Dear eighteen-year-old me

So, A Level results haven’t long been announced which led me to think about what might have been going through my mind at the tender age of eighteen (most probably boys, fashion and partying – oh what a hard life I lived) and after reading Lauren Conrad’s letter, it spurred me on to write my own…

Never have any fear

There’s no doubt about it that being a teenager is tough but always try and remember to never have any fear, especially when it comes to starting university. University is a daunting process – you will leave family and friends behind – but cherish the time, the memories and the friendships that you make – these will last a lifetime. Make time to travel too as the world has so much to offer and there is so much to see outside of that small town you live in. But one of the biggest things of all – never worry about what people think of you. Those who matter don’t mind and those who mind don’t matter.

Parents know best

Despite thinking that dad knows nothing, trust me when I tell you that he knows everything and more. A problem shared is a problem halved and dad is pretty darn good at halving them. But don’t listen to him when he tells you that your hand will fall off if you wear a hair bobble around your wrist. Eight years later and both hands are still intact!

Always remove your make up before bedtime

Rolling in at 4am should never be an excuse not to remove your make up, despite how drunk or tired you are. Do it religiously now and you will reap the rewards later on. Stick with cleansing, toning and moisturising just like you did at sixteen – but don’t forget to exfoliate too. The same goes for SPF. As much as you think that using a low factor sun cream will give you a glowing tan, it won’t protect your fair English skin. Take time to look after it, you only get one chance.

So there goes, what advice would you give to your eighteen-year-old self if you had the opportunity? Leave your links below!

Four years blogging: My top ten

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I can't believe that I have been blogging for nearly four years!

I first started this blog back in 2010. It was my way of expressing how I felt about beauty products aimed at women my own age. At the time I was writing for a national magazine aimed at women over sixty and although I had access to the latest beauty products, I never had the opportunity to write about them and express my own personal opinion, that was until I set up this blog.

You may be thinking, four years is a long time and you don’t have many followers, well I never started this blog to have ‘followers’. I enjoyed writing for me and although it was great to see that my posts were being read, I never actively promoted it.

So as a celebration of four years, I decided to give you a run down of my favourite top ten posts that I have written over the years:

1: Bare Minerals Prime Time Brightening Primer

Reading back over my early blog posts, I often wrote in non-biased way – I tried not to give too much of an opinion, which as a blogger is key. But I put this down to my journalistic background. However, I have chosen this post because this is where my love for Bare Minerals began and I was totally won over by their fantastic products that I still use them today.

2: Bad beauty habits

I chose to put this in my top ten because it was a really different blog post for me. I often don’t like to write about myself but I actually really enjoyed it in the end. It was interesting to see that I had quite a few bad beauty habits and I loved being able to share them with you all.

3: Garnier 2-in-1 Pure Active Spot Roll-On

The Garnier 2-in-1 Pure Active Spot Roll-On is an odd blog post for me to pick. When I look back over the post, I really dislike it. The images are dreadful and I don’t really delve into too much detail. However, this is my second most read post on my blog so I felt that it deserved a place in my top ten.

4: Bare Minerals Skincare

Again, my love for Bare Minerals grows and they really smashed it out of the park with their first skincare range. I absolutely loved reviewing these products and I actually went on to re-purchase the Pure Transformation Night Treatment.

5: What’s in my handbag

My very first ‘what’s in my...’ and still one of my favourite type of posts to write. I love looking at what other bloggers store in their handbags – it makes me realise that I’m not the only person who carries a lot of crap around with them!

6: My holiday saviour

This post was named ‘My holiday saviour’ because it actually was! I’m quite fair-skinned and can burn quite easily, especially on delicate areas like my nose and ears, so this product came in super handy on a previous trip to Egypt. I still have this product and won’t go anywhere in summer without it.

7: Nail decals

This was a really exciting blog post to write because it was a slight challenge getting the decals to work. If I remember right, it took me quite a few goes to finally get them spot on, and I was so impressed with the outcome. In fact, it has spurred me on to try them again!

8: The Mascara Monologues: An introduction

The Mascara Monologues was an idea that stemmed back when I was writing for living. After speaking to the girls I was working with at the time, we all agreed that we had never come across a mascara that we truly loved. So as a sub-section to the blog, The Mascara Monologues was born.

