Morning Skincare Routine

Hello!

I've always stuck to a strict skincare routine but in the past 3 months I've become even more interested in skincare products. Because of this my skin is the best it has ever been and I would like to sing these products' praises!

Botanics Hydration Burst Day Lotion SPF15

Hey guys!


I am back from my holiday now so I am able to post again. I thought I'd come back with a skincare review. This is Boot's own brand, Botanics. If you don't already know, the Botanics range uses natural plants as ingredients. 


The Botanics Hydration Burst Day Lotion SPF15 has soothing clary sage and is designed for sensitive and dehydrated skin. It has SPF15 UVA and UVB and it claims to have 8 hours of hydration which is typically how much time we can spend out in the day. In addition the packaging has a pump which I like as it makes it simple to use. The bottle contains 50ml of product which makes it good for travelling due to it fitting under the 100ml mark.


I bought this for going abroad as I needed a moisturiser with SPF that will protect my sensitive skin without giving me an allergic reaction. I have taken this on a 2 week interrailing adventure as well as a week in Tenerife and there is still plenty left so there is more than enough product! Another skin worry is that I am also acne prone and I get afraid the SPF will break me out. Fortunately, this moisturiser didn't seem to break me out or clog my pores. 


I found that I could use this moisturiser alone and under make up. It sat fine underneath make up and didn't make my skin look greasy or shiny when I was wearing no make up. When out in the sun I would reapply the moisturiser on areas where I am most likely to burn, such as my nose, every 2 and a half hours. Because of this moisturiser my face never burned on any of my trips abroad which I am grateful for! Because there's nothing like a nose for a Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.


Unfortunately that is it for my positive words about this moisturiser. There were certainly things I did not like about it. For starters, the lid is so annoying! The lid constantly comes off whether it is in my make up bag, my handbag or what. The lid just does not stay on and I was frequently losing it and having to find it. But the most annoying thing about the moisturiser was that it stung my eyes like crazy! It didn't matter that I didn't apply moisturiser near my eyes: it stung. Whether I was walking around as normal, got my face wet or I sweated, the moisturiser would always somehow end up irritating my eyes and they would sting for a good hour. My eyes would stream like crazy and sometimes they'd even go all puffy. I could rinse my eyes out with water and clean them with tissue but the problem still persists. After looking at the product on the Boots website I have seen that I am not the only person with sensitive skin that this has happened to! This product says it is for sensitive skin yet affects my eyes like no moisturiser ever has. Last of all whilst I was using this I was getting dry patches of skin appear on my face which leads me to think it is perhaps not that moisturising.


Because of how much it stings and makes my eyes water, I will not be purchasing this again. At £5.33 it is a decent price for a SPF moisturiser on a budget but I cannot cope with how much it hurts my eyes. I put up with it for the time that I was travelling but now it is time to let it go. Even though it says for sensitive skin, if you have sensitive skin I do warn you: proceed with caution!


Do you like anything from the Botanics range?

Empties #13

Last month was Empties #12 which means it is time for Empties #13!


At the beginning of June I went travelling for 2 weeks so of course I needed a can of Batiste dry shampoo to see me through it! This is a 100ml travel size too which means I could bring it on board the plane and it not take up too much room.


The Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisturiser is something I have enjoyed using for years, whether this one or the grapefruit one, as it is good for acne prone skin. It is light, fresh and good for day moisturiser that will soak in quickly so you can start applying your make up!


Just over a year ago I was sent the Amphora Aromatics Seaweed & Aloe Refreshing Eye Gel to review. My favourite way to use this was to help remove my make up. You can click on the name of the product to learn more about it and my opinion!


Another seaweed product (an unintentional theme there!) is The Body Shop Pore-Cleansing Facial Exfoliator. I used this in the shower only to exfoliate my face. I liked this product as it was a great exfoliant however it would sting my eyes a bit even if the product wasn't near them! The packaging of this has now changed.


Lastly is an Impulse body spray in the scent 'Be Surprised' Violets & Red Fruit. This is just one of your standard cheap body sprays that run out in a month or less. I don't like to use this on its own but rather in companion with perfume. 


