forth and shop savvy!

To celebrate Stila’s new beauty counter in Harvey Nichols London, the brand are giving away one of their iconic Lip Glazes to every beauty lover who visits the new counter from 10am on the 19th January (one day only) to trade in a tired, old lipgloss.  It’s a lipgloss amnesty people!

It’s a Stila Steal that’s worth £15 – so rummage through your handbag, ‘cos it’s time to retire that old gloopster in favour of something altogether more sophisticated.

Also, Manchester ladies – keep an eye out on the HN Manchester’s What’s On page as this lip-smacking deal will be heading your way soon (along with your new Stila counter!)

Will you be doing an after-work dash to throw your lipgloss (and yourself) at the new Stila counter in Harvey Nichols next Thursday?

Perhaps the ultimate offering from the Boots Star Gifts this year is the Soap & Glory Big Splendour set which, from tomorrow, will be slashed to better than half price.

The set includes the following Soap & Glory bestsellers:

Clean On Me™ Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel – 500ml
The Righteous Butter™ Body Butter – 300ml
Pulp Friction™ Body Scrub – 300ml
Face, Soap & Clarity™ Fresh Facial Wash – 150ml
25 Off Your Face™ Cleansing Wipes
Heel Genius Foot™ Cream – 125ml
Hand Food Hand™ Cream – 125ml
Mist You Madly™ Fragrant Body Spray – 250ml
Sexy Mother Pucker™ Lip Plumper In Candy Gloss – 7ml
Calm One, Calm All™ Bubble Bath – 500ml

From tomorrow, the price will be £25 (was £60) and the offer will run until Friday, 24th December.

Stocks are going to fly off the shelves, so if you know a S&G fan who would love one of these under their Christmas Tree – please avoid potential disappointment by jumping on this offer quickly.

I was mooching on the Boots website late at night (as you do) and came across an interesting basket configuration that would give back 2000 Boots Advantage Card points on a £32.97 spend.  That’s equivalent to £20 back on your card for future frivolous purchases.

It goes something like this (click to enlarge)…

Also take note that you get not one, but TWO free Origins GWP (gift with purchases).

Of course, if you’ve got no use for this stuff, don’t get all excited about it.  It’s like those people who bought a billion Terrys Chocolate Oranges from Tesco when there was a price glitch for like 30p each… only to realise once the dust had settled that they still ended up spending £50 on chocolate they didn’t really want.

I just thought I’d give a heads up incase you know someone who might fancy a little set of cosmetic brushes as a stocking filler (there’s also an eyeliner brush) or maybe just someone who has particularly hairy legs.  Whilst of course, you pocket the £20 for a later splurge.

Happy Christmas Shopping!!

Clinique are playing Secret Santa this week, so if you’re in need of an early festive treat, log on to Clinique website everyday this week for a little surprise.

Today’s  beauty treat is a free mini-set of best-selling eye essentials with any purchase over £30.  The set includes: High Impact Mascara, Quickliner for Eyes and High Lengths Mascara.  A really well put-together set that will give you dramatic eyes for the party season!

To get the party started on this offer, log on to the Clinique website and enter the offer code EYES during checkout with your £30+ order.

Don’t forget to check back on the website daily to see if any of the other offers are worthy of a place in your stocking!

This time of year, we’re hemorrhaging money from every orifice, often losing it faster than we can make it.  So I say that we may as-well look out for opportunities to treat ourselves whilst treating others, no?

Hello Harvey Nichols and a thoroughly decent Gift with Purchase.

Starting this Friday 2^nd December, head instore and spend £70 or more in Beyond Beauty to receive a Christmas gift worth £80 from a selection of cult beauty brands!  The gift bag will include:

• Percy & Reed Dry Conditioner (150ml)
• Butter London ‘Bluey’ Nail Lacquer
• Strivectin-SD Instant Texturising Scrub (30ml)
• Blinc Mascara (0.7g)
• Blinc Eye liner (0.7g)
• Bodhi Body Moisturiser (40ml)
• Korres Wild Rose 24-Hour Moisturiser (10ml)
• Burts Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion (70g)
• This Works Clean Skin Daily Wash (30ml)
• Kyoku Sachet (a selection)
• Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner in Dove Grey
• Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Clear Lip Gloss (7ml)
• Green & Spring Indulging Shower and Bath Foam (50ml)

 While stocks last.  Well it’s better than a poke in the eye with a rogue candy cane.

Morning!

Just a quick PSA to let you know that you have until the end of Saturday to pick up your Clinique Bonus Time gift with purchase (GWP) which is currently an exclusive at House of Fraser.

All you need to do to claim your treat is purchase two Clinique products (one to be skincare), so if you need a topup of your Dramatically Different or your High Impact is running dry, now’s the time to stock up!

The set includes:

Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief  |  Sparkle Skin Exfoliating Cream  |  Take the Day Off Makeup Remover for Lids, Lashes and Lips  |  Exclusive Colour Surge Eyeshadow Quad  |  High Impact Mascara in Black  |  Long Last Lipstick in Bamboo Pink  |  Cosmetic Bag

I don’t need to tell you frugalistas that this would make a lovely little Xmas pressie for someone, so if you’re a Clinique fan, don’t let the offer slip through your fingers.

