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Buff your troubles away... Scrubs, masks & cleansers!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin Do you have Problem skin?

Are you Lacking dullness? 

These products have been in my beauty regime for a few months now.... And I think I'm ready to share my thoughts! 

If you've followed my posts before you'll know I have combo skin which can be sensitive and prone to acne (very prone) so please keep that in mind while you read on... :) 

First up: Ocean Salt face & body scrub from Lush. 

This scrub is fab. 

It has large salt particles which really do buff the skin (use gently on skin and avoid scrubbing too harshly on irritated areas) which are also brill for their antibacterial properties, especially if you suffer from excess oil or problem skin. It has a lovely fresh scent, a really specific scent which is hard to pin point, but it really makes for an enjoyable experience when my face products smell nice (yummy even!) it contains lime & avocado butter to sooth & brighten the skin as well as the coarse sea salt to exfoliate. The scrub has been good at taming my skin when I have break outs, it's by no means a miracle product at certain times of the month ;) but keeps the spots at bay at the less hormonal times, which is great! I have repurchased this, and at around £7 for the 120g pot (smaller size) it's not super cheap, which tells me I must really like the product! 

Next up: origins checks & balances foaming face wash & origins clear improvement charcoal mask.

Origins checks & balances face wash was a little disappointing in my opinion. It is a gentle cleanser as suggested (use after initial cleanse as a second step). The formula is a strange consistency for me, and is a sort of shimmery paste, which in my opinion doesn't foam up like people have mentioned on reviews I've read! I have had a rinse off cleanser from origins before, and where I really like them as a brand, I just can't seem to get along with their cleansers. 

Origins clear improvement active charcoal face mask. 

I'll be the first to admit I don't use masks all that often, and the only two I seem to like are this one and the Origins drink up intensive overnight mask (LOVE IT!). The charcoal one has made its way in to my routine to be used once weekly to really pull all those nasties out of the skin. Applied in a thin layer, the formula is easy to spread and dries within a few mins leaving it feel tight. I leave it on for about 10 mins and then rinse off with relatively hot water, it feels so refreshing to do this!!! It's quite invigorating and I really recommend it as a weekly or fortnightly treatment (it's quite expensive, £30+ I think). I have only tried the sample sizes so far for these two Origins products but I know I will be purchasing the full size charcoal mask at some point! 

Last but not least: Herbalism from Lush. 

Herbalism is marketed as a cleanser for daily use on the face or body. I used this on my face, as it contains a 'herbal combination of nettles and rosemary to balance and cleanse the skin' - this was really nice and I did think that it calmed any redness down that I had on my t - zone and was just overall a nice soothing product. It also has rice bran and almonds crushed in to it to provide a gentle exfoliant, this was quite a nice amount of exfoliation in my opinion and wasn't harsh at all. To use you get a little bit in your hand (I could never quite get the ratio right...) and mix it in to your palm with water and then apply to the face as a paste. I really loved the product and it's results, but the actual formula really annoyed me.... I found that little pieces fell everywhere and I could never get the amount right for the whole face. Other than that though (downer over...) it was a pleasure to use and my face felt neither tight nor greasy in the slightest, and I could easily not moisturise afterwards as it was so soothing and left my skin 'just right'

That's it for now! I hope you found this helpful in trying to find a scrub/cleanser. These are just some of the ones I've been trying as of late and thought it was about time to share it with you :) 

Please leave me a comment if you have any thoughts or have used these products yourself! 

Lucy x

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Bare Minerals Starter Kit in Light ~ first impressions

This set is ideal for anyone getting in to mineral make up. It comes with a whole host of things to get stuck in to, including; 

Original Foundation in N10 Fairly Light

Original foundation in W15 Light 

All over face colour: warmth 

Mineral Veil 

Full flawless face brush 

Flawless face brush 

Concealer brush {not pictured}

Prime time {not pictured} 

Approximately £40.00 RRP 

 

The first impression is that it does take some effort at first to get the desired look, but if you follow the instructions then it is pretty straight forward!

The two face brushes that come with the kit are different sizes, and you could use them both for the foundation depending on what look you desire (light/medium or medium/full) the larger of the two supposedly helps you to achieve the fuller coverage.

Personally I use the larger brush for the foundation and mineral veil, and the smaller brush for the all over face colour (just for ease as then you don't have to mix brushes and wash them to use different coloured products) 

I can achieve a lovely coverage with the large brush, though this does take some working in and effort. Daily, I can't really be spending so much time, so I've found that using a BB or CC cream as a base is a really good cheat! You can then just buff the foundation over the top as a powder and it gives the most natural finish! I'm in love! 

Mineral make up is supposed to be a lot better for your skin. I'm not sure whether it is actually making a difference in my skin itself, but when I'm wearing it the results are pretty good! It's such a natural coverage (but it hides imperfections at the same time). And the all over face colour is brill to give a lovely warmth to your complexion. Definitely use a light hand and plenty of blending though! 

