Nip + Fab Glycolic Set

 

 



I've been using this Nip + Fab Glycolic set for just over a month now. The Party-Prep Glycolic set includes two full sized products, the glycolic fix exfoliating pads and the glycolic cleansing fix. The set was a bargain at £7.99 considering the exfoliating pads cost £12.99 alone. I started using the set straight away both day and night and I did notice a difference pretty fast. I was a bit nervous about using glycolic acid on my skin daily but I gave it a bash anyway.

I'll start with the Glycolic Fix Cleanser it's a deep cleaning cleanser that brightens and refreshes the skin while the glycolic acid retextures the skin and gently exfoliates. I found myself using a bit too much of this to begin with you really do only need a small about - here comes the cliché - a little goes a long way, the cleanser really lathers up. I apply the cleanser to a makeup free damp face and massage it in before rinsing it off with a hot cloth, it leaves my skin feeling smooth and clean without feeling tight or drying. After just a couple of uses I noticed a difference in my skin it look brighter and fresher. The bottle costs £7.99 on its own for 150ml and I would defiantly repurchase this I think it's a great cleanser that gives results.

Now onto the Glycolic Fix Exfoliating Facial Pads these retail at £12.99 for a tub of 60 exfoliating pads the pads are soaked in the glycolic acid and which hazel to tone, retexture and resurface skin. The pads are really handy I keep them in my beside drawers so I can reach them morning and night as part of my skincare routine. I use the pads on my freshly washed face and one pad is enough to go over the whole face, you can feel the pads getting to work and I personally like giving my skin a good scrub especially around my nose. I do think the pads used as an extra along side the glycolic fix cleanser leave your skin look brighter but I probably wouldn't buy the pads on there own as I think £12.99 is on the pricey side of things for these and there are much cheaper alternatives - personally I love the Superdrug own brands and there's a few different types.

I really like this set and will repurchase the Glycolic Fix Cleanser again my skin has become brighter after using these products daily. Don't be put off by the work acid it's not as scary as it sounds, as a girl with sensitive skin I haven't had any problems with these at all. I haven't used any products from Nip + Fab before now but with the results from these products I'd be ore inclined to give other products a test.

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Urban Decay B6 Vitmamin-Infused Prep Spray

Urban Decay B6 Vitamin-Infused Prep Spray £22

 

I've been using the Urban Decay Vitamin Infused Complexion Prep Spray for a little over a month now after buying it on a whim, at £22 it's not exactly cheap but it has pretty bold claims to reduce redness, minimize pores and absorb oil. You can use the spray morning and night to before you apply your moisturizer or makeup and you can use it to refresh throughout the day, it's one of those products that you wouldn't think of needing but when you start using it you find yourself reaching for it more and more. I use this day and night, before my moisturiser and makeup in the morning and then before my night time moisturiser.

The spray goes on evenly and feels non-existent on the skin you don't have to wait around for it to dry either as it dries really fast and it leaves my skin feeling nice. I can't say that it minimizes pores but it has helped me with the redness of my blemishes and it keeps my makeup looking better for longer, this paired with the Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray is the dream team. I can't put my finger on exactly why I like this product but I do, it's not an essential but it's fast become part of my daily routine.

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Skincare for Blemished Skin

 

Recently I've had a few stubborn blemishes on my face that just won't shift, I don't get spots often but when I do they are usually angry red blemishes that leave me feeling a bit crap about myself. I don't know about you but when I get them there all I focus on and I'm convinced everyone can see them but in reality people aren't as bothered about them as I am. The problem with blemishes are they seem to hang around for a long time so today I'm going to share with you some of the products that I find help to get rid of pesky blemishes.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Night Lotion £10 the bottle might be little but it packs a punch and lasts for ages! This night lotion has a creamy gel consistency that feels lightweight and cooling on your face, it sinks in fast and leaves your skin looking matte. I use a pump or two all over my face focusing mostly on where the blemishes are before going to bed and when I wake up in the morning the blemishes look much better, the redness and the size of them have reduced. This is one of my favourite products for blemishes, using the Tea Tree Night Lotion from The Body Shop nightly when I have blemishes really helps clear them up.

 

LUSH Mask of Magnaminty Face Mask £5.50 (for 125g) is one of my favourite face masks ever and it's really great for fighting blemishes and breakouts. The mask cools and calms skin while leaving it feeling great, the mask reduces redness and exfoliates your sink. LUSH Mask of Magnaminty is a multipurpose mask that can be used on your face and body, it's also a self preserving mask so it has a long use by date. I'm always repurchasing this facemask and always have a tub of this facemask in my bathroom! These are the two products I find most effective when I have stubborn blemishes and no matter how many products I try in times of need I always find myself going back to these.

