Bourjois Little Round Pot Blush Coup De Foudre: Review.

Hello! 

Well, we're getting closer and closer to Easter, and well and truly into Spring (even though the weather disagrees), and I for one am embracing pastel colours and a brighter, more pastel palette for my make up. Long gone are my days of a dark wardrobe, and out have come the dewy foundation shades and pink blushers, which is where todays review comes in. 

I have been using the Bourjois blusher for a week now, and so far, I am loving it. The shade I have; 'Rose Coup De Foudre' is a lovely rosy pink shade with a hint of glimmer which gives the cheeks a healthy glow; perfect for the spring. 

I find that this blush only needs a light brushing on the cheekbones starting at the apples of the cheeks, and sweeping upwards, as coverage (on my skin at least) is quite high, and this gives me an adequate flush to the cheeks. 

This blush retails for £7.49 at boots, which I think is a very fair price for such a good product. You can purchase your own little pot of blush here. 

So that's my 6 reviews in 6 days! Phew! I'm going to have a day off tomorrow, and do Easter the way it was intended: with a face full of chocolate and a roast dinner! Yum! 

Toodles for now, and Happy Easter! 

Gem. Xx

Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer: Review.

Happy Good Friday!! 

As Easter has crept up on us, I don't know about you, but I have been fully enjoying it's chocolate-related goodness. This has left me with a face full of every girl's nightmare: spots. 

This is where todays review comes in. I am constantly on the lookout for the little miracle in a bottle that will solve all my blemish related issues in life, whether that be dark circles under my eyes, or pesky pimples rearing their ugly head after gorging on too much chocolate. I had heard good things about Rimmel's Wake Me Up Foundation, and after reading DizzyBrunette3's review of concealers, (check her blog out, it's amazing, and I am so envious of her big hair!), I decided to give Rimmel's Wake Me Up concealer in 'soft beige' a bash, and I have to say, so far I'm impressed. By no means is this concealer the miracle in a bottle I have been searching for (I doubt such a thing exists!), but it's definitely a contester. I usually only need concealer to try and cover my dark circles, as i'm lucky enough not to suffer with pimples TOO much, and this concealer does seem to do the trick, leaving me with a dewy complexion, which goes perfectly with the dewiness of my current foundation, Rimmel Match Perfection in 'classic beige'. I have tried this concealer recently on the little intruders that have appeared on my face, and so far, so good. The lasting power on this concealer is a couple of hours, however my skin is a tad on the oilier side, so that might be to blame rather than the actual product. 

Overall I would recommend this product for people with only a few blemishes like me, as i'm not sure that the formula is thick or heavy enough for full coverage, however each person is different, so what works for me might not work for you, and vice versa. 

Which concealer is your go to for bad skin days? 

Gem. Xx

Rimmel London Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner: Review

Hello! 

So, it's day 4 out of my 6 reviews and today I bring you Rimmel's Exaggerate Liquid Eyeliner. 

Firstly, I apologise for the shoddy photography! Being the silly girl that I am, I've left my camera lead at Uni, meaning i'm stuck with my Blackberry's awful camera! =( 

 Rimmel have, in the last couple of years, in my opinion upped their game in terms of packaging. The packaging for this eyeliner is very similar to most liquid eyeliners, however appears a little more sleek, in a quirky pyramid/cone shape. 

The applicator again doesn't break any barriers, however in my opinion, if it aint broke, don't fix it! I find that the liner glides onto my lids, and I rarely have to apply more that one coat.

The formula is a creamy and loose texture, which applies smoothly, and with minimum effort, which is good for people like me, who don't have an awful lot of time in the mornings to sit and do make up.

I've opted to do a classic 60's flick with my liner, with otherwise very minimal and nude eye make-up. What does everybody think?

Tomorrow, I shall be covering Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer, so stay tuned! 

Gem. Xx

Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick in 110: Review.

Evening lovelies! 

Today I bring you the Rimmel Kate Moss Lasting Finish Matte Lipstick in the shade 110. 

Shade 110 is actually a lot brighter that I first imagined, on the Boots website it looked a lot more of a creamy pink tone, however the actual shade appears much more orange in tone, giving an almost neon appearance. 