I'm going to continue to use it and might post some before and after pics using the bare minerals kit... Which will hopefully be helpful! 

Please comment below if you use Bare Minerals or if you're thinking of trying it... I'm really glad I did! Mineral make up is the way forward :) such a natural look to the skin! 

LucyHelen xx

Keeping it simple - Nivea Daily Essentials review for dry and sensitive skin!

Review of the Nivea Daily Essentials range... Products I've tried :) 

So after years of battling acne, I finally found that the way to keep those nasty problem areas at bay is to KEEP. IT. SIMPLE!  There are so many harsh 'acne' products out there, and while the prescribed ones really do help severe breakouts, general daily skincare should always be gentle (in my opinion). 

I've been trying three Nivea products lately: 

Sensitive 3 in 1 Micellar Cleansing Water

Double effect eye make-up remover

Rich moisturising day cream - spf15 

Before going in with my cleansers (usually origins or superdrug naturally radiant hot cloth cleanser) I like to take all the grime off the surface with the Micellar cleansing water, it feels lovely and refreshing on the skin. It's not very good for eye make up like it suggests, but we have a separate product for that anyway! 

After the cleansing water I would go in with the double effect eye make up remover. It's one of the ones with a layer of oil which you need to shake before use! I was finding that the Micellar water wasn't enough on it's own to remove my waterproof mascara and I had run out f eye make up remover. This one is really good, takes the mascara away with minimal rubbing which is great around the sensitive eye area....

The winner from the three products I have is the mosituriser hands down. It's sooooo moisturising and lovely to apply to the skin! It's spf15 which is great for daily use, but I find that I enjoy using it so much that I apply it at night because I'm out of my night cream. It's silky smooth to apply and not greasy! It's for dry and sensitive skin and I would definitely say that it gets rid of any dry patches and there's no sensitivity issues - it also smells lovely with almond oil :) 

That's it for my Daily Essentials review! Really loving these products at the moment - and they're a little cheaper in Boots I think so grab them while you can! 

Have you tried the daily essentials range?

Product rave! *skincare*

So this is my first post in a whiiiiiile.... I really don't know why I haven't posted in so long, I guess I just haven't felt motivated to sit down and write.. And after all, what's the point in writing for the sake of it?

Anyhow! I've recently been getting back in to the beauty and skincare 'scene' and picking up a few products which have interested me along the way. I rarely find make up items which I find to be the ever elusive 'holy grail' material, but instead find myself stocking up on countless new items of skincare.

My goal with skincare is always to find a genuinely good routine for my skin. It would have to incorporate elements such as deep cleaning, gentle on the skin, nourishing, spot fighting, brightening, tone correcting and the list goes on..... But the main goals are gentle and tone correcting for the moment.

Having been a user of such regimes as Clinque 3-step and other systems which are 'spot fighting' etc etc... I have found that gentle really is the way forward. I tend to swap my products around depending on how my skin is behaving on a particular day and just work with it.

Current regime:
Basic eye make up removal with Simple eye make up remover cream.
Cleanse with origins rinse off cleanser (used with a muslin cloth or flannel & warm water)
Pat skin dry
Follow with Superdrug's naturally radiant 2 in 1 serum and moisturiser.




Now this is the product rave.... The 2 in 1 product from Superdrug. This stuff is amazing!!! I have recently been experiencing dryness and flakiness on my skin, and nothing was working to calm it down. I have found that following my regime with this amazing product that my skin is so soft to the touch and absolutely flake free. I'm currently using it morning and night - it's on a half price offer at the moment so I will definitely be stocking up!!!

I have used products from this range before and I am aware of the products they use and the claims that they make with this 'brand' and that is that it is supposed to be hydrating and brightening. I would definitely agree with these claims, and have enjoyed every product I've tried from the range so far.

Having used the serum/moisturiser for around a week now, I actually took my make up off tonight and this is what spurred me on to write a blog post, I was stunned at how clear my skin looked with a considerably brighter look with my pigmentation reduced. It's not often I look at my bare skin and think 'wow this doesn't look half bad!'

Anyway guys I really recommend at least trying something from this range, and definitely take advantage of the half price offers! The night cream and also hot cloth cleanser are favourites of mine and I will repurchase them again soon!

Thanks for reading (apologies for the rambling) :) Lucy xx

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask *review* Skin saviour for dehydrated and acne prone skin?

Over the past few months, my skin has been in relatively good condition as far as breakouts go.... but instead it was replaced with dry flaking skin on my face which was really hard to control! Eyelids, neck, temples, hairline.... all these places were unbearably red and dry from the weather. Nothing I tried seemed to work, products seemed to moisturise, but then when the product had sunk in the flakiness returned! Not good when wearing foundation etc! 

