Freebie Alert: Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm!

 

Just a heads up that Clinique are offering a free mini 15ml pot of their 'Take the Day Off' cleansing balm on 25th and 26th May! 

Just head to the Clinique counter at John Lewis to take advantage of this freebie* and there's no purchase necessary! 

*whilst stocks last 

bkr Water Bottles

bkr is a beauty essential that will change the way you drink water forever. This high-end and chemical-free water bottle is a staple backstage at Fashion Week and loved by A-list celebrities. The world of beauty is filled with expensive treatments, product innovations and the latest skincare revolutions. However, beauty’s most important element - and the real secret to flawless skin is WATER! 

No product you’re using is going to work if you’re dehydrated. It is recommended that you should drink at least 2 litres of water daily. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t drink near enough water so I’m going to try the 30 day bkr challenge - I’ll report back next month! I will attempt to drink 2 litres of water daily (4 bkr bottles) for 30 days and see if I notice a difference to my skin. 

bkr is the solution to staying truly hydrated and helps to create the canvas for a gorgeous complexion and should be the first step in any beauty regimen. These beautifully designed bottles are not only this season’s brand new, must-have beauty accessory, but they will also motivate you to drink more water. bkr has already been adopted by a dedicated celebrity following including: Blake Lively, Giselle, Charlize Theron and Jessica Alba. bkr has now launched in the UK exclusively at Selfridges.

The concept is really simple. bkr replaces ugly, cheap plastic bottles that are not only harmful to the environment but nasty chemicals can leak from the plastic into the water that you are drinking! The bkr bottle is made from glass, holds half a litre of water (500ml), is re-usable and comes with a coloured soft silicone sleeve. 

Each season bkr releases collections inspired by runway trends in New York, London, Paris and Milan – with colours ranging from bold brights to soft hues. It features a small opening for no spill sipping, no-leak seal, is BPA-free and phthalate-free and is even safe to use in a dishwasher. 

bkr Water Bottle with silicone sleeve (500ml) costs £25 and the limited edition heart design is £28 are available exclusively from Selfridges. What do you think to the bkr concept?

Boots No7 Early Defence Skincare

Boots No7 have launched a skincare range: No7 Early Defence Skincare designed especially to keep young skin looking younger for longer. The new range works as a 'stepping stone' to help in the transition from everyday skincare to proactively delaying the signs of ageing.

The range has been designed as a solution to suit the lifestyle and needs of 20-35 year old women and consists of a Day and Night Cream along with an Eye Cream. The range offers No7’s new and most effective patent pending daily protection technology, ‘Double Defence’ that, in combination with No7’s unbeatable 5* UVA technology, gives skin advanced daily protection from the sun and environmental stress to help it look younger for longer. Double Defence technology contains Ginseng and Mulberry, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Rice Peptides and Alfalfa. In user trials, after two weeks use of No7 Early Defence Skincare:

• More than 90% of women agreed that each of the Early Defence products are super-light and gentle on the skin from first use, with one user describing the day cream as a “lovely lightweight cream” adding that it “moisturises and softens really well”.
• More than 85% women felt reassured that they were looking after their skin for today and into the future.
• More than 80% of women said their skin was more radiant after 2 weeks
  

No7 Early Defence Day Cream (£19.50) is a super-light moisturiser with unbeatable 5*UVA protection and SPF15 gives your skin advanced daily protection.

No7 Early Defence Night Cream (£19.50) is a hydrating cream that absorbs quickly for a boost of care that continues while you sleep.  It protects from daily damage that continues and helps your skin to recover.

No7 Early Defence Eye Cream (£13.50) is especially designed for the delicate areas around your eyes, enriched with Vitamin C to help reduce puffiness and dark circles, for brighter more beautiful eyes.

No7 Early Defence Day, Night and Eye Creams will replace the current No7 Protect and Perfect Day, Night and Eye Creams, whilst No7 Protect & Perfect ADVANCED Serums will still be available to be used in combination with the new skin care range.

Dr Mike Bell, Skincare Scientific Advisor for Boots UK, says: “Protecting your skin from the sun and environmental stress is really important, particularly if you want to proactively delay the signs of ageing. With Double Defence technology we have created a powerful and broad-spectrum antioxidant complex which has been designed to neutralise damaging free radicals that cause the skin oxidative stress, helping you to keep your skin looking younger for longer.” 

