Apivita Express Beauty Masks

Before I begin raving about these masks, I would just like to apologise for the serious lack of posts on Beautiful Notions of late. I have just started Uni and things have been a bit crazy and I have just not had time to sit down and write let alone film! Hopefully, I'll be back on track soon and I may do a video on my Uni experience so far - if you would like to see it? Now on to these little sachets of wonderfulness!

I had heard of Apivita but I knew very little about it apart from the fact it was a Greek skincare brand that was rather well known for its face masks. Whilst wondering through Marks and Spencer, contemplating my lunch purchase (the sushi always wins!), I stumbled across their fairly new beauty section. With brands such as Nuxe, Jurlique and Leighton Denny, I was pretty impressed with this Space NK/French Pharmacy hybrid but it was the Apivita counter that stole the show. 

I picked up - rather feverishly - two of their masks: Express Beauty with Grape and Express Beauty with Aloe and they are both rather lovely.

First, Express Beauty with Grape. Containing Vitamins A and E, it claims that it firms the skin and reduces the appearance of wrinkles whilst revitalising the skin. Being under 20, I am possibly not the best guinea pig for this mask but it did make my skin feel amazing after one use. My skin felt brighter and slightly firmer without feeling at all tight. I do think it would be a great mask for older skin or for an instant facelift fix!

Now on to Express Beauty with Aloe. My personal favourite of the two but this could be purely to do with the fact that it much more suited to my skin type. Dry. So, so dry! As soon as I applied this onto my skin, it instantly felt soothing due to the aloe and with the addition of rose water to maintain moisture, this mask really delivered! I used this as an overnight mask and my skin felt so soft and nourished in the morning but you could just use it for roughly ten minutes. 

Both these masks are really excellent and I would highly recommend that you give them a go. They are great for travelling due to the sachet size or if you just want to try them out before purchasing the full size ... which I will be doing very soon!

Check Apivita out here!

Kathleen x

Topshop and Boots Haul

I am sure that some of you will be able to sympathise with the gravitational pull of Topshop, so I hope you all understand that this is an "accidental" haul. I found myself amongst the shelves of pointed flats and rails of pleather trousers and suddenly the overused debit card was out ... 

Kathleen x

About Me TAG!

I had been requested to do an "About Me TAG" video and I thought it would be nice for you all to get to know me a bit better. I think all I have talked about in my videos so far is neon nail polish and Parisian pharmacies! So grab a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit and lets have a chat. 

Kathleen x

NOTD: Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Rouge Noir

After having a bit of a rant in my Top 5 Summer Nail Polishes video about the poor quality of Chanel nail polishes, I feel rather sheepish while I type away at this post with my deep red - you could say Red Black ;) - nails. In my defence, it was raining and after watching Love Actually in my Snowman onesie, I felt worryingly festive. The mint greens and pale pinks just weren't doing it for me polish wise and so I grabbed the first maroon-y colour I could find ... just so happened that it was the infamous Chanel Rouge Noir. Oops. 

Two coats later and I was pretty impressed with the application. Quick to dry and super glossy, this can't be the Chanel nail polish I know. Can it? A top coat was whipped on - Sally Hansen Double Duty FYI - and I went on with my day with an uneasy feeling but damn, my nails looked good! 

A couple of days in and there is not a chip to be seen. Although I am still pretty dubious about Chanel's Nail Polish line, I do think I maybe was originally a bit harsh on the old Classic that is Rouge Noir. Yes they are atrociously expensive but a little bit of Chanel in my life can't be a bad thing! 

Retails at around £17.50 at most Chanel counters. 

Kathleen x

Empty Products # 1

As I write this post I am feeling rather productive, I have just thrown out an unhealthy amount of empty products that were cluttering my room. Surely this means I can justify some naughty purchases in the future ... Watch my latest video on my thoughts on them.

Kathleen x

Holiday Packing: Makeup and Skincare

The panic that comes over us when we contemplate packing for our well deserved holiday is truly terrifying - 'Do I have enough SPF', 'Why did I use up ALL of my new BB cream?! I will never shop at Dior again.' and 'Where is my razor?'. Here is my, slightly calmer, packing video. Made in the hope that it might help you pack - either that or it will be a terrible distraction from the hair remover search. Sorry ... 

Kathleen x

Top 5 Summer Nail Polishes

Anyone struggling to decide what colour their nails should be this next paint job? I've got you covered with my Top 5 Summer Nail Polishes! Click below and dive into a world of beautiful mints and hot, hot pinks ... 

Kathleen x