It's a beautiful life...

Phew. Hello. It's nice to just be able to sit down and type. As you can probably tell, I've been a bit slack on the blog recently. It's not because I'm getting bored of it by any means, it's just because my third year at university is a lot more hectic than I could ever have imagined. The workload is piling up and it's rare that I get a moment to myself. But blogging to me is therapeutic and after a bad time recently, it's something that I need to do. Today, I'm writing this after catching up with BlogLovin, my emails and everything else blog related. And after this, I'll be doing university work sadly.

I'm fully aware that a lot of people who follow me know about my bad skin. It's something that I've suffered with for many years now and something that still affects my life greatly. Despite the fact that I have a wonderful skin care routine, eat well (recently anyway, I'm on a diet) and I'm in my 20's, my skin is still bad. More recently, it's taken a turn for the worse and even though many doctors over the years have told me that there's nothing they can do for me, I decided to go back.

This time, I booked an appointment with the nurse. I've read many stories about the contraceptive pill and lots of you have recommended it to me before. I went in, told the nurse I wanted the pill for my skin and after years of waiting, she brought the dermatologist into the room to see me. The dermatologist told me that they were going to "hit my skin hard" and get rid of my spots quickly. I'm now on Yasmin (the pill), Tetralysal and Epiduo.

Walking out of the doctors, I couldn't have been happier. Infact, I wanted to break down and cry. My skin has affected me for a really long time and constantly I've been told that it's something I'll have to live with. I'm now on a 6 month treatment course and I'm nervous - but excited - to start. I've been warned about the side effects and I'm having to be monitored closely. My skin will be dry but luckily I have many skin care products to help with this.

Yesterday, I took the pill for the first time. If any of you know me then you'll know that I struggle with tablets. I can't take them and I've always had to request medicine. When taking the pill, it took me three glasses of water to swallow it even though it's tiny. This morning however, I swallowed it with my first gulp which was a huge achievement for me. The Tetralysal on the other hand are huge capsules so I'm worried about taking them and waiting for my friend to get back home to help me - oops!

But yes, I wanted to write a chatty post today to let you all know my current skin situation. I will be keeping you updated if it's something that you're interested in. If you're someone like me - who suffers with bad skin - and the doctors keep turning you away, please continue to pester them. It may have taken me six years but I've finally got something out of it (although I now have to pay for prescriptions, gah)!

I hope you're all well and normal blogging will resume soon - hopefully xxx

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

Bedside Beauty

Next to my bed, I have a few essential products that I apply to my hands, lips and pillow before going to sleep. The candle isn't something that I leave burning throughout the night - don't worry! - but I do love lighting it a couple of hours before I'm due in bed so that the room is filled with a gorgeous scent. 

The Carex Nourish & Protect Vitamin E Hand Cream* is truly wonderful. I have six bottles of the new Carex Hand Creams and I can't recommend them enough. I will be doing a full blog post on them all so I'll just give you a brief overview of this one for now. The Nourish & Protect version is great for when your hands are feeling more dry than usual. The Vitamin E sinks into the hands quickly, moisturising them and leaving them feeling super soft. On my lips I use the Strawberry & Vanilla Cream Truffle lip balm from the Baylis & Harding Beauticology Chocolate Lip Balm Tin Set.* Not only does this lip balm smell and taste incredible, it also nourishes the lips without leaving a nasty film of product on them. 

I've mentioned the Miaroma Lavender Pure Essential Oil* before and I stand by everything I said. Despite the fact that I hate the smell of lavender, I love using a couple of drops of this oil on my pillow before going to bed. It really soothes me and helps me get a calm and satisfying nights sleep. And finally, the Colony Powder Fresh candle smells absolutely divine. It's clean, fresh and extremely affordable. I bought this when it was in the clearance section at Boots as I'd had my eyes on it for a while. It smells exactly like it claims to and fills the room with a beautiful aroma. 

