Good morning beauties!

I LOVE skincare products.  I'm literally so excited about this topic I could jump out of my skin and the same thing happens when I'm off to buy new skincare products.

Recently I'd run out of my favourite No. 7 day and night creams and decided to stock up, and in my local Boots store I noticed that they sold a Hot Cloth Cleanser by No. 7.

I've already tried and tested the Liz Earle Hot Cloth Cleanser, and am a huge fan!  But wanted to try something that I could get on a 3 for 2 offer!  And Boots just nailed that on the head.

What No 7 say: 

No7 Beautiful Skin Hot Cloth Cleanser has been created to provide tailored skin nutrition for healthy looking, bright and beautiful skin.
Enjoy the luxury of a spa facial in your own home. The combination of this rich indulgent cleanser and the gentle exfoliating muslin cloth removes dead skin cells and daily grime whilst stimulating circulation, leaving your skin deeply clean, soft and radiant.

How to Use

Close your eyes, using your fingertips, gently massage over dry skin in upward circular motions. Run the muslin cloth under comfortably hot water, wring out the excess and place cloth over your face to open pores and relax. Then use the cloth to lightly polish off the cleanser in circular motions. to finish, splash your face with cool water to close pores and pat dry. Follow with your favourite No7 moisturiser.
Hand wash the cloth regularly in warm soapy water and dry flat.

The No. 7 Hot Cloth Cleanser is really nicely thick and creamy with minimal scent.  It applies really nicely onto skin and definitely doesn't dry out your skin which is a bonus.  I often use this cleanser in conjunction with my Clarisonic Mia and must say that they work well together.  After I've used it with my Clarisonic Mia, I use the muslin cloth to remove any remaining dead skin and cleanser.

This cleanser comes in a really nice big bottle at 200mL along with one muslin cloth.  It is priced at £9.95 and can be bought at your local Boots store.

I use this cleanser on a daily basis and don't get break outs or dry skin from it.  It is very gentle and moisturising and takes any makeup off easily and without fuss. 

Have a fuss free day!

Get up and Glow

Morning Beauties!

By far today is definitely one of those days that shows you that summer is well and truly over.  It is dull, grey and super rainy.  We've even had forecasts of flooding in the majority of areas across the UK. 

However, with that being said, I'm going to be looking on the bright side and finding ways of staying chipper!  As this week is going to be filled with exciting new posts, which I'll get to tomorrow, I'm looking at something for today that will say:  "HEY, I am still a bit tanned and looking fabulous!"

This weather just makes me want to relax in my bed, snuggled up, and watching reruns of Sex and the City.  How cheesy, right?  But I love watching TV shows, especially ones with fabulous girls in that dress really well.  You'll have to let me know your favourite things to do when it gets rainy.

Ok, so my tan is GONE, I'm pasty and I'd like to claim some semblance of bronze back.  I've found the PERFECT solution!

The MeMeMe Shimmer Stacks are the perfect solution without being expensive!




Three colour options of bronze, pink and gold.

 
MeMeMe Shimmer Stacks are a beauty bag must. Each compact incorporates five different bronzers so that you can blend just the right shade for you.

Sweep over nose, brow bone and cheeks – all the areas the sun hits first – for a natural, healthy glow.

Visit MeMeMeCosmetics.co.uk as these bricks retail for a very reasonable £7.99 (was £9.99) each. 

MeMeMe Cosmetics also have a wide range of other great products at affordable prices.  Their website lists all the retail stores near you that will stock MeMeMe Cosmetics.

I'm going to get the gold and the pink, it will really give me some colour!  I've got to get some faketan as well.  No pastiness here!

Let me know what you think of these babies.  Hope you've had a fantastic weekend filled with fun.

xoxo,
Angelique

L'Occitane Hydration Cream

When talking about iconic beauty brands there is none other than this particular brand to make you think:  Luxurious, decadent and innovative.  This embodies L'Occitane en Provence, with their beautifully created skincare and handcremes which are all natural and authentic.

This brings me full circle to the fact that I'd NEVER tried any of their products until I was sent a sample via my May 2012 Joliebox.  Click here to find out more about Joliebox.  I was very chuffed to be sent the A L'Huile Essentielle Et Eau D'Angelique Bio or Hydration Creme with organic angelica water and essential oil.  The sample was a very reasonable 15ml and gave me enough to really sample and try this face creme to make an informed decision as to whether I'd purchase it again.

What is Angelica?

During the Middle Ages in France, angelica was used for its excellent medical properties and as a herb. It was recommended for the overworked or convalescing. Angelica essential oil has hydrating and toning properties, which helps restore one's beauty.

