February Monthly Favourites (Beauty and Non-Beauty)

Hey My Lovelies,
I cannot believe we have come to the end of February so soon; it seemed like it just whizzed past me. I hope your February was amazing and here's a toast to even better months in the year. I have been loving quite a few things this month including beauty and non-beauty items so I decided to combine them all in one post.

Beauty and Makeup Favourites
1. Chanel Les Beiges Powder: Of course this has to be a favourite having already featured it in a post here. Although, I bought it mainly for its pretty packaging, the powder in itself is really amazing and gives my face a nice matte finish with a healthy glow as promised on its packaging. I love it.
2. Clinique Anti-Blemish Foundation: You know the feeling you get when you have found "The Foundation", it's one that cannot be faked and the amount of love I have for this foundation cannot be compared to any other. I have been so busy enjoying it that I have not written a post yet but fear not! a post is on its way.
3. Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine: I have never really been a fan of lip butters because I prefer lip balms. I don't really like dipping my hands into a tub but I don't mind doing that with the Korres Lip Butter. It has to be one of the most hydrating and moisturising lip butters I have tried. I have a post on it here.
4. &Other Stories Blusher in Caddage Pink: This is one of my most surprising purchases this year. I already have a review of it here so you can have a read. It is richly pigmented which goes to say you need a light hand with it. Its lasting power is really good and it's perfect for my skin tone. I have nothing bad to say at all.
5.La Roche Posay Effaclar AI Targeted Spot Treatment- This is by far one of the best spot treatments I have ever used and it has been raved about so much and having used it now; I know why. It literally zaps any spots/acne/blemish within a few hours and if you use it over night, you can be sure to wake up with no spots. A full review will be up soon.

Non-Beauty Favourites
1. Anker Portable Phone Charger: A full review on this is already here. This lipstick-like portable charger has changed my life in regards to my iPhone<---- I know that's sounds and look cheesy but it's true. I always worry about charging my phone because I do so much on it and now with this, all my worries are in the past. it's a total game changer and I cannot recommend it enough.
2. Zara Sales Handbag/Pouches: I loved all my purchases from Zara during the sales and I just wished the sales could go on forever. These are real gems and I don't even know which is my favourite of the lot because they all are very handy, durable and good quality. A full review on these bags are here. That's it folks and I hope you have enjoyed this little post. I am glad the Monthly Favourites are back but I hope it has come to stay. See you in my next post...x

Soap and Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream Review

Hi my Lovelies,
I am back with the sequel to my Soap and Glory brand post. If you remember, I posted a review on the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub here and it appeared a lot of you really liked Soap and Glory so here is my take on the Soap and Glory Heel Genius Foot Cream which I also received as a birthday gift from a dear friend. I am going to be honest, I have never really been a foot cream girl at all. The only time I remember using a foot cream would probably be when I get a pedicure. Outside of that, I just use my normal body cream or moisturiser for my feet and that's it.









Packaging
It has the characteristic Soap and Glory pink packaging and I am really pleased it came in a tube because I would have been put off if it were a tub. No to Tubs except Body Shop Body Butters which won't be the same if they came in a tube. Anyway, it's a neat packaging and I like it; not much to say there.

Appearance and Formula
I was quite surprised to see that it was a light blue colour; I am not sure why I was surprised but I guess it's because that's a really different colour for a cream. I quickly checked the ingredients list to find out what the culprit for the colour was and it was none other than Menthol which also explains why it had a somewhat "cooling" feeling when used. Other ingredients include extracts of Grape, Orange, Lemon and Sugar cane as well as Allantoin, Macadamia Seed Oil, Sugar Maple and a variety of others I can't be bothered with typing out.

How I use it/Results
It's really straightforward as expected from a foot cream. I apply a pea size amount directly on each clean foot and massage it in. It's a little thick so you need to smooth and massage it in well. I slip on some cotton stockings as instructed on the tube and I am off to bed. I wake up to a well moisturised feet although there is a high chance I may get the same results with any other body cream/moisturiser. I guess the Menthol really helps in making your feet feel "refreshed" which I think is a nice touch. I can't fault it.

