Late to the Party

I'm a bit of a creature of habit with hair care products.  I'll also usually pick whatever is on special at the time from a high street chemists, maybe waiting to pick up my usual favourite when it is on offer. The only time I try something special for my hair is when it comes in a beauty subscription box. The Christophe Robin cleansing volumizing paste with pure Rassoul clay and rose extracts came is one of those items I received in a previous beauty box.    Christophe Robin Cleansing Volumizing Paste Full size and price is £42.50 for 250ml. (Buy HERE )   It's taken me a while but I have finally come to realise that there are your everyday functional items which do the job quick and efficiently and don't cost the earth. And then there are those products that are a real tactile and sensual experience - you know, the whole pampering, spa-at-home deal that generally does cost the earth! This hair treatment definitely comes in the latter bracket and I

Delighted that it's time for another edition of my favourite beauty box - the QVC Tili (Try it Love it) box. This is the sixth Tili box - just £20 (inc P+P) for an amazing eleven products (mixture of full and deluxe sample sizes).   Buy HERE.   Let's take a look inside     * Nails inc Nail Varnish Full Size - this is a gorgeous exclusive shade called Rose Bellini, just for the Tili Box. You know you're never going to be disappointed with Nails inc, and this stunning metallic rose gold nail varnish is perhaps my favourite item in the box.           * Red Clay Naturals Miracle Balm by Taya - 30ml. Glad I looked this one up as I actually thought it was skincare rather than haircare (there are directions on the tub, but the writing is so teeny tiny!). This has raw Maracuja oil in and smells delicious (I'm sure I can smell raspberries).         * Pixi Glow Booster in White Pearl (12ml) I would have been much more excit

In my continued search for the best higher-end foundation, my first port of call, based on the number of people who raved about this on social media, was Estee Lauder's Double Wear.   Source   I first tried out a sample of the Double Wear Light (30 ml £32.50). A lightweight, natural-looking foundation that controls oil and will apparently last for 15 hours without fading or melting off. It also has an SPF of 10.   My first colour match in a Debenhams in Hastings was matched up for me as Intensity number 3 - which on hindsight, is actually slightly too dark for my skin tone. As a side note, I have been colour-matched a few times now with a different shade chosen each time! So it really does pay to have a second (and maybe third or fourth!) opinion. They do have skin-reading machines at most Estee Lauder counters, but more often than not, the representative would match your colour by eye - and that's obviously going to vary from person to person.   The goo

  For the best value Sheet Mask pack - it has to be Mask n Chill. Buy HERE   Just $10 (approx. £7.50) for five sheet masks including shipping from Malaysia (super quick shipping too!). Here's what I received in my November pack: *  HelloSkin Jumiso Water Splash Sheet Mask -ultra hydration mask using marine complex. * SNP Character mask - got to be honest, I don't know who or what this character is! * Watsons Red Rose calming and softening facial mask - I think Watsons is a department store in Malaysia. * Mediheal Cacao Ade Mask - To clean pores and refine skin texture. With cacao and coffee extracts - this should be an interesting scent. * Secret Key - Nature Recipe Mask Pack - Honey - enhances glossiness and targets elasticity. Which to try out first? I think I'm most intrigued by the Helloskin Jumiso and the Mediheal Cacao Ade masks... 

  Dr Botanicals Tropical Invigorating Cream Duo Moisturiser   50ml £39.90 Buy HERE      I was sent this moisturiser by Dr Botanicals in return for an honest review.   Suitable for normal and oily skin, this moisturiser contains botanical extracts to protect and moisturise the skin. Among the ingredients are Elderflower - to protect the skin from free radical damage; Chamomile Flower extract to soothe irritated and damaged skin and Tiare Flower extract which helps to moisturise, nourish and purify the skin.   Full Ingredients Aqua (water), Rosa Damascena Flower Water, Glycerin, Glyceryl Strearate SE, Cetearyl Alcohol, Strearic Acid, Cocos Nucifera (coconut) oil, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Extract, Isoceteth-20, Phenoxyethanol, Polyacrylamide, Benzyl Alcohol, Carbomer, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Sodium Hydroxide, Tocopherol, Laureth-7, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Dehydroacetic Acid, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Lecithin, Avena Stringosa

It really doesn't pay to procrastinate with your Latest in Beauty order! Every single day I check out Latest in Beauty's 'Product of the Day' - and when I feel like there's a perfect collection, I'll make an order.   However... I dithered too long with the last lot of products and by the time I decided to order, most of the products I had my eye on had gone! They'd also run out of stock of my beloved 111 Skin sheet masks and the Oskia Renaissance mask!   But it really doesn't take long for a whole new load of lovely choices to open up and so at the beginning of the month, I made my choice and had a stern word with myself to stop bloody umming and aahhing!   This month I opted for the 'Beauty Enthusiast' subscription - which is 6 items for £15.00 per month (includes P+P). You can also choose 3 items ( 'The Beauty Novice') for £9.00 per month (includes p+p) or 9 items for £18.00 per month (includes p+p).   Subscribe HERE.

  Oskia Renaissance Mask 50ml £51.00 Buy HERE     I came across this product almost by accident when I decided to pop a deluxe sample size of it into my first Latest in Beauty subscription box (I'm afraid it's no longer one of their choices now though).   And ohhhh! I just don't know where to begin with how utterly perfect this mask is - it's by far my most favourite face mask that I've ever encountered!   Let's take a look at the brand's claims for this product: * Gives immediate spa facial results and long term anti-aging and brightening. * Ingredients include natural fruit AHAs which gently exfoliate the skin and lactic acid to promote cell regeneration. * Deep cleanses, reduces pore size, blockages and spot formation. * Leaves skin smooth. * Protects the skin's ecosystem through the use of prebiotics. * Suitable for all skin types.   Ingredients Glycerin, Aqua (Water), Cetearyl Olivate, Dimethyl Sulfone (MSM

For a while I've been satisfied with my small collection of high-street foundations but, well...just a bit bored! I don't want to settle for 'they'll do' with a makeup item that forms the base of my face for the day. So I've been on the hunt for a higher end foundation that I'll truly feel in love with rather than just settling for.   My skin type   Foundation is an intensely personal and unique-for-everyone choice. Although I would class my skin in the bracket of combination/oily skin - it's not the same everyday - sometimes I have dry patches, sometimes it's oilier than other times. I'm guessing it's down to environmental factors and whatever skincare products I've been using, time of the month, etc - there are all sorts of variables, so ideally I'm looking for a foundation that can work with however my skin is behaving on a particular day - does a foundation that can do that even exist?   Also, if my research is based

I didn't receive my October edition of the Look Fantastic beauty box so they sent me a replacement, which just so happened to turn up on the same day as the current November beauty box - so that was obviously a fab post day for me!     I'm really loving the Look Fantastic Beauty Box . It's just £15.00 per month with free shipping. So far, I don't feel like I've received any 'fillers' and the brands are always good and varied and as yet, there don't seem to be the 'usual suspects' of brands who seem to appear in every single beauty box.     So, let's take a look at the October box     A lovely salmon pink box with rose gold edging and lettering. This is the 'Indulge Me' edit. I love these simple box designs - I'm already thinking 'ooh! What can I store in this?' as I open it.      It also comes with the latest issue of Elle magazine - but to be honest, I don't really think too much of