Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream

Eye cream has always felt a little unnecessary to me. There’s no rule anywhere that says that you can’t just use a face cream if suitable, if like me though you suffer with sensitive peepers, you may find yourself searching the endless brands and formulations of eye creams that are currently available on the high street.

I’m not one to fall into the hype or marketing campaigns for that matter, but when I received a sample of new Clinique Pep-Start Eye Cream with my recent order I made a note in my diary to purchase a tube on its release date – it was love at first application. The Pep-start Eye Cream in all honesty is the only eye cream I’ve ever used where I can visibly see a difference to the texture and overall appearance of my under eye area. For application I’ve found that the use of my ring finger works best, the applicator that’s provided does feel a little bulky/unnecessary which I guess is my only drawback with this product.

This eye cream feels super hydrating, it has done an amazing job at improving the texture around my eyes. Similar to most eye creams, this feels incredibly refreshing to use and has a lightweight, silky texture that doesn’t feel at all heavy or greasy on my skin. I don’t believe any eye cream can improve dark circles or wrinkles, if I’m totally honest I think that’s mainly down to good genes, diet, lifestyle and sleep (something I’m lacking!) In terms of hydration and making me look bright eyed and bushy tailed this eye creams a winner!  

Over the winter I have been unable to use my cream concealers (eg. Bobbi Brown Corrector) they have gone a little solid and are harder to warm up and apply, with the addition of the Pep-Start eye cream I’ve found concealer glides onto my under eye area, it doesn’t ball up or appear flaky (I suffer with super dry under eyes) Pep-Start creates an amazing base for concealer and I’m even willing to say extends longevity of my concealer.

If you suffer with dehydrated under eyes, or are looking for a nice base for concealer the Clinique Pep-Start Eye cream will be for you! What are your favourite eye creams?

Two Foundation Fails

I don’t write about the products that didn't work well for me on my blog much, but when I have done in the past the response always seems to be fairly positive. Today I wanted to write about two hyped foundations that left me feeling underwhelmed, foundation is such a personal thing but, I still wanted to share my thoughts and hopefully help some of you who might have been considering purchasing -

NARS Luminous All Day Weightless Foundation – Described as a weightless foundation that offers full coverage. Coming from someone who absolutely loves most NARS bases (the Radiant Tinted Moisturiser and Sheer Glow are firm favourites) I was left feeling a little underwhelmed with this foundation. If you are a fan of Sheer Glow and have found your perfect shade be weary when approaching this foundation as I found the darker shades definitely didn’t match the shade names in Sheer Glow. I’m normally ‘Syracuse’ in Sheer Glow, but in this foundation I wear the shade ‘Tahoe.’ In terms of coverage I would agree with the product description this does offer full coverage, my pigmentation, scarring and redness was covered well however, I did feel like this foundation made my skin look blotchy and left a tacky layer that I couldn’t wait to wash off at the end of the day. Longevity wasn’t all that great either, I found that my shade oxidised throughout the day became slightly orange. A few weeks after purchasing this I found myself reaching for Sheer Glow and as result this has been left to gather dust at the bottom of my makeup bag. If you like or are a fan of Sheer Glow don’t assume you’ll be as smitten with this foundation – I’d definitely recommend getting a sample if possible before purchasing as it might not meet your expectations.

Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation – This foundation created quite a buzz last year on its release. Right before we even saw what this foundation had to offer, we were bombarded with huge claims, amazing transformation videos and a lot of press. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can certainly see the appeal, any foundation that claims to cover all imperfections, glide on like a breeze and provide you with perfect skin seems well pardon the pun like magic. But, as we all know magic isn’t real, and similar to the NARS foundation I’ve found myself reaching for this less and less since purchasing. The shade range in this foundation seems a little off, I ended up with shade 10 which is slightly too warm toned for my skin but the shade up was too ashy. The finish was not great on my skin, if anything I felt like this looked a little flat and lacked any sort of radiance. I definitely felt like I was wearing heavy makeup, which I really dislike with any foundation, plus despite that heavy feeling I didn’t find that the coverage was all that great, redness appeared on my nose and pigmentation was still visible after applying a few layers of this foundation. Throughout the day my skin didn’t get oily, but my skin definitely ate up this foundation even with the addition of primer. I just felt a bit meh about this foundation, I expected a full coverage foundation, with amazing longevity but for me this definitely falls short.

Well, that was a negative one, I actually feel pretty deflated after writing this, but at the same time I really wanted to share my thoughts. In total both foundations cost just over £60 so it’s definitely money wasted on my part. I know that a lot of people love both of these foundations but for anyone who's on the fence definitely head to a counter get shade matched and ask for a sample. Better safe than sorry. Maybe now I should do a roundup of my favourite bases to help balance this out and spread some positivity? Let me know if this is something you might be interested in.

What are your favourite foundations?

