Naked Body Care Haul

A few weeks back I decided to order some goodies from Naked Body Care after falling in love with their brand after using their Up Tone Girl Gentle Toner. I always try and use natural and organic based products and since this brand is 97% natural, it ticks all my boxes. The products contain no Parabens, SLS, Petrochemicals or Phthalates and so only contain botanical plant extracts which are widely recognized for being the best at what they do i.e. Cocoa butter for it's moisturising properties and Sunflower for its sun damage protection. Naked are also proudly known to never test on animals so the likes of Bambi, Lassie and Skippy are safe. They do use some animal by-products like milk, honey and beeswax but this is always noted on the label.
So as you can tell I am already raving about this brand because of it's fantastic ethics. But before I get carried away, lets see what I purchased =)

Face The Day a set which costs £12.00 and consists of their Bare Faced Cheek softening face wash, Up Tone Girl gentle toner and their Thirst Aid 12 hour moisturiser. All these products are created for sensitive skin and work wonderfully together and for other skin types i.e. combination which is what I am.
Bare Faced Cheek softening face wash is a gentle cream cleanser enriched with Damask Rose which is bursting to the brim with anti-oxidants. These ingredients combined aid in anti-aging, cleansing and keeping the skin soft and supple. Perfect for all skin any age and any type.
Up Tone Girl gentle toner has natural Witch Hazel, perfect for all those pesky spots, and Calendula which tones and conditions the skin ready for the day ahead. From previous experience I found that this product helped moisturise the skin leaving it fairly soft and smooth and of course aided in closing all pores after cleansing.
Thirst Aid 12 hour moisturiser contains an abundant of fantastic ingredients ranging from Starflower, Neroli, Argan Oil and Shea Butter which all aid in keeping the skin moisturised, soft and smooth. Perfect for use everyday and perfect for use all year round due to it's not too thick/not too thin formula.

Let It Shine is another gift set that cost £9.00 which consists of their Naked Shine Hydrating Shampoo, Hydrating Conditioner and Extra Shiny Finishing Serum. The Naked Shine Glossing Hair treatment, which isn't part of the set, cost £3.99, originally £7.99, and is still currently on offer.
Hydrating Shampoo, which is created for normal to dry hair, contains honey which helps in keeping the hair hydrated where Mallow aids in keeping the hair soft and smooth.
Hydrating Conditioner, which again is created for normal to dry hair, contains Buttermilk which is known for its amazing softening properties, Green Tea for it's added shine and elasticity and Black Tea for a top notch glossy reputation.
Extra Shiny Finishing Serum has been created to bring extra shine and radiance to all ready pampered hair and should be used on damp hair before blow drying. This product is silicone free which allows all proud product junkies to have as much fun styling without that horrible synthetic product build up which can damage the hair and diminish natural, healthy shine.
Glossing Hair Treatment is a hair mask which is created for normal to dry hair. This lush hair mask contains organic Coconut Oil and Shea Nut Butter which are both well known for their moisturising, softening and glossing properties.

Naked Cocoa De Mer was purchased on it's own for £4.99 as I needed a new body butter in my life. This one was chosen on a whim and I have to say I am 100% happy with my random purchase. It's a heavily moisturising body butter that contains Coconut, Shea Butter and Passionflower which leaves the skin veiled in an intoxicating, delicious scent. The skin feels amazingly soft for ages afterwards and is perfect, in my eyes, for all year round usage.

I will be reviewing all of these products very soon as I truly believe I should share my thoughts and feelings with you. All I can say is that I will be purchasing from Naked Body Care again and the majority of these products will be jumping back into my cart as back ups.

xox

Please note all items listed were purchased with my own money. I work hard and so intend to play hard. Im sure you would all agree with my ethics =)

Lush #2 The Comforter

Meet Lush's Comforter, a very pretty pink swirled bubble bar that smells of berries yet the design reminds me off Campino strawberry and cream sweets. I used this bubble bar on friday after my shift at work and thoroughly enjoyed sitting back and relaxing while the scents and oils enveloped my tired and aching body.
I did only use a small part of this bubble bar, as you can see from the picture below, which gave more than enough bubbles and scent payoff thus leaving me with more than 3 1/4 of the bar left to enjoy for future baths.
So I crumbled the Comforter under the faucet and watched as it turned my bath water a beautiful deep pink with soft berrylicious bubbles rising upon the surface. The scents that reached my nose made me smile and allowed me to settle under a soft blanket of berry goodness.

