Review: Garnier Summer Body Gradual Tan

These past few weeks in the UK have been suprisingly hot. After the dark and wet Springtime my body was less than prepared to be stripped down to a vest and shorts for the sun coming out. This is where this product helped out massively, and Ive been loving it ever since..

Garnier Summer Body Moisturising Lotion Sun Kissed Look (mouthful?) is basically a moisturiser with a hint of self than that can be built up gradually. I use the shade "Deep Sunkissed Look" which I think is the darkest. I have the fairest skin imaginable and this isnt too dark for me, but I wil explain further.

I was quite shocked at how much of a tan this gave me at my first application. I applied it before bed one night just as I would a normal body lotion expecting minimal results, I was very wrong. In the morning I had clearly used tan, overall the colour was lovely, but since I had underestimated it I had missed patches and made streaky marks. I think because I got the darkest hade it mkes the most difference after just one application, which I personally like but something to think about if that not your thing. 

After applying it properly the next time, rubbing it in carefully ll oer and washing my hands after, I got lovely results. The tan this gives isnt intense, and is a much safer and less obvious choice in comparison to my St Moriz or Xen Tan. I prefer those for a big night out, but this is great for day to day to keep the pale ghostly skin I have away. It is described as a sun-kissed look, and I would definately agree.

Another aspect I truely love about this is the scent. All gradual tanners Ive tried in the past have stunk of false tan (Dove, Johnsons, Im lookin at you). This one has none of that at all, it actually smells of apricots, and suuprisingly when the tan developes the smell still doesnt sneak in then either. The smell I find reminicent of Apricot Munch Bunch yogurts I used to eat as a child, yum!

This is a perfect product to help get summer ready, and quickly too! Id recommend giving it a try.

Thanks for reading

xoxo

Happy Birthday Glossybox: Whats in my May Glossybox?

So recently Ive been doing videos about Glossyboxes occasionally rather than a blog post, but today feels like a blogging type of day.

Im very excited by this box so Ill get straight into it and my first impressions...

 How pretty is this packaging, I love that Glossybox pay such attention to detail. I almost didnt want to rip the pretty tissue paper. How cute is the little sticker saying "one" for their first birthday, even the ribbon says "Anniversary Box", very fancy. However I dont know if its jsut my box, but I didnt get a little card saying what everything is like they usually do, maybe they just forgot mine! Ill get into what was in it...

 Collection 2000 Lasting Colour Gel Eyelner in Brown

Werent they changing their name to drop the "2000"? Confusing. Anyway, I was excited to give this a go, even if a little skeptical that I would ever use a brown gel liner. Im more of a blacks girl, and would never even think of buying a brown mascara. However, this has shocked me a litte by how much I like the colour. Ive given it a little swatch and its a really dark rich brown which I think would look nice, not to mention the lovely formula. I can be a bit of a makeup snob, and wasnt expecting great pigmentation or staying power from this brand, but actually its fantastic. Ive tried rubbing the swatch, wetting it and then rubbing it and it hasnt budged, not at all. Very impressed so far!

 Eldora Lashes

I was excited to see false lashes in the box as I hate to pay £5 for a pair that I will most likely ruin whilst trying and failing to apply them. However I was taken aback by the crazyness of this pair. They have rainbow colours spaced nicely between the black lashes, and then little sequin type things all over. I would never have bought these in a million years, but Im excited to give them a go! Thats the beauty of Glossybox I think.

Noble Isle Summer Rising Cornish Hedgerow Bath and Shower Gel 

Many people hate getting shower gels in beauty boxes, but I happen to think theyre rather useful...especially for travel. This one will be coming to Ibiza with me. At first glance I thought this was a Molton Brown product, and it does have that kind of upmarket feel to it. The smell is lovely, just like its namesake...like an English country garden in the spring time. I look forward to using this, Ill feel all posh and grown up haha.

Neals Yard Rehydrating Rose Daily Moisture

I was excited to see a Neals Yard product in the box. Ive never tried anything from them but theyve always been a brand thats intrigued me. I was a little disappointed to see the product was rose scented, as Ive generally hated rose scented things in the past. However this smells lovely, and along with a few other rose products Ive got in recent Glossyboxes, it has changed my feelings towards the rosey scent. This doesnt smell like old ladies at all, its floral but not too heavy, and very spring time-ish. Im excited to try it out properly after my bath tonight!