9: No More White Bits

This is an odd choice to place in my top ten, but the reason is because is that it is actually my most read post to date. Every month I get hit upon hit and I’m never sure why. Maybe a lot of people Google ‘no more white bits’, who knows, but this one is actually about a fake tan brand.

10: The best beauty products for blemishes

I chose to include this post in my top ten because it is includes one of my favourite images that I have ever taken. My lovely boyfriend bought me a new camera for Christmas and I couldn’t wait to give it go and show off the new images on my blog!

I would love to see your top ten posts, leave your links below!

Grey is the new black

Firstly I want to apologise for using the stock image – I had the worst time trying to photograph this product. In fact, I didn’t even get as far as photographing it because I managed to smash it all over my kitchen floor, sending grey paint flying everywhere. I did, however, manage to get a sneaky shot of my nails after I had painted them. Apologies again for the lighting, it was taken just before bedtime and I wasn’t planning on using this photo at all.

Despite my mishap I still wanted to share this product with you because I absolutely adore the colour grey. I love how versatile it is and how it allows you to tone it down for daytime chic as well as mixing it up for night time glam. Either way the colour grey is hot and looks even hotter on nails too.

Maybelline’s Colour Show nail polish in Cool Touch is fantastic for wearing day and night. It has a slight blue-grey tone to it, neither looking too dark or light and will suit any skin tone too. After two coats it is fully opaque and it has a pretty good shelf life. It is safe to say that this colour has certainly made its way onto my list of summer shades, despite now having to repurchase again because of my clumsiness!

I bought Maybelline Colour Show nail polish in Cool Touch for £2.99/7ml from Boots.

Can you recommend any other grey colours that I should add to my collection? Leave your comments below!

Bad beauty habits

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We all have a bad habit (or two) and I’m no exception, especially when it comes to the beauty side of things. So, after sitting down and contemplating this post, I soon began to realise that I have far more beauty habits that would seem necessary, so instead of dwelling on them I decided to share them with you in the hope that you would agree that they aren’t so bad after all…

Why scrub, when you can wipe…
I hate to boast but I’m pretty darn good in the mornings. Once that alarm has gone off, I’m up and ready for the day to begin. However…I am so god damn lazy, especially when it comes to my skin.

Pass me a face wipe and the moisturiser and I’m good to go. There’s no washing, water, creams or serums involved which is probably doing my skin more harm than good. But don’t panic, my skin does get some TLC at bedtime.

Little pickers wear big knickers
One of my mother’s favourite sayings when I was younger – from food to cuts and grazes, eyelashes and nails, I was always picking something and could never leave anything alone. It seems that I have carried this rather disgusting habit into my adult life too and it all comes down to one thing – nail polish! A good polish will last two days max on my nails before I scrape, scratch and pick at it until it’s virtually gone.

To get over this habit I recently tried gelish. This time it lasted a total of 7 days before it was gone…

Don’t break a bad habit
This has to be one of my most annoying habits to date. Not annoying for others, but more annoying for me. I am the most unadventurous person ever when it comes down to beauty. I often re-buy the same products, stick to the same colours and never have I ever stepped out of the house in a really daring lip colour. You want an example? Throughout most of my early twenties I was still using a foundation and moisturiser aimed at late-teenage skin. It took some persuading (by myself of course) to branch out and opt for more mature products.

Keeping it dirty
I am 100% guilty of not washing my make-up brushes regularly and I’m pretty sure I’m not alone too.

Washing make-up brushes should be an integral part of my beauty regime, however much I tell myself, it is not. Not only do they keep bristles softer for easier application but it stops them from spreading dirty, nasty germs too, which can cause niggling spots and blemishes.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post just as much as I enjoyed writing it. I would love to read your comments on whether you can relate to any of my bad habits or read your own bad beauty habit posts - put your links below!

The Mascara Monologues: Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara

If you read my last blog post (if not, then you can read it here) you may recognise this little product that I picked up in my latest beauty haul. Although more of product that I picked up on a whim, I have been rather impressed so far. 

