SUMMER READY SKINCARE

As summer is upon us, it’s even more important than usual to incorporate protective products into our everyday skincare routine. I like to use some sort of SPF day to day but as the sun hopefully gets brighter in the UK it’s even more vital to use different products which will shield your sensitive skin from the harmful rays. This time last year I was a month away from going on holiday to Rome. This year, I haven’t got a holiday booked as yet but it’s just as significant to defend your skin from the sun in the UK. I must admit I am lazy when it comes to SPF, I don’t like to add products to my routine which build up extra layers onto my skin. I like to try and use multi-use products that do a number of different jobs as well as providing SPF.

A new product which I have integrated into my morning skincare routine is the No7 Early Defence Day Moisturiser which contains an SPF 15 and 5 Star UVA protection. This moisturiser is super lightweight and is designed to keep young skin looking younger for longer. This moisturiser has double defence technology, doesn’t block pores and boosts skin’s natural defences. As I have combination skin I really like the gel like texture as it just sinks into my skin and it makes me look and feel great, ready for the day ahead. In the range is also a night cream and an eye cream which work together to create the best protection.

I then like to apply a base over my moisturiser. In the Summer I like to go for something lighter like a BB or CC cream, especially on holiday or days where I don’t need too much coverage. Recently I have been using the Clinique Anti Blemish BB Cream which contains an SPF 40. I love how lightweight this is, it blends so nicely into the skin and it doesn’t feel like I’m wearing make-up at all. It still gives me the buildable coverage I need for day to day wear and the high protection means I don’t have to worry about being out in the sun. I always worry that BB creams come out way too dark, but I have the shade light and I think this suits my natural colour well. You could apply this with your fingers but I like to blend it in with a buffing brush. This Anti Blemish formula is mattifying on the skin and combines oil control, so another perfect product for my combination skin. It has UVA/UVB protection for a shine-free complexion which wears up to 12 hours. I can see this product becoming a firm favourite in my summer make-up bag! You can find Clinique's full range here.

An area that can be sometimes forgotten to protect is our lips. The Carmex Moisture Plus Lip Balms are probably my favourite multiuse drugstore lip balms, I currently have two shades; pink and peach. These lip balms contain an SPF 15 as well as adding a hint of colour to the lips. I love how pigmented these shades are for a lip balm. It means I only need one product instead of using a separate SPF and lip colour. The balms are ultra-hydrating on the lips and leave a shiny, glossy finish. They’re also formulated with Vitamin E, Aloe and Shea Butter to moisture as well as protect your lips. You could even use these under or over your lipstick for added protection.

As well as applying SPF it is also important to make sure you are taking it all off your skin properly before you go to sleep. I like to use a balm cleanser with a muslin cloth to moisturise the skin as well as keeping my skin hydrated. Currently I’m using the Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm which is perfect for all skin types. This cleansing balm is lightweight and quickly dissolves stubborn eye and face make-up, including those with sunscreen. I love balm type products which turn into a silky, fluid oil, this is really refreshing on my skin and completely gets rid of make-up and daily grime. A little goes a long way and it leaves my skin completely clean, super soft and its fragrance free so perfect for sensitive skin. Caroline Hirons raves about this cleansing balm and says it’s probably the best balm cleanser you will find for price, functionality and efficacy. They also have a make-up remover, cleansing milk and oil in the range. It really is that simple to include products that contain SPF into your everyday skincare routine, if you look after your skin in the short term, your skin will thank you in the long run. You can find more skincare options here.

What are your favourite products that contain SPF?

