Lush Dashing Santa and Golden Wonder Bath Bombs

As you have probably noticed from my blog as of late; my Lush addiction gets a little out of control when its the festive Season. I am a little gutted to see that one of my two favourite Christmas themed bath bombs isn't back at Lush again this Year, and thought I would give you a little run down on why I love them so much.

Sadly, Dashing Santa hasn't seemed to make an appearance at Lush this Autumn/Winter and I am so gutted. It is a fruity scented bath bomb which reminds me of satsumas, it is one of those Lush products that you wish you had limited amounts of. Its definitely one of my all time favourite Lush products, I hope they bring it back at some point.

Golden Wonder is available to buy at Lush again which I'm super pleased about. It gives a gorgeous display of colour when popped into the bath, leaving you with a deep green/blue coloured bath water. It smells very fresh and zesty so is perfect if you really like lime or citrus scented products like me.

Recent Beauty Haulin'

It has been a while since I have bought a load of new make-up, skin care or general bath and body products, as I have recently been going through a phase of clothes shopping rather than anything else, whoops! I have lost a little bit of weight since New Year, so I have been enjoying buying new clothes - but fear not, I have still managed to squeeze in a little bit of beauty shopping here and there! Who doesn't love a haul?

I've wanted to try out a new foundation for a few Weeks, so with the aid of another beauty blogger (oh hey Clare) I picked out the Loreal True Match Foundation. I have only tried it once but it seems to be pretty good so far.
I also picked up a Collection lipstick which I definitely didn't need, but I just love a nude lip at the minute, so I couldn't resist!

I'm not hugely into skin care but I had ran out of my micellar water, so I repurchased the Garnier Make-up Remover and Soap and Glory Facial Wash. I have repurchased the Garnier Make-up Remover multiple times and it such a good product.

I also picked up a few other essentials including the Loreal Elvive Dry Shampoo, (which is incredible, definitely recommend) Dove Nourishing Oil Carer Conditioner, Boots Anti - Perspirant, N Spa Fragrance Body Mist in Clementine, Palmolive Strawberry Touch Body Butter Shower Cream, and a Superdrug Semi- Permanent Hair Dye.

What have you bought recently?

Lush Candy Mountain Bubble Bar

I am in the process of reviewing a lot of my Christmas Lush purchases on my blog; although I do feel awful for reviewing them when they are not currently available to buy, but I thought it would be good to document what I thought of them and to hear your thoughts.
One of the bubble bars I bought was the Candy Mountain bubble bar; I had never tried this before but heard good things about it. The scent is very light and is described as sweet, but I couldn't really smell the scent at all. In all honesty I was quite disappointed with this bubble bar. To me, it didn't really smell of anything. It did lather up some bubbles, but I was expecting it to be much more than it was. Once added to your bath, your bath water turns to a pink colour, and it creates a few bubbles. My skin did feel soft after I used this in the bath, which is probably the only pro I had from this product. I probably wouldn't buy this again if they bring it back next Christmas as I wasn't bowled over, which is a-shame as I know a lot of people love this bubble bar.

Have you tried this bubble bar?

Lush Fairy Dust

I have never tried a dusting powder before, so when I bought the Lush Fairy Dust near Christmas time, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. It reminds me a little of talc, and that is the only comparison I have for you!

As you can imagine, the scent is so similar to Lush Snow Fairy shower gel - it smells like candy and all things sweet. To use a dusting powder, you apply the product onto your skin and rub it in, which leaves a long-lasting scent on your skin. There is a little glitter in this dusting powder, so I would probably only use this when I was going out. It does smell amazing and is great used after a bath or shower with Lush Snow Fairy, which helps to prolong the scent.

Have you tried any of the Lush dusting powders?

