Monday 29 June 2015

Mask Monday! #5




Mask Monday time again!

Today I have Superdrug's Own Naturally Radiant Glycolic Overnight Peel (another nice short title....). It claims to awaken skin's natural glow and improve skin tone and texture. It's a bit different to your usual face mask in that you apply it to a cleansed face at night and leave it overnight before washing it off in the morning. At first glance I thought this was a peel off mask but don't be fooled, the word "peel" is in the title, but I actually have no idea why. It doesn't claim to peel off or exfoilate, I can only guess it's to do with it's retexturising properties or that it contains glycolic acid which I'm pretty sure is a chemical exfoliator? 

Anyway moving on, at first I thought that the tube was pretty small (with only 30ml inside) however when you use it you only need a pea sized amount to cover your face so your actually getting quite a lot for your money in that respect (that and it's almost always on some kind of offer). It's got a watery consistency but it doesn't feel sticky and it sinks into your skin pretty quickly so you don't have that wet face feeling for ages after you put it on.

When it comes to results I can't say I've seen a huge difference in my skin, but my breakouts seem to be less and when it comes to brightening it will take a huge amount of something to brighten my skin after I've been up and down seeing to a teething baby all night! It could be a psychological thing as when I think of a face mask doing something for my skin I expect it to tingle or something. I do like the fact this stays on the skin all night, I feel like it gives the product time to actually work.

Superdrug's Own Naturally Radiant Glycolic Overnight Peel is available HERE or in your local store.

Have you tried an overnight mask? Was it any good?

Thanks for reading,

Wench x  

Friday 26 June 2015

Freebie Friday! #9



I know I've already spoke about Latest Free Stuff before (HERE) but I wanted to show you a couple more free samples I've had from them. 


I've signed up to their mailing list and they send me emails most days with freebies, although I know some people won't like that you don't have to sign up to a mailing list you can just check the site regularly. Do read freebies carefully, as some require subscriptions (which you can usually cancel after) or other requirements. I usually scan through their emails quickly and see if anything takes my fancy and recently I received these goodies in the post!

I got samples of Garnier Ultimate Blends Strength Restorer shampoo, conditioner, and serum and also an Eve Lom Rescue Mask (coming to a Mask Monday near you soon!) 

I've not been paid, sponsored etc to write this post but I just wanted to show you some of the free samples I've had from this site and as a blogger (and a shiny new one!) it's really good to get samples like this that I can write about and as a budget blogger nothing is more budget friendly than a freebie!

Have you found any really awesome freebies?

Thanks for reading,

Wench x   

Wednesday 24 June 2015

Barry M Sunset Daylight Curing Nail Polish




Lots and lots of brands are now jumping on the whole "Gel Nail" thing, claiming their polishes wear like the 2 week manicures you get at the salon. I gave you my thoughts on Essence's version HERE and I'm here today to give you my opinion on Barry M's version.

Barry M Sunset Daylight Curing nail range claims to give the results of a professional salon manicure without the price tag and without the need to use a UV lamp. They also claim that you don't need to use a base coat! The idea is that where a salon manicure requires a lamp to cure the polish, these use daylight and can be removed with normal nail varnish remover. 

I have the colour Peach For The Stars, which is a lovely vibrant coral colour, it applied really nicely and easily and dried quickly too. The polish is really shiny and I do agree that it is longer lasting than normal polish, however it's not as hard wearing as a professional gel manicure and I'm still yet to find one that is. On the plus side, it comes off easily and doesn't leave any staining on the nails afterwards, I was initially worried about this as I didn't use a base coat. 

There are currently seven shades in the range but it is fairly new so I imagine more will come along soon and they retail for £4.99, which for me is a bit pricey and you can only use the sunset colours and the sunset topcoat for it to work which means an initial pay out of £10 (unless you can find a good offer!) however in saying that it is still cheaper than getting one manicure at a salon! 

Get yours HERE from Boots.com or your local store.

Have you found a nail polish that lasts as long as a salon manicure?

Thanks for reading,

Wench x
    

Friday 19 June 2015

My Bare Minerals Counter Experience



I've never been to a high end make up counter before but thought I'd treat myself for my birthday!


I was actually looking for a MAC counter but was misinformed and discovered there isn't actually one in my city centre, I was pretty devastated but decided I'd give another one a try and I'm glad I did. 

I approached the Bare Minerals counter and I was a bit nervous but the lady who served me was lovely. She sat me in the chair and made me feel at ease. She asked me lots of skin related questions and suggested their Bare Skin foundation for me. We tried a few colours and agreed on one (it's worth mentioning I did go bare faced) that matched my face. She gave me the whole skin care routine and encouraged me to use the products myself, letting me try the skin care products and talking me through how to use them. She then did half my face with the foundation to show me how to do it and then let me do the other half. She then finished my face off. She wrote down all the products she used and told me a couple of offers that were on but at no point did I feel pressure to buy anything. Although in saying that I don't think I'd go to a make up counter if I didn't have the intention of buying anything. 


I got the Bare Skin Foundation £26 in the colour Bare Linen 03 and you use this by putting a drop on a stippling brush and laying it down on the skin (I do a couple of stripes on my face) and then buff it into the skin. I thought I'd have trouble with this but it's so easy and the lady shows you how to do it. The finish is medium to full coverage and it has a real skin like finish which I really like. I do however find it a bit moist (love that word!) feeling on the skin which takes some getting used to but setting with powder helps with that.

I also got a Bare Minerals Pop of Passion Blush Balm £20 in the colour Posy Passion. I've never got a long with cream blush (although technically this is a balm!) and the lady put this on me and I fell in love with the colour and how it looks like your blushing from within. She showed me how to apply it and it's easier than I thought although I still need more practise! The pigmentation is just right too, it doesn't disappear to nothing but it's not so pigmented that you put a tiny bit on and look like a clown!