Lolita Lempicka and Lolita Lempicka L'Eau en Blanc Eau De Parfums

Ah the infamous perfume sample. These normally really annoy me as I have never had a perfume sample Ive actually liked from past Glossyboxes (bar the Vanitas Versace one). These are an exception, I really like them both. Ive tried the original one in department stores before and always liked it but not enough to buy it...maybe owning this sample will convince me I need the bottle in my life. The bottles are both absolutely gorgeous by the way! The second one is more light and powdery than the original, it reminds me of the powder puffs my Grandma used to use, but in a good way. Im no good at descirbing scents, but both are quite unusual and Im glad they were in the box. 

Last but not least the lovely people at Glossybox slipped in a few little Birthday extras. A cute little pink balloon, which is inflated in the first picture, and a nice handy compact mirror. A girl can never have too many compacts.

If you couldnt already tell Im really pleased with this box. In the past Ive recieved boxes that didnt really thrill me, but this one has restored my faith in Glossybox and Ive regained my excitement for it!

Thanks for reading

xoxo

Operation Ibiza Bikini Body #3... Soft skin and whiter teeth...and a bit of a fail.

I havent blogged in almost three weeks...thats the longest Ive gone without blogging since the day I started! Blame exams and essays, they stop any other every day activities from happening. But Im finally done with uni for the next four months so no more typing out essays, more typing out blog posts!

I havent gave you an update on how Im doing with my "bikini body" mission in a while so I thought it was the perfect rambly post after my absence. As you can imagine, my exercise and healthy eating regime went out the window during revision. It mentally and physiclly drains you, and I just didnt have the time or energy to exercise properly or plan what healthy foods to eat. I turned to McDonalds....oops! However I can give myself a break because it was a tough time and I spent it revising which was way more important.

However now the panic is on...my holiday is now only 25 days away and I need to get my bum back into gear, starting today. There are a few little bits Ive been doing along the way to help get the "glow" I want my skin to have so Ill share them first then what I plan to do from now on...

For the past few weeks Ive really been taking care of the skin on my body. I usually neglect it due to laziness but Ive been making an effort to exfoliate and moisturise more. For exfoliating I find these gloves do just as good as an actual scrub, although Im still working through the scrubs I own to use them up anyway. I used to forget this all the time, but now I exfoliate at least once or twice a week and have noticed my skin looks brighter and smoother.

As for moisturising Ive been doing that everyday as soon as I get out the bath. I love this Garnier Intensive 7 Days one, but Ill use anything I have in to use things up. My particular favourite is Soap and Glory's Righteous Butter, but that takes a little longer to sink in so I find it better for night time.  

Firming body creams...now I havent actually even opened these yet, I want your opinion. Im not even sure if they work at all or do anything, but I dont know whether I should use them now in the run up to my holiday, or actually take them away with me and use them there. What would you do? The two I have are the Clarins Extra-Firming Body Cream (from a Glossybox) and the Liz Earle Energising Body Lotion. Im going to take a body lotion on holiday with me, just not sure whether to take these or the Garnier one above!

As well as a better body, Ive been on a constant quest for at least the past 5 years for whiter teeth. Ive never been happy with how yellow mine are for no reason at all. I thought now was a good time to try the Crest White Strips that people rave so much about. I got mine cheaper on Ebay! Ill do a full post on them at a later date, but so far Ive used them for about 5 days, and I cant really see any real difference...so fingers crossed they work once Ive finished the rest.

Ive been keeping up easily with all Ive mentioned so far, but as I said before exercise just hasnt happened recently. I bought a set of two Jillian Michales dvds (one for abs one for legs and bum) to accompany the 30 Day Shred. Now Ive done my 10 days on Level 1, all be it not all 10 days in a row! Starting today I have an exercise plan up until my holiday, which consists of 5 days on the 30 Day Shred Level 2, then 5 at Level 3, followed by these two DVDs on alternating days right up to my holiday. I know Im not doing the full 30 days of the Shred or either of these two to their full potential but Im running t of time now and I really want to give them a go before I go away.

Also I had my final McDonalds and a big cupcake last night, so now its back to the green tea and healthier eating too.

Any tips or questions feel free to leave a comment, thanks sooo much if you even read this far!

xoxo

Avon Ideal Flawless Foundation

Its not often I do a foundation review, I like to use them for ages before constructing a proper opinion, and by then I forget to review it. This time its only taken me a few months to decide what I think of this foundation.
Most of the time the foundations I prefer are light/medium coverage with a dewy finish, I actually opt for Origins Vitazing most days instead of a foundation.

I rarely ever reach for my Revlon Colorstay or MAC Studio Fix Fluid anymore, which is why I was so suprised to actually love this foundation from Avon.

