April Glossybox

I'm sure by now everyone has seen what came in the April box but here we go...

Review: Biore Make Up Removing Wipes and Pore Strips

Ok so picture the scene: You've rolled into the house late after a night out, you're so tired (or in my case have had one too many G&Ts) that you just fall into bed, make up and all. You wake up the next morning feeling none too pretty. Thanks to having slept in your make up, you don't look too pretty either (maybe that's just me!)

Most of the time I remain faithful to my Clinique 3 Step, but for these occasions, or even before cleansing it is so handy to have some make up removing wipes by the bed.

My favourite right now are the Biore ones. They're brilliant at getting even the most stubborn of mascara off and they don't leave that funny residue on the skin that other wipes tend to. Most importantly, they don't irritate my skin or break me out.

Sorry about the stock photo. Biore is going through a bit of a re-brand at the moment and I can't seem to find these anywhere! I'm making do with Primark wipes at the moment (they're ok but not as good as these).

Another product I'm loving from this brand are the pore strips. They're brilliant for dealing with stubborn, clogged pores that my normal cleanser can't shift.  I would definitely recommend these if, like me, you suffer with blackheads as they do leave my pores much clearer after use. Biore have released a short YouTube video on how the strips work and I thought I'd share.



You can find the make up removing wipes (£3.99) and the pore strips (£7.99) in Boots and Superdrug. Hopefully they should have stocked up by now!

Happy Sunday everyone!

:-) xxx

Sudocrem: A Mini Skincare Miracle

No, I'm actually not joking. That's right, the stuff you use on babies when they get nappy rash. No, I haven't gone mad...actually...that's debatable.

I can genuinely say I don't know what possessed me to slap this on my face before bed the other night but I'm certainly glad I did. My skin had been a bit spotty (combination of stress and flying long haul I think) but also really dry in some places so I wanted something that would treat the dryness without making the spots any worse. This happened to be in the bathroom cupboard so I dived in.

A word of warning, this stuff is really thick and REALLY white. It is not a day cream. It is not even something I'd use if there was the slightest chance that anyone would see me. I looked like I was channeling Edward Cullen, and not in a good way.

Anyway, the next morning I woke up to find my dry skin was much, much better. As an added bonus this seemed to somehow take the redness out of any breakouts. It is antiseptic, promotes healing, suitable for sensitive skin, and gives the skin moisture without that greasy feeling many intensive moisturisers have. Well that's not entirely true, your skin will feel very greasy when you apply it but this settles overnight and my skin was quite matte the next day.

The best part? It's really cheap!

I wouldn't call this my 'go to' night cream exactly(!) but it works wonders when my confused face doesn't know what skin type it wants to have.

:-) xxx

March Glossybox: The Harrods Edition

After the last 2 months’ Glossyboxes not having been much to write home about, this little gem landed on my doormat on Saturday

For anyone that is already subscribed to this you will have seen the hype begin in last month’s box and continue throughout the month on Facebook and Twitter.  I have to say that this was a brilliant bit of marketing and when all was revealed I could totally understand all the fuss.  All the products included in the box can be found in the Harrods beauty hall.  This means all the products are super high end and really quite ‘faancy’. Well for me anyway!

Wanna see what I got?

Molton Brown Heavenly Gingerlilly Moisture Bath and Shower

This. Smells. Amazing.  I’m saving it for an impending trip to Canada to see the boyf in a week so the travel size will come in rather handy.

YSL Forever Youth Liberator Serum

Ok I’m not getting any younger so this can only do good things.  I’ve wanted to try a serum for a while so I’ll keep you posted.

Clarins Extra Firming Body Cream

I’ve already tried this and I have to say that I’m a little bit in love.  It makes my skin feel so soft and smells of cucumbers.  A definite win.

Burberry Beauty Lip Mist in Copper No 202

This is just so cute! The formula is more like a balm than a lipstick which makes it ultra wearable.  The colour is not really all that ‘me’ but I may keep it just to look at the pretty packaging now and again.

Narciso Rodriguez For Her Eau De Parfum

 The standard perfume sample.  I hate to be controversial but I quite like getting a perfume in my Glossybox.  Firstly it’s always good to try a new scent and they're also handy for taking out and about.

