Skincare

July 2014 Beauty Favourites

- Vicki 12 Comments
goodbyejuly1

July Favourites

So July whizzed by so fast, it was gloriously sunny for 99% of the month which is almost unheard of. My husband celebrated his birthday & we booked a holiday to Amsterdam so it’s been a quick but eventful month. I’m normally really late in sharing my favourites but I have a few things that I was excited to share with you.

Balance Me Natural Protection Moisturiser SPF25*

This has been my go-to daytime moisturiser as it has broad spectrum SPF25 its very lightweight, non-greasy and can be easily worn under makeup. Its been a must during the sunny month of July and has been keeping my skin protected from UVA & UVB rays.

L’Oreal Colour Riche Mono Eyeshadows

I blogged about these a couple of weeks ago and these shadows are just so very pretty. You can build them up to be intense or just sweep a light amount over your lids for more of a daytime look. They’re beautiful, I have 2 shades and I will be buying more at some point.

NYX Powder Blush in Angel

This is a pretty soft dusky pink and just gives you that fresh flushed look & its perfect for summer. It has a pretty sheen to it almost like a Mac MSF and it looks pretty when the light bounces off your cheeks. It’s not powdery and quite long wearing. It’s so good that we can now get our hands on NYX products in NEXT stores. I bought a few things last year when they first launched and I have used this beautiful blush the most.

Goodbye July Hello August

Essence Kabuki Brush*

I use this pretty black & pink brush to apply my blush, bronzer and even my face powder. It’s a soft dense kabuki brush & it washes up so well. I love how small it is & I will be bringing it with me when I go on holiday in August. It’s so handy as I use it to apply so many products.

The Body Shop Vitamin E Face Mist*

The lovely Carrie sent this to me after I won her brush giveaway. I have used it before & I love TBS Vitamin E range, It’s gentle and hydrating so this face mist is perfect for the heat wave that took over July. I have been keeping it on my desk & liberally spritzing it when I get hot. Its cooling and refreshing as well as having all the lovely skincare benefits too, so that’s a win-win situation

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Protective Sun Protection SPF50

This has been one of my go-to sun creams this Summer. It gives good protection and it is hydrating too oh & I like how it smells. Not a lot else to say except it does a good job of keeping my skin protected & doesn’t feel greasy.

Let me know what you loved during July & if you use any of the products I’ve mentioned.

Products that are marked with a * 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

M Asam Perfect Teint II Review

- Vicki 5 Comments
m asam skincare

I have been testing a few skincare items over the past couple of weeks & I thought I would share with you one of my favourites so far. It is by the brand M. Asam, which is a German cosmetic company founded in 1963, I had never heard of this brand before and being a skincare addict I like testing out new products, but I’m always slightly worried that I will upset my routine or that something will break me out. Thankfully, this product has been no trouble for my skin, so that’s a massive plus.

M Asam Skincare

This M. Asam Perfect Teint II* is a product for reducing the appearance of fine lines, controlling oil and giving you a skin a smooth base for applying your makeup. The first thing that struck me about this product is its constancy, it feels so light and fluffy, almost like a mousse. It takes a little getting used to how much to apply, but I learnt that less is more, it is easy to smooth over the skin and dries down to quite a matte finish. It feels very light on my skin and once it had been on my skin for a couple of minutes It felt very soft and hydrating.

You apply this after your moisturiser, but I would say that if you use quite a hydrating serum you could get away with using this instead of a moisturiser, especially if you don’t like to layer your products that much. This leaves my skin velvety smooth and my foundation glides on over the top and helps give me a flawless finish. I have been reaching for this most days during this crazy heat wave we have been having as it helps keep my foundation from slipping off my face and also controls my oily T Zone. I would say this is essentially a smoothing primer & a damn good one at that.

