New Release | The Body Shop Vitamin C Line

I'd seen some reviews online about the new Vitamin C line recently launched in The Body Shop and after reading about their new Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturiser, I really fancied giving it a try. The moisturiser is aimed at fighting the look of fatigued, dull skin and boosting radiance. It aims to moisturise the skin and give dull, tired skin a new glow. I often find that after wearing weeks of make-up to work my face can feel dull and unhappy so I thought this would be a great product to try and see whether my skin felt and looked more radiant. I suffer from oily skin and so when I tested this product in the shop I was happy to find than rather it being a heavy lotion formula, it was very much a lightweight gel/serum which wouldn't leave a greasy residue when applied. It smells faintly of mandarin which is a nice added touch and the packaging is very aesthetically pleasing - very similar to the famous Origins Gin Zing Moisturiser packaging but for half the price.

In addition to the Moisturiser (£16), I picked up their Energising Face Spritz, also from the same line. This was reduced down for some reason and I got it for the bargain price of just £5. I mainly picked this up due to the fact I am going abroad in the coming months and I thought it would be an ideal product to spritz on my face in the hot weather and make my skin feel refreshed after being in the sun.

Have you tried any of the products from The Body Shop's Vitamin C Line? If so, let me know what you thought below.

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What I've been buying lately | New Purchases

In this post I thought I'd share a few things that I have been after for a few months and eventually given in and purchased as well as some essentials and others are just treats.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion

It's no shock that I have repurchased another product from The Body Shops' Tea Tree line after I have fallen in love with their foaming cleanser and Pore Minimiser I thought it was about time I tried another product from their line. This product is dispensed by pump and is a sort of serum/gel product. You are encouraged to apply it to your face and neck every evening before bed primarily on the areas which are prone to blemishes. The gel is aimed at fading/minimising the appearance of post-blemish marks and discolouration of the skin to give you clearer looking skin. I have yet to try this product but if its anything like the other products in the line I am going to love it.

Rimmel Brow This Way Brow Sculpting Kit in 'Medium Brown'

I'd been using Maybelline's Brow Satin for a while but got sick of it snapping after a few uses so when I went to Boots to look for something else, I came across this Wax and Powder combination. The little set it so handy and small. It contains a little square of wax and another of brown powder. It also contains two little brushes, one for defining the brows and another to blend. It's something a little bit different for me as I am used to pencils so hopefully I'll fall in love with powder brows.

MAC Lip liner in 'Soar'

Also known as 'The Kylie Jenner Lip', MAC's Lip liner in 'Soar'  has been one of this year's most popular products and has constantly been out of stock but luckily just by chance it had just been re-stocked in Bath. I knew it was time to purchase it before it sold out again. I can see why this is such a sort-after liner. It's a lovely soft rose/nude colour and like I have said before, MAC lip liners are very creamy which makes them a dream to apply and they don't dry out your lips. This liner would be an ideal shade for a matte look applied over the entire lip or as a base colour for another lipstick.

MAC Lipstick in 'Crosswires'

I have previously wrote a blog post specifically about this lipstick so I won't go into much detail. However, it is a beautiful pink/orange colour lipstick (it's hard to describe), and it is a cremesheen formula so it isn't too glossy but provides great colour pay off and like all MAC lipsticks last a heck of a long time. Definitely a must have if your flying off on holiday this summer and need a new lippy for those warm summer evenings.

 MAC x4 Eyeshadow Pro Palette and pan Eyeshadow in 'Naked Lunch'

I had previously bought a pro pan eyeshadow in the 'All That Glitters' with the intention of building up my own eyeshadow quad, so when I popped into MAC in Bath last weekend I took the opportunity to buy the palette which fits 4 eyeshadows inside. I also wanted to buy a shade that was similar to Naked 2 Palette's 'Bootycall' shade - a shade I have nearly used up as I love it for an all over the lid shade. The lovely girl in MAC showed me a few colours and recommended a lovely light beige shimmer shade called 'Naked Lunch'. I have been absolutely loving this shade since I bought it and I aim to buy a browny, taupe colour next to add to my palette.

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Prepped and Primed

Only until recently did I really begin using primers. Mainly because I didn't really believe they did anything and whilst I'd tried a few in the past, I never found them to bring about good results - I'd always end up with an oily face (which no-one wants). I was first properly introduced to primer after I bought 'The Best of Benefit' gift set at Christmas. I'd heard good things about Benefit 'Porefessional Primer' but never thought it would be worth the money picking it up. I tested it for a few days under my foundation and began to realise how great it was. It provided a smooth finish to my skin which made foundation application a dream. After attending a blogger event with Smashbox, I was lucky to receive a few products in a goody bag which included their notorious Photo Finish Primer. It is oil free and once applied to the skin also provides a smooth base for foundation application. I really started to like using primers as I felt they were improving the lasting power of my foundation during really long days and prevented my t-zone from getting too oily during the day. Hearing raves about The Body Shop's Pore Minimiser which also acts as a primer, I rushed out and grabbed it and it has proved to be one of my favourite products of spring so far. If you're on the fence about whether you should try using primer, I would definitely say give it a go and persevere because they really do make make up application easier and leave your skin looking flawless. 

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February Favourites

Beauty Blender

I have wanted to get my hands on a beauty blender for a long time as I have watched so many Youtube videos of people using the blender to create a flawless base. I can definitely understand why they are so raved about now. Since using this sponge I have found my concealer is much easier to blend under my eyes and after applying my foundation I use the sponge to blend down to towards my neck ensuring there are no foundation lines, just a flawless base to start with. I wish I'd bought this sponge sooner!