Nip + Fab Mango Smoothie Dry Skin Fix Body Butter

I have a huge collection of body butters, and it is my mission to start using them up this Year as they are taking up quite a lot of space; and storage is something I am in desperate need of. The first body butter I am using this Year is the Nip + Fab Mango Smoothie Body Butter. I have used over half of this now and I really do like it. It smells so sweet and just like mango. It is quite refreshing and light, and the scent lasts around two hours on the skin. In terms of how it feels on my skin and if it works, I do think it makes my skin feel smoother but I don't think it is a wonder product. As nice as it is (and that is the thing, it is just 'nice') I probably wont be purchasing this in the future. I haven't found it to be a miracle worker for my skin, but it smells nice and does leave my skin feeling that little more smoother.

Have you tried any products from Nip + Fab? Have you got a favourite body butter?

Elizabeth Arden Gentle Hydrating Cream

A cult beauty product from Elizabeth Arden is their infamous eight hour cream. I adore the cream and have used it on and off for just over a Year now. I have delved into a few other Elizabeth Arden skin care products since then, and have been overwhelmed with the results since using them.
The Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Gentle Hydrating Cream is aimed for those with dry skin. I have always felt I had a combination skin type, but just recently my skin has becoming extremely dry, and as it is very sensitive anyway, I have found skin care products aimed at dry skin like this to usually work really well for me.

I have been using the Visible Difference Gentle Hydration Cream as my daily moisturiser for a good while now, and have felt it is a really effective cream. My skin is left feeling hydrated, as well as being soft and smooth to touch. My face looks much more radiant, with my usual pores and blemishes reducing dramatically. I really do feel that this product has helped to combat the dryness of my skin.
The product isn't cheap; costing around £34 for a 50ml tub, but it has shown a dramatic difference in the condition of my skin.

Lush Magic Wand Reusable Bubble Bar

I love a good Lush Bubble Bar; who doesn't want a bubbly and scented bath? Lush bought out the Magic Wand at Christmas and I just had to get my hands on one to try. It has lasted me well as I have only just used it up!

The 'wand' makes it easy to spread it across your bath - and it just looks so adorable, doesn't it!

This bubble bar turns your bath water into a pink colour, and the bubbles form in a large quantity.

The scent is quite similar to the scent of Lush Snow Fairy. This smells a little sweeter and a lot lighter than Snow Fairy, so if you like your sweet scents, you will probably like this.

The best thing about it? It is reusable, so lasts a lot longer. I think I had 5 uses out of mine, which is good value for money in my opinion.

Soap and Glory Orangeasm Body Wash

I feel that over the past few Weeks I have mentioned Soap and Glory quite a lot on my blog... I'm sorry for the overload, but as it is quite clear, they are my favourite for bath and body care. I have tried almost everything from Soap and Glory, but something I hadn't bought yet was an item with one of their latest scents; 'Orangeasm'. 

I was so intrigued to try something from this line, but I really wasn't sure if I would like the scent at all, so I bought a Body Wash set which included a travel size of their Orangeasm Body Wash to test it out. 

As you can imagine, the scent is incredibly zesty, fruity and smells like oranges! It doesn't smell too synthetic and it is quite an uplifting scent. I have to be honest in the fact it isn't my favourite Soap and Glory scent; their Original Pink and Sugar Crush will always be my favourites, but this scent is lovely and perfect for someone that loves fruity fragrances. The body wash itself lathers brilliantly; I can't recommend their body washes enough. Overall I do really like the scent and I will probably be picking more from this scent to try out in the future.

Have you tried any products from this line? What do you think of them?

Victoria's Secret Fragrance Mists

Since Victoria's Secret is now much more readily available in the UK, and I have a store fairly local to me, I have built up quite the collection of their fragrance mists. I love the scents - there is so much variety and I find that the scents last such a long time! My Sister started off my collection when she first bought me one in Manchester, and it has just grown from then on. Seeing as I have quite a few favourites, I wanted to share my thoughts about them with you all. Are you a fan of the fragrance mists?

Love Spell
This is a really fresh and fruity scent. With cherry blossom and peach notes, this is a really great fragrance if you love fruity perfumes.

Pure Seduction
This is quite fruity and a great day time scent, and perfect for Summer. The scents of plum and freesia give a fresh scent and makes this a great fragrance for all day long.

