THE 'UNSUNG HEROES' OF THE EVERYDAY BEAUTY PRODUCTS

As I write this post I am currently enjoying the sunshine outside in my garden and typing away on my new Macbook Pro. The only downside is the flies that seem to enjoy landing on it - much to my disapproval. Apart from that it's quite a nice experience blogging outside, as I can't actually hear any other people, that is apart from my boyfriend who is just inside currently shooting people on Grand Theft Auto, which is definitely lowering the tone just a little. Today I wanted to share the products that I like to use everyday but kind of go un noticed most of the time, my everyday essentials that don't really make it into favourites posts because they're not really that exciting but nonetheless they are products that I've really been enjoying using every day.

First would be the products that I use in the shower. My sister had been telling me for months that I had to try the Garnier Ultimate blends Shampoo and Conditioner as she absolutely loved it and we do have the same type of hair; thin, flat, boring... I put off buying it until I had run out of my current products, so it did take me a while. I was using the L'oreal Thickening collection before but didn't find that it left my hair feeling anything special so I was happy to change. My sister told me to get the ones that she got, which were the Silky Smoother range, designed for people with mid to long hair and split ends. Now, I don't really have any of this but she assured me I still needed it. I had my hair cut very short last year so it has now just about grown out to a long bob, just about touching my shoulders. As it was cut so short I also don't really have any split ends. She was right though, as they both make my hair feel so lovely and really soft and silky as the name suggests. It looks and feels so much better than before I started using these. They contain vanilla milk and papaya so of course they also smell amazing.

I've been using the Soap & Glory Orangeasm Body Wash and although I don't think you can go hugely wrong with any shower gel, it is really nice to use. Once again it smells amazing, quite citrus with a little zest but not your typical orange scent. It's a great product to wake you up in the mornings and leaves my skin feeling pretty soft, even before moisturiser. One product that I don't use everyday but do enjoy using if I want a little more moisture, is the Soap & Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter. I like to use this after the body wash if my skin is feeling particularly dry or if I just fancy a little extra pamper. I don't actually need to apply moisturiser after using this product but I normally tend to, as I use self tan so I don't want to risk going patchy!

The moisturiser that I have been constantly using lately is The Body Shop Shea Butter Body Lotion. You may notice that it's not actually in the photo...I only realised once I had uploaded the photo and put everything away so it'll just have to hope it makes it into a future post.  It's quite a lightweight formula and has a pump, which makes it great at applying very quickly and absorbing fast so you can get dressed straight after. I find that it hydrates and moisturises the skin really well; I never feel like I have dry skin throughout the day, even though it is more light weight than others. The smell is fairly subtle and kind of reminds me of a very toned down coconut smell.

Throughout the day I like to use the Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream, I can't stand my hands feeling the slightest bit dry and as everyone over maybe 30 says; you need to take care of your hands and neck as these are the areas that aren't afraid to show their true age!

I thought I would include a perfume here, as lately I have been wearing perfume most days. My favourite at the moment is the Giorgio Armani Si perfume.  I actually nabbed this off of my nan, believe it or not. She said her friend gave it to her, I presume because she didn't really like it anymore and my nan isn't really the person to wear perfume so she said I could have it. When it was released I worked in a department store on one of the make up counters. At the time I wasn't sure if I really liked it but then I kept smelling over people wearing it and really liked it. I think it's quite a unique fragrance and I've just realised that I also liked the Armani Diamonds fragrance, which I think it is of a similar scent family... I don't know!

SAMPLING MY SAMPLES

While perusing my make up and skincare collection I noticed that I have accumulated quite a few product samples, either from purchases I've made or as part of sets, where you just get a little sample of a few products. I thought that these little jems seem to go un noticed so I wanted to write a post giving my first impressions of some of these samples that I have tried as I think samples are a great way of trying the product and finding out if it will work for you before buying the real deal. 

