Preview Of The New Products From Soap and Glory

Today's blog post is a really exciting one because it's all about the five new Soap and Glory products due to be released over the next few weeks (date to be confirmed.)  I feel like everyone is a Soap & Glory fan, I have literally never heard of anyone who isn't which to me is truly phenomenal and almost unheard of.  It's definitely a brilliant testimony to the brand and their products.

I wanted to put this post together to give you a break down of the new products so that you can see them a little more up close.  Also I know that if you're anything like me then you'll make your decisions on what you're adding to your shopping list for the launch date!  I have tried most of them at this point but as I only received them on Friday, it's obviously far too soon for a full blown review so you will see those in the upcoming weeks.

Firstly let's start out with the three new products from their new 'Orangeasm' range, what a name!  I adore the names created by S&G's founder, Marcia Kilgore.  Sidenote: She also founded Bliss (spa) and FitFlop! 

Orangeasm is a mix of zingy green mandarin, Silician lemon and sweet orange peel.  This range promises to leave you feeling super fresh, clean, invigorated and maybe even a little frisky (ooh er!)

 

First up from the range is the Orangeasm Revitalising Body Wash which has been created with a mix of stimulating ginseng, spicy pinkpepperberry, triple tea, green tea, honeybush and white tea antioxidants.  With all of those awakening ingredients it will be amazing for a morning shower!  Not only that, it also contains a moisture-boosting technlogy to cleanse and smooth your skin, all in one!  The price of this body wash will be £6.50 for 500ml.

 

Next up is the Orangeasm Super Rich Body Butter which has a few similar ingredients to the body wash such as the ginseng and pinkpepperberry extract, the green tea but also contains mangomilk and shea butter massage balls which sink into your skin. 

This body butter has also been designed to give you a slight sheen to your skin which is amazing for sexy summer legs!  I love body butters that give you a little radiance, applying them to the centre of your legs is really flattering.  The price will be £10.50 for 300ml.

The third product which is the Orangeasm Super Tonic Fragrance, I have been unable to trial this at the moment as the preview bottle was not available.  I've used this stock photo courtesy of the Soap & Glory PR Release for you to feast your eyes on.

The information I do know though is that it's in a stunning, sophisticated glass bottle.  The fragrance contains orange boost technology for an all day fragrance release featuring green mandarin & mint, sweet orange & lemon oils with a patchouli, petitgrains and geranium base.  

The price of this Super Tonic will be £12 for 250ml.

Now onto the two exciting Sit Tight products.  The first is Sit Tight Super-Intense 4-D which is a targeted firming and smoothing lower body serum.  It promises to make your skin feel firmer in 14 days.

This is a new 2014 edition that is hotter, stronger and more intense than ever.  I can confirm that I have tried this product out yesterday and I can agree with all three of these claims! 

Sit Tight Super Intense 4D contains clinically tested levels of Pinkpepperslim - Lip-FB which is an amazing new oil derived from pinkpepperberries.  Not only that it also contains a super-concentrated "Pressocapusular Firm Plus" which are micro spheres that deliver a slow release ingredient whilst you sit!  

 

They've also added a sweet orange peel, essential oil, sweet almond oil, glycerin and olive oil to help smooth the skin.  I love that you apply this and leave it to work whilst you sit, this is definitely my type of beauty product!

The packaging is a squeezy one to release a little of the formula at a time onto their Circu-360 massage roller.  The idea behind it is that the tri-ball application will help stimulate circulation and promote body smoothing. 

As I've only tried it once yesterday I can only give you my initial impression which is... it's fabulous!!  It is easy to use and straight forward and after a few minutes I then started to feel warmth on the area.. and cool!  I sat down and it definitely felt like it was doing it's thing.  This feeling carried on for a further fifty-something minutes, amazing!  I'm so excited to report back to you after two weeks!!  The price of this bad boy will be £18 for 125ml.

The final new release is Sit Tight Saddle Bags+ which is a world exclusive targeted stubborn area serum system.  This is a great product to work alongside the Sit Tight Super Intense 4D as they target different areas.  

