Amy Childs Dress Collection

Amy Childs Modelling one of her dresses

I visited Britain & Irelands Next Top Model Live yesterday and I got the chance of a sneek peek at (ex) The Only Way Is Essex Star Amy Child's new fashion range. The 'Amy Childs Collection' features over 20 pieces and features figure-hugging dresses, glitzy sequined frocks and cute skater style dresses. The collection was officially launched today, and with 20,000 TOWIE fans visiting her website in 5 minutes it caused the site to crash. 

 The collection is available from www.amychildsofficial.co.uk and is priced between £35 and £80. Are you a fan of Amy Childs fashion sense?

Monday Manicure: Jessica GELeration Nails

Admiring my Gel Manicure (and enjoying a glass of wine!)

Today's Monday Manicure is Jessica GELeration Nails. I had this nail treatment when I was in Gibraltar at The Atlantic Suite Spa - it was on offer, being a brand new treatment to the salon, for £25 instead of £35 and since I had a £10 voucher it ended up costing only £15! Jessica Geleration is a cross between a gel nail and a long lasting nail polish and they come in a range of colours but I went with the classic French Manicure with white tips. All the Jessica products are free of formaldehyde, toluene and DBP.


My therapist was called Hannah who was lovely and we ended up having a long chat for over 2 hours just about life, men - you know the usual! I was given a quick file and tidy before Hannah buffed my nails ready for a base coat applied just like a nail polish (without the polish smell) and set under UV in a matter of seconds. She applied a layer of 'Builder' Gel Polish underneath the french manicure colours because I have neglected my nails recently they are a little weak and flaky so this helps to strengthen the nails. 


The treatment was quick and dries instantly resulting in polished immaculate looking nails (until you remove them) and should last between 3-4 weeks when you will begin to see the manicure grow out. They looked lovely, natural, super shiny and lasted a week before I chipped them which I was a little disappointed with as I have tried similar Gel Manicure systems before and they have lasted the full 4 weeks with no chipping. 

Snap of my Jessica GELeration Nails at the Beach...after a week's wear!

Gel Manicures do not damage your natural nails as long as you have them properly removed at either a salon or you can buy a home removal kit. You can paint over any nail polish colour over the gel manicure (remember to use a base coat to prevent staining) and remove it with non-acetone polish remover. I did love the Jessica GELeration Nails but was a little un-impressed with the chip - I think I need another go to make my mind up.    


For more information you can visit http://www.jessicacosmetics.co.uk/ Have you tried Jessica GELeration? What were your thoughts? Follow me on Twitter come say hi and Tweet me a picture of your Nails of the Day :)

Win Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model Live BINTM Tickets!

I hope you are all having a good week? I have been very busy this week and since I am just waiting for my car to finish having it's first MOT I thought I would do a quick blog post! I am going to London this weekend for the Aussie Angels VIP Party, and I have also have won tickets to Britain & Ireland's Next Top Model Live (BINTM) which I am looking forward to! The BINTM Live event gives you the chance to meet celebrities and models from the show, watch catwalk shows, and enjoy a day of shopping. With exclusive advice from the experts, pampering treats and bursting with the hottest fashion and beauty 'must haves' - it's the ultimate girly day out! It's taking place this weekend (Friday 28th October - Sunday 30th October) at the Excel Centre in London. For more information you can visit their website: www.bintmlive.com


I have a spare ticket to giveaway so thought I would give the chance for one of my readers to win! This giveaway is open to any readers - but obviously only relevant to those that are able to travel to London and attend the BINTM event on Sunday 30th October 10am - 6pm. This will be a quick 24 hour giveaway and I shall select the winner tomorrow by 11pm Friday 28th October. 

How to enter:

1. You must be a follower of my Blog through Google Friend Connect

2. Simply write 'enter me' and your email in the comments below to enter

3. For extra entries follow me on Twitter and tweet:

@perfectpolished Please Pick Me For BINTM Tickets! http://nblo.gs/p5ow7 

Good luck x

Monday Manicure: Revlon Cloud

Revlon Cloud

This is a new feature to Perfectly Polished: Monday Manicure whereby I shall showcase my favourite nail polish or nail effect of the week after requested for more NOTD posts. Last week I featured Revlon's Peachy and I am really loving their new Top Speed Fast Dry polishes at the moment.  

