Sk:n Product Review*

 

 "Only Sk:n combines the most clinically effective products and treatments and the best skincare doctors in the UK across a nationwide network of clinics."

 

The battle with my skin never seems to end - whether it's dryness, redness or the problem that many of us will suffer with at some point - acne and spots! I'm always willing to give to new products a try that promise to keep the spots at bay and quickly get rid of them when they make an appearance.

Sk:n Blemish Control Lotion   

The Sk:n blemish control lotion is for those of us suffering from spots, outbreaks and oily blemish-prone skin. Simply after cleansing apply some of the product to the affected areas and also the t-zone if you find this area is prone to getting oily.

I've suffered for spots for as long as I can remember and upon receiving this product was highly skeptical and struggled to see any differences at first. However,  over the last week I've had a terrible break out around my chin area so have religiously applied this every night as a treatment but also as a preventive. I've got to admit, I'm  pretty impressed! The breakout has near enough vanished and I've even been wearing just concealer instead of a full face of foundation which is extremely rare for me! 

  

On looking on their website it helped me make sense of why this product actually works -  Sk:n states Peptide can reduce acne causing bacteria and inflammation and Salicylic acid dissolves oil and debris that clog pores. So together these are the perfect combination for fixing those nasty breakouts!

 Sk:n Vitamin Rich Cleanser for Normal or Combination Skin

 I love a product which does the job and isn't time consuming. Who actually has time every morning and night to do a elaborate skin routine?! To use this product you simply apply it to a cotton pad or use your hands to gently wipe over your skin then wash off with water. This cleanser is packed with vitamins and antioxidants which will ensure your skin is kept glowing and youthful! I did like this cleanser but it's unfortunately not up there with my favourites however I think this is an excellent alternative to using micellar as it actually is nourishing your skin rather than just removing makeup and dirt. 

In my opinion this product would be absolutely perfect to take on holiday as it gently removes makeup, cleanses and also I found it to be very moisturizing. Although, as previously said, it probably won't beat my favourites, one thing I really like about this brand is that they explain what each ingredient does so you can understand what product would best suit your needs.

Overview

 

 Having never tried any products from Sk:n, these products have made me intrigued about their other products! I've definitely got my eyes on their anti redness cream! And in case you didn't know, Sk:n also offer skin treatments for a range of skin issues... if you'd like to find out more click here!

Hayley x 

W7 eyeliner*

I sometimes wonder if the battle to find the perfect eyeliner will ever come to end. While I've loved the Collection felt tip liners for a few years now, just recently, I don't know if they've changed the formula  but I've been finding they are drying up far too quickly! With not much success of finding another felt tip liner I like, I've started experimenting with liquid liners. While I've always thought of them as messy, I think that I've reached the eyeliner skill level where I should be able to use it with a bit more success than my early makeup days!

*Enter W7 Paint the line eyeliner into my life!* I've recently been trying out this eyeliner from W7, I've only been using it a couple of weeks but I honestly can say I am extremely impressed! One thing I was amazed at was its staying power, I was surprised to look in the mirror and see it was still looking pretty good after many hour whereas normally I find liquid liners can go a bit... crumbly and flakey (not a good look!). Also you can see for yourself from the image how black and opaque it is, its the best I'm yet to try!

At only £4.95 this is an incredible eyeliner and has definitely crept its way into my every day makeup! I would also say that it lives up to being waterproof, although it's extremely easy to remove (when you are intending to!). This eyeliner may not be as good as high end brands but if you're looking for an affordable eyeliner that won't disappoint then I would definitely say give this one a go.

The only tiny weeny problem I have with this product is it is a little stingy when I first apply it on my sensitive skin. However, after it's dried its completely fine and doesn't leave redness when I remove it. I think it may just be the time of year and my skin being more sensitive but it definitely hasn't put me off using it and hasn't caused my eczema to return!

Have you tried any makeup from W7? Let me know in the comments or tweet me @_bowsandbuttons

Hayley x

LUSH Mask of Magnaminty, NEW Self Preserving!

LUSH - Mask of Magnaminty ( £5.25/125g or £9.25/315g)

"A multi-purpose mask with a mixture of gentle yet effective ingredients to clean, calm and clear the skin"

I love a good face mask and who doesn't?! I've been a fan of LUSH for a while now and never really wanted to buy a fresh face mask. One, I didn't think I'd use it up by its expiry date and two, I didn't think it would be worth the money. But, here I present you with the solution to my problems...Mask of Magnaminty! Mask of Magnaminty is not one of the fresh face masks that you have to keep in the fridge and also I've been amazed at how long this little pot is lasting me, therefore has been totally worth the money!

PROS:

-The minty freshness of this mask is, for me, what makes this product stands out. It leaves your face feeling extremely fresh, clean and super soft.

-A bonus of this product is that it is self preserving, although LUSH is natural there is stuff in some products, which although occurs naturally, some people believe to be nasty. LUSH recently have been re releasing products that are now self preserving which means they've got rid of some nasty stuff and it's even better for your skin!

