I'm a huge sucker for any product that claims to be brightening, i'm not sure why really as my skin is not super dull, but I think I just love the fresh, bright healthy glow, which brings me to my next point, as many of you may know, products that contain AHA's are amazing for brightening up your complexion, and any drugstore products that contain them, well, i'm all over them. I'm someone who falls in and out of love with using a toner, but I know my skin loves it when I do, so I tend to always have a few on the go. This one by boots own brand Botanics really is a fantastic product, at least as fantastic as a toner can be anyway. It contains natural AHA's that help to brighten up your skin and tighten your pores, and just leaves your skin feeling clean, fresh and feeling smooth.I use it every night after cleansing, on a cotton pad all over my face, and then follow it up with my serum and night cream. Toners can't really be expected to dramatically change your skin, but if your just looking for one to freshen and brighten your face, this really is a great choice, and one I have re-purchased again and again. (and that's saying something coming from me as I rarely buy the same thing twice, too many great products to try!)
Botanics have recently re-done their packaging and also changed some of the product formulations and the ingredients, but I have used both the old and new versions of this and it seems to be exactly the same.The all bright cleansing toner is available in boots and is usually a very affordable £3.99 per 250ml, but it's an even more affordable £2.66 at the moment, so all the more reason for you to give it a try!
I must admit that organic surge was a brand I would always look at with interest, but having oily skin made me think the products would just not be very effective for me and I never purchased anything. Organic surge's ethos is to create organic skin care that contains no SLS or parabens at an affordable price, and are very kind to the skin. I'm a huge believer in deep cleansing at night, so in the morning I like to use a light face wash to just cleanse my skin and freshen it up, and this works perfectly. It's a light foaming cleanser that cleanses your skin without over-drying it, something that's super important during the winter time. It contains natural aloe vera and organic oils in it to help brighten up your dull winter skin, something I always need in the morning!
It's suitable for all skin types, even sensitive skin, but is pretty strongly scented, it has a very natural, herbal scent (which I love) but it may not be everyone's taste. The packaging of this face wash is really nice too, as it comes with a pump dispenser so you get exactly the right amount of gel out for each use. I use it in the shower, I wet my face with warm water, then use one pump and massage it all over my skin, then rinse it off and continue with the rest of my morning skincare routine. Organic skincare can be pricey, but at £5.19 this is super affordable and you can buy it at most health food stores, waitrose, John Lewis, fresh and wild, wholefoods and ocado, as well as independent pharmacies. I have a few more organic surge products i'm loving at the moment (reviews to come) but I would love to know what organic surge products you love!
So some of you may know (or may not, that's ok too) that i'm trying to get back to my normal weight, and get my eating habits back on track, so by making a few simple changes to my diet I have managed to lose some weight (not enough yet, but it's a grate start!) and i'm feeling so much more in control of what i'm eating. Here are a few simple changes you can make to your diet that will help you feel better, and lose a few pounds! *Go for low-fat when it comes to things like dairy and mayonnaise. Choosing low-fat milk, cheese and yogurts will save you so many calories and you won't really miss the flavor. I don't eat hard cheese such as Cheddar very often as even the lower-fat versions are pretty high in calories, but when it comes to milk and soft cheese, it's low-fat all the way. Another thing is mayo, now this may sound odd, but I adore it, I would put it on pretty much anything and it's so high in fat! I now eat the light version (they do an extra light, and even lighter than light version, but I don't like them very much as they taste more like salad cream rather than mayo) and it saves so many unnecessary calories. *Think brown when it comes to carbs. Carbs are my weakness. Give me things like bread, pasta, pizza and potatoes and i'm happy, and while they are an important part of a healthy diet, I was eating way too much of them. Now I try and limit my carb intake by only eating hole-grain versions. So only brown bread, hole grain cereal, holewheat couscous and wholewheat pasta. I also try to not eat cabs at night because i'm not burning them off, but if I do I have very small portions. *Eat more fruit and veg! This is a no-brainer, but i'm eating fruit on a daily basis and getting lots of veg in my soups. *Pick healthy snacks over high fat ones. I use to snack on this like chocolate and biscuits, and they are all pretty high in fat and calories. *Be calorie aware. I'm not saying count every calorie that goes in to your mouth, but just be aware of what your eating and how much it all adds up to. *Ditch the fatty crisps. Crisps are another one of my weaknesses, I just love them but rather than eating the ones that are high in fat (pringles anyone?) I now eat the baked versions, which are a little better for you and don't contain as much fat. I hope these tips help those of you who are struggling with your weight, but once you get in to it, it's so easy and really will change you, and your body.
As modern women, we are bombarded on a daily basis with new amazing products that promise to make us more beautiful and save us some precious morning time. The problem is, with so many 2 in 1 products on the market, how do we know what is an absolute must and what’s just a nice addition? It seems to me that the beauty world is somewhat undecided when it comes to primer, and it’s a step so many women tend to just overlook because it’s yet another time consuming step in their skin care routine. One might wonder “why do I even need a primer? Isn't moisturizing the same?” and while moisturizing is essential, using a primer helps to smooth out any fine lines and minimize the appearance pores, creates a smooth canvas for your makeup helping it apply better, and keeps your makeup in place all day long, so you don’t need to worry about makeup meltdown on those super busy days. That’s why NIVEA have come up with the idea to combine a moisturizer and a primer in one product, so that you get the best of both worlds. The express hydration primer contains glycerin, which is a common ingredient in most skin care products because of its fabulous moisturizing properties. But it also has a lightweight texture that sinks in to the skin easily, so your skin won’t look greasy and you can apply your makeup right away.
