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Tuesday 27 December 2016

Lush Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all had a lovely day with your loved ones and were spoilt rotten, I certain was!
I’ve been stocking up and loving the majority of the Lush Christmas range this year, having only a couple of bits that I missed out on.  This is what I’ve been loving over the wintery months…

Father Christmas Bath Bomb
This super sweet bath treat was exactly what I needed a few weeks back to soothe me the night before my seminar paper.  This shares a scent with the lovely Snow Fairy, which has the most gorgeous candyfloss sweetness to it.  Father Christmas smiles lovingly in the bath and releases a beautiful green centre which turns your tub into a sweet heaven.  I loved my Father Christmas bath and had hoped to pick some up in the Boxing Day sale, however I was too slow this year!  Here is hoping he returns next year.
Butter Bear
One of my favourite parts of Lush Christmas is the fact that they bring out the fabulous Butter Ball in bear format!  Butter Bear is packed with oodles of cocoa butter which not only smells delicious, but is amazing for dry and sore skin like mine.  Butter Bear smells of vanilla, but has the lovely hint of ylang ylang which makes that soak in the tub that little bit more relaxing.  Whilst he doesn’t put on much of a show, he does turn the water silky smooth – making him a favourite from the whole range.
Shoot for the Stars
I got this gorgeous bath bomb as part of a gift for my birthday, and it was absolutely mesmerising to watch is fizzle away in the water.  Shoot for the Stars unleashes a gorgeous shade of blue into the tub with sparkles and shimmers with oodles of glitter too.  My favourite part being the golden stars, these are cocoa butter pieces which leave the skin feeling well looked after.  It smells beautiful, and I’m so unset that I missed out on the chance to stock up on this too this year.  Again, I hope to see the return of this beauty next winter in store.
The Magic of Christmas
This is seriously got to be one of my all time favourite products from this years range, and to say that I’m devastated that I didn’t stock up before the sale doesn’t even cut it!  It’s the most beautiful bubble bar that I’ve ever seen in my life!  A golden star sat upon a cinnamon stick sealed with a ribbon and bell, The Magic of Christmas will unleash the most wonderful golden bubbles and shimmer into your bath water.  Simply hold under running water to unleash the magic, and not to mention the actual smell of Christmas too!
So there you have it, these are just a few of the items that I’ve picked up from this years range and I’ve loved!  I do still have a few items stashed away that I’ve yet to give a try, and I have a few others which I did manage to grab in the sale that I can’t wait to pick up either! 

Have you tried out any of the above items yet?  Did you manage to grab any favourites in their sale?


