Bite Size Beauty

Looking good on the go can be tricky at times, but travel needn't ever affect your beauty and skincare regime thanks to these purse friendly goodies...

Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss: Grapefruit

This gorgeous tube of sheer pale pink perfection is the ideal handbag gloss. Possessing a subtle white shimmer, this comfortable formula can be currently snapped up for a mere £2 with Glamour magazine. Bargainous!

The Jersey Cow Company Unwind Bath Foam

Nothing beats a relaxing bath, and this rich blend of Jersey Lavender and Ylang Ylang essential oils is quite possibly one of the most stress busting foams on the market. This nifty 60ml travel size is perfect for adding instant luxury to weekends away, although, I'd be rather tempted to go the whole hog and grab a 300ml...

Nude Lips

Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightley, Claudia Schiffer...these are just some of the names who swear by this deliciously natural vanilla monoi balm. Priced at £10, the quirky cube packaging is simply another reason to love this hugely hydrating mix. Fantastic for pre-matte lipstick prep.

Nuxe Lotion Tonique Aux 3 Roses

With 91% of it's ingredients sourced from natural origins, this floral scented alcohol free toner will instantly whip your skin into tip top shape. Bringing a lovely fresh glow to the complexion, these travel sized bottles can be picked up for free from most Space NK stores generous sample drawers.

EcoTools Mini Bamboo Brushes

Retailing at £5.10 for a cute pack of six, these soft bristle, bamboo handle brushes are great for application of the go. Suitable for use with eyeshadows, lipsticks, blushes and liners, these vegan friendly tools are great quality for such tiny instruments.

Space NK Eau De Toilette 15ml

If you're looking for a travel scent then search no more! These generously sized 15ml glass bottles have been reduced to a fantastic £4.50. Small to carry and small in cost, if you're looking for a sweet smelling mother's day gift then these really are a great investment. (Although, if you can, do buy this toilette in store, delivery costs will set you back a whopping £5 - more than the product itself!)

Deal Of The Day: Clinique Moisture Surge

I trust most U.K readers will have no doubt already stocked up on the generous Clinique/Glamour Giveaway - but when it comes to grabbing a bargain, there's one you REALLY don't want to miss...

Whilst some of the freebies don't work out too well (For instance, The Liquid Facial Soap actually costs MORE per 100ml in this deal) the main star of the show is without a doubt Moisture Surge, a multi purpose hydrating lotion that can be used as a nifty make up base or refreshing gel mask. In the shops this retails for the equivalent of £60 per 100ml. With Glamour magazine you can pick up 120ml for £8.

NEED I SAY MORE?!

If you're looking to make the most savvy savings by stocking up on mags then this is definitely the way to go. I mix it in daily with my foundation to help minimise my pores and add extra, subtle hydration. Suitable for all skin types, this is definitely a freebie not to be missed!

What Clinique goodies have you all stocked up on? That Lipgloss is just a little bit amazing...

Glamour Magazine is available from selected retailers nationwide priced at £2.

Clinique Super City Block

The weirdest thing happened this morning.

I woke up. Went to the bathroom. Washed my Face. Whacked in my contacts and then BANG! It hit me.

There it was pouring down from the sky - the glorious, much missed golden glow of the sunshine. I couldn't believe it. That great big firey ball of flames had finally decided to let little ol' London in on it's beauty again. I stood motionless, bathing in it's light. I tell you now, I felt those vitamin D levels rising within my body like a super charged yo-yo.

However, with sunlight comes sun damage, and being a Pale Patsy myself I need to make sure to arm my skin with the most useful protection around. One product that's worked it's way into my make up bag for the past few years has been Clinique's Super City Block - a creamy SPF base designed to be worn either alone or under make up.

Super City Block swatched/ lightly blended

Available in the varying strengths of 25 or 40, Super City Block helps protect against environmental irritants that can cause problems to the skin. I'll admit, I was somewhat lapse with this primer last year, a decision which resulted in my face becoming a fabulous field of freckles. Whilst it looked cute, I've since noticed a lot of damage to the skin's surface, plus my complexion has definitely become more sensitive to strong UV rays.