To start with the silver packaging is quite sleek. The separate coral and turquoise branding gives the mascara more of a summer feel - turquoise being the perfect colour combination for its waterproof version, obviously. 

As for the look, I absolutely love the wand. The unique brush has been inspired by professional hair styling brushes, with spherical bristles to help coat each and every lash with the perfect amount of product, and I've got to admit it really does work. Plus, it's clump free too.

The Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara is pretty high up there on my list of perfect mascaras and at just £9.99 its affordable too. It is definitely worth the purchase, especially if you are looking for a budget high street product that gives fantastic results. 

The Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara is available from Boots £9.99/12ml. 

Post holiday beauty haul

Okay, so the holiday blues have officially set in. This time two weeks ago I was enjoying a cocktail on a sun lounger overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. Humph! So in order to cheer myself up, I took a trip to Boots to buy some much needed items.

Now while I was in Thailand, I had the opportunity to try some authentic coconut oil. Although a little smelly and by this I mean not at all like coconut, I decided that I had to buy some once I was home, which is why I picked up Garnier Ultimate Blends The Sleek Perfector Oil. I’ve really been into the whole the Argan Oil thing and I’ve heard positive things about coconut oil, so I thought it was best to jump on the bandwagon before it left without me.

Now that we’re well into July and I figured what a perfect opportunity to ditch the blusher and replace with a gorgeous glowing bronzer. Problem being my dog ate my bare Minerals brush so I was after a quick replacement. After toying between Real Techniques and Eco Tools, I finally opted for the Eco Tools Domed Bronzer brush. My reason? Because it was bigger – it was that simple.

Now this is where I get to the essentials. Nivea Daily Essentials Refreshing Facial Cleansing Wipes, a really boring product that I re-purchase at least twice a month. Writing that has reminded me that I must find a more eco (and purse) friendly make up remover. Secondly, a new mascara. In my quest to find the perfect mascara (you can follow the Mascara Monologues here) I obviously opted for something new - Bourjois Volume 1 Seconde Mascara. More about this in the next instalment of the Mascara Monologues soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Despite not purchasing much, I came away feeling a little better that I wasn’t sat in 35 degree heat and sipping on a mango daiquiri. I guess the sunny British weather will keep me distracted for some time.

Please leave links below for your latest hauls. Or if you have any recommended products, I’d love to hear those too.

The best of: Spring

I actually stole this idea from Louise over at Sprinkle of Glitter and I thought it was such a fantastic idea. I don't share enough of my photos and in fact this might encourage me to take more. There are only a few, but they're special and capture some of the best moments from this spring. 

    

This spring has been all about celebrating special moments with some very special friends. Hen parties have been a plenty, travelling from Barcelona to York and Cambridge. We also spent a lovely weekend in Norfolk with our best friends, and the dogs of course. Beach walks in Great Yarmouth and tea in our very own cottage - it was beautiful.

I also had the pleasure of seeing one of my closest friends marry her Prince Charming. What made it much more special was that I was lucky enough to have been asked to be her bridesmaid. The bride looked beautiful and the day was incredibly special. I was ver honoured to be asked to be a part of it. 

                

I've been incredibly lucky to take part in so many special moments this spring, which makes me much more excited for summer, and I'll be sharing that with you too! 

I'd love to see your best moments of spring, please leave your links below. 

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Colour Renew Tone-Correcting Shampoo - Monthly favourite

So, due to my tardiness this month I'm incorporating two blog posts in one - a normal blog review and my monthly favourites. However, this month there is only one favourite and thats simply because I haven't really been overly impressed with any other products, and this one was just so impressive, I felt like it deserved it's own, so here goes...

If you're like me and you fake your blonde barnet, you've probably come across this same problem time and time again. Dry, course ends, frizziness and a bad yellow tinge - typical problems that can make a really good blonde look a little dishevelled. That was until I discovered this fabulous product, John Frieda's Sheer Blonde Colour Renew Tone-Correcting Shampoo. 

Despite having the longest product name in history, I was so happy I stumbled across this product. As much as I love my dip-dye, it can be a bit of a bugger to maintain. The golden, glowing blonde ends eventually turn into a really bad bleach job and often crying out to be renewed. 

