Holiday Preparation #4 - Hand Luggage

I must say im impressed with myself this year, as ive really managed to concise my hand luggage, by basically only taking things i will need. Ive decided to use the bag ill be using on holiday, as it means im not packaging another bag in my suitcase. 

If you need a little help with what to pack, or youre nosey like me, i hope you find this useful

:)

Holiday Prep part 1 - here

Holiday prep part 2 - here

Holiday Prep part 3 - here

Holiday Prep part 5 - here

Bag - Primark

Books, Magazines, Puzzles

Bag - Boots

I find it really useful to have a smaller bag to put all the smaller items in, as the last thing i want is to be rummaging around looking for something in an unorganised bag.

Travel Sick Tablets

Ibuprofen

Hand Sanitiser

Tissues

Hand Cream

Inhaler

Lip Balm

Bobbles

Grips

Chewing Gum

Perfume Samples (travel sized)

17 Lipstick - Beehive

(had to have one beauty product didnt i)

Sunglasses case - Matalan

Sunglasses - Boots Opticians

Ill also be packing makeup wipes, which can be used as baby wipes, and sweets for the jorurney (boiled sweets for take off!)

Hope this helps!

xxxx

Holiday Preparation #3 - Bodycare

Going on holiday means bikini. Bikini means exfoliating, moisturising, and generally taking a bit more care of yourself than usual. Granted, ill still look like a little red sausage on the beach, but i will be buffed and bronzed (and hiding behind a big hat).

Holiday prep part 1 - here

Holiday prep part 2 - here

Holiday prep part 4 - here

Holiday prep part 5 - here 

N Spa Coconut Ice Cream Shower and Bath Gel £3 - Asda

I originally started using this as part of my holiday preparation because the smell reminds me of Pina Colada - of which i will have many on holiday!

Its moisturising, soft on my skin, and i think it goes without saying i use this daily.

Soap and Glory Pulp Friction Foamy Fruity Body Scrub £8 - here

This is my most essential holiday prep product. I usually use this once a week, but for the past month or so ive been using this 2 or 3 times (ive been working a manual job in a warehouse so ive been getting pretty grubbing!). It gets rid of any dirt and dead skin, leaving my skin so smooth. The best exfoliator ive ever used!

Dove Firming Beauty Body Lotion £2.36 - here

I use this daily on my legs, arms and stomach. Im not entirely convinced of its firming qualities, but it smells nice (its smells fresh) and soaks into my skin really nicely, leaving me soft all day. 

The Beauty Parlour Anti Cellulite Gel - Superdrug

I use a grape sized amount of this daily on the backs of my thighs - it smells of peppermint, and feels really cool once applied. Ive been using this for the past couple of months and i have noticed an improvement, although it hasnt banished my cellulite completely *sigh*. It has made me feel more confident about braving a bikini though!

Soap and Glory Hand Food £5 - here

If you follow my blog youll know that in the run up to my holiday ive been working as a warehouse operative, which has played war with my hands. Basically my fingertips are so chapped, you cant even see my finger prints. But this has worked wonders - i just use a small amount throughout the day when i feel like it, and my hands are now pretty much back to normal. Thank goodness!

Foot File

Ive been using this every few days, or as needed - i suppose this isnt technically holiday preparation because i do this anyway. Im even taking this on holiday as i usually find i need to use this more as a result of walking round the pool in bare feet etc. 

Soap and Glory Heel Genius £5.50 - here

After using the foot file, i apply a small amount to each foot (it has to be a small amount unfortunately as im just about run out!). Again, this is part of my daily routine anyway, but its important as itll mean i have lovely smooth feet for holiday!

I hope youre enjoying my holiday prep series so far, i actually travel tomorrow, but i have quite a few more posts which will either all go up today, or ill schedule them to go up throughout the week!

Enjoy!

holiday preparation #4 coming soon!

xxxx

A haul from the bingo

A couple of weekends ago my family and i went to bingo, just in the little village haul where i live (sounds lame, but it was all for charity). Im a sucker for bingo, and i actually really enjoy it, despite the fact i am 19 years old, not 90. 
Anyway, Lewis and i won, whoop whoop! 
And this is what we got (Lewis also won a big tub of thorntons chocolates, but they weren't there long enough to photograph!)

 It was far more nicely packaged than this, but as a result of being in my bag, this happened.

 Orange and Ginger Diffuser from Wilkinsons (not too sure about the smell of this, someone may receive it as a gift.. joking)

I am a yankee GEEK, and these smell of nothing. I took a picture of the description purely because "they smell just like the real thing" amused me. How is that even possible?!

 Co-op chocolates, I'm guessing left over from christmas. Needless to say these didn't last long either, and they were actually quite nice.

