5 moisturisers for the winter

1.  Weleda Skin Food*
This handy tube is fantastic to keep in your bag to top up throughout the day - gotta keep that dry skin at bay! It is an absolute god send on my hands, really does make a difference. I love the gorgeous chamomile and rosemary scent that keeps your hands smelling fresh. The great thing is it's suitable for vegetarians too if you're that way inclined!

2. Palmers Cocoa Formula Night Renewal Cream
I treated myself to this last year in Chicago - those US drugstores are a dream right? I never even knew they had a facial range so made sure I brought this home in my suitcase. It has that same gorgeous smell of all Palmer's products and the luxurious thickness. It sinks in fairly quickly and doesn't leave your face with a greasy film. It's fantastic for the colder months because it's so thick and banishes any pesky dry patches that have crept up. A great budget buy that does exactly what it says on the tin.

3. Purepotions Skin Salvation Intensive Moisturising Ointment*
Thanks to this ridiculously cold snap in January, my skin has been out of control. My face feels so dry, my hands are chapped and my legs shouldn't been seen until July. But thankfully this ointment has been a lifesaver. It instantly soothes and soaks in the skin, giving you instant relief. The brand was founded by a mum who wanted to give her eczema-prone daughter some relief after nothing worked. After experimenting in her kitchen, she came up with this formula. Boy am I glad. It works a treat!

4. No7 Early Defence Day Cream
This has been a constant repurchase for months. SPF? Tick. Anti-ageing? Tick. Non-greasy? Tick. All the right boxes! No 7 really can't do any wrong in my eyes. Their products are always reasonably priced, do what they say on the tin and never flare up my skin. I think I'm going be a loyal customer for many more years to come!

5. Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask
I harp on and on about this product like a broken record. I sometimes use it as an everyday moisturiser when my skin is misbehaving like a trooper. It sinks in the skin like a pro and give your that supple, soft look that you would make a million bucks to have. All for under 25 smackers! A little goes a very long way so the bottle lasts for ages.

What are your favourite moisturisers?

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Budget beauty

As much as I love buying a lotion and potion, I love buying dresses and skirts more. So i'm all over finding amazing products that do what they say in the tin and don't cost a fortune. These following poducts are currently on rotation and have been for quite a while!

VO5 Ultimate Hold Hairspray £3.05 - I found out about this on the blogger grapevine last year and have never looked back, purchasing time after time again. The can is massive and lasts for ages  - I'm not tight with hairspray either. It doesn't leave a sticky, horrible residue behind and it keeps your hair in check for hours.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula £5.89 - Ah this baby has been one of my best friends since I had a growth spurt at the tender age of around 12. I've used others but always come back to my old faithful. You just can't beat it! I can't get enough of the gorgeous smell and it leaves my skin so soft to touch. It always feels so luxurious. I can't ever imagine not using it.

Simple Clear Skin Oil Balancing Facial Scrub £3.99 - This is a new product i've been using for about a month. I picked it up on a whim in Boots as they had their 3 for 2 offer on. It promises to blast away dreaded blackheads and whilst it hasn't eliminated them completely, they're a lot better than they were. I use it around 4-5 days a week during my evening skincare routine. It doesn't leave my skin looking red and although it's not too scratchy on my face, it still feels like it's doing it's job.

Soap and Glory Hand Food £5.50 - Again this is a product that's been a staple for god knows how long. I suffer from extremely dry hands in the winter, so much so that if I don't keep an eye on them, they crack, bleed and become red raw. Very painful! But this gem helps to keep them in check. I love the smell and one bottle lasts for absolutely ages. I haven't found anything to beat this hand cream yet!

Batiste Dry Shampoo Brown Dark & Deep £3.99 - Ah the holy grail of dry shampoo. I was over the moon when they introduced products that matched hair colours - anyone else struggle to get rid of that pesky white patch? I don't really know what I can say that hasn't been said already. It's something every girl should have!

What are your favourite beauty buys?

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August Empties

Avene Gentle Eye Make Up Remover
Review here

Lee Stafford Breaking Hair Shampoo
This was going spare at work so I nabbed it to give it a little whirl. What a disappointment. It made my hair feel absolutely awful and it collected grease more often than normal. It didn't lather at all and I had to use a lot in order to feel like my hair had a good wash. It's not worth spending your hard earned pennies on!  