What products do you keep by the bedside?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Click here to enter my Deep Heat giveaway
Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

NEWS | KIKO opens flagship store in London

"Entering a KIKO store does not only mean treating yourself to a world of beauty, but a true sensory experience of well-being, pampering and fun." 

Talk about KIKO overload this week... As someone who is a big lover of the Italian brand, KIKO, I was smiling like a little girl when this press release made its way to me. Since the launch of the brand this year, I've tried and tested many products by KIKO and so far, I haven't found one that I dislike. The quality is outstanding, the range is extensive and the price is fabulous. 

On the 23rd November, a two story flagship store on London's Regent Street will be opening. The store is said to be luxurious and reflects the design of the Milan flagship. Black ceramic floors, black-sandblasted glass and LED ceilings. Over 200 eyeshadows, 180 lipsticks and 200 nail lacquers. This store is going to be a beauty addicts dream - full of make up stations where you can experiment and play with different shades and products. 

Sadly for me, London is still quite far away however the next time I'm down in my favourite city, I won't be heading to Harrods to eye up the beauty counters (and get lost trying to find the dogs) instead, I'll be on Regent Street playing with make up that I can actually afford - I can't wait. You can find all of my KIKO reviews in my Product Directory under the letter "K" (of course). 

ADDRESS: 262-264 Regent Street, London W1.
Opening hours: Mon-Fri: 10:00-21:00, Sat: 10:00 - 20:00 and Sun: 12:00 - 18:00

Will you be visiting the KIKO store when it opens?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Click here to enter my Deep Heat giveaway
Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

TOOLS | KIKO Brushes

For me, brushes are an essential tool for the make up obsessed, the make up artists and the make up newbies. Whether you're someone who wears make up once a week or someone who applies it daily for fun, a good make up brush is a necessity. Back when I was a little ol' girl (well, five years ago) who started wearing make up, my mother invested in the Body Shop foundation brush for me. I absolutely adored it and needless to say, it got used and abused. Although I still have it, I no longer use it as since then, I've "upgraded" and invested in further brushes.

After what was, quite frankly a rubbish week, I received a picture from dad showing me the most incredible parcel that had been delivered to me back home. I quickly got on the phone to my sister asking her to pick it up and bring it to me at university to cheer me up. Inside the parcel were lots of make up goodies (that will be featuring very soon, I'm sure) and pretty much an entire new brush collection from my favourite brand, KIKO. As I'm someone who's tried out a lot of products from KIKO before, I have delved into their brushes a little bit. The KIKO Dark Heroine Face Brush (reviewed here) is my all-time favourite contour brush and something that I use on a regular basis. So needless to say, I couldn't wait to start applying my slap with my new brushes.

The brushes I received:

Eyes 202, Eyes 203, Eyes 208, Eyes 210, Eyes 211, Eyes 213, Lips 300, Face 100, Face 103, Face 105, Face 106.

The sleek design of the brushes mean that they look and feel professional and elegant. Each individual brush comes with a clear protective case that slides over the top of the brush head to ensure the bristles stay protected during transit. The brush quality is outstanding and despite not being the cheapest brushes on the market, they're by no means expensive and as far as quality goes, I'd say they're worth a lot more. Each brush ensures make up application is flawless and professional and I've found myself experimenting with different looks since receiving the brushes.

My favourites have to be Eyes 213 (the big fluffy brush is perfect for buffing concealer into the skin and blending out crease colours), Eyes 211 (the tiny detailer brush means applying shadow underneath the lash line is perfect), Lips 300 (compact and perfect for on the go. This little gadget means that I've started wearing bolder lip colours more often) and Face 106 (I've always adored duo-fibre brushes and this one creates an airbrushed foundation base).

Next time I'm in need of a new make up brush, I will turn to KIKO first. They have an extensive range of brushes that are high quality yet affordable. It's great to see "lower-end" brands branching out further and bringing out their own brush ranges. You can view the entire brush collection here.

What are your favourite make up brushes? Have you tried any from KIKO? Will you be doing so?

