An Introduction to Eve Lom

Eve Lom is a brand that I just came across recently and from the very first product I was hooked. Here, I look at a couple of their most renowned products and fill you in on why they are cult classics.

Eve Lom's products really are a thing to behold and their famed Cleanser really is a wonder. You have to try it to really understand why there is so much fuss about a simple cleanser but simple it is not and little pot of magic is a lot more suitable description. Everything I have tried from the brand is the best version of each particular product on the market and here I take a look at the Eve Lom Cleanser, Kiss Mix lip balm and the Morning Time Cleanser. Once you discover the brand it's very hard not to want to try everything they produce to be quite honest and see what other wonders they are capable of.

Erborian BB Creme Au Ginseng

After hearing so much praise about Korean French brand Erborian, trying out their most renowned product, BB Créme Au Ginseng, I could see after just one use what all the fuss was about making it an absolute staple in my skincare and makeup regimes.

Erborian was born of a meeting of minds between Korean scientist Hojung Lee and a French beauty expert and globe trotter Katalin Berenyi who came together through their quest for finding the best beauty solutions across the world. The product that caused such a stir in the beauty world that was a result of their creative collaboration was the Erborian BB Créme Au Ginseng which is known for being the perfect alliance between skincare and cosmetics.

An Introduction to Malin + Goetz

It's pretty wonderful when you can tell from the first time you try a brand you're going to love all of their products and Malin + Goetz is certainly one of those brands. Here I take a look at their stand out products.

I originally discovered Malin + Goetz during a stay at the remarkable Marker Hotel in Dublin who use exclusively Malin + Goetz toiletries in their rooms. Quite the treat! It was love at first use with their hair and body care products and, after reading so many good reviews of their cult Lip Moisturiser and Vitamin E Face Moisturiser I had to try them out too and they certainly didn't disappoint. After using the brand for a few months it's plain to see that Malin + Goetz strive for simple, well researched, and highly effective products.

Give it a Glow! An Introduction to Apivita

It was just by chance I came upon Greek Brand Apivita a couple of months ago and in it I found one of the most glowingly effective,immediately revitalizing skincare products.

While in Spain with a friend before Christmas we constantly had our eyes open for quality skincare brands that either we'd never heard of before or brands that we had heard people rave about but hadn't been available over here in Ireland or in the UK where my friend lives. It was a pampering and relaxing holiday, badly needed by both of us, so we had a lot of fun popping on face masks and trying out new products but one in particular really surprised us both.

L'Occitane's Amande Collection

L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil is one of my all time favourite products, an instant classic, and the most pampering, luxurious, effective skincare products you could ever use. The entire Almond Collection is body care of the highest quality and shows L'Occitane at its very finest.

Ever since I started using L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil I have encouraged so many friends to try it out and the results have always been the same. Love at first use. Ever since I started using this collection I have not been able to stop going on about how wonderful it is. It's the biggest treat you could give your skin and the perfect pick me up when you need a pamper.

Mum's The Word

Of all the people in your life, few deserve to be treated and pampered more than your mum. Here's a list of products, many approved by my own mother, that may help guide you towards either the perfect treat for your mum whatever the occasion!

It's an understatement to say how much mums do for us over the course of their lifetime and, of all people, they deserve a pampering what ever the occasion. This is a list of tried and trusted skincare treats for any type of mum.

Rescue Me - Kiehl's Skin Rescuer

Kiehl's Skin Rescuer is effectively a product that does exactly what it says on the tin, but could also be called Skin Comforter too. I carry a bottle of this around in my bag at all times for long days that cause skin hydration and irritation and it really is the perfect go-to for stressed, out of sorts skin.

This cute little green bottle is yet another class act by Kiehl's, creating a specific cream for a specific problem. Containing soothing ingredients Rosa Gallica Botanical Extract, Chamomile and Mannose, Kiehl's Skin Rescuer promises to reduce visible signs of stress and flare-ups including skin fatigue and redness. It also professes to address both the short-term visible signs and long-term premature aging effect that stress can have on skin.

I personally don't suffer from major stress flare ups with my skin so I got this for the calming effect on irritated skin and the cool hydration it provides but I can see so easily this is a bit of a find for anyone who suffers from skin fatigue, blotichiness and redness. The texture of the cream is not too thick not too thin, you don't need to apply a huge amount at a time but the best thing about the cream is the stress-minimizing ingredients that really do make your skin feel so much calmer. It's such a great product to carry around in your bag and apply it as required. It's not one of those absolute necessities for me since I don't suffer from redness or major flare ups but it's so comforting I absolutely love how it makes my skin feel so I hate to do without it now the bottle is almost empty!

Kiehl's Skin Rescuer is €35.00 and is available from the Kiehl's section of Arnott's and at Kiehl's on Wicklow Street and Dundrum Town Centre.

