The Body Shop Hemp Hand Butter Vs Hemp Hand Protector

During the winter I discovered my holy grail hand cream from The Body Shop and that is their Hemp Hand Protector and I've already written a full review of that which you can find here. If you caught my recent haul post you will have seen that I picked up the Intensive Hand Butter from the same range as I love the original so much and wanted to see how the butter lived up to my favourite hand cream. In this post I am going to do a comparison of the two products as although they are from the same Hemp range they do offer slightly different qualities.

So I'll start off with what you really ought to know about about the differences in these products - the consistency (see the picture below for a visual comparison too.) As you would expect the Intensive Hand Butter does have that nice buttery soft texture that sinks effortlessly in to the hands hydrating the skin, it leaves quite a soothing effect and is a miracle worker even to tough dry patches. The Hand Protector actually has a thicker texture in comparison to the butter,and it inevitably does not sink in quite as easily but I would say for that reason it feels a bit more nourishing to the skin. The hand protector really leaves the skin super soft whereas I'd say that the effect of the butter is more to smooth the skin.

TBS Hemp Hand Butter versus Hemp Hand Protector

A couple of similarities in the two products would notably be the smell with both giving off that identical medically, clean aroma: although I would say that the hand cream protector is slightly stronger and leaves the smell lingering for longer than the butter does. They are also very similar in the way that neither is at all greasy, which for me makes or breaks a hand lotion - I hate that sticky 'just put cream on my hands' feeling you often get with some brands but both the butter and the protector sink nicely into the hands.

Now aside from the actual products differing there are the more obvious differences such as the packaging. The hand butter comes in a 100ml pot similar to TBS's original body butters and I really like this as you don't often get a hand cream in this sort of tub type packaging. Then from the picture you can see that the hand protector comes as most hand creams do in a squeezy tube and screw on lid, however I really think that the packaging of this is the products one downfall - it looks absolutely battered! I wish The Body Shop would get some smarter packaging for the hand protector in the future.

The question is, do you need both? 
Honestly no. Unless you love trying new hand cream related products out like I do, but you don't really need to own both these. In my opinion the Hemp Hand Protector is hands down still the best - sorry for the pun. But I'd say that it wins in terms of value for money £5 for 100ml of it compared to £12 for 100ml of the butter and it also wins on performance it just makes your hands feel so soft and healthy whereas the butter just leaves them feeling quite smooth. Both nice but if you're unsure what to go for I'd have to say get the tube of Hand Protector.

QOTD: Have you tried any of the Hemp range from TBS?

Spring Beauty Haul #2

Time for another Spring haul of things I've purchased in recent weeks.This is a small albeit mish-mash of a beauty haul but I thought I'd share my new bits none the less. It wouldn't be a haul from me without an item from The Body Shop would it? This time I picked up a tub of the Hemp Intensive Hand Butter - the Hemp Hand Protector from TBS is my ultimate hand cream so when I saw this tub on offer on the shelf I was intrigued to see how it compared to the original. I might do a comparison post on the two in the upcoming weeks. The next thing I picked up on a recommendation from my friend, and it was the Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Scrub as she said it really helped in clearing her skin. When I saw it on offer in Wilkinsons for just £3.50 I thought why not give it a go?

From Boots I decided to pick up another Tangle Teezer Compact as they're really handy. I picked up the leopard print Style compact Tangle Teezer from duty free a while ago so went for the purple one this time as they're just great to keep it in a handbag and I wanted to get another as back up. The compact Tangle Teezers are light and obviously 'compact' as the name suggests with a protective back you push in and out. Then lastly a high end beauty piece that came from the Chanel counter in Boots is the Rouge Allure Gloss in number 13. I've seen quite a lot of these glosses pop up on the beauty scene - literally as these glosses slide in and out of the packaging in such a chic format. But I won't say too much more as I will definitely be doing a full review on this soon.

QOTD: What have you picked up recently?

