Currently Trying

 I've been a bit naughty and bought a couple of new beauty bits recently, and I've been trying them out over the past month or so. I haven't really bought any beauty product for a while, but after running out of a few bits I decided to try something a bit different. Some of which I'm loving, and some of which I'm not completely sold on. 

            

After months (possibly even years) of deliberation, I finally took the plunge and purchased the Nuxe Rêve de Miel lip balm. At £9.50 a pop, I had to find out whether it was worth the price before I picked it up. I really wish I'd bought it earlier as it is hands down the best lip balm I've ever used. It feels so luxurious to apply, and isn't at all sticky. I like to apply it when I do my skincare routine before I go to bed, and by morning, my lips are like new. I'll will definitely not be switching back to cheapy chapsticks! Speaking of not cheap, I had a bit of a skin crisis and went browsing the internet for anything, and I mean anything. I found a couple of blog posts about the Estée Lauder Clear Difference Advanced Blemish Serum, with people noting that it has completely altered their skin. On a whim, I bought it and to be completely honest, I won't be repurchasing it when mine runs out. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting it to work miracles, but I hoped it would do something. I'm used just over half of it, and I really don't think it has done anything for my skin. It feels nice to use, but if there are no visible benefits I don't see the point. 

Another product I'm not too sure on is the Aveda Botanical Kinetics Toning Mist. I bought this after Viviannadoesmakeup mentioned it on her Youtube channel, and I was sure I would love it. But I don't think I do. I'm not too keen on the smell - it's very 'botanical'. As long as a product doesn't smell like vomit, I don't usually mind what it smells like - but I really do not like this particular scent. Similar to the Estée Lauder serum, I'm not sure it actually does anything. I'll keep trying it, but again, I don't think I'll be repurchasing. Something I will most definitely be repurchasing is the NYX HD Studio Finishing Powder. This is the first loose powder I've ever tried, and my oh my I love it. Besides being one of the messiest products I own (seriously it gets everywhere) it wears well and looks flawless. It minimises shine in the most natural of ways, and most importantly keeps things exactly where they should be. 

Have you tried anything I've mentioned? What are your thoughts?

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Skincare That Works

Finding out what skincare Is right for you is pretty much a trial and error process. It has honestly taken me years to build a skincare routine that works for me. I'm still on the hunt for products that will banish spots for good, but there are a few staples in my collection that help my skin whatever problem it is facing at the time.

Cleansers // If I had to pick one formulation of cleanser, it would have to be cream. They are so gentle on your skin and really great for removing makeup - a pretty fail safe product for me and anybody who owns a face. My all time favourite is the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, and although it is slightly pricey to use all the time - I like to make sure I've always got some in my collection for when my skin is feeling a little sensitive or dry. One of my current go-to cleansers is the Good Things Skin Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser. OMG words cannot describe how much I love this cleanser! And even though it is well under £5, I would happily pay a lot more for it!

Toners // A lot of people don't seen the point in toners, but they are one of the most important steps for me. Caroline Hirons *the skincare GOD* emphasises the importance of an 'acid toner' instead of a stereotypical toner. Personally, I like to mix and match depending on the condition of my skin. When  I don't have many spots and have billions of the scars they've left behind, I like to opt for an acid toner like the First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads, or the Pixi Glow Tonic. The First Aid Beauty pads are a very mild form of acid and are suitable for use both morning and evening. Personally I like to use them in the evening as my skin can sometimes be left a little red afterwards, and when in a rush on a morning I don't want to be waiting around for the redness to go down before doing my makeup. If I am wanting to use an acid in the morning (or evening as it's so gentle it can be used for both), I opt for the Pixi Glow Tonic which is so good I have a backup ready and I still have half a bottle left! When my skin is in need of some soothing I like to use the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic, as it is brilliant for soothing those troublesome under the skin spots!

Scrubs // Now I don't tend to use scrubs that much anymore, as using acid toners on a twice daily basis tends to exfoliate my skin enough. But for those occasions where my skin is a little dryer or dehydrated than usual, I like to have a couple in for when I need them. My usual go-to scrub for the last two or three years has been the Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It Facial Scrub, as I just haven't found anything else that compares to it. It contains both AHAs and BHAs, so exfoliates skin on multiple different levels. It really helps sort my skin out as it is quite a fine scrub so you don't need to apply any pressure to get rid of dry patches. It also doubles up as a mask which is great when you are experiencing a breakout because the acids in it help calm down your skin, and aid absorption of your other skincare products. 

