My New Murad Skincare Routine

So I've mentioned a few times recently that I've been having a fair few problems with my skin, i'd classify it as combination as I have quite dry cheeks and an oily t-zone. I've been having trouble with blemishes, particularly on my forehead but at the same time I'm also worried about fine lines. I'm only 21 but in my opinion prevention is better than cure and if there is something I can do now to prevent it then I'm going to do it. Trouble is, there isn't really a dedicated skincare range that's for this problem i.e. still experiences blemishes but is also worried about fine lines and wrinkles. So I was getting a bit sick of it all so I did some research and came across the Murad range. The more I read about their skincare the more I liked. 

Dr Murad was the first person to create a doctor branded skincare range and has come up with the Anti-Ageing Blemish Control Range. I'm really excited to try it and after one month I'm going to write an update about it to let you know how I've got on. 

The range I bought consists of three products. First up is the Time Release Blemish Cleanser which 'improves the skins appearance  by delivering a sustained release blemish treatment'. Second you use the Blemish & Wrinkle Reducer which 'clears congested pores and neutralises blemish causing bacteria whilst diminishing the signs of fine lines and wrinkles'. Finally you use the Anti-Ageing Moisturiser SPF 20|PA++ over the top of the serum to provide collagen support and reduce blemishes. It is an expensive range but if it works then I'm more than happy to invest the money in it. I'll let you know how I get on! 

Have you ever tried the Murad range? What were your thoughts?  

Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation

Bourjois healthy mix foundation has been my foundation of choice recently. I picked it up spur of the moment a few weeks ago in Boots as I'd ran out of No7 BB Cream and fancied something with slightly more coverage for days when I felt I needed it. There has already been such a buzz from beauty bloggers surrounding the healthy mix foundation so I really wanted to try it out. 

I chose to go with the foundation as opposed to the serum purely because I've read a few reviews where people have compared the two and have tended to go with the foundation as their favourite. I got shade 52 which is the second lightest in the range. I found it to be quite a good match and it blended into my skin beautifully. I apply it by using my sigma f80 kabuki stippling brush and it really does give a lovely effect. 

The staying power isn't brilliant but I find it does me until I finish work which is about 4 without any top ups. If I was going out after work I would probably have to touch it up on my forehead, nose and chin to get it looking good again. 

The pump on it is decent and means there are no spills. It dispenses just the right amount of product to make sure you don't use too much. The bottle itself is made out of plastic too which means that it won't smash as easily if you decided to carry it about in your handbag etc - always a plus! 

The healthy mix foundation retails at £9.99 from Boots and Superdrug. 

Overall I really lovely, purse friendly foundation that gives quite a few higher priced foundations a run for its money! Very pleased with it! 

Have you tried bourjois healthy mix? What did you think of it? 

17 Beauty Bloggers Challenge

So recently I was contacted by the lovely people at 17 to take part in the 17 beauty bloggers challenge! I was really, really excited about this as I love the brand - I have nearly all the supreme shine lipstick range! The challenge was to create a look using a beauty bundle of 17's cosmetics from their upcoming spring range due out in March. I absolutely jumped at the challenge and below you can see the look I created below. I apologise in advance for the shoddy pictures - I'm having digital camera issues!

Full list of 17 cosmetics used:

17 BB Cream Light

17 Instant Bronzer

17 Bronzer Medium 

17 'In Bloom' Blush

17 'Spring Bright's' Eye Shadow Palette 

17 'Hazy Days' Eye Shadow Palette

17 Kohl Eye Liner 'Black'

17 Translucent Powder

17 Beauty Crush Lip Stain 

I decided to go with quite a natural look with the main emphasis being on bright, glowing skin. Firstly I applied  a light layer of BB cream followed by my trusrt  my trusty 17 translucent powder. I then dusted the larger bronzing palette over all of my skin and did a bit of contouring with the medium bronzer. 

I then used the bronze/brown colours out of the palettes to create a very soft bronze smokey eye. I smudged a little bit of 17 kohl eye liner towards the outer corner of my eye and then used a small, dampened lip brush to apply one of the lighter colours to the inner corner of my eye to let the light in. 

I then curled my lashes and added 2 thin coats of the peep show mascara. 

To finish, I applied the beauty crush lip stain (which is gorgeous btw) and applied a healthy dose blush and glow blusher in 'in bloom'. 