Delectable Christmas Delights: L'Occitane's Pierre Hermé Collection

Fabulous French luxury brand L'Occitane is back this year with another delicious Christmas collection, this time a collaboration between L'Occitane founder Olivier Baussan and world renowned pastry chef Pierre Hermé.

After last year's gorgeous Christmas release by L'Occitane, the Arlésienne collection inspired by the Arlés region in France - which reminds me of Christmas every time I spray it - the innovative founder of L'Occitane Olivier Baussan has come up with the delicious goods again this year by collaborating with French pastry chef Pierre Hermé to create a mouth-watering set of perfumes just launched for Christmas based on the chef's world renowned pastries.

Divine Intervention: L'Occitane's Créme Masque Divine

L'Occitane's big autumn release has been causing a huge stir among beauty writers of late. The exceptionally luxurious Créme Masque Divine, which comes with a 24-carat gold face massager is the closest thing you can get to a top of the line spa facial from the comfort of your own home.

L'Occitane's original Créme Divine moisturiser is known for being one of the best anti-aging moisturisers on the market and a skincare classic so when the brand announced the launch of the Divine Cream Mask there was great excitement among beauty fans and skincare lovers everywhere.

Aromachologie it Relaxation: L'Occitane's Latest Rebalancing Aromachologie Collection

L'Occitane has just made some major new additions to their deliciously relaxing Aromachologie range this autumn with lots of gorgeous smelling new products to help you unwind and relax. The whole new line is designed as a Rebalancing range of products to help you find some zen with select essential oils and very skin-pampering products.

I've already written in detail about two products I absolutely love from L'Occitane's Aromachologie  range, the 5 Essential Oils Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner which you can read about here. Apart from being one of the most amazing treatments for stressed out hair, what really struck me - and anyone I got to try the products out - was the smell. The 5 Essential Oils is the one of the most relaxing smells I've ever noticed in a product so upon seeing a whole new range of products from the Aromachologie range for face and body from the brand I must say I was very excited indeed.

YSL's Saharienne Sun-Kissed Summer Collection

Yves Saint Laurent really know how to nail their seasonal makeup collections matching the latest high fashion catwalk trends with the perfect summer palette and this latest Saharienne range, fronted yet again by Cara Delevinge, helps you at least look like you've been summering in the Sahara without ever leaving this never-ending rainy summer.

The very first impression you get from YSL's latest Saharienne summer collection is of a palette of colours designed to give you the perfect sun-kissed glow. Inspired by the sunnier climes of Marakech, the range of golden sandy shades and warmer tones illuminate the complexion suiting those with pale to sun-kissed complexions.

Bioderma Launches French Pharmacy Perfection in Ireland

When news came of French Pharmacy brand Bioderma launching in Ireland, I was not the only one to greet the news with giddy excitement. A brand that has been loved not only by beauty writers and skincare fanatics but top models and makeup artists alike, its arrival on our shores means if you love high quality skincare and haven't heard of the brand already, now is the time to investigate.

Bioderma has been one of the most lusted after brands by beauty lovers for a very long time. The epitome of skin-friendly, problem-solving, miracle product skincare, the French Pharmacy brand has been spoken about for years by makeup artists, models and beauty writers due to it effectiveness and the high quality of its range. Backstage photos from fashion weeks often feature the famous pink cap of Bioderma's cult product the Sensibo H2O Micelle Solution. Trips to France or other European countries that sold the brand resulted in a suitcase packed full of Bioderma products to bring home.

Kiehl's New Uplifting Serum: Precision Lifting & Pore-Tightening Concentrate

A new serum from New York brand Kiehl's is always great news for skincare lovers and this Precision Lifting & Pore-Tightening Concentrate is certainly no exception.

Kiehl's rather wordily titled Precision Lifting & Pore-Tightening Concentrate is the latest in a long line of super serums from the New York brand that are renowned for creating products that do exactly what it says on the tin and this is no exception. In fact, the effectiveness of their wonder serums not only made me fall in love with the brand immediately but also made me see how great certain brands and skincare products can be which was what inspired me to set up the beauty section of this blog and become a beauty writer. Every time I try a new - or new to me - product from Kiehl's I want to shout about it from the rooftops! Well certainly write a review of the product at least.

My Precious: L'Occitane's Immortelle Precious Collection

L'Occitane's Immortelle Collection has already become a classic among skincare lovers so these three additions to the range come as welcome new releases and are skincare at its best.

L'Occitane's Immortelle Collection was originally launched over ten years ago around their patented Corsican Immortelle Flower which is known as an everlasting flower that never fades, even after it's been picked. The collection has grown over the years and has garnered much acclaim for its anti-aging properties.  Now, the brand has launched three new products for the range, all with the Immortelle anti-aging properties as well as practical makeup and skincare capabilities.

