REVIEW: Jo Malone 'Blackberry and Bay' Body Créme and Body Wash

Jo Malone - a name synonymous with beautifully elegant scents for the home and body since its very creation. Also synonymous with wishful thinking and 'HOW much for a ___?!' but hey, I guess sometimes you've got to treat yourself! I was lucky enough to receive the Jo Malone 'Blackberry and Bay' body créme and body wash as a gift from a company a while back, so I thought I'd let you know my thoughts...

First up is the packaging, which is simple, modern and functional. The label design is spot on, because lets face it, that's what makes it look a little luxe! The body creme's pot is a lovely weighty glass affair, which looks particularly swanky on my bathroom shelf. The 'Blackberry and Bay' scent is beautiful - a light and fruity grown up scent, far from sickly sweet or over powering. I wear perfumes after using these with ease, as they leave just a subtle scent on the skin.

I wasn't that impressed with the body créme at first. It make my skin feel a bit weird after application, like it was still coated in something, and didn't seem to make my skin feel any softer than my regular body lotions and butters. Still, I carried on, thinking 'It must be good, it must!' and boy am I glad I did! After a couple of weeks, my skin is the smoothest and softest it's EVER been. Almost freakishly so. It also seems more...glowy than usual. Jo Malone body creme is hands down the best I've ever used, if it wasn't £50 a pot I'd definitely be stocking up!

The hand and body wash lathers beautifully, feels silky smooth and leaves you feeling fresh and clean - what more can you want or expect from a body wash?! Underneath the blackberry and bay scent, however, there is a hint of cheapy soap smell which is what lingers on your skin after use.

Overall, the body creme is AMAZING and the body wash is just your average body wash. I'd actually probably buy the body creme if it were at least £30 less, but I suppose sometimes in body care you really do get what you pay for.
The body créme retails at an eye watering £50 for 175ml of product. The body and hand wash, a lavish £28 for 250ml. Available online at Jo Malone, or in store at John Lewis and House of Fraser.
Would you spend this much on basic body care? Have you bought any Jo Malone? Let me know! Comments up top!
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LIZ EARLE: 28 Day Cleanse and Detox

Detoxing conjures up images of slime green smoothies and depriving yourself of the 'naughty' little things you enjoy the most, but Liz Earle aren't interested in that - they are taking a positive and (most importantly) achievable approach to detoxing this February with their '28 Day Cleanse and Detox' tips and tricks.

I was lucky enough to attend a little talk given by Abigail James (Liz Earle global skincare and treatments ambassador) at The Trafford Center at the weekend, who gave a bunch of super easy changes we could make day to day to start seeing improvements in our skin and general wellbeing. These were my favourite tips from her...

1. DRY BODY BRUSH. This is so easy! Using a dry body brush to buff your skin each morning (it only takes a couple of minutes) exfoliates and stimulates circulation. I've linked to one from Boots, but you can probably find similar for cheaper.
2. EPSOM SALTS. Epsom salts are minerals which you can add to your bath to help 'draw out impurities', apparently. I'm not exactly sure how this works, but Abigail promised it's pretty potent stuff. Apparently a well known blogger uses epsom salts in her baths in the weeks coming up to a bikini shoot as the difference it makes to her skin is incredible! Plus, they're mega cheap.
3. MASSAGE YOUR FACE. This is a super easy one and one you probably do without even realising if you cleanse properly. Apparently it will make your skin look much fresher and livelier. You can just use your fingers, or try a roller massager.

