Blogmas Day 4: Relaxing Christmas Beauty Buys

Who's stuck for present ideas then? I know I am. 

Cosmetics are always a good go-to Christmas present, but sometimes they can get a bit predictable. I also can't help but take it personally when people buy me soap and shower gel. Are they trying to tell me something? 

Now I was recently sent some Aromatherapy Associates products to review, and they would make perfect presents or stocking fillers for the simple fact that they're something a bit different, and something that honestly, we all need. 

I've reviewed Aromatherapy Associates products before, and back then I wasn't into aromatherapy or essential oils at all, but their products turned me. All of their products have therapeutic benefits which work to enhance your physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. To an ignorant little me, this sounded like witchcraft, But low and behold, they do actually work. 

The little bottles of bath and shower oil have the quickest effect because the oils are so concentrated. Breathing them in as you wash really does have an effect on your mood, and there are actually different oils for different moods. I'll say now that the scents are particularly strong with these, but it dilutes as you shower/bathe and leaves you with a subtle aroma of cardamom, frankincense (how Christmassy) and clary sage, as well as a fresh outlook on the rest of the day. I honestly can't explain the effect in words, but they're a pick-me-up much healthier than coffee. 

So with that in mind, how cute are these little packages of relaxation? Everyone knows that January is the most depressing month of the year, so these will be an absolute lifesaver for whoever you give them to. With them both under £20, they make perfect stocking fillers.  The Instant Inner-Strength roll-on is my favourite, because it's such a quick fix (how much of an addict do I sound). 

I also love presents that you can hide on the tree, so the design of the Star and Roll-On are so apt for a Christmas morning hunt around the tree for a relaxing gift with your name on. 

P.S 

10% of proceeds go to the Defence Against Cancer charity. Charitable giving and a perfect Christmas present rolled into one. 

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Dry Shampoo: Battle of the Brands

Thank God for dry shampoo. Am I right? On days of unexpected greasiness slash laziness, it's an absolute lifesaver. 

I say this, but before now I didn't use it a lot at all. My hair doesn't get too greasy too quickly and when it does, it's also crying out for a good conditioning, so dry shampoo wasn't really my go-to in those situations. 

However since dyeing my hair a colour that fades rapidly with each wash, dry shampoo is helping me prolong my colour's vibrancy, and is a product that I would recommend to anyone struggling with fast-fading hair. 

Whenever I go to a fashion event, dry shampoo is a product that without fail makes its way into the goodie bags.  I've accumulated quite a few now, so I thought I'd  put the three biggest brands (Batiste, Tresemme and label,m) to the test on my new barnett in a battle of the brands, testing them on grease-elimination and volume. 

Batiste Pixie Lott Limited Edition - £2.99

Obviously the most well-known, with Pixie Lott fronting their latest ad campaign and a variety of different scents and patterned cans on the shelves. The variety that Batiste has to offer is vast, and I will admit that it smells amazing. It does the job perfectly well in terms of eliminating the greasy bed-head look, however when it comes to styling and adding more volume, if you've got a gargantuan head of hair like mine, it just won't cut it. With my hair being so heavy, I need as much help as I can get when it comes to creating volume. I was also left with quite a powdery texture in my hair which really dried it out. 

Tresemme Instant Refresh - £5.25 (for 200ml. Mine's 100ml) 

For me, Tresemme is a brand I really trust. I've had a lot of success with their conditioners in the past, and I wasn't let down by this product either. I found that I needed less than I did with Batiste, and the actual feel of the product on  my hair was, as it says, refreshing. It didn't feel powdery or dry and doesn't leave any white residue at all. Didn't even need to rub it in really. Again my hair was too heavy for this to have any voluminous effect, but for a fresh, shampooed effect, this one is my favourite. A bit more expensive than Batiste, but you'll use less and it will last you longer. 

label.m Brunette Dry Shampoo - £11.95 (200ml)

Obviously I don't use this at the moment, but when my hair was ombre I did. I know the can is tiny, and it's just a sample size. This is my favourite for texture and volume. It's the one product that can actually take on my hair and give it some lift, so if you've got a thick head of hair, or just want something a bit more heavy duty, then this is what you need. For dry shampooing, it's got a brown tint to it so that it doesn't leave any powdery marks, and it actually works well on reddy / auburn hair too. I've also tried and reviewed the larger Texturising and Volume spray which is actually quite similar, just more aimed at styling.  They're both brilliant for spraying on your hair before curling or backcombing for some extra hold and lift, whilst leaving the hair soft and pliable. 

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Purple Is The New Black

 

Since dying my hair purple, I've had to completely re-evaluate my make-up routine, With black being to harsh for a day look, I was looking for something a bit more subtle. 

