May favourites

This month I don't really have that many favourites mainly because Iv just finishes university for the summer and all my money has gone on trying to pay of all my debts from there so I haven't really bought any new products recently, so iv sort of found myself reaching for old favourites and trying to just use up what I have before I buy new products.

Nivea sun lotion/after sun 

The sun has decided to grace the UK with its presence so iv been reaching for these so much, I'm very pale skinned so burn easy, I cant go out in the sun without protection on because ill burn. Sometimes though I forget little bits of my skin i.e  top of my ears or feet so I end up burning and the Nivea after sun has saved my skin from horrible sun burn.

Simple sun sensitive protection 

This is spf 50, as I use a retonol I need a high protection sun screen, not only that the sun ages your skin so spf 50 helps fight against that. It is oil free which is great for my skin as I have combination skin that becomes more oily in the sun, it also claimed to be photo stable but I haven't tried that out yet. The great thing about all simple products are that they are gentle on the skin which is perfect when being in the sun. 

Simple hydrating light moisturiser

This is no ground breaking product but I do find it keeps my skin soft and hydrated without being to heavy and greasy, it has no added perfumes, colours and all that jazz and its very cheap and easy to get hold of. Its an all round good product specially for those on a tighter budget. 

No7 Intelligent colour foundation

This is a very light/sheer foundation that has a skin adapting colour match technology. I have the lightest shade that at first seemed really really to dark but the women at the No7 counter assured me it would be fine and she was right, as its very sheer so even if the colour was still to dark for you it wouldn't be noticeable. This feels great on my skin, it doesn't feel heavy and cakey, in fact it doesn't feel like I'm wearing foundation at all which makes this perfect for the summer and hot days when you don't want to over load your face with make up. It blends super easy and feels soft on the skin. 

Figs and rouge balm

Iv mentioned this in my April Glossybox here, Its a 100% organic multi purpose balm that I use on my lips and any dry patched like my elbows, as its summer I'm trying to get my skin into tip top condition and this really helps.

Caudalie beauty elixir

Iv also done a separate blog post on this here so I wont go into to much detail about it, but I do love it, its really helped my skin out and calms me when I'm getting to stressed. This is truly a life saver. 

MUA heaven and earth pallet

This is a 12 eye shadow pallet containing all shimmery natural shadows, for the price (which is around £4) you cant go wrong, they are smooth and blend well, with a good primer they last all day and the pigmentation is excellent. Totally worth buying and for the price you cant go wrong. 

Rimmel summer nails

Rimmel London nail Polish is a brand I really like especially during the summer, they have a very wide range of colours and finishes from pastels, crackle effect to French manicure, but my favourite is the 60 second line as they dry very fast, I don't like sitting around waiting for my nails to dry so this type is perfect. Rimmel's nail polish ranges from £2.49 to £4.59 depending of the different finishes . The 60 second polish all have '1 second' brush applicator which fits the nail and is flat so the application is very simple, easy and fast. It allows for a even coat to be applied to the nail which also helps with the drying time as well as the finish so it doesn't look streaky. The only negative I find with these are that they dry out fairly quick, but they are really cheap so there isn't a lot of money waisted when they do. They are also very easily accessible sold at the likes of boots, superdrug, major super market and even  now at Primark. 

My summer essentials

Sun protection and after sun
Sun protection is key during the summer, the sun can cause serious damage so you really need to protect your skin from it, which I'm sure you all know anyway. I also need after sun because I sometimes forget to put sun protection on places for example today I burnt the tops of my ears..... -.-  Typical me. I also go for a very high factor on my face as I use retinol, so your face gets burnt easier.

Moisturiser
If I spend a lot of time in the sun my skin becomes really dry, even though my sun protection says '24 hour moister' it feels really dehydrate after a day out in the beautiful sun. So I choose a rich moisturiser to apply before bed and let it sit all night so I wake up with really soft skin. 


Nail vanish
I like something nice and bright and preferably pink. I also love pastel colours but have yet to buy any this summer and the ones I do have, dried up a while ago :(

Face powder
I have oily skin, so a face powder is a must to stop me looking like a disco ball when out in the sun.


Highlighter
I love the look of tanned and highlighted skin in the summer, I think highlighters can make you look very glowing and summery.

