Boxing Day Sales - Boots Points Haul

Boxing Day has usually been a family day for me but this year, I had time to hit the sales. My boyfriend and I just went to a few shops, mainly in a retail park rather than into the busy town centre. We both got some clothes but my best purchases were in Boots. Before Christmas I took advantage of lots of Boots offers so as to build up my points. I managed to collect a decent amount and got all of my sale purchases with points! 

This mini haul came to £26 but I paid fully with points so technically it was free! I got 3 sale items and 1 at full price. 

L'Oreal Paris Post Party Beauty S.O.S £5

This set contains 2 full sized products; the Micellar solution and the multi-protection moisturiser. I have used the Micellar water in the past and I enjoyed it. I had been meaning to pick up another bottle but then saw this set and purchased this instead. The cleanser itself is usually around £4 and I got this set of 2 products for a bargain £5.

Soap&Glory Loved & Glossed Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks £8

This was an absolute bargain and I'm really excited about using these! This little tin contains 3 of the Sexy Mother Pucker Gloss Sticks. The shades are Nudist, which is a gorgeous nude shade, Fuchsia-Ristic, a gorgeous pink and Plum-Jam, a deeper red shade. 

Seventeen Quick Draw Eye Crayons £5

I'm really excited about these because I haven't seen them before and I have been really getting into my Collection eyeshadow pencils. These seem to have more product than those as they are double ended. I don't see names for the shades but there is a nice range of neutrals. I will likely do a full review on these. 

No7 Make Up Brush Cleanser £8

This was not in the sale but I have heard such good things about it that I was dying to pick it up. This is meant for giving your brushes a daily cleanse to keep them bacteria free. I have Real Techniques brushes so I will report back on how it works on them.

Did you get any bargains in the Boots sale? 

 

 

 

 

What I Got For Christmas - Beauty Items

I have never been one for listing gifts but as these posts seem to be popular I have decided to give it a go. Firstly I had a lovely family Christmas with good food and lots of laughs. I was treated to some fantastic presents but will only be listing the beauty ones for this post. I will do full reviews of many of these but please feel free to leave requests in the comments box. 

I am a teacher and always get gifts from the children at Christmas. I can never get over how generous parents are and I got some lovely gifts, above are the beauty ones. I got this Get Fruity Mango Bath and Body set which smells lovely and has a handy shower puff included. I love these little sets and always use them up rather than buying shower gel in my weekly shop. The children in my class are always commenting on how much lipbalm I use so I had a little laugh when I saw these next presents. Firstly the Vaseline Lips gift set which is a large tin containing 3 tins of the product. I love my Vaseline and will get through these very quickly. The last item is very cool and was brought back when a pupil was on holiday in America. It is a Jolly Rancher Lip Balm. This smells delicious and is actually really moisturising on the lips. It is a massive lip balm, jumbo size, and has a cute mirror on the lid. 

Among the gifts I recieved from my folks, I was also lucky enough to be given the above makeup items. My mum wanted to make sure she got things I wanted in the righg shades so she asked for a list and then chose things from it. I got the How To Look The Best At Everything kit from Benefit. I went shopping with my mum earlier in the month and had my colours matched for this so she knew which shade to get. I am in the shade Medium. Next, something I have been lusting after for a long while, the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette which I just can't wait to get to grips with. The next two items are from Mac which my mum managed to get online for a cheaper price by getting them unboxed. The first is a Mac Eyeliner and the second, which I am hooked on already, is Mac Lipstick in Shy Girl. This is more high end makeup than I have had in one go before and I really can't wait to get trying it all out! 

My boyfriend got me an amazing makeup case which I will post about at a later date when I have organised it. Inside the case he had wrapped Love At First Shine lipgloss set from Benefit. There are some gorgeous shades in here which I will enjoy playing about with. Next, and one of my favourite gifts, I got this gorgeous Mac Lipstick from my boyfriends little girl (with a little help from him!) She chose the shade herself and it's the gorgeous Pink Nouveau. From my little sister I recieved this Sleek Original Palette. I don't have much Sleek so I'm really happy to add this to my collection.