Sit Tight Saddle Bags+ is literally for your saddle bags which is the widest part of your hip only, where as Sit Tight Super Intense 4D has been designed for the backs of your entire thigh and I've also used it on the side of my thighs too. 

 

Once again the packaging is very straight forward and user-friendly. You squeeze a little bit of the product that dispenses directly onto the Microcellu-Roller for a multi-prong attact on your lump and bumps. 

 

Straight away this reminded me of a tractor tyre and it leaves a momentary imprint like this on your skin.  Hilariously I actually tried to photograph this imprint to show you but it went away instantly despite my best attempts.

 

The formula contain an antioxidant-rich coccoloba fruit polyphenols that target the tough-to-shift bits along with sweet almond, sweet orange peel and olive oils to smooth and hydrate.

 

Here's a nice big juicy photo of the 'tractor like' roller.  It's definitely needed on this area of your skin, in fact I'd say it's absolutely perfect for massaging your lumps and bumps!

 

The price of Sit Tight Saddlebags+ is £16.50 for 85ml.  Once again it promises a smoother result within 14 days, so you shall read about the end result in a few weeks, exciting!

Above is the photo I tried to take to show you the massage results.  In truth all you can see is Erythema which is the redness of your skin caused by blood rushing to the surface.   This shows that the circulation has been increased in this area (a little aromatherapy knowledge there for you!)

I did also received their The Fab Pore 2-in-1 facial mask and peel and also their famous Sexy Mother Pucker plumping lip gloss so you shall also see them reviewed once I've trialled them. 

 

It's all very exciting with the new releases, I'd love to hear your thoughts on them and what you're interested in trying!

Products provided as PR Samples, as always my thoughts are my own.

Aquarium Nail Tutorial

Today's post is all about my latest nail tutorial, "Aquarium Nails."  I'm obsessed with this shade of blue.  I notice that I use it in a lot of videos but I feel that it typically compliments the other shades well and with this look being water I had to use it.

 

As soon a I showed my friends this design one of them said that it looked like "Finding Nemo," I've missed a trick there!! I could have made them into clown fish but the video was already filmed at this point.  

Generally I prefer the more subtle nail art but if I want to go for a theme then I like all of the nails to be a combined design!!  I hope you like it!!

Please come and "like" my Facebook page.  It's a little community that I set up with lots of nail techs and therapists on there sharing ideas.  You can message me directly on there too.

 Facebook.com/liverpoollasheskaren

MUA Blush in Candyfloss

Today's post is about the incredibly priced MUA Blush in Candyfloss.  As I said when I reviewed the same blush in the shade "Cupcake," I suppose I do suffer from a slight amount of make up snobbery.  

My make up drawers are full of 'drugstore' brands like Rimmel, Maybelline and Bourjois but then when we go down to the lower end brands I struggle to believe that they're going to be any good.  I just associate them with being the stuff you play with in your early teens that doesn't really have any pigmentation unless you want to apply it with a trowel.

 

All of that aside, let's talk about the blush itself.  The packaging is basic but it serves the purpose.  I believe that they've since changed it to now open at the longer side although I didn't purchase this blush very long ago at all.  

 

"Candyfloss" is a matte shade, my favourite finish!  I love shimmer, don't get me wrong, but I like to be able to place it where I want it afterwards.  This is more so as I often a shimmer eye going on and I don't want to look too 'disco!' 

 

The quality is actually really great.  I wouldn't say it was a chalky type of powder which was my biggest fear as this is typical in the more budget make up brands.  I would say, like most blushes it only lasts as long as the rest of your make up and obviously also depends on how much you touch your face, etc.  It's definitely comparable to the brands I mentioned earlier in terms of wear.

 

I have to say though... these blushes are ace!  I feel sure that they can't possibly make a decent profit from a pound?!  On that same thought, MAC are clearly making a fortune with their products although I'm sure they're made with a higher quality ingredient that my cheeks clearly can't differentiate between.  Overall, these blushes are a steal that I highly recommend.

