March Favourites

Its actually slightly scary its almost April. That means Christmas was over 3 months ago. What?! Although it did snow on Friday, which I found strangely comforting, as though the weather was still clinging desperately onto Winter too. I do love Spring (it means it's almost my birthday for one thing) but sadly it also means exam season is fast approaching. Anyway, onto my favourites for this month, with a little bit of everything.

First up is this pot of Coconut oil from Superdrug. I simply scrape a little bit out, and rub it between my hands until it melts. I use this everyday in the ends of my hair and it makes it really soft. it can also be used as a air mask, which I'm planning to try out this evening, and all over your body as a softener. Not too sure about that one, I think you'd just end up very greasy!

I've also been really loving this Treatment gel from Elemis' Clear Skin range. It's a targeted spot gel, and it makes a very visible difference to my skin. I put it on in the evening and when I wake up the spot is a lot less red. After a couple of days the spot is a lot smaller and has dried out (gross, I know). by far the best spot gel I've tried.

This is the Wake Me Up concealer from Rimmel. I have it in the shade Ivory, which is slightly lighter than my skin tone so it works really well as a highlighter. It's very blend-able and brightens the under eye area nicely.

Helen x

Banish the Oil

I have oily skin and so need a primer when wearing foundation or BB cream, in order to keep it on my face, as it has a tendency to slide. Lovely.
 I bought this primer a while ago from The Body Shop but have recently re-discovered it at the bottom of my plant pot full of Skincare. Yup, I keep my skincare in a plant pot. It's a very prettily decorated one however-that makes it better right? It has a slightly odd consistency (the primer, not the pot) -it’s very gel like, and feels quite strange to apply. Unlike other primers which completely soak into the skin you can feel this almost like a film on your skin. That makes it sound very unappealing but I actually quite like how it feels.  I can’t really describe it, but hopefully you get my drift. I apply it all over my face, but apply a little more on my most oily areas-nose and forehead.

Helen x

Avon Argon Oil Review

I don't use many products on my hair, simply because I don't tend to find it needs it (though I am searching for a good spray to calm some of the frizz. If you have any recommendations, please let me know). However, now it's winter it's become a bit dry like everything else and I was searching for something to give it a bit of extra moisture.

Enter Argon Oil. I know, I know, I'm pretty late to the party in regards to this. I wish I'd joined sooner because this stuff is good. This is the 'Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argon Oil Leave in Treatment' (bit of a mouthful) from Avon and is currently only a couple of pounds. It's suitable for wet or dry hair but I use mine after I've combed it through in the shower, distributing it all through my hair but focusing on the ends as these get the driest. Don't expect dramatic results with this-it does what it says on the tin, but it does it pretty well. And for that price, who's complaining?

Helen x

Beauty Bargain Of The Month

I never tried anything from the Skincare brand Witch before, but recently picked up this Blemish stick.

As the name suggests, it contains Witch hazel which is a natural ingredient that soothes and tones the skin. It also has alcohol, to target and prevent blemishes, as well as Glycerin which calms the skin. It claims to break down excess oil and prevent the recurrence of pesky spots. Although its a slightly alarming colour, it applies clear and isn't sticky at all, so could probably be worn under makeup. 

I've only been using this for a week or so, but can already see an improvement in my skin.

What I'm Currently Loving

Firstly, sorry I've been neglecting my blog recently. I started sixth form recently so haven't had much spare time.

Recently I've really got back into using this cute Lorac Pro eyeshadow pallette. It has two shimmer shades: Nude and Pewter, and one matte shade aptly named Espresso. The pigmentation of all three is great, and even for someone with fairly oily eyelids like me (eww) it lasts all day without creasing. The packaging is really good as it has a little mirror so is handy to have in your makeup bag.

Next is TV. There's lots of crime dramas on at the moment, but the one I'm loyal to is Lewis. It's now on it's eighth series and still perfect to snuggle on the sofa and watch. The storylines are always very clever and complicated and keep you guessing till the end. It's on ITV 1 on Fridays at 9.

I don't own many pairs of leggings, but recently I've been wishing I did. They're great for days when you open the wardrobe and realize actually all you want to do is stay in your pjs. The Topshop patterned leggings are my favourites, as they're a bit thicker than normal leggings and the bright patterns mean you don't have to try too hard with the rest of your outfit.

