Christmas Gift Guide #6 - Tranquility Bath Products and Soaps

In a recent post about products I used on a sick day, the winning product of the day was a lavender bath bomb by Tranquility. With a great price, gorgeous scent and long lasting fizz it made the perfect product for a pamper session! Now that it is time for Christmas shopping, Tranquilty have got a lot to offer! 

Cool Detox Shea Butter Bath Soufflé £1.75*

Christmas Morning Soap Bun £2.50*

Orange Zest Soap £2 per 100g*

Green Tea Soap Heart 50p*

Raspberry Soap Heart 50p*

Warm Orange and Ginger Soap Heart 50p*

All of the above products are not tested on animals and are paraben free. 

As you can see from the price list, these products are fantastic value for money making them great for daily use or a gift for a friend. 

 

The Christmas offering from Tranquilty here is this Christmas Morning Soap Bun. Shaped like a cupcake with a gorgeous sparkly star on the top, this is a super gift. The packaging is basic but with the products being so budget friendly, you can afford some nice wrapping to add yourself. A nice bit of tissue paper and maybe a wee box would make this a lovely gift for any soap lover.

How cute are these wee soap hearts? They smell gorgeous and are an amazing bargain at only 50p each. These would be a super stocking filler and great if you are planning making a hamper of smellies for someone for Christmas. 

Tranquilty products are high quality, smell gorgeous and are cruelty free. What they are lacking in nice packaging they make up for in brilliant value for money! They make great presents or just treat yourself to a soak in the bath with one of their long lasting bath bombs. 

For more information and great offers and deals, follow Tranquilty on Facebook http://facebook.com/tranquiltybath

 

*PR Samples

 

 

 

Christmas Gift Guide #5 - Underwater Light Show

Underwater Light Show £7.99*

I Want One Of Those is known for its cool presents! If you are at a loss of what to get someone then a browse of their website usually does the job. When looking for a gift to feature on my gift guide, this bath light caught my eye as it looked like great fun for all ages!

The idea of this gift is that the light floats on the surface of your bath and shines disco-type lights into the water, giving you a light show in your bath.

The light itself is nothing special to look at. It is made of plastic, with special sealing to stop the batteries from getting wet. There is a weight in the box which attaches to the bottom of the weight to stop the light from tipping as it floats on the surface of the water.

The box boasts 'no assembly required' and although this is sort of true ..... I do find it a bit misleading. Firstly this product needs 3 AAA batteries that are not included. This involves unscrewing these tiny fiddly screws with a screw driver, inserting the batteries and them screwing it back up! However, when this is done, your bath light is ready! The little button shown above is used to change the light patterns. There are 5 light patterns available, from rapid flashing to slow and relaxing. Holding the button down switches the lights off altogether. 

Turn the lights off in your bathroom and this is lovely to watch! The wee one loved it and it was lovely for a novelty bath, much more exciting than a bath bomb or bubble bath!

 

To purchase this or loads of other unique gifts, visit http://iwantoneofthose.com

*PR Sample 

Gift Guide #1
Gift Guide #2
Gift Guide #3
Gift Guide #4

 

 

 

Manicures - Acrylics, Gels and Shellac

This is a different post for me. I don't often review nail products or manicures because I don't paint my nails. For years now I have been getting fortnightly manicures by a local nail technician. Over the years I have tried many different products and styles and have become a bit of an expert! In a recent #bbloggers chat I was answering some questions on general manicure knowledge and decided to write this post, a mini guide to getting your nails done.

Where to go

When I first started getting my nails done I went to various salons and nail bars, trying to find someone I really liked. I came across some mobile technicians on Facebook and booked a few to come to my house. Eventually I found a girl who did exactly what I wanted, had great prices and was great to chat to - it can take 2 hours so good chat is a must! I have now been going to the same girl for over 2 years, either at my house or hers. Mobile technicians or people working from home are much cheaper as they don't have salon rent to pay. I like staying with the same person because she has come to know what I like and what suits me. 

