Feel Unique Mini Haul

                                

Last week I decided to place a cheeky Feel Unique order as I was starting to run out of a few skincare essentials and water to try something new. I have a habit of compiling wish lists, letting them grow and forgetting all about it but this time I took the plunge and ordered some bits. 

Starting with the things I actually needed in the skincare department...

Moa The Green Balm: a multi purpose balm that does it all - cleanser, lip balm, helps with grazes, burns, dry skin...the list goes on. Plus it's 100% natural and made in England. I

Be been really impressed with this little wonder pot. Review coming soon.

Steam Cream: another multi purpose cream that can be used for face, hands and body. It is a super light moisturiser which uses 'revolutionary steam-infused manufacturing process...' Ingredients include 'moisturising and soothing oatmeal infusion, orange flower water and healing lavender oil'.

I was a little surprised at how scented it was, and although I like lavender scents I did think I might break out but so far so good! It is very light but feels like it's actually sinking into my skin and hydrating. Another great travel product.

Now onto things that I didn't really need but, you know...

I've wanted to pick up some more make up brushes and really love my Real Techniques Expert Face Brush so added the Duo Fibre brush set to my basket. I went with this collection mainly because I wanted a lighter brush to apply my bronzer with now that the sun seems to be making a more frequent appearance. The large face brush does a fantastic job at delivering just the right amount. I also love the eyeshadow brush for blending out eyeshadow and smudging eyeliner all over the lids. The blush brush is also great for applying a hint of colour of the apples of my cheeks.

I've been trying to get hold of Nars Creamy Concealer in Vanilla for ages but apparently there is a national shortage! I'd heard good things about the Maybelline Fit Me concealer being a possible dupe so opted to give that a go. Unfortunately the shade I chose is a bit too dark for me, but I'm using it sparingly and blending out as the concealer is really nice. 

I always get drawn in my lipsticks and glosses. Right now I'm after the perfect peach/coral shade, so whilst perusing Feel Unique for this Tanya Burr's new range popped up and I decided to give the shade Just Peachy a go. I'm a little disappointed with this gloss; I really love the formula, it lasts well on the lips, isn't sticky and smells gorgeous, however this shade was just not right for me. Switched on my hand I thought it would be perfect but on my lips it's too pale and looks just wrong. I'm definitely going to give the other shades a go though! 

So that was my little splurge for this month! Have you ordered anything from Feel Unique before? Have you tried any of these products? 

Betty xXX

Evening Skincare Routine

As with my morning routine I like to keep things simple. I wear make up pretty much every day so it's important to properly remove it so there are no nasties left behind, plus pollution and touching my face through the day I like to keep it clean and fresh.

Make up removal: This wasn't a step I always did; I would usually just jump straight into cleansing but after reading lots of posts about the importance of double cleansing or removing make up before cleansing I have now started to include this step. Think of it this way; if you use your cleanser once you're just removing the make up and not actually cleaning the skin - make sense?

I used to use face wipes and still do occasionally when I'm being lazy but I've recently bought the Garnier version of Bioderma. This is a Micellar water which contains oil particals to break down make up. I use this to remove my eye make up and then swipe over my face to take off the bulk of my face make up. It's actually really good and I find it to work in exactly the same way as Bioderma.

Cleanser: My current cleanser is Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel which comes out in a gel consistency but when massaged onto the face, changes to an oil and then mixed with water it goes milky! It took a while to get used to the texture and it definitely does a good job of cleansing my face (I have used it to remove make up, including eyes and it is really good) but I'm not sure if I will repurchase. It has lasted a long time so for the money it is worth it, I just want to try something different next time!

Toner: As with my morning routine I use the same Lush toner, Eau Roma Water.

Serums/Oils: At present I am using the Body Shop Vitamin E Serum in an Oil. It claims to be eight hours of sleep in a bottle. It feels lovely on the skin, sinks in very quickly but I'm not sure if it has a massive affect come the next morning. When I've stopped using it for a few evenings I do miss it and notice my skin looking a bit grey, however I think there might be better things out there. I would recommend it for the price and would possibly repurchase; I think I'm just a bit on the fence with this one.