From my boyfriends mum I got this large Autograph Make-Up Set. I thought autograph was a Tesco brand but I have since been told that it is Marks and Spencer's. The set has some lovely looking products including a lovely eyeshadow quad. She also kindly gave me the Along Came Betty Handbag Collection. I recieved this last year however it has been restyled and looks much cooler this year. 

No Christmas gift list would be complete without some Soap & Glory! My boyfriend very kindly bought me the Yule Monty gift set and he didn't even need reminded! This years case is really cool in a lovely pink and silver design. It is also a handier size than last years version. This includes and impressive 9 full sized products and also 3 small samples. 

I have obviously been very good this year because I really was spoilt! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas and I look forward to reading others posts. 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Merry Christmas - NOTD

Merry Christmas everyone! Just a quick post today and a rather rare for me, nails of the day! As you know by now I get my nails done fortnightly and so they are not something that I have painted myself. I'm boring when it comes to nails and always love a French manicure but decided I had to push the boat out for Christmas!

I have chosen gel extensions, very long, with black glitter and gold on the accent nail. The black glitter is really beautiful and shimmers green and pink in the light!

I hope everyone is having a lovely Christmas!

Amy 

X 

 

Stocking Filler - Heavenly Bubbles - Santa Baby Soap

With Christmas near I have a gorgeous little stocking filler to show you from the handmade soap company, Heavenly Bubbles. The first thing that attracted me to this company was the great name! Heavenly Bubbles have a shop in Colne, Lancashire but also sell their beautiful products online.

Santa Baby £5*

Handmade soap slices from Heavenly Bubbles cleanse without drying, leaving skin feeling soft, smooth and full of moisture. Santa Baby is one of our larger size bars, weighing in at 160 grams+ it is nearly twice the size of your average bar of soap and can be cut in two for ease of use. The soap is fragranced with peppermint essential oil and the top is decorated with a polymer clay or 'fimo' santa hat for an extra festive touch and of course a sprinkling of glitter!
All our new hand made luxury silk soap slices now contain Buttermilk which is rich in lactic acid. Lactic acid is found in many expensive beauty products and is one of the best facial peels that doctors choose for softening, brightening and exfoliating skin. It treats age spots, freckles and even tightens skin and also gives the soap a rich creamy lather.

I think this is the most beautiful soap I have ever seen. Everything about it is pretty and Christmassy and the presentation is simply stunning. The soap is a slice and looks like a slice of a cake. The colours are lovely and the front has Heavenly written into it. The slice has a little Santa hat on top to keep in with the name. 

I'm never any good at describing scents and I am especially bad here, but I shall give it a go! Firstly, this smells delicious! It definitely has a fresh mint scent coming through but also smells Christmassy and maybe slightly of berries. I asked the wee one to help me and she said 'it smells yum' ....! 

The ingredients of this soap are very impressive with so many natural products and plenty of skin softeners like olive oil, coconut oil and Shea butter. 

If you have any Christmas money to spend after the big day then I definitely recommend the website. Everything looks good enough to eat and the prices are really reasonable. 

 For more information or to browse their lovely shop, see the website http://heavenlybubbles.co.uk

 

Boots Advent Days 15-21

I can't believe how close it is to Christmas and still so much to do! Good week on the calendar this week and some items that I can't wait to use.

Day 15 - Seventeen Tattoo Me Eyeliner

I'm not entirely sure why anyone would want to leave eyeliner on for 48 hours but this product claims to stay put for that long! Personally I don't use a lot of liquid eyeliner because I am rubbish at applying it but I may use this for a night out and it's nice to have.

Day 16 - Spotty Nail File

I had almost the same reaction to this as I had to the hair bobble. The only saving grace is that I will actually use this and it's cute.

Day 17 - Soap & Glory Flake Away Body Butter

After the let down of the nail file, this was a great product of recieve. I love Soap & Glory and especially like their body butters. This is a great sized sample and really handy for travelling. 

Day 18 - Ghost Moonlight Sample

I had thought that day 14 was the last perfume sample but this one must have been hiding from me! 

Day 19 - Original Carmex

I am mad for my lip balm and always hear this raved about but have never actually got round to buying it. I prefer lipbalm in a tube due to my long nail extensions but even still, I can't wait to use this.

