Soap and Glory Hand Food

What can i say about this little bottle of goodness?

I've had this is my stash for a few months now after hearing so many good things about it. But i've only just got round to whipping it out due to the horribly cold whether sucking all the moisture out of my hands. If there is anything i cannot stand it's dry hands (hate it). So i decided to give this a try and keep it in my handbag for any emergencies even though i've ended up slapping it on every two minutes.. oops.

This is the little mini version so perfect for travelling - definitely a handbag essential for me! It's so small and cute but a little goes a long way so i can see this lasting a pretty long time. All you need is a small pea sized amount for lovely, moisturised hands. The scent is to die for (the typical soap and glory smell) but isn't overpowering which is good!

In case you can't tell i have definitely fallen in love. It's creamy and re-hydrates the hands without making them feel slippery or greasy! Its a perfect handbag size and i don't think i could cope without it at the moment. I apply it whenever my hands generally need some moisture and after washing them because soap can be very drying then i'm good to go!

Got to love it! Available from Boots in store and online and it's a little bargain at just £2.50 for 50ml of product :)

Beauty Wish-list!

Maybelline Fit Me Foundation - sounds amazing for the daytime! definitely the next foundation i'll be buying. 

Maybelline Fit Me Concealer - this also looking lovely and you can't get the foundation without the matching concealer, right? ;)

MAC 'Deeply Adored' lipstick from the Marilyn Monroe collection - perfect deep red for autumn. plus i need at least one thing from this collection! 

MAC 'Jungle Camouflage' from the Carine Roitfeld collection -  perfect combination of colours and makeup in one palette. So travel friendly. 

Neutrogena Blackhead Eliminating Daily Scrub -  Apparently a god send for oily skin prone to breakouts. I really want to try this, love a good face scrub! 

Barry M Gelly Nail Paint - i love the finish of these nail polishes, this blue colour looks so gorgeous and it's such a bargain too! 

What beauty items are you lusting over this October?

Alison Claire Hand & Foot Creams!

Hello! I have some wonderful creams to show you today by Alison Claire. Alison Claire offers completely natural beauty products available to order online. All products are supposed to be skin friendly, irritant free and made of completely natural ingredients so very good for sensitive skin types! There are a wide range of products available, haircare, body creams, washes etc. Everything you could need basically.

I received the Mango & Coconut Hand Cream and the Peppermint & Witch Hazel Foot Cream. Both of which smell very different but very yummy! 

In the package came two little samples of the hand cream and foot cream - small enough to my taken in your handbag or through airport security (like i did) but big enough to last quite a while (about 2 weeks). The lovely, glossy glass jars looked so gorgeous on my dressing table. I also received a booklet with the samples, like a little catalogue, telling me all the products they sold - prices and sizes too. I thought this was a really nice touch and really enjoyed having a read through finding out more about the brand and all the other products they offered! 

The Mango & Coconut Hand Cream as you can tell by the name was scented with a mix of mango which is quite strong and fruity and coconut which is more musky and sublte. I was unsure at first how these two mixed would go (being my favourite scents) but together they blend together beautifully. Leaving your hands smelling subtly, tropical. The cream was moisturising without being greasy or slippery and absorbed really easily. Great for on the go. I took this with me on holiday and found it to be great relief for my dry hands around the pool and on the plane. I genuinely recommend this as a lovely, relatively cheap, natural hand cream. 

Peppermint & Witch Hazel Foot Cream again another wonderful product. It smelt of your typical peppermint foot cream which although was strong it wasn't over powering which i personally prefer. There's not too much to say about this - it's a really nice foot cream that was moisturising and really hydrated my feet without being thick. I didn't get that slippery feet feeling like you can get with some foot creams. So overall a highly hydrating, strong smelling treat for your feet! 

Both creams had an almost butter feeling to them. They seemed to me like a mix of lotion/butter. This was so nice as it meant they were both really nourishing without being too heavy for everyday use! Also you only needed a tiny amount to moisturise the skin so a little goes a long, long way which is always a bonus! 

I've loved this experience with natural body care. The smells were both fab and very appropriate for the part of body. I'm really interested to try the body butters, i bet they are lurrrrvly. 

Have you tried anything from Alison Claire? If not, what would you like to try?

DIY: At Home Facial. Sunday Pamperin'

We all love a good pamper right? Well i know i do. It's the perfect was to relax, treat your skin and make you feel better! So put your feet up, chill out and follow these steps for the perfect at home facial..

Step One: Steam Face

I opted to use this Lush Toner Tab this time (by adding it to the water) but you don't have to use one. All you need is a big bowl, a towel to cover your head and hot, boiled water. Just fill the bowl with steaming hot water (leave it to cool for 2/3 mins) and place your head over the bowl so the steam can get into the pores and open them up - stay like this for about 10minutes. The toner tab contains essential oils which purify your skin and help it feel supple and smooth. Tip: You could always add a few drops of your own essential oils.

