Review: Nivea In-shower Body Moisturiser

I heard about the Nivea In-shower Body Moisturiser and thought that it was a fabulous idea! Im terrible at using body lotions or body butters because I hate how sticky and awkward skin feels afterwards - and plus, it's just another chore to add to my already long enough, daily routine. So being able to still moisturise the body, but in the shower seemed like the perfect solution as it's fast, simple and so much less annoying.

 

 

 

I was definitely not disappointed with this product! After using my usual shower products, I applied the silky moisurising cream to my arms and legs and let the water assist in absorbing the product into the skin. It is so simple to use , especially if you're always on the go. It's an amazing alternitive to body lotions as skin feels soft to the touch, but definitely not sticky or awkward. There is no doubt that I will be repurchasing.

 

I purchased the 'normal skin' version of this, but there are also 'dry skin' variations. The 250ml version retails at around £2.50-£3 whereas the 400ml version retails at around £4-£4.50. What a bargain for such an essential!



Garnier Moisture Match Review

(I posted recently that I won't be blogging as regularly due to my internet being broke but I will try to post as often as possible via my mobile's internet. Hopefully, my internet will be fixed in 2 weeks.

 

Also, this is totally unrelated but has anyone else not received their April Glossybox (UK) this month? I usually receive mine around the 10th of each month but I haven't even had a dispatch email yet! :( please let me know.)

 

 



 

I received a sample of the Garnier Moisture Match for dull skin, normal skin and normal to dry skin. I was a little bit 'in between' when decided whether I have normal or dull skin, so trying out three samples was really useful.

 

 

Normal Skin

 

The 'normal skin' sample was the best suited to my skin and worked much better than the others - so this would be the one that I would repurchase. My skin felt instantly moisturised and soft but not oily. This creamy moisturiser did exactly what it was advertised to do. Trying out all three of the samples before buying has really helped to make my decision as I probably wouldn't of purchased the 'normal skin' moisturiser beforehand.

 

 

Dull skin

 

I tried this moisturiser out first because I thought that it would be best suited to my skin and I was hoping that perhaps it would awaken and revitalise my sometimes tired skin. However, this was the moisturiser I hated! It was way too oily and made my face look shiney instead of giving it a slight glow. An oily face isn't the look I want to go for! I will definitely not purchase this moisturiser.

 

 

Normal to dry skin

 

This moisturiser worked but it didn't wow me. Of course, this would probably be one of the least suited to my skin which is probably why I didn't see a huge effect. It defintely moisturised but not much else. I wouldn't repurchase this one.

 

 

I found it really useful to be be able to try out three of Garnier's five 'moisture match' moisturisers before buying. I did actually only request the 'dull skin' product but unexpectedly recieved these three instead but I'm so happy about that because it turns out that it was a completely different one which suited my skin best. I would defintely recommend getting the samples before purchasing one of the moisturisers as I was surprised at which one actually best suited me.

 

I believe that Garnier are still offering their tailor-made moisturisers to be sampled, click HERE to try before buying.



Beauty deal of the week #1

THIS IS A NEW WEEKLY POST TO MY BLOG!

 

Like all beauty bloggers and other product obsessed young women out there, I love trying out different products but haven't always got the money to splash out so I've decided to start writing a weekly blog post featuring the 'best beauty deal of the week.' I'm hoping to make this a weekly addition to my blog but of course, this depends on the availability of offers. Hope you enjoy this! :)

 

http://www.boots.com/en/Elizabeth-Arden/#1

 

My favourite offer this week is a FREE Elizabeth Arden beauty gift, worth £77, when you purchase two or more Elizabeth Arden products - at least one being skincare - from the Boots website. Also, you don't have to worry about delivery costs as Boots deliver free to your selected store within 3-5 working days, when you spend more than £25. They also deliver for free to your home address when you spend over £45 - though their are many cheap delivery options available if neither of these apply to you.

 

The gift contains:

• 50ml Visible Difference Skin Balancing Exfoliating Cleanser
• Ceramide Capsules Daily Youth Restoring Serum, 14pcs (replica)
• 15ml Prevage AA Moisture Cream SPF 30 PA++
• 15ml FRAGRANCE FREE Eight Hour Cream Skin,
• 2.2g Quad Beautiful Color Eyeshadows in Sterling, Sugar Cube, Black Tie-Contour  

 

I've ordered mine - I'll share with you what I think when I receive the products!

 

 

Would you like to see a beauty offer every week? Let me know!

Samples haul and review!

