Quick shopping

Just bought these @ Boots in Croydon yesterday by using No. 7 £5 off vouchers. Does anyone know what's the difference between the boxed one that found in No. 7 counter and the ones in zip bags on the brush shelves?? They seems to look the same to me @.@ Well, price wise, they are the same, but then why border to do 2 types?? I am confused.

Btw, there's still few things left in Pure counter, and only £2 for any products left by Urban Retreat and Pure.

Popped into Primark as well and bought these and only cost me 75p!!

So this going to be my next makeup bag!

Books/ Guide by Make Up Artist (mainly for Chinese readers)

The reason that I bought these books is that I saw Regina mm's post on Powerapple forum (in simplify Chinese) mentioning Kevin's (a famous Taiwanese make up artist) new book, so I dash to check out online. Well, maybe it's not the cheapest, but Kingstone ( a Taiwan base bookstore) is not bad as they offer a few skincare set that is by Kevin; and the delivery is superb - they only took 2&1/2 days to deliver the books from Taipei to my place in London! Okay, they used DHL services (that's why the delivery charge is quite high), but still, it quite amazing, as you know, for amazon (uk), they sometimes don't have this kind of speedy services.

For 3 books + delivery, it is only £34+/-, depends on the exchange rate, and they accept paypal or credit card, so it is very convenience. 

By a quick browse of these books, I don't think I will get books by European make up artists, as I think the thing that I was looking for is quite different. Maybe this due to the facial feature that I have, I suppose?! As most of the make up books here in UK are base on white or black models.

Well, I am going to read these if I have time other than textbooks. SO happy reading~

K.

p.s. forgot to upload the photo of the gifts:

Make Up Academy (MUA) @ Superdrugs

There has been quite a few discussion on this new makeup line by Superdrugs at the moment, and of course I popped in to have a look and bought 2 things to test out.

I bought 1 eyeshadow (in shade 16) and a black mascara. I have tested both already and for £1 rrp, this is quite a bargain.

The eyeshadow is quite good as it is quite highly pigmented, though I think metallic colours are much better than matte, like the one I bought here. After I read a few reviews, I think shade 9 is getting my attention most. lol.

And for the mascara, there's nothing really quite special about this as for lengthen and volumising purpose, I think there will be more better choices (though they will be more expensive). For just only £1, it is really good for anyone who is a beginner in makeup as it is so affordable.

Also, I have found a good use of this, as it has a really good staying power. Primark 9&1/2 mascara is really good for lengthen and volumising, but it does NOT stay for long. However, adding an extra coating of MUA mascara, my lashes were in good shape after around 10hrs later, so good investment, I suppose.

The only downfall is that there's only 86 stores across the whole country that sells MUA products, and for my readers in London, in Central London, we only able to get them in the Strand store, near Charing X. Or get them online, but the only downfall is £3 postage for order below £25.

Check your nearest store here:
http://www.superdrug.com/MUA-Makeup-Academy/MUA-Makeup-Academy-Stores/page/muamakeupacademystores

AND!

There's one great saving method: if you have made a purchase recently, with the receipt, there's a feedback form that you can do online, which with a valid code that you collect after completed the form, there will be 25% off for Superdrugs own brand products for order above £10 within a month. That means only 75p each for MUA goodies!!!

How's this sounds?

Have a nice day!

Kyanvi.

p.s. I have won sleek fb competiion again!!!!!!!!

p.s.s. I have found my holy grail for eyeliner - Prestige Total Intensity!

Aromatherapy Roll On

As well as skincare and makeup, there are factors that affect our body and skin condition. Therefore other than taking supplements and control the food intake, Aromatherapy is another way out.

The 3 roll on that I am using at the moment. These roll on can be used on the 'hot-spot' of the body, i.e. wrist, back of the neck, temple on the head. Some of the essential oil have really strong scent, so this can be used as perfume too. 

The Bontanics one is for clearing the mind and the one in the middle is my own DIY anti-stress & improve concentration. The one of the right hand side is for good sleep which my aunt bought me as a X'mas present from Bath, Body and Works in the States.

So if I got time tomorrow, I may just write up the recipe of the anti stress roll on.

Have a nice day.

K

Quick Haul

Just a quick haul before I hide myself again to try to concentrate my studies. @.@ I popped into local Boots today on my way to market to get more vegs.

