Saturday Night Pampering: LUSH, Liz Earle, Garnier

Saturday night called for a little chill out session, I really fancied getting in a hot bath and just forgetting about Uni work and impending exams and watch a bit of the Sopranos, (just started the boxset- hooked already). I had a bath bomb from LUSH to use and it sounded like it would really help me relax and unwind.

So, I ran a bath and popped in my Avobath* bath bomb, and let the lemongrass scent fill the bathroom, it's a really fresh scent, and mixed the rosewood and bergamot, it's supposed to help 'banish negative thoughts' and help raise your spirits.  LUSH say to 'use this when your skin is thirsty and your mind is blocked'. Exactly what I needed. I  really loved the way the bath bomb changes the water a lovely shade of green, and when the lights are on you can see the water almost looks shimmery, so pretty! I am a massive avocado fan, and I know how good it is for your skin, so seeing avocado and olive oil both are contained in this bath bomb, I knew it would amazing to add some moisture back into the skin.

 My skin needed a bit of scrub, and I found Happy to Scrub sitting in the bathroom which I had bought in the summer, an absolute bargain at £1.50 from Asda, it's a pretty gentle scrub but was enough for what I needed, but I wouldn't recommend if you needed something a bit more hardcore/ to remove fake tan. It's vanilla and patchouli scented, and reminds me a lot of the original Soap and Glory scent.

 During my bath I treated myself to a few Guylian chocolate shells which came with my Easter while I tried to enjoy my bath... but I've got to be honest, my idea of a nice hot relaxing bath didn't exactly go as planned. I stepped into bath and turned on the hot tap to find luke warm water, so I had to do my scrubbing and 'relaxing' covered in goosebumps. Major fail.

While I was waiting for my bath to run, I used a body brush from the Boots Botanics to get my circulation going (ideally you're supposed to this first thing in the morning), I try to do this as often as I remember, always do it on dry skin, Liz Earle explain the benefits much better than I can on their website! After my bath, I then used the Liz Earle Energising Hip & Thigh Gel, which I would love to rave about and tell you it does miracles for toning, but in all honesty I don't use it regularly enough to comment. But I do think if you can get into a routine where you body brush, and then use vigorous massaging it may help with fluid retention and dimples. I've never particularly suffered with cellulite but I like to do what I can (when I remember) to prevent it happening.  I can definitely comment that the gel does feel tingly and refreshing, and there is a sort of tightening feeling- I really like it and it makes me feel it's doing something, whether that's physiological or not!

Once the gel had dried I applied Garnier Replenshing Mango Lotion, (the mango is aimed at dry skin, which I don't have, I just really just love mango!) It's really lightweight and sinks in really quickly, which I love. It does make claims about keeping your moisturised for 7 days, which are some pretty bold claims but I can't comment as my skin often goes weeks without moisturiser- no matter which one I use- with no problems! Combined with the moisturising effects of the Avobath, my skin really felt lovely!

Hope you all had a more exciting weekend than I did, although it seems to far away now. Bit of a delay getting this post up. Today I had fun, went and met Yu at Westfield and did a bit of shopping so there will be haul post tomorrow, as well as some bits I picked up from Feel Unique!

Do you have any products you rely on for helping you relax or unwind?

 

Nic xxx

(*) given to me for consideration purposes, but that in no way influences my opinion. as usual this review is 100% honest.

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What I've been loving lately #2

Hello all! (See there's a few new followers, so a special welcome to you, and don't be shy feel free to say hi!)

I know I've been a bit quiet on the blogging front, been back at home and we're packing up the house, looking for furniture, trying to earning some money and I'm attempting to do uni work inbetween that all, so blogging's taking a back seat. Really wanted to get a post out tonight, no matter how late it is! So without further ado, here are some products I've been loving lately.

Nars Orgasm Blush

Really been enjoying this when I want a bit of sheen in the cheeks during the day, for nights out I just build it up a bit more. Great shade with a big following and it really hasn't disappointed! You can see me wearing it on an older post here.