After the little old bingo man shouted 'line correct' and i was brought my prize, the lady told me this bag contained some really expensive hand creams. I nearly fell off my chair at this as i love all things beauty (obviously).

These aint the best pictures, but I'm going to do a completely separate post on these anyway. These are £8 each and can be bought here. I am yet to try them, but i am so excited its ridiculous. 

Overall twas a good night at the old bingo, and me and Lewis made our money back and much more, so who can complain! 

xxxx

No7 Protect and Perfect Intense Day Hand Cream - review and a whiffy smell!

I received this in a set at christmas time, and i loved the fact its just the right size for my handbag. Ive been using this most days for a few weeks now, and i started using it because my hands have been really quite dry, and i guessed this would be really good quality as its no7 right? ...


This is more of a summer cream, as its very light, and does soften hands, but didn't do anything for my dryness. Now let me get onto the most significant thing about this product - THE SMELL.
When i first used this product, i noticed a significantly strong smell of fish. Sounds like I'm joking but I'm really not. Ive been called a drama queen many a time, so i was unsure whether i was just overreacting, which let to a little test i created. I decided to use this in public, then casually ask the people who i was with if they wanted some. My friend from uni said she had this hand cream, and that it 'sometimes smells of fish', and when i gave it to my mum, her reaction was something close to 'eurgh sam what is that'. My aunty had to go and wash it off her hands because she just couldn't bear to keep it on.


So there you go, i don't know whether i got a dodgy batch, but the smell of this ensures id never buy this product again, despite the fact it was good quality and softened my hands. Im tempted to contact no7, not to be some crazy angry woman, but just to see if it was just mine that smelt like this, but i wanted to see if any other bloggers had had this experience first.


Please comment if you've used this cream, i know this is a really weird blogpost, but its been a weird experience to be honest ! 


Have a lovely day 


xxxx

little haul, bits from everywhere!

This is stuff I've collected months ago but not really had enough to do a haul. Im still not buying beauty products, so these are from before lent (aside from the no7 nail polish - i had a voucher! )
So here are a few random things..

no7 in Tangy - the camera really doesnt pick up on how bright this is, its almost illuminous!

 Body Shop hand set - (L-R) Wild Rose Hand Cream SPF 15, Hemp Hand Protector, Almond Hand and Nail Cream

MaxFactor Minis (L-R) Boji, Onyx, and Sunny Pink

Body Shop perfume set with body was, perfume and body lotion, all in LOVE ETC...

This smells AMAZING - this might just be my new favourite perfume!

That was my mini haul, if you have tried any of these products please let me know, id love to know what you think :)

Arbonne Hand Creme - GlossyBox product review

The reason this looks so grubby is because its been kicking about in the bottom of my handbag for 2 months! A lot of us received this in our GlossyBox's (either December or January) and I've been using it ever since - so much so that its finally ran out, so i now feel in the position to give it a review.
The smell is gorgeous, its basically just kiwi, and really refreshing. This is the kind of smell which is appropriate for all year round, because its really refreshing for spring and summer, but it also brightens up those cold winter days. 
The quality is amazing, which is reflected in the price. As soon as i put this on my hands they are instantly moisturised, and it dries really quickly! Even hours after, and after I've washed my hands, they still felt soft. My hands tend to become quite dry in the winter, particularly in the area between your fingers, and this pretty much eliminated that problem, even when i wasn't using it every day. I also have random little cuts and scrapes on my fingers, which usually sting when i apply creams, but this actually felt soothing to apply, maybe something to do with the kiwi?


Overall, i would consider repurchasing this if my hands were really dry. In fact, the only reason i wouldn't repurchase this product is the price (i think its around £13 - don't quote me!) It was a really nice treat to have this in my handbag, and i will keep this review in mind for if i can't find a cheaper hand creme to solve my dry mitts!

xxxx

JANUARY FAVOURITES - my first !

This is my first ever favourites of the month post, and I've been so excited to do this! I'm going to do this every month, and i actually found it really useful to see what I've been using the most this month. So here goes...


Skincare

Soap and Glory OFF YOUR FACE cleansing cloths

You've seen these before as i received them in my Hey Big Splendour gift set at christmas. I started suing them straight away, and they get my make up off so well. Normally when i take my makeup off using wipes, a bit of makeup is still visible when i use a cotton pad to cleanse afterwards. With these, there is nothing, and the little exfoliant 'bits' make it feel like its really getting into your skin and removing the days muck! The smell is quite unusual, but what more would i expect from Soap and Glory??

Tea Tree Foaming Face Wash, Cleanser and Toner, and Moisturiser

Well, i only discovered these products a week ago, but they are AMAZING, and the best thing I've used this month. I purchased these because my current skincare routine just wasn't working for me, and so i took action. The next day (can you believe it) my blemishes were pretty much gone. I cannot recommend these products enough, i think these will be my go to skincare brand now, and i will definitely repurchase. The smell is gorgeous, and the moisturiser is really good for my dry skin, and you only need one pump. I can't say enough good things about these products!

