Aussie Summer Soiree!

L to R: Tabitha, Phoebe, Carla, Moi, Catherine and Liloo

Phoebe, Phillipa and Clare

Philipa and Clare Pic: Sam Witney

Alice and Maria

Philipa, Moi, Clare and Liloo Pic: Sam Witney

The super stylish Lil et perfectly fluffy candy floss





The lovely Emma

I jumped on the train and headed to the Big Smoke last Saturday for Aussie's 'Lusciously Light' Summer soiree, held in celebration of the line of shampoos of the same name.

Thankfully, summer had decided to rear its head for a change. I mean, who else has been getting narked off with going to work with a brolley tucked under their arm and a cardigan in their bag - just in case?

But a beautifully sunny day it was  - and the light and airy Sunbeam Studios was the perfect venue. As ever, the shindig gave us all the opportunity to catch up with fab blogging pals - old and new.

I arrived at the venue with fellow blogger Clare and her lovely plus one, Phillipa. And if you haven't yet checked out Clare's blog, do it now : )

Also on the Aussie agenda was a cheeky champagne tasting session, the chance to make our very own candy floss, and a new hair do - courtesy of a team of stylists.

We each put ourselves in the 'hairdresser's chair' and walted out of the venue with catwalk worthy hair, all before being professionally photographed. Well, la-di-da!

Don't forget to check out these lovely ladies: Carla, Susie, Liloo,  Emma, Catherine, Lil, Phoebe, Emma, Maria, Sherin and Tabitha.
 

Thanks to Aussie for another top notch event!

Shampoo Swap!

Fancy some free shampoo? Then hotfoot it down to any of the below Debenhams stores on July 13 for a special swap, in association with Fekkai hair care.

Take along any one branded shampoo - whether empty or full - and in return you'll receive a Fekkai Advanced Salon Technician Shampoo for free.

The shampoo is ideal for women with weakened colour-treated hair. Now I wouldn't say my hair is weakened, but it's definitely colour treated. In fact, I dread to think just how long it'd take to strip my barnet of all the dye!

I might just be heading along to one of the participating stores myself. The swap is taking place in Debenhams in Wakefield, London's Oxford Street, Manchester's Trafford Centre, Glasgow, Preston, Liverpool, Newcastle's Metro Centre and Henry Street, Dublin.

Will you be heading along yourself?

That's It....!

The Aussie Lusciously Lighter and Lusciously Lighter Style challenges are over, culminating in a fab bloggers' event in London's Sunbeam Studios tomorrow (Saturday). Call it a reward for all our hard work. *cough, cough.

Okay, so I started off relatively well in my Lusciously Light (health) mission, cutting out fatty foods and opting instead for salads. I also took up swimming again and hopped on my exercise bike a couple of times a week. The 'boot camp' day Aussie held for us last month was a real motivator, but a couple of weeks on I was back on the biscuits!

The naughty PR folk at Magnum (yep, the ice cream people) didn't help matters  by sending me a bag full of choccy goodies just days into my challenge, too. I managed to resist the mouth-wateringly tempting Belgian chocs for two weeks or so (well done me!) but I caved in recently and had to try them. Well, it'd be rude not to!

Naughty Magnum...

I've saved the vouchers for a free pack of the new Ghana and Ecuador lollies, too! Well, I've ruined any chances of winning the prize for the most dedicated Lusciously Light blogger now anyway ; )

How did you do during the challenge?

If you've not been taking part in Aussie's summer challenges (which you can find out more about here), what have you been doing to get fit and healthy in time for your hols? Any tips gratefully received, as my willpower's clearly gone down the drain.

Deal of the Week: Free Nails Inc Polishes!

Want some Nails Inc polishes for free? Well, kinda free...

Starting tomorrow (Sunday, June 19th), News of the World's Fabulous magazine are giving readers the chance to bag two free 10ml bottles of Nails Inc polish, worth £22 - completely FREE!

All you need to do is cut out and collect three differently numbered tokens, which will be printed in the magazine over the next four weeks. Once you've got your tokens in hand, simply pop to your nearest Tesco to pick up the freebies from July 3rd to 11th.

So, if you're already a News of the World magazine, you'll be snagging these for absolutely nothing. If not, it'll set you back a few measly quid.

