the holiday hotlist

| REPEL THOSE BUGS 

I absolutely detest mosquitos. They make the most demonic noise known to man and intimidate me no end. I also hate those hideous canned mosquito sprays that smell deathly and are almost worse than the real thing. The wonderful people at Alfresco Beauty have successfully combatted both of those problems, with their Insect Repellent range. My favourite is their Fine Fragrance Spray (£30) which has a light and delicate scent whilst remaining powerful at keeping bugs at bay.

| FILTER THE RAYS

Obviously the first and foremost important thing when it comes to packing up your beauty essentials comes suncreams and aftersun lotions. Lately I've been loving the Garnier Amber Solaire Dry Mist (£8.50/2 for £11) as it's ridiculously easy to apply and doesn't have that typical suncream smell. For my face, I prefer to use Benefit Dream Screen (£25/overpriced) as it seems to last that little bit longer and is the perfect beach bag size. Talking of being on the beach, my ultimate essential for down by the sea is Avéne Eau Thermale (£6.50), it's pretty much just a fancy mist of water that refreshes and instantly perks up hot and bothered skin. 

Once things have cooled down a bit and the sun has said farewell for the day, aftersun is just as important to keep your tan lasting longer and to soothe any redness. I opt for Holland & Barrett Aloe Vera Gel (£3.99) on any burnt patches and Vaseline Aloe Fresh Body Gel (£4.99) to cool down the rest of my skin.

| BRIGHTEN UP YOUR NAILS

Models Own have just launched new five shade for the polish for tans collection, which includes every bright shade of polish that you could want after for a summer holiday. My personal favourites are Sarong Wrap (the orange) and Turquoise Sea (£4.99 each).

| CARE FOR YOUR SKIN

Aveda are killing it when it comes to skincare. I rarely ever use a product up before I get bored of it (beauty blogger problems) but stuck with their Green Science Firming Face Cream (£46.50) until the very end, and I'd go as far as to say it's the best face cream I've ever used. I absolutely cannot wait to get stuck into the Botanical Kinetics Soft Creme (£35) and Eye Creme (£28) on my hols. 

I've used the original DHC Cleansing Oil (£21.50) for the last couple of years to remove my make up and give my skin a cleanse at night, I typically have very dry skin so an oil based cleanser is an absolute must for me. The Pore Cleansing Oil (£25) is slightly thicker in texture to the original and has a delicate fresh scent making it perfect for after a long day in the sunshine.

Although you could always buy a shower gel once you get there, or see if your hotel stock your room with minis, I couldn't not pack Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Relaxing Body Wash (£15) as it smells like a holiday in a bottle, plus it's a handy size for packing.

Having a mid-holiday pamper night isn't the same without a face mask, and for dry and damaged skin, it has to be of the super moisturising kind. Clarins Hydra Quench Mask (£29.90) is the one I'm taking this year as it claims to both quench dry skin and revitalise the complexion too.

| TAME THE FRIZZ

I've yet to have a go with any of these Phyto products as I'm saving them all until I get there (does anyone else do that?) but I thought I'd feature them anyway as I've read great reviews on them all. I'm particularly looking forward to the Recovery Spray (£13) and Protective Sun Veil (£15) as my frizz prone hair always plays me up when it comes to any sort of heat and humidity.

When it comes to styling, I always use a salt spray to give my hair beachy texture. This mini sized Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray (£9.50) is perfect to take on a two week holiday and that along with regular hairspray is pretty much all I use whilst I'm away. 

I've got a couple more holiday themed posts coming up, including what's in my make up bag and a little guide to pre-holiday prepping, and I've also put up a huge blog post over at thejessicalife.com all about what clothes I've been buying for my trips away. 

personalise your hoola

There's something strangely satisfying about owning a product with your name on it. Call me self obsessed, but ever since buying pens and fridge magnets with "Jessica" on in gift shops on school trips I haven't grown out of the habit. If you fancy getting your name stamped on a box of Hoola and carved into the brush, pop over to the Benefit website to do just that. I think this would make a wonderful gift for anyone you know is into their make up too, and on a practical note, at least there won't ever be "is it mine or yours" mix ups. 

Personalised Hoola | £28

benefit they're real push-up liner

Now that Benefit are out of my bad books I've been eager to try out their latest launch; they're real push-up liner. I've already read quite a few mixed reviews on it, one thing you probably all know about me by now is I just love to give my opinion on something. I love the packaging, it's super cool looking and I find the handle really easy to get a good grip of which makes application much easier. The tip applicator is silicone plastic meaning it's ever so slightly flexible, just enough so that it can follow the shape of the eye. Twisting the end of the pen pushes the product through a hole at the very top of the nib so that you can then start to draw on your liner. 

