Skin Care Loves

 I am always changing up my body creams. My family is obsessed with moisturising and we generally have about 4 or 5 creams on the go.  

At the moment I am loving Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion and The Body Shop Shea Body Butter. 

I use Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion morning and night and it keeps my skin smooth all day. It's fragrance free and includes naturally active colloidal oatmeal. It feels super light, sinks into the skin instantly and doesn't leave your skin with an oily/slippery finish. I generally have dry skin all the time and I find with this cream I don't have to re-moisturise very often after I apply this in the morning. 

This mini tub of The Body Shop Shea Body Butter is my new handbag favourite. It contains Community Fair Trade shea butter. It has an absolutely gorgeous nutty scent and has a very rich and creamy formula. I normally use this as a hand cream, as my hands tend to get very dry very quickly (especially during this weather). As some of you may know, I am a MASSIVE fan of The Body Shop Body Butters and the next one I am looking to try is the Sweet Lemon Body Butter. I haven't actually smelled this one yet, but I am a lover of all things lemon, so I'm not worried. 

What are your favourite skin care products? 

~Nas~

My Daily Facial Routine

It is not always easy to settle on a facial routine that woks well, but I think I may have found one! These are the products I have currently worked into my daily routine. 

• Vichy Normaderm Tri-Active Cleansing 3-in-1 Cleanser Scrub and Mask, £11.00
• No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner, £8.00. I did a post on this product recently, here
• Melvita Orange Blossom Extraordinary Water, * £14.00
• Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream, £7.65
• Balance Me Wonder Eye Cream, * £20.00. I also did a post on this a while back, here
  
• Blistex MedPlus Balm, £2.59

My daily routine starts off with a good ol' cleanse. I got a little sample of Vichy Normaderm Tri-Active Cleansing 3-in-1 Cleanser Scrub and Mask in my January GlossyBox - just when I was on the lookout for a new cleanser. This 3 - in 1 product is a cleanser, exfoliant and a mask. I have only used this product as a cleanser and it is brilliant. It's 25% clay and has a lovely creamy texture, it leaves my skin feeling really fresh and clean. It's a great product for skin that is (like mine) prone to imperfections and works well on sensitive skin. I've used up all of this lovely little sample now and I need to buy some more as I really want to test it out as an exfoliant and a mask too. 

This is then followed with a spot of toning, I'm currently addicted to my No7 Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner. I did a post on this a little while back (click above for link). As you can see by how much I have used, I am still loving it!

After cleansing and toning I pour a little bit of Melvita Orange Blossom Extraordinary Water into the palm of my hand and use my fingertips to apply it all over my face. This product is formulated with Soy-based Hyaluronic Acid and has a lovely fresh orange scent. I really like this product and I have most definitely seen an improvement in my skin since I've been using it. It limits the loss of water and preps my skin for moisturising. 

I have suffered from eczema all my life (unfortunately), it can be quite hard to find a cream that can moisturise my skin properly. I normally have to use a bit of a special dry skin cream I picked up in Mauritius as an extra layer. I had heard so many great things about the Oilatum Natural Repair Face Cream that I thought I would give it a whirl. It is working quite really well for me and leaves my skin feeling super supple and silky smooth. It provides lots of moisture to my face, especially to the eczema patches. A little goes a long way with this cream as it can be a bit oily. I'm currently on my third tube of cream, it's working amazingly for me - but that could also be because my sister has been stealing it. 

For my eyes I am loving Balance Me's Wonder Eye Cream. I included this eye cream in a post a while back (the link is above). I pat and smooth a bit of this cream around my eye area using my ring finger. 

To finish off, I dab a little of Blistex MedPlus Balm onto my lips, this is my favourite lip balm at the moment. The brutal weather has not been kind to my little pout and recently I have NOT left home without this little pot. It includes carrot oil which is packed full of antioxidants, as well as menthol ingredient which leaves my lips feeling zingy. It also includes cocoa seed butter and lanolin to maintain moisture levels.

~Nas~

*PR Samples

Spring Beauty Loves

This season, some of my favourite beauty brands have released some gorgeous collections for the spring. Recently the beauty blogosphere has gone crazy for these products*. 

• Estee Lauder's Pretty Naughty collection - The Pure Color Five Color EyeShadow Palette and Sheer Matte Lipstick in Rebel.
•  M.A.C.'s Archie's Girls collection - Spoiled Rich Eye Shadow and Betty Opulash in Optimum black.
• Clinique's Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes in Pink & Plenty and Bountiful Beige.
• Benefit's Fine-One-One sheer brightening colour for cheeks & lips - a more detailed blog post here. 
• Clarin's Rouge Eclat Lipsticks in Pink Fuchsia and Red Wine. 
• Illamasqua's I'mperfection collection - Powder Blush Duo in Lover & Hussy.  

I am a big fan of Clinique's Chubby Sticks. They are staple products in my collection and have become an instant hit with all beauty lovers. So when I heard that they were releasing a version for eyes I was ecstatic! I really like how the nib of the stick has been rounded, to allow for smooth application. It is easy to build the colour, if you wanted to create more of an impact and contains vitamin E. I really like the Pink & Plenty shade which provides a pinky champagne colour, I'm really enjoying champagne shades at the moment. 

