Holiday packing: skin care

This time next week, I'll be going on my first cruise. I'm incredibly excited as I haven't been on holiday for a while, and also there are eight other family members going. For me, the best part about going on holiday is picking up miniature beauty products. They look adorable, and you get the chance to try out new things. So although I have another week before I go away, I have already packed my beauty bits (minus fragrance and make up) so I thought I would show you.

Cleansers

Clean & Clear Truly Gentle 3-in-1 Facial Wipes - £3.05

I'm not someone who uses face wipes often as I'm a big believer in the double cleanse, but they are useful and definitely come in handy. These face wipes are my favourite. They remove make up incredibly well and leave the skin feeling hydrated and refreshed.

Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser* - full size £29 (from the Elemis Summer Set Glow collection* - £49.50)

I haven't tried this cleanser before but I'm incredibly excited to. I've heard wonderful things about it and I'll be using this as my pre-cleanse/make up remover each night. It's to be used like the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - massage it into skin, and remove with a flannel.

Korres White Tea Fluid Gel Cleanser* - full size £15 (from the Best of Korres Gift Set* - currently £12.67)

I haven't tried this face wash before but I trust Korres as it's a lovely brand. I'll be using this morning and evening to clean my skin and rid it of any impurities. It's also supposed to brighten, moisturise and nourish the skin which is a definite bonus.

Toners

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner* - full size £22 (from the Elemis Summer Set Glow collection* - £49.50)

Once again, another product I haven't tried but this smells delicious. It's quite big for a travel sized toner, but who am I to complain? Elemis claim that this toner soothes the skin to give it a radiant appearance and also say that it's perfect for sensitive, delicate and hormonal skin.

Pur Minerals Miracle Mist Hydrate & Set* - full size $19

For some reason, I can't find this listed anywhere in the UK. I was contemplating whether or not to take this with me but a quick spritz on the face and it was instantly packed in my bag. It's very refreshing and cooling, so it's perfect for the heat.

Treatments/Serums

Soap & Glory Sunshield Superfluid SPF50+ - £15

This is my facial sunscreen of choice as the packaging for it is perfect. It's really small and compact, which makes it a must-have for travelling. The sunscreen itself feels lightweight on the skin, doesn't leave behind a white cast and is SPF50. Perfection.

Freshskin By Elemis Face Mask Duo Pack* - £15 for 6 sachets

I decided to take a face mask for a bit of a mid-week treat. I'm taking the Deep Clean Purifying Mask from this set as it's a great way to draw out impurities, balance the skin and reduce pore size. I also get around four uses from this sachet so I'm sure all the ladies in our party will also be trying it out.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo [+]* - full size £15.50

I've tried the original Effaclar Duo before but not the new version. This one claims to be a lot stronger on scarring, which is perfect for my skin, especially because the sun is deadly when it comes to hyperpigmentation. 

La Roche-Posay Effaclar A.I. Targeted Breakout Corrector - £9.50

I really do like this spot treatment as it's gentle and non-drying yet fast working and hard hitting when it comes to blemishes. I'm going to be taking this just in case my skin reacts to any new products, or even to the weather. You can never be too prepared!

Moisturisers

For me, deciding which moisturiser to take proved to be a pain. My skin is combination, which means that sometimes it can be incredibly dry, and other times exceptionally oily. So I decided to take three different moisturisers which will hopefully help with each skin condition. 

The first is the Korres Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturising and Brightening Cream* - full size £20 (from the Best of Korres Gift Set* - currently £12.67) which I'll be using if my skin is particularly dry and also at night time. I've used this before and I love it. The next two are for when my skin is more on the oily side. Both the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ - full size £17 and the Clarins Daily Energizer Cream - full size £21 (from the Clarins Daily Energizer Kit - £15) are wonderful lightweight moisturisers. They sink into the skin instantly yet leave it feeling hydrating.

Extras

Liz Earle Daily Eye Repair* - £7.75

I chose this eye cream because my two everyday eye creams are quite bulky. This one is great as it hydrates the eye area and helps diminish dark circles. It also contains SPF 10 which in warm weather is a definite bonus. 

