Boots Ingredients Coconut & Almond Body Butter // Review

In my first blog post I confessed how much I love body butters, and this is a love with no foreseeable end in sight. The most recent addition to my body butter collection is the Boots Ingredients Coconut and Almond body butter. What drew me to this product was firstly my love of anything coconut scented, and secondly the very reasonable price - £3.05 for 200 ml. 

Boots describe this product as follows, 'With extracts of Coconut & Almond, Boots Ingredients Body Butter is specially formulated to moisturise and hydrate your skin, leaving it soft and smooth.'

The product itself smells coco-nutty (albeit slightly synthetic) and the scent lingers on the skin after application - a factor that I look for in a good body butter. The scent of coconut reminds me of summer holidays and always brings a smile to my face, and this Coconut and Almond fragrance is no exception. The butter does take a while to sink into the skin, so is perhaps best applied at night or first thing in the morning when you are not in a rush to get dressed. That being said, once it had absorbed it left my skin feeling hydrated and soft.

I can't say that I have fallen in love with this product, but for a cheaper body butter it does the job nicely. This body butter is available from Boots stores and online, retailing for £3.05. 

Do you like coconut scented products? Or do you have a favourite body butter?

Lasting Finish Kate Moss for Rimmel Lipstick in 03 // Review

Nude lipstick. Two little words that fill me with fear. For years I have lusted after the thought of a perfect nude shade that compliments my skin-tone and does not leave me with the dreaded 'invisible' lips phenomenon, but I have never found the correct shade. In the past I have attempted the nude lipstick, but my attempts were either too pale, too brown or too pink, just never looking quite right. 

As a result I soon gave up my nude lipstick endeavours and opted for brighter shades, favouring pinks and reds. However, around a fortnight ago I realised my graduation ceremony was looming... should I go lipstick-less? Lip gloss was a no-no due to the embarrassing likelihood of the 'wind-sticking-my-hair-to-my-lips' scenario that all us girls have experienced at one time or another, and pink or red shades seemed a little too daring for such a formal event. So once again I found myself toying with the idea of nude.

My first port of call on the hunt for a nude lipstick was Rimmel. I have had good experiences with their lipsticks in the past, particularly the Kate Moss line which I have featured on the blog before. I know that the formulas work well and leave a nice finish so I was confident that the line would be the right option to choose. As for shade choices there were a couple of nudes in the range that caught my eye, but I eventually opted for the shade 03.

03 is a nude with a slight pinky undertone. It is not too pink and not too brown, in my opinion the perfect balance of both for my skin-tone. The lipstick made my lips look like a polished version of themselves, nothing too obvious or over the top, so perfect for formal occasions such as my graduation.

On the day I was really happy with the way the lipstick looked. I had to reapply a couple of times, but it was comfortable to wear and felt moisturising. I also love the smell of these lipsticks so was quite happy when it came to reapplying because I could catch a whiff of the sweet vanilla scent! This lipstick has quickly become my favourite nude choice and I will definitely be wearing it on a regular basis.

The Rimmel Lasting Finish Kate Moss Lipsticks retail for £5.49 and are available from Boots and Superdrug stores and online. 

Do you have a go-to nude lipstick? Let me know your favourite in the comments!

Nivea Pure & Natural Facial Cleansing Wipes // Review

When I am travelling or feeling particularly lazy, there is nothing easier than cleansing face wipes to remove make-up. This week I was away from home for a few days so picked up some new facial wipes to use. I like wipes for travelling as they are convenient, take up little space in your luggage, are easy to use and easily disposed of. Quick and simple, just what you want when you are away from home.

For my trip away I opted for the Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Facial Cleansing wipes. I chose these wipes firstly because they were on a half price offer, but also because their ingredients are 95% of natural origin (something that instantly caught my eye and appealed to my chemical awareness radar). These wipes are free from parabens, silicones, colourants, mineral oils and alcohol - a promising list of things that I would like to avoid in my skin care routine. 