Until the next one, 

Sunday 18 December 2016

Ways That I Save Money, Part 2

I really enjoyed sharing with you the simple things that I do to ensure that I get the best value for my money when I’m making purchases – so much so that I’m going to continue sharing my tips until I’ve covered the lot!  Again, these are things that I actually do every month without fail, and it’s all things that I really enjoy doing too!
Vouchers and Store Magazines
A lot of the shops that I go to these days use vouchers as an incentive to get you to come back.  And If I’m being honest, this does the trick for me!  Like I shared in my last blogpost, Tesco and Boots often provide you with vouchers that you can use on your next visit, however they are not the only shops that do so!  Holland and Barrett often print a 10%/20% off voucher for your next shop with then, Morrisons like to print off point boosting vouchers or a money saving one on petrol at the till and Superdrug a good old triple points one.  Alongside these, a lot of them actually have their own promo magazines too, which nearly always contain pretty decent money off or point boosting vouchers that you can use throughout the month.  Tesco, Boots and Pets at Home always have a good variety of coupons that you can redeem in store, which is always great for helping you to save the cash!
Free Gifts
One of my favourite things about Christmas shopping at this time of year is looking out for all of the free gifts that you can pick up whilst you are making your regular purchases.  For example, I was needing to pick up a few make-up bits recently, but hadn’t gotten round to doing it yet.  Mum pointed out that Soap and Glory were offering a free gift worth £23 when you spent £15 on their cosmetics at Boots stores.  With that being said, I was sold on the spot.  I ordered a primer and a blusher online, and received for free a highlighter, mascara and lippy – not bad at all considering the total retail price would have been £38!  At the same time as picking up these goods, I was actually ordering a couple of stocking fillers for a couple of people too.  I added my desired product to my basket, and noticed that if I spent £12 on that brand (and my product was already £8) then I would receive another free gift, worth £8.  The free gift actually turned out to be the exact thing that I was looking for, and so I chucked in another lippy for me and we were sorted.  I like that on the Boots website you can actually search for the free gifts offers by using the offers link – it makes shopping that little bit easier, and often gets me to try out brands that I’ve never used before – as I’m intrigued by the free gift.  Earlier in November I picked up some concealer, colour corrector and mascara from Superdrug on a 3for2 offer – and received a pompom for my car keys – as well as getting the cheapest item free!  Looking out for offers like these ensure that you are getting the best value for your money with every spend – hence why I like to shop like this now. 
Coffee on the Go
One of the easiest ways that I can save money every month is bring a coffee with me wherever I go.  I like to treat myself to flavoured coffees for keeping at home, and so in the morning when I’m heading off out the door to uni or work, it’s a real treat to enjoy a vanilla or gingerbread cuppa on the go – without the crazy price tag.  I like to have a coffee on me when I’m sitting in lectures  to keep me going – and so If I didn’t bring one with me everyday, I’d probably be spending £3 on a Costa a day… £9 a week… £36 a month!  Easy saving tips right there, totally simple yet you’d be surprised by the amount of people who actually spend that kind of money on the stuff every month.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all about those coffee dates – and if I want an extra coffee after I’ve finished my home brewed one, then I’ll get one.  I’m not about depriving myself, just being a little more conscious of my spending is all.  Right now I’m loving the LittlesCoffees – and I’m currently on a mission to find their Christmas flavoured one, which sadly is out of stock in all my local Holland and Barrett stores.  Here is hoping I get my hands on one before the festive period ends.

And there we have it, these are some of the best ways that I go about ensuring that I’ve being a little bit more conscious with my spending every month – and yes, I’m treating myself AND saving money too.

Do you guys follow any of these rules too?


Until the next one,

Sunday 11 December 2016

Birch Box

It had been a few months since I last treated myself to a subscription box, so when I spied that Unidays were offering 50% off the October Birch Box, I decided to sign myself up for the month.  I did however make a rather silly mistake, as I signed up for the 50% off box on October 31st, and then was charged on the 1st of November again for the next month’s box.  I wasn’t that fussed though, as both boxes looked really pretty, and there was a few bits and bobs between the two boxes that I was keen to try out.
October
So I’m not going to lie, there was only really one product that I was interested in when I signed up for this box – the This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray.  I have recently become a fan of the stuff, so I was really keen to stock up on it to tie me over till Christmas.  Sadly I didn’t receive this in my box, however I did anticipate this as I did the order, seeing as I was ordering on the last day of the month.  If I’m totally honest, there wasn’t really anything that wowed me in the box – other than the styling of the actual box itself.  Inside contained a facial mist spray, hair oil, eye brow brush, a sheet mask, a lipstick crayon and an aroma therapy shower gel.  Not to sound snobby, but these are all items that I either buy myself a regular basis and have plenty to keep me going, or items that I tend not to both much with.  The facial mist does feel great on my skin, the lipstick crayon is a gorgeous colour and I love the way the hair oil makes my hair smell (like a hairdressers) however I probably won’t bother much with the other items.  I’ve got a brow brush, and the mask is not cruelty free, so this box wasn’t a winner for me.  I did however LOVE the design and drawer style of the box, and I have it nicely displayed and in use in my room. 
November
Seeing as I had no idea what to expect in the November box, I was actually quite excited by what might come.  The delivery was as quick as the first one, only taking a few days to arrive after the payment was taken.  Again though, sadly the contents were not items that I was thrilled by.  Now don’t get me wrong, they are all great products, just not stuff that I go mad for.  My November box contained another facial spritz spray, a leave in hair conditioner, a lipstick primer, BB cream and a facial moisturiser.  All great products, all cruelty free, just these are not the kind of items that I had hoped to receive in a monthly subscription box.  I’ve been loving the Nuxe moisturiser which I’ve been using under my primer, and the lip stick primer does work a treat – however it’s not something that I think I will bother with when I run out of the sample.
I like to keep my routines pretty simple, and so adding extra bits and bobs really complicate things for my and clutter up my toiletry bag!  None the less, I will be using up all of the products above over a period of time, however for the time being I will be cancelling my Birch Box subscription – as this beauty box is not the one for me.