4. EAT RIGHT. This is obvious, but she did share a couple of ideas I liked the sound of. The first was to eat good proteins! This is one close to me personally as I have to watch my protein intake, being vegetarian. Proteins are your body's building blocks, how can you expect good skin when your body isn't getting what it needs to make it? She also recommended 'super food powders' like chlorella, which you can add to juices, sauces, anything really!
6. COLD SHOWERS. According to Abigail this has a similar effect as dry body brushing when it comes to circulation, but it also wakes up your internal organs (probably as they yell 'ARE WE DYING WHAT'S HAPPENING?!') but I guess a quick shock to the system never hurts! Start with 5 second bursts and work your way up. I've linked to a Dead Sea Minerals shower creme as their products are amazing for the skin. 
7. ADD A MASK. I've never been one for masks, but Abigail swears they are what your skin needs for some intensive care. She uses them before big events to perk up her skin (and after when after a few too many, it isn't looking too happy!)
I also asked her what skincare mistakes does she often see people making, and there were a fair few! 
AGE. First up - not changing your skincare as you age. Your skin's requirements when you're 60 will be very different to what they were when you were 16! 
CLIMATE. Secondly, not changing your skincare with the seasons/ climate - if you're moving from super cold Finland to mega hot Australia your skin is going to go through some changes, listen to it. 
MOISTURISE. She also said she was shocked at how many people don't full body moisturise, which I am too! It's one of the things I often see people saying they don't bother with - DO. I swear you'll see a difference and your skin will be so much happier!

'Cleanse and Detox' kits comprise of 'Cleanse and Polish' starter kit, 'Intensive Nourishing Mask' and 'Gentle Exfoliating Toner'. Included are four cards packed with tips from the pros at Liz Earle on how you can cleanse and detox this month for not only healthier skin, but a clearer mind too.
Unfortunately I can't seem to find the kits online, but I believe John Lewis is doing an offer where you get all three products for the price of a full size 'Cleanse and Polish Kit' (which I believe is £26, but don't hold me to it!)
Do you follow any of these tips already? Plan on adding any to your day to day routine? Let me know! Comments up top!
* Product received for PR purposes. All opinions 100% my own and 100% honest, as always! Bloglovin | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

REVIEW - Lush 'Love Lettuce' Fresh Face Mask

Want a free Lush face mask? All you have to do to get a free Lush face mask is bring five CLEAN Lush pots into any store, pick your face mask, go to the counter and hand your empty pots over - fantastic! This is a permanent offer, which is fabulous for any Lush junkies and also means those little black pots will get recycled instead of ending up in land fill, win win!

Recently I traded five pots in for 'Love Lettuce', a lavender scented, gray-green pot of goop. The lady in the store told me was best for oily/ combination skin as it helps to moisturise dry areas while controlling sebum production in oily areas, clever, eh? I always ask for advice from the Lush staff - they're the experts after all, always helpful and never pushy. Hands down my favourite shop staff as a company in general.

I wont lie, I was a bit put off seeing as I absolutely loathe the scent of lavender. Seriously. The Summer my Mum decided to plant lavender behind the swing in the garden when I was a kid, I thought she was trying to kill me. That aside, 'Love Lettuce' does have a strong lavender scent, but you don't actually notice it once it's applied (thank God.)

The pot may seem small but a little goes a LONG way. I've used it four times and have barely made a dent. The almond shells give a fantastic scrub as you rub it on, while kaolin sets to work calming down any oily parts and honey and almond oil adds a little moisture to dry areas. Honey is also a great antiseptic, so it could be helping keep blemishes at bay.

After 15 minutes I rinse it off to reveal soft, smooth skin. I then apply a little light moisturiser just to lock in the goodness and my skin is happy as larry.
Overall a simple, fun product ideal for oily - combination skin. I imagine young teens would love this as a special sleep over treat (though at 22, I'm loving it as part of my skincare routine too!)
Trade five empty Lush pots at any store for 'Love Lettuce' or buy it in store or online for the bargain price of £6.25 for 75g of product (seriously, it lasts ages.)
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Recent Empties

Is it just me who feels a bit silly hoarding empty tubs and sprays for these kind of posts?! Silly but satisfied...yeah, that's the one.

These are all products I've been using on a more or less daily basis, the staples...