A Month in Fitness - January

Ah January, let’s not deny we are all a little bit relieved that months over. I always feel like there’s so much pressure put on us at the start of the year to suddenly transform into a fitness guru who munches on kale crisps and workouts 5 times a week. The reality is a whole lot of leftover Christmas chocolate and a quite a few evenings wrapped in a blanket with Netflix…and chill if you are into that kind of thing. How did your goals go? Did you achieve them? If so pat on the back for you, you go Glen coco. If January didn’t quite work out how you expected pick yourself up and start afresh don’t write the year off and wait until the next New Year, start now. Which is exactly what I’m going to do right now. I’ll be honest January didn’t quite work out how I planned due to illness, lack of motivation and pure laziness. None the less today I wanted to share my monthly fitness round up to write about all the things that went well, and the things that didn't - 

Workout – I’ll be honest three workout sessions per week definitely did NOT happen. At the beginning of the month I started out like everyone else pumped up and ready to go. I started the 30 Blogilates ab challenge and Yoga Camp on the Yoga with Adriene channel. Everything was going so well until I got quite ill (long story) and didn’t have the energy to lift a finger let alone workout. As a result I fell behind with Yoga Camp, and only managed up to day 20 of ab challenge. The majority of my workouts throughout January consisted of Yoga and running. For the month of February I’d like to make the most of my gym membership and attend the gym or a class at least three times per week. February is the month where I'd like to focus on strength training. Weights and HIIT are going to be my thing for the month.

Wear- Nike Tank Tops – If you have weeny arms like me and feel a little conscious in those strappy gym tops you’ll love the Nike Tank Tops. The shape is really flattering on my figure and somehow they make my arms seem less weeny and more muscly. The tops cover my shoulder area, but have a key hole design so you can show off a pretty sports bra underneath.

Food – January was the month I received my first Sourced Box and got all motivated with healthy snacking read more about that here – I discovered some great brands from my first box. As I mentioned above, I actually managed to get ill for the majority of January which resulted in me eating very little and in return losing a lot of weight…I completely lost my appetite. When I did get my appetite back towards the end of the month I found myself eating the wrong foods, cookies, take away and lots of bread. February is the month where I want to start eating more (six small meals a day ideally) healthy, wholesome meals are on the menu this month. Baby steps.   

I would love to know what your goals are for February fitness or not fitness related and I’d also love to know how your NY resolutions are going?

A New Snack Box Service Delivered to You!

Snacking is my weakness, I just love snacks and normally the unhealthy kind, working in an office job full of tempting sweet treats really does not do me any favours when trying to eat healthy. Healthy eating isn't always easy, it requires a lot of prep, research and in all honesty sometimes I just can't be bothered. Healthy snacks aren't always assessable in my local supermarkets either, so having someone else do all the leg work, research, source healthy snacks and deliver them to me once a month is ideal for someone like me and SourcedBox does exactly that.

SourcedBox is a new snack service box created by the lovely Niomi Smart and Marcus Butler. The box contains around ten healthy, natural snacks that are free of refined sugars, artificial flavourings, preservatives, additives and chemicals! You can choose to order a one off box or a monthly subscription (which can be cancelled at any point.) I decided to order the first ever box using an exclusive 25% voucher which did considerably reduce the cost, but more on prices later. Today I thought I'd write a review of some of the snacks I enjoyed from the first ever SourcedBox, I've discovered so many new brands that I didn't know about prior to receiving my box. Here's what I thought of the snacks, it's probably important that I mention I'm a seriously picky eater, so I definitely knew I wouldn't love every single snack, but I did enjoy the majority of snacks included in this box which is saying something for a picky eater like me haha -

The Snacks I Loved...

MYLK Chocolate Buttons OMBAR - Now, they were never going to top a bag of Cadbury's Buttons but I tell you what they make a bloody good substitute. Naturally the product I was most drawn to (hello it's chocolate) the OMBAR chocolate buttons are so tasty, made with coconut milk, coconut sugar and raw chocolate the ingredients list is super natural. I think that the size of the bag was perfect too, it didn't feel like I was overindulging just the perfect portion for a midweek pick me up - when I'm really craving some chocolate!

Fruit Jerky - Snact - I love fruit jerky, especially mango, so it's no wonder this was one of my favourite snacks in the box. I particularly like that Snact use wonky pieces of fruit that would otherwise be wasted to make their fruit jerky!

Chocolate Mylk - REBEL KITCHN  - So, soooooo yummy! Like a chocolate milkshake only with less sugar and dairy free. I really enjoyed this, even though coconut milk was used this still had the same creamy taste that you would expect from a conventional milkshake. I've already bought some more, definitely something I'll reserve for treat days.

Mini Rice Thins - Rude Health - These mini rice crackers replaced my crips, I particularly enjoyed them dipped into my homemade salsa or humous. They were also super yummy paired with the Pip and Nut snack that's next on my list...

Coconut and Almond Butter - Pip and Nut - A first for me, the Pip and Nut Coconut and Almond butter was delicious. I paired this with some sliced apple, with my Rude Health crackers and added the remains of the satchet to my porridge in the morning (I made it stretch!) I really enjoyed this added to my crackers and porridge a great way to make a small breakfast or snack feel way more filling. I definitely want to try more of the Pip and Nut varieties the Honey Cinnamon and Cashew Butter sounds lovely.

Dozy Girl Tea - Bluebird Tea - I love tea, and I love discovering new brands of tea. With lavender, chamomile and rose I found this particular tea to be incredibly soothing before bedtime.

