How I Use Up Samples

Have you ever flicked through a beauty magazine and come across those one use wonder satchets of a shampoo and conditoner and just thrown it into the bin as you believe you'll never use them? What about when you've bought something from a beauty counter and they've thrown in a few samples that the sales assistant thought you would like to try? Well what if I was to tell you that those said samples could be the start of a great relationship as well as a brilliant way of trying lots of different products without having to splash out for them.

All my friends and family know that I love a good sample or three and I come home nearly every day with a few samples that the makeup girls think I would like and most of the time, they're right! Long term readers will have noticed that I have a Samples I've Used Up Post every single month just simply sharing what samples I've used up during that particular month.

I keep all my samples in two large jars and I routinely go through them and seperate them into what I want to use right now and what I want to use later on (in other terms, it goes straight back into the jar!) Now depending on what kind of sample it is whether it be makeup, skincare etc it'll go into a particular place until I'm ready to use it. If it is a rich moisturiser and my skin is feeling a little dry, it will find it's way into a acrylic lipstick holder on my skincare shelf ready for being used whereas if it's a micellar water and I already have a full size open, it'll go straight into a sample box in my skincare drawer. It may sound a little over the top but it's a little system that I've had in place and it truly works for me. As mentioned, I have a sample box my skincare drawer which is also the same case for my haircare drawer. In these half boxes is where I store all the samples that I want to use right now but not at that particular moment. I routinely go through it and see which samples I want to use and if there are any that I don't want to use then they go straight back into my sample jars for next time. 

By keeping the samples that I want to use right now in plain sight, this means that I'm using them up and going through them a lot quicker than if they were out of sight and therefore out of mind. Regardless of the fact if I have my full size ones open, if my skin is feeling dehydrated then I will use a sample of a rich moisturiser rather than using my full size light moistuiser. By sticking to this routine, I've come across products that I would have never tried before without having tried a sample of it before and I've fallen in love with some products that I've had to go out and buy the full size of it! This hasn't always been the case as there have been some occasions where I've wondered why I've used X product as it's made me break out etc. 

Do you use samples of products?

Original Source Wild Cherry & Nettle Shower Gel

I've found myself becoming a little bit of a hoarder recently which I'm sure is a common trend among beauty bloggers. I tend to buy a lot of the same product when it's on offer so that I don't run out of it for quite a while thus saving me some money in the long run especially when I'm currently saving up to move out. However, I've recently found myself feeling inundated with shower gels as it appears that I've bought too many at once so as well as giving them to friends and family, I thought I better start reviewing the ones that I like the most which is why you've probably clicked over onto my blog.

The Original Source Wild Cherry & Nettle Shower Gel (£2.30) is one of those scents that I instantly grativated towards as it contains cherries and I LOVE the scent of cherries as well as it being a limited edition product too! It's actually one of those "as chosen by you" products as Original Source got 358,682 Facebook fans from around the globe to help choose this mysterious and tempting scent and I must admit, it's a brilliant choice! Also these are forever on offer at a £1 and have so many different scents to choose from!

Just like the rest of the Original Source Family, this smells really fresh and fruity without being too overpowering. It comes out in a really vibrant colour which lathers up really well. Despite it's vibrant purple colour, it doesn't stain the skin or bath! Unlike some shower gels that can linger on the skin hours after using, this particular scent doesn't as it just seems to blend in with your natural scent that we all seem to have. Long term readers will know that my other half uses a lot of shower gels and after giving him a few bottles of this particular one, he turned round to me and said that he didn't like the scent of it at all which means that there's more of it for me to use!

What is your favourite Original Source Shower Gel?

The Best Coconut Oil EVER

Everywhere you look now, coconut oil is being added to almost anything and everything. It's literally become the ingredient to use when it comes to beauty products and you could find it in a multitude of products including teeth whitening, skincare and even nail varnishes! Back when I first started blogging, I used to be hooked to the Superdrug Coconut Oil which may not have been the purest coconut oil around but seeing as it was cheap as chips, I made do. Fast forward a few years later and I like to think that I'm now getting better as to what works for me which is why I bit the bullet and invested in the Vita Coco Extra Virgin Coconut Oil (£9.99) I say invested as there is no way you can get through a whole pot of it at once!

