Korres Lip Butters In Quince & Pomegranate

Korres Lip Butters In Quince & Pomegranate - £8

A few months ago I fell head over heels for the Korres Wild Rose Lip Butter. I think I'm a bit late to the Korres Lip Butter party but they are some of the loveliest lip balms I've tried. They're made from a combination of shea butter and rice wax. Each lip butter comes in a different tint and has a different scent. They are incredibly hydrating, have fantastic pigmentation and are really comfortable to wear. They have quite a thick texture but apply super smoothly and feel very light on the lips. They also give your lips the most amazing shine! Being the crazy lip product junkie that I am, I couldn't resist buying a couple more shades.




Quince is a sheer rose shade. It's quite similar to Wild Rose in it's colour intensity but this is more pink than red. This one feels really creamy on the lips. I really like the bright fuscia colour of this, it's perfect for when you want to wear a bright lip colour that's still not too in your face. I think this is a nice soft alternative to wearing a bright heavy lipstick. Quince adds a slight stain to your lips so it does last a few hours before you have to reapply. You can wear this really sheerly or build it up a bit like I have, it looks gorgeous either way.




Pomegranate is a sheer coral shade. It has a bit of orange to it when swatched but on my lips it becomes a really natural colour. It applies as a soft pink with a definite 'my lips but butter' quality to it. This is currently my go-to daytime lip product. It just adds a nice bit of oomph and shine to your lips without being too much. The colour of this isn't as long lasting as Quince or Wild Rose but it does fade really evenly and keeps your lips feeling moisturised long after it's rubbed off. So pretty!

If you're after kissably soft lips in a beautiful range colours I really recommend checking these out. I've been using these non-stop, I really do love them that much. Both of these shades feature as prizes in my 2000 followers giveaway so make sure you enter before midnight tonight to be in with a chance of winning them!

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Love Me Beauty Box September 2013

Love Me Beauty Box* - £10 + £2.95 Delivery

Love Me Beauty is the new name for BeautecoBox. Personally I don't think the name is quite as catchy but apparently they had to change it due to being too similar to another brand. Anyway these boxes seem to be one of the best sample box offerings out on the market. They always have at least a couple of full size products from some great brands. Plus you actually get the choice of which set of goodies you'll receive. Even though I know exactly what I'm getting, I always look forward to receiving these boxes as I know there's lots of things I will certainly use.

Matriskin Collagen Serum MP
This product has some pretty amazing effects on the skin. It's a clear serum that helps to plump up and tighten the skin reducing the signs of ageing. It does feel a bit sticky to begin with but as soon as it dries down it makes my skin feel really hydrated. It promises a lifting effect without surgery and my skin felt a lot tighter (in a good way) after using it. My jawline especially saw benefits from using it and my nasiolabial folds completely disappeared. They're probably the most prominent lines on my face so it was really cool to see how this plumped them up. The full size version of this costs around £95 though so I really am making the most of this sample!

Murad Osmolyte Tonic
I really liked this toner. It kinda reminds me of Hydraluron but in a spray formula. It has that same deep hydrating effect and helps to plump up & firm the skin too. It feels incredibly cooling & refreshing upon application. It's also quite soothing on any blemishes or irritation. Sprays are my favourite method of toning but some of them don't seem to do very much. This one definitely does what it says and will be great for Winter time. It is suitable for all skin types but I can see this being a godsend for those with dry or dehydrated skin.

Anatomicals Puffy The Eye Bag Slayer Revitalising Eye Mask
Sometimes I like to get a little old school with my beauty treatments and this hot or cold eye gel mask is about as old school as it gets. You can either pop in the fridge or heat it up by sticking it in a pan of hot water. The strap on this mask is a little tight for my head but even if you just plonk the gel part on top of your eyes it does help to refresh & de-puff tired peepers.

Nip + Fab Stiletto Fix Leg + Foot Balm
I was really excited to try out this cooling leg & foot balm. I walk everywhere so I often end up with tired legs. I've tried similar products in the past that were effective & I've heard so many great things about Nip + Fab. However I can't say I'm a big fan of this. It has the oddest smell (supposedly peppermint), isn't very cooling and it leaves my legs feeling quite sticky. If you want something that will actually help with tired legs I'd recommend The Body Shop's Peppermint range instead.

