NEW PRODUCT: Blistex Cold Sore Cream

It's no secret that I love Blistex. Their product range is absolutely incredible and my favourite lip health products come from them. I've wrote a lot about the brand before and you can see all my reviews/times I've mentioned Blistex here. Blistex have recently launched a revolutionary Cold Sore Cream. Fortunately, I don't suffer with cold sores but I wanted to feature the cream on my blog anyway because I know what a pain they can be.

Docosanol is the unique active ingredient in the Blistex Cold Sore Cream and it's already the number 1 selling cold sore treatment in the US and for the first time, Blistex have brought it to the UK! It works differently to every other cold sore treatment on the market as it helps to block the spread of the virus when applied so you can carry on with life as normal.
"Published scientific journal reports (4) have shown that docosanol starts working earlier in the cold sore cycle than other active ingredients by forming a barrier around the cell whihc stops the virus from entering in the first place. Current treatments on the market contain anti-virals such as aciclovir and penciclovir, which only start to work once the cold sore has entered the healthy cells."
4 - Haremburg et al. Acta Derm Venereol 2010; 90: 122-130; Sacks et al. J Am Acad Dermatol 2001;45 (2): 222-230; Habbema et al. Acta Derm Venereol 1996; 479-481.

So busy lifestyles make it hard to sufferers to avoid the triggers of a cold sore such as stress, tiredness, ill health and poor diet. But the new cream offers a powerful new way to fight back against the virus while also moisturising and protecting the lips all year round.
The new Cold Sore Cream is available now and it retails for £6.99. You can find out more here and buy it from Tesco, Superdrug, Sainsbury's, Asda, Boots and Morrisons over the counter.
xxx

Orthodontic Braces Survival Kit!

I've had my brace on for a week now and I've come up with a pretty good kit to help keep my teeth and brace healthy and clean and my mouth pain-free!

The basics that you need are of course, toothpaste and mouthwash. I'd recommend sticking to the same brand throughout your entire 'brace journey' just to be on the safe side. I'd also highly recommend getting a children's toothbrush. The one I have is the Boots Smile Kids Toothbrush and it was around £1. I'd say get a children's toothbrush because it's easier to reach the smaller areas and also, it's easier to fit the brush in your mouth without over stretching your gums. As well as this, definitely get a travel toothbrush. Mine's just a standard one from Boots. It's important that you do this in case you go out for meals or end up staying over at a friend's house. You never know when you'll need one! The orthodontics recommend that you get some Interdental brushes. Mine are the Boots Expert TePe Interdental Brushes and these are great for cleaning in between the brace to make sure food doesn't get stuck there. You may have to change these every now and then depending on the spacing between the brace. Orthodontics also recommend getting some wax. Mine's just from my own orthodontics and it cost me just £1. You only need a tiny amount and all you do is pop it on top of the brace and it'll stop the brace from rubbing against your gums. It's literally a life saver. Another life saver is Bonjela. You will without a doubt get a lot of mouth ulcers from where the brace rubs - especially when you're sleeping. Bonjela is an instant pain relief and it helps to calm and heal the ulcer. Another thing you'll need is some form of pain relief like paracetamol and ibuprofen. I have the Nurofen Meltlets tablets just because I can't take tablets and they help a lot. Finally, I'd recommend getting a lip balm as your lips become more dry when you get braces. Also, make sure none of the products that you use are whitening as you'll end up with half of your teeth white and the other half not as white due to the brace blocking the whitening products from working!

The picture above is of me wearing my brace. The brace I have is the InVu Brace and as you can see, it's barely noticeable. I won't go into too much detail about it but basically they blend in with the natural colour of your teeth. They're also a lot smaller and more lightweight than your standard brace so it makes them more comfortable. I only have a brace on my top teeth as there's nothing majorly wrong with my bottom teeth. 

Have you had braces before?

xxx

REVIEW: Blistex Moisture Max

When it comes to lip balm, I have an addiction. And it's no secret that Blistex is my favourite brand. So you can imagine my excitement when I found out that they were launching a new one on the 13th of August.

This lipbalm is the first of its kind as it contains melting moisture beads and SPF15 which makes it perfect for summer. Each moisture bead contains Shea Butter and Aloe Vera which is provides long lasting super-hydration instantly. When it comes to lipbalm, taste is very important and this one is very nice. It's blueberry flavoured which tastes and smells refreshing. This lip balm is lovely and ever since I was sent it, it's been in my handbag. I've been working a lot recently and my lips have become very dry but this lip balm has helped no end. It's very moisturising but it doesn't leave a nasty residue on the lips.