Day 20 - Mavala Nail Polish in 213 Pure Diamond

How gorgeous is this colour? Absolutely perfect for Christmas and a welcome item in the calendar. This is the second nail polish from Mavala who I haven't tried before but have heard fantastic things about.

Day 21 - Botanics Heat Protection a Shine Serum

I laughed out loud when I saw this behind door 21 because the day before I ran out of heat defence spray! I love Botanics products but haven't tried this one before so I am really looking forward to it. This sample is 30ml so a really great size.

What is your favourite item from the calendar so far? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

L'Oreal Paris Nude Maguique BB Powder - Review

Like most bloggers I am slightly obsessed with Boots. I cannot walk in there and come out with just the items that I went in for! I also can't resist an offer. Occasionally I buy something, get it home then think, 'why did I buy this?!' This purchase is a good example of that!

The Nude Magique BB Powder retails at £6.99. I am not entirely sure how many shades are available but it is not many, maybe 3. I am fairly pale skinned and chose my powder in the medium shade. 

The powder claims to adjust to your skin type and create a matte finish that lasts up to 8 hours. The product is marketed as 5 in 1: light coverage, velvet feel, 8 hour non drying mattifying finish, shine free and fresh looking skin. 

What attracted me to buying this when I really don't need it was the gorgeous packaging. The compact is really shiny, sturdy feeling and fairly thick for a powder. 

 

This is a double compact. The top opens to reveal the powder and the bottom has a mirror and a sponge. I like that the mirror is separate from the powder as this stops it from becoming dirty. The sponge is lovely and very thick. It has the texture of a foundation sponge rather than a puff or pad. 

I don't wear BB cream. Personally I am not a light coverage fan and prefer the look of a whole face of foundation. For that reason I am unlikely to wear a powder on its own, no matter how clear my skin is! When I got this home, I realised that it wasn't for me and so began using it in a way that it may work for me.

The texture of this powder is gorgeous. It's very fine and has a lovely velvety feel. I use the sponge to apply it rather than a powder brush because it applies more evenly and smooths over the skin. I have been using this over a thin layer of foundation in the morning and then using it later in the day to touch up my face. 

The powder doesn't cling to areas and isn't drying on my skin. It leaves a gorgeous matte finish and lasts a long time. I use this later in the afternoon and find that it really revitalises my foundation, making it last the whole day.

If you like a natural look then this would be a good product for you. For me though, it's a handy compact for my handbag to touch up my face but I don't think I will repurchase in the future.

 

 

Hope's Relief Dry, Flaky Scalp Shampoo and Conditioner Review

Firstly, I have to apologise for these dodgy photos. The winter darkness has ruined my blogging schedule and basically if I didn't take these in the evening then they weren't going to get done! 

I have never had a great scalp. I suffer from small patches of eczema on the nape of my neck and creeping onto my scalp. Over the years I have tried every scalp treatment going and I basically have it under control but the cold weather has made it flare up again. Hope's Relief make treatments for skin issues such as eczema and dermatitis. 

Dry, Flaky Scalp Shampoo £16.20*

This herbal shampoo is wonderful for sensitive skin, and itchy flaky scalps. It is gentle, unscented and sulfate free. This highly concentrated , therapeutic formula is made from the purest, natural ingredients. Organic herbal extracts, vitamins and Manuka honey are combined with the gentlest cleansers to help relieve itchy, flaky scalps and give the hair healthy shine and bounce.

Firstly this shampoo is like no other I have tried. It is a dark brown colour, like many scalp treatment shampoos, but the bizarre thing is the consistency. This is a liquid and very runny! I got such a fright the first time I used it as I squeezed some onto my hand and it ran between my fingers! When massaged into the scalp this lathers up well and there is no sickly smell like with some similar products.

Dry, Flaky Scalp Conditioner £16.20*

This highly concentrated therapeutic formula is made from the purest, natural ingredients. Organic herbal extracts, vitamins and Manuka honey are combined with the gentlest conditioners to protect and soothe a dry scalp, giving your hair healthy shine, body and manageability.

This product is far more familiar! The conditioner is white and very thick and creamy. It has no real smell to it and feels very nourishing on the hair and scalp. A little of this goes a long way because of how thick the product is and I found that I could use less of it than I do of others. 