Organic Persian Mulberry Promix - Wyldsson - A mixture of fruit, seeds and nuts all in a handy tube for on the go! I used this in my porridge and also took this to work for when I fancied a snack. The tube really helps with portion control - I didn't find I was overindulging too much, it also makes it super convenient to add to porridges or baking.

The snacks that I kind of liked...

Pecan, Cinnamon & Lucuma Flapjack by Naturally Sassy - Full of superfoods and antioxidants, I really did enjoy this flapjack. I'm not normally one for a seedy flapjack (more the gooey golden syrupy kind) but I did find that this made a nice substitute and satisfied my sweet tooth.

Rosehip and Lemon Bar - LOVE RAW - A handmade bar that bursting with vitamin C, I found that this bar tasted super zingy I love anything with lemon.

Pizza Seed Toasts - Science Kitchen - Loved the idea of mini Pizza Seed Toast more for the novelty if anything! For me the taste was slightly strange, almost spicy ...I did enjoy snacking on these though, and similar to all of the other products in this box I found them to be quite filling. Science Kitchen offers a range of flavours in the Seed Toast range the chocolate orange and Berry Fusion look super yum.

The snacks I disliked...

Broccoli Crisps - The Giving Tree - I can definitely see the Giving Tree Broccoli crips being a bit like marmite, judging from the hashtag on Twitter it looks as though the majority of people loved these. I actually found myself gipping a little as I ate them - I really did not enjoy the taste whatsoever, and this is coming from someone who actually quite likes Broccoli! The taste stayed in mouth for the rest of the day, definitely not for me at all.. with that being said this brand has a variety of crips such as peach, mango, apple and strawberry which I'm sure I would love!

Maca Bliss Raw Choc Brownie - Pulsin' - A post run snack for me, I'll be honest I do struggle to eat brownies that are made with raw chocolate I find them quite stodgy and feel like I'm chewing for days (I guess that's the point?) Despite not being my favourite snack in the box this did make for a filling snack after my run, not something I would not repurchase though.

So, ten out of 12 snacks isn't bad at all. I found that unlike other similar boxes I did receive full size snacks which is definitely reflected in the monthly price of £18.99. At first I did feel like the price was a little steep, but considering the types of food featured in this box, and the quantity/ size of the snacks I don't think it's that bad of value for money. Comparing this box to something like graze which costs £3.99 for four snacks, this box is almost six times the price but does contain 7-8 more snacks and is likely to last a lot longer. My box lasted me a couple of weeks as I mostly had one snack a day at work alongside my usual carrot sticks and fresh fruit.

What do you think of snack boxes? Does SourcedBox look like something you would be interested in?

2015 Makeup Favourites

Following on from my previous post all about my 2015 Skincare Favourites, I wanted to share some love to all the makeup products that floated my boat throughout the year. I've tried to pick one product from every category to keep it varied, let's talk makeup!

Primer - The Body Shop Vitamin C Instant Glow Enchancer - This primer was released alongside a matching moisturiser back in the summer- I instantly fell in love with both products. This has a peachy tint that leaves my sallow skin looking visibly brighter. Foundation applies more evenly and looks fresher for longer. Unlike other primers this doesn't have a silicone feeling, it doesn't feel tacky on my skin or cause me to breakout - it's a keeper.

Foundation - Choosing just one foundation was always going to be difficult, but for me the Clinique Even Better foundation was hands down one of my most reached for foundations towards the end of the year. Despite being a relatively new purchase I've worn this almost everyday and will probably continue to do so. The shade Butterscotch matches my skin tone perfectly, it isn't too warm or cool toned it's my perfect match. This foundation makes my skin more radiant, wears beautifully throughout the day and never makes my skin look oily.  I've never been the biggest fan of Clinique foundations, quite frankly, some of them are just plain awful, but, the Even Better foundation is just beautiful, I really can't imagine myself ever being without it!

Nars Creamy Concealer - This concealer is making it's second appearance in a yearly favourites post, and with good reason. I haven't tried any other concealers that even come close to giving the same flawless finish that the Nars Creamy concealer does. This concealer hides dark circles and makes my eye area appear brighter. On 'no makeup days' this covers scarring and just makes my skin look clear and radiant. I'm in love with this concealer and have repurchased it on numerous occasions. Who knows, maybe 2016 is the year I find a new favourite?

Bobbi Brown Limited Edition Cheek Palette in Berry - The pallet contains two blush shades and a highlight shade that are all so complimentary on my skin tone. The shades are appropriate all year round, the pink blush is perfect for Spring/Summer it adds a natural looking flush to my cheeks whilst the berry shade is lovely through winter when my makeup is generally more vampy. What really makes this pallet a standout for me though is the beautiful highlight shade which is so unique, it's unlike anything I've ever seen and I'll be gutted when I hit pan. This rose gold highlighter adds some mega glow to my skin, it works beautifully with the berry blush shades too - it's just so pretty. I've gotten so much use out of this pallet through 2015 and I'm sure I'll continue to throughout this year!

Clinique High Impact Mascara - Serious volume and length, this mascara coats all my lashes giving a dramatic look that suits both daytime and evening looks. This mascara doesn't irritate my sensitive eyes, but despite the gentle formula it still manages to add some serious va-va voom to my lashes. Definitely my favourite mascara.