The Comforter has a beautiful berry scent that fills the room with it's scent and so providing a relaxing yet upbeat and inviting environment. This bubble bar really does remind me of a day out picking ripe blackberries under the gentle beating Autumn sun. Sounds fab doesn't it.
This bubble bar is perfect for any time of the year and really does allow you to relax while the oils and bubbles provide a comforting experience. Yes, pun intended.
This bubble bar contains several different oils ranging from Bergamot, Blackcurrant to Evergreen which all appear to work well in this bubble bar. The berry scent remained on my skin for a while afterwards and my skin felt so lush. My skin was really moisturised, I still used my Cocoa De Mer body butter though, and it still felt smooth the next morning.

I am thoroughly happy with the Comforter and can't wait to use it again. I can easily see that this one will be a regular purchase each time I buy from Lush.

So have you used the Comforter? What is your opinion? Let me know in the comments below

=)

xox

Nail Of The Weekend #3 - Purple Pleaser

Meet Purple Pleaser, a stunning purple polish from ELF. This lovely polish was on sale for £1.00 and in my eyes a total steal. Its from their new polish line which has some fantastic new colours ranging from beautiful corals, bright pinks to romantic reds. I can easily see a few of them, including some of the older range, arriving via my post man very soon.
The overall reason I am crazy over ELF polishes, apart from their beautiful colour range and fantastic quality, is because the formula contains no Toluene, Formaldehyde and Dibutyl Phthalate (DPB) and so ranges on the same lines as Citate and other nasty free polishes.

I have always loved purple polishes and have a a few varying in shades and this one simply ticks all  the right boxes. The shade is a beautiful shade of purple and has a perfect opaque finish after one application. I found the brush, which has an aerodynamic design, allowed the formula to glide on the nails flawlessly and so giving an even, flawless finish. The polish dried really quickly and I was very satisfied with the finished look. The polish, which was worn over a course of two days, remained chip free even after a serious amount of house work. This is a huge promise to this line and I am really looking forward to trying more from the range and keeping them on my nails for longer.

As for the base and top coat, I decided to switch it around a little by using my recently purchased ELF matte finisher which only cost £1.00 - yes £1.00, isn't that crazy!!
Anywho, I applied the matte finisher as a base and a top coat and discovered that it shortened the polishes drying time by half. My nails, as soon as the top coat was applied, appeared to dry within seconds removing all shine and only leaving a very on trend matte nail with a healthy glow. The matte finisher applied to the nails beautifully and the formula wasn't too thick or thin to provide the coverage needed.

I am overly very, and I mean very impressed with these two nail polishes. Not only are they beautiful additions to my growing collection but contain no nasty ingredients, are fantastic quality for money and are cheap and cheerful. ELF, in my honest opinion, have done a fantastic job in creating this range of polishes. I really can't fault them.

Have you tried any ELF polishes? Whats your opinion on them? Do like you like my NOTWK and much more importantly like the matte finish? Let me know in the comments below

=)

xox

To note; I am in no way affiliated with ELF and am not gaining anything from writing this NOTWD/review. Everything written is my honest opinion =)

Project Perfect ♥

If you have been reading blogs of late, you may have noticed a new type of tag that has been spreading its wings through the blogosphere. This is known as Project Perfect which was started by the beautiful Amy of Flaws and All. Amy set up Project Perfect after watching a documentary called Goks Teens: The Naked Truth which shared stories of teenagers who felt like they should look a certain way due to the unrealistic images in the media. These teenagers wanted to change themselves to look like their stars on the internet/magazines and pointed out the many things they wanted to change about themselves but never actually pointed out what they liked. So this is where Amy got the idea from and set it up to allow everyone to take part.

So if you want to take part then please follow these rules, paste the link to your post below and of course on Amy's blog to allow her to publish you on her Project Perfect page.

1. Post a photo that you like of yourself and say in a couple of sentences why you like it.

2. State some things that you DON'T like yourself but say why others may love to be like that.

3. State 3 things that you DO like about yourself.

My hair is the stand out for me in this picture because it's naturally wavy, falls nicely and looks healthy. Hopefully my hair won't take too long to grow back to this natural, free flowing, wavy mess =)

Now I'm going to state three things that I don't really like but you may like about me;

