Emjoi MICRO Pedi Review with Photos

Hi guys!

What with the beautiful bout of weather we've been getting the past week, it was time that I got my feet in tip, top shape for what's left of our summer and get them preened to perfection to be presentable for wearing sandals and flip-flops again - well I may as well make the most of the scorching sun and glorious weather before it's gone! So it was just perfect timing that I recently got rhe Emjoi MICRO Pedi fron Lifes2Good.

The MICRO Pedi claims: "The Emjoi MICRO Pedi is a safe, smooth and professional-at-home pedicure system which works on all areas of your feet removing the dead skin cells safely and quickly leaving your feet feeling soft and looking like you just stepped out of a spa.  "

So what exactly is the MICRO Pedi and what do you get for your money?

The set includes your MICRO Pedi battery-operated pedicure device with a coarse (pink) and extra coarse (blue) interchangeable micro-mineral rollers. You also get an instruction booklet and a cleaning brush.

The device itself is rather like a large electric razor. It's ergonomically designed so it fits nicely in your hand and is shaped to gently glide all over the contoured parts of your feet.

Now I'm naturally dubious regarding any wonderful claims a manufacturer promises of their product - well, it would be in their best interests to sing it's praises, regardless of performance, right? And i'll admit that I was very curious to see how the MICRO Pedi would live up to these claims...

I'm delighted to inform you that the MICRO Pedi really does in fact "do what it says on the tin".

The device gently buffs away any dry, hard or rough patches on your skin - I found it to be particularly effective on my heels. Literally before my very eyes I could see the dead skin vanishing, leaving behind soft, smooth and silky skin.

After just one use my feet were left looking shiny and new and as though I had just stepped out from having  a 60 euro pedicure done. The best part about this, aside from the results of course - the whole process literally only took about one minute per foot - so in theory, you could MICRO Pedi your feet and have them done whilst the ads are on in between your favourite soap / tv show!

The device also features a handy plastic guard so you can ensure that the micro-mineral roller doesn't get damaged between uses.

The MICRO Pedi comes with 2 Micro-Mineral rollers - you start off with the blue one as it's the coarser of the two and works great on very hard, dry, rough patches - and once you've been using the MICRO Pedi for awhile and notice your feet becoming silky soft and smooth, you can then graduate to the pink roller as it's of a finer grit than the blue one, so will be good for touch ups to keep your feet in the great same, soft, healthy condition that you've become accustomed to after using the MICRO Pedi.

I've fallen in love with my MICRO Pedi - I don't think my feet have ever felt so soft and silky smooth before. I've been finishing off my MICRO Pedi with Avon Foot Works Sugar Lime Mojito Cooling Lotion and then the Sugar Lime Mojito Refreshing Spray and let me tell you, it's like as though I were walking on Cloud 9 afterwards! ;)

I'll definitely be bringing my MICRO Pedi with me next time I'm on holidays to make sure my tootsies are in tip top shape for the beach and wearing my flip-flops - I may never need to have another pricey salon pedicure again before I jet off!

The MICRO Pedi is available from Boots for €49.95 or alternatively you can order one direct from Lifes2Good for just €34.95 - which is a saving of €14.95 off the RRP here; http://www.lifes2good.ie/

Have you ever tried the Emjoi MICRO Pedi? If so, I'd love to hear how you got on with it, please let me know in the comments! :)

Belle xXx

I LOVE Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream

Hello everyone!

I've recently been trying out a BB Cream by Ginvera. To give the product it's full name it's the Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream - phew, quite the mouthful! Keep reading to find out my thoughts on this product.

I'll admit that this is the first BB Cream I've thoroughly tested. Like everyone else i'd heard about the moisturising properties, the brightening aspects, built in SPF protection and of course the glowing reviews. I was sceptical. Very sceptical. How could these so-called miracle "BB Creams" have been under the radar til now if they're so wonderful? Are they really all that, or is it just some very clever marketing hype? And so, I convinced myself that BB Creams were just another fad in the beauty world and I delayed trying them, until now that is, and boy am I kicking myself for not trying this sooner!

