Soap & Glory: My Favourites

I obviously couldn't write a 5x post skincare special without mentioning my love for Soap & Glory. They've got some great products out there that always that leave my skin feeling super smooth and smelling awesome. Below I've picked out 3 of my favourite products from their varied selection!! Enjoy, x 

Sugar Crush Body Wash -

This is great!! A very zesty body wash that also revitalizes skin! Made from multiple citrus fruits; Lime oil, kiwi juice, coconut oil, sweet vanilla musk and lemons, the scent is not only refreshing, but also sweet, which leaves skin left feeling super soft. This items has two uses because it doubles up as a wake-up call, the ingredients make a perfect energy booster! Only 2/3 pumps are required as the mixture lathers up very easily, which makes this item really good value for money. Retail price of just £5.50!!

The Righteous Butter

If you've read my previous blog posts, then you'll know im a big fan of Aloe Vera! This body butter not only includes Softening Shea Butter, but Aloe Vera too! What's not to like?! Soap & Glory suggest applying this cream just as you get out of the shower (whilst skin is still damp) and to then massage until the butter until it's completely sunk in! The consistency is my favourite thing about this product, it's really thick and rich, which in my opinion, feels a lot nicer than some thin & sloppy creams you find. I'm not sure if this product could be used every day, the scent is really fresh and quite floral, but sometimes this can be a little overpowering - If you look on the plus side, no further perfume is required!

Peaches and Clean 

This item promises to remove make-up and impurities in one wipe!! Made to be used every day, Peaches and Clean is a gentle (but effective) cleanser. Rich in antioxidants and vitamins, it helps increase circulation and cell respiration (which removes toxin) and also speeds up oxygen / nutrient delivery to the skin, which keep skin looks youthful. This product smells great, and after a couple of seconds, you can begin to feel a very weird sensation, that how quickly this product works! I'm really happy with the results, especially considering my skin is senstive!

Soap and glory products can be purchased online at http://www.soapandglory.com/ OR http://www.boots.com/en/Soap-Glory/ OR at your local Boots store. S&G have recently launched new Body Sprays so check them out!!

What are your favourite Soap & Glory
 products?  Let me know in the comments box below, or alternatively, if you have any suggestions / ideas for future blog posts I'd love to hear about them!

Thanks for reading,

Yvette Marie xo

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Turtorial: Homemade Face Masks

Hi everyone, last week I mentioned in my skincare routine post that I use Mask of Magnaminty from Lush; And whilst I do love this product, it can be a tad on the expensive side so below I've listed 3 of my favourite homemade facemask recipes! If you're on a budget, this is a great idea and so cost effective! Have a dig around in the kitchen cupboards, and enjoy x

1. Oatmeal Facial Mask -

Combine a TBSP of finely grounded oatmeal with a TBSP of plain yoghurt, and then add a small drop of honey into the mixture. Once all ingredients have been added, apply a thin layer to your face and leave to set for 10-15 minutes. Finally, rinse with warm water. This should give you a quick pick-me-up and leave your skin not only looking better, but also feeling it!! Apply moisturiser after for the best results!

2. Honey, Cinnamon and Nutmeg Face Mask -

 First, mix together 1 TSP of cinnamon and 1 TSP of nutmeg. Now add 2 drops of honey, and you're ready to go! Ingredients can obviously be adjusted to suit, but I find this combination works best. I usually leave this facemask on for 15 minutes, however, at the first sign of irritation wash off! What are the benefits of this face mask? Honey acts as a natural antioxidant, soothes skin and fights acne caused by microbes! Nutmeg reduces redness and inflammation caused by acne, and cinnamon can plump the skin by bringing oxygen and blood to the service. Cinnamon also unclogs and opens the pores by removing excess oil from the skin's surface. This mask is great for lightening blemishes, and reducing the appearance of scars. Although cinnamon is great, it can also cause major irritation and even an allergic reaction on the skin, so I would advise doing a patch test beforehand.

