Min's Beauty Equipment: May 2014

Friday 30 May 2014

Vivalyn Tinted Primer Review

Vivalyn Tinted Primer before and after pictures
Hand before and after the application
of Vivalyn Tinted Primer 
In this blog post I will review Vivalyn Tinted Primer, which I received from Vivalyn a few weeks ago. Although it is called a primer and I generally do not use colourless primers, this one is different. To be honest, I would call it a foundation more than a primer, but it is less thick than a foundation and it feels like you are rubbing a moisturiser into your face.

What do I like about the primer?

  • It replaces a foundation, hides redness, evens out skin tone, at the same time giving skin a more subtle and natural look and feel.
  • It gives my skin a very subtle natural tan and glow.
  • Matches my skin tone very well, but also comes in other shades.
  • It's tinted.
  • It has broad spectrum SPF 20.
  • Convenient to use - it has a nozzle that easily controls the flow of the primer.
  • Fragrance and paraben free.
  • Nice elegant bottle.
  • I love the product!

Vivalyn Tinted Primer
Vivalyn Tinted Primer

What don't I like?

  • It came with some information glued to the back of the bottle. You have to remove it to read it. Once it is removed, it leaves nasty looking white paper which doesn't come off. Although things like that don't bother me much, I wanted to bring this to your attention as I know some girls may get upset about the packaging looking less than elegant. The ones who are bothered may want to keep that paper undamaged.

Some other information about Vivalyn Tinted Primer

  • There is 36ml of primer in the bottle.
  • It costs US$40.

Vivalyn Tinted Primer review
Before and after Vivalyn Tinted Primer (I only applied to the cheek)

Would I recommend the product?

  • Hell yeah! It makes my skin look beautiful.


Here I reviewed Vivalyn Tinted Primer, which is an awesome product for covering skin in the most natural and subtle way, giving it a beautiful glow. Sometime soon I will review another very good similar product by Younique, it's called BB Flawless Complexion Enhancer, so watch out for the post.

Final word

Do you use a foundation or a primer? Which one is your favourite? Have you heard of any other primers that are not colourless?


Monday 26 May 2014

List of 10 Best Beauty Bloggers

Kim legs' selfie
What would you expect to see in this article? The famous virtual celebrities with millions of followers? Well, if this is what you are looking for then don't bother reading. This is MY list of top 10 beauty/fashion bloggers and it is totally biased and subjective. Here the focus is the personalities behind the blogs and this is what I rated, not even their blogs, but the girls.

I hope everybody has a bit of a sense of humour and nobody will get offended. If you do find anything offensive, please let me know and I will amend the article immediately.

So, I love the bloggers, but I am not saying that their blogs are not good. Quite the opposite, all of them have something interesting and unique about them, so read on to find out more.