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*Collaborative Feature

CHAMPNEYS SPRINGS EXPERIENCE & EXOTIC RETREAT BODY GLOW

For Mother's Day my Sister and I decided to treat our Mum to a relaxing day trip at Champneys Springs. Me and my Mum have been to Champneys Springs a few times now, but it was my Sister's first experience. Living only 50 minutes away from Champneys Springs is ideal as it means we can just escape for the day and we realised we don't do it enough. I have only ever visited Champneys Springs, but there are also Champneys Tring, Forest Mere and Henlow resorts in the UK. We had booked in for Thalassotherapy in the morning and I had a Luxury Pedicure in the afternoon, whilst my Mum and Sister enjoyed a Champneys Massage and Facial. Thalassotherapy is a 25 minute group activity that takes place with a therapist guiding you in a mineral rich warm pool with hydrotherapy jets. The pool contains sea salt and the following minerals; magnesium, zinc, sodium, potassium, silicon, copper, iron and iodine, to help heal the skin, re-mineralise the body and aid purification. I have booked Thalassotherapy every time I have been to the Spa as my body enjoys the treatment so much. I had never experienced a Champneys Pedicure before so I decided to book that for myself. I did at first want my eyebrows tinted and threaded but they couldn't fit me in. That's the only trouble with the treatments, you have to book early to avoid disappointment. The Luxury Pedicure is a 55 minute treatment, my feet got truly taken care of and I chose this lovely lilac blue shade called Wisteria which I got to keep afterwards. I would definitely recommend this treatment is was lovely and nice to unwind for an hour, I was really happy with the results and my nails haven't chipped yet after a week. My Mum and Sister really enjoyed their relaxing Massage and Facial, which I have experienced on a past trip. They enjoyed being introduced to new products and would definitely book that treatment again. We got full use of the swimming pool, sauna and steam room but didn't manage to fit in time for the gym or any classes. We also enjoyed our healthy, nutritious lunch and a mid-afternoon coffee and cake in the Spa cafe.
By booking online we received a £10.00 voucher to spend in the Champneys shop. I decided to pick up the Exotic Retreat Body Glow and my Sister plumped on the Distant Shores Body Butter. The Exotic Retreat range has to be my favourite scent from Champneys, it contains coconut oil, brown sugar, bora bora sand and mango butter, so it's really a holiday scent in a tub! The body glow is designed like a body scrub to massage into damp skin twice a week to leave your skin smooth and silky soft. I am going to have to try more from the range! I can't wait to visit Champneys again soon and maybe experience another treatment which I haven't tried before.

Have you visited a Champneys Spa?

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REN GRAB & GO KIT

Ren is one of my favourite Skincare brands, along with Origins. The Ren Grab & Go Set has been on my wish list for a while now as I think it's such a great idea. I always try and take minis away with me on holidays or weekends away, so this set is perfect for that in mind or you could even pop this in your gym bag! This set contains all the basic skincare you could need and it's pointless travelling with bigger sized products that you just won't use. The set includes; Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Gel 50ml, Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturising Cream 15ml, a full-size Vita Mineral Lip Balm 15ml, Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel 3ml, Oat & Bay Conditioning Shampoo 50ml, Pro-Vitamin Conditioner 50ml, Neroli & Grapefruit Body Wash 50ml and Neroli & Grapefruit Body Cream 50ml. The kit also contains an airport security recommended bag, so you could chuck this set into your hand luggage and be good to go as everything in the kit is under 100ml. Some of my favourite products include the cleansing gel and the eye gel, which I have used before. I like the convenience of this kit, it means I can use up the Ren products currently in the set and replace what I use with extra minis. I haven’t tried the shampoo, conditioner, body wash or body lotion before from Ren, so I’m looking forward to giving them a go. I know my face likes the skincare, so I know I will get along with those products just fine. The set includes their most popular products for the face and body and it is also a great kit to try the products before you commit to buying the full-size. The Rosa Centifolia Cleansing Gel removes make-up, oils, dirt and pollution without the stripping effects of sulfates. The Vita Mineral Daily Supplement Moisturising Cream is a multi-active day cream that replenishes the skin with moisture and vital nutrients. The Vita Mineral Lip Balm is a rich balm formulated to replenish dry and chapped lips. The Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel is light and cooling to treat, revive and brighten the delicate eye area. 
I ended up purchasing this set from Look Fantastic which is currently selling this kit at £20.00. The value of the set is £38.00, so that is a massive saving and saves me purchasing all my minis separately. I managed to purchase it for £17.00 as you can always find some sort of discount code online. There is also another variation of the set, which is called the Grab and Fly Kit. This set includes, Evercalm Cleansing Milk 25ml, Evercalm Day Cream 15ml, a full-size Lip Balm 15ml, Vita Mineral Active 7 Eye Gel, Shampoo 50ml, Conditioner 50ml, Revivo Tonic Body Wash 50ml and Revivio Tonic Body Cream 50ml. The Ren Grab and Go Kit is the perfect lazy girls travel companion and I will definitely be taking mine with me the next time I go away!

What are your favourite Ren products? 

