My Lush Collection - Intro and Skin Products

There is a new love in my life… LUSH! I got a couple of Lush products at Christmas but always assumed Lush was really expensive, something I could never afford. However, when my Snow Fairy shower gel started to run out (yes it lasted me this long!) I thought I might have a little peak at what else they had and…. BAM! I became completely obsessed. I got some products for my birthday at the start of the month and have continued to pick more up since, which my bank balance is not too happy about… The products are just so fantastic!

All Lush cosmetics are cruelty free and handmade; with a lot of their products being preservative free. I am lucky enough to have one very near to me J but if you don’t check out the website: lush.co.uk. I always look at reviews and stuff before buying items; I have even put together a sneaky wish list hehe. So most of these products I have been using for a couple of weeks so I thought I would share my reviews of them! I am splitting them up into categories in case people would like to just look at certain areas: face, hair, body, bath products.
I am going to try keep the reviews simple… Oh by the way these pictures I got off the internet, I could get nice pictures of mine, the weather is awful so the lighting was not good. However they are still the same thing!

Face

I will first just tell you a little about my skin; it is very oily! I used to have very bad acne and luckily it has mostly cleared up but I am still prone to breakouts. So these products are designed for oily skin and to keep spots at bay.

Catastrophe Cosmetic Fresh Face Mask - £5.95 per 75g pot

This was the first face product I tried and I love it! The face mask are made from completely natural products which attracted me to them, therefore have to be kept in the fridge. They do only last a couple of weeks however… But if you are wanting to spoil your skin or kick it in to shape they are perfect. The catastrophe cosmetic is for spot prone skin but it really does help clear up inflammation and leave skin so beautifully smooth.

Dark Angels Cleanser - £6.25 per 100g pot

This is what I was recommended at Lush when I told them about my skin. Now like most people I was very scared by the black colour but I thought I would try it after reading lots of great reviews. And I am so glad I did! This really works for my skin, great for removing make up and oil from face. Due to the product being black it can be a bit of a messy product, but I think the outcome of smooth clear skin makes that worthwhile.

Ocean Salt Face and Body Scrub - £6.95/100g

I was given a sample of this when I bought the dark angels cleaner. Let’s just say I purchased an actual tub of this yesterday! First of all, the sample (tiny little tub) lasted a week! And I used it every day! I love products that you can really get the most of. Yes, it is very rough on the skin, but my skin seems to like exfoliator’s more than ordinary soaps. This also smells very fresh and makes skin amazingly smooth; that is why I use this in the mornings. I would recommend this to anyone who has oily non-sensitive skin!

Yummy Simple Biscuits!

I didn't actually take the picture but they look very similar :) My Grandma has made these for as long as I can remember, so I call them 'Gam Biscuits'! Thats what I call my Grandma, its not just a random thing aha. No idea where she got the original recipe from (she has even forgotten) but I make these quite a lot so thought I would share the recipe :)

Ingredients - this amount makes a small bunch:

• 60g Sugar
• 150 - 200g Flour
• 115g Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• Chocolate Chips (Optional)

And that is it! It is very basic but oh so yummy! Heres what I do:

1. Melt the butter in microwave on low heat until soft. I use Lurpack lightest which is gorgeous for baking!
2. Mix in the sugar
3. Add 100g of flour and blend the mixture well
4. Add a further 50g of flour and mix again
5. Keep adding flour 10g at a time until mixture is not sticky. This can be tested by taking a small amount and rolling it into a ball with your hands. If you get really greasy hands from the butter you need more flour.
6. Optional - add some chocolate chips! I don't really measure how many, just put as much in as I feel like :) However these biscuits are gorgeous plain!
7. Pre-Heat oven at 160c. Get a baking try and line with baking paper.
8. Take a small amount of mixture, roll it into a ball about the size of a walnut, then place on the baking tray. Continue this until all mixture is gone!
9. Now get a little cup of slightly warm water and a fork. Dip the fork in the water then lie it flat onto the biscuit - like in the picture below

And thats it! Just pop them in the oven for about 20 mins, until golden brown. They are also best to eat when still warm too with a cup of tea :) Hope anyone who tires them loves them too! Please let me know. After writing this think I am going to have to make some too... hehe!

Have a great weekend :D xXx

Single Monthly Favourites - July

Decided to do a different type of favourites, one favourite in each varied category. So here it goes!

During this month, my favourite...

• Make up item - Maybelline The One-by-One Volum' Express waterproof mascara. Best mascara I have ever owned! Lasts all day but not too difficult to remove.
• Face Skin Care - Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Facial Wash. Helps keep my face very nearly spot clear! It is a little expensive at nearly £5 but often on special offer. Like now its 2 for £5 at Boots.
• Body Skin Care - Lush Dragon Egg Bath Bomb. I have got a little Lush obsessive at the moment. I love their Bath Bombs! They make you smell lovely and leave your skin silky smooth, especially the dragon egg, has such a gorgeous lasting smell!
• Hair care - Aussie 3 Minute Miracle conditioners. OMG these are amazing! I have done a separate review on these if you want to know more. I now have three: frizz one, heat protection and reconstructor.
• Item of clothing - My PJs! I know it is sad lol but I find nothing better than coming home and getting in my PJs when I have had a rubbish day. I got mine from primark, only cheap but pretty good quality. Mine have a cupcake them :)
• Shop - LUSH! Like I said before, I have been obsessed with Lush! It is my birthday tomorrow, and my sister took me to lush to get lots of goodies as my present
• Phone App. - Out of Milk. This is a shopping list app. I know sounds really boring but it is so useful! I always forget paper lists so this is great! Got it free on android market.
• Book - Red Mist by Patricia Cornwell. This is part of the scarpetta series, which is one of my all time favourites!
• Film - Snow White and the Huntsman. Really really enjoyed this film! Liked how different it is, not a film where the girl character is really pathetic. And I love fairytale type stories :)
• TV Programme - Dexter. I have been completely obsessed with this past couple of months! It is weird but I am really interested in criminal psychology so it was fasinating! I can't wait for the next season!
• PC Game - Skyrim! Ok yes I am a little bit of a gamer, only really for skyrim though. I love this game! I don't think its a really 'manly' game, you can make it whatever skype of game you want really :)