This is the Angelica plant

L'Occitane UK have got a wonderful selection of products that they sell, which includes shower gels, fragrances, foot and hand cremes, face creams, deodorants and hair products, to name but a few, for both men and women.  They currently are offering their customers a free full-sized shower gel (250ml) if you spend £35 when quoting 'MARKET' at checkout.

L'Occitane says of their Cream:

Angelica is an astonishing plant with a unique ability for self-hydration.  Fresh and silky smooth, the Hydration Cream integrates the patented Angelica complex to instantly and lastingly moisturize and revitalize the skin.  
Ideal for dry to normal skin.
Dermatologically tested. Non-comedogenic. 

The rich, creamy texture of the cream.

My View:

The Hydration Creme with organic angelica water and essential oil is wonderfully hydrating and easy to apply to the face and neck.  The cream is a bright white and smells very faintly of flowers (clearly angelica flower).

When taking a swatch of the cream from the packaging onto your finger, the cream feels very aqueous and light at first, but as soon as you start working it into the skin the cream is rich and creamy, easily melting into the skin.

It instantly plumps and smooths the skin.  The hydration is amazing, with the moisture remaining within the skin for hours after the first application that you've applied to the skin.  So I'd definitely buy this again!

The cream retails for £29 for 50ml, which may sound very pricey, but is it well worth it.  All the reviews on L'Occitane's website are positive give four and a half stars out of five.  If the price is a stretch and you'd like to try it first, I found the 15ml sample on EBAY for £4.50 plus £1.50 postage and packaging here.

Have you tried this cream?  Let me know!

xoxo,
Angelique

What your face says about Your Health

We've all wondered whether we are healthy or whether there is some underlying problems with our health that we don't know about.  One of the most obvious places to check your health would be your face.

Your face, you say?  Are you crazy, you say?  The times that you look into the mirror could easily show you some health facts about yourself too.

So stand infront of that mirror, and check out a few of these facts.

1)  Brows
What’s healthy?  Full, even and bushy (when left to their own devices!). 
What’s not?  Thinning brows – especially at the ends.  Hair loss here can indicate a thyroid problem.
What to do?  If you’re worried (and thinning is accompanied by brittle hair, muscle pain or weight gain/loss), your GP can perform a thyroid function check – a quick blood test that assesses your hormone levels.

 2)  Lips
What’s healthy?  Smooth lips. 
What’s not?  Lips that are temporarily cracked or dry can indicate dehydration. 
What to do?  If cracks at the corners of your mouth don’t heal after a month, see your GP, as it may be a sign of an iron or B vitamin deficiency.  You might need a cream to clear up an infection that’s causing the cracks, and if you have other signs of deficiency, you may have a blood test to check your vitamin levels.  Iron is found in red meat, lentils, spinach and soya beans, and vitamin C helps its absorption.  B vitamins are found in dairy and leafy veg.

3)  Eyes
What’s healthy?  Bright whites and comfortable blinking (visible blood vessels at the edges are fine). 
What’s not?  "Runny eyes can indicate an infection – if it feels watery, it could be a virus, and is best treated with cold compresses and paracetamol; if it’s sticky, it could be bacterial, which may need antibiotics,” says Larry Benjamin, vice president of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists.  What to do?  Experts agree that the most important thing is an eye test every two years.  Yes, two.  So if you haven’t had one since school, book!  “Most eye diseases can only be seen with specialist equipment that looks at the back of the eye,” says Benjamin.

4)  Tongue
What’s healthy?  Pink and clean with lots of super-small bumps. 
What’s not?  A white coating, which can be a sign of thrush.  Ulcers are normal, particularly if you accidentally bite your tongue, are on your period or have just given up smoking. 
What to do?  See your doctor if an ulcer doesn’t clear up after three weeks.  It may be a sign of an underlying issue, like a vitamin deficiency or immune-system problems.

5)  Skin
What’s healthy?  Minor but regular monthly breakouts on your chin (thanks, hormones!). 
What’s not?  "Random spots anywhere from the nose down,” says dermatologist Dr Howard Murad.  “These are due to high stress levels and are found here because this area is linked to your adrenal glands, which release stress hormones.” 
What to do?  To clear spot-prone skin, eat vitamin A-rich foods, like apricots, mangoes and sweet potatoes.  “Acne occurs when skin produces too many cells in its outer layer; vitamin A helps prevent this overproduction,” says Dr Murad.


I was so relieved when I did this research, because I was getting random spots at the bottom half of my face and at one point I believed that I had adult acne!  However, that was untrue and it was just a lack of Vitamin A-rich foods.  My skin has really started to clear up, and I'm feeling a lot more confident walking outside. 

Hope these facts have helped you today.

xoxo,
Angelique