Consumer Intelligence

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So I signed up to this cool website that allows you to mystery shop to earn money. (And by shop I don't mean actually going out all the time! )

I was asked to test an app on my ipod for them and earned £2 just for playing and rating a game!how amazing is that? I didn't think it was possible for the average person to be paid to play a game. But I actually received the money! 

If you follow the link you can sign up too its quick and simple and they email you when there is an opportunity for you to earn some money. 

I wouldn't normally recommend something like this but considering it actually works I think everyone should try it out!

Dove Men+ Care 48hr Anti-Perspirant

Calling all men! 

Are you sporty, active or just sweat a lot? 

Are you sick of Anti-Perspirants that don't live up to their name? 

LOOK NO FURTHER!

Dove men+ care 48hr Anti-Perspirant can keep you smelling fresh all day whether you are at the gym, on a date or just chilling around the house. 

A friend of mine who is very active and is a sports student was complaining that whatever deodorant he used failed on him after 1 to 2 hours of applying it. A local gym was giving away free testers of the Dove Anti-perspirant spray so he tried it out and gave me a free sample too. 

Both of us still use this brand of deodorant now as it is a life saver! When I am at work it keeps me feeling fresh all day and my friend doesn't smell bad after a long workout at the gym! 

Also, this deodorant does not leave white marks on your clothes and does not flake on your skin when it dries like some other brands do.

We are both very impressed by this deodorant and will continue to use it.

Pauls Boutique Bag

I am in love with my new handbag! <3

I bought a Paul's boutique bag from fenwicks recently and I have had nothing but compliments about it ever since! 

The internal fabric is so soft it is lovely and the outside is such a beautiful shade of snakeskin (faux of course!) 

I don't have much else to say other than this is a beautiful, well made bag and I am truly happy with it! 

WELL DONE PAUL'S BOUTIQUE! 

and thank you for making something so lovely!

Environ

I recently went to my local distributor to get my environ skin care (moisturiser, face wash and toner).I also bought an SPF 50 sun cream by SkinCeuticals.

These four items totaled at a hefty £97! but seem to be worth it! 

Environ was founded by Dr.Fernandes who is a plastic surgeon situated in Cape Town. In the 1980's he was one of the first to use enough Vitamin A in skin products to show a noticeable difference to the quality of the users skin.

In the distributor they explained to me that environ is not the sort of product you can walk into any store and buy straight off the counter. You have to have an initial consultation to be prescribed the correct products and strength. Then you will have follow-up consultations every few months to see if the product is working for you and if you need to go up to the next level. Considering that all of the consultations were free of charge and the products last quite a long time (about 6 to 8 weeks) I am pleased with the price of these products. 

 

I do not know much about SkinCeuticals but was recommended this product by the advisor I was seen by for my consultation and I am pleased with this product as it isn't oily and heavy on my skin.

I have been looking for chemical-free solutions to beauty products on the market and this seems to be a good option to go with. I have been using the four products I was prescribed for 2 days and already I see a noticeable difference in my skin. Although my skin is far from how I would like it to be (as expected; its not miracle cream after all!) it has been significantly less oily. My T-Zone is a primary target for oily skin but these products seem to maintain it throughout the day. 

It is still early days at the moment so I will not be recommending anything in this article, but I can say I am quite impressed so far.

Branded Skin Care

After looking into natural/ herbal remedies for skin care I decided to look into the more expensive brands of face and body products. 

I have heard a lot of great things about the Environ skin care range as well as the Clarins range and at their prices they should be good! 

My next challenge is to find a skin moisturisor that doesnt leave my skin feeling greasy and shiny. I have tried many different "off the counter" brands and they have all given me negative effects from more spots to peeling skin and worst of all clogged pores which then lead to blackheads! 

I am going to try the Environ range as well as the Clarins range. 

I will let you know how it goes!

Honey Face Mask Challenge Days Two And Three!

I am really loving this honey face mask!

After using it for three consecutive days my skin has been softer, my spots have reduced significantly, my oily t-zone has toned down on the "oilyness" and my skin around my nose hasn't been peeling as bad as it was before. 

I am very impressed with this face mask/scrub and would recommend it to anyone with any type of skin. 

You only need one teaspoon of honey and half a teaspoon of sugar to make a face mask/scrub for one. This is cost effective as it costs you far less to buy honey and sugar than it does to buy the leading brands of face products which are packed with chemicals.

Some people may prefer to use branded face products but in my opinion we don't need all those chemicals in our life. cut it out and go organic on your skin. you never know, it may save you money and give you irresistible skin all in one!!

St.Moriz Mousse Tan Review

OK so I finally got round to trying the St.Moriz Mousse tanner and it was a lot better than the spray tan! 

The colour was rich and yet believable (I didn't look like an orange) and wasn't streaky and blotchy like most self tans come out as.

The product was easy to apply and did not stain my hands for too long. (it washed off my hands after two attempts)

Overall I preferred this to the spray tan as it is easier to apply and not as messy as the spray tan was!

No ruined tops for me this time! yay!

(warning: the product will stain towels, flannels and clothes so use a separate towel when washing whilst the fake tan is on your skin and wait for the solution to dry into your skin before putting your clothes back on.)

Organic Hair Energiser

I bought this hair care product from one of my local shops and I have found it to be a delight to use on my hair and well worth its money! 