Verdict
I have not really been using this every night because I am not yet used to it and I usually forget when I am tired. When I do remember, I am always pleased with the results in the morning because my feet feels really soft, look refreshed and ready for the day. Is it a necessity? For me, I would say it's not but if you have a foot fetish, yes, this is the product for you. I hope you have enjoyed this and see you in my next post...x

Free Avene Skincare Samples

Hi My Lovelies,
I came across Mistrys Pharmacy via fellow blogger Raspberrycheeks who recently tried out free Avene Samples in February and I immediately found myself on the website ordering my free samples too!. At the moment, they are still offering a chance to get free samples of Avene skin care which is French brand that knows their onions when it comes to skin care. I really like Mistrys "Try before you Buy" offer and I wish other brands/department stores will take a cue from this. As you know, I really like samples because they are an affordable way to try out products at minimal or no cost. All you have to do is select 5 Avene samples only (I even saw they had some Eucerin products for free trial too) and pay the delivery cost which is £3.25 which I think is fair seeing the way they packaged the samples. I am really impressed with their service and I am still in the process of trying out these samples so I will be reporting back. Meanwhile, I have been loving the Avene High Protection Sunscreen with SPF 50 because it's really light weight and I have been using it for a few days now and loving it so far.

My experience with ordering from Mistry Pharmacy was really good. I ordered on a Saturday and I received the products almost a week after which is fine for me but I am not sure everyone will be pleased with it taking so long to arrive. Not all the products I picked were sent to me but they made up for it by adding an extra sample which to me is excellent customer service. Instead of 5 standard samples; I got 6 and I love all of them. These are the samples I received:

1. Avene Emulsion Sunscreen SPF 50
2. Avene Light Hydrating Cream SPF 20
3. Aven D-Pigment Dark Spot Treatment
4. AveneTrixera Emollient Cream
5. Avene Soapless Cleansing Gel
6. Avene Micellar Solution.

I will be reviewing them all soon so keep your eyes peeled on here. If you are interested, you can check them out here for free samples. If you are not keen to spend any money on postage and you want all these samples absolutely free then you can register your details on the Avene Website here and you would receive some samples as well following a skin diagnosis which you complete online. I just completed mine and I was emailed to say it will take two weeks so fingers crossed on that. And this is NOT a press sample, sponsored post or affiliate link. I just wanted to share with you all..x

*N.B: Apologies for the dodgy photos..I had to take them indoors without good lighting but who cares about crystal clear photos when they are free samples to collect?!! Yeah, not me..:-)*

What are Toners?

Hi My Lovelies,
It appears toners are one of those skin care/beauty items you either love, hate or just skip altogether. I used to be in the last category and I never used to bother with it until I read quite a few articles on how beneficial they were for the skin so I decided to give toners a try and almost 5 different toners later, I think it's perfect time to let you know what I think of them.


What are Toners?
Skin care toners (yeah, I had to differentiate as there are toners for ink cartridges for printing) refers to a lotion or wash designed to cleanse the skin (after your cleanser) and shrink pores. They also help restore and repair the skin surface in addition to being really refreshing. There are different types of toners which include astringents (which are alcohol based), water and glycerin based and the water based toners. Most people tend to avoid the ones containing alcohol as it can be irritating to sensitive skin and dries out the skin.


How do Toners work?
*Disclaimer: I am no beauty expert so this is just my basic knowledge of how I understand that toners work* The skin has an acid mantle made up of oil and sweat which is maintained in a way to prevent bacteria growth and all sorts of nasties by altering the natural PH of the skin. After you cleanse your skin, that acid mantle is temporarily removed and this can alter the PH of the skin. What a toner does in addition to all its other benefits listed above is ensuring the PH is restored so the skin is all dandy and happy and no nasties gets in the way. Toners are usually applied with a cotton pad or as a spray across the face with your eyes closed of course. I have tried a few of them so I thought it would be nice to give you a low down of how we fared.