Manicure Monday: The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector

Today's Manicure Monday post is less about the nails and more about the hands - I'm featuring a fabulous cream that I've been using recently that has reminded me of the benefits of taking care of your hands. Now I don't know about you but applying hand cream is something that I only ever do when the mood strikes - and that is usually in the depth of winter when I suddenly notice that my hands are shot to bits from the bitter cold English weather. Well actually, its the beginning of December now and so far we've been pretty lucky with cold spells this winter I'd say. However the minute it does turn colder, my hands are usually the worst area thats hit. So I'm pretty happy that I have this product from TBS lined up ready to prevent that from happening to me this winter.

Apparently suitable for 'Very Dry Skin' I've applied the Hemp Hand Protector all over my hands and cuticles which get very tender and yucky at this time of year, and most hand creams sting like hell when I do this to these delicate dry areas however this one didn't. Its got a very soothing, non greasy texture that sinks in to the skin effortlessly and doesn't leave you there with sticky feeling hands and fingers...The smell is something that you get used to, I have to admit I'm not the biggest fan, it isn't what you would call an unpleasant scent but its not particularly appealing either. However I can look past the smell for what it does to my hands. I'd almost say that it has a medical smell to it, its sort of fresh in that clean medicine sort of way, thankfully the scent doesn't really linger for long anyway.

I received this as part of a gift set, but individually the Hemp Hand Protector currently retails at £11 for this huge 100ml tube and in my opinion I think its pretty good value for money as this stuff really is amazing. A tube this size will literally last you forever as a little goes a long way. Alongside the smell only other downside to this product I would say is that I'm not really loving the design of the tube, it gets very tatty looking plus I generally prefer hand creams which come with a flip on/off lid rather than screw tops as I find them less faffing around.

This hand cream has dramatically helped my hands look and feel so much better. Our hands are one of the main parts of our body that is most often on show, so I don't think that it takes much to look after them whether it be with a manicure or keeping them from being dry and sore - our hands can say a lot about us so I'm striving to keep mine happy this winter. I would 100% recommend this product to anyone, whether your skin is very dry or just needing a bit of attention I can guarentee this product will be of good help to you.

QOTD: What's your saviour product during the winter?

Monthly Favourites: November 2014

 

I can sense that a lot of favourites will be a bit premature this month as it seems that everyone is highly anticipating the new one to begin! I've held on for as long as I could but November is almost over which means its nearly time for my favourite month of the year and it also means its time to talk a brand new bunch of favourites! I'm so excited for December and all the festivities to really kick in. In November I didn't have many makeup favourites as my skin has been playing up lately so I've been toning down the makeup and skincare in a bid to restore it back to a happier state. However I've been really loving lots of bath and body products over the last month as you will see when I get into all of these lovelys.

 

The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter.
If you caught my recent Body Shop haul you may already know that I picked up their new Glazed Apple body butter. I'm a sucker for TBS body butters, there's always one (or two) on the go in my bathroom so I was very excited to learn about their new festive collections hitting the shops with three limited edition body butters being introduced.  I never thought that the Glazed Apple scent would float my boat however I surprised myself and it was the scent I liked most - sharp but sweet - I've written a full review on this here if you want to find out more about it, but basically I've been loving it.

The Body Shop Hemp Hand Protector.
Another item from TBS I have loved during November has been their Hemp hand cream. I received this as part of a gift set for free when I spent over £30 in store recently and I've been using it daily on my hands since. Even though we haven't really experienced harsh winter conditions so far yet in England, my hands are always the first tell-tale sign that my skin is becoming dry and a bit neglected. This Hemp Hand Protector is probably the least greasy feeling yet moisture giving hand cream I've ever tried. I'm not even sure if that makes sense, but basically this isn't at all sloppy and yet it makes my hands so soft and nourished. I've got a full product review coming up with this soon so stay tuned.

