My Monthly Beauty Buys - February

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After a hugely successful January in the beauty department, February has been a bit of a hit and miss month for me with trying out new beauty products - some have been complete gems which will definitely be re-purchased, while others have been a massive disappointment and a waste of money. Let's start with the pick of the bunch, shall we? Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Berry This was a very generous gift from a friend who visited the US recently - I've been after one of these to try for ages as I seem to be on the perpetual hunt for a tinted lip balm that actually gives a long lasting tint. And finally I've found it! Lip balm is essential for the winter ...

Marks and Spencer Mother’s Day Beauty Gift Box

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Don't you love a good freebie? I was delighted when I got to the till at M&S yesterday and was informed that because I'd spent over £25 on beauty items, I qualified for a free beauty gift box. I expected it to be fairly uninspiring, but reading down the list of items my eyes began to widen - it was a list full of luxury brands, not just bog standard M&S bath gel like I'd expected! I love how M&S have broadened their beauty range to include so many high-end brands, and there are so many included here: Ren, Nuxe, Rodial, Philip Kingsley. The box is worth £90 according to M&S, so is a really generous free gift.   Inside, you'll find: Nuxe Reve de ...

Rose and Cedrat Limited Edition Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

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I love all the little signs that spring is on it's way; the bulbs pushing up through the grass, the sun shining more often, and a new Liz Earle Limited Edition Cleanse and Polish to try - Rose and Cedrat! Rose & Cedrat Limited Edition Cleanse and Polish has been my skincare staple for many years now, since I developed eczema, and I'm a sucker for their Limited Editions which they've been bringing out for a few years now. The latest in the line is Rose and Cedrat - a very spring like fragrance, combining damask rose oil with citrussy cedrat oil. I love how the team at Liz Earle really understand plants and the seasons; the fragrance is beautifully delicate, but ...

My Monthly Beauty Buys - January

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January is always a month where I tend to have a little beauty splurge - something about those dark days and spring still seeming a long way off makes me try to cheer myself up with some beauty treats! Coachella Coral has been my first foray into the world of Charlotte Tilbury and I love it. It's from the K.I.S.S.I.N.G. range which have more of a sheen than the Matte Revolution lipsticks and Coachella Coral is more of a muted coral than many out there, so very wearable on a day to day basis. The formulation of these lipsticks is just incredible. I normally find highly pigmented lipsticks can be drying on my lips, particularly in winter, but this is great - ...

Five Recommended Products for Eczema Sufferers

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As an eczema sufferer I find winter a particularly difficult time – flare ups are more frequent and seem to be worse, triggered by the cold weather and central heating. I’ve found that a regular skincare routine is essential in the cold months to keep the scaly skin at bay – these are some of my favourite products that I find particularly soothing on eczema prone skin.   Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish The darling of the blogging world, Liz Earle’s Cleanse and Polish is an iconic product now and it’s fabulous for eczema sufferers. Liz herself is an eczema sufferer and developed her range of skincare after seeing the gap in the market for organic, ethically sourced products with a focus on ...

Skincare Pick-me-ups for Tired Skin

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It’s been one of those months lately – full of coughs, colds, viruses and ear infections. Which when one member of your household is 20 months old, means that no one is getting much in the way of sleep. What’s always amazed me about baby induced sleep deprivation is that it is possible to still walk and talk and function something along the lines of a normal human being, even when you feel like a extra from The Walking Dead. So to stop myself from going full-zombie, there are certain skincare items that I know I can rely on to give my skin a little lift and a bit of a glow, even when I’m feeling at my lowest. Mask of Magnaminty ...

Dear Santa … My Christmas Wishlist

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Dear Santa, This year, I would really love it if any of the following gifts were to find their way into my stocking on Christmas Day! Anthropologie Gold Monogram Mugs £8 I've loved these for ages and was pretty devastated when they sold out of the gold edition ones last year before I could get my hands on one. I'd love one of these this time around! A K, obviously. Jo Malone, Wood Sage & Sea Salt £42 for 30ml I'd not bothered to even try this Jo Malone scent until recently, as I tend to be more of a fruity fragrance (Pomegranite Noir, English Pear and Freesia, Blackberry & Bay are my go-to scents), but I had an urge to have a spritz recently and I'm ...

5 beauty sins you’re probably committing

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We all know the importance of a good beauty and skincare routine and yet there are certain cardinal sins that I know I am guilty of committing, and I bet a lot of you are too! See how many you can tick off the list…   Not cleaning your makeup brushes regularly How often should we be cleaning our brushes? Experts say once a month at a minimum, twice a month for any brushes you use around your eyes. Hmmm, not sure I can remember the last time I cleaned mine, so it’s time I got the baby shampoo out and got cleaning. On the plus side, cleaning your brushes regularly means that they last longer, shed less, and give a better finish ...

Liz Earle Limited Edition Pink Pepper and Mint Cleanse & Polish

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I’m a huge fan of Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, so when an email popped into my inbox last week announcing the launch of their new Limited Edition Pink Pepper and Mint version, I hopped right on over to order a bottle. I’m a long term user of Cleanse and Polish but I’m a sucker for their slightly fragranced editions and this one sounded right up my street – plus the hot pink packaging is always going to be a winner with me.   The pink pepper gives a slightly spicy scent, while the slight hint of mint adds an uplifting and refreshing note. One thing I really appreciate with the Liz Earle range is the subtlety of the fragrancing – it’s ...

Diary of an Eyelid Eczema sufferer

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Eczema and me Throughout my teenage years I always considered myself blessed to have inherited my Dad’s olive skin and rarely had any skin problems other than the odd hormone related spot. However, this all changed when I turned 27, and the next three years marked a complete changearound as I battled with eczema on my eyelids. Eczema is a condition that arises when allergens are absorbed into, and irritate the skin. The skin becomes incredibly itchy, red, sore, and often results in bleeding. I wanted to document my problems here in the hope that it might one day help someone else with the same problem.   How it started…   It all started with a little bit of flaky skin on one eyelid. No ...