Skincare

Floral Memento Body Products

- Vicki 6 Comments

Floral Memento Body Products

I visited the & Other Stories store in London a couple of years ago & treated myself to a few products, I thought it was a great shop and wish I’d had a little more time to browse not only the beauty products but also the clothes. I can’t wait to visit again but I was very impressed with the products I bought and think their range is very affordable and really good quality. So I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to review two products from their new Floral Memento range.

I love setting a day aside every week to do a full on pamper session. I run a bath, do a face mask and give my skin a little TLC. I have been enjoying these two body products from the & Other Stories Floral Memento Collection With the weather getting warmer & the inevitability of getting my legs out, I have found this duo leave my skin hydrated and smooth and a great pre tanning combo.

The Floral Memento range smells to me like a fresh summers day – its quite sweet but with a sophisticated musky layer. It has notes of,

  • Top: Lemon, Bergamot, Blackberries
  • Heart: Violet, Lavender, Peony
  • Base: Musks, Mate leaves, Cedarwood

Floral Memento Collection

Floral Memento Body Scrub* £7 – A lovely sugar scrub that polishes / scrubs away the dead skin leaving your body feeling silky smooth. I’ve found its the perfect pre tanning product because after using this your tan doesn’t go patchy or cling to dry area like knees and elbows. I like a scrub that doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped or that is too abrasive & this one is just perfect, its quite gentle and leaves your skin feeling hydrated too.

Floral Memento Body Soufflé* £10 – This is a very lightweight whipped body cream which doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy at all. I like that it almost sinks in instantly and gives your skin a smooth supple finish. This Body Soufflé is ideal for those warmer days / nights when you don’t want to wait for a heavy body butter to sink in as it is so lightweight and silky soft. I like to apply it before I tan because it hydrates and gives your skin a smooth finish.

They both come in a tub with a screw top lid which I like for the body lotion but its not my favourite packaging for a shower product & find that in the shower my tub fills with up with water before I can put the lid back on. I prefer a squeeze tube or one with a pump, they’re more hygienic & easier to use when your hands are wet.

They both smell incredible and it is a scent that lingers on my skin throughout the day, if you like fresh summery floral scents you will enjoy this range. I’ve been trying these two products but this bath and body range also includes a body mist, hand wash, hand lotion, body wash and body lotion so quite a selection. I’m really tempted to get the body mist.

If you can’t get to the London store fear not you can purchase online at www.stories.com

Let me know what pamper products you have been enjoying & also if you have any & Other Stories product recommendations.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

Bloom With Harrods Beauty

- Vicki 3 Comments
Bloom With Harrods Beauty GWP

Bloom With Harrods Beauty Spring GWP

If you like your skincare / makeup more on the side of luxury, than this incredible Bloom With Harrods Beauty Gift With Purchase* is going to knock your socks off. This spring, Harrods are giving away one hefty GWP featuring a great selection of luxurious beauty must-haves worth up to £300, when you spend £250+ on skincare & beauty products. My mum was quite shocked with how much you had to spend to qualify for the offer, but when we went through & added up how much the products she uses on a daily basis cost, she soon realised how quickly & easily she could spend £250.

So if your favourite high-end foundation, moisturiser, perfume or indeed any beauty product is coming to an end & you’re looking to repurchase anytime soon, then NOW is the time to browse the Harrods beauty hall, either in store or online and get your hands on this beautiful exclusive offer. This Gift With Purchase is absolutely jam packed with luxurious treats and only available for a limited time.
Blooms With Harrods Beauty

So before you even get to peek inside this bag of treats you notice the pretty metallic rose gold makeup bag, it’s quite large, has two compartments and is very well-made, it would make the perfect travel makeup bag. I have no idea how Harrods have managed to squeeze all these beauty treats inside, but you get up to 18 cult, luxurious and some of Harrods top-selling beauty products. So many brands and products you will recognise.

A few of the items I’m most excited about are,

Rodial Dragon Blood Eye Masks Pack of 6 – I love using eye masks, they’re so good for giving your peepers a pick me up after a long flight or late night. I haven’t tried anything from Rodial, but I have heard lots of good things about their Rodial range. These are designed to hydrate and refresh whilst also de puffing and giving an instantly bright-eyed appearance.

Burberry Fresh Glow Luminous Fluid Base 5ml – I have only heard positive things about the Burberry makeup range and it always looks so beautifully packaged. This is a multitasking base that will protect, moisturise and illuminate your complexion. It can be used alone, as a primer or blended with foundation.

By Terry Baume De Rose 3g – I have had one of these super cute mini pots before & absolutely fell for the hype. I can 100% see why this is a cult favourite in the beauty world. This lip balm is soothing, hydrating and nourishing, so your lips are getting quite the VIP treatment with this. It’s so good to have this back in my makeup bag, and I am going to enjoy using it.