Chanel Pourdre Universelle Libre (Loose Powder) 30 Naturel

I've had this for a while now, and don't know why I haven't mentioned yet, I guess because wear mostly matte foundations I don't wear this all the time. Things have changed since picking up Healthy Mix I needed something to set it and remove the slightly dewy finish. This product is amazing, helps me stay matte, doesn't feel heavy or go cakey, has light reflecting properties that help to blur pores and give a smooth appearance. I also use it with my Illamasqua Rich Liquid for nights out, and I find it photographs quite well.

Bourjois Healthy Mix 53

A great, light weight foundation for days I'm not doing too much. It doesn't last as well as the claims, but it's nice enough and smells amazing. Find it leans a little pink for me, but I dust some Bare Minerals over it just to warm it up a bit.

LUSH Ocean Salt Facial Scrub

This stuff is amazing! It looks really scary in the pot, but once you add a bit of water the salt crystals dissolve as you exfoliate leaving you with quite a creamy scrub, and oooh my days, the way your skin feels afterwards is insane. I've never felt my face feel so soft before. I use it a couple times a week, it's really great. Definitely pick up a sample if you can.

Real Techniques Buffing Brush

Like so many others, I have totally fallen for this brush. Really makes applying foundation a breeze, and I find it works really well for a variety of foundations, I do find if I want a bit heavier coverage I still opt for my F80.

Laura Mercier Under Eye Perfector Orange/Yellow

See my full review here. Really loving this, and it really does work great when I mix it in with my foundation. 

MAC Pinch O Peach Blush (Sheertone)

Picked this up from Seanna's blog sale towards the end of Feb (she's still got a few bits left so check it out! Quite a few MAC eyeshadows. link), and have really been loving it! The name is really misleading, as I don't detect any peach at all, not even a pinch, but it's a great pink shade that adds dimension and colour to my face. It's really buildable, and despite being a sheertone it's got great pigmentation.

Rimmel Nude Delight Lipstick

A personal fav of Yu, and with simliar skin tones, I thought this would suit me. It comes with me everywhere! Perfect nude lip, can slap it on without too much thought.

MAC Fanfare (Creamsheen)

This has been my go to colour when I want something a little brighter on my lips during the day. You can see the swatch here.

LUSH Big Shampoo (not pictured)

I totally forgot to include a photo, but I've actually only got a sample pot so it's a small black one, not much to see. This honestly is the first shampoo that I've used that makes a noticeable difference to the  volume of my hair. I thought I was seeing things, so switched back to another shampoo and low and behold my hair was sitting flat on my scalp. Definitely going to buy a full size! My sample was quite sizeable so it's lasted me a good few weeks!

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Daily Treatment Conditioner (not pictured)
I looooove this conditioner. It really works for me, and the reasoning it's a current favourite is because I actually left my one at home, so when I was at uni I was finishing up some others, so when I was reunited with it for the last 2 weeks of March I remember how I loved it. The ends of my hair look fresher for longer and smells amazing. I only apply it right to the ends- it's really great and I will definitely be purchasing my 4 bottle soon!

I love seeing favourite posts, and I've really enjoyed writing this! I don't do monthly ones because often it's the same things, so it would be incredibly boring to read. So hopefully you'll enjoy this, although they're a bit more scarce. Happy Belated Easter to all :)

Nic xxx

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LUSH Skincare Round-Up: Enzymion Moisturiser

Moisturiser is really a step any skin type shouldn't skip; it's important to remember there is a difference between dry and dehydrated skin, (oily skin can still be dehydrated). I would have described my skin as combination/oily over the last few years, but since stopping my pill, my skin seems to be more normal, but I suffer from dry patches, (mostly from blemishes drying out). My skin is, or rather, it can be very dehydrated, but I never want to risk overloading it with something too rich. I previously used Liz Earle Light Skin Repair moisturiser, which was lovely, but after two bottles,  I wanted to try something new, so Claire at LUSH recommended Enzymion.