*All brushes mentioned are PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Click here to enter my Deep Heat giveaway
Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

MAKE UP | The five product face

If you'd have asked me two years ago what make up I slap on my face before heading out to university, I'd have listed a whole host of products. Gone are the days where I'd wake up two hours before my lesson and carefully prep and prime myself. These days, I wake up with just enough time to get ready and now, I've perfected my "five product face."

Foundation

Foundation is a definite must-have for me. I have extremely bad skin and I can't go anywhere without my base products. If I'm strapped for time, out comes the SEVENTEEN Stay Time Foundation - £6.49. I bought this recently and I'm really loving it so far. It stays put without a primer and provides full coverage that still looks flawless at the end of the day. It does have a tendency to cling to dry patches but a good moisturiser eliminates this problem.

Eyebrows

Earlier this year, I got my eyebrows waxed back home and the woman over plucked them and left my eyebrows non-existent. My brows aren't the fullest of the bunch anyway so nowadays, I pretty much have to draw them on fully. For my eyebrows I use the Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Faint - £20.00 from the Naked Basics palette. The colour is perfect for me and the formula works wonders on the eyebrows.

Blush

As someone who used to hate cream blush, I've certainly found a soft spot for it these days. The Bourjois Cream Blush in Healthy Glow* - £7.99 stippled into my skin using the Real Techniques Stippling Brush is my favourite blush combo. The stippling motion doesn't wipe away from foundation meaning that my scars remain covered up. Like the blush name suggests, it leaves the skin looking healthy and glowing - and it's quick and easy to use.

Powder

To set my base products, I use the CARGO Cosmetics HD Picture Perfect Translucent Powder* - £21.00. I didn't used to like powder much - I never understood its purpose - however this one has completely changed my mind. It creates a soft focus on the skin and balances out oil and dryness perfectly. It leaves my skin looking flawless, shine-free and healthy. Despite the fact that it's a loose powder, it's also very easy to use because of the packaging.

Mascara

And finally, a make up look wouldn't be complete without mascara. I find myself looking bald and "undone" without it and my favourite is the Rimmel Scandaleyes Lycra Flex Mascara* - £6.99. It separates lashes, volumises them and lengthens them in one easy step. The formula doesn't weigh the lashes down and it stays in place throughout the day. For £6.99, it's the best mascara I've tried and I most definitely couldn't be without it.

Have you tried any of the products mentioned above? What is your "five product face?"

*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Click here to enter my Deep Heat giveaway
Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

MAKE UP | Top 5 powders

As someone who never used to bother with powder, I've built my collection up quite a bit over the past couple of weeks. I have combination skin - basically, my forehead and nose get very oily while the rest of my skin is normal and whenever I have a spot/blemish, the skin around that area gets extremely dry. It's a nightmare and powders tend to cling to the dry patches. However with my skin being oily in areas, powder is something that I do need. I've been loving powders recently - as you can probably see from this post - so I thought I'd share my top 5 with you.

CARGO Cosmetics HD Picture Perfect Translucent Powder* - £21.00

I would say that this powder is my favourite. The translucent powder feels weightless on the skin and creates a soft focus, naturally matte finish. It immediately blurs pores and imperfections giving you an even coverage. It contains micro encapsulated pigments which self-adjust to every skin tone meaning that one shade suits all. The packaging of this makes the loose powder extremely easy to use and it's a pleasure dusting this over my skin. My skin looks perfected, natural and semi-matte in an instant. I'm addicted.

Bourjois Java Rice Loose Powder - £9.99

For Boujois' 150th birthday they have re-released and reinvented their best selling cult classic from 1879. This powder is delicately scented and it feels feather-light on the skin. It aims to boost skin radiance and it does have fine shimmer particles contained within it. On first glance you do think you're going to look Twilight-esque but once dusted over the skin, the powder smooths the complexion and sets make up nicely.

bareMinerals ORIGINAL SPF 15 Foundation* - £25.00

Although technically this is a foundation, my skin is serverly blemished so I can only use this as a foundation on good skin days. I will be doing a full review of this because the coverage is decent and can be built up. However for this post, I'll be talking about this as a powder. My skin has been very bad recently so I've been buffing this on top of foundation to provide extra coverage. It gives me a naturally luminous finish that doesn't clump, cake or dry the skin out. It's silky soft to touch and leaves the skin looking flawless. As it's a mineral foundation, it's clinically proven to improve the appearance of your skin over time - I can't find fault with this.