Did you treat yourself to any of the above boxes?  Were you more thrilled with the contents than I was?

Until the next one,

Friday 2 December 2016

November Favourites

Can you believe that December is here already?!  I’ve been longing for this since summer, and now that it’s here it’s all going too fast - I’m two doors into my Yankee Candle advent calendar, let’s stop for a minute people!   
It’s been a while since I did a favourites post, so here is what I’ve been loving this month.
I treated myself to the Zoella Gingerbread and Vanilla Fragrance set back in October after watching loads of Vlogs online about how amazing it smelt, and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since it arrived.  The body cream smells absolutely amazing, like good enough to eat!  I like to apply this throughout the day for a spicy little pick me up, especially now that the colder weather is upon us.  The fragrance spray smells so amazing too, it’s like Christmas in a bottle and it’s perfect!  I’ve been using it most days to get me into the festive mood, and now that December is finally here, I have a funny feeling that I’m going to bleed the bottle dry before the 25th!
I think that my absolute favourite product right now had got to be the This Works Deep Sleep Spray.  I never thought that a sleep spray would actually ever do anything… but this one?  I think it is the absolute BEST thing that I have ever come across.  Again, I treated myself to a sample bottle of this and the Stress Less roll on oil back in October, and I’ve been using them both ever since.  It works great for those days when I’ve had a super busy day at work or a horrible day at uni – I simply use a few pumps on my pillow and jump into bed.  Now I’m not saying that the stuff puts me straight to sleep, because that is not the case at all.  What I am saying though is that I have the best nights sleep when I use it – I sleep the whole night with little to no disturbances, and I feel so refreshed in the morning when it’s time to get up.  I’ve put this on my Santa list because I’m obsessed, so obsessed in fact that I picked up not one, but two copies of last months Marie Claire magazine – simply because you got a sample bottle with each mag! 
At the start of November I started to feel really stressed out with all of the uni work that I’ve got going on.  I had read online that essential oils are meant to be great for calming you down, so I ordered a peppermint roll on oil and ylang ylang roll on for a couple of quid off of Amazon, just to carry around on me whenever I’m at work or in class.  Although I’ve not been using the ylang and ylang one much, the peppermint oil has been life changing!  First of all it’s so refreshing to use throughout the day as a nice little pick me up.  I love minty smells, and so it’s really nice when you get a whiff of it as you’re going about your day.  Secondly, I think that it works really well for me whenever I’m feeling super stressed or a little anxious. I apply it to my pulse points, then I like to sit with the lid off of the bottle for a little bit, just so that I can inhale the minty goodness.  I like to concentrate on my breathing when I’m doing this, and normally this works really well for calming my nerves.  Finally, I love using this when I’ve got a headache.  Again, I just find the smell really soothing and I enjoy the tingly feeling that it gives my temples. 
And there we have it, these are the products that I’ve been swearing by this month!  They’re all kind of feel good products, which is actually quite nice for a change – as it’s important to take some time out sometimes and just look after yourself!

What have you been loving over the last couple of months?


