Haul: What I had for Christmas...

Hey everyone,

Well, it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to point out that this is a waaayyyy overdue blog post. Nevertheless, the recent snowy weather has made me feel a little festive, and as I had some really lovely gifts for Christmas I thought that I would share them with you...

This is obviously the You beauty advent calendar in collaboration with She Said Beauty, and I am quite aware that it is a strange item to receive as a gift for Christmas in view of that fact that it is supposed to be opened in the run up to the big day. However, the full price of this product was around £60 which (even though it is said to contain over £200 worth of products) I felt was a little pricey for an advent calendar. Mid-way through December I received an email notifying me that this had now been reduced to half the price, and the addict in me snapped it up (on behalf of my mother, who then wrapped it up to be opened on Christmas Day). Anyhow, now that you know the story behind it, I will just say that I am really pleased to have got my sticky mitts on this item, and am even more pleased that I got it for half the price as there are a few items that don't really tickle my pickle - like the fousty AS London candle! I would definately suggest holding out next year (if you can) and buy this product at half the price. Having said that, I am gutted that I missed out on the Ciate advent calendar, and would pre-order one now for this coming Christmas if I could!

One item that has been on my wish list for the longest time is the Ginger Burst Body Wash from Origins. I am in love with the Origins brand, and am yet to find an Origins product that I dislike. This little set is another gift from my lovely mother, and is the 'Ginger to go & stay' set, which includes a full and travel size product of the Incredible Spreadable Ginger Body Scrub,Ginger Burst Savoury Body Wash and the Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream. The clear toiletry bag was also include in the set, and as with all online Origins purchases, I received a bag of generously sized samples. All products in the gift set smell divine, and I cant wait to give them a whirl!

Another brand that has never yet let me down is Laura Mercier, and this gift set containing four mini hand creams is another gift from my mother. I have said a million times that, as part of my job, hand washing is essential. As a result, a good hand cream is also essential and these little beauties are the ideal size to keep in my pocket whilst I am busy at work. They all smell amazing, and I am sure that they will live up to my expectations.

Back in November, I went on an overnight trip to London with my family. I visited Liberty for the first time and my mother (again) bought me one of the much-raved-about Diptique candles. It was a tough choice, but I opted for the Patchouli scent, which smells quite musky with floral undertones. The Diptique products are a little on the pricey side, which is why I purchased one of the 'minis' - these still cost £20 for a 70g candle. My theory behind this is that I could see if they really are as amazing as everyone says without wanting to kick myself for spending an extortionate amount on a candle if they're not. I haven't tried it out yet though!

This lovely Burt's Bees gift set is from my sister. Hand creams/treatments, lip products and foot creams are always welcomed by me, so this was a lovely set to receive. I have only tried two Burt's bees products before, and was really impressed. I will definately keep you posted on my thoughts of these little beauties.

More hand cream! It appears that my family know how much I love the stuff!! I love any product that is Almond fragranced, and every item in this set floats my boat. I haven't tried any of these particular Body Shop products before though, so I am excited to try them out :-)

My auntie bought me this Small Wonders Soap & Glory gift set. All products are smaller versions of their full size, and would come in handy for travelling. I am really looking forward to trying out the body scrub and body butter, as I have heard great things about them.

And finally.... No Christmas would be complete for me if I didn't receive a large bottle of Snow Fairy shower gel from Lush. It is by far my most favourite of all the Lush shower products (I would go so far as to say my most favourite ever shower product), and lasts me ages. I also received the Christmas party gift set which contains a 100g Northern Lights Soap and a Party Popper Bath Ballistic. Both of these products aren't ones that I would have chosen myself, but that's not to say that I don't like them. Sometimes it is good to receive items like this, as you are introduced to new products that can rapidly become a favourite. They both smell amazing, and I will definately be putting them to use!

So that's it for my Christmas Beauty Gift haul - I hope that you like everything and wont hold it against me too much that most of these sets probably wont be available to purchase again for another 10 months :-(

Claire

xXx

Lush Stepping Stone Foot Scrub Review

A little while back, I purchased the Stepping Stone Foot Scrub from Lush. I work long, hard 12 hour shifts where I am constantly on my feet. This really takes its toll, and not only do my feet feel tired and achy, they also tend to dry out - and more so during the winter months.

Looking a little worse for wear :-(

The Stepping Stone Foot Scrub smells amazingly citrus-fresh, and contains pumice which promises to scrub and smooth away dead skin, whilst the jojoba oil moisturises to leave feet feeling soft. Sounds like just the ticket!

I purchased this product on a whim, and having returned home I read through some online reviews, most of which claimed that this is a product that dissolves very easily in water, allowing for no more than one use. For a cost of £2.95 this seemed a little excessive. I followed the recommendation of one reviewer, and crushed up the whole product into an empty pot using the back of a spoon. Bingo! A product that is now fit for multiple uses!

