Tag Archives: Beautify

Lush Haul | Skydancer Charity Bath Bomb

Lush Haul Skydancer

Lush is well known for it’s charity campaigns – for both animal and human rights, and the latest to be launched is focusing on England’s Hen Harrier birds of prey. I was very interested in this as I absolutely love seeing birds of prey – buzzards, hawks, kites soaring above fields, swooping across highways – a real glimpse of truly wild Britain. However, I didn’t know how critically endangered some of these species are. You do hear a lot about Scotland’s Golden Eagles or Ospreys, but in actual fact, the Hen Harriers are at an even more critical stage. I have learned from the Lush campaign that there are only three breeding pairs left in England. Worse, adults and chicks have been known to disappear – confirming suspicion of poaching.

Lush Haul Skydancer Lush Haul Skydancer

Lush hopes to raise funds towards satellite tracking for new Hen Harrier chicks. This will allow conservationists to monitor them more closely, prevent the illegal hunting of them, and secure prosecutions against poachers.

All profits from the Skydancer – Far from the Madding Guns bath bomb (£3.95) will go the RSPB for this purpose. I’m not going to lie – this bomb is a bit weird smelling (floral and liquorice), but it is gorgeous. I seriously think it’s the prettiest bath bomb I’ve ever seen and you can’t argue with the good cause.

Lush Haul Skydancer

You can see the size of Skydancer above – it’s huge! Could easily do two baths and will be easy to split (if you can bear to snap that bird).

Lush Haul Skydancer

I also picked up a few other items that are new in store, having been trialled in the flagship Oxford Street store. The Frozen bath bomb (yes, inspired by the film) is a rose and grapefruit scented, glitter packed dream,  the Granny Takes a Dip bubble bar is an addition to the popular bath bomb that came out last year, and the Creamy Candy bubble bar is an updated, reformulated version of the Snow Fairy scented original. I also picked up a Twilight bath bomb, not new but not one I’ve used before. I’m looking forward to a nice snuggly, sleepy bath with it very soon.

You can find out more about the Hen Harrier campaign and how to help these birds here. Hopefully over the next couple of years we’ll see their numbers climb, not disappear completely.

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

Feel like treating yourself? I think you should. You deserve it!  Struggling for an idea? Well this bumper beauty box from Selfridges is a treat and a half! Sure, it’s pricey as beauty boxes go at £40, but take a look, and I’m sure there will be something that’ll tempt you in. The contents are worth £174 (although I personally think that’s subjective – depending on how many products in it you’ll actually use) and I think there are a few good products in here that make it worth the splurge.

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

Hair stuff: The iconic (in some circles at least) Tangle Teezer. I’ve never used this before so I’m chuffed to finally have one.

How cute are the pastel Ribband hair ties? Pretty cute! The no-snag ties will be handy as my hair is starting to get to the length where it’s annoying again.

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

Two Starskin products – a brightening face mask and a cleansing face puff. These both look very interesting to me even though I’ve never heard of them before. Looking forward to trying them out.

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

A Nails Inc Gel Effect polish in ‘Chiltern Street’ as well as a £10 gift voucher for a salon service. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to use the voucher (although I may give it to a colleague in Manchester) but it’s a nice gesture. I do like the colour of the nail polish. I don’t own many baby pinks but I do like them so it’s a welcome addition.

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

I love Eyeko eye liners, although I’ve only used their skinny ones, so excited to try this one out. Might take a bit of practice though!

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

Face and body stuff: The Clarins body cream is a generous 100ml and smells gorge. I really need to get better at applying body lotion more regularly – I have enough!

DRAGON’S BLOOD Sculpting Gel from Rodial. I don’t know what DRAGON’S BLOOD is as a skincare ingredient but it sounds all Game of Thrones-ey and I’m down with that.

Some James Read gradual tan for the face. I’ve siad before, but I don’t use fake tan so won’t be using this. By the way, if you want any fake tan samples to try, give me a shout and I’ll send you mine! Genuinely, they might as well go to use.

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

Lip shit: Oooh – first Nars product! (useless blogger here). This is the ‘Orgasm’ lipgloss. It’s a gold peach. Interesting.

Next is the Illamasqua lipstick in ‘Luster’ – I think that’s the shade name although it could be the finish. It’s a really bright, bright pink. Not sure it’ll suit me but I’ll give it a go!

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

Lastly, a couple of face sprays. The Urban Decay De-Slick setting spray. This might be a bit drying for me as I don’t have oily skin, but I want to try it anyway.

I do like cooling water sprays so I definitely will use this Caudalie Grape Water. Yey for instant moisturising!