Bloom With Harrods Beauty GWPHarrods Gift With Purchase

Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer 8ml – A great quality nail polish & a sweet Spring shade. This will be going straight on my toes. All I need now is for the weather to bring some sunshine & my feet will be flip-flop ready.

Decléor Life Radiance – Double Radiance Scrub 15ml – A wonderful spa brand with an emphasis on quality, I have tried a few products from this brand & never been disappointed. This scrub combats dullness and restores radiance to your skin. Perfect for using during Summer when you want to wear a light base, this will help your skin look full of life & radiant.

Diptyque Roses Scented Candle 70g – This is my first Diptyque candle & it’s just beautiful. The scent is floral & fresh, so this is the perfect time of year to burn it. I was so very happy to see this included in the GWP. It’s a mini version, but still it will last a decent amount of time.

Eve Lom Cleanser & Muslin Cloth 30ml – This pioneering beauty balm was first introduced to the beauty industry 29 years ago, so it is a cult classic & very much at the forefront of balm cleansers. I am addicted to cleansing and think this will be so good at taking my makeup off and leaving my skin soft and clean.

Givenchy Phenomen’eyes Mascara 4g – This mascara has spherical brush designed to be precise and give you ultimate control over the brush. I love trying new mascaras, especially high-end ones, so this is a very exciting addition to my makeup stash.

Kiehl’s Créme De Corps 30ml – I have used this quite a few times and have to say it’s one of the best body lotions out there. It’s jam packed with so many skin beneficial ingredients including vitamins A & E, beta-carotene and aloe vera. You apply this lotion to damp skin, and you’re left with nourished, smooth & beautiful looking skin. This is 100% a body lotion you need to try.

Harrods Beauty GWP 2015

Products also included are,

Lancome Absolute Nuit Premium BX 15ml

Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Infusion De Rose Nourishing Oil 3ml

Natura Diamond Life Infusion Retinol Eye Serum 3ml

Philip Kingsley Ltd Edition Geranium & Neroli Elasticizer 40ml

Revive Moisturising Renewal Cream 5ml

Robert Piguet Rose Perfection De Robert Piguet 10ml Rollerball

Shiseido Ultimune Power Infiusing Concentrate 10ml

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence 30ml

YSL Touche Éclat Blur Primer 10ml

Also to tie in with the Spring theme, Harrods have included a cute Seed Bomb – so you can spread the love and grow some pretty spring flowers. So if you’d like to get hold of this amazing Gift With Purchase you have until the end of May – so get shopping.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However, if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

My 5 Tips For Happy Skin

- Vicki 6 Comments

I always think that as Summer approaches its nice to get my skin looking its best as I like to wear as little makeup as possible when its warm & I feel more comfortable doing this when my skin is looking radiant & healthy. I thought I would share 5 of my skincare tips with you today, I always love hearing other peoples tips & tricks for keeping their skin looking radiant & healthy. So feel free to leave me a comment letting me know what your skincare secrets are.

5 Tips For Healthy Skin

I’d say my 1st and most important tip for healthy skin is using a broad spectrum Facial SPF – my skin is quite fair and I have been blessed with quite a few freckles so I like to make sure I protect my skin everyday. I like to use an SPF that has high UVA & UVB protection. UVA rays are not filtered by clouds or windows and are present all year round and UVA rays penetrate the skin deeply, causing greying of the skin, wrinkles/sagging and cause skin cancer. It is these UVA rays that cause the premature ageing of our skin. So rain or shine I use a facial SPF & hope that it helps protect my skin and in turn keeps it looking its best.

If we want our skin to look its best then we all know that it has a lot to do with what we physically put in to our bodies & thats why having a Healthy Diet is my 2nd tip to maintaining healthy radiant skin. I know diet is very personal and we all eat very differently but what works for me is eating as much fresh fruit and vegetables as I can, because these are rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants (fresh smoothies & juices are a great way to increase your intake of fruit & veg). I don’t eat any dairy, meat or eggs so my diet consists of plant based foods only. I also try and eat as little processed food & sugary snacks as possible. You really can eat your way to healthy skin & I have noticed a massive difference in my skin since changing to eating a plant based diet 3 years ago.

My 3rd tip is Getting a Good Nights Sleep, for me its not how long I sleep that makes a difference but how well I sleep. If I have a disturbed nights sleep I look terrible the next day & my skin looks dull. I have made a conscious effort to not take my phone or laptop to bed as I end up checking social media & I find it hard to switch my mind off and relax. A good nights sleep helps me feel recharged and keeps my skin looking fresh & keeps my eye bags & dark circles to a minimum.