Clinique Superfine Liner for Brows - A lot of Clinique makeup favourites this year! The Clinique Superfine Liner replaced my Brow Wiz mid way through the year and I haven't looked back. Something about the Superfine Liner adds a lot more thickness to my brows than I could ever achieve with Brow Wiz. This still looks incredibly natural in my brows, and the colour matches my brow hair well. The longevity with this is a lot better than other brow products I have tried, my eyebrows are still flawless in the evening after a long day at work. Despite the lack of a brow brush the Clinique Liner for Brows definitely stood out to me this year.

Lips - The Bourjois Velvet Matte Lipstick in Ole Flamingo was definitely my bold lip favourite, something about this shade completely lifts my complexion, it's so flattering against my skin tone. My nude lipstick favourite was the Revlon Lip Crayon in Ingenue. This matches my natural lip colour perfectly, and feels super moisturising on my lips. This hasn't left my bag for most of the year so definitely deserved a spot in my yearly favourites.

If you made it this far, you go glen coco! Considering I didn't feel as though I used many products throughout the year I clearly still had quite a few favourites and standout products that will continue to be repurchased. I would love to know what your makeup favourites are?

2015 Skincare Favourites

I'm a little late to the party with my 2015 favourites, better late than never though right? 2015 was the year I remained loyal to certain products, I actually found myself repurchasing the same products again and again throughout the year. That being said I do still have a handful of products to share with you, I've split my favourites into skincare and makeup, today I will share my skincare favourites -

Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask 

The Antipodes Manuka Honey mask is unique, it manages to cleanse my skin and hydrates - for that alone it's a total winner in my eyes. In all honesty face masks are a step in my skincare routine that often gets neglected, but for the times where I do use a mask I opt for this one. My skin looks visibly brighter and feels smoother. For me no other masks perk up my skin like this one, it's great to use before a big event or as a quick fix when my skin looks a bit crappy.

Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm

Not a product that gets a whole lot of hype in the beauty world, but one I love nonetheless. Facial scrubs seem to have been replaced over the past year with AHA's/liquid exfoliants, for me though nothing beats the drastic difference a manual scrub can make to the texture of my skin. Scrubs have come a long way from the St Ives Apricot scrub days (haha anyone remember that?) The Oskia Exfoliating balm has such a unique texture that works beautifully on my combination skin. The balm has a gritty texture that doesn't feel at all harsh on the skin, having the smooth texture of the balm combined with the tiny grains creates the perfect balance to buff away dead skin cells. This balm levels my skin looking plump, smooth and a lot brighter. Used once or twice per week this tiny pot of gorgeousness gives my skin similar results to that of a facial, it's such a luxurious product to use - it really does deliver for me.

Clinique Take the Day Off Balm 

It may seem slightly odd that two cleansing balms have made it into my 2015 favourites, what can I say I'm balmy about balms! This is my third tub of the Clinique Take the Day Off balm - I just can't get enough. As far as cleansing balms go, this isn't the most exciting, its texture resembles coconut oil, this melts into the skin creating an oil texture that helps to break down makeup, once water is applied the oil transforms to a milky texture that wipes away easily. In terms of makeup removal nothing removes all my makeup as quickly or as fuss free as the Clinique Take the Day Off Balm. This works really well with my skin, as it never feels stripped or irritated. Although this is nothing groundbreaking or particularly exciting I'm yet to find a product that removes my makeup as effectively as this one - my skin seems to love it too!

Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Defense SPF45 

Long story short, 2015 was the year I made the link between my pigmentation and sunscreen, in order to prevent future pigmentation I need to wear sunscreen everyday. Luckily 2015 was also the year I found my first sunscreen that I can actually bear to wear daily. The Clinique Even Better SPF45 is a daily SPF that's actually designed for people like myself who suffer with hyper pigmentation caused from exposure to the sun. You have to shake it well before applying, this has a salmon like colour that blends in well and provides a great base for makeup. This doesn't leave my skin feeling oily or tacky, it doesn't make my skin ashy - it's literally translucent on my skin. This is the first SPF that I've ever used that doesn't feel heavy, make me spotty or cause my makeup to slip off and for that it's a keeper. I apply this every morning without doubt, I find that a combination of the Clinique Moisturising Gel followed by this SPF provides my skin with just the right amount of hydration. I have noticed that my pigmentation has improved so much since using this daily, my skin appears a lot more even and my old scars seem to have lightened slightly too.

What are your skincare favourites? What were your favourites products for 2015?

