Monday 26 August 2013

St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub

St. Ives Apricot Scrub - £4.29*

St. Ives Apricot Scrub* was one of the first skincare products I ever purchased when I was a teenager so I was excited when I was offered the chance to review one of their new look scrubs. As the UK's number one scrub brand, St. Ives promises healthier looking, glowing skin in seven days by gently exfoliating the skin with 100% natural exfoliants and extracts. Exfoliating is an important part of your skincare routine, resulting in brighter and softer skin and I usually do this about 3 times a week.

The Scrub comes in four different formulations; Invigorating for normal skin, Gentle for sensitive skin, Blemish Fighting for oily/blemish prone skin and Renew and Firm to restore the skins youthfulness. I've been having a lot of breakouts recently so I decided to go for the Naturally Clear, blemish fighting scrub.

The blemish fighting scrub gently and effectively lifts away surface oils and dirt to prevent blackheads and blemishes. It's oil free and contains salicylic acid an essential ingredient to stop those breakouts! It has a gorgeous apricot scent which isn't overpowering and always makes my skin feel refreshed and clean in the morning. You can feel the exfoliating beads getting right into your pores and the creamy formula leaves your skin feeling soft. I sometimes feel exfoliaters can be quite harsh on my skin but I can use this in the morning as well as at night as it's really gentle and doesn't leave my skin looking red. I've using this 3 to 4 times a week (as recommend) for about 5 weeks now and have definitely noticed a difference in my skin. I still get the occasional spot (who doesn't?) but my pores seem less visible and I haven't had as many blackheads around my t-zone.

After all these years, St. Ives Apricot Scrub is still a winner. I've really enjoyed using this scrub in my weekly skincare routine and can see myself repurchasing it in the future. Such a great product for under a fiver! What do you think, have you used it before?


Wednesday 14 August 2013

Moroccanoil Treatmeant


Moroccanoil Treatment 25ml* - £12.85

I know I'm really late trying this product, but I'm so happy I eventually did. As my hair is dyed and I use a lot of heat on it, it's not in the best condition so I've found using hair oils has improved it. It's also getting quite long so sometimes I find it hard to manage. I've tried a few hair oils in the past but I have to say Moroccanoil is definitely a winner.

As a Cosmopolitan and Vogue Beauty Award winner, this miracle oil is a much sought after hair product and a favourite in the blogging community. For anyone who doesn't already know (if you don't, where have you been?), Moroccanoil is a hair treatment enriched with argan oil that promises to improve your hairs manageability, shine and long term condition. It also protects hair from UV rays and air pollution and if that's not enough, because oil repels water particles it can reduce your drying time by up to 50% which means less heat and more importantly, less damage.

I've been using this product for about a month now and use it on both wet and dry hair. I usually rub a 5p sized amount between my palms and run it through the bottom two thirds of my hair, avoiding the roots before I blow dry it. You can also use it on dry hair so sometimes instead of straightening it after I blow dry it I apply a small amount to the ends to smooth down any flyaways or dry ends. Since using this my hair has been much softer, manageable and even looks in better condition. It also smells amazing (like holidays) and leaves my hair looking super shiny. I was a bit skeptical at first as I was worried it would leave my hair looking limp (you know I'm all about the volume) but the weightless formula ensured that this wasn't a problem. I will continue to use this little bottle until it runs out and will no doubt treat myself to a full sized bottle in the future.

You can purchase a full sized bottle of the treatement for £30.45 and other products from the Moroccanoil range here. Are you a fan of Moroccanoil or do you have a favourite hair oil?


Wednesday 7 August 2013

MAC Lipstick in Morange




Last week my sister surprised me for no reason and bought me MAC Morange (so nice of her) which is now the 13th shade in my MAC lipstick collection. MAC lipsticks are definitely my favourite, they have such a wide colour range and the shades last really long on the lips.

Morange is a gorgeous, bright orange (MAC describe it as a 'loudmouth orange') with an amplified finish. I'd say this is my second favourite MAC lipstick finish, matte being the first as Lady Danger is my all time favourite. The amplified finish lipsticks last around 4 hours on the lips and barely need touching up on a night out and even when it fades, it still leaves a lovely orange tint on the lips. Orange is definitely my go to lip colour for Summer and this is a great addition to my collection - I've been wearing it non-stop since I got it.

Unfortunately MAC lipsticks have went up to £15, but that probably wont stop me from buying them! What do you think of Morange?