Wednesday 28 May 2014

Two New Loves from The Body Shop.

I don't very often find myself in the Body Shop - not because I don't like the stores, they're always well stocked, inviting and have friendly staff, but because I already have an indecent amount of body butters, scrubs and mists to use up. I did however pop in to my local Body Shop the other day though for one reason only. The newly released Vineyard Peach Body Mist. I previously brought the Vineyard Peach body butter and absolutely adore the scent so I couldn't resist the body mist to accompany it. At £7.50 for 100ml I think these are a great alternative to perfume and they're affordable. I even managed to get my 10% loyalty discount and a free bottle as they were on offer so I have a back up!
The scent is light, fruity and sweet and I'm obsessed, obviously a large glass bottle isn't ideal for travelling but I've had no problems carrying this around in my bag. You'll find that the fragrance does wear off after 5 - 6 hours but a few sprays to top up is all that's needed. This scent reminds me of holidays and peach smints.. if anyone remembers them?!
I also couldn't resist purchasing the new Vitamin E Overnight Serum which retails for £11. The price tag is the main reason I opted for this as I was lusting after the Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair for the longest time but couldn't bring myself to pay out near £50 for a serum. I'd seen the Body Shop version on Instagram and blogs and also got a discount on this also which means it worked out at under £10. I've used this for the past few weeks and really love this product. There's a twist off top that reveals a dropper so you can dispense the amount of product you want in your hands. I spread a pea sized amount over my face and instantly my skin feels nourished and I can almost hear my face sigh with relief at a well needed boost of moisture. I don't find this greasy or uncomfortable and it works nicely with my oily/combination skin - in the morning you wake to plump, soft skin that looks well rested. I've also found any drier, flaky patches have been less visible since using this.

These are my latest favourites from the Body Shop, have you brought anything from there recently?

Monday 12 May 2014

Benefit Big Easy Review.

I'm sure I've bored you all many times with my complaints about combination skin, if you can relate then continue reading as this is a product aimed at us oily girls. The newly released Benefit Big Easy is a described as a bigger than BB, liquid to powder, oil free, multi-balancing complexion perfecter - phew. It offers an SPF 35 so it's been released in time to protect your face in the upcoming warm months and also claims to balance moisture and control oil. I was sent three shades to trial out and see what I thought and I've been using this for almost 5 weeks now. This product offers a light, buildable to medium coverage and comes out as a thick cream consistency. I always use my fingers with this as it helps it melt in to the skin and blend more effectively, it evens out the skin tone without feeling or looking heavy and dries to a natural matte finish. Any areas that need a little extra help in the concealing area just need a little touch of concealer and powdering with this is completely optional. Although the finish is liquid to powder and it does dry quickly to a matte finish it doesn't look flat or drying and it makes your skin feel like velvet.
Another perk is the packaging - it's incredibly cute, travel friendly with a screw top tube and offers a little colour to your make up bag. The main love affair with this product is the slap and go style of application and the oil free formula. Most BB creams or light foundation bases offer hydrating properties, dewy finishes, light boosting which all sounds lovely but for oily skinned girls it's only an option if you're a fan of continuous blotting, re-application and powdering throughout the day - snooze. I would recommend exfoliating your skin once a week just to ensure you have a blank canvas to start with and I'd warn dry skin types to be wary as it does cling to areas that are dehydrated. 
I use shade 04 which is 'medium' and this matches me perfectly, I've swatched it for you below from the tube and blended in. There are six shades available and the formula is also non-comedogenic (which I did have to google) which means it wont block pores which is always a bonus.

Have you tried Benefits Big Easy?