Acrylics

Acrylic nails gets a bad rep. They are thought to be the worst for your natural nail and they look more false than others. Personally I didn't have too much of a problem with mine. I like how hard wearing they are and they definitely last longer than any other manicure. They do damage your natural nails but so do gels if you get them too often. For me the worst part of acrylics is the time it takes to remove them! Removal can be very costly mainly because of the time it takes! I also always found my cuticles would be red raw from all the filing down! 

Gels

Gel nails can be applied as an extension or as an overlay. All of the above pictures are of gel extensions, some using tips and some sculpted. The French manicure is hand painted onto a clear tip rather than a white tip being used. I prefer this as it looks more natural. The bottom picture are a set of gel extensions with a Shellac Hot Pop Pink top coat. 

Gel extensions are my manicure of choice when my nails are up to it. They are hard wearing, I have mine for 2 weeks and then have infills which last a further 2 weeks. Occasionally I can lose an individual nail but usually they stay intact for the whole time. It takes around 2 hours to apply these and then around 30 minutes of filing and soaking to remove. I have to be honest and say that they do affect your natural nails. A break is very advisable to let your nail beds breath but personally I don't take my own advice on that! My nails are left paper thin and can be quite red under the nail. The more damaged your nail bed, the less time your gels will last so it's really a good idea to give them a break. 

Shellac 

Shellac has been very popular recently. It is the cheapest of the manicures, takes under an hour to apply and can last up to 2 weeks. How long Shellac lasts on my nails really does vary. The good thing about Shellac is that it doesn't damage your nails in the way gels do. It can leave them a little dry but not thin. If my nails are in good condition, my shellac will last 2 weeks. If not then it will start to chip around day 7 or 8. There are some gorgeous colours available and it also makes a great pedicure, lasting for ages on the toes. 

Removal of shellac is easy and takes only 10 minutes. It can easily be done at home meaning that no extra appointment at the salon is needed. All you need to do is soak your nails in acetone for 5-10 minutes then use an orange stick to push away the product.

Recently I have been getting a layer of Brisa Lite under my Shellac to help it last longer. This is basically a very thin gel which only needs one coat but should increase the durability. With both I will get nearly 3 weeks from my nails! 

Styles

Personally I think you can't beat a French manicure! However I do like to mix it up to stop boredom. I am a big fan of accent nails - having a different design applied to the ring finger - and tend to get them on most manicures. I like glitter accent nails and always go for real glitter pushed onto the nail rather than a glitter polish because it looks so much nicer. 

Aftercare

As I have said, breaks from artificial nails are a must! Cuticle oil is another crucial step and can help your product last longer as well as keep your nails and cuticles in good condition. It sounds obvious but we careful not to use your nails for anything! By this I mean no opening cans or removing pins from the wall! As my nail technician says - 'they are not a tool'! Always wear rubber gloves when washing dishes as over soaking makes the nail lift. 

The Downside of Gorgeous Nails 

You can't open cans or tins.

It's hard to get the pound out of shopping trollies.

Typing your PIN number in is a challenge.

People don't think you work hard.

Vaseline and body butter gets right underneath them.

If you attempt to apply false lashes, you stab yourself. 

It's tough to pull up super tight leggings.

You can't get the caps off to do your tyre pressure. 

Buttons are a challenge.

Fastening a necklace is a no no. 

I hope this was helpful! If you have any questions then feel free to leave them in the comment box below :) 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

Fashion Takeover - BANK - Blonde & Blonde Rachel Riding Boots

Although primarily a beauty blog, I am always open to the odd fashion related post if there is something I really like. My favourite shop is Bank and has been for a while. Firstly I love the brands that Bank stock. I live in a small town where we don't have many of the shops I would like to use! I love Lipsy but the nearest store is 200 miles away from my home. Having a Bank store 2 miles from my house which stocks Lipsy among others is so handy! I also really love Bank's own brands and find everything fits well and is good quality. Bank have excellent sales too so keep your eyes peeled. 