3. Ice Cube Facial Massage -

Ok so this isn't exactly a face mask, but I guess it can be described as a facial?! I recently read about a routine that I wanted to share with you, and now that it's the beginning of summer, this is the perfect time of year to try it out! Simply wrap ice cubes in a paper towel and massage your face in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes just before bed. Although this doesn't sound very pleasant, ice has a long list of benefits and can do wonders for your skin! Here is a list of just some; Minimise pores, control oil production, smooth complexion by easing the appearance of wrinkles, fight acne, promote blood circulation and help heal blemishes. There are plenty of ingredients that you can also include to suit your skin type too:

Dry Skin? Add Mint 

Oily Skin? Try adding sage

Wear make-up every day? I do! Include a TSP of olive oil to the water before freezing. The oil will nourish and smooth your skin.

Top Tips -

- Always wash your face, and remove any make-up before applying face masks to receive the best results!
-  Some ingredients mentioned may cause irritation, so always do a small test patch before applying it onto your face.
- If big oats aren't for you, grind them down so the mixture is a lot finer.

- When adding honey, run the spoon under a hot tap beforehand. It makes it a lot easier to pick up and drop off the liquid.
- Place a strainer in your sink to catch the oats when they've washed off.

Please feel free to comment if you found this tutorial helpful, or if you have any suggestions for future blog posts!

Thanks for reading,

Yvette Marie xo

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My Skincare Routine

Hi all, here is a little insight into my current skincare routine. Just thought I'd share this with you, as my next 3 blog post will be about caring for your skin. Enjoy x  

Lush Face Mask - Mask of Magnaminty - This face mask from Lush is perfect, and what's even better is that it's made from 100% natural ingredients (including peppermint!!). Best used to help assist in the fight again breakouts and eruption, and can be applied to both your face and back. It rids blackheads, and brings skin back to tip-top condition. Yes, Lush products can be a little bit expensive (£5.50 for 125g), but this item is made from a self-preserving formula which means that you actually have 4 months to use it all and still receive the same great effects as day 1!

Simple - Cleansing Facial Wipes & Toner - Both of these items feel great on my skin. The wipes contain 2 vitamins (Pro-Vitamin B5 & Vitamin E) and no articial colours / perfumes, so If you've got sensitive skin you can use these too! I use the wet wipes either in the morning or just before bed to leave my skin feeling refreshed and moisturised, and apply the toner after to keep my skin hydrated! Although wipes are £3 for 25 wipes, and the toner is £2.99 for 200ml, there are always shops that have Simple products on '3 for 2' or BOGOF deals, which gives you a chance to buy the product I'm going to talk about next... 

Simple - Rapid Action Spot Zapper - I was a little bit dubious about using this, because I've tried similar products in the past and they've not worked at all :( However, this is great! There is a silver ball at the top of the tube which allows you to rub the liquid over a spot (as soon as it appear) without too much waste! This also means that you don't have to use your hands to touch your face, saving irritation. The gel soothes redness and calms the breakout. Regardless of how much gel I've applied, my skin never feel too sticky / heavy. I would definitely recommend this to everyone! 

Nivea - Soft Moisturising Cream - I often find that the majority of moisturising creams make my face oily (which means that make-up doesn't stick) but now I've found this, I'll choose Nivea skincare products every time! Their products smell great, and make my skin super sot. The texture is the perfect consistency which makes it easy to apply and perfect for everyday wear! 

Garnier - Micellar Cleansing Water - I love this!! A recently launched make-up remover from Garnier which gently removes make-up, and also promises to cleanse, soothe and rehydrate the face, eye area and lips! I think this product is great, it can remove anything... Foundation, Mascara, even Glitter Lips (see previous post) It's fragrance free to suit all skin types, suitable for sensitive skin and requires no further rinsing! 

