REVIEW: Champagne Pop BECCA X Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector.

Light Up Your Life with Becca Cosmetics X Jaclyn Hill Champagne Pop Highlight!

The power house of highlight, Australian cosmetics giant BECCA Cosmetics and the Queen of Highlight Jaclyn Hill, have joined forces and produced a stellar, must have product for any self respecting highlight lover!

The Introductions:

Becca Cosmetics are renowned for their highlighters in particular, in the make-up realm – Opal and Moonstone Shimmering Skin Perfectors and the much hyped Backlight Priming Filter. Their eye-shadow palettes are also exquisite…the list of must-haves/lust haves goes on and on.

If you don’t know who Jaclyn Hill is (have you been living under a rock?) allow me to introduce you! Jaclyn Hill is one of the biggest make-up artists and personalities in the beauty game on YouTube. Uber talented, funny, articulate, pretty and not afraid to take the mick out of herself, she has certainly earned her place at the top of her game. In fact, having watched Jaclyn the last two years, I think if we ever met, we’d be instant friends – we could bond over our love of highlighters and dance parties for starters!

The Packaging:

Champagne Pop comes in an eye-catching rose gold, box complete with plastic protective strip across the product sporting the Jaclyn Hill name – the original Becca packaging encases the actual product.

Tried and Tested: The Results.

With the Queen of Contour Kim Kardashian having declared contouring as dead (well at least heavy contouring) strobing is fast becoming the “illuminating contour” method of choice for the masses and this new highlight from Becca and Jaclyn Hill collab is perfect for strobing or adding just a touch of highlight on the daily. Originally brought out as a limited edition powder highlight, Champagne Pop is now thankfully a permanent fixture and should win awards! I bought into the hype surrounding this highlight collab when it was a Limited Edition and it’s safe to say, it’s everything I expected and bought into as a consumer and more. In fact, for me it’s a dual usage product and well worth the investment –  as detailed below.

The Highlights: (pun totally intended.)

From texture, longevity to overall performance.

● Finely milled, buttery formula that is long-lasting on wearing and in sheer volume of product within the compact.
●Sheer, yet highly build-able highlight. A little goes a long way!
●Skin glows and glistens – no chunky glitter particles.
●Natural champagne shade to suit most skin tones.
● Ideal for minimal daily use on cheekbones, for strobing, dusting all over face and décolleté and inner corner highlight of the eye…
● I even like it as an eye shadow or dusted on my pins to highlight the shin bone with a tan!

*Top Tip: remember to blend out to avoid looking like you’re sweaty mess/ disco ball effect.

● Travel friendly the compact is lightweight, with durable packaging, complete with an internal, good sized mirror.

Cons:

Not a massive deal but, the powder can become somewhat messy and have fall-out within the compact, something to be aware of, in case it gets on clothes during application  – this definitely would not put me off investing in it.

Seal of Approval?

One hundred percent yes. A touch of Champagne Pop makes every day an occasion for me, bringing a sparkle to my eyes (as well as my face), such is my delight in this product. This gem of a product is a permanent fixture in my make-up arsenal and I can’t be without…a back-up is definitely in order! This marketing opportunity is hands down one of the best collaborative projects between brand and influencer in recent times in the beauty industry, in my opinion! This offering is simply stellar.

Any other Highlight Lovers out there? What’s your favourite highlighter? Have any of you tried Champagne Pop?
I’d love to know!

Tweet me: @DublinGail/Tag me on Instagram: @littlegforce or leave your faves in the comments section below!

I hope you enjoyed this Review and Beauty Chat guys!

As usual, thanks for stopping by and here’s to a fab new week.

P.S. Remember: Champagne Pop is now a permanent fixture in the BECCA Cosmetics line (thanks to the powers that be!)and is available on spackenk.com or sephora.com 

Gail. Xx
Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

VIP Morning with Peter Mark: Re-Launch of NIOXIN Thickening Hair Products.

