Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Pads and Gycolic Instant Fix Mask Review

I've seen every blogger and their mothers rave about the Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix range, so I had to give it a whirl.

What attracted me to the range was the glycolic acid ingredients, which are well known to gently exfoliate the dead skin cells away and leave your skin looking fresh. It's also said to be amazing for fading acne scarring which I suffer from.

The Glycolic Fix Pads replace my second cleanse once or twice a week, I don't want to over do it with the glycolic acid, as it can be slightly drying, so this is why I restrict it. The pads remind me of the Clearasil pads I used to use as a teenager, they are circle discs, which have a woven texture. I smooth one over the skin, avoiding my eye area and then move onto serums or moisturisers. They keep those pesky under the skin spots at bay.

The Glycolic Fix Mask is a clear gel, which doesn't quite set on me, it stays a little sticky as you wait for it to work it's magic. I apply this once every two weeks, normally around the time of a breakout to get rid of the grime and dead skin cells, which create spots. It works wonders for me, I can see a slight reduction in the scaring and my skin looks less dull. There are two things that might put people off this product, the smell and the tingling sensation, both of which I don't mind too much. The smell is like acidy fruit and the mask causes a slight tingling sensation when it is first applied, so it might not be ideal for sensitive skin.

Overall, I'm impressed with these two products I have tried, I'd like to get my hands on the rest of the range. They have improved my complexion and help prevent breakouts, something I would repurchase!

Have you tried anything from Nip and Fab?

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Denman Medium Thermo-Neon Curling Brush Review

Having curly hair is a struggle. Every time I'd sit down in the hairdressing chair as a child all the older ladies would coo over my curls, 'Oh I'd love to have ringlets like yours'. Realistically curly hair is a nightmare!

If left to it's own devices my curls become a tangled frizzy mess, so to save having the 'dragged through a bush backwards' look, I blow dry and straighten my hair.

I've always envied my hairdresser's technique of rolling a round brush and pulling as she blow dries my hair. I'm not an expert but I give it a go, this is where my new Denman Medium Thermo-Neon Curling Brush comes in.

It's short and spiky bristles grab the hair and give you enough grip to pull and straighten the hair as you direct the heat to the hair.

The holes in the centre of the brush are intended to let the hot hair flow through for a faster drying time.

I love this brush, it's well made and I love the pop of black next to the black bristles and handle. A recommendation for anyone who wants to make their blow dry look more sleek and salon like!

Denman is available from http://www.denmanbrush.com/ or Boots, in-store and online. The Denman Medium Thermo-Neon Curling Brush costs £11.60.

*This post contains a PR sample

 

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NEW IN: Yves Rocher Summer Collection - Lagoon Hair and Body Wash, Precious Dry Oil, Low Shampoo Cleansing Cream and Rinsing Vinegar

This week of sun has really got my excited about summer and with a new season comes new beauty products to try out. Here are the latest releases from Yves Rocher.

Monoi de Tahiti Lagoon Hair and Body Wash
This stuff smells heavenly, it's a floral yet tropical fragrance, like summer in a bottle. It a handy size for taking on holiday, so I'll be packing this when I go to Barcelona this summer. I never use products labelled hair and body on my hair, as they tend to be drying but this is an excellent body wash.

Low Shampoo Delicate Cleansing Cream
I'm always on the look out for sulphate and silicone free haircare products, I've always wanted to see the difference. This Cleansing Cream is a foam-free shampoo intended to gently cleanse the hair, without stripping it of it's natural oils. The foaming ingredients in some shampoos just strip the hair, and the foaming action is just created by the companies as a 'clean feeling' gimmick.

Monoi de Tahiti Precious Dry Oil
I've always wanted legs like Jennifer Aniston, super bronzed with a sexy sheen, giving the appearance of youthful golden skin. This non-sticky oil will transform a tan, I can't wait to use it, it's perfect for pins, dotted on your collarbone and cleavage for a subtle glow. It has that wonderful floral yet tropical scent like the body wash, a beautiful product!

Éclat Radiance Rinsing Vinegar
I never heard of a rinsing vinegar before Yves Rocher introduced me to it. The name does sound very displeasing and you can't imagine washing your hair with a vinegar but it's a revolutionary product. The rinsing vinegar is made with raspberries, so no nasty smells. It's has a clarifying action, rinsing away all the product build up. I'll be using this once a week to keep my hair refreshed.