Vita Coco is a brand that most of us are familiar with as they are the brand leaders within Coconut Oil due to their thirst quenching drinks. However, they launched their very own coconut oil last year which is 100% pure, raw, extra virgin, cold pressed; essentially the purest form of coconut oil you can get in a super market. You can use it for literally everything such as cleansing your skin with, removing your makeup, cooking with, oil pulling, moisturising your skin, as a intensive hair mask, as a hair oil and it can even be used to shave with too!

My personal favourite method is using it as an intensive hair mask. I tend to scoop out a big spoons worth and rub it between my hands, distributing the oil into my hair as and when it melts. This is the part that can take a while due to it being cold pressed, it takes a while for it to melt entirely into an oil. Once I've applied enough into my hair, I throw my hair up into a messy bun and get on with my day. I prefer to apply this on a day when I'm not at work or in the evenings as it gives the appearance of greasy hair. I like to leave it in for hours before washing it out entirely to reveal deeply nourished hair with an unbeatable shine that feels silky soft.

It might be worth mentioning that I have also tried oil pulling with it too however I wasn't too keen on the taste and managed about seven minutes before spitting it out completely. There's just something about swirling a solid that melts into a liquid in your mouth that is a little off putting and vile. If you have any suggestions on how I can last a little bit longer on the oil pulling front then they're most welcome!

Products I've Hit Pan On

For those of you who aren't familiar with the terms "hitting pan on", it just basically means that you've used up so much of the product that you can visually see the pan/bottom of the packaging. These are one of my favourite posts to read as you can really tell when somebody loves a particular product and seeing as I do enjoy reading them so much, I thought I better share what products I use a regular basis!

The NARS Laguna Bronzer comes as no surprise as it's the only bronzer that I reach for to contour with. As you can see, I've hit pan quite a fair bit on this which just goes to show how often I reach for it! Seeing as this is one of my all time favourite bronzers, I cannot wait until I've used it all up and move onto my backup of it as there is no better feeling than swirling a brush in a new powder.

The Natural Collection Eyeshadow in Crushed Walnut is a hidden gem in the beauty world as it's the perfect eyebrow powder for those who have fairly dark brows. I use this with the ELF Concealer Brush as it's small enough to mimic hairs whilst covering a large enough sparse area. I've been using this for the best part of three years so a little definitely goes a long way!

I remember when everybody was going on about the NYC Sunny Bronzer and how I jumped on the bandwagon but couldn't understand the hype about it at first but I can see why. It's billed as one of the best bronzers for pale beauties without coming across as being too muddy or orange - so long as you use a very light hand! 

Lastly, I simply couldn't mention MAC Mineralize Skinfinish in Lightscapade as it's one of the best highlighters ever and is one that I'm forever recommending to everyone and their nan! It gives an instant highlight within one brush stroke which intensifies the more you apply.  

When Beauty Bloggers Go On Holiday..

This is meant to be seen as a tongue in cheek post and not to be taken at all seriously although I'm pretty sure we've done most of these when packing on holiday/going on holiday!

- Empty out drawers reserved for travel sized products that you've been saving for this trip all year long.

- Immediately rush into Boots/Superdrug and buy all the miniatures/travel sized products - hello 3 for 2!

-  Packing four different red lipsticks is totally necessary for all those dinners by the sea, drinking wine.

-  Taking three seperate SPFs for the different times of day.

-  Throwing in all the bronzed makeup to achieve the bronzed goddess look that we've wanted to try out all year.

- Spend all the time by the pool, in the shade.

 

- Packing an aftersun with a hint of tan just to deepen our natural skin colour as we didn't tan at all that day.

- Checking out what products are sold at Duty Free and instantly making a list as long as your arm of what to buy.

-  Buy all the swimwear to then return it all as you don't like any of it.

