Salvatore Ferragamo Singorina Elegance Perfume Review

Do you remember my review of the Elie Saab L’Eau CouturePerfume last week? Well, what I failed to mention was the series of events that led to finding myself at Elys in Wimbledon. Elys is one of the best department stores I have been to because it has all the lovely brands all housed in a 4-floor building in the heart of Wimbledon. The exciting thing is they are always so generous with their samples as well because they send emails if you have their free beauty card and are subscribed to their newsletter. So, I received an email saying I could get a deluxe sample of the Salvatore Ferragamo Signorina Eleganza, I was thrilled. Straight after work, I found myself there and I was a bit taken aback on how pretty the sample was and they definitely were not joking when they said it was a deluxe sample as it holds 5 ml of this lovely scent. I did not use it for a long time because it was so pretty but I decided to pop it into my makeup bag as a touch up perfume and it’s truly the perfect size and smells amazing!!

Packaging

I would try not to drool but I am really tempted to buy the full size because it is ever so pretty but that would be a waste of resources which are not particularly abundant in the current climate (hahaha, I can’t believe I used a work jargon on my blog, damn!!).  First off, I am a huge fan of the colours. The soft Gold and Nude Beige colours of the packaging are so appealing to me and the little pinkish-beige bow at the top is just the perfect finish to an already pretty packaging.

Notes

The first notes that hits you is the fresh scent of the Grapefruit and Pear which paves the way to the sensual scent of Almond Powder and Golden Osmanthus Petals before it settles to Patchouli and White Leather which is a mixture that stays with you for a long time. I really like the combination of scents and I think it sits within the fruity/floral and musk category which I think I prefer with fragrances.

Who is this for?

This fragrance can be worn by anyone from their twenties onward because it is so feminine yet sophisticated. Just like the name implies, it is a really elegant fragrance and I really like to wear it when I am going out because it just feels like the sort of fragrance you want to wear to an occasion.

Cost

It comes in different sizes 30ml, 50 ml and 100ml and the starting price ranges from £42, £60 and £81 respectively so it’s an expensive perfume but I think it’s worth it because it is long lasting (it’s an Eau De Parfum), good quality and the packaging is exquisite. I am so pleased I got to try this sample and I would be popping this on my wish list. Have you tried anything from Salvatore Ferragamo?

Estee Lauder Gift With Purchase (Debenhams)

A few weeks ago, I was browsing around in Debenhams after work. I needed to buy my backup of the Clinique Anti-Blemish Foundation (review here) and I spied the Estee Lauder counter with this lovely Gift With Purchase. Normally, I never buy from them because they always have an attractive offer but you have to buy two products from their range and one has to be skin care which is never affordable. It was the same thing this time around. I had recently run out of my cleanser SK:N Vitamin Rich Cleanser (already reviewed here) so I thought "Oh well" I may as well give it a go seeing that they also had 10% discount. I ended up buying the Estee Lauder Multi-Action Gelee Cleanser and the Estee Lauder Double Wear Concealer which I would be reviewing soon and I was quite happy with the discount I got and of course this Gift With Purchase (GWP). I have been using them for a little while now and I really like the range of products included so I thought a little review/first impression was due...

Packaging

As always, I really like how much effort these high end brands put in their sample sizes. It just makes a difference and you feel like you are using the full size which is exactly the feeling a sample size should evoke just so the customer can end up buying the full size if they had a good experience. I particularly love the Makeup bag and the Eyeshadow quad.

Contents

Can we just appreciate how colorful and spring-y the makeup bag looks? I love it. It is actually made of plastic/rubber and for some reason, I thought it would be cotton/canvas or whatever material normal makeup bags have. I have to say the names of their products are so looooooooooooong and I wonder whatever happened to having shorter names that actually stick better in a customer's memory. Long names aside, they were pretty generous with the range of products included inside. You are even allowed to choose what Eyeshadow Quad shade you wanted and the Lipstick shade as well which I think is commendable. Inside this beautiful bag, I received the following:

Estee Lauder Advanced Multi-Protection Anti-Oxidant Creme SPF 15 (what a mouthful!)

This is now my go-to moisturiser because it is so easily absorbed and it does not leave an annoying greasiness on my face. It applies really well and keeps my skin hydrated and with the added SPF 15, it's a winner for Spring.

