August Favourites!

I cant believe its already the end 'Summer' - Not that we really had one this year ! But I'm pretty excited about September for once, While I'm a little gutted that College is just a week away, I'm happy that I can go back doing subjects I've come to love rather than dragging myself to my maths lessons everyday! Tomorrow I will be attending my very first open day University which is pretty scary, Its crazy that this time next year I'll (hopefully) be off there myself - Although I'm not looking forward to the three hour drive or the 6am start at all!  

Blog wise I'm pretty excited for next month too, I have an advert going up on both 'Just Blog it all instead'  and 'My beauty and fashion fix'  tomorrow - They're both lovely blogs so be sure to check them out, and don't forget you can still enter my giveaway!  

St Ives Blemish fighting Scrub (£4.38)

I find myself reaching for this about 3/4 times a week and I still love it. Its a great scrub at a low price - Since using I have found my skin is softer and clear - If you want to read my full review just click the link above.

Neutrogena 2-in-1 wash and mask (£3.99)

Another skincare product I've really been loving this month - It works wonders along with the St Ives Scrub! And again I've noticed a huge change in my skin. If you want to read the full review  just click the link above!

Witch Anti-Blemish BB cream (£6.99)

I'm really hooked on the Witch 'Anti-blemish' cosmetics range lately and this new BB cream was no exception. When using it my skin is left smooth, hydrated and even 'flawless' looking.  It's a real winner in my book and something I've been wearing daily.

Revlon ColorBurst Lipgloss in Orchid (£7.99)

I think this is the best lipgloss I have ever tried, Lately I've found myself stepping away from my Nudes and reaching for more purpley toned colours, So 'Orchid' is perfect for me. It isn't sticky like normal lipglosses and the colour sticks around for ages! 

Collection 2000 Skyscraper Mascara (£4.99)

I love this stuff! It does a wonderful job on my lashes, and I've found it better than mascara's I've paid 3 times as much for. (Plus you can find it in your local Poundland - If you're lucky!)

Revlon ColorStay Mineral Blush in Petal ($13.99)

I'm a little gutted this isnt available in the UK because I love it! The colour is prefect for my skin tone and I can see myself using this for a long long time!

Color Trend Final Touch Pressed Powder (£4.25)

I haven't used powder in a while but this is lovely, I love using it and am so happy with the new design!

EcoTools Blush Brush (£7.99)

This is perfect when paired with my Revlon Colorstay Blush, together they allow me to get a light dusting of product on my cheeks.

Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Leave in Treatment - £5.50

This stuff leaves my hair feeling lovely at such a great price, I know I'll be buying again!

August Empties!

This month I made a little effort to use up as many products as I could. I find it hard to part with my products and enjoy having a selection around - Although lately I'm finding myself with no more room to store it all!

 Boots Simply Sensitive face wipes (£2.79) 

I didn't think much of these and I was honestly happy to finish them, they claim to remove eye make up which they didn't even come near to. I felt they were a rather poor product and you could honestly find better in a pound shop - I cant believe Boots charge so much for them! 

Tesco  Sensitive Eye Make-Up Remover Pads (£1.50) 

I was really surprised by these, they did a great job at tackling my eye make up and I will be stocking up next time I visit a tesco store.

No7 Quick thinking wipes (£7.00)

There are so many wipes this month! Although these are by far my all time favourite - Yes, £7.00 is far to much for a pack of wipes. But they last me ages and Boots are always handing out those £5 off vouchers to help me stock up!

John Frieda Go Blonder Lightening Conditioner (£5.89)

I always hear mixed views about this product but personally I really liked it. I've never dyed my hair, although it changes with the season - I like to use this when my hair starts to turn a little darker and I cant say I've ever had a problem. I still have loads of shampoo left (Why do companies always give you the same amount? I always finish the conditioner a good few washes before the shampoo!) I think if your a blonde who is looking to go lighter this product is perfect for you! They're often 3 for £10 too!

