Pre-Wedding Pampering.

With a special occasion such as this wedding coming up I've been indulging in lots of pampering to get me feeling and looking my best, so I decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to share with you some of my favourite pampering products, both old and new.

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First of all, leading up to any big occasion my skin is my top priority, so I go to extra lengths to prevent breakouts by drinking more water, eating more fruit and veg and getting more sleep but I also like to give my skin that extra bit of T.L.C.

For me, my skins ultimate savior has been the Balance Me Pure Skin Face Wash which has seen my number of breakouts reduce and my skin tone improve, a fantastic product for sensitive skin. To provide my face with a deeper cleanse every other day when using my face wash I use this Massaging Face Brush from Avon which leaves my skin looking brighter and firmer. At the start of the week I like to relax with my Mankua Doctor ApiNourish Rejuvenating Face Mask which helps my skin recover from the weekend, I then use it the day of the event as I can relax with it on for half an hour sknowing it is hydrating my skin, not drying it out. Whilst relaxing with my face mask on I wear my Gel Eye Mask which was just £1 from Primark and makes a nice change from tea bags! This eye mask helps to reduce puffiness and the appearance of dark rings.

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When it comes to my body, I can't stand having dry skin, unfortunately we all have those problem areas and for me its my knees and feet caused by working with small children and going to the gym. Over the years I have tried lots of different products to get results that last and I now think I've found them.

For my birthday I received my first ever Lush set, which included the incredible Rub, Rub, Rub, Shower Scrub. This product is a fantastic exfoliator that leaves skin feeling soft and refreshed, it also smells amazing! I go on to use my Molton Brown Body Wash, which I am currently using in Pink Pepperpod, followed by the Molton Brown Nourishing Body Lotion, which keeps my skin, including my knees, looking and feeling hydrated all day.

For my feet I purchased The Body Shop's Peppermint Soothing Foot Scrub and Intensive Foot Rescue cream.Though the foot scrub has a brilliant cooling and hydrating feel it doesn't seem to do much, however the Foot Rescue Cream is amazing and I noticed results after just two days! I have used this every day this week and my feet feel fantastic. Of course I will not be using it today as moisturising feet before wearing heels is never a good idea unless you want blisters!

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Finally, my favourite part of getting ready for a special occasion is painting my nails. Pretty hands are a must  which is why it is so important to make sure your cuticles are pushed back before you paint your nails, you can do this easily and gently using an Orange Stick. For the wedding I am wearing gold jewellery so to get the perfect nail varnish colour I will be applying Revlon Gold Coin first which has great coverage and sparkle, but is a few shades too light, followed by a coat of No7 Hot To Trot, which is dark but not very thick.


I'm now off to apply my face mask and put my feet up before getting ready for the wedding this afternoon.


Have a lovely bank holiday weekend.

Birthday Presents Part 2.

I received so many amazing presents for my birthday, my bag and my sandals which I shared with you in Birthday Presents Part 1, lots of gorgeous clothes which you can expect to see in outfit posts over the next couple of months and loads of fabulous beauty treats, my favourite of which I wanted to share with you today.

I'm going to say something now that many shock many of you but here goes.. I have never used a lush product! I know it's crazy right and after using their products I feel even crazier, it's just I've always been more of a shower gal, finding dancing more fun that just laying around. However since starting my blog I have realised I need to take a lot more time out to just relax and have actually become rather fond of a soak in the bath.

This Hello Gorgeous Lush Set is perfect for any girl who's into a spot of pampering and includes 5 amazing products, some of which I have fallen head over heels in love with.

I shall start with my favourite Rub, Rub, Rub, this sea salt scrub works wonders on dry skin and smells sooo good, it reminds me of a slush puppy both in colour and texture. Though blue in the pot, upon applying it turns white and you can feel it exfoliating your skin gently. Now you can apply this to wet or dry skin but I have been using it on dry skin for a really good buff then getting into the shower and applying a small amount of water to have a second, gentler scrub as the product lathers up. 

On its own Rub Rub Rub is incredible but when followed by Vanilla Dee-Lite your'e left with smooth, hydrated skin that will last all day and night, perfect for showing off your legs in that summer dress. This lotion has a delicious scent that lasts just as long as it's amazing results. It absorbs fairly quickly meaning you're not left feeling sticky though you do end up using a quite a bit, but at least you won't need to reapply throughout the day.  

Though small, this sample of the Gorgeous facial moisturiser is lasting such a long time as you only need a small amount due to how well it spreads. It goes on smoothly and soaks in leaving you with a healthy glow as opposed to a sticky shine like some moisturisers and you can feel the results all day, no tightening of the skin, and no dry patches.