The Gentle One-Olay Essentials Refreshing Toner (Contains Alcohol)
I think this must have been one of the first toners I tried out and I actually love it. It says it is suitable for normal, dry and combination skin and I have combination-oily skin so I can't really say how it fares with other skin types. Its second ingredient is alcohol and you would expect it to be harsh but it is indeed the opposite. It is actually very gentle on the skin. It has a fragrance which I don't mind but if you hate fragrance in skin care then this may be a little problematic. I won't say it is very effective for acne but it is really refreshing and it own't exacerbate any acne. It is also really affordable and I think it's a good way to get into the Toner game if you are unsure.


The Refreshing One-Simple Kind to Skin Facial Toner
I have already featured this a little while ago here on its own blog post but it is also one of my favourite toners from Drug Store. It''s no secret that Simple Skin Care make very good skin care products which are very affordable and good quality. It contains refreshing ingredients which include Cucumber, Chamomile, Witch Hazel, Allantoin and Vitamin B which are sources from as simple sources as possible. It does not contain alcohol so if you have sensitive skin, you can get away with using this. It helped slightly with my acne which I think is closely linked to its witch hazel content. It's affordable, good quality and it is easily available so it is a top choice.


The Acne-Blasting One- Clinique Anti-Blemish Clarifying Lotion (Alcohol based)
Again, this has already been featured on here with its own blog post and it's one that I had a love-hate relationship with at first but I eventually grew to love it. First things first, it contains alcohol and you can literally smell it because it really has a strong smell which can be off putting. Although, it contains alcohol, I don't find it drying or irritating on my skin. I feel it may be for other people but personally, I was quite surprised that it did not irritate or dry my skin out. It contains salicylic acid which goes to say it is effective in clearing acne which was the reason i bought it in the first place. It's not an overnight worker but it will get the job done in good time. I also like this toner because it is also an exfoliant so it gets rid of dead skin cells which gives way to fresh skin. The trick is to use it the right way which is wiping across the face in one direction rather than in a circular motion. It is quite pricey but it lasts for a long time.
The Hydrating One-Lancome Tonique Douceur
For me, this is best toner for me. Maybe, it's because I am very partial to Lancome; you all know i really love that brand. Jokes aside, this is the gentlest toner I have ever tried. It just makes your skin feel really soft, hydrated and refreshed which is what you need after a long day at work or just outside. It also has a slight fragrance which I know is a no-no for some but I really like the scent. This does not contain alcohol. I have nothing bad to say about this except that it is really pricey but you get a good amount and you also get some samples as you know they are my top beauty brand who make the best samples.

I am currently trying the Lush Tea Tree Toner which I would be reviewing soon but I really like it so far and I just need some more time to draw all my conclusions ready for a review so watch this space. I hope you have enjoyed this post and if you know of any good toners out there, leave me a comment below and I would try them..see you in my next post...x

Weekend Post #5: Anker Astro Mini Portable Phone Charger Review

Hi Lovelies,
I hope your weekend was fab. It's almost Monday and I have no idea where the weekend went. If you own a smart phone be it a Blackberry, Samsung or iPhone, you would understand that having your battery run out when you are on the move is an absolute nightmare. At least for me!! I do so much on my phone and I always take my charger everywhere with me..well until I got the Anker Astro Mini portable charger. Now, having my battery run out is a thing of the past. The Anker Astro Mini basically acts like a power bank to charge your phone and it can be used for a variety of phones including the iPhone (4-5S), iPad, Samsung Galaxy (S3-S5) , Samsung Galaxy Note, HTC One X, etc. It is really versatile. The lightning cable for charging iPhones are not included though but that's not really a problem for me because I already have mine.

Packaging and Contents
I particularly like its compact lipstick-like shape which makes it really easy to just pop into my bag. Of course, it is much heavier than a lipstick but it's not too bad especially if you have a massive handbag. It comes with a smaller net pouch which you can place the charger inside so it is safe and protected and you don't have to be fishing for it in your handbag. It also comes with its own USB cable so you can charge the device itself before it is used.

