Magazine Freebies Tried & Tested: Glamour Magazine and Nails Inc Polish

What? Nails Inc Motcomb Street Polish 10ml RRP £11.00

Free with? Glamour, December 2012

Magazine price?  £2.00

Thoughts?

This month Glamour comes with yet another amazing freebie, a full-sized bottle of Nails Inc polish worth £11. Founded in 1999 by Thea Green, Nails Inc now have an impressive 58 concessions across the UK and serve an average of 10,000 customers per week. They boast a range of over 200 gorgeous shades of nail polish all named after famous London streets like Piccadilly, Baker Street and Notting Hill. I was first introduced to the brand several years ago by -yes, you’ve guessed it- Glamour magazine. This month the publication is giving away four more polishes, St. James (a vibrant candy apple red), Glamour Glitter (a sparkly gold glitter), Elizabeth Street (a delicate pale pink) and Motcomb Street (a rich dark blue).

As I have a subscription I didn’t get to choose the colour I got and I must admit I was a little disappointed when I opened the packet and Motcomb Street fell on my lap. My nails are usually long (not through choice but because they grow so fast that keeping them short means near-constant filing!) so I think dark shades can end up looking a little vampy on me. Although the polish looked very dark and flat in the bottle it actually had a pretty inky blue tinge when applied and dried to a stunning high-shine finish. Like all Nails Inc polishes the texture was neither too thick nor too thin and went on beautifully evenly. Although you could apply more than one coat for a more intense colour the shade in the picture was achieved with just one coat. The polish held up well, retaining its lustrous finish and didn’t chip for nearly a week. Although I’m still not sure Motcomb Street is the colour for me, it is incredibly striking and would be the perfect complement to a party outfit this season. If you want to try Motcomb Street you can purchase it from the Nails Inc website for £11.

Magazine Freebies Tried & Tested: Marie Claire Magazine and Dove + L’Occitane

What? Dove Damage Solutions Colour Radiance Conditioner 30ml and L’Occitane Rose Petals Hand Cream 30ml RRP £8.00

Free with? Marie Claire, November 2012

Magazine price?  £3.70

Thoughts?

November’s Marie Claire magazine comes with not one but two freebies worth over £10. The first is a conditioner from Dove’s new ‘Damage Solutions’ range designed for coloured hair. The bottle tells me it has a dual formula combining a nourishing conditioner and a ‘revitalising stripe and UV filter’ which promise to ‘seal the cuticle for more vibrant colour’. I’m a little sceptical of some of the claims made by hair and beauty brands, especially when they purport to fulfil to two completely opposite functions (in this case simultaneously penetrating the hair to nourish it and sealing the hair cuticle) and certainly when I squeezed some of the product out for the first time I found the conditioner and the pink treatment stripe had blended together into a pale pastel shade. Despite my doubts though this product did smell heavenly and had the perfect consistency –not too thick or too thin- meaning it applied effortlessly and rinsed away easily. It left my hair super soft and shiny, which even if the claims regarding its colour revitalising properties turn out to be exaggerated is worth the purchase price on its own. The full-size version is available now for just £1.65 (£1.70 off the RRP of £3.30) at Superdrug

The second product in this Marie Claire double-whammy is a limited edition hand cream from French natural beauty brand L’Occitane (am I the only one who has been saying it ‘l-ock-tain’? Apparently the correct pronunciation is actually ‘loxi-tan’) There was a choice of Date Bouquet, Mango Flower, Rose Petals or the original L’Occitane Dry Skin hand cream. Having read rave reviews I was tempted by the original but my love for floral scents won out and I chose the Rose Petals hand cream. I am so glad I did as I loved absolutely everything about this product. From the chic metallic packaging and perfect hand-bag sized to the gorgeous rose fragrance –as good as a spritz of perfume- to the luxurious concentrated formula packed with organic ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil and Rosemary leaf extract. It wasn’t heavy or greasy at all and I found all I needed was a pea sized amount and it would be absorbed instantly. I cannot recommend this hand cream highly enough. If you’d like to try it for yourself, it is available in L’Occitane boutiques on online for £8.00 for 30ml here
 

Magazine Freebies Tried & Tested: Glamour Magazine and Balance Me Lip Salve

 

What?   Balance Me Rose Otto Intensive Lip Salve RRP £12

Free with? Glamour Magazine, August 2012

Magazine price?  £2.00

Thoughts?

Not only does Glamour magazine boast interesting content and an affordable £2 price point but it regularly gives away some of the best freebies around. This month Glamour has teamed up with natural skincare brand Balance Me to offer one of four amazing products free with the August issue. You can choose from Balancing Face Moisturiser, Wonder Eye Cream, Pure Face Wash or Rose Otto Lip Salve. It was a tough choice but as I’m a huge sucker for lip products I plumped for the lip salve.

I really cannot say enough good things about this product. Made from 100% natural ingredients like virgin coconut, sweet almond, shea and cocoa butter it is intensively moisturising, I only needed a tiny amount to instantly smooth and soften my lips. Although it’s clear in colour it gives a lovely natural sheen meaning it can be worn on its own or over your favourite lipstick. It is scented with a heavenly blend of essential oils and smells absolutely divine. 

The ergonomically designed tube is not only hygienic but the angled applicator applies just the right amount of product. The white packaging and purple floral design looks chic too!     

The only down side to the product is the hefty £12 retail price, although considering how concentrated the salve is I imagine a tube would last a very long time. If you’d like to try Balance Me Lip Salve it can be purchased here

Magazine Freebies Tried & Tested: Red Magazine and Jemma Kidd I-Glamour Mascara

When I’m not catching up on my favourite TV shows or reading a book I like to have a magazine ready on the coffee table to leaf through, I typically buy two or three a month usually choosing those that come with free gifts. Not only are magazine freebies a great way to get a product for a fraction of the retail price but they can introduce you to brands you may never have tried -or even heard of- otherwise. In what I hope will be a long-running series of posts I will review my favourite magazine freebies each month, this first edition is a little back-dated but in future I hope to get in early so the magazine is still available to buy.

What?  Jemma Kidd Make Up School I-Glamour Volume Mascara RRP £15

Free with?  Red Magazine, July 2012

Magazine price?  £3.90

Thoughts?

This volumising mascara is part of a new range of products from make-up artist Jemma Kidd, sister to model Jodie. The best feature for me was the large brush which applied the product evenly and managed to coat all of the lashes, upper and lower, making them appear lengthened and separated. It didn’t go on too thickly or clump, and I found a single coat was all that was needed. The downside of this product was that during the day it tended to flake, leaving unsightly flecks of mascara around my eyes. As a freebie I could probably overlook this although I was disappointed considering the premium £15 retail price. I think for the price tag there are many better alternatives. If you want to try the mascara for yourself it can be purchased here