1. My weight gain. I've always been a size 10 and always have had a hour glass figure, tiny waist with boobs and of course a bum, but if I gain weight it always goes to my hips, my bottom and my face which always is a BIG no for me. It makes me feel like crap, especially when I can't fit into my jeans without having to dance around the room and literally tug them up. At the moment I am suffering from this and can only wear jeggings and leggings because I hate to see the way I look and of course hate struggling into items that fit me perfectly months ago. My husband always says I am beautiful but I can never shake how crap I feel
2. My face is a lot rounder than what it used to be, due to weight gain, and can make me feel 'manly' and 'ugly' when tied up/swept back for a general day of house work and chilling. I appear to have no natural contour anymore and my cheeks appear a lot fuller than they used to be. My husband always says Im beautiful and it always make me smile ♥
3. My skin is actually very pasty and I do find it hard to naturally tan in the sun. I also blush quiet easily, this normally happens during conversation, and at the moment my skin appears a lot more sensitive which may have been triggered by the freezing temperatures. But as it goes my friends always comment on my skin saying how clear it is and how they wish they didn't have to wear foundation each day

Now I'm going to state three things that I really do like;

1. Firstly I love my deep chocolate brown eyes. I always have loved having brown eyes and they always appear to have this 'wet' look to them which my husband always comments on. I love my brown eyes and always enhance them as much as I can. They have to be my favourite feature on my face
2. My complexion is spot free and I only ever suffer from them during moments of stress or certain times of the month. I class myself as a lucky one as I never really bother with foundation and only with tinted moisturiser. More or less all the time I do just cleanse, tone and moisturise my skin, add some blusher to my cheeks and mascara to my lashes and head out that door. Having a more or less naked face does not bother me one bit and I am proud I can do that
3. My boobs combined with my curves. I always have loved my hour glass figure and truly love what sexy curves I have. I enjoy showing off my natural curves in the best way possible and always buy clothes that will enhance them. Yes I do wear tops that are slightly lower cut than others, yes I do wear tighter fitting clothes and yes I do live in shorts and dresses throughout the warmer months but I love my curves and I believe I shouldn't be judge on how and what I wear

Remember if you would like to take part please post your link below and post a link on Amy's blog so she can add it to her page. Thanks for reading

=)

xox

Big Skincare Mystery

If you read my previous post about my freebies from ELLE and Glamour you may have noticed a skin care sample from an unknown brand. This skin care revolution, which was published in Glamour, is currently known as the Big Skincare Mystery and is due to be revealed 1st March 2012. This revolution has been 'branded' as a genius product that is set to change the nations beauty regimes forever.
How is it going to do this you wonder, well from what Glamour have written about it I can tell you. This mystery skin care brand will help keep the skin beautiful and blemish free by having an array of the best ingredients in perfect, well measured doses. It will give beautifully moisturised and nourished skin and leave out the horrible dryness that so many products are known for.
Not only have the Glamour panel readers given positive reviews about the outcome of this product but it has been given an expert seal of approval by Dermatologist Susan Mayou. She described the product, as written in Glamour, as impressive due to how balanced the ingredients were and how well they work to fight blemishes but keep the skin nourished and moisturised. She even noted that since this product and its ingredients are so gentle that it is suitable for everyday use.
If you want to try out a free sample of this and see for yourself how it works with your skin, then follow the link to request a sample on facebook and the chance to win £1000 worth of Topshop vouchers.

I did receive this sample in my Glamour magazine and knew I had to try it out during my lovely bath this afternoon. I used it as a facial mask, which is possible since this cleanser is a 2-in-1 cleanser and facial mask, and left it on for around 5 minutes before washing it off.
The actual product itself is mint green in colour, has a lovely texture, has a refreshing scent and applies beautifully to wet skin. I massaged the sample right over my face, which was very easy, and allowed it to settle. The product didn't get unbearably tight, which normally results in lack of speech and smiles, unlike other facial masks on the market but you could feel a slight grip where the product appeared to be drying but with a layer of moisture. Wahh, it's so hard to explain!! Basically this facial 2-in-1 cleanser didn't dry to an unbearable mask but to one that 'appeared' to dry but remained moist in doing so which allowed me to sing and smile away.

I washed it off using my shower head, which was a very easy process, and straight away I put my fingers to my face. Amazing! My skin felt ever so soft, nourished and appeared brighter than before. Its a real shame that this sample is only a sachet but I can guarantee I will be picking this gem up when it's released in stores. I am looking forward to seeing what brand this product lays under and I am hoping it isn't too over priced so everyone can try and hopefully enjoy its qualities.

So, what do you think? Do you think this 2-in-1 cleanser can be as good as its described? Are you willing to give it a go? Let me know in the comments below.

=)

xox

To note, I am in no way endorsed with this company or their products. I am 100% honest in all my reviews and enjoy writing about them to give you my opinions on products I have tried and tested with my own money. 

