Fresh indulgence spray tan review

Hi all

Today Im going to continue with my  spray tan reviews, I hope this helps anyone who doesn't know where to start or wants to change company.

The tan I am reviewing today is fresh indulgence.

First off I have to say that this is the best company for customer service that I have come across so far. I have had some emergancies that have resulted in me getting products delivered by the next day, nothing is ever too much trouble for them to deal with so for a start they get 10/10 for customer service. The website is very easy to navigate and the process from choosing the right package for you to completing purchase is simple and quick. 

 Just a little look at the packaging.

Fresh indulgence offer 3 types of spray tan within thier range so they really do cater for all skin tones. The products are 100% paraben, SLS and sulphate free, packed full of  superfruits and natural extracts to help leave your skin feeling soft and looking glowing. There are matching accesories and kits available that work out extremly good value.

The revive is thier anti aging range, this has a golden colour to it and leaves the skin feeling soft and supple, the smell is not too strong and only really developes into that tan smell after a few hours but lets be honest everyone who is not new to the tanning game knows that there will be a tan smell with 99% of the tans that are on the market today, it may not be right away but as the tan develops it does have that smell, it's not offensive so can we all just get over having to mention it all the time.  The clients that tend to like the revive tan the most are mature clients as it gives a very subtle colour. They return because they say people ask them if they have been away as they look so well I personally prefer this in a tan.  

The electric tan is their fast developing tan. This can be left on for 2- 4 hours for a subtle tan (this is how i use it) 4-6 hours for a medium tan, this is for those of your clients that like a 10% and for 6-8 hours for a deep tan. This is perfect for those of  your clients that don't like to wait for thier tan to develop or that just do not have time. Lots of companies have developed this technology now but as this is from a brand  I know and trust I stick to this one. The only negative is that I have found  the fast developing colour does not wear as well as the standard tan. This is just my opinion and it does not stop me from using it if  I'm short on time it is just something to bear in mind.

Finally the carabean tan is the most popular amongst my clients. This is the most beautiful berry smelling tan of them all, you can almost smell the goodness!!!(this wears off by the morning) The colour is a gorgeous mocha colour, non orange just as if you have been in the carabean. It wears beautifully and is a great match for the medium at home tanning foam which can be purchased from them and retailed to your clients.

All in all I don't think there is anything bad to say about Fresh Indulgence. I love love love everything about them. Great people to deal with and a fabulous tan what else do you need !? I hope you found this useful.

Lots of love 
Mrs G xxx

profesional spray tan advice

Hi all.

When I started researching professional spray tans I really struggled to find genuine reviews so I thought I'd make a point of reviewing all of the ones I have tried so that it may be helpful to others when they are either just starting or wanting to move forward with something new.

First off look for a company that does a good deal with the machine, tent and solution altogether. Do a breif search on the internet to get a gauge of reviews but bare in mind that if the company is fairly new there wont be that much out there.
Next try contacting the company either by email or by phone. I email the majority of the time as I am constantly out and about and can get emails everywhere, if you are lucky they might even call you back, this is a massive bonus as it saves you money and it connects you to the supplier. I know of some people that order their supplies through ebay shops and they always end up getting stuck with no product when they really need it as shipping hasn't been reliable. Personally I don't feel its worth the risk.
If you already have your tanning equipment you can go ahead and order some samples, some companies may charge and some may not it really depends but it wont be a huge charge if any. Again beware here, you do not want to be stuck with a lot of samples that you wont use. My advice is to get a colour to suit your skin tone and one other that you can try on an existing client or family member. If in doubt stick to a 10% as it is pretty much the mid colour, you can go in with a light application for fairer skin tones or go heavier for darker skin tones.
Always do a patch test of corse. You can never tell if any of the ingredients will react with your skin, chances are you will be fine but its always best to do a test first, this also shows you the end colour result. Get someone to help spray you. My husband helps me he is getting good at it now. You can then give a fair mark on ,colour, smell, longevity, how it wears eg. if it goes patchy. When you have given it a good test run between yourself and any willing guinea pigs you can then give a fair recommendation to clients or decide not to go  with that particular company.

