Goodbye Superdrugloves

All good things must come to an end, and for Deafinitely Girly and Superdrug, that end is here.

*sniff

I have had the most wonderful two years writing for this brilliantly funky blog and met some lovely people too – Phoebe and Holly – who are firm favourites on my Twitter feed. As well as introduced my wonderful friend Helen into the mix. I’m sure with her amazing beauty and excellent cake baking skills, she’ll be keeping you lot amused for the time to come.

Naturally, as the time approaches to leave Superdrugloves.com, it’s led me to have a wonderful reminisce about everything I got up to here.

There was the infamous Pimp my Poncho post, where I took to the streets of London with my box of Superdrug ponchos and got 50 people to model them for me… Get a blast from the past HERE.

Then, there was the highlight of winning the competition – my amazing holiday away to Barcelona with London Aunt. Such fun we had walking around this beautiful city, taking in the sites, supping a beer here and there, and enjoying our lavish five-star hotel. It’s posted HERE!

And of course, there was my Pakistan Flood Appeal sale, with the wonderful London Cousins and their friends who gave us their own view of how make-up should be worn. You can read all about it here.

There’s also the fact that for the last two years, I have been better catered for beauty wise than a celeb. I’ve got to try out the latest products for hair, skin and nails. I’ve had a different mascara almost every month and my bathroom shelves are groaning under the weight of all my wonderful products.

It’s been a treat, a time to treasure and a truly great experience and I’m terribly sad to be going…

But go I must, to pastures new. Of course, you will still be able to catch up with my antics on Deafinitelygirly.com – just this morning I super-glued my hand to a glass chopping board in my kitchen – and as you know, my life is anything but dull.

And all that’s left to do is say a massive thank you to the Superdrug peeps, for their wonderful comments, support, products, emails and opportunities they’ve thrown my way.

I hope to see you all again soon one day – come and visit me at my blog won’t you!

Lots of love

DG

xx

Recently, I dabbled in the world of internet dating. Honest opinions? I hated it. I didn’t like the profile requirements, the demands that people made about what they were looking for and the blatant judging of books by their covers – even I was guilty of this.

But it got me thinking… we judge everything by its cover don’t we? The food we buy, the food we eat, the people we talk to, the holidays we take, and of course the cosmetics we choose to slather on our skin – if it looks enticing, we’re much more likely to buy them.

I think it was my profile that let me down on the dating website to be honest. I didn’t really take it seriously, and I think my lack of enthusiasm for the whole thing showed a little more than it should have done. But how do you really know if your compatible for someone just by what you read? How do you know if you’re going to be a good match? You just have to try it and see…

And the same is definitely true when it comes to trying out make-up. So here, I’ve set up the Deafinitely Girly Make-up Dating Agency and here’s what happened when I went on two Maybelline dates – one with Falsies Black Drama Mascara, and one with The Eraser Foundation.

So what’s my profile like? Let’s have a look:

As you can see, what I really want it to be happy with my reflection and for it to be easy to take my make-up off at night – so I don’t want mascara that glues itself to my eyelashes or foundation that turns to cement after application.

So, my first date was with Falsies Black Drama Mascara, and at first glance, I thought it had potential.

I liked the colour of the bottle, shape of the brush and its promises of false lash effect lashes with no gaps!

On our first date, I was very impressed. The brush was relatively clog free, it went on easily and it passed the 1-hour blink test that proves it is contact-lens friendly. What’s more, at the end of the night, it came off with ease, and left me to sleep in peace!!!!

But, it did let me down in the evening, as it appeared to flake off, scattering my cheeks with a fine black veil of dust. It wasn’t a great look, especially as I didn’t notice until halfway through dinner with a friend when I popped to the ladies.

I do however believe in second chances though, so I invited it on a second date. But still, it insisted on flaking out on me. And that was that, it was dumped.

Not one to dwell on failures, I moved on to Maybelline Eraser Foundation.

This promised me a concentrated formula enriched with collagen and goji berries, plus SPF 18 sun protection. Further reading revealed that it goes beyond covering, erasing the look of dark circles fine lines and imperfections for ultimate flawless perfection.

