Clarins Beauty Flash Balm for £15.99 - save 41%!

Just a quick post about a beauty bargain I spotted on Half Price Perfumes. One of my staple beauty products is Clarins' cult Beauty Flash Balm, which is a lifesaver when I wake up looking less than perky! However it isn't cheap at £27.00. Therefore I was really pleased to find it on Half Price Perfumes for £15.99 - a saving of 41%! This product always get rave reviews, e.g. Glamour magazine's Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr is a big fan, so if you have always been wanting to try it, this is the perfect opportunity.

Clarins TriActive Body Treatment at Central Pharmacy, Cardiff

If you are a regular reader of my blog, you might remember that I recently blogged about Central Pharmacy's 25th Anniversary celebrations, and that at that event we were given demonstrations of the new Clarins TriActive Face and Body Treatments. So when the lovely Sam from Clarins HQ offered me the chance to try the TriActive Body Treatment I jumped at the chance. After a very busy week I was really looking forward to a bit of pampering, and this treatment definitely didn't disappoint.

There are three different TriActive body treatments to choose from:

• The Body Sculptor - "a pampering shortcut to a body that's svelte, toned and silky-smooth"
• The Moisture Quencher - "for a body that gleams like satin and is velvet to the touch"
• The Firming Age Corrector - "an all-in-one body youth boost"
• The Body Polisher - "for a body that's super soft, supple and smooth...helps minimise dark spots and stretch marks"

I opted for the 'Body Sculptor' treatment, as it is fair to say that my body is not particularly svelte or toned. Before the treatment, I had a thorough consultation with Natasha, the beauty therapist, who asked if I had any particular concerns and talked me through what would be involved in the treatment. I can certainly see how the salon has been awarded 'Gold Salon' status by Clarins, one of only 76 salons in the U.K. to have received this award.

The treatment began with an all-over body exfoliation so that the products used could really be absorbed into the skin. After that the therapist applied Clarins 'Body Treatment Oil - Relax' to my décolleté in order to help me relax. Natasha used the Clarins 'Body Treatment Oil - "Anti-Eau" to do the massage. The massage incorporates a series of movements designed to help streamline the body and boost circulation, which assists with reducing fluid retention. Towards the end of the one hour and twenty minute long treatment, Natasha applied a mask to my problem areas, to which she had added firming serum. She then applied plastic wrap over the mask which helped the product to be absorbed into the skin. This was kept on for fifteen minutes, which gave me some much needed relaxation time whilst I was given a head massage. 

At the end of the treatment Natasha sprayed Clarins' classic treatment fragrance, 'Eau Dynamisante' over me, which helps to invigorate the client. I would thoroughly recommend this treatment, as it was the perfect combination of invigorating and relaxing massage, and I felt really refreshed after leaving the salon. I definitely felt more streamlined after the treatment and my skin looked more toned. I will certainly be booking myself in for another one of these treatments soon.

Fine print: I was given the chance to try out this treatment for free by the Clarins Press office for the purposes of this blog post.

Clarins Central Pharmacy - 25th Anniversary

Last week I was invited along to the 25th Anniversary celebrations of Central Pharmacy in Cardiff. The store, which is at the heart of one of Cardiff's most popular shopping areas, is a beauty blogger's paradise, stocking a wide range of brands, from Clarins to Daniel Sandler; Dior to Nuxe. In addition to all the beauty loveliness stocked instore, Central Pharmacy is also home to a Clarins salon, which is one of only 76 salons in the U.K to have been awarded Clarins Gold Salon Status, so you can be assured that you are receiving the highest standard of Clarins service.

At the event we were given the opportunity to be given makeovers, using the latest Clarins makeup collections and were also given a demonstration of the Clarins Professional TriActive Facial and Body Treatments, which have been developed over five years.

There are six different types of Tri-Active facial, which are designed to address specific skin concerns:

• The Youth Activator
• The Lifting Line Smoother
• The Radiance Reviver
• The Moisture Replenisher
• The Skin Healer
• The Detox and Shine Stopper

The treatments have had some great reviews, e.g. 'Elle' UK's Georgia Collins has described the treatment as "one hour and twenty minutes of utter bliss", so it was good to be able to see the results up close. The treatments looked very relaxing, and the ladies who were having the treatments looked great after they'd finished, and were really pleased with the results. After the demonstrations, a large number of ladies rushed to book themselves in for the treatments after being impressed with the results.