Finding Fitness - My January Fitness Goals

So, it's reached that time of year where everyone starts to reflect on the year ahead and writes down some unrealistic New Year resolutions that will most likely be forgotten about by the end of January. I personally prefer to set myself small goals throughout the year, it's more achievable and also allows you to reflect and review mid year, rather than looking back at the end of the year and thinking dam...I achieved bugger all! Most of my goals always seem to be geared towards fitness, and although I do have a few personal goals (e.g. mainly finances & saving) I thought I'd share them with you today, as I know the majority of people do tend to focus on fitness/health. I'm starting the year in pretty good health, 2015 was a great year in terms of achieving some of my fitness goals, although I did find that due to illness my exercise routine became none existent towards the end of the year. I'm ready to give myself a kick up the butt, and get my immune system back in gear, here are my goals -

• Complete four weeks of the Bupa 10k Training Plan 

My running pattern seems to be a bit sporadic lately, mainly down to my lack of wanting to step out of my footsie blanket and go outside! For Christmas I received quite a lot of running related gifts, so I really don't have any excuses now. Last year I found my stamina and technique improved when I completed a few training plans, so on the 4th of January i'll be starting the Bupa 10k training plan. I'm hoping to sign up for few races this year, so hopefully this will prepare me. I've also joined the Running Bug #runyourselfnew challenge - Running Bug send through a weekly mile goal (it's tailored to you using the data you upload.) If you enjoy running or are a complete beginner definitely check out The Running Bug website it's the hub for anyone who enjoys running - that website has everything! 

• Complete 30 Day Waist Trainer Challenge 

I love the Blogilates 30 day challenges I find that they are easy to follow, doesn't require a ridiculous amount of time to complete and I notice results too! I usually love the Blogilates branding/cute names for challenges, but I'm not so keen on this one. I definitely don't think the look a waist trainer gives is one to idolise over it's an unrealistic body image. But in terms of shredding some of my Christmas fuelled flab I'll definitely be giving this a go. 

• Complete 30 Day Yoga Camp 

The Yoga with Adriene challenge is the reason that I fell in love with Yoga last year, I loved completing the 30 day Yoga challenge so I'm excited to see that Adriene is back for another challenge in the form of Yoga camp. Yoga camp seems like it will be focusing more on your overall well being/ mental health as well as physical. 

• 5:2 Food Balance 

I would love to say I improved with my diet in 2015 but unfortunately this is still an area I really need to work on. I'm not necessarily unhealthy with my meal choices, but portion control and a bad habit to skip the odd meal definitely affects my body. I've found that this way of eating helps me to maintain my weight but in return my immune system is low and my mood is definitely affected. I found that my diet worked a lot better when I had a 5:2 balance, five days of healthy food/ lots of meal planning and two days more relaxed with my eating habits. I'm hoping by the end of January I can be back on track with the concept, then hopefully I can focus more on educating myself, finding out what food my body needs to fuel my workouts. 

What are your goals for 2016? 

Products I Used Up - October

It's that time of the year again, where I post some pictures of trash and tell you all about the beauty products I recently used up. Empties posts aren't a regular feature on my blog and here's why, in all honesty, I rarely buy new products, I tend to have two/three major beauty splurges throughout the year and use the products I love everyday until well...they are all used up! Because of this my empties posts can seem repetitive, more often than not I do repurchase the same products, especially when it comes to body and skincare. However, as I had a few new products to share I thought why not, so here's what I used up recently. I'll probably split this into two posts as there's too many products hehe -

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish - I bang on about this all the time on social media/blog so I won't go into a full review and bore you all to tears. The Cleanse & Polish is a cult classic for me, it's a cleanser I will  always repurchase. The bottle shown here is Jasmine & Osmanthus, a scent that was released over summer, you can read more about it over here.

Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm - A repurchase for me, Cult Beauty have an offer where you receive three 50ml cleansing balms along with three of the EH cloths for only £38. A total bargain considering 1x 100ml tub retails at £38.00. I've tried and love this cleansing balm, especially during the cooler months. You can read a full review here.

Sweet Cecily's Elderflower and Almond Hand Cream* - An all natural hand cream that's housed in a cute reusable glass jar. Although this hand cream felt quite luxurious on my skin I did find it to be a tad too oily for everyday use, I instead opted to use this at nighttime before bed. I'm generally a fan of sweet scents, but the scent of this was so overwhelming, it gave me a headache. Just a tad too sweet smelling for me.

REN Vita 7 Eye Gel (mini) - I've made quite a few REN orders recently and have always received a generous amount of samples with my orders, including this eye gel. I have since repurchased the full size of this as it's so refreshing and hydrating on my sensitive eyes. This provides a perfect base for concealer. Expect a full review of this and a few other eye creams I've been loving ...soon.

The Body Shop Satsuma perfume - love. If you like the scent that runs through the Body Shop Satsuma range, you'll love this scent. I would definitely repurchase this, it's perfect for my handbag.

Antonia Burrell 7 in 1 Supreme Mask - you can read my full review of this mask and other items in the Antonia Burrell Discovery Kit over here. I definitely would not repurchase this mask, but you can read more on that in my full review.

Claris Eye Makeup Remover - I didn't feel like this effectively removed my eye makeup. After two cotton pads soaked with the eye makeup remover I still found that my cleanser removed traces of mascara. Definitely not for me.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow Boosting Moisturiser - Full review over here. I've repurchased this moisturiser as for me, it's a more effective version of the Origins Ginzing, for some reason this just works better with my skin. It provides my skin with just the right amount of hydration and works well with my Liz Earle Cleanser & toner.

The Body Shop Hemp Foot Protector - I've repurchased this one, it does all the hard work for me. This cream keeps my feet hydrated, smooth, soft and sexy (well as sexy as a foot can get) - I wouldn't be without a tub.

What products have you used up recently?