Masks // I like to treat my skin to a face mask at least once a week. I aim to use a face mask twice a week, and sometimes throw an overnight face mask into the mix mid-week for good measure. I can really see a difference in my skin when I forget to use one, so I schedule a mask into my week by placing it on my to do list. My favourite type of masks are clay masks as they are great for drawing out impurities and calming down any blemishes. At the moment my go-to face masks are the Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Face Mask and the Good Things Skin Manuka Honey Face Mask. They are both quite similar, although the Good Things mask has white clay in it so cleansers on a more deeper level. 

Serums and Oils // These are a fairly recent additions into my skincare routine, as I too was under the myth that oils would make my skin oiler, and serums were pointless. But the opposite is infact true, oils balance the skin and prevent the production of excess oils leaving your skin looking 'normal'. Serums are targeted at reducing specific skin complaints, and are more effective than anything else. Oils, don't really do much for blemishes, but they help calm the skin which in turn helps to reduce the size of blemishes. One of my current favourite oils is the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, as it feels so luxurious to apply before hopping into bed. The Estee Lauder serums are also lovely. 

Moisturisers // Obviously you need a moisturiser to protect your skin, keep it hydrated, and form a barrier against the elements. I have quite a few different moisturisers that I pick and choose depending on how my skin is looking on that particular day. If my skin looks a tad oily, I like to opt for a lighter moisturiser such as the Simple Kind To Skin Light Moisturiser, whereas if my skin is looking dry and dehydrated I pick out a thicker, richer moisturiser such as the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser for Normal/Combination Skin. In the evening I occasionally switch out my moisturiser for an overnight face mask such as the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Face Mask or the Origins Calm To The Senses Overnight Face Mask.

SPF // This is less of an essential during the winter months, but extrememly important to be using all year round. The face is exposed to the sun's rays constantly, and it is very hard to provide it with shade. The days of slathering your face in traditional suncreams are over, and new lightweight facial SPFs are popping up everywhere. I use the La Roche Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+, but I've heard that the Benefit Dream Screen is also good.

PRODUCTS MENTIONED

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish // First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads // Pixi Glow Tonic // Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic // Good Things Skin Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser // Soap and Glory Scrub Your Nose In It Facial Scrub // Simple Kind To Skin Light Moisturiser // Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser for Normal/Combination Skin // Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Face Mask // Origins Calm To The Senses Overnight Face Mask // Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Face Mask // Good Things Skin Manuka Honey Face Mask // Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate // La Roche Posay Anthelios XL Ultra Light Fluid SPF 50+

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Review: Magnitone Full Monty Skincare Brush

Just before Christmas, Magnitone kindly sent me the new Full Monty Skincare Brush* to try out. I've secretly wanted either a Clarisonic or a Magnitone cleansing brush for years, and so I got rather excited when the email pinged into my inbox! I did briefly talk about it in my winter skincare routine post, however today I'm going to do a more in-depth review after using it regularly for a couple of months! The Full Monty is described as 'the ultimate multi-tasker' as it can be used in various different ways. Magnitone claim that you can see instant results from the first use, and I just want to say I straight up agree with that. After the first use my skin felt so smooth and my serums and creams sank into my skin so easily. The brush is designed to give your body a full workout. Not an alternative to exercise, but it is meant to make your skin look more toned, with a healthy glow. And do you want to know the best part? It is suitable for every type of skin. 

 As my skin adjusted to the 'new, deeper method of cleansing' I experienced a bit of a breakout, but it was warned it could happen in the instruction manual so there was nothing unexpected there. A bit worried at first, I carried on using it and blemishes quickly disappeared to reveal clearer, glowing skin. The brush has three different modes for the face alone, and can be used on 'sensitive cleanse', 'daily cleanse' and 'tone. I've tried all three modes, but I tend to use the brush in the evening to thoroughly take off my makeup with the 'daily cleanse' setting. Some people have said that they use it twice a day, and personally I think that it is gentle enough to do so, but I prefer to use it either in the morning or evening. I've found that with everyday use, any patches of dry skin disappear and my makeup goes on a lot smoother. Which is obviously nice!