Clarin's Eye Quartet Mineral Palette Collector Edition and Rouge Eclat Spring make-up collection and Rouge Eclat Lipsticks in Pink Fuchsia and Red Wine (l-r)

I have to admit I have fallen deeply in love with the Rouge Eclat lipsticks especially the Red Wine shade. I've found this lipstick to last all day on me when I'm chatting away and drinking my buckets of tea (as I tend to do). It includes vitamin E and 100% plant waxes of Mimosa, Jojoba and Sunflower. The colour is super intense and it has a sweet liquorice and blackberry flavour. Yum.

Illamasqua's I'mperfection collection - Lipstick in Immodest, Powder Blush Duo in Lover & Hussy, Nail Varnish in Freckle (light brown) and Fragile (light blue) and the new Blush Up Brush. 

The new I'mperfction range from Illamasqua celebrates and embraces flaws, freckles and birth marks. Anything that you might consider to be an imperfection. This is one of my favourite things about Illamasqua - they are always going against the grain. They create such stunning products whilst encouraging you to love yourself for your real beauty. I love the stunning new Blush Up Brush and the Powder Duo in Lover & Hussy. 

For a detailed analysis all of the above products check out my March Spring Beauty piece for Time & Leisure magazine. Coming soon! :) 

~Nas~

*All products photographed are P.R. Samples

Happy Valentine's Day from The Body Shop

The Body Shop have released a number of gorgeous gift sets, just in time for Valentine's Day.

Regardless if you are a fan of this famous day of love or not, these gift sets are super cute and make sweet presents for a loved one. Or (if you're like me) they are a great excuse to pamper yourself! 

The Strawberry Heart Shower, Scrub & Soften* (£15) gift set includes a shower gel, body polish, body butter and a Born Lipy. This will make a lovely gift for the one who is a lover of all things strawberry. All of these  products come in a really lovely heart shaped tin, which is re-usable. I absolutely love this set as a gift because it includes some of The Body Shop's classic products such as the Body Butter and the Born Lippy.

It does exactly what it says on the gorgeously heart shaped tin; scrubs and softens, leaving a sweet strawberry scent. This is also available in the Chocomania flavour.  

I love love LOVE The Body Shop's Born Lippy lip balms. They smell absolutely scrumptious and keep lips super supple. I have the Born Lippy Stick Lip Balm in pomegranate and apply it every night before I go to bed. It's a simple way of keeping my lips hydrated as I sleep. The Born Lippy Lip Balm Trio (£6) gift set  includes three of the Born Lippy Pot Lip Balms in raspberry, strawberry and passionberry and comes in a lovely heart shaped tin. It's a lovely gift for ladies (like me) who adore lip products and can't get enough of them. These lip pots are great for prepping your lips for lipstick. Also they are great for wearing over your lipstick to seal in the colour and add a bit of gloss. 

If you're looking for a gift that's a little less fruity - check out the Chocomania & Nut Lip Trio (£12) gift set. This sweet little tin includes three of The Body Shop's little lip butters. The flavours are Coconut, Chocomania and Shea. These butters are brilliant for keeping chapped lips at bay. They also smell ridiculously delicious and you'll be tempted to gobble the lot. They're perfect for the brutal winter weather we seem to be experiencing at the moment, as they aim to provide instant and continuous hydration. 

~Nas~

To check out all The Body Shop's gift sets, click here

*P.R. Sample

Maybelline Eyes and No7 Lips

When it comes to make-up I am most definitely an eyes and lips sort of gal. I always need to have a lipstick and a mascara (If I haven't applied some at home) handy in my bag. I have quite a vast collection of lipsticks and mascaras - so I tend to change it up whenever I can. I don't really like sticking to just one particular look. 

Currently, for my lashes I am loving Maybelline's Volum' Express The Rocket mascara. 

I have a couple of high-end mascaras and I had forgotten how wonderful high street mascaras can be. So I thought I would go for a little wonder in Boots and I found myself standing in front of the Maybelline collection. I picked up this mascara and was drawn to it mainly because of the look of the wand. Also, I loved how in the display they featured a picture of this mascara being used on actual lashes. Normally the images featured in mascara campaigns are not realistic at all and non-achievable (not too sure if that's a word). 

Anyway...

I took this mascara home and wore it to work the next day. I fell in love with it - instantly! It's so easy to use and gets to work as soon as its applied. The 'jet-glide brush' hooks onto every single one of your lashes and evenly spreads the formula in a no-nonsense sort of way. This mascara promises to provide your lashes with up to 8x more volume. Volume is most definitely provided, I'm not sure if it is up to 8x more, but my lashes do look super long and thick with just one coat. And for £5.99, it will not burn a hole in your pocket. 

For my lips, I am loving these two No7 Stay Perfect lipsticks in Grace and Claret (l-r). 

Lipsticks are my weakness - I love nothing more than drenching my pout in colour. I got these two lipsticks with the No7 vouchers, which got me £3 off. There was also an offer of buy one get one half price - which put a smile on my face. 