Thanks for reading!

The Body Shop Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream

You may remember that in April I reviewed The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Night Cream. Since then I have finished the pot and needed a new moisturiser to use at night. For that, I chose The Body Shop Vitamin E Intense Moisture Cream. I was actually intending on buying the night cream but accidentally bought this one without realising! Still, I've been using it every day and would like to let you know my feelings on it.

The Vitamin E range is for all types of skin but it's best skin type is for dry skin. Vitamin E is perfect for nourshing dry skin with 48hr moisture infusion. This product also has shea butter and aloe vera which also encourage the moisturising benefits. In addition it has hyaluronic acid which plumps the skin. It is to be used after cleansing and toning the skin. 

On the website The Body Shop describe this as a day moisturiser. However, because it's quite thick I prefer to use it as a night cream which I have been doing every night. I just don't enjoy using thick formulas in the day time! I have read reviews that it is a good base for make up so I doubt that it would be an issue for everyone. Even though it is a thick formula it is certainly not greasy and doesn't take too long to absorb.

Although I was enjoying using the Aloe Night Cream for my sensitive skin issues, I wanted to try this out because my skin was going through a stage of being rather dry. My chin was dry, my neck was dry and my under eyes were calling me havoc! I'm not even exaggerating, it only took 2 DAYS of using this cream for my dry patches to go away! I was totally amazed by it. It didn't sting to use around my eyes so I could slather it on my eyelids and under eyes. Every day I wake up with super soft skin and what were dry patches are now smooth areas of skin that don't show up texture when I apply make up. It hasn't broke me out or anything either which is a bonus.

This product is actually one of The Body Shop's best selling skincare products and even won a Vogue 100 Beauty Wall of Fame Award. So as you can tell, it's pretty popular! I can totally see why people like it so much. The price tag is £12.00 which I think is a fair enough price and not too expensive, especially when The Body Shop constantly have sales going on.

If you suffer from dry skin I really recommend this product and the Vitamin E range in general. I have already raved about this to people on Twitter!

Have you used anything from the Vitamin E range?

May Favourites

I think this is probably the earliest I have ever uploaded my monthly favourites blog post!


My first favourite is my Essentials Amethyst Teardrop necklace. My boyfriend bought me this for my birthday; he definitely knows my taste! It is a beautiful purple amethyst with a sterling silver chain and silver veins curling over the amethyst. I love it and I have been really enjoying wearing it.


The second favourite is the Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadow '329' which Emily bought me for my birthday. I had seen these around and Emily was kind enough to buy me this lovely silver glittery one. The great thing about these is that you can use the eyeshadow dry for a more subtle look or wet for a more intense look. I have used this all over the lid or on the inner part of my eyelid. Review to come!


My next favourite I have written a review about and it is The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Night Cream. This night cream has really been helping to nourish and calm my sensitive skin and battle any dry patches. I can already see the bottom of the tub I've used it so much!


The final favourite is the Inglot Freedom System Rainbow Double Sparkle '126' Eyeshadow which I got in Dublin. An Irish YouTuber that I watch adores Inglot Cosmetics so when I went to Dublin I had planned to buy an Inglot product. This eyeshadow comes with 3 shades of blue and this month I've been particularly enjoying the middle shade of blue for applying at the corners of my eyelids and in my crease. It's like 3 eyeshadows for the price of 1! Of course, a review to come.


What have you been enjoying in May? I'm hoping to buy some make up that I can't get in my city/country on my June travels so hopefully my June favourites will be an interesting one!

Skincare | The Body Shop Aloe Soothing Night Cream

Skincare is important to me. I have acne-prone, blemished and sensitive skin so skincare is vital to ensure my skin can be the clearest it can be without aggravating it. For the majority of my teen years I had been using The Body Shop Tea Tree range and now I have decided to try different skincare items from them.


A couple of months ago, I went to The Body Shop Cribbs Causeway blogger event and as part of that I had a skincare consultation. After having a talk about my skin type, the lady suggested to me that I tried items from the aloe range. She explained to me that aloe is perfect for sensitive skin and for calming things down.


