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.

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?

Sleek Make Up - Summer Ready Skin.

As I've got older my skin has become much clearer, scars I had from my teens have almost vanished and I'm much more confident when it comes to my skin and only wear makeup if  I'm going out. With that said I do still get breakouts occasionally.

I'm sure many of you can agree that with the warmer weather comes clearer skin and the need for foundation lessens. With summer approaching fast I decided I wanted to find a lighter wear foundation that still provided  some coverage, in case of a breakout. I'm pleased to say I found it.

Having olive skin I have always found getting the right foundation very difficult so always stuck to my Rimmel one but it's rather heavy and I was desperate for something lighter. I decided it was time to do a thorough investigation into the foundations available in Boots and was dissapointed by the lack of choices, the darker ones would have left me looking orange whilst the lighter foundations suddenly become very pink. I am so glad Boots now stock Sleek Make-Up.

I've been using the Sleek Make-Up brow palette for several months now and I honestly couldn't live without it, it's amazing. I also own the lip palette which has four gorgeous long lasting and moistursing colours so I decided it was time to buy some more of their products and I'm so glad I did.

The foundations go on brilliantly. They're light, smooth and blend so well, meaning you can highlight and contour without any lines and also mix the two colours to create the perfect shade. This foundation left my skin looking so dewy yet flawless and lasted all day without going greasy. As it isn't very thick the cover obviously is fantastic but it evened out the skin, covered small blemishes and for any imperfections that weren't covered by the foundation I simply used concealer.

After applying my foundation I used the contour kit. Not a lot of powder is needed on the brushes as it's visible almost immediately meaning you don't end up looking caked up and powdery. First I used the darker powder for contouring, it is fairly dark so be careful, for best results I apply my powder last so that my foundation has fully soaked in meaning I don't end up with a dark patch where my brush first touched my face.

Next I highlighted. This powder is almost translucent which is great as it doesn't effect the colour of your foundation, however it does have quite a bit of shine so just a very light dusting will do. I highlight last as I can then dust over the edge of my contouring to create an even more subtle merging and remove any harsh lines.

Foundations, £8.99 - Shell & Praline

Contour Kit, £6.49 - Light

Brow Kit, £8.49 - Dark

Lip Palette, £8.99 - Ballet

Sleek Make-Up really is amazing and I can't wait to buy some more of their products. This foundation is definitely my new favourite and I wouldn't be able to live without my brow kit. All their products are at fantastic prices and not only work great but look great too. The "sleek" black packaging is just my style and each foldable piece has it's own mirror! I have been taking my essentials out with me in this gorgeous makeup bag from Next, it's the perfect size and I love the colour.

Have you tried any Sleek products yet?

Glamour Magazine Balance Me Freebies.

So this happened. 

I very rarely buy magazines unless an article or a freebie entices me as I struggle to find the time to read them. In this particular instance four freebies caught my eye, so of course I had to get them all. I'm in no means saying that this is a bad thing., four products worth £41 for just £8, what's bad about that? It's just I now have four magazines, exactly the same, which does looks kind of odd, but hey who cares?!

Now GLAMOUR is by far my favourite magazine to read whenever I do decide to buy one. It's great value for money, has fantastic reads from fashion and health, to relationships and careers, plus it has some amazing free gifts.

Last year I used the Balance Me Super Toning Body Wash, also free from a magazine, and I remembered how much I loved it so I was eager to try all four of the products that were up for grabs this time. Available this month with GLAMOUR for just £2 is the Super Moisturising Body Wash, Pure Skin Face Wash, Radiance Face Mask and Shine On Tinted Lip Salve in Sheer Red.

I AM IN LOVE! All four of these products are amazing and I am very happy to be sharing this review with you guys!

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The Body Wash
This gel like product has a natural scent to it that is really refreshing and it lathers up well so you don't need to use a lot. It's really sensitive and soothing on the skin and after using it my skin felt really soft and clean. Over the past few days of using it I've notice my skin doesn't appear as dry. All in all a really good product. Buy Online Here, £9

The Face Wash
This face wash is a white cream with a similar scent to the body wash. It's a lovely product that spreads well meaning you only need a really small amount as it goes a long way. I have sensitive skin and this product was so gentle and soothing upon use and afterwards didn't leave my skin feeling tight or dry. Being a contact wearer I also have to be careful with products near my eyes but this caused no irritation or discomfort at all. I've used this product for five days now and my skin feels very smooth and I've had no outbreaks. A great skin soother. Buy Online Here, £16

The Face Mask
As I've mentioned in the past I very rarely use face masks but I'd had a slight breakoutbreak after last weekends nightout so I decided to see if this would help at all. This facemask is an exfoliating cream that doesn't dry, it simply soaks in to your skin slightly and then upon removal the ground walnut shell particles gently massage and exfoliate the skin leaving it with a fresh healthy glow. My pores appeared less visible and my skin felt smoother and not as oily. The next day my spots had dried up and were clearly less visible. A five minute miracle worker. Buy Online Here, £18

The Lip Salve
I never wear lip glosses but this little beauty has been in my bag everyday now since purchase. The red colouring is only a shade darker than my natural lip once on so looks very natural whilst still adding that hint of colour. It soaks in leaving the lips feeling and looking moisturised without that sticky or wet look you get with other glosses. It has a lovely minty taste and makes the lips look fuller, A handbag must have. Buy Online Here, £12

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Now here is the part where I would usually tell you which product is the best and which one you should pick up but I just can't, for £8 seriously just buy them all if you can!