The 'matte' lipstick is not something I have ever used before, and from reviews i've read of other matte lipsticks, I was expecting the formula to be very chalky, and leave my lips looking very dry, showing up every blemish within my lips. Since receiving the product, however, I have so far (touch wood) had no problems whatsoever with the 'chalky' formula. Although the formula is obviously very different in texture to a normal lipstick, I do not find it to be a bad thing, and I actually really like the slightly less shiny finish to my lips. 

I was a bit nervous about wearing such a bright shade, as i'm usually a nude girl, however I do feel it's time to shake up my make-up wardrobe this Spring with some brightly coloured lip colours, and (hopefully) it looks ok! I'm hoping to add some pastel-y bright pinks to the collection in the future, which I think, and hope, will look great with my blonde hair and a tan this summer. 

Do you own any Kate matte lipsticks? Which shade is your favourite? 

Gem. Xx

Bourjois Delice De Poudre Bronzing Powder: Review.

Hello! 

Well today, boys and girls, comes the second instalment of my 'six make-up items in 6 days' posts. This evening I bring you the Bourjois Delice De Poudre Bronzing Powder. 

I'm perhaps a little late on the bandwagon with this bronzer, however now that I have it, I feel like I need to give it a review. 

The packaging of this product is quite quirky, and I haven't really seen any other product like it. It opens like a book, and the bronzer itself is made to look like pieces of chocolate - yum! 

I do enjoy make-up that smells as well as looks nice, and this bronzer smells gorgeous! It has a lovely chocolate fragrance which makes your entire face smell like cadbury's, which can never be bad, can it?!

The actual bronzer has a slight shimmer (Bourjois describe this as glints of sunshine) which immediately gives the skin a radiant finish. I so far, have tended to brush this bronzer lightly all over my face to give me a healthy glow, and occasionally on my cheekbones to add definition and contour. 

Overall, I really like this product, and once the sun makes an appearance, I'm sure it will be a staple in my make-up routine! 

Have you used this bronzer? What are your thoughts?

Much love, 

Gem. Xx

Rimmel London Apocalips Lip Lacquer in 'Nova'.

Hello there lovelies!

My Boots splurge has arrived! I braved the snow and ice this morning and made my voyage to my local Boots store to pick up my package - six shiny new pieces to add to my make-up collection. As it's the Easter Holidays for us students, i've decided that rather than do a mass review like I tend to do when i'm short on time, I'm going to do an in depth review of each product every day. That's SIX whole reviews in 6 days. 

Challenge set. Challenge accepted. (Oh dear, i'm starting to sound like some of the video games my other half plays...) Anyway, here is my review of Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in the shade 'Nova'. 

Now, you've probably seen a hundred and one reviews of this product already this year - but I am here to put my two cents in on this popular drugstore product. 

Apocalips Lip Lacquer is a highly pigmented lipgloss collection from Rimmel London. At only 8 shade options, this may seem quite limited, however the colours are carefully selected and, in my opinion, there are some Gems to be had. (If you'll excuse the name pun!) 

The wand applicator makes this lacquer apply smoothly and without hassle, giving opaque coverage with one coat. 

A lot of the reviews I have read prior to buying this product showed the shade 'Stellar', a bright fuchsia colour, however being new to brightly coloured lip colour, and being slightly more fair skinned, i opted for the slightly more muted tone of 'Nova'. 'Nova' is a gorgeous rose pink colour, which glides onto the lips with the greatest of ease. I haven't yet had a test run to see the lasting power of this one, but from the reviews i've read on the product, it's a couple of hours. 

Being so highly pigmented, there is always the problem of over-doing it, and for me, somebody who usually sticks to the more neutral and translucent peach/pink shades of lip colour, this is definitely something that I am working on myself. 

'Nova' (Note: The image above isn't entirely true to how bright the shade is once applied.)

Has anybody tried the 'Apocalips' range? Which shade is your favourite?

Toodles! 

Gem. Xx

A Bit Of A Plug...

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6166369/?claim=b9d7kg5325z">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Hey! 

Just a quick plug - Sorry! - If you enjoy reading my posts and want to subscribe, please feel feel to follow my ramblings via google friend connect, or Blog Lovin. 

