Little_wood :: UK Lifestyle & Beauty Blog

Blogging holidays

2013-09-02T13:52:00.001-07:00

Hi, Well this is awkward, let's break the ice and see what I've been up to while I was away....

I still look the same!

I celebrated...

Getting a new job......

After working full time and studying for my Beauty Diploma....

Which was tiring and time consuming!

But I still had time to hang with Ethel and Polly

I saw a lot of hot air balloons this summer

And went out

And danced like this apparently

And now I'm a unicorn (I wish)

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MAC mineralize skinfinish natural

2013-01-31T13:46:00.001-08:00

My new favourite powder

Why I've never tried this before I don't know, it's lightweight & non drying, due to it being mineral based it has that lovely, slight luminosity which stops your face looking "flat". It's the only powder I've used that acts like a powder without looking like one. I can tell this is going to be a long term relationship.

I'm in the shade Medium and love applying it with the real techniques powder brush.

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Nails Inc. Backstage collection

2013-01-29T10:34:00.001-08:00

L-R Porchester square, Abbey Road, Stratford.

Oh hi!
Long time no see, sorry about that!
I have just discovered the Bloggsy app for ipad (massively slow of the mark i know) which means, hopefully, blogging will be so much quicker and easier for me that I'll be posting more regularly :)
On to the actual post .......
I was eying up this Nails inc. trio at work for quite some time. More often than not "sets" never appeal to me, they always seem gimmicky & contain things I just wouldn't use. However, the backstage collection consists of three colours I love!
Porchester square - A Nails inc best seller & I'm a sucker for nudes.
Abbey road - full coverage holographic glitter, sold!
Stratford - new metallic rose gold.
This then went in sale at 50% off so I grabbed it for £12.50, amazing when a single Nails Inc. polish is £11. I think my favourite is Stratford, could it have something to do with the fact it matches my new Michael Kors watch?

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Christmas Wishin'

2012-11-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

1. Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch
2. Origins Morning to Midnight Giftset
3. Ted Baker ipad Case
4. Dior Skin Poudre Shimmer in Amber Diamond
5. Next - Owl Slipper Boots

Body Shop Winter Favourites

2012-11-09T08:03:00.000-08:00

As yuk as it is, winter being just around the corner means only one thing, Dry skin!

For a good few years now I have called upon this little trio from the body shop to help with my winter skin woes. First up is the Body Shop Cocoa Butter Lip care Stick, I couldn't tell you how many times I've repurchased this product, it's my go to lip moisturiser. Does the job, smells lovely, easy to use stick, always have at least 2 on the go at once. £4 from The Body Shop.

Seriously dry or chapped hands? The Body shop Hemp hand protector does the trick. One of the Body Shops best sellers this rich hand cream soothes and protects dry hands all day long. It even keeps working after you've washed your hands! I love it for times when my hands feel sore and dry. Smells gross, works wonders. £10.

Last but not least, feet! Let's be honest we all forget about our little feet in winter, 3 months of hiding them away in socks and boots can make them feel neglected :( I try to use my Body Shop Hemp foot Protecter as often as I can be bothered (usually equalling about 3 times a week - sorry feet!) I love using this thick creamy foot butter before bed, its feels very rich and nourishing and keeps my feet soft. £10.

All products were purchased with my own money and are available from thebodyshop.co.uk or in stores.

Empties

2012-10-22T13:18:00.001-07:00

Clockwise L-R Macleans Total Health Whitening, Boots Build up removal shampoo, Liz Earle skin repair moisturiser, Nars Laguna bronzer, Origins eye doctor, Emma Hardie cleansing balm, Original Source vanilla milk and raspberry.

I love the medicinal, antiseptic fresh taste of the Macleans Total Health Whitening so much I used up two tubes. Not sure how much it helps to whiten my teeth but it leaves my mouth so super fresh I want to brush my teeth all the time. Not everybody will love the taste of this toothpaste but it's worth a try for the feeling alone.

Boots Expert Build up Removal Shampoo has been a bit of a staple in my hair care routine for some time now. Used once a week it really deep cleans my locks, gets rid of any built-up product and grease to leave my hair squeaky clean and soft. I recommend you all try this £3.49 hair saviour.

I will forever (well, for the forseable future) use the Liz Earle Skin Repair Moisturiser, I wont bang on about it again. 2 more pots down.