I seem to have gained a large number of samples over the last 6 months from different places: some are from Glossybox's and others are whilst I was out and about shopping. I am a firm believer that if you don't love something when you first try it, you never will - so I guess this is when samples come in useful.

 

I have watched a few 'sample haul' YouTube videos from beauty vloggers and I've really enjoyed watching them, so I've decided to try it out too. I have a box full of samples and I have picked out a few to let you know whether it was love at first erm.. use or whether it will be shoved in a drawer and forgotten about forever!

 

 

 



Lemon by Mary Greenwell

 



This sample is teeny tiny and I would literally have gotten a handful of uses out of it, if I could have brought myself to use it more than once! When I saw the name 'Lemon' I was excited for a fresh, citrus scent but instead I was met with something an old lady would wear, but with the slight hint of grass. I honestly don't know why anyone would want to smell like this. The packaging is so pretty and it's yellow (my favourite colour) - so misleading.

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? No way!

 

 

Dermalogica daily microfoliant

 

The full-sized version of this product is pretty pricey - £38 and as you'd imagine based on that, it is popular with a number of celebrities. I can definitely see why because it is amazing! This daily microfoliant is a powder which you put on the palm of your hands, wet and rub your hands together to create a lovely, foamy substance - it pretty much acts as a fancy face wash. It's super easy to use and leaves your skin feeling unbeliveably soft and squeeky clean. I'd be really keen to try out more of their products or perhaps see if they have a cheaper alternative?

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? Yes - though I would need to have extra money lying around.

 

 

Monu Micro-exfoliant

 

I have previously written a review on a different Monu product (http://rainbowsandbeauty.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/monu-gentle-cleanser-review.html) and before I used the product I reviewed, I tried out something else which I fell in love with - yep, this sample is that product! Monu are so little heard of in the beauty community and it's so unfourunate because they make amazing products and really look after your skin. The Micro-exfoliant is easy to use and doesn't leave behind any residue or other nasty surprises. You literally just wet your face, rub it in and wash it off - simple! I always love products with microbeads; is it just me who feels like they work better?

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? Yes, and I've been converted to their other products.

 

 

Burberry Body

 

I was a little bit apprihensive when I first received this product due to its well-known 'chav' connotations but you should never judge a book by its cover. Despite the lid on this product being broke, meaning the squirty part (apologises for the bad technical terms) not working, it is a good product. It smells lovely and though it isn't the usual scent I would go for, I would buy it. It's perfect for a night out or a fancy meal, though I wouldn't wear it for day-to-day use. My fiancé also has a Burberry fragrance (Burberry Touch) and I think that smells great too. In conclusion, Burberry make good smelling fragrances!

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? Yes.

 

 

Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

It is mainly known for being a skin cream but I can't stand it on my skin because of the consistency: it's very thick and gel-like, as opposed to soft and creamy. However, it is an AMAZING lip balm! I could certainly see the difference through just one use of this product after many years of using cheaper lip products. My lips feel super soft and moisturised and it only needs to be reapplied once or twice more throughout the day. I couldn't recommend it enough as a lip balm - best find ever!

 

Would I purchase based on the sample? I already have!

 

Would you like to see more sample hauls?

Glossybox UK March: Opening

(I was originally intending on posting a video of me opening the box so you could see my genuine first reaction to the products. I actually filmed this but because I'm impatient and couldn't take ages getting ready before I opened it, I looked like rubbish in the video so have decided not to upload it. I'm sorry! Haha. But I think that the descriptions below will probably benefit you more anyway. Hope you like this. Did you receive different products? Let me know! I always love hearing what everyone else received.)

 

 

This is the Glossybox as I received it; it looks pretty empty. The product sizes are quite small and I only received one full-sized product this month, which is kind of disappointing. Overall, I liked what I received but thought that the samples could have been a little more generous. There is plenty of variation of products too: 1 hair product, 1 fragrance, 1 nail polish, 1 make-up product and 1 skin product - which is how it should be every month.

 

This is the first time ever that I have actually heard of the majority of the brands. This is good because I guess they're more popular brands but on the other hand, it's a bad thing too because the theme is 'city chic' so I was expecting more international brands that perhaps, aren't that well heard of in Britain. Also, Glossybox is supposed to give us luxury products to try out - Tresemmé and Nails Inc aren't what I would call 'luxury products.'

 

 

The theme for this month's Glossybox is 'city chic' which is something I wasn't expecting but I was really excited to see what was inside. We received the usual leaflet with a list of the products inside and also a travelling book which I thought was quite cute; it has a number of cities and countries in it featuring images of their main attractions and a few random facts. It honestly looks like it took a while to make and a lot of thought has clearly gone into it. It made me want to see the world! Haha.

