Review : The Body Shop Seaweed Ionic Clay Mask

Hi everyone,

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.  Ready for what Monday brings? Me neither.

I thought I would include The Body Shop Ionic Clay Mask in my post today because it is a great post-weekend skin treat.

I picked this up when it was on special offer for Body Shop card holders (if you regularly shop there, they are so worth getting).  I believe it was about £6 / £7 when I bought it but full price, it is still a great product.

The Seaweed range is specifically designed to help Combination / Oily skin and this mask helps to draw out impurities and leave the skin feeling refreshed.  I first used this when I noticed I had a little spot and I wanted to draw it out but I think it drew out too many impurities because I did notice my skin broke out slightly more after use.  I use with caution since then I have found it a good refreshing mask which leaves my skin feeling lovely after application.

Can take quite a long while to fully dry but a good mask to target combination skin's quirks and help give skin a good old clear out.

Usual price is £12.00 and link is here.

Have you tried this Body Shop best seller or any other products from this range?  I would love to hear about it and is so let me know what you think in the comments or tweet me @EmsyLous

Review : Lip Scrub - Popcorn

Hi everyone,

If you haven't tried the Lush lip scrub yet then what are you waiting for?

This is one of my favourite little discoveries recently and I actually cannot stop using it.  This product is absolutely amazing, I know it doesn't sound like an essential product but after using it I cannot believe I used to put up with rough, dry lips.

There are three flavours to chose from Popcorn, Bubblegum and Mint Julips and they all smell absolutely amazing but for me the popcorn one just seemed like the best choice.

To use, you just scoop a little sprinkling onto your finger, rub, rub, rub and then it just dissolves.  I cannot help having a few licks but this is totally edible and it is basically made up of sugar and a little dash of oils and flavourings.

I use in the mornings and it is great before lipstick application especially if you are applying a lip product which is matte, this gets rid of all those annoying little rough bits to ensure that lips are lovely and smooth.

As tempting as it may be (because these taste so nice), I wouldn't suggest using any more than twice a day, perhaps morning and evening.

I will definitely be going back to get more of these in different flavours, so yum and they do such a great job of keeping lips looking and feeling wonderfully fresh.

Usual Price is £5.50 and link can be found here.

Monthly Favourites : February Edition

Hello everybody,

The end of the month always signifies such a happy time for most of us - pay day.  The end of February also reminds me that Spring is on its way and that means more things to look forward to like longer days and Easter.

To celebrate the end of February I am going to share with you a few buys which I have loved this month.

Tangle Teezer(s)

Lets begin with my absolute favourite buy this month - my Tangle Teezer.

I originally bought this because I had noticed that as I am always in a rush to get back to work after my lunch time workout at the gym, I keep breaking my hair where I was just raking the brush through at super speed. I kept seeing these in Boots and I was a little put off by the price but I thought if it does my hair some good then it will be worth the money.

I bought the leopard print one first because I needed something to chuck in my hand bag and as you can see, it comes with a case so that the teeth don't get ruined.

This brush changed my life so much that I bought one I could use at home too.

These are so easy to use which can be run through wet or dry hair and are so effective.  Not only do they glide through my hair with ease, I don't hear the snap, snap, snap of hair breaking any more and it effortlessly de-tangles.  It also leaves my hair in the best condition after use, it's so shiny and it just leaves my hair looking and feeling really beautiful.  I have honestly never used anything like it and as you can see, I was so glad I picked up my first one that I bought another one!

Usual Price is £10.99 and link is here but for the 'Styler' i.e. for the extra plastic case and smaller brush it is slightly more expensive at £12.49 and link is here.

M.A.C. Eyeshadow in 'All That Glitters'

I reviewed this really recently but I really love use this product.  An easy everyday wearable colour that is highly pigmented and non-crease is always a winner in my books.

 Link is here for my full review including link to product and price.

Real Techniques - Concealer / Lip (Detailer) Brush

Okay so I have been really naughty and I bought a set of these brushes a while a go and not blogged about them.  But to be honest, I haven't really had a chance to use them fully and I like to have a proper opinion about a product before writing about it because why would you want to read it otherwise?

But I have used this 'detailer' brush so much this month I had to include it on my favourites.  This is part of the 'Core' brush set and it can either be used for lips or as a concealer brush and so far it has worked wonders as a concealer brush.

I have had such terrible skin this month (I am really not sure what is up) and this brush has been such a lifesaver.  I use this with my Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer and I can actually go all day without touching it up.  This brush does such a great job of covering and making skin look even and it is just my favourite out of the whole set.

If I could marry it, I would.  We would be very happy together.

Usual Price is £21.99 for the whole set of 'Core' Real Technique brushes and link is here.