Pür Minerals 4-in-1 Pressed Mineral Make Up Compact* - £24.00

I have done a full review with before/after comparison pictures of this foundation and you can find that here. The coverage of this is outstanding and it can be built up to almost medium/full. Like the bareMinerals one, this one is clinically proven to correct, prevent and interrupt your skin concerns. As this is a pressed mineral powder, it's very easy to use and this is the powder that I carry around with me on a day-to-day basis. It mops up oil without drying to skin out and when used lightly, adds a bit of extra coverage to the skin.

Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder - £3.99

And finally, this powder has definitely done the blogger/YouTuber rounds and for the price, it's a lovely powder. It's lightweight, free of fragrance, oils, parabens and talc and leaves the skin completely matte. It doesn't add any coverage at all but it's nice to blot the skin down with. For the price, it's a bargain and something that everyone should have in their make up bags.

What are your favourite face powders? Have you tried any of the above before?
*PR Sample

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Click here to enter my Deep Heat giveaway
Click here to enter my NYX Cosmetics giveaway

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

Boots offers of the week

Christmas is well and truly round the corner and after a few weeks of wonderful Boots Star Gifts, I was even more excited about this week's offering. If you know me well then you'll know that SEVENTEEN is my favourite drugstore brand, Britney Spears is my favourite person in the world and Taylor Swift makes my favourite fragrances. So for these reasons alone, I'm extremely excited about this week.

The SEVENTEEN Complete Collection is just £17 (was £35) this week. It comes with 12 eyeshadows, 5 lip glosses, a blusher, a bronzer, a limited edition Metallic Eye Cream, a limited edition Gel Eyeliner, a limited edition Black Mascara, black and coffee eye pencils, the Photo Flawless Primer, 5 make up brushes, a pencil sharpener and an eyelash curler. Phew. I had this collection for Christmas last year and I absolutely loved it. It's definitely one that I'll be picking up again this year as it's a beautiful collection.

The Taylor Swift Enchanted Wonderstruck Eau De Parfum 50ml with top notes of wild berries and passionfruit can be yours for just £14 (was £28). I have the original Taylor Swift fragrance and I've been lusting after this one since its release date. I've already had my mother on the phone telling her that I need this. The Britney Spears Fantasy Eau de Parfum 50ml with a mix of lush red lychee, golden quince and exotic kiwi can be yours for just £12.50 (was £25.53). As a huge Britney fan, I of course have to mention her whenever I can. Fantasy is the best selling celebrity fragrance ever and with it's beautiful, girly smell, I can definitely see why. For £12.50, you're getting yourself an absolute bargain. 

All are on special offer from today until the 24th of October, whilst stocks last. You can find them in Boots stores or online.

Will you be fetching any of these incredible offers? Have you tried Britney's and Taylor's fragrances before?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Click here to enter my Deep Heat giveaway
Click here to enter my NYX Cosmetics giveaway

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

HEALTH | Deep Heat & Giveaway

As a beauty addict, I'm someone who likes to look after my body (maybe not so much from the inside - I'm looking at you chocolate digestive biscuits! - but hey, I've recently started my diet again) and sometimes life means dealing with lots of mental and physical stress triggers. Bad posture, physical activity, crouching over a computer (guilty!) all take their toll on our bodies leaving us with tense and stressed muscles at the end of the day. I don't tend to get a lot of muscular tension so I passed these products over to my dad who is someone who works hard and then goes to the gym afterwards, meaning that his muscles (particularly his shoulders) are left aching at the end of the day.

Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Neck & Shoulder Cream* - £5.99

This cream heats up when applied to the body and uses a unique combination and vanilla and rosemary to help ease tension in stressed muscles. The applicator is a soft sponge which is supposed to facilitate massage and leave the hands cream-free. My dad absolutely loved this product and it's one that I always saw him applying to his shoulders. He said that the smell was pleasant, the cream was fast acting and the effect was long lasting. He said that it's something that he will repurchase time and time again. 

Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Bath Soak* - £5.49

This bath soak has been specially formulated to soothe and easy muscular tension. It contains key ingredients such as electrolyte minerals and essential oils of rosemary, patchouli and orange to give you a spa experience in your own home. This is the one product out of the two that I did try out myself - I absolutely love pamper time and soaking in the bath is one of my favourite past times. The fragrance of this bath soak was incredibly soothing. After bathing in this, my body felt completely relaxed and I had an extremely wonderful sleep the following night.

WIN A SET OF DEEP HEAT MUSCLE RESCUE NECK AND SHOULDER CREAM AND BATH SPA RELAXATION PRODUCTS

With its unique, herbal aroma that allows you to enjoy a spa-like experience, in the privacy of your own home, Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Neck and Shoulder Cream has been formulated with a combination of vanilla and rosemary to offer an everyday solution to tired, tense muscles. The convenient 50g portable pack has a soft sponge applicator providing a gentle massage when applied. Or immerse yourself into the Deep Heat Muscle Rescue Bath Soak. It contains electrolyte minerals and a unique combination of essential oils.

To celebrate Deep Heat Muscle Rescue, Mentholatum, the Deep Heat muscle experts, are offering three product sets to you guys. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have you tried any Deep Heat products before? What products do you use to relax?

*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram
Click here to enter my NYX Cosmetics giveaway

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

#NYXinNEXT Bloggers Challenge & Giveaway

NYX Love in Paris palette in Madeleines and Macaroons

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Nude Peach Fuzz

NYX Propel My Eyes Mascara

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk

NYX The Curve Eyeliner

L-R NYX The Curve Eyeliner, NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk, NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Nude Peach Fuzz

NYX Love in Paris eye palette in Madeleines and Macaroons

When I first started blogging, NYX was the brand. However based in the US, it was an extremely hard brand to get a hold of in the UK. For a while now, NYX has been available to buy online in the UK but if you're anything like me then you'll be someone who likes to walk into a shop and swatch to your hearts desire. Finally, NYX is launching into NEXT stores nationwide this month so for the first time in the UK, customers will be able to experience the brand first hand instore (and online).

Day time eye

Night time eye

NYX Xtreme Lip Cream in Nude Peach Fuzz

NYX have challenged me to create an eye look that is suitable for day time and can be vamped up for the evening. Above, you can see my eye make up looks using products from NYX themselves. I used the Jumbo Eye Pencil in Milk* to prime my eyes. The Eye Pencil is very creamy and easy to blend and creates a nice, even base for make up. As the pencil is white, I also used it on my waterline to brighten the eye area up. I used the Love in Paris Palette* for eyeshadow as the palette features a mixture of nine matte and shimmer shades. The palette isn't the most pigmented I've ever tried but the variety of colours means that it can easily take you from daytime to night time. For daytime, I used shade 3 all over the lid and shade 6 in the crease. For night time I used shade 6 all over the lid and shade 4 in the crease to smoke it out. I then used shade 6 underneath the lash line. The Curve Eyeliner* is a product that I've raved about before. It makes applying eyeliner completely foolproof as it's so easy to use. Before discovering this eyeliner, I could never add a flick to my eyes but the design of this eyeliner makes it exceptionally simple.  I didn't wing my eyeliner out for the daytime but I did for the night time look. Mascara wise, I used the Propel My Eyes Mascara* which lifts lashes and coats them with a conditioning formula. The four-way pinwheel brush design means that each lash is evenly coated, separated, lengthened and volumised. I completed the look using the Xtreme Lip Cream* which is a hybrid of lipstick and lipgloss. It's extremely pigmented and leaves the lips moisturised and glossy.