Step Two: Nose Strip (optional)

Que - attractive picture..

Ignore the ugly picture and think of the benefits. If you tend to get a lot of blackheads on your nose, like me, these little things are saviours. I just get mine from Home Bargains or Pound shops - any nose strips will do! You just wet the nose with hot water, stick this on tight, wait around 5/10mins and rip off really fast. This just basically pulls any dirt and grim out!

Step Three: Face Mask

I used Montagne Jeunesse Blemish Mud Mask which aims to get rid of any spots/imprections. Just slap some on (avoid eyes) and leave to dry for 15mins(ish). This is by far the most enjoyable part - grab your brew and relax! There's also enough product for two..

Last but not least: Cleanse, Tone & Moisturise! 

I used my Simple Refreshing Face Wash Gel with my Rio Sonicleanse to really deep clean the skin. I then wiped over my face with a cotton pad and the Simple Smoothing Facial Toner which is so gentle and makes sure the skin is fully clean! I then added some much needed moisture to revive my skin using the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Gel. 

Tah-Dahhh! 

Mini Travel Skin Care & Rio Sonicleanse First Impressions!

Hello! I thought i'd show you a little, mini skincare routine i've been using for just over the past two weeks. I shown you my old skincare routine here and it was good, it just wasn't fantastic. I thought my little three day trip to London would be perfect to try some new things and i'm still going.. 

The Simple items were 3 for 2 from Tesco's range of mini's, the Balance Me moisturiser came free with  Glamour magazine and the Nivea lip balm is just available from Boots. They're all small so great for travelling and trying before purchasing the full size.

I was surprised by the Simple face wash and toner - i absolutely love them both. The cleanser has done a fantastic job of keeping my skin squeaky clean and keeping spots at bay. It's pretty good at removing makeup and doesn't sting the eyes at all (which i love!). The toner accompanies the face wash perfectly removing any excess grime/cleanser and preparing the skin for moisturiser. This combo has worked brilliantly helping to balance my combination skin and keeping it really clean! The Simple eye make-up remover is no surprise to me - i already have the full size version! You just cover a cotton pad with it, hold it against the eye and wipe. It does a good job at removing eye makeup gently without stinging the eyes or making them go blurry! 

The Balance Me 'Balancing face moisturiser' is a product that has grown on me. It's a little different than my usual moisturisers - it's thicker and harder to rub in - but does the job nonetheless. I find this is best applied straight after washing and toning when the skins still damp and it rubs in much easier. However, the results are worth it, it does a great job of balancing the skin. It moisturisers both the oily and dry area's of my face without being too much and leaves skin feeling moisturised but matte - great base for makeup! 

The Nivea Hydro Care Lipbalm i just got in a little set. It does a good job of keeping lips very smooth and plump. It's good but isn't amazing - i still prefer Carmex. I find it's best applied liberally at night! 

Now you're probably wondering why i'm including the Rio Sonicleanse is this post? Well, i've been using this for the past 9 days with the skincare routine i've talking about above. I apply my Simple face wash all over the face (wet), give it a little rub in then let this little machine do it's magic!

I have been loving my sonicleanse - it just nine days i've already gone through a purging stage (although they have cleared up pretty well) and my skin is feeling so smooth (like a babies bottom). The overall texture of my skin is much nicer, even and smoother. I haven't really noticed a difference in pore size yet but i know my skin feels much cleaner when i have used this. So far, so good i can't wait to see more results. Do i recommend it? Yes it's a much more affordable version of the Clarisonic and does the same job as far as i know?.. It's available here and here. I will do a more indepth review when i have given it a longer test run.

Have you tried any of this products? What do you think?

Current Skincare Routine (Oily Skin) & Mini Update.

Hello all! I have my current skincare routine for you all today, i say 'current' because i change it every two minutes. But, these are the products i have been sticking to for the past month or so and they seem to be working pretty well. I do break out every now and then and it's usually quite severe - meaning lots of little spots and bumps :( But it doesn't last too long!

My skin is combination/oily - meaning it's dry on the outer area's of my face but very oily around my t-zone (especially my nose). I also get a lot of blackheads on my nose and chin which isn't very nice  and have a bit of redness around my nose and cheeks. So these are the things i try to combat most :)

l-r: Clean&Clear Moisturising Mist, Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, Clinique Liquid Facial Soap (oily skin), Skin System Foaming Facial Scrub, Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising gel, Lacura Serum.

Recently i've been reaching for my Clinique Facial Wash as my cleanser - morning and night. When i first started you using this, i hated it (strong but true) but at the moment i've been loving it. One pump removes all makeup (expect the eyes - that stings!) and cleans the skin but, sometimes i do use a second pump for a deep cleanse. It's gentle on this skin and foams up when you rub in circular motions. It does dry the skin out little but it's nothing a little moisturiser can't solve.            

