Lately I've Been Lovin' #15

The last few months have been a bit hectic. You probably noticed the lack of posts but I didn't have much time to just sit down and get my blog on. Aaaaaand I haven't spoketh of my monthly favourites since Jan, tres mauvais. When you don't have much time to ummm and ahhh over what products you want to use each morning it can be a bit like beauty ground hog day but the products you do reach for are the ones you know will get the job done, the reliable products that never let you down. 

Sephora Waterproof 12H Wear Jumbo Liner 'Taupe': A wee bit of me dies every time I have to sharpen this magical pencil so to save heartbreak and tears I don't sharpen it very often. Instead I'd rather wait until the plastic is scratching along my eyelid, and then I wait some more. I scribble it over my lids like a toddler let loose with Crayola for the first time then blend the edges with my finger before slickin' on some mascara. Jobs a goodun, I'm out the door.

Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix*: My product of the month throughout March and guess what? We're still in a very happy relationship. It's a keeper.

Primark Nails: The quality isn't the best I've ever tried and most of the designs are scustin' but there are a few decent ones if you look hard enough. The glue won't hold them in place for long but they will last for a night out, maybe two and there is a good side to the glue being pathetic - they ping off rather than splitting and can be stuck straight back on. I've been wearing the same set for close to a month now and will be stocking up next time I'm in Primark. 24 nails for a quid, madness.

Cerruti 1881: The warmer weather is finally here so out comes the lighter, fresher perfumes. I've been wearing Cerruti 1881 on and off since school and as soon as I'm almost at the end of a bottle another is ready and waiting to replace it. It's a very clean scent, almost soapy but I adore it. It reminds me of certain people and always makes me smile on the rare occasion I smell it on other people.

Organic Surge Extra Care Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser*: Extra Care is the first ever anti-ageing range from Organic Surge. The hot cloth cleanser is now available but the rest of the line-up won't be available until May. If like me you love cream cleansers then you're in for a treat as not only is it affordable at under 13 quid for 150ml but it's packed full of organic ingredients that really help to give your skin that smooth, healthy glow. It removes mascara with ease and keeps dry patches at bay when used with a flannel/muslin cloth. Texture wise I would say it's slightly lighter than Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish. Maybe one to try if you aren't a lover of the Eucalyptus scent. I've been using it for close to two months now and it's still going strong.

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner*: I've used up every single bit of this time saving mousse but it's still worth a mention, and a repurchase.

What products have you been lovin' lately?

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Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask

I'm a big fan of the much loved oil from Moroccanoil but the shampoo and conditioner just didn't do it for me. My hair felt and looked lank after every use and needed washed more often but I was curious to see how I would get on with the Intense Hydrating Mask*

If you love the Macadamia Deep Repair Masque then you'll more than likely love this too. They both work in a similar way and leave my dry/damaged hair feeling soft, smooth, hydrated and a lot easier to manage. Unlike the shampoo and conditioner, the Intense Hydrating Mask doesn't leave any residue behind on my hair, instead it feels nourished without being weighed down nor do I need to wash my hair more often than I usually would. Another good thing is how little product you need to use as the texture is rich and creamy, and spreads easily. I usually leave it on for around 10 minutes while I'm shaving, doing a body scrub and all that jazz then make sure I rinse it out well. My hair is on the thick side and damaged due to years of using heat and dabbling with bleach but if you have fine hair that isn't too damaged I would give this a miss, you definitely don't need something this intense and it may weigh down your locks. If your hair sounds similar to mine though, it'll work wonders. Works a treat on curly hair too.

It makes a huge difference in the shine department and if you're a straightener addict you'll be pleased to know my hair stays straighter for longer without the ends fluffing up as the days go on.  Do I like it better than Macadamia's offering? No but that's down to cost more than anything else. 

Have you tried this hair mask?

Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask 250ml, 24.75 from www.hairtrade.com

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Budget Beauty: Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub

Skin care is my weakness but more often than not you need to pay a bit more for something that actually works. Nine times out of ten (in my experience) you get what you pay for when it comes to skin care so for that reason I don't mind paying extra for a product that really delivers and makes a noticeable difference to my skin. BUT, every now and again an affordable product comes along and wows me. As you can tell from the title of this post, the product I'm talking about is Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub* 

If you aren't familiar with Good Things, it's an affordable skin care brand developed by beauty writer Alice Hart-Davis to care for young skin. The products are free from SLS, Parabens and mineral oil, and can be found in Boots. Even though the line is designed to care for young skin, there are a few products which could be used no matter your age, the Manuka Honey Refining Scrub being one of them. The Manuka Honey range has been designed to help keep skin clear and hydrated. Usually products targeted towards keeping skin clear are very harsh and leave the skin feeling stripped to within an inch of it's life but not this one. The texture is very creamy (think Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish) and packed full of oatmeal. The oatmeal really gives a good scrub but without feeling sharp and scratchy, it feels like massaging porridge all over your face. It also contains Kaolin to draw out excess oil and sweet almond oil which leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

So how affordable is it? It's currently on introductory offer at only 3.33 but even at full price it's only 4.99 for 150ml (yes, my pound sign still isn't working) No matter your budget, give this a try if you're a fan of manual scrubs.

Have you tried this?

Feel free to share your bargain skin care products in the comment section.

Good Things Manuka Honey Refining Scrub is available from www.boots.com

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Review: Macadamia Flawless 6-in-1 Cleansing Conditioner

Macadamia is one of my favourite hair care brands, the Deep Repair Masque and No Tangle Pre-Styler are both fantastic products which I constantly recommend to anyone whose hair puts up a fight at the sheer sight of a comb. It's definitely a brand I trust but I have to be honest and say I was more than just a bit sceptical when it came to this 6-in-1 product.

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner* is like no hair product I've tried before. The most obvious difference being the texture - mousse. The no-suds mousse is so dense, creamy and luxe, it feels more like something you would expect to come from an eye wateringly expensive body care brand, not something that is essentially a shampoo. So yes it claims to cleanse hair as well as condition but it also promises to reduce blow-drying time, detangle, enhance volume and eliminate frizz. The directions say to apply the mousse to the scalp area and gently massage through to the ends. It can be left on for upto 5 minutes and needs to be applied to wet hair. 

Does it work?

 As soon as the mousse came into contact with my hair it instantly felt softer, almost as if I'd applied a mask. The mousse is so rich and dense that I reached for my usual shampoo thinking I would need to use it straight after. My thinking was 'how can something this moisturising cleanse my hair' but it did! I used it a few more times over the next lot of weeks to make sure it wasn't a case of first time lucky but each time my hair felt clean and had an amazing shine. I think how well it works as a conditioner will vary from person to person depending on hair type/how much damage you have but for me it works perfectly well and believe me, my hair is anything but easy to manage. It eliminates frizz to a certain degree but I still like to use a serum or oil of some sort to make my hair look and feel a bit healthier than it really is but unfortunately I didn't notice much difference when it came to blow-drying time or volume.

It definitely works and is something I'll purchase again and again and again but not to replace my usual shampoo and conditioner. For me this is the perfect product for taking on holiday as it doesn't weigh as much as a separate shampoo and conditioner, won't take up much space and is a time saver.

Have you tried this?

Were you sceptical like me?

Macadamia Flawless Cleansing Conditioner: 8.75/90ml, 25.75/250ml 

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April 2014: Love Me Beauty Box

Love Me Beauty, I love you. Once again you've came through with a box I'm more than happy with. This month I went for Menu 1* as I'm having a bit of a love affair with hair serums/balms and the Neal & Wolf Smoothing Blow Dry Balm sealed the deal for me.

Neal & Wolf Smoothing Blow-Dry Balm, RRP: 12.50 (full size): This month there was a choice of 3 different hair products from Neal & Wolf but as I said, balms and serums are really doing it for me at the mo. This blow-dry balm claims to put an end to tangles and frizz and contains a hydrating wheat protein complex to provide moisture, balance and manageability. Sounds good to me.

Betty Hula 10ml Secret Wonder Oil Roller Ball, RRP: 6.25 (full size): The body products from Betty Hula are gorgeous. They moisturise really well and the yummy scents linger on the skin all day. Haven't tried the Secret Wonder Oil yet but I love oils and this one can be used on dry skin or to soothe sunburn, relieve stretch marks and scars.