The first thing that I noticed when using these wipes was the strong scent. The scent, although pleasant and fresh, was particularly strong and overpowering for my personal preference. The packaging claims to remove make-up and mascara whilst being suitable for sensitive eyes, however I would disagree with this. I found that whilst removing the make-up from my eyes, I had problems with irritation and a stinging sensation. I have never encountered this issue with other facial wipes so I believe that it may be caused by the strong scent. For this reason I would suggest that those with sensitive skin or eyes may have issues with the scent of this product causing irritation in spite of the claims that these wipes are suitable for all skin types.

Despite the reaction that my eyes had to this product, the wipes did perform well. They effectively removed all traces of make-up (including a particularly stubbon waterproof mascara!) and left my skin feeling fresh and clean. 

Although these Nivea Pure & Natural wipes sounded ideal for me, I have to say that I am disappointed due to the issues I had with the scent of this product. If Nivea had a fragrance free version of these cleansing wipes I am sure that I would love them, but unfortunately they do not and thus I shall not be repurchasing these Pure & Natural wipes.

The Nivea Visage Pure & Natural Facial Cleansing Wipes retail for £3.09 and are available from Boots and Superdrug stores as well as on the Nivea website.

Do you use cleansing facial wipes to remove make-up? If so, which is your go-to brand for facial wipes? Let me know in the comments as I am always looking for new suggestions!

Nivea Milk & Honey Lip Balm // Review

Lip balms are an important staple in most people's beauty regimes. You want something that hydrates the lips and combats any unsightly dry skin, whilst being easy and pleasant to apply. That's where Nivea's Milk & Honey lip balm steps in. 

This lip balm is a part of the Pure and Natural range where up to 95% of ingredients are from natural origin - right up my street! This particular lip balm contains natural ingredients that are organically grown and is 100% free from preservatives. As the name suggests this lip balm has a sweet milk and honey scent, very pleasant but at the same time not too overpowering. If (like me) you tend to favour sweet and edible scents then this product is definitely one to try.

The product itself is in stick form so very easy to apply and more hygienic than a pot lip balm. The balm is a bright yellow colour, something that would perhaps be a little off-putting to some people, however there is no colour transfer when the product is applied to the lips. When I use this product in public places I do wonder whether people think I'm applying a yellow lipstick and I have had a few funny looks!

I found this lip balm effective at moisturising my lips and it did not feel too greasy or sticky, so is comfortable to wear. Overall I really enjoyed using this lip balm and would definitely repurchase it. 

Nivea's Milk & Honey lip balm retails for £1.99 for 4.8g and is available from supermarkets, Superdrug and Boots stores, and on the Nivea website.

Do you have a favourite lip balm product? Let me know in the comments as I am always looking for new recommendations! 

Boots Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz // Review

I love the idea of using natural products in my skincare routine. The thought of applying products that are filled with chemicals and unnecessary ingredients bothers me. I do not see the point of using bad ingredients when there are alternate options that don't cost the earth! (both literally and metaphorically).

With this ethos in mind, my first port of call was the Boots Botanics line, and in particular, the organic range. This range is free from parabens and is made using natural plant ingredients that have been approved by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It certainly sounds impressive but the important thing is do the products work?

The first product that I trialled from the line was the Rosewater Toning Spritz. This is a 100% organic toning spritz that you spray onto your face to cleanse and refresh. Personally I like to spray this product on liberally after cleansing and remove the excess with a cotton pad. This product is great to use just before bed or even in the morning before applying make-up. It leaves your skin feeling clean, soft and prepped for the day without being at all harsh or stripping.

I found the toning spritz both refreshing and effective in removing any last traces of makeup. The scent is delightfully rose, but in no way artificial, just very natural and pure. This product only contains five ingredients; Aqua (water), Alcohol denat., Glycerin, Rosa Damascena flower oil, Citronellol. Plus it is 100% organic. Simple.

I thoroughly enjoyed using this product and would definitely repurchase it. I think that it is reasonably priced and contains good natural ingredients so I did not feel guilty spritzing this liberally all over my face! I found that the bottle lasted a good amount of time, especially considering that I was using this daily. The spray bottle is easy to use and it dispensed just the right amount of liquid - no case of unnecessarily drenched faces here! 

