SOAP AND GLORY HAUL

For some time now I have been a fan of Soap and Glory. Affordable, cute and always delivers! So when Boots put their 3 for 2 offer on Soap and Glory products I was quick to snap up a few with a sneaky extra thrown in. Looking for an intensive conditioner 'Glad Hair Day' certainly ticked all the boxes for me and this has a ridiculously gorgeous scent, used a couple of nights a week this is the perfect pampering treat for a Sunday night! Ah my pores, the bane of my life sometimes but having never been let down by the masks before I was keen to try the 'No Clogs Allowed' mask. I am still waiting to try this so will report back with my findings but I like the fact that it comes with a nifty little sponge to help remove it. When Anna raved about this foot cream it went straight onto my shopping list and once I finally got my hands on I was keen to try it out, slather this over your feet after a bath, don some jazzy socks, get some shut eye and et voila feet as soft as a babies bum, I kid you not! Finally let me introduce you to the scrub that conquers all scrubs. This literally slows away all dead skin and leaves my skin feeling ah-mazing! Plus the slight oily residue it leaves behind means I can often skip moisturiser which is a must for nights when I just want to sink into bed after a long day.

Have you picked up any S&G products on offer lately?

Paris Haul

Hi there lovelies, almost 2 weeks has past since my little trip to Paris and so much as happened. I have moved into a lovely riverside apartment with my boyfriend, so far so good. But to say it has been stressful is an understatement to say the least. Amongst moving, making furniture and having zilch time off of work I have also been deprived of the internet for the time being which makes blogging a little difficult! And boy do I miss it! I could not hold off any longer though so I have popped to mums for tea and wi-fi access...bliss! 

I have to say I think I was quite reserved when it came to splurging whilst away and tried to stick to products that I could not get access to in the UK, well not easily anyway so Caudalie was struck off the list and I resisted the urge to pick up extra Bioderma as I am quite liking oil based cleansers lately, shock horror!

The first thing I picked up was the Nuxe Reve de Miel Lip balm. This was actually recommended by a fellow reader and I can't wait to try this. I tend to apply lip balm before bed and then in the morning so this is a nice bedside table addition. 

HD Forever Foundation 

Despite the language barrier I was matched up in Sephora by a lovely assistant. This was probably the one thing I was most excited about trying and can't wait to test this on a forthcoming night out I have planned! I know there have been mixed reviews surrounding the hype so I hope I am not let down. Let me tell you though Sephora is an absolute beauty junkies heaven, I do hope that they bring one back to the UK although for the time being its probably safer on my bank balance that they don't :-)

Embryolisse moisturiser has been somewhat a hit amongst the beauty world and I have heard on the grapevine this could be available over here...Again this is yet to be tried and tested but I hear it leaves the perfect base for makeup, so watch this space!

Ah those cheeky little products they line up whilst queuing for the till, they get me every single bloomin' time! I saw this product which was almost an exact replica for the Bourjois magic polish remover, it even smells the same. It was roughly the same price so is far from being a cheaper alternative but it will be interesting to see how this fairs against the original which I am running out of fast, hence the choice to pick this up! 

Well thats all i actually got, but its safe to say France definitely wins hands down in the pharmacy stakes! I could have spent hours in them. I hope that you are all well and thanks for sticking around whilst I am a little absent on the blogging scene. I have a mountain of blogs to catch up on and YouTube vids as well as a ton of posts to write up and review so when I do get internet back I am sure my laptop is going to be on fire! 

February Faves

I see the monthly favourites post floating around the blogosphere quite a lot however despite always enjoining reading these posts I have never really joined the bandwagon so I thought with Feb being a busy month for me (I made a few purchases) and what with it being a leap year (no I didn't propose) I would start! So here goes...

1. Bahoma London Candle in Eau De Mer 

A gorgeous fresh scent which burns for hours, in love with these candles!

2. Bioderma Makeup Remover 

This has been hyped up quite a bit in the beauty community and I am in love with it. You can see my full  review here. 

3. MAC eyeshadow in Espresso

I thought I had found my perfect eyebrow supplement in the form of Clinique superfine pencil which you can see here however this works perfectly along side it as my perfect brow colour. 

4. Dove Hair Therapy

This has fast become a staple in the shower and I now use this as my everyday conditioner. Leaves my hair feeling soft yet not weighed down. You can see my review here.

5. L'oreal Telescopic Mascara

When your boyfriend notices your lashes you are getting something right. I know a lot of people have raved about this product and it is definitely worth all the hype, the closest you will ever get to falsies in a mascara! I love it! Expect a full review soon :)

6. Jemma Kidd Light as Air Foundation 

This was sold out when I went to Space NK however I matched my colour and purchased it from Feel Unique. I have only used this once (its hard to apply makeup after jaw surgery :)) however I can sense immediately that this is going to be a good foundation. 

7. The Naked 2 Palette

This was my bargain of the month from BuyaPowa which I know a lot of other beauty bloggers went for. I know its a cliche but this was waiting for me when I returned from hospital and cheered me up no end!