Thicker Hair and Breakfast in Style:

I was recently kindly invited to attend a VIP morning for the Re-Launch of NIOXIN Hair Products in Peter Mark where I would experience the full NIOXIN in-salon experience in my quest to return to my luscious locks. I had wanted to try NIOXIN since speaking with a Beauty Editor of a popular Irish magazine at a launch, about her amazingly thick hair and subsequently her experience with NIOXIN. I was reminded of this rumoured “miracle” hair product when my stylist mentioned it to me and hence I was delighted to receive the invitation from one of my favourite salons and where I had my very first job, Peter Mark! I remember it well…

The Event: VIP Morning: Re-Launch of NIOXIN with Peter Mark hair salon.

The Location: Dundrum Town Centre.

The Date: April 2016.

Upon arrival at the salon, I was warmly greeted by my stylist and offered an array of breakfast delights and refreshments from orange juice and warm freshly baked pastries such as croissants to sausage rolls and fruit, as was my mom who accompanied me (a mother-daughter day was on the cards), fascinated at the prospect of what treatment I was attending the salon for!

I was then whisked off to my seat to begin my Nioxin experience…

The Consultation:

A hair consultation followed with my stylist and a Senior consultant of Wella (NIOXIN is under the Wella haircare umbrella) and a hair health check ensued using the latest technology to check hair density, growth, sebum excretion amounts (natural oils in the hair), hair follicle health and overall hair health. I had previously had a similar hair health check with a haircare company and knew my hair was healthy, however I wasn’t sure why after a lengthy illness a while back, it wasn’t growing back as thick or strong as it once had been.

As it turns out the hair that frames my face is particularly weak and grows a certain amount and then breaks therefore keeping hair thickness and growth in the area to a minimum…that’s where NIOXIN comes in!

What is NIOXIN Dermabrasion?

A Facial for the Scalp – How it Works:

The NIOXON Demabrasion Treatment is an anti-aging treatment for the scalp to help regenerate and revitalise the scalps skin through an exfoliation process, just like a facial for the scalp!

Suitable for men and women and those with colour treated hair the dermabraison treatment gently exfoliates, removing build up around the hair follicles and the claims are that it helps skin surface regeneration by up to 34% compared to untreated skin. NIOXIN treatments and products are recommended for those with alopecia, thinning/fine hair in order to promote healthy, stronger and thicker hair growth.

The Process:

Designed to revitalise the scalp and prevent hair damage the NIOXIN Dermabrasion Treatment is applied to the hair and has a revitalising, zingy mint scent. The scalp tingles with the  active concoction of ingredients and signals that the treatment has gone to work on restoring the hair to it’s natural and former glory.

The Application:

Applied to dry hair in a grid pattern and massaged into hair for one minute.

Left on the hair for ten minutes and then rinsed well.

Followed by the recommended NIOXIN 3 Part System.

Hair was then styled as usual and re-examined once more: with sebum levels, scalp and hair surface and follicle condition all re-examined after the treatment.

{Hair health is re-examined after the NIOXIN Dermabrasion Treatment.}

{Images are so in depth that they show minute in-grown hairs in the scalp – too many of these and the scalp is congested.}

{An example of a NIOXIN Three Part System.}

{My finished look – complete with boho blow dry.}

The Feedback:

I had a  lovely morning getting to grips with learning about these NIOXON products and in-salon treatments on offer in Peter Mark salons and I highly recommend trying NIOXIN products if you have thin/fine/thinning hair that’s in need of some nourishment and TLC perhaps after illness or having a baby or simply over-styling. Hair feels instantly strengthened, conditioned and thicker after one treatment. Scalp feels nourished and uber clean – all in all one is left with the perfect foundation for regeneration of hair growth! .

Have any of you tried NIOXIN treatment or products before? If so how did you like the products/treatment?

I was also to my surprise, kindly gifted a bottle of the NIOXIN Dia Boost Thickening Treatment with HTX before I left my consultation and I will be reporting back with my experience and review of this product soon.

Thank you goes to Peter Mark Dundrum Town Centre for this invitation to attend the NIOXIN VIP morning and experience these incredible treatments and products the gift and also to my wonderful stylist Emma, whose talented and capable hands I always feel comfortable in!

Thanks for stopping by guys!

Gail. x

Photography : © Gail O’Connor.
Not sponsored.

#TheBeautyEvent -THE Beauty Event You NEED to Know About at House of Fraser!

The Event: The Launch of House of Fraser’s #TheBeautyEvent.
*EXTENDED until this Sunday April 10th!

