I’ve been testing this for MAF for about 7 weeks now and feel happier about my eyes than I have in years.

The Crystal Clear Rollaway Serum is designed to reduce dark circles and firm skin, thus reducing the lines and wrinkles.

It’s not an overnight product, you do have to keep at it, but even in the early days, when there was nothing to see, just the feel of this under my eyes made me feel more confident about how I look.

Sometimes, just feeling good about yourself is enough, but the added bonus of this product actually working, and geuninely softening the lines around my eyes makes it a great buy from the first moment you put it on.

Having been blessed with baggy eyes, those didn’t shrink as such, but the crinkles and wrinkles (as Sam calls them!) have definitely shrunk, and my skin feels less saggy and a little tighter.  Concealer goes on much better now, and it doesn’t seem to sit in the lines anymore.  Probably because the lines are smaller.

Okay, so its not one of these instant shrinker spanx-for-your-face products like Genie or Eyesential, but the critical me can see the difference, and that’s okay.  I don’t need the world sticking their faces right upto my nose to see how different I look, feeling better and knowing that I look better is enough for me, and I shall definitely be buying this again, and I want to thank Sam for letting me be her guinea pig at trying this, even if she did have to keep nagging at me to write this review…

Helen Lawson

Elemis, synonymous with quality, luxury, and being the ultimate treatment for women.  But what about the menfolk?  Father’s Day is just over a week away, and as per my previous article, give him the gift of skin this year, and make him feel young again.

I’ve been a fan of Elemis for a long time, as has my Mum who is currently falling in love with their latest skin nourishing body duo (watch this space for a review soon!), but it was in conversation with Mum that I realised that Dad really rather likes it too!

Pleased as anything to see that Elemis have put together a collection of at-home treatments, exclusively for Father’s Day!

• Ice-Cool foaming shave gel
• Deep cleanse facial wash
• Energising skin scrub
• Daily moisture boost
• black wash bag

And there’s nothing ‘girly’ about it.  Even the most manly of men couldn’t object to this on the 20th of June!

Its on special offer, the contents are worth £40, but until June 20th, you can either purchase it for £25, or if you spend over £70 elsewhere online (something for yourself perhaps…!), you can get it for Free, using code FDGIFT at the checkout.

Other offers available!

Offer: 10% off orders over £30

Code: AFF06101

Starts: 31-May-10

Ends: 30-June-10

Terms: Not valid on collection gift vouchers, day spa vouchers or in conjunction with any other offer. No minimum spend.

Offer: 12% off orders over £50,

Code: AFF06102

Starts: 31-May-10

Ends: 30-June-10

Terms: Not valid on collection gift vouchers, day spa vouchers or in conjunction with any other offer. No minimum spend.

Offer: 15% off orders over £70

Code: AFF06103

Starts: 31-May-10

Ends: 30-June-10

Terms: Not valid on collection gift vouchers, day spa vouchers or in conjunction with any other offer. No minimum spend.

Offer: This Father’s Day spend £50 and get a free Anti Ageing Collection for Men (Worth £38) plus free delivery.

Code: AFFDAD10

Starts: 01-June-10

Ends: 20-June-10

Terms: Not valid on collection gift vouchers, day spa vouchers or in conjunction with any other offer. No minimum spend.

So have a look at Timetospa and maybe do a spot of shopping for yourself, and pick up your present to him at the same time.

Okay, so it’s traditional to not have a clue what to buy your Father for Father’s Day, or your husband, if buying on behalf of your children.  And its definitely traditional to end up buying a dodgy ‘Driving Hits’ CD from the local corner shop, or a 30 year old western on DVD, but many modern men are beginning to take more care of themselves.  Certainly they’re kicking and screaming at the idea of ‘guyliner’ and ‘men makeup’, but there’s nothing wrong with them looking after their skin and bodies.

With that in mind, and a (relatively) willing husband, here’s a few suggestions for alternatives to the traditional CD gift for Father’s Day.

Ted Baker, Skinwear, Limited Edition

“Enjoy the heat of the moment with this dense blend of cardamom, Sicilian lemon and coffee accord with undertones of cedarwood and tonka bean. This summer edition of our classic scent, Skinwear, is adorned with a seasonal print from our latest menswear collection. ” 

Dr Brandt. Pores No More

A revolutionary oil-free moisturiser that not only refines pores and mattifies shine, but has long lasting, anti-aging benefits to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Natio Spice of Life body wash.

Cleanses and softens the skin, whilst removing dead skin cells.

Leaves skin feeling clean, fresh and revitalised!

Urban Retreat and Harrods London, and Harvey Nichols in Manchester

For the ultimate father’s day treat, take your dad to relax on one of our pedicure thrones and spoil him with a Pint & Pedi treatment. Enjoy a refreshing drink and pampering in the lush surroundings of Urban Retreat.    

Men’s Manicure, a small consultation, then your nails are cut and filed.  Hands are soaked in a luxury hand soak to make the cuticles soft, when cuticle work is then carried out and its finished with a hand massage and nail buff.  Clean and neat, just for men.                 