Face sprays/mists
These are a great way to freshen up a horrible sweaty face the caudalie beauty elixir is great for this or you could matt down a oily face which the Lush tea tree water.

Deodorant/body spray
This is a obvious one, no one wants to be a sweaty betty in the sun and all smelly, I love the Garnier mineral deodorant it smells great and works really well. I also carry a body spray around with me to freshen myself up during the day.


I also like to carry a hair band around with me so I can put my hair up of my neck when its to hot.
I try and wear as little make up as possible because it just melts of my face if its to heavy.

GlossyBox-Anniversary (May)

So Its that time again, cant believe its been a month already. This months GlossyBox celibates the 1st birthday of GlossyBox and came with 5 samples as well as a compact mirror and a balloon, I'm very pleased with the compact mirror because iv recently lost my one so I actually needed a new one to replace it and this saves me going out to buy a new one.

So lets get started with what I had in my box this month.....

Noble Isle- Summer rising bath and shower gel  

The sample size I received was 75ml and the full size is 250ml and costs £20.00. Its described as 'An immaculate fragrance evoking the beginnings of summer, with extracts of toning elderflower and antioxidant-charged gooseberry with clean notes of orange blossom, moss and cut grass.' I find the smell to be a light orange fragrance but mainly just a fresh smell 

Lolita Lempicka 

So I had two samples one which was Eau de parfum and the second was Si Lolita. I find perfumes to be a hit and miss in GlossyBox as smells are objective, I may love a smell and you may hate it. 

The Eau de parfum is very fruity but with a hint of floral which I love, my favourite smells in perfumes are fruity notes. (Full size worth £65)

The Si Lolita smells more musky and floral which I'm usually not a huge fan of but I actually like this smell (Full size worth £63)

Apivita face mask 

This mask contains 85% natural ingredients and is Ideal for normal, oily and combination skin. This mask excludes synthetic ingredients that may pose harmful effects to your health and the environment. 

Free of: Parabens, Silicones and Propylene Glycol.
Its also enriched with cucumber extracts to help moisturise and rejuvenate the skin as well as jojoba and avocado oil to help hydrate. So due to that I disagree with it being aimed at oily skin like the website claims it to be. 

Osmo Berber Oil hair treatment 

This is the sample I am most exited about, iv been trying to decide what new hair oil to buy for a while now and this sample gives me a great opportunity to try one out before I buy a new one. This is a hair treatment that contains argan oil which helps to nourish and repair dry and damaged hair, this product is enriched with vitamin E and has a UV filter to help protect against sun damage and heat styling, this has come at a great time more me as the weather in the UK has got very hot so a UV filter is much needed special seen as I have dyed blonde hair. Full size its worth £19.99 for 100ml and it has a sort of sweet marzipan smell.

Eldora false eyelashes 
These eyelashes are handmade and made with real human hair (which sort of freak me out haha) they come with adhesive and are reusable, they cost for one set around £4. The website has many different colours, shapes, lengths and styles of eyelashes, it caters for everyone. 

This is the free compact mirror as well as the balloon that came with this box

L'oreal paris elvive damage care

I bought L'oreal paris elvive damage care masque and shampoo because I went back to my flat and realised I left my shampoo at my family home, so I needed to buy a new one. While I was in the super market doing my food shopping  I had a quick look at the shampoos and realised L'oreal had a buy one get one free offer. I paid for the masque as it was the more expensive one of the two and got the shampoo free, Its designed for damaged and/or brittle hair which I have, I don't use heat of my hair on a regular basis but I do dye my hair and even before I started to dye it I had naturally dry, brittle and curly hair so Iv always had more dry and frizzy hair.

The shampoo and masque aim to 'fill in' cracks in your hair and seal the hairs cuticles for a smoother effect. They claim to have a molecule in called ceramide-cement that is a replica of the natural cement found in hair which provides results that can help with up to 95% less breakage. Both the shampoo and masque have a sort of fruity smell, you only need to use a small amount of the shampoo and the masque is thick which I like and has the texture of what I can only describe as soft butter which I wasn't expecting at all but has turned out to be a key reason as to why I like it so much, It helps to coat all of my hair which some thinner consistency products don't because I have such thick hair.

I was very sceptical about this even working as I don't really hold high hopes for 'drug store' shampoos and masques but all I really needed was a shampoo to last until I went back to my family home and could pick up the one I left behind. This actually surprised me though, Its not a ground breaking shampoo and masque but I do feel like its help the split ends in my hair feel less frizzy and dry. As this aims to fill in the cracks in the hair It means my hair still has split ends like before but now they feel and look more sleek and smooth rather than all fly away,scruffy and rough in texture. Its defiantly helped the texture of my hair and hasn't weighed it down, which can be a big problem for me as I have naturally curly hair that I leave in its natural state, so products that weigh my hair down can cause my curls to drop but this product hasnt done that.

I have had these both for about 4 weeks now and I use the shampoo and masque every time I wash my hair, and as you can see from the photo above hardly any has been used at all. This makes these products amazing value for money and for a cheap drug store product I think they are great. L'oreal is also very easy to get hold of, Its sold in boots, super drug and most supermarkets as well as plenty of places online too.

Caudalie beauty elixir

So for those of you who haven't heard of this (you must be living on Mars if you haven't) here is a little background on Caudalie .Its 100% paraben, mineral oil and sodium lauther sulfate free brand with an amazing ethos that aims to help the environment but supporting rainforests, supporting fair trade and work with small businesses. It promotes natural skincare that is effective but not harmful to the body.
'Our cosm-ethics:0% parabens, phenoxyethanol, artificial coloring, mineral oil. No testing on animals. 100% natural fragrance.'

Beauty elixir: for all skin lacking radiance. An anti-dullness complexion treatment  
Main ingredients: Grape, orange blossom, rose, organic balm mint, rosemary
How to use: mist onto the face before your moisturiser or/and any time of the day on bare face or over make up  

Top tip: Apply between your foundation and powder to perfectly set makeup. 

There was so many people raving about this product that I had to buy it and see what all the fuss was about for myself, I bought the 30ml for around £10 off Amazon. It comes in a glass bottle with a spray dispenser that doesn't just squirt out product on your face but actually sprays a fine mist making it so much easier to use and doesn't cause your make up to run or leave you with a soaking wet face.

I underestimated how good of a product this would be, the smell is herbal which I don't usually like but this smells so nice, I think it might be due to the fact this product can be used as a mood enhancer that actually works! I'm in the middle of my exams in university and spend a good 9 hours in the library one night, I was feeling tired and groggy and I thought I needed a bit of a pick me up so I used this and OH MY GOD! I instantly felt so much better, It helped me to relax and calm down totally, I thought it was so good I had to tell someone straight away and the only person I was with was one of my male friends, who I told but he didn't really care haha. Not only that, this product I swear has saved my skin, before I was using this I was suffering with a mystery case of spots and had no idea why I was getting them,  but with in a few days of using this my spots cleared up almost completely. My skin looks brighter and healthier and if its making my skin better now during one of the most stressful times of the year (and also the horrible women time of the month) I can't imagine what my skin is going to look like in a few weeks after the stress has gone and my skin has calmed down. I give this product a 5/5 and think everyone should buy it!

 I actually love this brand overall, not once have I had a disappointing product from Caudalie. I'm also currently using the SOS thirst-quenching serum which is fantastic.

You can buy Caudalie on their online store, Space NK, Feel unique and many more places.

bourjois healthy mix foundation

So the Bourjois healthy mix foundation is probably one of the most talked about foundations right now, its been compared to the likes of MAC face and body and said to be made in the same factory as chanel . It claims to be radiance boosting, up to 16 hour wear and a fruit therapy based foundation, Its also been voted the product of the year and rates 10/10 but the daily mail. So my expectations were very high when I bought this, It cost £9.99 and can be bought at superdrug, boots and online.

Pros

•  It has a beautiful coverage (light-medium) and applies like a dream. 
•  Has a nice finish to it, sort of semi matt. 
• Dermatologically tested
• Lets skin breath
• Gives 8 hours of moister (so it says)
• Pump dispenser so its hygienic. (as you can see in the photo) 
• Easy to control the amount that comes out as well due to the pump. So no waist of product or mess.
  

Cons

• Its heavily fragrant, I enjoy the smell but I can see that if your sensitive to smell or your skin doesn't like products overly fragrant this may be a problem for you
• Shade rang- there are only 3 shades available, I have shade 52 and I'm an NC20 in MAC, that is as pale as the range goes, so if your very pale or very tanned you wont be able to find a shade that matches. 

Having said this, Bourjois have come out with a healthy mix serum foundation that has a lot more shade range, It may also be more suitable for someone who has slightly more dry or mature skin.

Overall I really like this foundation, for the price its great. I leaves my skin looking and feeling nice and smooth and I really like the smell of it, nice and fruit unlike some other that smell like paint. Well worth the hype.

MAC Blot powder

I have very oily skin, so I go through powers like there is no tomorrow, and as you can see from the photo I have 100% totally used up all of this powder. I bought it after watching Graces' video from the 'uglyfaceofbeauty' many many moons ago, when she mentioned that she used and loved this.

It comes in 5 shades ranging from light to dark, but the girl at MAC told me when I was buying this that due to the fact there is hardly any colour pay off it doesn't matter if you are slightly out on the colour shading. It is designed to 'provide shine control without adding any noticeable colour or texture' to the skin. This blot powder contains Mica and Silica (which are minerals) to adsorb excess oils and to reduce shine on the surface of the skin. The price is £19.00 for 12g which for MAC is reasonably priced.

Its can be applied over foundation or on bare skin to take the shine away, It comes with a puff that could be used if you don't want to have to buy a brush as well. MAC suggest a power brush such as the 129, but you can use any brush of your choice.

This powder does exactly what it says, It didn't look like I had layers of make up on but took the shine out of my skin really well. Even after a few hours there was hardly any shine and if on the off chance there was, I could apply more and it still didn't make my make up look cakey and gross. Big reps to MAC for once again getting it spot on, I can see why they are such a popular brand. Even though you may think £19.00 is expensive for a powder, It lasts well as you don't need to use much at all and it works like a dream.

My April favourites

Bourjois healthy mix foundation 
I really like this foundation, a full review will be on its way soon! 


Lush Dream cream 
Such a smooth, light moisturiser and great for those who have eczema. Also featured in Essiebuttons  monthly favourites.

Batiste dry shampoo in blush
saves you from having to wash your hair so often, and also smells nice.

Lush tea tree water
Good for those bad skin days!

Panoxyl 2.5
You have probably heard many people who have spots talk about this, its a good treatment that helps to dry out any horrible spots. 

The battle of the lip balms!

Vaseline (original)
So ill kick things off with the classic Vaseline, I think everyone has used this at some point in there life. I find it so pointless though, it coats my lips in petroleum and that's about it, no moisture is added at all. As soon as the layer has rubbed off my lips feel the exact same as before. Its cheap yes, but I think its a waist of money really. 

Figs and rouge (peppermint and tea tree)
 Figs and rouge (cost about £3/4) are an 100% organic balm that can be used on your lips, face and body. This one I find amazing, it makes my lips soft and moisturised, smells great and applies clear. It has a odd sort of constancy (not once on lips, just in the tin) but I actually find it pretty fun to use. It has helped my lips so much and i'm really grateful! 

The little green tin (Aloe vera)
So this is 'the little green tin', to me this is just a superdrug brand of Vaseline, my thoughts on this are exactly the same as Vaseline. expect thins one smells better, slightly more fruity. Overall not my cup of tea, but if you don't really suffer from that dry of lips it may work for you. 

Burts bees lip balm (honey)
This stick balm is great, the thing with balms in a stick form is that you don't get balm all over your hands which can get messy and gross. This one has honey in so helps to heal any horrible chapped lips as well as leaving them smooth. It cost around £3 and I feel its well worth it. Its also a 100% natural, bees wax based product so none of that nasty petroleum. 

Carmex (cherry)
Last and by no means least, the famous carmex. The cherry one smells SOOOO good, it reminds me of cherry sweets mmmm. The application is quick and easy and the fact it has SPF 15 in it makes this product even better. Its great to just pop in your bag when on the go, with no fuss and no mess, perfect. 

Lush- Tea tree water review.

 Once again I visited Lush on my way home from work, looking to only buy a tea tree toner tab . But then I got convinced by the sales lady to buy the toner water instead as she said that she uses it every single day for her oily skin (weather that's true or not I don't know but I'm a sucker when it comes to getting talked into things) . I bought the 100g bottle for £3.75 which is the smallest they do, I was sceptical about this if I'm honest but i actually love it, I'm so glad I bought it.

How I use it- I use make-up wipes to remove my make-up and then sprites this onto a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face to remove any extra make-up. I do this if I'm not planing to wash my face until a bit later on in the night. In the mornings I also use this after I have got out of the shower and washed my face, I spray a light layer over my face and leave it to dry before applying my make up for the day. There is another way I use this as well which I would have never ever have thought to do, but thanks to the lovely lady at Lush  I now know this genius way to use it. As I have oily skin, my face becomes shiny after a while and to save me applying another lay of powder which will not benefit my skin at all, I spray this on to a full face of make up and allow it to dry without touching it. It doesn't affect my make up in any way, but takes the shine out of my skin completely. This is also ideal if your have gone a bit OTT with the make up and its looking slightly cakey, you can sprites this on and whala, perfecto! haha. It also helps to treat any spots you may have while your wearing make up which is a huge plus and as the picture on the right shows, these are not just toners but also aromatherapy.... amazing!

This has helped my skin greatly, as recently for some unknown reason my skin has gone crazy and broke out loads, I feel this has made such a difference to my skin already. I suggest going in to Lush and getting them to test it out on you, which they will do if you ask, you wont regret it.

Good things-Five minute face mask.

Little bit of a background - Good things is a fairly new skincare brand that you can pick up from Superdrug, you can also read all about the company here http://www.goodthingsbeauty.com/. Good things is exactly what the name says really, all the products they sell are free from parabens, mineral oils, sodium Luther sulphate and animal ingredients. Mostly good clean ingredients suitable for vegans and vegetarians. The good things rage is specially designed to make the most of young skin with fruit based products.





















Five minute facial mask with super fruit extracts, 
avocado and goji berry -This is a green clay and kaolin based mask that is aimed to draw out impurities, great for those with oily, spot prone skin just like me. It also has soothing and moisturising benefits so it wont over dry or irritate your skin.

It smells soooo good, sort of a fruity berry smell and comes out a slight greyish green. You are meant to leave it on the skin for around 5 minutes but I leave it on for a little longer because.... I don't really know, I just do haha. I rinse my face and use a muslin cloth to wipe it off as I find this a faster method than just rubbing with hands.

After- Once iv used this my skin feels so much smoother and softer, it also helps any ugly spots I have come to a head so I can pop them (gorse I know) which I know your not meant to do, but I feel once I have done that I can put something anti bacterial on them and it helps them go faster. So back to the point..... In all I think this face mask is great, perfect for those spotty days or when you want a pick me up for your skin.

The 'Dream cream'

  

 Lush is one of my all time favourite brands, I tried Lush for the first time about, id say 5 years ago. It was Christmas time and my auntie had bought me a Lush Christmas gift set that contained some amazing products.  At the time I thought this was the best present ever! since that Christmas iv been hooked to Lush, I haven't yet bought one product I'm disappointed with and dream cream is no exception. This pot I actually stole of my mum... shhhh! :P. I specifically love this product because I suffer with eczema on my chest and any thick moisturiser I us on my chest to counteract the dryness causes me to get spots there, but this cream does no such thing! This lotion was recommended to my mum buy the sales assistant at Lush as my mum also suffers with eczema on her hands. It contains oat milk, rose water and chamomile which are all great for soothing your skin. Its a perfect bland of rich moisturising properties that don't clog your pores.

The consistency is light to medium, it has a strange smell but I actually like it. Its sort of herbal and I find if I apply it at night the smell helps me sleep better, I'm not sure if its a placebo or if all the oils in it actually help me sleep but either way I'm not complaining!

It makes my skin feel so soft and hydrated and its not to heavy to wear in the day if you want to, which in my eyes makes it a perfect  body moisturiser.

The natural ingredients of Lush products and their ethos makes me feel less guilty when I spend silly amounts of money there on things I don't really need. Also I love the fact lush have the 'bring back 5 clean Lush pots and get a free face mask' Such a great idea, another great product Lush.