Not bad for these stunning summer shades, called Atomic (gotta love anything named after a Blondie track!) and OMP! (Oh My Pink). The shades are exclusive to Fabulous, so if you're a Nails Inc fan you probably won't want to miss this deal.

Will you be getting your hands on these?

And here's the advert for the deal. Just in case you miss it....





I'll hopefully be posting these fabulous beauty deals weekly. If you spot any you'd like to share, please do leave a comment below. Have a lovely weekend everyone!


FTC Disclaimer: I was sent these nail polishes for review consideration. I am in no way affiliated with Nails Inc or Fabulous Magazine, neither have I been paid to write this post. Thank you.

What's Inside My (Birthday) Bag...?

I don't know what it is, but us beauty bloggers just love a peek into one another's bags.

Psychologists would probably say you can tell an heck of a lot about someone's personality from looking at what they cart around all day. If that's the case, I would just be defined as 'rubbish' - because that's what's usually in my handbag. A load of screwed up receipts, notes of paper, plenty of shrapnel and a bit of make-up mixed in for good measure.

But for the purpose of this post, I've edited out all the 'crap' and left just the 'good stuff' - just for your viewing pleasure.

We'll call this my 'birthday bag', for the simple reason that I got it for my birthday (yesterday) from my dear chap. It's a shiny beige vintage-look bag with a long strap from Miss Selfridge. I was pretty impressed that he'd remembered I'd liked it, as it was quite a few weeks ago that I pointed it out. I think he may just be a keeper ; )

Now I'm not going to talk you through every last item in my bag; surely you don't want to know about the paracetamols and the time of the month stuff...

But what I will do is pick out a few of my faves...

Covergirl Lashblast - That's the bright orange carrot-like object you see in the centre. In its other guise it's a fantastic mascara from the US only - and it's well worth forking out for. It costs about a fiver in America, but if you were to get it on Ebay (which I did) it's more like a tenner. Seriously though, best mascara ever!

Tisserand Hand Cream - I'm not really a fan of hand creans, but I've been enjoying using this Tisserand one. It's got a slightly herbal/rose scent to it and while it feels ridiculously greasy when first applied, it sinks in fairly quickly and does a fantastic job of moisturising the hands. Not a bad size tube for the money either!

Bright yellow Accessorize purse - Aww I just love this - just look at it in all its bright yellow loveliness. This was an impulse purchase (I'm not really a yellow kind of gal) but it's great when you've got a black handbag and you're rooting around to find your also-black purse.

MAC Blusher in Dainty - This is the perfect peachy-pink blush. Forget Nars' Orgasm; it doesn't even come close to this MAC gem.

Witch pressed powder - Everyone's been raving about this and it really is as good as they're all saying. Takes the dreaded shine off your skin and lasts most of the day. Thoroughly recommend it!

Anything else take your fancy from my bag? Go on, take it... Not really, tis only a picture after all. But do feel free to ask about anything products-wise and I'll fill you in.

So, what does my bag say about me? And what would you say your handbag says about you?

Hair Challenge: Join Me?

If you find keeping your hair in tip top condition a trial, you might like to join me on a very special hair challenge. And the great news is you can take part from the comfort of your own home.

I'm teaming up with John Frieda to take on a very special hair mission - to put the brand's new 3 Day Straight product thoroughly through its paces.

So, what's in it for you?

If I can successfully complete a number of 'hairy' tasks while wearing the aforementioned hair product, I can win a stash of John Frieda products, for a prize draw right here on A Lauren to Herself.

One challenge will bag me 3 prizes, 3 challenges completed will get me 10 products for you lovely lot, but if I get through 5 of the 13 tasks - which include riding on an open top bus, going out dancing all night and completing an hour's gym work out - you'll have the opportunity to win one of 15 hair products for yourself.

Sounds good? Watch this space to see how I get on....

I'll be doing part one of my challenge on my birthday - this Tuesday (June 14th) - when I head out straight after work for a meal, minus any extra hair styling. Will the 3 Day Straight be up to the challenge? Or will my barmet be a frizzy mess come 5pm.

We'll have to wait and see. Wish me luck!

Festival Competition Winner: Drum Roll Please....