My Top Ten Shellac Shades To Start Off With

I've wanted to make this video for a long time.  I know it's a very basic one and it probably won't be required for 99% of my followers but I think the question is still asked, "which Shellac colours should I buy first?"  It's a tough decision and you're likely to have spent a large amount of money on your training so money is probably tighter, therefore you need to choose wisely.

 

It takes me back to when I first started purchasing it.  At the time there was 27 colours (I think) and I knew that I wouldn't be able to afford them all straight away.  That's when this list was created.  The only difference is I have added Dark Lava (which didn't exist at the time)

As I say in the video, if you go for at least one from each category then at least you have one option for every type of client and you can build your collection from there.  

I actually filmed this video a few weeks ago and included a bonus three shades that I highly recommended if you could push the boat out a little.  They were Iced Coral, Silver VIP Status and Gold VIP Status which I found out right before I uploaded it that they are all being discontinued!  I still recommend them if you can get hold of them as each one offers more choice to your client when layered over the other colours. 

Here's the video, enjoy !

Please come and "like" my Facebook page.  It's a little community that I set up with lots of nail techs and therapists on there sharing ideas.  You can message me directly on there too.

 Facebook.com/liverpoollasheskaren

Retro LL: Elegant Nail Art

Since "LiverpoolLashes" is officially 4 years old next Thursday I thought I would just share with you some photos I recently shared on my new Facebook community (sidenote: If you don't already 'like' this page but you love nail art / are a beauty therapist, please come and join us here) 

It's just a variation of a design I loved when I first started out playing around with my nails in 2010.  I did it in a couple of colours to show how it could match any outfit and I seriously couldn't even pick a favourite. 

 

The Konad plate is M73 and I adore this print, I actually can't tell you how many times I've used this plate for this specific pattern.  It's even perfect to use for wedding nails and I have used it for that reason.

The Importance Of A Haircut

If you've been a reader of this blog for a while then you'll know that I'm currently studying hairdressing at college.  It's been a passion of mine for probably more than 10 years, I've been unofficially cutting various members of my family's hair since then.  

 

This post is more of a prompt to get your hair cut if it needs doing.  Look at it in the mirror (or if it's long enough, pull your pony around to the front of your face) you'll know if it's looking a bit sad at the ends.  

To test the condition of your hair take a single strand and hold it with one hand.  Then with your other hand run your fingers up it from the tip up to the root.  The more uneven the surface it is, the more damaged your hair is.

The photos above are before and after of a haircut I did this week on my friend Jenny.  That girl did not want her hair cut despite her being more than aware that it was literally fluff at the ends.  She straightens it every single day which obviously isn't good due to the extremely hot plates clamping the strands from all directions.  What makes it worse is that typically you go over your hair maybe four or five times.  

I was also shocked to learn that despite her putting her hair through bleach every couple of weeks, she doesn't use any sort of hair conditioning mask to try and retain the moisture and condition it.

Jenny finally agreed to a haircut with all of our encouragement from the other girls on the course.  Her hair is shorter on her right side because she naturally straightens the side of her dominant hand.  I showed her with a comb how much she should really take off and she freaked out.  Once I'd talked her down from the ledge (explained that there really was no point holding onto those sad little wisps!) she just said "do it!"  I blow dried it straight when I was done and boy was there a difference!  Her hair instantly seemed thicker and you can tell by the comparison photo that it's just make her hair magically look healthy again!

The best news is she messaged me today asked for recommendations for good hair masks!  She's turned over a new leaf, I'm so proud!  You should all definitely check your hair and if it's not looking happy, get it cut!!  Shorter healthy hair is better than longer frazzled hair, surely?!

 

Versace Woman Eau De Parfum

I'm all about the scents, fragrance is very important to me, I love to wear it myself and I definitely appreciate a good smelling man too.   If I told you that when a man walks past I sometimes wait a fraction of a second and then sniff up, just to see if he smells amazing or not, would that make me weird or do you get that?!

I realise I'm totally going off on one here but I did the sniff test to Phillip Schofield last year.  I was in the audience of The Cube and he came and stood directly in front of my knees so what did I do?   sniffffff! I imagined he would smell amazing in his suit but I can confirm he smelt like clean linen but no specific aftershave.  I was a little gutted but never mind.