No7 Early Defence Day Cream (£19.50 for 50ml), No7 Early Defence Night Cream (£19.50 for 50ml) and No7 Early Defence Eye Cream (£13.50 for 15ml) are exclusively available at Boots.com

MELVITA L’OR ROSE Slimming Oil

Melvita L'Or Rose Firming Oil combines effective action with the luxury of a divine massage ritual that visibly reduces the appearance of cellulite for firmer, smoother skin this summer. The dry oil is the No1 best seller in French pharmacies and since launching in France in April 2014, 13,834 have been sold, which adds up to the height on 6.5 Eiffel Towers! 

This naturally effective dry-oil can be massaged into the skin following the shower in place of body lotion. For best results, apply L'Or Rose twice daily, massaging into the skin with circular motions, starting at the lower thighs and working up to the hips. To maximise the skin firming benefits, and boost penetration, exfoliate the skin before applying, or use a body brush to break down fatty deposits. The oil nourishes, hydrates, has a delicate scent and an incredibly soft, dry-oil feel.

The scent of L'Or Rose combines zesty top notes of Pink Pepper, Lemon and Bergamot; floral heart notes of lavender, spearmint and peony and a base of White Iris, Vetiver and Ambrette seeds.

The product tackles the appearance of cellulite working on lipolysis and lipogenesis, after using the product, adipocytes size will decrease, releasing the 'pressure' on vessels. The product contains powerful organic actives: the combination of Pink Berries, Sea Buckthorn and Black Pepper helps to fight lipogenesis and boasts lipolysis. Meltiva was inspired to use Pink Berry oil which has a slimming and detoxifying property and boosts microcirculation and promotes drainage. 

Sea Buckthorn seed oil helps waste drainage and facilities the elimination of toxins and is rich in Vitamin E for softer, supple skin. Black Pepper oil is known for stimulating blood circulation and promotes the breakdown of adipocytes. Rosehip oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid and helps to revitalise and moisturise skin and improve elasticity. 99% of the ingredients are from natural origin and 36% of the ingredients are from Organic Farming.

Melvita conducted a study and after 14 days 83% of women said their skin seemed smoother and after 28 days, 69% of women noticed a reduction in the visible appearance of cellulite and 79% of women said they would recommend the firming oil to a friend.

Melvita L'Or Rose Firming Oil is priced at £30 for 100ml and is available at John Lewis

Review: Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips

This little tube is a cult product and the secret of many makeup artists to kissable lips that historically was used to sooth woman's nipples during breastfeeding! Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips is clinically proven to reduce roughness of the skin by 40% in one hour!

Dr Lipps is a 100% natural multi-purpose SOS Balm and Lip Gloss made from 100% medical grade Lanolin (an oil that sheep naturally product on their fleece). Lanolin is known to be beneficial for our skin as its very similar to the oils that we humans produce naturally. It is hypoallergenic, tasteless & odourless, with no parabens or fragrances and so pure that even babies can safely use it.

The balm can be used to sooth dry or itchy skin, cuticles, under the eyes, split ends, eczema and psoriasis, nipples, nappy rash, sunburn, healing wounds and as an intensive over-night face mask...the list is endless! I thought the claim that it was clinically proven to smooth in one hour sounded too good to be true, but I was pleasantly surprised! The balm is calming and is super moisturising almost instantly without being sticky or heavy - I LOVE it! A little balm goes a long way and it comes in a handy travel-friendly sized tube.

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips costs £11.50 for 15ml and is available from Look Fantastic. If you've never thought of using a nipple balm on your lips, I'd recommend giving it a go!

Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm Review

 

I have recently discovered a new budget balm that reminds me very much of my favourite Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm but a more affordable version under ten pounds! I enjoy using cleansing balms, especially in the colder months when my skin is feeling parched and tight with the over-use of central heating!

 

The Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm is an organic deep-cleansing balm that contains a luxurious blend of Shea Butter, Rosehip and Jojoba Oil to leave skin smooth and beautifully clean. The solid Balm can be used morning and evening and comes with a muslin cloth which gently exfoliates and gives skin a deeper clean. The Balm is rich and luxurious to use and does a great job of removing dirt, lifts makeup and impurities. My skin is left clean, smooth and well hydrated thanks to the organic oily balm and the use of the muslin cloth to gently remove any dead skin cells that can leave the complexion dull.

 

A little goes a long way so take a small amount of the balm and warm with your fingertips until it turns into an oil then massage over the face avoiding the eye area (I tend to use Bioderma to remove my eye makeup) and neck using light upward strokes. Soak your muslin cloth in warm water and use as a gentle compress to draw out impurities, then rinse and remove remaining balm in small circular movements. Finish by soaking cloth in cold water and pressing gently over your face to close pores.
 