Blonde & Blonde Rachel Riding Boots £45*

I loved these boots the minute I saw them and knew I had to have them. Blonde & Blonde make great clothes for everyday wear. The styles are always casual but funky and easy to dress up and make your own. These boots have a very shiny finish, are tall and feature a tan strip across the top. They are flat soled and have a buckle for detail. The inside leg of the boot has a zip to allow for them to be pulled on easily. 

What I love about these boots is how versatile they are. Being flat soled, they are great for work or a day out shopping but they are also very smart looking and the high shine means they can be easily dressed up. Below are some ways I have worn these! 

Work #1 I wore black treggings tucked into the boots with a white long sleeved t-shirt, over-sized black cardi and over-sized patterned scarf. 

Work #2 For a smarter work look I wore a purple, knee length dress with opaque black tights. I also took a brown handbag to match with the tan strip of the boots.

Shopping Blue jeggings look lovely with these boots and I wore mine with a plain black vest, white cardi and over-sized scarf. 

Meal Out On a recent birthday meal for a friend of mine I wore a last season Lipsy dress which has a black skirt, black tights and the boots. I never usually wear flats but had a bus to catch and opted for the sensible option! I didn't feel underdressed however because the boots looks really smart on. 

Check out my Twitter for pictures on how I wear these! 

To buy these boots visit: http://bankfashion.co.uk

*PR Sample

Sent from my iPad

Rimmel Stay Matte Liquid Mousse Foundation

I have been trying a lot of foundations lately. I used to buy a bottle and then wear it every day until completion before buying another. It was only since I started blogging that I realised I could have more than one foundation at one time! Now I have several and use them on different days, when I need different things from my makeup.

I bought this product in the recent Boots 3 for 2. I hadn't heard much about it but the packaging caught my eye and I decided to give it a go. I included this in a haul post and found that loads of you were really curious about this and asking to see a review.

The Stay Matte Liquid Mousse foundation is available in 6 shades. I am Soft Beige which is the 4th colour. If you have extremely pale or dark skin, I doubt there will be a shade for you. Saying that, the shade that I bought is perfect for my skin and an excellent match. 

I love the packing of this foundation. The product is in a tube rather than a bottle which allows the mousse-like foundation to be easily dispensed. The tube has a matte finish which is obviously in keeping with the product! When I bought this I took it home and swatched a little on my hand. I wasn't very happy with it and didn't like how thick and dry it felt. This initial test put me off trying the foundation on my fase at first. Thank goodness I did in the end ....

I usually use a damp Real Techniques sponge to blend my foundation but wasn't sure how well that would work with this. I dabbed small amounts all over my face and used the sponge at first. This worked better than I imagined but I felt the need to even out a few bits with my fingers which I don't usually with liquid foundations. The next time I used this, I used just my fingers and got a better result. After one thin coat the coverage was pretty decent. I applied a little extra under my eyes and to blemishes, which I did with my fingers, and this meant I didn't need to use any concealer. The coverage is excellent and my face looked flawless. The foundation obviously has a matte finish but I used a little setting powder on a buffing brush just to even it out. I love the look of this product on my face! I applied this at arond 11am and when I removed it at 11pm it had not budged!

What I really love about this is how it feels on the skin. My face is left feeling really silky and smooth and this feeling lasts all day. I expected this foundation to be dry, which wouldn't have been a problem for my normal skin, but it's actually really creamy and doesn't seem to cling to any areas, even dry spots.

I am very impressed with this product and will definitely be using it regularly. It looks lovely and lasts all day! At £5.99 this is an excellent product and I'm so happy that I tried it! 

