Beauty - In my travel wash bag

With only two months until my summer holiday to Barcelona - can I get hell yeah? - I started thinking about what to pack in my holiday wash bag. A girl can never be too prepared. I love the sun but it can play havoc on your body. It leaves mine feeling dry and dehydrated which is never a good look. These are some products that should be in your arsenal when you jet of in search of some sun!

Aussie Miracle Recharge Moisture Lightweight Conditioning Spray
Thanks to my love of long locks, it means I have to deal with a hell of a lot of knots. I tend not to use conditioner too often after I shampoo because it makes my hair greasy. So this is the perfect de-tangle remedy. Your hair can get extremely dry after a day in the sun and needs to be kept in good condition.  This wonder product brings back the moisture it craves and helps to make it easier to handle. After a day spent in the sea or swimming pool, your hair will need a lot of TLC!

Delph Sun Lotion Factor 30 c/o
I never go lower than factor 30 on a sun cream. The older I'm getting, the more I'm becoming less of a sun worshipper. Not only is there the risk of skin cancer but also the risk of premature aging. Shudder! I like my sun cream to be non-greasy and thick so that I feel like it's doing it's job. This one fits the ticket perfectly. The great thing about the lotion is it's moisturising too - the sun can be a nightmare drying out your skin!

Delph After Sun Gel c/o
When I'm away I'm so conscious of my tan fading that I become a slave to after sun! I much prefer a gel based after sun as it feels much more cooler and refreshing on my skin - especially if I'm a little sunburnt. Ouch! The sun gel sinks into the skin immediately and leaves no greasy residue. You can almost get dressed straight away after application. There's nothing worse than slipping around in your dress and your skin feeling a bit sticky.

Soap and Glory Super Tonic Fragrance Orangeasm
When I'm on holiday I like a light and fruity scent - nothing too overpowering and heavy. I much prefer a body spray rather than an actual perfume. This zesty orange scented spray is perfect. It's not too long lasting but the bottles small enough to pop in your beach bag to keep topping up throughout the day.

V05 Give Me Texture Rough & Sexy Salt Spray c/o
I like to keep my hair as low-matienance as possible when I'm abroad in a hot country. I don't want to spend hours pimping and preening when there are cocktails to be drunk! This is why I love salt sprays. I simply rough dry my hair with a towel, liberally spray a salt spray all over and pop up in a topknot until it dries. Voila! I'm left with beachy waves.

Simple Kind To Skin+ Moisture Boost Hydro Mist c/o
In any extreme weather, my skin struggles to cope. This fine mist is great to help give dehydrated skin a much needed boost. It absorbs almost immediately and can also be worn over make up. It's great to keep in your beach bag for when your face needs a little helping hand throughout the day.

Nivea Firming Body Oil
This is my holy grail. I'm on around my 6/7th bottle since the beginning of the year. I use it religiously everyday in my legs and it helps to keep them in tip top shape. It's helped to severely reduce my blemishes and helps to keep shaving rashes and dryness at bay. There's no way I'm leaving it at home!

Yes To Coconut Dry Skin Ultra Light Body Lotion Spray c/o
For the rest of my body I need a lightweight body lotion that absorbs quickly yet keeps my body hydrated. I don't my tan to peel if I can help it! Coconut is my favourite scent and this smells gorgeous. The spray nozzles gives out just the right amount of product and is simple to use when you're in a rush to get down to that dinner buffet!

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Beauty: Winter Skincare Saviours

Winter can be harsh on your skin. The coldness offers no favours to anyone and dry, chapped skin is never attractive so it's important to give it a bit of a helping hand. Here are a few of my winter favourite that deserve round of applause.

Cath Kidston Wild Rose Hand Cream
I always face such a battle during the colder months to help keep my hands in check. They easily become dry and chapped - even cracked to the point the start to bleed. Horrible right? So as a result I'm always carrying a hand cream or two in my handbag. Most of the time they're rubbish but every now and then I come across a gem. This was a gem. I got this for Christmas and cracked it open a few weeks ago. I love the fresh rose smell and a little goes a long way. It feels non greasy and you can feel the effects almost straight away.

