The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter [review]

Before I finish this product, I thought I'd do a review (and take pictures), unlike my review on the RMK Cleansing Balm. I've been using the Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter constantly, ever since I got it in the March YBD box.

It is solid in the tin, but starts to melt once you apply it over your face. I use the cleansing butter to remove my makeup at the end of the day, and it definitely does a great job of it. You only need a small amount of the butter to massage over the skin and then I use the muslin cloth (first dipped into warm water) to remove. The Camomile Cleansing Butter removes all the stubborn makeup (even waterproof mascara) and the muslin cloth wipes it all away. Obviously you would need more than one muslin cloth if you were to use it daily, which is where my little stockpile of Liz Earle ones come in handy.

 

I'll definitely be repurchasing this cleansing balm when I finish it, as it's really easy to use on a daily basis and is suitable for sensitive skin and for use around the eye area. Also, it's a lot easier to get hold of than the RMK Cleansing balm and not to mention, much cheaper!
 

x

Share:

The Body Shop Vitamin E Sink-In Moisture Mask [review]

If you have dry/dehydrated skin, this sink-in moisture mask by The Body Shop is one for you. The idea is that you apply a thin layer over the face and leave it for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, most of the mask would have been absorbed into the skin and all that is left is to remove whatever remains with a cotton pad. 

At first, this mask was a little odd to use, as I'm so used to using clay masks and peel off masks that it was weird not to remove it all at the end. The Body Shop Sink-In Moisture mask isn't heavily scented and smells like the rest of the products in the Vitamin E range. I've managed to get two masks out of the one sachet, as it says to apply a thin layer. After 10 minutes, most of the mask had been absorbed into the skin with only a few patches to remove. My skin felt firmer and softer, and I found that my moisturiser and makeup applied more smoothly.

I would definitely recommend trying this face mask to anyone with dry/dehydrated skin. It's available in a 6ml sachet (perfect for testing out as I did), as well as a 100ml tub. I've also got a similar mask by Avene which I'll be trying soon, so look out for that review =)

 

 

x

Share:

You Beauty Discovery Box - March

Every month, the YBD box seems to go from strength to strength with the variety of products to choose from and the fact that they are always a decent size (no sample sachets/vials for this box!). This month's box focused on the 'Best of British' products and again, there was a great selection of products to choose from. I chose the Body Shop Camomile and Scrumptious Cleansing Butter and Muslin Cloth and the Dr Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips. The extra's for this moths box included Vintage Cosmetics Tweezers (or lashes/toe separators depending on your box) and 2 tea bags from Dragonfly Teas.

Both the products I chose are full size, with the Body Shop Cleansing Butter retailing at £12 (90ml) and the Dr Lipp Balm at £11.50 (15ml). The value of the products is definitely worth the price of the YBD box which costs only £6.95! I'm hoping that the Camomile Cleansing Butter is similar to the RMK Cleansing balm (which I reviewed here), and at a fraction of the price, I can afford to repurchase. I'm not a big fan of tea (unless it's spiced tea/chai), but I am trying to cut down on the amount of coffee I drink and hopefully substitute with flavoured teas. The two teas I got in my box are Moonlight Jasmine (organic green tea) and Swirling Mist (organic white tea).

What do you think of this months products?



x

Share:

September Empties

I've finally finished Project 10 Pan:Take II, and will now (hopefully) be posting monthly (or bi-monthly) empties blog posts. So far, I seem to be using up more products, although I'm struggling to find a place to store the empty bottles/sachets/tubes etc. without them being thrown away! Anyway, here's all the stuff that has been used up throughout September =)

 

 

 

Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour (5.3 Golden Brown) - I got my sister to put this in my hair on Thursday, and I love that it's tinted my really dark brown hair, so that it looks a lot lighter in the light (if that makes sense). Also, as it doesn't contain ammonia, there is no horrible chemical smell. It's supposed to smell floral, but I didn't notice it that much (which is a lot better than the really strong standard hair dye smell). Will definitely be buying this when I dye my hair again, possibly going for a mahogany or red colour instead.

Celia Birtwell Lip Balm - A cherry scented lipbalm which I have finally finished. I kept this one in my pencil case during uni alongside a tube of carmex, for days when I wanted to moisturise my lips, but not too much. I am trying to use up more of my lipbalms at the moment, as I have such a large collection.

