June Hits and Misses

Another month, and some new favourites have been added to my collection along with one regret purchase.

Hits

Marks & Spencer Limited Collection Liquid Liner in Turquoise (review here)

This is a true budget gem at only £4 and it stays put all day. It is a fantastic vibrant hue that applies really easily, even for someone with novice liner skills like me! 

Nars Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil in Happy Days (review here)

 I am a sucker for balmy lip products and I really love how easy to use this lip product is. It's light and non drying and gives a sheer tint to the lips. I do wish it twisted up rather than having to be sharpened though. 

Moroccan Oil (review here)

Everyone seems to have been praising this for ever as a miracle product for transforming your locks into glistening, shiny tresses.  Whilst I wouldn't say it is a miracle, it has manages to bring my dull, coloured hair back to life and certainly increased it's shine. I've had this mini bottle for around a month now and I've hardly made a dent in it so despite a full bottle being rather pricey, it will last forever!

Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub (review here)

 

Love love love everything about this from the gorgeous yummy scent  of maple syrup to the fantastic scrubbing grains which manage to simultaneously exfoliate whilst also being very moisturising. 

L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil (review here)

I've yet to find a L'Occitane product I don't like and this shower oil us deliciously moisturising without being greasy. I've only got a small sample of this from a gift set but I will be investigating the purchase of a full sized product. 

Misses

Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara

 

I'm going to keep this brief as I will have a full review of this coming up later in the week. However I will say that a mascara that weighs down lashes and leaves smudges is not a party mascara!

 

What have you loved using this month? 

 

Review: Soap & Glory The Breakfast Scrub

I love a good scrub and I'm always looking for something to wake me up in the morning and sort out my scaly skin.  I picked up Soap & Glory's Breakfast Scrub recently, purely because I noticed that it had a maple fragrance.  I adore maple syrup to the point that when we were on holiday in California a couple of years ago, I made sure that everywhere we went for breakfast had pancakes and maple syrup on the menu.  I am really craving this right now, despite the fact it is the middle of the afternoon!

The packaging for this scrub is typical Soap & Glory - retro and cutesy.  I'm not particularly a fan of the packaging but I know that lots of people are.  For me, as long as the packaging is functional and serves its purpose, that is all I require.  One thing I do have to mention is that the tub is rather on the large side, which is great for value for money, especially as you only need a tiny amount each time, but not so great when it slips out of your hands and onto your toes in the shower, ouch!

First impressions upon opening the huge tub is that it is very sweet smelling.  Seriously, its like you have just opened a bottle of maple syrup and have taken a bit, long sniff, and although it is also supposed to contain oat, honey and almond, the predominant fragrance is maple syrup.  

The consistency of the scrub is very thick, as you can see in the picture above.  It is a 'proper' sugar scrub and the consistency reminds me somewhat of Elemis' Lime and Ginger scrub.  I have been using this 2-3 times a week, applied to damp skin on particularly dry, flaky patches of my body such as knees and elbows.  It has also been working a treat on my KP.  I would however recommend that you follow up with a body lotion or body butter as although I found the scrub fairly moisturising, the consistency was quite abrasive and you will need to be careful not to overdo it.  This is not a product you will need to use daily.

Verdict

If you are in the market for a hardcore scrub for particularly stubborn patches of dry, flaky skin this would be a great product to try.  It would also be fab for exfoliating before fake-tanning to ensure your tan applies evenly.  The only caveat I would mention is that it is very heavily fragranced so if you have a sensitive nose or an aversion to overly sweet scents, this will not be for you.  For sugar addicts like myself though, it is heavenly!

4.5/5

Where to Buy -  Boots,

Price - £9.50

Managing Keratosis Pilaris

Today, I am blogging about Keratosis Pilaris (or KP) - a condition that affects many people to different degrees.

For those of you who are unaware, Keratosis Pilaris usually manifests itself as a rash or series of small red bumps on the surface of the skin, often on the arms and thighs, although it can appear elsewhere on the body too.  Along with the rash, another symptom is multiple hairs growing from a  single follicle, which can mean that those who suffer with it often have excess body hair.

Typical appearance of KP (not mine!)

For years, I was unaware of what the red rashes on my upper arms and thighs were.  All I knew was that I was extremely self-conscious of them as they were very unsightly, and I used to do anything to avoid wearing sleeveless tops, always covering up with a scarf or cardie.  

Finally, a couple of years ago, I decided enough was enough and decided to do some reading online to see if anyone else had my mysterious skin complaint.  I felt as though I was the only person putting up with it, and upon seeing my doctor, he was extremely unhelpful and told me it would disappear and clear up over time.

KP is essentially caused by the build up of keratin on the surface of the skin, which causes the raised, bumpy appearance.  To combat this, I have been using a couple of simple but effective products in my daily routine:

1) I exfoliate my upper arms daily with a course-grained scrub. 

 

The problem with many scrubs are that they are not scrubby enough and you do need something that is quite abrasive to smooth the skin effectively.  I find the scrub I use in the areas with KP would probably be too harsh for other areas of my body, but on the areas with KP, it works well.  