Last in the box are The Comforter, a blackcurrant scented bubble bar and Sakura, a mimosa, jasmine and citrus scented bath bomb. As I said above baths aren't really my thing but these both left me feeling clean and refreshed and definitely made me enjoy them that bit more, especially The Comforter which turns the water pink and surrounds you by bubbles.

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As well as the gift set from Lush I was treated to two wonderful Molton Brown Poducts in my favourite scent Orange and Bergamot.

The first product is their Replenishing Hand Cream which I have been carrying around with me everywhere. Working with children my hands go through a lot and to keep them looking and feeling nice I am constantly applying moisturiser, now with this product I don't need to do it as often as it soaks deep into the skin and my hands feel softer for longer even after washing they still feel smooth and smell amazing.

The second product was the Orange & Begamot Eau Fraiche, a lovely 100ml spray that's perfect for summer. This scent makes me feel like I'm sat in the sun surrounded by flowers and though that may sound stupid it's true, its such a fresh, summery, relaxing scent that I simply adore.

Have you tried any of these products?

Rodial Stemcell Superfood Glam Balm.

I want to apologise for the delay in my posts however it has been my birthday and I've been busy enjoying myself down in Cornwall. I've had such an amazing time and was well and truely spoilt but with that said, I have really missed blogging so was eager to write one at the first opportunity.

Now, since my amazing Balance Me freebies in Glamour I have be checking out the magazine isle a lot and last week I found something I was so excited to try in this months Red, Rodials Stemcell Superfood Glam Balm Multi.

I already own the Rodial Stemcell Superfood Glam Balm for Lips, and I love it, it's got such a good shine and leaves my lips looking healthy and plump though it is slightly sticky. The Multi one is also rather sticky so I have only been using it at night time. When I first put it on and it didn't soak in I was really scared I was going to wake up with a face full of spots and almost washed it off, but I braved it for you and I'm so glad I did.

Rodial claim that this product "is designed to feed skin with essential nutrition, restoring moisture and balance... and quickly reduce the look of fine lines" and I am happy to say that their claim is correct. I woke up to smooth, glowing skin that felt hydrated, tighter and no long sticky. I also felt as though my skin looked plumper and creases faded faster after smiling.

Both of the Rodial products have a strange sort of smell but it isn't horrible, and though sticky they are really good and I have thoroughly enjoyed using the Stemcell Superfood Glam Balm Multi this week.

At £35 I'm not sure it's a product I would incorporate into my routine as I'm not one for going to bed with things on my face, but for just £4 with Red I'm going to be picking up another.

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Multi, £35 // Lip, £17
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Have you bought this months issue of Red?

Take Care Of Your Hair.

After going blonde a few years back my hair was left dry, damaged and looking awful so since then I've gone to great lengths to get it back to its full, shiny and healthy self. To do this I've washed it less, used less products, almost completely stopped blow drying it and have only styled it when necessary. During this time I've tested many differerent shampoos and conditioners and discovered the amazing brush that is No Tangles by Macadamia.

There are lots of brushes similar to this one on the market but this is by far the best. For starters it has a handle unlike many, secondly it's the best quality with long flexible bristles to get through hair as thick, curly and knotty as mine. If you want to take care of your hair this is the brush for you as unlike other brushes it has no joins or plasticly bits on the ends of the bristles which snap and pull out your hair. It's an amazing brush and can be used on both wet and dry hair, is great for softening curls and can be used for a smooth and sleek up do.

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If you read my blog post on the Arbonne Skin Care products I was sent to try you will have seen that I was also sent samples of their Pure Vibrance Shampoo and Conditioner. The samples were only small but I liked them so much that Sharon, an independent representative for Arbonne, was kind enough to send me the full sized bottles.

Now I've been using my Avon Morroccan Argan Oil Shampoo and Conditioner for 2 years and it's incredible, I mean it's got to be if I've used it for this long, so you have to appreciate how amazing Arbonnes Pure Vibrance Range has to be when I say it really is amazing, it's the best conditioner I've ever used. I feel like such a traitor as I write this as I've loved my Avon range for so long!

The Arbonne Pure Vibrance range smells amazing, sort of a fruity bubble gum scent and comes in a gorgeous purple bottle. Now the shampoo is quite thick which for me was the only downside as I use a lot of shampoo but to be honest despite it's thickness it did spread quite well. Now the conditioner is what made me fall in love with this range! It spreads so well and as you're rinsing it out you can feel the smoothness straight away.

My hair dried so nicely with minimum frizz and as for the styling well, there was no frizz at all, my curls were soft and bouncy and my hair didn't fuzz out or get knotty in the wind and drizzle. If you have thick/curly hair thats prone to going a tad fuzzy this is the range for you, my hair has honestly never looked and felt so healthy and shiny.