I'd been wanting to try some products from Origins for a while, but had no real reason to try anything (they can be quite pricey!) so when I was struggling with the dryness I went ahead and purchased the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. The mask claims to: 

Helps skin feel smoother and hydrated

Skin depends on water for its youthful functioning. But all day long, skin loses vital moisture. And the busier you are, the more it loses. This intense moisture replacement mask deeply quenches compromised moisture reserves and builds a reservoir for tomorrow. Japanese Seaweed repairs skin's barrier to prevent future dehydration and signs of premature ageing.

How to use:

'Twice a week or as desired, gently massage onto clean skin at bedtime. Tissue off excess.

Their products are always in lovely packaging anyway, but it was even nicer when I was sent the Limited Edition packaging (this is in aid of planting trees, a nice little touch!) and the fact that some of the proceedings go to charity is great too.

The actual product:

The product is cream coloured, and is quite thick as it's supposed to be a mask which you leave on, and it will sink in to the skin overnight! It smells great, kind of fruity which I like, and the smell lingers which I also like (it's not overpowering or anything). I have read mixed reviews on this product, some love it, some think it doesn't really do much, but what do I think?

I LOVE IT! This product has seriously rescued my skin. I use it a couple of times a week (three or four) as it's a nourishing mask, and not like other masks which can strip your skin (for example a pore refining mask). I put a thin layer on most nights (as it doesn't sink in that quickly, so it can be hard to lie down with it all over your face!) but if I've got an evening where I can do the mask properly with a thick layer then I will leave that on overnight as it will have sunk in by the time I go to bed :)

The instructions do say to 'tissue off excess' but I'm not really sure when they mean..... as if I were to tissue off excess before bed then it's surely pointless? And the product has gone in the morning so again, pointless? Anyhoo.... My skin has never looked more supple and clear! For me it's a brilliant night cream, and my skin is incredibly soft (and spot free!!!) in the morning. The fact that it doesn't break me out is amazing, as most heavy night creams get oily in the night and leave me with whiteheads which is not a good look!!!

This product retails at £20, but I definitely think it's worth it as it's all I've been reaching for at night time! Amazing stuff!

Which night creams/overnight masks have you been enjoying?

Lucy xx

Fragrance Direct Shopping Spree! Rimmel, Essie, Dainty Doll!

I've rediscovered Fragrance Direct!! I used to look on here quite regularly to check the offers, but recently I've been doing more 'real life' shopping rather than on the internet! Someone I'm following on instagram put a picture up of some Rimmel Lipsticks and Essie nail polishes she got for next to nothing, so I went and had a look! I checked out my basket with two Essie polishes, two Rimmel Lipsticks and Three Dainty Doll by Nicola Roberts blushes! Keep scrolling for pictures and swatches of what I bought :) Prices will be listed at the bottom of the post! I got all of this for £16.92 inlcuding P&P!

Lasting Finish by Kate in 07
Lasting finish lipstick in Sweetie

I really like Rimmel lipsticks, one of my favourites is another lasting finish one in the colour 'asia' which is similar to the Kate one, sort of a dusty muted pinky colour (although the kate one here is more of a dusty peach)

I'm dissapointed in 'sweetie' though, as I already have it!!! This is what happens when a girl has too many lipsticks to keep track of... oh dear! I should be more careful next time :)

Here are the swatches of the two Rimmel Lipsticks! I love the formula, even though they're long lasting they're very creamy and highly pigmented which is great! I can tell I'm going to enjoy wearing the Kate one.

Next up are the Dainty Doll blushes!

I was really excited to try these with being really fair, and reluctant to pay full price for them in Boots, I'm glad I came across them on Fragrance Direct!

002 My Girl

This first one is a lovely pale ish pink, which looks like it will have enough pigmentation for a nice colour pay-off! It's super cute and girly, and would look nice with a light pink lip  colour.

004 You Are My Sunshine


This one looks quite scary in the pan! But I'm thinking it will look nice when I've got a little bit of colour in the summer :) I think a light hand during application will be the key!

003 Money Talks

This one doesn't look to me like a blush.... but I think it's more for a hint of colour without looking too rosy. My plan is to use it as a bronzer, as being pale I find it hard to find one which doesn't look totally orange or muddy! Hopefully this will do the trick! I suppose it could be used as a contour, which I haven't tried too much myself, again being scared I'll turn out looking like I have a dirty face!

Excuse my freckly arm... but here are the swatches for the Dainty Doll Blushes, from left to right, 002, 004, 003. Just from the swatch they seem really pigmented and appeared to apply quite nicely even just with my finger! As you can see I have very pale skin and they show up nicely :) as I said, maybe a light hand will be needed to avoid looking like a clown!

