LUSH - Angels On Bare Skin cleanser REVIEW

On a trip to Southampton at Christmas I popped in to Lush to buy some goodies for my friends (everyone loves a Lush goodie box at Christmas, let's face it).
I was about to reach the till when I remembered a product that has been causing a little bit of a stir in the beauty bloggersphere: Angels On Bare Skin cleanser.

The sales assistant looked to see if they had any in stock but they were all out, she did however give me a small sample to take home for free, how nice is that? Thank you Lush Southampton! So, off I popped home with my incredibly gorgeous smelling bag of Lush goodies.

That evening I embarked on my Lush cleansing journey to the smoothest skin ever! Now, I have problem skin and always have, so the fact that Angels On Bare Skin is made with 100% natural ingredients was already selling it to me. I tend to find that after cleansing my skin feels dry and tight, and takes on an angry red appearance.
Angels On Bare Skin's main ingredient is almond milk, famed for its brightening and toning properties. When the cleanser is mixed with water the ground almonds act as a gentle exfoliant, suitable for everyday use. Alongside almond milk is kaolin to absorb oil, and glycerine to soften and moisturise the skin. The smell is decidedly natural, for obvious reasons, with the main scents being lavender and almond. I find this really pleasant to apply, the lavender giving a soothing aroma making this the perfect night-time cleanser (though I use it morning and evening!)

To use Angels On Bare Skin simply break off a pea sized amount of the solid cleanser, and mix with a little water in your palms. You can either make a paste or a milk texture, whichever you prefer. Massage this mixture onto damp skin, rinse off, and admire!

After using Angels On Bare Skin my skin felt, soft plump and supple. There was so little trace of tightness or dryness that I was even tempted to skip my moisturiser. Fear not, I didn't, but that just gives you an idea of the moisturising properties of this amazing cleanser.
Angels doesn't break me out, and throughout the day my skin is less oily than when using other cleansers.

♡ I give Angels On Bare Skin by Lush two massive thumbs up, and at £6.25, so does my purse! ♡

So, have you tried Angels On bare Skin? I'd love to know everyone's thoughts.

If you'd like to try Angels On Bare Skin, pop in to your local Lush shop, or click here to buy online!

XOXO

Colour block nails: Barry M & E.L.F

For today's post I wanted to share with you my colour block nails, perfect now that summer has decided to make a tentative appearance. I decided to use a twist on an old classic, the French manicure, but this time utilising my most Barbie-esque shades. The two colours I have used here are Barry M Nail Paint in Bright Pink, and E.L.F Nail Varnish in Lilac.

As always, I have begun by using a base coat which in this case is Revlon Quick Dry Base Coat. I then layered two coats of Barry M Bright Pink to create an opaque finish for my base colour. To create the tips I simply swiped E.L.F Lilac horizontally across my nail in two thin coats. Always make sure to paint over the free edge at the end of your nail, as this will reduce the likelihood of chipping.
To finish I am using my favourite top coat, Save The Nail 45 Second Top Coat, which delivers a high-shine finish. Better yet it is touch dry in seconds meaning you are good to go without fear of smudging and chipping. It's fabulous, and I highly recommend it if you, like me, get impatient when painting your nails.

Well, I hope you enjoyed my colour block nails. Below are links to all the products I used in this blog post if you'd like to try this NOTD:

Revlon - Quick Dry Base Coat: Boots £6.49
Barry M Nail Paint - Bright Pink: Superdrug £2.99
E.L.F Nail Varnish - Lilac: Eyes Lips Face £2.50
Save The Nail - 45 Second Top Coat: Boots £6.95

XOXO

Clarins Daily Energizer Cream REVIEW

So, I have firstly got to apologise for the lack of blog posts recently. Changing jobs has meant my time has been super used up. However, my love of all things beauty has not waned.

I wanted to post a blog about my new found love of all things Clarins. Now, Clarins is a brand that I've never tried and due to their price tags was reluctant to try. With my problem skin I didn't want to invest in a product that I wasn't going to be compatible with, and waste a lot of pennies in doing so.

Luckily for me, I recieved a set of Clarins products at Christmas last year, to include Clarins Daily Energizer Cream. When I started using this Moisturiser I must admit I was not entirely sold. In particular, I didn't like the citrusy smell that most beauty bloggers rave about (in fact mine didn't smell anything like the descriptions I had seen online). But, as it was a gift, and an expensive one at that I was determined to love this moisturiser. And my determination certainly paid off. 

Just a little about my skin-type. I have dehydrated, combination skin which is also acne-prone. What a lovely combination! My T-zone gets oily, though not as oily as it used to. My cheeks are normal, and I almost always have some form of blemish on my skin.

Clarins Daily Energizer Cream has a medium consistency in terms of thickness, and glides on very easily. I found that it absorbed in seconds and left my skin feeling nicely hydrated, without leaving any residue on the skin. I also found that this kept my skin mattified throughout the day, something that Clarins has not mentioned as a feature of the product. In fact, my experience of using this product almost exactly rings true to Clarins' own description of the moisturiser (below).

"Daily Energizer Cream delivers soft, smooth skin - minor imperfections disappear and your complexion is left healthy-looking and radiant. Skin is soft and supple but does not shine. With no oily effect, it is also an excellent base for make-up. Skin is perfectly hydrated and your complexion is even, fresh-looking and bright. Recommended for women in their 20's."

So what about the smell? Well, after using this consistently I started to enjoy the smell, and by the end of my pot I was absolutely in LOVE! Something about it makes you just feel content. It is a refreshing scent that compliments the fresh feel that this moisturiser delivers. 

Now, it's not just myself that has fallen in love with Daily Energizer Cream. Daily Energizer Cream is the winner of Best Everyday Moisturiser Red Best of Beauty Awards 2012, and also winner of Best Day Cream Elle Beauty Awards 2011! So will I be repurchasing? Despite the RRP £21 price tag I certainly will. Coming in to summer I am tempted to invest in the Daily Energizer Cream-Gel, as a lighter solution.

You can purchase Clarins Daily Energizer Cream here on the Clarins website or if you want to try the Cream-Gel just click here.

Those of you who are Boots fans, like myself, can also purchase Clarins Daily Energizer Cream here on the Boots website, or in selected stores Nationwide.

Thanks for reading everyone, if there are any Daily Energizer Cream fans out there do let me know your thoughts, and likewise if any Clarins fans can recommend any other moisturisers that are great let me know!