Helen x

P.S I promise I'll try and post more regularly from now on!

Tea Tree:The wonder ingredient

After an extensive clear out of my bathroom cabinet a few days ago, it's now really easy to see all my skincare and I realised how much of it is tea-tree based. Tea tree is an essential oil, used to treat various medical conditions, including Acne, Dandruff and Lice. Whilst I don't have any of those (thank goodness) I do have oily/spot prone skin that tends to breakout if I don't follow my usual skin care regime. I like Tea Tree based products because I find that they do combat breakouts, but aren't full of chemicals like some products that prevent spots. In fact, a 5% concentration of Tea Tree is thought to be as effective as the same concentration of Benzoyl Peroxide, a chemical commonly used to treat severe acne. See, I told you it was good!

The Body Shop do a really good range of Tea Tree products designed to help prevent and reduce spots. Here's the Tea Tree skincare I use and love:

Pure Tea Tree oil: Tea Tree in it's purest form. I use this to apply directly to any spots before I go to bed and when I wake up the redness is reduced. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion: Good everyday moisturiser (I use this when going away as it's such a cute size)

The Body Shop Tea Tree Pore Minimiser: A good primer with a gel like consistency that makes pores look smaller and visibly mattifies the skin, so is perfect for those with oily skin.

T-Zone Skin Clearing Face Moisturiser: I use this every day and it has fast become my favourite moisturiser. It smells great (another benefit of Tea Tree) and also contains Eucalyptus to help prevent spots. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Mask: I use this once a week (when I remember-I'm quite lazy when it come to face masks) and it leaves my skin slightly tingling which makes me feel like it's doing something and makes it feel really smooth. It does make my face a bit red when I take it off but this calms down and it does help angry looking spots look less red and calmer. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Foaming Cleanser: This is a best seller on The Body Shop website, so I bought it one evening when I was desperate for something that would improve my skin. I haven't been using it for long but it is quite refreshing. 

 Does anyone have any Tea Tree products they'd recommend?

Helen x

Summer/Holiday Nail Polishes

The sun is shining (and we seem to have the back end of a hurricane here in the UK at the moment, but that doesn't sound as good) and it's the time of year when lots of people jet off on their holidays or wish they were!

These are my favourite nail polishes for summer (but I'll happily wear them all year round)

                                          

       Barry M 'Key Lime'              M&S 'Golden Glaze'

       OPI White                     Soap and Glory 'Pink Soda'

           Rimmel '503 Mind the gap, Victoria' (What a random name!)

                Barry M 'Bubblegum'

                    Sally Hansen '500 Razzle-Berry'

All of these polishes look great with a tan and are just really lovely colours. I think that  textured polishes, such as the Barry M confetti or sugar range are great for holidays, as they don't chip as quickly, so you can spend more time enjoying your holiday!

Helen x

Beauty Bargain Of The Month

I'm so happy I now have time to get back to blogging on a regular basis. However, this week I'm on a residential in Scotland as part of NCS. (At the end of the progamme I might do a post on it, if you're all interested) As I'm going to be away, I thought I'd try using the scheduled posting, so fingers crossed it all works and this is posted at the right time. 

Anyway, on to my beauty bargain of the month. I'm not too sure what happened this month, but I seem to be left with very little money *ooops* I needed a waterproof mascara for my prom, as the one I'm using currently tends to flake, and I wanted something that would last all night without me getting panda eyes. I wanted something very cheap, so avoided Boots and Superdrug and instead headed to Accessorize as I'd spotted their half price sale. The Waterproof mascara I picked up would usually be £5, which is very good anyway, but I got it for £2.50. 

This doesn't claim to be volumising or lengthening and isn't really, but I quite like it anyway. It is a very dark black, and the formula isn't really thick. The brush is quite big and rigid, so if you like a more flexible wand this isn't for you. It does however stay on without smudging for a long time, and the packaging is so lovely, it's reason enough to get it!

For £2.50, I think this is a very good mascara, but I'll be using it in combination with my other mascaras to get a more volumised look. 

Helen x

Prom

On Friday it was my school prom, which was a lovely way to end 5 years with some wonderful people. 

