REVIEW: Santuary Spa Instensive Heel Balm

When it comes to winter time I practically live in boots (mainly UGG boots to precise) and my feet suffer for it. After a few weeks of wearing nice cosy boots my feet get incredibly dry and then starting cracking, at there worst this year the had cracks so bad that it became painful. And since then I've vowed not to be caught out again. Instead I've been applying Santuary Spa Intensive Heel Balm every night after a bath and it has made a world of difference.

The balm comes in a easy to open flip open tube, perfect for slippery hands covered in creams!  It comes out white but once it's applied becomes clear and has a thick but serum type feel to it. Be careful on wood floors or you'll end up falling straight on your butt, just like I did the first time I used it.

What makes this balm work so well it that it's packed full of Shea butter, wheat germ, rose hip oil and vitamin E which all work hard to get your feet feeling softer and moisturised. This is definitely more indulgent then regular foot creams but it is part of my routine now that I'll be keeping on top of to maintain my beautifully soft feet.

Have you tried any amazing foot creams, balms or make potions? Or have you come across an even better method to keep the pesky hard skin away? 

REVIEW: Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer

Collection 2000's Lasting Perfection Concealer is probably one of the most blogged about concealer, it achieved a real cult status down to its opaque covering and long wear time. This is my second bottle of this concealer after my last one got a bit to dry for my liking. I'm now using the shade Cool Medium 02 whereas before this shade was available I was using Medium 03 and I'm pretty shocked at the difference between these two shades; as you'll see later on in the post!

 It comes with a doe foot applicator, and the wand is quiet flexible meaning you can really scrap off the product from insides of the bottle meaning hardly anything will go to waste. This means a bottle lasts ages even when its used everyday.

Below you can see the difference of Cool Medium and the earlier version of Medium 03. Cool Medium has more pinkish tones to it, which is perfect if you plan on using it under your eyes particularly for me who likes a bit of brightening over my under eye bags. The formula is really creamy and blends out really well, leaving an almost seamless finish. I tend to blend mine with my fingers as I'm still to find a concealer brush that I enjoy using (if you have any recommendations please tell me in the comments below!). Once the concealer is dry it doesn't feel greasy and slide around but also it doesn't end up drying a cracking like other concealers do.

This is my favourite concealer, and despite trying others I've found this to have to longest staying power and the densest colour for concealing nasty spots and dark circles. You can pick these up in Boots and Superdrug, with it ringing in at around £4.19. 

Have you tried the Last Perfection Concealer? Had anyone else noticed the change in shades, or am I very late on this update?! Let me know below as I just love reading your comments!

REVIEW: Pouty Lipzz Lip Plumper

Lip plumping glosses have come a long way in recent years, no longer are they itchy and painful but something that can be worn all day long. A perfect example of this is Pouty Lipzz which is a clear lip plumping gloss which claims to give up to 40% fuller lips in 29 days.

It comes with a doe foot applicator and has a wonderful fresh minty smell and taste. It's also para em free and doesn't contain any pepper and I experienced no itching or discomfort when I was wearing it.  Even though it's an amazing lip plumper it was also really moisturising which was an added bonus.

I've always loved the idea of of fuller looking lips but have never had the bottle or the money to spend on collagen injections, the idea of needles makes me dizzy so having them stuck into my mouth - no way. Pouty Lipzz is a great alternative, and if you decide that fuller lips aren't right for you then nothing's permanent!

It's available to order from www.poutylipzz.co.uk and costs just £19 , a lot less than having them surgically enhanced.

Winter Lip Savoiurs

During the winter our lips take a beating, going from cosy central heating to harsh cold winds outside. This winter I've had horrible chapped lips and these two hero products have helped reverse this and stop it from coming back. The REN Honey Lip Balm is my go to product for at home use. It's slightly more messy because it's super thick so I tend to use this one right before bed for a deep treatment for my lips. The packaging has been redone since I got my massive stack of these (about six!!) but is still available from REN.

My out and about lip saviour is the Nivea Soothe and Protect with SPF 15, which comes in a twist up stick and is much easier to use on the go. The added SPF makes this ideal for the strong winter sunshine, or perfect for taking on piste! I picked mine up from Tesco for about £2 so this is definitely a super affordable way of making sure your lips stay soft and kissable this winter!

