Fairtrade Feels Good at Lush

As soon as I hear the words Fair trade i know its going to cost more than if I bought a drug store equivalent. That's not to say they aren't worth it they are both favourite products of mine and bought more than once. I think of value when I think Fair trade not for me but the people who work to make it and the wage they earn from it. I can't afford to be Fair trade all the time but when I do it's usually Lush. They give money and support to many different charities for more information this is a link to Lush - Our Values 

Charity Pot goes 100% to good causes (minus vat that goes to the government) their words not mine but the dig at those in power is deserved. Its tag line is "A cream that want to change the world" and I hope it dose. It smells similar to how most cocoa butter products smell but with a floral hint. It goes on so nicely and sinks straight in and really hydrates my legs and arms whenever it's needed. I find it good after I've shaved just to keep my skin smooth and soft. It's also vegan for those of you who may like to know.

Fair trade Foot Lotion is bubblegum pink but don't let that put you off. It just smells so divine with cocoa butter and peppermint oil. I like to use this also after a shower as my feet tend to feel dry. I like to really massage it in, it feels like I'm putting the energy back into them. It has a cooling effect that just works so well. Put extra on just before bed and wake up with super pamper feet.This is approved by the vegetarian society.

Make Up Academy - Budget Heaven - Pt 1

It looks brighter in the bottle than it dose on the nail but the name Deepest Purple is a better description for it. The 1st Coat seems bare but it drys quite fast and the second coat really dose in justice. Its glossy and dark , suppose it's not really for summer but my old goth tendencies just came out when I saw it. Can you really complain when it was only a £1. There are many more colours to choose from and I'm sure I will work my way through the all. This is the new bottle which suspiciously looks like the Essie brand but only a bottle dupe , much nicer than the old ones makes it look like a classy varnish. The brush is a bit small but only when it came to my thumb nails. Overall  a good buy.

2nd Coat

1st Coat

Make Sad Days Happy Hippy Days

This is a steal from my boyfriend, it was his originally but now its ours or rightfully mine. Either way this is the best, I feel so freaking crazy clean  using this shower gel. I come home and I know I'm grimy from work , I never had a fix for it until I met Happy Hippy.

This is a long term love affair . It's grapefruit which I thought I wouldn't like but I absolutely do at least in this anyway it's citrus but not a problem on my sensitive skin. So squeaky clean , lathers up with lots of bubbles and even gets oil off my skin from work. Happy Hippy is completely worth it and you should go in Lush just for this. It's £3.25 for 100g which I think is fair as you don't need much so good for holidays. Even with both of us using it lasts us pretty well. Intending to go buy the 500g bottle so we don't go back in too often, stop me before I buy everything in the shop!

Rimmel - Sweet But Sour

This is Rimmels I Love Lasting Finish in Sweet as Sugar rrp £3.69. I saw the colour and wanted it that's all it took. But with nail varnishes you go in store there's no way of testing , no real life swatches so all you can go on is colour. I don't know yet about the lasting finish yet but after three coats to get it to this coverage I really hope so and think it still may need one more.

Its such a beautiful shade of cool blue it saddens me the brush is awful. I can't work out why when the 60 seconds varnishes they do has a rounded wide flat brush which goes on so evenly and smooth. I don't think its the consistency as it seems similar to the other Rimmel varnishes I have. The brush seems to streak lines through as you put in on you nail which is why I think it took three coats. Even now though in natural light I can see patches where I can see my nail. The closest colour Rimmel do to this one is Rimmel 60 Seconds in Too Cool To Tango so that may end up being a future purchase.

Honey Be Good To Your Lips

I've still not after many years wanted to try lipsticks and haven't found a gloss I didn't find overly sticky. So I'm for now its chap stick and lip balms.

I don't like strong tasting ones or have a  thick consistency.My other issue is I cringe when I see lipstick on other peoples teeth and I'm sure it would make me paranoid. I think I'd be forever wiping lipstick or lip gloss gunk off the side of my coffee cup.

I want them to just sit on my lips and keep them moisturised. I bought Honey Trap for my sister at Christmas and purchased one for myself as I just loved the smell, subtle but inviting. I tested it out and almost no taste. I'm hooked and sure to be purchasing another when I eventually run out. They aren't cheap at £5.50 but they seem to last.