I should be picking up my boots order (weather permitting - still snowy here!) tomorrow, so fingers crossed I shall have some reviews coming your way very shortly! 

Toodles for now!

Gem. Xx

My Current Lip Products.

Hello! 

I thought that as it's snowing like mad and most of the UK is stuck indoors (we've had just over 8 inches of snow in 24 hours!) I'd do a little post on my favourite lip products of 2013 so far. 

As it's been such a cold and dry skin inducing three months, i've been avoiding the lipsticks, and going for more lip balms, butters and glosses, which I find keep my lips more moist that lipstick does in this kind of weather, and I have ten of my current favourite to share with you. 

From the top, clockwise: 

1. The Body Shop Vitamin E Lip Care SPF 15: This little balm has been my saviour. It's nourishing and protects against not only UV rays with it's SPF content, but also protects against the cold, and chapped lips. Generally, I use this balm as a base for any other lip product, and it helps to keep my lips smooth. 

2. The Body Shop Sweet Lemon Lip Butter: I have come to love these little pots of lip butter from TBS. They come in a variety of flavours (I have four of them) and each one is a lovely as the next! I like to apply this liberally to my lips, and this gives them a lovely glossy sheen, whilst adding moisture. The sweet lemon butter smells exactly like the sweet lemon body butter, and, although probably more suited to the summer months, I have come to use this one regularly. 

3. The Body Shop Foundation Dragon Fruit Lip Butter: This butter has a fresh, almost floral scent, and has the same moisturising qualities as the other butters, however all money raised from these butters go to charity, which I think is a really nice idea. 

4. The Body Shop Mango Lip Butter: Can you tell I like these lip butters? As with the entire mango range at TBS, this lip butter is no exception and smells gorgeous and fruity. I also have the coconut butter, which I haven't pictured. I tend to use the coconut butter only at night before I go to bed, as, unlike the others, the coconut butter leaves my lips looking quite white, which isn't ideal for during the day. It's still a great moisturiser for your lips though, and I wake up each morning with beautifully soft lips. 

5. The Body Shop Born Lippy Strawberry Lip Gloss: Like the lip butters, this gloss comes in a little 10ml pot, however, being £2 cheaper (the butters are £4 each) the packaging does come across as a little less sophisticated. The gloss has a lovely strawberry scent, and tints your lips a nice transparent red. This is perfect for when you just want a slight gloss with a hint of colour...and the odd whiff of strawberry!! 

6. Vaseline Rosy Lips: I think everybody has a little tin of vaseline hiding away somewhere in their room, whether it be this tinted pink one, Aloe Vera, or Chocolate to name but a few. And there is a reason for this - they work! Soothing and smoothing, I always turn to my little tin in times of need. I know some people complain about it drying your lips out more, but I have never experienced this problem. 

7. ELF Luscious Liquid Lipstick: I bought this back in January when I had a bit of an ELF splurge. I have to say, it feels a bit more like a gloss than a lipstick, and I do tend to have the sticky lip problem when I go out. As soon as the wind blows, my hair gets stuck to it. However, I do love the colour of this, like cross between a muted cherry red and a deep pink, and I have found that after applying, this product does stay on for a good hour, which is fairly good going for a cheap lipgloss (as with most of the standard ELF range, products are £1.50). 

8. Rimmel Lasting Finish 1000 Kisses Lip Tint & Balm in 600 Carry On Cherry: I really rate this little lip tint, and as lip tints go, this is one of the best I have tried. I love that the tint is a pen-type applicator, and it's very easy to produce a deep red colour, or by just applying to the line of your lips, and blending, I am able to create a very subtle day look. The balm adds shine and glossiness to the lips, and can take your look from day to night. 

9. ELF Lip Exfoliator: This little lip exfoliator works wonders to scrub off dead skin, and enriched with shea butter, vitamin E, avocado, grape and jojoba oils it enriches and smoothes lips. It's full of sugar which gently polishes and exfoliates lips, and the fact that it's in lipstick form, rather than a pot of lip scrub makes it much easier to apply. It smells and tastes gorgeous, and after a good scrub, it's almost impossible not to lick all the sugar off your lips! 

