Origins Never A Dull Moment Skin-brightening Face Cleanser Review

Whilst on the hunt for a new facial cleanser to try out, I stumbled upon the Never A Dull Moment Skin-brightening cleanser from Origins. This is an easily foaming cleanser with Papaya extract that really softens the skin - so much so that I didn't really feel the absolute need to moisturise after use as my skin was super soft and suitably hydrated. It leaves my skin feeling thoroughly cleansed, easily removes make-up, and definately gives my skin that brightness boost it has been longing for on a 5am start to the day! It smells lovely - fresh and fruity but not overly zingy - and a little product goes a long way (with a price tag of £17.00 for 150mls this is most definately a positive). I would 100% repurchase this product!

* Beauty Bargain Alert* - Essie Nail Polishes for £2.99!!

Hey everyone,

Just a quick post to let you all know that you can pick up a 13.5ml Essie nail polish on Halfpriceperfumes for a bargainous £2.99 each. That's a whopping saving of £5.00 per bottle (excluding p&p).

I have just taken advantage of this offer - will you?

Claire
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Philosphy 'Have A Cherry Christmas' Product Review

Philosophy is a brand "devoted to caring for your skin" and is developed using medical research for proven results. Sound good? I think so too!!

I have been wanting to try the philosophy shampoo/shower gel/bubble bath combos for such a long time. However, I have such a vast stash of shower products to use up that I have always managed to resist making a purchase... Until now...

Have A Cherry Christmas is a limited edition product for the festive season, and just how amazing does it look? I have to admit, I had decided to purchase this particular version as soon as I spotted it prettily glistening away on the shelf - before I even took a sniff! I am a sucker for anything pink, sparkly and girly, and was immediately in awe. This has a White Cherry scent, which is a very delicate fragrance - definately not the usual sweet cherry scent by a long stretch.

As a shampoo, this product is surprisingly quite good. It lathers like a dream, and cleanses well too. I did feel like I had to tug the comb through my wet hair to de-tangle, but once dried my hair was soft and shiny. I'm not sure that I would use this as my every-wash shampoo of choice, as I have quite long hair that I like to use more conditioning products on, but this definately works well as part of the multi-purpose product, and would be good to use for travel.

As a shower gel it also lathered well with the use of a shower pouff, and the glittery-ness on my skin was superb! I was a little disappointed that I did not stay looking like a glitter ball - as this obviously washes away - and (more seriously) that the scent did not really stay evident on my skin. It is a 'barely-there' scent. On a more positive note my skin was super-duper soft, and I didn't feel the absolute need to follow with a moisturiser.

And finally, as a bubble bath... This was the final way that I tested this product, and is probably my most favourite way to use it. It doesn't provide a copious amount of bubbles, which is to my liking, and I loved the way that I could soak in and wash with the same scented product without having to make two separate purchases. My skin was uber soft and lightly scented. Amazeballs!!

I really cant wait to try out more products from Philosophy - I just need to make an emergency dash to the shops to pick up a Candy Cane and Pumpkin Pie before they sell out!!

This product retails at £14.00 for 460mls, and comes boxed to make for an ideal gift or stocking filler. It appears to be unavailable on the philosophy website, but is still in stock on  the Boots website.

What Philosophy products would you recommend?

Claire

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Caudalie Winter Rescue Duo Review

Recently I purchased the Caudalie Winter Rescue Duo in preparation for the harsh winter weather. As soon as the crisp, cold mornings set in I suffer uber chapped lips. My skin also takes a battering, especially my hands which,  after being washed a zillion times a day in work, can be chapped and dry to the point of soreness some days. Frown.

 

This little Duo contains a full size Lip Conditioner and a 30ml Hand and Nail cream.

The Lip Conditioner has a subtle vanilla flavour, and is the most amazing product for dry/chapped lips that I have ever used. I applied it before bed and in the morning my lips were miraculously repaired. This effect lasted all day without the need for re-applying anymore product whatsoever. A definite winner!

The Hand and Nail Cream has a very subtle white grape and Shea butter scent. It applies easily, absorbs quickly and leaves hands feeling nicely moisturised. I wouldn't say it is as groundbreaking as the Lip conditioner, but it is a lovely little product that I would most probably purchase again.

The Duo retails at £7.20 (inclusive of postage) at feelunique, which I think is an absolute steal. I think that it would be ideal as a secret Santa gift or make for a great little stocking filler!!

Are you thinking of giving these products a try?

Claire

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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

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Joico K-PAK Moisture Intense Hydrator Review

If you want to create that super silky fresh-from-the-salon style at home, then this is the product you may well be looking for...

