Five Under £5 For March 2017

five under 5 march 2017

Five Under £5 For March 2017

I haven’t joined in with the Five Under £5 tag since last November, a combination of being busy and also I forgot all about it a couple of times too.So I got my butt in gear this month because I really missed taking part and there is nothing I like more that hunting out a bargain.

If you want to get involved and link up your monthly 5 Under £5 finds then head over to Julia’s blog at Rainbeaubelle and join in. It’s a lot of fun & you get to see all of the cute bargains that everyone finds, I always end up purchasing so many things from everyone else’s roundups.

The Little Paris Book Shop

The Little Paris Bookshop £4.49

One of my goals this year was to read more and 2 months into 2017 I have read 5 books, which is decent for me. I read The Little Paris Book Shop last month, I purchased it on Amazon for my Kindle and thoroughly enjoyed it and finished it super quickly. It is a story about love, loss and friendship. It is heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal measures and if you have a romantic soul like me then you will love this story. It is mostly set on board a book barge in the centre of Paris and that in itself was enough to make me purchase this book. I love that the main character Jean Perdu doesn’t let people pick their own books, he chooses their books for them almost like a prescription from a doctor. It follows his journey to try and mend his broken heart and you’re taken along for the very scenic ride. I 100% recommend adding this to your reading list for 2017.

Primark Wild Orchid & Honey Room Diffuser £1

I use these in my small downstairs toilet, there is no window and I don’t like to leave a candle burning in there as I am worried I’ll forget its lit. So a diffuser is a great way of giving the room a lovely subtle scent. These Primark ones are so affordable and this scent isn’t too overpowering or synthetic.

Aldi Fairy Lights

Aldi Rattan Ball Fairy Lights £2.99

My friend Hayley bought these for me and I adore them. I like the colours and just how sweet they look in the evening when it’s gone dark outside. I like to have fairy lights around my house and my motto is you can never have too many! So thank you so much Hayley, these are going to get a lot of love. I’m not too sure if Aldi will still have these in stock as they’re Special Buys seem to sell out pretty quickly.

Essence Make Me Brow £2.50

I am super lazy when it comes to my brows and I like to use products that are quick and fuss free. I love the Benefit Gimme Brow but I don’t like spending when there are such decent dupes out there. This tinted brow gel from Essence is a fantastic dupe, I get the darkest shade and that is a very good match for my bows. It provides a good amount of colour and covers any sparse areas and I like that it keeps those unruly brow hairs in place too. The brush is small and helps you to be precise with the product and only £2.50 everyone should add this to their makeup bag. If you haven’t tried Essence Cosmetics yet you really need too, it is available in Wilko Stores.
Essence Make Me Brow

Lidl Star Washi Tape 3 Rolls £1.99

Yes, yes we all know that I’m a washi tape hoarder but in my defence I have actually found a few uses for it and have started to use it in my Bullet Journal and also when decorating envelopes when writing to my lovely niece. So it is useful as well as pretty. I bought this pack from Lidl and they had a good selection of patterns and colours, I was quite restrained and only bought one pack, I liked the star patterns and bright colours so I am chuffed with this bargain.

Five Under £5 March 2017

Poundland Creative Colouring Book £1

This is an Easter gift for my niece. I bought her one from Amazon for Christmas and she really enjoyed it, so I was pleased to come across this more affordable one in the Poundshop. The pictures are really beautiful and the paper is good quality. I think there were 3 options to pick from and because she gets so much chocolate for Easter I thought I would be a little different and buy her something creative to do. I might have to colour in a page before I send it.

Let me know if you join in this month.

  • This post contains affiliate links

skinChemists Bee Venom Facial Serum

Skin Chemists Bee Venom Serum

Skin Chemists Bee Venom Serum

skinChemists Bee Venom Facial Serum*

I’ve been using this serum for a couple of weeks and I have to say It is easy to see why the Bee Venom range is skinChemists best selling collection, not to mention the Duchess of Cornwall’s skincare product of choice. With over 50 years experience skinChemists offer quality skincare that delivers results.

Bee Venom has become a very popular ingredient in skincare over the past few years and it works by:-

Fooling the skin into thinking it has been stung, the Bee Venom causes the body to increase the level of blood circulation to the application area, encouraging heightened production of collagen and elastin. This increased production restores a plumper and firmer skin structure, slowing down skin sagging and dramatically reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.