This is available now from Boots and it retails for just £2.49.

xxx

*PR Sample

My Lip Balm Collection

My lip balm obsession runs as deep as my foundation collection - if not deeper. I'm not too sure why as when it comes to my lips, there's nothing wrong with them. I don't get dry lips and I definitely don't get chapped lips. They're not perfect though and obviously lip balms help with lipstick application so I love using them.

I'm also ashamed to say that this is not my full lip balm collection; this is just my university one and at home, I have quite a few more. 

I absolutely love lip scrubs and I've incorporated them into my daily routine. For me, they're just like a moisturiser.

Lush Lip Scrub in Bubblegum - £4.95

This one tastes as Snow Fairy would taste if it was food. It's absolutely beautiful and it smells just like Snow Fairy too. It works really well at scrubbing away dead skin and as you can see from the pot, it's definitely well used.

Lush Lip Scrub in Pow Wow - Limited Edition

I'll never forget when I first bought this and opened it. I was disgusted at the colour and I almost didn't dare use it but it's so good. It's a lot more abrasive than the Bubblegum scrub and you have to be careful when using it as your lips will turn green. But it's fabulous! The taste is popping candy and as you lick the scrub away from your lips the popping candy pops in your mouth.

I really love Nivea lip balms. The packaging of them is great and they're wonderful for throwing into your handbag throughout the day. The Nivea Pure & Natural in Milk & Honey - £1.99 tastes lovely. It's really milky and very moisturising. The Nivea Essential Care - £1.65 is of the same moisture level of the Milk & Honey but I'd say it penetrates deeper and has a better lasting effect. And finally, the Nivea Hydro Care - £2.03 is the most hydrating of the 3 and it is less sticky.

I must admit that Blistex is my favourite lip balm brand. You also must check out their new website - I had too much fun playing with the new features haha. 
Blistex Daily Lip Conditioner* - £2.59
This is a great lip balm. It adds moisture and it tastes and smells nice - like mint. I don't think it deeply moisturises the lips though. It's more of a nice top up throughout the day.

Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast* 
A great hydrating lip balm that tastes and smells incredible! This always reminds me of last years holiday as I took it away with me.

Blistex MedPlus Cherry Berry* - £2.34
This tastes incredible! It's not like the fake cherry berry scent/taste that is in most lip balms either. It's also very good for the lips and is exceptionally moisturising but not in a way that comes off too waxy on the lips or too thick. I love it!

Blistex Lip Massage* - £1.83
This is amazing. It has a special top that dispenses the lip product and it gently buffs away any dead skin and leaves you with beautiful, soft lips. This is great for in the morning.

Blistex Soothing Splash Liquid Lip Moisturiser* - £2.59
I have been loving this lip balm recently and it's the one that has been coming everywhere with me. It applies via a rollerball which is wonderful for soothing the lips. The balm is quite thin but it's pretty glossy and it's great for adding fullness to this lips. Like I said, it soothes the lips and surprisingly it's very moisturising as well. I love it! My new favourite.

Blistex Lip Brilliance* - £2.49
A really nice lip balm that is similar in consistency and hydration as the Nivea ones. It also adds a lovely hint of pink colour on the lips.

 I love SoftLips! The packaging is so cute and girly and I love how inexpensive they are. The SoftLips French Vanilla* - £1.49 tastes incredible. It sort of tingles on the lips which I love. The SoftLips Vitamin Enriched* - £1.49 is the exact same as the French Vanilla one but it doesn't have any flavour.

'I kissed a girl and I liked it..' Chapsticks were probably my first 'make up item' that I owned. But they're actually very good lip balms. My sister loves the original one but I prefer ones with flavours. They're not the most moisturising but they're a great base for lipstick.

Strawberry Chapstick - £1.05

Cherry Chapstick - £1.05

Boots Essentials Lipsalve in Spearmint - £1.01
My sister bought this at the airport as she had forgotten her lip balm but as soon as she found out the flavour she gave it to me (she doesn't like flavoured lip balms). I like this one. It's not that moisturising but it really smooths the lips and it tastes nice.