Vaseline - Paint the Town - Limited Edition

I am a big Vaseline fan, I must have probably 10 or 11 pots on the go at one time, I keep at least two in my bag and as well as one at work and many at home.  It is a slight addiction but they're just great aren't they?  So when I spotted this limited edition RED tint, I knew it would love at first sight.

I love the packaging first off but what I like most about this is the smell.  The coconut one smells okay, the rose one smells okay but this has a really great scent to it.  I don't really know how to describe it but I will have a go, it is very sweet and almost like a really nice fruity perfume.  It tastes quite nice too.

It doesn't really look very red on the lips but this is great to go over an actual lip tint.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Overnight Serum-in-Oil

This is an easy winter essential for me.  My favourite skin product I have bought recently, it does wonders for my skin, leaving it feeling rejuvenated and refreshed after the harsh conditions of February have taken their toll.

I have recently reviewed this product, for full details including product link and price, you can find it here.

Kiss Me First by Lottie Moggach

This is a début novel by British writer Lottie Moggach who has previously worked for The Times, GQ, Elle and the London Paper.

If you enjoyed reading Gone Girl then you need to pick this book up.

The title of this book is slightly deceptive because you may look at it and think it will be some kind of Young Adult book spawned from Fifty Shades of Grey.  However, that is not the case.

This is a thriller set in modern day times about the dangers of the internet and how we can never really know who we are speaking to online.  The story revolves around Leila, a socially awkward recluse who has recently lost her ill mother.  She enjoys playing an online game and when one of the players suggests that she checks out a forum for philosophical thinkers, she gets drawn into helping Tess who wishes to commit suicide but in order to save hurting her friends and family, Tess pays Leila to keep an online identity so that they think she is still alive.

I finished this book as quickly as I finished Gone Girl.  I was totally absorbed in Leila and although she is not your 'typical' heroine, she is is a good lead for this thought provoking thriller.  There are many twists and turns and the ending left me questioning what we really know about other people's lives outside of their online activities.

I thought this was a really well written début novel and would be an interesting read for the internet generation.  I will be sure to look out for any future releases from Lottie Moggach.

I found this on Waterstones website for £5.99 and link is here.

So that ends my favourite purchases for the month of February and I hope you enjoyed reading all about them!

Review : Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in 'Striking'

Hi everyone!

I originally set out to find myself a little orange lip but I decided that it just wouldn't suit me so I shelved that idea but I had kept picking up the Revlon ColourBurst Matte Balm in 'Striking' but for some reason kept deciding I was not feeling brave enough.

So when I was in boots a few weeks back I decided to just go for it.  Even though this is not necessarily a colour I would try out ordinarily, I did a little test on the back of my hand and really liked it.  It was such a different colour and I do love a red lip but I only have maybe one bright red lip colour and that is a gloss.

I had also seen a lot of adverts for the new Revlon Matte Balm crayon collection (they also do a super shiny one called Lacquer Balm) and I have already tried the Balm Stain but unfortunately the lid came off in my bag and it totally ruined it.

I really love the colour, I would say the best way to describe it would be a really bright red but it also has the slightest hint of orange in it too.  

This product because it is a balm goes on really well and it doesn't dry out the lips at all.  It also has a really nice minty smell when you apply which I love.

I was in awe of the staying power of this lip colour.  After taking this photos early afternoon, post-lunch and post-dinner this was still very much in place.  This will be such a great product to wear on a night out and I can't wait to have somewhere to wear this.

All in all, a big thumbs up from me in terms of colour, application and how well this stays put.

Usual price is £7.99 but they are currently on offer in Superdrug, link is here. 

Review : M.A.C. Eyeshadow in 'All That Glitters'

Hello everyone,

I was after a really natural shade that I could get away with wearing everyday and I picked up this beautiful golden eyeshadow from M.A.C. called 'All That Glitters' recently and wanted to share the results with you guys.

I really love this shade as it is a lovely rose gold colour but with a really natural shimmer so it doesn't look 'too much' and I am currently wearing it to work every day, just to a bit of colour to my day look.

This applies so well and really has some great staying power (it will last for HOURS) and does not crease.

You can build this shade up as much as you like or just apply lightly for a little extra colour on the lids.  Alternatively, this is also a really fantastic shade to blend with other colours.  This shade will pretty much go with anything and I have recently been trying out a few combinations with my Sleek palette and it blends so, so easily.

As you can see this is just really an easy, wearable shade and golden eyes are set to be on trend for Spring/Summer 2014.

Paired with a berry coloured lip, this is such a great day look that I really enjoy wearing.

Usual Price is £12.50 and link is here (this shade is the top row, first on the left).