No7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Lotion
I'm a sucker for No7 products. I think they're such good value for money and always feel lovely on my skin. This was no exception. It helped my skin feel nice and refreshed in the morning and didn't break me out. It's one to pick up when the no7 vouchers come out again.

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser
This is one product i'll continue to buy time and time again. It's perfect to use at the end of the day to get rid of all the grime on your face that has built up. It's like having your own little spa in your bathroom! I just leave it on for a couple of minutes to soak in and then remove for silky soft skin.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula
Review here

No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream Dry/Very Dry
Review here

Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream
I cannot recommend this product enough. It feels like a little bit of luxury on your skin despite the cheap price tag. The gorgeous thickness of the product glides on perfectly and makes your skin feel completely regenerated in the morning - exactly what it says on the tin!

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Body beautiful for summer

It's that time of year again where the legs come out and you start panicking about all the neglect you've shown them during the winter months. In the ideal world it would be brilliant to think about laser hair remover costs as it will take the hassle out of making your legs look spit-span. But if this isn't an option, I find these steps help the most when shaving every other day becomes a necessity.

 

Legs
I like to use two sets of moisturiser during the summer months. I find Palmers Cocoa Butter works wonders on dry legs. The thick luxurious butter may take a few moments to sink in but it makes your legs feel silky smooth - yep I did just use that phrase! I used a body brush straight after around to top of my thighs to help keep the circulation moving. I find this works well with the odd bit of cellulite! Finally Garnier Gradual Tanner will help give you a nice glow - I find it tales around three consecutive days for a good tan to appear. Keep in mind once you stop it will start to go streaky. I tend to have it on daily and then scrub it all off during a pamper session by Sunday and start all over again.

Feet
When it comes to sandal weather there's nothing worst than crusty feet and unpainted toenails. I find Soap and Glory Heels Genius works a treat if you leave it on overnight in a pair of cosy socks. I love a bright statement nail polish for toes. My favourites at the minute include Rimmel Hot Shot, Essie Fear or Desire and OPI The Spy Who Loved Me.

What are your tricks to get summer ready legs?

This post contains a sponsored link.

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April empties

001: Boots Extract Cocoa Butter body wash
I've said it before but cocoa butter is my all time favourite smell when it comes to skincare. I'm drawn to it like a moth. As always boots extract didn't disappoint. It lathered up rather nice and left a gorgeous smell on my body. I love dinky size body wasahes like this as they're so handy to take away!

002: Loreal Elvive Full Restore Repairing Shampoo

003: Loreal Elvive Full Restore Repairing Conditioner
I loved this conditioner. I felt it made a real difference to my hair. The conditioner made it so easy to brush when I came out of the shower - quite a feat considering how much I have! A lot seemed to go a long way too, making it great value for money. I think I might purchase the set again after my current set runs out. Maybe try something else in the range.

004: Palmers Cocoa Butter Formula with Vitamin D
This product is my holy grail. I've been using it ever since I had a growth spurt at the age of 12 and got my first stretch marks. You can only imagaine how traumatic that was for a 12 year old! It reduces the redness to silvery line and if you use it religiously you can hardly tell they're there are all! It so lovely and thick so feels luxurious on your skin. If you buy any mosituriser make sure it's this one!

005: Clarins Extra Firming Night Cream
This is never something I would ever go out and buy - at least not at this age - so it was nice to give it a shot when it came in my glossybox. As imagined it made my skin feel so soft but you did have to use a fair bit to get even coverage. I can't imagine it's going to a product that lasts a long time!

006: Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream
I got this little sample in John Lewis on Oxford Street where you can help yourself - genius idea! I suffer with terrible dark circles and am struggling to cover them up. I'm not quite sure if this does the trick as it was such a small pot but it felt so smooth and gentle on my skin. A little went a very long way as you gently pat underneath the eye. I'll be making sure I buy the full version when I get paid.

007: Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstruction c/o Aussie
I recieved three of these shachets through Sarah who is an Aussie Angel. It had just the right amount of product for my hair and made a world of difference. My hair had a gorgeous shine the next day. Great news as straightening seems to dull it. Anyone else have this problem?

Have you tried any of these products?

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