MooGoo Irritable Skin Balm

I've suffered with Eczema for the longest time, childhood memories of chamomile lotion and thick diprobase being slathered onto me before bedtime makes me shudder. If you have ever suffered from eczema you'll feel my pain, my skin feels itchy, uncomfortable and gross. Seeing doctors in the past always left me feeling slightly frustrated as most of the prescription products my doctor recommended felt incredibly greasy and heavy on my skin - definitely not daytime appropriate. Luckily as I have grown older my eczema has calmed down significantly, although I'm still prone to the odd flare ups on the backs of my arms, legs and even my hairline and forehead! Luckily I've found my wonder product.

MooGoo is a lovely brand that come from across the pond, from a much sunnier climate...Australia. MooGoo has great ethics as a company, they offer products with clean ingredients formulated with sensitive skin types in mind - I absolutely love how transparent their website is definitely no gimmicks. After talking about Australia and the contrast in temperatures in comparison to the UK, myself and the brand representative for MooGoo got talking about eczema. The lady gave me so much advice, not only product recommendations, but we also touched on lifestyle and diet changes that I could make to improve my eczema. After a lengthy discussion (rather whinny on my part) I was kindly gifted the MooGoo Irritable Skin Balm* to try.

With balm in the title I did expect that this cream would have a greasy texture or feel quite rich for my skin, I couldn't have been more wrong. This lotion has a lightweight texture that left my skin feeling hydrated without any greasy residue or oily texture. This cream doesn't have a scent which did bother me a little at first, but in all honest after a while I barely noticed the scent...or no scent should I say. In terms of my eczema I do think that this cream helped to calm my skin, my skin felt less itchy and also less flaky. This didn't speed up the amount of time it took for my eczema to clear, but in all fairness no cream/lotion ever will only internal treatments in my experience help my eczema to clear up quicker. It's worthwhile mentioning that this product is multi-use and worked really well on my forehead when I had an itchy patch of eczema.

I wouldn't hesitate to purchase the MooGoo Irritable skin balm, you'll see this in my empties post soon, but for the price (FYI £12.50) I found that this product lasted between 5-6 months with twice daily application on specific areas of my body - definitely great value for money. For me this is something I wouldn't be without in my stash. If you suffer with mild eczema, it's definitely worth a try. I always recommend visiting your GP in the first instance as everyones skin is different. However, if like me you have decided to go solo and do your own research and find products that work for you MooGoo is definitely worth checking out.

Do you have any product recommendations that work well with eczema or sensitive skin?

*Gifted at a blogger event

Antonia Burrell Discovery Kit

Having clear, smooth skin makes me feel confident and more often than not I'm always prepared to pay slightly more for products that contain high quality ingredients, have luxurious packaging and feel comfortable on my skin. From my experience paying slightly more for skincare products has always rewarded my skin, although there are some products that I scrimp on (e.g eye cream, micellar water.) With products ranging from £25-£60 starter kits are a great place to start when trying new skincare.

The Antonia Burrell range has been on my to try list for the longest time, after a recent twitter chat (hosted by Antonia herself) I decided to splurge and purchased the Discovery Kit £29.00 which consists of four 10ml samples of her best selling products. Since purchasing the kit I have finished all four products, 10ml may not seem like a lot of product, but you certainly do get a feel for the range, and also how well (or not well in my case) the products work with your skin. Here are my thoughts on the products that I tried, for reference my skin is combination dry cheeks/oily t-zone I suffer with pigmentation and my skin can be quite sensitive -

Natural Glow Cleansing Oil £29.50 - an oil-milk formula which can be applied to dry skin to emulsify makeup. With lemon zest to brighten and tea tree to purify this cleansing oil by far had the best scent I have ever smelled - and I've tried a fair few cleansing oils! In terms of breaking down makeup for me this didn't perform exceptionally well, in fact the Super Facialist by Una Brennan cleansing oil is way more effective for less than half the price! I applied this oil, washed away, used a toner and was surprised at just how much makeup came off on a cotton pad. For me this oil was a little rich and despite cleansing my skin thoroughly after I did feel like this left residue on my skin, this may be great for mature skin types but for my combination skin it was a big thumbs down.

Forest Dew Skin Conditioner £25.50 - A conditioner for your skin? An interesting, yet new concept for me. When I first used this I was slightly confused, I initially thought it was a moisturiser but slowly discovered that it's in fact a toner and can be used after your cleanser with your hands or on a cotton pad. This toner has a milky texture and contains cucumber extract to hydrate/soothe the skin. Similar to the cleansing oil in the range I was left feeling slightly underwhelmed with this one. This removed any last traces of makeup, left my skin feeling hydrated, but if I'm honest this does nothing that my Liz Earle Skin Tonic doesn't do.

Cream Supreme Facial Moisturiser £68.00 - This moisturiser had a lovely lightweight texture that worked really well under makeup. This provided my combination skin with just the right amount of hydration, however, I have to say whilst using this I couldn't help but feel like I've used something similar in the past....the Lush Imperials moisturiser is pretty much identical to this moisturiser with a much cheaper price tag. This moisturiser added a subtle glow to my skin, hydrated my cheeks but never felt overly greasy on my oily t-zone. Worth £68 though? I would have to say probably not, for a moisturiser that's almost in the £70 mark I expected something far more luxurious.