 The sample that most stood out to me is actually missing from this post, as I used it up and now can't find it - so maybe I was actually a normal person and chucked the empty product away, instead of hoarding it up! It was the Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel with Marula Oil, which left my skin feeling so soft and nourished that I bought the full size after only using the sample a few times. Likewise, with the REN Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturising Cream. I had only tried one thing from REN but I needed a new moisturiser and after trying this sample it seemed to work really well, so I bought the full size product. It's really hydrating and a great consistency, without being too heavy. Even though I don't have dry skin, I do sometimes find some moisturisers aren't hydrating enough but I have never had any issues with this one. I also liked REN's EverCalm Cleansing Milk, I have the Evercalm Clay Cleanser and really like it so I was excited to try the milk. It's a good cleanser and I probably would purchase the full size when I've used up the many I already have, as I do like milk cleansers and really like REN as a brand. 

I know I'm going to have to buy the full size of the Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion as it keeps my eye make up on all day. I tried doing my eye make up without but regardless of what eye shadow I was wearing, it would crease throughout the day, which doesn't happen with this. You also only need the tiniest amount, so I'm happy to purchase the full size as I'm sure it'll last ages. 

I found myself with what once seemed an endless supply of Benefit's Porefessional samples as they seemed to come with every Benefit set. There is so much product in them that they last for ages. We all know it's a good primer, but I haven't actually had to buy it due to still surviving on the samples! 

I've been enjoying using the Clarins Eye Contour Gel, as it's really hydrating and refreshing, perfect to use in the morning or to add some hydration throughout the day. I'm not sure if I would buy the full size, as I've got my eye on the Clarins Eye Contour Balm, which seems more suited for night time use. I think I've got morning eye creams sorted but maybe in the future. 

I really liked using the Clarins Water Comfort One Step Cleanser, for quick make up removal, it felt really refreshing and smelt amazing but I don't feel like I need to spend a lot of money on a product like this, when I've got the Garnier Micellar water which is a similar concept. Similarly, the Lancome Bi-facil Eye Make up Remover was a good product but it's not a product I'd want to splurge on.

 I've got the full size versions of the Clarins Facial Treatment Oils for oily/combo skin and dehydrated skin and I don't often have dry skin, so I wont be purchasing the full size of the Santal version but it has been handy to have as a sample for occasions when my skin is playing up and feeling particularly in need of moisture and as you only need a tiny amount it's lasting very well. 

I've heard good things about the Urban Decay Beauty Balm and similar products but I just can't get into the such low coverage products. I don't feel like I need a huge amount of coverage normally nor do I like a really heavy base, but these bb cream/tinted moisturiser type products just don't do anything for me, so I definitely wont be repurchasing. It has got good ingredients and an spf so I may just use this as a primer or a on holiday type of product when you don't really want make up but just the tiniest amount of coverage. The Bare Minereals 5-in-1 BB Advanced Cream Eyeshadow is another product that's one of those that I wouldn't get much use out of as it's just not something I would use. I think to make use of the sample I will use it likewise to the Urban Beauty Balm, as this too has spf so it would be good to just even out the eye lid for a no make up day when you're out in the sun. 

JUST ANOTHER HAUL POST...

I don't know what it is about this time of year but it's always the time when I come down with a very strong case of the 'feeling spendy' flu. As much as I try to avoid it, I can't help myself. Normally I'm very good with money but this time of year just kills me and I end up wanting everything and some how justifying it (as you will see if you've seen my previous posts recently). I think this year is probably worse as I've now finished education (for now) so I don't have anything serious to focus on, so my mind is filled with pretty make up. The biggest stress in my life at the moment is deliberating over which lip liner colour I want to buy... seriously - not as easy as you'd think!

I justified all of these products on the fact I'd planned to buy them prior to going shopping, therefore there was no impulse buying, which I guess is a positive. Superdrug had a 3 for 2 offer on and I knew I really wanted to try Make up Revolution and especially their blush palettes. There is so much more from the brand that I want to try but it was too busy to really look so I just grabbed what I originally planned for. I chose Sugar and Spice as I love pink blush on myself. I'd also been planning on getting the new Sleek Del Mar Volume II eye shadow palette; I bought the first Del Mar palette last year and really liked it so I'm excited to use this one in the summer months. For my final product in the 3 for 2 offer I picked up the Maybelline Super Stay 24 Hour Powder. I knew I needed to buy a powder but hadn't decided on which one. I have never tried this one before and haven't actually heard anything about it so I'm intrigued to see how well it works. 

