When Budget Meets Luxury - Skincare and Accesories

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I mentioned in a recent post, that very rarely do you find products where you can use the words 'budget' and 'luxury' to describe it. There are however, a few gems which do fall into this category thankfully. I am aware that budget and luxury can mean different things to different people, so I have chosen a few products to suit most price brackets.

Skincare


It can be easy to spend top dollar on high end skincare which promises the world, and more. However, there are some products and brands which perform just as, if not better than some double the price. Merumaya is a brand I discovered late last year, by far the stand out product from the line is there Melting Cleansing Balm. It certainly feels like a luxurious oil when melted into the skin. It's affordable and just as effective as the Emma Hardie balm cleanser. Face masks, especially clay masks can vary in price considerably, from the very affordable to the eye wateringly expensive Omorovicza Im looking at you. One which I reach for more than my Omorovicza mask and is friendlier on the purse is the Una Brennan Anti Blemish Clay Mask. It doesn't leave skin too dry afterwards, is easy to remove with a warm flannel and clarifies the skin.

Finding a well performing lip balm can be quite tricky. You can only really test a lip balm when you see how it performs in the freezing weather. One which I constantly go back to is the Korres Tinted Lip Butters. When in contact with skin it melts into a luxurious soft butter texture which keeps lips hydrated for hours. Slightly reminiscent of the Dior Creme de Rose consistency. Not to mention they come in a range of colours and scents. They also come in a stick form which is perfect for on the go.

Accessories
Ottoman Hands Jewellery

I love wearing jewellery and even though I probably have enough pieces to last me a while, that never stops me buying more. Occasionally, I like to invest in a few key pieces which will last longer and are a classic style. Ottoman Hands is a jewellery brand which doesn't break the bank but still provide quality pieces. None of my pieces have tarnished they still look as lovely as when I first got them. Their use of precious stones certainly scream luxury but at a very reasonable price. The customer service is amazing too.

Mid Week Pick Me Up Products

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When it comes to the middle of the week I always notice that my skin needs a little pick me up. A mixture of the freezing cold weather we've been experiencing, and the daily commute starts to take its toll on my face. There are three pick me up products I always reach for when I need to look alive again.


Body Shop Vitamin C Reviver
This product exceeded my expectations, it performs just as, if not better than some serums 2 or 3 times the price of this. The Body Shop Vitamin C Reviver is a brightening serum which instantly adds life back into the face. It refreshes and soothes skin, the product itself is very unique. The serum contains light reflective particles, but is in no way glittery or overly dewy. It has a gel like consistency which when applied is almost matte. A world away from traditional 'light reflective' products. It doesn't make my skin look overly oily it just helps to perk it up and look healthier.

Ren Glycolactic Radiance Renewal Mask 
I always do a mid week mask, whether its a clarifying or hydrating mask. I've said this before and I still stand by it. This is the only face mask I have tried where you can see a noticeable difference in the look and feel of your skin almost straight away. The scent immediately awakens the senses and the unique marmalade-like texture feels cooling. I wash it off using a warm flannel and it's honestly the most effective way to remove a face mask. This mask is designed to renew complexion and that's exactly what it does. Dead skin cells are removed leaving brighter and more radiant skin.

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
Not only are these pre-soaked pads convenient they are also suitable for everyone and any skin type. The most gentle of exfoliating toners I have tried yet still perform very highly. Each pad is soaked in just the right amount of glycolic and lactic acid so they are safe to use daily. I use these in rotation with other exfoliating toners throughout the week. They really do help to renew the skin and skin is left glowing afterwards. Perfect as part of a midweek facial.

What are your pick me up products?

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil

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It's no secret that I love The Body Shop. This product has been on my shopping list for a long time. Whilst making an online order I added this to my basket. Firstly I must add that The Body Shop have a superb delivery service, my order arrived within 2 days, brilliant.

The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil
The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil £10
Very rarely do you find a product where you can describe it using the words budget and luxury. However, this is one of them. The Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil, is an oil you apply to a dry face (your fully made up face). As you struggle with saying good bye to your perfect makeup, massage the oil all over the face, the consistency is quite runny. This will lift away every scrap of makeup even the most stubborn mascara, with ease. When washed off thoroughly with a damp warm flannel it leaves no residue.The formula is gentle and doesn't leave your skin feeling tight or dry afterwards. This product is the easiest and most efficient way to remove makeup, it has a subtle scent which is not overpowering at all.  The best part about this product is the price, being from the Body Shop means it's very purse friendly and there's always some offer going on.

Are you a fan of cleansing oils?