The Botanics Rosewater Toning Spritz retails for £4.99 for 150ml. The Botanics range often has regular offers available so keep a look out if you're interested in trying anything from the line. The Botanics line is available from both Boots stores and online. 

I will be reviewing more Botanics products in near future so keep an eye-out if you are interested in what else is available in the range. What do you think about Organic skincare? Have you tried anything from Boots Botanics? Let me know in the comments below!

Boots 17 Blow Out Volumising Mascara // Review

Now it's no secret that I love mascara. I love the way it can lengthen and volumise my lashes, transforming my look with minimal effort. Mascara without a doubt would be the makeup item I would choose if told I could only choose one item. However, as much as I love my mascara I struggle to stay faithful to one brand. I often find myself trying out new brands, new formulas and new promises on the quest for perfect eyelashes. 

The latest contender in my quest was the Boots 17 Blow Out, volumise, sculpt, tease mascara in Blackest Black (why are mascara names always such a mouthful?!). Firstly I love the packaging - it's bright, chunky, playful and easily spotted in my messy makeup bag. Thanks for saving me time rummaging around trying to find my mascara in the morning Boots 17!

This mascara claims to 'blow lashes out of all proportion.' To me this phrasing is quite humorous as I am not sure anyone would want their lashes 'blown', but nonetheless it is quite a claim from 17. The formula contains vitamin E and Argan oil which supposedly boots lash body and creates long lasting lift. 

Despite the silly phrasing, this mascara does a fantastic job at volumising lashes. It makes my lashes look incredibly thick and full, certainly living up to the packaging's promises.

The brush is on the large side, but not un-user friendly. I find that the brush coats my lashes with just the right amount of product without excessive clumping. Two coats and I'm ready to go! This mascara lasts all day on me and I haven't experienced any problems with flaking or smudging, yet it can be easily removed at the end of the day. The product itself is unscented and incredibly pigmented, leaving you with lovely dark lashes. It is also comfortable to wear and doesn't leave your lashes feeling weighty or crispy like some mascaras can. 

So what's the verdict? I love this mascara. So much in fact, that I have already repurchased another tube, something that is very rare for my unfaithful mascara habits. Could this be the ultimate mascara for me? -- possibly. However I am not sure I'll be giving up my quest for perfect eyelashes just yet, so stay tuned! 

17 Blow Out mascara retails for £6.29 for 12ml and is available from Boots stores and online. Do you have a favourite mascara? If so let me know in the comments below as I am always looking for more suggestions!

Topshop Lipstick in Rio Rio // Review

This is my first Topshop makeup purchase. After hearing lots of good things about Topshop's makeup range for ages, I finally gave it a go! 

I picked up the lipstick in Rio Rio which is a gorgeous vibrant orangey-red shade. I do not own anything similar in my lipstick collection as I tend to opt for blue toned reds rather than orange toned, but I have to say that I am certainly converted! I never thought the bright orange toned reds would suit my casper-like skin tone, however I think that this particular shade would suit a variety of skin tones from pale to dark, and everything in between. The lipstick provides a bright pop of colour and is the perfect shade of red for summer parties, festivals and sipping Pimm's (we can be hopeful!). On my lipstick swatching spree I made an exciting discovery - Rio Rio is a very good match for MAC's  infamous Lady Danger. So if you are looking for a budget friendly dupe, Rio Rio may be the answer to your lipstick dreams!  

The lipstick itself has a matte finish which not only intensifies the pigmentation but also the lasting power. I wore this lipstick for approximately 8 hours and only reapplied it once! Although not as classically matte as Lady Danger, this could be seen as an advantage as Rio Rio did not dry out my lips as many mattes can and felt comfortable to wear.

Having heard rumours that this is one of Liv Tyler's favourite lipsticks, I have to say that I am not surprised. This is a truly lovely lipstick and has quickly become the favourite in my collection! I am thoroughly impressed with my first experience of Topshop's makeup selection and will certainly be trying out more of their products in the near future. I am already eyeing up their lovely looking cream highlighter!

Topshop lipsticks retail at £8.00 and are available to buy from Topshop stores as well as online. Have you tried any Topshop makeup products? If so please leave a comment with your recommendations!