The No. 7 £5 voucher is back on again, so any ladies who want to stock up any No. 7 products, it's time again. (seems the last lots just gone @.@) Anyway, I have stocked up another concealer brush, as this is really my favourite and it is really cheap. Using the £5 voucher, it is only £2.50!

Finally there's 3for2 offer for all Prestige cosmetics! So I bought 2 total intensity eye liner and 1 mineral eye liner to try out, as I heard lots of good review on these liners, especially the total intensity one.

I have not try out the false lashes, but they are on clearance, only 38p per box for the 17 lashes, and £1.50 for the Revlon one. Ms Makeup is on offer too, buy one get one 1/2 price for the whole line, but for this one it is only £2.50 (reduced from £9.xx)

As well as Boots, I popped into Poundland and found out that Maybelline Dream Mousse is only £1, such a bargin!!

I finally found a solution to sharp the NYX jumbo eye pencil or other jumbo eyeliner! I bought that jumbo eye pencil and sharpener from Primark; and guess how much for these 2?

It is only for 10p!!! Is it wonderful?

Anyway, have a nice week!

K.

Off to Holiday + 10 Sleek i Divine Palette

I am off to my friend's place in Cornwall tonight by Night Riviera (the night train from London Pad to Penzance ;-P), so I don't think I will do any haul or reviews or even update till I back.

However, I got one things to show as I have just received my prize from Sleek yesterday!!! All 10 i Divine eye shadow palettes!

Finally, I have entered the competition on their facebook for a few times, but haven't got the chance to win, but this time!

Inside the box

All the palettes

I will do the swatches if I have time after I come back from Cornwall, but not quite sure whether I can do that in a go, as I got 8 exams coming up, but I think I will do 1 palette at a time if I got the space.

If you can't wait, I have already done the swatches for

Storm

&

Bohemian

keke...

Have a nice Sunday!

Kyanvi.

p.s. have anyone actually read my London guide? just wondering whether it is useful or not, if not, I don't think I will write up the last few chapter. (sigh)

Kyanvi's Guide for shopping in London - Part 7

Guide Chpater 7

Quick Summary

Since I have already mention a few area that for shopping, so I may just sum the places up incase any of you are confused by what I have typed though.There are few main places to shop in London, and this is just a quick summary with the details like transport and maps, so this can be ignore if you have already got the idea from the chapters before!

1. Knightsbridge

Tube: Knightsbridge Station, Picadilly Line

2. Covent Garden

Tube: Covent Garden, Picadilly Line

MAC, Neal's Yard, and of course for it's market.

3. Oxford Street to Regent Street

Tube: Marble Arch (Central Line), Bond Street (Jubliee, Central Line), Oxford Circus (Bakerloo, Central Line), Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo, Picadilly Line)

And don't forget the streets like Carnaby Street behind Regent St and Soho too.

4. King's Road

Tube: Sloane Square (Circle & District Line)

5. High St & Chruch St, Kensington

Tube: High St Kensington

6. Westfield Shopping Centre

Tube: Shepherd's Bush (Central Line & Overground), Wood Line(Hammersmith & City, Circle Line) or White City (Central Line)

TBC.

Kyanvi.

Kyanvi's Guide for shopping in London - Part 6

Guide Chapter 6

I am pretty sure lots of people know about this company. As well as skincare, they have products on Aromatherapy, dried herbs/ flowers and base oils too. For selected stores, they even have therapy room that provide aromatherapy services too.

They have lots of stores across London, but if you really want to get stuff from their shops, I highly recommend their main store in Neal's Yard, as the area is really nice and it is in Covent Garden.

Neal's Yard Store & Therapy Room

2 & 15 Neal's Yard WC2H 9DP

檢視較大的地圖

Westfield Store
Westfield Shopping Centre

Kensington Store
7A Church St W8 4LF

View Larger Map

King's Road Store & Therapy Room
124B King's Road SW3 4TR

View Larger Map

St Pancras Store
Unit 37C, St Pancras Station N1C 4QL

Victoria Store
Unit 33B Victoria Station SW1V 1JU

TBC

Kyanvi

Kyanvi's Guide for shopping in London - Part 5

Guide Chapter 5

Space.NK. apothecary

I know this company since the 1st year I moved in UK, and I always found that it is too posh for me to even walk in, as I definitely won't buy anything from there.