- The minute you land at the airport, you immediately buy a hat and wear it all week long.

- Eat like royalty whilst on holiday - cooked breakfast, lunch AND dinner!

- Realise how much cheaper said products are abroad and immediately want to to track down the stockist.

- Spend all day long in shops, swatching makeup whilst its 30+ degrees outside.

- Fake tan before you go on holiday as you'll only top it up and maintain it, right?

- Take the entire skincare routine plus face masks, hair masks as your skin will get dry due to aircon despite how much moisturiser you're slathering on every hour, on the hour.

- Paint your nails a bright, vibrant neon colour to enhance your tan.

The Only Electrical Toothbrush Worth Investing In!

I think that dental hygiene is one of those topics that isn't talked about enough on blogs which is funny because everybody including you and I brush our teeth twice a day amongst flossing, using mouthwash etc. I will admit that I didn't used to be a big fan of brushing my teeth whilst I was growing up as I would much rather spend those two minutes watching TV or playing on the computer than having to commit to cleaning my teeth. Nowdays, that's quite a different story and I enjoy nothing more than brushing my teeth however nerdy that sounds. I've tried various toothbrushes over the years ranging from the cheap manual toothbrushes that make your gums bleed to electrical toothbrushes which remove a lot more plaque for a lot less arm work! I'm rather lucky in my line of work as I'm given the opportunity to try all kinds of electrical devices so I was quite excited when I received the Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Pink Toothbrush HX9361/67* (£249.99) which I've been using for the best part of three months now on a daily basis.

Firstly, I love how the Diamond Clean range comes in a variety of three colours (soon to be four!) where there is a colour to suit everyone or unless you're like me and instantly gravitate to the pink version of everything! Unlike some electrical toothbrushes that I've tried, this has to be the most comfortable one to hold with a sleek, modern look that wouldn't look out of place at the Apple store. Philips have really thought of everyone when it comes to the specifications of the product as you've got two different ways to charge it either with the charging glass; which is a more hygienic outlook on the traditional charging plug or through using the handy travel case that you can charge through USB. I much prefer the latter as you can store your toothbrush and up two heads in the case which is ideal for travelling. What makes the Philips Diamond Clean toothbrushes stand out amongst the likes of Oral B and Colgate is that one single charge will last for up to three weeks of brushing your teeth twice a day, for two minutes each time which is quite simply a life saver as with my previous electrical toothbrushes, I felt that I was forever charging them.

Unlike other electrical toothbrushes that may only have a few modes, the Philips Diamond Clean toothbrushes have FIVE modes which all vary in length of time as well as using a quadpacer which is an interval timer that beeps and briefly pauses, reminding you to brush all four sections of the mouth.. Clean is the standard brushing mode which is the ultimate option for plaque removal which lasts for two minutes; White helps remove surface stains for two minutes with an additional thirty seconds to both brighten and polish your front teeth; Polish is a quick one minute mode to brighten and polish your teeth; Gum Care has combined the clean mode with an additional minute to gently stimulate and massage the gums to improve gum health whilst the Sensitive mode is the extra gentle mode for sensitive teeth and gums.  Whilst I do have sensitive teeth, I do like to mix up my brushing by using three different modes; Sensitive followed by Polish for one minute, finishing up with White for one minute which means that I'm brushing my teeth altogether for four minutes. Four minutes may seem a little obsessive to most however I feel that this has truly worked for me in the long run especially thanks to it's 62,000 brush strokes per minute. Moving from a manual to an electrical or changing brands altogether can be a little scary at first when it comes to brushing your teeth however Philips have introduced an easy start feature that gently eases you into using an electrical toothbrush, gradually increasing the sonic power over the first fourteen brushings.

The Diamond Clean head comes as standard with all Diamond Clean toothbrushes which is a unique diamond shaped head that covers more surface area than other brush heads whilst giving you better brushing however you can opt to change it for any other head as they're all interchangeable with each other. I've currently got my eye on the new Adaptive Clean heads that have an enhanced adaptive brush head that helps reduce any brushing pressure which makes it more gentle for the gums which sound right up my street. As a side note, they all have reminder bristles on the heads which are blue to begin with but after three months worth of brushing, they slowly turn white indicating that you need to change it for a new one which is a genius way of keeping track. As you can see from my brush head, it's not as blue as it once was meaning that I've only got so much more brushing to go with this head before it needs replacing.