I've never been overly convinced with colour keeping, renewing or changing, haircare products. Coloured hair will fade and I'm quite certain nothing can change that. However, this one by John Frieda did a pretty good job. The correcting formula helps counteract unwanted yellow tones to neutralisse brassiness by helping to put the sparkle back into blonde hair. And boy did it put the sparkle back. 

I must admit, I didn't purchase the conditioner because I felt like my hair didn't need it. After using the shampoo on a couple of occassions, the brassiness in my hair had practically disappeared and I'd received a few compliements on how healthy my hair was looking. That can't be bad, right?

I would, without a doubt recommend this product to any of my colour-treated blonde friends. In fact, I recently recommended to a work colleague who, very selflessly and bravely, shaved off her hair in aid of a children's brain tumour charity. She's since died it blonde and it looks incredible, but she was concerned about it turning yellow rather than staying bleach blonde, and so, I didn't think twice about recommending John Frieda's Tone-Correcting Shampoo. 

John Frieda Sheer Blonde Colour Renew Tone-Correcting Shampoo is available from Boots £5.99/250ml.

My March favourites

This month I’m keeping it short, sweet and very simple – just like the three products that I have been loving this month.

L’Oreal’s Skin Perfection Purifying Gel Wash

Recently I rediscovered my love for facial cleansers and I’m pretty sure it’s because I’ve noticed a subtle change to my skin. Since using them more frequently (rather than just a face wipe) my skin is in much better condition. This is why L’Oreal’s Skin Perfection Purifying Gel Wash made it to the top of the list.

When I’m having a particularly grubby skin day, or when I simply don’t have the time, I find myself using this product for a quick pick-me-up. The gel-like product quickly turns into foam when mixed with water and is perfect at removing everyday dirt and grime, and even stubborn eye makeup too. It is also super light and washes off easily, leaving skin feeling refreshed.

What makes this product even more appealing is the price. It’s super cheap (at only £4.49/150ml) and you don’t need much at all – just a 20p sized dollop is plenty. L’Oreal Skin Perfection Purifying Gel Wash is available from Boots £4.49/150ml.
 

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water

The second facial cleanser to feature in my monthly favourites is one that may not come as a surprise to you. What was once France’s best kept secret, has now found its way into British hands and by the looks of things it hasn’t let us down.

Pronounced as me-sellaire, the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water isn't as harsh as a standard face cleanser, which is why its great for sensitive skin. It also acts as a toner too, meaning that it becomes two skincare steps in one. The clever bit is the science behind it - like a magnet, the cleansing agents capture and lift away dirt from the skin meaning that you no longer have to scrub deep down to remove all of your make-up and daily dirt. 

I absolutely love this product from Garnier. It's so simple and extremely cheap to use - I picked up this one for £4.99 for 400ml in Boots. It's certainly worth the money and will last a heck of a long time too. 

Last but not least is the Stronger Nail Polish from Rimmel. 

Over the last month or so my nails have taken a bit of a battering. I have been applying, removing and reapplying nail polish like it is going out of fashion, which has meant that my nails have become really dry and brittle as a result.

Before heading out on Saturday night, I applied a layer over the top of normal polish. Although this was completely by accident (there was me thinking it was a top coat) and completely ruined my polish, I couldn’t help but notice how strong my nails were when I removed the colour. So after removing I applied it again on its own and a week later my nails are in the best condition they have been in a long time. They’re stronger and look ten times healthier, plus I’m bridesmaid for my friend on Thursday so this stuff has been a god-send. 

I wouldn’t advise applying on top of your normal polish though as it is in fact a heavy duty base coat. Enriched with calcium and Keratin, it adds strength to weak nails and helps to increase their strength against further damage. The Rimmel Stronger Nail Polish is available from most cosmetic stores (£4.49/7ml).

Sudocrem Skincare Cream

In my Best Beauty Products for Blemishes blog post, I mentioned how much I loved using Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream as fast-acting, over night spot treatment. With its healing abilities it’s no wonder celebrities likes Cheryl Cole and Mollie King have become such huge fans.

However, the reason I am writing this post is to share with you an alternative to the nappy rash cream – Sudocrem Skincare Cream. Although it contains the same ingredients as the antiseptic cream, they come in very different proportions allowing it to become more versatile, gentle and soothing for skin. Plus it comes in a super handy tube too.

