L'Occitane Almond Velvet Hands Hand Cream

As far as I am concerned you can never have too many tubes, tubs or sachets of hand cream and if you are like me, there will be at least one in every handbag you own, one on your bedside table, one on your desk, one in your desk drawer and a few spare just in case. I am a huge fan of L'Occitane hand creams and until now could never pick a favourite, until now. L'Occitane Almond Velvet Hands Hand Cream is the newest release from L'Occitane and it is just amazing, more so that it includes SPF15!

Packaging on L'Occitane products is always something special and this hand cream has the traditional outer box that I recognise from the Almond range but the tube itself is a lovely light pastel pink metallic tube with a plastic lid and it is rare I meet someone who doesn't have a bashed up tube of L'Occitane hand cream in their possession.

Did you know that the Almond Tree is the first to be reborn t the end of winter when its native cells trigger the renewal buds?  Well with that in mind, L'Occitane draws upon the regenerating power of the almond native cells which help to renew and revitalise the epidermis cells of the hands. On the hands, the cream is incredibly rich and silky and it is also non-greasy and as soon as it comes into contact with your skin, it begins to absorb itself.

The hand cream has a triple-action formula which smooths hands, evens out skin tone and protects against UV rays. Enriched with an almond complex which has a blend of three active ingredients which help to stimulate collagen production and smooth the skin on your hands.  Your skin tone is evened out, fine lines reduced and there is an instant nourishing feeling.  What I love about the hand cream aside from the fact it makes my hands feel so soft and smooth is the scent.  Not forgetting that L'Occitane Almond Velvet Hands does have SPF15 which will help shield the skin against environmental damage, premature signs of ageing and of sun induced brown spots.

Anyone who knows me, will know I adore the Almond range from L'Occitane and have worked my way through two jars of the Almond Velvet Balm and two bottles of shower gel, which for me is unheard of. The hand cream is just as divine and has quickly become my favourite and a 75ml tube, which is just massive (they are usually 30ml) only costs £18, though you will have to wait until April to get your hands on it ha absolutely no pun intended.

Laura Geller The Sweetest Thing

Just before Christmas, I was really lucky to be invited along to brush with the fabulous Laura Geller to learn more about the lady herself and her fantastic makeup range.  I always find it so interesting to find out why people start their own range and with so much enthusiasm, it was hard not to fall under Laura's spell, she totally understood the value of Bloggers and our value as well as having a plan of action for her range.

This was my first introduction to Laura Geller Makeup and I was very lucky to be able to take home a beautiful pink sparkly bag with a range of products inside to play and get acquainted with. 

Today I am sharing with you The Sweetest Thing which is a 6 piece collection in Pinks and Purples and inside there are six different products to play with.

The first item is the Baked Balance-n-brighten colour correcting foundation, I have shade medium which is too dark for my pale skin, but when mixed with my moisturier it works  to not only give good coverage but also correct any imperfections that I have and it also works well to give a slight bronzed look on my cheeks when used alone.  It is also mineral oil and paraben free.

Baked Blush-n-Brighten in shade pink buttercream is just beautiful. Again it works to give you that natural flushed look and it doubles up as a highlighter to give you a bit of a glow too as it has swirled with copper and gold flecks.

My favourite product in this box is the Baked Highlighter and I have shade Golden Rose and it is just beautiful, it isn't too over the top to make you look shiny but it is buildable depending on how much highlighting your skin needs.

Then we have a baked eyeshadow in Opal/Violet and this is one product I haven't used as yet as I am not too sure I can pull off either shade, but it is a beautiful little duo and it ca be used wet for a more dramatic colour.  It hosts Vitamin E conditions and Centella Asiatica and White Tea Extract provide antioxidant protection.

Next we have the Colour Drenched Lipgloss in shade Pink Lemonade which is a really pretty pink gloss which is neither tacky or sticky and it isn't as pink as it looks in the tube, it is quite much softer. The formula with emollient oils and Vitamin E helps protect lips from environmental damage and there is a ach shade is a really subtle coffee aroma.