Upon using it for the first time I was surprised to find the product is really quite dense, I'd describe it as more of a cream liner than gel for that reason. Starting off at the inner corner of the eye I struggled to get a thin, precise line and had to go over a few times which then caused the product to crumble as it was drying. I do have fairly dry skin on my eyelids which might have contributed to the liner not applying well but if you take a look at the photo above it's really not a result you'd expect from a liner with a high price point, I've been doing flicked liner for years and years so I can assure you the dodgy line was not down to my application skills. In contrast to this I found the flick at the outer corner of my eye incredibly easy to create, it must be due to the shape of the nib but it took me far less time than usual, and I didn't have to correct it as I usually do either. The product is jet black which I give it a lot of credit for, but all said and done my impressions are that the product inside the tube is just too thick to be used for a push-up pen liner. I also noticed that each time I went to use the liner that some product had pushed through the top of the nib which ends up being wasted, there was a tiny plastic stopper that was inserted into it at first but I lose those kind of things in an instant. 

The liner needs improving in two ways if it's to be worth it's price point; the product needs to be thinner so that it doesn't cake up easily and there should be a stopper built within the lid, the applicator nib is genius although I can't help but feel it's wasted by the gel liner being incompatible with it. If you can create a precise line and flick within seconds then it will work just fine for you, but if like me you like to go over the line a few times then my advice is to stick to a liquid liner. I've been using my regular liquid liner for everyday use and have been using the Benefit version for when my make up calls for a more dramatic evening look but overall I'd say invest in a Mac 266 brush (which will last years) and the Maybelline studio gel liner which works just as well as any high end version.

benefit they're real liner - £18.50 |

benefit recruitment update and giveaway

Most of you will know by now all about the complaint I made to Benefit after the experience I had with their recruitment day, and how I was also displeased with the follow up reply that I got from them. Since then, Benefit sent me a tweet to let me know that my complaint was being taken to the HR Director and further to that I then had a half hour phone call with her. She was a really nice, understanding lady and genuinely seemed interested in the experience I had and how they could improve to make sure it wouldn't happen again. She's assured me that Benefit are now reviewing their HR processes and in addition to this I'm going to be meeting up with her soon to give some more feedback and to hear about which areas in particular they will be improving on. Of course part of me is concerned that if I wasn't a blogger would my opinion still have been taken so seriously, the reality is that it probably wouldn't have, but even so I'm still impressed that they've now taken a hands-on approach and have admitted fault rather than just sending excuses via email. I think that the fact they proposed the idea of meeting up to further get to the bottom of things and then use my feedback as a way of improving is definitely a big sign that they are going above and beyond to make sure all candidates have the best experience possible at all stages of the recruitment process. I asked the HR director if there was anything that she'd like to say to include within my post and here's what she said;

"In all areas of our business, we constantly look to see how we can improve the Benefit experience.  Not only is this critical for our customers and our employees but we also want potential candidates to the brand to have a positive Benefit experience no matter of their final outcome.  We are currently reviewing some of our selection methods to ensure that we continue to recruit the very best; in an innovative, dynamic and fun way that truly fits within our brand DNA"   
  

The most shocking thing to me was all of the feedback I was getting from comments and twitter about how many girls also had similar experiences and that was the reason I then decided to pursue my complaint this far. I really want to stress how important it is to complain; no company has the chance to improve where it's going wrong if no one ever tells them about it!

I will of course keep you all updated as ever but for now Benefit have sent over some goodies as a way of beginning to get back in all of your good books and to show they are making steps back in the right direction. This lot is worth a whopping £130! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a recruitment day with benefit cosmetics | update

I know a few of you may be thinking 'woah there, that's a bloody lengthy blog post', but do stick around. After posting my experience of the Benefit cosmetics recruitment day a few weeks ago I got an overwhelming response and noticed that the page views for that post were almost more than anything I've ever received before, crazy times! A lot of you said that you were interested to see what the response from Benefit would be after I sent my complaint in, so here it is. I've edited the email into sections with quotation marks and have put my views on each part underneath in italics, this just makes it all a bit easier to read and understand.

"After speaking with our Area Manager, I do understand that the initial interviews were taken in a training room. Unfortunately space in Department stores can be limited, however we will take your feedback on board for future dates. I do appreciate that it may have been disappointing not to have received follow up questions regarding your blog events etc. Please rest assured that we would have been pleased to hear of this, however in order for Benefit as a company to be fair and consistent in our recruitment process, our Area Managers do have to follow a set of specific questions (more elaborate and detailed questions and discussion would take place later into the recruitment process)."