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MAC LIPSTICK SPLURGE & SWATCHES - PATISSERIE & SYRUP

Before this purchase I only owned three Mac lipsticks, two limited editions from past collections and the classic Hue that was most popular a couple of years ago. I know they're probably the most popular lipsticks to collect but every time I go into Mac I get a tiny bit overwhelmed by the selection. I recently brought the shades Patisserie and Syrup after being tempted by seeing Fleur's vlog where she had been given recommendations from Lily Pebbles. After googling swatches I also thought these colours would be great to go with my skin tone and hair colour. Lovely pink nudes to add to my small collection, so I made an impulse purchase on the Mac online shop. I was also surprised by the £15.50 price point, this has definitely gone up since I first brought one. They’re heading up to the higher price point rather than the mid-range brand they used to be, so were even more of a treat!

I have swatched both shades below on my lips, Patisserie on the left and Syrup on the right. Patisserie is a sheer creamy, neutral pink which is a lovely every day, your lips but better shade. Both the lipsticks I got are Lustre finishes, which is probably my favourite kind of Mac lipstick. They go on sheer, but you can build up the pigmentation and I really like the glossy look I'm left with. I find them moisturising and they don't collect onto any dry areas. Syrup is described as a cloudy pink and is again a Lustre formulation. The lipstick is more pigmented than Patisserie and is more of a purple nude. This is the one I was most excited about! I love the smell of new Mac lipsticks. I also really like the packaging, black and silver bullets with the satisfying click lids. I don't find them to be really long lasting on my lips, after eating or drinking I will more liking reapply. I can see myself using these colours quite a lot as they’re really wearable for every day. Much more wearable than the shades I already own, so I’m sure these will become firm favourites and I will definitely have them in my handbag to reapply throughout the day. After adding two more lipsticks to my collection, I can see myself growing my small collection even more.

What are your Mac lipstick recommendations? 

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ORIGINS LEG LIFTS - POST WORKOUT ESSENTIAL

This was an impulse purchase when I dangerously went into Boots after going to the gym one evening. Origins is one of my favourite brands, so I'm always looking for products which I haven't tried before. This is the perfect product to use after the gym and is obviously how my legs were feeling that day when I popped into Boots. Leg Lifts is an invigorating lightweight gel formula which tingles tired thighs and calves to help relax muscles and cool any aches or pains. The formulation contains Menthol, Cypress, Peppermint and Cedarwood. I really like the minty, natural, cooling scent on my skin. But if you are not a fan of such a strong minty scent this product isn't for you, I know my Mum can't stand it. I apply this by gently massaging in upward strokes from the ankles to mid-thigh. The gel is light, quickly absorbs and is best for all skin types. I do suffer sometimes from restless legs at night and find this product really refreshing and soothing on my tense calves. You could even use this product on other tired, heavy areas. It is also really moisturising on my legs as they feel lovely and smooth after use. It also relieves muscle soreness. I like to use this product in conjunction with other soothing products, I like to have a bath with Mio Skincare Liquid Yoga Bath Soak and use Nip & Fab Post Workout Fix straight out of the gym. Another way I like to use it, is applying it to my feet and then pulling over socks to soften tired feet. This product is really long lasting on my skin and it makes me feel more comfortable after using it. I really prefer a gel type formula as it’s not greasy at all on my skin. It is also formulated without Parabens, Phthalates, Propylene Glycol, Mineral Oil, PABA, Petrolatum, Paraffin, DEA, synthetic colour, synthetic fragrance and animal ingredients, which is good if you are trying to avoid these nasties. I still like to use other moisturisers whilst still using this. I most likely use this product in the evenings, after I have been to the gym. I hadn't read or seen any reviews before purchasing this product, but I would definitely recommend it if you are into your exercise, it really does rev up tired legs. Leg Lifts is priced at £22.00 for 150ml, you only need a small amount so I can see this tube lasting me a fair amount of time. 

What are your favourite Origins products?

