With November beginning tomorrow, no one can now ignore the fact that Christmas really just is around the corner. In no time at all, you’ll be heading out for a couple of big nights out, and then its turkey-time! So why not be a bit more organised this year with the ol’ gift buying side of things?

The lovely people at Beauty Expert have kindly put together an extremely good Christmas microsite that features a whole host of fabulous presents, all easily bought and delivered to your home (or office) with the minimum of fuss.

So, don’t wait until you are fighting over the last box of chocs on Christmas eve, get things sorted now with Beauty Expert, and make this a festive season that you’ll really enjoy!

BeautyExpert Christmas Site

About BeautyExpert:

BeautyExpert claim that world of beauty is at an unsurpassed high in terms of effectiveness and product choice.

Their range is chosen from the most prestigious salons, spas and cosmetic houses around the globe, there is nothing that hasn’t been tried and tested first. And if it works for them, they’re happily confident it will work for you too.

They also realise that your time is precious and that you don’t have all the hours you’d like to spend on yourself! With that in mind, and the fact that real life gets in the way of indulgences, the BeautyExpert product choice is based around efficiency and luxury, so your skin gets the maximum treat with the minimum fuss.

From scientific organics to dermatologist developed treatments, their selection of product types are designed to ensure there is something for absolutely everyone. Marine, herbal, plant or mineral bases mingle with super high-tech skin loving goodies. They also offer an individual advice line so you can get expert advice before you buy.

Quality, efficiency and a 24 hour delivery service is what BeautyExpert hopes to provide because ultimately, what they are all about is you. And if you’re happy and your skin is happy, then they are happy!

You’ve got just over 24 hours from the time of writing to take advantage of some massive savings in the Lookfantastic Beauty Sale. With savings of up to 84% this could be the perfect time to stock up on those beauty essentials before Christmas – and at prices you won’t see anywhere until at least January!

Lookfantastic Beauty Sale

Feelunique.com are synonymous with top quality brands at absolutely rock bottom prices, and now they are offering even more generous discounts on all Make-up with a whopping 10% off when you spend over £30.

Chose from the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Clinique, Bare Minerals, Dior, Elizabeth Arden and many more!

Check it out now!

First things first, when writing the headline for this post I was tempted to drop the Cole, and go simply with “Cheryl”.

However, this is not a dig at her arguably less than popular husband, but because it seems that Ms Cole is approaching the sort of level of adulation that results in people dispensing with surnames à la Madonna or Angelina.

Anyway, irrespective of what to call her (we’ll leave that to the official arbiters of celeb culture – the weeklies), one thing that can’t be denied is that in addition to being a pop sensation, a TV sensation and a fashion sensation; Cheryl is something of an icon when it comes to her hair and make-up.

Indeed, it was only last year that Feelunique.com asked over 500 women which celebrity they thought consistently wears the best make-up. A whopping 22% said it was the Girls Aloud star!

As such it was no surprise that when the video to her smash hit single Fight For This Love was released, the first thing we all noticed at Beauty Now, was just how amazing she looked. It wasn’t until we’d seen it a few times that we realised it was also a great song!

Anyway, a couple of our fav YouTube hair and beauty gurus have taken it upon themselves to put up videos of how you can recreate her fabulous hair and make-up in the comfort of your own home. Enjoy:

Cheryl Cole “Fight for This Love” Make-up with Lauren Luke

Lauren has a new book of Celebrity Make-up tips out, called Look Like a Star featuring her brilliant tips on how to show off your best features or recreate celeb’s like Cheryl Cole or X-factor Queen, Leona Lewis’ latest look in ten minutes flat

Cheryl Cole “Fight for This Love” Hair with Foxylocksextensions

Worried about a boyfriend or husband who frankly could do with a bit of a spruce up before Chrimbo? Well worry no longer as Lookmantastic.com (the hunky brother of one of our fav sites, Lookfantastic.com) is having a Male Sale with up to 62% off their already low prices!

Of course you will have to work your powers of persuasion quickly as the sale ends this Friday. However, if you are able to drag your man to the PC for some internet shopping in time, then he’ll be able to chose from a massive range of great male grooming products that will improve his hair, his skin and even his smell!

And even if he isn’t interested, then fear not! As thanks to their comprehensive range of gifts, you can take matters into your own hands AND sort out his Christmas presents all at the same time. Talk about female multi-tasking!