In almost perfect timing, Jane Iredale released their City Nights Collection, and sent me a few samples. 

The moment I saw the plummy shades of eyeliner and lipstick, I knew I had to give them a go. Such perfect hues for this season. 

I fell in love with the Jelly Jar Gel Eyeliner shade (also available in an olive green). It's a dark purple which means you get the definition you need when using it for winged eyeliner, and it's super blendable, allowing you to work it in with a variety of eye shadows for a smokey eye. 

It complements my hair brilliantly, but I think it's a shade that can actually be worn by anyone. I know that you can get brown liners for anyone who finds black too harsh, but I think this would be a more exciting alternative. 

As for the PureMoist Lipstick in Katerina, it goes so well with the eyeliner. Slightly different in shade with more of a reddy tone, it makes for a nice contrast. I've used another one of Jane Iredale's PureMoist Lipsticks, and it does what it says on the tin. Considering how strong the shades are, they aren't dry at all, and actually stay for quite some time. I also like to mix it with other shades, just to give any dry lipsticks I may have a bit of moisture and shine, 

The one thing I will 100% praise Jane Iredale's products for is that they last soooo long. I hate spending money on a product, using it regularly like I should only for it to run out sooner than expected. You don't need to use a lot of any of their products, so they last you a good few months, A worthy investment I'd say. 

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Mary Kay 'At Play' Collection

Make-up time! I haven't done a make-up post in a while now, so I was quite excited about this one. A few months ago Mary Kay sent me their At Play collection, and since them I've been having a good play around and getting used to them. 

I think the best way to sum this collection up is FUN! When I first saw this collection it did remind me of some of the make-up collections I'd get in my free Go Girl magazine back in the 90s. There definitely is an element of nostalgia here. But then it dawned on me that there's no reason why adult make-up shouldn't be fun. The colours featured here are bright, but Mary Kay have carefully created shades that stand out whilst complementing an adult look. 

All of these eyeliners look amazing with eyeshadows in complementing hues, but I thought I'd show you what they're like in their purest form. 

   Gold Metal: This shade really brightens up the eye and goes with absolutely everything. Perfect for        

   Christmas. I've tried it with a few pinky eye shadows too and it works so well.  

  

  The Real Teal: I'm not entirely sure if this shade of green suits my skin tone, as it is quite cool. However 

    this would look amazing on anyone with a paler complexion. It's a subtle burst of metallic colour. 

     

    Blue My Mind: This is the only matte shade out of the four, and I love it. It's so striking and dramatic. Make 

    this your statement piece of make-up, and make the rest of your face as bare as possible. 

    Hello Violet: This one is my ultimate favourite. With Halloween coming up I could see a lot of creative 

    potential, but at the same time, I thought it made such a nice change to the normal black eyeliner. 

    Feminine with a grunge twist. 

    Triple Layered Tinted Balms: (Top: In the Plum Bottom: Atomic)  

These are perfect for those times when you just want a hint of colour on your lips. They're incredibly moisturising and smell amazing. I can see these making lovely 

    stocking fillers. 

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The Make-Up Alphabet: To BB or to CC

 As you'll know by now, any beauty posts on this blog are part of my journey of make-up discovery. In 5 months I've gone from make-up Neanderthal to cosmetic addict, but there are still some products out there that throw me, and this post is about one product in particular.

For the last couple of years an alphabetical trend has emerged in the beauty world - I'm talking about BB/CC creams. 

These abbreviations have been thrown around with the assumption that we're supposed to know what they mean. I'm not one to buy products if it requires any guess work as to what it does. I'd only just come to understand that BB stands for Blemish Balm and was ready to give it a go when CC creams came and stomped all over my new-found knowledge, bringing with them a wave of confusion. So what's the bloomin' difference?! 

BB

BB creams are Blemish Balms and from what I can gather are basically foundations with added skincare benefits such as SPF or anti-oxidants. Slap-bang in the middle of foundation and tinted moisturizers in terms of consistency and coverage, they're good if you want to 'ditch the cake' (sorry Georgia, stole your line.)

CC

CC creams on the other hand are Colour Correctors. Using 'light-diffusing particles' CC Creams address skin issues like redness, dullness or blotchiness.

So coverage-wise there isn't much difference, but whether you use a BB or a CC all depends on what effect you want it to have on your skin.

CLINIQUE

To help me understand, Clinique were kind enough to send me their latest CC creams so I could figure out what all the fuss is about.

