The Best of the Beauty Balms

                               

Well hello there, ladies & the odd gent.

I've been AWOL, from the blogaspeare for a while now, & I've really missed it. Mainly, because it gives me the excuse, to try extra lovely stuff, and share how much I love it, with you guys.

So let's begin, as the title of this post suggests, today's post is about cleansing  balms. I don't know about you, but I loves me some good skin care. I always think the key to good make-up, is to take good care of your skin first. I've tried a few & picked a top 3, of what I consider affordable balms available in the UK.

I prefer to use cleansing balms for a couple of reasons, if your new to skin care routines, these are great for beginners. They're really good if you don't want to use lots of products.

 I love them most of all, because they get rid of all you're make-up all in one go.

 I also like them, because I feel they suit my skin type best. If I were to discribe my skin type, I would say it's not overly combination. I get a tad oily on my forehead, but that's about it, & my skin can get occasionally dry, during the winter months. However my  main skin concern, is that my skin can get quite sensitive at times.

 So in short, I like cleansing balms, because they feel right for me.
They don't strip my skin, or leave my skin feeling dry & tight, like some foam washes, have left my face feeling in the past.

 Out of the 3 I've chosen I like them  all equally. I'll start with the most pricey, but defiantly still worth the spend.
It is the Ren cleansing gel, I am in LOVE with Ren Skin care, right now. They have a brilliant range aimed at sensitive skin. Along with some fab face masks. They are defiantly worth checking out if you fancy trying something new & maybe you're skin feels in need of some TLC. Anyway... Back to the cleaning gel. It's £15.00 for 150 m bottle. All you have to do; using a warm damp cloth, wet you're face with said cloth, then using 1 pump of gel, onto you're hands, & proceed to rub the gel onto you're face. Before rinsing it of with you're warm damp cloth. If I'm wearing make-up, I usually repeate the process for a second time, just to make sure I get everything off.

 The second cleansing balm on my list, was in fact a happy accident. I was looking for the senctuary cleansing balm, but my local stores, don't seem to stock it. So I was handed a No 7 voucher, (which I get tons of all the time!) & saw that they had their own, cleansing balm & with the money off voucher, only came to a grand total of £4.00! An absolute bargin! Like Ren, No 7, do a great range for skin all every type's, under the sun. Apply as you would with the Ren cleanser. & again if I'm wearing make-up I always do it twice. The only downside is it does sting you're eyes slightly, when removing eye make-up.
So I would recommend that you remove you're eye make-up separately. That aside it leaves you're skin feeling lovely.

 The final product is from a range called NSpa, which was a gift, but avalible at Asda stores. This is technically a hot cloth polish, but has a very balmy texture to it. It also applies slightly differently to the other two. Apply 1-2 pumps onto dry skin, working it into you're skin in circular using motions. Again avoiding you're eyes.
 To remove, do the same as with the previous two cleansing balms, using a warm damp cloth.  This one is £7.00 for 150 m bottle, plus cloth.

 Hope I've given you a couple of products to check out. 

Winter Beauty Basics

                  

Well Hello there, internet individuals.
I hope this week's post finds you warm & cozy from the gail force winds, that happen to be attacking the UK currently. If I were in charge, I guess I'd say, we should all stay inside, & make a fort out of our duvets & consume our weight in hot chocolate & marshmallows. But sadly I'm not in charge. But I'll say it anyway.
This weeks post, is a little follow up from last weeks. It is my winter beauty basics. A few of these are products are new for me, but some are staple everyday favourites. I love them none the less. Like last week, I will link all the products featured in, this weeks blog, below. I've not been sponsored, to review any products. I own these products, & think their worth the monies. Boring bit over, let's begin. . . .
Starting with the base. I recently purchased Rimmel's fix perfect primer. This stuff is a beaut. Leaves my face feeling protected & dear I say, skin feeling hydrated. & leaves my foundation & powder looking pretty flawless, too. I have defiantly noticed a difference by using the prima. And would most definatly say, that by using it, it has increased my foundation's, staying power. This is all good in my books! 

 Item number two, is also a face one. It is the Kelly Brook blusher. In a peach / coral shade. It's looks & applies beautifully. It has little flecks of glitter, in it. Great for all year round use. It has a pretty bow indentation in the powder itself. My picture really doesn't do it justice. & is only £2.99 great for a little extra stocking filler, perhaps? I happened to stumble apron this range, while doing some, christmas shopping. The Kelly Brook range also includes blushes, a bronzer lipsticks, lip glosses, mascara's, brow & I believe 2 eyeshadow pallets. Which from what I've seen, all look really nice quality. From packaging to product. As well as a range of nail polishes. I was rather pleasantly surprised. All affordable, & available in New Look. 