A perfect date? Could such a thing exist?

And you know what ladies? It does!

Seriously, I am in love with this foundation.

Having never believed before that I could achieve that ‘flawless’ look, I was quite nervous about trying it. But the applicator makes it so easy, and it’s gentle enough that you can even use if under your eyes if you’re careful.

While I wouldn’t wear this for everyday, it’s perfect for a night out. It gives you a dewy complexion but with the coverage you’d expect from a heavier matte foundation. It goes on with ease and is easy to blend with your fingertips once you’ve applied the basics with the applicator.

We had a great first date, an amazing second and after the third, we were in a serious relationship.

Even better, right now it’s on offer with other Maybelline products for 3 for 2 at Superdrug.com – so if you team it with your other Maybelline products, you really will have a bargain on your hands.

So, internet dating might not work for me, but make-up dating definitely does. And while my man future might be looking quiet, my future with Maybelline Eraser Foundation is looking very positive indeed!

I have a little bathroom.

When I say little, I mean really little. When buying a flat in London, a big bathroom is rarely an essential criteria so when I saw my lovely little flat with it’s big spacious rooms – but with a bathroom you couldn’t swing a hamster in – I decided that it really wasn’t a big deal.

For this reason, I don’t normally buy TRESemmé in the bottle sizes that the lovely Superdrug kindly sent to me. TRESemmé bottles make me feel like I’m in Land of the Giants at the best of times, but trying to get them in my bathroom is a whole other challenge all together.

TRESemmé’s new Naturals range consists of everything you need for good hair days whether or not you’ve had time to wash your hair. So first, it was time to try out the giant bottles – the Naturals Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner and the Smooth Shampoo and Conditioner, all £5.50 each, so I shoehorned myself – with the bottles – into my tiny washroom and set to work.

OK, so initial reactions – not overly impressed. The shampoo is good, but I found the conditioner – in both the Moisture and the Smooth to be clingy. It was so hard to wash out. But on second wash – and being aware of this – it went better, although my shower was 10 minutes longer.

But I’m still not convinced – perhaps it’s not right for my hair type – but I didn’t get that silky smooth feeling I get with TRESemmé Colour Thrive Blonde (my favourite shampoo and conditioner) and I felt the need to smother my hair with leave-in conditioner afterwards.

After a week of using the TRESemmé Naturals Shampoos and Conditioners, my hair looked kind of fuzzy and dull. Not really what I was hoping for. However, that really is just my opinion. And not everyone has the same hair type. So in the interest of fairness, I shoehorned myself – along with the gigantic bottles – out of my bathroom and gave them to London Aunt who has a fabulous bathroom you could swing several cats in.

And her feedback? She loves them all and thinks  they’re great. Perfect.

So there you go! Two sides to every story.

What I can wholeheartedly recommend, however, is the styling products in the Naturals and Instant Refresh range. The Instant Refresh Waterless Foam Shampoo and Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo – both £4.38 – are both fabulous for the lazy lady, and the Naturals Lightweight Mousse, £5.50, left my hair easy to style and actually kept it there.

So from now on, I shall be combining the Naturals and Fresh Start styling products with my usual TRESemmé Colour Thrive Blonde shampoo and conditioner. I reckon they’ll be a match made in heaven and ensure 2011 is a good hair year!

OK, so I know that there’s a wider message to Christmas than just consumerism, and I do that as well, but let’s just say, if you’re going to give presents, you may as well do it properly. Not just some hastily wrapped socks, last-minute bought chocolates or something you got last year but didn’t want.

And honestly, for the women on my Christmas shopping list, Superdrug really is a great place to get everything I need. It’s a one-stop shop of pampering goodness, amazing accessories and things you never you needed but that somehow are a great addition to life now they are here.

So let’s look at what’s on offer this Christmas… and what I think of it!