Today's Monday Manicure of choice is Revlon Top Speed Fast Dry Nail Polish in 'Cloud' - an unusual light blue toned dove grey. This colour would look lovely with contrasted black tips, in a more modern French Manicure, and the name is appropriate too with all the rain we have been having recently! The shade is a new twist on last year's Greige trend, which is still going strong but Cloud is more subtle and delicate. 


This new range of polishes from Revlon are brilliant if your pushed for time and don't have a spare 30 minutes to wait for your polish to properly dry. The Top Speed patented formula delivers amazingly quick colour, with a built-in topcoat that rises to the surface for a glossy, ultra smooth manicure that sets in 60 seconds! The new ColorPrecise brush ensures even, smooth, salon quality application every time. 

Revlon Cloud costs £6.49 and is available from www.boots.com and www.revlon.com


What do you think of Dove Grey Nails? 

TOWIE Sam and Billie Faiers launch GraciEve

TOWIE Sam and Billie Model clothes from their new range: GraciEve

TOWIE Sisters Sam and Billie Faiers opened up high street boutique Minnies after success on reality TV Show 'The Only Way Is Essex'. They have now designed their very own clothing line 'Graci Eve' that launched at 14 House of Fraser stores last week. The ready-to-wear collection was designed and completely financed by Sam & Billie created in partnership with Essex-based stylist Jeff Mehmet. GraciEve, named in honour of their two young cousins, Grace and Eva, is a 'bang on trend' fun, fashion line for girls who love style, shopping and making a statement. 


Prices range from £22 to £80 and is available from www.houseoffraser.co.uk Are you a fan of Sam & Billie's Style?

Dresses from the GraciEve Range

Jessie J Teams up with House of Holland & Pretty Polly

Jessie J

Pretty Polly has teamed up with House of Holland for a limited edition Christmas Party Collection, with singer/ songwriter Jessie J as the new face of the new range. The campaign will run for six months and be seen in fashion press and billboards across the country. The collection, priced from £15, includes a number of different styles including the Alphabet Multi Lurex Tights, I'm Laddered Backseam Tights and Fishnet Suspenders. There will also be strong online elements to this campaign, including promoted and behind-the-scenes videos content on Youtube, as well as targeted Facebook advertising. 

www.prettypolly.co.uk 

Nails Inc Gossip Girl Nail Polish Collaboration

Fan of TV Show Gossip Girl? Then you will love these new Nails Inc Gossip Girl Nail Polishes. Nails Inc has launched a trio of nail polishes after the three stars of the show: Blair, Lily & Serena. Each Nail Collection features a colour polish and a crystal effect over-glaze for an electric twist. The Lily set is a Posh Plum Black with a Red/Green overcoat; Blair's is a teal black with a blue/green overcoat and Serena's is a Patent Black with an electric blue topcoat.

The Limited Edition Gossip Girls Sets are priced at £20 each and are available from www.nailsinc.com

Which Gossip Girl is your favourite? 

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Review

Garnier Blemish Balm (BB) Cream is dubbed a ‘miracle skin perfector’ which promises to prime and brighten, cover like a foundation, even out skin tone, covers blemishes, illuminates, hydrates, contains SPF and has anti-aging properties found in serums. It is thought as a beauty all in one: moisturiser, sun block, primer and foundation and is set to be this year’s biggest beauty trend.   

Garnier BB Cream in Light 

Blemish Balms (B.B) Creams have been a cult product in South Korea and Aisan for a number of years and now are set to be the new craze in UK. BB Creams are hybrid products which combine the benefits of skincare and makeup in one. Garnier isn’t the only one jumping on the BB bandwagon. Harrods are selling Dior Snow White Reveal UV Protection BB Cream (£36.50), and Heathrow airport sells Estee Lauder’s Cyber White Brilliant Cells Extra Intensive BB (£26), MAC Prep + Prime BB Cream (£22.10) and Clinique’s Age Defence BB Cream (£19).