-As I said above, you don't have to keep this one in the fridge, unlike all of the other LUSH face masks. For me, this is more suitable because I know I have a bit longer to use it up and to be honest, I probably would forget about it in the fridge.

CONS:

- I really love this product, I really do but as much as I'm in denial about it, I'm not sure if it's causing me breakouts. This is kind of disappointing as its meant to keep skin clean and spots away, but I always seem to wake up with more spots after using this! After I've used up this pot, I'll definitely be trying other LUSH face masks and won't rule out using Mask of Magnaminty unless I definitely know it's what breaking me out!

- This isn't so much a con but more of a personal preference; I hate mint (yes.. weird I know) and while you may think it was stupid of me to by a mint product, I thought I would be able to get over the smell but it is quite strong and over powering and when it's sat on your face for up to 15 minutes it's important that you can withstand the smell of a product!

Overall, I'd really recommend this face mask, it is well worth the money and leaves your skin squeaky clean!

Have you tried any of LUSH face masks? What did you think of them? Comment below or tweet me @simplyhayleyx

Hayley x

Book Review: "A Dead Wife's Handbook"

"Today is my death anniversary. A year ago I was still alive"

I picked up this book by Hannah Beckerman a while ago and I was immediately really gripped, then exams got in the way and I had to enforce a reading ban (unless it was a Psychology textbook..). You may notice this is the first book review I've done on my blog, and well, simply because this book stood out to me and I'd highly recommend it as everyone can learn a life lesson or two from this book! The book, without giving ANYTHING away, tells the story from dead person's perspective, the main character, Rachel looks upon her old life and sees her husband and daughter live a lift without her.

A unique perspective - The narrative of this book is relayed by a dead person, now, that was one of the first things that drew me to this book. The idea of it could seem somewhat.. cheesy? But no, this is far from it and so beautifully written! Instead of purely a tale about grief from a grieving person's perspective, you gain insight to what it is like to have to accept your own death. While it may be hard for the living to adapt to life without a loved one, how should that person feel knowing and viewing their life move on without them and slowly seeing there is no longer a place for them in the living world.

The plot-  I normally like books that are shocking, and whilst elements of this book are somewhat predictable, it keeps you gripped you want to know how the problems of the characters are resolved and know the consequences of their, sometimes shocking, decisions.The bonds you build to the characters urges you to read on as you worry for their well-being and relationships with one another, as Rachel (the main character) does so herself.

The characters- Now, a book, in my opinion, is rubbish if you can't relate to the characters. This book is, by no exaggeration, one of the best books I've read for building up characters and making you feel as if they are alive. You learn to understand all the characters in this novel and information is revealed that, without giving anything away, makes you feel guilty for judging some characters intentions so quickly. 

Motherhood- A main theme that touched me throughout the book was motherhood, the struggle for a daughter losing her mother and a mother's despair at seeing her child suffer in her absence is heartbreaking. Despite not being a mother myself, the author allows you understand that the relationship between a mother and child is irreplaceable and how devastating the consequences are when it is removed.

The ending - Obviously I'm not going to spoil what happens at the end but I can say I'm happy with the ending, if you're an avid reader like myself, surely you understand that some endings leave you angry? Beckerman leaves you with questions about the characters lives but in a way that leaves the decision for you to make. I often feel unsatisfied with the endings, but this was so thought out and meaningful. All I can say is at the end of this book is you feel grateful for the life you lead and treasure what you have in your life and those around you. 

Overall, this was a great, quick read, I highly recommend it to anyone as I think it has a deep meaning that can relate to anyone. 

Hayley x

LUSH Birthday Haul

It was my Birthday last Saturday and during in my birthday shopping trip I couldn't resist picking up a few bits I've had my eyes on in LUSH. (If you didn't see my last haul, click here)

The last time I went to LUSH I went a bit crazy testing stuff out on my hand and when I got home I kept getting a whiff of something amazing. However,I smelt all the products I had bought, but unfortunately it wasn't anything I purchased in store that day. So when I went to LUSH on Saturday I tested out the products I thought it might be! It turned out to be the Vanillary Solid Perfume.It's described as a "sweet, yet sophisticated vanilla fragrance".  Now, here's the thing, I am absolutely in love with the scent of this, a lot of people say the jasmine is too overpowering which I don't find, however since purchasing it and wearing it I have had the biggest headache/migraine sort of thing, is it something to do with this perfume? I can't be sure, but I have read reviews of people saying it gives them headaches.

 

Another purchase of this trip was the Feeling Younger skin tint, I love a bit of highlight but I do find some can make you look a bit too shimmery.On the LUSH website it's described as "A light-reflecting skin tint made with oats, fragrant essential oils and cocoa butter for a gorgeous glow". So far I really like this product, as you an see from the swatch it blend really nicely and leaves a lovely glow but isn't too shimmery. Plus it goes perfectly with Jackie Oates. When wearing this even my boyfriend noticed that I looked different so it must be doing something!