 

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A Little Lush Haul

It's completely okay to get excited about going into Lush isn't it? Whenever I'm going somewhere that has a Lush I know there's going to be a little haul in order. I was in Glasgow last week and picked up some new things to try and two old favourites, I didn't go too crazy as I still have a few things left from previous trips.



I picked up another Mask of Magnaminty Face Mask (£5.50) because this is my go to facemask and I always like to have one handy. Mask of Magnaminty is a self preserving facemask that cools and calms skin, reduces redness and helps to fight blemishes/breakouts while exfoliating at the same time. You can use this make on your face and body, it's also available in a bigger tub but I got the smaller one as the mask lasts a long time this ones okay to use until the middle of December. Mint Julips Lip Scrub (£5.50) is another of my favourite Lush products and I always like to have one in my bathroom stash - I love the minty smell. This is great for buffing away any dead skin, leaving your lips soft and smooth! 

While browsing around the store I stumbled across the Roots Hair Treatment (£10.25), it smelt amazing - a fruity minty mix - so I put one in my basket. This hair mask is aimed at people with thine (thin and fine) hair which is me so I'll report back how I find it to work. The hair treatment claims to stimulate the hair follicles, condition, soothe and strengthen hair so it had some big claims. Lastly I picked up two new bath bombs The Experimenter (£3.95) and Intergalactic (£3.95), which I think are part of Lushs new range. That's everything that I picked up from Lush and I spent just under £30 which isn't too bad, I managed to restrain myself from going to crazy.

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July Favourites

July has gone crazy fast I can't quite believe that the month is over already! With August brings a trip to Glasgow for Summer Sessions to see Paolo Nutini which I'm really looking forward to it but before August starts let's share our July favourites shall we? 

I've been really loving using my Instax Mini 8 Camera this past month and it's fast become one of my favourite things, I love that you snap a photo that can't be edited and your left with a single memory! It makes for some funny moments when you catch a genuine laugh or drunken face, I stocked up on film recently and I'm loving using it and taking it places with me.

I've gotten back into salt spray this month with it being my go to hair product and Bleach London Swap Spritz is on of my favourite affordable salt sprays. Bleach London have got this spray spot on with the quirky bottle, the smell, great price and it actually works my only little niggle is that spray comes out fast and straight and can reach the other side of the room (yes really). This salt spray gives my hair the texture I crave as well as added volume and height. 

This month I've really got in to Game of Thrones after starting it again, I've watched 3 seasons and I'm about to start season 4. It's funny, thrilling and gripping also it's an emotional roller coaster I've found myself gasping at episodes and shouting 'that's it I'm not watching any more' but of course I always do. 

This past month I've really gotten back into using my Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, I've had this for ages as you can probably tell by the photo - it might be time to get a new one! I've really got the hang of it lately and I love using it, it blends foundation and concealer like a dream especially heavier foundations.  

I'm rather lucky with my skin but this months my skin has had a bit of a rough patch with blemishes that won't shift and when I get proper spots once their dead I find they can take a while for the mark to leave so I used Korres Wild Rose & Vitamin C Dark Spot Correcting Treatment and after just one use I saw an amazing difference and I don't say that lightly. I had a blemish by my mouth that was easily covered with makeup but when I was makeup less it would really bug me, the mark had been there for a few weeks but I used this cream once and the next morning it was practically gone this treatment made such a difference.  

My favourite perfume this month has to be Hugo Boss Nuit I love the fruity floral smell as it works great for both day and night and I've been using it most days. The bottle is gorgeous too I like the black bottle with gold accents it looks really classy and it's really reasonably priced. The only downside is that the smell isn't that long lasting but I don't mind reapplying it as I love the smell so much.

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5 Things I'm Loving Right Now #5

Welcome back to my blog you lovely lot and thanks for taking the one to read today's post. I've been MIA on the blog for a week now and it's the biggest 'break' I've had in a while, it's not really a break I just didn't schedule posts for after I went to T in the Park and I haven't been on the mood since to sit down and type up a post or two. On the blog today I'd thought I'd share what I'm loving you right now with you.

 

I've been really into Game of Throne this past few weeks after finally starting to watch it again, after the first season came out I bought it on DVD but just couldn't get into it but I decided to try it again and I really like it. As soon as I finished season one I had to get the next season and that's me just started season three!

 

 

When I went to T in the Park I took one of these Robinsons Squash'd with me for when I wanted to add a bit more flavour to my cider and it worked a treat I expect this to be a little weak but it's surprisingly strong. I've since bought another one for putting in my work handbag as I'm always drinking bottles of water at work and this will in handy for when I fancy something with a bit more flavour.

