27/05/2014

Clarins Treatment Fragrance - Sunshine Scent



I work in a rather touristy Town called Bakewell (famous for it's Bakewell puddings) and there is a shop come beauty salon here called Bamboo Beauty which is a stockist of my most favourite cosmetics brand ever...Clarins! Which I must say is rather dangerous, I have been found many a lunch hour mooching around this shop spending my monthly salary on all things Clarins. On my most recent trip I bought a few new products one of which being the Clarins Treatment Fragrances in the Sunshine scent. I'm not gonna lie this wasn't on the top of my to buy list but there was an offer in the shop and I needed to buy one more item to receive three free products and a beach bag so the lovely sales lady pointed me in the direction of the Treament Fragrances and as I am going on holiday in around a weeks time I thought I would get the Sunshine scent to take with me. Boy, am I glad I bought this.

I'll be honest, I am already a humungous Clarins fan and completely buy into the brand and everything they do and stand for so really they don't need to do a hell of a lot for me to love any product they have on the market. I used this scent last Sunday for an outing with my boyfriend and oh my did I love it! I have now pretty much used up half the bottle so may need to purchase some more for my holiday, oopsy!

It has a completely unique totally summer scent, the only way it can be described is...have you ever tried the Clarins suncare range? If so, it smells just like the suncare but in a scent form, it is quite citrusy so I imagine will work wonders for keeping mosquitos and other midgies away on holiday. With plant extracts and essential oils of Sicilian mandarin and grapefruit it makes for a perfect combination of aromatherapy and phytotherapy. Containing ylang-ylang, tonka bean and patchouli.

"Skin that is ready for time outdoors thanks to non-fragrant plant extracts that provide skin care benefits: watermelon, rich in vitamins and amino acids, helps tone the skin, griffonia seeds contain a serotonin precursor known for its beneficial effects on one's mood. The skin is soft, soothed and hydrated thanks to the properties of mimosa, linden and camomile".

I absolutely adore this fragrance, it smells amazing and feels great on the skin. I half expected this scent to be a little oily as I just kept thinking essential oils in my head but it isn't oily in one bit so doesn't stain clothing or leave skin feeling sticky. The scent is also extremely long lasting, I have been spritzing on in the morning before leaving for work and can still smell the scent at night-time. I would truly recommend this Clarins beauty, it will most certainly be making it's way into my suitcase for holiday and has cemented it's place as my favourite summer scent. At £32.00 for 100ml this is extremely reasonably priced and offers great value for money.

Have you tried any of the Clarins Treatment Fragrances?

19/05/2014

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturiser Creme Compact - Natural

 
I have always loved Laura Mercier and recently purchased the Tinted Moisturiser Crème Compact.

It benefits from a lightweight crème formula so gives great coverage and is totally buildable. It gives that 'your skin but better' look, so it's perfect for summer time when you're looking for a more natural dewy finish. It is very wearable and breathable so doesn't feel heavy when on the skin and lasts all day without the need for midday top ups.

It does come with a sponge applicator but I am not a massive fan of sponges for makeup application so have been using my flat foundation brush as I feel it gives more precision. With it's portable compact it is perfect for just chucking in your handbag when you're leaving the house. It also contains an SPF20 so will protect your skin whilst looking at your very best, I will most definitely be taking this on holiday with me...it is the ultimate travel and holiday companion. Available in 15 shades there is something for everyone.

Have you tried any Laura Mercier products? Are you a fan of tinted moisturiser?

16/05/2014

Getting Bikini Ready

So I recently posted about my holiday essentials and now I am posting about getting bikini ready so if you haven't already guessed I'm going on holiday! In just under four weeks! Are you excited I hear you ask, only a little, I haven't really thought about it that much...NOT!

So with it only being around 4 weeks until I go away I have been trying to get a little bit in shape ready to brave my bikini and here are a list of things I have been doing:

