Sky's Body Shop at Home Facial Care

Alongside the body care products that Sky dropped off for me last week, she left a variety of different facial care products for me to try out on my sensitive skin.  The majority of the products she left came from the Vitamin E range, which is specially tailored to suit all skin types, including sensitive skin.

Vitamin E Facial Exfoliating Scrub

This facial wash was very gentle, and it felt really nice as you applied it to the skin.  The scrub was cream based, and so although it felt really moisturising and soft, you could really feel that you were getting a good scrub.  I really loved that it was cream based and not a gel like formula – it was so moisturising and so because of that, I didn’t have that crazy mad dash to get the moisturiser on my face the second after I got out the shower.

Vitamin E Ice Cube

This little product felt really refreshing applying it around the eyes, and I loved that it wasn’t greasy and so I was able to apply my make up straight after each use!  I didn’t use this product often enough to notice any dramatic changes, however I have only seen good reviews about it.  The cooling sensation that it gave when I applied it around my eyes was enough to make me consider buying it in the future.

Vitamin E Day and Night Creams

Both these products felt really nice on my face, they gave a calm and also a slight cooling sensation effect to the skin – which I found after applying straight from the shower really nice.  What I really liked about the day cream was that it made the perfect base for my BB cream in the morning.  I only had to leave it to sit for a minute or so before applying the BB cream, and even after an 8 hour shift at work my skin still looked great!  I also loved that both the creams were so light to wear, which was perfect on my no make-up days because it didn’t feel greasy at all.  I like to make sure that my skin is well treated at all times, and so these creams were the perfect combination for my skin type.

Vitamin E Serum & Aloe Restoring Mask

Now I only used these two products once throughout the week that I had them, and so I don’t feel as though I can give a detailed report on how well they worked or not.  I was excited to try out the oil because this was something that I’ve been keen to try for a while.  I used a couple of drops to cover the whole of my face, and in the morning my face felt really soft and even moisturised.  I would be interested to see if using this product over a period of time would make noticeable changes to my skin or not.  The aloe face mask was quite a thick clear mixture, however you only need to apply a thin layer across the face which was good because I was worried that it would get hot and sticky overnight.  In the morning I did notice that my skin was really smooth and soft, however I do think this would be a product that you had to use over a period of time to see any noticeable differences.

Eye Mask

This was something that I really enjoyed using at night or first thing in the morning because it was so refreshing and cooling.  I didn’t even put it in the fridge like Sky had suggested, yet after each use my eyes felt more awake.  My skin looked plumped and revitalised and overall I just felt as though I had been well and truly pampered.  This is something that I would apply to any patch of irritated skin for instant relief.

Vitamin E Toner & Cleanser

I absolutely loved both of these products, they were perfect for removing the very last of my make up at night as well as giving my skin that extra little bit of hydration first thing in the morning before applying my make up.  Like most of the Vitamin E products that I tried, they felt extremely light on the face and always left my skin feeling as though it had just been given the best clean ever.  These two will be products that I hope to pick up in the near future.

The favourites

I’m really grateful that Sky gave me the opportunity to use these products on a trial basis, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve found a few products that I will most definitely be using again, and look forward to trying out some of the other products suitable for dry and sensitive skin in the future.

Until the next one,

Lauren x

Beanies flavoured coffee

I have been a self-confessed coffee fanatic since I was probably about 14/15 years old.  Coffee is like a fifth limb to me, I actually fear the days when I don’t have time for my morning brew because I honestly struggle to function without it.  It’s definitely not a healthy relationship that I have with my favourite hot beverage, but hey, I’m happy and breathing.  That’s all that matters for now.

Beanies flavoured coffee have been a favourite brand of mine for very many years now, after my mum and dad came across their small but exciting range in a Sainsburys store during one of their Christmas shops.  Irish Cream, Almond Amaretto and Cinder Toffee were the three flavours that introduced me to the wonderful world of Beanies, and the start of a beautiful (and obsessive) relationship.

This was a familiar screen for a very long time...

Over the years since I have been following and purchasing from Beanies, they’ve created some amazing flavours which I (and my mum) have fallen in love with.  I’ve witnessed the birth of the new and improved Very Vanilla, the mouth-watering Mint Chocolate and the very latest and tastiest Coconut Delight.  These editions have left me certain that I will be obsessed with this brand for many more years to come, and I can’t wait to see what delicious flavour they will bring to the Beanies family next! (Banana Bread please?!)  Chocolate Orange, Mint Chocolate, Very Vanilla and Coconut Delight are my absolute favourites right now, however I must admit, I am yet to come across a flavour that I don’t love.

A new Beanies delivery calls for an Instagram post, wouldn't you agree?

These flavoured coffees contain less than 2 calories per cup, they’re sugar free and each flavour tastes absolutely delicious.  For people who are trying to be good and avoiding sugary snacks, I find that these coffees give just enough flavour to try and control my constant sweet tooth (when I’m on a diet that is.  Which is not right now.  Chocolate Digestives and Oreos are where I’m at.)

Every single flavour is also suitable for both vegetarians and vegans – which is amazing to me because you’d be surprised by what kind of random animal products manufactures throw into their products these days.  However, what I love the most about Beanies is that they are not even unreasonably priced.  Each jar costs just £2.50, and when they recommend that you only need 1 teaspoon worth of coffee per brew, each jar will last you a decent length of time!  Beanies online almost always have some sort or promotion on be it free delivery or a free mug when you purchase 6 jars – making it even better value for money.

Free mug anyone?