 

Lately I've also been loving Soap & Glory Peaches and Clean £8 this cleanser melts always my makeup in one go and leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth and clean in the process. It's got a gorgeous peachy smell and you only need to use one or two pumps, it's reasonably priced and will hopefully last a while.

 

 

Another Soap & Glory product I'm loving right now is the Sugar Crush Body Wash £6.50 it's a big 500ml bottle with a handy pump, it's a body wash that can also double up as a bubble bath. The citrus scent wakes me up and makes me feel revitalised without it being overpowering and it foams up really well but the scent doesn't hang around on the skin after you wash it off -which I'm actually glad off.

 

My sister picked me up this gorgeous necklace from Forever 21 and I  love it, the round black and silver pendant design is something I've been wanting for a while but could never find the perfect one. What I love most is that it sits so nice on it doesn't fall too low down and the chain stays put and doesn't work it's way around throughout the day. That's everything I'm loving right now, thanks for reading my blog!

 

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Summer Skin Care Ready

 

Getting summer ready skin can take a lot of TLC so I've picked out some of my favourite products for getting my face and body summer ready. Now I don't fake tan so this is post is all about moisturising and looking after my skin and making me feel more confident throughout summer so keep on reading if you want to see the products that get my skin summer ready. 

 

Lets start with facial skin care as well as a good moisturiser it's important to protect your skin from getting sun damage I really like Soap and Glory Make Yourself Youthful Sunshield Superfluid SPF 50 £15 because it's lightweight, sinks in fast and evenly plus has really high protection. For my lips I love to use the Lush Lip Scrub £5.50 in mint julips to buff away any dry and dead skin to leave my lips soft and smooth and then I'll use a SPF lip balm, my lip balm of choice is the Carmex Cherry Lip Balm £2.69 because it contains SPF 15 and is super moisturising.  

When it comes to body skin care there are a few products I like to use depending on how much time I have and how my skin is. I use the Superdrug Restoring Skin Care Oil £5.69 on my skin when it's really dehydrated in patches this is a really handy oil that can be used for so many things like dry/dehydrated skin as well as help to minimise stretch marks, uneven skin tone, blemishes and scars you can also use this as a bath oil. The oil sinks into the skin relatively fast and a little goes a long way you really don't need much this is a great dupe for Bio Oil. For a day to day body moisturiser I reach for the Dove Essential Nourishment Body Lotion £4.49 as it sinks in fast and instantly leaves my skin feeling more hydrated, the effects of this moisturiser are long lasting my skin stills feels hydrated, soft and smooth 24 hours after using it. For the rare occasions that we get a hot summers day I like to use The Body Shop Mango Body Sorbet £8 as it's really cooling and refreshing, the lightweight body sorbet has a gel like consistency that absorbs into the skin fast and leaves a lovely smell.  For days when I'm being ultra lazy I use the Nivea In Shower Body Moisturiser £ 3.69 because it's a simple, fast and easy way to moisturise. You simply do it in the shower and let the lotion sink into wet skin before rinsing it off and you're good to go, this is such a lazy girl's way to moisturize.

These products help me get my skin summer ready. What are your favourite skin care products for getting your skin summer ready? Let me know in the comments.

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Evening Skincare Routine

 

 

 

The other day I posted my morning skincare routine and today I'm sharing my evening one with you. I take my evening skincare a bit more serious that my morning one mostly because I'm not rushed. I start with The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil  £10 I used 2 pumps and work it all over my face on top of my makeup until my make up dissolves away then I use a cloth to remove the oil and make up. Next I like to give my face a scrub and I like to use Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It £9 to give my skin a bit of a scrub and exfoliation, it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean without being too rough and leaving my face really red also it helps refine pores. I do both these steps either in the sink or in the shower if I'm being lazy which is more often that not.

Then after my shower I put some Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water £4.99 on to cotton pads and apply it over my face and eyes so that my face is super clean and to make sure that I haven't missed any grime or makeup before using Lush Tea Tree Water Toner £7.95, I'll spritz a couple of sprays over my face and neck then use cotton pads to remove it. The toner feels so refreshing and the bottle is so big that it lasts for ages. After I've done all that I let my skin breath for a minute or so before applying a night cream. My everyday night cream is cheap and cheerful is the Nivea Daily Essentials Regenerating Night Cream £4.19 I slather it over my face and neck it's a rich thick moisturiser that leaves my skin so soft and moisturised by the morning, then apply some Nuxe Reve De Miel Lip Balm £9.50 on my lips and I'm ready for bed this lip balm is one of my all time favourites it leaves my lips feeling moisturised and hydrated for hours. 

Every now and again I'll mix up my skincare routine by throwing in an oil or a serum or using a different moisturiser depending on how my skin is but overall this is my normal everyday evening skincare routine.