So there we have it, my lip go-to's for 2013 so far. What are your favourite lip care products of this year? 

Oooh, also, you're all probably fully aware, but boots not ONLY have their 2 for 1 offer on bodycare, they've extended it to cosmetics. I've indulged in a new spring make up collection, which is available for me to collect from my local boots store tomorrow! Excited!! If it EVER stops snowing and lets me go collect it!! What will you be indulging in? 

Gem. Xx

Inside my suitcase... A students guide on how to pack lightly...

Hi!! 

So, tomorrow I leave my safe haven of my Uni flat, and move back home for three weeks for Easter fun (or in my case, working to pay for my next rent instalment). 

I always have trouble packing, as I want to move EVERYTHING back home, which is both unnecessary, and a bit of a pain, so this time round I am going to try the difficult task of packing light and only using ONE suitcase...(Warning: This may be more difficult than it seems). 

I won't bore you with every item I pop into the case, as we'd be here until next week, but here are a few essentials which I will be wheeling home tomorrow...

Now, I can't go home without at least one handbag to see me through these three weeks. In the mindset of packing lightly, i've chosen one in each style.

From left to right:

Envelope clutch bag in Teal/Turquoise: I bought this in Primark a week or two ago for the bargain price of £3! It's such an amazing pastel colour (this picture doesnt do it justice) and it's big enough to fit in all my necessaries.
Leather Messenger/Satchel in camel/tan: Don't you just love vintage fayres? This baby was purchased last year at one, and i've used it so much since then. It's big enough to take out on a shopping trip, and fits in all the essentials, however it's not too big that i'm hitting people with my bag as I walk around, or knocking things off the shelves/hangers! (I'm Queen of doing this!)
Deep blue tote bag with gold embellishment by Tom & Eva, Paris: The studs on this bag are what swayed me into buying it. It's gorgeous, and one of my favourite and most used everyday handbags.

Statement tee's, and big slogans are quite popular at the moment, so packing a couple of them into my case will make sure that if the occasion comes up where I just NEED to wear a slogan tee, then I have a couple of options. They're also very crossover items, and go with most things, which is great when you're trying to pack light.

Pastels! Pastels are this Spring's go to, and my wardrobe is packed with various peaches, pale blues and turquoises. Because i'm super organised, i've even thrown in the accessories to match!

Necklace - Dorothy Perkins

Necklace - Dorothy Perkins Turquoise Earrings -Forever 21

Coral and Gold Aztec Earrings - Miss Selfridge

Coral Feather Necklace - Dorothy Perkins Floral Ring - Topshop

'Love' Bracelet and Heart & Flower Bracelet - Accessorize

Statement Skinnys.

I've decided to opt for the classic black skinny jeans from New Look, standard blue skinny jeans and olive dogtooth skinnys, both from River Island. This way I have jeans for every occasion.

I wear shorts all year round, whether showing off my legs in the sun, or over the top of tights, they're always a staple in my wardrobe. Here I have a selection of my favourites, in the hope that we get some sun this Easter. The top two pairs (studded denim, and peach) are from Primark, and the leather look quilted shorts, and Denim hotpants are from River Island

I love big, bold prints, and this selection of printed scarves should jazz up any plain outfit. I especially love the poppy print scarf from Topshop! 

Tan ankle boots should be part of every girls wardrobe, and these studded tan boots from New Look are my babies. They go with everything and dress up even the most mundane outfits.

Ok, so that's my wardrobe sorted, now for my stash of beauty products and bodycare...

This basket houses my everyday essentials, or at least my everyday most used items. 

Left to Right: 

Boots Essentials Range: I decided to try out the Essentials range a few months ago, as my funds were pretty low, but I still wanted to buy something to look after my skin. I have to say, for how cheap the products are, they have been my saviours. I'm currently using the cucumber eye gel, toner and moisturiser, and so far (touch wood) they haven't given me any problems. I have combination/oily skin, and some products I find to just bring me out more oily than I was before, however these products suit my skin down to a T, even though they're supposedly more suited to 'normal' skin. 