*I wasn't overly hurt by them not asking further questions about my blog at the time, but in all honesty if I was a brand and had a fairly well established blogger that had been to plenty of press events I'd see that as great potential and something to build on. The manager continuing to not ask any further questions about my blog or experience with Benefit for the rest of the four hours is their loss and not mine!

"In order to be invited to an audition, candidates need to score a certain level in this first stage interview. Candidates can often fail to reach this level, and so any candidates who were invited to audition in the afternoon would have indeed been shortlisted. It may have been that the calibre of candidates attending the morning session was particularly high however, resulting in a large number of those you had seen earlier being at the same audition in the afternoon. I can confirm from our Area Manager that 23 candidates attended the morning session, and 10 candidates were invited to the audition. The audition process is also a stage that any applicant needs to complete, from Beauty Consultant roles right up to Director level. It could therefore have been that other candidates attending were applying for a different, more junior role than you." 

*I have no idea where this 23 number of candidates has come from. In reality, all of the girls I noticed in my group for the morning interviews then turned up in the afternoon too, no more and no less.  There was also 12 girls who went back in the afternoon and certainly not 10, I know I sound a bit nit-picky but numbers really matter in processes like this and so does not lying about them to try and cover improper practice up. Although none of us had been asked what role we would like within the company, I was interested in a beauty consultant role as I'm pretty sure everyone else was too. 

"Regarding the audition itself, I do understand your reservation regarding traffic stopping and sales. We recognise that Benefit is very different to many other Beauty brands, and have a very large focus within the Business on this element - this is therefore reflected in the recruitment process, with a large weighting to the overall score and a certain level that candidates need to reach to successfully pass.  Please rest assured that any sales made from auditions are purely coincidental. Regarding your point that the Store had a lower footfall, each store is chosen and assessed before auditions are booked in to make sure the footfall is at a suitable level to ensure consistency throughout the UK. Should the footfall change on the day however, our Area Managers are trained to adjust traffic stopping numbers accordingly. On the particular day of your audition, our Area Manager did not feel that this needed to be adjusted, with several of the other candidates on the day did successfully reaching the required criteria for traffic stopping."

*All I can say to this point is, an empty Debenhams is an empty Debenhams. They can try and wash over it all they like but the place was a ghost town. The telltale sign of an empty store is when the older retired ladies like to do their shopping as they know it will be nice and quiet.

"At the beginning of each audition we do inform candidates that if they feel at any point that they are not enjoying themselves or feel an element is not for them, then we would respect their decision if they wanted to leave. Similarly, our recruitment team will be honest and inform candidates if they are struggling and feel it is best to suspend their audition. It was therefore with the best intention that our Area Manager brought your audition to an end. The decision and any feedback should have been given to you in a quiet place on the shop floor away from others– my apologies if this was not the case. Our Area Manager does dispute that the wording you mentioned did occur, however we regret if anything she said was misconstrued and we will take this on board however."

*Their use of the word 'misconstrued' really irritates me. There was nothing to misconstrue, I simply was not best pleased at being told in front of the elevators and in what took less than 30 seconds that I had not got the job. Being told that the 'manager disputes the wording that you mentioned' annoys me too, this just basically a polite way of calling me a liar. It seems clear that the only reason I was told to leave the process was due to not making up enough numbers of clients that afternoon. 

"Our Area Manager and another team member were assessing on the day, and did follow the appropriate guidelines on the number of auditionees per assessor. Although we do try and ensure there are adequate numbers of tester products for each candidate to her their own, I do understand these were shared between 2 candidates, which can happen with our Beauty Consultants on counter when some products are out of stock. We will try and ensure this does not happen again however."

*Yet again, Benefit are taking no responsibility for any wrongdoings on the day and are making it very clear that in fact this is their correct recruitment process and it has been followed properly. I also find it shocking that candidates having the unfair disadvantage of having to share products whilst trying to complete a makeover should ever be allowed to happen. 

"Again I would like to thank you for the time and effort you spent attending our audition, this is appreciated, as well as the time taken to inform us of your feedback. Should you wish to re-apply again in 6 months time, we would be happy to consider your application."

*Not quite sure as to wether this part has come from a computer or a person. 