It wasn't until I used up this Nars Laguna Bronzer and had to go back to using a different one that I realised I couldn't live without it. It's the high pigmentation, soft texture and colour, natural bronze, not orange, that makes it just perfect. I went out to buy another pretty soon after, I will never to be without it again.

This pot of Origins Eye Doctor Eye Cream has lasted me 6 months plus, value for money you might say, however considering the £25 price tag I would be disappointed with anything less. Whilst this wasn't a wonder cream, it certainly did what it says on the tin (or pot) Kept my eyes cool, hydrated & created a smooth base for make-up, I would definitely consider buying this again.

When I received this 15ml sample size of the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Natural Lift & Sculpt Moringa (longest name in the world) Cleansing Balm, I wasn't overly excited. It swiftly landed in my ever increasing "to try" product pile. Fast forward a few months and everyone & the cats mother is talking about it. So after finally getting round to trying, what do I think? Love it. This is like a cleansing balm on steroids. The smell, the texture, the way it emulsifies, removes make up and leaves skin super soft and clean is beautiful. Despite the £34 price tag I will be purchasing the full size. My best friend may also accidentally got hooked after using it to remove our heavy night out make-up, ooops!

A cheaply but a goody, I can't get enough of this Original Source Vanilla Milk and Raspberry Shower gel. Around £2, moisturising, pretty pink colour and smells amazing. nuff said.

Harvey Nichols Haul inc. Jeffery Campbell Martinis

2012-10-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Clockwise from left: Coat £25 Primark, Bobble Bottle : £10.95, Jeffery Campbell Martini flats : £105, Louise Young : LY24 £11 & LY04 £17 All Harvey Nichols

Picked up a few bits I had my eye on for a while including this jacket with leather sleeves from Primark. Bit of a dupe for the Zara one which has now sold out but it was cheap and chearful at £25 and will see me through the autumn.

I needed a decent pair of flats for work, basically some that weren't going to wear out two months down the line (ahem Topshop) So went for the Jeffery Campbell Martini studded flats in Black w/ silver studs. Winter is most definitely on the way which is why I'm not wearing these outside in the rain. I have my little wellies to walk to work in instead :)

Everyone needs a Bobble bottle! my last one sadly melted when Sam poured boiling water on it! GRRR. I no longer have to buy bottled water when out and about, It encourages my to get my 2 litres a day and call me a princess, but I can't stand tap water! So this little guy gets a massive thumbs up from me.

Lastly I needed a decent blusher and eyeliner brush, having being disappointed with the eyeliner brush in the Real Techniques kit (way too thick & chunky) I picked up the super fine Louise Young LY24 for use with gel eyeliner and the LY04 which is the perfect size for blush.

What have you been buying recently?

Skincare Saviours

2012-10-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

Apha-H liquid Gold, Alpha-H Absolute Eye Complex, Ren Radiance Perfection Serum, Origins Clear Improvement Mask, Ren Glycolic Radiance Renewal Mask (sample size), Ren Invisible Pores Detox Mask (Sample Size)

A recent bout of stress induced acne has left me with some nasty looking skin. Red marks, post blemish blemishes and scarring are currently taking residence on my chin and cheeks, bleugh! To combat this I have called upon a small army of products to help me out.

First of all I gave Origins Clear improvement Mask the task of deep cleansing. Alpha-H liquid gold, used 3 times weekly is helping to reduce my scarring and improve the texture of my skin. It's partner in crime the Absolute eye complex is hydrating & fighting off those pesky dark circles under my eyes. To give my skin a boost of vitamin C for radiance, the Ren radiance perfection serum is doing a fine job. Lastly I have been trying out two Ren masks, these sample sizes of the Radiance renewal and inviable pores detox masks have left me wanting full sizes in both!

I can safely say that this combination of skincare saviours are helping my skin no end. Full reviews to come soon......

Add to Basket

2012-07-19T12:04:00.000-07:00

Stone Tee: New Look £6.99 Grey Strap top: H&M £2.99

Necklace: Topshop £16.50 Original Source Shower Gels: Boots £1.15 each

VO5 Moisture Soak Elixer: Boots £4.29

This is what happens when I "pop" into town to pick up some stamps.

Week Over : 2

2012-07-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

I was originally going to do these posts on a sunday but I might post them on mondays, everyone seems to post Instagram or Summary posts on a sunday and I thought you might get tired of reading about people's lives by sunday evening.