The Body Shop Body Butter in 'Olive': I love nothing more than to give myself a deep moisturise each night to keep my skin supple and smooth, and The Body Shop never disappoints. I'm almost out of this one..may have to move onto the next butter hidden in my stash!

Charles Worthington Salt Spray: I bought this on a boots haul last week, and since then have used it at least every other day! I love it! It gives my hair a matt finish, whilst bringing out the natural wave within my locks. 

Champneys Conditioning Cleansing Milk: Another one of my buys from last week, removes facial make up beautifully, not so much with the eye make up, although it specifies this on the bottle - I found that it just made my eyes sore - so i'm sorry, but i'm sticking to the face wipes to remove the eye make up, as much as I probably shouldn't... 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Exfoliating Pads: I use these twice/three times a week, and since adding them to my skincare routine, I don't get half as many blemishes or spots. 

Lush Mask of Magnaminty and The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask: These are my go-to face masks for when I feel I need a facial pick-me-up, and never fail to make my skin smooth and supple. 

Andrew Collinge Leave In Conditioning Spray and Heat Defence Spray: Whenever my hair is feeling a little dry and the ends, which happens to us long haired peeps from time to time, the conditioning spray brings it back to life and just adds that little bit of moisture that you need. And need I say more about the heat defence? 

Superdrug Dry Shampoo: If i'm having a 'flat hair day', i just spray a little of this into my roots, massage in, and i'm good to go, instant volume! 

Ok...now for the rest... 

Left To Right: 

E.L.F. Beauty Book: This little book contains 6 shadows, a primer and eye liner, as well as tips on how to create a natural day to night look. You can buy it, and other ELF items here. 

My Make-up Bag: Needless to say, VERY important..but more on that another day... 

Lush H'suan Wen Hua Hair Conditioner, Herbalism Facial Wash and Ocean Salt Facial Scrub: These feature in my 'It's a Lush Life' post. 

Planet Spa Illuminating Moisturiser: If my body butter is too heavy, this light cream is my next go to, filled with shimmer and a wonderful smell, it makes you truly feel 'illuminated'. 

The Body Shop - Mango Range: As i've almost ran out of my olive butter, i've decided to give the mango range, which I bought a while back on a MASSIVE Body Shop haul, a go. Review to follow... 

Assorted pastel nail polish: To go with my pastel clothes, of course! 

Aussie Volume Shampoo: I love the luscious long and colour ranges, and this is my first dip into the volume... 

St Tropez Gradual Tan: Just in case the sun decides to stay hidden this easter, I have a cheat! 

So that's it. I'm packed into ONE suitcase! (A round of applause there wouldn't go a miss!) And now you know my secret on how to pack lightly............ish! I'm sure the boyfriend will appreciate it that he doesn't have to help me carry umpteen bags to the car this time around! 

Toodles for now!

Gem. Xx

The Body Shop Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter: Review

Hello! 

So a few weeks ago The Body Shop had a 40% off EVERYTHING sale. I got a little too excited at this, and spent at least double my weekly Uni allowance on treats for myself. It was a "to me, from me" moment. 

Anyway, as if to say thank you for the fact that I'd bought the entire shop from them, I opened the box to find this little freebie.

Rainforest Moisture Hair Butter

I'm always excited to get freebies, and this was no exception, as i'd almost actually bought the full sized product, so I was very excited to try it out. 

I used it last night, and I have to say, The Body Shop haven't done me proud this time around. I usually LOVE anything from the body shop, so it was a surprise to me that I wasn't impressed, and I shall tell you why: 

- There wasn't enough product to use - Now, I know that it was a sample, but usually when I get a sample sachet like this, there's just over one application, however in this sample, there was barely enough product to put on the ends of my hair, let alone give my hair a deep condition. 

- The smell wasn't horrible, but it wasn't particularly amazing either. 

- My hair didn't really feel like it had had a deep conditioning treatment. It felt no different to the way it does when I use normal conditioner. 

What I did like about this mask was the texture, and the formula. Like the name suggests, the hair butter has a formula similar to body butter, and I imagine that it would feel very luxurious to use if I had the correct amount for my hair. 