I bought it because it's specially aimed at oily skins, and I loved the fact it contained fruit enzymes, (which supposedly work wonders for your skin). The papaya helps to remove dead skin cells, lemon contains natural skin bleaching capabilities, helping to fade marks,  as well as giving a matt finish, while the cocoa butter and avocado oil help to moisturise.

I really love Enzymion. It's light weight, smells great- really fresh- and sinks in quickly and really does provide a great base for make up. I find it can double as a night cream if you use two thin layers, instead of one, and in the morning I wake up with my skin feeling soft and plump like it should be, (if your skin generally doesn't feel like this you may be suffering from dehydration. ) I honestly couldn't comment on the the ability to fade marks, as my skin is till breaking out, I had fresh marks, but what I do notice is the overall appearance of my skin definitely doesn't seem as dull since I've been using this. One thing to watch out for is how much you use, I always overestimate and end up using too much; so start off with the smallest amount and gauge that way. As mentioned in my toner post, it works great when I apply it while the toner is still damp on my skin.

My only gripe is that it comes in a tub, and I really would have loved it in a bottle with a pump instead! I don't mind using tubs for eye creams, but I think for moisturiser it is more hygienic to have it in pump form, as obviously you're spreading the cream all over your face! What I do, is slightly tap some on the back of my hand and it apply it from there, rather than sticking my fingers into the tub itself. I also find it tends to get  a bit messy round the edges, especially when travelling (I purposely didn't clean the sides in the photos so you can see what I mean!). If you can overlook this issue, then this might just be the moisturiser for you!

Suitable for? I'd say combination to oily skin types, or for those just looking for something nice and light that sits well under make up. (Probably not for dry skins though.)

Price: £13.50/ 45 g (definitely on the pricer side for LUSH skin care products, but I honestly think it will last ages. I've been using mine for about 6 weeks (I forget exactly when I bought it) and I've still got half left.)

So, that rounds up my current three step LUSH program, they pretty much dominate my skincare routine; I also use Ocean Salt scrub (review coming soon) and Enchanted eye cream (review here). There's a few other non-LUSH cleansers that I use depending how I'm feeling, and a really basic Superdrug one I use in the morning, but to be honest, it's nothing special. I've really enjoyed this routine, and although I haven't notice a massive difference in my skin, there's been a slight improvement, but with things like skin care you need to be patient! So I'll be finishing everything off before I make a final judgment. 

Do you have any recommendations for me? Any skincare products you swear by?

Nic xxx

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LUSH Skincare Round-up: Breath of Fresh Air Toner

Continuing my skincare routine, next up is my current toner,  Breath of Fresh Air*. (I recently finished up the Tea Tree toner from LUSH, which I review & compare in my empties post coming soon). I like to use a toner to thoroughly remove any last traces of make up before bed, and to refresh in the morning.  I chose this toner in particular, as it contains seawater which is supposed to help soften and hydrate, while the seaweed and aloe works on the surface of your skin to hydrate and lock in moisture. Dehydration is definitely a bit issue for me at the moment, and anything that claims to help it, I find hard to resist. 

 The thing I love about LUSH's range of, what they describe as, 'toner waters' is that they are all pure spring water with zero alcohol, and can also be used during the day to spritz all over the face to refresh, this one included.  I use it after powdering my make up, and various times during the day without it ruining my make up at all, great for a little wake up spray. I found it to be a godsend while I've been ill, no overwhelming scent and cooling to the skin.

I really like this as a no-fuss toner, it doesn't promise miracles, but I do find my skin overall is becoming less dehydrated (using the combination of Ultrabland and this). I use 3-4 sprays on a cottonwoold pad and gentle wipe over my face. I find it removes those last few traces of makeup which I usually miss along the hair line, without drying me out at all. My skin doesn't feel tight or uncomfortable at all. I like to apply my moisturiser while my skin is still damp, which means I end up using a little less of it and my skin feels lovely afterwards. 