Shop Bare Minerals online HERE or go to your nearest counter.

What are your experiences of make up counters? 

Thanks for reading,

Wench x

Wednesday 17 June 2015

Essence Gel Base and Top Coat




First things first, I'd just like to apologise for my lack of blogging the last few days, I've been on a hen weekend and have been in no fit state to even write my own name! 

However, before I went I decided to do my nails and I'm very impressed with them! 

The right hand photo above was taken AFTER the hen weekend, five days AFTER I painted them. No chips or peeling and still a lovely glossy shine, and what do I have to thank for this? Essence Gel Base and Top Coat which are a bargain price of £2.50 each! They claim that without the use of a lamp they can make your polish last 60% longer and give the extreme shine of a professional gel manicure. I do agree with this statement initially but this is the only time I've used them and would have to investigate further using other colours but the trio I've used here has worked a charm! I definitely had my skepticals on but I've been pleasantly surprised. 

I don't think they'd be as hard wearing as a Shellac (or other branded!) manicure but I think using the base and top coat has made my regular polish longer lasting. I think the true test will be when I'm back at work (I'm on maternity leave currently) and doing more with my hands. I will definitely do an update then!  

In the mean time if your interested you can get these at your local Wilko's store or online HERE

Have you found anything that rivals a proper gel manicure?

Thanks for reading,

Wench x

Wednesday 10 June 2015

College Hair Dressers and Spa


Would you let students loose on you?

That sounds very wrong but what I actually mean is that it seems to be a little known fact or an often overlooked one that you can get your hair done or have beauty treatments at your local college (depending on the college of course!) and the best part is it's miles cheaper! 

For my birthday my hubby kindly treated me, so I had my hair cut and coloured, my eye brows tinted and waxed, a manicure, and a facial! (I needed a lot of work!)

Yes, it's done by students and their not fully qualified but they are supervised by tutors who ARE fully qualified, they've probably practised on those creepy doll heads first, and come on, everyone has to start somewhere! I also feel that as their training they take extra care to get it right, particularly when they're practising on people. Be prepared to put some time aside if you do decide to go to a college hairdressers as they do tend to take their time (and I don't know about you, but I'd much prefer them to take their time rather than rush and make a hash of it!) my appointment was at 9:30am and it wasn't finished until 12:45pm although my hair was a big job, after dying it red then brown and stripping etc it was multicoloured and needed correcting but the two ladies assigned to the task did an excellent job, the poor things had to do the top one colour, the bottom another, and lots of mixing colours to get what I wanted and then cutting it. I am so impressed with the result definitely worth the time! 

I also went to the college spa where I had a Dermalogica facial which was lovely, I could have fell asleep! I didn't realise it went past just the face and across the neck and shoulders too, bonus! I had my eyebrows tinted and waxed which is just as well as they were turning into werewolves again! I had a french manicure too, I've attempted to do white tips myself before needless to say I failed and it's always so much better when someone else does it for you! 

All of that little lot (or should I say large lot!) cost £42.50 and that is a real bargain!

Would you let students cut you hair?

Thanks for reading,

Wench x      


Friday 5 June 2015

Freebie Friday! #8


New month, new magazine freebies! The shops have got the July 15 issues in! 


Marie Claire are offering readers Elemis samples of either their Pro Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm or their Papaya Enzyme Peel which are worth in the region of £11 each. 

Image taken from redonline.co.uk


Red magazine are offering their readers a free Ren Lip Balm worth £9
Image taken from InStyle.co.uk

Instyle magazine are offering their readers a free, full sized Nails Inc nail polish worth £11 with 4 colours to choose from

Apologies for not taking my own pics (apart from the top one I did take) but I had some technical issues!

Will you be getting any of these this month? 

Thanks for reading,

Wench x


  

Wednesday 3 June 2015

An Ode To The Humble Flannel



An Ode To a Flannel

I love how you clean my face
Take off my make up without a trace
Yet you are so gentle and soft
Cheap and cheerful at half the cost
Whether you call it a flannel or wash cloth
It gets off mascara without making me look like a goth
Make sure you keep it nice and clean
And in return your face will gleam
I've tried a muslin, I've tried without
But you are my favourite without a doubt!

I've not used a flannel for a while and I never know why I stopped. They are the best thing for the job, and I felt inspired to give the humble flannel some well deserved attention! 

On a side note, it's my birthday today! Happy birthday to meeeee! 

What do you use to wash your face?

Thanks for reading,

Wench x

Monday 1 June 2015

Mask Monday! #4



Today I bring you Annies Way! 


This mask was a high end treat for myself quite a while back, it's the Annies Way Arbutin and Hyaluronic Acid Brightening Jelly Mask (looooooooooong title!) and it's more expensive than what I would usually go for but I'd heard good things and decided to give it a go.

The tub I have is 250ml and considering it's a face mask that's a lot. This tub has lasted me seemingly forever, I can't even remember how long I've had it! As the title suggests the consistency is like jelly, and it's unlike any mask I've used. It feels as gentle as water and it's really cooling on the skin which makes it so refreshing, and the perfect evening treat on a hot day (not that we have many of those!) There is absolutely no tingle or stinging or anything of the sort with this mask so it's ideal for sensitive skin, so much so I can put this around my sensitive eye area with no problems. It does come with a spatula that your supposed to remove the mask with but I have long since lost that and use a flannel to remove it. 

I feel it does leave my skin looking more bright and radiant after use and I've had no adverse effects after using this. Price wise there are cheaper masks out there that will probably be just as effective but you do get a lot of product for your money so I would say it's cost effective. 

Get yours HERE for £13.90 (correct at time of publishing)

Thanks for reading,

Wench x