Lily Farm Fresh Skin Care

I have been testing this range for a while now, and while I don't love every items from the line, I do really love the idea behind the brand. Lilly farm fresh products  are all made in a farm in Colorado, and are all made from fresh grown ingredients that are USDA certified organic. Maybe it's just me but I picture a little house in someones garden, where lovely ladies sit and make amazing natural skin care products.....ok, so i'm assuming it doesn't really work that way, but it does sound cool right?

I picked a few products from the line made for normal skin, but they do have ranges suited to other skin types as well. All the products come in lovely glass packing that would not look out of place in a shop, but still manage to look very natural.

First up we have the seaweed balancing cleanser. This is one of those products that I feel like the idea was amazing, but it's just not what I was looking for in terms of texture. It claims to tone, detoxify, balance & cleanse the skin. I have used this in the morning and while it's not unpleasant, it didn't leave my skin feeling super clean and the texture was very runny.Next, the balancing facial toner. I adore using toners that come in a spray bottle in the morning, there's something so refreshing about it don't you think? Anyway, this is really lovely. I just mist it over my face in the morning and it works a treat. It does have a very natural, strong herbal scent which I don't mind, but other may find too much. The oil free conditioning serum is my top pick from the range, it's a lightweight serum that really helps to mattify my skin ans sinks in beautifully. Bliss. Last but not least we have the rejuvenating enzyme mask. It's suggested you use this daily which I find rather strange for a mask, I only use them twice a week but this is rather odd.....if I didn't know any better I would say it's just a pot of honey. Honey is known to have amazing effects  on the skin so it's not surprising it's the number 1 ingredient, and is has that honey like texture as well. I apply this on dry, clean skin and it does leave your skin feeling smooth and clean, but i'm not sure it's very active at removing dead skin cells, as the name would suggest.

Overall this is a pretty interesting line, with rather unusual products, the only downside is they are only available online, meaning you will have to pay shipping if your not local.

Lily farm fresh skin care is available here  

-Thesparkleicious-

*PR sample

HealGel Eye.

When it comes to eye creams, i'm the first to admit I have yet to find one that can transform the look of my under eye area and help erase the fine lines (I don't care what men say, I do have fine lies under my eyes) but I still enjoy using one, maybe it's just a case of a totally complete skin care routine? i'm not sure, but I can't go without.

When this healgel eye landed at my door step, I was intrigued by the fact it's a gel, as I tend to prefer formulas that are light in the morning as they sit better under makeup, and I go for creamier options at night. This eye gel claims to  lift, brighten & revive your under eye area and help fight things like puffiness, dark circles & uneven skin tone, and provide a great base for makeup.

I have to admit I do love how this sits under my concealer, it has just enough slip to it to smooth the area, but it's dry enough in texture to not move round cause your makeup to slide around or crease.  I can't say I have noticed any lifting effects (and I swear my eyes could do with a bit of that) but it does sooth and even out my under eye area.  

I like that fact the packaging isn't your classic little pot, this comes with a pump which I always prefer, but you do have to be careful not to pump out too much as you only need a small amount. Overall, I do think this is a lovely product, and great if your younger and just want something light, or even if you just want something  that's not too heavy on the skin during the warmer months.

Healgel is available here for £32 per 15ml.

-Thesparkleicious-

*PR Sample

HONEY By Mark Jacobs Perfume Review!

Truth be told I have never been one of those women who has a classic signature scent. I love so many fragrances that I find it impossible to only pick one, and i'm a huge believer in your fragrance being season appropriate. I love sweet, heavy and slightly spicy fragrances in the winter, and fresh, light ones in summer time, so that's what i'm here to talk to you about today.

I have been a fan of Mark Jacobs fragrances for year, the first one I ever used was what my mother use to wear, I believe it was called rain, and that was just what it smelt like, pure and fresh. Then I moved on to Lola and Daisy, and it didn't hurt the packaging on the last two was pretty amazing too, which brings me to the latest addition: Honey.

Honey is described as a fruity and floral fragrance with key notes of pear, orange blossom and honey and has that distinctive Mark Jacobs look. When I first tested this, I was surprised how fresh it smelt, and how little it actually had that sweet honey scent, which i'm not a fan of in the warmer months. Honey smells very light and fresh and I would say the most noticeable note in it to me is pear, which I adore as it's so light and summery! 

Once it settles on the skin it's very subtle and feminine, and ever-so-slightly more grown-up than the likes of Lola and Daisy, and I find it lasts longer on the skin too. In terms of the packaging, the box is a super cute bright yellow polka dot design that looks fun and young, and the bottle it's self is a classic shape, that has that added fabulous MJ cuteness to it, in the form of the little stripy flowers and gold hardware.

Mark Jacobs Honey eau de parfum  is available here at a very reasonable price of £43.99 per 100ml, so it's time to treat yourself to a new summer fragrance I think!

