Beauty brand obsession…

September 7, 2012

I am a little bit obsessed with everything on NailRock.com. Not only has a brand new collection of four smokin’ 3D textured nail wraps just launched, but there’s a whole other world of cool beauty bits to explore online. Don’t be fooled by the website’s name – there’s so much available beyond just nails! Below are my top picks…

NAIL ROCK 3D Textured Nail Wraps in Doodad Mix, Glister Gold, Doodad Black and Glister Mix, £7.50 each 

NAIL ROCK’s new textured 3D collection is super hot, I can’t wait to try them out! If you can get to grips with applying them with flawless precision, these new statement, high fashion designs are fantastic value for money.

EYE ROCK Crystal Eye Tattoos in Glisten, Sparkle and Glimmer Topaz, £6.99 each 

These gorgeous eye crystals make a super cool addition to a smokey eye for a glam evening look, particularly on holiday, at a festival or on a big night out. My friends and I rocked them in Marbs earlier this summer and never wanted to take them off! There are six designs in total, but these three are definitely my faves. While they’re a teeny bit tricky to apply, practice makes perfect and they  last all night long once you’ve got the knack. You can also keep the individual crystals for future use.

BODY ROCK Designer Body Tattoos in Script, £5.99

I’d never have an actual tattoo, but sometimes it’s fun to play around with temporary ones on a whim. This ‘Love’ one on my ring finger is part of the BODY ROCK Script set, which also includes stars and other words. A cute notion for those who like experimenting with beauty bits beyond make-up.

BOHO ROCK Stars Face and Body Tattoo, £5.99

I adore this unique bando style tattoo – it’s the prefect festival accessory. Just gorgeous.

You can check out NAIL ROCK’s huge selection of beauty bits available here.

Posted in Make Up, Nails | No Comments

Breakfast in Style

July 24, 2012

One of the highlights of my working week is catching up with beauty PR’s over brekkie or afternoon tea, where we chat about the beauty brands they look after and discuss the latest launches that might be relevant to what I’m working on over some delicious food. Often, they’ll bring along a goody bag of their latest products so I can get a feel for them and keep on top of what’s new… if you ever spot people going through a bag of beauty products while tucking into scrambled egg and smoked salmon, spritzing this and swatching that, the likelihood is it’s a beauty journalist and a PR!

Over the years I’ve built up a little black book of my favourite places to go to meet with PRs. I consider myself very lucky that my job has such a lovely social aspect, as I’m not sure these wonderful places would feature very regularly in my calendar otherwise. Below are my personal favourite venues for chic breakfast meetings in the capital…

BEST FOR ELEGANT DINING: THE FOUNTAIN RESTAURANT AT FORTNUM & MASON 

This sumptuous restaurant features an elegant duck egg and pastel interior with chic chandeliers and floral details. Tea is served in ornate silver teapots and there’s a fantastic selection of hen’s eggs available. It’s the type of place that makes you want to embrace ‘proper’ tea drinking etiquette – exactly what you’d expect from the Royal grocer.

BEST FOR A COOL NEW YORK VIBE: AUTOMAT

If you’re a sucker for American brekkies, you’ll love Automat. The New York style brasserie oozes cool and has a relaxed, stylish atmosphere complete with booths and table lamps. It’s the best choice if you’re looking to indulge – the stacks of buttermilk pancakes with strawberries, blueberries and maple syrup are amazing, as are the waffles with cream and the bourbon vanilla French toast with streaky bacon.

BEST FOR A CENTRAL LOCATION: THE RIDING HOUSE CAFE

Located on Great Titchfield Street just off Oxford Street, this new bustling, modern restaurant attracts a real mix of cool media types and suits. It has a rustic feel with benches and exposed brick and there’s something to suit all taste buds including a great selection of juices and smoothies, making it the perfect place to grab a quick bite in style. I can highly recommend the vanilla clotted cream!

BEST FOR ATTENTION TO DETAIL: THE NORTHALL AT THE CORINTHIA

If you like your dining experience to include exquisite attention to detail, The Northall restaurant by Embankment won’t disappoint. The inventive presentation of the food is a delight, as is the fantastic service and quality of the food. It’s everything you’d want from a delicious breakfast with a sleek, intimate atmosphere. It also serves up the best scrambled eggs I’ve ever tried!

BEST FOR NETWORKING: DEAN STREET TOWNHOUSE 

Whenever I go to Dean Street Townhouse, I seem to recognise most people in there; thanks to its cool, buzzy atmosphere it appears to be the media industry’s destination of choice, making it a great base for networking.

