Sali Hughes Pretty Honest and Skincare Influences

I love this book, it covers every single beauty related topic that you could think of, Sali Hughes really does know her stuff. If you love everything beauty, you will enjoy this book. Its such as good read and has loads of tips and tricks to really help with everything from skincare, Botox, hair removal and red lips, to beauty gifts, teen beauty and compliment giving. 

I love skincare and this book has a whole section dedicated to skincare and all the tips to go along with it. Reading it really inspired me to up my skincare game. The skincare chapter even has a little mention of fellow blogger Caroline Hirons. What I took from this chapter is that I need to add more hyaluronic acid to my skincare routine, so I nipped to the shops and picked these three products up.

The first of which is the good ol' Hydraluron by Indeed Labs, which is a serum that come with high recommendations from many bloggers and beauty lovers. This serum contains a pure form of Hyluronic acid, for those of you who don't know what that is, its basically an ingredient that can hold up to 1,000 times its own weight in water. This means its a perfect serum that will help boost moisture levels in your skin, making you look more youthful and skin more plump. 

Intense Facial Serum, Super Facialist by Una Brennan is similar to Hydraluron as it contains Hyluronic acid, but this serum also contains apple derived stem cells, which has apparently been proven to protect longevity of skin stem cells that help to maintain firmness.

 The final product I bought was actually a Retinol cream by Indeed Lab called Retinol Reface Retinol Skin Resurfacer, which is a derivative of Vitamin A. Vitamin A is meant to be one of the most effective ingredients in helping reduce the appearance of wrinkles and the signs of ageing. 'Retinol Reface™ contains not one but 3 forms of retinol to help deliver softer, smoother looking skin, while targeting the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and crow’s feet'.

Together these three products should help improve the appearance and texture of my skin, and if it does I will have Sali Hughes to thank! I highly recommend this book regardless, and I will keep you all updated on my skincare and the effectiveness of these products.

xox

Surviving The Party Season

Christmas is defiantly the time of year where everyone over indulges, to many chocolate treats, to many alcoholic drinks and to many late nights.  All of these can really take a toll on your body, it can make you look and feel tired, and if you are anything like my your skin becomes one giant pimple. So here are a few tips ,tricks and things that might give you a little pick me up during this time of year.

So first of all I will start with the lip products, nudes are a perfect colour for all occasions, especially if you are running late or just going out spontaneously and have not planned what to wear or what make up to use, they are just a good colour to chuck on. But sometimes you want to add a little colour to your look and reds are ideal for that. It Starts With a Kiss lip stain by Lush is a very festive red that is moisturising and not to bold, so don't be put off if you are someone who usually wears a more natural shades. I also find the key to lips during this time of year is moisture. Lack of sleep, cold weather and to much alcohol can really dry out your skin and lips, so keeping them well moisturise will really help.

The next thing follows on from that and is skincare, when your body is run down and you are not sleeping enough, not eating enough nutrient dense foods (I'm looking at anyone who eats their chocolate celebration boxes for breakfast....which I secretly do) and drinking to many mulled wines, your body will start to neglect your skin. It will aim to repair the more important parts of the body such as the liver first and will thus ignore the skin. That's why after a big night out your skin can look really dull, and combine that with dehydration from the alcohol and you have a recipe for horrible skin. Now I'm not saying don't have fun, or don't drink or don't ever eat chocolate, because we all do it and I'm defiantly guilty of doing all of them probably a lot more than I should. But take a little extra time to care for your skin, be that through skincare or just drinking a lot more water, because that does really help. I would recommend products that give high levels of hydration or moisture boosts such as the Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask that I have previously talked about here, and also products designed to remove all the dead and dull looking skin such as acid exfoliants, salicylic acid, Glycolic peels and anything of that sort. The Clearasil Superfruits Refreshing Pad are an affordable product that can help your skin move in the right direction, towards less dull and more youthful looking skin.

Not only does your facial skin dry out but so does your body and hair, so spending time applying a good body moisturiser such as any body butters from The Body shop, and also a hair oil will vastly improve the appearance of your skin and hair. While on the topic of hair, we all know dry shampoo is a god send and is ideal for busy people who may not have time between parties to wash their hair, so great for this time of year.

Finally, just like with the lips a nude nail polish will take you from party to party, and day to night, without clashing with your outfits or looking horrific if it starts to chip off. Just like a good shimmery gold/ bronze eye shadow will. The Maxfactor nail polish in the photo above I have previously spoke about in more depth here. The last two things I feel may be two of the more important things, because nothing gives tiredness away like puffy dark circles under the eyes. I enjoy eye creams with a roller ball applicator because it is cooling but also helps to drain puffy eyes, While a good quality concealer can help hide the fact you have only had 3 hours sleep and spent the rest of your night either out partying or staying up to the early hours watching Christmas films and stuffing your face haha (guilty!)