Essential Care Lemon & Tea Tree Facial Wash
Upon contact with water this pearly white liquid turns into a lovely foamy cleanser that is ideal for oily or combination skin. I love products that feature tea tree oil because it's a natural antiseptic and brilliant for blemishes. This facial wash is 70% organic and free from nasties. It leaves my skin feeling fresh and soft. It helps to balance oil production and gives your skin an almost matte finish. It's not anything special but there's not much wrong with it either. I'm just used to the drastic effects of my Elemis cleanser so nothing can really hold a candle to that at the minute. The best thing about it is how good it smells, lemon & tea tree are two of my very favourite scents. I could sniff that tube all day long!

Overall it was a really nice box with loads of cool skincare products. The Matriskin & Murad products were definitely the star items so it was a good idea to feature them in every version of the box. You can subscribe to Love Me Beauty for £10 a month plus £2.95 delivery with no minimum subscription term. Visit the Love Me Beauty website to find out more.

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Full Body Exfoliation With NSpa

NSpa Massaging Body Brush* / NSpa Eucalyptus & Sea Minerals Sea Salt Scrub*

I have really bumpy skin on my upper arms and if you've ever had Keratosis Pilaris, you'd know that it's almost impossible to treat. The only thing you can really do to help it is to exfoliate regularly. Dry body brushing followed by a good body scrub is a great place to start. Dry body brushing is something I always hear about in the press. So many celebrities credit it with improving the texture and tone of their bodies. The idea is that you massage your skin using the brush in circular motions, moving towards the heart. You have to use it on dry skin before your bath or shower. In addition to sloughing away dead skin cells, body brushing improves circulation and helps rid your body of toxins. It is most often used as an effective treatment for cellulite. Recently I've been using one of NSpa's Massaging Body Brushes. When it comes to my face I'm all about chemical exfoliation but the skin on my body is definitely a fan of this stiff bristled brush combined with a bit of elbow grease. It does feel a bit rough so you do have to be gentle with it but the results are brilliant. It really does makes my skin feel softer and more toned. It's one of the easiest and cheapest yet most effective methods for full body exfoliation.

For the best results you should always exfoliate again when you get in the shower. Kinda like a double cleanse for your face, your body will be super smooth & soft after a double exfoliation. I like my body scrubs to be full on gritty. Anything less than that and you probably won't even notice a difference. I recently reviewed a set of NSpa samples I received. In that review I said that although I really enjoyed using most of the products, their Jojoba & White Jasmine Body Polish didn't really do anything for me. Being the lovely people that they are, NSpa then sent me another one of their scrubs to see if I liked that better. This Eucalyptus & Sea Minerals Sea Salt Scrub from NSpa's Bathing Rituals range uses natural Dead Sea Salt to exfoliate the skin. Dead Sea Salt is well known for it's ability to treat eczema & psoriasis. Despite this it actually made the little patch of eczema on my elbow sting a bit. Due to how my eczema reacted to this scrub I wouldn't say it's great for sensitive skin. It does say on the label to avoid using it on broken or irritated skin so I probably should've listened to that advice! If you don't have any kind of skin condition like I do, then this is a lovely scrub. Everywhere else I applied it felt amazingly smooth after my double body exfoliation. What's really nice about this product is that although it is really gritty, it is contained within a base made from Mango Seed Oil and Vitamin E so it's actually really moisturising too. It also features essential oil of eucalyptus which has a really refreshing and invigorating scent. This scrub combined with the body brush make a fantastic duo. Follow them up with a good moisturiser and you'll be the proud owner of some silky soft skin.

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Snickerdoodle Cookies

I have a bit of a cinnamon addiction - I would quite happily devour cinnamon buns, cinnamon pretzels and cinnamon porridge until I explode. One of my favourite things to do is search Pinterest for interesting new recipes. So I decided to look for anything with cinnamon as the main ingredient. Something that kept popping up were Snickerdoodle cookies. I think it must be an American thing because I've never really heard of them before. The name is quite misleading, they've not got a Snickers bar inside or anything, they're just soft cinnamon sugar cookies. I love the contrast of their squidgy interior with the crispy topping and they definitely satisfy my cinnamon cravings. I finally got round to making some today and they were so good that I just had to share the recipe.

Original recipe found here.