-Thesparkleicious-

*PR sample 

AMIE New Bloom Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes.

I will be the first to confess: I don't like face wipes. I have nothing against them per-say, I just love skin care and actually adore taking the time to remove my makeup and properly cleansing my face, so there really is no room in my routine for wipes. But I know that so many of you love using them to remove your makeup with, so I agreed to test them out for you, and to be honest i'm glad I did, but maybe not for the reason you think......

Amie describe these as "Multi-tasking wipes that instantly wipe away dirt, oil and makeup and will leave your skin feeling toned and moisturized in one sweep" They also claim that because they contain natural extracts of green tea, pomegranate and cranberry they will also help your skin look radiant, clear and feel soft.

The reason I have actually been enjoying these wipes is because I have been in the process of moving (ie, the most stressful thing ever!) I have been so busy and things were not all unpacked yet. so these wipes came in handy to remove my makeup before cleansing properly. The first thing you notice about these is the fact thet smell lovely, something I have noticed about all Amie products, very fresh and slightly floral. They did remove all my facial makeup, and i'd say 80% of my eye makeup.

Overall I think if you like using wipes you will love these, they smell lush and are good quality wipes, but not right for me, I need that super clean feeling after cleansing but if your in a rush, or maybe camping this summer (festival anyone?) than you will love these.

AMIE New Bloom Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes are available in boots, superdrug and online here for £3.49 for 25 wipes.

-Thesparkleicious- 

The beauty box with a difference?

With so many beauty boxes on the market these days, it does feel like if you have seen one, you have seen them all. Pretty boxes filled with small samples and always wishing you got what someone else did in their box is usually the case, but not with this box.

Beautecobox is the box with the difference because it offers you choice. Along with 1 or 2 "star" products, ie, full size products, you will receive 5 samples in each box.You can pick form 3 boxes so you also know what your getting, removing the element of surprise and envy when it comes to other peoples boxes. I picked box No 3 because the products in it seemed the most "me", and let's face it there is nothing more annoying than samples you know won't work for you and just end up cluttering your bathroom drawer.

In terms of packaging this box is also slightly different,most beauty boxes focus on pretty boxes and loads of packaging, but this box comes in a plain cardboard box (that is 100% recyclable, hence the eco part in the name) with minimal packaging, which is nice because 1)It means less rubbish to put in your recycling bin and 2)If you are a fan of beauty boxes, chances are you have enough pretty pink boxes already.   

In terms of content, box no 3 contains: 

Anatomicals Body Scrub RRP £3.49 per 200ml. 

Anatomicals Hand Cream RRP £3 per 100ml

Dr Bragi Age Management Moisturiser RRP £120 per 60ml

Mitchell & Peach Body Cream RRP £36 per 180ml

Melvita Ultra Cleansing Oil Rose RRP £15 per 200ml

If you want more information on the items in this box please click here here.

As you can see, you get a very good selection of products that range from affordable to luxury, which is always nice. My hero products from this box are the cleansing oil, what can I say? i'm a sucker for cleansing oils, and the body scrub (which smells amazing). 

In all honestly I had become a little disheartened with beauty boxes, but this one has restored my faith in them a little.  In terms of prices, this box is no exception. You will pay £10 a month plus £2.95 for postage, so it's a pretty affordable treat.

You can get your box here.

-Thesparkleicious- 

Enough Weight?

Those of you who are experienced dieters like myself, will know it's a constant battle. One would think that once you get to your goal weight, life's a peach right? oh no. Maintaining my weight is a constant battle and I have to really keep my eye on the ball. That being said, don't you find that once you have lost what you "needed" to, (I say needed as it the extra weight, the weight I want to lose is another matter) you start to make allowances for yourself? I have been having a few more "treat" days and have had a real sweet tooth lately. I have also been super stressed and when that happens, I tend to eat more.

I have been working out still, and I have started doing the 30 day shred in the hopes of losing a little weight and getting toned in time for summer (if summer ever comes here that is). I would love to just get in better shape in general really,  and while my weight is back to normal, I would love to just lose a little of the "extra" fat I have on my arms, belly and face. I know many of you will be thinking "You lost the weight, what's up with you now? #obsessed!" but it's more a case of losing the weight was a necessary step, getting my body looking more toned and slim is just something I want to do for me, I feel like staying like is a little like settling. I want to be able to wear a vest tops, dresses and bare my legs without feeling like maybe I shouldn't be.....I want to feel good, and to do that, I need to look good too. By no means am I saying I need to lose more weight, but losing around 3 kg and toning up a little will make me feel SO much better, so i'm trying to get in shape in time for the summer, and overcome the issues i'm fully aware of when it comes to food and my attitude towards food.

Have any of you been feeling this?

-Thesparkleicious-

Best beauty buys under £5!

Hey guys! just wanted to share this video on here with you too as well as on my channel, all my top beauty buys under £5!

Enjoy!