I do appreciate them taking the time to investigate the matter and to get back to me but feel let down that the email has a computerised and impersonal feel to it, it definitely shows another side to Benefit and all of the jolly emails that I've exchanged with the PR girls. All I've really gathered from their response is them trying to justify and cover up what went on that day rather than properly admit any real wrongdoings. I've been left feeling, again, that me not getting enough clients was the problem here and not their dodgy recruitment process. My advice, ladies, is to buy your Benefit mascara online from now on and don't invest your time into their silly sales tactics.

how to: the pin-up look

I've always found that the pin-up inspired make up look seems to suit me most, I adore the combination of flicked liner with wispy false lashes along with bold eyebrows and bright red lips. This time round I decided to take it one step further and give my hair a 50s style twist too, it was super easy to create and I've come to the conclusion that I must give it a go more often. Do forgive my excessive posing but my inner pin-up girl couldn't resist a bit of pouting.

For my base I used the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation along with Benefit Erase Paste for my under-eye circles. To contour I went for the He-Shi Bronzer which adds a lovely warmth to the skin, along with the Nars Copacabana Illuminator which is my new favourite highlighting product. I used my HD Brows Palette as always and the Maybelline Gel Liner with Mac 48 Lashes all topped off with the Bourjois Colour Boost Lip Crayon in 'Red Island'. 

new launch: benefit fake up concealer

I was super thrilled when these new concealers by Benefit came through the post the other day as I've been becoming increasingly eager to try them out after seeing them featured on lots of blogs. A good concealer is an absolute must in my beauty routine as I have such dark under eye circles but I've always found most of them drying and they usually crease easily too. Benefit have put on their thinking caps to create a concealer that eliminates both of those problems resulting in the perfect solution. In the middle part of the concealer is the pigment which is surrounded by an outer layer of balm which means that the concealer glides over your skin and also works to moisturise the under eye area. I was a little worried that it wouldn't be pigmented due to all of the balm but was really surprised to find out how much colour pay off they have. As you can see from the picture above the coverage is excellent and really makes my whole eye area look refreshed and counteracts any redness. I use the medium shade which I have found is suited perfectly for my skin tone which I was pleased about but I think the range is pretty versatile as the light shade works for me too. Overall I'd definitely repurchase the concealer as so far I haven't seen anything else like it in terms of it's hydrating properties, hats off to Benefit as this product is a triumph.

BENEFIT FAKE UP CONCEALER - £18.50

christmas gift guide - benefit gift sets

Around Christmas time ever since I was a young teen until now I like to flick through Benefit's Christmas brochure and pick out my favourite gift sets to ask for. As Benefit is an expensive brand it was something that I'd only really get treated to on Christmas and Birthday's as I wouldn't be able to afford to buy their products regularly a few years back. I think the case is the same with most girls in that it's a little out of their price range, but with the sets you can try out lots of mini sizes for a good price, making the sets lovely gifts.

she's so jetset kit - the porefessional mini | 4 shade eye shadow palette | first class face powder | lip gloss in life on the A list | they're real! mascara mini - £29.50

This make up kit would be most suited to paler complexions in my opinion, with the light shades of the eye shadows, blush and lipgloss. I really like how the set has everything you need to perk your skin up in the Winter time and add a flush of colour. The only negative that I can find is the sponge applicator which has a cheap feel to it, I just wish that Benefit included a brush as they do with most of their make up kits so that the set could retain a luxury feel.

leelee's beauty secrets set - laugh with me leelee perfume mini | the porefessional mini | "that gal" primer | they're real! mascara - £39

Personally I much prefer the Benefit gift sets that include full sized products, making this version my favourite out of the bunch. I was really pleasantly surprised when I peeked inside the gift box for the first time to find all of these great products, including my favourite mascara of all time 'they're real'. Alternatively you could always pop one of the sample sizes along with a full sized product in your own gift bag for a friend and use the remaining products for another gift bag.

away we glow kit - coralista blush | shimmer 5 colour eye shadows | high beam mini | sun beam mini | lipgloss in 'life on the A list' | badgal lash mascara mini - £29.50

This set would be a great gift for anyone with a warm toned complexion or those who like to fake tan. I really like how many products are included in this set to try out but would of preferred a sample size of 'they're real' mascara to 'bad gal lash'. Thankfully Benefit have included a proper brush in this set making eyeshadow application much easier than using a sponge tip applicator.

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk

benefit 'how to look the best at everything' kit

1. the pore-fessional primer 2. hello flawless foundation in 'champagne' 3. boi-ing concealers 4. hello flawless powder

Isn't this just the cutest make up kit you've ever seen? I'm pretty sure that every beautyholic has one type of cosmetic product that they can't help but keep stocking up on, and for me it's foundation. I'm completely obsessed with trying to achieve perfect flawless looking skin so if there is a new foundation on the beauty scene I'm always eager to try it out, which is where this genius kit from Benefit comes in. I'm already a big fan of all the products that are included in the kit so it's great for me to be able to have them all in one next little box for when I'm travelling around. The sample sizes are all a decent size, enough to try them all out properly if you haven't already. The kit also includes some great tips and tricks on how to use the products to create beautiful looking skin, and also comes in 'Medium' and 'Deep' for other skin tones.