A few added extras I would recommend are lots and lots of water which can help plump the skin and bring shine back to the hair, some kind of sleep spray or roll on such as This Works Breathe In, which will help you relax. Also waxing! which I know everyone cringes at just the idea of this, but going for one all over wax will save you about 2-6 weeks of shaving, giving you extra time to sleep in the mornings, and lastly I would recommend Green Tea, which helps repair your liver and is generally great for you,  I have done a full post of the benefits here.

Take a little extra time to care for your self and you will be looking fantastic in all your Christmas Photos.....anyway I'm off to stuff my face with Quality Streets and mince pies haha.

xox

The Body Shop - Moisturiser addition.

The Body Shop holds a special place in my heart, I love the brand and everything it stands for, so I obviously couldn't pass up an online offer when I saw one. I was in need of some new moisturisers so I picked these up.  

Vitamin E Nourishing Night Cream - this product is almost like a whipped mousse texture rather than a cream. It feels very luxurious on the skin and supplies a great level of moisture.  I only use this product when my skin is feeling super dry, I have also just started using an at home 4 week Glycolic Peel Kit, which requires a lot of moisturiser to be applied to the skin after use, so this is perfect for then. I think this night cream would be great for people with drier skin, or maybe when you are suffering with the dreaded hangover skin.

Seaweed Mattifying Day Cream - For anyone with oily skin, you will know the struggles of trying to get your make up to stay in place without making your face so matte from excessive amounts of powder, that you look like you have some weird kind of mask on. I find a mattifying day moisturiser is a must, but again its hard to find a cream that has the right levels of mattyfying-ness and also moisture. Though this is advertised as a cream, it has a gel like formula. Making it fast absorbing and great as a pre make up moisturiser base. It gives me the perfect amount of moisture (It contains glycerine that helps bind water to the surface of the skin, making it great for dehydrated skin), leaving my skin feeling plump and soft, but also shine free for a considerable amount of time. This product is one of The Body Shop's best sellers and I can see why.

Nutriganics Smoothing Night Cream - This is a light weight cream that is 98% natural ingredients, containing no Parabens or Silicones, its great for people who are sensitive to a lot of chemicals or someone who just worries about putting them on their face. It comes in a pump bottle which is easily controlled, so you can dispense just the right amount of product required out. This product absorbs well into the skin, and leaves my face feeling calm, soft and hydrated. It is non greasy which is good for someone like me who has a slightly more oily complexion, and is designed for the first signs of ageing, which again is good for my age group.

Honeymania Body Butter - If you haven't tried or used any of The Body Shop body butters, you are sorely missing out. They are rich butters, that smell amazing and leave your skin feeling so hydrated and extremely moisturised. I tend to only use these body butters on really dry areas, such as feet, knees and elbows. But I do occasionally use them on my legs if they are feeling super dry. I would defiantly recommend these butters to be used at night before bed, as they can take a while to sink in, so not so great if you want to get dressed immediately and crack on with your day. I would highly recommend these to anyone with dry skin, and there are so many scents I'm sure you will find one you love.

I am a massive fan of The Body Shop, especially around this time of year when they bring out their gift sets. This year The Body Shop is also teaming up with a charity called War Child, and for every specially selected gift that is bought, The Body Shop will make a contribution of 4p to the charity to fund a lesson for a child in a war torn country.  So if that's not a good enough reason to pick up a gift set, I don't know what is.

xox

Confessions of #bblogger

So I recently went a little bit crazy in Boots, I have been watching so many YouTube videos and reading so many Blogs lately that I had developed an itch for some new products, and the only way I could scratch that itch was to take myself along to Boots and go nuts.

The first two things I picked up on this spree were nail vanish, the Maxfactor Glossfinity polish is in the colour Candy Rose, which is a dark nude. The picture really doesn't do it justice, but its a pretty dusky pink colour which is a nice alternative to a pale nude as this colour looks great in the winter months. The next polish which I have used as an accent nail in the photo is the Maybelline Colour Show Street Art Top Coat in 02 White Splatter. It has purple, white and green flecks in it which makes it feel somewhat Christmasy. I really like the effect this gives and it adds a edge to the look.