This is an numbered list of the ten best beauty/fashion bloggers, however, it is not ordered in terms of preference:
Sissi smacking her own bum
  1. Miri from Glamdevils is a wonderful warm person. Actually she is so warm that sometimes I start feeling hot when reading her posts.. Check her out!
  2. Sissi from Beauty4Free2U is another hot lady. I am saying this, because she obviously likes to look and feel sexy and she didn't even mind when I said to her that I would come and smack her bum if the product that she recommended was not good. She says that she smacks her own bum from time to time. See, I got the evidence!
  3. Tracey from FaceUpBeauty is a lady who I haven't known for very long, but somehow she is just so cool and easy to virtually be around, that I had to include her into this list without further questions asked. I keep bumping into her on all my social networks and she seems to remember me, so she is obviously cool. I doff my cap off!
  4. Sam from FrillsAndThrills is another awesome girl, who is not short of comments. She always posts those cool celeb outfits just to remind us how miserable our lives are. So is yours, Sam, so is yours….
  5. Demi from BeautyAndTheMist is a young mommy, who I can totally relate to. She sits all day in front of computer feeling guilty that her house is full of cobwebs and dishes only get done when it's a complete emergency. Cheers to the new generation of mommies!
  6. Jackie from Beautify is a very good person. She wakes up at four o'cock in the morning, makes the strongest cup of coffee one can imagine and spends all day commenting on other blogs. How can you not respect the person who is very often the first one visiting your blog after a new post has been published?
  7. Angel from Pinkoolaid is warm and glam. She looks like a teen and makes me wonder why she knows so much about anti-ageing treatments… Maybe this is one of her well-hidden secrets?
  8. For Rena from DressedWithSoul life is a one endless story. Nothing ever happens to anyone else, but her. A few times a week she cooks up some new things that happened to her while she was doing the most normal stuff. And why on Earth can I not cook up a story that happened to me while I was eating dinner, while I was doing some shopping, climbing up the hill or having a cake in a cafe shop?  She is a working woman, who does all those family things and still manages to keep up with her blog. Well done to Rena!
  9. Lilli in a "baby grow"
  10. Kim from Rock4Less is another girl that is not short of words. I always admire people who can write a long comment even when there is little to write about. All right, she gives it a break from time to time. Kim is exceptionally talented when it comes to taking pictures of her own legs. Every one of those selfies could go straight to Tate Modern. Check her out!
  11. Lilli from CandyAndStyle is a warm character with an exceptional ability to dress herself like a child and still look very chick and funky. Her blog is not to be missed!
I hope everyone has a bit of a sense of humour and nobody will take anything I said too seriously.

Please don't get offended if you didn't make it to the top ten this time. I am sure I will do another list of the top beauty bloggers at some point, so who knows maybe I will add you then.

I have literally stolen the pictures from some of the mentioned blogs without asking, so please let me know if you would like me to remove them and I will do it immediately. 

Final word


Who is your favourite blogger? Do you read any of the mentioned blogs?

Friday 23 May 2014

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Face Rejuvenation

In this article I will briefly explain what platelet rich plasma, or the PRP, face rejuvenation is and how it rejuvenates face. Also, I had a pleasure talking to Dr Sophie Shotter, who does this treatment on a regular basis and she kindly agreed to answer a few of my questions about the PRP procedure and its effects on skin.

Platelet Rich Plasma Facial Therapy
Blood drawn from arm for platelet rich plasma facial treatment

What is a PRP?


Platelet rich plasma is a part of your own blood which contains a higher than normal amount of platelets. Some blood is taken from you and spun in a centrifuge which separates blood into different components. Then the part of the blood containing high amount of platelets is reinjected into your body, or more specifically, your face to give it a rejuvenating effect.

How do platelets rejuvenate skin?


Platelets help tissue heal, thus, smoothing and tightening the skin. They promote collagen growth and tissue regeneration, which results in wrinkle softening and smoother skin texture and tone.

Dr Sophie Shotter talks about the PRP treatment


Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself, i.e., your background, qualifications and when you first learned about PRP fillers.

A: My name is Dr Sophie Shotter. I qualified as a doctor from the University of Leeds in 2008, and undertook training as an anaesthetist before setting up my own aesthetic business - Illuminate Skin Clinics - and work across most of Kent. I have trained in lots of advanced aesthetic procedures including wrinkle relaxing injections, dermal fillers including advanced facial sculpting, Genuine Dermaroller, chemical peels, skincare, microsclerotherapy, and most recently Platelet Rich Plasma. I’d heard about it in 2013, but there weren’t many places offering training in it and it wasn’t very well-known yet. It has been used in the USA for nearly 10 years now for facial rejuvenation, but is only just on the cusp of the mainstream UK market at the moment. Whatclinic have predicted an 80% increase in enquiries about it this year, and so I decided to find out more!

Q: What are PRP fillers? How do they work? Is it a synonym for a vampire facelift?

