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Friday, 31 May 2013

Banishing the Blemishes #003 - The Skin Regime Book & Peel

Hi everyone! Part 3 of my Banishing the Blemishes series comes from a book called The Skin Regime: Bootcamp For Beautiful Skin. Dana, the author, contacted me a couple of weeks ago and very kindly offered to send me a copy, as well as a sample facial peel.

If you're anything like me, the thought of a peel makes you think of acid, pain, and your whole face being burnt off! Oh, how wrong I was. Dana's book guides you through how to safely perform peels at home, and encompasses skincare tips and tricks throughout.



I'm not really one for reading (unless it's a magazine, of course!), but Dana's book was a pleasure to read. It's written in a very matter-of-fact way, and is also very informative on the peels, and skincare in general. The book provides you with a Skincare Regime (hence the title!) to follow inbetween peels, which is very similar to my own, so big thumbs up to that!


*How amazing does Dana's skin look WITHOUT makeup?! Living proof the peels work wonders!


The book is ideal for any skincare fanatic (ahem, like myself), but also people who know very little about skincare, and have concerns about ageing/spots/scarring, etc. Now, on to the peel.

When Dana first contacted me, I was a little apprehensive of the peel side of things. I have always been worried about doing these sort of things in the past, but my mind was completely put to rest when I received the book. It's almost like a cook book, for your face. It has a whole section dedicated to how to use the peel, how to prep your skin before (and maintain it after) and a little bit on what to expect once the peel is on. After scouring the book, highlighting here and underlining there, I felt like I was ready to try it. The peel itself is in liquid form, so it needs to be gently swept over the face with a cotton pad, and left for around a minute (2 at the most). Upon application, my skin was tingling lots (a very strange sensation and quite hard to describe!). I washed it off, as instructed, and was left with very soft skin (if a little red!) The redness had subsided by the morning, but my skin was still beautifully soft!

Of course, I've only tried one peel, so can't comment on the long term effects, but my skin was left very soft and radiant. I can see how this peel would be fantastic for any congestion and scarring, as it really exfoliates and renews your skin. I would thoroughly recommend the book to all of you, as well as the peel. Even if you have sensitive skin, Dana guides you on how you can make the peel work for you. The peels are even sold in different strengths, so you're bound to find one perfect for you! Both the book and peels can be purchased on Dana's website here. You can also find Dana on Facebook and Twitter.


Have you ever tried an at-home facial peel?

xxx

Thursday, 23 May 2013

John Frieda - Frizz Ease Products

Having been a Frizz Ease serum user for years now, you can imagine my excitement on being contacted about some additional Frizz Ease products. I have been using some lovely new John Frieda products for 3 weeks now, so here are my thoughts on them!







The shampoo claims to block frizz and moisturise extra dry hair, for smooth and sleek hair. The formula contains a Frizz-Mending complex and olive oil to replenish moisture and restore natural hair frizz defences.

I was a little apprehensive that this shampoo would make my limp hair greasy after seeing the words "extra dry hair" and "moisturise", however, I was pleasently surprised. As with all John Frieda products, it smells lovely! The texture isn't as thick as I was expecting, a creamy gel, that foams up easily in to a good lather. I can't really comment on the shampoo's "frizz-mending" ability on its own, as I used the shampoo and conditioner in conjunction. However, I did notice a significant reduction in frizz. After drying my hair, I usually straighten it immediatley after as I hate it feeling frizzy. However, since switching to the frizz ease range (in conjunction with the serum, of course!), I don't feel the need to straighten my hair. Following a blow dry, it is silky, manageable and incredibly soft! As aforementioned, I'm not sure of the ability of a shampoo on its own to give these results, so I'll put it down to using the products together - a collective effect.




The conditioner claims to work on the same basis as the shampoo: to tame frizz and replenish the hair's moisture. I really like using a deep conditioner on the ends of my hair, and this didn't disappoint. The texture is thicker than your regular conditioner, so makes a really nice base if you (like me!) add a couple of drops of hair oil to your conditioner. I'm not the most patient of people, and having conditioner on my hair for 5 minutes for it to "work" is incredibly annoying. I like an immediate effect after 1-2 minutes, and this shampoo definitely provided that - big thumbs up from me! You know the feeling when your hair is so smooth as you rinse conditioner off? Yep, this definitely gave that feeling! A big thumbs up from me, for being very hydrating, and leaving my hair very soft after only a couple of minutes of waiting, hurrah!





Claiming to be ideal for both straight and curly styles, it instantly smoothes hair and camouflages dry, frizzy ends for a flawless, shiny finish.

