Current Beauty Favourites | 2022

I don't usually write beauty posts due to being rather loyal to my products I use, but it looks I've strayed a little recently so I thought I'd share my new found favourites!

Body Shop Fresh Nude Tinted BB Cream

I picked up Body Shop Fresh Nude Tinted BB Cream just before Christmas and I've really taken to it. It provides a good coverage that still looks natural, giving you that your skin but better look, as well as providing 24 hydration and SPF 30 protection from the sun. 

Being an oily skinned girl I was a little dubious about how it would sit on my skin but the consistency is non greasy and doesn't transfer, nor does it break me out either. This'll definitely be staying in my makeup bag, especially for spring summer when you don't want full coverage. Love!

Revolution Reloaded Newtrals Palette

Another new addition to my makeup bag is this palette from Revolution. Having seen makeup trends becoming more warm neutrals, I knew I wanted to add some of these shades into my life and for £5 this palette was an absolute steal! 

I particularly love the shade on the first row, 3 in from the left and the shade on the second row, 2 in from the left for my eyes and I've also been using the shade on the first row, 2 from the left as a blush colour. To keep it contemporary, I've also been washing the colour across my nose slightly; a tip I picked up from Lisa Eldridge in this video here.

Clinique Smart SPF 15 Custom Repair Moisturizer

I was gifted some of this magic cream for my birthday as part of a Clinique set and it's safe to say I'm obsessed. Having been a firm lover of the Body Shop's seaweed mattifying cream for well over 12 years, I was again a little dubious of trying something new but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that this moisturiser can be bought for various skin types, including for oily and combination skin like mine! Having had almost a month of being ill with colds and a chest infection in February, this moisturiser saved my skin from becoming chapped, dry and lack lustre thanks to it's skin rebuilding properties. 

It's also saved my skin when venturing out on walks in the cold; being hit with harsh winds and even hail! You'd never know that my skin had been through the ringer thanks to this product. I love the consistency; being somewhat thick, making it feel like a real treat to your skin. I would highly recommend!

Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate

I've touched on some of the drops of youth eye products in previous posts, such as The Shift Worker Skincare Routine, but this time around I've treated myself to the concentrate for the rest of my skin. I've found this to be so refreshing on my skin and sinks in really easily and is perfect under my other night time creams. 

Being a serum, it's a gel like texture and leaves your skin feeling plump and hydrated. As the name would suggest this product contains ingredients to leave you fresh faced with youthful skin, with ingredients such as Edelwess- known to repair itself and Moringa seed oil which is rich in omega 9. My skin has definitely seen an improvement since using it and is far more refreshed when I wake up of a morning- a true beauty sleep is had!

And that's your lot! Like I say I don't tend to steer too far from my firm favourites often which is why I rarely write beauty posts but when it's been mentioned, you'll know I think a lot of it.

What are you loving right now?

My Tanning Routine for Lazy Girls

Having a bronzed body glow gives me confidence and makes me feel good in my skin. I've had a few people recently comment on how tanned I look and asked how I achieve it so I thought I'd do a blog post! 

My tanning routine is pretty basic to be honest but it works for me. I naturally have a bit of colour but tan just peps me up a bit and gives me that bronzed glow. I use the Dove DermaSpa Summer Revived in shade Medium to Dark which is a lotion consistency and super easy to apply. It gradually tans your skin so it's not a harsh tan and develops nicely. 

With it being a lotion it's light on your skin and dries quickly so I can put clothes on almost straight away. I used to apply just before bed but my husband hates the smell and the tan residue on the sheets- understandable. So instead I apply during the day now and shower off before bed. It doesn't smell of tan when you first put it on, its more of a spa smell but as it develops, the biscuits come to the surface haha.