The Aloe Soothing Night Cream is a cream that you use at night time (duh!) which is thicker than the day cream. The lady tried both on the back of my hand and you can definitely feel the difference between them! The product claims to moisturise, be fragrance, colour and alcohol-free with no added preservatives. It says it's best to hydrate skin that needs more gentle care.


The packaging is a slim tub with a pale green lower half to represent the aloe. The product looks more than just your average budget moisturiser and instead looks more luxurious. It looks different to how it does on The Body Shop website so I believe they have had a packaging change. There is also a plastic pull-off lid on the inside which stops any product leaking out of the tub or getting on the roof of the outside lid which is handy!


The cream is thick like how you'd expect from a night cream, but it is not greasy. It's true that a little bit goes a long way and it takes about 15 minutes to soak in fully. I like to keep my hair out of the way in this time as your skin will feel a bit sticky but after it has soaked in it feels fine. Even though it is thick it does not feel heavy on the skin which I am grateful for because when creams feel thick I get worried that it will clog my pores.


It also seems calming and soothing on the skin. I apply it to my face, neck and even around my eyes and it doesn't sting or aggravate at all. Because of my acne I use a lot of skincare products with salicylic acid in and/or tea tree, meaning that on my sensitive skin it can dry it. Lately I have been using a lot of salicylic acid which has left dry patches, particularly on my nose and above my eyes (even though I'm not actually applying it to my eye area!) so I needed something nourishing. This night cream has been quick to get rid of my dry patches and because of it I now have no dry skin on my face! 


When I wake up in the morning my skin does feel much more moisturised than if I had used one of my normal moisturisers before bed. When I first started using this night cream I couldn't get over how soft my skin was that it was hard to refrain from stroking my face! Admittedly after a week of my skin getting used to the product it didn't feel as soft as it initially did, but it still does feel pretty smooth and hydrated. 


I do really like this product. It is £13 but because of it being my birthday this month The Body Shop gave me £5 to spend and then I had a discount on top which means I only paid £4! Despite this I would say it is worth the money and I would repurchase this. It is 50ml so it would be easy to take on holiday and I can imagine it would be amazing to use on your face after you've been out in the sun all day, especially if you've gone red! I would recommend this mainly to anyone who has sensitive skin and/or has sore, dry patches that you want to clear up.



What is your favourite range from The Body Shop?

Empties #8

I seem to go through products like nobody's business and it means I always have stuff to show you guys. How often is too often to upload an Empties post?


I've always got an empty can of Batiste Dry Shampoo in my posts, I swear. I use Batiste about twice a week without fail and I absolutely love it. This is the Original scent.


If you've read my posts for a while you might know that I adore the mango scent from The Body Shop. The Mango Body Scrub just looks and smells delicious! To honour my favourite scent, I used up The Mango Body Mist which you can read my review on here. 


Next is the Nivea Oil Free Moisturiser Day Cream. I picked this up in an offer on Nivea moisturisers and I loved it. It is so light weight and doesn't feel heavy or clogged up on the skin. It didn't sting my sensitive skin and soaked in quickly enough that I could apply my make up soon afterwards. Bonus! 


One of my favourite nail polish brands is Models Own. They have such a large range of nail polishes in kind of big bottles and they are always of nice quality. This is their top coat from their HyperGel range, which mimics a gel nail. There is still a little bit in the bottle but I can't reach it with the brush and the formula has gone super gloopy. However, I liked it whilst it lasted even though it was a bit thick!


Last of all is The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil. Again, if you've been reading my blog for a while you might know that I love the tea tree range from The Body Shop for my acne prone skin. Whenever I had a spot coming I would cover it in this stuff! It's probably better to use at night time than before your make up routine because it does take a while to soak in but it really is the best choice for pesky spots. I wrote an ultimate guide to The Body Shop Tea Tree range which you can see here.


Have you used up a lot of products lately? I always find that I seem to finish things in an abundance all at the same time, rather than over time!

Boots Haul | Make Up & Holiday Necessities

Hello!