With the different brush attachments it cleanses, tones and exfoliates for gorgeous skin from head to toe! I've tried all three attachments and I'm extrememly impressed with the results each gives. The brush has a built in 20 second timer so your entire face can be cleansed in just 60 seconds! At first I was incredibly stupid thinking it would beep 5 times (once for nose, once for each cheek, etc.), but then I realised that there are only 3 lots of 20 seconds in a minute and then I started to divide my face into three. After only a minute of use, my skin feels incredibly clean and I can definitely tell when I've not used the brush (like when I've forgotten to charge it up). The feet attachment, is my second favourite after the facial brush as it is really good at giving you soft, baby-like feet.

Magnitone do recommend that you replace brush heads every 3 months so bacteria doesn't build up on the bristles, however I think you could go a little bit longer between changing for the feet and body attachments. I highly recommend trying one of their brushes out for yourself as my skin has been a lot clearer and radiant! It retails at £130, so isn't cheap - but I honestly think the results are worth it!

Have you ever tried a cleansing brush - what were your thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The Magnitone Full Monty Skincare Brush (RRP £130) was kindly sent to me by Magnitone for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

My Hydrating Winter Skincare Routine

Ok. I'm sensing a pattern here. All I seem to blog about recently is lipstick and skincare products. I'm sorry. I'll try harder. I promise. Maybe. But seriously, I have found some incredible products that have been keeping my skin nice and hydrated recently! I made a similar post exactly a year ago (plz don't go back and read it, my old posts are so embarrassing!), and with winter fast approaching, many people battle with the elements, central heating, and various other things! As it starts to get colder (why is it so cold?!), it is extremely important to adjust your skincare routine so that your skin is properly looked after. Winter calls for extra layers of moisture and protection so I've rounded up everything that fits the bill and have been slapping it on my face until I can't take any more! 

I know what you all want me to talk about first, so I will... The new Magnitone The Full Monty Skincare Brush* has been incredible for my skin this winter! It has left my skin so smooth, and I honestly think that it has been the most beneficial to my skin out of everything mentioned in this post. I've been using it once a day (in the evening) to remove all the grime and makeup from my face and I have noticed a visible difference in my skin's texture. It hasn't really done anything to calm down my spots, but my skin looks a lot more 'clean' - if that makes sense? It gently exfoliates and tones whilst removing dirt and impurities and serums and moisturisers soak in so much easier! The other day it ran out of charge for the first time so I had to manually cleanse my face, and I was shocked at how much difference it actually made! 

Alongside my Magnitone, I have been using the Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm* to remove the bulk of my makeup. I've never tried anything from Merumaya before, but this cleanser is fab at taking my makeup of quickly! I don't use this with my Magnitone out of personal preference, and I just massage it in and use one of the Liz Earle muslin cloths to wipe everything away. The cleanser is very rich and silky, perfect for those with drier skin or those just wanting something that can get makeup off easily. It cleanses the skin very well, and doesn't leave a greasy/waxy residue like some cleansing balms can. You apply it dry skin, add a splash of water and it turns into more of an oil. After I've used it to take all my makeup off (sometimes I use it twice if I have heavier makeup on), I follow up with the Good Things Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser. I've recently mentioned that it is 'saving my skin' and it still is! I have a bit of a breakout at the moment, but I've had a lot of sleepless nights and deadlines have been stressing me out so I can understand why. I've been using this both morning and night and it is incredibly soothing and calming on blemishes. The manuka honey acts as an antibacterial and is perfect for reducing the size of nasty blemishes. I wouldn't really describe it as 'creamy', as it is more of a rich lotion formula and I think this is perfect for winter. It contains mostly natural ingredients and I think this would be perfect for most skin types - however the brand do advise against those with bee/wasp sting allergies to stay well clear of this particular range of products! 