Angela Langford 

Save Our Skin is a soothing & calming After Shave Serum

Save your skin from shaving rashes & irritation with this specialist After Shave serum. Its dual action will sooth, heal & calm skin whilst hydrating & moisturizing it. Makes shaving special again and can also be used in place of your daily moisturizer.

Scrub Up

Scrub Up is ideal for skin that is clogged, dull and frankly in need of a wake-up call! Dead, dull cells are gently lifted away and your skin is left cleaner, brighter & radiant.

Lavish Spa and Salon vouchers – Lavish King

A luxurious gift option, designed specially for a man in your life that combines relaxation treatments with grooming options. 

The Man-Made Pamper King gift package from Lavish includes:-

• Back, neck and shoulder massage
• Indian head massage to sooth away the stresses and strains of everyday life
• Eyebrow shape
• Manicure

Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics

Dad Gift Set

Dad contains three of Lush’s most uplifting and invigorating products to help refresh, revitalise and keep him smelling sweetly all day long.  There’s a mini Avobath ballistic, for an energising lemongrass soak in the tub; a 100g bottle of the grapefruit laden Happy Hippy shower gel; and a 100g chunk of our peppermint and sea salt Ice Blue soap.

Cosmetics Lad

crammed full of a multitude of fresh, handmade products and wrapped in macho monochrome paper, this special gift caters for everything your old man could possibly need! There’s the soothing and smoothing Shave the Planet shaving cream (45g); a calming Cosmetic Ladmoisturiser (10g sample size) to soothe razor rash with aloe vera, antioxidant wheatgrass, soothing chamomile and skin repairing marigold essential oil; a Squeaky Green shampoo bar that’s packed with rosemary to help to alleviate dandruff and peppermint to help stimulate the hair follicles; a chunk of zesty lemon Bohemian soap (100g); and an Olive Branch shower gel (100g) that’s bursting with olive oil, mandarin juice, vine leaf infusion and sea salt.

NEW & EXCLUSIVE to thepromakeupshop.com

As a busy working mother of 2 young children I am a big fan of anything ‘relaxing’! I was delighted when asked by Antonia Hawke of The Pro Make Up Shop to review the latest soothing and cooling high tech eye gels from South Africa otherwise known as Eye Slices. ‘Encapsulated in a patented Cryogel technology’ this new product claims to deliver ‘natural, yet effective ingredients to the skin around the eye which promises revitalising results within 5 minutes’. Eye Slices also aim to reduce puffiness, dark circles, redness, wrinkles and tired eyes. Just what I needed after a very busy weekend of working, networking, socialising and lack of sleep!

The packaging is very appealing and has every bit of information you need to know about Eye Slices including the fact that one pair can be used up to 10 times, they don’t need to be kept in the fridge and they need to be used within 2 weeks of opening. The set came with a plastic container which reminds me of an over-sized contact lens case – this is where you store your Eye Slices when not in use.

Before use I cleansed and dried my skin taking care to remove all traces of eye make-up. The Eye Slices are initially packaged in a foil backed clear fronted container which is ideal for keeping the moisture and ingredients locked into the slices. The product itself is green in colour with no distinct smell. The slices are very flexible and felt quite durable. Once removed from the packaging I placed a slice over each eye. I did need to press the slice quite firmly onto the closed eye so that it moulded to the contours of my eye and held it in place. The slice needs to be comfortable and be able to stay on the eye area when sitting up.

You can keep the Eye Slices on for 5-20 minutes so seeing as I was having some ‘me’ time they stayed on for the whole 20 minutes! I found them very relaxing and gentle on the eye area. They didn’t sting my eyes nor did the product feel drying.

My main areas of concern around the eye area are fine lines and dark circles so I was very pleased to find upon removal of the Eye Slices that my whole eye area was smooth, tight, less tired and above all there were less shadows under my eyes. For a first application I was very impressed with the results and will definitely be recommending these to my clients for use after a late night or early morning, plane journey or for that ‘pick me up’ when you want to look fresh and awake!

A big thumbs up from me!

Priced at £9.99 and £14.99 you can read more about these at http://www.promakeupshop.com/

Kelly Hollands

www.kellyhollands.co.uk

When I started looking at skincare as the basis of good, clean makeup, I was surprised at just how much I learned.  I’m not skincare trained, but I do know the basics, and understand that every skin is different and every skin needs different products in different combinations.

I asked the question, is it possible to reteach a generation of women who’ve grown up using soap and water, and does skincare need to be quite as complicated as it seems?

I came to the conclusion that yes, we can reteach women, and no, it doesn’t need to be overcomplicated.

I was also fortunate enough to try out the new skincare consultation bar at Clinique’s counter in Selfridges in London where those fabulous/horrific consultation mirrors point out every part of your skin that needs work!

Clinique has been around for many years, in fact, generations, and their philosophy has always been simple, 3 small steps.  In fact, they have a range called 3-step, comprising of a cleansing product, exfoliating product and a moisturising product.

This is their basic skincare plan, after that you ‘bolt on’ the additional treatment products that you need for your personal skincare plan.  A bit like buying a mobile phone, you buy the basics and add on the call/text plan that is specific to your needs!