Whilst the price can put a lot of people off, including myself, I believe that it is definitely worth it in the long run as you only have one set of teeth to last you for life and you want to take the upmost care of them. It may seem like such a big cost at first but once you work out that it will last you easily three years if not more, it isn't such a huge cost spread out and is much more cost effective than a manual toothbrush. It's also quite often on offer at half price too which makes it even more worthwhile to invest in! Since switching over to Philips, I've  achieved a much whiter smile that has not only boosted my confidence immensly but I've found myself wanting to show it off which means that I'm now constantly smiling at both work and at home. I've even converted friends and family over to Philips and they've noticed such a huge difference in their smile too!

Summer Fragrance Picks 2015

Now that Summer is drawing to a close and that we are now edging our way closer to winter which means jumpers and boots, I thought I'd share what fragrances I've been spritzing myself daily with during Summer. As you can tell from the image above, all these fragrances are well loved!

The Beyonce Heat Wild Orchid (£26.50) is one of the newest additions to my stash and is one that I didn't hesitate a minute in buying! With notes of pomegranate, honeysuckle and butterfly orchid to name just a few, this makes for one enticing, mouth-watering fragrance that just smells so exotic and fierce at the same time. 

One fragrance that I've had for quite a while now is The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Body Mist (£7.50) that despite being a body mist, it sure packs a punch and lingers on the skin for hours! It's one of the more uplifting fragrances of the lot that instantly puts a smile on my face the minute I spray it. I tend to layer this with other fragrances that wear it by itself purely for the fact that it seems to go with every fragrance I own.

Next up is Vera Wang Pink Princess (£34) that is one of the more messier fragrances of my stash due to it's pink glitter bottle that just seems to get everywhere. With notes of pink grapefruit, raspberry sorbet and marshmallow, this makes for one sweet lively fragrance. This is one that I tend to wear with the pink grapefruit body mist as it help enhances the grapefruit scent which in turn makes the scent linger longer on the skin.

Out of all the fragrances above, Joop Miss Wild (£29.50) is by far one of my all time favourites despite not spritizing it as often as the others. This is essentially the female version of the mens just more floral with hints of vanilla and spicy pink berries. I prefer to wear this when the other half is wearing the mens version as we're basically matching.

Last but most certainly not least is Jimmy Choo Exotic 2014 (£36.61) which is the exact same scent as this years version just packaged differently. This is the most sweetest scent in the line up whilst being fruity at the same time. It contains notes of blackcurrant sorbet and pink grapefruit which again I tend to layer with The Body Shop Pink Grapefruit Body Mist. Unlike most EDT's which don't linger around for long, this one you can still smell many hours after spritzing which just goes to show how much of punch this fragrance has. 

A Real Techniques Offer You DONT Want To Miss!

It's not very often that I blog about offers however there is one offer in particular that has started today that you simply cannot miss! I'm sure we're all aware of the hysteria behind Real Techniques brushes and I'm pretty sure that we all own a fair few brushes from them. However until 25/08/15, the Core Collection Set is down to £10.99 instead of it's usual £21.99 which you simply cannot beat! 

I've had my set for just over three years now and they're still going strong albeit the black handles flaking a little but the bristles themselves are just as good as the day I first bought them. Whilst I will admit that I don't use the majority of the brushes in them quite as much as I once did, I couldn't resist buying another as a backup for when my current one needs replacing. I'm pretty sure that these will be flying off the shelves so you better be quick to grab yours!

Will you be rushing out to your local Boots to buy one?

Celebrate 80 Years with No7!