Suitable for? I would say all skin types, but those with oily skin might enjoy the Tea Tree toner more, (look for review soon!)

Price: from £3.75/ 100ml

Available from LUSH stores and online.

Nic xxx

(*) given to me for consideration purposes, but that in no way influences my opinion. as usual this review is 100% honest.

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LUSH Skincare Round-up: Ultrabland Cleanser

Hello! 
(please be warned this is a bit of long post, but I feel skin care needs to be discussed a bit more)

Those that have been reading for a while, will know that I've been suffering with my skin since the end of last year- things have definitely calmed down since coming off my pill, but I'm still not happy with it. I really wanted to keep things as simple as possible and of course I decided to turn to LUSH. I initially went in to pick up Ocean Salt scrub and a new moisturiser and while I was there I got chatting to the lovely sales assistant Claire, who reads blogs/youtube so we had a little natter about that, and I gave her my blog details. A week or so later she contacted me and asked if I would like to come in and try out some stuff to review. I obviously jumped at the chance, LUSH is one of my favourite places to shop and I love the whole ethos behind them- recycle, mostly vegan, keeping things as natural and fresh as possible.

Claire took me through the shop and asked me a lot of stuff about skin care, and what I'm looking for and gave me a couple items to complement the LUSH bits I'd bought a couple weeks before. I've now been using them for a good 3 weeks or so, and they deserve a review! I've decided to do these in separate posts, as I think skin care deserves a full and detailed review and I didn't want to turn it into an essay. (The remainder of the posts won't have such a long intro... sorry!)

ULTRABLAND(*)

This is a thick, very rich oil based cream cleanser which as you rub and it melts into your skin, it takes on more of an oil consistency. It's made primarily of almond oil and beeswax; so it really works well at getting every trace of make up off (including waterproof mascara).  Although it's not paraben free, it's a pretty simple cleanser with no unnecessary chemicals in, and LUSH claim it's perfect for rebalancing your skin- it also contains honey which has natural antiseptic properties and rose water to help reduce redness and calms skin. I  have enjoyed using it, but that might be because I'm quite used to using an oil cleanser, if you don't enjoy them, or have very oily skin you might not feel comfortable using Ultrabland (although its specially formulated to be suitable for ALL skin types). It also has a very weird smell, I personally don't think it's offensive but I can understand why some might not enjoy it, it's hard to describe though. You're better off going into the store and giving it a whiff yourself!

 I found it to actually be quite hydrating, and its really helped my drier patches. I'm sure this is down to the glycerol which is supposed to draw moisture up to the top layers of your skin, and reduce overdrying. It does need to be removed with a cloth, I used a muslin cloth, otherwise you will be left with the uncomfortable feeling of wax over your face after rinsing. Another thing I feel I should highlight, it doesn't quite feel like you've removed everything at first, but after a few more uses I came to the realisation that I think it's actually just the cleanser helping to rehydrate and balance, my skin was feeling softer and smoother. Dehydration be gone.

Suitable for? All skin types; it's designed especially to be super gentle yet effective for everyone. Those that don't enjoy removing with a cloth, or want something a little easier and quicker to use might not enjoy it as much. I used this only at night when removing my make up, it's a bit too heavy for morning use.

Price: from £6.45/ 45 grams. (Believe me, a little goes a long way!)

Available from LUSH stockists and online.

Nic xxx

(*) given to me for consideration purposes, but that in no way influences my opinion. as usual this review is 100% honest.

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Review: Eye Creams

Hello! (especially to the my new followers :))

This post has been sitting in my drafts for nearly two weeks, essays and attempting to revise have taken over my life. But for the sake of my sanity I wanted to do some blogging and finish off this post, which consists of 4 mini reviews of the eye-creams I have in my collection.