Lip Service: The Best Lip Balms From Kiehl's, Eve Lom, Nuxe, Cowshed and Vaseline

If you're anything like me the recent dip in temperature and extremely wintery conditions have left you with quite put-upon skin and very chapped lips. After a lot of trialling various lip saviours I decided to share my findings of the most effective - and some darn right luxurious - lip balms I have discovered from Kiehl's, Eve Lom, Nuxe, Cowshed and, let's not forget, good old Vaseline!

We all know the trials and tribulations your skin goes through during extreme weather conditions, especially in recent times when here in Ireland, Europe and not to talk of the "Snowcopalypse" in New York, we've experienced cold so severe it actually hurts whatever area of skin you haven't been able to cover up. Add to that the extremes of going from below freezing temperatures straight into central heating and open fires and there's no time of the year that puts your skin under so much duress. No two areas feel these extremes more than lips and hands and I've gone through a lot of chapped lips and uncomfortably dry hands to find the best products to tackle these problems! I've already compiled my all time favourite hand-saving products here and now it's time for some lip remedies!

L'Occitane Shea Butter Collection

L'Occitane could not have picked a more appropriate time to launch an extension to their renowned Shea Butter Collection. These new products are the answer to your prayers for skin going through the mill due to this zany, harsh winter we've been experiencing. I gave two products from the collection, 5% Shea Butter Cleansing Oil and 5% Shea Butter Light Comfort Cream a trial run during a month of a mixture of wind and rain, two flights, sunshine, freezing cold, open fires, snow and hail and found them the most comforting accompaniment for so many harsh conditions in such a short space of time. The ultimate test!

As one of the first ever cosmetic labs to develop a skincare range using shea butter, L'Occitane have spent many years utilizing this and perfecting its use in their products. Containing Omega Six, Karitene and Vitamin E, Shea butter is well know for making skin supple, smooth, and healthy looking while being an excellent hydrator and moisturiser. Their 20% Shea Butter Hand Cream, which I've mentioned in several articles, is my favourite all time hand cream so to see a whole new skincare range based around Shea Butter made me very intrigued indeed! 

Age of Innocence: Lancôme's French Innocence Collection

From the moment the details of Lancôme's latest collection crossed my path I got struck with such a flutter of the feeling of Paris in the Springtime. The French Innocence Collection is full of gorgeous  youthful pastel shades that mix light and breezy daytime with striking but bright night time looks. And the most delectable eyeshadow palette to suit all seasons! 

Lancôme's recently launched French Innocence Collection is such a breath of fresh air and a burst of light and colour to break through the glum January blues and glib winter days. I love the youthful shades throughout the eye shadows, lip glosses and nails shades of this collection, I want it all!

Holos to Irish Made Skincare

I must say I was very excited when I heard about new Irish Skincare brand Holos and this Love Your Skin Anti-Aging Facial Oil is a highlight of this home-grown brand and a new staple in my skincare regime.

This is, ashamedly, the first beauty review on Penelope's Bed of an Irish-run beauty company so, when I heard about Holos, I jumped at the chance to try out one of their products and what I found was a brand that was producing skincare that was so natural and skin-loving. And the fact that it's from an Irish brand made me love it a bit more; it gives me hope! It seems like a good sign for the country that people are setting up skincare and beauty companies over here, which I'm seeing more and more of over the past year or so, and I will make sure to check out as many Irish beauty brands as possible on Penelope's Bed from here in out.

Formula for Perfection: Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips

American brand Physician's Formula has been around a long time and is known for the innovation and effectiveness of its products but it is only now arriving on Irish shores to much excitement in the beauty world! I tried the brands Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio to see what all the fuss was about!

Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Eye Enhancing Eyeliner Trio come in three ranges of to enhance every eye colour so they are available in different sets for brown, green and blue eyes. Matching eyeliner and eye shadows to complement your eye colour is an important lesson to learn and you could be surprised with what colours enhance your eyes. I have both green and brown eyes so some colours make the green pop while others make my eyes look simply brown. The collection I'm reviewing here is made for brown eyes so contains brown itself, black and purple (which is actually a surprisingly good shade for both brown and green eyes).

What an Eye Opener: Urban Decay Perversion/Subversion

Urban Decay is a brand that really reels you in so once you start using the products you keep coming back for more and, never one to sit on its laurels, the brand release one innovative product after another on an impressively constant basis and this mascara and primer combo Perversion and Subversion shows the brand at its strongest; producing striking products that just work brilliantly and do exactly what they promise.

Some of the highlights for me of these two complementary products are the size of the brush heads which are built to get right in to your lashes to make them voluminous and very striking and the fact that you the mascara is made as such that it can be reapplied and layered up from day into night so you can add the drama as the day goes on without ending up with clumpy lashes. Both contain some lash-friendly ingredients; Perversion contains Hairdensyl, a complex blend of proteins and amino acids known to stimulate growth. The mascara also contains honey extract to provide deep nourishment. Subversion primer contains panthenol and Vitamin E to nourish the lashes and is also free of parabens.