Coconut Passion
I think this is a great holiday scent, and is very refreshing and light. The vanilla and coconut scents blend really well to give a subtle but relaxing scent - this is my personal favourite.

Love Addict
This scent is perfect for both day and night, and has a light floral scent which I imagine is quite appealing to a lot of people.

Sensual Blush
I think this is a slightly more mature scent than the others I have tried, and I think it is a perfect fragrance for a night time.


Have you tried anything from the Victoria's Secret beauty range before?

*Image belongs to me, please ask permission if you wish to use it*

Lush Father Christmas

I received this little festive guy as part of a Christmas gift and remembered how much I love a good Lush bath bomb! Christmas is my favourite time to use Lush bath bombs - it somehow seems more magical and fun?
Father Christmas explodes in the bath while creating a pretty swirling green and red in your bath, which soon turns your bath water completely green. This smells amazing too, it reminds me a little of the Snow Fairy shower gel as it is very sweet. I think I have had this bath bomb in previous years, but I'm sure it used to have a different scent? I'm not sure - but I love Snow Fairy so this is brilliant for me!

Do you use Lush bath bombs? Did you pick up anything in their Boxing Day sale?

Soap and Glory The Whole She - Bang

I have picked up the 'big star gift' Soap and Glory set again this Year, and what a treat it is! I am such a fan of the brand and can not resist this amazing deal; £70 worth of products, retails at £60... and is just £30 at Boots during it's Week as the star gift. 

I think I have taken advantage of Soap and Glory's star gift every Year apart from last Year, sometimes I ask for it for Christmas and other times I pick it up myself.

The Whole She - Bang includes 9 full sized products; Peaches & Clean, Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss, Thick & Fast Mascara, The Righteous Butter Body Butter, Clean On Me Shower Gel, The Scrub Of Your Life, Heel Genius, The Righteous Butter Tinted Body Lotion and Hand Food Hand Cream. I love that this set always includes great products that I know I will get a lot of use out of.

Have you grabbed yourself any beauty bargains recently?

Soap and Glory #Mistletoepout

Anyone that knows me or has been reading my blog for a long time knows that my favourite body care brand is Soap and Glory. I love their products and they are that one brand that I will forever repurchase from.

The Glory Girls are Soap and Glorys top team that have been touring the country to bring all things Soap and Glory to beauty fans across the UK. When I heard The Glory Girls were heading to the Birmingham area, I knew I had to pop down and see what was going on.

The Glory Girls were offering mini make-overs, discount and free products, they were lovely too and a lot of fun. I loved my mini Soap and Glory makeover, I opted for a pink blush and nude lip with a natural eye. I loved the look that one of the girls had created, it was really simple and very me. It was great to try out some of the Soap and Glory make-up line; I have tried quite a few of their cosmetics before, and this makeover has made me want to buy more! There was also a chance to receive a free travel size body product if you shared a picture on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #Mistletoepout... how cool is that!?
The Glory Girls were also giving out 20% discount vouchers on the day, so I went and purchased the nude lip from the makeover; Sexy Mother Pucker Matte Powder Coat in Super nude. I love it!

The girls are next in Nottingham, so if you are local, I would recommend going over and having a makeover.

Sunkissed New Double Sided Tanning Mitt and First Thoughts

I am a huge fan of Sunkissed - I have used their make-up products since I was a teenager, and adore their reasonably priced and really good quality tanning products. When I heard they were bringing out a double sided tanning mitt, I knew I had to give it a go! I always say that a double sided tanning mitt* would be so useful, so it is great that one of my favourite tanning brands have released one.

A double sided tanning mitt is great because you can get to those hard to reach places yourself - for example, you can tan your back without having to switch your arm around (tanners you know what I mean!). This means applying tan is much easier and quicker to do on your own. There has been no leaking or damage with this mitt - it really is good quality. This mitt has lasted me really well and washes great too. I use my Sunkissed Self - Tan Mousse and the mitt together and it gives me a very even and natural looking finish, with no streaks to be seen at all.
As the mitt is double sided, this means it lasts twice as long too as you have both sides to use.