After I've finished cleansing, I move onto the toning stage of my routine. I've fairly recently got my hands on the Pixi Glow Tonic after it being so hard to get hold of and this stuff is literally like gold dust! It leaves your face so glowy and isn't too harsh at all! It is classed as an acid toner as it contains a mild concentration (5%) of glycolic acid. It is so gentle that it can be used twice a day and usually I do, but sometimes if my skin looks a bit aggravated I switch it up for the Liz Earle Skin Boost Tonic as it is more soothing. After toning I follow up with a serum and I'm not usually one for serums, but the Salcura Bioskin Dermaserum* has performed miracles on any dry patches! They have recently relaunched and reformulated their products and they are specifically formulated for those with sensitive and dry skin conditions such as Eczema and Psoriasis. And even though I have neither, I have found the serum incredibly hydrating in the cooler weather! 

After the serum I usually go in with something like tea tree oil or Sudocrem and apply it directly to blemishes to reduce any swelling and calm them slightly by morning. I don't always apply something and I mainly only use it on spots that look a bit more red and angry. I then follow up with the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser for normal/combination skin. Although a little more on the expensive side of things, it really agrees with my skin, and acts as a perfect base for makeup! Plus the tub lasts forever as well! It is such a lightweight formula and absorbs into the skin straight away, leaving your skin feeling nourished, hydrated and thoroughly pampered. 

Talking about pampering! A couple of times a week I use a face mask as a real treat for my skin, and the only one I've really been using recently is the Good Things Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask. Ok it doesn't really do much in terms of hydrating but it certainly doesn't dry out your skin, and boy does it leave your skin radiant! Plus for only £7.99 you can't really go wrong!

And that's it! Sorry this post has been so long - major brownie points to those that read through to the end! 

What one skincare product could you not live without?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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_________________________

The Magnitone Full Monty Skincare Brush (RRP £130), the Merumaya Melting Cleansing Balm (RRP £15.50), and the Salcura Bioskin Dermaserum (RRP £11.99) were each kindly sent to me by Magnitone, Merumaya and Salcura Skin Therapy for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

The Skincare Range That Saved My Skin

If I'm honest this post should be titled "The Skincare Range That Is Saving My Skin", but that doesn't sound half as much as gripping now does it? If I could go back to this time last month and hand myself these products, I will have saved myself so many tears. I'd not heard of the Brand Good Things until the start of the month where I saw the makeup wipes featured on someone's blog. So whilst browsing the supermarket aisles, when I spotted a few of their products - I picked up everything I could find except the moisturiser (as I'm happy with my current ones). 

The first thing that I tried out were the Total Wipe Out Cleansing Wipes (£3.49). I used them prior to cleansing to take the bulk of my makeup off, and wow I was impressed! I usually use the Garnier Micellar Water at this stage, or if I'm tired or being really lazy I use the Simple Skincare Wipes - cutting out the whole putting the product on a cotton pad step. Although I'm not so keen on the sickly raspberry and cranberry scent, they have quickly replaced my Simple wipes as they are more moist (ew I hate that word). After seeing how good the makeup wipes were, I was so excited to try out the Manuka Honey Creamy Cleanser (£4.99). Although being slightly worried that it was going to have a really sickly smell like the makeup wipes, I was pleasantly surprised to find that I really like the smell. It smells really fresh and is incredibly soothing on the skin. Within a couple of days of using the cleanser, I noticed that my skin had calmed down loads and my blemishes seemed to be fading. At first I thought that it was just coincidence and that my skin was just having a 'good skin day', but with continued use I realised that it was actually the cleanser that was banishing my blemishes!

Alongside the creamy cleanser, I have also been using the Manuka Honey Radiance Face Mask (£5.99) and all that needs to be said is it does exactly what it says on the tin (or tube in the case).  As soon as you wash it off your skin looks so much brighter and radiant! I've never really thought my skin looked particularly dull, but I was surprised at how much it illuminated my face! I've found that it is pretty similar to the Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask. Obviously the Antipodes mask is a little more luxury, but the Good Things one does the job perfectly. The manuka honey in the products has brilliant antibacterial properties and I'm putting this down to my improving skin!