A: Most people know of PRP as the ‘Vampire Facelift’ which a few celebrities have been raving about recently. Platelet Rich Plasma is a portion of the blood which contains the platelets suspended in a small amount of plasma. Basically I take a sample of blood from the patient (the same as you would for any blood test at your doctor), and I put this into a special machine called a centrifuge which spins the blood and separates it into its components. You end up with some straw-coloured fluid which contains the platelets and this is the bit I inject into the face. Platelets normally help our blood to clot when we cut ourselves. They are like little power-houses that are activated by contact with body tissues and release proteins called growth factors. These stimulate new collagen formation, healing and repair. The result is an improvement in the skin quality and texture, improvement in dark circles and the under eye area, improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, reduction in open pores, improved hair growth and a general plumping of the face.

Q: What's the most correct word to describe the procedure - a facelift or a facial?

A: I prefer to describe it as a ‘facial therapy’. It isn’t a facelift - anything that claims to be a facelift and isn’t an operation is in my opinion being a little dishonest. However it is also a lot more than a facial. It falls somewhere in the middle in my opinion.

Q: Who are the best candidates for the vampire facelift? What age group?

A: Any age group can benefit from PRP. Patients in their 20s and 30s would notice an improvement in their skin quality as well as targeting any specific areas of concerns. I’m also seeing a lot of women in their 30s with significant signs of ageing from sun exposure - although prevention is better than cure, PRP can be an option for a lot of these patients. The over 40s will probably see the most benefit. Most people in this age-group will need a course of 2 or 3 treatments 4-6 weeks apart. In younger patients you can often notice benefits from a single treatment. The only thing I would say is that it is probably not a good treatment for needle-phobic patients.

Q: How many sessions are required for a noticeable difference? Are results permanent?

A: Once you’ve had your initial course of PRP you should aim to have one treatment per year to maintain the results. So although they are not permanent they are long-lasting.

Q: Is there any downtime after the procedure? Any side effects? Is it an alternative to Botox?

A: PRP works in a completely different way to Botox - Botox minimises the movement in certain muscle groups, preventing wrinkles forming and with time softening existing wrinkles. It does nothing to work on the skin quality, and Botox doesn’t improve the appearance of the under eye area. PRP works to reverse the signs of ageing we already have. It can be injected directly into fine lines and also anywhere you would inject a filler - it plumps and smoothes and directly works on the quality and tone of the skin. In my opinion it is the best treatment around for the under eye area. It works on so many different aspects of ageing skin.

Q: I read in some reviews that it causes bags under eyes, is it true?

A: PRP is known for improving the under eye area, and bags under the eyes are certainly not a long-term side effect. It can make you look a bit puffy around the eyes for a day or two after the treatment, but that will settle down.

Q: Kim Kardashian and vampire facelift - what's her effect on the procedure's popularity?

A: Kim Kardashian - what can I say? In some ways she has done the procedure a favour by bringing it into the limelight - many people have only heard about PRP because of her tweet about the Vampire Facelift. However I think she’s also scared a few people off with that photo of her face covered in blood. I have no idea how the doctor was conducting her procedure, but I certainly don’t cover my patients’ faces in blood. The fluid I inject is straw-coloured, and although you can get small areas of bleeding with the injections, these are minor. One thing I can say about Kim Kardashian is her skin always looks great in photographs - so the results of PRP speak for themselves!

Q: Anything else we should know about the treatment?

A: Although PRP involves a large number of injections, most people don’t find it uncomfortable as I cover the face with local anaesthetic cream for at least 45 minutes first. PRP has so many different uses - orthopaedic surgeons have been using it for several years to help heal injured ligaments and tendons. As well as general facial rejuvenation it can be used to treat hairloss on the scalp, to rejuvenate the neck, décolletage and the backs of the hands. I’m also waiting to hear back from a colleague who recently tried it on some stretch marks. Stretch marks are notoriously difficult to treat, but scientifically it makes sense to me that PRP should work and so I’m so excited to hear about the results!

Q: How much does the platelet rich plasma treatment cost?

A: Currently the normal price is £500.

Q: Where can people find you?