Dove Nourishing Oil Care Shampoo (£2.49)

I didn't get to finish the photographed bottle, instead it leaked over all my hair care/bath products which are stored together - I wasn't impressed. That said it is a lovely product,  and I look froward to buying it (and the conditioner again) 

2 x Dove Nourishing Oil Care Conditioner (£2.49)

I've said before I love this stuff! Although as you can probably tell from all the empty bottles this month my hair is very long and I wash it far too much! I think this is great if you suffer from fizzy/damaged hair - And I would highly recommend it!

Tresemme  Spilt Remedy mask (£5.69)

I loved this hair mask, It did a great job at softening my ends and is possibly one of the best treatment masks I have ever used. I think I'll be looking out for it when it's half price again! 

Witch anti-blemish Skin primer (£6.99)

I go on about this all the time so needless to say I was gutted when it finally run out - although luckly I already had a back up waiting (Thank god for Superdrugs half price offers!)

Blistex Lip massage (£3.06)

I wasn't a huge fan of this (especially the whole massage idea) although I quite like the product inside. This product was barely reached for so I don't understand how I finished it so fast. A complete rip off if you ask me!

Natural Collection Lash care mascara (£1.99)

I liked using this for my brows, and at just £1.99 its cheap as chips although I've found a product that works better for me at the same price.

Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (£4.19)

I could probably cut this open and get the last of it out although I've had it for an awfully long time now and its got to that stage were its starting to dry up. I think a replacement is needed ASAP!

E45 Endless Moisture Daily Care (£3.00)

For some reason my local Superdrug had loads of these for just 99p the other week, I picked up a couple of bottles and fell in love with the stuff. In each bottle you get a huge 300ml of product - and believe me when I say a little goes a long way! 

The Body Shop Strawberry shower gel (£4.00)

I was trying to saver this, and was gutted when I finally finished it! It has a lovely subtle smell to it, which isn't too artificial like most brands although For me £4 for a little bottle of shower gel seems a tad pricey - But I loved it that much that I might have to treat myself to another bottle soon! 

2 x Superdrug Skin Restoring Oil (£6.69)

I'm really on the fence with this product, While I did quite like this. Its meant to be a cheaper alternative to other oils on the market, although even at half price there are other oils which still work out cheaper. I found I went through each bottle in under two weeks - Which didn't exactly seem like value for money.

 Natural Collection Apple & Lime Shower Gel (£2.00)

I was pretty happy to finish this, It wasn't my favourite product from the natural collection range and reminded me far too much of grass. I couldn't find this product on the Boots website so I've linked to the Apple and lime body spray - My guess is they smell the same.

Sanex Zero (£2.85)

I was out of shower gel one day and made a run for my sample draw when I discovered this. I know the whole point is that its free from a lot of nasty chemicals, although I found it boring. Not a product for me I'm afraid. 

Neutrogena 2-in-1 Wash and Mask

I know it was only yesterday I did a skincare post on St Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub, but I thought it was only fair to write about its Partner in crime Neutrogena's Visibly clear 2-in-1 Wash and Mask which I picked up on the same day I brought the Scrub in Superdrug for just £1.99. 

'The 2in1 mask can be used both as an every day facial cleansing wash to remove dirt and oil build up and prevent blemishes or as a weekly mask for deep down cleansing action.'

I really like the idea of this product being both a wash and a mask. I rarely stay loyal to a product so I figured at least if I give up on using it as a daily wash, I can still use it as a mask. Although Since I picked it up its been what I find myself reaching for when it comes to washing my face. I love the thick clay texture it has to it and recall a few weeks back reading about a REN cleanser that worked in the same way. I have noticed a change in my skin and feel this is a great product for anyone with spot prone skin. I have seen a few posts where some bloggers found it drying when they used it to often although I cant say I've experienced that (I have normal/blemish prone skin for reference). I haven't used this too much as a mask although I find it easy to through on while I'm in the bath/shower if I feel the need for a deeper clean on my face. Sadly this is back up to £3.99 in superdrug, but I still think its a great price! 

St Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub

I struggle to stick a skincare routine, I often find myself half way through a product before getting bored and trailing a new one. Although since I picked up this St Ives scrub a couple of weeks ago, It is pretty much all I've been reaching for (along with my 2-in-1 wash and mask from Neutrogena).

'St Ives Blemish Fighting Facial Scrub. St. Ives captures the secrets of naturally beautiful and healthy looking skin in this deep cleansing formula that gently exfoliates, removing oil, dirt and dull skin cells.'

I wasn't having the best of times with my skin when I started to use this scrub, although I found after using it for just two weeks the product has left  my skin feeling softer as well as looking so much clearer. It has quite a strong smell to it (which I first thought smelt a little like alcohol) although its nothing too offensive and I found the product rather pleasant to use. Unlike most high street scrubs it isn't overly gentle or harsh on skin. I feel like this scrub is perfect for my blemish prone skin and hopefully something I stick to for a long time to come.

You can currently pick this up for just £1.99 in superdrug (normally £4.38)

Revlon Mineral Blush in Petal

I'm always on the look out for the perfect blush for my skin tone, so when I saw that the lovely Sasha from Ramblings of a beauty bird was selling this Colorstay Mineral blush in Petal from Revlon - I had to have it! 

The few reviews I've seen online have been very negative towards this product, although personally I cant see why because colour wise its everything I look for in a product. 'Petal' delivers a sheer wash of natural looking highlight to your face - Which is perfectly buildable if you wish to do so.

I don't have a problem with the packaging, the simple black and clear plastic casing makes it easier to throw into your handbag - plus there's a little brush for on the go applications (although I cant say I've used it yet), I've been applying with my Eco Tools blush brush and find that does a great job.

 The only problem I did have with this product was one I've seen reported by many - The blush was already loose meaning it just feel right out. I just fixed it with some glue and it was fine afterwords. I just think Revlon should rethink this method of gluing if they bring it to the UK.

I  adore this blusher and have been reaching for it daily (which is rare for me), It's not available in the UK yet although I did find this ebay seller who sells the blusher for just £3.99 (plus 75p P&P)

Win Vitamin E's Hot Cloth Cleanser!

A few posts back I wrote about this cleanser, It's a personal favourite and a great dupe for Liz Earle's famouse cleanse  and polish which is why I want to give one of you guys a chance to try it out for yourselves!

I've hit a lot of milestones lately with my blog and wanted to do this giveaway as a way to say thank you to my existing readers aswell as to welcome new ones. Everyone's allowed to enter whether you're old or new although there are a couple of ways to enter just for my existing followers as a special way to say thanks for sticking by me! This giveaway ends on the 7th of September! (at 12:01am EST time) - UK only, Sorry I cant afford to ship half way around the world! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Free Murad Essential-C Cleanser

I've already posted about this months magazine freebies here, At the time I wasn't tempted enough to run out and pick any of the offers up although when I spotted this in Tesco last night I had to get my copy! The free Essential-C Cleanser from Murad is a fantastic 45ml - Which is a lot bigger than I expected from a sample size. There are also a couple of offers within the magazine such as the free luxury lavender foaming bath from L'occitane worth £8 for every reader (you just have to complete the voucher and take it to your nearest L'occitane boutique) aswell as the free Murad anti-ageing serum worth £50 (although these were only available to the first 2000 people to apply)

I look forward to trying this Cleanser, It gives off a lovely citrus smell and has quite a few orange beads floating around which seem intriguing! Did you pick up any magazine freebies this month?

Avon Color Trend Pressed Powder

I've made it pretty clear that I was excited to see the relaunch of Avon's Color Trend range, I adore the new packaging and think its a massive improvement on the old design!  I feel the new white packaging gives the line a more modern feel, as well as feeling like it could take a beating or two.