 Now on to the lips, lushes sweet sugar lip scrub to be presis. This was a gift given too me. I have also, tried the popcorn & bubblegum flavours. But they weren't really for me. Like a lot of people my lips get dry during the winter months. But these scrubs are ace all year round. They are 100% organic & are completely edible. So if you ever need a quick sugar fix while shopping, next time, try some sugar scrub. Less calories I guess! This is defiantly, a number 1 in my winter make up bag. 

 Next on my list for my lips, is my Burt's Bees lip balm. My first encounter with Burt's bee's was from a glossy box. & since then, it's been a staple feature in my handbag. I hate having dry lips. & these are defiantly worth the buck. I have the mint & honey versions. They Leave my lips feeling smooth, yet protected from the cold weather. Along with the 2 plain lip balms. Burt's bee's also have a range of tinted lip balms. As well as a whole entirer range of bath & body stuff. When I run out of the two plain one's I currently own, the tinted one's, are on my "to try list."

 And lastly, a little glitter. If you know me, you know that I love a bit of sparkle. Whatever, time of year it is. But glitter is especially expectable during the festive session. This product is Rimmel's space dust, nail polish range. In the shade, Luna Love. I choose  this shade as I felt it was safely festive. However, all the swatches, I've seen of this collection, all look  particularly lovely. I wouldn't mind adding Total Eclipse, & Aurora to my collection too. The lasting power seems pretty good. The only draw back, I've found with this product. Is that polish feels very gritty. Something, I'm not a fan of. If applied, without a top coat. That aside, I love this polish. Perfect for the festive session.

Until next time, my friends. Unless of course I've eaten my weight in the wonderful kallo Choclate rice covered cakes, that is. xoxoxo 

Links:

http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-Match-Perfection-Fix-Perfect-Primer_1230447/

http://thebeautydepartment.com/hair/

https://www.lush.co.uk/product/388/Sweet-Lips-Lip-Scrub

http://www.boots.com/en/Burts-Bees/Burts-Bees-lip-balms/

http://www.boots.com/en/Rimmel-London-Space-Dust-Nail-Polish_1388173/

Blog Lovin' 5 month update. 'Do what you love. Love what you do.'

Do what you love, love what you do.

Hey Guy's & Girl's,

This is just a little catch up / update, post really.

Since starting this blog at the begging of march. (Where has 5 months disappeared too!) & 1,549 pageview's which I never envisioned happening.

I have been trying so many, new things. Which in essence, was the reason for starting this blog, in the first place, really. To not keep putting things off & too keep trying new stuff out.

Which I think I've been doing pretty well at. (Even if I do say so myself…)  This goes from trying out new beauty products, Which feature a lot on here, at the mo. 

To recipes and eating healthier, (Most of the time.) 

Even, trying out new exercise classes. Undertaking D.I.Y's projects which is something, I know I would of defiantly put off if not for this blog. & probably stuff in-between.

These are all thing's, I would like to keep including here on my blog. & if anyone has any suggestion's, or something that they would like to see more of, please feel free too give me a shout. 

I'd just like to say, thank you for reading & hopefully enjoying my blog post's. I never envisioned enjoying writing my blog, as much as I have. I really feel like, I've found a piece of home, in this corner of the internet.   

Leopard print Nail Wraps

                        

       

Hope this post finds you all well?

I recently wrote a gleaming post about an avon leave in conditioner. That a friend let me try out. Along with the conditioner I also purchased some leopard print nail wraps. (I couldn't help myself. sometimes leopard print is too hard to resist.)

I have tried nail wraps in the past, & if I'm honest I've never really been bold over with them. I have often found the application too fiddly. Either the wraps are to sticky or they fall apart while trying to apply them. & more often than not, they fall off within a day or so. 

So all in all, the horrible application process ends up being a pretty much, pointless endeavour. That ultimately tests my patients too the max! 

But I couldn't resist the design, so I thought  would take my chances. 

Anyhow they were fairly easy to apply. A word of warning, these are super sticky. But, I imagine that to be the reason why, they have lasted for over 2 weeks. So I was super chuffed! None of them flaked off or faded, while I was in the shower.

They look really pretty. I would defiantly repurchase these again. & if like me, you had reservations about trying nail wraps. These are defiantly worth a try & don't break the bank either. 

L'oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Miracle Water

I don't know about you, but I've been hearing quit a lot, about miracle waters lately, Bioderma, in particular. And as it's not readerly available in the UK yet, I have been on the lookout for something, a little more on my doorstep, with an affordable price tag, to boot. 

[In this economic climate & all that jazz. Plus, I alway's feel like I have won, a tiny victory, if I have got a product for half the price! I can buy this blusher and nail varnish too, type dealieo.]