A: My new website is under development at the moment, but it will be www.illuminateskinclinic.co.uk - it should be up by the end of June. My mobile is 07525 214985, email is youryouthfairy@gmail.com.

PROMO CODE


If anyone would like to try out the platelet rich plasma treatment in Kent area, you can use a promo code "Min's Beauty Equipment" for a 20% discount.

Final word


What do you think of this treatment? Would you give it a try? Are there any other treatments you have tried or you would like to try?

Wednesday 21 May 2014

Argan Oil for Hair Review

What is argan oil?

argan oil
100% pure organic argan oil from Lavina
Argan oil is an oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree. These trees only grow in some parts of Marocco. Argan oil is used for food and cosmetic purposes. The nut is removed from the shell and pressed to make the oil. The kernel is removed from the shell by hand and every attempt to make this process mechanic ended up in failure so far.

What is it used for?

I am only going to talk about argan oil uses for cosmetic purposes and later on for hair only.

So, argan oil is:
  • a natural remedy for psoriasis, acne, dandruff.
  • it is used to moisturise skin, particularly good to soften cuticles and heels.
  • argan oil is also used on face to add glow and shine to your skin or used to mix up with your foundation to add a dewy glow.
  • perfect for pregnant ladies to use on their bellies to avoid stretch marks.
  • great for hair.

Benefits of argan oil for hair

argan oil
Pipette that comes with the bottle of
argan oil
  • Use on your hair to add shine and tame frizz.
  • makes hair soft.
  • Use on hair for overnight treatment. Rub on the roots and throughout your hair, cover it up and wash your locks in the morning for a soft luminous look.
  • Protects your hair from heat damage.

How to apply argan oil on hair?

'To instantly hydrate, protect, and add visible glow to your hair, place 2 - 3 drops of this lightweight oil into the palm of one hand using the pipette provided. Rub your hands together to slowly heat the oil, before applying to clean damp hair. Ensure an even coverage on roots, strands and split ends.' These are the instructions on Amazon about the usage of pure natural argan oil for hair.

My review of argan oil for hair

I have recorded a little experiment on YouTube about my results from using argan oil on hair.

I washed my hair, devided it in half and applied 1-2 drops of oil on one side of my hair only. I showed that there is little difference in reducing combing forces, maybe a tiny difference, but it's not huge.

I didn't apply to the roots like the instructions say, because from the past I already know that it makes my hair look a bit greasy, so I only used the oil on my hair ends. I dried my hair with a hairdryer and brushed it.

The result is that my hair on both sides looks very similar. The one with argan oil feels a tiny bit heavier and the hair looks a little bit clumpier, but the difference is very small. Personally, I don't find using argan oil advantageous from an aesthetic point of view, however, it is claimed to protect your locks from heat, so it might be worth using it for that reason.

Below is the YouTube video if you want to watch my experiment.



Final word

Do you use argan oil? Would you like to give it a go? Do you use any other oils on your hair?

Saturday 17 May 2014

Why is it Important to Finish a Course of Antibiotics

In this article I am talking about the importance of finishing a course of antibiotics, but also about the importance of using the same medicine correctly. I will share my story, which will hopefully make you understand the importance of both.
Why is it important to finish a course of antibiotics
Sore throat

What are antibiotics?


Antibiotics are medicine that is used to treat bacterial infection. They come in many types and different antibiotics are used to treat different conditions.

Often infections are caused by viruses. For example, most sore throats and colds are caused by viruses, and, therefore, antibiotics should not be prescribed for their treatment.

Why is it important to finish a course of antibiotics?


The more often we use antibiotics the more likely it is that bacteria will adapt to the treatment and antibiotics will become ineffective. Some bacteria, such as MRSA, is resistant to several types of antibiotics and, therefore, it is difficult to treat.

Bacteria that is not fully killed finds a way to adapt and becomes resistant to antibiotics.

What happens when you don't use antibiotics correctly?