Those of you who have very dry skin or very oily skin may be a little apprehensive, but fear not because this product comes in two different skin type variations so you can tailor it to your skins specific needs. If like me your skin is slightly on the oilier side, then the normal to combination formula with lotus extract will be perfect for you because it keeps the skin looking fresh. If dry skin is your main concern, which can be tricky as most primers tend to be quite mattifying, the dry and sensitive formula is just what you’re looking for because it contains natural almond oil and calendula to help moisturize and calm the skin. It’s just as easy to apply as your regular moisturizer so after cleansing and toning, apply the express hydration primer in circular motions all over the skin, and then go ahead and apply your foundation. You can also use it to give your skin a little boost after a long day, As demonstrated here by the lovely fleur from fleurdeforce.
The NIVEA express hydration primer comes in at £4.99 so it’s super affordable and budget friendly for those of us who are running late for a morning class and are on a student budget because you are essentially getting two products for the price of one. But best of all, your helping your skin and makeup look great all day long because this time saving 2in1 step means you can get a few extra minutes of beauty sleep every Morning, and let’s face it, that’s the best beauty trick in the book!
So I wanted to come on here and give all you lovely ladies a little heads up about one of my top online stores fabulous sale. I wear romwe cloths all the time so I can 100% vouch for how nice they are, and they have got some amazing pieces in atm that would be perfect for fall.
So to help us all look chic this autumn, romwe are having a 3 days sale that ends on the 14th of October in which they are offering up to 50% off best selling and new items, and have very kindly created some discount codes for my lovely readers: Code 1- oct15 (this will save you 15% on orders over $80) Code 2- oct25 (this will save you 25% on orders over $115) Code 3- oct35 (this will save you 35% on orders over $155) These codes are valid till the 15/10/2012 and you can use only one code per order. So what are you waiting for? get shopping!
If like me you suffer from oily skin, finding the right sunscreen can be incredibly difficult as they tend to be very oily and heavy on the skin, and don't make an ideal base for your makeup. Sunscreen is one of the most important steps in ones skin care routine, but also one that most women tend to neglect, but really shouldn't as it helps protect skin from ageing and more importantly, skin cancer. This Murad wonder really is something else. Not only does it provide an SPF of 15, but it also delivers both UVA and UVB sun protection which are often over looked in your average daily moisturizer so this really is the serious sun protection that we all need, even in our not-so sunny climate. Murad claim that this product will keep your skin matte for up to 8 hours, so that's a pretty bold claim as nothing seems to keep the oil away from my skin for more than a few hours.
This product does have a very classic sunscreen texture because it's pretty thick, but the difference is it's also dry texture, unlike most greasy sunscreens and it leaves your skin feeling matte, in the same way a primer would. Which brings me to my next point, how is it under makeup? I have tested this out by applying it, letting it sink in for a few minutes and then going right ahead and applying my foundation. It does make your makeup stay matte for a good 5 hours or so, which is big for me, but I would suggest you don't wear this under a very thick foundation as it could end up feeling a little heavy on your skin. The only downside for me with this product is the price. At £37 per 50ml it is very pricey, but it also is a one of a kind product. It comes in a fresh looking white tube so it's easy to apply and more sanitary than a pot of moisturizer that would require you to dip your fingers in and out.......not a fan of that! I genuinely feel like this moisturizer is one of those "next generation" oil-control products that unlike what we would use in our teens, has much more science behind it and protects our skin from the number one skin enemy. For those of you who are interested in reading all about how it works and where you can buy it, be sure to visit the Murad website here http://www.murad.co.uk/oil-control-mattifier-spf-15 and if you have tried any other Murad products, let me know what you like as this has sparked an interest for me...........
About a month or so ago I posted a blog post about the start of my weight loss plan, so I think it's time I updated you on how i'm doing. I'm not on any particular plan, i'm just doing what works for me (on that note, I am posting weight loss related videos on my channel, such as tips and what I eat so take a look if your interested) and it is really working for me, I'm not weighing myself because I can get a little obsessed, plus my scales are broken so for the first time in my life, i'm going by how my cloths are fitting and how i'm feeling, which did feel rather strange at first, but I do think it has made me have a much more relaxed attitude towards weight loss. For the first time in my life i'm not obsessing about numbers and i'm working out 5 days a week, and having a treat day on the weekend (I'm going to Jamie's Italian for a friends birthday on Sunday and am fully planing on having some of their amazing tiramisu) and am fitting in my "skinny jeans" again, but they could be a little looser....
I'm starting to notice my body shape if coming back, and my face is getting slimmer which i'm super happy about because it was getting a little pudgy. While getting changed the other day I caught sight of myself in my underwear and I was almost pleasantly surprised. My saddle bags are long handles are still there don't get me wrong, but my shape is back and my waist is smaller and tummy is flatter, and getting dressed in the morning is becoming more of a joy than before because I actually feel nice in my cloths! Overall, i'm not at my target weight yet, but i'm getting there and i'm feeling very calm and positive about that, and that means more to me than the size of my ass!
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