I did stop using my beloved serum in place of this, but I found that in conjunction with the other products, it left my hair feeling weighed down. So, my sister was delighted to give it a go instead, and gave me her thoughts on it. She prefers to let her hair dry naturally and "scrunch" it with product to give a curly effect. She used this in place of her usual Herbal Essences (in the purple tub, the name escapes me), and was very happy with the results. Her hair usually gets a little frizzy the day after washing, and that was significantly reduced. She also commented on how soft her hair was since using the creme (although she may have stolen some of the shampoo and conditioner in addition!)



If you fancy trying out the products for yourself, you can buy them from Boots where the entire range is currently on 3 for £12!

For expert advice on hairstyling, head over to the John Frieda Youtube channel where you have access to a plethora of videos on everything from the John Frieda ranges to creating professional-looking hairstyles.



Do you use any John Frieda products?

xxx

Saturday, 11 May 2013

My Gorgeous New Bag: Dolly Mack Designs

This morning, I fell in love... with a bag. After thinking for months it couldn't get any better than the infamous Zara Office City bag, it most definitely has. Meet my gorgeous new Dolly Mack Designs bag!








A couple of months ago, I received an email from the lovely Nicole telling me I'd won one of Allie's gorgeous hand made bags. Allie runs Dolly Mack Designs and is incredibly talented in creating personalised, high quality jute bags. I liased with her, creating a bag that represented me - you can customise the hair style and colour, eye colour, outfit and even accessories, so the bag is perfect for you! It's then finished with your name, lots of glitter and a bow. I can't wait to show off my brand new bag to all of my friends, who will definitely be green with jealousy! 

The service I received from Allie was fantastic, she is friendly and very talented! Ordering your own bag is easy - just complete the order form and watch the space. It was torture seeing photos of everybody else's bags while mine was being made, but it was definitely worth the wait!

Dolly Mack hand-customised bags start from £25 for a medium bag and £30 for a large bag (mine is a large). To check out all of Allie's designs, visit her Facebook page here.


What do you think of my new bag?

xxx

Friday, 19 April 2013

Banishing the Blemishes #002 - Ren Clearcalm

Part 2 of my Banishing the Blemishes series comes from a natural skincare company called Ren. Again, having heard amazing things about Ren all over the blogosphere, I was so excited to be able to try out the Clearcalm range. Ren pride theirselves in producing products free from synthetic fragrance/colour, PEGS, parabens and propylene glycol. 




I received the Clearcalm range to try out, best suited to blemish-prone skin. The set compromises of cleanser, mask, moisturiser and night serum. Unfortunatley, the day moisturiser has been discontinued, but the tzone balancing fluid is a fanatstic substitute.




This cleanser is unlike anything I've ever used before, it is clay-based, so has quite a firm consistency, very similar to the mask. It is full of gorgeous natural ingredients such as french clay, salicilin and mayblossom to deep cleanse and detoxify the skin. I really like this cleanser, I feel it really calms down my skin and also any angry blemishes I may have. It is quite hard to remove on its own, due to the clay-base, so I like to use a warm muslin to remove, in the same way you would a hot cloth cleanser. I have already ordered the full size version of this, and would highly recommend it if you currently enjoy using a hot cloth cleanser, but maybe your skin is acting up a little.

This mask is fantastic, the real star of the range. In conjunction with the cleanser, it works wonders. It contains very similar ingredients to the cleanser, and does a wonderful job of clearing up any blemishes you may have. It has a very potent scent, but nothing too awful - I can definitely ignore the scent for the results it gives! I only apply the mask to areas where I have an active breakout, because it is very concentrated and can be a little drying. I think I've hit a winner here! I even apply it to individual under-the-skin spots as it does a great job of drawing them to a head. I am counting down the days until payday, when I can indulge in the full size!

This moisturiser really lives up to its name. This lavender scented gel contains an exotic mix of essential oils to mattify and balance the skin, as well as protecting the skin from free radicals. This would be the perfect moisturiser for combination skin had it contained some SPF. I always use SPF during the day, so was a little disappointed at this. For this reason, I like to apply a moisturiser with SPF after, which also gives me a little more moisture for the colder months. Nevertheless, it is a great mattifying moisturiser and keeps me shine free (almost) all day.

The serum-gel hybrid contains licorice to reduce sebum production and lingonberry extract to correct hyperpigmentation. It feels extremely light and comfortable on the skin, and is absorbed by the skin almost immediately. I can't really comment on hyperpigmentation, because if something drastically improved hyperpigmentation in 2 weeks, it would be a miracle worker. However, when applying this, I wake up with super soft and glowing skin, almost as if I've applied a liquid exfoliator such as Alpha H liquid gold. It's not quite moisturising enough for winter, however, I will definitely be reaching for this gem during the summer months when my skin is an oily mess!


