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!

MY SELF TAN ROUTINE | LAUREN'S WAY GLAM TAN

 I used to apply self tan all year round and worry that I still looked pale - apparently a common symptom of a fake tan addiction. Last autumn/winter I decided to embrace my natural skin colour as there isn't really any need to be tanned when the temperatures are freezing outside. I also moved in with my boyfriend last year and it became less acceptable to walk around the house and to go to bed with a very unnaturally dark skin tone and smelling of biscuits. It was a joy not having to worry about ever having patchy skin, where your fake tan is starting to look less than perfect, or making time during the cold months to apply self tan and remove it! As the summer months loomed, I knew I would be turning to the self tan again as it was fine avoiding it during the winter months but once everyone starts getting real tans and showing more skin, I couldn't just sit there as pale as Snow White. 

As we all know exfoliation is key when it comes to applying self tan, so first I exfoliate my skin. My favourite lately is the LUSH Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub; it smells gorgeous and leaves the skin so smooth. I've recently bought some exfoliating gloves which are so quick and easy to use and are extra useful if you ever have stubborn fake tan that needs removing. I used a few different Lauren's Way self tans last year and really liked them, although they were the best ones that I have used, they did still have the usual biscuit smell and stinky/uncomfortable texture until you washed them off. I recently tried the Lauren's Way Glam Tan Darker Than Dark Spray formula and it has fast become my favourite self tan. I didn't know how I would feel about this one as I have never used a spray formula before. The application was really easy and seemed to work into the skin easier and quicker than the lotions or mousse formulas that I've used, I think because it's a lot more light weight. It also felt a lot better on the skin and I didn't feel like I was wearing self tan all day while waiting for it to develop. The colour was a really nice natural tanned look and it lasted and faded nicely once it had been on a week and didn't go patchy like most seem to. 

I like to use a gradual tan, like the Dove Summer Glow lotion if I feel like I need to top up my tan or if I'm short for time and don't want to have to apply the Lauren's Way. It's really nice, doesn't streak at all and gives a very good colour for a gradual tan. To make sure my skin is hydrated while wearing self tan I like to apply a really rich moisturiser, like The Body Shop body butters. The one that I am using at the moment is the Chocomania scent, which is gorgeous. I normally feel  like I need to apply more self tan once a week and the whole exfoliating process starts again! It does take a lot less time just embracing being pale, but I can't help but want to be tanned, especially during the summer months, or after watching The Kardashians... and these products make it as easy as it can be. 

I may have already bought two more back ups of the Lauren's Way self tan as they are currently 1/3 off at Superdrug - go go go! What are your favourite self tans?

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?

FEBRUARY FAVOURITES

It's about time that I wrote a favourites post; I often feel like there isn't any products that I haven't already spoke about or any that I have particularly liked that month also I haven't bought many new products (until now), so there isn't anything new and exciting to share.

As February was passing by I was noticing that I was particularly liking some of the products  that I was using and I had enough to mention. 

First, my mum bought me The Body Shop Glazed Apple body scrub and body butter for Christmas and I just started using them around the beginning of February. Unfortunately they were a Christmas fragrance, so no longer available but all of The Body Shop scents are amazing anyway! I love the smell of these, I think it's a bit more on the melon smelling side than apple but still just as good. The body butter feels so hydrating and the scrub is just the right consistency to use regularly. The smell of both definitely lingers on the skin and in the room which you apply the products. 

Two products that I rediscovered in February were the MUA Undress  palette and the Revlon Photo ready foundation. I've had the MUA palette for a while now and used to use it all of the time but then it kind of got kicked to the side when I started using MAC and Make up Geek shadows more. I forgot how much I loved the colours in the palette as it's so everyday appropriate and for the price it is pretty darn good! 

My sister gave me the Revlon Photo ready foundation as she hated it. I started using it as I knew it was one of the lighter coloured foundations that I own and as I've been ditching fake tan recently, I needed my light shades! I find that it applies really well, lasts a good amount of time on the skin and doesn't feel heavy or cakey. It's a light medium coverage and pretty lightweight, it gives a natural, to slightly dewy/radiant finish. 

I spoke about the Hoola bronzer by Benefit in my 2014 favourites, as I really like it for contouring. It stayed as my go to contouring product throughout February and I really enjoyed using it. I've just found another product that may have replaced it though, so keep your eyes peeled to find out what that is soon! 