Above I reminded why it is important to finish a course of the mentioned medicine. Most of us know about it very well as our parents have been telling this to us from an early age. However, today I would also like to stress the fact that it's not only important to finish the course, but it is also important to make every effort to take antibiotics as instructed, i.e., at regular intervals.

A couple of months ago I had a horrible sore throat that seemed to last ages. I was waiting for it to go away on its own, but it didn't, so I decided that it was time to see the doctors. The doctor prescribed me some antibiotics. I went to the pharmacy with my prescription and I had to come back later for my drugs as they had to be made. When I came back, the pharmacy was closed for the night. By the morning my throat started to feel better on its own. I was very pleased and I decided not to start the antibiotics course. The medicine was sitting in my kitchen cabinet waiting for the rainy day.

A couple of weeks ago I woke up with a shocking sore throat again. It was so bad that I couldn't sleep at night. My glands were all swollen and I could hardly breath. Obviously, I rushed to my medicine cabinet and I felt that it was fully justifiable to do that course of antibiotics that I skipped before.

The same evening my throat was feeling almost fine. The next day I was feeling great. I knew I had to finish the course, so I kept taking the drugs. However, I became a bit slack as to how regularly I would take them. Sometimes I would be late by a few hours.

When my antibiotics were finished my throat started to feel sore again, on the same day! Again, the story repeated, it got so bad overnight that I couldn't breath properly nor sleep. And it was the day of the Anti-ageing Show which I had been wanting to go to for ages. In the morning I cried, I felt so sorry for myself.

I read the antibiotics instructions, which said that it is important to take penicillin at regular intervals, or you risk of getting the infection again. We humans tend to have the 'It won't happen to me' syndrome and I was certainly not an exception in this case.

Please be warned that it is important to finish the course of antibiotics, but also it is important to take it as instructed - do not skip doses, do not try to save some antibiotics for later as it will not only cause bacteria to mutate, but you have a big chance to get the bacteria back and feel like a dog on the day when you want it the least.

I ended up going to the Anti-ageing Show, but my throat was so swollen that I could hardly breath, let alone talk. I was so embarrassed to talk and I spoke like a lisper. I still have a tiny bit of soreness left in my throat, but it is almost gone now.

Final word


Have you ever taken antibiotics course and fell back ill after you finished the course? Have you ever been in a situation when you fell ill on the day of some big event? What did you do?

Monday 12 May 2014

The Anti-ageing Show 2014 - Review

What is the anti-ageing show?


Teeth whitening at the anti-ageing show
Teeth whitening
The anti-ageing health and beauty show is an event dedicated for the beauty and anti-ageing industry. A lot of skincare brands, food supplement companies and clinics offering anti-ageing treatments come to the event to pitch their products. Brands have stalls with their products laid out for people to come and see, possibly test and buy them if they like. There are stalls with various beauty equipment, such as teeth whitening kit, dielectric resonance technology, ultherapy. Some of them you can even try out for free, others are available for a discounted price at the show.

Just to be clear, now I will only be talking about the Anti-ageing show in London Olympia, which happened on 10-11 of May. I haven't been to any other anti-ageing shows here in the UK, so their format may be different.

There were four stages at the event where speakers talked about general benefits of various skincare, anti-ageing or fitness products, such as ultherapy, cool sculpting, Frotox, dracula PRP facial, hydro facial and lots more. You could even join a free flamenco, self defence, yoga or facial yoga class. There were plenty of things to do and learn, so you don't get bored.

There was a Taro stand for those who wanted to know their future, massage and other feel good stands. You could find some weird and questionable stuff too: energetic facelift, business opportunity from learning the bars and a lot more.

It's a biannual event. The next anti-ageing show is in Manchester on 8-9 of November.

Who would benefit from attending this type of show?

Ultherapy demonstration at the anti-ageing show
Ultherapy demonstration

Anyone who cares about their appearance and wants to know more about various treatments, techniques and products available in the market. It's a perfect opportunity to keep yourself up-to-date with what's happening in the anti-ageing sector.