-Bootea teatox, I have been following Bootea on Instagram for a few weeks and have seen some real transformations of people using the tea. So I decided to give it a whirl for 2 weeks and see how I get on, I have been using it now for a week now and have already started to notice a change. You have one daytime detox tea bag every morning when you wake up to kick start your metabolism and then one bedtime cleanse tea bag every other night just before you go to bed. I was really surprised with the taste of the tea and have found I am really enjoying drinking it. It is made up of all natural ingredients, including: Chinese oolong tea, mate leaves, ginger root, fennel seeds, lemongrass, dandelion leaf, ginseng root, gotu kola leaves and nettle leaves. I would thoroughly recommend this tea if you are looking to have a system flush out and hopefully lose a couple of pounds in the process. 
-30 day squat challenge, well this is one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do in my life! But it works! It goes from doing 50 squats on day 1 to 250 on day 30 with a few rest days in between and believe you me it is not for the faint-hearted but is great to try if you want a perkier bottom.
-Exfoliating, so I have been exfoliating pretty much every other day and will do up until I go on holiday. I know this seems a little excessive but I want to make sure all dead skin cells are removed and there is no build up to stop me from getting an even tan, as we all know the secret to an even tan is exfoliation! I favourite exfoliator is Soap & Glory Pulp Friction, I absolutely love the stuff, it lathers up so also feels like a really luxurious shower gel and the scent smells good enough to eat. 
-Using a tan accelerator, as I have already mentioned I don't tan all that well so have been applying the Elemis Tan Accelerator every other day, it works by stimulating the melanin within your skin to develop a tan a lot quicker than if you were not to use one and it also prolongs your tan if you continue to use after your holiday. 

So that is pretty much my routine for the next 3 and a bit weeks. Are any of you going on holiday soon? What's your holiday routine?

12/05/2014

Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick - Bellissima


First of all I would like to apologise for the teeth/bite marks you can see on the packaging in these photos, my doggy Minnie decided this was her new play toy, needless to say mummy was not impressed!

So a couple of months back I went a little crazy in Boots and had a pretty big splurge on some products I had had my eye on for quite some time. I am a self confessed lip product addict whether it be glosses, lipsticks, liquid lipsticks, lip balms....the list goes on. I have always been a fan of the Stila liquid lipsticks and after seeing the review on Belles Boutique Blog on the Bellissima shade I just had to have it. 

On first impression I wasn't overly sure on the colour as it looked quite barbie doll ish on myself but after persisting for a couple of weeks I came to really love the colour. It is a peachy pink shade that looks great for summer, I am not overly adventurous with lip colours, I tend to just stick to pinky and peachy tones as I know this suits me and this Stila beauty fits in just perfectly  
with my love for all things girly. 

I do find that the Stila Liquid Lipsticks are very drying, Bellissima in particular compared to my other ones out of the range and after a while of being on the lips looks extremely matte and even starts to crack a little within the natural lines of your lips but to counteract this I just apply a little thin layer of the Nivea Lip Butter, vanilla and macadamia, before applying the lipstick and this seems to just give that extra layer of moisture.

Overall though, I absolutely love this shade and it has now made it's way into my make up bag as a permanent fixture. 

Have you tried any of the Stila Liquid Lipsticks?






08/05/2014

Soap & Glory Glow Job Tinted Moisturiser

Now that the weather's getting a little nicer and starting to heat up everybody is looking for that cult bb cream or tinted moisturiser to achieve that lighter feeling on your face and to also look a little more natural and fresh faced.

I have recently been reaching for the Soap & Glory Glow Job Tinted Moisturiser to wear in the day for work instead of a foundation. I have really been enjoying using this product, it's so versatile, I have been wearing it as a primer with my foundation for when I want a good coverage as it gives a lovely bronzed glow to my make up, I have also been applying before bed at night time to use as a moisturiser and to give a nice colour to my face for the next day and also on it's own with a tad bit of bronzer and mascara to give a lovely natural day time look.


The lotion is made up of:

-Micro 'bronzeburst' beads which gently pop on impact with skin when massaged into your face, instantly giving a lovely bronzed healthy glow
-Raspberry stem cell extract which is deeply moisturising and boosts the elasticity of your skin leaving you looking  healthy and youthful
-Vitamin E which is very good for preventing sun damage from the harmful UV rays so not only is this product desirable it's also an essential!

I love the fact that you can see the colour instantly when applied to skin making it real easy to blend, this product is totally buildable as well so you can create as deeper colour as you want. 

A year or so ago I was totally against anything bb/cc/tinted moisturiser related as I just couldn't imagine how it would give me enough coverage to hide my acne scarring and blemishes. I have kept trying to push myself over the years to try these now make up essentials but just kept coming up against some really rubbish products that just didn't cut the mustard and in all honesty put me off even more. This S&G moisturiser was my last attempt before retreating back to my foundation and I am glad I tried it! It has completely converted me, the person who wouldn't step outside of the realms of foundation, has been converted! If like me, you are a little apprehensive of these types of products, just try it, I guarantee you won't look back.