Recently I was kindly invited to attend an exclusive and intimate Beauty Blogger Evening, courtesy of House of Fraser, Dundrum.

The Location: Café Zest at House of Fraser, Dundrum.

Upon arrival, my fellow bloggers and I were greeted with Elderflower cordial and a selection of miniature cakes, all beautifully presented.

The event was an invitation to discover the latest and newest releases in makeup for the launch of #TheBeautyEventat House of Fraser.

With a host of representatives attending from YSL, Dior, Chanel, Urban Decay and Aveda amongst other beauty brands, we were treated to an evening of learning, sneaky peeks, first impressions and shopping!

EXCLUSIVE: My #BeautyBlossoms AVEDA Consultation and Hair Salon Experience at Brown Thomas!

Beauty Blossom:

It was a busy day of work and meetings made all the more easier to navigate with the promise of a pamper session right in the middle of it all in one of my favourite Dublin haunts. This welcome reprieve from the norm came in the form of an exclusive invitation to an afternoon consultation with Aveda at the Brown Thomas Beauty Blossom Event.

The Location: The Beauty Garden, Brown Thomas, Grafton Street.

This exclusive consultation was with the highly skilled Deborah Jordan, Aveda Ambassador and Creative Director of Miss and Co. Hair Salon in Waterford, Ireland.

About the Brand:

Aveda is a natural beauty company, with offerings in skin, hair and make-up.

Founder Horst went from successful and celebrated salon owner to founder of a natural hair and beauty brand whilst recovering from burn-out on a retreat in India. Horst had developed an appreciation for the power of wellness to promote balance to the mind, body and spirit from a young age through his herbalist mother.

Having moved to the states later in life from Austria, he developed his first clove shampoo in a kitchen sink in Minneapolis together with Shiv Nath Tandon whom he met in India as well as some doctors of Ayurveda. All have continued to work for Aveda since the early seventies.

A Brand is Born:

In 1978 Aveda was born through this well timed collaboration. The vision? To bring beauty professionals products that would be good for them, their guests, the Earth and its communities.

My Aveda Experience:

I was excited for the opportunity to try a new haircare brand and better still, try some natural haircare from a brand I have long heard rave reviews about.

Upon arrival I was warmly greeted with a cup of delicious Aveda Peppermint and Liquorice Tea and lead to my seat.

I then met with Deborah for my consultation and first up was a debrief on my hair, discussing everything from it’s current health state, manageability etc and any style requests I had. I had recently done a blog post on New York Fashion Week Hair Trends as done by Aveda at shows such as Jenny Packham, Public School, Charles Youssef and Leanne Marshall. I requested the beautiful and intricate Cobra Braid as featured in that post, to be done on my hair. Deborah agreed the look would suit me and my style and set about getting to work.

Next step was to de-stress. The Aveda Blue Oil was applied to my wrist points and I was told to close my eyes and inhale the calming benefits of the oil whilst a short but welcome Indian Head/ Shoulder massage and some limb stretching were performed. #bliss

The Process: Get the Look!

Aveda’s Shampure was applied to sections of my hair and massaged into the scalp area around my head, followed by a brief, gentle back-comb of each section for a magnificent amount of volume.

Shampure is  dry shampoo which achieves what dry shampoo is designed to do but also gives a nice dose of volume with it. Application can be easily and evenly distributed, due to the packaging allowing targeted and accurate application of each section. Bonus: hair feels and smells incredibly clean and fresh with a slight herbal scent
to it that doesn’t overpower at all. Hair is left shiny – not matte and lacklustre looking like some other dry shampoos can leave hair.

 

The Result:

I was astounded at how well the NYFW Cobra Braid re-creation turned out! Needless to say I was deliriously happy with the results from the volume, to the hairstyle itself and the overall Aveda experience – plus to know it was all natural haircare used to get the look, felt amazing.

Hair Health:

Deborah also performed a hair health check, scanning and mapping out my hair follicles for an accurate reading on hair density, and overall hair health. I scored very high and am delighted (and relieved – hello beauty blogger here!) to report my hair health is  excellent!