Firstly, I love that its relatively cheap, but still comes in lovely glass bottle with a pump included. You can get it for £12 on the Avon website, but if you look out in the brochures theres nearly always a deal on...I got my particulat bottle for just £8! Bargain.

Of course one of the downsides of Avon is that you cant see the shades in person before you buy, so its a little bit of guess work. I personally dont mind this as I usually just pick the lightest, or second lightest shade and that usually works fine for me, but I could see how it could be an issue for some. For reference Im the colour Ivory and its the best colour match Ive ever had in a foundation. Their colour selection is amazing, much better than most brands so I would say its a great one to check out if you struggle to find shades pale enough or dark enough for you.

As far as the product is concerned, its medium coverage I would say, but doesnt feel at all heavy on a skin. One pump is a tiny amount but spreads well enough to cover my whole face perfectly. It could of course be built up to a heavier coverage if you prefer. I find this goes on a dream, so quick and easy with my Sigma F80 brush. I really want to try the Real Techniques Buffing brush as I think that would be amazing for it also.

It has an average lasting power I would say, but any foundation Ive tried starts to wear off around the chin and nose area for me towards the end of the day, so this is pretty much standard. It has SPF 15, and so far Ive had no problems with flashback in photos! 

You can see how good if a colour match this is for me, as on the right of this photo its blended into the skin seamlessly, it really lives up to its claims of "invisible coverage" I think. Im not too sure how this would apply on drier skin types however, as when I did have a small dry patch it tended to cling to it a little so that may be something to think about.

I do really like this foundation, but it doesnt beat Jemma Kidd Light As Air for me. It is nice though for days when I want a slightly heavier coverage and not so dewy look. Id definately recommend it, especially for the price!

xoxo

Giant Spending Ban...Again

Some of you who read my blog often may be thinking "Didnt she just finish a spending ban?" Well yes, I did...but after that I went a little crazy with the spending again, and now I feel as though I need to stop myself before I have no spending money left for my holiday! So, heres a new spending ban, my own little version of one where I vow to use certain products a bit more, or finish them.

 Some things here are products I didnt finish up from the last one incase you thought they were familiar.

Blink+Go Mascara - Use Up Done!

Avon Supershock Cobalt Liner - Use to Sharpening x 2 (2/2) Done!

 MAC Teddy Eye Kohl - Use to Sharpening x 2 (2/2) Done!

No7 Blue Grey Amazing Eyes Pencil - Use to Sharpening x 2 (2/2) Done!

Inika Graphite Organic Liner - Use to Sharpening x 2 (2/2) Done!

Avon Supershock Bronze Liner - Use to Sharpening x 2 (2/2) Done!

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadow "Nice Melons" - Use x 10 (6/10)

Nars Eyeshadow "Fathom" - Use x 10 (8/10)

Natural Collection Eyeshadow "Willow" - Use x 10 (10/10) Done!

Urban Decay Primer Potion - Use up Done!

Smashbox Eyeshadow "ASAP" - Use x 10 (6/10)

Tea Tree Nose Strip - Use Up

Veet Hair Minimising Body Moisturiser x 2 - Use Up (1/2)

Superdrug Self Heating Smoothie Mask - Use Up Done!

Avon Planet Spa Olive Oil Hydrating Mask - Use Up Done!

Avon Planet Spa Sake and Rice Luminous Face Treatment - Use Up Done!

Avon Planet Spa Olive Oil Firming Serum - Use Up Done!

"Mystery" Cleanser - Use Up Done!

Nivea Q10 Day Cream - Use Up Done!

Eyeko Lilac Polish - Use once Done!

Eyeko Nude Polish - Use once Done!

Eyeko Posh Polish - Use once Done!

Nails Inc Hampstead Heath Polish - Use once Done!

Leighton Denny Sex Kitten Polish - Use once

OPI Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous - Use once

Next Mi Amour Perfume - Use up Done!

Charlie Pink Body Spray - Use up

Soap and Glory Mist You Madly Body Spray - Use x 10 (10/10) Done! 

Bliss Body Butter - Use Up Done!

FAB Body Lotion - Use Up Done!

Avon Foot Works Heel Cream - Use x 10 (8/10)

Nivea Cream - Use x 10 (5/10)

Natural Tone After Sun - Use Up Done!

Soap and Glory Pulp Friction - Use up Done!

Lush Star Soap (Dont know name, ltd ed. from Christmas) - Use up Done!

Lush Rockstar Soap - Use up Done!

