Shimmer for the Summer!

Hi Everybody,

I know, summer hasn’t arrived in the UK but you can still prepare your body for it! Adding some shimmer to your body care routine doesn’t just emphasis your tan but  gives your a natural, healthy beautiful glow.   Here are a few I have that you can be brave to use and enjoy.

The Body Shop Brilliance Powder in ‘Shimmer Bronze’ – If you don’t like to use oils or cream, you can lightly dust your body and it will give you a nice, bronzy glow. It gives you a touch of shimmer and is beautiful to use. You can use this on your face as well.

NUXE Prodigieux Precious Scented Shower Oil – If you have already a tan, you can use this in the shower to maintain the tan. It moisturizes and leaves you with a nice sheen to it. It has a nice scent to it too.

Laura Mercier ‘tarte au citron’ Simmer Body Mist – If you don’t want to use a summer fragrance or lotion, this is the perfect choice. It smells nice and it moisturizes well too and It leaves a glowing finish.

Piz Buin Instant Glow Skin Illuminating Sun Spray – It contains SPF 30 and protects you from UVA and UVB. If you are pale and you want a slight glow to your skin this is perfect. It is infused with light reflecting pearls that illuminates your skin for a subtle, glowing finish to the skin. I like this for my legs and is easy to apply, shake and spray and rub it in.

Rosie For Autograph Summer Rose Shimmer Body Oil – This is a lightweight body oil which illuminates the skin and it gives a real golden glow. It has camelina and sweet almond oils to moisturize and soften the skin. It has a divine smell, a real beautiful smell which is the summer in a bottle. It is also non-greasy, easy to apply and absorbs without to much effort. A real winner in my view!

I hope a beautiful heatwave is coming so we can sit on the beach and glow like the sunshine!

Rxx

 

 

 

 

The Body Shop ‘Pinita Colada’ Collection.

Hi Everyone,

As you know I love The Body Shop. Every year they create a seasonal range of new products with new smells. This summer they created a nice body range of products.  The Pinita Colada collection is a shower gel, body scrub, body sorbet and a favourite of body shop, the body butter.

The Body Shop are always full of good ideas and this year’s offering is no different. the scent is pure tropical, Pineapple and coconut but without the white rum! It really smells of summer and is wonderful, it’s so good you could eat it! The body butter absorbs into the skin easily and doesn’t feel sticky at all. The body scrub has a creamy consistency with added exfolitants in it that gives it a nice feel on the body and leaves it very smooth.

This is a fantastic summer treat for your body, get it while you still can!

Rxx

Mary Greenwell ‘Cherry’ EDP.

Hi Everybody,

I have had this fragrance since last year when my husband bought this for me for our second anniversary. We had our third wedding anniversary last week and now I will review this perfume!

Mary Greenwell is the greatest of make-up artists working today. I was lucky to see her at the Glamour Festival when she was in conversation with Fearne Cotton. She is passionate and dedicated to her profession but she is funny and warm. She is a beautiful person and one day to be her student and learn from her!

Her perfume creations are Plum, Lemon, Fire and Cherry. and were created with Francois Robert.The packaging is of a nice quality, simple but classy styling. The bottle is a simple rectangular shape and the cap is a heavy gold metal which gives it a wow factor. The cap does add weight to the bottle and is not one to put in a handbag!

The scent is fruity and flowery with a subtle powdery finish. The cherry does not dominate this scent at all. The top notes are blackberry and sour cherry with a touch of bergamot. The cherry is not a cheap, artificial cherry which you can get with cheaper perfumes but a sour cherry. The middle notes I feel lily-of-the-valley and the warmth of the tonka bean but not much jasmine. The base notes I feel the patchouli come through. I have found this to be such a good lasting scent on your body, just a few sprays and it lasts so long on me!

This is a beautiful scent and is perfect for the summer or autumn and like the lady herself, it is a sophisticated creation.

Rxx

 

 

Sukin Skincare Review.

Hi Everybody,

Sukin was created in Melbourne in 2007  by a family who wanted to provide high-quality, affordable skincare.  They are certified 100% vegan and carbon neutral.  “Skincare that doesn’t cost the earth” is their tagline which reflects their affordable price positioning and also touches on Sukin’s natural formulations and earth friendly brand ethos.

I bought the products from Infinty Foods in Brighton where they have a nice selection of products but now you can buy  some of the range from Holland & Barrett.

Packaging is of a nice quality and with a good quantities of each product. No small amounts in silly little bottles here!