BENEFIT HOW TO LOOK THE BEST AT EVERYTHING KIT - £24.50

benefit 'hello flawless' foundation launch

On Tuesday evening I was lucky enough to have been invited to the launch event for the new Benefit 'Hello Flawless' foundation held at the prestigious tower 42 on the 24th floor with views of the night time London skyline glowing in the background. It was definitely one of the best events that I've been to due to the sky high location, the fact the room wasn't jam packed full of bloggers like at most events and the yummy bite size food that was served. The Benefit team are always so lovely at events and you can always have a good laugh and chat with them which is fab, the head make up artist Lisa is one of the most enthusiastic people I've ever met! 

(the picture above is the only one I have of myself at the event, typical that I was on my phone..)

I think most of you will agree that after all the years Benefit make up has been on the shelves it was most definitely about time they came out with a liquid foundation and Hello Flawless definitely didn't disappoint. The foundation has a built in SPF25 while giving a medium dewy coverage and comes in nine different shades broken down into light, medium and deep categories. I'm a massive fan of the sleek and simple packaging of the product, you even get a little tester of the Porefessional primer in the box. I've heard that 'i'm pure 4 sure' ivory, 'cheers to me' champagne and 'i'm so money' honey are set to be the most popular shades.

I personally got matched up with the champagne shade and find it perfect for my olive toned skin. The coverage is medium so you will still need to use a concealer for imperfections but all in all it gives the appearance of dewy looking almost flawless skin. The best bit about this foundation is that it feels so light and buffs beautifully into the skin, it literally has that heavenly formula of making your skin look naturally perfect without looking like you are actually wearing any foundation. So say goodbye to caked up foundation and hello to a natural radiant complexion. I can see this becoming the new 'big thing' in the beauty world and definitely giving other foundations a run for their money, so well done Benefit on creating a great foundation in lots of great shades.

In this picture above I am wearing the foundation and a touch of concealer. I have a few breakouts at the moment and the foundation did a rather good job at covering them up as you can see and transformed my skin from dull and pasty looking to radiant and glowing.

Benefit 'Hello Flawless' foundation will be available from the 31st March at £24.50.

Click here for more pictures of the event!

current make-up #9

Bonjour lovelies. Lately I've been wearing the following make up look, it's still a fairly natural look but I've been venturing into wearing smoky grey eyeshadow which I think goes really well with pink lips, dewy foundation and contoured cheeks. I'm also still in love with Benefit 'they're real' mascara which lasted me six months before having to buy a new tube. Pretty much everything feature in this post are firm favourites of mine and I highly recommend getting your hands on them all. I had my hair in a messy bun also which you can't tell from the picture but I find it the perfect style to keep my hair in at the minute.

Eyes

Lancome lash curlers, Urban Decay primer potion, Benefit they're real mascara, Sleek brow kit, Mac eyeshadows in 'Scene' and 'Carbon', Sigma E25 blending brush

Face

Maybelline coverstick in 'ivory', Estee Lauder Lucidity foundation in 'pale ivory', Illamasqua Skin Base foundation in 'no. 6', Sleek contour kit in 'medium', Mac 187 Duo Fibre brush, Sleek Luminaire concealer in 'L02'

 Lips

Barry M '100' light pink lipstick

benefit and diet coke get glam launch event

On Thursday evening I was lucky enough to have been invited to the launch event for the Diet Coke and Benefit get glam collaboration in the Benefit store at Spitalfields. It was a fab event with mini makeovers going on around the room and lush male models serving drinks. I had a lovely time chatting with some of my fave bloggers and at the end I was handed a massive gift box full of Benefit goodies.

With every special edition can of Diet Coke is a £5 off voucher if you spend over £20 on the Benefit website. I personally believe that everyone needs the 'they're real' mascara in their life as it's the best mascara that I've ever tried, which I have reviewed here.

The event -

The gift box -

Ring my Bella, My place or yours Gina & Laugh with me Lee Lee perfumes - £29.50 each

Benetint, Cha Cha Tint & Posie Tint cheek and lip stains - £24.50 each

The Pore-fessional £23.50 & They're Real mascara £18.50

The special edition Benefit and Diet Coke cans to look out for