The Emma Hardie version has a more silky texture and melts into the skin like a dream, whereas the Boots Balm is a little more waxy in comparison but if you are on a budget then Botanics is a definitely winner! I'm impressed that this balm is  97% organic and contains no parabens, lanolin or mineral oil. I found the muslin cloth that came with the balm quite scratchy so I used a softer cloth but overall, this product fabulous value for money!

Boots Botanics Hot Cloth Cleansing Balm is priced at £8.99 for 70ml and is available from Boots however it is currently on offer for just £5.99! Have you tried this budget beauty item? Do you recommend any other products from the Botanics range?

Review: Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask

It's been a while since I posted any product reviews - I promise that my blogging mojo will be returning back to normal in the New Year! I have tried a few Murad products over the past year or so, some I have liked, others that I haven't so much, I'm pleased to say these Pomegranate Exfoliating Masks I liked! 

Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask have been 'formulated to provide an instant, intensive smoothing and hydrating benefit with each single-dose treatment dissolving dull and dry skin creating a complexion that is fresh, clear, smooth, and bright.' I like that these masks are formulated without parabens, sulfates, petrochemicals, Synthetic Dyes which gets the thumbs up from me as I like to steer clear of cheap and nasty ingredients. My skin has been looking a little dull recently with the change of season and these antioxidant-rich, weekly treatments promise to restore, revitalize, and balance combination skin. The pomegranate and Ginkgo Biloba extracts fight free radicals and inflammation and the natural fruit enzymes and AHAs dissolve tired cells and free skin's surface of trapped impurities. 

The box comes with 6 individual sachets in for 6 treatment masks which is handy for travelling. My only gripe is there is way too much product in one sachet, enough for 2 treatments so if you don't want to waste money you can scope out the remaining mask into a plastic container to use for the next time! I used this mask last night after cleansing and massaged half the packet into my face and left on for 20 minutes. The mask was very cooling and did sting a little but wasn't at all painful. After rinsing my skin was soft, brighter and the dry patches on my cheeks and forehead had disappeared - I shall definitely be keeping this treatment up once a week.    

Murad Pomegranate Exfoliating Mask costs £25 for 6 treatments and is available from Marks and Spencer and lookfantastic.com. Have you tried this mask? Are you a Murad fan?

Summer beauty tips: How to perfect your skin

Do you suffer from spots, acne and blemishes? Is your skin looking dull, dry and lifeless? If so, it’s time to revamp your appearance and revitalise your complexion – here’s how:


Exfoliate on a Regular Basis:
Exfoliation is an ancient beauty technique that can improve the top surface of the skin – so get hold of an exfoliating shower gel and start scrubbing. Simply rub your body from head-to-toe (using small, circular movements) and wash the bubbles away using lukewarm water. This will get rid of all the dead skin cells blocking your pores and will leave you feeling fresh, vibrant and energised. If you’ve got a little cash to spare, a glycolic facial peel can also work wonders, so why not give it a go?

Use a Decent Moisturiser:
Dry, flaky skin can become tight and irritable, so keep it well-hydrated at all times. Buy a decent moisturiser from your local beauty store and massage it into your skin after a bath or shower. Reapply the product several times a day and make sure all scaly, cracked or red areas are nice and soft. If you have eczema or psoriasis, you may need a steroid cream or a more intensive moisturiser, but speak to your health care provider to see what they recommend.


Keep your Body Well-Hydrated:
According to the NHS Choices website, water makes up over two-thirds of the healthy human body –so it’s important to drink around two litres of water a day. This will keep your body healthy and will help all your organs (including your skin) stay in the best condition possible. Avoid fizzy, caffeinated or alcoholic drinks if you can and stick to water, milk, diluted squash or fruit juices.


Wear Sun Cream:
The sun’s UV rays can cause cancer, sun spots and wrinkles – so apply a decent sun cream
throughout the year. Choose a product with an SPF of at least 30 and rub it into all exposed areas of skin, including your nose, ears and toes (as these areas burn easily). Remember, the sun can shine through the clouds and catch you out, so wear sun cream all year round – even on a grey, rainy day.