A big thank you to everyone who entered or tweeted about my competition to win a goodie bag stuffed with festival essentials!

I've collected all the entries - and seeing as it's lunch time at work, a colleague of mine has just done the honours and picked out a winner....

Congratulations Lulabella!

Email me at laurenholden6@gmail.com and I'll get your prize out to you asap!

To everyone else, hope you enjoy this year's music festivals! I think I'll skip the mud this year and watch the telly coverage in mt dressing gown and slippers in the comfort of my own living room. Not very rock 'n' roll, I know....

Budget Beauty Buys!

Ah, good old Wilko's! Anyone who lives in Britain will know it's pretty much a mecca for all things home related.  Bins, bin bags, washing up liquid, cups and saucers - you name it, you can get it in Wilkinson's. And at bargain prices.

But they also do a pretty good line in beauty products - and they're all pretty pocket-friendly, too!

The PR company behind the brand sent me a few products to test out as it's recently had a bit of a revamp. I was gobsmacked when I saw the accompanying compliments slip, which listed the items' prices.

For as little as 87p, you can get hold of Wilko's depilatory cream, a shower smoothie for £1 to rival Radox's version, body spray for 47p and a tea tree facial wash for a cheap as chips 98p. All that for less than a fiver!

Four beauty products for less than a fiver!

To be fair, I've yet to try these products but I'll definitely be letting you know how I get on. Who knows, perhaps they'll feature in an upcoming monthly favourites post. I'll definitely keep you posted!

What budget buys/brands have you been enjoying lately? I think we could all do with a bargain, especially with summer holidays just around the corner!

Want Some Free Benefit Goodies?

Simply head to your nearest newsagent's and pick up this month's (July) issue of Glamour magazine, in shops today (June 9).

My copy dropped through my letterbox this morning (I was lucky enough to win a subscription earlier this year on Twitter) and I was lucky to receive a Benefit product I haven't yet tried - Posietint.

It's absolutely stunning too; a really subtle pink liquid blush.

Got your Glamour mag yet? You'll either get a miniature Posietint, the brand's famous Benetint or High Beam - worth £7 each!

We Are What We Eat!

If you want to read a slightly off topic but important health-related post, you can head over to Clare's blog, where I've written a guest article.

I won't tell you what it's about but I believe many of you may relate to it. Oh and don't forget to subscribe to the fantastic Big Beauty Blog while you're there!

Thank you and hope everyone had an enjoyable Monday!

Got What it Takes to be a Model?

The News of the World's Fabulous magazine (free every Sunday) recently launched a competition to find a new modelling star - and along with a bunch of fellow UK beauty and style bloggers, I was invited along to the mag's swish London home to find out what it was all about!

At a special VIP event hosted by the magazine's staff and Next Model Management last Thursday evening, Editor Rachel Richardson explained that the team is looking for a new modelling talent in its 'Face of Fabulous' contest to feature on the cover of a future issue.

 Intrigued? Simply head to Fabulous' Facebook page to find out more.

With Next models Hannah and TOWIE's Rob Mead

The event itself gave us bloggers - who between us have raked in a whopping 2 million hits for the Fabulous site (apparently) - a real night to remember, including champagne, canapes and cupcakes.

Hair stylists from London's Rush hair, make-up artists and the magazine's own stylist were all in attendance to give us bloggers a make-over, while Fabulous' photographer was there to snap us all looking glam. We even had the chance to try on New Look's latest collections, including shoes and accesories! I opted for a red print jump suit and sky high nude heels. Can't wait to see the pictures!

For all you TOWIE fans, Next male model Rob Mead was also milling around on the night and I can confirm he was a true gentleman, giving us each a kiss on the cheek as we left and bringing us champagne when we needed a refill.
I attended the event with beauty blogger Yinka and her work colleague and  had the chance to catch up the lovely Sherin and Lil (fellow Aussie angels), as well as the stunning Susie and Michelle.

We skipped off with a goodie bag stuffed with beauty products, a stunning chemise from Freya Lingerie, a coupon for a free Wonderbra, DVDs, sweets and a voucher to spend at Specsavers. What a treat!

Just some of the lovely goodies.

