REVIEW: Avon Nail Experts Conditioning Cuticle Pen

If you want strong healthy nails, you definitely need to look after your cuticles. Although you can use any moisturizing product like a lip balm, hand cream or multi purpose balm, there are a lot of products specifically designed to aid healthy nail growth.

I’ve been using the Avon Nail Experts Conditioning Cuticle Pen recently, when I remember that is.  It comes in really handy, easy to use packaging, you just twist the bottom and the product is dispensed into the brush at the top. All you have to do is sweep it over your nail beds and rub it in.

The product itself is a lightweight oil that sinks into the skin really quickly, particularly if you have dry skin like me. It does a great job of nourishing the cuticles and the delicately scented lavender oil it contains makes it feel like a luxurious treat to use.

Do you use any cuticle products?

REVIEW: Boots Extracts Cocoa Butter Sugar Scrub

When it comes to body scrubs, I like to think of myself as quite the connoisseur, I've tried so many in my quest for soft and smooth even toned skin! This one, the Boots Extracts Cocoa Butter Sugar Scrub (or available here as part of a set with a shower gel and body butter for a fiver!) is one of the cheapest but also one of the best I've tried. I tried their mango version a few years ago and didn't think much of it, this one has a completely different formula and it's great!

As you can see in the image above, it has a really thick, tightly packed consistency which means it actually gets the job done rather than just slopping off and sliding down the drain. It really leaves you feeling like you've been throughly scrubbed! It has nice scent too, very subtle and non offensive and smells to me a lot more like vanilla than cocoa butter.

In terms of efficiency this works just as well as my all time favourite scrub, Soap & Glory Flake Away, but it doesn't quite get to share the top spot, Flake Away wins hands down because of it's amazing scent and quirky retro packaging. 

What is your favourite body scrub?

REVIEW: La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion Micro-Exfoliant

I've been using the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion Micro-Exfoliant for just over 2 months now and I finally feel like I've used it enough to be able to write a review on it. As with a lot of skincare products, the results aren't instant, you need to stick with them for a while before you can really see any benefits. 

I've definitely started to see benefits from this, it's one of those chemical exfoliant toners, which exfoliate your skin without the need of harsh grainy scrubs, particularly great if you suffer from sensitive skin. I've been using it twice a day, sweeping it onto the skin with a cotton pad post cleanser, and following with my usual facial oil/moisturiser. It's meant I've completely stopped using scrubs which is great. 

One thing I would say about this is that it does contain alcohol so skin can feel a tad dry after application, but as long as you follow with moisturiser (which I'm sure everyone does anyway) it will be fine. I've definitely noticed an improvement in skin texture since I've been using this, and my skin tone has been looking a lot more even too. I've been using it in conjunction with the Botanics 100% Organic Facial Oil (review here) which I've been using for about a month which has also helped my skin a great deal.

What do you use to exfoliate?

Wardrobe Staples

I seem to be on the hut for wardrobe basics more and more as of late, the quest for the perfect black bag, boots and skinnies seems to be unending. Here are a few pics that have caught my eye.

Coat with Contrast Sleeve and Zip Detail - Asos - 26.00

Leather Look and Ponte Shift Dress - Oasis - 31.50

Dress with Cap Sleeve - Only - 18.00

Selma Satchel - Michael Kors - 315.00

Leather Look Sleeve Knit Dress - Vero Moda - 17.50

Pasha High Heels - ASOS - 25.00

Canter Black Block Heel Leather Ankle Boots - Whistles - 185.00

Bright Plain Tab Scarf - River Island - 15.00

High Waist Trousers in Cotton Twill - ASOS - 22.00

Hairspiration

If you follow me on Pinterest, you'll know that my thoughts have turned to all things hair. I've been desperately trying to rescue my dry and damaged hair for a while now but all the colouring, blowdrying, straightening and curling has finally taken its toll and I think it's time I cut my losses (pun fully intended)! I'm thinking of something along the lines of a shoulder length bob that can be styled easily and will be pretty low maintenance. 

Which is your favourite look from the ones above? I'm still undecided! 

All images sourced from Pinterest.

Klorane Shampoo with Mango Butter

So I've managed to find a shampoo that I like that isn't high end! Now it's nothing on either of my favourite shampoos but it is a good one. 