Eat your five a day:
Vitamins A, B, C and E are all crucial for keeping the skin cells healthy, so get your five a day. Munch on a delicious apple or a juicy peach and eat several vegetables as part of your evening meal. If you don’t like fruit and veg on their own, try making a tangy fruit smoothie or knock up a mouth-watering vegetable soup for lunch. Vary the foods you eat on a day-to-day basis and you should get the vitamins and nutrients your need to look (and feel) great.


There are many non-surgical treatments available to improve your skin at cosmetic surgery clinics in the UK, but you can always start with the simple things first to bring your skin to life. Take care of your skin this summer and enjoy a radiant complexion always. What are your summer beauty tips?

GLOSSYBOX July 2012

I arrived home last night to my July GLOSSYBOX and as usual the products came beautifully packaged as normal using a pale pink box with black tissue paper with and pink ribbon. With Festival season upon us, this month's box is full of festival beauty essentials to get you glam in an instant. You can save 15% off by visiting GLOSSYBOX and entering the code AFFJULY15OFF at the checkout (ends 31/7/12).

BEX LONDON Londoner Urban Fragrance (worth £1.62)
This is a brand I was unaware of until now, this is a highly concentrated, modern fragrance, inspired by the unique character and idiosyncrasies of London. I received the SE1 Urban Fragrance which is an unusual and spicy scent and I'd say is more of a unisex fragrance. This reminds me of the unusual perfumes you find in Liberty London but I can't believe the full size price is £81 - little steep if you ask me!

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Moisture Mist (worth £3.70)
Give thirsty hair and skin the moisture they crave this spray helps you feel refreshed all day long. I have really enjoyed using the Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Treatment so have high hopes for this spray, it's also handy for taking away when travelling as all my hair styling products tend to be on the large size!

MONU Eye Cool Gel (full size worth £16.95)
This refreshing gel instantly revives and tones tired eyes, reduces puffiness and dark circles. I am really excited to try this as I absolutely adored the Monu moisturiser that I tried (you can read my product rave here) so have high hopes this will be just as good. This is a full size product and it is quite a generous size for an eye gel.

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics Lip Frosting (full size worth £10)
I have tried this product before - it's a Multi-functional cream gloss - use on lips for a tint of colour or cheeks for a luminous glow. It smells just like Strawberry Calpol and I love using on the apples of my cheeks to create a healthy shiny glow.

NUXE Nuile Prodigieuse (worth £3.50)
I have been wanting to try this dry oil for so long so very happy to receive this! Apply this dry oil to your face, body and hair all year round to nourish, repair and soften. Can't wait to try this out!

*Bonus* Elizabeth Arden's Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Skincare
3 sample sachets of Elizabeth Arden's Gentle Hydrating Skincare - cleanser, serum and cream; plus if you show the Glossybox Card at any Debenhams Elizabeth Arden counter you will receive a free deluxe sample. It is quite nice they have thrown in a bonus item as I feel that perfume samples shouldn't be classed as one of the 5 items as this is something you can usually pick up for free on a perfume counter.









This month's box contained two full size products plus a bonus item and I have totted up the value of the products and it comes to roughly £35.77 which for £10 (plus £2.95 P&P) is great value! I am most excited about the NUXE Dry oil as it's something that I have been wanting to try for a while and I'm curious to try the Monu eye gel as I loved the moisturiser so much so have high expectations that this will be equally as good! You can find out more and order your own GLOSSYBOX here. You can save 15% off by visiting GLOSSYBOX and entering the code AFFJULY15OFF at the checkout (ends 31/7/12).

What do you think of this month's GLOSSYBOX? Did you receive anything different to mine?

St. Tropez Spraycation Tour

Are you fed up with the weather? If your after a tan then fear not fake it with St Tropez! They are bringing their luxury beach-themed pop-up Spraycation tour around the UK. You can enjoy a complimentary skin finishing treatment and an exclusive consultation with an A-list expert. Whether you're looking for a deep bronzed 'jet set' tan, a subtle natural glow or simply achieve flawless pins for a night out then the St Tropez experts will be on hand to ensure you look naturally glamours whatever the occasion.

The St. Tropez Spraycation tour started on Friday at London Westfield and their next stop will be Bullring Birmingham on 22^nd and 23^rd June, The Trafford Centre Manchester on 29^th and 30^th June, Glasgow Braehead on 6^th and 7^th July and will finish up in Dublin’s Pavilions on 12^th and 13^th July. I think they are missing a trick not going to Tan Capitals of the country Liverpool and Newcastle but maybe next time?!


Are you popping along to visit the experts? Will you sporting a St Tropez tan?

