Lush Write Up: My Favourite Face Masks

Just thought I'd write a quick post about why these two facemasks from Lush are my favourite! I'm a big big fan of Lush, I love the company's ethics (no animal testing & all natural ingredients ), I love the service I receive every time I'm in store, even if I'm not in Bristol, and lastly, I love the concept of each and every product! I hope you like this post just as much as I like using these two masks, enjoy x

Mask of Magnaminty - Firstly, this is made from 100% natural ingredients (free from BAD chemicals). Secondly, the ingredients used in Lush products are only purchased from suppliers who do not test on animals! This mask can do all sorts of things, but I mostly use it to help prevent breakouts. It keeps my skin calm and clear. As well as peppermint oil, (I mentioned this product in 'My Skincare Routine' post) this mask also contains Honey which is great as an antiseptic and moisturiser. The mask also acts as an exfoliator because it contains aduki beans and evening primrose seeds - so it works on my blackheads too. I've mentioned before that Lush products can be a little bit expensive (which is true) - this is £5.50 for just 125g, however, Mask of Magnaminty is the only mask from Lush which is self-preserving which means you don't have to try and finish a whole tub in 1 month - you have 4!

Oatifix - I love this face mask for completely different reasons than those stated above, but I think it's a great idea to have different products that alternate in order to save money and see the full effects of a company's products! This mask leaves my skin feeling super soft, firm, moisturised and really improves my complexion, plus it smells absolutely amazing! The texture is a little bit weird, because it's really thick & lumpy it can be quite hard to apply all over (without patches), and it's hard to wash off for the exact same reasons! If I could afford to use this all the time I would but with a retail at £6.50 for 75g, it's not really justifiable, especially as you only have 1 month of use.

Have you tried a Lush facemask? If so, what did you think? Do you have a favourite? Leave your comments in the 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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Festival Beauty Essentials

So I'm off to X Festival in Cardiff on 13th June which is going to be really fun, the line-up looks amazing! Whilst I was planning my outfit (I'm very organised), I had a great idea for a blog post. With summer fast approaching, I thought this would be the perfect time to write about my summer essentials. There is nothing worse than being at a festival in the heat, dehydrated, sleep-deprived, and having greasy hair, so here's some of my favourite products to avoid these kind of results from too much partying! They're also available in miniature, so great for travelling if you need to pack light! Enjoy, x

Dry Shampoo - As if walking around with dirty hair was bad enough, it's even worse when it looks and feels greasy! The best way to avoid this at a festival is either 1) Wash your hair stood underneath a cold tap, or have your friend throw litres of water over your knotty mane for it to then (if you have hair like me) dry with super frizz and triple the size it would be normally be OR 2) use dry shampoo! When you can do your hair no more, apply some dry shampoo. My favourite brand is Batiste, but if you are on a bit of a budget then you can pick up this item for less from most beauty retailers.

Primer - When I asked my friends for their thoughts on this blogpost, they didn't believe that primer was an essential, which is something that I would have agreed with up until now! I've started to wear it every day, (I have two; One for a hint of foundation) and I can really see the effects. I just see primer as an alternative to foundation - great for a festival in the heat! If I had to recommend a product, I would suggest Rimmel's 'Fix & Perfect Pro Primer' - it makes my skin look smooth, feel soft, and brightens my complexity.

Sun Cream - Nivea, everytime! This stuff works brilliantly and smells great. I prefer using either a cream or spray, as I find that is the easiest method of application. I can't express just how important it is to protect your skin!  

Wet Wipes - Wet wipes are your savour; Use them for everything!!  If I had to choose a favourite brand it would either be Simple or Halo. I love wipes from Halo because they have lots of different wipes for different types of jobs, but they can work out quite expensive, retailing at £1.09 for 10!! As long as you have some form of wetwipes, you'll be ok.

Fake Tan - At one point or another, those pasty legs will have to come out to catch the sun rays, so apply fake tan before you leave. I find it best to exfoliate my legs before and after application so the tan lasts. Although I've not really experimented much with fake tans, I love the mousse from Primark. It smells nice and I can enjoy the effects for a small price of £2.50!!

Glitter - I'm not 100% sure if you'd class this as a beauty essential, but it's definitely a festival necessity. Glitter makes every looks fun and colourful, so bring plenty of it.

Please feel free to comment if you found this review helpful, if you would add / change something about this list, or if you have any suggestions for future blog posts!

Thanks for reading,

Yvette Marie xo

 

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Review:Magnitone Lucid Cleansing & Exfoliating Brush

I recently read some great reviews about the Magnitone Lucid Brush, so thought I would take up the #7daychallenge myself; The Magnitone Lucid promises softer, brighter and smoother skin in just 7 days! I also thought this would be a great item to sum up my 5x Skincare Blog Post special. At first glance, it's cute, colourful and tiny. Travel size and super lightweight! The charger is magnetic, and the battery life lasts a week (fully charged). My skin has never felt cleaner, and my complexion looks a lot brighter...There are so many things that I like about this product already, so below I've picked out some key areas to describe the product! Enjoy, x

Deep Purification - Reduces the appearance of pores.

This brush cleanses & purifies pores deeply and effectively. It also helps to remove oil that may cause breakouts / blackheads and create spots! At first I was slightly worried that the bristles would be too hard for my skin, but they're actually super soft and flexible. As mentioned in previous blog posts, it's really important that all make-up has been removed in order to receive the best results!

Facial Cleansing Timer - To make daily use easy

Magnitone have made the design very simple, so It's very easy to fit the brush into your daily cleansing routine. Use it for just 1 minute twice a day (morning & evening) with your existing cleansers and serums, rinse off, and then apply moisturizer. The 20 second timer guides you around different zones of the face, (first forehead, then cheeks, followed by chin/nose/mouth) before automatically shutting off after 1 minute. I love that this product has a timer. I didn't feel like I needed to use the brush on certain sections (such as my forehead) for the full 20 seconds, so that much guidance really helped me out. Did I mention that it's also waterproof? So you can also use it in the shower!

Two different cleanses modes - To suit skin types & create ultra-fast deep cleansing 

There are two different settings, made for either a Deep Cleanse or Sensitive skin type. Magnitone use Active Electromagnetic Technology, to make the bristles rotate over 10,000 times per minute in order to cleanse, exfoliate and lift deep pores. Not only can the Lucid exfoliate, but it can also improve the condition of skin, and make it look more alive! My skin felt super soft after, even before I'd applied my moisturizer! I would definitely recommend using the sensitive setting  during the first week, as the deep cleanse can be a little over-powering / make your skin look super red!

Although the Magnitone Lucid is a little bit on the pricey side, (and not exactly an impulse purchase) if you shop around you will find some great offers! I bought mine from lookfantastic.com for £62.99 instead of £70, and this meant I also received a free Beauty Box worth £45, so make sure you do your research before investing! Plus, Magnitone will also provide a 12 month guarantee warranty card with your purchase for FREE! (who doesn't love free stuff?!)

Have you tried the #7DayChallenge? If so, let me know what the end results were 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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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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