Skincare is my 4th tip, it plays a big part for me in helping keep my skin looking its best. There are so many wonderful products that help your skin look glowing and a step I never miss is cleansing, its important to remove not only your makeup but also the bacteria and dirt built up from the day that can clog pores and cause breakouts. I like to exfoliate too which helps remove dead skin cells revealing glowing fresh skin. You can get quite a few skin products that help give that instant radiance to the skin whilst also giving your skin long term benefits too – like The Body Shop Vitamin C Instant Glow Enhancer*, this is a great product for getting an instant peachy fresh rosy glow, it smoothes the skin and delivers a boost of vitamin C to help maintain a healthy complexion. This makes my skin looks healthy and refreshed, I think this is a summer staple for 2015.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Enhancer

Drink More Water is my 5th tip – I know this is along the same lines as eating healthy and we can consume a lot of our hydration through our food which is great but remembering to drink enough water throughout the day is something I challenge myself to do. I carry round a bobble bottle with me everywhere & fill it up whenever I can, this saves me buying bottled water (great for the bank balance & the environment). Staying hydrated helps your skin look plump and supple but also flushes out toxins that can dull the skin. I see people with fancy water bottles full of fruit – I think I will give that a go to liven up my tap water.

Let me know what your top tips are to keeping your skin healthy.

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.

5 Current Skincare Favourites

- Vicki 6 Comments
5 skincare favourites May

5 current skincare favourites

Soap & Glory Peaches & Clean Deep Cleansing Milk £8.00

I took this with me on my recent trip to Scotland & I used it every evening to cleanse off my makeup. It is a very gentle creamy cleanser that doesn’t dry out or strip your skin. It’s not amazing at removing eye makeup but I do tend to remove that with a micellar water first then just make sure its all off with the cleanser. It leaves my skin feeling soft and clean and after 3 weeks of daily use my skin is looking bright and it hasn’t broken me out. This cleanser smells incredible and sweet and I have been surprised at how much I have liked using it as I tend to use a cleansing oil but this has been a nice alternative. It’s also so handy having the pump dispenser & this is the larger 200ml bottle so will last forever.

Balance Me Radiance Mask £18.00

I like to use this mask in the morning (when I have time). It has a thick creamy consistency with fine exfoliating walnut shells which you smooth over the skin & leave it to work its magic. You then massage it off lightly letting the fine walnut shells exfoliate your skin, to reveal smooth, hydrated & radiant skin. I promise your skin will feel so smooth after using this. Balance Me say you can use this product in two ways – if you’re in a rush then you can use it as a face wash or if you have time on your side you sit back, relax and use it as a treatment mask. I do like a multi-purpose product. This product removes dead skin, replenishes lost moisture and soothes & smooths your skin. I love it!

Vichy Idealia Eye Cream* 23.00

This is the perfect eye cream if your skin is dehydrated & fatigued but the first thing I have to talk about is the really cool applicator, It’s a silicone spatula & the product comes out of a little hole in the centre. It makes applying the eye cream very hygienic and really easy. This cream has quite a thick creamy consistency, so if you’re looking for a really nourishing hydrating eye cream then this is for you. It does take a couple of minutes to absorb but once it has you’re left with smooth, hydrated and brighter looking skin. This cream helps reduce the signs of fatigue as it contains caffeine & is enriched with instant illuminators and a combination of DRM-Bright complex and vitaminB3. I think it has helped reduce puffiness and dark circles too. It wears well under concealer & foundation, although the formula is on the heavy side it isn’t greasy. I really like this as part of my morning routine & have used hardly any product even though I have been using it for a couple of months. If you’re on the hunt for a new eye cream give this a go!

ESPA Naturally Radiant Gradual Tan*

This is a brand new product from ESPA & a great addition to their range. It is a lightweight nourishing formula that is no fuss or mess, you simply apply it like a body lotion and leave it to work its magic. It gives your skin a gorgeous natural glow which develops over four hours and intensifies each day. The formula has a combination of Shea Butter, Coconut and Sweet Almond Oil which leave the skin feeling deeply hydrated and soft whilst Jasmine, Rosewood and Ylang Ylang essential oils leave your skin subtlety scented. I can 100% say this smells incredible.

La Roche Posay Micellar Water

This is a great gentle but effective micellar water. I use it to remove my eye makeup before cleansing & it even removes my Benefit Roller Lash, which is very stubborn. It has a very light scent to it but nothing overpowering and it never stings or irritates my eyes. So if you’re in the market for a new micellar water then this is a great option & now that it is stocked in many Boots stores it’s so easy to get hold of.

What skincare have you been enjoying lately & have I mentioned any of your favourites?

Products that are marked with an * have either been sent to me for my consideration or I’ve received at events. I’m under no obligation to review them on my blog. However if I do, the reviews are 100% my own.