(sorry this has come out a little grainy!)

LUSH Enchanted Eye Cream 45g £10.95 (here)

Comes with a pump dispenser, great for hygiene, but also works great for controlling how much product is dispensed. It's a white, almost lotion like, cream which when dabbed gently round the eye area feels very light and sinks in quickly. It doesn't really smell like much, but a sensitive nose might detect a very light lavender scent. It contains lavender and honey to smooth and refresh the under eye area.  It does claim to reduce fine lines, but I don't have any so I can't comment unfortunately.

I really love how quickly the cream is absorbed, with no stickiness at all. It means my concealer applies nicely, and the delicate skins remains moisturised.  I use these day and night. You also get a whole lot of product for a very reasonable price.

8/10

Origins GinZing 15ml £21 (here)

This product seems to make a bucket load of claims, but in reality all it's doing is 'reducing the look' of darkness, and puffiness. It does contain caffeine, which helps to stimulate and tightens the capillaries stopping fluid from gathering under the eye area making it puffy, although I personally didn't see any change! The unique thing about GinZing is that it has 'natural optical brighteners' which are supposed to give a brightened look to the undereye, I guess by reflecting light. It's quite a thick cream, which has a pink, almost shimmery, colour to it.

I didn't find it to be too moisturising, and around October I needed something a bit more, and so I went back to LUSH. But it seemed to be fine during the summer months. The 'brightening' effect is actually what I disliked the most, it sort of left a slight white-ish, and very greasy looking residue behind, which didn't sink it quickly at all. (You can see in the third photo it almost looks like a highlighter!)  I found myself getting very frustrated by it, teaches me for impulse buying! If I had tested it first, I wouldn't have bought a full size. It just seemed so many people raved about it, I thought I'd love it too. Also, for someone that needs to wear concealer, any brightening effect is really lost, as you're covering up those 'optic brighteners'. This might work well for someone who doesn't need to further cover up, the greasy residue does fade, but not quick enough for me when I'm waiting to conceal. I did try placing it on top, but it made a mess and pulled my make up around and ended up looking awful!

5/10

Clinique All About Eyes 15ml £23 (here)

I received a 7ml sample free when I bought some other skin care, and I've just about finished it. I've actually really enjoyed using it. It's a cream/gel mix, so it's really like and does sink in super quick. It can be used over the eyelights as well. It claims to diminish dark circles, puffiness and fine lines/

It makes a really good base for make up, sinking in quickly and makes your skin feel so soft. I've been really happy using it. However, I don't think it would be great for very dry under-eyes, and you'll probably need something a bit more moisturising. The price tag does put me off a bit, especially as right now my concern isn't really fine lines, but more about moisture. I've tended to use the LUSH in the evening before bed, and this in the mornings the last 2 months. As you can see I've finished it, and really enjoyed the velvety feel it left behind.

7/10

Clarins Eye Contour Gel 20ml £26.50 (here)

I know this isn't an eye cream, but I recently rediscovered it after it lost amongst my skin care stuff. I got it for Christmas last year, and it's a really nice refreshing, cooling blue gel that you apply along the contours of your eye, so not just underneath. Clarins have a video on their website which shows you how to apply to certain pressure point to help with drainage. It helps to drain toxins, helping minimises the look of puffiness and dark circles. You can also apply it over make up during the day as a bit of a pick me up, which I really liked, and it helped ease any cakeyness/dryness from my concealer and I will be popping it into my make up bag once lectures start again.

I've been using it the last 2/3 weeks, and found it sinks in pretty quickly, but again not create for moisturising. Often, I use it in conjunction with an eye cream, just directly under the eye. It's quite pricey, but you do get 5ml extra than you usually do with an eye cream. It's a nice little splurge if you want to treat yourself. They've changed the packing since I got mine, but I can't say if the formula is exactly the same. I've really enjoyed rediscovering this, and will definitely be using it more often. I am mostly impressed by the unique function that you can layer it on top of make up, and I can vouch for the fact it doesn't smear or drag your make up at all, just freshens things up, making it look like you just applied your make up. LOVE.