Ingredients

3/4 cup Caster sugar
1/2 cup Butter
1 1/4 cup Plain flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking powder
1 Egg
A pinch of salt

Topping

1 tbsp Caster sugar
1 tsp Ground cinnamon

Method

1) Preheat your oven to 200°C.

2) Cream the butter and sugar together.

3) Sift the flour and baking powder into the mixture then add the salt. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and crack your egg into it. Mix everything together.

4) In a separate bowl, mix the sugar and cinnamon together for the topping.

5) Shape the dough into small balls (I use an ice cream scoop to make them even) and roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

6) Place the balls about 2 inches apart on a lined baking tray. Sprinkle any excess cinnamon sugar on top of the cookies.

7) Put the tray in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes.

And that's it! They were so easy to make and tasted really delicious. These are amazing as a quick snack or serve them warm with vanilla ice cream for a decadent dessert. Let me know if you make some!

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Organic Surge 2-Minute Moisture Mask

Organic Surge 2-Minute Moisture Mask* - £6.99

I would consider my heavily bleached barnet to be the ultimate test for hair products. If a mask can make my hair shiny and soft, then we're definitely onto a winner. Organic Surge have brought out a 2-Minute Moisture Mask made with pure coconut oil & plant extracts and it is simply incredible! I'm a big fan of coconut oil masks as they're one of the cheapest ways to inject some moisture back into your locks. However they can be a bit messy and I like to keep them on for a few hours before shampooing so I need a lot of free time to do one. Organic Surge's mask features all the benefits of coconut oil masks but in an easy to use, quick and fuss-free formula.

You simply apply this as a normal conditioner after shampooing and wash it off after two minutes. There's a lot of hair products that claim to act that quickly but never seem to do anything to my hair. I normally have to leave masks on for at least 10 minutes. This really does work in no time at all. It has a gorgeous light coconut scent that I can still smell after drying my hair off. It leaves my hair silky, soft, shiny & sleek. After using this my hair looks really healthy from root to tip. It doesn't leave any residue in my hair or make it greasy & flat either. It is free from nasty ingredients including silicone so it's working to nourish your hair rather than just coating it. In my opinion this hair mask is worth every penny and more.

By the way Organic Surge currently have an amazing 3 for 2 offer on their website. You can also get free shipping if you spend over £20. I'll definitely be stocking up on another tub of this and some of their shower gels. I adored the Citrus Mint one but this time I think I'm gonna try the Sugared Almond & Sweet Blossom shower gels. They're among some of the best products I've found for sensitive skin. There's no better time to try them out!

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Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15

Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 - £20

I love a good primer and seem to have amassed quite a few of them over the past few years. Unfortunately some of them do absolutely nothing at all and some only play nicely with certain foundations so my quest for the perfect primer continued on. I decided to look for something that could do it all - something that could minimise pores, reduce redness, control oil and create a smooth base for longer lasting makeup. So I placed a very naughty Space.NK order (is there any other kind of order from that place?) including a bottle of the Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer AKA the primer everyone wants to hate due to it's ridiculous price tag. I purchased the small 10ml bottle which was £20 but they also do a 30ml bottle for £52. It's such a great idea to have a smaller version because I doubt there's many people out there who are willing to drop fifty notes on a primer without trying it first.

Veil is a mineral based water-resistant primer with the added bonus of SPF 15. The SPF is provided by a mix of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. Those are physical blockers so be prepared for some major white cast. I was kinda shocked the first time I used it because sun protection never normally makes me look that white. It soon sinks in though and the extreme whiteness disappears completely. Veil does contain silicone to enhance that smooth appearance but it doesn't feel thick or heavy on the skin like other silicone based primers. I think that's due to the light creamy texture as opposed to the thicker putty-like texture of some of my other favourite primers (eg. Philosophy's The Present, Benefit's The Porefessional & Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch). My main problem with those primers is that they can ball up & pill with certain foundations whereas there's none of that at all with Veil. It feels really lightweight and smooths over pores & dry patches without clogging up my skin. I love that it comes with a pump because it's really hygienic and one pump full is the perfect amount for my entire face. I start by blending it over my T-Zone because my foundation tends to fade around my nose and forehead first and then smooth the excess over the rest of my face. After applying it my skin is left with a luminescent satin finish which makes my foundation look amazing. My makeup lasts all day long with this stuff and looks just as perfect in the evening as when I applied it that morning. The results are incredible and my base has never looked so good before.