The Pros 

The product recommends that you use it for 2-3 weeks to allow for your scalp to begin to clear up. I have to say that after 2 applications I was already noticing the difference. My neck and scalp became less itchy and raw feeling, they didn't feel as dry to the touch and there were few if any flakes on my clothing. The result was fast and impressive! 

 

The Cons

I have very fine hair and I avoid overly using products because they tend to weigh it down. This product just didn't do much for washing my hair. I wash my hair daily but it wasn't feeling clean and was clumping at the roots like greasy hair would.

The result on my scalp was too good to ignore and so I began working around the problems that I have with the shampoo and conditioner. I have taken to using the shampoo with my own conditioner one day and then my own shampoo with the conditioner the next. So far this is working really well. It's not the way that the product is supposed to be used but it's working for me! 

http://www.hopesrelief.co.uk

*PR sample  

Boots Advent - Days 8-14

We are now half way to Christmas and this little beauty treat everyday has been helping me count down quite nicely! There was a slight disappointed this week and another few more perfume samples but, from looking at the sizes of the windows left, these were the last in the calendar. 

Day 8 - Umberto Giannini Pom Pom Pony Band

We knew there was going to have to be at least one disappointment and here it is! I don't tie my hair back and even when I rarely do, it wouldn't be with something like this. The was a big window in the caldendar and so I had been expecting something more interesting like a face mask sachet.

Day 9 - Seventeen Supreme Shine Nail Colour in Miami

After the disappointment of day 8, this was a welcome surprise. I don't often paint my nails due to my extensions but on the rare occasion that I do, this would definitely be a colour I would choose. It's a gorgeous bright pink colour. From looking at Instagram, I think everyone got the same shade of this one.

Day 10 - Orly Bonder Rubberized Basecoat

I'm very intrigued by this product! As I said above, it's rare that I paint my nails but when I do I will definitely give this a go. Orly is a brand I have heard good things about so I look forward to trying this.

Day 11 - Ghost The Fragrance 

A perfume sample is never the most exciting of things to find but the ones in this calendar have been samples I haven't seen before. This one is Ghost which I have bought in the past but only as a gift for my mum. The only thing that I would say is a negative here is the there is no spray on the little bottle which makes application tricky.

Day 12 - Boots Salon Nail Care Nail Shine Solution 

I haven't heard of this before and it looks very interesting. This can be worn on its own or over polish. Occasionally I have a day or two rest between manicures and this would be perfect to give my nails a little boost. 

Day 13 - Vichy Serum for Eyes and Lashes

I have had a lot of Vichy serum samples recently and I have really enjoyed them. This one is for eyes and lashes but doesn't have much English instruction on the packaging so I will have to look it up before use.

Day 14 - Juicy Couture - Couture La La

Judging by the sizes of the windows, this is the last perfume sample in the calendar. I wear Viva La Juicy and I adore it so I'm looking forward to smelling this one. 

What do you think of the calendar so far? 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Natural Soap Co.

I'm a sucker for a fancy soap! Soaps from the All Natural Soap Co. are handmade in London, look good, smell lovely and are full of natural glycerine. There is a lot of press at the moment on the harm that palm oil causes however these soaps are made of olive oil and wild shea butter instead. The products are minimally packaged and cruelty free - a guilt free pleasure! 

The Lemongrass Chai bar pictured is a sample and not the full sized product.

Lemongrass Chai £3.95*

Wonderfully reviving and comforting, this is the soap to reach for when you’re feeling worn out and in need of a rest. The scent is reminiscent of a calming cup of spiced chai served with a curl of lemon, and while more exotic than your average cuppa, it still retains the same reassuring cosiness of that perfect cup of tea. Just as with the chai you drink, this calming soap is also delicately sprinkled with ground cinnamon. This makes it somewhat scrubby, and really helps add to the feeling that you’re washing that you’re washing the day away. Each bar weighs at least 115 grams.

I adore the smell of this soap! It smells so warm and comforting and the spice of it almost reminds me of a hot glass of mulled wine! This would be perfect for a bath or a shower before bed as it's calming and relaxing. This has a gentle scrub element and leaves really soft and smooth skin. 

 Citrus Sunshine £3.95*

A gorgeous, uplifting scent to help get your day off to a sunny start. Enriched with shea butter and antioxidant carrot powder, which give the soap a creamy texture that is gently exfoliating. Each bar weighs at least 115 grams. 

