Rocky Horror Picture Show - Limited Edition MAC Collection

We love a good Halloween-themed MAC collection, and this year its limited edition line is a tribute to none other than the fabulous Rocky Horror Picture Show. It's a logical collaboration really, if you're looking for a red-lipstick-wearing glamour icon then Dr Frank N. Furter is pretty tough to beat! The 21-piece-range includes an array of products from false lashes and pigments to nail lacquer and lipsticks. All in some seriously sexy packaging.

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a cult classic about transformation, diversity, individuality and fantasy; all elements that are part of MAC's DNA", says James Gager, MAC's senior vice president. Halloween is one of MAC's favourite holidays, and ours too, and if you're looking for a bit of holiday inspiration we hope this helps.....

Rocky Horror Lipstick, £17

Rocky Horror 7 Lash, £11.50

Rocky Horror Powder Blush, £20

You can find PDFs of all the collection looks (including the one above) and details of the products used here.

Find the full collection at www.maccosmetics.co.uk but be warned, it's selling out fast!

Clinique Great Skin Lab launches at Covent Garden

Clinique have launched a pop up store in Covent Garden's piazza. The store assists with skin care needs by analysing skin in swanky digital pods. Then, after you've been all 'technologised', I am told that you are given samples of moisturiser that are best suited to your analysed skin. I love freebies. 

After that, clever Clinique people talk to you about your everyday skin routine. There is a chance to sneak a peak at (and hopefully try) the new face brushes and Sonic Facial Soaps. I'm not too sure what Sonic Facial Soap is yet but it sounds all space-agey!

The experience does not stop at skin care. There is fitness advice, nutrition and the expertise of Clinique's founding dermatologist, Dr Orentreich. 

The Lab launched on Friday and will be open Monday-Saturday, 10am-8pm and Sunday, 11am-5pm. 

www.clinique.co.uk

#GreatSkinLab 

Long-haul Flight Skincare Routine

As you may have noticed, I have been a little quiet on the blog front lately, having taken a much needed getaway to Florida for some fun and sunshine. A big thank you to Kay for holding down the fort and reviewing some great products in my absence. I definitely want to get my hands on that Benefit Majorette blush!

Now normally I don’t give my skin too much thought on aeroplanes and then I wonder why I land looking red-eyed, dehydrated and generally in need of some TLC. So this time I did my research and put together a selection of products to protect my skin from the nasty re-circulated air.

The result? For the first time ever, I got off the plane with skin that looked considerably better than when I boarded! My husband was giving me some strange looks as I made him touch my face, saying “seriously, I’m not being funny but look how great my skin is!” He might have thought I was crazy but ladies, I know you'll understand my excitement, so here is my new routine:

OLE HENRIKSON 'THE TRUTH TO GO' WIPES

I don’t wear makeup to get on a flight (well maybe I whack on a bit of concealer and fill in my brows but that doesn’t count right?!) but I still start by giving my face a quick cleanse. I know face wipes are generally a massive no-no but these ones are great. They are gentle on your skin and infused with brightening Vitamin C and firming micro algae. They have a delicious vanilla-orangey smell too! 
Currently £25 for 100 on lookfantastic.com, (half price) 
Note: I believe they have now been re-branded as The Clean Truth Cleansing Cloths.

CLINIQUE DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT MOISTURISER

I then give my skin a quick moisturise using my old faithful Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion, which you can read a bit more about in my July Skincare Routine here.

£17 for 50ml, www.clinique.co.uk

CAUDALIE BEAUTY ELIXIR

Next up is a spray of Beauty Elixir. This product is a bit of a cult classic with an impressive following but one that I hadn’t tried before. It was inspired by the centuries old ‘elixir of youth’ used by Queen Isabelle of Hungry and a quick spritz adds an instant burst of radiance to your complexion. I wasn’t sure if it would live up to the hype, but the 30ml was perfect size for a flight so I thought I’d give it a go. My verdict? I love it! The scent doesn’t really do it for me but it is refreshing and it certainly perks up my complexion. Very happy with this one! I also used it regularly after a tiring day on holiday before putting on makeup for the evening and it definitely rejuvenated the ol' face.
Currently £9.50 for 30ml from www.feelunique.com 
Note: Usual RRP approx. £11.50

ESTEE LAUDER RESILIENCE LIFT FIRMING/SCULPTING EYE CREAM

This is a long name for a little product! It’s a nice, hydrating, quickly absorbed eye cream, but as always I haven’t seen any spectacular differences. I have only been using it for a couple of weeks though, and while I was on holiday I was sporadic in my application of eye cream to say the least, so the jury is out until I’ve given it a fair trial. It did the trick nicely on the plane however and kept the skin around my eyes well moisturised.