Lush Snow Fairy Massage Bar.
Talking of greasy feeling products links me in nicey to my next product, Snow Fairy Massage bar which is the complete opposite of the Hemp hand cream as this is extremely greasy feeling. Generally speaking I'm not really one for excessively oily products, however on saying that I have really noticed the benefits of using a massage bar. I carry quite a lot of weight in my hips/lower body which can quite often lead me to getting back ache and when applying this to my lower back it helps release some of that tension. Its also a really nice treat for when your muscles are a bit sore after working out too. The only down side I would say to this is that it isn't cheap and you don't really get a lot of uses from it - I've already had to stock up on a second one of these. This also has a glittery bit to it too which doesn't bother me too much but might not be for everyone's tastes.

 

Lush Rose Jam Shower Gel.

Another product from Lush and hands down my favourite shower product of the month was their Rose Jam shower gel. This is absolutely gorgeous, and for those of you who are familiar with the Snow Fairy shower gel but find it too sweet, Rose Jam is a milder more flowery alternative to enjoy in your showers before Christmas. I really love this rosy yet festive shower treat from Lush.

 

YSL Black Opium.

My final 'smelly' favourite of November is my most recent perfume purchase and this is Yves Saint Laurent's new release Black Opium. I've been absolutely obssessed with the gorgeous smell of Black Opium since getting it and its definitely become my latest winter fragrance, particularly for evening wear - its going to be well used with the upcoming party season. I also think that the bottle is stunning, I love the glittery packaging it looks super chic and quite festive too. Obviously describing scents is a personal thing but I've written a full review on the perfume here if you want to find out my thoughts on it.

 

Nars Luster Blusher.

My only beauty favourite of the month is Nars Luster blush, as I mentioned above my skin is acting up big time so I've been trying to limit the amount of products I'm using while I try and figure out exactly what the problem is. However on days when I think my skin is looking like it needs a bit of a healthy boost this blush has been perfect. Described as a 'sheer golden apricot' Luster gives me a nice wash of colour. I would say Luster is a subtle peach blush without those strong pinky tones that a lot of blush has, instead it does have that gold shimmer to it which looks very beautiful. This is also a really versatile shade, you can pair pretty much any lip/eye combo with it and it goes.

 

 

QOTD: What have you loved in November? Are you excited for the new month to arrive?



 

The Body Shop Glazed Apple Body Butter

 

The Body Shop recently introduced their limited edition Christmas collections which this year saw the release of Glazed Apple, Frosted Cranberry and Vanilla Brulee to festively tease all of the beauty lovers out there. After having a look (or should I say smell?) at the new Christmas ranges my favourite was the Glazed Apple. Starting with the packaging and this is not usually something I bother discussing when talking TBS body butters as they are always the same and you kind of know what you're getting with them, but the Glazed Apple tub comes in the most gorgeous seasonal shade of green which I think is so pretty and festive. The apple on the lid has a little red bow for an added embellishment and theres also twinkling stars bordering the edge. I really like what they've done to the packaging as it makes me feel all festive.

  

So onto the product itself, well if you've tried one body butter you've tried them all in terms of consistency - there isn't really much difference in them so you can expect to get that usual creamy, skin nourishing goodness from the new Glazed Apple body butter. You can't really see from the picture above but the colour of the butter is actually a light green which rather decievingly makes me think of mint green. In terms of the fragrance this is so delicious and has easily made its way in with my favourite body butters, its very tangy yet fresh with a yummy bitter sweet edge to it.  This is definitely a product for the fruity scented lovers out there. Although I wouldn't usually associate apple scents with Christmas the smell of this really does make me feel festive, I'm not sure what it is about it but I've been loving covering myself in this before bed. The scent also lingers for quite a while too so you still get a whiff of the festive tangy goodness in the hours to follow.

 

 

QOTD: Have you tried any of The Body Shop's new limited edition collections?

The Body Shop Haul: Love Your Body 40% Off Event

 

UPDATED: 30/11/14
The Body Shop will be hosting their next 40% off event in store & online 4-5th December!