 Who would have thought that No7 have been around for 80 years now, eh?! To mark this special occasion, No7 have brought out a limited edition collection specially for their 80th Anniversary which I will talk more into depth on a seperate post as well as a free gift which is yours when buying any two cosmetics. Now I know that I say this about all their free gifts however you will want to get your hands on this particular one especially as it contains a voucher to get a free lipstick!

In true No7 style, they've included a teeny sample of their Intense Volume Mascara which has a traditional bristle brush to help create lush, defined lashes without skimping out on the volume! As with all No7 mascaras, you can build it up until you've reached your desired effect. Also included is a sample of the Skin Illuminator Radiance Boosting Beauty Fluid which contains particles of iridescent shimmer which reflects the light to create a beautiful, radiant healthy glow. This is one of those multi use products that is handy to have as you can use it as both a highlighter, primer or even mixed in with your foundation.

Just like with all the previous gifts, they've thrown in an eyeshadow which is the bottom shade from the Stay Perfect Forest Fruits Trio which is a beautiful plum colour that is very glitter based which would finish off any intense smokey eye look. The last addition to the gift is one that makes this gift worth while to get as included is a voucher to receive a free No7 match made lipstick which is worth £9.95! You can either book your match made service to find out both your foundation colour and the perfect lipstick to go alongside it or you can just choose any lipstick that takes your fancy. Unforunately, this voucher is only limited to the Match Made Moisture Drench and Match Made Stay Perfect ranges so any of their heritage or sheer temptation shades are excluded altogether. 

 Will you be running out to get this awesome gift?

Real Techniques Nic's Picks

Every beauty blogger and their dog have a witness when it comes to blogging whether it be having a unhealthy amount of foundations or hundreds of lipsticks which are all varying shades of the same colour. My unhealthy obsession after bronzers and highlighters definitely has to be makeup brushes, in particular ones that are cheaper than their expensive sisters. I am forever buying makeup brushes despite probably have a few of the same brush to do the exact same job. Just before Christmas, Real Techniques released a few more brush sets to the collection which I couldn't resist treating myself to, one of which is the Nic's Picks Set which are a selection of brushes that Nic personally has chosen.

The Real Techniques Nic's Picks (£29.99) is a set of five brushes in a limited edition silver metallic design which includes three exclusive brush cuts which you cannot buy separately The brushes included in the set are the Duo-Fiber Brush, Cheek Brush, Angled Shadow Brush, Base Shadow Brush and the Eyeliner Brush. 

The Duo-Fiber Brush is one brush that will not be getting much love from me as I already have this brush from the Duo-Fiber set. It's the perfect, lightweight brush for dusting over any powder without making it look caked on or too powdery. 

The Cheek Brush is slightly tapered, more dense brush that is packed with bristles that are ideal for applying any blush or bronze. Whilst it is the perfect size for the cheeks, I personally can't apply bronzer with it as it is still too stiff despite using it and washing it multiple times. With that said, it does apply the product beautifully. 

The Angled Shadow Brush as the name suggests is quite literally an angled shadow brush which you can use to add definition on the eyes to create depth, filling in your eyebrows or for eyeliner itself. This is another brush that I haven't yet used as I don't particularly have a use for it at the moment as I haven't been experimenting with any dramatic eye looks however from the shape of it, I bet it would work okay at blending eyeshadow out.

The Base Shadow Brush is quite literally my favourite brush from the set as it's it the perfect sized brush to apply eyeshadow all over the lid, in the crease or for blending it all out. I prefer it for the latter as it just gets into the crease perfectly and applies just the right amount of colour. I really do wish that you could buy this brush separately as I would no doubt buy quite a few more of it!

The Eyeliner Brush is another self-explantory brush as the name suggests as you can use this to add definition at the lash line as well as to fill in your eyebrows. I still haven't found the perfect use yet for this brush however I bet that it would work wonders with Benefit Brow Zings to really fill in my eyebrows and make them appear thicker and fuller.

eBay Beauty Blenders

Out of everything that I buy makeup wise, beauty tools are my weakness and I have a complete arsenal of brushes and sponges to suit every aspect of applying makeup. Whether it be for a night out on the town or a natural look, I have the tools to help recreate whichever image I have in mind. With that being said, I'm finding it to be a very expensive hobby especially after recently purchasing quite a fair few of my beloved Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge and being hit with an additional handling fee (the joys of ordering things from the states!) I've found myself scouring the likes of eBay to help find some new makeup sponge applicators and I've come up with a few interesting hits..