Soap and Glory The Righteous Butter
Like I've mentioned many times before, I love a thick and luxurious body cream - none of this lotion for me please. This Soap and Glory beauty fits the bill. It doesn't irritate my skin after I've given my legs a quick shave and stops me from looking a little like a scaly reptile after a few hours post bath. My skin feels really supple and the cream sinks in within 30 seconds. There's nothing worse than you legs slipping all over the place when you pop your trousers on is there?

Soap and Glory Heels Genius
Despite it coming out the tube a radioactive blue colour, this stuff is pretty special. I pop it on before I go to bed and let it soak in overnight within a pair of old socks. Come the morning, my feet are looking a hell of a lot better than they did the night before. If you're on your feet all day or you wear silly shoes like me, this is needed on your bedside table.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Mask
This was a recommendation by Sarah and I'm now on my second bottle. It's such a wonder hydration product and is well worth the £23 price tag. I use it every single night and sometimes in the morning if I feel my skin needs even more TLC. It makes your skin feel so soft and just glides on effortlessly. It's the perfect pick me up for tired and worn out skin.

Simple Blackhead Eliminating Face Scrub
Thanks to the horrible dark nights and short days, I have to admit I can sometimes neglect my face. I just take my make up off with a wipe before sinking down into the pillow to hibernate. As a result my skin starts to rebel and lots of gross blackheads pop up. This product helps to keep them under control and I notice a difference in just a few days. Amazing!

Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm
This lip balm is far from being cheap but it's also one of the best I've used. It's great to pop on before you go to bed for smooth lips in the morning. It's really rich and you can almost feel it working while it's on your lips. It's great for prepping your lips ready for a swipe of lipstick. I'd definitely buy again once it's run out!


What are your winter skincare saviours?

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3 perfumes i'm loving

Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau De Parfum
This is my all time favourite perfume - I'd bathe in this if I could afford it! It's just such a classic, signature scent. I save this for special occasions as I simply can't afford to use it every day because it's way out of my budget! It's always on my Christmas/ birthday list. It's a scent that always gets a compliment and has great staying power - a little goes a long way. I just adore the gorgeous rose smell as florals are a definite plus for me in a perfume. Definitely one to pick if you fancy a little bit of luxury in your life!

Marc Jacobs Lola
This was a Christmas present from my parents - they did good! I've been a massive Marc Jacobs fan for years with Daisy as my number one. I've also tried Dot and now this. Again this is a floral scent - sense a theme? I love the base notes of vanilla and the hint of grapefruit. The creamy musk keeps it from smelling too sweet. It seems like MJ has done it again!

Soap and Glory Super Tonic Fragrance Orangeasm
I always keep a cheaper everyday perfume on my shelf as I don't have the dollar to buy expensive ones all the time. Money doesn't grow on trees after all! I picked up this in the Boxing Day sales in a gift set alongside a body butter and body wash. It smells gorgeously refreshing and has a subtle hint of mint. It doesn't last too long but the tonic is a good size to pop in your handbag so you can top up throughout the day. It's going to be the perfect scent when the warmer months hit.

What's your favourite scent at the moment? Any recommendations?

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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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Soap Glory Sit Tight Super-Intense 4D

A few weeks ago now I was invited along to Soap & Glory pamper evening to celebrate the launch of their new product. Let me introduce Sit Tight Super-Intense 4D. Priced at £18, it's designed to to work it's magic while you sit down. Hence the name! It has three metal ball barings which you glide on your problem areas on your bottom half.  Obviously it's not a complete miracle and you can't have perfect firm skin if you continue to binge on junk food but it does help if you eat healthily! It has a slight tingling feeling once it's been applied but this doesn't last forever. It's a strange sensation when you do sit down but it's not too annoying that it will make you uncomfortable. I felt strangely comforted as it meant it was working in my eyes. It'll be a great product to start using a month before your summer holiday.