Piz Buin in Sun Lipstick SPF 30 - currently £3

And finally, SPF for the lips. This one tastes and smells incredible but sadly, it doesn't add any moisture or hydration to the lips. It does, however protect them from the damaging sun, without interfering with any make up.

#1 Holiday Packing: Skin Care

#2 Holiday Packing: Body Care

#3 Holiday Packing: Hair Care

Are you going on holiday this year? What beauty products will you be packing?
*PR Sample
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Not quite a lipstick...

L-R Lancome Fresh Touch in Soft Marshmallow, Revlon Lip Butter in Sweet Tart, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie, KIKO Long Lasting Lipstick in 02, KIKO Long Lasting Lipstick in 06, KIKO Long Lasting Lipstick in 03 

L-R pur Lipgloss Stick in Honey Pie, pur Lipgloss Stick in Beach Bum, KIKO Long Lasting Colour Lip Marker in  108, KIKO Long Lasting Colour Lip Marker in 103, KIKO Long Lasting Colour Lip Marker in 102, Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer

Summer is officially here! Every morning I've been woken up by the heat and although I'm not the biggest fan of boiling hot weather, I'm definitely embracing it. Out go the deep berry lipsticks and in come the bright colours and glosses. Ever since becoming obsessed with beauty I've been in love with lipsticks however, they never seem to apply that well on my lips. Fortunately for me, technology has moved on and now, lipsticks are better than ever. Moisturising, long lasting and extremely pigmented formulas mean that now lipsticks no longer drag when applied but instead, glide onto the lips and leave them looking well, juicy. So I've compiled a list of my favourite lipsticks that aren't quite lipsticks. They're just better.

Lancome French Touch (Soft Marshmallow, LE) - £23.50

This was my first ever high end lipstick purchase and at the time, I didn't realise the price - I just fell in love with the colour. When the price came up on the till I was very shocked but still parted with my money. Am I glad I did? Hell yes. This lipstick isn't the most pigmented lipstick in the world as it's more like a gloss in a tube. It glides onto the lips, moisturises them and leaves the lips looking like the cutest bubblegum pink in the world. Oh and the packaging itself is worth the price tag - extremely beautiful.

Revlon Lip Butter (Sweet Tart* & Berry Smoothie*) - £7.99

I think everyone has tried a Revlon Lip Butter in their time. They took the beauty industry by storm last year and they're still high on everyone's "most wanted" list. The reason I love these is because they're pigmented, moisturising and once again, glide onto the lips without settling into any dry patches. They're pretty long lasting and they're the perfect combination of lipstick and lipbalm. You can see lip swatches of these colours here.

KIKO Long Lasting Lipstick (02*, 06* & 03*) - £6.90

When I was first introduced to these lipsticks I can remember raving about them. That hasn't changed. These are essentially lipsticks - they're as pigmented as lipsticks and as long lasting as lipsticks but the formula of them is so beautiful and that's why they're included in this post. Even though they're long lasting and more satin than glossy, they're not drying in the slightest and they definitely don't settle into any dry patches. You can read my full review on these babies here.

pur Lipgloss Stick (Honey Pie* & Beach Bum*) - £16.00

These lipgloss sticks were my first venture into the latest "gloss in a stick" phase and my oh my, they're wonderful. They look like a lipgloss on the lips but they're not sticky and they don't apply patchy. My lip swatches (which you can see here) just show how beautiful they are when applied. They're lightweight, easy to wear and to say they're a gloss, last a good few hours on the lips. I highly recommend having a look at these little beauties the next time you're in M&S.

KIKO Long Lasting Colour Lip Marker (108*, 103* & 102*) - £6.90

My first experience with lip markers wasn't good at all. It was around four years ago and I tried a Covergirl one - it dried up almost immediately, applied patchy, tasted and smelt awful and just generally looked a mess. So I wasn't that excited to try these out however, I'm a complete convert. You can see how much "lip technology" has moved on as these not only taste and smell gorgeous but they're highly pigmented, last all day long and shock horror, they're not drying in the slightest. You can see my lip swatches here but I will warn you, you will fall in love.

Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector (Candy Shimmer*) - £16.49

This is a recent new addition of mine and I reviewed it and included a lip swatch the other day (link). It's absolutely fantastic and my new favourite lip product. I'm desperate to try out more shades as the formula is wonderful. It's moisturising and smells and tastes vanillary and fruity. This is a lip balm but better as it has more pigment, lasts longer and smooths the lips down so they look "perfected."

Have you tried any of these lip products before? What are you favourite "not quite lipsticks" products?

xxx
*PR Sample

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REVIEW: Clarins Instant Lip Perfector in Candy Shimmer

One product that has been hyped up for a while now is the the Clarins Instant Light Natural Lip Perfector.* I've been using the product in Candy Shimmer for a little while and I'm head over heels in love with it. It aims to leave the lips looking soft, smooth, shiny and plump and uses extracts of Shea Butter and Wild Mango to repair and soften. As well as this, derivatives of Vitamin A and E reinforce the repairing action and protect against free radicals. Phew, sounds incredible. Well, it is. This glides onto my lips and leaves them looking and feeling beautiful with a lovely hint of colour. The colour is quite sheer but it does have enough to wear it alone which is what I've been doing everyday since it popped through my door.  Essentially, this is a tinted lip balm but better. It has more pigment, it taste and smells better and the formula is a lot better. I'd highly recommend getting one (or more) of these in your life. I know I'm going to be looking at more of the shades.

I'd also like to give a quick mention to the website I got this product from. Unique Looks is a family run hair and beauty website that is dedicated to providing great brands and amazing prices. They currently offer over 1,500 different products and the team are always there on hand to share their advice and expertise. My order arrived within two days and my confirmation email was adorable. It said things like "Your products have been quickly taken from our Unique shelves, and then whisked away for pampering and a quick health check until fully ready. They were then placed on a golden silk pillow awaiting the most careful packaging for their short adventure to their new home." - How cute! In my package, I also received three free Clarins samples which I can't wait to try out! I'd highly recommend having a look at this website before ordering anything from big brands again. Their prices are great, their shipping is even better (did I mention it was completely free?!) and their service is even better than that.

Have you bought anything from Unique Looks before? Have you tried any of the Clarins Instant Lip Perfectors? Which shades would you recommend?

xxx
*I was provided with a discount code for Unique Looks however the product I chose was completely up to me and I got to experience their service first hand. 

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DUPE: Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel

"A face wash dupe?!" I hear you say... Yes, I face wash dupe! Is there such a thing? I don't know. But these two products do pretty much the exact same thing. They're so similar that it is in fact pretty scary.

Once of these is by my sink and the other is in my shower. And it wasn't until yesterday that I thought, 'hold on a minute, the end results are pretty much the exact same!' It's quite hard to show you how similar they are. After all, these aren't lipsticks that you can swatch next to each other but I will try and explain the best that I can. The two products in question are the Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel (£11) and the JooMo 100% Truly Natural Face Wash* (£4.75). I have reviewed the JooMo face wash in full and you can view that review here. Whilst the smells and purposes of these products are different, they do both wake your skin up in the exact same way. Whichever one I use, I always end up with the same brightened 'awake' look to my skin. JooMo is aimed at blemished prone skin though so if blemishes are something that you suffer with, I'd recommend that one over the Clarins one. Although JooMo doesn't dry the skin out, I'd recommend the Clarins one for more normal skin types instead of oily just because it's not aimed at blemished prone skin.

Have you tried any of these? What do you think?

xxx

*PR Sample

CURRENT: Skin Care Routine

Recently I've overhauled my skin care routine. It's been a long time coming but finally, I'd realised that my skin wasn't it's 16 year old spotty self any more but instead, a 19 year old dull thing that need attention quickly. I looked mainly at Clarins as I'd heard good things about their Daily Energizer range and when I saw  their sample kit, I had to pick it up. So without further ado, here's my current skin care routine.