The main ingredients in Bee Venom Serum are:

  • Bee Venom which aims to plump and firm the skin while stimulating collagen production
  • A blend of Amino Acids aim to balance the skin, whilst improving skin clarity and encouraging an even skin tone for a brighter complexion.
  • Hyaluronic Acid aims to maintain moisture within the skin

It has a lightweight gel consistency which after you massage it in to the skin feels like it almost evaporates. There is no sticky, greasy residue left behind and It leaves the skin feeling very soft, hydrated and visibly smooth. It feels great layered under your other skincare and gives you a nice base for makeup. I also like that it has a subtle sweet scent.

This is a perfect addition to your skincare routine for Spring as it plumps your skin and leaves it with a fresh, healthy glow. Coming from a very wet, dry Winter this is exactly what my skin needed.

** During the month of March if you use my code LETSTALKBLOG this Bee Venom Facial Serum will be reduced from £135.00 to £19.99 which is an incredible saving **

*PR Sample

Tropic Good Skin Day Serum

Tropic skincare goodskin serum

Tropic Skincare Good Skin Serum

Tropic Good Skin Day Serum*

Tropic Skincare seems to be one of the best kept secrets in the beauty world, they’re a cruelty-free all natural, British beauty brand that produce quality, effective products. I have tried a few of their skincare releases, and they always exceed expectations. I find myself recommending them to friends and family of all ages, it is fuss free skincare that just works.

I’ve been trying out their Good Skin Day Serum for a couple of weeks now and using it mostly as part of my morning routine (although I think it is meant to be an overnight serum). It mainly fits in with my am routine because it has a really uplifting sweet scent, and it leaves my skin feeling velvety soft, smooth and nourished. I find the rest of my skincare works well on top and also my makeup looks even and doesn’t sink in to my fine lines throughout the day.

This is a resurfacing serum so it is fantastic for keeping your skin looking refreshed, radiant and beautifully healthy. I always get a patch of bumpy, textured skin on my chin and this works wonders at helping to smooth that out. This product has such an incredible list of skin loving ingredients including,

  • Lime Pearl Extract Glycolic acids and Willow Bark BHA – exfoliate for a softer, smoother skin surface
  • Mango Extract – helps protect against free radicals
  • Coconut Water – deeply hydrates skin
  • Papaya Enzymes and AHA Fruit Complexes – refine and tighten pores
  • Concentrated Hyaluronic Acid – delivers a boost of skin hydration

Tropic Good Skin Day Serum

This blend of ingredients will not only protect your skin, but hydrate it and keep it looking fresh and well rested. It is quite the powerhouse, and I’ve been loving using it, it feels refreshing on the skin and although it is a resurfacing, exfoliating serum it isn’t harsh or uncomfortable.

As with any resurfacing / acid products, make sure you use an SPF as your skin is more sensitive to UV rays!

I have to mention just one more time about the scent of this, it is so, so good. If you like sweet, fruity scents then you will love this. It reminds me that warmer weather is just around the corner.

Tropic Skincare is cruelty-free, vegan and 100% naturally derived.

Current Favourite Beauty Oils

Current favourite beauty oils

Current Favourite Beauty Oils

ESPA Balancing Face Treatment Oil

This is my go to face oil when my skin is feeling out of sorts and stressed. I like to use it particularly when the seasons / weather changes and my skin needs balancing. It it has a such lightweight feel and if like me your skin irritates easily this is very soothing and calming, it makes a great overnight oil so your skin looks soothed and well rested when you wakeup. It has some lovely hydrating and soothing ingredients including,

  • Lemon and Rose Geranium help clarify purify and balance oil
  • Rose Damascena soothes unruly problematic skin
  • Sweet Almond and Avocado hydrate and nourish for a soft, supple finish

ESPA Nourishing Lip Treatment

Lip Oils took the skincare world by storm in 2016 and so many brands have released their version but I like how comfortable the ESPA one feels on the lips. I often apply it when I am sat at my desk working and it helps keep my lips soft and hydrated, It is a lovely pamper treatment for your lips, especially if you like to wear matte lipsticks as this is so good at smoothing your lips and giving them that healthy boost of hydration. It includes some really nourishing ingredients including,

  • Indian Gentian Leaves – this blurs the appearance of fine lines and visible smooths skin, boosts collagen and elastin production
  • Konjac Root & Hyluronic Acid Filling Spheres – these plump, smooth and deliver long lasting hydration
  • Omega rich Raspberry & Pomegranate Seed Oils – Both are deeply nourishing and help keep your lips in a beautiful condition
  • Pink Grapefruit Essential Oils – This soothes and gives the oil  a fresh flavour

This is a wonderful product to take with you on long journeys / flights and it is small enough to fit in your makeup bag and is travel friendly.