8. Real Techniques Buffing and Contour Brush

What can I say? Believe the hype when it comes to these brushes, I love Pixiwoo and their brushes do everything they promise to do. I now own almost the entire set. 

9. Vaseline Lip Therapy in Creme Brûlée 

This is just a token item I guess, but since my surgery this has been a vital product since my lips are now a crusty mess! 

Well thats it for this month, I actually really enjoyed picking my faves although it does highlight how much I actually buy per month (naughty me!) I hope to make this a regular thing, what do you think?

Becky 

Current Skincare Regime and Favourite Products

Current Skincare Regime and Favourite Products 

Over time my skin care regime has changed and will probably continue to do so as I discover new products and techniques however with this in mind I thought I would share with you my current routine and favourite products at the moment! My evening and morning regime is pretty much the same although I tend to be more relaxed about it in the morning and may skip certain aspects if I am in a rush for work :)

I got my Clarisonic about 6 months ago or more and I have been in love with it ever since. I tend to use this in the evening with my Liz Earle Hot Polish Cleanser which I then rinse with a clean muslin cloth. In the morning I tend to skip the Clarisonic and just use the cleanser with a muslin cloth. The Clarisonic comes with a sensitive brush head although I invested in the deep pore brush head which is a lot deeper cleansing. 

 After cleansing, I tone. I tend to get dry/oily skin but if I allow it to get dry then it really notices so I use a moisturising toner such as ROC dry skin toner which I apply with a cotton pad. This also ensure that any last dregs of cleanser is removed. 

After toning, I use a pore perfecting serum which claims to minimise pores and blemishes. I love The Body Shop Seaweed Pore Perfecting range which is a light weight serum which sinks into the skin with out feeling greasy.


Moisurising is a must, even though the serum can be used alone it doesn't feel right not moisturising! I Iike to use an oil free moisturiser which allows me to hydrate my skin without causing it to look oily and shiny. This does both by mattifying the skin and hydrating at the same time. This is my first time using a facial product from The Sanctuary and I have to say I am loving it so far!

Finally I use an eye cream. I never used to use an eye cream yet since I started I have noticed a huge difference both when I wake up and in the mornings makeup sits so much better when the under eye area is hydrated. As I get older I realise that it is vital to start now :)

Have you tried any of these products and what is your skin care regime?

Front Cover Moon Dust Pigments

Hi Everyone, 

I hope that you have all had a lovely Christmas and New Year. 

If you live in the UK then you will know that after Christmas Boots puts all their Christmas gifts at half price. A little disappointing if you have purchased many  gifts beforehand although if you are like me then you will love that this means you get tons of beauty gift sets for a fraction of the price which are generally only available throughout the festive season. 

I had only heard of Front Cover recently and I am not too sure if you can purchase them anywhere other than Boots as this is the only place I have seen them. They basically come in boxes and are makeup 'looks' for either, face, eyes  or lips etc. 

So, I was excited to pick up this box of 8 pigments for only £8.00. Considering you also get an eyeshadow base and applicator it works out less than £1 a pigment, and given what some people pay for MAC pigments then this is quite a bargain. Even at the full price of £16 you would be getting more than your dollars worth :)!

On the right of the box are the products and on the left is step by step tutorial which I actually really liked, I also love the fact it is boxed for easy storage.

I am sure that every as heard of pigments. They are basically loose eyeshadow, usually glittery or iridescent. These can be used either dry or wet with either the applicator brush included or your fingers (which I prefer to use).

Usually when I get a box set of colours there are several that I am not so keen on however considering these are fairly neutral colours bar the lime green, ranging from bronze to gold I like all of them. I am even tempted to test the lime one :).

Although they are no where as large in size as the MAC pigments they are large enough to last a long time considering you only need the smallest amount.

Have you guys got any bargains in the sales? If so I would love to hear about them so please comment and link below :)  

How long does make-up REALLY last?

A few weeks ago I saw a YouTube video on the expiration of make up products and it really interested me.  Mainly due to the fact I have hundreds of products, some of which I am sure are well past their use by dates yet I can't bring myself to throw them away. So I thought I would do a little research on this topic.

As we all know one of the most common beauty advise is to change your mascara every 3 months right? Now I don't know if you are like me however I am constantly chopping and changing my mascara so after 3 months I have several and they are nowhere near finished. Do I throw them away? Of course I don't! All make up products (well a majority) have their own life span indicated by the companies.  This is indicated via a symbol similar to that indicated below.

If you take a look at your products near the information label, usually where all the ingredients are listed you should see this symbol.  Inside will have either, 6M, 12M, 24M and so forth.  This indicates the life span of the product.  

When I looked into this a little further a majority of my mascaras actually had a lifespan of 12 months. Of course for hygiene reasons I am sure that changing your mascara every 3 months is ideal however when one is spending maybe 10 or 20 pounds on one it seems harsh to just throw it away.  Of course if you are using the one mascara every day then the chances are you will have used it all in the 3 months anyway however it is worth bearing this in mind if you are like I and enjoy testing different mascaras and products every month.  