My Dream Home

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White floors, marble accents and a large kitchen island. These are just a few of the things I would have in my dream home. My Tumblr has lately become a catalog of pictures all of which I would want my dream home to look like. I love looking at them as design inspiration. 

How I Stay Positive Part 2. Living In The Present.

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Have you ever been presented with a meal that looks so delicious you just want to devour it straight away? Often I'll rush to take a bite and then the inevitable happens; a burnt tongue. This happens to me way to often with hot chocolate, pizza, so, so often with pizza. My point is that we can often be the same when it comes to life. I don't know about you but I spend so much time trying to rush things that I forget to live and enjoy where I am now.

Trust The Process
I often get too preoccupied with how I want my future life to look that I forget to appreciate what my life is like now. I forget to exist exactly where I am now. When I graduated University I had a certain picture of how my life would look a few years later. It didn't quite turn out how I expected. so I spent alot of time wishing I was ahead in life. I pondered on how much time had gone by and I was no where closer to any of these 'goals'. I found myself not being able to enjoy certain things because I was so focused on what I didn't have. I put off being 'happy' because I wasn't where I thought I should be. I should have been enjoying the life that I have now. If we keep wishing we were ahead in life we'll miss all the small lessons life tries to teach us. I should have taken all the energy I put into wishing I was ahead and instead focused it on the now and making the most out of my time. I mean, it's true we'll never be as young as we are right now so why waste time worrying on things we don't have total control over.

I've learned recently to trust the process, and not to rush things. I trust that right now is where I need to be. I can't skip and jump to the future because there's still so much I need to learn, and who knows if that future is really what I want? Let's embrace the now and really appreciate it. Millennials, we will get to where we need to be, we just need to trust the process.

Do you ever put off 'happiness' because you wished your life was different?

Falsifeye False Lash Effect vs Falsifeye HD

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When Seventeen launched their Falsifeye mascara it was met with vast amounts of praise and hype. They've now come out with the Falsifeye HD, so which one should you try?

Seventeen Falsifeye Mascara


Falsifeye False Lash Effect 
Falsifeye is a striking mascara, the chunky packaging and the bold lettering makes you want to pick it up as it just screams FASIFEYE. After two quick coats you are left with thickened and lengthened lashes. The brush is pretty huge and easy to use. The only gripe I had with this product is that it had a tendency to become crumbly at the end of a long day. However, I can't complain too much as this mascara performed better than some that are twice the price.

Falsifeye HD 
When it comes to packaging I much prefer this tube, but I would prefer it to have much more of a minimalist print. The brush is the polar opposite to the original Falsifeye, its a plastic wand with much smaller bristles. This makes it easier to reach the smaller lashes. No matter which brush style you prefer they'll be one from the Falsifeye family to suit you. This product did a fabulous job of seperating lashes and making them look fuller. With one coat the bold claims of this mascara can be met, so with 2 or even 3 it knocks any other mascara out of the park. This one lasted much longer on my lashes without becoming crumbly or leaving me with panda eyes.

At the time of posting Boots Seventeen currently have a buy 1 get 2nd half price offer. So you could try both and make up your mind on which you prefer. Both mascaras perform incredibly well and better than some leading mascaras which are much more expensive.

Which will you be choosing?

I Like What She's Wearing

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January Loves

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Now that January is over I've rounded up a few products which I have really enjoyed and found to be effective this month. Towards the end of the January I was struck down with the flu, my fever wiped me out for a good few days and everything I had planned took a back seat. I sneezed so much I think I got abs. Seriously it was like a workout. This left me to separate the wheat from the chaff, and I found some serious wonder products.
Just a few January favourites.
The Body Shop Aloe Lip Balm
Whenever I get ill, my lips are the first to know about it. They get dehydrated and sore. The Body Shop Aloe Lip Balm is a product I've mentioned before and I raved about how effective it was. I used it every night before bed and woke with lips which were significantly softer. If you've tried lip balms and still haven't one which makes a difference I'd highly recommend this as you can visibly see and feel a difference after the first use.

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Reviver
Winter skin can be a pain, it can often look dull and lifeless. I found the Vitamin C Skin Reviver to be effective in adding radiance and adding glow back into the skin. The texture is very unique as it's light, weightless and silky. It doesn't make my combination skin more oily as it mattifies but still adds a glow. It's really unique.

Soap and Glory Butter Yourself Body Lotion
This month I couldn't get enough of this scent and I don't think things are going to change any time soon. I find 'Butter Yourself' more hydrating than 'The Righteous Butter' and much prefer the packaging too. This body lotion absorbs very fast so you can get dressed rather quickly and also hydrates the driest of skins. It softens and soothes even the driest skin.

What are some of your January loves?
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