Also, people wanting to find business partners, opportunities or looking for suppliers for their skincare or similar shop will definitely leave the show with a lot of contacts and ideas.

My experience


Here I would like to mention a few things that attracted my attention the most:

VineVera cream and serum at the Anti-ageing show
VineVera - nano tech eye care cream and serum as claimed by
the company representatives

  • I enjoyed watching the ultherapy treatment demonstration, which was done by Jane Oliver from Clinica London. Also, the presentation that she did was very extensive and educational.
  • I learned about galvanic devices from Nu Skin. I had heard about them before, but I didn't know what they were used for nor how they worked. Now I also understand why my two Guinot Technispa sessions that I had a few years apart gave me very different results.
  • I found some very interesting nail art products by MoYou, which I had never seen before. I will share them on my blog at some point.
  • I tested some nanotechnology skincare cream, which evened out my lines around the eyes in seconds. I called the guy who put that cream around my eyes a wizard and asked him to show where he was hiding his magic wand (only joking!). To be honest, I didn't see nanotechnology being mentioned anywhere on their site, so it may have nothing to do with nanotechnology. I was probably only told so to shut me up.. lol.
  • I met a lady from Beauty Masks whom I had been chatting to on Twitter. That awesome woman gave me a silly amount of masks to try out. Thank you very much for that!
  • I met a lot more people from various skincare and anti-ageing brands, who simply were nice and interesting to talk to.

I call the day a success.

Final word


Have you been at the Anti-ageing Show? Would you like to go? What other similar shows have you been to?

Wednesday 7 May 2014

Drinkable Collagen

Not so long ago I came across a product called drinkable collagen. I didn't investigate it any further, but I thought it was something that every anti-ageing geek like me should know about. I have not tried any collagen drinks yet, but it is something that I may consider doing in the future.

Really I should thank the company called Veda Health and Nutrition who made me familiarise myself with their product, that is, drinkable collagen.

Regardless of different opinions, everyone has the right to know about their options when choosing the product that helps them achieve a younger looking, healthier skin, stronger and shinier hair and nails.

What is drinkable collagen?

Drinking Collagen VEDA
VEDA Health & Nutrition drinkable collagen
Collagen is the primary structural protein of the body, which helps in maintaining youthful skin, bones, and joints as well as thick, strong hair and nails. As we age, our body loses the ability to manufacture collagen efficiently, resulting in many of the outward signs of aging, including saggy, wrinkly skin, stiff bones and joints, and brittle hair and nails.

A lot of scientists and doctors say that drinkable collagen would not do anything for your skin as collagen is broken down into amino acids, which you can take in any other form through correct diet. However, there are lots of great reviews about collagen drinks with people saying that their skin has become soft since using the drink, the skin looks more plump and less wrinkly, hair and nails looking shinier and hair feeling softer. Even the ones who state that the product is not good often admit that they see their hair looking healthier, nails stronger or immune system being better. So, I let you make your own mind.

Collagen drinks are often derived from fish and taste fishy, which often gives the user an unpleasant experience.

How is VEDApure collagen different from other collagen drinks?

  • VEDApure by VEDA Health and Nutrition is 100% Pure Premium Select Fish Collagen Peptides. It is the only marine sourced collagen manufactured exclusively from fish scales, producing the highest quality, purest ingredient on the market.
  • Low molecular weight results in improved digestion and increased bioavailability.
  • No fillers, artificial additives, or genetically modified ingredients.
  • It is completely tasteless.
  • VEDApure is the most advanced, premium grade fish drinking collagen available.

Collagen drink vs collagen capsules vs collagen powder, creams and serums

  • Capsules are tasteless, but they are the most difficult to absorb, they are often large and difficult to swallow.
  • Powder is often inconvenient to use as you need to mix it with water and they often have a fishy taste.
  • Creams and serums. Collagen molecules are too large for skin to properly absorb collagen. Manufacturers started to produce partially hydrolysed collagen, which reaches the required layers in the skin, however, the fragments of that collagen are too small to integrate with the collagen layer in the skin.
  • Drinking collagen is easily absorbed and is often claimed to be the most efficient form of collagen.