This week has been pretty uneventful, waiting to start my new job is becoming irritating. Saying that, at least my flat is clean and I have time to read and blog ect. A trip to the dentist revealed that I need a crown fitted to one of my back teeth, £380 argghh! That'll have to wait for a bit, sorry tooth!

On the weekend Sam and I trotted off to the Love Food Festival, a mini free food festival held a few times a year in Bristol, it was really nice to see lots of local business and their produce in one place. Plenty of meat, cheese, bread and cakes to be sampled. We picked up these cute handmade cupcakes from Laura at Bellevue Bakery, you can visit her site here.

P.S They were delicious!

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain

2012-07-12T08:04:00.000-07:00

Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Honey rrp £7.99

Not being a huge fan of more traditional lips stains (dry lips + dry product = yukk!) I was very excited to see Revlon had released their balm version of a lip stain in the UK. The Just Bitten Kissable Stain Balm is basically a tinted lip balm in a stick form, and a complete copy of the Clinique Chubby Sticks! I picked up the shade "honey" which is the most subtle of all the colours in this range. It's pretty much the colour of my lips but just gives them a little extra pigment making them stand out more. This product is super easy to apply, no mirrors required and looks fairly undetectable on the lips. When first applied it has a lovely lip balm feel to it which is great if like me, you suffer from dry lips. After a couple of hours of wear I noticed the moisturising properties had started to wear off and my lips were left with a very subtle stain, I think a colour stain is probably more noticeable on some of the darker colours in the range. So not hugely long lasting but no more or less wear than a regular lip balm.

overall I really love this lip stain so far, its easy to apply and this colour in particular is so easy to wear as it's not too pink, just lovely and natural.

until the 1st August the Revlon stain balms are £5.99 in Boots and Superdrug (£7.99 afterwards)

Which colours will you be picking up?

Wednesday Wishing

2012-07-11T02:16:00.000-07:00

Things I'm lusting after this week include:

1. Topshop Cord and Tube Collar Necklace £16.50 2. Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum £58 (50ml) 3. Beauty Blender Classic £16 4. Zara Shiny Flat Court shoes £39.99 5. H&M Print Skirt £7.99

What's on your wish list?

week over :1

2012-07-08T06:29:00.000-07:00

The first and most exciting thing to happen this week is that I have a new job! I haven't signed the contract yet so can't say a huge amount. I will tell you that It's really exciting and I will be a working as a beauty therapist for a massive cosmetics company, more will be revealed later. I'm starting to feel like all my hard work is paying off and doing a part time course in beauty was the right thing for me to do. Really happy I'm not going back to uni.

Been out and about generally seeing people this week, wednesday was cocktails and Men in Black 3 at the cinema. Not my first choice of film but thats what the boys wanted to see, it was easy to watch and pretty entertaining.

On thursday my best friend little Lucy came to see me for Pizza Express and gossipy goodness which was great, living an hour away nowadays means we don't get to see each other as often as I would like :(

Friday Sam & I went to dinner with a few of his workmates, it was lovely to meet everyone and the food was so good. I would recommend The Thali cafe in Clifton to everyone who loves Indian food. They do great simple curries made with really fresh ingredients in a street food style, very different to your usual local curry house.

I feel like I've been neglecting my hair a little this week, its mostly been up in a topknot everyday due to dry frazzled ends making it look a little poop. so this week my aim is to give it some TLC and do something with it!

New Glasses + Rimmel Wake me up

2012-07-06T03:21:00.000-07:00

excuse the messy hair but I'm wearing Rimmel wake me up foundation, I actually love it.

Frames £45 Specsavers

So I lost my perfect vision *cries*

I had noticed over the past few months that after spending too long reading on my ipad or looking at the tv screen for a while that my eyes started to ache and I was getting regular headaches. My boyfriend suggested I go get my eyes tested as I hadn't had an eye test for about 5 years! The lovely people at specsavers confirmed that I had one dodgy eye and this was probably the cause of my eye strain and headaches. cue new glasses.

Sam thinks they are, quote, "silly". But I like them.

on the down side we now look like some matchy matchy glasses wearing couple!