Bare Minerals Foundation sample (Medium Tan) - This little sample pot has lasted ages and I'm considering buying the fullsize product. I love using mineral foudation, especially because I have sensitive and combination skin, so it won't cause any bad reactions and will also help to keep my t-zone oil free. I was matched to this shade a few months ago, although my recent trip to Selfridges ended up with me being matched to a foundation that was 1-2 shades darker. Will probably have to do a bit more research before I buy anything.

Sarah Jessica Parker Covet Pure Bloom (30ml) - I bought this ages ago from Boots Clearance for around £6. It's a nice Spring/Summer fragrance with a mixture of floral and fruity notes (according to Google) and has a refreshing scent. Also love the little bottle and the purple flower lid.

Lush Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly - Lush products smell amazing and this is no different. The Sweet Pie shower jelly reminds me of Bassett's soft and chewy vitamins, which I used to have when I was younger. I broke this up into small chunks and then lathered up in my hands before using, in order to avoid creating a mess which would then end up with most of the jelly down the drain. Also love that it's a purple colour and contains a little glitter (which doesn't actually end up on the body).

FCUK Polished Body Spray - Another body spray, this time from Boot's Clearance. I think these usually come out in the FCUK Christmas gift sets. Not too sure about the smell of this either, as there's just something about it that I don't like. I've got another bottle somewhere which I need to use up before buying anymore body sprays.

The Body Shop Japanese Cherry Blossom Shower Gel - Loved the smell of this! And the floral scent definitely lingered for a while (instead of disappearing completely). I recieved this as a gift and would repurchase (once I've finished using up my supply of shower products).

Cherry Blossom Invigorating Body Spray - Bought this from Poundland a while back. A really big bottle, that I ended up using as a room spray as the scent was pretty weak and didn't last for very long (well what can I say, it's from Poundland).

Boots Therapy Sweet Nourishment Smooth Me and Boots Therapy Fruit Revitaliser Smooth Me - I bought both of these from Boots clearance (not too sure if they stock them in Boots stores). They are both shower smoothies with cupuacu peel as the exfoliators (or skin polishers). I didn't find these to be particularly exfoliating, and definitely preferred the Sweet Nourishment scent over the Fruit Revitaliser (maybe because it smelt like vanilla and chocolate).

Japanese sheet mask - Sam (Sam's Beauty Blog) kindly gave me a few face and eye masks to try out from her huge Sasa.com haul in May. This is the first one that I've tried and it's a sheet mask which is supposed to nourish and brighten the skin. The hardest thing was keeping a straight face after I'd put the mask on (I scared/shocked a few family members that morning!). My skin definitely appeared brighter, and I think if you use these on a regular basis then the effects would be more noticeable (now to try and hunt some down on ebay).

Superdrug Sugar and Spice Self Heating Face Mask - This face mask was a bit hit and miss with me. I didn't like the smell as I found it way too synthetic/chemical like. The face mask warms as soon as you apply it to the face, and then cools slightly (but is still pleasantly warm). It doesn't actually dry, so I left mine on for a bit too long, but it did leave me with skin that felt smooth and more clearer. It also has moisturisng properties (my skin didn't feel tight after using the mask). Not sure if I'd repurchase, simply because of the smell.


Pretty good for an empties post! I've managed to use up 12 products in September =)

What do you think of empties posts? Yay or nay?





x

Share:

TBS Chocomania Lip Butter [review]

I had a voucher for £3 off any Body Shop product and thought I should put it to good use. Combined with the Love Your Body card discount, this lip butter only cost me 90p! The Chocomania lip butter from The Body Shop's Chocomania range (and the product seems to have disappeared from the website). I love the smell of this lip butter as it reminds Terry's chocolate orange. It's similar to the chocolate and orange lip butter that TBS used to do (ages ago).

yes it has been used a fair bit! =)

The lip butter has a smooth, creamy texture and easily spreads over the lips without a sticky or greasy feeling. It does moisturise the lips, but this doesn't last very long on me and does need to be reapplied. I wouldn't recommend using this over a lipstick as the lip butter does apply in a cream colour which would mute the colour of the lipstick, but it does disappear once rubbed in. The Chocomania lip butter contains quite a few community fair trade ingredients, including cocoa butter and organic beeswax. I use this lip butter when I'm in need of some chocolate (but there's none to eat in the house). It's all the chocolate with none of the calories (it doesn't taste of chocolate). The lip butter retails at £4 for a 10ml tub, or can be bought as part of the Chocomania gift set.