I use a tanning mitt to apply my tan all over, including my face, putting two layers on to get the desired colour I want. Being a lazy and low maintenance tanner, I tend to only apply once or twice a week and with being a gradual tan it tends to fade gradually too so you don't get the tell tale signs of old tan. I find using a tanning mitt has been the best way for application as hands will inevitably be left with orange tinted palms no matter how hard you scrub and it applies it evenly too. I've even perfected the tanning my back dance, turning the mitt onto the back of my hand to reach the top of my back. To ensure my hands, feet and ankles aren't over tanned, I use the leftover remnants of tan left on the mitt and gently apply around the edges of my fingers, a quick swip over my ankles and again my feet so they don't go orange! With tanning my face I apply a small amount and ensure it's blended out gradually into my hair line. 

To also counteract the possibility of tell tale old tan by exfoliating with this Body Shop Hemp Body Mitt. It works really well to scrub off the last of my remaining tan and leaves your skin feeling super smooth and polished.

In between tanning I don't do any other maintenance with my tan body wise. The Dove Dermaspa is moisturising in itself and I find my skin doesn't tend to need any other moisturising. As for my face, the tan does tend to fade faster so I will use some instant tan with some moisturiser to top it up or if I'm wearing makeup, my foundation with bronzer soon matches up to my body.

And that is basically it! There really isn't much to it and it seems almost too simple to be writing a post on it but like I say, plenty of people have asked me how I do it so there you have it. It's super simple and non taxing if like me you're a lazy tanner.

What do you use to get your glow?

Summer Beauty Favourites

Hello hello hello! It’s that season again where I talk beauty favourites so lets start shall we?

Green people organic fruit scrub exfoliate

As summer is here an exfoliator is necessary to keep your skin looking fresh and smooth. I’ve been loving this organic one from Green People with its fresh citrus scent and gentle exfoliation. Its really effective at removing dead skin cells without completely stripping your face of its essential oils. Another big plus is that it’s organic and free from parabens, alcohol and other nasties so my skin is very happy!

This works Perfectlook skin miracle

As you can see this product has been used A LOT and I’ve got a lotta love for it. This instant tinted skin perfector hydrates and brightens your skin whilst giving you lots of vitamin goodies that your skin will thank you for. The tint gives you a subtle hint of a summer glow which is perfect for days when you don’t fancy heavy coverage. A touch of this and some bronzer is perfect for a summer no make-up make-up look!

Argan oil hydrating hair mask & Argan oil heat defence leave in spray

You may have seen my post on this hair mask earlier on in the summer. It really is the tits for giving you silky soft locks at a crazily cheap price of 99p! I was so impressed that I had to try the heat defence leave in spray too. It has that same lovely smell and does a great job of protecting my locks from being frazzled. Winner!

Body Shop Honey Bronze bronzing powder

No summer beauty favourites would be complete without a mention of some bronzer! This body shop honey bronzer is the perfect formula, being matte so no crazy shimmer going on bright sunny days (what are those again?) I also love the packaging and the design. I know it’s not an important factor but it is pretty. Ooh!

Body shop All-In-One Instablur

If you want a primer that’s value for money, keeping your make-up in place and makes your skin feel amazing- this is the one. I have been loving this for a good few months now and can safely say it does the job and bloody well too. With seriously oily skin that has a habit of letting my make-up slide off my face I was sceptical of the Instablur but it helps reduce shine whilst keeping my make-up firmly in place for a good 12 hours. At £14 I’d say it’s pretty damn reasonable and I’ll even say it’s as good as Clarins Beauty Flash Balm. Yup, I went there! 

So these are the products I'm loving for the summer months and feel really benefit skin and hair in the hotter weather! What are you loving?

Body Shop Haul

 Happy Tuesday! I hope you all had a marvellous weekend and the beginning of the week is being kind to you. Today I have a Body Shop Haul video on my YouTube Channel. I love the body shop and rave about them all the time, especially when there’s a sale on so be sure to check out what I bought! Are you also a Body Shop fan? Let me know what your favourite products are, I love trying new ones!

See you Friday,

Recent Body Shop Loves

Why I love the Body Shop

So in case you're not already aware, I am a huge fan of the Body Shop, growing up with it as a child and being introduced to the shop by my mum. I used to love wandering in with her on a Saturday to the beautiful smells and of course those little bath pearls I'd get as a treat- what ever happened to those!?