Joico K-PAK Moisture Intense Hydrator is a treatment for dry, damaged hair that promises restored moisture, sealed cuticles, shine, improved manageability & elasticity. Phew! This is alot to expect from a single hair care product, however, this little beauty did exactly what it said on the tube.

I used it following a normal wash with my Kerastase Shampoo, and after leaving it to work for the minimum 3 minutes then rinsing out, my hair was instantly more silky feeling. Tangles were no match for this mighty product, as my comb eased its way through my damp locks. On drying, my hair smelled amazing, and my silky soft tresses were in the best condition ever. Split ends were sealed and almost invisible, and my hair no longer had that dry-ended I-really-need-a-cut feel.

I cannot recommend this product highly enough, and at £13.95 for 250 mls it is worth every penny!! Go on, treat your hair!!

Have you tried any Joico hair products?

Claire :-)

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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

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MAC Haul & Important Information!!

There are quite a few MAC eye shadows that I have been wanting for a little while now, but I couldn't decide on whether to buy the individual pots or to invest in a pro palette and then just have to purchase the refill colours (which is also more cost effective option). After much thought, I decided to go for the palette. I think that this is a much better option for me, especially when travelling, as the palette is quite slimline and holds up to 15 colours, which is more than ample.

I have only three colours in my palette so far, those being Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe and Hush. as I have said before, I tend to lean towards more neutral colours as I have quite deep-set eyes and more vibrant colours just don't tend to suit me.

The colours are lovely - I have swatched them on my hand so that you can see for yourself - and I was so excited to receive them in the post this morning.

Right to Left: Hush, Naked Lunch, Satin Taupe

However... My excitement soon turned to guilt and also disappointment when I discovered this blog post that has been floating around in cyber space since March 15th 2012. Logical Harmony is described as being an 'animal friendly' beauty blog, and is written by a young lady called Tashina who focuses her posts on vegan and cruelty-free beauty.  I don't believe in animal testing, and I blindly thought that nowadays the vast majority of companies, especially the main cosmetic brands, would steer well clear of this as it is such a huge no-no.

Animal testing is an issue that I am now going to do alot more research on before buying any beauty products in the future. It was such a shame to find out that MAC could be participating in animal testing, and the thought of filling my eye palette with a further 12 colours is something that I am now really reconsidering.

Please let me know your thoughts :-)

Claire

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You've got to love a bit of Barry M!!

Boots are currently running an offer on Barry M nail polishes - save a pound with every two polishes purchased. So at a cost of £4.98 for the two, I snapped them up. Well, it would be rude not to wouldn't it?

I bought shade 304 Mint Green and shade 305 Pink Flamingo...

I have been wanting a minty-green nail polish for a while, and even though 'Mint Green' is a little more of a brighter green than I had planned, I LOVE it!! It is the perfect Spring/Summer shade, and I can see me getting alot of use out of it.

I am always drawn to pink nail polishes, but Pink flamingo is not your classic pink shade. It is a very bright almost neon-esque coral/pink, which is also such a great summer colour and will look fantastic with a tan. Bring on the sunshine!!

Both polishes require two coats as they are quite opaque, but two coats does the job really well. They apply easily and dry super fast.

They last around 2 days without chipping at all, and day 3 saw only minor chipping to the tips - although I do work alot with my hands, and this can increase the risk of chipping tenfold.

I am so very happy with the result of both products, especially for such a great price, and I now feel like I NEED more Barry M Polishes in my life!!

Do you love Barry M polishes as much as I do?
Claire

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Ciate Paint Pots Nail Colour Review

Ciate Paint Pot in 'Dangerous Affair'

I recently treated myself to a Ciate paint pot in the gorgeous shade 'Dangerous Affair', which is the red colour pictured above. I own many brands of nail polishes in a huge variety of colours, and up until now OPI had topped them all by far. However, Ciate has now definately become my new favourite!! I am so excited by discovering this brand, that I feel I have to let you all know how AMAZING it is!!

One coat of colour has good enough coverage if your in a hurry, but if you have the time to do two coats the result is fantastic. Drying time is amazing, and the durability is superb - It doesnt chip easily at all, and the winning factor for me is that, after a LONG soak in a HOT bath, it hasnt budged.

At £9.00 per pot, the cost is middle range, but so worth it!! And they have so many different shades that I may just have to treat myself again very soon!! Knickerbockerglory here I come....

Nail Colour: Dangerous Affair by Ciate
Ring: Black Bead & Rhinestone Bow Statement Ring by ** Beau Flutterby **