 

See, how cute is this little guy?

This 30g tube is perfect size for carrying in your handbag or makeup case and even more perfect for travelling, so you can ensure you always have Sudocrem readily available for whenever a breakout might appear. Sudocrem Skincare Cream is available from most pharmacies and major retailers nationwide £2.11/30g.

*PR sample

The Mascara Monologues: Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara

So, February’s Glossybox arrived and out jumped this beaut – Maybelline’s Big Eyes Mascara. A mascara that comes with two brushes in one – one for your upper lashes and another for lower lashes.

Upper lash wand 

Lower lash wand

 

Back when I was working as a beauty writer I remember Clinique launching their lower lash mascara and although it wasn’t a massive hit, I remember thinking what a brilliant idea. It seems a shame that this one followed in its footsteps.

Maybelline mascara’s are usually pretty good, most of which live up to their claims, so it seems such a shame that this one left me slightly disappointed. Claiming to push up upper lashes for a wide, volumised effect and magnify lower lashes, I was so gutted that I found it really hard to work with. Don’t get me wrong, the upper lash wand is great but what it really lacks power in, is the amount of product it uses. It barely applies any and three coats later, I was just about fine. The biggest downfall was the lower lash wand. I struggled to apply product to the lashes because it felt like it was just gliding over them rather than actually applying. The ability for it to have a lasting effect is also its downfall. By the end of the day, I might as well of not been wearing any. A shame when I had super high hopes.

Don’t get me wrong, despite my review I will not give up on Maybelline mascara. Other versions have been fantastic – in fact Maybelline Great Lash Mascara was my go-to mascara for years. Needless to say you can buy Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara from most drug stores £8.99/9ml.

Have you tried Maybelline Big Eyes Mascara? How did you find it? Can you recommend any others that are similar?

My February favourites

First of all before I start, I want to apologise for how late this blog post is. I was in Barcelona last weekend and I was supposed to get it posted before then but time got the better of me. So albeit a bit late, here’s a quick round-up of the products that I’ve loved using this month…

Katy Perry Killer Queen
I’ve really been into ‘celebrity scents’. I find them quite gimmicky and a little bit naff at times. However, this one smells surprisingly good.

If you haven’t yet had a whiff of Killer Queen here’s the professional’s description:

'A charming playful yet lethally gorgeous floriental fragrance, opens with tempting dark berries and lush plum that blend into an opulent floral heart. The softness and grace of the heart is highlighted by the Royal Red Velvet flower that leads into an intoxicating background of precious woods and sensual musk.'

Sounds pretty scrumptious, and it is! The bottle is quite cute and quirky too and looks slightly different to your average perfume bottle. Katy Perry Killer Queen is available from most perfume and drug stores at a range of prices.

Super Facialist by Una Brenann Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil
This product was previously mentioned in my recent blog post The Best Beauty Products for Blemishes (you can read it here) where I raved about how fantastic it is at giving skin a thoroughly deep cleanse. The super light oil feels greasy on contact but as soon as it’s washed away with warm water, it leaves skin feeling super soft and refreshed with not an ounce of oil left on your face.

I’ve been using this product a lot lately and that’s because it’s great at removing eye make-up – oil based cleansers can work wonders on stubborn mascara. So, before removing the oil from my face, I very gently rub my eyelashes between my fingers to remove any excess. My eyes still require cotton wool and eye make-up remover but it means that any stubborn lumps are already loosened.

Super Facialist by Una Brenann Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil is available from Boots £10.99/200ml.

Vaseline Healthy Hands and Stronger Nails Hand Cream
Last but not least is this really simple product from Vaseline that I recently started to use more recently while at work.

Office air-conditioning can play havoc on skin and for me in particular, my hands really suffer, so this one is great for making sure they stay soft and healthy.

I’ve always been a bit selective when it comes to hand creams because I can’t stand the greasy feel some of them can leave. Vaseline is great for creating a non-greasy cream that’s incredibly soothing and nourishing. I’m not sure how well it lives up to the claim that it can strengthen nails by up to 50%, but maybe I’m not using it often enough.