The other day I made a trip to my local Boots store with my Mum to replenish some make up items and stock up for my upcoming holiday. I spent a little bit more money than I ideally wanted to but it was worth it!

• Nivea Daily Essentials Sensitive Day Cream SPF 15- 

I'm going on holiday in about a week's time and I needed a SPF for my face. I'm really picky about what SPF I will put on my face as some can cause me to break out. Most years I stick to Nivea, and this year I decided to go for a sensitive skin one. I have sensitive skin and this cream also claims to help redness, which I have a lot of, so I am looking forward to trying this.

• Tresemme Freeze Hold Hairspray 100ml-

Another item for going on holiday is this smaller sized version of hairspray. I have always used Tresemme hairspray so I got a smaller bottle to take on holiday. It's good because it is 100ml which is the amount of liquid you can take on a plane.

• L'Oreal Infallible 24hr Matte Foundation [Rose Beige]-

As the bad beauty blogger I am, I've always only used the same foundation. However, I'm finding more and more lately that the foundation that I use isn't really suitable to my skin type now which is kind of dry. I have been seeing so many good reviews over the past few months on this foundation so I have been dying to try it. I always want a good coverage matte foundation so hopefully this will do the trick. I used to always use the L'Oreal Infallible eyeliner in my high school days so I have high standards for this!

• Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer [02 Cool Medium & 03 Warm Medium]-

This is my holy grail concealer and when I decided to change foundation I just couldn't convince myself to change concealer. I couldn't decide which colour would go better with my new foundation so I bought both 02 and 03 shades to try with it. Before that, I always used 03. I adore this concealer and it is certainly the concealer I recommend for anyone who suffers with acne, redness and scarring like I do.

• Soap & Glory Supercat Eyeliner Pen-

My eyeliner (which is this one) is currently on its last legs so I thought I better buy a new one! I'm usually more flexible when it comes to liquid eyeliners and trying new ones but this time I decided to stick with something I know that works for me. I love doing winged eyeliner and this is my favourite liquid eyeliner to do that. What more can I say?

• Eylure Pro-Lash Individuals [Short, Medium & Long Length]-

Again, as the bad beauty blogger I am, I have never used false eyelashes. I've been wanting to for ages but always convinced myself I would be crap at applying them. However, then I think back to the days where I struggled with mascara and eyeliner- now look at me! But the reason I finally decided to get eyelashes was because I recently had an eye infection which meant I lost a large amount of eyelashes. It's to the point where I look like I don't have many eyelashes and they're super gappy so I decided to try my hand at individual lashes. Hopefully they will bring me more confidence with my eyelashes and totally change my eye make up!

• Carex Aloe Vera Refreshing Hand Gel-

If I had a pound for every time I have been out and wished I had some antibatcerial hand gel to use then I would be rich. My main reason to buy this was so I could take it on holiday with me in case I needed it but this will go straight in my handbag afterwards. I also find that I get ill a hell of a lot so I am hoping if I use this outside more I might find myself getting ill less.

• Boots Travel Bottles-

I didn't take a photo of these but I bought two travel bottles to put some of my usual Tresemme Colour Fade Protection Shampoo & Conditioner in for when I go away. I usually save smaller bottles from other products to use as travel bottles but I still needed another 2. I couldn't find a travel sized version of the shampoo and conditioner I like and I am too smitten with them to buy anything else!

So that's it! Have you used any of these items? Let me know!

LUSH | Ro's Argan Body Conditioner

Hello!

Once again, I have a Lush product to review! After all the reviews I've done on this blog, you can probably tell by now that I am a fan of Lush haha.

Today I am reviewing Ro's Argan Body Conditioner which is like a hair conditioner, but for your skin! Crazy, right? I got this in a gift set from Lush which I'm pretty sure is a much smaller sample of the big tub of it that you can get in Lush. You can buy 225g worth for £16.50 so it isn't the cheapest of skin conditioners.

Anyway, what do you do with it? Well, as the name suggests, it a conditioner, like a hair conditioner, for your skin. It has the same feel and consistency as hair conditioner and feels the exact same when you apply it. You apply it on to wet skin, rub it in then wash it off. Finally, you pat dry the area. 