Anyway, this review is purposely written as quickly as possible as today's bad boy is on special offer!  I was stood in the queue at Boots buying Deep Heat (long story but in a nutshell, LL is getting old) and I saw on the display stand that they had Versace Woman Eau De Parfum (50ml) half price.  I assumed that as it was reduced from £40 to £20, it would be horrific until I picked up the tester and I just died on the spot. 

The scent is just irresistable, sophisticated but modern.  I absolutely can't describe it officially so I've "borrowed" the description from the Boots website:

Fragrance Family

Floral-fruity, woody

Fragrance Note

Top note: Frangipani blossoms, jasmine, bergamot, eglantine flower

Middle note: Padpardscha lotus, prune, raspberry

Base: Lebanon, amber, musk, inoki wood

It's pretty sweet fragrance which I love and I really wanted to mention it as it's Mother's Day on Sunday 30th March here in the UK (I realise the States have a different date) and it could be an amazing gift. 

The packaging is pretty but a bit odd in terms that it's top heavy and I have found I can easily knock it over. At this point I've knocked it over at least three times and I only bought it on Sunday...!

 

I think perfume is a very personal thing for everyone apart from me (I like loads of perfumes so it's hard to get it wrong!) but this one is a beautiful one.  The special offer price will suit a lot of budgets and because I'm a little quirky I'm even considering a back up bottle.  This is definitely one that you must try out!

Exposed Professional Sunless Tanning

Today's post is all about my recent trial of Exposed, as I'm after a new spray tan solution for my business.  I am known in my area for only using the best products, if I can't get a good brand in then I simply won't offer the service (I currently don't offer facials for this reason.)  

The brand of spray tan solution I currently use shall remain nameless.  In a nutshell, I believe it to be a good product but unfortunately their customer service has left a lot to be desired, therefore I've made the decision to look elsewhere in the hope that I can get an even better product, along with the amazing customer service that I'm after.  I'll go off on a tangent here but I think it's a shame when companies that started off humble and friendly (as this one did) then end up speaking to you in a 'well take it or leave it' kind of way.  Show your vote with your feet!

Anyway! So here's a run down of Exposed and some of their qualities.  They're pretty unique and for that reason they smash my current brand to smithereens!  

It's a dense solution.

Why is this good I hear you ask?  Well this is brilliant news for all spray tan pros because the paraben-free solution drops straight down to the ground.  Mobile pros can sleep peacefully knowing that they didn't tan their clients whole room as well as their bodies.  Obviously that also means that an extraction unit is not needed.  For newly qualified pros then that means you don't have to cough up an extra couple of hundred pounds on one of them either, nor do you have to lug one around with you. 

There's no scent.
Each and every client is different, some might think the smell of coconut is the best thing ever but you will also find some that can't stand it.  The lack of scent as you're spraying means that it caters to every taste.  This is also good if you have a male client for a spray tan, the last they'll want to do is smell like those typical feminine fragrances or some sort of dessert!  Also there is only a very minor scent during development. 

It has a natural colour guide.

If I had a pound for every time I was booking someone in for a spray tan and they've had to work out exactly what they will be doing that day to avoid being seen afterwards, I'd be a very rich lady.  The colour guide isn't crazy dark.  I'd say it's enough so that you can see where you've sprayed but I quite happily wore the guide colour, completely forgetting it was there.  For me personally it means I can be sprayed that morning before I start my day, it's working whilst I'm working and then when it's time to get ready for my special event I'm fully developed and ready to wash off the guide colour, amazing!

The solution is formulated to offer an even fade.  

I can't think of anything worse than the solution dissolving in patches, this is something that is on the top of my priorities when it comes to choosing a brand.

The base formula is an emollient cream as opposed to most other brands that use water or oil, therefore it can actually assist in helping sufferers of skin conditions like eczema.