I naturally gravitate towards lip products of plum and raspberry shades, so I thought it was time to mix it up a bit and add some neutral colours to my collection. I love No7 and these lipsticks are really pigmented and glide onto lips smoothly. Grace is a light brown with a flash of burgundy. It's a very grown up shade and is perfect for when I want a bit of colour on my lips without looking too dramatic. Claret is a gorgeous chocolate brown and I love wearing this at work because it's a very sophisticated shade and doesn't make me feel like I'm wearing a ton of make-up. 

Lovely :) 

~Nas~

Benefit's Fine-One-One Brightening Colour for Cheeks and Lips

The lovely ladies from Benefit were kind enough to send me a sweet sample of the Fine-One-One product. This gorgeous new cheek and lip colour will feature in a spring beauty piece I am writing for the Time & Leisure website, which will go live in March. 

Fine-One-One cheek and lip colour is really pretty and is great for creating a spring time look. The product is a combination of three striped colours - soft coral, sheer watermelon and pink champagne. It's super easy to use, simply swipe from the apple of your cheeks to your temple and blend with your fingers. It is actually that simple! I've found that if you want to create more colour, all you have to do is layer the product by swiping it over your cheeks until you're happy with the result. 

This is great for those who love multi-use products and who normally do their make-up on the go. Dab onto bare lips for a fresh pop of colour. I'm loving the slim rose gold casing. It's really light and makes it easy to slip into your handbag. 

I have always been a massive fan of Benefit's cheek products, the colours are gorgeous and always leave you with a pretty fresh glow. I particularly like the Hervana powder blush, which is made up of a combination of peach, rose and berry shades. 

www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk


~Nas~

*PR Sample

No7 Skin Care Goodies.

Recently, due to a splurge at Boots I received some lovely No7 make-up and skincare vouchers. So I thought I would treat myself to some of their skincare products, as I have heard so many good things about them. I also felt like my skin needed a bit of pampering - it's been looking a bit dull as of late. 

I treated myself to the following (l-r) the Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser, the Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner and the Beautiful Skin Eye Make-Up Remover. 

The Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser has been dubbed a dupe of the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. I have only used this cleanser once but I am already a fan! It comes with a lovely muslin cloth and it literally brightens your face. The rich creamy formula teamed with the muslin cloth removes dead cells and grime. It leaves your skin feeling super soft and is a nice way to pamper yourself after a tiring day. It's almost like having a spa treatment at home. Mad love for this product. 

I love the Soft & Soothed Gentle Toner. I have been using this toner for just over a week and I have already started seeing the difference in my skin. The formula is hypo-allergenic and hydrates my skin in a really soothing way. You only need a little bit of this product on a cotton wool pad and it's a great way to prep your skin for moisturising. 

I tend to wear a lot of mascara and the thing I never look forward to is taking it off. It normally entails a lot of scrubbing and leaves the skin around my eyes feeling horribly raw. The Beautiful Skin Eye Make-up Remover is really soft and gentle. My top tip with this make-up remover is to apply a little of the product to a cotton wool pad and to let it sit gently on your eyes for a few seconds. This allows the formula to sink into your skin and therefore gets to work quicker. It's brilliant and literally removes all eye make-up including waterproof mascara. 

With these vouchers I also got two lipsticks, which I shall do a blog post on soon. 

All of these products are available at your local Boots or online. 

~Nas~

The Body Shop celebrates 21 years of the original Body Butter

This year The Body Shop is celebrating 21 glorious years of their original Body Butters. Personally I can't get enough of  these gorgeously scented, super creamy butters and I think I would be right in assuming that everyone pretty much feels the same. 

The Body Shop launched their Body Butter in 1992. Up until then, the consistency of most moisturisers was a bit runny and would tend to get a bit messy. The Body Shop sought to solve this problem by introducing the first ever mango flavoured Body Butter (above left). It completely revolutionised moisturising application. Since then it has become one of The Body Shop's most famous products, with 20 sweet smelling scents. 

Personally, I absolutely love these body butters and have quite a few myself. My favourite flavours would have to include vineyard peach and chocomania. Whilst my sister has taken a liking to the strawberry flavour. Other famous flavours include coconut and moringa. The above image is my personal collection of Body Butters. The vineyard peach one, in the centre has only a teeny bit left and I will have to get a new one as soon as possible. The bottom left on is the Ginger Sparkle Body Butter which came in a festive gingerbread tin set from the Christmas range. I have yet to open this one up, I love the smell of ginger and  I'm saving it for a special occasion. 

The butter-like formula provides 24 hours of silky smooth skin with a light scent. The recipe has been a long kept secret of The Body Shop. We do know however that they are full to the brim with top quality natural ingredients, sourced through the unique Community Fair Trade programme. Some of the key ingredients of the butters come from all over the world, such as; Shea butter from Ghana and organic olive oil from

Italy. 

To mark this special occasion The Body Shop has released a new Deluxe Edition Chocomania Body Butter.  This one smells delicious and (as I mentioned before) is one of my ultimate favourites amongst The Body Butters. 

Visit your local store, where you can discover all the Body Butter flavours or go visit the website here. 

~Nas~

*All products photographed are  PR Samples