Bluesky Gel Polish in A95 Peachy

Hi everyone,

We have been having some really nice weather here in the north of the UK over the last few days (although it has gone colder again now!) but this has inspired me to keep up with wearing brighter colours for spring. One of my favourites at the moment is a Bluesky gel polish in shade A95 Peachy.

As the name suggests, Peachy is a gorgeous pale peach colour which is just perfect for this time of year. It is quite sheer to begin with so I have applied 3 coats to get the look in the photos. These gel polishes are quite a bit cheaper (£5.50) than the likes of OPI and Jessica but so far I have no problems with them and they seem to last just as long. I can get a good three weeks out of them on my acrylic nails before they start looking a little worse for wear.

I have added a little glitter again on the accent finger just to make it feel that little bit more summery and different and I think the silver works really well with the peach colour.

What are you favourite spring nail polishes or gels? Do you like this shade?

Thanks for reading,

Hannah xx

Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Oil Control Face Mask Review

Hi everyone,

As my skin has been having a total nightmare recently, I have been trying anything and everything to get it back on track. A couple of weekends ago, I was having a really good pamper session but when it came to applying my face mask I realised I had completely run out. I looked high and low in the house thinking I must have something to use somewhere and that’s when I stumbled upon this Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions Oil Control mask. Don’t tell him I told you, but this was actually my boyfriends as he has struggled with oily and acne prone skin in the past but now it is all under control I thought he wouldn’t miss it if I borrowed this mask from him.

This is a clay based face mask which aims to prevent breakouts and help clear spots by unclogging the pores and reducing excess oil. To use you simply apply all over your face and leave for 5 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. I warn you though, be quick when you are applying it as it dries so quickly and you want to make sure you apply it evenly for the best results. As it dries it does feel very tight on the skin meaning you would have trouble talking, eating or drinking etc. while you have it on or else it does crack! I can understand some people might not like this sensation but I didn’t mind too much as I felt like it was actually doing something and you only need to leave it for a short amount of time.

Once I had rinsed the mask off my skin did feel softer but not as soft as when I use my Lush Mask of Magnaminty for example. The one thing I did notice though was that any slight blemishes I had seemed to be raised, almost as if all the badness was being drawn to the surface so I do feel like it does some good. As for the oil control aspect, if I’m honest I didn’t notice a massive difference but my skin isn’t that oily these days anyway and has become a lot drier. Someone that has truly oily skin may benefit from it more and see more of a reduction, as I know my boyfriend thought it helped him, but for me this wasn’t the main benefit or reason for using the mask.

I think this mask was OK overall but at £23.00 it is quite pricey and I wouldn’t want to spend that much on it. I was glad I got to use up my boyfriends before splashing out on one for myself as it has saved me some money! For me there are others which do a better job and are a lot cheaper so I’d rather buy them in the future.

Have you tried this face mask? What are your go to pamper products?

Thanks for reading,

Hannah xx

Manchester Shopping Haul

Hi everyone,

On Sunday my boyfriend and I went on a lovely afternoon out to Manchester. We only had a couple of hours shopping but I feel like I managed to make the most of it and went prepared with a list of things that I wanted to buy.

Armani Luminous Silk Foundation (£37)

I have been umming and ahhhing about this foundation for so long and I have wanted to try it forever but the price tag certainly put me off. Even when I was at the counter and the assistant was helping me find the right colour, I still wasn’t sure that I wanted to part with my hard earned cash for another foundation. However, I have heard nothing but amazing things about it and in the end temptation got too much. I have used it for a couple of days now and so far I’m happy I went for it but I will write up a full review after I’ve had chance to test it out a bit more.

Soap & Glory Whipped Clean Shower Butter (£7)

I’m so lazy at putting on butter butters and lotions after my shower so when I saw this I thought it would be the perfect alternative. I really want to look after my skin better and make more of an effort so even though this seemed a little pricey, I decided to give it a try. First impressions are that it does help my skin feel lovely and smooth and it lathers up really well too. Not to mention that it smells delicious!

St Tropez in shower gradual tan (£14.50)

Again, another one for those of us that are lazy when it comes things like this. You apply this gradual tan onto wet skin (although you need to remember to turn the shower off first), wait for three minutes and then rinse. It sounds like a great idea to me and I can’t wait to try it out although I am a little sceptical. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming post on how I got on :)

Burt’s Bees lip balm (£3.69)

All the lip balms that I currently own are ones in a pot that you have to dip your finger in and although there’s nothing wrong with that essentially, it can be a little unhygienic. Therefore, I wanted one in more of a lipstick form to use whilst I’m at work. I have never tried the Burt’s Bees ones before but know they are popular with a lot of people and so far it seems to be doing the trick just fine.

 

Nutrogena Pink Grapefruit face wash and face scrub (£4.69)

I have used this before and just find it handy to have for those days when I’m feeling extra lazy and can’t be bothered with a whole skin care routine. I had just planned on buying the scrub but Boots had a buy one get one free offer on so I decided to try the face wash as well. I really like the scrub as I feel like the little beads really get into your pores and give your skin a good clear out and it just feels so refreshing as well.

Lush Lip Scrub (£5.50)

I have repurchased this about 5 times now and find it so helpful to have around for when my lips get really chapped. The only thing is I never reach the bottom and have to throw is out because it has gone out of date before I have been able to use it all.

Lush Mask of Magnaminty (£9.95)

I really could have done with this last week when I had a humongous spot on my chin that just wouldn’t go away! I decided to stock up in case of anymore breakouts in the near future and just to help with the condition of my skin overall. I love the fresh, cooling affect you get when you apply this mask and it really leaves my skin feeling soft and hydrated.

Have you noticed half the products I have bought are quick fixes for when I’m feeling lazy about my skin care routine? I try and do a full on pamper session a couple of times a week when I really go to town and take some time to look after myself. However, it’s just not feasible to do this every day and I think it’s so helpful to have some quick wins to hand for those days when you just don’t have time or you really can’t be bothered!

Have you tried any of these products? What products have you been buying recently?

Thanks for reading,

Hannah xx