What is a BB Cream?

"BB cream, also known as Blemish Balm, Blemish Base or Beauty Balm is a cosmetic base sold mainly in East and Southeast Asia, although larger beauty brands are increasingly introducing BB creams to Western markets as well. Originally formulated in Germany by dermatologist Dr. Christine Schrammek in the 1950s,  the cream was initially used to protect skin after laser procedures and surgery, while also providing light coverage. Introduced to South Korea and Japan in the 1980s, BB cream has been named "the secret of Korean actresses" and has been heavily endorsed by Korean celebrities, which gained it large exposure in these Asian markets"

Sounds impressive, huh?

Now a bit about my skin - I have dry skin, at times it can get a bit on the flaky side - and no amount of exfoliation, moisturising or scrubbing has ever truly gotten rid of it. Now, as a makeup artist I LOVE makeup, trying out new brands, testing new formulas and the best thing to have when playing around with colourful looks is to have a blank canvas, or in other words a flawless base. However, I have searched for years high up and low down to find the "holy grail" of foundations. I got close a few times, but they were never quite right - the shade wasn't right, it was too cakey, it clung to dry patches, it didn't wear well, they were drying on the skin etc... You name it, I had the problem! So after years spent trying high end brands in my never ending search for a perfect base, I'll admit that I had my doubts about this BB Cream. I'm very fussy when it comes to a skin base, could this REALLY live up to expectations?

YOU BET'CHA!! I think I just may have found the ever elusive Holy Grail in skin bases. When I first tested the product it looked quite dark. "Oh no, yet another failure, this one is far too dark for my porcelain hues" I bemoaned when I saw the shade, however when I blended in the product into my skin something magical happened - it vanished! Right before my very eyes - no longer could I see the dark brown fluid which at first glance was completely the wrong shade for me, the cream had adapted to my own skintone and blended flawlessy with my own skin. Wow. 

Heavily Swatched:

Blended out:

(You can't even see it's there!)

Ok, but now for the important test - "is it going to cling to dry patches and go flaky" which is a huge no-no with me. When I first applied it the one thing which caught me off guard was how fabulously dewy and radiant it looked. My skin was left glowing and luminous - not a dry, cakey or flakey patch in sight. If you're looking for a matte look, this probably isn't the product for you, however if you want to look as though you're glowing from the inside with luminosity, then this most definitely is right up your alley!

I think that this is the product I've been looking all my life for and now at last we are re-united! As soon as a friend met me after I had applied the Ginvera Nude Cover BB Cream she instantly commented on how good my skin looked - it didn't look like I was wearing makeup at all, it was my skin, but better!

The formula is quite runny and liquidy and I found that it gives a beautiful sheer glow - you can of course build this coverage up with thin layers if you want medium-heavy coverage in order to cover blemishes etc... It really evened out my skintone and gave me a clear complexion - all whilst keeping my skin super hydrated all day long thanks to the addition of Hyaluronic acid.

I also love the fact that this product has an SPF of 30. I'm forever telling people to wear sunscreen however I know I should wear it more often myself. Normally I dislike facial products containing an SPF as I find them heavy and greasy on my skin and sometimes they can give your skintone an ashy cast which does not photograph well, however I'm pleased to say that I did not experience any of these issues with the Ginvera BB Cream. It photographed beautifully, instantly adapted to my own skintone and felt light and refreshing all day long, and the best part - after a long day spent in the sun on a beach - still no dryness or flaky patches, YAY!!!!

Ginvera Green Tea Nude Cover BB Cream gets a HUGE thumbs up from me! A+

You can purchase this from Harvey Nichols in the UK and Ireland for just £20 here;

http://www.harveynichols.com/factfinder/search/result/?q=ginvera

Or if you're not near a Harvey Nichols you can buy it direct from Janiro UK for the same price of just £20 here;

http://www.janiro.co.uk/

Have you tried this product? If so I would love to hear your thoughts on it and see if you loved it as much as I did.