Vitamin Water Dragonfruit Flavoured - £9.49
I don't really like this. I can't remember why I had it. It's hydrating but I hate the flavour - dragonfruit, urgh.

Carmex Moisturising Lip Balm - £2.69
I don't like Carmex at all. I don't know why I still have this really. It just tastes disgusting.

Liz Earle Sheer Pink Lip Shimmer* - £5.00
This is really cute! It's great for adding on top of matte lipsticks to hydrate them throughout the day and add a nice sheen to the lips.

Vaseline Sun Protection SPF 15 - £2.25
I use this constantly in the summer. It's just like the original Vaseline but it has SPF 15 in it.

Vaseline Rose and Almond Oil - £2.25
I'd say this is the most hydrating out of all of the Vaseline's and I really love the colour pay off.

Rhodes to Heaven All in One Lip Plumper* - £13.95
This is perfect - the best primer for lips. It plumps the lips up whilst hydrating them and really caring for them. It's just incredible and it's definitely worth the big price tag.

I Love.. Strawberries & Milkshake Glossy Lip Balm - £0.99
This tastes and smells incredible. It's not very travel friendly but it sits lovely on my bed side table. It's also very hydrating.

The Body Shop Born Lippy in Watermelon - £2.00
Tastes lovely and is great for summer. Not the most hydrating of lip balms but does a great job at softening the lips.

I bought a giftset from Boots at Christmas for £10.00 and inside it was a lot of cute lip balms. My favourite are the Boots Bright as a Button Mint Lip Balm and the Boots Bright as a Button Cherry Lip Balm. These ones taste lovely and the mint one also adds a bit of shimmer to the lips.

If you do have very chapped lips then there's only one lip balm that I'd recommend and that's the Blistex Relief Cream. Unfortunately, it's not featured in this post as my sister has stolen it from me as it's her favourite and she does actually have chapped lips. She really loves it and it's improved the condition of her lips so much. I even recommended it to a customer at Boots once.

xxx

*PR Sample

TAG: Seven Deadly Beauty Sins!

After watching Gemma's video I decided that this tag would be an interesting thing to do! I didn't fancy doing it on YouTube as I'm still a bit nervous about putting myself on there so I decided to do it in a blog post instead.

Gluttony - What are your most delicious beauty products?

Lip balms! I'm definitely obsessed with them and they're something that I can't stop buying. I love different scents, tastes and feels of them and I must have over 30 of them.

Greed - What is your most inexpensive beauty product? What is your most expensive?

My most inexpensive beauty product was my MUA eyeshadow in the colour Shade 11 - Pearl. As with the basic MUA line, this eye shadow was just £1 and it has wonderful pigmentation and it lasts throughout the day. You can see a swatch of this eyeshadow here. My most expensive beauty product was the Urban Decay's Naked 2 palette (I think) which was definitely worth the price! You can see my full review of this palette with swatches here.

Wrath - What beauty products do you have a love/hate relationship with? What has been the hardest to find?

Some days I love this foundation but other days I don't like it. In general it's a lovely foundation that provides medium/full coverage. The only problem is that it doesn't last very well (without a primer) and sometimes can look orange on the skin. But it doesn't stop me from using it as it can look flawless on the skin. Oh I don't know, I'm generally just confused about this foundation!

Sloth - What beauty product do you neglect due to laziness?

Definitely my He-Shi Fushion Multi Bronze*. I adore this bronzer; it's a really natural shade that gives me an instant glow and makes me look tanned but in general, I find bronzers hard to work with. So whenever I'm in a rush, I will skip over bronzer which is a shame because when they're applied properly, they end up completing make up. You can see a swatch of this bronzer here. 

Pride - What beauty product gives you more confidence?

Foundation and concealer! I don't have the best skin in the world; it's spot-prone, full of scars and can sometimes be blotchy. But foundation and concealer are my lifesavers. Especially Estee Lauder's Double Wear and Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection. These two together work wonderfully to create natural looking skin that just looks entirely flawless throughout the day.

Lust - What attributes do you find most attractive in the opposite sex?

Looks wise? Zac Efron. He's just a god. But personality wise? Just someone who is easy going, can make me laugh and doesn't take themselves too seriously.

Envy - What item would you most like to receive as a gift?

The beautiful product that is Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Eclat. A wonderful product. A classic. THE product that is perfect for making you look like you've had the most perfect nights sleep you could imagine. I need this in my life. But I can't bring myself to spend £25 on it. So if you're willing to, please feel free! 