It's the Shampoo with Mango Butter from french pharmacy brand Klorane, which got added into my basket when I was stocking up on some skincare bits from Escentual. It has a lovely rich consistency which means you don't need to much of it, it lathers up really well, leaves hair feeling fresh and clean but still moisturised. Not an easy task for shampoos I find, as most that leave my hair feeling clean also leave it feeling dry and stripped. As well as all that, it smells really good, fruity but in a fresh kind of way, not at all over sweet or syrupy. 

I'm definitely looking to try more products from this brand, any recommendations?

Empties #5

Another month, another empties post, where I share with those who are interested what products I've used up, what I thought of them and wether or not I'll be repurchasing them. So here goes!

First up, bath and body, I was so sad to use up the last of my Botanics Relieving Bath Soak it smells amazingly relaxing, creates lots of lovely bubbles that don't dry out skin and is rather friendly on the wallet. It's by far my favourite high street/ drugstore bath product, it feels and smells so luxurious you'd think it was high end! Repurchase? Definitely!

Are you fed up of seeing Soap & Glory products in my empties posts yet? I'm certainly not fed up of using them! I've worked my way through their Clean On Me Shower Gel, it smells like Miss Dior, has built in moisturiser to leave your skin feeling soft and makes you wander around singing 'lean on me…' all morning! Repurchase? Yes

Yep, another Soap & Glory product, this time it's their Flake Away Body Scrub, with the same amazing scent as the shower gel and an amazingly scrubby texture this is by far the best scrub I've ever found, and trust me, I've tried a lot! Repurchase? Yes

I don't normally use body sprays but when I spotted the Yardley Peony Body Spray I had to try it,  I love absolutely anything peony fragranced and this one definitely didn't disappoint! Repurchase? They also make an Eau De Toilette of this scent which I'm trying to get my hands on instead.

Onto skincare, seeing as I went away over Christmas I took some of my minis with me. I don't usually use foaming cleansers, I tend to stick with gentler cream or oil formulas but seeing as I had a mini Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser, I thought I'd give it a go. It's very gentle for a foaming cleanser, as the name would suggest, it leaves the skin feeling quite soft and nourished and it's handy if you don't want to be faffing about with flannels like I usually do. That said, I'm still not converted! Repurchase? No

On the other hand I absolutely loved the Clarins HydraQuench Cream for Normal to Dry Skin, I've used a few of their products from this range and they've all been winners with me, this cream is really rich and moisturising but still has a light texture that sinks into the skin easily. My skin never felt dry while using it. Repurchase? Yes

Next up, Caudalie Grape Water, I absolutely love this stuff, you can use it in so many ways, as a toner, to set makeup or just when your skin needs an extra moisture boost. Full review here. Repurchase? Already have!

The Body Shop do some really great budget skincare products and the Hemp Face Protector is one of my favourites for parched, uncomfortable, eczema prone, winter skin. It's a really rich nourishing formula that keeps all those nasties at bay! Full review here. Repurchase? Yes

I usually love Kerastase products but unfortunately the Resistance Masque Force Architecte was a bit of a disappointment. It wasn't terrible, but it was nowhere near as good as the masks in their Nutritive range. Repurchase? No

Last of all I finished an Avon Brow Definer in Soft Black, the first ever brow product I've ever used up! The formula and staying power was great but I found the colour to be a tiny bit on the dark side. Repurchase? Yes but one shade lighter.

What products have you used up lately?

Boots Sale Haul!

No wallets were harmed during this haul, I got it all on boots points, I love getting a good bargain! So remember a few days ago I mentioned my favourite beauty and fashion sale picks? Well as you can see some of them made it into my basket! 

I went a bit crazy with the Boots Extracts range, but seeing as I'd wanted to try them for a while, they were on half price and I had some points stashed up, I thought, why not? I got the full size Cocoa Butter Collection which contains a full size shower gel, body scrub and body butter for only a fiver. As well as the 4 Pack Body Butter Collection which contains mini versions of their cranberry, coconut, mango and cocoa butter body butters for £4, making them just a pound each. I also got the matching set of 4 mini shower gels in the same scents which seem to have sold out online now but if you're lucky you might be able to snap them up from your local boots. 

Last but by no means least I picked up the Sanctuary Triple Moisture Bliss Set which contains 3 of their best selling body butters in 100ml tubs. I had my eyes on this set last last christmas but it sold out before I could get my hands on it so I'm really glad I managed to get hold of it this year!

I think it's safe to say I now have enough body butter to last a lifetime, or until next years sales at least! What have you been buying in the sales?