Check the Lookmantastic Male Sale out here…

Want to show the world that you are a fan of some of your favourite beauty retailers? Why not check out their facebook pages:

1. Superdrug: http://www.facebook.com/Superdrug

2. Hqhair.com: http://www.facebook.com/pages/HQhaircom/16823086654

3. Feelunique.com: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jersey-Channel-Islands/Feel-Uniquecom/14053281550

4. Lookfantastic.com: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lookfantasticcom/21631697312

5. Jasonshankey.co.uk: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundonald-United-Kingdom/wwwjasonshankeycouk/39476707851

6. Beautybay.com: http://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/BeautyBaycom/280810575386

And of course, while you are at it, why not become a fan of Beauty Now:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Beauty-Now-the-hair-and-beauty-comparison-website/113542552688

As Halloween is this Saturday, we thought we’d pass on these tips from MAC Cosmetics for creating the most incredible painted faces using their products.

Never one to shy away from doing something totally fierce, MAC have uploaded 21 looks selected from MAC artists worldwide (peers vote for the winners) on to their (US) Facebook Fan page with clear instructions on how to recreate them.

http://www.facebook.com/MACcosmetics

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=324069&id=16126780553&ref=mf

If you have a go at painting your face using MAC Cosmetics (or indeed anything else), we’d love to see some pics!

Fancy getting £5 off Feelunique.com’s already incredibly low prices when you spend over £50? It really couldn’t be easier.

All you have to do is click here to visit Feelunique.com’s newsletter sign-up page and become a subscriber. Their exclusive beauty newsletter is packed full of the latest money saving offers and new product launches (and of course you can unsubscribe at any time).

About Feelunique.com

Feelunique.com is an online luxury boutique that offers a huge selection of your favourite High Street skincare, makeup, hair-care and fragrance brands as well as leading skincare ranges from the best spas and leading premium brands from around the world. They currently stock over 7,000 lines and this is growing every day.

Feelunique.com showcases many indulgent and luxurious products used by Their own hotels and spas including exclusive face and body brands, Egyptian linen, organic towels and robes among others. The website is a natural extension of the spa experience and many of their lines are sourced from spa industry leaders.

feelunique.com claims to be your beauty resource, providing advice and recommendations along with news and updates on trends and advances in the health, wellness and skin science field. Their team of qualified spa professionals are on hand to help you select the right products for your skin type and ensure you have a truly unique shopping experience.

Ordering is quick and easy. They aim to provide first class customer service and fast and free delivery direct to your door, and if something you’ve ordered is not quite right you can feel confident with their full money back guarantee! They offer freeworldwide delivery on everything – something that (as far as we are aware) no other beauty retailer in the UK does!

One of our favourite beauty, cosmetics and hair care retailers, HQhair.com has launched a stunning new website just in time for Christmas.

HQhair.com are one of the most respected online beauty retailers in the UK and have been selling beauty, cosmetics and hair care products on the internet for well over 10 years (making them one of the longest established “e-businesses” in the country as well).

Their new website is a reflection of their position as one of the market-leaders. Visually stunning and incredibly easy to use, the new HQhair.com website offers several new features for customers, including:

• Shop by Product Type – You can now search for a product by product type; so if you know that you need a conditioner the search facility will show you what conditioners they sell (and you can then sort by brand if necessary)
• Shopping Assistance – If you’re not exactly sure what you need, simply pop in the details of your problem and the Hqhair team will find you a solution. Talk about a personalised service!
• Single Shopping Basket across HQhair.com, HQman.com and HQoutletstore.com – saving you shipping costs and hassle!
• Simplified Shipping costs – for one item you pay £2.50, buy as many as you like after that and they’ll cap your shipping at £3.50
• Faster Overseas Delivery – If you’re shopping from abroad and need something in a hurry you can now upgrade to Fedex at the checkout.
• Quick Buy buttons so you can add products to your basket there and then.
• Product Reviews by real people
• Product Suggestions – find out which products will make perfect partners’ to the ones you’re looking at.
• Revamped “My Acount Area” – so you can see what you ordered last time and easily re-order, track your order, plus lots more.

In their own words:

“Welcome to ‘The New Face of Beauty’ – HQhair.com just got sharper, smarter and a whole lot sexier. Bringing you the best of the best, the most desired and searched for brands from all over the world alongside brand new features to help you look better, feel better, achieve better and keep you one step ahead of the rest.

Looking for hot tips and trends? Need to know the latest celebrity must have, or maybe you just need some inspiration..? Consider us your ultimate beauty tool, your new best friend and your personal advisor.”

Check out their new website for yourself, right here.

About HQHair.com

HQhair.com are online retailers providing care products based in London. The HQhair.com site stocks beauty cosmetics, fragrances, hair care and skin care products. Big brand names and specialist hard to find products are available. The site features an HQuick membership scheme for benefits.