NYX have also sent me every product mentioned above to giveaway to you guys. To be in with a chance of winning all of the goodies, all you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. After the giveaway has finished, I will be announcing the winner on Twitter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I absolutely adored creating these too looks for you and I've been extremely excited to publish this post for a while. It's great that NYX are finally coming over to the UK and I can't wait to pop into my local store and have a little swatch. For me, the stand out product of the brand is without a doubt The Curve eyeliner. It's innovative and it's changed the way I apply my liner. You can view the entire collection instore or online.

Have you tried anything from NYX before? Will you be doing so now the brand is more accessible?

*PR Sample (giveaway items sent to me from NYX to giveaway)

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

Hair removal with Sk:n Clinics

As a student, something that I'm always short on is time. Despite the fact that I'm only at university two days a week and at work one day a week, there never seems to be enough time to do the things that I'd like to do. I can remember being a little girl and the days going by incredibly slowly, however now, I never seem to get a second to sit down, chill out and quite frankly, pamper myself.

Hair removal isn't the first thing that pops into my head when I think about "pampering." However, it's something that as a woman, I think is necessary. Although I may slack a bit in winter when I'm not showcasing my legs everyday, I generally hate having hairy, stubbly legs. My main method of hair removal is shaving as it's quick and easy. But sadly, regrowth is pretty much instant. As I'm an avid shaver, I have to shave my legs every single day which gets annoying and is time consuming. 

I've tried waxing but I don't find the at-home kits very good and salons end up becoming expensive. I've tried hair removal creams but for me, they sting my skin and I've bled from using them in the past - they smell awful too. I do have an epilator but that's currently sat in a drawer waiting to be used as it looks like a torture device. I do however, use the shaving head of my epilator which once again is something that I have to do daily. 

Something that I have considered for a while is permanent laser hair removal. This method of hair removal is safe and pretty much painless as it works by transmitting a laser beam onto the base of the hair follicle which halts hair growth. The thing that draws me into laser hair removal is the fact that although it's expensive, it's permanent. Once you've had it done, there's a high chance that the hair will never grow back again - I can't imagine how perfect and convenient it would be to never have to shave again. 

The amount of times my friends and I have decided that we're going out at last minute is unreal. It ends up with us all racing to the shower to shave our legs so we can wear our favourite dress - it's a nightmare. As well as being permanent, laser hair treatments can be used on any part the body - even your toes if you wish!

When browsing the Sk:n Clinics website to write this post, I also noticed their acne scar treatments. If you're a regular reader of my blog then you'll know that acne scarring is something that I suffer extremely badly with. Sk:n Clinics offer skin peels, dermarollers and many more to help eliminate the appearance of acne scarring and as a result of this, I've booked myself in for a consultation. 

You can find out more about Sk:n's laser hair removal treatments here. You can find out more about their acne scarring treatments here. And you find out about all of their treatments here.

Have you considered laser hair removal before? Or is it something that you've had done? What's your prefered method of hair removal?
This post was written in conjunction with Sk:n Clinic
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

BODY CARE | Imperial Leather Foamburst in Rebalancing Green Tea & Jasmine

If you cast your minds back a few years, then I guarantee you'll remember the release of the Imperial Leather Foamburst shower gels. At the time, they were completely innovative and I remember my family rushing out to buy bottles of the stuff. I completely fell in love with "the yellow one" and now, Imperial Leather introduce seven new variants into the range.

The luxurious body washes transform from a smooth gel to a rich and creamy lather and glide across the skin so beautifully. Once washed off, your skin is left feeling soft and smooth and smelling divine. Imperial Leather's master perfumes have crafted seven brand new Foamburst variants using unique bursts of exquisite fragrance. Spicy Ginger and Orange to leave you feeling revived and energised, Sweet Vanilla & Cherry Blossom to relax you, Honey & Almond Milk to leave you feeling pampered and moisturised, Bergamot & Sea Minerals to revive and recuperate, Lime & Grapefruit to leave you feeling refreshed, Blackberry & Wild Fig to awaken your dark side and Green Tea & Jasmine to revitalise. 

