September Favourites

Hello everyone!

I feel like this month has gone by in such a blur, I have been extremely busy in all aspects of my life. I hope you guys have been enjoying this month as much as me, it can be one of the most exciting times of the year! What with the returns to school and university and the change in seasons :-) 

This month I have been really loving all things cosy! I'm a big one for putting on a tv show as background noise when I'm tidying, unpacking and doing general house chores. I'm currently watching Vampire Diaries seasons 1 and 5 simultaneously. I've been watching a bit of season 5 to try to catch up and to help me chill out in the evenings. Season 1 is a re-watch as background noise! I love this series so much, it's so corny and un-realistic, but I don't care. I unapologetically love it! :-) 

Two of the key things to a cosy TV evening are candles and chocolate. My number one favourite form of chocolate is the much adored Terry's Chocolate Orange. Some people think these should only be a Christmas food, however, I disagree and eat them all year round! I recently bought this Ghost Stories candle from Old Glow Candles. They do a huge range of bookish and movie themed candles, that are affordable and smell amazing! My housemates personal favourite is Wonderland which is quite a sweet smell, like a cake. Ghost Stories is a bit more fresh, like wood and leaves, so it's definitely getting me in the mood for autumn :-) 

In terms of beauty I have been loving my Benefit Air Patrol eyeshadow primer. I do extremely long days, so it is vital that my makeup stays in place. I go with the logic of "if I look good, then I'll feel better". This primer is perfect for me, it doesn't irritate my eyes the way some others do and my eyeshadow honestly does not fade at all! Even after a 12 hour day!! 

Handling lots of animal patients means that I wash my hands a million times each day, which can be a nightmare for dry skin. My saviour for this is the La Main Verte hand moisturiser from Lush, it is super refreshing and could even be called a little spicy. It's really creamy so I can work it right into my hands and really feel my skin drinking it in. The richness of the rose oil, cocoa butter and almond oil feels like a proper nutrient punch for my hands. 

My final September favourite is a mushy one! Can I put Mr.GingerSnap as a monthly favourite? With going back to university and rotating in the teaching hospital for long, stressful hours I have been needing a lot of TLC! He has had the Starbucks pumpkin spice hot chocolates and cuddles at the ready, such a lifesaver! :-) 

What have you been loving this month? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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London Cosmetics Haul

Hello everyone! 

It feels like forever since I last did a haul post! I think it's because I tend to buy new products in bits and bobs rather than one big splurge. This is in the vague hope that I will feel less guilty for decimating my purse...it doesn't work! Anyway I went to London last week with my Mam to keep her company to and from work. While she was working I decided to do a little bit of cheeky shopping! 

My first stop was of course the infamous Lush shop on Oxford Street. It's hard not to pop in when I'm so close! I have been mentally preparing for the dry skin that comes with autumn breezes and damp weather by planning a new and improved skin care routine. To aid this I wanted to try out a few new products in store and decide what suited me. The shop assistant was so helpful and spent at least 30 minutes talking me through products and trying out treatments. 

In the end I mixed it up by getting a facial soap and a steam toner. Yes, that was not a typo, I meant to write a steam toner. For those who, like me last week, don't know what that is, it's a small tablet (similar to a dish washer tablet) which you put in a small amount of water. You then put a towel over your head while it hangs over the bowl of water and you use the steam as a toning treatment. Afterwards you can pour the water into a small bottle and keep it as a normal toner for the next weeknas long as it is refrigerated. I went for Dream Steam, which has the most lovely scent! It smells of rose, lavender and chamomile blue oil, with a slight hint of tea tree oil. Apparently it is really good for dry or sensitive skin as it opens up your pores so the oils can be absorbed properly :-) 

Now for the facial soap! I went for Fresh Farmacy because I loved the scent of elderflower and calamine, it is simply delightful. It makes me think of meadows! The chamomile blue oil and lavender oil make it feel very soothing on the skin. It is super creamy and lathers up beautifully. The different elements provide antiseptic and soothing properties, as well as helping to restore the natural balance of your skin. 

I couldn't go to London without nipping into Abercrombie and Fitch to pick up a new bottle of Fierce. I love this scent to pieces, even though it is a men's cologne I think it can smell quite feminine on the right person. Over the years it has become my signature scent. The sandalwood fragrance makes me feel so refreshed and ready to take on the day! 

Another sign that summer is almost over is my fading tan. Not that I had much of a tan anyway, let's face it, as a red-head I am rather porcelain skinned. However, I do still need different shades from summer to winter. Sadly my current foundation is getting a tad too dark for me now, so I went in search of a new one. The Nars Sheer Glow foundations have been raved about on the blogosphere for years and it was about time I tried one! In case you are wondering my shade is Light 4 Deauville. I loved how well it worked with my skin, the coverage is medium, but buildable without feeling heavy on my skin. I felt like my skin did glow and was still well moisturised by the end of the day. Another aspect I liked was the buying the pump separately part. It means I can recycle it for future products and help the environment in some small way :-) 

I did a tad of clothes shopping when I was there so if you would like to see those pieces then let me know in the comments below! Please do tell me what you think of these products if you've tried them :-) 

xoxo

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Sample Sunday - Lush

Hello everyone! 

