Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment

RRP: £1.95 at www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk
# of shades available: 8

--What does the promo say?--
"Sally Hansen Diamond Lip Treatment is a gorgeous lip gloss which deeply conditions and moisturises your lips while providing a beautiful, luminous diamond shine. With Aloe, Shea Butter and Vitamin A it provides instant hydration and improves lip texture."

--Packaging--
Some might think the faux diamond on the front of the tube is tacky, but I quite like it: it makes it stand out from other products when it might otherwise be passed by. The company name doesn't feature at all on the tube; whether this is a good or bad thing is up to you.

--Application--
Sweep a thin layer across your lips and you are good to go. Super easy.

--Scent--
Almost slightly floral; it has a perfumey quality to it that I had not expected and does not smell cheap or chemical like many other lip glosses in this bracket.

--Texture and consistency--
Not at all sticky; it feels solid, hardwearing and dependable, but comfortable and smooth, while the glitter particles don't grate or irritate at all. Feels as light as a feather on the lips, but not at all weak or watery in application.

--Appearance--
Finally to the most important aspect! I possess the now-defunct Pink Bouquet shade, which is a delightful inbetween pinky-red colour, studded with tiny particles of glitter. However, despite the deep shade, it is a natural match for my lips, delivering a rosy sheen that shimmers beautifully. The range of shades available, though, leads me to believe that there would be a shade out there for just about everyone, from the transparent Diamonds to the red Royal Romance, with several pink, orange and brown shades in between.

--Longevity--
It is unfortunately not perfect; expect to reapply throughout the day. It will last a couple of hours but not much more, and definitely doesn't survive a meal.

--Value for money--
As already mentioned, this gloss doesn't quite tick all the boxes, so if it's an all-day and all-night gloss you want, then you may wish to look elsewhere. However, I sincerely believe that at this price, it's the best 'cheap' lip gloss around, especially given that it contains such fabulous caring natural ingredients that are normally limited to glosses whose prices are out of this one's league (normally for under £2 you're restricted to 17 and Collection 2000). A sparkling summer essential.

perfect partners
Cornsilk Zero Shine Powder and Concealer in One, £4.95 @ www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk
The Original Cornsilk Shineless Matt Powder, £5.95 @ www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk
Healong Beauty Professional Brow Kit, £4.25 @ www.thecosmetichouse.co.uk

Make Your Summer Sparkle

POST SUPPORTED BY WWW.MYJEWELRYBOX.COM

So they say that diamonds are a girl's best friend? Fine - until your jaw hits the floor at what are normally stratospheric prices. You're very often looking at three figures before you even begin - and that's often for a diamond that you need a magnifying glass to look at. But as with most things these days, if you shop around a bit (thank you, Google Shopping) you can often get what you want closer to the price you want.

Another way to get diamonds more cheaply than having a socking great rock on one finger is to think smaller: diamond earrings, for instance, will be cheaper than a diamond ring. One such website bringing you the sparkly stuff for less is MyJewelryBox.com, and you can also look around for sales at the major retailers such as H Samuel and Ernest Jones. If the prices at MyJewelryBox.com are too good to refuse, but you balk in the UK at the $50 shipping charge, it's equally easy to go in with friends or to take the chance to buy some dazzling gifts in order to get maximum value out of your order.

If you're not really into jewellery, though (after all, this is a beauty website), there are still plenty of other ways to inject some sparkle into your summer, both on the high street and off. Starting with the body, you can find lots of glitter on your local high street, whether this is with Body Shop's Brilliance Powder (which has slightly flawed packaging but still does a good job) or with the ethical competitor, Lush's Iridescent Glitterbug or their Shimmy Shimmy glitter bar (which you just rub over your body until the desired effect is achieved). If you set your sights a little higher in the sophistication stakes, though, you could always try Cacharel's Noa Perfumed Body Lotion, which starts at just over £20 online and provides a divine glow as well as smelling gorgeous.