The Sunkissed Double Sided Tanning Mitt is available to buy online on their website here for £4.99, and is also available at Primark.

*Includes some PR samples*

Tips on How to Get Smooth Legs

In aid of getting my body Summer ready, I have been using a few different products to make me feel a little more confident for when the weather picks up a little. I have been after some wax strips for my legs for a while; I shave my legs in the Winter, but for Summer, I feel waxing is so quick and easy and lasts a lot longer than shaving so when the weather is warmer or if I am off to a special event, I think wax strips are ideal.

I thought I would share a few other tips on how to get your legs feeling super soft and smooth.

• Cleanse and exfoliate - exfoliating the skin removes dead skin cells which makes the skin much more clear for hair removal
• Hair removal is personal choice - if you do choose hair removal you can shave, wax, use an epilator, hair removal creams - there a few different options. 
• Shaving is a great way of leaving your legs feeling smooth, especially when used with a shaving cream or body wash. Always be careful when shaving and don't share razors!
• Waxing can be expensive if you go to a beauty salon, so waxing strips can be ideal to do at home to prolong that smooth feeling on your legs. I have been using Veet's Wax Strips Natural Inspirations which are for normal skin. They are super easy to use by following the simple instructions on the box. They come with finish wipes too to remove any of the wax after use. They leave my legs feeling super soft and they work really well and last a lot longer than shaving, I would definitely recommend as they are reasonably priced too.
• Moisturising your legs after shaving will help to keep them feeling soft for longer.
• Drink water as this is proven to keep you hydrated which were help to keep your skin to feel smooth.

What are your top tips for smooth legs?

*Post includes PR sample*

How To Keep Your Feet Looking Beautiful

As the Summer is coming up, I thought I would share my top tips on how to keep your feet looking beautiful. Our feet do a lot for us - we should look after them! 

• Moisturise your feet - as well as cleansing your feet every day, using a moisturiser or a foot cream on your feet will help to prevent any dryness or cracked skin. It will also leave them feeling super soft too, and smelling lovely! I have been using the Scholl Velvet Smooth Intense Serum recently, which is great to apply to your feet when they are feeling dry, as it really improves the appearance. I have noticed a huge difference in my feet since using it. 
• Exfoliate your feet once a Week by using a good scrub, which will help to remove dead skin cells and keep your feet looking healthy.
• Use a foot file or a similar device to remove any hard skin. Always be careful though!

• Certain shoes sometimes cause blisters, cracked skin or irritation, so it is best to ensure your shoes are as comfortable as can be. Insoles and Heel Cushions (I really like Scholl's Invisible Gel  Heel Cushions for nights out) are a great way to keep your feet comfortable. 
• If shoes do cause you any irritation and leave your feet looking and feeling sore, plasters will help to comfort your poor tootsies, I always try and be prepared for sore feet by taking plasters when I am off to a special event.
• Tackle fungal nail infections and any other foot infections (like verrucas) by getting them treated promptly. Always ask the advice from a medical professional if unsure.
• Feet sweat. It is a fact of life, our feet move a lot and do a lot, so it is completely natural for feet to sweat. Sweat doesn't create an odour; odours are actually made from bacteria in the shoes - something I only learnt myself recently! Using a shoe spray like the Scholl Fresh Step Antipersperant helps to ensure there are no odours from your shoes. It smells really fresh and has given my old running trainers a new lease of life!
• Have a pamper session for your feet - give yourself a foot massage, a pedicure, all that lovely stuff to leave your feet looking and feeling beautiful.

How do you keep your feet looking beautiful?

*Post includes PR samples*

Natural Beauty Buys: Balance Me Super Toning Body Wash

Balance Me are probably one of the most talked about natural beauty brands I have come across. I have tried quite a lot of their products and I would admit that I am a huge fan of the majority of their body care and skin care range. Its not often that an entire range from one brand entices me, but with Balance Me, I feel their products are brilliant quality and they work really well for my skin.
I have tried both their Rose Otto Body Wash and their Super Moisturising Body Wash in the past which I really like. I fancied a change though, so opted for their Super Toning Body Wash as I don't remember that I have tried this before. The body wash is designed to 'firm, plump and smooth' the skin as well as cleansing and keeping the skin feeling moisturised. I was intrigued by its tone - enhancing claims and wondered how effective it would be.