I've had the Make up Geek Immortal black gel liner for quite some time now but I don't religiously use black liner. It's an amazing gel liner when I do use it, but It's not always in my routine. In February however, I noticed how much I enjoy using it and how I prefer my eyes when I do use it. I've been loving using it to create a nice winged out look, by also blended black eye shadow into the liner to make it more of a smoky line, instead of a stark black line. I've included the Sigma E05 as it's my favourite brush to apply the gel liner with, as it makes eye liner really easy to apply. 

February was a pretty good month, that seemed to just fly by. I'm excited and also a little apprensive about March, as I have something new happening which I will probably mention in one of my next posts. I hope you all had a great February and have a happy March!

What products have you been loving?

SKINCARE EMPTIES: PRODUCTS I'VE USED UP

Here are the skincare products that I have managed to use up over the past... well lets face it probably a fair few months - to say the least, as I have three moisturisers there. I like to hoard all of my used up products until I have a decent amount to show and then I can happily chuck them all away and start on some shiny new products. 

Lets start with moisturisers as there's a few there. I already said in a previous haul post (read it here), that I wouldn't be repurchasing the Ponds face moisturiser as it contains parabens. I used it anyway and it did the job well but wasn't anything special. The Body Shops Vitamin E cream was a bit disappointing for me as It smelt lovely but seemed to be too thick/heavy on my skin and seemed to cause break outs. I ended up using it as a neck cream, just to finish up the product. On a more positive note, I did really like the Bare Minerals Purely Nourishing Moisturiser; It felt light weight enough, yet still offered the perfect amount of moisture and hydration to the skin. I'm not sure if I will repurchase straight away as there are so many others to try, but it is one that I would be happy to repurchase at some point. 

Another Bare Minerals product that I managed to use up was the Renew and Hydrate eye cream. I really liked using this eye cream as it has a lovely, creamy consistency that applies to the delicate eye area so easily. It lasted me a really long time too. Unfortunately Bare Minerals are discontinuing this eye cream and replacing it with Mineralixirs Eye Nourishing Balm, which is a shame as it was a really good product. I may try the new balm at some point, but right now I have a Clinique one eagerly waiting to be used. 

If you've read my 'hyped products that I'm not in love with' post, you'll know I'm not a fan of the Lush fresh face masks. This mask was used up before I wrote that post, so I haven't gone back on my word. I really don't find that any of the masks do anything for my skin. They're fun to use and sounds and smell good but in reality there are much better masks out there that do make a difference to your skin.

I enjoyed using the Trilogy Hydrating Mist Toner, it felt lovely on the skin and did seem to do a good job at hydrating. I haven't repurchased it as I want to try out some different hydrating toners, so if you have any recommendations let me know! 

I only really like the B.Pure Micellar Water for when I'm feeling lazy or have the last traces of make up to remove. It does the job and is pretty good at removing eye make up but it isn't anything special so I wont be repurchasing it. Likewise, The Body Shop Seaweed Clarifying Toner is very refreshing on the skin but it's not something I feel like I need in my routine. It's also for more oily skin, which I don't particularly have so I'm weary that it may be too much for my skin and in turn result in my skin over producing oil...  eeww? 

So there we go, another load of empties done and dusted! I've got some make up empties to show in the near future so keep an eye out if you're interested in seeing and hearing about a lot of different make up products that I have used up.

HOW TO LOOK FRESH & ALIVE DURING THE FESTIVE SEASON

We all know that this time of year is always pretty hectic; with busy schedules, lots of parties, increased working hours, deadlines, illnesses and the stress of Christmas shopping! It is no surprise if you're feeling a little run down and in need of a break! These are some of the products that I like to use when I have had too many busy days and late nights and want to pretend that I've had my 8 hours sleep and several facials of course... 

When my eyes are feeling incredibly tired and pretty much still asleep I always like to use a good hydrating eye cream, like the Bare Minerals Renew & Hydrate eye cream, as it always makes my under eyes feel so smooth and refreshed. You could also try keeping it in the fridge and then applying it to your under eyes to fight those pesky under eye bags.