Recently I've seen quite a few blog posts on Jackie Oates colour supplement. On the packaging this is described as a product for "fairer folk and English roses". Now I'm the the kind of person who only wears foundation because of my spot prone skin however if I had the choice I'd wear something lighter. I am quite pale so I never delved into the world of BB creams as I knew they'd probably not suit my skin tone. I haven't used this product enough to give a full review, but so far so good and it would be perfect for summer! 

Finally, I was gifted this bath bomb for my birthday from one of my lovely Uni friends, Avobath bath bomb I'm yet to use it but it smells amazing, it's so sweet and reminds me of sherbert! On the LUSH website it's described as "citrus bath bomb to cheer the spirits and feed thirsty skin" as it contains oils such as avocado and olive oil for tackling dryness (see full list of ingredients here). I've heard good things about this product so cannot wait to use it!

Have you tried any of these products? If not, would you be interested in a full review of any of these items?

Hayley x

LUSH Shower Gels and Candy Mountain Bubble Bar Review.

I thought it would be quite nice to write a little post on a few LUSH bath and shower products, as so far my reviews have heavily focused on skincare! (see my latest LUSH haul here).

The bubble bar shown is Candy Mountain, it was part of the 2013 Christmas collection. I purchased this for myself quite a while ago, however I only got round to using it last night! I'm not sure if this is part of the Christmas collection every year but I thought it would be worth showing and just giving a mini review on it as I really enjoyed using it!

The main ingredient of this bubble bar is Fair trade vanilla absolute (for full ingredients go on the LUSH website here), which makes it smell so sweet and well, like candy! It reminds me of the Snow Fairy shower gel (see below!). So if you are obsessed with that scent, like me, you'd definitely love this! The scent stays on your skin for quite a while after using and I found it made my feel skin incredibly soft, this is the first bubble bar I've tried but they do claim to be more moisturizing than the bath bombs. As you can see from the photos it made tons of bubbles! I used the whole thing, but I definitely think it could be used for at least two baths! There is glitter in this product but it's very fine and doesn't stay on your skin but, along with the colour, it makes the bath look very girly!

The LUSH shower gels shown below Prince Charming, Snow Fairy and It's Raining Men are the only shower gels I've tried so far from LUSH. Snow Fairy is definitely my all time favourite, unfortunately its part of the Christmas collection, and sadly I didn't stock up and I'm almost out! Next, Prince Charming, which was part of the Valentine's collection, I have a love hate relationship with this shower gel, it's a very... unique scent and very hard to describe! It's very sweet but not in the same way as Snow Fairy, although it smells strong while using, it leaves a lovely scent on your skin. Its Raining men is one of my latest LUSH purchases, it's certainly not my favourite but it's very fresh and moisturizing. I think my problem is with the shower gels is that nothing lives up to the perfection of Snow Fairy!

 I really want to try out Flying Fox shower gel and I'm also keen to see what the shower jellies are like. Although, it is a shame LUSH don't have a sweet candy scented shower gel as part of their permanent collection as I'm pretty sure that's all I would purchase and use!

Have you tried any of the LUSH shower gels? Which is your favourite? 

Have you seen my LUSH collection? Click here to see all the LUSH products I'm currently using! A new LUSH haul post and updated collection will be up soon!

Hayley x

First Impressions: LUSH Ultraband Facial Cleanser

On my recent trip  to LUSH (see my Mini LUSH Haul post) I purchased the Ultrabland facial cleanser. I've been trying to find some new skincare products as my eczema prone skin has been playing up recently so I need something less harsh on my skin, the micellar water I was using has dried out the skin around my eyes. I'd seen quite a few positive reviews about this product so thought it was worth a try!

Ultrabland is a gentle cleanser and which contains almond oil, rose water, beeswax and honey (read the full list of description here on the LUSH website). I haven't been using this product long enough to say for definite if I'll repurchase but so far so good!

  PROS:

-Very gentle on the skin.

-Leaves my skin feeling very soft and fresh.

-Soothes my eczema and dry patches.

-Easy to apply and wash off (I usually apply then wipe off with a damp cotton wool pad then use my Eau Roma Water).

    

CONS:

- It does feels slightly greasy on the skin (but it is described oily so I'm not sure what I was expecting- duh!) but doesn't leave skin feeling oily at all once washed off!

-This product smells a bit weird in the pot (however, you kind of get over the smell once it's on your face and it could be a lot worse! A lot of people say it doesn't really smell of anything, so maybe it's just me!

OVERALL:

I really like this product so far and am using it daily as part of my night time skin routine, I can't be so sure if I'll repurchase just yet as I'm not sure if this is definitely the cleanser for me but so long as it doesn't cause any breakouts on make my skin any worse then I would consider continuing to use this! I'm also worried about how long it will last me, it wasn't particularly cheap but if it takes a few months for me to use up then I can justify it!

Have you tried this cleanser? If so what did you think? Let me know in the comments below!

Hayley x