BEST FOR TASTY BRITISH PRODUCE: ROAST 

Located in the heart of Borough Market, Roast uses nothing but the finest quality British produce. Foodies will love the varied ingredients available that offer something completely different from your typical breakfast menu.

BEST FOR FUSSY EATERS: THE SOHO HOTEL 

The Soho Hotel, often the venue of choice for industry events and press days, is a constant hub of activity, and brekkie is no exception. As well as offering delicious cooked breakfast options, the stylish Refuel restaurant features a wonderful breakfast bar that caters for all sorts of food allergies and intolerances, meaning that the bright, vibrant venue has something to suit everyone.

BEST FOR CELEB SPOTTING: THE WOLSELEY

The Wolsey is quite simply a great place to start your morning. The super stylish café, popular with celebrities, is decorated in Grand European style with ornate detailing such as arches, pillars and an impressive marble floor, making it a lavish choice for breakfast. Not to mention, the food is delightful.

Posted in PR breakfast meetings | 3 Comments

My fantasy workspace…

July 24, 2012

Lately, I’ve been thinking about my fantasy blogging workspace. Thanks to increasingly popular websites such as Pinterest and We Heart It, it’s never been easier to collect a digital scrapbook of stylish imagery to inspire you – whether you’re daydreaming about fashion, interiors, beauty or travel. You can follow my mood boards on Pinterest here

My preferred blogging space at the moment is my brand new super comfy corner sofa, complete with my gorgeous little silver kitten Bobby as a companion (he loves the laptop) and Sex and the City episodes on loop. While it’s a spot in which I feel truly content, it’s also one with many distractions, so not always conducive to hard work…

As a blogger it’s important to surround yourself with items that fuel your your creativity, be that your favourite fresh flowers (in my case, peonies peonies peonies), chic scented candles (you just can’t beat Jo Malone, Diptyque and Neom Luxury Organics) or creatively displayed images of meaningful places and faces (I adore these Bespoke Heart Maps by Bombus, available at Notonthehighstreet.com – they source beautiful vintage maps of your most treasured destinations and turn them into gorgeous artwork).

However limited your space and budget, there are always small, inventive touches you can make to personalize and jazz it up, whether that’s using an empty Diptyque candle as a stationery holder, making a feature wall out of pretty wallpaper or simply putting stylish, inspirational postcards or clippings on a pinboard.

Though I’ll be starting small when it comes to luring myself off the couch to create my own area, these are the workspace images inspiring me right now…

My main distraction, Bobby

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Look I love: Anne Hathaway

July 18, 2012

How stunning did Anne Hathaway look at the New York premiere of The Dark Knight Rises!? I must confess I’m not normally an Anne fan, however this look really bowled me over. I adore her flawlessly elegant Prabal Gurung gown complete with nipped in peplum waist and bejeweled embellishment. Most of all though, I love how her gamine crop contrasts with the super plunging neckline, bambi lashes and big, shiny red pout. With this ensemble Anne proves that you can get get away with a super short pixie crop and still ooze femininity – it’s all in the styling!

Can’t wait to see the film!

Posted in Celebrity beauty | 2 Comments

Battle of the Blowouts

July 9, 2012

Though it was tears all round where the tennis was concerned at Murray’s Wimbledon defeat yesterday, GB did reign supreme in one particular area – the super feminine, natural blow-dry. Kate, Pippa and the devoted Miss Sears each showed off winning styles courtside, opting for immaculate loose bouncy waves in sophisticated, glossy hues. Hair envy!

Posted in Celebrity beauty, Celebrity Events, Hair Care | No Comments

Rituals Cosmetics Press Event

July 5, 2012

What: Press breakfast event with Raymond Cloosterman, the creator of Rituals Cosmetics and the brand’s PR agency

Where: The Terrace Suite at The Soho Hotel

Food and drink: Mini Eggs Florentine and Eggs Benedict, smoked salmon, mini muffins, exotic fruit platters and a selection of Rituals mood enhancing herbal teas

“Happiness can be found in the smallest of things. It is our passion to transform your everyday routines into meaningful rituals. Our products are based on ancient Eastern home and beauty rituals with perfumes created by the best perfumers in the world. Your body. Your Soul. Your Rituals.” 

The Terrace Suite at The Soho Hotel

On a recent dreary Thursday morning in London, I headed to the luxurious Soho Hotel to get up close and personal with Rituals Cosmetics. The already impossibly plush and impressive penthouse suite had been transformed into something yet more sumptuous, thanks to the addition of the brand’s simply gorgeous products strategically placed in each and every room.