This is one of the few primers that actually lives up to it's claims. Whether I should repurchase this or not is a very tough decision. I love absolutely everything about it and it is undoubtedly the best primer I have ever used. It's just that crazy price tag that puts me off. It is extremely expensive but it does it's job oh so well. I think this might be one to save for the Christmas list!

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La Roche-Posay Redermic R

La Roche-Posay Redermic R - £28

Allow me to introduce you to what is quite possibly the best spot treatment ever. You might have heard of retinol before as an anti-ageing treatment for wrinkles and sun damage. Retinol is actually a derivative of Vitamin A which excels at treating various skin disorders including acne. As I'm sure you all know I love chemical exfoliants and I fully credit them with clearing up my skin. If something contains salicylic, lactic or glycolic acid, chances are I'll like it. Retinol is pretty much the next step up from them. Back when my chin was at it's worst I started researching retinol products. It was extremely difficult to decide which one to go for. Some of them are just crazy expensive! Then an email from What's In My Handbag popped into my inbox with their latest 'Try'. It was a new product from La Roche-Posay and it was exactly what I was looking for. Luckily I managed to get one of their 5ml samples of Redermic R and after just one use my skin looked and felt much improved. That tiny tube cleared up my active blemishes and cystic acne so much better than any other spot treatment I'd tried. I simply had to get the full size one.

This product is a thin white cream containing 0.3% retinol (0.1% pure retinol & 0.2% retinol linoleate). The pure retinol stimulates collagen and elastin, the retinol linoleate supports cell turnover and it also contains lipo hydroxy acid which exfoliates the skin. It has a slight floral scent but it's not overpowering or irritating. Retinol is the kind of the treatment you should stick to using at night and as with all chemically exfoliating products, SPF is a must during the day. Redermic R is intended to be used as an anti-ageing treatment so you can actually use this cream all over your face either with a moisturiser or on it's own. As I am only 25 wrinkles really aren't a concern of mine just yet so instead I've been moisturising my face as normal and then applying this only where I'm having a breakout.

You only need a tiny little blob of this stuff as it is very potent but it is also contained in a fairly moisturising base so it spreads out well and soon sinks in. One of the nice things about this product over other retinol treatments is that it is safe for sensitive skin. I don't know if any of you ever tried using things like Panoxyl but all those kind of Benzoyl Peroxide acne treatments left my skin irritated, red, raw and dry. This cream formula slightly reminds me of Panoxyl but without the horrific side effects. It's also a hell of a lot more effective on spots and makes my skin soft and smooth. It has that same immediate smoothing effect that often comes with chemical exfoliants. I did have a little dryness to begin with but that soon went away by alternating treatment with some Trilogy Rosehip Oil. It works so well on deep cystic acne and clears it up within a few days. It also treats active blemishes by reducing inflammation and often gives them a white head which I find makes them heal quicker. My chin is prone to blackheads and closed comedones and this sorts them out a treat too. I am guilty of picking and squeezing spots all the time which always leads to scarring. This is extremely effective on scarring and pigmentation. At the moment my chin looks like I never even had any problems there. I can't even tell you how happy that makes me!

I bought my tube of Redermic R from Boots because I could pay with my points but you can get it for a bit less online. If you're after something that can sort out all kinds of spots as well as lighten scarring, I really recommend this! It is a bit expensive but the tube is gonna last for months & months because of how little product you need. Indeed Labs (the people behind Hydraluron & Pepta-Bright) have also just brought out a new retinol product called Retinol Reface. It is a bit cheaper than Redermic R at only £20 but it does contain a lot of silicone. It has the feel of a silicone primer like Benefit's The Porefessional and I think Dimethicone is like the second ingredient on the list. That's not really something I would want to leave on my face overnight. I only tried that one instore so obviously I can't give you a full review on it and it might even be better than Redermic R but if silicone does irritate your skin then I'd save your money for La Roche-Posay's offering.

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2000 Followers Giveaway!