Like the rest of the newly updated range Color Tend's final touch pressed powder comes housed in white plastic casing complete with a clear lid - There's also a sponge added for on the go applications. I couldn't find much of a description online but here's what Avon had to say about it on their website: 'Oil-free pressed powder with SPF10. 10g'

I was a little worried that the powder would be too dark for my pale skin tone - but it matches me perfectly and I really love the 'flawless' look it gives my skin. I use my Eco Tools brush to apply this and find that the powder pretty much lasts all day.

You can pick this up for just £4.25 over at Avons website here, although its currently in the 'buy one choose one for one pound offer'

What do you guys think of Color Trends new look?

Witch anti-blemish Beauty Balm

It's no secret that I'm already a huge fan of the Witch Anti-blemish cosmetics range, So as you can imagine I was over the moon when I heard they were releasing there own BB cream (Since they're pretty much all I've been wearing this Summer!) At  just £6.99/50ml this product gives other highstreet contenders a real run for their money.

What Witch say ' Witch Anti-blemish Beauty Balm’s clever, multi-action formula, is designed to cater for all skin tones, boosting your natural beauty and delivering flawless looking skin. With witch hazel extract, our unique BB cream will offer a skin-clearing formula, as well as delivering a smoothing and picture-perfect, beautiful finish: Provides all day hydration, Contains 8% witch hazel, Provides UVA and UVB protection with SPF15, Creates a naturally flawless look, blurs imperfections and evens skin tone and Dermatologically tested'

From that product description alone, this product sounds pretty damn impressive! And I have to agree with pretty much all of it, when using this BB cream my skin is left smooth, hydrated and even 'flawless' looking. Without concealer it does a great job at masking any blemishes that crop up on my face and evening out my skin tone. I've noticed that this BB cream is a quite pale shade (with a bit of a pinky tone to it) - which is pretty much perfect for me although its not one for darker skin tones since it only comes in this one shade.

I really love this product, although its really sad that the colour cant cater for everyone - Hopefully they'll release more shades soon! Have you guys tried this product?

Moroccan Argan Oil by Avon

For a while now I've wanted to try Moroccan oil but I've been put off by the rather expensive price tag, So as you can imagine I was quick to order when I saw Avon were selling there own version along with a shampoo and conditioner. For nearly a week now I have been putting these products to the test - Here are my thoughts on them.

Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Leave in Treatment - £5.50

This is probably the thing I was most exited for when trying the new Advance Techniques range, I was really surprised to see it was actually in a glass bottle! With just a couple of pumps on wet hair this product leaves my hair smooth, soft and manageable. I was a little worried about using an oil in my hair (especially after the hot weather over the weekend) but it didn't leave it greasy in fact along with the shampoo and conditioner my hair felt more ' bouncy'  - Its a winner in my book, Especially when you consider that 25ml of the original Moroccanoil treatment costs £12.85 whereas this costs £5.50 for 30ml - Although its currently on offer for just £2.99. Plus it smells lovely!

Advance Techniques 360 Nourishment Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner - £2.80 each

If you read this blog often you may know about my current love affair with my Dove nourishing oil shampoo and conditioner - Which I don't tend to put down! Although I find this works in a similar way to the Dove range I think I prefer using this Avon one. I have very long hair and go through shampoo and conditioner bottles extremely quickly, but with this I don't feel the need to use loads. I still have over half the bottles left which is pretty amazing for me after a whole week! I love the way this makes my hair feel and could really notice the difference after just one use! They're currently just £1.50 each!

I cant get enough of this trio, and think I'll have to stock up while they're on offer! Have you guys tried this range?!

Superdrug's Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser

In the many months I have owned (and loved) this cleanser, I haven't gotten round to actually giving it it's own post. I figured there's no time like the present after seeing this amazing 2 for £3.99 offer in Superdrug today (even the lady who served me commented on how much of a bargain it was).

