Life Lately... #1

 

This week I had a well overdue catch up with one of my oldest friends, Harry. The above picture is us goofing around in a couple of V for Vendetta masks (after a few too many tequila shots were consumed). 

 

I spent the next day with my gorgeous little nephew. We went to our towns carnival where he fell in love with all the rides and bouncy castles! He never fails to put a grin on my face.

 

What put a smile on your face this week?

Finally... A Fake Tan That's OK For The Super Pale

Being a ginge with pale skin that doesn't do anything other than turn pink and gain freckles in the sun, naturally I'm a little wary of bearing my milk bottle legs to the world. However, this past week we've been blessed with scorching hot weather and clear blue skies.. something that is pretty much unheard of where I live (just north of the Lake District in the UK) so I've had to face my fears and let my milk bottle legs run free.. Yeah I don't know where I'm going with this either. 

I've never used fake tan in my life. Purely because I've always been pale and generally I'm okay with that. I just get a little self conscious when it comes to showing off my pale pins. So a few weeks ago I sought out Dove's summer glow nourishing lotion. Being a newbie I thought a gradual self tanner/moisturiser hybrid would be the best option. I picked up the shade for fair to medium skin but I believe there is also one available for medium to dark skin. 

 

The bottle reckons that it nourishes your skin while gradually enhancing your natural skin colour, stating that you should apply it daily in circular motions to gradually build an even tan. I've been using it for the last four days and I can honestly say I noticed a difference after the first application. I've had a few comments from my nearest and dearests saying that they've noticed a difference too (all comments have been positive ha no orange jokes!). I've only used it on my legs so far as I was too scared to try it out all over but I'm so happy with the results I think I'll be plastering it all over in no time! 

I apply it just like a normal moisturiser but instead of rubbing it in with my fingers I've been using the palm of my hands to avoid any streaks. Even though it's a "gradual" self tanner you can definitely see when things are a tad patchy so I've made an extra effort to be careful. It absorbs really quickly which is a huge bonus as it means you're not waiting around for ages before you can do things. It's left a really lovely colour on my skin, by no means am I "tan" compared to some but for me its a huge difference! I was skeptical at the claim of it "enhancing natural skin colour" but it really does give that effect; very natural. I'm so pleased with it!  It doesn't have that generic fake tan smell either so it gets a big thumbs up from me. 

It's really easy to get as its available in most supermarkets (I picked mine up in Tesco) and on the high street (stories such as Boots and Superdrug). It's a bargain too usually costing around the £5 or under mark!

 

Have you tried this product or anything similar?

Supermarket Bargains!

Is it just me or are supermarkets upping there game in the fashion department?! The likes of Tesco and ASDA have really been on the ball lately. I'm not saying everything's wonderful but if you have a good mooch more often than not you'll find some right gems for bargain prices!

This evening me and my friend went for a dander to our local Tesco for a nosey around. So many of my friends seem to find absolute treasures but for some reason I've never had any luck. After wandering around once I was empty handed and ready to leave, thankfully, my friend wanted another look around. Whilst mooching around the second time I found a couple of little gems...

As I'm going to DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL - I'm a little excited - next week I justified buying these cus' I thought they'd come in quite handy (that's what I'm telling myself anyway). 

Anyway, I needed a small bag to take with me but (and I'm not kidding here) I don't own any small handbags. The bigger the better as far I'm concerned! This super cute satchel is the perfect size and it only cost £10 which is a bargain if you ask me. It's got a nice long strap, a zip compartment and cute lining. The print inside of the bag (pictured below) reminds me of something you'd find from Cath Kidston. 

I also picked up this little card holder to keep my I.D and bank card safe over the weekend. The last thing I wanna do is bring my huge purse when I'm carting camping gear around. It has two clear slots and it only cost £2.50! My friend also picked up quite a few clothing items to wear to work (gorgeous skirts, blouses and chiffon dresses). 

So next time you're doing your food shop don't forget to have a nosey around the clothing/accessories sections! There are some right bargains to be found!

Mini update!

I'm relatively new to the blogging world - I've been reading blogs for around 3 years now but it's only recently that I decided to start one of my own. I love to read all sorts of blogs ranging from beauty and fashion to lifestyle, cooking and crafts. & lately I've been feeling a little confused as to where I want to go with this blog.

I enjoy writing reviews on products that have made a real impression on me - but I have alot of other interests that I would love to blog about too! I love crafting, cooking and music amongst other things. To me, blogging is a hobby. Something that I do because I enjoy it and it's fun! So I plan on incorporating more of these interests into my little blog :). I hope you'll enjoy whats to come.. I'm excited to blog about some crafty things!

I'll leave you with a few things I've been loving lately. Ciao for now!

1. Couscous (nom!) 2. Zigzag gel manicure 3. Giant Kinder Eggs (!!) 4. Walks on the beach with my boyfriend, Craig ♥

Spots... be gone!

If you're a regular reader of my blog you'll know that I've been suffering with breakouts for about a year now. I've been trying all sorts of lotions and potions to try and sort my troublesome skin out.. and I think I've finally found a duo that is working wonders for my skin. Yay!

Everyone put your hands together for... Lush's tea tree water and grease lightning (apologies for the creepy hand position hah).

Tea Tree Water - £3.95 - Grease Lightning - £5.95

You can purchase both of these products here.
 

A few weeks ago my trusty Malin & Goetz acne treatment ran out. I did a review on product, if you want to check it out you can here. Anyway, to cut a long story short I opted for Lush's grease lightning spot treatment. Designed to 'strike the spot with lightning precision' it contains lovely natural ingredients such as tea tree and witch hazel. It's comes out as a clear gel, but once dry it is noticeable - so I tend to wear this when I'm moping around the house or of an evening. It tends to give me that almost 'tight' feeling that you sometimes get from using a face mask.

While placing my order online I found myself adding the 'tea tree water' into my basket too (I have no self control, late night internet shopping when bored is a bad idea!). Now I don't know much about toners, if I'm quite honest I've never understood their use. Lush state that this toner water 'comes to the aid of skin that has emergencies' and is a wonder product for anyone with oily or spot prone skin. You can apply this onto a cotton pad before applying it to your face but I tend to just spritz it all over my face and let it soak in (it only takes a jiffy).

Now for the results.. I've been using these products in conjunction with each other for the past two weeks and normally I'd spend a little more time trying them out before reviewing - but I was too pleased with the results I just couldn't wait. I've been really enjoying using the toner water as it's really refreshing and I think it has helped calm down any skin irritations as well as reduce oil. My skin has been noticeably less oily since using these products and as the toner is the only one I use all over my face so I'm putting it down to that.

Grease lightning has been an absolute savior. Overall my skin has improved massively, I've had so many less breakouts. But for those nasties that I have had this spot treatment has really helped to both reduce and soothe them. In a matter of a few days they've disappeared and (thank god) haven't left any unsightly red marks.

If, like me, you struggle with breakouts and oil I would highly recommend these products to you! In comparison to some higher priced products these work just as well for me, if not better. Who doesn't love a good bargain?