This hair growth booster with pro vitamin B5 leaves my hair glossy, full and soft as well as helping to repair the damage caused from straightening my hair. 

This product is for all hair types and can be used in many ways.

• For Afro-Caribbean hair it can be used as an oil sheen to keep the hair moisturised rather than dry and brittle.
• For European/all other hair types it can be used as a hair mask before washing your hair. (cover hair entirely, massage in, leave for 15 minutes and then wash hair as normal.)

This product has been a life saver to my hair and I always have good feedback from others I have recommended it to. 

Organic hair growth booster contains ingredients to target hair loss, prevent thinning, repair damaged hair caused by heated appliances and restores the natural moisture back into the hair and its cuticles. 

It has also been known to prevent Alopecia Androgenetica!

This product cost me £8.99 and can be bought from many hair care stores or online.

Honey Facemask challenge...day 1

I started my honey exfoliating face mask challenge this morning. Day one. 

I washed my face with water and then applied the honey and sugar mixture to my face, spreading it with the back of a teaspoon. 

I left the mixture on for 15 minutes to let it settle into my skin and then washed it off. 

I washed it off with warm water, using pressure from my fingertips in a circular motion to exfoliate whilst removing it all. 

My face had an instant noticeable difference. It was brighter, smoother and wasn't dried out like other exfoliators do to my skin. It also reduced the redness of the few spots I have on my face.

Day one has been a good improvement, now to see if it has an ongoing effect when using it daily.

St.Moriz Spray Tan

 

Alright, so I dont seem to be going on holiday this year so I have been looking into cheap but good fake tans.

im looking for 

*streak free

*mess free

and 

*hassle free

I read a magaine review recently and they stated that the best off-the-shelf DIY tanner is the St.Moriz range as they do not make you orange and it does not streak as well as being simple to apply and not messy. 

I decided to go and buy this fake tan to try it out. 

lets see the results over the next few days... 

Alice x

Scratch Magazine

If you enjoy looking after your nails but cant think of any new ideas for them, then look no further!

Go to Scratch Magazine's website! 

They have pictures from nail technicians all around the world of their wonderful creations which could give you ideas towards designs for your nails.

Or if you would prefer to DIY your nails, sign up for their magazine subscription for £34 for the whole year and receive their magazine direct to your door every month where it has step by step guides to nail designs and useful tips on keeping your nails looking beautiful!

I know I'm going to get my subscription ASAP... are you? ... 

http://www.scratchmagazine.co.uk/

Dream Nail Polish

So I think it is really important to let people know when you have found a good quality brand of nail polish as so many these days aren't even worth pennies let alone the ridiculous amount they are priced at! 

When I started my nail course I was sent all the items I would need to complete it. In with all this stuff was 2 nail polishes by "Dream". I had never heard of the make so I was a bit sceptic to its efficiency but it turned out great and I love it!

Dream nail varnish goes on literally like a "dream" and dries within minutes leaving a beautiful flawless shine. 

I would recommend this brand to anyone who is frustrated with those gloopy horrible nail varnishes that never seem to dry! 

Dream nail varnishes and other products can be bought from www.essentialnails.co.uk

Acrylic nails

So I have embarked on a quest to learn how to create beautiful acrylic nails, and I must say it seems to be going well. 

Ive had some up's and down's with the acrylic, it does give me quite a headache after a while (and the house stinks of monomer) but its been good. 

I have experimented on my own nails and also done my mothers nails. 

heres a picture of my own nails... I love them 

you would think it would be difficult to do your own acrylic nails but it was actually easier than doing other's nails as I am not nervous about hurting myself where as I am scared of hurting clients.

Whilst creating nails, I also had to learn about safety in the environment and skin and nail diseases. (they were disgusting).

I havent finished yet but I have passed the first test so its looking like a good outcome for me :) 

I will keep it updated. 

Alice X

The plan...

So I have decided to look into a range of different natural / home made face and body masks, scrubs and more! 

The big problem everyone seems to have at one point in their life is spots and dry or oily skin. I have been looking for the perfect products to target these problems and to stop you from feeling as if you are smearing yourself with chemicals that could one day come back to 'haunt' your skin.

I have taken the top 3 recommendations of natural home made skin supplements and will try them for two weeks to see the difference to my skin.

The first is the face scrub which consists of honey and sugar to create a slightly sticky paste. This "apparently" works better than most face scrubs because it uses sugar which is less likely to scratch your skin and the honey is good for your skin as it hydrates the skin and is good for people with a sensitivity to the leading brands of face products.

The second will be the face mask which will consist of natural yogurt, honey (1tsp for normal skin, 2 for dry skin) and lemon juice. This is meant to be cool and refreshing for your skin. 

The third is yet to be confirmed as I am still looking into a good body moisturiser.

nivea lip balm

Ok so I thought I would post a small review on this lip balm as I use them religiously.

If your like me.. a victim of chapped and sore lips due to the harsh weather, then you definitely need this lip balm in your life.

• Smooth and light on your lips
• Clear so it can be used by men and women (no specific sex oriented)
• stick applicator for easy clean use (no sticking your fingers into a pot)
• Smells awesome! 

You can purchase this from many places and is only £1

Superdrug...Boots...local newsagent...asda....tesco etc