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LUSH SPRING/EASTER HAUL

I have been after the Lush Easter range for a while now, a bath bomb even made it to my Spring Beauty Wish List. I left it so last minute that the bath bomb I really wanted Hoppity Poppity wasn't in stock anymore when I popped into the store, although it's still available online. Never mind there's always next year (hopefully), but these are the product I did manage to get my hands on.
Fluffy Egg Bath Bomb, £2.95 each - This is an absolute Lush Easter classic. This pink egg shaped bath bomb has the same scent as the Snow Fairy shower gel you get at Christmas. I must admit I'm not the biggest fan of the sickly sweet Snow Fairy, but in a bath bomb form it's not as over powering and it's just so pretty not to put in my basket! I love that this one turns your bath water a gorgeous shade of pink and the candy floss scent lingers on your skin. The flower is also a cute touch, if you love sweet scents, you'll love this one. Golden Egg Bath Bomb Melt, £3.75 each - Another one of my favourites. Last year I couldn't get enough of this scent, I think it has to be my favourite scent from all the Easter range. The scent is a lovely honey, toffee, bergamot and sweet, wild orange oils which is just amazing! This bath bomb is covered in glitter, it turns your bath a lovely golden yellow shade and the glitter fills your tub. The bath bomb melt also contains cocoa butter so it's really moisturising on the skin as it just melts away in the bath. I would totally recommend this one, the only problem is cleaning your bath after all that glitter. Ultraviolet Bubble Bar, £4.75 each - A new one for Spring, I brought this one for the gorgeous purple colours. It was a bit pricier than the others but you could cut this up into so many uses. The bubbles it creates scent of violet leaf and jasmine absolutes, I've read reviews saying it reminds them of the parma violet scent. It creates so many bubbles that you don't need to use a lot of it. I do love a good bubble bar!  Secret Garden Bath Bomb, £2.95 each - Another bath bomb that came out for Spring and Mother's Day. This gorgeous floral pink and green bath bomb turns you bath those exact colours and then inside is a bouquet of flower petals which is just a beautiful surprise. The scent of this bath bomb is keeping on the floral theme of rose absolute. This one takes so long to dissolve, which I really like as you know you are getting your money's worth. I would definitely pick up this one again, the oils made my skin feel lovely and soft. Mother Superior Bubble Bar, £3.75 each - Mother Superior is a bubble bar I thought I had missed out on. As it was for Mother's Day, It's not available online anymore but there were a few instore. I love how cute this little bubble bar is, it's adorable - look at that face! It's made with Sicilian lemon and jamine oils, orange and mimoso, so it has a really nice citrus scent and created lots of light blue bubbles.

I just like to go around a Lush store and pick random things up which I haven't tried before. What are your Lush recommendations?

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SPRING CLEAN BEAUTY PRODUCT EMPTIES

These are the products I have been loving and using up most recently.

Haircare...Hair products are probably the products I use up the most regularly as I am always changing up my shampoo and styling products. KMS HairPlay Playable Texture, full-size 200ml £11.25 - I had never tried any KMS products before receiving them in a beauty box. This product is a texturising spray, which I like to use when styling my hair. This product gives my hair weightless styling and lasting pliable finish. It can also be used in wet hair as it can be used as a prep spray before blow drying, but I prefer to use it after to help build the style further. I really like the way it makes my layers look and the size was great for travel and my handbag. Would I repurchase? Yes, I need to try some more KMS products. Redken Diamond Oil Shampoo 300ml & Conditioner 250ml, for the set £23.60 - I'm a big fan of Redken haircare and have gone through quite a few of their ranges including; All Soft and Blonde Idol. I have been wanting to try the Diamond Oil range for a while as they are ideal for dull, damaged hair. The formula helps to strengthen, replenish and protects your hair. My hair definitely feels stronger and shiner after using these. Read my full review here. Would I repurchase? Yes, I would definitely use these again. Toni & Guy Casual Rough Texturiser, 200ml £7.19 - I brought this in a Toni & Guy Christmas Set that I managed to pick up in the sale. I always like to use some sort of texturising spray in my hair, but I hadn't used this one before. I really liked the casual, dishevelled matt finish this product gave to my hair. It claims to provide instant root lift and even a backcombed effect. Products like this are so easy to use, as you just work it through with your fingers. Would I repurchase? Yes, I was really pleased with the results. KMS FreeShape Quick Blow Dry, full-size 2ooml £11.45 - This product is a duo phase heat protectant that I received in a beauty box. This product is formulated to make your blow dry quicker, speeding up the time of drying by up to 50%. It also reduces friction while conditioning lightly, whilst also providing protection from heat. I really liked this product, I got on really well with it. Would I repurchase? Yes I need to repurchase this, when I have used up some of my other leave in conditioners, I am definitely a KMS convert.