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye Cream

I already tried their Advanced Time Wise Eye cream and I loved it but I love this one even more. The texture feels rich but light when applied; it's really hard to explain. Once it hits under the eyes, it's also readily absorbed and I am slowly becoming a fan of eye creams because the two Estee Lauder ones I have tried are lovely.

Estee Lauder Stress Relief Eye Mask

I am saving this for when I go on holiday so I can use it on the plane because my eyes would definitely be needing it as my flight will be a long one. I am quite excited to try it because I don't think I have tried an eye mask before so I hope this is really good and I would report back after I have tried it.

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Eye Shadow Quad

You beautiful Quad....how I love you so! I was excited about this because its packaging is just beautiful and attractive. Inside the eye shadows are really tiny. Seriously, if you have big fingers and you forget your brush, you won't be able to apply this. At first, I thought the shades would look dodgy on me but they are actually good and the color pay off is fantastic but not as good as my beloved MAC. The shades are Ivory Slipper, Enchanted Forest, Nude Fresco  and Hot Cinnamon. If you are dark skinned or olive skinned, this would look pretty on you and you can get a few looks from this quad. 

Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Mascara

The former non-mascara applier (moi) has been slowly converted to a die-hard mascara fan with the constant application (and practice) using some new high end mascara samples I have been trying. When I saw the wand/brush, I knew we would get on really well. I prefer lengthening mascaras to volumising ones but sometimes, it does not really matter. Although this falls under the volumising category, it's actually lengthening too and gives a very flattering length and volume to my lashes no matter how tiny they are. The trick is in the application which should be done from root to top with a slight wiggle. That always works for me and prevents clumping which is my pet peeve.

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Lipstick in Sugar Honey (83)

When I saw this shade, I thought it would be too dark but it's really flattering on my lips. It's like a nude with a hint of colour and lustre which would be suitable for olive and darker skinned ladies. I am not quite sure how flattering it would be on paler skin types but you never know. It is well pigmented and has a good lasting power on the lips sans eating/drinking. I have stuck this permanently in my makeup bag because it's the perfect nude for work.

Estee Lauder Pure Colour Intense Kajal Eyeliner Duo

Last but not least is the Kajal Eyeliner Duo which is my least favourite/used product and it's not because it's not great but mainly because I am rubbish at applying eye liner. No really, I am really bad at it and I end up with really watery and sometimes, red eyes. It's pathetic and when I rub my eyes, I look like a weeping Panda so this has been staring up at me from my makeup drawer daring me to use it. I will prevail one of these days....

That's it folks and I hope you have enjoyed it. This post was meant to go up when the offer was still on but it's ended now which is a real shame but you never know if it would be up in your local Debenhams but if if you wanted to try out any of these products, I hope this has helped however little and I will see you in my next post...x

The Samples: Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris and Gentle Exfoliating Toner with Tamarind

                                  

 

I love sample size products because they just look so cute and it gives you a cheap chance to try out products. I went in to try out the Clinique Brow Pencil as there were no MAC counters near to me. You all know I love my MAC Brow Pencil in Stud. The Clinique Sales Lady was not in but the Clarins Sales Lady was there and she helped me with my Clinique purchase and we started chatting and she was really helpful and friendly. Although, I did not buy anything from Clarins, she gave me these samples to try out. What a jolly lady she was!!! She gave me the Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris (for combination to oily skin) and the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Brightening Toner. I really like Clarins because most of the ingredients used in their formulation are derived from plant products and natural derivatives. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how dainty these samples look? I think they look so cute! Now this is not a full review because I believe a full review should be with a full size product so I would say this is more of a first impression and thoughts kind of post....let's dive in

Clarins Toning Lotion with Iris

Now, this has a slight fragrance which I really don't mind at all; in fact I actually find it pleasant. I use a cotton pad with this and I find that it has a slight hydrating effect on my skin. It refreshes my skin and you can tell that something different is happening after you apply it. It does not contain alcohol so there is no fear of drying out the skin. It might be my imagination but it does feel really cooling when it hits my skin but not in a "minty" way just in a really nice refreshing way (I am aware I have mentioned that it's refreshing already). I think this may be down to the Iris content; just maybe. When I run out of my current toning lotions, I may buy the full size of this because it's really lovely.

Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Brigthening Toner

This was the sample I was originally after and I am glad the Clarins lady had one left in her stash. I had heard about this toner from quite a few blogs so I was naturally interested. Anything that says exfoliating gets me excited because as you may know by now, I am looking to clear my hyperpigmentation left from some evil acne I once had. I am glad at least my breakouts are now under control (hallelujah). I like the fact that it says gentle which means even people with sensitive skin can use this. It contains Tamarind and White Nettle which have exfoliating and brightening abilities. It also says on the tiny packaging that it contains AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) which are known for its exfoliating, brightening and cell renewal properties. This also means you have to use a sunscreen to protect your skin as the AHAs make it more sensitive to sunlight. I really like this toner because I feel it has helped my skin despite the tiny amount and short time I have used it. It has a distinct smell of citrus which I really like as well and you can tell I like fragrances in skin care and I am lucky my skin does not mind. This toner is definitely one on my wish list having tried it now. That's it folks and see you in my next post...x

Free Avene Skincare Samples

Hi My Lovelies,
I came across Mistrys Pharmacy via fellow blogger Raspberrycheeks who recently tried out free Avene Samples in February and I immediately found myself on the website ordering my free samples too!. At the moment, they are still offering a chance to get free samples of Avene skin care which is French brand that knows their onions when it comes to skin care. I really like Mistrys "Try before you Buy" offer and I wish other brands/department stores will take a cue from this. As you know, I really like samples because they are an affordable way to try out products at minimal or no cost. All you have to do is select 5 Avene samples only (I even saw they had some Eucerin products for free trial too) and pay the delivery cost which is £3.25 which I think is fair seeing the way they packaged the samples. I am really impressed with their service and I am still in the process of trying out these samples so I will be reporting back. Meanwhile, I have been loving the Avene High Protection Sunscreen with SPF 50 because it's really light weight and I have been using it for a few days now and loving it so far.

My experience with ordering from Mistry Pharmacy was really good. I ordered on a Saturday and I received the products almost a week after which is fine for me but I am not sure everyone will be pleased with it taking so long to arrive. Not all the products I picked were sent to me but they made up for it by adding an extra sample which to me is excellent customer service. Instead of 5 standard samples; I got 6 and I love all of them. These are the samples I received:

1. Avene Emulsion Sunscreen SPF 50
2. Avene Light Hydrating Cream SPF 20
3. Aven D-Pigment Dark Spot Treatment
4. AveneTrixera Emollient Cream
5. Avene Soapless Cleansing Gel
6. Avene Micellar Solution.

I will be reviewing them all soon so keep your eyes peeled on here. If you are interested, you can check them out here for free samples. If you are not keen to spend any money on postage and you want all these samples absolutely free then you can register your details on the Avene Website here and you would receive some samples as well following a skin diagnosis which you complete online. I just completed mine and I was emailed to say it will take two weeks so fingers crossed on that. And this is NOT a press sample, sponsored post or affiliate link. I just wanted to share with you all..x

*N.B: Apologies for the dodgy photos..I had to take them indoors without good lighting but who cares about crystal clear photos when they are free samples to collect?!! Yeah, not me..:-)*

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum and Time Zone Eye Cream-Sample Testing

Hi My Lovelies,

I have a little confession to make..I have acquired quite a few samples and I have not been using them. A good amount has already been given out to family members and friends so I am left with a few to start using and I have decided to let you know if they are worth splurging out on the full size. If you are not familiar with how to get samples or freebies as they are commonly called, I suggest you head over to these posts here and here to learn how to get them. Samples/freebies are not reserved just for bloggers; anyone can get it as far as you are a beauty lover, that's all it takes. Ok, you also have to be charming and polite as well. Over the holidays and sales, I was able to get even more samples because most beauty counters and retailers were all in a jolly good mood. One of the sales ladies told me that March and September are when most beauty brands have their biggest freebies/gifts with purchase so keep your eyes peeled. I absolutely believe her because those were the months I saw many beauty brands advertising free gifts with purchase (and also during Christmas). The first offering is from  Estée Lauder and I have two samples from them...