I have thoroughly enjoyed trialing the Ren Clearcalm range, and it definitely contains some gems! As aforementioned, I have already bought the full sized version of the cleanser, and am waiting on payday before I buy the mask! If I had to recommend you one item from the range, it would definitely be the cleanser. I can't see my skincare routine without it, and in the long term, I'm sure it will whip my troublesome skin in to shape.


Have you ever tried anything from Ren?

xxx

Sunday, 14 April 2013

500 Follower Giveaway Winner...

A huge thank you to everyone that entered my 500 follower giveaway, the winner was Alex and she has replied to my email and I have arranged for her prizes to be sent to her! Don't worry if you didn't win this time, I have another giveaway planned for you all very very soon!

Thank you for your continued support, and huge congratulations to Alex!

xxx

Friday, 5 April 2013

Lust List #007 - My Summer Picks ft. Avenue 32

It seems like just about everyone is jetting off on their holidays at the moment. My twitter and instagram feeds are plastered with gorgeous beaches and bikini-clad bodies, and I'm here in dreary, cold England. Nice. If, like me, you're feeling a little down that the British Summer Time hasn't really kicked off yet, let my summer picks from Avenue 32 inspire you...




For the ideal summer dress, look no further than the Thakoon Addition Blue Floral dress. The floral print is perfect for summer, along with the stylish skater style. I really love the detailing on this dress. From the blue floral print to the cut-out cross back, it is perfect for beach strolls, and can easily be dressed up with a blazer and wedges for the evening.

I would pair the dress with a giant floppy hat, sunglasses and gladiator sandals - my three summer essentials. I found this perfect Pheasant feather rush hat, which will also look great at festivals due to the feather detailing. These Silver cut out sandals are a must for keeping cool and stylish during the warmer months. I love the metallic detailing, which certainly sets them apart from your standard brown gladiators! Sunglasses are another one of my "musts" - I'd be lost if I lost mine! Avenue 32 have an amazing selection of sunglasses,  some of my favourites being the bespoke frames from Cutler and Gross. I have seen cat eye sunglasses all over the SS13 catwalks, but I wasn't too keen. However, these White mondrian cat eye sunglasses are ever-so-slighly cat-eye, making them extremely easy to pull off. I think I've been converted.

During the summer, I keep my jewellery to a bare minimum - it just gets in the way a little! However, I do like to stack up on friendship bracelets for an efforless, urban look. Spikes and studs are huge at the moment, and are featured on the Silver plated chain bracelet. In addition, the Bex rox friendship bracelet in blue provides the perfect complement to my outfit.


Are you longing for summer? Which trends are you dying to experiment with?


xxx





Friday, 29 March 2013

Fantastic Ren Discounts for Easter... *30% off!*



There are also some hints on their Facebook page to help you out a little with the hunt!


Have you come across any good Easter discounts?

xxx


Passion for Fashion 2 with Moneysupermarket

Hi everyone! As you have probably gathered by now, I'm a little obsessed with creating outfits! Whether it's a lust list or simply what pay-day treats I'd like, I love it. When I heard about Moneysupermarket's competition in which you have to create 3 outfits, I jumped at the chance! For the competition, you have to devise an outfit under the categories of: Party, Holiday/Beach and Casual. What's more, each has to total under £200. I'll have to admit - it is extremely hard to stay within a budget when creating outfits! It is so easy to get carried away with a plethora of goodies at your disposal! Judging each category are some lovely bloggers - Olivia for party, Jen for casual, and Natasha for beach/holiday. For more information on how to enter, click here. Below are my entries, hope you love them! I had so much fun creating them, and hope that channels to you!




Block Colour Clutch - Zara - £39.99
Total: £162.44

Look #1 - Party.
I've had my eye on this gorgeous ASOS dress for months now - encompassing key trends such as skater style and embellished collars, this number is sure to impress on the dance floor. I paired it with the focal point of my outfit: electric-blue accented accessories. These include the lovely Karen Millen embroidered heels and stylishly simplistic Zara clutch, for an eye catching look. My makeup would remain simple, ensuring it doesn't overpower my look. I am desperate to try the dot effect eyeliner by Illamasqua, and would pair it with soft bronze eye shadow tones. A quick sweep of my signature red lippy and I'm ready to go!