Has anyone else tried something from the Chocomania range? What were your thoughts?





x

Share:

Project 10 Pan: Take II #4

The fourth product to have been used up is The Body Shop Tea Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash. This is one product that I used quite a lot in the past, but after having not used it in ages, I don't think it works for me as well anymore. Mostly because my skin has become drier over the past few weeks and patches of eczema have started to flare up again. The exfoliating wash is mild enough to use at least once every two days, however it doesn't contain enough crushed apricot stones for it to be as exfoliating as I want it to be. It has a creamy consistency and isn't too thick (which is why it's called a wash rather than a mask or a scrub). The tea tree is scent is particularly strong, which I do like as it's really refreshing (especially when used in the morning).

Anyone else tried the tea tree blackhead exfoliating wash? What did you think?




x

Share:

Lush Ultrabalm-Review and Comparison

Remember my Wishlist 2011 post from December? One of the products listed was the Lush Ultrabalm, that I later recieved as part of my 'not-so-secret' santa gift. After a good two months of using the balm, I think it's time to write about my experience with it.
First thing I should tell you is that I have eczema, which is basically a non-contagious skin condition that varies in symptoms according to the individual. In my case, I get patches of really dry and flaky skin which used to be on my face (near my eyes) when I was younger, but is now around my ears and hairline (I have no idea why/how it's moved). I've tried a bunch of products, from E45 to prescribed creams and lotions (that I don't remember the names of). Before Lush Ultrabalm, I was using the Body Shop Hemp Balm (mini review here) and wanted to try something new once that had been used up. I was going to purchase Lush Ultrabalm, but my friend beat me to it!

(sorry for the dodgy picture taken with the phone)

Lush Ultrabalm is packaged in an almost identical way to the Body Shop Hemp Balm, in a tin tub with a screw on lid. Because the product can become quite greasy, it's a lot easier to take some out of a tub rather than squeeze a tube, so I do like the packaging because it is practical (and easy to store). The balm itself is a lot softer than the Body Shop Hemp Balm, which makes it easier to use, as I don't have to spend ages trying to warm it up for it to come out of the tub. I love products that smell good but unlike the rest of Lush's products, the Lush Ultrabalm doesn't have a particularly nice smell, even though it is supposed to be unscented (maybe it's just the natural scent?), however it is not as strong as the Body Shop Hemp Balm, which I definitely did not like. Lush Ultrabalm is definitely working a lot better at reducing the eczema that I have around my ears. Since I've started using it, the patches of eczema have reduced and I'm not having to continuously itch behind and around my ears (which is actually quite hard to do through my hijab!). I also use the ultrabalm on other patches of dry skin especially on my feet (although I prefer to do this at night before I go to sleep).

Lush UIltrabalm works out as more expensive out of the two (for the same amount of product, 45g) although considering that the ingredients in Lush Ultrabalm (there are only three!) are all natural and vegan friendly I wouldn't mind paying the extra amount.

Anyone else tried the Lush Ultrabalm or The Body Shop Hemp Balm? Let me know what you thought of it =)



x

Share:

Project 10 Pan #3, #4 & #5

I'm glad I started P10P, because now I can record which products I'm finishing and try and use up products which I'm not too keen on! These three products have been finished for quite some time, but I just haven't been able to find the time to blog about them.

First, we have The Body Shop Hemp moisture high balm. I used this for my eczema when it was particularly dry and flaky. The texture is similar to Vaseline, and it can get quite greasy so I would only recommend this if you have extremely dry skin. I'm not going to be repurchasing as I'm hoping to try out a different product which may work better at reducing/calming the eczema.

The next product on this post is the Nivea Soft Moisturising Cream (75ml tube). This is a great body moisturiser and I've been using it on both arms and legs. I've always loved the smell of Nivea products, but didn't like the texture of the Nivea Creme (the one in a blue tub). This one has a light texture but still moisturises pretty well, and the tube was the perfect size to fit into my uni bag!