Lastly, (and potentially the most important) drink PLENTY of water, and eat lots of fruit & veg! Dehydration makes your skin look dry and wrinkly, however by dirnking loads of liquids this can easily be changed! Now for the science bit... Our bodies contain a lot of water, and our skin function as a protection barrier to prevent excess fluid loss. By keeping hydrated, you can help 'lock' moisture into your skin. As for for fruit & Veg, they contain powerful antioxidants that help to protect your skin from damager caused by day-to-day things such as pollution, sunlight and smoking which can lead to wrinkles and spots! The recommended guideline is a minimum of 5 portions a day!

Please feel free to comment if you found this review helpful, or if you have any suggestions for future blog posts!

Thanks for reading,

Yvette Marie xo

 

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Review: Forever Living

A representative from Forever Living recently reached out to individuals in the surrounding area of Bristol, to ask for volunteers who would be happy to trial a box of products and in return complete a questionnaire. I signed up straight away of course, and was super excited when my delivery arrived!! The packaging is very plain, all products are white with a different colour font / banding for each product! Although it's simplistic, it works! Below you'll find reviews of my favourite skincare items. Enjoy x

Forever Aloe Scrub is a natural exfoliator for both the body and face, that will gently wash away dead skin cells and debris that’s been building up in your pores. It’s made from a unique combination including two natural ingredient; Aloe Vera Gel and Stabilized Micro-Spheres, which will help the skin’s own renewal process! It also protects the skin from drying out / any damaging effects from synthetic cleansers. This scrub is a very fine grain that’s gentle enough to for every-day use.

This is a face mask which you need to make yourself, and I absolutely love that! It’s something different compared to other companies, and makes the product incredibly versatile. This product is designed to blend perfectly with the Mask powder to create a unique combination and is extremely effective for a number of reasons; Cleanse pores, condition, sooth & tighten the skin and, lastly, remove dead skin cells. As the dead skin cells are removed by the mask, it means that the new cells are fresh which creates a vibrant and more luminous look to the skin. 

Whilst I did love the stages of BEFORE application (It’s pink, you get to mix two different products together and can control the texture of the mask if the recipe isn't to your desire), there are some things that I didn’t enjoy when I put the mask on. The smell was absolutely dreadful! My face smelt like a wet dog, and after 10 minutes (which admitaly, is probably too long for my first application) my skin began to feel very irritated. The mask was also very hard to wash off, but I fear this is probably because the amount of time the liquid was left on.

Aloe Propolis Creme - A rich creamy blend of Aloe Vera, Bee Propolis and Camomile to help maintain healthy skin whilst moisturising and conditioning. I used this as moisturiser for my face because Forever Living suggests that it makes an excellent product for everyday use and can improve skin tone! The cream was very thick which made it slightly hard to apply, although the results are great! My skin felt very soft and my complexion looked slightly improved. I only trialled this product for 2 days, so it’s hard to know the full effects of use over this period of time. 

Aloe Vera Gelly is a thick, clear gel that's used to moisturize, sooth and condition skin; And that’s exactly what this ‘gelly’ does! It’s a very thick (but smooth) consistency. Once I applied this to my legs, they shortly began to feel cold and tingly (which is great when you’ve got shaving cuts!) This would be an idea product to provide temporary relief from minor sunburn, cuts, bumps and insect bites. It’s definitely one for the First-aid box! The only complaint I do have; When the cream dried my legs felt VERY sticky which isn’t relaxing or soothing…

Aloe Heat Lotion is exactly the opposite to the Gelly described above. This is a Aloe Vera based heat lotion, designed to sooth and relax muscles. It’s very similar to deep heat / tiger balm but a less intense sensation / smell. The rich lotion contains deep heating agents to make it ideal to use as a massage companion for tired muscles, plus it’s long lasting! Although this product RRP is £12.24, it’s a thick cream and a small amount goes a long way.

Forever Living products are available to buy online - click here to visit their website https://www.foreverliving.com/retail/entry/Shop.do. Alternatively, look out for posts from your friends & family who have signed up to represent the company.

Please feel to comment if you found this review helpful, or if you have any suggestions for future blog posts!

Thanks for reading,

Yvette Marie xo

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