I wouldn't recommend using this product in the shower, as the slightest contact with water and it fizzles away super-quick. I used mine whilst in the bath, soaked my feet for a while, and made this the last product that I used in my routine as the pumice makes for a very uncomfortable feel under the bum when it settles on the bottom of the bath. I towel dried my hands before scooping a small amount out of the pot, and repeated each time to allow as less water contact with the product as possible. I would guess that I can now get around 8-10 uses out of this one product, making it far more value for money.

The Foot Scrub itself is amazing. It is a fine scrub that exfoliates easily and really does leave skin feeling super-soft. Followed by a little moisturiser, my feet now feel pampered to the max. As a side-effect, the palms of my hands are now also feeling rather soft and exfoliated too!! Dual-purpose maybe? I really wouldn't hesitate in repurchasing this product!!

Do you have any handy hints for making your products last a little longer?

Claire

xXx

Lush is Lush!

A few days ago, I treated myself to some little goodies from Lush. I haven't been there in soooo long, and it was nice just to have a little mosey around all of the products on display. The shop assistant introduced me to the new 'Emotional Brilliance' cosmetics range, which I have to say has a fabulous (if not a little daring) colour palette, and the skin tints are to die for! The products include eyeshadows, lipsticks, eyeliners, skin tints, loose powder and even a mascara, and range between £12 and £14.50 per product, which I have to say seems a little on the pricey side. In fact, is it just me, or has the Lush range as a whole become more expensive? I say this, because I also got to try out the Turkish Delight Shower Smoothie, which comes in at a hefty £15.95 for a large 200g black pot. The shop assistant informed me that 15,000 rose petals have been used in each of the pots, and even though it did smell divine and leave my skin feeling super-soft, I think its one of those products to splurge on when you're feeling flush!!

Anyway, back to the products I did purchase...

I'm going to start with the Stepping Stone Foot Scrub. This is a much wanted product as I work long shifts and sometimes you just want to come home and pamper those poor little tootsies that have been put to use all day. This funky little scrub, aptly moulded in the shape of a foot, smells quite citrussy and really refreshing - just the ticket for pampering those hot, tired feet. It obviously contains lashings of Jojoba oil, as the bag has become quite greasy, and has rubbed off the 'instructions' for use. On their website, they advise you to 'Give your feet a good workout with this little green footprint - because all that pumice in there will scrub and smooth away dead skin, whilst the jojoba oil will moisturise and make them soft without leaving them slippery or oily' . However, reading the reviews, most people have commented that the slightest drop of water makes this product disappear rapidly. One suggestion is to crumble the entire thing into a pot and use a little at a time, so I think that's what I am going to do!! I may also try massaging it onto dry skin then rinse off. At £2.95, its a little pricey to waste in one go!

The next product I purchased is the Green Bubbleroon Bubble Bar, which has a zingy, citrus scent to it. As a bath product meant to be twisted into two halves and crumbled under running tap water, it is suitable for two uses (one half for each bath), but I have previously purchased the Yuzu & Cocoa Bubbleroon, and I literally just smashed it up into bits using a rolling pin, then sprinkled a little into each bath I took - this way you can easily get four (if not more!) baths out of one Bubbleroon. I loved the Yuzu & Cocoa one, which left my skin feeling soft and scented for ages afterwards, so I am really excited to try the Green one out! This product cost £3.25 (another reason to try and make it go that little bit further).

Ocean Salt Cleanser - this is a facial scrub which contains sea salt, coconuts, limes and 'lots of great things that will moisturise and treat the skin'. It smells Amazing - there is just the right scent of lime, and it is also infused with fresh grapefruit - sounds like an ideal product for waking your skin up in the morning!! At £6.95 for a smaller 100g pot, it is not cheap by any means, but it smells delicious and I have never tried a facial scrub with sea salt in before, so I am really looking forward to giving this product a go! Having read some other reviews, it appears that this product can be quite drying if overused, despite Lush's attempts to prevent this by adding in Avocado Butter, Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, Lanolin, Seaweed Absolute and Violet Leaf Absolute. This product has also been described as a 'Harsh Scrub' and as I have dry/sensitive skin, I am hoping that it is not going to dry my skin out too much. I am now feeling a little apprehensive about trying this out....eek, but I will let you know how it goes!!