Until the next one,

Friday 25 November 2016

Winter Lip Care Essentials

Dry, chapped lip season is once again upon us, which is not ideal for our poor wee peckers.  My lips have been pretty healthy as of late, however I have had some pretty bad spells this year where they have been dry and irritated and sore.  As the colder weather is starting to take its toll on them once more, here are some of my winter lip care essentials, which I have found to really take care of my peckers over these colder months.
Barry M Lip Oils
I’ve only recently become interested in watching vloggers during my free time, and I’ve really been enjoying watching people try out new products and finding out what they think.  Zoella vlogged earlier this year about the Barry M lip oils, that she suggested are a great dupe for the Clinique ones – which are way pricier and not cruelty free.  I had actually some across these in store before, however didn’t think much of them, other than they looked like a gloss.  After hearing the great things that Zoella had to say about them (even after she said that she loved the Clinique ones too), I decided to pick one up on my next Superdrug outing, and they did not disappoint!  This beautiful product makes my lips feel absolutely fantastic.  They look and feel nourished with every application, and as the oil is clear, they look really natural and healthy too.  The formula glides on beautifully and soaks into the lips, giving them enough time to absorb the goodness.  Priced at £4.99, this is something that I’m willing to pay a little more for, as I know it works.  Superdrug currently have three for two on all cosmetics right now – so if this is something you’ve fancied trying out for a while now, why not do so next time you’re picking up your staple products?
Burts Bees
Now I’ve spoken about these lip balms the last time I was having problems with my lips – Burts Bees lip balm fixed me up then and they’ve fixed me up now!  These luscious lip balms leave my lips feeling smooth, nourished and healthy with every use.  Burts Bees use bees wax, shea butter and sometimes coconut oil too to create the perfect formula for each balm, alongside the appropriate essential oils to make each and every one unique!  During these colder months I’ve been loving and reaching for the peppermint lip balm as it makes my lips feel tingly and fantastic – however I have also been loving the fruity ones that I picked up over the summer when they had their online Christmas 2015 clearance sale.
Between the lip oil and lip balm, my lips have been looking healthy and happy during these colder winter months.  Whenever I feel them beginning to tighten or dry up, a small application of either normally fixes them up quickly!  It really makes me feel uncomfortable and unhappy when my lips are feeling dry, and so I’m so pleased that I’ve found these goodies to keep my peckers and I happy during the next several months.

What have your lips been thanking you for during the colder weather?

Until the next one,



Monday 14 November 2016

Ways That I Save Money, Part 1

One of my favourite days out of every single month is the 28th, payday glorious payday.  Not to sound superficial or anything, but I like it when my hard earned pennies gets put into my bank account, so that I can figure out what I can afford to spend and what I can treat myself to.  I’ve got a few rules that I abide to every month in regards to my spending, and a few techniques that I use to ensure that I get the best possible deals on my purchases.  I hope you find these as useful as I do!
My Supermarket App
I discovered this app way back in January during exam time.  Some people binge watch TV series when they’re not revising, I binged watched extreme couponing.  A little odd for a 21 year old to be spending their spare time, yes, but I did learn a lot about saving cash during my crazy obsession, which has helped me a lot this year to be able to treat myself and keep extra pennies in the bank too.  My Supermarket compares prices of all of your groceries in all major supermarkets – helping you get the best deal for your money.  I like to use this any time I’m buying anything a little pricier than normal, for example dog food, spot on, shampoo and conditioner etc.  It breaks it down to where is cheapest, who has offers on etc, so when you do need to go out and buy, you know where to go to get the best deal for you.  I love it!
Loyalty Cards and Apps
I am one of those annoying people who has a loyalty card for every single shop that I go to, much to Martins disgust.  I like getting my money’s worth with every purchase, so when there is a loyalty card to be had, you can guarantee that I’ve probably got it.  Most loyalty cards give you points, which over time will either equate to you being sent out a voucher or money off your next shop in store.  The ones that I use the most often, but not limited too, are Tesco Clubcard, Nectar and Boots, which all have great money saving or enhancing purposes.  Tesco send you out a voucher four times a year to the value of what you’ve earned during those months – and print you off money saving coupons at the till.  Nectar allows you to build and spend your points in denominations of £2.50, and if you download the Nectar app there are normally pretty good bonus points offers that will help you build up your points faster.  Boots give you four points per £1 right now, as well as sending you out vouchers every 3-4months and printing them off at the tills.  The app has fantastic offers all the time that you can load to your card to help you build your points faster all year round, sometimes I’ll get £3 of points for spending £3!  My favourite one right now though for doing all my Christmas shopping is the Superdrug card – as you get free delivery EVERYTIME you order online, regardless of what you buy and how often you use it. 
This year I used my Nectar points to pay for a birthday present in October, my Boots points to buy a Christmas present and my Superdrug points to get money off of a Christmas present.  So in my eyes, loyalty cards are SO worth your time, even if they do take up a little more room in your purse. 

So these are just a few tips that I swear buy for saving cash every month.  I plan on doing a miniseries on all of my tips and tricks – but in the mean time I hope that this gives you an idea on how to make some small but effective changes to your spending.

Let me know your tips and tricks below!

