A Soap & Glory Love Affair

Last month it was birthday and I was lucky enough to receive some lovely presents from my family. Knowing that I have a great love for the Soap & Glory brand, they bought me some lovely goodies from the range. 

The Daily Smooth Body Butter - £9.00 for 250ml

This Daily Smooth body butter is fragranced with Bergamot, Blackcurrant, Magnolia, Freesia, Vanilla and Musk - which equates to a lovely feminine scent. The body butter itself is a reasonably thick cream that lives up to its promise of being an 'amazingly-effective dry skin formula'. I find this body butter incredibly moisturising and lovely to apply after a shower. The scent lingers throughout the day and my skin is left feeling soft and supple.

The Breakfast Scrub - £8.00 for 300ml

The Breakfast scrub is made from oat, shea butter and sugar with organic cupuacu bio scrubs, bananas, almond and honey extracts. With these ingredients you could assume that the scrub smells like honey or banana, but it does however smell like maple syrup. The scent is so deliciously sweet that I found myself sniffing this product non-stop. I have a personal preference to sweet smelling products, however I know that not everybody will want to smell like a walking pancake, so some people will find the scent of this scrub far too sickly. Scent aside, this is really lovely scrub to use and is very effective at smoothing the skin. I can also see this tub lasting me a long time as you only need to use a small amount of product per shower.

Clean On Me Shower Gel - £6.00 for 500ml

This shower gel has the 'classic' Soap & Glory signature scent - very reminiscent of Dior's Miss Dior Cherie. I found the gel to be a very creamy and luxurious consistency and lovely to use, especially in conjunction with the scrub gloves! It claims to also have the addition of a built-in body lotion, and I can certainly say that after using this product my skin felt soft and moisturised without having to use a separate lotion. As with all Soap & Glory products I adore the cute retro packaging, and the pump makes it easy and mess free to use in the shower.

Smoothie Star Body Milk - £10.00 for 500ml

A relatively new scent to the Soap & Glory range, the Smoothie Star Body Milk contains Almond, Cocoa, Yogurt, Oat and Honey and smells like Almonds, Brown Sugar and Oats. I adore anything sweet or edible smelling, so this is probably my favourite Soap & Glory scent. The lotion itself is incredibly moisturising and claims to feature a 'waterlock' moisture trapping matrix - although I'm not sure exactly how this technology works, this lotion certainly left my skin feeling super soft and moisturised all day long.

Scrub Gloves - £4.00 for one pair

These cute scrub gloves are a great way to exfoliate without the need to use a scrub. They are lovely to use in conjunction with the Clean On Me Shower Gel and they leave my skin feeling really cleansed and soft - fabulous for dry knees or elbows! 

Soap & Glory products are available to buy from Boots stores and online. I would recommend all of these Soap & Glory products, and they make lovely gifts! Do you have a favourite Soap & Glory product?

Autumnal make-up trends for 2013

The deep, berry lip

Deep berry shades were very popular last autumn, and they are back and in full-force for 2013. This look can be daunting for some, but berry shades needn't be scary. If you are not confident enough to pull off a full on dark lip, options such as tinted balms and stains can enable you to achieve this trend in a more subtle and wearable way. One of my favourite products for the berry trend is the Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Crush. This product is a balm stain so is easily build-able from a lighter coverage to a more dramatic colour. The wonderful thing about using a stain is that they have fantastic longevity - I find the Revlon Balm Stain to last throughout the day, even when eating and drinking! Another favourite of mine is the Rimmel Kate Moss lipstick in 107 (reviewed here). This lipstick is more on the red side of berry, and has a matte finish which not only increases the longevity but is a key  textural trend for autumn 2013.

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Crush - applied lightly

Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Crush - applied heavily

Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 107

The neutral, nude eye

Simple eye makeup compliments a dark berry lip and is incredibly easy to create! You could simply apply mascara alone, or apply a light coloured eyeshadow across the lid first. For a sheer amount of colour and shimmer the Maybelline Color Tattoo cream eyeshadow in Pink Gold can be used to create an easy neutral look. To warm up a simple eye look, apply a light amount of bronzer through the eye crease with a blending brush, this ties the look together nicely and prevents a dark lip from washing out the complexion.

Neutral eye look using mascara alone

Nude eye using the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pink Gold

Another upcoming trend for autumn 2013 is the berry coloured eye. Much like the dark lip, a berry eye can seem daunting and difficult to wear. I am currently experimenting with a few new products to create the perfect smokey berry eye look, so keep an eye out (excuse the pun) for an upcoming post on the berry eye trend! 

What are your favourite makeup trends or products for autumn 2013? 

Tutorial // A Brown Smokey Liner Look

Today I fancied changing up my makeup look and opted for a brown smokey cat-eye. I think that brown makes a nice alternative to black and can still add drama and a sultry quality to a look.

This look was easy to achieve with three products, and would be suitable for an everyday look or an evening out. To achieve this look I used two brown eyeshadows from an Esteé Lauder palette - one a medium brown which went all over the lid, and the other a dark chocolate brown which I blended into the crease. I then used a warm brown gel eyeliner from Collection (reviewed here) in a small flick along my top lash-line. I then blended some of the brown eyeliner along my lower lash-line and smudged it in with a pencil brush. To finish the look I used Esteé Lauder Sumptuous Volume mascara (reviewed here). To add extra drama you could add false lashes, but as I was wearing this during the day I chose to skip this step.

Do you prefer black or brown eyeliners?