The most smallest and cutest addition of them all definitely has to be the mini beauty blender (99p+) which is the perfect size for blending in concealer under the eyes! Unlike it's bigger sister, this is the perfect size to blend in any under eye concealer as it's not bulky and will not ruin your makeup. Unfortunately, these are very hard to find dupe wise as most sellers list the bigger size as the smaller size.

The next addition is quite an usual one as it's quite literally a sponge on a stick that sellers on eBay sell as a sponge makeup blender (99p+). I will admit that it doesn't feel sturdy at all and I bet that the slightest sign of pulling will pull it off. I personally like to use this to blending in foundation on my neck to avoid those dreaded foundation marks which actually works really well to blend it all in. However, since using this I have noticed that it doesn't wash up particularly well so it's permanently stained but for the price, you can't really complain.

The latest addition is quite literally a rip off of the original beauty blender (99p+) that is actually a lot bigger when compared side to side to the original. It is also not made from the same materials as it feels a lot more like a sponge you would find it the kitchen rather than to apply your makeup with. In terms of how effective it is, I would say that is does a standard job as I use this primarily to apply my foundation before using a different sponge altogether to blend and buff it all in. As it's a bigger size, it does cover more surface area but I wouldn't necessarily go as far as seeing that this replaces my love for the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge or the original beauty blender. A search of makeup blender sponge will bring up hundreds of results, so you do have to search for quite a while until you find a trustworthy seller.

Have you come across any good eBay makeup tools?

Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief + Whitening Toothpaste

I'm sure that most of stick to the same toothpaste however I for one cannot stick to the same toothpaste as I like to try out different varieties until I find the one. The one being perfect for sensitive teeth whilst whitening my teeth all whilst keeping my breath fresh. I've definitely tried my fair share of toothpastes and recently, I've been using the Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief + Whitening Toothpaste.

The Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief + Whitening Toothpaste (£3.90) has been specially formulated to help block pain triggers caused by cold/hot foods by delivering instant and lasting relief whilst gently and effectively removing stains to help restore a natural white smile.

I can normally tell if my toothpaste has worked or not by drinking my work's cold water, which by the way is incredibly cold, and the majority of the time, I do not wince in pain. In conjunction with that, my teeth have been looking a lot whiter than normal despite not using a whitening strip in quite some time. Overall, this is a brilliant budget toothpaste and is one that I've already repurchased which could just mean that this is the one!

Dr Bronner's Magic Soap

When I first started using makeup brushes, I didn't know what to clean them with. After a little research, I discovered that most beauty bloggers opted for baby shampoo which not only cleaned the brushes but kept them soft too so of course, I jumped on that bandwagon. Whilst they did do the job, I felt that they weren't making my brushes as clean as I wanted them which I when I discovered Dr Bronner's Magic Soap.

Dr Bronner's Magic Soap (£8.99) is one of those mystical products that you can use for a variety of things and not just washing your makeup brushes such as; a body wash, handwash, household cleaner, laundry cleaner and even brushing your teeth with! Unlike most mystical products that come only in one scent, Dr Bronner's Magic Soap comes in a variety of scents of which come in different sizes. The one pictured above is Almond which I have the 473ml size.

When I first started using Dr Bronner's Magic Soap to wash my makeup brushes with, I didn't realise that you had to dilute it with water as I was just swirling my brushes into the liquid straight up which has probably done more harm than good. Nowadays, I tend to pour a decent amount into a mug before diluting it with warm water in which I swirl my brushes into it. Whilst it doesn't remove all the makeup without one go, it does remove the bulk of it and after a few dunks, it removes literally all traces whilst leaving them almond scented. Whilst it does do the trick, I sometimes like to follow it up with some hand wash just to get the brushes really soft again as whilst the magic soap does clean them up really well, it doesn't always leave them soft to the touch. Whilst this may seem like a pricey investment for your makeup brushes, it is most definitely one that you need to invest in as one bottle will easily last you the best part of five months and that's with washing your brushes every week!