The next two items are lip products, both by L'oreal. The lipstick is part of the Colour Riche line and is by JLo, its a nice soft nude that gives a glossy effect and can only be described as a 'your lips but better' colour, I already have the lipstick by Cheryl in this line and adore that as well. While the other item is L'extraordinaire by Colour Richie in the shade 600 Nude Vibrato. This item has the pigmentation of a lipstick and the gloss of a lip gloss, making it a perfect in the middle product for those who like intense colour but also a ol' glossy lip. This item also has a good staying power, even the swatch on my hand when I tested the product in boots didn't come of for a long while. 

Talking about staying power, this leads me on to the next and final item, which is the Maybelline 24 hour Colour Stay Tattoo Cream Eyeshadow in On and On Bronze. This item literally doesn't budge, eyeshadow ALWAYS creases on my eyes, however this seems to be an exception! I started work at 7am today, which meant my make up was put on at about 5am and not took off until around 7pm. This eyeshadow didn't move at all for the whole day, and looked as good in the evening as it did in the morning when first applied. I am so impressed with the staying power of this shadow and will defiantly be buying other colours from this line. 

I am so happy with all my new items, and that impromptu shopping trip was so satisfying. Sometimes girls, you just have to treat yourself. 

xox

Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant Lotion

During the winter my skin gets really dry and chapped, I need to moisturise every day to make sure it remains hydrated and looking healthy. I plough through moisturisers like there is no tomorrow and I feel like I have become some what of a body lotion connoisseur.

Vaseline is a brand mostly known for their lip balms, while I am not a fan of those at all I do love this body lotion. It is a good every day lotion that absorbs fast, so I can apply it in the morning and don't have to wait around forever before I get dressed, yet it moisturises really well and leaves my skin feeling soft and looking glowing.

Though it is Cocoa butter I don't find this lotion smells all that much, its no where near as fragrant as any of the body shop lotions or butters, it just has that classic body lotion scent. Which is good if you apply your moisturiser after your morning shower like me, as it doesn't effect any perfume or body spray you may put on after getting dressed.

This is an affordable but effective, no fuss body lotion that would work well for anyone trying to tame their dry winter skin, and doesn't want to spend a fortune doing so.

xox

November Favourites

So its that time again, when the month ends and everyone is bombarded with monthly favourites. I know this is a massive cliché but where the hell has November gone? I am so excited for this month to end mind, as I really love Christmas and the whole run up to it, and now December is knocking on our door it has become socially acceptable to go out in my Christmas jumpers, eat myself into a chocolate coma and listen to Christmas songs on repeat.  Also I get to open my first door of my advent calendar tomorrow! eeek.

There are several things I have been loving this month, first being Batiste dry shampoo in Cherry as I hate washing my hair, and I am really lazy. This dry shampoo smells great and takes a lot less effort than shampooing, conditioning, blow drying and styling my hair does.

The next two things are skincare, the Origins Drink-up Intensive is a great mask for this time of year as it really helps to hydrate dry, sore and chapped skin that can be caused by the harsh winter weather. The next is Clearasil Anti-Blemish Treatment Cream, I tend to get a lot of hormonal spots and this cream helps to reduce the redness and tackle the size of the pimple fairly well, and is affordable and easily accessible.

I have also rediscovered MAC Charcoal Brown eye shadow, which I am currently loving applying under my eyes and also with a MAC liner brush on my lash line. This shadow really helps define my eyes, and gives a great smoky look.

Another two products I have rediscovered this month are both of the Lush products, the Popcorn lip scrub which tastes like a dream and makes my lips feel so soft, and also It Starts With a Kiss Lip Tint which gives me the perfect effortless red lip colour, which isn't to over powering and is easy to maintain throughout the day.

Finally my miscellaneous non beauty monthly favourites are my red slippers as they make me feel so Christmasy and happy. They were only about £2 from Primark and keep my feet so toasty and warm. I am also currently obsessed with Blogilates, I am halfway through her Beginners Month Calender and I am actually enjoying working out every day. She is so motivational and has such a healthy approach to fitness and nutrition. As far as TV shows go, this month I have literally spent all my free time watching Orange Is The New Black, and I am now up to date and have watched ever episode. It became a weird addiction of mine this month and I loved every second of every episode, I would highly recommend the show, unless you are younger than 16... then I would suggest maybe giving it a miss haha.

November has been a good month for me, and I hope December will be even better. What have you been loving this month? I would love to discover new products, tv shows and health/fitness products, videos est.


xox

Soap and Glory The Ultimelt Deep Purifying Hot Cloth Cleanser

Hot Cloth Cleansers are all the rage right now and this cleanser is used by one of my good friends who raves about it, so I thought I would give it ago and let you guys know my two cent. Over the last few years I have tried a fair few Hot Cloth Cleanser style cleansers, so I am not knew to this style of cleanser. This is actually my favourite way to remove all the dirt from the day off me face, so I was excited to use a new cleanser I hadn't tried before, to see how It compares with the others I have tried and tested.