Thai Spa Weekender Bag Collection

First up, and this one’s a bit of a scene stealer, is the Thai Spa Weekender Bag Collection, £9.99. The bag is enough to get me ‘Ooh-ing and aah-ing’ – an ideal size for all those travel minis, even with the three included. And what is included? Well there’s the fragrant smelling Lotus Flower & Orchid Calming Salt Soak – just the thing for the sometimes stressful festive period; the Heavenly Foam Bath, which is honestly heavenly and leaves you skin smelling gorgeous, and finally the Replenishing Body Lotion, which has you smelling lushious even when you haven’t had a bath. The perfect finishing touch is the cute mini bath poof thingy – never have I seen one so small before.

So that’s my first Christmas gift to myself sorted…

What’s next?

Leafy & Lovely Fresh Garden Scented Body Treats basket

Next up is another perfectly packaged gift – the Leafy & Lovely Fresh Garden Scented Body Treats basket, now £4.99 reduced from £6.99. In it is a Reviving Body Wash – ideal for perking up on Boxing Day after all the indulgence; a Soothing Body Lotion – for when the battle for the TV remote gets too much; and a tub of Relaxing Body Soak – one for the New Year after the shock of going back to work sets in. Finally included is a soft white flannel, and of course the basket is ideal for storing it all in neatly on your bathroom shelf.

So that’s my second Christmas gift to myself sorted…

Next?

Gorgeous goodies from the Flutter range

Well the Flutter range has a great selection of gifts and accessories just calling out to you from the Superdrug ailes. My particular fave is the Mini Manicure Case, £3.99, featuring everything you need to get those nails looking gorgeous whether you’re at home or away. Then there’s the matching Nail File Trio, available in store, which is ideal for popping in your handbag for keeping your nails in check at Christmas and New Year parties. And finally, there’s the adorable Butterfly Bag Charm, £3.99 – gorgeous and frivolous and exactly what a present should be.

So, that’s my third, fourth and fifth Christmas gifts to myself sorted.

And finally?

Colourworks Compact

Well, there’s the Colourworks range – and I particularly like the Gem Heart Compact Mirror, £3.99. Snazzy in black, but available in three other jewel colours, it’s ideal for the smallest bag, the wildest party and even plucking your eyebrows at home. A multi-tasking present if ever I saw one, and a perfect sixth Christmas present for myself!

What a wonderful, wonderful Christmas I will be having! Teehee!

Ooh, and if you do decide to do all your Christmas shopping at Superdrug, don’t forget that it’s three for the price of two. So that’s two gifts for the peeps on your Christmas list, and a free one for you!

It’s a win/win situation really, isn’t it?

Happy Christmas everyone!

Love DG

xx

One of my main wishes when it comes to perfecting my party look is that I can have beautiful nails all night, and the next day, when taking nail polish off is the last thing on my mind.

I also want something that goes on easily the night before, dries quickly, so I don’t smudge it in my sleep, and survives my morning shower.

That’s quite a wish list and if a nail polish doesn’t meet my expectations? Well that’s it for me, I will never use it again.

So when a bag of MeMeMe Long Lasting Gloss nail polishes arrived addressed to Deafinitely Girly, I was nervous and excited to get started with them.

The shades Superdrug has treated me too are great – an ideal mix of day to night colours with a zingy pink thrown in for good measure.

I immediately tried the dark purple shade, called Indulgent and was impressed by the wide brush. The shape means you can apply polish to the entire nail with one brush stroke. It goes on evenly and there’s no streaking. I also liked that you could actually get away with one coat only, while two coats gave a high gloss finish.

This was the shade I decided to wear to my work Christmas party. It took place at the end of the working day, which meant I had to make sure that it lasted from the night before to the morning after.

And, apart from one small chip on the tip of my left index finger nail, I’m pleased to report this polish lasted two days before I needed to remove it. And then? Even better news, it came off really easily – a rarity with dark coloured nail polishes – and I only needed to use one cotton wool pad.

So what of the other colours? Well, my favourite has to be a shade called Demure, which is a sort of mink colour and actually makes my hands look sophisticated.