I've also tried Whipstick a chocolate and orange version but not really to my taste. I've just peered on the lush site and I'm intrigued to try the Latte one that had bronze pigments in so I could add colour that way as I'm an avid coffee lover . If anybody can make suggestions as to a starting place with lipsticks then please comment , I'm looking at the lip butters as they seem like a good inbetween place to start.

Make Up Academy - Squiggle Effect

My theory is if a product can make it look like you did more work than you did then its worth a try. This is magnetic nails by MUA (Make Up Academy) in Mayfair its rrp is £3.50. If you only do one coat the effect isn't as strong but as I've just found out it dose work so if your in a rush it dose dry fast too.

One Coat Effect

As it directs on the bottle the most effective way to use it is to apply one coat on each nail and let this dry. Next do each nail individually so one at a time apply the varnish, screw the lid back on place lid over your nail resting the curved plastic at the base of your nail on skin. Leave for ten seconds over your nail before moving onto the next nail.

How To Apply

Finished Effect

On the left is how the effect is created and and the right the finished design. It can be tricky at first, the times I've smudged the varnish into the magnetic top that still occasionally happened but two or three attempts and you've nailed it. I class is as the lazy gurls dupe to nail art because anyone can do it.

Everyday Anytime Mosturiser - Clean & Clear

This is my everyday moisturiser. It is Clean & Clear Dual Action Mosturiser which is oil free. I bought this on the recommendation from other blogs. I am so glad I did, I've been using this for about the last month and I'm about a third through the 100 ml which cost £3.59 which seems reasonably priced. I just put it on all over my face, it sinks it easily and the idea that its both moisturising and going to help prevent spots and blemishes it ideal for me. My skin feels soft and smooth and for those of us with sensitive skin it is fragrance free. I can feel the tingling on my face when i use it and can see the change in my skin its slowly getting better. I don't expect miracles but i can tell its working and I'm going to stick with this one.

Exfoliate Pt 2 - The Greatest Scrub Of All

This is one of those products I thought i didn't need. I had my other Soap and Glory product, I was using Scrub Your Nose In It . I get beauty gift sets as standard for Christmas and I love my mum for that but some products just get left alone. Until I asked my boyfriend to pass me my Soap and Glory scrub this morning and he rummaged through my bag and passed me this:

Contains a blend of super gentle silicami particles and salicylic acid-loaded scrub beads, so the more you scrub, the more you smooth. Like a DIY microdermabrasion. It’s a scrub formulated to leave even the most exhausted face looking FRESH.
Source

So I thought what the heck I may as well try it out. All I wanted was to stick a bit on my forehead to try clear the small patch of dry skin . So I wet just my t-zone and used the scrub. It smells a little floral and I gave it a good scrub in then rinsed off. I could feel my skin was smoother. The consistency was thinner and more creamy but with similar beads to the Scrub Your Nose In It. The difference is its specifically an exfoliator and has salicylic acid in the beads. This acid is the difference from what I've read it causes the epidermis to shed more readily, opening clogged pores and neutralises bacteria within, preventing pores from clogging up again by constricting pore diameter, and allowing room for new cell growth.

After I'd done I put my mosturiser on and then my foundation . It works, it really dose I couldn't believe how smooth my foundation had gone on. I could build it up and it didn't cling anywhere. This is now part of my pre makeup routine. I can understand now how preparing my skin for make up changes how it all sits on my skin and makes it look so much better. So now this is for whenever I do my make up and the Scrub Your Nose In It is for once a week I use as a face mask treat. 

As for cost the price is £9 for 125ml which seems high but you use such as small amount and it spreads easily across my face that I think it will last as while before it needs replacing.

Exfoliater Pt 1 - Scrub Your Nose In It

This is the second tube of Scrub Your Nose In It by Soap & Glory I've had. The first was part of a Christmas gift so was free but the second was me spending my own money. I have dry skin mainly on my forehead which foundation just loves to cling to and have trouble with black heads on my nose and blemishes on my chin so it has a lot to contend with.This by the way is due to working in an engineering company so its hard to keep the dirt at bay.

Described by Soap & Glory as...

"At last - a simple solution for large pores and clogging. Just Scrub Your Nose In It™ with this amazing face scrub. Our fruit-acid formula leaves skin looking bright and radiant."