This cleanser is packed full of essential oils such as orange, which is anti inflammatory thus great for pimples or any irritated skin issues , lavender which is very calming, as well as rose which helps reduce redness. This cleanser also contains sweet almond oil and coca seed butter oils to help lift all the dirt, make up and grim out of the pores. It is Paraben free as well, which is another great thing to add to the list for this product.

This is more of a cream cleanser than an oil, so it doesn't leave any residue on the skin like a oil/balm cleanser might, which means this may be less problematic for you if you have acne. It has a earthy/menthol scent which reminds me of the Liz Earl Hot Cloth Cleanser, as well as a similar white cream texture and consistency. The cleanser comes in a tube rather than a pump bottle or a jar like balm/oil cleansers usually do, meaning the product is easier to get out and to control the amount dispense, as well as keeping the cleanser clean an hygienic.

The cleanser is £10 and comes with a muslin cloth, it can easily be bought from Boots so is accessible to most people, and is a great cleanser for the price. I would recommend that this cleanser is pretty much great for anyone who has skin haha its not oily or drying so both of those skin types can benefit from the use of this product, and the ingredients don't seem like they would irritate those with fairly sensitive skin.  Its a win win product that is worth giving a try and stands up to my high expectations that new Hot Cloth Cleansers have to meet.


xox

Rimmel London Wonder'Full Mascara

Whenever I need a new mascara Rimmel is the brand I go to, they always have a wide rang of quirky mascaras, suitable for all your eyelash needs. This Wonder'Full mascara is no exception, It has the standard plastic bristle brush, which I know is a love hate for some people.  I'm personally a fan of the plastic spiky brushes, they just seem to really separate my lashes. But its not the brush that makes this mascara stand out, its the fact the mascaras formula contains Argan Oil. Now I don't know if I am just behind with the times, but I have never used a mascara that contains any form of oils to help condition the lashes, so when I spotted that this one does I had to give it a whorl.

I actually love this mascara, the formula is not waterproof, yet I find that it hardly flakes, if at all.  The brush helps to really define each lash, and make them look long and thick. The wand is also flexible so its easy to apply to every lash and doesn't make them look clumpy, which is always a pet hate of mine. Even if I apply several coats the lashes still look long and clump free. The wand is fairly big, but as its not rigid its easy to miniver so even if you have smaller eyes I'm sure you would get along with this fine.

This mascara retails at £7.99, which is pretty good for a mascara, and I think its worth every penny.

xox

Origins Mask Marvels Gift Set

Origins is a brand that for some reasons always draws me in, so when I spotted this gift set was on sale from £50 to £23, I couldn't just walk by. This set comes with three different Origin masks, first of which is the popular Drink Up intensive mask, then there is the Clear Improvement clay mask and also Out Of Trouble 10 Minute Mask. They are all 75ml and come in a nice presentation box which would make them great as a Christmas gift.

Out Of Trouble 10 Minute Mask

This mask is designed to fight any problems your skin  may throw at you, it has salicylic acid which is great for killing bacteria, removing dead skin cells and helping your skin look brighter and clearer. It also contains Zinc Oxide and Sulphur which helps with oil control as well as camphor which aids in calming down any skin redness or irritation.  This mask states its designed with more oily or blemish prone skin in mind, but It can be used by anyone who is experiencing any skin troubles.

Clear Improvement

A brilliant Charcoal and clay based mask that helps tackle any clogged pore issues that may be caused by things such as pollution, making this mask great for any city chicks...or city guys, it doesn't discriminate by gender.  It has the classic dark face mask colour and acts as a form of dirt magnet that sucks out all the grim from deep within your pores. Its the perfect mask for those who need a really deep clean and is suggested to be used roughly once a week for the best results.

Drink Up Intensive mask

This is a slightly different mask compared with the first two, this is a over night mask that you apply before bed and leave on over night. This might seem like a strange thing to do, as usually a mask will be rinsed off after about 10 minutes. This mask works well as during sleep the skin repairs itself, and products that are applied at night have a longer time to sink in and get to work. Now I don't claim to be a skin expert by any means, but this mask is great for those whose skin is dry, dehydrated or just looking dull. It contains Avocado oil as well as Apricot oil, that deeply hydrate and quench dry skin. As well as Japanese Seaweed to help prevent the skin from future dehydration. This product smells like apricot and goes on clear. 

This gift set is ideal as a present or just for someone who wants to test out these masks without committing to the full size products and the full size price range.