Mask Supreme 7-in-1 £57.00 - A 7-in-1 face mask that claims to hydrate, smooth, detoxify, repair, clarity, brighten, protect and perfect - that's a whole lot of claims! This mask did leave my skin feeling hydrated and clean feeling, but for the price and claims similar to all of the other products in the range I expected a lot more. The reviews on this are so good on the internet I expected so much more, but for my combination skin I didn't find that this was anything substantial or worth purchasing.

Now, I'm feeling like a negative nelly after this review. Perhaps my skin type isn't the target market for the Antonia Burrell range, but considering I described my skin type and was recommended three of the products I have tried I expected something more. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but considering the price I expected the products to feel more luxurious than skincare products I own, I expected my skin to feel smooth and slightly more radiant but unfortunately this wasn't achieved with the range. Definitely not products I would recommend to anyone with a similar skin type to mine, perhaps drier or more mature skin types could benefit, but for the price tag you can buy far cheaper products with similar results.

Have you tried any Antonia Burrell products? What are you favourite high end skincare products?

NARS Multi Protective Primer SPF 30

I've been meaning to write about the NARS Multi Protective Primer for the longest time, so long in fact that this has now been added to my empties basket...better late than never ey! So today I wanted to share my thoughts on this rather pricey primer by NARS.

Now, I'll be honest primers are neither here nor there for me, on some occasions I've even questioned the purpose or point of them. Over the summer months though, I found myself reaching for this particular primer, almost every day in fact. Something about the texture, and refreshing feel on my skin had me addicted, and the fact that this also offers SPF30 was an added bonus. This primer felt super moisturising on my skin, but also light weight in texture. Some primers can leave my skin feeling a little tacky, but it never felt at all tacky with the NARS primer. The creamy texture helped prevent flaky skin, no matter how matte/drying the foundation was the primer seemed to keep my skin dewy and flake free - perfect for dry skin through the winter months I can imagine. Although my skin isn't overly greasy nowadays I didn't find that this made my skin, oily or greasy like other primers I have tried in the past - definitely no silicone feel with this one!

So the million dollar question, does this improve makeup longevity? Nope. I would say that my skin did eat up foundation throughout the day, as it would without primer. However, for the subtle glow and flake free finish, this primer is definitely a winner. I'm unsure whether I would repurchase this primer as I already have a few other products to use up, but I would definitely consider repurchasing this at some point in the future.

Are you a fan of primer?

Falling Off The Fitness Bandwagon

Image source 

There's no denying that this month, exercise has well and truly taken a backseat in my daily routine. The thought of squeezing into Lycra and heading to the gym hasn't sounded appealing in the slightest, I've found myself making excuses and avoiding exercise at all costs. In result of my recent laziness, I've felt more tired, lethargic and the muscles that I worked so hard for are pretty much non existent. After seeing such a negative impact on both my body and overall mood reintroducing exercise into my routine seemed like a no brainer. So, let's be honest, we have all been in this situation before and getting back on the fitness bandwagon isn't always easy, so for today's post I thought I'd share my top tips for reintroducing exercise to your routine after a long case of couch potato syndrome -

• Start today, not tomorrow, next week….or next month!

Oh dear, who else is guilty of this one? If the week starts out bad I tell myself I will start afresh next week, but the truth is next week never happens. I kept putting exercise to the back of my mind and before I knew it 2-3 weeks had gone by and the weight crept on. Instead of saying I'll start tomorrow, start today! Set some goals, do some gentle Yoga or stick on a YouTube video. No matter what you decide to do, do it sooner rather than later. It's taken a long time to shift the 'I'll do it later' thought process from my head, but, you don't need a new day, a new week, month or even a year to set goals or make a change. Start today. 

• Do a 30 day challenge 

At the beginning of the year I committed to several 30 day challenges, all of which I completed. I see such a difference in my body when I add challenges to my workouts. Most daily challenges only take around 15 minutes to complete, so it's a great way to add exercise back into your routine. It's also a great way to choose a key area of your body to work on, after my rest weeks I've chosen a 30 day ab challenge as my waist line has definitely piled on the most pounds.

• Get your friends or family on board

Exercise is something that I generally do solo, whenever I tell people that I do classes or run on my own the response is sad eyes or an offer to join me on my next session. Believe it or not though I enjoy exercising on my own, whenever I have tried to work out with friends in the past, they have always been unreliable (sorry if you're reading this) and without sounding awful exercise is the only 'me' time I get, it's a time where I can switch off, think about life and don't feel any pressure to be social.  Every once in a while though when lacking in motivation, it's great to have someone there to cheer you on, after a long period away from exercise it's great to have friends or family there to motivate you. 

• Try something new 

I like routine, secretly I'm a creature of habit. But the one thing where routine is a no go is exercise. Doing the same classes on set days and the same routes when running not only made exercise felt like  a chore, but, I also stopped seeing results. I've recently introduced some old favourites back into my exercise plan, Yoga and Pilates. I've also freshened up my running by choosing new routes, running with a group and more hill/speed sessions. I've loved getting back outside, exercising outdoors is where I'm most happy.