Oatifix Fresh Face Mask - I have heard alot about the Lush range of Fresh Face Masks, which have to be refrigerated, and was so intrigued that I decided to give one a go. I opted for the Oatifix, priced at £5.95 for a 75g pot, which smells deliciously of vanilla and contains Oatmeal, Ground Almonds and Fresh Banana (hence why it should be stored in the fridge). The shop assistant commented that this pot comes from a 'sticky batch', and if too thick, a little splash of water can be stirred through to make the consistency more manageable. I am really excited to try this mask, as my skin tends to love any product that is oat-based. However, the only downside I would have to point out is the shelf life of the product as, even if stored correctly, the period of time from manufacture to use by date is roughly 1 month!! I purchased this pot (made 30/8/2012) on 3rd Sept and now only have 23 days left in which to use it - the pressure is on!!

So that's it for my little Lush haul peeps, please let me know what you think and if you have any
recommendations for me :-)

Claire

xXx

I've been shopping - HUGE Haul - Lush, Revlon, Oasis, River Island, New Look, Primark....

Yesterday I returned from a week away in Paris (Eeeek!!!), and in the few weeks before I left I was busy gathering together a few new items to take with me - I use the word 'few' lightly here!!

First stop, Primark. Normally, I either see lots in Primark or nothing at all. I have problems with the style of alot of their clothing, but for the items that do fit me nicely I am a huge fan. Primark, in my eyes, coined the term 'disposable fashion'. They create of-the minute items at a really reasonable price, but this is reflected in the reduced quality fabrics that they use. This is not to say that their clothing is shambolic, but simply that they are by no means made to last. One seasons wear has normally tired out the items that I have purchased in the past, but for the prices I have paid I cant really complain.

I picked up this cute little peter pan collar tunic for £6.00, a floral tote bag for £3.00, a cute leatherette purse to store my euros for £3.00 and a pack of earrings for £2.00. I have also fallen in love with their scarves - I picked up three in the prints pictured below, and am really impressed with the quality for the price of £3.00-£4.00 a piece. Im sure I will be back for more!!

I love Oasis, and I picked up a quite a few bargains in their sale. Although I am a big fan of their clothing and jewellery, sometimes I just feel that they can be a little over-priced, especially on their basics range. As almost everything I bought was around half price, I was a very happy little shopper. I will say one thing though, in comparison to Primark clothing, you do get what you pay for in Oasis, and on the whole their clothes are really made to last more than one season.

I used to be the biggest fan of River Island. I did most of my clothes shopping there, I could always find something there last minute if I needed to, and I was always spolied for choice. But then they just seemed to go down the route of chavtasticness and I could never find anything that suited my tastes there anymore. I'm not sure if this was due to a possible change in their design team, but the River Island that I knew and loved - the one that sold the gorgeous, floaty, feminine, items - had almost disappeared. For this reason, I hadn't been into a River Island Store for over a year until last week, and was shocked to find that their prices seem to have dropped significantly. Tops that previously would have retailed at around the £40 mark are now £25 full price, and they also have a massive sale on. I picked up one top for a bargain £10 in the sale, and two shirt dresses at £25 each full price - but still a bargain really, as they are great quality and I love them!!. I was really shocked to find the store almost empty of customers though - even with such a great sale on - I only hope that this combined with the fall in prices isnt spelling the end for River Island....

For a while I have been thinking of buying myself a pair of coloured jeans, but the notion of turning thirty had left me pondering as to whether I am now 'too old' to wear them. However, the thought 'you only live once' over-rode this and I purchased not one, but two pairs. The first are a pair of full length dark jade green jeans that are made of a really soft denim. The second are a pair of bright blue capri pants. I found a really pretty top in the River Island sale to wear with the jade jeans for £12, it is made of a really pretty cream & multi-colour heart print fabric, with a cute bow sewn onto the shoulder one side. I also bought a few tops in New Look, and I had to make a sharp exit as there were so many more items that I had my eye on!!

And to finish, a shopping trip wouldnt be complete without the purchase of a few beauty items. My sister and I love Lush, and a 'browse' turned into the purchase of a Fluffy Egg bath ballistic and a Yuzu & Cocoa bubbleroon. They both smell good enough to eat, and I cant wait to use them!!

Boots had a 3 for 2 deal on across all of their cosmetic brands and so I picked up this gorgeous rainbow-silver sparkle glitter polish from Revlon in Shade 340 'Stunning', and one of the new much-blogged about Revlon lip butters in Sugar Frosting (separate reviews to follow...).

I also discovered the 'Look Beauty' cosmetic brand that is stocked in Superdrug. This brand was launched in November 2011, and all products have been tried and tested by the workers at Look magazine, which can only be a good thing!! I decided to give one of their Nail Pop Polishes a go, and the Nail Pop in Shade 4 Bling immediately caught my eye. It is a clear polish with a dusky pink glitter, that will be great worn over a pink polish for sparkly summer nails.

So thats it for my recent uk shopping haul - have you bought anything nice lately?

xXx