I've never tried anything from Yves Rocher, but I'm so glad to be introduced to the brand. It's great quality for amazing prices, I'll definitely be trying out more from the brand so recommendations are welcome. I can't to further try these products, I'm sure they will be summer favourites and packed into my luggage!

*This post contains PR samples

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Library of Fragrance Baby Powder and Thunderstorm Sprays & Fragrance Foundation Awards

I have featured Library of Fragrance sprays before on my blog, as I loved their unique Gingerbread scent, you can read my thoughts on that here but today I want to introduce two new favourites.

Baby Powder and Thunderstorm are unusual perfume scents compared to the normal floral or musky fragrances that seem to crowd the perfume market. It's these unusual fragrances like Thunderstorm, which make the Library of Fragrance stand out.

Baby Powder is a dream scent for me, I love powdery, clean scents, which is why Yankee Candles Soft Blanket is one of my favourite candles. The best way to describe the scent is clean sheets mixed with the scent of talcum powder.

Thunderstorms is a rather moody scent, which is so unique, it does actually smell like that tense moment before a storm starts. Its a masculine scent, but I like it's angsty undertones so I would still wear it, perfect unisex fragrance you could share with your partner.

These two scents are nominated for Boots' Fragrance Foundation Awards, so if you'd like to vote, you have until Wednesday the 22nd to select your fragrance favourites. By voting for your favourites you are automatically entered into a prize draw to win £250 worth of fragrance goodies from Boots.

Library of Fragrance scents are stocked on their website and at selected Boots stores/ Boots online, pricing starts at £15.

Have you cast your vote? Which Library of Fragrance scents do you like?

*This post contains PR samples

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Burberry Kisses Lipstick in Sepia Review

Burberry have tapped into the connection between bloggers and sense of community on Twitter, they grabbed the opportunity to showcase their new lipsticks and give out some free samples with an amazing social media campaign.

By nominating a fellow blogger via their app and tweeting your nomination, they would receive a Burberry Kisses lipstick sample, I dished them out to people I chat to the most online. The lovely Jacqueline kindly sent me a request to receive a sample back.

There were four shades to choose from, if I remember correctly, there was a red, pink, nude and a pink nude, called Sepia, which is the one I choose. It's an easy every day shade that I knew would suit me.

First of all, I was really impressed with the quality of the sample, it was exactly like the full size products. It features the same Burberry check embossing on the lipstick tube and even it's on the lipstick bullet.

As for the shade, it's a dark pink nude, which is very similar to those Kylie Jenner shades that are hella popular right now. It's a more sheer formula compared to those of MAC, but this makes it very comfortable to wear and build-able.

I think this sample will last me a few months as I have so many lipsticks on rotation. Question is after all this effort that Burberry has gone through to promote this product, would I buy the full size for £25?
I think I would ask for one for as a birthday present or save up rewards points towards one. I'm a girl who hates forking out £15.50 for a MAC lipstick, so I'd save it as a treat or a gift.

Did you manage to get a sample? What do you think of Burberry Kisses lipsticks?

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Show Me Your Nudes - MAC Nude Lipstick Collection

I was always scared of nude lipstick shades, I'd imagine concealer lips everytime a shade was mentioned. Little did I know that nude includes, neutrals, pinks and browns, meaning their is a shade for everyone.

As I am pale, I tend to lean towards warmer shades, which complement my skin. I also like pink nude shades for the spring. With my NW10 skintone, I stay away from true nudes, which look awful on me.

I thought I'd share my MAC nude lipstick collection in the hope it may inspire some pale ladies to pick up a new nude shade, don't be scared ladies!

Please Me
A perfect matte nude pink shade. It reminds me of the matte pinks in the 60s so I team this with smoky eyes and cat flick eyeliner to complete the 60s kitten look.

Lovelorn
A lighter, perkier shade compared to Please Me. An excellent shade, which is comfortable on the lips due to it's Lustre finish.

Creme Cup
My first ever MAC lipstick, I picked it as it's super safe. I think this light pink nude shade would suit a number of skintones. An easy first lipstick for those who don't own a MAC lipstick.

Viva Glam 2
I would say this lipstick has the most brown pigment in it compared to the rest of my collection. Sometimes it is a little difficult for me to wear, as I have super pale skin. I reserve it for a lip plumping, ombre lip, using Viva Glam 2 as the base and outside darker edge. I then pop a more pinker hue in the middle to lighten the centre and make my lips look bigger.

Patisserie
My all time favourite nude shade, Patisserie is a perfect mix of a brown and pink nude. It's super comfortable on the lips as it has creamy formula. I've heard blogger, Vivianna Does Makeup talk about this a few times, if it's good enough for her, then it's good enough for me.