You win some, you lose some, but I'm glad I didn't go forward and buy the full sized version of this, as for me, it just didn't hit the spot. It may have been down to the the size of the sample, it may have just not agreed with my hair type, I don't know. But one thing's for sure; it did not give me rainforest moisture. 

Have you used any Body Shop hair treatments? Did they work for you? 

Toodles, 

Gem. Xx

It's a LUSH life.

Being the Lush obsessive that I am, I actually own a 'Lush Bowl', a pretty lilac number which houses all my Lush bath bombs and makes my room smell gorgeous! As I'm such a hoarder of all things Lush, I thought I'd share some of my current collection with you. 

For those of you who don't know Lush products very well, they boast all natural ingredients in their products and, like The Body Shop, are strictly against animal testing. This CAN mean that some of their products can seem overpriced, however to save a bunny, that's a price I'm willing to pay. 

The Pots.

From left to right: 

1. Mask of Magnaminty Face and Back Pack 125g - £4.95

This face pack is one of my go-to's for a quick and refreshing facial. The pack has a lovely peppermint smell, and always leaves my skin feeling soft and supple. It has a slightly grainy texture which is exfoliating, and it boasts toning qualities, which you can feel as the mask dries and your face begin to feel tight and tingly. At £4.95 for 125g, or £8.75 for 315g, this product is in my opinion fairly priced for the wonders it does to my skin, and always has a place in my stash. 

2. H'suan Wen Hua Hair Moisturiser 225g - £8.95

Ok, first of all, and i'm not going so sugar coat this, the smell isn't great from this hair mask. In fact, the smell is vile. It has both bay leaf and watercress infusion, as well as a host of other natural ingredients, so it's not exactly the best for your nose. It is, however, one of the best hair masks I've used in a long time. If you can get past the smell and bear to leave the mask on dry hair for 20 minutes, before washing out as normal, you will honestly have the most luscious, soft locks! It's such a treat for the hair, and I like to slather this onto my hair about once a month as a deep conditioning treat. Warning: The smell does linger on your hair for a day afterwards. 

3. Herbalism Fresh Facial Cleanser 100g - £6.25
I got this cleanser for Christmas, I've used it almost every day since then, and I still have half left, so moneywise, I'd say that this one is worth it for how long it lasts. As the name suggests, this product smells very herby, however as a morning cleanser, the fresh smell leaves you feeling refreshed and smooth skinned. This cleanser is aimed at people with spots, grease or troubled skin, and being an oily/combination skin type, this suits me perfectly and removes any excess oil.

4. Ocean Salt Facial scrub 120g - £6.95
Also a result of Santa being so good to me last year, is Ocean Salt, which smells lovely, like the ocean. Be careful not to get any of this in your mouth though - it's FULL of sea salt and could take you back to that time you accidentally got seawater in your mouth - yuck! I use this scrub 2-3 times a week, and it really helps to remove dead skin and leave you beautifully exfoliated and moisturised.

The Bombs & Bubble Bars.

From left to right:

1. The Comforter Bubble Bar - £4.25
A beautiful blackcurrant scent fills your entire bathroom when this bar is brought out to play. You only need to break off a small amount to crumble under running water and this beauty turns into mounds of bubbly bliss, whilst also turning your water pink. What more could you want...?

2. Secret Garden Bath Bomb - £2.50
As far as I am aware, this was a limited edition bomb, as I haven't seen it in my local store since I bought it a few weeks ago. A lovely green colour with contrasting pink flower design make this bomb eyecatching, however the smell i'm afraid is a little too overwhelming. I haven't used this yet though so maybe it will be better when in the tub...

3. Honey Bee Bath Bomb - £3.15
I love honey/vanilla scented things, so this is right up my street, and a bomb I have repurchased several times. This bomb contains Rhassoul Mud, Honey and Aloe Vera to make for an intensely relaxing bath.

4. Butterball Bath Bomb - £2.45
This bomb is almost always part of my lush bowl. I love the vanilla and cocoa butter scent, and this bomb has pieces of cocoa butter hidden inside, turning your bath into moisturising heaven.

5. Fizzbanger Bath Bomb - £3.20
I'd been lusting after this bomb for a while before getting it for Christmas (I got ALOT of lush for Christmas), but living in a student flat with two other girls limits the amount of hot water and time in the bathroom I can have, so, alas, the Fizzbanger hasn't been used yet. Sniff. It smells like sherbet lemon though so I have high hopes for this one!

