Monthly Beauty Favourites: June 2014



This month I started a weekly favourites series where I give my readers and followers the chance to view what I'm using on a weeky by week basis. For my Monthly Favourites Post, here are the top 5 products I have enjoyed using throughout June.

Here's the weekly blog post throughout June 2014:

I have typical British skin. I'm pale and burn easily. But thankfully, I once the redness has settled I tan. So, to kick start the tan, I have been using the Garnier Body: Summer Body Moistrurising Lotion Sun Kissed in Deep. It's currently on sale at Boots.com. It's a bargain in if you're on a budget! This is a gradual tanning lotion that allows you to control and build up your tan. The more you apply it, the darker your gradual tan will look. The apricot fragrance is lovely and distracts from the usual tanning smell. Its non sticky and easy to apply. This is my second bottle of the year!

The last couple of months have been a stressful time for me. As a result, I have been breaking out more and more in specific areas: nose and chin. These are the worst areas for me. In order to calm the redness, I purchased my third favourite of the week. The Bodyshop Tea Tree Oil has done wonders from reducing these horrible red spots that appear out of nowhere! I use a cotton bud or Q-Tip and apply 2 drops to the end of it. Then, I apply directly to the spot/s rather then all over my face. It dehydrates the spot and reduces inflammation. I thought £7 for alittle bottle of oil was expensive - but actually I can see it lasting forever. It's also great for mixing with your daily shampoo if you're suffering from dandruff. Mutli-use product!!!

Along with the joys of Summer sunshine comes the misery of hay fever. My itchy, runny nose has become sore this week so the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream has to the rescue! The 'skin protectant' has a very thick balm like consistency which provides a barriers between the outside world and my skin. All I do is rub this around my nose on a morning (before makeup) and at bedtime to give me some form of protection. I've also been using this on my lips this week to stop them from becoming dried out!

Another product that I've been enjoying this week is the Studio Blush and Highlighter Palette from Super drug. It was part of the Studio Natural Beauty Set that I purchased at Christmas (I know - ages ago right). There are 3 shades available (from L to R): a peachy rose, a dark rose and a shimmer for highlighting areas of the face. Use together, and all three shades can create that perfect summer glow. I tend to use the peachy rose shade during the day as it compliments my skin tone. Both blushes are full of pigments so I only use a tiny amount. The shimmer is subtle enough to 'highlight' as suggested. Great little palette that I can see myself using throughout summer.

I have been using the Soap & Glory 'The Scrub Of Your Life' body scrub. It's a gel like formula with pink, small exfoliating beads to 'scrub' away dead skin. The smell is beautiful; with a combination of bergamot, mandarin, rose, jasmine, peach, strawberry, warm vanilla and woody notes. I would say that its a gentler body scrub that some of the others I have tried in the Soap and Glory range. Perfect to use on a daily basis particularly if you're sensitive to grainy exfoliators like me. If you are wanting something with more oomph then I'd recommend the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub.
 
That my top 5 favourites featured in my weekly favourites this month. Is there anything you've typically been enjoying this month? Old or new?

Weekly Beauty Favourites #3

 

Hello!

Sunday is here again! That means its the end of another week and I am here with my weekly favourites.

As featured in my previous Weekly Favourites post I am still using the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant. It's been great from protecting my nose and lips from drying up with all this nasty hay fever. Click on the link for further comments :)

Shower time is happy time this week. And, I do love a good scrub!  I have been using the Soap & Glory 'The Scrub Of Your Life' body scrub. It's a gel like formula with pink, small exfoliating beads to 'scrub' away dead skin. The smell is beautiful; with a combination of bergamot, mandarin, rose, jasmine, peach, strawberry, warm vanilla and woody notes. I would say that its a gentler body scrub that some of the others I have tried in the Soap and Glory range. Perfect to use on a daily basis particularly if you're sensitive to grainy exfoliators like me. If you are wanting something with more oomph then I'd recommend the Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub.

Last month I was on the hunt from a summery fragrance. Seriously, like I'd used up all perfume, including the emergency stash and samples. Emergency situation. I a picked up this little bargain from the Perfume Shop. The DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Bloosom is amazing to me. It's a very light, clean and more girly compared to the original Be Delicious. There are delicate hints of apple there with dominantly floral tones.