{Density is captured and rated on a scale of one-five…five being excellent.}

{Snapped: the delightful Deborah Jordan and I at the #BeautyBlossom event, Brown Thomas, Dublin.}

More pictures from The Brown Thomas #BeautyBlossom event:

Massive thanks to Deborah Jordan and Aveda for having me! I’m always grateful and excited for an opportunity to try a new experience! If you’re around Waterford pop into Miss and Co. Salon, for a gorgeous Aveda experience and tell Deborah I sent you!

Have any of you tried Aveda products before or are you a newcomer like me? If so, what are your faves?

Aveda is available at Brown Thomas and various other department stores and independent salons in Ireland.

I hope you enjoyed this Beauty Chat and if you try out Aveda Tweet me: @DublinGail or tag me on Instagram: @littlegforce with pics, I’d love to see your experience!

Thanks for stopping by!

Gail. Xx
Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

*Not sponsored.

Gift Guide: The HOLIDAY EDIT 1 – Christmas with Jo Malone London!

‘Tis the Season with Jo Malone!

Being a film lover, I adore the opportunity films bring to thoroughly immerse myself into the ebb and flow of their plot, character arcs, and the general atmosphere. I am transported. Transfixed. Soaking up the opportunity of escapism no matter what the genre…and especially so at Christmastime!

Some of my favourite Christmas films like Miracle on 34th Street (the 1994 version starring the late Richard Attenborough) or Serendipity (starring Kate Beckinsale), always have me envious of the (film version) department store experience – beautifully decorated, brimming with gorgeous gifts and offerings all beautifully wrapped in distinguished boxes immersed in quality tissue paper and tied up smartly with a bow usually in a block coloured or festive candy coloured ribbon.

Thankfully, I get my fix of the closest thing to this film version experience at Dublin’s Brown Thomas, the Irish home to Jo Malone London, complete with impeccably dressed and courteous, doormen!

Christmas with Jo Malone:

If you can’t treat yourself or a loved one to a little luxury at Christmas then when can you?!

Jo Malone is the epitomé of indulgence and luxury for me and a highly coveted item year round amongst us beauty lovers.

Ever Wanted to Try Jo Malone but Shied Away?
I’m here to tell you I think this time of year is the perfect chance!

One thing I particularly adore about Christmas is the generous gift sets available in the stores allowing us to try a new brand, re-discover an old fave or try a little something that has been out of our price range previously. The Joy!

These gift sets from Jo Malone will not disappoint with an astounding price point for such quality of offerings from a luxury brand, presented with finesse and wrapped in the signature Jo Malone box – even more excuse to indulgence in some opulence, like we need an excuse eh?!

‘Tis the Season with Jo Malone – and here are some highlights:

Have you tried anything from Jo Malone before? What are some of YOUR favourites?
Mine? I’m quite partial to the colognes in Pomegranate Noir, Blush Suede and Peony, Dark Amber and Ginger Lily, Velvet Rose and Oud and Wood Sage and Sea Salt. The candles are phenomenal too with a magnificent throw and a favourite for Christmastime is the Pine and Eucalyptus Limited Edition scent.

Jo Malone is available in-store and on-line at Brown Thomas Dublin and if visiting in-store, don’t forget to stop awhile and peer at the renowned and highly anticipated Christmas window displays at Brown Thomas, a nostalgic tradition of mine since childhood. 

Thank you as always for stopping by and for reading my blog guys! I hope you are starting to get into the spirit of the season! I know I am!
Until the next post, I’ll love ya & leave ya.

Gail.Xx

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.

*Not sponsored – I just love Brown Thomas and Jo Malone and wanted to share in a Gift Guide/for your info capacity!

Christmas with The Body Shop: The Feel So Good Christmas Wonderland event!

With the cold nights drawing in and Christmas just around the corner, I love nothing more than unwinding after a long day with a hot shower, slathering on some luxurious body butter and hopping into my pj’s.

Luxurious bath and body care products don’t have to cost the earth however and one of the best spots around on the high street for adding a luxurious veil of silk to the skin is The Body Shop!

A year round favourite, I particularly look forward to getting something from The Body Shop at Christmastime, be it a deluxe gift set, a favourite Body Butter or a limited edition scent, receiving something from The Body Shop at Christmas, always goes down a treat.

The Event: The Body Shop’s Feel So Good Christmas Wonderland Event.