As far as I can tell, none of the products contain any parabens, sulphates, mineral oils, and other nasties! And the best part? They don't break the bank! The anti-wrinkle day cream/moisturiser seems to be the most expensive product from the entire brand at a bargain £8.99, so at this pricing I will definitely be trying out more things from the brand! One thing I should point out though, is that people who are allergic to bee/wasp stings can't use any of the products from the Manuka Honey range - however there are a couple of other ranges that you might like (including the rest of the products from the makeup wipe range).

Have you tried anything from Good Things? What were your thoughts?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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Recent Skincare Additions

My skin has taken a (big) turn for the worse recently. I thought it was getting better; my scars were fading and I had less breakouts. But I was being lulled into a false sense of security and now my acne looks like something you would see on an episode of embarrassing bodies. As soon as all this cold weather came around my skin was like BAM.. here you go, have a few more spots. It probably doesn't help that I'm only getting around 4 hours of sleep a night and my stress levels are through the roof atm. I'd love to be brave and show you how bad they actually are at the moment, but I'm sure if you Google image 'severe acne' you can imagine my skin is somewhat similar to the less severe results that come up *cries*. You can tell they're bad as I've been popping out to the shops with at least 2 layers of full coverage foundation on, and you know that usually I'd just bob out makeup free (or with a dash of light concealer at most)! 

With my usual products failing me, I began scouring the shelves for some products that would help calm things down a lot a bit. And with the help of the trusty blogging community, I picked out a couple of products that had seemingly 'worked miracles' for other people, in the hopes that they would too help out my skin! 

First up I picked up the incredibly hyped up Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Mask, which aside from the antibacterial properties, was meant to really help calm skin down whilst keeping it hydrated. I'd wanted to try it out for a while but was always put off by the price tag. But it has gotten to the point where, if someone would work, I'd pay ££££ for it! But when Feelunique.com had a little offer on (which was well timed with my breakout), I decided I had to pick it up to see if it would sooth my skin. The moment it arrived I ran upstairs to the bathroom, ran a hot bath and slathered my face with a thick layer of the stuff. It smells amaaaaaaazing and is so so so relaxing. It has calmed by skin down a hell of a lot over the last couple of weeks, and I can noticeably tell a difference after using it. 

At the same time I picked up the La Roche-Posay Serozinc spray which is targeted at blemish prone skin. I'm not sure if it has had a difference on my skin, but when I first used it alongside the mask - my skin looked tonnes better by morning! I really love that it is slightly mattifying as I noticed that my makeup seemed to stay on a little better throughout the day. However after finally buying the Pixi Glow Tonic last week, I have been using the Serozinc less and less. After Caroline Hirons (goddess of all things skin) mentioned it last year (?) the blogging/youtube world went crazy for it. I was going to jump on the bandwagon then, but as always I was a little skeptical about the claims. In a brief moment of online-shopping-weakness, I bit the bullet and bought myself a bottle. And what can I say? WHY DID I NOT GET ON THAT FLIPPING BANDWAGON?! It is working wonders on my skin. I never thought my skin looked particularly dull, but this has really added a glow to my skin. It has smoothed it out beyond belief and is really helping to reduce the number of blemishes. 

And finally! I've been trying out the new Claudia Louch Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish* which so far I am really liking! Claudia Louch is a relatively new brand to me and this scrub is a little different from my usual face scrubs in the sense that is a more gentle (but still effective) with larger grains of sugar. It is also unusual, as you use it on dry skin rather than damp skin. It is 94% natural and packed full of plant extracts, it is incredible for a deep clean without drying out your skin. 

And they're are my recent skincare buys! 

What is your one holy grail skincare product?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The Claudia Louch Mint Exfoliating Facial Polish (RRP £59) was kindly sent to me by Claudia Louch for the purpose of a review. All thoughts are my own and you can read my full disclaimer policy here. 

Skincare Sunday: Battling Blemishes

Blemishes. The majority of us have them, and if you don't then well I officially hate you (not really, but can I have your skin please?). My skin is notoriously bad 110% of the time and after about 6 years of suffering, I am only just finding products that work for my skin and are helping to make so my skin is only bad about 90% of the time. Often when I read about hyped up products on blogs, I often wonder if beauty bloggers are raving about them because they actually love them. Or purely because products were sent to them by PR companies and brands.