Moisturiser: My current moisturiser, which I'm loving is Superdrug's Vitamin E Night Cream. For £4 you get a massive tub that is lightweight but very rich and moisturising. I use this all over my face, neck, chest and hands in the evening and my skin loves it!

Morning Skincare Routine

Sometimes I feel like I've tried every skincare item going (drugstore brands at least). This is mainly because I'd never found anything that settle my often disrupted skin so would quickly move onto a new item, which probably added to the problem instead of helping.

Another reason for this trial and error approach was because I thought my skin type was normal/combination when actually it leans more towards the sensitive. This has taken me years to realise this and in turn I was using products that were not helping the sensitivity and making my skin more blemished and red. I remember going into Space NK years ago for the first time, not really bothered by skincare and make up back then and the lady telling me I had dehydrated skin. I was shocked! I think most people had taken one look at my skin back then and just thought oily/combination/acne prone. I wish I had taken her advice on board but for years I continued to use harsh, oil stripping products - I do blame certain brands for providing the wrong information about acne prone skin, claiming that harsh products will help!

It was only when I started watching QVC one day that I realised I might have sensitive skin; the lady explained that sensitivity to products makes your skin react (obviously) but using these harsh product can make your skin produce more oil to over compensate for the lack of moisture! I started trying new products from Elemis and and Liz Earle that really helped and I feel like finally my skin is in much better condition and I know which products will work. Of course I still have the occasional break out but it's not as bad as it used to be. Oh and everyone should read Caroline Hirons' blog - she is a skincare god and everyone needs to listen to her advise. 

So, after that mammoth introduction, here are the products I am using on a daily basis in the morning:

Cleanser: I've been using a cream cleanser for a while now, and at the moment I have Superdrug's Vitamin E cream cleanser. I was using Liz Earle until it ran out and I didn't have time to pick up a new one so I've been using this and it is doing a good job. I still prefer Liz Earle (it just feels like it's doing some good as soon as I start using it!) but Superdrug's cleanser is clearly a lot cheaper so great as a stand in. I use this with a regular flannel/wash cloth run under warm water and then I rinse it under cold water at the end and press it again my face to help me wake up.

Toner: This was a step I skipped for a long time, thinking I didn't really need to use one. My skin started to look a little lack-luster so while in Lush I picked up the Eau Roma Water and I've noticed such a difference already. Not only is the smell amazing but it plumps up my skin ready for the next step.

Serum: I never used to care much about serums and oils, especially in the morning but as I'm getting older I feel like I need an extra boost of moisture. As I mentioned previously I never thought that my skin would be of the dry category and believed that adding more moisture would make me look more oily and shiney - how wrong could I have been?! After reading lots of reviews I picked up Hydraluron and I cannot live without it! Its a clear gel that contains hyaluronic acid (sounds scary but its really good) that plumps up the skin and locks in moisture. I find it really does make a difference and when I have stopped using it, I feel like I do miss the extra boost.

Moisturiser: I've been using La Roche Posay Efficlar Duo (original version) for quite a while now and highly recommend it for anyone with sensitive skin. After watching Ruth's video saying that it cleared up her spots I thought I would give it a go. It really helps to keep any blemishes at bay and is a water based, very light weight moisturiser.

It's a fairly simple routine but I'm really happy with all the products and don't think I'll be changing them any time soon. Check back soon to read about my night time routine.

What are your skincare recommendations?

Betty xXx

Mini Lush Haul

Over the weekend I visited Lush because I wanted to get a bath bomb or bubble bar. Every time I go into Lush I always want everything in the shop. I love everything Lush stands for; from handmade goods to campaigning  against animal testing - they are a mutil ethical shop!

With Spring now upon us, Lush have brought out their new range to coincide with Mother's Day (Sunday 30th March if you've forgotten) and they have some gorgeous treats! I particularly like the carrot bubble bar sticks which smell so refreshing. I opted for a fairly new 'invention' called Fun. It looks like plasticine and can actually be rolled into shapes and played with! Fun is a multipurpose product that can be used in the bath or shower for washing body and hair or as a bubble bath. Apparently you can even use it to wash your clothes!