I do love a special edition Glossybox and this is right up there with the December box.  Whilst there were no full sized products, everything I received was high end and to me, this is what Glossybox is all about. It’s a great chance to try some things I wouldn’t normally fork out full price for.  Having said that, I’d definitely look into the Clarins Extra Firming Body Cream, and may be putting the Molton Brown bath and shower gel on my birthday list.

All in all this little lovely brightened up what happened to be a very dull and dreary Saturday morning.

It's always nice to get things in the post :-) xxx

Tag? My 6 Most Repurchased Products

I vaguely remember this being a tag a few years ago but I'm not absolutely sure where I saw it.  The idea is to list the 6 products you would/have repurchased as soon as they run out.  For me this was surprisingly difficult!  I don't really like to stick to the same thing and I'm always on the lookout for something that works better.  These are literally the only beauty products/cosmetics I own that I would always go back to...I'm getting all sentimental now...on with the post!

1. OPI Nail Envy

I have dry, flaky, very thin nails.  It's not pretty.  This literally works wonders on them.  I put 2 coats on as a base under polish and one as a top coat.  After that I apply a thin coat every day for a week (unless I change my nail polish, in which case I repeat the process).  The effects really are amazing, my nails are so much stronger and don't chip or flake at all. At £18 this stuff is a bit pricey but I wouldn't be without it as it has massively improved the condition of my nails.

2. Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions 3 Step

I have a whole separate post on this so I'm not going to go on!

3. Revlon Colorstay Foundation

This is so perfect for my skin type.  This is a full coverage foundation but compared to other long wearing drugstore foundations it doesn't look anywhere near as 'caked on'.  I love the fact that it is designed for oily skin (they make a normal to dry one too) and it really does do what it says on the tin: it stays put!  I really would recommend this to anyone with oily, spot prone skin.  I'm planning a bit of a foray into Chanel foundations this year but there will always be a bottle of this in my make up bag (I'm already on my 5th!)

4. L'oreal Sublime Bronze Tanning Mist

I've used them all: St Tropez, St Moriz, Fake Bake, Xen Tan etc. etc. etc.  This is the most foolproof tan I have ever used.  There's no rubbing it in, no trying to blend around the wrists, elbows etc.  Just spray it on, let it dry and you will have a natural, totally un-orange, tan.  I must say a can doesn't last very long so it does require a fair few repurchases. Also be a bit careful with your carpets! Best to cover the floor with an old towel before use!

5. Too Faced lipstick in Free Love

I love the formulation of this as it's really moisturising. I also love the colour, a beautiful light dusky pink. And lastly I love the packaging. Full marks then!

6. Chanel Chance EDP

Apologies for the stock photo, I left mine at my uni house by mistake :-(

I'm rubbish at describing scents.  The best I can tell you is that it smells 'really nice'.  I  found this description on the Boots website:


'An unpredictable balance that continually surprises. A constellation of scents, warmed up by Absolute of Vanilla, where Absolute of Exotic Jasmine and Iris are more pronounced. A mysterious alchemy accentuated by the intensity of the White Musk note.'

Hopefully this makes sense to someone! I just think it's 'really nice'! If it's a night out or a special occasion this is what I will be wearing without fail.

Well that's it. My 6 most repurchased and most loved products.

What are yours?

:-) xx

Latest In Beauty: The £1 Beauty Box

The box didn't arrive ripped: I had to take off my address and then got a bit over excited trying to get into it!

Before the likes of Glossybox, Boudoir Prive etc there was the little box by Latest in Beauty.  The whole thing works a lot differently to the aforementioned boxes.  For a start, the samples are much, much smaller (think of the free stuff you'd get in a magazine).  Secondly, the box only costs £1!  What you do is log in and choose 3 products from the lists you're given.  You then send a text to the company (this is how you pay the pound, it will be added to your phone bill at the end of the month), enter the code they give you and Bob's your uncle!  The box is shipped in a few days (it's usually pretty fast).

I've been receiving these for a couple of years now.  There's no monthly subscription and you can order your box as and when you want it, providing you only order one a month.  Sometimes I'll go on the website and not find anything I fancy so won't bother that month.  Also, anything you can get free at the department store counter is not really worth paying to try.

Anyway, this month I found 3 products I fancied trying, so here they are...

I've heard some good things about the Moa 'Green Balm' and really wanted to give it a try.  It came in a teeny tiny little pot but a little goes a long way so it'll last a while.  I have to say this is my favorite product from the box and will definitely be looking into getting the full size.

