Wednesday, 26 March 2014

Garnier Moisture Match Moisturiser

I have such a love-hate relationship with my skin. There are days when I couldn't be happier with it, but on the days where my skin seems to hate me it couldn't get much worse. I've always had a mostly normal skin type, with the odd oily T-Zone and dry skin around my chin (Which is more recent.. beard rash is a total bitch!). However, my skin seems to be quite picky with moisturisers. If I switch to one it doesn't like, I wake up every morning with at least two new spots, and then they start bringing friends! So really I needed something that was just going to keep my skin balanced. 

Moisture Match is a range from Garnier containing five different moisturises specifically tailored for a certain skin type. This range caters for normal, normal/dry, dry/very dry, dull and combination/oily skin types, each boasting particular ingredients that normalise the skin and keep it looking at its best. I decided to go for the moisturiser for normal skin as I love anything with a bit of SPF into it, as well as its radiance-boosting formula enriched with lemon extract. 






I have to say, i've had no problems so far when using this moisturiser. I hate speaking so soon, which is why I waited a couple of weeks before reviewing incase I start gushing about it and then it completely backfires. This moisturiser is just as light as it claims and i've found you only need to tiniest pea-sized amount to cover the entire face. It's the first moisturiser that I feel comfortable massaging into my skin without fear of leaving it feeling greasy. So far no spots have emerged and my skin feels really soft and brighter, with no leftover residue after application.

I love the idea of tailoring a product to a certain skin type, there's something really personal about it that makes me feel that my skin's really being taken care of. However, I think next time i'll experiment with the moisturiser for combination skin so that my skin is always protected from the odd shiny T-zone day. For £5.99 this is such a bargain I feel like I can afford to experiment as it doesn't put too much strain on my bank balance as well as my complexion! Not sure what skintype you are? Head on over to the Moisture Match section of the Garnier website to see what moisturiser would be best for you! 

You can purchase the Moisture Match range from your local Boots, Superdrug or supermarket for £5.99.

Sunday, 23 March 2014

Fujifilm Instax Mini 8

So this isn't a beauty post, but its something i've wanted to blog about for ages but haven't got around to it. I've always had a thing for polaroid/instant cameras since I was browsing through Tumblr and saw a picture of a heart made out of mini polaroid pics - it was so pretty! I've previously had a polaroid that I picked up at a carboot sale for £2, but because it's from the 90's I found the film to be soooo expensive. So when Fujifilm brought out a new range of reasonably priced instant cameras, I knew I had to get my hands on one. (By the way, I am aware that this technically isn't a Polaroid camera, but its a habit to call it one!)

The Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 is a little polaroid-like camera that comes in five different colours. It's designed to be lightweight, compact and take great quality photos without all the nonsense. It's kind of chunky looking and child-like, but that's all part of the fun. It comes with a little strap for safety and lots of detailed instructions showing you how to make the most out of your camera. This particular cameras take portrait images, but there are other cameras in the range that allow you to take wider landscape photos or offer more advanced features .. but none of them look as cute as this one! 
 Sorry about the crap lighting, the sun decided to hide just as I took this photo! 


I am so in love with this camera. It's so much fun and gives your photos a great finish. It's also really simple to use! To turn the camera on you push the button to the right of the lens, and then turn the lens to correspond to the right setting (There's little pictures symbolising being inside a house, outside when its cloudy, outside in the sun etc.), look through the lens and push the round button underneath the window at the top. To close the camera you push the lens back into the camera.

The reason why my example photos are so crap is because I am still figuring out how to get the best photo. What i've found is that it doesn't do great close-ups (Your picture will be blurry unless you are at least half a metre away from what you're taking a picture of!) but what do you expect for such a little camera? My favourite element has to be when the wallet-sized polaroid pops out the top and you see the image develop. It's more of a fun, novelty thing than a camera that is amazing quality. If you're looking for something that gives your photos a professional finish, this camera isn't for you. But if you want something to take on days out or parties to document it in a fun way, you can pick one of these up from around £50 on Amazon (which is where I got mine from!), with the film starting at £9.45 for ten images. There are bundles that work out a bit cheaper, but overall I think that's quite reasonable. I've also recently discovered you can buy film with different borders and designs to have even more fun with your pictures. 

I definitely need to use this camera more so i'm going to start taking it out on day trips, although i'm sure people will look at me a bit funny when I pull out what looks like a children's toy :) Ahh well, i'm basically a big kid anyways. 

For more information on the Fujifilm Instax range, visit their website here

Monday, 17 March 2014

Girligo Body Moisturising Mist by Soap & Glory

Moisturising has always been a bit of a chore for me. I've tried The Body Shop's iconic body butters and about a million dry oils but nothing has stuck with me. I've always found them either to be too thick or I end up sitting awkwardly on my bed waiting for my legs to dry for about an hour before even attempting to put on my jeans. To be honest, i'd prefer to spend more time in bed so I usually jump in the shower as late as I can, which results in me rushing around to get ready on time. So when my housemate Beth suggested I try a moisturising mist that you spray onto your skin so I can just apply and go, I was excited to find out more.


Girligo is from the Soap & Glory 'Original Pink' range, and contains orange leaf, peach, strawberry, rose and jasmine.





I've been completely converted to this product. It's so easy to use and you can even spray it upside-down for easy convenience when applying to your legs. It's designed to use post-shower, but i've started spraying a little bit into the palm of my hand and applying to my elbows and heels when they're needing a bit of TLC. The scent seems a bit purfume-y first off, but you'll be thinking differently when hours after application you smell just as amazing as you did when you applied! The spray pump distributes a lot of product and the formula absorbs instantly, making it perfect for girls on the go - oh, and did I mention its only £6.50 for 250ml? I'm going to stop gushing about this product now, but I have to say it's rare that I stop searching for the next new thing and now I have Girligo I can finally stop wasting my time (and money!) hunting for the perfect body moisturiser. 

You can purchase Girligo from the Soap & Glory section of Boots online or at your nearest branch for £6.50.

Friday, 14 March 2014

My Little MAC Lipstick Collection

Hey all! 

It's been a while since i've posted (again!) and the excuse remains the same. University work has got the better of me, so posts will be done when I can grab some free time. I thought i'd ease myself back in slowly by posting a little collection post. MAC lipsticks have been crowd favourites for years, with their endless finishes, shades and collections. I've only have a few, but they are something I really want to invest in this year as I really do believe they are the best lip products out there! So here is my little MAC lipstick collection so far:




(Top to bottom) Innocence, Beware!, Pervette & Plink!


Shy Girl, Creme Cup & Chatterbox


Japanese Maple & Peach Blossom

I've linked full reviews to them all underneath, apart from Peach Blossom and Shy Girl which I didn't seem to review upon purchase (I have no idea why!). As you can see I tend to gravitate towards the same colours when it comes to these lipsticks, which probably has something to do with their £15 price tag and I want to make sure I get something that I know suits me. I also tend to go for their Cremesheen collection, as I find the finish really long-lasting and there's also something really luxurious about the creamy texture. 

My favourite? It has to be Creme Cup .. It's the perfect neutral shade that seems to go with everything. It's one of the first ones I ever bought and has been used the most! 
My least favourite? Pervette. It's literally been worn once as I don't like the finish. I don't quite know what possessed me to buy a Glaze lipstick as it just looks weird and cold on my lips. There isn't much colour and I prefer something with a stronger pigment that makes my lips look more moisturised than lifeless! 

I'm now on the hunt for a really lovely plum colour along with a matte red that's suitable for pale skin tones from MAC.. any ideas? 

Speak soon! x

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