I am wearing this today, and I have a date, so hopefully the gorgeous guy I am meeting will think I am demure, too!

Well, I won’t tell him if you don’t!

DG x

PS. I’m sure you’ve all met Helen, the new blogger here - her amazing post on Radiance did have me giggling – she always looks radiant, even after running around after her three fabulous children. She’s one of my best friends don’t you know, so look out for her on my day blog at Deafinitelygirly.com.

When Superdrug asked me to create a Halloween look using the make-up it sent me, it wasn’t just asking me to create something ghostly and ghouly, it was asking me to create my 30^th-birthday look.

You see, Deafinitely Girly was born on Halloween – and while this doesn’t make me a witch, it has given me a great excuse to have some brilliant parties over the years.

But this year, it was all about glamour, about celebrating this momentous occasion with all my friends and family… and so I opted for no fancy dress.

What I did opt for was a make-up bag full of Max Factor goodies. I first used this make up 15 years ago, in the form of a mascara that I nicked off my mum, and since then, I’ve always been rather fond of it.

So, could I create a look that would make me feel fabulous on the eve of my 30^th birthday and still have me looking fabulous when the clock turned midnight?

I began with the appropriately-named Age Renew Foundation in Warm Almond, £12.99, which went on easily but is quite thick, so I actually mixed it with a bit of moisturiser and this helped it blend better. The coverage is good – the pores on my cheeks were well covered and the stubborn spots that had turned up the day before were nicely hidden, too.

Next, I turned my attention to my eyes, using the Smoky Eye Effect Eyeshadow in Bronze Haze.

This is a brilliant invention that is not only space-saving in the make-up bag, it also actually works. I applied the lighter colour all over my lid, carefully highlighting my brow bones with it as well before gradually building up a layer of the darker colour until I was happy with the definition.

To finish off my eyes, I used False Lash Effect mascara,

which has the fattest brush in the world but is easy to apply and causes no clumping.  At £10.99 this is not cheap, but if you’re a mascara fusspot like I am, I would definitely try it. And better still, it’s exclusive to Superdrug.

Not being an overly lippy person, I was pleased to see Max Effect Lip Gloss in Rubylicious, £4.99, was included in my stash.

This is great – it gives all the colour of a lipstick but with the convenience of a gloss. Although it didn’t last the whole evening, but that really is another story!

*blush

Speaking of blushing – that was all that was missing from my goody bag, and as I’m naturally quite pale, I’m afraid I had to add some Bourjois Bronzing Powder and blusher from one of the other challenges. As usual, being an anonymous blogger, I’m afraid there’s no photographic evidence of my look… unless you know me on Facebook that is!

So then, I was good to go and party. And what a party we had! There was music and laughter and 45 of my friends got to meet each other.

And do you know what, if turning 30 is about playing with make-up, partying ’til dawn with my friends and having the time of my life, then I’ll take it thank you very much!

I don’t know about you, but I look rubbish at the gym… or in fact whenever I do exercise. But inspired by my glamorous instructor, I decided to see if I could look glamorous during a workout at the gym.

And so, I decided to put Lipcote to the test and challenge it to keep me looking glamorous through my favourite fitness class of the week: Zumba!

So, let’s see how I got on…

Oop and sorry, there are no photos of me, as I’m sure you’ll remember from my last make-up looks post HERE, that being an anonymous blogger, the photographic me doesn’t have a body, which is not very useful when it comes to going to the gym!

So, braving the very red Velvet Touch GOSH lipstick in Hot’N Sweet, currently £5.29, that the peeps at Superdrug sent me, plus the lip liner in Auburn Twist, £5, I set to work perfecting my look.

First I followed Lipcote’s 7 simple steps to create the perfect pout. I exfoiliated my lips with a dry soft toothbrush, rubbed on a little lip balm, applied my lip liner, which was a doddle once I’d steadied my hand, and brushed the lip stick over my lips using a lip brush – it went on smoothly, too.

I then pouted, daaaarhhhling, blotted and added some more lipstick for good measure.

Oh, boy!