 STEAM CREAM -A fabulously effective moisturiser which does my skin wonders. The pots come in loads of designs and are totally reusable once the product's used up. I think it says it all when Steam Cream smells of lavender (my least favourite scent) yet I'm planning on buying another pot - probably the 'Prudence' design.

 GOOD THINGS 'MIRACLE MATTIFIER MOISTURISER' - I couldn't praise this highly enough when I first bought it! However, after a couple of months I found it gradually becoming less and less effective for my skin, which is why I wont be repurchasing it. Well worth a shot if you're in the market for a mattifying moisturiser, though!

 COLLECTION 2000 PRODUCTS - Waterproof 'Fast Stroke' eyeliner is possibly the worst Collection 2000 product I've tried so far, it flakes off quickly and isn't in the least bit waterproof (the regular one is 100x better!) The twist up black pencil is pretty run of the mill, but fantastically soft and blendable, a definite repurcase coming on. 'Lasting Perfection' powder works the same for me as Rimmel's infamous 'Stay Matte'...only it's cheaper. I would repurchase, but I've just bought the loose Collection 2000 powder for a bit of a change.

 BOURJOIS VOLUME FAST AND PERFECT MASCARA - Yeah, yeah, you know I bought this because Pixiwoo's Sam loves it. The rotating brush is useless, a mega gimmick with no real benefit, however it does give an awesome amount of volume. I think this would be best for those with long lashes, as it doesn't really add much length at all. Repurchase? Naaah.

I did have some more to show you...but I binned them - sorrrrrry! They were in my Bolton house and it seemed daft to pack them up and take them back to Manchester over Christmas. Still, I move into a new house back in Bolton soon so I can hoard to my heart's content MUAHAHAHA!

Do you hoard empties? Share any daily products?

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The Body Shop VIP Experience

After a hectic few months I'm feeling a little worse for wear, so when The Body Shop contacted me to invite me along to their Manchester Arndale Store with a promise of some pampering I was more than happy to go along!

[ Isn't Lily Cole adorable?! ]

 

I adore the look and feel of The Body Shop stores - fresh and Earthy, plus the lovely displays mean there's always something new to see. Store manager, Derek, greeted my sister and I and gave us a little Body Shop history before Nicole and Sophie whisked us off into the makeover chairs.

First up came the skin care consultation. Nicole recommended the seaweed range for my combination skin, which works to moisturise any dry patches of skin and mattify the oily areas - pretty clever, eh? I think it's always useful to have a consultation if possible before diving into a new skin care routine - it save the 'uhm-ing' and 'ah-ing' over which product to choose (and potentially a lot of money if you choose the wrong ones.)

[ Chloe's facechart ]

After the consultation, we moved on to my makeover. Nicole started by using the pinky mauve shade from the 'Warm' shimmer cube palette over my lid, followed by the dark brown on the outer corners. Since these eyeshadows have oil in them, their texture is smooth and creamy which makes them easy to apply, but means you'll definitely need a primer to make them last! 'Oil Balancing Foundation' was blended along my jawline, 'All in One Blush' on the cheeks (this stuff is PIGMENTED) and a dab of 'Love Gloss for Lips' for added shine. Unfortunately the products used on me weren't noted down, so I can't tell you exactly which shades were used!

 [ The shimmer cubes are Body Shop classics! ]

Oddly, whenever I think of The Body Shop, I never think of their make-up range - but it's actually quite expansive! Well worth a look when you next pop in for a new body butter...

[ Chloe and Sophie testing out the Hemp Hand Protector ]

Last of all, Chloe and I were treated to hand massages using the Hemp Hand Protector to battle dry, Winter skin. I was impressed with how thick and nourishing it felt, though it sunk into my skin with ease. Nicole told me how most people take a while to get used to the herbal scent, but they stick with it because the results are so good!

After our treatments were complete, we took a little look around at all the displays. Recently I've been slathering myself with the Peach body butter - which smells wonderfully real (don't you just hate synthetic fruit scents?)