Belle xXx

NOTD - Iced Latte - OPI dupe

So, I decided I wanted to go for a nude "Mannequin hands" look, and I just happened to pick up Essence's nail polish in Iced Latte from the Nude Glam collection the other day - so what better time to try it out!

Iced Latte is a lovely opaque, very creamy taupe beige with pink undertones. It took just 2 coats to get a nice, even and glossy coverage.

 Whilst browsing in town yesterday, I noticed that Iced Latte is a great dupe for OPI's Barre My Soul from the Ballet Collection.

What's your favourite nude-look polish?

Belle xXx

WIN!! A fab BeTrousse Summer Break Beauty Kit worth over £109!!!

Hi guys!

I'm really excited to introduce you to BeTrousse UK - they're one of the newest entrants to the Beauty Box market, however there's one thing that sets them apart from all the rest - you get 5 high end FULL SIZE products in each beauty kit!

Yes, that's right, 5 FULL SIZE products and not just teeny weeny samples, or travel sized versions.

I'm absolutely delighted to be able to present this wonderful prize of their "Summer Break" Beauty Kit to you, which is worth a whopping £109!

Read on to see how you can win this prize!

So what's in this fabulous Summer Break Beauty Kit worth £109?

1.) SECRET ECLAT JEUNESSE 

By LILAS BLANC £36.50

Discover the very first luxury organic anti-aging brand in the market . This anti-wrinkle day skincare will moisturises, smoothes and stimulates your skin.

The precious and unique active ingredients are clinically tested to ensure maximum effectiveness. The product, tested by independent laboratories, is perfectly harmless. This cream respects the Cosmébio charter and is certified Ecological and Organic Cosmetics by ECOCERT.

This is a full size product at 50ml and retails for £36.50

2.) ROSES PETAL RAIN MIST (Atlas Ritual Morocco) £28.00

The Roses Petal Rain Mist is a soothing phyto-aromatic body mist with delicate fragrances. 

Cinq Mondes gets its inspiration from the Beauty Rituals of the World: after enjoying the steam from the Hamman, oriental women used to perfume themselves with fresh roses floral water. In order to respect the traditional fragrances of rose with a contemporary touch, Cinq mondes called on the interpretation of the famous perfumer Olivia Giacobetti to create this beauty body mist.

This is a full size product at 200mls and retails for £28

3.) NOURISHING FACE CREAM

By ORHIS £28

Orhis nourishing face cream is the ideal daily skin care for all types of skin!!OrhiS Nourishing Face Cream repairs, nourishes and protects.Thanks to its plant extracts, skin is smooth, bright and soft again. It protects the skin from premature ageing.Its creamy formula and its subtle fragrance bring suppleness and well-being to the skin. In this cream, there is cottonseed. It is the ideal extract for dry and damaged skin. Thanks to its soothing, revitalizing and regenerating properties and its repairs the skin. It leaves a silky touch.It is strongly recommended for softening and moisturizing. Argan oil is exceptionally rich in natural vitamin E (Anti-ageing properties).

It deeply nourishes and softens the skin and diminishes wrinkles. Argan oil is rich in natural ingredients that play an important role in cell renewal. It neutralizes free radicals and protects the tissue.

It stimulating pore detoxification and protects by restoring the skin's natural lipid barrier and increasing the nutritional level of the cells.

The products feature natural cosmetics and aromatherapy products, making them perfect for creating a feeling of beauty inside and out.

This is a full size product and retails for £28.00

4.) BENTA BERRY Moisturizing Cream 

By BENTA BERRY £12.00

Youthful skin and growing up…

At puberty the production of hormones rises which has an extreme effect on skin in young people: The sebaceous gland activity increases, excess sebum is produced and clogging pores and causing skin and hair to become oilier. The blocked pores become infected more easily, it causes pimples, blackheads and even acne. Unfortunately 80% of all teenagers suffer from acne, of which 85% have mild to moderate acne and 15% have severe acne. 