Final product which is finished is the No7 Total Renewal Micro-dermabrasion Exfoliator. This is an exfoliator which I have had for ages (bought from Boots clearance) and it leaves my face smooth and feeling clean. I definitely didn't get as many spots when using this product on a regular basis. However if I wasn't light handed when exfoliating, I would end up with a red face (because it can be quite harsh and irritate the skin). I used minimal amounts of the product once or twice a month to avoid over-exfoliating. Not sure if I'll be repurchasing as I'm on the look out for an exfoliator which is not as harsh on the skin. Definately would not recommend for sensitive skin! This is an alternative method to having a microdermabrasion facial rather than going to a salon.



Halfway through P10P already! Let's see what products I manage to finish next =)



x

Share:

Lip balm Collection revisited

A few days ago, I randomly decided to count the number of lip balms that I owned. The last time I blogged about my lip balm collection was in December 2010 and since then it has grown quite a bit. Turns out that I have a nice collection (obsession) of 39 lip balms. This is not including any back up lip balms that I have, as well as the Vaseline lip tin. So without further ado, here's a collage of my lip balm collection =)

(click on the image for actual image size)

So there are quite a lot there, and I'll just list the names below (incase anyone does want to know).

Starting in the top left hand corner:

E.L.F Therapeutic conditioning lip balm (Vanilla), Softlips (French Vanilla), Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie, Clinique Superbalm Moisturising Gloss (Grapefruit), The Body Shop Lip Roll on (Mint), TBS Papaya Lip Butter, TBS Mango Lip Butter, Rose&Co Rose Petal Salve, Rose&Co Cherry Kiss, Vaseline Lip Therapy tube, Carmex Classic, Nivea Light Kiss 

E.L.F Candy Shop Lip Gloss (Berry Pop), Lip Smackers Coca Cola, Simple Pleasures Citrus Cooler, SP Coconut Vanilla Bean, SP Pineapple Mandarin, SP Mango Sugar Cane, SP Hibiscus Kiwi, SP Passionfruit Orchid, TBS Born Lippy Cool Mint, TBS Born Lippy Strawberry, H&M Fresh Lime, H&M Fresh Mint 

I Love...Raspberry & Blackberry, Boots Extracts Cocoa Butter, Madinat Jumeirah Coconut Lip Balm, Celia Birtwell Lip Balm, LUSH Lip Dip Lip Scrub (LE), LUSH Sweet Lips Lip Scrub, E.L.F Studio Conditioning Lip Balm SPF15 (Mellow Melon), Sleek Pout Polish Perfect Plum, Sleek PP Raspberry Souffle (LE), Sleek PP Peach Perfection, Sleek PP Frosting, Lip-o-cino Ice Berries, Next Sweet Mango Lip Balm, H&M Pink Frosting and H&M Creme Brulee

note: TBS = The Body Shop, SP = Simple Pleasures, PP = Pout Polish.

And here's how I store some of them, stacked up on top of one another. These are the ones that I reach for the most and therefore are kept on my desk instead of in my drawer =)

(tray from TBS Body Butter Trio)

I don't have one favourite lip balm, but I do use a few more than others =)
- The Celia Birtwell Lip Balm is kept in my bag (and is transferred from bag to bag!)
- Carmex is the one I use the most at home
- The Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie is my most unique (and it smells like chocolate!)
- I use the E.L.F therapeutic conditioning lip balm before going to sleep (not really for any particular reason)
- Sleek Pout Polishes are used when I want a bit of colour on my lips, but not bothered to wear lipstick/lipgloss (which is probably why they're kept with the rest of my coloured lip products)
- I love the LUSH Sweet Lips lip scrub! It smells great and you can simply lick it off after scrubbing (I know there's probably a cheaper/easier way of making it at home but for now this is chocolate and vanilla goodness)
- The newest lip balms in my collection are the H&M Pink Frosting and H&M Creme Brulee (which both have Disney inspired tins and smell gorgeous)

Hope you enjoyed this blog post! Let me know what kind of things you like to collect in the comments below =)



x

Share: