Products Iv used up

I try not to start with the generic 'I cant believe a month has gone by already' thing, but seriously, that was a very fast month. For me January is always a month of trying new products, mainly because I receive a lot of new products/ buy a lot of new products in this month as its my birthday month, which means money and spending haha. Having said that, I have used up a fair few products in the last month or so and found some new loves.

The first of which is the Boots Botanics 97% organic cleansing balm, Iv done a full review here. I just love this and have already re-purched it, its perfect for removing make up and ideal for someone with dry skin. Love, love ,love it! ps, its very affordable and easy to get your hands on.

The next skin care item I adore is the Liz earle cleanse and Polish,  Its a cult product that everyone seems to use and love. I would defiantly buy this again, once iv used up the millions of other cleansers I own.

Grease Lightening by Lush is a spot treatment that I have bought about 4 times now, I love it and think it works really well at naturally healing spots without leaving scares behind, plus its natural and chemical free which is great.

Soap and Glory sugar crush body scrub is another cult favourite, in all honestly, now iv used it all up I highly doubt Ill buy it again, It was nothing ground breaking and I have tried better and more affordable scrubs.

Garnier hands was another mediocre product, L'Occitane dry skin hand cream trumped it and I would highly recommend it to anyone searching for a good, highly moisturising hand cream.

Another Lush products Iv used up (I have a Lush addiction) is the Happy Hippy shower gel, great for early mornings when you need help waking up. I really enjoy using Lush products and this shower gel is no exception.

Last but by no means least are the Bed head Urban-antidotes shampoo and conditioner, my god are these good. The only issue I have with them is the smell, I cant stand it.  But for anyone with seriously dry or damaged hair, you need these in your life....trust me. 

Elemis fresh skin

Elemis fresh skin (*) is a rang Elemis has designed especially for young skin. It consists of 10 products that were created to prevent premature ageing, and promote healthier, glowing skin. Each product is formulated with naturally active ingredients, specially chosen for their ability to help cleanse, exfoliate, prevent damage, moisturise and boost skin’s elasticity to keep it youthful for longer.

Peachy perfect face wash - this is a foaming face wash that you apply in the generic way, to wet skin and lather. I find this especially good for in the mornings or days when your feeling tired and in my case lazy. Its a no fuss face wash that doesn't take much time to use at all. It leaves my skin feeling clean and fresh, it doesn't dry it out my skin like a lot of foaming face washes can and overall works really well.

It cost £12 for 100ml

Softly softly daily moisturiser - Now this was the creme de la creme of this line for me, its such a lovely, hydrating moisturiser. I found that even several hours after applying this, my skin still felt soft, hydrated and looked dewy and glowing. It really kept my skin moisturised and was perfect for my pre make up routine. It was the right balance for me, not to greasy and not to matte. My make up applied really smoothly over the top and it didn't cause my face to look greasy after a few hours of wearing make up like some heavier moisturisers do. I would highly recommend this to anyone, It feels like such a luxurious product to use and I cant rave about it enough. Good job Elemis! 

It costs £20 for 50ml

Avene soothing moisture mask.

As we are all fully aware, its winter, and for me winter means really, really dry skin. Iv been looking for a moisturising face mask that wont clog my pores for a while now and I think iv found the perfect one. 

Avene is a brand I have loved for a long time, Im a huge fan of their TriAcneal emulsion and gentle cleanser, so I naturally gravitated towards this brand when looking for skincare. I didn't know Avene did this soothing moisture mask until I was browsing their stand and spotted it, so I automatically had to buy it. 

This a very gentle mask, that you apply in a thick layer to the skin, leave for 10-15 minutes and wipe the excess away, you don't wash this mask off. This mask is designed for dry, sore and sensitive skin that is dehydrated, tight and red. As its aimed at sensitive skin It doesn't sting or irritate the skin/eyes at all. Its paraben free but does however contain Mineral oil which Im not a huge fan off. That aside, its a very soothing and moisturising mask, It leaves my skin feeling soft and looking more plump. 

It didn't cause break outs or clog my pores, which is amazing and it really helped to sooth any chapped skin I had. 

It is £11.50 for 50ml from boots, I do wish this came in a bigger tube but I guess I can live with it. 

MAC cosmetics - My little bit of heaven

It was recently my 21st birthday, so due to that I received some money as presents off people, automatically I decided to make a MAC order.  There are a few things I have been eyeing up from MAC for a while now and never really had the money to buy them (I'm a poor student). So when I finally had the money I jumped at the opportunity to purchase them. 

The first things I added to my online basket were these two products below. One is a cream blend blush in Something special and the other is a cream colour base in Shell. Something special is a light peach blush, the texture of it makes it easy to blend and looks natural and dewy on the skin. While Shell is a pinky beige colour with shimmer running through it. A Cream colour base is a multi-purpose product, It can be applied under or over foundation, on top or under powder products and on the cheeks, eyes and lips. They can be applied with a sponge, brush, figures, anything really. The main purpose I will use it for is as a cheeks colour. 

The next three things I ordered were eye shadows. Omega and charcoal brown are both Matt browns that I intend to use as eye brow colours, to help fill and define my brows, while Trax is a velvet finish, its a purpleish, red colour with shimmer. The MAC eye shadows retail for £12 each, are highly pigmented and really worth every penny.

To go with Charcoal brown and Omega I bought this small angled brush to fill in my eye brows with, I also decided on purchasing Strobe cream, which is a highlighter that can be used under foundation as a base or over foundation as a high light. I thought this would be great to beat the dull winter skin I have right now.

What MAC products do you like? 

Boots Botanics hot cloth cleansing balm, 97% Organic.

Yet again this is another Boots Botanics organic product that has impressed me. I have a previous post on the Boots Botanics facial oil 100% Organic here

This is a 97% organic cleansing balm that  

contains shea butter, rosehip, beeswax, almond oil and jojoba oil, which are really hydrating and nourishing on the skin, helping to leave your face smooth, soft and moisturised. You use it just like any other cleansing balm, over the top of a full face of make up or on bare skin. It works a dream at removing make up, doesn't sting the eyes and leaves your skin clean and soft. This is a solid balm that melts to an oily consistency once massaged in, which means it lifts make up easily of the face. Its very gentle and even thought I don't have sensitive skin, I can see this being great for someone who does. It is a rich formula which would be great for someone with dry skin also, and comes with a muslin cloth to buff and wipe away make up and dead skin cells. The light exfoliating effect of the muslin cloth means your skin is left looking glowing and radiant, and pores thoroughly unclogged. 

I find high street cleansing balms can be very hit or miss, but you cant really go wrong with this one. The fact it has such a high percentage of organic and natural ingredients means you wont be clogging pores with any nasty chemicals and its safe to remove eye make up with. There are no parabens in it and it was not tested on animals...which is always nice.

If im wearing make up, I tend to double cleanse, first, to remove my make up and second, to cleanse the skin. This balm left my skin unbelievably soft and really hydrated, which is what I need in this weather. Did not cause a break out and really enhanced my over all complexion. 

It costs £7.99 and comes with a muslin cloth. 

Beauty sleep.

Sleeping beauty just got more beautiful! 

Sleep is crucial to looking and feeling good, when your sleeping your body produces extra protein molecules to help repair your body. This helps boost your immune system, de-stress you and of course, repair skin, hair and nails. 

Weight- Sleep helps regulate the hormones that control your appetite. When your sleep deprived, your hormone balance is interrupted and this causes your appetite to increase, which may lead to weight gain and no one really wants that do they.

Skin- when your tired your blood doesn't flow efficiently which may lead to dull looking skin, while your sleeping your body produces growth hormones which can repair the skin and aid collagen production which can keep your skin looking youthful and radiant, and repair damage done by free radicals. Furthermore while your sleeping, your body isn't spending as much time looking after your organs and making sure everything is functioning correctly, which means it has more time to focus on the skin, so any skincare you apply at night will work much more effectively than in the day. 

Eyes- most of us know the effects lack of sleep can have on eyes, they can look puffy and bloodshot with dark circles, your eyes can also look slightly yellow from lack of sleep. A top tip to help reduce these is of course sleeping, but to further reduce puffiness, sleep more on your back than front, with your head elevated so fluid can drain more easily. 

Hair - Like I said earlier, growth hormones are released while you sleep, so naturally your hair grows more while your sleeping. 

The suggested number of hours sleep your meant to get in one night is between 7-9 hours. But if your like my, a really bad sleeper, getting this amount of hours may be hard. Here are a few tips I have picked up over the years that may help you get that much needed and beneficial rest.

1. Laptops and tvs give off artificial light which can trick your brain into thinking its day time and thus keeping you awake. So the best idea is to turn them off a few hours before bed and switch to something like reading.
   
   
2. I have been trying the Elemis quite mind room mist which is a combination of aromatic oils to calm the mind and help you relax. I find this really does aid a peaceful nights sleep, I also find it helps me to nod off faster which is great. I strongly suggest this for anyone who suffers with sleeping problems. They also have other products in this rang that I'm dying to get my hands on. 
   
   
3. A hot drink before bed can really relax you, a lot of people go for a warm mug of milk which is fine, but you can also try Horlicks which is pretty much like warm milk but with added wheat and malted barley. 
   
   
4. Hot bath/shower before bed is known to aid people in sleep as it can warm you up and put you in a more relaxed mood, especially baths. You can also add essential oils to a bath such as lavender which will really help with sleep.
   
   
5. Noise and light really effect sleep. Much the same as the first point, light keeps you awake. So if you don't already, try and sleep in total darkness. An eye mask might help you with this, and if you live in a noisy house/area you can try ear plugs to block out the sound. 

The secret to beating dry winter skin?

Boots Botanics was a brand I often over looked, up until they had their revamp.... then they suddenly were on my radar and I was intrigued, mainly by their organic line. 

The first thing that caught my eye was this Boots Botanics facial oil 100% Organic,made from mainly almond oil, rosehip and argan oil. 

The claim

'This aromatic oil melts into lacklustre skin to lock in moisture for 8 hours while softening, conditioning and helping to restore its natural glow. Use regularly to boost the performance of your daily skincare regime.'

Now it states to use it morning and night, but I found that it didn't really sink in fully, so applying foundation on top of it would be a nightmare. But as a night facial oil it was great. I applied it a few hours before bed to give it time to be absorbed, a few small drops are sufficient enough for the whole face (which means it will last forever!), I does leave a slight residue, but by morning that's gone. I was apprehensive about using this at first, I was worried it may cause breakouts, but to my surprise it did nothing of the sort. I awoke to beautiful soft and glowing skin, it looked and felt more plump and hydrated. This is perfect for the cold months, when skin (especially mine) can become dry. It really improved the overall look and feel of my skin, I'm so pleased.

 Could this be the secret to beating your winter skin?

Liz earle cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser

So by now, everyone and their mother has heard of/tried Liz earle cleanse and polish hot cloth cleanser, but here is my two sense anyway.

Liz earle is a cruelty free plant based brand that are famous for this cleanser, they only make one cleanser as they claim that its formulation is suitable for all skin types. I was dubious about this, I have spot prone skin and I was worried that this formulation may cause my skin to become even more oily. But in fact I did not cause that, It didn't cause any break outs, and actually made my skin really clear. This cleanser is so gentle and simple to use, I can see why its perfect for all skin types.

• 'Our plant-based cleanser has a two-phase action, phase one is the cleansing. Free from mineral oil, it has a rich and creamy texture and swiftly removes all traces of face and eye make-up, even stubborn mascara.
• Phase two is the polishing. Polish off the cream using the pure muslin cloth to gently dislodge dead skin cells and help reveal clean, soft and radiant skin.'  

 (Liz earle website)

This herbal scented cleanser feels really luxurious to use, it wipes away any make up you have on without stinging your eyes one bit, leaving your skin feeling soft and fresh. It contains chamomile, which is great for calming the skin and reducing redness as well as beeswax that relives sore, chapped skin. It really is a pleasure to use. This cleanser is raved about and I felt I needed to see if the hype was true for myself...... I was not disappointed!

Liz earle is great brand that seem to put a lot of time and effort into every single stage of their business, from creating the products to shipping them to your house. They beautifully wrapped my cleanser, and just as I thought it couldn't get any better, they gave me a free sample of their perfume and foundation along with my purchase. Smashing! 


You should try this cleanser.....right now!

My birthday spa weekend.

This isn't my normal kind of blog post, this is going to be about my birthday trip to a spa. warning: picture heavy post.

On the 6th of January it was my 21st birthday, so for a birthday present my mum took me to the Celtic Manor spa hotel. It was fantastic! The Celtic Manor is a pretty famous hotel in Wales where the welsh rugby team stay on a regular basis. It has a hotel and Elemis spa, that has a steam room, sauna, jacuzzi and spa area.  As well as a whole host of restaurants, gym, golf course and much more. 

When I first arrived I dumped my bags in my room and headed to the pool area, this is the jucuzzi, steam and sauna area in the female quarters. I have never been in a steam room before, but my god was it good. 

    The best pool I have ever seen! 

After that we dried off and headed back to our room in our robes that they supplied us with, it was such a lovely room, the beds were like sleeping on a cloud. They had given us loads of free tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cookies, so while we showered and got ready for the night we could sip on delicious tea.  

In our bathroom we had samples of shampoo, shower oil, body lotion and soap from Elemis. I almost had a fit of excitement when I saw this!  The bathroom was amazing, the shower could hold about 4 of me inside it, that's how big it was.

After we got ready we headed for the restaurant, which like everything else, blew me away. The food was so nice and the service was unbelievable.  

The resturant

Birthday drinks

Dessert

This was my birthday dress from H&M and glitter shoes from Newlook.

There was also a cute shopping area which the best shops Iv ever seen in a hotel.

The next day, me and my mum went down to the spa where I had a full body massage (that was defiantly the icing on the cake). The Elemis spa was such a tranquil place, I would recommend anyone to go there. The staff were so lovely and really helpful. I really, really want to go back! It was the best birthday I have ever had. I cannot fault this hotel and highly recommend this, I would really love to go back again. 

Sanctuary - Pampering handcare hamper.

This was a Christmas gift set, but Sanctury products can be bought all year round from Boots. I thought this was such a great idea, a hand pampering kit. Most people forget about their hands when thinking about pampering their self, but hands are one of the tell tail signs of ageing. This kit came with a hand wash, scrub, cuticle oil and hand cream. The hand cream has SPF 15 which is fantastic, it helps to soften the skin and prevent ageing. Its not to heavy so can be used throughout the day, and leaves my hands feeling hydrated. 

Hand scrub is something Iv never used before and from the first time I tried this one, I loved it. It a really gritty scrub that works magic on your hands. It leaves them smooth and ready for a coat of moisturiser. I would use this once a week for a real treat. (rhyming ha). Its a great way to remove any dry skin and keep your hands looking fresh and youthful   

Cuticle oil is something I seem to neglect, but something so simple and easy that works a treat. It helps to keep your nail beds looking healthy and your hands soft. Its a great product for anyone trying to grow their nails, or someone who likes to keep their hands looking neat and tidy. 

The last product is a hand wash, now there isn't much to say about hand wash other than it cleans your hands, but as a student I am grateful that its one less thing I have to buy with my own money for my house.

All of these products are made with white tea extract, so they smell great. I'm not sure how much this set was as it was given to me as a gift, but I would highly recommend each product, however my favourite has to be the scrub. I will defiantly be dabbling in my Sanctury products. 