So when I herd, about the new L'oreal Skin Perfection 3 in 1 Miracle Water. I jumped at the chance to give it a go.  

A little bit about the product;

It is a high performance cleanser, for sensitive skin. It removes all traces of make- up, any excess oils and also clears pores.

All I can say is, I have been using it for about a week & a half, and I am in love with this product! All you have to do is apply, some to a cotton pad, morning & evening and wipe over your face. 

I have combination skin, which can flair up, quiet dramatically to certain products. So I am always cautious when trying new unfamiliar products.  

So I tend to stick to creamy / balm type face washes. As these tend to work best for me.

But this my friends, looks, feels & smells exactly like water. It leaves my skin feeling soft, clean, & refreshed after use, & doesn't seem to dry out parts of my skin either!

Now, onto the make-up removal. I must admit, I really hate taking off my make-up. Especially around my eyes/lids area. I hate having to feel like, I am pulling at my eyelashes or having the residue of a product left behind in my eye! Ouch!

But with the 3 in 1 miracle water, there isn't any of that. I just place 2 pads with the water on over my eyes, for all of 10 seconds, and voilà! Traces of mascara & liquid eyeliner completely gone. With no panda eye smudging underneath either, result!

All in all, I would defiantly recommend this product, and with the miracle price tag of £4.99, who can say no to that? Not me, that's for sure!   

April Favourites

Hullo Guy's and Girl's,

I thought this month, I'd do an April favourites blog about all the stuff I've been liking recently. I've tried to make it varied, so let's get stuck in shall we? (In no particular order..)

First on my list of favourite things are, these lovely mint plimsoles courtesy of primark for £3.00 For that price you can't really go wrong, they come in a range of different pastel/candy colours perfect for this time of year. I've been wearing these beauties for about 4 weeks & there still in pretty good condition. 

Second on my list of favourite things are both pairs, of my didn't break the bank sunnies. Because I couldn't choose between them, and I love them both equally. The first pair (pictured below) are from New Look, they are the Tortoiseshell Retro Frame Sunglasses £2.99.

The second pair are my Jewelled aviators, again from Primark, £3.00 

All I can say is, everyone looks good in aviators.

My favourite beverage, this month (weird I know!) Now the sun is out my love/need for iced coffee, has returned, with a vengeance. I wouldn't say I'm a big coffee drinker. I enjoy things with a hint, of coffee, hence the reason I am partial to a Starbucks, I alway like there seasonal coffee's as it's always paired with something that takes the edge off.

I've been enjoying these caffionata Latte things, that you can pick up in all supermarkets. Especially the vanilla & caramel one's.  

I've had this product for a while,I brought it shortly after it was released. But I've only recently been able to enjoy using it. It's the Naked Flushed blush pallet. From Urban Decay. Now, I don't know about you, but I used to be a bit afraid of blushers, mainly sticking to bronzers. Due to the fact I always had a little redness in the check area. But this really is good, especially if you're new to the cheek biz. As it comes with blusher, highlighter & bronzer all for £20 & if it's anything like the Naked eyeshadow pallet, it will last you ages. It defiantly helps you to achieve that ''spring glow" that everyone's after.

I'm not much of a cinema goer these day's as I live on a budget & I find buying a dvd, is cheaper then going to the cinema these day's, (These days, cause I'm ancient. ;]) Anyway this film completely bypassed me, until a friend recommended it, that is.

The perks of being a Wallflower; based on  the book.Truly is a heart moving, coming of age, film that chart's the wonderful highs and crashing low's of growing up. I must admit I didn't have high hopes for this film, but it completely surpassed any of my expectations & now I highly recommend it. 

The last 2 products on my April favourites list are both bath/shower products so I thought why not, kill 2 bird's with 1 stone & all that jazz. As I use these together, include them together.

First, Radox Moisturise with chamomile & Jojoba oil, I will start by saying I don't always use Radox, its just that it was on offer, so when in rome & that. I really like this, mainly the smell I find is calming yet fresh, it lathers really well, a little bit goes a long way and I do find after using it my skin does feel softer. 

And now for the Dove Silky nourishment shimmer effect body lotion. 

I got this as a part of a christmas gift, but haven't got round to using it until recently. Again I wouldn't say Dove, is a natural go-to product for me. But I've been enjoying this along with the radox, they seem to complement each other, nicely.
Now that it's started to get warmer I've been wanting to moisturise, but with a moisturiser that has a lighter feel to it. A posed to the heaver more intense creamy moisturiser that I use during the winter months.
This has been perfect. It has a thinner consistency but sinks into the skin nicely without leaving any residue or horrible artificial smell. The only downside, is there does't seem to be 'shimmer' quality too it. 

Hope you enjoyed this post. Let me know if you guy's try any of these products and let me know what you think.