£46 for 15ml, www.esteelauder.co.uk

ORIGINS DRINK UP INTENSIVE OVERNIGHT MASK

Next I slap on a layer of this mask. When I purchased it in Selfridges, I asked if they had any samples and they gave me a small travel size to take on the plane. (Always ask for samples when you're making a purchase ladies, they'll happily hand them over and the small sizes are perfect for travel.) It’s a clear mask which is exactly why it’s ideal for a flight (you’re going to get some funny looks if you slather on something white or green). It’s pretty thick but exactly how quickly it absorbs depends how much you put on. Don’t be afraid to apply a generous amount on a flight though, it really does prevent your skin from drying out! A little goes a long way and you would normally only use this a couple of times a week, so the full size tube will last a long time.

£23 for 100ml at www.selfridges.com

COCOA BUTTER VASELINE

It might be an idea to use something a bit more hydrating on a plane, but as I was just trying to protect from dehydration I felt Vaseline was enough, so I packed my favourite cocoa butter. As we all know, Vaseline's useful for everything from moisturising cuticles and removing makeup smudges, to taming brows and highlighting cheek bones, so it's a useful multi-tasker to have in your hand luggage.

£2.18 for 20g, www.boots.com

EOS HAND LOTION

This came in a bargain of a Selfridges Beauty Box I purchased a while back (£120 worth of products for £30? Yes please!) and was a nice size to pop in my hand luggage. It absorbs quickly, has a 96% natural formula and is hypoallergenic and paraben-free. The packaging isn’t very glamorous but it has a nice scent and it does the job so no complaints here. It's now on my desk and I enjoy slapping it on throughout the day.
£8 from www.topshop.com, although I’m pretty sure you can get it for as little as $1.99 in the US!

And that's about it! I topped up the Beauty Elixir, Eye Cream, Mask and Lip Balm mid-flight, used another face wipe before landing, moisturised and put on a bit of concealer and I was good to go. Like I said, my skin was better when I arrived in Orlando than when I left England! It might seem like a long list of products but it really isn’t, they only take a matter of minutes to apply and the results were really worth it. The Origins mask and Caudalie Beauty Eixir kept my skin looking good all holiday and are now firm favourites.

There is one other secret to looking good when you get off the plane. Don’t touch the plane food! I took all my own healthy snacks and it was the best long haul flight decision I’ve ever made, I can't tell you how much better I felt for avoiding all the nasty pre-packaged processed food. Lastly, remember to hydrate your skin from within and drink plenty of water. If you end up being that annoying person that has to go to the bathroom 10 times then so be it... And on that delightful note I'll wrap things up! But if you have any of your own recommendations for in-flight skincare then please do let us know, we'd love to hear them.

Glossybox Goodness

I have subscribed to Glossybox on and off for several years and for as little as £8.50 a month you get five beauty products delivered straight to your door. Recently, I have been impressed by their unique box designs that have become sturdier, sleeker and down right fun. 

So, let’s get to the nitty gritty…..

THE SEPTEMBER BOX

The Karen Millen watercolour London scene is quintessentially British but in a contemporary way. 

The fact that Glossybox also had an after work gathering with prosecco (to celebrate the collaboration) makes me like it just a little bit more. Unfortunately, Jen couldn't make the event as she was at the Savoy having a fancy smancy celebratory time with her sister and dad. (Happy birthday, John!) However, I'm sure that the next time the words 'free' and 'prosecco' are bandied around, Jen and I will both be there, with bells on....and goblets at the ready. 

My favourite products: 

• A fairly reasonably sized Origins Plantscription Anti-aging Power Serum (15ml)
• Skin PEP Dark Circle Eraser Growth Factor Eye Cream (what the flinking flanking heck is growing? My eyes? Eye bags?)
• More Brows by Model Co (you can read my full review here). 

THE OCTOBER BOX

• Nuxe Paris Masque Crème Fraiche (50ml)

• etre belle LipLift Peel (15ml)

• So Susan Flutter Mascara (4g)

• Full sized Ciate nail polish in Ditch the Heels

• Rimmel BB Cream (8ml)

• Yves Rocher Quelques Notes d’Amour L’Eau de Parfum (16floz)

The mask looks great and perfect after a long week of hectic-ness. I am also excited by LipLift Peel. This is something that should be used once a week, to gently remove dead skin cells and supposedly, it keeps the lips looking smooth and soft. Hurrah. Red lipstick, here I come.

The BB cream doesn’t really bother me either way, but if it is good, it will be useful for travelling.

