London Fashion Week is always an exciting event, and if you’re not bothered by the fashion then there’s always the beauty trends side to look forward to. The A/W 15 London Fashion Week runs from the 20th to the 24th of February, and there’s already so much buzz and excitement all over social media about it.
I was very, very kindly sent a London Fashion Week Beauty Survival Kit by Selfridges, and I was so excited to see which products they’d chosen for the kit. The kit arrived in an amazing, big Selfridges gift box with the contents wrapped in their signature yellow and white tissue paper…
When I unwrapped the paper and saw the selection of brands, and the products inside the box, I squealed as it’s definitely the most incredible gift I’ve ever had and I’m just so very grateful.. I have been very, very spoilt to say the least.
The very first product that caught my eye was the La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift 30ml £226*. I’ve never tried anything from super luxurious La Prairie, so I was very happy to try my first product.
The Caviar Liquid Lift is described as a gravity defying serum that lifts, firms and provides longlasting effects, with past damage receding whilst existing cells are rejuvenated and new ones are super-charged, nourished and protected. It claims to tone instantly, and help restore firmness, reduce expression-related wrinkles and protect epidermal stem cells.
The packaging is seriously luxurious, with its cobalt blue bottle containing the gold caviar pearls which have to be ‘activated’ with the press of a button, to blend the formula before use. The pump dispenses the silkiest serum, with one pump being enough for the whole face. I apply the serum around my eyes and forehead to prevent wrinkles, and my chin to help heal any acne scarring.
I’ve even roped my other half into using it, as he has quite noticeable laughter lines and I’m not exaggerating when I say that it does genuinely, instantly tighten and plump the lines within a matter of minutes. I’ve never seen a skincare product give such immediate, noticeable results and I’m really enjoying using it within my skincare routine.
The first makeup item inside the box is the YSL Mascara Volume Effet Faux Cils Mascara £25*. The original YSL Effet Faux Cils Mascara is my absolute favourite high end mascara, but it always dries out after 6 weeks which was is infuriating for a £25 mascara, so I’m excited to see that this new and improved formula claims to not dry out.
It’s such an amazing mascara, that really does make my lashes look as if they’re fake (in a good way of course) which is pretty remarkable considering my lashes are pathetic. This new formula is slightly more black and intense than the original, and it layers amazingly for volumised and lengthened lashes.
You really can’t beat the stunning gold, metal tubes of YSL mascaras.. they look and feel so special, whereas some high-end mascaras have plastic tubes which don’t have the same luxurious feel.
Ole Henriksen is a brand I’ve seen mentioned, and raved about so many times but I’ve never tried anything before. Inside the Selfridges London Fashion Week Beauty Survival Kit box, there was a pack of the Ole Henriksen Grease Relief Oil-Free Pore Refining Cleansing Cloths £12*, which contains 30 cloths.
These cloths contain glycolic, lactic and citrus fruit acids to exfoliate and dissolve dead, dull skin cells and smooth the skin’s texture, as well as purifying botanicals to absorb pore-clogging dirt and oil, minimising and purifying the pores.
Each of the cloths have hundreds of tiny bumps, which help to exfoliate the skin and loosen any dirt, and they really are effective at cleansing the skin. I’ve found that they’re quite strong for daily use for my dry skin, but I’ve been using them whenever my skin’s looking or feeling particularly dull and lacklustre for an instant pick me up and I can see why they’re so hyped as they’re the most effective wipes I’ve used.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw two Tom Ford products inside the box.. the first being a Tom Ford Lip Color in the shade Vanilla Suede £37*. For me, Tom Ford lipsticks are the ultimate luxury lipsticks with their absolutely stunning mahogany and gold casing, which feels incredibly weighty.
The lipstick bullet has a TF engraved into the top, which I always like to try and preserve by using the back of the lipstick with a lip brush, which might be crazy but it’s too beautiful to ruin. Vanilla Suede is a very pale, nude creme with a shimmery finish which is the perfect nude as it’s not completely opaque, so it allows your natural lip colour to shine through, with the shimmery nude effect. I love that Vanilla Suede isn’t too brown or beige for a nude, so it’s very flattering.
I particularly like how Vanilla Suede can be layered over any other lipstick, to add a gorgeous golden shimmer so it’s a really versatile shade and my favourite way to wear it is layered under a clear lipgloss. The formula is amazingly creamy and smooth, and it has the comfort of a lip butter. Whenever I use a Tom Ford lipstick, I feel so glamorous.. how can you not feel happy when using a lipstick as gorgeous as this?!
My next product is the Show Beauty Dry Shampoo 50ml £16*. I already have the Show Beauty Sheer Thermal Protect which I really like, so I was intrigued by the Dry Shampoo. Described as having a colourless, natural formula which includes tapioca powder and rice starch to withdraw impurities and absorb oil from the roots, and condition and protect against moisture loss. The bottle is so pretty, with a crystal cut effect plastic lid, with gold accents.
This dry shampoo has quite a dry formula, which I imagine would work wonders on absorbing oil from the roots but as I never get greasy or oily hair, I can’t confirm if that’s the case. My hair is very dry and fine and sits quite flat against my head, so I’ve been using this to add a little lift into my roots which is does very well and this 50ml size is ideal for throwing into my handbag.