I went for the yellow variety mainly for the colour but the smell was divine!  It has a gentle vanilla scent and I used it as a bubble bath by pulling off small chunks and dissolving under hot water, and I also gave it a go as a body wash which also worked very well. I'd be interested to try it as a shampoo as I have previously tried Lush solid shampoo bars and loved them so I hope this will work in the same way.

Also whilst in Lush (I couldn't just get one thing), I picked up some skincare products. I've been wanting a new face mask for a while and love that Lush is made with all natural products, plus have a use by date (Around three weeks) so its makes you use them up quickly, plus reminds to treat yourself to a mask more than just once a week. I went for Catastrophe Cosmetic which contains lovely things like blueberries, rose, almond oil and chamomile which are great for soothing and nourishing the skin. It also smells amazing!

The second skincare item I picked up was a toner. I've never tried one of their toner's before but always liked the sound of them. I am a massive fan of rose in skincare and fragrance so I opted for Eau Roma which contains rose and lavender water which are both great for sensitive skin as they calm and hydrate. This smells so relaxing and will be great on a hot day to cool down.

What products have you tried from Lush? Do you have any favourites?

Betty xXx

Desktop Saviours // Beauty

Working in an office all day, in front of a computer (and a pile of paperwork) can get a bit claustrophobic and stuffy. With the weather in the UK being particularly cold we've had the heating cranked up so this can add to the stuffiness; mix that with heading out into the cold/gale force winds/torrential rain, my skin feels more dry and dehydrated.  I have a selection of beauty items on my desk to help me through the day and give me a 5 minute break from staring at the computer screen...


1. Soap and Glory Hand Maid: Touching a keyboard and phone etc all day I like to keep as germ free as possible, so using this anti bacterial hand gel really does the job. It smells gorgeous and is quite cooling so a apply this throughout the day especially before I'm about to have lunch.

2. Soap and Glory Hand Food: As well as keeping my hands clean I like to moisturise after washing my hands as they can get quite dry. This is a mini version of the S&G hand cream and I find it really nourishing. It contains shea butter and macadamia oil so my hands instantly feel soft.

3. Lip Balm: I can survive without lip balm, whether I'm at work, home or out and about. I don't have a set one that I use all the time, usually if something is on offer I'll pick it up but I tend to have a few on the go. Right now I have a choice of three: Bobbi Brown, Lush, or Nivea.

• Bobbi Brown Lip Balm: I bought this for my birthday as a treat - it costs £15 which I think is quite pricey for a lip balm. It is nice but I find that it has a bit of a dry (?) consistency; it just doesn't seem to moisturise my lips very well and I find I have to keep reapplying it more often that others. I don't think I'd repurchase.

• Lush Honey Trap Lip Balm:  This was part of a birthday present from my bestie and it is lovely! It smells a-m-a-zing and is so moisturising. You also only a small amount so despite its small size it will last quite a while, plus it is packed with nourishing ingredients (all very natural) such as almond oil, honey and white chocolate(!) Definitely recommend and will be stocking up when it runs out!

• Nivea Essential Care Lip Balm: Despite its basic appearance this little lip balm is super moisturising, containing jojoba oil and shea butter, it lasts ages before you need to reapply. The great thing is its really cheap, price wise and can be picked up everywhere. I always have one squirreled away in my desk drawers.

 4. Face Mist: Not something I use all the time but if I'm going out after work or during the hot summer months I'll spritz this all over my face to give me a refreshing boost. I haven't got one on the go at the moment but I recommend the Body Shop Vitamin E face mist

5. Body Spray: I usually have this in my bag as apposed to having it sitting on my desk but I like to keep a body spray on me to keep fresh and smell sweet! Sitting down all day doesn't exactly work up a sweat but as I've mentioned it can be quite stuffy so having a quick spritz of a nice body spray can refresh you and put you in a better mood. I love the Body Shop ones (they call them body mists) which come in a variety of scents - link here

Hope that's given you some ideas to keep you going through the day, beauty-wise. Do you work in an office? What are your tips for survival?

Betty xXx