Full sized Ciate nail varnish….why thank you Glossybox, thank you. The green colour makes me happy. Perhaps it will rival the Sephora Formula X nail varnishes?

I appreciate that the perfume is in an actual little bottle and not a sample spray. Nice touch.

I will try the mascara. I wasn’t that impressed with the concealer palette from the same company but I will give it a whirl. The Essense I Heart Extreme Crazy Volume mascara that I received a few months ago in one of the boxes was amazing, so fingers crossed…or maybe eyes would be more appropriate. No, I’d walk into things.

The only negative, the black shredded paper.... It gets all over the product!

But, all in all…..Glossybox has seriously improved. I genuinely get very excited about receiving it every month. Small pleasures, especially as this doesn’t make me put on weight, or have to exercise, or even move too much. Lovely.

Prices range from £8.50 to £10 per month depending on the length of the plan you choose. Visit

www.glossybox.co.uk for more information

Model Co More Brows

Recently, I’ve been rushing to get ready. Be it getting out of bed late or getting home late for work and rushing to look vaguely presentable and not like I’ve been dragged through a hedge backwards.

In one of my rushing moments, I picked up More Brows, which I received in September’s Glossybox. Is it my imagination but is Glossybox becoming epic? For the last few months, nearly every product has been great and their recent boxes have been really pretty. Bravo.

Anywho, I decided to test it out, hoping for a quick fix.According to the brand, the product is a brush-on fibre gel that gives the look of fuller, thicker brows.

From the picture, you can see the small fibres that are brushed onto the brow. Sounds creepy and possibly weird looking but it looks pretty darn good. 

Before application....looking tired and bluhhh! 

After....still tired and bluhhh but, with fuller brows! 

I have quite the bushy brow but this is quick, easy, keeps brows in place, doesn’t feel hard when dry (nobody wants a crispy brow) and does not look over done. I don’t have a Scouse Brow (my friend Brianna will be disapointed by that!)

The only thing to watch out for is that the product can leave a small clump of the product when first brushing it through. It’s easily removed though.

Longevity = all day. I have been rained on and it's stayed in place. 

Later that day..... 

At the moment, because getting out of bed is quite the ordeal, I’m using this daily. It’s not that I like it better than my ‘Beautiful Brows’ but it takes far less time.

Not sure if I would wear it on holiday. Don’t fancy fibres running down my face whilst tanning and sweat festing but, I would willingly test it out. However, If it doesn't budge in a down pour, humidity might not move it either! I should have got Jen to take it to Florida with her and she could have tested it. Just a note to Jennifer....so looking forward to the many presents that you are bringing me back! Mwahaha! 

£9 from www.modelcocosmetics.com

Benefit Majorette Booster Blush

© Benefit Cosmetics

Benefit has come out with a cream to powder blush. Being someone who prefers the application of a cream blush, this makes me chirpy, especially when considering how good their cream eyeshadows are. 

© Benefit Cosmetics

This is a peach-pink that, according to the Benefit website, can be applied using the finger tips. Hurrah. Perfect for being out and about.

£23.50 for 0.24oz, www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

Thank You and Expansion

Jen and I have been really enjoying developing 'Your Beauty Best Friend'. It's a good release for both of us and for me, this is the first hobby that doesn't involve some kind of sporting activity. Hurrah! Frankly, me old bones are grateful. Thank you to friends, family and those of you have stumbled across our blog for reading our rambles. Very much appreciated. 

To give a bit bigger a shout out, we have created an Instagram, Twitter and most recently, a Facebook account. 

If you fancy having a gander, search your_beauty_best_friend (or search Kay and Jen) on Instagram

@YourBeautyBF on Twitter 

JenandKay YBBF on Facebook. 

Xxxxxxxx 

L'oreal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive Lip Sticks

Six celebrity spokeswomen have helped to create their own, customised lipstick colour for L'Oreal's Colour Riche Collection. These are all nude shades, with hues of pink, peach, taupe and gold. I got my mitts on Julianne Moore's Barely Peach and J Lo's Nude.

POSITIVES

• Colours: wearable nudes. 

• Enhances femininity and adds an air of sophistication. 

• Creamy consistency. 

• Can be worn with any outfit. 

• Brilliant for 'no make up' make up days. 

• Smells slightly floral, which could be a negative for some. 

NEGATIVES

• Needs to be re-applied fairly regularly. J Lo's colour comes off quicker than Moore's Barely Peach. 

Can smudge below the lip line. 

Julianne Moore's is the top colour, with J Lo's below. 

www.loreal-paris.co.uk