Swatch of the BB Cream

The packaging is simple and comes in a squeezy 50ml tube – so a decent size and reasonably priced given that you need to use the smallest amount. It is heavily fragranced with a fruity, fresh scent –similar to Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation – but once on the face this disappears. It is a thick creamy texture but blends effortlessly into the skin and is lovely, lightweight and moisturising on the skin - you only need a small blob to cover the whole face. I would say the coverage is sheer so if you like a heavier foundation then this is not for you. My skin looked flawless and gave me a healthy subtle glow to my skin – perfect to use on holidays. I am not sure how this would perform on someone with oily skin. I prefer a lighter natural foundation during the day so this is perfect coverage for me, it covers blemishes well but it does not cover dark circles.

Blended into the skin

The only downside being it only is available in two shades: ‘light’ and ‘dark’ so you may struggle to find a shade to match your skin tone. I used the ‘light’ shade and although it looked a little orange when I first tested on my hand, once blended into my skin it was a perfect match. It is good for pale-skinned beauties and would best suit normal/dry skin type who like a natural light coverage.

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream costs £9.99 and is available from Boots. Have you tried any BB Creams? 

Cloud Nine Wand

The new Cloud Nine Wand features a cone-shaped, black ceramic barrel providing varying diameters to allow the creation of tight spiral curls, big boho waves, and everything in between; a temperature gauge with three settings to suit varying hair types and lengths; protective accessories; a swivel cord and hibernation mode for safety.

This tantalising tool allows you to create the season's hottest look, big bouncy hair with terrific texture. What's more, the black ceramic barrel contains a unique ingredient that gives hair a shiny, natural finish!


The Cloud Nine Wand will be priced at £119.95 available from www.cloudninehair.com.

How safe are toxins in Nail Polish ?

Since learning that many brands are now bringing out Toxic '3 Free' Nail Polishes, it got me thinking about how harmful Toxic Nail Polishes are. You maybe like me and just see a pretty nail polish and can't wait to paint it on your nails, without considering what nasty chemicals you are putting in contact with your body? What is a Toxin? A 'Toxic substance is one that is capable of causing injury or damage to a living organism.' 


Nail polish first came about in the 1920's inspired by car paint, so its no wonder that these old-school polishes contain so many dangerous chemicals and toxins. The main Toxic ingredients in Nail Varnish are:


Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP)
DBP is a man-made chemical listed as a 'teratogen'. A teratogen is anything that can cause birth defects, pregnancy complications or loss of pregnancy. It is used to make PVC, adhesive glues and printing inks. 


Toluene
Toluene is a flammable solvent which is petroleum-based produced in the process of making petrol. Toluene has been linked to cancer, and can effect the nervous system producing symptoms such as tiredness, weakness and memory loss. It can also cause skin irritation. Toluene is commonly used to manufacture polymer plastics. 


Formaldehyde (Formalin)
Formaldehyde is a colour-less, flammable and extremely strong smelling chemical. Simply inhaling the fumes can result in watery eyes, headaches, burning in the throat, and breathing problems. It may cause allergic reactions and is unsafe for use by asthmatic people, when tested on animals it causes cancer in the nose and throat. It is commonly used in industrial strength glues, adhesives and disinfectants.


This is enough to put you off using Nail Polish altogether isn't it?! Nail Polish makers have been under pressure for a number of years to reduce or eliminate toxic ingredients and many nail polish brands have become free of DBP, Toluene, Formaldehyde. 


Do you always check that Nail Polish is 3 free?

Ojon Damage Reserve Shampoo & Conditioner Review

I took part in the John Lewis Ojon Swapping Event last month. I swapped an empty bottle of shampoo for a full size duo set of Ojon Damage Reserve Restorative Shampoo and Damage Reserve Restorative Conditioner. 

Both products have a slightly citrus smell and a little goes a long way with it being a rich formulation, I would only use this once a week. The Shampoo is a golden gel texture fortified with pure Ojon oil, nature's golden elixir, wheat protein and creamy coconut which transforms into a rich lather to repair damaged hair. The shampoo promises to hydrate, restore healthy hair, smooths cuticles and unwinds tangles to prevent breakage. 