9/10
(not taking moisturising into considering!)

Round Up
Although I'm impressed by LUSH and it was the winner, especially in terms of price and moisturising capabilities, it's not quite holy grail material, as when I compare it to the Clinique, my concealer doesn't apply AS smoothly.  Clinique would probably be my favourite and go to cream during the summer, but right now I definitely need something more. I will happily continue to use my LUSH till it runs out (which might be a while) but I'm eager to try out something new when that that times. The Clarins I am super impressed with and can't wait to use it more as a 'refresher', and think I will more than likely repurchase it.  During long days I often notice my under-eyes starting to look a little dull and drier and it really gives that freshly applied look. I will most definitely NOT be rebuying GinZing, but as mentioned above would recommend for those who don't use under-eye concealer.

I've included links to the official brand websites so if you want further details, such as claims, ingredients etc you can have a look!

(My rating was based on overall effectiveness, moisturising effects, feel and how it worked with my concealor, and to some extent price. Remember, my under-eyes aren't overly dry!)

Would love to hear any recommendations!

Thanks for reading and good luck to anyone else doing exams/ assignments as well!

Nic xxx

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Christmas Presents

I know this is a bit late, but wanted to share some of my presents from Christmas, and I've really enjoyed being nosey reading other posts, so thought it was fair I contributed. I was very spoilt considering we don't really do big Christmas presents, I'm going to share a few things I would normally feature on my blog, i.e. beauty & fashion related etc!

Top Left:  Yankee Candles. White Christmas which is a very fresh scent, reminds me of freshly washed clothes. Not something I would pick myself, but I've been burning it for the last few hours and I actually real like it. Medium candle in Farmer's Market which is a a very festive spicy scent. They were both from my lovely mother, who shares my love for candles.

Top Right: From my brother and his girlfriend was the Lush Christmas gift box, Happy Christmas. I did a little squel of delight when I opened it. It contained, Christmas Eve bubble bar, Satsumo Santa, Golder Wonder bath ballistic, Snowcake soap, Lil' Lush pudding and Candy can soap. Cannot wait to use them!

Bottom Left: Is from my gorgeous housemate for secret santa, and it was the Merry & Bright gift box, obviously from Lush. And had the Northern Lights soap, which is so fresh and citrus-y as well as the Glogg showergel which smells like spicey cinnamon!

Bottom Right: Perfume galore! I asked for two of these, Chanel Coco Mademoiselle from my dad, and Paco Rabanne's Lady Million, which I have been lusting over for ages. My lovely brother bought it for me. And the boy did very very well, I think I mentioned to him once back in September how much I loved Armani Diamonds Black Carat and he remembered, bless him! He apparently had to traipse around the Bull Ring looking for one.

Left: Soap & Glory Higher Shower & Perfume Atomiser. Lovelovelove the scent of the S&G bits, come's with a moisturizer, shower lotion, body spray as well as a rather fetching showe cap and poof! The atomiser is such a lovely little gift, I've thought about getting one, but never did. If only I could figure out how to get it to work!

Right: French Connection Purse. I spotted this bargain while scouring TK Maxx with my mom for last  minute gifts, and she kindly bought it for me and wrapped it for Christmas. It was only £15 and I was in desperate need for it a purse. It's a gorgeous deep green/blue and has lots of space for coins, and is real leather. Exactly what I've been looking for!

I also asked for some muji acrylic drawers, but they got delayed in the post, and when they did arrive one of the draws was broken! D'oh. Hopefully in the near future I'll do a make up storage post to show them off!

Hope everyone was as happy as I was with what they got. Big thank you to my lovely family who, like always, spoil me and buy me lovely, thoughtful things.