I recieved the full size version of this soap and so can show you the packaging and product. The packaging is basic to avoid harming the environment with excess packaging. It is simple but does the job. The soap itself is really lovely looking. A big slab of soap with 'Handmade in London' engraved into the product. 

This soap is a much fresher smelling one. The citrus, zesty smell makes this a great soap for an early morning shower. This product would be an excellent wake-up call. The little carrot pieces gives a nice scrub without being abrasive and the product leaves smooth and squeaky clean skin. 

All Natural Soap Co. soaps are perfect for any soap fan. They are perfect and affordable enough for everyday use yet lovely for a gift too.

To find out more and to purchase visit http://allnaturalsoap.co.uk

 

*PR Sample 

 

 

Christmas Gift Guide #7 - Peppy Galore's Nurse Peppy Hand Kit

Nurse Peppy Gift Set £19*

A few months ago now I was sent some lovely products from Jessie at Peppy Galore to review for my blog. I loved the moisturiser and body mousse I was sent. Their scents were lovely, packaging really cute and the creams themselves were high quality and very moisturising. Now that my Christmas Gift Guide is in full swing, Jessie has kindly sent me this Christmas gift to review! 

Firstly, the packaging is as lovely as we have come to expect from Peppy Galore. The products are presented in this study card box with a white body and red lid. Inside the box is lined with red tissue and the products fit neatly inside. As you can see from the photo, the packaging of the actual products is super cute too! 

The Nurse Peppy Hand Kit contains 3 items:

Healing Hand Cream 

Healing Balm

Soap

All of these products smell AMAZING. I couldn't quite place what the scent was but then I showed these to my mum who said they remind her of refresher sweets. She has totally hit the nail on the head. These smell sweet and citrusy and good enough to eat. 

My favourite of these items is the healing balm. It comes in a very handbag friendly tin which is a cute love heart shape. It's perfect for hydrating your hands on the go or rubbing into your cuticles. Although this is obviously a fairly girly gift, I would consider this type of thing for my boyfriend because he gets dry skin on his hands and the scent is sweet but not floral. 

This is a lovely gift and I would seriously recommend it. The lovely packaging makes it perfect for a standalone gift and would be super if you have a slightly higher budget for a secret Santa. 

The lovely Jessie at Peppy Galore is offering 10% off to my readers and had also set up a giveaway for this set! Just click in the link below! 

https://promosimple.com/ps/31e5

*PR Sample 

 

 
 

Boots Advent - Days 1-7

Advent has finally begun and I am seriously enjoying my Boots Advent Calendar. I have a well timed  birthday and was able to get this as a gift from my boyfriend meaning that I didn't have to shell out the £30 that this cost. So far I am really enjoying my daily beauty treat.

Day 1 - Soap&Glory Clean Girls

I love Soap&Glory and their body washes are always excellent. This one smells lovely and I was especially impressed at the size. Obviously this is sample size but contains a really decent 75ml of product. 

Day 2 - Balmi

I have always wanted to try one of these lip balms so I was delighted to see this behind door 2! I got the coconut one which smells lovely however I did see that different varieties were also available in the calendar. This is full size. 

Day 3 - Mavala Nail Polish

I haven't heard of this brand before but, then again, I rarely use nail polish. This is one of their minis but still a great sized sample. The colour is called London, a bright red and everyone got the same shade as far as I know! 

Day 4 - Nina Ricci, Nina

A very small sample size here but I do love Nina and I haven't had it in a while so it will be nice to use it again for a few days. 

Day 5 - Rimmel Stay Matte

I had a little laugh when I saw this because I have been raving about this foundation recently! I love it and I'm fully converted! My sample is in ivory and I use a darker shade but I will use this to brighten my eyes. I am not sure if other shades were available or not. 

Day 6 - Vichy Serum 

I got 3 of these in last months Glossybox and have heard amazing things about it. I haven't got around to using them yet but having 4 will mean I can get a decent use of it and see if it works for my skin. 

Day 7 - Pacco Rabanne Black XS

Another tiny sample here and a perfume that I have had many times before but it's lovely so I will definitely get use out of it!

What do you think of the Boots calendar so far?