In my shopping bag: Bourjois & Rimmel purchases

2012-07-04T07:10:00.001-07:00

Bourjois 1 Seconde instant nail polish remover, Healthy Mix concealer (52) & Volume Clubbing Black Jack mascara

Free Sunglasses with any 3 Bourjois purchases (Boots Stores)

Rimmel Wake me Up Foundation (200 Soft Beige)

Still well within the grips of pauperism. is that a word? Anyway, not having the spare cash at the moment to splash out on high end make-up, I tottered down to Boots in search of some baragins. And bargains I found....

All Bourjois cosmetics were 3 for 2, if you take advantage of this offer there are also a free pair of sunglasses thrown in, lovely. In need of my much beloved Volume clubbin' mascara after mine dried out I spotted the new "Black Jack" version of my old fave. At £7.99 It's the same price & brush wand as the original but this formula has tiny golden flecks added to the mix. anything with a little shimmer is always a winner in my eyes!

I have been using Collection 2000's lasting perfection concealer for some time now, I do really like it but once it had dried up, like the fickle cosmetic junkie I am, I went in search of something new. After a recommendation from Megan of Lips so Facto I decided to give the Bourjois Healthy Mix concealer (£7.49) a go, I do love the Healthy Mix Serum foundation so I have high hopes for this!

I grabbed another Bourjois 1 seconde Nail polish remover pot as my freebie ( Normal price £4.99). I already have one of these for my own use but I think it's fantastic and am happy to have another to add to my manicure kit for work.

As I mentioned before, 3 Bourjois purchases in Boots and you get a free pair of sunglasses in this very cute case (pictured above) I was pleasantly surprised to find I actually like the style & shape, waheyyy! Just need some sun now to be able to use them!

I had a couple of free samples in various magazines of the new Rimmel Wake Me Up foundation, after hearing great things about the product I ripped open one of the sachets to see what all the fuss is about. It was love at first sight. The finish is very flawless & radiant, It gives an instant lift and glow to the skin and has a decent amount of coverage, whats not to love ehy? I liked it that much that I used both the samples and shed a little tear when they ran out. Not really but it is very unlike me to stray from my BareMinerals or Healthy Mix Serum foundations, but gotta be said I am secretly enjoying my little fling with Rimmel Wake Me Up. I paid £6.99 in Boots and am in the colour 200 Soft Beige. RRP £8.99.

What have you been buying from your local chemist this month?

The DIY French Manicure

2012-06-24T07:23:00.000-07:00

O.P.I Avoplex Cuticle Treatment Sally Hansen Gel Cuticle Remover

O.P.I funny Bunny O.P.I Barre My Soul Seche Vite Top Coat

Recently all I have been wearing on my nails is a classic french manicure, nothing makes my nails look so neat and "done" without using colour. First things fist, getting rid of overgrown cuticles. The first thing I do is apply a blob of Sally Hansen cuticle remover on each nail and leave for 3-4 minutes. This product helps to break down the dead skin of the cuticle for easy removal, I then use a cuticle remover to push them back once the cuticle remover has worked it's magic. To keep my cuticles in good shape I use the O.P.I Avoplex Cuticle Treatment which contains avocado oil to keep cuticles hydrated and nourished. For the white tips I use O.P.I Funny Bunny, a muted soft white for a more natural looking tip with O.P.I's Barre My Soul (NYC Ballet Collection) all over the nail, again a very natural looking pink which makes the nails look lovely and healthy. To top it all off I always use my favourite top coat, Sech Vite, the only top coat which gives me chip free nails for 4-6 days. Sech Vite top coat will set you back around £11 but I think it's worth every penny.

Getting older ( My Birthday)

2012-05-17T15:03:00.000-07:00

Dress: F+F at Tesco, Yes, Tesco! Jacket: Primark Earrings: Asda

How cheap, I mean Chic!

Favourite shoes of the moment: Ballet pumps from H&M

MY CAKE!

So last friday I reached the grand old age of 22! I actually feel like a little bit more of an adult now (Even though our next door neighbour thought I was 16 the other day!)

I'm not much of a "birthday" person & don't really like making a fuss. So my plans consisted of going out for lunch & a sneaky bottle of prosecco on our lunch break with friends & going for a meal with my lovely family & Sam in the evening. Lucy & Mitch threw a bbq in their back garden on the Sunday which pretty much consisted of sitting in the lovely sunshine with all my besties, drinking gin, eating chicken and strawberry cake. It was the perfect round up to my birthday weekend.