Favourite Beauty Oils

Jurlique Nail & Cuticle Treatment Oil

For some reason this past 6 weeks my nails have been so dry and my cuticles are a little cracked so I hunted high and low for my Jurlique oil, thankfully I found it at the back of my bathroom cabinet. I’ve been giving my nails a break from wearing nail polish, just whilst I try to nourish them and stop them looking and feeling so dry. Each night before bed I take the time to really massage this oil into my fingers, especially around the nail and that seems to be working. It contains quite a few nourishing and hydrating ingredients, including

  • Rosemary Extract – to strengthen dry brittle nails
  • Horsetail Extract – to strengthen dry brittle nails
  • Carrot Root – to soothe cracked cuticles
  • Calendula – to nourish and soothe dry cuticles
  • Almond & Macadamia Oils – to intensely hydrate and restore moisture

Merumaya Everything Everywhere Beauty Oil

As the name of this beauty oil suggests it is a multi purpose product (which I love) and It can be used on dry hands, heels, face, body hair, scalp lashes and brows. I have been known to mix a few drops in with their moisturiser for an extra boost of hydration, I mostly use it as an overnight oil and find that it really peps up my skin and leaves it feeling soft and supple. It contains a really wonderful collection of ingredients including,

  • Kahai Oil which has even more benefits than Argan Oil, 50% more Vitamin E and twice as much Linoleic (Essential Fatty Acids). It also has 3 times more anti-ageing Retinol than rosehip oil (traditionally used to combat scars and healing the skin).
  • Oat, Grapeseed and Jojoba Oils, this exclusive formula provides moisture, elasticity, a reduction in lines, soothes, brightens and nourishes the skin
  • Squalane which helps prevent moisture loss whilst restoring skins suppleness. So quite the power house of ingredients. I am excited to see the results of prolonged use and I will be putting its multi functional benefits to good use.

This is a great all rounder to have in your skincare collection. If you have this let me know how you use it.

OGX Macadamia Hair Oil

OGX Macadamia Dry Styling Oil

OGX are one of my favourite haircare brands, their product selection is vast and very good quality. On a daily basis I am very low maintenance when it comes to my hair, I try not to use heat or apply too many products as my hair becomes greasy and dull so easily. This Macadamia Dry Oil is great on wet or dry hair and it helps nourish dry hair, tame frizzy fly aways and give hair that healthy sheen. It never weighs my hair down and I also use it to keep my waves / curls from looking flat. You need a very small amount of this & always adopt the mantra less is more!

It is enriched with rich Macadamia Oil which helps hydrate and smooth dry, dull hair. Whilst sugar cane extract and bamboo extract soften and prevent those unsightly split ends. So if you are looking for a lovely lightweight, affordable hair oil then you need to check this one out.

BOTANICO VIDA Omega Oil

BOTANICO VIDA Omega Oil

One of my goals this year was not to just focus skincare on my face but also remember my body needs a little love too and I have been body brushing, especially my thighs and upper arms and each morning I’ve been using a body oil from a brand I was recently introduced too called Botanica Vida. This comes in a spray bottle so you can apply it directly on to the skin and massage it in. It is a very lightweight oil and after using it for almost 3 weeks I can already see a difference in my skin tone, texture and the softness of my skin. I am excited to see what results I see from continued use from what I read this product is quite effective at reducing the appearance of stretch marks, which I have a few off so that would be good. It contains a lovely blend of Omega, Vitamin and Anti Oxidant rich nutrients including,

  • Bioactive Sacha Inchi with 90% Omega Fatty Acids
  • Argan & Rosehip Oil
  • Avocado & Oilve Fruit Oil
  • Sunflower Seed & Coconut Oil
  • Vitamin E & Calendula
  • Mandarin & Grapefruit

What beauty oils do you use in your routine, I would love to hear your suggestions of new products to try.

*This post contains PR Samples