In January, Blue Monday to be exact, Beanies ran a competition on Facebook and I was lucky enough to win!  They sent me a prize of one of their famous Stashboxes which contained 9 jars of coffee: Almond Amaretto, Chocolate Orange, Irish Cream, Double Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Coconut Delight, Cinder Toffee, Very vanilla and Nutty hazelnut.  I was over the moon to receive such a generous prize – and these yummy flavours will keep me going for a very, very long time!

My winnings :)

Have any of you guys tried Beanies flavoured coffees before?  What’s your favourite from the bunch?

Until the next one,

Lauren x

Beauty store bargains

For those of you who know me personally, you will know that there is nothing that excites me as much as getting anything super cheap, or better yet, free!  I love sending away for loads of free samples online and getting them delivered to my house – tea bags, moisturizers, facial washes and biscuit spread – you name it, I’ve probably had a free sample of it.  I’m not even embarrassed by it either, I like to try before I buy it.  I think that’s okay.

Just a couple of the freebies I've received in the post! 

So a couple of weeks ago now, I was out shopping in Boots and Superdrug trying to hunt down a specific shampoo that I was after.  Whilst doing so, I was delighted when I came across several bargains that I just had to nab!

The first of my finds was a Herbal Essence hair mask designed to repair split ends and nourish all hair types.  My hair is constantly a curly, frizzy mess – and despite the fact that I have drastically made the effort to avoid styling my hair with heated products over the course of the last six months, I still end up with the dreaded split ends. (If anyone can recommend a fantastic product that will actually help control my frizzy hair – please do tell!)  This 300ml hair mask retails for about £3.89 depending on where you are picking it up from, so when I found it priced at just £0.40 – it was a must have!  The label recommends that you use it once a week to treat your hair, so I believe that my purchase of two tubs will last me a very long time, happy days!

I decided to chance my luck and venture further down the aisle to see if I could spot any other super bargains.  I didn’t have to travel far before I found two different types of dry hair shampoo at similar prices to the hair mask I had just found.  The Pantene and VO5 dry hair shampoos were marked down to £0.30 and £0.40, so naturally I picked up two of the VO5 products and one Pantene to try out.  Although I do tend to wash my hair on a daily basis – on the rare occasion that I do not, I like to make sure that I have the right products to make it look and feel clean.  I’m currently using Lush’s dry hair shampoo “No Drought” which I bought about 3 months ago now for £3.95.  A little goes a long way with this product, and seeing as I have at least ¾ of the bottle left, it will be a while before I actually get around to using these particular products.  The two usually retail for about £4.00 each, and so at less than fifty pence per can, I really couldn’t resist. 

After spending just £1.90 on the five different products I had just picked up (and an additional £5.00 on the shampoo I wanted), I headed straight towards Boots – eager to see if I could possibly get lucky twice and find myself something good in there too.  I checked out the hair care products first, but without much luck.  I did however then venture down the skin care section – which is where my luck appeared to continue.  Retailing for £9.99 on a usual basis, I spotted a Biotics BB Cream in my shade (light) for just £1.19!  So of course I picked it up without hesitation, regardless of the fact that I have half a tub of a BB cream and a whole tube of CC cream waiting to be used back home.  This is a product that will be used over time, and I can’t wait to try it out to see how it looks and feels on.

My shameless goodies

So after my little unexpected bargain haul, I headed home with the 6 products I had picked up, having only actually paid a total of £3.09.  None of these items were reduced due to damages -  the stock was well within its shelf and use by dates, and must have been reduced to clear for the sake of new stock or formulas coming into store. 

So my advice for you for the next time that you are shopping in your favourite beauty stores, would be to take a closer look at the products and prices surrounding your desired purchases.  You may just walk away with a whole lot more, for very little extra cash!

What’s the best beauty products you’ve managed to pick up dirt cheap?

Until the next one,

Lauren x

Here's to trying something new

   So having been a media student for near 3 years now, setting up my own blog is something that I’ve wanted to do for some time.  I was never really sure what the purpose of a blog was before I started college, I had always kind of thought they were used like an online diary or for publishing stories for people to read at their own free leisure.  Now I see that blogs used for absolutely everything: fashion, food, book reviews & make up tutorials.  I’m excited to do a little bit of everything here, be it reviews of products I adore or places I go to visit.  I enjoy so many different things that I would find it hard to narrow my blog down to one specific area of my interests.

I l o v e Instagram, it’s my favourite social media platform.  I like to take pictures and I love to scroll through thousands of pictures of scenery, food, fashion, make-up and even peoples bedrooms.  Instagram has always made me feel as though I can share a little bit more of who I am as a person when I’m online, opposed to the likes of Facebook and Twitter.  Facebook and Twitter don’t like to know what you’re doing, Facebook and Twitter don’t understand. 

Follow me on Instagram @laurenashleymcghee

I’ve always felt as though Instagram was in some way, my own kind of blog.  I like to make my pictures look pretty before I post them, and I enjoy making maximum use of hashtags to allow people to see my photos.  This may not be fun to some, but I really enjoy this aspect of social media, and have no shame admitting to it!  I hope to be able to expand on things I post on Instagram from here, as a picture is sometimes just not enough.

I’m looking forward to sharing my favourite health and beauty products, my love of different coffees, the projects that I’m involved in and my sad obsession with freebies and vouchers that I have developed.  But most of all, I’m excited to be sharing my thoughts and writing online for the first time besides my course work.  I’m really keen to progress into media related work when I’m finished my studies, and I feel that this will be an appropriate first step in allowing me to do just that.

Please feel free to share any feedback or give me any suggestions, it would be much appreciated!

Until the next one,

Lauren x