ELLE && Glamour Magazines

Good evening beauties!
The other day, the exact day being monday, my hubby and I took a trip to ASDA as my ears, and eyes, caught hold of a lovely freebie with ELLE magazine. A full size Thick and Fast mascara by Soap and Glory. Since I couldn't pass up this chance of trying and owning this mascara for just £3.90 we headed straight down do I could get my well polished mitts on it. Of course, as it always happens, my eyes fell onto another magazine, Glamour, which unbeknown to me had plenty of freebies inside and only cost me £2.00 for the smaller version. Bargain!

So without further ado here are the magazines and their abundant of freebies;

While I was browsing through Glamour in the car I came across three freebie samples that literally put a massive smile on my face. The first was the Chanel Perfection Lumiere a foundation I have really been wanting to try for a wee while now, Rimmel London Wake Me Up foundation and a face wash/face mask which is unbranded until 01/03/12 and thus being known as the Big Skin Care Mystery (I will write a brief post about this and a small review of the sample asap)
With ELLE I just thought the Thick and Fast mascara was the only freebie but low and behold my eyes fell on another Rimmel Wake Me Up freebie sample. I am so happy and really excited to try these new products to see if they work before splurging out on them.
To top if off nicely both magazines have perfume 'rub here' pages, lots of fashion, makeup, hair and house ideas. I can see where £6.00 worth of pennies will be going each month ...

The Thick and Fast mascara is actually a nice addition to add to my four regularly used mascara collection. I've been wearing it all week, well minus monday, to see if fairs well and so far so good. Its got a lovely bristled brush that doesn't hold too much formula when pulled from the container and applies to the lashes nicely. The formula is drier than what I'm used to but as I class myself as a patient person, my husband of course would say different, I am more than happy to work with it to get the look I want. I will be doing a full review on this mascara with pictures very soon. I want to give it a longer test run so I can give it a full on review to see it fairs during work, everyday life, house work and of course the weather.

So have you purchased this months Glamour or ELLE magazine? What magazines would you recommend for me? Let me know in the comments below 

=)

xox

FOTN - A Fun Evening Out

Last saturday my husband and I headed out with our friends for a meal and some drinks. My hubby and I haven't really been out as much since moving to Ipswich and thought it would be a really nice too. I didn't want to go over top with my makeup but wanted to look different from my normal routine at work. 

So I came up with a nice polished look that was, in my eyes, perfect for an evening out with my friends and of course my lovely husband. 

So without further ado here is the look that I came up with.

Also on another note, I had my hair cut and dyed just before New Years Eve. It has grown a lot since then but you can see how short it is and the colour is has been dyed to. I really do miss my old long, wavy hair but I needed it cut because it was in such bad condition. I am planning to re-grow my hair, this time keeping it in the best condition possible, and re-dying every couple of months.
I just guess I am a girl who loves her long wavy california styled hair ♥

Here below are the products I used to create this look. All of these products are from recent or past hauls and all seem to go really well with my skin tone and type. I cleansed, toned and moisturised my face as per usual followed by my MAC's Prep and Prime primer. I allowed this to settle on my skin before using my ELF stipple brush and applying my ELF Tinted Moisturiser, with an SPF 20, in smooth circular motions. I used my Collection 2000 concealer under my eyes and on any imperfections, blended with a small fluffy eyeshadow brush, before using my kabuki brush to apply my MACs Skinfinish Natural. This was followed by using my blusher brush to apply ELF's blusher in Tickled Pink to add a healthy, rosy glow to my cheeks.
Now since I had the basic look completed, I decided on a basic eye with two colours, eyeliner and helpful lashings of mascara. I primed my eyes using Urban Decays Primer Potion, allowed it to settle before applying Urban Decay's shadow in Naked, which is perfect for my eyelids as a base, followed by their other shadow in Sin, which is one of my favourites, over the top. Using my ELF Cream Eyeliner in black, I used the angled brush to apply it across the top of my eyelid ending right at the very end of my lashes. Using Urban Decay's 24/7 eyeliner in Zero I applied it to my lower and upper lash line before using Maybelline's The Falsies Volume Express Mascara in black to complete the look.

So there you have it. My simple yet pretty look for a night out with my husband and friends. I really did enjoy myself, had a few glasses of red wine and a lovely yet massive cheese, bacon burger. Yum!!
To top it all off we all headed around to our mates house for singstar, and more drinkies, where we all remained till 12/1ish in the morning. To top that off my hubby and I ended up running home in a blizzard which to be honest was fantastically fun =)

I hope you all enjoyed reading my first in a long time Face Of The Night/Evening. I really did enjoy writing this out for you and do plan to do more of these each time I apply more than powder, mascara and eyeliner to my face.

Did you like my FOTN? What do you think about my hair style? Does the colour suit me?

Let me know in the comments below

xox