I've recently been using The Body Shop's Vitamin C Energising Face Spritz; it smells of oranges and really hydrates your skin and makes it look a lot more fresh and radiant. You can also spray this onto your face during the day as a little pick me up. Another product that I like to use to add radiance to tired and dull skin is the Bare Minerals Biolucent Mineral Brightening Treatment. I really notice a difference when I use this product, as my skin looks so radiant and healthy, the kind of finish that a good dewy foundation would give. The cold weather is also a further battle to our skin, making it feel even more dry and dehydrated, so a good overnight mask like Clinique's Moisture surge mask is a must have.

There are of course a few make up must haves that really help to hide the appearance of dark circles and blemishes that have maybe appeared after one too many take aways or other naughty foods this time of year. I love Mac's Pro Longwear Concealer and Mac's Prep and Prime Highlighter in Radiant Rose. I always talk about both of these products on my blog so sorry if you're a regular reader, but they are just so good! I always find that a pretty pink blush makes you look so much more alive by adding a good amount of warmth and colour to your complexion. I've chosen Benefit's Bella Bamba as it's a gorgeous bright pink, that still looks like a natural flush of colour on the cheeks. Finally, to make you look even more fresh and alive, I like to add a little highlighter, like Mac's Soft and Gentle, to the cheekbones, brow bone and inner eye. This really lifts your eyes and makes them look so much bigger, brighter and awake. 

I hope you find some of these products useful to you during this festive season and know that you're not the only one feeling very tired and ready for a day off come Christmas day! It's times like this when I'm especially grateful that us woman can have a little helping hand in looking great with a little, or maybe even a lot of make up!

EMPTIES: THE BODY SHOP

The fact that there are not one but three empty body butters in this post kind of demonstrates just how long I've been hoarding what most would call rubbish, in my bedroom. I recently moved in with my boyfriend and upon finding my bag of 'empties' his response was, "is that something people actually want to read about? Is it like OMG I actually used something up!" I guess I can see his point...

I have been working hard to decrease my beauty products stash, from looking like the stockroom of Boots to a more reasonable size. I'm pretty proud to say that it's been hard not buying five extra face cleansers and moisturisers, just in case... but I've finally managed it. Going off topic a little there but my point is, I've managed to use so much up that it was too much for one post so I'm going to break it down a little, starting with The Body Shop. I actually never shop in The Body Shop - okay rarely ever, but the body butters are just too good to ignore. 

My boyfriend bought me the Moringa body butter and I repurchased it for that reason as it was cute that he picked out a smell that he liked. It always reminds me of Summer as it's a floral but fresh scent that just screams sunshine. The Rasberry body butter was given to me by my sister as I was suffering with really dry, sore skin and like me, she has a tendency to 'collect' beauty products, so could spare me this one. This worked so well and smells gorgeous. I was a little apprehensive of the Coconut shimmer body butter and it wouldn't be something that I would have chosen myself but my mum bought me it for Christmas last year and I really loved it. I like the smell of coconut anyway but surprisingly also grew to love the shimmer effect it left on the skin. The shimmer is noticeable but still subtle so don't worry if resembling Edward Cullen isn't your thing, you're fairly safe. I would repurchase all three as they all smell gorgeous and left my skin very hydrated and as for the shimmer, well who can say no to looking a little prettier all over. 

I bought the Camomile cleansing oil before it became a hyped product and I would repurchase it again. It's great at removing make up and leaving your skin feeling really hydrated, soft and fresh. It also lasted quite a long time as you don't need to use too much for it to be effective. I'm currently using a different cleansing oil, but I much prefer this one, so it would definitely be the one I would repurchase. The Camomile eye make up remover came in a set with the cleansing oil - I wouldn't normally buy eye make up remover from the body shop as I tend to just get the cheapest. What can I say, it took off my eye make up easily, it did its job - there really isn't anything interesting to say about eye make up remover. Finally, the Hemp Hand Protector, hand cream formulated for very dry skin. This is where it all goes down hill. I did not like this hand cream at all; considering it is for 'very dry skin,' when I used it when my hands were quite sore it didn't seem to do very well. It feels okay on normal conditioned hands but then that isn't what it's apparently intended for. Another annoying aspect of the hand cream was that it looked empty after a couple of uses and I'm sure I only used it no more than 10 times before it was empty. Which brings me onto moaning about the packaging - as who can put on a fiddly screw top after applying hand cream! To top it off, I don't like the smell.

I can now finally chuck these products out for good! What are your favourite products from The Body Shop and which do you find yourself constantly repurchasing? 