M. Asam Skincare

Face Cream

I have to say I was a little sceptical at first as I had never heard of this brand, but after using this Perfect Teint II I’m intrigued to try more. This product is an oily girl’s best friend & it does a pretty good job of smoothing the fine lines, some of my wrinkles are just too big for this to smooth, but I think that’s to be expected, it still makes my skin look even, natural and my foundation looked so good over the top. This cream doesn’t really have a scent, my husband thinks it slightly floral, but I can’t make a scent out, either way, it’s not overpowering.

The packaging feels luxurious, and the product is in a nice frosted glass jar with a bright green lid.

M Asam Perfect Teint II

Let me know if you have tried anything from this brand before & if you have any 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

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser

- Vicki 5 Comments

Nivea Skincare

I was lucky enough to win these Nivea In Shower Body Moisturisers back in June on the lovely Sarah’s Blog – Temporary : Secretary, I had seen them in store & wondered if they were any good. Well let me tell you I’m converted to the in shower moisturise. It has been a god send during this heatwave, I’ve found it far too hot & sticky to apply regular body butter or lotion but at the same time I hate skipping this step as my legs & arms get so dry.

I like to use this Nivea In Shower Moisturiser in two ways , this first is the standard way &  I follow their instructions & use it after I have used my usual shower gel and massage it all over my body then I rinse it off. I find that after I get out the shower my skin feels so very soft & hydrated, and this really keeps the dry skin at bay. Also unlike regular lotion the heat doesn’t make this feel sticky on my skin.

The second way I like to use this is to use it as a shaving cream as it leaves my legs & under arms feeling SO smooth they feel amazing. It doesn’t lather up but it acts as a really creamy shield and your razor glides over it & you’re left with the closet smooth shave. It is also very gentle and you don’t get any red bumps or angry shaving rash. If you use this & haven’t tried it this way I highly recommend it.

I have been going on & on about these to my Mum & she has stocked up on them & is also a big fan. Like I said its a great way of moisturising in this warm weather without feeling like you have an extra layer of product on. These get a big thumbs up from me. I like both scents equally and really hope Nivea release a few more, maybe a more Autumnal scent.

Let me know if you have tried these & if you have found them to be a hit or miss.

Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser – 250ml £3.56

The Mio Big Beach Countdown Box

- Vicki 4 Comments

Latest in Beauty Box

If you didn’t know, You Beauty Discovery offer Limited Edition Boxes throughout the year & they tend to have a theme. I have tried a few now & loved everyone of them. The one I am reviewing today is aimed at getting your body Summer Ready, so ideal if you’re heading off somewhere beachy on your summer holiday. These boxes are always jam packed full to the brim with products, food, and lifestyle extras such as vouchers. Its a great mix of new things to discover and inspire you. With this box You Beauty Discovery have teamed up with Mio Beauty  for the Big Beach Countdown & In this box you get,

–          Mio QuickStart (200ml)

–          Mio The A Cream (150ml)

–          Mio Fitness Band

–          Mio Exfoliating Glove (1 per box)

–          Mio Gym Bag

–          Mio voucher £10 off your first online Mio purchase

–          Bodyism Clean & Lean – 1 Day Body Brilliance Supplement Sachet (10g sachet)

–          The Chia Co. – Black Chia Pouch (150g)

–          Nuffield Health Fitness & Wellbeing – Exclusive 3-Day Gym Pass for you and a friend

–          Champneys Health Spa – Exclusive Mio Treatment voucher entitling the holder to a 55 minute treatment for just £39 (RRP £65)

Mio The A Cream

Mio is a new brand to me but once I did a little research about it I quickly discovered its a very popular and highly recommend brand. You get two Mio products in this box & they’re both really good, I have been using them in the morning & they make the perfect duo.

Mio – The A Cream 150ml – this is a firming body cream that you apply it to damp skin so I use it after I shower in the morning. I have been focusing this on my legs & bust (yes that needs firming too). Its in a very handy pump bottle & I use a few pumps for each leg & one pump everywhere else. The cream itself is quite light and absorbs quickly in to my skin leaving it feeling cool, smooth and very hydrated. Thats one thing I really noticed is that this is very moisturising and my legs have never felt as soft & smooth.