Oh hello two blog posts in one day - but don't worry you might thank me for this one as I knew I had to spread the word about TBS two day 40% off event which lasts today and tomorrow (Thursday 20th Nov - Fri 21st Nov)  don't worry its online too! You guys know know how much I love TBS so when I received an impromptu text message today from them telling me about their 40% off event I knew I had to take a cheeky detour - if only to check out their brand new Christmas range. To enjoy 40% off you have to be a member (T&C linked here) and the savings I made today were amazing plus its especially handy in the run up for Christmas as some of their gift ideas are lovely.

I definitely went to town today, stocking up on some essentials from my favourite Vitamin E and Tea Tree ranges and then I got a couple of items from the newly released Glazed Apple festive range-which smells delicious of course.  In total the amount that was due before my savings was worth a whopping £82 which in the end came to under £35! Such a good saving! Here's a quick break down of what I stocked up on below:

Tea Tree Foam Cleanser
Vitamin E Night Cream
Vitamin E Moisture Cream
Camomile Cleansing Balm
Glazed Apple Body Butter
Glazed Apple Lip Balm
Hemp Gift Set
___________________

Total today £34.20 (worth £82)

QOTD: Will you be taking advantage of TBS Love Your Body 40% Off Event?

 PS a cheeky heads up that there may also be another 40% off at the beginning of next month too so keep a check if you miss this one.

MAC 239 Brush Vs The Body Shop Eyeshadow Brush

 

When it comes to my makeup brush collection, the vast majority contains Real Techniques brushes. I think Real Techniques are amazing quality and the value for money is unbelievable in comparison to higher end makeup brushes which can often come at a jaw-droppingly expensive cost. The only higher end brush I own to date is my MAC 239 brush, it was a brush that I had wanted for ages and finally picked it up this summer. Prior to MAC 239 I had been using an eyeshadow brush from The Body Shop and today I'm going to be talking about why I think this is the high street alternative to the 239 brush. 



Visually the two brushes are pretty darn similar, both coming with smooth black handles and silver coloured brass towards the ends by the bristles. Although I love the vibrancy of my RT Brushes I do think that these black brushes do have that slightly more sophisticated, smart feel to them.  I have read some reviews that claimed the MAC 239 signature comes off the brush, I'm not entirely sure but on mine it feels like it has been engraved in to the handle - possibly a new feature? So hopefully the MAC sign shouldn't wear off anytime soon whereas the wording on The Body Shop handle is beginning to wear away slightly on mine.
 
The Body Shop brush is slightly shorter in comparison to the Mac brush (about half an inch) but to be honest I would say that I prefer this about it as I do find it slightly easier to use for this reason. In terms of the bristles I'm not 100% on the individual materials used in the two brushes, however one obvious difference is that TBS brush has dark bristles compared to the lighter bristles in the Mac brush. I think this is something that comes down to personal preference but I do think I prefer the lighter coloured bristles on the Mac brush as you know when its time to give it a good cleaning, whereas you can't really tell when its wash time with darker bristles. Both the brushes have very similar shaped bristles with the tapered edges, however there are some differences as I will discuss below.

The Mac brush, in my opinion is the perfect shape for packing eyeshadow onto the lid quickly and effortlessly thanks to its wide, short bristles - it just fits so well onto the area of your eye. Because the bristles are firm its easy to build up a decent amount of colour, it applies eyeshadow like nothing I've used before and I'm constantly amazed at how this transfers the product onto the eyelid so well. You can also use the tapered edge to blend should you want to, but its best job is in its application of the eyeshadow product.

 

Moving on to TBS eyeshadow brush you may be able to tell that this is slightly thinner in comparison. The bristles are also that tiny bit longer than the Mac brush and although this is still a decent shape for applying eyeshadow it does mean that it doesn't cover as much area on the eyelid so you have to do a little more work with this brush. On saying that this is still more than efficient in getting a decent colour pay off onto the eyelids, see the swatches below for a comparison.



Swatches taken in natural day light.

The swatches here are both two layers of eyeshadow and as you can see both brushes provide decent colour pay off, although the Mac one does give a slightly more intense colour I would say. From the swatch you can also see how much more eyeshadow you can pack on with the Mac brush, which really enables for that effortless application of product. For a high street item The Body Shop's offering is more than adequate and definitely a good option for a budget buy.