Its got a fruity and minty fresh smell  that makes me want to use it. It can be used for both simple exfoliation and a cleansing face mask. In my case i make it do both. I get my face nice and wet then apply it as a face mask concentrating on my t-tone then spreading a bit extra out to other less affected areas. Wait the recommended 3 minutes then wet my fingers and in circular motions scrub the mask into my face but not too hard. And when it says avoid getting it in yours eyes is because it really freaking hurts.

For this i have bared all which i agree make up free looks bad on me but we've all got to keep whats underneath well cared for to give our make up somewhere good to sit. I'm unsure if you can see the difference between the before and after but my face feels smoother and very clean.I find that i like products that make my face tingle like i can almost feel it working or at least doing something. After i moisturiser so my skin doesn't dry out. My suggestion would be to use it once a week for dry skin maybe twice if oily.

Before

Masked Up

The redness on my eyebrows below are small patches of psoriasis , basically bad dry skin which this really helps with , if you've had it you know what i mean. I've personally not had a reaction but always patch test first just in case as everybody is different.

After

Steeler For Life So I'm Showing Support In My Own Way

If you haven't heard of them already I'm referring to the "Sheffield Steelers Ice Hockey" team. I recently went into Xtras in Meadowhall. They have a great range of beauty products but at an a affordable price. This is where I spotted the Essie nail varnish called Orange It's Obvious. Its very bright and was £3.99 so half the rrp price. The Steelers colours are orange and teal so i had to pick it up, other than i don't have many Essie Nail Varnishes and up to now they all came from Xtras. 

So for the teal I already had a Barry M Nail Paint for £2.99. I later realised it was almost the same colour as Rimmel's 60 Seconds Green With Envy for £3.69 I'd picked up just two weeks earlier. Duh moment! Luckily both purchases were part of two 3 for 2 offers.

This took two coats to get this orange and its super bright and beautiful. I find the Essie varnishes seem to last the longest but with a top coat both should last well.

Fish Not Soho Good

This is my update to the dry shampoo I've been using. It's by Fish Soho and it's a 150ml spray bottle .It just seems to have ran out ridiculously fast I've been using it less than two weeks and used it about 6 times. All gone already. The product works well and my hair still feels soft after use but not good value compared with the Batiste. I'm thinkin of trying another Batiste possibly the one aimed at brunettes. Unless anyone else has a better suggestion?

Dry Shampoo Saviour ...Over slept But Still Out The Door and on Time!

My wake up time is 6.20 am which gives me 40 minutes to get dressed, drink my coffee and try to look reasonably presentable for work. Due to this lack of time Batiste is what I've been using. It's a dry shampoo which comes in many versions. For my first try I choose The Fruity & Cheeky Cherry , I'd be lying if i didn't say the very kitsch cherries on it wasn't one of the reasons I picked this from the many others. 

This is how Batiste Describe it :

Cherry is for anyone that loves their look sweet, smooth and full of luscious retro flavour. Our fun new fragrance delivers a rich cherry scent as it livens up your locks, and looks just as great on your dressing table as in your vintage handbag.

Source

Cost at time of publishing £2.99 for 200ml 

As for the scent it's little bit overly fake cherry and more fruity than anything but fades quickly so not too much of an issue. Its easy to use and not hard to control how much you spray. On my hair it looks like a white dusting of snow. Just aim at your parting first and spray over then sectioning down your hair do the same. I also do my hair that frames my face as I tend to touch it often through the day it always amuses me as I kinda look like Caitlin Moran with her similar streaks.

 On the packaging it just suggests to spray then massage straight in. I found that if I leave it for a few minutes while I do other things like make up or brushing my teeth when I do rub it in it seems to have given it a chance for it to pull the oil out of my hair. Don't worry about the white it dose blend in but there are colour specific Batiste for blonde's, reds and brunettes. 

If I've straightened my hair the day before then batiste the next day i can get away with not needing to do much extra to it. I think you can get away with doing this for a maximum of two days before you need to wash it out.So this would be great for camping trips as well as giving my hair a pick me up after work.

I'm going to next try the dry shampoo by fish as I picked it up in b&m for just 99p with RP of £3.56