REVIEW: Brilliant Tooth Whitening Kit

I'm always on the quest for white teeth and recently I've been trying out Brilliant's Tooth Whitening Kit which promises four shades whiter in a week.  Pretty impressive for a kit costing just £6!!

I used this for three days before I had to stop because of the reaction to it. It turns out it is harder than it looks to not accidentally get any product on your lips. I caught my top lip which blistered and bubbled and looked pretty bad and felt even worse.

But in just those few days my teeth do look different,  definitely whiter and feel cleaner. The good thing about this kit is that it can be used every four weeks so I'm going to give it another try, learning from my mistake and apply alot of vaseline to my lips this time!!!

Nail Pick of The Week : CND Shellac Powder My Nose

This week I'm skipping the dark moody colours of winter and gone with this gorgeous nude. CND describe it as foundation for your nails and I couldn't put it better. This colour works all year round but it's so refreshing to change to a nude after months of darks.

I've finally taken off my acrylics and the shellac is helping to keep my nails feeling strong and protected. Teamed with daily Solar Oil these beauties will last me two weeks before I change up my mani, and the good thing with nude is that it goes with everything!

Are you breaking from the dark or has this tempted you to try it?

Rose Gold Wishlist

Totally jumping on the bandwagon of swooning over rose gold items. If I were to add every piece that I'd love to own you'd be sitting here forever! I absolutely love the iPad case, mine's in dire need of a change and THIS is the one I'm going to be replacing it with. Also check out that cute rose gold watch, it's just £8.99 from New Look, a fraction of the price of a Micheal Kors one!

REVIEW: £1 Argan Oil Treatment

Whilst I love splurging on the little luxuries, like any girl I enjoy a good bargain. Argan oil has been having a massive moment so it's no wonder that Poundland decided to get in on the act. This little 50ml bottle costs just £1 but is it even worth that?

I have heavily chemically treated hair, it's been stripped, bleached and dyed all in the past 6 months so it's condition isn't exactly the best it could be. I've tried 100% Moroccan Argan Oil before and loved it and it really worked wonders but Poundlands efforts were no where near close.

It's a super thick oil which you apply to wet hair before drying but even through I spread it evenly through there were still thick globs of it grabbing into my hair, yuck. Even once dried my hair felt heavy and lank from the oil and more greasy looking than the shiny healthy look I was aiming for.

In my opinion this isn't even worth the pound, it did nothing that I had wanted it to but for a pound at least I'm not out of pocket. From now on I think I'll be splurging just a wee bit more on my hair care treatments!!

REVIEW: E.L.F Under Eye Setting Powder

I'm the first to admit I don't get enough sleep, the bags under my eyes are horrific and I need some serious help covering them up. I apply my Collection 2000 concealer rather liberally and then lightly pat this setting powder over the top.

The powder is a very light texture and is almost completely sheer.  It is a very light pink tone with a hint of sparkle which makes the undereye area a lot brighter. The part I'm most impressed with is how it stops my concealer from creasing or slipping.

This is a bargain bit of make up for how amazing it performs, and you only need a tiny amount of product so this tub will last months!!

REVIEW: Laura Mercier Almond Coconut Milk Creme

Moisturising is something that is ritual for me, every morning and evening all over. This Laura Mercier body creme is my favourite luxury treat which leaves my skin feeling baby soft and smelling divine all day. I feel instantly more feminine and pampered when I've got this on my skin.

It's packed with Vitamins A, C and E which help keep the skin feeling at its best. The best part for me though is the smell. It's rich and indulgent, lingering on your clothes and bedding. There's no sickly sweet scent, much more natural and all the much better for it.

The one downside is that whilst the pot looks beautiful on a dresser, it's near impossible to get to all the product which feels like such a massive waste when it's pretty pricey!! But if you're looking for a real luxury treat which makes you feel amazing this should be the creme to pick.

My Palette Wishlist.

Palettes are the perfect addition to any make up bag, you get a whole section of colours that are all made to go together. The perfect lazy girls bit of make up! Above are my pick of the palettes that I'm lusting over the most at the moment. That Too Face Palette is too cute for words and has the perfect mix of colours and finishes. Another beautiful set is the Smashbox Double Exposure, which contains 14 pans of eyeshadow, which each double up to a new shade when applied wet.
I can't wait to start crossing these off my wishlist, but its just too hard to know which to pick first!!