Like I said, it has taken me an extremely long time to find products that make a visible difference to my skin. One of the biggest helpers in my fight against spots and blemishes has to be the Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean 3-in-1 Deep Purifying Cleanser. It is a gentle milk cleanser and I like to use it on a morning instead of my beloved Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. It is great for removing any remnants of makeup although I don't tend to use it on an evening if I have been wearing makeup as I prefer to use my Garnier Micellar Water followed by the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. The Soap and Glory cleanser seems to really help clear up my skin when it's suffering. 

When my skin is suffering, I follow up with a soothing toner - preferably with gentle natural ingredients. The Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic hydrates and balances my complexion perfectly. It adds just enough moisture to keep my skin look healthy and fresh, whilst soothing and calming those troublesome spots. One of the main ingredients is glycerin, which is brilliant for those with dryer/dehydrated skin as it adds moisture lost from harsh spot-fighting products. 

One of my latest rediscoveries are the First Aid Beauty (FAB) Facial Radiance Pads. Last summer I put my absolute faith in the SKINCARE GOD that is Caroline Hirons, and spent quite a little bit more than I would have liked on the toning pads. When I first got them, I couldn't really see any visible differences - but after rediscovering them, they have done a whole host of good to my skin. They contain various acids which help stimulate new skin cell renewal, banishing those horrible marks and scars left behind after a blemish has long since healed. 

Another rediscovery I have made recently is Sudocrem! I haven't used Sudocrem as a way of battling blemishes since I was about 14. I seem to remember it working really well, but wasn't a fan of buying it as it wasn't branded as a spot treatment and I felt awkward going out to buy 'nappy cream'. But with the launch of the new Sudocrem Skin Care Cream*, I now deem it socially exceptable to go out and buy some. It is a product aimed at every single skin type you can imagine. Whether you have combination, oily, dry, sensitive skin or everything in-between - it works wonders on blemishes! I like to apply it directly to my blemishes or as an overnight face mask. It can also be used as a moisturiser, but I ended up looking paler than I already am if thats possible, so decided this didn't work for me. The Sudocrem Skin Care Cream is incredible for soothing blemishes and when used overnight, you wake up with the softest and glowiest (is that even a word?) looking skin! Plus at only £2.11 per tube, IT IS AN ABSOLUTE BARGAIN. 

Have you got any skincare saviours that you want to share?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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The Sudocrem Skincare Cream was kindly gifted to me by Sudocrem for the purpose of a review. If you have any queries or questions you can read my disclaimer or email me on the email on my contact page. 

Another Lush Cosmetics Haul

Hi Friends! So after I posted a photo of my many Lush bags on Twitter the other week, a few of you asked if I would do another 'haul' post. Judging from my stats, most of you seemed to really like my last Lush haul! I was trying not to do any shopping due to the fact that I am trying to save up to buy a new phone. But as my sister's birthday was coming up I needed to get her a present and she loves Lush almost as much as I do. And of course, I couldn't help but pick up a few treats for myself too! In the end I came out with 3 of the large bags!

I was actually in Lush for over 45 minutes! Probably the longest time I have ever spent in Lush! And I came out with some colourful new products that I've never tried before. The star of the show has to be The Comforter Shower Cream! I wish I had a photo of my face when I saw it in the shop - I got so excited when I saw it in Leeds rather than on Oxford Street in London where it was exclusively sold! Although I didn't realise how expensive it was till I was checking the price to go in this post! This 500ml bottle apparently set me back £15.95! Although I suppose if you compare it to the bubble bar at £4.75, I suppose it works at quite a bargain! You can buy it in 100ml, 250ml, 500ml and even 1 litre bottles - I didn't see any 1litre bottles but I bought the biggest as the scent is my all time favourite!

Another of the new products I picked up was the Cosmic Warrior Fresh Face Mask. I've never tried any skincare from Lush and many people rave about their facemasks. The past few times I've been in I've browsed their skincare products, but been so overwhelmed I've just left. But this time Inwas determied to make a decision and choose one. I read all the product descriptions and decided to opt for the Cosmetic Warrior as it was the only one that mentioned 'spots'. Something I tend to look for in a facemask. Since buying it I've used it once and my skin really seemed to like it! When I was at the till, one of the assistants mentioned that it was 'too aggressive' for her skin and that 'if I could get past the strong smell of garlic' I might like it. This worried me a lot, but In reality I can hardly smell the garlic - only tea tree oil, which I love the smell of. I'm currently loving it, but it does kind of annoy me that you have to keep it in the fridge as thats not somewhere I tend to keep my beauty products haha!