Until the next one,


Friday 4 November 2016

Hippy Paste, Earth Conscious

I first came across this brand way back at the beginning of summer, when one of the bloggers that I was following at the time posted a really positive review about these natural deodorants.  I was trying out the T’eo solid deodorant from Lush at the time, and kind of forgot about the brand for a while.  I’ve been using the Native Unearthed naturaldeodorant that I reviewed a few weeks back – and I’ve been loving it!  I have however been keen to find one that it easy to use on the go, as you tend to get a funny look when you’re standing in the toilets at uni and work applying a wet stick to your under arms!  This is where Hippy Paste comes in, or should I say Earth Conscious Natural Deodorant, as they have now reverted back to their original name.
This is unlike any other natural deodorant that I’ve used before – it’s a paste that you apply directly to your under arms with your fingers for a full days protection from bad odours – and it’s amazing!  The paste melts into the skin when you rub it in, there is no reason to wait for it to dry, and even better yet, it won’t leave any marks on your clothes either.  What I love the most about it is the smell – I opted for the Citrus deodorants because I love fruity smells.  It’s really a gorgeous lemon fragrance that reminds me an awful lot of the pink and white Mr Kipling cakes.  It smells so sweet and yummy, it’s the best smelling deodorant that I’ve used to date.  I also really love that I know it’s giving me full protection all day long.  Even when I can feel a little dampness under my arms – I know there is no smell and nothing to worry about.  It’s a really great feeling knowing that you’re not going to be a smelly mess by the end of the day.  The Earth Conscious Natural Deodorant also comes in a handy sized tin that is the perfect size for chucking in my handbag pouch.
Finally, the price is something that cannot be argued with – these fab little tins cost just £5 for around 3 months deodorant.  Bargain, right?  Much better than the £2 odd you’d be spending every other week on aerosol versions, and even better yet, there is less packaging to have to worry about disposing of in the long run too.  The tins are the perfect size for storing little bits and bobs from around the house in them too when it’s empty – so jump on that re-use bandwagon and get creative. 
The Earth Conscious deodorants will absolutely be a repurchased item, and I can’t wait to get my hands on their new mint fragranced one too!

Have you tried out any natural deodorants recently?

Until the next one,



Wednesday 26 October 2016

Lush Halloween Bath Bombs

October for me means that the count down for Christmas is officially on.  I’ve 6 siblings to purchase gifts for alongside my parents, boyfriend, his family and my pals – so I always start my Christmas shopping around this time.  I know… I’m THAT person.  Don’t get me wrong though, I might be gearing up for Christmas financially, but I’m still very much all about Halloween until November comes along.  It’s why October is my favourite month of all!  I’ve got all of my Halloween spiced candles looked out and they’re burning away, and of course I’ve been in and out of Lush on several occasions lately picking up their fabulously creepy Halloween bath bombs to set the scene.  With the weather finally turning that little bit chiller and the nights are creeping in that little bit earlier, is there any better way to end the day (or spend the afternoon?!) than soaking in a tub of spooky fragrances?
Pumpkin Bath Bomb
This was the one that I was the most excited to get my hands on when I first saw the list of Halloween Lush goodies this year.  Cinnamon is my all-time favourite scent ever, so the vanilla and cinnamon spiced pumpkin sounded like a beautiful spicy sensation.  Pumpkin looks rather creepy, he has a wicked smile that fizzles slowly in the tub, and eyes that watch your every move.  Although pumpkin does not give you much of a show as he fizzles out – his scent makes up for this in every way possible.  The room fills with his aroma that lingers on your skin for hours.  He leaves his mark on you with the ever so subtle glittery pieces that appear in the tub.  I was worried that his orange tint would leave the bath in an awful mess like Yoga Bomb, however I was pleasantly surprised when all traces of him disappeared down the drain.  I’ve fallen in love with Sir Pumpkin, and will absolutely be stocking up before he disappears for the year.
Lord of Misrule
I’ve heard lots of fantastic things about this particular fragrance over the years that I’ve been indulging in Lush.  Little did I know that the Sugar Scrub bar that I have picked up in the past shares a very similar scent with her.  Defiantly not a fragrance that I think everyone would be crazy about – I personally really like the spicy aroma and subtle exterior of the bath bomb.  After watching the Lush Halloween promo video – and I will admit that I watched that bad boy over, and over again – I was desperate to get my hands on one of these to try.  When you pop her in the bath the water turns a ghoulish green, and releases the beautiful scent into the room.  Moments later, the pink centre starts to spill into the water, resulting in the most mesmerising swirls of colours in the tub.  Even better, the popping candy starts to crackle, making the whole experience hat little bit more spectacular.  Lord of Misrule puts on a show that is not one to be missed – it will be a sad day when she has to pack up again for the year.
Monsters Ball
This fantastic little critter really made a crappy day into a wonderful evening.  Lime is one of my favourite scents ever, so Monsters Ball aroma really stood out at me when I picked it up in store.  Looking very innocent with just the one eye looking at you, it dissolves very slowly in the tub - keeping the best part for last.  Monsters Ball eye remains until the last of its presence fizzles away.  The eye consists of a very gooey, chocolaty smelling substance - the whole thing reminds me very much of a chocolate lime sweetie.  The water fills with a variety of blues, white, pink and purple colours throughout your soak, which all churn together to create a fantastic blue coloured water to spend the remainder of the evening in.  Monsters Ball is the perfect companion for when you need a little uplifting or you're simply in the mood for some fun!
These guys have been my favourite Halloween Lush goodies this year?  Can you spy any of your favourites too? 