I really enjoyed this challenge and loved the creativity of designing a look! I'd love to know your thoughts, let me know what you think! Rebecca x

Jamela Paw Paw Anti-Oxidation Whitening Sleeping Gel Facial Mask

Makers of the 24K Gold Facial Sheet Mask Jamela are a skincare brand that I've been loving using lately. I adored using their gold sheet mask which you can find a review of here if you happen to be interested - it was featured on The Only Way Is Essex recently too! So when the lovely Clare of Jamela asked me to try their Paw Paw Anti-Oxidation Whitening Sleeping Gel Facial Mask (whatta mouthful) I was absolutely delighted! 

As I mentioned in my previous post on Jamela, I absolutely love their stance on animal cruelty. They are 100% against it and their products do not contain any fats, oils or any other traces of animal at all. More companies need to take this ethical stance on board! 

Anyway, here is what Jamela say about their paw paw gel...

"Fermented Pawpaw (papaya) offers extensive benefits in skin care therapy, this skin whitening gel reduces wrinkles, nourishes the skin with vitamin A, which accelerates the formation of new skin cells, and exfoliates the skin. In addition this gel is high in vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. The betacarotene of the fruit protects the skin and promotes elasticity. This night gel is formulated for skin that needs to be renewed, refreshed and rejuvenated. Pawpaw night gel supplies essential phyto-nutrients, antioxidants and minerals to the skin to give a brightening and lightening effect. 

We only use the finest, pure botanical ingredients which contain no synthetic elements, Papain, Ionized water, Jojoba oil, Glycerin, 1.2-Propanediol, Allantoin, Seaweed trehalose, Edta-2na. It is a natural and environmentally friendly skin care product which is safe to use on other parts of the body."

You use the product in the evening almost an overnight face mask. I cleanse and tone my face as normal then apply quite a thick layer of the stuff over my face and neck. I let it dry for a good 10-15 minutes then go to bed. In the morning when I rinse off the residue it leaves my skin feeling incredibly soft smooth and it just looks, well, radiant! 

It costs £17 for a 200ml which might seem like a lot but despite using a thick layer it really does last. I use it about 2-3 nights a week and I can see it easily lasting me a good couple of months! If you fancy getting a pot for yourself you can buy it here. 

Overall I love this product and would highly recommend it. It gives your skin a wonderful boost, it smells lovely and it's a delight to use! 

Have you ever tried anything from the Jamela brand? 

February Glossy Box

I actually got my glossy box on time this month which was nice! Although I hear many people have been having payment/delivery problems so if you haven't had yours yet and you want to keep the surprise then click away now! 

DUWOP Venom Gloss £16/10.4ml 

My first impressions of this gloss were quite good. It's a nice colour - I got buttercup - and the 'venom' in it did make my lips go all tingly and consequently, appear fuller. It's a nice gloss to carry about but I probably wouldn't purchase it, especially with the £16 price tag! 

Como Shambhala Invigorate Shower Gel £20.00/300ml

I was a bit disappointed with ANOTHER shower gel in a beauty box, I must have about 5 mini shower gels dotted about from beauty boxes. On the positive side I really like the smell of this. It's jam packed with gorgeous essential oils and it really does smell invigorating. Again, the price is a bit of a stinger - £20 a bottle. It'd make a nice gift but I wouldn't buy this for myself purely because I don't splurge that much on shower gel! 

Impress Press On Manicure £17.50/150ml

Press on nails. Hmm. Not sure where I stand on this one. Personally, I'm not a fan and would have much rather had a bottle of nail varnish or something. I did try the nails out and they lasted all of 2 hours before falling off - I don't think the glue is very strong at all. I also found the plastic tacks on the back of these didn't pull off very easily making them really difficult to apply when you had nearly all of the nails on. Also, £17.50?! For a set of nails that will last you all of a couple of hours?! Pfft. I think not!

Awapuhi By Paul Mitchell £25.95/100ml 

I haven't actually tried this yet but I'm really looking forward to using it. I love a decent hair product and if the other Paul Mitchell products are anything to go off then I'm sure this will be up there! Would love the hear your thoughts if you've already tried this!

BM Beauty Pure Mineral Eye Shadow 

I got a really pretty coppery colour in this which I was quite pleased with. It applies really well and didn't crease all day without primer which is always a plus! 

Overall I was quite disappointed with this months Glossy Box, I just felt it's not been as good as the others I've had. The press on nails were a really big disappointment! Hopefully next months is better! What were your thoughts on this months Glossy Box.

Lanolips Lip Ointment With Colour Rhubarb

Lanolips is a brand that has been cropping up in my radar quite a lot recently. I first saw it a couple of months ago when it had been nominated for an bucket load of beauty awards so when I was in Boots the other day I decided to pick one up to see what all the fuss is about. 

