Tuesday 30 October 2012

Foot Pampering Products!

For some reason when it comes to feet I never really used to do that much. I never really used anything just for the feet, I would normally just pop some body lotion on and be good to go! However my feet were looking a little worse for wear then these products by The Body Shop came to my attention. 
 The Body Shop have a whole range of foot care products. Their peppermint range includes scrubs, creams, lotions, sprays and soaks as well as a few hemp products too.
The first product I picked up was the Peppermint Reviving Soak. This are little crystals that you put in warm water and let you feet soak. I found these very cooling to the feet and refreshing. These would be the perfect product if you have been walking around all day. You get a lot of product in the tub and you don't need a lot. It has a strong peppermint scent which is very pleasant and help to get rid of any odours on the feet. 
Next I picked up the Peppermint Soothing Foot Scrub, this has small grains of Pumice stone in it which help to exfoliate the feet. It is a bouncy scrub and is easy to apply to the feet. Like the foot soak this has a strong peppermint scent which helps the scrub to feel refresh and clean to the feet. I'm really enjoying using this scrub because it is very gentle but leaves my feet feeling really smooth.
Finally I have the Hemp Foot Protector, I picked this up because it is said to be the best for very dry skin. It's a very thick cream but doesn't feel too heavy on the foot. It doesn't take ages to soak in and the the next day my feet feel so soft. I've been using these products for a few weeks and I can say this is the one that has made a huge difference to my feet.It is also meant condition nails too which is a bonus. 

All in all i'm in love with all of these products and will definitely repurchase them all, especially when it's sandal season again! The Body Shop are great for having discount codes especially online so I would always wait till they have a good offer on before ordering. 


Do you pamper your feet? What products do you use?

Sunday 28 October 2012

Wet n Wild Walking On Eggshells Trio - Reviewed!

Today's post is on another product I picked up whilst I was in America. Wet n Wild eyeshadows are always raved about in the US yet the fact that their not available in the UK confuses me and just made me want to try them even more. 
The packaging is a little cheap looking but that doesn't really bother me if the product is good. I love neutral eyeshadows and this trio has the perfect everyday colours. 
I like that the trio shows you where to apply each shade, this is especially great if you are new to make-up.
The shadows are amazing quality, so creamy and soft. They're very pigmented and blend beautifully.
Each shade lasts all day on my eyes, even longer if I use a primer. I have no complaints about about this trio, I would definitely recommend trying Wet n Wild shadows if you can because they're so affordable and as good a quality and some high end shadows.

If you live in the UK you can find this trio and other Wet n Wild shadows on Ebay here. 

Have you tried Wet n Wild eyeshadows?
 

Friday 26 October 2012

Eve Lom Cleanser - Reviewed!

Today I have another skincare review, this one is on possible the best cleanser I have ever used. I picked it up when my Dad treated me to a few bits from Space NK for my birthday. I never would have tried it until the lady recommended it to me and i'm so glad she did!
The packaging is so lovely, white with gold lettering. The pot itself is plastic and comes in a box with a one muslin cloth. 
This is the first balm cleanser I have ever tried and I don't think I could be without them now. The cleanser includes four essential oils and cocoa butter which means it isn't trying to the skin. It does gently exfoliate the skin and as they put it 'simple melts away make-up'. 
The texture is grainy but is very gentle to the skin. I apply it to dry skin and massage it all over my face including the eye area which is doesn't irritate at all. I use a damp muslin cloth to remove it. It feels very luxurious and doesn't leave any sort of film on my skin which some balm cleansers can do. 
After using it my skin feels so nice and clean as well as moisturised. It is suitable for all skin types which I agree but I do think it would definitely be good for anyone with dry skin. 

I have nothing negative to say about this cleanser it is truly amazing. It definitely isn't the cheapest of products but if you are looking for a luxury cleanser especially for the colder months I would recommend this one. I definitely want to try some more balm cleanser after trying this so if you have any recommendations let me know. 

Eve Lom Cleanser starts at £40.00 for 50ml.

Wednesday 24 October 2012

Garnier Oil Free BB Cream - Reviewed!