Chatting to its charismatic founder Raymond Cloosterman, I realised that Rituals is so much more than just a straightforward beauty range; not just because of the carefully researched and luxurious product formulas, but because of its endeavor to turn ordinary, everyday routines such as having a bath, making a cuppa and even doing household chores into meaningful, indulgent experiences. It’s a brand that truly recognizes the importance of ‘me time’, with a firm philosophy that this doesn’t have to stop at personal grooming.

While I’ve always been aware of Rituals’ expertise when it comes to beauty products, at the event – an opportunity to see the entire range of products in the context of a home environment – I was surprised to learn how much more to the brand there is. Snuggly branded loungewear and underwear hung elegantly in the wardrobe; stylish bathrobes and folded fluffy towels added an extra dimension of luxury to the limestone bathroom, while divine smelling washing up liquid housed in gorgeous packaging perfectly complimented the designer kitchen. Alongside its huge array of precious mineral make-up and Eastern inspired face, body, hair, suncare, nailcare and fragrance products, you’ll find sleep masks, home fragrances and candles, kitchen and bathroom accessories, shawls, beach towels and herbal teas to name but a few. It’s not hard to see why Rituals has 220 stores across the world, 400 shop-in-shops in the likes of John Lewis, House of Fraser and Fenwick, plus 5 City Spas worldwide…

While we may not all be lucky enough to live in an environment as stylish as The Soho Hotel, Rituals’ sleek packaging captures the essence of luxury, making it a simple way to bring not only indulgence to your home, but a slice of designer style at mid-range price points.

My top picks include the Zensation Rice Milk Shower Foam, Touch of Hammam Whipped Body Cream, Baked Eye Shadow in Natural Glamour, the Nail Corrector Pen and the Yin Calming Bed & Body Mist. The brand’s new Urban Chic range, which is inspired by the eclectic buzz of city life,  is available from now until October. The nine-piece mineral gemstone make-up collection comprises eye shadow palettes, lip shines, nail polishes and volume mascara, and features bright reds and oranges plus understated pastel pale tones with effervescent shades of deep violet, blue and green.

Rituals Urban Chic collection

Visit the Rituals website here.

Posted in Accessories, Bath, Bodycare, Candles, Fragrance, Hair Care, Make Up, Nails, Press Events, Skincare, Uplifting beauty | 3 Comments

The war on cellulite…

June 29, 2012

It’s five weeks today until I jet off to Marbs for a fun girly getaway, which means there’s one thing at the forefront of my mind… the dreaded bikini body reveal!

In the run up to my holiday, I’m waging war on my wobbly bits by blitzing them with the following six products simultaneously. One thing’s for sure, if this pricey combination of top of the range brands doesn’t improve my cellulite and help to create a more toned, sculpted silhouette, nothing will!

Elemis Sp@Home Cellutox Herbal Bath Synergy, £53.20 at feelunique.com

WELEDA Chestnut Toning Bath Soak, £14.95

balance Me Super Toning Body Wash, £10.25

Caudalie Crushed Cabernet Scrub, £21.50

Rodial Body Sculpture, £75

Biotherm CELLULI LASER with Biofibrine, £44

You can check out the bods that have been inspiring me to religiously dry body brush, exfoliate and slather cream on morning and night via my Pinterest account here. Even though I realise that they’ve all probably been photoshopped within an inch of their lives and certainly don’t reflect the ‘real woman’, it’s still nice to have something to aspire to… even if sometimes the images do make me want to lie down and reach for the french fancies…

I’ll keep you updated with how effective the results are.

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Style Crush: BLAKE LIVELY

June 28, 2012

Wowsers – I can’t believe how stunning Blake Lively is looking lately! While doing the rounds promoting her new film project Savages, she has flaunted her fabulous bod in designers including Gucci (she’s the face of the fashion house’s new fragrance ‘Gucci Première’, which launches at Selfridges on 5th July),  Zuhair Murad, Michael Kors, Christian Louboutin, Jenny Packham and Marchesa, showcasing her exquisite red carpet style and jaw dropping beauty with aplomb. I’m especially in love with her side-swept tumbling Hollywood waves and feminine fishtail plait. MAJOR style envy! XOXO

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Holiday Beauty Essentials

June 7, 2012

If you want to look beautiful on the beach and beyond this summer holiday, packing these power products is as essential as remembering your passport…

Bon Voyage Wash Case by Disaster Designs, £28 available at Little Moose 

This chic, travel-inspired wash case is the perfect way to transport your beauty essentials in style

Eylure Dylash 45 Day Mascara in Black , £7.50 

Scrap the need for waterproof mascara and dye your eyelashes before you leave for a fuss-free, smudge proof daytime flutter