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

But wait! That isn’t all! All those products came wrapped in this awesome Alphabet Bags pouch. As well as the funky slogan, it’s really huge and would be perfect as a holiday make up bag. You can fit so much in it. This was definitely the thing that made me what to purchase this box.

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box 2015

The box itself also doubles up as a neat cat bed. Wins all round.

Have you tried any of these products? Would you buy the Selfridges Summer Beauty Box? Let me know what you think in the comments :)

Summer Beauty Buys

Summer Beauty Buys

I’ve been shopping! I think I’ve become more of a shopping addict in my old ages. By the time I retire I fully expect to have bankrupted myself. Most likely it’s all the blogs I read, the majority of this shop is blogger inspired. So here’s me, playing Keeping up with the Joneses and just adding to haul culture. You love it.

Summer Beauty Buys The Body Shop Virgin Mojito Body Sorbet

I think that The Body Shop launched their Body Sorbets last summer. They are described as a “light and frosty body moisturiser” – pretty perfect for the hot weather right? I was intrigued, but it was only when I smelt the Virgin Mojito one that I knew I had to grab it. It smells amazing – just like a mojito (mint and lime for non-drinkers), so incredibly summery. The consistency is awesome, it’s kinda thick, a bit like a gel but it sinks into the skin instantly and feels cooling for several minutes afterwards. Win.

Summer Beauty Buys Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo

I’m a big fan of Bumble and Bumble and I knew that when I was having recent hair troubles they would have my back. The hard water down here in England is wrecking my hair and scalp and I now rely on the Sunday shampoo as a weekly deep cleanse to attempt to strip some of the mineral deposits out of my hair. It’s not completely resolved the problem, but it’s definitely a help. My hair now looks OK on Monday!

Summer Beauty Buys Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess

Oh yeah, the major blogger must have for summer time. I’ve actually been after this for a couple of years, but I especially love the bottle this year so I made sure to snap it up before it sells out. It’s a hot summer fragrance which is actually quite hard to define – a bit citrus, a splash coconut, lots of amber, maybe some flowers… really quite unique.

Summer Beauty Buys Rimmel Chin Up Buttercup

Next up, I bought the Rimmel ‘Chin Up, Buttercup’ nail polish as I was after a nice, bright yellow. I actually don’t like this, it looks like it has a bit of a greenish hue against my skintone. Ah well, can’t win ’em all.

Summer Beauty Buys Hawaiian Tropic SPF

Lastly, the most important item – some suncream. This is a handbag friendly size with a high SPF so perfect for on the go. It also smells unbelievably good with mango and coconut. I actually love it, it’s a joy to use! It is glittery though but I just don’t care, I just want it on me.

That was my little summer-ready haul. I also got the extremely unglamorous necessities of a handbag sized antiperspirant and a tonne of anti-histamines. #SummerProblems indeed.

What summer beauty essentials have you been buying recently? I’m not done shopping just yet!

The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club | Summer 2015

The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club | Summer 2015

I signed up for the Fragrance Shop Discovery Club back in April for the Spring edition and to be honest, I then forgot all about it. So it was a very pleasant surprise when the Summer edition landed on my doorstep last week. Firstly, I love the packaging  – the yellow and blue feels very beachy and I always appreciate a letterbox friendly parcel! It was also stuffed with 8 perfume samples – five for me and three for the man. Here’s what was included:

The Fragrance Shop Discovery Club | Summer 2015

 

  • Hugo Boss Boss Ma Vie – green freshness from cactus blossom with floral at it’s heart and cedarwood to warm. I love this one!
  • Paco Rabanne 1 Million Cologne – a citrus explosion with masculine leather and spicy tonka been that will transport you to memories of heady summer nights.
  • Givenchy Dahlia Divin – soft, almost powdery peach with jasmine and vanilla musk. A very feminine scent.
  • 007 For Women – black pepper lends a spicy hit to blackberry and jasmine with a rich base of vanilla, musk and cedarwood. More unique and classy than you might expect for a ‘novelty’ choice.
  • Dolce and Gabbana Light Blue Sunset in Salina – Similar to the Paco Rabanne but fresher and lighter with vine leaves, freesia and orange flower with an amber base.
  • Prada Luna Rossa Sport (for men) – an energetic blend of ginger, juniper berries and lavender.
  • Dolce and Gabbana – Intenso (for men) – again featuring lavender, this one is woodier and deeper with basil the companion.
  • Loewe Solo Loewe Cedro – a woody fragrance with cedarwood, amber and gayac wood, this one is freshened with citrus and spicy pink pepper.

I’m very happy with this box, I like all of the women’s fragrances and I know that David also likes his. I love getting these little perfume samples – perfume tends to last me a really long time so it’s nice to mix it up without breaking the bank (or overloading my dresser). The club costs £5 per quarter but you can also get a one off box whenever you like. You will also receive money off vouchers for all of the featured fragrances. Good deal in my book.

Latest in Beauty | The Glamour Summer Edit

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

It’s been a few months since I indulged in a beauty box, but I was tempted back into the waters by a recent launch from Latest in Beauty and Glamour magazine. For £17.99, you receive 9 products hand picked by the Glamour Beauty Director, Alessandra Steinherr. She has selected her summer must-haves, ensuring you have a summer in a box.

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer EdiLatest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

I love the packaging! Very summer appropriate. As well as the products you also receive discount vouchers for all the brands included.

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

The first item is a sheet of metallic temporary tattoos from Seekers of the Sun. I think these are really cute and I’m sure would be great for festival goers. I like the dots and the mendhi style patterns and I will be trying them out as finger tattoos.

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

I’ve seen this Caudelie Divine Oil in lots of beauty boxes in the past, but have never picked one up. It’s a dry oil that can be used on your hair and skin or in your bath. I like oils like this for overnight moisture and look forward to having a go with this.

The Pixi Glow Tonic was the item that made me decide to buy the box. I’ve heard loads of good things about the Glow Tonic but £18 it’s quite pricey for a toner – especially since (so far) all toners seem to be pretty similar. So, despite the dinky size, I’m excited to trial this. Will let you know how I get on!

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

Next up is the L’Occitane Shampoo and Conditioner which includes 5 essential oils. I like the small size so I’m going to take them to Edinburgh with me (going home for a week!). I’m hoping for shiny, nourished hair.

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

I was also looking forward to trying out a Nails Inc Gel Effect nail polish but oh my God, this colour choice is terrible. It’s called ‘Uptown’ and is a dusky pink-greige. What is summery about that??!! Sorry, but I am sick of the ‘safe‘ boring nail colour choices these boxes always make. This range includes a yellow, an ice-cream mint, a bright orchid colour…lots that are so much more summer appropriate than this one. It’s probably the least summery colour in the collection. Gah! It’s been chucked in the drawer until October.

On a more positive note, I love the Bourjois Color Boost Lip Crayon. Unfortunately, I already have this colour, but I’m more than happy to share the love and pass it on to a pal. This is called ‘Peach on the Beach’ and is summery!

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

I like the look of this Balance Me Super Toning Body Polish. I’m the worst at using remembering to use scrubs, but this is an exfoliator, toner and moisturiser in one so I’m sure I can get  use of it.

The second big disappointment of this box for me is the Eucerin Sun Creme. Again, this was something I was excited to try, and one of the main reasons I bought the box. The Eucerin range is a high-factor SPF but is great for the face as it is not as oily as other brands. However, this one is tinted – argh! It’s way to dark for me and as it’s an SPF, you need to put a decent amount on to ensure adequate protection. Seriously, who has skin that dark and needs SPF 50?! (Obviously I know people with darker skin tones also need sun protection, but not that high!). So annoyed I can’t use this.

Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi Latest in Beauty The Glamour Summer Edi

Lastly is the Vita Liberata Trystral Minerals self-tanning bronzer. The idea is that it’s a powder gradual facial fake tan. I don’t use fake tan so I knew I wouldn’t use this so I’m not disappointed. In fact, I’m quite pleased because the brush that came with it seems great. It’s very soft and dense so I’m not sure what I’ll use it for but sure it’ll be handy. I would say that if I had wanted to use the bronzer, I’d probably be a bit miffed that the pot was less than half full…

So overall, a bit of a mixed bag. I guess I’ll get over my disappointment with the Nails Inc colour – I’m probably being a bit bratty because it is a generous addition. I am pleased with the brush and tattoos and I’m looking forward to trying the Pixi, Caudelie and Balance Me products.

Ending on a positive! Let me know what you think of this box.

My Skincare Routine(ish)

My Skincare Routine My Skincare Routine

I say ‘skincare routine-ish’ because I in no way stick to this religiously. I’ve actually found that my skin looks better if I largely leave it to it’s own devices – too many products, prodding and pampering and it’s tends to have a bit of a teenage tantrum. It just wants to be left ALONE, GAWD! But yeah, at the grand old age of 28, I now know what I need to do and what I don’t. And this is it:

My Skincare Routine

Toner: Sadly, I’ve found that my skin does look better when I use this. There was me thinking it was just hype. Luckily, they all have the same effect so I use whatever sample I have kicking about. When I run out I’ll buy a basic one – it’s not that vital!

Serum: I only use this if my skin is super dry or I’m planning on wearing foundation that day. Stuff with hyraluronic acid works for me, but the Lacura one from Aldi of all places does the same job as the much hyped Hydraluron for the much more reasonable price of £2.69. Yep! £2.69. Comes in a nice glass bottle with a pump and everything. It does smell rank though, so be warned.

Eye Cream/Gel: It’s all the same really but I like the oh-so-chill feeling of a gel that is applied with a roller ball so the Body Shop Drops of Youth is rocking my eye bags right now.

Moisturiser: I need all the vitamin E in the world on my face. Don’t know why, but it’s become apparent that it’s my dehydrated skin’s greatest desire. So again, the Body Shop is my pal with their hefty range of Vitamin E products.

My Skincare Routine

Face masks: I love the odd face mask. I do one once a week and I pick depending of how my skin is looking. If it’s generally OK, I use a Montagne Jeunesse sachet. If it’s seeming a bit clogged, a mud or charcoal mask like the Origins Clear Improvement is my go to, followed my a moisture one like the Superdrug Vitamin E one. If it just looks like crap, the Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energising Mask is an actual miracle worker.

My Skincare Routine

Cleansers: My best results come from hot cloth cleansers, but I’m all out just now and so far my face hasn’t fallen off. Instead, I’m using the Bliss Foaming Face Wash and it’s fine (plus it smells like yummy sweets). It gently exfoliates but doesn’t strip my skin so I like it. I also use the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter for when I wearing a tonne of slap

My Skincare Routine

Make Up Removers: I generally use a micellar water to remove my face and eyebrows  before a proper wash, but I have found that they’re no match for my penchant for waterproof eyeliner and are terribly drying on the lips, so I pair it with the oiler duo-phase remover. I like both of these from L’Oreal, they do the job for me.

Oil Treatment: This is a rare addition for me, but if nothing is making a difference to stubborn dry patches I apply a facial oil overnight like this one from Sanctuary, and it works a treat.

My Skincare Routine

Lip Stuff: Dehydrated skin usually means dry lips, at least it does for me. I keep on top of it with the Number One Blogger Clichés – Lush Lip Scrub and NUXE Reve de Miel overnight. Hey, if it ain’t broke… I also love my EOS lip balms for during the day, I have them dotted about all over the place. I’m such a basic.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how I look after my face. Minus the gross pore stripping, hair plucking, spot zapping icky stuff it’s impolite to talk about…oh. Oops.

Max Factor Mini Haul & Review

Max Factor Mini Haul & Review

This is an entirely accidental mini haul but I realised that all of the new makeup I had bought recently was from Max Factor so I thought I’d share my thoughts on it. Fairly sure it’s on 3 for 2 at Boots just now if you’re looking to pick anything up.

Max Factor Mini Haul & Review Max Factor Mini Haul & Review

First up, the CC Colour Corrector Sticks. There are five available, each suited to different skin worries. I think mine are the most common as it’s taken me literally months to find these. The idea is that using the opposite colour on the colour wheel to your complaint will neutralise the skin tone. So green for redness, yellow for purple toned dark circles. These are quite pricey at £8.99 each and while I like the green, I don’t get on with the yellow. I use the green under a normal toned concealer around my nose and it really works. Unfortunately, the yellow just looks white on me and it creases under my eyes. I’d rather continue using my Benefit Stay Don’t Stray primer and regular concealer which gives me enough coverage.

Max Factor Mini Haul & Review Max Factor Mini Haul & Review

Next, I picked up two of the new Creme Puff Blushes. These are gorgeous! Priced at £8.99 each, I’ve heard that they’re cheaper dupes for the Hourglass Ambient Blush Powders. I can’t speak for that as I don’t have the Hourglass products, but they look similar in the way that they’re marbled. The one on the left is Seductive Pink, a dark pink and coral, slightly shimmery shade. It’s quite bright but can be blended out to a subtle effect. I also have Lavish Mauve which is a more muted pink and buff tone. I love this one for everyday use but it can also be built up to create a soft contour. The formula is also great – really soft and easy to blend.

Max Factor Mini Haul & Review Max Factor Mini Haul & Review

Lastly, I chose the Colour Intensifying Balm in Voluptuous Pink (£8.99 again!). For a lip balm, it’s really packed with colour and super bright. I’m not 100% sure about it, it feels nice and moisturising but when it wears off slightly it looks lilac which is odd. Still, it’s a nice easy option to have in your handbag for an instant, poppy night out look.

So that’s my haul. Top buys are the Creme Puff Blushes for sure. Go get ’em!