Recently, I have been very impressed with The Body Shop's Chocomania scrub.  If you can get past the sweet, chocolately scent first thing in a morning, it is both moisturising and exfoliating , and I have certainly seen an improvement in my skin tone over the period I have been using it.  Other scrubs I have enjoyed using and have found effective at combatting my KP have been Korres Watermelon scrub and the Elemis Lime and Ginger Scrub, although this one is rather on the pricey side, but it does feel very luxurious.

2) Following my daily exfoliation of the affected areas, I always moisturise, usually using a lotion rather than a body butter as it is lighter and less likely to clog pores.  You may prefer unscented lotions if you have sensitive skin . I have been using the Vaseline Intensive Care lotion recently and have been pleased with its performance, but any regular body lotion will do.

3) I don't tend make a conscious effort to tan, but during the Summer I do find that the appearance of my KP  diminishes somewhat when my skin is a little darker.  

The sun seems to clear it up a little, and the darker skintone helps to disguise it.  Of course, you can always pick up a fake tanning product and this will camouflage the rashes somewhat.

I hope this post has been of some help to those of you who suffer with KP and has given you some ideas for how to treat it.  

Do you use any products which  help treat your KP?

March Favourites

This will be a quick post this month as I haven't really been using many new products, although I have been using a lot of old ones up.  Plus I am still feeling the after effects of a long day with lots of wine at a friend's wedding yesterday!  Thank goodness it is a short week this week - I can't wait for a four-day weekend!

Estee Lauder Pure Colour in Crystal Baby - review here

This has been my go-to shade for those days when I just can't think if what lipstick to wear.  It imparts only a bare minimum of colour but helps to give a more groomed appearance.  

OPI Holland Collection, Kiss Me on My Tulips - review here

I liked OPI's Holland collection and I wore this plum / fuchsia hybrid quite a few times over the past month.  The quality of OPI polishes is, as always, superb and I love the mini bottles as I never finish a full one.  

Daniel Sandler Watercolour Blush in Flush

A fab blusher which gives a gorgeous, soft pink dewy look.  This was my first watercolour blush and I am intrigued to try some of the others.  A review and swatches of this will be coming up later this week. 

The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub - review here

Despite the fact that this scrub can cause a right old mess if you are not careful, I love this as it is sufficiently 'scrubby' whilst feeling very moisturising and the smell is amazing.  It is a love it or hate it scent though so I would recommend having a sniff of it before purchasing.  I think this is limited edition but itshould be available in stores until June.

Charles Worthington Full Volume Shampoo and Conditioner - review here

A great shampoo and conditioner that when used daily give sufficient volume to the hair, without weighing it down. They have not replaced my Tigi Dumb Blonde but I am very impressed with their performance, especially for the price.

What have been your favourites this month?

Review: The Body Shop Chocomania Collection

Most of you will probably be aware that The Body Shop launched a new collection earlier this month entitled ‘Chocomania’, and as an avid chocoholic, I had to take a look!

I purchased the Body Scrub, Shower Creme and Lip Butter last week so lets see how they faired.

The Body Scrub was probably my favourite product of the three I tried.  I have used Body Shop scrubs in the past and have been impressed with their consistency, however their scents have previously not always been to my liking.  This scrub is, on first appearances, not the most attractive product in the container but on using it, I was faced with the same consistency that I previously loved from their scrubs – there were sufficient grains to ensure you feel like you are making a difference to your skin without leaving it red and irritated, and it was gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

The scent for this product, as with all the Chocomania products, is more of a dark chocolate scent with a slightly sweet undertone.  In general, I do prefer milk or white chocolate but as a chocolate lover, I’ll be honest, pretty much anything goes!!

The Shower Creme has the same chocolate scent and has rather a thick consistency, which lathers nicely.  Due to the fragrance, I will probably refrain from using this in the morning, preferring more fruity scents to wake me up, but I will certainly enjoy using it for evening showers or baths.

The Lip Butter is a small tub, which again uses the recognisable, dark chocolate fragrance.  However, a word of caution – the lip butter smells delicious but I would not recommend eating it or licking your lips too much whilst wearing it, as it doesn’t taste fantastic.  Containing Shea Butter, this balm is a good everyday balm, although I don’t think it could cope with any particularly heavy-duty cold spells.  There is no colour to it whilst it is on your lips and I like the fact that it is not greasy, allowing me to apply some of the lip butter, wait a while for it to sink in, and then apply my chosen lip product.

Verdict

Whilst a nice idea, I get the feeling that this range will be more of a novelty for most people and I probably wouldn’t repurchase these products, mostly because I have so many others I want to try!  If you are a die-hard chocoholic you may want to try these, and they are a welcome change from many of the fruity scents we are more used to seeing from The Body Shop.  If I was to pick one product out of the three I have tried that I would recommend, it would have to be the Scrub as it performs well and the scent stays around just long enough to appreciate it, but not long enough to linger all day.  However, I find Body Shop products to be generally good quality and all three of these products achieve their usual high standard.

 4/5

Prices

Body Scrub - £9

Shower Cream - £4

Lip Butter - £4

Where to Buy – The Body Shop