I had been using the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser when I first picked this up and was looking for a cheaper alternative. From the first use I fell in love - In fact I loved it more than the famous Liz Earle's version. I found that Superdrugs Vitamin E Hot Cloth Cleanser left my skin feeling deeply cleansed and radiant like the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish although the creamy formula the Vitamin E has to offer leaves my skin feeling softer and more moisturised. For just £5.99 you get a massive 200ml of product and a muslin cloth (Which works out amazing value - especially with this deal)

I'd recommend snapping this up while they work out just £2.00 each!

Top budget buys for £2 and under

Last week I showed you guys my top budget buys for a pound and under in this post, So I figured it was about time for me to show you my favourite items you can get for just £2 and under!

Glamour Magazine - £2.00

I know some of you probably looked at the first image and thought 'what?' after all brands such as Benefit and Balance me aren't the cheapest on the block. Which is one of the reasons I love Glamour Magazine, Okay so its not technically a product but a lot of the time Glamour really do have some amazing freebies and what's even better is that its priced how a magazine should be! I don't understand why most seem to think its fine to charge nearly £4 for a magazine! Over the past few months I have managed to collect and test a range of great products thanks to my trusty £2 Glamour Magazine! 

Natural Collection Lash Care Mascara - £1.99

I don't tend to use up make up products very often but last week I managed to finish my first tube of this! It does a great job and holding in my brows in place all day at under £2 its such a bargain! I think I need to pick up a new one ASAP especially while they're currently 3 for £5!

Boots Essentials Cucumber Eye Gel - £1.52

I love having a tube of this in my bedside table, Its a lovely little light refresher for your eye area and something that I will be buying again if I ever run out. I cant say it will prevent winkles and save your skin from ageing but for £1.52 who cares? I love the way my under eyes feel after use!

Natural Collection Lipsticks - £1.99 

The fact that you cant get these on the boots website really annoys me because they're great little buys (And in my boots the lipsticks happen to be at the bottom of the stand!) I own two of the 'Sheer Natural Lip colours' in Sorbet and Lotus - As the name suggests these give a great sheer finish, perfect if like me you prefer a natural one. I also own a Moisture shine lipstick in 'Rose Petal' which is a much more pigmented product. I really want to add more to my collection and at £1.99 you cant really go wrong.

Primarks Detangler Brush - £1.50

Like the Tangle Teezer the Primark Detangler brush has with different length bristles designed to get through your hair and give pain free detangling. It does a great job at just a snip of the Tangle Teezers price!

What would be on your £2 and under list?

Deal of the day: H&M

For quite a while now I've had my eyes on the above Blazer, I think I would have happily paid the full price of £34.99 for it because I loved it so much! When I spotted it in the sale for just £12.99 I knew I had to pick it up - Although I HATE paying  for H&M delivery. It just seems way too overpriced considering how long they normally take. So I went on the search for a free delivery code when I found this website. Currently You can get £5 off of your order with the code '1304' and an extra 10% off plus free delivery with '0153' (Which can both be used at the same time and on sale items!) The grand total of my order was just £6.69 including delivery! Will you be making the most of this offer?!

Things I've brought lately. . .

Over the past month or so I haven't had that much money floating around to treat myself, Of course that all changed on results day when random family members began to throw their money at me this week, I also made £30 on eBay too along with receiving a lovely package from the other side of the world! So I thought I'd do a little round up of products I've brought in the past couple of days (Which I will eventually be reviewed - Let me know if you want to hear about a product and I'll try and post one ASAP!)

Superdrug

Being me I had to take advantage of all the wonderful deals Superdrug had to offer this month, So far I'm loving the Scrub and wash (which I have used twice) and the mascara does a great job on my brows - I cant comment on the Beauty balm or Therapy oil because I only picked them up today but they look promising!