Columns revealing celebrity secrets and tricks of the trade provide information to customers. As do resident agony aunts Jayne and Jasmine. The site provides tax free shopping and caters for multiple currencies Euros, British pounds and US Dollars.

The Boots Christmas 2009 Gift Guide is out now, and you can pick up a copy in any Boots store. Alternatively, you can check out their online “e-catalogue” version on their website.

Unlike the rest of the Boots.com website, the e-catelogue looks and behaves like a real magazine. You can flip through page after page of unbeatable Christmas beauty, cosmetics, hair care and fragrance gift offers without leaving the comfort of your own home to grab a printed copy!

From kids’ toys to picnic hampers, digital cameras to bath and body goodies, the Boots.com Gift Guide has it all! Even better is an exclusive range of online-only brands that you won’t find in store, including FitFlop and Balance Me.

Of course there is one other major advantage with the online version of the Boots Christmas Gift Guide – if you decide you want to go ahead with a purchase there and then, all you have to do is simply click on a product and will be added to your basket on the main Boots.com website. Which is a pretty easy and fun way to get through some of the items on the Christmas list if you ask us!

What’s more, by browsing the fantastic Boots Christmas gift guide you could even win a trip to New York with Boss Orange, the new women’s fragrance from Hugo Boss!

According to Boots.com, the new Boss Orange fragrance is:

“Captivating and addictive, Boss Orange opens with an uplifting burst of crispy apple and bergamot, giving a delicately feminine first impression. Subtle heart notes of white flowers and orange blossom create a carefree, light-hearted edge. Finally, warm base notes of sandalwood, olive wood and creamy vanilla provide a lingering, sensual touch. The result? A vivacious, free-spirited, soulful scent.”

To celebrate Boss Orange’s first Christmas, Boss and Boots.com have teamed up to give away a long weekend shopping trip to New York for two lucky Boots.com customers! You and a friend will be flown straight to New York for three nights of pure luxury – and, of course, plenty of shopping! You’ll receive $600 to spend, letting you shop till you drop in perhaps the most iconic city in the world at this time of year (think of the lights at Times Square, 5th Avenue and see the world-famous window displays, and the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree!)

Of course, your accommodation is taken care of as well as you’ll be staying at a swanky four star hotel slap bang in the middle of New York – making it ideal for when you nip back from the shops to get dressed up for a night on the town, or perhaps even a Broadway show?

Full details of how to enter, along with complete terms and conditions are available in the Boots Christmas Gift Guide. Go check it out now!

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Yum mum fav 4 soothing stretch marks. Fanatical customers & rave reviews everywhere, mean that Bio Oil is 1 of the skincare must-haves!

Compare Prices:

Bio Oil 60ml – Price Comparison
Bio Oil 125ml – Price Comparison
Bio-Oil 200ml – Price Comparison

What the Manufacturer Says:

Bio-Oil® is a specialist skincare product that helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. Its advanced formulation, which contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil™, also makes it highly effective for numerous other skin concerns, including aging skin and dehydrated skin.

No.1 selling scar and stretch mark product in the UK, Canada, The Netherlands, Australia, South Africa, Malaysia, New Zealand, Kenya, Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland.

What We Say:

Like many people, when you say “Bio-Oil”, we say “Stretch Marks”. And certainly, Bio Oil is world famous for the impact that it has had on the tums of millions of mums (ooh, poetry).

If you check out their brand testimonal page, you’ll get what seems to be the usual gushing reviews:

“Happy to report…not a single stretch mark”
“From very early on in my pregnancy (about 5 weeks) I started using Bio-Oil twice a day. I loved the way it made my skin feel. My daughter Emily is 5 months old already and I’m still using it! As for the appearance of my stretch marks I’m happy to report that I didn’t get a single one. Bio-Oil was amazing! I was the first of my friends to fall pregnant, so now I’m telling them all about it.”

Which of course is pretty par for the course for a review on any brand’s own website. However, when you dig a little deeper you find out that everywhere the reviews for Bio-Oil are incredibly positive:

Excellent product. I have used it before, and liked it, which is why I ordered a large size. A.N.

I purchased 4 bottles of 200ml Bio-oil from Amazon within the same week that I was discharged from hospital following surgery which necessaited a tummy incision. I have been using the bio oil once or twice a day and the results 3 weeks in are AMAZING. I will continue to use Bio oil indefinetely as I am going on holiday in February and am optimistic that I will be able to wear my bikini without being self concious. M.J.

purchased for my pregnant partner who use’s regularly to avoid those dreaded stretch marks+it really does make a big difference definitely worth a try. R.P.