O.P.I & Essie Purchases

2012-05-15T12:22:00.000-07:00

L-R Essie LadyLike, Essie Cute as a Button, Essie Topless & Barefoot

L-R O.P.I Barefoot in Barcelona, Lincoln Park after Dark, Funny Bunny, Barre my Soul

Yesterday was a long and tiring but hugely exciting day at Beauty UK 2012. Held at the NEC Birmingham its one of the biggest trade only exhibitions for Beauty Therapists in the UK. Being a Beauty student, (I'm doing a part-time course) I thought I would take full advantage of trade price nail polish!

Shop mac, Cook mac, Innocence Beware! lipstick

2012-05-01T13:49:00.000-07:00

MAC Innocence Beware! Lipstick £13.50

'cus I really needed another nude pink lipstick.

Innocence Beware! is a limited edition creamsheen formula lipstick that came out with the Shop MAC, Cook MAC collection around a month ago. why did I buy it? First of all I'm a sucker for pale pink/nudey lip colours, I love mac's creamsheen formula for my dry lips and quite frankly I liked the aesthetic of the whole collection. Theres not a huge amount I can say about this, its another pale pink lipstick. It's not hugely pigmented, more a sheer wash of colour which I was initially a little annoyed at, however the more I wear it, the more I like it. As it is a very milky nude colour, I think a highly pigmented formulation would make it a very harsh, washing face out kinda nude. I love wearing it on minimal make-up days like in the photo above, this one will definitely be sticking around for summer.

Lush : Volcano Foot Mask

2012-04-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

Volcano Foot Mask £5.50

A little weekend treat for my feet on a dreary day. After soaking and scrubbing my feet I slapped a load of Lush Volcano foot mask to my soles and wrapped them in cling film. As I waited the 20 minutes recommended, I could feel the mask really cooling the skin and tingling my toes which felt lovely and soothing after a day of stomping around town. As I washed the mask off I massaged my feet to feel the bits of pumice in the mix smooth the skin. The only downsides to this product are that it doesn't smell great, but then neither do feet, and it is a little messy. But the pro's far outway the cons as afterwards my feet felt so "clean" (I do wash them in the shower but this was a whole new level of clean!!) They were left so refreshed, smooth & soft I can't wait to do it again next weekend!

April Empties

2012-04-24T10:40:00.001-07:00

L-R Batiste Dry Shampoo Dark & deep Brown, Rimmel Glam eyes day2night Mascara, Redken Extreme Rescue Force, Joico K-Pak Intense Reconstructer, Xen Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe, Lush Dreamwash

Over the month of April I have compiled this lovely bunch of packaging, not for any old reason, I have done so to show you what products I have used/loved/hated/repurchased/can't wait to throw away.

Starting with hair, Batiste Dry Shampoo in Dark & Deep Brown was probably purchased by me because it was on offer and I needed a dry shampoo. Im not hugely fussy with dry shampoo whichever is on offer suits me and this did the job. I would buy it again if it was on offer, if not I would probably use something else.

This sample size Redken Extreme Rescue Force (now called "strength builder" (£17.25) was given to me by my ma, It's a protein treatment for damaged hair. I was expecting this to soften and smooth my hair, but what it actually does is much more useful. This made my hair feel "strong" again. using this as a weekly treatment I have found my hair less prone to splitting and snapping off, thanks to this I am looking into more Redken Extreme products to purchase full size, let me know if you have any recommendations on that front?

Joico K-Pak Intense Reconstructer (£13.95) is a intense moisture treatment for dry hair, this did a good job of making my hair smooth and soft but I didn't feel it had any "reconstructing" properties like the Redken treatment did. It's ok, but it's nothing to write home about, I think there are better products on the market considering the price.

Rimmel Glam Eyes Day2Night Mascara (£7.99) is another one of those "because it was on offer" purchases. I think I paid a fiver for it, I fiver well spent I say. I really do like this mascara, I love the way the small comb works to separate and lengthen, then if you want volume you can add it with the 2nd step, or not. It works both ways. again, I'm not hugely fussy about mascara and I like to try new ones all the time, so while I wont be purchasing this again straight away, I would consider it in the future.