• Don't go hard, just go home 

Hehe see what I did there. If you've been out of action for a few weeks the worst thing that you can do is go hard with your exercise. Most likely you'll have lost a bit of stamina (like I did) and pushing your body too far, too soon can result in damage to your joints and muscles. When I first tried to get back into exercise I booked myself on Spinning, Bootcamp and planned a 10K run. As you can imagine I ended up cancelling both Spinning and Bootcamp and instead resorted to nights in on the couch. Don't be too tough on yourself, reintroducing exercise steadily is the best way to improve your fitness.  

How do you stay motivated with exercise? How do you reintroduce fitness into your routine?

TIGI Bed Head - Frizz Control & Straightener Serum

I haven't talked haircare on my blog for quite awhile now, if I'm honest, I haven't bought anything new in a long time. I've reached a stage where I'm happy with everything I'm using, which is a rarity for me as I'm generally quite picky about the hair care products that I use. I recently went for a chop at my local hairdressers, We are Laundry in Sheffield always do a fantastic job on my hair and on this visit I found that the products that they used left my hair feeling so nourished and smooth - I couldn't help but have a nosey at the counter and a mini shopping spree when I returned home. All of the products that my hairdresser used were from a brand called Bed Head, I've fallen in love with the product I'm going to write about today, if you have damaged hair or like a smooth polished finish this is the product for you.

REN Glow And Go Kit

Everyone wants gorgeous, glowing skin. Water intake, exercise and a balanced diet are all main contributors to achieving a radiant complexion, but every once in awhile we all need a helping hand so today I thought I'd share two wonderful products from REN that not only promote radiance but have also improved my skin texture and tone.

Mini v Nutrition - Protein Review

The 'sports related' protein product sector is booming, there's no escaping the endless adverts and promotional posters advertising that protein shake by a brand you've never heard about promising to give you a size 8 waist in just 8 weeks! It can be easy to feel daunted by the vast amount of products on the market, especially for your average Joe like me. Establishing what a protein product actually does or what type of protein is most suited to your fitness goals is a challenge in itself!

Superdrug Vitamin E Refreshing Toning Mist

A few months ago I found myself in quite the predicament, after using the last few drops of my Liz Earle Skin Tonic (a firm favourite and constant repurchase) I felt lost and my skin started to suffer.

Liz Earle Limited Edition Cleanser - Jasmine & Osmanthus

For many years now I've had a long term love affair with all things Liz Earle, I've dabbled into other skin care brands, but I know that I can always rely on Liz Earle to get my skin back in tip top condition. The Cleanse & Polish cleanser is a cult classic so when I heard that Liz Earle had added a new limited edition scent to their tempting trio I was super excited to try it. A review by one of my favourite bloggers had me sold - Anoushka Loves (be sure to check out her blog after reading this post of course!)

July Favourites + Life Lately

It's not very often I'm happy to see the passing of a month, but thank gosh July is over! For me July was the busiest month of the year (so far), but that sure didn't stop me from falling in love with some old favourites and discovering some new ones. So for today's post I thought I'd share my products, food and fitness items that I've loved using throughout the month -

Haul - The Body Shop

Today I wanted to share a haul, a haul that contains products from the The Body Shop. Some products are firm repurchases others are new to me, but there's no denying I'm a huge fan of The Body Shop products, there's always great offers, lots of new releases and a great range of products for different purposes.

Life Tonics - The Perfect Post-workout Drink!

We all know the importance of drinking water and staying hydrated throughout the day. Finding drinks that hydrate, aren't loaded with sugar, but still taste amazing can prove quite the challenge - the struggle is real, says the recovering coco cola addict *hangs head in shame.* Over recent months I discovered coconut water, and although not quite love at first taste I've finally found a brand that I love... Life Tonics*- a new soft drink that hydrates and tastes incredibly refreshing. Given my recent health kick now seemed like the perfect time to share Life Tonics with you all.

Life Tonics drinks hydrate, energise and are great for on the go, at work or even post-workout. I've found I'm never without a bottle in my gym bag. Before trying Life Tonics I used to feel dizzy and lightheaded after workouts (despite all the water I drank.) I drink Life Tonics drinks throughout my workout or sometimes after and I find that I feel a lot better after workouts - I mainly put this down to staying hydrated. All Life Tonics drinks have a blend of coconut water and natural fruit extracts, they taste so refreshing and even better they are loaded with minerals and vitamins. No nasties here as all Life Tonic drinks are formulated without refined sugars or artificial sweeteners only natural fruit extracts - there's only 90 calories per bottle! 

My favourite flavour has to be Elderberry and Juniper.  Who knew that Juniper is a berry that's used to flavour gin (it's no wonder this one is my favourite.) All of the flavours are lovely, the coconut taste is very subtle, so subtle that even if you aren't the biggest fan of coconut water I would still recommend trying as they taste so refreshing. 

The Life Tonics drinks are available in three flavours, coconut and mint, Dalandan Orange and Elderberry & juniper. Life Tonics are stocked in WH Smith and Waitrose and are priced at £1.49. 

How do you stay hydrated throughout the day? What is your favourite pre/post workout food/drinks? 

*PR Sample

P.S I'm thinking of writing up a post on pre workout snacks/drinks so keep an eye out for that!