What I would reccomend is labelling mascara's in particular with the date you purchased and then noting the date it expires.  If it does not have the above open jar symbol (which means from the date you open it) then I would not risk using after the 3-4 month rule (although I am as guilty as the next girl for doing so).  All of my Rimmel London mascaras state 12 months although some other cheaper brands claim 6 months so it is worth checking your products and keeping an eye on the dates to avoid harming your skin. 

I hope that you found this interesting, please comment below as I will always respond - and don't forget to make my day and subscribe :)

Please note that I do not claim to be an expert in this field.  These are my own thoughts and opinions and based on what I have read via external sources.  My advise is not to be taken in place of a professional and should you be in doubt then please contact a specialist in this field.

Beauty find of the day

OMG!  I had to pop to my local Morrisons supermarket this afternoon and whilst in the beauty aisle I happened to come across this selection of tube lip glosses for only £5.00. They are a selection of 6, yes 6 tubes of gorgeous colours including a clear one!


I thought these might be well a bit rubbish TBH however for £5 I thought I may as well try.  And these are absolutely gorgeous, the colours, the smell (which is kind of fruity) and the packaging!


When I first applied they were not sticky which I have found with some glosses, I can actually rub my lips together without them getting stuck which is a bonus and they felt extremely nourishing and moisturising. The smell is a mix between sweets and fruit, I'm undecided on which at the moment.  


They are not small tubes either, each is 12ml and I suspect will last for ages, so if you are anywhere near a Morrisons definitely check out the beauty aisle for these little treats.  

 Thanks for reading - please let me know your latest bargain beauty finds in the comment bar below :)

NOTD - Marble Water Nail Art Design

NOTD - Water Nail Art Design

Barry M - White

Barry M - Mint Green 

Boots 17 - Catwalk Couture

If anyone would like a future tutorial done on water marble nail art please comment below!

Betterware Pore Cleaner

Hmmm not so sure about this device.  I used this in the shower as recommended and it did little to reduce the pore size nor remove any grime.  I guess this is a lesson learnt - if it sounds too good to be true it probably is...don's waste your time or money....


Goodnight x

I finally got the Clarisonic!

So...after careful consideration and a considerable amount of research I finally caved in and bought the Clarisonic!  I first heard about this gadget via YouTube...all the beauty guru's were raving about this small cleansing tool which claimed to change your whole attitude towards facial cleansing.  In case you are not aware of this tool then I will quickly fill you in... 

'Developed by the lead inventor of the Sonicare toothbrush, the Clarisonoc is a professional-calibre sonic skin care for cleansing wherever your lifestyle takes you.'

Basically it is an electric toothbrush for your face :)! Having been through hundreds of exfoliant facial scrubs to combat my dry, flaky but also oily skin I decided to invest in this little gadget and I must say I can completely agree with all the hype surrounding it.  I no longer have to look constantly for exfoliating washes as this does just that with a normal cleanser! 

I opted for the Clarisonic Mia which was £120 at Space NK.  This is the smaller version of the Clarisonic family and has only 1 speed setting.  However the larger one only has a slower speed setting which I probably would not have used hence my choice.  Also the fact it is smaller for travelling and comes in a variety of cute colours kind of persuaded me to purchase.  I got the blue by the way... 

I used this with an ordinary Simply moisturising wash for the first time and I have been using the gadget for approximately 3 months now and the change in my skin is incredible to say the least. The product claims to enhance the performance of moisturisers and other products however I cannot say that I have noticed this.  It also claims to remove 6 times for make up than normal cleansing with a cloth.  I usually remove make up with a cleanser beforehand and then use the Clarisonic as using it with too much make up can stain the brush.  It recommends changing the brush every 3 - 4 months although I am now on month 3 and the brush looks as good as new so this could be a clever marketing ploy.  I did however buy a further brush most recently which is designed for deep pore cleansing.  I have only used this once though so have yet to make a final review on that.  

The device itself is mains charged and I absolutely love the charger device which magnetically attaches itself to the Clarisonic (so clever).  It lasts for 20 minutes after a full 24 hour charge therefore should you use it for the required 1 minute (yes 1 minute) every morning and evening then it should last a good 2 weeks before you need to charge again. 

It does advise to get the full benefits that you use it for 20 seconds across your forehead, 10 seconds on each cheek and then a further 20 seconds on the T zone area i.e. the nose and chin area.  I tend to just go all over and sometimes more often than not use it for far longer than the 1 minute recommended purely because it feels so nice.  

All in all though taking into account the cost of this gadget this was probably one of the best products I have invested in and the quality of the product ensures that this will last a long long time. It also comes with a 2 year guarantee so I have peace of mind for the next 2 years that the product is covered in the event of a fault.  I have seen that there are cheaper models on the market which I must say I did research considerably before going ahead and purchasing the Clarisonic yet i felt that although they were a fraction of the price the reviews always went back to the Clarisonic being the best.  So what I just wanted to say is - I love my Clarisonic :-)!