Nic xxx

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Winter Must Haves: Part 1

Part One: Hands&Feet

Saying I'm not a winter person is an understatement; I blame it on genetics, the South African in me cannot cope with the cold.  In the 13 years I've lived in England, I've never gotten used to it,  most people squeal in delight when it snows, I utter curse words and rely on my family trip back to SA over Christmas where it's Summer.  But, this year, I've tried to look for some positives in the gloom and have decide to do a series of posts on my winter must haves.

Lush Lemon Flutter Cuticle Butter
Although it's technically a cuticle butter, I have been using this as a night cream for hands & feet. It's very thick & rich with strong lemon (duh) scent, which reminds me of lemon sorbet. It does take a little while to sink in, which is why I apply it right before I go to sleep but my hands and feet feel so soft and moisturised in the morning.

Available at Lush in store or online here.£5.95 15ml

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream
Noticing a trend here?  I keep this in my handbag for on the go moisture, although I never notice my hands get too dry, my cuticles do tend to suffer in the colder months. This is the first year I've really used cuticle cream consistently and it has definitely make a difference. It's a hard wax that softens with the heat of your fingers and applies without leaving a greasy residue. Love that it's a such a light weight tin, but getting the lid off the tin with slightly greasy fingers is a bit of an effort.

Available at a number of retailers such as John Lewis and Debenhams or online at Feel Unique here. £5.10 15g

Cath Kidston Intensive Hand Cream Cherry Blossom
This is my day-to-day hand cream, it's a light weight formula that sinks in quickly and leaves my hands feeling really soft without any residue. It has a floral fragrance but with a sweet smell of cherry at the same time. It's so nice, and the smell lingers subtly on your hands for quite a while. My only qualm with it is that it's large tube and so isn't too practical for my hand bag. It's also paraben and sulphate free which is always a plus. I received this as a present for my birthday in July, and as it's so large I still have loads left! (Thanks girls if you're reading!)

Available at Cath Kidston online here for £6


I've never suffered with overly dry hands, so the products mentioned may not be suitable if you need something a little more hardcore.  My favourite is definitely the Cath Kidston, I love the scent and how quickly it sinks in.

Nic xxx

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November Hauling

Hello girlies!

I seem to have picked up a few new things this month, and although I took photos when I bought them but never got around to doing individual haul posts. So, I've decided to throw them all in together.  A few other items are going to be saved for individual reviews so look out for those.

First up is LUSH, until I started reading blogs I had no idea where to start. I'd always go in and smell everything but don't actually recall making a purchase. Now, I can't get enough! 

Calacas £2.95

Part of the Halloween collection. A wobbly shower jelly that smells lie lime, is but sweet at the same time. I love citrus scents, it's really refreshing. It also has a skull imprint on it, which is a nice little touch.

Snow Fairy 250g £5.95

The hype about this candy floss scented shower cream is definitely worth it. I think the smell is divine, but my housemate really doesn't like it. So, if you don't like sweet and sickly smells then I would avoid. As you can tell from the photo I couldn't wait to use it, but the thing that impressed me the most is how soft it leaves my skin feeling all day!

Daddy-O 100ml £4.75

I picked this up after some advise from the SA about what I can do to keep my highlights as bright as they should be. And she immediately recommended this. The shampoo is a deep violet which looks like it has a shimmer running through it. It's really gorgeous. I also read online it's great for anyone with dyed her to help it remain vibrant and shiny!

Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Facemask £5.50

I mentioned this in my first ever post here and so it became my first ever Lush rebuy. The smell of blueberries is so lovely, and it really does help calm and soothe your skin, leaving it really soft after you rinse it off.

I've become an absolute dry shampoo fiend and when I read Tamsin's from little Glitter's post about Girlz Only's offerings I knew I had to try it. You can read her full review here. At only £1.50 for 150ml it was an absolute steal. 