Now all of this is brilliant news but let's get onto the really important bit, the actual colour after the guide colour is washed off.  Firstly, as the guide colour is so light and natural looking, you don't notice much difference once you've showered.  I like this aspect a lot because most formulas have scary dark guide colour.  The thing I find hilarious is that typically you oddly grow to love your new gravy-style skintone as the hours go by but then you watch it swish down the plughole in the shower.  I don't feel like this manages your client's expectations at all and without a doubt will give them a sense of disappointment.  With Exposed there are no 'post shower blues' because it's so close to the end result.

The colour itself is all golden, I honestly think people would have trouble to spot you and your spray tan in a crowd of sun worshippers.  There are so many solutions that have an extremely orange base and it just gives me shivers, no one wants to look like that.

My husband is the person who I have informally trained up to spray me.  Sometimes he does well and sometimes not so much but he's free labour.  Anyway, when I asked his thoughts on it he said that he noticed that the density of the solution means he's not getting as choked up (his words, not mine!) Also oddly, despite me not being a small lady by any means, the solution went a ridiculously long way.  The sample bottle provided was tiny, to the point were as I had decided on a half body tan but we ended up doing the lot and still having some left over!  Obviously this to me just means it will be more cost effective per service.

So... am I converted from my existing brand to Exposed?  Absolutely!  As soon as my existing stock runs low I shall be switching over and I shall imagine that once I do, a lot of therapists in the area wont be far behind me.  The solutions are available in 6%, 8%, 10%, 12% and express to cater for every skintone.

There is also a retail range to maximise your tan which clients will love to use on those easier fade areas such as face and hands.  Finally when the time comes to remove it there is an amazing Tan Eraser which I have tried and works a treat. 

If you want to try this solution you can phone 01202 874 904 to get a free one application sample like I did.

Tarte Skinny SmolderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner

Today's post is all about Tarte Skinny SmolderEYES Amazonian Clay Waterproof Liner in Onyx.  I purchased it from Sephora when I was over in New England/Chicago last October, on good authority that it has amazing lasting power in the waterline.  That was solely the reason as I have trouble with some of the other brands just disappearing or gathering in my tear duct and looking terribly unattractive.

This eyeliner has an extremely buttery, smooth and creamy texture that glides over the skin.  On the opposite side is a smudger to soften the look where required although in fairness I almost always use it for the waterline. 

The formula of this product offers a lot of benefits, mainly that it is formulated without parabens, GMOs and sulphates but also it contrains skin balancing clay that reduces drying and flaking thorough the wear.

Sometimes I do think that these sort of claims are crazy but I can confirm that this eyeliner is still on at the end of a long working day.  The pigmentation is brilliant, I can't speak for the other shades but Onyx is super black.

 

This eyeliner is pretty fantastic.  The only thing for me is that I wonder how it would cope applying in warmer weather.  So far I've used it in the winter time and I have to be very careful not to squish the nip into my waterline as it's so soft.  That aside it works extremely well, the colour is great, it's long lasting (I'm talking 12 hour wear) and if you do want to use the smudging side then it's there a an option.

A Small Haul With A Definite Lime Theme

Today's post is just a small haul, tiny some might say.  I went to Boots for cotton pads, that was literally it just because I think their own brand cotton wool double oval pads are the best.

Anyway, I'm a massive lime fan.  Anything with that bitter but zingy scent is going to totally seduce me.  Needless to say when I came across the Champney's Lime range I was like a moth to a flame.  After going back and forth on what to choose, I've picked up the body wash, hydrating body gel and foaming body scrub. 

Now I have to say that I do believe straight off that each product should be relabelled 'lime and peppermint' in the large font as I would say the scent is equal parts of each.  It does state peppermint in the smaller font but the overall label gives you the impression that it is prodominantely lime which it isn't.  As for the products themselves, you shall see reviews of them on here as I trial them all.

 

I did get my beloved cotton wool double oval pads.  I love how huge these are and the softness for wiping over my face and neck with a micellar water.  I just feel like nothing else compares to them.  