Friendship Bracelet Multipack - River Island - £10
Total: £157.47

Look #2 - Beach/Holiday
This outfit made me lust for summer SO bad! For me, summer is all about the beach, wavy hair and glowing bronze skin. Mis-matched bikinis are also a must - they allow you to unleash your creative side and stand out from the crowd, while of course working on your tan! I chose this top from River Island for its adorable 3D effect finish, and the dotty bottoms for the perfect contrast. Who doesn't love a little nautical accent in the summer?! When it's time to head home for a barbecue, I would throw on the backless cami from ASOS and my favourite Mango shorts for an edgy, yet laid back look. I love the "backless" detail of the top, and can see myself living in it all summer long! My must-have accessories include a big floppy hat, for relaxing on the beach with a good book, and of course a pair of sunnies and plenty of bracelets!




Classic Backpack - Misac - £20
Total: £198

Look #3 - Casual
For me, casual is all about leggings and a baggy top. I love nothing more than spending my (very rare!) days off relaxing around the house, and these are essential for being comfortable while doing so. I was drawn to the leggings for their mix of exotic colours and metallic finish, which is pretty damn cool, right? If I (god forbid) have to leave the house, I would complete the look with my oversized denim jacket and trusty vans. I love to take lots of photographs when I'm out and about, so my trusty camera would be slung in to my backpack, ready for the perfect opportunity!



I hope you enjoyed my entries as much as I did creating them! A massive thank you to Moneysupermarket for another fantastic competition! Good luck if you decide to enter.


xxx

Thursday, 21 March 2013

Macadamia Deep Repair Hair Masque - Review

Hi everyone! A couple of months ago, I reviewed Moroccanoil's restorative hair mask, and I really liked it. I still use it, however the process is a little lengthy, as you need to condition post-mask. I also received a lot of feedback on the article (thank you!), with most of you commenting on how it's a little too expensive for you. Since receiving the Macadamia version of this mask from Hairtrade, I am completely blown away, and the Moroccanoil mask has been pushed to the back of my beauty cabinet.






First off, the mask may not smell as nice as the Moroccanoil version (it has a subtle scent, not offensive, but not as pungent as the Moroccanoil mask), but the results using this mask are amazing! The texture is a lot nicer than the Moroccanoil version, it is much more creamy and luxurious-feeling, in comparison to the foam, mousse-like texture of the Moroccanoil mask. The instructions say to leave in for 5 to 10 minutes and rinse for deeply nourished, reconstructed, and shiny hair. It also states how the mask should be used twice a week.

I use this mask once a week on a Sunday, as I am too busy during the week to use it twice a week. I find that once a week is perfectly sufficient for good results, and the tub will last a lot longer that way! The thing I  like the most about the Macadamia mask is that you don't need to condition post-application - horaaaay! If you read my review on the Moroccanoil mask, you'd know you need to condition after applying the mask, which I found quite a pain. I much prefer a one-product-wonder, and can't really be bothered applying a thousand lotions and potions - I would much rather slap one on and relax with a good book!

The results from using this mask were amazing - from having it applied to my hair for just a couple of minutes, I could already feel the difference. My hair was so so soft! This is the feeling I didn't get from the Moroccanoil mask, so I was really pleased. Once my hair was dry, it was bouncy and silky smooth. I can't really comment on the shine because it's hard to tell for yourself in artificial light - I'll have to ask someone when I next apply it! As for the condition of my hair, I wouldn't say it improves damage that you've already incurred to your hair - come on, only a hair cut can get rid of split ends! - but I find it fabulous for keeping my hair in a good condition.

The price is also something I really like about the Macadamia mask. A 250ml pot will cost you just £18.40 from Hairtrade (£5.55 off the RRP!), compared to £29 for 250ml of the Moroccanoil version. As I prefer a conditioning mask, I would definitely repurchase the Macadamia version over the Moroccanoil. However, the Moroccanoil version is ideal for hair that really has been abused, such as bleached hair.



Do you have a favourite hair mask?

xxx



Tuesday, 19 March 2013

Designer Lookalike Bags @ Zara

Zara bags are pretty much all over the blogosphere recently. From the iconic “Bucket bag” to the basic shopper, almost every blogger owns one. Zara have the most amazing, extensive selection of handbags, and most won’t break the bank either! Their prices are extremely reasonable for amazing quality and also designer lookalikes. Take these two examples…




How similar are they?! I don’t know about you, but I’d rather save myself a couple of hundred pounds and have the Zara lookalike version any day of the week! The Zara versions will set you back just £49.99 and £79.99 respectively, which is miles off the sky-high designer prices. I am head over heels in love with the city bag and need it in my life. Now it’s finally back in stock, I may have to indulge.


xxx