12 Days of Giveaways. Day Nine. Cult Beauty Top 5 of 2013

Cult Beauty are one of my favourite e-tailers and continue to bring it with brilliant products sourced from all over the world - it's easy to get lost in their site - and hard not to spend your cash.

I asked Alexia Inge, the co-founder of Cult Beauty, for her Top 5 picks of 2013 - and she didn't disappoint.

Cult Beauty's Giveaway includes....

MV Organic Skincare, Rose Plus Booster – The best rose oil in the business. It smells intoxicatingly good, not the cloyingly sweet rose you find with cheaper sources, and has the sort of compatibility with skin that founds a lifetime partnership. If I ever have ‘issues' with my skin from testing too many products MV is the range I reach for. (one of my products of the year - CH) 

Ying Yu, Double Jade Face Roller –  Hand carved from Jade, the stone used in Chinese medicine to dispel toxins, this both exercises your facial muscles and helps drain your facial lymph system. Also when one has over indulged, rolling a fridge-fresh one of these on your temples is one down from dialysis for soothing a hangover.

Therapie, Himalayan Detox Salts – Therapie founder, Michelle Roques O’Neil, used the old tactic of giving me my first pot free, now I’m hooked! I’ll probably have to start a life of crime to fund this growing habit (she’s just released a new one), but at least I’ll come at it with an amazing night’s sleep, a toxin-free body and clear head.

DJV Beautenizer, Fiberwig – My daily mascara, it’s a lovely glossy black formula with nylon fibres that add incredible length. It doesn’t flake or budge because it is a co-polymer (liquid plastic rather than a paint like more mascaras) and to remove you soak your lashes in warm water and it slides off in tubes so there's less lash damage too.

Jouer Cosmetics - In The Red Kit - A true marriage of convenience, Jouer unite make up and skin care in a house built of super-slick, ingenious packaging. I'm addicted to the velvety textures and easy-to-blend formulations and this carefully curated palette is the perfect way to discover the joy of Jouer.

Wowzers. HUGE thank you to Cult Beauty for offering this giveaway.

(non-affiliate links)

To WIN simply:

• Leave a comment below (Because of hideous spam, I approve all comments and will be asleep for the first 6 hours of this giveaway, please don't worry if your comment doesn't show - no need to send it more than once.)
• Giveaway closes at 11.59pm this evening (18th)
• Open Internationally.
• By entering this giveaway you are confirming that you have read the Giveaway T&C's.

The 'I know it's not a Hero Product but it bloody-well-should-be!' Support Club

So following on from the ridiculously popular post on Monday (you Ladies really needed to vent didn't you??!) - it's time for the other side of the coin.

Everyone has something that they LOVE/thinks works brilliantly/obsesses over that doesn't really get seen much in the press - whether it's because it is a small niche brand or belongs to a bigger house that focuses on their (coughs) 'Hero Product' in the press.

We've had words like 'grim, hideous, nasty' etc - let's see what you think is beyond brilliant/amazing etc...

So - in the spirit of fair play, mine are.....

Suti Cleanse Facial Cleanser - just a bloody brilliant balm cleanser from a very small independent British company *waves flag* that needs to be on Beauty pages of the big glossies. Stat. Go see for yourself.

DJV Beautenizer mascara - £18.00 for a mascara that works better than the supposed 'Hero' ones. Brilliant, quick, look like your wearing extensions. Marvellous.

Victoria's Secret Lip Glosses and Body Sprays - While everyone was 'all-hailing' the arrival of VS to the UK later this year and tweeting about underwear, I was punching the sky Rocky-Balboa-style (and no that does not embarrass me - I love me some Balboa) that their beauty department will be coming over with the knickers. Affordable, wearable and better than any 'Hero Product' lip gloss out there - bring it on! And don't take my word for it - just ask @helenjnt 

So Ladies - over to you: SHARE!

DJV Beautenizer Mascara

Just a quick one for the middle of the week! I was recently sent these mascaras - which turn out to be the best selling mascara brand in Japan - and MYGOD are they brilliant.

I've tried them both and each time I wear either of them I am complimented on my lashes. I was asked by people who know me well - including my own mother - if I had extensions in.

They are £18.00 each from Cult Beauty and more than live up to the industry favourites from the bigwigs such as Dior and YSL.

Which the obvious exception of the applicators, I didn't really see a difference in performance between the two. I think I prefer the Volume Lash because the brush is especially short - something which most brands don't realise makes application SO. MUCH. EASIER.

If you can't afford/can't be bothered with extensions - these are the next best thing.