Vitage Skincare

Skincare is super-duper important to me, more important than any type of make-up. I was offered the chance to test out some skincare items from a brand called Vitage, which admittedly I had not heard of before but after a quick search online I was really excited to give them a go.

Vitage products are packed with superior antioxidants and potent anti-ageing ingredients. 

The products I was sent were:

Revitalising Daily Cleanse, Vitamin C Radiance Serum & Skin Defence SPF30

The packaging is simple and sleek, the cleanser and the serum both have pumps and the SPF comes in a tube, all of which are very hygienic. 

Revitalising Daily Cleanse - a very gentle cleanser that effectively removes any impurities and make-up from the skin. It calms and soothes the skin and is also suitable for all skin types. I have been mostly using this in the mornings as it leaves my skin feeling really fresh and soft. It has a very light scent which I can't quite explain but it is very subtle and non-offensive. This retails for £24

Vitamin C Radiance Serum - this helps tighten and hydrate the skin and provides an instant defence against ageing and environmental damage. It helps to restore uneven skin tone and sun damaged skin. This is also suitable for all skin types. I use this after cleansing to put the moisture back into my skin. Again it has a very light and non-offensive scent. This retails for £51

Skin Defence SPF 30 - this provides UVA and UVB protection and also defends the skin against premature ageing. A good SPF is so important in any skincare routine, especially in the warmer months. I've been using this as the final step of my skincare routine. It feels really light on the skin so you are able to apply make-up on top of it and it is really moisturising. Dryer skin types may want to use a separate moisturiser before applying this but for me this is enough on its own. This retails for £22

I have been enjoying using these products for the last month or so and this will remain to be my morning skincare routing for the rest of the summer. 

You can purchase these products aswell as the rest of the Vitage range here

Have you heard of Vitage Skincare before? I'd love to know your thoughts....

Linda x

A Tarte Sephora Haul

When I first heard Sephora had starting shipping to the UK I literally squealed with excitement, this is the biggest beauty news of 2014 for sure! It took a while for me to finalise my basket and several annoying moments realising certain things were excluded from UK delivery such as perfume, nail polish and specific brands such as NARS and Hourglass.

I finally decided on an all Tarte order as they were a brand I had always heard amazing things about but never had the opportunity to try for myself. (Just to point out, I know you can buy Tarte products in the UK via QVC but they seem to be constantly sold out, and never had the full product/shade range anyway)

Here are the products I decided on...

Amazonian Clay Full Coverage foundation - I chose the shade Ivory for my pale skin and luckily it is a perfect match! I have only tried this once so far but I really did love it and can't wait to get more use out of it. On my next order I shall be buying the foundation brush to go with this as it looks amazing!

Amazonian Clay 12 hour blush - I decided to go for 2 of these and it was too difficult to decided on just one. I chose Blissful and Fearless and I love them both equally. I have used these everyday and next time I make a Sephora order I will be trying out some other shades for sure!

Amazonian Butter Lipstick - Again I couldn't decide on just one shade and I went for Tulip and Angelic Nude. I love the packaging of these and the formula is lovely. They smell really minty which I'm not massively keen on but I can live with it. Tulip is my favourite of the two shades and I have been reaching for it daily.

Sephora charge a flat rate of £10 to ship to the UK no matter how much you buy and it came within around 4 days which as really impressive. I've already filled up my basket for my next purchase! This may become a little addictive...

Without going into detail I think an honourable mention needs to go to the amazing samples that come with each order, you can choose up to 3 and they also added a couple extra...

Let me know what you think of the products I bought in the comments below, and also if you want to see an in depth review of any of these products let me know and I'll be happy to do so...

Linda x

Fragrance Friday Week Two- Lady Million

Fragrance Friday numero dos! Lady Million is my staple perfume at the moment. I got it for Christmas last year after lusting after it for months and months and it's just beautiful. I'm truly awful at explaining the smellut Paco Rabanne explains it as a "woody floral scent" with top notes of neroli, bitter orange and raspberry, heart notes of  orange flower and jasmine sambac and base notes of honey and patchouli. I'd say it was the floral scent for the women who aren't floral scent wearers and I would buy bottle after bottle!

On to the questions!

What's the first thing you look for in a perfume? 

I like something a little bit different, and something that I instantly love. I would never buy a perfume that I thought I could just get used to. 

Are there any scent that takes you back to a particular time of life?

When I was around 16 years old I just loved Kate Moss' perfume. It's such a recognisable scent and I've even kept one of the bottles to smell for a bit of nostalgia!

Lots of different scents for different occassions or one signature scent? 