Although I could only pay a fleeting visit as I was meeting my boyfriend for dinner, I was still able to enjoy a relaxing hand massage. Hand Food is a product that's a staple in my handbag so I made sure I made a beeline for that station. I loved the fact you could move around and try out different activities, such a shame I couldn't stay long enough for the tarot card reading. I've never had it done before!

Thank you very much for the invite Soap & Glory! 

Are you a fan of Soap & Glory?

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November empties

Soap and Glory Righteous Butter - c/o Elodie Russo
One of the perks of having blogger friends is when they pass along their unwanted beauty products to you. Obviously I never have enough... I've gone through numerous tubs of this body butter and it's one I come back to time and time again. It's the perfect thickness so it feel luxurious and sinks in fairly quickly which is a god send in the morning when you're in a rush to get dressed. The shea butter ingredient works wonders on dry winter skin.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray c/o
Review here.

Batiste original Dry Shampoo
Review here.

Charles Worthington Front-row Rough and Tousled Salt Spray
Although I'm not as much of a fan as this as I am off the Bumble surf spray I do still think it does an ok job. I find it works better on bone dry hair, Pop it up in a topknot while you get ready and by the time you're ready to go out, you should have beachy waves. It works the best on hair with layers cut in.

Kiehls Creamy Eye Treatment With Avocado
This was brought on a recommendation from Michelle and I feel like it's made a hell of a lot of difference. I pop it on twice a day, once before bed time when I've removed my make up and then in the morning once I've moisturised. A little goes a long way! I find gently dabbing it works best. It takes a little while to sink in before you can put your make up on top. Now I just need a eye brightening cream to get rid of these dark circles. Any ideas?

Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Medium
Review here.

George Lash X Trend Mascara c/o
I got this in a goodie bag from an Asda event a little while ago. I wasn't holding out much hope at first as the brush isn't my favourite - I like them to be big and busy rather than plastic as it hurts my eyes. Apart from being a little wet to apply I thought this mascara was a good budget buy. Complete bargain at £3.50!  It improved my lashes and didn't give me spider eyes which is one of my pet hates!

Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser Normal/Combination c/o
I am a sucker for Liz Earle. It's one of my favourite beauty brands and one that I can imagine staying loyal to the brand for a very long time. I'm already about to buy my third pot of this. Thanks to the thickness it doesn't feel greasy once it's applied and it sinks in almost straight away which is always a winner in the morning! My skin hardly ever breaks out anymore and doesn't feel as dry around my nose. The only thing that can improve the cream would be to add an spf in the formula. I'm getting worried about aging!

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May/June Empties

A joint month this time as I ran out of time in May and only used two products up!

Soap and Glory Calm One Calm All bubble bath
My family and friends all know me inside out and always buy me a batch of Soap and Glory products for Christmas and birthdays. This is one of my favourite products. It creates an amazing set of bubbles in such a little amount and has such a gorgeous sweet smell. It has the added bonus of having a built-in moisturiser so you come out feeling silky smooth. It really is the perfect for a long soak on a Sunday night before the working week starts again.

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo

Garnier Skin Naturals Moisture Match

I swiped this out of the beauty cupboard at work when I was running out of my No7 faithful. It really doesn't seem to last very long but I don't know if that's because I'm over generous. This particular one is suitable for normal to dry skin and I'm not really sure it's made a difference. It didn't make me break out - always a plus - but it didn't leave my skin feel brilliantly hydrated. It is a good size though to keep in your handbag should you require an emergency touch up when the dreaded dry skin appears.

Soap and Glory Girlgo Body Moisturising Mist

Yet another Soap and Glory gift. I use this straight after a shower on my arms to help keep them feeling soft. It works amazingly well and I really do notice the difference if I get lazy and don't apply it for a few days, It soaks in almost immediately and feels very lightweight on your skin. It's definitely a keeper!

Mark Hill Get Gorgeous Quick Fix Dry Shampoo

I received this in a goody bag when I popped along to a Boots event at the beginning of the year. All I can say is I'm very glad I didn't pay for it! It's very overpriced in my opinion and doesn't do nowhere near as good a job as Batiste does. It needs a lot of product to make a difference and towards the end of the day your hair is feeling greasy again. It was such a disappointment.