It's Sunday again so it's time to look at some samples! Lush is such a well loved shop throughout the entire world and the vast majority of beauty bloggers have written about them at some point. However, they are constantly updating their products to keep it fresh so it's worth popping in every now and again to check for new things :-) 

Having sensitive skin means that I like to try things out first as a sample before I buy them. The shop assistants are more than happy to provide samples where possible, especially for skin care. With the onset of winter I want to up my skin care game and really go all out for moisture. To achieve this I have turned to Lush, trying out two products this time. 

The first is the much acclaimed Dream Cream body lotion. This product is aimed at dryer skin or people suffering from mild eczema. I get a bit of hay fever related dry skin on the backs of my arms and I want to get rid of it and feel confident getting my arms out while I still can! The Dream Cream actually feels like cool silk when I rub it in, soaking in almost immediately and leaving my skin feeling soft and calmed for hours. It smells subtle and like most normal body lotions, being primarily made up of cocoa butter. It also has hints of rose oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil and oat milk to help your skin feel soothed, yet invigorated. Since using this my skin has calmed down a lot and I am definitely planning on buying a full size tub. This is a real winner for me! 

The second sample is the Aqua Marina fresh cleanser. This cleanser is not a makeup remover, it's aimed at people cleansing in the morning, after a makeup free day or for when you do a double cleanse after taking off your makeup. This product feels quite luxurious and I am very much enjoying trying it out. I was slightly concerned that the seaweed would feel rough on my sensitive skin, but it is actually quite soothing. It smells a little odd, but it isn't unpleasant. I think it smells quite beach-like with the Irish moss seaweed, aloe vera and calamine powder. I could imagine Ariel and her mermaid sisters using this! It's soft on the skin and very rich, so I think I would make this an occasional product rather than an everyday cleanser. Maybe for every 2-3 day use for a deeper cleanse. 

Have you tried these products? Let me know what you think in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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Lava Lamp Laughs

Hello everyone! 

Now, you all know how much I love Lush products, especially the bath bombs, and so far I haven't really had anything I haven't loved. I had heard loads about the bath bomb called Lava Lamp, people have been raving about these for months! 

It looks amazing from the outside, orange and spotted with purple, hinting at what delights are to be found on the inside. I also immediately fell in love with the scent, it is super fresh and tangy. It really makes you feel relaxed and fresh after your hot bath, which is perfect when you spend so much of the summer feeling sticky. 

Please excuse the ugly bath, it is being replaced next week :-)  

I swear the colours look nicer in real life haha! 

Once I put it in the hot water it was wonderful, it made the most satisfying sizzling sound as it dissolved. It also looked great, the deeper water turned this gorgeous shade of burnt umber! The top was bubbly and fluffy with swirls of purple running through it. The scent is a little strong, but still really lovely. The strongest tone is the tangy tangerine and orange flower, with the warmer undertones of cocoa butter coming through once you immerse yourself in the water. 

This was the point when the bath went brown!

This bath bomb made my skin feel really beautiful, more beautiful than the bath at the end! As the bomb dissolved more, the water turned a murky browny-orange colour, but who cares? It smelt nice and felt good and that's what counts! However, what I didn't count on was the bath being quite so stained by the purple. Anywhere the water had splashed upwards the bath had stained bright violet and it was quite hard to get the colour out... I managed after a while, but it took a bit of scrubbing. My bath is really old and about to be replaced, so it does tend to stain more so maybe it would be fine in a different one :-) 

Have any of you tried this bath bomb? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

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June Favourites

Hello everyone, 

June has been quite a busy month for me, I moved back from Paris and started the next stage of my course as well as planning summer placements. It has been all go for the entirety of the month. This shows itself in my favourites, they all follow a more relaxing trend. When you are rushing around it is more important than ever to take time for yourself. If you don’t you’ll end up burning out and feeling rubbish. I know, I know, the whole “remember to take me time” thing is easier said than done, but I promise you it is worth it! 

A key part of this month for me has been pampering. Once a week I have been making a real effort to have a full on pampering session. This goes from head to toe, I’ll do a mask on my hair, do loads of wonderfully girly treatments for my face and body and paint my toe nails. If anyone would like a pamper routine post then let me know in the comments below :-)

I know it says La Main Verte, but I bought it in Paris :-) 

The Handy Gurugu Lush cream has been my saviour. With what I do I end up washing my hands a million times a day with some harsh products, particularly hibi-scrub. It is great for disinfection, but leaves my skin disgustingly dry and dehydrated. To counteract this, I have been using this cream twice each day. Once when I come in from uni and again as I sit up in bed reading, blogging, working or watching videos. It has the most lovely peppery smell, making me think of summer gardens. It’s very rich and takes a while to soak in, but it is so worth the wait. 

I know I have mentioned this product as a favourite so many times, but I just have to add it in again. The Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in 02 Raspberry is beautiful, you should all try it. Enough said on that one! 