It's available from Tesco, and does come a few scents I believe, although my Tesco only had the pink in stock. So I snapped up two. The smell is really nice, quite sweet and leaves my hair looking so clean. I think it may have taken over from my TRESemme dry shampoo while saving me a few pounds!

I feel in love with Mat Lumiere in the summer, and my interest was mostly sparked by the infamous Anna at viviannadoesmakeup. After trying out a sample I went back to Boots to pick one up, but the previous SA had written down the wrong shade, so I ended up getting shade 20, instead of 40. Which I then slapped on my face before realising it was far too light.

With my £15 worth of Debenham's beauty points, after 2 months I finally picked up the right shade! I was just mixing it before, but that is a bit of faff. It really is a beautiful foundation and I might have to pick up another before it gets discontinued!

If anyone would like any in depth reviews of any of the above products or has any requests at all please get in touch! Either via email or just in the comments below. Also, any Lush recommendations are always appreciated.

Nic xxx

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What I've been loving lately #1

After multiple attempts at the awkward first post, I've decided to jump straight in and have a bit of a round up (which you might have figured out from the glaringly obvious title).

Face

No 7 Beautifully Matte Foundation

This was an absolute surprise for me- armed with No 7 Vouchers last month I decided to take a gamble. It seemed to promise everything I want from a foundation- shine free, long wearing and full coverage, and it really delivered.

MAC Trace Gold Sheertone Shimmer Blush

I bought this at the beginning of August and have worn it pretty much everyday. On my skin tone (somewhere between at NC25-30) it has a gorgeous subtle colour which really helps to brighten my face. Great for every day use.

NARS Laguna

Do I need to say much about this? I don't really use bronzer during the day, but find this great for contouring in the evenings.

Eyes

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

I use Painterly as a primer- helps my eyeshadow to last all day and is great for neutralising my eyelids which can be slightly red first things in the morning.

MAC Woodwinked E/S

Lately I've been applying this all over my eyelids and smudging some Badgal liner along the lash line and I'm good to go!

Benefit Waterproof Badgal EyeLiner

I usually have a problem with my eyeliner ending up all smudged under my eyes- even when applied to the upper lashline only- but not with this. About 6 months ago I tried out my moms and I was sold. I'm so impressed with it, at £14 it's not the cheapest option but so worth it in my opinion. 

Hair

LUSH Solid Shampoo- Jumping Juniper

Love how much this lathers and really makes my hair and scalp feel super clean.  Perfect!

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Luscious Long Deep Treatment

Leaves my hair feeling so soft, and the smell is deeeevine and really lasts all day.

Macadamia Oil- Healing Oil Therapy

Received this as a birthday present in July, it pretty much does the same as all oil treatments which are around at the moment, but I have found I've reached for this over my VO5 one- I love the smell, and the way it makes my hair feels. My ends usually look very dried out on the second day after I've washed my hair, but I've not noticed this much since I've been using it.

Skin Care

Origins Clear Improvements Charcoal Face Mask

I usually suffer from quite a shiny T-Zone, especially during the Summer months but  I've been using this 1-2 times a week and found these has really helped. My skin really does feel great after using- although I haven't noticed that it's helped with decongestion much but worth it for it's mattifying effect. Pricey but I've had it for over 2 months and I can't even notice much missing from the tube.

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic Face Mask

Smells of blueberries and really has a great calming effect on my skin, perfect for reducing inflammation and redness.

Before I end this mega post, I would like to give Yu from Let's Make Yu Up a big hello. If any one but her ever reads this, and hasn't read her blog they should definitely head on over. She is so lovely and uber friendly and really helped give me a bit of a push in starting this blog as well as  answering a lot of questions! So thanks a lot for all your help Yu.

And just to give you a bit of an insight into my obsession here is a photo of the make up I recently took with me for a three day trip to Vegas (apparently I have an inability to pack lightly).

Photo courtesy of my beautiful friend Olivia.

Nic xx

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