Foundation Review #1

Foundation Review #2

Foundation Review #3

Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation Review

The search for the perfect foundation continues. After my last review on Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation I got several comments with recommendations. Lots of you were suggesting match perfection and so I picked it up in my recent haul.

Firstly this foundation is a very reasonable £6.99 making it excellent value for money. 

This foundation looks very similar to most Rimmel ones, coming in a glass bottle and featuring a pump for easy dispensing. I much prefer foundations with a pump as it means a lot less mess. 

Match Perfection is available in 10 shades. I chose Soft Beige which is one of the middle colours and perfect for my skin tone. Although it looks quite orange in the bottle, this applies as a lovely natural colour which is perfect for me with yellow undertones. 

This foundation is very wet and when I apply it to my fingers I find it runs through them. I have taken to applying this is small amounts so it doesn't run away on me! I dot the product all over my face and use my Real Teachniques sponge to blend it out. 

This foundation applies really well and blends into the skin leaving a flawless finish. If you have any blemishes then you really do need concealer with this as it doesn't do much for covering them. I set the product with my Collection lasting perfection powder. The finish is really flawless and the skin is left looking naturally clear and not caked in makeup. 

I applied this at around 10am and when I removed it some 12 hours later I found that the product was mainly intact. I like a foundation that lasts the day and this has ticked that box for me.

A few more weeks of use will be needed before I know if this is the perfect one for me but so far, so good. The product looks lovely on, builds well, lasts the day and is very affordable.

Have you tried this foundation?

What is your favourite drugstore foundation? 

 

 

Foundation Review #1

Foundation Review #2

 

Lily Lolo Shimmer Stripes in Honey Glow

Lily Lolo Shimmer Stripes in Honey Glow £19.99*

With the summer ended and the cold weather upon us, what better way to cheer yourself up than with a lovely bronzed glow. Lily Lolo have released this shimmer stripes compact palette in 2 shades; rose glow and honeys glow, which I have here.

Firstly the product comes in gorgeous, high quality packaging. The little box is silver with white detail and the product shade on the spine. Inside, the plastic compact is very thick and sturdy and has a really high-end feel to it. The plastic has a gorgeous matte finish and company name in classy silver lettering.

The compact features 5 bands of colour; the stripes. These can be worn alone or blended together. Alone they can be used as eyeshadows or blended they are a super bronzer. I have used this product in several ways and find it so versatile. Using my Real Techniques contour brush I apply this to below my cheek, my jaw line and my temples. I also like using this with my Real Techniques blush brush and applying to to my cheeks for a gorgeous bronzed look. With a kabuki brush this can be added to collarbones and chest area to highlight and really brings out a tan.

The product has a lovely consistency, is fragrance free and free of talc and lasts all day in my skin. 

To purchase this or find out more, visit the website http://lilylolo.co.uk

*PR Sample 

 

Juliet Rose Soaps

I have always liked using a bar of soap. I use them to wash my hands and I also like to use one in place of a shower gel. When rubbed on a shower puff you get a lovely lather just as you would from a gel. Soaps often contain much less additivites and less packaging is involved which is always a good thing!

Juliet Rose soaps are paraben free, SLS free, animal friendly, sulphate free and made using responsibly sourced ingredients which are 100% natural. 

Firstly, look at the gorgeous packaging! The soaps are beautifully packaged meaning they would make lovely gifts. 3 of the soaps are encased in corrugated card with decorative paper sleeves. The other soap is in waxed paper with strig around it and has a pretty, hand-written label displaying the information. 

100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Clay £6.95*

I have never used an olive oil soap but asked Juliet to include one of these in my package but it sounded so natural and moisturising. Olive oil soaps are unscented and without colorants and are so mild that they can be used on newborn babies! The soap is perfect for any skin type, can be used as a facial cleanser and is recommended for acne prone skin. The soap feels very soft on the skin in use and is gentle and not overly drying. With so many benefits, this soap is definitely worth a try for anyone and is one for all the family. 