There is no official dress code, and the girls came in a combination of long and short dresses (and one boy came in skinny jeans and trainers) 

I knew I wanted quite a simple dress, and finally found one from Topshop. It's by Jones and Jones, one of the brands at Topshop. Aside from being beautiful, it's also designed and made in the UK, which is great. I paired it with red heels from New Look (these were great as they weren't too high, so I could actually walk in them without falling over, which is always a bonus) My gold clutch was also from New Look. As my clutch was quite sparkly and eye catching, I went for simple red nails-I used the No7 Speed Dry Polish in shade 50 Siren. I didn't want to spend a huge amount on prom, as after all, it is just one night (though admittedly a long one, as I didn't get back till 2am) and found that shops like Topshop, New Look, Boohoo and Accessorize had some lovely dresses, shoes and accessories, so definitely check them out.

My hair took over an hour and a half, due to the amount of hair I have, but it was definitely worth it-I loved it and got lots of compliments.

Prom was an amazing night, and it was so nice seeing everyone dressed up and it was lovely to have an excuse to wear a pretty dress and get my hair done. I didn't want to take off my dress or undo my hair at the night!

Helen x

Body Shop Skin Care

I've never had a real Skincare regime before, but after getting fed up of imperfections and oily skin I decided to look at buying some new skincare. I've always liked The Body Shop products and so decided to try out some of their skincare.

I've never had a real Skincare regime before, but after getting fed up of imperfections and oily skin I decided to look at buying some new skincare. I've always liked The Body Shop products and so decided to try out some of their skincare.

I bought two products from their Anti-Blemish range and one from their Oil-Control range. The tea tree is said to 'give clearer skin from one week' It also contains Tamanu Oil extract 'which is reputed to help generate new tissue and improve the healing process for skin.' I bought the toner and face mask from this range.

I'm not sure whether it's just the batch I got, but some of the toner separates out and settles at the bottom, so I have to knock it to dislodge it from the bottom of the bottle. Other than though, I really like this. It smells lovely, but the scent of tea tree isn't too overpowering. It leaves my skin feeling very clean and refreshed, but doesn't strip my skin and leave it feeling tight and dry, as some toners can. This is though I got it when there was a 40% off offer going on, which I believe there is at the moment....

I also bought their face mask. The Body shop says 'this instantly cooling face mask cleanses, soothes and refreshes the skin.' I use this once a week and I'm really enjoying it. Before buying this, I just used to use the cheap one use masks from superdrug on a very irregular basis.They always took around 15 minutes to dry, but after 10 minutes I'd be sitting on my hands to avoid scratching my face constantly as they just got so itchy. I could never see any results either. The great thing about this mask is that it doesn't dry so it never gets to that uncomfortable stage. I've been using this once a week and can definitely see the results. 

The last thing I bought was from the Seaweed range. It is the Seaweed purifying facial cleanser. It's £8. I like this but I'm not sure that I would buy it again. It's quite expensive for a cleanser that I don't love. I think my skin has got less oily but I think I may try out some other products from this range before repurchasing this.

Now my skincare regime is a lot more organised, my skin is looking a lot better. 

I definitely recommend The Body Shop skincare!

Helen x

New Nail Polish

Despite realising I actually have plenty of nail polish and promising to myself that I wouldn't buy any more for a while, I've recently bought two polishes in the space of a two days. Ooops...

I have two MUA nail polishes and for £1, they're surprisingly good so when I saw this pink MUA polish, I couldn't resist buying it! It's a very pretty pink and is perfect for spring. I applied two coats of this and it lasts a good few days.

Recently I was in Swindon and my mum and I had a few hours to kill so we popped into the Designer Outlet Centre. I went into The Cosmetics Company Store and it was AMAZING. I managed to resist temptation to buy lots of Origin Skincare and Clinique makeup I don't need, and eventually settled on this Mac Nail Polish, which I got for a bargain £7!

It's called Screening Room and is a dark green with a hint of blue. I had to apply 2-3 coats to get a really even, rich colour, but it dries really quickly. I applied a topcoat but it began to chip after two days which I was a bit disappointed by.