Today I have another BB Cream to review for you all, by now I have tried and reviewed a few BB Creams and I love the concept of them so much which I why I love trying lots of different ones out. This is a relatively new release from Garnier to go along with the original BB Cream they released (it was one of my first ever reviews here!) Although I did really like the original version the coverage wasn't amazing and in the warmer months I just didn't find it stayed on my skin as long, saying that my Mum loves it and is on her second tube!
Firstly the packaging is pretty different from the original version, I actually think I prefer this packaging because it is slimmer so fits into a make-up bag nicely. 
Like the original version it claims to blur pores, imperfections and even skintone. The oil free version also claims to be anti shine and included an SPF 20. 
The first main difference I notice is the consistency, it is a lot runnier than the original version almost a little too runny. However a benefit of this is that it is easy to blend into the skin. I tend to apply it with my fingers and then make sure it is blended in using the Real Techniques Buffing Brush. The coverage of this bb cream is very good, one of the best i've tried for coverage because it evens out my skintone and covers any redness and acne scars without looking or feeling like I have a lot of make-up on.
The only real downside to this is that it is very yellow toned, this works well for me in getting rid of redness in my skin however if you're very pale I would try swatching it in store before buying. The main thing I love about this is how long it lasts on my skin and I don't find I get oily throughout the day or have the need to top up with powder. 

I definitely prefer the oil free version to the original BB Cream. I would say it is one of the best BB Creams I have tried and it has become my go to base for everyday. It really lifts my skin especially on those early starts for University! I will say you do get less product than the original version (40ml instead of 50ml).

I definitely would recommend trying this BB Cream because for me it ticks all the boxes and then some. 

Garnier Oil Free BB Cream retails for £9.99.

Have you or will you be trying this BB Cream?

Monday 22 October 2012

NOTD - Essie Tart Deco

Firstly I would just like to say sorry for all of my NOTD being Essie polishes recently, as you can tell i'm kind of obsessed with those cute little bottles. Today I have another to share with you of a shade that would be perfect for Summer but I will no doubt be wearing it throughout the colder months. 
Tart Deco is a lovely creamy peach shade. With being fair skinned I find that orange polishes just don't suit me, however because this shade is more of a pastel it actual looks really nice on. It does seem to have a slight pink tone to it in certain lights.
I find Essie polishes wear very well on me, with a top coat I got a weeks wear with very few chips. The top coat I use is Sally Hanson Insta Dry. 
I really do love this shade and definitely look forward to wearing in the Spring. This has definitely made me want to try more colours similar to this one in the future. 

Essie Tart Deco retails for £7.99.

Have you tried this shade? Do you still wear brighter shade in the Winter?

Saturday 20 October 2012

Boots Haul

As many of you will already know Boots currently have 3 for 2 on make-up and skincare which meant of course I had to pick a few things up. I have a bit of a back log of things to try and review so don't think I will be buying any beauty products for a while!
 I'll start with the few skincare things I picked up. I said in my previous haul (here if you missed it) that me skin has been changing a bit so I wanted some more moisturising products.
The first thing i've been wanting to try for ages is Soap & Glory Wish Upon A Jar, it's a 21 day treatment which so far has been making me skin feel so smooth and lovely. Another Soap & Glory product is their Smooch Operator Lip Balm which I got to take to Uni. It smells of coconut and has been helping with my dry lips during the day. Lastly I finally got the Hydraluron Moisture Booster Serum which has been so raved about. So far so good but expect a review soon.
I didn't really have my eye on many make-up items but I have been wanting to try the Maybelline Dream Lumi Touch Concealer for under my eyes after hearing great things about it. I've also heard lots of good things about the Revlon Colorstay Eyeshadow Quads so decided to try the one in Adventurous mainly for the lovely green shade. Finally I got a Revlon nail polish in Cherries In The Snow (love the name!) which is the perfect pink toned red.
I also picked up some essentials, my favourite deodorant and some hair grips since they always seem to go missing!

Have you taken advantage of the 3 for 2 in Boots?

Thursday 18 October 2012

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Water - Reviewed!

Today I have another skincare review for you, No7 had the £5 off skincare voucher during September so I decided to finally try their Cleansing Water. I wanted to try it to see if I preferred it to Bioderma because with the voucher the No7 version is cheaper.
I really do like the packaging of this product, it's a sleek clear bottle and has a pump so you can control how much product you need. I also love that you can see how much product you have left. 
The product says it is designed for Normal/Oily skin but I personally think it could be used on any skin type. It can be used as a toner to refresh the skin, the remove excess oil/shine and remove make-up. The product has a fairly strong scent to it which is very pleasant but I don't think it is needed in a skincare product. I does help to remove shine from the skin without feeling like it is being striped. 
I found this removed my face make-up well but when it came to remove eye make-up I found that I was left with some black marks around my eyes from mascara. It is good for light make-up but didn't seem to remove heavy eye make-up very well. I always use a cleanser afterwards I found that I was still left with some make-up on my face after using this. 