Xen-Tan Dark Lotion Absolute Luxe (£29.70) So the price makes me want to die a little but the truth is I cannot live without this product. You may have noticed in the photo that I even cut the bottle to scrape out the last little drops of this before my new one arrived. It's the best tan ever. Nuff said. (full review here)

Lush Dreamwash (£9.25) I wash recommended this because of my dry eczema prone skin, It's supposed to soothe and calm irritated skin and hydrate without drying. I wasn't the biggest fan of this I have to say, while it was nice and soothing and non-drying, it was plain weird. I like a shower gel that lathers up nicely and feels like it's cleaning your skin, Dreamwash doesn't lather very well and I find myself using a lot of product per use (not great when your paying almost a tenner!) It also leaves an odd waterproof type effect to the skin which I don't like, lastly it sticks around the plughole in the shower as a milky gross froth which, quite honestly, freaks me out. On a better note, to replace this, I'm now using Lush's Honey I washed the Kids soap and It's Raining men shower gel which I both love!

A little Lush haul

2012-04-18T10:23:00.001-07:00

Volcano £5.50/125g

Honey I Washed the Kids solid soap £3.25/100g Lust solid soap £3.95/100g

Sorry I've been a little MIA on the blog lately, lack of funds has sadly meant that I'm simply not buying as many lovely thing to share with you guys and have been left feeling a bit uninspired. excuses, excuses.

I decided a cheap little treat was in order so got myself down to lush to pick up a few goodies. I mainly wanted a treat for my feet, as like many others probably do, I tend to neglect them. I was advised that the Volcano foot mask was a staff favourite and would be just the ticket for my poor little trotters. Volcano is a 10 minute mask with clay, pumice and tomatoes to deodorise, cleanse and soften the skin on the feet. Smells awful, works a treat. review to come soon!

I love products with honey in them! Anything honey gets my vote, and since it helps with soothing my eczema prone skin I had to try the popular "Honey I Washed the Kids" soap. If you don't like the smell of sweet, toffee or caramel, then this isn't gong to be the soap for you I'm afraid. At the till I was kindly give a generous sample of Lust soap, which shares the same scent as the Lust perfume funnily enough. This has a very strong scent of jasmine which I'm not overly keen on, maybe I'll leave it in the shower in hope Sam will use it instead!

Nicki Minaj for O.P.I

2012-03-14T08:15:00.000-07:00

Niki Minaj for O.P.I Mini's £12.75 @ BeautyBay.com

L-R Did It On 'Em, Fly, Pink Friday & Metallic 4 life

Really glad I finally got my mitts on these! I love every single colour and can't wait to wear them this spring. I think my Favourite is probably "Pink Friday" such a lovely bright bubblegum pink!

Nicki Minaj for O.P.I Spring 2012

Collection Contains 3.75ml mini bottles of:

Did It On Em - A hot lime green polish with a cream finish.
Fly - A creamy neon, turquoise polish with a glossy finish.
Pink Friday - A pastel bubble gum pink shade with a glossy finish
Metallic 4 Life - A black polish loaded with silver glitter.

Available at beautybay.com here

New Products: Purchases of Late

2012-02-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Clockwise from left: Tigi S Factor Leave in moisture spray : No7 Midnight Enchantment Blush : O.P.I Nail Envy : Moroccan Oil : A.S.P Nail Whitening Paste : Superdrug Dry Shampoo : Blistex Intensive Moisturiser : Flexitol Cuticle & Nail cream : Garnier BB cream

This may seem a huge amount of new purchases and I say "purchases of late" but maybe the title should be "things I have acquired" as alot of these bits I have either been given, bought at trade price or paid for with Boots points, saving the pennies people, saving the pennies.

Hair

Tigi S factor Papaya Leave in moisture spray: A leave in conditioner for dry, damaged hair. I have been spritzing this into my hair when it's damp to help detangle and keep my hair moisturised. Smells delicious! I bought this from Salon Services at trade price, but It is available at feeluique.com for £12.65

My Mum kindly gave me a bottle of Moroccan Oil (Thanks mama!!!) It's only the handbag size bottle but I am so happy with it, I can safely say this is the best hair product I have ever used, cannot get enough of it. If I had to only use one hair product ever again, this would be it. The 25ml bottle is available at feelunique.com for £12.85

In need of a cheap dry shampoo I picked up this one from Superdrug on offer for 99p, It's the Chocolate Brownie for dark hair version, haven't used this yet but I'll let you know how It compares.