The only problem I have is that the site isn't the easiest to navigate and some of the products seem a bit old fashioned.  Also, it's not all that easy to find out the prices of the full size products which is blimmin annoying to be honest.

Despite all that, it's definitely a company to try if you're into the whole beauty box idea but don't want to be to spending £12.95 a month. If you want to have a look, click here

xxx

p.s. Once again, I haven't been sponsored for this post and I paid the whole £1 for the box myself :-)

Tag: 30 Beauty Questions

From weheartit.com

I felt like I was on a roll after my last post so here's another.  The questions were found on a lovely blog called Beauty Comes from Within.  So lets get started...

Skincare

1. How many times do you wash your face daily? I try for twice but sometimes fail L.

2. What skin type do you have? Oily.

3. What is your current facial wash? Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions.

4. Do you exfoliate? What brand do you use? Yes but with Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions clarifying lotion.

5. What moisturiser do you use? Yep, you guessed it; Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions (see a trend developing?).

6. Do you have freckles? Yes but only when I see the sun.  They make me happy.

7. Do you use eye cream? Yep.  No7. Protect and Perfect intense.

8. Do you or did you have acne prone skin? ‘Acne Prone’ may be an understatement.

9. Did you ever have to use Pro-activ? Nope

Makeup

From weheartit.com

1. What foundation do you use? Revlon Colourstay for oily skin-180 Sand Beige

2. How about concealer? Boi-ing by Benefit shade 01

3. Do you know your undertone colour? Pink maybe…?

4. What do you think of fake eyelashes? I wear individual press on lashes.  They look great but are a bit of a faff so only for special occasions

 5. Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months? Yep and by then I’m usually bored with my mascara anyway

6. What brand of mascara do you use? Right now Loreal but also Maybelline, Rimmel and GOSH

7. Sephora or MAC? Don’t get me started on the lack of Sephora in the UK.  It’s just upsetting.  For this reason, MAC but neither are in the price range of a Uni student.

8. Do you have a MAC Pro-card? Nope.

9. What makeup tools do you use in makeup application? Brushes, unless I’m in a hurry then clean fingers will have to do!

 10. Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes? Confession: I should, I know this, but I don’t

11. Primer for the face? I really don’t need it with my skin type.

 12. What is your favourite eyeshadow? Erotica from the Too Faced Natural Eye palette

13. How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil? Almost daily.  I think ‘less haste more speed’ is the moral of this.

14. What do you think of pigment eyeshadows? Brilliant for a night out.

15. Do you use mineral makeup? I love Bare Escentuals Mineral Foundation for when my skin’s clear

16. What is your favourite lipstick? Too Faced in Free Love. Rimmel Lasting Finish in 206  Nude Pink

17. How about lipgloss? Revlon Super Lusterous in Peach Petal

18. What is your favourite blush to use? Bourjois in Lilas D’or or Me Me Me in Coral

19. Do you buy makeup on eBay? No

20. Do you like drugstore makeup? Yep, the excitement of finding a good drugstore product is way better than high end shopping.  Also I’m a student…’nuff said.

21. Do you go to CCO's (cosmetic company outlets)? Maybe one day…

22. Did you ever consider taking make-up classes? I would love, love, love to!

23. Are you clumsy in putting on makeup? Apart from stabbing myself in the eye with eyeliner rather often, I tend to be quite precise when putting the rest of my face on!

24. Name a makeup crime you hate? Black eyebrows with hair that is not black. Yuck.

25. Colourful or neutral makeup? Neutral most of the time but I love an excuse to do crazy colourful make up.

 26. Which celebrity always has great makeup? Blake Lively, Leighon Meester, Nina Dobrev, Jennifer Aniston

27. If you could leave the house using just ONE makeup item, what would you use? Foundation

28. Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on? Yeah if I have to. Everyone has things they would cover and nobody is ever truly confident but life is too short to stay in the house until every blemish is covered.  

29. In your opinion, what is the best makeup line? I don’t really have a favourite, I like to pick and choose from them all.

30. What do you think of makeup? As long as you don’t use it to hide behind, but to look like the best version of yourself, or as self expression, I think it’s bloody brilliant.