The Soaps and Massage Bars.

From left to right: 

1. Honey I Washed The Kids Soap - £3.40 per 100g

This soap is so soft and moisturising, and has a subtle honey and toffee scent. 

2. Each Peach & Two's a Pair Massage Bar - £5.50

This massage bar turns into a rich oil when heated. This can be done by simply rubbing it slowly onto your body until your body warmth begins to melt the bar. It has the most luscious lemon, zesty fragrance, however you should be warned that too much of this can leave you in a sticky, slimy mess. (But you'll still smell nice!) 

3. Soft Coeur Massage Bar - £4.75

I haven't used this bar properly yet as i'm working my way through my Each Peach & two's a Pair, however I've tested it out on my arm, and it has a lovely chocolately scent which is making me want to break my rule of 'finish one product before you start another'. 

So, that's a little peek into my Lush Bowl. Do you have a secret stash of Lush products? which are you favourite?

Gem. Xx

Crazy Friends and Cocktails on a Saturday Night...

Last night was one of my best friends birthday nights out. I'm not a big drinker (I love a good cocktail, but unfortunately they don't like me the next day..) but as I hadn't had a night out with the girls in a while, I decided to participate in the drinking antics, including punch and passionfruit mojito's.

It was fun. 

This consequently left me feeling a little tender on a Sunday morning. Not the ideal way to spend the day of rest. It has, however, given me the chance to have a lazy day, including no make-up, glasses, movies and perhaps the most important thing: pizza delivery later this evening!

Although cocktails and pizza don't exactly scream 'good for the skin', there are a few things I try to do the day after a night out on the town;

1. Rehydrate: You lose so much fluid when drinking alcohol, so it's important to rehydrate your skin and drink as much water as you can. It also helps with the pesky headaches the next day...
2. Let your skin breathe: If you're like me, and wear make up on a daily basis, a lazy day like today is the perfect excuse to let your skin breathe and leave the make-up. Maybe even indulge in a face mask. I like to use Lush Magnaminty, or The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask. Both are ideal for combination/oily skin like mine and leave you with nourished and soft skin.
3. Treat yourself: If your body is telling you to crack open the Ben & Jerry's, or pick up the phone and order pizza, today is probably a good day to do this. After all, the faster you feel better and are back to normal the better, right? (Maybe this is just me making excuses to indulge is my favourite comfort foods, but hey ho!)

I hope your weekend left you feeling less tender than I do!

Gem. Xx

TGIF - Treats and Goodies because It's Friday!

Happy Friday! 

As you are all probably aware, Boots have their famous '3 for 2' on all skincare and bodycare. Naturally this means that females from all around the country flock around to see what goodies they can lay their hands on. I am definitely no exception to this, and found myself browsing the aisles of Boots for almost an hour, swatching and smelling to my hearts desire. 

I came out, looking pretty pleased with myself, with 5 brand spanking new products to try, and cannot wait to dive in and indulge. 

In order from left to right: 

1. Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub 300ml - £8. - I usually find that Soap & Glory products tend so smell really soapy, so never buy them. I stumbled upon this little beauty by chance. The zesty scent instantly hit me, and I found myself putting it into my basket without a moments hesitation. It smells absolutely divine, like key lime cheesecake. I haven't used this one yet, as I have a couple of other scrubs to use up first, however after looking at reviews, i'm very much looking forward to cracking this one open! 

2. Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash 500ml - £6.50. - If the scrub smelled like key lime cheesecake, then this one smells like heaven! It's the same scent, but somehow so much nicer. The sugary, limey, zesty wonderfulness is literally mouthwatering and I cannot wait to test this one out in the shower! 