Soap and Glory Hand Food, Garnier Intensive 7 Days, Soap and Glory Heel Genius

Ive been using all 3 of these products everyday for the past month, and i absolutely love them. 

My hands can become particularly dry throughout the harsh winter months, however Hand Food has made such a difference, and i love the smell. It seems to last forever - ill put it on before i go to bed, and ill wake up still with soft hands, and ill still be able to smell it.

I purchased the Garnier 7 Days because MissBudgetBeauty raves about it, and i was not disappointed! You only need the tiniest amount, as if you use too much it'll make your skin sticky, but it means the product lasts forever. Ive used this over christmas and the whole of January, and there's hardly anything gone from it. Ive already purchased others from the range, but at the great price (currently £2.99 on offer at Superdrug and Sainsburies) i intend to get them all! The shea butter smells so nice, and i can still smell this on my skin the next day.

Heel Genius has been my saviour this month. I was constantly having to use my foot file due to the skin on my feet (I'm a dancer so they get a pretty hard time!) however since i used Heel Genius i have not used my file ONCE. I would even go as far to say the skin on my feet is actually nice now! If i don't find a cheaper foot cream, i will definitely repurchase this, and thats why its been a fave this month.

Vaseline (aloe vera) and ARBONNE Ultra-Hydrating Hand Creme

Everyone owns a vaseline right? I couldn't live without it, the things you can do with this are endless! It has been constantly on my lips this month. Enough said, you all know how good vaseline is !

I received this hand creme in my GlossyBox (december i think) and its been in my handbag since. I'd say I'm about 3/4 of the way through, and i know I've already favourites (is that a word?!?!) a hand cream this month, my hands were in need of a big bit of TLC! I love love love the smell of this, and the quality is brilliant. If i remember rightly though its quite expensive, and i probably won't purchase the full sized version, but its been really lovely to have something in my handbag as a little luxury!

Makeup

17 Hide & Chic (light rose), Garnier BB Cream (light) and Miss Sporty Liquid Concealer (light)

I actually purchased the under eye concealer in december, and I'm pretty sure ill be re-purcashing this ( it was £4.99 but i had a half price voucher). It works really well at covering my circles, and doesn't crease into my skin which a lot of them do. I use this everyday and its still going strong, so it lasts a fair while!

The Garnier BB cream took me a while to purchase because i thought it was a lot of money to spend on something i might not like, but all the positive reviews i read urged me on, and the fact it was on offer in Superdrug! I love the coverage it gives me, yet its really light. Somesaid said it was like 'their skin but better' and i couldn't agree more. And that pretty much sums it up really!

I only recently purchased this concealer, however it is amazing! It covers my blemishes so well, you can't even see them, and i love how its a little smaller than the other concealers i have, so it could be used for travel or in my handbag. The fact i got it free with another Miss Sporty purchase was an added bonus!

This is currently my favourite mascara. I do have fairly long lashes anyway, and when i wear this it looks like I'm wearing false ones. Its supposed to make my bright blue eyes look even brighter, and I'm not sure if it does (I'm going to do a test at some point) but none the less its amazing. It's around £11 - a little more than id usually want to spend on a mascara, but i got this as part of an offer so it worked out quite well. The blue tint reflects differently as the light catches it, which is different to any mascara I've ever had. Ive used this near enough the entire month, and i will continue to do so!

Miss Sporty Lipstick in Malaga, and Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss in Candy Gloss

I recently purchased this lipstick, as it is my all time favourite. It stays on the entire night, whether I'm going for a meal, to a club, or taking part in a 3 hour dance show. It is AMAZING, and such a classic and classy colour. Every girl needs this in their life! This month ive been feeling a bit old school, and so retro curls, flicky liquid eyeliner and long lashes have been a staple look for me (yes i am obsessed with the 40s and 50s, and of course Marilyn Monroe)

I received this lip gloss in my Hey Big Splendour gift set, and at first i was horrified at the very strong tingly sensation i wasn't expecting, as this is my first Soap and Glory lip gloss. The lasting power of this gloss is brilliant, and I'm now used to the tingle, which feels quite nice on my lips when the weather is freezing (is that weird?!) The colour is very 'wintery' id say, and I'm loving the taste.

So theres my first favourites of the month, what ya think?? Ive probably listed a few too many products, but as the weather is so cold and harsh to my skin i find myself using more products (especially skincare) which is reflected on the number of favourites i have! I hope you liked it, and if you would like to know any prices i haven't mentioned, please leave a comment and ill try find them for you :) 

xxxx