Sonia Kashuk Essential Eye Kit

Here's another thing-I-bought-in-the-US-recently, and sadly this one isn't available in the UK - although I really, really wish it was.  Those of you with long makeup-brush memories will remember that budget priced, high quality US brush brand Sonia Kashuk made it to Space NK a few years ago - with a staggering markup which saw brushes sold at twice the price they were in the US.  Unsurprisingly, they weren't popular, and Space NK retired the brand.

This rather gorgeous travel set contains five short-handled brushes with super soft bristles, in a tiny travel case, for a mere $11.49 plus tax at Target.   It was all I needed, brush wise, for my recent three-week work trip to San Francisco - for lining, smudging, blending, everything.  The quality is excellent, the portability fantastic, and I love the little case - the brushes are well protected, the case is held shut tightly, and it's so streamlined!  Wonderful.

I really hope Sonia Kashuk makes it back to the UK sometime - without the markup - but in the meantime, beg your US friends to post you one of these.  You won't regret it.

Disclosure:  Bought by me.  Probably the best thing I've bought recently.

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

This Works In Transit Spray-On Moisture

As you might have guessed from the flurry of posts about US-only products, I've been doing a fair bit of work related travel to the States recently.  And whilst I love the opportunity to hang out with my American colleagues and maybe visit some of the local shops a tiny bit (ahem), I don't particularly like the flying part - partially because a snowboarding accident last year left my coccyx in a state where I still can't sit for longer than two hours without pain, partially because it's just bloody boring, and partially because my skin hates it.

Flying sucks moisture from the skin, and halfway through an eleven hour flight to the West coast, my skin starts to have visible flaky, dry patches and generally looks a bit crap.  Since I usually travel with colleagues there's no way I'll go barefaced and moisturise all the way there.  And that's where this lovely product from This Works comes in - it's a cabin-approved 100ml spray with plant oils, designed to keep the skin hydrated during travel.  I spritzed myself thoroughly with it throughout my recent flights, and found that my skin survived the trip far better - no dry patches at all.

It works best if you spritz it directly over the face, but if you're worried about accidentally squirting your neighbour (yep, did that), you can spray it into your hands and press it onto the face.  It's also lovely day-to-day for adding a moisture boost, or to soften your makeup if you've accidentally overdone it with the powder.  Find it at Boots or the This Works website from 5th May, where it'll cost you £18 - spendy, yes, but worthwhile if you're a regular traveller or need a bit of moisture during the day.

Disclosure: PR sample

This post originated at www.londonbeautyreview.com. If you're reading it elsewhere, it's been stolen, violating my copyright.

Quick Pick: Montagne Jeunesse Travel Pamper Pack

This clever little travel pack from Montagne Jeunesse contains six travel-size sachets to keep you pampered on the go.  Inside the card wallet, you'll find two sachet of orangey body wash, a passionfruit peel off masque, an intensive hair masque, a body exfoliator, and a refreshing foot lotion which turns into powder when applied.

Admittedly it doesn't cover all the travel bases - but add in some shampoo and you've pretty much got hair and body covered for a minimalist trip.  For ultimate portability, I intend to take the sachets out of the plastic wallet to pop into my liquids bag next time I go on a work related trip.

Find it at the Montagne Jeunesse website, where it will cost you a bargainous £5.

Travel Makeup: Essential Picks

The other week, I went away to San Francisco on a work trip.  I stayed in three hotels in three different parts of the Bay area - so I knew I wanted to keep my suitcase as light as possible.  So, I pared down my makeup bag to the bare minimum to get the maximum possible number of looks from a small number of items.  This is what I took.