I'll probably do a review of these on their own at some point and tell you my verdict! :-D

Here's a picture of the packaging, which I'm in love with! I love that it comes in a box, and the actual compact is so sleek and travel-friendly! The blushes are a decent size and they're great for on the go because they have a mirror! Overall I'm impressed (initial impressions of course) I just hope they live up to my expectations!:)

Last but not least, the reason I went on Fragrance Direct in the first place! I was thrilled to find out they have started selling essie on there, as I do think the polishes are quite expensive. I've never been overly thrilled with the formula of essie polishes, but I adore their colour selection so I can look past that.... I find that you have to build their polishes up, and also make sure you put a top coat because they chip on me like mad! I picked these ones up because I'm looking for more 'spring' type colours... I have too many burgundy's, greens, purples etc!

Left - cascade cool
Right - Neo Whimsical

The colour on the left is absolutely gorgeous, and the sort of shade I've been looking for to brighten up my spring polish collection! The other one I'm thinking will be good for work, where we're allowed to wear nude-ish colours only!


Prices:

Rimmel Kate lipstick - £1.99
Rimmel lasting finish - £0.99
Essie polishes - £1.99/ea
Dainty Doll Blushes - £1.99/ea

That's it for now! Please leave a comment below if you've tried any of the dainty doll range, I've heard some mixed reviews, and I don't think it's been as popular as it was anticipated! I'm looking forward to trying all my goodies out! Bye for now, Lucy xx

p.s Upcoming post - Boots Haul!

Mini Superdrug Haul! Including MUA, Maybelline

Some products I've been wanting for a while, finally managed to get my hands on them! I'm excited to try them out :) here are the pictures!

MUA undress your skin shimmer highlighter
Maybelline colour tattoo in 40 permanent taupe
Garnier skin naturals pure self heating sauna mask

Let me know if you've tried any of these products! :) Lucy xx

Wedding guest simple make up!

It's almost spring, but as its a bit on the chilly side, I'm finding that I'm reaching for the pastels and corals already, to brighten up my looks! This make up look I'm planning on wearing on Saturday when I attend my aunties wedding, I feel that it's quite fresh, but the eyes make it a bit more special than an every day look, and also I'm in love with this lipstick!! A list of products will be at the bottom! 

 

Liz Earle skin repair moisturiser normal/combination

Bourjois Healthy mix serum in 51 light vanilla

Maybelline 24 hr concealer in 02 light

MAC mineralise skin finish natural in light

Sue Moxley famous baked bronzed in shade 1 Miami 

MAC beauty powder in play it proper

Body collection blush palette - I used a peachy shade for my cheeks

ELF eyebrow kit in 'light' 

Rimmel eyeshadow trio colour rush in 760 elements

- purple shade on the lid

- brown shade in the crease

Rimmel scandaleyes eyeliner in 001 black

Miss Sporty mascara - pump up booster with collagen in 001 extra black 

First picture - l'oreal rouge caresse in 04 rose mademoiselle 

For more drama the second picture I've used Sleek sheen lipstick in 773 candy cane! 

Hope you like the looks, I think they're quite simple and can transform from day to night quite easily, especially with the change of lipstick! Do let me know your thoughts and leave a comment! :)

Lucy xx

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum: Initial thoughts!

So I'm always on the lookout for a foundation that claims to provide coverage, and recently I've been looking for foundations that claim to help the skin to look more radiant, and a 'barely there' appearance! This is usually hard to find, as the thinner foundations don't provide enough coverage for breakouts (which I have all the time) and thicker more full coverage foundations just tend to look cakey and unflattering. So I have been trying the Vitalumiere Aqua from Chanel (*Chanel foundation review here*) but I was looking for something more within my price range (being a student and all...) so here are my initial thoughts on the Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum. Here's me wearing the foundation:

Initial thoughts are:

It feels and applies quite like the Vitalumiere Aqua for me, though with more coverage.

Seems to even out my skintone

Provides a dewy appearance - which is nice, but can powder if needed to achieve a semi-matte finish.

I didn't have to use a lot of concealer - bonus! My skin is quite bad most of the time so a foundation that will reduce the use of concealer shows it is half decent for me!

Here I have used two layers of the foundation, and it doesn't seem cakey or anything like that. It still feels light and breathable!