The Green Tea & Jasmine* scent was one that I didn't think I'd like. I prefer more girly, sugary scents yet surprisingly, I've been loving using this. The smell is extremely uplifting and it's perfect in the mornings when you're feeling a little bit tired. The formula is incredible and Imperial Leather claim that the bottle lasts for 40 washes. At first, I pumped out way too much as a little bit goes a long way with this. I also love using this as a shaving foam as it leaves the skin feeling silky smooth. Since this has been in my bathroom, I haven't been reaching for any other body wash. It's dreamy to use and despite the low price tag, it feels incredibly luxurious and expensive. 

The Foamburst range is available from all major retailers and the RRP for a 200ml bottle is £2.99.

Have you tried the new Foamburst scents? Or the original range?
*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

MAKE UP | glo-minerals Lipstick in Coral

Over the past three weeks, if you've seen me out and about during the daytime then you'll have seen me sporting the glo-minerals lipstick in Coral.* Established in 2002, glo-minerals is a brand that use only pure pharmaceutical grade minerals and anti-oxidants chosen by dermatologists, making the brand paraben, dye and perfume free. The lipstick combines great colour with a wonderful formula that nourishes and protects the lips. Vitamins A, C and E ensure that the lips stay moisturised throughout the day and the added UV protection means that you can wear the lipstick with confidence knowing that you're protected against the sun.

The colour wasn't what I was expecting at all. It's a muted down nude-coral with lots of shimmer that luckily, isn't too overpowering. I expected a vibrant coral which is something that I struggle to pull off, however this one is beautiful. It's perfect for the daytime or paired with a smokey eye and really pulls the entire look together. Despite the lipstick itself being moisturising, it stays on the lips for a good couple of hours before wearing away. I do find that the lipstick is quite hard to apply - possibly because of the shimmer - but the extra few minutes of effort pay off as the colour is stunning and very wearable.

You can buy this lipstick (and many other shades) here for £15.00. If pigmentation isn't your thing then glo-minerals also have a Sheer Lipstick on offer which you can view here.

Have you tried anything from glo-minerals before?
*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here

HAIR CARE | Current styling favourites

More recently, I've been getting into styling my hair. Not styling it any differently than usual - I either leave it natural, straighten it or curl it - but I've been looking after my hair more. And my hair is without a doubt loving the extra attention. It's in extremely good condition at the moment and the majority of the time, it does exactly what I want it to. In case you're wondering, I have fine hair that's flat and prone to oiliness. 

Herbal Essences Beautiful Ends Cream - £4.79

I've gone through many split end creams in my time but this is the one that I always end up coming back to. Not only does it smell divine - like raspberries - but it does a wonderful job at smoothing split ends down and preventing new ones from forming. I have long hair and I don't get it cut very often so this cream is a godsend for me. It doesn't weigh the hair down either which is a must have for my fine hair.

YUKO Repair Through* - £15.00

This leave-in conditioning spray is perfect for protecting against split ends and heat damage. I spray this onto wet hair before blow drying and after styling, my hair feels beautifully soft and bouncy. It sprays out as a lightweight mist that detangles the hair using moisturising agents and amino acids. These both help to maintain moisture and prevent damage.

Love Boo Natural No More Knots Detangling Spray* - £11.99

This range is aimed at mothers and babies/children however, I've been loving using the Detangling Spray on my fine hair. As I have long hair, it tangles up easily and this spray quickly detangles the hair, adds shine and leaves it feeling soft. It uses papaya and coconut extracts to add shine and hydrate and argan oil and fig to help release knots and de-frizz the hair. I should also add that this smells absolutely gorgeous.

Schwarzkopf Osis+ Body Me Fullifying Volume Serum* - £9.75

I'm not the biggest fan of mousses as I find them tricky to use so this volumising serum is a godsend for me. I apply this to my hair before blowdrying and it significantly increases hair body and fullness. It offers medium control so it holds throughout the day but with natural movement. The serum element of this means that it smooths the hair shaft down so you can say goodbye to frizz.