The finishing touch was of course the Lipcote – a product, which hasn’t graced my lips since my teens. So it was with something of a nostalgic sigh that I tore open the packaging and greeted my old friend.

So was it like I remembered? Well, it went on easily, didn’t taste too bad but oh my, does it tingle! So much so, that I started to pout – that’s gotta be a good thing, no?

And so, gym kit on, hair up, lips er… red – I was ready to go.

On emerging from the changing room, Gym Buddy did a double take at my new look and burst out laughing – apparently I wasn’t glamorous, I was humorous.

But in the name of research, I was determined to see how Lipcote fared being put through the sweaty, face-wiping paces of a Zumba class!

Ten minutes in, I gulped some water – trace of lipstick around rim of bottle?

Minimal

Twenty minutes in, I grabbed a tissue and wiped down my face, trying hard to avoid my lips – trace of lipstick on tissue?

Minimal

Forty minutes in, and nearing the cool down, I plucked up the courage to check myself out in the mirror, and sure enough me and my bright red lips stared back. They were still there!

And did I look glamorous?

Well no! My hair had gone frizzy, my mascara had run, my foundation had streaked from the sweat and I was BRIGHT RED! But at least my face matched my lips, which has gotta be something right?

And so, to conclude? Nothing will make me look glamorous down the gym. Glamorous down the pub however? Well, Lipcote has just become my new best friend! And, according to Lipcote.com, you can burn 26 calories in just a one-minute kiss – and if that’s not a good enough excuse to ditch the gym, I don’t know what is!

• Lipcote costs just £2.99 from Superdrug.com, so what are you waiting for!

Readers of my day blog Deafinitelygirly.com will know that I’ve recently joined a gym, and I’m loving it.

At previous gyms I have always shied away from doing classes – worried about not being able to hear them enough to follow and finding them intimidating.

But this time around, I decided classes would be tackled with gusto.

So, dragging along Gym Buddy and Web Whizz, we’ve been attending everything from Body Combat to a fun dance class called Zumba – the latter of which I can only do if I ignore the wooden reflection in the mirror of me trying to shake my hips.

The only problem with all this going to the gym, is it plays havoc with my skin. Sweat is not the greatest addition to my skincare routine, so I decided I needed a quick fix to help keep it spot-free and looking good, without having to drop my fitness regime.

The other problem was that the lunchtime classes don’t leave me with enough time to shower – yes, grim, I know – so I needed another quick fix that would make me acceptable in the office for the rest of the day, and not smelling like a teenage boy’s gym bag!

And so, I turned to Superdrug for help…

First up, facial wipes. I wanted ones that were gentle on my skin, but that didn’t leave too much of a residue behind. For this, I chose Simple Daily Radiance Brightening Cleansing Wipes, £3.95.

Simple Radiance Brightening Cleansing Wipes

 Simple is a brand I know and trust, and I liked the ‘radiance brightening’ promise, too.

 Next up, body wipes. Now, I had considered using baby wipes, but the problem with these, is you kind of end up smelling like a baby’s bottom, which in my book is almost as bad as a teenage boy’s gym bag. So instead, I opted for Halo Deodorant Wipes, available in store, which smell great, and seem to tackle sweat with ease.

Halo Deodorant Wipes

Then, there’s my hair – sweat and good hair days do not go hand in hand. But adding the Scandalous Fabulously Flirty Dry Shampoo, £3.50, to the equation definitely turned that around. Its corn starch formula cleverly hides any sign of exertion and my hair actually now looks better after the gym than before!

Scandalous Fabulously Flirty Dry Shampoo

And finally, there’s the problem of me having a face the colour of a beetroot!

Well, there’s not really much I could do about that – a splodge of Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation, £9.99, does cover it slightly, and because it’s quite a light formulation, it also allows me to cool down further without feeling that I am clogging my pores.

Bourjois Healthy Mix

So there you have it – the DG guide to gyming it in your lunch hour and looking good in the afternoon!

Now all I have to work on, is actually looking good at the gym, rather than the uncoordinated blondie in years-old gym kit currently staring back at me in the mirror!