But since I kept an eye on Christmas sale or summer sale, suddenly this company isn't too posh to the fact that I won't even able to afford one item from there.

If you want to buy products from brand like Eve Hom, Jemma Kidd, Aromatherapy Associates, Caudalie, By Terry or other brand like that, then you for sure need to pop into one of their stores.

Webstie: http://www.spacenk.co.uk/

Brand list: http://www.spacenk.co.uk/category/nstorelocator.do

There are quite a few stores in central London, but these are the ones I think you will have the most chance to pass by:

Hans Cresent

40 Hans Crescent SW1X 0LZ

(Right opposite Harrods, down the road between Zara & Harrods)

Harvey Nichols

Ground Floor of Harvey Nichols

Broadwick Street (Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus)

8 Broadwick Street W1F 8HW

檢視較大的地圖

Kensington Church Street (Nearest Tube: High St Kensington)

3 Kensington Church Street W8 4LB

檢視較大的地圖

Brunswick (Nearest Tube: Russell Square)

Unit 4 Brunswick Centre WC1N 1AW

檢視較大的地圖

TBC

Kyanvi

Kyanvi's Guide for shopping in London - Part 4

Guide Chapter 4

M.A.C.

For anyone who from the States or Canada can probably skip this chapter, as M.A.C. is so much cheaper to get in your local store or even online delivery.

But for the others, there's a few counter in central London and the one that I think is the key to note is the store that sells pro items in Carnaby Street.

Address
28 Fouberts Place W1F 7PR

Nearest Tube Station: Oxford Circus / Picadilly Circus (if you walk along Regent Street)


檢視較大的地圖

For the rest of the M.A.C. stores,

they have counters in Selfridges, Harrods & Harvey Nicols

Stores in Westfield, Covent Garden, Kensington High St & King's Road

Covent Garden Store (Nearest Tube: Covent Garden)
38 Neal Street WC2H 9PS

檢視較大的地圖

Kensington High St (Nearest Tube: Kensington High St)
28a Kensington Church Street W8 4EP

檢視較大的地圖


King's Road (Nearest Tube: Sloane Square)
109 Kings Road SW3 4PA

檢視較大的地圖

Website: http://www.maccosmetics.co.uk/

TBC.

Kyanvi.

p.s. sometimes it is bit boring to write things up as it took me a bit of time to do such things while nobody cares, so can you just click the reaction below? as i know sometimes it is kind of not sure what to comment or just simply to lazy.

Kyanvi's Guide for shopping in London - Part 3

Guide Chapter 3

Selfridges

After talking about drugstores and drugstores beauty products, let's talk about more luxury products in Selfridges & Co, one of the most famous high end department store in the world, I suppose. For this more than 100years old company, they have their beauty counters on the ground floor grouped together in a beauty hall.

As well as the usual luxury brands like Lancome, Chanel, Dior, etc, they have more than just these and the most attacked brand should be Illamasqua or D&G for cosmetics, as you won't able to find these brands in any other department stores in London. (other than D&G in Harrods)

Of course, there will be more than these 2 brand, but for other brands, they tends to focus their products on perfume which I will not talk about this until I do more research.

Illamasqua

D&G

So where's Selfridges?

Address:

400 Oxford StreetLondonW1A 1AB
For Satalite / Google for directions, address:40 Duke StreetLondonW1U 1AT
Nearest Tube Station: Bond Street / Marble ArchClick here to view larger map
Website: http://www.selfridges.com/TBC
Kyanvi.

Kynavi's Guide for shopping in London - Part 2

Guide Chapter 2

Boots & Superdrugs Continue.

Although we have consumer rights here in UK and we can refund for certain products. For cosmetic goods, it is always difficult to ask for refund. Therefore, it is much ideal to check out the price and the products before you purchase. So it is essential to know where the Boots & Superdrugs stores that are close to each other in Central London. There probably more than the list I provide, but in this list, these are more the shopping/ visiting area for tourists.

1. Marble Arch

Both Superdrug & Boots (S) are along Oxford Street on the same side. Superdrug is opposite to Primark. Boots is few block down the road towards Bond Street Underground station (towards the East).
Also, a good point to navigate in Oxford Street area is by locating Centre Point as it is one of the tallest building around the area.