 

At half the price of the MAC 239 brush (currently retailing £21) The Body Shop's eyeshadow brush (currently retailing £9) is definitely the high street answer and a good duplicate for its higher end Mac equivalent. In terms of preferance I do have to say I prefer the Mac brush because it does just give that slightly better application although I wouldn't say that the difference between the two is too huge - apart from the price perhaps?!

 

 QOTD: Have you tried either of these eyeshadow brushes?

 



Autumn Ready Beauty Products

 

There are a handful of beauty products that are leaving me super excited for autumn at the minute. Now don't get me wrong, I love summer and will enjoy one final week of my bronze, bright makeup while on my holiday this Sunday, but I know that the minute I get home I will be diving straight into this lot of goodies!

As soon as I caught a peak of the new BarryM autumn selection of gelly nail paints a few weeks ago I knew a couple would have to end up in my never ending stash of nail varnishes. The colours are all really autumnal and I don't really own any colours similar. What is probably going to be one of those love or hate shades is the dull yellow in Mustard though personally I like it especially if you put it with the grey Chai. But my favourite one out of the three I picked up is definitely the maroony brown in Cocoa I can definitely see this being a staple item throughout the autumn and winter months.

Now I know that a bronzer may be a bit of an unusual one to throw in to an autumn makeup post, but I've wanted The Body Shop Honey Bronzer for so long now and I thought that this would be the perfect time to pick it up. This bronzer is going to be ideal for when I'm a little paler as it really does give you the most natural warm colour, its matte with absolutely no shimmer so it isn't going to look super bronzed on my face during the colder periods. Another matte cheek product that I'm obsessing over is Nars Douceur Blusher - I can see a bit of a theme occuring here - ordinary looking in the pan but stunning when applied. Its a rosy pink with a bit of brown in there and because its matte I find it sculpts the face really beautifully - I'm beyond in love with this.

 Next we have two Mac products that pop up time and time again during autumn. Firstly the eyeshadow Cranberry, a shimmery berry colour that I find to be super flattering with my blue eyes. You wouldn't think it but its quite a versatile shade, it blends out well so it can be less intense or you can build it up if you really want that autumnal berry look. Another popular one from Mac is the lipstick Syrup: hands up if this is an Essie Button inspired purchase in your lipstick collection *raises hand* but the girl just doesn't let us down seriously... I bloody love this lipstick. Its a gorgeous pinky purple that is just so easy to wear and despite its lustre finish it has a good wear time too.

Lastly an indulgently delicious autumnal fragrance from my latest love, Jo Malone it has to be the Velvet Rose & Oud Cologne Intense. A scent that is both elegant yet sultry at the same time. This is rich and warm and perfect for those winter nights. I won't say too much more as I'm going to do a full review on this in the next few weeks.

 

QOTD: Are you ready for the change of seasons?

The Body Shop Wild Argan Oil - A Couple Of Bits

 
 Another day. Another trip to The Body Shop. I just can't get enough of TBS lately, as you can probably tell if you've been following my blog from the beginning. So it goes without saying really that I was excited to learn about their brand new Wild Argan Oil collection. I had previously only thought Argan oil was something you use on your hair but the collection features an array of both hair and body products. Watching Fleur De Force's video on the origins of Argan oil and how TBS create the products really enlightened my knowledge on this multifunctional beauty ingredient. I would definitely recommend giving that a watch if you're interested to learn more about the method behind the making of these products.

So anyway I picked up a couple of products from the new range to try out for myself. The first item was the Wild Argan oil body butter (as you can never have too many body butters can you?) I detect a slight shift in my tastes recently as I never would have put myself down as a lover of more 'nutty' scents, nearly always opting for a fruity option. However this is definitely not one of the fruity fragrances from TBS, instead having a nutty, quite rich scent which smells so luxurious in my opinion. Isn't there something so satisfying just in starting a brand new body butter? The consistency is literally like a dream - because of the oil inside its super nourishing without that slick greasy feeling some body butters tend to give you. I find that this absorbs into the skin beautifully and leaves it feeling and looking so much smoother and generally healthier.

