#55 Bag Spy: Whats in your bag? - Ateh Jewel Beauty Insider

Drumroll please!! Today’s Bag Spy come courtesy of journalist extraordinaire Ateh from atehjewelbeautyinsider. An award winning beauty journalist who regularly writes for a list of well known and respected titles such as Vogue, Grazia, Sunday Time Style, In Style Magazine, The Telegraph's Stella Magazine, and Red Magazine to name a few, so to say I was honoured when she agreed to do a bag spy is a major understatement. But I think what touched me the most when I approached her was just her personality, she was just so down to earth and nice (no journalist diva here) and was even thanking me for approaching her …while I was doing a little bow and saying We’re not worthy, were not worthy! Check out her blog atehjewelbeautyinsider.blogspot for some insider knowledge into the beauty world and enjoy her bag spy and mini bio below.

Thank you for asking me to reveal the contents of my beauty bag! I have been beauty mad since a kid and I used to apply my mum’s make up and cut her hair (only a mother’s love would allow this). By the time I hit university I used to buy electrician’s toolboxes to keep all my make up bits and pieces in and would make up girls for first dates and balls. After I graduated, I read History at Bristol University, I decided to put my two loves together – writing and beauty and started work at In Style magazine just after the first issue launched. I then spent a year at Tatler before going freelance in 2002. I love writing for different titles such as Vogue, Grazia, Daily Mail, Metro, Sunday Times Style, Daily Express and Black Beauty and Hair magazine and love the drama, self -expression, artistry and sense of well being the beauty industry and products can give women and has given me. Here’s a glimpse into my beauty stash.

Dermalogica, Special Cleansing Gel

I love this facial wash as it’s soap free, so it doesn’t strip the skin and contains calming and balancing lavender and balm mint extract. This is my daily skincare essential

Eve Lom, Cleanser

I love the ritual and ceremony of using this Bentley of cleansers, as the creamy texture is great for massaging and boosting the skin’s circulation before using the muslin cloth to gently remove it. I have combination skin and the mix of clove, chamomile and eucalyptus is really decongesting.

Crème de la Mer, Lip Balm

I actually think I am in love with this lip balm with it’s miracle broth, marine extracts and vitamins. I do love a good lip balm and this is the best one I have ever come across. Jamelia also loves this lip balm we bonded on how much we love it!

Ole Henriksen, Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask

I mask twice a week and it makes a big difference to the quality and texture of the skin. This one by Ole who is a lovely man contains calming lavender, skin smoothing papaya enzyme and the berries, which are packed full of antioxidants.

Aromatherapy Associates, Renew Rose & Sandalwood Facial Oil

I use this oil every night on my skin, as oils are a great way to deeply hydrate and add a glow to your skin as the skin recognises the oil and makes it penetrate quicker. The quality of AA’s products are amazing and it’s a joy to use before bed.

Darphin, Hydraskin Serum

I use this serum twice a day as it leaves my skin looking plumped and is super hydrating.

Nars, Sheer Glow Foundation in Benares

Anyone with a darker skin tone will tell you it’s a nightmare to get a great foundation as the colours from most brands don’t go dark enough or the undertones are wrong, which make you look ashy or too red. However, this is the first foundation in my 31 years that I truly love and is a great colour match.

Bobbi Brown, Lip Gloss in Merlot

Bobbi Brown is great for darker skin tones as all the products are packed full of pigment, which means it shows up on my skin. This lip-gloss is very natural and gives a soft glow to the lips, which I like to wear everyday.

Shu Uemura, Eye shadow

I had the chance to meet Mr Uemura before he died and it was such an honour and a privilege he was a true visionary and I love his products. These eye shadows are packed full of pigment and look amazing on all skin tones especially darker ones. I am loving IR Brown 810 and P Gold 350 at the moment.

Chanel, Joules Contraste in Imprevu and Enchantresse

Chanel blushes are packed full of punch so they are good on my skin. I find these blushes leave a healthy glow on the skin and make your whole face look alive. I know lots of black girls don’t do blush because they think it doesn’t look natural but I disagree, try popping a blush on your cheeks it will rock your beauty world.

And thats it, thanks again Ateh - you were great! talk about a fab list of products - I am liking the sound of the Ole H mask and the Chanel blushes.

Make sure you check out her blog

Xoxo

#51 Bag Spy: What's in your bag? - Abi

Hey lovelies,

So today’s bag spy comes courtesy of a good friend called Abi who by the way has the most amazingly clear, glowy and completely even toned/blemish free skin! All I can say is that if she wasn’t a friend – she would be one of those girls that you love to hate!!!. Only kidding Abi – you know I love you. What I also love about Abi is that she is really into skin and she doesn’t just care about products that can help to enhance your best features. Instead she really cares about taking care of your skin believing the philosophy that if you take care of your skin it takes care of you – and when my skin went through its bad phase a few years ago she swooped in to help with tips and info.