The conditioner is a concentrated balm that doesn't sit on the surface, it surrounds dry, brittle hair with nourishing Ojon oil, anti oxidant-rich Brazilian Buriti Oil and Murumuru Butter. This helps to seal in vital moisture and create the perfect buffer against daily damage. The duo is lovely to use but I would only recommend this to people with dry/damaged hair and would only use to once a week as it is a rich formula. Although the products are pricey, you need the smallest amount as they are so concentrated so they will last a long time.  

I would definitely recommend the Ojon Damage Reserve Treatment, you can read my review here. This treatment is quite rich and you only need to use half a teaspoon, I would only recommend using once a week or fortnight and after experimenting by leaving the treatment on over night - I found that it left my hair lank and greasy. So I only use this treatment once a week and leave this on for 30 minutes to an hour which leaves my hair super soft and shiny. I also find my hair more manageable and I don't need to use any heat to style my hair as it stays smooth even leaving hair to dry naturally. 

Ojon Damage Reserve Shampoo & Conditioner cost £20 each and are available from John Lewis, Boots, & House of Fraser. Have you tried Ojon? What were your thoughts?

Magic Hair Pill to Stop Hair Going Grey?

Grey Hair could be a thing of the past?

Those clever people at L'Oreal laboratories are currently developing a revolutionary new hair pill that promises to prevent hair from going grey! The supplement, based on fruit extracts, is set to launch within the next four years and ideally you would need to take it before hair goes grey as they don't believe the process can be reserved once it has started. No more Silver Foxes then? ;)

Do you embrace grey hair? Or cover grey hair with hair colour?

Organic Pharmacy Toxin-Free Nail Polishes

Those worried about chemical nasties will be pleased to hear that Organic Pharmacy have created a new range of entirely toxin-free nail polishes. That means they are 3 free from DBP, Toluene and Formaldehyde and no nasty smell - hurray! They come in a range of 29 colours ranging from classic pinks and reds, to brights and metallics. They promise to be fast-drying and give a glossy finish.

The Nail Polishes will be priced at £9.99 and are available from The Organic Pharmacy. Do you hate the smell of nail polish?

Mary Portas & House of Fraser

Recently I have been hooked to Mary Queen of Frocks, which for those in the UK is a TV Documentary showing Mary Portas's journey on creating her own shop and fashion line for a well-known department store. Mary Portas is best known for being a Retail Expert and for setting up brand communication Agency: Yellow Door. 


Mary unveiled 'Pret a Portas' at Oxford Street House of Fraser last week as a new shopping experience.  She considers the over-40 age group under-catered for on the high street so has designed this range with this in mind. Mary has been involved in every aspect of the shop: from the fashion design, to the exceptional service, to the shop design and models. The essential 7 pieces is the classic items you need as part of a capsule wardrobe that will never date: the pencil skirt, the white shirt, the tailored jacket etc. 

Armery

There is also a range of reasonably priced accessories, shoes, hand bags and hosiery and even some home ware and food items. Although this range has been designed to target the over 40's - there are no rules to say that under 40's can't shop here! The range of Armery (£21) is a great idea - think of them as tights for your arms - for those who are a little self conscious of baring their arms and like to cover their shoulders. I also like the on-trend sheer Charnos Polka dot tights (£10). 

Polka Dot Tights

There are a few of my favourites from the collection:

No Brainer Dress part of the 7 Piece 'Capsule Wardrobe' Collection £135

Animal Print Shift Dress £150

Jersey Wrap Slinkly Drape Dress £220
(reminds me of a Victoria Beckham Style)

Slouch Animal Jacquard Knit £85

Tucker Retro Print Silk Dress £225

Look out for the Mary's shop (you can't miss it with the mannequins in statement bright orange wigs!) at the Oxford Street Store and Online. I can imagine that the shops will be popping up in stores nationwide in no time.

Nails Inc Limited Edition Special K Nail Polish

Nails Inc Special K Polish

Nails Inc latest collaboration is with Kellogg's Special K who have created a limited edition glamorous bright Red 'Special K' nail polish complete with a diamante covered lid! Running from now until 5th December 2011, Kellogg's are giving away 100 limited edition polishes every day in this exclusive shade.  


For your chance of winning simply enter a unique code found on all promotional packs of Special K online here. If your one of the lucky winners you soon could be munching on your breakfast cereal and admire your perfectly polished Red talons.  Good Luck!