The Body Shop are big on Christmas! The store was gift sets galore - with hampers and ribbon tied boxes on every stand. I think there's something for everyone in the Body Shop Range, perhaps a set of balms for teens, the Hemp gift tin for blokes and a trusty White Musk set for old school Body Shop fans?

 Despite all the fancy, more grown up things - these little animal soaps were hands down our favourite thing in the store! Why? Nostalgia, of course! When we were kids, we were given a set of Body Shop animal soaps on a family holiday and both thought they were awesome. The smell instantly took me back to being five years old - amazing!

Cruelty free, fair trade supporters, charity supporters, vegetarian - The Body Shop truly is a brand with a heart. If you're unfamiliar with them, be sure to pop in and take a look, you'd be surprised at what you'll discover...

 

I was invited by The Body Shop for complimentary treatments for PR purposes. All opinions 100% honest and 100% mine - as always!

 

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Skin Care, Body Care and Scent Storage in Uni Halls

It might sound daft (and it probably is) but when I was moving to uni, one of my main concerns was where I'd storage all of my smellies. Y'see, some halls have the luxury of an en suite bathroom for each bedroom, but, alas, mine do not. Storing everything in my bedroom was the only option, but I didn't want a jumble of messy boxes or loose product everywhere. Here's how I managed it...

My lower shelf stores scents, body butters, creams in tubs, cleanser and everyday facial moisturizers. All of my solid scents are kept in the gold organza bag, samples remain in their card sleeves and bigger bottles are tucked away - y'see how I don't own a single 'proper' perfume in full size?! I'm way too fussy to commit to any it seems!

Beside my lotions and potions are my nail varnishes, housed in a brown filigree box. I *think* the box is from IKEA, but you can get similar ones of different patterns from stores like Home Bargains for cheap, too.

Amid the CDs, hip flasks, origami balls and inflatable dinosaurs on my top shelf lie my hair colouring products. I utterly love Directions dyes, although getting the blue from my last dye job to fade is proving to be a pain in the rump!

To the right of my shelves, I have a free standing shelving unit which is awesome for storing some of your junk belongings. I have four of these IKEA boxes on the unit full of various things, but my favourite box is undoubtedly this one...

Fake tan, skin care, body care, hair care, bath care and some essentials such as toothpaste and face wipes. You can fit SO MUCH into these boxes, it's crazy. I also have an IKEA helmer for my make-up, but I've already posted about that. As you can see, I'm a fan of that Swedish wonderland for storage solutions!

My key tips for planning storage for your uni halls room are...
1. GO TO AN OPEN DAY. Seriously. How are you supposed to plan where to keep your stuff if you haven't even see what the rooms are like?!
2. Boxes are your friend. Check out bargain stores for cheap and cheerful options.
3. Find out if you have room under your bed for storage. I have an under bed box full of clothes, it's so useful!
4. Get a clothing hook rack for the back of your door - you'd be surprised how much room simply hanging your coat/ hoodie/ towels can save.

How do you store all of your goodies? Do you take up 90% of the space on the bathroom shelves, or stack it all away elsewhere?

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Current Skincare Routine for Oily/ Combination Skin

After giving up on caring for my stubborn, oily, blemish ridden skin for years, I started to look back into skin care towards the end of last year. My skin has obviously changed since my younger days, namely that it's become drier in places and less spot prone. I have an oily t-zone, dry patches around my nose and cheeks and large pores. I've mainly been looking into oily busting, blemish clearing products which don't break the bank to balance and revive my skin...

Lush, Yes to Tomatoes and Boots 'Simple Sensitive' range have been making up my favourite routine so far.

Lush 'Coal Face' Soap/ Cleanser: A lightly exfoliating soap perfect for oily, congested skin. The black shade comes from the charcoal (to absorb grease) and liquorice (to soften skin). Lush also add rosewood oil to act as an antiseptic to help keep spots at bay and sandalwood oil to soothe problem skin. I use this as my regular face soap (and occasionally in the shower) and have noticed a significant reduction in break outs, I also love the earthy, liquorice scent and how fresh this makes my skin feel.