- from Amazon.

I love Bio-Oil! I originally got it for strech marks and after a couple of weeks they had faded now after about 3 months they are practically gone!It takes time but really, really works. I now use a little on my face at night after cleansing instead of moisturiser(Its too oily to use in the mornings …

- from Review Centre

Seems to have worked! Dryer than many other oils so a little easier to apply. Can be used for facial skincare too. Claims to treat existing stretchmarks.

- Made For Mums.

Basically, Bio-Oil is one of those rarest of beasts. A product that does exactly what it promises for the vast majority of people who use it. Customers get real results from Bio-Oil and are so delighted with their outcomes that they proactively go out and rave about Bio Oil to friends, family and even complete strangers on internet review sites!

The secret, it is claimed is down to a proprietary forumla called PurCellin Oil, which (believe it or not) is a laboratory recreation of the preen gland oil of ducks. preen gland oil is what ducks use to coat their feathers with to protect them from being in water all day long. The research and development of this magic ingredient was the life’s work of Dieter Beier, a German cosmetic scientist living in South Africa.

However, it is not the PurCellin Oil that causes your stretch marks (or other skin problems – more on this later) to reduce. It is simply an incredibly effective delivery mechanism for the active ingredients (which are Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Calendula oil, Lavender oil, Rosemary oil and Chamomile oil). The unique properties of PurCellin Oil dramatically improve the application and spreadability of the active ingredients, and allow for targeted absorption into the skin.

Aside from the massive tribe of Bio-Oil fanatics that exists all round the world, the second thing that we’ve discovered about Bio-Oil is that it is for so much more than just stretch marks. Other uses of Bio-Oil include:

• Scarring – Bio-Oil helps improve the appearance of all scar types. It is also highly effective in helping to maintain the elasticity of scar tissue on joints and other high-mobility areas.
• Uneven Skin Tone – Bio-Oil helps to improve the appearance of uneven skin tone caused by hormonal fluctuations, skin-lighteners or excessive sun exposure. Visible as dark patches on the face or body, uneven skin tone often becomes most apparent during pregnancy, menopause or after exposure to high volumes of UV light.
• Aging Skin – Sagging and wrinkled skin commonly associated with aging is largely caused by the weakening of the collagen and elastin support system in the dermis. Bio-Oil contains numerous ingredients that help to plasticize the skin, making it softer, smoother and more supple, thereby reducing the appearance of wrinkled and sagging skin. Bio-Oil also moisturizes, which improves the texture, tone and appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Dehydrated Skin – Bio-Oil helps replenish the skin’s natural oils that have been stripped away by factors such as: Frequent bathing/cleansing with harsh soaps, Excessive perspiration, Atmospheric conditions including exposure to the sun and wind, Central heating and air conditioning, Poor diet and/or insufficient water intake.

Conclusion:

So there you have it, a product that delights customers the world over, helping them reduce the appearance of scarring, uneven skin tone, aging skin, dehydrated skin and, of course, stretch marks! If every product was as quietly effective as Bio-Oil the entire beauty industry would be a better place!

Find the Cheapest Bio-Oil Prices:

Cheap Bio Oil 60ml
Cheap Bio Oil 125ml
Cheap Bio-Oil 200ml

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Famously fierce make-up and cosmetics brand, MAC have torn up the script and have shed (temporarily we presume) their hardcore edge and have gotten in touch with their feminine side.

How you ask? Well they’ve teamed up with the orginal ‘flower-power’ poster child herself, Lilly Pulitzer, for a collection that will be destined to be a smash hit when spring 2010 arrives (and yes we are looking forward to the end of winter before it even begins!)

The collection will naturally include lots of pink and floral accents on two new face products, and a wide selection of lip products to choose from.

M.A.C. in Lillyland will be available in US stores on January 7, 2010 and hopefully over here in the not-to-distant future!

More details about this exciting new range, including a full product listing here.

For those who aren’t aware of the Lilly Pulitzer brand, here is a bit of its history:

Lilly Pulitzer was born to a socialite family in Roslyn, New York in 1931 and was one of the designers at the forefront of the “flower power” revolution in 1960’s America. Throughout the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Lilly’s bright, colorful, well-made clothes were very popular – think of a sort of Laura Ashely meets the Summer of Love. Although the brand was closed down by Lilly in the mid-80s, it was revived in 1993 and has gone from strength to strength since then.

You can check out her website (US only) at: www.lillypulitzer.com

Unless you have been living in a cave for the past 10 years, you probably own a set of ghd hair straighteners. Or if you don’t, someone sitting within 50 yards of you does.