 

 

Juicy Couture - Couture LaLa - £63 / 100ml

 

When most people open their Glossybox and see a perfume sample, they think "uh-oh" but I love receiving fragrances because the majority of the time, they smell great and I discover brands I would never have considered buying. Couture LaLa is another one of them fragrances I would never have considered buying, but now I have smelt it - I want it! Juicy Couture is known to be quite chavvy (sorry) and isn't what I would consider to be a luxury product. However, I love the scent so I can't really complain. It's my favourite kind of scent: fruity, fresh and girly. I would definitely purchase this - though it is pricey.

 

 

Tresemmé - Salon Finish Extra Hold Hairspray - £4.69/500ml

 

I wasn't expecting to receive a Tresemmé product in a Glossybox but I am looking forward to using this. I love the smell of Tresemmé products (not sure why) so they are always a win for me. I have never tried their hair spray though so I can't wait to use it. It is 'extra hold' which is fantastic for me because I always go for the stronger hold hair sprays because my hair is thick and out of control at times. But still, Tresemmé in a Glossybox?

 

 

Nails Inc - St James - £11/10ml

 

This nail polish is London's 'contribution' to the city chic themed Glossybox. I love the shade; it's not blood red but more of a bold red with a slight dark-pink tint. This is the type of shade I would usually go for anyway so I can't wait to wear this. I was a little bit disappointed that we didn't receive a full-sized product of this considering nail polishes are generally small products anyway. But still, you could get a few uses out of this 4ml version. I really hope it's not one of those nail polishes that chips after 2 days!

 

 

Elizabeth Arden - Eight Hour Cream Skin Protectant - £25/50ml

 

This sample is absolutely teeny tiny and in all honesty, I can't really understand its purpose. It is a 'New York' skin cream to revitalise tired skin - apparently it's best for those busy girls who are always on the go. I would be surprised if I got more than one use out of this product because it is only 7ml; it is the same length as my little finger! However, I am always open to new things and seeing as it's expensive and such a well-known brand, I have high hopes.

 

 

Jelly Pong Pong Cosmetics - Lip Blush - £12/2.5g

 

This lip blush is a full size product (YAAAAY!) Jelly Pong Pong is the only brand in this box that I haven't heard of so if I like this, I would buy more of their products. Perhaps they are bigger abroad? I couldn't figure out where the brand is actually based. It looks like an over-sized crayon, which isn't terribly convincing and it smells like an over-sized crayon too. However, I love the shade and I think the red tone would suit most skin tones so it is very well chosen.

 

 

Let me know what products you received. What did you think?



Monu Gentle Cleanser: Review

I have been using the Monu Gentle Cleanser for a few weeks. I purchased it shortly after receving the January 2013 Glossybox as there was a different Monu product inside which i loved. After trying the sample of the Monu Micro-exfoliant, I had a look on their website at what other products they have on offer. At the time, I was on the look out for a new cleanser or moisturiser which doesn't irritate my skin (because my skin breaks out so easily) and I spotted the Gentle Cleanser.

Monu had a variety of cleansers on their website but I went for the 'gentle' one because it said that it was suitable for sensitive skin. Monu use only natural products, which assured me that my skin would improve and not get worse through use. It is reasonably pricey: £17.50 a bottle, but I wasn't bothered as long as it worked.

I applied the cleanser by putting a small amount on my finger tip and gently massaging it into my face. I took it off with a muslin cloth; on the bottle, it recommends that you take it off with a tissue or cotton pad but I preferred to do it this way so you don't get unwanted bits on your face. I didn't 'dry' it as much, just kind of dabbed and rubbed slightly. Afterwards, my skin felt so soft that I didn't even feel the need to moisturise. My face looked noticeably brighter and my complexion has improved in general. I now use it on a daily basis, usually just after I've had a shower as the steam helps it to seep in more.

On the back of the bottle, it always gives a tip on how to have a mini-facial with the product, which I now follow once a week. It states that you should take a little longer massaging gently into the skin, keep on the face for a couple of minute longer before using a hot, damp muslin/facial cloth to take it off. I like to just place the hot, damp muslin/facial cloth on my face and hold it there for a little while before just 'dabbing' it off.

Almost a 2-in-1 product; I will definitely be repurchasing. Also, Monu send a mini brochure of their products when you order online.

To purchase the Monu Gentle Cleanser, click here

www.monuskin.co.uk