How does it work
All I do is charge the Anker Astro Mini with its USB cable which came with it and that's all it needs as that holds more than full charge for my phone. Charging it does take a while but it's all worth it when you are enjoying your phone with its charge. I usually charge it overnight because I get back in the evening from work and it is still charging when I am off to bed. It has a light indicator which turns orange/yellow when it is being charged and green when it is fully charged. When it's time to charge my phone, I just connect it with my lightning cable and switch the tiny button on and it charges my phone. It actually charges it really well;  I think it's as good as the original charger my phone came with. When I am done, it automatically switches itself off which is really handy and it also does the same if the phone gets disconnected so you don't have to worry about its charge being wasted.

Verdict
I am really impressed with this little device and it has really helped me and my phone a lot. I even use it to charge my iPad and it is still able to charge both of them really well. If it is fully charged, it can  fully charge an iPhone at least twice a day (based on my experience) and I think that's really amazing. Of course, if you are using your phone at the same time as you are charging it, then it may not be as fast as you would expect. I honestly don't know why it has taken me so long to buy it. It was only £14 and it is one of the best £14 I have ever spent for real!! You can purchase it here on Amazon  That's the weekender folks and see you in my next post..x

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum and Time Zone Eye Cream-Sample Testing

Hi My Lovelies,

I have a little confession to make..I have acquired quite a few samples and I have not been using them. A good amount has already been given out to family members and friends so I am left with a few to start using and I have decided to let you know if they are worth splurging out on the full size. If you are not familiar with how to get samples or freebies as they are commonly called, I suggest you head over to these posts here and here to learn how to get them. Samples/freebies are not reserved just for bloggers; anyone can get it as far as you are a beauty lover, that's all it takes. Ok, you also have to be charming and polite as well. Over the holidays and sales, I was able to get even more samples because most beauty counters and retailers were all in a jolly good mood. One of the sales ladies told me that March and September are when most beauty brands have their biggest freebies/gifts with purchase so keep your eyes peeled. I absolutely believe her because those were the months I saw many beauty brands advertising free gifts with purchase (and also during Christmas). The first offering is from  Estée Lauder and I have two samples from them...

Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum aka ANR II

This has been raved and raved till the cows come home in the blogging and beauty world but I have just not been tempted to buy it because it is quite pricey. The full size costs about £45 for 30 ml. I actually got 3 samples of this which is more than half of the 30 ml. I gave one of the samples to my sister to try out although her skin is perfect. It says night repair on the packaging and I have only used it at night (which is rather silly of me because I think it can be used during the day if you prefer). It is easily absorbed to the skin and I use it right after cleansing. I am going to be honest, I did not really notice any wowing effect on my skin. It could be because this is just a tiny sample and/or the fact that it is more of a preventative and restorative serum as opposed to fast acting blemish/acne blasting which is what really tickles my fancy. However, I am in love with the packaging; I think it looks so cute and I like brands that take the pain to design pretty packaging for their samples rather than the annoying cheap sachets.

Estée Lauder Advanced Time Zone Eye Cream

Again, I chose this sample because it looks so pretty and I have to commend Estée Lauder for making one of the prettiest samples packaging rather than those awful sachets. I am not an eye cream person because I feel my eyes are really delicate and I don't want anything going near it. However, I was very stressed in December last year and I was going to bed really late which resulted in late nights and very limited sleeping hours. As a result, my under-eyes started looking a bit dodgy compared to the rest of my face. It was slightly darker and just looked tired. So, I thought it was the best time to whip this little luxury out. Of course, I had to start getting de-stressed by praying, meditating, eating better and sleeping well. What this eye cream did was facilitate the healing process of under my eyes and I am happy to say they are almost back to how they were in the past. I can't attribute all the success to it but I think it played a good part. It is also useful for wrinkles and ageing which, thankfully, I don't have any so I can't really comment on its efficacy. Although, it's a sample, it has a sizeable amount of product which I can see lasting for a while.