The next product needed no justification as I was able to use my loyalty points for the whole payment, which always feels so good. I chose to buy Urban Decay's Lip Liner in Manic. They are the best lip liners I have ever tried; they're so creamy and just glide over the lips so easily, sit well all day and still feel comfortable used all over the lips. Manic is a pretty rosy pink shade, that's just a richer shade of a natural lip colour so it's really complimentary and easy to wear. 

I also bought the Clarins Instant Concealer after hearing so many good things about it and the Clarins Aquatic Treasures Bronzing Compact. I loved the bronzer last year but didn't get round to buying it so I just had to this year as it is so beautiful! 

I'm looking forward to trying all of these products and I'm sure they will be featuring more on the blog, once I've had a chance to play with them. Have you used any of these?

APRIL FAVOURITES

April was a pretty good month; I experienced my first ever bank holiday, where I had four whole days off work, which was absolutely amazing when you've been used to working all of them and getting a whole two days off together was rare, and so a treat in itself. On the subject of weekends, I've had a really lovely month just spending my weekends seeing family, it's surprising how the simplest things can be so special. Now onto the favourites; I haven't got too many this month as I haven't used a great deal of products or explored too many new ones, but the ones I will be talking about have really stood out to me. 

I feel the need to first talk about the L'oreal Infallible 24H Matte foundation,as it was only last month that a different L'oreal foundation made it into my March Favourites post. I think I may be a foundation junkie, but I do feel that it is one of those items that really make or break your whole make up look and especially the longevity, which is important to me. I love this foundation for my normal - shiny t zone complexion. It looks quite matte but not flat when you first apply it but throughout the day I do notice that my t zone does still look a little shiny, so I wouldn't say it stays completely matte all day but unless you have seriously oily skin, I don't necessarily see that as a problem. It's more of a natural glow that it lets through with my skin type, which I'm happy with as it keeps the skin looking fresh and radiant. If you have oily skin I think this would still work for you, but you may just have to powder through out the day. I find that this foundation has really good staying power and my make up still looks good and in place at the end of the day 

I had been wanting to get a black liquid liner for a while as I only had a gel Make up Geek one, which I do love but I wanted something that was quicker and not so hard to repurchase, for everyday wear. I wanted to get a L'oreal one but Boots were rubbish and didn't seem to have any in stock or any testers for the one they did, so I picked up the Soap & Glory SuperCat black liquid liner pen. I love how quick and easy this is to use, it's also very black and lasts really well all day. The only thing I don't like is that as it is a pen form, so slightly thicker, I haven't quite mastered a neat flick/wing just yet, as I normally use a fine brush. 

Lush's Eau Roma Toning Water, has definitely made my skin feel so much more hydrated and soft. It's the most refreshing spray to use after cleansing my skin, as it's quite a 'wet' spray, in the sense that a lot more product sprays out than for example how a setting spray dispenses. This is great for a skincare product, as you're not worried about your skin getting too drenched. It does adsorb into the skin quickly, leaving such a hydrated feel to the skin. 

I have had the Bare Minerals Flawless Radiance Brush since least year, when as soon as I saw it and felt it, I loved it! Shortly after using it, I had a weird skin reaction, where my skin went very sensitive in certain areas and quite red and dry. I knew sometimes natural hair brushes can have this affect, so I stopped using it. Recently I found it again and thought I would give it another go and so far so good! It must have been something else. I love this brush for blending out the final stages of my make up or applying a light covering of powder. It's long bristles make it perfect for applying a light amount of product or just simply buffing over the face to make sure every thing is seamless. 

A negative of no longer working in a beauty department is that I can't lather luxurious creams all over my hands, arms, neck... all day everyday. I now carry with me the Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream and it really helps instantly soften and smooth my hands. It's one of my favourite hand creams and I've been very grateful to have it around when my hands have felt or looked less than perfect this month. 

Finally, I've really liked wearing Roberto Cavalli's fragrance, Roberto Cavalli. It is described as a 'vibrant and sensual,' 'exuberant and sunny' frangrance belonging to the 'ambery floral family.' It contains orange blossom, which I always find myself being drawn to.  I think the description is quite accurate and find that I get a lot of compliments when wearing this fragrance, from both men and women.

BARE MINERALS MINERALIXIRS FACIAL OIL & EYE BALM REVIEW

I'm a huge fan of Bare Minerals make up and I've also really liked a lot of the skincare from the range, so  I was really excited when I heard that Bare Minerals were releasing a cleansing oil, as I have been using an oil in my routine for about 2 years now and I like how they work with my skin. 

Considering how excited I was, I still waited until there was a discount on before I bought the products - like the money savvy shopper I am.If you've seen my High End Beauty Haul or Clarins Haul, you'll know that I recently - well over a month ago now, left my retail, make up counter job *jumps up and down with joy* which obviously meant that I had to say goodbye to discount, so I decided to stock up.

"At the heart of ever bareMinerals Mineralixirs botanical oil and mineral blend you'll find rosehip seed oil. This deeply nourishing oil is rich in Omega 3 and 6, known to soothe skin, target signs of aging, replenish the skin's natural moisture barrier and recapture skin's youthful radiance."

Facial Cleansing Oil

I really love using this oil to remove my make up as it's so quick and easy to use; it also doesn't irritate my eyes when I use it to remove eye make up. It's a lightweight oil, that feels so gentle on the skin. I use a flannel to wash off the cleanser and it leaves my skin feeling so nourished and fresh. I always know when I like a cleanser as it leaves my skin feeling really soft and comfortable, instead of slightly dry and tight feeling, like others have done. The cleanser is infused with  a blend of plant-derived oils and a skin-enhancing mineral complex, which just sounds so lovely to me. I always feel like my skin looks really clear after using this, especially on my nose where I have black heads,  it seems like it actually helps to clear them.   I think the cleanser would be great for all skin types as it's light weight and doesn't leave any oily feel to the skin, so it would suit oily complexions, yet it's so nourishing and hydrating that it would work really well for drier skins too. 

Eye Nourishing Oil Balm

At first I wasn't too sure about the whole oil balm for an eye cream idea and it also got a lot of negative reactions from some of the other girls that I worked with. I was so intrigued at the end of one day that I decided to try a little over my make up. Later that evening, my eye area did feel really smooth so I decided it was probably worth giving it a full chance. I only ever use this product at night as I've heard others say it will just completely break up your make up if worn during the day. When I first used it properly I think I applied a little too much and it didn't seem to absorb into the skin very well .The next day I used a lot less and found that this worked a lot better, as it's an oil it blends over the skin so easily, so you only need a small amount.  The balm is formulated with restorative oils and skin-enhancing minerals, which just draws me into Bare Minerals every time. It feels very nourishing on the skin, like a good night time treat for the eye area. I feel like my eye area looks and feels hydrated and really smooth.

Overall I love both of these products and I don't have any complaints. Have you tried these products or anything else from the Bare Minerals skincare range?

A HIGH END WISHLIST

I thought that I was completely shopped out after my recent High End Haul but clearly I was wrong and now I just can't shift the spendy feeling. There were a few products that I knew I had been lusting after so I decided that I would compile together this post partly so I could see how much damage I wanted to do and also to share it with fellow beauty obsessives for some moral support. I didn't quite realise how many products were actually on my list... Oh dear.

First things first, Clarins. I definitely thought I had bought everything I possibly could from Clarins after my Skincare Haul but there's still a couple of things on the list. I did intent to get the Eye Contour Balm but it was out of stock at the time. I also wanted the Liquid Bronze Self Tan as I've heard such good things about it and think it will be great for the summer months. I've had a sample of the One-Step Cleanser and really liked it, for when I'm feeling lazy and want something quick, especially in the mornings. It smells amazing and feels so refreshing. I resisted temptation to buy the Clarins Bronzer last year when it came out but now that they've released it again for their summer collection I'm just not sure I can resist it this time round. 

I've never actually tried anything from Origins but it's always popping up on blogs. I currently don't have a back up product for a moisturiser so I've been eyeing up the Ginzing range and the eye cream also sound lovely. I've also put the Eye Doctor on there as the description sounded so nice. I'm starting to think I'm a bit of a sucker for eye creams...