The product feels like a luxury item to me, and makes me feel a little extra pampered than when I use other body washes. I am a big body wash and shower cream fiend so I know what I like and what I don't like in a body wash (I know, I'm a nerd) and this one definitely ticks the boxes for me.
The scent of the body wash is spa inspired, with a blend of juniper, geranium, lavendar and bergamot. To me, it smells very strong and would be a great product to wake me up on a Morning.
Something I love about natural products is that my skin doesn't become irritated from using them. I mention this a lot on my blog, but I do suffer from sensitive skin and when I find a product which doesn't cause me any irritation, I will harp on about it forever!
This body wash is on the pricier side costing £9 for 200ml, so I would probably only buy this again if I was really treating myself. The product would last me a while as a little goes a long way, so I think the price is reflective of the length of time it will last, and the quality of the product itself. I do think it is a little more special than an average body wash, and if you suffer from sensitive skin it may be worth spending a little more on a product like this which only contains natural ingredients.
Balance Me Super Toning Body Wash is available to buy online from Mypure.

*Post includes PR sample*

Natural Beauty Buys: Evolve Skin Cocoon Body Wash

Evolve Skin Cocoon Body Wash

Another natural beauty post... What can I say? I am becoming a huge fan of natural beauty products, like I have already stated so many times recently. My skin really thanks me for it though, which is always good.
I decided to start a little series that I will hopefully be posting here once or twice a Month, which is called Natural Beauty Buys. I hope to be able to share some of my favourite natural beauty products here with you, as I have become quite a big fan of using products which include only natural ingredients.

Today I am talking about a Body Wash from the brand Evolve Beauty, which is called the Skin Cocoon Body Wash. Body Wash could be seen as quite a random thing to talk about or review, but in my experience I find reading reviews on body wash extremely helpful; because I suffer from irritated skin it is important I know what ingredients are in my body care products such as body wash, so I find natural beauty reviews like this useful, so I hope you do too!

The product is suited to dry and sensitive skin, which is something I do suffer with which is partly the reason I picked this body wash. Costing £9.99, it isn't the cheapest of body washes, but I have found that paying a little extra sometimes for natural products helps my skin a lot more than buying whatever is on offer at the supermarket.
The product cleanses my skin really well. It doesn't lather up a lot, but a little does go a long way. Most importantly, the body wash doesn't leave my skin with any further irritation or blemishes, which is exactly what I look for in a body wash. The scent is quite muted, pleasant and smells fresh. There isn't anything I can say about this product which I don't like, as I find it helps my skin feeling cleansed and clean, as well as the product leaving my skin a little moiturised after use, too.

You have probably seen me rave about the website Mypure on my blog before - I have worked with them with reviewing products and have also bought a lot myself from the website. I really recommend their website if you suffer from irritated skin like me, as I have found that natural beauty products to be a lot kinder to my skin and hair.

*This post contains PR samples. All views my own*

NEW RELEASE: Bionsen Caring Touch Deodorant

Deodorant is something I haven't featured much on my blog in the past; but as I blog about pretty much everything else in life, I thought "why not?" - we all like to keep ourselves feeling fresh and smelling good, so lets talk deodorant.

Today I am sharing my thoughts on a brand new product which is always exciting for me. Bionsen's new roll on deodorant; Caring Touch, launches in-store exclusively at Boots on 9th March 2015.

Bionsen are well-known for all of the ingredients in their products being completely paraben, alcohol and aluminimum free. Their products are dermatologically tested and hypoallergenic. So, What’s new? A new fragrance and added moisturising properties/Vitamin E.

With added vitamin E and emollients to leave skin feeling smooth, soft and fresh, Bionsen Caring Touch Deodorant effectively neutralises bacteria responsible for body odour, while protecting delicate skin, leaving it feeling refreshed and cool for up to 24 hours.