REVIEW: Rimmel Lasting Finish 25hr Foundation + swatch

Rimmel are my favourite high street brand for foundations, they don't make me break out and live up to all the claims. My most recent Rimmel foundation is the Lasting Finish 25hr Foundation in Soft Beige, this foundation is full coverage but has "comfort serum" added to it to stop it feeling heavy and cakey. My skin type is normal but at the moment I'm suffering with some bad PMT related spots which need covering up and fast, so I can't comment on how it might fair for more oily or dry skin type.

When you first apply this however it does look like a mask, and having been used to a more sheer coverage this certainly took some getting used to and a whole lot of blending. But once it's absorbed in a little it looks completely natural and definitely not heavy.

Does it last the whole 25 hours? I don't know. I   see why anyone would want to wear foundation for that length of time, but it's always good to know that I could, if I wanted to.

My only slight negative point is the colour selection. I've always been True Beige across all of Rimmel foundations, but this seems a lot lighter in comparison to those. Perhaps it's because it's a fuller coverage or maybe it's just a change in the formula. Either way it's definitely worth double checking you match the shade.

Have you tried this foundation, or is there any other full coverage foundations which tick all the boxes for you?

REVIEW: Revlon Colourburst Balm

I've been wanting to mix up my make up a little recently so when I stopped by Boots during the week I picked up two of Revlons Colourburst Balms, one in a matte formula and one in the laquer formula.

Both are incredibly rich and the matte shade I have really packs a punch with the colour. Even with just one swipe across its fully opaque in a gorgeous dusky rose pink. I surprisingly didn't find this drying which is normally the biggest downfall of a matte product.  I think that because it wasn't drying or clingy that it didn't last as long as I'd hoped for.

The laquer balm is super glossy and has a slightly shimmer to it and a lot less colour pay off.  I do love this shade though, it's not too over the top but still looks like your putting some effort in!
I really love the packaging, easy to distinguish which balm has what finish and shade. The twist bottom allows you to push up more balm without the need or waste of a sharpener.

At the moment Boots have these on a two for £10 deal, which is a great bargain!

REVIEW: Seventeen Define and Contour

One of the biggest trends in make up has to be the sculpted contouring made famous by the likes of Kim K. I personally love this love although sometimes it can be a bit too dramatic for daily wear. If your wanting a subtle more wearable version of this look then the Seventeen Define and Contour pallet is for you.

It comes packaged in a sturdy matte black case, very similar to Sleeks design. Inside is mirror and a cute little diagram for telling you which shade goes where. Both shades are completely matte which is perfect for contouring. I like to add the dark to the hollows of my cheeks, my temples and hair line as well as my jawline. To finish I lightly add the highlight to the middle of my nose, cheekbones and middle of my forehead. It really makes your features pop and gives such a pulled together look.

The highlight shade is a cream which worked really well on my skin tone, the darker contour shade is lovely soft brown. Both shades are buttery soft and really easily build able, thankfully the brown doesn't end up looking muddy when it's built up and still looks soft.

For £5.99 this little set is great for either those just starting to venture into contouring or that want a very soft and subtle finish.

OVERVIEW: Brilliant Teeth Whitening Kit

I've always craved whiter brighter teeth and have tried nearly every whitening tooth paste on the market without much effect. Yesterday I picked up this kit from Brilliant which claims to whiten your teeth four shades in week. Inside the pack is an accelerator, a developer and whitening toothpaste as well as the tray to add it all to your teeth.

I tried it this morning and it was a really simple process. Simply rub the accelerator across your teeth, squeeze a little developer into the tray and pop into your mouth for ten minutes before rinsing and brushing with the included toothpaste. I was really impressed that there was no disgusting taste or smell, however it was a little weird trying to get ready with a chunky mouth guard in.

After removal my teeth didn't look much whiter but felt incredibly clean. The kit only cost £6 so I won't be massively out of pocket if it doesn't live up to my expectations. The directions are to do this twice a day for a week so fingers crossed I will see some results after this! I'll be posting up the results this time next week so be sure to look out for that post!

REVIEW: Lacura Mattifying Moisturiser & 3-in-1 Cleanser

Thought that acne and spots were just for teenagers? Me too, when I was younger I didn't have a single spot, now it's time for it all to catch up with me. The majority of products on the market are geared towards younger skin, but I stumbled across these wonders from Lacura (Aldi's) which seem to working wonders.