Nourish Skincare Winner!

You may remember I recently met Nourish Skincare at The Vitality Show and ran a giveaway to win your own skincare regime worth £40? Thanks to everyone that entered, it was the first time I ran a giveaway using Rafflecopter   and I have to say it was so easy and simple to use and made my life (and yours!?) much easier! 


The winner is....

Sam Fox!

Well done to Sam - I have dropped you an email asking for your skin type or skin concerns so I can get your prizes sent off as soon as possible! Hope you enjoy using Nourish Skincare :)


Look out for more giveaways coming soon!

Sienna Miller using Bio Oil to avoid Stretch Marks!

Sienna Miller has just revealed that she is using high-street favourite Bio-Oil to keep her baby bump beautifully soft and stretch mark free. Other celebrity fans include: Helena Christensen, Tess Daly, Denise Van Outen, Charlotte Church and Kym Marsh.

Bio-Oil’s unique formulation is designed to maximise the skin’s elasticity, helping to prevent the appearance of stretch marks. It combines some of the most important skincare ingredients including vitamin A and E with Calendula, Lavender, Rosemary and Chamomile oils, plus the unique ingredient, PurCellin Oil™. PurCellin Oil™ creates a dry non-greasy oil which ensures the ingredients are absorbed deep into the second layer of the skin, where they can provide targeted treatment. 

Bio-Oil is £8.95 available from Boots.com or Superdrug. I have found Bio Oil is brilliant for healing scars and for an overnight moisturising treatment for the skin. Have you tried Bio Oil?

Review: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW Foundation

On Sunday on my way back from London (more about that later!) I went to the Benefit Blogger Afternoon Tea at Harvey Nichols in Manchester which was a lovely treat. We were treated to a pot of tea, dainty sandwiches, cupcakes, scones with Harvey Nics Jam & cream, macaroons & lavender cream pastries. There was loads of treats left over so we were given a doggy bag to take home along with a cute postcard travel set in our goody bag. It was lovely to finally meet the lovely Rowena from Cosmetic Candy Blog, Benefit's Digital Manager Jasmine & very briefly Lisa who is Benefit's Head Makeup Trend Artist  - as we have been Tweeting each other for some time!

I was late so missed the talk about the new foundation - 'Hello Flawless Oxygen WOW SPF 25 Brightening Makeup' and missed getting colour matched but I was kindly sent two foundations to test out yesterday. I was sent two in the post today to try: 'I'm pure 4 sure' and 'believe in me' both from the IVORY range, and it was lucky I was send two as neither of them are the perfect match for my skin tone - but mixed together they are! The Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Foundation comes boxed with a little sample of the Pore Professional Primer, which I haven't tried before but am suitably impressed.


I really like the simple packaging in a clear plastic pump dispenser with black pen marker type writing, it's clear to see how much you have left and with it being plastic it's much lighter if you like to cart around your makeup with you in your handbag each day. There are 9 shades in the range with 3 different depths and three different tones - although I found them slightly more towards a yellow tone.

The texture is very runny but easy to blend in with fingers and it blends to nothing but leaves a slightly luminous and healthy glow to the skin - perfect 'no makeup' makeup. It's not cakey at all, and very light-weight but gives good coverage evening out the skin tone and covering any redness. Normally I find oil free foundations too matte and powdery looking on me as I have dry areas but this foundation is hydrating and feels like I am not wearing any makeup! The foundation is brightening, hydrating, contains SPF, Oxygen and an oil free formula and really lasts all day on the skin - perfect for summer, like today it was boiling and I was literally melting in my car but my foundation stayed on - amazing!

The Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Brightening Foundation costs £24.50 and is available from 31st March at Boots, John Lewis, Feel Unique, Look Fantastic, & House of Fraser


Special thanks to Rowena & the Benefit team for organising such a lovely event up North - we should definitely do another one soon! I look forward to meeting the team again next week when they are launching a new counter in Middlesbrough! So any PR's reading this take note - you should do more events up North!! Contact me if you need any help or ideas :-)


What are your favourite Benefit products?  Have you tried this new foundation yet?

Bourjois Bio Detox Organic Foundation Review

At the Bourjois event I was lucky enough to try a sneak preview of their new natural foundation launching in October. The new Bio Detox Organic foundation has a formula of 98.8% natural ingredients (21% being organically sourced) and has been certified by Ecocert as an organic cosmetic for a flawless finish. The formula enriched with chlorophyll brings oxygen and filters pollution to purify skin with each application. An anti-imperfection effect that evens out the complexion, lets the skin breathe, smoothing blemishes and lightly mattifying skin.