No Selfridges London Fashion Week Beauty Survival Kit would be complete without an amazing lipbalm, and this one is no ordinary lipbalm.. it’s on another level. Let me introduce you to the brand new Charlotte Tilbury Lip Magic £25* which is a described as being a rejuvenating and smoothing Propolis Balm. It hasn’t even launched yet onto the Selfridges website, so I feel very lucky to be have been able to try it.
It has an hi-tech formula that combines magical natural ingredients to create a powerful moisture-sealing, protective barrier plus long-term lip healing benefits. It not only protects the lips, but it also strengthens the creation of new cells whilst reducing water loss by 34% – wow.
The natural ingredients include Propolis, hyaluronic acid (to fill out lines for plumper, fuller lips), Vitamin E (a free radical-fighting antioxidant), argan oil (which boasts intense moisturisation and healing properties), a triple blend of jojoba seed oil/olive oil/helianthus seed oil (to moisturise and seal the skin), shea butter (for intense nourishment) and beeswax (to naturally condition the lips).
The jar is made from clear plastic, with a rose gold plastic lid and a rose gold metal Charlotte Tilbury branded disc on the top of the lid. I would have liked the jar to have been glass considering the price tag, and that it’s an high end brand but the jar still looks really pretty.
The balm itself is clear in colour, with a subtle delicious honey scent and flavour. The consistency of the balm is very smooth and lightweight, and it doesn’t feel at all greasy or tacky on the lips so my lips don’t stick together.
Once applied to the lips, the balm doesn’t just sit on the surface like a lot of lipbalms.. it actually absorbs over an hour or two, to leave the lips feeling intensely nourished, smooth and chap-free. It’s definitely a treat at £25, but a very nice one at that, and I’ve not touched another lipbalm since getting this one as I love it so much and it makes for the fantastic base for lipsticks.
The next product in the Selfridges London Fashion Week Beauty Survival Kit is the Guerlain Terracotta Joli Teint 20 SPF in Clair (Light) £35.50*, which has a single formula offering the perfection of a foundation, the beautiful effect of a skincare product and the sun-kissed radiance of Terracotta.. for anti-fatigue and to blur imperfections.
This is the palest shade from five shades, which is much too dark for me but I will gift it to a friend with a deeper skintone to mine, but I am really gutted that it doesn’t match me as the formulation is amazing. It applies like a dream, and offers impressive coverage leaving my skin looking flawless and radiant with a gorgeous glow.
The packaging is beautiful, with a bronze metal lid and pump, and this would be the perfect product for adding a touch of colour to your skin under or mixed in with your foundation, or in the place of it completely.
Then I stumbled across the Byredo Bal D’Afrique Hair Perfume 75ml £37* which is a brand new product, and will be a Selfridges exclusive when it launches on the 2nd of March. I’ve never tried an hair perfume before, but it’s definitely something I’ve wanted to try.
The new Byredo Hair Perfume range are scented in Byredo’s signature scents and are designed to be longlasting, and to diffuse throughout the day; amplified by the hair’s natural movement with a unique silicone and polymer formula to create a light, invisible veil to leave the hair nourished, luminous and beautifully scented.
The Bal D’Afrique fragrance is seriously sensuous with it’s warm and romantic vetiver scent inspired by Paris in the late 20’s. I would definitely describe this fragrance as being an evening scent, and it’s so strong that you wouldn’t need to wear any other perfume and it’s such a stunning fragrance that I would really love to get the matching perfume.
The very last item in my fantastic Selfridges London Fashion Week Beauty Survival Kit of treats is definitely my favourite; the Tom Ford Cream Color for Eyes in the shade Spring 2015 which is £29* from Selfridges. I’ve only ever tried Tom Ford lipsticks, so I was beyond excited by this cream eyeshadow, especially as cream eyeshadows are my favourite makeup item.
Just like the lipsticks, the packaging of the Cream Color for Eyes is equally stunning with a glass, circular jar with a bronze metal lid. Spring 2015 is a ‘smoky grey’ according to Tom Ford, but to me it’s a very rich dark chocolate brown containing silver shimmer particles. It’s such a beautiful shade, and it can look different in different lights.
The pigmentation of the shadow is beyond incredible.. you literally need less than a pin size amount per eye – I’ve never seen a cream shadow with pigmentation as strong as this one. I really like that it can be applied sheerly all over the lid for a more shimmery effect, or worn more opaque for a less shimmery look and I’m just head over heels with this absolute stunner of an eyeshadow.
I am most definitely very ready for London Fashion Week this weekend.. the products inside this Selfridges London Fashion Week Beauty Survival Kit are amazing and I’m so grateful that they chose to send one to me as I’ve discovered so many fabulous products.
All products featured on Gemma Etc. are PR samples or gifted items, unless otherwise indicated. This post may contain affiliate links. If you wish to find out more, please see my Disclaimer within my navigation bar.
Hi, my name is Gemma, and I’m the writer behind GemmaEtc.com. I’m a true beauty obsessive, and love writing about anything to do with beauty. In addition to Gemma Etc., I also own MakeupMuddle.com, and love sharing my thoughts and feelings about beauty and lifestyle products.
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