Girlie Girlie  £5.50 *

How lovely looking is this soap?! The pink, sparkly packaging, cute name and gorgeous pink colour of the bar make this the perfect soap for any girly girl, like myself! This soap achieves the perfect feminine scent by combining rose, jasmine, lily of the valley and freesia. However, this is a limited addition so get it quickly! 

Tea Tree & Lavender Shampoo Bar £5.90*

Although a shampoo soap, this is an all rounder and also suitable for face and body! This bar is perfect for acne prone skin because it has antiseptic and skin healing qualities. It is highly beneficial as a shampoo bar because of its creamy lather and benefits dry scap conditions. I have used shampoo bars in the past and have never been scared of them. For over 4 years I used a shampoo bar solidly and only stopped when the one I had been using was discontinued. The benefits of using an all natural shampoo bar are extensive and Juliet offers lots of information on this on her website. What I like about the soap is how versatile it is and also that if doesn't seem to get as wet and sticky as other shampoo bars do. This would be perfect of you travel as you only need the one bar for hair, body and face. 

For more information and to purchase these lovely soaps, see the website: http://julietrosesoaps.com

*PR Sample 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Christmas Gift Guide #4 Golden Wonder Lush Bath Bomb

I love getting Lush bath bombs as gifts. They are something that I only occasionally buy for myself due to how expensive and non essential they are so it's a real treat when I get one as a present. Currently Lush have their Christmas line in store. I picked up this bath bomb which would be a great present for any Lush fan!

Golden Wonder Bath Bomb £3.50

This is a lovely looking bomb. The product is shaped like a parcel with a large bow on top. It is a very shimmery gold and the bow is a contrasting white. When you give it a little shake you can hear that there is something inside and it almost has a bell sound to it. I don't know how to describe the smell of this except to say that it smells gorgeous! 

This is a great gift for any glitter loving girl! The gold is so shimmery that when I lifted the bomb up, my fingers were totally gold! 

All Lush bath bombs are impressive but this one is spectacular! At first the bomb fizzes gold like you would expect. From inside the gold, little gold stars appear and float on the surface of the water. As the gold fizzes off the bomb turns a bright turquoise colour which stains the water. Just before the bomb finishes, it breaks in half and a little purple, orange and green spot of colour come out! The bath is left a really deep greeny blue with a layer of gold shimmer on the top! 

This bomb is definitely something special and is a super stocking filler for any bath lover!  

 

 

Gift Guide #1

Gift Guide #2 

Gift Guide #3 

 

Glossybox November 2013 - The Glossy Wishlist

With last weeks Glossybox being so awful, I really hoped that they would up their game for this month. I have to say that they have. Although no where near the best box I have had, this has some exciting products and some decent sized items too. 

Vichy Idealio Life Serum - 3x3ml samples

This seems to be something that every box contains and was released on the website as a spoiler. I have heard good things about this serum so I look forward to trying it. 3ml is a small sample but with 3 of these and a cute little bag, this is a decent looking sample.

Yves Rocher France Hand Cream - Full Size worth £1.95

Words can not describe how nice this smells. I literally can't stop smelling my hands after application! This smells like chocolate orange but in a nice way, not a sickly way! Although not an expensive product, this is full size and I always need another hand cream!

Elegant Touch Rapid Dey for Nails - Full Size worth £3

I have seen this before and wanted to try it so I am happy to get this in my box. Again this isn't a luxury product but it is full size.

Emite Make Up Micronized Eyeshadow - Full Size worth £16.80

This eyeshadow really interests me. Firstly it's not a brand I have used but by the price tag I am guessing this is a high end company! The eyeshadow is in black which is always handy for a smokey eye. The texture of this shadow is very strange and feels more like a gel liner! 

B. Nail Polish - Full Size worth £4.99

I don't wear nail polish and this isn't a particularly nice colour anyway! I will likely give this away or maybe use it on my toes! 

Did you enjoy this months box?