And thats all the categories I can really think of at the moment! If anyone has any suggestions of categories please let me know :)
xXx

Where has this been all my life!

I don't know if anyone else in the UK is having this problem at the moment due to the horrible wet humid weather we are having, but my hair has been so frizzy and dry! So I have been on the look out for something as my conditioners were not preventing it. And thats when I found my new love...

This has been around for ages I know! After reading the reviews this really came out on top. And luckily its on special offer at a couple of pleaces right now! Aussie products are 2 for £6.99 at superdrug and 3 for 2 at boots. So I picked this up! To be fair I have only used this once (yesterday) but the difference it has already made is incredible! My hair is instantly soft, smooth, no frizz at all and actually manageable! So I had to write a review. Normally this costs £4.99 so it is a little pricey, but the quality you get out of it is amazing, as good as high end products!

If anyone has always more questions don't hesitate to ask :) xXx

My current SIMPLE skincare routine

Thought I would share with you my current very very simple skin care routine

I know what your thinking... 'There are hardly any products there!'. The main thing I have learnt about my skin is that the more I mess with it the worse it gets! I used to use so many products on my face, like a rediculous amount, but that just seemed to increase my acne. I have had bad skin since I was 11, and had to take medication for my acne. I don't any more as it has calmed but I am prone to breakouts.

This is such a simple routine, but I find it really really works for me! I havn't had a bad breakout since sticking to this!

MORNING

• With a cotton pad, wipe any excess oil off my face using No7 Beautiful Skin Cleaning Water for normal/oil skin. I have only had this a week so can't give an honest review, but so far I like it. Makes my skin feel really refreshed! I got this using one of the No7 Boots vouchers £5 off. Normally costs £9 so I only got it for £4! Yay!
• Then I just use the Witch Skin Clearning Primer. I LOVE THIS! Really protects the skin from make up/dirt. Its about £6 normally, I get it when its on offer!

And thats it, thats morning before I put my make up on. I don't wash my face in the morning because it dries my skin too much.

NIGHT

• I use a wipe just to remove most of my make up. These are just cheap ones I have at the moment, I uselly get better ones that are on offer. Might try the No7 ones, using another £5 off voucher! Not a massive wipe fan but like to remove my make up before...
• Washing my face! I always use the Neutrogena Visably Clear facial wash. Love it! I think this really clears up spots, my boyfriend even uses it! It is really good and not too expencive, and its on offer quite a lot!
• I use the Cleansing water again then, just to remove any residue left from the facial wash and clean any dirt that might be left

And thats pretty much it! In the picture is the Simple Light Moisturiser. I don't use this daily because my skin is a little too oily in places for that. I just use it after I get out of the shower, because areas of my skin can get quite dry. But I more just use this when I need it!

Thats it! Ended up being longer than planned... but hope some people find it useful :)
xXx

Book Review: The Help

Thought I would do a little book review about The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I read this while on holiday and loved it!

I read this one my new Kindle too! Which my Dad gave me because he never used it... Yay free things :) But anyway this book was amazing! It was recently made into a film but I wanted to read the book first. I didn't expect it to be as in depth as it was! It goes into quite a lot of detail about America in the 1960s and Black rights. I really really loved it!! Fully recommend it to anyway! I am not the smartest person but I found it a good read and learned a lot! It is weird to think that it really wasn't that long ago... I know the situation in America was a lot different than over here in UK, but it is amazing how neieve people were at that time! The arguments and debates in the book kind of remind me of the debates currently happening about gay marriage. I hope no one takes that personally! They are not the same issue at all, just similar situations.

So seriously everyone please read this book! Or at least watch the film, because the story line is amazing! The book does go into more detail though.
xXx

I'm back!! And with storage tips :)

So been gone for a while as had my final exams then went on holiday. I am no longer a student :) so now really want to put more time into thing blog!
Just wanted to share with you a little something I am slightly obsessed with at the moment... Vintage-looking glass storage! I love going to charity shops and recently got these little things

I started with one then got a couple more... the two middle ones are great for hair ties, jewelry etc. The two little vases at the sides are perfect for hair clips, bobby pins and ear cotton bud things. I just think they will brighten up a dressing table! Havnt actually put them on mine as I am moving next week so not much of a point, but will show you when I do :)

Now prices... The two vases cost £1.50 for the pair; the jar on the right was £2:99 and the one on the left (my personal fave!) was 99p! It was in the reduced section, how could no one want it!!

I am planning on being a lot more 'homey' in my next house, so will be collecting more things like this so keep an eye out for more :)

Hope everyone is having a great (very crappy wet English) summer!
xXx