What I use...
I found  a company based here in the UK called Fresh Indulgence that do fantastic offers on the whole package. I chose the TS50 machine with the helia gun. It is a pro machine and the gun has 3 different spray settings vertical, horizontal and airbrush, with 1-8 spray density. I chose this particular machiene because of the versatility of having the different spray patterns, not all bodies are the same adjustments can be made without compromising on the quality of the tan. In the package I received 3 1ltr bottles of tanning solution. Fresh indulgence have 3 different types of tanning solution catering for every skin tone. Revive is for more sensitive skins with anti ageing ingredients that leave skin feeling so soft and replenished, Caribbean which is a lovely mocha colour that makes you look like you live in the Caribbean, this one smells devine and is packed with skincare ingredients and the electric is a quick developing tan perfect for those on the go. They also sell retail products that can be  a profit booster for your company. The customer service from this company is second to none, no call is to small and the delivery is superb I rarely wait more that 24 hours for my order. I cannot recommend them enough.

I do have another brand that I use but not as regularly and I continue to try out new brands all the time as things change in the industry constantly and developments in the formula of different tans are all different. I will be posting reviews of each tan brand over the next few weeks.

I really hope that this was even just a little bit helpful to some of you.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxxx

Elf eye palette and eye primer review

Hello everyone

The weather in the south east of England has been so lovely I almost forgot to blog this week.

After my massive elf haul I have used a few of the products both professionally and personally so I thought I'd give my review of them.

First up the 100 shadow palette

The colour range is wonderful in this pallette. I was certain that there are bound to be some dud colours as it is so cheep but so far I'm very impressed. There are a good mix of matte and pearly shades  of which there don't appear to be any majorly glittery ones which is good as they just irritate my eyes, they are soft in texture which is only a problem when it comes to picking up too much product a good soft brush is recommended with these as a hard one will not blend they colours as well. The shimmer and mattes blend so well together and are buildable but be carefully to blend fully otherwise they do get a little cakey a problem easily solved with a fluffy blending brush.
I'm so happy I purchased this pallette I've done numerous looks from golden glow to vintage inspired and they really have all day staying power, especially when teamed with the eye primer, which I got in the colour champagne.

The eye primer first impressions weren't great I'm not going to lie, it is a little shimmery which I don't like. It's very pinky which I thought would cause a problem when applying shadow, it glided on lightly evenly and quite sheer. This in itself is not a problem but I didn't hold out much hope. I don't get on with eye primers as a rule, I have slightly greasy lids and this seems to worsen with primer I have no idea why. Oh my goodness I love this one, the shimmer and colour are not a problem as they are completely masked by shadow (as you would expect from a primer)  It dries so even tho it is sheer it does provide a good light base, at the end of long hot days I experienced no creasing or flaking and it still felt light weight. Again for the prices such good value I will definitely be repurchasing this in future.

The last thing that I have had a chance to give a good run of is the HD blush in headliner.
WOW this is so pigmented it's unbelievable you only need a tiny amount and it give great colour. I have a theory with cream blush, I believe it's only as good as your foundation in the fact that if your foundation wears away in 4 hours it's most likely your blush will too and vice versa if your foundation lasts all day so should you blush (just a theory) this one most definitely stays all day, I've fond this applies best with the elf stippling brush as you get the best coverage. Beware when I say it's pigmented I mean it half a pea size amount is too much. Less is more you don't want clown cheeks :)

That's just a snippet of my haul but you don't want it in one whack you will be reading all day.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

P.S sorry there are no pics my google thingy won't let me upload them hopefully will have it sorted next time.

Absolute beauty excitement !!

Hello :):):):)

The smiles are because I have received my massive amount of beauty goodies this week and oh my god I want to scream I'm so excited.

First off a big up to vita liberata on being the nicest company to deal with, I ordered a sample on Wednesday, that evening I had an email with lots of info on the brand, today (Friday) I received the sample wonderfully packed and recorded delivery. Well done the patch test is gorgeous and my friend is tanning me next week so verdict will be posted ASAP.

Elf makeup arrived. I received almost as many freebies as I did items that I purchased so I got to work swatching straight away, I also couldn't resist a little try of the eyeshadow pallette. I went for a nude light smokey eye with the eye primer under and I am so impressed, they are buttery, easy to blend, great colour pay off and so far no creasing. For the price well actually for eye shadows they are pretty damn good. Full post to come.

My latest in beauty boxes also arrived and it was my first purchase from them. They were prompt with delivery, and I'm excited to try out the hair product (of course I am a hair junkie) and the serum.

Short but sweet post but I was too excited not to share.

Lots of love
Mrs G xxx

My beau bronze tanning experience and starting out in spray tan

Hello everyone

This is mainly for those tanning therapists just starting out but hopefully will be helpful for making a decision as to what brand of spray tan you want to go for.