In general I think this product is a clever thing to have in your kit. Whilst some of you love nothing more than soaking up the sun, this quick absorbing formula is perfect for adding instant protection either when desired or needed - a must if you want to prevent against premature ageing and potentially harmful nasties.

Clinique Super City Block is available from Clinique stands worldwide and clinique.co.uk for £15

*this product was purchased by The Beauty Bite*

Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser

Redness is a colour faces in my family only know far too well. Whether it be due to changing temperatures or persistent skin sensitivity, patches of red are one thing commonly tackled in the Beauty Bite bathroom. For me I experience it mainly in the winter, when the cold and frosty air becomes a tad too acquainted with my ultra irritable skin. After years of searching for products to cool it down, last autumn Clinique finally stepped into my life with this:

Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser is a delicate cream-gel that gently removes make up whilst helping calm any irritation to the skin. Ideal for use both day and night, this non drying formula won't strip the skin of vital moisture. When massaged into the face the product gently exfoliates to leave an instantly smoother, more comforted complexion - ideal for those suffering from repeated flare ups.

This cleanser is a great addition for those looking to tackle problems with redness. When teamed with Clinique's Daily Relief Cream the results are certainly impressive. If, like me, you are a seasonal sufferer then this cleanser alone should help things tone down; after just a few washes my skin doesn't feel anywhere near as tight or dry. The product also performs fantastically well on men who suffer from post-shave redness; making it an ideal remedy for the whole family.

Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser is available from selected stores worldwide and clinique.co.uk for £15

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Clinique High Impact Mascara

We love Clinique. We love their mascaras. But for us, this just doesn't seem to work.

Intended for those who desire a thickening effect, the wand's large fluffy brush evenly coats the lashes from root to tip. However, possessing a wet formula, we are yet to use this mascara without experiencing clumping. Not only did we find the application messy, after a couple of blinks we were repeatedly finding scatterings of mascara all over the brow bones. This was not the high impact we were hoping for.

Before:

After:

Plus:

3 hours later, we were still experiencing sticky lashes.

In all honesty we'd probably like this more if it didn't claim to add "maximum volume, definition and length" - or - "dramatically thickened, separated lashes". Because it doesn't. Sure it makes the lashes look far more glamourous than their natural state, but we actually feel Maybelline's Stiletto Voluptuous provides far superior results in the "impact" stakes.

We wanted to like this; after all, Clinique produce some of our favourite mascaras. But this formula just seems to consistently under perform on what we think are some major product promises. If you've tried this let us know your thoughts - any tips on how to best work the formula would be hugely appreciated!

Clinique High Impact Mascara is available at counters internationally and clinique.co.uk for £14.50.

*this product was a free sample obtained by the Beauty Bite*

Clinique Lash Building Primer

Firstly we'd like to apologise for being on what seems to be some sort of Clinique trip. We not quite sure why every other product we're reviewing seems to be made by them. We promise this is the last one - well, for a little while at least.

Anyway, sorries aside, this product deserves your time and attention. Launched 6 months ago alongside the fantastic High Lengths Mascara, we picked up a tube of this thick, white primer back in January after being blown away by it's credentials.

Presented in a white slender tube, the fluffy brush dispenses a generous cream coating which gently conditions and protects each lash. It only takes a couple of swipes of the wand to notice the primer's ability at highlighting length and volume you might never have known you had.

Bare lashes

Layer of primer applied to lashes

Literally taking seconds to dry, the primer is soon ready to be coated with any formula of mascara you desire. We decided to keep it in the family and teamed it up with Clinique's High Lengths in black/brown.

One layer of mascara applied over primer.

Not once during application did the primer flake, crumble or drop. Staying firmly cemented to each lash, we were able to wiggle the mascara wand into every nook and cranny with both comfort and ease.

One layer of mascara applied over primer.