Do you ever indulge in Bonus Time treats?

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Remember I told you about this TSV last week?  Well – it’s gone live today and the remaining set details and price have been revealed!

Contents (details pulled from the QVC website):

1 x Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (30ml) – award-winning moisturiser helps to actively reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles whilst hydrating your skin

1 x Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser (150ml) – formulated to deeply cleanse your skin, gently dissolving make-up and daily grime to a radiant, youthful-looking complexion

1 x Pro-Radiance Hand and Nail Cream (100ml) – luxuriously rich hand cream quickly absorbs to instantly hydrate hands and condition your nails. Only available at QVC

1 x Frangipani Monoi Body Oil (100ml) – super-hydrating oil designed to leave your skin feeling silky soft and beautifully fragranced. It can be used as a massage oil and a hair treatment

1 x Tranquil Touch Bath Elixir (300ml) – enriched with cocoa butter, patchouli, cedarwood and vetivert to leave your skin felling soft and delicately scented

1 x navy patent wash bag – 26.5cm x 17.5cm x 8cm (10.3″ x 6.8″ x 3.1″)

And the price? 

£39.96 on Easy Pay! (4 interest-free installments) – representing a massive saving off the original combined RRP for these products.

I’ve snapped one up but I’m gonna be a bit devious and split them into individual Christmas gifts.  However, this plan has ultimately left me umming and ahh-ing over whether or not to nab another one for myself, I don’t need it but it’s the Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser and Monoi Body Oil that’s pushing me close to the edge!  Perhaps I’ll just have to come to the conclusion that I don’t know anybody who would like those two for Christmas.  Delusional much?

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Are you buying this set today?  And if so, is it for yourself or someone else?

Father Christmas must be feeling particularly generous this year because Elemis have released details of an exceptionally tempting Today’s Special Value (TSV) with QVC this Sunday.  Full details are being kept secret but I can reveal that you’ll be sitting on your fingers trying not to pick up the phone and place an order.

The TSV is set to include:

Elemis’ NEW sp@home Pro-Radiance Hand & Nail Cream, the number one anti-ageing moisturiser Pro-Collagen Marine Cream (30ml), a full size Exotic Frangipani Monoi Body Oil (100ml), full size Tranquil Touch Indulgent Bath Elixir (200ml) plus one other full size hero Elemis product that will be revealed on the show – all packed in a luxurious high gloss navy make-up bag.

Ooooh, mystery item!  Oooh Frangipani Monoi Body Oil!  Oooh Pro-Collagen Marine Cream! And a final “Ooooh” for the brand new Hand and Nail Cream that isn’t even being RELEASED properly until next year.

Are you all oooh’ed out yet?  I’m getting there.

Seriously though, if you’re looking for an impressive Christmas present for your mum/daughter/sister/best mate/mother in law, this is a very nice-looking set.  I’d prefer a snazzier bag to keep it all in but beggars can’t be choosers etc. etc.

So, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.  What’s it gonna cost you?  Well, the exact price – in true QVC style – will be announced live on air but I *can* tell you that it will be under £40 and offer a guaranteed saving of more than 50% off retail.

OOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!

The airing times on Sunday 20th November are midnight, 1am, 7am, 8am, 9am, 11am, 2pm, 6pm, 8pm and 10pm.  QVC is available on Sky Digital channel 640, Freesat channel 800, Freeview channel 16 and Virgin TV channel 740. To order call QVC on 0800 50 40 30 or visit www.qvcuk.com/elemistsv

The Five Piece Tranquil Indulgence Face and Body Collection will also be available to purchase at www.qvcuk.com/elemis (item number  200194) and will be live from 20th November 2011.

* I totally missed my calling as a gameshow host

These refillable perfume atomizers have revolutionised the way I transport and wear fragrance, you can read my review of them here.  The only problem I have with mine is that they’re always half full of my latest scent!  So I get a bit excited at the prospect of scooping up a spare (or two) when I see them reduced like this.

As well as the black version, Play.com also have the pink one available (though it’s more expensive at £6.99).

Also, at this price, I don’t need to tell you that they’d also make excellent stocking fillers do I?  If you missed out on the Cheap Smells £5.50 deal for these back in September, well here’s an even better saving!

Do you love your Travalo?

Following on from last week’s FrontCover set, this week’s Star Gift of the Week at Boots is a Ted Baker Make It Big Vanity Case, picture below:

Until Thursday, 3rd November – the set will be priced at only £19 (regularly £40) and includes:

Butterfly Wings Body Wash (250ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Lotion (200ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Spray (150ml)
Butterfly Wings Body Scrub (300ml)
Origami Bath Foam (250ml)
Origami Body Souffle (300ml)
Origami Body Spray (150ml)

For a closer look at the actual case… you can watch the short video below:

Ted Baker Make It Big Vanity Case is available online and instore at Boots priced at £19.00, though be aware that the GotW’s usually sell out online fairly rapidly.