(HINT: Whilst Feel Unique is still good value for money, you can often find these in your local T K Maxx store for about £3 less, so it might be worth checking out your local stores before buying them from Feel Unique!)

Free No7 GWP

Out of all the free gifts with purchases, the No7 ones are by far some of my favourites! They always have atleast one of my favourite products included in each gift and I've even discovered a few new products from their gifts. They seem to do the same offer every two or three months where you have to purchase two cosmetics in order to get the free gift. This time around, No7 have decided to do a Summer Beauty Bag seeing as Summer is just around the corner and in order to receieve this gift, I walked away with two nail varnishes which will be featured in my next post..

Included in their brightly coloured bag is a sample size of their Extreme Length Waterproof Mascara which is one of my favourite mascaras. It helps define each lash whilst adding incredible length to give the appearance of false lashes whilst coating them in a waterproof seal that will not budge or flake off. Also included in a full size High Shine Lip Gloss in Tangerine Twist which smells suprisingly fruity and which you do need to apply a few times to get the full effect.

To combat the hot sun, No7 have included a sample of their Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Facial Sun Protection SPF15 which is no where near enough high sun protection for the likes of Greece but is passable for our typical British Summer Sun. Unlike most facial sun protections, this doesn't feel sticky or greasy after application albeit feeling a little thick when applying. Lastly, they've included a Stay Perfect Eyeshadow which is the middle shade from the Good Earth Trio which is by far one of my most used eyeshadow colours! It's a beautiful shimmery bronzey taupe shade which looks good either by itself or in a smokey eye.

21st Birthday

So today marks my 21st Birthday, Happy Birthday to Me! Unlike last year where I spent it with my Grandma and Grandpa, this year however I'm spending it with just my boyfriend as I've decided that I want a quiet birthday this year which makes me feel slightly richer just by saying that. Although with that being said, I have spent all morning at the hair dressers getting pampered.. ;)

Lush Brightside Bubble Bar

At this current moment of time, I've ran out of bubble bath and instead of running out and buying a few more bottles, I've started to use up my large amount of Lush products which I seem to buy but never get around to using. At the moment, I'm currently using their Brightside Bubble Bar which I thought I would share my thoughts on.

The Lush Brightside Bubble Bar (£4.75) is a brightly coloured bar which you break off pieces to create beautifully scented bubble baths. It contains various essential oils including sicilian mandarin, bergamot and tangerine which helps you look on the bright side of life - literally! 

What I love the most about the Brightside Bubble Bar is not how strongly it smells of citrus or how brightly coloured the bar is but how it turns the bath water into a beautifully shade of deep orange. Whilst having orange water may not be up everyones street, it leaves the skin feeling incredibly soft and the scent lingers around for hours afterwards. I've seen many people get up to five baths from one bar but I've personally managed to get seven which definitely has to be some sort of record! If you're after something to uplift your spirits or just fancy a change from regular bubble baths then I definitely recommend you try this out!

EOS Shave Cream in Pomegranate Raspberry

Since I've started blogging, I've noticed that my list of products that I would like to try keeps on getting longer which isn't helped by watching various YouTubers in the US showing off what they've recently bought in Sephora/Ulta/Target. When I was over in the US last year, I decided to pick up a few items on said list as it works out to be far cheaper and one of those items was a couple of the EOS Shave Creams.

The EOS Shave Cream in Pomegranate Raspberry (£10.50) comes packaged in a brightly coloured pump dispenser bottle with various indentations on the bottle to make it easier to hold in the shower. It's a rich, non-foaming formula which is packed with natural conditioning oils, shea butter and antioxidant vitamins E and C to provide 24 hours of ultra-soothing moisture.