And despite never winning anything, I bagged one of the top prizes in the raffle - a pair of brand new River Island shoes worn (and signed!) by The One Show's Alex Jones on her recent Fabulous cover shoot. I was chuffed to bits. Just wishing I was a size seven! Here they are:



And here's Alex (who went blonde for the shoot) wearing them!


Thank you Fabulous magazine, you really did spoil us!

Sunday Boredom Kicked In?

Here's a novel idea to pass erm.....a minute of your time....

Got this month's issue of Cosmopolitan? Then flick through until you find a sample of Veet wax strips.

This is where the real fun starts...

While lying in bed this morning chatting to my fella, we got on about hair removal. I was fuming when he said: "Waxing can't hurt that much, can it?" True, maybe not. Nevertheless,  I challenged him to let me wax his ridiculously hairy leg.

Surprisingly he went for it but once the shiny little pink pad was stuck firmly on his shin, he spent the next minute argueing over who would pull it off. Basically, he wasn't brave enough to do it himself....but he knew it was too late to go back.

Daryl's leg before...

So it was up to me to do the honours. To be honest, he didn't make that much of a fuss...but he did agree that hair removal is no walk in the park. Ah, revenge is sweet!

And after... Looks like he won't be playing footy with the lads for a while!

Well, what are free magazine samples for if not for torturing our boyfriends? Ah don't worry, he's forgiven me.... ; )

Are you brave enough to have a go yourself? Let me know how you get on!

FTC Disclaimer: This post was NOT sponsored by Veet. And no boyfriends were harmed in the making of this article. Well, not much.

Win a Festival Survival Pack!

With festival season fast approaching - Glasto's coming up this month and Leeds/Reading and V follow soon - I've been busy putting together this fantastic survival pack.

I'll be giving one of my lucky subscribers the chance to win this lovely loot, which contains all you need to keep yourself looking - and smelling - beautiful at some of the dirtiest music events in the UK!

All you need to do is subscribe to my blog (if you haven't already) and comment below telling me what your top tip for the festival season is (i.e. don't forget your toothbrush, always pack toilet roll etc) OR who your favourite headliner would be!

I'll pick a winner at random next Friday (June 10th!) at midday.

Want an extra 5 entries? Post about my competition on your own blog or tweet me at @lauren2herself. 

Without further ado, let's have a look at what you can get your muddy little festival mitts on if you're picked...

And don't worry if you're not heading to a festival this year; you can still enter - simply stash the products in your bathroom cabinet, be thankful you're not getting muddy and rained on, and pamper yourself at home!

You'll win:

* Fake Bake Shimmer Wash Off Tan Lotion
* Fake Bake Bronzer Wash Off Tan Lotion
* 3 x Carmex spf lip balms in mint, cherry and strawberry
* 2 x Glamour to Go Instant Dry Shampoo spray
* 2 x Glamour to Go Designer Nail Wraps
* Tisserand Head Clear
* Klorane dry shampoo
* Inecto Pure Coconut Daily Cleansing Wipes
* Amplex Natural Anti-perspirant Deodorant
* Sodashi Clay Cleanser with Lavender
* Sodashi Rejuvenating Face Mist
* Sodashi Eye and Lip Soother
* Amplex Breath Freshening Capsules

and....

* A Batiste dry shampoo gift bag including 5 mini dry shampoos, a mini brush and a poncho!

I'm pretty sure that's almost everything covered on your festival checklist. Good luck!

A big thank you to all the brands that donated prizes!

MAC Give Thanks!

It's not enough to be invited to PR brand events anymore, is it? Or at least that's what the beauty brands themselves think, it seems. Toronto-based MAC have gone a step further, by inviting some of its favourite bloggers to its lab to create their very own eye shadow or lipglass! Wow!

What the folk at MAC say: "No one loves MAC more than a beauty blogger. To thank them for their passionate devotion and always honest feedback, we invited nine of our favourites to out lab in Toronto to custom-create their own eye shadow or lipglass, exclusively online, just like the makeup-mad minds that created them".

I first heard word about this fab new collection via Elly's blog. To hear more about the new line - available exclusively on the MAC site in the US and Canada only - head to Elly's blog.

With this new MAC/collaboration now done and dusted, is it time that some beauty brands sat up and recognised some of the fantastically talented bloggers out there?

I think so....