If you do this tag on either YouTube or your blog, please let me know as I really love reading/watching them! If you don't, let me know your 7 deadly sins in the comments!

xxx

University Survival Kit!

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush - Dry Shampoo is a must-have at university because you will mainly have late nights and early mornings. So if you have to be up early and you wake up late but you don't have time to wash your hair, dry shampoo is a life saver. Also, if you're like me and your hair is often flat, dry shampoo will inject so much volume into your roots.

John Frieda Root Awakening - Hairspray is very important as it will hold your style which is perfect for bad weather! I love this hairspray because it adds volume to the hair and holds the style all day.

TRESemme Split Remedy Split Mend & Protect Leave in Treatment - My hair requires a lot of looking after and this leave in treatment is incredible. It helps seal the hair and fix and prevent any split ends. 

Liz Earle Foot Repair Moisturiser - If you're at university and you love to party then a decent foot moisturiser is a definite must-have. After a night out, my feet are a wreck and I just slaver this all over my feet, leave it to soak in and my feet feel refreshed, soft lovely! 

Liz Earle Foot Spritzer - Same goes for this foot spritzer. It eliminates odour and gives the feet a lovely boost.

Impulse Goddess Body Spray - I adore body sprays and at the moment, this one is my favourite. It smells all citrusy and is perfect for quickly spraying before going anywhere.

Murine Bright & Moist Eyes - A lot of late nights take their toll on you and if you don't want to arrive at a lecture looking half-dead, eye drops are perfect for you. I love these ones because they brighten the eyes as well as moisturising them. They're all really easy to apply and have lasted me a long time. 

Soap & Glory The Righteous Butter - When you're going out, there is nothing worse than scaly legs. The Righteous Butter by Soap & Glory is wonderful as it's not only moisturising but it smells gorgeous too!

Dirty Works Pore-fect Face Scrub - Another problem with going out a lot and staying up late is that your skin will probably end up looking dull. This face scrub gets rid of dead skin cells and wakens the skin up. 

Dirty Works Belle of the Ball Face Mask - The same goes for this face mask. You leave it on for 5 minutes whilst it sets and when you wipe it away, your skin will be very radiant and lovely!

Soap & Glory Flake Away - When it gets to winter and your skin starts drying out, there is literally nothing better than this body scrub. It's vigorous but not too vigorous, it smells beautiful and it's also perfect for applying before fake tan.

Johnson's Baby Bedtime Cream - I sometimes struggle to sleep and I apply this moisturising before going to bed. I wake up with soft skin and also the smell helps me get a decent nights sleep. 

Keromask Camouflage Cream - Full coverage foundation is wonderful for when you're taking pictures on a night out/your skin isn't perfect. This is my favourite foundation at the moment as it's the fullest coverage you will get. It's designed to cover up scars and tattoos. It lasts throughout the day/night and is easy to blend.

Diego Dalla Palma Make Up Fixer - Holds make up in place all day and all night. There's nothing more to say except that it's wonderful.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Primer - Primers are also a great product to keep handy. This one minimises pores, makes make up last all day, brightens the skin and mattifies it.

Blistex Lip Conditioner - Especially in winter months your lips will take a battering. I adore this lip conditioner as it tastes nice and really softens the lips. It's also perfect for throwing in your bag.

Corn Silk Semi-Matt Pressed Powder - I love love love this face powder. When you're up all day and out all night, there's nothing worse than a shiny face. This semi-matt powder ensures your skin looks radiant without looking greasy.

What are your favourite products for nights out etc?

xxx

Blistex Lip Brilliance

If you're a regular reader of my blog then you know that I absolutely adore lip balms and they definitely take up a massive amount of space in my make up drawer at university. I always, always have one on me whether I'm just popping to the shop or going out on a night out. So obviously when I was offered to try out Blistex's brand new Lip Brilliance in Blushing, I jumped at the chance.

 This lip balm nourishes the lips as well as the other Blistex products do however, it has a hint of colour - a beautiful, shimmery pink. It's perfect for wearing on its own for a toned down look or for added shine and another dimension on top of lipsticks. It also contains SPF15 to protect the lips against nasty sun damage and boosts lips fullness.

