Beauty gallery : Heat protection products for afro hair

I worked with the lovely Online Beauty Editor on Cosmopolitan.co.uk to come up with this beauty feature that stemmed from an issue that I had been wondering about after purchasing some new hair straighteners.

I reviewed every single product myself so you can trust that this review is the whole truth according to my locks!

Have a look at the gallery HERE (and you can see more of my beauty reviews on nolalikesbeauty.wordpress.com)

Interview: Alexandra Burke

While working at Cosmopolitan.co.uk, I had a chat with the lovely Alexandra Burke about being the face of Funkin cocktails as well as her new album and her thoughts on becoming a judge on The Voice.

Alexandra Burke has been a bit absent recently - turns out it's because she's been busy recording new music in the studio, and teaming up with Funkin Cocktails to front their new campaign (more below).

We managed to pull the X Factor star away from the studio for a quick chat about making music and making drinks. Well, you've gotta have priorities...

Hey Alex! What have you been getting up to this summer?
I’m recording pretty much every day. I’ve basically got no voice right now because I was in the studio till an ungodly hour.
I don’t feel like deserve a break or a holiday as such yet until maybe the end of the year. Depending on how the schedule goes but for now it’s just all about the work.

Read the full interview on cosmopolitan.co.uk

Review: Marc Jacobs - Honey

What’s the juice? It’s a sweet and fruity fragrance with honey and smooth woods at its heart.

Does it turn heads? I got compliments as soon as I entered the car and people kept commenting on how much they loved the scent when I had it on. It’s definitely a sweet scent but no one found it too overpowering.

Full review published on: Cosmopolitan.co.uk

Film review: Lovelace

What’s it about? Lovelace (18) has been the film on everyone’s lips since production on the biopic was first announced. Everyone’s heard about porn star Linda Lovelace and her infamous “talent”, but what do we really know about her story?

If you’ve never watched Deep Throat, read Linda’s tell-all book and or watched any documentaries about the film, you might walk into the cinema expecting a comical Boogie Nights-style film about a pretty girl who made a funny porn film back in the 70s. And at the start you’re led believe the film is exactly that…

Full review published on: Flicks And The City

Film review - The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell-Bower and Robert Sheehan star in The Mortal Instruments and here's what we thought about it...



So what’s going on then? The Mortal Instruments follows Clary Fray, whose world gets turned upside down when her mother is kidnapped and she discovers that she can see Shadow Hunters (a group of badass half angel/half human demon hunters). Turns out Clary's mum has been hiding a secret about who she really is, and now Clary is forced to try and discover as much as she can so she can find her mother. Naturally she can't help but begin to fall for the charms of the lead Shadow Hhunter, Jace, much to the disappointment of lovestruck her best friend Simon.

Who’s in it that I’ve heard of? You've been seeing her in awesome outfits as she promotes the film so naturally all eyes are on the stunning Lily Collins who plays Clary, alongside Jamie Campbell-Bower as leading man, Jace.

Full review published on: cosmopolitan.co.uk

Review: Wrangler Denim Spa jeans

Everything about the new Wrangler Denim Spa jeans sounds like perfection, but we wanted to test their claim that they can soothe sensitive skin, keep legs moisturised AND help to keep cellulite at bay.While we weren't able to give the cellulite busters a try just yet, we did put the Aloe Vera jeans to the test for a few weeks. Here's what we thought.

What makes them special? Wrangler explains that the jeans are infused with "microcapsulated" moisturising ingredients like apricot kernel oil, passion fruit oil, rose hip oil and shea butter.

The idea is that the closer the fit, the more friction there will be allowing the microcapsules to release their soothing qualities.

 

Full article published on: Handbag.com

Travel: Luxembourg - the perfect destination for a relaxing weekend

Weekend in Paris? Been there, done that! Luxembourg is the new hotspot you need to visit...



Why go?

Sometimes a girl just needs a weekend away from the stress of life and work but there's only so many times you can make a trip over to France.

Luxembourg is slowly coming up as the new spot for a chilled out holiday. Previously appreciated only by businessmen and surrounding countries, it's time you got to experience Europe's little gem.

With regular CityJet flights from the stress free London City airport, you have no excuse not to go.

© Cathy Giorgetti (LCTO)

Stay

We recommend Hotel Simoncini.

Not only is it a modern hotel but thanks to the owner's love of art and poems it also doubles as an art gallery! There's even a painting in every single bedroom just in case you don't find time to make it to the gallery.

So even if you don't visit any museums, you can still tick off your 'culture' box and brag about the amazing art you saw when you got back. We like that a lot.

If you're after a real luxurious stay then the beautiful Le Place d'Armes is a great place to be treated like royalty.

Full article published on: Handbag.com

Review: Iman Skin Tone Evener BB Creme SPF 15

THE PRODUCT: Iman Skin Tone Evener BB Creme SPF 15



THE PROMISE: Formulated to brighten, hydrate and protect skin, this BB creme has ingredients such as grape seed oil, acai and Vitamin A to fight fine lines and wrinkles as well as Vitamin C and licorice root extract to brighten the complexion.

THE TRUTH While everyone has been obsessed with BB creams for the past year or so, those of us with darker skin tones have had to watch from the sidelines.

But with her lustworthy cosmetics line for those with tan, olive and brown complexions, it was only a matter of time before supermodel Iman came to our rescue with a new BB cream of her own. But has it been worth the wait?

The BB claims to even your skin tone and fabulously, it does just that. Hello flawless coverage!

Even though the BB Creme is only available in six shades for now, they do mix well if you struggle to find the right match.

I have to warn you however, there is a downside. If you have oily skin, this isn't a great buy. The "light, satiny coverage" promised on the bottle can make you look very shiny indeed, especially if you don't have oil blotting sheets in your handbag.

That said, I do love that it includes SPF 15 for all-day protection against UVA and UVB damage, a must have considering the heatwave!

BUY IT: Available at selected high street retailers, RRP £23.99.

Published: Handbag.com

Film Review: The Heat

There’s been a lot of focus on the fact that Bridesmaids director Paul Feig is once again empowering females in comedy with his new buddy cop film, but that’s not the main reason you should watch it.



The Heat has everything we’ve come to love and expect from classic buddy cop films: incompatible agents with a love-hate relationship are forced to stumble through their investigation with hilariously disastrous effects before slowly bonding to become an unstoppable crime-fighting team. The only difference is that The Heat has two brilliant female leads – Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy.

Bullock plays FBI Agent Ashburn, who’s extremely efficient at her job but whose arrogance means she’s not the best team player around. Keen to get a promotion, she’s forced to prove to her boss that she can work with a partner but, unfortunately for her, she ends up with the brash and outlandish Agent Mullins (McCarthy).

The pair couldn’t be more opposite: Ashburn likes to outsmart people by getting into their heads while Mullins simply prefers to bash in their heads! And so hilarity ensues thanks to Katie Dippold’s perfectly written scenarios that let Bullock and McCarthy do what they do best – be funny!

Full review published on: Flicks And The City