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum aka ANR II

This has been raved and raved till the cows come home in the blogging and beauty world but I have just not been tempted to buy it because it is quite pricey. The full size costs about £45 for 30 ml. I actually got 3 samples of this which is more than half of the 30 ml. I gave one of the samples to my sister to try out although her skin is perfect. It says night repair on the packaging and I have only used it at night (which is rather silly of me because I think it can be used during the day if you prefer). It is easily absorbed to the skin and I use it right after cleansing. I am going to be honest, I did not really notice any wowing effect on my skin. It could be because this is just a tiny sample and/or the fact that it is more of a preventative and restorative serum as opposed to fast acting blemish/acne blasting which is what really tickles my fancy. However, I am in love with the packaging; I think it looks so cute and I like brands that take the pain to design pretty packaging for their samples rather than the annoying cheap sachets.

Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Eye Cream

Again, I chose this sample because it looks so pretty and I have to commend Estée Lauder for making one of the prettiest samples packaging rather than those awful sachets. I am not an eye cream person because I feel my eyes are really delicate and I don't want anything going near it. However, I was very stressed in December last year and I was going to bed really late which resulted in late nights and very limited sleeping hours. As a result, my under-eyes started looking a bit dodgy compared to the rest of my face. It was slightly darker and just looked tired. So, I thought it was the best time to whip this little luxury out. Of course, I had to start getting de-stressed by praying, meditating, eating better and sleeping well. What this eye cream did was facilitate the healing process of under my eyes and I am happy to say they are almost back to how they were in the past. I can't attribute all the success to it but I think it played a good part. It is also useful for wrinkles and ageing which, thankfully, I don't have any so I can't really comment on its efficacy. Although, it's a sample, it has a sizeable amount of product which I can see lasting for a while.

Verdict

Although I have enjoyed using these samples,  I am quite happy to move on to others. I am not entirely sure I would repurchase any of them because I was not seriously impressed but if I am in a particularly spendy mood and I won some cash/lottery, I would splurge on the eye cream because I kinda like it and I feel it's efficacious. I hope you have enjoyed this post and I will see you in my next one..x

Gamila Secret Face Oil Review

Hey My Lovelies,
It is  brand new week of new possibilities and challenges to conquer, so chin up and go for it (i was meant to publish this post on Monday but life happens).That's me trying to be inspirational and nudge myself back to the reality of a new week. I have received a few requests from my lovely readers for a review of the Gamila Secret Face Oil, so here it is. I am sure it is no secret that I love the Gamila Secret brand because their products are very high quality, 100% organic and natural and, most importantly, they are effective and will improve your skin provided you use it according to its instructions which is pretty straightforward. You can head off to my previous post on the Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar Review to get better acquainted with the brand and the Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar. 

Moving on to the review, I had been using the Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar for a few weeks already and I was contemplating buying the Gamila Secret Face Oil but the hefty price tag of £70 kept me back from buying it although I was still lusting after it everyday. Luckily for me, I had a 10% discount from Gamila Secret so I needed no more convincing and I decided to close me eyes and splurge on this miracle oil. I believe it was worth every penny spent and I also got a free Gamila Secret Dish to place both my Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar and the Gamil Secret Face Oil...how cute does it look? let's get started with this review before I veer off another tangent as usual..

                                                                  Packaging
I have to say this is one of the prettiest packaging I have used. The outer packaging has inscriptions from Savta Gamila Hiar. I love that the materials are 100% recyclable to help save our planet. As you know, I definitely have kept this packaging because I think it is pretty. It does really look fancy and opens up in a rather spectacular way to reveal the misted glass bottle containing the Gamila Secret Face Oil. I love the misted glass bottle design because it adds to how exotic the oil is and it has a nice pump which means there is minimal wastage as opposed to it if you had to pour it out. With its cost, the last thing you would want is any waste. I particularly like the way the glass bottle is tightly fitted with its black pump in a way that prevents spillage with its plastic cap to hold it all together. Although, the packaging is excellent, you may need to dispense it onto a smaller bottle when travelling as you may experience some slight grease.