Superdurg
508-520 Oxford St W1C 1NB

檢視較大的地圖

Boots
490 Oxford Street W1C 1LF

檢視較大的地圖

2. Bond Street Underground Station

The position of Superdrug is a bit tricky as it is not even shown on its store locator. But I have been in there n-th times, pretty sure it is in there.

Superdrug
Inside West On Shopping Centre in the basement, if you go to Bond Street underground station, then you will able to find it.

Boots
The small one is right on top of Superdrug in the same shopping centre on the ground florr.
The bigger one is along Oxford St. This has all the brand you need as most of the store don’t provide all the products.
385-389 Oxford Street W1C 2NB


檢視較大的地圖
3. Russell Square (since there’re so many hotels around)

Both store in the same Brunswick Centre (WC1N 1AF)
Superdrug @ Unit 33-35
Boots @ Unit 40-42

4. High Street Kensington

Boots is right next to the exit of High St Kensington Underground Station & Superdrug is right outside, across the road.

Superdrug
130 Kensington High St W8 7RL

檢視較大的地圖

Boots
127A Kensington High St W8 5SF

檢視較大的地圖

5. Westfield Shopping Centre, Shepherd’s Bush (Zone 2)

This is also one of the bigger Boots store, so you will able to find Urban Decay and the others.
Inside the shopping centre, refer the store guide inside.
http://uk.westfield.com/london/find/search/store?category=2051


檢視較大的地圖

So these are the stores that are close to each other. But there are a lot of Superdrugs and Boots around in Central London.  As well as this list, there’s 1 more Boots to mention:

Boots in Piccadilly Circus
44-46 Regent Street W1B 5RA

檢視較大的地圖


I think lots of people have seen it in lots of photos already, as this is really centre. lol

I just really like Google Map now, it is amazing!!!!!

Kyanvi.

[Map picture take from http://www.londondaytours.com]

Kynavi's Guide for shopping in London - Part I (photo and word heavy)

Guide Chapter 1

Boots & Superdrugs

I think these 2 stores are the most popular as they have almost every drugstore beauty products you need and from my observations, these are the brand that you may keep an eye on or do some research on:

(in no particular order)

Barry M

Rimmel (think now they have counter in HK, and readers from the States must have seen this in drugstores)

Collection 2000

Balm Balm (sadly, only lip balm available in bigger Superdrugs or Boots)

Bourjois (though i know they have their 1st shop in HK)

E45 skincare range

Simple Skincare Range

and the following are exclusive to Superdrugs 

Sleek 

Gosh 

MeMeMe 

BeautyUK (I only heard good reviews for their eyeshadow palette)

Amine Organic for younger skin

The following are exclusive to Boots

(Note: apparently for readers in the States, pop into your local Target, they have lots of Boots products when I was in Boston, this applies to all the exclusive to Boots brands below, as they are own by Boots)

Boots Traditional Skin care range (as I can't find any photos online, so I have to used mine instead @.@)

Botanics Skincare range

Prestige (readers from the States must have seen this in drugstores lol)

Boots Everyday Essential Cucumber skincare line

17

Natural Collection

No 7

Soap &Glory

Tea Tree + Witch Hazel Skincare Range (suggested by theztyle.com blogger Birdy)

And for Boots store that are bigger in size (I will note this in my next post for Boots store location)

Ruby & Millie

Urban Decay (it's much cheaper in the States, so mainly for Asia buyers, I suppose.)

Too Faced

Please note that for the products in these photos may not be the ones that are very popular and waved for, just an idea of how the products look like as I just 'googled' these photos.

And for copy rights, I am not the owner of these photos, please click the photo for their origin and please tell me to remove if it is inappropriate.

Also here the list of brand that you may have a look at if you are interested as some of the products may not available in your local area due to different marking policy for these international company. Or some of the brands here are the ones that now available aboard as far as I concern, but slightly more costly to get.

Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden

Olay

Nivea

Avene

La Roche Posay

Eucerin

Garnier

Good Skin Lab

Yes to Carrot

RoC

What else? Can anyone give me more suggestions?

Didn't realise there's so many to talk about shopping in Boots and Superdrugs, my god...

Useful site:
Boots
Superdrug

Kyanvi.

p.s. drop me a feedback if you want to read more, so that I will write up the rest faster!