According To Gem

UPDATED: Bank Holiday Beauty Blog Sale

*UPDATED* as of 31/10/13 Being the cool kid I am I’ve spent the first half of the bank holiday weekend getting our house neat and tidy. I’ve even finally tackled the mess that was my make up stash which is great news for me as I can now find everything easily and even greater news … Continue reading →

Would you like to write a guest post for According to Gem?

Last night I joined the iFABBO and BlogTrends twitter chat on how to grow your blog readership. For upcoming bloggers I think events such as last night’s are crucial, not only for giving sound advice on blogging but also for networking with fellow bloggers. One of the key discussion points was guest blogging. Personally I … Continue reading →

Swatched – MUA Lipstick Collection

It’s no secret that I’m a HUGE fan of MUA. Every product they make seems to be such high quality and still they manage to keep their prices purse-friendly. At just £1 each it’s a surprise I haven’t snapped up all 16 shades, but amazingly I’ve resisted…for now! I’m sure there have been plenty of … Continue reading →

Forgotten Favourites – Chanel Rouge Allure Lipstick in Troublant (29)

Right, as part of my 2013 blogging resolutions I said I was going to make an effort to create more series features, so starting this week I’ll be writing a weekly Forgotten Favourites post each Friday. Each week I’ll be sharing with you some of my favourite products from the depths of my beauty stash. That’s … Continue reading →

Review – Polaar Hydraprotect UV+ Moisturiser* & Extreme Care Intensive Hand Cream*

So not so long ago I told you how the kind folks at Niven & Joshua sent us Mikey, some fab Polaar products to try out on our ski trip. If you missed that post you can find it here. Mike received the Hydraprotect UV+ Moisturiser which aims to protect the skin from the damages of pollution, stress and … Continue reading →

Topshop Sale Haul – Steam Cream, Meadham Kirchhoff Nail Rocks & a rather nutty necklace

So…. I know I was meant to be saving til payday but I just couldn’t help myself when I spotted these goodies in Topshop. I’ve wanted to try SteamCream for a while but have always been put off by the price, particularly when I was really buying it for the pretty tin. At £3 though … Continue reading →

Space NK Haul – Caudalie, Dr Brandt, Laura Mercier, Rococo & Rodial

I have to admit I’ve been pretty disappointed with the calibre of products in the January Sales this year. Naturally this didn’t stop me from buying a whole heap of goodies from Space NK. So what was in these little black boxes of joy? Ta Dah! Here’s a closer look at what I bought. I’ve … Continue reading →

Review – Natural Hero Hot Ginger Muscle Rub & Cool Peppermint Muscle Spritz*

So you may remember me mentioning these Natural Hero products a few weeks ago as part of my Ski-centuals series. It sounds cheesy but these two products were my absolute saviours last week when I was on the slopes. In fact I don’t think I went a day without using them. I followed Louise’s advice … Continue reading →

Ski-centuals – What’s in my Ski Kit?

For the final part of my Ski-centuals series I thought I’d show you what I took with me on our recent ski trip. When you’re out in the elements it’s essential to keep your skin both protected and hydrated. Which is exactly what these products are great at doing. Boots Essentials Cucumber Cleansing Wipes – … Continue reading →

Swatched – MAC Après Chic Collection Stereo Rose Mineralize Skinfinish (MSF)

I feel like I’ve been out of the loop when it comes to MAC collections recently. Though that’s probably not a bad thing given my propensity to purchase anything with the limited edition tag for fear of non-buying remorse as soon as it’s hard to track down. But not this time. When it came to … Continue reading →

Ski-centuals – 5 of the Best Lip Balms

Even if you’re not hitting the slopes this season, lip balms are an absolute saviour if you want soft, supple lips in the Winter. Here’s a selection of 5 of the best lip balms I’ve found. Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast – £1.75 from Superdrug Great for those who like sweet, fruity lip balms but don’t … Continue reading →

Ski-centuals – Men’s Skincare from Niven & Joshua*

When the folks at Niven & Joshua heard I was putting together a series of Ski-centuals posts they kindly offered to send me through some products from Polaar, a mens skincare brand, for my male guinea-pig aka. Mike, to review whilst we’re away. Polaar is the first skin care range for men based on Polar active … Continue reading →

My 2013 Blogging Resolutions

It’s a new year which means only one thing, New Years Resolutions, so I’ve decided to jot down my 10 Blogging Resolutions for The World According to Gem. 1. Continue to grow my readership. When 2012 started my blog was merely a blip on the Bloggersphere but with a lot of hard work my blog … Continue reading →

My Favourite Bloggers of 2012

As the title suggests, I just wanted to do one final round up post to share with you the bloggers I’ve been reading the most this year. If you want to see a full list of the bloggers I love please check out my Blogroll. Favourite Lifestyle Blogger – The Londoner Not only is Rosie … Continue reading →

My Least Favourite Beauty Products of 2012

So I’ve covered off my Favourite Products of 2012 but which were the ones that left me feeling more than a little disappointed? Here are the products of the year that just didn’t work for me. Umberto Giannini Volume Blow Dry Spray – £5.49 from Boots I was willing to overlook the fact that the … Continue reading →

My Top Beauty Products of 2012

It’s hard to believe that it’s the final day of 2012, a time to reflect on the year gone by and the products that have made it great. It was hard to narrow it down to just a handful as there’s been some truly awesome products I’ve discovered this year, however with the exception of … Continue reading →

Review – Collection (2000) Glam Crystals Glitter Gel Eye Liner

I don’t know about you but as soon as December comes around I develop an almost instant love of all things glittery, and these bad boys were no exception. Formerly Collection 2000, Collection have found a big place in my heart this year providing great quality cosmetics at purse-friendly prices. The Glam Crystals Dazzling Gel … Continue reading →

Ski-centuals – Neutrogena High SPF Sunscreens

Sorry for the radio silence these last few days, I had posts scheduled but real life got in the way and I didn’t get a chance to finish writing them up. Anyway, I’m back now with more suggestions of products you should be packing if you’re heading to the slopes this season or even if … Continue reading →

Review – Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer

I’d heard such great things about the Perricone MD No Concealer Concealer but always been put off by the price. I mean let’s face it, £37 for a concealer is more than a little steep, particularly when you see the size of the bottle. However when I spotted it in Sephora for $39 I soon … Continue reading →

Foodie Friday – Merry Cheesemas Everyone!

Last night was our infamous team pub crawl #12PubsofXmas so I’ll keep this short and sweet. If there’s one thing you need to try this Christmas it’s the beastly Triple Cheesemas burger from Byron. This monster burger features not one, but two 6oz patties, three types of cheese and Byron’s signature spicy sauce. I first … Continue reading →

Ski-centuals – Natural Hero Sports Products*

With only a matter of weeks until we hit the slopes I’ve been on the look out for some awesome new products to try. After a bit of twitter banter the lovely Louise, founder of Natural Hero, offered to send me some products and being as accident-prone as I am I leapt at the chance. … Continue reading →

US Drugstore Haul – Maybelline, Revlon, Covergirl & More…

I’ve decided to break this down into two parts as I had no idea how many nail polishes I’d bought until I came to re-pack my suitcase for the trip home. Mike’s face was a picture when he saw me unpack them all! So anyway, here’s my make up haul from CVS and Walgreens. I … Continue reading →