Well that's that.  Hope you enjoyed.  

xxx

So I Cried at Clinique....Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions 3 Step Review

Firstly, I’d better explain the reason for all the crying, namely: My face.  I’ve always had a problem with spots but as soon as I hit my 20s…wowzers!  My skin went mad!  Basically I have very oily skin and tend to get blackheads aroung my T-zone and the big red angry kind of spots everywhere else.  Add the fact that I’ve recently given up smoking, leading to some sort of stress- related skin reaction and Double Wowzers!  It was not a pretty sight I can assure you.

Well that was it, I’d decided that at 26, enough was enough!  After marching into Boots’ skincare section and realising that I’d tried most of these drugstore level products before to no avail, I plonked myself down, red faced and teary eyed at the Clinique counter.  Yes, I cried.  I CRIED AT CLINIQUE!!

Luckily a lovely consultant sat down with me, and after a (very thorough) consultation, recommended a course of the Anti Blemish Solutions range.  I was a bit apprehensive as, having tried 3-step at levels 3 and 4 and breaking out even more, what on earth was this stuff going to do to my face?!?  The consultant used the products on my face at the counter and I couldn’t have been more wrong, the products are so much milder than the higher level 3-step products and I was sold.

Moving on to the products (please excuse the dodgy photos, daylight didn't really happen today!)…

Here’s what Clinique has to say:

“The Clear Skin System wastes no time in giving blemishes the boot. Does it without the dryness and irritation that generally gets skin into trouble. It's simple, scientific. Gentle exfoliation opens clogged pores, evicts blemish-causing agents. Targeted ingredients rush in to accelerate treatment. Keeps skin clearer, longer, too.”

Step 1: Cleanse

Cleansing Bar for Face and Body and Cleansing Foam: Both £13

I’ve been using 2-3 pumps of the cleansing foam on its own in the morning.  At night I wash my face with the cleansing bar first and then follow with the foam.  All you do is massage into the skin and rinse.  The reason for the double-cleansing at night was explained really well by the consultant:

            “You wouldn’t clean your body with your clothes on, so don’t cleanse your face without taking your make-up off first!”  Fair enough.

As the bar cleanser goes further, I use that to take off my make-up as opposed to the foam.  Otherwise the cleansing foam would run out really quickly, it’s just more cost-effective.  They are the same product but just in different form.  On reflection I think I actually prefer the cleansing bar as it has a more creamy texture.  I’m really enjoying using these cleansers.  They’re surprisingly gentle and my skin feels completely clean but without that uncomfortable tightness after use.  The only downside is that the foam smells a bit ‘chemically’ although it is supposed to be fragrance free.  The smell is not overpowering and really, I can live with it-I’m not one of those people that needs my face wash to smell of roses!

Step 2: Exfoliate

Clarifying Lotion: £16

After cleansing I use the clarifying lotion.  Because of my breakout, I was advised never to exfoliate using a ‘beady’ exfoliator as all this does is transfer bacteria from one pore to another and you can actually damage your pores scrubbing them like this…Eek!  You need to shake this well to mix in the sediment that sits at the bottom of the bottle, use one tip of the bottle on a cotton ball and then sweep all over your face.  You literally only need one tip of the bottle.  This is powerful stuff and the main reason that people find clarifying lotion irritating is that they tend to soak the cotton ball and are using too much product.  Also, a cotton ball is better than a cotton pad as it is fluffier and gets deeper into the pores.  This stuff is brilliant, it may sound gross but you can literally see the dead skin on the cotton pad after use!  Another pro to the product is that it will probably last me forever as you are only using a small amount each time.

Step 3: Moisturise

Clearing Moisturizer: £16.50

Finally, I use a 5p sized blob of the Clearing moisturiser.  This has to be the best moisturiser I have ever used.  I’ve always found that oil-free moisturisers tend to leave my skin a bit too dry but this stuff strikes a really good balance between controlling the shine and hydrating my skin.  It’s in a gel form which is kind of strange to get used to at first but goes on really smoothly and really calms my skin after using the Clarifying Lotion whilst still feeling really light.  It was designed to act as a barrier to protect the skin from any blemish-causing bacteria.

Final Thoughts and Did it Work…?

Indeedy it did!  Any active acne started to clear up after about 2 weeks and it seemed to prevent any future breakouts after that.  My skin was all glowy, soft, and clear and all was right with the world again…until…I slept in my make up….FOR 2 NIGHTS IN A ROW!  Well done me and cue the inevitable flurry of spots.  I really am my own worst enemy.  Luckily I have my stash of Clinique to sort me out and will no longer be crying at poor unsuspecting department store skincare consultants!!