Opening it's first store in Brighton in 1976, the brand has grown immensely and now has stores in countries all over the world. I love this brand because to me they create good honest products and at a fairly reasonable price, but not only that, they create amazing projects such as launching the Big Issue paper in 1991, producing community fair trade products and launching hugely successful campaigns such as the Against Animal Testing Campaign which led to the banning of testing any cosmetic products or ingredients on animals in the UK in 1998. This brand fight for great causes. Not only have they earnt my respect, they've certainly got my attention over the years.

Dame Anita Roddick has made such a fantastic business that creates great products and great customer service too. Whenever I've been into a store or held a Body Shop party, the level of customer care is exemplary. You're always welcomed and given genuine advice on what products are best for you and why. From the ingredients to the science and even the luscious smells- the staff I've encountered have been fantastic and make the whole shopping experience personal.

Now lets get onto my current favourites!

Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream

Honeymania Eau De Toilette

Coconut Lip Butter

Current Favourites

On my most recent visit to the Body Shop, I picked up my staple essentials, the seaweed facial range (see this post for more info on that range) and because I'd spent over a certain amount and have a loyalty card I got free goodies, yay! All of my current favourites are actually the free goodies and things I probably wouldn't have even picked up which I'm rather impressed by.

The absinthe purifying hand cream has extracts of absinthe in (funnily enough) and is a rich thick consistency. Similar to the hemp hand cream which is a firm favourite of mine, it's nourishing and leaves your hands feeling silky soft. The scent is quite strong but fresh and a bit nicer than the hemp formula. Yes the texture can be a tad oily but you seriously don't need a lot of this product and it'll last you ages. Perfect for those up coming winter months. Say goodbye to chapped cracked hands!

Now onto Honeymania... I love this scent! It's longevity is pretty good for a Body Shop eau de toilette as some of the other scents wear off pretty quickly. It's fresh but also rich and a comforting and has floral notes with that lovely honey smell coming afterwards. I'm getting a bit better at describing perfumes right? Right? It's also the perfect size for travelling or to pop in your hand bag on the go for a spritz of freshness.

Finally we have this little pot of joy- the coconut lip butter. Like all scents from the Body Shop this smells good enough to eat. I must admit I was a bit dubious of using a lip butter as in the past I've had real dry lips which ended up from over using lip products. It's a long story but that's why I was dubious, however Body Shop use natural products and on days where my lips have been a bit dry, cracked etc this lip butter has gently soothed them back to health. The consistency is rich and silky and has impressive staying power. Again a little bit goes a long way and this has quickly become a firm favourite in my make-up bag.

I am so glad got these freebies. Again another sign of how great the Body Shop is. I'd definitely recommend trying something new. You never know, you could be very pleasantly surprised!

What are your favourite Body Shop Products?

xxx

What's in my Travel Bag?

In my last post I mentioned I was taking a trip back to the UK, so why not share what I use products wise on the go? I actually photographed and filmed for this post the day after I came back to the UK but I have been SO BUSY that this is the first opportunity I've had to post!

I absolutely adore this Paper Planes wash bag from Disaster Designs (buy here) with its cute kitsch design and ample room inside.

Nivea Pearl & Beauty

Ted Baker X2O fragrance

Body Shop Cherry Blossom shower gel & body lotion

Body Shop Camomile gentle eye make-up remover

Body Shop Aloe Calming Cleanser, Toner & Night Cream

Body Shop Seaweed Deep Cleansing facial wash

Body Shop Rainforest Moisture conditioner & hair mask

Body Shop Seaweed Mattifying Moisture Lotion

As you may have noticed I kinda love Body Shop? Like a lot? They just do such great travel size products which fit perfectly in my wash bag. I never have to make do or go without products that I'd use at home because everything is the same just in miniature! And I love mini things... too cute! The only thing that isn't a mini version is the mattifying moisturiser. 

I tend to use the Body Shop aloe calming products when I'm away as although I have an oily complexion, I find when travelling my skin can become rather dry and dehydrated. It's the perfect combination of moisture and soothes any dry or irritated skin. I also love love love the rainforest hair products, again from Body Shop as they really nourish my hair and leave it feeling soft and silky. My hair can become so dry from flying, not to mention I don't tend to have time to let my hair dry naturally when I'm travelling so they counteract damage from any hot tools I use.