Skincare...I could talk about skincare all day long, I know trying new products aren't always good for your skin so I like to treat my skin to a few of my favourite products every now and again. Origins Mega-Mushroom Skin Relief Face Cream, full-size 50ml £50.00 - Origins as you know is my favourite skincare brand, I go on about them in most of my blog posts. But I had never tried anything from the Dr. Andrew Weil Mega-Mushroom range before, I brought a Mega-Mushroom Christmas set in the sale. As my skin is quite oily, I don't normally like a thick moisturiser, I prefer a gel like formula. But this face cream was so rich and luxurious on my skin. I liked to apply this in the evenings, it instantly calmed any redness and sensitivity and hydrated my skin at the same time. Would I repurchase? It was a lovely moisturiser, but £50.00 for the full-size tub is quite pricey, I think I will stick to my Make A Difference treatment. Rimmel Fix & Perfect Pro Primer, 30ml £6.99 - I really like this primer from Rimmel. For the price, it's so affordable to what it is. You get 30ml of product which lasts for ages and it definitely does a great job of smoothing and resurfacing my face before I apply my base products. It also brightens my skin, as well as keeping my oily skin at bay. I feel my foundation stays around for much longer when I apply this and it protects my skin from breakouts. Would I repurchase? Yes, I already have.  Soap & Glory Drama Clean Micellar Cleansing Water, 200ml £6.00 - I was so excited when this was released. I'm a big fan of Soap & Glory and was so happy to see something new in the range. A lot of brands have released micellar waters, but this one was great at getting rid of most of my make-up and daily dirt before cleansing fully. I am not a big fan of the scent, Peach and extracts of natural cucumber juice, it is nice and fresh, but I normally like my cleansers not to smell too strong. Read my full review here. Would I repurchase? Maybe, but it's not my favourite. Origins Make A Difference Plus+ Treatment Lotion, full-size 150ml £20.00 - I really like to apply this product in the evenings after using a toner. It helps to refresh my skin and I always notice a difference after I've used this. I apply a little bit on to a cotton pad and swipe it over my face, it just lets me know I haven't got any leftover make-up on my skin. My skin is left hydrated and ready to be moisturised. I always pick up these mini sizes in Christmas gift sets and haven't had to buy a full-size yet. Would I repurchase? Yes, I'm on to my next bottle. Clarins Daily Energiser Cream, 30ml £18.45 - This moisturiser is great to use in the mornings as a little pick me up. It really does help to energise the skin and awaken me ready for the day ahead. I love the glass jar it comes it and it's the perfect consistency for my skin. It's more of a gel type moistuser which my skin adores. It leaves my skin super soft and prepped ready for my make-up. Would I repurchase? Yes I would.

Bodycare & Other...Bourjois Magic Nail Polish Remover, 75ml £4.99 - This was a great little innovation when this first hit the market. The idea of just dipping your finger into a pot and the nail polish was gone was such a genius beauty tool which didn't need you to faff around with cotton pads and spilling it everywhere. I really liked using this at first, it got rid of my nail polish quickly and it does condition your nails with almond oil at the same time. After using this for quite a while, the solution gets really dirty and your nails come out still with polish on. Would I repurchase? I think they are great for travel, but don't last long enough for me. Queen Of... Shaving gel Pina Colada Twist, 150ml £4.29 - I'm not going to lie, I did just buy this for the Pina Colada scent, but I have tried this shaving gel before in another scent and really enjoyed it. The tropical scent was lovely and the formulation comes out like a gel which is really moisturising on my legs. It gives me protection from the razor and it doesn't leave any irritations. My legs feel super smooth after shaving. Would I repurchase? Yes, I normally pick these up on offer in Supermarkets. Soap & Glory Foam Call Body Wash, 500ml £6.50 - I have raved so many times about Soap & Glory shower gels before, I always have one on the go. This scent is a fruity one which has notes of frozen yuzu, orange oil, green fig, and jungle pomelo essence. The scent would be perfect to use on a summers day or on holiday. I find the formula really moisturising and I love the massive pump bottles. Would I repurchase? Always. Make Believe Gradual Self Tan, 200ml £15.60 - I have been using this gradual self tan for years. I'm not a big fake tan user but when I do I like to use something that will give me a gradual golden glow instead of a full on tan. This comes out white and doesn't go streaky at all, I like the scent as it's not too over powering and it seems to last about a week before I need to reapply. This is also great to use after a holiday to top-up your natural tan so it stays around for longer. I like to apply this with a mitt as nobody likes orange hands. Wax Lyrical Gingerbread Reed Diffuser, 50ml £6.00 - I have never used a reed diffuser before in my bedroom, but my Mum picked me up this just before Christmas because she knows I love everything Gingerbread. This was lovely to use throughout Christmas, it smells exactly like gingerbread so it filled up my whole bedroom and I could smell it everytime I walked into the room. I was really impressed with the scent as the diffuser is quite small. It also lasted a long time, so is perfect if you're looking for something to give a room a nice scent. Would I repurchase? Definitely, I will have to have a look at the other scents.

Have you tried any of these products?

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