Now I could go on to try and explain why Lanolin is such a wonder product but I feel Lanolips do it perfectly on their website... 

The lanolin used in Lanolips™ is Ultra Pure Medical Grade Lanolin. To achieve this the lanolin goes through a stringent refining and cleaning process; cleansing the raw lanolin of all external impurities, scent and colour, making it the purest, most natural form of lanolin available.

Numerous beauty products use lanolin. However none of these products can say the following: they are 100% natural, they are 100% pure or they contain nothing other than 100% Ultra Pure Medical Grade Lanolin. Lanolips™ can.

The benefits of the Ultra Medical Grade lanolin:

• There are no chemicals

• No additives

• It’s hypoallergenic

• It’s colour free

• Odour free

• It’s so safe it can be used on the mouths of new-born babies

• It is used in hospitals after surgeries to help open wounds heal

• It is 100% pure, cream of the crop, concentrated and refined lanolin

Some of you may be thinking that that's all well and good but what is lanolin exactly? Well, put simply it's a natural substance that is taken from freshly shorn sheeps wool. There's no harm to the sheep at all; it's just like using beeswax or drinking milk etc. Lanolips pride themselves on being animal cruelty free which is a big thumbs up in my book. 

On to the product itself...

It's very silky, very smooth and extremely moisturising. I'd even go as far to say it could replace my blistex (I know!) The other great thing about this is the slight colour it has to it. You can get a plain balm but I opted for the 'rhubard' shade for a smidge of colour. It's nothing over powering, it just gives you a slight hint of colour. 

When I bought it I thought it might smell a bit weird but it's odourless in my opinion. No synthetic smell or anything like that! 

It retails at £8 from larger Boot's stores and online. £8 may seem like a lot for what is essentially a lip balm but the tube is VERY generous and a little goes a long way. I can't see it running out any time soon at all. 

Have you ever tried lanolips? What's your favourite lip balm? 

My Weekend In Instagram

So this post doesn't have the slightest bit of beauty in it but after I had quite a few nice tweets about the pictures I uploaded on to twitter via instagram! I went up to Newcastle to see Joe my Boyfriend, it was our Valentines weekend!

Amazing Cakes!!! 

The Blinking Eye Bridge At Night Time, Newcastle.  

Cocktails in SIX at the top of the Baltic Art Centre, Newcastle.

Joe bought me an 'eternity knot' ring. It's basically a never ending knot which was quite nice :) 

On the Sunday we went to see the Artist at this gorgeous little cinema in the heart of Newcastle called the Tyneside. If any of you live near or visit Newcastle you have to check this adorable, old fashioned cinema! 

In the Tyneside again, I really like this picture! 

This is the central arcade in Newcastle. It's got some lovely shops in there including a beautiful Neal's Yard & Space NK. 

The bunch of lillies and roses Joe bought me back home on my dresser. 

I hope you enjoyed my random post! I love these types of posts so if you have written a similar post or know of any by anyone else please leave a comment below with the link! 

Hair Care Essentials!

For some reason I don't tend to write a lot about hair on my blog. I'm not sure why because I absolutely love hair care and I've got like a MILLION different deep conditioners and treatments etc! So I thought it was about time I did a 'hair care essentials' post. I've seen a few different essential posts crop up recently so I think after this I might do a skincare, nailcare and make up essentials too! Maybe even a body care/fake tan one?!

Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment

I adore this oil. It's light, non-greasy and really nourishes and protects your hair. I apply a good 5 pumps of the stuff to my hands then run it through towel dried hair. I'll then give it a blast with my hair dryer and use another pump to go over my dry hair to give it a bit of extra shine and to smooth down any fly away's etc. It's quite expensive but I get mine off buyapowa for about £20. The full retail cost is about £30 which I think is way too much for a hair product. That said, it does last for ages - I've had mine for a couple of months now and it's not even half way down. You can see my full review of this here if you're interested! 

KMS Free Shape Quick Blow Dry Spray

Ahhh my blow dry spray! I literally couldn't live without this stuff now; it saves me so much time! I'm not scientist but I'll try to explain how it works. Basically it's 'hydrophobic' which means it repels water so when you spray it on your hair and apply heat it dries your hair a LOT quicker. It says on the bottle by half but it does mine so much quicker than this. It usually takes me 20-25 minutes to dry my hair normally but with this stuff it takes just over 8 minutes - EIGHT MINUTES!!! Pfft, I know! Mind boggling right? Anyway, to see my full on rave of this product click here.   