I've got to admit, I was intrigued. I always forget to apply moisturiser after having a bath or shower so to find out I can use this one in the shower I was excited. This product is full of butters and oils such as cocoa and shea butter to moisturise the skin and argan oil, which is thought to have anti-ageing properties. 

You can definitely tell the product has butters in it. For one, you can feel it when you smooth it in to your skin. Two, in a weird way, you can kind of smell the butter! 

What I like about this product is how quickly it rubs in to the skin. It doesn't linger on top of your skin but instead moisturises straight in. I like how quickly it makes moisturising and I particularly like to use it on my legs after I have shaved them. When I get out of the shower my skin then feels lovely and smooth- just what you want!

The only downside is that I feel you need to use quite a bit of the product to cover the area you want to moisturise. Because it sinks into your skin so quickly you can only spread the product over a small area of skin before it sinks in so then you have to go and get more. This isn't one of those products where a little goes a long way so I can see how it would be better to have a bigger pot of this conditioner.

Overall I like this product. I like the concept of it being a conditioner, it makes moisturising quick, it sinks in quickly and is great to use after shaving. My only fault is that you have to use a lot of the product at a time so it may not last very long. Plus I don't think I would buy it afterwards for what I see as a steep price for a conditioner!

Have you used this before? Let me know!

LUSH: Vanilla Dee-Lite Body Lotion Review!

Hey!

Here is a review for Lush's Vanilla Dee-Lite body lotion.

I had this lotion in a gift box from Lush I got for my birthday. I am glad I got it! I love the strong vanilla scent and it feels so lovely on the skin. I like to use it on my arms and legs after I have shaved and it doesn't take long at all to sink in and moisturise.

It also seems to last a long time. I have been using this since the end of April and I'd say I use it once or twice every couple of weeks and there is still loads left in the bottle. 

The price for it is £12.75. Because of this I doubt I will ever buy it again because I prefer to spend a little less on my body lotions but overall I suppose that isn't too bad. 

Have you used this? Let me know what you think!

LUSH: Gorgeous Moisturiser Review!

Hello!

Before I begin please let me explain that the product shown in the photo IS A SMALL SAMPLE FROM A GIFT BOX and not the actual size of the product. It is a facial moisturiser from Lush called 'Gorgeous' and the actual product is 45g.

The moisturiser is very moisturising and nourishing for the skin. My face felt very smooth after I applied the product which you only needed to use a small amount for. Unfortunately this is the only positive point I have for this product.

The moisturiser feels very greasy on the skin and takes a while to soak in. I also absolutely hate the smell! After looking at the ingredients it seems to have a lot of citrus fruits in it which surprises me as it smells absolutely nothing like citrus! I don't even know how to explain the scent but I just don't like it.

And yet after all that the actual moisturiser is £39.95!! I don't think I would ever be willing to spend that amount of money on a moisturiser, especially when I think it is so bad and not worth it. Lush claim it is expensive due to amount of awesome ingredients it has that all have a job to play.

Overall this is the worst moisturiser I have ever used and wouldn't recommend it to anyone. Alas there are many positive reviews for it on their website but it just isn't for me. It makes me sad being so negative about a product from Lush as I love the company so much. But I suggest if you're thinking about buying this you should definitely try it out in the store first.

Rating: 1/5 (as it is very moisturising at least!)

Have you used this? What do you think of it? Let me know!

Lush 'Hello Gorgeous' Gift Unboxing!

Hello!

I couple of months back it was my birthday and one of the presents I received was the 'Hello Gorgeous' gift box from Lush; given to me by one of my sisters. The gift box contains various products and costs £21.95 which is a fair price. Here are photos from when I unboxed it:

The first product that I pulled out was a little sample tin of the facial moisturiser 'Gorgeous':

I next pulled out the beautiful bubble bar 'The Comforter' which I was most excited about!:

Then I pulled out the shower 'Rub Rub Rub' which I was also pleased about:

Afterwards, I found the Vanilla Dee-Lite Body Lotion:

And finally, the 'Think Pink' bath bomb:

Have you ever used any of these products or received a similar gift box like this from Lush? What do you think? Let me know! Reviews will follow on all these products. 