Specifically designed for more mature skin it deeply cleanses without leaving your skin feeling extra tight and dry. The 3-in-1 cleanser has small grains in but is still gentle enough to use everyday. It also can be left for five minutes transforming it into a face mask for fighting of the extra shine you might be suffering with. 

The Mattifying Moisturiser is my go to face cream, popping it on before bed as well as underneath my make up. Unlike other mattifying moisturisers I've tried this doesn't make your base make up look flat and dull. The only thing I wasn't overly impressed with is the smell. Magnolia is one of my least favourite scents, luckily this isn't very strong or I'd just have to learn to live with my spots! The combination of these two products has been slowly reducing the redness and size of my spots and helped stop any fresh ones rearing their ugly heads!

Have you tried any Lacura products? Were they as good as the name brands you'd find in Boots? I'd love to know if this is just a one off or if all their beauty bits are worth a try!

Nail pick of the week : CND Vinylux Decadence

This week on my nails I'm sporting a deep rich shade of red by CND. It's band on trend for the pantone colour of 2015. This shade is a creme finish and easy to pull off and even looks great on more mature hands.

This polish applies smoothly and is fully opaque with just one coat but two creates a beautiful deep colour. The matching top coat is a must for Vinylux, it's this that makes the polish last a week without chipping as it is filled with UV activators which harden in natural UV.  The shine from this polish is second to none, it could eaaily be mistaken for gel polish. Another massive bonus of this polish os that it is bone dry in just eight and a half minutes,  meaning no more smudges or dings!
I am completely in love with this polish shade,  I can't get enough of this colour!

REVIEW: Champney's Spa Treatments

Like many other women I simply don't have enough time in the day to have regular spa days or treatments. So what better way then to enjoy it in the comfort of your own bathroom? Switch off the lights, light a few candles and pour yourself a glass of wine and relax with Champney's Spa Treatments Citrus Blush Shower Gel and Body Lotion.

The formula of these products are exactly the same as that used in their world renown spa's, with a luxury feel to them they leave your skin feel cleansed and silky soft. The scent of them is light and not overbearing but still leaves your skin smelling devine. The body lotion is quiet fluid like and really easy to massage in, absorbing like a dream leaving no stickiness behind. I found these two products worked best with each other, and it definitely made the scent linger on my skin for longer.

I have a few more Spa Treatment products still to come including body scrub and body butter and a delicious hand and nail cream. Have you tried out any of Champney's Spa Treatments, or maybe you've been to one of their spa's. I'd love to know

The Miracle of Solar Oil

CND Solar Oil is a cult beauty product, winning many awards and spotted in plenty of high end glossies. Solar Oil is a sweet almond based cuticle oil which helps create healthier, stronger nails. Recommend to be used twice a day it will dramatically improve even the most bitten and sore nails.
It's also perfect for use when wearing acrylics, Shellac or gel polish by keeping the natural nail supple underneath.

It's not just for nails though. It's uses include moisturise eyelashes and brows, healing tattoos, stretch marks. It is literally like a wonder oil. I tend to use mine in the morning after applying my make up and last thing at night after washing, it's so easy to slip it into your routine and makes a massive difference to hands. As they say people notice more about your hands then you think.

OVERVIEW : Benefit Do The Bright Thing Box Set

There's some brands that I'm instantly drawn to and a sucker for looking at and lusting over and one of them is Benefit. After dropping a tonne of hints to my husband I was so pleased that he picked this up for me as a surprise gift. These sell for £26.50 online and in stores such as Debenhams or Boots.

Do The Bright Thing is housed in the cute book style packaging which has really become synonymous with the Benefit brand. They're so easy to store and once everything is used up reusable for storing all those sample sachets you get without loosing them!

Inside you find five miniatures of there best sellers that promise to brighten up your complexion. Included is 'That Gal' a brightening face primer, 'High Beam' the supermodel in a bottle highlighting liquid, 'Dandelion' blush with brush, 'They're Real' mascara and 'BADgal' black waterproof eyeliner.

The whole kit works perfectly together to make you look more glowing and awake. I'm really loving the Dandelion pink blush, it's a shade I've never tried before but it's really natural and would suit most skin tones.