The first appearance of skin blemishes can be counteracted with customized care to maintain beautiful youthful skin. Balancing the skin with moisturizer is especially important because it protects the skin from external influences.

Full sized product at 30ms - retails at £12

5.) NAIL ART KIT EXPRESS

By COSMETOO NAILS £3.9

With this wonderful Nail Art kit, you will realize quickly and easily a perfect manicure with an original design!

Contents : 1 pack of hot pink bow stickers - 1 bag with rhinestones - 1 stick of boxwood 

Full sized product worth £3.90

I think you'll agree that this is a gorgeous box packed full of lovely beauty treats! With everything from facial moisturisers a body mist and nail art goodies!

The value of this prize comes in at £109!!!

If you'd like to be in with a chance to win this prize then it's really simple;

Compulsory requirements:

 (don't worry, they're easy peasy and will take just 2 secs to do! Yup, really!)

1.) You must "like" Belle Morte Beauty on Facebook -

https://www.facebook.com/BelleMorteBeauty

2.) You must "like" BeTrousse UK on Facebook and tell them I sent you -

https://www.facebook.com/BeTrousseUk

3.) Follow my Blog here with Google+

See, it's as easy as 1, 2, 3! :D

When you have done the above, please leave a comment stating you have done so, and you will be entered ONE time into the prize draw for this competition. All entries will be verified before going into the competition.

If you would like to enter more than once, you can do so by doing the following;

1.) Follow me on Twitter @BelleMorteBlog and ReTweet this:

"I've entered the Belle Morte Beauty giveaway for a BeTrousse Summer Break Beauty Kit worth £109! at  http://bellemortebeauty.blogspot.ie/2012/08/win-fab-betrousse-summer-break-beauty.html "

This will count as one EXTRA entry into the competition.

2.) Get your friends to "like" Belle Morte Beauty on Facebook

For every friend you get to like us on Facebook we'll give you and EXTRA entry!! :D

Just let me know in the comments below the friends you referred to like our page, and for each person you get to like us on Facebook, we'll give you extra entries!

BEST OF LUCK!!!! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Youting up…

At puberty the production of hormones rises which has an extreme effect on skin in young people: The sebaceous gland activity increases, excess sebum is produced and clogging pores and causing skin and hair to become oilier. The blocked pores become infected more easily, it causes pimples, blackheads and even acne. Unfortunately 80% of all teenagers suffer from acne, of which 85% have mild to moderate acne and 15% have severe acne. 

The first appearance of skin blemishes can be counteracted with customized care to maintain beautiful youthful skin. Balancing the skin with moisturizer is especially important because it protects the skin from external influences.

Full size product at 30ml and retails for £12.00

5.) NAIL ART KIT EXPRESS

By COSMETOO NAILS £3.90

With this wonderful Nail Art kit, you will realize quickly and easily a perfect manicure with an original design!

 Contents : 1 pack of stickers pink knot - 1 bag with rhinestones - 1 stick of boxwood 

Full size product - £3.90

I think you'll agree that this is a gorgeous box packed full of lovely beauty treats! With everything from facial moisturisers a body mist and nail art goodies!

The value of this prize comes in at £109!!!

If you'd like to be in with a chance to win this prize then it's really simple;

Compulsary requirements (don't worry, they're easy peasy and will take just 2 secs to do! Yup, really!)

1.) You must "like" Belle Morte Beauty on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BelleMorteBeauty

2.) You must "like" BeTrousse UK on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BeTrousseUk

3.) Follow my Blog here with Google Connect.

When you have done the above, please leave a comment stating you have done so, and you will be entered ONE time into the prize draw for this competition. All entries will be verified before going into the competition.