Clockwise, from top left:

• La Femme blush palette - this is now almost full, and has ten shades with varying finishes.  They're all highly pigmented, and last very well on the skin.  Best of all, they're also dirt cheap, at around £2.99 per pan.
• Clinique Age Defense BB Cream* - it has a natural matte finish which controls oil throughout the day.  I took it because it requires so little maintenance - slap it on, leave it on, remove it at the end of the day.  No need to set it with powder, no need to powder at lunchtime.  Perfect for busy schedules.
• Crown Brush Oval Lip Brush - at £2.30, this is one of my cheapest and most frequently used brushes. I don't actually use it for lips, but for smudgy, close application of eyeshadow around the eyes as liner - the tapered tip and firm bristles make it perfect for a soft, precise application.
• Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Zero* - Black eyeliner is pretty much an essential, and this one is highly pigmented, glides on smoothly, and lasts very, very well.
• Benefit They're Real Mascara* - long, flutteringly voluminous lashes in two coats, and no smearing or flaking.  Wonderful stuff.
• Estee Lauder Pure Colour Eyeliner in Blackened Plum* - An alternative to black liner.  This liner is also intensely pigmented, and lasts well, but is less smudgeable and less smooth to apply than the UD one I took along.
• NARS Concealer in Vanilla* - This is an excellent concealer, with a creamy but budge-proof formula, and it's suitable for blemishes and under eyes.
• Urban Decay Naked2 Palette* - Enough shadows to get me through a week of makeup with plenty of variety, and it includes a double ended brush to apply the shadow with.  Very travel friendly.
• Urban Decay Primer Potion - Classic.  No need to explain why, really!
• Kiko Cosmetics eyeshadows - I use these for my brows.  Brown first to fill in the shape, and then red for the colour.  
• Hard Candy synthetic angled brush - This is probably the oldest brush I own.  It's perfect for brows - very firm, perfectly angled, and exactly the right size.  I will cry on the day it falls apart.
• Chanel Illusion d'Ombre in Illusoire - Just in case I needed something a little more sparkly for a night out (or, in reality, for when I got tired of wearing neutrals all the time and wanted something with a bit more oomph).
• Japonesque blush brush - This is from a travel set I received as a gift a while ago.  It's got a short handle, making it easy to pack, and a soft set of bristles which are the perfect balance between size and fluffiness to allow for precise application and easy blending.

What are your travel essentials?  Do you manage to pack lighter than I do?  Let us know in the comments!

* Items marked with an asterisk are PR samples

Review: The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel

I originally bought this Body Shop Nutriganics cleanser to use with my Clarisonic.  I thought it was an emollient, thick cleansing gel which would work perfectly with the Clarisonic to provide the perfect second-cleanse I do after removing my makeup.  And it is an emollient, thick cleansing gel - but with a twist.

Spread across the face and massaged in, the gel changes texture and slips from being a thick, unctuous liquid to being a slippy, silky oil.  Like most oil cleansers, it effectively removes dirt and makeup from the skin, including waterproof eye makeup.  My skin is left feeling soft, clean and smooth after use.

One of the problems I find with oil cleansers is that they can be dangerous to transport - I've had cleansing oil leak into my washbag before, and clean up is an absolute pain.  This product solves that transport problem very neatly - you get all the benefits of a cleansing oil, but in a much more portable form.  I'll definitely be keeping a tube of this handy for travelling.

Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel is available from the Body Shop, both in store and online, and costs a reasonable £8 for 100ml.  What do you think?  Tried this product?  What cleanser do you take with you when you travel?  Let us know in the comments!

Airport Beauty: Lancome and Clinique Travel Palettes

Disclosure: PR samples

Once upon a time, I got the opportunity to go to San Francisco for a conference.  The downside was that the trip was finalised on Friday night, and I needed to fly early Monday morning.  Oh, and I was at my then-boyfriend-now-husband's house in Yorkshire, with a train ticket that got me home to London at midnight Sunday.  Naturally, I threw some t-shirts, jeans, and pants into a suitcase and ran to the airport, and naturally, the first thing I did when I arrived in the US was to head to a department store and buy a full set of new makeup.

What I should have done, of course, was to pick up one of the travel exclusive palettes that are available at the airport, such as these two offerings from Clinique and Lancome.  Offering a compact kit which contains enough makeup to keep you going if you're short on time or packing space, these versatile little palettes even contain miniature brushes.  

Read on to see exactly what you get!