Balance Me Extra Care Wonder Eye Cream - £20.00
Yes, I got this with Glamour magazine. Was I expecting much from it? Not really. Did it exceed my expectations? Hell yes! This really is a wonder cream and it works miracles on my puffy eyes in a morning. It's lightweight, refreshing, sinks into the skin lovely and is very natural. The only thing I don't like about this is the price. It's worth it, definitely worth it. But I'm sad, poor student. So I need to stock up on these with Glamour magazine.

Pan Oxyl 10 AquaGel - £3.83
Yes this has been in my skin care routine forever and yes, I doubt it'll ever be replaced. I don't want to go into this product too much as I've done a very in-depth review about the product here and this post lists all my concerns/warnings with the product. But overall, it's a skin saviour and I can't live without it.

Jurlique Citrus Purifying Mist - £21.50*
This is perfection in a spray bottle. Citrus is my all time favourite scent so the fact that this smells of citrus is a definite plus. It's great at refreshing the skin in a morning, throughout the day and also at nighttime. It's not very travel friendly as the bottle is glass (very pretty though) but the fact that this product is amazing gets me over that. I don't have oily skin (which this is mainly aimed at) but mine is combination and it does a great job at balancing the skin out and leaving it looking beautiful and soft. This has become my addiction. Also, if you buy this product from Feel Unique you can enter the code 'savemysummer' in the promotional code box at the checkout and you will save 5% off of any product and also be entitled for free delivery! This code is valid until the 23rd of July 2012.
No7 Anti-Dark Spot Facial Sun Protection SPF15 - £12.00

I've done a full review of this product here as I thought that it deserved its own post. But briefly I'll just say that this is incredible. It's more than a sun protection cream, it's a lovely base for make up and a great skin care product that I definitely think is having a positive impact on my scarring/dark spots.

Clarins Daily Energizer Kit - £15.00
I cannot stress how much I love this kit. I'm so glad that I bought it and I will be purchasing the full sized versions of everything in the kit. I'm going to be doing a separate posts on Clarins skin care but briefly I'll mention these products. This kit comes with a Daily Energizers Face Wash, Toner, Moisturiser and the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm which I've done a full post on here. The skin care products work very well together in keeping the skin looking bright, clean and really healthy and since using them I haven't had one breakout and my pores have become noticeably smaller. Like I said, I will be doing a full post on these skin care products so keep an eye out for that very soon! Let's just say this, I think I'm going to be using my Boots Advantage Card Points on these products and if I buy you with my points then you know that you're special!

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes - £7.00
I wouldn't buy these without the £5 No7 vouchers. It's not that I don't think they're worth £7 it's just that it seems pointless spending £7 on something that you can get for £2. These are in my opinion, the best skin care wipes out there. They're very soft and leave the skin feeling moisturised but not overly oily and not fully stripped. They also remove make up nearly as well as a facial wash and I definitely feel comfortable using one of these instead of a face wash after a night out or when I'm feeling lazy. 

No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream Normal / Oily - £13.50
Someone at work last week bought this night cream and I ended up having a 5 minute conversation with them on how perfect it is. I've mentioned it many times before and I'll continue mentioning it. It does a great job at moisturising the skin and leaving it nice and soft after a nights sleep. The best thing about this is how refreshing and cooling it is. Instead of a cream it's more of a gel so after a hard day of wearing a full face of make up this is wonderful at refreshing the skin. It's been my favourite for a good few months now and I honestly don't think I'll find a night cream as good as this!
What are your favourite skin care products? Have you tried any of the above?
xxx

OFFERS: Clarins & Macmillan

For a few years now Boots have been working closely with Macmillan to help raise money for cancer support. Because of this, Boots (in Lincoln, I'm not sure about nationwide) are currently promoting the charity a lot and trying to raise as much money as possible. One of the incentives that they're currently running is one whereby if you donate £1 to Macmillan you will receive a Clarins Mini Treats bag.