Can anyone fix this for me?!

OK, so I know I’ve technically done my final challenge post, but I had to tell you something…

Something scandalous has been happening in my bathroom recently!

*blush

I have been experiencing a very unusual thing…

…consistently good hair days!!!!

And you know what? I’m pretty sure it has a lot to do with the new Scandalous range, available exclusively at Superdrug.

It apparently creates hair that gets people talking…

So, let’s look at the evidence shall we.

Two weeks ago my hair had a great time with Andrew Collinge in the shower. I know this because it was remarkably unruffled the whole day and even looked respectable after my dance class.

Then my brown paper package tied up with string arrived and I’m afraid, seduced by the thrill of a scandal, I washed my hair of Andrew (sorry mate) and got Scandalous.

And seriously, this stuff is good. Both the Big & Beautiful Volumising Shampoo and Conditioner and Gorgeously Rich Moisturising Shampoo and Conditioner, all £5.49 each, made my hair look great, feel soft and smell quite incredible – almost erm… seductive!

Scandalous… for hair that gets people talking

Add to that the amazing, and aptly named, Seductive Shimmer Serum, £5.49, which didn’t make my sale either as I just couldn’t part with it, and I almost fell in love with my hair.

And, it seems I was not alone. A week ago Monday, on the crowded bottom deck of a bus, standing armpit to head, people were sniffing my hair! Seriously, I’m not joking – from my vantage point, under the armpit of a particularly gorgeous suited man, I watched my reflection in the bus window and saw it with my own eyes.

So the Scandalous range gets people sniffing!

Weird or wonderful? You decide…

Then, last Sunday I decided to see if having hair that smelt seductive would help me bag a dance with a gorgeous man at Gym Buddy’s wedding.

Washing it with the Volumising Shampoo and Conditioner, before adding the Rock Chick Wave Spray, £5.99, and roughly blow-drying it…

Then, dividing it up into sections, I spritzed it with Red Alert Heat Protector Spray, £5.49 and curled it loosely.

Once done, I sprayed it with the Seductive Shimmer Serum and hey presto, I was ready to party!

I did the maths and it's a winner!

And do you know what? I did bag a dance with a very gorgeous man, and had many a comment on my fabulous hair. It really did get people talking!

However, I’m pleased to report that it was only my hair that behaved Scandalously that night… honest!

• Great news! All Scandalous products are currently on offer for £3.50 each in Superdrug stores and online, now!

Everyone’s heard of Superdrug, right?

It’s certainly been a staple part of my shopping experience since I was in my teens – from Collection 2000 and Exclamation body spray in year 9 to miniature perfumes and Oxy cleanser in year 10.

So here’s the thing, what about the people who are too young to have really heard about Superdrug yet? What if I could get to them, before say, Boots did?

Then I would be creating a loyal breed of consumers, just ready and waiting to shop ’til they dropped…

And so that’s what I decided to do.

RAISING MONEY

Calling on four of the fabbest girls I know – the ‘Fab Four’ – I invited them, and a host of other people, to a Superdrugloves.com Blog Benefit Sale in aid of UNICEF’s Pakistan flood relief fund. 

I’ve been trying to think up a way to raise money for Pakistan since the flooding happened and UNICEF’s appeal really struck a chord with me as it looks after children, who often cannot look after themselves. I thought if we could make the even the tiniest difference, then that had to be better than nothing, right?

And now, about the girls – all gorgeous, and all beginners with the concept of make-up, facemasks and other such girly things. And quite rightly so, because they’re all under 12.

However, there’s nothing to say that in applying make-up they have to end up looking like baby beauty queens. I wanted them to explore, have fun, spray things, spritz things, paint things and
enjoy themselves so that when they are finally old enough to think about make-up and beauty stuff seriously, they’ll think of Superdrug.

So, let’s get to it shall we.

THE SALE

Included in the sale were all the fabulous goodies sent to me in my last brown paper package tied up with string, minus the shampoos and conditioners from the Scandalous range because, honestly, I was desperate to try them out myself – a review of which will feature later this week.