The other item I picked up from the new range is the solid lip oil, which comes in a small round tin which reminds me exactly of the classic Vaseline tin except this is way cuter with its fancy gold packaging and lovely scent. Its the same every year, as soon as spring/summer come around I forget to take care of my lips which doesn't really make for ideal lipstick applying standards. In a bid to keep my lips smooth and healthy I thought this neat little product would do the trick nicely.

Similarly to the body butter, I find that this manages to find the perfect level of providing you with plenty of nourishing goodness without feeling too heavy. This sits comfortably on the lips as its not greasy or sticky but its still smooth enough that it leaves your lips feeling instantly softer. This transfers onto the lips as just a standard translucent balm creating the same effect as a clear lipgloss
does. Another hit from The Body Shop in my opinion, I can't wait to try out a few more different products from the collection!

QOTD: Have you tried any of the new Wild Argan oil range from The Body Shop?

The Spot Saviour

I'm always a little bit sceptical about these spot treatment/blemish sticks that claim to reduce the appearance of spots. However in the last year or so I have discovered the benefits of tea tree oil for its antiseptic and healing powers, I used it back in the winter on my breakouts and while it did improve my spots I found that it dried my skin up so badly. I know that Origins do a spot treatment however its like over £10 for a tiny little bottle which I didn't really want to pay out for. So I was intrigued to try this blemish gel from The Body Shop which currently retails for £6 for 2.5ml of product, which is still quite pricey but considerably less than other brands.

In England we have been experiencing like heatwave type conditions in the last few weeks and last month I was suffering from terrible breakouts from the change in the weather. I find that I get very hot doing my new job, I was exercising 5/6 days a week and I've also noticed that I seem to be sweating a lot more during exercise (more than normal) all of these factors I think just made my skin breakout and it wasn't looking its best. If you read my blog regularly you will know that I'm pretty obsessed with TBS skincare so naturally this was the first place I headed. I picked this up in a 3 for 2 offer, I will be reviewing the other products I got in due course too but this has definitely been a stand out product for me.

The product comes with a wand/ doe foot applicator and the first thing I noticed was how soft the wand is on your skin. Some of these doe foot applicators you get can be a bit harsh but this feels so soft and refreshing. Depending on how fussy you are you can take the wand straight to the blemish or swipe a bit on the back of your hand to keep it a bit more hygienic then use your finger to apply it.

The gel is very cooling and feels lovely on those angry, hot blemishes I sometimes suffer from. I like to use this before bed and upon waking up the blemished area is considerably less red and swollen. I have been really impressed with the way that this reduces the appearance of blemishes, redness etc without over drying the area. I also think that you could use this on blemishes that are no longer active as tea tree fights infection and will speed up the duration it takes to heal the area. This has just been a saviour in helping clear my skin and gives me that confidence back. I wished I had known about this as a teenager!

QOTD: What products do you reach for when you have 'problemed' skin?

The Holy Grail Skincare Trio

Skincare is something that is relatively new to me. It wasn't until I started wearing makeup on a regular basis that I realised the benefits of a skincare routine. Because skincare is a bit of a new area to me, I feel like I'm still in a bit of an 'experimenting' stage ie trying out different skincare products that work for me. However there have become three staples in my skincare routine that quickly earned their way to holy grail status. One is a cleanser, one is a mask and the other is a serum. I'm still on the lookout for the perfect moisturiser, so feel free to leave me any recommendations!

1) The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil.
This product from The Body Shop went wild on the beauty blogging scene a couple of months ago, everywhere I looked this bad boy was cropping up with rave reviews. Naturally I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Let me say, the hype around this really is true. This is such an incredible product that I have been obsessed with ever since purchasing it. I use this at night time if I have a face full of makeup as it literally melts away every last scrap off your face. Just massage a pump of this cleansing oil onto dry skin and when you add water it lathers to a slightly milky consistency and simply wipes your makeup away. I am constantly blown away by how easily this removes your makeup. As an extra bonus this is a really affordable high street skincare product setting you back around a tenner I believe, and a tiny bit goes a long way so it will last you ages!
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2) Origins Clear Improvements Active Charcoal Mask.