As soon as I saw this I knew I had to donate and inside my bag were the Clarins Multi-Active Night Comfort Cream £42.00 and the Clarins Multi-Active Day Cream for Early Wrinkle Correction £39.00. Each bag is different and you get the choice between a bag of treats or a beach/holiday bag which is really nice too! I've currently gotten into Clarins skincare a lot and I'm very excited to try these products out. Once I've given them a go I'm going to do a big Clarins skincare post so keep an eye out for that! And also, check your local Boots to see if they're running this incentive too. It's a great way to donate to charity and also give your skin a little treat too!

xxx

REVIEW: Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

The other day I bought a Clarin's set and you can see this here. I originally wanted the set for the Daily Energizer products but included was a Beauty Flash Balm. I've heard good things about this but I've also heard quite a few bad things about this where people claim that is doing nothing even though it's been their best seller for 20 years so I've never really bothered about it. Until now.

I didn't have high expectations for this because like I said, I've read many blog posts claiming that it's pretty useless and a waste of money. This claims to 'give you an instantly brighter complexion, firming, toning and erasing any traces of dull, lifeless skin and fine lights. It promotes a radiant complexion and long lasting, incredibly luminous make up.' I used this after moisturising and before foundation last Sunday before I went to work and I loved how it immediately erased my pores and made me look more awake. I also loved the way it felt on my skin but I thought 'hmm, is it worth £28?' It wasn't until I returned home from work and looked in the mirror that I realised how perfect this product is. My make up looked as flawless as it did the moment that I applied it 8 hours later. I don't know how it did it, but it did. Primers are great at keeping make up in place but I don't find that they keep make up look fresh and bright but this product does. Normally when I return home from work my skin looks tired and a bit of a mess but it literally looked amazing and I was in such shock. The only problem is, I can't get enough of this product and once this tube has ran out I know I'm going to have to buy another one which is definitely not good for my bank balance. I think the hype surrounding this product is definitely worth it and I can't believe that it has bad reviews. But I will say that my skin type is combination and dull. So maybe if your skin type is similar to mine then you should definitely give this a try!
You can buy this balm here for £28.00.
Have you tried this product before? What are your thoughts on it?
xxx

Boots Summer Holiday Hauling

In a few weeks time me, my sister and our friend are going on holiday. It was a birthday present from me to her for her 21st birthday. And of course going on holiday means buying lots of new things. I did want to get a whole new wardrobe to go on holiday with but instead I decided to spend some of my wages on new beauty products - because quite frankly, I'm an addict. So I went into Boots and these are the things that I bought. Of course, I'm taking other things but I wanted to keep it as a haul. Before I go on holiday I'll show you everything that I'll be taking with me. We're staying in the UK so it means that there are no limits!

Clarins Daily Energizers Great Skin Kit - £15.00

I originally went to pick up the Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel but when I saw this kit I knew I had to get it. It contains the Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel, Clarins Daily Energizer Wake-up Booster, Clarins Daily Energizer Cream and the Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. They're all mini sizes but to say they're mini sizes is a bit unfair considering I think they're decent sizes. I thought it'd be better to buy this kit beforehand and see if the range agrees with my skin. And also, I have been wanting to try the Beauty Flash Balm out for a really long time now. Unfortunately, I'm taking this on holiday with me so there won't be a review for a few weeks. I don't know how I'm going to resist using the products.

No7 Anti-Dark Spot Facial Sun Protection SPF15 - £11.00

Sun protection for the face is a big must have for me so it's taken me a while to decide on this one. Like Soltan this has a 5* UVA rating and the great thing about it is that it protects against dark spots which is something that I suffer with due to my scarring on my face. Unfortunately, it's only SPF15 but I am only going away in the UK so it should definitely be enough.

Soap & Glory Mist You Madly Mini Body Spra - £3.50

I have the full size of this and also a mini size that's nearly running out so when I saw that this was on the 3 for 2 offer that Boots currently have on, I couldn't say no. It has the classic Soap and Glory scent and it smells so beautiful. Definitely my favourite body spray.

John Frieda Full Repair Shampoo and Conditioner - £1.99 each

I have been wanting to try out this range for a while so when I saw the mini's I immediately put back the TRESemme shampoos that I was holding and picked up these. I decided to go for two shampoos and one conditioner as these were also in the 3 for 2 and one mini bottle of shampoo isn't enough for me on holiday.