My first thoughts on the foundation when I tried it on my hand was that it seemed drying on the skin, so I would of imagined this would cling to dry patches on the skin and look terrible. However once blended on the face it’s a whole different story, it does not look dry at all, obviously it has a matt finish but it doesn’t look ‘flaky’ nor cling to dry patches. It does dry quickly to a powdery velvet texture and goes to nothing on the skin so you need to blend and buff quickly.

There are 7 shades to choose from, I selected Shade No. 53 ‘Light Beige’ for a medium skin tone. It has a fresh, fruity scent similar to the Bourjois Healthy Mix foundation due to the fragrance of melon, apple and sweet jasmine. It brightened and evened out my skin tone without feeling like I was wearing foundation, I felt like my skin could breathe. I think this would be fabulous for oily skins too. It gives a light coverage, but is buildable but the overall look is still natural and fresh.

Next is the accompanying Bio Detox Organic Concealer which owes its concealing and anti-puffiness performance to the dual action of a massaging roll-on ball applicator and a formula containing 98.8% ingredients of a natural origin, including 14.4% Ecocert-certified ingredients from organic farming. It has anti puffiness properties of horse chestnut extract and light-reflecting pigments to hide dark circles and puffiness. The non-greasy texture lets skin breathe and delivers a lightweight, even coverage for an ultra-natural result. The small metal ball of its roll-on applicator gently massages the eye contour. This massaging action coupled with an ‘ice cube’ effect stimulates micro-circulation of the skin. It produces effective and immediate action on dark circles, puffiness and swollen eyelids. This draining action immediately enhances the eyes. It comes in 2 shades, one for light and medium toned skin, and another for tan and dark skin tones.

Swatches on my hand: Top Foundation and below the concealer 

(Sorry for the picture - Blogger was playing up!)

Cassie Lomas, Celebrity Makeup Artist says ‘Glide the massaging roll-on applicator around the eyes then gently pat the formula with the fingertips to blend well and release the light-reflecting pigments.”

I found the concealer not heavy enough to cover my dark circles, but was ideal for lightly covering any blemishes or red patches on my face. Due to the roller ball it feels very cooling on the skin and lovely to use around the eye area and the scent is the same as the foundation – fresh and fruity. Like the foundation, it provides a light coverage and blends to almost a powder/velvet finish. Its obviously too early to tell if its made a difference to my dark circles but I will be interested to find out if it does.

Foundation and Concealer blended into the skin

Bio Detox Organic foundation is priced at £11.99 and concealer priced at £7.99 both of which are launching in October and available from Boots. Are you a fan of Bourjois Foundations?

ROC Hydra + Summer Skin

Hi Ladies, today i got a few bargains from a cheapy beauty shop called home bargains! Firsty I picked up this bargain....ROC Hydra Summer Skin. It is a 'natural and progrssive glow moisturiser' - i actually picked up the dark skin version, but i will use it anyway.

This cost £1.99 ive seen ROC products before in Boots and they are usually expensive.

Usually i find with facial gradual tanners are they bring out a nice colour but the mositurising effect isnt good, they usually feel greasy on my skin too. I applied this ROC cream earlier, and i really liked it - it leaves your skin really soft and sunk in straight away - it wasnt greasy. It also smells nicely scented but not too overpowering. The ROC cream is in the same style of packaging of 2 other facial fake tans ive got - st tropez gradual facial tanner and then johnsons holiday summer skin facial cream in the same yellow packaging. I thought the st tropez one was OK but quite expensive, and the summer skin i hated - too greasy! I also spotted a natural sponge for 39p and i got 2 mini cans of dove silk dry deodorant as they were 19p each ! These are perfect as im going away to london for a week so these ill take with me instead of packing a large can. I was also tempted to get a can of this super cheap fake tan for legs for 99p! i put it in the basket and my mum convinced me it would turn me orange so i put it back on the shelf! i may go back and get it tho just to try it you never know might be another winner like the St Moriz! :)

Boots Mediterranean Almond Pistachio & Milk Body Butter

This body butter is fab - in fact i tend to use it as cuticle cream and hand and nail cream or on my feet. It is a really thick rich consistency that mositurises really well and sinks deep into the skin. The best thing is the smell - it is gorgeous! The small tub is perfect size to carry around in your handbag. The pictures here arent great but the almond oil makes your skin gleem.