 Lush 'Dark Angels' Cleanser: Sometimes, I need a face scrub which, if it were a person, I feel would slap me hard and call me its bitch - that is 'Dark Angels'. When my skin feels particularly worse for wear, I use this thick, super exfoliating cleanser to buff away rough patches, soak up excess oil, add a little moisture and give some antiseptic love. I wouldn't recommend this to those with delicate skin - this is definitely the bad boy of facial exfoliators.

Yes to Tomatoes 'Clear Skin Facial Mask': At £12 for 50ml of product, I did hesitate to buy this at first. However, I do believe that with skin care you get what you pay for - and it would be easy to spend way more if I had the money! You don't need much to cover your face and the results are fantastic. The next day, my skin feels softer and healthier and looks more even. I'd happily re-purchase!

Boots Simple Sensitive 'Protecting Day Moisturiser SPF 15': I originally bought this as part of one of the '3 for 2' deals in Boots, not expecting much at all. There are, however, some utter gems out there for next to nothing! This moisturiser is light, fragrance free, soaks into my skin quickly and keeps oil at bay for quite some time. I actually find this works better as a make-up primer that my £20 Illamasqua 'Matt Primer' - 'nuf said.

Lush 'Coal Face' cleanser - £4.50 for 100g, which lasts ages!
Lush 'Dark Angels' cleanser - £5.95 for 100g, which will last the 3 months it stays fresh for.
Yes to Tomatoes 'Clear Skin Facial Mask' - Around £12 for 50ml, hunt around Google for the best deal.
Boots Simple Sensitive 'Protecting Day Moisturiser' - £1.86 for 125ml of product.

Next I'll be venturing into Murad - wish me luck!

REVIEW - Marshmallow Blends Body Butter and Sugar Scrub Cubes

Marshmallow Blends is an indie bath and body company run by fellow beauty blogger, Nicoletta. Each product is hand made, packed full of skin loving ingredients and scented with delicious foody fragrances - sounds fab, right?! Marshmallow Blends has quite a girly, cute, fresh look which suits the products perfectly.

Sugar scrub cubes come presented in a large tin with transparent lid and cute candy striped bow. I opted for the 'Lemon Sherbet' fragrance which I absolutely ADORE - zingy, lively and not in the least bit synthetic. 'Lemon Sherbet' pairs perfectly with my favourite lime scented shower gel - delicious :)

I expected that these sugar cubes would turn to mush almost immediately, but to my delight they stay solid long enough to scrub the entire body. Squishing a cube into a paste requires a fair bit of force and a lot of water, so don't worry, they don't vanish down the plug hole as soon as you step in to the shower!

The texture of this body butter is awesome! It's like a mousse, which seems to dissolve into an oil once rubbed into the skin. This doesn't sink in well, instead leaving behind a greasy texture - for this reason I only ever apply it before bed. I do, however, wake up the following morning with beautifully soft skin! 'Applejack Frost' smells like cinnamon, sugar and apple pie filling - it's quite spicy and VERY festive.

Overall, both products smelt fresh and 'real', both fulfilled their intended tasks, both were reasonably priced, postage was a fixed £2.99 and my order arrived quickly. If you're after something more interesting that what you can grab off the shelves of your supermarket, Marshmallow Blends have you covered.

Sugar scrub cubes - £5.99 for one 45g tub. Body butter - £5.99 for 100ml of product. Available from Marshmallow Blends online store.

REVIEW - Anatomicals Body Butter and Lip Balm

I love when brands have a distinct look and feel - a personality, it makes them feel more approachable. Anatomicals are definitely one of these brands, with bright packaging, puns, cheeky innuendos and weird little slogans - Anatomicals has a clear sense of fun! I was sent a couple of new items to check out...