I have mentioned that I have used their cream cleanser which is excellent for removing make-up from my skin with a muslin cloth but I have added more products since then.  The Foaming Facial Cleanser is sulphate and paraben free so it doesn’t dry your skin out.  The ingredients include Chamomile, Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel which makes this a gentle product that you can happily use everyday in your skin care regime.  The Revitalising Facial Scrub is again a gentle scrub that uses non-abrasive, micro particles of bamboo extract and ground walnut shells that removes dirt and impurities.  Your skin feels clean, soft and smooth.  The Facial Moisturiser is a lightweight formula which absorbs into the skin easily. I have used this under make up and have had no issues. I do suffer from breakouts and I have found this helps to calm and heal them. I like the fact you have a pump action mechanism which helps gets all the product out.  The smell won’t be for everyone as it grassy/herby scent but I don’t mind it myself. The last product is the Moisture Restoring Night Cream. I have mentioned this before as a monthly favourite but it is a wonderful product. It has an bouncy,rich texture and is enriched with rose hip, primrose and borage oils to protect the skin’s moisture barrier. After using it, my skin does feel moisturized and hydrated.

These make a nice collection of products to use for your skincare regime without breaking the bank and also knowing that they are also kind to the environment. Now to try their masks, facial oils and body range they make!

Rxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cuckmere Haven trip!

 

Hi,

Here are a few images of our trip to Seven Sisters Country Park & Cuckmere Haven yesterday. It really is a beautiful setting, You have a river setting and follow it around until it meets the sea. It is a beautiful setting and a wonderful beach to explore the breathtaking cliffs. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to pick some seashells and a few bits of driftwood I managed to find.

The setting is perfect for a picnic, relax and watch everything with my binoculars and snap a few pictures with my instant camera!

Rxx

Latest in Beauty Summer Edit Box!

Hi Everybody,

As I have mentioned before, I do like to try new products in the Latest in Beauty boxes. You try different products for a modest amount and test them to see if you like them. It also gives you the chance to try and keep up with the constant new products on the market.

This summer box contains eight products, none of which I have ever tried before. Grounded Chocolate Orange Body Scrub is made in the UK and is one of the many new products which uses coffee as a scrub.  Aurelia Miracle Cleanser with bamboo muslin cloth is a travel size version of the popular high-end cleanser. I want miracles from this product when I start using it as it is quite expensive. Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray has a lot of love from many in the beauty world, I hope the hype is right! NUXE Prodigieux Shower Oil is a shower oil with golden shimmer and I do love a bit of shimmer. It will be interesting to see the results on this. Smells nice though, like many of Nuxe products do. St Tropez Self Tan Classic Bronzing Mist is a self-tanning spray but I have never self-tanned before so I’m a bit nervous on using it! Ladival Sun Protection Spray is perfect for the summer. It has not just UV-A or UV-B protection but also protects from infrared A rays. No excuse for not protecting ourselves with this full size bottle. Wow Mask Luxury Facial Mask is made in California for the Hyalual Institute in Switzerland. Good for revitalizing the skin and helping to fight pores. Sounds good as  do like a face mask. Revlon Ultra HD Matte Lip Colour ‘Devotion’ is a very nice pinky-rapsberry colour. It looks very nice on the lips and was very long lasting in the two days I have used it. I always go for Bourjois or Rimmel so I should take a closer look at Revlon’s products. You also receive brand offers which are redeemable when you purchase items from their websites.

I will do an update of the products later..

Rxx

 

Van Cleef & Arpels ‘Oriens’ EDP.

Hi Everybody,

Van Cleefs & Arpels are a famous jewellery company but they also make some very nice perfumes. They started creating fragrances in 1976 and they have now created 54  perfumes since then.

Oriens was created in 2010 by Bernard Ellena. The packaging is of very nice quality and the bottle design is based on the Arbre Aux Songes, a famous tourmaline and diamond ring from the Van Cleef & Arpels Midsummer Night’s Dream Range.

The scent is a mix of floral and fruitness but at the same time there is a hint of powder in the dry down.  Raspberry, vanilla, amber and citrus are all there. Longevity is there for the whole day. This perfume would be good for the summer and autumn. If you can’t afford expensive jewellery this fragrance gives you the feeling of diamonds around you!

Rxx

May Favourites!

Hi Everybody,

June already and the summer i-s here!

May favourites starting with..