I apply Vaseline Healthy Hands and Stronger Nails Hand Cream twice a day to ensure my hands don’t dry and crack. Available from Boots £3.27/75ml.

The best beauty products for blemishes

Blemishes and breakouts aren’t just for teenage skin; in fact it’s quite common for you to still get them in your 20s, 30s and even your 40s.

Those blasted spots can appear out of nowhere, in fact if you’re like me they tend to pop up just before a planned event. Birthday’s, weddings, you name it; I’m guaranteed to be accompanied by a little friend.

Stress and changes in our hormones are two of the most common attributes, but there are other lifestyle factors that could be the cause too. A bad diet and even a bad environment are just two of many. But what products help control these wicked things? Here’s my pick of the best…

Origins Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask
(Firstly, I apologise for no image. My brain clearly wasn't engaging that day! However...) When I’m having a bad time with my skin I always rely on this fantastic product from Origins. The Out of Trouble 10 Minute Mask is applied to damp skin, left for 10 minutes to set and then washed off with warm water, leaving super fresh, clean skin. The great thing about this product is it really gives your skin a fresh feeling.

The price is a little more expensive compared to a high street brand, but 100ml goes a long way. I bought mine just before summer and I’m still not even half way through yet. I would certainly recommend this product to anyone who suffers from the occasional break out – it works wonders for me! Available from Origins £22/100ml.

La Roche-Posay Efaclar A.I. Targeted Breakout Corrector
I recently purchased this product after coming out in some serious breakouts on my chin and forehead. After browsing many blogs I came across The Black Pearl written by Sandra. In this particular post (I’ve included a link, because it’s a very good read) Sandra mentioned this product and how fantastic it was at as a quick fix. So I went out and bought it.

After spending 10 minutes trying to figure out how to get the product out of the tube (turns out I’d unscrewed the nozzle by mistake!) I applied the cream sparingly and within a couple of days, my blemishes had almost disappeared. New blemishes were cut short of their developing time too, which I was more than impressed with.

This blemish cream by La Roche-Posay is a brilliant quick fix product. The tube is quite small but considering how little of the product you use, it has potential to last a heck of a long time. I would most definitely recommend this product to anyone who suffers from the odd breakout. Available from Boots £7.12/15ml.

Sudocrem Antiseptic Healing Cream
This age-old product has been used by millions of mums for years and although it was originally designed for infants, it has developed itself into the perfect spot fighting product. The reason for this? It contains a cocktail of ingredients that protect the skin and promote skin healing - perfect for nappy rash and nasty blemishes!

With a mix of Benzyl Alcohol, a local anaesthetic to help ease the pain and irritation, Zinc Oxide to contract and dry out the skin helping the pores close and Benzyl Benzoate and Benzyl Cinnamate - an ancient antiseptic agent that helps with the healing process of spots, there's no surprise it works wonders for blemished skin.

When I have a particularly nasty under-the-skin spot, I apply Sudocrem to it overnight. Usually by morning it's mostly toned down but slightly visible. But be careful, Sudocrem isn't for everyone. Some people find that it brings them out in more spots, so only make sure you apply to the blemished area with clean hands. Available from Boots £2.59/125g.

Super Facialist by Una Brenann Vitamin C+ Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil
Sometimes breakouts happen because skin isn't cleansed properly and I'm 100% guilty of this. Cleansing oils can do great things for skin and this one in particular is perfect for reviving skin. Infused with Vitamin C and nourishing olive, grapeseed and rosehip oil to remove daily impurities, once in contact with water it dissolves into a light milky texture which cleanses skin right down to the core.

When my skin is feeling particularly grubby I love to use this product as a real pick-me-up, particularly at the end of a long working day. The Super Facialist by Una Brenann Vitamin C Brighten Skin Renew Cleansing Oil is available from www.superfacialist.co.uk £10.99/200ml.

Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner
In order to stop more spots from developing, I like to use a toner after removing my make-up, once in the morning and again in the evening. This Soothing Facial Toner by Simple is great for sensitive skin and contains lots of goodness to protect your skin.What I also love about this product is that it helps remove dirt and grime that your make-up remover might have missed and it's super refreshing in the morning too. Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Facial Toner is available from Boots £2.99/200ml.