It looks quite dark on my hand on the picture, but it blends in really nicely! I don't usually go for the lightest shade in foundations, despite having pale skin, as I usually want to look a bit warmer. But I've learnt to bronze/blush for that.... rather than having a slightly orange face, not a good look! Embracing the pale is definitely the way forward :)

Now the test is to see how it holds up all day! I'll do an updated review on this for you guys :)

I'm wearing:

Clinique Moisture surge extended thirst relief (good moisturiser to minimise oil in the day)

Benefit Porefessional primer

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum in 51 light vanilla (two coats)

Maybelline 24hr concealer in 02 light

Collection 2000 lasting perfection powder in 1 fair

MAC beauty powder as a highlight in 'play it proper' (creates a nice finish after powdering)

MAC mineralize blush in 'gentle'

ELF cream eyeshadow duo (pink shade, not sure of the name)

Bourjois eyeshadow in 03 (pink sparkly glitter, really brightens the eye area over the cream shadow)

Dior Diorshow iconic mascara in 090

have you tried the Bourjois healthy mix range? please let me know what you think!

Lucy xx

Technic lipsticks: go-to lip product!

I was dubious about these lipsticks, with it being a cheaper brand, but I am quite impressed!! £1.99 and under, I picked up this one in my local bodycare store in the colour fuschia rose and it was well worth the small amount paid! The formula is quite creamy, and the colour payoff is decent! It is quite a pale ish pink, as far as pinks go, but it doesn't wash me out - result! I have been on the lookout for a wearable pink shade, and as my creme cup from mac doesn't work for me unless I'm slightly tanned, this one is great for my pale skin!! Really impressed with this and I would definitely buy more if I could find more shades without shimmer (all I can find are shimmer ones now!) It can definitely be hit and miss with cheaper brands but for me this was a hit!!
Thanks for reading! Luce xx

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish vs Cheaper hot cloth cleansers!

Just to remind you, you can subscribe to me on YouTube if you like hauls, reviews and all that good stuff! Just click HERE to go straight to my Channel :)

Being a student, I was reluctant to shell out for a full size Cleanse & Polish.... instead, I found an alternative in Superdrug. Their Naturally Radiant skincare range is a similar concept and you can find my review of some of the items in the range HERE

Having used the naturally radiant hot cloth cleanser in conjunction with the day and night creams (and alternate nights using bio oil all over the face) my skin certainly did start to look brighter and just generally in better condition! Here is the Superdrug hot cloth cleanser: 

It comes with a muslin cloth, but I don't find these types of cloths to be very effective in exfoliating or removing every bit of make up, so I tend to buy packs of face cloths from Primark for about £3! This cleanser is usually about £6 but it was on offer when I got it for £2.99!

I came across the Liz Earle range in Boots, and they are doing some little sample packs that you can buy, and I just had to go for it, as then I could try a number of products at the same time rather than splashing out on one product which may or may not work out for me. Here is the set that I got: 

The only product in this set that I have gone out and purchased full size is the skin tonic (like a toner) it is so refreshing and calming, I love using it after cleansing morning and night! It hasn't broken me out or anything like that. The cleanse and polish, which was the reason I bought the kit, was slightly dissapointing. It doesn't leave my skin as 'cleansed' as I think the superdrug one does.... and also I think it might be irritating my skin from the way it feels after cleansing. 

Overall, I find myself reaching for my Superdrug Naturally Radiant brightening hot cloth cleanser every single day, and using it in conjunction with the skin tonic (Liz Earle) and the Naturally radiant moisturisers. It's all down to preference, but I just wasn't impressed with the cleanse and polish, the moisturiser or the face mask that came in the little kit. It is good value for money in order to try the products, but they just haven't worked out for me.

I'm looking to find another hot cloth cleanser to try when my Superdrug one has run out... I know that soap and glory do one...and if there are any other's you could recommend then that would be great!!

Thanks for reading! Lucy xxxo

foundation routine & mini product review. The Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua hype.......

Hi guys, long-time no-posts! I've been bogged down with Uni work, and I'm hoping to get back up and running with more exciting posts when I'm all done & graduated (scary!!!) 

If you'd like to watch a video review of the Chanel foundation then click HERE :) 
here you can take a look at my YouTube Channel!

For now, seeing as my foundation review was such a hit with you guys (it continues to get views even a year later..) I thought it might be fun to review a few face products that I've been using recently. My skin has changed a lot over the past year, going from very dry, to oily, and back to combination/dry again. That's British weather for you! 

www.chanel.com

The massively hyped 'Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua' foundation caught my attention late in 2012.. and I was looking for something that would be lighter for my skin, and perhaps not be so clogging or 'mask' like. 

www.cafemakeup.com

This product is water based, and must be shaken before application. You can use a brush or fingers, and looking at the reviews in the blogging world it seems like most people prefer fingers. I use my real techniques buffing brush, and this is my favourite brush of the moment, so I generally use this with all of my face products as I feel it gives the best coverage (and is sooo easy to use!) I'm colour B10, the lightest shade for reference!