Orange Flower and Amber Body Butter - Orange flower and amber? Why yes, it does smell as amazing as it sounds! A light, warm floral for people like me who don't usually 'do' florals. I think the amber tones mean that this could pass the 'sniff test' for blokes, too.

Anatomicals body butter sinks in really quickly, without leaving that greasy, clammy feeling which many butter do. This is ideal for topping up moisture after the bath/ shower, but I think those with truly dry skin would need something a bit richer.

Overall, a lovely product which retails at £5 for 200ml - bargain!

Anatomicals 'Never Lose your Cherry' SPF 15 Lip Balm - When I first received this, I kept re-reading the box and tube for the funny (if mildly creepy) innuendos and word play. I still read the tube every time I use it! 'Never Lose your Cherry' has the consistency and look of a gloss (minus the horrible stickiness) with a tiny tint of cherry red. It smells exactly like 'Cherry Drop' sweets - delicious! I love using this just for the scent.

'Never Lose your Cherry' would be ideal for those who like to use balms just for the hell of it, I think those with problematic dry lips would need something more moisturising. My box reads SPF 8, although the press release image and sites this is sold on read SPF 15.

Available at £2.45 for 15ml of product at quite a few online retailers such as ASOS and in store at John Lewis.

Do you use 'Anatomicals'? Any products you would recommend?

Items received for review consideration. All opinions 100% honest and 100% my own - as always!

Carmine February Box

I've had quite a few Carmine boxes sent for review in previous months and I'm always impressed. This month is no different! With February's theme being 'Fresh. Fun. Colour', Carmine want to remind you what Spring is all about...

Carmine are sticking to their original black box, lime interior, scarlet paper packaging - which I love. It really makes them stand out in a sea of pink beauty boxes. Carmine always include a little guide to everything in the box, which often have discount codes so that you can stock up on your favourite products for less. So what does February's box house?

Steam Cream - Steam Cream have been making waves in the beauty industry ever since their launch, with straight forward ingredients, a light weight formula and 'steam technology' it's hardly surprising! Steam Cream keep their simple product interesting with heaps of funky tin designs. This is the stand out product of the box for me.

Balance Me 'Super Moisturising Body Wash' - Balance Me are a skincare brand from the UK, specialising in beautiful products made from natural ingredients. I'm all for supporting UK companies, so I'm really excited to try this out! I was surprised that this body wash smells quite masculine, very earthy and herby. I've a feeling lots of gents will be nabbing this from their ladies!

Andrea Fulerton Nail Varnish - I'm already a fan of Andrea Fulerton polishes, the colour range is vast and includes some really unique shades. While I wouldn't call this a Spring time colour, it's definitely a 'me' colour and a shade I can see plenty of ladies appreciating.

Yardley London 'Peony' Fragrance - I know A LOT of people whinged when another beauty box company included a perfume sample in a box, so Carmine cleverly included this as an extra! Personally, I like perfume samples since I'm looking to buy a new one. Yardley London 'Peony' is warm, floral, and clean - perfect for Spring, but not something I'd go for.

Diego Dalla Palma Lipstick - Not a brand I've had experience with before, so I was intrigued by this mini lippy. They have a similar scent to MAC lipsticks, last quite a while and are only a touch drying. The shade I received is 42, a bronze/ rose/ brown hybrid which would look killer on Asian skintones.

 White Glo Professional Choice Whitening Toothpaste - At first I thought it odd to include an everyday essential in a beauty box...then I thought, 'Well, without it we'd all sure as Hell have ugly smiles!' I haven't tried this yet, but having slightly tea stained gnashers I'll definitely get my use out of it.

Overall, another great box from Carmine. I'd recommend checking these guys out if you're looking into beauty boxes, since there hasn't been a 'dud box' yet!

Available from www.carmine.co.uk, priced at £12.75 (inc p&p) per month.

Product received for review purposes. All opinions 100% honest and 100% my own, as always!