Anyway I have spent many a time in years past sneaking into her beauty collection to hopefully pick up a crumb or two so it only made sense for her to share her bag spy with us… so here it is. Thanks Abi.

So my name is Abi and I’m a skinomaniac - basically am obsessed with skin, mainly mine. It is one of the most beautiful but overlooked asset we have. Many of us spend a lot of time and money covering it up rather than helping it to breathe and glow. Changing your facial personality with make up is great but grooming your skin so it becomes naturally flawless beats any product or tip. Since I go on about skin a bit, made sense for me to do a beauty bag spy! Everyone's skin is different, but don't let that stop you trying out new products. Just make sure you listen to your skin. Trust it to let you know when something isn't working, no matter how good it sounds or how many rave reviews it gets! If it burns, stings or irritates - don't believe the hype beauty shouldn't be painful. If you are trying out a new product - keep the receipt; if you have an allergic reaction just take it back for an exchange or refund.

Anyway on with the show, below are my absolute fave products from my beauty bag which I can't live without: If my boyfriend is reading this, sweetie what you see every day is all me I promise...:)

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish with muslin cloths

I use loads and loads and loads of moisture in my facial care and Liz Earle cleanse and polish is perfect for hydrating my skin and leaving it baby soft to touch. With cocoa butter, eucalyptus oil and chamomile - it is a lovely drink of natural products in a bottle for your face.

Jurlique Rosewater balancing mist.

Chemical filled toners usually strip and irritate my skin. This mist has essence of rosewater and aloe to soothe and give a refreshing blast of moisture to tired looking skin. Very refreshing and much needed in the dry recycled air on the tube! Also use Avene Thermal Spring water as an affordable alternative. It is a great in flight boost for dry or irritated skin.

Dr Nick Lowe Super Charged SP15 day cream

When I first heard of the amazing qualities of the Dr Nick Lowe range, I just thought Boots was trying to charge designer prices for cheap pretty packaged products. But now, I am a convert to his super charged SP15 day cream. It is really rich you only need a little bit (trust me, just a teeny bit) on your face to deliver super charged moisture and protection. It adds instant radiance to the skin and is the first face cream I have used and felt 'safe' walking out of house without make up.

Aromatherapy Associates Support Supersensitive Facial Oil

So you know I mentioned that am a skinomaniac - the downside to being fanatical about skin is that am also careful about what I use as facial care. Don’t use products just because the TV or magazine told me to except the benefits are obvious. So I had heard good things above AA but hesitated to try it. A few months ago, decided to take the plunge with their support supersensitive facial oil. My verdict - this oil is BEAUTIFUL! Gentle and an awesome instant facial treatment packed with natural products, it can even be used on 3 months old babies and older. Love love love it.

Caudalie Purifying Mask

Has loads of awesome qualities and is nearly all organic. Only use it once a fortnight but it has helped to keep my skin tone even.

Bliss eye cream

We are all going to get old but there is no reason we can't mask the process by softening the crows' feet and wrinkles. The eye cream from Bliss (the only product from Bliss I have found that really works!) does exactly what it says on the little pot - 'refines lines and reduces dark circles around the eye'! Ageing...me never? :)

ESPA facials

Absolutely love their facials, tried it out in Devon recently and my skin looked so relaxed-it almost purred! My recommendation with facials is find products and a therapist that works best for you. Have a treat facial once a month or ever quarter - however many times you like and your face would thank you. Have to give a shout out to Espa detoxifying salt scrub. Helped myself to a large scoop of the test sample and my body felt so smooth and lovely afterwards.

Vaseline

Last but certainly not the least - Vaseline: as lip balm, with broken vanilla pods as cheap fragranced body lotion, to thicken up light body lotions, as emergency make up removal, used to glam up boring eyeshadow, as hair gel, to slick down unruly eyebrows the list is endless! My mother, like many African mothers used it as a fix all for everything skin related. Vaseline rocks and is my number one product!

So when all these fail to give me my dewy, glowing complexion (not that it has ever happened :) - there are some secret products that will make it look like your skin is actually reflecting the rays of the sun (Does anyone really need to know you were out partying till 3am and are on a 'no water ever' diet ;)

Prescriptives

Prescriptives magic illuminating liquid potion deep translucent. Every woman's magic potion and concealer -it hides and makes your skin glow.

Shu Uemura

Shu Uemura face architect smoothing fluid foundation - glides on effortlessly and give great coverage, Comes in a range of colours for darker skin and doesn't need to be applied with a brush, fingers are fine!

Blush Beauty
BLUSH.beauty face sculpting bronzer - The blusher from the newest fabulous make-up brand around (Blush.beauty) is all you need to sculpt your face bringing out your cheekbones and make your eyes pop!

Thanks again Abi - Wow, am I the only one who is alreay thinking I need everything on this post??....sigh...now I need to go and hide my wallet again!!!.

Xoxo