I am in all honestly really impressed with this product. Bionsen Caring Touch smells incredibly fresh and the scent lasts well. The deodorant is effective for quite a considerable amount of time for a deodorant, it lasts all Day which I find very impressive for a roll-on body product. Previously, I didn't use roll - on deodorants much in the past as I found a lot of the brands I had tried weren't effective and just didn't cut it, whereas Bionsen's Caring Touch ticks all the boxes for me - it keeps me feeling clean and fresh, deodorizes while still feeling comfortable and soft on the skin. Another amazing thing about Bionsen Caring Touch is that like their other products, this too is paraben free, alcohol free, and aluminium free - so no nasties are included in the ingredients of this deodorant. I have very sensitive skin so this is something which I find really important when choosing a deodorant. 

Bionsen Caring Touch is only available from Boots at £2.35, and launches in store 9^th March, 2015. Be sure to pick up yours!

Lovea Coconut Shower Gel Review

Lovea are a great, purse-friendly, natural brand which I have come to really enjoy in the past few Months. I have tried a handful of their products in the past and they have all been good quality and done the job. Lovea is the on the lower end of the scale when it comes to prices for natural beauty products, which is fantastic. I love natural beauty products but they can be quite pricey, so it is nice to see a brand being able to sell their natural products for a reasonable amount. 

I love a good shower gel, and really enjoy the scent of coconut. I often find that coconut scented beauty products smell quite synthetic, I'm not sure why, but a lot of products I have tried just don't smell like coconut at all. I had heard good things and great reviews about the Lovea Coconut Shower Gel and was hoping it wouldn't smell synthetic either. The reviews were right! The shower gel smells like coconut oil and not too synthetic. This is a great winner if you love your sweet scents, but if you are not a fan of sweet and strong shower gels this may not be for you.
The shower gel worked great for my skin, which is often very sensitive and I sometimes comes out in rashes from certain ingredients in your average body products. The Lovea shower gel is perfect to use if you have senstive skin as it contains organic aloe vera. The shower gel lathers well and a little goes a long way, so the big bottle will last you a while.  After use, my skin feels soft and cleansed. I would definitely recommend Lovea shower gel to anyone with sensitive skin. It has worked great for me.

This shower gel is available from My Pure here for just £6.49.

*This post contains products I was sent to review. All opinions are 100% honest and my own*

Docteur Renaud Raspberry Cleansing Water and Discovery Travel Bag

Are you still taking part in some last minute Christmas shopping? Or have you completed it all and fancy treating yourself? Docteur Renauld have now released their new Discovery Travel Bag; which includes everything you need for a mini pampering session at home or even if you are staying elsewhere.

The Discovery Travel Bag includes a selection of their very best face care products, including; Raspberry Cleansing Water, Raspberry Soft Cream, Raspberry Soft Mask, Carrot Scrub Detox and Apple Eye Cream. I have been using their Raspberry Cleansing Water which I am seriously impressed with it so far.

I have never used their products before so I didn't know what to expect. I really like using cleansers and cleansing waters to remove make up in my skin routine so I was eager to see how Docteur Renaud's matched up to the other cleansing waters on the market. I have only been using this for less than a week and have already noticed how well it removes my make up. It is very gentle on the skin and helps to cleanse and tone too. I have found that the cleansing water leaves my skin feeling really refreshed, and I am impressed with the product so far. It is also lightly scented which is really subtle but a nice touch.

I do usually trial products for a longer period of time before I feature them on my blog, but I have been so impressed with how well this works for me in a short space of time I thought I would include a short summary, and I also wanted to share with you the new Discovery Travel Bag just before Christmas.

 The gift set is brand new and is not currently available on the Docteur Renaud UK website. You can only purchase this from Skin Evolution by telephoning 01452 864574. 

*I was sent the Cleansing Water  for consideration to feature on my blog. No further compensation was given. All views are honest and my own. You can read my disclosure policy on the Contact Tab*