JUNE FAVOURITES

You knew it was coming... but we are now over half way through the year!

I'm quite glad to be on this half of the year now; the weather's nicer and I've got a few things that I'm now looking forward to, like holidays, my friends wedding and the thought of not having to do uni work come September is pretty amazing!

I originally was deliberating over whether to actually do a favourites this month, as lately I've been being pretty good and not buying much make up at all. I say that like it's a big achievement, but I've just remembered that May included a haul post and considering it's only one month since then, maybe I haven't been doing so well... hmm. 

Anyway, I had a look around and there actually has been quite a few products, mostly old, that I have been regularly using and loving this month. First up, Lauren's Way Solution 60, which you can read a full review of 'here.' I like to keep up a tan all year round, however as it's now pretty warm outside - if you're in the UK, hopefully I've picked one of the warm days/hours to post this and not a torrential rainfall day. I've been reaching for this product due to it's quick developing time and it gives a gorgeous colour too.

 Next, to go along with the bronzed look, is the Bare Minerals Ready Color Boost, in The Beach is Waiting and the fan brush. They  came as a set, called The First Resort,  with a lipgloss included, which I like but I don't love as much as these two products. Originally, I looked at the set and thought, I don't really want the lipgloss, I don't ever use shimmer bronzers so really I don't need this. However, I really wanted the fan brush and I'd seen Casey Holmes and Amanda Ensing mention this in one of their youtube videos and well, I just needed it. As I work in a department store, on one of the make up counters, I also get a pretty okay discount, along with my points card, meant I only paid £17 for a lipgloss, brush and bronzer, now who wouldn't turn that down? The packaging is a gorgeous reflective bronze colour, the brush is so soft and works amazing when applying the shimmer/highlighter shades to the cheekbones, to give a really healthy glowy look. 

Speaking about the glowy look, that leads me on to the next product, MAC's Skin Base Visage. You can read the full review 'here.' I bought this last year some time and used it religiously for months, but for some reason stopped this year and have only just found it again. It has shimmer particles in it, which give a gorgeous fresh glow to the skin which under make up are very pretty and subtle. If you've read my 'Skincare Saviours' post, you'll know that my skin has just been doing whatever the hell it wants to lately and for the first time in 21 years it feels slightly dry. The Skin Base Visage is so hydrating that I've been constantly reaching for it. On the topic of dry skin, I've been constantly using The Body Shop's Moringa Body Butter, as it's so nourishing on the skin. My boyfriend bought me a Moringa Body Butter last year and as he chose it, it's now one of those special scents to me as I know he likes it. It's also such a summery scent that I love using it this time of year. Obviously this isn't the same pot, but every time it runs out I just have to repurchase. 

The MAC Prep + Prime highlighter in Radiant Rose, has been a staple of mine every month since buying it last year. I'm surprised it still seems to be going strong, as I use it all the time. It's amazing for brightening the under eye, I keep trying to not use it, to be quicker and use less products but I always look at my under eye and think, no I have to use it, it's just so good!

I've always loved false eye lashes and have been trying to wear them successfully and failing quite often for so many years. I think it's only this year that I've been able to successfully apply all of my eye make up and then add the lashes and actually have them stay on and not mess up my make up. I think the Duo eyelash adhesive has had a lot to do with that. It works really well and keeps the lashes in place all day. I think I may just get the white version next time as it dries clear anyway, as sometimes the black can get a little messy. My favourite lashes lately have been the Ardell Demi Wispies as they're fairly natural looking but so full and long, they're really lightweight and comfortable to wear. When I haven't been wearing false lashes, I've been reaching for the L'oreal False Lash Flutter mascara. It's a great mascara for both length and volume and works great on the lower lashes too. It's not my holy grail but it's my favourite out of the ones I've currently got on the go.

I hope you all had a great June! What were your favourite products?

REVIEW: THE BODY SHOP - CHOCOMANIA

As strange as it may seem to say this but, we kind of have a love hate relationship with the smell of the Chocomania products. Normally, we wouldn't go near anything that smells anything like chocolate or cake or anything like that; we prefer fresh or fruity scents. However, we were just smelling all of the body butters, as you do... and came across this one. Both of our reactions were 'eurgh that's gross.' However, after smelling it again... thinking about it, why would you smell something a second time after just calling it gross??

