I was somehow unable to log in and it was really frustrating as I wanted to reply/like posts. I went this morning with my daughter. Train held up for half an hour so we got there about 20 mi s late and lots of treatments were already booked. We went around the different stalls and got a look at new and upcoming products and pampered our hands to within an inch if their lives with serums and body butters.
Agree with everyone who said the BBC was not as good this year. The refreshments were just tea/coffee/juice and I had to ask for a biscuit!
However the pros. Talked to some of the brand ambassadors such as ABC lady (she is absolutely lovely and talked about new products they are thinking of developing), philosophy (they have a whopper of an item coming up this weekend with 940 ml pure grace body emulsion, 940 ml purity cleanser, 120 ml pure grace eat and a new face mask and this item has my name on it - about £48 I think which is amazing value). We couldn't get near the Laura Geller or Mally stands, nor bare minerals, elemis and liz earle.
At about 12:00 I had a lovely facial from AD Skin synergy which was absolutely blissful and then deciding I looked a bit naked I the face area, went to benefit to get my eyebrows done but they made up my whole face using bronzer and a nude lip gloss which I would never usually go for but loved. Also they have a new mascara coming out with a special brush.
I had my skin analysed at Shiseido and to my surprise she said it was normal when i had always thought it was dry! One of the vendors was so sweet and gave me a 50 ml size of serum, and the gave my daughter a different one for a younger skin but I'm not going to say who because she did mention they were not supposed to.
We got little tubes of PS elasticizer but others were walking around with PK bags.
It was weird seeing the presenters. Alison Young looked gorgeous in a cinched in sparkly dress with boots. I was shocked at how slim she is and lovely skin. A was an absolute trooper and had a queue all morning of women getting consultations. Catherine Huntley has definitely lost alot of weight since I saw her at the BB last year. Ali K looked absolutely beautiful. Also saw DF and had to chuckle when I noticed she had her book in her hand as she posed for pics. Sara G is also v petite but did not seem at all friendly or approachable. I saw her at the Radical stall while I was having my AD facial and she was handed a Radical goody bag, so the no samples rule did not extend to presenters. She seemed a bit stuck up, whereas Ali K who was with her, was all smiles and incidentally did not seem to be demanding a goody bag.
Anyway, talking of goody bags, I knew it was going to be on the stingy side so was not too shocked when I saw that it was a third of the size of last year's. DD and I looked at the contents on the train. Lovely cosmetic bag from Philosophy with skin care samples in it, and also a few different serums, which does suit me as I had decided after my skin consultation that this is what I will build into my routine.
Something made me chuckle - in the lobby some regulars were complaining about the goody bag and the lovely old gent at the door said "see you next year" as we went through, and one of the ladies said dryly "probably not"
Anyway, sorry for wittering on. On balance, I had a lovely time, but obviously had a free invite and travelled on tube so a cheap day out. However, QVC preventing brands from giving out samples does seem a bit mean and quite a few brands directed us to their own websites and free p & P was mentioned.