 The next product in my skincare holy grail trio is this face mask from Origins. I use this mask once or twice a week as a sort of deep cleanse to rid my face of underlying impurities. The active charcoal is the ingredient which unclogs your pores from all the dirt that is beyond what our eyes can see. This isn't the prettiest of face masks when you put it on as you can probably expect from the soot black colour of the tube. Upon rinsing this away you get an initial 'ahh' that feels good to be off as it can become a tad dry and tight on your face and immediately after taking it off your face just feels so clean and fresh. One thing I would bare in mind is that this can bring any underlying spots to life because it is so effective in clearing your pores out,but at the same time that does just go to show how well it works and overall it does leave your skin looking and feeling clearer. You only need a thin layer so again this should last pretty well, I have the 50ml size which I believe retails for around £12 so its not the cheapest but well worth it in my opinion.

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3) The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-In-Oil.
The third and final installment in my trio is anoher product from The Body Shop, this time from their Vitamin E range. I love the Vitamin E range from TBS, if you've been reading my blog for a while no doubt you will have seen the odd piece from the range show its face from time to time so of course I was instriguied by this serum. Other high end beauty serums will set you back quite a lot of money but this is again an afforable product retailing £12. I use this three to four nights a week over a night cream and the next morning my skin is visibly plumper and revitalised and it solves the problem of any dry patches I might be suffering from. I was a little bit nervous about putting an 'oil' on my face as I invisioned greasiness and oily looking skin as a result however it is not in the least bit greasy. I massage a few drops into my fingers first and then apply to my face in a patting motion as advised by the website. As well as doing its job properly the quality of the packaging feels really luxurious with a glass bottle and pipette applicator. This is going to be a saviour come winter time!
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QOTD: What are your skincare holy grail products?

Monthly Favourites: June 2014

It honestly feels like two seconds ago I was writing my May favourites I can't believe June is over already! The summers going fast! Here's what made the cut to my favourite beauty products during the last month. It was a good one for me for beauty faves, starting with a couple of bath and body favourites.

Soap & Glory Scrub of Your Life.
I had a couple of well loved bath and body related items in June and one of which was my all time favourite scrub from S&G which is the Scrub of Your Life. I really like this as I think its affordable, has a nice clean smell and really exfoliates those areas that need a bit more welly to smooth out nice and evenly. I've gone through quite a few of these over the years including the mini travel size versions too so this isnt a new discovery however I do tend to grab it more often during the warmer months when my skins out on show a bit more and want it looking its best.

The Body Shop Raspberry Body Butter.
From an old love from S&G to a new love from The Body Shop - this has actually been one of the standouts of the month for me and it is the Raspberry Body Butter. You may have caught my full post on it  here as I've already expressed my love for this product, this is honestly the most perfect summer scented body moisturiser... if you love raspberry scent as much as I do that is? I'm already close to using it all up. This may well be limited edition so if you're interested get to a Body Shop asap!

Rimmel Sun Shimmer Instant Tan Light Matte.
I never expected to be featuring a tanning product in a favourites post, let alone on my blog at all as I've not really been that girl who fake tans --ever. But I succumbed after trying on a dress in Miss Selfridge and the sight of these two milk bottles sticking out had me trotting off to Boots in a flash. I wanted to start off in the world of tanning products with something relatively inexpensive (and that washed off) as I didn't want to pay out for something that I wasn't sure I would like or use again so ended up trying this from Rimmel. Expect a full review on my thoughts in the next couple of days but it certainly has the thumbs up from me.