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Morning Skincare Routine

When it comes to my morning skincare routine I don't really have an in depth routine that I religiously follow mainly because I'm often tired or rushed in the morning and don't fancy going through a long winded routine. Every morning I wash my face with water and use a cloth to remove anything left of my skin from my evening skincare, the cloth also gives a gental exfolation then I splash my face with cold water and that helps wake me up. Then if my lips are feeling a little dry or worse for wear I'll use my Lush Lip Scrub £5.50 to buff away the dead skin and leave them feeling soft.

Then it's time to moisturise I start with the Super Facialist By Una Brennan Vitamin C+ Brightening Glow Boost Serum £15.99 to give my skin a radiance boost and its got a nice orange smell. I let that sink it and dry which doesn't take long I usually eat my breakfast and its done then I'll apply my day cream. Lately I've been using Simple Kind To Skin Protecting Light Moisturiser £6.99 because it's not too heavy, hydrates my skin without it feeling greasy or oily and it also contains SPF 15. My evening skincare routine will be up on my blog on Friday if you want to check back and see it.

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Splurge or Save: Charcoal Face Mask



There's beauty products out there no matter what your budget and if you shop around you can sometimes find budget friendly dupes for high end products. Today I'm comparing two charcoal face masks, one you can get for under a fiver and the other is £23! First up we have Origins Clear Improvements face mask priced at £23 and at the cheaper end of the scale is the Quick Fix Facial Purifying Charcoal Mask priced at a more pocket pleasing £4.99. Both masks claim to draw out impurities and unclog pores giving lifeless skin. The cheaper Quick Fix Facials mask gives you 100ml of product compared to 75ml of that Origins gives you but the proof is in the pudding as they say do they give you results.

Both masks apply evenly and leave for face feeling tighter as they dry, I found that the Origins mask dries quickest, and both masks do what they claim. They drawn out toxins and clear pores leaving your skin clean and clear, the next day after using these masks you can really see the results and sometimes have a few pesky little spots as the mask has brought the toxins and impurities to the surface. There really isn't much between these masks expect the difference in price. If you can afford the Origins one and fancy a splurge then on you go but for a fiver your getting a just as good mask and more product.

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Face Mask Face Off



I love a good face mask there a vital part of a pamper night and can also been a saviour for your skin, I've used my fair share of facemask and always have a few in my bathroom stash. So I've went through my collection and pulled some of my favourite masks to share with you. Dry skin, troubled skin, blemished skin I've got it all covered.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Mask £10 this face mask is aimed at blemished skin and I find this mask to be so refreshing. The mask is thick and green with a strong tea tree smell, you apply a generous amount over your face and neck then leave it on for around 15 minutes -this mask doesn't dry- then rinse it off. Instantly my skin feels cool and refreshed.

The Body Shop Honey and Oat 3 in 1 Scrub Mask £10 this mask is aimed at people with normal/dry skin and is another wet mask, it cleanses, polished and moisturises your skin. This can be used weekly to remove dead skin cells and leaves my skin feel soft although the first time I used this mask it worked well on 90% of my face but left me with a few dry patches which it stage as it's aimed at normal/dry skin. Also the smell confused me it almost smells good enough to eat but also a bit like sun cream.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty £9.75 this is an all rounder and probably my favourite mask of all. It can be used on your face and body, it calms, clears and cleans the skin plus it exfoliates as you remove it because it contains aduki beans. This mask has a strong peppermint smell and it a thick green consistency you simply apply a thick layer over your skin and leave on for 10-15 minutes before removing in. I fell in love with this mask last year and since then I've never not had one in my stash.

Origins Clear Improvements Mask £23 if your skin is looking lifeless and congested then this is for you, this charcoal mask draws out impurities and unclogs your pores. I only use this mask when I need it so it lasts a while because I'm not using it weekly, I open up all my pores before applying this mask and leaving it to dry. Once it's dry your face will feel tighter and it's ready to wash off, my skin looks clear and sometimes the next day you can have some pesky little spots that the mask has drawn out.

Origins Out Of Trouble Mask £23 this is a 10 minute mask to help troubled skin you layer this mask over your face wait 10 minutes then rinse off. Sometimes I just use this on troubled areas and it works a treat it really does help rescue your skin, it calms down spots/problem areas and soaks up oil. It's aimed at people with oily/combination skin but will help all skin types when they are having a little trouble.

The mask I use depends on how my skin is so I like to have a few at arms length in case of a skin emergency but if I had to pick only one out of all these masks it would have the be the all rounder and amazing Mask of Magnaminty from Lush. Have you used any of those face masks? What's your all time favourite face mask?

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