That's what I've been loving this week. Next week, I will post my top 5 beauty favourites that have been featured in my weekly posts throughout June. If you want to see more weekly favourites in July - please leave a comment below :)




LUSH Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar



In April, I popped to the Lush Store in Preston and picked up this beauty. I have been on the search for fresh new scents, smells and fragrances for Summer. This ladies and gentleman is the LUSH Strawberry Feel Forever Massage Bar and smells AMAZING!  It's made up of fair trade cocoa butter, fair trade shea butter,  real strawberries, infused hibiscus and extra virgin olive oil compressed into this handy sized bar to enhance the massage experience.

The concept of a 'massage bar' appeals to someone like me to dislikes slippery mess and half used bottles taking up spare in my cupboards. I have clumsy tendencies so oily products end up spilt all over the place and I end up pouring precious money down the sink (I have no bitterness about learning the hard way...not). Therefore, with the massage you can reduce the likelihood of waste. This is one of the reasons why I was intrigued about this little product from LUSH.


Basically you can rub the massage bar in between your hand to start the melting process, or as I did, rub it directly into the areas you wish to to moisturise. It has helped hydrate my skin, especially around my elbows and needs. But it's also nice if you've got someone else to rub it on your back for you :)

It is slightly gimmicky. However,  this product has the potential to last. I am confident that the price of this is pretty reasonable for the length of time you could have it for. Plus, with the quality of the ingredients and fair trade mark: your money is partly going to a good cause. It could be tempting to use this whole bar in one go (especially if you were having a couples massage....ooooh. saucy) so it might be easier to cut this up into smaller pieces to ration your stock.

As with most LUSH products the scents are strong and potent. This has a light small of strawberries but ultimately it's sweet and sadly artifial. Regardless, it's sure to satisfy that sweet craving youre after. There are a selection of massage bars available at at LUSH. Check out their website or stores for further details.



How I Deep Clean My Makeup Brushes





It's a mundane task. Cleaning your makeup brushes on a regular basis should be a part of your daily beauty routine. Hands up, who is guilty of not doing this?! Yes, I've been there. Let me tell you why you should clean them!  Each time you use your brushes, dirt, oil and bacteria seep into the bristles. The next time you use that brush, you're putting all that yuk back on your face and collecting a new layer on dirt at the same time.  You dirty buggers!

If you do not do this on a regular basis, it could be one of the reasons why you're having regular breakouts, blackheads, and clogged pores. If you have acne prone skin then I'd recommend that you do this indefinitely! I've noticed a difference since doing mine. Whether you've invested in the cheapest drugstore band or high end brushes - taking care of them should be a priority in maintaining the quality and longevity of your product.



You will need:
  • A Small Bowl
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Clarifying or Baby Shampoo
  • Several Cloths (I used Muslin Cloths)
  • A Towel
  • Your Sink
  • A tap with running luke warm water
Arrange your brushes to commence with the detox.

1. Drop about 3-4 table spoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil into the small bowl. Take your dirty makeup brush!


2. Place your brush into the small bowl and begin coating it in the olive oil. Focus on the bristles rather than the end where they're glued into the handle. You don't want to loosen them. Then, take the brush and run it back and forth in the palm of your hand. This will gentle encourage and massage the oil through the bristles. Do this for about 5 minutes.

3. Squeeze out the excess oil into the sink. Begin running your luke warm water. After removing the excess oil, if your brushes still need further cleaning, dip the brush pack into the small bowl and repeat this process until you are happy. Rinse the brush and excess oil under the tap.


4. Then, use about 1 teaspoon size of the clarifying or baby shampoo.Work this into the bristles over the sink. Keep washing until the bubbles become clear. Thoroughly rinse!  
 
5. Use the cloth to soak up the excess water from the brushes and dry the handle. Reshape the bristles as you go.

6. Lay the brush flat to dry over several hours.

There you go! This is cheap and easy way to clean your brushes. To help drying and to stop the water for dripping back into the handle end where the glue is; slightly elevate your brushes from the handle end so the excess water is soaked up by the towel. If you found this useful, let me know by leaving a comment. Is there any tips you could offer to improve this process. I'd love to here from you!
 

Weekly Beauty Favourites #2


This week has blown by!! Now, its time to show you what I have been enjoying this week. June is the month for me to start using up all my current stock of products. The holiday is booked! Before splashing out my well earned cash on new products I need to finish off previous loved ones...