TOWIE launches Perfume 'Dazzle' & Aftershave 'Be Reem'

TOWIE Fragrance Launch

The stars of Reality TV Show The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) have not only launched their own beauty range in Superdrug, but they have now brought out fragrances: ladies perfume called 'Dazzle' and a men's aftershave called 'Be Reem'. Ever wanted to smell like an Essex girl or boy? Well now is your chance!

Dazzle Perfume

The women's scent 'Dazzle' is described as an intricate blend of white florals, jasmine and a touch of amber presented in a gold diamond shaped bottle. 'Be Reem' on the other hand, is a rich, woody fragrance with citrus undertones and a touch of vanilla.

Be Reem Aftershave

TOWIE Dazzle Perfume and Reem Aftershave will launch this month in Superdrugpriced at £18.49 for 100ml. Will you be purchasing? 

Primark A/W Limited Edition Range

I always love the Primark Limited Edition ranges, as there's nothing worse than seeing everyone in the same budget Primarni outfit is there! The limited edition range has some great reasonably priced items that you can update your wardrobe for Autumn/Winter on a budget. Anyone else noticed that the Primark prices are creeping up? Here are a few of my top picks:

Chain Crepe Shorts £17

Cream and Gold Shimmer Dress with tie £17

Fur (fake) trimmed Kimono £30

Satin Blouse £10

Satin Palazzo Trousers £16

The Primark A/W Limited Edition Range hits stores on 21st October 2011.

TOWIE Lydia Bright Opens Vintage Shop Bella Sorella

Lydia is definitely my favourite The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE) Star with her quirky style and vintage love for retro prints, maxi dresses, and 60's inspired make up looks. There's no surprise to hear that Lydia opened up her first shop yesterday - which seems to be an on-going trend with the TOWIE gang.  Lydia has opened up 'Bella Sorella' boutique with help of her sister Georgia and her family.  

Lydia Bright

One's thing for certain you won't see any vajazzles or white stilettos in Bella Sorella - on offer is a mix of vintage and vintage-inspired dresses personally selected by Lydia herself, alongside handbags, cute candles, gifts  and even a range of cupcakes by Essex's 'Fancy Nancy'. 

You can find Bella Sorella  on Loughton High Street, Essex. I am sure she will follow suit of Minnies Boutique and eventually sell online too - watch this space....

Product Rave: Cowshed Hand Cream

You may remember a couple of weeks ago I blogged about the Free Cowshed Hand Cream offer in this month's Instyle Magazine. Well I got my mitts on the magazine today and I can report the Hand Cream is absolutely gorgeous and the perfect size for hand bags! I selected 'Cow Slip' which is a soothing hand cream with essential oils of sweet orange and peppermint. The scent is refreshing yet comforting at the same time and reminds me very much of Christmas, which given it is less than 9 weeks to go is perfect for this time of year ;) The cream is quite thick and rich yet sinks in quickly and leaves the skin well moisturised and soft but is not at all greasy.     

I love everything about the Cowshed brand: their quirky product names, the lovely packaging, the gorgeous scents and most of all the fact they only use organic natural ingredients. Their product range are free from parabens, petrochemicals and sulphates and are suitable for vegetarians. I have enjoyed using their bath soaks and body lotions for years and I would love to try more of the range. The hand cream won 'Best Hand Cream' at the 2011 ELLE Beauty Awards and full size costs £16. You can check out the hand cream and their whole range of pampering products here http://www.cowshedonline.com/ and save 20% entering the code 'INT20'.


What are your favourite Cowshed products? What 'Cow' would you describe yourself as? I am either Lazy Cow or Knackered Cow depending on my mood ;)

Free Tickets to The Yoga Show

One Day this will be me!

Thought I would share this with anyone interested in Yoga! I tried Yoga for the first time this summer as part of the Aussie Lighter Self Challenge - I was expecting it to be relaxing but it's surprisingly harder than it looks and works out all your core muscles. I felt brilliant afterwards, more energy and chilled out - I would love to find a good class near me or perhaps do some exercises at home. Any suggestions of good DVDs?