Verdict

Although I have enjoyed using these samples,  I am quite happy to move on to others. I am not entirely sure I would repurchase any of them because I was not seriously impressed but if I am in a particularly spendy mood and I won some cash/lottery, I would splurge on the eye cream because I kinda like it and I feel it's efficacious. I hope you have enjoyed this post and I will see you in my next one..x

Natural Hair Update: The Mini Bun

Hi My Lovelies,

It has been a little while since I updated you about the progress with my natural hair. To be honest, nothing really interesting has been happening hence the non-update and my routine has pretty much remained the same. I am very low maintenance with my hair and it has been doing just fine without any fuss. 80% of the time I have it in protective styles such as braids and weaves because they are versatile and easy to maintain.

After I had my weave/extensions installed in November, I took it out in January. I really liked having the weave with the closure but the weave itself started acting dodgy; it began tangling which is my pet peeve with hair extensions. Once it got unbearable, I took it down. I was a little annoyed to see I lost quite a chunk of hair after I took it down which is a bit bizarre because I didn't really have it  in for  that long to justify the amount of hair lost and I have never lost that much hair when wearing weaves; it usually happens with braids.

Despite that, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my hair could get into a teeny weeny bun...Hurray!!! I know I am pathetic but if you know my hair history*sniff sniff*, you'd understand my excitement. You see my hair was never a "grower" when it was relaxed ever since I was young (ask anyone who knows me). I never had the luxury of having my hair in any sort of bun whatsoever. Now, when I say bun, I don't mean a a full blown fluffy bun...I am getting there (baby steps). Basically, it's just a tiny bun but I love it!! I loved it so much that I actually had my "mini" bun on for almost a month which is record breaking for me. I never leave my natural hair out for more than a week because it is at that awkward stage where it is no longer a teeny weeny afro (TWA) and it's not long enough for trendy styles. I  even went further to do some hairstyles which involved enhancing my bun with some "faux buns".





How I do the "Mini" Bun
My routine for my basic bun is pretty straightforward. I usually put my hair in cornrows the night before so it does not shrink or curl back (shrinkage is the bane of natural hair). In the morning, I take the cornrows down and comb my hair with a wide toothed comb. I use some leave in conditioner and coconut oil to seal my natural hair moisture as my hair gets really dry when I am outside. Next, I brush it upwards using my Denman Brush and use a hair tie to bunch it into a small bun. The Denman Brush really helps to catch all the strands of my hair neatly without any snags. That's all really. Sometimes, I smooth my edges down with the Eco Styler Gel and an old toothbrush. I even went to the salon to have my "faux bun"  put in professionally for the first time just so I could learn how it is properly done. I actually loved it.



I enjoyed having my bun but I had to put my hair back in my favourite braid styles which is the Kinky Braids which I think is very flattering. That's it folks; I told you nothing much has changed. I am looking forward to March because it would be a full year since my Big Chop and I can't wait to show you the progressive stages my hair has gone through in the year. Also, it would be exactly a year since I started blogging and a giveaway is definitely on the way so stay tuned and see you in my next post. 

SK:N Vitamin Rich Cleanser for Oily Skin (review)

Hey My Lovelies,
You all know I have been on the hunt for very good skin as my skin is not where I want it to be at the moment. Anyways, the SK:N Vitamin Rich Cleanser is an old favourite of mine and I have no idea why i stopped using it. I bought it first sometime in 2011 when I still lived in Manchester after watching Patricia from PatriciaBright (aka BritPopprincess) on Youtube recommend it because it contains Glycolic Acid. After it ran out, I just moved on to other skin care products and i found it was not readily available in many stores. Fast forward in 2013, I really wanted to try it out and I checked in all the Boots stores around me but it was nowhere to be seen. I was desperate and cross so much so that I had to start ringing the Boots store until I was told I could only get it on Bond Street. Lucky for me, it's quite close to my office so i sauntered in there during my lunch break and this baby landed into my hands. End of my Tantrums...:-)

Packaging

Although the packaging is nothing fancy, I like how clean and simple it looks. I am beginning to think I like the combination of white and blue; I have no idea why but I recently noticed most of skin care products on my bathroom cabinet are white and blue. It has an outer cap which gives way to the inner cap that allows the product come through. I secretly wish it had a pump as it would have been easier to dispense as opposed to fiddling with the top cap but it’s not too bad.