When I decided to do my tanning course I went for a city and guilds over the day deploma purely for the fact you learn about the anatomy and physiology, contraindications, and it is just more in depth, this ment I had to do a lot of reaserch into the kits available. This was good for the fact that I learnt a lot about different solutions, paraben free formulas, different deals available etc. it was also bad as there are so many brands out there. I settled on fresh indulgence for my kit, I have the TS50 with helia gun, and it came with, sticky feet, 3 bottles of solution and the tent as well as the machine and gun. The solution has mainly good reviews so I went for it in any case it was cheap for the kit so it's a win win. It makes my skin feel amazing, soft and the colour is nice, it's not the best but it's ok. The fade off is very even and long lasting, I'm currently 6 days post tan and I still have a noticeable tan on my legs, even after 3 exfoliation showers. I must add that I have only done it on myself and will be trying it properly when my friend can spray me. The beau bronze I brought kind of on impulse, I saw it in beauty express so naturally I googled it, there isn't a massive amount of info out there but all that I read was good. I went to the company direct and as it was cheaper via them I bit the bullet very hard and got 3 bottles of tan, all three colours, the dramatic drops, exfoliese and the hydrating lock. It cost more than my kit. Ouch !!!

Firstly I love the colour of beau bronze, it is very natural looking, it has a hint of red which is a good thing because when we have been in the sun for real we all have a hint of red in our tan, this seems to really love my skin. I am fairly pale with lots of pigmentation on my face (due to my thyroid condition) I don't naturally tan well, I burn and when I fake tan most of them make me look stupid, either too yellow, orange or patchy. I hand applied the quick fix tan which is maybe not ideal but as the guide colour is good you can really get an even finish. It claims to give a medium tan in 2-4 hours and dark tan in 6-8 hours. After 4 hours I showered off as per tanning rules, just rub lightly with your hands until water runs clear, I moisturised with Nivea straight after and wow!! The colour was the best tan I have ever had, however this is totally my error but the next day my hands were even darker, make sure you advise your clients to really rub all areas to remove this tan as it continues to develop and my hands looked like I had soaked them in tan all night, not a good look. The colour fade on this particular tan was not great after 4 days it started to go patchy which was not rectified by exfoliation so that didn't wow me especially considering it is very expensive. My clients have been loving the beau bronze I've used the bronze original and forever and they both have come back with great comments about how long it lasts, the natural colour etc.
Overall beau bronze it lovely, definitely a luxury tan but I'm not sure as a mobile tan therapist you can make as much as with other brands.

I have been researching even more and have two more lots of samples, nouva tan and vita liberata. I have currently got patch tests of nouva on my arm and will do the same with vita liberata before using on any of my clients and I must say so far nouva tan is very similar to beau bronze at a fraction of the cost.

My advice to anyone thinking of tanning read reviews, speak to companies and get as many samples as you can before you commit to a brand. If you try and get hold of a company and it ends up being a pain leave well alone. Customer service goes a long way when you are trying to build your business.

Good luck choosing tan

Lots of love
Mrs G xxx

Mental beauty buying !!!! Whoops!!!

Hello all you beauty lovers out there.

I am now back into full swing since the Easter break, work is busy and picking up as the weeks go on, it's very unexpected but great, hopefully news of my business will travel quickly :)

Early last week I picked up some beauty products as I was in boots the had 3 for 2 I was running low on foundation so I thought why not. I picked up a loreal true match foundation in the shade r2 vanilla rose, in the shop as always it looked a perfect match but when I got home it is a little dark however I still have a little of my revlon photo ready so I mixed a tiny amount in and bam! Perfect shade. On first impressions (when used alone) it has a lovely texture which really seems to work in synergy with your skin, it is sheer to medium coverage but is so light you could easily build it to full coverage with out it caking. So far so good, I have reached for it every time I have used foundation since I purchased it and (I use a smidge of powder through the T zone) it lasts all day. This definitely gets a thumbs up from me and I will repurchase.

Next was a maybeline colour tattoo 24hr in the shade pink gold, this is extreamly shimmery so
wouldn't use it in winter and so far have used it as a base for my eyeshadow only. I'm not blown away by this but am looking to purchase a couple of different shades as I think it may be the fact it is a little too shimmery as a shadow for my liking, I am going to experiment a little more with this and report back but it seems to last well, althought 24hrs I'm not sure about. When I have had a play I will do an in depth review with some pics.
Last but not least from my boots shop, I picked up a loreal glam shine gloss. Let me start this by saying I don't go out to get glosses as a rule, I find them gloopy, sticky and they tend to dry out my lips but, a long while ago I had a loreal water shine gloss in a light, sheerish, pinky colour and it was amazing, hydrating, smelt gorgeous, everything I want in a lip product but I have scoured the universe and could find it no more :( so I bit the bullet and went for a glam shine in pink moon, well I'm not sure it's exactly the same but it's near as damn it. I love this it's very pigmented so you really don't need much, the texture is balm like, the smell is lovely. I literally have nothing bad to say about it I want more, unfortunately money doesn't grow on trees and I have a whole lot more that I brought this month so I will have to wait but all in all boot was a winner for me this month.