I like the sound of the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate as a good all rounder serum for overnight. I'm quite lacking in the serum department and only really have the Clarins Treatment Oils which are amazing but I tend to only really use them when my skin is feeling like it actually needs the treatment aspect, so it would be nice to have a good all rounder serum for most nights. Caroline Hirons has recently been raving about the Moisture Surge Face Spray by Clinique so obviously it's taken my fancy. I like using moisturising/hydrating sprays in my routine and this one seems like a good choice when my current one runs out. 

Time for lipsticks! I love the colour of the Urban Decay Sheer Revolution Lipstick in Rapture. It's a perfect easy to wear everyday colour, that gives a plum-pink look to the lips. As it's sheer, it's so easy to just apply it quickly and it doesn't look too over done for everyday. I received a MAC voucher for Christmas that surprisingly is yet to be spent. I haven't decided which lipstick I want yet but I have been admiring Brave, Twig, Plumful and Syrup maybe..? Let me know your favourites! 

I'm a huge Bare Minerals foundation fan anyway but recently I'm also enjoying a lighter coverage of foundation, so I'm really interested in trying the Complexion Rescue. I swatched a tiny amount the other week and it did look really lovely, a decent amount of coverage and really radiant. Urban Decay's Summer launches includes the gorgeous Afterglow blushes; there are so many colours that look amazing so I know at least one will just have to go on the list. The final product on the list is the Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara. It's such a raved about product and although I do really like the Urban Decay Perversion Mascara I still don't think it's the one, so I'm still on the hunt for the perfect mascara. 

CLARINS SKINCARE HAUL

This may seem a little excessive in the skincare department even for us beauty bloggers, as lets face it - there's not one but three cleansers here! If you've read my High End Beauty Haul post you will know that I recently left my retail, make up counter job for a life of Monday-Friday, no weekends, no bank holiday, no rude customer bliss. The only thing I decided that I would miss from my old job was the staff discount, so to ease the pain I decided to stock up on products that I knew I would use, so that I don't have to pay full price for them any time soon. 

One of my absolute favourite skincare products that I own is the Clarins Blue Orchid Treatment Oil. I contemplated repurchasing a back up but decided that instead I should just get the Lotus version for oily/combination skin, as I still have most of the bottle left. I don't have uncontrollably oily skin but I do often look in the mirror near the end of the day and think I'm slightly more lets say 'dewy' than I'd like to be, or in places that I don't want that natural glow. 

Another of my favourite Clarins products is the Extra Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing cream. I bought this as a back up as my boyfriend also quite likes to use it as he has pretty dry/sensitive skin. It's a great cleanser for all skin types; it smells lovely and leaves the skin really soft and comfortable feeling. 

A further repurchase was the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner. I like this product when I use it but I do often forget to use it, as I only aim to use it a few times a week at most. I'm trying to use mine more in my routine to see more of a difference. I repurchased as I don't have anything else like it in my routine, so I took advantage of the discount but I'm now interested in trying the Pixi Glow Tonic after as it's around the same price. 

Okay this is getting a little samey but the final repurchase was the Cleansing Milk and Toning lotion set for oily combination skin. The set was only £22 originally and also included a travel size eye make up remover so with my discount it was a great bargain! I love both of these products and they have a more typical 'Clarins scent,' even though they are the cheaper of Clarins products I always feel a little luxurious when using these products. 

The last product I bought was the Pure Melt Cleansing Gel. I received a sample of this before and really enjoyed using it as it left my skin feeling so silky, hydrated and refreshed. It's a gel formula but once you add water it turns to more of a milk. 

I was contemplating getting even more but I didn't want to just spend for the sake of the discount, as although I'd be saving a lot, if it's stuff I wouldn't have actually bought it doesn't really count as a good deal... I turned down the cellulite cream as I was very sceptical that any cream could actually combat cellulite, so instead I'll just go for a few more runs and squat a little more... joy.  I did buy a couple of make up items but I think they'll make an appearance later on. 

What are your favourite products from Clarins? 

MARCH FAVOURITES

March has been a pretty exciting month for me as I started my new job and it also marked my 6 year anniversary with my boyfriend. Even so,I'm quite glad March is over now as I couldn't be more ready for the weather to start getting warmer, although ironically as I type this, I've just got in from nearly being blown away by the crazy wind. 