If you would like to enter more than once, you can do so by doing the following;

1.) Follow me on Twitter - https://twitter.com/BelleMorteBlog

and RETWEET: "I've entered the @BelleMorteBlog for the BeTrousse giveaway on http://bellemortebeauty.blogspot.ie/"

This will count as one EXTRA entry into the competition.

2.) Get your friends to "like" Belle Morte Beauty on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/BelleMorteBeauty

For every friend you get to like our page, we'll give you an addition entry into the competition. :D

Just let me know in the comments the friends you referred to like our page, and for each person you get to like us on Facebook, we'll give you extra entries!

Bargain Budget Beauty Buys

As a lot of you know by now, Essence is one of my favourite, high quality, low cost cosmetics brands out there. If you're on a budget, you'd be hard pushed to find a brand better to cater to your needs than Essence. Their nail polish range is a particular fav of mine - I don't feel guilty when picking up a few new polishes in my local chemist due to the fact that they cost a mere €1.79 - yes that's right, less than 2 quid guys! Can't go wrong with that!


Essence nail polishes are about to get a revamp however - out with the old, in with the new, all that jazz!

The next generation! From August 2012, essence will be presenting a completely new and innovative colour & go nail polish range.

The new and super stylish color & go nail polish range which prices at a mere €1.79 will come in a new and stylish bottle this summer and a total of 44 gorgeous colours. The new range is intensive, long lasting and has an extremely short drying time so perfect for anyone on the go, busy mums, last minute change of wardrobe, on holidays or those who simply hate waiting for polish to dry! Thanks to the new brush, the polish glides on easily so application is simple.

• 44 new and trendy colors
• Brilliant gel-shine effect: for a highly intense finish
• Ultra fast-drying formula
• Particularly long durability
• Perfect coverage

What’s the secret? The innovative formula specially developed for essence. It unites particularly intensive, long-lasting color and shine effects with an extremely short drying time for perfect nail polish results. Of course, it does not contain any harmful ingredients such as formaldehyde, toluene and emollient phthalate.

Thanks to the new patented professional brush, application is easier and more fun than ever before: the quick & easy brush consists of two nylon brushes positioned close together. This way, the brush can capture much more color and the rounded edges of the applicator brush distribute the nail polish on your nails even faster, more accurately and smoothly without any streaks. The packaging is also new: the 8ml bottle in a cool essence design has even more content – with the usual color-coded lid that is perfectly in line with the color of the respective nail polish.

With an incredibly large selection of breathtaking colors – from cheerful bright shades to classic red and dark, almost black nuances as well as shimmering or metallic effects - essence will be introducing these unique nail polishes in the standard range at the usual low price in the fall/winter season of 2012/2013.

What do you think guys, do you like the new nail polish bottle design?

Ciate's Brand New Velvet Manicure

The British nail brand Ciate, which earlier this year caused a sensation with its caviar manicure kit comprising tiny caviar-like pearls to create a 3D beaded effect, has now announced its velvet manicure kit, which consists of a paint pot, crushed velvet and a dusting brush accessory

Creating the Velvet Manicure at home is easy: Simply coat your nails with the polish, sprinkle on some dust, and brush off the excess. The result yields a luxe, crushed velvet-coated look (and feel!). 


Choose from three shades: Berry Poncho (plum), Blue Suede (navy), and Mink Cashmere (grey).

I'm loving the look of Berry Poncho so far, this will be perfect for the autumn with the rich, berry tones. Gorgeous.

Berry Poncho:

With the explosion of nail art in the past few years, nail polish brands have been constantly looking for new ways to create a buzz. Last year companies including OPI and China Glaze embraced the crackle effect trend with their product launches, while Nails Inc. released a polish line called Magnetic Attraction which came with an embedded magnet to create a rippled effect. This velvet manicure kit, is really something else however, and I can't wait to get my hands on it to show you all!

What do you think of the Velvet Manicure kit, will you be trying it out when it's launched?

Available from: www.ciate.co.uk

Belle xXx