Brillient beauty tools

Beauty tools are often over looked, but they are something that can make a task much easier and faster to do. Here are some of my regularly used and favourites. 

Butterfly clips - These are so useful when styling your hair, they are good at holding hair in sections, allowing easier access to different parts of the hair when straightening, curling, drying est. These clips are often used by hairdressers when they are cutting or blow drying your hair, but can be bought in lots of different places for little cost. They usually come in packs, so they would be great if you needed to section lots of pieces of hair for things such as hair dying. 

Barrel brush - These are excellent for someone who likes to have smooth, sleek and voluminous hair. You used them when blow drying your hair to create a big, bouncy look. It also means that you wont have to straighten and style your hair after drying, as this brush does all the work for you. Thus saving time and energy. I love to use this brush to create a messy, Binky from Made in Chelsea inspired hair style, because a round barrel brush means you can create flicks and loose curls in the hair as well as straight and sleek locks. You can buy these really cheap, I bought mine for £1 from Primark, barging! 

Back comb brush - This is better than a normal comb as it has lots of dense bristles, allowing for more hair to be back combed at the same time. While a normal comb will do the job, a back comb brush just makes life easier. It allows for a tighter back comb, meaning it will stay in place longer. We all know back combing isn't great for the hair, but sometimes we just want big hair, and this brush does that nicely. Again, these combs are cheap, I picked mine up from Primark for £1. 

Nail brush - Now this is something that's considered to be quite out dated, you don't here about many people using these any more, but I find them so useful if I have any stubborn fake tan marks around my nails, both hand and feet. These brushes are great for scrubbing away any hair dye stains on hands as well, or just generally smoothing out the hands and feet. They are so cheap and easy to get hold of and come in handy (see what I did there) for lots of things.  

Back loofah - The back is somewhere that most people find hard to reach, you wash and exfoliate the rest of your body, but what about your back? These things are great, it makes cleaning your back so easy and simple. Perfect if you need to lightly exfoliate before a spray tan, or just on a day to day basis to clean the back spots you cant reach. Such a simple idea that most people forget about. 

There are plenty of beauty tools out there to try, different gadgets for different things, they really do save time and energy. Perfect for someone who wants to be pampered, but doesn't have lots of time to do it. Or someone like me who is just really lazy. 

Soap and Glory - Sugarcrush Body scrub

This was bought on a whim, I did need a new body scrub, but I didn't plan on buying this one. Body scrubs are something I hate to buy, but love to use. I find that they are expensive for what they are (usually just fancied up sugar), but non the less, I like to have one. This Soap and Glory sugarcrush body scrub retails for £8 and you get 300ml of product, its essentially a sugar scrub with lime, almond oil and macadamia grains, with the famous scent that I can only describe as the smell of coke. Soap and Glory are a mid range price bracket brand. (tongue twister right there) and their packaging is what draws me in every time.

This scrub doesn't leave an oily residue behind after using, so is ideal for using pre fake tanning. It really helps to get the dead layers of skin of, without being to harsh and causing your skin to hurt. Its also great for getting old fake tan off, or using before shaving to help any ingrowing hairs come out.

This is a scrub loved by many people and I can see why, its a no fuss body scrub that can be used both morning or night. It doesn't leave a scent on the skin so wont disrupt any perfume you wear during the day, the non oily formula means you can dry off and get changed straight after your shower, there is no sitting around waiting for the oil to sink in, and the fact the beads aren't extremely scratchy means you can use it a few times in one week. ( the packaging clams up to 4 times.)

This product has made me want to go out and try a lot more Soap and Glory products.

Happy New year!

So iv recently not been updating this blog all that much, what with Christmas, New years and my 21st Birthday coming up in 5 days, I have been really busy. When my life goes back to 'normal', I'm planning on blogging far more often. I'm hopefully going to post every Wednesday, Friday and possibly Sunday, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Im really going to get stuck in with this blog and put more effort in. So until then, you can follow me on Twitter @BethanyKeenan92 or Tumbler . I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and New year. I have a feeling its going to be a good year.