Neutrogena Visibly Clear Grapefruit Moisturiser Review!

Hello Bumblebeas :-)

So today I thought I would share with you my ultimate favourite moisturiser which is cheap, from the drugstore and does its job well. This is actually my second one of it and it is the moisturiser I use daily without fail!

£4.99 at Boots

This is the first Neutrogena product I have ever used so I didn't know what to expect when I bought it. I needed a change of moisturiser and I thought this one looked good so I chose to try it. I was not let down!

For starters, it is good for people who suffer from acne like me. It is oil free and is called 'visibly clear' as it does not clog pores and has 'micro clear technology'. Since I have used this it has not caused me to have any breakouts and instead goes smoothly over the skin sinking in quickly with no greasy feeling.

In addition, the smell is lovely! I wouldn't normally care about the scent of a moisturiser but this smell is so sweet! It is called pink grapefruit and smells just like it which I cannot get enough of. The smell also kind of makes your skin feel fresh too!

The product is very moisturising and I am never left with greasy residue or dry skin. It is easy to find as it is in stores such as Tesco and Boots and is a relatively decent price.

Overall the product will last you months and months. It is so good that I am going to just keep on using this moisturiser as like I said this is my second one and I highly recommend it especially to those who suffer from acne.

What moisturiser do you use? Let me know!

Drugstore Boots Haul + New Shirt!

Hello BumbleBeas!

I picked up some new stuff from Boots on Saturday when I went shopping with my Mum and sister and was also treated to a new item of clothing from New Look by my mother. I'd like to share them with you!

From left: Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Moisturiser by Neutrogena, Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream, Maybelline Baby Skin Pore Eraser, Babylips Cherry and Babylips Peaches

1. Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Moisturiser by Neutrogena

This is my usual moisturiser which I love! I had ran out of my previous one so I quickly went to the shop and bought another one! The smell is absolutely amazing which I have never experienced from a moisturiser before. It is oil-free so is really good for those who suffer from acne and sinks in quickly after use. I highly recommend it!

2. Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

I have not used this product before as it is *new* and I haven't tried it yet so I cannot possibly tell you how good or bad it is. However, I forever love babylips so I have high standards for this Baby Skin one! The packaging looks lovely and I look forward to trying it out.

3. Babylips Cherry and Babylips Peaches

I LOVELOVELOVE babylips! They have such fantastic packaging that instantly reels you in and I am delighted to say they never fail me. I had used the cherry one previously (the one in the orange packaging) and it is by far my favourite out of all of them. It smells great and gives you a red tint to your lips which I am grateful for when I don't have time to do my red lipstick in the mornings as I can easily put this on in the car. The peaches one I've never used before but I have tried it and again it smells great and is very moisturising but doesn't leave a tint! I also have the Pink Punch one from a while ago which gives your lips a pink tint and is by far my favourite smell. I will definitely do a Babylips post one day.

4. Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream

I had never tried this product before but when Maybelline was on offer in Boots I couldn't refuse. I never wear foundation and just concealer where I want it so this was an unusual buy for me even though this is more of a moisturising tinted cream than foundation. When I like to wear my concealer I don't like it to be obvious I wear it so because of this being known for looking like you're not wearing make up I wanted to try it. After using it, I wouldn't ever use it by itself as it doesn't cover up spots/red scarring at all BUT it will make a nice base to go underneath my concealer and make my skin have a smoother complex. 

and FINALLY! Here is the shirt my mother treated me to from New Look:

It is a plain black shirt/blouse thing with a collar that would go great with necklaces to go underneath the collar and some leggings. I wanted it so I can wear it to sixth form and (if!) I get a job any time soon it'll be usual. I am sorry the photo isn't very good quality but I am sure you can imagine what it looks like properly haha. It was only £12 too!

and that is it! Thanks for reading! Have you used any of those products and if so what do you think of them? Let me know!