The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter

I've had this cleansing butter for a while now and use it now and again, mostly when my skin is feeling like it needs a bit more nourishment when removing my make up. The next morning my skin felt so much better and this was the only product that I'd changed in my routine. I still don't use it everyday but I have been using it a lot this month. 

L'oreal True Match Foundation 

There is nothing that I don't like about this foundation. It applies well, it's the right amount of medium coverage to still look natural but flawless, it lasts really well throughout the day and you don't need much of it at all.  The shade is still slightly dark for me and it's N2 and I don't exactly have pale skin, so I'm not sure how it works for those with really fair skin but I know there are a lot of shades. 

Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer

I had high expectations for this concealer as I had heard a lot of good things about it yet when I first tried it, it didn't wow me. I liked it but it didn't seem anything special. I carried on using it here and there and on one of those days when I looked in the mirror, I thought how well concealed and brightened my under eyes looked. I'm thinking of doing a separate post about this concealer so I wont say too much now! 

Clarins Hydra Quench Intensive Serum

I got this a while ago as a free gift with some other Clarins purchases and was excited to use it, I just hadn't got round to trying it for one reason or another. Since starting my new job I've found a use for it in my routine. I now work in an office, which for the first couple of weeks had the heating cranked up, which  left my skin feeling very dehydrated. I've gone from being freezing cold in my old job, to overly hot, but thankfully I think that's sorted now. I loved the Clarins serum as it's really lightweight but feels so hydrating on the skin. It's perfect for people with normal and oily skin types, like myself who need the hydration but don't want the heavy feel. Although I loved it, Clarin's serums are expensive, so I'm not sure I want to purchase the full size just yet. 

Urban Decay Perversion Mascara

I've been using this mascara everyday for the last month maybe and have really enjoyed using it. I particularly love the brush as it's big enough to catch all the lashes easily, yet not too big that you can't control it and it ends up going everywhere. It builds up length and volume pretty quickly too. It does definitely work better with the Subversion primer, but it's still more than good enough for everyday wear alone. It's supposed to contain ultra black pigments, which really do show. When I use the mascara my lashes look so dark, which I really like as I feel like it makes my eyes look more awake and defined. It lasts all day and I've never had a problem with smudging and it also removes easily when I use a cleanser. I would probably repurchase this mascara! 

Urban Decay Perversion 24/7 Glide on Eye Pencil 

If you've read my 'Everyday Make up' post you'll have seen this eye liner mentioned. I don't normally wear pencil liner and prefer to line my upper lash line with gel liner, yet since toning down my make up, as I mentioned in my 'Everyday Make up' post, I've been really liking using this eye liner and smudging it out across my upper lash line as it's really quick and easy. I can't use this eye liner on my water line as it makes my eyes water, but it's great anywhere else. 

Barry M Olive Nail Paint 

I think I bought this last year and never got around to using it as the green tone slightly scares me on the nails. I finally applied it last week and I really love it. It's a lovely shade, perfect for this time of year, as it's not quite a spring pastel shade, but a kind of just before the spring nails shade... if that makes any sense at all?! I like it because it's a really unique shade and moreover, it lasted on my nails amazingly well, in comparison to my normal nail varnishes. 

L'oreal Eva's Nude

Recently I've been reaching for this lipstick a lot as it's a really pretty and easy to wear nude shade. I like it as I often forget to put anything on my lips, so just having this in my bag is handy as it instantly completes the look and perks up your make up look, yet still looks really pretty and natural. 

There we have another bunch of favourites, all of which I think I'll be enjoying for a long time. 

What products have you been loving this month?

FAVOURITE BODY PRODUCTS OF 2014

Looking back over the selection of products that I have chosen, they do seem pretty random but they are the products that most stood out to me and the ones that I most enjoyed using in 2014. Most of these products were also discovered in 2014 - I think! 

Laura Mercier ambre vanille 

I first discovered how amazing the ambre vanille range smelt when my sister and I went to London to see Taylor Swift. We stopped off in Covent Garden to do some shopping and obviously found our way to Space NK. I sprayed the ambre vanille fragrance on my wrist and for the rest of the day I was sniffing my wrist non stop, like some crazed addict. It's such a gorgeous and unique scent. My mum and sister kindly bought me the fragrance and body cream as graduation presents. The only issue is I use the body cream so sparingly as it's so ridiculously expensive, but then I don't want it to just go off, so I better start slapping it on! 

Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream

I didn't think something so simple as a hand cream could be so luxurious. I've tried using cheaper hand creams, as lets face it, it's just hand cream. The Clarins cream leaves your hands so much softer and hydrated and also helps to keep your nail bed area from getting dry. As an added bonus, it has that classic Clarins scent to it. 

Xen Tan Moroccan oil 

I've had a bit of a love/hate relationship with all fake tan products; even the most hyped about products do not seem to work for me. I often apply the darkest shades, spend the next 8 + hours looking and smelling like 'biscuit girl,' as my dear boyfriend likes to call me. I then wash it off and have a slight golden glow to show for my hours of trying to achieve a dark tan. The Xen Tan Moroccan oil is definitely one of my favourites to use, as it gives the best colour, lasts well and I feel that the moroccan oil element to it really helps the skin, as a lot of fake tans can be quite drying. I also loved the Lauren's Way Rapid tan, for it's obvious speed, but like I said, the Xen Tan wins for me as it gave the best results overall. 

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

The Sugar Crush range has an absolutely amazing scent to it; it's so fresh, fruity, zingy and just so invigorating. The scrub elements are tough enough to leave your skin really smooth, yet not too rough and harsh. 

I've just realised that I seem obsessed with scents, which is probably true, but I just can't get into products that don't smell lovely too. What were your favourite body products of 2014?

SKINCARE SAVIOURS

I've only really got into skincare in the last couple of years; before I have to admit I was often guilty of... dun, dun, dun...... not taking my make up off before bed. I now cannot go to bed without a clean face. I have no idea what type my skin is as it seems to play tricks a lot and go from completely normal, to dry, dehydrated, to oily, to spot prone, it's combination in the most varied sense. During my skincare journey, I've come across some staple products that I turn to for each of my problem types. 

Dry Skin

I have never been someone who suffers from dry skin, so I was really unprepared when this drought hit... haha get it?! I found that The Body Shop's Camomile Cleansing Butter worked really well, as it felt very nourishing on the skin and didn't feel drying at all but instead left my skin so soft to touch. Luckily with a purchase from Clarins I received the Santal Face Treatment Oil sample. At the time I didn't think this was lucky at all as I was actually buying the same oil but for dehydrated skin and I had never suffered from dry skin so I thought it was a bit of a waste of a sample. When I did suffer from dry skin, it was a blessing; it's so nourishing! The hazel nut oil helps to soothe and calm dry and irritated skin, so it's the perfect skin rescue product. I used the Kielh's Avocado eye treatment when my eyes were really dry and horrible and it worked so well as it's quite thick and creamy and really soothed the skin. 

Dehydrated skin

My favourite products to use when my skin feels dehydrated are the Hydraluron serum and the Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil, for, you guessed it, dehydrated skin. I normally use the serum during the day and the facial oil at night and if I'm feeling dehydrated I use both at night. Both leave the skin feeling and looking so plumb and fresh. I always find that any fine lines look diminished and my make up applies smoother as my skin is in better condition. 

Blemish prone skin 

I thought I was so lucky to not have bad skin throughout my teenage years, however, now in my 20's, I've started to constantly get break outs. Really, they're not that bad at all, compared to some things that you can suffer with, but that doesn't mean they're any less annoying or that I'm any less self concious of them. My favourite cleanser to use whenever I have a particular bad break out is the REN Clarifying Clay Cleanser. It is specifically aimed at blemish prone skin and it just feels so refreshing on the skin and really does a great job at calming the area and bringing down the spot size. It's also doesn't contain any harmful ingredients. treatment wise, the Bare Minerals Blemish Remedy is very good as it helps treat the spots but doesn't dry them out or leave the horrible whiter residue that most do. I also like to use the Lush Mask of Magnaminty, as it really seems to calm down any problems on the skin. 

Dull Skin

I like to use the Bare Minerals, Biolucent serum when my skin is looking a little tired. It really helps noticeably, brighten the skin and make it more radiant and luminous. 

I hope that has given you some ideas for when your skin is playing up. I didn't include oily skin as I don't think I have any specific products that really help. 

Have you found any amazing products for any of these skin problems?