BaByliss Glamour Waves Review

My ideal hair is volumised with some movement as you would get from a professional blow dry, but I find achieving this look at home quite difficult. One tool I use to try and achieve this look is the BaByliss Glamour Waves. I have been using this tool on and off for a few years now, but recently I have been gravitating towards it to create soft loose curls and added volume to my hair.

The tool itself is a large barrelled curling wand (38mm) with four heat settings - the highest being 200°C. I find that the tool heats up quickly and is incredibly easy to use. I just wrap my hair around the wand towards my head, hold for about 10 seconds, then release. After completing this action around my whole head, I run my fingers through the curls to separate and finish with hairspray. Et voilà - added volume and movement with minimal effort! 

For an extra boost, try tipping your head upside down and then spray with hairspray. The BaByliss Glamour Waves retails for around £20.00 and is available to buy from Boots, Argos and Amazon.

What products do you use to achieve a volumised look?

Looking behind the labels // Parabens

Many of us use cosmetics and health-care products without looking in detail at the ingredients. We trust that what we are using on our bodies is safe and has had the appropriate tests to ensure no nasty side effects - but do we really know what is in the products that we use? There has been a recent trend for products to include paraben-free and organic labels, but why is this? What are parabens, and should we be actively trying to avoid them?

What are Parabens?

Essentially parabens are chemical compounds that are used in cosmetics, health-care products and even some foods to preserve and prolong their life. They act to kill mould and fungi, thus helping the product to stay fresh and have a longer shelf life. Sounds pretty convenient for both companies and consumers, however parabens have received negative press due to their link to cancer.

Chemical structure of a paraben (a para-hydroxybenzoate) - what a mouthful!

Why are some people worried about Parabens?

Parabens have been linked to cancer, specifically breast cancer. Parabens have caused worry as they have an ability to mimic the hormone oestrogen - which is known to have a major role in the development of breast cancer. It is still not clear whether parabens contribute to the development of breast cancer, but they have been found in some breast cancer tumours. 

The chemical was found in 99% of samples from 40 women with breast cancer in a study by the University of Reading in 2004. Though this percentage seems worryingly high, this study did not compare the cancerous samples against women with healthy breast tissue - thus it does not prove that parabens are a cause of the cancer. It is important to note that the link between parabens and cancer has neither been proven or disproven. However, as a result of these studies those with a family history of breast cancer (myself included) may choose to opt for paraben-free alternatives to eliminate any possible cancer risks.

How do you look for Parabens?

Parabens are used in many different products as they are a cheap way to preserve goods. As they are so readily used, it can be difficult to find effective products that are paraben-free. If you are interested in using paraben-free products look out for labels and stickers stating that the product contains no parabens. Alternatively you can look at the ingredients. The most commonly used parabens are:

• methylparaben
• ethylparaben
• propylparaben
• butylparaben
• heptylparaben
• isobutylparaben

...though there are others.

How do you avoid Parabens?
There are many paraben-free brands available on the market and more companies are beginning to ditch parabens in favour of more natural preservatives. Some great paraben-free brands include: 

• Good Things
• Boots Botanics
• Badger
• Yes To
• Nivea's Pure & Natural range
• Pai Skincare
• Balance me
• Amie

Some paraben-free products replace parabens in favour of organic acids that act to preserve products without the need for parabens. Sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate and diazolidinyl urea are just three examples of these organic acids. If you are interested in paraben-free alternatives or organic products The Organic Pharmacy is a great resource for looking up and learning more about organic ingredients.

It is a personal choice whether or not to avoid parabens, but either way I think that it is important for consumers to be aware of what is in the products they use. Take a minute to look at the ingredients, if a product is packed full of unpronounceable chemicals maybe consider what you are putting onto your body. Personally my ethos is to try and avoid as many chemicals as I can as a precautionary measure, but it can be a bit of a hassle so it is not for everyone!

What are your thoughts on parabens? Do you worry about the chemicals that are in your health-care products? If you have any questions or comments please leave them below.

Sources: NHS UK, Wikipedia, Paraben.co.uk, breastcancerfund.org

MAC Lipstick in Vegas Volt // Review

This last week I have been on my summer holiday. I enjoyed sun, sea, sangria - and shopping (oh duty free how I love you!). Although it was only 5am when I got to the airport, I made a bee-line for the MAC counter in duty free looking for a summer lipstick to take away with me. I have my fair share of reds and pinks so I was looking for something a little different to add to my collection. 

I opted for Vegas Volt which is a coral - not too pink and not too orange, just a happy medium. MAC describe this colour as 'full power coral' which I think is pretty apt. For me this is a shade that epitomises summer and it looks fantastic with a tan! It is bright, but at the same time not 'in your face' bright. You can also tone the brightness down by blotting to get a different look and to make it more daytime appropriate (though personally I would wear this at full capacity day or night). This lipstick is quite interesting as it looks different in different lights; sometimes looking more pink, sometimes more orange, and sometimes brighter than others. To me this is a quirk that only adds to the uniqueness and appeal of this colour!

Vegas Volt is a amplified creme finish meaning that it is highly pigmented and lasts fantastically on the lips. The creme finish also prevents this lipstick from being too drying, which a great bonus if you decide to wear this in holiday sun! The lipstick has the classic MAC smell - a sweet vanilla scent which is not everyone's cup of tea, but I personally love it.

The only downside of this lipstick is that it can settle in the creases of the lips after a few hours of wear, but this can be easily rectified by reapplication. Overall this lipstick is a joy to wear and whenever I wear it, it will remind me of happy holidays! 

Vegas Volt retails for £15.00 and is available from MAC counters and online. Do you have a favourite summer lipstick?

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?