St Tropez SPF 30 Body Lotion with Tan Enhancer, £20 

St Tropez’s Suncare range contains MELANOBRONZE, an exclusive innovation that stimulates melanin production to give you a speedy golden glow and enhance your natural tan while it protects

Dermalogica Solar Defence Booster SPF 30, £30

This clever lotion can be used alone or added to your usual facial moisturiser or foundation for added sun protection, so you don’t have to compromise on your favourite skincare regime while you’re away

Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil, £19 

Aveda’s lightweight, water-resistant mist forms an invisible screen against the sun to protect hair from dryness, damage and colour fade

Moroccanoil Original Oil Treatment, £29.85 

Use this hydrating oil, which contains essential fatty acids, omega 3 oils, vitamins and antioxidants, to nourish hair and lock in moisture after a day in the sun, or slick it back post-swim for a chic, groomed poolside look

Forever Living Forever Hand Sanitizer with Aloe & Honey, £3.40 

Antibacterial hand gel is a must for the beach. This non-drying one has a fresh, zingy scent and moisturising properties that clean and refresh skin with kindness

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain (pictured in Lovesick), £7.99 

Revlon’s new pampering Balm Stains protect, moisturise and tint lips simultaneously, leaving behind a flawless flush of juicy colour for a gorgeous summer daytime look. They’re available in 7 gorgeous shades.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist Hydrating Spray, £5.25 

Formulated with the Activated Botanical extract of Hawaiian Awapuhi, this spray on moisturiser for skin and hair boosts hydration levels and offers cooling freshness on the go

RITUALS Ice Shower Cooling Shower Gel, £6.90 

This tingling shower gel contains Bamboo and Japanese Mint to soothe, cool and purify sunkissed skin

Lancaster Tan Maximizer Rich Firming Body Cream, £25  

This rich cream not only features exclusive technology that intensifies melanin production to deepen and prolong your tan, it also works on firming your wobbly bits while you head out for cocktails!

Ole Henriksen All Purpose Aloe Vera Gel, £18 

This refreshing gel contains natural aloe and chamomile to hydrate, cool and heal scorched skin and prevent peeling

Bobbi Brown Beach Limited Edition Shimmering Fragrance Oil, £30 

This divine smelling oil envelops skin with a sparkling, healthy radiance – it’s the perfect companion for hot summer nights

Posted in Accessories, Bodycare, Hair Care, Holiday beauty, Make Up, Skincare | 1 Comment

Complexion Perfection

May 31, 2012

TOUCHE ECLAT highlighter, the iconic magic wand of the beauty industry, has been delivering luminosity worthy of a star to our dark circles and skin imperfections for the past two decades. And just when you thought its complexion enhancing technology couldn’t be outdone, next month the geniuses at Yves Saint Laurent unveil their most exciting make-up innovation yet…

June 28th marks the launch of LE TEINT TOUCHE ECLAT – a new foundation that promises to enhance your entire complexion with the magic of light. I had a sneak preview of the product at its press launch in The Ballroom of the luxurious Connaught hotel in Mayfair to find out whether it lives up to this bold claim, and I’m pleased to report that it doesn’t disappoint – the easy to blend, silky formula has unquestionably earned its place as my new favourite base product.

YSL has replaced the opaque powders found in most foundations with a unique soft focus gel that forms a translucent film on the skin’s surface – concealing imperfections without the dreaded mask-like effect – while an exclusive fluid light concentrate illuminates the complexion to achieve the brand’s signature weightless, dewy radiance. The result? Flawless coverage with feather-light texture that’s indistinguishable from your natural skin tone.

Yves Saint Laurent’s Creative Director of Make-up Lloyd Simmonds and his team of make-up artists were on hand at the event, not only to demonstrate the power of the product on the perfect skin of the models but also to professionally colour match it with ours so we could achieve the most precise, gorgeous finish possible at home. The foundation caters for every skin colour, coming in a huge array of 22 shades that have been organised into families such as rosy beige, natural beige and golden.

Lloyd Simmonds at the press launch of LE TEINT TOUCHE ÉCLAT

LE TEINT TOUCHE ECLAT is priced at £28 and will be available exclusively from Selfridges and Brown Thomas from 28th June, before launching nationwide on 9th July.

I predict it’ll sell out fast!

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All original content is © Hollie Minshull 2011 onwards. No words or images may be reproduced without permission from the copyright holder. Many of the images on this blog have been shot by me or provided by PR's/stock. Other sources for photography/images are credited wherever possible. Should a credit be inaccurate/incomplete or if someone requests that an image be removed from the blog I will willingly comply. Please contact me if this is the case. beautyjourno@hotmail.co.uk