Gosh Creamy Compact - Use up Done!

Jemma Kidd Creme Blush "PawPaw" - Use x 10 (10/10) Done!

MAC MSF "Petticoat" - Use x 10 (7/10)

Nivea Lip Balm - Use up

Collection 2000 Cream Puff (Dont know the name) - Use x 10 (7/10)

Avon Plump Pout Lip Gloss "Pink Nectar" - Use x 10 (7/10)

Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Pucker "Candy Gloss" - Use x 10 (6/10)

Avon Lipstick "Apricot" - Use x 10 (10/10) Done!

Avon Lipstick "Golden Berry" - Gave to my Mam, really not my colour!
Avon Lipstick "Dazzling Coral" - Use x 10 (10/10) Done!

MAC Lady Gaga Lipstick - Use x 10 (5/10)

Avon Lipstick "Instant Mocha" - Use x 10 (7/10)

xoxo

April Favourites and Empties

I keep going on abut losing my camera, but its really annoying me...and has meant I cant do proper posts unless I borrw other peoples. Because of that Ive done both my April Favourites and April Empties (of which there are quite a lot!) in videos on my youtube channel.

You can watch my empties video here!  

And my favourites video here!

This may seem like  bit of a cop out blog post, but I didnt want you to think I just hadnt bothered this month, saying as Ive done it every month since I started blogging. To be honest I think Im going to keep doing these as videos as I really enjoy it that way, but maybe do a blog post to accommpany it...What do you think? Im not sure how to go about spreading things between youtube and my blog!

xoxo

Products I Couldnt Live Without

I think theres a TAG floating around the blogging world that something a bit like this, I just thought Id pull together the products that I "couldnt live without". A slight exaggeration obviously, but these products are my very favourites and absolute staples in my collection.

So these are my absolute must haves, and most loved and well used products! 

Eyes

Urban Decay Naked Palette - Big shock here! Everyone knows how amazing this is and I use it nearly every single day...enough said about this really!

Bourjois The Volumizer Mascara - I have a lot of favourite mascaras, but Im loving this one at the minute! It gives amazing volume, whilst not giving the really spider legs effect. Also my lashes are still left really soft, which I kinda like a lot.

MAC Vintage Selection Paint Pot - I know this is a limited edition product, but from swatching I think its very similar to Bare Study. I love the look this gives alone, and also as a primer/base to really enhance any eyeshadow I put over it. Its definately my most used eye product.

Avon Supershock Gel Liner Pencil - Ive gone through abut 5 of these pencils, and for good reason. Theyre soooo pgimented and creamy, and incredibly long lasting, even on the waterline. I really dont feel like I ever need to try another kohl liner. 

 FaceJemma Kidd Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Creme (Iced Gold) - This has everything Ive ever looked for in a highlighter, its not too glittery, but really gives lminosity to the skin. Its really easy to apply just with my fingers...absolutely one of my favourite highlighters ever.

Natural Collection Peach Melba Blusher - I wouldnt go as far as to say this is my all time favourite blush, but its my most used. Its my go-to blush for when Im in a hurry or cant decide what else to wear. Its neutral, so it goes with any eye/lip...and because of that its my most used.

Jemma Kidd Light as Air Foundation (02 Light) - For me this is the best foundation Ive ever used, as aside from trialing new ones, this is my absolute favourite. I love it so much I even had two backups of it at one point. It feels really lightweight on the skin but gives fantastic coverage, really long lasting and just generally amazing.

Lips

Carmex Lip Balm - This lip balm is by far the most hydrating Ive tried, I find mst dont do much while feeling and looking a little heavy and greasy on the lips. Carmex is the complete opposite for me, it gives me baby soft lips, and is really lightweight so great for under lipstick. These little tubes last forever too, I own two and between them have lasted me 2 and a half years (kinda gross I guess), and theyre not finished yet!

MAC Big Baby Plushglass - I never feel attached to a lipgloss, its not really my thing, but this one is different and Ive used it to death. Firstly, it smells like shortbread, a winner already. The colour is an amazing neutral and goes really well over the lipstick Im about to mention! Its a product that Ill definately replace when it runs out, and Im never like that with lipgloss...in fact I barely ever use a full one up!

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in Nude Delight - This is an absolute essential in my collection. I barely have any oter nude lipsticks as Im so satisfied with this one I dont feel the need to try others. Its so creamy and nourishing, and the colour just suits my skin tone amazingly well. I literally couldnt be without this!

Bit of a random post but thanks for reading!

xoxo