All in all this is an okay product, I like that it comes with a pump so it's very easy to use but I don't think it beats Bioderma when it comes to removing make-up. I don't think I would repurchase it unless I had a voucher because I prefer Bioderma. I've also had this for about 3 weeks and it's just over half full so it doesn't seem to be lasting very long. I definitely will be trying out other cleansing waters in the future.

No7 Beautiful Cleansing Water retails for £9.00 for 200ml.

Have you tried this? What is your favourite Cleansing Water?

Tuesday 16 October 2012

Darker Lips For Autumn/Winter

I love this time of year when it gets colder because it is the perfect time to wear darker lip colours. It's only recently that I have gotten into bolder lip products and I seem to have collected a few so I thought it would be the perfect time to share with you some of my favourites that I will be wearing during the colder months.
First set of darker lip colours are matte lip creams. I love this at this time of year, with a lip balm underneath they're not drying but look lovely with so many simple or dramatic eye looks. 
 The first one I have is a favourite from last year; Collection Creme Puff in Cotton Candy it's a lovely dark pink that is so flattering on my fair skin. Next I have one of the Miners Matte Factors in Warm Red which is a lovely matte red shade which I will definitely be getting a lot of wear out of.
 Next I have balms and balm stains. This a great for the colder months because they give a good amount of colour whilst being moisturising to the lips. I have two Revlon Lip Butters, one if Lollipop which is a bright pink shade and Berry Smoothie which is a light berry shade, perfect for everyday wear. I also have one of the Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stains in Sweetheart which is a very bright pink but great for adding a lot of colour to finish off a look.
Next I have a few lipsticks, firstly probably my favourite MAC lipstick is Plumful, it is a Lustre finish so is moisturising to the lips and is the perfect plum shade without being too much to wear during the day time. I love the ELF Mineral Lipsticks and the shade Barely Bitten is is dark pink almost red shade which isn't has harsh as wearing a red lip but gives a  similar effect. Finally is another ELF Lipstick in Gypsy which the perfect dark plumy pink shade, another favourite of mine from last year for nights out. 
Finally I have two lip balms which are both very pigmented so they are an easy way of adding a lot of colour. First is the Sleek Pout Polish SPF 15 in Perfect Plum which lives up to it's name as being the perfect plum shade. Then I have the Korres Lip Butter in Wild Rose which is a rose toned red shade. Both of these can be worn sheer and darker for a more dramatic finish. 
So those are my picks for some darker lips for Autumn and Winter, I love all of these and can see myself reaching for all of them during these next two seasons. 

What's your favourite lip product for this time of year? 


 

Sunday 14 October 2012

Collective Beauty Haul!

If you are a student then you know that the day that student grant goes in it's a huge relief because you can afford to live again, it also means I was able to make a few beauty purchases i've had my eye on for the past few months. I didn't buy all of these at once, this is mainly things i've bought in September/beginning of October.

As you can tell i've gone a little skincare mad lately, this is due to my skin going from being oily to almost dry in place and dehydrated. I think this is mainly to do with the weather changing but i've never had such a drastic change before.
I've been on the look out for a new cleanser to use in the morning, I went for the Neslons Pure and Clear Facial Wash which is part of an anti-blemish range,  I also got the blemish gel. I'm really liking both of these so far so expect a review soon.
I finally decided to make an Miners order after hearing MissBudgetBeauty rave about them. I went for both the Bronzer Blush Blend and the Bronzer Highlighter Blend. I also picked up two of the Matte Factors in Peach and Warm Red.
After hearing so many good things about the Garnier Oil Free BB Cream and being such a big fan of BB Creams I finally picked it up and I will say it's all i've been wearing lately so expect a rave review soon. I also decided to try their new Dark Spot Corrector since it is meant to help with dark spots and blemishes scars. You need to wait 4 weeks to see results but so far i'm loving it as a morning moisturiser.
During September Escentuals has 1/3 off French skincare, I was again looking for a new morning cleanser so I picked up the Avene Gentle Cleanser which is a nice simple cleanser. I also picked up the Avene Soothing Eye Countour Cream which is fast becoming my favourite eye cream. I also finally got the Nuxe Reve De Miel lip balm which I can't get enough of.
I am loving Origins so much recently, I decided to try the Clear Improvements mask after hearing so many amazing things about it, so far I love it! I also got some free samples including Modern Friction which is a face scrub i've wanted to try for a while now.
I'm a huge fan of Sleek eyeshadows and when I saw they had a new limited edition palette out I knew I had to have it! The palette is called Respect and has some amazing brighter shades which are surprisingly very wearable. Rimmel have also released some new eyeliners included a Nude liner which is something i've been after for so long and has come in very useful for getting rid of the early morning redness on my waterline. I also picked up the shade Taupe which is a lovely grey shade.
Those No7 £5 off voucher were floating around in September and of course I had to pick a few bits up. The main thing I wanted to try was the Cleansing Water which is an alternative to Bioderma (reviewed here). I'm also on the hunt for a cheaper cleansing balm so I thought I would try the No7 Cleansing Balm, it's more of a cream than a balm to be honest; I will be reviewing both very soon. Finally for some reason I came out in a few blackheads in September so I picked up the Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub which is a lovely gentle scrub which definitely seemed to helped with the problem. 