8 hours later and the lash building primer is still going strong. Friends have remarked on the length; work colleagues have remarked on the volume; even the boyfriend is smitten with how fluttery our eyes appear. So all this from just one swipe of primer followed by a single coat of mascara? Who knew mountains of compliments were so easy to come by?!

We love this product. It's transformed so many mascara's we'd otherwise dismissed into fresh, fantastic formulas we now truly enjoy wearing. At only £10 a tube, it might just give your mascara wardrobe one of the cheapest overhauls it's ever had.

Clinique Lashing Building Primer is available internationally and at clinique.co.uk for £10.

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*

Clinique Almost Bronzer SPF15

Bronzer, bronzer, bronzer - why can't we just get along?

A couple of weeks ago we were lucky enough to pick up a free sample of Clinique's SPF packed Almost Bronzer. Available in two colour combos, we opted for shade 1 - an oil free mixture designed for all types of light to medium skin.

Complete with it's very own dainty brush, Almost Bronzer is a gorgeous matte effect powder designed to give the most subtle of sun kissed glows.

"Wonderful!" we shrieked - but not even Nostradamus could've predicted just how "subtle" that subtle would be.

Tones blended together/ light tone/ dark tone

This is literally ten(!) layers of product. In all our years we've never worked with a bronzer lacking so much body - this formula just doesn't seem to want to build. And as for the little brush? It's as useful as repeatedly poking yourself in the eye.

Applied onto cheek using large fluffy brush

After we switched over to a fluffy face blender we decided to layer the product onto the cheek area. As you can see from the photo above, the powder can appear somewhat flat and cakey in sections prone to dryness. Our skin is normally in pretty good condition so we were quite surprised that it turned so dusty. However, it did stay put for around 7 hours in very sweaty temperatures.

It took five separate swirls of the brush to create this effect. Although it's a time consuming product to apply, we were pleased with the sun kissed tone it left. We can't really imagine how this colour would work on warmer skin tones - if you do fancy checking out this product we'd strongly advise you opt for the medium to dark mix. It's slightly more pigmented.

At £22 for 9grams there a far better - and cheaper - bronzers on the market. If you're ultra pale and want to find a product that won't turn your skin muddy then this will certainly work wonders. Just be warned though, you'll need a lot of patience to get the best results that this powder has to offer.

(p.s If anyone has this then please let us know what you think - other online reviews seem to be very hit and miss - we trust all you Beauty Biters to tell it like it is!)

Clinique Almost Bronzer is available worldwide and from clinique.co.uk for £22.

*this product was a free sample obtained by the Beauty Bite*

Clinique Up-Lighting - 03 Blush

When it comes to the appearance of skin, we at the Beauty Bite always aim for illumination. Whilst the hunt used to be on for the perfect full-on foundation, more and more women are opting for sheer bases topped with liquid highlighter to deliver that elusive dewy look.

Clinique's Up Lighting tubes are available in 4 generic shades (natural, bronze, blush and peach), which can be used for both highlighting and mixing. We tried out number 3 - 'Blush' - a brown based red packed full of shimmer.

heavily swatched/blended

Dispensed via a pump, as always with these products far more liquid than needed was dispersed. Because the shade is so strong, we cautiously applied the illuminator onto our cheeks using a stippling brush. The bristles managed to break up the shimmer particles beautifully and dispense a fine veil that caught the light to perfection.

We won't lie - the colour is bold! We're used to our gold, pink and white highlighters. Having ultra pale skin makes wearing red based products tricky, and unfortunately, unless patted on with a brush, this shade is far too intense for our colouring. However, if you're lucky enough to have medium to dark skin then this product would look divine. It gives great wear and an absolutely stunning glow - it makes a fantastic blush.

At £18.50 for a 30ml bottle it's certainly worth a punt. It stays fresh for up to 2 years and is wonderful to blend. Plus, the shimmer doesn't look like you've just survived an explosion in a glitter factory - result!

Clinique Up-Lighting is available worldwide and from clinique.co.uk for £18.50

*this product was purchased by the Beauty Bite*