Spending time with my housemate is also very important. When you both have busy schedules it can be hard to find time to catch up on the day, but it is vital for maintaining a happy house vibe. With this in mind, we have several Netflix programmes we watch together. Our favourite has to be Once Upon A Time. I freakin’ love this show! We have been trying to watch an episode each night and it has been fabulous. I am a little late to the party on this one, but better late than never eh? 

Sorry this has been a bit of a short favourites! Hopefully I will have many beauty related posts for you in the near future. Let me know what you have been loving in June in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

Luscious Valentines

Hello everyone, 

With Valentines Day on the approach shops have been amping up the publicity by releasing their Valentines Day collections. This means there is a sea of pink, purple and red colours with heart motifs agogo in town! Now I love Valentines Day as much as the next girl and love any excuse for romance and spoiling my man, or being spoilt by him… 

Lush always have exciting collections and I’m sure you all know how I feel about their fantastic moral stance. Their collection this year is particularly thrilling, come on, it features unicorns!! 

The Unicorn Horn bubble bar was so incredibly exciting when I spotted it, I couldn’t wait for Valentine’s day to use it. It is beautifully crafted like a pole on a merry go round. The swirls of pink, yellow and blue can’t help but put you in mind a carnival. Once crumbled it creates a lovely pale pink bath with myriad sparkly bubbles, bliss! The scent is delicate, but stays on your skin after bathing. The ylang ylang is particularly rejuvenating and after a long day on your feet makes you feel relaxed and ready for the next day. The only little downside, which I think is fab, but is less fab for poor Mr.Gingersnap is that it leaves you rather glittery…to the amusement of his friends! 

The Love Lamp bath bomb is quite unusual as it has small red hearts secreted inside it which come out at the product dissipates in the bath. It has the most gorgeous scent of chocolate orange, vanilla and orange oil, overall a very pleasant citrus scent. I haven’t tried this yet, as I’m saving it for the actual day, but it looks and smells fantastic. Perfect for pre-date pampering or a romantic date for two. 

I love the way the shower gel is called Prince Charming! Looking at I expected it to be a more rose or sweet scented product, but it actually smells of pomegranate, one of my favourite fruits. If you are worried about the grapefruit being overpowering, don’t be, it simply adds a more refreshing tang to the vanilla, cocoa and pomegranate combo. It is also fluorescent pink when on your skin, but do not fear it washes off a treat and smells heavenly! 

The Kiss lip gloss was what I was most excited about as my lips have been suffering so much with the winter. It is a lovely pastel pink colour and leaves an iridescent sheen on the lips. It’s not as smooth as I expected and is quite grainy until it melts on your lips a bit more. I was a little disappointed that it is more of a tinted balm than an actual gloss. However, it tastes really yummy, you definitely get the khalari melon and jojoba favour. 

Last, but not least is the Rose All The Way soap. It lathers up wonderfully and leaves your hands super silky. The scent is quite faint with just a hint of rose oil and syrup, which is perfect if you don’t want an overpowering blast of scent every time you wash your hands. 

There are two more Valentine’s products coming out and one that I didn’t try. I chose not to try the Kiss lip scrub as my lips are quite sensitive at the minute, but I think it would really help anyone with dry skin. There is a 1000 kisses perfume and a Lovebirds soap being made at this very moment, I think they come out on the 8th ad 5th of February :-) 

Are you guys excited about this year’s collections? Have any other products caught your eye? Let me know in the comments below :-) 

xoxo

Lounging and Lush

Hello everyone, 

I hope you are all having a fab holiday and enjoying the down time between Christmas and the New Year! Now I am definitely not a party animal and have never really liked going clubbing on crowded dates like New Year's Eve so I have a very different party planned for myself. I am going to have a pamper party in my own house, I am planning on doing my nails, a face pack, moisturising and chilling out with a good book! I even have a Lush bubble bar left to use up so I think it will be perfect. 

I wanted to share my love of Lush with your guys today, I think they are such a fab company and they have such good morals. All their products are ethically bought and vegetarian, if not vegan. Almost all wrapping is recyclable and they don't test their products on animals. Add that to their amazing scents and luxurious products and they become a real winner in my eyes! My boyfriend knows how much I love their products and surprised me just before Christmas with two bubble bars for my bath. He chose Karma and Peeping Santa. We used the Peeping Santa last week and it was so lovely, the bath water turned a very festive red and there were so many bright, opalescent bubbles, it was a bit like having a bath in Santa's coat pocket really! Oh my Lord, the scent was fabulous, I don't like it when things are overpowering, and this one was perfect with a warming smell of cocoa and shea butter combined with hints of bergamot, geranium and strawberry. A feast for the senses, it was a warming and soothing scent that lingered on my skin long after my bath. 

I will be using Karma tonight and I know it will be a winner as I have used it before and raved about it :-) I loved the orange and lemon grass scents to it, they are so fresh! I think I will also curl up on the sofa with my partner, a nice hot chocolate sprinkled with mini marshmallows and my book like I did in these photos. What do you guys have planned for tonight? Let me know in the comments below! 

xoxo