Velvet Teddy
I purchased this before the Kylie Jenner hype and wasn't impressed. It's a flat nude, which on my lip colour, tends to look overly brown. I do rescue this shade with a pink nude lipliner underneath to perk it up.

Which MAC nude shades do you love? Any recommendations on what to pick up?

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Chester Zoo Photo Diary

I really enjoyed putting my first ever photo diary together and was proud of the photographs I took, you can view it here, so I decided I'd select my favourite images from my recent trip to Chester Zoo.

We arrived on the sunny Bank Holiday Monday and were overwhelmed by the number of families. I'd advise going on a weekday if possible to avoid the crowds, that being said we really enjoyed looking at the animals and exhibits.

Each display had information boards, helping you spot characteristics and learn about each animal. I feel they had a great range of animals, but not enough keepers telling you personally about the animals, I would have liked to ask some questions.

A lot of the animals were in enclosures with glass screens, so it was hard to get clear images, here are some of my favourite images I managed to snap while we walked around.

Have you been to Chester Zoo? Where should I visit next?

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Achieving a Great Night's Sleep

I'm one of those people who gets naggy if I don't get enough sleep. I have quite a busy life, I travel an hour each way to work, try to make time for my friends in the evening and keep up with blogging, I'm often exhausted at the end of the day, so a good night's sleep is essential.

I think routine is the best way to ensure enough zzz's, so find a pattern that suits you best. Here is what I like to do before bed to unwind.

Wash the Day Away
There is no better feeling than taking your make-up off after a long day. I use Johnson's Face Wipes to just remove make-up quickly and then use a cleanser like the Elemis Pro Cleansing Balm or La Roche-Posay's Effaclar Purifying Foaming Wash. I know, a foaming wash and face wipes, Caroline Hirons would scorn me for my skincare sins, but I like the ease.

Splish Splash
I'm a lover of Lush when it comes to bath time, I could lie in the tub for hours. If you want something to aid sleep, choose their Blue Skies and Fluffy Clouds Bubble Bar or the Blackberry Bath Bomb. Both have calming scents, which help ease tense and wash away your troubles.

Turning Pages
I often find a good book will help me relax, it also helps you avoid electrical devices before bed, which are proven to disturb your sleep. Make sure you've put your PJ's on so you don't have to climb out of bed to change before sleeping. Get cosy under the covers and just leave a table lamp on to create a low light, which will signal to your brain that it's time to wind down. I'm currently reading 'Love, Tanya', and I really like it, I'm sure there will be a review up soon on this book.

Lavender
I often use the This Works Pillow Spray, which has a calming lavender scent. I find it helps my mind ease into a relaxed, thoughtless state to help me drift off. This spray is a little pricey but I've found a cheaper alternative on SleepyPeople.com's website, a Silentnight Febreze Soft Touch Pillow, which releases a lavender scent. It's cheaper than the spray and will last a lot longer!

Fluffy Pillows and Cosy Duvets
The most important aspect of a good night's sleep is the bed, if you don't have a comfortable environment to sleep in, then you'll be fighting a loosing battle. I'm a firm believe that you should invest in a good bed, duvet and pillow, they will last you years and give you the best sleep.

SleepyPeople.com believe the wrong pillow and bedding could be keeping you awake at night: "The right pillows are crucial to you getting a good night’s sleep. It needs to be firm enough to support the weight of your head, soft enough to allow good facial circulation and be of the right shape to fill the gap between your head, neck and shoulders." If you aren't sure which pillow is best for you, you should use their 'Pillow Selector', which is a short quiz that guides you to the right style.

As for duvets, those with natural fillings, like feather and down, are soft, warm and breathable, but if you suffer from allergies, choose a synthetic duvet. If you can, go for a 4.5 tog in summer and a 9 in spring and autumn and choose a 13.5 for warmth in the winter; this way you'll never be too hot or cold.

Hopefully sticking to a routine like this you'll be out like a light! Well if all else fails, I guess you could try counting sheep...

*Sponsored post

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Easter Bank Holiday Photo Diary - Harlech and Portmeirion Hotel Restaurant

I decided to spend time with my family this Bank Holiday, we ventured up to Harlech, in North West Wales, where we own a caravan. It's a place that holds lots of memories for me, we've had a caravan there since I can remember.