3. Champneys Spa Skin Conditioning Cleansing Milk 200ml - £7.50. - I was actually looking for a hot cloth cleanser to try out when I found this. Hot Cloth Cleansers are all anybody is talking about at the moment, and I felt like I should perhaps jump on the cleansing bandwagon. I found this cleansing milk in the Champneys range, and being a brand I know and trust, thought I would give this a go, rather than spending more on a hot cloth cleanser. As it goes, I received a £5 off No7 voucher with my receipt, so I shall be going back to try out the hot cloth cleanser soon enough! As soon as I got home I decided to try this product out. It says on the back that this is perfect for removing make-up, including eye make-up. I found, however that it is much more effective to use a make up wipe to remove most of the make-up, and then the cleanser afterwards. This seems to be much more effective at removing EVERY last trace of make-up and dirt, leaving my skin feeling soft and supple. At this price, it will definitely be a repurchase. 

4. Charles Worthington Rough & Tousled Salt Spray 150ml - £3.65. - I have been looking for a good salt spray for quite some time. I have long, blonde naturally wavy hair, and often use straighteners to create more definition to my tousles. I have only tried this out on my dry hair (the directions specify that it can be used on wet or dry hair) and so far, I'm impressed. It brings out the natural wave in my hair, giving it that tousled beach look, whilst still leaving it soft, with a matt finish. 

5. Maybelline MasterShape Brow Pencil in Dark Blonde - £2.99. - I'm VERY new to the idea of drawing in your eyebrows. I'm probably too late to be honest, since just about everybody is doing it, but I have fair hair, resulting in fair eyebrows and i've always felt that drawing them in would result in me looking like a yeti. I've recently felt that my eyebrows lacked definition and were almost lost. I haven't tried this yet, but the colour seems to be light enough to give me the definition I need without too much drama! 

What are you treating yourself with this Friday? 

Gem Xx

Fake Bake Review

So, it has taken two long months of Uni work and a change of blog to get back to you on this one, so for that, I apologise! 

Onto the Fake Bake review. 

I am pleased to report that this product is a godsend when it comes to winter skin - by this I mean that lovely pasty complexion caused by lack of Vitamin D, and since January I have used it several times. This product lasts for up to 3 days, and, while it doesn't give you a deep tan, it definitely gets your skin looking a lot healthier and sun-kissed. A little pick me up for those cold, winter days, when all you ask for is a little sun. 

Thursday, 3 January 2013

Fake Tan Fun

So last night I decided to crack open my new Fake Bake set and try out the products. Fake tan is a relatively new aspect for me, as I usually let the sun do its thing and go au natural, so, believe it or not, I am a Fake Bake virgin. 

I bought the pack a few weeks ago at Clothes Show Live - a steal at £10 for the fake bake, body polish and instant fake tan - and, being new at it, opted to go for the pack best suited to 'fair skin', as I didn't want to go too dark. 

I started by taking a nice long soak in the bath and completely blitzing my body head to toe with the polish to buff my skin to polished perfection. I then got my trusty sister to apply the tan. 

I am currently sat looking like a tangerine, which I will have to endure for the next 24 hours before washing it all off and (hopefully) revealing spanish goddess like skin. I'll keep you posted with how that one turns out! 

I also dabbled into my second true love, (the first obviously being my lovely boyfriend),  LUSH! 

I lovelovelove most products from Lush, and am building quite the stash of Lush products - Thankyou Santa! =) I bought the Twilight bath ballistic a few weeks ago, whilst still high from the final Twilight film. It looked and smelled lovely - maybe a bit more cinnamon-y than i'm used to, but I thought it might help relax me and send me to slumberland. 

Twilight is a lovely rose pink colour with stars all over the outside. Once plopped into the bath it goes to work straight away, fizzing and leaving a path of scented pink foam. As the bomb fizzes it changes from pink to baby blue, which in turn changes the colour of the water from pink to purple, a welcome surprise for me as I have never used this bomb before. Even more surprising were the thousands of sparkly pieces of glitter that suddenly surrounded me. And that is where the bomb lost it's way. Don't get me wrong, i'm a girly girl and do enjoy a bit of sparkle, but there was so much glitter in the water, that I was covered head to toe in the stuff, even hours after coming out of the bath. Too much of a good thing becomes overwhelming, and this was definitely too much! 

Lush 'Twilight bath ballistic'

The results in the tub. 

I'll no doubt be testing out more of my Lush goodies soon, so watch this space for more reviews! 

much love, Gem Xx