This product now goes everywhere with me, I have had so many compliments from my family and friends and just completely random people off the street saying how lovely my skin looks. I apply this moisturiser in the morning and it still looks pretty much the same at night time when I come to wash my face, there's no sliding around like foundation or re applying throughout the day. It's ah-ma-zing!

Have you tried this product? Are you a tinted moisturiser fan? 

06/05/2014

Holiday Essentials

Hey guys,

Recently I have been so busy with work etc that I haven't had any time whatsoever to blog and for that I apologise!

My boyfriend and I have recently booked a holiday so I have been writing my lists of what to pack and what I need to buy, you know, the usual things us organised ladies like to do, so I thought what better than to write about my holiday essentials for my next blog post.

When going on holiday, like all women, I end up packing far too many cosmetics and shoes and this always results in an argument at the check in counter when my bag is about 8kg over the limit, ooops! So this year I am really trying to streamline my packing, although I'm sure when it actually comes down to deciding on what outfit to take I know I won't be able to decide so will take everything, I mean a girl needs options right!

So, here it goes.

Obviously it goes without saying that sun cream is on the top of my list, I absolutely love the Hawaiian Tropic sun creams. They just smell so incredible! When I was younger I used to go such a lovely golden brown but now I just burn especially on my head and collar bone so I try to keep myself properly protected with an SPF of around 30 and pretty much sit under an umbrella for the whole time.

I am always really conscious over protecting my face to the suns harmful UV rays so I like to use a specialist sun cream on my face rather than using my normal body cream, in the past I have always used Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control for Face which has an SPF of around 50, it is a light fluid so doesn't feel like it's clogging your pores up. I have tried other products in the past but nothing has ever lived up to this, I always just go back to my trusty old faithful. I also make sure I carry a lip balm in my beach bag which contains an SPF, I love the NARS Pure Sheer SPF Lip Treatment in shade Aurore which has a lovely peachy tinge to it. The area around your eyes is especially sensitive and should therefore be treated completely different to the rest of your face. As part of my morning routine everyday I always apply eye cream, but on holiday I apply an eye cream with an added SPF, my current favourite is Korres Wild Rose Eye Cream with an SPF of 15.

So that's the sun protection covered, now it's time for hair, body and makeup.

I like to use a really moisturising and hydrating shampoo and conditioner to keep my hair looking its best as the chlorine and salt water can really dry out your hair. My absolute all time favourite is the Aussie Miracle Moist, it just quenches the most dehydrated of hair and leaves it looking glossy and healthy. I also take 2-3 pouches of the 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor to use throughout the week just to give my hair that extra boost it so needs when on holiday.

I try to keep my skincare routine as simple as possible when on holiday so I literally just stick to moisturiser, cleanser, toner, serum and eye cream. When I go on holiday I find my skin gets so dehydrated and dry which means it's often quite difficult to keep it hydrated and fresh looking. To try and combat this I use the Korres Wild Rose 24 Hour Moisturising Cream, which is packed full of vitamin c and wild rose oil. I then use Origins Pure Cream cleanser. I love this cleanser, it's rinseable but can also just be tissued off and is extremely gentle to skin with its coconut oil and glycerin so is great for my dry, sensitive skin when on holiday. I then just use the L'Oreal 3 in 1 Purifying Micellar Solution. My absolute serum staple is the Elemis Visible Brilliance, it just makes skin look bright from within and quickly sinks in.

As I have already mentioned I don't tan on holiday (I just burn) so I just use fake tan to give me a little glow, my all time favourite is St Tropez Bronzing Mousse. It's super quick, dries within minutes and doesn't streak...a great all rounder really. I also just make sure I take a good exfoliator to keep my pins looking bright, I love the Soap & Glory Pulp Friction as it lathers up so acts as a shower gel as well as an exfoliator meaning I have more room in my wash bag for makeup! Followed by a moisturising body butter from The Body Shop, I prefer the more fruity smells for holiday, the Satsuma scent is just to die for!

For my makeup, I like to keep this looking simplistic so I just opt for a tinted moisturiser, this years choice is Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer Crème Compact with an SPF20 in shade Natural. A dewy look is always a favourite of mine so I brush a little bronzer over the parts of my face that naturally hit the sun, I love Clarins Bronzing Duo in shade 02. In keeping with my streamlining mode I am going to be taking NARS The Multiple in shades Orgasm and South Beach, these sticks are multipurpose as you can use them for cheeks, eyes and lips meaning this is all you need for every eventuality.

And there you have it, my essentials for a summer holiday. What are you summer essentials?