Until the next one, 
 

Thursday 20 October 2016

Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Cleanser

Towards the end of the summer/start of autumn I noticed that the “in thing” for a lot of bloggers was to be trying out hot cloth cleansers.  I’ve read a lot of fab things about them, in particular the Liz Earl one – however due to the high price tag (for me, anyways) it wasn’t one that I thought that I needed to try out.  That and the fact that I’m not entirely sure that they are a cruelty free brand.  Anyway, I read about a couple of other ones during this period too – Soap and Glory and Botanics versions both sounded equally as great, and both had a price tag that I could live with. 
So back in September when Kirsty and I were doing our monthly shop and coffee date, I had my heart set on picking up a hot cloth cleanser that was 100% cruelty free.  It was just by chance that I came across the Naturally Radiant collection in Superdrug – and it was an even bigger surprise when the hot cloth cleanser jumped out at me.  Since having changed all of my beauty cosmetics to cruelty free alternatives, I have been pleasantly surprised by how much of the Superdrug goodies are branded as cruelty free – and a lot of them branded as vegan too!  This hot cloth cleanser is of course no different – its designed to cleanse, gently exfoliate and best of all leave your skin looking nice and glowy.
Packed with kiwi and mulberry extracts, the two work together to buff away any dead skin cells with the help of the muslin cloth, whilst the cocoa butter ensures that your skin is left feeling soft and moisturised at the end of each application.  The cleanser is a really nice, thick and cream consistency that rubs smoothly into the skin to allow the nutrients to be absorbed.  I like to buff this in for about a minute over my face, and then leave it to sit for a little bit longer.  The cream has a really nice relaxing fragrance, it smells like lavender with a hint of fruity scents.  My favourite part about the cleanser is buffing it away with the muslin cloth.  This is when the exfoliation takes place, and when my skin gets the most out of the experience.  The warm cloth works nicely on the skin to remove the cleanser, and you can definetly feel it buffing away the cells – however it is so very gentle, so there is no need to worry about it being too harsh.  After each use, my skin always looks really fresh, even around my blemishes.

I’ve been using this a couple of times a week since purchasing since I’m not too sure if it’s okay to use daily.  My skin is still rather bumpy over my forehead and cheeks, however I have noticed a great improvement is the over all appearance of my skin.  I definitely feel as though my complexion looks a lot better when I’ve not got any make up on, which I’m totally pleased about because I’ve been getting a little lazy on the make up front as of late.  I picked up this gem for just £2.95 when the Naturally Radiant range was all half price – however I think I would be tempted to pick this up again and pay the full price – I’m really enjoying the results that I’ve been getting so far!
Have you tried out any hot cloth cleansers this season?