No7 Beautiful Skin Quick Thinking Wipes - £7.00

I needed some skin care wipes for removing any eye make up and just if I've had a late night and I'm feeling lazy so I picked these ones up. They're great face wipes and one of the best that I've tried. They remove all make up and leave the skin feeling beautifully soft.

Soap & Glory Hand Maid Antibacterial Hand Cleansing Gel - £2.50

I've seen this floating around the blogosphere for a while and I really wanted an antibacterial hand gel but I don't tend to like the alcoholic scent of them. So when I picked this up and smelt it I immediately popped it into my basket. It smells like once again, the classic Soap and Glory scent.

Soap & Glory Mini Clean, Girls Creamy Body Wash - £2.50

And finally, a body wash! I was going to go for the Clean on Me one but I already have one mini size of that plus two full sized bottles as it's my favourite body wash. So I decided to go for the alternative body wash as it's one that I've never tried before.

So altogether this cost me £25.79 instead of £47.47. It cost me a lot less than it should've done because of 3 for 2's, staff discount and vouchers. I even shocked myself when I added up the receipt price and the actual price and I can't wait to try out some of the products. As always, I highly recommend going to the Advantage Card kiosks before buying anything in Boots as they have some great offers there.

I hope you're all well. Are you going on holiday this summer?

xxx

Skin Care Overhaul

From a young age I've suffered with blemish-prone skin and from then on, I've always been in the mindset that I need to buy products for oily/blemish prone skin. However, I've started to realise that recently, my skin has changed. If I apply foundation it will soon start to look patchy, horrible and dull and it's not just the foundation either as I've switched many times. So it must be my skin care routine. I now think that I have normal-combination skin that suffers with the odd breakout and my skin is definitely very dull. So I've recently decided that I need a skin care overall. I've chosen a few products from Boots and I'm going to do a lot of research into them and visit a few counters to find out if they're perfect for me. As you can see, they're pretty expensive so I don't want to rush into buying them straight away. I will also add that I will be keeping my Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish as my nighttime cleanser, my PanOxyl as my spot treatment and my No7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream for Normal/Oily skin as my night cream just because I love them so much!

Clarins Daily Energizer Cleansing Gel - £11.00

As soon as I read this I knew that I needed to have it. It's a foaming gel that promises to remove make up and pollution for clean, blemish-free, detoxified skin. The Clarins Daily Energizer range sounds wonderful and it's targeted for 18-late 20 year olds and ensures that young skin looks clear, fresh and glowing and feels soft and smooth every day. This is thanks to its energy boosting shot of vitamin C which stimulates the skin's natural defences. It also has turmeric which is a powerful antioxidant, alchemilla which regulates sebum production and ginkgo biloba which brightens the skin and boosts its radiance.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar Original Formula Moisturiser - £34.00

A good moisturiser is key to good skin and great looking make up and I wanted one that boosts radiance whilst protecting the skin. This moisturiser is lightweight and provides antioxidant protection whilst improving skin texture and tone to leave is smooth and radiant. The moisturise improves skin radiance and gently exfoliates to reveal smoother, healthier looking skin and texture.

Biotherm Biopur Pore Reducer Gentle Purifying Lotion - £15.32

This toner is designed with plant extract which helps to refine skin texture and brighten the complexion. I'm still a bit unsure whether to go for this toner or the Clarins Daily Energizer one. I do have enlarged pores but even though this one claims to be gentle I'm still worried about toners completely stripping my skin. But then again I don't want to go for a moisturising one as my make up would literally slide off my face. Or maybe I should leave a toner out altogether? Or maybe I should just buy another Caudalie Beauty Elixir as I loved it so much last time. Or maybe the Caudalie Grape Water as it's pretty cheap and sounds decent. Decisions!

With my staff discount I would get these products for £52.82 which to be honest, I don't think is that bad. Especially because I'll just be using them once a day so they're guaranteed to last me a while. And also, the moisturiser is 60ml which is huge!

Have you tried any of these products? Would you recommend any of them? Or would you warn me to stay clear of any?

xxx