Also included in the sale, was a collection of things from Superdrug that I had stored carefully after the initial testing, plus a few little bits and bobs I’d bought for the occasion.

And, just so I could keep track of everything, and also find out a little bit about my consumers, everyone had to fill in a questionnaire relating to Superdrug and the sale.

LONDON COUSIN 1

First up, was London Cousin 1. She’s 10 and on the Superdrug Blog Benefit Questionnaire listed her staple beauty brands as TRESemmé and Pantene. She pounced on the Barry M Emerald Green nail polish, listing her reason for buying it as, ‘I loved the vibrant green – it’s so cool!’

LONDON COUSIN 2

London Cousin 2, who’s 8, has never shopped at Superdrug, and listed Colgate toothpaste as her beauty staple! Teehee! When she’s older I’m going to teach her how brilliant that is for spots as well as teeth, but in the meantime, she was much too interested in the 2True Glitter Mascara, and a face pack…

MINI BLANCO

Then, there was Mini Blanco – she’s 10 and likes Pantene, but soon declared that she’s moving onto bigger and better things with the Superdrug’s new Scandalous range – she pocketed the Intensively Glossy Rescue Treatment because she loved the smell of it and as her hair was always knotty this might solve the problem. She also enthusiastically got to grips with the Barry M Glitter Lashes (available in store), which she thought was, ‘funky and cool’. She then stumbled across a face mask, which for some reason became her foundation! Perhaps the most enthusiastic of my Superdrug Protégés, this was her finished look!

MIDI BLANCO

And the final member of the Fab Four was Midi Blanco. She was a (shhhh) Natural Collection fan, but I soon changed that! Keen to make sure her money was well spent, she tried out five different nail polishes before choosing the Revlon Nail Enamel in Red Hot Tamale because it looked the smoothest. She also chose the Revlon Va Va Violet Super Lustrous Lipstick because, she said, ‘It looked surprisingly good on me!’ So that’s that then – move over Natural Collection, Revlon’s here!

Honestly, my four Superdrug protégés took to the task with more enthusiasm than I could ever have imagined. They backcombed and set their hair in place with Scandalous Flaunt It Firm Hold Hair Spray, they applied face masks and eye shadow and bright red lipsticks with glee, and they discovered the art of applying mascara and nail polish with care so that it didn’t go everywhere – well almost everywhere.

SPREADING THE WORD

And then, they declared, they wanted to take the campaign to the streets. Spread the word about Deafinitely Girly and Superdrug, and show off their new looks.

And so, we did.

Armed with my advertising board, and with Maxi Blanco filming, we hit the main road near the sale venue and what fun the Fab Four had.

‘Shop at Superdrug,’ they told passers-by, grinning with enthusiasm. At one point they actually stopped traffic, which they then used as an opportunity to spread the word even more.

It was amazing. I had succeeded in finding Superdrug’s future customers today, and I had raised a total of £75 for UNICEF!

And, so long as Superdrug has plenty of hair spray, glittery things and nail polish, these four are going to be very happy customers!

Look out Superdrug, they’re on their way…

————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

*Special thanks go to London Aunt, Mrs Blanco, Riddles of Mind and Danish Pastry for their amazing enthusiasm on the day, too! Mainly Clarins fans, I had them ooohing and aahing at the new Scandalous Haircare range, fighting over GOSH Velvet Touch Foundation Primer, Superdrug Mango & Papaya Body Polish,  and Superdrug Cocoa Butter Body Butter, and enthusing about T-Zone’s Instant Action Spot Zapping Stick and Instant Fix 6 Nose Strips, the latter of which, I’m afraid I won the fight for, as I had been wanting to try them for ages! And of course, let’s not forget the wonderful Maxi Blanco who was a brilliant help – she’s 14, and went away with the biggest beauty bag out of everyone. Originally an ‘occasional’ shopper at Superdrug, she’s now a fan of the 2True make-up range, the Scandalous Haircare range and the Vitamin E Illuminating Cream.