Late to the Party

  Jeju Volcanic Lava Clay Mousse Pack     First Impressions   I bought this the other day from a small out-of-town branch of TK Maxx - it was in the clearance section for just £3.00. Unlike a lot of the other clearance items you get at TK Maxx, this was still boxed and hadn't been opened, tested, pawed over etc, so I thought it was a great deal.   According to the brand: The pore range that protects your skin from pollution and purify your pores to   bring  out your natural beauty. This mousse pack  with rich whipped cream-like   foam containing Jeju volcanic lava that softly applies and removes impurities within the pores without any tautness and leaves a moisturized finish.   Main Ingredients: Jeju Sasa:  Rich tannin ingredients deliver pore tightening effects Jeju Akebia : Creates skin moisture barrier and enhances skin tone Jeju Fusiforme: Maintains smooth healthy skin, rich in minerals Packaging: I'll get the worst thing out of the way

Ichiko Bento is a brand new beauty subscription box, based in England but filled with beauty, skincare and lifestyle products from Korea, Japan and Taiwan.   You can opt to subscribe to a classic box, which costs £14.00 (plus £2.99 p+p) or the Deluxe box which costs £26.00 (plus £2.99 p+p).   Being an absolutely brand new box, I decided to be a bit cautious and opt for the classic box. There were several start-up problems for the company - the launch date was in May with boxes expected to arrive in June - but problems with shipping meant that the boxes only arrived mid-July.   I'll admit to becoming slightly more nervous about what to expect - an early sneak peak showed a tantalising glimpse of a SU:M32 product, which was an incredible enticement. However, a later 'sneak peak' showed a Konjac sponge, and while I have no issues with Konjac Sponges, I really didn't want to have yet another box filled with cheap filler products!   And then, just before t

DIY Matcha Face Mask   Gotta love a bit of green!   Everywhere I look, I'm seeing people extolling the virtues of Matcha tea. One cup of Matcha green tea is equivalent to ten cups of the regular green tea, so without having to guzzle ten cups of green tea you can reap the health benefits in one.   Benefits which include: *  improvement to good cholesterol levels; *the high chlorophyll levels are great for detoxification - naturally removing chemical toxins and heavy metals from your body; *Matcha green tea powder contains 60% EGCg (epigallocatechin gallate), which is a specific catechin that is most widely known to contain properties that are essential in fighting against cancer; * increases metabolism and aids the body in burning fat faster; * L-Theanine, an amino acid present in Matcha tea, gives a feeling of relaxation and calmness; *  L-Theanine also produces chemicals, such as serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals improve memory, enhance mood a

Body Shop Haul   The Body Shop used to be the haunt of my youth and then I kind of drifted away for 20 years. Every so often I'd be given Body Shop products for Christmas and I remember thinking that they were the same products that I remembered from way back, so I just formed the impression that The Body Shop remained static in the market. Almost thirty years on and this is absolutely not the case (if it ever even was). Granted, you still get the same names I remember (White Musk oil perfume, kids of the 80s?) but I don't remember them doing such a wide range of make-up and all of those beautiful around-the-world-ingredient products.   So back in early May I picked up some of their All-in-one BB Cream ( review here ) and then went back for some of their Drops of Light Resurfacing Peel  and some Honey Bronze Drops of Sun.  And then I was kind of hooked!   The Body Shop: £18.00 for 145 ml   According to the Body Shop: This quick fix brightening essential w

Benton Papaya D-Sun Cream     I was lucky enough to be chosen by Benton to try out their newest product - the Papaya D-Sun Cream SPF38.   This is Benton's first ever sun cream made of physical and chemical sunscreen agents. I was quite excited to see the inclusion of Papaya and this product contains three papaya-based ingredients. The first listed ingredient is Carica Papaya Fruit Water (55%) which is rich in vitamins and contains polyphenols, minerals and papain to keep skin healthy and beautiful. It also contains Carica Papaya Seed oil which helps skin retain moisture and to make it supple and smooth. Papain is effective in pore care, controlling sebum and dead skin cells. Other notable ingredients are niacinamide and adenosine, both brighten and smooth the complexion.   Full ingredient list: Carica Papaya (Papaya) Fruit Water(55%), Titanium Dioxide, Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate, Isoamyl p-Methoxycinnamate,  Glycerin, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Cetearyl

Sulwhasoo First Care Activating Serum EX   Source It wasn't too long into my skincare discovery journey that I came across the name Sulwhasoo and in particular, this product, the First Care Activating Serum EX would pop up consistently on people's feeds. So whenever a product was so constantly raved about, I would immediately go and check out where to buy and of course, the price. And, oh dear, Sulwhasoo is one of the more higher-end brands in the game and that pretty much put the brakes on immediately for me. Korean brand Sulwhasoo have been around since 1966 when brand originator, Suh Sung-Whan introduced ABC Ginseng cream to the market. Sulwhasoo draw from ancient Korean herbal medicine, and in particular Ginseng (Korea's signature plant) and have become deservedly well-known and revered for their use of holistic and ancient herbal ingredients mixed with modern scientific skincare innovation. Pictured above is what the product looks like. It retails for ar

The Crème Shop - Sea Kelp Eye Mask Sheet I've been buying sheet masks up when I see them for sale around the one pound mark because I like having a lot of sheets in my stash.  Most of them have been just so-so with their results, but that's generally okay as I just love the whole ritual of sheet-masking. Relaxing for up to an hour with a cooling and soothing mask (that I'm hopefully not having to adjust every couple of minutes), watching some TV, then taking off the mask and letting the essence soak in before I finish off my nightly skincare routine. I sheet-mask 2-3 times a week. I think it may just be my most favourite part of my skin care routine. I saw these eye sheet masks in T.K Maxx (a box of 3 for £4.99) and I grabbed them right away. I only wish I'd bought a couple of packs now! As you can see the mask is shaped like a fancy masquerade mask. The fit was actually pretty big and it covers all around the eye area, some of the forehead and the top of

Inspired by the Book Clean Beauty - Recipes to manage your beauty routine naturally by Elsie Rutherford and Dominika Minarovic of the Clean Beauty Co - I made my own do-it-yourself natural facial mist.     This was one of the easiest starter recipes (apart from all the food and store-cupboard based recipes, but my cupboards were kind of bare!).   Using just two ingredients - Rosewater and Barbary Fig Oil.   Rosewater and skincare utilising rose water and rose essence are one of my favourite skincare ingredients. Just look at all the amazing things it does - Rosewater helps to maintain your skin’s pH balance. It helps fight acne, dermatitis and eczema. Rose water hydrates, revitalizes and moisturizes the skin, and makes it smooth. It also helps to heal scars, cuts and wounds. Rose water cools the skin. It helps to tone the skin. It also has anti-bacterial properties. The antioxidant properties of rose water help to strengthen skin cells and regenerate skin

QVC - Tili Box (Try it, Love it)     Why on earth I didn't buy this box sooner is absolutely beyond me! I was only recently aware that QVC sold a beauty box (they are one-off boxes so you don't need to subscribe or commit). This is the Tili (try it, love it) box number 4. And it's woefully under-represented on social media and in the press as it's by far the most superior and best value box that I've had so far.   Only £20.00 with free postage from QVC (at time of writing the fourth edition box is still available). It comes in a lovely, sturdy (and big!) peach coloured box. Even though I knew what was in the box, the anticipation and excitement were at crazy levels. Just look at this presentation!   I was most looking forward to trying out the Alpha-H Liquid Gold Rose Edition. This has featured on so many Instagram feeds and I really wanted to find out why it is so loved for myself. I already use an AHA/BHA toner and sugges