In between having micro-demobrasion treatment I like to use a weekly exfoliater that helps to buff away dead skin. I've been using the Sanctuary Spa Resurfacing Refine Ultra Polish for since I received a sample size in my Glossy box months ago. This is perfect for my dry skin. It has just the right amount of tiny grains to work at 'polishing' the skin. The formula also feels slightly creamy rather than a gel so my skin does not dry out with. I buff this into my skin for about 3 minutes then rinse and pat dry revealing soft skin :D

Along with the joys of Summer sunshine comes the misery of hay fever. My itchy, runny nose has become sore this week so the Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream has to the rescue! The 'skin protectant' has a very thick balm like consistency which provides a barriers between the outside world and my skin. All I do is rub this around my nose on a morning (before makeup) and at bedtime to give me some form of protection. I've also been using this on my lips this week to stop them from becoming dried out!

The Toni&Guy Shine Gloss has worked magical powers on making my hair beautifully glossy this week. I apply this as a finishing serum after straightening my hair to come any fly aways at bay. You only needs a very small amount of this product to go along way (probably about the size of a baked bean). The product is light enough not to weigh the hair down. Thumbs up from me!

The final product I've loved this week is also not something that is brand new. However, back in March I purchased a Tangle Teeazer from Boots, come home, put it with all my other haircare things and forgot about it. I know - how rude?! It wasn't until I started packing for moving did I re-discover my purchase. This week, I've been letting my hair dry naturally. After washing, I gently comb out of the knots and work my way up to the roots. This little brush is the best way to de-tangle hair if you are prone to knotty knots!!!

Thanks for reading my post. What have you been enjoying this week/month. Please link me your blogs to check them out!

Beauty Empties Post #1



I love these blog posts and Youtube videos of everyones beauty empties. Since January, I have been trying to save all my beauty related empty products without automatically throwing them away. Easy? Actually, I should of had more products to feature but they went in the bin. Also, I have moved recently and think I may have thrown a bag in the rubbish too. Ooops.

Hopefully, this post can enlighten you on some products that I have been using over the past 6 months. Some of these products has earned a merit of their own product review which I will link further in the post.

It's time to share what I have used up....

Products Featured:
(....links to all products available. Just click on the title).
Schwarkoft Essence Ultime Omega Repair Shampoo and Conditioner
I switched from my much loved Bedhead range to a cheaper brand to give my bank balance a break for beauty purging. These two products work well together. The shampoo has a slightly thick consistency. It's formula is full of nourishing elements and it feels soft when lathering. I enjoyed using the conditioner as it feels likea balm but felt I needed to use more than necessary. Otherwise, it's good combination. They were OK. There was nothing about these products that excited me.

Liz Earle Orange Flower Botancial Body Wash
I received this product as a freebie following a gift set I produced from the Liz Earle counter in John Lewis at the Trafford Centre, Manchester back in January. If you enjoy subtle citrus fragrances when this would be the bodywash for you. My skin felt so soft after using this daily. I've repurchased this. It's worth every penny!

Moroccanoil Treatement
Is this expensive bottle of oil worth all the hype? YES, ABSOLUTELY! Don't question it. Sorry for the shouty capitals but it wasn't until I stopped using it, that I realised how much my hair responded to it. It can be applied to wet hair before blow drying or to dry hair after straightening. I noticed a smoother finish and gloss to my damaged hair which ticks all the boxes for me. Less is more: I used about a 5p size amount of product.  It claims to reduce the drying time but I didn't really observe much difference. However, I will be repurchasing this in a bigger bottle. The 25ml lasted around 5 months when used daily. In my opinion, this is really good.

La Roche Posay Hydreane Riche Moistruriser
French skincare is at the top of my most loved skincare products. I reviewed that producted back in February. Click here for the full in depth review. Loved this for winter/spring. I'm using some other products which this range which I will review later in the month.

Dove Purely Pampering Shea Butter with Warm Vanilla Body Wash
After finishing the Liz Earle body wash I moved onto this product from Dove. Usually, I do not opt for Dove body washes but this was in gift set I received from my birthday in January. The smell is delicious! Anything with vanilla wins my vote. The Shea butter provides that silky, moisturising factor. I was impressed with how much I enjoyed it. I would not go out of my way to repurchase. Nonetheless, it's a lovely product and easy to use. Good for tight budgets!

Mac Studio Fix Foundation
I'm sat here typing and thinking to myself - why haven't I done a full review on this already? By far, this is one of the best foundations I have used for my skin type. I'm delighted to report that this foundation stays on my face from 7.30am right through until the late evening. Throughout the whole year, I stick to one shade NC25 which is perfect for me. The coverage is medium and helps to camouflage acne scarring. At the moment, I am using a different brand but cannot wait to repurchased again.