The Body Shop Foam Cleanser

I won't go into too much detail about this product as I have mentioned it a lot recently on my blog. This product has made it into my favourites this month because of how it's performed on my skin. Since using this cleanser my skin feels a lot healthier and looks a lot clearer. It feels re-refreshing and I have really been enjoying using it - will definitely be repurchasing this and for £5.00 you can't go wrong! 

Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion in Medium/Dark

This month I have been lusting after summer and remembering how tanned I was last year so I thought I would apply fake tan whilst were still waiting on sunshine. I used this product religiously when I was at school but forgot about it. However, after re-purchasing it this week I realised why I loved it so much. It's a thick lotion that moisturises your skin whilst providing a gradual tan which you can build up. In addition, due to it being a lotion, it doesn't leave streaks - which is most peoples concern when looking for a good tanner. It also smells really nice and not of biscuits like a lot of other tanners on the market. You can apply this with either your hands (be sure to wash them after application), or a mitt. I grabbed this for only £2.49 at Bodycare.

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub

Everyone knows that before you apply tan, exfoliation is key to ensure an even tan and this has been my go-to exfoliator to use in the shower before applying my Dove Summer Glow Lotion. It smells amazing and with ingredients like brown sugar it removes all dead skin to leave your skin soft and ready for tan application.

Carmex Cherry Lipbalm 

My lips have been especially dry this month so I have been whipping out this Carmex lipbalm left right and centre to ensure my lips are moisturised and not chapped. It really helps soothe my lips when they are sore from the cold weather and it smells lovely.

Notepad

This might seem a bit of an odd favourite but a notepad is my lifesaver. I write absolutely everything down in it from shopping lists to blog post ideas to products I want to try or any sort of notes I must remember. I picked this A5 notepad up which is ideal to fit in my handbag for only £1.29 from Wilkinsons. 

Mac Pro Pan Eyeshadow in 'All that Glitters'

I have been after a MAC eyeshadow for a long while now. I have heard so many bloggers rave about them and how great they are and thought it was about time I got my hands on one. My first choice was 'All that Glitters' as I was originally drawn to the soft muted peach colour and thought it would look nice with my skin tone. I have been pairing it with 'Bootycall' from Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette. I think these eyeshadows are quite pricey for £10 each but I'm aiming to slowly build up a palette that I love. 

MAC Cremesheen Lipstick in 'Coral Bliss' 

Another MAC product in my favourites this month. Since spring time is fast approaching, I've been whipping out products that reflect my excitement for summer. Coral Bliss is a cremesheen finish and provides fantastic colour payoff as it lasts for a good while. I love this colour especially on tanned skin and think its an ideal summer colour - it has been my go to lipstick these last few weeks. 

Porridge

This may also be seen a bit of a strange favourite however I had to include it as it is definitely something I have loved this month. I'm a big lover of breakfast food and this has been my go-to brekkie in February. It is such a quick and easy breakfast to make and you can add so many different ingredients to vary it up each day. I often add honey, strawberries, raspberries or banana. It is healthy and fills you up ready to take on the day ahead.

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High Street Haul | Discovering New Products

This week I picked up a couple of new products whilst on my travels in Cardiff. One of the products had been recommended to me and others are just ones I've had my eye on for a while.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser £5.00
I had been recommended this by a friend after I complained that I couldn't find an affordable cleanser that was suitable for blemished/oily skin, so when she recommended this Body Shop Foaming Cleanser I thought I'd give it a go. I have never tried any of the Body Shop's Skincare range before so I was looking forward to trying it out. The cleanser says it is suitable for blemished skin and comes in a green bottle with a pump dispenser. The liquid inside is pumped out into a light white foam which you then use to cleanse your face. So far I have been impressed with this product, however I can't provide a full review just yet until I have used it for a while.

Maybelline Colour Tattoo in 'On and On Bronze' £4.99
I have wanted to try Maybelline's Colour Tattoos forever so when I saw they had a buy one get another half price on Maybelline products, I thought I would grab one to try. I decided on On and On Bronze, mainly because it's the type of colour I'd usually go for when I wear eye shadow. I haven't worn cream eye shadow in years, not since I was young when I had no idea which way was the best to apply it etc. I can't wait to try this one out and if I love it, I will definitely be picking up Permanent Taupe, Eternal Gold and Pink Gold.

Maybelline Brow Satin in 'Medium Brown' £5.99
I originally went to pick up my usual brow pencil by Maybelline but came across their brow satin at the same time. I thought I'd have a change and pick it up. The product is basically a retractable pencil at one end and a stain on a little sponge tip at the other. It adds a light stain to your brows, helping fill in the gaps and making your brows look more defined and shapely.

Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick in 'In Love with Ginger' £6.49
In search of my perfect red lipstick I came across this beauty. I have heard the name 'In Love With Ginger' floating around blogs in previous years so when I recognised the name and liked the colour I thought I'd grab it. I swatched it in store and loved the orangey tones - thinking it would be an ideal summer red. It's fairly matte but it's not totally matte as it provides great moisturisation for your lips without losing it's vibrant colour.

MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer in 'Reckless' £3.00
I'd wanted to try Rimmel's Apocalips Matte Lip Lacquers in so long, so when I came across MUA's similar version at a cheaper price, I'm a sucker for a bargain and thought at £3 you can't go wrong. I was fancying a dark red so chose 'Reckless'. I can't even describe the staying power that comes with this product. I swatched it on my hand for the above photos and even with a shower, a day later there are still hints of it on my skin. This is an ideal product if you want a matte, extremely long lasting lip colour.

Have you tried any of these products? If so, let me know what you thought of them. I love hearing your opinions!

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