Despite the difference in packaging, both of these products are the Moisture Surge CC Cream. They just differ slightly in texture and SPF. Whilst the compacts are SPF 25, the bottle is SPF 30 . Also, the bottle is of a more fluid consistency, whilst the compacts are thick and moussy, and obviously this has an effect on the ability to build up coverage.

The bottle is available in 9 shades, whilst the compact is available in 6, which is a little bit of a nuisance if you find a shade you like with the bottle, but want a different consistency.

Personally, I prefer the bottle because of its lightweight, liquid texture. When using liquids of any sort, I prefer a dewy finish to a matte one, otherwise my skin can look quite dry. The coverage on both was excellent. My skin is quite patchy anyway due to a mixture of old acne scars, dry patches and recent Summer tanning, so having a product that evens that all out is brilliant.

Clinique sent me these before I went on holiday, and I was using the Light compact as it matched my skin best, however when I returned, my skin had knocked me up to a medium, so luckily I could test both shades. They are a perfect match and blend with my tan instead of changing it.

The bottle is £28, and the compacts are £30. Now if you're looking for full-on coverage, I wouldn't recommend these. But if moderate coverage as well as the added skincare benefits are what you're after, I can assure you that you're in good hands with Clinique. I've had these products for two and a half months now and am still not close to running out so they will last you a good while. They're also versatile in the way you can use them, whether it's underneath foundation or mixed with moisturiser, or even alone, they'll do the job.  

So, do you BB or CC, or are you sticking with the good ol' foundation? 

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Summer Festival Foundation with Oxygenetix

IT'S FESTIVAL SEASON! There's nothing that makes me more excited for Summer than festivals, especially if I'm going to one. I wanted to go to Download, Sonisphere and Glastonbury this year, but I had to make do with watching it on TV (sad face). 

Even though it's unlikely I'll be attending a festival this year, I've been an avid festival goer for the last 5 years now, and as someone who loves fashion and make-up, packing was my Everest. Each time I went, I would learn some packing life-hacks that would make my next fest less stressful. However the one thing I always failed to get right was make-up. What do I take? What will the whether be like? Can I go without? If it rains will I look like a panda? If it's too hot will it melt?  Blah blah blah blah. 

There were multiple times when I'd settle with a quick touch of foundation and be done with it, but it would never stay on, and the notion of reapplying was a bit of a palava. Just recently though, Oxygenetix were kind enough to send me a sample of their 'Summer & Festival Friendly' foundation. I must admit I smugly smirked with skepticism when I read this. I wondered if the people at Oxygenetix had ever experienced being packed in like sardines trying to catch a glimpse of your favourite band whilst someones sweaty back is rubbing up against your face. But I pushed my doubt to one side and gave it a go. 

The moment I tried it I swallowed my words. You'll all know by now that I'm a huge fan of mineral make-up, and gave up on liquid foundation quite some time ago, however Oxygenetix's may have changed my mind. 

After doing a bit of research, I learnt that as well as being a good foundation for Summer and festival atmospheres, it's also aimed at those with surgical/acne scars or skin injuries. So of course, the coverage is incredible. I have a few acne scars on my cheeks from those spotty teen days and other than applying layer upon layer of mineral foundation, I've never found anything else that covers them. One layer of Oxygenetix was all I needed though. It blended in perfectly with my skin tone, and was incredibly light, which was my original reason for preferring mineral over liquid. It's also 13 times more transfer resistant than other cosmetics, so whether you're swimming, running, dancing or even moshing, it won't rub of on your clothes or other people's. It's also water resistant for up to 90 minutes of swimming time and lasts all day. So you don't have to worry about touching up your make-up if someone in the crowd throws a cup of beer (at least lets hope its beer) your way. With an SPF of 25 on top of all it's other benefits it seems that Oxygenetix caters to all the foundation issues you'll encounter whilst on holiday or at a festival. 

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St Kitts' Herbery Luxury Skincare Range

Previously committing to bath and body products, St Kitts’ Herbery have ventured down the road of skincare with some amazing results. This entire range focuses on two main ingredients : Neroli and Frankincense.

Having worked briefly as a Christmas temp at Lush, I am now fascinated by ingredients such as these and their properties. However, when a product or a range contains so many, it can be hard to figure out if it’s going to give you exactly what you’re looking for so I love the simplicity of the ingredients in this range.

St Kitts’ have chosen two of the most beneficial ingredients for facial skincare. Neroli stimulates cell activity and growth, helps to treat broken veins and capillaries, and works as an antiseptic and antibacterial. Frankincense on the other hand encourages the renewal of skin cells and works as a non-irritant and non-sensitising.  So this is a collection that in one way or another will suit everyone.