Anyway, we decided that surprisingly, there was something about it that we actually liked. It's one of those smells that you don't usually like and you don't really want to like but you can't help yourself but keep on smelling it anyway as there's something about it! So long story semi short, I got the body scrub and Hannah got the body butter.

Chocomania Sugar Body Scrub:

The smell is obviously chocolate, with cocoa butter, which it includes so no surprise there. It's a fairly rich smell but the cocoa butter seems to make it a little softer so it isn't overpowering.  The smell doesn't seem to last on the skin after you've washed it off, by just using the scrub on its own, however the smell might stay stronger if you used the butter afterwards. 

I was expecting the texture to be quite rough and a heavy duty scrub, however it's much softer than that. I use exfoliators and body scrubs mostly to remove the remains of my fake tan when it has come to the end of it's life, this scrub didn't do the best job at that and I had to revert to my trusty Soap & Glory scrub instead. It's quite gentle as the sugar scrub pieces are so tiny, it is however, very creamy and velvet feeling on the skin. This scrub would be good for anyone who only wants to use it as a gentle exfoliator, just not if you're hoping for much more. I imagine that it would be good for people with either sensitive skin or a little dry as it's really nice and moisturising. it's a pretty fun and interesting fragrance however I doubt that I would repurchase it, as it's not really tough enough and there's so many others that I'd love to try.

 Chocomania Body Butter:

As with all Body Shop Body Butters, this offers great hydration to the skin and leaves it feeling soft and smooth. I never felt any discomfort or dryness while wearing the body butter, even after the next time I showered, my skin still felt moisturised. The texture is quite thick and creamy but still absorbs into the skin nicely and fairly quickly. Unlike the scrub the chocolatey smell does last on the skin but it is a subtle smell. The butter contains 13 community fair trade ingredients, which is apparently the most that The Body Shop have ever put into one product. I would recommend this body butter to anyone who loves the smell of chocolate and cocoa butter and wants a really rich and creamy moisturiser, which is very long lasting. 

 

EMPTIES #1

If you've had a look around our blog, you'll understand when I say a regular clear out of our makeup bags is necessary to fit in all the new purchases that accidentally force their way into our lives -  this addiction is not my fault, I swear! 

So here are some of the empty products that are out of our lives, some for good, and others will require a trip to Superdrug to repurchase!

1. Body Shops Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion is £8 for a 50 ml bottle. I got this for my birthday and it's lasted 4 months, which would mean that you'd only have to purchase three bottles and it would last the whole year, which is pretty cost effective. I use the lotion every night to give my skin time away from makeup to refresh and sort out any little problem areas.  The lotion has a more watery texture and does not leave the skin feeling oily which I have previously experienced with other lotions. It leaves the skin feeling fresh and the tea tree helps combat skin issues  and so overall I would recommend this product although if you have extremely dry skin (my forehand is always slightly dry) a thicker application is required meaning it would not last as long.  

2. Rimmel match Perfection, is a fairly low to medium coverage foundation. We've both had this foundation and really didn't think much of it. It's very watery and just looks sooooooo shiny/oily on the skin, so maybe it would be a nice foundation for really dry skin. We don't even have majorly oily skin, we have combination skin types and it wasn't any good for us so I would definitely stay far away if you do have oily skin.

3.This is my third pot of Benefit's Erase Paste at £19.50 in the last three years, so I can confidently say that I am a fan of the long lasting, thick elastic texture. Like all Benefit products, it comes equip with instructions as to where the product should be applied which is always helpful, however I use the concealer more for spots than to brighten however both would be achieved. The only slight downfall is that I use an alternative under eye concealer as I feel this product is too thick to apply in such a delicate area. 

4. Benefit's they're real! I really love this mascara as it gives volume as well as length with the end of  the wand allowing maximum coverage of all the lashes in the corners of the eye, making the eye really stand out. The false look is better achieved with multiple applications which means if you are in a rush and as mascara is one of the last products I apply it can become pretty tedious. Although I love the shape and result at £19.50 it is not worth the price and I would much prefer to pick up a L'oreal or Maybeline introductory offer mascara. 

5.Please excuse the wear on the box but this is an empties post! Benefit's Coralista is undoubtedly my favorite blusher and has lasted me over 2 years (explaining the condition of the box!), using it almost everyday which is incredible! The product has an amazing smell and great pigmentation, although I do not use the brush supplied, opting instead for Real Techniques blusher brush. In addition, the mirror is slightly too small to use. Overall £23.50 seems extortionate however due to the fact it lasts such a long time and looks so lovely on the skin with a slight shimmer I will be replacing this soon!