The Date: Thursday, November 5th 2015.

The Location: The Body Shop, Grafton Street, Dublin.

The evening saw me finish up at the final day of Web Summit, head straight for Dublin town centre and stopping off for a quick freshen up before attending the launch of The Body Shop’s Christmas Collection. The excitement!

Upon entering the venue guests were greeted with frosted plum pudding cake pops, cupcakes prosecco and a room beautifully laid out with a myriad of festive looking gift sets, limited edition products and old faves from The Body Shop, vying for our attention!

My eye went straight to this black box with red ribbon. An adorable gift set box, what girl doesn’t like something wrapped in a bow? I’d love opening this Christmas morning to a burst of scent-sational goodies from The Body Shop!

Every Christmas The Body Shop partner with a charity and this year sees the Body Shop partner with Water Aid who provide access to safe drinking water. The Body Shop will provide a family in Ethiopia with a day’s worth of water with every gift set purchased this Christmas. Is there anything better than giving back or paying it forward, especially at Christmas-time?!

Showcased on the night were seasonal scents such as Cranberry, Frosted Plum and Glazed Apple. Gift sets were in abundance in the new ranges Oils of The World, Voyage and Spa of the World, as well as long-standing favourites available such as Coconut and newer scents such as Wild Argan Oil all calling our names! Also released are some seasonal limited edition make-up releases and candles – loving the candles by the way, great addition to the collection.

 

Lorna Duffy, Damien Broderick and I having a little selfie fun at the event.

Tell me, what beauty and body-care products are on your Christmas list? Are you after anything from The Body Shop?!

Huge thanks goes to The Body Shop and Revolve PR for the invitation to a festive evening of indulgence, not forgetting charity.

As always, thanks for stopping by my little corner of the internet world guys, always appreciated!

Gail. xx

P.S. For all you nail art lovers out there – YouTube sensation and fellow blogger Estée LaLonde has collaborated with The Body Shop in the UK and has come out with her own nail art kit for the same cause – Wateraid! Another reason to check out this Christmas campaign from The Body Shop!

I recently met Estée at Web Summit (check us out on her Web Summit vlogs, IRELAND IS FANTASTIC & FEELING THE IRISH LOVE) and we hit it off she’s exactly how she is on camera – a doll. If you haven’t checked her out already, do it NOW!

Learn more about the significance of this Charity Partnership with Wateraid and don’t forget to tag me on Twitter @DublinGail and Instagram: @littlegforce with your purchases!

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
Selfie image: courtesy of Lorna Duffy of Fashion Boss Blog.

 

Beauty Alert! The NEW So…? Couture Perfume Range You NEED To Know About!

On a cool and cloudy September day in Dublin, my spirits were lifted in a haze of perfume and the promise of cocktails and chat at the So…? Fragrance Press Day for their new Couture Range!

The Date:

Wednesday, September 2nd 2015.

The Location:

One of my favourite venues the gorgeous space that is, House Dublin.

Being a huge fan of the original So…? (anyone else love this one?) fragrance from my teenage years I was intrigued and delighted to get an exclusive sniff of their new offerings and I have to say I was not disappointed.

Drawing inspiration from the fashion realm the new Couture Range delivers a hip, vibrant and fresh scent experience capturing the essence of fashion capitals such as London and Paris beautifully.

Let the streets be your catwalk. – So Couture campaign

My fave?

Oh SO Good!

Although they all smell lovely, I’m predominantly a fresher fragrance fan and so I was pleasantly surprised (and excited!) by the London fragrance, a sophisticated, cool, refreshing yet zingy scent.
It oozes the cosmopolitan vibe associated with London as a Fashion Capitol and I just love it!

The Couture Range:

Featuring names of fashion capitals such as NYC, London, Paris and Rio the range to me, vies to encapsulate the modern living associated with some of the world’s fashion capitals and fuse fashion with a suitable scent experience, conjuring up favourable memories and feelings surrounding said cities.

Other products newly launched:

Dry Shampoo: in So…? Lovely and So…? Va Va Volume, they also come in a nifty pack with two mini body sprays perfect for travel, concerts, events, music festivals and the like!