Once I had been to the till, I then get the "£5 off No.7 skincare" voucher pop out with my receipt which I normally bin.  On this occasion however I decided to go and get their make up wipes as I know that they are a ridiculous price of £7, so at least I get to try them.  I've heard good things about them but I do think the price tag is crazy, probably put there purposely for when they offer the "£5 off" vouchers because anything less and you really would be getting them for free.

Anyway, after that tangent... that's it for the haul.  I told you it was small.  Please let me know if you've tried any of these products!

#dare2bare Competition

Today's blog post is more of a heads up really.  There's a competition that has started today and since there's a chance to win some really exciting beauty products you know I'm going to be all over that like a rash!

The low down

So, the long and short of it is Exposed are running a #dare2bare campaign that is open to everyone, whether you're a beauty therapist or a spray tan lover (let's be honest, those UV rays are only going to eventually turn you into a leather handbag otherwise)  There is a separate competition for beauty bloggers which I'll talk about at the end.

How to enter

To enter, all you need to do is take a photo of your tan line, no matter what brand it is and post it to Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the hashtags below:

#dare2bare #exposedspraytan #spraytan #bbloggersuk

 

If you're a pro then take a photo of your client's tan line, tagging your client in the photo so Exposed know who they are too and then you both have a chance to win once you've entered via Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the above hashtags.

Your entry should look like this...

 

...and yes, these are LL's white bits :)

The prizes

• For the winning spray tan pro - £250 worth of Exposed solution (in a percentage of your choice)

• For your winning client – An Exposed hamper containing the full range of Exposed retail products 

(Sidenote:  I've just trialled their Tan Eraser and it works a treat, the review will be on here next week)

 

This is just a few products from their retail range

The winners

The winners will be selected at random at The Creative Academy Bournemouth during their May open day. 

A little hint:  For the pro prize they’ll be looking at how many retweets, shares, and likes your photos have had, how many photos you’ve submitted and the quality of the photos.  That lucky person will receive £250 worth of Exposed Professional solution. The client who stars in the winning photo will also receive the retail hamper prize.

They’ll announce the winners on their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram so you may be best to give them a cheeky follow as well or how are you going to know that you won?!

Now for the Beauty Blogger competition...  

Write a blog post about the #dare2bare campaign and Exposed Spray Tan, mention them when you tweet (@exposedspraytan) Facebook or Instagram, remembering of course to use the hashtags above.  They'll be keeping their eyeballs out for your post so make it a good one.

The beauty bloggers prize

For the bloggers, they’ll pick the best blog with the best coverage.  The winner will receive a £150 gift pack of professional beauty products from The Creative Academy in Bournemouth which stock loads of amazing products by brands such as CND and Outback Organics.

GlossyBox March 2014

Brace yourself, I am a little brutal with this months GlossyBox.  Normally I'm pretty chilled when it comes to these boxes, I try and see the positive in it.  Not everything is going to be hand picked directly for me and that's where I will donate to a friend. 

The top and bottom of it is that this month's box just doesn't excite me.  I have a Bella Pierre product in there that annoyed me the moment I clapped eyes on it.  Go away with the Bella Pierre!  I'm fed up of seeing them in these beauty boxes.

That aside of course I have made a video on it to show you the products.  The video is a little hilarious as I drop things and can't read at one point but I like these videos for that reason, you can see the real me.  Anyway, enjoy the video and please let me know what you think! 

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

You Beauty Discovery Box: March 2014

I received my You Beauty Discovery Box a few days ago but the truth is I literally haven't had a space in my blog schedule to talk about it! 

Anyway I'm not going to lie, it was a hit and miss box for me.  I chose the face wash and the aromatherapy oil as they interested me the most and since I picked them myself I obviously have no problem with them.  However the 'beauty extras' were both unsuitable and very naff to me, I explain more in the video.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

NOTD: Nautical Inspired Nails

I'm obsessed with all things nautical.  I love navy and white together, it's just such a classic look.  With an outfit if you throw a little bit of red into the mix too and it's amazing.

With that in mind I wanted something in my favourite theme but I've had the idea in my mind for weeks about having a white glitter ring finger.  Luckily it fitted my theme so I used Midnight Swim, Cream Puff and white iridescent glitter to create this design.