6.   Benefit's Girl Meets Pearl, is a highlighter/complexion enhancer. It's a really pretty pearly pink colour and gives your skin a gorgeous glow. It was a nice product to use however, It's unlikely that I'll be repurchasing as it's pretty expensive at £24.50!! 

7. Rimmel's Stay Matte foundation is not a favorite of mine.  It gave okay coverage however I didn't notice that it left me looking any more matte than normal, or controlled oil better or worse. I just wasn't wow'd by it at all. There are also only 5 shades available which does limit the consumer range substantially. 

8. Max factor xperience foundation, this foundation lasted ages! It looks like there isn't too much product inside it but it really did last a long time. It's a medium coverage foundation and looks really natural on the skin, but still really enhances your complexion. It's also very light weight so won't clog your pores. I did like this foundation, however I probably won't rush to repurchase as there are so many others which I'd like to try.

9. Maybeline's Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner is long lasting and comes in black and brown shades. I will be repurchasing this again when Superdrug has a three for two offer on as at £7.99 it is more justified to be getting something free! With regular washing and upkeep the brush is easy to apply without being too thin, making it fidley to apply. The liner stays on well all day, however I have experienced some fall down throughout the day but solved this by applying extra powder under the eye. 

10.  I bought Bourjois' Healthy Balance powder on a three for two offer along with the matching foundation and concealer. All together, the collection gives your face a fresh and radiant feel while giving high coverage meaning not as much is needed and so they have lasted well. However I will only buy the foundation again as I find Rimmel's Stay Matte powder to be just as effective and flawless for a much less price. It also smells soo good!

REVIEW: THE BODY SHOP - EARTH LOVERS SHOWER GEL

It's no secret that we're all buying so many beauty products all packaged in so much plastic etc... which apparently is pretty bad for the environment...woops! When I saw these 100% biodegradable shower gels in The Body shop , I couldn't resist. They looked so fresh and the fragrances were very inviting. On top of this, there was no guilt in buying them as they're 100% biodegradable, so good for the environment! 

 

 The shower gels can be bought separately or in a pack of three for £9. They immediately caught my eye; putting aside their environmentally friendly draw the shower gels lots of lovely scents, the ones I bought are; Cucumber &Mint, Pear &Lemongrass and Lemon & Thyme, there were more a few more scents in the store, but these were my favorite. The product has a very light, watery texture however, very little is needed and a lather is easily created. They are also really gentle on the skin. Therefore, I feel they are pleasing to the body and the earth!    

REVIEW: Body Shop - Body Butters

REVIEW: Body Shop -  Body Butters

L-R: Moringa, Vineyard Peach,  Pink Grapefruit

It's finally spring/summer time and that can only mean one thing in moisturiser world - fun, fruity fragrances! 

The Body Shop is renowned for its beautifully smelling body butters and these three certainty do not disappoint. The body butters are thick and creamy but absorb quickly into the skin, so you're not left standing awkwardly while waiting to get dressed. The Body Shop claim that the butters offer 24-hour hydration, which we would agree with as your skin is left soft and  smooth all day. All three butters are suitable for normal to dry skin and can therefore cater for even the driest of skin. They each hold 200ml and cost £13. If the price seems a tad too much for moisturiser, you can always find offers in store and online, especially if you sign up for one of their reward cards, which gives you 10% off every purchase over £10, for a year; we're always receiving emails giving anything up to 40% off online.

• Moringa:   Moringa is a current favorite for me (Georgia), as it was a gift from my boyfriend, however it seems a common favorite, as Body Shop describe it as one of their best sellers. It contains Community Fair Trade Shea butter and has a delicate white floral scent.The scent is very flowery, but fresh and is the kind of scent that just reminds you of sunshine... so, perfect for when the English weather doesn't accommodate our need for sunshine!

• Vineyard Peach:  Peach really does smell just like freshly picked peaches. It's scent is so real and fruity, you really do just want to eat it. It's subtle enough to not be over powering however, it still leaves the scent of peaches on your skin for hours.
  
  
• Pink Grapefruit: Pink Grapefruit smells exactly as zingy as a real grapefruit and offers a long lasting fruity freshness to the skin.