Have you tried any Balance Me products?

How To.. Brows.

I used Sleek Makeups Brow Kit in Dark £8.49 @ Boots.

Your eyebrows are your best accessory, they help shape your face and frame your eyes so you should take care in how you present them. Perfect brows should be based around the natural shape, size and colouring, ideally starting from in line with the centre of your nostils and ending diagonally from the edge of your nose past the corner of your eye.

Here I have created a step by step guide to get those brows you've always wanted as unfortunately we can't all be blessed with beautiful big brows.

1) Using an old and clean mascara brush, brush your eyebrows up and out.

2) Take your tweezers and see where your brows should start and end and then pluck any stray hairs.

3) Using the angled brush in the brown wax create a smooth sweeping line from inside to out just below or on the bottom line of brow.

4) If your eyebrows aren't very full do the same again along the top of your brows, ensureing you create a nice finish.

5) Still using the angled brush and wax coat the hairs from 1/4 of the way in and fill in any gaps. Ensure to use the brush in outwards strokes following the way the hairs are growing.

6) Very carefully and gently in upward strokes fill the inner part of your eyebrows. The inner part should be lighter than the outside.

7) Taking the rounded brush dust the brown powder over your brows carefully, only a small amount is needed.

8) Using a light matte eyeshadow or white eyeliner, highlight under the arch of your brow, be sure to blend it well.

Brush up & out - line underneath - line above & fill outer edge - carefully fill inner brow and highlight arch.

I hope this was helpful! What are your tips for getting the best brows?

Hollywood Glamour.

Katy Perry Lovely Lolita Lashes, Boots£5.95 - Maybelline Rocket Volum' Express Mascara, Boots £7.99 - L'Oreal Super Liner, Boots £6.49 - 17 Brow Sculpting Pencil, Boots £2.89 - Sleek Make-up Brow Kit in Dark, Boots £8.49 - Old Mascara Brush - Versace Cystal Noir Miniture, Gift - Rimmel Stay Matte Primer, Boots £5.99 - Rimmel Lasting Finish 25 Hour Foundation in 303 & 400, Boots £7.99 each - Rimmel Natural Bronzer, Boots £5.99 - Elizabeth Arden Brush & Other Brush, Prices Unknown - 17 Plum Puff Blusher, Discontinued - Rodial Stemcell Superfood Lipbalm, Debenhams £17 - Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+, Boots £29 - Elizabeth Arden Lip Pencil in Bare, Gift - MAC Lipstick in YASH, Mac Store, £15.50.

So tonight is my beautiful friend and work colleagues 30th birthday party and for this special occasion she is hosting an Oscar Awards Night themed party! That means beautiful dresses, stunning hair, glamorous make up and best of all, my boyfriend in a suit! I cannot wait!

When it comes to my hair I am very much a creature of habbit, scraped up or down naturally, not very glam! So for tonight I have treated myself to a french plait done at the hairdressers, that way I can have my hair off my face how I like it, but looking perfect for the theme of tonight.

For me, an up-do requires beautifully bold eyes, a slightly bronzed cheek and that perfect shade of nude lipstick.

My Routine For Tonight

I will first use the Clinique moisturizer on any areas of dry skin, only a small dot is needed as it spreads along way. I will then apply the Rimmel primer to my T-zone and eyelids. Now we're ready for the foundation. I use these two shades of Rimmels 25hour stay foundation so that I can highlight and contour (see image below). This long lasting foundation is brilliant if you're going to be out all night dancing as it doesn't budge! However, for young supple skin this foundation is perfect, it covers spots without that caked up look you might expect from a thick foundation yet stays quite dewy, unfortunately if you have very dry skin or in the words of my mum "old wrinkly skin" you may find this foundation to be too thick.

Eyes next. Create a bold, winged line with L'Oreals Super Eyeliner on your top lid (see image below for different styles to practice, I tend to do a mix of  1 & 5). This liner lasts all night and drys pretty fast. Once it's dry take the glue from Katy Perrys Lashes, included in pack, and apply to the line of the fasle eyelashes. Wait 20-30 seconds, for the glue to become sticky, then starting out the outside stick them down as close to the lash line as possible. I use a hair grip to help me press the corners down. I'm not one for dark kohl eyeliner on my bottom lashes so instead I use Rimmels brow pencil. I then use my Maybelline mascara to coat both my top and bottom lashes.

Only very recently have I started using Sleek Makeups Brow Kit and I am already in love. I start my brows by brushing them up and out with an old mascara brush, I then pluck any stray hairs with the mini tweezers. Next use the angled brush to line the bottom (and top if you desire) of your eyebrows from inside to out using the coloured wax, next give your brows a sweeping of the wax to fix them in place and then using the other brush dust over the coloured powder. For perfect shaped brows see the photo below.

Kissable lips. I apply a tiny bit of Rodial Stemcell Lipbalm to make my lips look softer and fuller, as well as moisturizing them, which in this weather is a must. Then using Elizabeth Ardens Lip Pencil in Bare, I line my lips to make them look fuller, fill in with MACs lipstick in Yash, kiss a tissue and my lips are done.

Finally, a sweep of Rimmels bronzer, where we used the darker foundation, a slight touch of 17 blush on my cheek bones for a natural rosy look and a spritz of Versace Crystal Noir and I'm ready to go!

I hope this was helpful. What are your favourite beauty products/tips?