Models Own Nail Polish in 'Coral Reef', RRP: 5 (full size): I love nail polish and I love coral, winner.

Redken Colour Extend Conditioner, 25ml sample, RRP: 9.99 for 250ml: I haven't dabbled too much with Redken products, not really sure why but it's a brand I've wanted to try more from for a while now. I have long, thick hair so I'm sure I'll only get 2 uses max from this 25ml sample but I'll report back in my next empties post.

In the 3 menu's this month there was only 4 products listed in each box. I had no problem with that as 3 out of the 4 products are full size and are all products I'll use but also included was a 25 quid Hello Fresh gift card and 2 Weleda Stretch Mark Massage Oil samples. 

 Love Me Beauty is the beauty box boss as far as I'm concerned, the boxes are consistent each month and I'm yet to be disappointed.

Are you subscribed to Love Me Beauty?

Which menu did you go for?

Love Me Beauty, 10 quid plus p&p from lovemebeauty.com

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MONU First Defence Illuminating Primer with SPF15

As most of you will know, I'm not a primer person. Every now and then I'll test one out and there are a few I like but I'll never be a daily primer wearer for two reasons - more often than not they'll feel heavy/slimy on my skin and the difference they make in terms of how my foundation looks isn't great enough to convert me. Having said all that, there are a few out there that have it nailed formula wise. Forget what you've experienced with primers containing silicone in the past, MONU got it spot on with their First Defence Illuminating Primer*.

The First Defence line from MONU is paraben free, for all skin types and formulated to protect skin from environmental damage. The Illuminating Primer is a light reflective primer with soft focus technology to help brighten and smooth the complexion. It not only improves the look of  foundation, it also contains some ingredients which should help improve your skin long term such as Blackcurrant Seed Oil to boost moisture levels, restore softness, elasticity and suppleness. Vitamin E, an antioxidant and Cassia Alata Leaf Extract which protects skin against UV damage and reduces visible signs of photo-ageing. The 'illuminating' bit had me thinking the primer would be jam packed with shimmer but nope, it's completely shimmer free yet still manages to make my skin appear brighter. As I already mentioned, it does contain silicone but if I hadn't read the ingredient list I'd be none the wiser. There's no slimy, greasy texture, instead the formula has an almost whipped texture which sets on the skin in a matter of seconds and stays put throughout the day.

I don't have much trouble with my foundation lasting without primer, maybe if I did I would use them more often but if I was asked to recommend just one, it would have to be this one from MONU. It works equally as good on my oily t-zone as it does on my dry dehydrated cheeks so you don't need to think too much about your skin type. If you want your foundation to stay put a bit longer and your skin to appear smoother and brighter, it's a winner.

Are you like me when it comes to primers or do you swear by them?

MONU First Defence Illuminating Primer 27 quid directly from www.monushop.co.uk

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Product Of The Month: Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix

Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix in Light* claims to be an eye cream and concealer in one. Usually products like this leave me feeling disappointed and get tossed to the back of a drawer but this little pen is now a firm fixture in my everyday make up routine. For teens or anyone who doesn't have any major concerns when it comes to their eye area, this would be a fantastic do it all product but for me and my dark circles it works brilliantly sandwiched between eye cream and concealer. Thanks to the light diffusing pigments it instantly brightens my under eye area, makes it appear lifted and conceals to a certain degree. 

If you've been a reader of my blog for a while now then you'll more than likely know I'm a huge fan of YSL Touche Eclat and have been using it for over 10 years. Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix works in a very similar way but brace yourselves, I'm about to make a bold statement - I prefer this offering from Nip + Fab! Never thought I'd see the day my magical gold pen would have to take a backseat to something else but it's happened.

As I already mentioned, this works best for me when layered on top of eye cream. I gently pat it in with my fingers then add a small amount of Garniers Tinted Under Eye Roll On on top. It's one of the best products I've used in a long time and best of all, it's around 19 quid cheaper than my beloved Touche Eclat.

Have you tried this?

What eye products work wonders for you?

Nip + Fab CC Eye Fix is available from Boots

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