From the name you probably gathered that the Pure Vibrance range is intended for people with coloured hair and though my hair isn't a bright colour after washing and styling it I could definitely see a difference in the colour compared to usual, the red tones where much more visible and my hair had a warmer more vibrant look to it.

Overall this is an amazing range though if you have rather fine hair you may find the shampoo too heavy. I have recently ran out of the shampoo so have been using the Arbonne conditioner with a different shampoo and can still see amazing results. For £25 each these are far from the price of your drug store brands but I really do think they are worth it, especially the conditioner which I will definitely purchase when this one eventually runs out, I can't imagine styling my hair without it now!

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Buy Online Now

Sharon is an independent consultant for Arbonne and

her consultant ID is 441244082

arbonneinternational.co.uk

sharonroberts.arbonne@gmail.com

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How do you look after your hair?

The MUA's £1 Lipstick.

First of all lets just stop for a moment and appreciate the fact that these lipsticks are only £1, that means that I got four lipsticks for just £4. Thank you Make-up Academy! Now we've all established that these are a total steal let's have a look at the product.

First, the packaging. With their clean, simple, modern and very stylish look these lipsticks do not look cheap at all and I would say look in the price range of £7-£10, I know its whats inside that counts but nobody wants to be seen applying an ugly looking lipstick. One of the features I love about this product is that I can easily see which lipstick I am picking up as not only do the normal lipsticks come in black and the matte lipsticks in white but each one has their colour at the bottom. This is a downside to the MAC and Elizabeth Arden range as I am forever rummaging through reading silly little labels to find the one I want.

Now for the product it self. I picked the MUA lipsticks up in four shades that I thought would be suitable for spring, two normal and two matte. The first is Peachy Keen in Matte which is very subtle and I think would look lovely if you was already wearing a brightly coloured top. The second is Nectar, a brighter and shinier version of Peachy Keen, it is a lovely pinky/orange colour that would look gorgeous if you wear wearing a crisp white top or blazer. Third is Scarlett Siren in Matte, this is probably my favourite colour as though it looks almost pillar box red, upon application it is much pinker which goes well with my olive skin. I shall be wearing this with monochrome outfits. Finally is Shade 11, I'm not sure why it doesn't have a name but it is very similar to my favourite MAC lipstick, Cosmo, a darker shade of my natural lip so perfect for wearing with most outfits.

The matte lipsticks require several more coats than your pricier lipsticks in order to become visible and are slightly drier, but with a touch of Vaseline underneath and in the summer months when lips are much less chapped I don't think it will cause much of a problem. Although I would be careful with Scarlett Siren as if you go over the same area too many times it seems to fade, which in such a bright colour can be quite noticeable. The normal lipsticks go on very well and Shade 11 is almost and exact dupe of MAC Cosmo, the only difference is that my MAC one does last longer, though for £15.50 I should hope it does!

If you suffer from chapped lips I would suggest staying away from the matte ones and go for the medium to dark shades of the normal lipsticks, as with most brands lighter coloured lipsticks highlight dry areas.

For just £1 from Superdrug these Make-Up Academy lipsticks are worth checking out and I will definitely be buying some more as well as having a look at the other products they sell.

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muastore.co.uk / superdrug.com

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Have you tried the MUA lipsticks?

Beauty(ful) Storage Solutions.

If you love beauty products and accessories as much as me, then you're probably always struggling with the dilemma of where to store them all, you want it to be organised but lets face it, its got to look good. Oh the struggles of being a girl. Well here are my top tips on beautiful storage.

Make up cases are never that attractive so I opted for this large mirrored jewellery box. In the top compartment is jewellery I don't wear that often and in the side compartments are my big statement necklaces, then I have used all the draws to store my everyday makeup. Sort your makeup into categories, for instance lips, face and eyes to make getting ready quicker and easier.

On top is my travel jewellery case which has in it all my favourite watches, bracelets, earrings, rings and necklaces that I wear regularly, that way if I'm ever away for the weekend there's no need for packing and unpacking as they're all ready to go.

In my little wooden box from turkey are my headphones, speaker and memory cards, little bits and bobs that need to be kept safe and at hand. I also keep my two favourite pairs of sunglasses out and my daily perfume so I don't forget to spritz! 

In draws forget trying to buy compartments, simply use gift boxes from Christmas and birthdays, shoe boxes, old dessert pots and I bought the odd basket for wilkos.

In my top draw I have storage compartments for all my regularly used products - hair styling and emergency skincare, new/seasonal makeup, scrunchies and headbands, false eylashes and my Elizabeth Arden makeup. Then I've slipped all my makeup bags down the side. In the other draw are all my pampering products. I have perfumes, shower toiletries, fake tanning products, skincare, Molton Brown goodies and moisturisers.