What products do you recommend for blemishes? I would love to hear your suggestions.

The Mascara Monologues: Benefit They're Real Mascara

The hype for this product a couple of months ago was incredible. Not only did I see it advertised everywhere, but every beauty blogger in the blogosphere was reviewing it. But now it’s my turn.

I was bought this product for Christmas, as a gift from my sister after she’d discovered it a month earlier. I've always loved Benefit products - the sleek and quirky designs, they're exciting and look great. But as much as it pains me to say, I was a little bit disappointed by this mascara.

Ill start with a positive and trust me, there are plenty! Regular readers of Jade's beauty blog will know how much I appreciate a plastic mascara wand. What makes this one slightly different from the rest is that it combines two wands in one - a standard brush with a slightly rounder end to curl and separate the lashes. Despite Benefit claiming that the wand curls and separates, for me it did the opposite. I found the product slightly too clumpy and not near as 'natural' as other, cheaper mascaras that I have used. But maybe this is down to how heavy the finished product is causing it to clump rather than separate.

Aside from the wand, I was really impressed with the staying power of there product. In fact, it's better than any other mascara I've used before. Benefit claim that the mascara won't smudge or dry out and they are 100% spot on. Despite this, removing the mascara takes some welly! No matter how often I wash and wipe my eyelashes, it takes a good couple of goes before it's gone. 

For me, Benefit's They're Real Mascara was a little bit hit and miss. If the product didn't clump as much then I would definitely re-purchase over and over again. Yet because of this, I'm not sure I could justify the price tag for a product I wouldn't be overly happy with. I'm not saying I wouldn't ever use it again, but it certainly wouldn't be my go-to mascara. 

Benefit They're Real Mascara is available for £19.50/8.5g from www.benefitcosmetics.co.uk.

My January favourites

Back before I lost my blogging mojo I would give a round-up of my favourite beauty products that I'd been using that month. I’m not quite sure why I stopped, but I’ve decided to give it a whirl again. So here’s a quick recap of the products I’ve loved throughout January.

 

 

Soap & Glory Clean on Me Bath & Shower Gel
I received this gigantic product for Christmas as part of a gorgeous gift set from my best friend and I've not stopped using it since. I shower everyday and I'm not even a quarter way through yet - it really is huge!

 

Every beauty junkie knows that Soap & Glory products smell delicious and this product follows the same suit. It's floral, pink and girly, what more could a girl want? You can read my full review here.

 

Benefit Erase Paste
This miniature product was a sneaky treat for myself from Feel Unique a couple of months ago and it is ever so slowly replacing my trusty L'Oreal Touché Magique Concealer - my go-to concealer that I never thought I'd change.

It has taken me a little while to get used to the consistency of the concealer, as I have always been more comfortable using a lighter, creamier product. But after seeing how fantastic the coverage was, it has soon transformed itself into a real staple in my daily make-up routine. Not only does the Erase Paste completely cover blemishes and pesky fine lines I've recently discovered (!) but it has real staying power too. Usually a product as thick as this runs away from my face, but so far it has passed the test with flying colours. Now the real test will be in the summer!

Toni & Guy Hair Meets Wardrobe Shine Gloss Serum
Hair products have featured quite heavily on my blog recently and maybe it’s because of the weather. The damp, wet weather wreaks havoc on my hair causing a sleek and straightened look to turn into a frizzy mess within a matter of minutes. That was until I discovered this beauty in my Glossybox a couple of months ago.

 

I've always assumed serum was to be used as a way of protecting hair before styling, but this super lightweight formula controls frizz, smoothing flyaways and giving the illusion of a sleeker look that even Jen Aniston would be envious of.

The Shine Gloss Serum by Toni & Guy has soon turned into one of my daily essentials and a recommend must have purchase for the damper, winter months.

Barry M Matte Nail Polish
After seeing one of my closet friends post a picture of her matte black nails on Instagram, I can pretty much say I fell in love. I love how chic a good black nail polish looks and for me matte trumps gloss any day. The staying power of Barry M polishes can be a bit hit and miss but after 3 days there's not a chip in sight and that's without a top coat!

What have been your favourite products you've used during January? Can you recommend any? I'd love to see your links below.