Nails

My nails are easily stained from nail polish and fake tan, to combat this problem I have been using A.S.P Whitening Nail Paste and the scrubbing brush that came in the kit. For use weekly, it pretty much does what it says on the tube, removes stains and brightens my nails, nothing more to say, it works! Purchased from Salon Supplies for around £3.50, available on sallyexpress.com for £6.38

I had a mini sample of O.P.I's original Nail Envy strengthener a few months ago and it worked wonders for my weak nails, but at £18.65 for the full size I was put off re-purchasing it. That was until I found it in Salon Services for around £8!! I have been layering this on every other day to keep my nails strong and healthy. Available at Boots for £18.65.

A recommendation from another blog for very dry cuticles and hang nails I picked up the Flexitol Cuticle and Nail cream from Boots, this is really brilliant stuff if you have persistent dry skin around the nail bed like I do. It's super moisturising and soothing and is keeping my nails looking pretty. Available at Boots for £5.10

Face

Boots No7 Blush from the Midnight Enchantment Collection is a very pretty pearly pink trio with a subtle sheen that leaves cheeks looking beautifully flushed. Limited Edition from Boots at £13.

In need of a tinted moisturiser for lazy days, I remembered I had a sample of Garnier all in one BB cream to try out, after testing it for a couple of days and being pleasantly surprised by how good it was I went out and grabbed the full size in medium from Boots, It was on offer for £7.49, usual price £9.99.

As a suffer of what feels like constantly dry lips, I think lip balms are probably the one product I have most of. Once again I convinced myself I needed another lip balm, and this was the culprit. It is literally a moisturiser for your lips, it's a creamy white formula that doesn't initially seem very hydrating, but once it has sunk it fully, It leaves my lips moisturised without feeling like I have a "balm" on them. I think this retails for around £2.50.

Real Techniques Core Collection Real Techniques Blush Brush

After much hype around how good these brushes were and the fact they are now available to buy from Boots online and larger Boots stores, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get them for myself. I have only been using these for a couple of weeks but I LOVE them! Great quality, super soft, work a treat! I have washed them to find they dry really fast and retain their shape perfectly. These brushes are also great for beginners or people on a budget as they are brilliant value for money. The core Collection (pictured left) Consists of the buffing brush, contour brush, pointed foundation brush and a tiny detailer brush. I have been using the buffing brush for foundation, it works well with liquid and mineral. The contour brush is the perfect size for defining those cheek bones and I have found the pointed foundation brush works wonders for under eye concealing.

The blush brush on the right is one of the brushes that are sold separately, it is so soft and fluffy and the perfect size for power or blusher.

Real Techniques Core Collection £21.99 and Real Techniques Blush Brush £9.99 available at Boots

Feel unique Beauty Box February 2012

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At first glance, I'm not sure why, but I wasn't all that fussed about this months box. After chatting on the phone with Lucy about her February Glossy box, which is really great this month btw, I felt like maybe I would have been better of with a Glossy box subscription. Then I sat down and went through the product descriptions and I realised that actually I will use most, if not all the products included in my Feel unique box. I think the thing lacking from this months box is simply the absence of a "wow" product, theres not that one product that really stands out and makes you want to sample it straight away this time, not for me anyway. However overall, after closer inspection, I do like it.

The product I'm most looking forward to is Philip Kingsley's Elasticizer, one because I am a sucker for anything the promises to help repair my damaged hair, and two because there was a lot of hype around it when a sample was included in a GlossyBox a few months back. It's a intensive, super-moisturising pre-shampoo treatment that adds elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine. I'll let you know how I get on with this one!

Also included are a decent sized (100ml) Elemis Lime and Ginger body wash, this will be going into my travel wash bag because of it's handy size. The mini Leighton Denny nail polish in Steel Appeal is a lovely deep midnight blue with with a slight silver shimmer and will make a nice addition to my polish collection. A product which I have sampled before is the Nuxe multi use dry oil. This can be used on face, body and hair but my favourite thing to do with it is slather it on my legs post-shower to make them silky smooth and moisturised. Im a little dubious about the Decleor Phytopeel, not because of the brand but because I'm pretty dedicated to my current Skincare routine. This spa-smelling iridescent cream is an exfoliating peel mini-mask to be used twice a week, as I don't have a mask in my routine I think I might just give this a whirl!

The one and only sample I don't like is the Jean Paul Gaultier Kokorico fragrance, for me it's just far too musky and masculine.

So after second thoughts on this months box, whilst now bowled over by any of the products, I am quite looking forward to trying them out!

The Feel Unique beauty box is available on subscription from feelunique.com for £10 a month.