As you can see from the swatch above, the lip balm is a beautiful, girly pink colour with a hint of silver sheen. The 'glitter' in this product isn't chunky and you can't feel it on your lips. Also, a big must have for me when choosing my lip balm is the taste - you don't want to be putting anything that tastes vile on your lips, do you? Well this lip balm tastes lovely.. I'm really useless at describing tastes but it kind of reminds me of Lush's Bubblegum Lipscrub - not exactly the same taste but along those lines.

So if you're a fan of lipbalms or you're looking for a new colour to add to your lips then this is one for you. It's perfect in every way. And it's available now at Boots for just £2.49!

xxx

I'm Lovin' It!

Hey guys!

Sorry that I've been absent recently. I've been really busy sorting out university things and also holiday things as next Tuesday, I'm going abroad - really excited! So I thought I'd show you a few products that I'm currently loving.

Skin Wisdom Day Spa Very Enriched Ultra Rich Body Butter [Vanilla & Neroli] - £4.99

This rich body butter is perfect for dry skin sufferers. I've had a bad couple of weeks recently where the skin on my legs and ankles has been pretty dry and this body butter has solved all of my problems. It melts into the skin effortlessly and doesn't take long to completely sink in. It also smells absolutely beautiful - and the scent lingers! The tub is 300ml which is huge for the price!

Denise McAdam Moisture Master Intensive Moisture Masque - £3.50 [Tesco]

If you follow me on Twitter then you'll probably know that when I returned home from camping my hair had suffered badly. It was awfully dry which for me, was a shock considering my hair is usually oily. This hair masque saved my hairs life. You apply it for 2-3 minutes, rinse it off and wella! Perfect hair in an instant. After using this just once, my hair had restored to its natural form and it was full of life and glowing. I now use this 2-3 times a week!

Burt's Bees' Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Cream - £9.99

I love this product so much! It smells gorgeous - like Bakewell Tarts. This handcream also sinks into the hands pretty quickly which makes it perfect for when I'm driving. I do love the packaging.. very vintage and pretty. However, I wish Burt's Bees' did a smaller version that I could keep in the car. Don't worry though, I did decant some into a smaller tub so I always have it. My favourite handcream.

Skin Wisdom Instant Benefits Eye Roll On - £7.00 [Tesco]

I've always found it hard to find the 'perfect' eyecream. My eyes do get small bags under them and sometimes, they're hard to conceal with concealer alone. This eye roll on however works instantly. It cools the eyes and leaves them looking fresh and awake. I wouldn't be without it.

Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast - [Superdrug]

 You know I love lip balms right? Well this one is now my all time favourite. It's highly moisturising and gets rid of chapped lips straight away. Yet the best thing about this lip balm is the taste. Oh my, it tastes beautiful. Just like raspberries and lemonade - ha! Amazing. I carry it with me everywhere.

Liz Earle Sheer Skin Tint - £21.00

I reviewed this product here and yes, I'm still loving it. My #1 foundation at the moment!

Jerome Alexander Magic Mineral Powder - £19.99 [Giftset]

This pressed powder really does seem magical. It contains different coloured dots [see picture below] which all merge together to not only mattify the skin but also to conceal.  It brightens the complexion, dulls redness, conceals skin discolouration, camouflages yellow & pallid skin and also covers under and over eye areas. It really is that magically. The compact is pretty big and flimsy but it does contain a huge mirror which is a big bonus!

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer - £4.19

I've gone back to my favourite concealer! This concealer is so cheap yet it has full coverage and a lot of pigmentation. It covers everything. My go-to concealer. I cannot praise it enough. Oh and it lasts all day.

Barbara Daly Lash Boost Mascara [Black] - £6.75 [Tesco]

I tweeted about this mascara whilst I was on holiday. I went in the sea and this mascara did not budge. I find that incredible. I honestly couldn't believe it! This mascara lengthens, thickens and curls my lashes and since I've been using it I have noticed that my lashes have become stronger.

Barbara Daly Eye Liner Polish [Dramatic Black] - [Tesco]

I find it really hard to use gel/cream eyeliners however, this one is perfect. It's really pigmented, glides onto the eye area and doesn't move until it's removed. Once again, I can't praise it enough. It's just perfect.

Jerome Alexander Magic Mineral Powder 

 Barbara Daly Eye Liner Polish [Dramatic Black]

Barbara Daly Lash Boost Mascara [Black]

What products have you been loving recently? I'd love to know!

xxx