Using this product on its own turned out to be the worst way for me to wear it. It went on lovely, and gave a nice natural coverage which could be built up. The staying power of this on my skin was shocking.... within around an hour, even with a primer and setting powder it was sliding all over my face, and I could visibly see it separating...not a good look! I was quite worried by this, as it's so expensive (not a price I would normally pay) so I had to try and make this work.................

www.polywore.com

The best way I find is to layer the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua with my Garnier BB cream for oily/combination skin. I purchased this BB cream after the disastrous time I had with the original one (horrible... greasy... just no!) So I was excited to use it. I adore this BB cream, and it's the only one I've tried (amongst other brands such as DR Jart...) that actually evens out my skin tone and makes it look half decent, like I have no make up on at all, result! 

Anyway, I was browsing YouTube and saw that Midnight Violets had done a post about her foundation routine for a flawless finish, and she used a BB cream underneath her foundation... so I thought why not try it? 

This seems to work for me
++ Thin layer of Garnier BB cream oily/combo using fingertips
++ 5p sized amount of Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua in B10... really work it in to the skin, buff it in really well. This foundation looks great if not a lot is left 'sitting' on the skin. And this will also reduce it sliding over your face.
++ set with a powder if you have oily skin (I've been using MAC skinfinish natural in light, however I think this might be breaking me out so I may have to reconsider this powder. Miss Sporty blemish powder and Collection lasting perfection are great alternatives (and cheap!)

Overall, it's quite annoying that the only way I can get my Chanel foundation to work for me is with another product, but I do love the finish it gives! I think that the BB cream makes an excellent base for evening out the skin, and also to prevent the Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua from sliding. I probably won't repurchase the foundation as it's not been a 100% success for me.. please feel free to leave any comments on your thoughts on either of the products mentioned! 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my posts :) xxx Lucy 

Check out my YouTube Channel! *lucyhelen89*

Hey guys, I've just uploaded a few new videos - quite exciting as I've not done any for a while! A few more will be up in the next few days - including November favourites & a small haul video!

feel free to subscribe to my channel - I will return the favour! Thanks :) here's the link!

lucyhelen89 on YouTube

Two Glossy Boxes later... and what are my thoughts? October & November 2012 Mini Reviews.

So I received my first Glossybox in October, and I have an initial thoughts post which you can see here: Glossy Box October 2012 Initial Thoughts

I'm just going to run through a few of the products that I feel are worth mentioning from the October box and also the November one, and my overall thoughts on the Glossybox experience/value for money etc etc...

Glossy Box October 2012

From this box I have really enjoyed the Yves Rocher Hydra Vegetal moisturiser, it glides on really nicely, and doesn't feel heavy or greasy, just a really nice moisturiser to use! Quite refreshing.

Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure. Really loving this, it does take a few coats to get a decent finish, but the colour is absolutely gorgeous and its perfect for winter :) slight shimmers too!

I would like to give an opinion of the Skinetica blemish solution but I used it about 5 times (as directed) and it was used up! So can't really comment on the effects on my skin :( not a very good sample size I didn't think! 

The enzyme Peel Mask isn't particularly useful to me... not sure if it's had any effects and also quite a lot of product is used for one application so it's almost run out after two uses.

Anatomicals don't just clean it woman scrub it body scrub. This works quite well as a scrub, I'm really not keen on the scent, smells like 'gone off' grapefruit to me... :s but it does the job in removing dead skin.

Glossy Box November 2012

The only product I'm super impressed with this month is the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant! I can't tell you how soft this has made my skin, and it's great that it's gentle enough to be used every day :) I'm currently using it after cleansing with Sanctuary daily face wash and they're a great pair. The only downside is that a full sized product is £38!!!!!! Which is just so expensive...! 

Nails INC caviar top coat - this one's pretty nice, gives a lovely finish to the nails, but it doesn't prevent chipping! I did my nails at night time, and the next morning walking to work I noticed chips already, not very impressed! Also, I don't know if it's just me... but I find the Nails INC bottles look quite cheap?? Seeing as full price you are paying £10+ I'd expect decent packaging (like OPI etc which look great.) Maybe it's just me.... let me know!

Alison Claire Mango Body Butter - this feels really nice, not too keen on the scent, does what it says, moisturises!

Burberry Body perfume sample - I don't like this perfume, so this is a miss for me.

Dr Jart BB cream - this gives quite a nice finish to the skin, but takes a bit of work because it's supposed to adapt to your skin tone, and it's got a white base or something, so it looks like foundation and a white cream so blending in is required. Also I've found that the 'white' tones tend to stick to any dry patches making them look white... so not impressed with this one!

Overall, it's quite hit and miss what products you end up getting, and it's often down to luck when getting the 'better' products that month. I don't really understand why they ask you for a beauty profile, as the product choices don't seem to fit my beauty profile? Bit confusing, any comments then please leave them below! :)

I'm going to hang on to my subscription and check out December's box, but depending what I receive, I may cancel my subscription! Not to have a complete downer on Glossybox, I think it offers a good chance to try products you may not have necessarily thought about before, and perhaps find products that you love, such as the Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (in my case).

So until the December issue of GlossyBox..... thanks for reading and please feel free to leave any comments regarding GlossyBox or anything beauty related :)

Lucy xxo

xbeautybee bracelet range! 10% off!

Hey guys, just a quick post to tell you about my little online jewellery store! Each item has been made by me using an assortment of different beads and materials. 

My absolute favourites are the mottled effect 'made with love' bracelets! They come in white & turquoise, and have a little 'made with love' charm which is adorable!

I'm expanding the range soon for Christmas, with some exciting designs coming! In preparation for this, there's a 10% off sale on the current items in the store using code:

AUTUMNSALE 

XBEAUTYBEE.BIGCARTEL.COM

Thanks for looking & head over to the website for a look, products are selling out fast! 

Lucy xx

My go-to lip products for autumn/winter 2012

These are the products which I reach for the most, I was having a tidy of my make up bag and thought I'd share these ones with you :) the main thing I go for with lip products is colour payoff combined with moisture, my lips are naturally quite blue tinted (I am very pale and bare lips just wash me out) so lip products are a MUST all day - every day! Here are the beauties which are doing it for me right now :)

- Palmers lip butter in dark chocolate & peppermint! -

This one is amazing, it gives a nice sheen to the lips and smells amazing! I don't think I'll go back to carmex now as this one is much better (not as thick and sticky)

- Blistex tinted lip balm -

I was a bit dubious about this one, as its got little shimmers in it, but they've not been a problem, this one is great for when I can't be bothered with the maintenance of lipstick! I can just throw it on and it gives quite a lot of colour, kind of a muted red colour :)

- Rimmel Kate Moss matte lipstick in #107 -

Probably the most popular shade in this range, my friend recommended this to me, and I fell in love with it! It's such a nice deep colour, perfect for autumn! I wore it on a fancy meal out and it stayed put all night! (With it being matte it has better staying power) love love love it!!

- Rimmel lipstick in 'Asia' -

I always wanted to have a perfect nude lip.... Well that's not going to work for me as I'm so pale I found out! So instead I go for nude-ish pinks and find these work much better! This is a dark kind of pink, slightly dusty, perfect to just throw on without too much thought! I do like MAC's Creme Cup but I have to wear this when I'm bronzed up or going on a night out, as casual day time make up do not look good with creme cup for me as I'm too pale!

Overall these are some nice products! Pretty cheap too, I got them all from either boots or superdrug and were all under £6! :)

Thanks for reading! Loveeee xx

My first GlossyBox October 2012 - initial thoughts!

So I've been curious about subscribing to GlossyBox for a while, it's gotten to the point where I'm buying products for the sake of it and wasting a lot of things that I buy because they don't work out and they're often large sizes (hence the waste). Branching out and trying new brands is my aim here, so.... my initial thoughts!

Comes beautifully boxed (not the main concern, but packaging is always something I tend to go for!) and everything inside is nicely packaged! 

Anatomicals body scrub
not a fan of the smell of this.... perhaps I will enjoy using it, but I've just actually bought the Body Shop sweet lemon scrub so that totally trumps this one for now! 
Yves Rocher France - Hydra Vegetal
An anti-wrinkle moisturiser.... I think this is a hard product to place, as people are many different ages who order the box. This doesn't apply to my skin's needs, but hey, it's never too early to try these things I guess! Plus it's nice that the RRP 30ml is £18 which makes me feel like I've got more than my money's worth for the entire box!
Skinetica - anti blemish
My main skin concern is persistent blemishes, so this was welcomed with open arms! Excited to try this one the most I think, as it says it works within a couple of days (hopefully!).
Green People - organic self tan
( or The Organic Pharmacy - Enzyme peel mask as I got...... )
Slightly confused with this one, I know that all the boxes are different, and there are a certain amount of products which get mixed up and sent out depending on your skin etc. However, my leaflet says I should have got the Green People product (which I would have really wanted to try) but instead I got the Mask... Surely the leaflet you receive with your box directly relates to what you have in your own box? Therefore I have the leaflet with details for a product which I don't actually have? Perhaps this is normal, but I'm confused, any comments on the matter would be great guys! :)
Sally Hansen - complete salon manicure
I've not had too much luck with Sally Hansen products in the past, but these look like reasonably quality products. I've actually tried these out already (eager!) and the first thought is how incredibly THIN the formula is!! I received 340 Black Platinum, and it goes on very sheer (almost grey) with the first coat (looks awful) however a second coat and the colour is really very nice!

 I'll do an updated post on all of the products in this months glossy box when I've used them for a week or so! :)

The beauty box idea is pretty good for trying stuff out which you might not have necessarily chosen to buy yourself from the high street! 

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave a comment and I'll get back to you!