Formulation

It does not have my usual "all natural genetic makeup" which i prefer  in skin care products but I love the active ingredients which are included that help in its efficacy. Topping the list is its Glycolic Acid(2%) content which aids in exfoliating the skin and encouraging cell renewal. If you have hyper pigmentation, you will find that , glycolic acid which is an AHA (Alpha Hydroxy Acid) is a natural derivative from Sugar Cane, can aid in fading these dark marks with time. (Read: with time as it takes dedication, patience and time; it’s definitely not a quick fix). It also contains Vitamins A,C and E hence the name Vitamin Rich which are all essential vitamins for the skin as Vitamin A contains retinol which also encourages skin cells renewal, Vitamin C which  helps brighten the skin and is a powerful anti-oxidant and Vitamin E which improves the appearance of the skin. It also contains Primrose Oil which is useful for maintaining vitality of the skin. It is essential to the wear sunscreen, even in the winter, when using products that contain either Vitamin C or Glycolic Acid as they make the skin more sensitive to sunlight which will further darken any pigmentation you may have

Application

I use this every day; in the morning and night and I think it is one of the easiest cleansers I have used in a while. I do my double cleansing with my wipes or Bioderma. I wet my face a little, take some of the cleanser and massage my face gently in circular motions. I use my Boots No 7 Cleanser brush (review here) to cleanse and massage my face and rinse off before proceeding with the rest of my skin care routine.

Results

The first thing I noticed is how soft my face feels after using it. I have used many cleansers including gel-like ones and sometimes they strip my skin off all the oil which is not particularly good as it also messes with the PH of your skin which is crucial to prevent bacterial growth/acne/all baddies. I have not experienced any stripping with this cleanser and my skin’s oil balance is perfect immediately after using it. There is no associated faux drying and my face does not feel tight at all and I really like that. If anything, it really makes it feel soft. In terms of clearing my hyper pigmentation, I have seen a marked difference in the first month of using it which is down to its content of Glycolic Acid . As with many products, I have not really seen much difference after using it for more than two months (i guess it's the law of diminishing returns setting in) probably because my skin has gotten used to this cleanser which is why i think it’s time to rotate or switch.

Cost

I got this with a deal in Boots which was offering 3 for 2 on all SK:N skin care products so I didn't actually pay the full price for it kinda. I think normally it costs £11 and it comes in this 200 ml container which has lasted me for just under 3 months so it is totally worth it. I think it should even last longer; it’s just that sometimes I dispense a little more than I need. I would suggest you wait till Boots have a deal on them to purchase it if you are not desperate as it always works out cheaper and you can also stock up on other SK:N products.

Cons

My major annoyance is that it is not readily available in many Boots. I had to go all the way to the one in Oxford/Bond Street in London to get it. So, you can either buy it online or in a really large Boots. I remember the Boots in Manchester Market Street actually had it so if you live in Manchester, you can pop down there. It is also available at the SK:N clinics which are in some parts of the UK so it is worth checking out their website. I also wish it had a pump so I can dispense this easily but that's not really a major con though!!

Verdict

Again, this is one of my favourite cleansers because it feels really good on my skin and I have not experienced any adverse effects. I will definitely give it a rest for now while I explore other cleansers which may be effective as well. I will definitely go back in a few months. If you have oily skin prone to Acne, this is one cleanser you may want to try as it has been very beneficial to my skin. I hope you have enjoyed this post and I will see you in my next post...x