The final item within this box is a double-ended Foundation and Highlighter brush. The Foundation Brush is suitable for use with all-over face powders and the Highlighter Applicator is perfect for face application, though I tend to use it for applying my concealer as I find it works perfectly.

I think this is such a fabulous set, it has everything you possibly need and everything is so versatile that even if it designed for one job, you can guarentee it will do something else too.

Have you tried anything from the Laura Geller Make up range?

The Heat-Treat Cap

Hair care is a topic I don't seem to cover much on BeautyqueenUK but over the next few weeks that is going to change because I have a few products I want to share with you.

Today is the turn of Heat-Treat Cap, described as being a new revolutionary thermal treatment cap to give salon results at home. With the tagline 'Say goodbye to bad hair in 5 easy steps' has me hooked. So, like most people, I use a lot of heat on my hair - GHD's, Hair dryer and sometimes a curling wand, which all causes havoc on my hair if I don't give it some TLC and I tend to use a hair mask at least twice a month.

The Heat Treat Cap looks like a shower cap, but it has what feels like a gel filled inside, there is also a plastic lip liner which you need to remove before putting the cap into the microwave. So, to use the cap it needs to go into your microwave for between one and two & a half minutes, depending on your microwave and let it heat up. In the meantime, having already washed your hair, whilst your heat cap is warming up, this is the time to apply your chosen hair treatment, ensure you have equal coverage across your hair and scalp, then put the cap liner onto your head and remove the heat cap from the microwave and put it onto your head, as you would do your shower cap. All of which is really easy to do and the cap isn't hot enough to burn your hands or your head, it actually feels really nice.

For my treatment, I used the label.m honey and oat hair mask which is my current favourite mask and it will have a full review coming soon, it is worth noting that there is the inclusion of three hair masks by Jenois within the box. So, depending on how long your mask is designed to stay on your hair, is how long you use the heat cap for but ideally it should be for around 2-10 minutes. My hair mask says depending on the state of your hair, the mask should be left to work its magic for up to 5 minutes, so I always time those minutes from the moment the cap goes onto my head. Once the cap is on you can do whatever you need to do, there is no requirement to sit still and wait for your time to finish, so I hoovered up and put some clothes away whilst wearing mine. Once my 5 minutes were up, I removed both caps and rinsed the mask from my hair using warm water. What I did notice is how smooth my hair was once it had dried and how much easier my hair straighteners seemed to glide through my hair. My once messy birds next was now sleek ans shiny and just as soft as when I usually leave the salon.

The Heat-Treat Cap is aimed at those who have dry, lack lustre, frizzy or limp hair. However, I actually think anyone who loves to give their hair some TLC and using any kind of hair treatment, be it an oil, mask or conditioner could and should give it a try. It is easy to use, re-usable and it makes my hair feel amazing and is well worth the price tag of £24.95 which is much less than just a wash, treatment and blow dry at my local salon. More information about the Heat-treat Cap on the official website and you can also purchase some hair treatments too.

Freedom Pro Artist Pad - Black Arts

Freedom Makeup is a brand you probably have heard of, it is a sister brand of Makeup Revolution and is Professional Makeup Brand giving you products at an affordable price.

The Freedom Pro Pad Black Arts Edition contains 48 of the finest professional quality eyeshadows and yes I did say 48 eyeshadows.  Infact, this palette has every shade on it that I can imagine ever needing in my life and then some, just look at it, it is the same size as my iPad!

Within the Freedom Makeup Black Arts Pro Artist Pad you will find an amazing mixture of matte, satin, metallic and shimmery eyeshadows. Possibly a palette that leans towards the neutral side, it is just beautiful, especially for a neutral eyeshadow girl like myself. Neatly packed in squares, the pigmentation is amazing and I have swatched some of my favourite shades so that you can see for yourself.

Whether you like your bronze, gold, copper, pink, browns or even your blues and grey shades, you can find them all on this palette.  It gives you plenty of scope to play with and it costs just £15 though if you are quick, it is currently on offer for just £10 right here.

Have you tried any make up from Freedom yet?

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