St. Ives Blemish Fighting Scrub - £4.38 (currently on offer for £1.99)

 Neutrogena 2-in-1 wash and mask - £3.99 (Currently on offer for £1.99)

Palmer's Skin Therapy Oil - £9.49 (Currently on offer for £6.49)
Collection 2000 Colour Lash clear mascara - £1.99

Witch Anti Blemish beauty balm - £6.99 (Currently on offer for £3.49)

Avon

A couple of weeks ago my friend brought her Avon  book round and I couldn't resist picking up some bits from the 'Moroccain Argan oil range' along with the newly revamped 'Colortrend range' which I love the new packaging for. For just £10 for all of this you cant go wrong! I picked up my order yesterday and am happy so far!

Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil Shampoo - £2.80 (Currently on offer for £1.50)

Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil conditioner - £2.80 (currently on offer for £1.50)

Advance Techniques Moroccan Argan Oil leave in treatment £5.50 (currently on offer for £2.99)

Colortend pressed powder in translucent - £4.75 (Currently two for £4)
Colortrend lipstick in Flirt -£3.75 (Currently two for £4)

Gifts

A lovely friend of mine sent me these in the post, I probably wouldn't have picked the colours she did for myself, but I'm so happy she choose them! I love both shades especially the lipgloss which I have been wearing everyday since I got it! In case your wondering the Revlon lipstick shade is 'Orchid' and the eyeshadow 'Tough as taupe'


Have you guys brought anything interesting lately?

Tango with Mango Lip Palette

Last week I picked this lovely mix and Mingle Palette from Revlon along with its sister product 'Hello Honey' for just a £1! I did a little research and it appears that before hitting poundland these retailed for about $10 each!

The 'Tango with Mango' palette showcases three lovely shades; a bright coraly colour, a bronzey pink colour (Which appears almost purple in pan form) and a classic nude. These colours work great for mixing together to create your own shades or even wearing alone.

I quite like the idea of having these to chuck in my handbag for when you feel like a pop of colour! At just £1 for both, you cant really go wrong!

Meet Lyn..

. . . A blogger, Youtuber and an all round lovely person. 

For a long time now Lyn and I have been great friends despite living on opposite sides of the world. And let me tell you, this girl knows more about make up than I ever will! Along with running the lovely lynzical blog, Lyn now has her own youtube channel where she showcases her amazing eyeliner skills (which I will always lack - Thank god for felt liners!)  Be sure to make her day and leave some video suggestions for her! Personally I love discovering new bloggers and would love to make this a regular thing since some of you have such lovely blogs that deserve more attention. So please let me know of what you think of posts like this! 

Superdrug Cucumber Cooling Mask

I really enjoy using face marks, although most of the time I'm probably guilty of not using them as much as I should do. I find that they are one of the best ways to give your skin an extra treat leaving it feeling clean and soft.  When browsing in Superdrug  last week I was pretty happy to spot Superdrug's huge new range of 99p face marks - After all who doesn't love a bargain!

I wasn't left too impressed by this 'cucumber cooling clay mask' - Don't get me wrong it wasn't the worst face mask I've tried, but it was pretty far from the best. A thing I quite loved about it was the amount of product given in one of these packets - I didn't exactly apply the mask sparingly yet I still got two whole applications out of it (I reckon I could have got three if I was careful!)  I found that the mask was really easy to apply and more importantly it didn't end up everywhere! It was pretty much as comfortable as a clay mask gets when wearing it for the required time (Which I think was about 10 minutes - I already binned the packet like the rubbish blogger I am, Sorry!). But after that is where the problems start. This mask was so stubborn to get off - To the point where in the end I just picked up a flannel and got rid of it both times because I couldn't be bothered with washing my face all night. All of that work honestly didn't seem worth it, my face just felt weird after use. It didn't meet the promises that the 'clay mask will eliminate impurities and sooth skin for a vibrant fresh faced look'' - Although after a while my skin did feel a little softer, once it was past the weird tight feeling stage.  I'm not put off the whole range completely, for 99p I think I'll be giving a few more a try (probably avoiding the clay ones for now).