Tangle Teaser 

If you suffer from a sensitive scalp or are head sore then you need to get yourself a tangle teaser. The specially designed teeth on the brush means that it de-tangles hair really easily. They cost £10.99 which may seem like a lot for a bit of plastic but I personally really like it and would definitely recommend it! Another full review can be found here. 

Hair Dryer

It may seem a weird thing to put on an essentials list but I really couldn't live without mine. I'm all for leaving your hair to dry naturally but most of the time well, I don't have the time! That said, I'm in dyer need of a new hair dryer. My Mark Hill one used to be good but it feels as if it's lost a bit of it's power so I'm currently on the hunt for a new one. I've got my eye on this Babyliss one but if anyone has any good recommendations for one that's £40 or under then please leave a comment below! 

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle

Like I said earlier, I have an absolute stash of hair treatments! I'm dying to try the Moroccan Oil hair treatment but I'm going to wait for it to come up on buyapowa instead of forking out the full amount for it. Until I get that my Aussie 3 minute miracle will do just fine!! Let's face it, who doesn't love the smell of Aussie shampoo and conditioner? The lovely bubblegum smell lasts for days after washing and I definitely notice an improvement in its condition, particularly near on my ends.  

Teasing Comb

I don't back comb my hair very often but when I do this is my 'go to' tool. I got this one off eBay for about £2.50 including postage which is a brilliant price! I only use it at the crown of my head to give it a bit of volume. I spray a small amount of hair spray onto a section then gently pull the hair towards my head with the comb. Fab little tool. 

I hope you enjoyed my hair care essentials post! I'm currently dabbling in using sleep in rollers and so far I'm loving them. I got some great tips off Emma my hairdresser so I may pop a post up of them soon! 

I'd love to know of any hair care products you love so please leave a comment below if you have any suggestions you think I should try!! 

Braun Silk Epil 7 Xpressive Pro Epilator Review

Electrical beauty has never been something I've thought to review up until recently. I've been doing a lot of research on straighteners, hair curlers, shavers, toothbrushes etc for work and thought I'd do a nice review of one of my favourite gadgets - the Braun Silk Epil 7 Xpressive Pro Epilator. 

"The new Silk-épil 7 Xpressive Pro has been designed to make the removal of unwanted hair as efficient, ultra gentle and easy as possible. Its innovative Close-Grip Technology ensures extra close skin contact for ultimate short hair removal and up to 4 weeks of stubble-free legs."

First things first I'm not going to say that I use this ALL the time but I do like to use it every now and again particularly before long weekends away and holidays as it means I don't have to take any shaving tools away with me etc. It's a really quick, easy and effective way to get rid of your unwanted hair for a good 2-3 weeks in my experience! 

The best thing about this epilator is that you can use it in water. This makes a MASSIVE difference to the pain that you can experience with epilating. Again, I'm not going to lie and tell you that it doesn't hurt, it does pinch a bit when used dry but when used with warm water in the bath or shower it really does help to soothe the skin! 

The epilator comes with a set of Olay 'pre epilation' wipes which you're meant to wipe over your skin prior to epilation. I really found these made no difference at all and at £10 a pack I definitely wouldn't recommend you buy them. If you're using the shaver dry it's best to have nothing on your legs at all I find. 

I've only ever used this properly on my legs. You can use it on your underarm and bikini line but it REALLY hurts and I'm too much of a wimp to try again! It does come with different heads for you to put on for specific areas. There's an underarm head, a bikini head and even a facial head. In addition it also comes with a shaver/trimmer if you happen to have longer hair. 

It's worth mentioning too that you can use this on really, really short hairs. Braun claims its 0.5mm and I'd probably agree with them. You really don't need a lot of growth for this to give you smooth, silky legs! 

In terms of price I can't remember the exact price I paid for mine. I do know that it was half price in Boots when I bought it and I also got my mums discount with it too. It's worth looking out for offers in Boots for this if you're considering getting one as full price they retail from £65-130 so you really need to shop around! The price has definitely gone up since I bought mine so a half price offer would do nicely for someone wanting to try it out! 

Overall I'd give this product a good 8/10. It's brilliant for when you don't want to shave or wax for a set amount of time and the fact you can use it water really is an innovation!  

Have you ever tried an epilator? What did you think? 

Liz Earle Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask

I've become quite the fan of Liz Earle skincare recently! In my very first order I ordered the sample size of the intensive nourishing treatment mask for £5. £5 may seem a lot for a sample size but so far I've got 2 treatments our of it and I'm sure I can squeeze out a third. Plus, you get a muslin cloth included in that price too! 