Sometimes, yes. I use Lady Million on a day to day basis and on some nights but for a night out when I just want something special I'll use a spritz of Tom Ford Black Orchid. It's an unusual smell but it's so beautiful and ladylike.

What was the first perfume you remember buying? 

Oh gosh! I didn't buy my own perfume until I was 18, which was a bottle of pure by DKNY, which I still love. I remember being bought a teeny tiny bottle of Burberry weekend for Christmas one year from a friend at school when I was around 13 and feeling so grown up!

Have you ever bought a perfume solely for the bottle? 

No I haven't, although I've been tempted more than once!

Are there any male fragrances that you find irresistable?

I don't actually think I could recognise a male scent and no what it was so unfortunately not. I find male scents can be either really overpowering or spot on perfect- there doesn't seem to be an in between.

Kate A x

Harper's Bazaar - Birchbox May 2014

This month we have a very exciting Birchbox - The Birchbox team have collaborated with the experts at Harper's Bazaar to put together this collection of products designed to prepare you for a season of outdoor adventure.

Here's what was inside...

Benefit They're Real Mascara - A great mascara I have used before and enjoyed so I was happy to see this in my box. This is a mini size and a full size retails for £19.50

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser - I use this cleanser daily and I love getting the little mini's as they are perfect for travelling! This also comes with a muslin cloth so is everything you need. This retails for £13.25

Soigne Nail Lacquer - I had never heard of this brand before, but it is a non-toxic formula which sounds great and it is a very pretty summer colour. This retails for £11

Aromatherapy Associates Revive Morning Bath & Shower Oil - I was most excited about this product as I have heard amazing things about these oils but never got around to trying them. This one is scented with pink grapefruit, rosemary and juniper berry and I think I'm addicted already. These retail for £39

Beauty Protector Shampoo & Conditioner - A sulfate-free formula to strengthen, nourish and protect your hair. I was pleased to see these in my box, although I'd never heard of the brand before. When travelling it seems I have mini's of absolutely everything except shampoo and conditioner. Last month on a weekend trip to Dublin I had to take a little sachet of shampoo from a magazine and no conditioner as I left all my packing to the last minute. I shall be saving these for future trips as they seem perfect! These retail for £14 each

Let me know what you think of this month's box in the comments below...

Linda x

Fragrance Friday - Kate H - Vera Wang Lovestruck

Hi, it's Kate H here. Welcome to our first ever Fragrance Friday! Here at the Beauty Hot Squad we are wanting to let our readers know a little bit more about who's writing the posts by featuring a favourite perfume or scent every Friday. 

Every girl has at least one perfume that she adores! I tend to change my favourite all the time. I have lots of faves but tend to have a "scent of the moment". At the moment it's Vera Wang's Lovestruck EDP, I bought this in Vegas last year and I really think it's why I love it so much. It reminds me so much of the best time of my life.

This is an amazing bottle to sit on my drawers. It's so beautiful and it's my favourite colour! This is a perfect all rounder for me, I can wear it any time, at any occasion. The tops notes are guava with a light florally air about it and rich woody base notes. It's really, truely a wonderful scent. I got it for a bargainous $40 for a 50ml bottle.

So there is my Fave Fragrance. Now for a few little questions for you to get to know what we love about fragrances. Feel free to join in and let us know if you choose to join us in our Fragrance Friday Q&A's.

What's the first thing you look for in a perfume? 

I love a good floral scent but it can't be overbearing. It needs to sit light but last all day.

Are there any scent that takes you back to a particular time of life?

When I was 17 I went to Florida and bought my first ever high end perfume - Vera Wang Princess. I've been a massive fan of Vera's ever since. It reminds me of some of the fun times I had with my best friends BBAB. (Before Boyfriends and Babies)

Lots of different scents for different occassions or one signature scent? 

I tend to swap and change a lot depending on the season. My signature smell always has to be sweet though, something that puts a smile on my face.

What was the first perfume you remember buying? 

I bought Diesel Green for Women when I was 14. I bought it from TJ Hughes in the Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle and I thought I was the absolute boss! (I wasn't)

Have you ever bought a perfume solely for the bottle? 

The Vera Wang Princess was bought solely for the bottle, I touched lucky when it turned out to be the scent of my late teens!

Are there any male fragrances that you find irresistable?

Oooh Paco Rabanne One Million! Oh yes! I bought it for my bf one Christmas and I love it when he wears it. He's keen on his Givenchy now, so hardly get any smells of it anymore. 

Thanks for reading our first Fragrance Friday post and keep an eye out for the other girls' FF posts in coming weeks.

Thanks for reading and for more of the latest news and reviews from the Beauty Hot Squad please follow us on Blog Lovin'