New Rock and Roll Range: So…? Rock and Roll –  trendy fragrances boasting a mixture of street chic and edgy style in tattoo-printed sleek, cylindrical bottles – my favourite from this range being the So…? For Me fragrance.

The Edible Delights & Thirst Quenchers:

Couture style cupcakes and delectable treats from House, Dublin – including signature cocktails created for the event!

Nails Dublin were on hand providing some much welcomed manicures to guests.

Gail Kaneswaren – changing it up and embracing winter white as her nail colour of choice!

So Social!

The event was so popular it even started trending on Twitter!
#placetobe

My fellow Bloggers and I enjoying the event.

Tell me, who out there is a fan of So…? Fragrances and what is your earliest memory of the brand? I love hearing from you!

A hugely successful event full of fun and frolics with a fabulous jam-packed goodie bag. Delighted.

Massive thanks to the So…? Fragrance team Joanne and Therese and also Event Manager Emma O’Farrell for the invitation and hospitality. Also, the staff and management at House Dublin for their friendly attitude, professionalism and attention to detail throughout the event.

You can get your hands on these goodies, available in Penneys (Primark) and selected pharmacies nationwide or shop the collection: So…? Fragrances.

Thanks for stopping by guys!

Gail. Xx

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
1st image: So…? Fragrance.
Blogger Group shot: Mei Ling Tong.

EXCLUSIVE! Launch of: The Body Shop NEW Beauty Products and Sneak Peek!

The Event:

The Body Shop Double Whammy Launch of their NEW beauty products from: The Spa of the World range and a sneaky peek at The Oils of the World range.

The Date:
Thursday 20th August 2015.

The Location:

The Body Shop store on Grafton Street, Dublin.

I have long had an affinity with The Body Shop’s offerings from my teenage obsession with Dewberry and White Musk perfumes (who remembers those beauts?), their mint lip balm, lip-liner in Beechwood and creamy Body Butters to my current faves the original Honey Bronzer, their Grapefruit, Coconut and Mojito Range, Chamomile Cleansing Oil and various Body Butters (still a staple).

Hence, having received an invitation to a very special double launch of the latest and greatest additions to The Body Shop’s repertoire, I excitedly accepted said invite, like a kid in a candy beauty store!

The event itself was cleverly laid out to imitate an actual spa experience, with complimentary henna tattooing, head massages and other treatments as well as plenty of samples of the new ranges to sniff, fawn over, indulge ourselves in and subsequently covet.

In keeping with the theme of the launch the event had a world journeys vibe to it with lanterns and oriental pictures adorning the space, accompanied by savoury, spiced popcorn, strawberries and cream and Prosecco to feast upon!

Spa of the World Range:

A different Spa Ritual for your every need – Relaxing, Revitalising & Blissful.

Relaxing Ritual:

In Need of Some “ME” Time?

Calm and restore the senses with a Relaxing Ritual.

This Japanese Camellia Cream smells incredible! One of my “must-haves” from the range.

The Packaging:

The packaging from this latest release – brown container and rose gold labelling is appealing as it is practical, minimal and spa-like, reinforcing the core message of the campaign to:

Turn your Bathroom into a Spathroom! – The Body Shop

Revitalising Ritual:

Feeling Low? Need an energy boost?

Invigorate the senses with this rejuvenating and energising collection. Perfect for that morning “wake me up” shower or any-time you feel you need a lift in spirits!

Blissful Ritual:

When you just have to have the ultimate, luxurious pampering session…Reach for this!
I am currently obsessed with the Polynesian Monoi Radiance Oil (smells phenomenal guys!) which I received in my goodie bag, keep an eye on the blog for a review very soon!

Another gem of this range is the Hawaiian Kukui Body Cream:

I was thrilled to be gifted with this delight and will report back soon on performance and expectations!

And the Sneak Peek?

The Oils of Life Range: – A new skincare range with a combination of 3 Precious Seed Oils – Black Cumin Seed Oil from Egypt, Camellia Seed Oil from China and Rose-hip Seed Oil from Chile fused together to create a stunningly crafted collection.

The oil fusion in this range is über reminiscent of every spa experience I’ve had, you know the drill, the heady mix of oils specifically picked to allow the user to become re-invigorated or unwind. This range is your spa experience – bottled!