Now my Nail Polish collection has expanded even more, I really won't be buying any more for a while! Probably...

Helen x

Beauty Bargain of the Month

This month my beauty bargain is the Mosaic Blush by Make Up Academy. 

I don't really buy much from MUA other than the nail polishes, but this blush seemed to be quite popular in the blogging world, so I though I'd give it a try. For £2.50 you can't really go far wrong!

I got this from Superdrug but it's sold out at the moment both on the Superdrug website and on MUA's website. 

This powder blush isn't just one solid colour but contains little squares of  five different colours. You can either swirl it all together or just pick out one colour. They are all quite pigmented and all of them but the dark pink are very shimmery so if you want a more matte blush this probably isn't for you. This has quite good staying power, but it's nothing amazing!

For £2.50 I think this is a pretty good blush and is quite natural looking-I would definitely recommend it. 

Helen x

Beauty Bargain of the Month

Each month I'm going to post about an amazing sale or offer that's going on, or just a really good product at a really good price.

I've never really been to Poundland before but I went in last weekend and I was really impressed. There was lots of branded shower gels and face wipes which I was tempted by, but then I spotted the nail polish! There was lots of different brands and colours, but there seemed to be a lot of Sally Hansen polish. I chose 3 polishes, but there was so many good colours I could easily have away with more. I picked out two Sally Hansen polishes and a Maybelline polish. 

First is this Sally Hansen polish. It's a magnetic nail polish which I'd never used before but it was really easy to use and gives a great effect. It's a really nice colour.

This is my second Sally Hansen polish. I haven't tried it yet but it's a sugar coat polish, so it has a textured finish. It's a nice deep teal colour, and I'm looking forward to trying it.

This is the last polish I bought. It's a Maybelline 40 seconds dry and its a lovely turquoise colour.  I like quick dry polishes as it means you don't have to sit around for ages waiting for them to dry, so this is perfect for me.

Please let me know if you've found any beauty bargains!

Helen x

2013 Favourites

As it's now 2014, I though I'd make this post about my favourite health and beauty products of 2013. 

I'll start with something a bit different. 

 This is referred to as the Forehead Glue in my family, as it's basically a Pritt stick. When you have a mild headache, you apply the stick to your forehead. It makes your eyes water quite a lot, but it works really well. You can buy it from Boots for about £3.50.

My next favourite is VERY popular, but I love it, so I'll give it a quick mention . I used to use a Garnier concealer, which was alright, but after hearing so many people talk about the Collection concealer I thought I'd give it a go, as it's only around £4. I bought the shade Medium, but that was a bit orange, so I now use the shade Light, which is much better. It also comes in Ivory and Dark. It has a really high coverage and covers imperfections very well. I tend to blend a little onto any imperfections, then apply my bb cream and if I need to, apply a little more on any remaining redness. The only downside is that I don't think it works hugely well on under eye circles and can look a little cakey if not blended. 

This next product also seems to be quite popular with Instagrammers, and I can see why. It is an edible lip scrub, and just gets rid of any dry bits which is really good in winter, as your lips tend to get a bit sore. I try to use every day, but sometimes I forget, and I can really tell when I do! I have the Christmassy one so I'm not sure whether you can still get it, but there's lots of other nice flavours. I got this from Lush for £4.50.

Next is a skincare product. I've been using this for ages now, and I love it. It is described as a 'brightening  cleanser' and whilst I wouldn't say my face is visibly brighter after using it, it does make my face feel really clean, and removes any traces of makeup. It also smells really good! It comes with a muslin cloth and you apply it to your face, then get the cloth wet in hot water, wash it off using the cloth, and then splash your face with cold water. I can't remember how much it is, but you can get it from Superdrug. 

Last, but definitely not least is a lip product. This is a Make Up Academy lipstick, and I have it in the shade 11, which is a lovely subtle pink colour. These Lipsticks are only a £1 from Superdrug and I'm going to buy more as I love the one I have. They're really moisturizing and stay on for a while. They also have a little bit at the bottom which screws off and has more lipstick inside. I'm not really sure what the point of this is, but it would be useful  if you had a lot of lipsticks to quickly select the one you wanted as the colour is really visible. 

I'd love to know what other peoples 2013 favourites are!

Helen  x