For those of you in London 'The Yoga Show' event is on next weekend (28th, 29th & 30th October) at Olympia. Tickets are £12 but you lucky readers can get a free ticket by visiting here and filling in the form entering the code 'YOGA11CASH' - your tickets will be emailed to you. You must remember to bring ID on the day to prove your name and address. 


For more information and to download a free programme to see what is on you can visit their website. Let me know if you manage to get tickets or are going :)

Black XS - Be A Rockstar!

Paco Rabanne Black XS and Universal Music are partnering up to create a musical platform, Be A Rockstar, www.be-a-rockstar.com.which offers users exclusive musical content, a huge catalogue of artists and the opportunity to step into the shoes of a rockstar.

Black XS Fragrances are letting you "go backstage" to discover the more intimate live moments with energetic groups, such as Cold War Kids, Two Door Cinema Club and Kaiser Chiefs (who I went to Uni with!!). The Black XS Off Shows will consist of nine episodes featuring exclusive content and intimate moments with the bands, and the series will be shown by the end of 2011 on Be A Rockstar as well as on the Black XS Youtube Channel (http://www.youtube.com/BlackXSfragrances).

Have you ever imagined what being a Rockstar would be like? Well now is your chance, and you can win some great prizes too! You can create your own Rock Star experience with your webcam, sing your favourite song, sign autographs for fans and have them scream your name via the interactive video application. To live your rock 'n roll dream, visit www.be-a-rockstar.com/uk/experience.

I wish I could sing...well I can but badly! Have you got a singing talent? Or do you live a rockstar lifestyle?

Visit www.be-a-rockstar.com for more information or check out www.pacorabanne.com or the Black XS Facebook page here.

Sponsored Post

Viral video by ebuzzing                          

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Jasminora Fragrance

GUERLAIN is launching the new Aqua Allegoria Jasminora fragrance nationwide from 5 June. The new edition of the Aqua Allegoria, which first launched back in 1999, contains top notes of Calabrian jasmine and white flowers, followed by cyclamen, lily-of-the-valley, bergamot and galbanium. The final notes of the new scent are composed of amber and white musk. The new Aqua Allegoria Jasminora will be available at Guerlain stockists including Debenhams, Harrods and House of Fraser priced at £35.50 for 75ml.

Can Fish Spa Treatments Spread Disease ?

I have only had one Fish Pedicure Treatment and it was an experience! (I will do a full review if anyone is interested - let me know in the comments) At the time I questioned how hygienic it was since there were a few DEAD FISH floating at the top of the tank. I am not overly keen on feet at the best of times and didn't like the idea of putting my feet in a tank full of water (and nibbling fish!) that other people's feet had shared, however, salons say that they use UV Lit tanks to filter the water and keep them clear of disease.

Since then, I have been disgusted by reading several articles about how these fish pedicures can spread diseases as hygiene levels are below standard in some salons and the water is not regularly changed in the tanks. Experts are worried that this latest beauty craze can spread infection and disease rapidly which has prompted a health warning and The Health Protection Agency are investigating. The treatment has already been banned in 14 USA States.

Front Page of The Sun

Today I was horrified to see that the front page of The Sun Newspaper reads that this Fish Spa Treatment can spread Hepatitis C and HIV Viruses! Have you had a Fish Spa Treatment? What were your thoughts? Let me know below if you would like to read my experience or link me to yours if you have a review!

Monday Manicure: Revlon Peachy

REVLON Peachy Top Speed Polish - One Coat!

This shall be a new feature to Perfectly Polished: Monday Manicure whereby I shall showcase my favourite nail polish or nail effect of the week after requested for more NOTD posts. I am planning to do some updated Nail Tutorials on how to do your own Gel Nails at home and possibly some more Nail Art tutorials! 

Today's Monday Manicure of choice is Revlon Top Speed Fast Dry Nail Polish in 'Peachy' a lovely coral pink shade. This new range of polishes from Revlon are brilliant if your pushed for time and don't have a spare 30 minutes to wait for your polish to properly dry. The Top Speed patented formula delivers amazingly quick colour, with a built-in topcoat that rises to the surface for a glossy, ultra smooth manicure that sets in 60 seconds! The new ColorPrecise brush ensures even, smooth, salon quality application every time. 

Revlon Peachy costs £6.49 and is available from www.boots.com and www.revlon.com