Everything else pretty much just smells friggin gooood and for me I want to feel refreshed and smelling as good as possible when I'm out and about!

So that's about it really! What do you guys take on your travels? I hope you've had a good weekend! There's more wedding posts to come too and most likely a Primark haul in a few weeks (eeek!!) Now back to wedding planning for me!

Don't forget to check the video out below too ^_^

Kat

xxx

Review: Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Butter

Just before I moved to Cyrpus I thought I best stock up on some Body Shop staples and whilst purchasing these essentials I came across this cleansing butter. I must admit I was suckered in pretty quickly, it looks pretty, smells luuush and the sales assistant was raving about it so I thought I'd give it a try for myself! 

I've been using this on and off for the last few months and if I'm honest I've been umming and arring on whether I like it? As I've said it smells amazing, much more fragrant than the eye makeup removers but perhaps that's because they're aimed to be gentle? The texture is smooth and glides onto the skin well but on my skin it felt as though it left a greasy residue so maybe it's not so good on oily skin types... I also wouldn't recommend it for eye make-up removal, not with cotton will pass anyway. I tried using it with pads but it doesn't remove mascara all that well and left my eye lids greasy. For overall makeup removal however it worked well.

I'm still a firm supporter of cream liquid cleansers, being a real lover of the body shop seaweed range but this cleansing butter would great for on the go, as the consistency is great for travelling, could even be popped into your hangbag as well as overnight bag. I also think it's good for days when you haven't worn makeup but want to cleanse your face, but for everyday use of removing heavy duty makeup? Not so much.

Overall I'd say this product is good for a quick go-to make up removal if you have a light makeup on or to overall cleanse the face but not best for oily skin!

I hope this helps and everyone's enjoying their Friday. If any of you have tried it please let me know what you think :-).

Kat

Xxx

Body shop haul

Hey dolls, I have another beauty haul for you! This ones all on body shop. I absolutely love their products, all of them smelling amazing and they work really well on my skin.

On my face I use the seaweed range which is aimed at oily/combination skin. The mattifying day cream and night treatment are great at giving your skin the moisture it needs without leaving you feeling greasy. Both are mattifying and leave your skin feeling refreshed and looked after. The night treatment is slightly heavier and comes in a serum but again doesn't leave your skin feeling clogged with product. I'd highly recommend these to anybody with oily skin like myself! This is the first time I've purchased the pore-cleansing facial exfoliator and have only used it once so far. The exfoliating beads are larger than I expected but it does a great job to get rid of dead skin although be careful around any sensitive skin areas as it can be quite abrasive. I would personally recommend using it once or twice a week as anymore would probably strip your skin too much but it is a good product and like all of the above it smells lovely!

I also used the seaweed cleanser and toner which have similar properties to the day and night cream by not leaving your skin feeling greasy. They remove makeup very easily and leave the skin feeling refreshed. Since using all of these seaweed products my skin is definitely less oily and I have very little break outs! The camomile eye make-up remover is also a little gem. I find a lot of eye makeup removers leave my eyes watering and sting like hell! This one however is very effective at removing make-up (including waterproof mascara) and I have no leaky stinging eye sensation- result! You don't have to use a lot of product and the bottle is huge so it's definitely value for money also.

The final two things I picked up in the sale. The first is the passion fruit body butter which usually retails at £12 but I got it for £6. It lasts aaaages and smells amazing!! For some reason this body butter is always in the sales but it's great for me as its my favourite flavour. It lasts on the skin for ages and you don't need a lot of it to do the job. I also picked up the Moroccan rose eau de toilette which was originally £15 down to £7.50! I needed another perfume and this was so cheap I couldn't resist. It is quite a flowery perfume with undertones of spicyness i'd say? (Explaining scents has never been my strong point), and the scent is very long lasting. 

So those are my body shop goodies. Let me know what your favourites are! 

Kat

Xxx