The entire skincare range consists of these 13 products:

Face Wash | Cleanser | Toner | Lip Balm | Eye Gel | Nourishing Oil | Face Lotion | Face Cream | Spot Treatment | Exfoliating Mask | Face Scrub |Facial Massage Oil

I tried samples of the Face Wash, Toner, Face Cream and Nourishing Oil, all of which can be bought together in the St Kitts’ SkincareBag.

Before I go onto review the individual products I’ll say one thing about the samples I tried: The scents are strong.  

With so many products at the moment smelling artificially of desserts and overpowering imitations of fruit, a collection of products made of natural herbal ingredients can be a bit of a shock to the nose at first. But for me, if it’s beneficial for my skin, I’m really not fussed what it smells like. In fact, the lack of artificiality in these products alone is enough to make me realise how good they really are.

Facial Wash

Also containing Aloe Vera, this is a very soothing and refreshing facial wash. There are so many nowadays that are bright colours or contain fluorescent beads and have fancy names that are plucked out of thin air, so it’s nice to get back to basics with an understated facial wash that that is packed full of natural ingredients . It’s easy to use and makes for a lovely start to the day.

Toner

A gentle spritz of this over your face helps firm the skin and close pores after cleansing. Along with the facial wash, you’re left with a perfect base that’s ready for moisturising. Also contains Aloe Vera.

Face Cream

I love nothing more than a dense, thick face cream, and that’s exactly what this is. I found I really didn’t need a lot, so even though the bottle isn’t that big, it will last me for quite some time. This kept my face dewy and moisturised all day, and along with my foundation, gave me a fresh, glowing look.  Also contains Borage, Aloe Vera, Chamomile, Lavender, Ginseng, Comfrey.

Nourishing Oil

Just a tiny little bit of this on top of the face cream in the morning helps lock in the moisture, so that you don’t need to worry about your skin going dry during the rest of the day. It helps to retain elasticity and fights wrinkles, so therefore it’s suitable for dry or ageing skin types. Also contains Sweet Almond, Avocado, Carrot, Lavender, Rosemary.

I’ve tried a lot of facial skincare in the time I’ve been doing product reviews, and this collection is the only one that has moisturised my skin thoroughly and lasted from morning till night. 

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Hello Cheeky

Afternoon all!!!

Did you have a good Easter? How many Easter Eggs have you managed to devour? (I'm currently on my fourth, but that doesn't include all the cream eggs) 

Now before I have a chocolate induced spot outbreak, I'm currently enjoying trying out a sample of the Cheek Pop that the lovely people at Clinique sent me. 

LOOK HOW CUTE IT IS. I love the packaging, so much so that even though it's slowly decaying in my make-up bag, I still insist on keeping it. And the daisy pattern that the blush is set in makes me feel summery every time I open it, even though with each use it's slowly fading away, which makes me sad (so many feels). 

I'm really loving some of the summer shades for make-up that are out at the moment, and the Cheek Pop is such a perfect addition to your summer make-up collection. 

Now this blush is only available in four shades, which has received mixed opinions looking at customer reviews, but I really like the small selection. 

The four available shades are:

Ginger Pop 

Peach Pop

Berry Pop

Plum Pop

The first two are the two warmest shades, whilst the Berry and Plum Pops have a bluer, cooler hue. Each of these shades are vibrant yet natural in tone, and despite the small selection, there is a shade for every skin tone. All you have to do is break down the shades into a scale of dark warm-light warm- dark cool - light cool. Then you just need to figure out if you have a dark or cool skin tone and whether you prefer a dark or light blush. I feel when there are so many shades to choose from, that's when things start to get confusing. For me, I have quite an olive skin tone, and I usually wear quite warm, bronze coloured blushes, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and go for a warm light blush: the Peach Pop. 

I am so happy with this choice. I was honestly worried it would be too light for me, but it works so well, and actually brightens up my face. For a casual day look, I go for the hue on the far left on the swatch above. It's so subtle, but there's just enough colour present to highlight your cheeks. For an evening look, if I want my eyes to be the statement area then I'll opt for the hue in the middle, however if my eyes are quite bare, then I'll brighten up the blush. 

What I really love about this blush is that even though it's technically a compact powder blush, it's really buttery and soft to the touch, and  applies and sits on the skin like a cream blush. This creamy texture means that it can be applied and blended into the skin very easily with the fingers, which I actually prefer with this particular blush over using a brush. 

Have you tried this product yet? If you have I'd love to hear your thoughts. Also I' love to hear your thoughts on this post. I definitely want to do more like it, and I was wondering whether to put up a picture of me wearing the blush, but thought the swatch showed it better. Let me know what you think, any feedback is welcome : D 

Steph

x x x 

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