"This deeply rehydrating ‘moisture’ mask will help to replenish, calm, condition and moisturise skin. Naturally active ingredients include St John’s wort to soothe, borage to help lock in moisture and rose scented geranium to help tone and balance." 

I've only just managed to get around to try it in the past couple of weeks or so and up to now I've been really impressed with it. I apply a thin layer of it, leave it to soak in for 15 minutes and then wipe away the residue with a muslin cloth that has been soaked in hot water. Afterwards, I'm left with wonderfully hydrated skin which just looks a whole lot brighter. 

My favourite thing about this mask is that it really does soak into your skin. I left mine on for 20 minutes yesterday and it fully soaked in leaving me with a clear face with just a bit of residue. So if you want a deeply hydrating and nourishing facial mask I really, really recommend this! 

You can really smell the lovely essential oils in this mask and they really do help you to relax whilst you've got it on - the smell really is divine!

I have no quarms with buying the full size version of this. The full sized product is £12.50 on it's own or you can purchase the starter kit for £13.50 which includes a muslin cloth. I'd probably buy the starter kit as I love the muslin cloths and to buy them separately works out at about £2 a cloth. 

Overall... I love this product and give it a good 8/10. 

Have you ever tried any Liz Earle products? What were your thoughts? 

OOTD, NOTD, FOTD & NOTD- The whole she-bang!

First off, apologies for the absolutely rubbish quality pictures on this post. My camera is currently charging so I had to make do with my iPhone. I could have separated all these individual 'of the day's'  into separate post but I thought I'd do one mammoth one seeing as I'm probably not going to get the chance to post tomorrow! Enjoy! 

FOTD 

No7 Airbrush Away Primer

No7 BB Cream Oily/Combination

Sonia Kashuk 'Hidden Agenda' Concealing Palette

17 Translucent Powder

MAC 'Sprinsheen' Blush

17 'Beehive' Lipstick

EOTD 

MAC Impeccable Brow Pencil 'Dirty Blonde' 

MAC 'Omega' Eye Shadow

Sleek Palette Black Eye Shadow Palette 

Physicians Formula Liquid Eye Liner

No7 Extravagant Lashes 'Black'

NOTD

No7 Sparkly Black 

Barry M Gold Effects

Top: Dorothy Perkins

Bag: Oasis

Scarf: Zara

Leather Jacket: ASOS

Leggings: Next

Boots: Hush Puppies 

Necklace: Next 

Hope you've had a lovely weekend! 

Glossybox: Special Valentines Edition!

So this post is a little late as I should have received my Glossybox well over a week ago by now. The lovely, lovely people at Royal Mail decided to lose my box and blame me for it. After much arguing and debating with them they finally got my Glossybox back to me. 

Anyway, on to the thoughts of this months Glossybox...

Orly Nail Lacquer 

I LOVE Orly nail varnishes. I think they are such good quality and they last for absolutely ages. I love the deep red colour I got too! Very classic and will go with most things! 

Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner 

I've never used anything by eyeko before so I was quite pleased to see this in there. I must admit I was a little disappointed with the green shade that I go. I'd have much rather had a black or brown! £9.50 is a lot of money to pay for a single eye liner in my opinion so I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Weleda One Step Cleanser & Toner 

I got a Weleda pomegranate body wash in my Carmine box last month and really liked it so I'm really looking forward to trying this out. I love my current cleanser and toner so I doubt it's going to win me over but I think it'll be great for travelling! 

FAB Gentle Body Wash

"A moisturising, irritant-free everyday cleanser ideal for even the most sensitive skin" - Sounds good to me! I love discovering new body washes! 

MURAD Hybrids Skin Perfecting Primer - Dewy Finish

I love the MURAD brand and already know quite a bit about their brand due to working with them and their products through my job so I know that I'm going to love this primer. I've heard really good things about it! It's definitely on the more expensive side of things at £39.00/30ml a pop so it's definitely one of those items I'd ask for for birthdays etc! 

Overall I'm reasonably happy with this months glossy box. The only thing I would change is the colour of the eye shadow I received as green just isn't my colour! I think glossy box have hit the nail on the head by incorporating the Valentines theme into the box and the little glossy box sweet I received was absolutely adorable!

What did you think of this month's glossy box?! Or have you tried any other beauty boxes recently? I hear feel unique have stopped doing theirs now! 

Rebecca x