Benefit Sun Beam.
Sticking with the theme of glowy shimmery skin another favourite in June was Benefit's Sun Beam. I picked this up from eBay in the mini size and I absolutely love it as a highlighter, it creates the loveliest golden sun kissed glisten to your face that is so spot on for the summer months. I kind of wished I had been brave enough to buy the full size version now but I will probably repurchase it next summer as I can just use this one up in the upcoming months. In case you didn't know this is a liquid highlighter that is supposed to be dotted to the cheeks or brow bones and then blended out. Its easy to use while still creating a gorgeous golden hue to the skin.

See By Chloe Pefume.
My perfume choice of the month was the ever so lovely See By Chloe. This fragrance somehow manages to be fresh, youthful, florally and still remain quite sophisticated at the same time. I've written a full review on this perfume here.

Barry M Gelly Paint in Pink Punch.
Another Barry M Gelly paint to scrape its way into a favourites post this month was this gorgeous shade called Pink Punch. This is almost a neon pink where its so vivid and eye catchingly bright. This has been on my nails and toe nails virtually the whole month of June. I really like the name too as it just reminds me of an exotic and colourful summery bowl of punch.

MAC Sharon Osbourne Peaches and Cream.
Sorry to feature limited edition items in a favourites but this blush was too gorgeous to not feature. I was so excited to pick this up at my local Mac counter earlier in June. This is such an incredibly pretty product in my favourite blush colour of  pink/peach tones however it really does feature a sort of creaminess that reminds me exactly of strawberries and cream. Its such a beautiful blush.

MAC Morange.
Behold one of my all time favourite Mac lipsticks, Morange. I could sing this lipsticks praises all day long so be ready to be bored. I absolutely love this lipstick. Morange is an amplified lipstick therefore yes that colour in the bullet there, that bright, in your face orange will transfer over to your lips with pretty much one application. Morange is one of the most vivid, bright and fun to wear lipsticks in my collection. Its such a feel good lipstick that is guaranteed to get you a few compliments as it just brightens your entire face up and makes you look so vibrant and summery. What I like about Morange is you can pull this off day or night (if you're brave enough to) as I wore this on my birthday during the day but its also statement enough to wear as an evening lipstick, its so stunning seriously. I think everyone should own at least one out there lipstick like Morange in their collection.

And there we have it my rather bright and fun bunch of June Favourites - what did you love in the last month?

The Body Shop Raspberry Body Butter

 

I will expect that if you're anything like me that you've been through your Body Shop 'Body Butter phase' at some point in your life... you know the one I'm on about. The phase where you stalk the colourful shelves each time you so much as pass The Body Shop, sniffing and 'mmming' at all the fruity selections on offer and hoard as many tubs of them that you can get your greedy little hands on. For me that happened to be as many of the mini tubs I could afford as a jobless teenager, I certainly remember accumulating my fair share of Body Shop body butters over the years. I've since grown out of this and moved on to hoarding lipstick, however there is still a little place in my heart for The Body Shop's body butters.

 

On saying that I haven't owned a body butter from The Body Shop for quite some years now simply as I wanted to try different things for a while. However last night I had a table at a pamper event for my own business, and just across the room from me was a Body Shop stall. At the end of the evening I naturally headed over the the stall to have a look. The lady was like one of those independent sales consultants for The Body Shop I believe and all the full size body butters were going for £5 instead of the retail price of £13! I've seen this raspberry range floating around the beauty scene quite a lot recently, and raspberries are literally one of my most favourite fruits so I'm very surprised I hadn't had a sniff of the products before last night.

 

When I opened the lid for the first time this genuinely made my mouth water when I smelled it - it smells bloody delicious, sort of like how you would imagine a thick creamy raspberry jam to smell like. The consistency is exactly what you would expect from a Body Shop body butter, very smooth and so, so moisturising - this is going to be the most perfect summer body butter. Trust me, if you like raspberries you are going to love this. Isn't it even sweeter when you manage to something for such a bargain too with over 50% off the retail price tag?

 

I'm not entirely sure but I believe that this may be one of their limited edition releases so if you like raspberries and you haven't tried it yet I would highly recommend doing so quickly! Perfect summer body butter!

 

Have you tried this body butter?