As such ghd hair straighteners probably need no introduction, suffice to say they have pretty much reigned supreme since the first days of the millenium as the hair straightener worth having (even if the price was enough to make you wince).

Now one thing that has struck us throughout this period is that as far as competition goes, ghd have had it pretty easy. Okay so there are dozens of hair straightener ranges out there from the likes of Babyliss, Remington and many, many others.

However, none of these has caught the attention in the way that ghd has. None has convinced the public that their product is as good as ghd hair straighteners.

In essence, none has been able to redefine the hair straightener market in the way that ghd did, and continues to do.

Until now….???

You see there is a new hair straightener range that is starting to pick up some major “heat” amongst beauty bloggers and journalists. Cloud Nine Hair Straighteners have caused quite a stir in the month or so since their UK launch.

Like ghd back in 2000, they have entered the market with the intention of redefining it, and they are doing so with the boldest of premises: Less heat, more style.

Yup, you read it right. Less Heat!

Pretty much every other hair straightener brand (except ghd it must be noted) will boast about just how hot their hair straighteners will get and from that we are encouraged to deduce that this makes them more effective.

Cloud 9 Hair Straighteners have cast doubt on this assumption. Heck, they’ve even addressed the biggest taboo surrounding hair straighteners by claiming that their Cloud 9 Styler is:

A styler that doesn’t damage the hair.

Of course it might be easy to dismiss Cloud Nine as just another brand that is trying to take on ghd, doomed to impending mediocrity once the initial hype wears off. That is, if it weren’t for one small fact (quoted here from their website):

We’re the founders of ghd, and we’ve reunited with Unil Electronics, the inventors of the original ghd iron.

Having walked away from that brand in 2006, we’re back with a styling solution that hasn’t just moved with the times, but is ahead of the times. We’ve created an iron packed with innovative technology. An iron so clever, it opens up a world of exciting new styling opportunities.

Yup, pick your jaws back off the floor! The actual team that brought us ghd in the first place are the people behind Cloud 9 Stylers.

These aren’t some wannabes, these are the inventors of the original ghd iron! So if nothing else they have probably earned the right to be taken seriously when they tell us that they have redefined the hair straightener. Why? Because the last time they told us that, the outcome was the ghd hair straightener itself!

Anyway, the premise behind the Cloud Nine Hair Straighteners is that we have all moved on from just wanting poker straight hair, and instead want a hair styling tool that can address a range of styles. ghd themselves have been a major exponent of this with their mark 4 or IV styler model.

However, unlike the IV styler,the Cloud 9 Styler comes with a range of heat settings, each designed to assist you in achieving a different look:

• Smooth as a blow dry
• Natural Straight
• Flicks
• Waves
• Soft Curls
• Tight Curls
• Poker Straight

To quote from their website again:

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With just over two months (that’s right two months!) until Christmas,Lookfantastic have unleashed their fabulous 2009 Christmas Beauty Gift Shop.  As they point out they’ve waited until Christmas is just around the corner, unlike Harrods who opened their Christmas Beauty Gifts section 151 days before the main event!  Talk about pre-planning. Anyway the Lookfantastic Christmas Beauty Gifts Store is as comprehensive and as tempting as you would expect from one of Britain’s leading hair, beauty, cosmetics and fragrance retailers.

Their Beauty Gifts store is arranged into categories, which will make finding presents for everyone an absolute joy, and with their gift wrapping only costing an extra £1.99 per order, you’ll have everything bought and under the tree without even having to get your hat and scarf on!

Right now there are numerous amazing bargains to be had, from brands like Elemis and Kerastase.  Lookfantastic have even picked out something for her and something for him that might help you get things started:

For Her: Tweezerman Swarovski Slant Tweezer – Devine White.

Add some glam to your bag and a little dazzle to your brow routine with this luxe Tweezerman Swarovski Slant Tweezer in Devine White.

This classic stainless steel tweezer is bewitchingly bejewelled for girls who just need a little bling in their life!

Tweezerman Swarovski Slant Tweezer – Devine White – £75.00

For Him: Cowshed Bullocks Sponge Bag

Treat your raging bull to the Cowshed Bullocks Wash Bag and you will have him pacified in no time.

A complete collaboration of body treatment beefcakes that promise to brace, smooth and soothe your stallion all the way back to smitten kitten softness.

Cowshed Bullocks Sponge Bag – £20

To see these and hundreds of other Christmas beauty gift ideas, head on over to the Lookfantastic Christmas gift store.