All the products are luxury sample sizes but it's a great way of trying and testing products you might not normally choose. Plus the miniatures last a long time as they're all richly pigmented so a little goes a long way.

Have you tried Do The Bright Thing? Maybe you could recommend your favourite Benefit box set, I'd love to know!

REVIEW: Bodyshop Born Lippy Raspberry

A girl can never have too many lipgloss. It's a fact. My last acquisition is this Body Shop Born Lippy in Raspberry. It's perfect compliment to a laid back more relaxed make up look with a super sheer tint of colour.

It lasts reasonably well for a gloss without feeling sticky and just needs a little touch up every few hours. The main thing that normally bothers me with flavoured glosses is the irritation they make at the back of my throat. Luckily this one doesn't make me feel like that, which is such a relief as I love it!
For £2 this is a bargain for one of Bodyshop's cult products which packs a punch on the shine. I might even have to try out all the other flavours, it won't hurt the bank balance at all!

REVIEW: e.l.f eyeshadow pallet Luxe

I find e.l.f products a little hit and miss, although this a great budget set it does have a couple of problems but lets start with the good bits.

I love the selection of shades,  they create a lovely browny smokey eye which I find a lot easier to pull off day to day than blacks. It comes with four triangle shaped pans of eyeshadows including a light colour for the brow and darker shades for making things a 'lil smokey. I'm really drawn to the reddish brown, slightly scary in the pan but beautiful one.

The downsides, three of the four are super pigmented but the grey is a little wishy washy meaning you end up applying way more of the shade.  Another bum point is the wear time.  Applied over a primer they last really well but without one they tend to just blend away leaving only the shimmer behind. I would also have liked to see less shimmer on them or at least one completely matte shade to mix up the finishes a little.

Overall I do really like this pallet giving the fact it is a budget option and the reddy brown really wins it back for me.

REVIEW: milk_shake whipped cream

Imagine the most indulgent creamy milkshake and this is exactly what this leave in conditioner smells like. Packed full of extra goodness for your hair I've found my hair shiny and more manageable since using this after every wash. This is one of milk_shake's best sellers and for understandable reasons.

It dispenses just like whipped cream and absorbs perfectly into the hair without leaving it feeling stiff, limp or greasy like many other leave in products do. The smell is definitely a strong selling point for this, even when I wash my hair after two days my showers smells of this. It has the added benefits of locking in colour, a big bonus if like me your colour fades more and more each wash.

I use a ping pong ball sized amount (my hair ends at the top of my trousers so shorter hair would need even less) and I can see this can lasting me a good few months which is handy as mill_shake products are the cheapest brand around.

You can find milk_shake products in a lot of salons as well as online at milk_shake for £15.29.

REVIEW: Clarisonic Plus Face and Body

Clarisonic systems are a cult skincare item with people going crazy over how much it has improved their skin. I'm completely in amazed by my Clarisonic Plus, just a quick one minute wiz round my face and instantly my skin feels super clean.

It's super easy to incorporate into your skincare routine, I've been using it with Clarisonic Foaming Cleanser which has really been helpful at keeping my slightly oily t-zone at bay.
Clarisonic claim that it helps shrink  pores and reduce wrinkles, and there is definitely a noticeable difference in the pores on and around my nose an area which has troubled me since my teenage years.

It comes with two heads, a sensitive brush head for face and a larger regular head for your body (which is perfect for using before shaving your legs or getting the last dregs of fake tan off). The Clarisonic Plus comes with a whole host of different speeds and settings each with its own helpful bleeps and lights to let you know what you've picked (handy to keep the instructions in with your cleansing products as it takes a little getting used to changing the beeps).

Once you've got the right setting using it couldn't be simpler. 20 seconds on your forehead, same for your nose and chin and then two lots of ten seconds for each cheek. It doesn't sound long but the amount of dirt and makeup that comes off onto the brush is weirdly satisfying!

It is a big investment piece but for the technology and results you get from it I think it is worth every penny. One of the things that was most intriguing to me was the charging cradle which has no connections and simply bleeps when the Clarisonic is in the right spot, presumably so that you don't electrocute yourself trying to charge it!

My next thing to pick up is the Luxe heads which are even more soft and are meant to feel like cashmere on your skin, who could say no to that?

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