Nars Sheer Glow Foundation
This is a beautiful product and create a nice layer of second skin. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation is probably the most I paid for a foundation!!! But is it worth it? I made a review on this last year and is the most popular post on my blog. Click here for a review in much more detail.

Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanse and Polish
This has been my daily cleanser for about 2 years now following a Youtube review from SWalker Makeup acouple of years ago. I've put the link to to direct you to her channel. I did my own review here :) Of course, even after trying newer products, I always find myself becoming back to the old favourite.  That's gotta say something!

Toni&Guy Cleanse Shampoo for Dry Hair
OMG - my hair endured a deep cleanse and survived. This is a clarifying shampoo that works to detox the scalp, roots and hair to breakdown the build up of products over time. I used this shampoo following a nightout or when I know I've put too much product in my hair. I enjoyed this shampoo but I would recommend using a conditioning mask straight after to tangle hair. Your hair feel squezzy clean to touch but very knotty :(

Bio Oil
If I only take one item on a desert island - this would be the one and only. I would recommend this to every single body on this planet. I absolutely love Bio Oil and discovered it after I accidentally injured my arm on a corner unit. Yes, it hurt and left an ugly dark scar. I wanted something that would make it lighten over time and heard plenty of excellent reviews about Bio Oil. After all, word of mouth and recommendations are more powerful that advertising and promotions themselves. When I'm not using gradual tan, I use this mainly on my arms, legs and bum. It's great to use after hair removal, particularly waxing .

Victoria by Victoria Secret
I've recently discovered the many different fragrance collections following the opening of the new(ish) Victoria Secret store in the Trafford Centre, Manchester. It was 'smell' and love at first sight. It has a very sweet and fruity smell. Actually, it reminds me of tropical juice - which I like so I suits me. It's certainly a day time fragrance for me as the sweet smell is uplifting and refreshing. The one and only issue I had was with the bottle. I broke off the fancy plastic ribbon after a day of being in my bag. So, be careful when transporting around.

That's it for my empties post. I am currently saving products for the next post coming soon :) What products you enjoyed or not, and used up recently?

Thanks for reading! Dont forgot to follow me on Blogloving. See homepage for details.

Weekly Beauty Favourites #1


Happy Sunday Morning Everyone!

This week has been a busy one! I cannot believe we're into June. Where has the time gone, eh?
On a morning, I've been keeping my 'getting ready' routine to a minimum. These products have been part of my weekly staples for some time now. And it's time to share...

As the weather is starting to get warmer here in the UK means I am wearing less and less (layering I mean) in a bid to try and stay cooler throughout the day. I have typical British skin. I'm pale and burn easily. But thankfully, I once the redness has settled I tan. So, to kick start the tan, I have been using the Garnier Body: Summer Body Moistrurising Lotion Sun Kissed in Deep. It's currently on sale at Boots.com. It's a bargain in if you're on a budget! This is a gradual tanning lotion that allows you to control and build up your tan. The more you apply it, the darker your gradual tan will look. The apricot fragrance is lovely and distracts from the usual tanning smell. Its non sticky and easy to apply. This is my second bottle of the year!

The second product that I've been enjoying this week is the Studio Blush and Highlighter Palette from Super drug. It was part of the Studio Natural Beauty Set that I purchased at Christmas (I know - ages ago right). There are 3 shades available (from L to R): a peachy rose, a dark rose and a shimmer for highlighting areas of the face.  Use together, and all three shades can create that perfect summer glow. I tend to use the peachy rose shade during the day as it compliments my skin tone. Both blushes are full of pigments so I only use a tiny amount. The shimmer is subtle enough to 'highlight' as suggested. Great little palette that I can see myself using throughout summer.

The last couple of months have been a stressful time for me. As a result, I have been breaking out more and more in specific areas: nose and chin. These are the worst areas for me. In order to calm the redness, I purchased my third favourite of the week. The Bodyshop Tea Tree Oil has done wonders from reducing these horrible red spots that appear out of nowhere! I use a cotton bud or Q-Tip and apply 2 drops to the end of it. Then, I apply directly to the spot/s rather then all over my face. It dehydrates the spot and reduces inflammation. I thought £7 for alittle bottle of oil was expensive  - but actually I can see it lasting forever. It's also great for mixing with your daily shampoo if you're suffering from dandruff. Mutli-use product!!!

What you are been enjoying this week? Beauty or Non Beauty Favourites???
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