The beauty therapist was really helpful, and was more than happy to give guests advice on which products would work best for their skin concerns, and also the best way to apply the products in order to maximise their effectiveness.

At the event it was great to be able to meet my fellow beauty blogger, Ms Red, of Ms Red's Beauty Blog, who I'd previously only known from Twitter. I also got to meet the lovely Sam from Clarins HQ who was wearing some fabulous Alexander Wang-esque boots from TopShop, which I was disappointed to find out were from a previous season, so will never be mine!

Ms Red

Central Pharmacy is owned by the same family who run Escentual, and it was lovely to be able to chat to @EscentualRakesh about the store and its plans in the forthcoming months.

Just before I left, I took advantage of the 25% discount being offered for the Anniversary celebrations, and purchased Daniel Sandler's limited edition 'In Love' candle, which is burning as I type. That was my consolation for not being able to attend Daniel's instore appearance later that week.

I might not have won one of the prizes (£75, £100, and £150 Clarins prize hampers) in the fantastic raffle that everyone had been entered into, but I was more than happy with my goodie bag which contained a powder compact, a mini Beauty Flash Balm (one of my Holy Grail products), and a mini HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase.

My Current Routine - Part I: Skincare

I originally wrote this list a few months ago after reading a couple of posts where bloggers detailed what they used. At the time I thought it would be interesting for myself to note exactly which products of the many that I own that I was actually using, and which ones were taking up valuable bathroom space with no beauty benefits gained! Previously, the products that I was using tended to be a combination of gifts, special offers and habit. Since then, thanks to my new discoveries via Twitter and other blogs, this list has changed quite a bit. Whilst I think I’ve now found a few Holy Grail items, I am quite sure that this list will keep evolving, as my skin changes, beauty trends move on, and well, as a beauty lover I never really need a reason to try new products! As the list is quite long I've split it into a couple of posts.

Cleanser – Origins Checks & Balances, used with a Konjac Sponge. If you haven’t already tried the Konjac sponge then I urge you to give it a go. I discovered them via a post on the fabulous Get Lippie blog. They are such a simple and good value product which helps leave my skin beautifully smooth after cleansing.

Toner – I am not currently using a toner, but having read a few posts promoting the virtues of a good toner, this is about to change.

Make-up Remover – I have been using a Bourjois make-up remover after reading about it on a blog. However it didn't live up to my expectations as it's quite greasy, so I am on the hunt for a new one. All recommendations welcome!

Moisturiser

Day: La Roche-Posay Effaclar M/Effaclar Duo/Effaclar K . I first heard of this brand a while ago but it was only when I read rave reviews on Twitter that I decided to give it a go and ordered some from www.escentual.com  who have some great value packs of La Roche-Posay. I am so glad that I did. The Effaclar range is designed for oily skin with imperfections. I mix and match these 3 different lotions according to my skin's requirements. I find that the Effaclar M really helps to mattify my skin without drying it out. The Duo and K are great when I have got a breakout or my skin is looking a bit congested.

Night: Dr Nick Lowe Night Recovery Cream - I was lucky enough to win this as part of a set in a Twitter giveaway from @DrNickLoweSkin . I had previously only used products from Dr Nick Lowe’s Anti-Blemish range. However, I have found that this night cream really helps with the appearance of my skin overnight, leaving it feeling softer and smoother.

Primer/Radiance booster – Clarins Beauty Flash Balm – I LOVE this product. This product is a classic, so when I was lucky enough to get it free in a Grazia Beauty event goodie bag, I was one very happy lady. This product does exactly what it says on the tube: brightens and firms. I apply this to my skin using the technique shown by Lisa Eldridge and instantly my skin looks better.

Eye-cream – Clinique All about Eyes

Exfoliator – Origins Modern Friction

Face mask – I have yet to find a face mask that I really love, so I have been alternating between Soap & Glory The Fab Pore which I was given as part of a set, and the hydrating Origins Drink Up, depending on the condition of my skin.