Check out my YouTube channel! lucyhelen89

*NEW* Superdrug Naturally Radiant skincare range mini review!

Check out my YouTube Channel :) lucyhelen89

This range is extremely new to the market, launching at the beginning of October 2012 and I just happened to stumble across it as I was searching for a new 'winter' moisturiser as the weather is getting harsher and my skin is getting drier. Since buying three items from the range; Hot cloth cleanser (with muslin cloth), day cream SPF15 & renewing night cream, I haven't actually seen much written about it in terms of reviews etc.... apart from a little hype around the Brightening radiance balm (which I didn't purchase this time). This range is all half price until 4th December in Superdrug stores (and online) so it's definitely worth a try while they're at this great price! Everything is around £2.99 (was £5.99)

Naturally Radiant Hot Cloth Cleanser 150ml with muslin cloth.
"Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry extracts to help revive skin’s radiance and even out skin tone.Enriched with nourishing Cocoa Butter, this rich and creamy formulation melts into the skin and cleanses away make-up and impurities, whilst also providing gentle exfoliation, leaving skin feeling renewed, soft and ultra clean."

I was really excited to see this in the range, as I have heard a lot of great reviews on other hot cloth cleansers (most of which being out of my price range, for example the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish). 

First thing you'll notice is the smell of the product, as it has a few quite potent ingredients including Kiwi and Mulberry, the smell is very strong but one that I like, it reminds me of something from my childhood but I can't quite figure out what! To use, I apply the product all over a dry face (not a wet one as it suggests, as I think that the cream sinks in more and helps to moisturise better) I then wet the muslin cloth in hot-ish water and work in circular motions to remove the cleanser from the face. 

This product feels incredible when you're using it, it really feels like it's cleansing the pores and nourishing the skin, it really feels like a treat to use! Because it's so gentle, I can use it every day (sometimes twice!). I really agree with it's claim that it evens out skin tone! I suffer with large acne scars and they are quite pigmented (I never go out without foundation nowadays) but I have really noticed a difference in my skintone since using the product, I am now looking at my skin in the mirror and I'm not as horrified as usual, so it must be working!! Really really impressed with this, and the size of the bottle means it's value for money, even when it goes back up to £5.99! Worth a try definitely if you have sensitive skin or uneven skintone!

Naturally Radiant Brightening day cream 75ml SPF15 Normal/combi 
"Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Day Cream SPF15 is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry extracts to help revive skin’s radiance and even out skin tone.
Enriched with nourishing Sugar Beet extract, this lightweight formulation provides all day moisturisation, helping to smooth and soften skin’s texture, whilst also protecting against UV rays to keep skin looking youthful."

Seeing as I was buying the cleanser and night cream (below) I thought it would be worthwhile getting the basic range so I went for the day cream as well! I usually stay away from moisturisers with SPF in because I can find them greasy,  but this version was for Normal/combination, so while it's going to moisturise and protect from UV rays, it's not going to be greasy for anyone with oily skin (there is also a normal/dry version which I guess would be a thicker consistency for people with extremely dry skin. This one is great too!

 I love the smell again, and it goes on a treat after the hot cloth cleanser and the face just feels so clean and moisturised it's really a nice feeling. This also makes a great base for makeup (I don't really bother with primers as I don't like the feeling of putting too much product on my face, so I generally just use moisturisers - although I have been trying a sample of Clarins beauty balm which is essentially a primer.... I can do a review if anyone would like). Overall a really nice day cream so far, I'm looking forward to it working with the cleanser to even out my skintone even more! :)

Naturally Radiant renewing night cream 75ml
"Superdrug Naturally Radiant Renewing Night Cream is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with Kiwi Fruit and Mulberry extracts to help revive skin’s radiance and even out skin tone.
Enriched with nourishing Sugar Beet extract and skin renewing Fruit Acids, this intensive formulation delivers rich and long-lasting moisturisation, whilst helping to refine skin’s texture as you sleep, leaving skin feeling smoother and looking more youthful."

Night creams can really be hit and miss when it comes to my skin.... if they're quite thick they usually give me breakouts during the night etc, which is always annoying to wake up to! This one however, goes on like a dream, feels thick enough but also doesn't leave the skin sticky or greasy. I have woken up every morning since starting with it feeling nourished and fresh. My skin almost has a dewy finish to it (without make up might I add!) which is brilliant!

Overall:

I am really glad I stumbled upon this range! The differences in my skin that I've noticed after just a week using it have been incredible! I feel really comfortable in my own skin at the moment, and I really do think it's down to the 'brightening' and tone correcting qualities in this range! Head over to SUPERDRUG and try it for yourself! I'm hoping that the products will continue to work for my skin, and I'll do an updated review in a few weeks! :)

Thanks for reading, any questions just leave a comment below <3 lucy xo