John Frieda Full Repair Touch-Up Flyaway Tamer* - £10.99

This on-the-go mascara wand-esque treatment is perfect for carrying around with you on a daily basis. It quickly smooths down flyaways and adds shine. I have a random piece of hair on the left hand side of my head that always sticks up. I could never tame it until I found this product. 

Moroccanoil Light Oil Treatment* - £13.45

This really is a little godsend and regardless of your hair type, it's something I believe that everyone should own. It fixes a multitude of sins including frizz, dry hair, tangled hair and more. I use the light version because I have oily/thin hair and this lightweight formula doesn't weigh the hair down or make my hair appear greasy. It leaves the hair looking shiny and feeling hydrated and soft. It's one hair product that I definitely couldn't be without.

TRESemmé 24 Hour Body Sky High Plump Powder* - £5.50

This is a product that I've owned for years but never used. I'm extremely glad that I "discovered" this as it's wonderful at adding volume to the hair. My hair is really lacklustre and a couple of shakes of this underneath my roots leaves my hair looking crazy - in a good way, of course. It does leave the hair feeling a bit bleugh but it's easily washed out the next day. I use this every time I go out at night to ensure that my hair is volumised and full.

Umberto Giannini Glam Hair Hot Styler Spray* - £5.61

Quite simply the best heat defence, ever. It protects your hair against heat damage, smooths the hair down, fights frizz and holds your style like a light-hold hairspray. I use this every time I use heat on my hair and it's wonderful. It's a 3-in-1 product (serum, heat defence and hairspray) and if I'm curling my hair then it holds the style for a lot longer than normal heat defences. I also love the way this sprays - like an aerosol and not a spritz bottle - as it makes it easy to evenly coat the hair.

Bumble and bumble Surf Spray* - £21.50

I've mentioned this beauty many times on my blog before and I stand by everything I've ever said. Yes, it's damn expensive, no I won't be able to afford another when this one runs out but my oh my, I absolutely love it. For effortlessly sexy hair, this is my "go-to" product. It adds texture, body, bounce, waves - everything I could ever want in a hairstyle. And it smells beautiful too. But that little big price tag, oh I hate it so much.

What are your favourite hair styling products? Do you use any of the above?

*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here
Click here to be in with a chance of winning a years supply of clothes

Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant Cream in Everyday Fresh

Deodorant is a necessity and when you find "the one" it can change your life. Okay, maybe I'm being a bit dramatic with that but it certainly does help. Through my life, I've gone through deodorant can after deodorant can, usually buying whatever is on offer. I've never fully committed to a certain brand but when I started using Sure Maximum Protection Deodorant Cream in Everyday Fresh* my entire perspective on deodorants changed.

Sure claim that this deodorant is 2x stronger than the leading antiperspirant and it used a tri-solid™ formula which is made up of three components. These components are: extra strength dryness protection, patented fragrance technology and skin conditioning ingredients. All of these components work together to make sure that you are protected and smelling fresh throughout the day while ensuring that your skin is protected from irritation. The deodorant cream is mild enough to use every day and also available in four fragrances (which you can view here).

I've been using this deodorant for a couple of weeks now (including throughout the dreading Freshers Week). Partying every night in sweaty, overcrowded clubs can be an absolute nightmare but I didn't have to worry with this deodorant. It's actually perfect. It smells fresh and clean and the protection is outstanding - much better than any other deodorant I've tried. I was a little bit worried about this being a cream as for me, they tend to be quite wet but this one dries straight away which means that you can get dressed instantly.

I highly doubt that I will stray away from this deodorant. It is more expensive than your usual deodorants but it's incredibly good and despite using it daily for a couple of weeks, I've barely used any of it. You can buy this deodorant here for £5.30.

Have you tried this deodorant before? Which deodorant is your favourite?
*PR Sample
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Twitter|Facebook|BlogLovin|Instagram

Do you have a few spare pennies? Check out my Blog Sale here
Click here to be in with a chance of winning a years supply of clothes