As I shave my body two to three times a week, I'm finding that I'm going through this at an alarming rate especially when various areas require up to four pumps. With that being said, the formula itself is rather thick and does spread out easily especially when the skin is already damp. I wouldn't say that using this will definitely give you a closer shave because there are some areas which require going over twice however it definitely leaves your skin a lot softer and more moisturiser so you could quite easily opt out of using a moisturiser afterwards. I however am a firm believer of piling on the moisture so I will never skip that step as my skin can be extremely dry especially after a bath. Overall, I do think that this a brilliant buy however if I lived in the US, I wouldn't mind repurchasing it as it's so cheap but as it's quite expensive over here, I think I'll stick to my beloved Soap & Glory Clean On Me Shower Gel as it lasts a lot longer.

Free No7 GWP

It would appear that I cannot resist buying No7 makeup especially when there is a gift with purchase involved! This has to be one of my favourite packaging of all the gift with purchases that they done previously as the colours of the box just scream out spring/summer time to me.

Included in their brightly coloured box is a sample size of the Lovely Lashes Mascara which I believe they are trying to promote more as this is the second time that it's been included in the free gift. This mascara aims to give the lashes natural, glossy volume whilst nourishing them with the added bonus of Argan Oil. Also included is a deluxe sized sample of the Instant Illusions Airbrush Away Primer which contains light reflecting particules designed to make the skin look younger and aim to put any fine lines, wrinkles and uneven skin tone into a soft focus.

There is also a deluxe sized High Shine Lip Crayon of which you may Daydreamer or Delicate Pink - pictured above is Daydreamer which is a very pale, subtle pink with an intense shine. Lastly, is a little eyeshadow included which is the middle shade from the In The Navy Trio which ia a beautiful pale peach with gold shimmer running throughout.

If you're after one of these gifts then all you have to do is buy any two pieces of No7 makeup but be quick as I'm sure that these will fly off the shelves!

Crest 3D White Luxe Sensitivity Toothpaste

Whilst out in the States, as well as buying lots of makeup and skincare, I couldn't resist picking up a toothpaste or two especially when I was eating lots of Reeces Pieces and drinking more than my fair share of Mountain Dew which when combined with using whitening strips, it means that my teeth were feeling extremely sensitive! The toothpaste in question that I picked up is the Crest 3D White Luxe Sensitive Toothpaste which is the US version of Oral B.

The Crest 3D White Luxe Sensitivity Toothpaste ($3.97) has been specially formulated to relieve tooth sensitivity and whiten the teeth at the same time. It contains the same sensitivity active ingredient that Sensodyne contains but is a fraction of the price and is the only sensitivity toothpaste with the power of 3D White.

Since using this toothpaste, I've noticed that my sensitivity to both hot and cold foods has reduced dramatically with only the occasional flare up here and there. My teeth also look a lot whiter which is surprising as I haven't used a whitening strip since September last year. Overall this is a brilliant budget toothpaste and I will most definitely be stocking up on this when I'm next in the States!

Lush Heart Throb Bubble Bar

I never really care for the Lush collections unless there is a particular product that grabs my attention. On my most recent venture into Lush, I decided to pick up a few products from their Valentines Day collection. I only picked up a few things including the Heart Throb Bubble Bar.

The Heart Throb Bubble Bar (£3.65) is a two layered, vivid red bubble bar sandwiched together with sticky gold glitter butter-like-cream-glue which you could get up to six baths from if you divided it up right. It shares the same scent of their African Paradise Body Conditioner - a mixture of essential oils and frangipani which when combined with nourishing shea butter, makes it extremely moisturising!

Unlike other bubble bars that I've used in the past, I was rather disappointed with this one due to the lack of bubbles it made however it did turn the water a beautiful shade of red which will be perfect for Valentines Day! As it is loaded with shea butter, it leaves the skin beautifully moisturised and soft so you can opt to skip the body lotion if need be. I personally quite like this bubble bar for the water tinting aspects and moisturising properties but I'm disappointed that it didn't create a mountain of bubbles like many have in the past.