This cream has lots of skin benefits ‘The A Cream is packed with antioxidants and vitamins, organic Shea Butter, Hyaluronic Acid, organic Avocado, Sweet Almond, Coconut and Blueberry Seed Oils. Your skin will be soft, balanced, deeply moisturised and strong.’

So this cream is perfect if you need to give your body a boost of hydration whilst leaving it looking radiant and restoring skins elasticity and firmness. I’m seeing improvements and hope by the time I go on my holidays my legs are looking their best. I also noticed that Mio suggests using this as an aftersun lotion as it is naturally cooling & in this heat I have been taking full advantage of that.

mio-quick-start

Mio Quick Start Exhilarating Shower Gel 200ml – The first thing you notice about this shower gel is its spearmint scent, its minty, zingy and exhilarating and the perfect way to kick start your day. ‘This multitasking motivator cleanses, stimulates, brightens and nourishes in one healthy hit. It’s the surefire way to kickstart your day – with fresh Spearmint and Caffeine’. This is a very nice shower gel & does leave my skin feeling clean, soft and there are no nasties such a sulphates, or harsh chemicals. 

If you have been wanting to try Mio Skincare for a while then this box is a good excuse as the Mio products alone are worth more than double what you pay for the entire box & you will get all the extras too.

Healthy Chia Seeds

The Chia Co Black Chia 150g – I am no stranger to Chia Seeds & have them in my juices & often on my porridge. They’re are a rich source of Omega 3, fibre and proteins. They’re also a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidents. Its suggested that you eat a table spoon of Chia everyday – adding it to salads, yoghurt, porridge or whatever you desire. They have virtually no taste & are a great supplement to a healthy diet. Chia is a complete plant based protein containing all eight essential amino acids & if like me you are Vegan then this can be hard to find & Chia Seeds are an easy efficient way of getting your amino acids.

You also get a Mio Exfoliating Glove which is great to use with the Mio Shower Gel & a very good way of getting the circulation going in the morning and exfoliate away all the dead skin to keep your skin looking bright, smooth and Summer ready. They suggest that you use this on dry skin, but that just feels a little weird to me & I much prefer to use it in the shower.

Mio Fit Band – I must admit, I haven’t used this much yet, but as I said I am on the 4 week countdown to my holiday so I do plan on using it & getting a little more toned. Mio have printed suggested exercises on the band so thats very helpful. This is bright orange & would be ideal to take away with you if you wanted to exercise whilst away from home but you were limited on space. So I look forward to tightening my stomach & lifting my butt ready for my holiday.

Mio Gym Bag – This is bright orange & pink & would be great for the gym but my niece pinched it from me & is using it for her swimming kit. So she is one happy 6 year old.

Body Brilliance – The Clean & Lean 10g sachet – With high-quality, well-being and a happy life in mind, this burst of protein, fibre, minerals, greens, herbs, fruits and vegetables comes in a deceivingly delicious chocolate flavour to curb any sweet cravings, whilst injecting the body with pure goodness. Im yet to try this yet but it says it has a chocolate taste so I am sure I will enjoy it. 

Nuffield Health, Fitness & Wellbeing 3 Day Pass for you & a friend – So if you live near a Nuffield Centre then this is a great way of testing out their facilities & seeing if its somewhere you’d like to join. Nuffield offer a huge variety of classes in every one of the 65 Fitness & Wellbeing Centres across the UK. 

You also get a £10 voucher to redeem at mioskincare.co.uk

Worth over £100, the YOU Beauty Discovery Mio “Big Beach Countdown” Limited Edition Box is available to members and non-members alike for just £16.95* So be quick if you want to get your hands on one.

Mio Skincare is also available to purchase online at mioskincare.co.uk

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