I hope you found this useful, what are your storage tips?

Amazing Arbonne Skincare Review.

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook you may have seen that I was recently asked to try and review a range of products and after a week of using them I am now ready to share with you some amazing feedback.

The company is called Arbonne and they do a wide variety of products from skincare and hair care to fragrances and nutrition. Arbonne pride themselves on using botanical based ingredients and those which have not been tested on animals.

If you're like me then you've probably never heard of Arbonne as they do not advertise, they simply rely on advertisement through word of mouth and their independent sales representatives, from whom I was approached by. Sharon is a lovely women who has been there to answer all of my questions and also ensured she sent me products that were suitable for me. I was lucky enough to be sent samples of their Calm Skincare range, their Pure Vibrance Hair Care range and their Makeup Primer.

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The Calm Skincare Range

This set contains four different products suitable for sensitive skin, a daily cleanser, a daily moisturiser, a soothing facial serum and an eye gel. I used these products in this order every morning for six days. Yes, these tiny bottles lasted six days. The key ingredients in this range are aloe vera, cucumber, liquorice, mallow, chamomile, sea mayweed and Japanese green tea to comfort the skin and provide antioxidants.

Step one is the cleanser. It's a clear fluid with no scent to it and a pea sized amount is all that is needed as it lathers up well. It's gentle on the skin and upon drying my face I immediately noticed a difference to my skin compared to when I have used other face washes. Having sensitive skin, after washing my face I often feel tightness, dryness and discomfort all of which these products claim to take away, and they do. My skin felt soft and hydrated and their was no redness or itching.

I followed on with the facial serum, a step I have never incorporated into my skincare regime. Again this is a clear fluid with a gel like consistency and no noticeable scent, I used a small amount and gently applied to my skin. It soaked in quickly and straight away my skin had a lovely glow with no sticky residue. The job of the serum is to soothe and lock in moisture leaving the skin feeling hydrated. This products is incredible and I can't believe I haven't used a serum before, I'm definitely converted.

The third step is the moisturiser, a white cream with a sort of toothpaste smell, not mint but that original fresh scent. A pea sized amount is all that was required to cover my face as it spread nicely, soaking into my skin. Unlike most moisturisers that leave you looking shiny and feeling sticky, this one doesn't, instead it has a mattifying effect but still allows for a nice healthy glow. At first I was nervous that this may cause dryness or an outbreak but instead my skin remained hydrated all day without the usual oily shine that starts to appear when I don't wear makeup.

Finally I applied the eye serum which has by far been my favourite of the products. This clear liquid is a miracle worker, with only a tiny amount being needed. It immediately soothed my tired eyes, making me feel and look more awake, I also noticed that my dark circles appeared less visible. This product is super sensitive and even being a contact wearer it caused no discomfort.

Calm Gentle Daily Cleanser, £17

Calm Soothing Facial Serum, £35

Calm Gentle Daily Moisturiser, £26

Calm Soothing Eye Gel, £23

The Full Calm Range, £90

Now these products are a fair bit more money than what I usually spend on skincare but after using them for a week and seeing fantastic, lasting results I do think they are worth the money. Afterall, I wouldn't think twice about spending £90 on a handbag so why not invest in the health of my skin, something people will see everyday.

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The Makeup Primer

I have used this primer both following on from the Calm range and my own skincare products as to see if there was any difference, both times I got wonderful results. This primer is a milky white gel that only requires a small amount as it is so light and soaks in beautifully leaving a flawless, mattifyed canvas.

Unlike other primers that can dry out your skin or leave makeup appearing caked on, this primer allowed for easy application of makeup. My foundation blended better than it ever has before and remained in place all day leaving my skin oil free but still with that healthy glow. For £26 I shall definitely be purchasing the Arbonne Makeup Primer.

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The Pure Vibrance Hair Care Range

Having very thick and curly hair I was only able to use the Shampoo and Conditioner once, so I don't feel I am able to write a full review. However, from the great results I got from that one use along with the Hair Masque I shall definitely be buying them to test out for a longer period of time.

Pure Vibrance Lustre Fortifying Shampoo, £25

Pure Vibrance Fortifying Creme Conditioner, £25

Pure Vibrance Hair Revitalising Masque, £30

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I have had a wonderful time testing the Arbonne products and I hope you liked the review. Everything I have written is purely my own opinion and of my own research so I am being honest when I say these are fantastic products that I will definitely use again.

Sharon is an independent consultant for Arbonne and

her consultant ID is 441244082

arbonneinternational.co.uk

sharonroberts.arbonne@gmail.com

 Have you used any of the Arbonne products?