Like I said, I've never tried anything other than bath and body products from Lush so I thought I'd try some of their gorgeous looking soaps. I purchased the 'Bohemian' soap and the new 'Sea Vegetable' soap as I liked the scent of the two and thought the colours would look nice in my bathroom. The Bohemian' soap (the yellow one) has a subtle lemony scent. I don't really know what else to say about it as how descriptive can you be about a bar of soap? The 'Sea Vegetable' soap is a gorgeous dark green/navy blue colour. I think it smells like ginger and mixed spice although as the name suggests its supposed to smell like sea vegetables. Although having never smelt a sea vegetable (I've eaten seaweed at a chinese restaurant, does that count?)  I cannot comment on this whatsoever.

As I was picking out a few bath bombs and bubble bars for my sister, I decided to treat myself to another 'Floating Island' bath melt after using my last one the night before. I briefly talked about this in my last Lush haul, and although it looks extremely unimpressive, it leaves your skin silky soft and smelling beautiful!

And finally, on an impulse as I was feeling particularly generous that day (I mean come on, I bought 2 bags of Lush for other people), I bought one of the little charity pots at the till. I'm yet to try this but for £1 you can't really complain.

What have you all been buying recently?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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Where To Splurge, Where To Save

One of the most well argued debates in the makeup industry is the "is high end better?" debate. Now I have briefly touched on this subject before (in my 10 things I've learnt from beauty bloggers post) and mentioned that many high end brands also own drugstore/highstreet brands and therefore the products are made using similar formulations. 
But, I'm sure there are still people out there that want to have just a little touch of luxury in the lives. Soooooo, if this seems to describe you, keep on reading to hear my thoughts on which products you could splash out on and which you should save your pennies for something else. 

The general rule I tend to follow is 'how often will I use the product?'. Things like foundation usually get used up the fastest meaning that you have to repurchase it more frequently. Now I don't know about you, but I'd rather repurchase something that costs £6.99 rather than something that costs £36.99. So I try and avoid buying expensive foundations, concealers and powders now matter how amazing they sound. They could cure colds and I'd probably like to save my hard earned money for something else (waves goodbye to NARS Sheerglow and Dior Airflash foundations). 

Products I use less of or less frequently like lipstick, highlighter, blush and bronzer are the products I see the potential for spending more on. You often use less of these types of products so for the money you spend on them, the more you will get out of them. Money well spent!

Another rule I try to follow is 'will I still want to wear this in six months time?'. Theres no point splashing out on something when it's just a short lived trend. I want products that are classic and versatile. Many products have a good use-by date on them so will last you a long time if its something you really like and not something thats going to be sat in the back of a drawer gathering dust. 

What are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer to spend or save?

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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Liz Earle Skincare Haul

A while ago, my skin had a major freakout. Going crazy, spots appearing left right and centre. I was even getting them on my nose which never ever ever happens. Ever. The only thing that seemed to help was the Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic which was an absolute saviour! I started running low and that meant that a little order was on the cards. They have some great offers on at the moment, so its worth checking out the website!

Whilst repurchasing the Instant Boost Skin Tonic, I decided to repurchase the famous Cleanse and Polish which I have had in the past and loved completely! Once I saw I had a few things piling up in my shopping basket, I decided to get one of the monthly offers/bundles which contained pretty much everything I wanted to buy. 

The bundle included the large tube of Cleanse and Polish, the full size Instant Boost Skin Tonic, the Eyebright Eye Lotion, the Skin Repair Moisturiser and the Superskin Concentrate facial oil rollerball. With my order, Liz Earle also threw in the travel size Instant Boost Skin Tonic, travel size Cleanse and Polish and a sample of the Superskin Concentrate. I got such a lot for the money I spent. I got over £100 worth of products for just over £50!

I am a big lover of all things Liz Earle, so if you lovely readers have any product recommendations for me give me a shoutout!

Thanks for reading!

Love Charlotte x

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