There are also seemingly infinite numbers of options for adding some sparkle to your face. For the eyes, try Avon's Colour Sparkle Lash and Line, which incorporates a glitter liner and a mascara all into one handy tube, or for a more full-on look, try MAC Pigments for wow-factor and easily achievable fairy princess looks (or their less expensive cousin, Stargazer Eye Dusts). Even the nails can carry off a Dorothy-style look as you paint your nails with Barry M Nail Paints, whose sparkly variants can make you feel like you've stepped straight out of The Wizard of Oz.

Want something more subtle? No problem. There's a plethora of glittery products out there for even the most shrinking of violets, including Bourjois' Little Round Pot Blusher, which has colours carrying the tiniest glitter particles you ever saw, and Sally Hansen's Diamond Lip Treatment, which looks natural while still making you sparkle. It's good for your lips, is hard-wearing, and is even decorated with a small faux diamond on the front of the tube. However, that's not to say that perhaps a real diamond would not be better.

Body Shop Brilliance Powder

RRP: £14.00/4.5g (or €23, or USD$18.50)
No. of shades: 4 - lustrous rose, shimmer bronze, matte bronze and shimmer gold

--What does the promo say?--
"Just push the button and the Brilliance Powder is in the brush. A lightweight sparkle powder with shimmering pearls that provides a natural-looking sun-kissed finish for the face and body. Available in a shimmer or matte finish. Dermatologically tested. Contains marula oil (a very effective moisturiser that also helps to condition the skin over time. Also provides essential fatty acids that help to repair the skin's moisture barrier, thus helping to restore moisture, smoothness and suppleness.), vitamin E (an antioxidant that helps to soften, condition and protect the skin), and light diffusing particles (instantly brighten the skin and help reduce the appearance of lines)."

--Packaging--
The packaging looks just like a blusher brush, the handle of which is mostly transparent so that you can see the powder inside. The brush is quite cheap and very synthetic-looking (I don't mind it being synthetic but this really does look plasticated), and is a sort of reddish-brown colour. The button is a sort of gold colour, as is most of the non-transparent packaging, and the Body Shop logo etc is written in small writing on the transparent bit. It's quite a sophisticated looking thing and is a nice size too. It also comes with a lid to put over the brush's bristles when you're done, which is nice in theory, but once you've used the brush on your face, even for the first time and even if you're careful, the bristles fan out and it's a challenge to stuff them back into the lid.

--Application--
Sounds so simple in the promo, doesn't it? "Just push the button." I wish. I stood there for 10 minutes pushing the silly little button until my thumb hurt with the appearance of no powder whatsoever when suddenly - whoosh! A load of powder deposits itself onto my hand as if to say "There." Luckily I was able to brush most of this onto my skin, but dearie me, it is a silly way of getting there. Happily this only happened the first time - once it got going it was very easy to use.

--Appearance--
Through the tube the powder looks lovely and iridescent without being over the top, and on the face there's no disappointment either. The glitter is not as subtle as some products I've used, but the product is versatile - you can layer the powder so that it's suitable for everyday wear or for a night out.

--Texture--
Very light. When the powder was on, you couldn't even tell it was there. No heaviness or caked-on feelings with this.

--Longevity--
Excellent - I wore this for a dinner out. We left at 8 and when we came back at midnight it hadn't budged.

--Does it do what it says it will?--
On the whole, yes, though saying it will reduce the appearance of lines seems to be going a bit far.

--Value for money--
You need so little of this powder that you'll get a lot of mileage out of one brush. However, looking at the prices, our American friends are undoubtedly better off, with the Europeans faring worst in terms of price (God damn, I knew I should have waited until I got home to buy this).

--Other comments--
The versatility of this product is amazing. Buy the white one (shimmer gold) and it's a highlighter. Buy the pink one (lustrous rose) and it's a blusher. Buy either of the bronze ones and it's a bronzer! Genius!

perfect partners
Body Shop Shimmer Cubes Eye Shadow, $17.50/£14.00/€22 for 4 colours
Body Shop Bronzing Powder, $14.00/£11.50/€16 for 11.5g