I have to admit that I absolutely love these nails!  They do look darker on the photograph but trust me, they are a true navy shade!

Please come and "like" my Facebook page.  It's a little community that I set up with lots of nail techs and therapists on there sharing ideas.  You can message me directly on there too.

 Facebook.com/liverpoollasheskaren

What's New In Beauty

Yesterday I went to the "Step Into Paradise" open day at Creative Academy+ Manchester.  I love going up there to be honest, the ladies are all super friendly and welcome you in with open arms (literally!)

The open day was to showcase the stunning Paradise Collection Shellac, Additives and Vinylux as well as introduce two new brands that they shall be stocking and providing education for.  As I love all things beauty I love to see what's coming out next.  I will try my upmost to be at the top of my game in informing all of you as well!

Ear waxing demonstration

First up I headed up to their new snazzy training rooms to watch a demonstration of the new Outback Organics wax by male waxing guru Andy Rouillard.  

This wax applies in the same direction as the hair growth and removed against it without the use of strip.  The difference between this and a traditional hot wax is that you apply a thin layer which is far more cost effective per service.  It also has a rapid drying time of 30 seconds and will remove anything from the finest downy hair to an extremely coarse one.  There is also a range of Australia Botanical and Tea Tree range for post waxing but also for general use products like shampoo, conditioner and deodorant which would be brilliant for retailing in a salon.

Nostril wax demonstration

 Lip wax demonstration

'The Beauty Guru' Sam Marshall also attended to give us some general and intimate waxing demonstrations using Outback Organics.  She seemed lovely and even with a very brave model having a pretty intimate bikini wax with at least 30 sets of eyeballs on her, she was making us all laugh.

CND Education Ambassador Jeni Smith

In the training room next door were three CND Education Ambassadors demonstrating the crazy amount of fun that you can have with the new Shellac Paradise collection, Additives and Dashing Diva. 

 

Amazing colour wheels

More beautiful colour wheels

Now I was thinking of all of you nail art lovers so I then took some close up photos so that you could get some inspiration (aren't I good to you?!) So here goes...

 

Hope you enjoyed looking at those, I know I did!

CND Education Ambassador Amelia Redhead

Amelia was demonstrating Dashing Diva which is actually something I've not had any previous experience of.  In a nutshell it's called an 'applique' which is a gorgeous little patterned sheet that is cut to shape and attached to the nail bed, filed into the shape of the nail at the free edge and then has a base coat and top coat applied (curing under a UV lamp or the LED LightPod that I'm going to show you in a second)  They're available in everything from chevrons, glitter, fading colours so the possiblities are unbelievable.  I could have watched her for ages, seemingly having an utter whale of a time!

 

On a side note, check out that little Dashing Diva LED LightPod which is on the left of the above photo, near to the bottles.  It's roughly the size of a glasses case and cures the coats in 45 seconds!  I dream of a day that there is a version of it to cure Shellac, I would have so much more space on my nail desk!

 CND Education Ambassador Dawn Grant

Last stop was the Moroccantan area which is Creative Academy+ Manchester's new spray tan brand.  This tan boasts a wash off in two hours and a solution that contains Argan oil to moisturise, hydrating your skin as it develops.  The scent reminded me of honey, I'm possibly the only person that thought this but that's what my nose was telling me!

We were advised that the idea behind it is that your client can wash off the guide colour after two hours but to bear in mind that it will still take quite a few hours to fully develop.

 

Above are the photos of their new break area for the students whilst their training.  It was decked out with all kinds of fabulous nibbles and a fruit juice cocktail fountain.

So that's all for today's post.  Hopefully you've enjoyed my little report of the day!  If you want to keep up to date with the latest goings on at the academy then I've provided you with this fancy link.

If you're in the north west and looking to educate yourself in all aspects of beauty then I would highly suggest you train with them.  This post wasn't sponsored by them at all.  In fact I didn't even tell them what I was doing this until afterwards because that's just how I roll and I knew you'd want to see it anyway....!