Sanctuary Body Butter

I much prefer butters over lotions and this one didn't disappoint. The lovely thick texture glides onto your skin and doesn't take an age to sink in. It's brilliant on dry patches such as knees and heels. The cocoa butter smell completely won me over and it'll definitely be something I'll be buying again.

Have you used any of these products?

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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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March empties

001: Original Batiste Dry Shampoo - Already reviewed.

002: Eau Thermale Avene Gentle Eye Make Up Remover
This was recommended to me by Sarah - she's a bit of a skincare guru - as she's a fellow contact lense wearing too. I fell in love with it and am already on my second bottle. It has a gel like consistency and feels lovely on my eyes. It glides on and doesn't seem to leave any grease behind. I'm looking to try other products of this brand if you have any suggestions!

003: Garnier Fresh Essentials Refreshing Toner Enriched with Grape Extract
Not much to say about this apart from it doesn't break me out and i've been using it religiously for around 4-5 years. I don't think i'll ever stray! I don't see the point of splashing the cash on a toner.

004: Lee Stafford Breaking Hair Treatment via the Beauty Drawer at work
I picked this up from work as I needed a new hair mask. My hair was looking dire! I've got a Lee Stafford hairdryer and used his dry shampoo before so was expecting good things. I wasn't disappointed. This did the trick perfectly and lasted a good few months as I only a treatment every fortnight or so. I didn't think the price was too shabby as i'll buy it again once i've used my other hair masks i've collected. Thumbs up from me!

005: Caudalie Eye and Lip Cream
This small sample came with some Caudalie products I ordered. The sample was so small I don't really know if it made a difference. But it felt gentle on my skin. Gotta be a plus point right?! It's suppose to reduce dark circles which seem to haunt me. Maybe i'll order the full size to try it out. Anyone used it before?

006: Soap and Glory Flake Away
I'm a massive fan of Soap and Glory and always find them in my present haul come Christmas' and Birthdays. I could smell this for hours and it makes me skin feel silky smooth. I find it a great choice for fake tanning. It really feels like it works - sometimes a bit too much maybe!

007: No 7 Protect and Perfect Day Cream SPF 15 - Review here

008: Caudalie Eau Demaquillante Cleansing Water
I use this in the evenings to take off my make up. It seems to scrap off every last bit and makes me feel lovely and refreshed before going to bed. I will make sure this enters my basket again but as with the case with the hair mask, I seem to have required a few cleansing products I have to use up first.

009: Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads
I once again required these through work. I'd read about the brand and was eager to try them out for myself. I was a bit underwhelmed and don't think i'll be splashing my cash on them. I didn't really think they made a difference and I have other exfoliaters I prefer.

What did you use up this month?

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Soap and Glory Spray on Body Moisturising Mist - Review

As I have mentioned before, I am a huge fan of Soap and Glory and usually recieve a fair bit of it for Christmas and my birthday. I recieved the moisturising mist for my birthday back in January from a very dear old friend of mine. So old in fact we have been friend since we were both four. It really does show just how much body/skincare I have that I have only just gotten round to using a product I have had for 11 months. Anyway I digress.

Once again Soap and Glory packaging has come up trumps. I really do adore the retro feel and the pink and white make the product seem very girly. I like brands that seem to "talk" to you. Ted Baker is a prime example of this as you always find little sayings in the products, it helps make them feel more personal. In the particular product it states "Do your own flirty work". Well if you insist...

Onto the actual product. I always try to moisturise whenever I have a shower, particularly my legs. However this can be quite time consuming especially when you like thick products such as Palmers Coco Butter. Therefore this product is perfect for when you are in a rush and as the packaging suggests it really is a "mist". It is so easy to spray on your skin and dry almost instantly, very rarely do you have to rub it in. I don't think I will use this everyday as I still do prefer the luxury of a thick moisturiser on my skin. But once this has run out I think I will purchase it again as it is great for those mornings when you oversleep by half an hour.

Are you a Soap and Glory addict too?

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