 As part my cleansing routine i also use the Skin System Facial Scrub from Asda, from day one i have been impressed with this scrub. It exfoliates the skin without being too harsh. It's a gel like consistency with little beads in it that exfoliate and clean the skin - also removing makeup. So, sometimes i use one squirt on this to initally remove makeup and exfoliate then use the Clinique Face Wash to deep clean.

Once or twice a week i use the Mint Julep Mask to try and get rid of any build up of oil/blackheads. I just apply a very thin layer on my 'problem area's (t-zone and any spots) and wait above 15 minutes until it's dry and remove. I'm still unsure how i feel about this mask. It does help to get rid of spots/oil and brings out any congested area's but, it doesn't do much for blackheads. It's isn't drying and easy to remove so it's pretty hassle free!

The toner i have been using at the moment in another from Asda, it's the Skin System Vitamin E Toner. This is such a harsh toner, no matter how much i was my face it will still remove dirt/makeup which is crazy. I only use this around 4/5 times a week when i want a deep cleanse as it's so harsh and i'm afraid it will strip skin of it's natural oils etc. making it worse. But it is great when i really want a deep clean. It 'replacement' of the toner, i use the Clean & Clear Moisturizing Mist daily after cleansing to just refresh the skin and a little moisture - it's just like any face mist really. And sprayed on a cotton pad it does get rid of any left over cleanser while being gentle.

I did a post on these two moisturisers here. I use the Clinique Moisturizing Gel in the morning, before makeup as it's a really light moisturiser so makes a great makeup base for people with oily skin like me. I wasn't sure about it at first, now i love it and couldn't imagine using a different moisturiser as they all seem heavy in comparison. The Lacura Multi-Intensive Serum is also a light moisturiser although it's slightly thicker than the Clinique one so i use this as night. This really hydrates the skin but doesn't leave it feeling greasy, my skin also isn't greasy when i wake up either which is a bonus.

So yeah, that's everything i use on my face to get rid of makeup and cleanse. At the moment this combination is working but i know i'll switch it up sooner or later :)

I also wanted to let you know i'm off to LONDON tomorrow with the boyfriend. We are staying over until Tuesday and have lots of plans (especially shopping). It going to be a lovely little trip and i can't wait to explore the streets of London, spend some time away from Manchester and experience the hustle and bustle of the city. But i have some great guest posts lined up to keep you occupied and if i'm a little awol (not much tweeting as my phone will die </3) you know why!

Battle of the moisturisers: Clinque vs Aldi!

I thought i'd share these two moisturisers - one 'high-end' and one bargain product! I thought doing reviews of them would be a bit boring so as i use these both daily i decided to put them up against eachother ;)

 Clinique's dramatically different moistursing gel is £29 for 125ml
 Lacura (Aldi's brand) multi-intensive serum is £3.49 for 50ml.

 So, is it really worth paying more? 

Clinque: This is a gel moisturiser - which is better for my oily skin than a cream. The gel is really lightweight and applies easily to the skin. One - one & a half pumps provides the right amount of moisture for my whole face and doesn't leave me feeling greasy atall. This is a great base for my makeup as it doesn't provide too much hydration so my makeup lasts longer! However this can take a lot of getting used to if you're used to thicker more moisturising creams sometimes i feel my skin needs that little bit more moisture. I'm not too keen on the smell of this aswell, although it's not detectable once absorbed into the skin.

Lacura: This a serum for all skin types, it's a cream consistency but is still very lightweight and not thick atall. I find inbetween a half and one pump (awkward i know) is more than enough to hydrate my entire face and again doesn't leave me feeling greasy. It provides long-lasting moisture however because it is slightly thicker than the Clinique one my skin gets slightly oilier through day but it's not a massive problem atall i can just use a little less. This cream smells gorgeous - it smells so fresh and 'clean' - i can't describe it but the smell is lovely believe me (once absorbed it is undetectable).
 

Left: Lacura Multi Intensive Serum                  Right: Clinique Moisturising Gel

Overall these are both so similar - both hydrating yet not too hydrating for my oily skin, both light and absorb into the skin quickly. The main difference is the price tag and the smell - both of these the Lacura serum wins hands down!  At the moment i used the Clinique in a morning before my makeup and the Lacura one applied more liberally as a more intense night time treat.

The Clinque gel is probably better if you have oily skin like me, but i don't think it is dramatically better! I don't think i will be repurchasing the Clinique moisturising gel unless i have a spare £30 as i think there are cheaper moisturisers - like the Lacura serum - that do virtually the same thing!

So, if you're oily skinned both these do the trick i would recommend them both but obviously the Lacura serum is far more purse friendly and suitable for all skintypes whether you have dry or oily skin i think it'd be great :)

Hope this has been slightly more interesting than a straight review, or maybe not haha!

So, how much are you willing to spend on moisturiser? Are you prepared to splash the cash or do you look for cheaper alternatives?