So that's my collective haul, I do plan on reviewing these products soon so if there's anything you want to see a full post on first let me know! I also made a trip to Boots at the weekend in which I will have a separate haul on those products. 

What beauty products have you bought lately?

Friday 12 October 2012

Sleek PPQ Palette in Respect - Reviewed!

How come when something is limited edition I feel like I need to get it straight away? This was the case with one of the new Sleek palettes, i'm a huge fan of the brand Sleek but especially their eyeshadow palettes. They've released two new palettes as part of the PPQ collection; one called Supreme and the other Respect. When I saw pictures of Respect I knew I had to have it.
I've mentioned before that I love Sleek packaging because it is so simple, black and well sleek! You also get a good size mirror with each palette which always comes in useful. Anyway lets get onto those amazing shadows.
There's a lot of matte shades in this palette which I like and I love that there is the perfect mix of brights and neutrals. This means you can do a dramatic look, a simple look or a basic look with a pop of colour.
Onto the swatches, i'm happy to say all of these shades are well pigmented especially the darker and brighter shades.
Top Row
I always find light shades hard to photograph but I promise you all of these shades look amazing on the eyes. I'm a huge fan of the second colour which is a beautiful shimmery brown.
Bottom Row
I like that this palette has both a matte which and black which means you can make a darker or lighter look very easily. I'm also loving the cranberry shade in this palette which is perfect for this time of year. Also the pink toned shade could also be worn as blushes.

All in all this is another amazing palette from Sleek. Like all of their palettes these shadows are well pigmented and last a long time on the eye with little fall out. Although these colours are bright I have found them surprisingly wearable even during the day.

Sleek PPQ Respect Palette retails for £7.99 and is available from Superdrug or for £11.99 with a Lipgloss for £11.99 on the Sleek website.

Have you tried this palette? Are you a fan of brighter eyeshadows?

 

Wednesday 10 October 2012

REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask - Reviewed!

This mask seems to have become very popular at the moment, i've had mine for a couple of months now but wanted to wait to share my thoughts on it. I will say the mask is similar to the Alpha H Liquid Gold treatment but in a mask form. It using the same AHA idea in removing dead skin cells quickly to make the skin appear smoother and look brighter. 
I love REN packaging, I love simple straight to the point packaging and REN don't disappoint in that area. Unlike Liquid Gold the REN Glycolactic Mask also uses fruit acids to help add brightness and radiance to the skin.
These ingredients help add to the fruity scent this mask has, think orange fruit pastels! This might be off putting to some people, personally it doesn't bother me and I find it pleasant. 
All REN masks come with a pump which is great for getting the right amount of product you need. The amount of product I use tends to vary, normally it is around 2-3 pumps because I like to makes sure my whole face is well covered; you could use less though. 
The product itself is a orange sticky consistency, because it is sticky I tend to find applying this with an old foundation brush is best because you don't waste product. I leave it on for around 10-15 minutes and it never full dries. I find it fairly easy to remove, the best way is with a muslin cloth to make sure there is no residue left behind. 
Before I go onto my thoughts I will say I do also use Liquid Gold so I didn't see amazing results when I first used this like some people because I already use a similar treatment. I do however find my skin feels lovely and smooth after using it and the next day my skin does look brighter and not as dull, which is great for this time of year. I don't think it helps with scarring as well as the Liquid Gold does but I do still love the results this gives. I use the masks once a week and I love having it as part of my skincare routine. 

I love the brand REN in general and this mask is very nice to use, I think I would buy it again and even though it is a little pricey using it once a week I think it would a good amount of time. 


Have you tried this mask?