                                                          Ingredients/Composition
As usual, it contains the purest forms of natural essential oils which include Grape Seed Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Lavender Oil, Vitamin E and other pure edible oils which are, of course, part of the secret oils that makes up the Gamila Secret. Further to this luxurious medley of oils, it also contains 15 healing herbs (secret herbs, don't ask me what they are..ask Savta Gamila :-)) which are blended in the purest form to produce this magic oil. If you want to know more about the Gamila Secret Production, Click here for their production/manufacturing video

                                                               How does it work?
According to the Gamila Secret Website, the Gamila Secret Face Oil is specially formulated to decrease wrinkles, soften and regenerate the skin helping it appear younger, more elastic and healthy. It does this by penetrating the deeper skin layers where it helps restore and rebalance the skin cells. If you know anything about the skin, you would know the skin has a high absorbing power which means it can absorb lotions and moisturisers easily and oils more easily especially when they are in a really pure state. 

                                                             Application/Formula
Let's begin with the scent or fragrance, it does not have any fancy fragrance or particularly smell nice. It smells like ...oil which is not my favorite fragrance. It still has an almost raw and organic smell to it but I am getting used to it now. You do have the option of buying the Wild Rose Gamila Secret Face Oil  which smells more pleasant like a bed of roses but it costs slight more at £85 which is no child's play. I know a lot of ladies are terrified of putting oil on their skin, how much more on their faces. I was initially sceptical about applying oil on my face because I already have both oily skin and combination skin on some parts of my face and I always look for ways to escape any oil or shine. My fears were really unfounded because the Gamila Secret Face Oil is easily absorbed on my face and leaves my skin with a non-greasy glow, if that makes any sense. I absolutely love it and I have not felt oily, if anything, it has helped control my shine during the day with the help of other products. I think it is simple logic; my skin produces excess oil during the day because it thinks I don't have enough oil and moisture and it tries to compensate for it but when I apply Gamila Secret Face Oil, it helps balance the oil productions and moisture and i get less shine..easy peasy...

                                                               My Experience
I am sure everyone may be a little tired of hearing me rave about this brand but I do really love the Gamila Secret Brand because their products are effective. I have used this oil since June and my skin has made some significant improvement. I bought this oil because I wanted to clear the dark blemishes and pigmentation i had from acne. In the light of that, I can say the blemishes and pigmentation have significantly reduced and no longer appear as dark as they used to be. There are still present but they are fading gradually which makes me really pleased. I have actually graduated from using concealer and foundation as my every day makeup to just using powder only. That really makes me very pleased. The most obvious change I have experienced is how soft my skin feels. It feels really healthy, soft and bright. It really is amazing although it may be hard to tell if I just concentrated on getting rid of my blemishes. 

                                                                          Cost
It is not cheap AT ALL but then it is worth every penny as I stated earlier. It costs £70 which is no joke at all but it does last a good while. I bought mine in June and I have used it every single day and night and I still have a considerable amount left which I think is brilliant. Although, it says I can use the Gamila Face Oil all over my body and hair, I restrict its use to my face only and occasionally my neck because I want to make sure it lasts as long as possible. You can buy the Gamila Secret Face Oil from the House of Fraser online or In store especially in the Oxford Circus Branch because they all don't stock this brand. You can also purchase the Gamila Secret Face Oil from the Gamila Secret website  if you are outside the UK and Gamila Secret UK website if you are in the UK. Also, you can keep up with them on the Gamila Secret Facebook page for any fabulous discounts. I think they are very generous with gifts especially in store as the first time I bough the Gamila Secret Cleansing Bar, I received a free Travel Pouch and a sample of the Gamila Secret Hand Cream. When I bough the Gamila Secret Face Oil, I also received a free gift which was the Gamila Secret Dish and Face Oil all in one dish which looks amazing and exotic in my bathroom.

                                                                        Verdict
I would definitely purchase this again because I have seen a sustainable difference in my skin although my blemishes have not all disappeared because it does take some time but they are gradually fading away and becoming less obvious which means the world to me. As I stated earlier, i feel my skin texture and tone has improved significantly and while I still have the odd breakout here and there (when mother nature visits or when I eat crappy food), these breakout episodes have reduced significantly. I think it is worth trying out this product and I would rate it 8.5/10 only because it is quite expensive. 
I hope you enjoyed this post and I will see you in my next post...toodles...xxx