Truly a welcome addition to The Body Shop – an at home spa experience in every bottle and brought to you by a high street beauty store! Mind. Blown.

*Available in mid September!

New Blushers: Watermelon Sorbet? Yes please!

The Mingling:

The After Party:

From a relaxed spa experience to an impromptu dinner and drinks with my blogger buds, the evening had taken on the ultimate girls night vibe to it! Perfect ending to a busy day…

I hope you enjoyed this informative Beauty Chat style of post everyone!

Have you tried anything NEW from The Body Shop? And if you pick up anything from the new ranges, do let me know!

A massive thank you goes to The Body Shop and its staff and Revolve PR, for their invitation and generous hospitality and everyone else involved in the event presentation.

Until next time, I’ll love ya & leave ya!

Gail. Xx

Photography: © Gail O’Connor.
SHOP the products: The Body Shop.

The BEST NEW Monthly Beauty Box? Sephora’s LATEST Cosmetic Service!

Play! With Sephora:

Sephora, the mecca of every beauty and make-up lover, is making waves – not only is it finally offering a monthly subscription box service (eek!) but is also headed down under!

Although predominantly associated with trips to the States to indulge in some Sephora goodness, Sephora is actually a French make-up store. Founded in Paris in 1970 by Dominique Mandonnaud, it has become synonymous with must-have cosmetics from all of our favourite brands. Sephora’s own brand is gaining traction with it’s make-up brushes being a particular favourite within the make-up and beauty blogging community. It’s parent organisation is powerhouse, Louis Vuitton.

All Eyes on Sephora: The Best Beauty Box?

This move into the Subscription Box service is a genius business move for the company and I think it is set to create quite a stir within that market, with many competitors sitting up to take note. The company are joining the market at the right time before it reaches saturation.

If Sephora continue as they mean to go on and remain true to their subscription box offerings of high end products, the company has significant potential to gain market share and give competitors a real run for their money. That would be great news for us make-up lovers!

The Subscription Box:

If you’re like me and haven’t popped your Sephora cherry yet, this may be the perfect way to get your mitts on some of the fabulousness that every beauty lover that goes to America, and hits up a Sephora store, goes on about!

This new offering from Sephora known as “Play!” is set to rival it’s competitors and based on the contents of the first box, may nudge its competitors to up their beauty box game! I love the name of the box personally, as it conjures up images of getting to “Play” with make-up!

The $10 a month subscription charge, puts it on par with Birchbox, Glossy Box and other established and successful, subscription box competitors however, Sephora may already have a little edge over their competitors trading on the power and instant recognisability of their brand, notoriety as a beauty lovers paradise and the loyal consumer base they have accumulated!

What to expect?

Five deluxe sized products ranging from make-up to skincare to haircare each month, differing in brands with each box. Each box will be themed and as Sephora is famed for, some amazing samples thrown in for good measure! A few bonus features will be included also such as Spotify playlists.

The First Box:

Rumoured to contain products from:

Marc Jacobs

Ole Henricksen

Sephora’s Own Brand

GlamGlow

Bumble and Bumble

It is worth noting that although we may be able to access some of these brands already in our countries, Sephora is known to have some products from brand lines that we don’t have access to yet. Hence, the subscription box could prove to be a gem of discovery for the beauty lover!

The service is being tested at the moment and is set to launch in September (only a few short weeks ladies!) in the U.S cities of Boston, Cincinnatti and Columbus Ohio. It will roll out in full in 2016.

Making Waves in Melbourne!

In other Sephora news…

The make-up giant is set to open another store in Melbourne Australia just in time for Christmas!

My Australian readers and the Irish diaspora down under may be particularly delighted with this news, however I am aware at how pricey make-up is to purchase in Australia which brings me back to the subscription box – it might be an option for you to get your Sephora on at a lower price point?!

With a store already located in Sydney, this new store will open in Melbourne’s CBD.

Now we just need to get a store in Dublin! (Hint, Hint!)

Is the Play! By Sephora Beauty Subscription Box The BEST? Only time will tell…

Tell me, would you subscribe or consider subscribing to this latest subscription box? I’d love to know!

I hope you found this beauty info post useful guys!
Thanks for stopping by.

Gail. Xx

SHOP Sephora

Image: Sephora.

Sources; Time, The New Daily.