But is it really that simple?   Well yes! You choose the 3 step plan according to your skin type, and in my case, I don’t like bar soap, so chose the facial wash instead, the clarifying lotion in number 2, and everyone has the dramatically different moisturising lotion, regardless of skin type.

After that, I felt, at 35, that I needed to be looking at age sign prevention, so I then added on the super rescue day cream, night cream and eye cream.  All of them are layered over the top of the 3 step.  Had I been older or had blemishes, I’d have chosen the appropriate products for those issues.

I also have the odd dry day here and there, so we decided that I ought to have the Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief, and I have to say, it does a wonderful job of flooding my skin with extra moisture on those days when I need it.

See, simple, start with the base skincare, then add on the bits you need to treat certain areas!

Over the last 2 months, I’ve been using these products and I have to say, that my skin is looking much better.  The lines around my eyes are never going to disappear, unless I’m prepared to go under the knife, but that’s actually okay, I laugh a lot, and am happy to show that!

What I have noticed is that my skin is considerably smoother and I get less dry patches.

I’ve always maintained that for someone who doesn’t know much about makeup or skincare, then they should head for clinique, and I certainly reinforce that now.  The makeup is easy and well thought out with great quality behind it, and the skincare system is simple.

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com

An electric brush for the face and body, by the makers of the Sonicare toothbrush.  Clarisonic Plus Skincare System RRP £170

I was really excited to try this new product and have been using the brush daily for about 4 weeks now. I can honestly say that I have not had one spot on my face during this time! I am not usually prone to a huge amount of spots, but I always have at least one or two around the chin once a month. But not this time.
The brush – which comes with a charging cradle – has a very ergonomic design. It is totally waterproof, so can be used in the shower or bath, and has interchangeable brush heads for face or body.

It has 3 different speeds for the face depending on your preference, and it also has a timer of 1 or 2 minutes. I found that 1 minute was not quite long enough to cleanse my face and neck, so opted for 2.
The brush feels gentle on the face, not at all abrasive. It is very easy to use, just glide the brush in circular motion over the face, starting on the forehead. It is a little tricky around the nose area, as the brush is fairly big and doesn’t move well in small areas. My skin didn’t look red or scrubbed when I’d finished, but felt really smooth and clean.

I have also been using the body brush on just the left side of my body, so that I could see the difference, but disappointingly, I haven’t noticed much change at all. The back of my left leg still has little bumps under the skin and generally the left side feels much the same as the right. I will still continue to use it though, as I think it may just need more time before changes are noticeable.

I have definitely noticed an improvement in my complexion. It appears to be brighter and less tired looking.
It’s well worth a try.

Amanda Roberts

Sam Donald

www.SamDonald.com

Drawing on over 17 years experience and many years of research, Caroline Clapperton, Owner and MD of Planet Skincare has created 2 products that are currently rocking the beauty world and shaking us all in our boots.

An Instant Firming Serum with Pepha-Tight, which instantly tightens the skin and fine lines and wrinnkles, no need to wait a month to see any effects, but over time, it does work on our natural collagen, making skin smoother and tighter and look so much firmer.

Interestingly, despite my own ‘good’ regime, and the thought that I had pretty good smooth skin, applying this each day was an eye opening experience.  As you smooth it onto freshly cleansed and exfoliated skin, it sinks in and refreshes instantly.  However, if you’ve been a little slack at exfoliating, you can really feel it.  to the normal fingertip touch, your skin might feel smooth and ‘normal’ but having this serum on your fingers seems to magnify when you need to up the ante on the skincare treatment.

Put it this way, my skin’s looked better than it has in a long time!

Combined with this is the Anti Ageing Daily Moisturiser, for both night and day, with Syn-ake.  A product that has been proven to reduce wrinkles by up to 52%.  This moisturiser has been dubbed all over the world as the infamous ‘botox alternative in a jar’, and I’d like to agree with Tatler, the LA Times, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and the New York Times…

But what is the reason for this mini miracle in a jar?  Luck?  Good facial massage action? That snake stuff?  Well actually yes, that snake stuff!  you see Syn-ake is a manmade mimmick of snake venom which paralyses, and having your face paralysed in botox form can give us that permanent surprised look, but this is a little different.

Okay, so that sounds too scientific – we’ve all heard the buzz words on the TV adverts, but in simple terms, the ingredients in this moisturiser stop the neurotransmitters which make our facial muscles tense, which in turn creates wrinkles.  It turns off that switch and therefore, the wrinkles are visibly reduced.

So good is this product that the deep wrinkles that I have under the corners of my eyes, (a hereditary groove, that my poor 4 year old son also has!) are being rapidly shrunk as the weeks go on.

Am I pleased with the results?  Yes!

Will I recommend the range?  Yes!

Is it worth the money?  at £75 for the serum and £60 for the moisturiser, it sounds like a whole lot of money, but in the last 3 weeks that I’ve been testing these products, you really do use a very small amount.  I’d guess these are 6 month products and for £5.50 a week, or £22 a month, that’s a lot less than the £40 non-product facial (don’t even ask!) that my local salon offers…