Hi guys! First of all I want to say a massive thank you to every single one of you who follows my blog. I truly appreciate it! It's crazy to think that there's over 2000 of you who read my ramblings. It really does mean a lot whenever I receive a comment, tweet or email from you lot because interacting with fellow beauty & fashion lovers is one of the best things about blogging. I figured the best way to say thank you would be to hold a little giveaway. I've been saving up over the past couple of months so that I could treat some of you to a few of my favourite beauty bits. There are two prizes up for grabs, here's what you could win:

1st Prize

Korres Quince Lip Butter, theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer, Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask
Superfacialist By Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil, REN Moroccan Rose Otto Gift Set

2nd Prize

Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil, La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
theBalm Frat Boy, Korres Pomegranate Lip Butter, REN Six Of The Best Gift Set
Terms & Conditions
- The giveaway will close at midnight (BST) on Monday 30th September 2013
- It is an international giveaway that is open to everyone
- You must be a follower of this blog via Bloglovin'
- You must follow me via Twitter
- Winners will be chosen using random.org cos I'm old school
- To enter all you need to do is leave a comment on this post with the following information:

Name:
Email:
Twitter:
Bloglovin' name or link:

Good luck!

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Fashionable Fitness

Vest - H&M / Sports Bra - M&S / Leggings - Zaggora* / Hoodie - American Apparel / Trainers - SportsShoes*

Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in three whole years! I'm definitely feeling it today. Since I had Chloe I've had literally no time to myself and now that she's finally started preschool one of my main goals is to lose weight and get fit again. I can tell I've put on some weight over the past few months. I no longer have any willpower when it comes to cake, chocolate & biscuits. All my clothes feel tighter and it's really getting me down. So this is the perfect opportunity to sort myself out and stop feeling so crap about everything. Going to the gym isn't a particularly glamourous affair. I like to work hard at the gym so I tend to look like a sweaty ugly mess by the time I'm done. It's hard to look nice with your hair scraped back and no makeup on. If I do wear any makeup it's just a bit of mascara, undereye concealer & lip balm so I look a little less zombie-like. Instead I think it's important to invest in some cool gym clothes. Personally I think the main things to get right are a good sports bra and the right kind of trainers. I swear by my M&S sports bra, it offers fantastic support & didn't cost too much either. I normally wear plain black leggings and a colourful vest. I like the ones from H&M. They're fairly cheap but look awesome. I wore this neon orange one yesterday which was only £5.99.





When I used to go to the gym I wore a pair of MBTs which are amazing at toning up your legs & bum! But their wobbly sole made it harder to lift weights and participate in exercise classes. I've heard so many people going on about Nike Frees lately so I decided to get a pair of them instead. I got mine from SportsShoes.com who have them at the lowest price I could find. These are the Nike Free TR Fit 3 so they're perfect for working out in the gym. They enhance natural flexibility and help to strengthen your foot muscles too. I cannot tell you how enamoured I am with them! They look incredible and feel really comfy. They've definitely helped to spur me on a bit. I couldn't resist a bit of neon pink but they come in so many amazing colour ways, I kinda want more haha! I'm used to barefoot technology from my MBTs so I haven't had any problems with them but apparently you need to get used to them gradually. I'm normally a size 5 in every shoe shop but after trying on a 5 and a 6 I decided to go for a size 5.5 which is perfect for me. If you want some trainers especially for the gym then I can't recommend these enough.



To go with my new neon trainers, I picked up some sports socks from Primark. They're tacky but colourful and entirely fit for their purpose. For only £2 you can't go wrong!



On top of trying to eat healthily and exercise more, I've decided to take up the Zaggora two week challenge. I was sent a pair of their HotPants 2.0 Capri leggings to try out and I think they're a great choice for workouts. They look stylish and feature a special fabric technology to help you burn more calories. When I first tried them I couldn't get over the swishing sound they make but as soon as I went outside in them I didn't really notice it anymore. They definitely make you sweat! My legs were drenched with sweat when I took them off. Make sure you bring some spare underwear if you wear these to the gym (TMI? Yes...). Anyway the challenge is the wear them for 30 minutes a day for two weeks and then measure any difference in your hips, tummy and thighs. My hips are a major problem area so I really hope they work! You can wear them anywhere, even if you're just doing housework and they'll help you burn more calories. I might even wear them to bed considering how cold it's gotten lately.



Something I never used when I previously went to the gym is protein powder. I think it's something that's become more widely accepted as a way of toning up rather than just something that hardcore bodybuilders use. I'm roughly following the Tone It Up diet as a fitness guide and they have some great recipes for protein pancakes, coffee, muffins etc. They also produce their own protein powder called Perfect Fit. It's a brown rice based protein so it's a lot easier on the stomach than whey protein and is sweetened with stevia. I think it works better in food so I'm gonna get a flavoured protein to mix with water too. For this I bought a Blender Bottle. I had one of those Maxitone protein shakers with the mesh but this uses a ball shaped whisk inside the bottle which makes protein shakes so much smoother. The Tone It Up girls sell them online but I found this in Boots a couple of weeks ago. I'm also using my Fitbit Ultra to track my steps & calories for the day. Mine is actually a bit smashed up now and refuses to sync properly so I think I'm gonna invest in a Polar FT4 watch instead. Fitbits are great if you just want an estimate of calories burned but a heart rate monitor is gonna be more accurate and more helpful for proper gym training. So yeah that's my fitness plan, I just hope I can actually stick to it this time. I'm fed up of my flab and it's time to shape up. Wish me luck!

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NSpa Beauty & Bathing Rituals

NSpa Beauty & Bathing Rituals*

NSpa is a brand of toiletries created by the experts at Nirvana Spa in Berkshire. Chances are you will have seen their Fruit Extracts shower gels & body butters in your local Asda (the coconut & grapefruit scents are my fave!) but their entire line of products is actually fairly extensive. I was kindly sent a special 'blogger bag' with six samples of the most loved products from their Beauty & Bathing Rituals ranges. NSpa's products are paraben free, cruelty free and suitable for all skin types.

First off we have the Beauty Rituals range. All the Beauty Rituals products are numbered 1-4 signifying Cleanse, Tone, Treat or Moisturise. It makes it a lot easier to know which products to buy & how to use them. I was sent the Melting Cleansing Gel for step 1, the Hot Cloth Polish for step 2 and the Illuminating Beauty Serum for step 3. All of the products I was sent feature neroli essential oil which has many benefits for all skin types. It is especially effective on scarring and as an anti-ageing ingredient. The Melting Cleansing Gel is such a gorgeous product. It is very similar to the Clarins one but a whole lot cheaper. It starts off as a thick gel when you squeeze it from the tube. As you massage it into your skin it starts to feel more like an oil-based cleanser and the makeup melting process begins. Once emulsified with water it turns into a cleansing milk to wash away makeup and impurities. It manages to remove all of my makeup with minimal effort and leaves my skin feeling perfectly soft & hydrated. I don't really like using a hot cloth cleanser for my second cleanse because I feel like they work better for makeup removal. That doesn't stop this from being a really good cleanser though. It's pretty much the same as the Liz Earle one but without the scent. Used with a muslin cloth, it does an excellent job of cleansing & exfoliating. It features cocoa butter so it leaves my skin soft & nourished. I think my favourite product out of everything has to be the Illuminating Beauty Serum. This has a rather thick texture for a serum but it is absorbed very quickly and leaves your skin feeling incredibly soft without any stickiness. The illumination actually comes from tiny shimmery gold particles so it quite literally makes your face glow! In that respect it gives a similar effect to the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer. Therefore this is probably best used as a day serum. After using this my pores look a lot smaller and my skin looks smoother in general. Followed up with a light moisturiser, you're left with a fantastic base for your makeup.

Next we have the Bathing Rituals range. These are labelled 1-3 for Cleanse, Exfoliate or Moisturise. I was sent the Jojoba & White Jasmine Moisturising Shower & Body Wash for step 1, the Jojoba & White Jasmine Body Polish for step 2 and the Jojoba and White Jasmine Body Lotion for step 3. The shower gel is really nice, lathers up well and has such a lovely light scent. The jojoba & white jasmine scent is probably strongest in this product out of the three and it lingers on your skin long after showering. I think NSpa are best known for their lovely fruity shower gels so it's no surprise that this was so nice. I wasn't as impressed with the body polish. This is a clear gel with lots of little beads dotted throughout. I prefer my scrubs to be a bit more gritty as I find gels never exfoliate sufficiently. Basically this did nothing for me. I did however very much like the body lotion. I'm pretty lazy with moisturising because I like products to absorb quickly so I can get on with things. This is a really thick cream but the texture feels more like a body balm so it absorbs a lot faster than I thought it would. It's incredibly moisturising and makes my skin feel really soft all day long.

I love how NSpa have simplified down face & body skincare routines through their numbering system. You can use any combo of products to create your own bespoke skincare routine or pampering ritual. It's a really clever idea! I have personally found it incredibly tricky to find decent skincare products on a budget but NSpa have really delivered with their Beauty & Bathing Rituals lines. As a typically high-end girl I'm actually quite shocked by how good the skincare line is! Next time you're in Asda it'd be well worth checking some of these out.

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August Favourites

Elemental Herbology Cell Food
I've been trying to simplify down my skincare routine lately and I've managed to remain faithful to this serum for the past couple of months. This is a gorgeously scented thick white liquid that can really boost the appearance of your skin. It feels very light & fresh on the skin, providing the right level of hydration without any shine or greasiness. This is a serum that you can use both in the morning & evening and at night you don't even need to follow it up with a moisturiser. It's nice to let your skin breathe once in a while if you're accustomed to using heavy night creams. The radiance it brings to my face is just lovely & it has definitely helped to make my complexion look healthier and more even toned. Full review here.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Luminous Light
These powders are pretty much the only makeup product I've been truly excited about in a long while. Every review I read & every YouTube video I watched made them seem amazing and that's exactly what they are. I put off buying one for ages because I wanted to swatch them for myself first but my nearest Space.NK carrying Hourglass products is way up in Harrogate. The lovely ladies at Space.NK in Leeds gave me a code to get free shipping on their website (enablers!) so after much deliberation I went for Luminous Light. I love nothing more than glowing skin so this was the perfect one for me. It makes me look really healthy and gives my skin a flawless airbrushed appearance without the normal cakeyness associated with powders. My skin isn't very oily so it does set my makeup really well & makes my CC cream last all day without any primer. Love love love this powder!!

Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Here's a weird one. I originally bought this to make the Meta-D/Bombshell Spell metabolism boosting drinks from the Tone It Up Diet. However they taste absolutely foul no matter how much apple/pineapple juice & honey you sweeten it with! I fell off the dieting wagon a while ago but I'm gonna try again soon now that I have time for the gym. Anyways this stuff has so many different uses. You can dilute it with water and make it into a toner. It contains a high level of Alpha Hydroxy Acid so it's great for spots & scarring. My daughter got stung by a wasp the other day and I used this on a cotton pad to neutralise the sting. What I used it for last week is totally freaky. I used it to get rid of a flesh coloured mole on the side of my nose. I did something stupid and tried to squeeze it because it was annoying me but that just made it red. So after my usual skincare routine I dipped a cotton bud in the vinegar and held it against the mole for a few minutes. It burned a little but otherwise was fine. After a few days of doing this, the mole turned into a manky brown scab. I looked like I had a huge zit on my nose for a couple of days but then the scab fell off. The mole was also gone. I had a small red dot left over but that soon healed up with the use of some Trilogy Rosehip Oil. Now my nose is smooth yay! So yeah that was really weird and I don't suggest you do this on your moles without getting them checked by a doctor first but it's so crazy to think you can actually burn off moles with vinegar! You can get apple cider vinegar from loads of different supermarkets but if you ask any health fanatic, they'll tell you that Bragg's is the best one you can buy.

L'Oréal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Mist For Fine Hair
I had just ran out of my bottle of Moroccanoil when I spotted this new spray oil in Boots. I have very damaged hair from excessive bleaching but it is also quite fine so if I overload it with oils or other hair products it can start to look rather greasy. I tend to only wash my hair once a week so this can be a bit of a problem. However this stuff is utterly perfect for those of us with fine hair. It's a lightweight dry oil enriched with lotus flower oil that absorbs really quickly and makes your hair look healthy & shiny without being heavy. I normally spray some in my hair before & after blowdrying and it doesn't weigh my hair down at all. I can even get away with a couple of spritzes in my hair every day. It has such a beautiful scent and it really lingers in your hair. It's great for getting rid of frizz & flyaways. I love that it comes with a spray too because it makes it easier to distribute the product evenly.

Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Facial Wash
This stuff is simply amazing. It's a really gentle cleanser that feels very creamy on the skin and foams up just the right amount. The lactic acid found in fruit enzymes is used to slough away dead skin cells without irritation and it leaves my skin extremely clear & smooth. Since I started using this cleanser I've found that I don't need an exfoliating toner anymore because this does it all in one step. I really recommend trying this if you have blemish prone skin as it has worked wonders for me and it has fast become my favourite cleanser ever! Full review here.

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