Where can you get drinkable collagen?

Currently you can buy VEDA Health and Nutrition drinkable collagen on Amazon for US$35. At the moment it is only available in the US and it has free shipping.


Final word

Have you ever heard of drinkable collagen before? Have you tried it? Would you give it a go?


This is a sponsored post.

Sunday 4 May 2014

Will M&S Leading Ladies Campaign Deliver Leading Results?

M&S recent advertising campaigns attracted a lot of criticism


Marks and Spencer leading ladies ads seem to be everywhere these days. M&S name is fresh in my head, however, I can't forget all the criticism that I read a while ago and fairly recently in Daily Mail. The newspaper criticised M&S campaigns leading to less than great sales results. To be honest, I can't remember all the details, however, it made me look at the current ads in a critical way.

Marks and Spencer leading ladies marketing campaign
M&S leading ladies advertising campaign

What does Marks & Spencer marketing director say about M&S target market?


"Marks & Spencer is a democratic brand that is relevant to women of all ages and strands of life". These are the words of Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, M&S executive director of marketing and business development.

What is the real M&S customer?


I am not sure what Patrick is trying to say, but it looks like even a child on the street would know that grannies go to M&S to buy their clothes. Recently on Wednesday I went to M&S in Oxford Street in London and there were at least 60% of all women way over 50. The rest of the crowd was middle aged. I hardly saw any people of my age or younger, that is in their twenties or early thirties. It was around lunch time and most of the other shops were buzzing with young people.

Did M&S forget to segment the market?


First of all, has M&S forgotten to segment the market? Are they trying to capture everyone? People who work in marketing know what that leads to, i.e., trying to please everyone, often means pleasing no one, but pick an ideal customer, customise your range to suit their taste and you'll be rewarded with success. 
Marts and Spencer advertising campaign
M&S advertising campaign

Secondly, what does a leading lady mean? Does it mean that she is a super star like Rita Ora and she can wear ripped jeans or whatever she likes or is it a woman in a super stylish suit in a large corporation? What clothes would a leading lady be expected to wear? Does it tell me anything about what I should expect to find in M&S store? I have no clue. The only thing I know is that I can find the clothes that the leading ladies of Britain are wearing in the campaign and, to be honest, I am not hugely impressed with what I see.

Thirdly, there is a pregnant lady, there are old and young women in the ad. Does M&S have a substantial maternity collection, do they have mini skirts for a rock star and some more reserved clothes for a mature woman?  Maybe they do, but, if you ask me honestly, I would not go to M&S to buy clothes, because I often know what type of clothes I want to buy. If I want to look and feel young and sexy, then I go to the shop that sells clothes for that type of people. If I want more formal clothes, I go to another appropriate shop.  

M&S leading ladies campaign is trying to capture the whole population. The only thing they have excluded is men, so I would advise my hubby to go shopping somewhere else. Other than that, all the women, let's run to buy clothes to M&S! They must have a corner designated specifically for each of us, and who doesn't want to be a leading lady, regardless of what that means!?

Would I go to buy clothes to M&S?


Who am I to judge? I know little about marketing, but I tell you what, even though M&S is fresh in my head, I still don't want to go and shop there, because I am confused. I see old people in the shop, but the management is saying that it is for everyone. I don't want to associate myself with grannies and I don't want to wear the same clothes by accident as the woman next door who is 75. I'll better go to H&M, Zara or Next this time. I will pop in to M&S to buy a pair of tights or socks though, as this is something I have been buying there for years.

Will the campaign deliver great results for the company? I don't know, but I doubt it.

Final word


Do you like the M&S leading ladies campaign? Do you buy clothes at M&S? When was the last time you bought something there and what was it?