Until the next one,

Friday 14 October 2016

The Good Hour…

Well, that’s it!  I am officially an adult.  21 is the year when you technically start to adult, but people don’t care if you mess up because “you’re only 21!”  By 22, we should have our lives together, either working full time and saving for the future or studying something that we enjoy (hopefully) and are working towards our dream jobs.  “No more messy around” so they say, however I’m quite content plodding along for now in my busy but relatively peaceful routine.  I feel so blessed to be surrounded by people who actually care for me, my family, my education, my well being and my happiness – thank you to everyone who has supported me in everything I have done this year, and an even bigger thank you to those who made my 22nd birthday so special!
My birthday this year started four days early, when Martin and I traveled down to Edinburgh (first class!) for a spot of shopping, some fine dining, a stroll around the zoo and my first ever Lush Spa treatment, The Good Hour.  This was a gift from Martin for my birthday, and I had known about it for several months – simply because he wanted me to pick which treatment I wanted!  Honestly, nothing can compare to the amount of excitement that was  buzzing inside… except of course that time I found out I was getting my baby boy Hulk, Happy I Gotcha Day pooch! 
For months I’ve been putting ideas together in my head, trying to decide how amazing this experience was going to be.  I’m a Lush addict, I go to bed with the smell of my bath bombs lurking from my drawer… I have a problem, I know.  This being said though, there is no way on earth that I could have imagined The Good Hour treatment the way it took place on October 10th – there are no words to describe how magical it was.  From the moment I made myself known to the staff, they made me feel so at home, so chilled and most of all – excited.  My therapist Janine was honestly the sweetest, happiest and most comforting people I have ever met.  She explained everything to me perfectly, whilst leaving the elements of surprise too where she felt need be.  I was so relaxed before the treatment had even started!  I’m not going to tell you anything much about the experience, as I found it to be the most magical event ever having going in with no clue what to expect.  What I will give you though is a few key words that make up the experience…
Think refreshing brews, witches style cottage, sea life, pirates and the BEST deep tissue massage that you will ever experience – did I say it was a 70 minute session?!
I cannot thank Janine enough for making my first ever Lush Spa treatment so special for me, nor can I thank Martin enough for the wonderful gift.  With The Good Hour under my belt, I’m ready to make my 22nd year a special one – and I am already considering my next treatment too!
Have you ever been to the Lush Spa?  If so, what did you get?!


Until the next one,

Sunday 9 October 2016

Toning Waters

I’ve been trying out a lot of different facial mists lately due to the change in the weather and the changes in my skin.  I’ve read lots of good things about facial mists ever since I received the Bloom and Blossom one in a beauty box a few months back.  I’ve done my research, have been out buying and have picked up three different variations of toning waters that double as a refreshing facial mist throughout the day. 
I was loving the Lush Tea Tree Water for a freshen up and gentle cleanse every morning to start my skin care routine, however when this ran out I opted for another one of my trusty toner tabs to do the job as they are my favourites.  I popped one in my old tea tree bottle, added some hot boiling water from the kettle and left it to fizzle and cool down for a while.  It’s the best toning water that I think I’ve used to date, it gives my skin a nice freshen up in the morning and evening – and does not sting or irritate my sensitive skin, like may tea tree products do.    Next time I’m going to try using two tabs in the bottle and see if that gives an even better effect… watch this space!
Breathe of Fresh Air was one that I actually bought on a whim, I had £2.99 left of a gift card and wanted to try out something new.  I seriously think that this is one of my new all time favourite Lush skin care products to date!  On a fresh face this water soaks up beautifully like my skin is taking a drink.  I like to spray this on and leave it to absorb, although I think it would be nice to use a cotton pad and rub it in this way too.  It had a lovely smell to it, and leaves my skin feeling soft to the touch.  When you spray it on it does feel like a lot has been used, however this is just due to the harshness of the pump.  I really adore this product, and will definitely be repurchasing as its perfect for carrying around in my pocket at work and keeping in my handbag. 
I’ve recently found and fallen for the Boots Botanic range after discovering that they were a primary organic and totally cruelty free brand.  I picked up a few bits from the range recently, one of them being their rose water toning spray which is totally amazing.  The stuff smells like Turkish delight which I absolutely adore, and the bottle sprays out the gentlest mist which I like to use before I apply my moisturiser both morning and night, as well as after applying my foundation each morning.  I find that using this and then blotting ever so gently before applying my press power gives my skin a little bit of extra hydration and a really nice sort of dewy finish to my makeup.  I keep this bottle at home for when I need a pick me up throughout the day, and will definitely repurchase at just £3.99. 

As you can tell, I don’t really have a favourite this time round, just a new found love for facial mists – and really good priced ones at that!

What’s your favourite facial product right now?


Until the next one,