We used to grab our buckets and spades and walk up to the beach in the summer and make sand castles, while my mum and aunty tried to catch a tan. We took day trips out to Portmadog, Barmouth and Portmeirion and complained: 'Are we there yet?!'. The scenery was something I never appreciated as a child, but now I'm older and I have a new camera to try out, I was snapping away, enjoying the blue skies and scenery.

Harlech Village and Beach

Portmeirion Village and Restaurant

Easter Sunday, we had booked a 3 course meal at the Portmeirion Hotel's Restaurant. Portmeirion is one of my favourite places in Wales, it's brightly coloured buildings set into the sea front were created as a set for the tv programme, The Prisoner. It's a place of beauty, the architecture juxtaposed with the natural scenery makes for awe inspiring views.

This weekend has given me the opportunity to appreciate the calm, the quiet and the sea air. I feel refreshed....

What did you get up to this weekend?

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YSL 'Very YSL' Travel Make-Up Palette Review

We all like to rate a product on it's packaging, they say don't judge a book by it's cover, but if something is travel friendly and has pretty packaging I'll score it highly!

This 'Very YSL Make-Up Palette' which is travel friendly, has super girly and glamourous packaging; pink leather with a gold YSL logo. It includes 4 eyeshadows in total - 1 Ombre Solo in No.4 Violet, 3 Ombres Lumieries in No.9 Taupe, No.4 Parme and No.8 Rose. Along with, 2 Solid Lip Colours and 1 Blush in No.15.

The purple hues of the eyeshadows go beautifully with my green eyes, they really make them pop. As for the lip shades, they fit perfectly with the eyeshadows. Of course the quality isn't the same as the lipsticks in tubes and you do have to find a lip brush but they have good colour pay off. I am slightly disappointed by the blush shade. It's more of a highlighter, a nice dusty rose colour would have fitted better into the palette.

Overall I'm pleased with the palette, but as you can imagine the quality is slightly compromised in this travel set but it's still has good colour pay off and the shades are very complementary.

If you like this travel friendly palette you can purchase it on Direct Cosmetics' website.

What YSL products do you like? Do you own any travel palettes?

*This post contains a PR sample

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W7 Brush Kit Review

I'm a lover of affordable brushes, so I wanted to review these W7 brushes, to see if they were worth recommending to fellow bloggers.

I thought I would talk you through the brushes and what I use them for, as the W7 website doesn't have a large description on the set. Starting from top left going across, down to the left through to the right.

Lip Liner Brush
This small and thin brush will make light work of defining your lip line with lipstick. I don't bother using a brush if it's a nude shade, but for super dark shades like Charlotte Tilbury's Glastonberry, I like to carefully apply it with one of these style brushes for a crisp and defined line.

Small Shadow Brush, Medium Shadow Brush, Large Shadow Brush
It's a shame that the shadow brushes are all the same but in different sizes, it would have been good to see one like the MAC 217. You can swipe eyeshadow easily across your lids with these brushes and they are the softest of the set.

Fan Brush
This was the brush I was most excited about using, I'd always seen them in make-up artists sets but never bought one. I currently use this one for highlight, it's great for a light dusting and doesn't deposit too much product.

Comb
I will always have one of these combs handy, they are great for brushing out clumpy mascara. It's a simple brush, but a good one.

Eyeliner Brush
This diddy brush is ideal for precise eyeliner, I use this with my L'Oreal Gel Liner for a defined cat eye flick.

Eye Sponge
Realistically this is one I would throw away, no one likes these sponge applicators.

Angled Face Brush
The angled shape of this brush makes it ideal for contour as it gets right into the hollows of your cheeks. It is a little scratchy though.

Blush/Powder Brush
I have been using this for pin point powdering, I just sweep the brush with powder on over my T-Zone and leave the rest of my face powder free.

Angled Eye Brush
Sadly this isn't the most defined angled brush so I wouldn't recommend it for gel eyeliner. I suppose you could use it to blend eyeshadow out across the lash line for a smoky look.

Spoolie
I don't know what I'd do without a spoolie in my kit, perfect for grooming my unruly brows.


Overall, the set is of cheap quality but it does only cost £12.99. As for the quality of the brush hairs, sadly they aren't great. I think the Shadow brushes are the softest, but the Powder and Angled Face Brush feel so synthetic and scratchy.

To get a whole brush set for £12.99 would be great for beginners or a younger audience but high street brands like W7 really can't win over Real Techniques. I wouldn't recommend purchasing the set. I would personally recommend spending a tiny bit more for Real Techniques brushes.

*This post contains a PR sample

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