Christmas beauty gifts!

Hey guys! Hope you had a great Christmas!


I was lucky enough to get some really nice stuff off Santa :)

I've had some of them before, so I'll tell you briefly what I think of those items in this post, other items I will do reviews on them separately, please feel free to ask me to do a review if you'd like to know what something is like! I suppose you could see this post as a haul... kind of... apart from I didn't buy most of the stuff! The things I did buy myself I will try to include the price for you!

Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the item I'm MOST excited about trying :)

Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden - Luxurious body treats

• Kyphi, shea and almond nourishing body lotion
• Kyphi, honey & lotus nourishing bath creme
• Mande-Lular, sensuous body scrub
• Mande-Lular, sensuous body souffle
• Mande-Lular, honey & coconut sensuous bath creme
• shower loofa 

Soap & Glory - Lock, Stock & Bubble bag

• Flake away (shea butter, sugar and peach seed body polish) I LOVE this stuff!
• The righteous butter (shea butter and aloe vera) 
• Clean on me (shower creme) 
• Off your face (face wipes, acid free exfoliator)
• Girligo (spray on body moisturising mist) this stuff is great if you're in a hurry as it doesn't linger on the skin (if I have more time then I'll use the righteous butter!
• shower loofa

Harajuku Lovers fragrance - Lil' Angel

This comes in the cutest packaging! It's a great perfume to use during the day as it's not too heavy, quite fresh and flirty!

You can take the lid off, and leave it home if you want to take the perfume in your handbag. I don't find that the perfume sprays or leaks in my bag so it's all good!

Recently purchased (about to try) 

T-Gel shampoo for sensitive scalp
I have a really dry irritated scalp, probably caused by this horrendously cold weather! I've gone and left my other T-Gel at my flat, so I'm now trying the sensitive scalp one in attempt to tame my itchy scalp :( this is all in preparation for................................

John Frieda Precision Foam Colour!! 
I really want my scalp to get back to normal before I try this product! I'm worried about getting a reaction if my scalp is acting up.... but within the next week I should have tried the foam colour :) I have it in Light Natural Blonde. Please comment if you've used this product (any colour) and tell me how you got on! :)

Miss Sporty Studio Lash Mascara review!

“Instant Volume – Lash Volumising eye opening mascara. Ultimate lash volumising and sculpting mascara with precise applicator. Brings body to your lashes – from instant volume to a dramatic eye look. Lashes are super thick, yet perfectly separated and ultimately lifted. Zero clumps. Smudge Proof. Opthalmologically Testd”

This mascara is GREAT! I can’t say this enough! If you want lengthening and volumising in one mascara, then you should definitely give this a go! Plus it's CHEAP! Around £3.29

How did I find it?

I’m fortunate enough to have quite long lashes, which people have commented on in the past! I just needed to find a mascara that would volumise and curve to make my eyes stand out (I don’t like using heavy eye shadow you see). In the past, I have bought really cheap mascaras, and ended up going over the top applying it, so it looked really thick & clumpy (what was I thinking?!).

I actually found Miss Sporty’s Lash Curve first of all, when I was low on money one month, and looking for a cheap mascara. This mascara is also great (and only £2.99 at the time!) it shapes the lashes without the need for a lash curler (I really hate these…). I then bought Volume XXL, which didn’t give me as much volume as I’d have liked.

My friend @jesswillx then suggested I try Studio Lash! It’s the best mascara in this price range out there. I can’t believe it’s so good, and only £3.29! You can end up paying £10+ for a decent mascara, and this works just as well in my opinion! This mascara volumises my lashes, making a more dramatic look for nights out, and a wide eyed look for the day time. It also curves the lashes much like the Lash Curve!

Using Studio Lash Mascara

• always apply to clean lashes for the best result
• use one coat for wide eyed daytime looks
• use a few coats for a dramatic night time look
• zig zag motion on additional coats helps to prevent clumping
• remember to take your eye make up off before bed (I use Boots Cucumber eye make up remover, really freshens up the eye area) I do this before my 3-Step :)

You can get Miss Sporty products from Superdrug and Boots in the UK. 

If you are from outside the UK, Fragrance Direct let's you pay in GBP, USD & the Euro so it's worth checking out their Miss Sporty range http://bit.ly/eapfc6 

Favourite winter must-haves!

My winter must-haves

One word springs to mind, DRY! Whether it's your hands, face, legs, feet or even hair! 

What do I use to keep myself feeling great and moisturised during the winter months?

                                                  All over body moisturiser:
                                                                Palmer's Cocoa butter! 
This stuff is amazing for my skin. You can use it all over (apart from the face as it's quite thick) it's good for moisturising very dry areas such as knees, feet and elbows! It smells really good, but if you don't like a strong smelling lotion then you can get a fragrance free version! It doesn't sink in SO quickly that it fails to provide you with the moisture you need, but it also doesn't linger too long on the skin! Just give it a couple of minutes to dry before putting jeans/any tight clothes on :) I put this on after showering to prevent my skin drying out!

                                             Facial moisturisers/routine

Clinique dramatically different moisturising lotion*
This is one of my daily essentials, I use it as part of my 3-step skincare regime. *I use the lotion because I have dry combination skin, if you have oily skin, then it is recommended that you use the Gel. If I don't moisturise, then my skin becomes flaky and red, and blemishes occur. 

 E45 Cream

I use this in place of my Clinique moisturiser if my skin is extremely flaky and dry during the winter months! It's really handy to carry around, you can also use it as a general lotion for your hands, feet, legs etc :) (plus it's really cheap!)

      

Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream

I've just discovered this product, thanks to recommendations from @sharan23 & @becomingfab (twitter) I've only used it a few times, but the results have been amazing already! It really does buff away the dead skin cells, revealing fresh new skin. Plus, as it's a cream, it leaves you feeling moisturised and not tight like some exfoliators!

(full review coming soon)

                                           Hand & nail lotion

Soap & Glory Hand Food

This product is great to carry in your handbag, so you can use it whenever you feel your hands getting chapped! This product has that great Soap & Glory smell, and I just feel great using it! (sometimes use it on my feet too, if I have no Cocoa Butter to hand!)

So there you are, some of my favourite winter skincare products! I will be doing a Lipcare review soon, as I have a few products in that area to talk about :)

Thank you for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment!

Below, a list of places you can buy these products 

& average prices!

• Palmer's Cocoa Butter (around £3.49) Boots, Superdrug, Bodycare
• Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion (RRP £15-£27 various sizes) Boots, Selfridges, Debenhams, House of Fraser
• E45 Cream (round £2) Boots, Superdrug, Bodycare, most Supermarkets
• Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream (£16.50) Boots, Selfridges, Debenhams, House of Fraser
• Soap & Glory Hand Food (£2.30-£4.75 50/125ml) Boots

John Frieda Go Blonder Shampoo (review)

John Frieda Go Blonder shampoo review 

Well to start, I'll tell you that I have fine wavy blonde hair naturally (dark blonde) and I've tried a few things to try and get a fresh brighter blonde, including John Frieda Sheer Blonde. Sheer blonde in my opinion, is a great shampoo, leaves your hair feeling amazing! But it doesn't do what I buy it for, to brighten up my blonde hair :( I decided to try their 'Go Blonder' range, as I really want to brighten up my hair, without the use of hair dye! This is the product description: 

New Sheer Blonde® go blonder shampoo and conditioner, with citrus, chamomile and no harsh chemicals, gradually lightens hair to achieve a magical sun-kissed sparkle all year round

Trying 'go blonder' for the first time


The John Frieda Go Blonder range retails for around £5 each, but there are usually deals in Boots, Superdrug, Sainsburys etc where you can get two (shampoo & conditioner) for £7 which is pretty good if you like the product! 


Being a student, I can't really be splashing out £7 on shampoo.... so that's why I'm glad they have a travel size so I could give it a go! I bought the travel size Shampoo for around £1.95, still pricey in my opinion! (didn't bother with the conditioner, but perhaps the overall outcome would have been better using both together...) and I have to say, I don't like this product.....


My experience with 'Go Blonder' shampoo


I have found that this shampoo, unlike the Sheer Blonde, leaves my hair feeling very weighed down, and it almost feels like the product just won't wash out. Also, I find that it makes my dry scalp aggravated, and the flakes are more prominent and visible. I would have liked to use this shampoo for  a while, so that I could see noticeable results (lighter, brighter hair!) but the disadvantages I've just mentioned were just too unbearable for me, so I've discontinued using it! 


Advantages: none that I can mention
Disadvantages: weighs hair down, aggravates scalp, price, no noticeable results


Alternatives?
I have found that John Frieda 'Sheer Blonde' is by far a superior product! It's pricey like 'Go Blonder' but the overall result is soft manageable blonder hair :)

Another product that I have used, is Superdrug Colour effects wash in wash out colour (even though I don't really like to dye my hair) it's really cheap and gives your hair some colour (more colour each time you use it)


Please feel free to comment with your experiences with this product, perhaps it worked for you! :)

T-Gel Shampoo for dry hair: Does it work?

T-Gel Shampoo for dry hair: review


Do you have a dry, itching, flaking scalp? Well let me tell you, this product could be what you're looking for! 


Why did I try T-Gel?


Since I was put on very strong Acne medication (age 12) I have had terribly dry skin on my scalp (a side effect of the drug). At the time, the Dermatologist supplied me with Nizoral, a powerful (but pretty pink coloured!) psoriasis treatment for the scalp. Nizoral retails for about £7 (around the cost of a prescription, UK).  While this product is good, it can't be used daily, and this is what I need to keep my scalp under control.


Now that my acne is under control (I still get flare ups now and again) my scalp has improved, however I still need to have that dandruff shampoo handy, just to keep it at bay. I have tried T-Gel shampoos before, and the main turn off is the AWFUL SMELL! If you have ever tried T-Gel then you'll know what I mean! This meant that I stopped using the product, and inevitably my dry itching scalp returned......


What makes the T-Gel for Dry hair different?


So now that I'd stopped using the regular T-Gel, what could I do? I was looking around the specialist shampoo section in Boots, and came across the T-Gel for Dry Hair. It claimed to do the same as their other shampoos, but be milder and more nourishing for your hair. It does just this! The clear colour  suggests that there wouldn't be that awful smell, and yay, it has no trademark T-Gel whiff! This product is great for clearing your scalp, and you can even use it daily because it's not as harsh as their other products. It removes the flakes and excess oil gently and leaves my hair looking silky.


How do I use my T-Gel for Dry Hair?


I use my T-Gel Shampoo for Dry Hair, whenever I feel my scalp getting that little bit flaky (especially in the cold weather). At the moment, my daily shampoo is Tresemme moisture (I will be doing a review on this product) and I feel that these work great together! My routine:


1. wet hair, use a 50p sized amount and lather in to hair
2. massage in to scalp to dislodge any flakes
3. rinse well (repeat if necessary, I find once is enough)
4. follow with conditioner (I like Herbal essences 'beautiful ends')

I am glad I've found something which I can 

keep in my bathroom, in case of a flaky, itchy scalp! 

Pro's:                                                                    Con's:

- nourishes hair whilst clearing the scalp              - I can't think of any con's!

- price (around £4)

- no smell (yay!)

- suitable for daily use

                          Alternatives?

These alternative products are by no means inferior to the T-Gel I have just reviewed, but they just have more disadvantages than T-Gel for Dry Hair, in my opinion :) If you don't mind spending that extra money, then I would say that Nizoral is a good option. Also, if you don't mind strong smelling products, then I would go for regular T-Gel, which is really good too! I just prefer T-Gel for Dry Hair, because it's slightly cheaper and has no smell :)

       I hope that this review has been of some help, feel free to leave any comments regarding the product or your own experiences! 

Clinique 3-Step Anti-Blemish Solutions Product Review

Product Review for Clinique's 3-Step Anti-Blemish Solutions

I'll start of first of all by telling you that I have dry-combination skin. My skin is acne-prone (I have suffered with acne since the age of 12, and I still get the occasional flare ups almost ten years later! Sucks eh?) My flare ups are pretty much confined to the chin area and forehead. My face tends to get greasy around the chin/nose and dry on the cheeks/forehead, nightmare if like me you like wearing everything when it comes to make up (foundation, powder, bronzer, blusher!)

Trying Clinique for the first time:

I have been through all the standard 'drug store' skin care ranges, and found myself getting frustrated at my skin, make up just never applied smoothly, and I'd end up greasy and spotty by the end of the day. Luckily, I was in my local Department Store, and browsing the Clinique counter, when a helpful assistant offered me trial sizes of the Anti-Blemish Range, this included: Cleansing Bar for Face and Body, Clarifying Lotion (15ml) and Clearing Moisturiser (15ml). I had never considered Clinique before, as it was quite out of my price range, being a student with no part-time job!

The Clinique Anti-Blemish 3-Step skincare system actually works! (well, for me it does!) It dries up those greasy areas, and horrible spots! I have to say though, with having dry areas, I find that the Clearing Moisturiser does not nourish my skin as I would like (because of its spot fighting ingredients which inevitably dry up the spots/skin) I use in its place Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion (not gel). This moisturiser works really well for me, as part of my Anti-Blemish system, as now I have the best of both worlds, spot fighting treatment & moisture in those dry areas, perfect! I also prefer the Cleansing Foam rather than the bar (for convenience really!)

How do I use my 3-Step Skincare System?

I find that I get the best results when I use my 3-Step Anti-Blemish solutions twice a day, every day! It prepares my skin in the morning for make-up, which then glides on and stays on longer! At night I can see and feel my skin looking more refreshed and moisturised, with no traces of make up left (essential to keep that skin free of clogged pores which can lead to a flare up of acne!) This is my routine morning and night:

1. wet the face and neck

2. one pump of cleansing foam, lather in the hands

3. smooth over face gently (avoiding eyes) and rinse with warm water

4. pat face dry

5. apply Clarifying Lotion to cotton pad and wipe over face and neck

6. follow with Dramatically Different Moisturising lotion, face and neck 

Alternatives?

I've found that a cheaper alternative to the Anti-Blemish system is the Superdrug Tea Tree range, but again, if you have dry skin, I would suggest using a richer moisturiser, as the blemish ones can be quite drying. Another alternative, from Clinique, is the 3-Step skin type 2. They currently do starter kits (smaller products in a set) for £20. I bought this set, because they unfortunately do not do an Anti-Blemish starter kit! Skin type 2 caters for dry-combination skin, so I thought I'd give this a try! If you don't mind the slight tingling sensation that the Clarifying Lotion gives, then this is certainly worth a try! I have found that it works just as well as the Anti-Blemish, but the lower price gives it the edge! 

I hope you found this review helpful and please ask any questions you might have and I'll try to answer them! Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment about your own experiences with Clinique!