MAKE UP

MUA Luxe Utopia Eyeshadow Palette – This is a really nice nude/brown in 10 different shades. All blend nicely with very good pigmentation and with a nice shimmery, pearlized finish. Unlike same eye shadow palettes where you are only use a few shades, I have found that I have used all of them and it allows you to create so many different looks. It has a nice wide mirror so really useful if you have only one palette to travel with.

MUA Sweet Sheen Lip Balm ‘Peach Dream’ – This is a really good product for a budget purchase. It gives you a subtle shade but you can see you are wearing something on your lips. It also leaves your lips moisturized. Can’t believe it is only £2!

 

Bourjois Blush 34 ‘Rose D’Or – This is a pink blusher with a slight golden shimmer to it in a limited edition packaging. Nice for the summer.

Rimmel Volume Colourist Mascara- A mascara with a nice tint which does leave your lashes looking voluminous and darker. A nice everyday mascara.

SKINCARE

Estee Lauder ‘Take it Away’ Makeup Remover Lotion – I used this to remove my make up on my face. It has a feeling of a lotion to it and it does feel nice and did a good job in removing my make up. I like this a lot.

Clarins Gentle Eye Makeup Remover –  I have only used these products to remove my mascara and eyeshadow makeup. I don’t use them on my face. I find this gentle on my skin to and it didn’t sting like others I have used and it was non-greasy too. It removed both mascara and eye make up very well.

Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner – I love toners and I really do think they are excellent products for your skin preparation before moisturizing and serums. This one is very good and really smells of apricots and has extracts of apricot, quillaja wood and sweet betty flower to leave the skin radiant and fresh.

Balance Me Congested Skin Serum – I did a separate post on this (please read it for more detail) and I really love this product!

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Light Cream – This is a lightweight face cream with has left my skin feeling so hydrated. If you have dehydrated skin, like me, I can recommend this. It is also non-greasy and absorbs very easily into the skin.I have used this under make up too and it didn’t slip under it.

Elemis Hydra-Nourish Night Cream –  This anti-oxidant rich night cream made an immediate impact on my skin, I felt and saw the difference and I will repurchase this even though it is quite pricey. If you have tired, dehydrated skin this is the product for you.  Seriously impressed by this product.

BODY & HAIR

Rituals Hammam Delight Foaming Shower Gel – My husband’s shaving gel does this as well. it is a gel that foams up when you mix it in your hands. It has a lovely scent and I really enjoyed this product. I haven’t tried much of their products and I  was impressed by the quality of this shower gel.

Stenders Apricot Sugar Scrub – One of Latvian’s best companies and one of their best products in their range. Your skin feels moisturized with a thin feel of oiliness to it. You don’t need to apply a moisturizer afterwards. If you are in Latvia, seek out their shops and buy a few things from their range. You will not be disappointed..

Elemis Jasmine and Rose Hand and Nail Cream – Don’t forget to look after your hands too and with summer here your hands need protecting. This is a perfect light cream and it absorbs so well into your skin and hydrates your hands too. It has a beautiful rose scent, feels like summer on your hands.

Percy & Reed Volumising No Oil Oil – I keep my hair style simple but this is a very interesting product.  It contains violet extract leaving it smooth, sleek and shiny while adding volume. It is also a multi-tasking with pro vitamin B which strengthens and nourishes the hair. I did a test to see if it could work on my hair. I applied some on my towel dried hair and used 2 pumps to it and blow dried the hair. It really added volume to my hair. The next time I washed my hair, I didn’t apply any of it and you could see the difference. Very interesting product.

Rxx

 

On My Nails – Nails Inc & WAH London.

Hi Everybody,

I haven’t done one of these for a while so I decided to paint my nails with a nice summer colour and a bold art design.

I first applied Mavala protective base coat and I decided to go with a navy blue Nails Inc Gel Effect colour in the shade ‘Old Burlington Street’. It is made with placticiser technology so no UV light required. It went on so good and I only needed one coat.

For a little magic, I used my WAH London Nail Art Pen in a pastel yellow shade. You have two ways to use this pen. You can use brush or pen. I used the pen as I wanted create an leopard type pattern but in a different way. I like the finished design, bold and different. The pen is marvellous, so easy to use and I have to purchase a few more colours in the range.  I finished off with Mavala’s Gel Finish Top Coat which is a unusually thick consistency unlike most other types. If you don’t have the kind of pen, you can either a dotting tool or even a toothpick to create your design.

If you create a nail art design, I would love to see it on Instagram. Use #revitaloves and tag me @revitadaktinasmith

Rxx