Whilst I was away I went into the local super drug and picked up an MUA ultimate eyebrow kit, and a Barry M telly high shine nail paint in sugar apple. I'm still trying these out but as first impressions go I like the brow kit, it's a tiny bit warm but for spring/summer I think you can get away with it, it's handy has a little mirror, tweezers, a brush which isn't great but ok for touch ups and a brow gel, all for about 4 quid, I think at that price you can't complain. The nail gel lay is an amazing colour when you have enough coats on, it is very sheer even after 2 coats which when you are a busy mum, or just busy in general it becomes an evening long process just to do your nails, again with this product I'm going to try it out some more and report back.

I also went to my local pharmacy and purchased some hair products, and tesco to buy hair products, the hair product junkie will have to be a series of posts I think.

Finally I went a little mad on an ELF haul, most products are to add to my pro kit I must say, but still did I need it all?!? Maybe not, theses are still to arrive. Also I registered a while ago at latest in beauty when looking at beauty boxes, I don't pay a subscription but do get emails and this month there were 2 boxes I liked the look of so I got both each also in the post. I'm going to have plenty to put on my new you tube channel.

My poor husband has the patience of a saint to put up with my random beauty spend ups then endless rambling about products that I insist is reaserch for my beauty business even though he knows half
the time it's not.

Lots of love

Mrs G xxx

Easter holidays

Hello everyone, I hope you all had a lovely Easter break whatever you were doing.

Last Monday we took a trip with the kiddies, first to Newcastle to see my husbands brother and sister-in-law then to Norfolk to see my sister and brother-in-law. I really thought that we would have a horrific drive because from where we live Newcastle is about 360 (ish) miles away, with 3 kids.!! Actually it was quite a nice drive hit nearly no traffic and the kids were pretty laid back thank goodness.
We didn't do very much as we were at the end of the pay month so we were running on fumes, but just to relax with family was enough.
My children haven't spent very much time with their children so it was nice for them all to spend some time together although mine thought they have a funny accent and they thought we have a funny accent. Trying to expain to a 6 year old boy that all over the country there are many different accents was a long drawn out process and I'm still not sure he gets it but we tried :)
We took the kids for a long walk over the woods. And (I blame this on Asda) we consumed about a months worth of vodka in 3 nights. Adults only obviously.
In Norfolk we went for a little walk around fakenham, had a big breckie at a wetherspoons and just generally chilled some more. It was amazingly relaxing and great to catch up with my little sister.

I discovered its hard to pack Skincare and makeup for a week away, makeup because I don't really have 'a look' that I go for every time, I just throw on what I fancy so I took my small maybeline goldy pallette, bare minerals, blush, concealer and mascara. For Skincare I realised my staple essentials are many. Cleansing balm, day moisturiser and primer, night moisturiser and serum, eye cream, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, body cream, I barley had room for clothes. Note to self invest in minis of everything or get some more travel containers. Still beauty has it's price and oversized luggage is it :)

The drive home was quick and I was glad to get the kids back to school when we got home, they however were not as keen. Then I was slammed with a whole week of back to back work. This is a good thing in terms of business but it means I have not been on top of my blogging so will probably post at least 3 times next week.

I have the full review of my beau bronze tanning experience, and I brought some new hair products and make up so some more first impressions, and maybe a confession of a hair products junkie.

Lots of love

mrs G xx

Beau Bronze quick fix spray tan first impressions

I am a beauty therapist in training and am using beau bronze as my tanning product of choice, I do have fresh indulgence which some clients prefer but I haven't been able to give it a good run myself yet but it does smell amazing. Any who I digress, today, as my children are at their dad's house my husband is working and all I have to do is pack for a week away I thought I'd give my beau bronze quick fix solution a go.

It claims to give a medium tan after 2-4 hours and a dark tan after the full 8 hours. Well I am quite pale naturally and I have used various gradually tanners and store brought self tanner the best one having been one by clarins. I have had a couple of spray tans from a very lovely lady who used sunless solutions and the result was very nice, natural looking and best of all not orange. I must say I don't think a lot of spray tans are orange these days unless they are very heavily applied, this tan has a slightly reddish guide colour which I wasn't worried about as I quite heavily researched tanning solutions before I committed and know that if they have a hint of red the end result is much more natural looking. It does smell slightly 'tan like' if get what I mean but I have never been put off by that smell actually my body moisturiser smells similar. I left it of for 4 hours and this was the result. 

(Please excuse the fact I have a real body complete with stretch marks)

This is after the guide colour has been fully washed off and I am very happy with the initial result. I may be brave next time and leave it on for a tad longer but I think for a natural been on the beach looking tan this was a perfect amount of time. I obviously have not tried out the wearing power of this but will post in a week with how I take care of a tan with results.

I hope you have found this useful

Lots of love
Mrs G xx

Day 5 of the Easter holiday + morning Skincare routine

Today's blog post comes to you from my bed, I'm sitting here drinking my morning coffee (black 1 sugar) kids are downstairs making their own breakfast (shock horror) and I am preparing myself for the madness that will be day 5 of the Easter half term.  As a little side note I also have a client today just adding to the chaos :)

I think it's very important for me as a mum, to make room for the little things that make me feel good, one of them is my Skincare routine. Today will be a roundup of my morning Skincare routine and will in due time post full reviews of the products I use. To start with I keep my main routine very simple and do not change it too much as this can upset your skin, it does take up to 6 weeks for your skin to settle into a new routine so bare this in mind when you are thinking about changing products, also my skin is slight combination, dehydrated in the same places I'm slightly oily (through the T zone) these products suit me but might not be right for your particular skin.
Let's get to it !!

Fist up from actiderm is the micellar lotion, this is a gentle cleansing water that does not require a toner so quick and simple for the morning, I don't feel I need a deep cleanse in the morning so this product is perfect for that, it cost £13.50 and I went to an actiderm Skincare party to get it (amongst other products which I will post about later)
 Right next up is my Monu beauty balm, it is 'a classic creamy balm that provides instant radiance' and it sure does, it is a light moisturiser perfect for daytime but you must use an SPF product with it which is why I follow with the Monu illuminating primer SPF 15, the first time I combined these products a friend said to me ' my god your skin looks amazing' well that's all the proof I needed to carry on. I feel like these 2 products give me a perfect base for any makeup especially my bare minerals. The two came in a box set from Monu along with a couple of other products which I use in the eve, for around £50, for 4 products I thought that was pretty good.I must add I use Monu Skincare as my professional Skincare products in my home salon.
EYE CREAM now there's a thing I believe you need to just give the right moisture under your eyes so I don't use my beauty balm under there I go in with my boots 'youth maintain replenishing eye cream' mainly because it is light and has a subtle glow to it so even under the primer and make up I feel it helps brighten under my eyes. It just feels nice and is easy to apply, just a small amount on my ring finger small circular motions and patting, done.
Next is a hand cream, I LOVE LOVE LOVE this product it smells amazing, it's thick but not sticky or oily, it soaks into my hands beautifully, it leaves them feeling so soft the list is endless I just love it,. The product is wild fig and grape enriching hand and nail cream by di palomo. I picked it up in our local 'between the lines' shop for about £9 yes a little extravagant but I use this morning and just before bed and just think it's lovely.

Right I best finish my coffee and make sure the kids aren't painting my living room, tackle the day ahead, get ready to go to a friends for a couple of cheeky wines and a takeaway tonight. A perfect end to a mad week :)

Lots of love

Mrs G

My first blog post

Hi everyone, I hope my very first blog post finds you well.
 I must be totally insane as I'm writing this curled up on the sofa on the first day of half term with the kids tootling around but when is a good time to start anything when you have children !
I'm hoping this blog will turn into kind of a diary, I am currently training in all things beauty so I want to share all the new things I learn with you, calling them 'learn with me'.
I love trying out new products from lipstick to bubble bath so, as we all do, I want tell everyone about the products I try out whether they are new or just new to me.
There also may be things in the news/ papers or on t.v that are relevant to my life that I want to share too and I realise this is quite an eclectic range of subjects but in life there is more than just one thing that makes you YOU  so why not talk about it all.
I am of course a total nube when it comes to blogging so my entries will be somewhat sporadic for a while but once settled I aim to post twice a week unless there is something I absolutely must rave about.

Enjoy reading

Mrs G xxxx